SLS Midterm Study Guide

Oscar engages in debasement when he tells the person he is trying to influence:

"I may not be well informed, but here is my opinion."

Which of the following examples represents a manager whose actions encourage organizational politics?

A manager who frowns every time he receives criticism

Jonathan, the human resource manager of an organization, requests the help of the managing director to communicate on incentive cuts, which will be allocated to employees who perform below the organizational standard. In the context of influence tactics, this is most likely an example of _____.

Upward Appeal

During a team meeting, the team manager expresses disappointment in his team's productivity rate. Svetalana, 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 of the following qualities of a good follower is Svetlana displaying in this scenario?

Courage

Attributions (by group members or subordinates) of a leader's charisma are important because they lead to other behavioral outcomes, such as commitment to leaders, self-sacrifice, and high performance.

True

Despite the urgency of turning around an organization, the transformational leader is likely to encourage the personal development of staff members.

True

Leadership effectiveness is typically measured by either objective data about results or subjective data about the perceptions of a leader.

True

One of the questions included in an ethical screen is, "How does it [the decision in question] smell?"

True

Promoting values and principles that contribute to the welfare of individuals and organizations can be classified as task-oriented.

True

Pursuing or encouraging organizational politics can emphasize self-interest at the expense of others.

True

The achievement-oriented leadership style works well with group members working on ambiguous and nonrepetitive tasks.

True

To use debasement as an influence tactic, the influence agent might say, "I realize I'm not the brightest new manager in the company, so I really need your help."

True

Emotional intelligence tends to:

improve with experience.

When a floor manager empowers this team members, his power:

increases

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

industry in which the company operated

A major source of individual differences in ethics and morality among leaders is:

leader's level of greed, gluttony, and avarice.

Chief financial officer Barry submits travel and expense reports that are completely genuine and encourages employees in his division to always give accurate and correct information. Barry is using the ethical initiative called:

leading by example

Hubert Joly, the transformational CEO who came in from outside Best Buy to turn the company around, advocates all but which one of these principles (or "levers") to improve profits?

First cut low wage employees in a last in, first out manner

A major concern about charismatic leadership is that

Group members sometimes follow a charismatic leader down an unethical path.

Suggestions for making better use of 360-degree surveys include _____.

customizing the assessment dimensions based on the leadership competencies that are associated with success

Male leaders are most likely to be _____.

disseminating information and demonstrating competence

A hands-on leader is typically task oriented.

True

​Lewis is a team leader at a multinational corporation. Before assigning tasks to his team members, he asks for their preferences and suggestions, to not only enhance project delivery efficiency, but also increase team members' satisfaction. Which of the following traits best describes Lewis' approach?

socially aware

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) _____.​

technical problem solver

To apply "management by storytelling," the leader should

tell fascinating stories about the company to employees

The concept of leadership polarity suggests that group members

tend to intensely like or dislike leaders

One technique a leader uses to bring about transformations is to get people:

to look beyond self-interest.

Thomas heads the sales team of a computer software firm. As a leader, his inclination is more toward accumulating wealth and acquiring status through his position. In the second year of his tenure, the sales department generates substantially lower revenue than in the previous years. If you were the advisor to Thomas, what advice would you give him to improve the company's prospects?

As an advisor towards Thomas, I would tell him he needs to start by focusing less on his status within the company and have more of a focus towards the customer and better serving their needs. I would also let Thomas know the importance of new prospects and understanding their needs and wants as well. By doing so this should increase overall revenue for the department.

"Knowledge of the business" as a leadership characteristic is closely related to the leadership trait of:

Cognitive ability

Which one of the following is not a particularly recommended place to obtain information when formulating a vision statement?

Companies that are known for unambitious business practices

Adapting to changing times is most important for which approach to leadership?

Contingency Approach

Erin, the marketing head of a luxury hotel, always considers the inputs of her marketing team in all decisions regarding the new marketing strategies and branding exercises to be carried out. What are the various behaviors that can be adopted by Erin to be considered an effective participative leader? What are some problems that Erin might encounter while adopting a participative style of leadership?

Erin could use various behaviors to be considered an effective participative leader, for example having team meetings gathering all employees together to talk about weekly tasks and she could also send out emails to check on her employees. Being a participative leader is a great thing but unfortunately Erin could run into some problems, the most common not being able to come to an agreement with other team members.

Nancy, a middle manager, wants to use the influence tactic of legitimating to improve quality within her unit. Nancy, therefore:

Explains that top management wants quality improvements

Walker is a supervisor at an exporting unit. He has a cheerful disposition, and encourages and appreciates his team members who suggest ideas or accomplish tasks. Which of the following traits best describes Walker's behavior?

