978-0132729840 Chapter 07 Part 2

39. Autonomy places decision‐making authority in the hands of employees who are

best able to respond, and respond quickly, to a dynamic environment.

40. Knowledge possessed by employees at lower hierarchical levels puts

them in an excellent position to understand the degree to which the change

goals articulated and pursued by upper management are both being implemented

and achieving the desired results.

41. Spector describes effective leadership having had three separate but

interrelated notions; shaping the behaviors of others in the organization,

mobilizing internalized motivation, and mobilizing adaptive behavior. Explain

what is meant by each.

42. What are the five core tasks that are the heart of effective leadership?

43. Leadership starts by identifying and articulating organizational purpose.

Purpose involves a “clearly articulated, well‐defined ambition” for the

organization. What are the outcomes of articulating a strong purpose

statement?

44. Effective organizations need upward communication as well as downward

communication. Discuss way leaders can enable upward communication.

allowing employees to exert authority and take responsibility for the organizational–

environmental interface. (Moderate: p. 157)

45. Discuss the importance of leaders creating an emotional bond between

individuals and their organizations.

46. What are the Organizational Barriers to Effective Leadership Development?

Briefly describe each.

Scenario-Based Questions

You are the CEO of a major HR firm, offering specialized HR services to organizations

wishing to outsource all or part of their HR functions. In the past, the firm was structured

into several divisions, including Compensation, Recruitment, Training and Development,

and Legal Services. You have learned a lot from Spector’s approach to organizational

change and for about 2 years now, you have been faithfully applying the different

concepts. You started, of course, with mutual engagement and shared diagnosis. As part

of Step 1, Organization Redesign, you successfully piloted cross-functional teams and a

new focus on customer service which was later rolled out as the strategic directive for the

entire firm. In Step 2, you worked to ensure that employees and managers were trained in

the newly identified skills and competencies and in Step 3, you did some essential people

alignment, including movement, removal and replacement of people in key positions.

Finally, in Step 4, your main task was to ensure that you had the right structures, systems

and technologies in place to reinforce the new behaviors. You made some major

structural changes, including a move from a functional to a horizontal, customer-service

oriented structure, reinforced by a balanced scorecard, proper financial initiatives and a

new team-oriented IT system. In the process, you also did some work on the

organizational culture, including a cultural audit and a series of other steps to ensure

consistency between values and actions in the organization. The Board of Directors has

called you in to review your performance and to determine if it is time for a bonus and for

that long awaited and well-deserved vacation.

47. The Board asks you to demonstrate different ways in which your leadership of the

firm has been effective. You begin by discussing your vision for the firm which

focused on seamless, integrated customer service and the way you have worked

on making this a part of the organization. In your mind, this demonstrates which

core task of leadership?

a. development of future leaders

b. demonstrating strong, individual leadership skills

c. a ferocious desire to achieve outstanding results

d. your concern for upward communication

e. development and clear articulation of organizational purpose

48. The Chair of the Board notes that one of the employees, who also happens to be

his nephew, has complained about the “unreasonable performance expectations”

you place on employees at different levels of the company. You respond by

saying:

a. your nephew needs to develop some more muscle so stretching is good for

him.

b. effective change efforts are built on a drive to achieve outstanding

performance.

c. you recognize the unreasonableness of your demands.

d. you walk the talk.

49. In reviewing your record, the Board questions a fairly large expenditure of the past

quarter which was related to a series of focus meetings between you and

employees at all different levels. These meetings were already conducted at the

beginning of the 2-year episode, why again? You point to:

a. the importance of upward communication.

b. the value of being in touch with employees at all levels.

c. the importance of forging close emotional bonds.

d. all of the above

e. a and b only

50. The Board heard about something called “upward communication” and wants to

know what means you are using to promote this. You explain that you:

a. always remind employees of who knows best, which is you, of course.

b. tell employees to always follow the precisely prescribed channels for

communication.

c. clearly delineate roles and responsibilities.

d. have focus meetings and an open-door policy.

51. One of the things you are particularly proud of is your approach to developing

future leaders. You show the Board this program and the outstanding features

which include:

a. rapid upward mobility, short-term performance rewards and culture work.

b. slow downward mobility, long-term performance rewards and recruitment for

specific skills.

c. rapid downward mobility, movement within multiple functions and wilderness

training.

d. coalition training, vision, strategy and culture work, and long-term