How to answer interview questions about conflict: How to Answer ‘How Do You Deal with Conflict?’ In an Interview

Опубликовано: November 23, 2022 в 11:48 pm

Автор: alexxlab

Категории: Miscellaneous

How to Answer ‘How Do You Deal with Conflict?’ In an Interview

Understanding interview questions like ‘How do you deal with conflict?

During an interview, an employer may ask behavioral interview questions like ‘How do you deal with conflict?’ to learn how well you handle challenging workplace situations. To gain a better understanding of your personality, problem-solving skills, and professionalism in the workplace, some of these questions could be related to your conflict-resolution skills. Learn more about how to answer the question, ‘How do you deal with conflict?’ and review examples of strong conflict-related interview questions and answers.

How to answer interview questions about dealing with conflict

When interviewers ask you about dealing with conflict in the workplace, they’re often trying to understand your strategy for handling it positively and professionally. Provide a detailed and relevant real-life example using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method. Follow these steps to help you successfully answer interview questions about dealing with conflict:

Briefly describe the conflict that occurred. The situation portion of the STAR method involves explaining the workplace issue briefly, but with enough context that the interviewer can more easily picture the situation.
Mention your role in the situation. Use the task section of the STAR method to describe your role in the situation and what you were trying to accomplish.
Explain how you approached the problem and any actions you took. During the action step, you should be finished describing the situation and issue. You can now move on to the actions you took to resolve it. Use this section to explain the steps you took to resolve the workplace issue.
Share results that prove how the outcome was positive. The final portion of the STAR method is the positive results you achieved from the actions you took to solve the problem. Mention the exact positive outcome you gained from the situation, like a client leaving you a positive review, or share statistical proof with numbers, like an 20% increase in sales, for example.

Tips for explaining how you deal with conflict

Use these tips to help you come up with a great answer for how you deal with conflict in the workplace:

Provide a relevant and specific answer. Make sure your answer is relevant to the question at hand and doesn’t veer off-topic. It should clearly detail your situation, how you resolved it, and the results you saw from it. After hearing your answer, the interviewers should clearly understand your methods for successfully resolving difficult workplace situations.
Practice delivering your example. Having an answer in mind beforehand helps you look professional and confident during the interview. Practice with a friend or colleague and ask them for honest feedback on your delivery.
Show how well you can stay calm and understand the other person’s point of view. Many interviewers are asking you this question to gauge how calmly and rationally you can solve problems. Your answer should also help them understand how you try to see the other person’s point of view as you solve the issue.

What not to include in an answer to interview questions about conflict

There are certain phrases and answers you should avoid when answering interview questions about workplace conflict. As you provide an answer, try not to:

Mention how you don’t handle conflict well
Explain that you’ve never experienced conflict
Provide a vague or general answer

Example interview question and answer about workplace conflict with colleagues

Employers often want to know how well you’ll fit in with other members of the department you’re applying for. When you answer this question, emphasize the importance of collaboration and resolving problems professionally as a team.

Question: ‘Can you tell me about a time when you had a disagreement with another member of your team and how you resolved it?’

Answer: ‘Our marketing team had to build and implement a new digital marketing campaign, and I was assigned to oversee the project and delegate tasks to each team member. One employee was upset that I was chosen to lead the campaign over them and refused to complete their tasks. I asked them to meet privately to learn why they were upset.

I listened to their side and told them that I understood where they were coming from. I explained that if they work hard with our team to submit a strong project, our supervisor may notice this and consider them for other promotions or responsibilities in the future. They agreed and completed their tasks, which led to a 20% customer conversion rate and high praise from our supervisor.’

Example question and answer for workplace conflicts with customers

If you’re applying for a customer or client-facing role, your interviewer may want to know your strategy for resolving potential workplace conflicts with customers. Talk about a time when you treated a customer with respect as you politely and professionally resolved their issue.

Question: ‘Provide an example of when you had to resolve an issue with an unhappy customer.’

Answer: ‘When I was working as a manager at a retail store, a customer had previously seen boots they wanted to buy and asked one of our salespeople to put them on hold. The salesperson accidentally forgot, and the boots were out of stock when the customer had returned. I listened to their problems, apologized, and showed them the boots we currently had in stock that were a similar style and pattern. I offered them a 10% discount for the inconvenience and they purchased the new boots from us.’

Example question and answer for workplace conflicts with managers

Employers often want to know how well you can follow directions from managers and your method for handling disagreements with them. Try to remain positive when answering this question and stay away from bad-mouthing your previous supervisor.

Question: ‘Have you ever had a disagreement with your manager? How was it resolved?’

Answer: ‘My manager and I have had a few disagreements in the past but are always comfortable expressing them to each other. For example, I wanted to work on an important upcoming project and had expressed this to my manager. When they assigned the project to a different employee instead, I requested a meeting with my supervisor. I politely and professionally explained how this disappointed me and made me feel under-appreciated and ignored. My manager thanked me for expressing this and explained that they had a different upcoming project that was better suited for my skills and interests.’

