Question 1

Which of the following best represents the perspective of leadership from a critical communication perspective?

Accepted Answer

A critical communication perspective emphasizes the importance of understanding leadership as co-produced among organizational members rather than something that is solely attributed to an individual leader. This perspective recognizes that leadership is an ongoing process that involves ongoing negotiation and communication among all members of the organization. Option A may be seen as a traditional or conventional perspective on leadership, while option B emphasizes the importance of followers, but it still positions the leader as the central figure. Option D suggests that leadership can be learned through critical organizational studies, but it doesn't necessarily offer a distinctive critical communication perspective.

Question 2

Companies change leaders both in times of success and in times of turmoil and crisis.Which of the following rings truest?

Accepted Answer

B

Question 3

Leadership as symbolic action is a nice fit with which of the following approaches to organizational communciation?

Accepted Answer

Leadership as symbolic action is a nice fit with the interpretive approach to organizational communication because it focuses on the way that leaders use symbols to create meaning and motivate followers.

Question 4

The use of 360-degree feedback evaluation and Meyers-Briggs Type Indicators (which measures personality and decision-making style)enables people to "see" themselves through their own and others' eyes by constructing a huge body of knowledge about one's own communication and leadership in an organization.Melvin has a lot of past,successful leadership experience in organizations,yet his results from these tests show that he has some areas for potential growth.He is nervous that when he applies for his first job,potential employers might use this information against him (instead of paying attention to all of the good things he's already done).This could be an example of:

Accepted Answer

Disciplinary power and leadership involves using evaluations and assessments to control or influence individuals by highlighting areas of improvement, which can create anxiety about how this information might be perceived by others, such as potential employers.

Question 5

Which of the following of Blake and Mouton's managerial styles shows high concern for production,yet low concern for people?

Accepted Answer

The Authority Compliance style in Blake and Mouton's managerial grid emphasizes high concern for production and low concern for people.

Question 6

Followership research generally assumes that leaders and followers exist in a(n)______________________________________ relationship.

Accepted Answer

Followership research often assumes a dialectic relationship, where leaders and followers influence each other and their roles are interdependent and dynamic.

Question 7

Ryan is now the director of Mason Leadership Camp.He worked there for ten years;the last seven were particularly rough.He has been steadfastly dedicated to the organization,however,and has often offered the various directors (who have become friends over the years)with honest,insightful,and constructive critique.Even when the leaders couldn't provide a clear message or direction about MLC,Ryan held himself to a high ideal and even initiated some projects (to fill gaps)with his fellow staff.Which kind of followership does Ryan most likely perform at MLC?

Accepted Answer

Ryan is described as being steadfastly dedicated to the organization, holding himself to a high ideal, and initiating projects to fill gaps. These characteristics suggest that Ryan is most likely performing as an ideal follower.

Question 8

D'Shawn recently read a new book on leadership studies,and now believes that the idea of "leadership rests almost entirely on followers;her influence only really comes from the extent to which organizational members interact with one another and "construct" her as the leader.Which approach to leadership studies did the author most likely take?

Accepted Answer

The Romance of Leadership theory suggests that leadership is a social construct created by followers, emphasizing the role of followers in defining and perceiving leadership.

Question 9

Dave was a switchboard operator at a power company in a small Pennsylvania town.In the 1970s,there was a massive blackout in New York City.Without the instant communication we have today,the blackout spread quickly because the power companies couldn't speak to one another quickly enough for them to shut down their breakers (which would actually stop further damage).Dave started to notice some strange surges in the far reaches of his company's power grid and made an instant (and unauthorized)decision to "shut it all down".They threw all the breakers and,by opening all of the circuits,basically stopped the blackout from causing damage to power grids all over the company.Dave became an "everyday hero" in power companies across the Northeast for his action.His careful attention and quick decision saved the company a lot of money (and a lot of people a lot of hassle).His quick rise to "hero" status illustrates:

Accepted Answer

The story of Dave's quick thinking and action in the face of a crisis created a narrative of leadership and heroism, highlighting his ability to make a decision and act on it in a moment of need. This allowed him to rise to the status of a hero within power companies across the Northeast, showing the power of storytelling and narrative in leadership. The other answer choices of disciplinary power, resistance leadership, and gender do not accurately reflect the leadership demonstrated by Dave in this situation.

Question 10

Alexa has been a camp counselor with Mason Leadership Camps for the last seven years.During that time,the organization has changed directors three times,entirely re-branded itself twice,and moved to two different locations.Other than the current director,Alexa is the only person who has been with MLC for this many years;the others couldn't adapt to all of the changes,left with their favorite director(s),or just dropped away in the upheaval.Alexa has just kind of plugged away this whole time,riding out the storm by taking on little projects under the radar but never staking a great deal of claim in any of the new changes.Which kind of followership does Alexa most likely perform at MLC?

