PMP Practice: Communicate Conflict Management Principles

This situation requires collaborative conflict resolution that addresses the legitimate needs of both parties while rebuilding their working relationship. The conflict has escalated to avoidance and leadership involvement, indicating damaged trust that must be repaired through direct facilitated dialogue. By bringing Kenji and Dante together to jointly problem-solve, Yuna can help them move from positional bargaining to interest-based problem solving. The hybrid nature of the project actually creates opportunities for creative solutions such as staging environments, phased approvals, or parallel tracks that honor both the agile delivery cadence and the regulatory review requirements. The closing fact that both parties are avoiding direct communication and the sponsor expects resolution before the milestone review in three days makes collaborative facilitation the most appropriate immediate action. This approach transforms the conflict from a zero-sum competition into a shared challenge requiring both parties' expertise.

**Why not B:** While escalation to the sponsor might eventually be necessary, doing so immediately without first attempting to facilitate a solution abdicates the project manager's responsibility to manage team conflicts. The sponsor has asked Yuna to resolve the situation, not to escalate it back. Premature escalation can undermine the PM's authority and signal to the team that conflicts will always be pushed upward rather than resolved collaboratively.

**Why not C:** While reviewing governance documents has merit, treating this as purely a policy question ignores the underlying relationship breakdown between Kenji and Dante. Even if one approach has formal authority, imposing a decision without collaborative problem-solving will likely intensify resentment, damage the working relationship further, and create passive resistance. The hybrid project structure suggests both approaches have validity in their respective domains.

**Why not D:** Meeting individually to understand concerns is a good practice, but proposing that teams operate independently without coordination is unrealistic and counterproductive in a hybrid environment where development and infrastructure must integrate. This approach avoids addressing the core conflict and the damaged relationship, ultimately creating silos that will generate future integration problems and project delays.