Ch 3. Management Flashcards
_____ is the glue that holds an organization together on a day-to-day basis. It is what enables an organization to achieve its goals, efficiently and effectively, with the necessary staff, equipment, and resources. (29)
Management
_____ provide vision and are change agents for an organization, whereas _____ supervise and facilitate the work of others within the organization. (29)
Leaders; Managers
4 main responsibilities of management: (29)
a) planning
b) organizing
c) directing
d) controlling
_____ includes creating and defining goals, and making important decisions and establishing strategic plans to achieve these goals. (29)
Planning
without proper _____ and implementation, the change required to meet new goals can be painful for the organization, its members and its customers. (29)
planning
_____ is the process of determining what tasks need to be done and who is to perform these tasks. (29)
Organizing
The _____ determines the organizational structure (who reports to whom) and which parts of the organization responds to day-to-day problems. (29)
manager
A good organizational chart indicates ____ and ____. (29)
the major groups and who they report to for direction
_____ the organization involves many tasks such as motivating staff, supervising staff, communicating with members, spotting noncompliance, administering appropriate disciplinary action and resolving conflicts. These actions are what most people think of when they picture a manager. (29)
Directing
_____ refers to monitoring performance, measuring outcomes and progress toward goals, and making any adjustments necessary to keep the agency moving toward those goals. As part of this process, managers also provide feedback for future planning. (29)
Controlling
Many experts believe that a person’s _____ holds all of the acquired knowledge, ethical values, past experiences, training, and skills that are used for complex problem solving. (29)
subconscious mind
It is always better when making an important decision to “_____” if possible and allow the subconscious mind to process the information. (29)
sleep on it
The _____ is the initial model of command used at local emergency incidents. (29)
Incident Command System
With the exception of large disasters, all emergencies start as _____. (29)
local emergencies
_____ provides the template for incident management. (29)
NIMS
The _____ provides structure and mechanisms for national-level policies. (29)
National Response Framesork
A NIMS-compliant Incident Command System should be used _____. (29)
on every incident involving more than one resource.
Initial command is initiated by _____. (29)
the first arriving unit
_____ comes from experiences and acquired knowledge. (30)
intuition
The key to success in any field is, to a large extent, a matter of training, education, and about _____ hours of professional experience. (30)
10,000
_____ can be acquired from others through the review of case studies and writings of those with years of experience. (30)
Experience
_____ allows managers to gain knowledge of difficult situations without having to put themselves or their staff in danger. (30)
Learning from others
_____ occurs when individuals collectively study and make a choice from the potential realistic options. (30)
Group decision-making
The _____ provides a definition of the problem, some background information, and any limitations on the group’s decisions. (30)
chief manager
When the final decision directly impacts organizational activities, members’ benefits, or performance benchmarks, _____ may make acceptance easier, especially when sacrifice is required. (30)
group decision-making
One of the major reasons noted for bad decisions made by management is _____. (30)
lack of information
Group members need to be selected carefully based on their openness to discussion, absence of bias, and _____. (30)
ability to come up with rational solutions
The advantage of increased acceptance is lost if members believe the decision-making process was _____. (30)
manipulated
Groups of _____ members seem to be the most effective size for timely group decision-making. (30)
5-15
Ideally, at least _____ meetings should be in person. (30)
half of all
_____ are responsible for communicating any limitations of resources or other relevant limitations to the group members. (30)
Managers
In the process of _____, members may suggest any solutions without initial judgments; this is essentially a technique to generate ideas. (31)
brainistorming
_____ input should be arranged if possible, to encourage those members who may not want to publicly advocate their ideas for fear of criticism. (31)
Anonymous
Only ideas- not _____- should be allowed during brainstorming. (31)
criticism
Only through _____ does real change occur in organizations. (32)
questioning the status quo
The _____ is someone who thinks outside the box, is a risk taker, and is not afraid of change. He is a true leader who may lead the department through substantial, controversial, or progressive changes. (32)
devil’s advocate
To express one’s concerns without angering others, it is best to keep focus on _____ and how alternate solutions may _____. (32)
how the customer, member, or department will benefit from the new policy or decision and how alternate solutions may be harmful for the safety of the customer or efficiency of the department.
