Think about a difficult boss, professor or coworker. How did you successfully interact with this person?
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OUR COACH SAYS
The interviewer wants to know how you interact with people who may have challenging personalities. Think about that one person at work who is hard to please. Or, perhaps, there is someone at work who tries to intimidate others.
Show the interviewer that you work well with most personalities even though you recognize there are some folks out there who are quite difficult to please. Avoid speaking poorly of anyone, and be sure to end your response on a positive note.
'Think about a time when...' means that the interviewer is looking for a story-based example for this behavioral-based interview question. This style means forming a response using the STAR method. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result. Organizing your response using this framework will ensure that you provide the interviewer with the right amount of information and detail to form a compelling answer.
Show the interviewer that you work well with most personalities even though you recognize there are some folks out there who are quite difficult to please. Avoid speaking poorly of anyone, and be sure to end your response on a positive note.
'Think about a time when...' means that the interviewer is looking for a story-based example for this behavioral-based interview question. This style means forming a response using the STAR method. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result. Organizing your response using this framework will ensure that you provide the interviewer with the right amount of information and detail to form a compelling answer.
Example #1
"(Situation) I once worked at a locally-owned shop where the owner was very demanding. When he would walk into the store, employees would announce over their headset system that the owner was in the building, so that everyone could prepare for his entrance into their department. (Task) I am a perpetually positive person, so I took the stance that he had great intentions; however, his people skills were a little rough. I could see that he meant well, and I recognized that he wanted to do a lot of good things. I was determined to help my co-workers to see it this way as well. (Action) When we interacted, I always took his feedback with the understanding that he didn't mean things as harshly as he might say to them. Slowly, he began to soften up. As my colleagues saw that my approach was working, they began to communicate with the owner in the same manner. (Result) After just a few months, the mood of the store was more positive, and our team was much more at ease."
Example #2
"(Situation) I once worked for an executive who was very difficult in meetings. He did not interact politely with others. (Task) As his Executive Assistant, I took it upon myself to help this person interact better with our team and stakeholders. (Action) When he would bark orders, I would reiterate what he was trying to say to the group more professionally. It was a subtle approach, and I did so with total respect and patience. (Result) It took some time to see change, but soon he learned to communicate in a way that made people want to collaborate with him."
Example #3
"(Situation) At Business ABC, one of my managers was very cold and 'matter of fact' in his approach. (Task) I have worked most of my career in the logistics industry, which I understand attracts a large variety of personalities. However, I am a warm person by nature and found it challenging to connect with this particular person. As the team lead, I needed to adapt since we collaborated on tasks nearly every day. (Action) I changed my approach by sticking solely to the facts when in meetings, and always presented data versus opinions. (Result) In the end, it wasn't the most profound relationship that I've had in my career, but we made it work for us and got along enough to do our jobs and deliver reliable performance."
Example #4
"(Situation) The most difficult person I ever worked with was my boss a few years back. She was the Marketing Associate until she received a promotion to Marketing Manager. Unfortunately, after her promotion, she was no longer willing to listen to my project ideas. I believe this was partly out of pride and partly because she was trying to find her footing in this larger role. (Task) Because our roles were so closely aligned, I knew that we needed to learn to work together. (Action) I sat with her for a one-on-one meeting, and we had a nice talk about the positive changes she made to the department. Once I showed her that I appreciated her contribution, I then presented my thoughts on growing the ideas that she had started. (Result) We quickly became a great duo. We worked very well together by combining our strengths to make each project exceptional. Today, she stands as one of my professional references."
Example #5
"(Situation) One of the most difficult people I've encountered was a customer at ABC Luxury Store. (Task) I was a personal stylist at the boutique, and this customer was notoriously difficult, cranky, and picky. However, she was a big spender, so I needed to cater to her needs. (Action) She shopped with me once per month and, each time she arrived at the showroom, I made it the ultimate challenge to win her over. I gave myself incremental goals along the way, small checkpoints such as getting a nod of approval, or a smirk or grin. I made it a fun little game for myself. (Result) Ultimately, I did win her over, and she warmed up to me, even smiling now and then."
