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 project to develop a new mobile app, a key team member has been consistently underperforming, missing deadlines, and delivering low-quality work. The team is becoming demotivated. You have had informal conversations with the team member, but performance has not improved. What should you do NEXT?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Initiate a formal performance improvement plan with clear expectations and consequences
Option B is correct because, after informal coaching has failed, the next step in progressive discipline is to initiate a formal Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) with clear expectations, measurable goals, and defined consequences. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on addressing performance issues systematically before considering escalation or removal, ensuring fairness and documentation.
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.
✗
Ignore the issue and hope performance improves naturally
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring underperformance can erode team morale.
✓
Initiate a formal performance improvement plan with clear expectations and consequences
Why this is correct
A formal PIP documents the issue and provides a structured path for improvement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Escalate to the functional manager to request a replacement
Why it's wrong here
Escalation without a formal improvement plan is premature.
✗
Remove the team member from the project immediately to protect team morale
Why it's wrong here
This is drastic and may not be fair without documented efforts.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
PMI often tests the misconception that immediate escalation or removal is the correct response to underperformance, when in fact the PM must follow a documented progressive discipline process before taking such drastic actions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In project management, progressive discipline is a structured approach that starts with informal coaching, moves to a formal PIP with SMART objectives and a defined timeline, and only then considers escalation or removal. The PIP serves as a documented performance baseline, protecting both the project and the organization if termination becomes necessary. This process is critical in agile environments where team velocity and morale are directly impacted by underperformance.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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: Initiate a formal performance improvement plan with clear expectations and consequences — Option B is correct because, after informal coaching has failed, the next step in progressive discipline is to initiate a formal Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) with clear expectations, measurable goals, and defined consequences. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on addressing performance issues systematically before considering escalation or removal, ensuring fairness and documentation.
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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