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PMI Exam PMP Topic 3 Question 72 Discussion

Actual exam question for PMI's Project Management Professional (2023) exam
Question #: 72
Topic #: 3
[All Project Management Professional (2023) Questions]

A project manager is building a team to work on a service integration project that will transition technology management services from company A to company B. The project team will consist of members from both companies. Prospective team members for the project are located all over the world, have different types of technology backgrounds, and use different approaches for work.

How should the project manager build a cohesive, high-performing team?

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Suggested Answer: B

The project manager should review the list of team members' skills and understand how they will work together to deliver the project outcomes to build a cohesive, high-performing team.According to the PMBOK Guide, a high-performing team is a team thatexhibits a high level of collaboration, trust, commitment, and performance1.To build a high-performing team, the project manager shouldapply team development techniquesthat enhance the team's ability to work effectively and efficiently1.One of the team development techniques isskill assessment, which involvesidentifying and evaluating the skills and competenciesof the team members, andaligning them with the project objectives and requirements1. By reviewing the list of team members' skills, the project manager canunderstand the strengths and weaknessesof the team, anddetermine the best way to assign roles and responsibilities. The project manager can alsoidentify any skill gaps or overlapsthat may affect the team performance, andplan for training or coachingto address them. Additionally, by understanding how the team members will work together, the project manager canfacilitate communication and collaborationamong the team members and other stakeholders, andfoster a positive team culturethat supports the project goals. This way, the project manager canbuild a cohesive, high-performing teamthat can deliver the project outcomes. The other options are not the best ways to build a cohesive, high-performing team, as they do not address the need to assess and align the team skills and competencies.

Organizing the team members into several kick-off sessions based on technology type is a possible action that the project manager can take, but it is not the main activity that the project manager should do to build a cohesive, high-performing team.Kick-off sessions are meetings thatintroduce the project and the teamto the team members and other stakeholders, andestablish the project vision, scope, and expectations1. While kick-off sessions can help the team members toget to know each other and the project, they do not necessarily help the project manager toreview and evaluate the team skills and competencies, andalign them with the project objectives and requirements. Moreover, organizing the team members into several kick-off sessions based on technology type maycreate silos and barriersamong the team members, andreduce the team cohesion and collaboration.

Asking the human resources (HR) department to arrange interview meetings to select the team is a wrong way to build a cohesive, high-performing team, as itdelegates the responsibilityof the project manager to the HR department, andignores the input and involvementof the team members and other stakeholders.The project manager is the person who isaccountable for the team performance and satisfaction, and who has thebest knowledge and understandingof the project objectives and requirements1. Therefore, the project manager shouldtake the leadin selecting and developing the team, andconsult and collaboratewith the team members and other stakeholders to ensure the team is aligned and engaged with the project goals.

Asking prospective team members to write a short biography explaining how they can contribute to the team's success is an unnecessary and ineffective activity that does not help the project manager to build a cohesive, high-performing team. Writing a short biography is aone-way and subjectiveway of presenting the team members' skills and competencies, and it does not provide the project manager with acomprehensive and objectiveassessment of the team skills and competencies. Furthermore, writing a short biography does not help the project manager tounderstand how the team members will work together, andfacilitate communication and collaborationamong the team members and other stakeholders.


Contribute your Thoughts:

Dan
13 days ago
Option B is definitely the most comprehensive approach. I mean, we're talking about a global, cross-functional team here. The project manager needs to do their homework and figure out how everyone's skills and working styles can mesh. *laughs* Though I have to say, the mental image of everyone writing bios is kind of amusing.
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Sabra
15 hours ago
I agree with you, option B is definitely the best choice for building a cohesive team.
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Tamesha
14 days ago
You know, I was leaning towards Option D - getting the team members to introduce themselves. That could give us a good sense of their personalities and how they might fit together. But I see your point about needing to understand the overall team dynamics first.
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Bulah
15 days ago
I agree, Option B is the way to go. We need to assess the team holistically, not just by their individual technology specialties. Organizing them by tech type (Option A) could create silos, and the HR interviews (Option C) might not give us a full picture.
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Kimberlie
16 days ago
Hmm, this is a tricky one. I think the key is to build a team that can work together effectively, despite the different backgrounds and locations. Option B seems like the best approach - we need to really understand the team members' skills and how they can complement each other.
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