QUESTION 9 OF 30

How do you get a peer or colleague to accept one of your ideas?

Engineering debates can be contentious, especially when everyone thinks they have the best idea in the room. This is why communication skills are key. You need to be able to see the point of view of your colleagues, digest their criticism or conflicting viewpoints, and then make a strong case for your own ideas. Give concrete examples from projects you have worked on throughout your career where you had to overcome internal conflict to advance your ideas.

"At my previous employer, I developed an idea that would improve our team's workflows and communications while working from home during the pandemic. It was difficult at first to get buy in from older engineers at first, but I was able to get the team on board by talking to them on an individual level and understanding their concerns over the current state of our day-to-day operations."

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

I will talk to them individually and make sure to clarify their doubts and address their concerns.

Marcie's Feedback

Good thoughts! Taking the time to talk one-on-one with someone to go over any concerns or questions they have about your idea will definitely help to resolve this situation. You might also consider emphasizing that you will strive to be a good listener and that you will go through the pros and cons, define the action steps, and clarify the process for them.

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How do you get a peer or colleague to accept one of your ideas?

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