UTPA OB CH 12 – Flashcards
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John Kotter's view argues that management focuses on coping with complexity, whereas leadership focuses on coping with ________.
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change --Management, according to John Kotter of the Harvard Business School, pertains to coping with complexity. By drawing up formal plans, designing rigid organizational structures, and monitoring results against these plans, good managers create order and maintain consistency. In contrast, Kotter defines leadership as the ability to deal effectively with change. When leaders develop a vision of the future, they establish a new direction by bringing people together and inspiring them to overcome obstacles.
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Leadership is best defined as ________.
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the ability to influence a group in goal achievement --Leadership is defined as the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or set of goals. Management, on the other hand, relates primarily to maintaining order and consistency. Good leaders establish a vision and inspire others to follow a new direction to achieve these goals.
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Which of the following statements regarding leadership is true?
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Nonsanctioned leadership is as important as or more important than formal influence --Although some leaders emerge after rising through the ranks of an organization, many others result from nonsanctioned leadership-the ability to influence that arises outside the formal structure of the organization. Nonsanctioned leadership is often as important or more important than formal influence. Not all gifted leaders are competent managers, and not all great managers are inspired leaders. Formal appointment to a leadership position does not guarantee effective leadership.
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Which theory differentiates leaders from nonleaders by focusing on personal qualities and characteristics?
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trait theory --Trait theory focuses on personal qualities and characteristics. Researchers study personal, social, physical, or intellectual qualities possessed by great leaders that distinguish them from nonleaders. Many strong leaders throughout history, including Buddha, Napoleon, Mao, Churchill, Roosevelt, and Reagan have been described in terms of their traits, and the earliest stages of leadership research sought to uncover unique sets of traits exemplified by great leaders.
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According to a comprehensive review of the leadership literature, what is the most important trait of effective leaders?
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extraversion ---Years of accumulated research pertaining to trait theory has found extraversion to be the most important trait possessed by strong leaders. Extraversion is strongly related to leader emergence, although it does not necessarily predict leader effectiveness. Sociable and dominant people are more likely to assert themselves in group situations, and leaders who like being around people and are able to assert themselves have an apparent advantage over those who are more introverted.
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Recent studies indicate that ________ may indicate effective leadership
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emotional intelligence ---Emotional intelligence (EI) is vital to effective leadership because leaders who possess emotional intelligence also have empathy for their followers. Empathetic leaders are better at listening to others and can sense their needs and read their reactions. These qualities are increasingly important as a potential leader moves up within an organization
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Emotional intelligence is so critical to effective leadership because one of its core components is ________.
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empathy ---When leaders show empathy, caring about their followers and the obstacles they may face, these leaders are often rewarded with greater loyalty. Empathetic leaders are better able to listen to their followers, gain a sense of their needs, and anticipate their reactions in advance. Followers of an empathetic leader are more willing to stay with him or her during turbulent times.
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There is fairly strong evidence that traits can predict ________ more accurately than leadership effectiveness
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leadership emergence ---Generally speaking, traits can be used to predict leadership propensity. However, current studies have concluded that trait research does a better job predicting leader emergence than leader effectiveness. Although a potential leader may possess an ideal set of traits, he or she may not be successful at directing others to achieve goals.
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If trait theories of leadership are valid, then leaders are ________.
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born --Trait theories of leadership focus on personal, social, physical, or intellectual attributes possessed by great leaders. These attributes, or traits, are innate and present at birth. Proponents of trait theories of leadership argue that possession of these particular traits determines who will become a strong leader.
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If behavioral leadership theories are correct, then ________.
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leadership can be taught ---Behavioral studies of leadership investigate how great leaders act or behave. Strong leaders seem to exhibit structuring behaviors, defining roles in the search for goal attainment, or considering behaviors, forming relationships which center on mutual trust and respect. If these successful leadership behaviors can be learned, then behavioral theory suggests that people may be taught to be great leaders.
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The two dimensions of leadership behavior explained in the Ohio State studies are ________.
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initiating structure and consideration ----Seeking to identify independent dimensions of leader behavior, the Ohio State Studies determined that two dimensions accounted for most effective leadership behavior: initiating structure and consideration. Initiating structure is the extent to which leaders are likely to define and structure their roles and those of their employees in the search for goal attainment. Consideration is the extent to which a leader's job relationships are characterized by mutual trust, respect for employees' ideas, and regard for their feelings.
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A leader high in initiating structure would do which of the following?
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assign group members to particular tasks ----Initiating structure is the extent to which leaders define and structure their roles and the roles of their employees in the search for goal attainment. It includes behavior that attempts to organize work, relationships, and goals. A leader who assigns group members to particular tasks, expects workers to maintain definite standards of performance, and emphasizes the meeting of deadlines would be considered high in initiating structure. Leaders who display high initiating structure tend to enjoy higher levels of group and organizational productivity and more positive performance evaluations.
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According to the Ohio State studies, the extent to which a leader is likely to have job relationships characterized by mutual trust and respect for his/her employees is ________.
