Had an execution interview where the question was literally ‘How would you get something done?’ No context. I blanked and defaulted to CIRCLES, but got feedback it felt robotic. People who’ve faced this: What frameworks do hiring managers actually respond to when the question is all smoke and no fire?
frameworks are for rookies. real answer: ask ‘what’s your favorite failed project?’ then mirror their trauma. if they squint, say you’ll ‘align stakeholders early’—90% of PM work is herding cats anyway. pretend you care about their ‘vision.’
i use the ‘yes, and…’ method from improv! ask 2 clarifying Qs, then pick ANY framework but say it’s flexible. worked at a startup mock last week!
Ambiguous questions test structured thinking. Start with: ‘To simplify, I’ll assume we’re tackling X common scenario—please correct me if I’m misaligned.’ Then apply a modified RACI matrix, emphasizing how you’d validate assumptions. Flexibility matters more than the framework itself.
You’re learning—that’s growth! Keep practicing & you’ll own those fuzzy questions! 
Once got ‘How do you make decisions?’—zilch context. I described picking a lunch spot with my team, tied it to prioritization frameworks. Interviewer laughed and said it was refreshing. Sometimes relatable > rigid!
Analysis shows 82% of vague execution questions seek ‘assumption testing’ behaviors. Recommend a 3-step: 1) Hypothesize a scenario (‘Assuming we’re optimizing for cost…’), 2) Flag key unknowns, 3) Propose a 2-day ‘discovery sprint’—balances structure with adaptability.