Question 1

When a leader delegates and maintains awareness of responsibilities, this is sloppy leadership and thus is correctly called "micromanaging."

Accepted Answer

Micromanaging is the opposite of delegating responsibilities and involves excessively controlling and monitoring every aspect of a task or project. A leader who delegates effectively maintains awareness of responsibilities without micromanaging.

Question 2

For at least the last sixty years, behavioral studies of leadership have focused on the two categories of task-oriented and people-oriented behaviors.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true as behavioral studies of leadership have indeed focused on the two categories of task-oriented and people-oriented behaviors for at least the last sixty years.

Question 3

When the leader monitors and assesses work, both quantitative and qualitative factors should be used.

Accepted Answer

Monitoring and assessing work should include both quantitative factors (such as productivity or numbers) and qualitative factors (such as quality or customer satisfaction) to gain a balanced perspective on performance.

Question 4

Deployment charts such as Gantt charts and planning grids that show the flow of steps to be taken by people involved in the work are the primary tools for delegating as a behavior in the task domain.

Accepted Answer

Delegating as a behavior in the task domain primarily involves assigning responsibility and authority to others and ensuring they have the necessary resources to complete the tasks. Deployment charts like Gantt charts are tools for planning and tracking progress, not for the delegation process itself.

Question 5

Identifying the root of a problem is such an important step in problem-solving that the tool called Root Base is presented in the text as an essential leadership tool.

Accepted Answer

The text mentions a tool for identifying the root of a problem, but it is actually called "Root Cause Analysis," not "Root Base."

Question 6

When leaders are making decisions and have reached the step of choosing the best alternative, narrow participation is more fitting when the goals of employees diverge substantially from those of the organization.

Accepted Answer

Narrow participation in decision-making is more fitting in situations where employees' goals significantly diverge from those of the organization because it helps ensure that decisions align closely with organizational objectives and strategies, minimizing potential conflicts and inefficiencies that could arise from broader participation.

Question 7

In analyzing difficult problems, it has been shown in research that managers should rely on their intuitive or gut impressions because other methods take unnecessary time from devising an action plan.

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that relying solely on intuitive or gut impressions can lead to biases and errors in decision making. It is recommended to use a combination of intuition and analysis to effectively solve difficult problems.

Question 8

In managing technical innovation and creativity, it is more important for leaders to recognize and support others' ideas than to be the source of ideas themselves.

Accepted Answer

Leaders who prioritize recognizing and supporting the ideas of others create a culture of innovation and collaboration, which are essential for successful technical innovation and creativity. While leaders may still contribute their own ideas, their focus should primarily be on empowering and encouraging their teams to generate and implement new ideas.

Question 9

A case study in the text demonstrated that Intel invented the process of requiring vendors to stock and own the Intel product themselves until it was sold or otherwise used from inventory.

Accepted Answer

Intel did not invent the process of requiring vendors to stock and own the product themselves until it was sold or otherwise used from inventory; this practice, known as consignment inventory or vendor-managed inventory, has been used by various companies in different industries long before Intel's prominence in the semiconductor industry.

Question 10

Task-oriented competencies include factors such as problem-solving, managing innovation, and clarifying roles.

Accepted Answer

Task-oriented competencies are focused on getting things done effectively and efficiently, and include skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, managing projects, and clarifying roles and responsibilities. Managing innovation is also a task-oriented competency, as it involves developing and implementing new ideas and processes to improve performance and achieve strategic objectives.

Question 11

To carry out the behavior of monitoring and assessing, it is recommended that, among other things, the leader defines and measures key indicators of what is important for performance.

Accepted Answer

Defining and measuring key indicators of performance allows leaders to effectively monitor progress, assess outcomes, and make informed decisions to guide their teams or organizations towards achieving their goals.

Question 12

To carry out the behavior of clarifying roles and objectives, it is recommended that, among other things, the leader gives emphasis to establishing priorities among job responsibilities and establishing a scope of authority.

Accepted Answer

The answer of To carry out the behavior of clarifying...

Question 13

To carry out the behavior of delegating, it is recommended that, among other things, the leader gives emphasis to managing information flow strategically and determining the best way to relay information.

Accepted Answer

The answer of To carry out the behavior of delegating,...

Question 14

The textbook uses an example of the World War II film Twelve O'Clock High to illustrate that a people-oriented leader is the best leader.

Accepted Answer

The textbook actually uses Twelve O'Clock High to illustrate the transformational leadership style, not specifically the people-oriented leadership style.

Question 15

The balanced scorecard approach emphasizes the appropriate selection of critical indicators for assessing excellence of quality.

Accepted Answer

The balanced scorecard approach involves the selection of critical indicators for assessing performance from multiple perspectives, including financial, customer, internal processes, and learning and growth. Quality may be one of several areas of focus within these perspectives, but the approach is not specific to quality alone.

Question 16

Task-oriented focus tends to increase when:
A) operations are running smoothly
B) employees are well-trained and self-managed
C) customer and client demands are shrill
D) there is a crisis needing immediate attention

Accepted Answer

When there is a crisis needing immediate attention, individuals tend to shift their focus towards completing tasks and solving the issue at hand.

Question 17

Each behavior domain discussed in this chapter is well established in the research, and usually there is a parallel concept in the task domain. One example is the formulation and planning function that enables leaders to decide what to do. What is its parallel in the task domain?
A) clarifying roles and objectives
B) monitoring and assessing tasks
C) operations planning
D) strategic visioning

Accepted Answer

The parallel in the task domain to the formulation and planning function in the behavior domain is operations planning. Operations planning involves identifying tasks, resources needed, and timelines for completing a specific project or goal. It involves the same cognitive processes as formulation and planning in the behavior domain. Clarifying roles and objectives (A) and monitoring and assessing tasks (B) are important aspects of task management but do not necessarily involve the same cognitive processes as formulation and planning. Strategic visioning (D) is a broader concept that encompasses more than just planning and is not a direct parallel to formulation and planning.

Question 18

The following is one of the reasons to have a consistent and disciplined review of information from data gathering and monitoring:
A) to keep track of all activities
B) to avoid poor understanding of problems due to weak review of data
C) to ease the burden of collecting data
D) to prevent emerging crises

Accepted Answer

A consistent and disciplined review of information from data gathering and monitoring helps to avoid poor understanding of problems due to weak review of data. It ensures that all important information is analyzed and understood, which can prevent incorrect conclusions and incorrect decision making.

Question 19

A special type of operations planning that takes into account the problems most likely to disrupt operations and unexpected crises is known as:
A) coordination planning
B) tactical planning
C) program planning
D) contingency planning

Accepted Answer

Contingency planning involves creating a plan of action for dealing with unexpected issues or crises that may disrupt operations. This type of planning identifies potential problems and outlines procedures for responding to them, allowing organizations to respond quickly and effectively in the event of an emergency.

Question 20

A "fishbone" technique to get to the root of operational glitches in organizational activity so that the root problem of various issues could be analyzed was invented in Japan by:
A) Professor Ishikawa
B) Professor Nakagawa
C) Professor Fujiwara
D) Professor Ichimura

Accepted Answer

The "fishbone" or "Ishikawa" diagram was invented by Professor Kaoru Ishikawa, a Japanese quality control expert.

Quiz 5: Task-Oriented Leadership Behaviors