_____ is a valuable exercise to make other group members justify their support of a new or old idea. (32)
Playing devil’s advocate
Consensus may be reached by unanimous decision-making, a simple majority, or a ______ (NFPA requiring 2/3 majority and US Senate requiring a 3/5 majority), with _____ being preferable. (32)
specified majority; a majority consensus
Many decisions do not consider the future, and therefore it is common to have ____. (32)
unintended consequences
Poor results can be caused by failure to focus on the customer or department goals, or by _____. (33)
lack of leadership or preparation
Because meetings occur in a nonemergency setting, the group has plenty of time to discuss and analyze all possible actions, often resulting in the tendency to _____. (33)
overthink the problem and make it more complicated than necesarry
Managers can help avoid this situation, _____, by providing clear direction and limitations. (33)
minority domination
_____ considerations have led a few organizations to create alternative departmental structures, but this is rare. (33)
Budgetary
The department is organized by a principle called _____ - the idea that each individual reports to only one manager. (33)
unity of command
_____ becomes even more critical at large incidents where there are several different departments providing mutual aid. (34)
Unity of command
In national emergencies, the _____ is used to ensure unity of command at catastrophic emergency incidents. (34)
NIMS
Making anything a _____ is more likely to result in it being done and done correctly. (34)
routine
_____ is the process of a manager instructing the members under his authority to accomplish an organizational objective. (34)
Directing
Directing can occur through _____ or _____ and varies with the objective to be accomplished. (34)
direct supervision or voluntary compliance
When members are ____ and ____, enforcement methods are seldom needed. (34)
motivated and informed
_____ are the backbone of directing. They achieve consistency by ensuring that all managers are following the same guidelines. (34)
Rules and regulations
In creating an agency’s SOPs, a manager should strive to _____ and _____. (34)
limit the number of SOPs required and to ensure that they are simple and easy to understand.
Ideally, members should be motivated to the point the _____. (34)
they no longer need direct supervision
_____ members are more inclined to cooperate, complete tasks willingly, and follow departmental rules than dissatisfied or unmotivated members. (34)
Motivated
If a potential policy would be met with a great deal of opposition, _____ may help smooth its acceptance. (35)
incentives
Studies show that ___ and ___ have a more lasting impact on output than raises or bonuses. (35)
recognition and status
It is often ____ who are the most vulnerable to boredom and frustration. Money may not be effective motivation for them; instead they may be looking for __3__. (35)
the smartest employees;
1) increased responsibilities
2) challenging work
3) professional growth opportunities
_____ can easily lower morale and upset other members of the organization. (35)
Promoting the wrong person
Promotions should be evaluated base on clearly defined ____ and ____ of the new position. (35)
requirements and responsibilities
_____ is the management function that ensures completion of all steps to accomplish the organization’s goals and provide feedback on any unintended consequences. (35)
Conrolling
To be an effective manager, helpful ___ and ___ are necessary. (35)
criticism and suggestions for imporvment
If managers do not ____, there would be no way to know if policies, plans, and procedures are being achieved correctly and on time. (35)
control
The control process is made up of 3 steps: (35)
1) measuring performance
2) comparing the performance results to a standard
3) taking corrective action
Managers must determine the _____ to avoid unintended consequences. (36)
correct outcome to measure
Outcomes can be measured ____ (a specific number); ____ (yes or no); ____ (no absolute answer but a general measure of several different criteria). (36)
quantitatively; categorically; qualitatively
When a manager finds it is necessary to take corrective action, the first step may be ____. (36)
a feedback session with the employee
Feedback can help correct the performance of an individual or _____. (36)
identify problems with a policy
Regular _____ can be used for managers to get complete and honest information. (36)
feedback meetings
The goal of feedback meetings is to discuss the concern and ____. (36)
possible solutions
The feedback session should end with a clear understanding of ___ and ____. (36)
the issue and any solutions necessary
When feedback sessions ____, disciplinary action may be required. (37)
do not provide the desired result
For a disciplinary system to be effective, a manager should be appointed as the point person on all disciplinary issues; selection should be based on an exceptional reputation of ____. (37)
ethical behavior in the manager’s personal and professional life.
