MAXIMIZING PERFORMANCE RESULTS

Question 1

• Describe a situation in which you were able to clearly frame a problem, identify and collect the necessary data, and make recommendations for solving the problem.
  o What was the problem?
  o Who was impacted by the problem?
  o What factors or variables did you consider?
  o What did you do?
  o How did you evaluate your options?
  o What was the outcome?

Answer 1

ANSWER

Question 2

• Describe a time you had to delegate parts of a project or assignment to others.
  o How did you decide what tasks to delegate to which people?
  o How did the project or assignment turn out?

Answer 2

ANSWER

Question 3

• Give us an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to gain information needed to solve a problem.
  o How did you analyze the information you gathered?
  o How did you use the information to solve the problem?

Answer 3

ANSWER

Question 4

• Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems that were significant to your unit and developed preventive measures.
  o What was the potential problem?
  o How did you identify the potential problem?
  o What was the potential impact to your unit?
  o What did you do?
  o What was the outcome?

Answer 4

ANSWER

Question 5

Competency: Analytical Thinking

Answer 5

• Identifies causes for problems
• Approaches problems by breaking them down
• Weighs priorities
• Recognizes actions and underlying issues

Question 6

Successful Behavioral Indicators (Validated) - Analytical Thinking

Answer 6

 Has identified causes for problems related to processes, procedures or technical issues
 Has broken down specific or simple tasks and problems
 Has delegated work to staff
 Has analyzed information and provided options/recommendations and potential solutions for decision making
 Has asked effective probing questions
 Has systematically gathered and analyzed relevant information from a variety of sources
 Has prioritized action items at the unit level
 Has proactively identified key actions and underlying issues and problems at the unit level
 Has proactively addressed key actions and underlying issues and problems at the unit level

Question 7

• Describe how you established a relationship with internal and/or external customers to assess their business needs and ensure these business needs were met.
  o What did you do?
  o What was the outcome?

Answer 7

ANSWER

Question 8

• Tell us what you have done to establish a customer focused culture in your unit.
  o What action did you take?
  o What was the outcome?

Answer 8

ANSWER

Question 9

• Describe a situation in which you had to address a problem for a dissatisfied customer.
  o What was the problem?
  o What did you do?
  o What was the outcome?

Answer 9

ANSWER

Question 10

• Describe a situation in which you implemented changes to business processes to improve customer satisfaction.
  o What did you do?
  o Who did you involve in the business process reengineering?
  o How did you secure and utilize program resources for this effort?
  o What constraints did you have?
  o What challenges did you face?
  o What was the outcome?

Answer 10

ANSWER

Question 11

• Describe a situation in which you had to determine and monitor the level of customer service being provided by your unit.
  o What did you do?
  o What constraints did you have?
  o What challenges did you face?
  o What was the outcome?

Answer 11

ANSWER

Question 12

Competency: Customer Focus

Answer 12

Works with internal and external customers to identify their expectations and shared business objectives
* Ensures the effective delivery of the products and services to the customer
* Identifies and solves customer problems quickly and effectively
* Develops and implements ways to measure, track and maintain a high level of customer satisfaction

Question 13

Successful Behavioral Indicators (Validated) - Customer Focus

Answer 13

 Has communicated regularly with customers to assess their business needs
 Has established and maintained customer networks
 Has established processes and procedures to ensure the effective delivery of products and services
 Has maintained and ensured compliance with processes and procedures to ensure the effective delivery of products and services
 Has resolved routine customer problems utilizing unit resources and within existing processes and procedures
 Has identified and informed customers of constraints and recommended alternatives and solutions
 Has monitored customer satisfaction using a variety of tools such as surveys, meetings, contact logs, informal customer feedback, etc.
 Has compared unit performance against performance standards
 Has recommended and implemented business process improvement measures to increase customer satisfaction

Question 14

• Tell us about an experience where you had to make an important and timely decision.
  o What was the decision?
  o How did you go about making it?
  o What factors did you consider?
  o Who did the decision impact?
  o What was the outcome/result of your decision?
  o Were you satisfied with the result, why or why not?

Answer 14

ANSWER

Question 15

• Tell us about a time when you had to defend a decision you made even though others were opposed to your decision.
  o What was the situation?
  o What did you do?
  o What was the outcome?

Answer 15

ANSWER

Question 16

o Tell us about a time when you made a bad decision.
o What was the situation?
o What was the impact of the decision?
o How did you determine the impact of the decision?
o What did you do to correct or mitigate the impact of the bad decision?

Answer 16

ANSWER

Question 17

• Describe a time when you made a decision in order to solve a recurring problem.
  o What was the problem?
  o What did you do?
  o What was the outcome?
  o Were you satisfied with the outcome, why or why not?

