Leadership SKills

Question 1

How can a project manager create more productivity on a team?

Answer 1

By considering skills, learning styles, and motivations of the team and aligning project tasks and goals accordingly

Question 2

List some of the differences between management and leadership.

Answer 2

Management Focus
Leadership Focus
Tasks/things
People
Control
Empowerment
Efficiency
Effectiveness
Doing things right
Doing the right things
Speed
Direction
Practices
Principles
Command
Communication

Question 3

What is involved in critical thinking?

Answer 3

Gathering unbiased information
Responding logically, and without bringing more emotion to the situation
Resolving issues using analytical skills
Analyzing data to address the issue and choose the right path
Being aware of relationships and related patterns
Identifying when someone is off-base with their reasoning

Question 4

What is emotional intelligence?

Answer 4

The ability to perceive, evaluate, and control emotions in self and other

Question 5

Name the four primary duties a leader performs in the servant leadership role.

Answer 5

Makes sure team members stay on track and have no unnecessary interruptions, and that work unrelated to the project does not get added

Works to remove impediments to keep the team moving forward

Continually communicates the project vision so team members have a good understanding of the final goal

Gives the team everything they need to be productive and to stay motivated (rewards, compensation, support, encouragement, etc.)

Question 6

What is the difference between centralized and distributed management and leadership?

Answer 6

Centralized teams report to one leader, such as the project manager

Distributed management is when the team follows the leadership of several individuals

Question 7

How should communications flow on a project?

Answer 7

Project communications occur internally and externally to the core project team—vertically (up and down the levels of the organization) and horizontally (between peers

Question 8

What are the four types of communication?

Answer 8

Formal written
Formal verbal
Informal written
Informal verbal

Question 9

What are the five Cs of communication?

Answer 9

Correct grammar and spelling
Concise and well-crafted
Clear and purposeful
Coherent and logical
Controlled flow of words and ideas

Question 10

Describe an interactive model of communication.

Answer 10

Interactive communication includes three main components: the sender, the receiver, and the confirmation that the message is correctly understood

Factors such as the receiver’s perception of the message, everyday distractions, or even lack of interest (also known as noise) can affect the way the receiver decodes a message

Question 11

What is active listening?

Answer 11

The receiver confirms they are listening, accurately reflects back on the speaker’s remarks, expresses agreement or disagreement, and asks for clarification as necessary

Question 12

What is the difference between the gulf of execution and the gulf of evaluation?

Answer 12

The gulf of execution is related to how closely a feature or product can actually be implemented compared to what the user wants

The gulf of evaluation is a communication gap between the user and the developer

Question 13

What are possible communication blockers on a project?

Answer 13

Noisy surroundings
Distance between those trying to communicate
Improper encoding of messages
Language
Culture

Question 14

What are key considerations regarding communications technology?

Answer 14

Determining the optimal technology with which to communicate information

Complexity of the information that needs to be communicated

Question 15

Define interactive, push, and pull communication methods.

Answer 15

Interactive: The sender provides the information, and recipients receive and respond to it

Push: The sender provides the information but does not expect feedback on that information

Pull: The sender places the information in a central location, and recipients are responsible for retrieving it

Question 16

What is the formula for communication channels?

Answer 16

n (n-1)
———
2

n=the number of stakeholders

Question 17

Define extrinsic and intrinsic motivation.

Answer 17

Extrinsic: External factors, such as salary; they are limited and short-lived motivators

Intrinsic: Internal factors; they motivate people long-term

Question 18

Describe the three categories of internal motivators.

Answer 18

Autonomy: The desire people have to direct their own lives.

Mastery: The desire to improve, excel, learn, and do excellent work.

Purpose: The intrinsic need for a sense of purpose.

Question 19

Name and explain the four motivation theories.

Answer 19

Theories X, Y, and Z:
X: Managers believe workers are incapable
Y: Employees can direct their own efforts
Z: Linked to self-realization, values, and a higher calling

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: People are motivated by using their skills and contributing to the project

McClelland’s Theory of Needs: People are motivated by one of three needs (achievement, affiliation, power)

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Motivation: Hygiene factors are not sufficient to motivate people; motivating agents will keep people energized and engaged

Question 20

Define each stage of the Shu-Ha-Ri model.

Answer 20

Shu: Rules are learned and obeyed
Ha: Rules have been mastered through practice
Ri: Rules become second-nature

Question 21

What is the Dreyfus Model of Adult Skill Acquisition?

Answer 21

Proposes that adults learn new skills through five different stages: novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert

Question 22

What is the difference between I-shaped and T-shaped team members?

Answer 22

I-shaped team members specialize in one area, while T-shaped team members have a broad range of skills

Question 23

What two factors does the Situational Leadership II® model focus on?

Answer 23

Competence
Commitment

Question 24

What is the OSCAR model?

Answer 24

A coaching tool that helps leaders define the goals for individual team members.

It stands for outcome, situation, choices/consequences, actions, and review.

Question 25

According to the Tuckman ladder, what are the stages of team formation and development?

Answer 25

Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Adjourning

Question 26

What are the stages in the Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance Model?

Answer 26

Step 1: Orientation, or “Why” (purpose of the project)

Step 2: Trust building, or “Who” (information is shared and learned)

Step 3: Goal clarification, or “What” (team elaborates on project information)

Step 4: Commitment, or “How” (team plans and achieves the project’s goals)

Step 5: Implementation (high-level plans are decomposed and deliverables are produced)

Step 6: High performance (team has reached a level of high performance)

Step 7: Renewal (team renews goal clarification, commitment, or other ways of working together)

Question 27

What is a common method for increasing trust on agile projects?

Answer 27

Engage the team in the development of estimates

Question 28

What is the value of negotiation?

Answer 28

Developing the team while working to build consensus on project decisions

Including the team members in the decision-making process shows that the project manager values and considers their input

Question 29

What is involved in influencing?

Answer 29

Actively listening to differing viewpoints expressed by team members

Acknowledging those different perspectives and using communication and persuasion skills helps the project manager develop mutual trust and, eventually, agreement within the team

Question 30

How can the training of team members positively impact the project?

Answer 30

Training can help decrease the overall project cost and schedule by increasing efficiency

Question 31

What is the goal of coaching?

Answer 31

Help team members stay on track, overcome issues, continually improve their skills, and achieve their goals

Question 32

Why is it valuable to provide recognition and rewards to a team or individual team members?

Answer 32

In addition to recognizing past accomplishments, rewards provide incentive for ongoing achievement and efforts

Question 33

List the most common sources of conflict on projects, in order of most to least common.

Answer 33

1. Schedules
2. Project priorities
3. Resources
4. Technical opinions
5. Administrative procedures
6. Cost
7. Personality

Question 34

Name five conflict resolution techniques and their definition.

Answer 34

Collaborating: Openly discussing differences and incorporating multiple viewpoints to achieve consensus (a win-win solution)

Compromising: Finding an outcome that brings some degree of satisfaction to all parties involved (a lose-lose solution)

Withdrawal: Postponing a decision or avoiding the problem

Smoothing: Emphasizing agreement rather than differences of opinion

Forcing: Pushing one viewpoint at the expense of another (a win-lose solution)