Chapter 5

Question 1

According to text book, a good leader should have the following traits:

Answer 1

1. Honest and ethical person
2. Decisive person
3. Caring person
4. Strong convictions

Question 2

Negative traits of a leader:

Answer 2

1. Secretiveness
2. Appearance of Insecurity
3. Indecisiveness
4. Insensitivity

Question 3

City manager competence (defining moment) may come in the form of:

Answer 3

Management of man- made and natural disasters

Question 4

Most of the time the ability to lead will be judged on:

Answer 4

1. Management of day to day events and treatment of personnel.

Question 5

Managing for respect means:

Answer 5

Being professional at all times.

Question 6

The city manager must:

Answer 6

1. Accept the city council’s policy making role.
2. City councils and city managers have different roles.
3. City manager is recommender of policy not policy-maker.
4. City manager must make best professional advice to council.
5. City manager must not be influenced by politics.
6. City council will weigh professional and political considerations.

Question 7

City manager disagreements with the city council should be:

Answer 7

1. Recorded in minutes of the meeting.

2. City manager will carry out decisions of the city council as if they were his/her own.

Question 8

City manager must not:

Answer 8

1. Provide favors that violate city policy and budget constraints.
2. Provide favors that will not pass “tell the world” test.
3. Provide favors that would not be done for others in same situation.
4. Avoid favors that put manager and elected officials in a bad light.

Question 9

FAD management is always:

Answer 9

1. Include reorganization, reinventing outsourcing & privatization.
2. Feared by employees in an organization.
3. Middle management often will have the most fear.
4. Flattening organization structures cause loss of positions.

Question 10

In the face of FAD Management; city managers should:

Answer 10

1. Stay with the basics of good management practice that will provide quality programs and services in a cost effective manner.

Question 11

Privatization is another form of:

Answer 11

FAD Management

Question 12

Generally speaking the private sector can not provide better or less expensive or costly services to the public unless:

Answer 12

1. Employees are paid less with fewer benefits

2. Management is better

Question 13

Public managers often do not have incentives to hold down costs as managers in the private sector of business.

Answer 13

True.

Question 14

“Privatization” need not come to local government if good management is utilized.

Answer 14

True.

Question 15

The job of city manager entails:

Answer 15

1. Ensure employees have the best equipment for the job.
2. Ensure employees are well trained.
3. Deliver the most efficient services from your organization.

Question 16

Long term layoffs should be handed accordingly:

Answer 16

1. Give employee as much notice as possible.
2. Ensure employees are told in person and the reason.
3. Help employees with their options; include spouses.
4. Call other employers on employees’ behalf.
5. City manager should make a personal call or visit to CEOs.
6. Give employees a recommendation letter w/reason for layoff.
7. Stay in touch with laid off employees for possible call backs.

Question 17

To be a successful manager one must:

Answer 17

Learn to delegate and become the paradigm of patience in letting employees arrive at their own processes for completing assigned tasks.