Deck 12: Basic Approaches to Leadership

Question 1

If trait theories of leadership are valid, then leaders are ________.

A) trained
B) born
C) authoritarian
D) educated
E) grown

Answer 1

B

Question 2

According to the Ohio State studies, the extent to which a leader is likely to have job relationships characterized by mutual trust and respect for his/her employees is ________.

A) consideration
B) matrix
C) consensus-building
D) LPC
E) maximization

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following statements regarding leadership is true?

A) All leaders are managers.
B) Formal rights enable managers to lead effectively.
C) All managers are leaders.
D) All leaders are hierarchically superior to followers.
E) Nonsanctioned leadership is as important as or more important than formal influence.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

The University of Michigan studies define a(n) ________ leader as one who takes a personal interest in the needs of his/her subordinates.

A) LMX
B) contextual
C) employee-oriented
D) consensus-building
E) consummate

Question 5

If behavioral leadership theories are correct, then ________.

A) leadership behaviors are consistent
B) leaders are born with leadership behaviors
C) leaders' behavior should be altered
D) leadership can be taught
E) women generally make better leaders than men

Question 6

According to a comprehensive review of the leadership literature, what is the most important trait of effective leaders?

A) conscientiousness
B) openness
C) extraversion
D) agreeableness
E) emotional stability

Question 7

A leader high in initiating structure would do which of the following?

A) seek consensus
B) exhibit laissez-faire type of leadership
C) maximize leader-member relations
D) assign group members to particular tasks
E) empower employees to make their own decisions

Question 8

There is fairly strong evidence that traits can predict ________ more accurately than leadership effectiveness.

A) leadership emergence
B) extroversion in leaders
C) leadership awareness
D) leadership competence
E) the conscientiousness of leaders

Question 9

The two dimensions of leadership behavior identified in the University of Michigan studies are ________.

A) coercion and motivation
B) emotional and rational
C) employee-oriented and production-oriented
D) initiating structure and consideration
E) initiation and completion

Question 10

If a leader's main concern is accomplishing his/her group's tasks, the University of Michigan studies label this leader ________.

A) consideration-oriented
B) managerial
C) ineffective
D) high achieving
E) production-oriented

Question 11

Which model represents the theory that effective group performance depends on the proper match between a leader's style and the degree to which the situation gives control to the leader?

A) Leader-Member Exchange Model
B) Fiedler's Contingency Model
C) Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership Model
D) Vroom and Yetton's Leader-Participation Model
E) none of the above

Question 12

Which theory differentiates leaders from nonleaders by focusing on personal qualities and characteristics?

A) Fiedler's perspective
B) characteristic theory
C) LPC
D) contingency theory
E) trait theory

Question 13

The first comprehensive contingency model for leadership was developed by ________.

A) Hersey and Blanchard
B) Blake and Mouton
C) Fred Fiedler
D) John Kotter
E) Douglas Surber

Question 14

The two dimensions of leadership behavior explained in the Ohio State studies are ________.

A) coercion and motivation
B) concern for people and concern for production
C) employee-oriented and production-oriented
D) initiating structure and consideration
E) operant conditioning and classical conditioning

Question 15

Emotional intelligence is so critical to effective leadership because one of its core components is ________.

A) conscientiousness
B) empathy
C) openness
D) extroversion
E) agreeableness

Question 16

John Kotter's view argues that management focuses on coping with complexity, whereas leadership focuses on coping with ________.

A) conflict
B) success
C) defeat
D) morale
E) change

Question 17

Leadership is best defined as ________.

A) the ability to influence a group in goal achievement
B) keeping order and consistency in the midst of change
C) implementing the vision and strategy provided by management
D) coordinating and staffing the organization and handling day-to-day problems
E) not a relevant variable in modern organizations

Question 18

Who developed the LPC (least preferred co-worker) questionnaire?

A) Wachner
B) Fiedler
C) House
D) Blake and Mouton
E) Surber

Question 19

All contingency theories are based on the idea that effective leadership performance depends on ________.

