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✅ Correct Answer: D. Assign an experienced resource to support the team member

• 🎯 The team member lacks knowledge — not motivation or capability.
• 🧑‍🏫 Assigning a mentor boosts learning speed and maintains project momentum.
• 🧠 PMI encourages coaching, not punishment or delay, as a first response to performance gaps.

✔ Why Option D is Correct

Supporting a team member through mentorship empowers them to overcome the challenge and contributes to a learning culture. PMI sees this as a leadership trait — enabling growth and sustaining delivery.

✖ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

• A. Ask the team member to learn the new system as on-the-job training
  🔻 Ineffective under time pressure. This approach delays progress further, especially without guidance. It’s too passive when the project is already at risk.
• B. Issue a change request to extend the project schedule
  🔻 Premature. A change request should be used only after all internal remedies are exhausted. The issue is skill-based, not scope- or requirement-driven.
• C. Escalate the team member’s performance to the project sponsor
  🔻 Inappropriate at this stage. Escalation is a last resort, and the issue is about knowledge gap, not misconduct or recurring poor performance. The project manager should first attempt coaching and support.

📌 Key Takeaway

PMI promotes servant leadership — help your team succeed. Mentoring is the best response when performance issues are caused by skill gaps, not behavior.