Question 1

Fiedler's contingency model of leadership style proposed that effectiveness depends on the ability and willingness of the subordinates.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's contingency model of leadership style proposed that effectiveness depends on the situational factors such as leader-member relations, task structure, and the leader's position power. It did not focus on the ability and willingness of the subordinates.

Question 2

Bill expects his employees to wonder "What's in it for me?" when he assigns extra tasks to them, so he is ready with an answer about the reward for their work. Bill is a(n) ________ leader.

Accepted Answer

Bill is a transactional leader because he is focused on the reward system and motivating his employees through rewards or punishments for their work. He expects his employees to be motivated by extrinsic factors such as rewards and recognition.

Question 3

In a short essay, discuss the situational leadership theory developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard. Next, list and discuss the four specific leadership styles as defined by them.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a short essay, discuss the situational...

Question 4

Path-goal theory states that employee performance and satisfaction are likely to be positively influenced when the leader chooses a leadership style that compensates for shortcomings in either the employee or the work setting.

Accepted Answer

Path-goal theory posits that the leader's style should fit the employee's abilities and the work setting's demands to enhance employee performance and satisfaction. Therefore, the statement is true.

Question 5

Derek heads a team of ten research analysts in Deutsche Bank. Even though he is least impressed with Cara among all his subordinates, when asked about her work he chose to focus on her strengths rather than her weaknesses. Derek can be described as a task-oriented leader.

Accepted Answer

Derek's behavior of focusing on Cara's strengths rather than her weaknesses indicates that he is a people-oriented leader. A task-oriented leader would be more focused on achieving specific goals and may not pay as much attention to the individual strengths and weaknesses of his or her team members.

Question 6

Fiedler's model assumed that the leader's style was fixed regardless of the situation.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's model is based on the concept of "leadership style," which he believed was fixed and could not be easily changed. This contrasts with other models that suggest leadership style can be adapted to fit different situations.

Question 7

According to the path-goal theory, employee performance and leadership style are likely to be positively related when ________.

Accepted Answer

The path-goal theory suggests that leadership effectiveness is maximized when the leader's style complements or compensates for deficiencies in the followers or the situation, thereby enhancing their ability to achieve their goals.

Question 8

In a short essay discuss the stages of readiness from the situational leadership theory developed by Hersey and Blanchard. Give an example for each stage.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a short essay discuss the stages...

Question 9

Robert House assumed that leaders can change leadership styles depending on the situation.

Accepted Answer

Robert House's path-goal theory emphasized that effective leaders can adapt their leadership styles based on situational factors such as the task, the subordinates, and the environment.

Question 10

According to Fiedler's research, task-oriented leaders tended to perform better in situations that are very favorable to them and in situations that were very unfavorable.

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's research suggests that task-oriented leaders perform better in situations that are either highly favorable or highly unfavorable, while relationship-oriented leaders perform better in situations of moderate favorability.

Question 11

Rachel's colleagues and subordinates have a very high regard for her. They know that no one can get high-quality work done the way Rachel can. She inspires her team to excel in their work, even exceeding their own expectations. What her subordinates like best about Rachel is that they are free to discuss her decisions with her, even question her once in while if they are not sure about her strategy. Which one of the following best describes Rachel's leadership style?

Accepted Answer

Rachel's leadership style is transformational as she inspires her team to excel and encourages them to question her decisions if needed.

Question 12

The least-preferred coworker questionnaire measures whether a leader is task or relationship oriented.

Accepted Answer

The least-preferred coworker questionnaire is used to measure a leader's style by assessing whether they are task-oriented or relationship-oriented. The questionnaire requires the leader to choose their least preferred coworker and rate them on a series of attributes. The results can help the leader understand their leadership style and how they can improve their relationships with coworkers.

Question 13

According to the path-goal theory, directive leadership will lead to higher employee satisfaction when there is ________ within a work group.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the path-goal theory, directive leadership...

Question 14

Adrienne receives more attention and information from her supervisor than some of her coworkers. Because she feels "special," she puts more effort into her performance and scores higher on her evaluations. According to LMX theory, Adrienne is a ________.

Accepted Answer

According to LMX theory, employees who receive greater attention and information from their supervisors are more likely to be part of the in-group, which includes those who have higher job satisfaction, stronger performance, and greater opportunities for career development. Therefore, Adrienne is a member of the in-group.

Question 15

According to Robert House's path-goal theory, a supportive leader lets subordinates know what's expected of them, schedules the work to be done, and gives specific guidance on how to accomplish tasks.

Accepted Answer

According to Robert House's path-goal theory, a supportive leader focuses on the needs of the subordinates, shows concern for their welfare, and creates a friendly working environment. The description given matches more closely with a directive leadership style, where the leader tells subordinates what's expected of them, schedules work, and gives specific guidance.

Question 16

According to the path-goal model, when Hannah meets with the employees to establish challenging goals and expectations for the next financial year, she displays which one of the following leadership styles?

Accepted Answer

The achievement-oriented leadership style focuses on setting challenging goals for employees and expecting them to perform at their best. Hannah is meeting with the employees to establish challenging goals and expectations, which aligns with this leadership style.

Question 17

Which one of the following is an accurate statement about transformational leaders?

Accepted Answer

Transformational leaders exhibit more than just charisma. Along with charisma, they possess qualities such as vision, inspiration, and intellectual stimulation, which they use to motivate and inspire their followers to achieve higher goals. Options A, B, and D are incorrect as they do not accurately describe transformational leaders.

Question 18

Robert House's achievement-oriented leader sets challenging goals and expects followers to perform at their highest level.

Accepted Answer

This statement accurately describes Robert House's achievement-oriented leadership style.

Question 19

When Alan was promoted to the head of the sales team at Mac Software Inc., he chose three of his closest friends in the team to form the core sales group with him. Which one of the following predictions would be consistent with the LMX theory?

Accepted Answer

According to the LMX theory, the relationship between leaders and followers exists on a continuum. In high-quality leader-member relationships (LMX), there is a higher level of trust, mutual respect and liking, and the leader provides increased support, delegated responsibilities, and greater access to resources. This leads to higher job satisfaction, better performance, and lower turnover among the core group members who have a strong LMX with the leader. However, the theory also predicts that there will be lower-quality LMX relationships between the leader and other team members, leading to lower job satisfaction, decreased performance, and higher turnover rates. Therefore, the prediction that there will be a higher turnover among team members who are not a part of the core group is consistent with the LMX theory.

Question 20

Path-goal theory holds that subordinates with an external locus of control will be more satisfied with a directive style.

Accepted Answer

According to path-goal theory, subordinates with an external locus of control believe there is little they can do to influence their circumstances, and therefore they may be more satisfied with a directive leadership style. This is because they prefer clear instructions and guidance from their leader in order to navigate their work environment.

Quiz 17: Being an Effective Leader