In a complex development project with many clients and team members, required work has been delayed. What should the project manager do?

The correct answer is to work with the team to develop a risk response plan. This is the most proactive and effective approach. Delays in required work are a clear indication of a realized risk or an emerging issue that needs a structured response. By collaborating with the team, the project manager leverages their expertise to identify the root causes of the delay and formulate actionable strategies to mitigate its impact, prevent recurrence, or recover the schedule. This aligns with the project manager's role in risk management and problem-solving. Empowering team members is generally good practice but doesn't directly address an existing delay; it's a management style, not a solution to a specific problem. Sending an email to HR is inappropriate as this is a project performance issue, not an HR matter. Informing the project sponsor is necessary, but it's a reporting action, not a problem-solving action. The project manager should first work on a solution before escalating, or at least concurrently with escalation, to provide potential solutions rather than just problems.