Q&A Hero

Q: What is the benefit of creating a commitment analysis chart?a. It can exhibit to others that you are prepared for the changeb. It is a useful project management tool since it divides responsibilitiesc. It relies on the emotional response of stakeholdersd. It analyzes engagement and is instrumental in planning tactics to alter those predispositions

Q: Survey feedback allows survey responders to rate the quality of the survey.a. Trueb. False

Q: Which of the following is not true of parallel initiatives?a. It recognizes that different things can be worked on simultaneouslyb. It can shrink the time required to complete a changec. It requires care and sophistication in planningd. It carries very little risk or chances for failure

Q: What are the benefits and downsides of using surveys?

Q: What do critical path methods require of planners?a. For planners to only focus on the critical tasksb. To estimate based on past experience how long the project will takec. To identify when the project should be completed and plan backward from that pointd. To critically assess the plans of others against the reality of time and resources

Q: Forecasting and scenario planning are basically the same exercise.a. Trueb. False

Q: Which of the following is NOT a question managers should ask regarding a scenario they had developed in a scenario-planning exercise?a. How likely is this to happen?b. What would need to happen to make this scenario a reality?c. How much money would it take to eliminate this possibility entirely?d. What contingencies might arise that need to be addressed?

Q: What is the purpose of responsibility charting?a. To add to the annual report as a change-action documentb. To keep the projects at the forefront of employees’ minds, even if the responsibilities are irrelevantc. To keep projects on track and provide accountabilityd. To use guilt and public shame to get people to finish their assigned tasks

Q: Which of the following is not a suggested tool for action planning?a. A pro/con listb. A to do listc. Surveysd. Responsibility charts

Q: According to the book, in what situations should others NOT be engaged in action planning?a. When employees may not agree with the planb. When there is little respect for the senior leadershipc. When there are too many opinions to considerd. When there is too much competitive risk and plans should be kept secret

Q: Carefully laid-out plans should be taken seriously and adhered to despite any dissention that may arise.a. Trueb. False

Q: Beer, Eisenstat, and Spectors prescriptive steps to change rely on all of the assumptions except:a. A fundamental cooperative orientation and commonality of goalsb. Change is most effective when initiated by top managementc. Change will evolve over timed. Shared vision is possible

Q: What is the difference between a participative approach and a unilateral approach?a. A participative approach assumes that employees will have the right ideas on their ownb. A unilateral approach focuses on behavioral changesc. A unilateral approach expects crowd sourcing of informationd. A unilateral approach changes system first; a participative approach changes behavior first

Q: According to Waldersee and Griffiths, direct action taken by managers is more effective than staff participation.a. Trueb. False

Q: What are the benefits of using employee engagement and feedback?a. Employees will feel as though they’ve been heard and will be pacifiedb. It provides more flexibility in the timelinec. Ambiguity will be reduced and it may build support by communicating why the change was undertakend. It may lessen the chances of revolt

Q: What is the danger of a unilateral approach?a. Things may not get doneb. Stakeholders may feel their concerns are not heard or valued and resist the changec. Employees may be given too much power and overtake the change processd. It is likely to be ineffective because employees will just ignore it

Q: Which of the following is an example of emergent change?a. Organizational downsizing due to rapid growthb. A change initiative to modify the culture piloted by customer and staff feedbackc. A situation when the magnitude of the change is incremental in natured. Top-down structural changes to respond to changes in the market

Q: Discontinuous change involves a major break from the change.a. Trueb. False

Q: Which of the following is a risk of implementing programmatic change?a. Lack of sufficient control to enforce the changeb. Confusion over directionc. Overreliance on a one-size-fits-all solutiond. Progress may be too slow

Q: When does a doing first strategy work best?a. When creativity, commitment, and communication are most essentialb. When the situation is novel and confusingc. When data are clear and reliabled. When discipline can be established in routine processes

Q: What are Mintzberg and Westlys generic approaches to change?a. Stop, look, listenb. Plan, ask, doc. Think, see, dod. Try, fail, try again

Q: Change agents should approach change with which of the following attitudes?a. Work to acquire necessary authority before attempting changeb. Continue with a change project only when management’s approval has been obtainedc. Understanding the concrete lines of systems boundariesd. Test the limits of their empowerment

Q: One of the first steps for a change agent at the beginning of a change project is:a. Seek senior-level supportb. Develop a detailed plan of how the change will goc. Try and brainstorm all possible roadblocks and compile mitigation plansd. To have full confidence that their change idea will work for the organization

Q: Employees dont need to take explicit action to incite change. Organizations are constantly changing, and change opportunities will present themselves regularly.a. Trueb. False

Q: Change initiative is really best used and practiced by people with formal power.a. Trueb. False

Q: Which of the following is not a challenge for middle managers?a. They are trying to influence change at the top while those at the top are directing themb. They need to enforce change on subordinates while subordinates may be trying to initiate changec. They are tempted to intervene in most all disputes and issues, even when it may not be helpfuld. Their managers will tell them exactly what decisions to make and how to proceed

Q: It is usually not necessary for change teams to be highly cohesive.a. Trueb. False

Q: Which of the following is not a good design rule for developing a change team?a. Consider every piece of information fair game to discussb. Decisions are made swiftlyc. The change team is incentivized with financial rewards based on performanced. The change team should be between 15 and 20 members

Q: A project manager is responsible for which of the following things in a change project:a. Being the immovable visionary forceb. Advising the team on directionc. Coordinating logistics and tracking progressd. Dealing with stakeholders

Q: Describe the role of a steering team.

