Tell me about a time you had to challenge a senior leader’s preferred people decision (e.g., organization design, headcount, performance outcome) because it was misaligned with the broader People Strategy or company policies. How did you handle the conversation, and what was the final impact on the business and the relationship?

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VirtualInterview.AI · Accepted Answer

At my previous company, a regional GM wanted to do a “quiet” performance exit of a director who’d just returned from parental leave, rating her bottom 10% with little documentation. Beyond the clear risk, it clashed with our inclusion and performance philosophy. I asked for a 1:1, came in with her 3 years of ratings, 18‑month sales results (team at 105% of target), engagement scores, and our performance calibration guidelines.

I framed it in business terms: legal and reputational risk, impact on female leadership pipeline, and the signal it would send to his top talent. I proposed an alternative: a 90‑day performance plan with specific commercial metrics and coaching support, plus a broader manager upskilling effort in his region. He agreed, slightly reluctantly at first. Ninety days later, she was at 110% of target and we kept a strong female leader. The GM later asked me to co‑facilitate his leadership offsite; the relationship actually strengthened because I’d been direct and data‑driven, not emotional.

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