A) the proper match between the leader's style and the control the situation gives the leader
B) selecting the right leadership style based on the level of the followers' readiness
C) using a leadership style that is appropriate to the situational conditions
D) making use of the best path for the goal that is identified
E) none of the above

Question 20

Recent studies indicate that ________ may indicate effective leadership.

A) an endless supply of terrific ideas
B) a compelling vision
C) a highly analytical mind
D) outstanding training
E) emotional intelligence

Question 21

Richard is a transactional leader who has just assigned a series of tasks to a project team. Which of the following is most likely to be true about the team's performance under Richard's guidance?

A) They will set new standards of productivity for the department, exceeding Richard's expectations.
B) They will meet the goals set for them but are unlikely to go beyond those goals.
C) They will tend to be unclear about the roles assigned to each team member.
D) They will be highly motivated by what they view as Richard's heroic or extraordinary qualities.
E) They will tend to put their individual self-interest above the interests of the company.

Question 22

According to Hersey and Blanchard, readiness encompasses the ________.

A) degree of confidence, trust, and respect members have in their leader
B) amount of influence a leader has over variables such as hiring, firing, and salaries
C) level of morale and satisfaction of the employees
D) ability and willingness of the followers to accomplish a task
E) all of the above

Question 23

Researchers are conducting a study of a company called Acme Corp, which they believe to be led by a transformational leader. Which of the following, if true, would most support the conclusion that Acme's leader is a transformational leader?

A) Acme's top managers often conflict over defining the organization's goals.
B) Acme's goals tend to be very ambitious and to hold personal value for employees.
C) Creativity is discouraged among Acme employees.
D) Acme managers are cautious and rarely take risks.
E) Acme's compensation plans are designed to reward short-term results.

Question 24

If a survey respondent sees his or her least preferred co-worker in unfavorable terms, Fiedler would categorize the respondent as ________.

A) overly critical
B) task-oriented
C) emotionally deficient
D) insightful
E) laissez-faire

Question 25

What is the main principle of path-goal theory?

A) Successful leadership is achieved by selecting the right leadership style.
B) Stress is a form of situational unfavorableness and a leader's reaction to it depends on his or her intelligence and experience.
C) Effective group performance depends on the proper match between the leader's style and the degree to which the situation gives control to the leader.
D) Leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of their followers because of time pressures.
E) The leader is responsible for providing followers with the information, support, or other resources necessary for them to do their jobs.

Question 26

Two companies, Roland Media and Go! Corp, are both headed by transformational leaders. However, Roland Media showed much greater profitability over a 5-year time period than did Go! Corp. Which of the following best explains why Roland Media performed better than Go! Corp under transformational leadership?

A) Go! Corp's leader regularly interacts with the company's workforce to make decisions, whereas Roland Media's leader must go through a complex bureaucratic structure.
B) Unlike Go! Corp's employees, Roland Media's employees don't readily give up decision-making authority.
C) Roland Media is a small, privately held firm, whereas Go! Corp is a large, complex public company.
D) Roland Media is headquartered in a high power distance country, whereas Go! Corp is headquartered in a country that is high in collectivism.
E) Roland Media's employees tend to be more highly individualistic than do Go! Corp's employees.

Question 27

In Fiedler's model, if a respondent describes his or her least preferred co-worker in relatively positive terms, then the respondent is considered to be ________.

A) relationship-oriented
B) people-oriented
C) consensus-building
D) consideration-focused
E) unrealistic

Question 28

Leaders who clarify role and task requirements to accomplish established goals exhibit a _________ style of leadership.

A) transformational
B) transactional
C) charismatic
D) self-initiating
E) situational

Question 29

Which of the following is not a key characteristic of a charismatic leader?

A) sensitivity to follower needs
B) unconventional behavior
C) vision and articulation
D) task orientation
E) willingness to take risks

Question 30

The degree to which job assignments are procedurized is classified in the Fiedler model as ________.

