How will you handle having difficult conversations with your colleagues here at Quest Diagnostics?
One of the most challenging parts of communication on the job can be delivering bad news to people you work with and for whom you care. Since communication is so vital to the success of any lab setting, your interviewer at Quest Diagnostics needs to know that you can have difficult conversations with your colleagues.
"I certainly do not enjoy communicating bad news to a co-worker, but I have experience doing so. When this type of task is required of me, I practice empathy. Truth is always key, so I will be honest and clear when communicating the news. For instance, if I am to terminate someone's employment, I will not sugarcoat the reasons why. It's best they know so they can learn from the experience."
"I am very to-the-point when it comes to my communication skills. Good or bad news, there is always a way to improve the situation and create something good from it. After delivering bad news, I will work with my coworker to find a viable solution."
Whether it is providing a less-than-positive work review or a simple criticism of something a colleague is doing, having a difficult conversation is not an easy task. Assure the interviewer that you can handle this duty transparently, concisely, and professionally. If you have an example of a difficult conversation on the job, talk in detail about how you approached it and the outcome.
