behavior question

Behavior Question

Tight Deadline

  • Deliver Result

Tell me a time when you work under tight deadline

  • Why is so tight (explain the situation)

  • what have you done to accelerate the development process

​ get more colleague involved

​ ask for consult/guidance from some senior engineers

​ cut off some feature

Quick Decision with Incomplete Data

Principle: Bias for Action

  • Tell me a time when you had to make a quick decision with limited or incomplete data.
  • Why was the data incomplete?
  • What steps did you take to reduce risk?
    • Did you rely on prior experience?
    • Did you run a quick experiment (MVP)?
    • Did you make trade-offs to move faster?

Simplifying a Process

Principle: Invent and Simplify

  • Tell me about a time when you simplified a complicated process.
  • Why was the process inefficient or complex?
  • What actions did you take to make it simpler?
    • Did you design automation tools/scripts?
    • Did you create new documentation or workflows?
    • Did you eliminate unnecessary steps?

Handling a Failure / Mistake

in the right path 

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We add numerization to handle multiple service. I worked very late at this day. I add some code in our project and test again until the process is still going on to make sure we are in good process.
We implemented numerization to manage multiple services more efficiently. During that period, I worked late into the night, writing and integrating new code into our project. I continuously tested the system—even while other processes were still running—to ensure everything was functioning correctly and that we were making steady progress
During my time as an intern, I integrateD a new model into our project.
I think the API can handle the different typeS of deviceS. Based on this assumption, I skipped some stepS. I forgot to test the other processES.
I assumed the API could automatically handle all device types, so I skipped a few steps in the setup process. I also forgot to test an alternate workflow that was critical for certain devices.
We need to show the step our video system platform, the login failed and it blocked our process. The demo preparation should be delay.
As soon as I noticed the issue, I immediately informed my manager and teammates. I explained the mistake clearly, took full responsibility, and helped troubleshoot the problem.
I keep my teammates in the loop.

Principle: Earn Trust

  • Tell me about a time when you made a mistake at work.
  • Why did it happen? (lack of info, wrong assumption, etc.)
  • How did you handle the situation?
    • Did you communicate transparently with your team/manager?
    • Did you take ownership and propose solutions?
    • What did you learn and change afterwards?

Raising the Bar

Principle: Insist on the Highest Standards

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In order to get back on the right path, I made a checklist...
In my internship, I reviewed a module responsible for device access control.
In this control I noticed we have inconsistent naming. There are almost no names or comments in this task.
While analyzing the code, I noticed inconsistent naming conventions and a lack of comments, which made the logic difficult to follow.
This will make difficult the maintenance and risk for reliability.
This posed/presented a serious risk to code reliability and future maintenance, especially for new developers joining the project.
Our goal wasn’t just to complete the task—it was to improve system stability and strengthen our code structure. I emphasized that every phase: design, development, and review, must be completed thoroughly. Skipping any of these steps compromises the integrity of the entire process.
  • Tell me a time when you saw poor quality work and had to improve it.
  • Why was the quality below standard?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Did you set stricter review guidelines?
    • Did you mentor/train teammates?
    • Did you re-design the process to prevent issues?

Customer Obsession

Principle: Customer Obsession

  • Tell me a time when you went above and beyond for a customer (internal or external).
  • Why was the customer need important/urgent?
  • What actions did you take to solve the problem?
    • Did you collect feedback?
    • Did you adjust priorities to meet their needs?
    • Did you measure satisfaction afterwards?

Conflict in Team

Principle: Earn Trust

  • Tell me a time when you had a conflict with a teammate.
  • Why did the conflict happen? (miscommunication, different priorities, etc.)
  • What actions did you take to resolve it?
    • Listen actively to their perspective
    • Find common goals and trade-offs
    • Escalate respectfully if needed

Learning New Skill Quickly

Principle: Learn and Be Curious

  • Tell me a time when you had to quickly learn a new technology or skill to complete a project.
  • Why was it necessary to learn it under time pressure?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Researched and studied documentation/tutorials
    • Asked mentors or colleagues for guidance
    • Built a small prototype or POC to practice

Pushing Back on Request

Principle: Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit

  • Tell me a time when you disagreed with your manager or stakeholder.
  • Why did you think the decision was wrong?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Collected data/evidence to support your point
    • Communicated your concerns clearly and respectfully
    • Committed fully once the final decision was made

Limited Resources

Principle: Frugality

  • Tell me a time when you delivered results with very limited resources.
  • Why were resources limited? (budget, time, tools, people)
  • What actions did you take?
    • Reused or repurposed existing tools
    • Prioritized only critical features
    • Found creative low-cost solutions

