The correct first step is to meet with the stakeholder privately to clarify the communication plan and request they go through you. This action directly addresses the root cause of the confusion—a stakeholder bypassing the project manager—by reinforcing the formal communication channels defined in the communications management plan. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of stakeholder engagement and the project manager’s authority as the single point of contact for the team; the common trap is to escalate immediately or update the plan without first having a direct conversation. The key is to remember that the communications management plan is a formal document, and any bypassing violates project governance, risking scope creep and conflicting priorities. A useful memory tip is “Private before Plan”—always address the stakeholder one-on-one before considering changes to the communication plan itself.
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 managing a large project with multiple stakeholders. One executive stakeholder has been bypassing you and giving direct instructions to the team, causing confusion. 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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Meet with the stakeholder privately to clarify the communication plan and request they go through you
Option C is correct because the PM must first address the stakeholder directly to reinforce the established communication plan and authority structure. Bypassing the PM violates the project's governance and can lead to scope creep, conflicting priorities, and team confusion. A private meeting allows the PM to professionally assert their role as the single point of contact for the team, as defined in the communications management plan.
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.
✗
Tell the team to follow the stakeholder's instructions
Why it's wrong here
This undermines the PM's authority and may cause confusion.
✗
Update the communication plan to include the stakeholder's direct involvement
Why it's wrong here
The plan should not be changed unilaterally.
✓
Meet with the stakeholder privately to clarify the communication plan and request they go through you
Why this is correct
Direct communication to resolve the issue is the best approach.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Report the stakeholder to the project sponsor
Why it's wrong here
Escalating without discussion may harm the relationship.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose Option B (update the plan) because they think it's a proactive process improvement, but the PM must first address the root cause (the bypass) before changing the plan, as updating the plan without resolving the conflict would institutionalize the problem.
Trap categories for this question
Similar concept trap
This undermines the PM's authority and may cause confusion.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The communications management plan (a component of the project management plan) defines who can communicate what to whom and through which channels. When a stakeholder bypasses the PM, it creates a 'communication breakdown' that undermines the plan's authority. The PM must first use 'manage stakeholder engagement' (PMBOK 6th Ed., Process 13.3) to address the issue directly, applying conflict resolution techniques like 'confronting/problem-solving' to realign the stakeholder with the agreed-upon communication protocols.
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 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.
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: Meet with the stakeholder privately to clarify the communication plan and request they go through you — Option C is correct because the PM must first address the stakeholder directly to reinforce the established communication plan and authority structure. Bypassing the PM violates the project's governance and can lead to scope creep, conflicting priorities, and team confusion. A private meeting allows the PM to professionally assert their role as the single point of contact for the team, as defined in the communications management plan.
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.
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