PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
Your agile team has been consistently delivering high-quality increments, but the product owner recently started bypassing you and giving direct instructions to the development team. The team is confused and some have started working on unapproved features. What should you do first?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers choose Option C (calling a team meeting) because they think reinforcing the change control process is the safest first step, but the PMP exam emphasizes resolving conflicts privately and directly with the stakeholder before involving the team.
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 product owner to discuss roles and the importance of following the agreed communication protocols
The first step in resolving this conflict is to have a private, collaborative discussion with the product owner to clarify roles, responsibilities, and the agreed communication protocols. This aligns with the PMI-ACP and PMP focus on servant leadership and stakeholder management, where direct confrontation is avoided in favor of coaching and realignment. Bypassing the Scrum Master undermines the agile framework and can lead to scope creep, so addressing the root cause with the product owner is the most appropriate initial action.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Schedule a private meeting with the product owner to discuss roles and the importance of following the agreed communication protocols
Why this is correct
This option represents the most appropriate first step in conflict resolution and stakeholder management. Engaging the product owner directly in a private discussion allows for clarification of established communication protocols and reinforces the project's governance framework. It addresses the root cause by ensuring mutual understanding of roles and responsibilities, thereby preventing future direct instructions that bypass the project manager and established change control processes. This proactive approach fosters collaboration and maintains a professional working relationship.
- ✗
Report the product owner's behavior to the project sponsor for disciplinary action
Why it's wrong here
Escalating the issue directly to the project sponsor for disciplinary action without first attempting to resolve it directly with the product owner is premature and counterproductive. This approach bypasses the principle of direct communication and conflict resolution at the lowest possible level, which is a core tenet of effective project management. Such an action would likely damage the professional relationship with the product owner, undermine trust, and could be perceived as overly aggressive, making future collaboration more challenging.
- ✗
Call a team meeting to remind everyone of the proper change control process
Why it's wrong here
While reinforcing the change control process with the team might be beneficial at some point, it does not address the immediate root cause of the problem. The core issue is the product owner's deviation from agreed communication protocols and direct instruction, not necessarily the team's lack of understanding of the change control process itself. Focusing solely on the team without addressing the product owner's behavior directly would be an indirect and ineffective solution, potentially leading to continued unauthorized instructions.
- ✗
Instruct the team to ignore the product owner's instructions and follow only your directions
Why it's wrong here
Instructing the team to disregard the product owner's directives and follow only the project manager's instructions would create significant confusion and internal conflict within the agile team. This action directly undermines the product owner's legitimate authority in defining and prioritizing product backlog items and requirements, which is crucial for product success. Such an adversarial stance would severely damage team morale, hinder effective collaboration, and ultimately disrupt the project's progress and the product owner's ability to guide the product vision.
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
Key term
Training and Development
Training and Development is the process of enhancing team members' skills, knowledge, and competencies to improve project performance and achieve career growth.
Key term
Organizational Change Management
Organizational Change Management (OCM) is the structured approach to preparing, supporting, and guiding people through changes in an organization to ensure lasting success.
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