Tell me about a time when you took charge of a situation but the outcome was disappointing.

Question 1

Answer

Interviewers understand that leaders will have a failed efforts now and then. What they want to know is that you can recognize those failures, learn from them, and enthusiastically move on.

Think about a time when your leadership plan didn't go as desired. Be sure to tell the interviewer what you learned from the scenario as well as what you would do the next time.

Question 2

"I took control of our company's most recent hiring fair, in the absence of our HR Manager, as she was on maternity leave. It was not as successful as previous hiring fairs and, despite my best efforts, I didn't see the results that I was hoping. I will continue to learn the recruiting field and won't give up despite this disappointment."

Question 3

"When I first joined my current company, I had big plans to overhaul the existing sales team and send them on a business development workshop weekend. Most of the employees ended up quitting because they didn't understand what this growth opportunity would have allowed them. Looking back, what I should have done was build the stronger rapport with my new team before sending them to a weekend workshop. They felt it was a punishment of some sort which wasn't the case at all. I learned my lesson, hired some stellar sales staff, and forged ahead! My new team ended up gaining strong momentum and finished the year 124% above budget."

Question 4

"We had a last minute order come through from a customer, but our material planner/production scheduler was out sick. I tried to get everything planned correctly for her, but we ended up having to do an unplanned changeover because we ran out of a part that was needed to continue. She was slightly mad at me, but she loves me overall so it will be alright."

Question 5

"I took charge of migrating our mail service provider to a new, much better one. However, in the process, we ultimately lost one of our mailing lists in the migration. Apparently, this was a huge problem and disappointment, but it taught me to always back everything up and move extra carefully, even on a tight deadline. Luckily, the mailing list was on the backend of our website, so I was able to recover the list. Also, it gave me an opportunity to become more familiar with the backend of our site, so there were more lessons learned than figurative tears shed."

Question 6

"I asked to take charge of our spring merchandising display. Underestimating how challenging the job is, it was a bit of a flop. My boss was nice about it, and we worked together to make it better. We now hire out the task to a professional merchandiser."

Question 7

"The 'lunch and learns' that I created were effective the first few times, and then flopped. The team morale was so low that it became apparent that everyone needed to use their lunch breaks to disconnect from work so they could be more impactful overall. Looking back, I would have scheduled them every month rather than each week to avoid this type of burnout."

Question 8

"I took charge of planning a 3-day camping trip for our high school seniors. I truly underestimated the scope of work and planning. Quickly falling behind, I recognized that I bit off more than I could chew and ended up recruiting another teacher to help me plan the trip."

Question 9

Recent Company I was working for was not making profit, so I sat down with some numbers to try and obtain a break even company turn over. We reached the turnover but the end of month profit was still a loss. I went back to analyse my budget workings to the actual, only to find the cost of goods was higher. Mainly in preparation for an insurance van the following month.

Question 10

Don't remember any situation which outcome was disappointing.

Question 11

Client fell and sent to ER due to suspected CVA. CVA confirmed and client passed away.

Question 12

Last quater end - made numerous sales activities - due to festivities and festivals our product sales did not pick up well.

Question 13

When I came back into the classroom after being the School Improvement Coordinator there were some adjustments. I was selected to have the Title I teacher team with me for a couple of hours a day rather than pull out students. She wasn't on board with this idea. She didn't even want to give it a try. We ended splitting the difference with and occassional pull out but more often keeping the students in the room.

Question 14

I had the opportunity to participate in the Galileo learning leader meetings last year and found them profoundly impactful. This year however, a different set of individuals were chosen to participate and this was disappointing since we wanted to continue the work we had started the previous year. I approached the problem head on but in a respectful manner which stated my concerns and questioned how this decision was made. I requested that the situation be revisited and was told that the decision was final, though in retrospect not well-thought out. I thanked them for their answer and moved on.

Question 15

When we reposses cars, sometimes we find them before the repo company, found a car and everyday we would see it. Call it in and then by the time the repo company got there it would be gone.

Question 16

I tried to solve a staffing problem, but it wasn't my role to do so.

Question 17

Unfortunately never happened.

Question 18

When I had the floor of a science project, I got sick, and requested a team member to take over my position. So later, when I recovered, I saw the project, and I was disappointed with the outcome.

Question 19

I had a difficult customer who was screaming and swearing in the dinning room and poking me in the chest!

Question 20

Work has a bad days as its has good days.

Question 21

Arranged a party function for kids .. A magic show but kids were more interested in games and pool.

Question 22

I was put in charge of an event last minute due to a family emergency with one of our counselors. I had little time to plan and prepare and felt that it effected the outcome of the event. I was disappointed in myself for not feeling confident regardless of the time spent planning.

Question 23

Well I can tell you about my daughter and her friend she was in love with. I tried talking to her about them and tried to keep her away from him and she ended up moving out.

Question 24

Rolled out release all program to all associate expected better results from customers.

Question 25

I recently finished my weekly tasks early. I could see everyone was snowed under with work so I used my skills as a minute taker to start and finished the monthly report before its deadline. Unexpectedly, your supervisor needed the monthly report early for an important meeting with the Director, and unfortunately the reports I had typed up was the wrong notes. My supervisor thanked me for my initiative even though they were the wrong note but this saved him from scrambling to get the retrieve the notes.

Question 26

When we put RM in action plan and instead of correcting himself he took that negitively.

Question 27

A family wasn't prepared to stay in a SNF setting due to previous experience. Past experience gave an aversion. I was only able to get the family to stay one night.

Question 28

During an IEP, I shared the teams solution and although the leader, knew our solution and led us to believe we would be supported, we were not and the solution was rejected. I was disappointed that we were not supported in spite of the previous conversation.

Question 29

Speaking out on behalf of the team and then they did not back me.

Question 30

I had placed a child in respite care to get break away from family to eliminate conflict in the home. Child did eighty percent better in respite returned home and broke sliding screen door.

Question 31

I recently wrote a business plan for the development of the neuroscience service line complete with power point for presentation and the plan was declined by the senior leadership team on the basis on recent merger.

Question 32

Example used before of credit controller but since leaving, her attitude has changed because she isn't getting the expected 1 on 1 focus she needs for development.

Question 33

I took on the responsibility of organizing a group of ladies to serve as hostesses. My communication was not effective with all members in the group. I learn from the experience to make sure that each part of the team, had clear understanding on their roles.

Question 34

Tasked with a project for the entire corporation, a large collaborative effort was needed to complete the project. At the halfway point of the project it was decided that the corporation was no longer going to move in that direction and instead were going to change efforts. The work that had been done prior was simply discarded. It was disappointing that the project was dropped, but was hopeful that sometime in the future it can be resurrected and completed.

Question 35

Small situation, but my first season as a Media Director, I needed all 42 on-roster athlete to report back to me with highlight clips in order to create a media tool.. The captains reported. There was four of them.

Question 36

When we ran out of a certain product and I had a try to recommend something closer similar to it but the client still didn't want to.

Question 37

Staffing shortage remained in that absent eploy timne slot and didnt get management approval.

Question 38

When I was a new associate and did not know much. We were short staffed and I had to help lead the new associates but I had no clue what to do so I kind of just guessed.

Question 39

I actually never had a situation of this type.

Question 40

A customer tried to give a fake bill and I let them know that I would have to confiscate it. They simply tore the bill from my hand and sped off.

Question 41

A woman wanted a refund and to keep her product. I felt that was unreasonable so she went to my manager and my manager gave her both.

Tell me about a time when you took charge of a situation but the outcome was disappointing.

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