Answer 17

ANSWER

Question 18

• Tell us about a time when you did not have enough information to make a decision.
  o What was the situation?
  o How did the lack of information impact the situation?
  o What action did you take to mitigate the possible damage?

Answer 18

ANSWER

Question 19

• Give us an example of a time when you received new information that made you reconsider a decision you had already made.
  o What was the situation?
  o What did you do?
  o What was the outcome?

Answer 19

ANSWER

Question 20

Competency: Decision Making

Answer 20

• Makes critical and timely decisions
• Takes charge
• Supports appropriate risk
• Makes tough and appropriate decisions

Question 21

Successful Behavioral Indicators (Validated) - Decision Making

Answer 21

• Makes critical and timely decisions
• Takes charge
• Supports appropriate risk
• Makes tough and appropriate decisions

Question 22

Successful Behavioral Indicators (Validated) - Decision Making

Answer 22

 Has known when to ask for more guidance and information
 Has made decisions by consensus, when appropriate
 Has followed-up to determine results of decisions
 Has kept well-informed of department policies and priorities and of external factors that may impact these policies and priorities
 Has made decisions that have minor organizational impact
 Has expressed ideas and decisions in an open and confident manner
 Has taken responsibility for decisions
 Has tackled recurring and/or tactical problems proficiently
 Has displayed a willingness to change approach if facts dictated the need to change

Question 23

• Give us an example of when you used your organization skills in leading a project to completion.
  o What was the project?
  o What did you do?
  o What was the outcome?

Answer 23

ANSWER

Question 24

• Describe a time when you maintained focus and commitment to achieving important goals despite major obstacles and frustrations.
  o What was the situation?
  o What were the challenges?
  o What was the outcome?
  o Were you satisfied with the outcome, why or why not?

Answer 24

ANSWER

Question 25

• Describe a time when you had to gather information from others in order to make a recommendation to higher management on a course of action.
  o What was the situation?
  o Who did you collaborate with and why?
  o What was the outcome?
  o What were the challenges?

Answer 25

ANSWER

Question 26

• Describe a time when you implemented a new or revised law, regulation, policy, standard or procedure.
  o What was the situation?
  o What did you do?
  o What factors did you consider?
  o What was the outcome?
  o What were the challenges?

Answer 26

ANSWER

Question 27

• Give us an example of how you have developed and monitored a project team’s work plan.
  o What was the project?
  o What did you do?
  o What role did the team have?
  o What were the key elements of the work plan?
  o What was the outcome?
  o What were the challenges in monitoring the work plan?

Answer 27

ANSWER

Question 28

Competency: Planning and Organizing

Answer 28

• Anticipates and prepares
• Considers impact and makes changes
• Logically approaches situations
• Documents project progress

Question 29

Successful Behavioral Indicators (Validated) - Planning and Organizing

Answer 29

 Has planned own workload and those of others
 Has prioritized key tasks and ensured the appropriate allocation of time and effort to achieve the required results
 Has gathered information from staff and prepared a course of action for recommendations at higher levels
 Has implemented new or revised laws, regulations, policies, standards or procedures
 Has broken down the project or program elements into manageable and achievable tasks/activities and created a logical plan
 Has developed systematic approaches for checking and reviewing the work of staff

Question 30

• Give us an example of a recent assignment or project your staff or team accomplished and tell us the process you used to ensure it was complete, accurate, and in compliance with laws, rules, policies and procedures.
  o What was the assignment?
  o What did you do?
  o What was the outcome?

Answer 30

ANSWER

Question 31

• Describe a situation in which you had to follow up on assignments that you had delegated to others.
  o What were the assignments?
  o How did you ensure that the assignments were understood?
  o How did you monitor progress of the assignments?
  o What was the outcome?

Answer 31

ANSWER

Question 32

• Describe a time when you delegated an assignment that was not completed on time or where the assignment goals or objectives were not met.
  o What was the assignment?
  o What did you do?
  o What was the outcome?

Answer 32

ANSWER

Question 33

Competency: Thoroughness

Answer 33

• Ensures that the finished product or service is high quality
• Ensures assignment goals, objectives and completion dates are met

Question 34

Successful Behavioral Indicators (Validated) - Throughness

Answer 34

 Has established processes and procedures to ensure consistency
 Has evaluated and reviewed staff’s work for accuracy and completeness
 Has monitored work for compliance with laws, rules, policies and procedures
 Has held staff accountable for compliance with laws, rules, policies and procedures
 Has set clear expectations for others
 Has provided clear assignments and due dates, and followed up to ensure assignments were completed
 Has developed and maintained an assignment tracking system
 Has been available for questions and consultation regarding assignments
 Has taken corrective action when assignment goals, objectives or completion dates were not met