Deck 8: Developing Employees for Future Success

Question 1

Assessment centers are primarily used to identify employees' technical skills.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Mentoring programs tend to be very successful when they are compulsory.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,individuals with a Feeling (F)preference try always to be objective in making decisions,whereas individuals with a Thinking (T)preference are more subjective.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Development implies learning that is not necessarily related to an employee's current job.

Question 5

Basic career management systems involve the four sequential steps of recruiting,relocation,reality check,and action planning.

Question 6

An organization can use downward moves as a source of job experience.

Question 7

A performance appraisal process must identify causes of an employee's performance discrepancy and develop plans for improving their performance.

Question 8

Coaches are peers or managers who work with other employees to motivate them,help them develop their skills,and provide them with reinforcement and feedback.

Question 9

Relocation is the most common way to use downward moves for employee development.

Question 10

Themost frequent uses of assessment are to identify employees with managerial potential to measure current managers' strengths and weaknesses.

Question 11

In goal setting for career management,the employee is responsible for identifying the goal and the method of determining his or her progress toward that goal.

Question 12

Research suggests that assessment center ratings are valid for predicting performance,salary level,and career advancement.

Question 13

The approaches to employee development fall into four broad categories: formal education,assessment,job experiences,and interpersonal relationships.

Question 14

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is an assessment tool for behavioral styles based on the works of the psychologist William Marston.

Question 15

A protean career is one that remains constant despite the changes in a person's interests,abilities,and values and in the work environment.

Question 16

In a self-assessment,an organization's responsibility is to identify opportunities and areas that need improvement.

Question 17

Employees on sabbatical generally do not receive their salary or benefits.

Question 18

Job rotation increases employees' understanding of different company functions.

Question 19

Research on the validity,reliability,and effectiveness of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is inconclusive.

Question 20

Most employee development occurs through formal education programs.

Question 21

_____ increases an employee's ability to move into jobs that may not yet exist.

A) Development
B) Qualification
C) Physical appearance
D) Personal background
E) Ethnic culture

Question 22

Women and minorities often have difficulty finding mentors.

Question 23

Research suggests that managers who participate in programs like Individual Coaching for Effectiveness (ICE)improve their skills and are less likely to be terminated.

Question 24

The development of high-potential employees is a usually a very swift process.

Question 25

A(n)_____ is a career that frequently changes based on changes in a person's interests,abilities,and values and in the work environment.

A) prescribed career
B) stable career
C) flexible career
D) established career
E) protean career

Question 26

Protean careers require that employees

A) look for organizations to provide job security.
B) take responsibility for managing their own careers.
C) be specialized at repetitive tasks.
D) look for organizations to provide a career ladder so they can climb to higher positions.
E) focus on holding on to their jobs to avoid being laid off.

Question 27

_____ helps employees select development activities that prepare them to meet their career goals.

A) Career path
B) Training
C) Policy analysis
D) Job sharing
E) Career management

Question 28

A sales firm regularly enrolls some of its employees in a six-month marketing course with a leading university.At the end of the course,the employees are able to perform better in the organization.Which of the following methods of employee development has the firm used?

A) externship
B) formal education
C) assessment
D) interpersonal relationships
E) personality test

Question 29

Which of the following is true of formal education as an approach to employee development?

A) Organizations organize formal educational programs at the workplace or off-site to support employee development.
B) Formal education includes organization-specific workshops that are open to outsiders as well as employees.
C) As a prerequisite to formal education,trainees must enroll in various courses offered by an organization.
D) Formal education includes presentations sent out by an organization,which enlist the ethics and policies educating employees from time to time.
E) In an organization,formal education involves collating data pertaining to the development of projects.

Question 30

Succession planning focuses on high-potential employees.

Question 31

Thompson Design,a popular furniture manufacturer,provides employee support through various workshops on interior design techniques.It also offers three-month courses on various aspects of decorating a home,from suitable paint for a media room to contemporary outdoor furnishings.This adds to employees' existing knowledge and skill sets,helping create customer satisfaction.In this scenario,which of the following approaches to employee development is Thompson Design taking?

