Leadership & Navigation Flashcards
Competencies
Category of leadership theories that states that leaders influence group members through certain behaviors; includes Blake-Mouton theory
Behavioral theories
Power that is created formally, through a title or position in the hierarchy that is associated with the rights of leadership.
Legitimate power
Leadership theory that emphasizes a leader’s preference for order and structure; focuses on control and short-term planning.
Transactional leadership
Leadership approach in which the leader proposed a bold vision or solution and invites the team to join this challenge.
Authoritative leadership approach
Factors that initiate, direct, and sustain human behavior over time.
Motivation
Theory that states that motivation can be increased by providing employees with goals against which they can assess their achievement.
Goal-setting theory
Theory that states that motivation is based on an employee’s sense of fairness; the individual compares their perceived value with that of others in similar roles and makes a calculation based on their inputs and outputs.
Equity theory
Leadership theory that states that leaders are not appointed but emerge from the group, which chooses the leader based on interactions.
Emergent theory
Motivation theory that states that individuals are motivated by a desire to satisfy certain needs and that understanding these needs allows leaders to offer the right incentives and create the most motivational external environments; includes self-determination and theories of Maslow, Herzberg, and McClelland.
Needs theory
Leadership theory that states that leaders possess certain innate characteristics that followers do not possess (and probably cannot acquire), such as physical characteristics and personality traits.
Trait theory
Category of leadership theories that states that leaders can flex their behaviors to meet the needs of unique situations, employing both task or directive behaviors and relationship or supportive behaviors; includes Hersey-Blanchard situational leadership, Fiedler’s contingency theory, and path-goal theory.
Situational theories
Power that is created when the leader can offer followers something they value in exchange for their commitment.
Reward power
Power that is created by the force of the leader’s personality.
Referent power
Motivation theories dealing with the amount of control in the workplace; motivation is seen as either absolutely irrelevant or absolutely critical.
Theory X/Theory Y
Leadership approach in which the leader imposes a vision or solution on the team and demands that the team follow this directive.
Coercive leadership approach
Power that is created when the leader can punish those who do not follow.
Coercive power
Leadership approach in which the leader creates strong relationships with and inside the team; team members are motivated by loyalty.
Affiliative leadership approach
Power that is created when a leader is recognized as possessing great intelligence, insight, or experience.
Expert power
Motivation theory that states that effort increases in relation to one’s confidence that the behavior will result in a positive outcome and reward; includes Vroom’s theory.
Expectancy theory
Leadership theory that focuses on a two-way relationship between leaders and chosen employees; the leader mentors selected team members and gives them access to more information and resources in order to strengthen levels of trust and support.
Leader-member exchange theory
Leadership theory in which the leaders’ goal is to serve the needs of their employees; emphasizes the sharing of power.
Servant leadership
Leadership approach in which the leader invites followers to collaborate and commits to acting by consensus.
Democratic leadership approach
Leadership theory that emphasizes a leader’s ability to inspire employees to embrace change; leaders encourage and motivate employees to innovate and seek out changes that can add value and growth to the organization.
Transformational leadership theory
Leadership approach in which the leader sets a model for high performance standards and challenges followers to meet these expectations.
Pacesetting leadership approach
Leadership approach in which the leader focuses on developing team members’ skills, believing that success comes from aligning the organization’s goals with employees’ personal and professional goals.
Coaching leadership approach
Motivation theory that states that the way a person interprets the causes for past success or failure is related to the present level of motivation; includes theories of Heider and Weiner.
Attribution theory
An HR department of 18 has three managers directly reporting to the HR director. Of the three, one is new to the team, and the addition has created certain challenges for the HR director in maintaining a positive and productive workplace.
The two tenured managers complain to the HR director that the newly hired manager does not delegate responsibilities, which hurts the HR team’s productivity. The new manager wants more autonomy. the new manager has been appointed the project leader for the new HRIS implementation and is responsible for allocating team member tasks and responsibilities. The team does not seem to be completing their tasks properly and within the expected time line, severely jeopardizing the delivery of the project. Many on the team have hinted that they are unsure of what they are supposed to be doing and how they contribute to the overall success of the project.
The HR director determines that the HRIS project has insufficient resources and approves hiring additional staff. The two more-tenured managers want to give preference to a job candidate who has ties to the HR director and whose hiring would please the HR director. How should the new manager respond to pressure received from the other managers?
Tell their colleague that they should evaluate the candidates based on their experience.
