Deck 5: Task-Oriented Leadership Behaviors

Question 1

When a leader delegates and maintains awareness of responsibilities, this is sloppy leadership and thus is correctly called "micromanaging."

Answer 1

False

Question 2

For at least the last sixty years, behavioral studies of leadership have focused on the two categories of task-oriented and people-oriented behaviors.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

When the leader monitors and assesses work, both quantitative and qualitative factors should be used.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Deployment charts such as Gantt charts and planning grids that show the flow of steps to be taken by people involved in the work are the primary tools for delegating as a behavior in the task domain.

Question 5

Identifying the root of a problem is such an important step in problem-solving that the tool called Root Base is presented in the text as an essential leadership tool.

Question 6

When leaders are making decisions and have reached the step of choosing the best alternative, narrow participation is more fitting when the goals of employees diverge substantially from those of the organization.

Question 7

In analyzing difficult problems, it has been shown in research that managers should rely on their intuitive or gut impressions because other methods take unnecessary time from devising an action plan.

Question 8

In managing technical innovation and creativity, it is more important for leaders to recognize and support others' ideas than to be the source of ideas themselves.

Question 9

A case study in the text demonstrated that Intel invented the process of requiring vendors to stock and own the Intel product themselves until it was sold or otherwise used from inventory.

Question 10

Task-oriented competencies include factors such as problem-solving, managing innovation, and clarifying roles.

Question 11

To carry out the behavior of monitoring and assessing, it is recommended that, among other things, the leader defines and measures key indicators of what is important for performance.

Question 12

To carry out the behavior of clarifying roles and objectives, it is recommended that, among other things, the leader gives emphasis to establishing priorities among job responsibilities and establishing a scope of authority.

Question 13

To carry out the behavior of delegating, it is recommended that, among other things, the leader gives emphasis to managing information flow strategically and determining the best way to relay information.

Question 14

The textbook uses an example of the World War II film Twelve O'Clock High to illustrate that a people-oriented leader is the best leader.

Question 15

The balanced scorecard approach emphasizes the appropriate selection of critical indicators for assessing excellence of quality.

Question 16

Task-oriented focus tends to increase when:

A) operations are running smoothly
B) employees are well-trained and self-managed
C) customer and client demands are shrill
D) there is a crisis needing immediate attention

Question 17

Each behavior domain discussed in this chapter is well established in the research, and usually there is a parallel concept in the task domain. One example is the formulation and planning function that enables leaders to decide what to do. What is its parallel in the task domain?

A) clarifying roles and objectives
B) monitoring and assessing tasks
C) operations planning
D) strategic visioning

Question 18

The following is one of the reasons to have a consistent and disciplined review of information from data gathering and monitoring:

A) to keep track of all activities
B) to avoid poor understanding of problems due to weak review of data
C) to ease the burden of collecting data
D) to prevent emerging crises

Question 19

A special type of operations planning that takes into account the problems most likely to disrupt operations and unexpected crises is known as:

A) coordination planning
B) tactical planning
C) program planning
D) contingency planning

Question 20

A "fishbone" technique to get to the root of operational glitches in organizational activity so that the root problem of various issues could be analyzed was invented in Japan by:

A) Professor Ishikawa
B) Professor Nakagawa
C) Professor Fujiwara
D) Professor Ichimura

Question 21

The "fishbone" technique is also called:

A) extensive mapping
B) creative mapping
C) causal mapping
D) root mapping

Question 22

A similar technique, credited to Motorola and later adopted by General Electric, is known as:

A) Six Beta
B) Six Sigma
C) Six Gamma
D) Six Lambda

Question 23

The following is one of the guidelines for clarifying roles and objectives:

A) Establish priorities among job responsibilities and establish a scope of authority
B) Compare progress with plans
C) Ask clarifying questions
D) Determine the best way to relay information

Question 24

The two major elements of delegation are:

A) allocation of responsibility and designation of authority
B) designation of responsibility and allocation of authority
C) designation of responsibility and confirmation of authority
D) confirmation of authority and appreciation of productivity

Question 25

The following is not stated as a primary virtue of effective delegation:

A) It helps busy leaders free up their time for other responsibilities
B) It is a form of job enrichment
C) It favors subordinates
D) It can improve decisions when subordinates are competent in or closer to the issues to be handled

Question 26

Standardization is one of the common strategies for problem-solving. The most important element of standardization is to:

A) develop meaningful job depth
B) rely on intuitive impressions
C) identify best practices
D) customize the solution

Question 27

Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin label, is known for his:

A) charisma and consistency
B) creativity and innovation
C) goodwill and generosity
D) tolerance and passion

Question 28

Peter Senge's definition of the learning organization is:

A) "organization that acquires knowledge and innovates fast enough to survive and thrive in a rapidly changing environment"
B) "an organization that facilitates training for all its members and consciously transforms itself and its context"
C) "an extremely flat organization with social links across functional areas"
D) "one where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collection aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning how to learn together"

Question 29

Which of the following is not associated with the characteristics of learning organizations:

A) they have clearer structure
B) they are flatter
C) they have looser formal links
D) they look more like networks

Question 30

Learning organizations typically:

A) favor blue-collar workers
B) have no problems with recruiting and retention
C) require loose informal links in term of cooperative synergies
D) require highly trained individuals

Question 31

Select a work area in an organization to identify the quantitative and qualitative aspects that a leader would use to monitor and assess the task performance.

Question 32

Why would an employee sometimes be upset by delegation? What are some recommendations that help leaders to delegate well?

Question 33

How does the case insert on Barings Bank illustrate the importance of monitoring and assessment?

Question 34

Discuss the importance of task-oriented leadership behaviors. If an organization hired only experienced or well-trained employees or only college graduates, do you believe the leadership could or should put task-oriented behaviors aside? Explain.

Question 35

What is the Six Sigma approach, and how does it related to clarifying roles and objectives?