Problems & Setbacks

Meaning

To encounter something or someone unexpectedly — often used when a problem or difficulty appears without warning.

Example

"We ran into a major technical issue the day before launch and had to work through the night."

Conversation questions

• What's a challenge you recently ran into that you weren't prepared for?
• How do you stay calm when you run into an unexpected obstacle?

Meaning

To recover from something difficult — a setback, an illness, a disappointment, or an emotional challenge.

Example

"It took him months to get over being passed over for the promotion, but it pushed him to find a better opportunity."

Conversation questions

• What's the hardest thing you've had to get over? How did you eventually move on?
• Do you think some things you just never fully get over, or is recovery always possible?

Meaning

To find a creative solution that allows you to avoid or bypass an obstacle rather than confronting it directly.

Example

"When the supplier fell through, the team worked around it by sourcing materials locally at a higher cost."

Conversation questions

• Can you think of a time you had to work around a limitation? What did you come up with?
• What's the difference between working around a problem and actually solving it?

Meaning

To investigate or examine something thoroughly and in depth — to really get to the bottom of something.

Example

"When the numbers didn't add up, the CFO decided to dig into the expense reports herself."

Conversation questions

• What's something at work or in your personal life you've had to dig into recently?
• Do you enjoy digging into complex problems, or do you prefer dealing with things on the surface?

Meaning

To fail to happen as planned — used when something collapses or doesn't materialize, often after significant preparation.

Example

"The deal fell through at the very last stage — after months of negotiation, it was a real blow."

Conversation questions

• Have you ever had plans or an opportunity fall through at the worst moment?
• How do you recover mentally when something you worked hard for falls through?

Meaning

To withdraw from an agreement, commitment, or plan — especially at a late or inconvenient stage.

Example

"He agreed to co-present with her, then backed out two days before, leaving her to handle it alone."

Conversation questions

• Have you ever had to back out of something? How did you handle communicating it?
• What makes backing out of a commitment acceptable versus unprofessional?