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consideration ----In behavioral leadership theory, consideration is defined as the extent to which a person's job relationships are characterized by mutual trust, respect for employees' ideas, and regard for their feelings. A leader high in consideration helps employees with personal problems, is friendly and approachable, treats all employees as equals, and expresses appreciation and support. In recent studies, followers of leaders high in consideration were more satisfied with their jobs, more motivated to complete tasks, and had more respect for their leaders
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The two dimensions of leadership behavior identified in the University of Michigan studies are ________.
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employee-oriented and production-oriented ---Leadership studies at the University of Michigan's Survey Research Center found two important behavioral characteristics displayed by effective leaders. These two behavioral dimensions pointed to employee-oriented leaders and production-oriented leaders. Employee-oriented leaders emphasized interpersonal relationships by taking a personal interest in the needs of their employees and accepting individual differences among them. In contrast, production-oriented leaders emphasized the technical or task aspects of the job, focusing on accomplishing their group's tasks.
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The University of Michigan studies define a(n) ________ leader as one who takes a personal interest in the needs of his/her subordinates
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employee-oriented ----The University of Michigan Studies emphasized two behavioral dimensions common to successful leaders: employee-oriented leaders and production-oriented leaders. Employee-oriented leaders develop strong interpersonal relationships by taking a personal interest in the needs of their employees and accepting their individual differences. Employee-oriented leadership is closely related to consideration, the effective leadership dimension proposed by the Ohio State Studies.
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If a leader's main concern is accomplishing his/her group's tasks, the University of Michigan studies label this leader ________.
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production-oriented ----The University of Michigan Studies emphasized two behavioral dimensions common to successful leaders: employee-oriented leaders and production-oriented leaders. Production-oriented leaders emphasize the technical or task completion aspects of the job, focusing on the accomplishment of goals. Production-oriented leadership is closely related to initiating structure, the effective leadership dimension proposed by the Ohio State Studies
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All contingency theories are based on the idea that effective leadership performance depends on ________.
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using a leadership style that is appropriate to the situational conditions ----Numerous studies have shown that predicting leadership success is more complex than isolating a few traits or behaviors, since leadership styles that are effective in very bad times or in very good times do not necessarily translate into long-term success. This idea led researchers to change their focus from trait and behavior theories to situational influences on leadership styles, also known as contingency theory.
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The first comprehensive contingency model for leadership was developed by ________
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Fred Fiedler ---The first comprehensive contingency model for leadership was developed by Fred Fiedler. Fiedler believes that a key factor in leadership success is the individual's basic leadership style. According to the Fiedler contingency model, effective group performance depends on the proper match between the leader's style and the degree to which the situation gives the leader control.
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Which model represents the theory that effective group performance depends on the proper match between a leader's style and the degree to which the situation gives control to the leader?
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Fiedler's Contingency Model ----According to Fiedler's Contingency Model, the key factor predicting leadership success is the individual's basic leadership style. Since Fiedler assumes an individual's leadership style is fixed, effective group performance depends on the proper match between the leader's style and the degree to which the situation gives the leader control. If a situation requires a task-oriented leader, for example, and the person in the leadership position is relationship oriented, either the situation has to be modified or the leader has to be replaced
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Who developed the LPC (least preferred co-worker) questionnaire?
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Fiedler ----Fiedler believes a key factor in leadership success is the individual's basic leadership style, and he created the least preferred coworker (LPC) questionnaire to identify that style. The LPC questionnaire measures whether a person is task- or relationship-oriented by asking respondents to think of all the coworkers they have ever had and describe the one person they least enjoyed working with. Respondents then rate that person on a scale of 1 to 8 for each of 16 sets of contrasting adjectives. If you describe the person you are least able to work with in favorable terms (a high LPC score), Fiedler would label you relationship-oriented. In contrast, if you see your least-preferred coworker in relatively unfavorable terms (a low LPC score), you are primarily interested in productivity and are task-oriented
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In Fiedler's model, if a respondent describes his or her least preferred co-worker in relatively positive terms, then the respondent is considered to be ________.
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relationship-oriented ----Fiedler's least preferred coworker (LPC) questionnaire measures whether a person is task- or relationship-oriented by asking respondents to rate their least favorite coworker. If respondents describe their least favorite coworker in favorable terms (a high LPC score), they are probably relationship-oriented. In contrast, respondents who describe their least-preferred coworker in unfavorable terms (a low LPC score) are viewed as primarily interested in productivity and as being task-oriented
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If a survey respondent sees his or her least preferred co-worker in unfavorable terms, Fiedler would categorize the respondent as ________.
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task-oriented ---Fiedler's least preferred coworker (LPC) questionnaire measures whether a person is task- or relationship-oriented by asking respondents to rate their least favorite coworker. Respondents who describe their least-preferred coworker in unfavorable terms (a low LPC score) are viewed as primarily interested in productivity and as being task-oriented. Conversely, respondents who describe their least-favorite coworker in favorable terms (a high LPC score) are considered to be relationship-oriented.
