SHRM-CP Competencies Exam Actual
Questions and Answers 2026
1. A group has formed to organize the annual company picnic.
Because one member has experience planning a church fall festival,
he volunteers to take the helm. The other employees choose to
follow him. Which kind of leadership does this exemplify? - A)
Situational
B)Contingency
C) Emergent
D) Behavioral
1.
correct answer : C) Explanation: The emergent leadership theory
proposes that leaders can emerge from a group, deriving their
power from the group's agreement with this role. The other
leadership theories refer to the ways team leaders use their roles to
produce results and engage, develop, and motivate team members.
2. Which is a trait of an effective leader? - A) Providing detailed
directions to subordinates
B) Allowing employees to manage themselves
C) Fulfilling promises and commitments
D) Terminating poor performers and promoting high performers
correct answer : CExplanation: Leaders must model the values the
,SHRM-CP Competencies Exam Actual
Questions and Answers 2026
organization aspires to, which means being trustworthy and
reliable. Effective leaders may not allow all employees to direct
themselves. They provide coaching rather than terminating poor
performers. They provide detailed directions to those who need it.
3. A manager uses his skill with people to smooth over problems
and to make his employees feel secure in their positions. According
to the Blake-Mouton theory, what leadership style is the manager
using? - A) Authoritarian manager
B) Country club manager
C) Impoverished manager
D) Team leader
correct answer : B Explanation: Managers who exhibit low task,
high people (country club) leadership styles avoid using their
authority because they fear that it will jeopardize their
relationships. They try to create a supportive atmosphere and trust
that employees will respond positively. An authoritarian leader
emphasizes task, and an impoverished leader neglects both task
and people. A true team leader attends to needs related to both
tasks and people.
,SHRM-CP Competencies Exam Actual
Questions and Answers 2026
4. Refer to the following scenario for the next 2 questions. The
administrative assistant to the vice president of operations confides
in the HR manager that the VP has been making inappropriate
advances that have been getting progressively more forward and
aggressive. This has made the administrative assistant
uncomfortable, and now she wants to find a new position in the
organization. The administrative assistant and the HR manager are
long-time personal friends, and this information is shared with the
HR manager outside of the work environment, on personal time.
While the HR manager informs the administrative assistant that she
should bring a formal complaint, the administrative assistant is very
clear that she is sharing this information as a friend. She does not
want to file a formal complaint out of fear of retaliation. Instead,
she asks the HR manager to help her find a new role so that she can
quietly leave h - A) A. Confront the VP of operations directly with
the allegations and demand an explanation as to why he has
behaved inappropriately.
B) B. Respect the friendship with the administrative assistant, honor
the request for privacy on the issue, and not take any action in
response to the complaint.
C) C. Have a follow-up discussion with the administrative assistant
reassuring her of protection against retaliation and urging her to
formally complain of the behavior.
D) D. Notify the VP of HR of the allegations so that a formal
investigation can begin of these allegations of harassment.
, SHRM-CP Competencies Exam Actual
Questions and Answers 2026
correct answer : D Explanation: D is the best response. This is a very
delicate situation for an HR manager, who must fulfill a duty to the
organization. Respecting friendship and honoring other's requests
are serious considerations. However, if ignored, claims of
harassment put the organization in a precarious position, with
potential liability. Given that the allegations are being made against
a senior management employee, it is important for the HR manager
to escalate this issue to a more senior HR leader to determine the
best way to proceed. Furthermore, since the HR manager has a
long-standing personal friendship with the employee making the
harassment claim, it is probably best for another HR person to step
in for the investigation so as to fend off any perception of HR bias. A
is incorrect. The VP of operations should not be confronted until a
formal plan of action is created. B is incorrect. Once the
administrative assistant has shared the allegations with the HR
manager, even if in confidence and during personal time, the HR
manager has a duty to protect the employer from any liability. If the
HR manager does not act on the allegations of misconduct and
harassment, she is jeopardizing the organization. C is incorrect.
