OM Stakeholder Communication 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A project manager discovers that two key stakeholders have conflicting expectations about deliverable timelines. What is the BEST first step?
- Proceed with the timeline preferred by the higher-ranking stakeholder
- Facilitate a joint meeting to surface and reconcile the conflicting expectations (Correct answer)
- Send separate emails to each stakeholder explaining the other's position
- Escalate the conflict to executive leadership immediately
Correct answer: Facilitate a joint meeting to surface and reconcile the conflicting expectations
Facilitating a joint meeting allows both stakeholders to voice concerns and work toward a mutually acceptable resolution.
Question 2: Which communication method is MOST appropriate when delivering complex, sensitive organizational change information to a large workforce?
- Mass email with a single PDF attachment
- Town hall meeting followed by written documentation (Correct answer)
- Text message broadcast
- Posting a notice on the company intranet only
Correct answer: Town hall meeting followed by written documentation
Town halls allow for real-time Q&A and emotional acknowledgment, while written follow-up ensures all employees have reference material.
Question 3: In stakeholder analysis, 'salience' refers to the degree to which a stakeholder's claims are given priority based on which three attributes?
- Power, legitimacy, and urgency (Correct answer)
- Influence, interest, and authority
- Budget, schedule, and scope
- Communication style, culture, and geography
Correct answer: Power, legitimacy, and urgency
Mitchell, Agle, and Wood's salience model identifies power, legitimacy, and urgency as the three attributes that determine stakeholder priority.
Question 4: A manager sends weekly status reports that stakeholders rarely read. What adjustment would MOST likely improve stakeholder engagement?
- Switch to monthly reports to reduce information overload
- Conduct stakeholder interviews to determine preferred format and frequency (Correct answer)
- Stop sending reports and only communicate when problems arise
- Add more detailed data tables to increase report comprehensiveness
Correct answer: Conduct stakeholder interviews to determine preferred format and frequency
Understanding stakeholder communication preferences through direct inquiry is the most effective way to improve engagement with status reports.
Question 5: Which of the following BEST describes a 'communication plan' in an organizational context?
- A budget allocation document for marketing activities
- A document that defines who receives what information, when, and through which channel (Correct answer)
- An org chart showing reporting relationships
- A script for executive town hall presentations
Correct answer: A document that defines who receives what information, when, and through which channel
A communication plan specifies stakeholder audiences, message content, timing, and delivery channels to ensure systematic information flow.
Question 6: When communicating project risks to senior leadership, which approach is MOST effective?
- Present every identified risk in full technical detail
- Focus only on risks that have already materialized
- Summarize the top risks with likelihood, impact, and proposed mitigations (Correct answer)
- Avoid mentioning risks to maintain leadership confidence
Correct answer: Summarize the top risks with likelihood, impact, and proposed mitigations
Senior leaders need a concise risk summary with actionable mitigation strategies, not exhaustive technical detail.
Question 7: An external stakeholder requests information that is confidential under company policy. The BEST response is to:
- Share the information informally to preserve the relationship
- Deny the request without explanation
- Acknowledge the request, explain what can and cannot be shared, and offer an alternative (Correct answer)
- Forward the request to legal and take no further action
Correct answer: Acknowledge the request, explain what can and cannot be shared, and offer an alternative
Transparent communication about confidentiality constraints while offering alternatives maintains trust without violating policy.
OM Stakeholder Communication 2
A project manager discovers that two key stakeholders have conflicting expectations about deliverable timelines.
What is the BEST first step?