PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
You are the project manager for a software development project using Scrum. During the daily standup, two senior developers engage in a heated argument about the technical approach for a user story. The argument is consuming valuable time and escalating. What should you do FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse the project manager's authority with a directive role, leading them to choose Option C (deciding the approach themselves) instead of recognizing that the PM should facilitate team self-resolution in a separate setting.
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 both developers after the standup to facilitate a resolution
The project manager's role in a self-managing Scrum team is to facilitate conflict resolution without imposing decisions. By scheduling a private meeting after the standup, you allow the developers to resolve the technical disagreement collaboratively, preserving team autonomy and avoiding disruption to the daily Scrum's timebox. This approach aligns with the PMP's emphasis on servant leadership and conflict management techniques like 'collaborating' or 'problem-solving'.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for immediate intervention
Why it's wrong here
Escalating to the sponsor bypasses the Scrum Master's role of facilitating conflict resolution within the team, which is the immediate mechanism required by the daily standup's purpose. This option is tempting because a sponsor can authoritatively settle technical disputes, and it would be correct if the argument involved a contractual or budgetary issue beyond the team's authority, requiring sponsor-level decision-making.
- ✓
Schedule a private meeting with both developers after the standup to facilitate a resolution
Why this is correct
During a daily standup, the focus is on progress, impediments, and plans for the day. A technical debate is an impediment but should not consume the standup's limited time. The Project Manager (PM) or Scrum Master should facilitate a private discussion after the standup to allow for a deeper, collaborative resolution without disrupting the team's flow. This approach respects the team's autonomy and the standup's purpose, ensuring efficient use of meeting time.
- ✗
Decide on the technical approach yourself to resolve the conflict quickly
Why it's wrong here
A Project Manager, especially in an agile context, is primarily a facilitator and servant leader, not a technical dictator. Imposing a technical solution undermines team autonomy, reduces ownership, and may lead to suboptimal outcomes if the PM lacks the specific technical expertise of the developers. The PM's role is to remove impediments and empower the team to make technical decisions, fostering self-organizing principles.
- ✗
Ignore the argument and move on to other team members' updates
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring a direct conflict during a daily standup is detrimental to team morale and project progress. Unresolved technical disagreements can fester, leading to resentment, reduced collaboration, and potentially incorrect implementations due to lack of consensus. While the standup isn't the forum for resolution, the PM must acknowledge the impediment and commit to addressing it promptly and appropriately, rather than simply moving on.
Visual reference
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
Daily Standup
A short, time-boxed daily meeting where team members share progress, plans, and blockers to stay aligned.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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