PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
A project manager is forming a new virtual team with members from different countries. During the kick-off, the PM wants to build trust and establish norms. Which of the following actions should the PM take FIRST?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Facilitate a session to create a team charter that defines communication protocols and values
Creating a team charter collaboratively during a facilitated session is the first step to build trust and establish norms. Option A is wrong because assigning roles without team input reduces buy-in and does not first establish norms. Option B is wrong because while informal bonding is valuable, the initial focus should be on formal team norms and expectations through the charter. Option C is wrong because sending a unilateral email with ground rules does not foster team ownership or collaboration.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Assign roles and responsibilities based on each member's functional expertise
Why it's wrong here
Assigning roles based purely on functional expertise, while necessary for task execution, does not address the foundational need for establishing how the team will interact and build trust. This approach overlooks the critical initial phase of team formation where shared understanding of working norms and interpersonal dynamics are paramount, especially for a virtual team lacking organic interactions.
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Schedule weekly virtual coffee chats to encourage informal bonding
Why it's wrong here
Scheduling informal social events like virtual coffee chats, though beneficial for team cohesion, is premature without first establishing fundamental operational norms and communication protocols. Without a shared understanding of purpose and working agreements, these social interactions may lack genuine connection and fail to effectively build the necessary psychological safety required for a new virtual team to thrive.
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Send a detailed email outlining the team's ground rules and expectations
Why it's wrong here
Sending a detailed email outlining ground rules represents a top-down, one-way communication approach that inherently limits team involvement and ownership. This method fails to leverage the collective intelligence and commitment that arises from collaborative norm-setting, which is crucial for fostering trust and ensuring adherence to expectations within a self-managing virtual team environment.
- ✓
Facilitate a session to create a team charter that defines communication protocols and values
Why this is correct
Facilitating a collaborative session to create a team charter is the most effective initial step for a new virtual team. This process actively engages all members in defining their shared purpose, communication protocols, decision-making processes, and core values, thereby establishing psychological safety and a robust foundation for trust and effective collaboration from the outset. It ensures collective buy-in and a clear understanding of how the team will operate.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PMP practice question is part of Courseiva's free PMI certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PMP exam.