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AICP Practice Questions 2022 > Leadership (6%) > Flashcards

Leadership (6%) Flashcards

1
Q

What is Planning Authority?

A

Planning staff make recommendations; the governing body has the authority to make decisions.

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2
Q

In most communities, who makes land-use and development decisions?

A

Planning commissions.

City and county boards give final approval.

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3
Q

How do planning commissioners obtain their leadership role?

A

Planning commissioners are either elected or are appointed by a governing body (mayor/council).

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4
Q

What are the 4 different types of organizational structures in planning agencies?

A
  1. Flat
  2. Hierarchical
  3. Matrix
  4. Line
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5
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the flat organizational structure?

A

Pros: (few or no levels of management)
-more employee responsibility
-removes excess mgmt.
-easier decision-making

Cons:
-can create confusion
-generalists but no specialists
-limits long-term organization growth

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6
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the hierarchical organizational structure?

A

Pros:
-defined leadership
-opportunities for promotion
- produces specialists
-loyalty to department

Cons:
-communication is more effective with Flat structure
-departmental rivalry
-more bureaucracy
-increased organizational costs

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7
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the matrix organizational structure?

A

Pros:
-Vertical and horizontal chain of command
-Fewer formal rules and levels of hierarchy

Cons:
-Slow decision-making due to info sharing
-Possible confusion/frustration due to dual authority

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8
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the line organizational structure?

A

Pros:
-bureaucratic
-authority and responsibility clearly defined
-efficiency and simplicity of relationships

Cons:
-monotony possible
-worker alienation
-difficult to make adjustments in response to new circumstances

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9
Q

What is the disadvantage of having a matrix organizational structure?

A

Slower decision-making and possible confusion resulting from dual authority.

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10
Q

When it comes to local planning agencies, would the APA like to see a formalized accreditation program for planning departments/agencies?

A

YES.

Public health agencies do. Schools do. Why not planning?

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11
Q

What are the 3 C’s of a good staff report?

A

Compliance
Consistency
Compatibility

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12
Q

What are the three typical organizational models used in planning?

A
  1. Management (HR, Board, Staffing, IT)
  2. Current planning (permitting, environmental assessment, project management)
  3. Advanced/long-range planning (strategic plans, comprehensive or general plans)
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13
Q

What are 3 examples of other organizational themes?

A

Organizing by:

  1. Specialities, subdisciplines, skillsets (eg. having housing, transportation, and economic development)
  2. Functional approaches (eg. planning in one group, IT in another group, investment in another)
  3. Vertical integration by subject
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14
Q

What are the 3 potential organizational structures or ways of organizing for sustainability?

A
  1. Incorporate sustainability into the planning department
  2. Have sustainability be a part of an Executive Office
  3. Sustainability could be a stand-alone department (eg. City of Boston)

BONUS 4th: a combination of the above - eg Mayor’s office of Energy and Sustainability reports to the Mayor but is physically located and shares staff with the Planning & Development Department

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15
Q

What is an example of a functional approach to organizational structure?

A

Organizing based on the different functions of an organization - for example, legal, IT, financial investments, planning would all be different departments.

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16
Q

What is Loss Exposure?

A

The possibility of loss from an accident or business risk, or financial loss an entity faces due to loss of value for example. Loss exposure could be in one of 5 categories.

Local governments need to plan for this.

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17
Q

What are the 5 different categories of Loss Exposure?

A
  1. Casualty risk
  2. Liquidity risk
  3. Market risk
  4. Political/litigation risk
  5. Technological risk
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18
Q

What is Casualty Risk as a form of loss exposure?

A

accidents involving property or personnel or income

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19
Q

What is Liquidity Risk as a form of loss exposure?

A

Liquidity risk is when you don’t have enough cash to cover operations.

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20
Q

What is Market Risk as a form of loss exposure?

A

Market risk is where you have an inability to provide services.

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21
Q

What is Political/Litigation Risk as a form of loss exposure?

A

Brought by private entities in response to government actions.