Accepted Answer

Alexa is most likely a pragmatic follower. She has adapted to the changes and taken on little projects, but has not taken a large role in any of the new changes. She is not blindly following like a sheep or conformist, and she is not actively seeking to support the new changes like an ideal follower.

Question 11

Julio is a consultant hired by the CEO of a company to provide feedback on productivity and morale.Julio has observed through his work that worker productivity and morale are highly correlated with the leadership style of management.Which of the following might Julio most likely recommend to the CEO?

Accepted Answer

Julio's observation suggests that a combination of both consideration and initiating structure would be effective in improving productivity and morale. Providing consideration would help workers feel valued and motivated, while providing a clear structure would minimize confusion and ensure that tasks are completed efficiently. Therefore, Julio would likely recommend option D, which incorporates both consideration and initiating structure.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT an element of "new leadership?"

Accepted Answer

"New leadership" emphasizes the view of leadership as a socially constructed phenomenon, not an objectively existing set of behaviors. Therefore, option B is not an element of "new leadership."

Question 13

When women experience success in organizations and find themselves in upper rants of management,they are likely to encounter:

Accepted Answer

The glass cliff refers to the phenomenon where women (and other marginalized individuals) are appointed to leadership positions during times of crisis or instability, which puts them in a precarious situation where failure is more likely. This is in contrast to the glass ceiling, which refers to the invisible barriers that prevent women from advancing to higher levels in organizations, and the glass escalator, which refers to the phenomenon where men are promoted quickly in female-dominated fields. The glass elevator is not a relevant phenomenon in this context.

Question 14

Tall,handsome,white,and priviledged,Robert was also,from a young age,very intelligent.His mother told him he almost had "all the right stuff," but needed to work on becoming more extroverted and social.His teachers thought that he needed to bolster his self-confidence and,occasionally,learn how to explain concepts more simply so that his classmates wouldn't perceive that there was too much of a difference between him and them.What assumptions about leadership did these adults most likely have?

Accepted Answer

The adults' assumptions align with the trait theory of leadership, which suggests that successful leaders possess certain inherent qualities or traits. They believed Robert needed to develop these traits to be successful.

Question 15

When Reagan became the Philanthropy Chair of her sorority,none of her "sisters" cared about philanthropy (and the community did not have a favorable perception of the sorority).For the first six months she had the position,Reagan talked with everyone in the sorority and many community stakeholders,convincing all to come on board with her new idea: supporting a women's organization that supported women (and children)who were survivors of intimate partner violence.Now,everyone is on board,but Reagan has not accomplished any other pragmatic tasks related to the philanthropy,including planning the large fundraising event that is supposed to bring in the majority of the money the sorority will donate to the women's organization.Which of Blake and Mouton's managerial style did Reagan most closely embody?

Accepted Answer

Reagan focused on building relationships and gaining support, which aligns with the Country Club style that emphasizes concern for people over task completion.

Question 16

Which of the following is(are)the most accurate description(s)of "resistance leadership"?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is(are)the most accurate...

Question 17

Which of the following best characterizes a critical communication approach to leadership studies?

Accepted Answer

A critical communication approach to leadership combines multiple perspectives and areas of focus. It critiques traditional notions of leadership as being tied to an individual ("great man" approach) and highlights the role of power and control dynamics in leadership. It also identifies opportunities for resistance and struggle against oppressive structures. Therefore, all of the above choices best characterize a critical communication approach to leadership studies.

Question 18

Management scholar Simon Western claims that packaging leadership ideas into simple solutions are easier to sell in the "leadership industry," what is his argument?

Accepted Answer

Simon Western argues that the "leadership industry" tends to package leadership ideas into simplistic solutions that can be easily sold to managers and employees. He believes that this approach creates a culture where everyone is convinced that leadership is a cure-all, which ultimately undermines the complexity and nuance of leadership. This suggests that the popularity of simplistic leadership ideas is not necessarily due to time constraints or a lack of scientific evidence, but rather a cultural preference for easy answers.

Question 19

Which of the following were limitations of a trait approach to leadership?

Accepted Answer

All of the options are limitations of a trait approach to leadership. Inconsistent studies make it challenging to identify a specific formula for leadership, ignoring followers and leader-follower relationships overlooks the fact that leadership requires followership, and assuming that particular characteristics or attributes are required for good leadership can reproduce a biased status quo in leadership.

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT a critique of Fiedler's psychological approach to situational leadership?

Accepted Answer

The critique mentioned in option D is not related to Fiedler's psychological approach to situational leadership. It is a critique of the approach that focuses on replicating certain behaviors and traits rather than allowing for diverse leadership styles. Option A, B, and C are critiques of Fiedler's approach.

Quiz 11: Leadership Communication in the New Workplace