An HR department of 18 has three managers directly reporting to the HR director. Of the three, one is new to the team, and the addition has created certain challenges for the HR director in maintaining a positive and productive workplace.
The two tenured managers complain to the HR director that the newly hired manager does not delegate responsibilities, which hurts the HR team’s productivity. The new manager wants more autonomy. the new manager has been appointed the project leader for the new HRIS implementation and is responsible for allocating team member tasks and responsibilities. The team does not seem to be completing their tasks properly and within the expected time line, severely jeopardizing the delivery of the project. Many on the team have hinted that they are unsure of what they are supposed to be doing and how they contribute to the overall success of the project.
If the new manager feels frustrated with the pace at which the HR director is assigning them new tasks and challenges, which approach should they take with the HR director?
Meet with the HR director to discuss the working relationship and affirm the new manager’s confidence in their ability to do the job.
An HR department of 18 has three managers directly reporting to the HR director. Of the three, one is new to the team, and the addition has created certain challenges for the HR director in maintaining a positive and productive workplace.
The two tenured managers complain to the HR director that the newly hired manager does not delegate responsibilities, which hurts the HR team’s productivity. The new manager wants more autonomy. the new manager has been appointed the project leader for the new HRIS implementation and is responsible for allocating team member tasks and responsibilities. The team does not seem to be completing their tasks properly and within the expected time line, severely jeopardizing the delivery of the project. Many on the team have hinted that they are unsure of what they are supposed to be doing and how they contribute to the overall success of the project.
How can the new manager assigned to the HRIS project support the confused team members?
Set up a briefing session to go back over the basics and clarify all of the tasks for the entire team.
An HR manager at a small manufacturing company is planning the onboarding process for a new external-hire CEO. Just before the CEO is expected to start with the company, two long-tenured members of the leadership team resign because they disagree with the decision to hire the new CEO.
The sudden departure of the two leaders has caused massive effects throughout the workforce. Employees are concerned about the future of the company, and many are looking to the leadership team for answers.
The departures have also caused a leadership vacuum at the highest levels of the company. Long-term projects are now leaderless, and the direct reports of the departing leaders are overwhelmed, trying to pick up the slack. The HR manager is concerned that the new CEO will be overwhelmed by the situation at the company.
Which strategy should the HR manager use to communicate the implications of the recent leadership team members’ resignations to the new CEO?
Meet with the new CEO to discuss retention of key staff in leadership positions throughout the company.
An HR manager at a small manufacturing company is planning the onboarding process for a new external-hire CEO. Just before the CEO is expected to start with the company, two long-tenured members of the leadership team resign because they disagree with the decision to hire the new CEO.
The sudden departure of the two leaders has caused massive effects throughout the workforce. Employees are concerned about the future of the company, and many are looking to the leadership team for answers.
The departures have also caused a leadership vacuum at the highest levels of the company. Long-term projects are now leaderless, and the direct reports of the departing leaders are overwhelmed, trying to pick up the slack. The HR manager is concerned that the new CEO will be overwhelmed by the situation at the company.
Which action should the HR manager recommend to the new CEO to reduce employees’ concerns about the turnover on the leadership team?
Facilitate small group discussions with employees to create opportunities for dialogue about their concerns.
An HR manager at a small manufacturing company is planning the onboarding process for a new external-hire CEO. Just before the CEO is expected to start with the company, two long-tenured members of the leadership team resign because they disagree with the decision to hire the new CEO.
The sudden departure of the two leaders has caused massive effects throughout the workforce. Employees are concerned about the future of the company, and many are looking to the leadership team for answers.
The departures have also caused a leadership vacuum at the highest levels of the company. Long-term projects are now leaderless, and the direct reports of the departing leaders are overwhelmed, trying to pick up the slack. The HR manager is concerned that the new CEO will be overwhelmed by the situation at the company.
The leadership team could not agree on who the best candidate was for the CEO position, so the hiring decision was made based on a majority vote. Which action should the HR manager have taken before the vote to increase the likelihood of the leadership team’s acceptance of the decision?
Advised the leadership team to outline a shared understanding of the core competencies a new CEO should possess.
Which is the most effective way listed to measure coaching outcomes?
Survey question asking degree to which coaching helped employee’s personal goals align with organization’s goals.
An objective of coaching is for the leader to focus on developing team members’ skills, believing that success comes from aligning the organization’s goals with employees’ personal goals.
What best characterizes an effective HR leader?
