Principles of Supervision Ch. 1

Supervisor

A manager at the first level of management.

Empowering

Allowing substantial responsibility and discretion in work activities; trusting people to solve problems and make decisions without getting approval first

Clarifying Roles

Assigning tasks; explaining job responsibilities, task objectives, and performance expectations.

Supporting

Being considerate showing sympathy and support when someone is upset or anxious providing encouragment, proving encouragment and support when a task is difficult or stressful

Monitoring Operations

Checking on the progress and quality of the work; evaluating individual and unit performance.

Consulting

Checking with people before making decisions that affect them; encouraging participation in decision making; using the ideas and suggestions of others.

_____ involves not only making contact with employees every day but also listening to what they have to say.

Communication

Matthew has been promoted to the position of supervisor. He explains to his team members what their job is but fails to provide guidance on how to efficiently perform the required tasks. As a result, his team members always miss the deadlines for their projects. In this scenario, identify the characteristic that Matthew should acquire to become a better supervisor.

Communication skills

_________skills involve the ability to see the relationship of the parts to the whole and to one another.

Conceptual

Identify an example of an esteem need according to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Confidence

In the context of the hierarchy of needs described by Abraham Maslow, which of the following are included in the self-actualization level? (Check all that apply.)

Creativity A frame of mind for acceptance

_____ skills in an organization involve the ability to analyze information and reach best conclusions.

Decision making

Identify an example of a technical skill in an organization.

Designing brochures

Short-term planning

Determining how to use personnel and other resources to accomplish a task efficiently; determining how to schedule and coordinate activities efficiently

_____ is an example of a technical skill.

Developing a new accounting system

Task-related activities

Efforts to carry out crucial management-related duties, such as planning, setting objectives for employees, and monitoring performece

People-related activities

Efforts to manage people, such as by providing support and encouragement, recognizing contributions, developing employees' skills, and empowering employees to solve problems

Change-related activities

Efforts to modify components of the orginization such as monitoring the environment to detect a need for change, proposing new tactics and strategies, encouraging others to think creativley, taking risks to promote needed changes.

Daniel is a supervisor in a production facility. He imposes strict punishment on workers who do not reach work on time but lacks punctuality himself. In this scenario, _____ is a characteristic that Daniel needs to acquire in order to become a better supervisor.

Fairness

True or false: A mechanic's ability to bring an automobile engine back to life relies on decision-making skills.

False

True or false: A supervisor need not continue the learning process once he or she is on the job.

False

Identify a true statement about the fact that different skills are more important at different levels of management.

False Answer: Supervisors rely more on decision-making skills than do higher-level managers. True Answer: Top managers tend to rely more on decision-making skills than supervisors.

Identify a true statement about the views of Henri Fayol.

He asserted that all managers have primary management functions to perform in an organization.

Identify a true statement about an individual who is new to the role of supervisor.

He or she should not rush to make changes in his or her department.

Identify a true statement about Frederick W. Taylor.

He suggested that the application of science to the study of production can result in maximal employee efficiency.

_____ skills are the skills required to work effectively with other people.

Human relations

Identify a human relations skill.

Interviewing job applicants

Identify an example of a need related to love and belongingness as suggested by Abraham Maslow.

Involvement in decision making in a team

According to Abraham Maslow, _____ is an example of a safety need of an individual.

Job security

Influencing employees to act (or not act) in a certain way is the function of

Leading

_____ is an example of a safety need of an individual in a workplace as prescribed by Abraham Maslow.

Medical insurance

Leading a team

Motivating employees to complete tasks. Resolve conflicts

Identify an example of a decision-making skill in an organization.

Opting to sell a company

In the context of the general functions of a supervisor, determining how to set up a group, allocating resources, and assigning work to achieve goals efficiently is known as

Organizing

Controlling a team

Overseeing tasks to ensure they are done correctly. Making sure everything goes to plan

Envisioning change

Presenting an appealing description of desirable outcomes that the unit can achieve; describing a proposed change with enthusiasm and conviction.

