PMP Practice Questions #135
During the project-end retrospective, you discover that one of your team members was dissatisfied with the type of work they were assigned and prefers not to be involved in similar projects in the future. As the project manager, how should you best address this team member’s concerns and feedback?
A) Listen to the team member’s feedback and respond that, had you been informed earlier, you could have addressed the issue, but as the project is already complete, no action can be taken now.
B) Organize a meeting between the team member and the Human Resources group so the individual can express their feelings and preferences for future work assignments.
C) Listen to the team member’s concerns and motivate them to be more proactive in expressing their preferences in future projects by improving their assertive communication skills.
D) Acknowledge the team member’s feelings, discuss their preferred project roles and types for future assignments, and document this information to guide resource planning in future projects.
Analysis:
Discovering a team member’s dissatisfaction with their assigned tasks during the project-end retrospective presents a nuanced challenge. It’s essential to address the team member’s concerns in a manner that respects their experience and informs future project planning and team member allocation.
Analysis of Options:
Option A: Listen to the team member’s feedback and respond that, had you been informed earlier, you could have addressed the issue, but as the project is already complete, no action can be taken now. This option involves listening to the team member’s feedback and explaining the limitations due to the project’s completion. While acknowledging the feedback, this approach does not offer a solution or a pathway for improvement in future projects, potentially leaving the team member feeling unheard or undervalued.
Option B: Organize a meeting between the team member and the Human Resources group so the individual can express their feelings and preferences for future work assignments. Organizing a meeting with HR allows the team member to express their preferences and feelings about future work assignments directly. This action-oriented step moves towards resolving the issue but might feel like passing the responsibility rather than addressing it within the project team context.
Option C: Listen to the team member’s concerns and motivate them to be more proactive in expressing their preferences in future projects by improving their assertive communication skills. Encouraging the team member to be more assertive in future projects addresses the need for clear communication of job preferences. However, it places the onus entirely on the team member to change their behavior without acknowledging the project manager’s role in facilitating open communication channels throughout the project.
Option D: Acknowledge the team member’s feelings, discuss their preferred project roles and types for future assignments, and document this information to guide resource planning in future projects. Acknowledging the team member’s feelings and discussing their preferred roles and project types for future assignments, followed by documenting this for future resource planning, provides a constructive pathway. This approach not only addresses the immediate concern but also implements a proactive measure to prevent similar issues in future assignments.
Conclusion: Option D is identified as the best approach to address the team member’s concerns at project closure. By acknowledging their feedback, discussing their preferences for future work, and documenting these preferences, the project manager can ensure that the team member’s concerns are heard and acted upon. This strategy aligns with effective project closure and transition practices, fostering a supportive and responsive project environment that values team member satisfaction and continuous improvement.
PMP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
|---|---|
| Process | Task 17: Plan and manage project/phase closure or transitions |
Topics Covered
- Project Closure
- Lesson Learned
