PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
A team member consistently misses deadlines, causing delays in the project. The project manager has had informal conversations with the team member, but the issue persists. What is the BEST next step?
⚠ Common exam trap
PMP often tests the instinct to escalate or remove a resource immediately, but PMI's philosophy consistently favors direct, documented intervention and root-cause analysis before escalation or replacement.
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 private meeting with the team member to discuss the issue, identify root causes, and create a performance improvement plan with clear expectations
The PMP prefers direct, constructive intervention before escalation or removal. Since informal conversations have failed, the next step is a formal private meeting to identify root causes and establish a documented performance improvement plan with clear expectations and consequences — this aligns with the Manage Team process and progressive discipline.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Reassign the team member to a less critical task to minimize impact
Why it's wrong here
Reassigning a team member to a less critical task is a temporary workaround that fails to address the underlying performance issue. This approach merely shifts the problem rather than solving it, potentially leading to similar issues in other project areas or with different team members if the root cause, such as skill gaps, resource constraints, or unclear expectations, remains unaddressed. It also neglects the project manager's responsibility for team development and problem resolution.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the team member's functional manager immediately
Why it's wrong here
Immediately escalating an issue to a functional manager bypasses the project manager's primary responsibility for direct communication and conflict resolution within their project team. Such premature escalation can significantly damage team morale and trust, making the project manager appear unwilling or unable to manage their team effectively. Escalation should typically be considered a last resort, only after direct intervention, coaching, and collaborative problem-solving attempts have proven ineffective.
- ✓
Schedule a private meeting with the team member to discuss the issue, identify root causes, and create a performance improvement plan with clear expectations
Why this is correct
Scheduling a private meeting exemplifies effective project management by prioritizing direct, empathetic communication to understand the situation from the team member's perspective. This collaborative approach facilitates identifying the true root causes of missed deadlines, whether they stem from skill gaps, resource constraints, or external factors. Developing a performance improvement plan with clear, measurable expectations demonstrates a commitment to supporting the team member's success while ensuring project objectives are met through accountability.
- ✗
Remove the team member from the project and replace them with a more reliable resource
Why it's wrong here
Removing a team member from the project without prior attempts to resolve performance issues is an extreme and premature action. This drastic measure incurs significant costs and delays associated with recruiting, onboarding, and integrating a new resource, who would also require time to understand project specifics and team dynamics. Furthermore, such an action can severely negatively impact overall team morale and trust, signaling a lack of commitment to team development and collaborative problem-solving.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Managing Team Conflict and Performance
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.
Key term
Project Team Management
Project Team Management is the process of leading, coordinating, and supporting a group of people to complete project tasks and achieve project objectives.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official PMI exam blueprint
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.