Chapter 3: Skills Approach Knowledge Checks

conceptual skill

The ability to work with ideas and concepts

behavioral flexibility

The capacity to change and adapt one's behavior in light of an understanding of others' perspectives in an organization

three-skill approach

The idea that effective administration depends on three skills: technical, human, and conceptual (Katz, 1955)

perspective taking

Understanding the attitudes that others have toward a particular problem or solution

Kayla works at a company that makes video games. She is excellent at coding and modifying open-source engines. Which type of skill set does Kayla's work exemplify?

technical skills

3 skill approach incluedes...

technical, human, and conceptual skills

In the future, the skills approach could serve as a ______.

template for leadership development design

social perceptiveness

Insight or awareness into how others in the organization function

crystalized cognitive ability

Intellectual ability that is learned or acquired over time

Which of the following is a legitimate criticism of the skills approach?

It has weak predictive value.

If you were working to train a group of leaders to improve, which major advantage of the skills approach would be particularly relevant to your work?

It is consistent with the curricula of most leadership education programs.

Which of the following is a common criticism of the skills model?

It is strongly predictive for the military setting and weaker otherwise.

Which statement best reflects the skills approach's purpose?

It provides a map for how to reach effective leadership.

human skill

Knowledge about and ability to work with people

Technical Skill

Knowledge about and proficiency in a certain type of work or activity

social performance

Social judgment skill in understanding others' perspectives and communicating their own vision to others

The ability to see the "big picture" ideas requires which type of skill?

conceptual

Anthony is very good at making sure the line runs smoothly and keeping production speed high. Anthony can navigate conflict and encourage teamwork, but he isn't very good at communicating "big picture" issues to the employees. Which type of management is Anthony best suited for?

low-level management

general cognitive ability

A person's intelligence

skills model

A capability model that examines the relationship between a leader's knowledge and skills (Mumford et al., 2002)

The skills approach

A leader-centered perspective that emphasizes the competencies of leaders

true or false: A legitimate criticism of the skills approach is that it might not apply to nonmilitary settings.

true

true or false: According to the skills approach, while each person's attributes affect leadership skills, it is the skills themselves that are most important in addressing organizational problems.

true

true or false: Behavioral flexibility is the capacity to change one's behavior in light of understanding others' perspectives.

true

true or false: Knowledge is the accumulation of information and the mental structures used to organize that information.

true

true or false: Perspective taking is insight and awareness into the attitudes others have toward a particular problem or solution.

true

true or false: Problem definition is the ability to define noteworthy issues or significant problems affecting the organization.

true

true or false: The skills approach helps to identify strengths and weaknesses with regard to technical, human, and conceptual skills.

true

true or false: The skills approach provides an expansive view of leadership.

true

true or false: The skills approach works by providing a map to develop effective leadership.

true

true or false: The skills model is criticized for being weak in predictive value.

true

true or false: There are no training packages designed to teach the skills approach.

true

The skills model was developed by researching a large group of military members and making observations about their performance as leaders. Why might this be problematic?

A military setting might not generalize well to other organizations.

Which of the following is a criticism regarding the breadth of the skills model?

it is too general

Which of the following techniques is an example of how leaders can practice and improve leadership skills in a risk-free setting?

Game-based learning (GBL)

Thus far, the skills approach has appealed the most to which of the following groups?

academics

Cherise recognizes that the administrative assistants in her organization have low work satisfaction. She studies their working conditions and interviews them, trying to find the reasons for their unhappiness. Cherise is using which of the following problem-solving skills?

cause/goal analysis

Older workers may have some advantages over younger workers because ______ grows across the life span.

crystallized cognitive ability

The skills approach provides a grounding in the nature of effective leadership as a(n) ______ model.

descriptive?

true or false: Social performance is related to a narrow range of skills.

false

true or false: The greatest strength of the skills approach is that it addresses so many areas beyond leadership.

false

true or false: The skills approach has a narrow focus that defines specific attributes needed for leader success.

false

true or false: The skills approach has been widely used in applied leadership settings.

false

true or false: The skills approach is limited to the top levels of management.

false

true or false: Sensemaking is the first step of problem-solving.

false?

true or false: The skills approach is a follower-centered model that emphasizes correct interactions with management.

false?

Completing a memory task as quickly as possible requires which of the following competencies?

fluid intelligence

The ability to manage groups and deal effectively with followers relies on which of the following skills?

human

Researchers using a four-skill model found that which of the following skills was more important than others at lower levels of management?

interpersonal?

The skills approach is primarily descriptive, meaning it ______.

offers a framework for understanding leadership

A worker decides to take on an important task for the benefit of the organization. To which aspect of motivation is this most closely related?

social good

Specialized skills needed to complete certain tasks in a given industry are known as which of the following?

technical