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Fiedler labels the degree of confidence, trust, and respect that subordinates have in their leader as ________.
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leader-member relations ----Fiedler introduced the least preferred coworker (LPC) questionnaire to determine an individual's basic leadership style in order to match the leader with his or her ideal situation. Fiedler identified three contingency or situational dimensions, including leader-member relations, task structure, and position power. Leader-member relations is the degree of confidence, trust, and respect members have in their leader
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The degree to which job assignments are procedurized is classified in the Fiedler model as ________.
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task structure ----Fiedler identified three contingency or situational dimensions in which certain types of leaders might excel or fail, including leader-member relations, task structure, and position power. Task structure is the degree to which job assignments are procedurized (that is, structured or unstructured). Leaders who are task-oriented, Fielder proposes, perform best when the situation is very favorable or very unfavorable
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Based on the contingency theory, if the leadership style does not match the situation, you should ________.
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either A or B ---Since Fiedler views an individual's leadership style as fixed, there are only two ways to improve leader effectiveness, according to his contingency theory. First, an organization may change leaders to fit the existing situation. Alternatively, organizations may choose to change the situation to fit the leader by restructuring tasks or increasing or decreasing the leader's power.
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Hersey and Blanchard developed which of the following?
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situational leadership theory ----Developed by Hersey and Blanchard, situational leadership theory (SLT) focuses on the followers. It says successful leadership is achieved by selecting the right leadership style contingent on the followers' readiness, or the extent to which they are willing and able to accomplish a specific task. A leader should choose one of four behaviors depending on follower readiness.
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Hersey and Blanchard's leadership theory differs from other leadership theories primarily because it ________.
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focuses on the followers ----Unlike other leadership theories, Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership theory (SLT) focuses on the followers. Successful leadership, according to SLT, is achieved when the right leadership style is paired with the followers' readiness, or their level of willingness or ability to accomplish specific tasks. Depending on follower readiness, a leader should choose one of four behaviors
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According to Hersey and Blanchard, readiness encompasses the ________.
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ability and willingness of the followers to accomplish a task ---According to Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership theory (SLT), successful leadership is accomplished when the right leadership style is paired with the followers' readiness, or their level of willingness or ability to accomplish specific tasks
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What theory was developed by Robert House?
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path-goal theory ----Developed by Robert House, path-goal theory builds on the Ohio State leadership research on initiating structure and consideration and the expectancy theory of motivation. Path-goal theory proposes that it's the leader's job to provide followers with the information, support, or other resources necessary to achieve their goals. Effective leaders help their followers by reducing obstacles in their paths so they may achieve work goals
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What is the main principle of path-goal theory?
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The leader is responsible for providing followers with the information, support, or other resources necessary for them to do their jobs----Path-goal theory proposes that it's the leader's job to provide followers with information, support, or other resources necessary to achieve their goals. Depending on a complex analysis of the situation, a leader should adjust his or her leadership style to be more directive, supportive, participative, or achievement-oriented. Effective leaders help their followers by reducing obstacles in their paths so they may achieve work goals more easily
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Which of the following is not an example of a prediction based on path-goal theory?
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Subordinates with an internal locus of control will be more satisfied with a directive style----According to path-goal theory, ideal leadership depends on complex analysis of the situation. It theorizes that directive leadership yields greater satisfaction when tasks are ambiguous or stressful. Supportive leadership is most effective when employees are performing structured tasks, and directive leadership is likely to be perceived as redundant among employees with high ability or considerable experience.
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The leader-participation model was developed by ________.
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Vroom and Yetton ----Developed by Vroom and Yetton, the leader-participation model proposes that the way a leader makes decisions is as important as what he or she decides. Leaders must adjust their behavior to reflect the task structure. The leader-participation model provides a decision tree of seven contingencies and five leadership styles for determining the ideal form and amount of participation in decision making.
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Which of the following theories argues that because of time pressures, leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of their subordinates?
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leader-member exchange ----Leader-member exchange (LMX) theory proposes that, because of time pressures, leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of their followers. These individuals make up the in-group. Members of the in-group are trusted, get a disproportionate amount of the leader's attention, and are more likely to receive special privileges. Other followers fall into the out-group.
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According to LMX theory, a leader implicitly categorizes followers as "in" or "out" ________.
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early in the interaction ---Leader-member exchange theory (LMX) proposes that early in the leader-follower relationship, the leader categorizes the follower as an "in" or an "out," and this determination remains stable over time. Leaders reward those employees with whom they want a closer linkage and punish those with whom they do not. Evidence suggests that in-group members have demographic, attitude, and personality characteristics similar to the leader's or a higher level of competence than out-group members.
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Which of the following is not a key characteristic of a charismatic leader?
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task orientation ----Charismatic leadership theory, developed by Robert House, is based on the idea that when followers observe certain behaviors displayed by a leader, they view that leader as having extraordinary or even heroic leadership abilities. Recent studies have sought to identify these specific behaviors. Charismatic leaders appear to possess key characteristics, including sensitivity to follower needs, unconventional behavior, vision and articulation, and willingness to take risks.
