Deck 10: Leadership: Being an Effective Project Manager

Question 1

Which of the following requires more management rather than leadership?

A)Taking corrective action
B)Changes in project scope
C)Technological stalemates
D)Breakdowns in coordination between people
E)All of these require the same level of management

Answer 1

A
Explanation: Good management brings about order and stability by formulating plans and objectives, designing structures and procedures, monitoring results against plans, and taking corrective action when necessary.

Question 2

Well-defined projects that encounter no significant surprises require little:

A)Management
B)Leadership
C)Monitoring
D)Corrective action
E)All of these are only required to a minor extent

Answer 2

B
Explanation: Well-defined projects that encounter no significant surprises require little leadership.

Question 3

In terms of commonly traded organizational currencies, acceptance, personal support, and understanding are part of _______ related currencies.

A)Task
B)Position
C)Inspiration
D)Relationship
E)Personal

Answer 3

D

Question 4

In mapping dependencies for a project, the project manager should:

A)Overestimate
B)Underestimate
C)Precisely estimate
D)Either B or C are correct
E)None of these are correct

Question 5

In conducting meetings an effective project manager will take the role of a:

A)Parliamentarian
B)Master of ceremonies
C)Conductor
D)Cattle herder
E)Teacher

Question 6

In terms of commonly traded organizational currencies, resources, assistance, cooperation, and information are part of ______ related currencies.

A)Task
B)Position
C)Inspiration
D)Relationship
E)Personal

Question 7

In terms of commonly traded organizational currencies, learning, ownership, and gratitude are part of ______ related currencies.

A)Task
B)Position
C)Inspiration
D)Relationship
E)Personal

Question 8

Project managers often find themselves negotiating with all the following except:

A)Vendors
B)Functional managers
C)Consultants
D)Competitors
E)All of these are correct

Question 9

The difference between project management and project leadership is that project management includes:

A)Recognizing the need to alter direction
B)Aligning people to meet new directions
C)Monitoring results against plans
D)Motivating people to meet new objectives
E)All of these are leadership functions

Question 10

The new perspective of project management emphasizes which of the following?

A)Financial control
B)Managing project stakeholders
C)Schedule/cost tradeoffs
D)Both A and B are correct
E)A, B, and C are all correct

Question 11

Groups such as human resources, information systems, purchasing agents, and maintenance are typically classified as:

A)Project managers
B)Administrative support
C)Functional managers
D)Project sponsors
E)Customers

Question 12

In terms of commonly traded organizational currencies, advancement, recognition, visibility, and networks are part of ______ related currencies.

A)Task
B)Position
C)Inspiration
D)Relationship
E)Personal

Question 13

The old-fashion view of managing projects emphasized which of the following?

A)Planning
B)Directing
C)Controlling
D)Both B and C are correct
E)A, B, and C are all correct

Question 14

The outer ring in the network of relationships for project managers includes all of the following except:

A)Other organizations
B)Customers
C)Contractors
D)Government agencies
E)Administrative support

Question 15

In terms of commonly traded organizational currencies, vision, excellence, and ethical correctness are part of ______ related currencies.

A)Task
B)Position
C)Inspiration
D)Relationship
E)Personal

Question 16

The second ring in the network of relationships for project managers includes all of the following except:

A)Other project managers
B)Customers
C)Functional managers
D)Top management
E)Project sponsors

Question 17

Project success or failure often depends upon the contributions of all of the following except:

A)Customers
B)Suppliers
C)Contractors
D)Competitors
E)Top management

Question 18

Networks are mutually beneficial alliances that are generally governed by the law of:

A)Supply-demand
B)Brooks's law
C)Reciprocity
D)A squeaky wheel
E)Risk-reward

Question 19

Project leadership is about coping with:

A)Formulating plans and objectives
B)Monitoring results against plans
C)Change
D)Taking corrective action when necessary
E)All of these are part of leadership

Question 20

The closest relationships in a project network of relationships are with:

A)Other project managers
B)Project sponsors
C)Top management
D)Customers
E)Project team members

Question 21

The key to exercising influence is:

A)To make few mistakes
B)To build trust
C)To build a network of top level people
D)To understand the political connections within the organization
E)To make friends with everyone

Question 22

Unlike project leadership, project management is about coping with:

A)Change
B)Aligning people to any new directions
C)Monitoring results against plans
D)Recognizing the need to alter plans
E)All of these are part of project management

Question 23

A popular metaphor for the role of a project manager is that of ________.

Question 24

________ define the scope of the project, and ultimate project success rests in their satisfaction.

Question 25

In the Research Highlight, Ancona and Caldwell identified key patterns of activity which contribute to creating a high performance team.Which of the following is not one of those?

A)Negotiator
B)Ambassador
C)Task coordinator
D)Scouts
E)Guard

Question 26

________ champion the project and uses their influence to gain approval of the project.

Question 27

________ naturally compete with each other for resources and the support of top management.

Question 28

In a survey of project managers, approximately what percentage reported that they encountered ethical issues in their work?

A)22 percent
B)40 percent
C)65 percent
D)81 percent
E)100 percent

Question 29

Perhaps the most powerful form of organization currency is based upon ________.

Question 30

Which of the following is not one of the distinguishing traits of character?

