Leadership and decision making

Sample questions:

1. Some experts suggest that 'Leaders are the primary determinant of an organization's success or failure' while others argue that "Leaders do not really matter because most of the things that affect an organization's success or failure are outside a leader's control.' Based on your studies in this course please explain your view on this.

2. Why do you think there are so few people who succeed at both management and leadership? Is it reasonable to believe someone can be good at both? Based on your studies in this course please explain your view on this.

3. In your opinion, which traits are the best predictors of leader performance and effectiveness? Explain.

4. Some theorists suggest that leaders should be able to adjust their style to the situation in which they find themselves. Others suggest that leadership styles are relatively fixed and that leaders should be matched to situations in which they can exercise most control. Discuss and explain your view.

5. Describe and explain the qualities of charismatic leaders that differentiate them from non-charismatic leaders.

6. How do you, as a leader, create an ethical and socially responsible culture? Explain.

7. A number of studies found that many deaths and injuries each year in several countries are attributed to speaking on mobile phones while driving. Should you, as a leader of a mobile phone service provider, have social responsibility obligations for dealing with this problem? Discuss.

8. Explain how control over information gives power to a person. Have you ever used control over information to influence a decision with friends or co-workers? Explain.

9. Followers, similar to leaders, can exhibit different styles. Describe and explain Robert E. Kelley's five styles of followership (Followership attribution approaches)

10. What would you do, as a follower, to contribute to the effectiveness of your leader?

11. Why do you, as a leader, need to understand cultural difference and diversity in the workplace?

12. An important difference in the implications of decision-making styles is whether the leadership decision-making styles can be learned or changed. What is your opinion about the possibility of significantly changing an individual's basic decision-making style?

13. Why decision-making is important to an organization and should a leader confine to one leadership style in making decisions? Discuss and explain your view.

14. Describe and Discuss some of the key differences between recognition- primed decision making and classical (analytical) decision making.