The correct answer is to clarify roles and responsibilities with the team, emphasizing that all task assignments should come through the project manager. This is because the scenario describes a classic violation of the project’s communication plan and authority hierarchy, where an executive bypassing the project manager for task assignment creates role ambiguity and priority conflicts. On the PMP exam, this tests your understanding of the Manage Communications and Manage Team processes, specifically how to enforce the formal communication channels defined in the project management plan. A common trap is choosing to confront the executive publicly, which damages stakeholder relationships, or ignoring the issue, which is not proactive. Instead, the correct approach reinforces the established roles and communication protocols without escalating conflict. Memory tip: think “RACI Reset” — when roles are bypassed, Reaffirm Authority, Clarify channels, and Inform the team.
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
An executive stakeholder has been bypassing you and directly assigning tasks to team members. The team is confused about priorities and some tasks conflict with the project plan. Which THREE actions should you take?
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 with the executive to discuss the impact of bypassing the project manager
Option A addresses the direct communication issue. Option C clarifies roles. Option E reinforces the communication plan. Option B is wrong because confronting the executive publicly may damage relationships. Option D is wrong because ignoring is not proactive.
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.
✗
Publicly remind the executive during a team meeting to follow the communication plan
Why it's wrong here
Public confrontation may embarrass the executive and harm relationships.
✓
Schedule a private meeting with the executive to discuss the impact of bypassing the project manager
Why this is correct
Direct, respectful communication resolves the issue.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Review and reinforce the project communication plan with all stakeholders
Why this is correct
The communication plan defines how information flows.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Ignore the situation and let the team sort out priorities
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring will lead to continued confusion and conflict.
✓
Clarify roles and responsibilities with the team, emphasizing that all task assignments should come through the project manager
Why this is correct
Reinforces the authority structure.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Trap categories for this question
Similar concept trap
Ignoring will lead to continued confusion and conflict.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: Schedule a private meeting with the executive to discuss the impact of bypassing the project manager — Option A addresses the direct communication issue. Option C clarifies roles. Option E reinforces the communication plan. Option B is wrong because confronting the executive publicly may damage relationships. Option D is wrong because ignoring is not proactive.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. An executive stakeholder bypasses the project manager and directly assigns tasks to a team member, causing confusion about priorities. The team member is unsure which tasks to work on. What should the project manager do FIRST?
hard
A.Ignore the situation to avoid conflict with the executive
✓ B.Clarify priorities with the team member and schedule a private meeting with the executive to discuss the communication protocol
C.File a formal complaint with the HR department
D.Politely remind the executive during a meeting that all task assignments must go through the PM
Why B: Option B is correct because the project manager must first clarify priorities with the team member to resolve immediate confusion, then address the root cause by meeting privately with the executive to reinforce the communication protocol. This aligns with PMI's emphasis on proactive stakeholder management and conflict resolution without public escalation.
Variation 2. An executive stakeholder has been bypassing you and giving direct instructions to your team, causing confusion and scope creep. What should you do FIRST?
medium
A.Instruct the team to ignore any instructions from the stakeholder
✓ B.Meet with the stakeholder to discuss the issue and reinforce the project's communication management plan
C.Update the stakeholder engagement plan without informing the stakeholder
D.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor immediately
Why B: Option B is correct because the first step in resolving stakeholder interference is to address the issue directly with the stakeholder through a meeting, reinforcing the communication management plan. This plan defines how information flows, including who can give instructions to the team, and is a key tool in managing stakeholder expectations and preventing scope creep. By discussing the issue, you can clarify roles, re-establish agreed-upon channels, and avoid further confusion without escalating prematurely.
Variation 3. A key stakeholder has been bypassing the project manager and giving direct instructions to team members, causing confusion about priorities. What should the project manager do FIRST?
hard
✓ A.Schedule a meeting with the stakeholder to discuss the importance of following the communication plan.
B.Update the stakeholder management plan to include this stakeholder.
C.Report the stakeholder's behavior to the project sponsor.
D.Instruct the team to ignore any instructions from the stakeholder.
Why A: Option A is correct because the first step in resolving stakeholder interference is to address the issue directly with the stakeholder through a meeting, reinforcing the communication plan established during project planning. This aligns with PMI's principle of proactive stakeholder engagement and conflict resolution at the lowest appropriate level, ensuring clarity on roles and reporting structures without escalating prematurely.
Variation 4. You are managing a project where an executive stakeholder has been bypassing you and directly giving instructions to the team members. This has caused confusion and rework. What should you do FIRST?
medium
✓ A.Have a private meeting with the executive stakeholder to discuss the importance of following the communication plan
B.Instruct the team to ignore any instructions that do not come through you
C.Update the communication management plan to require all communications to go through you
D.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor and ask them to intervene
Why A: Option A is correct because the PM should address the issue directly with the stakeholder, clarify roles, and reinforce the communication management plan. Option B is incorrect because instructing the team to ignore the stakeholder without addressing the stakeholder may cause conflict. Option C is incorrect because escalating to the sponsor prematurely without first discussing with the stakeholder is not the first step. Option D is incorrect because revising the plan without stakeholder buy-in will not solve the issue.
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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