Leadership Exam 1 Study Guide CHAPTER 1 -4
1. The trait approach to leadership is based on the idea that effective leaders are made of the "right stuff." t or f
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: According to the trait approach to leadership, "Leaders do not have to be great men or women by being intellectual geniuses or omniscient prophets to succeed. But they do need to have the 'right stuff,' and this stuff is not equally present in all people." See "The Strengths and Limitations of The Trait Approach."
5. An assertive leader finds the right balance between reasonably tactful rather than being aggressive and obnoxious. t or f
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: An assertive person is reasonably tactful rather than being aggressive and obnoxious. A leader with good sensitivity, or emotional intelligence, knows when assertiveness crosses the line into aggressiveness, such as insulting subordinates or making unreasonable demands. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
59. Brent was recently promoted as a team leader. Since his promotion, Brent feels overworked and stressed. He feels he is responsible for solving problems over which he has no control. Brent speaks to his supervisor about his frustrations and seeks advice regarding the roles of a team leader and how to derive satisfaction from them. What is Brent experiencing? If you were Brent's supervisor, what advice would you give him?
ANSWER: Brent appears to be experiencing the frustrations of being a leader. These include too much uncompensated overtime, facing a perform-or-perish mentality, and not having enough authority to carry out responsibility.Brent's supervisor should talk to him about the satisfactions of being a leader, such as respect from group members and increased status, increased opportunities for advancement, and a chance to help others grow and develop. Other satisfactions include a feeling of power and prestige, higher income, receiving more inside information, and an opportunity to control money and other resources.Brent's supervisor should also talk to him about the various roles he might play as a team leader. These roles include being a spokesperson and negotiator on behalf of the team as well as upper management, being a coach and motivator to his team members, and helping his team solve technical problems.
7. An effective form of humor by the leader is to poke fun at the problems and limitations of group members.
ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Aggressive humor can be used to victimize, belittle, and cause others some type of disparagement—and will lead to negative outcomes such as stress and counter-hostility among group members. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
18. Knowledge of the business has become less important as a leadership characteristic because so many competent staff specialists are found in organizations.
ANSWER: False RATIONALE: An effective leader has to be technically competent in some discipline, particularly when leading a group of specialists. It is difficult for the leader to establish rapport with group members when the leader does not know what the group members are doing and when the group does not respect the leader's technical skills. See "Cognitive Factors and Leadership."
5. A spokesperson is a leader who is high-ranking manager that spends some part of their time engaging in ceremonial activities. true or false
ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Figurehead. Leaders, particularly high-ranking managers, spend some part of their time engaging in ceremonial activities, or acting as a figurehead.
4. In a hyperconnected, networked age, competition becomes more important than collaboration. true or false
ANSWER: False RATIONALE: In a hyperconnected, networked age, collaboration becomes more important than competition. Successful leaders harness and make the most of ideas, talent, and resources from across boundaries of all kinds.
7. A leader who facilitates inclusion and makes a deliberate effort to assume all team members, group members or other employees feel included and welcome is a team player. true or false
ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Inclusion facilitator. The leader who facilitates inclusion makes a deliberate effort to assume that all team members, group members, or other employees feel included and welcome within the organization
8. Leaders are likely to acquire more power if they use humor to build themselves up.
ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Leaders are likely to acquire more power if they use humor to build themselves up. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
1. Leadership involves maintaining the status quo, not creating change. true or false
ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Leadership is reciprocal. The people involved in the relationship want substantive changes—leadership involves creating change, not maintaining the status quo.
14. A leader with a strong internal locus of control readily looks toward environmental forces as the cause of their successes and failures.
ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Locus of control refers to whether a person feels personally responsible for events happening to them, helping the leader deliver a take-charge attitude. Hence, a leader with a strong internal locus of control feels personally responsible for events happening to him or her as the cause of his or her successes and failures. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
19. Research about emotional leadership effectiveness is much more controlled by heredity than by environment.
ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Research about leadership effectiveness reinforces the idea that leadership is a combination of heredity and the environment. See "The Influence of Heredity and Environment on Leaders."
8. Top-level managers that develop strategy are entrepreneurs. t or f
ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Strategy developer. Top-level managers develop strategy, usually assisted by input from others throughout the organization.
11. A resonant leader is one who scores low on emotional intelligence.
ANSWER: False RATIONALE: The leader who scores high in emotional intelligence is described as resonant. See "Emotional Intelligence."
6. A key part of being an authentic leader is to be passionate about your purpose. t or f
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: A key part of being an authentic leader is to be passionate about your purpose. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
17. A strong achievement drive is an important contributor to innovative thinking in the workplace.
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: A strong achievement drive is an important contributor to innovative thinking in the workplace. See "Leadership Motives."