Recognizing

Providing praise and recognition for effective performance, significant achievements, special contributions, and performance improvements.

Frederick W. Taylor is often referred to as the father of

Scientific Management

In the context of the hierarchy of needs described by Abraham Maslow, rank the needs of individuals in the order they must be met. (Place the highest need at the top and the most basic need at the bottom.)

Self-Actualization Esteem Loving and belonging Safety Physiological

Which of the following stages of Maslow's hierarchy of needs includes an attitude of acceptance, a lack of racial biases, and creativity?

Self-actualization

The activities involved in identifying, hiring, and developing the necessary number and quality of employees are known as the function of

Staffing

Identify a true statement about the relative importance of the types of skills for different levels of managers in an organization

Supervisors rely more on technical skills than do higher-level managers.

Identify a true statement about the relationship between the management functions and hierarchy of managers.

Supervisors spend most of their time leading and controlling.

_____ make sure that the day-to-day operations of an organization function smoothly and focus on goals that are to be achieved in one year or less.

Supervisory managers

_____, a contemporary business demand, refers to the operation of a business with a minimal impact on the environment.

Sustainability

Melissa is a supervisor at an accounting firm. She carefully plans duties for employees, establishes employees' goals that are aligned with the strategic goals of the organization, and regularly monitors the performance of employees. According to the modern view of management skills, Melissa's efforts would be categorized as

Task-related

_____ skills are the specialized knowledge and proficiency used to carry out particular procedures or activities in an organization.

Technical

The _____ defines a supervisor as any individual having authority, in the interest of the employer, to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward or discipline other employees, or responsibility to direct them, or to adjust their grievances, or effectively to recommend such action, if in connection with foregoing the exercise of such authority is not of a merely routine or clerical nature, but requires the use of independent judgment.

The Taft-Hartley Act

Power

The ability to do certain things

In the context of the hierarchy of needs described by Abraham Maslow, which of the following is part of the self-actualization level?

The absence of racial bias

Authority

The right to do certain things

Identify the tactics that supervisors can use to prevent discrimination at a workplace. (Check all that apply.)

They can question negative stereotypes. They can have employees work with different individuals.

Identify the traits exhibited by successful supervisors. (Check all that apply.)

They have a positive attitude. They are loyal.

Identify the responsibilities of supervisors. (Check all that apply.)

They should follow workplace safety rules and regulations. They should abide by appropriate hiring practices. They should keep their subordinates up to date and informed.

Identify a true statement about the traits of successful supervisors.

They should refrain from doing personal tasks on the job.

True or false: Planning is an example of a change-related activity.

This is false. Planning is an example of task-related activities

True or false: An organization holds a supervisor accountable for carrying out his or her responsibilities.

True

True or false: People who enjoy the challenge of making plans and inspiring others to achieve goals are more likely to be effective supervisors.

True

True or false: Supervisors must use the kind of behavior they expect employees to exhibit, including demonstrating respect for others, in order to improve the attitudes of workers and prevent discrimination at a workplace.

True

True or false: Today almost one in six workers in the United States are immigrants.

True

Identify an example of a conceptual skill in an organization.

Visioning a five-year plan for a company

According to Abraham Maslow, _____ would be an example of a physiological need of human beings.

Water

Alvin was a developer in a software company. He had excellent technical skills, and he thoroughly enjoyed his job. He was not interested in making plans and inspiring others to achieve goals. Due to his superior technical ability, he was offered a promotion as a supervisor. However, he turned out to be an unsuccessful supervisor. In the context of this scenario, Alvin failed as a supervisor because he lacked _____.

a desire for the job

Dillon, a new employee at Texcare Inc., reports to Debra, who is at the first level of management. In the context of different levels of management, Debra is most likely

a supervisor.

