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 new team member from a different cultural background joins your project. They seem hesitant to share opinions during meetings and prefer written communication. Some team members perceive this as disengagement. As the project manager, what is the BEST approach?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Schedule a team-building session focused on cultural diversity and communication styles
Option C is the best approach because it proactively addresses the root cause—cultural differences in communication styles—by fostering mutual understanding and inclusion. This aligns with the PMP's emphasis on servant leadership and creating a collaborative team environment, rather than forcing assimilation or ignoring the issue.
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.
✗
Assign a mentor to the new team member to help them fit in
Why it's wrong here
While mentorship is helpful, it does not address the team's perception or the need for cultural awareness.
✗
Ignore the situation as it may resolve on its own
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring the issue can lead to team friction and the new member feeling isolated.
✓
Schedule a team-building session focused on cultural diversity and communication styles
Why this is correct
This proactively addresses the issue by educating the team and fostering an inclusive culture.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Ask the new team member to adapt to the team's existing communication norms
Why it's wrong here
This does not respect the individual's cultural preferences and may cause further disengagement.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose Option A (mentor) as a quick fix for integration, but the PMP exam rewards solutions that address team dynamics and cultural intelligence over individual assimilation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In cross-cultural teams, communication preferences often stem from high-context vs. low-context cultural dimensions (Hall, 1976). A team-building session that explicitly discusses these differences helps normalize varied styles, reducing misinterpretation of silence or written preference as disengagement. This approach leverages the PMI Talent Triangle's 'Leadership' competency by fostering emotional intelligence and inclusive decision-making.
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 practitioner preparing for the PMP exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
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: Schedule a team-building session focused on cultural diversity and communication styles — Option C is the best approach because it proactively addresses the root cause—cultural differences in communication styles—by fostering mutual understanding and inclusion. This aligns with the PMP's emphasis on servant leadership and creating a collaborative team environment, rather than forcing assimilation or ignoring the issue.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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