Supervision and Human Relations - Exam 2 Study Set

What type of leader is a taskmaster? a) autocratic b) free-rein c) people-centered d) participative e) democratic

a) autocratic

Supervisors can work effectively with emergent leaders in workgroups if they ____________________. a) build ties with them b) deny their influence c) delegate tedious tasks to them d) reject their influence e) isolate them

a) build ties with them

The degree to which members are attracted to each other and are motivated to stay in a group is known as _________________. a) cohesiveness b) teaming c) integration d) training e) productivity

a) cohesiveness

One thing supervisors can do to overcome obstacles in creating teams and to help teams reach their full potential is __________________. a) create a clear purpose b) discourage small wins c) micromanage d) ignore skill gaps e) macro-manage

a) create a clear purpose

Workgroups established by the organization and given designated work assignments and established tasks are called ___________________. a) formal groups b) groups c) task force teams d) informal groups e) teams

a) formal groups

Which of the following is one of the five dimensions that make up the concept of trust? a) integrity b) intelligence c) participation d) readiness

a) integrity

Critical obstacles that can prevent teams from becoming high performing include which of the following? a) lack of trust b) small wins c) team-building training d) external support e) mutual trust

a) lack of trust

When using the _______________ each employee is compared against every other employee - an arduous task when assessing large numbers of employees. a) paired comparison approach b) individual ranking method c) graphic rating scale method d) group order ranking method

a) paired comparison approach

Studies consistently show that a group's cohesiveness and productivity depend on the _____________________ they establish. a) performance-related norms b) rules c) goals d) time commitments e) attendance-related norms

a) performance-related norms

People differ in their willingness to take chances. Individuals who make more rapid decisions and use less information in making choices exhibited high ______________________. a) risk propensity b) tolerance levels c) self-esteem d) leadership aspirations

a) risk propensity

One leadership characteristic where people are free of self-doubt and have a strong belief in order to convince others of the correctness of goals and decisions is the trait of _____________________. a) self-confidence b) enthusiasm c) honesty d) drive e) intelligence

a) self-confidence

People who do not have good listening skills are not going to get the full messages as the _____________________________. a) sender meant to convey it b) signal was decoded by the receiver c) communication channel was delivered d) feedback was originated

a) send meant to convey it

Supervisors who simplify their language and consider the audience to whom the message is directed are ____________________. a) tailoring language to the receivers b) constraining emotions c) learning to listen d) utilizing feedback e) matching words and actions

a) tailoring language to the receivers

The more opportunities a supervisor has to observe an employee's behavior firsthand ________________________. a) the more the halo error can be maximized b) the more accurate the appraisal is likely to be c) the less often critical incidents will be observed d) the more bias can be subjectively interpreted

b) the more accurate the appraisal is likely to be

The simplest method of appraisal, writing a narrative describing an employee's strengths, weaknesses, past performance, potential, and suggestions for improvement, is the ______________________ performance appraisal method. a) checklist b) written essay c) critical incidents d) faction comparison e) comparative standards

b) written essay

A manipulative person who believes in the philosophy "the ends justifies the means" and is viewed by some as being ruthless, exhibits tendencies of _____________________. a) conceit b) narcissism c) Machiavellianism d) egotism

c) Machiavellianism

The more ambiguous and complicated the message, the more the sender should rely on __________________. a) encoding b) feedback of the sender c) a rich communication medium d) perception of the value of the message

c) a rich communication medium

One of the oldest and most popular performance appraisal methods, the ______________________, is used to assess such factors as quantity and quality of work, job knowledge, cooperation, loyalty, dependability, etc. a) factor comparison b) checklist c) adjective rating scale d) group index rating e) critical incident

c) adjective rating scale

Motivating a diverse workforce means that supervisors must be ___________________. a) knowledgable about group norms b) willing to mentor c) aware of cultural differences d) acquainted with corporate policies

c) aware of cultural differences

A supervisor should guard against the tendency to __________________ employees. a) be predictable b) be open with c) create favorites among d) demonstrate technical skills around

c) create favorites among

How often should an informal performance appraisal be conducted? a) at least once a year b) twice a year c) day to day d) once a month

c) day to day

The three most popular sets of criteria that supervisors appraise are _____________________. a) individual work record, punctuality, and excellence b) individual temperament, punctuality, and thoroughness c) individual task outcomes, behaviors, and traits d) Individual behavior, loyalty, and traits

