Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Chapter 12: Addressing Ethics in Leadership
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. Leaders usually have ______ power and control than followers.
a. more
b. less
c. equal
d. more frequent
2. Which of the following is not listed in the text as having experienced a scandal?
a. Enron
b. U.S. Military
c. Verizon Wireless
d. Governors
3. The influence of a moral person who moves others to do the right thing in the right
way for the right reasons is ______.
a. righteous leadership
b. ethical leadership
c. faith-based leadership
d. none of these
4. Which of the following is not listed as an outcome of ethical leadership?
a. making the world better
b. making the world fairer
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
c. making the world more humane
d. all are listed as outcomes
5. In leadership ethics, the focus is on the ______ and their behaviors, motives, and
actions.
a. followers
b. constituencies
c. leader
d. employees
6. How many elements are there in the practice of ethical leadership?
a. eight
b. six
c. five
d. twelve
7. Qualities, disposition, and core values refer to the ______ of the leader.
a. character
b. goals
c. actions
d. strengths
8. Trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship are
collectively known as ______.
a. the six universal values
b. the six pillars of character
c. the six leadership strengths
d. none of these
9. Which of the following is not a behavior of trustworthiness?
a. being honest
b. being reliable
c. using good manners
d. building a good reputation
10. While we have no ethical duty to hold all people in high ______, we should treat
everyone with ______.
a. esteem; respect
b. regard; contempt
c. admiration; disdain
d. favor; scorn
11. The author suggests all of the following behaviors demonstrate respect except
a. being tolerant of differences
b. being considerate of others
c. working out disagreements
d. doing your job
12. Ethical people show ______ by being accountable, pursuing excellence, and
exercising self-restraint.
a. respect
b. responsibility
c. fairness
d. trustworthiness
13. A supervisor is selecting recipients of new awards for an end of year celebration.
Criteria for the awards are not known to the employees, and it is revealed that the
awards all go to employees who are friendly with the supervisor outside of work. When
questioned about this, the supervisor blames other employees for not working harder.
This is an example of a violation primarily of which of the six factors?
a. responsibility
b. strengths
c. fairness
d. citizenship
14. Which of the following is not a behavior of caring?
a. being kind
b. being compassionate
c. forgiving others
d. getting involved
15. Ethical leadership involves using ______ actions to achieve goals.
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
a. innovative
b. budget friendly
c. morally appropriate
d. innovative and budget friendly
16. Valuing others’ ideas and affirming them as individuals are behaviors that ______.
a. show respect
b. serve others
c. show justice
d. get others involved
17. A leader who is follower-centered and mentors and empowers others is practicing
which of the three actions of ethical leaders?
a. showing respect
b. serving others
c. showing justice
d. getting others involved
18. As a supervisor, treating all employees equally, making decisions fairly, and not
viewing some employees as favorites are signs of ______.
a. showing respect
b. serving others
c. showing justice
d. getting others involved
19. Northouse points out that there are three principles related to the actions of ethical
leaders; which of the following is not one of them?
a. showing respect
b. serving others
c. showing justice
d. showing compassion
20. A follower can evaluate the leader’s goals as a reflection of the leader’s ______.
a. ethics
b. strengths quest talents
c. weaknesses
d. strengths quest talents and weaknesses
21. Dishonesty in leadership creates which of the following?
a. distrust
b. diminished respect
c. unreliable behavior
d. all of these
22. Which aspect puts a strain on interpersonal relationships and how the leader and
the followers are connected to each other?
a. dishonesty
b. compassion
c. collegiality
d. altruism
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
23. The capacity to influence or affect others is ______.
a. manipulation
b. power
c. subordination
d. leadership
24. A professor who is widely admired by his students for his personability could be said
to have ______ power.
a. referent
b. legitimate
c. reward
d. coercive
25. Your manager is in disagreement about how to implement a project with your team.
After your disagreement, the manager lets you know they are cutting your budget and
diverting the funds to one of her own projects. This is an example of ______ power.
a. referent
b. expert
c. reward
d. coercive
26. As a manager you need to hire an Information Technology consultant for your area.
You have little knowledge of software and cutting edge technology, so this employee
would hold what type of power in your relationship?
a. coercive
b. reward
c. expert
d. referent
27. Your internship supervisor calls you in for an appraisal. After going over her
findings, she assigns you to a new task that fits your skill level and department needs.
