Two engineers on your team strongly disagree about how to build something, and it's slowing things down. What would you do?

What the interviewer is looking for

• This question tests conflict resolution. Addresses tension early, listens to all sides, focuses on shared goals and reaches decisions people can commit to.
• What to bring out: Talking to each person, clarifying goals and criteria, keeping it about the problem not the person, a clear decision process, and follow-through.
• Expect a follow-up like: What if, after all that, one of them still disagrees with the decision?

Another way it may be asked: One engineer wants to rewrite a service and another wants to patch it, and they're arguing in every meeting. How do you handle it?

A structure to follow: STAR, with the weight on Action and Result

1. Step 1

   Situation

   One or two sentences: where, when and what was at stake. Pick a real example you were close to.

2. Step 2

   Task

   What you personally were responsible for. Say "I", not only "we", so the conflict resolution you showed is visible.

3. Step 3

   Action

   The two or three things you did and why you chose them over the alternatives. This should be about half your answer.

4. Step 4

   Result

   What changed, in your own measure of it, and what you would do differently. Only use numbers you can stand behind.

This is guidance on shape, not a script. Use your own real experience and facts; never invent details to fill a gap. See the STAR guide and answer frameworks.

Common slips

• Describing what the team did without saying what you did.
• Choosing an example with no clear outcome, or one you cannot answer detailed questions about.
• Ending on the action and skipping the result and what you learned.

How to practise it

Write two bullet points for each STAR letter, then say the answer aloud in about two minutes.

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