Collaboration
Effective HR leaders think in terms of empowering their teams and developing the potential of team members. They steer clear of actions that would damage team motivation, such as close supervision of an experienced staff. They are intelligent and informed but do not have to be the smartest people in the room. Their ambitions are for the team and the organization.
Which trait is not desirable in a leader in any culture?
Loner
A leader should not be a loner but should establish relationships with team members and stakeholders, using those relationships to understand these individuals better. In this way, leaders can satisfy stakeholders’ expectations and motivate team members toward a shared goal.
According to Blake-Mouton’s behavioral leadership theory, what kind of manager delegates duties without any authority over the team?
Impoverished manager - detaches from the team process, forcing the team to struggle on its own. Country club managers create a secure atmosphere and trust individuals to accomplish goals. A team leader leads by positive example, fosters a team environment, and encourages growth and development.
In the contingency theory of leadership, which factors make a situation more favorable (i.e., more likely to produce positive outcomes)?
Leader-member relations, clarity in tasks and roles, empowered leader
In Fiedler’s contingency theory of leadership, three factors determine the situational favorableness. Leader-member relations refers to the degrees of confidence, trust, and respect that followers have in their leaders. Task structure refers to the extent to which tasks are defined, while position power refers to the degree of influence a leader has over subordinates.
Which leader demonstrates the path-goal approach to leadership?
A team leader posts progress toward milestones in the project room and engages the whole team in problem solving.
The path-goal leadership theory emphasizes the leader’s role in coaching and developing the team. The leader does this by focusing the team on achievable but challenging goals, providing the support and direction each member needs to achieve those goals, and allowing the group to participate in decision making. The team leader who keeps project goals in front of the team and encourages group problem solving is a “path-goal” leader.
A new HR director with a manufacturing firm is completing a new-hire rotational training program. The director spends six months in three departments: manufacturing, finance, and facility services. During the rotation, the HR director works closely with the leadership team in each department to complete a recruiting needs assessment.
During the finance rotation, the HR director learns that the finance director has a close working relationship with a recruiting firm in which the owner is a former employee with significant knowledge of the organization. However, the current time-to-fill ratio and turnaround time for the firm are below average.
The HR director carefully reviews the current recruiting strategies and decides to begin a search for a primary vendor partner for recruitment services. The HR director sets a goal to present a list of finalists with a final recommendation at the next quarterly executive leadership meeting.
With the decision made to begin a search for a new primary vendor partner for recruitment services, which next step should the HR director take?
Partner with the department leads to design a request for proposal (RFP) to send to potential recruiting vendors.
A new HR director with a manufacturing firm is completing a new-hire rotational training program. The director spends six months in three departments: manufacturing, finance, and facility services. During the rotation, the HR director works closely with the leadership team in each department to complete a recruiting needs assessment.
During the finance rotation, the HR director learns that the finance director has a close working relationship with a recruiting firm in which the owner is a former employee with significant knowledge of the organization. However, the current time-to-fill ratio and turnaround time for the firm are below average.
The HR director carefully reviews the current recruiting strategies and decides to begin a search for a primary vendor partner for recruitment services. The HR director sets a goal to present a list of finalists with a final recommendation at the next quarterly executive leadership meeting.
How should the HR director address the finance director’s close working relationship with the low-performing recruiting firm?
Meet with the director to discuss the selection criteria and performance of the firm.
Which would define the formal characteristics of an organization?
Aspects that have been directly and openly communicated.
The formal characteristics of an organization can be seen in its expressions of its vision, values, policies, and structures.
A vice present (VP) of HR is new to the organization. Which action would be best for the VP to take during the first few weeks?
Ask other members of the senior management team out for lunch and a chat.
Watching is a good idea, but the VP can learn more by actively seeking opportunities to ask questions about the goals of the organization and the perspectives and needs of other members of the senior management team. Without knowing enough organizational context and having identified allies, making proposals or criticizing past actions can be dangerous.
A vice president of HR recently completed a SWOT assessment for the organization’s CEO. A major part of the vice president’s conclusions is that employee morale is at a crisis point. The last employee engagement survey was conducted four years ago, with negative feedback in all areas, particularly about trust and respect for supervisors and management.
Employees did give high marks to the company’s senior management, especially the CEO, who employees feel is an inspiring, visionary leader who sincerely cares about them. The vice president decides that the best way to improve morale and employee relations throughout the company is to administer a new employee engagement survey and use the previous results as a baseline for data comparisons to assess changes. The CEO supports the action plan.
The employee relations manager informs the vice president of HR that almost half of the current workforce has less than four years of service, potentially making the old survey an invalid baseline. What would be the most effective response?
