Resolving Technical Disagreements Among Team Members: First Steps for Project Managers

• A.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for resolution
• B.End the meeting early and schedule a separate session to resolve the conflict
• ✓ C.Intervene calmly, acknowledge both viewpoints, and suggest discussing the matter offline after the review
• D.Ignore the argument and continue the review, hoping it resolves on its own

Why C: Option C is correct because, as the project manager, your first responsibility is to restore order and keep the sprint review productive. By calmly acknowledging both viewpoints and suggesting an offline discussion, you de-escalate the conflict without derailing the review or taking sides. This aligns with the PMI People domain principle of addressing interpersonal conflict early and constructively, while preserving the team's focus on the sprint goal.

• A.Escalate the issue to the functional manager to resolve the technical disagreement
• B.Tell the team to vote on the technical approach and proceed with the majority decision
• ✓ C.Meet privately with Maria and John to understand each perspective and facilitate a resolution
• D.Reassign one of the developers to a different task to reduce friction

Why C: Option C is correct because, as the project manager using a hybrid approach, your first responsibility is to address the conflict directly by understanding each developer's perspective and facilitating a collaborative resolution. This aligns with the PMP's focus on servant leadership and conflict management, ensuring that technical decisions are made based on merit and team consensus rather than authority or voting, which could undermine team cohesion and the hybrid model's flexibility.

• A.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a final decision
• B.Ignore the conflict and hope it resolves on its own
• C.Make a decision yourself and tell the developers to implement that solution
• ✓ D.Schedule a meeting with both developers to listen to their perspectives and facilitate a resolution

Why D: Option D is correct because, as a project manager using a hybrid approach, your first responsibility is to facilitate conflict resolution among team members. By scheduling a meeting to listen to both developers' perspectives, you demonstrate servant leadership, encourage collaborative problem-solving, and leverage their technical expertise to reach a consensus, which aligns with the PMI Talent Triangle's leadership and team management skills.

• A.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor and ask for a decision
• B.Reassign one developer to another task to avoid further conflict
• ✓ C.Meet with both developers separately to understand their perspectives, then facilitate a joint discussion to find a mutually acceptable solution
• D.Make the technical decision yourself based on your own expertise

Why C: Option C is correct because, as a project manager using a hybrid approach, your first responsibility is to facilitate conflict resolution among team members. Meeting individually to understand each developer's perspective, then guiding a joint discussion, empowers the team to reach a consensus and preserves team cohesion. This aligns with the PMI People domain, which emphasizes servant leadership and collaborative problem-solving before escalating or imposing decisions.

• A.Decide on the technical approach yourself and assign tasks accordingly
• ✓ B.Meet with both developers individually to understand their perspectives, then facilitate a joint discussion
• C.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision
• D.Replace both developers with a single developer who agrees with the original plan

Why B: Option B is correct because, as a project manager using a hybrid approach, your first responsibility is to address the conflict through collaborative conflict resolution. Meeting individually with each developer to understand their perspectives, then facilitating a joint discussion, aligns with the PMI People domain's emphasis on emotional intelligence and servant leadership. This approach preserves team morale, leverages the expertise of both senior developers, and allows the team to reach a consensus on the technical approach, which is critical for a hybrid project where both agile and plan-driven elements require team buy-in.

• A.Assign the story to another developer who can work without conflict
• ✓ B.Facilitate a discussion between the two developers to understand both perspectives and reach a consensus
• C.Make the technical decision yourself based on your experience
• D.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision

Why B: In a hybrid project, the project manager must first facilitate conflict resolution among team members to maintain team cohesion and ensure progress. Option B aligns with the PMI's emphasis on servant leadership and collaborative problem-solving, as it addresses the root cause of the disagreement without bypassing the team's autonomy or escalating prematurely.

• A.Bring the two developers together in a team meeting to resolve the issue openly
• B.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for resolution
• C.Reassign one of the developers to a different project to avoid further conflict
• ✓ D.Meet with each developer separately to understand their perspectives and facilitate a resolution

Why D: Option D is correct because, as a project manager using a hybrid approach, your first responsibility is to address interpersonal conflicts privately and individually to understand each party's perspective before attempting a facilitated resolution. This aligns with the PMI People domain's emphasis on emotional intelligence and conflict resolution techniques, where direct, private conversations help de-escalate tensions and uncover root causes without public embarrassment or escalation.