Learning to Lead: Challenges and Competencies Marks: 30

Quiz 1

The following questions carry 1 mark each. There is negative marking of 0.25 mark on each question if
answered incorrectly.

Q1. What kinds of followers present a consistent picture to both leaders and co-workers of being
independent, innovative, and willing to stand up to superiors? (Page 20)
(A) Pragmatist
(B) Passive
(C) Conformist
(D) Exemplary

Q2. Heroic theory has the assumption that leadership is a general personality trait, independent of the
situation in which the leadership traits are manifested. (Page 24)
(A) True
(B) False

Q3. Which statement about perceptual sets is most likely false? (Page 48)
(A) Perceptual sets can influence any of our senses
(B) Perceptual sets are the tendency to perceive everything
(C) Feelings and needs can trigger a perceptual set
(D) Prior experience can cause a perceptual set

Q4. In reviewing the myriad of leadership definitions, the authors conclude that: (Page 9)
(A) The field is too complex to attempt to define
(B) One must begin by resolving the differences in definitions
(C) Various definitions helps us understand the multitude of factors affecting leadership
(D) Good leadership involves touching others’ feelings

Q5. What is a frequent lesson learned by both men and women from their career experiences? (Page 56)
(A) Recognising and seizing opportunities
(B) Understanding personal limits
(C) Preserving through adversity
(D) Handling political situations

The following questions carry 5 marks each. Maximum word limit for the answers should not exceed more
than 250 words.

Q6. Are leaders and manager different kinds of people. Why and why not? (Page 8-9)
• To many management suggest words like efficiency, planning, paperwork, procedures, regualtions,
control and consistency
• Leadership is often associated with words like risk-taking, dynamic, creativity, change and vision
• Zaleznik says these differences reflect fundamentally different personality types. Some are managers
by nature, some are leaders by nature.
• Leadership and management complement each other and both are vital for success of the organisation
 • Although some functions performed by leaders and managers may be unique, there is an area of
overlap and they have overlapping functions

Manageme
Leadership
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Q7. Explain the key role of perceptions in each aspect of the

‘Spiral of Experience’ Provide examples to illustrate your response. (Page 47-48)
• Perceptions is critical to the spiral of experience since experience is not just a matter of what happens
to you, but also depends on how you perceive those events
• With regard to Observation, we do not perceive everything our environment since we are selective in
what we attend to and what we perceive, Example: misconception that eye operates essentially like a
film in a continuously running camera; the fallacy of passive view of perceptions is that it assumes we
attend to all aspects of situation equally.
• Perception plays key role in Reflection stage, since reflection deals with how e interpret what we
observe. Reflection involves higher functions like evaluation and judgement. Example: Julie’s inability
to get others to form study group could attribute to the failure to dispositional factors
• Perception also effects the Actions we take. Example: Researchers examined how perceptions and
biases affects supervisors’ actions in response to poorly performing subordinates. Supervisors were
biased towards making disposal attributions about subordinate’s substandard performance and
recommended punishment to remedy the performance deficit.

Q8. Describe five steps of informal coaching. (Page 69)

• Forging a partnership
• Inspire commitment
• Grow skills
• Promote persistence
• Shape the environment
The following question carry 10 marks. Please answer from our viewpoint/position about what would you
do in the situation.

Q9. Development planning at the organisation — GAPS analysis in current position at the organisation (?)
(Page 108-109)