The correct answer is to facilitate a team-building session to align on shared project goals and improve collaboration. This approach directly addresses the root cause of cross-functional team conflict priorities by shifting focus from individual departmental agendas to a unified project vision, which the PMBOK Guide identifies as a collaborative conflict resolution technique that strengthens the team charter. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the "Manage Team" process and the distinction between smoothing over symptoms versus resolving underlying misalignment—a common trap is choosing a compromise or forcing solution, which only masks the priority clash. Remember the memory tip: "Align before you assign"—when priorities collide, first align the team’s shared goals, then assign tasks based on that unified direction.
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 is leading a cross-functional team that includes members from different departments with conflicting priorities. The project is at risk of delays due to team members not collaborating effectively. What is the best approach for the project manager to resolve this issue?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Facilitate a team-building session to align on shared project goals and improve collaboration.
Option B is correct because facilitating a team-building session directly addresses the root cause of the conflict—misaligned priorities—by fostering shared understanding and commitment to project goals. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on conflict resolution through collaboration and team charter development, which improves cross-functional cooperation without bypassing the team's autonomy.
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.
✗
Escalate the issue to the functional managers to enforce collaboration.
Why it's wrong here
Escalation may undermine team ownership and not address underlying issues.
✓
Facilitate a team-building session to align on shared project goals and improve collaboration.
Why this is correct
Directly addresses conflicting priorities by aligning team members on common objectives.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Reassign tasks to individuals based on their department strengths to minimize conflict.
Why it's wrong here
Does not resolve collaboration issues; may reinforce silos.
✗
Request replacement of non-collaborative team members with more cooperative ones.
Why it's wrong here
Drastic and may not be possible; avoids resolving the conflict.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose escalation (A) or task reassignment (C) because they seem like quick fixes, but the PMP exam rewards proactive, collaborative leadership that addresses the root cause of conflict rather than avoiding or delegating it.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In cross-functional teams, conflicting priorities often stem from differing departmental objectives (e.g., marketing wants speed, engineering wants stability). A team-building session leverages techniques like the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument to shift from competing to collaborating, and it aligns with the PMI Talent Triangle's leadership skill of emotional intelligence. Real-world application: a project manager for a software rollout used a shared vision workshop to get QA and development to agree on a definition of 'done,' reducing rework by 30%.
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: Facilitate a team-building session to align on shared project goals and improve collaboration. — Option B is correct because facilitating a team-building session directly addresses the root cause of the conflict—misaligned priorities—by fostering shared understanding and commitment to project goals. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on conflict resolution through collaboration and team charter development, which improves cross-functional cooperation without bypassing the team's autonomy.
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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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 project manager is leading a cross-functional team that includes members from marketing, engineering, and finance. The team is struggling with collaboration because each department has different priorities and jargon. What should the project manager do to improve team cohesion?
medium
A.Clearly define each member's role and responsibilities in a RACI chart
✓ B.Conduct a team-building workshop focused on communication styles and shared goals
C.Request that the functional managers replace members who are not collaborating well
D.Hold separate meetings with each department to address their concerns individually
Why B: Option B is correct because the core issue is cross-functional collaboration due to differing priorities and jargon, which is a communication and team dynamics problem. A team-building workshop focused on communication styles and shared goals directly addresses these root causes by fostering mutual understanding and aligning the team around common objectives, which is a key leadership practice in the PMBOK Guide's 'Manage Team' process. This approach builds trust and cohesion without resorting to punitive or siloed measures.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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