Tell me about a time that you managed upwards

Managing upward is an important component of getting you PhD. Professors are very very busy, each of them has a terribly demanding schedule a bunch of projects, other than yours on your mind. Since, generally you only have your project, it is important to be proactive about setting meetings. You should come to those meetings with an agenda of what needs to be addressed so that your project can be successful. Additionally, it is important to remind advisors and the other members on your dissertation committee of upcoming deadlines and meetings. Sometimes, professors do not respond to emails or multiple emails. This is probably the most obvious way of managing upward, but I had a committee member that I needed to ask to meet with in person in order to actually meet; this meant getting brave enough to just regularly knock on his door to ask to set a meeting or to chat. 

Hi A,

this is one of the uncommon question which you might face at the 2nd or final round of your interview. I would strongly recommend you to use a common approach that consists of 5 parts:

1. Situation

2. Problem

3. Solution

4. Results

5. Your learnings.

Using this universal approach/ framework will help you to structure every uncommon, even somtimes difficult questions in a very good manner

be authentic and good luck,

André

in my first non-technical consulting experience, i was originally hired to do unit testing of a software system. when i arrived, however, this task had been contracted out. by remaining flexible, i stepped into what amounted to the PM consultant's assistant. this PM, while very experienced, was relatively unfamiliar with PM software tools. by managing approvals and tasks more closely and detailed with software tools, i was able to provide more succint updates on work completed by project team members. before the biannual progress report to the CEO, i voiced my concerns based on my findings about our projected Time to completion for the project. in doing so, i was able to sit with the PM consultant and the plants VP of ops to discuss and evenutally update our timeline schedule (it was already a year behind). this led to a successful presentation to the CEO, and the project was eventually completed on-schedule (after i left)

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Hello!

On top of the insights already shared in the post, the "Integrated FIT guide for MBB" has been recently published in PrepLounge´s shop (https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/integrated-fit-guide-for-mbb-34)

It provides an end-to-end preparation for all three MBB interviews, tackling each firms particularities and combining key concepts review and a hands-on methodology. Following the book, the candidate will prepare his/her stories by practicing with over 50 real questions and leveraging special frameworks and worksheets that guide step-by-step, developed by the author and her experience as a Master in Management professor and coach. Finally, as further guidance, the guide encompasses over 20 examples from real candidates.

Feel free to PM me for disccount codes, since we still have some left from the launch!

i managed leaners at grade 4 and 5 level and it has developed managerial and leadership  skills.

M&A in UK. Had to avoid the deal. so I had to stand up to the CEO and persuade the Shareholder not to go blind and postpone the deal. the CEO insisted we would lose the opportunity doing DD. I insisted we would cut the price. we postponed the deal for 6 months. made the DD and reduced the price 30%.

while working at AZ

Don't really get the question yet. 

I asked a new manager the frequency of updates she would like from me, as well as if there's any thing she wants to approve before adding to the pack