Walk me through a time when you helped resolve a workplace conflict between others.
The interviewer wants to know about your ability to handle conflict when placed in a mediator role. Show the interviewer that you are thoughtful in challenging conditions and can be the voice of reason for others when needed.
When responding to a behavioral or scenario-based question like this, it's best to give a specific story-based example rather than responding with a generalization. You can form your response using the STAR framework, an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result.
Suppose you don't have an example of when you helped resolve a workplace conflict between others. In that case, you can discuss the approach you would take to mediating the situation in a hypothetical way.
"I am a peacekeeper, so it comes naturally to me to help mediate workplace conflict between others. (Situation) While working at Company XYZ, there was a time when two of our sales team members were continually bickering. The situation started in jest and good spirits but quickly deteriorated as one felt the other was attempting to railroad the other persons' sales. It made working with them, or even near them, an unpleasant experience. (Task) As the Sales Lead, I felt it was time to speak with them about the tension they were creating for others. (Action) First, I spoke to them individually to get to the root of what was bothering each individual. By hearing each of their sides without the other around, I was more prepared to address the issue when the three of us sat down together. Next, I pulled the three of us together into a private boardroom. I acted as a mediator and got them talking about what was bothering them or where the disconnect was coming from. (Result) I was able to coach them into a meaningful conversation and the situation improved dramatically. They continued to be competitive with each other; however, more constructively."
