What do you do if your team members have conflicting personalities during an interview?

2 Stay Neutral

Your primary objective during an interview is to remain neutral and unbiased. This means actively listening without showing favoritism or disapproval towards any particular personality type. Encourage each candidate to express their viewpoints and experiences, and be mindful of your body language and tone of voice, as these can inadvertently signal bias. By maintaining a neutral stance, you create a safe space for candidates to be themselves, which is crucial for assessing true fit.

3 Guide Discussion

As a supervisor, you have the power to steer the interview discussion in a direction that minimizes conflict and promotes collaboration. If you sense tension arising from conflicting personalities, redirect the conversation towards topics that require cooperative responses. Ask questions that focus on teamwork, conflict resolution, and examples of past collaborative successes. This approach not only diffuses potential clashes but also provides insight into how candidates might handle disagreements in a work setting.

4 Encourage Respect

Promoting a culture of respect is vital, particularly when interviewing multiple candidates with differing personalities. Set the tone early by establishing ground rules for respectful dialogue and active listening. Make it clear that while diverse opinions are valued, they must be expressed in a manner that is considerate of others. This not only helps to keep the peace during the interview but also signals to candidates the type of behavior that will be expected of them if they join your team.

5 Address Conflict

If conflict does arise during the interview, address it promptly and professionally. Acknowledge the disagreement and guide the candidates back to common ground or move on to a different topic. Use this as an opportunity to observe how each candidate handles the situation. Do they become defensive, or do they demonstrate a willingness to find a resolution? Their reactions can be telling of how they might cope with future conflicts within your team.

6 Evaluate Post-Interview

After the interview, take some time to evaluate the interactions between candidates. Reflect on how each person's personality might influence the team and consider whether any conflicts observed are likely to be a one-time occurrence or indicative of deeper issues. Remember that some degree of personality clash is normal and can even be beneficial in fostering diverse perspectives, but it should not hinder the team's ability to function effectively.