Deck 12: Task-Oriented Behaviors

Question 1

The focus of leadership behaviors can vary based on one's level in the organization. According to a U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) survey, the top priority for executives is:

A) Task-oriented behaviors
B) People-oriented behaviors
C) Organization-oriented behavior
D) All of the above

Answer 1

Organization-oriented behavior

Question 2

The task-oriented behavior domain includes all but which of the following leader actions?

A) Monitoring and assessing work
B) Scanning the environment
C) Problem solving
D) Clarifying roles and objectives

Answer 2

Scanning the environment

Question 3

The people-oriented behavior domain includes all but which of the following leader actions?

A) Consulting
B) Motivating
C) Managing conflict
D) Decision making

Answer 3

Decision making

Question 4

The organizational-oriented behavior domain includes all but which of the following leader actions?

A) Strategic planning
B) Problems solving
C) Articulating the mission and vision
D) Scanning the environment

Question 5

Monitoring and assessing includes all of the following subelements, except:

A) Defining what is important to monitor and observe
B) Consistent and disciplined reviewing of the information sources
C) Coordinating and securing buy-in
D) Integrating qualitative sources

Question 6

Monitoring and assessing work involves gathering and critically evaluating data related to subordinate performance, service or project qualities and overall unit or organization performance. Which of the following monitoring aspects is related to the "balanced scorecard" approach?

A) Defining what is important to monitor and observe
B) Consistent and disciplined review of the information
C) Integration of qualitative sources
D) Review of quantitative sources

Question 7

Operations' planning focuses on coordinating tactical issues into a detailed blueprint. It includes all of the following actions except:

A) Deciding on a planning model
B) Definition of the problem
C) Determining what logistical elements are necessary
D) Coordinating the plan

Question 8

Many tools are used in operations planning. These tools include all of the following except:

A) GIS charts
B) Gantt charts
C) Critical path analyses
D) Workflow plans

Question 9

The major guidelines for operations planning include all of the following except:

A) Identify the type of action planning necessary
B) Determine the logistics to be planned
C) Consult and coordinate to ensure planning accuracy
D) Encourage open and honest reporting

Question 10

Clarifying roles and objectives refers to working with subordinates to guide and direct behavior by communicating about plans, policies, and specific expectations. The three subelements include:

A) Defining job responsibilities, setting performance goals, and providing instruction.
B) Setting performance goals, insuring buy-in, and providing feedback.
C) Setting performance goals, defining rewards, providing feedback.
D) Encouraging open communication, comparing progress with goals, conduct review meetings

Question 11

When providing instruction to clarifying roles and objectives pay attention to the basics of information and learning theory. This means:

A) Clarify the rationale behind and instruction
B) Use clear language
C) Check for comprehension
D) All of the above

Question 12

Informing provides business-related information to subordinates, superiors, peers, or people outside the organization. Informing accomplishes all of the following except:

A) Defining job responsibilities
B) Facilitating coordination of work
C) Shaping the mood about work
D) Serving a public relations or image function

Question 13

It is important to guard against information overload as it may result in diminished productivity. This warning is key to which of the following guidelines for the function of informing:

A) Determine what information others need and want
B) Manage information flow strategically
C) Determine the best way to relay information
D) Inform people about accomplishment and promote success

Question 14

Delegating is a type of power sharing in which subordinates are given substantial responsibilities and/or authority. Which one of the following guidelines is inconsistent with delegation guidelines?

A) Assess opportunities for development
B) Emphasize personal development when possible
C) Specify conditions of delegation carefully
D) Do not delegate when a subordinate's judgment may not be as good as yours

Question 15

Delegating responsibilities is largely quantitative, and authority is largely qualitative. Levels of authority range from minimal to substantial to complete. Authority is __________ when decisions are not subject to immediate review except under extraordinary conditions.

