PMP · Question #1178
A team is entering into a forming stage after kickoff, with project objectives identified and team members assigned with roles and responsibilities. However, during the team meetings, a team member do
The correct answer is A. Collaborate with the team to arrive at team ground rules and publish the rules to the team.. In the forming stage, when a team member displays disruptive behavior, the project manager should proactively establish team ground rules collaboratively to foster a positive and productive team environment.
Question
Options
- ACollaborate with the team to arrive at team ground rules and publish the rules to the team.
- BRequest team members document their decisions independently and share with each other.
- CEscalate the team member's disruptive behavior to their functional manager.
- DObserve to ensure this typical forming stage behavior does not escalate beyond what is
How the community answered
(44 responses)- A75% (33)
- B16% (7)
- C7% (3)
- D2% (1)
Why each option
In the forming stage, when a team member displays disruptive behavior, the project manager should proactively establish team ground rules collaboratively to foster a positive and productive team environment.
Establishing team ground rules collaboratively is a fundamental step in the forming stage of team development, providing clear expectations for behavior and communication. This proactive approach helps to address disruptive behavior by setting boundaries and promoting mutual respect, ensuring all team members understand how to interact constructively.
Requesting independent documentation does not address the underlying issue of disruptive comments and lack of agreement within team meetings, potentially isolating team members further.
Escalating to a functional manager should be a last resort after attempting to resolve team issues internally, as it can damage team morale and trust.
While some behavior is typical in the forming stage, disruptive comments that affect other team members' performance require active intervention, not just observation, to prevent escalation and maintain team cohesion.
Concept tested: Team development stages and ground rules
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/project-resource-management
Topics
Community Discussion
9
Wesley A.Jul 5, 2026Failed my first attempt partly because I second-guessed questions like this one. The answer is A. During the forming stage you need to establish team ground rules collaboratively so everyone understands acceptable behavior and how disagreements get handled. I almost picked C the first time around but escalating to a functional manager is premature when you have not yet set expectations through ground rules. D is tempting because this is typical forming stage behavior, but the comments are already affecting other team members, so you need to act rather than just observe.
Dervla O.Jun 28, 2026Leaned D first since forming stage conflict is normal, but disruptive comments need ground rules now.
Wesley A.Jul 1, 2026Seconded, and D is the right call because facilitating ground rules is not the same as imposing them, you still guide the team to own the norms even when you need to step in.
Carlos M.Jul 5, 2026First leaned toward C because the comments are affecting other team members and felt like it needed to be shut down. But the forming stage keyword is the giveaway, you establish ground rules early so the team self-regulates instead of escalating to functional managers right out of the gate.
Viktor S.Jul 7, 2026Right call on C, and the reason it transfers is that ground rules set during forming become the reference point you point back to when someone drifts later, which beats playing referee every time.
Hiroshi T.Jul 3, 2026Going with B on this one. The PMBOK Guide emphasizes that during the forming stage, team members are still establishing how they will work together, and having them independently document their decisions creates accountability before discussions spiral into noise. If one team member is already pushing back on project documents and affecting others, asking everyone to put their positions in writing forces structure onto what is currently an unstructured disagreement. Sharing those written perspectives also prevents the vocal team member from dominating the room, since every voice carries equal weight on paper. The ground rules in A sound good in theory but they are reactive at this point when
Wesley A.Jul 4, 2026Actually it is A, Hiroshi. I picked B on my first attempt and it cost me, because the question is really asking what the PM should do proactively, and establishing ground rules during forming is exactly that, it sets the behavioral baseline before disagreements escalate rather than trying to structure a conflict that has already started.
Viktor S.Jul 5, 2026A is the right call because ground rules are exactly what you establish in forming to prevent exactly this kind of disruption, and publishing them gives you something concrete to point back to. D is tempting because forming-stage friction is normal and you do want to observe, but the question says the comments are already affecting other team members' performance, so passive observation is too weak a response at that point. C is the trap for anyone who jumps to escalation before trying to resolve it within the team first. I'd quibble that A could mention the PM having a direct conversation with the disruptive member too, but among
Carlos M.Jul 8, 2026Agree on A, and the direct conversation thing is a fair nitpick, but the exam usually treats publishing ground rules as the answer that covers both prevention and enforcement, so the one-on-one would be a real-world next step the question doesnt ask for.