Have you ever dealt with a difficult colleague? How did you handle the situation?
RoleCustomer Service Representative
DifficultyEasy
TopicBehavioral
Asked at
Why This Is Asked
LANDBANK is known to ask about handling difficult colleagues because branch staff must work closely in small teams, and interpersonal friction can disrupt customer service.
General Approach
Demonstrate emotional intelligence by describing how you understood the root cause, communicated privately, and collaborated on a solution. Avoid blame and focus on the positive resolution.
General Answer
Start by framing the situation as a professional challenge rather than a personal conflict, and say plainly that you treated the colleague as a teammate whose behavior had a reason you needed to understand. Explain that you first stepped back to observe the pattern, not to judge, but to identify what was triggering the difficulty, whether it was workload pressure, a communication style mismatch, or something outside work. Then describe how you initiated a private, calm conversation, using a respectful tone and Taglish if that felt natural in your branch, and how you opened with a neutral observation like "Napansin ko lang" to avoid putting them on the defensive. Emphasize that you listened more than you spoke, asked open-ended questions, and acknowledged their side before offering your own perspective. Make clear that you focused on the shared goal, which in a bank setting is always serving the customer and keeping the team functional, and that you proposed a concrete, small adjustment both of you could try, such as a clearer handoff process or a quick daily check-in. Close by stating that the relationship improved because you gave them dignity and that you would apply the same approach again, since avoiding the issue only lets it fester and hurt service quality.
PH Interview Gotcha
Some candidates might say "Di ko na lang siya pinansin kasi wala siyang kwenta" which avoids confrontation and harms team morale. Instead, show proactive empathy: "I had a private, respectful conversation to understand their perspective and find a solution together."
Sample STAR Answer▾
S
Situation
During my senior year, I was part of a group project where one member consistently missed deadlines and submitted incomplete sections, putting our grade at risk.
T
Task
My goal was to get the project back on track without causing conflict within the team, ensuring everyone contributed fairly.
A
Action
I requested a private chat with him after class to check in on his well-being, as I suspected there might be external stress. He opened up about personal challenges affecting his focus. I offered to help review his sections and proposed breaking his remaining tasks into smaller daily goals. I also lightly reminded him about how his delays impacted the team's timeline in a non-accusatory tone.
R
Result
He became more engaged, met the revised mini-deadlines, and the final project earned a high grade. Our working relationship improved, and he later thanked me for the support.
Key Takeaway
Addressing issues with compassion rather than blame can turn an underperformer into a reliable teammate.
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