PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Test 22 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A project manager is leading a large construction project. The sponsor requests that the team skip a mandatory quality inspection to save two weeks on the schedule. The project manager knows that skipping the inspection could compromise safety and violate regulations. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Explain the regulatory and safety implications to the sponsor and recommend against skipping the inspection. Option D is correct because the project manager has a fiduciary and ethical duty to prioritize safety and regulatory compliance over schedule pressure. Skipping a mandatory quality inspection violates regulations and could lead to legal liability, project shutdown, or harm. The PM must clearly communicate these risks to the sponsor and recommend against the action, as per the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

Answer

Document the sponsor's request and proceed with the inspection as planned without further discussion

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Comply with the sponsor's request to maintain a good relationship

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Propose reducing the inspection scope rather than skipping it entirely

Question 2

A project manager is forming a new project team. To build a high-performing team, the project manager wants to establish clear expectations for behavior and communication. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a team charter workshop to collaboratively define ground rules, values, and communication protocols. Option A is correct because a team charter is a formal document that outlines team values, communication guidelines, and ground rules. It is a key tool for building a high-performing team. Option B is too informal. Option C focuses only on technical aspects. Option D is vague and does not provide clear guidelines.

Answer

Create a detailed project schedule and assign tasks immediately

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Ask each team member to submit a list of their personal expectations

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Send an email listing team rules and ask for acknowledgment

Question 3

During a project, a key team member consistently misses deadlines, causing delays. The project manager has had informal conversations with the team member, but the situation has not improved. What should the project manager do next?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a private meeting to discuss the performance gap, identify underlying issues, and create an improvement plan. Option A is correct because the project manager should first address performance issues through direct, private communication to understand root causes and collaboratively develop an improvement plan. This aligns with the PMI People domain, emphasizing servant leadership and coaching to resolve team member performance gaps before escalating or reassigning tasks. The informal conversations have not worked, so a structured approach with clear expectations and support is the next logical step.

Answer

Ignore the issue and adjust the schedule to accommodate the delays

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Escalate the issue to the functional manager and request a replacement

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Reassign the task to another team member without discussion

Question 4

A project manager is leading a global team with diverse cultural backgrounds. Two team members from different cultures have a misunderstanding that is causing tension. The project manager wants to promote inclusivity and resolve the issue. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Arrange a mediation session where both parties can share perspectives and learn about each other's cultural norms. Option C is correct because facilitating a discussion that acknowledges cultural differences and encourages mutual understanding aligns with diversity and inclusion best practices. Option A assumes one party is responsible. Option B is dismissive. Option D focuses on policy rather than resolution.

Answer

Create a policy requiring all team members to communicate in a standard way

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Determine which team member is at fault and counsel them individually

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Advise the team to avoid discussing cultural differences to prevent further conflict

Question 5

A project manager is using a servant leadership approach. During a sprint, the team is struggling to complete their tasks due to unclear requirements. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Work with the product owner to clarify the requirements and provide the team with the necessary information. Option B is correct because servant leadership involves removing obstacles for the team. Clarifying requirements removes the impediment. Option A does not help the team directly. Option C bypasses the team's autonomy. Option D is reactive rather than proactive.

Answer

Take over the task of clarifying requirements and update the user stories yourself

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Coach the team to ask better questions during sprint planning

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Wait until the sprint retrospective to discuss the issue

Question 6

You are a project manager for a marketing campaign project. A team member has proposed a new approach that could improve the campaign's effectiveness but would require additional budget and extend the timeline. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Submit a change request with an analysis of the benefits, costs, and risks. Option C is correct because any change to scope, schedule, or budget must go through formal change control. The PM should evaluate the proposed change and submit a change request. Option A bypasses change control. Option B discourages innovation. Option D approves without assessment.

Answer

Encourage the team member to implement the new approach informally

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Approve the change since it improves effectiveness

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Reject the proposal to stay within the original plan

Question 7

A project manager discovers that a team member has been working overtime for weeks to meet a deadline. The team member appears stressed and burnt out. The project manager is concerned about the team member's well-being and the sustainability of the project. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a private meeting to discuss the workload, express concern, and explore options for support or reprioritization. Option A is correct because servant leadership involves caring for team members' well-being. Having an empathetic conversation to understand the situation and offer support is the first step. Option B is confrontational. Option C ignores the issue. Option D may not address the root cause.

Answer

Increase the project budget to hire additional help immediately

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Warn the team member that overtime is not sustainable and require them to stop

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Ignore the situation as long as deadlines are met

Question 8

In a large-scale project, the project manager notices that sprint velocity has been declining over the last three sprints. The team is demotivated and blaming each other for missed commitments. What should the project manager do first?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a retrospective to identify root causes and collaboratively develop improvement actions. Option B is correct because the first step in addressing declining sprint velocity and team demotivation is to facilitate a retrospective. This aligns with the PMP's focus on servant leadership and collaborative problem-solving, allowing the team to identify root causes (e.g., technical debt, unclear requirements) and co-create improvement actions, which restores ownership and morale.

