What kind of disagreements have you had with colleagues and/or managers? How have you resolved them? Can you empathize with people whose points of view differ radically from yours?
In Meta's Full Loop Interview Prep Guide, they pose this very question, and there is a chance your interviewer may ask this to assess how thoroughly you've prepared for this interview. This falls under one of the five signals they evaluate their candidates for, resolving conflict. This question directly pertains to how well you would thrive in their unstructured, open working environment. They want to know how aligned you are with their culture and how adept you are at resolving conflict when tense situations may arise, for whatever reason. How you answer will inform them of how aligned you are with their culture, and how your approach to resolving conflict aligns with theirs.
At Meta, they repeatedly emphasize that they are looking to hire "highly qualified individuals from the widest range of backgrounds and experiences. This helps us benefit from each other's vast variety of experiences and perspectives and offer products and services truly designed for all." They depend on each one of those metamates to get along, treat each other with respect, and collaborate harmoniously. As Mark Zuckerberg succinctly puts it, "At Meta, I believe that embracing a deep responsibility to each other allows us to innovate better and be a better company."
"Well, I work in a very collaborative think tank environment currently. And often our teams are challenged with charting unmapped paths forward on major projects. The aim is to get it done together and to collaborate at speed. So, this often requires a lot of active listening, validating, and implementing advanced communication, negotiation, diplomacy, validation, non-defensive communication, and compromise. On occasion, simply because of communication backdowns, things get tense, but they never result in conflict. In those situations, we'll ultimately reach a compromise and work well together toward our common goal. We all want the same thing. It's just how to get there that ends up for debate. All for one and one for all."
Here are several guidelines for being kind and respectful which Meta details in their code of conduct. "It is important that Meta Personnel feel valued and respected and that they are treated fairly at work and work-related events, whether in-person or virtual. This culture helps establish the openness and trust we need to make informed decisions and have a meaningful impact in the world. Being kind and respectful means we treat every person within our community with respect, regardless of role, position, seniority, employment status or tenure. Consider the needs and perspectives of others and how our words and actions might be received. Never threaten, act violently toward or harass others. Don't insult, bully, disparage, shame or mock others and stay vigilant. Don't retaliate. Speak up."
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