Extraversion

A leader scoring high on the dimension of consideration would typically be authoritarian and impersonal in relationships with subordinates

False

A leader who focuses on maximizing shareholder wealth will automatically behave ethically from the standpoint of the principle "pay attention to all stakeholders."

False

A synthesis of studies showed that laissez-faire leadership is more likely to produce positive results for the organization than is transformational leadership

False

An important component of full-fledged empowerment is that the manager decides which method the group members should use to accomplish their tasks.

False

Being open to worker opinions is part of the initiating structure dimension, and it is also central to autocratic leadership.

False

Branch manager Marissa uses evidence-based leadership when she accuses subordinates of wrongdoing, especially when she can heavily document her accusations.

False

Hiring people with high integrity tends to increase politics in the office because people with integrity tend to be very ambitious.

False

The factors of hard work and initiating structure are considered the two most important dimensions of leadership behavior

False

The more powerful leaders are, the more they need to create a coalition.

False

The outcome of influence tactics are not affected by the leader's personality traits.

False

____ is not a contingency factor that affects the decision-making style chosen in the normative decision model.

Financial Feasibility

Melissa wants to bring about transformations in her organization. Which one of the following would be the best recommendation for her?

Help people understand the need for change.

Which of the following is a justification for leader irrelevance argument?

High-level leaders have unilateral control over only a few resources.

Ramos, a CEO, was recently made both President and CEO of the company. Which of the following is a consequence of Ramos occupying this dual role?

His legitimate power is strengthened

Richard, the CEO of an oil and gas exploration company, indulges in excessive risk taking behavior and adopts unconventional strategies to achieve higher profits. Though it helped him initially to acquire quick wealth and fame, it becomes unsustainable for him to latch on to the same strategy for long. If you were Richard's advisor, what would you suggest to Richard if he wants to be considered a charismatic leader?

If I were Richard's advisor, I would suggest that he fixes his unsustainable actions and swaps them for something more sustainable, even if it means he will make less of a profit. People who are charismatic have very strong goals which is something that he will be able to achieve after he fixes his unsustainable practices.

An aspect of the coach and motivator role of the leader is to

Informally recognize member achievements

Jack, an investment banker, wishes to quit his company and start one on his own. He dreams of getting his company listed on the Fortune 500 within a year of its incorporation and is willing to undertake all possible risks to make his dream a reality. What are the various traits/characteristics that can be attributed to Jack's entrepreneurial style of leadership?

Jack's characteristics that can be attributed to his entrepreneurial style of leadership is that he is a determined leader, he is passionate about what he wants to do, and he is ready to take risks.

Jonathan has to make use of the path-goal theory to adopt a specific style of leadership in his team. He consults with his superior for help. In this case, give a picture of what Jonathan's superior might suggest.

Jonathan's supervisor will possibly suggest for him to really think about his goals in the workforce, ways he can stay motivated, and what obstacles he may encounter and how to avoid them.

_____ authorizes people at the highest levels in an organization to make a decision and expect compliance.

Legitimate Power

Providing group members with too little hands-on guidance about how to accomplish important work can be a symptom of _____.

Macromanagement

Collin, an executive of a telecom company, has an inclination to acquire more power to further his own interests. He spends lavishly on sports cars and branded watches to exhibit his power and stature. Which of the following best describes Collin's leadership style?

Personalized charismatic

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.

Samuel's argument is that Sally is in a leadership position as a manager, and he realizes what traits and actions a leader should be doing and he is not seeing this from his manager Sally. As a manager, Sally should start by thinking about how she can improve as a manager. After she figures out traits that need improvement, she should try her best to improve on those traits. Leaders are courageous, trustworthy, team players, and they're also problem solvers. A good leader feels that they always have room for improvement

Joseph has been appointed as the chief marketing officer of an automobile manufacturer. Joseph feels he was appointed due to his belief that true leadership emerges from a deep desire to help others. What is the primary motivation for Joseph's belief? What are the ways in which Joseph can fulfill the purpose of his appointment and his desire to serve others?

The primary motivation for Joseph's belief is his attitude about wanting to help others succeed. There are a few ways that Joseph can fulfill his desire to serve others by helping his employees succeed, having a positive attitude at all times, and checking in with his employees weekly.

According to the virtuous circle, corporate profits →good social performance →more profits →more good social performance.

True

An effective strategy for a transformational leader is to concentrate resources on the areas most in need of change and with the biggest possible payoff.

True

Alfred intends to follow a directive style of leadership among his team members. In the context of the path-goal theory of leadership effectiveness, which of the following situations would have made Alfred stick to a directive leadership style?

The team is given orders to improve its performance; however, the exact sales revenue that the team should bring in is unclear.

Davis is the CEO of a group of luxury hotels. As a committed and authentic leader, he has brought major changes in the company to attract new customers and ensure quality services. In addition, he has also executed major changes in employee relations and satisfaction, causing an increase in employee productivity. Which of the following best describes Davis' leadership style?

