Two senior engineers disagree strongly during planning and the rest of the team goes quiet. What do you do?

What the interviewer is looking for

• This question tests conflict resolution. Addresses tension openly and fairly, helps people reach agreement, and keeps the team safe to disagree.
• What to bring out: Calms the moment, separates the technical question from personalities, invites others in, proposes a way to decide, and follows up privately.
• Expect a follow-up like: What would you say to each of them afterwards?

Another way it may be asked: Two experienced developers start arguing over how to build something and everyone else stops talking. 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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