PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
A project team member is consistently late with deliverables, affecting the critical path. The project manager has had informal conversations, but performance hasn't improved. What should the project manager do next?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often choose Option C (escalation to the team member's manager) because they confuse a functional reporting structure with the project manager's direct authority over project deliverables, but the PMP exam expects the project manager to handle performance issues directly before escalating outside the project team.
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
✓
Initiate a formal performance improvement plan.
The project manager has already attempted informal resolution, and the continued impact on the critical path requires a formal performance improvement plan (PIP) to document the issue, set clear expectations, and provide a structured path for improvement. This aligns with the PMI's progressive discipline approach, where informal coaching precedes formal action to protect the project's schedule and maintain team accountability.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Initiate a formal performance improvement plan.
Why this is correct
Initiating a formal performance improvement plan (PIP) is the most appropriate first step for a project manager addressing consistent underperformance. A PIP clearly documents the specific performance gap, establishes measurable expectations for improvement, defines a realistic timeline, and outlines the support available to the team member, as well as the potential consequences of continued non-compliance. This structured approach demonstrates professional leadership and provides a clear path for resolution, aligning with the PMP's emphasis on proactive team management and development.
- ✗
Reassign the task to another team member.
Why it's wrong here
Reassigning the task to another team member without addressing the root cause of the original team member's consistent lateness is a reactive and short-sighted solution. While it might temporarily resolve the immediate deliverable issue, it fails to correct the underlying performance problem, which could manifest in future assignments or impact other project areas. This approach also bypasses the project manager's responsibility to coach and develop team members, which is critical for long-term team effectiveness and project success.
- ✗
Ask the team member's manager to intervene.
Why it's wrong here
Asking the team member's functional manager to intervene immediately is an inappropriate first response for a project manager. The project manager has direct responsibility for managing the performance of project team members regarding project-specific tasks and deliverables. Escalating the issue prematurely undermines the project manager's authority and direct communication channels, which are essential for effective project leadership and problem-solving. Direct engagement with the team member should always precede external intervention.
- ✗
Remove the team member from the project.
Why it's wrong here
Removing a team member from the project is an extreme measure that should only be considered as a last resort, after all other corrective actions and performance improvement efforts have been formally attempted and documented without success. Such an action can significantly disrupt project continuity, incur costs for replacement and onboarding, and negatively impact team morale. A project manager's role includes coaching and developing team members, making immediate removal an abandonment of that responsibility without due process.
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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.