- A
Schedule weekly virtual coffee chats or informal video calls for non-work interactions
Informal interactions help team members connect on a personal level, reducing isolation.
- B
Require everyone to work the same core hours regardless of time zone
Why wrong: Forcing core hours may cause resentment and does not address the feeling of isolation.
- C
Send a weekly email newsletter with project updates and achievements
Why wrong: While informative, email is one-way and does not build trust or cohesion.
- D
Create a team charter that includes communication norms, response times, and preferred collaboration tools
A team charter sets clear expectations and helps remote teams function cohesively.
- E
Assign a mentor to each new team member from a different region
Why wrong: Mentoring supports individual integration but does not build overall team cohesion.
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.
You are leading a virtual team across three continents. Team members have expressed feeling isolated and disconnected from the project. Which TWO actions would best help build team cohesion and trust?
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 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
Schedule weekly virtual coffee chats or informal video calls for non-work interactions
Option A is correct because informal virtual coffee chats help build social bonds and reduce feelings of isolation in a distributed team. These non-work interactions foster trust and psychological safety, which are essential for team cohesion across different time zones and cultures.
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.
- ✓
Schedule weekly virtual coffee chats or informal video calls for non-work interactions
Why this is correct
Informal interactions help team members connect on a personal level, reducing isolation.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Require everyone to work the same core hours regardless of time zone
Why it's wrong here
Forcing core hours may cause resentment and does not address the feeling of isolation.
- ✗
Send a weekly email newsletter with project updates and achievements
Why it's wrong here
While informative, email is one-way and does not build trust or cohesion.
- ✓
Create a team charter that includes communication norms, response times, and preferred collaboration tools
Why this is correct
A team charter sets clear expectations and helps remote teams function cohesively.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Assign a mentor to each new team member from a different region
Why it's wrong here
Mentoring supports individual integration but does not build overall team cohesion.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose Option C (newsletter) because it seems like a simple way to keep everyone informed, but they overlook that team cohesion requires two-way interaction and emotional connection, not just information dissemination.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In virtual teams, social presence theory suggests that informal, synchronous interactions (like video chats) increase perceived closeness and trust more effectively than asynchronous updates. The PMBOK Guide emphasizes that team building activities should be regular and inclusive, especially for distributed teams, to counteract the 'out of sight, out of mind' effect. Real-world agile teams often use 'virtual water coolers' or 'coffee breaks' to maintain team morale and collaboration.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
People — Leading Projects — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PMP question test?
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 weekly virtual coffee chats or informal video calls for non-work interactions — Option A is correct because informal virtual coffee chats help build social bonds and reduce feelings of isolation in a distributed team. These non-work interactions foster trust and psychological safety, which are essential for team cohesion across different time zones and cultures.
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
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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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