Question: Describe a time when you had to have a difficult conversation with someone. What was the topic and how did you communicate?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Describe a time when you had to have a difficult conversation with a coworker. What was the context and how did you handle it?
Tell me about a time that you had a hard talk with one of your staff members. What was the background situation and how did you approach it?

Follow-up questions:

Do you think the other person took it well?
What happened in the end?
How is your relationship with this person now?
How did you handle push back from the other person?
How did you handle the emotions in this conversation?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Active Listening,Basic – Speaking,Social – Negotiation,Social – Persuasion

Abilities:

Cognitive – Problem Sensitivity (Problem Recognition)

Other Factors:

Big 5 – Neuroticism (Emotion Regulation),Personality-Team Fit,Practical Intelligence (Street Smarts)

Work Activity (Task):

Interacting with Others – Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates,Interacting with Others – Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others (Conflict Management),Interacting with Others – Selling or Influencing Others

Work Context (Person-Job/Team/Org Fit):

Interpersonal Relationships – Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People,Interpersonal Relationships – Face-to-Face Discussions,Interpersonal Relationships – Frequency of Conflict Situations

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Assertiveness/Courage,Self Control

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

Look for the candidate’s ability to have difficult or emotional conversations and their ability to be understanding yet assertive in these conversations.

Red Flags to Watch For:

If the candidate does not have the emotional intelligence or ability to have difficult conversations.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: Unknown