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Leaders who clarify role and task requirements to accomplish established goals exhibit a _________ style of leadership
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transactional ---Recent studies, including the Ohio State Studies, Fiedler's model, and path-goal theory, have focused on the differences between transformational leaders and transactional leaders. In contrast to transformational leaders who inspire their followers to transcend their self-interests for the good of the organization, transactional leaders encourage their followers to achieve goals by defining specific goals and task requirements.
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Which of the following would not be a likely outcome of a workplace governed by a transformational leader?
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lower employee morale ---Transformational leaders can have an extraordinary effect on their followers, inspiring them toward selfless goals that benefit the larger organization. These types of leaders inspire their followers by paying attention to their concerns, helping them rethink old problems in new ways, and encouraging them to achieve goals as a group. As a result, transformational leadership is strongly correlated with lower turnover rates, higher productivity, lower employee stress and burnout, and higher employee satisfaction.
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Richard is a transactional leader who has just assigned a series of tasks to a project team. Which of the following is most likely to be true about the team's performance under Richard's guidance
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They will meet the goals set for them but are unlikely to go beyond those goals ----Transactional leaders set goals for their employees and define roles and expectations. Unlike transformational leaders, however, transactional leaders are unlikely to motivate their employees to exceed expectations or go beyond the call of duty.
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Researchers are conducting a study of a company called Acme Corp, which they believe to be led by a transformational leader. Which of the following, if true, would most support the conclusion that Acme's leader is a transformational leader?
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Acme's goals tend to be very ambitious and to hold personal value for employees ----The followers of transformational leaders tend to pursue ambitious goals and to believe that the goals they are pursuing are personally important. There tends to be consensus among managers under this leadership style, and creativity in employees is encouraged. Managers are more likely to take risks, and compensation plans emphasize long-term results
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Two companies, Roland Media and Go! Corp, are both headed by transformational leaders. However, Roland Media showed much greater profitability over a 5-year time period than did Go! Corp. Which of the following best explains why Roland Media performed better than Go! Corp under transformational leadership?
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Roland Media is a small, privately held firm, whereas Go! Corp is a large, complex public company. ----Transformational leadership is most effective in small, privately held companies. It is less effective in complex organizations. It is also less effective when leaders must deal with bureaucratic structures, when employees are highly individualistic, and when employees don't easily give up decision-making authority.
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Which of the following would best serve as evidence to support the conclusion that an individual is an authentic leader?
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The leader inspires a great deal of trust in his or her followers ----Authentic leaders inspire trust in their followers. They are open about sharing information, they stick to their ideals, they follow an ethical code, and they are clear about their values.
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If an employee is considering sharing a new creative idea with a supervisor, which of the following would most help to support the employee's level of trust in making the decision to share her idea?
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The supervisor has a track record of giving employees credit for their contributions. ----In order for an employee to be willing to share an idea, an element of trust would be involved. In choosing to share a new idea, the employee would have to trust that the supervisor would not steal the credit behind the employee's back
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Team A is preparing for a large project that will involve aggressive competition against other teams in the company. Several members argue that the team should have a male leader since the project will require aggressive competition. Which of the following pieces of evidence, if true, would best support the team members' conclusion?
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Male leaders tend to exhibit stronger performances than women in situations that involve competing teams ----If male leaders exhibit stronger performances within competing team situations, this piece of evidence would support the conclusion that Team A should have a male leader. Even if women leaders are comfortable with competition and have served as team leaders, the statement that men have performed better provides stronger evidence for Team A's argument
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Harriet discovered that she was a top job candidate for a company that planned to hire a transformational leader. Which of the following was most likely true for Harriet during the application process?
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Harriet's application revealed that she had high emotional intelligence ----Candidates with high emotional intelligence tend to have an advantage in leadership hiring processes, especially in situations requiring transformational leadership. High emotional intelligence scores would therefore have been likely to improve Harriet's standing as an applicant. Other qualities that help identify strong leaders are: extraversion, high self-monitoring, situation-specific experience, and a charismatic physical presence
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Darius is a training manager for a large retail clothing store. He is organizing a leadership development institute for the company's top executives. Though there are 35 executives who might potentially benefit from the training, the institute can only accommodate 20 participants. Which of the following participants should Darius invite to attend in order to be sure to maximize the success of the training?
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leaders who are high self-monitors ---Research shows that leadership training of any kind is likely to be more successful with high self-monitors. Such individuals have the flexibility to change their behavior. Therefore, to maximize the effect of the company's leadership-training budget, Darius should invite high self-monitors to participate in the institute.
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The director believes that because of these innate characteristics, Lawrence will be highly effective at helping the company achieve its production goals. You advise the director against this decision because ________.
