Question 1

The "telling" style of Hersey and Blanchard is most like the ________ style of the University of Iowa studies.

Accepted Answer

The "telling" style of Hersey and Blanchard is similar to the autocratic style of the University of Iowa studies, which is characterized by a leader making all the decisions without consulting the group members. Both styles prioritize the leader's authority and control over the group's decision-making process.

Question 2

Fiedler's term ________ refers to the degree of influence a leader has over power-based activities.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's term for the degree of influence a leader has over power-based activities is position power. Leader-member relations refer to the quality of relationship between a leader and their followers, task structure refers to the clarity and structure of the task at hand, and responsibility refers to the extent to which a leader feels responsible for the group's outcomes.

Question 3

Jack emphasizes to his people that the work must be done, regardless of circumstances, and encourages his employees to meet their sales quotas. He is generally liked, but because sales are unstructured, sometimes his employees resent his rather heavy-handed approach. Fiedler's contingency model would classify Jack as ________ oriented.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's contingency model classifies leaders as either task-oriented or relationship-oriented. Leaders who prioritize getting the work done, regardless of circumstances, are considered task-oriented. In this scenario, Jack's emphasis on meeting sales quotas despite the unstructured nature of the work suggests that he is task-oriented.

Question 4

Reviews of the major studies undertaken to test the overall validity of Fiedler's model have shown ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Reviews of the major studies undertaken to...

Question 5

According to the University of Michigan studies, leaders who are production oriented are described as emphasizing interpersonal relationships and as taking a personal interest in the needs of their followers.

Accepted Answer

According to the University of Michigan studies, leaders who are production oriented are described as emphasizing task accomplishment and as viewing their followers as a means to achieve that goal, rather than placing emphasis on interpersonal relationships or personal interest in the needs of their followers.

Question 6

Cognitive theories are leadership theories that identified behaviors that differentiated effective leaders from ineffective leaders.

Accepted Answer

Cognitive theories focus on the mental processes underlying leadership, such as problem-solving, decision-making, and intelligence, rather than identifying specific behaviors that differentiate effective leaders from ineffective ones.

Question 7

Jill has tried hard to build a good rapport with her employees and knows each of their families. She encourages her employees to work hard, but to be certain to take time out for themselves and their families. Fiedler's contingency model would classify Jill as ________ oriented.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's contingency model classifies leadership styles into two categories: task-oriented and relationship-oriented. Jill's focus on building good rapport with employees and encouraging work-life balance shows that she is more relationship-oriented than task-oriented.

Question 8

Fiedler would expect that the best leadership style was a function of ________.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's contingency model suggests that the best leadership style is determined by the level of leader-member relations, task structure, and position power. These three factors are combined to identify the leader's situational control, which determines the most effective leadership style. Fiedler argues that a leader's performance depends on the degree to which their style fits the situational demands.

Question 9

According to Hersey and Blanchard, a high task-low relationship situation calls for the ________ leadership style.

Accepted Answer

In a high task-low relationship situation, the leader needs to provide clear and specific direction to their subordinates. This is best achieved through the telling leadership style, where the leader provides specific instructions and closely supervises their subordinates' work. The other leadership styles (delegating, participating, and selling) are more appropriate for different combinations of task and relationship levels.

Question 10

The degree to which the job assignments are formalized and proceduralized is the ________ contingency dimension identified by Fiedler.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's contingency theory identifies task structure as the degree to which the job assignments are formalized and proceduralized. This dimension describes how structured and clear the tasks and responsibilities of the job are.

Question 11

Effective leaders do not need a high degree of knowledge about the company, industry, and technical matters.

Accepted Answer

Effective leaders do need a high degree of knowledge about the company, industry, and technical matters in order to make informed decisions and provide direction for their team.

Question 12

Fiedler assumed a person's leadership style was ________.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's Contingency Theory assumed a person's leadership style was fixed and dependent on their personality and cannot be changed easily.

Question 13

Fiedler's dimension termed ________ is the degree of confidence, trust, and respect subordinates have for their leader.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's dimension termed leader-member relations refers to the degree of confidence, trust, and respect subordinates have for their leader. Position power refers to the degree to which a leader has formal authority and control over subordinates. Task structure refers to the degree to which tasks are clearly defined and structured. Leader-member exchange refers to the quality of the relationship between a leader and individual subordinates.

Question 14

The ________ leadership theory is a contingency theory that focuses on followers' readiness.

Accepted Answer

The Situational leadership theory is a contingency theory that focuses on followers' readiness. It suggests that leaders change and adapt their leadership style based on the situation and the needs of their followers. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Question 15

In a short essay, contrast the three major behavior studies on leadership.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a short essay, contrast the three...

Question 16

To measure a leader's style, Fiedler developed the ________.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler developed the least-preferred co-worker questionnaire as a tool to measure a leader's style, focusing on whether a leader is task-oriented or relationship-oriented based on their feelings towards the least-preferred co-worker.

Question 17

The ________ model proposed that effective group performance depended upon the proper match between the leader's style of interacting with his or her followers and the degree to which the situation allowed the leader to control and influence.

Accepted Answer

The Fiedler contingency model posits that there is no one best way to lead. Instead, a leader's effectiveness is contingent upon how well their leadership style matches the situation. This model emphasizes the importance of both the leader's style and the situation's control and influence level.

Question 18

Research by Fiedler uncovered three contingency dimensions that define the key ________.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's contingency model proposes that leader effectiveness is determined by situational factors. Specifically, he identified three contingency dimensions: leader-member relations, task structure, and leader position power, which can affect the effectiveness of a leader in a given situation.

Question 19

In a short essay, identify four traits associated with leadership and give an example of each.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a short essay, identify four traits...

Question 20

The managerial grid only provides a framework for conceptualizing leadership style.

Accepted Answer

The managerial grid is a tool for understanding different leadership styles and their effectiveness, but it does not prescribe a specific method of leadership. It helps managers understand their own tendencies and preferences, and how to adapt their leadership style to different situations and team dynamics.

Quiz 16: Leadership