4. A synthesis of research studies suggests that when workers trust their supervisor, job satisfaction tends to be higher. t or f
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: A synthesis of research studies suggests that when workers trust their supervisor, job satisfaction tends to be higher. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
10. According to the theory of emotional intelligence, a person with a high degree of self-management is adaptable and exerts emotional self-control.
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: According to the theory of emotional intelligence, self-management refers to the ability to control one's emotions and act with honesty and integrity in a consistent and adaptable manner. The right degree of self-management helps prevent a person from throwing temper tantrums when activities do not go as planned. See "Emotional Intelligence."
2. The qualities needed for effective leadership are the same as those needed to be an effective follower. true or false
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Another way of framing the qualities of effective followers is to say that such followers display the personal characteristics and qualities of leaders.
6. An effective leader that takes time to motivate members and sometimes inspire large groups of people are called coaches or motivators. true or false
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: 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.
15. Group members tend to prefer a leader with an internal locus of control rather than an external one.
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Group members tend to prefer a leader with an internal locus of control rather than an external one. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
2. According to considerable research suggests that leader humility is beneficial for group members, teams, and organizations. t or f
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Humility is defined as (a) self-awareness, (b) appreciating the strength and contributions of others, and (c) openness to ideas and feedback regarding one's performance. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
16. Leaders with a socialized power motive use power primarily to achieve organizational goals or vision.
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Leaders with a socialized power motive use power primarily to achieve organizational goals or vision. See "Leadership Motives."
9. A recommended way of building passion into a business is for the leader to tell a story about its creation.
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: One for an entrepreneur to inject passion into a business is to tell a creation-of-the-enterprise story. The story should inspire people to understand how a product or cause will make the world a better place. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
12. Part of relationship management in emotional intelligence is building bonds with other people.
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Relationship management includes the interpersonal skills of being able to communicate clearly and convincingly, disarm conflicts, and build strong personal bonds. See "Emotional Intelligence."
3. At present, social connectedness and mobility are the central aspects of every leader's job. true or false
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Social connectedness and mobility are becoming central aspects of every leader's job.
3. Telling the truth consistently is considered an important trust builder for leaders. t or f
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Telling the truth consistently is considered an important trust builder for leaders. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
13. The trait of flexibility is especially important for leadership because it facilitates a leader's ability to adapt to various leadership situations.
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: The trait of flexibility is especially important for leadership because it facilitates a leader's ability to adapt to various leadership situations. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
9. If you are able to accept and profit from vague, uncertain, or inconsistent information or situations you have a tolerating ambiguity ability. t or f
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Tolerating ambiguity means being able to accept and profit from vague, uncertain, or inconsistent information or situations.
13. One dissatisfaction of being a leader is the number of human resources problems requiring action. t or f
ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Too many problems involving people. A major frustration facing a leader is the number of hu- man resource problems requiring action.
29. Passion for the work on the part of a leader often expresses itself as a(n): a. obsession for achieving company goals. b. distrust of employees who are calm and relaxed. c. obsession for surfing the Internet during working hours. d. tendency to engage in ruthless cost cutting.
ANSWER: a RATIONALE: A dominant characteristic of effective leaders is their passion for their work and to some extent for the people who help them accomplish the work. The passion goes beyond enthusiasm and often expresses itself as an obsession for achieving company goals. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
19. Gail T. Fairhurst and Mary Uhl-Bien explain that leadership is not a trait or behavior of an individual, but rather a. a phenomenon generated in the interactions among people acting in a given setting. b. the result of how well followers adhere to their assigned roles. c. an emergent property of the different strata within an organization. d. a learned skill that can be easily performed with a little practice.
ANSWER: a RATIONALE: A theoretical analysis by Fairhurst and Uhl-Bien explains that leadership is not a trait or behavior of an individual but rather a phenomenon generated in the interactions among people acting in a given setting. The social actions between and among people enable them to work together in meaningful ways to produce leadership outcomes. See "The Meaning of Leadership."
26. A recommended approach for understanding the impact of leadership on performance is to ask: a. "Under what conditions do leaders make a difference?" b. "How well liked is the leader?" c. "What is the history of the firm?" d. "What company policies regulate leadership?"
ANSWER: a RATIONALE: A useful perspective on whether leadership makes a difference is to ask the right question as framed by J. Richard Hackman and Ruth Wageman. Instead of asking if leaders make a difference, we should be asking under what conditions leaders make a difference.
45. An overview of research on managerial succession over a recent twenty-year period showed that: a. a consistent relationship was found between who is in charge and how well an organization performed. b. incompetent leadership can be counterbalanced by certain factors in the work situation. c. workers who incorporate strong professional norms often require a minimum of supervision and leadership. d. leadership roles are a subset of the managerial roles.
