Behavioral story: challenging a colleague whose position had little support

Describe a time you had to push back on a teammate whose opinion was unpopular. What was at stake, what did you do, and how did it end? ```hint Show the fair hearing Interviewers listen for whether you judged the idea on its merits rather than on how popular it was. Choose a story in which you can explain what you did to understand your teammate's reasoning before you pushed back, and what your challenge changed. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Unpopular with whom: the rest of the team, leadership, or customers and partners outside the team? - Does the story still work if the teammate turned out to be partly right? - Does it have to be a peer, or can the teammate be more senior or more junior than you? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A situation with real stakes, and a clear explanation of what the teammate proposed and why it needed to be challenged - Evidence that the idea got a fair hearing on its merits before the challenge, independent of how popular it was - How the challenge was made: the evidence used, the setting, the tone and the criteria agreed with the teammate - A concrete outcome, the state of the working relationship afterward, and how the disagreement was closed if no agreement was reached - Honest reflection, including anything the teammate got right ### Follow-up Questions - What would you have done if the evidence had supported your teammate? - Since the opinion was already unpopular, how did you keep your challenge from damaging your teammate's standing with the others? - Tell me about a time a view you dismissed turned out to be right. What did you change afterward?