Transformational

A key part of being an authentic leader is to be passionate about your purpose.

True

A perform-or-perish culture calls for more of a consensus style of leadership.

True

A study indicated that transformational leadership of teams influenced work group effectiveness.

True

A success factor for the leader of an organization or a key organizational unit is to think strategically, including visualizing the big picture.

True

A synthesis of research studies suggests that when workers trust their supervisor, work satisfaction tends to be higher.

True

According to one authority cited in the leadership text, humility adds value to leadership

True

According to the substitutes for leadership viewpoint, certain factors in the work environment make the leader's role almost superfluous.

True

Which one of the following questions in an ethical screen deals with the philosophical principle of reversibility?

What would you tell your child to do?

Which of the following statements is true about the gender differences in effectiveness between men and women leaders?

Women were rated higher on relationship-oriented leadership skills.

A major source of satisfaction from being a leader is

a chance to help others grow and develop

Ayan, the newly appointed team manager of the sales team, practices autocratic leadership in his team. However, his team members who are quite experienced and equipped in their fields are not satisfied with the style of leadership practiced by Ayan, particularly that he doesn't seek consensus in many of his decisions, which negatively affects team productivity. This scenario depicts the violation of _____.

a contingency approach to leadership

A recommended way of reducing disruptive politics within the work group is to:

avoid favoritism

A major political blunder is to:

be tactless toward influential people

A charismatic leader will often:

challenge, prod, and poke other people.

Anne, the creative head of a publisher of teen fiction, decides to form an alliance with the creative heads of other publishing houses in the city. In the context of influence tactics, an alliance of this kind, if formed, becomes an example of a(n) _____.

coalition

____ is the most successful influence outcome.

commitment

A component of the general learning model applied to skill development in leadership is

conceptual information supported by examples of leaders in action

A top leader is supposed to help promote values and principles that _____.

contribute to the welfare of individuals and the organization

Simon, the CEO of a consumer electronics firm, receives a huge positive response from the industry experts and consumers for introducing breakthrough technologies in the company's products. Simon is a _____ leader.

creative

Vroom, the sales manager of a major advertising firm, has tried implementing the path-goal theory among his teammates. However, on further analysis, he studies the details of the normative decision model in order to apply its key concepts as well. What would be the five key decision-making styles from the normative model from which Vroom can choose a strategy for his team?

decision-making styles could be, having a positive attitude, working together as a team, being a leader when it is necessary, not being scared to give your opinion, and being an Autocratic leader when necessary.

The employees of an organization are told that if they don't work for a minimum of three extra hours every week, they will not be considered for promotions. This is most likely an example of _____.

deliberate Machiavellianism

Katie, the marketing head of MeDiASure, a digital marketing agency, entrusts her team with the task of conceptualizing innovative marketing strategies for a client. Katie collects the group's opinion and lets the team take the final call on the most suitable strategies. In this scenario, Katie is assuming the role of a(n) _____.

democratic leader

The consideration dimension of leadership behavior includes how well the leader creates an environment of _____.

emotional support, friendliness, and trust

According to the idea of entitlement, some corporate executives behave unethically because they feel they are:

entitled to whatever they can get away with or steal.

The personalized charismatic leader uses power to:

further his or her own interests

According to the normative decision model , leaders must choose a style that brings about the correct degree of _____ when making decisions.

group participation

In the Pygmalion effect, group members _____

live up to expectations set for them

A transformational leader is one who:

makes maior changes in the organization.

The higher a unit reports in a firm's hierarchy, the:

more power it acquires

A challenge to the validity of charismatic leadership is that charismatic leaders may:

not be necessary for leadership effectiveness.

Gordon is a team leader who always aspires to do good work that matters to his team mates, other colleagues, and society in general. He always tries to make decisions by keeping in focus the best interests of his team. When faced with a situation that involves making critical decisions that can impact many people in his team, what are the ways that Gordon should consider for examining if his decisions are ethical?

one ways that Gordon could consider for examining if his decisions are ethical is by checking out to see if the facts of the matter lineup, look for an alternative method if the rst one doesn't work, make sure to figure out who and what his decision is going to impact before he does it.

A principle of ethical and moral leadership is to:

pay attention to all stakeholders.

When workers are aligned, they tend to _____.

pull together for a higher purpose

A Duke University survey about executive leadership found that CEOs can influence leadership, but only if

the leader is perceived responsible and inspirational

William heads the marketing department of an apparel company. He is an enthusiastic leader who puts in extra work hours to increase the productivity of his team. He is so engaged and passionate about his work that he willingly contributes to his team even during his vacation. Which of the following could possibly be a consequence of William's behavior?

work addiction

An opportunity for an organization to practice social responsibility involves:

working with its supplier to improve working conditions.