Have you ever had to adapt your work style to fit team objectives?
"In my current role, my boss prefers that I communicate almost everything via email, versus in-person or telephone conversation. This habit was a challenging one for me to get into, at first, because I am such a vocal individual and felt that my written communication skills were not as strong. I am very good with written communication, now, let me tell you!"
"Every time I gain a new team member, and my team expands, I have to change my management styling just a touch to fit the new hire. I will slow down my communication until they are up to speed, for example. I want new hires to succeed, and part of that means ensuring they are not lost or falling behind."
"Every major holiday, I have to change my work style to fit the objectives of the busy retail season. These times include Christmas, Boxing Day, Back to School, and Black Friday, primarily. I find that I need to be extra-communicative during those times, put in a lot of overtime work, and somehow hustle, double-time! It is exhausting, but exhilarating at the same time."
"As a marketing director, it seems that our team changes our work styling almost every time a new trend hits, or a new algorithm comes to play. When these changes occur, I have to conduct research, share my findings, and then guide the team according to the new release or trend. It certainly keeps me on my toes!"
"I am typically a lone ranger when it comes to my territory sales role. Just this year, our company introduced a sales trainee program where I had to take a new hire with me, on the road, for an entire week every month. This new program has been good for me because it forces me to slow down and walk through every step in the sales process. Through this, I have removed myself from the auto-pilot setting I did not realize I was on. My sales were always great, but have increased by 15% since this mentee program began."
"I have to adapt my work style nearly every day, according to the lesson plan, and how well my students are grasping a new lesson plan. I truly do not mind this as it keeps me creative in the classroom!"
The interviewer wants to see that you are open to change and are adaptable. Think about the times when you have had to learn a new policy, change your organization approach, or times when you have had to change your plan for meeting a goal. Talk to the interviewer about how you altered this work style to achieve the team's objectives. Be sure to mention that you were happy to accommodate this change to help the team reach the overall goal.
"Typically, I like to begin my day with listening to voicemail, checking emails, and making a to-do list for the day. The goal of this team was to increase staff communication, so we decided to start each morning with a team huddle instead. This change meant that I was unable to kick-off my day with my usual morning routine. I was happy to meet with the team huddles because I understood that they were helping us meet our goal of improving communication."
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
Absolutely! I am a natural leader and want to lead from the front. Some projects already have a leader in charge which is great, I fit into the role that will best benefit the team. This doesn't mean I throw my leadership skills out the window, I just use them in a different role.
Chad's Feedback
Excellent! It sounds like you are a strong team player and are able to adapt as necessary to ensure the team meets its goal. Consider adding a statement to the end of your response that indicates you are happy to adjust your role to ensure the team is successful.
Unlock all 25 Teamwork questions
Unlock expert responses that reveal what interviewers seek in collaborative candidates.
Get Started