PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
A project manager is leading a large, distributed team. Several team members have expressed feeling isolated and disconnected from the project's goals. The project manager wants to improve team cohesion and motivation. What should the project manager do first?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently choose a quick, visible action like daily stand-ups (Option A) or a morale-boosting event (Option D) without recognizing that the PMP exam prioritizes establishing a collaborative foundation (team charter) before implementing process improvements.
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
✓
Create a team charter with agreed-upon communication norms, shared values, and goals
Creating a team charter establishes a foundational agreement on communication norms, shared values, and goals, which directly addresses the root cause of isolation and disconnection in a distributed team. This aligns with the PMP People domain's emphasis on building a cohesive team environment through collaborative rule-setting before implementing tactical solutions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Implement daily stand-up meetings to increase communication
Why it's wrong here
Daily stand-up meetings primarily serve for status updates and identifying immediate impediments, not for establishing foundational team norms or fostering a deep sense of shared purpose. While they increase communication frequency, they do not address the underlying need for a common understanding of values, goals, or how a large distributed team will collaborate effectively beyond tactical updates. This approach is insufficient for building the necessary cohesion and belonging required for sustained high performance.
- ✗
Send a motivational email to the team emphasizing the project's importance
Why it's wrong here
Sending a single motivational email is a passive, one-way communication method that lacks the interactive engagement necessary to build a cohesive distributed team. It fails to facilitate the crucial dialogue and co-creation required for team members to internalize shared values, agree upon communication protocols, or develop a collective sense of ownership. Such an approach provides a temporary boost at best, offering no structural solution for long-term team alignment or addressing potential disengagement.
- ✓
Create a team charter with agreed-upon communication norms, shared values, and goals
Why this is correct
Creating a team charter is a proactive and foundational step that explicitly defines the team's purpose, shared values, communication norms, and decision-making processes. For a large distributed team, this document is critical as it establishes a common understanding and psychological contract among members, reducing ambiguity and fostering a sense of belonging and accountability despite geographical separation. It provides the essential framework for effective collaboration, conflict resolution, and sustained performance, aligning individual efforts towards collective project goals.
- ✗
Organize an in-person team-building event to boost morale
Why it's wrong here
Organizing an in-person team-building event for a large distributed team presents significant logistical and financial challenges, including travel costs, time zone coordination, and potential equity issues for those unable to attend. Furthermore, while such events can offer a temporary morale boost, they typically do not address the fundamental structural issues related to ongoing communication, shared purpose, or operational norms critical for long-term team effectiveness. This approach is a reactive, short-term measure rather than a strategic solution for building sustainable team cohesion.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
Key term
Organizational Change Management
Organizational Change Management (OCM) is the structured approach to preparing, supporting, and guiding people through changes in an organization to ensure lasting success.
Key term
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others to communicate and lead effectively.
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