How to Answer “How Do You Handle Conflict?” (Interview Question)

One of the most common behavioral interview questions is: “How do you handle conflict with a coworker?” or, “How do you handle conflict in the workplace?”

Employers may also ask for a specific example of a time you had a workplace conflict and how you responded (with a question beginning with, “tell me about a time…”)

So I’m going to show you how to answer ALL possible questions about disagreements at work… with word-for-word examples, mistakes to avoid, and more.

There are a couple of key things you should mention if you want to get hired (and a couple of things you NEED to avoid saying), so make sure you read until the end.

Let’s get started…

Why Employers Ask Questions About Conflicts at Work

Employers ask interview questions about conflict and disagreements at work for a few reasons:

First, they want to make sure you’re able to communicate effectively – with coworkers, with your boss/manager, etc. Good communication can prevent some disagreements, and can almost always stop a disagreement from escalating or becoming a bigger issue.

Next, they want to make sure you stay calm and professional when dealing with conflict at work.

The last thing they want to do is hire someone who’s difficult to work with, hot-headed, and will turn small issues into bigger ones. So that’s why employers want to see that you can communicate well.

They want to see that you leave your ego behind and are willing to compromise and work with others to keep the company running smoothly.

So when they ask this question, they’re evaluating your communication and listening skills, your patience, and your ability to understand the other person’s perspective.

And then, employers want to see you’re capable of finding a resolution or compromise that’s in the company’s best interests (even though it’s not always what you personally wanted).

Example Answers to “Tell Me About a Conflict or Disagreement You Had With a Coworker”

If they ask for a specific time you had a conflict or disagreement with a coworker, then you need to be ready to share a story. (This is the classic format of most behavioral interview questions, where the interviewer says, “Tell me about a time when..”)

So to prepare, think of one specific disagreement or conflict so that you’re ready for interview questions about the topic.

Try to pick a story where you:

Were able to solve the disagreement and come to a positive outcome
Learned something from the experience that you can share with the interviewer
Didn’t cost the company much time or money; you don’t want to share a massive conflict that harmed your company in a huge way

Example answer #1:

“In my last job, I reached out to a potential new client via email. I didn’t know that one of the other sales associates on the team had already been talking to this person. My coworker was initially upset, but I explained that the system hadn’t shown me that this contact had happened. They had forgotten to log the activity so I had no way of knowing. Once I shared my point of view, they understood that it was an honest mistake. We decided it would be fair to split the commission 50/50 for this new client, so we proposed this idea to our team leader, and she agreed that this was fair. We ended up landing the client and they became one of our biggest clients.”

Example answer #2:

“When I was new in my last position, one of the senior members of our team showed me a process to follow. I didn’t follow it as closely as I should have, and my results weren’t great because of it. A month later, he confronted me and asked why I wasn’t following what he had shown me.

I apologized and told him that I understood why he was upset. Then I worked with him to make sure I understood what to do moving forward.

From this mistake, I’ve learned to trust my senior team members and use the resources and people around me rather than trying to figure everything out on my own. And I learned that if I don’t understand a process or why it’s important, I can ask a question or two. But if I don’t communicate, nobody can help me. Because of this experience, I communicate better and use the resources around me to be more productive in the workplace.

That coworker ended up being one of my closest colleagues in that last job, and I became one of the top performers on our team that year.”

It’s always good to end your story on a positive note and show how you ended up turning it into a positive. So that’s why that sample answer above concludes by talking about how you became a top performer at the company.

That’s going to eliminate any concern they have that you’ll have similar issues working with them. You never want to name a weakness or challenge that leaves them wondering if you’re just going to struggle in their job, too.

Example Answer for “How Do You Handle Disagreements and Conflict at Work?”

Along with asking for a specific story or example from your past, they may just ask something like, “how do you solve workplace conflicts?”

In this case, you can describe your overall approach to resolving conflict without sharing a specific story.

Here’s a simple way to answer, “how do you handle conflict?”

“When faced with a conflict, I like to ask questions and understand my coworker’s perspective. This helps keep the situation calm, helps them feel like they’re being heard, and after this, I’ve found it’s much easier to come to an agreement or compromise while both staying a lot calmer.”

Note: It’s still okay to share a specific story after this if you want.

To do this, you’d start with the sample answer above, but you’d go on to say, “For example, in my last job…” and then tell them about a time you used the tactics you described to resolve a conflict.

Even though this is a bit more than they asked for, it can help reinforce the point that you’re trying to make. Some hiring managers will appreciate this, and it’s a good way to set yourself apart in your answer.

Follow the Steps Above and You’ll Have a Great Answer to Interview Questions about Workplace Conflicts

If you prepare a specific story for how you handle conflict AND prepare to talk about your general approach to conflicts, you’ll be ready to give an impressive answer to this type of interview question.

