Have you ever had difficulty with a supervisor or co-worker? How did you handle the situation?
"Conflict is certainly not something that I seek. There was one incident when a coworker was constantly dumping his work on my desk. He wasn't doing it to be rude; he just didn't understand the full spec of his responsibilities, or mine. Once he knew about our process, he understood his error and apologized. We have worked very well together since then."
"Earlier in my career, I worked at a school with a principal who led the school more like a dictatorship. I did not agree with his approach but rather than creating a fuss; I looked for another position. I did not believe that I could have changed his ways so, in that situation, it was best I moved on."
The interviewer wants to know how you handle conflict, and how you behave in a team situation. Do you end up having conflicts on a regular basis or are you a team player who always slides away without difficulty in conflicting situations? Avoid saying anything negative about your team member or the supervisor and also avoid praising yourself too much.
"I avoid conflicts with my team members as I believe in clear communication whenever any issues are present. There is no reason to have tension in the workplace if you are honest, transparent and an effective communicator."
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
Yes, and the best way to handle them is to review their opinions and move forward.
Rachelle's Feedback
I recommend that you be more specific. When it comes to situational and behavioral-based questions like this one, the interviewer wants to see your reply in actions. Using the STAR framework to deliver your story-based response is a great solution that will impress your interviewer. If you'd like to learn more about STAR, we have a guide here: https://www.mockquestions.com/articles/Master Behavioral-Based Interviews Using The Star Method/
