What is your typical communication style when working with engineers?
Some senior product managers are responsible for technology products and work with engineers to transform the vision for a solution into a working asset. This process requires a shared understanding of customer needs and technology concepts. Interviewers ask this question to determine if a candidate's approach to communicating is a match for the teams they will be assigned to.
Remember to discuss your approach to selecting your communication tools and style. Some engineering teams have a culture of communicating through technology, and candidates who can approach communication with understanding and flexibility are valued.
"I try to see everyone I work with as an individual, and I am open to communicating with everyone differently. In my experience, a person's personality and culture play a role in the style that works best for them, and I try to honor those preferences.
In general, I am direct and try to approach all conversations with empathy and humility. I realize that is not necessarily an expected mix, but I find it helps to foster authenticity. For the same reasons, I strive to use active listening skills.
I also lean on metaphors a lot when conversing with engineers. I use them to communicate complex business and customer scenarios, and I use them to demonstrate I am tracking well when we discuss difficult-to-understand technical concepts.
Finally, I like to leverage several tools, and I am open to shifting depending on the individual. I find that some engineers are averse to email or the phone and prefer to converse over Slack or other collaboration tools. Others prefer a quick meeting to drive out a plan. I am flexible and roll with whatever works as long as it matches the situation at hand and moves us toward our collective goals."
