Conflict Resolution: Team Charter and Facilitation
You are managing a hybrid project with a co-located core team and remote subject matter experts. Two senior developers argue daily about the technical approach for a critical module. The conflict is delaying sprint planning and affecting team morale. Which TWO actions should you take first?
Quick Answer
The answer is to review and reinforce the team charter with the team, emphasizing agreed-upon behavioral norms, and to address the conflict directly with the involved parties. This is correct because the team charter is a foundational governance document that establishes ground rules for communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution, making it the first tool to reference when behavioral norms are violated. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the "Manage Team" process and the proactive use of team charters to prevent and resolve interpersonal conflicts, a common trap being the temptation to escalate or reassign before exhausting internal remedies. Remember, the charter is your first line of defense—think of it as the team’s constitution, not a decoration. Memory tip: "Charter first, escalate last."
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates choose Option A (reassignment) as a quick fix, but the PMP exam emphasizes addressing conflict through direct communication and team agreements first, not avoidance or unilateral changes.
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 private meeting between the two developers to understand their perspectives and guide them toward a resolution
Facilitating a private meeting between the two developers allows you to understand the root cause of the technical disagreement (e.g., architectural trade-offs between microservices vs. monolith for the module) and guide them toward a collaborative resolution. As a hybrid project manager, you must address conflict directly and early to prevent further delays in sprint planning and restore team morale, aligning with the PMI People domain's emphasis on conflict resolution as a key leadership skill.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Reassign one developer to a different module to reduce interaction
Why it's wrong here
This avoids the underlying issue and may not be feasible.
- ✓
Facilitate a private meeting between the two developers to understand their perspectives and guide them toward a resolution
Why this is correct
Direct conflict resolution is a core PM responsibility and aligns with servant leadership.
- ✗
Ignore the conflict and hope it resolves on its own
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring conflict typically worsens it.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision
Why it's wrong here
Escalating without trying to resolve first bypasses PM authority.
- ✓
Review and reinforce the team charter with the team, emphasizing agreed-upon behavioral norms
Why this is correct
The team charter sets expectations and can help prevent future conflicts.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
Key term
Conflict Resolution
Conflict resolution is the process of addressing and resolving disagreements between team members or stakeholders to maintain a productive and collaborative project environment.
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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Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on PMP
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. You are managing a hybrid project with a critical deliverable due in two weeks. Two senior developers on your team have a strong disagreement over the technical approach. They have stopped speaking to each other, and the team's progress has stalled. What should you do FIRST?
medium- A.Enforce a team policy that all technical decisions must be approved by you
- B.Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for resolution
- C.Reassign the work to other team members to avoid further conflict
- ✓ D.Meet with each developer separately to understand their perspectives and facilitate a joint discussion
Why D: As a project manager, your first responsibility in a conflict is to understand each party's perspective individually and then facilitate a collaborative resolution. This approach aligns with the PMP's 'Manage Conflict' process, which emphasizes direct, respectful communication before escalating or imposing solutions. By meeting separately and then jointly, you address the root cause—the technical disagreement—while preserving team cohesion and ownership of the solution.
Variation 2. A project manager is leading a cross-functional team where two key members have conflicting priorities. One member insists on following a strict process, while the other wants to expedite delivery. The project manager needs to resolve the conflict to keep the project on track. Which approach is most effective?
medium- A.Enforce the strict process to ensure quality.
- B.Suggest a compromise where both give up some requirements.
- ✓ C.Facilitate a meeting to discuss both perspectives and find a solution that meets core needs.
- D.Ignore the conflict and hope it resolves itself.
Why C: Facilitating a meeting to discuss both perspectives aligns with the PMP's 'Manage Conflict' process under the 'People' domain. This collaborative approach, known as 'collaborating' or 'problem-solving,' seeks a win-win solution that addresses the core needs of both team members—ensuring quality while meeting delivery timelines—without forcing a compromise that dilutes value or ignoring the issue.
JA
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.