CHAPTER 16—MANAGING INEFFECTIVE PERFORMERS
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Job performance is considered ineffective when it
a.
falls below an accepted standard.
b.
leads to employee dismissal.
c.
emphasizes quantity more than quality.
d.
must be controlled by management.
2. Factors contributing to ineffective performance include
a.
insufficient mental ability and education.
b.
low motivation and loafing.
c.
emotional problems or personality disorder.
d.
all of the choices
3. Priscilla displays low organizational citizenship behavior when she
a.
discovers a leaking faucet in the break lounge but does not report it.
b.
votes only in national elections.
c.
votes only in local elections.
d.
holds open the door for a senior citizen.
4. A study found that workers low in organizational citizenship behavior
a.
refused to contribute to charities through payroll deduction.
b.
spent too much time in community activities during working hours.
c.
tended to be the most productive workers.
d.
tended to engage in counterproductive workplace behavior.
5. A major contributing factor to performance problems among night-shift workers is that they suffer
from
a.
acute hunger pangs.
b.
mental lapses.
c.
nightmares on the job.
d.
job burnout.
6. A consultant observed that an explosive sexual harassment case usually
a.
has a domino effect leading to more cases of sexual harassment.
b.
encourages other types of deviant behavior on the job.
c.
increases productivity temporarily because of the excitement.
d.
decreases productivity temporarily because of gossip and distraction.
7. The core of the control model for managing ineffective performers is
a.
disciplining workers for substandard performance.
b.
problem identification and problem solving.
c.
motivating ineffective performs to do better.
d.
making clear the sanctions for substandard performance.
8. A recommended confrontation technique is for the manager to
a.
communicate care and concern.
b.
threaten the worker’s job security.
c.
make two nice comments for every negative one.
d.
appear angry and worried.
9. When referring employees to the EAP, the supervisor should focus on
a.
workplace problems created by the employee.
b.
the employee’s personal deficiencies.
c.
the employee’s most recent performance appraisal.
d.
the wide range of services offered by the EAP.
10. Managerial actions and techniques for ineffective performers include
a.
close supervision
b.
coaching
c.
transfer
d.
all of the choices
11. Two business psychologists cited in the management text claim that good coaching
a.
is simply good management.
b.
cannot be done by managers.
c.
should not be part of a manger’s responsibility.
d.
should be the responsibility of top-level management only.
12. The recommended time to give negative feedback about poor performance is
a.
close in time to the incident of poor performance.
b.
immediately after regular working hours.
c.
just before the start of the workday.
d.
as part of the annual performance evaluation.
13. Showing empathy for an employee stems naturally from
a.
giving advice.
b.
imposing progressive discipline.
c.
active listening
d.
asking closed-end questions.
14. A good question in coaching employees helps them
a.
understand their need for development.
b.
recognize that they are wrong.
c.
understand that the manager is just doing his or her job.
d.
recognize the precise nature of performance standards.
15. A recommended way of giving advice is to
a.
promise a reward for following the advice.
b.
promise a punishment for not following the advice.
c.
ask an insightful question.
d.
send an e-mail message to the person.
16. Lester, a credit analyst, is caught selling illegal drugs to co-workers. He will most likely receive
a.
progressive discipline.
b.
summary discipline.
c.
corrective discipline.
d.
a referral to the EAP.
17. Corrective discipline
a.
allows employees to correct their behavior before punishment is applied.
b.
is the immediate discharge of an employee.
c.
is part of a performance review.
d.
results in firing.
18. The final step in progressive discipline is
a.
discharge.
b.
a visit to the EAP.
c.
suspension.
d.
appeal.
19. A core principle of discipline and punishment is for the manager to
a.
make clear his or her analysis of the worker’s personal weaknesses.
b.
focus on the person, not the unsatisfactory performance.
c.
focus on unsatisfactory performance, not the person.
d.
ignore the first two offenses.
20. Employees who believe in a just world are likely to
a.
think that punishment is unjust.
b.
take an active role in punishing coworkers.
c.
demand due process when they have been punished.
d.
accept punishment when they have performed poorly.
