By Interview Question Team in Job Interview — Aug 30, 2021

Interview Questions on Teamwork

Collaboration is the best way to get the job done, because more hands make light work. If you are able to show that you are able to work in teams well, you would have met one of the basic requirements of nearly every job.

If you’re interviewing for a new position, these interview questions might come up during the process. Conversely, when you're conducting an interview, these are great questions to size up your candidate.

Since companies can be all over your head when it comes to teamwork, you might as well prepare now so you don't have to think about them during the interview.

Question 1: If you're in charge of leading a group project or team, what steps would you take to make sure that people are on the same page?

This is a good question for someone who manages people.

If you don't have a clue how to solve this problem yourself, work will stall and it can cost the company dearly. Being able to motivate, move and excite people is a major part of being a leader.

Steps to Achieve Team Alignment

Identify the issues - Knowing the objectives and the components that need work done
Develop a roadmap for moving forward - Planning on how to get tasks completed
Communicate with everyone and get buy-in - Having support of one another during the work process

Question 2: If you're working on a project with a group of friends, what steps would you take to make sure that everyone is on the same page?

Cohesiveness within a team is a subcomponent in a company's culture. Interviewers want to see systematic and logical ways in which the organization leaders (if you are put in-charge) will be conducted. When your subordinates are your friends and people you know, it can be hard to grapple and put them on the same page in order to get work done. You might be giving in to peer pressure.

Make sure that you articulate right steps are taken to avoid this scenario. Give detailed examples and show how you are able to bring everyone onto the same page.

Question 3: What is your idea of a perfect team? What does it need to have?

The interviewer wants to get a sense of what steps the person would take to create such a team. Does he or she want people who are all on the same page or does he/she want diverse points of view? If the other person is aloof, you can learn more about how much time they spend on projects by asking this question as well.

Question 4: How do you motivate others to work well together? Are there any collaborative skills that are more important than others?

This question will determine how collaborative someone is. If someone isn't able to work with their teammates, then it will show that they have no respect for them which isn't good for teamwork. If you want to motivate others, it's important to avoid conflict and find solutions.

Question 5: How do you prevent teams from being too informal? What can a team do when it's going too far in the other direction?

This question will determine whether someone values teamwork. If someone isn't able to handle people who go off on tangents or make jokes during important meetings, then no one will listen to them unless they're right all the time. This is an excellent question for anyone with a leadership position. This person should be able to express how they would stop people from doing this and be able to gain control of the meeting again quickly so that regular business can get done.

Question 6: How would you describe your interactions with others in the past who have been working as part of a team but weren't meeting their goals?

This is the only question related to teamwork that anyone would want to ask someone who has never been in a team. This kind of person isn't reliable very often and this question will show how reliable they are. If they're able to get the job done on their own, then you can save yourself a lot of time worrying about whether or not you can trust them.

Question 7: How do you best get people on the same page?

Having excellent communication skills is essential for teamwork. If someone isn't able to communicate clearly with others, they will quickly become a nuisance. This question will determine how competent the person really is in this area. Especially for non-technical folks, the ability to communicate well with techies is important, and vice versa.

Question 8: How do you deal with people who don't want to be on a team? Do you have any examples of what you've done in the past?

This question will give the interviewer a sense of whether or not the person deals well with others. If they aren't, then they won't be able to work until everyone is on board. They also need to have good communication skills to resolve any issues that come up around this topic. This kind of person might also be cutthroat and not work well with others because they will try to get their own way at all costs rather than listening and working together.

Question 9: If you're working with a team and there's some tension between two coworkers, what steps would you take to try and resolve the situation?

This is a great question for anyone who may manage other people in the future. During the interview, think of how you would solve this problem. If you have no clue on what to say, then come up with some scenarios that might lead to this type of problem in your workplace and tell them those issues from your past experience.

Question 10: What do you need from your teammates in order to be successful? What qualities do they need to have?

This is another way of asking about teamwork qualities in an interview. Not everyone can meet your demands or expectations to key capabilities you find necessary to be a part of your team. If a person is unreliable, their teammates won't trust them to do their jobs. If they have a lot of experience and have risen within the company, they will be allowed to do things on their own. The interviewer wants to know how you plan on getting along with everyone and if you control the situation. Many people may want to badmouth other people who aren't doing as well as expected or are not willing or able to come up with new ideas or solutions when there is conflict. Interviewers can ask questions like these in an attempt to determine whether someone would be able to work well with others in the future.

Question 11: What do you think is the most important part of teamwork?

A good answer to this question would be coordination. You need to make sure that everyone is working together so that tasks have a better chance of being completed on time. When you're talking about teamwork, it's best not to focus on one person more than others in your group. People like to see equal treatment and that everyone is important in a team setting. Describe how each team member is a necessary cog in the wheel of a project or group effort.

Question 12: Describe a situation where teamwork was not so effective, and how you handled it.

Challenges and hurdles are often a part of teamwork. If you don't have the experience to work with others, then you won't know how to handle or solve issues that come up. If a person isn't able to lead properly, it will be difficult for others to follow them. This is an excellent question for anyone who may want to take on a leadership role in the future. It shows not only your ability but also your ability to communicate well with others who are following you.

Question 13: Describe a situation where one person was able to take a project in a different direction than the other members of the group. How did that person do it, and what made that person an effective team member?

