PMP Practice Questions #3
A project team is small, and the team members have known each other for a long time. The team’s project is in the execution phase; you joined this team as a new Project Manager. You have been experiencing a rise in conflicts because of a mismatch of expectations. How should you respond?
A) Facilitate a team meeting to help the team design or revisit working agreements.
B) Ask the team to behave as per the agreements mentioned in the team charter.
C) Ask the team to provide anonymous recommendations for team agreements.
D) Identify strategies and actions to better engage your team members.
Analysis
The scenario revolves around a team with longstanding interpersonal relationships and a new Project Manager. The introduction of the new Project Manager has led to a rise in conflicts due to mismatched expectations. To understand the dynamics and navigate this situation effectively, the ‘Tuckman ladder’ model, which discusses team development stages, offers invaluable insights.
Options Analysis:
A) Facilitate a team meeting to help the team design or revisit working agreements. The team appears to be in the ‘storming’ stage, which often occurs after changes in team composition. With the new Project Manager’s introduction, there is an evident shift in dynamics. This option is about taking a step back and collaboratively addressing the new dynamics and expectations. By facilitating a meeting, the Project Manager can help the team align on their working agreements, fostering understanding and collaboration. This approach is highly proactive and emphasizes the Project Manager’s role in bringing alignment and resolving conflicts.
B) Ask the team to behave as per the agreements mentioned in the team charter. While this option does focus on established rules and norms, it may not address the core issue. Simply adhering to previous agreements doesn’t consider the fresh dynamics introduced by the new Project Manager. Further, this approach can be perceived as directive, which isn’t conducive to building trust and collaboration. The Project Manager’s role should ideally be more supportive than authoritative, making this approach less preferable.
C) Ask the team to provide anonymous recommendations for team agreements. This option provides a platform for team members to voice concerns without direct attribution, which may seem like a way to foster openness. However, it doesn’t directly tackle the root cause, which is the changed team dynamics with the new Project Manager. Anonymous feedback might not foster direct communication and trust-building that’s vital at this juncture.
D) Identify strategies and actions to better engage your team members. This option focuses on team engagement and building better relations. But it doesn’t specifically address the current issue of mismatched expectations brought about by the new manager’s entry. The strategy should be more about understanding the changed dynamics and finding collaborative solutions rather than the Project Manager solely devising strategies.
Conclusion: Option A emerges as the best approach. Facilitating a team meeting to collaboratively revisit working agreements can help address the core issue and move the team from the ‘storming’ stage. The Project Manager should act as a catalyst to foster understanding, align expectations, and enhance collaboration within the team. This approach resonates with best practices in project management.
PMP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
|---|---|
| People | Task 1 : Manage Conflict |
| People | Task 6: Build a Team |
| People | Task 12: Define team ground rules |
Topics Covered
- Conflict Management
- Team Charter
- Tuckman ladder
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