These are four sample questions from Bryq’s Relationship Building assessment, a soft skills test for hiring roles that depend on strong working relationships, such as project managers, consultants, HR business partners, and client-facing team leads. The full assessment covers four skills: stakeholder management, networking, relationship building, and relationship management. Each question describes a workplace scenario and asks which response best builds or protects the relationship, with four options.
Stakeholder Management
Question
A stakeholder who was fully supportive at the start of a project has become increasingly disengaged as the project has progressed. What is the best way to address this?
Select your answer
Reach out directly to understand what has changed in their priorities or concerns, and agree on a re-engagement approach that works for them.
Continue delivering regular updates and assume their disengagement is temporary.
Escalate the situation to senior leadership so they can apply pressure to re-engage them.
Reduce the frequency of updates to avoid overwhelming them during a busy period.
WHY IS THIS THE CORECT ANSWER
A direct conversation finds the cause and rebuilds engagement on terms that suit the stakeholder, rather than guessing or applying pressure.
Networking
Question
You are at an industry event and have just had a productive conversation with someone whose work is highly relevant to yours. What is the best way to follow up afterwards?
Select your answer
Send a personalised message within a day or two referencing a specific point from your conversation and suggesting a way to stay in touch.
Connect with them on LinkedIn and wait to see if they reach out.
Send a follow-up email with your full professional background so they have context about your work.
Wait until you have a specific reason to reach out, such as a collaboration opportunity.
WHY IS THIS THE CORECT ANSWER
A prompt, personalised message builds on the rapport and makes a clear next step easy.
Relationship Building
Question
You are working with a client who seems transactional in their communication and has shown little interest in building a broader relationship. What is the best approach?
Select your answer
Respect their preferred style while consistently demonstrating reliability and genuine interest in their outcomes, creating space for the relationship to develop naturally.
Mirror their transactional style and keep all interactions strictly professional.
Proactively suggest informal catch-ups to build personal rapport.
Share relevant industry insights with them periodically to add value beyond the core work.
WHY IS THIS THE CORECT ANSWER
Trust with a transactional client is built through consistent value, not forced rapport.
Relationship Management
Question
A key client contacts you to express frustration about a recent interaction with one of your colleagues. They are considering whether to continue the relationship. What is the best response?
Select your answer
Acknowledge their frustration, take ownership of the experience on behalf of the team, and commit to a specific follow-up to address their concerns and prevent a recurrence.
Apologise and explain the context behind your colleague’s behaviour to help them understand.
Offer a goodwill gesture to demonstrate how much you value the relationship.
Listen to their concerns and escalate internally before committing to any response.