She can do this because she has what type of power as your supervisor?
a. legitimate
b. referent
c. expert
d. reward
28. The power base that relies on followers’ identification and liking for the leader is
known as ______ power.
a. coercive
b. reward
c. referent
d. expert
29. ______ values are concerned with the outcomes or goals a leader seeks to achieve.
a. Ethical
b. Coercive
c. Modal
d. End
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
30. Acting in the best interests of others, even when it might run counter to a leader’s
self-interests, refers to the principle of ______.
a. showing respect
b. serving others
c. showing justice
d. all of these
31. ______ stated, “The ends justify the means.”
a. Winston Churchill
b. Warren Buffett
c. Bill Gates
d. Niccolo Machiavelli
32. Showing justice refers to ______.
a. special consideration
b. favoritism
c. treating everyone equally
d. none of these
33. The goals a leader selects ______.
a. are not very important
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
b. are a way to get people to do what you want
c. are a reflection of the leader’s ethics
d. all of these
34. To avoid misusing power, the text warns that leaders should be ______.
a. vigilant
b. dominant
c. upset
d. altruistic
35. When the text discusses the ability to influence and affect change in others, it is
referring to a leader’s ______.
a. honesty
b. values
c. power
d. character
36. Which of the following refers to adherence to a balanced standard of justice without
relevance to one’s own feelings or indications?
a. trustworthiness
b. fairness
c. responsibility
d. power
37. When a leader is not honest, others come to see that leader as ______.
a. undependable
b. reliable
c. unreliable
d. undependable and unreliable
38. What is a fundamental aspect of ethical leadership?
a. position
b. persuasion
c. character
d. appearance
39. A leader’s ethical values are demonstrated in ______ leadership.
a. everyday
b. phenomenal
c. strengths
d. passive
40. James MacGregor Burns suggested that there are three kinds of leadership values.
Which are they?
a. leader values, follower values, and organizational values
b. ethical values, modal values, and end values
c. ethical values, organizational values, and societal values
d. moral values, modal values, and end values
41. A leader’s values are seldom exactly the same as their followers’ values. The ethical
leader should ______.
a. ignore the tension between the different values
b. subjugate follower values
c. negotiate through the differences to find the best outcome for all
d. embrace the followers’ values as their own
42. Gift giving is part of business etiquette in some cultures, but known as ______ in
others.
a. presents
b. expectations
c. extortion
d. bribery
43. Resick, Hanges, Dickson, and Mitchelson found that which group of countries place
higher importance on a leader’s character and integrity?
a. Nordic countries
b. Middle Eastern countries
c. Asian countries
d. Latin American countries
44. Modal values are concerned with ______.
a. notions of character
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
b. the means or actions a leader takes
c. the outcomes or goals a leader seeks to achieve
d. none of these
45. End values are concerned with ______.
a. notions of character
b. the means or actions a leader takes
c. the outcomes or goals a leader seeks to achieve
d. none of these
46. When telling the truth, a leader needs to strike a balance between ______ and
______ to others.
a. openness; sensitivity
b. policies; values
c. feelings; perception
d. reputation; thoughtfulness
47. To be an ethical leader, you need to pay attention to ______.
a. who you are
b. the way you use power
c. what goals you seek
d. all of these
48. What was the main reason given in the text that describes how Hitler was not an
ethical leader?
a. He lacked legitimate power.
b. His goals were evil.
c. He had referent power from the wrong sub-groups.
d. all of these
49. You have taken over a new group of employees who lack motivation. To increase
motivation and productivity, you initiate a program that gives bonuses to employees who
finish projects ahead of schedule. Which type of power are you using?
a. reward
b. coercive
c. referent
d. expert
50. Using power to work with subordinates to accomplish mutual goals is one way to
practice ______.
a. strengths
b. ethical leadership
c. authoritarian leadership
d. laissez-faire leadership
True/False
1. Being honest is synonymous with being ethical.
2. A worthy goal, achieved in an unethical manner, is still ethical.
3. Ethical leaders make it a top priority to treat all of their subordinates in an equal
manner.
4. Having more control than followers does not affect a leader’s ethics.
5. Being honest is not just about the leader telling the truth.
6. Leadership has a moral dimension because leaders influence the lives of others.
7. Expert power refers to followers’ perceptions of the leaders’ competence.
8. An ethical leader with ethical goals may impose his or her will on others.
9. It is not important for a leader to clearly establish the rules for distributing rewards.
10. Leaders’ actions include the means and methods they use to achieve their goals.
Essay
1. Describe the six elements of the practice of ethical leadership. Give examples of how
you have used at least three of them in one leadership situation.
2. Distinguish among the three kinds of leadership values, giving specific examples of
each.
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
3. Is it ever appropriate for a leader to compromise his or her values? Give a specific
example for why or why not.
4. Northouse writes, “A leader needs to be aware and sensitive to how he or she uses
power.” Discuss how you could use each type of power in an unethical manner.
5. Briefly discuss three of the six pillars of character.
6. Which two of the five bases of power have you used in your life? Provide examples.
7. Briefly discuss the three principles that guide actions of ethical leaders.
8. Analyze the Leadership Snapshot of Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates for
the six elements of ethical leadership.
9. Discuss the five bases of power and where you have seen them implemented in your
experiences.
10. Discuss how culture can impact leadership ethics.