Describe a time you failed to fulfill a commitment.
"I inherited the workload of an employee who was underperforming and was let go. It was overwhelming. I suffered from task paralysis and had trouble getting started. Long ago, a mentor told me, in situations like this, I always tackle the biggest aspect of an overwhelming project first since that was what I felt most daunted by. It was good general advice, and I listened to it. However, in this instance, I should have taken a different approach. I lost focus on the priorities of the project, where instead of focussing on the tasks one by one, I should have looked more closely at the broader view of the problem at hand. As a result, I didn't manage my time well and should have approached the project differently. I missed that target but never made the mistake again."
The goal of this question is to determine your level of professionalism, integrity, emotional intelligence, and whether you take ownership of your mistakes and setbacks. The interviewers want to know if you deflect blame and frame yourself as a victim rather than learn from such experiences. If so, you are more likely than not to repeat the same mistakes, making you difficult to work with and professional liability.
If you grew from the experience and had positive takeaways, such as analytically examining what went wrong, and learning what you can do next time to succeed, then the glass is half full of silver linings.
This question will allow your hiring authority to assess how well you hold yourself accountable and your project management and time management skills. It will also give them insight into your work style and how you deal with stressful situations. The assessment vendor will study your behavior for stress indicators, dishonesty, or defensiveness.
As they state on their site, "WHO WE HIRE: UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS WITH A PASSION TO HELP OTHERS. SYKES employees: Are unique, Are motivated, Respect themselves and others, Don't settle for the status quo, Care and want to help, Are not afraid to ask questions, See the big picture. WE ALL WIN WHEN PEOPLE CAN BE THEMSELVES. AT SYKES, WE Work, Learn and Grow.
