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COMPETENCY #5—PEOPLE SKILLS 169

J. Responsive. Reacts to the ideas of others, especially with thoughtful consideration.

Example: _________________________________________________________
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Interview Questions and Answers

Question 185. Give an example of a time when you worked with

someone who had an accent.

Situation: The restaurant business attracts people from different

countries. As the manager for Knead’s Eatery, I once worked with a French
chef who came to the States specifically to work for us.

Action: The chef was fluent in English, but at times her accent made

it difficult to understand what she was saying. However, when I needed clar-
ification, I simply asked for it. And, for that matter, so did she, since she was
not familiar with American expressions.

Result: We got along swimmingly. The language barrier was minimal,

and when a problem arose, we discussed it easily.

Question 186. Describe an occasion when your communication style

got you out of a tight situation.

Situation: I was an assistant to the CEO of International Communi-

cations Company. My communication skills were tested every day; one day,
the CEO asked me to make reservations at a restaurant that was known to
have a three-month waiting list—an important client was in town and he
wanted to show off.

Action: Knowing that the restaurant would not have a table, I called

anyway, hopeful that I could persuade the maitre d’ to accommodate my
boss. When I wasn’t successful, I called a colleague whose manager had a
standing reservation at the restaurant. At first she was hesitant to broach the
subject with her boss, but I was persistent; I remained respectful, but pleaded
with her and she came through for me.

Result: The client and the CEO enjoyed a fabulous dinner. By the end

of the night, the deal was locked up. That deal led to a long relationship with
the client, and raised my value in the eyes of my employer.

American Management Association
www.amanet.org