Question 1

Ryan's team has performed beyond the performance standard set for the team in the previous financial year. This makes the team eligible for additional incentives. The improved performance will make the team members eligible for a promotion in a few months. In the context of the expectancy theory, which of the following statements is true in this case?

Accepted Answer

In this case, Ryan's team members being considered for promotion is the second-level outcome. A second-level outcome is the consequence or the next level of outcome that is brought in by the direct outcome which stems from a performance. See " Expectancy Theory and Motivational Skills."

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of using recognition to motivate others?

Accepted Answer

The congratulatory message received by Alan is an example of recognition. When a person is appreciated for his performance verbally or through written correspondence, it becomes a technique of recognition. Recognition is a strong motivator because it is a normal human need. See "Using Recognition and Pride to Motivate Others."

Question 3

Helen receives a watch from the company as a compliment for her value-adding service to the organization for a period of 10 years. This can be considered as an act that:

Accepted Answer

In this case,the act can be considered as the management's attempt to appeal to Helen's pride. Workers can also experience pride in relation to recognition symbols. For example, a worker might receive a floor clock for having saved the company thousands of dollars in shipping costs. See "Using Recognition and Pride to Motivate Others."

Question 4

Who among the following is likely to give the best performance in the context of the goal-setting theory?

Accepted Answer

In this case, the employee who is given a clear idea on the goal to be achieved will give the best performance. The core finding of goal theory is that individuals who are provided with specific hard goals perform better than those who are given easy, nonspecific, "do your best" goals or no goals. See "Goal Theory."

Question 5

Rohan, the production manager of a firm, is asked to provide a one-to-one developmental program to Milan who is an assistant production manager. The program covers aspects like total sales revenue to be achieved for the month, and the individual numbers which Milan will have to contribute.The program is an example of a(n) _____.

Accepted Answer

The program in the case is an example of an executive training program. Executive coaching is "a one-on-one development process formally contracted between a coach and a management-level client to help achieve goals related to professional development and/or business performance." See "Executive Coaching and Leadership Effectiveness."

Question 6

The employees of a team are offered a direct incentive hike of 5 percent of their existing incentive amount set, if they improve their performance by two-folds. In the context of the expectancy theory, the additional amount the team members receive as incentives is known as _____.

Accepted Answer

In this case, the additional amount the team members receive as incentives is the worth or attractiveness of the outcome. The worth or attractiveness of an outcome is referred to as valence. See "Expectancy Theory and Motivational Skills."

Question 7

Ronnie is all set to work on a Sunday, so that the project that she is involved in does not get delayed. She plans to cancel her weekend plans , so that she can invest more time in her project. This behavior of Ronnie reflects _____.

Accepted Answer

Engagement is reflected in employee willingness to stay with the firm and go beyond the call of duty. Ronnie is willing to forego her weekend plans to ensure that thet project is completed on time. See "Leadership and Employee Engagement."

Question 8

Roshan, an operations manager in a firm, is asked to apply the best practices of both the expectancy theory and the goal theory to improve the performance of his team. What would be the options which Roshan have in this regard?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Roshan, an operations manager in a firm,...

Question 9

Donna wants to lead as an effective coach. So, with respect to people she coaches, Donna should minimize:

Accepted Answer

Too much advice giving interferes with two-way communication, yet some advice can elevate performance. Also, workers being coached usually expect to receive some advice. See "Coaching Skills and Techniques."

Question 10

Jonathan is asked to coach a batch of new employees. Before this, his superior conducts a one-to-one meeting with Jonathan, so that all the fallacies that he have about coaching are discarded before he begin the process. What information would the superior provide to Jonathan in this regard?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Jonathan is asked to coach a batch...

Question 11

A major role of an executive coach is to:

Accepted Answer

One approach to heightened performance is to help a leader uncover personal assets and strengths he or she may not have known existed. See "Executive Coaching and Leadership Effectiveness."

Question 12

A refinement of the individual approach to executive coaching is for a coach to:

Accepted Answer

A refinement of individual coaching is for a coach to work with both the individual and his or her work associates. The coach solicits feedback from the group members and involves them in helping the manager improve. See "Executive Coaching and Leadership Effectiveness."

Question 13

An effective way of using modeling in coaching is for a manager to:

Accepted Answer

An effective coaching technique is to show the group member, by example, what constitutes the desired behavior. See "Coaching Skills and Techniques."

Question 14

Martin, the marketing manager of a company, requests his immediate subordinate, Ayan, to take up the role of coaching rest of the team members. However, the coaching is not for an individual team member, but for the whole team. This makes Ayan doubtful about the outcome. In the context of coaching, which of the following statements is true in this case?

Accepted Answer

In this case, it is most likely that Ayan feels coaching ought to be a one-to-one process. One false belief is that coaching applies only in one-to-one work. In reality, the team or other group can also be coached. See "Coaching as an Approach to Motivation."

Question 15

A recommended way of giving advice to an employee is to:

Accepted Answer

Advice in the form of a question or suppositional statement is often effective. One example is, "Could the root of your problem be insufficient planning?" See "Coaching Skills and Techniques."

Question 16

Craig decides to increase the performance bonus of his team from $5,000 to $10,000. In the context of the expectancy theory, this would have resulted in:

Accepted Answer

The substantial reward proposed by Craig should ideally result in a large increase in employee productivity. The expectancy theory of motivation is based on the premise that the amount of effort people expend depends on how much reward they expect to get in return. See "Expectancy Theory and Motivational Skills."

Question 17

Which of the following is true of the motivational use of recognition and praise?

Accepted Answer

In the context of appealing to the recognition need of others, it is important to take into account the individual's preference for the type of praise. See "Using Recognition and Pride to Motivate Others."

Question 18

George is advised by the top management to apply the expectancy theory among his teammates. What would be the basic data that he will require to put the theory into practice?

Accepted Answer

The answer of George is advised by the top management...

Question 19

Which of the following dialogues by the members of a team depicts self-efficacy at its peak?Answer the question in the context of the expectancy theory.

Accepted Answer

Self-efficacy is the confidence in one's abilities to carry out a specific task. An employee who is absolutely confident about carrying out a task displays maximum self-efficacy. See "Expectancy Theory and Motivational Skills."

Question 20

A worker receiving a floor clock for having saved the company thousands of dollars in shipping costs is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Workers can also experience pride in relation to recognition symbols. For example, a worker might receive a floor clock for having saved the company thousands of dollars in shipping costs. See "Using Recognition and Pride to Motivate Others."

Quiz 10: Motivation and Coaching Skills