For local governments, these are the primary threats of all different types of loss exposure. For example:
-political leadership changing their views on planning
-community’s views on planning and engagement
-budgetary consequences of actions and inactions
-inability to fulfill planning missions.

The above are all political/litigation risks.

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22
Q

What is Technological Risk as a form of loss exposure?

A

Problems associated with keeping up with technological change.

23
Q

What are Metrics as a measurement and performance tool?

A
24
Q

What are Indicators as a measurement and performance tool?

A
25
Q

What are Benchmarks as a measurement and performance tool?

A

A target measure used to gauge how a community is doing in relation to some final target.

26
Q

What are Rating Systems as a measurement and performance tool?

A

Rating systems are developed to identify how communities are meeting a particular norm that is desired.

These can be effective but only if they are viewed locally as being credible. They should have local value and not just be a broad-brush approach.

27
Q

What are 7 different types of measurement and performance tools?

A

-Metrics
-Indicators
-Benchmarks
-Rating systems
-EIS, Health Impact Assessment
-Municipal Bond Ratings

28
Q

What are health impact assessments as a measurement and performance tool?

A

comprehensive; include a systematic problem analysis where you identify effects and consider alternatives and mitigation strategies.

29
Q

What are Municipal Bond Ratings as a measurement and performance tool?

A
30
Q

How is casualty risk different from liquidity risk?

A

Casualty risk is the risk of accidents involving property or personnel, while liquidity risk is the risk of not having enough cash to cover operations.

31
Q

What is an example of “political risk” in planning actions?

A

The inability to achieve the goals of planning.

32
Q

Under what circumstances are measurement and performance tools not seen as being credible?

A

If they are not valued by the local community or don’t have localized relevance.

33
Q

Your County Commissioners are constantly fighting over projects in each others districts. Each district is quite different, ranging from rural to urban. You have grown frustrated with their inability to recognize the critical development and planning issues in each district. To help try to bring the Commissioners together, you decide to invite them to participate in a:

A

City Walk is a technique used to sensitize people to community problems and opportunities. In this technique a group of community leaders re-experience their community and then draw on their observations to recommend planning policies or standards. The planners role is to provide specific instructions for the participants to experience the community and then record their observations. These observations are then shared in a workshop.

34
Q

The advantage of a hierarchical organizational structure is that:

A

There may be increased opportunities for promotion.

A hierarchical organization follows the layout of a pyramid. Every employee in the organization (except the very top level) is subordinate to someone else within the organization. While there may be increased opportunities for promotion, multiple layers of management increase bureaucracy and organizational costs. Specialists are more likely to develop than generalists.

35
Q

You are a staff planner working at the front counter, and your job is to provide information about zoning and site plan related issues. While attempting to answer questions from a property owner, the owner becomes upset and starts speaking in a raised tone. What is the most appropriate course of action?

A

Hear the customer out; try to gain a full understanding of the nature of the customer’s complaint.

36
Q

Which of the following is LEAST likely to be an appropriate use of ICT in Smart Cities applications:

-Citizen engagement
-Municipal budgeting
-Infrastructure resilience
-Service delivery

A

Municipal budgeting.

The term “Smart City” has been around since the 1990’s. Most commonly, Smart Cities use ICT (information and communication technology) to engage citizens, deliver city services, and enhance urban systems. Current discussions of Smart Cities have paid more attention to incorporating the social/human side within the technological realm. A Smart Cities application would be unlikely to involve the use of ICT in municipal budgeting.

37
Q

You are a planning agency manager and you are developing a strategic plan for your organization. What is the appropriate sequence for these aspects of a strategic plan:
I. Involve strategic stakeholders
II. Analyze needs, objectives, and the organization’s SWOT
III. Evaluate performance
IV. Develop a funding policy

A

II. Analyze needs, objectives, and the organization’s SWOT

I. Involve strategic stakeholders

IV. Develop a funding policy

III. Evaluate performance

38
Q

As part of the City’s development services team you are organizing a multiday event for a large group to develop a strategic plan. The goal is to come to agreed upon changes that are needed in the organization. You expect to have the staff of 100 participate over three days. After careful consideration, which technique will you be recommending to the Development Services Director to effectively engage the staff in this process.

