Ch05 Leadership.docx

Group Theory and Group Skills Exams Chapter 5: Leadership 1. Based on the etymology of the words, __________ are people who “handle” and maintain the status quo. a. Leaders b. Heroes c. Managers d. Manufacturers 2. The motto “Leaders are born, not made” corresponds to the __________ theory of leadership. a. Charisma b. Machiavellian c. Influence d. Trait 3. The finding that many highly intelligent people do not become leaders is a problem with the a. Trait theory of leadership b. Charisma theory of leadership c. Distributed-actions theory of leadership d. Role position approach to leadership 4. In the study of traits leadership, the largest predictor of leadership success is a. Being in the right place at the right time b. Prior success in leadership roles c. Having organizational skills d. Being tall 5. Which of the following is NOT a problem with the trait theory of leadership? a. Not all great leaders are charismatic b. Great leaders are identified as such after they have become great leaders c. An unlimited number of traits may need to be identified d. Different traits may be needed at different times 6. Charismatic leaders a. Are determined by current events b. Have little ideological commitment c. Inspire confidence in their followers d. Pay attention to the common people 7. Machiavellian leaders believe that a. People are easy to manipulate b. Power should be exercised for the common good c. Most people are psychopathological d. Unless you have a sense of mission, you cannot be an effective leader 8. According to Christie and Geis (1970), Machiavellian leaders are characterized by the following characteristics except one. Which one? a. Little emotional investment in interpersonal relationships b. Lack of concern for conventional morality c. Little ideological commitment d. Distorted perception of reality 9. Which is NOT an objection to the trait theory of leadership? a. Leadership is determined by social forces b. Leaders are an integral part of a social system c. Leaders are born with the charisma needed for the job d. Leadership is a relationship between leaders and followers 10. Based on Lewin, Lippitt, and White (1939)’s study on leadership styles, we know that the frequency of aggressive acts is higher under _____________ leaders than under ________ leaders. a. Democratic and autocratic; laissez-faire b. Democratic and laissez-faire; autocratic c. Autocratic and laissez-faire; democratic d. Autocratic and Machiavellian; democratic 3. Laissez-faire and Machiavellian; autocratic 11. In studies of the style theory of leadership, member satisfaction is more strongly associated with a. Autocratic b. Democratic c. Laissez-faire d. Reciprocity 12. Group productivity is best promoted by a. A person-oriented leadership style where consensus in decision making is actively encouraged b. A group structure with well-defined roles and responsibilities c. An interaction-oriented leadership style with emphasis on group cohesiveness d. An autocratic leadership style 13. An important shortcoming of the style theory to studying leadership is that a. Leadership styles are identified after they have been proven to work b. Different conditions demand different leadership styles c. It ignores the possibility of more than three leadership styles d. It is not concerned with the trainability of optimal leadership styles 14. The most effective style of leadership is one which leaders a. Show concern for group members while clearly defining roles and expectations b. Shows that they are in charge and make decisions accordingly c. Allows important decisions to be made by the democratic processes d. Follows the advice of the experts 15. According to the influence theory of leadership, the relationship between leaders and their followers is based on a. Reciprocity b. Dominance c. Position d. Coercion 16. According to the influence theory of leadership, the people who emerge as a leader is the member who a. Listens most carefully b. Talks the most c. Gets others to contribute d. Gets the members to do what they want them to do 17. The influence theory of leadership suggest that leadership is based on a. Domination of the leader over the members b. Mutual Influence between the leader and members c. Leaders following what the members want d. All of the above 18. According to the role position approach to leadership, a leader is someone who a. Exerts more influence on other group members than they exert over him/her b. Has a position of authority c. Initiates group structure with well-defined roles for all group members d. Is born with the traits appropriate to a certain historic situation 19. A problem with the role position approach to leadership is that it fails to explain a. The relationship between roles among members b. The reciprocal nature of power in small groups c. Nonleadership behaviors of leaders d. Why authority is important in effective groups 20. The distributed-actions theory of leadership claims that a. Interaction-process analysis is always present in effective groups b. There is a strong negative correlation between participation and leadership c. Any group member can become a leader if their actions help the group d. The task-leadership role and the social-emotional leadership role must be fulfilled by the same person 21. According to the distributed-actions theory of leadership, to provide leadership it is important to a. Determine what behaviors are asked for in what situation b. Use your influence to get the group to do the work you want done c. Provide interaction-process analysis d. Let the group do whatever it feels is right 22. A combination of relationship-leadership actions and goal-leadership actions is essential according to the a. Autocratic, laissez-faire and democratic styles theory of leadership b. Trait theory of leadership proposed by Wiggam c. Situational theory of leadership proposed by Benjamin Franklin d. Distributed-actions theory of