PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
A project manager is managing a large infrastructure project. The lead engineer has a strong personality and often dismisses ideas from other team members during meetings, causing some to withdraw from participation. What should the project manager do?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently choose Option D (team meeting) because it seems inclusive and non-confrontational, but the PMP exam expects the project manager to address the specific individual privately first, as public discussions can embarrass the engineer and fail to resolve the underlying issue.
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
✓
Speak privately with the lead engineer about the impact of their behavior and set expectations for collaboration
The project manager should address the disruptive behavior directly and privately with the lead engineer, focusing on the impact on team collaboration and setting clear expectations for respectful communication. This aligns with the PMP's focus on conflict resolution and team leadership, as direct, constructive feedback is the most effective way to change behavior without escalating conflict or undermining the engineer's authority.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Redistribute the lead engineer's tasks to reduce their influence
Why it's wrong here
Redistributing a lead engineer's tasks to diminish their influence is a punitive and indirect management action that fails to address the problematic behavior directly. This approach can severely damage team morale, erode trust, and create resentment, potentially escalating conflict rather than resolving it. Such a move disrupts project structure and roles, signaling a lack of direct leadership and potentially leading to further disengagement or even retaliation from the affected individual.
- ✗
Ignore the behavior and hope the team members will stand up for themselves
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring disruptive behavior and hoping team members will self-correct is an abdication of the project manager's responsibility to foster a healthy team environment. This inaction tolerates a toxic atmosphere, signaling to the team that such behavior is acceptable, which can lead to decreased psychological safety, reduced productivity, and increased team conflict. Ultimately, it erodes trust in leadership and jeopardizes the project's success by allowing negative dynamics to fester unchecked.
- ✓
Speak privately with the lead engineer about the impact of their behavior and set expectations for collaboration
Why this is correct
Speaking privately with the lead engineer about the impact of their behavior and setting clear expectations for collaboration is the most professional and effective approach. This direct, yet respectful, conversation allows the project manager to provide constructive feedback, ensuring the engineer understands the specific impact of their actions on the team and project. It offers an opportunity for the individual to acknowledge the issue and commit to behavioral adjustments, fostering accountability and preserving working relationships while promoting a more collaborative environment.
- ✗
Schedule a team meeting to discuss meeting etiquette without singling out the engineer
Why it's wrong here
Scheduling a general team meeting to discuss etiquette without singling out the engineer is an indirect and often ineffective strategy for addressing specific behavioral issues. While promoting general team norms is valuable, this approach fails to directly confront the individual whose actions are causing the problem, allowing the behavior to persist unaddressed. The problematic engineer might not recognize their own actions as the target, or they might feel indirectly accused without the opportunity for a direct, constructive dialogue, thus failing to achieve the desired behavioral change.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
Key term
Project Management Plan
A formal, approved document that defines how a project is executed, monitored, controlled, and closed, serving as the single source of truth for the project team.
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.
About these practice questions
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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.