Deck 14: Contingency Theories of Leadership

Question 1

The path-goal theory considers three situational factors that moderate the effects of leader behavior on follower behavior.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The highest levels of situational favorability occur when leader-member relations are good,the task is structured,and the position power is high.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

According to Hershey,leaders should implement a series of developmental interventions in order to increase follower readiness levels for particular tasks by first assessing a follower's current level of readiness and then determining the leader behavior that best suits that follower in that task.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

In the role-taking stage of development of the leader-member exchange theory,a role is created based on a process of trust building.

Question 5

Both leader behaviors and follower characteristics are important in determining outcomes in the path-goal theory.

Question 6

With Situational Leadership,follower readiness refers to a follower's ability and willingness to accomplish a particular task.

Question 7

Low-LPC leaders will focus on improving their relationships with followers after they are assured that assigned tasks are being satisfactorily accomplished.

Question 8

According to the path-goal theory,followers will actively support a leader as long as they view the leader's actions as a means for increasing their own levels of satisfaction.

Question 9

Situational Leadership is a useful way of getting leaders to think about how leadership effectiveness may depend on being flexible with different subordinates.

Question 10

In the context of contingency theory,the least preferred co-worker (LPC)score is intended to represent follower behaviors and situational factors.

Question 11

According to Fiedler's contingency model,the content of leadership training should emphasize behavioral flexibility in leaders rather than situational engineering.

Question 12

Position power is not a characteristic of leaders but of the situations that leaders find themselves in.

Question 13

In the routinization stage of development of the leader-member exchange theory,similarities (for the in-group)and differences (often accentuated for the out-group)become cemented.

Question 14

The path-goal theory assumes that leaders use the same styles with different subordinates.

Question 15

The contingency model of leadership maintains that leaders are extremely flexible in their behavior.

Question 16

According to the normative decision model,acceptance of a decision is not always critical for implementation.

Question 17

According to the path-goal theory,a leader should assess a situation and select a leadership behavior appropriate to situational demands.

Question 18

Vroom and Yetton's normative decision model is directed solely at determining how much input subordinates should have in the decision-making process.

Question 19

According to the path-goal theory,follower satisfaction is directly related to the degree of participative behaviors manifested by a leader.

Question 20

The normative decision model shifts focus away from the situation and the followers to the leader.

Question 21

Which of the following statements about the path-goal theory is most likely false?

A)The three sub-elements in situation favorability are the task,the formal authority system,and the primary work group.
B)Redundant leader behaviors might be interpreted by followers as a lack of understanding.
C)If a task is very structured,informal authority decreases follower motivation levels.
D)It maintains that follower and situational variables can impact each other.

Question 22

If a decision has a rational or objectively determinable "better or worse" alternative,a leader should select the better alternative.This most likely refers to

A)strategic agility.
B)decision acceptance.
C)problem solving.
D)decision quality.

Question 23

Which two broad categories of leader behaviors did the Situational Leadership model originally identify?

A)directive and supportive
B)transformational and transactional
C)behavior-oriented and cognitively oriented
D)initiating structure and consideration

Question 24

The highest levels of situational favorability most likely occur when

A)leader-member relations are good,the task is structured,and position power is high.
B)there are high levels of leader-member conflict,the task is unstructured,and the leader uses reward power.
C)leader-member relations are good,the task is unstructured,and position power is low.
D)there are high levels of leader-member conflict,the task is structured,and the leader uses coercive power.

Question 25

Which of the following instruments does Fiedler's contingency theory use to determine the relevant characteristics of a leader?

A)the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
B)the California Psychological Inventory
C)the least preferred co-worker scale
D)the Five-Factor Personality Inventory

Question 26

What should leaders first assess in order to apply the Situational Leadership model?

A)the level of task and relationship behavior that will likely produce successful outcomes
B)the readiness level of a follower relative to the task to be accomplished
C)a leader's behavior that best suits the current situation and task
D)the historical behavior patterns of a leader and follower

Question 27

In the context of the Situational Leadership model,which of the following was defined as the extent to which a leader spells out the responsibilities of an individual or group?

