PMI-ACP Practice Questions #1
A team lead observes that a team member’s task has been stagnant on the Kanban board, and no impediments have been raised by the team member. The team member has also been less engaged in conversations with the team for the past few days. This lack of progress could potentially delay upcoming releases.
What should the Agile practitioner do?
A. Organize an in-person team-building activity to foster team engagement.
B. Challenge the team member by setting ambitious goals to improve performance.
C. Meet with the team member to discuss observations and identify the root cause.
D. Pair the team member with a high-performing teammate to boost productivity.
Analysis
The scenario presents three key observations:
- A task on the Kanban board has been stagnant.
- The team member has not raised any concerns.
- The team member is disengaged in conversations with the team.
Given these observations, the Agile practitioner should first seek to understand the root cause before taking any action. Directly jumping to a solution—whether it’s a team-building activity, setting ambitious goals, or pairing the team member with another—might not address the underlying issue. The best approach in Agile leadership is to demonstrate emotional intelligence, empathy, and problem-solving skills by first identifying the reason behind the behavior and collaboratively finding a solution.
Analysis of Options
A: Organize an in-person team-building activity to foster team engagement.
While this option could help with engagement, it does not address the stagnant task or the lack of communication about impediments. The team member’s disengagement might stem from personal, workload, or motivation issues, and a team-building activity alone is unlikely to resolve these. Hence, this option is not the best first step.
B: Challenge the team member by setting ambitious goals to improve performance.
Setting ambitious goals might seem like a way to push performance, but without understanding the root cause of the problem, this approach risks further disengagement. If the team member is struggling due to burnout, lack of clarity, or personal issues, setting ambitious targets might increase stress instead of improving productivity. Therefore, this is not a suitable option.
C: Meet with the team member to discuss observations and identify the root cause.
This is the best approach because it prioritizes empathy and understanding before taking action. By having a conversation, the Agile practitioner can uncover any challenges the team member is facing—whether they are personal, workload-related, or due to a lack of clarity. Once the root cause is identified, an appropriate and effective solution can be implemented. This aligns with Agile leadership principles, particularly team empowerment and emotional intelligence.
D: Pair the team member with a high-performing teammate to boost productivity.
Pairing with a high-performing teammate might seem like a way to help the team member, but it assumes that a skill or capability gap is the problem. The issue might be deeper—such as motivation, personal challenges, or engagement concerns—which pairing won’t necessarily resolve. Without first understanding the root cause, this solution is premature and may not be effective.
Conclusion
The correct answer is Option C: Meet with the team member to discuss observations and identify the root cause.
Agile leadership requires active listening, empathy, and facilitation of problem resolution rather than imposing solutions without understanding the issue. By first engaging in a conversation, the Agile practitioner can ensure that any intervention is relevant and beneficial, leading to a more engaged and productive team member.
PMI – ACP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
| Leadership | Empower Teams |
| Leadership | Facilitate Problem Resolution |
Topics Covered:
- Establish an environment of trust.
- Apply emotional intelligence techniques.
- Interpret non-verbal cues.
- Investigate the root cause of problems.
- Determine resolution strategies with the team.
- Ensure timely problem resolution.
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