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Coinbase Senior Enterprise Product Manager Mock Interview

Question 2 of 33 for our Coinbase Senior Enterprise Product Manager Mock Interview

Coinbase was written by on May 2nd, 2022. Learn more here.

Question 2 of 33

What is your typical communication style when working with engineers?

"I try to see everyone I work with as an individual, and I am open to communicating with everyone differently. In my experience, personality and culture play a role in the style that works best for someone, and I try to honor those preferences.

In general, I am direct, and I try to approach all conversations with empathy and humility. I realize that is not necessarily an expected mix, but I find it helps to foster authenticity. For the same reasons, I strive to use active listening skills.

I also lean on metaphors a lot when conversing with engineers. I use them to communicate complex business and customer scenarios, and I use them to demonstrate I am tracking well when we discuss difficult to understand technical concepts.

Finally, I like to leverage a number of tools and I am open to shifting depending on the individual. I find that some engineers are averse to email or the phone and prefer to converse through Slack or other collaboration tools. Others prefer a quick meeting to drive out a plan. I am flexible and I roll with whatever works as long as it is a match for the situation at hand and moves us toward our collective goals."

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How to Answer: What is your typical communication style when working with engineers?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Coinbase job interview.

  • 2. What is your typical communication style when working with engineers?

      Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

      Product managers and engineers partner often to transform the vision for a solution into a working asset. This process requires a shared understanding of customer needs and technology concepts. Interviewers ask this question to determine if a candidate's approach is a match for the teams they will be assigned to at Coinbase.

      Written by Karrie Day on May 2nd, 2022

      Remember To

      Remember to discuss your approach to selecting the communication tools you use in addition to the style you use. Some engineering teams have a culture of communicating mostly through technology and candidates who can approach communication with flexibility are valued.

      Written by Karrie Day on May 2nd, 2022

      Answer Example

      "I try to see everyone I work with as an individual, and I am open to communicating with everyone differently. In my experience, personality and culture play a role in the style that works best for someone, and I try to honor those preferences.

      In general, I am direct, and I try to approach all conversations with empathy and humility. I realize that is not necessarily an expected mix, but I find it helps to foster authenticity. For the same reasons, I strive to use active listening skills.

      I also lean on metaphors a lot when conversing with engineers. I use them to communicate complex business and customer scenarios, and I use them to demonstrate I am tracking well when we discuss difficult to understand technical concepts.

      Finally, I like to leverage a number of tools and I am open to shifting depending on the individual. I find that some engineers are averse to email or the phone and prefer to converse through Slack or other collaboration tools. Others prefer a quick meeting to drive out a plan. I am flexible and I roll with whatever works as long as it is a match for the situation at hand and moves us toward our collective goals."

      Written by Karrie Day on May 2nd, 2022

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