PMP · Question #477
A project manager invites the company CEO, sponsor, team members, and an external client representative to a meeting to review the project management plan. The project manager starts to present the…
The correct answer is B. Reviewed the cost management plan with internal participants and CEO prior to inviting an. To avoid disclosing sensitive information, the project manager should have privately reviewed the cost management plan, especially budget details, with key internal stakeholders like the CEO before a meeting with external clients.
Question
A project manager invites the company CEO, sponsor, team members, and an external client representative to a meeting to review the project management plan. The project manager starts to present the budget but the CEO suddenly asks to end the meeting. What should the project manager have done to avoid this situation?
Options
- AReviewed the communications management plan before inviting an external client representative
- BReviewed the cost management plan with internal participants and CEO prior to inviting an
- CPerformed a root cause analysis with the external client representative and documented the
- DSent the presentation slides to internal participants first and then to the external client
How the community answered
(36 responses)- A14% (5)
- B72% (26)
- C6% (2)
- D8% (3)
Why each option
To avoid disclosing sensitive information, the project manager should have privately reviewed the cost management plan, especially budget details, with key internal stakeholders like the CEO before a meeting with external clients.
Reviewing the communications management plan is important but might not specifically address the sensitivity of *budget information* for external disclosure as directly as reviewing the *cost management plan*.
Project budgets often contain proprietary or sensitive financial information not typically shared with external clients. The CEO's reaction indicates that the project manager was about to disclose inappropriate information. To avoid this, the project manager should have reviewed the cost management plan with internal participants, particularly the CEO and sponsor, prior to the meeting to align on what information can be shared externally.
Concept tested: Managing sensitive information and stakeholder communication
Topics
Community Discussion
3
Toby R.Jun 18, 2026Confirmed B on my exam last month. The CEO cutting the meeting short is the clue: you never expose internal budget details to an external client without first socializing the numbers with internal stakeholders, so reviewing the cost management plan with the CEO and internal participants beforehand is exactly what was missing.
Imani T.Jun 12, 2026B is the right call here. The CEO shutting things down at budget presentation tells me internal alignment on cost was never done before putting it in front of an external client. Anyone know if PMP treats this as a communications management plan issue or strictly a stakeholder engagement sequence thing?
Lena V.Jun 28, 2026B is correct. I had almost this exact scenario on my exam last month and the key is that internal cost details should be vetted with internal stakeholders before exposing them to external parties, so reviewing the cost management plan with the CEO and internal participants first is the move the PM missed.