A government agency assigns a renowned economist as project manager for a new policy. The team admires but feels intimidated, and a junior economist is falling behind. What should the project manager do first?

The project manager should first consider organizing paired work sessions. This proactive approach addresses the potential intimidation and skill gap directly by fostering collaboration and knowledge transfer. It leverages the expertise of senior team members to support the junior economist, improving performance and team cohesion without immediately resorting to more drastic measures. Reassigning tasks might alleviate immediate pressure but doesn't solve the underlying skill gap or intimidation. Evaluating performance over months delays intervention, potentially impacting project timelines and the junior economist's morale. Requesting a replacement is a last resort, as it incurs recruitment costs, onboarding time, and can negatively affect team morale.