Give me an example of a time you had to practice good communication to win someone over to your way of thinking.

This question is your opportunity to show off the skills you've developed in communication and persuasion. Think of a specific scenario when you and a business partner or client did not share the same way of thinking. Explain how you assertively yet diplomatically convinced the other party of your way of thinking and what the results of this interaction were.

"Last year, a client and I had a disagreement over the smartest path forward following a failed project on their end. While I'm normally open to following the client's lead on projects, I felt confident that my team's solution was the best path forward. To convince the client of the benefits of the proposed solution, I focused on employing active listening techniques and getting to the crux of the client's concerns. I listened carefully to their worries, asking strategic questions, and then I broke the solution down step-by-step and highlighted how it would effectively address their major concerns. In the end, the client was still a bit hesitant but overall on board with the new solution. We employed the solution and had better than expected results, with client revenue increasing by 10% within two months."

"My previous role in consulting prepared me thoroughly for communicating effectively with people who have different ideas or styles than me. I've found that the most effective way to convince someone of my way of thinking is to ensure I rely on data as evidence rather than 'hunches' or 'feelings.' Thus, a strong orientation towards numbers and logic form the backbone of my persuasion techniques, though I strive too to always maintain a sense of openness to others' ideas and ways of thinking even if they differ from my own."