Influencing a Decision Without Direct Authority

Question

Tell me about a time you influenced a significant technical decision without having direct authority over the people involved.

What's being evaluated

• Did you use data and clear reasoning, or rely on seniority?
• How did you handle disagreement respectfully?
• What was the outcome for the team/product?

Dimensions

• Collaboration and influence — working across teams
• Comfort with ambiguity — navigating unclear ownership
• Intellectual humility — updating your view when wrong

Tips

Avoid examples where you simply escalated to your manager. The best answers show you built consensus from the bottom up.