The vice president should thank the employee relations manager for the information, point out that a majority of the workforce was here then, and proceed with the survey.
A vice president of HR recently completed a SWOT assessment for the organization’s CEO. A major part of the vice president’s conclusions is that employee morale is at a crisis point. The last employee engagement survey was conducted four years ago, with negative feedback in all areas, particularly about trust and respect for supervisors and management.
Employees did give high marks to the company’s senior management, especially the CEO, who employees feel is an inspiring, visionary leader who sincerely cares about them. The vice president decides that the best way to improve morale and employee relations throughout the company is to administer a new employee engagement survey and use the previous results as a baseline for data comparisons to assess changes. The CEO supports the action plan.
The vice president is presenting the new employee engagement survey at the leadership team meeting. Within three minutes of beginning the presentation, the chief information officer (CIO) interrupts and says, “I wasn’t even here four years ago. Why do we care about the old results now?” How should the vice president respond?
Recognize the CIO’s feedback as valid and provide the percentage of people who were not with the organization four years ago. Indicate that because it is the same company, the data of four years ago is a valid baseline for comparison.
A vice president of HR recently completed a SWOT assessment for the organization’s CEO. A major part of the vice president’s conclusions is that employee morale is at a crisis point. The last employee engagement survey was conducted four years ago, with negative feedback in all areas, particularly about trust and respect for supervisors and management.
Employees did give high marks to the company’s senior management, especially the CEO, who employees feel is an inspiring, visionary leader who sincerely cares about them. The vice president decides that the best way to improve morale and employee relations throughout the company is to administer a new employee engagement survey and use the previous results as a baseline for data comparisons to assess changes. The CEO supports the action plan.
Following a very strong return rate of more than 80%, the vice president of HR distributes the new employee engagement survey results for each department to the department directors for sharing and action planning with their teams. What should the vice president instruct the department heads to do next?
Provide a template that each department can head can use that will identify the top three prioritized action items for each department and the number-one area of concern employees feel the CEO must address.
A multinational organization with businesses in the U.K., Australia, and the U.S. decides to expand its presence into Southeast Asia and Africa through acquisition. Its strategy for each location is to acquire a faltering domestic company with local brand value and combine it with its existing businesses to create a new business entity. The organization identifies multiple companies for acquisition, performs due diligence on each, and is currently awaiting government approval before proceeding to acquire each entity.
As a member of the acquisition strategy team, HR represents the people perspective. It has two main assignments: 1) create an integration plan that will retain talent and build capacity for new business development to meet first-year profit goals and beyond and 2) integrate the new business acquisition strategy into the organization’s ongoing employee engagement strategy. To help meet its objectives, HR convenes a team of representatives from its existing business units that provides expertise and additional perspectives. It also begins to prepare new materials to describe and introduce the organization’s culture and identify the competencies and skills needed to be successful in the organization.
Which is the best first step HR should take to prepare an integration plan?
Review due diligence materials to learn more about the businesses, management team, key employees, and culture.
A multinational organization with businesses in the U.K., Australia, and the U.S. decides to expand its presence into Southeast Asia and Africa through acquisition. Its strategy for each location is to acquire a faltering domestic company with local brand value and combine it with its existing businesses to create a new business entity. The organization identifies multiple companies for acquisition, performs due diligence on each, and is currently awaiting government approval before proceeding to acquire each entity.
As a member of the acquisition strategy team, HR represents the people perspective. It has two main assignments: 1) create an integration plan that will retain talent and build capacity for new business development to meet first-year profit goals and beyond and 2) integrate the new business acquisition strategy into the organization’s ongoing employee engagement strategy. To help meet its objectives, HR convenes a team of representatives from its existing business units that provides expertise and additional perspectives. It also begins to prepare new materials to describe and introduce the organization’s culture and identify the competencies and skills needed to be successful in the organization.
HR wants to ensure that the integration team has the right talent to achieve the team’s assigned goals. Which step should HR take to staff the team with the appropriate skills and experience?
Ask each of the global heads of business to identify talent for assignment to the team
A multinational organization with businesses in the U.K., Australia, and the U.S. decides to expand its presence into Southeast Asia and Africa through acquisition. Its strategy for each location is to acquire a faltering domestic company with local brand value and combine it with its existing businesses to create a new business entity. The organization identifies multiple companies for acquisition, performs due diligence on each, and is currently awaiting government approval before proceeding to acquire each entity.