ANSWER: a RATIONALE: An overview of research on managerial succession over a recent twenty-year period provides more support for the idea that leadership has an impact on organizational performance. A consistent relationship was found between who is in charge and how well an organization performed as measured by a variety of indicators.
39. Which the following is the least essential characteristic of an effective follower? a. Reliance on being managed or led by another person b. Commitment to something beyond oneself c. Building competence d. Independent and critical thinking
ANSWER: a RATIONALE: As observed by Robert E. Kelley, effective followers share four essential qualities: self-management, commitment, competence, and courage. Hence, reliance on being managed by another person is the least essential characteristic of an effective follower.
48. Followers who are completely detached and passively support the status quo by not taking action to bring about changes are called _____. a. isolates b. participants c. activists d. diehards
ANSWER: a RATIONALE: Barbara Kellerman offers a typology that helps explain how followers differ from one another. According to this typology, isolates are completely detached and passively support the status quo by not taking action to bring about changes.
57. During a team meeting, the team manager expresses disappointment in his team's productivity rate. Svetlana, a team member, speaks up and says that their current project is particularly taxing on the team members and they have not compromised on the quality of their work. Which quality of a good follower is Svetlana displaying in this scenario? a. Courage b. Competence c. Commitment d. Self-management
ANSWER: a RATIONALE: Courage is an essential quality of effective followers. Effective followers establish themselves as independent, critical thinkers and fight for what they believe is right. When Svetlana speaks up about the reasons that affect productivity, she is demonstrating courage.
23. Intrinsically satisfying work can be a leadership substitute because such work a. is so self-motivating that the worker requires very little leadership. b. usually involves computer technology. c. is usually performed when the leader is away. d. lies outside the jurisdiction of leaders.
ANSWER: a RATIONALE: Employees who are engaged in work they find strongly self-motivating, or intrinsically satisfying, require a minimum of leadership. Part of the reason is that the task itself grabs the worker's attention and energy.
27. A company president attends a groundbreaking ceremony for a new children's hospital located near company headquarters. The president's role is best classified as that of a. figurehead. b. coach. c. team leader. d. spokesperson.
ANSWER: a RATIONALE: Four specific behaviors fit the figurehead role of a leader: entertaining clients or customers as an official representative of the organization, making oneself available to outsiders as a representative of the organization, serving as an official representative of the organization at gatherings outside the organization, and escorting official visitors.
20. Leaders who have the "right stuff" have: a. the necessary traits and characteristics to lead effectively. b. made the right connections to become leaders. c. the intellectual characteristics associated with effective leadership. d. inborn charismatic behaviors.
ANSWER: a RATIONALE: Leaders who have the "right stuff" have the necessary traits and characteristics to lead effectively. Observations by managers and human resource specialists, as well as dozens of research studies, indicate that leaders have certain personality traits. These characteristics contribute to leadership effectiveness in many situations. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
39. Creativity among leaders tends to be distributed: a. along a continuum from low to high. b. into being creative versus not creative. c. between old and young leaders. d. between planners versus implementers.
ANSWER: a RATIONALE: Many effective leaders are creative in the sense that they arrive at imaginative and original solutions to complex problems. Creative ability lies on a continuum, with some leaders being more creative than others. See "Cognitive Factors and Leadership."
55. An article argues that Edmonton Bank is unlikely to change its policies even though it recently appointed a new CEO. It notes that all the CEOs of Edmonton Bank are Caucasian males in their late forties who went to Ivy League schools. This article's argument about leadership irrelevance is based on the idea that: a. the new CEO will act in a way similar to the previous CEOs. b. the new CEO has unilateral control over only a few resources. c. Edmonton Bank uses information technology for many of its supervisory functions. d. the new CEO is limited by obligations to Edmonton Bank's shareholders.
ANSWER: a RATIONALE: One aspect of leader irrelevance is that firms tend to choose new organizational leaders whose values are compatible with those of the firm. The leaders therefore act in ways similar to previous leaders.
37. A hands-on and deeply engaged leader who is talented at developing innovating business strategies is most likely to be strong on which of the following traits or characteristics? a. knowledge of the business b. emotionally supportiveness c. humility d. sense of humor
ANSWER: a RATIONALE: The importance of knowledge of the business is strongly recognized as an attribute of executive leadership. Knowledge of the business or the group task is particularly important when developing strategy, formulating mission statements, and sizing up the external environment. See "Cognitive Factors and Leadership."
53. Kiev, the manager of an accounting department, helps his CFO in framing the financial policies of his company. In this scenario, Kiev is carrying out the leadership role of a(n) _____. a. strategy developer b. executor c. spokesperson d. figurehead
ANSWER: a RATIONALE: The strategy developer role is concerned with shaping the future of the organization, or a unit within the larger organization. Specific activities involved in this role include helping develop organizational policies. When Kiev helps frame the financial policies, he is involved in the role of a strategy developer.
