PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
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?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates 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.
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
✓
Schedule a team-building session focused on cultural diversity and communication styles
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.
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
Assigning a mentor primarily supports the new team member's individual integration and understanding of existing processes, but it does not proactively address the broader team's potential biases or lack of cultural awareness. This approach places the burden of adaptation solely on the new individual, failing to cultivate a truly inclusive environment where the entire team learns and adjusts. It's a reactive, individual-focused solution rather than a proactive, team-wide development strategy.
- ✗
Ignore the situation as it may resolve on its own
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring potential cultural integration challenges is a significant risk management oversight in project management. Unaddressed cultural differences can quickly escalate into communication breakdowns, team friction, and decreased morale, ultimately impacting project performance and team cohesion. A project manager is responsible for proactively managing team dynamics and fostering an environment where all members feel valued and understood, rather than hoping issues resolve passively.
- ✓
Schedule a team-building session focused on cultural diversity and communication styles
Why this is correct
Scheduling a team-building session focused on cultural diversity and communication styles is the most effective and proactive strategy. This approach educates the entire team, fostering empathy and providing practical tools for navigating different cultural norms and communication preferences. By collectively enhancing cultural intelligence, the team can prevent misunderstandings, build stronger relationships, and leverage diverse perspectives as a project strength, aligning with effective team development principles.
- ✗
Ask the new team member to adapt to the team's existing communication norms
Why it's wrong here
Demanding that the new team member unilaterally adapt to existing communication norms demonstrates a lack of cultural intelligence and inclusivity. This approach disregards the value of diverse perspectives and places an unfair burden on the individual, potentially leading to feelings of isolation, disengagement, and reduced psychological safety. Effective project management encourages mutual adaptation and the creation of new, inclusive team norms that leverage everyone's strengths, rather than enforcing conformity.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
Key term
Training and Development
Training and Development is the process of enhancing team members' skills, knowledge, and competencies to improve project performance and achieve career growth.
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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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PMP practice question is part of Courseiva's free PMI certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PMP exam.