Question: Describe a time when you were against changes that were happening in your work processes and work environment. What was the situation and how did you handle it?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Tell me about a time when you were very much opposed to a change that affected your work practices. How did you get through it?

Follow-up questions:

How would you handle resistance to change if you we part of top management?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Critical Thinking,Basic – Monitoring (Making observations of self and environment),Social – Persuasion,Systems – Judgment and Decision Making

Abilities:

Cognitive – Category Flexibility (Mental Flexibility)

Other Factors:

Big 5 – Openness to Experience (Open Mindedness),Direct Job Experience,Personality-Job Fit,Personality-Organization Fit

Work Activity (Task):

Information Input – Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events,Mental Processes – Judging the Value of Things, Services, or People,Work Output – Quality Improvement

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Adaptability/Flexibility,Analytical Thinking,Innovation

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

The candidate’s flexibility to handle change.
The candidate’s maturity in handling conflicts.

Red Flags to Watch For:

Unprofessionalism when dealing with difficult situations.

Sample Answer:

There was a time when we were supposed to migrate to a new system within a time frame. I explained to my boss that they should give us more time before going live to avoid any problems. Luckily, management listened. Sometimes you just need to explain your side thoroughly with concrete evidences. It’s not that I am against change, it’s just that everything has to be planned well.

Question Source: https://www.jobbankusa.com/interview_questions_answers/