33. A major frustration facing leaders in the pursuit of conflicting goals is: a. controlling costs versus spending money. b. granting people the authority to act independently yet also getting them aligned. c. built-in conflicts between labor and management. d. motivating versus satisfying employees.
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: A major challenge facing leaders is to navigate among conflicting goals. The central theme of these dilemmas is attempting to grant others the authority to act independently, yet still getting them aligned or pulling together for a common purpose.
36. "Knowledge of the business" as a leadership characteristic is closely related to the leadership trait of: a. tenacity. b. creativity. c. cognitive ability. d. drive and motivation.
ANSWER: c RATIONALE: Intellectual ability is closely related to having knowledge of the business or the key task the group is performing. It is closely related to the leadership trait of cognitive ability. See "Cognitive Factors and Leadership."
38. Leadership effectiveness tends to be higher when the leader's intelligence is: a. about the same as that of the average group member. b. a little higher than that of the average group member. c. considerably higher than that of the average group member. d. considerably lower than that of the average group member.
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: A meta-analysis of 151 studies found a positive relationship between intelligence and job performance of leaders in many different settings. The researchers also found support for the old idea that intelligence contributes the most to leadership effectiveness when the leader is not vastly smarter than most group members. Again, group members prefer that their leaders be smarter than the average group member even if the difference is not huge. See "Cognitive Factors and Leadership."
44. According to Nick Petrie, which of the following is a feature of the old paradigm of leadership? a. Leadership is proactive. b. Leadership resides in a single person or role. c. Leadership continually evolves. d. Leadership is a collective process.
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: According to Nick Petrie, "There is a transition occurring from the old paradigm in which leadership resided in a person or role, to a new one in which leadership is a collective process that is spread throughout networks of people."
22. A key part of a leader having humility is to: a. insult the group performance, including that of your own. b. put group members in the limelight, rather than oneself. c. make forecasts about the group not making standards. d. ask the group to lead itself so he or she can do analytical work.
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: According to Stephen G. Harrison, "Great leadership is manifested or articulated by people who know how to understate it. There is leadership value in humility, the leadership that comes from putting people in the limelight, not yourself." See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
23. Finance manager Sharon has the reputation of "walking the talk," so she most likely scores high on the trait of: a. humility. b. trustworthiness. c. extraversion. d. sense of humor.
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: An effective leader or manager is supposed to walk the talk, thereby showing a consistency between deeds (walking) and words (talking). In this context, trust is defined as a person's confidence in another individual's intentions and motives and in the sincerity of that individual's word. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
26. An important part of being assertive is to: a. not tolerate differences of opinion. b. express feelings and opinions forthrightly. c. behave aggressively toward people when necessary. d. be obnoxious when necessary.
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: Assertiveness refers to being forthright in expressing demands, opinions, feelings, and attitudes. Being assertive helps leaders perform many tasks and achieve goals. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
38. The terms isolates, activists, and diehards relate to the idea that followers differ in terms of level of a. intelligence and emotional maturity. b. engagement with the leader and the group. c. relevant job experience. d. job relevant skills.
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: Barbara Kellerman offers a typology that helps explain how followers differ from one another. She focuses on the defining factor of the level of engagement with the leader or group to arrive at five types of follower: isolates, bystanders, participants, activists, and diehards.
51. At a meeting, a(n) _____ is more likely to focus on the refreshments and taking peeks at their personal text messages than focusing on the agenda. a. participant b. bystander c. activist d. diehard
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: 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.
25. Which of the following is not an accepted substitute for leadership in the modern work environment? a. Strong professional norms b. Work that has heavy deadline pressure c. Work that is intrinsically satisfying d. Closely knit teams of highly trained individuals
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: Closely knit teams of highly trained individuals, intrinsic satisfaction, and professional norms are the three primary substitutes for leadership in the modern work environment.
49. As a category of followers, _____ have an even stronger tendency to be whistleblowers than do activists. a. participants b. diehards c. isolates d. bystanders
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: Diehards can be an asset or a liability to the leader. Diehards have an even stronger tendency to be whistleblowers than do activists.
34. The achievement motive refers to: a. a desire to surpass productivity quotas. b. finding joy in accomplishment for its own sake. c. putting high energy into achieving work goals. d. sustaining a high level of energy for work.
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: Drive refers to a propensity to put forth high energy into achieving objectives and to persist in applying that energy. Drive also includes achievement motivation—finding joy in accomplishment for its own sake. See "Leadership Motives."