Being able to work with others is a great skill because everyone has different ideas about what the task or project should be. A leader needs to be able to see the plans of others, and if necessary, change their own plans to go with the flow of everyone else's ideas. If someone isn't willing to adjust, they won't earn any respect from their teammates and will quickly become a burden. This is an excellent question for anyone who may want to take on a leadership role in future. It shows not only your ability but also your ability to communicate well with others who are following you.

Question 14: Describe an enjoyable team experience. What were your takeaways?

This question is great for those who have experience in teamwork. Not everyone has worked a team, so the interviewer would like to know what you liked about working with other people. The answer should be specific and show how you implemented the other person's ideas to create a successful outcome. One way to do this is to describe how you made sure that each team member was involved and gave their input on different aspects of the project or task at hand.

Question 15: How do you handle conflict in your work? Are there any approaches that work better for you than others?

Conflict can often arise when a leader doesn't understand what their teammates are trying to accomplish from time to time. If someone is in a bad mood and doesn't want to listen to others, they will find it difficult to work with others. If you can describe what may cause conflict and then how you would deal with that conflict, this is an excellent question for anyone who may want to take on a leadership role in the future. It shows not only your ability but also your ability to communicate well with others who are following you. Not every person understands how they should speak or act when times get tough at the office.

Question 16: What do you think of employee motivation? How do you handle it?

This is an excellent question for anyone who wants or plans on having a team working under them in the future. People need to be motivated to do their best work, and there are many different ways to motivate people. Some find it easier than others, and the right methods will vary depending on what you're trying to accomplish. A team leader needs to know how to motivate the members of the team and take care of them if they get sick or unhappy with their current position.

Question 17: What do you think is the most valuable long-term skill for teamwork?

The answer should include both qualities that you hope people have in a teamwork setting, as well as skills and experience that everyone wants. If you're leading a team of people inside the company, it's best not to focus on the lack of skills or experience. Instead, you should talk about the qualities and skills that are important for a team to thrive. It's important that everyone has a good relationship and can communicate properly with each other so that they can accomplish their goals efficiently.

Question 18: What is your greatest weakness as a leader and how do you overcome it?

Everyone will have weaknesses as a leader at some point. Not everyone will be interested in taking on leadership roles right away at first, so it can be helpful to know what they are willing to work on improving about themselves before they get the job. For example, you may have trouble figuring out how to motivate new members to your team. You could say that you find it difficult to figure out why someone isn't motivated when all the other team members are doing well, but once you understand what's going on with them you can solve the problem.

Question 19: How have you dealt with conflict?

Everyone will have disagreements with someone else at work at some point, and that's normal. It's important for a leader to know how to figure out what the problem is and how they can work with others to solve the issue. If there's a disagreement in your team, it's best to take everyone aside individually and ask them what their opinion on the matter is.

Question 20: Tell me about a time where you needed help from someone else to solve a problem.

Having another team member come to your rescue can be a great feeling. It shows that you know how to communicate properly with others and let them know what you need. Everyone needs help from time to time, and that's completely normal. If someone helps you out, it's always good manners to thank them and acknowledge them for their effort.

Question 21: What are some ways that you've helped a teammate in need?

This interview question is great for demonstrating how you can work with others. Many people have gone through times where they needed help from others, and showing that you've had the same experience is a good way of showing how much you understand others and can relate to them in the workplace.

Help your teammates by creating a safe environment for them to voice their opinions. Listen to what they are saying and don't interrupt them.
Don't make people feel intimidated or uncomfortable during these discussions.
Help your teammates by giving clear and concise feedback after talking about a problem with them.

Keep in mind the person's feelings, emotions, and intentions before starting the discussion if you have anything negative to say even if you did not express it verbally.

Question 22: How do you create a group vision for your teams? Why is that important?

The vision of a group can be defined as the idea that outlines the goal of the group or why a group is created in the first place. Naturally, team leaders need to know what they want out of their groups for them to thrive and work well together. However, it's also important that you don't expect everyone to have the same vision. In many situations, one person has a different opinion than another, so it's important that team leaders have different visions and serve as mediators between those teams. It's important to explain why you created a certain vision for your team if you are being asked during an interview process about your experience creating such a vision for your team.

This is one of those classic questions that can lead to many different answers. Some people will say that you have to just ignore it and move on. Others would see this as a sign of weak leadership skills and attempt to take control of the team. Do your best to come up with a solution that doesn't cause unnecessary harm to your company's reputation. Ideally, the reason behind this reluctance should be something you can work with by addressing the issue in another way.

Question 24: What are some of the biggest issues you've run into when it comes to teamwork?

No one wants a team that is filled with resentment, resentment leads to nothing but trouble. You must know how your team members feel about each other and their jobs in order to fix any problems. One of the best ways to do this is by listening to complaints and suggestions that your team members want to give you. As a leader, being able to create and run a team successfully is very important.

Question 25: If you're on a project team and not everyone is pulling their own weight, how would you handle the situation?

If one person doesn't pull his or her weight on a small project, it can cause major delays and put the whole project in jeopardy. It is best to get ahead of this situation by getting the person on task and staying on top of them.

Question 26: How do you keep people on the same page? Are there any ways you've found that work better than others?

This question shows the value someone puts on communication. If someone is ignorant when it comes to communication with others, they aren’t going to be a good team player and other people will find them annoying very quickly. If you want to save time, this is an excellent question to ask during an interview when you know something about the person in question beforehand.