Reference no: EM132371017

Leadership and Strategy 

Overview of Chapter Questions. There are 8 chapters in your leadership text. There are eight chapter questions assignments (this is one of them), which correspond to each of the chapters. You will complete one set of chapter questions after reading each chapter and then upload each set to Blackboard before the cutoff date and time specified in the syllabus.

My expectations are a minimum of 5-pages (single-spaced, 12 point font) for each set of chapter questions. Your chapter questions are listed below.

- To receive credit, this assignment is to be done as an individual assignment (without collaboration with others).

- Note cutoff dates and times. No late submittals accepted.

- Use spelling, grammar check, and page numbers.

- Chapter Questions Assignments are open book, open note.

- Chapter Questions become a very good study guide for your chapter exams, mid-term, and the final.

- Uploaded copy only. Please submit this assignment to Blackboard. Do not combine multiple submittals (single submittal only).

- Please leave the questions visible (do not delete them before beginning your answer).

Here are your questions. Begin your answer immediately after each question (please maintain correct question numbering). Following along in the text as you complete your answers is the most productive way to benefit from this assignment. You may lift text directly from the text for this assignment (do not worry about citing the source).

1. According to the text, define and or describe the term meaning.

2. Define and or describe the concept of direction.

3. Define and or describe the ethical foundation of a group.

4. Given your present or past work, volunteer, life, or school experience, think of a group that you were either a leader or follower. What does (did) this group believe and ascribe to in terms of its ethical foundation?

5. Define and or describe policy statements of an organization. So, in answering this question, refer to your present or past work, volunteer, life, or school experience. If that does not work, use the text, the Internet, and or Wikipedia and search organizational policy statements.

6. Given your present or past work, volunteer, life, or school experience, list up to five examples of policy statements in your (present or past) organization? Again, if this does not work for you, then get creative and utilizing what you found on the Internet, just make some up for a make believe company that you will one day lead. Again, have some fun with this leadership course and learn something at the same time.

7. What do policy statements help demonstrate in terms of commitment? So, maybe it is a very strong commitment to excellent service to your customers. Or, it may be something else or several something things. Think about it and then write.

8. Given your present or past work, volunteer, life, or school experience, describe what your present or past organization espouses in terms of cultural factors. Cultural factors are beliefs, ideologies, and policies that influence the ways in which things are done in an organization, such as diversity, openness, open door policies, internal promotion, and things such as those.

9. Given your present or past work, volunteer, life, or school experience, how do (did) cultural factors impact the value system of your work group or organization?

10. Given your present or past work, volunteer, life, or school experience, list and discuss up to five cultural factors that you would like to change in your present or past organization and how you would go about changing them if you were the leader?

11. From the text, rate and discuss your organization's cultural factors in terms provided below on a scale from 1 (little influence) to 5 (a great deal of influence):

a. Diversity among the staff (rate and discuss)

b. Openness (rate and discuss)

c. Open door policy (rate and discuss)

d. Internal promotion (rate and discuss)

e. Others (please first list [up to five] and then rate and discuss)

12. Given your present or past work, volunteer, life, or school experience, list up to five of the cultural factors that affect the goals, objectives, and operational policies at your organization?

13. In what way do the cultural factors that you listed above affect the goals, objectives, and operational policies at your organization?

14. From the text, rate and discuss cultural factors of your (present or past) organization on a scale from 1 (little influence) to 5 (a great deal of influence):

a. Political and economic climate (rate and discuss)

b. Weather conditions (rate and discuss)

c. Setting new goals and objectives (rate and discuss)

d. Group member turnover (rate and discuss)

e. Other (please first list [up to five] and then rate and discuss)

15. How do environmental changes affect group values?

16. How does a change in group values affect leadership (what does the leader have to do)?

17. Given your present or past work, volunteer, life, or school experience, what are some of your (present or past) organization's policies, goals, and objectives, (list up to five) which assist in providing an employee-friendly workplace? If you identified none, what are some (list up to five) that would help provide a positive, employee-friendly working atmosphere?

18. Refer to your list from the question just above. How do (would) these policies, goals, and objectives, help in providing an employee-friendly workplace?

19. Given your present or past work, volunteer, life, or school experience, and using the text as a guide, describe a realistic profile of your (present or past) organization:

a. Ethical foundation.

b. Purpose and intent.

c. Vision.

d. Mission.

e. Major goals and objectives (either for the organization overall or your particular setting).

20. Referring to the question just above, describe your job title (or position as leader or follower) and or place in the organizational structure.

21. Identify the major tasks that you perform. What is it that you actually are expected to do?

22. Discuss whether your organization would be considered a democratic organization. Why or why not?

23. Identify up to five of the primary skills that you will need to learn and or develop if you are going to one day become a senior leader.

24. Think about job fit-you in your present or a past organization. Discuss how you normally function in your organization with regard to your technical skills (what you are qualified to do) and/or people skills (social skills). How do you think that may change in the future?

When formulating your answer, think about these points. With regard to technical skills, think about what you do at work. What if you were a night auditor at a hotel, but wanted to work around lots of people in a lively atmosphere and were not proficient in and did not enjoy math? If that were the case, you would be operating outside of both your technical and social preference skill sets. The loneliness of night audit and the math requirements, over time, would very likely lead to job dissatisfaction.

25. List and discuss at least four of your strongest traits, such as personality traits.

26. List and discuss at least four traits where you could benefit from development and or training to improve.

27. Is there congruence (agreement or harmony) between the leader (your boss) and your group's (the department where you work) ethical foundation (the group ethic)?

28. Describe the general climate of your present or past work group (such as the department where you work).

29. Your particular work group (such as the department where you work) is how many employees?

30. Your organization overall (such as the restaurant or hotel) has approximately how many employees?

31. Define and or explain what you believe to be the overall organizational philosophy - its distinctive and enduring principles guiding employees.

32. What is your organization's primary product? (What does it do, make, or sell?)

33. List up to five of your organization's major goals and objectives.

34. Referring to the question that you just answered above, rate how well your organization meets its stated objectives? Use a scale from 1 (poorly) to 5 (excellently).

35. Referring to the question that you just answered above, describe how well your organization meets its stated objectives.

36. Referring to the question that you just answered above, describe what your organization could do to improve in meeting its stated objectives.

37. What is it that you and your organization mutually value, believe, and are principled in? (So, how do you and your organization come together?)

38. Is your group (such as the department where you work) successful in what it does and how?

39. Is the leader of your organization or department successful as a leader and how?

40. Is the leader of your organization effective as a leader and how?