Chapter 7 Integrated Talent Managment Flashcards
Which of the following is an example of an informal development method? (Choose the best response.)
Succession planning programs
Internal group training programs
On-the-job training
Self-study
Self-study
Response D is correct because informal development includes self-study programs and job-rotation programs, as well as job assignments that expose individuals to various duties, responsibilities, tasks, projects, or people.
Which of the following best describes the purpose of manager and leader development? (Choose the best response.)
To affect organizational goals and objectives
To provide guidance and coaching to employees
To create individual development plans for workforce planning
To direct the work of individuals in a department
To affect organizational goals and objectives
Response A is correct because with changes in the roles of managers and leaders comes a need to develop programs that ensure they have the skills required to have a positive effect on the goals and objectives of the organization. A strategic management and leadership development process enables companies to go the distance and increase their competitive knowledge.
Strategic workforce planning includes all of the following EXCEPT ______________. (Choose the option that completes the sentence accurately.
Clarifying the drivers of business strategies
Researching current and anticipated labor markets
Modeling past workforce scenarios
Identifying expected talent gaps
Modeling past workforce scenarios
Response C is correct because modeling future workforce scenarios would be proactive versus modeling based on the past.
Performance management is an important talent management function that involves all of the following EXCEPT______________. (Choose the option that completes the sentence accurately.)
Clarifying responsibilities
Establishing sales goals for the organization
Developing action plans
Taking corrective action
Establishing sales goals for the organization
Response B is correct because performance management does not include establishing an organization’s goals; that is the responsibility of senior leaders. Performance management focuses on goal-setting at the individual level. It involves establishing accountability for individuals meeting goals, standards, and expectations.
Engaged employees show significant differences from other employees in ______________. (Choose the option that completes the sentence accurately.)
Productivity, absenteeism, and online learning scores
Productivity, absenteeism, and safety incidents
Productivity, absenteeism, and management skills.
Profitability, online learning scores, and management skills
Productivity, absenteeism, and safety incidents
Response B is correct because research shows that there are differences between engaged versus disengaged employees in these three areas.
Interrelationships among key components of talent management ______________. (Choose the option that completes the sentence accurately.)
Ensure that organizations have the right people with the right skills in the right place at the right time
Guarantee organizations have competent talent
Have little effect on ensuring employees have the right skills
Require TD professionals to continuously develop training programs
Ensure that organizations have the right people with the right skills in the right place at the right time
Response A is correct because having an integrated talent management initiative connects all the functions that maximize an organization’s talent.
As a TD manager, your leadership asked you to identify a way to provide experience and development to a high-potential manager who is being groomed for future leadership positions. In the program, the manager will spend one year working in a number of departments. During the first six months, the manager is moving to a same-level position in the sales department. After that assignment, the manager will move for six months to another same-level position in the marketing department. What is this type of development strategy known as and why did you select it? (Choose the best response.)
External group development because this employee has already proven himself to be high-potential
Job rotation because it is one of the most effective ways to keep high-potential employees engaged
Job rotation because exposure to different functions increases employees’ knowledge of the organization and builds new skills
Job rotations because it is the fastest way to a promotion
Job rotation because exposure to different functions increases employees’ knowledge of the organization and builds new skills
Response C is correct because job rotation involves moving to other, same-level jobs in the organization with the goal of providing future management and leadership candidates with experiences that facilitate changes in thinking and perspective.
As a TD professional you have been asked to work with a manager in the marketing department on options for getting unbiased feedback about her performance from employees in her department. What advice do you give her to encourage candid feedback? (Choose the best response.)
Internal training
Competency assessments
Simulations
Coaching
Coaching
Response D is correct because as senior leaders and executives move up the ladder, it becomes more difficult for them to get objective feedback about their performance. This can be remedied by coaching leaders to solicit feedback.
You were hired three months ago as the Talent Development Manager in a small family-owned paint business. The owners brought you in to help them determine how to keep their best talent in their business since they are often hired away by large chains. The TD Manager position is new to the organization since they provide little development to their employees. When you were hired you asked for 90 days to review the company practices and get your bearings. You are preparing for your meeting with the owners and are confident that you have some ideas for the business. Your report will include which of the following ideas? (Choose the best response.)
Systems review of all job descriptions and a compensation study because the big chains are able to match employees with the best jobs and pay more
A survey that measures employee satisfaction of employee development, career growth opportunities, level of stimulating work, clarity of how they contribute to the business success, and pride in their work and the company
A succession plan that identifies and analyzes critical roles as well as potential attrition from the critical roles and establishes which jobs employees will move into next
A performance review that establishes accountability and provides feedback and coaching
A survey that measures employee satisfaction of employee development, career growth opportunities, level of stimulating work, clarity of how they contribute to the business success, and pride in their work and the company
Response B is correct. While the other three items may contribute to the situation, you must first find out the root cause for people leaving and why they are not engaged enough to stay. All of these items are drivers that increase employees’ engagement and desire to remain on the job.
When conducting a current capability assessment, TD professionals should examine baseline assessments from all these perspectives EXCEPT______________. (Choose the option that completes the sentence accurately.)
What basic skills are needed just to maintain the status quo and keep the organization running?
What skills are needed to improve the organization?
What are the new business drivers on the horizon, and what skills are needed to meet those future needs?
What skills did not contribute to performance in the past?
What skills did not contribute to performance in the past?
Response D is correct because TD professionals can provide thoughtful leadership to HR about the organization’s talent capabilities by looking at the current skills and those needed in the future. Although historical perspective can be useful, forward thinking is needed to build the talent pool of the future.
Estimated organizational talent needs should be based on ______________. (Choose the option that completes the sentence accurately.)
