Question: Describe a time when you had to motivate a reluctant or unresponsive person.

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Describe a time when you had to win over a reluctant or unresponsive person.

Follow-up questions:

N/A

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Monitoring (Making observations of self and environment),Basic – Speaking,Social – Rapport Buiding/Relating and Connecting with others,Social – Social Perceptiveness

Abilities:

Cognitive – Oral Expression,Cognitive – Originality,Cognitive – Problem Sensitivity (Problem Recognition)

Other Factors:

Personal Improvement (Growth),Personality-Job Fit,Personality-Team Fit

Work Activity (Task):

Information Input – Estimating Characteristics of Objects, Events, or Information,Information Input – Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events,Interacting with Others – Assigning Tasks to Others (Delegation and Direction),Interacting with Others – Assisting and Caring for Others,Interacting with Others – Coaching and Developing Others,Interacting with Others – Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships,Interacting with Others – Performance Management (Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates),Interacting with Others – Provide Consultation and Advice to Others,Mental Processes – Developing Objectives and Strategies,Mental Processes – Judging the Value of Things, Services, or People,Mental Processes – Scheduling Work and Activities (Rostering)

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

Interpersonal Relationships – Relationship With Subordinates,Interpersonal Relationships – Responsibility for Outcomes and Results of Others,Job Structure – Level of Responsibility (Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Organization Results)

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Achievement/Effort (Action/Result Orientation),Adaptability/Flexibility,Analytical Thinking,Compassion/Concern for Others,Initiative,Leadership/Command,Persistence/Perseverance,Self Control

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

If the candidate understands the importance of assessing the needs and preferences of this team member.
If the candidate has explored common motivational factors like recognition and team spirit.
You are looking at the leadership and interpersonal style of the candidate.
You are looking at the different motivational strategies the candidate might have used depending on what might attract this team member.

Red Flags to Watch For:

If the candidate shares an anecdote where they failed to motivate and improve the team member’s performance and blames them completely for the failure.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: https://www.totaljobs.com/advice/most-common-competency-based-interview-questions