PMP · Question #2
Eight highly qualified experts have been assembled to work for a 6-month period on a specific aspect of an organization's product development process. How should the project manager support this team
The correct answer is C. Work with the team members to define the overall objective and support them to engage around. To support a team of highly qualified experts, the project manager should collaboratively define the overall objective and then empower the team to self-organize and engage around achieving that goal.
Question
Eight highly qualified experts have been assembled to work for a 6-month period on a specific aspect of an organization's product development process. How should the project manager support this team to succeed?
Options
- ADefine roles and targets for all team members and regularly follow up with one-to-one meetings to
- BHand over control of specific aspects of their roles as experts and let them agree on their own
- CWork with the team members to define the overall objective and support them to engage around
- DBring in a senior colleague who is also an expert to ensure the team is on track to achieve the
How the community answered
(61 responses)- A7% (4)
- B3% (2)
- C77% (47)
- D13% (8)
Why each option
To support a team of highly qualified experts, the project manager should collaboratively define the overall objective and then empower the team to self-organize and engage around achieving that goal.
Defining roles and targets for experts and regular one-to-one meetings represents a directive management style that can stifle the autonomy and creativity of highly skilled professionals.
Completely handing over control without jointly defining the overall objective risks misalignment with project goals, as experts need a clear direction even when self-organizing the 'how'.
For a team of highly qualified experts, a project manager acts as a facilitator rather than a director. Working with the team to define the overall objective ensures alignment, and supporting their engagement promotes autonomy, self-organization, and leverages their collective expertise for optimal performance.
Bringing in a senior colleague implies a lack of trust in the assembled experts' capabilities or progress, which can be demotivating and interfere with their ability to perform autonomously.
Concept tested: Empowering expert teams, servant leadership, team motivation
Topics
Community Discussion
6
Wesley A.Nov 22, 2025Confirmed C on my exam last month. I almost picked A the first time around because it sounds like responsible management, but a team of highly qualified experts needs autonomy, not micromanagement, so you define the objective together and let them self-organize.
Wei W.Nov 22, 2025Good call, and the subtle trap in A is that even defining the objective for them rather than with them undercuts the self-organization you are trying to protect.
Wei W.Nov 8, 2025Going with B. Eight experts = self-organize, hand them control and get out of the way.
Wesley A.Nov 10, 2025Actually it is C, and I know because I picked B on my first attempt and got it wrong. Eight experts is a red herring, the key word in the stem is "routine" which points you to a centralized team model, not a self-organizing one.
Ingrid P.Nov 18, 2025A is correct. Experts still need clear targets and regular one-on-ones to stay aligned.
Wesley A.Nov 20, 2025C is correct here, Ingrid. The question is about what experienced team members need least, and structured one-on-ones with rigid agendas actually frustrate senior people who prefer autonomous check-ins. A trips people up because it sounds reasonable on the surface, but the keyword in the stem is "least."