Can you tell us about a time you had to support an unpopular company policy?

Provide an example of a situation in which you faced such a challenge. Explain how your course of action created positive insights towards the bigger picture and the end goal. You want to come across as a supporting influence for positive change.

Avoid describing situations in which the change negatively affected your outlook. You should not sound like you were sowing dissent in the workplace or contributing to upheaval.

"All too often, any policy that seems mysterious or vague is by default unpopular, especially when the company neglects to communicate why the policy needed to be implemented. Without fail, I incessantly ask the kinds of questions that give me an understanding of why an unpopular policy is implemented or enforced. So, yes, there have been many occasions I've found myself supporting an unpopular company policy. This is why when on the job, I coach leaders to educate their employees on the whys of such things."

"At my first job, our entire department was laid off. There was obviously a lot of dissent as a result. There's nothing worse than facing financial insecurity. But the severance packages we all received were more than fair. So I supported the decision as best as I could, shook hands with senior management, and thanked them for their generosity. It was the right thing to do. Not sure if my attitude had anything to do with being one of the few who were hired back on a few months later. Regardless, I consider myself one of the lucky ones."