The answer is to schedule a one-on-one meeting with the team member to understand their communication style and any barriers. This is correct because the PMP exam emphasizes servant leadership and emotional intelligence, requiring the project manager to first seek the root cause of behavior rather than assuming disengagement. When a team member from a different culture stays silent in stand-ups, cultural differences may manifest as deference to hierarchy, a preference for written communication, or a norm of speaking only when certain. The exam tests your ability to apply the “first seek to understand” principle from the PMBOK Guide’s focus on stakeholder engagement and conflict resolution. A common trap is jumping to team-wide retraining or public encouragement, which can alienate the individual; instead, the one-on-one aligns with the PMP’s respect for diversity and inclusion. Memory tip: think “S.O.S.” — Silent? One-on-One, then Support.
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
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.
A project team member from a different culture consistently remains silent during daily stand-ups and rarely contributes ideas. Other team members are frustrated because they feel the person is not engaged. What should the project manager do FIRST?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Schedule a one-on-one meeting with the team member to understand their communication style and any barriers
Option D is correct because the project manager should first seek to understand the team member's perspective and any cultural or personal barriers before taking action. Directly addressing the behavior in a one-on-one setting aligns with the PMP's emphasis on servant leadership and emotional intelligence, ensuring the root cause is identified rather than assuming disengagement.
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.
✗
During the next stand-up, directly ask the team member to share their progress and ideas
Why it's wrong here
Putting them on the spot may increase discomfort and not address the root cause.
✗
Reassign the team member to a solo task where they can work independently
Why it's wrong here
Isolating the team member does not foster inclusion or resolve the issue.
✗
Inform the team that the member is disengaged and they should not rely on them
Why it's wrong here
This is disrespectful and damages team trust.
✓
Schedule a one-on-one meeting with the team member to understand their communication style and any barriers
Why this is correct
Understanding individual needs and cultural differences promotes inclusion and effective collaboration.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose Option A, thinking direct questioning shows assertiveness, but the PMP exam prioritizes understanding individual differences and using empathetic, private inquiry before any public or corrective action.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In cross-cultural teams, silence may indicate respect for hierarchy, a need for processing time, or discomfort with direct questioning—common in high-context cultures (e.g., East Asian). The project manager should use active listening and open-ended questions in a private setting to uncover barriers, such as language fluency or fear of criticism, and then adapt communication practices (e.g., allowing written updates) to foster inclusion.
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 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.
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 one-on-one meeting with the team member to understand their communication style and any barriers — Option D is correct because the project manager should first seek to understand the team member's perspective and any cultural or personal barriers before taking action. Directly addressing the behavior in a one-on-one setting aligns with the PMP's emphasis on servant leadership and emotional intelligence, ensuring the root cause is identified rather than assuming disengagement.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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 →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.