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
A public manager notices that a high-performing employee appears to be experiencing burnout. The most effective leadership response is to:
Answer: Have a private conversation to understand their situation and collaboratively explore solutions
Proactive, empathetic dialogue allows managers to address burnout early before it leads to performance decline or turnover.
The 'public interest' standard in government ethics primarily requires managers to:
Answer: Make decisions that advance the collective welfare of the community served
The public interest standard obligates public servants to pursue broad community benefit rather than narrow or private interests.
Which type of power do public managers rely on when employees comply because they respect and admire the manager's character?
Answer: Referent power
Referent power is based on personal admiration and identification with the leader, independent of formal authority.
A public manager who discloses a conflict of interest before a vote primarily demonstrates which ethical value?
Answer: Integrity
Voluntarily disclosing a conflict of interest is a direct expression of integrity — acting honestly even when disclosure is personally inconvenient.
When applying systems thinking to a public sector leadership challenge, a manager would primarily focus on:
Answer: Understanding how interconnected elements, feedback loops, and unintended consequences affect the problem
Systems thinking examines interdependencies and feedback loops to avoid unintended consequences from narrow, linear problem-solving.
Under the CPM framework, 'organizational management' competency requires a manager to:
Answer: Align people, processes, and resources to accomplish the organization's mission effectively
CPM organizational management competency encompasses aligning internal capacity — people, processes, technology — to mission achievement.
A public manager receives an anonymous tip about potential fraud in a contract. The most appropriate next step is to:
Answer: Conduct an initial assessment and refer the matter to the inspector general or appropriate oversight body
Anonymous tips about fraud should be assessed and referred to proper investigative authorities rather than dismissed or handled informally.