1. For the 10 situations described here, decide which of the three styles you would use for that unique situation. Place the letter A, P, or L on the line before each situation’s number.

A—authority; make the decision alone without additional inputs.

P—consultative; make the decision based on group inputs.

L—group; allow the group to which you belong to make the decision.

Decision Situations ____ 1. You have developed a new work procedure that will increase productivity. Your boss likes the idea and wants you to try it within a few weeks. You view your employees as fairly capable and believe that they will be receptive to the change.
____ 2. The industry of your product has new competition. Your organization’s revenues have been dropping. You have been told to lay off three of your ten employees in two weeks. You have been the supervisor for over one year.
Normally, your employees are very capable.
____ 3. Your department has been facing a problem for several months. Many solutions have been tried and have failed. You finally thought of a solution, but you are not sure of the possible consequences of the change required or its acceptance by the highly capable employees.
____ 4. Flextime has become popular in your organization. Some departments let each employee start and end work whenever they choose. However, because of the cooperative effort of your employees, they must all work the same eight hours.
You are not sure of the level of interest in changing the hours. Your employees are a very capable group and like to make decisions.
____ 5. The technology in your industry is changing faster than the members of your organization can keep up. Top management hired a consultant who has given the recommended decision. You have two weeks to make your decision. Your employees are capable, and they enjoy participating in the decision-making process.
____ 6. Your boss called you on the telephone to tell you that someone has requested an order for your department’s product with a very short delivery date. She asked that you call her back with the decision about taking the order in 15 minutes.
Looking over the work schedule, you realize that it will be very difficult to deliver the order on time. Your employees will have to push hard to make it.
They are cooperative, capable, and enjoy being involved in decision making.
____ 7. A change has been handed down from top management. How you implement it is your decision. The change takes effect in one month. It will personally affect everyone in your department. The acceptance of the department members is critical to the success of the change. Your employees are usually not too interested in being involved in making decisions.
____ 8. You believe that productivity in your department could be increased. You have thought of some ways that may work, but you’re not sure of them. Your employees are very experienced; almost all of them have been in the department longer than you have.
____ 9. Top management has decided to make a change that will affect all of your employees. You know that they will be upset because it will cause them hardship.
One or two may even quit. The change goes into effect in 30 days. Your employees are very capable.
____ 10. A customer has offered you a contract for your product with a quick delivery date. The offer is open for two days. Meeting the contract deadline would require employees to work nights and weekends for six weeks. You cannot require them to work overtime. Filling this profitable contract could help get you the raise you want and feel you deserve. However, if you take the contract and don’t deliver on time, it will hurt your chances of getting a big raise. Your employees are very capable.
2. Form groups as assigned by your instructor. Share and compare your choices for each decision situation. Reconcile any differences and be prepared to defend your decision preferences in general class discussion.