Remember to always show the hiring manager that you are:

Calm under pressure
A logical and reasonable person
Ego-free and focused on what’s best for the company
Good at communicating, listening, and compromising when necessary

…And show that you learned from the experience and used it to improve.

If you use the steps outlined above, you’ll impress the hiring manager and be more likely to get hired in your job interview!

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How to Answer Conflict Interview Questions

Conflict interview questions assess your response to workplace conflict situations. Typically, they are asked during the behavioral and leadership rounds of interviews. Recruiters ask these questions to learn how you’d react in stressful situations at work and what steps you’d take to resolve sensitive situations involving coworkers. Recruiters assess your level of maturity to handle and resolve workplace conflicts professionally and respectfully by asking these conflict interview questions.

Top tech companies have made behavioral interviews critical for software engineering and other technical roles, and conflict resolution interview questions are included. Many times, even engineers with extensive professional experience fail to make the cut due to poor performance in behavioral interviews. Given the frequency with which conflict interview questions appear in behavioral interviews, it is critical to prepare concise responses to conflict interview questions.

If you are preparing for a tech interview, check out our technical interview checklist, interview questions page, and salary negotiation e-book to get interview-ready!

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In this article, let’s go ahead and look at some common conflict interview questions asked at behavioral interviews. We’ll understand the different types of conflict resolution interview questions and look at some sample answers to these questions.

Here’s what we’ll discuss:

Conflict Interview Questions Asked at Technical Interviews
How to Answer Interview Questions About Conflict?
FAQs on Conflict Interview Questions

Conflict Interview Questions Asked at Technical Interviews

Asking conflict interview questions and assessing your response is a proven way for interviewers to assess your professional conduct, your ability to handle stress, and your level of maturity in dealing with challenging situations.

Let’s look at some common conflict interview questions asked in technical interviews.

How do you handle conflict at the workplace?
Explain a situation when you handled a conflict with a coworker?
Tell us about a time when you disagreed with your manager.
How do you handle conflicts when working as a team?
Tell us about a time when you disagreed with a particular company policy and how you dealt with it?

How to Answer Interview Questions About Conflict?

Q1. How would you handle conflict at the workplace?

How you handle or have handled conflicts at the workplace is one of the most common conflict resolution interview questions that recruiters commonly ask at behavioral interviews. Here’s how we can answer this popular conflict resolution interview question.

I understand that conflicts at the workplace can occur when one least expects them. I believe that the best way to handle conflicts is through dialogue. I respect diversity and understand that people can have different opinions. I would handle a conflict by collaborating with my coworker(s) and arriving at a solution that is mutually beneficial. Taking a moment to first understand the situation and thinking before responding are some aspects that I practice while resolving a conflict situation at the workplace.

Q2. Tell us about a time situation when you handled a conflict with a coworker.

This is a common behavioral interview question asked at technical interviews. The best way to answer this question is by employing the STAR format. The STAR method serves as an effective way to answer commonly asked behavioral interview questions.

STAR stands for –

S – Situation

T – Task

A – Action

R – Result

Let’s look at how you can answer this conflict interview question using the STAR method.

When working on an important project in my previous company, there was a coworker who frequently challenged my solutions. This coworker also had a tendency to speak out of turn and interrupt others before completely hearing their opinions or inputs on the project. My patience was tested, and at times I got annoyed and infuriated.

I realized that dialogue is the way forward. I also realized that the pressure was pretty steep, and a lot of us were stressed because of the workload. Changing myself in this situation was key. I decided to switch gears and become more patient and empathetic. This changed the environment a lot, given that I was a senior on the team. We were able to correspond healthily after that. Dialogue is a brilliant way to resolve conflicts and understand each other.

Q3. Tell us about a time when you disagreed with your manager.

Disagreements with a manager are among the most important conflict interview questions asked at behavioral interviews. Having disagreements with a manager can be emotionally draining and impact productivity and performance. Using the STAR method to answer this question is highly recommended as it gives recruiters clarity on the situation and how they handled it.

In my previous company, I was gathering data about the past performance of projects we worked on as a team. This data was to be presented to our leadership team and to obtain funding for new projects. While I went about preparing the data, my manager asked me not to include projects that failed or those that significantly overshot timelines.

I disagreed with the proposition, mostly because it would misrepresent our past project performance and give the leadership the wrong idea of how certain projects went down.

I decided to speak my mind and told my manager what I thought of the situation. My manager called me to meet with the leadership to discuss the issue. We then mutually decided that it would be in the best interest of future opportunities to showcase the data of successful projects only.

We did, however, mention that the data presented was that of successful projects to avoid inaccurate representation. I understood the logic behind my manager’s action, and the issue was amicably resolved through dialogue.

Q4. How do you deal with differences in opinion when working as a large team?