A)relationship behaviors
B)rhetorical skills
C)developmental interventions
D)task behaviors

Question 28

In the context of the levels of participation in the normative decision model,which of the following is most likely true of consultative processes?

A)A leader solves a problem or makes a decision by himself or herself using the information available at the time.
B)A leader obtains any necessary information from followers and then decides on a solution to a problem himself or herself.
C)A leader shares a problem with his or her followers in a group meeting and obtains their ideas and suggestions.
D)A leader accepts and implements any solution that has the support of the entire group.

Question 29

In terms of the path-goal theory,which of the following is considered a situational factor?

A)the decision quality
B)leader-member relations
C)position power
D)the task

Question 30

In the context of the leader-member exchange (LMX)theory,which of the following statements is true of the role-taking stage of development?

A)A role is created based on a process of trust building.
B)A leader offers opportunities and evaluates a follower's performance and potential.
C)It is a fragile stage that occurs late in a follower's work experience.
D)Similarities (for the in-group)and differences (often accentuated for the out-group)become cemented.

Question 31

In the context of the four types of leader behavior in the path-goal theory,which leadership behavior is most likely characterized by telling followers what they are expected to do,how to do it,when it is to be done,and how their work fits in with the work of others?

A)achievement-oriented leadership
B)directive leadership
C)participative leadership
D)supportive leadership

Question 32

The normative decision model is limited only to

A)decision making.
B)task behaviors.
C)goal accomplishment.
D)goal expectancy.

Question 33

In the context of the four types of leader behavior in the path-goal theory,which of the following is most likely a characteristic of achievement-oriented leadership?

A)Leaders tell followers what they are expected to do,how to do it,when it is to be done,and how their work fits in with the work of others.
B)Leaders have courteous and friendly interactions,express genuine concern for followers' well-being and individual needs,and remain open and approachable to followers.
C)Leaders support follower behaviors by exhibiting a high degree of confidence so that subordinates can put forth the necessary effort.
D)Leaders tend to share work problems with followers and solicit their suggestions,concerns,and recommendations.

Question 34

In the context of the Situational Leadership model,which of the following best defines follower readiness?

A)a follower's ability and willingness to accomplish a particular task
B)the extent to which followers engage in two-way communication
C)the extent to which followers spell out responsibilities of an individual or group
D)a follower's reaction to certain leadership styles

Question 35

Which of the following statements is true of the Situational Leadership model?

A)It considers situational favorability,which is the amount of control a leader has over his or her followers,an important variable.
B)It maintains that leaders who correctly base their behaviors on follower maturity will be highly effective.
C)It states that leader effectiveness depends on changing a situation to fit a particular leader's style.
D)It believes that leader effectiveness depends on selecting the right kind of leader for a certain situation.

Question 36

Which of the following statements about the normative decision model is true?

A)The model shifts focus away from the leader and followers to the situation.
B)Decision tree questions focus on the problem and situational factors.
C)The model focuses on the effects of formal authority systems.
D)It is about personal opinions rather than theory.

Question 37

In the context of the Situational Leadership model,which of the following is a relationship behavior?

A)telling people what to do
B)spelling out how to do a task
C)telling who is to do a task
D)explaining why a task is important

Question 38

In the context of the Situational Leadership model,which of the following depicts selling as a leadership behavior?

A)high task behavior,low relationship behavior
B)low task behavior,low relationship behavior
C)high task behavior,high relationship behavior
D)low task behavior,high relationship behavior

Question 39

In the context of the contingency model,which of the following is the most powerful element of situational favorability?

A)effort-to-performance expectancy
B)leader-member relation
C)task structure
D)position power

Question 40

Which of the following statements about high-LPC leaders is most likely true?

A)If tasks are being accomplished in an acceptable manner,they will move to their secondary level of motivation,which is forming and maintaining relationships with followers.
B)They focus on improving their relationships with followers after they are assured that assigned tasks are being satisfactorily accomplished.
C)They are primarily satisfied by establishing and maintaining close interpersonal relationships.
D)They primarily gain satisfaction from task accomplishment.