What would you do if your supervisor did not properly communicate information to you?
Your interviewer hopes to assess how skilled of a communicator you are. Demonstrate how you adapt your communication style to others and ensure you have everything you need to do a job well done. You cannot force others to communicate with you in a way that you would always prefer. But you can actively listen, mirror, and do everything you can within your control, taking responsibility for your actions and ensuring you have made every effort to enhance communication.
"Whenever I have had a supervisor who does not properly communicate with me, I try to learn their communication style and emulate it. Sometimes you have to relate to others in their style to be understood."
"I have had great supervisors in my previous positions; however, if faced with a communication challenge like this, I would ask the supervisor how I could improve communication between us. Rather than placing blame, I believe it's always more effective to ask for growth recommendations."
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
Sometimes you need to recognize people have different styles of communicating. I've had a supervisor communicate a lot by email and I asked if it was ok that we chat on the phone or in person so that I can get a better understanding of the message. Simply asking how we can communicate better is a good place to start!
Rachelle's Feedback
Perfect answer! You are solving a problem and showing excellent communication skills.
Anonymous Answer
I will try to get clarification from him/her. If the problem persists, I will look for other resources, such as training online from the company or guidelines to get the job done.
Marcie's Feedback
Nice! These are all great ways to handle a situation when you haven't been given all the information you need by your supervisor. Is there also an example you could mention of a time when this previously happened to you and you handled it successfully?
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