The answer is to schedule a private meeting with the team member to discuss the performance and offer support. This is the correct first step because the PMP’s ‘People’ domain emphasizes servant leadership, which requires a project manager to address performance issues confidentially and collaboratively before escalating. By starting with a private, supportive conversation, you respect the team member’s long tenure and talent while uncovering the root cause of the missed deadlines and declining quality. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your ability to apply emotional intelligence and conflict resolution in the ‘Manage Team’ process; a common trap is jumping to corrective action or documentation too early. Remember the memory tip: “Private before punitive”—always start with a one-on-one to understand, not accuse.
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 project manager notices that one team member has been consistently missing deadlines, and their work quality is declining. The team member is otherwise talented and has been with the company for years. What should the project manager do FIRST?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Schedule a private meeting with the team member to discuss the performance and offer support
The correct first step is to have a private, supportive conversation to understand the root cause of the performance decline. This aligns with the PMP's 'People' domain, emphasizing servant leadership and addressing performance issues confidentially before escalating. It respects the team member's history and allows for collaborative problem-solving.
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.
✓
Schedule a private meeting with the team member to discuss the performance and offer support
Why this is correct
Private, supportive conversations help identify root causes and demonstrate servant leadership.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Reassign the work to another team member immediately
Why it's wrong here
Reassigning without understanding the cause may not address the issue and could overload others.
✗
Ignore the issue, assuming it will resolve itself
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring underperformance can affect team morale and project outcomes.
✗
Provide negative feedback during the next team meeting as a warning
Why it's wrong here
Public feedback can be humiliating and is not the best first step.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may jump to 'reassign work' (Option B) as a quick fix, but the PMP exam consistently tests that the first step in performance management is a private, supportive conversation to understand the root cause, not an immediate operational change.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This scenario tests the 'Manage Team' process (PMBOK Guide 6th Ed., 9.4) and the 'Servant Leadership' mindset. The project manager must first use 'Interpersonal and Team Skills' like active listening and conflict management to diagnose the issue—whether it's a personal problem, unclear requirements, or burnout. The 'First' action is always to gather information privately before any decision to reassign or escalate, as per the PMP's emphasis on addressing the person, not just the symptom.
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 private meeting with the team member to discuss the performance and offer support — The correct first step is to have a private, supportive conversation to understand the root cause of the performance decline. This aligns with the PMP's 'People' domain, emphasizing servant leadership and addressing performance issues confidentially before escalating. It respects the team member's history and allows for collaborative problem-solving.
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: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A team member has been consistently missing deadlines, causing delays in dependent tasks. During a one-on-one meeting, you discover they are struggling with a new technology. What is the best course of action?
easy
A.Escalate the performance issue to the functional manager
B.Reassign the tasks to another team member who is more experienced
C.Issue a formal warning about the missed deadlines
✓ D.Arrange for training or mentoring to help them acquire the necessary skills
Why D: Option D is correct because the root cause of the missed deadlines is a skill gap with the new technology, not a lack of effort or willful non-compliance. As a servant leader, the project manager should first support the team member by providing training or mentoring to close the competency gap, which directly addresses the cause and enables the team member to meet future deadlines. This approach aligns with the PMI People domain, which emphasizes developing the team and removing obstacles.
Variation 2. A project team member has been consistently missing deadlines for the past two weeks, causing delays for dependent tasks. When you speak with them, they mention personal issues but assure you they will catch up. What is the BEST approach?
medium
A.Redistribute the team member's tasks to others to avoid delays
B.Escalate the issue to the team member's functional manager
✓ C.Offer support such as flexible hours or counseling resources, and set clear expectations with a recovery plan
D.Issue a formal warning to the team member about performance
Why C: Option C is correct because it aligns with the PMP's emphasis on servant leadership and emotional intelligence. By offering support (flexible hours, counseling) and collaboratively setting a recovery plan, you address the root cause (personal issues) while maintaining accountability, which is more effective than punitive or escalatory measures for a temporary performance dip.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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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.
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