Strategy Statement:
Just like no interviewee is perfect, no person is blameless. The employer needs to get a sense that you are not above blame and are prepared to be pro-active in resolving workplace conflict.
Sample Response:
I have found that any efforts toward conflict resolution that do not involve the person most-responsible and/or accountable for the conflict are short-lived and perceived as a sell-out by others who are involved. I was once teaching a community college course where a racial term was introduced by one student and reacted-to by another. The atmosphere in the classroom became immediately tense.
The classroom was my responsibility, and I took accountability for this having happened. I immediately addressed the class saying that I had “something that needed straightening out” and that we were going to have a 5-minute break. I was quickly able to determine that the epitaph was accidental, but in quick-counseling witht the offending student, I was also able to emphasize how (whether accidental or not) the statement was still hurtful.
I suggested that during the break this student (a 45 year-old) seek-out the student who had felt targeted and apologize. At the end of class, I approached the targeted student casually made sure that things had been “made right”. A few weeks later I was able to find out whether the targeted student had felt that things were handled appropriately, and he affirmed that everything had worked out. Accepting accountability, directing a direction for resolution, and following-up... these are essential ingredients to conflict resolution.
Copyright 2010. North Pacific Technology Group LLC. All rights reserved.
Just like no interviewee is perfect, no person is blameless. The employer needs to get a sense that you are not above blame and are prepared to be pro-active in resolving workplace conflict.
Sample Response:
I have found that any efforts toward conflict resolution that do not involve the person most-responsible and/or accountable for the conflict are short-lived and perceived as a sell-out by others who are involved. I was once teaching a community college course where a racial term was introduced by one student and reacted-to by another. The atmosphere in the classroom became immediately tense.
The classroom was my responsibility, and I took accountability for this having happened. I immediately addressed the class saying that I had “something that needed straightening out” and that we were going to have a 5-minute break. I was quickly able to determine that the epitaph was accidental, but in quick-counseling witht the offending student, I was also able to emphasize how (whether accidental or not) the statement was still hurtful.
I suggested that during the break this student (a 45 year-old) seek-out the student who had felt targeted and apologize. At the end of class, I approached the targeted student casually made sure that things had been “made right”. A few weeks later I was able to find out whether the targeted student had felt that things were handled appropriately, and he affirmed that everything had worked out. Accepting accountability, directing a direction for resolution, and following-up... these are essential ingredients to conflict resolution.
Copyright 2010. North Pacific Technology Group LLC. All rights reserved.