According to Abraham Maslow's classification of needs, an example of a need related to love and belongingness in a workplace is _____.

a supportive manager

The practice of imposing penalties for failing to adequately carry out responsibilities and providing rewards for meeting responsibilities is known as

accountability

Which of the following terms refers to the practice of imposing penalties for failing to carry out responsibilities adequately and usually includes giving rewards for meeting responsibilities?

accountability

Henry Fayol is often regarded as the pioneer of _____.

administrative theory

Akira, a supervisor at Weld-on Inc., was required to work in place of his subordinate because of a shortage of personnel in the workforce. He did his work in an effective way. In the context of the responsibilities of a supervisor, Akira was good at

being able to perform the duties of his subordinate.

Mark has been promoted to a supervisory position. He explains to the workers what their job is but fails to provide them with feedback about their performance. Due to this, the workers keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Which of the following characteristics of a successful supervisor should Mark have to become a better supervisor?

communication skills

The characteristic of successful supervisors that involves listening to what employees have to say is known as

communication skills.

An example of an esteem need in a workplace according to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs is _____.

confidence

Brett is a supervisor in the accounting department of a law firm. He notices that his expenditure on supplies is much greater than the allocated budget for the month of June. Later, he realizes that he had approved a large purchase of stationery supplies to take advantage of a volume discount. In this scenario, Brett has performed the management function of _____.

controlling

Monitoring performance and making needed corrections is the management function of

controlling

Supervisors emphasize people orientation because they

deal directly with employees and have knowledge about an organization's customers.

An example of a people-related activity in an organization is _____

developing employees' skills

Immigrant workers with a college degree are increasing in the _____ states

eastern

Kim is a supervisor at a supermarket. She refrains from engaging in favoritism and makes sure to apply company rules to herself. In this scenario, Kim is exhibiting the characteristic of _____.

fairness

True or false: The management functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling are independent of each other and do not depend on the preceding function or functions.

false

Which of the following behaviors will allow a newly promoted supervisor to transition smoothly to a position of power?

focusing on evaluating the success of the whole team rather than of individuals

Influencing employees to act (or not act) in a certain way is a primary part of the management function called

leading

Max, a supervisor in an IT firm, clearly conveys to new employees what is expected of them. He conducts weekly sessions to inspire them to learn their jobs quickly and perform well. He also encourages them to maintain the behavioral standards of the firm. In this scenario, the management function performed by Max is known as _____.

leading

Aaron is appointed as a supervisor of the marketing department at a publishing firm. As a supervisor, Aaron should _____.

maintain error-free employee records

Bella is the supervisor of the sales department for a chain of salons. Her responsibilities include setting daily targets for employees and enabling employees to work toward achieving these targets. These responsibilities are examples of the management function of _____.

organizing

In an organization, the efforts taken by managers to empower employees to solve problems is an example of _____.

people-related activities

In the context of the general functions of a supervisor, determining a department's goals and the ways to meet them is a function of _____.

planning

Lee, a supervisor at an apparel manufacturing unit, prepares a budget for his department that projects all the possible expenses for the coming quarter. In this scenario, Lee has performed the management function of _____.

planning

Bob has been promoted to a supervisory position and will take charge of his work group in six months. He is anxious about his new position. In this scenario, Bob should focus on

preparing for the job.

According to the modern view of management skills, a change-related activity would be to

propose new tactics and strategies.

A contemporary business demand such as _____ refers to online tools for sharing information.

social media

Sarah, a supervisor of the production unit of a textile company, is endowed with the responsibility of executing a new project. To accomplish the task, she hires, trains, and develops the required number of new employees. In this scenario, the management function performed by Sarah is known as _____.

staffing

Margaret is the only female employee at her workplace, which includes 20 employees. Her suggestions are often overlooked because of this. In the context of the diversity of the workplace, this is an example of

subtle discrimination.

A manager at the first level of management is called a(n)

supervisor.

The most reliable sources of information for a supervisor to get to know employees are _____.

the employees themselves

Supervisors spend most of their time leading and controlling because

they work directly with the employees who are producing or selling a product.

Imigrants without a highschool diploma are in the ______ states

western