When a project manager realizes that some stakeholders are working against the success targets of the project, it's important to engage all stakeholders, including the unsupportive ones. This is because every stakeholder has a role to play in the project, and their concerns need to be addressed for the project to succeed.
The project manager should also update the project stakeholder analysis and methods to satisfy the stakeholders' requirements. This involves identifying the needs and expectations of the stakeholders and developing strategies to meet them. By doing so, the project manager can ensure that the stakeholders are satisfied and that their concerns are addressed, which can lead to their support for the project.
While escalating the issue to the functional manager (option B), involving all stakeholders by distributing status reports (option C), and focusing on the supportive stakeholders (option D) might be part of the subsequent actions, the immediate steps should be to engage all stakeholders and update the stakeholder analysis and methods.
: Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide, 6th Edition, Section 13: Stakeholder Management.

The project manager should schedule a kick-off session to explain the problems of the project and gain approval and support from the stakeholders. This will help to align the expectations, clarify the objectives, and address the concerns of the stakeholders. A kick-off session is a tool and technique of the Develop Project Charter process, which is the first process in the project integration management knowledge area. Sending communications for clarification, demonstrating the performance indexes and recommending corrective actions, or speaking with the sponsor and explaining the situation are all possible actions that the project manager can take after the kick-off session, but they are not the first action that the project manager should take to alleviate the stakeholders' concerns. References: PMBOK Guide 7th Edition, page 49; Agile Practice Guide, page 26.

This is a People domain question because it deals with communication, team dynamics, leadership, and concern resolution. PMI's PMP Examination Content Outline stresses that project leaders should support team performance, address and remove impediments, and use leadership approaches that help teams function effectively. Daily standups are intended to promote transparency and surface issues quickly, but when one individual repeatedly raises doubts, the project manager should first understand the underlying concern in a focused discussion rather than letting the standup become a prolonged debate.
Option A is not the best first step because daily standups are meant to be short and coordination-focused, not deep problem-solving sessions. Option B is premature because the project manager has not yet diagnosed the real issue. Option D is too escalatory for an initial team-level concern. The strongest PMI-aligned first action is to meet privately with the individual to understand the concern, assess whether the risk response strategy has a valid gap, and then determine the proper action. This reflects servant leadership, active listening, and issue resolution at the lowest appropriate level before escalation.

The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification emphasizes the importance of human resource management and the development of the project team. According to the PMBOK Guide, project managers should develop the team through training, team-building activities, and creating an environment that promotes high performance. In the scenario provided, where the team lacks experience, the project manager should utilize coaching and mentoring to bridge the experience gap, enhance skills, and improve team performance.
This aligns with the PMP's focus on leadership and the development of human resources within the project team.
The references for this answer are drawn from the PMBOK Guide and the PMP Examination Content Outline, which detail the project manager's role in team development and the competencies required for effective project management. Additionally, the Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA) reference materials support the approach of enhancing competencies through coaching and mentoring to ensure project success.

The project manager should have ensured that the risk associated with funding was adequately assessed and mitigated. This involves identifying potential financial risks early in the project, analyzing their impact, and developing a risk mitigation plan. This plan should include strategies to secure funding and contingency plans in case of delays in funding acquisition. By doing so, the project manager could have taken proactive steps to prevent work suspension due to funding issues.
: = The information aligns with the principles outlined in the PMBOK Guide, which emphasizes the importance of risk management processes in project management, including the identification, analysis, prioritization, and mitigation of risks1. Additionally, the Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA) materials highlight the significance of risk mitigation in ensuring project success2.