Quiz 11: Global Leadership Issues and Practices

International companies need a new kind of leader for the international environment due to increased complexity.

There are more global leaders than there is demand for them.

A global mindset is built on a thorough knowledge of geography.

Leadership involves organizing a group of people in order to achieve a common purpose or goal.

Leadership is synonymous with management.

Global leaders confront more complex contexts than do domestic leaders.

Multiplicity and interdependence are among the four dimensions of complexity identified by scholars.

Dynamism means that the leader must be dynamic.

Globalization increases the complexity of the external but not the internal context of the company.

Egocentric ruthlessness is a leadership trait admired in some cultures, as suggested by Project GLOBE.

Among the skills necessary for a global leader are cultural adaptability and an ability to build global teams.

The Global Leadership Triad includes skills in business, relationships, and personal effectiveness.

Women's leadership skills coincide with global leadership skills.

Assessing global leadership skills is a well-understood, basic process.

Research indicates that global leaders are born, not developed through experience or training.

The GLED model is used to develop management skills.

The GLED model suggests that there are some individual characteristics that are antecedent to the development process.

A study of the liberal arts disciplines of history, political science, foreign languages, and geography would be a helpful background for an aspiring global leader.

Transformational experiences are a recommended part of preparation for global leadership.

Global teams are a decreasing form for international work, since transportation cost reductions have been implemented in many corporations.

Global teams are characterized by low levels of diversity and high levels of geographic dispersion.

The three main team leadership activities in any environment are establishing the team, coaching team members, and setting team norms.

Team establishment involves weakly linked member identification to ensure creativity.

Creating an environment for team norms to come into play is especially useful in global teams, because they are characterized by high levels of diversity.

Coaching is not important in a diverse team if the norms are strong.

Team norms are legitimate, shared standards against which the appropriateness of behavior can be evaluated.

Multiplicity for global team leaders is evidenced by more players in the game than in a domestic setting.

Expectations of team leadership style are the same in all cultures.

In cultures with hierarchical values, such as Japan and Brazil, a single leader with decision-making power is often the case.

In collectivist cultures such as Thailand, accountability is assumed at the group level.

A way to open up the cultural assumptions team members have is the map-bridge-integrate model.

Mapping is figuring out a geographical outline for all team members.

Bridging involves seeing the other person's point of view.

Effective bridging in a team situation is a substitute for integration.

Virtual team leadership is similar to co-located team leadership.

Virtual communication is more effective than face-to-face communication.

Most virtual teams meet at their launch and during crisis.

Teams with strong heartbeats may meet less regularly than at their launch and during crisis.

Social loafing is not an issue on virtual teams.

Performance appraisal for global teams is influenced by national-level culture.

Seeing what needs to be done is a management, rather than leadership, element.

Change is understood differently in different cultures, which suggests that leading global change is a challenging process.

Research on global change has led to well-developed theories of the process of global change.

Kurt Lewin's model of change involves understanding the need for change, changing, and evaluating the change.

Kotter's model for change is an eight-step process that includes ways to make the change stick through leadership and succession.

Some of the culture dimensions that are involved in change are tolerance of ambiguity and power distance.

The influence of organizational culture on change efforts is stronger than the influence of national culture.

Cultures that tolerate high levels of ambiguity, such as Japan and Germany, are likely to be more change-friendly.

People from cultures with high power distance will feel most comfortable with top managers' making decisions and issuing directives.

Global managers who want to drive change need to be able to communicate across cultural boundaries and build trust.

The successful domestic leader: A) can easily adapt to the global arena because the leadership challenges there are the same as those in the domestic arena. B) faces daunting new skills in transferring to the global leadership arena, skills having to do with understanding a fast-moving environment and cultural differences. C) can be retrained to lead globally through an international global leadership program. D) will need to learn foreign languages and nonverbal communication patterns to be a global leader. E) C and D.

The route to global leadership: A) is well established on the MBA foundation. B) has many options, depending on context. C) involves recognizing the traits early because global leaders have skills they were born with. D) is dependent on early career success in accounting or auditing and knowledge of foreign languages. E) A and D.

A global mindset involves: A) a good, fundamental understanding of geography. B) solid training in foreign languages and geography. C) an openness to diversity and inclination to synthesize across its borders. D) early foreign experiences. E) A and D

The foundation of a global mindset is: A) knowledge of and experience in other cultures. B) knowledge of foreign languages and cultures. C) intellectual intelligence and global emotional intelligence. D) global skills. E) A, B, and D.

According to Warren Bennis: A) the leader inspires, while the manager controls. B) the leader orders, while the managers requests. C) the leader is charismatic, while the manager is a functionary bureaucrat. D) the leader is acclaimed, while the manager is appointed. E) the leader initiates, while the manager waits for directives.

