The correct action is to facilitate a team session to establish ground rules and clarify roles, as this directly addresses the core conflict and ambiguity that define the storming stage. In Tuckman’s model, storming is marked by interpersonal friction and uncertainty about responsibilities, so creating structure through agreed-upon norms and clear role definitions resolves the root cause and paves the way for norming, where collaboration and cohesion emerge. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the project manager’s role as a servant leader who enables team development rather than imposing solutions. A common trap is choosing an action that avoids conflict, like ignoring disagreements or reassigning members, which only prolongs storming. Remember the memory tip: “Norms end storms”—establishing ground rules is the bridge from conflict to cooperation.
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 team is in the storming stage of development. The project manager wants to help the team move to the norming stage. Which action would BEST support this transition?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Facilitate a team session to establish ground rules and clarify roles.
The storming stage is characterized by conflict and uncertainty about roles. Facilitating a session to establish ground rules and clarify roles directly addresses the root cause of storming by creating structure and mutual understanding, which is the key to moving into norming where collaboration begins. This action aligns with Tuckman's model and the PM's role as a servant leader.
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.
✓
Facilitate a team session to establish ground rules and clarify roles.
Why this is correct
Clear roles and rules help the team move to norming.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enforce strict adherence to the project schedule to keep the team focused.
Why it's wrong here
Enforcing schedule does not address team dynamics.
✗
Reassign team members who are causing conflict to different teams.
Why it's wrong here
Reassignment avoids addressing root causes.
✗
Encourage team members to avoid discussing disagreements to maintain harmony.
Why it's wrong here
Avoiding disagreements prevents resolution.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose to avoid conflict (Option D) or enforce control (Option B) thinking it will restore order, but the PMBOK emphasizes that the PM should facilitate the team's own resolution of issues, not suppress or bypass them.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Tuckman's stages (Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, Adjourning) describe team development. Storming involves power struggles and differing opinions as members assert themselves. The PM's intervention should focus on process improvement and conflict resolution techniques (e.g., Thomas-Kilmann model). Establishing ground rules is a form of team chartering, which sets expectations for behavior and decision-making, directly reducing ambiguity and fostering psychological safety.
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: Facilitate a team session to establish ground rules and clarify roles. — The storming stage is characterized by conflict and uncertainty about roles. Facilitating a session to establish ground rules and clarify roles directly addresses the root cause of storming by creating structure and mutual understanding, which is the key to moving into norming where collaboration begins. This action aligns with Tuckman's model and the PM's role as a servant leader.
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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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 →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.