Having ____ negates any unfair actions by subordinate officers and ensures consistency. (37)
one person ultimately responsible for all discipline
Chief officers should watch for violations of the rules and regulations by ____. (37)
walking around to visit stations and emergency incidents
The manager should aim to be ____ in applying disciplinary action. (37)
fair and consistent
_____ is a quality improvement tactic that was first extensively used in Japan’s auto industry. It was created under the assumption that customers are more likely to buy products that are high in quality. Therefore, this tactic strives for the goal of 100% perfection. (38)
Total Quality Management
In selling new ideas, ____ is extremely important. (38)
confidence
_____ helps managers gain vital knowledge about the support or opposition to their proposals. It also helps define any problems, which is the first step of solving any management difficulties. (38)
Listening
7 traits associated with leadership: (38)
1) Drive
2) Desire to lead
3) Honesty and integrity
4) Self-confidence
5) Intelligence
6) Job-related knowledge
7) Extraversion
Managers can be leaders by _____. (39)
setting a positive example for others to follow
By serving as ____, managers can gain voluntary compliance of members. (39)
a role model
_____ can help managers create a positive reputation and gain the trust of their staff. (39)
Leading by example
_____ is not appropriate for FES organizations, which require direct supervision and adherence to rules and regulations for efficiency and consistency of the overall emergency response. (39)
Broad-based empowerment
People who believe they are a part of the decision-making process tend to be ____. (39)
more productive and content
The individuals within a fire or emergency service often do not have _____ to be able to make appropriate decisions. (39)
a sufficient understanding of the larger picture
_____ is a management strategy in which managers physically visit all areas of the organization. It allows for direct supervision and increased communication, because managers can spend up to 60% of their time out in the field. (39)
Managing by Walking Around
Managers can use their senior position to _____ to enable members to accomplish their goals. (39)
remove any roadbocks
_____ sends a powerful message to members that the manager believes that the work that members are doing is important to the mission of the organization. (39)
Managing by Walking Around
The manager’s performance should be measured by the two key criteria of: (39)
efficiency and effectiveness
____ is measured by the ability to perform well using limited funds or resources. (39)
Efficiency
_____ is measured by the manager’s success in attaining goals. (39)
Effectiveness
_____ is the most obvious sign of power. (40)
Formal rank
Power and relationships are codependent and rely on the manager’s ability to _____ (40)
create and effective power base
One of the most valuable assets a manager possesses is _____. (40)
his staff
Delegation is a key to increasing ____. (40)
efficiency
To delegate effectively, you must ____ for your subordinates, state _____ the task should be completed, and _____ to ensure that the task was completed in a satisfactory manner. (40)
clearly define the task
the time frame in which
follow up
_____ is absolutely necessary in all cases and it should be done as inconspicuously as possible so that the members do not think they are viewed as untrustworthy. (40)
Follow-up
If you want to make someone feel important, give him or her ____. (40)
your complete attention
A _____ may be useful to obtain feedback from employees. This type of evaluation uses surveys sent to employees in all directions. (40)
360-degree performance review
Techniques to aid group discussions (in order): 8 (30-32)
1) Understanding limitation
2) Gathering Information
3) Reviewing National Consensus Standards
4) Brainstorming
5) Discussion
6) Voting
7) Delayed Implementation
8) Forward Thinking
The process of determining
what tasks need to be done and who is to perform these tasks falls under which
responsibility of management? (29)
Organizing
