PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
During the execution phase of a construction project, you notice that a junior team member is consistently missing deadlines and producing work of lower quality. Other team members have expressed frustration. What is the best approach to address this?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse 'documenting performance' (Option A) with the first step in performance management, when the PMBOK actually prioritizes a collaborative, coaching-first approach before any formal documentation or reassignment.
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
✓
Schedule a private meeting to discuss performance concerns and offer coaching or additional training
The PMBOK Guide emphasizes that performance issues should first be addressed through a respectful, private conversation to understand root causes, followed by coaching or training as part of the 'Manage Team' process. This approach aligns with the 'Servant Leadership' mindset, focusing on developing team members rather than punitive measures, which can damage morale and trust.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Issue a formal warning in writing to document underperformance
Why it's wrong here
This action is premature and overly punitive as a first response to underperformance. PMP best practices advocate for a constructive, private conversation to understand the root causes of performance issues before escalating to formal documentation or disciplinary actions. Issuing a warning immediately can damage team morale, erode trust, and hinder the opportunity for the team member to improve through coaching and support.
- ✗
Immediately reassign the junior member to administrative tasks
Why it's wrong here
Reassigning the team member to administrative tasks without addressing the underlying performance issue is a reactive measure that avoids problem resolution. This approach fails to develop the team member's skills, wastes the initial investment in their project-specific training, and does not optimize resource utilization for the project's critical path. It also signals a lack of commitment to team member development, potentially impacting overall team morale and future performance.
- ✓
Schedule a private meeting to discuss performance concerns and offer coaching or additional training
Why this is correct
This is the most appropriate first step, aligning with PMP principles of managing team performance through proactive engagement and support. A private meeting allows for a confidential, non-confrontational discussion to understand the challenges, provide constructive feedback, and collaboratively identify solutions such as coaching, mentoring, or targeted training. This supportive approach fosters a positive team environment, demonstrates commitment to the team member's growth, and is most likely to result in improved performance.
- ✗
Ask other team members to cover the missing deadlines
Why it's wrong here
While seemingly a quick fix, this action merely shifts the burden of underperformance onto other team members without resolving the core issue. This can lead to increased workload, burnout, resentment among the team, and a decline in overall team morale and productivity. It also fails to address the junior member's development needs, creating a recurring problem rather than a sustainable solution for project success.
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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.