When working as a team, it is pretty natural for differences of opinion to emerge. Recruiters often ask this question to see how you collaborate and take other people’s opinions into perspective while making a decision. Let’s take a look at the sample answer to this conflict resolution interview question.

When we were working on a challenging project in my previous company, a lot of my coworkers had different opinions on how we should proceed. This could lead to differences among members of the team. It is, however, important not to ignore the contributions of team members. The responsibility of resolving a conflict in a situation like this rests upon every team member.

My supervisor took the lead on this and brought everybody together to speak it out and resolve the conflict. This helped a great deal and cleared the air. I also actively participated in the dialogue, stating that everybody’s contributions and efforts have to be valued if we should respect each other and make great decisions as a team.

Q5. Tell us about a time when you disagreed with a team/company policy or rule. How did you handle the situation?

Disagreeing with a team or company policy can sometimes be distracting and impact performance at work. The important thing to do in a situation like this is to speak your mind out.

In my previous company, my manager often worked late and expected that everyone in the team also stayed and worked long hours, regardless of the workload. This is something that not just me but other team members also disagreed with. We had to make our manager understand that this was taking a toll on us.

We got together, approached our manager, and made our concerns clear. We drove the dialogue through reason and made him understand that staying long hours isn’t a direct indication of our commitment to projects. It ended well, with our manager understanding our concern.

These answers to commonly asked conflict interview questions will help you get a good idea of what to expect at behavioral interviews. The sample answers will help you understand the best way to answer these conflict interview questions and ace behavioral interviews at top companies.

FAQs on How to Answer Conflict Interview Questions

Q1. Are conflict interview questions asked at software engineer interviews?

Yes, although it is commonly understood that software engineering interviews involve mostly coding and systems design, conflict interview questions are an important part of interviews for software engineers.

Q2. What is the best way to answer conflict interview questions asked at behavioral interviews?

The best way to answer conflict interview questions in behavioral interviews is to employ the STAR method. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Your answer should touch upon each of these elements to give recruiters a good idea of what went down.

Q3. When are conflict interview questions asked at technical interviews?

Conflict interview questions are typically asked during behavioral interviews that take place during the On-site interview.

Q4. How many conflict interview questions can you expect at behavioral interviews?

Recruiters typically ask one or two conflict interview questions at behavioral interviews. However, there can be additional questions around conflict resolution based on your answers.

Q5. What are other types of behavioral interview questions asked in FAANG+ interviews?

Apart from conflict interview questions, behavioral interview questions are centered around work-life balance, relationships with coworkers and managers, handling of difficult projects, workplace ethics, ownership, and leadership.

Gear Up for Your Next Technical Interview

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How do you deal with conflicts? Interview question

One of the most common behavioral interview questions is, “How do you deal with conflict with a colleague?” or “How do you deal with conflict in the workplace?”

Employers may also ask for a specific example of how you had a conflict at work and how you responded to it (the question begins with the words “tell me about the incident …”).

So I’m going to show you how to answer ALL possible questions about disagreements at work. .. with detailed examples, mistakes to avoid, and more.

There are a few key things you need to mention if you want to be hired (and a couple of things you NEED not to talk about), so make sure you read to the end.

Let’s get started…

Why employers ask questions about conflicts at work

Employers ask questions about conflicts and disagreements at work in job interviews for several reasons:

First, they want to make sure you can communicate effectively—with colleagues, boss/manager, etc. Good communication can prevent some disagreements and can almost always prevent a disagreement from escalating or becoming a bigger issue.

Next, they want to make sure you remain calm and professional when dealing with conflicts at work.

The last thing they want to do is hire someone who is difficult to work with, who has a temper and can turn small problems into bigger ones. That’s why employers want to see that you can communicate well.

They want to see you leave your ego behind and are willing to compromise and work with others to keep the company running smoothly.

So when they ask this question, they evaluate your communication and listening skills, your patience, your ability to understand the other person’s point of view, and then find a solution or compromise that is in the interests of the employer (although this is not always what you need) . personally wanted).

Sample responses to the question “Tell me about a conflict or disagreement you had with a colleague”

If they ask you for a specific time you had a conflict or disagreement with a colleague, then you should be prepared to share a story. (This is the classic format for most behavioral interview questions, where it says, “Tell me about a time when…”)

So, to prepare, think of one particular disagreement or conflict so that you are prepared for interview questions on the topic.

Try to choose a story in which you:

Managed to resolve differences and come to a positive result
Learned something from experience that you can share with the interviewer
Didn’t cost the company much time or money; you don’t want to share a massive conflict that hurt your company a lot

Sample Response #1:

“At my last job, I contacted a potential new client via email. I didn’t know one of the other sales people on the team had already spoken to this person. My colleague was upset at first, but I explained that the system did not show me that this contact had taken place. They forgot to log the activity so I couldn’t know. As soon as I shared my point of view, they realized that it was an honest mistake. We thought it was fair to split the commission 50/50 for this new client, so we pitched the idea to our team leader and she agreed it was fair. Eventually we found a client and he became one of our biggest clients.”

