PMP · Question #1214
A project manager is implementing an enterprise-wide software project. The project has a great business impact and is fully supported by senior management. However, the project manager is facing…
The correct answer is B. Understand the user concerns and revisit the stakeholder engagement plan. The project manager should address resistance from key departments by understanding their specific concerns and revisiting the stakeholder engagement plan to incorporate strategies that build their support.
Question
A project manager is implementing an enterprise-wide software project. The project has a great business impact and is fully supported by senior management. However, the project manager is facing difficulties getting the support of several key departments. What should the project manager do?
Options
- AAsk senior management to communicate with these departments.
- BUnderstand the user concerns and revisit the stakeholder engagement plan.
- CHire a project management consultant to help resolve the issue.
- DConvince senior management to introduce rewards to resisting departments.
How the community answered
(31 responses)- A13% (4)
- B74% (23)
- C6% (2)
- D6% (2)
Why each option
The project manager should address resistance from key departments by understanding their specific concerns and revisiting the stakeholder engagement plan to incorporate strategies that build their support.
Asking senior management to intervene might coerce departments into compliance but fails to address their underlying concerns or build genuine support for the project.
Resistance from key departments, despite senior management support, indicates a gap in stakeholder engagement. The project manager's primary responsibility is to proactively identify and understand the underlying concerns of these departments. This understanding allows the project manager to tailor communication, address specific needs or fears, and adjust the stakeholder engagement plan to effectively gain their buy-in and participation, leading to better project outcomes.
Hiring a project management consultant is an expensive and premature step; the project manager should first attempt to resolve stakeholder issues directly through engagement.
Introducing rewards might offer temporary compliance but does not resolve the root causes of resistance and can create an unsustainable expectation for future projects.
Concept tested: Stakeholder engagement and conflict resolution
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok
Topics
Community Discussion
3
Lena V.Jun 8, 2026B. PMP always wants you to address resistance at the root cause first, which means understanding concerns and updating the stakeholder engagement plan accordingly. Jumping straight to senior management or rewards skips the analysis step the exam expects you to take.
Yusuf A.Jun 2, 2026I first leaned toward A since senior management is already supportive, but one of the senior PMs at my company pointed out that jumping straight to escalation skips the root cause. You need to understand why those departments are resisting first, which means revisiting the stakeholder engagement plan, so B is the move.
Mateus R.Jun 14, 2026I first leaned toward A since senior management is already on board, but PMI expects you to figure out why people are pushing back before escalating. Think of it like a neighbor refusing to share a fence line: you go talk to them and understand their concern first, then you update your approach, which is exactly what revisiting the stakeholder engagement plan does.