The correct answer is to gradually delegate more responsibility and trust the team member to manage their own tasks. This approach directly addresses the need for autonomy while aligning with the PMI talent triangle’s leadership principle of empowering team members, a core concept in the Project Management Professional PMP exam. In a predictive (waterfall) environment, delegating to empower team members through gradual autonomy allows you to maintain project control by incrementally increasing the team member’s scope of decision-making, ensuring performance remains satisfactory without risking deliverables. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your ability to apply situational leadership—recognizing that a capable team member requires trust, not oversight. A common trap is choosing to increase check-ins or create a formal plan, which would reinforce micromanagement. Instead, remember the memory tip: “Capable and willing? Delegate, don’t drill.” This reinforces that when performance is satisfactory, the leader’s role shifts from directing to supporting, building both team confidence and project resilience.
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
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.
You are managing a project using a predictive approach. A key team member has expressed that they feel micromanaged by you and wants more autonomy. The team member's performance is satisfactory. How should you respond?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Gradually delegate more responsibility and trust the team member to manage their own tasks
Option D is correct because it directly addresses the team member's need for autonomy while maintaining project control. In a predictive (waterfall) approach, delegating responsibility gradually allows the team member to demonstrate self-management without risking project deliverables, aligning with the PMI talent triangle's leadership principle of empowering team members.
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.
✗
Reassign the team member to a less critical task to minimize risk
Why it's wrong here
This is a punitive reaction that does not address the issue and may reduce engagement.
✗
Explain that your management style is necessary to keep the project on track
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring the team member's feelings can lead to demotivation. The PM should adapt.
✗
Ask the team member to provide a detailed plan of how they will manage their own work
Why it's wrong here
This still involves control. The PM should show trust without excessive oversight.
✓
Gradually delegate more responsibility and trust the team member to manage their own tasks
Why this is correct
Empowering the team member boosts motivation and shows confidence in their abilities.
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 confuse 'maintaining control' with 'micromanagement' and choose Option B, overlooking that a predictive approach still requires adaptive leadership to retain high-performing team members.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
This still involves control. The PM should show trust without excessive oversight.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In predictive project management, the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) define clear roles, but autonomy can be introduced through delegation of specific work packages. The key is to use a 'graduated autonomy' approach: start with low-risk tasks, provide clear acceptance criteria, and increase scope as trust builds. This mirrors the Situational Leadership II model, where a team member at the 'S4' (delegating) readiness level requires minimal direction and high support.
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: Gradually delegate more responsibility and trust the team member to manage their own tasks — Option D is correct because it directly addresses the team member's need for autonomy while maintaining project control. In a predictive (waterfall) approach, delegating responsibility gradually allows the team member to demonstrate self-management without risking project deliverables, aligning with the PMI talent triangle's leadership principle of empowering team members.
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.
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Question Discussion
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