PMP · Question #1160
A project manager noticed that a team member has been struggling with some tasks, which may ultimately impact the completion date. Team morale is low because they will not get the expected bonus if th
The correct answer is C. Acknowledge the team for their accomplishments, encourage them, and offer assistance to avoid. Facing a struggling team member and low team morale due to potential missed bonuses, the project manager should offer support and encouragement to help the team member and boost overall morale.
Question
A project manager noticed that a team member has been struggling with some tasks, which may ultimately impact the completion date. Team morale is low because they will not get the expected bonus if they do not finish on time. What should the project manager do next?
Options
- AUpdate the project schedule and budget estimates.
- BAsk the client to approve a delay in the project schedule.
- CAcknowledge the team for their accomplishments, encourage them, and offer assistance to avoid
- DAsk the human resources (HR) department to replace the team member and add an additional
How the community answered
(27 responses)- A7% (2)
- B15% (4)
- C74% (20)
- D4% (1)
Why each option
Facing a struggling team member and low team morale due to potential missed bonuses, the project manager should offer support and encouragement to help the team member and boost overall morale.
Updating schedule and budget estimates might be necessary if the issue persists, but the immediate action should be to try and prevent the delay by supporting the team.
Requesting a client delay should be a last resort after attempting to mitigate the internal issues causing potential delays.
The situation involves a struggling team member and low morale linked to potential bonus loss. Acknowledging efforts, offering encouragement, and providing direct assistance to the struggling team member demonstrates supportive leadership. This proactive approach aims to improve individual performance and overall team morale, increasing the likelihood of meeting deadlines and achieving the bonus, rather than immediately resorting to punitive or schedule-altering actions.
Immediately replacing a struggling team member or adding resources without first attempting to support the existing team is often a premature and potentially demotivating action.
Concept tested: Team performance management and motivation
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/resource-management
Topics
Community Discussion
8
Samuel O.Mar 20, 2026C is correct. In my experience running projects, when morale dips and someone is struggling, you address the human element first by acknowledging what the team has accomplished and offering support, which often gets things back on track without needing schedule changes or personnel swaps.
Mateus R.Mar 23, 2026Right that the human element comes first, but I would add that if morale dips because the plan itself is unrealistic, no amount of encouragement fixes it and you eventually have to adjust the schedule too, like a farmer praising a tired horse but still needing to lighten the load.
Ingrid P.Apr 8, 2026Confirmed C on exam last month. The PMI mindset is always people first, schedule second, so you address morale and offer support before touching the schedule or escalating to HR. One card worth making here: the trigger phrase "team morale is low" maps to servant leadership, not schedule updates. What I keep wondering is whether PMI draws a clean line between "offer assistance" and formally documenting a coaching plan, or if the exam treats those as the same action under the agile approach.
Anjali D.Apr 16, 2026Group consensus is C, morale matters before schedule. Anyone seen a variant where PM first revises the schedule?
Ingrid P.Apr 17, 2026C is right for the exam but flag the exact trigger wording as a card, because a variant asking what the PM does first after discovering the morale issue will shift the answer to schedule revision and that distinction is where points get lost.
Mateus R.Mar 29, 2026C is the right call here. Think of it like a farmhand falling behind on the harvest, you don't swap out the worker mid-season or tell the buyer the crops will rot, you rally the crew, shore up the struggling hand, and get the wagons rolling together, which in PMP terms means applying servant leadership and team support before touching the schedule.
Ola B.Mar 7, 2026Going with B. If the date is at risk the client needs to know now, no sandbox needed here.
Samuel O.Mar 9, 2026Actually C is the right call here. In practice you stand up a sandbox to reproduce and validate the issue before you escalate to the client, otherwise you are reporting something you have not confirmed and that burns trust fast.