Deck 7: Leading and Working in Teams

Question 1

According to Blake and Mouton's leadership grid,a leader who uses an "authority compliance" form of management would typically

A) focus on maintaining satisfying relationships among team members.
B) exert minimal effort and let members work on their own.
C) emphasize commitment and trust, thus accomplishing results.
D) seek efficiency, placing little emphasis on members' individual and relational concerns.

Answer 1

D
Explanation: An "authority compliance" form of management focuses on efficiency, not human goals and needs.

Question 2

Virtual teams have become an integral part of today's workplace.Which of the following statements about virtual teams is FALSE?

A) Status differences are less prominent in virtual teams than in face-to-face teams.
B) It is more difficult to maintain team spirit in virtual teams than in face-to-face teams.
C) Virtual teams have not been able to overcome the difficulties of working with members from different time zones.
D) Virtual teams perform best when members have some means of creating a personal touch.

Answer 2

B
Explanation: When working with virtual teams, you need to figure out how to keep the team spirit alive despite the physical distance.

Question 3

Groups tend to outperform individuals when

A) time pressures are intense.
B) members share similar opinions.
C) standards of performance are high.
D) employees are not highly committed to the job.

Answer 3

C
Explanation: Groups tend to perform better than individuals when high standards of performance exist.

Question 4

According to research on contingency approaches,which leadership style is most effective?

A) democratic
B) authoritarian
C) laissez-faire
D) The most effective leadership style varies according to several factors, such as the task, the relationships, and the power of the leader.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT one of the characteristics of true teams (compared to less-productive groups)that Larson and LaFasto have identified?

A) The group has no structure, to allow flexibility.
B) The group's members believe their purpose is worthwhile.
C) The group's leader creates a vision of the group's purpose.
D) The group receives recognition by outsiders.

Question 6

Well-managed work groups offer several advantages over individual workers.Which of the following is NOT one of the typical advantages of working in a group?

A) accuracy
B) efficiency
C) productivity
D) enthusiasm

Question 7

The style approach to leadership explored which style of leadership was the most effective.According to research,the most effective leadership style is the ________________ style.

A) democratic
B) laissez-faire
C) authoritarian
D) Research shows that no one style is always more effective.

Question 8

A "laissez-faire" manager

A) is democratic.
B) coerces employees into doing what she wants them to do.
C) yields leadership to the group, so that members function as a collection of equals.
D) invites members to help make decisions.

Question 9

The trait approach to leadership presents the idea that individuals have biologically innate qualities that predispose them to leadership positions.According to research,the best predictor of leadership is

A) desire for leadership.
B) physical attractiveness.
C) intelligence.
D) No personal trait has been found that can accurately predict leadership.

Question 10

Two people working together

A) constitutes a small group.
B) can outvote the minority.
C) can resolve disputes by persuading one another.
D) can form alliances.

Question 11

The "trait approach" to the study of leadership

A) emphasizes laissez-faire leadership.
B) is a contingency approach.
C) attempts to identify characteristics possessed by leaders.
D) can easily predict which group member would make the best leader.

Question 12

A contingency approach to studying leadership

A) recognizes that there is not just one best approach; the context determines which approach will work best in any given situation.
B) found that in favorable settings, laissez-faire works best.
C) found that in unfavorable settings, laissez-faire works best.
D) recommends a democratic style of management.

Question 13

Which of the following would NOT be classified as a work group,according to the characteristics explained in your text?

A) Twelve individuals interact through e-mail to select a scholarship recipient.
B) Six neighbors organize a work party one Saturday morning.
C) Three classmates plan a joint presentation.
D) Seven students attend a program about male/female communication differences.

Question 14

Heather is a member of a group in which each member brings well-researched,relevant information to each decision-making meeting.She concludes that without each person's input,the quality of the decisions would decrease dramatically.This situation,in which the group outcome is greater because all participants are working together,is called ___________________.

A) impact of group size
B) interdependence
C) durability
D) identification

Question 15

The "style approach" to studying leadership explored

A) the impact of a leader's communication method on the group's effectiveness.
B) inborn traits of leaders.
C) conditions that might require different types of leadership.
D) functional leadership.

Question 16

Which of the following statements is true about group size?

A) Choosing an even number of members will allow for smoother decision making.
B) A dozen members is an ideal size for most task groups.
C) To reduce the likelihood of a few members dominating, choose groups larger than twenty members.
D) An odd number of members will allow for smoother decision making.

Question 17

An effective team exhibits all of the following except

A) shared goals.
B) directive leadership.
C) a results-driven structure.
D) competent team members.

