SHRM-CP WRITTEN EXAM QUESTIONS
CORRECTLY ANSWERED.
what are the 3 leadership approaches - CORRECT ANSWER 1. trait- has the least validity. ex: best leaders
are tall/vocal
2. behavioral- task oriented or relationship oriented leader (equal)
3. situational/contigent- helps to know the variables to look at to see if it should be task or relationship
* there is no best way to lead, it depends on the situation
what are the 5 situational approaches to leadership - CORRECT ANSWER 1. blake mouton- managerial
grid. ex: impoverished (low concern for results low concern for others), country club (low concern for
results high concern for others), authoritarian (high concern for results low concern for others), team
(high concern for results high concern for others)
2. hersey-blanchard- no single optimal style, leaders adjust based on "follower maturity". ex: delegating
(low task and low relationship), participating (low task and high relationship), telling (high task and low
relationship), selling (high task and high relationship)
3. fiedler- leader/member relations, task structure, position power; adjust these variables to create
favorable situation
4. path-goal theory- define goal, clarify path, remove obstacles, provide support
5. emergent theory- group chooses leader, emerges from interactions
what are the 3 types of authentic (transformational) leaders - CORRECT ANSWER 1. empowerment- get
better results when empowered and confident. don't want to empower prematurely
2. long term (vision and values)- helps answer the "why". ex: why do you work here?
3. emotional intelligence- helps read peoples emotions (verbal/nonverbal), manage your own
emotions/reactions
* #1 asset is credibility
what are 3 traits of strong HR leaders - CORRECT ANSWER 1. build relationships
2. model values- ex: putting mission statement visible on walls
,3. effective agents of change- change agents, help employees understand why the change will benefit
them
what are 3 traits of weak HR leaders - CORRECT ANSWER 1. focus on short term
2. make limited connections
3. slow to innovate- you have to fail to learn, encourage employees to take risks
what are the 6 sources of power - CORRECT ANSWER 1. information
2. expert
3. referent (goodwill)- have best interest in mind
4. position- ex: saying "do it because i'm your boss"
5. reward- don't always have because of budget
6. coercive- don't always have power to discipline
* do 1-3, not 4-6 (not always under your control)
what are 4 influence strategies - CORRECT ANSWER 1. reasoning- data driven
2. appeal to mutual values- most ethical way, in someones best interest
3. call on supporters- power in numbers
4. barter (reciprocity)- you scratch my back i scratch yours (worst option)
what are 4 ways to gain trust - CORRECT ANSWER 1. ability (competence)- do i trust them because i
know they can do the job
2. integrity- do they treat everyone fairly/respectively
3. benevolence- do they keep the best for the group in mind
4. felt trust- how much do you think the other person trusts you. how to increase: delegate tasks,
feedback, don't micro-manage
what are the 5 parts of emotional intelligence - CORRECT ANSWER 1. self-awareness
2. self-regulation
3. motivation
,4. empathy- empathy vs. sympathy (be understanding)
5. social skills- be able to mediate, get information instead of taking sides/looking at emotions
what are the 8 parts of motivation - CORRECT ANSWER 1. maslows hierarchy of needs- not realistic
(physiological needs, safety and security, belonging and love, esteem, self-actualization)
2. herzbergs hygiene theory- one helps being satisfied (motivation ex: autonomy, advancement), the
other avoids dissatisfaction (hygiene ex: lack of money, safe working conditions)
3. mcclellands 3 needs theory- achievement, affiliation, power. one of these is usually a top power but it
depends on the person
4. self determination- competence, relatedness, autonomy
5. expectancy theory- valence, instrumentality, expectancy (VIE) effort > (expectancy) > performance >
(instrumentality) > outcomes (valence: how much do we value outcome). when VIE is high, motivation is
hight
6. attribution theory- locus of control, stability, controllability. when employees have some control over
the situation
7. goal setting theory- SMART goals (specific, measurable, attribute, reliable, team), commitment,
feedback. mutually set goals, not unilaterally, have regular follow-ups, have challenging goals
8. equity theory- your performance and outcomes vs. someone else's performance and outcome
what are the 5 parts of ethics - CORRECT ANSWER 1. transparency- ex: every company has to say how
top executives are paid
2. honesty- avoiding conflicts of interest, bribery, corruption
3. confidentiality
4. protecting rights of others- safety, fairness, privacy
5. codes of conduct- review handbook
what are the 3 approaches to behaving ethically - CORRECT ANSWER 1. utilitarian- make sure what does
the greatest good for the most people
2. rights- not violating any basic human rights or well-being
3. justice- dont discriminate against any group
what are the 4 steps to behave ethically - CORRECT ANSWER 1. establish the facts- what do we know
, 2. apply appropriate codes of conduct
3. consult- with the people involved
4. own the decision- don't blame others
ethical universalism vs. cultural relativism - CORRECT ANSWER EU- doesn't matter where you are, the
right and wrong should be the same
CR- whats ethical depends where you are
what are the 5 parts of conflict resolution - CORRECT ANSWER 1. avoidance- lose/lose (worst)
2. accommodation- lose/win. can lead to "you owe me"
3. compromise- in the middle. easy way out
4. competition- win/lose
5. collaboration- win/win (best)
what are the 4 parts of communication - CORRECT ANSWER sender > (encoding) > medium channel >
(decoding) > receiver > feedback loop
what are the 4 steps of communication - CORRECT ANSWER 1. understand audience
2. be sure the message is clear
3. delivery message effectively- who, how, when, where
4. follow-up
what are 2 key aspects of a focus group - CORRECT ANSWER 1. get everyones involvement (nominal
group technique)
2. should be evaluated soon after they occur
what are 4 ways to improve meetings - CORRECT ANSWER 1. have an agenda
2. distribute agenda in advance
3. be clear about outcomes for the meeting
4. establish roles- leader (facilitator), time keeper, note taker, devils advocate (avoids group think)
