When have you had an issue with a manager? How did you handle it?
You may not always get along with your manager, but how you handle yourself will tell the interviewer a lot about who they can expect you to be as an employee. This question gives you the opportunity to show off your communication and interpersonal skills.
"I had a manager who continually added more responsibilities to my role that were far outside of the realm of what I was hired to do. It got to be a little overwhelming! When I spoke with her about it I discovered that she was feeling overwhelmed too. We found a way to share the responsibilities and communicate better when each of us needed something. We ended up making a great team and both of our stress levels became more manageable."
"I once had a manager who was not very open to new ideas. She had been with the company for a long time and was hesitant to accept new voices. One way that I overcame this hurdle was by letting her know that I respected her experience and voice. I then let her know that I deeply cared about the success of the company and that I wanted to share some ideas of how to make the project better. She was responsive to me because she knew I respected her."
Think of an example when strong communication helped you to navigate a difficult situation between yourself and your manager. Consider some of your other qualities that helped as well. Perhaps you are a patient listener or an excellent problem solver. Remember to avoid speaking poorly of a previous employer! Any criticisms should be professionally worded and expressed in diplomatic, vague terms.
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
Day shift PC was not giving a 50/50 split for work for our night shift in the warehousing department. This led to lost hours and missing plans because work is not available, as the day shift was taking 60-70% of the daily drops and leaving us little to do. I sat down and discussed my concerns and received feedback from the day shift PC, who has been in the role for 3 years. I explained the fairness and need for a 50-50 split, and showed historical trends and headcounts from our night shift and how they perform when work is available. The PC was reserved on the change but understood and we were able to gain 50% of the drops and perform with the work available.
Amanda's Feedback
I think you've mastered using strong workplace examples to answer situational questions! This is a fantastic example of your ability to handle conflict with a supervisor in a positive and productive manner, relying on facts and information rather than feelings to inform the conversation and support your position. This shows the interviewer that you can think and act strategically and calmly when others might take rash action out of anger. I also like that it shows you'll step up on behalf of others who are treated unfairly and that your response ends by relating the positive change you were able to achieve.
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