The role of a Channels and Partners Business Development Manager is crucial for organizations looking to expand their reach and grow through strategic partnerships. Courage is a vital competency for this position, as it often involves taking calculated risks, challenging the status quo, and navigating complex business relationships. For this role, courage is defined as:

"The ability to take bold, calculated risks in pursuit of strategic partnerships, stand firm in negotiations, and advocate for innovative ideas, even in the face of uncertainty or opposition."

When evaluating candidates for this role, it's essential to look for examples of how they've demonstrated courage in their past experiences. This includes situations where they've pushed boundaries, taken on challenging partnerships, or made difficult decisions that ultimately benefited their organization. The questions provided below are designed to elicit specific examples of courage in action, focusing on candidates with some relevant experience in channel and partner business development.

Remember that the best candidates may not have a perfect track record of success, but rather a history of learning from challenges and applying those lessons to future situations. As you conduct interviews, pay attention to how candidates describe their decision-making processes, their ability to influence others, and their resilience in the face of setbacks.

For more insights on effective hiring practices for sales and business development roles, check out our blog posts on finding and hiring for grit among sales candidates and interviewing sellers for adaptability.

Interview Questions for Assessing Courage in Channels and Partners Business Development Manager Roles

Tell me about a time when you pursued a high-risk, high-reward partnership opportunity. What factors did you consider, and how did you convince stakeholders to support your decision?

Areas to Cover:

• Details of the situation and potential partnership
• Actions taken to evaluate and pursue the opportunity
• How the decision was made and communicated
• Support or opposition faced from stakeholders
• Results of the partnership (positive or negative)
• Lessons learned and how they've been applied

Follow-up questions:

1. How did you manage your own concerns or doubts about the risk involved?
2. What specific strategies did you use to persuade skeptical stakeholders?
3. If you were to face a similar situation today, what would you do differently?

Describe a situation where you had to challenge an established partner relationship or process that wasn't working. How did you approach this sensitive situation?

Areas to Cover:

• Context of the established relationship or process
• Reasons for challenging the status quo
• Actions taken to address the issue
• How opposition or resistance was handled
• Results of the intervention
• Lessons learned and applied

Follow-up questions:

1. How did you prepare yourself mentally for potential backlash?
2. What was the most difficult part of this process, and how did you overcome it?
3. How did this experience shape your approach to managing partner relationships?

Tell me about a time when you had to make a quick, high-stakes decision regarding a partnership opportunity with limited information. What was your thought process?

Areas to Cover:

• Details of the situation and decision required
• Information available and what was missing
• Thought process and factors considered
• Actions taken to make and implement the decision
• Who was consulted or involved in the decision-making
• Outcome of the decision
• Lessons learned and how they've been applied

Follow-up questions:

1. How did you manage the stress of making such a critical decision under time pressure?
2. What was your backup plan if the decision didn't work out as intended?
3. How has this experience influenced your approach to decision-making in uncertain situations?

Describe a situation where you had to advocate for a controversial or unpopular change in your company's channel strategy. How did you handle the resistance?

Areas to Cover:

• Context of the proposed change and why it was controversial
• Actions taken to develop and present the new strategy
• How resistance was anticipated and addressed
• Support sought from others in the organization
• Results of the advocacy efforts
• Lessons learned and applied to future situations

Follow-up questions:

1. How did you maintain your conviction in the face of strong opposition?
2. What was the most challenging argument against your proposal, and how did you counter it?
3. How did this experience affect your approach to proposing significant changes in the future?

Tell me about a time when you had to terminate a partnership that was underperforming. How did you approach this difficult conversation, and what were the consequences?

Areas to Cover:

• Context of the partnership and reasons for termination
• Preparation for the difficult conversation
• Actions taken during the termination process
• How potential negative consequences were managed
• Results of the termination (both immediate and long-term)
• Lessons learned and how they've been applied

Follow-up questions:

1. How did you manage your own emotions during this process?
2. What steps did you take to minimize damage to your company's reputation?
3. How has this experience influenced your approach to evaluating and managing partnerships?

Describe a situation where you had to push back against unreasonable demands from a key partner. How did you balance maintaining the relationship with protecting your company's interests?

Areas to Cover:

• Context of the partnership and the unreasonable demands
• Assessment of the situation and potential impacts
• Actions taken to address the demands
• Strategies used to maintain a positive relationship
• Outcome of the negotiation
• Lessons learned and applied to future partner interactions

Follow-up questions:

1. How did you prepare for potential negative reactions from the partner?
2. What was your "red line" in the negotiation, and how did you determine it?
3. How has this experience shaped your approach to setting expectations with partners?

Tell me about a time when you had to take a stand against internal pressure to compromise ethical standards in a partnership deal. How did you handle this situation?

Areas to Cover:

• Context of the ethical dilemma
• Internal pressures faced and from whom
• Actions taken to address the issue
• How support was sought or allies were found
• Outcome of the situation
• Lessons learned and how they've been applied

Follow-up questions:

1. How did you weigh the potential consequences of your actions?
2. What strategies did you use to communicate your position effectively?
3. How has this experience influenced your approach to ethical decision-making in business?

Describe a situation where you had to enter a new, unfamiliar market through a partnership. How did you approach this challenge and manage the associated risks?

Areas to Cover:

• Context of the new market and partnership opportunity
• Research and preparation undertaken
• Actions taken to establish the partnership and enter the market
• How risks were identified and managed
• Results of the market entry (positive or negative)
• Lessons learned and how they've been applied

Follow-up questions:

1. How did you build your confidence to take on this unfamiliar challenge?
2. What was the biggest surprise you encountered, and how did you adapt?
3. How has this experience shaped your approach to exploring new market opportunities?

