We are looking for a manager who brings empathy to their team but also knows when to draw a professional line. How do you know when to be firm with a team member?
When approaching questions around disciplinary action and being firm, it's important to know that a great manager and leader knows the difference between being assertive and acting aggressively. The interviewer wants to see evidence that you are not a bully in the workplace and that you aren't a pushover either. Assertiveness means being an effective communicator who respects others while also standing firm on your point of view.
Describe how you bring a balance of empathy and professional assertiveness to the workplace. Provide examples of times when you have had to draw the line away from too much empathy and be firm with a team member. Talk about the red flags, warning signs, and scenarios you look for to ensure you lead with impact and not being pushed over.
"I work very hard to gain agreement and enthusiasm from my team members. I offer flexibility around unexpected situations and life events, such as being sick, running late, leaving for a mid-day appointment, or calling in because of a family emergency. I ask my team to be straight with me, and if they need a day to recuperate, then take a paid vacation day rather than lying about being sick and letting the team down. I will draw the line and be firm when I see a pattern emerge. For instance, a few months ago, I had a team member who was 'sick' every Friday morning and miraculously recovered by Monday! The first couple of times this happened, I played along, but I did document the instances. After the third time, I met with the employee on the following Monday and let them know that I noticed a pattern of sickness on Fridays. I remained empathetic and asked what I could do to help them overcome the roadblock they faced attending work on Fridays. It turned out that this person's babysitter had stopped working Fridays and she was looking for a new solution but had not found one. I talked to her about alternate scenarios and provided resources. I offered her work-from-home Fridays until she could find a solution, so long as she promised to make herself available online as much as possible during the day. In this instance, I nipped the issue in the bud while remaining empathetic."
