This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A junior team member consistently misses deadlines, affecting the project schedule. You have spoken to them twice about the issue, but performance has not improved. What should you do NEXT?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Meet with the team member privately to explore any obstacles or personal challenges.
Option B is correct because the PM should first seek to understand the root cause of the performance issue through a private, supportive conversation. This aligns with the PMP's 'People' domain, emphasizing servant leadership and emotional intelligence. Exploring obstacles or personal challenges addresses potential underlying factors (e.g., unclear requirements, resource constraints, or personal stress) before escalating or reassigning work.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Reassign the tasks to another team member.
Why it's wrong here
Reassigning without addressing the root cause does not help the team member improve.
✓
Meet with the team member privately to explore any obstacles or personal challenges.
Why this is correct
A private meeting to understand root causes demonstrates servant leadership and support.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Escalate the matter to the team member's functional manager.
Why it's wrong here
Escalation should come after coaching and support have been provided.
✗
Ignore the issue to avoid conflict.
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring underperformance harms the project and team morale.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often jump to reassignment (Option A) or escalation (Option C) as 'decisive' actions, failing to recognize that the PM must first use interpersonal skills to diagnose and support the team member, as per the PMP's emphasis on leading people over managing tasks.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In agile or hybrid environments, the PM acts as a servant leader, using techniques like active listening and root-cause analysis (e.g., '5 Whys') to uncover performance blockers. A private meeting allows the PM to apply the 'Manage Team' process (PMBOK Guide) to assess if the issue stems from skill gaps, unclear priorities, or external pressures. This approach preserves psychological safety, which is critical for team cohesion and long-term productivity.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PMP question in full detail.
People — Leading Projects — This question tests People — Leading Projects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Meet with the team member privately to explore any obstacles or personal challenges. — Option B is correct because the PM should first seek to understand the root cause of the performance issue through a private, supportive conversation. This aligns with the PMP's 'People' domain, emphasizing servant leadership and emotional intelligence. Exploring obstacles or personal challenges addresses potential underlying factors (e.g., unclear requirements, resource constraints, or personal stress) before escalating or reassigning work.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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