leadership 23. In distributed-actions theory of leadership, a group member who does ______ is providing goal leadership; while a member who does _____ is providing relationship leadership a. Facilitating participation; summarizing b. Summarizing; facilitating participation c. Summarizing; directing the group’s efforts d. Relieving tension; encouraging members to participate 24. In distributed-actions theory of leadership, reasons for dividing responsibility among group members includes all EXCEPT a. To utilize the expertise of all the members b. To get commitment to the group from the members c. To prevent relationship problems among members d. To encourage competition for dominance among members 25. According to the interaction-process theory put forward by Bales and Burke, a. Group members focused on task behaviors will create some tension among group members less committed to the task b. Social emotional leadership is provided by group members committed to task achievement c. Negative emotions are expressed twice as often as positive emotions d. The same group members engage in social-emotional and task-oriented behaviors to achieve personal balance 26. According to Bales, a group member assuming a task-leadership role will likely a. Alleviate frustration, show solidarity b. Synchronize task and relationship functions c. Give suggestions and directions d. Withdraw when disagreement arises 27. According to Bales, a group member assuming a relationship-leadership role will likely a. Alleviate frustration, show solidarity b. Synchronize task and relationship functions c. Give suggestions and directions d. Withdraw when disagreements arise 28. The interaction-process theory suggest that the task and social-emotional leadership roles are a. Assumed by the leader of the group b. In conflict with each other c. Synchronized with each other d. Unrelated to each other 29. Based on Bales’ observations, problem solving groups move through the following stages: a. Orientation, control, evaluation b. Orientation, evaluation, control c. Evaluation, control, solution d. Evaluation, solution, control 30. Fiedler’s studies on maintenance oriented and task oriented leaders shows that a. Task oriented leaders are more effective b. Maintenance oriented leaders are more effective c. Group effectiveness and leadership behavior are not consistently related d. Leadership behavior does not have much impact on group effectiveness 31. Fiedler’s approach to the effectiveness of maintenance-oriented and task- oriented leaders is an example for a. Trait theory approach to leadership b. Situational theories of leadership c. Influence theory of leadership d. Organizational leadership approach 32. Fiedler determined that maintenance-oriented leaders are effective if the task is a. Clearly structured, the leader has high authority and power and is on very good terms with the group members b. Ambiguous, the leader has high authority and power, and is on poor terms with group members c. Moderately clear, the leader has high authority and power, and the leader is on poor terms with group members d. Moderately clear, the leader has moderate authority and power, and the relationship between the leader and the group members is moderately good. 33. In organizational leadership, in order to increase productivity, leaders need to do all of the following except one. Which one? a. Manage the status quo to keep the production secure b. Have a dream of the future organization, and share it with group members c. Exemplify the values the leader believes in d. Recognize and celebrate accomplishment 34. Organizational leadership involves a. Leading by example b. Managing the status quo c. Encouraging competition among group members d. Identifying the traits of good group members 35. An organizational leader should challenge the status quo because a. That enables them to establish their power and influence in the organization b. It keeps group members on edge and working their best c. An organization must move ahead or be left behind d. Job satisfaction is related to change 36. Organizational leaders should create a mutual vision because a. It enables them to control the work of the members b. Members like to know that the leader has good ideas c. It’s impossible to lead without a vision d. Members will not become followers until they accept the vision 37. Organizational leaders should empower individuals by organizing cooperative teams because a. Leaders do not achieve success by themselves b. It’s the right thing to do c. It helps the members think highly of the leader d. It looks good on the organizational chart 38. Organizational leaders organize member in cooperative groups because it a. Promotes good working relations among them b. Increases member’s confidence in success c. Makes the members think highly of the leader d. a and b e. b and c f. All of the above 39. Organizational leaders encourage the heart by a. Giving rousing and encouraging speeches b. Celebrating individual and joint accomplishments c. Letting others know how good the organization is d. Getting rid of members who do not perform up to standard TRUE OR FALSE Trait theories of leadership assume that great leaders share certain personal attributes. A general conclusion one can draw from trait theory studies is that certain personality traits guarantee leadership position. A potential problem with the trait theory approach to leadership is that not all people with leadership traits become leaders. Charismatic leaders are able to inspire their followers and make them feel secure. Charismatic leaders tend to be Machiavellian. Machiavellian leaders believe that people are weak and gullible. Whereas charismatic leaders have a strong sense of mission, belief, Machiavellian leaders have little ideological commitment. Machiavellian leaders tend to be psychopathological, and as a result, lose touch with reality. Laissez-faire leaders tend to determine policies