Domain People Task 2: Lead a team (8Q)

Questions 14

You are a Project Manager for a large software development project. During one of your team’s
daily stand-up meetings, a key team member, Alex, brings up an issue. He mentions that a
critical piece of software library, which is essential for the project’s next milestone, is currently
held up due to licensing issues. This delay could potentially push the project’s deadline back by
at least two weeks. What should be your FIRST course of action?

A) Inform the stakeholders about the potential delay immediately.

B) Work with the procurement and legal teams to understand and resolve the licensing issues.

C) Tell the team member to closely work with procurement and legal teams.

D) Escalate the issue to the project’s sponsor for a resolution.

Analysis

The scenario revolves around a project manager overseeing a large software development
project. During a team stand-up meeting, a key team member, Alex, reveals an issue: a crucial
software library, vital for the project’s next milestone, is unavailable due to licensing challenges.
This problem could result in a potential two-week delay for the project. The question centers on
determining the most appropriate initial action for the project manager to take.

Analysis of Options:

Option A: Inform the stakeholders about the potential delay immediately. While stakeholder
communication is a cornerstone of project management, immediate communication without
thorough validation may not be the optimal course of action. The concern has been raised by
only one team member, and there isn’t a definitive sign that this perception is universally shared
among the team. Consequently, alerting stakeholders about a potential delay without a proper
assessment could lead to premature reactions and decisions based on incomplete data.

Option B: Work with the procurement and legal teams to understand and resolve the licensing
issues. This option focuses on a proactive and hands-on approach. It’s prudent to first grasp the
root cause and explore viable resolutions before making any major decisions. Engaging with the
procurement and legal teams, the project manager can gain insight into the nature of the
licensing roadblocks and the possible ways to navigate them. This approach embodies servant
leadership, where the project manager actively seeks to resolve hurdles hindering the team. It’s
about delving deep into the problem, potentially finding a solution, and then, if required,
updating stakeholders based on the findings.

Option C: Tell the team member to closely work with procurement and legal teams. While
fostering a sense of self-organization and autonomy within teams is commendable, delegating
the resolution of such a critical issue back to a team member might not be the best strategy.
Significant impediments, especially those with the potential to impact project timelines
significantly, should be actively managed by the project manager, given their broader view of
the project and the authority to communicate and negotiate across various teams.

Option D: Escalate the issue to the project’s sponsor for a resolution. Instantly escalating a
concern without attempting to comprehend or address it isn’t always the right move. Unless
there’s an explicit indication that the issue is beyond the project manager’s remit or has reached
a point of urgency, it’s generally advisable to analyze the issue thoroughly first.

In conclusion, based on the analysis, Option B: “Work with the procurement and legal teams to
understand and resolve the licensing issues” emerges as the most fitting initial step. It
seamlessly merges proactive problem-solving, servant leadership, and the potential for effective
communication with stakeholders post a comprehensive assessment. The majority of survey
participants from the given context also seemed to lean towards this option, further validating its
relevance.

Questions 36

As a project manager, you have identified a primary stakeholder who is critical to the project’s
success but has been disengaged from the project activities. What technique should the project
manager utilize to increase the stakeholder’s engagement?

A) Use the salience model to understand the stakeholder’s power, urgency, and legitimacy.

B) Raise a risk in the upcoming governance review about the stakeholder’s disengagement.

C) Generate a survey to take feedback from the stakeholder about his interest in the project.

D) Schedule a one-on-one conversation to understand the needs and expectations of the

stakeholder.

Analysis

The question pertains to stakeholder engagement, specifically how a project manager can re-
engage a primary stakeholder who has become disengaged. Proper engagement is vital for the
success of a project. The engagement level of stakeholders can fluctuate, and it’s important to
ensure that key stakeholders remain engaged. The ideal solution would involve understanding
the stakeholder’s needs and expectations to develop an effective engagement strategy. Let’s
see what technique can help here.

Analysis of Options:

Option A: Use the salience model to understand the stakeholder’s power, urgency, and
legitimacy. This option focuses more on analyzing the stakeholder’s role in the project (e.g.,
their power, urgency, and legitimacy) than on understanding their needs or devising a strategy
to increase engagement. The salience model is more about assessment than engagement.
While understanding these attributes might be useful, this doesn’t directly address the issue at
hand.

