WorksheetsQuiz 2
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 10mins
1/ Case: A leader is tasked with guiding a team through a major organisational change. She is known for her flexibility and intelligence, but her decisions are often questioned by the team.
Question: How might her locus of control influence her leadership during this change?
She likely alternates between internal and external locus of control, causing confusion.
She likely has no clear locus of control, leading to uncertainty in her decisions.
She likely has an external locus of control, believing the success depends on external factors.
She likely has an internal locus of control, believing she can influence the success of the change.
2/ Case: A leader demonstrates flexibility, openness to new ideas, and creative problem-solving skills, while encouraging innovation within their team.
Question: Which aspect of the Big Five personality traits does this leader display, and how does it impact organisational performance?
Conscientiousness, promoting order and efficiency.
Openness, fostering innovation and adaptability.
Surgency, ensuring team compliance and discipline.
Adjustment, leading to stability in decision-making.
3/ Case: A leader at your company exhibits high levels of emotional intelligence but has low self-confidence. He frequently second-guesses his decisions in high-stress situations.
Question: How might this combination of traits affect his leadership effectiveness?
His emotional intelligence ensures consistent leadership success, regardless of confidence.
Emotional intelligence is irrelevant if self-confidence is lacking.
Low self-confidence may undermine his decision-making, despite his emotional intelligence.
High emotional intelligence will fully compensate for his lack of self-confidence.
4/ Case: A company is promoting a new team leader. The HR manager is considering two candidates. Candidate A has a high need for achievement (n Ach), enjoys taking responsibility, and thrives on solving complex problems. Candidate B has a high need for affiliation (n Aff), values relationships, and seeks close personal connections at work.
Question: Based on the Achievement Motivation Theory, which candidate is more likely to be an effective leader in a results-driven, high-pressure environment?
Neither candidate is suitable for a leadership role.
Both candidates are equally effective in any leadership role.
Candidate B, because fostering relationships is more important than achieving tasks.
Candidate A, because leaders in such environments need a high n Ach to focus on goals and problem-solving.
5/ Case: A manager continuously overemphasis the need for control in every project, leading to conflicts with team members. She refuses to delegate tasks and micromanages her team.
Question: What leadership flaw is being exhibited, and what might be its long-term consequence?
Lack of conscientiousness, resulting in poor project outcomes.
Overmanaging, leading to reduced team development and autonomy.
Narcissism, leading to team dependence and inefficiency.
Over Delegation, resulting in team confusion.
6/ Case: A team leader exhibits strong dominance and assertiveness in decision-making. However, he often fails to take into account his team's emotions, and he struggles with showing empathy.
Question: Which leadership trait from the Big Five model is he most likely lacking?
Openness to experience
Surgery
Agreeableness
Conscientiousness
7/ Case: A senior executive is facing challenges as she continuously overmanages her subordinates, refuses to delegate tasks, and frequently micromanages.
Question: According to the traits of derailed executives, what is the primary reason for her leadership failure?
Avoidance of conflict and decision-making
Narcissism and excessive self-focus
Overmanaging and inability to delegate
Lack of emotional intelligence
8/ Case: A leader in your organisation is frequently described as having a “positive self-concept” and exudes high levels of self-confidence. However, he tends to ignore feedback from his team.
Question: How does his self-concept affect his leadership style, and what is a potential draw back of this behaviour?
His positive self-concept ensures he will always make the best decisions, regardless of feedback.
Ignoring feedback is a sign of weak self-concept, which leads to ineffective leadership.
His positive self-concept leads to better decision-making and stronger relationships with the team.
His positive self-concept fosters optimism, but ignoring feedback can hinder team morale.
9/ Case: A company has adopted an open-door policy to encourage transparent communication between employees and managers. However, some managers continue to micromanage, making it difficult for employees to take initiative.
Question: What leadership trait might these managers be lacking, and how does it impact organisational performance?
Conscientiousness, resulting in too much focus on details rather than outcomes.
Emotional intelligence, which hinders their ability to connect with employees.
Dependability, leading to lack of trust.
Flexibility, which prevents adaptability to employee needs.
10/ Case: A leader in your organisation believes that employees will always rise to meet expectations if they are treated with respect and provided with clear goals.
Question: What leadership theory is this leader practising?
Achievement motivation theory
Pygmalion effect
Self-concept theory
Theory X
11/ Case: A CEO tends to rationalise unethical decisions by claiming they serve a higher corporate purpose, even if they hurt some stakeholders.
Question: Which unethical behaviour justification is the CEO using?
Euphemistic labelling
Displacement of responsibility
Advantageous comparison
Moral justification
12/ Case: A company introduces a new performance evaluation system based on Theory Y. Managers encourage self-direction and creativity among employees.
Question: What outcome can be expected from implementing Theory Y in the workplace?
Reduced motivation due to lack of supervision.
Higher rates of absenteeism and disengagement.
More stringent controls over employee work hours.
Increased employee autonomy and engagement.
13/ Case: A manager shows a high need for socialised power, using her influence to help others succeed. However, she also demonstrates strong emotional stability in stressful situations.
Question: Which Big Five dimension does her leadership style fall under, and why is this trait essential for effective leadership?
Openness, because of her creative approach to power.
Adjustment, due to her emotional stability under pressure.
Conscientiousness, because she is detail-oriented.
Surgency, because of her high need for power.
14/ Case: An executive is described as using socialised power, focusing on empowering others and creating a positive, inclusive culture.
Question: How does this executive’s leadership style contribute to organisational success?
It creates a culture of fear and competition.
It focuses solely on individual success at the expense of others.
It fosters collaboration and shared success among the team.
It leads to a more authoritative leadership approach.
15/ Case: A leader frequently uses the phrase "it's just business" to justify actions that harm the environment and local communities but increase profits.
Question: What method of unethical justification is the leader likely using?
Advantageous comparison
Euphemistic labelling
Attribution of blame
Diffusion of responsibility
16/ Case: A newly hired manager focuses on understanding the emotional needs of their team members, offering support and fostering collaboration.
Question: Which Big Five leadership trait does this manager exemplify?
Openness
Adjustment
Agreeableness
Surgency
17/ Case: A company is evaluating its leadership team. One of the executives constantly blames others when projects fail and avoids accountability.
Question: What does this behaviour suggest about the executive’s ethical leadership and moral development?
The executive’s behaviour reflects strong emotional intelligence and leadership integrity.
The executive has a high level of self-confidence, which leads to effective leadership.
The executive is using displacement of responsibility to justify unethical behaviour.
The executive is at the post-conventional level of moral development.
18/ Case: A leader in your company believes that treating employees with respect and fairness is essential to success. He bases his decisions on fairness and mutual benefit.
Question: Which ethical guide is this leader most likely following?
Disregard for consequences
Diffusion of responsibility
Stakeholder approach to ethics
Pygmalion effect
19/ Case: An organisation’s CEO believes in Theory X, assuming employees are inherently lazy and require close supervision. He introduces strict policies for monitoring employee performance.
Question: How might this attitude affect employee motivation and organisational culture?
The culture will become more collaborative and open.
Employees will feel more empowered to take ownership of their work.
It will likely lead to disengagement and reduced employee satisfaction.
It may foster increased autonomy and innovation.
20/ Case: A new CEO is introduced to an organisation. She emphasises flexibility, creative problem-solving, and adapting to change. She values openness and considers different perspectives in decision-making.
Question: Which Big Five trait best describes this CEO’s leadership style?
Conscientiousness
Adjustment
Openness to experience
Surgency
