Group 21: David Villanueva, Graciela Villarreal, Jose Villarreal, Kimberley Richards

Chapter 14 Discussion Questions

1. Why is self-awareness important for being a good manager? Can you think of some specific
negative consequences that might result from a manager with low self-awareness?
Response:

2. As a manager, how might you deal with an employee who is always displaying negative
emotions that affect the rest of the team? How might you use an understanding of attributions
and emotional contagion to help you decide what to do?
Response:

3. What are some specific tips that you would give a new manager for building trust with
subordinates? With other managers?
Response:

4. The chapter suggests that optimism is an important characteristic for a manager, yet some
employees complain that optimistic managers cause them significant stress because they
expect their subordinates to meet unreasonable goals or expectations. How might an employee
deal with a perpetually optimistic manager?
Response:

5. Studies have suggested that extroverts contribute less to teams and are poor listeners, yet
other studies suggest that they are more likely to earn six-figure incomes, even in today’s
collaborative, team-oriented workplaces. Discuss why you think this might be the case.
Response:

6. Surveys by the Conference Board show that job satisfaction has declined from 61 percent of
people surveyed in 1987 to 45 percent in 2009, and one workplace analyst has said a high level
of dissatisfaction is “the new normal.” What are some factors that might explain this decline in
satisfaction levels? Do you think it is possible for managers to reverse the trend? Discuss.
Response:

7. Which of the four components of emotional intelligence do you consider most important to an
effective manager in today’s world? Why?
Response:

8. How might understanding whether an employee has an internal or an external locus of control
help a manager better communicate with, motivate, and lead the employee?
Response:

9. How do you think a system for self-management such as the five-step system described in
this chapter could benefit you as a student? What parts of the system seem particularly useful to
you? Explain.
Response:

10. Why do you think workplace stress is skyrocketing? Do you think it is a trend that will
continue? Explain the reasons for your answer. Do you think it is the responsibility of managers
and organizations to help employees manage stress? Why or why not?
Response:
Chapter 14 Apply Your Skills: Ethical Dilemma
What Would You Do?
1. Make the previous numbers work. Kristin and the entire team have put massive amounts of
time into the project, and they all expect you to be a team player. You don’t want to let them
down. Besides, this project is a great opportunity for you in a highly visible position.
Response:

2. Stick to your principles and refuse to fudge the numbers. Tell Kristin that you will work
overtime to help develop an alternative proposal that stays within the budget by providing more
training to employees who work directly with customers and fewer training hours for those who
don’t have direct customer contact.
Response:

3. Go to the team and tell them what you’ve been asked to do. If they refuse to support you,
threaten to reveal the true numbers to the CEO and board members.
Response:
Chapter 15 Discussion Questions

1. Suggest some personal traits that you believe would be useful to a business leader today.
Are these traits more valuable in some situations than in others? How do you think traits differ
from strengths?
Response:

2. In a study asking what people wanted from leaders versus followers, people ranked maturity
number 8 for followers, but number 15 for leaders. What might account for people wanting a
higher maturity level from followers?
Response:

3. If a male manager changes his behaviors to incorporate elements of interactive leadership

more common to female managers, can he still be an “authentic” leader? Discuss.
Response:

4. Studies of women leaders suggest that many of them view power differently than men do and
prefer a collaborative, relationship-oriented use of power. If this is the case, what does it
suggest about women leaders’ abilities to accomplish goals? What does it suggest about
women’s ability to rise to higher organizational levels? Discuss.
Response:

5. What skills and abilities does a manager need to lead effectively in a virtual environment? Do
you believe a leader with a consideration style or an initiating-structure style would be more
successful as a virtual leader? Explain your answer.
Response:
 6. What is transformational leadership? Give examples of organizational situations that would
call for transformational, transactional, or charismatic leadership.
Response:

7. How does Level 5 leadership differ from the concept of servant leadership? Do you believe
that anyone has the potential to become a Level 5 leader? Discuss.
Response:

8. Why do you think that so little attention is given to followership compared to leadership in
organizations? Discuss how the role of an effective follower is similar to the role of a leader.
Response:

9. Do you think leadership is more important or less important in today’s flatter, team-based
organizations? Are some leadership styles better suited to such organizations as opposed to
traditional hierarchical organizations? Explain.
Response:

10. Consider the leadership position of a senior partner in a law firm. What task, subordinate,
and organizational factors might serve as substitutes for leadership in this situation?
Response:
Chapter 15 Apply Your Skills: Ethical Dilemma
What Would You Do?
1. Tell Carolyn Clark that employee volunteerism is important to the company and that while her
performance evaluation will not be affected by her decision, she should consider helping Harris
because it is an opportunity to help a worthy community project.
Response:

2. Tell Darius Harris that the employee volunteer program is just that: a volunteer program.
Even though the company sees volunteerism as an important piece of its campaign to repair its
tarnished image, employees must be free to choose whether to volunteer. He should not ask for
the help of his direct employees with the afterschool program.
Response:

3. Discipline Darius Harris for coercing his subordinates to spend their own time on his
volunteer work at the community after-school program. This action will send a signal that
coercing employees is a clear violation of leadership authority.
Response: