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Chapter 1: Definition and Significance of Leadership
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Various definitions of leadership include all but one of the following:
a. influence process
b. goal achievement
c. group phenomenon
d. control
2. Which one of the following is not part of a general definition of leadership?
a. exercise of control
b. group phenomenon
c. influence
d. hierarchy
3. The definition of leadership has how many key elements?
a. one
b. two
c. three
d. four
4. Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, considers which of the following to be key to leadership?
a. setting goals
b. articulating a vision
c. empowerment
d. addressing the needs of stakeholders
5. Jonas Falk, CEO of Organic Life, believes that ___________ is the key to leadership.
a. team performance
b. inspiration
c. goal setting
d. control
6. Which of the following factors is not part of the definitions of leadership effectiveness?
a. achieving goals
b. follower satisfaction
c. ability to change
d. maintaining control
7. Barbara Waugh, a Civil Rights activist and worldwide change manager at Hewlett-Packard
Laboratories, defines leadership effectiveness as _______.
a. empowering employees
b. meeting corporate objectives
c. always making the customer happy
d. finding a story worth living
8. According to Fred Luthans, effective managers focus on ________ while successful managers focus
on ________.
a. stakeholders;
goal achievement
b. employee satisfaction;
quick promotions
c. goal achievement;
stock prices
d. change management;
employee satisfaction
9. According to Fred Luthans, effective managers are those who:
a. take care of their own careers
b. take care of their employees
c. worry about all stakeholders
d. maintain control through a crisis
10. According to Fred Luthans, successful managers are those who:
a. take care of their own careers
b. take care of their employees
c. worry about all stakeholders
d. maintain control through a crisis
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11. Based on Fred Luthans’ research, what percentage of managers are both effective and successful?
a. 10%
b. 30%
c. 50%
d. over 60%
12. Which of the following statements is true about the definition of leadership effectiveness?
a. Leadership effectiveness depends on the goals of the organization
b. Leadership effectiveness must take into account the personality of the leader
c. Leadership effectiveness is the same regardless of the organization
d. Leadership effectiveness is always based on performance
13. The case of the New York Times newspaper is an example of .
a. the importance of stakeholders in defining effectiveness
b. the role of national culture
c. generational differences
d. the complexity of defining effectiveness
14. Which one of the following factors is the key element of most definitions of leadership effectiveness?
a. employee satisfaction
b. stakeholder needs
c. focus on outcome
d. financial measures
15. While _________ are an important aspect of leadership effectiveness, the key element is
___________.
a. leader style; providing direction
b. internal processes; outcome
c. goal achievement;
stakeholder satisfaction
d. empowerment; participation
16. Which one of the following is not an element of the definition of leadership effectiveness?
a. goal achievement
b. smooth internal functioning
c. external adaptability
d. efficiency
17. The three key elements of leadership effectiveness are:
a. goal achievement, smooth internal processes, external adaptability
b. follower satisfaction, leader control, empowerment
c. goal achievement, stock prices, customer satisfaction
d. flexibility, follower satisfaction, stakeholder satisfaction
18. Comparable companies require salespersons to get 8 hours of training during the first year on the job,
however it is not unusual for The Container Store sales people to get hours of training before a
new store opens.
a. 12
b. 20
c. 100
d. 200
19. The Container Store is able to pay its associates how much more than their competitors?
a. 10-30 percent
b. 30-50 percent
c. 50-100 percent
d. 100-200 percent
20. The Contain Store’s efforts to create a family-friendly environment have paid off. Whereas their
competitors’ turn–over rate is approximately 90 percent, The Container Store’s turnover rate is only
.
a. 2 percent
b. 10 percent
c. 20 percent
d. 50 percent
21. Which is not a reason the text provides as to why leaders are needed?
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a. to keep groups orderly and focused
b. to accomplish tasks
c. to be romantic ideals
d. to provide effective customer service
22. Bob, a salesperson for ABC, Inc., relies heavily on his supervisor to provide annual goals and
direction was well as to clarify activities for the upcoming year. Which reason for ‘why we need
leaders’ best fits this situation?
