Teamwork & collaboration

You are part of a small project team working to a tight deadline. A colleague who sits next to you is clearly struggling with their part of the work and is falling behind, which could delay the whole team. You have finished your own tasks for the day. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AOffer to help your colleague with their workload, or help them break the task down✓
• BSay nothing, as their workload is their own responsibility
• CTell the manager that your colleague is falling behind
• DLeave on time since your own work is complete

Answer: Offering practical help supports both the colleague and the shared team deadline, demonstrating collaboration and a focus on the collective goal before escalating.

During a team meeting, two colleagues begin to disagree strongly about how to approach a task, and the discussion is becoming heated and unproductive. You are a team member, not the chair. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• APick the side you agree with to help settle the argument quickly
• BSuggest the team pause and focus on the shared objective, then weigh both options on their merits✓
• CStay quiet and wait for the meeting chair to deal with it
• DTell both colleagues they are being unprofessional

Answer: Refocusing on the shared goal and evaluating options objectively de-escalates the conflict while keeping the team productive and respectful.

A new graduate has just joined your team and seems unsure about the systems and processes everyone else takes for granted. You are busy but not at full capacity. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• ASend them a link to the documentation and tell them to read it
• BWait for them to ask specific questions before helping
• COffer to spend some time showing them the key systems and check in on them regularly✓
• DSuggest they shadow someone else who is less busy

Answer: Proactively orienting a new colleague and following up builds an effective, welcoming team and helps them become productive faster.

You disagree with the approach the rest of your team has agreed on for a piece of work, but you were outvoted in the discussion. The decision has now been made. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AQuietly do the work your own preferred way
• BSupport the agreed decision and raise your concerns constructively if real problems emerge✓
• CRefuse to contribute to work you disagree with
• DComplain to colleagues about the decision afterwards

Answer: Once a fair decision is made, committing to it while staying ready to flag genuine issues balances team unity with professional honesty.

A colleague takes sole credit in front of senior managers for a piece of work that you both contributed to equally. You feel frustrated. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• ASpeak to your colleague privately to explain how it affected you and agree how to credit shared work in future✓
• BCorrect them publicly in the next meeting in front of the managers
• CLet it go and say nothing, even though it bothers you
• DTake sole credit for the next joint piece of work to even things out

Answer: A calm private conversation addresses the issue directly and preserves the working relationship without escalating or retaliating.

Your team uses a shared document to track progress, but you notice several colleagues are not updating it, making it hard to see the true status of the project. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AUpdate everyone else's sections yourself based on what you assume they have done
• BStop updating the tracker yourself since others are not bothering
• CRaise it with the team, explaining why keeping the tracker current helps everyone, and suggest a simple routine✓
• DReport the colleagues to your manager for not updating it

Answer: Constructively explaining the shared benefit and proposing a workable routine addresses the root cause and keeps the whole team accountable.

You are working with a colleague from another department who communicates very differently from you and you keep misunderstanding each other. The work depends on you collaborating well. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• ALimit contact and only communicate by email to avoid confusion
• BAsk your manager to assign someone else to work with them
• CHave an open conversation about how you each prefer to work and agree on a clear way to communicate✓
• DCarry on and hope the misunderstandings sort themselves out

Answer: Openly agreeing on communication preferences resolves the friction and builds an effective cross-department working relationship.

A quieter member of your team rarely speaks up in meetings, but you suspect they have good ideas. You are leading the discussion today. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AAssume they would speak if they had something worth saying
• BInvite their input directly and create space for them to contribute✓
• CAsk everyone to submit ideas only in writing instead
• DSpeak to them afterwards but not change how meetings run

Answer: Actively inviting quieter members ensures all perspectives are heard and strengthens the team's decisions.

Your team has been asked to deliver a joint presentation, but one member wants to do it entirely their own way and is dismissive of others' suggestions. The deadline is approaching. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• ALet them take over to avoid conflict before the deadline
• BAcknowledge their ideas, then propose the team agrees a shared structure that uses everyone's strengths✓
• CSplit the presentation so everyone works in isolation
• DEscalate to your manager immediately

Answer: Valuing their input while steering toward a genuinely shared approach keeps the team cohesive and produces a stronger result.

A colleague is off sick unexpectedly and their urgent task now has no owner. The team is already stretched. You have some relevant knowledge of the task. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AWait to see if the colleague returns soon
• BFlag it to the team and offer to pick up or coordinate the urgent parts so nothing critical is missed✓
• CAssume someone else will deal with it
• DLeave it for the colleague to catch up on when they return

Answer: Proactively flagging the gap and helping cover the critical work protects the team's commitments during an unexpected absence.

You and a colleague have been assigned to peer-review each other's work. You find several errors in theirs but worry about damaging the relationship. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AApprove the work to keep things friendly
• BGive honest, specific and constructive feedback on the errors so they can be corrected✓
• CMention only the smallest issues and skip the important ones
• DQuietly fix the errors yourself without telling them

Answer: Honest, constructive feedback is the point of peer review and helps your colleague and the quality of the work.

Your team has just successfully delivered a difficult project. As you reflect, you realise one junior colleague's contribution was overlooked in the wrap-up. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• ASay nothing, as the project is already finished
• BMake a point of recognising their contribution to the team and to your manager✓
• CTell only the junior colleague privately that you appreciated their work
• DAssume they know their work was valued

Answer: Visibly recognising overlooked contributions builds trust and motivation and shows fair, collaborative leadership.