Varun's response does not address the question asked and instead veers off into a discussion about autonomous systems and recruitment, which is unrelated to the topic of managing IT strategy changes in the retail sector. This lack of focus and relevance significantly detracts from his credibility as a candidate. The benchmark response effectively describes a specific situation involving a transition from a legacy system to a cloud-based solution, detailing the steps taken to manage team dynamics and stakeholder expectations. Varun could improve by providing a concrete example from his experience, outlining the challenges faced, strategies employed, and the outcomes achieved. A more effective response could be, "In managing a significant change in IT strategy, I transitioned a client from a legacy system to a cloud-based solution. I communicated the vision clearly, established a feedback loop for team concerns, and implemented a phased approach to ensure smooth execution."