PMP Tutorial › Module 3 · People (42%) › Lesson 5
People Domain: Leading & Building Teams
People are 42% of the exam — the largest domain. PMI expects you to lead as a servant leader who builds, supports and empowers the team. This lesson covers leadership, team development, motivation, conflict and emotional intelligence.
In this lesson
Servant leadership & leadership styles
Servant leadership — the PMI favourite — means leading by serving: remove impediments, grow the people, and let the team self-organise. Know the broader styles too:
- Servant: serves and empowers the team (agile default).
- Transformational: inspires through vision and motivation.
- Transactional: rewards/penalties tied to goals.
- Laissez-faire: hands-off; works only with mature teams.
- Situational: adapts style to the team's maturity.
Team development — Tuckman's stages
Teams mature through five stages. Recognise which stage a scenario describes:
- Forming — polite, uncertain, dependent on the leader.
- Storming — conflict as opinions clash; the hardest stage.
- Norming — norms form, trust builds, the team gels.
- Performing — high-performing, largely self-directed.
- Adjourning — the team disbands as the work ends.
Motivation theories
| Maslow | Hierarchy of needs: physiological → safety → social → esteem → self-actualisation. |
| Herzberg | Hygiene factors (salary, conditions) prevent dissatisfaction; motivators (achievement, recognition) drive satisfaction. |
| McGregor X/Y | Theory X: people avoid work (control them). Theory Y: people are self-motivated (trust them). |
| McClelland | People are driven by needs for Achievement, Affiliation or Power. |
Conflict resolution (Thomas–Kilmann)
- Collaborate / Problem-solve — best: address the root cause; win-win, lasting.
- Compromise — both give up something; lose-lose.
- Force / Direct — one wins; fast but breeds resentment.
- Smooth / Accommodate — emphasise agreement; temporary.
- Withdraw / Avoid — postpone; resolves nothing.
Emotional intelligence & power
Emotional intelligence (EI) — self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management — helps you read and lead people. Know the five power types a PM can use: legitimate (formal), reward, coercive (penalty), expert and referent. Expert and referent power are the most effective and sustainable; coercive is the least.