I'm currently interviewing for a VP role at Disney. One of the behavioral questions I'd be asked is : "Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult or disruptive person. It may have been a client, manager, or coworker. What was the outcome?" Help me provide an answer based on my experience managing a team of 12 sales professionals, who had entirely different characters. Here's the scenario: Being in a leadership position for 16 years, I was overseeing a team of 12 sales professionals - who had very different personalities and characters. Some were very quiet, while others were very disruptive to the process. I had the difficult choice to install practices and had to consider letting go of staff, who were disruptive to the work environment.
As a leader of a diverse team of sales professionals, I encountered a challenging situation with a team member who was consistently disruptive to the work environment. This individual was outspoken and would often interrupt team meetings, leading to a decrease in productivity and morale amongst the team.
To address this issue, I first had a one-on-one conversation with the team member to understand their perspective and what was causing the disruptive behavior. I listened attentively and provided feedback on how their actions were impacting the team's productivity and shared the expectations for how they should participate in team meetings.
Unfortunately, the behavior continued, and it was apparent that the team member was not willing to change their behavior. This was a difficult decision, but as a leader, I had to prioritize the team's productivity and morale. I decided to let the team member go, which was a tough but necessary decision.
The outcome was positive. The team was able to refocus and re-engage in their work, resulting in increased productivity and morale. Additionally, the remaining team members were grateful for the action taken, which showed that I was committed to maintaining a positive and productive work environment.
Overall, I believe that as a leader, it's essential to have difficult conversations and take necessary action when faced with disruptive behavior. It's never easy, but it's essential to prioritize the team's success and well-being.