PMP Practice Questions #117
During your Agile project’s retrospective meetings, one team member consistently talks over others, limiting their opportunity to contribute. As the project manager, how can you ensure a more equitable and productive discussion?
A) Implement a rotating facilitator role to manage the discussion and enforce speaking turns.
B) Establish ground rules that include equal speaking time for all team members to promote balanced participation.
C) Cancel retrospective meetings and opt for written feedback to avoid verbal monopolization.
D) Assign a dedicated note-taker to summarize points, indirectly discouraging prolonged speaking by any individual.
Analysis:
In Agile project environments, effective communication during retrospectives is essential for continuous improvement. The challenge described involves a team member dominating discussions, which hampers equitable participation. The focus of the analysis is to identify strategies that enhance inclusivity and productivity in team meetings. The objective is to foster an environment where all team members feel valued and heard, thereby maximizing the potential for identifying actionable insights for project enhancements.
Analysis of Options:
Option A: Implement a rotating facilitator role to manage the discussion and enforce speaking turns. This method moderates the conversation by rotating the responsibility of facilitation, aiming to create a more organized environment. However, it focuses more on who leads the discussion rather than ensuring all participants have equal opportunities to contribute. It’s a step towards structured dialogue but may not fully resolve the issue of equitable participation among team members.
Option B: Establish ground rules that include equal speaking time for all team members to promote balanced participation. This approach directly addresses the problem by setting explicit expectations for all team members’ contributions, fostering an inclusive and equitable environment for dialogue during meetings. It’s a comprehensive strategy that promotes fair engagement, ensuring every voice is heard and valued in the discussion.
Option C: Cancel retrospective meetings and opt for written feedback to avoid verbal monopolization. While this avoids the issue of some individuals dominating the conversation, it sidesteps the Agile emphasis on direct, face-to-face interactions and teamwork in solving problems. This method may prevent the team from achieving the depth of understanding and collaborative insight typically gained through open dialogue, potentially impacting the team’s ability to collectively address and solve issues.
Option D: Assign a dedicated note-taker to summarize points, indirectly discouraging prolonged speaking by any individual. While this approach introduces a layer of structure to the meeting’s proceedings, it primarily focuses on recording rather than actively moderating the flow of conversation. This method may not directly prevent any one team member from dominating the discussion, as it doesn’t address the root cause of unequal participation. Instead, it serves as a complementary tactic that, while beneficial for maintaining meeting records, requires additional strategies to foster balanced engagement among all participants.
Conclusion: Option B is identified as the optimal strategy for mitigating the challenge of unequal participation during retrospective meetings. This approach, which involves establishing ground rules for equal speaking time, directly confronts the issue by setting clear and fair expectations for all participants. It embodies the Agile ethos of teamwork and collective growth, ensuring that every team member’s voice is heard and valued equally. This not only enhances the quality of the discussions but also promotes a culture of respect and inclusivity, crucial for the continuous improvement process in Agile environments. Therefore, for fostering an environment where every contribution is equally considered, Option B is the preferred choice.
PMP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
|---|---|
| People | Task 12: Define team ground rules |
Topics Covered
- Meeting Facilitation
- Ground Rules
- Developing Team
