You summon the three team leaders separately to hear their ideas and explanations.
Leave things to settle down a little bit longer, rather than causing anyone distress.
Approach some staff from each of the three teams for an informal chat.
Hold a brainstorm meeting for all team leaders to get some fresh ideas.
Correct answer is A
(A) is the MOST effective solution because you are further enhancing your own understanding of the underlying issues causing lower team morale. This will foster more informed decisions going forward.
The LEAST effective solution is (B). There are clearly important business issues that need to be addressed. Any further delay does not help to resolve the current situation or even try to turnaround the falls in business performance.
Option (C) may or may not reveal useful information. Again, it's hit or miss nature means that the best answer is going to offer a more pragmatic solution.
Option (D)'s brainstorming idea is a traditional solution for generating new ideas. It doesn't address the underlying issues directly so a more pragmatic solution is required.
Send Victoria an email with the details of the assignment. Tell her that there is an urgent task for today and that she should read the email as soon as possible.
Talk to Victoria. Say that you know this is a difficult request but that you really need her help on this important task.
Tell Victoria that if she agrees to compile this report on time, you will bring someone to assist her with her other assignments for the whole month as compensation.
Tell Victoria that unexpected tasks and working under pressure are part of the job.
Correct answer is D
This is a question about knowing and working with your employees’ individual needs. Different people have different preferences and needs in their work conditions. To make the best use of your employees’ skills (resource management), and to allow them to develop, you should learn your employees’ strengths, weaknesses, and needs, and provide them the conditions they need to fulfil their potential (encouraging employees’ development).
Response A lacks social intelligence. You know that she will most likely be unhappy with your request, yet you don’t show any concern for her feelings or appreciation for her effort. This is not a good response.
Response B approaches the problem directly and demonstrates social intelligence as you have an open conversation with your employee, showing appreciation for her feelings and efforts. This response shows persuasion, motivation, and negotiation skills as it is likely to influence her to cooperate. This is an effective response.
Response C demonstrates persuasion, motivation, and negotiation skills as you offer to give Victoria something in return for her efforts. Offering to bring in assistance to help Victoria suggests that you understand the pressure she is under and respect the conditions she needs to be effective in her work.
Response D lacks respect for employees as you show no consideration of your employee’s feelings and individual needs. This response is cold and hurtful, and it is more likely to create antagonism than cooperation.
Comparing responses A and D, the latter seems more aggressive in its nature. While response A seems cold and might offend your employee, response D is harsh and very likely to be offensive. Therefore, this is the worst response to the situation.
Tell your employees that you actually took part in the formation of this program and that their needs were very much in mind when it was planned.
Let your employees brief you on the problems they encounter and say that you will bring them up with your manager.
Tell your employees that you are sorry that they feel this way, but the program has already been set and nothing can be done. Say that you believe things will get easier over time.
Suggest that they write an email to your manager and explain their position.
Correct answer is B
In this scenario, your team is having trouble with the current changes taking place. As a supervisor, you have your team’s interests in mind, as well as a wider perspective of the company’s goals.
Response A is quite an emotional response. Here you seem offended and fail to listen to your employees’ complaints seriously enough. Whether or not the new regulations were designed to assist them, your employees are trying to tell you something about the effectiveness of their result.
In response B, you encourage your team to tell you about the problems and show a willingness to address them. Notice that you didn't say that any changes would necessarily take place, but you do exhibit an openness to criticism and a sense of responsibility towards your subordinates. You let them voice their concerns, take their concerns seriously, and function as a mediator between your team and higher management. Notice that this is not a perfect response. A better response would be to listen to the employees’ briefing before deciding whether or not you should bring it up with your manager.
In response C, you show respect and care for the team’s feelings, but you take a very passive approach. Your team is asking for your help, not just sympathy. You may decide not to take any further action regarding their complaints, but this decision should be based on professional considerations, after hearing the details of the problem. In general, you should refrain from statements like 'nothing can be done' as they may discourage your employees from approaching you in the future.
Suggesting that the employees write to your manager (response D) shows a lack of responsibility for subordinates as you fail to function as a mediator between your team and higher management. Instead, you choose to remain passive.
Nothing. You trust the supervisor – she works closely with the team members and is probably aware of the situation and it’s under her control.
Talk to the employee next time you see him arrive late.
Ask the supervisor if she is aware of this situation.
Tell the supervisor that she should pay more attention to her employees’ arriving hours, as it looks bad.
Correct answer is C
This question assesses your understanding of your position as a manager in terms of the chain of command. Be aware that different workplaces prefer different levels of managerial involvement versus keeping of the chain of command; we recommend that you read about your potential workplace and position before taking the test.
Response A is a “do nothing” response. This kind of response is passive and is rarely the best course of action. Although it may be likely that the supervisor is aware of the situation, you can’t assume it. This response fails to supervise employees’ performance.
Talking to the employee yourself (response B) ignores the supervisor’s authority and responsibility (chain of command). You want to take action, but not to undermine the supervisor.
In response C you take action which is appropriate for someone in your position – you bring the situation to the supervisor’s awareness and allow her to handle it as she sees fit. This is the best response in this situation.
In response D you reprimand your supervisor for the employee’s actions. You don’t trust the supervisor’s skills and judgment, and don’t provide her the authority to handle the situation her way, and don’t provide her a chance to explain her point of view – you don’t know if she is aware of the situation or if there are any special reasons for it (effective communication).
Explain that you have given this much thought and the changes are essential.
Let her know that your decisions are final, but show empathy toward her frustration over changing her work.
Say that the report is her work and you respect her opinion. Your input is meant to assist her and she is free to accept or decline it.
Ask her to present her objections to your comments and discuss them.
Correct answer is D
In this question, you are facing a professional disagreement with an employee. Notice that the question asks about your first response - in other words, you are asked what would be your initial reaction, not what would eventually be the best solution. This implies that the question aims to assess your approach to this situation (your supervisory style), more than your actual problem solving strategy.
Responses A and B present a polite decline of the employee’s stand. This approach emphasizes your authority as a supervisor – you respect your employees, yet your opinion is the final decision. Both responses emphasize hierarchy, but response B emphasizes it more. In response A you explain yourself to the employee (saying that you gave the matter serious thought) and the rationale for going with your comments is that you find it important. In response B the rationale for going with your comments is that you are the supervisor and that it is you make the final decision(persistence). Response A creates a more flexible impression (by explaining yourself you seem open to discussion) while response B shows more respect for the employee’s feelings. However, in both responses there is no actual discussion and the approach is hierarchical.
Response C presents an opposite approach. In this response you take no authoritative stand; your approach is that of a guide. You are flexible, yet in most workplaces and positions this approach could seem to lack resilience.
Response D is the only one in which there is an actual discussion. Instead of a simple exchange of opinions, this response enables you to get more information, hear another opinion and think together with your employee (decision making - taking staff input). This response shows that you have respect for your employee’s opinion, while maintaining respect for your own opinion and keeping your authority. This is the best way to start handling the situation (the best first response) as it allows you and your employee further deliberation, while your final decision is yet to be determined and is still in your hands. This response demonstrates an approach that is more thorough (decision making) and open-minded (flexibility).
Different workplaces will prefer different approaches regarding authority – in some positions you are required to be strict, while in others an educational supervision approach (being a guide) will be preferred. We chose response D as the best choice because it shows that you take your subordinates’ input into consideration in your decision making. However strict or allowing you are as a supervisor, this competency is valuable as it enables you to make decisions wisely and shows better use of human resource.