a. to keep groups orderly and focused
b. to accomplish tasks
c. to make sense of the world
d. to be romantic ideals
23. Which one of the following is not one of the obstacles to effective leadership?
a. uncertainty that creates pressure for quick responses
b. reliance on old ideas about leadership
c. rigid and short-term oriented organizations
d. inaccessible academic research
24. Sally was recently hired as president and CEO of AlphaSports, Inc, a regional chain of sporting goods
stores. She has been hired to internalize the organization as well as expand market share. Many
members of the organization are highly skeptical because the organization has never attempted
anything like this in the past. Sally is experiencing which obstacle to effective leadership?
a. the organization is rigid and unforgiving
b. the organization is falling back on old ideas
c. the organization is facing considerable uncertainty
d. there is a lack of understanding in applying academic research findings
25. Jake was appointed president and CEO of XYZ, Inc. The board of directors wants him to lower
expenses by laying off 50 percent of the front-line workers. Which of the following would not be an
obstacle for Jake?.
a. Organizations are rigid and unforgiving during times of change.
b. The organization is facing considerable uncertainty.
c. Stockholders do not support leaders who make change.
d. They are falling back on old ideas.
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26. While managers focus on ________, leadership is aimed at ________.
a. getting power;
here and now
b. getting followers motivated;
sharing values
c. planning and stability;
movement and change
d. personal relationships;
political networks
27. Managers are , while leaders are .
a. short-term oriented;
long-term oriented
b. long-term oriented;
short-term oriented
c. interested in creating a culture based on values;
interested in maintaining existing structure
d. making use of personal power;
making use of positional power
28. Compared to managers, leaders do all of the following except .
a. focus on the future
b. create culture based on shared values
c. maintain existing structure
d. create change
29. Compared to leaders, managers do all of the following except .
a. establish an emotional link with followers
b. maintain status quo
c. implement policies and procedures
d. use position power
30. Leadership and management become more closely similar when considering the issue of .
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a. effectiveness and competence
b. national and organizational culture
c. individual traits
d. organizational performance
31. In addition to basic managerial functions of planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling,
leaders are ascribed .
a. procedural and external roles
b. procedural and internal roles
c. strategic and internal roles
d. strategic and external roles
32. Kip Tindell, founder of The Container Store, created a family-friendly work environment with higher
wages and flexible shifts. He may be considered an effective leader because .
a. he focused entirely on the present
b. he created a culture on shared values
c. he was interested in maintaining the status quo
d. he only used position power to get things done
33. Which of the following is not one of the managerial roles proposed by Mintzberg?
a. figurehead
b. leader
c. conflict manager
d. resource allocator
34. Henry Mintzberg identified executive roles for managerial activities.
a. 5
b. 7
c. 9
d. 10
35. According to research by Mintzberg, the job of a manager is characterized by .
a. many cultural encounters
b. a wide variety of tasks and many interruptions
c. a series of well-defined activities that start with planning and end in controlling
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d. political activities that are essential to being effective
36. Helgesen’s research about gender differences in management found that .
a. women are better managers
b. women preferred face-to-face communication
c. women managers often have to focus on their job at the expense of personal life
d. women are more isolated then men
37. Helgesen called the “female” style of management ________.
a. the web
b. participative management
c. interconnected management
d. non-hierarchical charisma
38. Helgesen’s research found that female managers only matched how many of Mintzberg’s categories
of executive roles?
a. one
b. two
c. four
d. five
39. The example of Starbucks gourmet coffee illustrates .
a. the importance of social responsibility
b. how founders can impact an organization
c. the importance of quality in the mission of an organization
d. how men and women both practice participative management
40. If the founder of the organization is a workaholic and control oriented, the organization is likely to be
characterized as:
a. ‘the web’ whereby the manager is in the center of an interconnected circle
b. fast-paced decision making and centralized
c. decentralized and open
d. participative and supportive
41. Leaders are often role models for their followers. Recent research suggests that leaders must also pay
attention to .
a. sexual harassment and its negative impact
b. the use of power
c. how outsiders impact their followers
d. their own emotional reactions
42. Stephen Oesterle is a senior executive of Medtronics, an organization dedicated to promoting healthy
lifestyles. Stephen runs marathons and maintains a personal healthy lifestyle. Which function of
shaping an organizational culture best describes Stephen’s approach? (Stephen-see pages 4 & 12)
a. creating an effective reward system
b. being a role model
c. hiring the right people
d. creating an effective organizational strategy and structure
43. Tyler Winkler, senior vice president of sales for Secure Works, takes an approach whereby
employees “make your numbers in three months or run the risk of being put on probation, and then
possibly termination.” Through this process he measures employee performance, provides detailed
feedback and training to improve sales. Which function of how leaders shape organizational culture
best describes Tyler’s approach?
