---
reference_type: Principle
reference_id: P8-06
name: Build an Empowered Culture
version: "1.0.0"
status: Active
edition: PMBOK8
pmbok8_source: "PMBOK8 Standard §3.8 — Build an Empowered Culture"
authority: PMI-derived
file_path: "reference/principles/pmbok8/P8-06-empowered-culture.md"
last_updated: "2026-06-07"
---

# P8-06 — Build an Empowered Culture
**Type:** Principle  
**Edition:** PMBOK 8th Edition (2025)  
**PMBOK 8 Source:** PMBOK8 Standard §3.8 — Build an Empowered Culture  
**Version:** 1.0.0  

## Definition
The **Build an Empowered Culture** principle focuses on developing a collaborative project environment that promotes mutual trust, proactive collaboration, and unity in shared objectives (Standard §3.8). Project teams must establish clear individual roles, responsibilities, team agreements, and guiding processes to enable team members and stakeholders to contribute their ideas freely and manage conflicts proactively.

## Key Characteristics
- **Mutual Trust:** Promotes trust and psychological safety as the foundation for collaboration between team members, stakeholders, and management (§3.8).
- **Proactive Collaboration:** Encourages stakeholders and team members to contribute recommendations, ideas, and feedback freely (§3.8.1).
- **Team Agreements:** Establishes behavioral parameters, working norms, and communication protocols (team charters) at project inception (§3.8.1).
- **Diversity and Inclusion:** Constructively harnesses diverse skills, knowledge, and perspectives to enrich decision-making and resolve conflicts efficiently (§3.8.1).
- **Open Communication:** Creates positive, transparent communication channels to align scope, schedule, and quality with evolving project needs (§3.8.3).

## Relationship to Other Principles
| Principle | Relationship |
|---|---|
| P8-04 — Be an Accountable Leader | Accountable leaders facilitate empowerment by defining boundaries, coaching team members, and modeling self-awareness (§3.6.1, §3.8.1). |
| P8-02 — Focus on Value | Empowered teams with cost and value awareness make better delivery trade-offs and drive benefits realization (§3.8.3). |
| P8-01 — Adopt a Holistic View | Fostering an inclusive culture integrates stakeholder perspectives to achieve systemic project goals (§3.3.1, §3.8). |

## Artifact Connections
| Artifact | Connection |
|---|---|
| A10 — Team Charter | Formulates team agreements, working hours, decision-making methods, and behavioral expectations. |
| A25 — Team Operating Record | Tracks team velocity, satisfaction, cross-training progress, and developmental health. |
| A30 — Knowledge and Lessons Management Record | Documents lessons learned and shared knowledge to foster a learning culture. |

## Skill Connections
| Skill ID | Skill Name | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| SKL-03-13 | Define Team Charter and Agreements | Co-creates working agreements, norms, and collaboration rules with the team. |
| SKL-04-03 | Manage Project Knowledge and Learning | Promotes a learning environment, sharing knowledge, and documenting lessons learned. |

## Questions to Ask in Practice
1. Have we co-created a Team Charter that defines our working norms, communication channels, and values?
2. Are all team members and stakeholders empowered to contribute ideas and challenge assumptions without fear of negative consequences?
3. How are we leveraging the diverse backgrounds, skills, and viewpoints on our team to improve project outcomes?
4. Are roles, responsibilities, and decision-making boundaries clear to everyone involved in the project?

*Authority: PMBOK8 Standard §3.8 — Build an Empowered Culture · Source type: PMI-derived*
*Repository: https://github.com/fakhruldeen/PMOSkills*
