PMP · Question #1431
A key team member has recently gone through some personal issues that has affected their performance. The project manager noticed that the team member's emotional situation has affected the rest of…
The correct answer is D. Ask the human resources (HR) department for their support providing emotional help. When a key team member's personal issues affect their performance and the team's morale, the project manager should engage the human resources (HR) department for support.
Question
Options
- AHelp all team members learn to deal with their emotions by building a culture of empathy.
- BSeparate the key team member and replace them while they emotionally recover.
- CMeet with the team to discuss how to handle the performance problem.
- DAsk the human resources (HR) department for their support providing emotional help.
How the community answered
(26 responses)- A4% (1)
- B8% (2)
- C12% (3)
- D77% (20)
Why each option
When a key team member's personal issues affect their performance and the team's morale, the project manager should engage the human resources (HR) department for support.
While building empathy is beneficial long-term, it is not an immediate, concrete solution for a specific team member's crisis affecting performance and team morale.
Separating or replacing a key team member immediately due to personal issues is a drastic, potentially insensitive, and often unnecessary measure that could negatively impact team morale and project continuity.
Discussing an individual's personal performance problems with the entire team is inappropriate, unprofessional, and breaches confidentiality, potentially causing further distress to the team member and harming team trust.
Personal issues impacting performance are sensitive and often require professional support beyond a project manager's capabilities. HR departments are equipped with resources, expertise, and confidentiality protocols to provide appropriate assistance, such as counseling or employee assistance programs, while also advising the project manager on managing work impacts ethically.
Concept tested: Team management and HR consultation
Topics
Community Discussion
5
Ola B.Jun 16, 2026D is correct. When emotional or personal issues go beyond your scope as a PM, you loop in HR for the right support, so spin up a quick role-play sandbox with a colleague if you want to practice the referral conversation before exam day.
Wei W.Jun 18, 2026D is correct here because the PM should not try to be a therapist or counselor for the team. Getting HR involved connects the team member with proper emotional support resources while keeping the PM focused on the work and the team dynamic. A sounds nice in theory but empathy alone does not resolve a performance spiral, and B is way too harsh for someone going through personal issues. Saw almost this exact question on my exam last year and almost picked C because the agile coach in me wanted to facilitiate a team conversation. Re-read the stem and realized the situation had already spread to the whole team, which meant
Nina C.Jun 20, 2026Confirmed D on my exam last month too, though I would add that the key trigger word in the stem was "performance spiral" because that signals you are already past the point where a simple one on one conversation is going to fix things.
Nina C.Jun 22, 2026C is the PM's job here. You bring the team together to address the performance impact directly, rather than passing it off to HR or just replacing the person.
Ola B.Jun 23, 2026D is the move here, Nina. Removing a disruptive team member is a legitimate escalation path when the behavior is documented and harming the team, and the PM is the one who owns that decision, not HR.