CSM Leadership & Team Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A software manager notices that two senior developers have ongoing interpersonal conflicts affecting team morale. What is the BEST first step?
- Separate them onto different projects immediately
- Facilitate a private mediation session between the two developers (Correct answer)
- Ignore the conflict and let them resolve it themselves
- Escalate to HR without attempting direct resolution
Correct answer: Facilitate a private mediation session between the two developers
Facilitating mediation addresses the root cause directly while maintaining team cohesion and giving both parties a voice.
Question 2: Which leadership style is MOST effective when managing highly experienced software engineers who require little supervision?
- Autocratic leadership
- Transactional leadership
- Delegative (laissez-faire) leadership (Correct answer)
- Micromanagement
Correct answer: Delegative (laissez-faire) leadership
Delegative leadership empowers experienced professionals by granting autonomy, which increases motivation and leverages their expertise.
Question 3: A software project manager is using the Tuckman model. The team is currently arguing about processes and roles. Which stage is the team in?
- Forming
- Storming (Correct answer)
- Norming
- Performing
Correct answer: Storming
The Storming stage is characterized by interpersonal conflict, debate over roles, and resistance to authority as the team establishes dynamics.
Question 4: When setting performance goals for software team members, which framework is considered best practice?
- RACI framework
- SMART goal framework (Correct answer)
- MoSCoW prioritization
- Waterfall decomposition
Correct answer: SMART goal framework
SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) provide clear, trackable targets that align individual effort with organizational objectives.
Question 5: A manager wants to increase intrinsic motivation among software developers. Which approach aligns with Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory?
- Increasing base salary by 15%
- Providing free lunches and parking
- Offering more challenging and meaningful work assignments (Correct answer)
- Installing a ping-pong table in the office
Correct answer: Offering more challenging and meaningful work assignments
Herzberg identified achievement, recognition, and meaningful work as motivators (intrinsic), while salary and perks are hygiene factors that prevent dissatisfaction but don't motivate.
Question 6: In a software organization, the concept of 'psychological safety' primarily enables teams to:
- Follow strict security protocols without question
- Speak up, take risks, and report mistakes without fear of punishment (Correct answer)
- Avoid all forms of conflict in team meetings
- Prioritize documentation over rapid delivery
Correct answer: Speak up, take risks, and report mistakes without fear of punishment
Psychological safety, as defined by Amy Edmondson, is the belief that one will not be punished for speaking up, which is critical for innovation and learning.
Question 7: A CSM candidate must understand that 'span of control' refers to:
- The number of projects a manager oversees simultaneously
- The number of direct reports a manager can effectively supervise (Correct answer)
- The geographic spread of a distributed team
- The range of technical skills a manager must possess
Correct answer: The number of direct reports a manager can effectively supervise
Span of control is the number of subordinates a manager can efficiently and effectively direct; typical optimal ranges vary by organization complexity.
CSM Leadership & Team Management 2
A software manager notices that two senior developers have ongoing interpersonal conflicts affecting team morale.
What is the BEST first step?