Leader's Preference for Different Forms of Power Test - the question form
Questions: 10 · 2 minutes
1. You are a department manager. You assigned a task to a group of employees. They are falling behind because they disagree about the best way to do it. What would you do in this situation?
Tell them that a bonus may be paid for completing this task.
Ask them to work faster, because otherwise I may get into trouble as their manager.
Order them to work faster.
Suggest the best way to complete the task, based on my extensive experience and knowledge.
Point out that sanctions may be applied if the work is not completed on time.
2. You have been appointed manager of a department where you were a rank-and-file employee some time ago. Your subordinates have not yet adjusted to this and carry out your instructions late. How would you try to improve the situation?
I would apply sanctions, within my authority, to employees who do not carry out my instructions.
I would point out to my subordinates that I am now their manager, not a colleague, and they are required to follow my instructions.
I would try to earn my subordinates' respect and trust and build authority among them.
I would use the rewards available to me to reinforce high-quality work.
I would try to convince my subordinates that they should listen to my views and instructions because I have greater experience and knowledge.
3. You assigned a task to one of your subordinates and explained clearly what to do and how to do it. After some time, you learn that the employee is not following your instructions and is completing the task in their own way. What would you do in this situation?
Call the employee in and try to persuade them, based on my professional experience, that my instructions are correct.
Reprimand the employee and reassign the task to another staff member.
Tell the employee that a subordinate should not make changes to a manager’s directives.
Point out to the employee that following my directives precisely may bring material benefits (a bonus, a pay raise, etc.).
Use my personal skills (e.g., clear communication, persuasion) to obtain the desired result from the employee.
4. Conflicts between employees occur frequently in your organization. This makes your work much more difficult and harms the organization because your instructions are carried out slowly and inaccurately. You learn which of your subordinates is constantly provoking conflicts. What would you do in this situation?
Call my subordinates together and order them to stop the conflicts immediately, because it is interfering with the work.
Try to remove the employee who is causing the conflicts from the organization.
Speak privately with the person responsible and try to understand the reasons for their behavior and help them resolve their problems.
Tell this subordinate that I am considering them for an overseas internship, but have not made a final decision yet.
Tell this subordinate that, in my extensive managerial experience, conflicts never help the work, and advise them to change their behavior.
5. Senior management has assigned your unit a task for which you, as the manager, are personally responsible. Your subordinates are aware of this, but it has not affected the quality of their work. How would you try to influence the quality of your subordinates’ work?
I would remove from the work those subordinates who, in my view, are not performing their duties well.
I would ask my subordinates to monitor the quality of their work, because I will have to pay for their mistakes.
I would point out that a bonus will be paid based on the results of completing this task.
I would point out shortcomings in their work and give clear instructions on what to do and how to do it.
I would refer to my extensive experience with similar tasks and say that senior management will not accept this level of work quality.
6. A new employee has joined the organization you manage. They have the same level of professional education as you. Several times they have tried to advise you on how to handle certain situations, although you did not ask for their advice. What would you do in this situation?
I would make it clear to this employee that I am much more professionally experienced and therefore do not need their advice.
I would point out to this employee that a subordinate should not give advice to a manager.
When the opportunity arises, I would express doubt about this subordinate’s professionalism in the presence of other employees.
I would assign this employee to a position where several people would be directly subordinate to them.
I would try to build a friendly relationship with this subordinate and get them to listen to my opinion.
7. You witness a discussion among several managers about how to influence subordinates most effectively in order to achieve the desired results. Which of the following five viewpoints is closest to your own?
The easiest way to achieve the desired results from a subordinate is to offer a good reward for the work.
It all depends on the manager. Subordinates will carry out the directives more quickly and effectively for a manager they respect and want to emulate in many ways.
The best way to achieve the desired results from a subordinate is to draw attention to the possibility of sanctions if the manager’s directives are not followed.
It all depends on how much authority the manager has for subordinates as a professional and specialist. Such a manager will find it easier to achieve the desired results from subordinates.
A manager holds a higher position in the organization than subordinates; therefore, they must carry out the manager’s directives in any case.
8. To finish an urgent assignment on time, several of your subordinates need to come to work on Saturday. What would you do in this situation?
Tell the employees that the overtime will be paid at an additional rate.
Call these employees in and instruct them to be at work on Saturday.
Try to use your personal authority to persuade the employees to work overtime.
Speak with your employees one-on-one and hint that sanctions may be applied to those who refuse to work overtime.
Emphasize your extensive experience with similar assignments and explain that, in this case, overtime is the only way to complete the task on time.
9. Your unit has been assigned a major project. The deadline is approaching, but one of your subordinates is completing their part too slowly, putting the project at risk of missing the deadline. What would you do in this situation?
Talk with this employee and try to help them finish the work more quickly by offering professional advice.
Tell this employee that their slowness is letting everyone down and that I will have to reduce their pay for this work.
Use my authority and persuasive skills to get this employee to finish the work as soon as possible.
Call this employee into my office and require them to complete the work within three days.
Remind this employee that if the project is delivered on time, the financial bonus for all employees will be much higher than if it is delivered late.
10. It is necessary for the organization that one of your subordinates go on a fairly long, distant business trip. However, the employee refuses, citing family circumstances. You cannot find a replacement for this employee. What would you do to resolve this situation?
I would tell the employee that similar situations have occurred in our organization before and, based on my experience, no one else would be able to handle this task except them.
I would point out that on this trip the employee could secure contracts that are beneficial to the organization and receive a percentage of the deal.
I would disregard the employee’s reasons and sign the order requiring them to go on the business trip.
I would listen carefully to the employee, express sympathy for their situation, and use all my personal charm to persuade them to go.
I would hint to the employee that I am very dissatisfied with their refusal to go on the trip, and that this could negatively affect their future work in the organization.