Show useful relationships, genuine listening and cooperation that produces a shared result
Working Together at EO level involves building contacts outside your immediate team, sharing knowledge, creating inclusive participation and supporting wellbeing. Strong answers include a real dependency, difference of view or practical barrier that required cooperation to resolve.
On this page
What the panel is testing
At EO level, prepare evidence that you can build useful relationships, listen actively and change ways of working to achieve shared results. The panel will test the detail behind your actions, including what you knew, what you decided, how you involved other people and how the outcome was checked.
Official EO behaviour criteria
develop a range of contacts outside own team and identify opportunities to share knowledge, information and learning
show genuine interest when listening to others
contribute to an inclusive working environment where all opinions and challenges are listened to and all individual needs are taken into account
ensure it is clear that bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable
offer support and help to colleagues when in need, including consideration of your own and their wellbeing
change ways of working to aid cooperation within and between teams in order to achieve results
Use examples where success depended on people outside your immediate work group.
2
Show genuine listening
Know what another person contributed and how it changed your plan or understanding.
3
Include inclusion and wellbeing
Prepare how you made participation possible and supported people during pressure.
4
Bring a disagreement
At least one example should show respectful handling of tension, competing priorities or unclear ownership.
5
Explain the shared result
Show what both teams achieved and how the relationship or way of working improved.
EO Working Together question bank
Tell me about a time you worked with another team to achieve a shared result.
What to prepare: The dependency, different roles, objective, coordination and outcome.
Describe a situation where you changed your way of working to help cooperation.
What to prepare: The friction, feedback, adjustment, impact and result.
Give an example of building a useful contact outside your team.
What to prepare: Why the contact mattered, how trust developed, information shared and benefit.
Tell me about a disagreement within a group and how you helped resolve it.
What to prepare: Different views, listening, common ground, decision route and outcome.
Describe a time you supported a colleague who was struggling.
What to prepare: How you noticed, conversation, practical support, boundaries, wellbeing and result.
Give an example of sharing knowledge across teams.
What to prepare: The knowledge gap, format, contributions, accessibility and sustained use.
Tell me about a time you made sure quieter voices were heard.
What to prepare: Who was missed, method used, how input affected the decision and result.
Describe a situation where unclear ownership caused a problem.
What to prepare: The overlap, discussion, agreed responsibilities and improved cooperation.
Give an example of challenging bullying, harassment or discrimination.
What to prepare: What happened, immediate standard, escalation and support.
Tell me about a time you balanced helping others with your own workload.
What to prepare: Need, priorities, agreement, boundaries and delivery outcome.
Describe a joint piece of work that required regular communication.
What to prepare: Contact rhythm, shared tools, decisions, issues and result.
Give an example of learning from someone with different expertise.
What to prepare: Their perspective, how you listened, changed approach and benefit.
Members can unlock the complete EO Working Together interview preparation section below, including a flexible answer framework, four full model answers to different questions, scoring breakdowns, likely follow-up questions and a final preparation checklist.
Join our careers service to read more...
If everyone knew the best tricks and tips then they would no longer work! That is why the best guidance is for members only.
Subscribe to open the locked section on this page and get access to the full Civil Service Careers premium library.
Get help with applications, interviews, behaviours, personal statements, CVs, tests, workplace problems, promotions, and career decisions, all written for people who want a better result.
