Can you tell me about a time you led a group or team and things did not turn out the way that you wanted?
ExperienceLeadership
Purpose
This question checks how you handle setbacks in leadership roles. They want to see if you can learn from mistakes and show resilience.
Tips
- Pick a real leadership story where things didn't go as planned.
- Explain what went wrong and take responsibility for your part.
- Share what you learned and how you applied those lessons later.
- Use the STAR-L method: Situation, Task, Action, Result, Lessons Learned.
Common mistakes
- Don't blame others for the failure. Own your part.
- Avoid saying you always succeed. Everyone has room to grow.
- Don't skip the lesson learned. Show how you improved from the experience.
Background
Use STAR-L to structure responses to questions about your experiences: -Situation: Briefly set the scene - where/when and what was going on? -Task: What was your specific role or challenge in that situation? -Action: What you did - focus on your steps, decisions, and contributions. -Result: Share the outcome - ideally positive or meaningful. -Lessons Learned: Reflect on what you took away and how you’ve grown.