Option B: Raise a risk in the upcoming governance review about the stakeholder’s
disengagement. This option is more about escalating the issue than directly addressing the
disengagement. It could be perceived as sidestepping responsibility or trying to involve higher
governance without first trying to understand and solve the problem.

Option C: Generate a survey to take feedback from the stakeholder about his interest in the
project. This option is proactive in trying to understand the stakeholder’s perspective and needs.
However, it is less interactive and personal. Surveys can be prone to biases and might not
capture the depth or nuance of the stakeholder’s feelings or concerns.

Option D: Schedule a one-on-one conversation to understand the needs and expectations of the
stakeholder. This option is the most direct and interactive. It involves rich communication, which
is ideal for understanding complex issues or feelings. A one-on-one conversation allows for
immediate feedback and follow-up questions, ensuring clarity. Given the critical nature of the
stakeholder, direct interaction is more suitable than impersonal methods.

Conclusion: Option “D Schedule a one-on-one conversation to understand the needs and

expectations of the stakeholder”. is the most appropriate choice. It aligns well with the PMP
exam that emphasizes rich, interactive communication, especially in critical situations. The
option addresses the heart of the issue, which is understanding the stakeholder’s needs and
expectations, and then crafting an engagement strategy based on this understanding.

Questions 38

As a project progresses, several team members express concerns about the direction of their
tasks, feeling uncertain about how their individual efforts contribute to the project’s objectives.
This uncertainty has resulted in decreased motivation and collaboration among team members.
What should the project manager do to address the situation?

A) Re-evaluate the reward and recognition system to ensure it aligns with project objectives.

B) Clarify the broader impact and significance of the deliverables to stakeholders.

C) Diversify tasks by involving the team in end-user training sessions.

D) Arrange a team-building event to provide a break and rejuvenate team spirit.

Analysis

The primary issue highlighted in the question is related to motivation, specifically stemming from
the team members’ inability to recognize how their individual efforts tie into the overall project
objectives. The primary need here is for the project manager to enable a sense of achievement
and value in team members by showing them the broader impact of their contributions. The
ideal solution should address this concern directly.

Analysis of Options:

Option A: Re-evaluate the reward and recognition system to ensure it aligns with project
objectives. This focuses on the reward and recognition system. Although rewards can be a
factor in motivation, however, the primary issue in this scenario isn’t about rewards. It’s about
understanding and visualizing one’s contribution to the larger goal. Therefore, this option might
not be the most effective solution for the problem at hand

Option B: Clarify the broader impact and significance of the deliverables to stakeholders. This
option seems to address the core issue. By highlighting the overall impact and importance of the
deliverables, team members can more deeply recognize the worth of their contributions. Such
clarity can greatly enhance motivation and morale because it addresses their specific concerns.

Option C: Diversify tasks by involving the team in end-user training sessions. Diversifying tasks
by involving team members in end-user training sessions might give them a broader perspective
of the project. However, it makes assumptions and is an indirect solution to the problem,
whereas Option B provides a more direct solution.

Option D: Arrange a team-building event to provide a break and rejuvenate team spirit. Though
such events promote mutual trust and friendship among team members, they don’t address the
central concern. The issue isn’t about team dynamics or stress; it’s about recognizing individual
contributions to the larger project goals. Thus, this option is not an optimal solution for this
particular situation.

Conclusion: Option B, Clarify the broader impact and significance of the deliverables to
stakeholders. is the most appropriate as it addresses the root cause of the issue by helping
team members see the bigger picture, thereby fostering motivation and collaboration. This
solution also aligns with various motivational theories which emphasize the need for individuals
to understand their significance and impact on larger objectives.

Questions 40

As the project progresses, you’ve observed that two team members, Ravi and Isabella, haven’t
been collaborating effectively for the past two weeks. Their interactions are marked by evident
tension, negatively impacting the quality of their joint deliverables. As the project manager, what
is the most appropriate step to address the situation between Ravi and Isabella?

A) Organize a team-building activity, hoping that the shared experience will help them bond.

B) Schedule a private meeting with both Ravi and Isabella to facilitate an open dialogue about
the issue.
C) Share your observations about their interactions during a retrospective meeting with the
entire team.