As a member of the acquisition strategy team, HR represents the people perspective. It has two main assignments: 1) create an integration plan that will retain talent and build capacity for new business development to meet first-year profit goals and beyond and 2) integrate the new business acquisition strategy into the organization’s ongoing employee engagement strategy. To help meet its objectives, HR convenes a team of representatives from its existing business units that provides expertise and additional perspectives. It also begins to prepare new materials to describe and introduce the organization’s culture and identify the competencies and skills needed to be successful in the organization.
After acquisitions are announced, HR hears concerns from employees of the acquired companies that relate to job loss, benefits changes, and loss of key working relationships. Which actions should HR take first to address these concerns while moving forward with integration activities?
Design an orientation program for staff and leadership that incorporates employee feedback and new organization cultural goals.
An HR director for a government organization is tasked with developing the recruitment and selection process for hiring a new CEO for the organization. The HR director develops a comprehensive process, including identifying recruitment strategies to obtain a large candidate pool, developing a competency-based assessment, designing the interview process, and conducting reference and background checks for the position. Two candidates are identified through the process and recommended to the board of directors for consideration. The board refuses to hire either candidate because of the candidates’ political affiliation, which was not identified through the reference and background checks but instead was determined by the board during the interviews. The HR director is asked by the board to continue the search for a CEO. Although this is legal in the organization’s country, the HR director feels uncomfortable with the board’s request.
How should the HR director respond to the board’s request to continue the search for a new CEO?
Ask the board to provide specific reasons explaining why the two candidates are not suitable.
An HR director for a government organization is tasked with developing the recruitment and selection process for hiring a new CEO for the organization. The HR director develops a comprehensive process, including identifying recruitment strategies to obtain a large candidate pool, developing a competency-based assessment, designing the interview process, and conducting reference and background checks for the position. Two candidates are identified through the process and recommended to the board of directors for consideration. The board refuses to hire either candidate because of the candidates’ political affiliation, which was not identified through the reference and background checks but instead was determined by the board during the interviews. The HR director is asked by the board to continue the search for a CEO. Although this is legal in the organization’s country, the HR director feels uncomfortable with the board’s request.
The HR director learns that the former CEO had a certain political affiliation and often tried to use the organization to advance the goals of the CEO’s political allies. How should the HR director use this information to respond to the board’s concerns about candidates’ political affiliation?
Recommend to the board that the integrity of the candidates be assessed through components of the selection process.
An HR director for a government organization is tasked with developing the recruitment and selection process for hiring a new CEO for the organization. The HR director develops a comprehensive process, including identifying recruitment strategies to obtain a large candidate pool, developing a competency-based assessment, designing the interview process, and conducting reference and background checks for the position. Two candidates are identified through the process and recommended to the board of directors for consideration. The board refuses to hire either candidate because of the candidates’ political affiliation, which was not identified through the reference and background checks but instead was determined by the board during the interviews. The HR director is asked by the board to continue the search for a CEO. Although this is legal in the organization’s country, the HR director feels uncomfortable with the board’s request.
The board finally agrees on a candidate for the CEO position. The candidate asks for a higher salary than what was offered. The board says it is unwilling to approve the requested salary because it is much higher than the previous CEO’s salary. What action should the HR specialist take?
Discuss with the candidate the other benefits offered by the organization that contribute to the total compensation package.
The chairman of the board of directors advises the CEO to terminate a line manager. The chairman has lost confidence in the line manager’s abilities and fitness for the position. This opinion arises because of the chairman’s belief that the line manager concealed information related to a recent harassment allegation made by one of the line manager’s direct reports.
In response, the CEO instructs the HR manager to terminate the line manager immediately. The HR manager believes that firing the line manager without an investigation will put the organization in a risky legal position. However, the HR manager does not want to be cited for insubordination. The HR manager informs the CEO of the legal risk of terminating the line manager without cause.
The CEO is unwilling to communicate the HR manager’s concerns to the board because the CEO believes that the chairman will ask for the CEO’s resignation if the chairman’s request is not carried out. What should the HR manager do?
Conduct a risk assessment of the proposed action of terminating the line manager.
The chairman of the board of directors advises the CEO to terminate a line manager. The chairman has lost confidence in the line manager’s abilities and fitness for the position. This opinion arises because of the chairman’s belief that the line manager concealed information related to a recent harassment allegation made by one of the line manager’s direct reports.
