PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
You are leading a virtual team using a hybrid methodology. A team member from another country consistently arrives late to daily stand-ups, disrupting the flow. The team member has not responded to private messages about the issue. What should you do next?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates may jump to punitive actions (like a formal warning or removal) due to frustration, forgetting that the PMP exam prioritizes collaborative problem-solving and servant leadership over immediate discipline.
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
✓
Schedule a private video call to discuss the challenges and find a mutually agreeable solution
As a project manager, you should first seek to understand the root cause of the behavior through a private, empathetic conversation. This aligns with the PMP's focus on servant leadership and conflict resolution, especially in a virtual, cross-cultural team where time zones or personal challenges may be the issue. Scheduling a private video call allows you to discuss challenges and find a mutually agreeable solution without escalating prematurely.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Issue a formal warning to the team member for not adhering to team norms
Why it's wrong here
Issuing a formal warning prematurely escalates the situation, potentially damaging team morale and trust, which are critical for virtual team cohesion. A project manager's role involves fostering a supportive environment, and a punitive approach without first understanding the root cause of non-adherence can demotivate the team member and hinder future collaboration. Effective conflict resolution prioritizes understanding and problem-solving over immediate disciplinary action.
- ✓
Schedule a private video call to discuss the challenges and find a mutually agreeable solution
Why this is correct
This option exemplifies effective project management by prioritizing direct, empathetic communication to understand the underlying issues affecting the team member's participation. A private video call allows for a confidential discussion, fostering trust and enabling the project manager to uncover challenges like time zone conflicts, technical difficulties, or personal circumstances. Collaboratively finding a mutually agreeable solution aligns with servant leadership principles and promotes team member engagement and commitment to project success.
- ✗
Remove the team member from the project for non-compliance
Why it's wrong here
Removing a team member from the project is an extreme measure that should only be considered as a last resort after all other conflict resolution and performance management strategies have failed. Such an action incurs significant costs related to re-staffing, onboarding a new resource, and potential project delays, while also negatively impacting team morale. A project manager must first attempt to understand and resolve performance issues through coaching and support before resorting to such a drastic step.
- ✗
Change the stand-up time to accommodate the team member without consulting the rest of the team
Why it's wrong here
Unilaterally changing a critical team ritual like the daily stand-up time without consulting the entire team undermines team autonomy and can create new inconveniences or resentment among other members. In a hybrid methodology, team agreements are crucial for effective collaboration, and significant adjustments should be made through collective decision-making to ensure buy-in and maintain team cohesion. A project manager facilitates, rather than dictates, such changes to foster a self-organizing environment.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
Key term
Training and Development
Training and Development is the process of enhancing team members' skills, knowledge, and competencies to improve project performance and achieve career growth.
Key term
Project Management Plan
A formal, approved document that defines how a project is executed, monitored, controlled, and closed, serving as the single source of truth for the project team.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.