Judgement Test Question 100 – A peer director redirects your team through informal requests
Read the scenario and rate every action independently. Several actions can receive the same rating.
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Scenario
A peer director regularly contacts members of your team directly with urgent requests. Staff accept the work because of the director's seniority, but your own agreed priorities are beginning to slip. The director says both areas support the same outcome and that a formal route would slow things down. Team members now receive conflicting messages about what should be completed first and are reluctant to refuse either of you. You need to restore clear priorities without making useful cross-directorate support harder than it needs to be.
Rate the actions
For each action, choose Counterproductive, Ineffective, Fairly Effective or Effective.
Action A
Email the director, copying both teams, to state that they have no authority to assign work in your area.
Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective
Action B
Tell your team to decline any work that has not come through you, even when the request appears urgent.
Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective
Action C
Accept the additional work and use evenings to make sure both sets of commitments are delivered.
Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective
Action D
Meet the director, share the current capacity and agree how urgent requests will be prioritised, then give both teams a clear route for resolving conflicts.
Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective
Click to reveal the answer
- Action A: Counterproductive
- Action B: Fairly Effective
- Action C: Ineffective
- Action D: Effective
Members can unlock the detailed explanation for all four actions, including why each response helps, falls short or makes the situation worse.
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