CSJT Working Together and Collaboration Questions and Answers

Question 1

You are assigned to a cross-departmental project. A key colleague from another department is consistently unresponsive to emails and has missed several deadlines, which is now jeopardizing your team's ability to complete its tasks. What is the most effective initial action to take?

Accepted Answer

Proactively schedule a brief, informal meeting with the colleague to understand their workload, clarify priorities, and agree on a better way of communicating.

Answer

The 'Working Together' competency prioritizes building effective relationships and resolving issues constructively. The most effective first step is to engage directly and supportively with the colleague to understand the situation from their perspective. This approach aims to solve the problem while preserving a positive working relationship, which is crucial for current and future collaboration. Escalating immediately or complaining to your manager are less collaborative initial steps, and doing the work yourself is unsustainable and masks the root problem.

Question 2

Which of the following actions best demonstrates a commitment to inclusive collaboration within a team setting?

Accepted Answer

Actively seeking out and encouraging contributions from quieter members of the team and ensuring all perspectives are considered.

Answer

Inclusive collaboration, a key part of the 'Working Together' competency, involves ensuring that all team members feel valued and have an opportunity to contribute. Actively soliciting opinions from all members, especially those who may be less vocal, ensures a wider range of perspectives is heard, leading to better decision-making and a more positive team environment. The other options prioritize speed or perceived efficiency over genuine inclusion.

Question 3

Your team is collaborating with another department on a new policy initiative. During a joint meeting, it becomes clear that the two teams have fundamentally different approaches and priorities, leading to tension. What is the most effective step to take?

Accepted Answer

Organize a workshop with both teams to establish a shared understanding of the overall project goal and agree upon joint principles and ways of working.

Answer

Effective partnership working involves proactively establishing shared goals and mutual understanding. A workshop to agree on common objectives and protocols addresses the root cause of the friction directly and collaboratively. It builds a foundation of trust and a shared vision, which is more effective than imposing one team's will, withdrawing from collaboration, or escalating the issue prematurely.

Question 4

In the context of the Civil Service 'Working Together' competency, what is the primary purpose of sharing information and resources with colleagues from different teams or departments?

Accepted Answer

To support wider organisational objectives and deliver better, more integrated outcomes for the public.

Answer

The 'Working Together' competency emphasizes breaking down silos and focusing on collective success to serve the public interest. Sharing information and resources is about enabling the entire organization to function more effectively and deliver better public services, rather than focusing on individual or team-specific gains.

Question 5

You are in a project meeting where a colleague presents an idea that you know from previous experience is unworkable and likely to fail. How should you respond?

Accepted Answer

Acknowledge the colleague's contribution, then gently ask probing questions that help the colleague and the group discover the potential issues for themselves.

Answer

This approach demonstrates respect for the colleague's contribution while constructively challenging the idea. It fosters a collaborative and psychologically safe environment where ideas can be debated without direct personal criticism. This method encourages critical thinking within the group and is more likely to lead to a better outcome without damaging working relationships, which is central to the 'Working Together' competency.

(CSJT) Civil Service Judgment Test Practice Test

(CSJT) Civil Service Judgment Test Practice Test

CSJT Working Together and Collaboration Questions and Answers