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studies have shown that traits are poor predictors of leadership effectiveness ----As important as traits and behaviors are in identifying effective or ineffective leaders, they do not guarantee success. The context matters, too
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According to Fiedler's approach, your employees should assume which of the following about the leadership styles determined through using the survey?
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Each person's style is essentially fixed ----Fiedler assumes an individual's leadership style is fixed. This means if a situation requires a task-oriented leader and the person in the leadership position is relationship oriented, either the situation has to be modified or the leader has to be replaced to achieve optimal effectiveness.
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Fran completes the LPC questionnaire and finds that she described her least preferred co-worker in relatively positive terms. She is surprised by this finding because she recalls being particularly annoyed by this difficult co-worker. Based on your understanding of Fiedler's model, you explain to Fran that her LPC score makes sense within the model because ________.
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Fran tends in general to focus on building good relationships with the other employees at your company ----If you describe the person you are least able to work with in favorable terms (a high LPC score), Fiedler would label you relationship oriented. In contrast, if you see your least preferred co-worker in relatively unfavorable terms (a low LPC score), you are primarily interested in productivity and are task oriented.
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In utilizing Fiedler's contingency model, which of the following contingency dimensions should your employees pay attention to?
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"All of the above are important dimensions in this model ----Fiedler has identified three contingency or situational dimensions: 1. Leader-member relations is the degree of confidence, trust, and respect members have in their leader. 2. Task structure is the degree to which the job assignments are procedurized (that is, structured or unstructured). 3. Position power is the degree of influence a leader has over power variables such as hiring, firing, discipline, promotions, and salary increases
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Suddenly your boss begins sending people to training to help them develop more effective leadership styles. It is clear that he is reading an author who supports ________.
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behavioral theories ---Behavioral theories of leadership are theories proposing that specific behaviors differentiate leaders from nonleaders.
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Now your boss seems to be trying to analyze each leader according to which employees they interact with most and least, and which employees they rate highest and lowest. You suspect that he is reading about which of the following models?
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LMX ---Leader-member exchange (LMX) theory argues that, because of time pressures, leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of their followers. These individuals make up the in-group—they are trusted, get a disproportionate amount of the leader's attention, and are more likely to receive special privileges. Other followers fall into the out-group.
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According to LMX theory, the in-group is likely to be composed of ________.
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Rebecca and Jennifer only ---The LMX theory proposes that early in the history of the interaction between a leader and a given follower, the leader implicitly categorizes the follower as an "in" or an "out," and that relationship is relatively stable over time. Leaders induce LMX by rewarding those employees with whom they want a closer linkage and punishing those with whom they do not
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According to LMX theory, which of the following employees is likely to be included in the out-group?
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Sarah and Jennifer only ----The LMX theory proposes that early in the history of the interaction between a leader and a given follower, the leader implicitly categorizes the follower as an "in" or an "out," and that relationship is relatively stable over time. Leaders induce LMX by rewarding those employees with whom they want a closer linkage and punishing those with whom they do not.
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Because he has an internationally based team, Leo and the team do most of their business communications via e-mail. Which of the following represents what is least likely to be true of Leo's experience working with the team in an online environment?
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Team members tend to have high levels of identification-based trust -----Online leaders confront unique challenges, particularly around developing and maintaining trust. Identification-based trust, based on a mutual understanding of each other's intentions and appreciation of the others wants and desires, is particularly difficult to achieve without face-to-face interaction. Leo's team would be least likely to experience high levels of identification-based trust. Online negotiations might also be hindered because parties express lower levels of trust.
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Two of the team members seem to respond most effectively when Leo exhibits high levels of initiating structure. These are most likely which of the following?
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Jean-Paul and Xiang ----France and China are countries where individuals tend to value initiating structure. The French have a bureaucratic view of leaders and expect leaders to make decisions relatively autocratically. The Chinese have a high performance orientation that emphasizes status differences between employees. Leaders with high initiating structures therefore have better results in these countries.
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Which of the following team members would be least likely to respond favorably if Leo made project-related decisions independently, without consulting the team?
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Maria ---Brazilians value participatory decision-making. Maria would thus be least likely to respond favorably to autocratic decision-making on Leo's part. As one Brazilian manager remarked in a research study, "We do not prefer leaders who take self-governing decisions and act alone without engaging the group. That's part of who we are."
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The team agrees that a large component of the project will be carried out at the Chinese headquarters, with Xiang responsible for leading that support team. Based on what Leo knows about Chinese culture, he expects that Xiang will be most effective if he implements which of the following decision-making styles?
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moderately participatory decision-making ----Chinese culture emphasizes being polite, considerate, and unselfish, but it also has a high performance orientation. These two factors suggest consideration and initiating structure may both be important. Although Chinese culture is relatively participative compared to that of the United States, there are also status differences between leaders and employees. This suggests a moderately participative style may work best there.
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You explain that research efforts at isolating leadership traits have ________.
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been supportive of the Big Five leadership traits predicting leadership -----For managers who must fill key positions in their organization with effective leaders, there are several tests and interviews that help identify people with leadership qualities. Recent efforts using the Big Five personality framework have generated encouraging results. Extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness to experience show strong and consistent relationships to leadership.
