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 a hybrid project, an executive stakeholder bypasses you and directly instructs a team member to add a new feature. The team member is now confused about priorities. What should you do first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Meet with the executive stakeholder to explain the project's change control process and the importance of proper communication channels
Option A is correct because, as the project manager, you must first address the root cause of the confusion—the executive stakeholder's bypass of the formal change control process. By meeting with the executive, you reinforce the importance of proper communication channels and the change control board (CCB) process, which protects the project from scope creep and ensures all changes are evaluated for impact on cost, schedule, and quality. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's principle of managing stakeholder engagement and maintaining a single point of accountability for project decisions.
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.
✓
Meet with the executive stakeholder to explain the project's change control process and the importance of proper communication channels
Why this is correct
This proactive communication reinforces governance and prevents future bypassing.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Ignore the issue and allow the feature to be added to maintain stakeholder satisfaction
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring process violations can lead to scope creep and loss of control.
✗
Reprimand the team member for accepting instructions without your approval
Why it's wrong here
The team member was following a stakeholder's instruction; the PM should address the stakeholder.
✗
Add the feature to the backlog and treat it as a priority
Why it's wrong here
Adding the feature without going through change control sets a bad precedent.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose Option D (adding the feature to the backlog) because it seems like a quick, agile-friendly fix, but this ignores the need to first address the process violation and the stakeholder's behavior, which is the root cause of the confusion.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In a hybrid project, the change control process typically involves a formal change request submitted to a change control board (CCB) for impact analysis on the triple constraint (scope, time, cost). The executive stakeholder's direct instruction bypasses this process, creating a 'rogue change' that can cause misalignment with the project's baseline. The project manager must act as the single point of integration, using techniques like the 'escalation path' defined in the communications management plan to address such breaches without alienating the stakeholder, often by scheduling a private meeting to discuss the impact on the project's key performance indicators (KPIs) and the risk of rework.
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: Meet with the executive stakeholder to explain the project's change control process and the importance of proper communication channels — Option A is correct because, as the project manager, you must first address the root cause of the confusion—the executive stakeholder's bypass of the formal change control process. By meeting with the executive, you reinforce the importance of proper communication channels and the change control board (CCB) process, which protects the project from scope creep and ensures all changes are evaluated for impact on cost, schedule, and quality. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's principle of managing stakeholder engagement and maintaining a single point of accountability for project decisions.
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: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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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