- A
Facilitate a joint meeting to discuss the issue and find common ground
Collaborative resolution is recommended.
- B
Address the conflict in a team meeting to model transparency
Why wrong: Public confrontation may escalate conflict.
- C
Meet with each team member individually to understand their perspective
Private understanding is key before mediation.
- D
Escalate the conflict to the project sponsor for resolution
Why wrong: Escalation should be a last resort.
- E
Help the team members agree on a solution and document the resolution
Agreement and documentation ensure follow-through.
Question 185 of 892
PMI's Approach to Conflict Resolution: Facilitate, Listen, and Document
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.
During project execution, the project manager notices that two team members are in frequent conflict, which is affecting the team's overall performance. The project manager wants to resolve the conflict effectively. Which THREE actions align with PMI's recommended approach?
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
✓
Facilitate a joint meeting to discuss the issue and find common ground
Option A is correct because facilitating a joint meeting aligns with PMI's collaborative conflict resolution approach, where the project manager acts as a neutral facilitator to help conflicting parties discuss issues openly and find common ground. This technique, often called 'confronting' or 'problem-solving,' is the most effective method for resolving interpersonal conflicts and restoring team performance, as it addresses the root cause directly.
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.
- ✓
Facilitate a joint meeting to discuss the issue and find common ground
Why this is correct
Collaborative resolution is recommended.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Address the conflict in a team meeting to model transparency
Why it's wrong here
Public confrontation may escalate conflict.
- ✓
Meet with each team member individually to understand their perspective
Why this is correct
Private understanding is key before mediation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Escalate the conflict to the project sponsor for resolution
Why it's wrong here
Escalation should be a last resort.
- ✓
Help the team members agree on a solution and document the resolution
Why this is correct
Agreement and documentation ensure follow-through.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think addressing conflict publicly in a team meeting demonstrates transparency (Option B), but PMI strictly advises against public confrontation as it damages trust and violates the principle of 'praise in public, criticize in private.'
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
PMI's conflict resolution framework, based on Thomas-Kilmann's model, prioritizes 'collaborating' (confronting) as the preferred mode for project managers because it seeks a win-win outcome and preserves team relationships. Under the hood, this approach requires the project manager to use active listening, reframe issues neutrally, and guide the discussion toward shared goals, often documented in a conflict resolution log to track agreements and prevent recurrence. In real-world scenarios, failing to document the resolution (as in Option C) can lead to repeated conflicts, as there is no formal record of the agreed-upon solution.
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.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PMP question test?
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: Facilitate a joint meeting to discuss the issue and find common ground — Option A is correct because facilitating a joint meeting aligns with PMI's collaborative conflict resolution approach, where the project manager acts as a neutral facilitator to help conflicting parties discuss issues openly and find common ground. This technique, often called 'confronting' or 'problem-solving,' is the most effective method for resolving interpersonal conflicts and restoring team performance, as it addresses the root cause directly.
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.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on PMP
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. During a project's execution phase, the project manager notices that two senior team members are in frequent conflict over technical approaches, causing delays. What is the BEST course of action for the project manager?
easy- A.Escalate the issue to the sponsor without involving the team members.
- B.Immediately reassign one of the team members to another project.
- C.Ignore the conflict and hope it resolves on its own.
- ✓ D.Facilitate a meeting between the two team members to discuss and resolve the conflict.
Why D: Option D is correct because the project manager's role includes facilitating conflict resolution among team members to maintain team cohesion and project progress. By mediating a meeting, the PM addresses the root cause of the delays—technical disagreement—while empowering the team to find a mutually acceptable solution, which aligns with the PMP's emphasis on servant leadership and collaborative problem-solving.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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