The employer wants to see if the candidate can manage people who do not report to them and keep event-day instructions consistent under pressure.
Use a clear decision sequence: listen, verify with the authorized person, communicate one written plan, assign zones, and follow up. Avoid blaming the client representative or the volunteers.
Start by acknowledging the confusion quickly, without apologizing for the situation itself. Say something like, "I understand there are two sets of instructions, let me confirm the final seating plan with the client's representative right now," and then actually walk over to that person, or call them, while the volunteers can see you doing it. This shows you are taking ownership and getting the authoritative answer in real time, not just asking them to trust you. Once you have the confirmed plan, do not rely on memory or word of mouth. Pull out your phone or a printed chart and show the volunteers exactly where each section starts and ends, then assign each person a specific zone so they only have to remember their own area. If the client's representative is unavailable, state plainly that you will follow the original written plan from the event lead and that any changes must come through you, then offer to loop the representative in later. Avoid the Taglish habit of over-apologizing, like "Pasensya na po," because that signals weakness. Instead, use a firm but polite tone, and if a volunteer still resists, remind them that you are all accountable to the same client and that a consistent plan protects everyone from confusion. Finally, note that you will follow up with the client representative after the event to clarify the communication chain, which shows you are thinking about long-term process improvement, not just the immediate fix.
A common Filipino mistake is to over-apologize and lose authority, saying something like 'Sorry po, hindi ko po kasi alam' without resolving the conflict. Instead, acknowledge the confusion briefly and state the verified instruction clearly while offering to confirm with the event lead.
Situation
During my hotel practicum, I was asked to oversee six volunteer ushers at a corporate awards night.
Task
I had to make the ushers follow my assigned seating plan after a client representative gave them a different instruction.
Action
I gathered the volunteers near the registration area, listened to what the client representative told them, and then asked my supervisor to confirm the correct seating plan. I wrote the updated plan on a small whiteboard and assigned each usher a specific section. I checked in with them every fifteen minutes and told them to direct any new client requests to me first.
Result
All guests were seated without confusion, the client did not complain, and my supervisor said the volunteers followed the final plan.
One verified instruction and consistent check-ins prevent conflicting directions from derailing an event.
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