Northwestern University Kellogg MBA Mock Interview

Practice 30 Kellogg MBA interview questions covering leadership philosophy, teamwork scenarios, and career vision.

Question 9 of 30

How do you handle conflict within a team setting?

Example Answer
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
What You Should Say
Community Answers

Karrie Day is a certified career coach and strategist with a passion for helping her clients define and reach their professional goals. She offers career advancement services such as brand development, resume writing and critiques, job search strategies,

"I currently manage a mission-critical operations team. I am required to resolve conflicts as quickly and efficiently as possible. I remain calm and work with everyone involved to understand the details of the issue. I then work with my team to brainstorm solution options and identify a value-based plan to resolve the conflict. There are times when there is very little time to analyze the details, and I have to make the call on behalf of our team. In those instances, I make sure my team knows that my decisions are not personal and it is my responsibility to keep us moving forward using my best judgment.

In an educational setting, I use the same calm and empathetic approach. However, I usually find myself working as a facilitator to make sure everyone is heard and that the group stays focused on looking for the best way to solve the problem."

Karrie Day

The purpose of this question is twofold in an MBA interview. First, your interviewer wants to know more about how you handle conflict professionally. Second, your interviewer wants to know if you are prepared to address potential conflicts that may arise while working in teams at Kellogg. Show them that you are a leader and willing to face conflict with empathy and confidence.

Karrie Day

Your response should be a clear demonstration of your leadership skills during difficult times. However, I want to be clear that showing leadership during conflict does not necessarily mean that you have to 'take charge' of the situation. Team conflicts are owned by the team as a whole; everyone involved can be a leader while working to resolve them.

MBA programs are full of natural leaders, and you need to be prepared to take a facilitative approach to conflict resolution. Authoritative approaches are likely to fail in the peer-based team setting you will be working in frequently at Kellogg.

Write Your Answer

0 - Character Count

Previous Question Next Question

30Northwestern University Interview Questions & Answers

Discovery

1.Walk me through your professional background and the roles you have held.

Discovery

2.What value do you believe you will receive through participation in the Kellogg MBA program?

Discovery

3.What specifically attracted you to the Kellogg MBA program?

Career Goals

4.Where do you want to be professionally in five years?

Leadership

5.How would you describe your leadership style?

Leadership

6.Tell me about a time you offered leadership to a team during a stressful time.

Discovery

7.Describe an area you would specifically like to improve if you are selected for the program.

Capability

8.What is your greatest professional strength?

Conflict

9.How do you handle conflict within a team setting?

Conflict

10.Describe a time you experienced conflict with a client.

Teamwork

11.How would the members of your current teams describe you?

Education

12.What lessons did you learn in college that you plan to apply to your MBA experience?

Accomplishment

13.Describe your most notable professional accomplishment.

Ask The Interviewer

14.What questions can I answer for you?

Problem Solving

15.Describe a process improvement you identified and implemented.

Teamwork

16.What types of team settings do you typically work in?

Behavioral

17.Tell me about a time you experienced failure in a professional setting.

Teamwork

18.Imagine a team member is experiencing regular performance issues that affect you and your team. What steps would you take to improve the situation?

Discovery

19.Why have you decided to pursue an MBA at this particular time?

Career Goals

20.Where would you like to see your career go long-term?

Teamwork

21.What type of team environment do you thrive in?

Conflict

22.Describe a time you did not agree with your manager.

Competency

23.Describe a significant business challenge faced by your industry.

Leadership

24.What qualities do you feel an excellent leader should possess?

Leadership

25.Describe a time you mentored someone professionally.

Leadership

26.How do you build relationships in the workplace?

Communication

27.How would you rate your communication and presentation skills?

Adaptability

28.What was the biggest change you have had to deal with in your career?

Communication

29.Rate your listening skills from 1-10. What would your coworkers say about your listening skills?

Behavioral

Northwestern University Kellogg MBA Mock Interview

How do you handle conflict within a team setting?

30Northwestern University Interview Questions & Answers

1.Walk me through your professional background and the roles you have held.

2.What value do you believe you will receive through participation in the Kellogg MBA program?

3.What specifically attracted you to the Kellogg MBA program?

4.Where do you want to be professionally in five years?

5.How would you describe your leadership style?

6.Tell me about a time you offered leadership to a team during a stressful time.

7.Describe an area you would specifically like to improve if you are selected for the program.

8.What is your greatest professional strength?

9.How do you handle conflict within a team setting?

10.Describe a time you experienced conflict with a client.

11.How would the members of your current teams describe you?

12.What lessons did you learn in college that you plan to apply to your MBA experience?

13.Describe your most notable professional accomplishment.

14.What questions can I answer for you?

15.Describe a process improvement you identified and implemented.

16.What types of team settings do you typically work in?

17.Tell me about a time you experienced failure in a professional setting.

18.Imagine a team member is experiencing regular performance issues that affect you and your team. What steps would you take to improve the situation?

19.Why have you decided to pursue an MBA at this particular time?

20.Where would you like to see your career go long-term?

21.What type of team environment do you thrive in?

22.Describe a time you did not agree with your manager.

23.Describe a significant business challenge faced by your industry.

24.What qualities do you feel an excellent leader should possess?

25.Describe a time you mentored someone professionally.

26.How do you build relationships in the workplace?

27.How would you rate your communication and presentation skills?

28.What was the biggest change you have had to deal with in your career?

29.Rate your listening skills from 1-10. What would your coworkers say about your listening skills?

30.Describe a time you motivated yourself to complete an assignment or task that you did not feel like doing.