56. Elaine, a project manager, often seeks feedback from her team members as well as her supervisors on how she is doing. Which method of skill development in leadership does Elaine use in this scenario? a. Practice in natural settings b. Feedback on skill utilization, or performance, from others c. Conceptual information demonstrated by examples and brief descriptions of leaders in action d. Experiential exercises
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: Feedback on skill utilization, or performance, from others is one of the many ways in which leadership skills can be developed or improved.
34. In the basic framework for understanding leadership, group member characteristics and behavior are understood to be: a. defined by whether a group is intrinsically motivated by their work. b. attributes that could have a bearing on how effective the leadership attempt will be. c. the socioeconomic makeup of the employee pool. d. how employees deal with the external environment.
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: Group member characteristics refers to attributes of the group members that could have a bearing on how effective the leadership attempt will be. Intelligent and well-motivated group members, for example, help the leader do an outstanding job.
21. Self-confidence is an important leadership characteristic found: a. primarily among executives. b. primarily among supervisors. c. in almost every leadership setting. d. in male leaders more than in female leaders.
ANSWER: c RATIONALE: Self-confidence is not only a personality trait. It also refers to a behavior and an interpersonal skill that a person exhibits in a number of situations. Hence, it is required in almost every leadership setting. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
27. Kent is an enthusiastic leader, and his enthusiasm is likely to: a. be perceived as an annoyance by group members. b. help him build relationships with the group. c. be perceived as somewhat of a phony by group members. d. make it difficult for him to advance further.
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: In almost all leadership situations, it is desirable for the leader to be enthusiastic. Group members tend to respond positively to enthusiasm, partly because enthusiasm may be perceived as a reward for constructive behavior. Enthusiasm is also a desirable leadership trait because it helps build good relationships with team members. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
33. Donald Trump is seen as a leader with a: a. high standing on humility. b. personalized power motive. c. socialized power motive. d. low achievement drive.
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: Leaders with a personalized power motive seek power mostly to further their own interests. They crave the trappings of power such as status symbols, luxury, and money. Their need for dominance can lead to submissive subordinates who are frequently sycophants and yes-persons. See "Leadership Motives."
36. Leadership takes into account factors related to the leader, the persons being led, and a. personality traits of leaders. b. context, or the internal and external environment. c. personal characteristics of group members. d. forces beyond the control of the leader.
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: Leadership does not exist in the abstract but takes into account factors related to the leader, the person or persons being led, and a variety of forces in the environment.
35. Leadership effectiveness, as defined in the framework for understanding leadership, refers to the leader: a. being impressive enough to get promoted. b. attaining desirable outcomes such as productivity and satisfaction. c. creating an attractive vision. d. turning over decision-making responsibility to group members.
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: Leadership effectiveness refers to attaining desirable outcomes such as productivity, quality, and satisfaction in a given situation.
20. Leadership can be practiced a. only in the executive suite. b. at any level in the organization. c. only by people whose job title includes "manager." d. only when employees are performing below standard.
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: Leadership is not only found among people in high-level positions. Leadership is needed at all levels in an organization and can be practiced to some extent even by a person not assigned to a formal leadership position. See "The Meaning of Leadership."
24. Which action on the part of a leader would most likely contribute to a reputation of trustworthiness? a. Being highly diplomatic so as not to offend anyone b. Doing what they think is right in spite of the political consequences c. Behaving in a manner differently than they expect others to behave d. Making their behavior inconsistent with their intentions
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: Maintaining a high level of integrity and building a reputation for doing what one thinks is morally right in spite of the political consequences are good trust builders. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
30. A person with high emotional intelligence is likely to: a. become overly enthusiastic during a meeting. b. build strong personal bonds with people. c. be particularly well suited for performing analytical work. d. avoid stressful situations involving people.
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: Relationship management, one of the four factors in emotional intelligence, includes the interpersonal skills of being able to communicate clearly and convincingly, disarm conflicts, and build strong personal bonds. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
47. The key to being a good follower is to think for oneself and to work well without close supervision. This is referred to as ______. a. focus b. self-management c. competence d. courage
ANSWER: b RATIONALE: The key to being a good follower is to think for oneself and to work well without close supervision. Effective group members see themselves as being as capable as their leaders. This quality is known as self-management.
29. Middle manager Sara is engaged in the team builder role when she a. negotiates for a larger budget for her team. b. represents her group at a company meeting. c. holds a meeting to talk about team accomplishments. d. helps the group solve a technical problem.
ANSWER: c RATIONALE: A key aspect of a leader's role is to build an effective team. Activities contributing to team builder role include ensuring that team members are recognized for their accomplishments, initiating activities that contribute to group morale, and holding periodic staff meetings to encourage team members to talk about their accomplishments, problems, and concerns.