A) assessment
B) formal education
C) job experiences
D) interpersonal relationships
E) counseling

Question 32

The process of collecting information and providing feedback to employees about their behavior,communication style,or skills is known as _____.

A) requirements analysis
B) data mining
C) assessment
D) counseling
E) quality check

Question 33

Ricardo,the vice president of Salt Crumbs,is reviewing the development program for the company's middle managers.He notes that management development includes psychological profiles and mentors,as well as lateral moves to positions that give managers a broader view of the company.Ricardo would like to add a component of formal education.Which of the following options could be included in this new component?

A) on-the-job training in the basics of managers' current jobs
B) opportunities to sign up for sessions with a life coach
C) a program of externships at local charities
D) workshops involving business games and simulations
E) 360-degree feedback

Question 34

Managers provide for _____,a combination of formal education,job experiences,relationships,and assessment of personality and abilities to help employees prepare for the future of their careers.

A) emotional development
B) training programs
C) employee development
D) counseling sessions
E) feedback

Question 35

For assessment to work efficiently,an employee must be

A) provided suggestions to improve his or her weak skills.
B) evaluated discreetly so the employee does not pretend to be a model employee.
C) present on the day the assessment occurs so that results of the feedback will be accurate.
D) employed at the organization for at least a year.
E) informed that an appraisal can take place at any time during the year.

Question 36

Which of the following is true of the relationship between training and development?

A) Training is future oriented,while development is focused on one's experiences in the past.
B) Training prepares employees for management careers,while development is for learning entry-level skills.
C) Participation in training is voluntary,but most organizations require participation in development activities.
D) The goal of training is preparation for the current job,while the goal of development is preparation for future job opportunities.
E) Training is often an ongoing process,while development tends to be a short-term process.

Question 37

Identify the correct statement regarding protean careers.

A) Employees in protean careers look for organizations to provide job security.
B) Employees in protean careers take lesser responsibility for managing protean careers than for traditional careers.
C) A protean career is one that does not change frequently.
D) Employees in protean careers look for organizations to provide development opportunities based on the modern psychological contract.
E) Protean careers are characterized by frequent changes due to changes in a person's desired level of compensation.

Question 38

The four general approaches that companies use for employee development include

A) formal education,assessment,job experiences,and interpersonal relationships.
B) job rotation,promotion,transfer,and job sharing.
C) psychological tests,assessment centers,the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,and performance feedback.
D) business games,formal courses,team building,and assessment.
E) total quality management,Six Sigma,lean manufacturing,and quality function deployment.

Question 39

Action planning often involves the preparation of a career development plan.

Question 40

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)identifies individuals' preferences for source of energy,means of information gathering,way of decision making,and _____.

A) succession planning
B) self-assessment
C) lifestyle
D) value system
E) goal setting

Question 41

Brenda,the vice president of human resources at FSE Inc. ,meets with the executive committee to discuss planning for future job openings at the vice president level.Brenda advises the committee that sending some high-potential employees to an assessment center would be beneficial,although a full-day assessment could cost $20,000.Which of the following statements supports Brenda's recommendation?

A) Brenda's personal bias disqualifies her from selecting future candidates.
B) An assessment center works with employees one-on-one at the work site as a way to fully assess an employee's potential.
C) An assessment center would eliminate the need for personality tests.
D) Assessment centers primarily identify whether employees have the functional skills they need to carry out their jobs.
E) High assessment center ratings are associated with career success.

Question 42

Identify the correct statement regarding the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

A) It is an appropriate tool for measuring job performance.
B) People who take the MBTI generally do not find it to be an enjoyable experience.
C) MBTI scores are stable over time.
D) The MBTI is a valuable tool for understanding communication styles.
E) Research has concluded that the MBTI is highly valid,reliable,and effective.

