PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
You are the project manager for a large infrastructure project. The sponsor frequently bypasses you and gives direct instructions to the team leads. This has caused confusion and conflicting priorities. What is the BEST action to take?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to choose to escalate (Option B) immediately, mistaking a stakeholder management issue for a problem requiring higher authority, when the PMBOK Guide recommends first attempting direct, collaborative resolution with the stakeholder involved.
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 private meeting with the sponsor to clarify roles and the importance of following the project communication plan
The most effective first step in resolving a communication breakdown with a sponsor is to address the issue directly and privately. By scheduling a meeting to clarify roles and reinforce the project communication plan, you maintain a professional relationship, uphold the project manager's authority, and ensure that all directives flow through the established channels to prevent conflicting priorities. This approach aligns with the PMI's emphasis on proactive stakeholder management and conflict resolution at the lowest appropriate level.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Update the stakeholder engagement plan to document the sponsor's behavior
Why it's wrong here
While documenting stakeholder behavior in the stakeholder engagement plan or issue log is a valid project management practice for future reference and risk assessment, it is not the primary or most effective immediate action to resolve direct interference. This step is reactive and fails to address the root cause of the sponsor bypassing established communication channels, which could lead to project delays and team confusion. The priority is to proactively correct the behavior, not just record it.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the PMO or senior management
Why it's wrong here
Escalating the issue to the PMO or senior management prematurely is generally considered an overreaction and can damage the project manager's relationship with the sponsor. Project managers are expected to first attempt to resolve conflicts and communication breakdowns directly with stakeholders, especially key ones like the sponsor. Escalation should be reserved as a last resort when direct communication efforts have failed to yield a resolution, as per conflict resolution best practices.
- ✗
Instruct the team leads to ignore instructions from the sponsor unless they come through you
Why it's wrong here
Instructing team leads to disregard direct instructions from the project sponsor is highly unprofessional and detrimental to project governance. This action would create an adversarial relationship between the project team and a critical stakeholder, undermining the sponsor's authority and potentially causing significant team confusion and morale issues. The project manager's role is to facilitate communication and resolve conflicts, not to create a power struggle or bypass the sponsor's legitimate role.
- ✓
Schedule a private meeting with the sponsor to clarify roles and the importance of following the project communication plan
Why this is correct
Scheduling a private meeting with the sponsor is the most appropriate and professional first step. This direct, one-on-one communication allows the project manager to respectfully clarify roles, responsibilities, and the agreed-upon project communication plan, ensuring alignment and preventing future misunderstandings. It demonstrates proactive problem-solving and reinforces established project governance without creating conflict or undermining authority. This approach aims to resolve the issue collaboratively.
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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
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.
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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.