40. An effective way for a leader to collaborate with group members is to a. make sure the group members get their yearly salary increases. b. make all the major decisions himself or herself. c. solicit input from the right group members. d. make the hierarchy as steep as possible.
ANSWER: c RATIONALE: A key role for followers is to collaborate with leaders in achieving organizational goals. When high-level leaders do not make all of the decisions but solicit input from knowledgeable group members, leaders and followers work together more closely.
21. According to an analysis of a group of studies, in terms of having an impact on company performance the leader was about as important as the a. building in which the company headquarters is located. b. decision to list a company on the stock exchange. c. company's mission. d. price of the stock.
ANSWER: c RATIONALE: An observation about leadership making a difference is that small-business owners usually set the leadership tone for their organizations. A primary source of influence is that owners develop a mission or set of values by which they operate their company.
42. As observed by Robert E. Kelley, _____ is an essential quality of effective followers. a. transparency b. skill utilization c. commitment d. charisma
ANSWER: c RATIONALE: As observed by Robert E. Kelley, effective followers share four essential qualities: self-management, commitment, competence and focus, and courage.
40. An important application of farsightedness for executive leaders is to: a. study technological developments. b. avoid being frustrated by the demands of group members and customers. c. predict the direction of environmental forces. d. memorize product information.
ANSWER: c RATIONALE: Conceptual thinking refers to the ability to see the overall perspective, and it makes farsightedness possible. A farsighted leader understands how the external environment influences the organization and how different parts of the organization influence each other. See "Cognitive Factors and Leadership."
22. Substitutes for leadership refers to a. financial incentives that encourage people to work independently. b. group members who are in charge when the leader is absent. c. factors in the work setting that may make leadership superfluous. d. extra compensation given to employees who are asked to supervise their own work.
ANSWER: c RATIONALE: Substitutes for leadership refers to factors in the work environment that provide guidance and incentives to perform, making the leader's role almost superfluous.
52. When Carlos, the manager of a coffee shop, speaks to customers in order to find out trends in their preferences and their changing requirements, he is performing the leadership role of a(n) _____. a. coach and motivator b. team builder c. entrepreneur d. team player
ANSWER: c RATIONALE: Talking with customers or others in the organization to keep aware of changing needs and requirements, as Carlos is doing in this scenario, is one of the three entrepreneurial leadership role activities.
35. Tenacity is considered to be an important leadership characteristic because: a. leaders have such limited power over group members. b. it requires tenacity to keep a job during an era of downsizing. c. it often takes a long time to implement a new program. d. leaders are so often under attack from group members.
ANSWER: c RATIONALE: Tenacity multiplies in importance for organizational leaders because it takes a long time to implement a new program or to consummate a business deal, such as acquiring another company. See "Leadership Motives."
32. A potential disadvantage of being a leader is a. losing contact with paperwork and email. b. isolation from problems involving people. c. having fewer people to confide in about work-related issues. d. being out of the loop in terms of company policies.
ANSWER: c RATIONALE: The higher you rise as a leader, the lonelier you will be in a certain sense. Leadership limits the number of people in whom you can confide.
31. A major source of satisfaction from being a leader is a. being able to avoid the long hours typically worked by team members. b. loads of overtime pay. c. the opportunity to sidestep organizational politics. d. a chance to help others grow and develop.
ANSWER: d RATIONALE: A leader works directly with people, often teaching them job skills, serving as a mentor, and listening to personal problems. Part of a leader's job is to help other people become managers and leaders. A leader often feels as much of a people helper as does a human resource manager or a counselor.
41. The modern organization is characterized by a. a reversal of roles between leaders and followers. b. an overthrow of authority by leaders. c. competition between leaders and followers. d. collaboration between leaders and followers.
ANSWER: d RATIONALE: An argument for leadership irrelevance is that in the modern organization effective leadership means widespread collaboration in obtaining ideas, rather than the heroic leader doing all the innovating.
54. When the workers in a workshop encounter operating difficulties or breakdowns while handling their machinery, they seek the help of Drew, their floor manager, to fix or repair the machinery. In this scenario, Drew is carrying out the leadership role of a(n) _____. a. executor b. figurehead c. team builder d. technical problem solver
ANSWER: d RATIONALE: As a technical problem solver, supervisors and middle managers perform individual contributor tasks on a regular basis, such as making sales calls or repairing machinery.
25. An authentic leader would most likely: a. imitate the behavior of the company CEO. b. engage in excessive organizational politics. c. expect more of workers than of themself. d. practice his or her values consistently.
ANSWER: d RATIONALE: Authentic leaders demonstrate a passion for their purpose, practice their values consistently, and lead with their hearts as well as their heads. They establish long-term, meaningful relationships and have the self-discipline to get results. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
37. A component of the general learning model applied to skill development in leadership is a. memorizing lists of great business leaders. b. making cross-comparisons of leadership theories. c. reading vision statements in annual reports. d. conceptual information supported by examples of leaders in action.