Sample Response #2:

“When I was new in my last position, one of our senior team members showed me the process to follow. I didn’t follow it as closely as I should have, and because of that my results weren’t very good. A month later he ran into me and asked why I wasn’t following what he showed me.

I apologized and told him I understood why he was upset. Then I worked with him to make sure I understood what to do in the future.

Because of this mistake, I learned to trust my senior team members and use the resources and people around me rather than trying to figure things out on my own. And I learned that if I don’t understand the process or why it’s important, I can ask a question or two. But if I don’t communicate, no one can help me. Through this experience, I am able to communicate better and use the resources around me to be more productive in the workplace.

This colleague happened to be one of my closest colleagues at a previous job and I became one of the top performers on our team that year.”

It’s always good to end your story on a positive note and show how you ended up turning it into a positive one. That’s why the sample answer above ends with a story about how you became the best employee in the company.

This will eliminate any fear that you will have similar problems when working with them. You never want to name a weakness or problem that makes them wonder if you’re just going to fight their job.

Sample answer to the question “How do you deal with disagreements and conflicts at work?”

As well as asking for a specific story or example from your past, they may simply ask something like “How do you resolve conflicts in the workplace?”

In this case, you can describe your general approach to conflict resolution without sharing a specific story.

Here’s an easy way to answer the question, “How do you deal with conflict?”

“When faced with conflict, I like to ask questions and understand my colleague’s point of view. It helps them stay calm in the situation, helps them feel they are being heard, and after that I found it much easier to come to an agreement or compromise, while both remain much calmer. ”

After that, you can share a specific story if you want.

To do this, you should start with the example response above, but then say, “For example, at my last job…” and then tell them about a time you used the tactics you described to resolve a conflict.

Even though that it’s a bit more than what they asked for, it might help reinforce the point you’re trying to get across. Some hiring managers will appreciate this, and it’s a good way to stand out in your response.

Key qualities to show when answering conflict resolution questions

No matter how an employer phrases a question in your interview, there are some key traits they are always looking for (and some things they definitely DON’T want to hear, when they ask you how you deal with conflicts).

So let’s look at it now…

1. Show them that you are keeping calm and trying to understand the other person’s point of view.

Disagreements happen; it’s just a normal part of working with other people. But the interviewer wants to see that you don’t make things worse when this happens.

You will see this in the sample responses above – the sample responses we reviewed are intended to show employers that once you acknowledge that a conflict has occurred, you are trying to understand the other person’s point of view, act logically and reasonably, and deal with conflict. conflict quickly before it gets worse.

Demonstrate the ability to compromise and the ability to remain sober in conflict situations and you will get more job offers.

This brings me to my next key point…

2. Show them that you’re logical, don’t take anything personally, and aren’t overly emotional.

This is true when answering the question “How do you make important decisions?” also. Employers need someone who will act intelligently and analyze the available information so they can make the best decision based on logic and reason.

So show them that you use facts and logic to decide what to do. This will make them feel like you’re predictable and won’t act on impulse, which can be dangerous for the company (and may deter them from hiring you).

3. Show them that you are aware of the company’s interests.

You can see this in the first example from the previous article. The situation was that you and another seller were chasing the same lead (and trying to earn a commission for “closing” that lead and turning it into a customer).

The WORST thing you can say here is that you lost your lead or were unable to attract him as a client because of an internal conflict.

So you always want to share a story where you looked after the interests of the company and took action to prevent disagreements or problems from escalating into more serious problems.

Follow the steps above and you will have an excellent response to interview questions about workplace conflicts.

If you prepare a specific story about how you deal with conflict and prepare to talk about your general approach to conflict, you will be ready to give an impressive answer to this interview question.

Always remember to show the hiring manager that you are:

Calm under pressure
Logical and reasonable person
Lack of selfishness and focus on what is best for the company
Ability to communicate, listen and compromise when needed

…And show that you have learned from this experience and used it to improve.

If you follow the steps above, you’ll impress your hiring manager and be more likely to get a job in an interview!

“Tell me about the conflict with a colleague”

Question “What would you do if you had a conflict with a colleague?” often asked in interviews. Especially in companies where a large number of people work together – in sales, support, manufacturing, banking and finance, etc. In such large teams, it is not always possible to get along with everyone. Misunderstandings, petty animosities and conflicts arise as a part of daily work.

In this article, we’ll look at the different ways to frame this question in an interview, why employers ask this question, and how you can best answer it.

How else can you ask a question about a conflict with a colleague?

There are many ways to ask the question, “What would you do if you had a personal problem or conflict with someone on your team?” This question evaluates several competencies focused on how the candidate handles conflict, resilience, and optimism. This means that employers can frame the question “How do you deal with conflict?” interview question in various forms.