through ample group discussions and decisions. Lewin, Lippitt and White (1939) found that laissez-faire leaders are just as much disliked as autocratic leaders. The influence theory assumes interdependence between leaders and followers. According to the influence theory, leadership is based on domination. One problem with the role theory of leadership is that people are not always appointed to a job on the basis of leadership ability. According to the distributed-actions theory of leadership, the relationship-leadership functions should be evenly distributed among the group members, and the goal leadership actions should be assumed by the group leader. Distributed-action leadership is specific to the situation. According to distributed-action leadership theory, unequal patterns of participation are acceptable. According to the interaction process analysis theory, group members strongly committed to task behaviors tend to create relief among group members less committed because they take responsibility for the work. According to the interaction process analysis theory, the group leader has to engage in both task and socio-emotional behaviors. In Fiedler’s research he found that task oriented leaders are effective when they are on good terms with the group members, the task is clearly structured, and the leader has high authority. A problem with Fiedler’s situational theory of leadership is that it ignores several situational factors relevant to determining leader effectiveness. Good organizational leaders actively seek out accomplishments of group members to celebrate. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS Briefly discuss how leaders are different from managers Briefly describe the trait theory approach to leadership, and discuss four problems with it Compare and contrast charismatic and Machiavellian leaders Discuss the three basic assumptions Machiavellian leaders hold of other people Discuss the leadership style approach to studying leader effectiveness, and list two shortcomings of this approach Discuss Lewin, Lippitt, and White (1939) study on leadership styles (autocratic, laissez-faire and democratic), explaining what these styles mean, and how they affect group member behavior Compare and contrast the style approach to leadership and Fiedler’s situational theory of leadership Describe the influence theory of leadership Define the role-position approach to leadership, and discuss two problems with the approach Discuss the two basic actions that need to be taken in the distributed-actions theory of leadership Explain the advantages of having leadership distributed among all group members in the distributed-actions theory of leadership Discuss the basic idea behind Burke and Bales’ interaction-process theory (task and socio-emotional leadership) Describe Fiedler’s situational theory of leadership and provide one point of criticism List the five principles of organizational leadership Chapter 5: Leadership C D A B A C A D C C B B B A A B B B C C A D B D A C A C B C B D A A C D A D B TRUE FALSE TRUE TRUE FALSE TRUE TRUE FALSE FALSE FALSE TRUE FALSE TRUE FALSE TRUE FALSE FALSE FALSE TRUE TRUE TRUE Additional Exercises for Chapter 5: Leadership Personal Leadership Experience Task Write a description of a time in your life when you engaged in your most significant and effective leadership performance that represents your personal standard of excellence as a leader. Describe the details of the situation, including the place where it occurred, when it took place, who was involved, what was your role, what were the results, and what recognition (if any) you received. Also include what you learned about leadership from this experience. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ Form a group of four. Compare your descriptions. Write down four conclusions about leadership excellence. Be ready to share your conclusions with the entire class. Our Conclusions About Our Leadership Experiences Interpersonal Patterns This exercise focuses on your interaction with other members of your group. It may help you think about how you conduct yourself in a group. The procedure is as follows: 1. The class divides into groups of three. Each person fills out the following checklist. 2. Analyze the meaning of the verbs you checked by following the instructions after the checklist. 3. Share with the other two members of your triad the results of the exercise and ask whether they perceive you in the same way or differently. These twenty verbs describe some of the ways people feel and act from time to time. Think of your behavior in groups. How do you feel and act in groups? Check the five verbs that best describe your behavior in groups as you see it. ____acquiesce ____coordinate ____lead ____advise ____criticize ____oblige ____agree ____direct ____relinquish ____analyze ____disapprove ____resist ____assist ____evade ____retreat ____concede ____initiate ____withdraw ____concur ____judge Two underlying patterns of interpersonal behavior are represented in the list of objectives: dominance (authority or control) and sociability (intimacy or friendliness). Most individuals tend to like either to control things (high dominance) or to let others control things (low dominance). Similarly, most persons tend either to be warm and personal (high sociability) or somewhat cold and impersonal (low sociability). In the preceding diagram, circle the five verbs you used to describe yourself in group activities. The set of ten verbs—horizontal for the dominance dimension and vertical for the sociability dimension—in which three or more verbs are circled represents your tendency in that pattern of interpersonal behavior. The Furniture Factory The purpose of this exercise is to give participants an opportunity to observe task-leadership and maintenance-leadership actions within a decision-making group. The procedure is as follows: 1. The class divides into groups of seven. Two members should volunteer to be observers. The task of the observers is to record the frequency of task and maintenance actions within the group. 