Deal of The Day! Hurry Up, Grab the Special Discount - Save 25% - Ends In 00:00:00 Coupon code: SAVE25
Welcome to Pass4Success

- Free Preparation Discussions

PMI Exam PMP Topic 1 Question 94 Discussion

Actual exam question for PMI's PMP exam
Question #: 94
Topic #: 1
[All PMP Questions]

A project manager is acting as a servant leader and is struggling to make deadlines on a critical roadway construction project that is falling behind schedule due to a lowperforming team. In order to get the project back on track, what should the project manager do first?

Show Suggested Answer Hide Answer
Suggested Answer: A

project manager who is acting as a servant leader should empower the team members to conduct their job activities and hold each person accountable to improve the schedule. This is because a servant leader demonstrates commitment to serve and put other people first, and emphasizes flexibility and empathy to empower team members to adapt and thrive. A servant leader also fosters a culture of collaboration, communication, and feedback, and helps the team members develop their skills and potential. By empowering the team members, the project manager can improve their performance, motivation, and satisfaction, and ultimately get the project back on track.

The other three options are not the best actions for a servant leader to take, because:

Notifying the project sponsor that the team is underperforming and requesting additional resources to compress the schedule is a possible option, but it is not the first thing to do. The project manager should first try to address the root causes of the team's low performance, and explore other ways to improve the schedule, such as fast-tracking, crashing, or re-baselining. Requesting additional resources may not be feasible or effective, and it may also undermine the trust and confidence of the team members and the sponsor.

Contacting each team member to inform them that further schedule slips will not be tolerated by the project sponsor is a coercive and authoritarian action, which is contrary to the servant leadership style. This action may create fear, resentment, and resistance among the team members, and damage their morale and engagement. It may also increase the risk of conflicts, errors, and turnover, and worsen the project performance.

Beginning holding daily meetings to assign each team member discrete tasks with specific due dates is a micromanaging and controlling action, which is also contrary to the servant leadership style. This action may reduce the autonomy, creativity, and ownership of the team members, and make them feel disempowered and demotivated. It may also increase the workload and stress of the project manager, and hinder the team's collaboration and learning.


Leadership Styles - BrainBOK

7 Traits of Servant Leadership in Agile Project Management - Project Management Academy

Servant Leadership in PMO Management: A Path to Success - IIL Blog

Project Management Institute. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) -- Seventh Edition. Project Management Institute.

Project Management Institute. (2020). Agile Practice Guide. Project Management Institute.

Contribute your Thoughts:

Cortney
17 days ago
As a servant leader, I'd go with A). Empowering the team and holding them accountable is the best way to get things back on track. No need for the heavy-handed approach.
upvoted 0 times
...
Amina
19 days ago
Haha, 'further schedule slips will not be tolerated' - sounds like someone's about to get a talking-to! C) is a bit too aggressive in my opinion.
upvoted 0 times
...
Quentin
28 days ago
I think daily meetings to assign tasks with specific due dates can also help get the project back on track.
upvoted 0 times
...
Glory
29 days ago
I believe notifying the project sponsor for additional resources is the best option to compress the schedule.
upvoted 0 times
...
Louisa
1 months ago
I agree with German. Empowering the team can help improve the schedule.
upvoted 0 times
...
Mabel
1 months ago
B) Notifying the sponsor and getting more resources is the smart move here. Can't let the project fall behind, even if it means bringing in the big guns.
upvoted 0 times
Winfred
15 days ago
A) Empower the team members to conduct their job activities and hold each person accountable to improve the schedule.
upvoted 0 times
...
Soledad
15 days ago
B) Notify the project sponsor that the team is underperforming and request additional resources to compress the schedule.
upvoted 0 times
...
...
Annelle
1 months ago
D) Daily meetings and assigning tasks with due dates sounds like the most effective solution. Gotta crack the whip if the team's underperforming.
upvoted 0 times
Sharee
11 days ago
D) Daily meetings and assigning tasks with due dates sounds like the most effective solution. Gotta crack the whip if the team's underperforming.
upvoted 0 times
...
Stacey
18 days ago
D) Begin holding daily meetings to assign each team member discrete tasks with specific due dates.
upvoted 0 times
...
Alethea
20 days ago
B) Notify the project sponsor that the team is underperforming and request additional resources to compress the schedule.
upvoted 0 times
...
Beth
24 days ago
A) Empower the team members to conduct their job activities and hold each person accountable to improve the schedule.
upvoted 0 times
...
...
Kristofer
2 months ago
A) Empowering the team and holding them accountable is the way to go. As a servant leader, that's the best approach to get the project back on track.
upvoted 0 times
Eloisa
8 days ago
B) Notify the project sponsor that the team is underperforming and request additional resources to compress the schedule.
upvoted 0 times
...
Oretha
10 days ago
A) That sounds like a good idea. Daily meetings can help keep everyone on track.
upvoted 0 times
...
Annett
14 days ago
D) Begin holding daily meetings to assign each team member discrete tasks with specific due dates.
upvoted 0 times
...
Tijuana
23 days ago
A) Empowering the team and holding them accountable is the way to go. As a servant leader, that's the best approach to get the project back on track.
upvoted 0 times
...
...
German
2 months ago
I think the project manager should empower the team members and hold them accountable.
upvoted 0 times
...

Save Cancel