Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Chapter 13: Overcoming Obstacles
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. According to path-goal theory, obstacles will always be present, so leaders need to
______.
a. help followers ignore obstacles to focus on the task at hand
b. encourage followers to criticize and voice their opinion about obstacles to get their
frustrations out and let their voices be heard
c. help followers overcome the obstacles they face
d. all of these
2. Path-goal leadership suggests that ______.
a. there is one correct path and one correct goal for every situation and follower
b. leaders need to choose a leadership style that best fits the needs of their followers
and the type of work they are doing
c. leaders should allow followers to struggle with their problems and not interfere, unless
imminent organizational failure will happen
d. all of these
3. When individuals’ goals are unclear, they are ______.
a. less likely to be successful
b. less excited about their work
c. less gratified about their accomplishments
d. all of these
4. Confronting obstacles can mean ______.
a. helping followers navigate around obstacles
b. recognizing that the obstacles exist, but not changing the situation
c. removing the obstacles for the follower
d. helping followers navigate around obstacles and removing the obstacles for the
follower
5. Achievement-oriented leaders ______.
a. challenge individuals to perform at their highest level possible
b. are not happy with the status quo
c. show a high degree of confidence that their followers can reach challenging goals
d. all of these
6. Which of the following is not an obstacle directly identified by path-goal theory?
a. high motivation
b. unclear goals
c. lack of a challenge
d. simple tasks
7. When a task is complex, the leader needs to be ______.
a. empathetic
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
b. directive
c. democratic
d. supportive
8. When the goal is vague or ill-defined, the leader should ______ it.
a. change
b. remove
c. clarify
d. all of these
9. In expectancy theory, finding the value in work can include ______.
a. monetary rewards
b. special achievement recognition
c. positive personal feedback
d. all of these
10. Low involvement requires what kind of leadership?
a. coaching
b. quthoritarian
c. participative
d. directive
11. Participative leaders ______.
a. invite others to share in the ways and means of getting things done
b. work to establish a climate that is open to new and diverse opinions
c. lessen their own participation to encourage followers to participate more
d. invite others to share in the ways and means of getting things done and work to
establish a climate that is open to new and diverse opinions
12. “Every day when you walk into class, you need to pick up your journal and answer
the question written at the front of the class.” This is an example of ______.
a. clear goals
b. giving social support
c. complex tasks
d. none of these
13. If the assignment is a group term paper, the effective teacher describes in detail the
required components and then reminds the class that these are the minimum
requirements. Grades above a C will be given for those groups going above and beyond
these minimum requirements. This is an example of ______.
a. clear goals
b. clear directions
c. lack of challenge
d. unclear directions
14. How can a leader encourage people to be excited about work? The preceding
question is related to ______.
a. unclear directions
b. simple tasks
c. unclear goals
d. low motivation
15. People disengage from the group when they sense they are not heard because of
______.
a. low self-esteem
b. simple tasks
c. low involvement
d. unclear directions
16. Obstacles are important for leaders to recognize because ______.
a. they provide clear cues for ways leaders can help followers
b. they provide ways to weed out underperforming followers
c. they provide clear ways to assess the leader’s effectiveness
d. none of these
17. The two challenges leaders face when helping followers with obstacles are ______.
a. figuring out what the problems are and letting the followers solve them on their own
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
b. figuring out what senior management wants done and finding the source of the
problem
c. figuring out what the problems are and what to do to solve them
d. none of these
18. When individuals know their goals, they are ______.
a. more satisfied with the work and more punctual
b. more effective and take more risks
c. more collaborative and more effective in their work
d. more effective and more satisfied
19. Leaders define the path by ______.
a. providing a glossary of terms needed to understand the project
b. providing clear directions
c. providing vague and rambling directions, so the follower has to figure it out on their
own
d. providing simple tasks
20. It is the leader’s job to adapt ______ to the ______ of each follower.
a. punishments; motivations
b. instructions; abilities
c. goals; motivations
d. directions; needs
21. According to the text, leaders are much like a GPS in an automobile, in that
followers want ______.
a. their leaders to redirect them when they make mistakes
b. to be able to program their own way of doing tasks
c. their leaders to provide suggestions, not absolutes
d. their leaders to evaluate and critique them every step of the way
22. The three components of expectancy theory are to help others ______.
a. feel competent, get what they deserve, and increase motivation
b. feel competent, get what they expect, and value what they do
c. feel compassion, get what they expect, and value what they do
d. feel contentment, get what they deserve, and increase motivation
23. Which theory is defined as “people will be more highly motivated when the effort
they put into a task leads to an expected outcome they value”?
a. values-based leadership
b. expectancy theory
c. path-goal theory
d. participative leadership
24. The first step in helping others become more highly motivated is ______.
a. helping others feel understood
b. helping others develop a life goal/purpose
c. helping others develop positive self-esteem
d. helping others feel competent
25. Abby had been promised a raise once she maintained her new sales quota for three
quarters in a row. Abby has maintained her sales numbers for five quarters now, but still
has not received her raise. Now, Abby’s boss has nominated her for a sales award, but
Abby does not plan to attend the awards reception. Since she has not gotten her raise,
she distrusts the whole system. Abby’s boss has failed to ______.
a. help others feel like part of the team
b. help others set realistic goals
c. help others get what they expect
d. help others get their rewards
26. It is important for leaders to confirm that their followers’ outcomes are ______.
a. smart
b. timely
c. measurable
d. realistic
27. In high school, Bobby decided to learn to play guitar. At first, he was all excited
about practicing and improving his technique, which he did. But by the time he
graduated and went to college, his motivation subsided and he stopped playing all
together. In this example, Bobby most likely ______.
a. no longer saw the value in playing the guitar
b. no longer felt competent playing the guitar
c. was too busy to play the guitar
d. realized he had no talent
28. Providing detailed instructions, clear expectations, and a specific timeline are all
aspects of ______.
a. participative leadership
b. micro-managing
c. authoritative leadership
d. directive leadership
29. Which leadership style includes setting clear standards of performance and making
rules and regulations clear for others?
a. supportive leadership
b. participative leadership
c. directive leadership
d. authority-compliant leadership
30. Leaders simplify tasks because they want to be able to ______.
a. help followers feel more competent about their work
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
b. help followers feel smarter
c. save the complex tasks for themselves
d. show their bosses how smart they are
31. Encouraging others when they are engaged in tasks that are boring is an example
of ______.
a. supportive leadership
b. participative leadership
c. directive leadership
d. authority-compliant leadership
32. Using a spotter when you are in a weightroom is an example of which leadership
style?
a. supportive leadership
b. participative leadership
c. directive leadership
d. authority-compliant leadership
33. It is important for leaders to show care for the well-being and personal needs of their
followers. This is also known as showing ______.
a. participative leadership
b. social support
c. emotional intelligence
d. none of these
34. Inviting others to share in the ways and means of getting things done, is one way to
define ______.
a. coaching
b. authoritarian
c. participative
d. directive
35. Not having a voice in what happens within a group or an organization is a sign that
the individual ______.
a. has low self-esteem
b. has low motivation and does not care about the project
c. does not value the work done by the group or organization
d. has low involvement in the group or organization
36. Jordan is the newest hire at a local advertising agency. There is a strict dress code
at this firm, which Jordan does not like and feels stifles creativity. But as the newest
hire, Jordan desire to feel like part of the team is more important than her personal
style, so she says nothing. Jordan is experiencing which of the obstacles mentioned in
the text?
a. low involvement
b. unclear goals
c. lack of a challenge
d. simple tasks