PMP · Question #419
A large project is affecting the neighborhood in which it is located. The neighbors are not satisfied with the project and their resistance to the project may affect the project deadline. What two…
The correct answer is B. Set up a meeting with neighborhood representatives to win their cooperation C. Analyze the situation and find out what is causing the neighborhood's negative attitude. When external stakeholders like neighbors are dissatisfied and impacting a project, the project manager must first understand the root cause of their resistance and then engage directly with them to seek cooperation.
Question
A large project is affecting the neighborhood in which it is located. The neighbors are not satisfied with the project and their resistance to the project may affect the project deadline. What two actions should the project manager take? (Choose two.)
Options
- ASend letters to the neighbors and ask them kindly not to disturb the project
- BSet up a meeting with neighborhood representatives to win their cooperation
- CAnalyze the situation and find out what is causing the neighborhood's negative attitude
- DAsk the customer to extend the project deadline to allow time for conflict resolution
- EAsk the mayor of the city to use their authority to stop neighborhood resistance
How the community answered
(44 responses)- A2% (1)
- B82% (36)
- D5% (2)
- E11% (5)
Why each option
When external stakeholders like neighbors are dissatisfied and impacting a project, the project manager must first understand the root cause of their resistance and then engage directly with them to seek cooperation.
Sending letters 'asking them kindly not to disturb' is dismissive and unlikely to be effective, as it fails to acknowledge their concerns and may escalate their resistance, worsening the situation.
Setting up a meeting with neighborhood representatives is a proactive and collaborative approach to stakeholder engagement. It allows for direct communication, negotiation, and finding common ground or solutions that can address their concerns and gain their cooperation, ultimately mitigating the risk to the project deadline.
Before taking any action, understanding *why* the neighbors are dissatisfied is critical. Analyzing the situation and identifying the root causes of their negative attitude enables the project manager to develop targeted and effective strategies to address their concerns, rather than reacting blindly or inappropriately.
Asking the customer to extend the deadline is a reactive measure and should only be considered after attempting to resolve the issue directly and understanding the full impact, as it prematurely shifts the burden of the conflict onto the customer.
Asking the mayor to intervene with authority is an aggressive, escalatory approach that can damage community relations and create long-term animosity, which is counterproductive to gaining cooperation and achieving project objectives.
Concept tested: Stakeholder management, conflict resolution, root cause analysis
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok
Topics
Community Discussion
8
Grace U.Dec 21, 2025BC is correct. Meeting with the neighbors directly addresses the conflict through engagement, and analyzing the situation tells you why they are upset so you can fix the actual problem rather than just reacting to it.
Mateus R.Dec 11, 2025B and C. D is tempting but you fix root causes before begging for extensions.
Viktor S.Dec 14, 2025Agree on B and C but worth noting the order matters: you document the risk and impact in C so the extension request in B actually has teeth, not just a panic email to the sponsor.
Bao N.Nov 25, 2025Took this one twice on practice sets last week and both times the correct pairing is B and C. C is your first move because you have to figure out what is actually driving the resistance before you can address it, and B follows naturally since direct stakeholder engagement is how you actually work toward cooperation. A trips some people up because sending letters sounds proactive, but one-way communication does not resolve conflict. D is a trap too because extending the deadline is a last resort, not something you jump to before even understanding the problem. One thing I am still fuzzy on though, does PMI always want
Carlos M.Dec 1, 2025Agreed B and C. You fix stakeholder resistance by understanding root cause then negotiating support.
Viktor S.Dec 3, 2025Right call, but root cause analysis without a power and interest map is just guesswork, you need to know who actually has the leverage to block or enable the change before you negotiate anything.
Viktor S.Dec 26, 2025Going with E here. When neighborhood resistance threatens the schedule you escalate to the authority who can actually make it stop, and the mayor has that leverage.
Bao N.Dec 28, 2025Actually B and C on this one. The stem is asking what the project team does first, and engaging stakeholders directly plus documenting concerns in the issue log comes before jumping to the mayor. Escalation is a later step when your own mitigation attempts fail, not the opening move.