21. Just punishment informs employees that
a.
certain types of misconduct will not be tolerated.
b.
they will be discharged.
c.
they will be transferred.
d.
they will be retrained.
22. The passive-aggressive worker will typically express anger by
a.
doing nothing when action should be taken.
b.
complaining frequently to the supervisor and co-workers.
c.
verbal abuse.
d.
physical abuse.
23. Which of the following is the most recommended approach to dealing with a difficult employee?
a.
Avoid humor about the problem being caused.
b.
Judge the person quickly
c.
Explain the importance of teamwork.
d.
Stand fast and do not make unwarranted concessions.
24. To deal with a difficult employee,
a.
listen and then confront or respond.
b.
give recognition and attention.
c.
both a & b
d.
give in to all demands.
25. To do a more effective job of firing an employee, it is recommended that the manager
a.
base the firing on second-hand information.
b.
be indirect in language to keep the employee off-guard.
c.
not conduct the termination session while angry.
d.
use e-mail instead of personal contact to avoid dealing with anger.
TRUE/FALSE
1. An employee who is poorly motivated will often not sustain enough effort to accomplish the amount
of work required to meet standards.
2. Fear of traveling, especially flying, is yet another contributor to ineffective performance.
3. Middle manager Demetrius engages in organizational citizenship behavior when he helps an employee
from another department who is struggling with understanding a jammed office copier.
4. An analysis of many different studies indicated that employees with high standing on organizational
citizenship behavior are more likely to engage in counterproductive employee behavior.
5. A “sick building” is a negative job performance factor in which pollutants in the air irritate workers.
6. Bullying and intimidation by managers typically enhances employee job performance because such
tactics are great motivators.
7. Both the sexual harasser and the person harassed are likely to experience a decrease in performance
after the incident.
8. Studies of sales representatives indicated that basing compensation too much on commissions can
result in counterproductive practices such as undercharging for services.
9. Penalizing employees for not achieving performance standards without first carefully communicating
those standards is unfair.
10. Managers often avoid confrontation because they may have limited skill in criticizing employees.
11. An emerging approach is to assign a low-performing worker to a group of high-performing workers.
12. The major purpose of coaching employees conflicts with the major purpose of management.
13. A recommended approach to starting a coaching session is for the manager to ask a question.
14. One reason joint problem solving is effective is that it conveys a helpful and constructive attitude on
the part of the manager.
15. Ineffective performers frequently agree to make improvements but are not really committed to change.
16. An important part of active listening is to ask open-ended questions.
17. An important part of coaching a substandard performer is to obtain a commitment to change.
18. The control model for managing ineffective performers is based on the assumption that summary
discipline is more effective than corrective discipline.
19. According to the red-hot-stove rule, employee discipline should be the immediate result of
inappropriate behavior, just as a burn is the result of touching a very hot stove.
20. Under progressive discipline, a written warning precedes an oral warning.
21. When employees observe that another employee has been punished justly, they will often rally on the
side of management.
22. Disgruntled workers typically blame supervisors, coworkers, and customers for their problems.
23. Nonhostile humor is recommended as a way of helping a difficult person understand how his or her
behavior is blocking others from doing their jobs.
24. A recommended approach for dealing with difficult people is to submit to most of their demands by
granting them concessions.
25. A good time to fire an employee is when you are angry because you will display more genuine
emotion.
ESSAY
1. Explain why so many employees become substandard performers.
2. Valerie Frederickson, a human resources consultant, had an office administrator who didn’t seem to
like the work, so.she let her go. She gave the woman a small amount of severance
pay, helped her get a new job, and assured her that the firing wasn’t personal. She explained gently,
“We just don’t have what you are looking for in our department.”
1. What does this story illustrate about a manager’s responsibilities?
2. How should a manager handle the termination of an employee?
3. What actions should a manager take to do an effective job of coaching?
4. Write a memo to management advising them on how to deal with difficult people, cynics included.