Some interviewers may ask a direct question, such as:

“How do you deal with misunderstandings?”
“How do you deal with conflict?”

Other interviewers may ask for an example:

“Describe a time when you disagreed with someone you work with.”
“What would you do if you had a personal problem with someone on your team?”
“Tell me, did you have conflicts or clashes with any of your colleagues?”

Sometimes questions require you to answer both direct questions and questions based on examples. For example, an interviewer might ask in an interview, “How do you deal with conflict between team members?” and then add, “Give me an example of a time you had to deal with conflict in the workplace.”

Why do employers ask this question?

In preparing for this question, it is important to understand why employers ask this question.

There are conflicts between team members at the workplace. By asking what you would do if you had a conflict with a colleague, employers evaluate many different competencies and behaviors that are important to success in the workplace. Below we list the main ones.

Communication and interpersonal skills

Figuring out what a candidate would do if they had a personal problem with someone on their team highlights their communication and interpersonal skills. Much of communication is about listening to the opinions and perspectives of others, especially when resolving conflicts. The response the candidate gives demonstrates to the interviewer how they communicate with others, both in writing and verbally when dealing with difficult situations.

Teamwork skills

The skill required by all employers is the ability to work in a team. By asking how you deal with conflicts between team members, you can demonstrate your teamwork skills as well as how you interact with others in difficult situations. This gives the interviewer examples of practical situations where candidates have demonstrated teamwork skills when conflict arises.

Problem-solving skills

Everyone deals with conflict differently. By asking questions about how the candidate handles conflict, the interviewer gains insight into how the candidate is approaching the problem, as well as what steps they are taking to resolve conflicts to ensure a positive outcome.

Loyalty to the team and organization

The way a candidate handles conflicts in the workplace shows how loyal he is to his team and the organization he works for.

By asking the candidate about the conflict, the interviewer can determine if the candidate is willing to work to work for the good of the team and the organization, even if the candidate has had to compromise and deviate from their priorities.

What employers look for in your response

When asked what you would do if you had a conflict with a colleague on your team, employers rate:

Can you remain professional and positive in difficult situations? situations;
How can you remain calm in conflict situations;
How do you deal with situations where there is conflict or disagreement;
How developed are your conflict resolution skills – for example, how can you focus on facts and solve problems;
That you are a team player and can show this when resolving conflicts – that you can take responsibility for your actions.

It is also worth knowing what employers are definitely not looking for when they ask how you deal with conflicts:

Excuses that you have never been in a situation where there were conflicting opinions;
Generalized or evasive response;
When the conflict situation you describe did not end positively;
If you always avoid resolving disagreements or conflicts;
That you react emotionally to conflict situations and blame others instead of staying calm and focusing on the facts.

Knowing what employers are looking for in your response will help you choose the right example to share in an interview.

How to answer the question: how do you deal with conflicts?

Just as there are many ways to ask a question, there are many ways to answer it.

Answering questions about how we deal with conflict situations can often be uncomfortable. We all do not like to remember conflicts and grievances. But for a mature and emotionally stable person, any conflict can be a valuable experience.

Knowing that employers want to evaluate your teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills will help you answer the question. You can highlight many of the positive and important competencies that employers look for in their employees. Here are some points to consider in order to successfully answer the question: “What would you do if you had a conflict with a colleague on your team?”

Choose the right example of a situation to discuss

When choosing your example, think carefully about the situations you are about to talk about. Be careful not to talk about situations that might make you look bad. Choose an example in which you acknowledge that there was a conflict, but it had a positive outcome for the team and for the organization. By talking about an example that has a positive outcome, you turn a negative conflict situation into a positive one.

Choose an example that emphasizes that you have learned a positive experience from the conflict. Study and work brings many situations in which you can learn and develop your skills. One of them is the ability to resolve conflict situations.

Interviewers will want to know that you were able to become more experienced as a result of a difficult situation, and can apply this experience to other situations in the future. An example would be when you and a team member were tasked with finding a solution to a problem. You both have different views on how to solve a problem. By acknowledging your different perspectives and personal concerns and working together to reach a compromise, the result has a positive impact on the team and organization.

Use the STAR method when answering the question

The STAR method is a story structure that you can use when preparing your example:

S (situation) – describe the situation in which you find yourself;
T (task) – the task or problem that you had to face;
A (action) – the actions you took to solve the problem and why you took those steps;
R (outcome) – how your actions led to a positive learning outcome and what you learned from it.

Following this pattern for any interview question can help you structure the information you share—that means you provide a complete example that is relevant to the question asked.

Practice before the interview

Interviews can be stressful. Answering a question about conflicts that might be perceived as negative can make you feel uncomfortable. Or you may feel like the interviewer is trying to trick you. Although, this is not true.

Practice your responses and behavior to set yourself up in a positive way. Make sure you follow the STAR structure when preparing your example. Think of additional questions you think the interviewer might ask you after you’ve shared your example. This ensures that you are prepared and calm. We believe that preparation is the key to any success.

