PMI-ACP Practice Questions #55
You are managing a distributed team, and during retrospectives, you observe a recurring pattern where some team members focus on assigning blame for project setbacks instead of discussing solutions. This behavior is impacting team morale and preventing productive discussions. What is the most effective approach to address this issue and promote a constructive retrospective environment?
A. Set a rule that discussions should focus on problems rather than naming individuals to prevent personal blame.
B. Redirect the focus of retrospectives to identifying actionable improvements and collaborative solutions rather than assigning blame for past mistakes.
C. Emphasize openness by encouraging team members to highlight failures and hold individuals accountable for their failure.
D. Conduct private meetings with team members who engage in blame and request that they avoid such behavior in future discussions.
Analysis
A productive retrospective should foster psychological safety, where team members feel comfortable sharing insights without fear of blame. If retrospectives become blame-focused, they can damage team morale, hinder constructive discussions, and discourage team members from openly contributing.
The best approach should:
- Shift the focus from blame to solutions—instead of looking for who caused the issue, the team should collaborate on actionable improvements.
- Encourage a mindset of continuous learning—helping the team explore what can be done better next time rather than fixating on past mistakes.
- Avoid rigid or punitive measures that could make team members hesitant to share feedback.
Analysis of Options:
A: Set a rule that discussions should focus on problems rather than naming individuals to prevent personal blame.
This is a good approach because it discourages personal blame and keeps discussions solution-focused. However, it frames the solution as a rule, which might feel too rigid and directive rather than organically fostering a problem-solving mindset. A better approach would be to naturally guide the discussion towards improvements rather than simply enforcing a rule.
B: Redirect the focus of retrospectives to identifying actionable improvements and collaborative solutions rather than assigning blame for past mistakes.
This is the best option because it takes a constructive and forward-thinking approach. Instead of merely preventing blame (like Option A), it proactively encourages collaboration and problem-solving. Agile retrospectives should identify solutions, not just problems, making this the most effective and Agile-aligned choice.
C: Emphasize openness by encouraging team members to highlight failures and hold individuals accountable for their failure.
This contradicts psychological safety and could harm team morale. While openness is important, holding individuals accountable for failures in a retrospective fosters fear and defensiveness rather than a growth mindset. Agile teams should focus on shared responsibility and continuous improvement, not individual blame.
D: Conduct private meetings with team members who engage in blame and request that they avoid such behavior in future discussions.
While addressing individual behavior outside the retrospective is a good leadership practice, this option does not solve the immediate issue of improving the retrospective itself. The question asks for an approach to improve the retrospective environment, not how to handle individuals privately. Coaching team members later may be useful, but it does not directly create a constructive retrospective in the moment.
Conclusion
The correct answer is Option B, as it aligns with Agile principles by redirecting the discussion toward solutions and actionable improvements. This ensures psychological safety, maintains team morale, and fosters a culture of continuous learning and collaboration.
PMI – ACP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
| Mindset | Foster Psychological Safety |
Topics Covered:
- Promoting a No-Blame Culture – Encouraging solution-focused discussions instead of assigning blame.
- Encouraging Constructive Feedback – Shifting retrospectives toward actionable improvements rather than fault-finding.
- Fostering Psychological Safety – Ensuring team members feel safe to share insights without fear of repercussions.
- Encouraging Dialogue Over Debate – Redirecting discussions toward collaboration rather than defensive arguments.
- Cultivating a Growth Mindset – Emphasizing learning from mistakes rather than holding individuals accountable for past failures.
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