Microsoft Mock Interview
Practice 35 Microsoft interview questions covering technical skills, product thinking, and cultural fit.
Question 29 of 35
If a team member or colleague wasn't pulling their weight at Microsoft, how would you handle that situation?
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Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.
Inspired teamwork through a family-like setting is something that Microsoft prides itself on in all that they do. In even the best of team-based atmospheres, it is inevitable that you will come across a teammate that isn't working to the best of their abilities. It is important to understand that this can happen for many reasons, whether that be burnout from an overloaded work schedule or simply a person not caring about their job. In asking this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you are able to handle a situation like this with a direct approach. As well, they'll want to know that you can do so with respect and a forward vision for the project. If you have an example of a time where you dealt with an educator or colleague in a situation like this, don't hesitate to talk about how you handled it with ease and success.
Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.
"In just about any modern-day workplace, a true team effort is a must. Every person involved has a specific role to play, and I know mine. If a team member wasn't doing the necessary work or giving the necessary information, as a leader, I would first approach them directly in a one-on-one situation to reset my expectations for them as part of the project. I wouldn't place blame. I would listen to them and absorb what they were saying to me. Ultimately I would stay positive. I'd stress just how critical their involvement was to the team and that our direction goes as the people driving it goes, and if they lacked support in some way, then we would resolve that issue."
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I would talk to them. I actually had this type of situation in my current position. A team member needed help with completing their job. So I created a checklist for the things they needed to check for.
Amanda's Feedback
Good communication is a key component of resolving conflict and helping others improve performance through constructive feedback. However, you can give your answer more impact by using an example of how you've addressed a similar issue in the past in a positive way. Make sure to emphasize the resolution rather than the conflict itself. You can also explain the lessons you learned from the experience.
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