How to Answer the IELTS Speaking Question: “Describe a Time When You Worked with a Difficult Person”

The IELTS Speaking test evaluates a candidate’s ability to communicate effectively in English. The examiner looks for fluency, coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range, and pronunciation. One common topic is describing a time when you worked with a difficult person. This question appears quite frequently due to its ability to gauge a candidate’s interpersonal and problem-solving skills. Below, we delve into possible questions and responses to maximize your IELTS score.

Part 1: Introduction and Interview Questions

In Part 1, the examiner asks general questions about yourself. Here are some common questions related to working with people:

1. Do you enjoy working in a team or alone?
2. Have you ever faced any challenges while working in a team?
3. Can you describe a situation where you had to resolve a conflict at work or school?

Sample Answer

Question: Do you enjoy working in a team or alone?

Answer: I often enjoy working in a team because it allows for a diverse range of perspectives and skills. Collaboration can lead to more innovative solutions and helps in distributing the workload effectively. However, there are times when working alone helps me concentrate better and complete tasks more efficiently.

Part 2: Long Turn

The cue card in Part 2 usually involves describing a specific experience.

Cue Card

Describe a time when you worked with a difficult person. You should say:

• Who this person was
• Why they were difficult
• How you handled the situation
• And explain what you learned from the experience.

Sample Answer

Answer:
I recall working with a colleague named John during a project at my previous job. John was particularly difficult because he had a tendency to be very demanding and critical of others’ work, often without being constructive.

At first, this created a lot of tension within the team, as most of us felt undervalued and frustrated by his remarks. To handle the situation, I initiated a meeting with John to discuss our differences. During the meeting, I listened to John’s concerns and explained how his approach was impacting the team negatively. I made it a point to communicate respectfully and offer suggestions on how he could provide feedback more constructively.

We also agreed to set weekly check-ins to ensure everyone was on the same page, which significantly improved team morale and productivity. From this experience, I learned the importance of effective communication and setting clear expectations within a team. It also taught me that addressing conflicts directly and empathetically can lead to positive outcomes.

Follow-up Questions

Bullet Points:

1. What strategies can be used to manage difficult colleagues?
2. How important is teamwork in achieving workplace success?
3. Can you give an example of effective conflict resolution from another experience?

Sample Answers:

1. Strategies such as: setting clear communication boundaries, demonstrating empathy, and seeking mediation can help in managing difficult colleagues.
2. Teamwork is critical because it fosters diverse perspectives, increases efficiency, and enhances problem-solving abilities, ultimately contributing to workplace success.
3. Another experience, where effective conflict resolution was used, occurred in university. During a group project, misunderstandings about task divisions were resolved by organizing a team meeting to clarify roles and responsibilities comprehensively.

Part 3: Two-way Discussion

The examiner asks more abstract questions to gauge deeper understanding and critical thinking.

Discussion Questions

1. Why is it sometimes challenging to work with others?
2. What qualities make a good team leader?
3. How can workplaces create a good environment for teamwork?

Sample Answers

1. Challenges arise due to differences in personalities, work styles, and communication methods. Also, conflicting interests, and stress levels can contribute to difficulties.
2. A good team leader should be empathetic, decisive, an effective communicator, and especially, able to mediate conflicts fairly and assertively.
3. Workplaces can create a good environment by promoting open communication, providing team-building activities, and ensuring that conflicts are resolved promptly and fairly.

Vocabulary and Structures for High Scores

Here are some key vocabulary and sentence structures to enhance your answer:

1. Tendency: /ˈtendənsi/ (noun) – an inclination towards a particular characteristic or type of behavior.
2. Morale: /məˈræl/ (noun) – the confidence, enthusiasm, and discipline of a person or group at a particular time.
3. Initiate: /ɪˈnɪʃieɪt/ (verb) – cause (a process or action) to begin.
4. Empathetic: /ˌɛmpəˈθɛtɪk/ (adjective) – showing an ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

Example Sentences:

• “John had a tendency to micromanage, which often led to team members feeling frustrated.”
• “Our regular meetings helped improve team morale.”
• “To resolve the issue, I decided to initiate a conversation with him.”
• “Being empathetic is crucial in understanding the root of conflicts.”

Examiner’s Tips

1. Practice Regularly: Regular practice with a language partner can significantly improve your speaking skills.
2. Stay Calm: It’s natural to feel nervous, but staying calm can help you think more clearly.
3. Use a Variety of Structures: Incorporate a mix of simple, compound, and complex sentences to showcase grammatical range.
4. Be Expressive: Tonal variation and facial expressions enhance your communication effectiveness.

Team Collaborating on a Difficult Project

By using these insights and examples, you’ll be better prepared to tackle the IELTS Speaking test and confidently answer questions about working with difficult people.