Situational Judgment Tests
Team Conflict Resolution
You're leading a team project with a tight deadline. Two of your team members, Alex and Jordan, have conflicting ideas about the approach to take. Their disagreement has become heated, affecting team morale and slowing progress. The deadline is one week away.
What would you do?
Best Response: B
Option B demonstrates collaborative leadership by allowing both team members to present their ideas and involving the whole team in finding a solution. This approach addresses the conflict directly while respecting everyone's input, potentially leading to a better solution than either original idea. It also models constructive conflict resolution for the team.
Ethical Decision Making
You work in procurement for a large company. A supplier has sent you an expensive gift basket with premium items to "celebrate your partnership" just as you're about to decide on renewing their contract. Your company has a policy against accepting gifts valued over $50, and this basket appears to be worth significantly more.
What would you do?
Best Response: C
Option C directly addresses the ethical issue by following company policy and maintaining professional boundaries. Returning the gift with a polite explanation upholds integrity while preserving the business relationship. This action demonstrates ethical decision-making and avoids any appearance of conflict of interest or impropriety.
Customer Service Crisis
You're a customer service manager at a hotel. A guest is extremely upset because they were promised a room with a view for their anniversary, but upon check-in, they discovered all such rooms were occupied. The guest is now at the front desk, visibly angry and demanding to speak with management.
What would you do?
Best Response: B
Option B acknowledges the mistake without making excuses, offers a solution that may exceed the original expectation (suite upgrade), and adds a thoughtful touch specific to their anniversary celebration. This response prioritizes the guest experience while offering practical solutions to the problem, potentially turning a negative situation into a positive memory.
Managing Underperformance
You manage a team member who has consistently missed deadlines and submitted work below standard over the past month. Previously, they were a strong performer. You've noticed they seem tired and distracted lately.
What would you do?
Best Response: C
Option C balances addressing the performance concern with empathy. By meeting privately and expressing concern, you create space for the employee to share potential underlying issues (health, personal problems, burnout) while still clearly communicating performance expectations. This approach recognizes that sudden changes in performance often have causes that might be addressed with appropriate support.
Resource Allocation
You manage a department with limited budget for professional development. Three team members have approached you about attending different training programs: an underperforming employee who needs skills improvement, a solid performer who wants to expand their capabilities, and your top performer who wants advanced training in their specialty. You can only fund one request this quarter.
What would you do?
Best Response: A
Option A addresses a current performance gap that affects team output. Investing in the underperforming employee helps bring them to the required level, potentially avoiding further performance issues or the need for replacement. This decision strengthens your weakest link, benefiting overall team capability. However, you should also develop a plan to accommodate the other training requests in future quarters and communicate this plan to show you value all team members' development.
Change Management
Your company is implementing a new software system that will significantly change how your team works. You've been informed two weeks before the launch, and you notice that the training resources provided are inadequate. Many team members have expressed anxiety about the change.
What would you do?
Best Response: C
Option C is proactive and solution-focused. Rather than just complaining about inadequate resources (B) or placing the burden entirely on individual team members (D), this approach demonstrates leadership by creating practical support systems. The peer-support groups also build team cohesion and knowledge sharing. This solution acknowledges the reality of the timeline while taking concrete steps to ensure team success.
Workplace Inclusion
You're organizing a team-building event. One team member, who uses a wheelchair, has been excluded from previous activities because they were not accessible. You want to ensure everyone can participate fully.
What would you do?
Best Response: B
Option B demonstrates inclusive leadership by directly consulting with the person affected while maintaining their dignity and privacy. Rather than making assumptions or creating separate-but-equal experiences, this approach seeks to understand specific needs and then creates a solution where everyone participates together. This fosters true inclusion while respecting the individual's autonomy in sharing their needs.
Crisis Management
You're managing a critical project when a major technical failure occurs that will prevent your team from meeting an important client deadline tomorrow. The client is expecting a complete deliverable and has a major launch dependent on your work.
What would you do?
Best Response: B
Option B demonstrates professional accountability, transparency, and problem-solving. By informing the client immediately, you give them time to adjust their plans. Offering a partial deliverable shows commitment to meeting their needs despite challenges. This approach maintains trust through honest communication while providing a practical solution that minimizes negative impact on the client's business.
Feedback and Coaching
You observe a team member give a presentation that contains several inaccuracies. The team member appears confident and doesn't seem aware of the errors, which could create problems if the misinformation spreads.
What would you do?
Best Response: D
Option D balances the need to correct misinformation with respect for your colleague's dignity. By addressing the issue privately, you avoid public embarrassment while still ensuring that accurate information ultimately reaches the audience. Offering to help with the follow-up demonstrates collegiality rather than criticism. This approach preserves the relationship while addressing the problem effectively.
Work-Life Balance
You manage a high-performing team that has been working overtime for several weeks to complete a critical project. The project has now been extended by a month. You notice signs of burnout, including decreased morale and increased mistakes. However, senior management is pushing for continued overtime to meet the new deadline.
What would you do?
Best Response: B
Option B addresses both the business need and the team's wellbeing by creating a sustainable approach to the extended timeline. Rather than simply pushing the team harder (A), making demands of senior management (C), or trying to solve the problem with money alone (D), this solution demonstrates thoughtful leadership. The rotation plan acknowledges human limitations while still working toward the business goal, and presenting it to senior management shows advocacy for your team while respecting organizational priorities.
