Tell me about a time you faced a challenging situation and how you resolved it through communication alone.
"My manager asked me to be a witness for a disciplinary write-up. The employee in question had a heated blow-up in the workplace that escalated quickly. However, this employee had recently been exhibiting defensive posturing. Upon the write-up, they continued to frame themselves as a victim and argued with my manager over the circumstances of this incident. I could tell my manager was starting to get a little flushed. I chimed in by addressing this employee's conduct and asking them about the circumstances behind the first recent bout of defensive outbursts they exhibited. I then continued tracing the steps from that first incident to the next, up to the most recent and asked them if the most recent employee they claimed victimized them was the same as the first, the second, or the third. I then observed that none of these other individuals was a common denominator. I then asked them what was going on in their life outside of work that was making them feel this way. Pretty quickly, we got to the bottom of their situational attitude. I'd rather not go into the details of their situation because it is of a serious and personal nature, but they quickly understood where I was going with it all. They hung their head, sheepishly took the write-up, signed it, and apologized. We offered them some of our employee services for counseling and help, and they got the help they needed."
Everyone has their own style of communication. Unilever understands that clear communication is integral to ensuring its operations run smoothly. Someone who has developed their non-defensive communication skills, conflict resolution skills, and active listening will be more valued here. Communication is more than getting everyone on the same page. It's about how a message is conveyed.
Remember, the AI of the assessment vendor will be screening you for how well you communicate. Pay close attention to your choice of words and what they might communicate. Make sure to enunciate and try not to stutter or have long pauses. Record your voice while answering some of these questions. Take note of your use of any speech crutch words such as "like," "um," "you know," "so on and so forth," "and," "well," "but," "so," "ah," "er," and "Etcetera." Practice answering these questions without relying on those words. That will present you as a clearer communicator and more of a professional.
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