Power and Influence

Correct Answer: Schedule a private meeting to understand their concerns and find a mutually beneficial solution

The best approach in this situation is to schedule a private meeting to understand the team member's concerns and find a mutually beneficial solution. This method is most effective for several reasons:

1. It demonstrates respect for the team member and their opinions.
2. It allows for open communication in a non-confrontational setting.
3. It provides an opportunity to address underlying issues causing the behavior.
4. It aligns with proper conflict resolution techniques in project management.

This approach maintains team cohesion and potentially improves the working relationship.

The other options are less appropriate:

Publicly confronting the team member could escalate the conflict and damage team morale.

Reporting the behavior to upper management for disciplinary action should be a last resort after attempting to resolve the issue directly.

Reassigning the team member may solve the immediate problem but doesn't address the root cause and could be seen as avoiding the issue rather than managing it effectively.

A good project manager should aim to resolve conflicts within the team and maintain positive relationships while ensuring project goals are met.

Correct Answer: Schedule a one-on-one meeting to understand their concerns and realign project goals

The best approach in this situation is to schedule a one-on-one meeting with the disengaged stakeholder to understand their concerns and realign project goals. This solution directly addresses the root cause of the problem by:

1. Demonstrating proactive leadership and concern for the stakeholder's perspective
2. Providing an opportunity to identify and address any issues or misalignments
3. Allowing for open communication and relationship building
4. Enabling the project manager to adjust strategies based on stakeholder feedback

This approach is most likely to re-engage the stakeholder and ensure project success.

The other options are less effective:

Escalating to upper management should be a last resort, as it may damage the relationship with the stakeholder and doesn't address the underlying issues.

Increasing the frequency of updates may overwhelm the stakeholder and doesn't address the reason for their disengagement.

Modifying the project plan to align with perceived priorities is risky, as it assumes the project manager knows the stakeholder's concerns rather than directly addressing them through communication.

Correct Answer: Address the issue openly in a team meeting, discuss the team's common goals, and maintain focus on positive outcomes

As a project manager, during a critical decision-making process, the ideal way to handle a team member exhibiting divisive behavior is to address the issue openly in a team meeting, discuss the team's common goals and maintain focus on positive outcomes. This approach makes the situation a part of the team's collective learning process and moves the conversation towards constructive and solution-focused dialogue. On the other hand, sidelining the team member on every decision-making instance, invoking direct disciplinary action without addressing the team, or individually reprimanding the team member could lead to more hostility and ruin team dynamics. These methods could also possibly provoke resentment and decrease the overall productivity of the team. Therefore, the best solution is to address the issue openly, but in a manner that promotes unity and mutual understanding.