Question

Tell about a time you were leading a team that had to complete a critical task when you encountered a major roadblock?

Answer 1

The time when our team suddenly encountered a roadblock was when we were stuck at a place for fifteen days owing to a political agitation that went wrong and assumed violent proportions, leading to a mega block of highway for indefinite time. We were heading to a border area, working on a road building project for the local government. This highway passed through a restive region known for its fierce tribes, which often caused disturbance in the region, just to assert their power. This blockade was staged only 2 days before our convoy was to pass through. We had heavy equipment and machinery with us, and the only option was to back off and take an alternative route which would have delayed the project by at least 15 days, and incurred extra 35% money. Backing off, was thus not a wise decision. We decided to wait and our team started camping in the wilderness. The hilly terrain, limited food options and presence of wild animals made the matters worse. The biggest issue was the uncertainty, as we did not know when the blockade will end. I was particularly worried about the rainy season which was only 2 months away, and any delay was going to make the things very difficult for us, as the border region was known for its difficult rainy season that came with floods, landslides and ailments. We needed to find alternatives, and fast. Communication was erratic, as the telephone network was unreliable to say the least, which meant that we needed to take most of our decisions.

I tried to negotiate with the tribal leaders, but they refused to pay heed to my requests. They did not want to let go this golden opportunity to hold the government on it. Time was running out, and so were our options. My company was planning to send a second team through different route to undertake the work. The plan was to complete the preliminary work before the equipment comes ( with us). The new team reached the destination and completed the formalities within five days. To our good luck, the negotiations between the rebels and government succeeded, and the blockade was lifted. We reached the destination, late by 12 days, but owing to the other teams' efficiency, the net delay was only two days, which we covered during the course of the project. Though the project was completed well in time, before the onset of rainy season, the project was a unique experience for all of us.