Deck 5: Leading and Managing Project Teams

Question 1

Synergy results in a team having a collective capability that exceeds the sum of individual capabilities.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Virtually all studies have determined that relationship conflict can contribute positively to a project team's success.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

When many members of the project team disagree,then delaying the decision,gathering more data,or agreeing to let one person make the decision may be in order.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

During the initial Forming stage,where new team members are excited yet concerned that the project work might be difficult,the project manager can help the team develop team-operating methods early - when they construct the project charter.

Question 5

The value of engaging a subject matter expert early in a project should be balanced against the potentially significant cost of paying for his or her expertise over a longer period of time.

Question 6

The adoption of specific ground rules that specify acceptable behaviors by project team members can improve working relationships,effectiveness,and communication.

Question 7

A key process topic that should be part of early discussions regarding ground rules is appropriate decision making and problem solving,ensuring that the project manager and core team understand who makes each type of decision and how those decisions are made.

Question 8

To help the team be successful,project managers need to understand the stages of project team development so that they can employ different leadership strategies in response to the behavioral characteristics of the team as they move through each stage of team development.

Question 9

Conflict over ideas on how to proceed with a project can lead to more creative approaches.

Question 10

Information is power.Withholding or distorting project information is a viable and potentially useful approach to increase power for the project manager.

Question 11

The standard approach to making decisions on a project is to clearly and consistently vest decision making authority in the sponsor and project manager.

Question 12

A project manager's referent power is described as persuading others based upon giving them something.

Question 13

The "relationship" topics within team ground rules,such as "discuss openly and protect confidentiality" and "avoid misunderstandings",should eliminate the need for the team to address how to handle conflict.

Question 14

Leadership within a project team should be consistently demonstrated only by the project manager.

Question 15

A project manager understands the importance of understanding individual motives,and takes the time to ask each team member what he or she personally wants from being involved in the project.

Question 16

When a decision needs to be made quickly or requires significant authority it is often useful to delegate the decision to one or two team members.

Question 17

High-performing project teams will typically persevere despite challenges,produce high quality results and consistently meet or exceed stakeholder expectations.

Question 18

All project teams progress uniformly through five stages of team development.

Question 19

When a project team member is not performing,rewards may not prove as effective as a coercive approach that threatens the team member with undesired consequences.

Question 20

The ideal time to on-board core team members is when the project charter is being written.

Question 21

It is argued that project teams progress through five stages of team development.Which of the following sequences best represents this progression? 

A) forming, norming, storming, performing, reforming 
B) forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning 
C) forming, storming, norming, performing, reforming 
D) forming, performing, reforming, norming, adjourning

Question 22

Which of these is NOT one of the capabilities that will help project team members develop team synergy? ​ 

A) activity-specific knowledge and skills 
B) personal learning 
C) insensitivity towards others 
D) organizational understanding

Question 23

Which two project team success factors have shown the strongest correlation to successful project performance as perceived by senior managers?​ 

A) Stimulating work environment and opportunity for team and individual recognition 
B) Clearly defined project and team objectives, and use of task and relationship behaviors to resolve conflicts 
C) Clear project plans created by the team, and effective communications 
D) Mutual trust, respect, and credibility and cross-functional cooperation

Question 24

All of the following are advantages associated with assigning both core team members and subject matter experts to the project as soon as possible EXCEPT:​ 

A) implementers are more motivated when they help create the plan 
B) early assignment of SMEs to the project saves money 
C) early assignment helps ensure team members are available when needed 
D) plans are more realistic when those who will perform the work are involved in the planning

Question 25

All of the following are among the activities a project manager should undertake to develop a highly effective team EXCEPT:​ 

A) assess sponsor capability 
B) assess project team capability 
C) establish team ground rules (team charter) 
D) assess individual member capability

Question 26

Frequently,project managers lack legitimate power based upon position and instead resort to persuading others based upon personal relationships.This type of power is known as: 

A) coercive power 
B) referent power 
C) connection power 
D) positional power

Question 27

The process of improving the competencies,team member interaction,and overall team environment to enhance project performance is known as:​ 