The interdependence that confronts global leaders results from: A) needing to depend on others to implement change plans. B) increased levels of linkage, both within and outside the company. C) global logistics conditions. D) outsourcing of manufacturing. E) offshoring of personnel.

Global leaders confront increased ambiguity because: A) they find themselves unable to make decisions. B) Unclear information and unclear cause-and-effect relationships create much of the ambiguity global leaders deal with. C) much of the information they receive is difficult to give meaning to because it lacks clarity or has unclear cause-and-effect relationships. E) A and B.

Project GLOBE found that: A) all cultures think of leadership in the same way. B) leadership is individualistic to each culture, with little overlap. C) leadership is nonexistent in some developing countries. D) leadership tends to be stable in developed economies and unstable in developing economies. E) some leadership traits are shared among all cultures

Acceptable leadership traits across cultures, according to Project GLOBE, include: A) directive, not afraid of criticizing others, and direct. B) planning, able to stick to schedule, and able to stay within budget. C) effective bargainer, dependable, win-win problem solver, and plans ahead. D) high context, high power distance, and high tolerance for ambiguity. E) low power distance, female, and low tolerance for ambiguity.

Leadership traits viewed universally as unacceptable, according to the Project GLOBE study, are: A) egocentric, loner, and dictatorial. B) indecisive, unprincipled, and dishonest. C) indirect, indecisive, and antisocial. D) passive, indirect, and unprincipled. E) indirect, intellectual, and passive.

Global leadership can be regarded as different in kind from domestic leadership because: A) it requires much more knowledge of foreign languages and geography. B) the differences between them are inconsequential. C) their differences are of such great degrees with regard to their level of skills and application. D) the domestic context does not require travel or knowledge of geography. E) the domestic context is so limited.

The roles of the global leader include: A) negotiator and change agent. B) supervisor and administrator. C) superintendent and monitor D) marketer and salesperson for change. E) B and D.

"Culture does not affect leadership attributes." This statement is: A) true, because leadership traits are universal. B) true, because leadership is a top-down concept. C) true, because the desire to be led is universal. D) false, because all cultures understand what leadership is. E) false, because traits understood as critical for leaders vary some by culture.

Brake's leadership triad includes: A) culture knowledge, foreign languages, and business acumen. B) business, culture, and geographic acumen. C) business knowledge, relationship skills, and personal effectiveness skills D) self-discipline, motivational skills, and business skills. E) personal, business, and motivational skills.

Dalton suggests that moral reasoning is a skill: A) not needed by global leaders. B) that belongs in the legal arena, not the business arena. C) needed by global leaders to confront ethical dilemmas. D) included in the concept of complexity. E) needed by global managers who implement, not leaders.

The Pyramid Model of Global Leadership identifies: A) character traits necessary for global leaders B) The Pyramid Model describes a progression of skills upon which global leadership rests. C) a progression of skills required for effective global leadership. D) a progression of activities necessary to build global leadership skills. E) A and B.

Of the skills required for global leaders, there is: A) a broad array of competencies. B) a solid understanding that rests on domestic leadership theory. C) no understanding of what is needed. D) limited understanding of the global leader's activities. E) wide consensus on what is needed.

"Women are inappropriate for global leadership positions." This statement is: A) true, because of cultural differences. B) true, because of experience gaps. C) false, because women have characteristics aligned with global leadership traits. D) false, because women understand oppression and victimization. E) true, because if women could do the job, they would be doing it.

Assessment instruments can be used to: A) determine job performance for global assignments. B) measure cross-cultural adaptability and global leadership competencies. C) train managers in global leadership. D) train managers to assess global arena performance. E) A and D.

GLED and Right Stuff are models for: A) developing global leaders. B) developing and assessing global assignees. C) understanding global leadership situations. D) evaluating global leadership performance. E) understanding global leadership deficits.

The GLED model of global leadership development: A) involves antecedents and a process to build higher levels of expertise. B) applies to managers already belonging to the company. C) involves extensive foreign training and language acquisition. D) is used by the State Department. E) C and D.

The Right Stuff model of global leadership development: A) focuses on the needs of the firm and develops managers who bring some of the right stuff with them. B) suggests that global leaders are born, not made. C) looks to universities to train in global leadership. D) relies on in-house candidates for global leadership positions. E) assumes that the firm can provide what the global leadership candidate requires.

A standardized global leadership development approach: A) is under development by leading scholars. B) has been available to firms for many years. C) The process of global leadership is so complex that it is unlikely that there will be a standardized approach in the foreseeable future. D) is unlikely, given the complexity of the process. E) B and C.

Development of global leadership skills is: A) a linear and exacting process. B) well established and can be followed by anyone wanting to become a global leader. C) a process that is not individualized. D) A and E) a nonlinear process that involves a set of diverse experiences.

If a student wants to become a global leader, she or he might: A) study abroad and live with host families. B) build language and cultural fluency. C) take international internships. D) travel as much as possible. E) all of the above.

