The correct answer is to speak privately with the team member about the importance of recognizing others’ contributions. This approach is rooted in the PMP’s servant leadership model, where the project manager acts as a coach to resolve conflict and foster collaboration without damaging relationships. By addressing the behavior privately, you preserve trust and give the individual an opportunity to correct course without public embarrassment, which aligns with the PMP’s emphasis on emotional intelligence and conflict resolution techniques. On the exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between private coaching and public confrontation—a common trap is choosing a public reprimand or immediate escalation, which violates the principle of respect and can escalate team tension. Remember, the PMP prioritizes preserving team cohesion over assigning blame. Memory tip: “Private praise, private correction”—always address credit issues one-on-one to maintain psychological safety.
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.
A project manager discovers that a team member has been taking credit for another teammate's work during stakeholder meetings. This has created tension within the team. What should the PM do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Speak privately with the team member about the importance of recognizing others' contributions
Option D is correct because the project manager should address the issue privately and directly with the team member, focusing on coaching and reinforcing the importance of recognizing others' contributions. This aligns with the PMP's emphasis on servant leadership and conflict resolution, where private feedback preserves trust and encourages behavioral change without public embarrassment or escalation.
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 acknowledge the correct contributor in the next stakeholder meeting
Why it's wrong here
Publicly correcting may embarrass the team member and damage relationships.
✗
Ignore the situation as it may resolve on its own
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring the issue allows resentment to fester and harm team dynamics.
✗
Report the behavior to HR for disciplinary action
Why it's wrong here
Disciplinary action is premature; coaching should be attempted first.
✓
Speak privately with the team member about the importance of recognizing others' contributions
Why this is correct
Private coaching addresses the behavior without public humiliation and aligns with servant leadership.
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 (public acknowledgment) thinking it rewards the correct contributor, but PMP exams test the principle that private coaching is the appropriate first step for behavioral issues, not public confrontation or immediate escalation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In the PMBOK Guide, conflict resolution techniques include 'confronting' (problem-solving) and 'smoothing,' but the first step in addressing interpersonal issues is always a private, respectful conversation. This approach leverages emotional intelligence and the 'servant leader' mindset, where the PM facilitates growth rather than punishes. Real-world scenario: a PM who publicly corrects credit-taking may cause the offender to become defensive or resentful, while private coaching often leads to genuine behavioral change and stronger team cohesion.
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: Speak privately with the team member about the importance of recognizing others' contributions — Option D is correct because the project manager should address the issue privately and directly with the team member, focusing on coaching and reinforcing the importance of recognizing others' contributions. This aligns with the PMP's emphasis on servant leadership and conflict resolution, where private feedback preserves trust and encourages behavioral change without public embarrassment or escalation.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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