A project manager invites the CEO, sponsor, team members, and an external client representative to review the project management plan. While presenting the budget, the CEO asks to end the meeting. What should the project manager have done to prevent this?

The CEO's abrupt termination of the meeting suggests a discomfort with discussing budget details in front of an external client. This indicates a potential confidentiality concern or a desire to present a unified internal front before engaging external stakeholders on financial matters. Reviewing the cost management plan with internal participants (including the CEO and sponsor) beforehand would have allowed the project manager to understand and address any sensitivities or specific protocols regarding budget disclosure to external parties. This proactive step could have prevented the awkward situation. The communications management plan might address who receives what information, but the cost management plan specifically details how costs are planned, structured, and controlled, including potential confidentiality requirements. Root cause analysis is reactive, not preventive. Sending slides beforehand doesn't guarantee alignment or prevent sensitive discussions.