Stakeholder Bypassing Project Manager: First Actions

• A.Publicly remind the executive during a team meeting to follow the communication plan
• ✓ B.Schedule a private meeting with the executive to discuss the impact of bypassing the project manager
• ✓ C.Review and reinforce the project communication plan with all stakeholders
• D.Ignore the situation and let the team sort out priorities
• ✓ E.Clarify roles and responsibilities with the team, emphasizing that all task assignments should come through the project manager

Why B: The correct actions are B, C, and E. Option B is correct because scheduling a private meeting with the executive allows you to professionally address the issue without public embarrassment, explain the negative impact on priorities and resource allocation, and seek agreement to follow the project governance. Option C is correct because reinforcing the communication plan with all stakeholders ensures everyone understands the proper channels for task assignments. Option E is correct because clarifying roles with the team reaffirms that task assignments should come through the project manager, reducing confusion and conflicting priorities. Option A is incorrect because publicly reminding the executive can damage the relationship and escalate conflict. Option D is incorrect because ignoring the problem abdicates your responsibility as project manager.

• 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.

• ✓ 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.

• ✓ 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 first step in resolving a stakeholder bypassing the communication plan is to address the issue directly with the stakeholder in a private, respectful meeting. This aligns with the PMI's principle of managing stakeholders proactively and using the communication plan as a reference to clarify roles and expectations. By discussing the importance of following the established plan, you can resolve the root cause without escalating prematurely or undermining the stakeholder's authority.