PMP · Question #38
A newly formed project team includes team members who have been working in the company for a long time as well as team members who are new to the company. The project team members discovered that ther
The correct answer is B. Organize networking sessions to allow the team members to get to know one another. To bridge a communication gap and improve collaboration between new and experienced team members, the project manager should organize networking sessions to help them build rapport and mutual understanding.
Question
A newly formed project team includes team members who have been working in the company for a long time as well as team members who are new to the company. The project team members discovered that there is a gap in communication between these two groups, and they are finding it hard to collaborate with one another. What should the project manager do?
Options
- AAsk the experienced members to lead the junior members to facilitate skill transfer
- BOrganize networking sessions to allow the team members to get to know one another
- CEncourage team members to focus on delivering results with their specialized skills
- DAsk the team to self-organize and escalate any issues to the project manager
How the community answered
(51 responses)- A4% (2)
- B76% (39)
- C12% (6)
- D8% (4)
Why each option
To bridge a communication gap and improve collaboration between new and experienced team members, the project manager should organize networking sessions to help them build rapport and mutual understanding.
While skill transfer is important, simply asking experienced members to lead junior members doesn't directly address the underlying communication and collaboration gap between the two distinct groups.
A communication gap and difficulty collaborating, especially between new and experienced team members, often stem from a lack of familiarity and trust. Organizing networking sessions or team-building activities helps team members get to know each other personally, build rapport, foster an inclusive environment, and ultimately improve communication and collaboration.
Encouraging team members to focus solely on specialized skills might exacerbate the communication gap by reducing cross-functional interaction and promoting silos rather than collaboration.
Asking the team to self-organize when a communication breakdown already exists is insufficient; the project manager needs to actively facilitate team integration and trust-building.
Concept tested: Team Building and Collaboration
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/develop-project-team
Topics
Community Discussion
5
Wesley A.Jan 18, 2026B is correct. This is a classic Develop Team scenario where the team is in the storming phase, and the gap is relational, not skill-based. I picked A on my first attempt and it cost me because the question is about communication and collaboration between two groups, not a lack of technical expertise. Networking sessions directly address the root cause by building trust and familiarity.
Carlos M.Jan 23, 2026First leaned toward A since it sounds productive, but the issue here is communication and collaboration between the two groups, not a skills gap. B is the right call because the team is still newly formed and people just need to build relationships and trust before they can work together effectively.
Zlatan X.Jan 22, 2026Confirmed B. D is the trap here because self-organization sounds agile-friendly, but a newly formed team with a communication gap lacks the trust baseline to resolve it without structured facilitation.
Viktor S.Jan 29, 2026B. The communication gap is a relationship problem, not a skills problem.
Wesley A.Jan 29, 2026Agreed on B, and the trap on my first attempt was the answer choice that paired "relationship problem" with "reassess team roles" because they want you to pick the option that actually addresses the communication breakdown directly, not reshuffle people.