GCP Leadership & Team Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Tuckman's model of team development, what stage follows 'Storming'?
- Forming
- Norming (Correct answer)
- Performing
- Adjourning
Correct answer: Norming
After the conflict and competition of the Storming stage, teams enter Norming, where they establish cohesion, roles, and working agreements.
Question 2: A project manager consistently tells team members exactly how to perform every task. This behavior is MOST associated with which leadership style?
- Transformational
- Micromanagement (Correct answer)
- Coaching
- Delegating
Correct answer: Micromanagement
Micromanagement involves excessive control over team members' work, which typically reduces autonomy, trust, and morale.
Question 3: Which motivation theory suggests that employees are motivated by a hierarchy of needs, from basic physiological needs to self-actualization?
- Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory
- Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (Correct answer)
- McGregor's Theory X and Y
- Vroom's Expectancy Theory
Correct answer: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs proposes that lower-order needs (physiological, safety) must be met before higher-order needs (esteem, self-actualization) can motivate behavior.
Question 4: When building a high-performing team, what is the PRIMARY purpose of establishing a team charter?
- To document the project budget and timeline
- To define team values, working agreements, and ground rules for collaboration (Correct answer)
- To assign individual performance ratings to team members
- To create a formal organizational hierarchy for the project
Correct answer: To define team values, working agreements, and ground rules for collaboration
A team charter sets shared expectations for behavior and collaboration, creating a foundation for trust and accountability within the team.
Question 5: A project manager receives feedback that their communication style is creating confusion among team members. What is the BEST corrective action?
- Continue the same approach and ask team members to adapt
- Solicit specific examples of the confusion and adjust communication methods accordingly (Correct answer)
- Issue all communications in writing only to avoid misunderstandings
- Delegate all communication tasks to a team lead
Correct answer: Solicit specific examples of the confusion and adjust communication methods accordingly
Gathering specific examples of the confusion allows the manager to identify patterns and make targeted improvements to their communication style.
Question 6: Which approach is MOST effective for providing constructive feedback to an underperforming team member?
- Deliver feedback publicly to signal the importance of high standards
- Use the SBI model (Situation, Behavior, Impact) to frame feedback specifically and objectively (Correct answer)
- Wait until the annual performance review to address performance issues
- Focus feedback exclusively on the team member's personal traits
Correct answer: Use the SBI model (Situation, Behavior, Impact) to frame feedback specifically and objectively
The SBI model provides clear, objective feedback by describing the specific situation, the observable behavior, and its impact, making it actionable and non-threatening.
Question 7: What is the key difference between a manager and a leader in a project context?
- Managers have higher authority than leaders in the organizational hierarchy
- Leaders focus on inspiring vision and change while managers focus on planning and controlling processes (Correct answer)
- Managers motivate teams while leaders handle administrative tasks
- Leaders are responsible for budgets while managers handle personnel
Correct answer: Leaders focus on inspiring vision and change while managers focus on planning and controlling processes
Leadership is about setting direction and inspiring people toward a vision, while management involves organizing, planning, and controlling to achieve defined objectives.
According to Tuckman's model of team development, what stage follows 'Storming'?