Q: Characteristics of a strong change team member are often contradictory.a. Trueb. False

Q: Change teams may include all of the following people except:a. Outside consultantsb. People who are completely committed to the changec. People who are open-minded and flexibled. A brand-new employee who has fresh eyes on the organization

Q: The quality of external change agents determines the success of change projects.a. Trueb. False

Q: External change agents are often hired because of which of the following strengths?a. They are a frugal option for organizations with tight budgetsb. They are independent and crediblec. They have deep knowledge of the organizationd. They can take charge of final decision making

Q: What is the main benefit of an internal change agent?a. They have defining relationships with people within the organization that make them objectiveb. They have the highest level of specialized skills for the jobc. They tend to have plenty of power to affect the changed. They have knowledge of the systems and norms of how things get done

Q: Which type of change agent engages in big-picture thinking about strategic change and understands the fit of systems and structures?a. The emotional championb. The intuitive adapterc. The developmental strategistd. The continuous improver

Q: What are Hunsakers four internal roles a change agent can play?a. Catalyst, solution giver, process helper, and resource linkerb. Positional leader, respected leader, knowledge leader, and networking leaderc. Starter, worker, helper, and finisherd. Dissenter, critical thinker, encourager, and champion

Q: Describe the characteristics that an emotional champion is likely to have.

Q: Which is more effective at driving change: pull or push tactics?a. Push tactics are more effective because they can utilize reward-and-punishment powerb. Agents should try to only use pull tactics because they appeal to higher-order purposec. Neither push nor pull tactics are more effective than the otherd. Both push and pull tactics are effective in their own way, but pull tactics tend to bring everything together under a larger vision

Q: What is the difference between an experienced change agent and an expert change agent according to Miller?a. Experienced agents believe that powerful communication will convince people to sign on to a changeb. Experts understand that people have a limited capacity to absorb change and power, and sanctions aren’t sufficient to convince othersc. Experts believe that people may not be ready to change, so a comprehension plan must be developed to implement the visiond. Experienced agents understand that clear communication is the key to getting others on board with change

Q: All change agents must proceed through their developmental changes by being actively involved in leading a change.a. Trueb. False

Q: Appreciate Inquiry (AI) is the engagement of individuals in an organizational system in its renewal.a. Trueb. False

Q: In order for individuals to shift their mental maps, what is required?a. Workshops and presentationsb. Curiosity and ambitionc. Teamwork and flexibilityd. Openness and reflection

Q: According to Duck, a(n) ________________ will not change if the _________________ do(es) not develop.a. Organization; individuals in the organizationb. Individual; organization as a wholec. Strategy; change leaderd. Organization; strategy

Q: Which of following is not a trend that change leaders need to be aware of?a. An increase in virtual communication and leadershipb. Simpler, more formulaic challengesc. The importance of authenticityd. Leading for long-term survival

Q: What are the three categories of behaviors that change agents give rise to?a. Intelligence-inspiring behaviors, framing behaviors, and capacity-creating behaviorsb. Shaping behaviors, framing behaviors, and experimentation behaviorsc. Shaping behaviors, framing behaviors, and capacity-creating behaviorsd. Creativity-inspiring behaviors, empowering behaviors, and framing behaviors

Q: Which of the following characteristics is not essential for a change leader?a. Communication and interpersonal skillsb. Determinationc. Flexibilityd. Rigidity

Q: Which of the following is not one of the four themes of bad leadership developed by Malcom Higgs?a. Abuse of powerb. Rule breaking to serve the individual’s own purposesc. Inflicting damage on othersd. Being so inadaptable that the leader refuses to change course if the plan is failing

Q: In exothermic change situations, energy is liberated by actions.a. Trueb. False

Q: Change agent effectiveness is a function of what three things?a. Charisma, action, and situationb. Personality, vision, and situationc. Personality, reputation, actiond. Situation, urgency, personality

Q: Change always starts from the top down.a. Trueb. False

Q: What are the personal benefits of being a change leader?a. It gives the change leader a chance to deal with failureb. It causes them to be more peripheral to the organizationc. It can prove to be educational and career enhancingd. It doesn’t challenge an individual’s view of organizations

Q: What are the four types of change leaders mentioned in the book?a. The emotional champion, the developmental strategist, the intuitive adapter, and the continuous improverb. The charismatic speaker, the quiet leader, the thoughtful relationship builder, and the small win makerc. The persuasive strategist, the intuitive planner, the brilliant thinker, and the ferocious fighterd. The developmental strategist, the charismatic speaker, the brilliant planner, and the intuitive improver

Q: Describe the expectations of managers during periods of change.

