Tell me about a time sales and marketing disagreed about lead quality. How did you work it out?

What the interviewer is looking for

• This question tests cross-functional collaboration. Gives examples of aligning with sales, product and finance, resolving disagreements with shared data and definitions.
• What to bring out: Looking at the data together, agreeing shared definitions and feedback loops, and changing targeting or handoff.
• Expect a follow-up like: What did you agree to change on the marketing side?

Another way it may be asked: Sales says your leads are bad and you think they are fine. What do you do?

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 cross-functional collaboration 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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