NUR425 Exam 1
What is leadership? - Answer-Leadership can be defined as influencing others to work together
effectively. This definition indicates that leaders do not always have management positions. According
to Gardner's (Yoder-Wise, 2003) tasks of leadership include:
envisioning goals
action
affirming values
motivating
managing
achieving workable unity
developing trust
explaining
serving as symbol
representing the group
renewing
What is management? - Answer-Management is also the process of influencing others to perform
effectively, but it is aimed at meeting organizational goals. Management is the process of getting the
work done through others.
Managers are people appointed to positions of authority. Managers serve in a variety of roles. All
managers are charged with several basic responsibilities such as planning, organizing, directing, and
controlling. Effective managers may also be leaders.
,What are trait theories? - Answer-These theories are based upon the idea that leaders possess specific
characteristics that enable them to be a leader. People who do not have these characteristics cannot be
leaders. These characteristics (traits) include:
a) striking physical appearance and personality
b) ability to speak persuasively
c) intelligence
d) self confidence
e) self-discipline
Recent research has found that certain characteristics are commonly identified in leaders. The most
frequently cited characteristics are intelligence and initiative.
What is the great man theory? - Answer-The idea behind this theory is that certain leaders, like
Napoleon Bonaparte and Genghis Khan, influence events rather than events influencing the leader.
What do you think? Are people in the right place at the right time to become great leaders i.e. events
make the leader? Or do you believe great leaders determine the events?
What are behavioral and style theories? - Answer-These theories focus on what the leader does. The
most commonly cited theory is one by Lewin, Lippit, and White. They identified what are now
considered the three classic leadership styles while studying groups of teen-age boys who were exposed
to two or three different leadership styles. They found that the leader's behavior could influence the
behavior of the group. The three leadership styles are:
a) Authoritarian (autocratic): The leader exerts strong control over the group. The leader may be either
dictatorial or benevolent. But when he gives orders, he expects them to be obeyed. Rules are numerous
and creativity is firmly discouraged. This leadership style can create stress for employees.
b) Democratic: The leader encourages and supports group involvement in decision making. Creativity is
encouraged. The leader guides and facilitates the work, but does dominate the workers.
,c) Laissez-faire: The leader is passive and non-directive. Most control and decision making are left to the
group. This style works if the group members are self-directed and motivated but does not work well if
the members are not able to work without some guidance and direction, such as new graduates.
In the early 1980's a fourth style was added: bureaucratic. The bureaucratic leader relies on
organizational rules and policies to control workers. The leader does not trust employees and believes
they are motivated by external forces such as their salary.
What are contingency theories? - Answer-Mary Parker Follet, the author of "The Giving of Orders"
(1925), was one of the first to recognize that in each organization there are a number of contingencies
that affect each situation. In other words, in each situation there are a number of factors that affect the
actions of the leader. For example, if you are the leader-manager of a group of highly skilled and
motivated workers, you would act as a facilitator rather than a supervisor. On the other hand, if you had
a group of new, unskilled workers you would be more directive and authoritarian.
Fiedler's Contingency Theory is a fairly complex theory. But basically Fiedler believed that leadership
effectiveness depends on the relationship between the leader and followers, the the task at hand, the
leader's interpersonal skills, and the favorableness of the work situation.
Hersey, Blanchard, and Johnson's situational leadership theory is an expansion of Fiedler's theory. They
included the worker's willingness and readiness to perform specific tasks as another factor that will
affect the actions of the leader. They developed four specific leadership styles to be used by the leader
depending on the willingness/readiness/ability of the employee See page 48-9 in your text to learn more
about these four styles.
House's Path-Goal Theory proposed that the leader's roles are to remove obstacles employees
encountered when working toward goals, provide coaching, and rewards for goal achievement. The idea
behind the theory is that employees "...work for rewards they find attractive and that result from
successful performance" (Sullivan & Decker, 2005, p. 51).
Vroom-Yetton's Expectancy Theory: The author's identified five leadership styles: (a)telling; (b)selling; (c)
joining; (d) consulting; and (d) delegating.
, Quantum Leadership Theory looks at leadership, employees, a
What are transformational theories? - Answer-Transformational theorists propose the idea that the
leader is able to visualize a dream and share this dream with others. This shared vision is a vision of the
future. The transformational leader is someone who is committed to a long-term plan (vision) and leads
others in the quest to realize this vision. The leader does this through empowering employees and
creating an atmosphere of trust and creativity. Transformational leaders are generally very likable, push
employees to excel, have goals and like change.
What are management theories? - Answer-Early industrialist Henri Fayol identified the basic functions of
management: planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. These four function remain the basic
management function even in today's chaotic times. Your book describes these four functions in detail.
Please read this information for a better understanding of this theory.
What are scientific management theories? - Answer-Taylor was primarily concerned with increasing
production at the steel plants where he was employed. He proposed the idea that work efficiency could
be achieved by using the scientific principles he developed. Taylor believed in the use of time and
motion studies to promote worker efficiency, matching workers to their jobs, and paying workers for the
amount they produced. The organization was viewed as a machine. He also put forth the idea that
management and labor have different roles but should cooperate with each other.
This theory is also known as the Traditional Organizational Theory or the classical theory of
management.
How does human relations impact management? - Answer-The idea that human relations was an
important aspect of management was brought to public attention after the studies of Elton Mayo and
colleagues were published. While attempting to discover the effect of lighting on production, Mayo and
his colleagues found that productivity increased when attention was paid to workers.
Mayo's research supported the idea that employee-management relations were influenced by a variety
of factors such as differences in employment status, beliefs about fair or unfair treatment, and the
influence of informal employee groups.