Question 43

Chang works at a leading restaurant.She is usually scared of making any mistakes at her workplace,so she is very keen on paying attention to details.She also prioritizes quality in her work.In the context of Inscape's DiSC assessment,she would most likely score high in _____.

A) steadiness
B) dominance
C) conscientiousness
D) humility
E) influence

Question 44

The decision-making dimension of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator relates to the

A) steps or actions individuals take when making decisions.
B) amount of consideration given to others' feelings when making a decision.
C) individuals' tendency to be flexible and adaptable.
D) confidence and speed with which decisions are reached.
E) individuals' interpersonal strength and vitality.

Question 45

Which of the following assessment center exercises is being used when a team of five to seven employees is assigned a problem and must work together to solve it within a certain time period?

A) interview session
B) leaderless group discussion
C) role playing
D) in-basket exercise
E) personality test

Question 46

An off-site location in which multiple raters or evaluators evaluate employees' performance on a number of exercises is known as a(n)_____.

A) development center
B) feedback center
C) control center
D) assessment center
E) counseling center

Question 47

According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,what is true of individuals with a Sensing (S)preference?

A) They enjoy surprises.
B) They tend to rush into decision making.
C) They tend to focus less on facts and more on possibilities and relationships among them.
D) They focus on interpersonal relationships.
E) They tend to gather the facts and details to prepare for a decision.

Question 48

According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,Extroverted types (E)gain energy through

A) interpersonal relationships.
B) personal thoughts.
C) facts and details.
D) establishing goals.
E) inner feelings.

Question 49

According to the lifestyle dichotomy of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,individuals with a _____ preference enjoy surprises and dislike deadlines.

A) Judging (J)
B) Perceiving (P)
C) Thinking (T)
D) Feeling (F)
E) Sensing (S)

Question 50

In _____,a participant takes the part of a manager or employee in a situation involving the skills to be assessed.

A) personality tests
B) group discussions
C) interview sessions
D) role-plays
E) leaderless group discussions

Question 51

Schram Enterprises,a software company,conducts Inscape's DiSC inventory assessment to evaluate its employees.The assessment reveals that there are very few employees who are calm,supportive of others,and works far ahead of any deadlines.Which of the following DiSC categories applies to the employees described in the scenario?

A) influence
B) conscientiousness
C) steadiness
D) dominance
E) intelligence

Question 52

Which of the following statements is true about an assessment center?

A) An assessment center is a meeting room where a team of seven to ten employees is assigned a problem and must work together to solve it within a certain time period.
B) At an assessment center,multiple raters or evaluators evaluate employees' performance on a number of exercises.
C) It is an office that looks into the process of collecting information and providing feedback to employees about their behavior,communication style,or skills.
D) At an assessment center,senior managers hold a test that identifies individuals' preferences for source of energy,means of information gathering,way of decision making,and lifestyle.
E) It refers to an on-site location where the corporate leaders design a tool that gathers the ratings of a manager's use of the skills associated with success in managing.

Question 53

Which of the following is true of in-basket exercises?

A) They require teams of five to seven employees to work together to solve assigned problems within a certain time period.
B) They are paper-and-pencil tests designed to measure participants' communication styles and skills.
C) They simulate the administrative tasks of a manager's job,using a pile of documents for the employee to handle.
D) They require participants to take the part of a manager or employee in a situation involving the skills to be assessed.
E) They require the use of interest and aptitude tests to evaluate an employee's vocabulary,general mental ability,and reasoning skills.

Question 54

Which of the following categories in the DiSC inventory means that a person emphasizes relationships and also displays optimism?

A) conscientiousness
B) steadiness
C) influence
D) dominance
E) initiative

Question 55

Myrtle Flower Company,sends its management trainees to an assessment center.There,the employees are assigned to small groups and given a problem to solve within an allotted time frame.The team members have to work together in tackling problems that they might face in a management position,without a source to whom they can refer any questions.What is the correct term for this type of development exercise?

