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104 COMPETENCY-BASED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

dure, I wrote him up whenever he strayed from company policy. Eventually, he
resigned his position without a word as to the reason.

Question 69. Describe a time when you had to address a problem with

an employee without alienating him or her.

Obstacle: When I came on board at Executive-Level Suites Company,

I was told that a certain employee had many complaints against her for poor
work performance. Her actions caused a rift among several departments. Af-
ter gathering information regarding those past offenses, I realized that the prob-
lem was her inability to grasp how each department functioned independently
but also as part of a team. So when she missed her deadline to provide Ac-
counting with spreadsheets, this caused a backup in that department.

Action: As part of an initiative to bring her into the fold, and not target

her specifically, I implemented a company-wide cross-training program that
gave team members the opportunity to work in various departments.

Result: This approach served two purposes. First, the problem em-

ployee did not feel alienated and resent the training. Second, the initiative pro-
vided all employees with an opportunity to learn new skills and see how the
departments are interconnected. This effort led to greater understanding of
each division’s specific needs and how lateness on a project, or not answer-
ing e-mails in a timely fashion, affected the progress of others.

Question 70. Describe a time when you provided one-on-one training

support.

Situation: To cut down on costs, the management of New Horizon’s

Medical Facility decided to replace the registered nurse with a clerical team
member. Since the clerk was unfamiliar with the intake process, the switch re-
sulted in poorly completed intake forms and decreased patient conversion rate.

Action: During a one-month period, I created and executed a series of

training sessions that focused on patient needs identification and follow-up
strategies.

Result: The clerk’s conversion rate increased by 40 percent shortly

thereafter.

Question 71. Give an example of an innovative way that you promoted

teamwork.

American Management Association
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