Question: In your experience, in what situations or issues do you feel you need to consult with your manager or a senior colleague before taking action?

Alternative Question Phrasing:

On what occasions did you feel you had to consult with your boss before proceeding with some action? When did you feel it was proper to act on your own?

Follow-up questions:

Please explain your answer well. Give examples when necessary.

Question Details:

Question Type:

Knowledge/Skill Based

Skills:

Basic – Critical Thinking,Basic – Monitoring (Making observations of self and environment)

Other Factors:

Personality-Job Fit,Personality-Organization Fit,Self-Awareness

Work Activity (Task):

Information Input – Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

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

Job Structure – Freedom to Make Decisions,Job Structure – Frequency of Decision Making

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Adaptability/Flexibility,Analytical Thinking,Risk Tolerance

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

The candidate’s professionalism.
The candidate’s decision-making skills.

Red Flags to Watch For:

The candidate’s unprofessionalism.
The candidate’s poor decision-making skills.

Sample Answer:

For instances wherein the decision will have a significant impact to the team, I need to inform my direct superior. Like when it involves funds or if it will have an impact on the budget. When dealing with simple issues of day-to-day operations, we have the liberty to make decisions.

Question Source: Unknown