How would you handle working with a patient or coworker who had a difficult personality?
As you're interviewing to join a company of over 235,000 employees, odds are high that you will encounter a colleague who has a personality that conflicts with yours. On top of that with over 12.5 million members, your interviewer knows that any person they consider to work at Kaiser Permanente will see some sort of personality conflict during their time there. They pose this question question to hear you discuss how you will work effectively with someone who sees things differently than you or clashes with you. The key to answering this question is staying true to who you are while also taking a professional and respectful approach to anyone you are working with. If you use an example from your past, try to avoid speaking negatively of others and focus on the approach you used to make it a positive interaction.
"As a person who is introverted and always tries to have fun and be happy on the job, I have struggled in the past with patients and colleagues who are loud, demanding, and intrusive. As I've gotten better throughout my career, my way of working effectively with people like this is to listen intently, repeat what I hear them say, and keep my nose to the grindstone in delivering results. I don't let things get to me because of my thick skin and this has really helped me in a busy clinical setting. I'm sure it will help me as part of the dynamic and passionate team here at Kaiser Permanente."
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
When you work in a diverse team and with patients, you will encounter difficult personalities. My approach is to tune out the negativity and try to figure out why the personality is difficult. While working with patients, the difficulty usually stems from fear of the unknown about their health, I try to be more empathetic and talk to them truthfully about the procedure. If I am unable to understand a team member's personality, I try to be professional and interact in a courteous manner.
Amanda's Feedback
Well done! With this question, the interviewer is trying to get an idea of how you interact with challenging people, such as a coworker who is hard to please or has a tendency to intimidate others. Your answer shows the interviewer that you can work well with almost anyone. Because this is a situational question, consider using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to provide a story-based example. This ensures that you give the right amount of information and detail to create a compelling and memorable answer. Make sure to avoid speaking negatively of anyone, and be sure to end your response with a positive. Using a real-life example of how you improved a relationship with a difficult coworker or patient gives the interviewer a glimpse of how your strategy pays off in real-life situations.
Anonymous Answer
The way that I have handled a difficult personality is the best of my ability is to have an understanding that I am going to encounter people who have different values and work ethics than I do and that some are taking out their frustration due to some unknown struggles. In these situations, I always try to offer some type of support or keep the interaction professional when paths need to cross.
Jaymie's Feedback
Great job. Demonstrating your ability to accept others for who they are and finding ways to coexist and work together is exactly what the interviewer will want to hear.
Anonymous Answer
If a patient or coworker I was with had a difficult personality, I would try my best to be patient and kind to them. If they were being rude or disrespectful to me I would still treat them with kindness. This is how I would handle the situation so it doesn't escalate. It isn't wise to treat them the same way because it would only cause more problems. If they don't change their behavior and it creates a big issue in the work environment, I would talk to them first about it to communicate how it is affecting the workplace. If their behavior continues I would talk to HR or management to get the issue resolved.
Jaymie's Feedback
Perfect! Your answer demonstrates your professional maturity and ability to resolve conflict. Good job!
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