Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

Directive leadership is most effective in situations where there is substantive conflict, as it provides clear guidance and direction, helping to resolve uncertainties and improve satisfaction.

Question 2

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 emphasizes the importance of the leader's ability to adapt their leadership style to achieve goals and compensate for any deficiencies in the employee or work setting. This theory suggests that effective leadership will increase employee motivation, satisfaction, and performance by creating a clear path to achieve their goals and addressing any obstacles that may arise. Therefore, choosing a leadership style that compensates for such shortcomings is likely to improve employee performance and satisfaction.

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

Path-goal theory suggests that a leader's behavior and actions should be tailored to the subordinates' needs and characteristics. Therefore, if a subordinate has an external locus of control, they may prefer a directive style in order to have clear guidance and structure from their leader. In contrast, subordinates with an internal locus of control may prefer a participative or supportive style in which they have more input and control over their work.

Question 4

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 5

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

Transactional leadership is characterized by the exchange of rewards for work. Bill's leadership style is transactional because he acknowledges that his employees are looking for personal gain and provides answers to their concerns about rewards. Situational leadership is a style that adapts to the situation at hand, while transformational leadership inspires and empowers employees to achieve common goals. Charismatic leadership focuses on the leader's personality traits and ability to inspire and motivate followers. There is no indication in the statement that Bill's leadership style is either situational or charismatic.

Question 6

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 7

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 8

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

Accepted Answer

The least-preferred coworker questionnaire is used to assess a leader's leadership style, specifically whether they are more focused on task achievement or maintaining positive relationships with employees.

Question 9

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

Accepted Answer

Robert House's Path-Goal Theory suggests that leaders should be flexible and adaptable in their leadership styles based on the situation, task, and the characteristics of their subordinates.

Question 10

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 focusing on Cara's strengths rather than her weaknesses suggests he is more of a people-oriented leader, as he is showing consideration for her feelings and morale, rather than solely focusing on task completion and performance metrics. Task-oriented leaders typically prioritize the completion of tasks and productivity over the personal aspects of team management.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

Robert House's achievement-oriented leader style focuses on setting challenging goals and pushing followers to perform at their highest level.

Question 12

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 ability to inspire her team to excel and exceed their expectations, as well as her willingness to discuss and question her own decisions, suggest that her leadership style is transformational. This type of leadership focuses on inspiring and motivating others to achieve their full potential, and encourages an open dialogue and collaborative atmosphere.

Question 13

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 match between the leader's style and the degree to which the situation gives the leader control and influence over the outcomes. The model focuses on three main factors: leader-member relations, task structure, and position power. The ability and willingness of subordinates are not considered in this model.

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, in-group members receive more attention, support, and information from their leaders, which leads to higher performance and job satisfaction. In this case, Adrienne's supervisor has developed a stronger relationship with her, making her a member of the in-group.

Question 15

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

Accepted Answer

Fiedler's model proposed that a leader's style was relatively fixed and consistent across different situations. This was a key part of his theory and helped to distinguish it from other leadership theories that placed more emphasis on flexibility and adaptability in leadership styles.

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 is when a leader sets challenging goals and expectations to improve performance, and this aligns with Hannah's behavior of establishing challenging goals and expectations for the employees. The task-oriented style focuses on getting the job done efficiently, production-oriented on maximizing outputs, and democratic on involving and empowering team members in decision making.

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

Transformational leaders not only possess charisma, but also exhibit other qualities such as inspiring and motivating their followers towards a shared vision, providing individualized consideration and support, and challenging their followers to grow and develop. Thus, choice C is accurate. Choices A, B, and D are not accurate as transformational leaders are known to be effective motivators, provide clarity of task requirements, and focus on both tasks and followers equally.

Question 18

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 LMX theory, there are two groups of employees within a team: the in-group (core group) and the out-group (non-core group). The in-group receives more attention, support, and opportunities for growth from their leader, while the out-group does not. As a result, the out-group may experience lower job satisfaction, feel demotivated, and have higher turnover rates. Therefore, the prediction that there will be a higher turnover among team members who are not a part of Alan's core group is consistent with LMX theory.

Question 19

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 20

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 found that task-oriented leaders performed better in situations that were either very favorable (i.e. high control and good relationships with subordinates) or very unfavorable (i.e. low control and poor relationships with subordinates). This is because task-oriented leaders are focused on getting tasks accomplished, regardless of the situational factors, and can adapt their leadership style accordingly.

Quiz 16: Leadership