Talking with the a
5. The VP of operations has been identified as one of the top two
possibilities to succeed the current CEO. The VP of HR receives a
letter from the attorney of a different employee that charges the VP
Questions and Answers 2026
1. A group has formed to organize the annual company picnic.
Because one member has experience planning a church fall festival,
he volunteers to take the helm. The other employees choose to
follow him. Which kind of leadership does this exemplify? - A)
Situational
B)Contingency
C) Emergent
D) Behavioral
1.
correct answer : C) Explanation: The emergent leadership theory
proposes that leaders can emerge from a group, deriving their
power from the group's agreement with this role. The other
leadership theories refer to the ways team leaders use their roles to
produce results and engage, develop, and motivate team members.
2. Which is a trait of an effective leader? - A) Providing detailed
directions to subordinates
B) Allowing employees to manage themselves
C) Fulfilling promises and commitments
D) Terminating poor performers and promoting high performers
correct answer : CExplanation: Leaders must model the values the
,SHRM-CP Competencies Exam Actual
Questions and Answers 2026
organization aspires to, which means being trustworthy and
reliable. Effective leaders may not allow all employees to direct
themselves. They provide coaching rather than terminating poor
performers. They provide detailed directions to those who need it.
3. A manager uses his skill with people to smooth over problems
and to make his employees feel secure in their positions. According
to the Blake-Mouton theory, what leadership style is the manager
using? - A) Authoritarian manager
B) Country club manager
C) Impoverished manager
D) Team leader
correct answer : B Explanation: Managers who exhibit low task,
high people (country club) leadership styles avoid using their
authority because they fear that it will jeopardize their
relationships. They try to create a supportive atmosphere and trust
that employees will respond positively. An authoritarian leader
emphasizes task, and an impoverished leader neglects both task
and people. A true team leader attends to needs related to both
tasks and people.
,SHRM-CP Competencies Exam Actual
Questions and Answers 2026
4. Refer to the following scenario for the next 2 questions. The
administrative assistant to the vice president of operations confides
in the HR manager that the VP has been making inappropriate
advances that have been getting progressively more forward and
aggressive. This has made the administrative assistant
uncomfortable, and now she wants to find a new position in the
organization. The administrative assistant and the HR manager are
long-time personal friends, and this information is shared with the
HR manager outside of the work environment, on personal time.
While the HR manager informs the administrative assistant that she
should bring a formal complaint, the administrative assistant is very
clear that she is sharing this information as a friend. She does not
want to file a formal complaint out of fear of retaliation. Instead,
she asks the HR manager to help her find a new role so that she can
quietly leave h - A) A. Confront the VP of operations directly with
the allegations and demand an explanation as to why he has
behaved inappropriately.
B) B. Respect the friendship with the administrative assistant, honor
the request for privacy on the issue, and not take any action in
response to the complaint.
C) C. Have a follow-up discussion with the administrative assistant
reassuring her of protection against retaliation and urging her to
formally complain of the behavior.
D) D. Notify the VP of HR of the allegations so that a formal
investigation can begin of these allegations of harassment.
, SHRM-CP Competencies Exam Actual
Questions and Answers 2026
correct answer : D Explanation: D is the best response. This is a very
delicate situation for an HR manager, who must fulfill a duty to the
organization. Respecting friendship and honoring other's requests
are serious considerations. However, if ignored, claims of
harassment put the organization in a precarious position, with
potential liability. Given that the allegations are being made against
a senior management employee, it is important for the HR manager
to escalate this issue to a more senior HR leader to determine the
best way to proceed. Furthermore, since the HR manager has a
long-standing personal friendship with the employee making the
harassment claim, it is probably best for another HR person to step
in for the investigation so as to fend off any perception of HR bias. A
is incorrect. The VP of operations should not be confronted until a
formal plan of action is created. B is incorrect. Once the
administrative assistant has shared the allegations with the HR
manager, even if in confidence and during personal time, the HR
manager has a duty to protect the employer from any liability. If the
HR manager does not act on the allegations of misconduct and
harassment, she is jeopardizing the organization. C is incorrect.
Talking with the a
5. The VP of operations has been identified as one of the top two
possibilities to succeed the current CEO. The VP of HR receives a
letter from the attorney of a different employee that charges the VP
