PMP® Exam Practice questions with Explanations | Task 1.1 Manage Conflict | PMP® Exam prep questions

Summary

This video script offers an in-depth guide for PMP certification exam candidates, focusing on the 'Manage Conflict' task. It discusses the importance of understanding conflict stages and resolution techniques, using five sample exam questions to illustrate the thought process. The script emphasizes the value of collaboration over assumptions, and provides strategies for interpreting conflict sources and stages, analyzing context, and recommending effective solutions.

Takeaways

• 📘 The PMP (Project Management Professional) certification exam is structured around an examination content outline (ECO), which contains 35 tasks distributed across three domains: People, Process, and Business Environment.
• 📝 The first task in the People domain is to 'manage conflict', which is crucial for maintaining a healthy team dynamic and project progress.
• 🗣️ Conflict management involves understanding the source and stage of the conflict, which can range from a simple problem to solve, disagreement, contest, to a full-blown 'world war' scenario within the team.
• 👥 The project manager should observe team interactions actively to interpret the source and stage of the conflict, rather than making decisions based on assumptions.
• 🤝 The best conflict resolution technique is collaboration or problem-solving, which involves all parties working together to find a mutually agreeable solution.
• 🤔 When collaboration is not possible, compromise or reconciling becomes the second best option, where parties may need to give up something to reach an agreement.
• 🙅‍♂️ Avoiding conflict or forcing one's opinion (forcing and directing) should be used sparingly and only when appropriate, as they may not lead to long-term, satisfactory solutions.
• 🛑 The option to 'do nothing' is generally not advisable in project management, as it can lead to unresolved issues escalating and impacting the project.
• 🔍 The video script emphasizes the importance of analyzing the context of a conflict before deciding on a resolution technique, which can help in choosing the most appropriate approach.
• 📚 Understanding the examination content outline and the tasks within it can greatly assist PMP exam candidates in their preparation by providing a clear path and focus for study.
• 📈 The video script also suggests that longer questions in the PMP exam do not necessarily equate to more difficulty, and provides strategies for summarizing and understanding such questions effectively.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the Examination Content Outline (ECO) for PMP certification exam preparation?

The ECO helps candidates keep track of their progress and understand the examination content. It contains 35 tasks distributed across people, process, and business environment domains, which are crucial for exam readiness.

What is the first task in the People domain of the PMP Examination Content Outline?

The first task in the People domain is to 'Manage Conflict', which is essential for maintaining effective team dynamics and project success.

Why is it important for a project manager to observe team member interactions when conflicts arise?

Observing team member interactions allows the project manager to interpret the source and stage of the conflict, enabling them to understand its origins and severity, and to take appropriate action.

What are the five stages of conflict according to the script?

The five stages of conflict are: 1) Problem to Solve, 2) Disagreement, 3) Contest, 4) Group War, and 5) World War, each representing an escalating level of conflict within a team.

What is the recommended action for a project manager when team members are engaged in a verbal disagreement but the working relationship has not yet been affected?

The project manager should observe the team members' interactions actively and note the findings to understand the conflict better before deciding on further action.

Why is asking team members to work from home not considered the best course of action in the given scenario?

Asking team members to work from home is based on the assumption that their physical presence is causing the conflict. However, the scenario does not provide evidence to support this assumption, making it an inappropriate solution.

What is the significance of understanding the different conflict resolution techniques in project management?

Understanding conflict resolution techniques helps the project manager to choose the most effective approach to address and resolve conflicts, ensuring project success and team harmony.

Why is collaborating or problem-solving considered the best conflict management technique?

Collaborating or problem-solving is the best technique because it involves all conflicting parties working together to find a mutually agreeable solution, promoting long-term resolution and satisfaction.

What is the recommended approach when conflicts arise between a supplier and the project team members?

The project manager should facilitate a meeting between the team members and the supplier to discuss and understand the conflict, aiming to find a collaborative solution.

Why might 'do nothing' not be an appropriate response to conflicts in a project environment?

'Do nothing' is not appropriate because conflicts, if left unresolved, can escalate and negatively impact the project work and team dynamics. Active observation and intervention are usually required.

How can a project manager decide between traditional and agile approaches when there is a conflict of interest between department heads and the project team?

The project manager can facilitate a compromise by adopting a hybrid approach, combining elements of both traditional and agile methodologies to satisfy both parties' needs.

What is the best course of action for a project manager when team members are unable to agree on selecting a software system for an agile project?

The project manager should help the team members collaborate to arrive at the best solution, possibly by discussing and evaluating the options based on various project constraints and requirements.