In response, the CEO instructs the HR manager to terminate the line manager immediately. The HR manager believes that firing the line manager without an investigation will put the organization in a risky legal position. However, the HR manager does not want to be cited for insubordination. The HR manager informs the CEO of the legal risk of terminating the line manager without cause.
Two board members contact the HR manager to ask if the HR manager agrees with the chairman’s decision to terminate the line manager. What should the HR manager do?
Recommend that the board members advocate for conducting a formal investigation of the line manager prior to termination.
The chairman of the board of directors advises the CEO to terminate a line manager. The chairman has lost confidence in the line manager’s abilities and fitness for the position. This opinion arises because of the chairman’s belief that the line manager concealed information related to a recent harassment allegation made by one of the line manager’s direct reports.
In response, the CEO instructs the HR manager to terminate the line manager immediately. The HR manager believes that firing the line manager without an investigation will put the organization in a risky legal position. However, the HR manager does not want to be cited for insubordination. The HR manager informs the CEO of the legal risk of terminating the line manager without cause.
A board member notifies the HR manager that the reason the chairman wants to terminate the line manager is because the line manager refused to provide confidential information about the allegation to the chairman. What should the HR manager do?
Meet with the line manager to verify the board member’s statement.
An HR manager leads a team charged with revising job descriptions. Each meeting ends in disagreements. No progress is being made toward the looming deadline. What type of power should the HR manager use in this situation?
Legitimate
Using the legitimate power that derives from the HR manager’s position as leader of this team can be used to put an end to the disagreements and force decisions.
The CEO actively supports a new initiative created by the HR department that involves participation across the entire organization. Several employees do not want to contribute their knowledge, skills, talent, and time to ensure the initiative’s success. What should the HR department do to encourage their participation?
Meet with the employees and explain why their knowledge, skills, talents, and time are required for successful implementation.
Meeting with employees to explain why their knowledge, skills, talents, and time are crucial to ensuring the initiative’s successful implementation is correct.
New legislation has been passed that requires all oil and gas companies to bank the royalty monies that would normally be paid directly to royalty beneficiaries. The law stipulates that the money cannot for any reason be paid to the beneficiaries directly. The law applies to all royalties earned for drilling.
The law requires that the funds be deposited in an interest-bearing account. There currently is no product available to support this requirement. At the executive team meeting, this is discussed, and the VP of administration is tasked with creating a product to comply with the law.
As there are many stakeholders, a team approach will work best. The VP of HR is invited to participate since they have been a member of this team for the last three years and know the current players and businesses.
The company has most of the major oil companies as clients and is already aware that this product could result in sizable deposits. However, there is no history to project with any certainty how long the deposits will remain in the company or how much activity the account would experience.
The VP of HR knows that without buy-in and support from all stakeholders, this project will struggle. What should the VP of HR do to engage the stakeholders?
Formally present to the key decision maker, proposing objectives and a time line.
New legislation has been passed that requires all oil and gas companies to bank the royalty monies that would normally be paid directly to royalty beneficiaries. The law stipulates that the money cannot for any reason be paid to the beneficiaries directly. The law applies to all royalties earned for drilling.
The law requires that the funds be deposited in an interest-bearing account. There currently is no product available to support this requirement. At the executive team meeting, this is discussed, and the VP of administration is tasked with creating a product to comply with the law.
As there are many stakeholders, a team approach will work best. The VP of HR is invited to participate since they have been a member of this team for the last three years and know the current players and businesses.
The company has most of the major oil companies as clients and is already aware that this product could result in sizable deposits. However, there is no history to project with any certainty how long the deposits will remain in the company or how much activity the account would experience.
Once the overall strategy and long-term objectives have been identified, how should HR plan to be involved in this strategic initiative?
By working with the leadership team to identify appropriate short-term objectives, develop action plans, and allocate resources for the project.
New legislation has been passed that requires all oil and gas companies to bank the royalty monies that would normally be paid directly to royalty beneficiaries. The law stipulates that the money cannot for any reason be paid to the beneficiaries directly. The law applies to all royalties earned for drilling.
The law requires that the funds be deposited in an interest-bearing account. There currently is no product available to support this requirement. At the executive team meeting, this is discussed, and the VP of administration is tasked with creating a product to comply with the law.
As there are many stakeholders, a team approach will work best. The VP of HR is invited to participate since they have been a member of this team for the last three years and know the current players and businesses.
The company has most of the major oil companies as clients and is already aware that this product could result in sizable deposits. However, there is no history to project with any certainty how long the deposits will remain in the company or how much activity the account would experience.
What actions should the VP of HR take to ensure that the implementation plan stays on course to meet its objectives?
