Tell me about a time you dealt with a conflict with engineers.

This question is designed to test your conflict resolution, communication, and interpersonal skills. Conflicts are common in the workplace, especially in multidisciplinary environments where engineers tend to have different viewpoints given their technical background. The recruiter wants to see how you handle these situations, what approach you take to resolve the conflict, and how you maintain a professional relationship with engineers afterwards. Key points to include are the circumstances that led to the conflict, how you responded, the actions you took to resolve the conflict and the results of those actions.

At my previous job, I was a project manager working on implementing a new software solution. During development, there was a disagreement between me and the lead engineer about the project's direction. The engineer believed that an entirely new codebase was needed for the project, while I believed we could modify our existing assets.

Initially, we both held firm to our beliefs which created a sense of tension within the team. I invited the engineer for a private, one-on-one discussion where we could express our concerns calmly. I made sure to listen attentively and to understand his perspective, acknowledging his expert opinion within the engineering space.

After our conversation, I decided to do more research to assess the plausible solutions. This involved gathering more data and consulting another engineer and a few software experts. From that research, it appeared clear that a fresh codebase was indeed required to ensure long-term success for this project.

I then called another meeting with the engineer, admitted I was wrong to dismiss his suggestions hastily, and agreed to proceed with his proposed method. This encouraged more open communication within the team and further strengthened my relationship with the engineer. In the end, the new system was successfully developed and exceeded management's original expectations.

In the previous development team I worked in, there was a problem with meeting project deadlines due to the lack of effective communication between engineers and the rest of the team. Due to their highly technical language, others found it difficult to understand their progress and challenges faced during development.

In response, I proposed and facilitated a weekly meeting where everyone could discuss their work progress in a non-technical language. In these meetings, I emphasized the importance of clear and understandable communication, ensuring that everyone, including the engineers, understood the project's objectives, and their role in achieving them.

To make sure the engineers felt heard and valued, I also took the time to learn more about their work and the challenges they faced, asking explanatory questions when necessary. Gradually, these meetings became an opportunity for fruitful discussions and increased understanding across the team.

The result was a more transparent and efficient team, as everyone had a clearer understanding of what was happening and what needed to be done. It also improved our timeliness, and we were able to hit the strict deadlines set by management. This situation taught me the importance of effective communication within diverse teams and managing conflicts by finding commonality in shared goals.