Overview of Building and Support Performance

Learn how to build and support high-performing project teams with effective leadership and resource management.

Introduction

Being part of a high-performing team is amazing, but it takes effort to achieve and maintain that level of performance. Project managers play a critical role in building and supporting team performance by applying leadership skills, acquiring resources, developing teams, and managing stakeholders. This page explores the Examination Content Outline (ECO), Process Groups Model, and PMBOK Guide domains to help you understand these concepts.

The ECO focuses on the People domain, emphasizing tasks that build and support team performance. The Process Groups Model provides a framework for resource management in predictive environments, while the PMBOK Guide aligns these tasks with specific domains. This interactive page will guide you through these concepts with a dynamic chart and detailed explanations.

Interactive Chart: ECO, Process Groups, and PMBOK Guide

Process Group Model	Examination Content Outline (ECO)	PMBOK Guide
Resource Management	Domain I: People	Domains
Planning Plan Resource Management Estimate Activity Resources	Task 1: Manage conflict Resolve conflicts within the team to maintain performance.	Domain 2.2: Team
	Task 2: Lead a team Provide direction and motivation to the team.	Domain 2.2: Team
	Task 3: Support team performance Foster an environment that enhances team productivity.	Domain 2.2: Team
	Task 4: Empower team members and stakeholders Encourage autonomy and decision-making.	Domain 2.2: Team
	Task 5: Ensure team members/stakeholders are adequately trained Provide necessary training to enhance skills.	Domain 2.2: Team
	Task 6: Build a team Assemble a cohesive and effective team.	Domain 2.2: Team
	Task 7: Address and remove impediments Eliminate obstacles to team progress.	Domain 2.2: Team
Executing Acquire Resources Develop Team Manage Team	Task 8: Negotiate project agreements Secure agreements with stakeholders.	Domain 2.2: Team
	Task 9: Collaborate with stakeholders Work effectively with all project stakeholders.	Domain 2.2: Team
	Task 10: Build shared understanding Ensure alignment on project goals and processes.	Domain 2.2: Team
	Task 11: Engage and support virtual teams Support remote and distributed teams effectively.	Domain 2.2: Team
	Task 12: Define team ground rules Establish clear team norms and expectations.	Domain 2.2: Team
	Task 13: Mentor relevant stakeholders Guide stakeholders to improve performance.	Domain 2.2: Team
Control Resources - Monitoring and Controlling	Task 14: Promote performance through emotional intelligence Use emotional intelligence to enhance team dynamics.	Domain 2.7: Measurement

Planning in Resource Management

The Plan Resource Management and Estimate Activity Resources processes involve identifying the resources needed, defining roles, and estimating the skills and materials required for the project. These steps ensure the team is well-prepared to execute the project effectively.

Executing in Resource Management

The Acquire Resources, Develop Team, and Manage Team processes focus on building the team, enhancing their skills, and managing team dynamics to ensure high performance throughout the project.

Think About It: People-Centric Leadership

The ECO’s People domain is all about the team! Notice how many tasks include the word “team” and focus on building and supporting performance. The Process Groups model, while technical, relies heavily on leadership skills. For example, Control Resources is not about team management but about material resources, covered in the “Budget and Resources” chapter.

The fourteen ECO tasks are divided into two groups: seven for building performance (Tasks 1–7) and seven for supporting performance (Tasks 8–14). This structure helps you study and apply these concepts effectively. Focus on understanding how these tasks relate to leadership and resource management rather than memorizing them.

Leadership Responsibilities

Project managers must understand their decision-making authority as defined in the project charter, their role relative to sponsors and functional managers, and how to lead agile teams. Key responsibilities include:

Formal resource management with documentation.
Defining clear roles and responsibilities.
Managing diverse and virtual teams with extra planning.
Creating recognition and reward systems.
Improving team competencies through training.
Continuously confirming resource availability.
Controlling physical resources effectively.

In agile projects, the project manager or agile coach focuses on serving the team, removing impediments, and ensuring processes meet team needs. They also manage stakeholder relationships and organizational change when needed.

Continuous Change Control

Change control is critical across all project management approaches. Changes may prompt reiteration through progressive elaboration or agile methods, but returning to the Initiating phase is rare. Effective resource management involves planning, tracking, and adapting to changes throughout the project lifecycle.