Conflict Interview Questions
Master 15 conflict interview questions covering workplace disputes, resolution strategies, and emotional intelligence.
Question 4 of 15
Talk about a time you faced a conflict in the workplace and reacted poorly.
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Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
Most people cannot handle every conflict with the utmost grace and poise. No matter who you are, there is undoubtedly a work-related situation that makes you cringe a bit when you look back. What's most important is not how the issue went down but what you learned from the experience.
Behavioral-based interview questions that begin with 'Talk about a time...' are best answered 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.
Your story-based example should not be too weighty but have enough impact to show the interviewer that you can bounce back from a misstep in the workplace. Avoid instances where you were the one that caused the conflict, include a display of immaturity, or make it seem like you have a temper. Focus the bulk of your response on what you would do differently today and what you learned from the situation. Assure the interviewer that you are now better equipped to handle conflict in the workplace.
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
"(Situation & Task) When I first joined Company XYZ's outside sales team as a Sales Rep, I underestimated how competitive the work environment was. I thought I could ask one of my new coworkers for help with understanding a client documentation process in the Salesforce CRM. When I asked for help, explaining that I was new to the department, this coworker told me to stop wasting their time and look for an answer on my own before interrupting their work. I was in disbelief at how rude the person was to me, and I sharply responded by commenting on what a terrible work environment this person was creating. I went straight to the HR Manager's office and expressed my distaste for this coworkers' unwillingness to be a team player. The HR Manager sat with me. After asking a few questions, they spotlighted the fact that it seemed I was so focused on getting an answer that I didn't consider the impact my interruption had on the other employee. This person had been working on an incredibly tight deadline on a project that would significantly impact their sales numbers for the quarter. I soon realized that I had been the rude one, which was a challenging fact to face. I decided to approach the coworker once the timing was appropriate and apologize for my behavior. Since that incident, I am more conscious of my timing when approaching a coworker with a question. Today, there isn't any tension between myself and this individual, and they are responsive to help whenever they are able. Of course, I also return the kindness whenever I can."
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Anonymous Answer
A few of us were working on a technical research paper for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. We asked the technical writer to create the first draft from some general headings and bullet points. After receiving the first draft, I made some significant edits, including removing content that the technical writer had individually contributed. When she asked me why I removed her contributions, I took an academic approach and told her that unsubstantiated assertions and emotional statements didn’t meet the required standards. She became very upset with this. I had incorrectly assumed she wanted facts when what she wanted was reassurance. So I apologized to her and took responsibility for not clearly communicating the requirements for the document to her.
Marcie's Feedback
This is a good example to use because it shows how maybe you didn't handle something perfectly but recognized the error of your ways, apologized, and moved forward. Nice job!
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