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COMPETENCY #5—PEOPLE SKILLS 157
Action: That said, I understood that part of my responsibility as utility
engineer was to manage outages. As a result, I never shared my concerns
with my manager.
Result: Instead, when the lights went out, I focused my efforts on get-
ting the town’s power grid up and running, so the community could go back
to normal as soon as possible.
Question 164. Tell me about a time when another department’s par-
ticipation in a project depended on your completing a task first.
Situation: Since it takes time and resources to bring a project to mar-
ket, it is my responsibility with the Chess Corporation to determine whether
products are viable before production even begins.
Action: I conducted field research and participated in data collection,
including analyzing market activity for similar products.
Result: After I made my findings, I advised corporate of consumer de-
mands and market trends. In addition, I outlined the product specifications so
the marketing department can develop campaigns.
Question 165. Describe a time when your team’s effort did not meet
your expectations.
Situation: At Coral Gables, I was part of a team charged with de-
veloping a brand strategy for an established business that was having dif-
ficulty targeting its market. Our department meetings were unorganized. No
one listened to others’ points of view. As such, the project was taking longer
than expected.
Action: With the deadline approaching, everyone was working late.
Though I do not mind working late, and often do, I knew that if we had come
together as a team sooner, the project would have gone smoother and the
deadline met without overtime.
Result: As a result of that experience, when I work on a project that
requires a team effort, I choose my battles carefully and frequently search for
a compromise that will get the project moving.
Question 166. Describe an occasion when you took direction from
someone who was not your supervisor.
American Management Association
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