CHES Leadership and Management 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A health education organization is experiencing high staff turnover. According to Maslow's hierarchy, which need level should managers address first if employees report feeling physically unsafe in their work environment?
- Esteem needs
- Social belonging needs
- Safety needs (Correct answer)
- Self-actualization needs
Correct answer: Safety needs
Maslow's hierarchy places safety needs (physical and psychological security) at the second level, which must be met before higher-order needs can be addressed.
Question 2: Which type of organizational structure gives employees dual reporting relationships — to both a functional manager and a project manager?
- Hierarchical structure
- Flat structure
- Matrix structure (Correct answer)
- Divisional structure
Correct answer: Matrix structure
A matrix structure creates a grid where employees report to both their department head and a project leader, enabling flexibility but sometimes creating role confusion.
Question 3: A health educator is reviewing a program's theory of change. What distinguishes a theory of change from a logic model?
- A theory of change only lists inputs and outputs
- A theory of change explains the 'why' behind causal assumptions, while a logic model shows the 'what' (Correct answer)
- A logic model includes long-term community change assumptions
- A theory of change is used only for evaluation, not planning
Correct answer: A theory of change explains the 'why' behind causal assumptions, while a logic model shows the 'what'
A theory of change articulates the underlying assumptions about why and how change will occur, while a logic model visually maps program components without necessarily explaining the causal reasoning.
Question 4: Which federal law protects employees who report workplace safety violations or participate in safety investigations from employer retaliation?
- HIPAA
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
- Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) whistleblower provisions (Correct answer)
- Americans with Disabilities Act
Correct answer: Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) whistleblower provisions
The OSH Act's whistleblower protection provisions prohibit employers from retaliating against workers who report safety concerns or participate in OSHA investigations.
Question 5: A health education coordinator is onboarding a new staff member. Which training approach pairs the new employee with an experienced colleague for job-specific skill transfer?
- Classroom instruction
- Self-directed e-learning
- Mentoring or job shadowing (Correct answer)
- External conference attendance
Correct answer: Mentoring or job shadowing
Mentoring and job shadowing place the new employee alongside an experienced colleague to observe and practice job-specific skills in real work contexts.
Question 6: In the context of health program sustainability, which funding strategy reduces dependency on a single source?
- Seeking a large single federal grant
- Revenue diversification across multiple funding streams (Correct answer)
- Relying on in-kind donations only
- Cutting all non-essential program components
Correct answer: Revenue diversification across multiple funding streams
Revenue diversification spreads financial risk across grants, contracts, fee-for-service, donations, and other sources so that losing one stream does not collapse the program.
Question 7: Which communication approach is most effective when a health education leader needs to deliver critical feedback to an underperforming employee?
- Send a written memo to create a paper trail immediately
- Provide feedback in a group meeting to reinforce team standards
- Conduct a private, timely, specific, and constructive one-on-one conversation (Correct answer)
- Delay feedback until the annual performance review
Correct answer: Conduct a private, timely, specific, and constructive one-on-one conversation
Effective performance feedback should be delivered privately, promptly, with specific examples, and focused on behaviors and improvement rather than personal criticism.
CHES Leadership and Management 4
A health education organization is experiencing high staff turnover.
According to Maslow's hierarchy, which need level should managers address first if employees report feeling physically unsafe in their work environment?