PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
A team member has been consistently underperforming, missing deadlines, and delivering low-quality work. You have had informal conversations but no improvement. What should you do NEXT?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse 'immediate escalation' (Option B) with proper stakeholder management, when in fact the PM should first follow the documented performance management process before involving the sponsor.
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
✓
Document the performance issues and initiate a formal performance improvement plan
After informal conversations have failed to resolve performance issues, the next step in progressive discipline is to formally document the issues and implement a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). This aligns with the PMI People domain, which emphasizes addressing performance gaps through structured, documented processes before considering escalation or removal.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Document the performance issues and initiate a formal performance improvement plan
Why this is correct
Documenting performance issues and initiating a formal Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is the most appropriate and professional next step when informal coaching has not resolved consistent underperformance. This approach provides objective evidence of the issues, clearly outlines expectations, measurable goals, and a timeline for improvement, and establishes a structured framework for accountability. It aligns with best practices for managing human resources within a project context, offering a fair opportunity for the team member to meet required standards.
- ✗
Immediately escalate the issue to the project sponsor
Why it's wrong here
Immediately escalating a team member's performance issue to the project sponsor is premature and bypasses the project manager's primary responsibility for team management and conflict resolution. Project sponsors are typically engaged with strategic oversight and major project risks, not day-to-day operational performance issues that the project manager is expected to handle. Such an action would undermine the project manager's authority and could be perceived as an inability to effectively manage the project team.
- ✗
Terminate the team member's assignment to the project
Why it's wrong here
Terminating a team member's assignment to the project without first following due process, such as implementing a formal performance improvement plan, is an extreme and often legally risky action. Project management best practices emphasize a structured approach to performance issues, providing opportunities for improvement and support before resorting to such drastic measures. Premature termination can negatively impact team morale, project continuity, and potentially expose the organization to legal challenges related to unfair dismissal.
- ✗
Reassign the team member to a less critical role on the project
Why it's wrong here
Reassigning an underperforming team member to a less critical role merely shifts the problem rather than resolving it and fails to address the underlying causes of their performance issues. This approach avoids direct confrontation and coaching, potentially creating resentment, reducing overall team effectiveness, and failing to develop the team member's capabilities. It also risks creating a perception that poor performance is rewarded with less demanding work, which can demotivate other team members and erode accountability.
Visual reference
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every PMP question from scratch — 800 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
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.