Talk about a difficult person you've worked with in the past. What made them difficult? How did you successfully interact with this person?
"In my current job, I work with a person who brings a negative attitude to work every day. While he is very productive, his attitude towards me and others we work with can make things difficult on some days. I have learned not to take things personally with his attitude and try to kill him with kindness. Now that we've worked together for a few years, we can actually have some laughs with him when his attitude is even further out of line, and he tends to tone it back after that. I am confident that my ability to respond with positivity in the face of a negative attitude will add value to the team here at British Airways."
"My current manager has a tendency to micromanage her team. I realize that is a necessary approach at times, but I am very trustworthy and perform my work with excellence to the best of my ability every day on the job. I did not take it personally and my approach to success was to demonstrate over time that I not only handle the work assigned to me properly. I also showed that I proactively seek opportunities to improve things and avoid problems along the way. Eventually, she learned that I could be trusted to come to her when I need guidance and she has adjusted her approach to working with me.
I feel that keeping your head down and doing your best work possible goes a long way with almost any person who behaves in a difficult manner. I feel confident a similar approach would have a positive effect in any difficult situations I may encounter when working for British Airways."
Questions like this can often feel like a trap, but they can also be an opportunity to let your best qualities shine in an interview. Here are a few key tips to remember when discussing conflict/difficult people in an interview:
- Focus on the behaviors, and not the person
- Demonstrate your ability to empathize, or understand where the other person was coming from
- Show that you maintained your ability to do your best work regardless of the conflict
- Bring your response full circle by tying your actions directly to the value a similar approach would have at British Airways if hired
Keep in mind that British Airways cabin crew interviews often include role-playing sessions. In addition to preparing for this question, it can be helpful to take time to think about ways you would handle a difficult coworker or passenger situation during a stressful flight.
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