A) leader-member relations
B) task orientation
C) task structure
D) initiating structure
E) productivity oriented

Question 31

Based on the contingency theory, if the leadership style does not match the situation, you should ________.

A) change the leader to fit the situation
B) change the situation to fit the leader
C) accept this circumstance as unchangeable
D) either A or B
E) retrain the leader in a more appropriate style

Question 32

Which of the following is not an example of a prediction based on path-goal theory?

A) Subordinates with an internal locus of control will be more satisfied with a directive style.
B) Directive leadership leads to greater satisfaction when tasks are ambiguous or stressful.
C) Supportive leadership results in high employee performance when performing structured tasks.
D) Directive leadership is likely to be perceived as redundant by employees with a lot of experience.
E) All of the above are examples of predictions based on path-goal theory.

Question 33

Fiedler labels the degree of confidence, trust, and respect that subordinates have in their leader as ________.

A) leader-member relations
B) relationship orientation
C) positional power
D) employee-orientation
E) none of the above

Question 34

Hersey and Blanchard developed which of the following?

A) situational leadership theory
B) cognitive resource theory
C) managerial grid model
D) path-goal theory
E) cognitive orientation model

Question 35

The leader-participation model was developed by ________.

A) Hersey and Blanchard
B) Fred Fiedler
C) Blake and Mouton
D) Vroom and Yetton
E) Douglas and Surber

Question 36

Which of the following would not be a likely outcome of a workplace governed by a transformational leader?

A) lower employee morale
B) lower employee stress
C) higher productivity
D) lower turnover rates
E) higher employee satisfaction

Question 37

Hersey and Blanchard's leadership theory differs from other leadership theories primarily because it ________.

A) explores the role of the expectations of the leader for the follower
B) focuses on the followers
C) holds that leadership style should be dependent on the situation
D) is normative
E) deals strictly and exclusively with contingencies

Question 38

According to LMX theory, a leader implicitly categorizes followers as "in" or "out" ________.

A) after careful analysis
B) on a temporary basis
C) early in the interaction
D) because of political pressure
E) based on job requirements

Question 39

Which of the following theories argues that because of time pressures, leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of their subordinates?

A) situational leadership theory
B) leader-member exchange
C) path-goal
D) expectancy
E) contingency

Question 40

What theory was developed by Robert House?

A) cognitive resource model
B) decision theory
C) leader-member exchange theory
D) path-goal theory
E) situational leadership theory

Question 41

Two of the team members seem to respond most effectively when Leo exhibits high levels of initiating structure. These are most likely which of the following?

A) Jean-Paul and Xiang
B) Amit and Xiang
C) Maria and Jean-Paul
D) Amit and Maria
E) Xiang and Amit

Question 42

Harriet discovered that she was a top job candidate for a company that planned to hire a transformational leader. Which of the following was most likely true for Harriet during the application process?

A) Harriet's application revealed that she had high emotional intelligence.
B) A personality test showed that Harriet was primarily introverted.
C) Harriet's self-monitoring score was low compared to other candidates.
D) Harriet's leadership experience was general rather situation-specific.
E) Harriet's written communication scores were stronger than her in-person interview.

Question 43

Fran completes the LPC questionnaire and finds that she described her least preferred co-worker in relatively positive terms. She is surprised by this finding because she recalls being particularly annoyed by this difficult co-worker. Based on your understanding of Fiedler's model, you explain to Fran that her LPC score makes sense within the model because ________.

A) Fran tends to become very dominating when given ambiguous tasks
B) Fran is usually much more focused on productivity than on developing relationships
C) Fran tends in general to focus on building good relationships with the other employees at your company
D) Fran has a spotty work history and has tended to switch jobs every couple of years
E) Fran is usually chosen for positions of high responsibility within your organization

Question 44

Leadership and management are two terms that are often confused.

