Team Building & Motivation Flashcards

A team leader is tasked with re-energizing a team that has experienced recent failure. Which approach is MOST effective?

Answer: Facilitate a structured after-action review focused on learning and next steps

After-action reviews focused on learning (not blame) rebuild psychological safety and create forward momentum after failure.

According to McClelland's Theory of Needs, which type of team member is MOST motivated by the opportunity to influence others?

Answer: High need for Power (nPow)

McClelland's need for power (nPow) drives individuals to seek influence, leadership, and impact over others.

When should a team leader MOST appropriately use a directive leadership style even with a highly experienced team?

Answer: During a crisis or safety-critical situation requiring immediate action

Even expert teams benefit from directive leadership during crises where speed and coordination outweigh collaborative deliberation.

Which team-building activity BEST builds trust among newly formed virtual teams?

Answer: Structured virtual introductions that share professional and personal context

Structured introductions that blend professional and personal sharing accelerate trust formation in virtual environments where organic rapport is harder to build.

A CTL candidate is evaluating team effectiveness. Which metric MOST directly measures team cohesion?

Answer: The degree to which members want to remain part of the team

Cohesion is defined as the degree to which members are attracted to and motivated to remain part of the team, making retention desire the most direct metric.

A team leader delegates a challenging task to a capable team member who later fails to complete it. What is the FIRST thing the leader should do?

Answer: Have a coaching conversation to understand obstacles and co-create solutions

A coaching conversation first identifies whether the failure was due to skill, resources, clarity, or motivation before taking any corrective action.

Which of the following BEST illustrates the concept of 'superordinate goals' in team motivation?

Answer: Setting a compelling shared objective that no subgroup can achieve alone

Superordinate goals require collective effort and interdependence, naturally unifying team members around a common purpose.