A) psychological profiling
B) 360-degree feedback
C) leaderless group discussion
D) in-basket exercise
E) time-bound discussion

Question 56

According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,how do Introverted types (I)gain energy?

A) by focusing on inner thoughts
B) by focusing on interpersonal relationships
C) by gathering facts and details
D) by focusing less on facts and more on possibilities
E) by trying to be objective in making decisions

Question 57

According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,individuals with a Perceiving (P)preference

A) are decisive and focused on goals.
B) are comfortable with changing a decision.
C) like deadlines.
D) focus more on possibilities and relationships among facts.
E) do not like surprises.

Question 58

The primary use of assessment centers is to identify

A) the employees who have the personality characteristics and skills needed for managerial positions.
B) the strengths and weaknesses of an organization.
C) the decision processes and communication styles that inhibit production.
D) the opportunities and threats to an organization.
E) the factors that inhibit group performance.

Question 59

The energy dichotomy of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator indicates _____.

A) the preparations individuals make before making decisions
B) the amount of consideration individuals give to their own and others' values and feelings
C) individuals' degree of introversion or extroversion
D) the hard facts of a situation
E) individuals' tendency to be either flexible or structured

Question 60

Hannah Barboza Inc. ,a publishing company,administered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)assessment to its editorial team and learned that some individuals are drawn toward gathering the facts and details needed for decision making,while others focus more on noticing relations among the facts.Some of the employees enjoy learning this about themselves,but the human resource specialist who administered the assessment cautions them not to use the results to limit their understanding of what they can do.Which of the following statements best explains the need for caution in applying the results of this assessment?

A) MBTI scores are mainly useful for measuring job performance.
B) MBTI scores are not necessarily valid and reliable.
C) MBTI scores should be used for evaluating promotion potential.
D) MBTI scores are extremely stable over time.
E) The scores show that some individuals are more flexible in their thinking than others.

Question 61

An organization may demote an employee to a lower-level position

A) to provide greater challenges to him or her.
B) so that the employee can learn different skills.
C) to increase the employee's visibility.
D) so that the employee can get more authority.
E) to give the employee more responsibility.

Question 62

Which of the following is true about a transfer?

A) It typically involves a full-time temporary position at another organization.
B) A transfer fundamentally increases job responsibilities.
C) A transfer essentially increases compensation.
D) It occurs when an employee is given less responsibility and authority.
E) It is an assignment of an employee to a position in a different area of the company,usually in a lateral move.

Question 63

Which of the following is a potential problem of job rotation?

A) Employees typically develop a short-term perspective on their problems and solutions.
B) Employees generally earn less.
C) Promotions usually take longer.
D) Employees typically develop specialized skills but fail to use them due to quick rotations.
E) Job rotation decreases employees' understanding of different company functions.

Question 64

The combination of relationships,problems,demands,tasks,and other features of an employee's jobs is referred to as _____.

A) job appraisals
B) job experiences
C) formal education
D) technical training
E) interpersonal relationships

Question 65

A move to a job with a similar level of responsibility within the same organization is called a(n)

A) externship.
B) promotion.
C) downward move.
D) upward move.
E) lateral move.

Question 66

Management at an IT firm is thinking of promoting Barbara,a customer service representative,to the position of senior customer relationship manager.Which of the following,if true,would make the promotion less likely?

A) A promotion would reduce Barbara's feelings of accomplishment.
B) Barbara wants to improve her pay and status at work.
C) Barbara shows that she can handle greater responsibility.
D) Slow growth has limited the opportunities available in the company.
E) The company would have to provide information about the new position.

Question 67

Job rotation involves

A) adding challenges or new responsibilities to an employee's current job.
B) moving an employee through a series of job assignments in one or more functional areas of the company.
C) allowing an employee to work full-time in a temporary position at another company.
D) allowing an employee to switch between two different jobs within the company on a daily or weekly basis.
E) assigning an employee to a position with less responsibility and authority.

