Tell me about a time you disagreed with your superior. How did you handle it?

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Answer Example

Business development managers are held up to high leadership standards, even when their role doesn't require them to manage subordinates. Show the interviewer that you are adept in conflict resolution and that you can respectfully challenge decisions even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. The interviewer will want to learn that you were rational in your opposition. They will also want to hear that you were determined to commit wholly to your decision.

"During my time as a marketing strategist at XYZ group, I was in charge of providing marketing direction for five large clients. One time, an unhappy client contacted my superior about a lead generation campaign that was recently launched. My boss was clearly upset as he told me that he's on the client's side and that it was not the right strategy. We were in a disagreement. I had spent weeks digging up and researching data for the campaign. At first, I acted very defensively, but I took a second to compose myself. I explained my thought process and showed him my data sets. Then, I showed a visualization of the campaign workflow and the success measures that we put in place. These were targets that the client indicated when they initiated the project. After hearing me out, my boss noticeably eased up. He still disagreed with a few of the steps the team took and was unhappy that the client felt as if they had to escalate to him. I asked him to give me at least two months to run the campaign and prove myself. We agreed to make some adjustments based on his feedback. He and I met with the client to present the changes. The client was visibly relieved, and we were able to salvage the relationship."

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How to Answer: Tell me about a time you disagreed with your superior. How did you handle it?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Business Development Manager job interview.

3. Tell me about a time you disagreed with your superior. How did you handle it?

How to Answer

Business development managers are held up to high leadership standards, even when their role doesn't require them to manage subordinates. Show the interviewer that you are adept in conflict resolution and that you can respectfully challenge decisions even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. The interviewer will want to learn that you were rational in your opposition. They will also want to hear that you were determined to commit wholly to your decision.

Written by M Cheryl Harkins on August 3rd, 2021

Answer Example

"During my time as a marketing strategist at XYZ group, I was in charge of providing marketing direction for five large clients. One time, an unhappy client contacted my superior about a lead generation campaign that was recently launched. My boss was clearly upset as he told me that he's on the client's side and that it was not the right strategy. We were in a disagreement. I had spent weeks digging up and researching data for the campaign. At first, I acted very defensively, but I took a second to compose myself. I explained my thought process and showed him my data sets. Then, I showed a visualization of the campaign workflow and the success measures that we put in place. These were targets that the client indicated when they initiated the project. After hearing me out, my boss noticeably eased up. He still disagreed with a few of the steps the team took and was unhappy that the client felt as if they had to escalate to him. I asked him to give me at least two months to run the campaign and prove myself. We agreed to make some adjustments based on his feedback. He and I met with the client to present the changes. The client was visibly relieved, and we were able to salvage the relationship."

Written by M Cheryl Harkins on August 3rd, 2021

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