Question: Describe a time when you backed down from an activity or meeting because you thought that someone else was better suited for it or should have the opportunity to participate.

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Can you tell me about a time when you backed off in a meeting because you felt someone else should speak or have an opportunity?

Follow-up questions:

What did you do?
Why do you think that you couldn’t handle the project?
Why did you think the other person deserved this more than you?
If you knew that the project required the skills you have, would you have done the same?
What is the result of your actions?
Did this incident have any positive results for you?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Monitoring (Making observations of self and environment),Social – Coordination (Adjusting one’s own actions in relation to others)

Other Factors:

Big 5 – Agreeableness,Motivation/Ambition/Aspiration,Personality-Team Fit,Practical Intelligence (Street Smarts),Self-Awareness

Work Activity (Task):

Information Input – Estimating Characteristics of Objects, Events, or Information,Interacting with Others – Assisting and Caring for Others,Interacting with Others – Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships

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

Interpersonal Relationships – Work With Work Group or Team (As a member, not a leader)

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Compassion/Concern for Others,Cooperation,Human Equity (Opposite of Discrimination),Humility,Social Orientation (Work Alone vs Group Work)

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

You are looking for the interviewee’s willingness to show humility and take a step back for others to grow and achieve.

Red Flags to Watch For:

There is no clear red flag in this case, other than whether the interviewee’s attitudes towards this matter are compatible with the work environment.

Sample Answer:

N/A

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