Question 45

The director believes that because of these innate characteristics, Lawrence will be highly effective at helping the company achieve its production goals. You advise the director against this decision because ________.

A) research has identified emotional stability as the strongest predictor of leadership effectiveness
B) studies have found that the Big Five traits are difficult to identify in leaders
C) studies have shown that traits are poor predictors of leadership effectiveness
D) research has found that conscientiousness is a better predictor of effectiveness than extroversion
E) research has shown that effective managers are often unlikely to become effective leaders

Question 46

Which of the following would best serve as evidence to support the conclusion that an individual is an authentic leader?

A) The leader is cautious about information sharing and tends to provide updates only to top management.
B) In business exchanges, the leader puts the company's bottom line before his or her ideals.
C) The leader acts in the company's best interest as long as those interests don't conflict with his personal ambitions.
D) The leader continually questions his or her values.
E) The leader inspires a great deal of trust in his or her followers.

Question 47

According to LMX theory, the in-group is likely to be composed of ________.

A) Rebecca and Jennifer only
B) Jennifer only
C) Rebecca only
D) John, Rebecca, and Jennifer only
E) Sarah, Joe, Sally, and John only

Question 48

According to LMX theory, which of the following employees is likely to be included in the out-group?

A) Rebecca only
B) Jennifer only
C) Sarah and Jennifer only
D) Sarah and Joe only
E) Sarah, Joe, Sally, and John only

Question 49

Team A is preparing for a large project that will involve aggressive competition against other teams in the company. Several members argue that the team should have a male leader since the project will require aggressive competition. Which of the following pieces of evidence, if true, would best support the team members' conclusion?

A) Female leaders perform more strongly than do male leaders when the competition involves improving positive relationships within the team.
B) Male leaders tend to exhibit stronger performances than women in situations that involve competing teams.
C) Female leaders outperform male leaders when competition occurs within a team.
D) Many women leaders in the company are comfortable with competitive situations.
E) Women leaders in the company have often served as team leaders.

Question 50

You explain that research efforts at isolating leadership traits have ________.

A) identified six leadership traits that predict leadership
B) been supportive of the Big Five leadership traits predicting leadership
C) shown that conscientiousness does not help much in predicting leadership
D) identified emotional stability as the most strongly related trait to leader emergence
E) been more focused on developing contingency theories and replacing trait theories

Question 51

Which of the following team members would be least likely to respond favorably if Leo made project-related decisions independently, without consulting the team?

A) Maria
B) Jean-Paul
C) Amit
D) Xiang
E) Maria and Jean-Paul

Question 52

If an employee is considering sharing a new creative idea with a supervisor, which of the following would most help to support the employee's level of trust in making the decision to share her idea?

A) The employee has had strong performance appraisals from other supervisors in the past.
B) The employee is working under a short-term contract with the organization.
C) The supervisor has demonstrated himself to be an effective problem solver.
D) The supervisor has a track record of giving employees credit for their contributions.
E) The supervisor is working under a stable, long-term contract with the organization.

Question 53

Now your boss seems to be trying to analyze each leader according to which employees they interact with most and least, and which employees they rate highest and lowest. You suspect that he is reading about which of the following models?

A) SLT
B) LMX
C) LPC
D) PGT
E) SNFU

Question 54

Suddenly your boss begins sending people to training to help them develop more effective leadership styles. It is clear that he is reading an author who supports ________.

A) trait theories
B) behavioral theories
C) Fiedler's contingency model
D) the reflection effect
E) none of the above

Question 55

The team agrees that a large component of the project will be carried out at the Chinese headquarters, with Xiang responsible for leading that support team. Based on what Leo knows about Chinese culture, he expects that Xiang will be most effective if he implements which of the following decision-making styles?

A) infrequent decision-making
B) highly participatory decision-making
C) autocratic decision-making
D) decision-making without initiating structure
E) moderately participatory decision-making

Question 56

According to Fiedler's approach, your employees should assume which of the following about the leadership styles determined through using the survey?