c) individual task outcomes, behaviors, and traits

One trap supervisors of minimum wage employees fall into is thinking that employees are motivated only by __________________. a) good work conditions b) praise c) money d) personal aspirations

c) money

Some of the most meaningful communication is not spoken, written, or transmitted on a computer. This type of communication is called __________________. a) the grapevine b) oral communication c) nonverbal communication d) verbal communication

c) nonverbal communication

Which of the following is the lowest need in A. H. Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory? a) self-actualization b) esteem c) physiological d) psychological e) safety

c) physiological

The communication process has the following components EXCEPT ___________________. a) decoding b) encoding c) recording d) message e) channel

c) recording

People differ in the degree to which they like or dislike themselves. This trait is called ________________________. a) self-actualization b) narcissism c) self-esteem d) locus of control e) egotism

c) self-esteem

Two or more interacting and interdependent individuals who come together to achieve particular objectives are called __________________. a) a formal group b) an informal group c) an informal team d) a group e) a formal team

d) a group

Teams fall into three categories; the purpose of one category is to ___________________. a) confront b) benchmark c) delegate d) advise e) norm

d) advise

Frederick Herzberg stated that when characteristics such as salary and working conditions are adequate, people will ___________________. a) experience self-actualization b) experience a high degree of achievement c) be highly motivated d) be neither dissatisfied nor satisfied e) experience positive reinforcement

d) be neither dissatisfied nor satisfied

Before implementing teams, supervisors should carefully evaluate whether the work requires or will benefit from ___________________. a) pseudo leaders b) challenges c) emergent leaders d) collective effort e) disorganization

d) collective effort

Probably the most widespread norms in many organizations are related to levels of ____________________. a) hierarchy b) employee wages c) strategic planning d) effort and performance e) budget and control

d) effort and performance

Actively listening with _________________ requires suspending personal thoughts and feelings and adjusting what is thought and felt to the speaker's world. a) tolerance b) intensity c) facial expressions d) empathy e) feedback

d) empathy

Under Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory, self-respect, autonomy, and achievement would be included in which level of needs? a) self-actualization b) safety c) social d) esteem e) physiological

d) esteem

The ______________ theory argues that individuals analyze three relationships: effort-performance, performance-rewards, and rewards-personal goals. a) equity b) hierarchy of needs c) reinforcement d) expectancy e) hygiene

d) expectancy

Communication that addresses task-related issues and tends to follow the organization's authority chain is known as __________________ communication. a) oral b) informal c) complex d) formal e) written

d) formal

Equal employment opportunity laws require that all human resource practices, including performance appraisals, be ___________________. a) objective b) justified c) procedural d) free of bias e) reviewed by the EEOC

d) free of bias

Departmental reports that contain many detailed figures and facts are conveyed best __________________. a) through an informal channel b) verbally, because the receiver gets the information quicker c) through the socialization process d) in writing because of complexity

d) in writing because of complexity

Communication that moves in any direction and skips authority levels is ___________________. a) written b) oral c) formal d) informal e) casual

d) informal

Equity theory states that employees perceive what they can get from a job situation in relation to what they put into it and then compare their ___________________________. a) lower-order needs to higher-order needs b) input-outcome ratio to a standard ratio c) contributions in order to experience self-actualization d) input-outcome ratio to the input-outcome ratio of others

d) input-outcome ratio to the input-outcome ratio of others

Appraisal criteria, methods, and documentation must be designed to ensure that they are _____________________. a) promoting the halo effect b) unilaterally prepared c) full of subjectivity d) job related e) consistent with standing plans

d) job related

A supervisor concerned with motivating people would ______________. a) set easily achievable goals b) recognize that all employees are the same c) overlook money as a motivator d) match people to jobs e) compel employees to participate in decision making

d) match people to jobs

In the communication process the actual physical product of the sender's encoding is the __________________. a) medium b) feedback loop c) channel d) message e) response

d) message

Allowing employees to participate in decisions that affect them will increase their level of _______________________. a) cooperation b) self-awareness c) comprehension d) motivation e) collusion

d) motivation

Leaders who exhibit _________________ behavior view employees as a means to an end. a) people-centered b) company-centered c) democratic d) task-centered e) autocratic