Q: What is a rule of thumb change agents should use?a. Draw hard lines, even if it means risking being firedb. Light many fires that are highly visible and allow change to happen in multiple places at oncec. Focus on perfection. Change won’t be effective unless it’s done rightd. Deliberate and take time making decisions to be sure they are the best ones

Q: How can organizations encourage employees to be more open to change?

Q: When change leaders talk about significant change, they usually thoroughly focus on the cost/benefit analysis of both changing and keeping with the status quo.a. Trueb. False

Q: The tendency to rely on competencies and strategies that have worked in the past is referred to as a competency trap.a. Trueb. False

Q: People who have experienced long periods of stability and minimal change are likely to respond to change in which of the following ways?a. Feeling unsettled with a higher perceived riskb. A tendency to trust periods of increased changec. A predisposition to try new strategies and tactics than the ones they have usedd. With anger and bitterness

Q: If the opinions of those trusted by recipients of change are positive and the recipients initial attitude toward the change is negative, recipients are likely to respond in which of the following ways?a. Tempered support of the change with pressure to reconsider their supportb. Opposed to the change but open to other perspectivesc. Predisposed to involvementd. Vehemently opposed

Q: People with a low tolerance for turbulence and ambiguity are most comfortable in a stable environment.a. Trueb. False

Q: What choice best describes the survivor syndrome?a. A feeling of responsibility and commitment to carry the organization forwardb. Understanding of the reasons for the change and feeling that the change had been fairly carried outc. A sense of relief and appreciation that one was kept when others were let god. The reaction of poorly handled change, including lower motivation, guilt, and increased stress

Q: Which of the follow is not one of Kotters eight steps?a. Establishing a sense of urgencyb. Forming a change teamc. Planning for short-term winsd. Collecting the organizations thoughts on the need and content of change

Q: What are common descriptors of the phase after the change?a. Feeling of guilt and alienationb. Achieving closure, adaption, and openness to the new realityc. Shock and numbnessd. Happiness, gratefulness, and excitement

Q: What are common reactions during the change?a. Curiosity and engagementb. Discussion, teamwork, and interestc. Immobilization, denial, and sense of lossd. Confusion and resignation

Q: What are common characteristics of the time before a change?a. Uncertainty, rumors, and anxietyb. Clear understanding of what’s coming and how it will impact employeesc. Widespread excitement and acceptance of the changed. Shock, depression, and bargaining

Q: Most of the psychological contract is implicit.a. Trueb. False

Q: What is the psychological contract?a. The psychological addendum to an employee’s hiring contractb. The assumptions people have about how the organization should treat themc. An implicit contract built between employees and colleagues over timed. The sum of the implicit and explicit agreements we believe we have with our organization

Q: What are reasons that a negative reaction to change may develop?

Q: Which of the following statements is most accurate for why people undertake or accept change initiatives?a. People undertake change for the moneyb. People undertake change when they believe that the benefits outweigh the costsc. People undertake change when they are completely confident they are prepared and it is the right step for the organizationd. People undertake change to build their resumes and experience

Q: How might alignment issues cause a negative reaction to change?a. Everyone’s reactions to the change are not alignedb. Change leader asks you to do something incongruent with what existing structures and systems tell you to doc. The change is not widespread enough through the organizationd. The communication coming from the change leaders may be contradictory

Q: If stakeholders are feeling ambivalent, leaders should help people make sense of the proposed change.a. Trueb. False

Q: Change leaders should approach mixed feelings using which of the following actions?a. Trying to push employees to accept the change regardless of their feelingsb. Ignoring ambivalence by emphasizing the benefits of the changec. Continue with the change plan and expect employees to get onboard when they’re readyd. Listen for information and sort out what actions are needed to achieve the change

Q: Employees are most likely to react to their own feelings of ambivalence in all of the following ways except:a. Confidently voicing their concerns and mixed feelingsb. Turn to approaches that have worked in the pastc. Actively seek out confirming data and reasoningd. Remember only attitude-consistent data

Q: Employees will always be either entirely in favor or entirely against any particular change initiative.a. Trueb. False

Q: How should leaders respond to acceptance of change in their organizations?

Q: What is a risk of acceptance of change?a. Having the change move too quicklyb. The possibility of groupthinkc. Accepting the wrong change for the organizationd. People are in it for the wrong reasons

Q: Which is not a reason that an individual would welcome change?a. A chance for personal growthb. A chance for promotionc. Variety and challenged. To work longer hours

Q: Which of the following is not a change tool to help employees commit to a change?a. Stakeholder engagementb. Participative teamsc. Using the change leader’s perspective to convince others of the changed. Bringing change initiatives to light

Q: Which of the following statements is true about reactions to change?a. People will almost always be disconcerted by the prospect of changeb. People will have strong responses to change based on the perceived consequences to themc. People will generally accept change that benefits the organization as a wholed. People will feel the same way about change that their peers d