Tell me about a time your communication skills were resoundingly effective.
"In my current position, we ended up short-staffed one day, and several other circumstances occurred that made the work seem rather overwhelming. One of our employees had an emotional breakdown that impacted the team's morale. I told this person to sit down with me to work things out. I then acted as a soundboard for their frustrations and concerns. I kept asking them questions and clarifying their perspectives. They expressed that what we were facing couldn't be done. I asked them why they thought that. I kept asking questions and mirrored what they were communicating to understand and validate their concerns and fears. I explained our need to get moving and why taking action was necessary. I suggested that at the end of the day, with the right attitude, we could choose to feel good about what we were accomplishing rather than feel stressed. Even if we didn't accomplish every goal, we'd still be 100% successful in our efforts and could go home at the end of the day feeling good about that. I was able to turn their attitude around and dispel their stress and fears, and we got to work."
"I often find it challenging to have to seek clarification on the nature of the work involved. Being told to do something is simply not good enough without understanding the purpose of the work and why it is necessary. Recently, I was in charge of a team project and was responsible for getting everyone on the same page. I explained to everyone in the group what we were doing, why we were doing it, and the big-picture view of the project's impact on the organisation. Then, I broke down each part of the project into groups or individuals on the team so that each person understood the impact of what they were doing and took ownership of it. This way, everyone on the team is a stakeholder in the project's success. I feel I communicated rather well, addressing each individual's concerns, and we all led this project to its successful conclusion."
A strong communicator will adapt their communication style to less skilled communicators. They will be objective, make decisions based on the situation rather than being dictated by their emotions, actively listen, observe, empathize with others, and be excellent mediators. The strongest leaders exhibit leadership potential.
Here is how the Civil Service details its expectations on leading and communicating: "At all levels, effectiveness in this area is about showing our pride and passion for public service, communicating purpose and direction with clarity, integrity, and enthusiasm. It's about championing difference and external experience, and supporting principles of fairness of opportunity for all. For leaders, it is about being visible, establishing a strong direction and persuasive future vision; managing and engaging with people in a straightforward, truthful, and candid way."
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