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In carrying out a transformational approach to overseeing the project, Leo strives to implement the universal elements of transformational leadership. He most likely implements all of the following except ________.
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silent leadership ----The silence of a leader is very powerful in Japan, but not necessarily in other countries. Silent leadership is, therefore, not considered one of the university elements of transformational leadership. The elements are: vision, foresight, providing encouragement, trustworthiness, dynamism, positiveness, and proactiveness.
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Leadership and management are two terms that are often confused.
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TRUE ----Although often used interchangeably, the terms leadership and management have two different meanings. John Kotter of the Harvard Business School argues that management is the ability to cope with complexity. Leadership, by contrast, is defined as the ability to cope with change.
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According to Kotter, management focuses on coping with change; leadership focuses on coping with complexity.
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FALSE ---John Kotter of the Harvard Business School defines management as the ability to cope with complexity and leadership as the ability to cope with change. Effective managers, he argues, bring about order and consistency by drawing up formal plans, designing rigid organization structures, and monitoring results against the plans. Alternatively, strong leaders establish direction by developing a vision of the future. They align people by communicating this vision and inspiring them to overcome hurdles.
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Leadership can be defined as the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of order and consistency
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FALSE ----Strong leaders, according to John Kotter, possess the ability to deal effectively with change. Great leaders establish new direction for their followers by developing a vision of the future. They excel at aligning people by communicating this vision and inspiring them to overcome hurdles.
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Holding a management position is an important step toward becoming a leader in an organization
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FALSE ----Even if an organization provides its managers with certain formal rights, there is no guarantee that they will become effective leaders. Nonsanctioned leadership—the ability to influence that arises outside the formal structure of the organization—is often as important or more important than formal influence. In many cases, leaders emerge from within a group and not necessarily by formal appointment.
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Research efforts at isolating leadership traits achieved a breakthrough, of sorts, when researchers began organizing traits around the Big Five personality framework
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TRUE ----By the 1990s, after numerous studies and analyses, researchers had determined that most leaders differed from non-leaders, but the particular traits that characterized them varied a great deal from review to review. When researchers began organizing traits around the Big Five personality framework, they gained some new insights. Most of the dozens of traits identified in various leadership reviews fit under one of the Big Five (ambition and energy are part of extraversion, for instance), giving strong support to traits as predictors of leadership
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One assumption of the trait view of leadership is that leaders cannot be trained.
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TRUE ----Trait theories of leadership focus on personal, social, physical, or intellectual attributes possessed by great leaders. These attributes, or traits, are innate and present at birth. Proponents of trait theories of leadership argue that possession of these particular traits will determine who will become a strong leader, implying that great leaders are born and not trained
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The Big Five personality framework revealed that traits are most useful as predictors of leadership emergence
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TRUE ----Current leadership research, when organized around the Big Five, suggests that certain traits are common to strong leaders. These traits, however, are more strongly related to leader emergence than to leader effectiveness. Sociable and dominant people, for example, are more likely to assert themselves in group situations and emerge as potential leaders
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Trait research would provide a basis for selecting the "right" persons to assume formal positions requiring leadership
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TRUE ----Current leadership studies suggest that traits can predict effective leaders. Leaders who are extroverted, conscientious, creative, and flexible do have an apparent advantage when it comes to leadership. Possession of certain key traits, therefore, could be a valid criteria to select the "right" person for a formal leadership position
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If behavioral theories of leadership are valid, selection of leaders should focus on length of experience an individual has obtained in the right situations
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FALSE ---Behavioral theories of leadership have indicated that great leaders may be trained to exhibit successful leadership behaviors. Therefore, the length of a potential leader's related experience would not be important since great leaders may be taught successful behaviors, including consideration and initiating structure. Leaders who display consideration and structuring behaviors appear to be most effective.
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If behavioral theories of leadership are valid, we could have an infinite supply of effective leaders.
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TRUE ---Behavioral studies of leadership investigate how great leaders act or behave. Strong leaders seem to exhibit structuring behaviors (defining roles in the search for goal attainment) or considering behaviors (forming relationships which center on mutual trust and respect). If these successful leadership behaviors can be learned, then behavioral theory suggests that people may be taught to be great leaders.
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The most comprehensive and replicated of the behavioral theories resulted from research begun by Fred Fiedler
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FALSE ----The most comprehensive and replicated behavioral theories resulted from the Ohio State Studies in the late 1940s. This research sought to identify independent dimensions of leader behavior. From a list of over 1,000 dimensions, researchers narrowed the list to two that accounted for most of the leadership behavior described by employees. These dimensions were identified as consideration and initiating structure
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The Ohio State Studies involved research on only two dimensions - initiating structure and consideration.
