How do you handle disputes with a coworker or supervisor?
It is not uncommon for coworkers or supervisors to have a dispute or disagreement. What matters here are your interpersonal skills and attitude when situations such as this arise. Your interviewer is curious about how well you would uphold the values that define their work culture. "We all know the value of a positive workspace. It energizes you. It puts a smile on your face. And it makes work feel a little less like work." How you respond gives the interviewer insight into your problem-solving, communication, and conflict-resolution skills, which are essential to possess as a Walgreens employee.
Focus on giving a detailed explanation of how you handled a past disagreement with a supervisor or coworker. You do not necessarily need to describe the reason for the dispute, just how you dealt with it. The interviewer wants to hear that you dealt with the conflict privately, calmly, and professionally and that there was a resolution.
You do not want to say that you avoid or ignore disagreements or get angry when a dispute arises in the workplace. The interviewer does not want to hear that you lack conflict resolution and communication skills. You also want to avoid speaking poorly of the person you had the dispute with or placing the blame solely on the other individual. You need to be responsible and recognize your part in the conflict.
"Luckily, I have had good coworkers and supervisors with minimal conflict. If there is an issue with a colleague, I like to nip it in the bud. I ask them to speak in private, address the issue, and come up with a resolution that makes us both happy."
"Since I was a kid, it has been my reflex in conflict situations to smile. It's involuntary. But I learned to roll with it early on and stay positive. Whenever anyone gets confrontational with me, they typically soften up when they see I never respond the way they want and never take the bait. I am incapable of doing so. So I just stay positive, and normally my nature turns things around."