D) Wait for the team to naturally resolve the situation on its own.

Analysis

The core problem depicted in the question is a sensed conflict between two team members,
Ravi and Isabella. As the project manager has observed, this conflict has spanned over two
weeks and has negatively impacted the quality of joint deliverables. The main objective for the
project manager is to understand the cause of this conflict and find a solution that mitigates the
observed detrimental impacts.

Analysis of Options:

Option A: Organize a team-building activity, hoping that the shared experience will help them
bond. This is an indirect approach to resolving the conflict. The downside is that by involving the
entire team in a team-building activity, the focus is diffused. The two individuals in question
might not necessarily address their conflict, and the investment of time and resources for the
whole team might not yield the desired outcome. It doesn’t directly address the problem at hand.

Option B: Schedule a private meeting with both Ravi and Isabella to facilitate an open dialogue
about the issue. This option directly addresses the issue. By facilitating an open dialogue, the
project manager can clarify observations, validate whether these observations are accurate, and
work towards a resolution. This approach respects the privacy of the individuals involved, avoids
public confrontation, and is a proactive way to find a solution.

Option C: Share your observations about their interactions during a retrospective meeting with
the entire team. This option might lead to public embarrassment and defensiveness, which can
exacerbate the conflict rather than resolve it. The situation could become even more
complicated, and other team members could be dragged into it. Addressing individual conflicts
in a public setting without prior conversation might not be the most emotionally intelligent
approach.

Option D: Wait for the team to naturally resolve the situation on its own. The passive approach
of waiting for the problem to be resolved on its own can be effective in scenarios where the
conflict is not impacting the project’s outcomes. However, in this instance, where there’s a clear
indication of deteriorating deliverable quality, passive waiting might be detrimental.

Conclusion: Given the analysis, Option B Schedule a private meeting with both Ravi and
Isabella to facilitate an open dialogue about the issue.– scheduling a private meeting with both
Ravi and Isabella – emerges as the most appropriate step to address the situation. The situation
primarily deals with conflict management. The project manager’s role is pivotal in understanding
the context of the conflict, interpreting its nature, and finding the most effective resolution
method. Emotionally intelligent handling of the situation, as well as leading the team effectively
through potential pitfalls, is crucial. The primary topics covered include team development,
conflict management, emotional intelligence, and interactive communication.

Questions 41

Amara, the project manager for a citywide Wi-Fi installation project, faces stringent timelines.
While she is content with the overall team’s achievements, she has observed that Rohan, a key
team member, consistently falls short of his set objectives. This underperformance could
jeopardize the on-time delivery of the project’s upcoming phase. What should Amara do FIRST?

A) Ask the team to support Rohan more frequently to ensure on-time delivery.

B) Organize a team appreciation event to foster motivation and a collaborative environment.

C) Engage Rohan in a one-on-one discussion to understand any challenges or obstacles he’s

encountering.

D) Request the team to provide feedback on Rohan’s performance during the past duration.

Analysis

In this scenario, Amara, as a project manager, is presented with a challenge that requires
immediate and effective management to ensure the project stays on track. The question asks
for the first action she should take to address the underperformance of a critical team member,
Rohan, whose inability to meet his objectives could adversely impact the project timeline

Analysis of Options:

Option A: Ask the team to support Rohan more frequently to ensure on-time delivery. This
option presumes that Rohan’s underperformance is due to a lack of support from the team.
However, without understanding the root cause of Rohan’s issues, this solution may be
premature.

Option B: Organize a team appreciation event to foster motivation and a collaborative

environment. While this might be a positive action, the specific situation with Rohan may or may
not be related to motivation or lack of recognition. The question doesn’t provide enough
evidence to suggest that an appreciation event would address the immediate issue with
Rohan’s performance.

Option C: Engage Rohan in a one-on-one discussion to understand any challenges or obstacles

he’s encountering. This is a direct and proactive approach. It focuses on understanding the
underlying issues before jumping to solutions. This option aligns with the principle of engaging
with team members to support their performance, and growth, and to provide appropriate
feedback.

Option D: Request the team to provide feedback on Rohan’s performance during the past
duration. This indirect approach might bring insights but could also cause discomfort or
embarrassment for Rohan, potentially affecting team dynamics negatively. It is less direct than
option C and might not be the best first step.