2. The task of each group is to read and discuss the problem description that follows and rank the five possible solutions on the basis of how effective they would be in ensuring the least resistance to the proposed changes in work procedures. Each member of the group must be willing to sign the group answer sheet, indicating that he or she agrees with the group’s ranking and can explain the rationale for ranking the possible solutions in the order in which the group did so. 3. After deciding how the possible solutions are to be ranked, members discuss the nature of leadership within the group. The following questions may be used as a starter: a. What leadership actions were present and absent in the group? b. What leadership actions did each member engage in? c. How do the members feel about their participation in the group? d. How might the task effectiveness of the group be improved? e. How might the relationships among group members be improved? 4. Each group shares its conclusions with the class. 5. The ranking of possible solutions by experts on organizational change appears in the Appendix to the textbook. Problem Description: Furniture Factory Exercise Lazy-Days Manufacturing Company is located in a small northern town. This small, family-owned business manufactures school furniture. Because of the opportunities for work available in a larger town located about 50 miles away, Lazy-Days must attract whomever it can and train them to do the job. Most of the 400 workers are women and young people just out of high school. Lazy-Days also hires some physically and mentally disabled adults as part of a special community program. Until now, Lazy-Days has manufactured school furniture, but because of a fall in the economy, management has recognized a dire need to diversify its manufacturing capabilities. After a study of the market, they decided to add showroom display cases as a new product. If well made, this line will bring increased income and security to Lazy-Days Manufacturing. Because of the difficulties in getting new workers, particularly trained ones, Lazy-Days would like to divert current personnel to the new jobs. However, the current workers are set in their ways and are highly resistant to and suspicious of changes at work. The last time changes were needed, workers demanded higher wages and threatened to unionize, and a few key people quit. If the new line is successful, Lazy-Days could raise wages, but this is not possible under current conditions. Available income must be used to help purchase the new equipment and finance necessary remodeling to accommodate it. Michael Days, president of Lazy-Days, has listed several ways of approaching the workers about the needed changes. He has asked you to decide which alternative to use. As a group, rank these alternatives from 1 to 5 in terms of their effectiveness in bringing about the desired changes with the least resistance from the workers. Number 1 would be the most effective, 2 the next most effective, and so on through 5, the least effective. Remember, your decision can make the difference between the success and failure of Lazy-Days Manufacturing Company. a. Mr. Days would send a memo to all employees telling them about the needed changes. He would then make the changes and lay off any employees who did not comply. b. Mr. Days would meet with small groups of employees, explaining the need for the changes and the reasoning behind them. He then would ask everyone to help in designing and implementing the new jobs. c. Mr. Days would meet with large groups of employees. He would enthusiastically describe the needed changes and present multicolored charts and film clips to make his points dramatically and forcefully. He would then implement the changes. d. Mr. Days would send a memo to all employees explaining the need for the changes and asking them to go along with the changes for the good of the company. e. Mr. Days would meet with large groups of employees, explaining the need for the changes and the reasoning behind them. He then would have the employees select representatives to work with him in designing and implementing the new jobs. See following page for Observation Sheets. Observation Sheet for Task Actions Group Members Actions Information and opinion giver Information an opinion seeker Direction and role definer Summarizer Energizer Comprehension checker Observation Sheet for Maintenance Actions Group Members Actions Encourager of participation Communication facilitator Tension reliever Process observer Interpersonal problem solver Supporter and praiser Observation Sheet for Task and Maintenance Actions Group Members Actions Information and opinion giver Information an opinion seeker Direction and role definer Summarizer Energizer Comprehension checker Encourager of participation Communication facilitator Tension reliever Process observer Interpersonal problem solver Supporter and praiser Answer to Furniture Factory Exercise: The more directly Mr. Day involves the workers in the change, the more likely they are to support the change. a. 5 d. 4 b. 1 e. 2 c. 3 Selecting a City The purposes of this exercise are for participants to develop through role playing an understanding of the distributed-actions theory of leadership and to observe task and maintenance actions in a decision-making group. Instructions for the coordinator are as follows: 1. Introduce the exercise by stating the objectives. Then explain the following leadership actions: a. Information and opinion giver b. Information and opinion seeker c. Direction and role definer d. Summarizer e. Encourager of participation f. Communication facilitator g. Process observer h. Tension reliever 2. Form groups of eight. Two members from each group should volunteer to be observers. 