Reviewing and sharing measurable performance indicators
A 40-year-old company is acquired by a 100-year-old company. Both companies have strong cultures.
The acquiring company’s chief people officer establishes a team of business and HR professionals from both companies to assess their respective cultures and develop and enact an integration strategy. The HR director from the acquired company is asked to serve as that company’s lead representative on the integration team.
A few weeks into the integration team’s work, the HR director notices significant differences between the companies’ cultures. While some aspects of the companies’ cultures seem to be merging, many of the acquiring company’s cultural norms are taking precedence as the united culture is being solidified. This situation is being fueled by the fact that a majority of the newly selected executive team members are leaders from the acquiring company.
Which approach should the HR director have taken when joining the cross-functional team to maximize the chances that the team will be successful?
Recommend establishing a team purpose and charter to foster alignment across the team members
A 40-year-old company is acquired by a 100-year-old company. Both companies have strong cultures.
The acquiring company’s chief people officer establishes a team of business and HR professionals from both companies to assess their respective cultures and develop and enact an integration strategy. The HR director from the acquired company is asked to serve as that company’s lead representative on the integration team.
A few weeks into the integration team’s work, the HR director notices significant differences between the companies’ cultures. While some aspects of the companies’ cultures seem to be merging, many of the acquiring company’s cultural norms are taking precedence as the united culture is being solidified. This situation is being fueled by the fact that a majority of the newly selected executive team members are leaders from the acquiring company.
How should the HR director go about preparing employees of the acquired company for the forthcoming cultural changes?
Work with company executives and senior leaders to establish a common understanding of the change efforts needed.
A 40-year-old company is acquired by a 100-year-old company. Both companies have strong cultures.
The acquiring company’s chief people officer establishes a team of business and HR professionals from both companies to assess their respective cultures and develop and enact an integration strategy. The HR director from the acquired company is asked to serve as that company’s lead representative on the integration team.
A few weeks into the integration team’s work, the HR director notices significant differences between the companies’ cultures. While some aspects of the companies’ cultures seem to be merging, many of the acquiring company’s cultural norms are taking precedence as the united culture is being solidified. This situation is being fueled by the fact that a majority of the newly selected executive team members are leaders from the acquiring company.
Which step is most critical for the HR director to take when assisting the executive team with integration and realignment?
Speak openly with the team on the integration process and what to expect.
An employee informs their supervisor that they feel unmotivated and are unsure of their contribution to the team. The supervisor consults with the HR manager, who recommends increasing the employee’s motivation by providing them with specific objectives so they can assess their achievement. What motivational theory is the HR manager recommending?
Goal-setting theory
Argues that motivation can be increased by providing employees with goals against which they can assess their achievement.
In which way do Herzberg’s motivational hygiene theory and Maslow’s basic needs theory differ?
Herzberg’s theory focuses on only job-related needs, while Maslow’s theory includes basic survival needs.
In Herzberg’s theory, behavior is driven by intrinsic factors (such as challenging work, meaningful impact of work, and recognition) and extrinsic factors (such as job security, pay, and conditions). Maslow’s theory describes motivation in five basic categories of need: physiological, safety and security, belonging and love, esteem, and self-actualization.
An HR manager has a highly experienced and high-performing staff who get along well with each other and with their internal clients. How would you advise this manager to approach the task of motivating this group?
Consider what drives each member to perform.
Even though the group performs well as a unit, each member is probably motivated by a different factor. For example, accomplishments may drive some team members, while others are motivated by the team relationships and atmosphere. All individuals and teams, including high-performing ones, benefit from motivation.
Which is the best example of a personal leadership quality an HR leader should possess?
Being prepared to share opinions in situations likely to draw criticism.
A leader should be comfortable with risk taking. A leader has to be prepared to share their opinions and proposals with others, regardless of the potential for discouragement or criticism.
When is an authoritative approach to leadership most likely to be effective?
When the team is willing to work toward a goal but is not yet sure of how to get there.
An authoritative leader leads by providing a bold vision and inviting team members to follow and join in achieving a goal. This is effective when the team is motivated and skilled but does not yet have direction.
A manager adjusts their leadership style to what is necessary for each employee depending on the employee’s job and maturity. Which leadership theory is the manager following?