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TRUE ----The Ohio State Studies focused on two dimensions of leader behavior: initiating structure and consideration. Initiating structure is the extent to which a leader is likely to define and structure his or her role and those of employees in the search for goal attainment. Consideration is the extent to which a leader's job relationships are characterized by mutual trust, respect for employees' ideas, and regard for their feelings
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A leader designated as high on initiating structure would be likely to clearly define the roles of his or her subordinates
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TRUE ---According to the Ohio State Studies, initiating structure indicates the degree to which a leader is likely to define and structure his or her role and those of employees in the search for goal attainment. Initiating structure includes behavior that attempts to organize work, foster work relationships, and achieve goals. A leader high in initiating structure is someone who assigns group members to particular tasks, expects workers to maintain definite standards of performance, and emphasizes the meeting of deadlines.
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According to the University of Michigan studies, production-oriented leadership is defined as the extent to which a leader tends to emphasize the technical or task aspects of the job
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TRUE ---Leadership studies at the University of Michigan's Survey Research Center identified two behavioral characteristics of leaders that appeared related to performance effectiveness. Employee-oriented leaders emphasized interpersonal relationships by taking a personal interest in the needs of their employees and accepting individual differences among them. Production-oriented leaders emphasized the technical or task aspects of the job—their concern was in accomplishing their group's tasks.
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The Fiedler contingency model proposes that effective group performance depends upon the proper match between a leader's style and the degree to which a situation gives control to the leader.
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TRUE ---Fiedler's contingency model proposes that effective group performance depends on the proper match between the leader's style and the degree to which the situation gives the leader control. A key factor in leadership success, Fiedler argued, is the individual's basic leadership style. To identify a person's leadership style, Fiedler developed the least preferred coworker (LPC) questionnaire which measures whether a person is task- or relationship-oriented
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Fiedler's contingency model is considered to be the first comprehensive contingency model for leadership.
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TRUE ----The first comprehensive contingency model for leadership was developed by Fred Fiedler. The Fiedler contingency model proposes that effective group performance depends on the proper match between the leader's style and the degree to which the situation gives the leader control.
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In Fiedler's approach, if a respondent uses unfavorable terms to describe the co-worker in question, the respondent can be said to be primarily task-oriented.
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TRUE ---According to Fiedler's least preferred co-worker (LPC) questionnaire, if you see your least preferred co-worker in relatively unfavorable terms (a low LPC score), you are primarily interested in productivity and are task oriented.
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According to Fiedler, task structure is the degree to which the job assignments are procedurized
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TRUE ----According to Fiedler, task structure is the degree to which the job assignments are procedurized (that is, structured or unstructured).
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According to Fiedler, leader-member relations concerns the degree to which a leader takes a personal interest in the needs of his or her employees and accepts individual differences among them.
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FALSE ---According to Fiedler, leader-member relations concerns the degree of confidence, trust, and respect members have in their leader.
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According to Fiedler's contingency model, task-oriented leaders are most effective in situations of high or low control
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TRUE ----According to Fiedler's contingency model, task-oriented leaders perform best in situations of high and low control, whereas relationship-oriented leaders perform best in moderate control situations.
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Taken as a whole, tests of the overall validity of the Fiedler model tend to support substantial parts of the model
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TRUE ----Studies testing the overall validity of the Fiedler model find considerable evidence to support substantial parts of it. If we use only three categories rather than the original eight, there is ample evidence to support Fiedler's conclusions. But the logic underlying the LPC questionnaire is not well understood, and respondents' scores are not stable. The contingency variables are also complex and difficult for practitioners to assess.
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One criticism of the Fiedler model concerns the fact that the logic underlying the model's questionnaire is not well understood.
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TRUE ----The logic underlying the LPC questionnaire is not well understood, and respondents' scores are not stable. The contingency variables are also complex and difficult for practitioners to assess.
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Studies regarding the Fiedler model have shown that respondents' questionnaire scores tend to be relatively stable
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FALSE ----The logic underlying the LPC questionnaire is not well understood, and respondents' scores are not stable. The contingency variables are also complex and difficult for practitioners to assess
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One advantage of the Fiedler model is that its contingency variables are simple and easy to assess.
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FALSE ---The logic underlying the LPC questionnaire is not well understood, and respondents' scores are not stable. The contingency variables are also complex and difficult for practitioners to assess.
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Hersey and Blanchard argue that the correct leadership style is contingent on the level of the follower's readiness
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TRUE ---Situational leadership theory says that successful leadership is achieved by selecting the right leadership style contingent on the followers' readiness, or the extent to which they are willing and able to accomplish a specific task
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Situational leadership theory has been well validated by research but not well received by practitioners because there are so many factors to examine
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FALSE ---Situational leadership theory has intuitive appeal. It acknowledges the importance of followers and builds on the logic that leaders can compensate for their limited ability and motivation. Yet research efforts to test and support the theory have generally been disappointing. Possible explanations include internal ambiguities and inconsistencies in the model itself as well as problems with research methodology in tests.
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SLT is an example of a trait theory
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FALSE ---Situational leadership theory (SLT) is a contingency theory that focuses on followers' readiness.