Conclusion: The most suitable first action would be option C, where Amara engages directly
with Rohan to understand his challenges. This approach is aligned with PMP best practices,
where a project manager should first seek to understand the issue from the team member’s
perspective before taking further action. It supports the development of team members through
direct communication and the application of emotional intelligence, which is crucial in leadership
roles.

Questions 42

Sarah, the project manager of a new software development project, observes that the project’s
agility and responsiveness are hindered because decisions consistently need her approval.
Believing that empowering her team could expedite the decision-making process, what should
Sarah do FIRST to address this concern?

A) Delegate all decision-making authority to the team leads.

B) Revisit the team charter to determine which decisions can be made at various levels of the
team.

C) Coach the Product Owner to make decisions.

D) Instruct the team to make decisions on their own.

Analysis

The question asks what Sarah, the project manager, should do first to improve agility and
responsiveness in her software development project by reducing the bottleneck caused by all
decisions needing her approval. The primary goal is to empower the team to make decisions in
a more decentralized manner.

Analysis of Options:

Option A: Delegate all decision-making authority to the team leads. This option proposes a
significant shift of decision-making from the project manager to the team leads, assuming they
are ready for this responsibility. While it aims to reduce the bottleneck of decisions needing the
project manager’s approval, it risks creating a new centralization around team leads and
overlooks other team members. This abrupt delegation could lead to inconsistent decision
quality if team leads are unprepared, or if the scope of their decision-making authority is not
clearly defined.

Option B: Revisit the team charter to determine which decisions can be made at various levels
of the team. This option seems like a structured approach to decision-making. It suggests
revisiting and possibly revising the team charter to clearly delineate the levels of decision-
making authority within the team. This method promotes a balanced distribution of decision-
making power and encourages team involvement. It avoids abrupt changes and instead fosters
an environment of collaboration and empowerment across all team levels.

Option C: Coach the Product Owner to make decisions. This assumes that the Product Owner
is not already empowered or lacks decision-making skills, which is not mentioned in the
scenario. Also, this approach might not address the broader issue of team empowerment as it
centralizes decision-making within a single role. It also assumes that the current bottleneck is
due to the Product Owner’s inability to make decisions, which may not be the case. This option
does not consider the potential of other team members in the decision-making process and
might not contribute to overall team agility.

Option D: Instruct the team to make decisions on their own. Similar to option A, this is too direct.
It suggests a hands-off approach by instructing the team to make their own decisions. While it
aims to empower the team, it lacks structure and guidance, which could lead to uncoordinated
and potentially chaotic decision-making. This approach does not account for the varying levels
of decision-making authority or expertise within the team and could result in important decisions
being made without adequate oversight or input.

Conclusion: Option B, which involves revisiting the team charter to define decision-making
levels, is the most comprehensive and balanced approach. It not only addresses the immediate
concern of decision-making bottlenecks but also fosters a collaborative environment for the
entire team. Options A, C, and D, despite their intentions to decentralize decision-making, each
have significant drawbacks such as potential over-centralization around specific roles (A and C)
or risk of unstructured, chaotic decision-making (D). Therefore, Option B emerges as the most
effective solution for empowering the team and enhancing project agility.

Questions 48

You are the project manager for a global project, with team members dispersed across multiple
time zones. Ensuring effective communication and collaboration is crucial. What should be your
first step to accommodate virtual team interactions effectively?
A) Set up a fixed daily meeting time based on your best judgment of work time, so all can join
the meeting every day.

B) Rotate meeting times to equally distribute the inconvenience among all team members.

C) Conduct a survey to understand the preferences, availability, and constraints of each team
member in different time zones.

D) Use asynchronous communication tools like group chats and wikis to avoid scheduling
issues.

Analysis

This question revolves around managing effective communication and collaboration in a global
project with team members across multiple time zones. The focus is on selecting the best initial
approach to facilitate virtual team interactions.

Analysis of Options:

Option A – Set up a fixed daily meeting time based on your best judgment of work time, so all
can join the meeting every day. This option suggests setting a consistent daily meeting time
based on the project manager’s best judgment. It implies a directive approach, where the
project manager decides the meeting time without consulting the team. This method may not
accommodate the diverse schedules of a global team and overlooks the benefits of
collaborative decision-making.

