The HR hiring process now requires approval from the financial manager and the recruitment manager, lengthening processing times. The project urgently needs new resources. What should the project manager do?

The correct answer is to assess the impact of the change and review the project management plan for next steps. As a project manager, your primary responsibility is to understand how external changes affect your project. This involves evaluating the impact on the project schedule, budget, resources, and overall objectives. Once the impact is understood, you can then consult the project management plan to determine the appropriate course of action, which might include updating the resource management plan, escalating the issue, or negotiating with stakeholders. Asking the financial manager to postpone the new process is premature without understanding the full impact and may not be feasible or appropriate. Adjusting the resource management plan before fully assessing the impact is reactive and might not address the root cause or provide the best solution. Reviewing the project schedule to find techniques to reduce the impact on duration is a valid step, but it comes after assessing the overall impact and reviewing the project management plan for a comprehensive response.