ANSWER: d RATIONALE: Developing leadership skills is more complex and ambiguous than developing a structured skill. A general learning model of skill development in leadership will include conceptual information demonstrated by examples and brief descriptions of leaders in action.
43. Jane is part of the sales team at JudyFashions Inc. Even though she has not been given a designation as the team leader, most of the team members rely on Jane for her opinions and suggestions on various sales related queries. Judy can be classified as a(n) ______ leader. a. isolate b. diehard c. participant d. emergent
ANSWER: d RATIONALE: Emergent leaders are group members who significantly influence other group members even though they have not been assigned formal authority.
46. Which of the following is a justification for leader irrelevance argument? a. Leaders have plenty of room to influence others despite several constraints. b. Factors within a leader's control have a larger impact on business outcomes than do leadership actions. c. Centralized leadership is the most efficient form of running an organization. d. High-level leaders have unilateral control over only a few resources.
ANSWER: d RATIONALE: Factors outside the leader's control have a larger impact on business outcomes than do leadership actions. One of the arguments is that high-level leaders have unilateral control over only a few resources.
50. Zach is a team member who rarely offers inputs to his team leader. He follows orders passively and does not take an interest in his company's growth. As a follower, Zach is most likely a(n) _____. a. diehard b. activist c. bystander d. isolate
ANSWER: d RATIONALE: 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. Zach's actions are indicative of those of an isolate.
28. The most effective type of humor for an organizational leader to use is directed at: a. the competition. b. group members. c. other departments. d. themself.
ANSWER: d RATIONALE: Laughter and humor serve such functions in the workplace as relieving tension and boredom and defusing hostility. Executives and other managers who use self-deprecating humor appear more approachable and likeable to subordinates. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
32. A leader with an internal locus of control: a. is often low in self-confidence. b. is often interpreted by group members as being weak. c. sees environmental factors as causing most events. d. takes responsibility for events happening.
ANSWER: d RATIONALE: Locus of control refers to whether a person feels personally responsible for events happening to them, helping the leader deliver a take-charge attitude. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
31. Research about emotional intelligence and leadership concludes that: a. emotional intelligence alone leads to career success. b. emotional intelligence combined with ambition accounts for 90 percent of career success. c. general intelligence and technical skills are the most important for top-level leaders. d. a leader's mood and associated behaviors affect bottom-line performance.
ANSWER: d RATIONALE: Research on emotional intelligence and leadership has also focused on the importance of the leader's mood in influencing performance. Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee believe that the leader's mood and their associated behaviors greatly influence bottom-line performance. One reason is that moods are contagious. See "Personality Traits of Effective Leaders."
24. A Duke University survey about executive leadership found that CEOs can influence leadership, but only if a. employees are paid what they feel they deserve. b. employees feel that their work is intrinsically rewarding. c. creativity is fostered at every level of the organization. d. the leader is perceived to be responsible and inspirational.
ANSWER: d RATIONALE: The Center on Leadership & Ethics at Duke University conducted a survey about executive leadership based on 205 executives from public and private companies. One of the issues explored was whether leadership actions can affect performance. It was concluded that they can indeed, but only if the leader is perceived to be responsible and inspirational.
18. The defining aspect of leadership is that it includes the ability to: a. communicate with people. b. delegate responsibility to others. c. maintain equilibrium in the organization. d. inspire people's confidence and gain their support.
ANSWER: d RATIONALE: The common characteristic of leaders is their ability to inspire and stimulate others to achieve worthwhile goals. Therefore, leadership can be defined as the ability to inspire confidence and support among the people who are needed to achieve organizational goals.
30. Marketing vice president Derek is engaged in the strategy developer role when he a. takes a key customer to lunch. b. coaches an account executive on how to close a major sale. c. makes plan for enlarging the office. d. looks for ideas in the outside world that could help the company.
ANSWER: d RATIONALE: Top-level managers engage in strategy development, usually assisted by input from others throughout the organization. Carrying out the strategic-planner 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.
60. Adam, a manager, implements a process for tracking productivity and rewards productive team members with additional perks. Some team members respond enthusiastically to these measures, offering additional inputs on how productivity can be improved. Others just play along, with some of them expressing their support as long as they are rewarded for their work. If you were in Adam's position, how would you classify the team members based on their reception of the new initiatives? What approaches would you take with each category of followers?
