Welcome! We’re glad you’ve landed here. Whether you’re preparing for an upcoming interview or just exploring what the Civil Service expects from you at Grade 6, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we’re focusing on the behavior Working Together at the Grade 6 level. You’ll discover what this behavior means, common interview questions, and a powerful method for structuring your answers to make an impact.
Let’s dive in!
Contents
What is Working Together and Why Is It Important for Grade 6 Roles?
Working Together is about collaboration. It involves building positive relationships with colleagues, partners, and stakeholders to achieve shared goals. At its core, it emphasizes respect, inclusion, and effective communication.
At Grade 6, this behavior requires you to lead by example. You’ll need to inspire and guide others to work collaboratively. While lower levels focus on participation and support, Grade 6 is all about coordinating efforts and resolving conflicts to ensure the team delivers. You’re expected to manage relationships strategically, aligning different perspectives to meet organizational objectives.
It’s crucial because the higher you go, the more people rely on your ability to unite diverse teams and external partners. In these roles, outcomes often depend on your ability to create synergy between groups.
Common Interview Questions on Working Together
- Can you describe a time when you brought together different teams to achieve a goal?
- Tell us about a situation where you resolved a conflict within a team.
- How do you ensure all voices are heard and considered when making decisions?
- Give an example of a time you collaborated with external stakeholders to deliver a project.
- See more…
How to Answer Using the B-STAR Method
The B-STAR method is a tried-and-tested way to structure your interview answers, ensuring you deliver clear, compelling responses. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- B for Belief: Start with your belief or principle that underpins your approach to Working Together.
- S for Situation: Describe the context, setting the scene with relevant details.
- T for Task: Explain what you were responsible for in that situation.
- A for Action: Walk through the specific actions you took.
- R for Result: Share the outcome and, where possible, provide measurable results.
Let’s put it into practice.
Sample B-STAR Answer
Question: Can you describe a time when you brought together different teams to achieve a goal?
Answer: My belief is that collaboration is key to solving complex problems efficiently. Last year, we had a critical project at risk of missing its deadline due to miscommunication between our technical and marketing teams. As the project lead, I set up weekly joint meetings to encourage open communication and alignment. I tasked both teams with explaining their challenges and sharing updates regularly. I also created a shared document for tracking progress and solving issues collectively. As a result, not only did we meet the project deadline, but we improved the product’s market readiness by incorporating valuable insights from both teams.
Why This Answer Works
🎯 Belief matters: The candidate starts with their personal belief, showing their guiding principle. This makes the response more relatable and gives insight into how they approach teamwork.
📅 Clear Situation: The candidate sets the scene by explaining the problem clearly. It helps the interviewer understand the context.
🧠 Taking ownership: Mentioning that they led the project showcases leadership—a critical skill at Grade 6.
🛠️ Actions taken: Detailed actions, such as organizing joint meetings and creating a tracking document, highlight practical steps they took to solve the issue.
🏆 Positive result: The outcome not only solved the problem but exceeded expectations, with measurable success (project completion and product improvement).
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Being too vague: Avoid general statements about teamwork without specific examples.
- Focusing only on yourself: Highlight how you brought the team together, not just what you did.
- Ignoring the result: Always include the outcome of the situation, ideally with metrics.
- Skipping the belief: Forgetting to mention your belief weakens your answer and misses the opportunity to show personal values.
Key Takeaways
Working Together at Grade 6 means leading and facilitating collaboration at a strategic level. You’ll need to balance multiple perspectives, resolve conflicts, and ensure that diverse teams and stakeholders work cohesively. Strong leadership in collaboration leads to better outcomes, greater innovation, and enhanced organizational success.
Best of luck in your preparation!