Past retirement statistics
Supply-and-demand projections for the workforce
Possible mergers
Project timelines
Supply-and-demand projections for the workforce
Response B is correct because supply and demand changes constantly and is important in estimating future talent needs.
Under which condition might the organization want to consider acquiring talent from the outside? (Choose the best response.)
The position requires continuity and institutional knowledge
The position has a steep learning curve
The position is a new direction for the organization and requires a fresh perspective
The position is difficult to fill
The position is a new direction for the organization and requires a fresh perspective
Response C is correct because a fresh perspective is more likely to come from an outsider who is not influenced by organizational history.
Which of the following best defines strategic planning? (Choose the best response.)
A process of surveying employees for the purpose of developing reward and recognition systems
A process of systematically organizing the future
A process of facilitating group brainstorming and gathering knowledge management data
A process of identifying performance gaps and selecting appropriate learning solutions
A process of systematically organizing the future
Response B is correct because strategic planning should be used as a tool to enable managers to accomplish more of the things critical to the TD function and the HR process. For that reason, strategic planning should not be a one-time effort, but ongoing. Finally, strategic planning should help integrate the TD program into the organization, to include developing workforce and succession planning processes, which allow for systematically organizing the future of the organization.
A workforce plan identifies______________. (Choose the option that completes the sentence accurately.)
The skill and knowledge gaps and skill and knowledge required to meet future needs
The organization’s goals and objectives
The future roles and responsibilities of a job
The best candidates with potential to move into a new job
The skill and knowledge gaps and skill and knowledge required to meet future needs
Response A is correct because workforce planning identifies skill and knowledge gaps and the skill and knowledge required to meet future workforce needs. In general, a workforce plan provides managers with a framework for making staffing decisions based on an organization’s mission, strategic plan, budget resources, and desired competencies.
Which of the following analysis methods uses a questionnaire, often with open-ended questions, when input is needed from employees and managers? (Choose the best response.)
Interviews
Observations
Surveys
Work diaries
Surveys
Response C is correct because an open-ended survey or questionnaire should be used when input is needed from employees and managers. When job analysis is conducted using a computer model, a highly structured questionnaire is strongly recommended. Off-the-shelf and online surveys are available.
Competencies focus on the skills, knowledge, behaviors, and ______________of those employees who are performing jobs at a high level of proficiency. (Choose the option that completes the sentence accurately.)
Talents
Attitudes
Abilities
Requirements
Attitudes
Response B is correct because, unlike job descriptions which outline the requirements of the work, competencies speak to the skills, knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes employees need to be successful.
You are a TD manager whose VP has asked you to design a program to develop the high-potential employees within your company. The VP also wants to begin to match these people with prospective roles within the company as needed. How will you begin to meet your VP’s request? (Choose the best response.)
Initiate strategic planning
Develop a replacement planning module
Create a succession plan
Design career planning for the company
Create a succession plan
Response C is correct because developing high-potential employees and matching them with prospective roles is one aspect of the focus of succession planning, which is to create a self-reliant workforce in which organizations gain increased productivity and a pool of developed talent.
As a TD manager for a publisher, you have collected information on the skills gaps that exist as well as the skills required for the auditor role in a finance team. In addition to collecting this information, you have also aligned the goals of the role to the organization’s mission and strategy. You are pleased with the results since this is your first effort to complete a ______________. (Choose the option that completes the sentence accurately.)
Business plan
Training plan
Workforce plan
Succession plan
Workforce plan
Response C is correct because a workforce plan identifies skill and knowledge gaps and the skills and knowledge required to meet future workforce needs. In general, a workforce plan provides managers with a framework for making staffing decisions based on an organization’s mission, strategic plan, budgetary resources, and set of desired competencies.
You have been a TD director for a Department of Defense (DoD) contractor for 15 years. Your company has a contract for several high-tech replacement parts for the drones that the DoD uses. You have never seen such uncertainty in the economy or ambiguity coming from Congress. The upcoming year could be one of a huge amount of work or very little. To add to this uncertainty, you know that a large number of your employees are retirement eligible this year, but have not yet stated their intentions. How will you approach this dilemma? (Choose the best response.)
Create a realistic estimate of the range of future talent demand, identify skill gap options, and design training to address them
Create a realistic estimate of the range of future talent demand, and go to your leadership for advice
Create a realistic estimate of the range of future talent demand, create a succession plan that is ready to implement as soon as you are certain about the future
Create a realistic estimate of the range of future talent demand, identify creative options for new talent that includes contract support and a recruitment plan
Create a realistic estimate of the range of future talent demand, identify creative options for new talent that includes contract support and a recruitment plan
Response D is correct. In this case estimating future talent requires a creative workforce plan and a strategy to manage it. The uncertainty means you will be unable to pinpoint the exact size of the talent gap. You may have a large amount of work or very little. You may have many retirements or few. The uncertainty requires you to be prepared with actions you will take depending upon what happens. If you are prepared with options to use contract employees and a recruitment plan, you will be ready for whatever occurs.
Which of the following best describes Williamson’s trait-and-factor theory? (Choose the best response.)
Starting at the age of 18, people move from career exploration to a series of events
People can be understood in terms of the characteristics they possess, such as intelligence, ambition, aptitude, and self-esteem
Careers move through five distinct phases from childhood through adulthood
The consistency of career choices depends on a match between an individual’s core strengths and characteristics
People can be understood in terms of the characteristics they possess, such as intelligence, ambition, aptitude, and self-esteem
Response B is correct because Williamson’s trait-and-factor approach to counseling is based on the theory that people can be understood in terms of the traits they possess. Traits can include intelligence, ambition, aptitude, and self-esteem. Factors are statistical representations of the traits.
