PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
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?
⚠ Common exam trap
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.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
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.
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.
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 tasks to another team member is a reactive measure that fails to address the underlying cause of the junior team member's consistent missed deadlines. While it might temporarily mitigate the immediate impact on the project schedule, this approach neglects the opportunity for coaching and development. It also risks demotivating the original team member and potentially overburdens the new assignee, creating new project risks without resolving the core performance management challenge.
- ✓
Meet with the team member privately to explore any obstacles or personal challenges.
Why this is correct
Meeting privately with the team member to understand potential obstacles or personal challenges exemplifies effective servant leadership and emotional intelligence in project management. This proactive approach prioritizes understanding the root causes of underperformance, which could range from skill gaps to workload issues or external factors. By offering a supportive and confidential environment, the project manager can identify specific interventions, provide necessary resources, or adjust expectations, thereby fostering trust and facilitating the team member's growth and improved project contributions.
- ✗
Escalate the matter to the team member's functional manager.
Why it's wrong here
Escalating the matter directly to the team member's functional manager without prior direct intervention is generally premature and can be counterproductive. As a project manager, the initial responsibility is to attempt to resolve performance issues through direct communication, coaching, and support. Bypassing this crucial step can undermine the project manager's authority, damage trust with the team member, and may be perceived as an avoidance of direct performance management, making future collaborative problem-solving more difficult.
- ✗
Ignore the issue to avoid conflict.
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring consistent missed deadlines to avoid conflict is a detrimental approach that undermines project success and team dynamics. This inaction allows performance issues to persist, potentially causing schedule delays, quality compromises, and increased costs for the project. Furthermore, it can negatively impact team morale as other members may perceive an inequitable distribution of workload or a lack of accountability, eroding the project manager's credibility and fostering a culture of underperformance.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
Key term
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others to communicate and lead effectively.
Key term
Organizational Change Management
Organizational Change Management (OCM) is the structured approach to preparing, supporting, and guiding people through changes in an organization to ensure lasting success.
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