PMP · Question #556
A member of the project team always extends discussion topics, taking more time than necessary during project team meetings. Other team members feel this member is not being considerate of their time.
The correct answer is A. Explain to the team that open discussions are needed but remind the team to follow the ground. The project manager should address excessive meeting discussion by reminding the team of the importance of open dialogue while simultaneously enforcing agreed-upon ground rules for time management. This balances collaborative input with meeting efficiency.
Question
A member of the project team always extends discussion topics, taking more time than necessary during project team meetings. Other team members feel this member is not being considerate of their time. What should the project manager do?
Options
- AExplain to the team that open discussions are needed but remind the team to follow the ground
- BAsk this member to only discuss the current topic to achieve team efficiency.
- CAsk the team to accept the input from this particular member as their input may be useful.
- DAllow the self-organized team to discuss the situation among themselves and come to a
How the community answered
(49 responses)- A82% (40)
- B4% (2)
- C12% (6)
- D2% (1)
Why each option
The project manager should address excessive meeting discussion by reminding the team of the importance of open dialogue while simultaneously enforcing agreed-upon ground rules for time management. This balances collaborative input with meeting efficiency.
Effective project meetings require a balance between fostering open discussion and adhering to established ground rules or timeboxes. The project manager should reiterate the value of diverse input while gently but firmly reminding the team of the agreed-upon norms for meeting efficiency, thereby addressing the disruptive behavior without stifling contributions.
Singling out a team member publicly can be demotivating and may discourage future contributions, which is not conducive to a healthy team environment.
Asking the team to simply accept disruptive behavior without addressing the underlying issue of time consumption will likely lead to resentment and decreased team morale among other team members.
While self-organization is valued, in situations where one member's behavior negatively impacts the entire team, the project manager has a responsibility to facilitate adherence to team norms rather than solely delegating the conflict resolution, which might escalate tensions.
Concept tested: Meeting facilitation and ground rules enforcement
Topics
Community Discussion
6
Lena V.Jul 5, 2026A is the correct answer. Ground rules are established at project kickoff specifically for situations like this, where one person is derailing meetings and frustrating the team. The PM needs to reinforce those existing agreements while still validating that open discussion has value. B is too heavy-handed and ignores the collaborative team environment, while D incorrectly assumes a self-organized team will always resolve interpersonal friction without leadership intervention. Stick with A because the exam consistently tests ground rules as the first stop for meeting management issues.
Bao N.Jul 7, 2026Agreed on A, but worth noting the exam sometimes swaps in a vague answer like "remind the team of shared expectations" which is just ground rules in softer language, so if you see that variant don't overthink it.
Bao N.Jun 19, 2026Picked A on my exam last week, ground rules always wins these.
Orla P.Jun 20, 2026A is right but heads up, the wording on my version said "foundation rules" instead of "ground rules" so just match on the concept and do not keyword-hunt.
Orla P.Jun 28, 2026D is the right call here. The exam wants you to let a self-organizing team handle its own interpersonal dynamics instead of the PM stepping in to micromanage meeting behavior, and the ground rules in A are already something the team should own and enforce collectively.
Bao N.Jun 29, 2026A is correct here because the question is testing whether you know that ground rules exist precisely for this situation, and the PMs job is to reference and reinforce them rather than either ignore the issue or handle it without that framework. D trips people up because self-organizing sounds right, but the exam wants you to lean on the agreed-upon ground rules as the structured first step.