MHR 3020 Exam 2

---

Flashcard 1

Q: What is social loafing, and why does it occur in the workplace?

A: Social loafing is when people work less in a group than they would individually because they rely on others to carry the workload. It often happens in large teams, where individual contributions may feel less important or noticed, leading to a lack of accountability.

Flashcard 2

Q: List three ways managers can prevent social loafing.

A: 1) Assign specific roles and responsibilities.

2) Provide consistent feedback and recognize contributions.

3) Encourage smaller, cohesive teams to make each contribution more visible.

---

Flashcard 3

Q: How can team leaders increase team cohesion for better task performance?

A: By fostering open communication, making each member feel valued, aligning everyone with shared goals, encouraging team-building activities, and recognizing achievements.

---

Flashcard 4

Q: Define active listening and its purpose according to the textbook.

A: Active listening means focusing on hearing and providing feedback that helps the speaker work through a problem. Its purpose is to improve communication and build trust.

Flashcard 5

Q: List and describe the four active listening strategies.

A: 1) Reflecting: Paraphrasing what the other person said.

2) Probing: Asking for more information.

3) Deflecting: Shifting to another topic.

4) Advising: Offering solutions or advice.

---

Flashcard 6

Q: Name the best ways for managers to build and maintain a strong organizational culture.

A: 1) Lead by example.

2) Communicate effectively.

3) Recognize and reward achievements.

4) Define clear values and goals.

Flashcard 7

Q: What are three textbook-recommended ways for managers to build and maintain a strong culture?

A: 1) Keep culture in mind from day one.

2) Promote teamwork and collaboration.

3) Encourage employee voice.

---

Flashcard 8

Q: Differentiate between subcultures and countercultures in an organization.

A: Subcultures align with the overall organization’s values, while countercultures challenge them. Subcultures support organizational goals; countercultures may disrupt them.

---

Flashcard 9

Q: What is developmental feedback?

A: Developmental feedback provides information on what is done well and areas for improvement.

Flashcard 10

Q: List five rules for giving effective feedback.

A: 1) Be developmental.

2) Be timely and specific.

3) Give feedback in private.

4) Provide feedback in small amounts.

5) Avoid bringing the person down.

---

Flashcard 11

Q: Describe tall vs. flat organizational structures.

A: Tall structures have many layers of hierarchy and narrow spans of control. Flat structures have fewer layers and broader spans of control.

---

Flashcard 12

Q: Define groupthink and its effect on teams.

A: Groupthink is when members of highly cohesive groups avoid critical thinking to maintain harmony, leading to poor decision-making.

---

Flashcard 13

Q: Why is storytelling effective in management?

A: It makes complex topics relatable and memorable by using characters, tension, and resolutions.

Flashcard 14

Q: What are the five components of successful storytelling?

A: 1) Premise, 2) Character development, 3) Foreshadowing, 4) Tension, 5) Resolution.

---

Flashcard 15

Q: Why is a stable operating core important for organizational agility?

A: It provides a foundation for productivity and reduces stress during change by creating a sense of security.

---

Flashcard 16

Q: What are the five stages of team development?

A: 1) Forming, 2) Storming, 3) Norming, 4) Performing, 5) Adjourning.

---

Flashcard 17

Q: What should be considered before having a difficult conversation?

A: 1) Facts – understanding the situation.

2) Feelings – emotional readiness.

3) Identity – impact on self and others.

---

Flashcard 18

Q: Name four supportive communication principles for difficult conversations.

A: 1) Focus on the problem, not the person.

2) Be specific and objective.

3) Own your communication.

4) Be congruent.

---

Flashcard 19

Q: List the four steps of the strategic management process.

A: 1) Strategic analysis, 2) Strategy formulation, 3) Implementation, 4) Monitoring.

Flashcard 20

Q: Why is the strategic management process important?

A: It keeps organizations focused on goals, adapts to change, and ensures competitiveness.

---

Flashcard 21

Q: Differentiate between role ambiguity, role overload, role underload, and role conflict.

A: 1) Role ambiguity: Unclear roles.

2) Role overload: Too many demands.

3) Role underload: Too few demands.

4) Role conflict: Conflicting expectations.

---

Flashcard 22

Q: Define mechanistic and organic organizational structures and industries that use them.

A: Mechanistic: Standardized, formal, suitable for stable environments (e.g., manufacturing, banking).

Organic: Flexible, adaptive, suitable for changing environments (e.g., technology, startups).

---

Flashcard 23

Q: What are supportive communication principles?

A: Techniques for effective, constructive conversation:

1) Focus on the problem.

2) Be specific.

3) Own your communication.

4) Be congruent.

---

Reading Assessment Q&A

1. Q: Explicitly stated norms preferred by an organization are called?

A: Espoused values.

2. Q: Groups with unique patterns aligned with organizational norms are called?

A: Subcultures.

3. Q: What structure uses functional and divisional forms simultaneously?

A: Matrix Structure.

4. Q: The number of direct reports to a manager is called?

A: Span of Control.

5. Q: A stripped-down version of a new product is called?

A: Prototype.

6. Q: The most bureaucratic structure is?

A: Mechanistic.

7. Q: When group members work together, effectively using skills, it’s called?

A: Teamwork.

8. Q: The first stage of team development where members get to know each other is?

A: Forming.

9. Q: Status alignment within a team is known as?

A: Status Congruence.

10. Q: Process of discussing team expectations is called?

A: Role Negotiation.

11. Q: Creating a whole greater than the sum of its parts is called?

A: Synergy.

12. Q: Rules of conduct within a team are called?

A: Norms.

13. Q: Decision dominated by two or three people is called?

A: Minority Rule.

14. Q: The tendency to avoid critical thinking in cohesive groups is called?

A: Groupthink.

15. Q: Feeling underutilized in a team role is called?

A: Role underload.

16. Q: Team members’ attraction and motivation to stay is called?

A: Cohesiveness.

17. Q: Input-process-output model equation?

A: Quality of inputs x (Process gains - Process losses) = Team Output.

---