Behavioral question
Tell me about a time you disagreed with your manager
They are testing whether you can disagree and still commit. Show the evidence you brought, the decision your manager actually made, and that you carried it out. A story where you secretly did the other thing is a story about trust, and not in your favor.
Check this example, then replace it
The box starts with one STAR answer. Read the scores, then delete it and paste a story from your own work. Scoring stays in the browser.
84/100
Solid
About 58 seconds spoken · 145 words. Spoken time uses 150 words per minute.
Feedback
- This has a clear STAR shape. Only keep numbers you can defend out loud.
Which sentence is which
In May 2023 my manager wanted to rewrite the billing service before a renewal season. I was responsible for a recommendation, not for overruling her. I pulled six weeks of invoice defects, wrote a one-page note that a rewrite would land after the season, and proposed a patch on the three failing jobs. I then met her with the note and asked which risk she wanted: a late rewrite, or a patched season. I implemented the three job fixes that week. I booked the rewrite kickoff that same afternoon so the delayed work had an owner and a start date. The result was invoice defects down from 48 a week to 11 during renewal, and the rewrite scheduled for the following quarter, where it shipped in six weeks instead of colliding with customers. The renewal team was already missing invoices. She picked the patch.
Why this example holds up
You bring a count, you offer a real alternative, and you follow her call. The result covers both the season you saved and the rewrite you did not block forever.
How to answer “Tell me about a time you disagreed with your manager” with STAR
- Situation. Set the scene in one or two sentences: when it was and what was already wrong. For example: In May 2023 my manager wanted to rewrite the billing service before a renewal season.
- Task. Say what you personally owned. For example: I was responsible for a recommendation, not for overruling her.
- Action. Say what you did, in order, with I. For example: I pulled six weeks of invoice defects, wrote a one-page note that a rewrite would land after the season, and proposed a patch on the three failing jobs.
- Result. End on the change, with a number you can defend. For example: The result was invoice defects down from 48 a week to 11 during renewal, and the rewrite scheduled for the following quarter, where it shipped in six weeks instead of colliding with customers.
Mistakes on this question
- Winning the argument in the story. If you always get your way, they learn nothing about commit.
- Being vague about what she wanted. Name her goal so you do not sound like you ignored it.
- Skipping what you did after the decision. Disagree-and-commit includes the commit.
How to practice it
Practice the sentence “She picked X, so I did X” until it sounds calm. That sentence is the point of the question.
FAQ
What if I was right and my manager was wrong?
You can say the data favored your option. Still include the decision that was made and how you executed it. Being right is not the same as being someone they can manage.
Should I name my manager?
Role is enough. “My manager” keeps the story about the decision, not about a person a future coworker might know.