d) task-centered

The ability to create and articulate a realistic, credible, attractive exemplar of the future that grows out of, and improves upon, the present is known as _______________________. a) expectant b) referent c) self-confident d) visionary e) equitable

d) visionary

Since senders and receivers of communication each bring their own set of perceptual biases, the messages they seek to transfer are often subject to _______________________. a) recognition b) observation c) reproduction d) investigation e) distortion

e) distortion

The advantage of ________________ is that it prevents a supervisor from inflating employee evaluations so that everyone looks good or equalizing the evaluations so that everyone is rated near the average. a) documentation b) feedback c) behavioral description d) indvidual ranking e) group ordering

e) group ordering

Individuals who can easily adjust their behaviors to different situations are known as __________________. a) charismatic leaders b) participatory leaders c) team leaders d) group facilitators e) high self-monitors

e) high self-monitors

The ________________ method of performance appraisal allows for no ties, which can be advantageous because it does not allow supervisors to avoid confronting differences in performance levels. a) relative standards b) behaviorally anchored c) graphic rating scale d) group order ranking e) individual ranking

e) individual ranking

The ability one demonstrates in influencing others to act in a particular way through direction, encouragement, sensitivity, and consideration and support is _______________________. a) organization b) training c) supervision d) motivation e) leadership

e) leadership

In the situational leadership model when an employee has become the expert on her job and no longer needs to be told what to do, a supervisor would use a ___________________ style of leadership. a) selling b) delegating c) directive d) autocratic e) participating

e) participating

Leaders who exhibit _______________ behaviors are concerned with the welfare of employees and are characterized as trusting, friendly, and supportive. a) autocratic b) democratic c) participative d) compassionate e) people-centered

e) people-centered

When a supervisor overstates an employee's performance, a ________________ occurs. a) critical incident b) halo error c) rating bias d) central tendency misjudgment e) positive leniency error

e) positive leniency error

When an evaluator recalls, and then gives greater importance to, employee job behaviors that have occurred near the end of the performance-measuring period, this results in _____________________. a) critical incidents b) central tendency c) halo error d) leniency error e) recency error

e) recency error

Which personality trait shows considerable adaptability in adjusting behavior to external situation factors? a) risk propensity b) willingness to take chances c) locus of control d) Machiavellianism e) self-monitoring

e) self-monitoring

Supervisors are interested in the workings of informal groups because they can _________________ and affect productivity in their departments. a) disrupt the flow of work b) become assertive c) cause work stoppages d) complicate processes e) shape the behavior of employees

e) shape the behavior of employees

Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard proposed a leadership model called ____________________, which focuses attention on the readiness of employees. a) task-centered b) transformational c) democratic d) transactional e) situational

e) situational

By having ______________ skills, the tools, procedures and techniques that are unique to the work situation, a supervisor is able to assist employees. a) performance b) conceptual c) human relations d) networking e) technical

e) technical

It's usually a good idea to end a counseling session with the employee summarizing what has taken place and with ___________________. a) identification of the problem b) clarification of the alternatives c) a written report summarizing the meeting d) agreement to meet in one week e) the specific actions to be taken

e) the specific actions to be taken

________________ leaders guide or motivate employees in the direction of established goals by clarifying role and task requirements. a) situational b) transformational c) consultative d) democratic e) transactional

e) transactional

Communication involves the transfer of meaning. However, for communication to be successful the meaning must not only be imparted but also ___________________. a) encoded b) comprehensive c) integrated d) impartial e) understood

e) understood

T/F: An effective supervisor always needs to be assertive.

FALSE

T/F: Autocratic leadership is inappropriate in any organization today.

FALSE

T/F: For those studying leadership, it has become increasingly clear that predicting leadership success involves isolating a few traits or preferable behaviors.

FALSE

T/F: Formal work groups are the same as teams.

FALSE

T/F: Intrinsic feedback is provided to an employee by an outside source such as a management consultant.

FALSE

T/F: Legitimate power does not allow supervisors to reward and punish their employee.

FALSE

T/F: Nonverbal clues are an unreliable form of feedback.

FALSE

T/F: Studies show employees who rate high in externality are more satisfied with their jobs, less alienated from the work setting, and more involved in their jobs than internals.

FALSE

T/F: Teams need to have all the complementary skills when they are formed.