Example #6
"(Situation) In the past, I struggled with my VP of Sales. She was brought on with no industry experience and seemed to have little interest in learning the industry. (Task) As the Sales Manager, it was up to me to win her over. (Action) I invited her on a business trip for an out of town client. I wanted her to meet my clients. Also, I aimed to spend one-on-one time to get to know her personality and approach. I asked questions about her background, what attracted her to our company, and her short term goals for the organization. (Result) During the trip, we bonded as humans, mothers, and sales executives. She learned a lot about the company and industry, and I learned of the skills she brought from her previous roles."
Example #7
"(Situation) I had a coworker in the Spanish department of my former school, who was very traditional in her teaching approach. She came from the school of thought that children were to be seen and not heard. (Task) I believe that kids are kids and, to be able to learn most effectively, they need to get up and move. I wanted to show her the importance of relaxing, just a touch. (Action) Over a few months, I spent more time with her in the teachers' lounge, where we would often discuss teaching philosophies and experiences. (Result) She began to trust my teaching approach, and we even collaborated on a couple of activities between classes. I think the students appreciated my efforts in helping their other teacher to introduce more fun in the classroom."
Anonymous Answer
"I had a boss that was graceless under pressure. What was worse is that the feedback from the team was that she had a short fuse and could be very rude at times. The company was growing at a frenzied pace, and there was a lot of pressure on all of us to perform. One time, while on the phone with me, she began to cry because she got lost while driving. I calmly told her to pull over and so that she could send me a pin of where she was. I mapped her location and stayed on the phone with her until she calmed down and reached her destination safely. Her attitude changed towards me after that experience."
Rachelle's Reply
Graceless under pressure is a VERY NICE way of saying what I think you are saying. Excellent response. The interviewer should appreciate your approach, willingness to help, and the ability to remain gracious even when you may not feel like it.
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Anonymous Answer
"My previous supervisor was difficult to interact with, as he was a little rough around the edges. He would tell us that we had better do the job his way, and if we didn't, he could make life rough for us. I never had an issue doing my work correctly, so I didn't have many negative encounters with him. When I needed to be coached, I took his feedback positively and showed him I was a worker he could rely on. After that, tensions eased, and we were able to work together better."
Rachelle's Reply
Yikes - this sounds like a tough person to deal with. It's good that your negative encounters were minimal, and it seems you were able to handle his approach in a very professional and pragmatic manner. Great job!
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Anonymous Answer
"I had a co-worker who was always negative, which made it hard to work with him without getting negative myself. I tried to spin a positive outlook on everything as much as possible to keep his attitude more positive instead of negative. I found that if I started joking with him, he would laugh a little bit and it would make everything more enjoyable."
Kristine's Reply
"Great answer! Your interviewer will be impressed you found a way to work with your co-worker and improve his mood."
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Anonymous Answer
"I had a difficult boss when I was a personal trainer; he would often try to intimidate me and was very hard on me for little things. It made work a very stressful environment. Co-workers even noticed my boss being extra hard on me. I always agreed to his demands and did my job. I turned things around when I earned his respect by starting to work out at 3 am (work began at 5 am). He would often workout at this time and made comments about how no one is as dedicated as him. I used this alone time working out with him to pick his brain on training techniques and nutrition. After I started doing this, I believe I earned his respect. He started treating me differently, and even those co-workers began saying I was his favorite trainer."
Rachelle's Reply
You learned to speak his language, which changed the relationship. A very dedicated approach, indeed!
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Anonymous Answer
"There was a time when I did have to work with a coworker that was hard to get along with. He wanted to do his own thing and didn't like working as a team even though he knew that some of the responsibilities belonged to both of us. When I tried to work with him, he would always say that he did not have time, maybe later, or that he was working on something else. What I did to interact with him was, I started praising his accomplishments in front of others, did small things to make his life a little easier. As time went by, he began to trust me and assist me with project tasks."