3. Explain the task-behavior and maintenance-behavior observation form to the observers, and instruct them to look for: a. What leadership actions are present and absent in the group. b. How well participation is distributed among group members. c. What specific leadership actions each group member provides. 4. Place a large envelope containing role-playing instruction envelopes in the center of each group; give no further instructions or information. 5. After the exercise has been completed, instruct each group to discuss its experience, using the following questions as starters: a. What leadership actions was each member supposed to role play, and how were they carried out? b. What leadership actions were present and absent in the group’s decision making, and what were the consequences of their presence or absence? c. What were the feelings and reactions of the group members? d. What conclusions about leadership and group functioning can be drawn from this exercise? 6. Have each group share its conclusions with the class. Envelope Instructions Instructions written on the large envelope, which contains all other envelopes: Enclosed you will find three envelopes containing directions for the phases of this group session. You are to open the first one (labeled Envelope I) at once. Later instructions will tell you when to open the second (Envelope II) and third (Envelope III). Envelope I contains the following directions: Directions for Envelope I: Time allowed: 15 minutes Special instructions: Each member is to take one of the enclosed envelopes and follow the individual role-playing instructions contained in it. Task: The group is to select a city. DO NOT LET ANYONE ELSE SEE YOUR INSTRUCTIONS! (After fifteen minutes, go on to the next envelope.) Envelope II contains the following directions: Directions for Envelope II: Time allowed: 5 minutes Task: You are to choose a group chairperson. (After 5 minutes go on to the next envelope.) Envelope III contains the following directions: Directions for Envelope III: Time allowed: 10 minutes Task: You are to evaluate the first phase of this group session. Special instructions for the second phase: The newly selected chairperson leads a discussion on the roles and actions of group members in the process of decision making and their feelings and reactions to that process. The discussion should begin with the report of the observers. (After 10 minutes, return the directions to their respective envelopes, and prepare for a general discussion of the exercise.) Role-Playing Instruction Envelopes for Phase I Here are the contents of the six individual instruction envelopes to be used in the first phase of the exercise. Each envelope contains an assigned leadership action and a position concerning which city to select. Two of the envelopes also contain special knowledge concerning the selection process. 1. Leadership Action: Direction and Role Definer Position: Introduce and support Albuquerque. Oppose San Diego. 2. Leadership Action: Encourager of Participation Position: Introduce and support San Diego. Oppose Albuquerque. Special Knowledge: The group is going to select a chairperson later in the exercise. You are to conduct yourself in such a manner that they select you. 3. Leadership Action: Information and Opinion Seeker Position: Introduce and support New York City. 4. Leadership Action: Summarizer and Process Observer Position: Oppose New York City. 5. Leadership Action: Communication Facilitator Position: When there seems to be a clear polarity in the discussion, suggest a compromise city, such as Minneapolis or Frameswitch, Texas. 6. Leadership Action: Tension Reliever Position: Support San Diego. Special Knowledge: The group is going to select a chairperson later in the exercise. You are to conduct yourself in such a manner that they select you. 7. (If needed) Leadership Action: Any Position: Any See following page for Observation Sheet. Selecting a City Exercise Observation Sheet Group Members Actions Information and opinion giver Information an opinion seeker Direction and role definer Summarizer Encourager of participation Communication facilitator Tension reliever Process observer Other Leadership Exercises 1. An exercise for an ongoing group is to place the task and maintenance functions singly on 3 3 5-inch cards, shuffle the cards, and deal each member one or two of them face down. During a meeting of the group, each member then practices the task or maintenance function on the card he or she received. There must be at least two observers. After the meeting, the group discusses which functions different members fulfilled and which ones they were trying to fulfill. 2. The class forms groups of six. Each group chooses a leader and then analyzes why it selected that person. 3. Members lie on the floor with their heads toward the center of the group and begin a group fantasy about the qualities of the perfect leader for this group. When the fantasy is over, the group reviews the experience. 4. Working as a group, members paint or draw a picture of the perfect leader for their group. Members then discuss both the process of making the picture and the picture itself. Your Leadership Behavior Now that you have completed some or all of the exercises in this chapter and have read some or all of the information presented, it may be helpful for you again to take stock of your leadership behavior. Here is a procedure for doing so. 1. Describe the task and maintenance actions in which you usually engage. 2. Describe the task and maintenance actions you would like to practice and improve. 3. Ask other members of your group to describe your usual task and maintenance actions and help you decide which ones you should practice. 4. Plan how you can practice being a process observer in order to determine which task and maintenance actions would be most helpful for the group to focus on. 5. Plan how you can encourage other group members to engage in needed task and maintenance actions.