FALSE

T/F: The amount of information transmitted in a face-to-face conversation is less rich than that received from reading a flier or a bulletin board.

FALSE

T/F: The best way to describe a pseudo team is "going in the right direction but not there yet."

FALSE

T/F: When using the group order ranking performance appraisal method, as the sample size increases, the validity of relative scores as an accurate measure decreases.

FALSE

T/F: The degree to which the job has a substantial impact on the lives or work of other people is task identity.

FALSE (this is task significance)

T/F: When a job situation is predominant with personal responsibility, feedback, and an intermediate degree of risk, high achievers will be strongly motivated.

TRUE

T/F: When we see employees working hard at some activity, we can conclude they are driven by a desire to satisfy one or more needs that they value.

TRUE

T/F: Typically teams outperform individuals when the tasks being performed require multiple skills, judgement, and experience.

TRUE

T/F: A group is defined as two or more interacting and interdependent individuals who come together to achieve particular objectives.

TRUE

T/F: A large part of oral communication is derived from verbal intonations.

TRUE

T/F: A message is affected by the code or group of symbols used to transfer meaning, the content of the message, and the decisions made in selection and arranging both codes and content.

TRUE

T/F: Effective e-leadership requires supervisors to be judicious in their choice of words while monitoring their messages for anything that may appear to have subliminal meaning to the reader.

TRUE

T/F: Effective leaders change their leadership style or behavior to fit changing situations.

TRUE

T/F: Effective teams contain a small number of people with complementary skills who are equally committed to a common purpose, goals, and working approach.

TRUE

T/F: Employees have to trust supervisors to treat them fairly and supervisors have to trust employees to fulfill their responsibilities conscientiously.

TRUE

T/F: Some organizations have added self-evaluations and peer evaluations to supplement those performance appraisals made by supervisors.

TRUE

T/F: Supervisors use performance appraisal as a means for helping employees improve future performance.

TRUE

T/F: The halo error is a tendency to rate an individual high or low on all factors as a result of the impression of high or low rating on some specific factor.

TRUE

A unit with a set of common characteristics that lead to consistently high performance is known as a ___________________. a) team b) real team c) working group d) potential team e) working team

b) real team

One reason for a supervisor to use a written document to communicate would be _____________________. a) speed and ease b) little ambiguity for receipts c) uncertainty in the group d) decision paralysis

b) little ambiguity for receipts

Intrinsically motivated people have a compelling drive to succeed, but they are striving for ___________________ rather than the rewards of success. a) respect b) personal achievement c) acknowledgement d) appreciation e) recognition

b) personal achievement

"Going in the right direction but has not yet established a sense of collective accountability" is the best way to describe a ________________________. a) working group b) potential team c) team d) real team e) pseudo team

b) potential team

Cohesiveness is important because it has been found to be related to a group's _____________________. a) communication b) productivity c) relationships d) purpose e) identity

b) productivity

In the _____________________ view of human nature and motivation, Douglas McGregor proposed that managers assume employees view work as being as natural as rest or play. a) equity theory of motivation b) Theory Y c) Expectancy theory of motivation d) Theory X

b) Theory Y

The top-rating of honesty as an identifying characteristic of admired supervisors indicates that in order for supervisors to become effective leaders, they must realize the importance of _______________________. a) power and permission b) credibility and trust c) control and structure d) achievement and effort e) responsibility and authority

b) credibility and trust

Effective communication means the transference and understanding of meaning. But you cannot know if someone has received your message and comprehended it in the way that you meant unless you seek ___________________. a) thoughts b) feedback c) encoding d) body language

b) feedback

Active listening requires people to understand a communication ___________________. a) while making notes b) from the speaker's viewpoint c) without facial expression d) from their own perspective

b) from the speaker's viewpoint

The tendency to rate an individual high or low on all factors due to the impression of a high or low rating on some specific factor is ______________________. a) individual ranking b) halo error c) central tendency error d) behavioral rating

b) halo error

Which performance appraisal method compares employees against other employees in evaluating their performance? a) faction comparison b) individual ranking c) critical incidents d) adjective rating scale e) graphic rating scale

b) individual ranking

The motivation hygiene theory is concerned with ___________________. a) positive reinforcement b) job satisfaction c) self-esteem needs d) affiliation needs e) self-actualization

b) job satisfaction