Rachelle's Reply
This is awesome! What a great approach you took. Well done.
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Anonymous Answer
"I became a sales director at a previous job. I was younger and less experienced than some other reps. One particular rep was not happy that she wasn't selected and resented me. I make a point to travel with her to meet her customers. We drove around the country together and bonded on a personal level and we were able to work well together thereafter."
Rachelle's Reply
It sounds like you had a very effective approach to getting to know this co-worker and make a connection. Nicely done!
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Anonymous Answer
"I have worked in a field which attracts a large variety of personalities. I am a warm person by nature and have found it challenging to connect with those who are cold and 'matter of fact.' One of my coworkers during my Ph.D. was this way, so I adapted by sticking to the facts when in meetings, and presenting data versus opinions. It turned out to be a great relationship."
Rachelle's Reply
This example is exactly what the interviewer would be looking for. Wonderful!
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Anonymous Answer
"At one of my previous jobs, we had a new district manager. He was much more hands-on than our previous DM, and he expected much more from the managers than did our previous DM, especially when keeping up with auditing procedures.
I worked with the team to set up task lists, and I delegated some of the responsibilities to technicians. I also communicated by email with the district manager, and I partnered with a nearby manager at another location.
We scored well on our audits and improved our compliance with completing the day-to-day tasks of the pharmacy. I was able to develop a good working relationship with the district manager who I was able to work with as long as I worked there."
Rachelle's Reply
You went over and above to be highly cooperative. Good answer!
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Anonymous Answer
"I had a co-worker who was too detail-oriented, which made it hard to work with him to complete small jobs. I tried to make him understand not to focus on so much detail. I finally convinced him, and he became more productive."
Rachelle's Reply
Can you try to flesh this out further, to create a more engaging and detailed response? I can then return with feedback (STAR framework would be an excellent choice here).
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Anonymous Answer
"I am generally a warm person who tries to positively relate to everyone. I may find it challenging relating to toxic people, but for me, I believe that one shouldn't change their positive character just because you are dealing with a different personality. I had a co-worker who was this way; I still maintained cordiality and warmness. In meetings, I always spoke from a place of reason and facts while at the same time trying to understand her and reaching an amicable solution."
Rachelle's Reply
It sounds like you did a wonderful job remaining yourself while around a coworker who was coming from a more negative place. Good answer!
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Anonymous Answer
"I've worked with many different types of personalities. I am a team player and I've found it challenging to connect with those who don't consider others at their workplace. As a manager, I take the time to make each staff member feel appreciated and create an enjoyable work environment. This technician has noticed my efforts and has shown his willingness to help more often recently."
Rachelle's Reply
This is a good start to the answer, but try answering the question directly by using a full example. I am not sure who the technician is, in this case.
Rachelle's Reply
"I currently work with a technician who is challenging as he is inconsiderate to others in the workplace. It's important to me that each staff member have an enjoyable work environment, so I approached this person to share my concerns. Lately, he has shown his willingness to be more collaborative."
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Anonymous Answer
"I pride myself on being a person that gets along with almost everyone but now, and then you do run across a personality that may be more of a struggle to handle. One example would be a boss I used to work with, not necessarily difficult, but it was more of a lack of skills as a manager that was the problem. He was very forgetful, lacked communication, and rarely gave any accolades to anyone. I basically lessened my expectations of what I needed from him, so I wouldn't always feel disappointed and stepped up to help facilitate the communication/appreciation for other employees to fill the void and skills he lacked."
Rachelle's Reply
Excellent answer! By choosing to lower your expectations and then stepping up yourself to fill the void, you are showing that you genuinely care about your job and your coworkers.
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Anonymous Answer
"I’ve worked for some difficult people and I find the best way to deal with them is to keep a professional attitude because at some point you’re going to need to work with this person to achieve a common goal."
Mary's Reply
Great response! Interviewers will look for individuals who function well in a team dynamic- even when difficult coworkers exist. Having a team mentality and professional attitude are positive qualities in a hire.
