Describe a time you had to take quick action on a critical issue. How did you ensure that your team members promptly learned and followed the action?
How to answer this question
When I was a project manager at a construction company, I faced a critical issue that required quick action. We were in the middle of a large-scale construction project and one of our subcontractors had failed to order enough materials to complete the job. I had to take quick action to ensure that we could still finish the project on time.
My first step was to contact the subcontractor and find out what had caused the issue. After that, I had to quickly devise a plan to acquire the extra materials. I contacted a few different suppliers and was able to find an alternative source for the materials.
Once the new materials had been secured, I had to ensure that my team was informed and knew how to proceed. I held a meeting with the team to explain the issue and the new plan. I also provided a timeline for when the materials would be available and when the job needed to be completed by.
To ensure that everyone was on the same page, I distributed a detailed plan with specific instructions. This plan outlined the new materials and how they were to be used in the project. I also made sure that everyone had access to the new timeline so they could plan accordingly.
In order to follow up, I consistently checked in with
Question category
Executives
Ideal response duration
60 seconds