Tell me about a time when you took charge of a meeting. Was the outcome a positive one?
"(Situation) Just last week, my boss had a personal emergency and could not make it in time for our monthly staff meeting. (Task) Everyone gathered, and so he called to ask me to take control of the meeting. (Action) I feel that I did a great job relaying the information in a way that was visual and easy to absorb. (Result) My boss was thankful for the way that I was able to step in."
"(Situation) I host a brief team huddle every day and co-host slightly larger meetings every month and quarter. (Task) There are times when, as the Sales Floor Manager, I am reporting that we missed a goal or have mandatory overtime. Those meetings are not quite as happy and upbeat. (Action) To ensure that the right point is made, but that the situation still ends on a productive note, I will also discuss what we are doing right. I also ask the team to contribute their thoughts and ideas to help us to improve. (Result) By deploying this approach to meetings, most of them have a positive outcome."
"(Situation) In my last role, I identified the need for ongoing learning and training. (Task) As the Sales Manager, I thought it would be a good idea if I held a 'lunch and learn' meeting focused on building a stronger sales pipeline. (Action) I created a visual presentation in PowerPoint and added stats and quotes from industry experts. (Results) We saw a 25% increase in sales activity the following week. I plan to do another presentation in the next couple of months."
"(Situation) When freelancing, I was on a call collaborating with my clients' marketing director and freelance graphic designer. (Task) It seemed as though each person was going to defer accountability to the other person since there wasn't a leader. Their marketing director should have been it, but she was never a person to take control of a meeting. (Action) So, rather than go around in circles some more, I stepped up to take charge of the meeting. (Result) I am certain that the meeting was a success as the outcome was clear directives for all members of the team. That particular project had the highest ROI to date for my client."
"(Situation) In my previous role, the company required department-specific meetings before the start of each day. (Task) As the Manager of the IT team, I met with the direct reports in my department every day. (Action) The meetings focused on the days' activities and weekly metrics that would make or break project timelines. I utilized the time in these meetings very effectively. (Result) As a result, my team was always on track with project expectations."
"(Situation) Students, parents, and teachers must be all on the same page when it comes to a students' learning plan. (Task) As a teacher, I take charge of parent-teacher meetings regularly. (Action) In these meetings, I am specific, I provide feedback based on grades and facts, and give measurable goals for improvement. (Result) As a result, the parents of my students are more engaged in their child's' learning plan, and my students perform better."
The interviewer would like to know that you have the confidence to lead a meeting. Think about a time when you have conducted a successful meeting - big or small. This example could be a phone meeting, a lunch and learn, or an extensive client presentation.
Behavioral-based interview questions that begin with 'Tell me 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.
"(Situation) My employer asked me to lead a 'lunch and learn' meeting to train 15 employees on our new client management software. (Task) I was already a subject matter expert on the software, so it wasn't difficult for me to plan the lesson. The challenge was making the content entertaining enough to keep the employees engaged. (Action) I created a PowerPoint presentation that included pop quiz questions throughout the performance. (Result) The presentation was a success, and my employer asked me to lead a follow up meeting a few weeks later."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I started the morning meeting in my previous role. This acted as the catalyst for improved delivery performance up from 58% to 95%.
Lauren's Feedback
This is a fantastic response! I provided a follow-up question you may be asked.
Possible follow-up question: "What about your delivery of morning meetings do you believe impacted the performance to jump from 58% to 95%?"