Option B – Rotate meeting times to equally distribute the inconvenience among all team
members. Rotating meeting times to distribute inconvenience equally suggests a more
democratic approach. However, it might still not address the core issue of finding a mutually
agreeable time for all team members. This method could lead to unpredictability in schedules
and might affect the team’s productivity and work-life balance.

Option C – Conduct a survey to understand the preferences, availability, and constraints of each
team member in different time zones. his option involves conducting a survey to understand
each team member’s preferences, availability, and constraints in different time zones. It
represents an analytical approach, prioritizing the team’s input and needs. This method fosters
inclusivity and collaboration, ensuring decisions are made based on a comprehensive
understanding of the team’s dynamics.

Option D – Use asynchronous communication tools like group chats and wikis to avoid
scheduling issues.: This option suggests utilizing asynchronous communication tools like group
chats and wikis to circumvent scheduling conflicts. While this approach avoids the complexities
of coordinating live meetings across time zones, it may not fully address the need for real-time,
interactive communication that is often crucial for project collaboration.

Conclusion: Option C emerges as the most effective first step. It demonstrates a thoughtful,
inclusive approach by seeking to understand the team’s diverse needs and preferences before
deciding on a communication strategy. This option exemplifies a leadership style that values
team input and is committed to finding a balanced solution that caters to the unique dynamics of
a global team. It lays the groundwork for establishing effective communication practices that are
essential for successful project management in a virtual setting.

Questions 50

You are the project manager of a global initiative, and you have noticed that one of your virtual
team members, Alex, seems disengaged during team meetings and has missed a few
deadlines. Alex is a critical resource with a unique skill set that is essential to the project’s
success. Given that you both are in different time zones with no overlapping working hours,
what should be your FIRST action to address this situation?

A) Send an email to Alex detailing your observations and ask him to address his lack of
participation and missed deadlines.

B) Send an email to Alex detailing your observations and ask him to meet you one-on-one
during your working hours.

C) Initiate a one-on-one chat using the messenger, so he can respond as and when he gets
time, and share your observations.

D) Schedule a one-on-one meeting with Alex at a mutually convenient time, even if it means
adjusting your schedule temporarily, to understand the reasons for his disengagement.

Analysis

The question addresses a situation where a project manager observes disengagement and
missed deadlines from a critical team member, Alex, who works in a different time zone. The
challenge is to address Alex’s performance issues effectively considering the time zone
differences and the importance of his role in the project.

Analysis of Options:

Option A -Send an email to Alex detailing your observations and ask him to address his lack of
participation and missed deadlines. Sending an email to detail observations and ask Alex to
address his disengagement and missed deadlines might seem direct, but it lacks the personal
touch and immediacy of real-time communication. It risks misinterpretation and may not provide
a complete understanding of the underlying issues due to its asynchronous nature.
Option B – Send an email to Alex detailing your observations and ask him to meet you one-on-
one during your working hours. This option also involves sending an email, but with the intent of
setting up a one-on-one meeting. However, insisting on meeting during your own working hours
may come across as inconsiderate of Alex’s time zone and schedule, which might not foster an
open and collaborative discussion.

Option C -Initiate a one-on-one chat using the messenger, so he can respond as and when he
gets time, and share your observations. Starting a one-on-one chat allows Alex to respond in his
own time. While this method acknowledges the time zone challenge, it still lacks the depth and
clarity that a real-time conversation can offer, especially for sensitive topics like performance
issues.

Option D -Schedule a one-on-one meeting with Alex at a mutually convenient time, even if it
means adjusting your schedule temporarily, to understand the reasons for his disengagement.
This option involves scheduling a real-time meeting at a time convenient for both parties, even if
it requires adjusting your schedule. It prioritizes direct, synchronous communication and
demonstrates a willingness to accommodate and understand Alex’s situation, fostering a more
empathetic and effective dialogue.

Conclusion: Option D is the most appropriate first action. It balances the need for direct, real-
time communication with flexibility and consideration for the team member’s time zone. This
approach demonstrates effective leadership and a commitment to resolving the issue through
understanding and collaboration, essential for maintaining team engagement and project
success.