- A
Assign a rotating facilitator for each meeting to ensure everyone gets a chance to speak
Why wrong: While this is a good long-term practice, it does not immediately address the current issue.
- B
Schedule a one-on-one with the APAC team member to empathize and encourage them to speak up more
Why wrong: This addresses the symptoms but not the root cause—the behavior of the dominant member.
- C
Speak privately with the dominant team member to discuss the importance of equal participation and set expectations
Direct, private coaching is the most effective way to address the specific behavior and reinforce team norms.
- D
Send an email to the entire team reminding them to be respectful during meetings
Why wrong: A general email may not address the specific behavior and could be seen as passive.
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 team across three time zones. During a video conference, you notice that one team member from the Asia-Pacific region has not spoken for the entire meeting. After the meeting, they email you saying they felt unheard and that their ideas were dismissed by a dominant team member from the US. What should you 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
Speak privately with the dominant team member to discuss the importance of equal participation and set expectations
Option C is correct because the immediate priority is to address the disruptive behavior directly with the dominant team member. As a project manager, you must first resolve the root cause of the imbalance—the dominant individual's behavior—before implementing broader process changes. This aligns with the PMP principle of addressing conflict at its source and setting clear expectations for team conduct.
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.
- ✗
Assign a rotating facilitator for each meeting to ensure everyone gets a chance to speak
Why it's wrong here
While this is a good long-term practice, it does not immediately address the current issue.
- ✗
Schedule a one-on-one with the APAC team member to empathize and encourage them to speak up more
Why it's wrong here
This addresses the symptoms but not the root cause—the behavior of the dominant member.
- ✓
Speak privately with the dominant team member to discuss the importance of equal participation and set expectations
Why this is correct
Direct, private coaching is the most effective way to address the specific behavior and reinforce team norms.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Send an email to the entire team reminding them to be respectful during meetings
Why it's wrong here
A general email may not address the specific behavior and could be seen as passive.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose Option B (empathizing with the quiet team member) because it feels supportive, but the PMP exam prioritizes addressing the root cause—the dominant behavior—first, not accommodating the symptom.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In project management, conflict resolution should follow a direct, respectful, and private approach—first addressing the individual whose behavior is causing the issue. This is consistent with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on 'manage conflict' as a key interpersonal skill, where the project manager should first engage with the parties involved privately before escalating or implementing team-wide changes. The 'first step' in such scenarios is always to address the specific behavior with the person responsible, not to implement systemic changes or counsel the affected party.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
People — Leading Projects — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
People — Leading Projects practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PMP questions
892 questions across all exam domains
- →
Project Management Professional PMP study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PMP practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PMP practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
People — Leading Projects practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to People — Leading Projects.
Process — Managing Technical Aspects practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to Process — Managing Technical Aspects.
Business Environment — Strategy and Value practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to Business Environment — Strategy and Value.
Business Environment: strategy and project benefits practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to Business Environment: strategy and project benefits.
PMP fundamentals practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to PMP fundamentals.
PMP scenario practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to PMP scenario.
PMP troubleshooting practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to PMP troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free PMP practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: Speak privately with the dominant team member to discuss the importance of equal participation and set expectations — Option C is correct because the immediate priority is to address the disruptive behavior directly with the dominant team member. As a project manager, you must first resolve the root cause of the imbalance—the dominant individual's behavior—before implementing broader process changes. This aligns with the PMP principle of addressing conflict at its source and setting clear expectations for team conduct.
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.
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
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 →
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.