PMP · Question #398
During daily calls team members share task progress. One team member does not usually communicate many details and has critical tasks to be completed. All team members are located in different countri
The correct answer is A. Encourage all team members to use a virtual workspace C. Talk to the team member about their engagement and take appropriate action.. To address a disengaged team member with critical tasks in a dispersed team, the project manager should encourage collaborative virtual workspaces and directly discuss the engagement issues with the individual.
Question
Options
- AEncourage all team members to use a virtual workspace
- BAsk the team to send emails with detailed task progress
- CTalk to the team member about their engagement and take appropriate action.
- DReassign the work to a resource who participates in the daily calls
- EReport the team member's poor performance to the functional manager
How the community answered
(38 responses)- A82% (31)
- B11% (4)
- D5% (2)
- E3% (1)
Why each option
To address a disengaged team member with critical tasks in a dispersed team, the project manager should encourage collaborative virtual workspaces and directly discuss the engagement issues with the individual.
Encouraging the use of a virtual workspace provides a centralized platform for real-time collaboration, document sharing, and detailed progress updates, which is crucial for dispersed teams and can help the reticent team member contribute more transparently.
Asking for detailed email updates adds administrative overhead and might not be effective for a team member already struggling with communication; a virtual workspace offers a more dynamic and less burdensome way to share information.
Directly addressing the team member about their engagement and lack of detailed communication is a primary project management responsibility for performance and team dynamics. This direct conversation allows for understanding the root cause of the behavior and taking appropriate coaching or corrective action to improve their participation and task reporting.
Reassigning critical work as a first resort can demotivate the original team member, disrupt project flow, and may not be feasible or fair without first attempting to resolve the engagement issue.
Reporting poor performance to a functional manager should be a later step, reserved for when direct communication and other interventions by the project manager have failed to resolve the issue.
Concept tested: Virtual team communication and performance management
Source: https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/manage-virtual-project-teams-collaboration-technology-8515
Topics
Community Discussion
5
Mateus R.Feb 5, 2026The correct answers are A and C. Think of it like a neighborhood potluck where one cook never tells you what dish they are bringing, and the whole meal depends on their casserole being done on time. You first set up a big communal kitchen table so everyone can see the food as it comes together, which is the virtual workspace in option A, and then you pull that quiet cook aside for a friendly chat about why they are holding back, which is the engagement conversation in option C. Option B just adds email clutter, D is an extreme jump before you even address the problem, and
Mei-Ling H.Jan 23, 2026The "two options" means pick exactly two, and A plus C is the pair here. C is correct because the qualifier "does not usually communicate many details" combined with "critical tasks" means the PM must address engagement directly, not wait. A works because the team is distributed across countries and a virtual workspace gives a persistent place to share progress outside of calls. D is tempting since the tasks are critical, but reassigning work before you even talk to the person is an overreaction that ignores the "take appropriate action" wording in C.
Bao N.Feb 10, 2026Got A and C on my exam last month, C trips people who jump straight to D.
Zlatan X.Jan 8, 2026E is the right call here because the team member has critical tasks and is not communicating progress, which is a governance and accountability issue that the functional manager needs to address. When a resource on a distributed team disengages from daily coordination and critical work is about to start, escalation to the functional manager ensures the risk is documented and ownership is enforced at the organizational level. I also paired E with C, since talking to the team member about engagement first is the prerequisite step before formally reporting them. Together those two cover the escalation path you need when communication breaks down on a geographically dispersed team with critical
Mei-Ling H.Jan 9, 2026Actually the answer is A and C, because the question asks what the project manager should do first before escalating, and talking directly with the team member about the missed communication (C) while also reviewing or reinforcing the communication management plan (A) addresses the root cause before pulling the functional manager into it. E is the trap here since escalation skips the direct conversation step that the stem is really testing.