a. role modeling
b. creating an effective reward system
c. hiring the right people
d. creating an effective organizational strategy and structure
44. Bob Landouceur, La Salle high-school football coach wants his team members to get in touch with
their emotions and develop ‘love’ for their teammates. Through this process he demonstrates great
empathy for his players. Which function of how leaders shape organizational culture best describes
Bob’s leadership style?
a. role modeling
b. creating an effective reward system
c. hiring the right people
d. creating an effective organizational strategy and structure
45. Leaders shape the culture of their organization through all but one of the following:
a. role modeling
b. the reward system
c. market research
d. hiring decisions related to employees and other managers and leaders
46. Determining span of control, reporting relationships, and degree of formalization and specialization
are all elements of which function of how leaders shape organizational culture?
a. developing strategies and structures
b. influencing hiring decisions
c. creating effective reward systems
d. role modeling
47. When leaders establish a highly decentralized structure, the result is likely to be a _________ culture.
a. closed
b. participative
c. internally focused
d. inflexible
48. Jack Welch was able to have an impact on the future of GE’s culture by,
a. negotiating a series of company acquisitions to insure GE’s long-term success.
b. establishing rules and guidelines his predecessors would have to follow.
c. purchasing enough of the company’s outstanding stock to be elected to the board of
directors..
d. personally selecting the CEO and other top managers before he retired.
49. The factors that are pushing for new roles for leaders include all but one of the following:
a. push for quality
b. use of teams
c. changing hierarchies
d. increased homogeneity
50. In a results oriented organization that focuses on quality and teamwork, which level of organizational
structure should assume primary responsibility?
a. senior executives
b. mid-level managers
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c. front line supervisors
d. employees
51. In traditional organizations, employees are primarily responsible for ________ while leaders are
responsible for ________.
a. production;
planning
b. planning;
controlling
c. preparing;
implementing
d. controlling;
quality
52. Changes in many organizations are causing leaders to rely more on ________ and less on ________.
a. consideration;
task
b. vision;
consideration
c. facilitation;
structuring
d. planning;
leading
53. Rick Sapio, CEO of New York City Mutual.com, created this tool for involving employees in
organizational change.
a. an electronic mailbox for employees to express concerns
b. a quality control team to review all major company decisions
c. a reward program that pays employees for innovations
d. an advisory board that keeps employees informed on company strategy
54. Leaders such as Philip Diehl, director of the U.S. Mint, have made ________ one of their key
activities.
a. quality control
b. providing a vision
c. managing
d. communicating
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55. Which are not some of the primary factors fueling change for organizations and their leadership?
a. political changes
b. ambiguity and uncertainty
c. demographic changes
d. globalization
56. Which of the following are not some of the factors that are fueling the changes in leadership?
a. increase in global competition
b. political changes
c. legal requirements
d. demographic and social changes
57. The increased cultural diversity in organizations is .
a. causing most leaders to become ineffective
b. causing changes in organizational practices
c. leading to higher salaries across the board
d. leading to conflict between leaders and followers
58. The fastest growing segment of the U.S. population is currently:
a. African American
b. Asian American
c. Hispanic
d. European
59. By 2016, what fraction of the United States population will be of a minority group?
a. one fifth
b. one forth
c. one third
d. one half
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60. By 2025, Hispanics are estimated to be what percent of the United States population?
a. 8%
b. 21%
c. 28%
d. 38%
61. By 2050, the Hispanic population in the United States is estimated to grow to what percent of the total
population?
a. 40%
b. 30%
c. 20%
d. 10%
62. According to the text, which country has a high percentage of women (about 23%) in corporate
boards?
a. United States
b. Malaysia
c. Venezuela
d. Sweden
63. The challenges arising from issues regarding the differences in age groups represents which major
factor fueling organizational change and their leaders?
a. increased globalization
b. employee expectations
c. political changes
d. demographic changes
64. Which generation comprises the largest population segment in the United States?
a. Millennial generation
b. Generation Xers
c. Generation Y
d. Baby boomers