Sample Questions and Answers

Here are sample questions and answers to help you when you are asked, “What would you do if you had a conflict with a colleague?”

Question 1: “Can you tell me about a time you disagreed with a team member?”

Answer: I worked with a team of five people on a sales project. Our manager challenged us to contact two large companies and turn them into clients of our firm. I was chosen to lead the team.

One of my teammates didn’t like it. He had been on the team two years longer than me and felt that since he had more work experience, he should have been chosen as the leader.

He began to demonstratively clash with me. Didn’t answer a single question I asked the team and rolled his eyes at my suggestions, often making useless comments.

I realized that this kind of attitude from a member of my team would not go away on its own. To add value to our working relationship and team, I spoke with him privately after one of our meetings.

I listened to his point of view and made it clear that I understand the reason for his resentment. Then I shared my point of view and emphasized that the task is a team one, and we can all work well for the overall success of the team.

In the end, he agreed with this and got involved in the work, helping me as a project manager. We have successfully completed our task and attracted these new customers.

I learned that it’s important to approach conflict sensitively – listen to the other side’s point of view and discuss the bigger picture and the impact on the team and organization in order to turn the conflict into an opportunity to bring out something new and better.

Question 2: How do you deal with conflict in the workplace?

Answer: I resolve conflicts in the workplace calmly and professionally. I think it’s important to discuss the situation with the other side in private. I listen to the concerns and the essence of the problem, and then share my point of view so that we can achieve a positive result.

Question 3: “Can you describe a time when you had a disagreement with your manager?”

Answer: I have a good relationship with my supervisor and we respect each other’s points of view. There was once a situation where I felt that I was the best person to take control of one project.

But my supervisor did not nominate me for this role. I was upset by this. I was confident that I had all the skills required for this position. This role would allow me to develop my skills and acquire new knowledge in digital marketing.

I made an appointment with the manager to discuss this and let him know in advance what I want to talk about.

In the meeting, I discussed the skills that I had best suited for this project. I explained why I thought the position was right for me and me for her. I asked my manager’s opinion on this matter, as I wanted to understand his point of view. He shared that he did not know that digital marketing is an area in which I would like to gain knowledge and skills.

We agreed on a short term development plan that would allow me to develop my digital marketing skills in my current role. I could then use it to promote specific projects on my current team and grow.

How else can employers evaluate conflict management skills

An interview is the second stage in assessing the personal and professional competencies of applicants. And the first is testing and questioning when applying for a job. Tests and questionnaires allow you to objectively and accurately predict the future behavior of the candidate when applying for a job.

Our resource is dedicated to employment tests and you will find more than 600 questions of psychological and situational tests to assess various competencies – including conflict resolution, as well as more than 3000 questions to assess intellectual abilities and erudition. In addition, we have written many articles about tests for personality traits and conflict management, we recommend reading them:

Psychological tests for leaders

Emotional intelligence tests – what are they, examples, recommendations for solution

Conclusions

The question “How do you deal with conflicts with colleagues?” in an interview causes anxiety for many candidates – because it is difficult to strike a balance between criticizing your colleagues and your skills.

Understanding what competencies are being assessed and what the interviewer is looking for helps in answering these questions.

Prepare and practice examples using the STAR technique, making sure you give specific and structured answers. Use this question to highlight the skills you have. This will turn your answer into a positive one, demonstrating that you can work in a team and have strong interpersonal skills.

In continuation of the same topic, we recommend three more articles on a similar topic:

How to answer the interview question: “how did you interact with difficult colleagues?”

Interpersonal conflicts: causes, forms, methods of resolution

Conflict resolution: types of conflicts, methods of resolution, competence for assessment

4000 questions. It will be useful to you if you are an applicant and are preparing for testing, and if you are a representative of an employer and you need to test candidates. We have also collected for you a large database of articles on interview questions and recommendations when applying for a job and recruiting staff.

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5 Common Interview Conflict Questions (with Sample Answers) • BUOM

This article has been endorsed by an Indeed Career Consultant.

Related Video: Best Interview Tips: General Questions, Body Language & More

The job interview gives you the opportunity to showcase your knowledge, skills and abilities. Careful interview preparation can help distinguish you from other job seekers. During the interview, the hiring manager may ask you questions about conflicts in the workplace. In this article, we’ll look at conflict interview questions and provide sample responses as a guide.

Conflict interview questions are questions designed to assess how you respond to and resolve conflicts in the workplace. Employers ask these questions to get an idea of how well you work and manage stress, as well as your ability to resolve conflicts with others professionally and respectfully. Here are five questions the interviewer might ask about conflict:

How do you deal with conflict?
Tell us about a situation where you had a conflict at work and how you dealt with it.
How do you deal with disagreements when working as a team? Give an example.
Explain a situation where you disagreed with your boss and how you dealt with it.
Explain a situation where you disagreed with a rule or policy and how you dealt with it.

