Question: Imagine this scenario: You have finished and submitted your work assignment. However, your manager informs you that they are extremely dissatisfied with your work. What do you do?
Alternative Question Phrasing:
- Your manager hates your latest work. What do you do?
Follow-up questions:
- How would you try to appease the manager?
- Would you think your manager’s negative feelings are justified?
- Is it more important to appease the manager and do work that is potentially not correct, or to make sure the work is done to a set standard and not based on the manager’s subjective opinions?
- Would you try to defend your work and prove that it is up to standard?
- Would you try to appease the manager?
- Would you try to understand where the manager is coming from or why they have such negative opinions about the work?
Question Details:
Question Type:
Skills:
Work Activity (Task):
Information Input – Estimating Characteristics of Objects, Events, or Information,Interacting with Others – Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates,Interacting with Others – Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships,Interacting with Others – Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others (Conflict Management),Mental Processes – Evaluating Compliance with Standards,Mental Processes – Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Work Context (Person-Job/Team/Org Fit):
Work Style (Person-Job Fit):
What to look for in an answer:
You are looking somewhat at the ability to solve problems, but more so at the social and practical ability of the interviewee to deal with the manager and any subjectivity or bias that the manager might bring to the discussion.
Red Flags to Watch For:
A lack of social skills or problem-solving skills is a red flag.
Sample Answer:
N/A
Question Source:
Unknown