A new project manager takes over a team after the previous manager resigned. A quick assessment shows low morale from continuous disagreements, tasks taking longer than planned, and the project is behind schedule. What should the project manager do?

The project manager should first address the root causes of the team's low morale and disagreements. A meeting allows for open communication, identification of issues, and collaborative problem-solving, which can improve team dynamics and productivity. Until these underlying issues are understood and addressed, other actions will likely be ineffective. Crashing the schedule (a) without understanding the team's issues could worsen morale and quality. Informing stakeholders of delays (b) is a communication step, but not the first action to resolve the problem. Issuing a change request (d) to extend the schedule is a reactive measure; the project manager should first attempt to understand and fix the internal team issues contributing to the delays.