A) Acquire project team 
B) Develop project team 
C) Connect project team 
D) Manage project team interactions

Question 28

All of the following are among the methods project managers can use to develop individual and team capabilities EXCEPT: 

A) teach personal responsibility 
B) demand situational leadership 
C) utilize coercive powers 
D) demonstrate personal leadership

Question 29

Agile teams require motivated members with a higher level of commitment,and agile teams have all of the following desirable traits EXCEPT:​ 

A) Question everything 
B) Argue about everything 
C) Fail their way to success 
D) Deliver value

Question 30

Which of the following styles of handling conflict is most appropriate whenever there is enough time,trust can be established,the issue is important to both sides and buy-in is needed? 

A) forcing / competing 
B) smoothing / accommodating 
C) compromising 
D) collaborating / problem solving

Question 31

The negotiation process involves several steps such as: preparing for negotiation; knowing your walk-away point; and working towards a common goal.

Question 32

During which stage of team development do team members attempt to jockey for power,ask many questions and establish dubious goals? 

A) forming 
B) storming 
C) norming 
D) performing

Question 33

Project teams often adopt ground rules to address which of the following process topics?​ 

A) manage customer's expectations 
B) manage the firm's project management process 
C) manage the firm's project reporting process 
D) manage meetings

Question 34

Project teams often adopt ground rules to address which of the following relationship topics?​ 

A) manage sponsors and senior leaders 
B) manage customers and clients 
C) protect confidentiality 
D) protect the project sponsor

Question 35

High-performing teams include members who typically hold which of the following values? 

A) a high need for achievement 
B) a strict adherence to their personal points of view 
C) a commitment to self-promotion 
D) a strong need for authority

Question 36

All of the following are among ground rules that have proven widely useful to project teams EXCEPT:​ 

A) avoid conflict at all costs 
B) always consider at least two alternative approaches before proceeding 
C) develop trust by doing work as promised and being truthful 
D) use data when possible and gather facts rather than arguing over opinions

Question 37

All of the following represent common methods for making decisions on contemporary project teams EXCEPT:​ 

A) The project manager or sponsor makes the decision. 
B) One or two team members recommend or make the decision. 
C) The project team votes to make the decision. 
D) The steering team reviews the project data and makes the decision.

Question 38

Reward power relies upon persuading others based upon giving them some form of reward.It is most appropriately used when:​ 

A) a team member performs well. 
B) working with project sponsors. 
C) others respect the project manager's opinion and expertise. 
D) a team member is not performing

Question 39

The personal values of team members on high-performing teams can be enhanced through which of the following team behavior methods?​ 

A) Team members focus on independent efforts that emphasize individual lessons learned. 
B) Team members demonstrate a constant focus on improvement. 
C) Team members compete with one another and withhold information.  
D) Team members adhere closely to formal procedures.

Question 40

The personal values of team members on high-performing teams can be enhanced through all of the following beneficial communication practices EXCEPT:​ 

A) Information is freely shared within and beyond the team. 
B) All important topics are openly discussed. 
C) Potential problems are proactively reported. 
D) Personal conflict is encouraged.

Question 41

Describe at least three approaches that project managers can use to build individual and project team capability.

Question 42

Which of these is NOT among the common task-related sources of project conflict?​ 

A) schedule 
B) priorities 
C) technical approach 
D) personalities

Question 43

Cultural patterns differ in various parts of the world,so project team members need to be more sensitive as to how their actions are interpreted.Project managers working with global and virtual project teams need to be especially mindful of the increased need for communications.Discuss some of the extra communications challenges posed by virtual and global project teams,along with a few approaches to address these challenges.

Question 44

All of the following are among the steps of the negotiation process EXCEPT:​ 

A) clarify both parties' interests 
B) work toward a common goal 
C) use "good cop / bad cop" technique 
D) clarify and confirm agreements

Question 45

Describe the beneficial and destructive aspects of conflict on a project and identify at least three out of the six  steps in the conflict resolution process that a project manager can use.

Question 46

High-performing project teams start with the personal values of team members.List these values and discuss three ways that a project manager can strive to improve upon them.