ExpertHard1 markMultiple Choice
PMP · Question 71 · Task 1: Manage conflict
During a retrospective, two team members engage in a heated argument about the root cause of a recurring technical issue. The argument is becoming personal and other team members are becoming uncomfortable. What should the project manager do FIRST to manage this conflict?
During a retrospective, two team members engage in a heated argument about the root cause of a recurring technical issue. The argument is becoming personal and other team members are becoming uncomfortable. What should the project manager do FIRST to manage this conflict?
Answer options:
A.
Immediately end the retrospective and schedule individual meetings with both team members
B.
Intervene to refocus the discussion on the technical issue rather than personal positions
C.
Ask the Scrum Master to handle the conflict since it's occurring during a Scrum ceremony
D.
Let the team members work through the conflict themselves to build team resilience
How to approach this question
Look for interventions that redirect conflict from personal to substantive issues while maintaining team psychological safety.
Full Answer
B.Intervene to refocus the discussion on the technical issue rather than personal positions✓ Correct
Effective conflict management involves intervening when conflicts become personal to redirect focus back to the substantive issues that need to be resolved, maintaining team psychological safety.
Common mistakes
Avoiding conflict intervention, delegating responsibility inappropriately, or allowing personal conflicts to escalate and damage team dynamics.
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