Resolving a disagreement with a strong-willed colleague on a product decision

During a product manager interview at Netflix, you are asked how you handle a colleague who holds very strong opinions and pushes them hard. Describe how you work with someone like that, grounded in a specific example from your own experience. ```hint Look past the volume A forceful colleague often knows something you do not. Choose an example where you found the reasoning behind their view and moved the disagreement to a clear decision that both of you could stand behind. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Should the colleague be a peer such as an engineering or design lead, or can it be someone more senior than me? - Do you want one disagreement over a single decision, or an ongoing working relationship over several months? - Does the example need to end with my view winning, or is it fine if the colleague turned out to be right? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A specific situation in which the colleague's strong view shaped a real product decision with meaningful stakes. - Concrete steps the candidate took to understand the reasoning behind the opinion before pushing back. - How the disagreement was resolved through shared goals, evidence and a clear decision owner, and whether escalation was needed. - The outcome for the product and for the working relationship, including any point on which the candidate changed their own mind. ### Follow-up Questions - What would you have done if the evidence had not settled the question? - The colleague keeps reopening the decision after it was made. How do you handle that? - When would you escalate to their manager or yours, and how would you raise it?