Disagreeing With Your Manager (Answer)

This video segment describes a situation where the interviewee disagreed with their manager's directive to implement a 15-minute response time for customer escalations.

• Identified the Conflict: The interviewee recognized that the 15-minute response time was unrealistic and impractical for their team, considering factors such as:

  • Global Time Zones: Many customers were located in different time zones, making immediate contact difficult.
  • Internal Coordination: Coordinating with internal stakeholders, such as sales teams, was necessary before contacting customers.
  • Complexity of Escalations: Resolving complex escalations often required significant internal investigation and coordination.

• Proposed an Alternative Solution:

  • The interviewee proposed a more realistic goal: contacting the customer within one hour of receiving the escalation.
  • They emphasized the importance of internal coordination and collaboration with sales teams.
  • They introduced a key performance indicator (KPI) of "time to first response" within one hour, focusing on a 90th percentile target.

• Navigated Challenges:

  • The interviewee faced resistance from both their manager and their team.
  • They effectively addressed the concerns of the sales team by improving communication and coordination.
  • They gathered data to support their proposed solution and successfully presented it to their manager.

• Achieved Positive Outcomes:

  • The team successfully met the 90th percentile target for time to first response.
  • Customer satisfaction improved.
  • The interviewee demonstrated effective communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.

This example demonstrates the interviewee's ability to: Challenge assumptions: They questioned the feasibility of the 15-minute response time and proposed a more realistic alternative. Collaborate effectively: They worked with their team and other stakeholders to address the challenges and implement the new approach. Drive positive change: They successfully implemented a new process that improved customer satisfaction and team efficiency. Demonstrate resilience: They persevered despite initial resistance from their manager and their team.

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