A) Each person's style is essentially fixed.
B) Each person can use the information to change his/her style to a more productive style.
C) Task-oriented leaders will not perform as well as relationship-oriented leaders in situations that are very unfavorable.
D) Task-oriented leaders will perform better than relationship-oriented leaders in moderately favorable situations.
E) Each person's style will change in accordance with the situation at hand.

Question 57

In carrying out a transformational approach to overseeing the project, Leo strives to implement the universal elements of transformational leadership. He most likely implements all of the following except ________.

A) vision
B) providing encouragement
C) positiveness
D) proactiveness
E) silent leadership

Question 58

Darius is a training manager for a large retail clothing store. He is organizing a leadership development institute for the company's top executives. Though there are 35 executives who might potentially benefit from the training, the institute can only accommodate 20 participants. Which of the following participants should Darius invite to attend in order to be sure to maximize the success of the training?

A) supervisors from collectivist cultures
B) front-line managers in retail stores
C) leaders who are high self-monitors
D) individuals who have taken the Myers-Briggs test
E) executives who manage the distribution division

Question 59

Because he has an internationally based team, Leo and the team do most of their business communications via e-mail. Which of the following represents what is least likely to be true of Leo's experience working with the team in an online environment?

A) Leo relies heavily on his written skills to communicate support and inspiration.
B) Team members must be particularly adept at reading emotions in others' messages
C) Team members tend to have high levels of identification-based trust.
D) Negotiations between team members sometimes stall due to lack of trust.
E) Leo uses written communication to reinforce what he conveys to team members verbally.

Question 60

In utilizing Fiedler's contingency model, which of the following contingency dimensions should your employees pay attention to?

A) leader-member relations
B) task structure
C) position power
D) All of the above are important dimensions in this model.
E) None of the above are important dimensions in this model.

Question 61

Trait research would provide a basis for selecting the "right" persons to assume formal positions requiring leadership.

Question 62

One assumption of the trait view of leadership is that leaders cannot be trained.

Question 63

Leadership can be defined as the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of order and consistency.

Question 64

If behavioral theories of leadership are valid, selection of leaders should focus on length of experience an individual has obtained in the right situations.

Question 65

Research efforts at isolating leadership traits achieved a breakthrough, of sorts, when researchers began organizing traits around the Big Five personality framework.

Question 66

Taken as a whole, tests of the overall validity of the Fiedler model tend to support substantial parts of the model.

Question 67

A leader designated as high on initiating structure would be likely to clearly define the roles of his or her subordinates.

Question 68

In Fiedler's approach, if a respondent uses unfavorable terms to describe the co-worker in question, the respondent can be said to be primarily task-oriented.

Question 69

According to the University of Michigan studies, production-oriented leadership is defined as the extent to which a leader tends to emphasize the technical or task aspects of the job.

Question 70

Holding a management position is an important step toward becoming a leader in an organization.

Question 71

The Big Five personality framework revealed that traits are most useful as predictors of leadership emergence.

Question 72

According to Kotter, management focuses on coping with change; leadership focuses on coping with complexity.

Question 73

If behavioral theories of leadership are valid, we could have an infinite supply of effective leaders.

Question 74

The most comprehensive and replicated of the behavioral theories resulted from research begun by Fred Fiedler.

Question 75

According to Fiedler, leader-member relations concerns the degree to which a leader takes a personal interest in the needs of his or her employees and accepts individual differences among them.

Question 76

The Fiedler contingency model proposes that effective group performance depends upon the proper match between a leader's style and the degree to which a situation gives control to the leader.

Question 77

The Ohio State Studies involved research on only two dimensions - initiating structure and consideration.

Question 78

According to Fiedler, task structure is the degree to which the job assignments are procedurized.

Question 79

Fiedler's contingency model is considered to be the first comprehensive contingency model for leadership.

Question 80

According to Fiedler's contingency model, task-oriented leaders are most effective in situations of high or low control.