OM Leadership & Team Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A manager notices that a high-performing employee has become disengaged and less productive. According to Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, which action is MOST likely to restore motivation?
- Increase the employee's base salary
- Offer recognition and opportunities for advancement (Correct answer)
- Improve the physical work environment
- Add the employee to a company wellness program
Correct answer: Offer recognition and opportunities for advancement
Herzberg's motivators—recognition, achievement, and advancement—drive true job satisfaction, while hygiene factors like salary only prevent dissatisfaction.
Question 2: Which leadership style is MOST effective when managing a team of highly experienced experts who require little direction?
- Autocratic
- Transactional
- Delegative (Laissez-Faire) (Correct answer)
- Coercive
Correct answer: Delegative (Laissez-Faire)
Delegative leadership works best with self-sufficient, experienced teams who can manage their own tasks with minimal oversight.
Question 3: In Tuckman's stages of group development, during which stage do team members begin to challenge authority and compete for roles?
- Forming
- Storming (Correct answer)
- Norming
- Performing
Correct answer: Storming
The Storming stage is characterized by interpersonal conflict, power struggles, and resistance to leadership as team members assert themselves.
Question 4: A project manager delegates a critical task to a team member but does not provide clear instructions or a deadline. This is an example of which delegation failure?
- Over-delegation
- Under-delegation
- Reverse delegation
- Incomplete delegation (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Incomplete delegation
Incomplete delegation occurs when authority is transferred without the necessary context, resources, or clear expectations for task completion.
Question 5: Which conflict resolution strategy results in a win-lose outcome where one party's needs are fully met at the expense of the other?
- Compromising
- Collaborating
- Forcing (Correct answer)
- Avoiding
Correct answer: Forcing
Forcing (or competing) imposes one party's solution on the other, creating a win-lose dynamic that can damage team relationships.
Question 6: A team leader consistently shares decision-making power with the team and encourages participation in setting goals. This leadership approach is BEST described as:
- Autocratic
- Democratic (Participative) (Correct answer)
- Pacesetting
- Bureaucratic
Correct answer: Democratic (Participative)
Democratic leadership involves team members in decisions, increasing ownership and morale while leveraging collective knowledge.
Question 7: According to Path-Goal Theory, a leader who removes obstacles and provides resources to help employees achieve their goals is demonstrating which leadership behavior?
- Directive (Correct answer)
- Supportive
- Achievement-oriented
- Participative
Correct answer: Directive
Directive leader behavior under Path-Goal Theory involves clarifying the path to goals by structuring tasks and removing impediments.
OM Leadership & Team Management 2
A manager notices that a high-performing employee has become disengaged and less productive.
According to Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, which action is MOST likely to restore motivation?