Proponents of human relations theory of management believed that managers needed a different set of
skills than used by those who support scientific management. These skills included effective
What is leadership? - Answer-Leadership can be defined as influencing others to work together
effectively. This definition indicates that leaders do not always have management positions. According
to Gardner's (Yoder-Wise, 2003) tasks of leadership include:
envisioning goals
action
affirming values
motivating
managing
achieving workable unity
developing trust
explaining
serving as symbol
representing the group
renewing
What is management? - Answer-Management is also the process of influencing others to perform
effectively, but it is aimed at meeting organizational goals. Management is the process of getting the
work done through others.
Managers are people appointed to positions of authority. Managers serve in a variety of roles. All
managers are charged with several basic responsibilities such as planning, organizing, directing, and
controlling. Effective managers may also be leaders.
,What are trait theories? - Answer-These theories are based upon the idea that leaders possess specific
characteristics that enable them to be a leader. People who do not have these characteristics cannot be
leaders. These characteristics (traits) include:
a) striking physical appearance and personality
b) ability to speak persuasively
c) intelligence
d) self confidence
e) self-discipline
Recent research has found that certain characteristics are commonly identified in leaders. The most
frequently cited characteristics are intelligence and initiative.
What is the great man theory? - Answer-The idea behind this theory is that certain leaders, like
Napoleon Bonaparte and Genghis Khan, influence events rather than events influencing the leader.
What do you think? Are people in the right place at the right time to become great leaders i.e. events
make the leader? Or do you believe great leaders determine the events?
What are behavioral and style theories? - Answer-These theories focus on what the leader does. The
most commonly cited theory is one by Lewin, Lippit, and White. They identified what are now
considered the three classic leadership styles while studying groups of teen-age boys who were exposed
to two or three different leadership styles. They found that the leader's behavior could influence the
behavior of the group. The three leadership styles are:
a) Authoritarian (autocratic): The leader exerts strong control over the group. The leader may be either
dictatorial or benevolent. But when he gives orders, he expects them to be obeyed. Rules are numerous
and creativity is firmly discouraged. This leadership style can create stress for employees.
b) Democratic: The leader encourages and supports group involvement in decision making. Creativity is
encouraged. The leader guides and facilitates the work, but does dominate the workers.
,c) Laissez-faire: The leader is passive and non-directive. Most control and decision making are left to the
group. This style works if the group members are self-directed and motivated but does not work well if
the members are not able to work without some guidance and direction, such as new graduates.
In the early 1980's a fourth style was added: bureaucratic. The bureaucratic leader relies on
organizational rules and policies to control workers. The leader does not trust employees and believes
they are motivated by external forces such as their salary.
What are contingency theories? - Answer-Mary Parker Follet, the author of "The Giving of Orders"
(1925), was one of the first to recognize that in each organization there are a number of contingencies
that affect each situation. In other words, in each situation there are a number of factors that affect the
actions of the leader. For example, if you are the leader-manager of a group of highly skilled and
motivated workers, you would act as a facilitator rather than a supervisor. On the other hand, if you had
a group of new, unskilled workers you would be more directive and authoritarian.
Fiedler's Contingency Theory is a fairly complex theory. But basically Fiedler believed that leadership
effectiveness depends on the relationship between the leader and followers, the the task at hand, the
leader's interpersonal skills, and the favorableness of the work situation.
Hersey, Blanchard, and Johnson's situational leadership theory is an expansion of Fiedler's theory. They
included the worker's willingness and readiness to perform specific tasks as another factor that will
affect the actions of the leader. They developed four specific leadership styles to be used by the leader
depending on the willingness/readiness/ability of the employee See page 48-9 in your text to learn more
about these four styles.
House's Path-Goal Theory proposed that the leader's roles are to remove obstacles employees
encountered when working toward goals, provide coaching, and rewards for goal achievement. The idea
behind the theory is that employees "...work for rewards they find attractive and that result from
successful performance" (Sullivan & Decker, 2005, p. 51).
Vroom-Yetton's Expectancy Theory: The author's identified five leadership styles: (a)telling; (b)selling; (c)
joining; (d) consulting; and (d) delegating.
, Quantum Leadership Theory looks at leadership, employees, a
What are transformational theories? - Answer-Transformational theorists propose the idea that the
leader is able to visualize a dream and share this dream with others. This shared vision is a vision of the
future. The transformational leader is someone who is committed to a long-term plan (vision) and leads
others in the quest to realize this vision. The leader does this through empowering employees and
creating an atmosphere of trust and creativity. Transformational leaders are generally very likable, push
employees to excel, have goals and like change.
What are management theories? - Answer-Early industrialist Henri Fayol identified the basic functions of
management: planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. These four function remain the basic
management function even in today's chaotic times. Your book describes these four functions in detail.
Please read this information for a better understanding of this theory.
What are scientific management theories? - Answer-Taylor was primarily concerned with increasing
production at the steel plants where he was employed. He proposed the idea that work efficiency could
be achieved by using the scientific principles he developed. Taylor believed in the use of time and
motion studies to promote worker efficiency, matching workers to their jobs, and paying workers for the
amount they produced. The organization was viewed as a machine. He also put forth the idea that
management and labor have different roles but should cooperate with each other.
This theory is also known as the Traditional Organizational Theory or the classical theory of
management.
How does human relations impact management? - Answer-The idea that human relations was an
important aspect of management was brought to public attention after the studies of Elton Mayo and
colleagues were published. While attempting to discover the effect of lighting on production, Mayo and
his colleagues found that productivity increased when attention was paid to workers.
Mayo's research supported the idea that employee-management relations were influenced by a variety
of factors such as differences in employment status, beliefs about fair or unfair treatment, and the
influence of informal employee groups.
Proponents of human relations theory of management believed that managers needed a different set of
skills than used by those who support scientific management. These skills included effective
