The Art of Leadership, 6e (Manning)
Chapter 19 Professional Performance and Sustaining Discipline
1) ________ is a careful search for excellence—taking the absolute best as a standard and trying to
surpass it.
A) Top grading
B) Bottom lining
C) Pin pointing
D) Benchmarking
E) None of these
2) Two important criteria for benchmarking are ________ and ________.
A) product quality; service quality
B) location; time
C) personal; organizational
D) past; present
E) none of these
3) In the context of the elements of leadership performance, which of the following is defined as
the generation of new and usable ideas?
A) Statesmanship
B) Innovation
C) Entrepreneurship
D) Benchmarking
4) In the context of improving leadership performance, which of the following best describes the
term “statesmanship”?
A) The generation on new and usable ideas
B) The ability to achieve results, regardless of obstacles
C) The ability to work with and through other people
D) The taking of the absolute best as a standard and trying to surpass that standard
5) In the context of improving leadership performance, which of the following best describes the
term “entrepreneurship”?
A) The generation of new and usable ideas
B) The taking of the absolute best as a standard and trying to surpass that standard
C) The ability to work with and through other people
D) The ability to achieve results, regardless of obstacles
6) In the context of the five levels of performance excellence, which of the following is most likely
true of a competent manager (Level 3)?
A) He or she organizes people and resources toward the effective and efficient pursuit of
predetermined objectives.
B) He or she makes productive contributions through talent, knowledge, skills, and good work
habits.
C) He or she stimulates group to high performance standards.
D) He or she contributes to the achievement of group objectives.
7) In the context of the five levels of performance excellence, which of the following is most likely
true of a contributing team member (Level 2)?
A) He or she catalyzes commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision.
B) He or she makes productive contributions through talent, knowledge, skills, and good work
habits.
C) He or she stimulates group to high performance standards.
D) He or she works effectively with others in a group setting.
8) Which of the following is defined as a corrective action that is taken to support core values, such
as truth, trust, and respect, while simultaneously preserving human dignity?
A) Caring confrontation
B) Positive reinforcement
C) Industriousness
D) Permissiveness
9) In the context of the four-step method for solving performance problems, which of the
following refers to step 3?
A) Mutually discussing alternative solutions
B) Mutually agreeing on action to be taken to solve the problem
C) Following up to evaluate results and provide encouragement
D) Obtaining agreement that a problem exists
10) According to Collins and his research team, which of the following is most likely true of stage
2 of the five-stage process followed by leaders of failing organizations?
A) Leaders enjoy growth and acclaim, become greedy, and pursue activities unrelated to the
organization’s core business.
B) Setbacks and erosion of financial performance cause leaders to lose hope and recognize the
inevitability of failure.
C) As reality sets in and collapse is imminent, leaders grasp at anything they think will save them,
including hail-mary strategies.
D) As danger signs develop, leaders place blame for poor results on external factors rather than
their own poor decisions and counterproductive behavior.
11) In the context of the five phases in the life of an organization, which of the following occurs in
phase 3?
A) Crisis of leadership
B) Crisis of autonomy
C) Crisis of control
D) Crisis of red tape
12) In the context of the five phases in the life of an organization, which of the following occurs in
phase 4?
A) Growth through delegation
B) Growth through direction
C) Growth through coordination
D) Growth through collaboration
13) In the context of the five phases in the life of an organization, identify a true statement about
the period of growth in phase 2?
A) People are likely to work long hours for low pay in anticipation of future benefits.
B) Greater responsibility is given to lower-level leaders than higher-level responsibility.
C) Groups and interdivisional teams perform tasks and solve problems.
D) Responsibilities are divided between upper-level policymakers and lower-level specialists.
14) Which of the following behaviors best exemplifies a high level of statesmanship?
A) A person gambling on good odds anytime
B) A person planning work and holding performance to schedule
C) A person seeking consensus in settling disagreements
D) A person is one of the top producers of results
15) Level 5 leadership involves a paradox of ________ and ________.
