Have you ever had to work closely with a difficult manager or colleague? How did you successfully interact with this person?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
How to Answer
1st Answer Example
2nd Answer Example

In the fast-paced Biopharmaceutical development world that Bristol-Myers Squibb competes in, there can be some bold and strong personalities. With this question, your interviewer wants to see evidence that you can interact professionally and constructively with others, even if they have a challenging personality or work style.

Discuss a specific time you encountered a challenging boss or co-worker and what you did to ensure successful communication and work with them. Outline the situation, describe why it was vital that you communicated successfully with this person, and explain the actions you took to build a healthy relationship with the individual. Then, stress that you are open to working with any personality style in this role at Bristol-Myers Squibb.

"During my undergraduate and master's program, I worked at a locally-owned shop where the owner was very demanding. When he walked into the store, employees would announce over their headset system that the owner was in the building so that everyone could prepare for his entrance into their work area. I am a perpetually positive person, so I assumed he had great intentions; however, his people skills were a little rough. I could see that he meant well, and I recognized that he wanted to do good things. I was determined to help my co-workers see this as well. When we interacted, I always took his feedback with the understanding that he didn't mean things as harshly as he might say them. Slowly, he began to soften up. As my colleagues saw that my approach was working, they began to communicate with the owner in the same manner. After just a few months, the store's mood was more positive, and our team was much more at ease."

"When one of my colleagues joined my current team two years ago, it didn't take long to see that their approach was cold and 'matter-of-fact.' I have worked most of my career in the pharmaceutical industry, which attracts a large variety of personalities. However, I am a warm person by nature and found it challenging to connect with this person. As the team lead, I needed to adapt because we collaborated on tasks nearly every day. I changed my approach by sticking solely to the facts in meetings and always presenting data versus opinions. In the end, it wasn't the most profound relationship I've had in my career, but we made it work for us and got along well enough to do our jobs and deliver reliable performance."