How to Answer: We expect our team members to handle challenges effectively. Tell me about a time you had to deal with adversity while in a leadership position.
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Plaid job interview.
20. We expect our team members to handle challenges effectively. Tell me about a time you had to deal with adversity while in a leadership position.
How to Answer
It's not easy serving in a leadership position, and Plaid wants to know that you can handle the stress that comes with it. As you brainstorm leadership experiences that you can point to during your interview, include challenges that you faced along the way. These challenges might have to do with pushback you received from colleagues, having to deliver unpopular news, or something completely different. Above all, demonstrate tolerance for adversity and emphasize the strategies you've developed to push through challenging situations while serving as a leader.
Written by Rachel Hills on December 1st, 2021
Answer Example
"A while back, I managed a team of ten individuals within our client services department. I learned quickly that there was quite a bit of animosity on the team, particularly between two team members who did not get along. This made it quite difficult to make progress on projects and also made for a hostile team environment. While this was a tough team to lead, I handled this challenge by meeting more regularly with each team member. As a leader, I place a high value on open communication, so I directly asked team members about the root causes of the various conflicts. From there, we developed strategies that sought to fix these challenges. Further, I strategically created smaller teams within the overall team for particular projects to ensure that team members worked in a pleasant environment suited to their professional strengths. After a few months, the team was running much more smoothly and with far less conflict."
Written by Rachel Hills on December 1st, 2021