Deck 11: Leadership of a Sales Force

Question 1

Leadership is a process in which one person influences other people's behavior toward the accomplishment of specific goals.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

When all sales reps of a company are satisfied with their job,then that sales force necessarily has high morale.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Two members of a sales team text-message each other several times during a teleconference with customers in order to coordinate their selling strategy.This is an example of asynchronous communication.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Tolerating problems without complaining is an example of a citizenship behavior.

Question 5

Transformational leadership behaviors are associated with charismatic leaders.

Question 6

Task orientation refers to leader behaviors with a short-term focus on getting the job done.

Question 7

Compared to the pre-computer era,the writing of sales reports is much easier and less time consuming.

Question 8

Usually salespeople working on a straight commission generally receive less leadership and supervision than those who work for a straight salary.

Question 9

Good leaders rely more on power than persuasion.

Question 10

Effective leadership can only be done through one-on-one personal contact between the manager and salesperson.

Question 11

Transactional-oriented leaders are typically very charismatic.

Question 12

It is generally thought to be unwise for a sales manager to accompany a sales rep on a sales call.

Question 13

By far,personal contact is the most important indirect supervisory technique.

Question 14

The telephone is not a supervision tool.

Question 15

As a result of more use of the virtual office,sales managers tend to spend more time in the field.

Question 16

The most common type of sexual harassment in a sales organization is when a male sales manager harasses one of his subordinate female salespeople.

Question 17

The two distinct styles of leadership are transactional and task orientation.

Question 18

High-performing reps that appreciate autonomy respond well to heavy doses of transactional leader behaviors.

Question 19

A sales manager might be a great manager,but an ineffective leader.

Question 20

A sales rep uses her cell phone to take a digital photo of a competitors product,and then emails the image to her sales manager.This is an example of telecommunications.

Question 21

Firms that embrace outcome-based control tend to rely on indirect supervisory aids instead of leadership.

Question 22

Transformational leaders do not merely bark orders - they lead by example.This leader behavior that best represents this is:

A)role modeling.
B)articulating a vision.
C)fostering group goals.
D)providing individualized support.
E)giving verbal feedback.

Question 23

Which of the following behaviors is a transformational leader behavior?

A)Recognizing.
B)Rewarding.
C)Role modeling.
D)Indirect supervision.
E)None of these.

Question 24

Situational leadership involves which of the following leader behaviors?

A)informing basic rules.
B)verbal feedback.
C)articulating a vision.
D)individualized support.
E)All of these.

Question 25

When a leader anticipates,analyzes,and makes decisions,the leader uses:

A)Problem-solving skills.
B)Social skills.
C)communication skills.
D)Persuasive skills.
E)None of these.

Question 26

Genuinely caring about each individual subordinate is an example or type of:

A)Transactional leadership.
B)Verbal feedback.
C)Articulating a vision.
D)Transformational leadership.
E)Task orientation.

Question 27

Individualized support is a leader behavior that is more likely to be exhibited by sales managers from a behavior-based control system (as opposed to outcome-based).

Question 28

Sales managers in organizations with outcome-based control generally engage in heavy doses of both transactional and transformational leadership.

Question 29

Transactional leadership involves all of the following,except:

A)verbal feedback.
B)task orientation.
C)charisma.
D)one-way communication.
E)clarifying company rules,policies,and procedures.

Question 30

A good business relationship exemplifies the leader's appropriate use of:

A)Problem-solving skills.
B)Interpersonal skills.
C)Communication skills.
D)Persuasive skills.
E)All of these.

Question 31

All of the following are transformational leader behaviors except:

A)Informing basic rules.
B)Articulating a vision.
C)Providing a role model.
D)All of these are transformational leader behaviors.

Question 32

Your potential for being a leader is increased if:

A)People have confidence in you.
B)You have a high energy level.
C)You show some creativity.
D)All of these indicate leadership potential.
E)Only two of A-B-C are leadership traits.

Question 33

For the newly hired,inexperienced sales rep,the sales manager must first engage in a heavy dose of:

A)creativity.
B)fostering group goals.
C)transactional leadership.
D)persuasion.
E)charisma.

Question 34

Personal characteristics associated with excellent leadership include all of the following,except:

A)high self-confidence
B)older age (50 years,plus)
C)high energy level.
D)creativity.
E)eagerness to take risks.

Question 35

Excellent transactional leadership by the sales manager involves:

A)Informing.
B)Clarifying.
C)Monitoring.
D)Verbal feedback.
E)All of these.

Question 36

An example of a transactional leader behavior is:

A)Team building.
B)Mentoring.
C)Articulating a vision.
D)Coaching.
E)Clarifying company rules.

Question 37

The personal characteristic of initiative implies:

A)The leaders must believe in themselves.
B)The leaders are independent,self starters.
C)The leaders have high energy levels.
D)The leaders exhibit creativity.
E)All of these.