Mary's Reply
"No changes."
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Anonymous Answer
"When I was performing as a secretary in a committee, I had one new member who was very shy, seldom participating in the discussion. I took it upon myself to help this person interact better with others. I started a conversation with them to get to know their background, their interests and how they felt about our committee. I encouraged them to participate in the discussion as the person had good ideas. I could see that they gradually increased involvement in the meeting as time went on."
Rachelle's Reply
This is a good example. It shows that you have been in a difficult situation and were able to resolve it. Just some minor grammar edits here.
Rachelle's Reply
"When I was in a committee secretary role, I had one new committee member who was very quiet, seldom participating in discussions. I took it upon myself to help this person interact better with others. I started a conversation with him to get to know his background, his interests, and how he felt about our committee. I encouraged him to participate in the discussion, as he had a lot of good ideas. Gradually, his participation increased, and he opened up further to the group."
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Anonymous Answer
"I treat everyone with respect. If someone is difficult, I may be more cautious in my interactions. I tend to get along better with more difficult people than others do."
Rachelle's Reply
Again, this is a 'tell me about a time' question that will require a specific situational response. Be aware of turning these into general responses as, in a real interview, the hiring authority will definitely notice.
Rachelle's Reply
"I had a boss that was a difficult communicator, as he was more abrupt in his communication style than most. I was able to see past his harsh exterior and after some time, we communicated very well due to my willingness not to shy away from him."
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Anonymous Answer
"When we were working on a marketing strategy at Rent-A-Car, our task was to develop a plan on how to reach out to different body shops, insurance agents, and other clients. We worked in a group of 4; one team member refused to see anyone else’s point of view. I knew that we weren’t going to be productive if we couldn’t get this team member to collaborate. I pulled him aside after our first meeting and told him how much I valued his opinion. I also emphasized that since we are a team we had to pick our battles and be somewhat flexible. Once I pointed that out, He understood the negative impact of not being inclusive. When I saw how well he responded to my conversation, I realized that instead of arguing with anyone in person at the moment, it was more productive to pull them aside one-on-one. Conflicts in the workplace will never be avoided, but I found a way to make it manageable."
Rachelle's Reply
You are very right - workplace conflict cannot always be avoided; however, they can be handled properly and dealt with swiftly.
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Anonymous Answer
"A new website needed to be developed for a new business. A coworker wasn’t sure how to approach the situation and kept changing their mind, leading to extra development time. Eventually, we built a site they were happy with, despite working through constant changes. I learned I need to create a frame work and make sure the contract reflects rework in order to gain compensation for indecisiveness."
Rachelle's Reply
Similar to 'Tell me about a time' questions, this response would benefit from further detail on your actions and behavior vs. only the tasks.
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Anonymous Answer
"I did have an experience where I thought my new manager was unhappy with me, so I made a point to arrive early one day so that I could talk to her in private. It turned out that she was not unhappy with me at all, and she apologized for coming across that way."
Rachelle's Reply
Good for you to approach the situation head-on! This answer shows a lot of courage and professionalism.
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Anonymous Answer
"I worked with a very intimidating research professor. His demeanor seemed at first to be rude, but later I learned from others that his personality was quite blunt. I learned to not take the way he said things personally and instead focus on how I could use this as an opportunity to work with someone unlike other professors I have worked with. Despite his blunt attitude, I did not let anything deter me from asking questions and learning everything I could from him."
Rachelle's Reply
Good for you, pushing through and learning how to adjust despite any feelings of discomfort. Your answer shows that you are confident and dedicated to the job at hand.
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Anonymous Answer
"My manager at work completely changed my schedule without any notice. I was still in nursing school at the time, which meant I could not comply with the schedule. I made an appointment to speak with her. I explained my issue. Thankfully, she understood, and the situation was resolved."
Rachelle's Reply
It's great that you felt comfortable enough to approach the situation, change it back to meet your needs.
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