Tell us about a time when you had to deal with a challenging employee. How did you handle the situation?

I once had an employee who consistently missed deadlines and provided subpar work. I approached the employee privately and expressed my concerns, emphasizing the importance of meeting deadlines and delivering high-quality work. I offered support and resources to help improve their performance. Additionally, I implemented a system of regular check-ins to monitor their progress and provide guidance. With consistent communication and support, the employee was able to improve their performance and meet expectations.

In my previous role as a Health Services Manager, I encountered a situation where an employee was consistently missing deadlines and producing subpar work. Recognizing the impact this had on the team and patient care, I proactively scheduled a one-on-one meeting with the employee. During the discussion, I listened to their concerns and challenges. I also provided clear expectations and communicated the importance of meeting deadlines and delivering quality work. To support their improvement, I developed a personalized performance improvement plan, outlining specific steps and resources to address their time management and work quality. I regularly checked in with the employee to provide guidance, monitor progress, and offer additional training opportunities. Through these efforts, the employee's performance significantly improved, and they started meeting deadlines and producing better work.

The solid answer provides a more comprehensive response by including specific details about the situation, the actions taken, and the outcome. It showcases the candidate's leadership skills by proactively addressing the issue and developing a performance improvement plan. The communication skills are demonstrated by actively listening to the employee's concerns and clear communication of expectations. Time management skills are showcased by implementing regular check-ins and offering additional training opportunities. However, the answer can be further improved by adding examples of how the candidate managed the challenging employee's resistance or conflicts that may have arisen during the process.

As a Health Services Manager, I faced a challenging situation with an employee who consistently missed deadlines and produced subpar work. To address this, I first conducted a thorough assessment to understand the root causes of their performance issues. I discovered that the employee was overwhelmed due to a high workload and lacked the necessary time management skills. In collaboration with the employee, I implemented a two-pronged approach. Firstly, I recommended a workload redistribution within the team to alleviate their burden. Secondly, I provided comprehensive time management training and resources tailored to their needs. I also assigned a mentor within the organization to provide ongoing support and guidance. Throughout the process, I ensured open lines of communication, fostering a safe environment where the employee could voice their concerns and seek assistance. As a result of these interventions, the employee's performance significantly improved, and they consistently met deadlines and delivered high-quality work. Our working relationship also strengthened, leading to increased team morale and cohesiveness.

The exceptional answer goes above and beyond by demonstrating the candidate's exceptional leadership, communication, and time management skills. It provides specific details about the candidate's approach in conducting a thorough assessment to address the root causes, suggesting workload redistribution, providing tailored training and resources, and assigning a mentor. The answer also highlights the importance of fostering a safe and open environment for the employee, which showcases the candidate's exceptional communication skills. The outcome of improved performance, strengthened working relationship, and increased team morale further emphasizes the candidate's suitability for the Health Services Manager role. However, to make the answer even more exceptional, the candidate could include examples of how they applied their analytical skills to analyze the impact of the interventions on patient care outcomes or other measurable metrics.