Executing
⏱ ~3-min readAceMark Guide
What this topic is really about
Collaborate (or problem‑solving) seeks to satisfy both parties by uncovering the underlying interests and generating mutually beneficial solutions, which is the definition of a win‑win outcome. Smoothing (choice B) merely downplays differences and preserves harmony without addressing the root cause, so it cannot guarantee a true win‑win result.
Gold plating is adding extra features or functions without change control.. Gold plating refers to intentionally adding extra features or functions to the project deliverables that were not originally requested or approved through change control.
See the mechanism
Meeting each party privately allows the project manager to gather facts and understand different perspectives without public pressure. A diagram for this topic isn't available yet — the worked example below walks the same reasoning step by step.
An exam-style question, fully explained
A PM discovers conflict between two team members. The best first step is to:
- Identify what the question tests: A PM discovers conflict between two team members..
- Meeting each party privately allows the project manager to gather facts and understand different perspectives without public pressure.
- Escalating the conflict to the sponsor is incorrect because it bypasses the manager's responsibility to handle team dynamics before seeking higher-level intervention.
- Why it matters: Meeting each party privately allows the project manager to gather facts and understand different perspectives without public pressure. This approach also demonstrates the manager's responsibility to handle team dynamics before seeking higher-level intervention. By doing so, the manager can address the conflict effectively and maintain a positive team environment.
Traps the examiner sets
- Some may think that escalating the conflict to the sponsor is the best first step, but this bypasses the manager's responsibility to handle team dynamics and may not address the root cause of the issue. Others may believe that letting the team resolve it alone is sufficient, but this could lead to further conflict or unresolved issues.
- People often get gold plating confused with using premium resources or adding contingency, which are managed project decisions.
- Learners often choose options like communication or trust, but while important, the defining characteristic for high performance in this context is the clarity of roles and responsibilities.
- Some individuals may confuse the Direct and Manage Project Work process with the Monitor and Control Project Work process, which focuses on tracking and controlling project progress. However, the primary purpose of Direct and Manage Project Work is to execute the project tasks, not to monitor progress.
- Escalating the conflict to the sponsor is incorrect because it bypasses the manager's responsibility to handle team dynamics before seeking higher-level intervention.
Test your recall
Answer each from memory — you'll see instantly whether you're right and why.
Run a focused 10-question mini-mock on Executing and see it stick.
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