Question: Describe a time when your manager got angry with you. What happened and how did you deal with it?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Follow-up questions:

Did you feel demotivated?
What was your response and what approach did you use to handle his/her anger?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Active Listening,Basic – Monitoring (Making observations of self and environment),Basic – Speaking,Complex Problem Solving,Social – Coordination (Adjusting one’s own actions in relation to others),Social – Rapport Buiding/Relating and Connecting with others,Social – Social Perceptiveness

Abilities:

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

Other Factors:

Big 5 – Agreeableness,Direct Job Experience,Rapport Building Question,Self-Awareness

Work Activity (Task):

Interacting with Others – Assisting and Caring for Others,Interacting with Others – Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates,Interacting with Others – Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others (Conflict Management),Mental Processes – Processing Information

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

Interpersonal Relationships – Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People,Interpersonal Relationships – Face-to-Face Discussions,Interpersonal Relationships – Relationship With Supervisor

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Adaptability/Flexibility,Approachability,Compassion/Concern for Others,Handling Ambiguity,Patience,Persistence/Perseverance,Politeness,Stress Tolerance

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

If the candidate displays active listening skills, patience and tolerance levels while handling the situation.
Such situations can easily get someone into stress, so look for their stress tolerance level too.

Red Flags to Watch For:

If the candidate leaves the question with No as answer and have no good reason.
The candidate is adamant to prove their manager’s point of view was wrong.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: Unknown