Leadership Chapter 1 Quiz (Mindtap)

Figurehead

Leaders, particularly high-ranking managers, spend some part of their time engaging in ceremonial activities, or acting as a figurehead. Four specific behaviors fit the figurehead role of a leader: 1. entertaining clients or customers as an official representative of the organization 2. making oneself available to outsiders as a representative of the organization 3. serving as an official representative of the organization at gatherings outside the organization 4. escorting official visitors

Team Builder

A key aspect of a leader's role is to build an effective team. Activities contributing to this role include: ensuring that team members are recognized for their accomplishments, such as through letters of appreciation initiating activities that contribute to group morale, such as giving parties and sponsoring sports teams holding periodic staff meetings to encourage team members to talk about their accomplishments, problems, and concerns

Executor.

In carrying out the executor role, the leader makes things happen, often helping translate plans into action. Parts of this role include: translating strategy into action, such as helping develop action plans making change happen holding people accountable to ensure that productive work is accomplished

Technical problem solver.

It is particularly important for supervisors and middle managers to help team members solve technical problems. Two activities contributing to this role are: serving as a technical expert or adviser, such as helping the group make optimum of social marketing to promote the company performing individual contributor tasks on a regular basis, such as making sale calls or repairing machinery

Negotiator.

Part of almost any manager's job description is trying to make deals with others for needed resources. Four illustrative negotiating activities are as follows: bargaining with superiors for funds, facilities, equipment, or other forms of support bargaining with other units in the organization for the use of staff, facilities, equipment, or other forms of support bargaining with suppliers and vendors for services, schedules, and delivery times bargaining with job candidates about starting compensation and benefits

Strategy developer.

Top-level managers develop strategy, usually assisted by input from others throughout the organization. Carrying out the strategy developer role enables the manager to practice strategic leadership. The strategist role is concerned with shaping the future of the organization, or a unit within the larger organization. Specific activities involved in this role include: setting a vision and direction for the organization and providing innovative ideas to pursue helping the firm deal with the external environment helping develop organizational policies being a thought leader in the sense of the organization being widely respected for advancing a field or producing a superior product

Which of the following is true of the roles of leaders and managers? a. Effective managers also lead, and effective leaders also manage. b. Managers tend to transform organizations, and leaders maintain organizations. c. Managers produce change, and leaders produce consistency. d. Effective managers create vision, and effective leaders implement the vision.

a. Effective managers also lead, and effective leaders also manage.

Entrepreneur.

Although not self-employed, managers who work in large organizations have some responsibility for suggesting innovative ideas or furthering the business aspects of the firm. Three entrepreneurial leadership role activities are: reading trade publications and professional journals to keep up with what is happening in the industry and profession talking with customers or others in the organization to keep aware of changing needs and requirements getting involved in situations outside the unit that could suggest ways of improving the unit's performance, such as visiting other firms, attending professional meetings or trade shows, and participating in educational programs

Team player.

Related to the team-builder role is that of the team player. Three behaviors of team players are: displaying appropriate personal conduct cooperating with other units in the organization displaying loyalty to superiors by fully supporting their plans and decisions

Spokesperson.

When a manager acts as a spokesperson, the emphasis is on answering letters or inquiries and formally reporting to individuals and groups outside the manager's direct organizational unit. As a spokesperson, the managerial leader keeps five groups of people informed about the unit's activities, plans, capabilities, and possibilities (vision): upper-level management clients or customers other important outsiders such as labor union professional colleagues

The members of the Research & Development (R&D) team of a biotech company are highly dedicated to their work. They are a cohesive and highly motivated team. However, the team finds it difficult to communicate their ideas in a simple manner to its stakeholders. As the leader of the R&D team, which of the following roles should you focus on more if you wish to contribute to the performance of the organization? a. Spokesperson b. Team builder c. Coach and motivator d. Technical problem solver

a. Spokesperson

Aiden Carter, an administrator at an automobile company, has started to work overtime since the day he got promoted to the position of administrator. In addition to extra work hours, Aiden also has to handle complaints on the human resource front. Despite his honest work and transparent conduct, he is viewed as being unethical by many of his subordinates. In this scenario, Aiden is likely: a. to feel the frustrations of being a leader. b. to feel being undermined by his superiors. c. to feel respect and status. d. to feel the power associated with being a leader.

a. to feel the frustrations of being a leader.