Answer

Reassign tasks to the highest-performing team members

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Replace the Scrum Master with a more experienced one

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Meet with the product owner to reduce the scope of upcoming sprints

Question 9

A project manager is leading a team that includes members from different departments. One team member frequently misses team meetings and fails to update task status. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a one-on-one meeting to discuss the issue and understand any challenges. Option B is correct because the PM should first address performance issues privately to understand root causes, such as personal challenges or workload conflicts, before taking any formal action. This aligns with the PMP's emphasis on servant leadership and proactive conflict resolution, ensuring the team member feels supported and can improve without public embarrassment.

Answer

Bring up the issue in the next team meeting to encourage accountability

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Remove the team member from the project

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Report the issue to the team member's functional manager

Question 10

A project manager is leading a hybrid project. The team has members in three countries, and communication has been challenging. The project manager wants to improve collaboration and build trust among remote team members. Which TWO actions should the project manager take?

Accepted Answer

Rotate meeting times so that no single region always has an inconvenient time. Option B is correct because rotating meeting times distributes the inconvenience of early or late meetings across all time zones, which demonstrates fairness and respect for team members' work-life balance. This action directly addresses the challenge of remote collaboration in a hybrid project by fostering trust and inclusivity, which are critical for team cohesion. Option E is correct because a virtual team charter establishes clear communication norms, availability windows, and expectations, reducing ambiguity and enabling more effective asynchronous and synchronous collaboration.

Answer

Implement a reward system for individual performance metrics

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Assign a single point of contact in each country to relay information

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Require all team members to relocate to a central office for the project duration

Question 11

During project execution, the project manager notices that two team members are in frequent conflict, which is affecting the team's overall performance. The project manager wants to resolve the conflict effectively. Which THREE actions align with PMI's recommended approach?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a joint meeting to discuss the issue and find common ground. Options B, C, and D are correct. The PM should first understand the conflict privately, then facilitate a joint discussion, and finally agree on a solution. Option A is confrontational in public. Option E escalates prematurely.

Answer

Address the conflict in a team meeting to model transparency

Answer

Escalate the conflict to the project sponsor for resolution

Question 12

A project manager is leading an agile team that has been self-organizing for several sprints. Recently, the team's performance has declined, and the project manager suspects the team is not fully empowered to make decisions. The project manager wants to empower the team. Which TWO actions should the project manager take?

Accepted Answer

Trust the team to resolve their own conflicts without intervention. Option A is correct because empowering a self-organizing agile team requires trusting them to handle their own interpersonal dynamics, including conflict resolution. When the project manager intervenes in conflicts, it undermines the team's autonomy and can reduce their sense of ownership, which is critical for sustained high performance in agile frameworks like Scrum.

Answer

Step in to make decisions when the team is struggling with a difficult issue

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Assign a senior team lead to oversee team decisions

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Provide additional training on agile practices

Question 13

You are managing a hybrid software development project. During the daily stand-up, two senior developers get into a heated argument about the best technical approach for a critical feature. The argument is delaying the meeting and causing tension. As the project manager, what should you do first?

Accepted Answer

Intervene, acknowledge both perspectives, and schedule a separate meeting to resolve the conflict. Option B is correct because the PM should address conflict early and privately to avoid escalation and maintain team focus. Option A is wrong because ignoring conflict can worsen it. Option C is wrong because escalating to the sponsor bypasses the team's autonomy. Option D is wrong because making a unilateral decision may reduce team ownership.

Answer

Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision

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Let the team resolve the conflict on their own without intervention

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Decide on the technical approach yourself to move forward quickly

Question 14

You are leading a virtual team across three time zones. A team member from the offshore location has been consistently missing deadlines, causing delays. When you inquire, the member says they are overloaded with work from another project. What is the best course of action?

Accepted Answer

Discuss the situation with the member and their functional manager to resolve the workload conflict. Option C is correct because the PM should first understand the root cause and address resource conflicts. Option A is wrong because replacing the member without investigation may lose valuable skills. Option B is wrong because assigning more work without resolving the overload will worsen the issue. Option D is wrong because remote team members need support, not just blame.

Answer

Assign additional resources to help the member complete tasks

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Replace the team member with someone who can meet deadlines

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Issue a formal warning to the team member about performance expectations

Question 15

Your agile project is in its third sprint. The product owner has been pressuring the team to deliver more features each sprint to meet stakeholder expectations. Sprint velocity has dropped for two consecutive sprints, and the team seems demotivated. As the project manager, what should you do?

Accepted Answer

Coach the product owner on agile principles and facilitate a discussion on sustainable pace and prioritization. Option D is correct because servant leadership involves protecting the team from pressure and facilitating a sustainable pace. Option A is wrong because adding more people does not guarantee increased velocity and can disrupt the team. Option B is wrong because extending sprint length without addressing the root cause may not help. Option C is wrong because working overtime is unsustainable and can lead to burnout.

Answer

Add more developers to the team to increase capacity

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Extend the sprint duration to allow more time for feature completion

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Ask the team to work overtime to catch up on the backlog