1. How would you work with a difficult stakeholder? Situation

1. How would you work with a difficult stakeholder?

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  Situation: Briefly explain the issue you were dealing with in a positive, constructive way.
  
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  Task: Explain your role in the situation.
  
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  Action: Explain what you did to resolve or address the situation.
  
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  Result: Explain your learnings and how your actions resulted in a positive impact for the business.
  

I have found that nearly any issue is solvable with empathy, communication and action. For example, I once had an angry client that felt she had received the wrong data that was useless and unhelpful. My role was to acquire and interpret said data. I decided to schedule a phone call with her and the other project stakeholders immediately to discuss the issue. After taking the time to hear her concerns, we found that she simply did not feel equipped to apply the findings of the data. We established a workshop with our team business consultant to help her feel more prepared and sent weekly updates by email to ensure she felt supported during the remainder of the project. She doubled her spend with us over the next two quarters.

2. Describe a time when you had to advise a client toward a different course of action.

In your answer, you should explain the ways you can apply your problem-solving skills to navigate potentially difficult situations with clients and other important stakeholders.

Once, I had a client who was looking to expand a product line for their store. At the same time, they were already struggling to sell many of the products they already carried. I used a detailed sales analysis to show them why they should focus on selling their current products instead of investing in new ones, and offered both suggestions about how they might increase sales along with areas in which they are already succeeding.