Positive Indicators

• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organisational goals.
• Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others.
• Places team agenda before personal agenda.
• Builds consensus for task purpose and direction with team members.
• Supports and acts in accordance with final group decisions, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position.
• Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Negative Indicators

• Rarely offers support to colleagues.
• Prefers to work alone.
• Emphasizes achieving personal goals.
• Shows limited consideration of the ideas and input of others.
• Prefers to act alone.
• Is prepared to ignore/disrupt majority decisions.
• Takes the credit for team accomplishments; passes on responsibility for team limitations.

Sample Questions

Tell me about the last time you worked as part of a team.

• What was the purpose of the team?
• What did you like about working in the group?
• What did you dislike?
• How did you get the team members to cooperate?

When have your personal objectives been at odds with those of the team?

• How did you react?
• What was the outcome?
• How do you balance competing personal and team goals?

Describe a time when you worked in a really effective team.

• What made the team so effective?
• What was your particular contribution to the team?
• How did your colleagues relate to you?

Give me an example of when you had to support other in a team.

• Why did they need support?
• What did you do to support them?
• How did that change things?

Tell me about a time when you have accepted joint responsibility for a team’s limitations or problems.

• What was the situation?
• How did you explain about your part in the situation?
• What would you do differently next time?

Describe an occasion when you had difficulties working with a team.

• What caused the problems?
• How did you respond?
• What was the outcome?

Give me a specific example of when you have encouraged a cooperative approach in a team.

• What did you do that was particularly effective?
• What were the advantages of this approach?
• What did not work so well?
• How did you ensure that you made the best use of people’s ideas?
• How did you go about making decisions in that group situation?