Behavioral: Giving a Colleague Critical Feedback They Did Not Want to Hear

Describe a time you had to give someone critical feedback that they were unlikely to welcome. How did you approach it, and what happened afterward? ```hint Before, during and after The conversation itself is only the middle of the story. Be ready to explain why the feedback was yours to give, how you prepared it, and what you checked afterward to see whether anything changed. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Does the person need to be a direct report, or is feedback to a peer, a cross-functional partner or someone more senior also acceptable? - Should the feedback be about the quality of their work, or can it be about behavior, such as how they communicate or escalate? - Is a story where the feedback was not well received at first acceptable, as long as I explain what I did next? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - Why the feedback mattered and why it was the candidate's to give, rather than routing it through a manager - How the candidate prepared: specific observed behavior, its impact, and a private, well-timed setting - How the conversation was run: direct about the issue, open to the other person's view, ending in an agreed next step - How the candidate handled the person's reaction, including defensiveness or disagreement - A concrete outcome and follow-through, plus what the candidate learned about giving feedback ### Follow-up Questions - What would you have done if they rejected your feedback entirely? - How do you decide between giving feedback directly and raising it with the person's manager? - Tell me about a time you received hard feedback. What did you change because of it?