PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
During a team meeting, a junior developer hesitates to share an innovative idea due to fear of criticism. The project manager notices this and wants to foster a culture of psychological safety. What should the project manager do first?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often choose option D (private praise) because it feels like a 'safe' or 'nice' action, but the PMP exam emphasizes that the first step in fostering psychological safety must be a direct, public, and inclusive invitation to speak, not a private, indirect reward.
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
✓
Explicitly invite the developer to share and reassure that all ideas are valued.
The project manager's first action should be to directly invite the hesitant developer to share their idea in the moment, explicitly stating that all ideas are valued. This immediate, public invitation and reassurance directly addresses the fear of criticism and models psychological safety, which is a foundational behavior for fostering an innovative team culture. In the PMP context, this aligns with the 'Servant Leadership' principle and the 'Team Performance Domain,' where the PM actively creates an environment of trust and safety.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Move on to the next agenda item to avoid discomfort.
Why it's wrong here
Moving on to the next agenda item to avoid discomfort is counterproductive to fostering a psychologically safe environment. This action implicitly signals that the team or project manager is unwilling to address hesitation or potential issues, thereby reinforcing the developer's reluctance to speak up. It misses a critical opportunity for the project manager to demonstrate inclusive leadership and encourage diverse participation, which can lead to missed insights and stifle team innovation.
- ✓
Explicitly invite the developer to share and reassure that all ideas are valued.
Why this is correct
Explicitly inviting the developer to share and reassuring them that all ideas are valued directly addresses the potential fear of judgment, which is a cornerstone of psychological safety. This approach validates the individual's contribution and actively creates an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are encouraged. It demonstrates servant leadership by removing barriers to participation and fosters a culture where team members feel safe to take interpersonal risks, crucial for effective problem-solving and innovation.
- ✗
Assign the developer a task to present the idea next week.
Why it's wrong here
Assigning the developer a task to present the idea next week, while seemingly proactive, can inadvertently increase pressure rather than reduce the immediate fear of sharing. For someone already hesitant, this action shifts the discomfort to a future, potentially larger, public presentation, which may exacerbate anxiety. It fails to address the root cause of the current hesitation and might be perceived as a demanding action rather than a supportive one designed to build confidence in the present moment.
- ✗
Privately praise the developer for past contributions.
Why it's wrong here
Privately praising the developer for past contributions, while positive reinforcement, does not directly address the immediate situation of hesitation within the team meeting. This action fails to create the necessary psychological safety in the public forum where the hesitation occurred, nor does it model inclusive behavior for the rest of the team. It misses the opportunity to encourage real-time participation and demonstrate that the project manager values current, in-the-moment input from all team members.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
Key term
Training and Development
Training and Development is the process of enhancing team members' skills, knowledge, and competencies to improve project performance and achieve career growth.
Key term
Project Management Plan
A formal, approved document that defines how a project is executed, monitored, controlled, and closed, serving as the single source of truth for the project team.
About these practice questions
This PMP question is part of Courseiva's 800-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PMP practice question is part of Courseiva's free PMI certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PMP exam.