The answer is to present the trade-offs and costs to the stakeholders and ask them to decide. This is correct because the project manager’s role is not to unilaterally resolve stakeholder conflicting requirements under budget constraints, but to facilitate a collaborative decision-making process by providing objective data on the impact of each option. By laying out the trade-offs, you empower the stakeholders to prioritize based on business value, which aligns with the PMBOK Guide’s principle of managing stakeholder engagement through negotiation and compromise. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of conflict resolution techniques within the “Manage Stakeholder Engagement” process, where a common trap is choosing to escalate or decide for the stakeholders yourself. Remember the memory tip: “Present, don’t impose—let the stakeholders choose the dose.”
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.
You are the project manager for a large infrastructure project. Two key stakeholders have conflicting requirements that cannot both be satisfied within the current budget. Which TWO actions should you take to resolve this conflict?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Facilitate a meeting with both stakeholders to discuss priorities and find a mutually acceptable solution
Option A is correct because, as a project manager, your role is to facilitate collaboration and guide stakeholders toward a mutually acceptable solution. By bringing both parties together to discuss priorities and trade-offs, you empower them to make an informed decision that aligns with project objectives, which is a core principle of stakeholder engagement and conflict resolution in the PMBOK Guide.
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.
✓
Facilitate a meeting with both stakeholders to discuss priorities and find a mutually acceptable solution
Why this is correct
Collaboration helps stakeholders understand constraints and negotiate.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Update the risk register to reflect the conflict
Why it's wrong here
Documenting is good but does not resolve the conflict.
✗
Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a final decision
Why it's wrong here
Escalation should be a last resort after attempting resolution with stakeholders.
✗
Implement the requirement from the stakeholder with more authority
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring the other stakeholder can lead to dissatisfaction and project issues.
✓
Present the trade-offs and costs to the stakeholders and ask them to decide
Why this is correct
Empowering stakeholders with data helps them make informed decisions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
PMI often tests the misconception that escalating to the sponsor or following authority is the fastest path to resolution, but the PMP exam emphasizes the project manager's role as a facilitator who should first attempt collaborative problem-solving before escalation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In the PMBOK Guide, conflict resolution is addressed under the 'Manage Stakeholder Engagement' process, where techniques like 'negotiation' and 'facilitation' are preferred over 'forcing' or 'avoiding'. The 'confronting/problem-solving' approach is considered the most effective because it seeks a win-win outcome, often requiring trade-off analysis that quantifies the cost and impact of each requirement against the project's constraints (scope, schedule, budget).
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: Facilitate a meeting with both stakeholders to discuss priorities and find a mutually acceptable solution — Option A is correct because, as a project manager, your role is to facilitate collaboration and guide stakeholders toward a mutually acceptable solution. By bringing both parties together to discuss priorities and trade-offs, you empower them to make an informed decision that aligns with project objectives, which is a core principle of stakeholder engagement and conflict resolution in the PMBOK Guide.
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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