Tell me about a time when you had to lead a major change in your partner program that faced significant resistance. How did you drive this change forward?

Areas to Cover:

• Context of the partner program and the proposed change
• Reasons for resistance and from whom
• Actions taken to plan and implement the change
• Strategies used to overcome resistance
• Results of the change initiative
• Lessons learned and applied to future change management

Follow-up questions:

1. How did you maintain your resolve when faced with strong opposition?
2. What was the most effective tactic you used to gain buy-in?
3. How has this experience influenced your approach to leading organizational change?

Describe a situation where you had to make a tough call to invest significant resources in a promising but unproven partnership opportunity. How did you approach this decision?

Areas to Cover:

• Context of the partnership opportunity and resource requirements
• Analysis conducted to evaluate the opportunity
• Decision-making process and factors considered
• How the decision was communicated and implemented
• Results of the investment (positive or negative)
• Lessons learned and how they've been applied

Follow-up questions:

1. How did you manage your own doubts or concerns about the decision?
2. What was your contingency plan if the partnership didn't pan out as expected?
3. How has this experience shaped your approach to evaluating high-stakes opportunities?

Tell me about a time when you had to navigate a complex, multi-stakeholder negotiation to secure a strategic partnership. How did you manage the various interests and potential conflicts?

Areas to Cover:

• Context of the negotiation and stakeholders involved
• Preparation and strategy development for the negotiation
• Actions taken during the negotiation process
• How conflicts or competing interests were addressed
• Outcome of the negotiation
• Lessons learned and applied to future complex negotiations

Follow-up questions:

1. How did you maintain your composure during tense moments in the negotiation?
2. What was the most challenging compromise you had to make, and how did you decide on it?
3. How has this experience influenced your approach to stakeholder management?

Describe a situation where you had to make a public presentation or pitch that challenged conventional wisdom in your industry. How did you prepare and deliver this message?

Areas to Cover:

• Context of the presentation and the challenging idea
• Research and preparation undertaken
• Actions taken to develop and deliver the presentation
• How potential criticism or skepticism was addressed
• Reception and results of the presentation
• Lessons learned and applied to future thought leadership opportunities

Follow-up questions:

1. How did you build your confidence to challenge established thinking?
2. What was the most difficult question you faced, and how did you handle it?
3. How has this experience shaped your approach to industry thought leadership?

Tell me about a time when you had to admit a mistake or failure in a partnership strategy to your team or superiors. How did you handle this situation?

Areas to Cover:

• Context of the mistake or failure
• Process of recognizing and accepting the error
• Actions taken to communicate the issue
• How potential negative consequences were managed
• Results of admitting the mistake
• Lessons learned and how they've been applied

Follow-up questions:

1. How did you prepare yourself emotionally for this difficult conversation?
2. What steps did you take to rebuild trust after admitting the mistake?
3. How has this experience influenced your approach to transparency and accountability?

Describe a situation where you had to take on a high-profile partnership project that others had failed at previously. How did you approach this challenge?

Areas to Cover:

• Context of the project and previous failures
• Analysis of past attempts and reasons for failure
• Actions taken to develop a new approach
• How risks were identified and managed
• Results of the project (positive or negative)
• Lessons learned and applied to future high-stakes projects

Follow-up questions:

1. How did you build your confidence to take on a project with a history of failure?
2. What was the most significant change you made to the approach, and why?
3. How has this experience shaped your view on taking on "impossible" challenges?

Tell me about a time when you had to make a strategic pivot in your partnership approach due to unexpected market changes. How did you lead this shift?

Areas to Cover:

• Context of the market changes and their impact
• Process of recognizing the need for a pivot
• Actions taken to develop and implement the new strategy
• How resistance or skepticism was addressed
• Results of the strategic pivot
• Lessons learned and applied to future strategy development

Follow-up questions:

1. How did you manage your own uncertainty during this period of change?
2. What was the most challenging aspect of convincing others to support the pivot?
3. How has this experience influenced your approach to market analysis and strategic planning?

FAQ

Q: Why is courage such an important trait for a Channels and Partners Business Development Manager?

A: Courage is crucial in this role because it involves taking calculated risks, advocating for innovative ideas, and navigating complex business relationships. A courageous manager can pursue high-potential partnerships, challenge the status quo when necessary, and make difficult decisions that benefit the organization in the long run.

Q: How can I tell if a candidate is genuinely courageous or just good at talking about courage?

A: Look for specific examples and details in their responses. Courageous candidates will be able to describe concrete situations, their thought processes, and the outcomes of their actions. Use follow-up questions to probe deeper into their experiences and look for consistency across their answers.

Q: Should I be concerned if a candidate describes situations where their courageous actions didn't lead to positive outcomes?

A: Not necessarily. What's more important is how the candidate learned from these experiences and applied those lessons to future situations. Courage often involves taking calculated risks, which don't always pay off. Look for candidates who can demonstrate growth and adaptability from both successes and failures.

Q: How many of these questions should I ask in a single interview?

A: It's recommended to use 3-4 questions per interview, allowing time for thorough responses and follow-up questions. This approach provides enough depth to assess the candidate's courage while also covering other important competencies for the role.

Interested in a full interview guide for Channels and Partners Business Development Manager with Courage as a key competency? Sign up for Yardstick and build it for free.