Question 18

One tip that can help members of virtual teams is:

A) Members should not confer privately with one other team member; all conferring should be done with the entire group.
B) Members of virtual teams should not express their personal emotions.
C) Unlike face-to-face teams, virtual teams do not have to deal with cultural differences in communication style.
D) Test the technical system the group will be using in advance of the meeting.

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a typical advantage of a group?

A) breadth of perspectives available
B) greater accuracy
C) increased enthusiasm
D) increase in members' salaries

Question 20

MaryEtta believes she is a born leader.Which perspective about leadership does MaryEtta's belief correspond to?

A) trait approach
B) contingency approach
C) life-cycle theory
D) leadership emergence model

Question 21

If your subordinates obeyed your orders because of your ability to hand out bonuses,which of the following forms of power would you be exerting?

A) position power
B) coercive power
C) reward power
D) connection power

Question 22

Hamid is a new employee who used to work for your most daunting competitor company.When you are designing an ad campaign,you interview Hamid to help you draft an accurate comparison of the two company's products.Hamid possesses ____________ power.

A) information
B) coercive
C) reward
D) referent

Question 23

According to Leader Member Exchange (LMX)theory,employees who have low-quality relationships with their superiors

A) typically communicate in defensive ways.
B) are treated as insiders.
C) have high levels of satisfaction with their employer.
D) receive coaching from their boss.

Question 24

According to Fred Fiedler's comparison of task-oriented versus relationship-oriented styles,the best choice of leadership in a given situation depends on

A) members' ages, members' genders, and the leader's level of experience.
B) the type of organization, the purpose of the group, and the size of the group.
C) leader-member relations, task structure, and the leader's power.
D) whether the group is for-profit or not-for-profit.

Question 25

According to Hersey and Blanchard's life-cycle theory,leaders should

A) treat older members with more respect than they treat younger members.
B) micro-manage, even with highly independent workers.
C) manage all employees the same way.
D) use a directive, task-oriented approach with members who aren't yet ready to work independently.

Question 26

If you want to become a group's emergent leader,you should AVOID

A) attempting to outclass other participants.
B) participating frequently in group conversations.
C) providing relevant information.
D) suggesting solutions to problems that are tough to solve.

Question 27

According to Bormann's "method of residues," potential candidates for emergent leaders are likely to remain in the running for leadership if they

A) are flexible.
B) are very quiet.
C) are dogmatic.
D) exhibit annoying behaviors.

Question 28

A coach of a football team has found that players comply with his rules and policies because they appreciate the way he sincerely praises their individual efforts in front of the team.This coach possesses ________ power.

A) referent
B) expert
C) position
D) coercive

Question 29

A person who __________ is most likely to emerge as the leader of a group.

A) doesn't say much
B) is dogmatic
C) cracks a lot of jokes
D) helps the group succeed

Question 30

When Lucy,your manager's administrative assistant,tells you to sign and submit any paperwork to her immediately,you comply by the end of the day.Because Lucy is in charge of keeping the office files in order,she possesses _____________ power.

A) position
B) referent
C) orderly
D) connection

Question 31

Effective lateral leadership refers to all of the following EXCEPT

A) asking thoughtful questions.
B) inviting others to challenge your thoughts.
C) modeling constructive team behavior.
D) taking charge of a team's decisions.

Question 32

Sooja,the vice president of Neo Systems,runs a tight ship and makes sure that her top management team does what she wants it to.If any member raises issues,she fires that member.Sooja exerts ________ power.

A) coercive
B) reward
C) referent
D) connection

Question 33

Employees can increase their chances of having a high-quality relationship with their superiors by all of the following EXCEPT

A) showing initiative.
B) using a competitive language style.
C) going beyond the official job description.
D) taking responsibility.

Question 34

According to Leader Member Exchange (LMX)theory,employees who have high-quality relationships with their superiors

A) typically communicate in supportive ways.
B) are treated as outsiders.
C) have low levels of satisfaction with the organization they work for.
D) are subject to face-threatening acts and power games.

Question 35

Kat is the coach of a high school gymnastics team that has been extremely successful over the past 12 years.Her leadership varies,depending on the nature of the task confronting the athletes.When they must do something they don't want to do,she exerts position power by using an autocratic style.But,when the goal is just to have fun,she allows the team to have as much say as possible.Kat manages from a _________ perspective.

A) trait
B) contingency
C) laissez-faire
D) leadership emergence

Question 36

The Leader Member Exchange (LMX)theory teaches that

A) leaders exchange perks for good performance from members.
B) because time and energy are limited, every leader has some high-quality relationships with employees, and some low-quality relationships with other employees.
C) an effective organization will exchange its worst leaders for new leaders each year.
D) if employees exchange their poor communication habits for better communication skills, they will become leaders.

