Describe a situation where you made an important business decision without consulting your manager.

Example Answers

Consumer Electronics Enthusiast

As a product manager, I understand the importance of collaboration and seeking input from diverse sources before making any significant business decisions. However, there have been instances in my career where I had to make an important decision without consulting my manager.

One such instance was when I was working on a project where we were developing a new product line for the company. We were at the design phase, and the team was struggling to finalize the design for the product. I knew that we were already behind schedule, and any further delay would impact the product launch timeline.

After consulting with the hardware and software teams, I proposed a design direction that deviated from the original plan but would allow us to complete the project on time. I believed that this decision would satisfy our target market and meet the product requirements. I knew that this deviation could upset my manager, who had put a lot of effort into the original design, but I made the final decision to move ahead with the new design without consulting him.

Fortunately, the product launch was a great success with positive customer feedback, and the team was able to complete the project on time. When I explained my decision to my manager with the data and feedback from the market, he appreciated my leadership and ability to make tough decisions in real-time.

In retrospect, I believe that my decision was justified as the change I proposed was not a significant deviation from the concept, and I had valid data to support my decision. However, I realized that decisions like these can be challenging and must be taken with caution, considering the impact they can have on the team and the organization.

In the future, I would be more mindful of involving my manager in the decision-making process where possible, especially if it significantly deviates from the original plan since it is critical to maintain open communication and ensure alignment within the team and organization in such situations.

Mobile App Guru

Thanks for the question. One situation where I made an important business decision without consulting my manager was when I worked for a social networking application that had very low user retention rates. We had identified that the majority of our users were dropping off after their first use, so we needed to find a way to keep them engaged.

I decided to launch a reward-based program that incentivized users to use the app more frequently and engage with other users. I didn't consult my manager as I knew that time was of the essence and there was no time to waste.

I worked closely with our development team to update the app, integrating a reward system that allowed users to earn virtual currency and buy items for their avatars. The system also rewarded users for engaging with other users, such as sending messages or sharing content through the app.

The results were great. Within a few weeks of launching the rewards program, we saw a significant increase in user engagement and retention rates. Users were spending more time on the app, and we were seeing more downloads and users who moved past their first use.

Looking back, I would have still made the same decision. I believe that as a product manager, it's important to take risks and make decisions that you feel are necessary for the success of the product you're managing. However, in the future, I would always seek to update my manager after making decisions like this, as they may have valuable input to help make the program even better.

E-Commerce Specialist

Thank you for your question! I remember one particular situation from a previous job where I had to make an important business decision without consulting my manager. We were in the midst of a product launch and our team had implemented an A/B test to try two different versions of our checkout page.

We had allocated resources to both versions of the page equally, but after several days of testing and gathering data, it became clear to me that one version was significantly outperforming the other in terms of conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

At this point, I had a decision to make. I could either follow our original plan and continue to allocate resources equally between both pages, or I could redirect resources towards the higher-performing page to maximize our chances of success.

After careful consideration, I decided to re-allocate resources towards the higher-performing page without consulting my manager first. The data was clear and I felt strongly that this was the right decision for the success of the product launch.

The decision paid off -- the product launch was a success and we exceeded our conversion rate goals. However, looking back, I probably could have handled the situation differently by communicating with my manager about my thought process and data-driven decision-making. I learned that while making quick decisions can be important, it's always helpful to have a second opinion and different perspectives when making important business decisions.

Enterprise Software Savant

Thank you for this great interview question. I would be happy to share an example of a situation where I made an important business decision without consulting my manager.

In a previous role, I was leading a team of developers responsible for a critical software system used by several large enterprise clients. One of our clients had requested a feature that had the potential to significantly increase the value of the product. However, implementing this feature would require a significant amount of time and resources from my team, and I knew that my manager would be hesitant to approve the investment.

At the same time, I had a strong relationship with the client and knew their needs and priorities well. After carefully considering the potential benefits and risks of the feature, I decided to move forward with the implementation without consulting my manager. I felt that I had the necessary technical expertise and knew the client well enough to make an informed decision.

The feature was successfully implemented and the client was thrilled with the new functionality. They ended up renewing their contract with us and even expanded their usage of our software. My team demonstrated impressive technical capabilities and delivered the feature on time and within budget.

Afterward, I did consult with my manager and explained my rationale for moving forward without consulting them first. While they initially expressed concern that I had gone "rogue," they appreciated the positive outcome and ultimately supported my decision.

Looking back, I don't believe I would have done anything differently. The decision to move forward without consulting my manager was not taken lightly and I think it was the right decision given the circumstances. However, I would have made sure to communicate more transparently and clearly with my manager about the rationale and potential risks involved in the decision.

SaaS Strategist

Thank you for the question. As a product manager, I understand that making important business decisions without consulting a manager can be risky. However, there have been instances where I had to make crucial decisions independently, especially in fast-paced and competitive environments. One such situation was when we had to redesign our SaaS platform's pricing model after analyzing the competitors' prices and target markets.

At the time, we had a usage-based pricing model. However, we noticed that our competitors were offering more value to customers by providing fixed-price subscriptions that included additional features and services. I did some customer research and found that our target audience was willing to pay for these additional services and features. Thus, we decided to switch to a freemium pricing model and add tiers based on functionality, features, and service levels.

I presented the proposal to the senior management team along with the revenue projections and possible risks. They agreed to the proposal, and we made the switch, resulting in an immediate increase in the number of customers and revenue. The new pricing model gave our customers more options, contributing positively to our customer retention rate, and leading to long-term growth.

Looking back, I might have involved more people in the decision-making process. Still, I was confident in my research and the value of the decision to the company, and I believe that approaching the situation this way allowed me to act fast and make a decision that drove positive change for the company. In cases like these, it is essential to have a data-driven approach that justifies the decision and to have a clear understanding of the company's values and customer needs.

Cybersecurity Expert

Thank you for the question. While I strongly believe in collaborative decision-making and getting inputs from my manager and team before making important business decisions, there have been situations where I have needed to act decisively and quickly, without the luxury of consulting with others.

One such situation stands out in my mind. At my previous company, we had identified an emerging security threat that had the potential to impact our customers. The team I was leading had been working on a security solution to address this threat, but our progress had been slow due to several internal factors.

Knowing that time was of the essence, and that our customers could potentially be impacted, I made the decision to take the security solution to market without further delay, without consulting my manager. I made this decision because I felt confident in our solution's capabilities and understood the impact of this threat on our customers.

Fortunately, the product was very well received in the market and helped our customers mitigate the security threat. As a result, our sales team met their targets, and we received positive feedback from our customers about the effectiveness of our solution.

In hindsight, I believe that my decision was the right one, based on the limited information and time I had. However, I also recognize that it's important to involve all stakeholders in decision-making, especially when it comes to releasing products or features that affect the company's bottom line.

In the future, I would ensure that I am communicating and collaborating more effectively with my manager, and the larger team, to ensure we are aligned and have considered all possible angles before making a significant business decision. Additionally, I would seek to better understand the company's processes and procedures around key decision-making, to ensure I am not putting the company at risk while making time-sensitive decisions. Overall, I believe this experience was a great reminder of the importance of balancing speed and accuracy when making important business decisions.