Barbara Kellerman offers a typology that helps explain how followers differ from one another. She focuses on the defining factor of the level of engagement with the leader or group to arrive at five types of followers. Three types of followers are described in the scenario: 1. Isolates are completely detached and passively support the status quo by not taking action to bring about changes. In this case, the people who played along with the new plans are most likely classified as isolates. They do not care much about their leaders and just do their job without taking an interest in the overall organization. If Adam wants these team members to be more involved, he must carefully coach them. However, sometimes, firing isolates is the only option. 2. Bystanders are free riders who are typically detached when it fits their self-interests. In this case, those who support Adam's measures as long as they receive rewards can be classified as bystanders. Bystanders have low internal motivation, so Adam has to work hard to find the right motivators to spark them into action. 3. Participants show enough engagement to invest some of their own time and money to make a difference, such as taking the initiative to learn a new technology that would help the group. Those team members who offer new ideas to improve productivity are likely to be considered participants. 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. Participants are also regarded as active followers and those who make a major contribution to the mission of the group.
12. One dissatisfaction of being a leader is budgeting and authorizing expenses. t or f
False An opportunity to control money and other resources. A leader is often in the position of helping to prepare a department budget and authorize expenses. Even though you cannot spend this money person- ally, knowing that your judgment on financial matters is trusted does provide some satisfaction
11. Once you become a leader, the opportunities for advancement decrease. t or f
False Good opportunities for advancement. Once you become a leader, your advancement opportunities increase.
58. Samuel believes that his manager, Sally, does not play a significant role in his organization's performance. He feels that it is his own skills and interest in his job that affect his performance. Explain Samuel's argument against the importance of leadership and what Sally should do to demonstrate the various roles a leader carries out.
The anti-leadership argument holds that the impact of the leader on organizational outcomes is smaller than the impact of forces within the situation. At times, as Samuel feel, competent leadership is not necessary, and incompetent leadership can be counterbalanced by certain factors in the work situation. Under these circumstances, leadership is of little consequence to the performance and satisfaction of team members. According to this viewpoint, many organizations have substitutes for leadership. Such substitutes are factors in the work environment that provide guidance and incentives to perform, making the leader's role almost superfluous. 1. Closely knit teams of highly trained individuals: When members of a cohesive, highly trained group are focused on a goal, they may require almost no leadership to accomplish their task. 2. Intrinsic satisfaction: Employees who are engaged in work they find strongly self-motivating, or intrinsically satisfying, require a minimum of leadership. Part of the reason is that the task itself grabs the worker's attention and energy. The worker may require little leadership as long as the task is proceeding smoothly. 3. Professional norms: Workers who incorporate strong professional norms often require a minimum of supervision and leadership. A group of certified professional accountants may not need visionary leadership to inspire them to do an honest job of auditing the books of a client or advising against tax fraud. As a manager and a leader, Sally carries out many roles. Mintzberg and other researchers identified ten roles that can be classified as part of the leadership function of management: 1. Figurehead. 2. Spokesperson. 3. Negotiator. 4. Coach and motivator. 5. Team builder. 6. Team player. 7. Technical problem solver. 8. Entrepreneur. 9. Strategy developer. 10. Executor. Even as the manager of highly skilled and motivated workers like Samuel, Sally demonstrates leadership in her roles as a negotiator, strategy developer, problem solver, executor, figurehead, and a spokesperson. She can choose any of these roles to demonstrate the relevance of leadership in organizational performance.
10. Two satisfactions of being a leader is the prestige and high income. t or f
True Prestige is forthcoming because many people think highly of people who are leaders. Leaders, in general, receive higher pay than team members, and executive leaders in major business corporations typically earn several million dollars per year.
15. You cannot learn leadership skill simply by reading and studying a book. t or f
True Although students of leadership will find this information encouraging, developing leadership skills is more complex and ambiguous than developing a structured skill such as inserting an additional memory card into a computer. Nevertheless, you can develop leadership skills by studying this textbook.
17. Two essential qualities of being an effective follower are commitment and courage. t or f
True Effective followers are committed to something beyond themselves, be it a cause, product, department, organization, the leader facilitates progress toward achieving a goal. Effective followers establish themselves as independent, critical thinkers, and fight for what they believe is right.
16. A type of follower that is completely detached and passively supporting the status quo by not taking action to bring about changes is an isolated follower. t or f
True Isolates are completely detached and passively support the status quo by not taking action to bring about changes.
14. Job fatigue and burnout is a frustration many leaders face. t or f
True Job fatigue and burnout as a result of the preceding nine problems. Leaders occupying high-level positions face so many pressures that many of them experience fatigue and even burnout—in- tense fatigue and resentment caused by dealing with heavy stress over a prolonged period of time.
28. An aspect of the coach and motivator role of the leader is to a. deal with outside groups. b. display loyalty to superiors. c. informally recognize team member achievements. d. bargain with superiors for funds, facilities, and equipment.
c 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. One of them is informally recognizing team members' achievements.