Tell us about a time when you had to deal with a difficult team member. How did you handle the situation?

I remember a particular project where I had to work with a team member who was consistently late in delivering their tasks. It was frustrating because it caused delays in the project timeline and put pressure on the rest of the team. To address the situation, I first approached the team member privately and expressed my concern about their performance. I asked if there were any issues or challenges they were facing that were causing the delays. I then offered my assistance and offered to reassign some tasks if necessary to help lighten their workload. Additionally, I emphasized the importance of meeting deadlines and the impact it had on the entire team. I also suggested setting up a schedule and implementing regular check-ins to monitor progress. Through open and empathetic communication, we were able to resolve the issue, and the team member started meeting deadlines consistently.

I recall a situation in a previous role where I had to work with a team member who had a negative attitude and often resisted collaborating with others. This behavior was impacting the team's morale and hindering our productivity. To handle the situation, I first took the time to observe and understand the underlying reasons for their behavior. I discovered that the team member felt undervalued and overlooked in the decision-making process. To address this, I scheduled a one-on-one meeting with them to have an open and honest conversation about their concerns. I actively listened to their perspective and acknowledged their contributions. I then involved them in the decision-making process by assigning them important tasks and seeking their input. I also provided positive feedback and recognized their achievements publicly, which helped boost their self-esteem. Gradually, their attitude improved, and they began actively participating in team activities, leading to better collaboration and increased productivity.

In a previous role, I encountered a difficult team member who displayed a lack of accountability and consistently failed to deliver on their commitments. This not only affected the team's productivity but also caused frustration and demotivation among other team members. To address the situation, I decided to take a proactive approach. Firstly, I scheduled a one-on-one meeting with the team member to express my concerns and understand their perspective. During the meeting, I listened attentively to their reasons for not meeting their commitments and acknowledged the challenges they were facing. However, I also emphasized the importance of accountability and the impact it had on the team's success. Together, we developed an action plan that included setting clear expectations, breaking down tasks into manageable parts, and establishing regular progress check-ins. I provided support and guidance throughout the process, offering resources and assistance whenever needed. Additionally, I implemented a system to track and record individual performance, which allowed us to monitor progress and address any issues promptly. As a result of these efforts, the team member gradually improved their accountability and began delivering on their commitments, leading to improved team performance and morale.