Driving Long-Term Vision

Principle: Think Big

  • Tell me a time when you proposed a long-term improvement or vision.
  • Why did you think it was necessary beyond the short-term goals?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Shared the vision with data and examples
    • Broke down the idea into achievable milestones
    • Inspired teammates to support and contribute

Mentoring or Helping Others

Principle: Hire and Develop the Best

  • Tell me a time when you helped a junior teammate improve their skills.
  • Why did you decide to spend time mentoring them?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Gave constructive feedback on their work
    • Shared resources and personal experience
    • Tracked progress and recognized improvements

Handling Ambiguity

Principle: Are Right, A Lot

  • Tell me a time when you had to make a decision in an ambiguous situation.
  • Why was the information unclear or incomplete?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Gathered as much data as possible within constraints
    • Talked with stakeholders for clarification
    • Made a judgment call and adjusted as new info arrived

1. Customer Obsession

  • Tell me a time when you went above and beyond for a customer.
  • Why was the customer’s need important or urgent?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Collected feedback actively
    • Adjusted priorities to solve their pain point
    • Followed up to measure satisfaction

2. Ownership

  • Tell me a time when you took full ownership of a project or problem.
  • Why did you decide to step up?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Took responsibility without waiting for direction
    • Coordinated across multiple teams
    • Saw the task through until completion

3. Invent and Simplify

  • Tell me about a time when you simplified a process.
  • Why was the process too complex or inefficient?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Designed automation or tools
    • Eliminated unnecessary steps
    • Documented the new workflow for others

4. Are Right, A Lot

  • Tell me about a time you made a good decision despite uncertainty.
  • Why was the situation ambiguous?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Gathered as much data as possible
    • Consulted experts or stakeholders
    • Made a judgment call and validated later

5. Learn and Be Curious

  • Tell me about a time you quickly learned a new skill or technology.
  • Why was it important to learn it under time pressure?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Researched independently (docs, tutorials)
    • Practiced with a small prototype
    • Asked mentors for guidance

6. Hire and Develop the Best

  • Tell me a time when you helped a teammate grow.
  • Why did you decide to mentor or coach them?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Provided constructive feedback
    • Shared resources and best practices
    • Recognized their improvements

7. Insist on the Highest Standards

  • Tell me about a time you improved poor quality work.
  • Why was the quality below expectations?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Set stricter review criteria
    • Fixed issues proactively
    • Trained teammates to prevent recurrence

8. Think Big

  • Tell me about a time when you proposed a long-term vision or idea.
  • Why did you think short-term solutions were not enough?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Created a clear vision with data support
    • Broke it into milestones
    • Inspired others to buy in

9. Bias for Action

  • Tell me a time when you made a quick decision with limited data.
  • Why couldn’t you wait for more information?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Used available data plus experience
    • Ran a quick MVP experiment
    • Mitigated risks while moving fast

10. Frugality

  • Tell me a time when you delivered results with limited resources.
  • Why were resources constrained (budget/time/people)?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Reused existing tools creatively
    • Focused only on essentials
    • Found low-cost alternatives

11. Earn Trust

  • Tell me a time when you rebuilt trust after a mistake.
  • Why was the mistake impactful?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Acknowledged the issue openly
    • Took ownership and apologized
    • Implemented changes to prevent recurrence

12. Dive Deep

  • Tell me a time when you uncovered a root cause by diving deep.
  • Why was the issue hard to detect at first?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Investigated data/logs thoroughly
    • Asked probing questions
    • Found and fixed the underlying problem

13. Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit

  • Tell me a time you disagreed with a decision.
  • Why did you think the decision was wrong?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Gathered data to support your case
    • Expressed your concerns respectfully
    • Committed fully once a final decision was made

14. Deliver Results

  • Tell me a time when you worked under a tight deadline.
  • Why was the timeline so constrained?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Involved more colleagues
    • Asked for senior guidance
    • Cut non-critical features

15. Strive to be Earth’s Best Employer

  • Tell me a time when you contributed to team morale or well-being.
  • Why was the team struggling (stress, low motivation)?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Supported teammates under pressure
    • Promoted healthy work habits
    • Created opportunities for recognition

16. Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility

  • Tell me a time when you considered the broader impact of your work.
  • Why did you think the decision had long-term consequences?
  • What actions did you take?
    • Evaluated ethical/environmental impact
    • Suggested sustainable alternatives
    • Balanced business goals with responsibility