Question 38

Which of the following factors is likely to contribute the least to your leadership ability?

A)You own the company.
B)People have confidence in you.
C)You are creative.
D)You have a high level of social skills.
E)You have a high energy level.

Question 39

According to a number of research studies,behavior-based control is superior to outcome-based control.

Question 40

Ultimately,the measure of good leadership is:

A)the sales manager's personal characteristics.
B)the sales manager's skills as a manager.
C)how the manager behaves.
D)the salespeople's job satisfaction.
E)None of these.

Question 41

As a supervisory tool,reports from the sales force:

A)Are ineffective because the sales representatives are not likely to report truthfully.
B)Are bad for sales force morale.
C)Are no help in planning sales force activities.
D)Are useful in helping to evaluate a sales representative's performance.
E)Should not be required from high caliber salespeople.

Question 42

What the textbook referred to as "indirect supervisory aids" includes:

A)Sales quotas.
B)Sales meetings.
C)The expense account plan.
D)All of these.
E)Only two of A-B-C.

Question 43

Charisma is something most commonly associated with:

A)Transactional leadership.
B)Citizenship behavior.
C)Task orientation.
D)Transformational leadership.
E)None of these.

Question 44

Which of the following is sufficient for high group morale among salespeople?

A)All reps are well-trained.
B)All reps believe in and are striving to achieve the same goal.
C)All reps are satisfied with their job.
D)All reps are engaged in citizenship behaviors.
E)All reps are high performers.

Question 45

The purpose of a call plan includes all but:

A)The need for a report of the rep's itinerary for a specified time period.
B)The need to develop the sales rep's written communication skills.
C)The need to ensure proper customer routing.
D)To determine if the various classes of customers are met in the right ratio.
E)To provide in-depth information in customer problems and needs as well as in competitive activity.

Question 46

Oversupervising a sales force is likely to:

A)Result in a sales manager not knowing what is going on in the field.
B)Reduce the costs of supervision.
C)Be resented by many sales reps.
D)Leave new reps with the feeling that the boss doesn't know or care what is happening.
E)Lead to None of these.

Question 47

Sales managers in a behavior-based control system are expected to actively engage in:

A)transactional leadership.
B)transformational leadership.
C)situational leadership.
D)All of these.
E)None of these.

Question 48

To do the best leadership,a sales manager should exhibit:

A)Transformational,but not transactional leader behaviors.
B)Transactional,but not transformational leader behaviors.
C)Both transformational and transactional leader behaviors.
D)Let the salespeople lead themselves.
E)None of these.

Question 49

When feasible,the best leadership tool or technique is typically:

A)Daily report.
B)Daily phone calls or correspondence.
C)Personal contact.
D)Sales contests.
E)A well-designed compensation plan.

Question 50

Laptop computers,which are frequently distributed to sales reps,improve all of the following except:

A)Access to customer and industry information.
B)Team selling as defined by the textbook.
C)Sales assistance.
D)Sales support.
E)Reporting responsibilities and communications.

Question 51

The amount and type of leadership received by salespeople:

A)Should be the same for all reps.
B)Should vary among reps based on their individual differences.
C)Should vary over time,based on the stability of the business environment.
D)Usually should increase as the sales force gets larger.
E)Both B and C are correct.

Question 52

As a method of supervising a sales force:

A)Sales meetings can be an effective method.
B)Compensation plans are not effective.
C)Indirect supervisory tools will not work in most situations.
D)Phone calls or personal visits are always preferred instead of a written message.
E)None of these are correct.

Question 53

The control system for a given sales organization falls on a continuum ranging from outcome-based control to:

A)financial-based control
B)transactional-based control.
C)quota-based control.
D)behavior-based control.
E)None of these.

Question 54

Salespeople that work in an outcome-based control system:

A)tend to be paid mostly commission,as opposed to salary.
B)receive extensive coaching from their sales manager.
C)have all legitimate travel and entertainment expenses paid for by their company.
D)receive extensive non-financial rewards.
E)All of these.

Question 55

A sales manager must use a combination of tools and techniques to be an effective leader.These include:

A)Sales reports.
B)Personal contact.
C)Fax messages.
D)Sales meetings.
E)All of these.

Question 56

According to a study,using peers as mentors to sales reps leads to:

A)higher performance.
B)lower performance.
C)higher likelihood of quitting the organization.
D)lower likelihood of quitting the organization.
E)Both A and D are correct.

Question 57

An example of a citizenship behavior exhibited by a salesperson:

A)Being courteous and respectful of the rights of others.
B)Never missing a meeting.
C)Having a positive attitude,and never complaining about a problem.
D)Volunteering to serve on a community service committee.
E)All of these.

Question 58

When a joint sales call is made,the sales manager is looking to evaluate the sales rep's ability to:

A)Know and understand their customer's businesses and their needs.
B)Respect their customer's time.
C)Treat customers in a consistent and equitable manner.
D)Gain commitment.
E)All of these.