A) Minimal
B) Substantial
C) Full
D) None of the above

Question 16

It is important to delegate not only tasks that are easily within the subordinate's range, but also some tasks that might require a moderate stretch in the subordinate's capabilities. This advice is consistent with the delegation guideline of:

A) Assess opportunities for delegation
B) Emphasize personnel development and empowerment when possible
C) Balance responsibilities and authority
D) Specify conditions of delegation carefully

Question 17

Problem solving involves the identification, analysis, and handling of work-related problems. Depending on the type of problem, different types of tools are more likely to be used. Flow charts and work mapping would be a good fit when:

A) There is a breakdown in operations planning
B) The nature of the problem is unclear
C) There is a control issue or deviation from standards
D) New solutions are necessary

Question 18

All problems share a similar decision-making protocol. Under which of the following steps would the statement "narrow participation is faster in times of crisis, but broader participation enhances buy-in," fit?

A) Analyze difficult problems
B) Generate alternatives
C) Choose an alternative
D) Evaluate the results

Question 19

Some of the more common improvement strategies for problem solving in organizations are discussed. The activities of studying the needs of customers, conducting time-and-motion studies and experimenting with a process, support which of the following strategies?

A) Collect data or collect better data
B) Define the process more accurately
C) Standardize a practice
D) Reengineer a process to streamline it

Question 20

Managing innovation and creativity involves establishing an environment that encourages and provides the tools for learning, flexibility and change. Which of the following is a subelement of this behavior?

A) Investigating and resolving the problem
B) Developing and implementing a model
C) Creating, acquiring and transferring knowledge in an organizational context
D) A disciplined review of information sources

Question 21

Learning organizations have not flourished because of the exceptional challenges confronting them. The challenges include all of the following except:

A) The structure is less clear
B) The structure leads to a high degree of stress for many
C) It requires highly trained individuals
D) It does not readily adapt to change

Question 22

The guidelines for managing technical innovation and creativity include all of the following except:

A) Determine the information others need and want
B) Create an environment that fosters learning, flexibility and change
C) Provide the tools and opportunities for learning and innovation
D) Encourage a mindset that will encourage high-quality change and innovation

Question 23

When operations are running smoothly and employees are well-trained and self-managed, a leaders' task-oriented focus tends to decrease.

Question 24

The typical behaviors in the task domain are problem solving and managing change and innovation. This rationale is repeated in the other behavioral domains.

Question 25

Supervisors tend to focus most on the work of individual employees, work standards and procedures, and problem identification while executives have special responsibility for monitoring and assessing the details of organizational performance.

Question 26

Tactical planning is a special type of operations planning that takes into account unexpected crises and the problems most likely to disrupt operations.

Question 27

Clarifying roles and expectations is most important when subordinates are new or when roles and expectations are changing or not clearly articulated in policies, procedures, and formal training programs.

Question 28

The technical aspects of informing simply provide the information that people need to do their jobs and to coordinate tasks.

Question 29

Authority is minimal when nonroutine decisions must be determined jointly with the next layer of management or when all decisions must receive prior approval and the process is not automatic.

Question 30

The reasons for not delegating can be both legitimate and illegitimate. If subordinates do not possess the same decision making or problem solving skills as the supervisor, this is a legitimate reason not to delegate.

Question 31

Problem solving tends to be case-by-case and production-focused, whereas decision making is oriented toward direction setting and policy with an eye to the organization at large.

Question 32

It is more important today for leaders to be able to recognize and support the ideas of others than to be the source of those ideas themselves.

Question 33

Based on the analysis of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data (Exhibit 12.1), discuss the overall priority given to task, people, and organizational competencies by Federal supervisors and executives.

Question 34

A number of management tools are used in operations planning. Discuss some of these tools and their specific uses.

Question 35

Throughout the preceding chapters, delegating was discussed as a key element of leadership. Discuss some of the reasons why delegating may not be a good idea in the short term.

Question 36

Explain the difference between problem solving and decision making, as discussed in the text.

Question 37

Managing technical innovation and creativity is about increasing them throughout the organization and is related to the concept of the learning organization. While the benefits of the learning organization are recognized, describe some the challenges it faces.