Confrontational or compliant
Whatever the job, at whatever level, there will be some working relationships to consider, but how important these are will depend on the role you are recruiting for so decide which of the following are key within your business.
Questions on relationships with managers
The dynamic between direct report and manager will vary enormously. You need to find out how your interviewee responds to their manager and if this approach will work in your company.
How would you describe your working relationship with your boss?
How would he / she describe their working relationship with you?
Have you ever had a disagreement with a present or previous boss? What was it?
How did the two of you overcome it?
What is the most frustrating thing about working for your boss?
How do you put new ideas forward to your manager?
How would you describe your relationship with senior management, i.e. those more senior than your line manager?
Questions on team relationships
Team work is essential in most businesses and therefore so is the relationship within the group and between them and their manager.
How would you describe your relationship with your peer group / team?
How would they describe their relationship with you?
Is there anyone in your team you would like to change?
Relationships with direct reports are also very important so this too needs some investigation.
How would you describe your relationship with your direct reports?
What would they say about you?
Most answers to this are ‘firm but fair’, but ask them to explain and give examples of each.
How do you motivate your team?
Give me an example of a problem you have had to deal with within your team.
How did you deal with it?
Was that successful?
Questions on external relationships
Working relationships also exist between different departments, other offices and external customers and suppliers.
The facilities manager has hired a very competitively priced cleaning company who started off well but are now slacking. They don’t want to lose them because of their price, and they were originally doing a good job.
How do you handle your relationship with customers / suppliers?
What would your customers / suppliers say about you?
Do you have any other external working relationships?
What do you do to develop these relationships?
How successful has this been?
How do you get on with other departments / offices?
What would they say about you?
How do you get them to help you?
Questions on overcoming difficult working relationships
What is the most difficult working relationship you have had to deal with concerning customers / team members / indirect reports / external contacts?
How did you deal with this, and what was the outcome?
Is there anyone in your current or previous roles that you do not get on with?
How did you / how do you deal with this?
Who is the most difficult person you have worked with or for?
How did you overcome this?
If you may have a particularly difficult person in your company you might want to give them as an example and see how the candidate reacts.
There are no right or wrong answers to these questions but you are looking for candidates who are aware of their impact on others and how to deal with people in a variety of situations. You are also looking for positive responses and not just complaints!
- Concentrate on the most important working relationships for your role.
- Decide if your interviewee handles their relationships appropriately.
- Will their approach work in your company?
- Can they deal with difficult situations and people?