The correct next step is to schedule a private video call to discuss the challenges and find a mutually agreeable solution. This approach aligns with the PMP’s servant leadership mindset, which prioritizes understanding the root cause of a behavior—such as time zone conflicts or personal obstacles—before escalating. When a team member is late to a daily standup and has ignored private messages, a direct, empathetic one-on-one conversation is the appropriate conflict resolution technique, as it builds trust and addresses the issue privately without public embarrassment. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your ability to apply interpersonal and team skills in a virtual, cross-cultural context, where assumptions about intent can be a common trap. Remember the mnemonic “P.A.C.E.”: Private, Ask, Clarify, Empathize—always start with a private conversation to uncover the real challenge before moving to corrective action.
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 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?
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
Option B is correct because, 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.
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.
✗
Issue a formal warning to the team member for not adhering to team norms
Why it's wrong here
A punitive approach may damage trust. First, seek to understand the situation.
✓
Schedule a private video call to discuss the challenges and find a mutually agreeable solution
Why this is correct
Direct, empathetic communication helps address underlying issues, such as time zone conflicts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Remove the team member from the project for non-compliance
Why it's wrong here
This is too severe without first attempting to resolve the issue.
✗
Change the stand-up time to accommodate the team member without consulting the rest of the team
Why it's wrong here
Changing the time may inconvenience others; the team should decide collectively.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
A punitive approach may damage trust. First, seek to understand the situation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In hybrid methodologies, daily stand-ups are a key synchronization event, but their timing must balance team availability. The project manager should first use a private, synchronous communication channel (e.g., a video call) to explore potential issues like time zone differences, personal constraints, or cultural norms around punctuality. This approach aligns with the PMI's emphasis on emotional intelligence and proactive conflict management, where the goal is to preserve team cohesion while maintaining project cadence.
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.
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: Schedule a private video call to discuss the challenges and find a mutually agreeable solution — Option B is correct because, 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.
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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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
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