- A
Facilitate a team meeting to update the team charter with agreed communication protocols, including response time windows and respect for working hours
Collaboratively updating the team charter addresses the root cause and gains buy-in.
- B
Ask the second team member to respond to messages within 2 hours during their working hours
Why wrong: This imposes a rule without team consensus and may not respect individual circumstances.
- C
Transfer the second team member to a different project if they are unable to meet communication expectations
Why wrong: Reassigning without addressing the process issue is premature and unfair.
- D
Establish a new policy that all team members must be available during a common overlapping time zone
Why wrong: Forcing a common time may not be feasible for all time zones.
Quick Answer
The answer is to facilitate a team meeting to update the team charter with agreed communication protocols, including response time windows and respect for working hours. This is correct because the team charter is the foundational document for establishing virtual team communication norms, and when a conflict arises from undefined expectations, the project manager’s role is to guide the team in collaboratively creating those norms rather than imposing a unilateral solution. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the Plan Communications Management process and the importance of a team charter in a virtual environment, where cultural and time-zone differences are common traps that lead to blaming individuals instead of fixing the process. A key memory tip is “Charter first, blame last”—always update the agreement before addressing individual behavior, as the charter is the team’s social contract for how they work together.
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.
You are leading a virtual project team with members in four countries. A team member from one location complains that another team member from a different location is not responding to emails and messages promptly, causing delays. Upon investigation, you find that the second team member feels their work hours are not respected and they are expected to respond outside their working hours. The team charter does not address communication hours. 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 choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Facilitate a team meeting to update the team charter with agreed communication protocols, including response time windows and respect for working hours
The PM should facilitate a team discussion to update the team charter with agreed communication norms, including response time expectations and respect for working hours. This fosters collaboration and prevents future conflicts.
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 team meeting to update the team charter with agreed communication protocols, including response time windows and respect for working hours
Why this is correct
Collaboratively updating the team charter addresses the root cause and gains buy-in.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Ask the second team member to respond to messages within 2 hours during their working hours
Why it's wrong here
This imposes a rule without team consensus and may not respect individual circumstances.
- ✗
Transfer the second team member to a different project if they are unable to meet communication expectations
Why it's wrong here
Reassigning without addressing the process issue is premature and unfair.
- ✗
Establish a new policy that all team members must be available during a common overlapping time zone
Why it's wrong here
Forcing a common time may not be feasible for all time zones.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
- →
People — Leading Projects — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PMP question test?
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 team meeting to update the team charter with agreed communication protocols, including response time windows and respect for working hours — The PM should facilitate a team discussion to update the team charter with agreed communication norms, including response time expectations and respect for working hours. This fosters collaboration and prevents future conflicts.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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.
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