How would you build a relationship with someone who intimidates you?

"I had a boss a couple of years ago who was very intimidating because of his high demands and strong personality. I enjoy strong personalities; however, he didn't smile very often and was a bit flat with his emotions. This was sometimes hard to navigate. I don't think he meant to be, so I would remind myself before speaking to him that he was human just like the rest of us. This approach helped me to communicate with him with much less intimidation."

We have all been in a situation where we find a colleague slightly intimidating. When you answer, clearly show the interviewer that you have the self-awareness needed to recognize when feelings of intimidation arise. One way to communicate this is by telling a brief story of a time you built a relationship with someone who intimidated you at first. You should include specific details of how you developed a relationship with this person. The goal of your response is the show that you never let intimidation impact the quality of your work. At the end of your response, remember to connect your relationship-building skills to how they will benefit the patients, staff and your fellow colleagues with the program you are interviewing with.