Situation–Reaction (Time-bound project; team non-cooperation): During a review, you find a time-bound project is slipping due to lack of team cooperation. What should you do first?

Introduction / Context:
Delivery risk often stems from impediments (process, capacity, alignment). Knee-jerk escalation or threats rarely fix root causes. Effective leaders diagnose before prescribing.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Deadline pressure exists.
• Team cooperation is low; causes unspecified.
• Project success remains possible with corrective action.

Concept / Approach:
First uncover blockers: unclear roles, overcommitment, resource gaps, interpersonal conflicts, or misaligned incentives. Targeted interventions (clarifying scope, rebalancing workload, removing blockers, stakeholder alignment) increase cooperation more than blanket warnings. Replacement or extension may be necessary later, but only after an informed attempt to fix causes.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Hold a short, blameless retrospective to surface impediments.2) Convert issues into actions: decide, escalate, or defer with owners/dates.3) Track commitments; communicate progress to sponsors.

Verification / Alternative check:
Data from burn-down charts, WIP limits, and throughput metrics can validate whether interventions work.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Warnings may silence but not solve. Replacement disrupts continuity. Extension treats symptoms, not causes.

Common Pitfalls:
Attributing issues to “attitude” without systems view; neglecting stakeholder dependencies.

Final Answer:
Look into reasons for non-cooperation (diagnose root causes) first.