The correct next step is to have a private meeting to discuss performance issues and establish a performance improvement plan. This is the appropriate action because informal coaching has failed, and a structured Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) provides clear expectations, measurable goals, and a timeline for improvement, aligning with the PMI’s emphasis on progressive performance management and leading the team through conflict resolution before escalating. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the Manage Team process and the hierarchy of corrective actions, where a PIP is the logical next step after informal feedback. A common trap is jumping to formal escalation or reassignment, but the exam expects you to follow a structured, collaborative approach first. Remember the mnemonic “PIP after Chat” — Private meeting, then PIP, after informal conversations have failed.
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 team member has been consistently missing deadlines, causing the team to pick up the slack. The PM has had informal conversations, but the behavior persists. What should the PM do NEXT?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Have a private meeting to discuss performance issues and establish a performance improvement plan
The PM should first address the performance issue directly with the team member through a private meeting to discuss the missed deadlines and collaboratively establish a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). This aligns with the PMI's focus on leading the team, using conflict resolution and performance management techniques before escalating. Informal conversations have failed, so a structured PIP provides clear expectations, measurable goals, and a timeline for improvement, which is the next logical step in the progressive discipline process.
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.
✓
Have a private meeting to discuss performance issues and establish a performance improvement plan
Why this is correct
A formal meeting with documentation and a plan provides clear expectations and consequences.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Ignore the behavior as the team is compensating
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring underperformance damages team morale and project performance.
✗
Escalate to human resources for immediate termination
Why it's wrong here
Termination is a last resort; the PM should first attempt formal performance management.
✗
Reassign the team member to less critical tasks
Why it's wrong here
This avoids addressing the root cause and may impact project success.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may jump to 'escalate to HR' (Option C) thinking it's the most decisive action, but the PMP exam emphasizes that the PM should first attempt to resolve the issue directly with the team member using a structured performance improvement plan before involving HR or termination.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In project management, the 'progressive discipline' or 'performance management' process typically starts with informal coaching, then moves to a formal PIP with specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives. The PIP should include regular check-ins and documentation of progress, which protects both the team member and the organization if termination becomes necessary later. This approach is rooted in the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on 'Manage Team' and 'Develop Team' processes, where addressing underperformance is a key input to improving team effectiveness.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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: Have a private meeting to discuss performance issues and establish a performance improvement plan — The PM should first address the performance issue directly with the team member through a private meeting to discuss the missed deadlines and collaboratively establish a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). This aligns with the PMI's focus on leading the team, using conflict resolution and performance management techniques before escalating. Informal conversations have failed, so a structured PIP provides clear expectations, measurable goals, and a timeline for improvement, which is the next logical step in the progressive discipline process.
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.
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. A team member has been consistently underperforming, missing deadlines, and delivering low-quality work. You have had informal conversations but no improvement. What should you do NEXT?
hard
✓ A.Document the performance issues and initiate a formal performance improvement plan
B.Immediately escalate the issue to the project sponsor
C.Terminate the team member's assignment to the project
D.Reassign the team member to a less critical role on the project
Why A: Option A is correct because after informal conversations have failed to resolve performance issues, the next step in progressive discipline is to formally document the issues and implement a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). This aligns with the PMI People domain, which emphasizes addressing performance gaps through structured, documented processes before considering escalation or removal.
Variation 2. A team member has been consistently missing deadlines for the past three sprints. Their work quality is also declining. You have had informal conversations with them, but the problem persists. What is the BEST next step for the project manager?
medium
A.Escalate the issue to human resources to initiate a replacement process
✓ B.Schedule a private meeting to discuss the performance issues, identify underlying causes, and agree on an improvement plan
C.Reassign the team member to less critical tasks to minimize impact
D.Ignore the issue for now and hope the team member improves on their own
Why B: Option B is correct because the PMBOK Guide emphasizes addressing performance issues through direct, collaborative communication. A private meeting allows the project manager to explore root causes (e.g., skill gaps, personal challenges, or unclear requirements) and co-create a performance improvement plan, which aligns with the 'Manage Team' process and the principle of servant leadership.
Variation 3. During a project to develop a new mobile app, a key team member has been consistently underperforming, missing deadlines, and delivering low-quality work. The team is becoming demotivated. You have had informal conversations with the team member, but performance has not improved. What should you do NEXT?
hard
A.Ignore the issue and hope performance improves naturally
✓ B.Initiate a formal performance improvement plan with clear expectations and consequences
C.Escalate to the functional manager to request a replacement
D.Remove the team member from the project immediately to protect team morale
Why B: Option B is correct because, after informal coaching has failed, the next step in progressive discipline is to initiate a formal Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) with clear expectations, measurable goals, and defined consequences. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on addressing performance issues systematically before considering escalation or removal, ensuring fairness and documentation.
Variation 4. A project team member, who is a key technical expert, has been consistently missing deadlines. The project manager has already discussed the issue informally, but performance has not improved. What should the project manager do next?
easy
A.Escalate the issue to the team member's functional manager
B.Replace the team member with a more reliable resource
C.Assign a mentor to help the team member catch up on missed deadlines
✓ D.Have a formal meeting to discuss the issue and create a performance improvement plan
Why D: Option D is correct because after informal discussions have failed, the project manager should follow a structured performance management process. Having a formal meeting to discuss the issue and create a performance improvement plan (PIP) documents the problem, sets clear expectations, and provides a timeline for improvement, which aligns with the PMI's emphasis on addressing performance issues systematically before considering escalation or replacement.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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