Leadership Principles & Styles Flashcards

According to Jim Collins' research in 'Good to Great,' Level 5 leaders are characterized by:

Answer: Personal humility combined with professional will

Level 5 leaders blend fierce resolve with personal humility — they credit others for success and accept responsibility for failures.

Which principle explains why a leader should establish clear expectations before holding employees accountable?

Answer: Psychological contract theory

Psychological contract theory holds that employees operate on implicit and explicit expectations about their role; clarity prevents perceived violations and disengagement.

In the context of strategic leadership, 'visioning' refers to:

Answer: Creating and communicating a compelling picture of a desirable future state

Visioning is the strategic leadership process of articulating a future state that is aspirational, clear, and capable of aligning and motivating the organization.

A leader who uses data and logic to encourage team members to question assumptions and solve problems in new ways is exhibiting which transformational leadership behavior?

Answer: Intellectual stimulation

Intellectual stimulation challenges followers to question old assumptions and think creatively, which drives innovation and critical thinking.

Which scenario best illustrates the 'pacesetting' leadership style described by Daniel Goleman?

Answer: A leader who sets very high performance standards and models them personally

Pacesetting leaders lead by example, set high performance benchmarks, and expect others to follow suit — effective with motivated experts but can overwhelm others.

Cross-cultural leadership competence requires strategic managers to understand how national culture affects leadership effectiveness. Hofstede's dimension of 'power distance' most directly influences:

Answer: The degree to which subordinates accept unequal distribution of authority

High power distance cultures accept hierarchical differences as legitimate, while low power distance cultures expect participatory and egalitarian leadership.

A strategic leader who consistently walks the talk, aligns actions with stated values, and holds themselves to the same standards as their team is demonstrating:

Answer: Modeling the way through personal example

Modeling the way means leaders establish principles by setting a personal example and earning the right to lead through demonstrated credibility.