Interview Question: Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a teammate. How did you handle it?
Conflict is inevitable in collaborative work. The question isn't whether you've had conflicts—it's how you handled them. Interviewers want to see emotional intelligence, professionalism, and the ability to resolve disagreements constructively.
What Interviewers Are Looking For
- Self-Awareness: Do you recognize your role in conflicts?
- Professionalism: Can you stay calm under tension?
- Communication: Can you express disagreement respectfully?
- Resolution Focus: Do you seek solutions, not victories?
STAR Framework
S - Situation
What was the conflict about? (Technical disagreement, priorities, work styles)
A - Action
- Listen first to understand their perspective
- Find common ground and shared goals
- Use data over opinions where possible
- Look for compromise or third options
R - Result
How the conflict was resolved AND how the relationship improved.
✓ Strong Answer
"A senior engineer and I disagreed on architecture. Instead of escalating, I scheduled a 1:1 to understand their concerns. We realized we had the same goal but different assumptions. We wrote a joint proposal combining our ideas. They became my strongest collaborator."