PMI-ACP Practice Questions #67
Your team has been tasked with adopting Agile practices, but some senior team members are resistant, citing concerns about the lack of structured planning and predictability compared to the waterfall approach.
How should you address the resistance?
A. Strictly enforce Agile practices and ensure adherence to the new approach.
B. Delay the Agile transition until all team members feel fully comfortable, continuing with the current approach in the meantime.
C. Hold one-on-one discussions to understand their concerns, share real-world examples of Agile success stories, and actively involve them in planning the Agile transition.
D. Assign resistant team members less critical tasks to minimize their impact on the Agile transition.
Analysis
The question presents a scenario where a team is transitioning to Agile practices, but senior team members are resistant due to concerns about structured planning and predictability, which they found more reassuring in Waterfall. This is a common challenge during Agile adoption, as some members may feel uncertain about the iterative nature of Agile compared to the predefined milestones and structured plans of Waterfall. As an Agile leader, the goal should be to address concerns, facilitate learning, and involve the team in the transition process, rather than enforcing change without buy-in or sidelining those who resist.
Analysis of Options
A: Strictly enforce Agile practices and ensure adherence to the new approach.
This option contradicts Agile principles, which emphasize collaboration, adaptation, and respecting individual contributions. Agile transformation should not be forced—instead, it should be guided with open dialogue, training, and involvement. Strict enforcement would likely increase resistance rather than resolve it, making this an ineffective approach.
B: Delay the Agile transition until all team members feel fully comfortable, continuing with the current approach in the meantime.
While allowing time for adaptation is important, indefinitely delaying the transition is not a practical solution. Resistance to change is natural, and if we wait for full comfort before making any changes, progress will stall. Instead, a structured transition with support and gradual adoption of Agile practices is more effective. This option lacks proactive engagement and does not address the core concerns of the team.
C: Hold one-on-one discussions to understand their concerns, share real-world examples of Agile success stories, and actively involve them in planning the Agile transition.
This is the best approach, as it aligns with Agile leadership principles. Holding one-on-one discussions helps in understanding individual concerns, sharing real-world success stories builds confidence in Agile, and actively involving team members in planning ensures that they feel heard and included rather than forced into the transition. This method reduces resistance and fosters a culture of collaboration and trust.
D: Assign resistant team members less critical tasks to minimize their impact on the Agile transition.
This approach isolates and excludes the very individuals who need the most guidance. Instead of helping them adapt, it reinforces resistance and could create division within the team. Agile is about empowering people and fostering collaboration, not segregating those who resist change. This option is counterproductive and does not align with Agile values.
Conclusion
The correct answer is Option C, as it ensures open communication, knowledge sharing, and collaboration, which are essential for addressing resistance to Agile. Option A is incorrect as strict enforcement goes against Agile principles. Option B is incorrect because delaying the transition without a structured approach does not solve the problem. Option D is incorrect as excluding resistant team members prevents them from embracing Agile rather than helping them transition.
PMI – ACP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
| Leadership | Promote Agile Mindset Principles and Practices |
Topics Covered:
- Promoting the Agile Mindset and Principles: Supporting team members in understanding and embracing Agile values and principles through open communication.
- Fostering Continuous Improvement: Helping the team reflect on concerns, share success stories, and actively involve them in planning the transition.
- Encouraging Collaboration and Inclusion: Addressing resistance to change by fostering a collaborative environment where all team members are included in the transition process.
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