Question 59

The most important way in which managers can serve as role models is by:

A)showing up to meetings on time.
B)listening to their salespeople.
C)dressing themselves in a professional manner.
D)providing individualized support to each sales rep.
E)personally demonstrating proper selling techniques.

Question 60

Job satisfaction among all reps in a sales force:

A)Necessarily equates to high group morale.
B)Is a necessary,but not sufficient condition for group morale.
C)Is entirely due to the sales manager.
D)Both A and C are correct.
E)Both B and C are correct.

Question 61

The best method for a manager to use when dealing with a situation of substance abuse within a sales rep is:

A)Immediate termination of the sales rep.
B)Ignore the situation and it will resolve itself.
C)Provide counseling to the sales rep yourself.
D)Refer the sales rep to professional counseling.
E)Use substance abuse testing on a regular basis.

Question 62

Outcomes of effective leadership include citizenship behaviors,an example of which is when a rep:

A)offers tips and encouragement to a struggling fellow rep.
B)always shows up to work on time,never missing meetings.
C)tolerates problems without complaining.
D)volunteer to serve on a committee.
E)All of these.

Question 63

To correct a poor performance problem,sales managers should:

A)Provide immediate feedback about the problem.
B)Be supportive,but not mention the specific problem.
C)Be cautious,and wait for the problem to resolve itself.
D)Above all be understanding and flexible.
E)None of these is correct.

Question 64

As more salespeople use virtual offices:

A)Supervisors will spend more time in the field with their reps.
B)Supervisors will spend less time in the field with their reps.
C)Salespeople will work at home most of the day.
D)Salespeople will have less access to information.
E)Supervisors will not be needed.

Question 65

Illicit drug use among salespeople is:

A)easy to detect.
B)extremely rare - occurring in less than 1% of all salespeople.
C)a pervasive and costly problem.
D)Both A and B are correct.
E)Both A and C are correct.

Question 66

Which of the following is least likely to serve as a supervisory tool or method.

A)Reports from the sales force.
B)Printed aids like sales manuals.
C)Sales forecasts.
D)Telephone calls from a sales manager.
E)Sales quotas.

Question 67

Over the years management has encountered many problems in the course of supervising a sales force.Which of the following supervisory problems is hardly ever encountered today by sales managers?

A)Sales reps who do not work hard enough.
B)Reps who drink too much.
C)Expense account padding.
D)Reps who have a drug problem.
E)All of these are problems that often occur today.

Question 68

An example of unethical behavior is:

A)Poor performance.
B)Alcoholism.
C)Expense account abuse.
D)Personal problems.
E)None of these.

Question 69

With regard to substance abuse:

A)The problem is usually easy to detect.
B)There are not many warnings signs that a person is an abuser.
C)Some companies make job offers contingent on the applicant passing a drug test.
D)Employers are fairly lax about substance abuse as long as it is not on the job.
E)Salespeople tend to use illicit drugs less frequently than employees in other positions.

Question 70

Corporate policies which would discourage sexual harassment include:

A)Statements about behavior which are prohibited.
B)Penalties for misconduct.
C)Procedures for making,investigating,and resolving complaints.
D)Procedures for education and training.
E)All of these.

Question 71

When problems are encountered with subordinates,it is critical that communication is established between the sales manager and sales rep.Effective feedback should include all but:

A)A statement of the problem.
B)Agreement by both sales manager and sales rep of the stated problem.
C)The dismissal of any and all extenuating circumstances.
D)Design of a plan for improvement.
E)Agreement by both sales manager and sales rep of a remedial action plan.

Question 72

All reps of a given sales force having high job satisfaction is:

A)necessary and sufficient for high group morale.
B)necessary but not sufficient for high group morale.
C)neither necessary nor sufficient for high group morale.
D)completely unrelated to group morale.
E)Both C and D are correct.

Question 73

The EEOC definition of sexual harassment as "unwelcome sexual advances,requests for sexual favors,and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment" is true under which of the following criteria?

A)Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition an individual's employment.
B)Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment decisions affecting that individual.
C)Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating,hostile,or offensive working environment.
D)All of these.
E)None of these.

Question 74

Indirect supervisory techniques include all of the following,except:

A)sales meetings.
B)territories.
C)quotas.
D)expense accounts.
E)compensation plans.

Question 75

The following actions are available to managers or supervisors in the case of third party harassment except for:

A)Do nothing.
B)Reassign employees.
C)Request customers stop inappropriate behavior.
D)Advise customers that the company can no longer serve them without a commitment to refrain from such behavior.
E)All of these.

Question 76

Ineffective leadership can lead to:

A)poor performance problems.
B)substance abuse problems.
C)problems with reps padding expense accounts.
D)problems with reps mistreating customers.
E)All of these.