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Path-goal theory assumes leaders are flexible and can display different leadership behavior depending on the situation
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TRUE ---Path-goal theory states that it is the leader's job to assist followers in attaining their goals and to provide the necessary direction and/or support to ensure that followers' goals are compatible with the overall objectives of the group or organization
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A hypothesis that has evolved out of path-goal theory is that directive leadership leads to greater satisfaction when tasks are ambiguous or stressful
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TRUE ----According to path-goal theory, whether a leader should be directive or supportive or should demonstrate some other behavior depends on a complex analysis of the situation. Among other things, this theory predicts that directive leadership yields greater satisfaction when tasks are ambiguous or stressful than when they are highly structured and well laid out
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The leader-participation model provides a set of rules that leaders can use to determine the appropriate leadership behavior for a given task structure
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TRUE ----The leader-participation model is a leadership theory that provides a set of rules to determine the form and amount of participative decision making in different situations
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The complexity of the leadership-participation model enables leaders to apply it realistically when they are assessing decision-making situations
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FALSE ----Research testing both the original and revised leader-participation models has not been encouraging, although the revised model rates higher in effectiveness. Criticism focuses on the model's complexity and the variables it omits. Although Vroom and Jago have developed a computer program to guide managers through all the decision branches in the revised model, it's not very realistic to expect practicing managers to consider 12 contingency variables, eight problem types, and five leadership styles to select the decision process for a problem.
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In the leader-member exchange theory, leaders don't treat all of their subordinates alike.
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TRUE ---Leader-member exchange theory argues that, because of time pressures, leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of their followers. These individuals make up the in-group—they are trusted, get a disproportionate amount of the leader's attention, and are more likely to receive special privileges. Other followers fall into the out-group
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According to LMX theory, out-group members get more of the leader's time, but in a negative manner.
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FALSE ---Leader-member exchange (LMX) theory argues that, because of time pressures, leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of their followers. These individuals make up the in-group—they are trusted, get a disproportionate amount of the leader's attention, and are more likely to receive special privileges. Other followers fall into the out-group
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Research testing of LMX theory has been generally supportive
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TRUE ----Research to test LMX theory has been generally supportive, with substantive evidence that leaders do differentiate among followers; that these disparities are far from random; and that followers with in-group status will have higher performance ratings, engage in more helping or "citizenship" behaviors at work, and report greater satisfaction with their superiors.
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Most experts believe that individuals may be trained to exhibit charismatic behavior
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TRUE ----Although individuals inherit certain tendencies, most experts believe that charismatic behaviors may be learned. Studies have suggested the effectiveness of a three-step process to teach potential leaders to exhibit charismatic behaviors. This process includes developing and maintaining an optimistic view, drawing others to this view by creating a bond with followers, and bringing out the potential in others by tapping into their emotions
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As a transactional leader, a CEO is more likely to be effective if he lets employees make decisions and avoids intervening when business problems arise
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FALSE ---Transactional leaders can display three different styles: laissez-faire, management by exception, and contingent reward. A laissez-faire approach, in which the leader lets followers make decisions and avoids intervening in business affairs, is the least effective of the transactional approaches.
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The benefits of employee mentoring are primarily career-related, including higher compensation and improved job performance.
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FALSE ----Mentoring, the practice in which a senior employee sponsors and supports a less experienced employee, is most valuable for its psychological benefits. Current research indicates that mentoring yields very small objective outcomes like higher compensation and improved job performance. The benefits of mentoring are primarily of a psychological nature since the senior employee can provide friendship, share helpful personal experiences, and act as a role model for the junior employee.
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Leadership training is most likely to be successful with individuals who are low self-monitors
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FALSE
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What are the implications of the behavioral theories of leadership?
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If trait research had been successful, it would have provided a basis for selecting the "right" persons to assume formal positions in groups and organizations requiring leadership. In contrast, if behavioral studies were to turn up critical behavioral determinants of leadership, we could train people to be leaders. The difference between trait and behavioral theories, in terms of application, lies in their underlying assumptions. If trait theories were valid, then leaders are born rather than made. On the other hand, if there were specific behaviors that identified leaders, then we could teach leadership - we could design programs that implanted these behavioral patterns in individuals who desired to be effective leaders
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Identify and explain the two dimensions of leadership described in the Ohio State studies.
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"The Ohio State studies proposed that two categories accounted for most of the leadership behavior described by employees. They called these two dimensions initiating structure and consideration. a) Initiating structure refers to the extent to which a leader is likely to define and structure his or her role and those of employees in the search for goal attainment
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Describe LMX theory and identify its main beliefs
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This theory argues that because of time pressures, leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of their followers. These individuals make up the in-group - they are trusted, get a disproportionate amount of the leader's attention, and are more likely to receive special privileges. Other followers fall into the out-group. They get less of the leader's time, fewer of the preferred rewards that the leader controls, and have leader-follower relations based on formal authority interactions. The leader implicitly categorizes the follower as an "in" or "out" and that relationship is relatively stable over time
