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What was a situation where you didn't agree with your manager or superior's decision?
Asked at:
Uber
Meta
Etsy
Datadog
What is this question about
Interviewers are testing how you handle principled disagreement with authority: your judgment, courage, and professionalism under real tension. They look for your ability to understand constraints, reason with evidence, propose options, and either align or escalate appropriately while preserving trust. The strongest signals show you can disagree without being disagreeable, and that you learn and adapt from the experience.
Key Insights
- Conflict doesn’t need to be emotional. Often it’s different risk tolerances, incentives, or constraints—name those and show how you explored them.
- You should own your part. Honest acknowledgment of what you missed or could have done earlier signals maturity; defensiveness is a quick red flag.
- Bring options, not just objections. A clear alternative with tradeoffs plus a willingness to disagree-and-commit when overruled reads as senior judgment.
What interviewers probe atlevel
Top Priority
Speak up clearly and respectfully, focused on the work, not the person.
Good examples
🟢In 1:1 I said, 'I’m concerned shipping without these tests risks regressions; can I walk you through two recent incidents that worry me?'
🟢I framed it as a hypothesis: 'I think we can meet the date and still validate critical paths—can I propose a minimal test set?'
Bad examples
🔴I told my manager, 'This makes no sense,' in standup and then just did it the way I thought was right anyway.
🔴I didn’t say anything at the time, but I vented to teammates about how the decision was bad.
Strong responses separate people from problems, voice concerns directly to the decision-maker, and use specific, non-accusatory language.
Ask clarifying questions to surface constraints before pushing back.
Good examples
🟢I asked, 'What’s driving the date change? Is it a launch dependency or regulatory?'
🟢I checked, 'Which part is most flexible—scope, date, or quality bar?'
Bad examples
🔴I assumed my manager didn’t value tests and argued based on that.
🔴I focused on my task difficulty without asking why the deadline moved.
Strong examples show curiosity about why, not just a defense of how.
Once heard, commit to the team’s decision unless there’s a safety/compliance issue.
Good examples
🟢After voicing concerns, I said, 'Understood—I’ll execute and monitor X; I’ll surface if thresholds trip.'
🟢I asked, 'Is this a disagree-and-commit moment? If so, I’m on board.'
Bad examples
🔴After disagreeing, I quietly did it my way because I believed I was right.
🔴I escalated to my manager’s manager immediately when I didn’t like the answer.
Strong answers show team-first commitment and proper use of escalation.
Valuable
Disagree with respect and follow up to keep trust intact.
Good examples
🟢I thanked my manager for the discussion and asked for feedback on how I raised the concern.
🟢I followed up after launch to share outcomes and appreciation for their support.
Bad examples
🔴I avoided my manager for a week after the decision.
🔴I made a joke about 'management decisions' in retro.
Strong examples show you invest in the relationship before and after disagreement.
Share one concrete behavior you changed next time.
Good examples
🟢I learned to bring a quick metric next time instead of just opinion.
🟢I scheduled earlier check-ins to avoid last-minute surprises.
Bad examples
🔴I concluded that pushing back isn’t worth it and stopped speaking up.
🔴I said I’d do the same thing again because I was right.
Strong responses show a learning loop with specific adjustments.
Bring a small test, log, or example to ground your point.
Good examples
🟢I ran the endpoint locally and showed p95 doubled with the proposed change.
🟢I pulled last week’s incidents to show three related to missing tests.
Bad examples
🔴I said performance would be bad but had no numbers.
🔴I argued a migration was risky without checking error rates.
Strong answers include a lightweight measurement rather than opinion alone.
Question Timeline
See when this question was last asked and where, including any notes left by other candidates.
Early November, 2025
Meta
Mid-level
Mid October, 2025
Uber
Staff
Early September, 2025
Uber
Manager
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