Describe a time when you had to push back on or say no to a request from a colleague, manager, or stakeholder. What was the request, why did you push back, and how did you handle the conversation?
I want to understand how you balanced being a team player with protecting your time or your team's capacity. What was the reaction, and how did things turn out?
How to approach it
- Hint 1
Choose a situation where saying no was genuinely difficult -- the request was reasonable, but you had a good reason to decline or defer it.
- Hint 2
Focus on how you communicated the pushback. Did you offer alternatives? Did you explain the tradeoff clearly? Tone and framing matter here.
- Hint 3
End with the outcome and the relationship impact. Did the person understand? Did it change how you work together?
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