A)Openness
B)Consistency
C)Empathetic
D)Sense of purpose
E)Hard work

Question 31

The traits of successful project managers include all of the following except:

A)Pessimist
B)Proactive
C)Skillful politician
D)Effective time management
E)Personal integrity

Question 32

The essence of the ________ related form of organization currency is forming a relationship that transcends normal professional boundaries and extends into the realm of friendship.

Question 33

Which of the following would be defined as the ability or skill to perceive, assess and manage the emotions of one 's self and others?

A)Emotional stability
B)Coolness under pressure
C)Emotional intelligence
D)Empathy
E)Management sensitivity

Question 34

In the organizational currency of _______ related influence comes directly from the project manager's ability to enhance others' positions within the organization.

Question 35

In the Snapshot from Practice "Managing Expectations", one of the key aspects to project success was stated to be the managing of stakeholder:

A)Relations
B)Expectations
C)Involvement
D)Influence
E)Input

Question 36

Which of the following is not one of the aspects of leading by example?

A)Priorities
B)Ethics
C)Urgency
D)Cooperation
E)Power

Question 37

Which of the following is used at Hewlett-Packard for building relationships with key players that will determine a project's success?

A)MBO
B)MBA
C)GIGO
D)MBWA
E)PMI

Question 38

In the organizational currency of _______ related influence comes directly from the project manager's ability to contribute to others accomplishing their work.

Question 39

Networks are mutually beneficial alliances that are generally governed by the law of ________.

Question 40

Management is about coping with complexity; ________ is about coping with change.

Question 41

Project managers have to see _________________ and how their project fits within the larger strategy of their firm.

Question 42

Successful project managers tend to adopt a hands-on approach to managing projects.

Question 43

The Ancon and Caldwell research identified ________ activities as those where the manager goes out from the team to bring back information about what else is going on in the organization.

Question 44

In the ________ management style, the project manager's behavior symbolizes how other people should work on the project.

Question 45

One of the things that distinguish project management from regular management is the sheer breadth and complexity of the relationships that need to be managed.

Question 46

Successful project managers not only need to be influential, they also need to exercise influence in a manner that builds and sustains the ________ of others.

Question 47

In the ________ style of management, managers spend the majority of their time outside their offices.

Question 48

A popular metaphor for the role of a project manager is that of a sports coach.

Question 49

In some projects contractors may do all the work with the project team merely coordinating their contributions.

Question 50

We must have confidence in the ____________ of individuals before we really trust them.

Question 51

All stakeholders have ________ about the schedule, cost, and project benefits that the project manager needs to listen for, understand, and manage.

Question 52

The ability or skill to perceive, assess and manage the emotions of one 's self and others is called ____________.

Question 53

One advantage of creating a dedicated project team is that it reduces dependencies, especially within the organization.

Question 54

The ______ related form of organization currency deals with individual needs and an overriding sense of self-esteem.

Question 55

In a survey of project managers, 81 percent reported that they encounter ________ issues in their work.

Question 56

Strong leadership, while usually desirable, is not always necessary to successfully.

Question 57

The higher the degree of uncertainty encountered on a project, the more management is required.

Question 58

In building a social network it is always better to ________ the dependencies on which the success of a project is based.

Question 59

Research consistently points out that project success is strongly affected by the degree to which a project has the support of ______.

Question 60

The Ancona and Caldwell research identified ________ activities as aimed at representing the team to others and protecting the team from interference.

Question 61

"Managing a project and leading a project is essentially the same thing." Agree or disagree and support your conclusion.

Question 62

Identify and briefly describe the five commonly traded organizational currencies.

Question 63

One problem new project managers experience is that it takes time to establish a sense of character and competency.

Question 64

In a survey of project managers, more than 81 percent reported that they encounter ethical issues in their work.

Question 65

Good time management for project managers includes initiating contact with key stakeholders only when there is a valid issue to deal with.

Question 66

When giving a status report to superiors, project managers must present the most positive image possible including, if necessary, stretching the truth.

Question 67

Position-related currencies include: vision, excellence, and ethical correctness.

Question 68

Position-related currencies include: advancement, recognition, visibility, and network/contacts.

Question 69

"Ambassador" activities, as defined by Ancona and Caldwell, are aimed at going out from the team to bring back information about what is going on elsewhere in the organization.

Question 70

Personal-related currencies include: challenge/learning, ownership/involvement, and gratitude.

Question 71

Identify at least five of the typical group dependencies that project managers must manage.

Question 72

Many poor-performing project managers are guilty of management by wandering around.

Question 73

The first step to building a social network is identifying those on whom the project depends for success.

Question 74

"Strong leadership is not always necessary to successfully complete a project." Agree or disagree and support your conclusion.

Question 75

Relationship-related currencies include: resources, cooperation, assistance, and information.

Question 76

A successful project manager must build a cooperative, mutually beneficial network based on the age-old maxim: "Quid pro quo."

Question 77

Character alone will engender trust.

Question 78

The ability or skill to perceive, assess and manage the emotions of one 's self and others is known as emotional intelligence.

Question 79

"Guard" activities, as defined by Ancona and Caldwell, are aimed at representing the project team to others and protecting the team from interference.

Question 80

To be effective, project managers must "walk the talk", i.e.; lead by example.