A) lost time; increased skill
B) job knowledge; personal integrity
C) personal humility; professional will
D) mundane detail; abstract vision
E) none of these
16) Discipline problems include
A) permissiveness.
B) rigidity.
C) inconsistency.
D) all of these.
E) none of these.
17) Principles for providing effective discipline and corrective action include
A) establishing reasonable rules based on core values.
B) communicating rules to all employees.
C) providing an appeal process.
D) preserving human dignity.
E) all of these.
18) The four-step method for solving performance problems include
A) obtaining agreement that a problem exists.
B) mutually discussing alternative solutions.
C) mutually agreeing upon corrective action.
D) following up to evaluate results and provide encouragement.
E) all of these.
19) For effective corrective action, you should not charge a rule violation without first having the
A) time.
B) facts.
C) education.
D) skills.
20) In the context of improving performance, which of the following most likely occurs when
desired behavior is followed by a reward, which increases the probability that the behavior will be
repeated?
A) Reinforcement learning
B) Learned industriousness
C) Positive reinforcement
D) Overjustification effect
21) Three elements are important for effective discipline. Which one is NOT one of them?
A) Defined roles, so employees know what is expected
B) A reward system for good work
C) Clear guidelines, so employees understand acceptable behavior
D) Effective methods and procedures for taking corrective action
22) In the context of the importance of discipline, which of the following results in an untrained,
poorly organized, and unproductive workforce?
A) Permissiveness
B) Rigidity
C) Inconsistency
D) Confrontation
23) What is the first step in the four-step method for solving performance problems?
A) Following-up to evaluate results and provide encouragement
B) Mutually discussing alternative solutions
C) Obtaining agreement that a problem exists
D) Mutually agreeing upon action to be taken to solve problem
24) Entrepreneurship requires all of the following EXCEPT
A) exercising good work habits.
B) believing in yourself.
C) being willing to take risks.
D) possessing unlimited financial resources.
25) Innovation can be increased by
A) keeping an open mind.
B) having a questioning attitude.
C) using a new ideas system.
D) all of these.
26) Sam Walton wrote that success came from
A) maintaining records, positive attitude, and good health.
B) financial performance, materials management, and employee loyalty.
C) building a team, hard work, and breaking old rules.
D) none of these.
27) The first step to developing and maintaining high job performance is to
A) resist complacency and have the desire to perform at your best.
B) test new work methods in the workplace.
C) learn the principles of entrepreneurship.
D) demonstrate the essential behaviors of statesmanship.
28) Seeking out the ideas of others, seeking consensus in settling disputes, and going out of your
way to help others are behaviors and qualities best associated with
A) entrepreneurship.
B) statesmanship.
C) citizenship.
D) philanthropy.
29) In the context of the importance of discipline, which of the following should be avoided
because it makes it difficult for employees to understand what behavior is appropriate and what is
not allowed?
A) Inconsistency
B) Rigidity
C) Confrontation
D) Permissiveness
30) The two key elements of level 5 leadership are
A) opportunity and ambition.
B) love and work.
C) personal humility and professional will.
D) skill and luck.
E) training and experience.
31) Management practices that lead to sustained and superior performance, regardless of the
technique used, include all EXCEPT
A) establishing a direction, focusing on customers, and communicating with employees.
B) hiring good people, delegating decision-making, and performing quality work.
C) empowering people, rewarding performance, and maintaining high values.
D) aligning resources, exchanging information, and achieving teamwork.
E) accelerating change, mechanizing functions, and reducing staff.
32) Canadian mountain climber Jamie Clark identifies 5 lessons that can help organizations
achieve their summits that include all EXCEPT
A) caring enough to confront; sharing the brutal truth.
B) knowing the difference between passion and obsession.
C) what matters are the promises we keep, not the promises we make.
D) fear is an asset.
E) it is important to appreciate the people who helped get you there.
33) In the context of organizational performance, which of the following refers to stage 4 of the
five-stage process followed by leaders of failing organizations?
