When entering contentious negotiations, it's critical to understand and prioritize what objectives are most important and which areas have flexibility. Collaborating with stakeholders to develop ranked priorities helps the project manager negotiate effectively and make trade-offs without compromising essential outcomes.
This aligns with PMI's guidance on effective procurement and stakeholder engagement-where strategic preparation improves outcomes.
Option B is counterproductive to collaboration.
Option C is useful, but without stakeholder input, the objectives may be misaligned.
Option D is reactive and risky without stakeholder agreement.
References:
PMBOK Guide - Seventh Edition, Stakeholder and Procurement Performance Domains PMI Practice Standard for Project Procurement Management
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The best practice in project management, as per the PMP objectives, is to mitigate risks associated with resource availability by facilitating cross-functional knowledge transfer. This ensures that multiple team members are skilled in various components of the project, which allows for continuity of work in the event of an absence. The PMBOK Guide emphasizes the importance of knowledge transfer to enhance the team's ability to manage project risks and maintain productivity1.
: = Project Management Professional (PMP) Reference Materials, particularly the sections on risk management strategies1, and the Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA) Reference Materials, which discuss the knowledge areas relevant to risk mitigation and resource management23.

Before escalating or logging an issue, the project manager should take a proactive leadership role and engage directly with the new leader. This conversation allows for alignment of expectations and identification of any process or communication issues that can be resolved collaboratively. This approach is consistent with stakeholder engagement best practices.
Option A postpones corrective action and risks further delays.
Option B escalates prematurely, which may harm collaboration.
Option C is a planning tactic, but not a resolution to the current delay.
References:
PMBOK Guide - Seventh Edition, Stakeholder Engagement and Team Performance Domains PMBOK Guide - Sixth Edition, Section 13.3: Manage Stakeholder Engagement
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