PMI-ACP Practice Questions #57
Your Agile team is brainstorming improvements to a critical process. A team member proposes a bold idea that challenges the existing workflow and the decisions made by senior stakeholders. However, some team members dismiss the idea outright, and the individual hesitates to defend or elaborate further due to fear of backlash.
As an Agile practitioner, how would you respond to this situation?
A. Privately reassure the team member that their idea has merit and suggest they refine and present it again later when the team is more receptive.
B. Facilitate an open discussion, ensuring all ideas are explored and evaluated objectively, while reinforcing that challenging the status quo is valued and encouraged.
C. Encourage the team to avoid discussing controversial ideas during brainstorming sessions to maintain harmony and focus on actionable solutions.
D. Ask senior stakeholders for their input before the idea is discussed further to determine whether it aligns with organizational priorities.
Analysis
This situation highlights the importance of psychological safety and a growth mindset in Agile teams. When a team dismisses a bold idea outright, it discourages innovation and prevents team members from challenging the status quo. Agile practitioners should ensure that all ideas are explored objectively and that team members feel safe to voice their thoughts without fear of backlash.
A strong Agile approach should:
- Create an environment where challenging ideas is encouraged rather than shut down.
- Facilitate open discussions rather than delaying or blocking ideas.
- Ensure that brainstorming is inclusive and that all voices are heard, regardless of seniority or popularity of ideas.
Analysis of Options:
A: Privately reassure the team member that their idea has merit and suggest they refine and present it again later when the team is more receptive.
This approach delays addressing the real issue—the lack of psychological safety in the team. While reassuring the individual is helpful, it does not change the team’s behavior or encourage open discussions. Simply telling the person to “try again later” does not resolve the cultural issue in the team.
B: Facilitate an open discussion, ensuring all ideas are explored and evaluated objectively, while reinforcing that challenging the status quo is valued and encouraged.
This is the best approach because it directly addresses the core issue—the need for psychological safety and a growth mindset. By ensuring open discussions and emphasizing that challenging ideas is a positive practice, this option creates a constructive environment where innovation can thrive.
C: Encourage the team to avoid discussing controversial ideas during brainstorming sessions to maintain harmony and focus on actionable solutions.
This is a poor approach because blocking controversial ideas stifles creativity and discourages innovation. Agile encourages exploring new ideas, not suppressing them for the sake of harmony. Brainstorming should be about finding the best solutions, not just the ones that are easy to accept.
D: Ask senior stakeholders for their input before the idea is discussed further to determine whether it aligns with organizational priorities.
This approach shifts decision-making away from the team rather than fostering a culture of open discussion. While stakeholders’ input is valuable, waiting for approval before even discussing an idea creates a top-down control system, which contradicts Agile principles. Agile teams should be self-organizing and collaborative in exploring new ideas.
Conclusion
The correct answer is Option B, as it creates a psychologically safe environment, encourages innovation, and fosters a growth mindset. This approach ensures that the team evaluates ideas objectively, rather than dismissing them prematurely due to biases or fear of challenging authority.
The correct answer is Option A, as it balances confidence-building, mentorship, and openness to constructive feedback. This approach supports both the new member and the team, creating a psychologically safe environment for contribution and collaboration.
PMI – ACP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
| Mindset | Foster Psychological Safety |
Topics Covered:
- Promote a no-blame culture by encouraging objectivity
- Encourage dialogue over debate
- Solicit and provide constructive feedback. Act on it
- Encourage challenging the status quo
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