Question 37

Several students have formed a study group for their communication class.Although some students are communication majors with high grades,the member who has the most influence on the group is a fun-loving star player on the college basketball team.In this group,the basketball player possesses ________ power.

A) coercive
B) expert
C) referent
D) information

Question 38

Coercive power is a function of

A) a person's job title.
B) the consequences a person can impose.
C) a person's intelligence.
D) the degree to which a person is respected.

Question 39

Drake completed a short course in computer technology during summer vacation.Now his parents' friends call him when they have questions about their personal computers.Drake has earned some ________ power.

A) position power
B) expert power
C) reward power
D) coercive power

Question 40

Referent power is a function of

A) a person's job title.
B) the punishment a person can impose.
C) a person's intelligence.
D) the degree to which a person is respected.

Question 41

Expectations that groups develop concerning which behaviors are considered acceptable in the group (e.g.interaction styles or ways of addressing conflict)are called

A) norms.
B) roles.
C) systems.
D) interdependency.

Question 42

An example of a destructive group norm is:

A) Prohibit side conversations during meetings.
B) Be willing to admit your mistakes.
C) Speak up politely if you disagree with another member's reasoning.
D) It's OK to ignore others' ideas.

Question 43

A member who develops powerful friends throughout an organization gains ________ power.

A) coercive power
B) reward power
C) connection power
D) referent power

Question 44

Which of the following is NOT true about group norms?

A) Group norms are always constructive.
B) Group norms govern both task management and social interaction.
C) Group norms may be challenging to develop when members come from a variety of cultural backgrounds.
D) Group norms are often shaped by the overall culture of the organization the group represents.

Question 45

Two essential functional roles of groups are:

A) 'official' and 'unofficial'.
B) 'amateur' and 'professional'.
C) 'voluntary' and 'coercive'.
D) 'task' and 'relational'.

Question 46

According to the functional perspective,specific interactions that focus on the job at hand are known as ____________ functions.

A) transactional
B) task
C) social
D) symmetrical

Question 47

The "functional perspective" of group communication teaches that

A) leadership must be performed only by designated leaders.
B) the functions necessary for getting a job done can be shared among group members.
C) social needs are not important to the group's productivity.
D) influence can be possessed by only one person at a time.

Question 48

All of the following are associated with team productivity EXCEPT

A) All team members are encouraged to participate.
B) Team has cooperative orientation.
C) Subgroups are integrated into the team as a whole.
D) Members are told to remain quiet unless they can contribute a well researched idea with proven results.

Question 49

Personal goals that are NOT made public are called

A) hidden agendas.
B) personal memos.
C) private goals.
D) secret targets.

Question 50

"We seem to be repeating ourselves"; "At this point,we're supposed to be setting criteria,not proposing solutions"; "We've heard from only two members so far"; or "We forgot to complete our analysis of the survey results." These remarks illustrate the ______________ task function?

A) diagnoser
B) information seeker
C) reality tester
D) summarizer

Question 51

All of the following are dysfunctional roles EXCEPT

A) recognition seeker.
B) tension reliever.
C) joker.
D) blocker.

Question 52

An example of a constructive group norm is:

A) When co-workers are away from their desks, pitch in to help handle their business.
B) Be willing to talk behind others' backs.
C) Don't waste time celebrating successes.
D) If you have to work overtime when big, important deadlines approach, relieve stress by complaining.

Question 53

According to the functional perspective,a group's ___________ functions are those that support cooperative and harmonious relationships.

A) relational
B) task
C) interdependent
D) self-centered

Question 54

Stacey's primary duty for the group is to ensure a strong interpersonal climate.Stacey is filling a ________ role.

A) formal
B) task
C) dysfunctional
D) relational

Question 55

Which of the following is NOT conducive to team productivity?

A) Team spends time evaluating its solutions and decisions.
B) Teams are given an urgent deadline for coming up with a solution.
C) Norms encourage high performance.
D) Team has enough time to accomplish its goals.

Question 56

Which of the following statements about team goals is NOT true?

A) Problems may occur when an individual's goals conflict with the teams goals.
B) Personal goals are only harmful to a team if they are not compatible objectives.
C) There are very few personal goals that could interfere with team effectiveness.
D) Teams tend to function more efficiently when members can satisfy their personal goals while they are helping the team reach its goals.

Question 57

Which of the following actions would NOT be likely to boost the effectiveness of your team?