A

Appreciative Inquiry Summit

39
Q

What is an
Appreciative Inquiry Summit?

A

Appreciative inquiry Summits are multi-day large events designed to bring people together to agree on changes that are needed in the community or organization. The summits last from two to five days and have between 100 and 250 people.

40
Q

What is a Participatory Technology Assessment?

A
41
Q

Your city is deciding whether to establish a separate focus on sustainability and the mayor has asked staff to evaluate different organizational approaches. Which of the following might be suggested?

A
  1. That sustainability be housed within the mayor’s office
  2. That sustainability be a separate department that is also integrated with other departments
    OR 3. That sustainability be located within the planning department
42
Q

What 4 elements are critical in effective planning agency management?

A

I. Staff training and professional development
II. Team building exercises
III. Annual performance evaluations
IV. Training on workplace policies and laws regarding sexual harassment

43
Q

The City is currently undertaking an effort to identify properties that should be targeted for condemnation as a result of insufficient maintenance. The city has identified targeted neighborhoods and is sending city inspectors to look at properties. How could a person find out if their property is being considered for condemnation?

A
44
Q

What is Strategic Planning for an organization?

A

Strategic Planning is used to assist an organization in guiding its future. Strategic planning is short term in focus and is specific in accomplishing certain objectives. Stakeholders would be involved after analyzing the organization’s needs and objectives. Performance evaluation would likely happen after strategic plan implementation and the development of a funding policy.

45
Q

You work for a large city with 100 people on your staff, split across code enforcement, development, long-range planning, environmental compliance, and neighborhood relations. You have been asked to reorganize the department, which approach would be most appropriate?

a. Horizontal

b. Hybrid

c. Vertical

d. Matrix

A

Vertical

A vertical organization works best where there are large and functionally complex organizations. In this case, there could be divisions based on function with a chain of command leading from the divisions to the director.

46
Q

What is a matrix organization?

A

A matrix organization is a company structure where teams report to multiple leaders. The matrix design keeps open communication between teams and can help companies create more innovative products and services

47
Q

What is a vertical organization?

A

In a vertical organization, your business has a pyramidal top-down structure, with a CEO, president or owner at the top, a middle section of managers and supervisors, and a bottom section of regular employees.

A vertical organization works best where there are large and functionally complex organizations. There could be divisions based on function with a chain of command leading from the divisions to the director.

48
Q

What are the 2 hallmarks of exemplary planning leadership?

A

I. Being open to new ideas
II. Being able to generate enthusiasm

Great leaders have a visionary and entrepreneurial perspective, an openness to new ideas, a willingness to work collaboratively, and the ability to generate enthusiasm and respect.

NOT
-Understanding the values of planning commissioners or elected leaders
-Being able to take direction from anyone in the organization, not just a supervisor

49
Q

What qualities are more associated with being a good leader as opposed to being a good manager?

a.Neutrality

b.Being cautious about taking risks

c.Apolitical objectivity

d.Political acumen and advocacy

A

Political acumen and advocacy

Other good leader skills include:
-delegation
-willingness to take appropriate risks
-willingness to stand up to an existing power structure if needed

50
Q

What qualities are more associated with being a good manager as opposed to being a good leader?

A

-Tendency to focus on getting a clean resolution even if that means foregoing the right resolution

Other good manager skills include:
-attention to detail
-deference to an existing power structure

51
Q

A manager gives __________ feedback, a leader gives ____________ feedback

A

A manager gives objective feedback, a leader gives constructive feedback

52
Q

Planning leaders should seek out:

A

Seek out opportunities to promote and volunteer in professional planning organizations

53
Q

A leader gets a task done by working with others. A manager explains to others how a task should be done.

A

AICP Practice Questions 2022 (9 decks)

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