Hersey-Blanchard’s situational theory
Situational leadership theories emphasize that no single leadership style fits all needs. The question describes the Hersey-Blanchard approach in action: A leader adjusts their style to be most effective for a specific employee’s psychological and job maturity. In contrast, Fiedler’s contingency theory states that different situations (not employees) require different leadership styles. These situations are distinguished by the level of trust the leader has within the group, the clarity of the task to be performed, and the position power that the leader wields over the group.
A mentor advises a new HR professional to spend some time simply observing how people interact. Why?
Leaders need to understand the informal centers of power in an organization.
The mentor’s job is to help the mentee develop skills, and, in this case, the skill is leadership. To win support, leaders need to know their organizations and understand how they operate informally. This advice may result in the mentee developing emotional intelligence and avoiding social mistakes, but the main point is to learn the informal face of the organization.
Given a solid business case for an initiative to improve workforce diversity, what should an HR director do next?
Recruit allies for the business case.
Often, one will need to gain a decision maker’s approval to allocate resources to an initiative or project. This takes more than just a good business case. Approval often requires building support with other stakeholders who can improve proposals and strengthen value propositions to management.
A manager believes that the best way to motivate staff is to set goals a bit beyond their reach and let them find their own way. According to the attribution theory, what will be the likely outcome?
Staff members may become helpless and even hostile.
According to the attribution theory, when goals are consistently beyond attainment and little support is provided, employees can develop a sense of “learned helplessness.” They may become hostile toward the situation and the employer.
According to the Hersey-Blanchard theory, what is generally the most suitable situational leadership approach for entry-level employees?
Telling
Entry-level employees require leadership that provides structure to project scheduling, methodologies, procedures, etc. This involvement requires a high task structure by the supervisor. However, because the new employee does not possess sufficient experience or insight into best practices, they cannot adequately participate in joint problem solving or decision making, thus the low relationship.
At a military base, an organization that provides contract services is managed as if it were part of the military. Managers are authoritarian and tend to closely monitor work to ensure that it is done properly and on time. If the base commander asks the service organization’s HR manager to get service staff to come up with innovative ways to save money such as by making service processes more efficient, what is the best response listed?
The culture of our organization creates a high risk that this initiative will fail.
While any organization may succeed in getting some improvement suggestions from staff, the culture of this organization appears to be one of transactional leadership. Expecting subordinates to follow orders from above and closely monitoring them to ensure that the work is done in a particular way does not encourage experimentation or inventiveness. It is therefore wise to set the proper expectations about the risks of this plan.
An HR director mentors an HR professional with little management experience. The HR director is aware that the mentee often gets results from team members by bullying them. How should the HR director advise the mentee in regard to the bullying behavior?
Bullying will hurt the mentee’s ability to get others to work with them.
Bullying is an unethical behavior that destroys trust and a professional’s ability to influence others. Excusing the behavior by pointing to shared values will not change its effect.
An HR manager has been promoted to a position at the organization’s headquarters after ten years at a divisional office. What would be the best first step in establishing the HR manager in this new position?
Watch how leadership behaves when faced with decisions and changes.
To be a leader, the HR manager must learn the informal aspects of the organization, including such factors as the existing political alliances, motives, ways of working together, attitudes toward opportunities and risk, and the ability to promote change. This can be done by observing HR leaders in action. The HR manager probably already knows the formal aspects of the organization. The odds for success in advancing one’s career before knowing the organization and creating allies are not good.
What leadership theory classifies leaders according to their concerns with people and tasks?
Blake-Mouton theory
The Blake-Mouton theory of leadership emphasizes two areas a leader must focus on - production (i.e., the task itself) and the people performing the task (i.e., relationships with employees)
A director has accepted a new position, assuming responsibility for a team that grew dysfunctional under the previous director. What should the new director do first?
Talk to members of the department separately to try to understand what the department needs.
Since the HR director is new to the department, time should be taken to learn more about the staff’s needs, individually and as a group. The director can then provide the type of leadership the group needs.
The authoritarian manager is characterized in which leadership theory?
Blake-Mouton theory
Under the Blake-Mouton theory, authoritarian managers expect people to do what they are told without question and tend not to foster collaboration.
An organization is considering implementing pay transparency. Per equity theory, what needs to guide a preliminary audit of pay scales?
Pay scales should reflect required inputs such as skills or education.
In the equity theory, motivation is based on an employee’s sense of fairness. When an employee considers the balance between inputs (skills, training, effort, education, experience) and outputs (one of which is salary) to be fair, motivation will be maintained. If the balance is perceived to be unfair, the individual can become demotivated. Therefore, when considering making pay scales public knowledge, it is important to determine whether the pay scales will be perceived as fair.