A) If most team members are highly task-oriented, open each meeting with a non task-oriented activity such as sharing jokes and personal news.
B) If most team members are looking for fun and companionship, arrange for a group party at one of the members' homes.
C) If most team members have busy schedules, concentrate on keeping meetings to a minimum.
D) If one member craves recognition, compliment him whenever you can sincerely do so.

Question 58

Marcy's primary duties in the group are to keep the discussion on track,suggest procedures,and coordinate the work of the other group members.Marcy is filling some ________ roles.

A) dysfunctional
B) task
C) informal
D) social

Question 59

We learn from the functional perspective that

A) an effective group will identify missing task and relational functions so members can fill them.
B) the more people that fill a particular functional role, the better.
C) as long as one or two roles are filled, the group will function fine.
D) group members should be sure to fill all three types of roles: task, relational, and dysfunctional.

Question 60

Summarizer and opinion seeker are examples of _________ functions.

A) social
B) solution
C) task
D) coercive

Question 61

A twosome is classified as a small group.

Question 62

A high level of team cohesiveness can be detrimental when

A) team members experience lower rates of tension.
B) team norms are contrary to the overall productivity of the organization.
C) team members become interdependent.
D) the team is making measurable progress toward its goal.

Question 63

Research suggests it is useful to have an odd number of members rather than an even number in a group that makes its decisions by simple majority vote.

Question 64

The optimal size for a small group is 10 members.

Question 65

Effective workplace teams rarely have an identifiable leader.

Question 66

Experts agree that the bigger the group,the more work it can get done.

Question 67

If a deadline is rapidly approaching,it would be wiser to assign a task to a group than to individuals.

Question 68

One important characteristic of groups is interdependence of members.

Question 69

Workers with effective teamwork skills are typically considered to be more valuable employees than talented and innovative solo players.

Question 70

All the following are signs of groupthink EXCEPT:

A) a lack of deliberation on the issues
B) freedom to voice dissenting ideas
C) a false illusion that the group agrees unanimously
D) a belief that our group is superior to competitors

Question 71

You are likely to feel a strong sense of cohesiveness with your group when

A) the members of your team are competing against each other to win the 'best idea of the year' award.
B) the assignment your team is working on is complex, so you need to rely on research done by other team members.
C) you dress more professionally than the rest of the group members.
D) your team missed its deadline for submitting your marketing proposal.

Question 72

Which of the following is NOT true about cohesive teams?

A) Members of cohesive teams want to remain with that team.
B) Workers who belong to cohesive teams are likely to have higher rates of job satisfaction.
C) Cohesive teams often make poor decisions.
D) Cohesiveness is like a magnetic force that attracts members to one another.

Question 73

It's better to assign a task to individuals than to a group if the participants tend to be "social loafers."

Question 74

Which is NOT true about risky shift?

A) Highly cohesive groups tend to make decisions that are more extreme than the members would choose on their own.
B) Risky shift refers to a strategy for asking hard-hitting questions, thereby preventing groupthink.
C) When risky shift occurs, teams may take unsafe risks that aren't justified.
D) When risky shift occurs, teams may make an extremely cautious decision.

Question 75

When there's a crisis or urgent deadline,members of a group that has succumbed to groupthink are likely to:

A) ponder possible drawbacks of their proposed solution.
B) encourage members to voice a variety of opinions.
C) seek outsiders' opinions.
D) be closed to new and difficult ideas.

Question 76

Antidotes to groupthink include all of the following EXCEPT:

A) Appoint a devil's advocate.
B) Encourage members to voice a variety of opinions.
C) Examine the ethical consequences of your team's decisions.
D) Promote self-censorship.

Question 77

Which is NOT a symptom of groupthink?

A) a commitment to examine ideas critically
B) group pressure to conform
C) censoring yourself so you don't question the status quo
D) an illusion of invulnerability

Question 78

Which of the following would NOT be likely to increase cohesiveness in a group?

A) competing individual goals
B) progress toward group goals
C) shared norms and values
D) competition from outside the group

Question 79

Ideally,groups should create constructive norms

A) early in the group's existence.
B) after the first conflict arises.
C) after members have become very well acquainted.
D) in a meeting convened solely for the purpose of establishing norms.

Question 80

Groupthink refers to

A) a desirable condition in which each member of the group engages in critical thinking.
B) a desirable condition, because the group is able to make decisions quickly, guided by the members with the most expertise.
C) an undesirable condition, because members feel too intimidated to express the dissent they feel about proposals.
D) an undesirable condition, because groups that spend too much time listening to members' various ideas are too slow to take action.