Question 68

Allowing employees to take a full-time temporary position at another company is known as a(n)

A) transfer.
B) expatriate assignment.
C) sabbatical.
D) externship.
E) lateral move.

Question 69

How does 360-degree feedback help organizations?

A) Managers are able to identify subordinates who provide negative feedback.
B) Delivering ratings to a manager provides a simple way for the manager to act on the feedback.
C) Performance improves and behavior changes as a result of participation.
D) The feedback demands very little time,so the raters can focus on other tasks.
E) Managers can easily interpret the results themselves and take necessary action.

Question 70

Using job experiences for development assumes that

A) development occurs most often when jobs are structured to eliminate challenges.
B) development occurs only through promotions.
C) development is most likely to occur when the work involves high levels of negative stress.
D) development is most likely when an employee's skills do not fully match the skills required.
E) development is most likely when an employee already knows how to perform the job.

Question 71

A(n)_____ involves moving an employee into a position with greater challenges,more responsibility,and more authority than in the previous job.

A) appraisal
B) demotion
C) promotion
D) transfer
E) externship

Question 72

Most companies use _____ moves as an option for employee development.

A) small upward
B) vertical and horizontal
C) left,right,and sideways
D) occasional horizontal
E) upward,downward,and lateral

Question 73

Zenita was a creative writer at The Machner Group before her editor asked her to try out her skills at photography in the company's visuals department.After completing a short course on photography,Zenita joined the visuals department.Which of the following methods of job design did Zenita experience?

A) job experience
B) job enlargement
C) job rotation
D) job reduction
E) job revolution

Question 74

In assessment centers,typically,each assessor observes and records _____ employees' behaviors in each exercise.

A) six or seven
B) four or five
C) eight or nine
D) one or two
E) ten or eleven

Question 75

Hollander McKenzie,an employee of Baha Enterprises,is having trouble in his current job.His manager's constant feedback is that he does not maintain consistency in his work.In a meeting with Hollander's manager,the HR team decides to shift him to a department that would not require as much skill as his current position requires.In this scenario,which of the following approaches to employee development is Hollander experiencing?

A) a promotion
B) a downward move
C) a transfer
D) a sabbatical
E) a job enlargement

Question 76

Which of the following is true of job enlargement?

A) It is a systematic approach to help an organization modify its core processes to achieve more efficient results.
B) It aims at greater productivity through reduced application of mental and physical effort.
C) It attempts to motivate employees by giving them the opportunity to use specific skill sets.
D) It involves moving employees through a series of job assignments in one or more functional areas.
E) It involves adding challenges or new responsibilities to employees' current jobs.

Question 77

Which of the following statements is true about the 360-degree feedback process?

A) it involves rating an individual in terms of work-related behaviors
B) it collects a single perspective of a manager's performance
C) it breaks down formal communications about behaviors and skill ratings between employees and their internal and external customers
D) it gives results that can be easily interpreted by anyone
E) it demands very little time from the raters to complete the evaluations

Question 78

Which of the following conditions will most likely ensure a job rotation will succeed?

A) the organization is unclear about its job rotation policies
B) top management is indifferent to the program's success
C) goals for the program support personal goals and desires
D) employees and their managers agree on which skills are to be developed
E) the rotation schedule occurs every few months,ensuring employees develop strong on-the-job learning skills

Question 79

An employee's tolerance for uncertainty and the ability to get along with others are assessed in _____.

A) leaderless group discussions
B) in-basket exercises
C) personality tests
D) role plays
E) interviews

Question 80

Which of the following statements is true of job enlargement?

A) It creates a type of role ambiguity because an employee is not sure how to handle improvements.
B) It allows employers more scope in recruiting more employees.
C) It assigns an employee to a position in a different area of a company.
D) It creates an opportunity for employees to develop new skills.
E) It moves employees through a series of job assignments in one or more functional areas.