PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
You are managing a project where a key executive stakeholder bypasses you and gives direct orders to the development team. The team is confused about priorities. What should you do first?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to choose Option B (reporting to the sponsor) because they mistake a stakeholder's bypassing behavior for a formal violation requiring immediate escalation, when in fact the PMP exam emphasizes first attempting direct, collaborative resolution with the stakeholder to maintain project control and relationships.
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 meeting with the executive to discuss the impact of bypassing the PM and reinforce the communication plan
The first action should be to address the root cause of the confusion—the executive's bypassing behavior—by scheduling a private meeting to discuss its impact on project priorities and team morale, and to reinforce the established communication plan. This aligns with the PMP's focus on proactive stakeholder management and conflict resolution, ensuring the project manager maintains authority and clarity 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.
- ✗
Tell the team to follow the executive's orders to avoid conflict
Why it's wrong here
This approach significantly undermines the project manager's authority and control over project activities, potentially leading to immediate scope creep and uncontrolled changes. By passively accepting direct executive intervention, the PM abdicates responsibility for managing the project according to the approved plan and established governance. It sets a dangerous precedent, encouraging other stakeholders to bypass formal communication channels and change control processes, thereby jeopardizing project success and team morale.
- ✗
Report the executive's behavior to the project sponsor
Why it's wrong here
Escalating the issue directly to the project sponsor without first attempting to resolve it with the executive is premature and unprofessional. A project manager's role includes proactive stakeholder engagement and direct communication to address conflicts or deviations from established processes. Bypassing direct communication can damage the PM's relationship with the executive and may be perceived as an inability to manage stakeholder interactions effectively, making the PM appear reactive rather than proactive.
- ✓
Schedule a meeting with the executive to discuss the impact of bypassing the PM and reinforce the communication plan
Why this is correct
This is the most appropriate action as it demonstrates proactive problem-solving and professional stakeholder management. By scheduling a direct meeting, the project manager can respectfully explain the negative impacts of bypassing established communication channels, such as potential scope deviations, resource conflicts, or schedule delays. Reinforcing the agreed-upon communication plan ensures that all stakeholders understand and adhere to the project's governance framework, thereby maintaining project control and fostering collaborative relationships.
- ✗
Update the communication plan to include the executive's approach
Why it's wrong here
Updating the communication plan to legitimize an executive's behavior of bypassing the project manager is fundamentally inappropriate and detrimental to project governance. This action would effectively institutionalize a breakdown in project control and communication protocols, creating confusion and inefficiency for the entire team. It undermines the PM's authority and the integrity of the project management plan, making it impossible to effectively manage scope, schedule, and resources according to approved processes.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
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.
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.
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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.