Tell me about a time when someone changed their mind after you had already started leading a project. How did you handle it?

This question is essentially asking you to provide a real-world example of your adaptability and problem-solving in a leadership role. The interviewer wants to see how you handled a situation where a team member or stakeholder changed their mind about something after a project had already commenced, causing potential disruption or change in the plan. They are interested in your interpersonal skills and how you maintain a diplomatic approach while ensuring the project stays on track.

There are four key things to focus on while answering this question:

1. Briefly describe the project. Give the key details - what was the project about, who was involved, and what was your role?
2. What was the change? Highlight the change in opinion or decision that brought about an alteration in the initial plan.
3. How did you handle the change? Detail the steps you took to handle the change. This shows your problem-solving and flexibility.
4. What was the result? How did your actions lead to a resolution, and what impact did it have on the project?

During my time as Project Manager at Tech Solutions Inc., I was leading a team in designing a new software application for our client. Everything had been approved and our team was already working effectively when the client made a decision to change the design aesthetics, which was puzzling because that was initially approved by them.

The first thing I did was reconnect with the client to understand the reason for the sudden change. They had learned that their competitors were planning on launching a similar design, which led them to request a change. After careful analysis with the design team, I found a solution that retained our current structure while tweaking the aesthetics to meet client requirements. I facilitated a meeting where we discussed the modification and its implementation, ensuring that every team member was on board and well-aware of the changes.

The result was a successful transition to the newly approved design without any major impact on our time or resources. The client appreciated our adaptability and responsiveness to their needs, which resulted in a solid client relationship and successful project completion.

As an Event Coordinator with ABC Events, we were overseeing a major conference held annually by one of our regular clients. Midway through preparations, the client wanted to change the location of the event due to unforeseen circumstances.

I called for an immediate team meeting to discuss this change and assess the impact on our work. We contacted all the vendors and stakeholders involved to confirm their availability and willingness to accommodate the change. We managed to absorb the shock of the sudden decision and continue our work at the new location without delaying the timeline.

The event was successfully held at the new venue. The client ultimately commended our resilience and commitment, thanking us for our ability to smoothly handle a 'crisis'. This episode reaffirmed my belief in the power of adaptability in leadership roles."