A) Grasping for salvation
B) Hubris born of success
C) Undisciplined pursuit of more
D) Denial of risk and peril
34) Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of organizations led by level 5 leaders?
A) They have the right people with the right skills in the right jobs.
B) They face facts head-on without sugar-coating differences.
C) They focus on their hedgehog.
D) They maintain a culture of discipline.
E) They are technology decelerators.
35) Effective organization development initiatives must be
A) empirically tested and fully funded.
B) understood, owned, worked, and supported by all levels of the leadership pyramid.
36) Abraham Lincoln was known for all of the following EXCEPT ________.
A) stressing freedom and equality as fundamental human values
B) influencing others through friendliness
C) getting out of the office and into the field
D) having adamant resolve to preserve the union
E) having a carefree disposition
37) Daniel Kahneman identifies two kinds of thinking: ________ and ________.
A) fast; slow
B) big; small
C) clear; cloudy
D) convergent; divergent
38) According to Collins and his research team, which of the following is most likely true of stage
3 of the five-stage process followed by leaders of failing organizations?
A) Leaders enjoy growth and acclaim, become greedy, and pursue activities unrelated to the
organization’s core business.
B) Setbacks and erosion of financial performance cause leaders to lose hope and recognize the
inevitability of failure.
C) As reality sets in and collapse is imminent, leaders grasp at anything they think will save them,
including hail-mary strategies.
D) As danger signs develop, leaders place blame for poor results on external factors rather than
their own poor decisions and counterproductive behavior.
39) In the context of the five phases in the life of an organization, identify a true statement about
the period of crisis in phase 1.
A) Leaders become overworked and harried by administrative details.
B) Decentralized leaders are able to penetrate new markets, respond faster to customers, and
develop new products.
C) Lower-level leaders become increasingly frustrated and demand flexibility and room to
exercise their own initiative.
D) Communication from the top management is less frequent.
40) David Marquet focused on two main pillars to turn the USS Sante Fe from the worst to the first
ship in the U.S. Navy: ________ and ________.
A) rewarding loyalty; punishing derelicts
B) providing organizational clarity; maintaining technical competence
C) publishing rules; enforcing rules
D) focusing on safety; focusing on efficiency
41) In the context of organizational justice, which aspect refers to whether people are treated with
dignity and respect?
A) Distribution
B) Interaction
C) Procedure
D) Confrontation
42) The book How the Mighty Fall shows how culture of change, lack of core values, and
________ can threaten the success of any great company (Toyota, Starbucks, etc.).
A) poor money management
B) work force diversity
C) ossification of systems
D) denial of peril
E) merit employment
43) In the context of the four-step method to solve problems, the second step involves weighing
each fact against the others, fitting the pieces together, and considering alternatives.
44) The level 5 leader embodies the thought—humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is
thinking of yourself less; and the level 5 leader values achievement of a worthy goal, not winning
at any cost.
45) The Cianbro success story is based on a can-do attitude, a teamwork ethic, and caring
leadership.
46) Positive reinforcement occurs when desired behavior is followed by a reward, which increases
the probability that the behavior will be repeated.
Match the items below with their descriptions:
A) causes of discipline problems
B) requirements for innovation
C) a corrective action based on core values or principles
D) important area of leadership performance-ability to achieve results regardless of obstacles
E) important area of leadership performance—ability to generate new and usable ideas
F) important area of leadership performance—ability to work with and through others
G) requirements for statesmanship
H) the soul of an army
I) requirements for entrepreneurship
J) characteristics of level 5 leaders
K) the process of comparing against the best and taking steps to surpass it
L) elements of behavior modification
47) keeping an open mind, having a questioning attitude, using a new-ideas system
48) personal humility, professional will
49) statesmanship
50) goal setting, feedback on performance, and positive reinforcement
51) good work habits, believing in oneself, courage to take risks
52) discipline
53) innovation
54) entrepreneurship
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55) caring confrontation
56) permissiveness, rigidity, inconsistency
57) benchmarking