1. How do you deal with conflict?

Most jobs require working with other people, and differences in personalities, attitudes and opinions can lead to conflict. Employers want to evaluate your ability to respond to such situations in a respectful and professional manner. When answering this question, be honest about how you deal with these situations. If you are struggling with conflict, admit it and explain how you are working to improve the way you manage it.

Sample response: “Most of the time I am good at dealing with conflict. I value diversity and understand that different people have different opinions, which can lead to conflict. When I encounter conflict, I try to work with others to resolve the issue in a way that is mutually beneficial for all involved. Sometimes I can get defensive when I try to speak my mind. I practice tactics to manage this behavior, such as pausing to take a deep breath and carefully considering my words before responding.”

2. Describe a situation where you had a conflict at work and how you dealt with it.

This question is an example that allows employers to evaluate your conflict resolution skills based on a real event from your experience. This helps them evaluate how you respond to conflicts with colleagues and how you work as a team. It also gives you the opportunity to explain how you have actually responded to conflict in the past.

To answer this question, give an example from your work history when you had a conflict with a colleague. It may be helpful to use the STAR method per your answer. STAR method means:

Situation: Describe the conflict or problem.
Task: Explain your role in the conflict.
Action: Discuss the steps you took to resolve the conflict.
Outcome: Describe the results of your actions.

Example: “While working on a project for a previous employer, one of my team members regularly questioned every solution I proposed. He also had a habit of interrupting others and talking to them without listening to their opinions. I found it difficult to be patient when he interrupted others without listening. It got to the point where our respective managers were advising both of us about our behavior.

“In order to resolve this conflict, I had to admit that I cannot change or control his behavior. I also acknowledged that this behavior of both of us was probably the result of stress due to the heavy workload of the project. So I adjusted my own communication style to increase empathy, avoid triggers, and develop patience when interrupted. After that, we were able to complete the project and maintain a polite correspondence whenever we needed to work together.”

3. How do you deal with disagreements when working as a team? Give an example.

When working in a team, at any time a conflict can arise between different people. Your answer to this question may demonstrate your ability to collaborate effectively with a variety of work styles.

In answering this question, explain how you respond to disagreements between multiple people and how you work to resolve them to achieve team goals. Give an example from your own experience that illustrates how you deal with disagreements between team members. Try using the STAR method to form a complete answer.

Example: “In my previous experience, I worked with a group to prepare a presentation for management. The group was responsible for conceptualizing the idea and presenting the project plan for its implementation. We chose an idea and developed an action plan to complete the presentation. Two of the team members wanted to have daily meetings to discuss the plan and progress. Other team members, including myself, disagreed with this approach, because the team had a log that reported the progress and completion of the task.

“As long as everyone knew their goals, we didn’t think we needed to waste time with meetings that wouldn’t move the project forward. We also thought that these meetings would take valuable time to complete the project. Instead of starting an argument about meetings, we brought everyone together to explain our side’s arguments. In the end, we decided to hold daily meetings of no more than ten minutes in order to provide brief updates on the progress of tasks.

Related: 12 tough interview questions and answers

4. Explain a situation where you disagreed with your manager and how you handled it.

Just as you may have had conflict with team members, you may also have disagreed with a manager in the past. This question can determine how you will respond to disagreements with an authority figure and how this will affect your ability to complete tasks.

Your answer may show your ability to follow instructions and how you approach disagreements with your manager or supervisor. In answering this question, give an honest example of when you disagreed with your boss and how you managed to resolve the conflict.

Example: “When preparing data on the success of past projects to request funding for a new project in our department, my manager asked me to delete data records for less successful projects. I knew that deleting these entries would skew the results and presentation of our past activities. I expressed this concern to my supervisor, but she insisted that I delete the data.

“After careful consideration, I decided to take this matter to the next level of management, who dismissed my concerns and supported the decision to delete the data. I ended up deleting the data as directed, but I also changed the language in the report to make it clear that the data being reported represents successful projects to ensure that the information is presented accurately. I have also documented the situation, including data records removed from reporting results in case of questioning or audit.

“I understood my boss’s decision regarding the request, but I couldn’t compromise my values. I tried to find a compromise in removing the data and adding the language. We ended up getting funding for our project based on reports.”

Related: How to Prepare for a Behavioral Interview

5. Describe a situation in which you disagreed with a rule or policy and how you dealt with it.

In previous positions, you may have come across directions that you were not comfortable following. This question allows you to explain why or why you are not completing assigned tasks, even if you do not agree with the rule or policy related to the duty.

To answer this question, please give an example of a rule or policy that you disagree with, how you expressed your disagreement, and how you handled the disagreement to make sure you can perform your duties as assigned.

Example: “At one of my previous jobs, the HR director wanted to record personal information, such as social security numbers, on job applications.