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Public Sector Leadership & Ethics Flashcards

7 cards from real CPM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Public Sector Leadership & Ethics flashcards as text

  1. The principle of 'responsiveness' in public administration ethics means that government managers should:

    Answer: Be attentive and timely in addressing citizen needs and concerns

    Responsiveness requires public servants to remain accessible and timely in serving citizens, who are the ultimate customers of government.

  2. A public manager who 'manages up' effectively is one who:

    Answer: Proactively keeps supervisors informed, anticipates their needs, and aligns work with agency priorities

    Managing up involves building a productive relationship with superiors through proactive communication and strategic alignment.

  3. Which of the following is a characteristic of an ethical organizational culture in the public sector?

    Answer: Leaders model ethical behavior and explicitly reward integrity

    Ethical culture is built when leaders visibly model integrity and create systems that recognize and reward ethical conduct.

  4. In Situational Leadership theory, a leader should use a 'coaching' style when the follower has:

    Answer: Low competence but high commitment

    Coaching is appropriate when a follower is enthusiastic and motivated but lacks the skill, requiring both direction and encouragement.

  5. A public manager is asked to implement a policy they personally believe is misguided but is legal and properly authorized. The appropriate action is to:

    Answer: Implement the policy faithfully while using appropriate channels to express disagreement

    Public managers are obligated to implement lawful policies while using legitimate internal channels — not unilateral action — to advocate for change.

  6. The 'zone of indifference' concept, developed by Chester Barnard, describes situations where employees:

    Answer: Will accept and carry out instructions without needing special motivation

    Barnard's zone of indifference refers to the range of directives employees accept without question as part of their role expectations.

  7. When a public agency publishes its performance data, budget details, and decision rationales online, this practice best exemplifies:

    Answer: Proactive transparency

    Proactive transparency means voluntarily disclosing information to the public without waiting for requests, strengthening democratic accountability.