Which of the following political tactics is a necessary part of a leader's role? a. Backstabbing b. Turf wars c. Forming coalitions d. Divide and rule

c. Forming coalitions

Why would a hiring manager prefer an entry-level candidate with leadership skills? a. Leadership is a structured skill that can be easily taught. b. She will require considerable hands-on attention. c. She is more likely to be capable of managing a part of a project. d. She will have low internal motivation

c. She is more likely to be capable of managing a part of a project.

Which of the following is a most likely consequence of a lower leadership position? a. Absolute control over subordinates and freedom of expression b. A very high salary package c. The feeling of loneliness d. A high number of human resource problems requiring action

d. A high number of human resource problems requiring action

Which of the following can be identified as a factor relating to substitutes for leadership? a. Informal or unofficial norms and regulations b. Creating an autocratic work environment c. Fostering the vision of the organization at all levels d. Closely knit teams of highly trained individuals

d. Closely knit teams of highly trained individuals

Coach and Motivator

An effective leader takes the time to coach and motivate team members, and sometimes to inspire large groups of people inside the organization. This role includes five specific behaviors: informally recognizing team members' achievements providing team members with feedback concerning ineffective performance ensuring that team members are informed of steps that can improve their performance implementing rewards and punishments to encourage and sustain good performance inspiring people through such means as being charismatic, creating visions, telling interesting stories, and being highly ethical

Isolates

are completely detached and passively support the status quo by not taking action to bring about changes. They do not care much about their leaders and just do their job without taking an interest in the overall organization. Isolates need coaching, yet sometimes firing them is the only solution.

Activists

are considerably engaged, heavily invested in people and processes, and eager to demonstrate their support or opposition. They feel strongly, either positively or negatively, about their leader and the organization and act accordingly. An activist might be enthusiastic about reaching company goals, or so convinced that the company is doing the wrong thing that he or she blows the whistle (reports the company to an outside agency). The leader has to stay aware of whether the activist is for or against the company.

Bystanders

are free riders who are typically detached when it fits their self-interests. At a meeting, a bystander is more likely to focus on the refreshments and taking peeks at his or her personal text messages. Bystanders have low internal motivation, so the leader has to work hard to find the right motivators to spark the bystander into action.

Diehards

are super-engaged to the point that they are willing to go down for their own cause, or willing to oust the leader if they feel he or she is headed in the wrong direction. Diehards can be an asset or a liability to the leader. Diehards have an even stronger tendency to be whistleblowers than do activists. A diehard, for example, might take it on her own to test the lead quantity of paint in children's furniture sold by the company. Leaders have to stay in touch with diehards to see if their energy is being pointed in the service of the organization.

Thomson Inc., a manufacturer of smartphones, has unveiled a premium range of smartphones with innovative features and applications. Which of the following roles should the CEO of Thomson Inc. assume if he wishes to increase media and consumer interest in the company's newest products? a. Act as a technical problem solver for the manufacturing unit. b. Be available to outsiders as a representative of the company both within and outside the company. c. Act as a team player in the design department and provide inputs to the design of the smartphones.

b. Be available to outsiders as a representative of the company both within and outside the company.

Participants

show enough engagement to invest some of their own time and money to make a difference, such as taking the initiative to learn new technology that would help the group. Participants are sometimes for, and sometimes against, the leader and the company. The leader has to review their work and attitudes carefully to determine whether or not the participant is being constructive.