PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
You are the project manager for a large infrastructure project. Two key stakeholders have conflicting requirements that cannot both be satisfied within the current budget. Which TWO actions should you take to resolve this conflict?
⚠ Common exam trap
PMI often tests the misconception that escalating to the sponsor or following authority is the fastest path to resolution, but the PMP exam emphasizes the project manager's role as a facilitator who should first attempt collaborative problem-solving before escalation.
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 meeting with both stakeholders to discuss priorities and find a mutually acceptable solution
As a project manager, your role is to facilitate collaboration and guide stakeholders toward a mutually acceptable solution. By bringing both parties together to discuss priorities and trade-offs, you empower them to make an informed decision that aligns with project objectives, which is a core principle of stakeholder engagement and conflict resolution in the PMBOK Guide.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Facilitate a meeting with both stakeholders to discuss priorities and find a mutually acceptable solution
Why this is correct
This option represents a collaborative approach to conflict resolution, which is highly favored in project management. As the project manager, facilitating a direct meeting allows both stakeholders to articulate their needs, understand the project's constraints, and actively participate in finding a compromise. This fosters mutual understanding and ownership of the solution, leading to more sustainable agreements and stronger stakeholder relationships, aligning with the "Collaborate/Negotiate" conflict resolution technique.
- ✗
Update the risk register to reflect the conflict
Why it's wrong here
While documenting the conflict in the risk register is a valid step for risk identification and tracking, it is a reactive measure that does not actively resolve the immediate stakeholder disagreement. The primary objective in this scenario is to address and resolve the conflict to prevent project delays or scope creep. Simply logging it as a risk without taking direct action to mediate the dispute leaves the underlying issue unaddressed and likely to escalate, impacting project objectives.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a final decision
Why it's wrong here
Escalating the issue to the project sponsor prematurely bypasses the project manager's responsibility to facilitate conflict resolution among stakeholders. While escalation is a valid technique, it should be a last resort when direct attempts at resolution have failed or when the conflict's impact exceeds the project manager's authority. Premature escalation can undermine the project manager's authority, disempower stakeholders, and burden the sponsor with issues that could have been resolved at a lower level.
- ✗
Implement the requirement from the stakeholder with more authority
Why it's wrong here
Implementing the requirement from only one stakeholder, especially based solely on authority, is a "forcing" conflict resolution technique that can lead to significant dissatisfaction and disengagement from the other stakeholder. This approach neglects the needs and perspectives of one party, potentially damaging stakeholder relationships, fostering resentment, and creating future resistance to project decisions. A sustainable solution requires considering all legitimate stakeholder interests, not just those with higher hierarchical power.
- ✓
Present the trade-offs and costs to the stakeholders and ask them to decide
Why this is correct
This option empowers stakeholders by providing them with the necessary data to make an informed decision, which is a highly effective collaborative strategy. By clearly outlining the trade-offs, potential impacts on scope, schedule, budget, and quality, and the associated costs of each option, the project manager facilitates a transparent decision-making process. This approach encourages stakeholders to weigh the implications and collectively choose the path that best aligns with overall project objectives, fostering ownership and accountability for the chosen solution.
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
Key term
Project Team Management
Project Team Management is the process of leading, coordinating, and supporting a group of people to complete project tasks and achieve project objectives.
Key term
Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholder engagement is the process of identifying people or groups who have an interest in a project and actively involving them through communication and collaboration to meet their needs and expectations.
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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.