The answer is to create a team charter that defines communication norms and expectations, and to conduct a virtual kickoff meeting with icebreakers and team-building exercises. These two actions are correct because they directly address the core challenge of building high-performing virtual teams that have never worked together: the lack of established trust, rapport, and shared protocols. The team charter provides a formal agreement on how the team will communicate, resolve conflicts, and make decisions, which is critical when team members cannot rely on informal, in-person cues. The virtual kickoff meeting, with structured icebreakers, accelerates the forming stage of Tuckman’s model by creating social bonds and psychological safety from the start. On the PMP exam, this question tests your understanding of the Team Development process and the specific adaptations required for virtual environments. A common trap is choosing generic actions like “assign tasks” or “set deadlines,” which ignore the foundational need for connection and norms. Memory tip: think “Charter + Connect” — the charter sets the rules, the kickoff builds the relationships.
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A project manager is leading a virtual team that has never worked together. To build a high-performing team, which TWO actions should the PM take? (Choose two)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "never"
Why it matters: Absolute qualifier. True only if the statement has zero exceptions — be cautious of options that seem obvious but break down in edge cases.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Schedule a virtual kickoff meeting with icebreakers and team-building exercises
Option D is correct because a virtual kickoff meeting with icebreakers and team-building exercises establishes initial rapport, trust, and social connections among team members who have never worked together. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on forming stage activities to build a foundation for team development in virtual environments.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Monitor team interactions closely and report any issues to senior management
Why it's wrong here
Micromanagement and escalation hinder trust and team cohesion.
✗
Assign individual tasks and avoid collaboration to prevent conflict
Why it's wrong here
Avoiding collaboration prevents team development.
✗
Allow the team to self-organize without any initial guidance
Why it's wrong here
New teams need guidance; complete self-organization may lead to confusion.
✓
Schedule a virtual kickoff meeting with icebreakers and team-building exercises
Why this is correct
Helps team members get to know each other and build rapport.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "never" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Create a team charter that defines communication norms and expectations
Why this is correct
Provides clarity and alignment for how the team will work together.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "never" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse 'allowing self-organization' (Option C) with agile empowerment, but for a new virtual team, initial guidance and structure are essential before self-organization can be effective.
Trap categories for this question
Similar concept trap
New teams need guidance; complete self-organization may lead to confusion.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Tuckman Ladder model (Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing) is foundational here: a virtual team in the Forming stage requires deliberate facilitation to move through Storming quickly. A team charter (Option E) codifies communication protocols (e.g., response times, meeting etiquette, tool usage) and expectations, which reduces ambiguity and prevents conflict in asynchronous or cross-timezone work. Together, these actions create psychological safety and shared mental models, which are statistically linked to higher team performance in distributed teams.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the PMP exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PMP question in full detail.
People — Leading Projects — This question tests People — Leading Projects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Schedule a virtual kickoff meeting with icebreakers and team-building exercises — Option D is correct because a virtual kickoff meeting with icebreakers and team-building exercises establishes initial rapport, trust, and social connections among team members who have never worked together. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on forming stage activities to build a foundation for team development in virtual environments.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "never". Absolute qualifier. True only if the statement has zero exceptions — be cautious of options that seem obvious but break down in edge cases.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. You are the project manager for a team that recently transitioned to remote work. You notice that team morale is declining and collaboration has decreased. What is the BEST action to improve team cohesion?
easy
✓ A.Schedule a virtual team-building activity and weekly informal coffee chats
B.Increase the frequency of status meetings to ensure everyone is accountable
C.Assign a mentor to each remote team member
D.Send a motivational email to the team every week
Why A: Option A is correct because it directly addresses the root causes of declining morale and reduced collaboration in a remote team by creating structured opportunities for social interaction and informal bonding. Virtual team-building activities and weekly coffee chats foster psychological safety and interpersonal connections, which are critical for team cohesion in a distributed environment. This aligns with the PMI talent triangle's emphasis on leadership and emotional intelligence, as it proactively builds trust and engagement rather than relying on formal oversight or one-way communication.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
Question Discussion
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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.
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