The goal of global leadership development is to: A) tick off the boxes so that management will recognize your skills. B) build language fluency. C) obtain the variety of transformational experiences that are needed to develop global leadership capability. D) build allies and networks in the firm where your skills are recognized. E) all of the above.

Global teams are characterized by: A) their virtuality and use of many media. B) their geographic dispersion. C) their diversity. D) their differing member contexts. E) all of the above.

Team leadership has these main activities: A) directing and evaluating. B) directing and organizing. C) establishing, coaching, and assessing. D) establishing, coaching, and setting norms. E) A and C.

In establishing the team, the leader wants to: A) set boundaries for the team. B) encourage strong member identification with the team and team norms. C) direct activities so the team can meet its goals. D) encourage team members to know one another. E) A and B.

High levels of motivation in teams are likely when: A) the rewards are substantial. B) the team has low levels of diversity. C) team members see one another as each member sees himself or herself. D) the task is challenging. E) A and B.

Team coaching is critically important in global teams because: A) with high levels of diversity, team members who don't know each other are likely to expect poor performance. B) team members need coaching to cross cultural barriers. C) global teams are challenged with diversity, which leads to innovation. D) without coaching, each separately located member is likely to work independently.

Global team leaders want to set specific team norms because: A) leaving the norming process to team members will allow the predominant culture to dominate. B) global teams work best with norms of accountability and independence. C) without norms or with dysfunctional norms, global teams are likely to under perform. D) norms that support consideration and cooperation lead to good team functioning. E) only when norms are set can the global team leader go on to the next step in the team process.

Cooperation as a global team norm: A) is scarce and unlikely to develop. B) helps to overcome the disadvantage of geographic dispersion. C) is overrated according to research. D) contributes to high levels of out-group feelings. E) C and D.

The sooner the team achieves high levels of trust, the sooner the team can: A) relax and wait for deadlines. B) rank its members by skills. C) set up its norms. D) move to a constructive focus on the task. E) allocate power.

Because of the context in which the global team leader is acting, he or she: A) confronts the added complexities created by globalization. B) needs to speak foreign languages and understand foreign cultures. C) needs to be able to cope with jet lag and cultural adjustment. D) is sheltered from most domestic political activity. E) needs to be aware of the possibility of terrorism, including electronic hacking.

With regard to globalization's complexity, the condition of multiplicity means that: A) many currencies may be used. B) financial markets may have different rules. C) there are many more players and many more relationships to maintain. D) increased ambiguity can work in the global leader's favor. E) allocate power.

Included in the differences between a traditional team and a global team is the difference between: A) one economic condition and many dissimilar economic conditions. B) virtual and actual relationships. C) hierarchy and flat structures. D) individual and group goals. E) assertive and aggressive goal setting.

The trend in diverse global teams is to: A) treat everyone the same. B) suppress differences and focus on commonalities. C) focus on differences and suppress commonalities. D) treat everyone as a unique individual. E) avoid discussing politics, sex, and religion.

Culture plays a role in global team member expectations. For example: A) Americans are likely to want strong group identity. B) Japanese are likely to want hierarchical leadership. C) Germans are likely to want high levels of task ambiguity. D) These cultural preferences related to global team member expectations are in the text. Materials to discuss them further are found in the dimensions in Chapter 4. E) B and D.

Maznevski's map-bridge-integrate model helps global team members: A) more fully understand each other and establish how the team will work. B) avoid dealing with cultural differences. C) establish ways to address planning issues. D) focus more fully on the task. E) B and D.

In the process of bridging, team members: A) discuss their similarities. B) relate their personal histories. C) decenter. D) discuss their task-relevant skills. E) A and E.

Virtual communication: A) is more efficient than face-to-face communication. B) allows a focus on tasks and less on social needs. C) lacks the richness of face-to-face communication. D) supports higher levels of trust than face-to-face communication. E) allows for integrated global team development.

Virtual teams that meet frequently to build trust are said to: A) live in airport terminals. B) have nomadic norms. C) have high levels of consideration. D) B and E) create a regular heartbeat.

Social loafing is: A) unusual in virtual teams. B) a danger in virtual teams. C) discouraged through a mixture of individual and team-based rewards. D) more common in face-to-face teams than global virtual teams. E) B and C.

Leading global change is: A) just like leading domestic change. B) like leading domestic change, but exponentially more complex due to globalization. C) similar in every location on the globe. D) Leading global change is leading domestic change plus the added complexity of the global context. E) C and D.

What advice would you give to a friend who wants to develop global leadership skills and is an English major?

"There is no difference between management and leadership." Agree or disagree with this assertion, explaining your reasoning.

With global leadership, global teams, and global change, the global context adds substantial complexity to the activity. Comment on this additional complexity.

This chapter discusses building a corporate global mindset. What can you do to build an individual global mindset?

What are the differences between traditional and global teams?