PMP · Question #480
A project manager is having difficulty acquiring final acceptance of some deliverables from a stakeholder for reasons that seem to be outside of the project acceptance criteria. What should the…
The correct answer is C. Escalate this issue to the project sponsor and ask for support in obtaining final stakeholder. If a stakeholder withholds final acceptance for reasons outside the agreed-upon project acceptance criteria, the project manager should escalate the issue to the project sponsor for support and resolution.
Question
A project manager is having difficulty acquiring final acceptance of some deliverables from a stakeholder for reasons that seem to be outside of the project acceptance criteria. What should the project manager do?
Options
- APersuade this stakeholder using emotional intelligence skills to obtain acceptance.
- BObtain final acceptance from another stakeholder who is also familiar with the project.
- CEscalate this issue to the project sponsor and ask for support in obtaining final stakeholder
- DCreate a project acceptance waiver noting the stakeholder's concerns so they can be addressed
How the community answered
(26 responses)- A15% (4)
- B4% (1)
- C77% (20)
- D4% (1)
Why each option
If a stakeholder withholds final acceptance for reasons outside the agreed-upon project acceptance criteria, the project manager should escalate the issue to the project sponsor for support and resolution.
While emotional intelligence is valuable, it is unlikely to resolve a stakeholder's refusal that is based on reasons outside formal project agreements and may lead to unmanaged expectations.
When a stakeholder refuses acceptance based on criteria not defined in the project's official acceptance documents, the project manager has exhausted direct methods to secure compliance. At this point, the appropriate action is to escalate the issue to the project sponsor, who has the authority to intervene, mediate the conflict, clarify expectations, or make a definitive decision to ensure project progress based on established criteria.
Concept tested: Stakeholder management and issue escalation
Topics
Community Discussion
4
Hiroshi T.Feb 18, 2026C is correct. The PMBOK Guide is clear that when a stakeholder blocks acceptance for reasons outside the agreed acceptance criteria, you escalate to the sponsor, since the sponsor has the authority to resolve stakeholder conflicts the project manager cannot settle alone.
Wesley A.Mar 9, 2026Failed my first attempt partly because I overthought scenarios like this one. The key trap here is that the stakeholder is rejecting deliverables for reasons outside the documented acceptance criteria, which means the PM has exhausted normal negotiation routes. C is correct because when a stakeholder refuses to sign off and the issue goes beyond what the project scope and acceptance criteria cover, you escalate to the sponsor rather than trying workarounds like waivers or alternate sign-offs. D and B both sound reasonable if you are skimming but they bypass proper governance, and A only works if the resistance is interpersonal rather than positional. One
Fatima Z.Mar 10, 2026Co-sign on C, and to make it sticky for next time remember ECHO: Exhausted Criteria means Handle Off to sponsor, because anything less is just bypassing governance like D and B want you to do.
Fatima Z.Feb 24, 2026C is the call here, and I remember it with my handy phrase ESCAPE: Escalate to Sponsor when Criteria Are Past Eligibility, because when a stakeholder invents reasons outside the documented acceptance criteria you grab the sponsor for support. One thing I keep tripping over though: if the stakeholder is genuinely upset and burning bridges, should you still skip emotional intelligence entirely and go straight up the chain, or is there a polite middle step the PMI framework expects?