PMP · Question #339
A key stakeholder for a construction project has been spending a lot of time at the site and interrupting the team's efforts. What should the project manager do in this situation?
The correct answer is A. Work to understand the key stakeholder's concerns and provide feedback in regular project status. The project manager should proactively engage the key stakeholder to understand their concerns and establish regular communication channels to manage their involvement.
Question
A key stakeholder for a construction project has been spending a lot of time at the site and interrupting the team's efforts. What should the project manager do in this situation?
Options
- AWork to understand the key stakeholder's concerns and provide feedback in regular project status
- BArrange an ad hoc meeting to address the key stakeholder's concerns with team members
- CReinforce with the key stakeholder that the project is performing on schedule
- DEscalate the situation to the project sponsor because the key stakeholder's behavior is impacting
How the community answered
(23 responses)- A83% (19)
- B9% (2)
- C4% (1)
- D4% (1)
Why each option
The project manager should proactively engage the key stakeholder to understand their concerns and establish regular communication channels to manage their involvement.
Understanding the stakeholder's concerns helps address the root cause of their behavior, and providing regular project status updates ensures they are informed and feel included without needing to disrupt the team directly.
An ad hoc meeting might temporarily address concerns but doesn't establish a sustainable communication plan and can still disrupt team efforts if not managed carefully.
Simply stating the project is on schedule does not address the underlying reasons for the stakeholder's presence and interruptions, which could be valid concerns or a need for more information.
Escalating to the project sponsor is a last resort; the project manager should first attempt to manage the stakeholder directly by understanding their needs and establishing appropriate communication.
Concept tested: Stakeholder engagement and communication management
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/manage-stakeholder-engagement
Topics
Community Discussion
9
Nina C.Nov 20, 2025Confirmed A on my practice exam last week. As a former teacher I learned that when someone hovers you need to figure out what is actually worrying them, and regular status updates give the stakeholder the visibility they are looking for without disrupting the team.
Hiroshi T.Nov 21, 2025Agreed on A, and for the exam context the key phrase to anchor on is the stakeholder wanting visibility, which maps directly to the PMBOK guidance on managing stakeholder engagement through proactive communication rather than reactive status requests.
Hiroshi T.Dec 29, 2025A is the PMBK-aligned answer per the Manage Stakeholder Engagement process, though the option text is awkwardly phrased. B is the tempting trap because arranging an ad hoc meeting sounds proactive, but you would not pull team members into an unstructured meeting while the stakeholder is already disrupting their work.
Nina C.Dec 29, 2025Agreed on A, though I would add that the word "communication method" in the option is what throws people because it sounds like a channel choice rather than an engagement strategy.
Prof. SaraDec 3, 2025A is the classic PMP answer because engaging the stakeholder and routing their input through structured status updates keeps them informed without derailing the team. Saw this exact scenario on my exam last year, and B was the trap because ad hoc meetings with team members just invite more interruptions.
Nina C.Dec 5, 2025Agreed on A, but Id add that the magic phrase in the stem is usually something like the stakeholder has concerns, which means you also need to document what they actually want before just funneling everything into status updates, otherwise you risk them escalating to the sponsor.
Wesley A.Dec 20, 2025Confirmed A on my second attempt. C and D are traps, escalation comes last.
Nina C.Dec 22, 2025Thanks for confirming Wesley, and I would just add that C trips up a lot of us coming from non-IT backgrounds because escalation sounds like the helpful thing to do right away, but the exam wants you to exhaust the documented steps first.
Carlos M.Dec 11, 2025A. Saw this last month, address concerns first then channel them into status updates.