Sample questions 1 and 2

Your team has recently hired a new junior employee who is being mentored by one of your coworkers. Yesterday, your coworker informed your team and manager that this junior employee was having difficulty adjusting to the work and had made several errors. To your surprise, you have just overheard your coworker speaking to your manager and taking credit for work you know was completed by the junior employee.

1. The most effective response to this situation would be:
2. The least effective response to this situation would be:
   
   1. Do nothing
   2. Speak to your coworker directly to express your concerns
   3. Inform your manager that your coworker is being unethical.
   4. Speak to the junior employee to learn about her ideas so that you can use them in the future.
   5. Tell the junior employee that her mentor is taking credit for her work.

Answers

1. If you think that option b is the most effective action, select b as your answer.
2. If you think that option d is the least effective action, select d as your answer.

Sample questions 3 and 4

You are working on a team with two colleagues and you all report to the same team leader. One of your colleagues is constantly complaining that he has too much work to do, and refuses to take on any additional tasks. As a result, your team leader frequently assigns extra work to you despite your already heavy workload. You are finding it more and more difficult to keep up with your work demands.

3. The most effective response to this situation would be:
4. The least effective response to this situation would be:
   
   1. Inform your colleague that he will need to start taking on additional tasks.
   2. Speak to your manager to determine what can be done about this situation.
   3. Continue accepting the additional work and do your best to get everything done.
   4. Refuse to take on any additional tasks and tell your team leader why.
   5. Request a team meeting to discuss the distribution of work.

Answers

3. If you think that option b is the most effective action, select b as your answer.
4. If you think that option c is the least effective action, select c as your answer.

Sample questions 5 and 6

One of your regular clients has just contacted you and expressed her concerns about a project that was delivered by your team. She informed you that certain aspects of the project did not meet her needs and the work would need to be re-done. You take note of the client’s concerns and agree to pass them along to your team to discuss how to address the situation. However, when you present the problem, all three of your team members disagree and suggest that the client is to blame.

5. The most effective response to this situation would be:
6. The least effective response to this situation would be:
   
   1. Tell your team members that it is unfair to blame the client.
   2. Speak to your manager after the meeting with your team to identify next steps.
   3. Tell your team members that you will solve the client’s problem on your own.
   4. Explain to the client that she is to blame and nothing more can be done in the situation.
   5. Explain to your team members the importance of understanding the situation from the client’s perspective.

Answers

5. If you think that option e is the most effective action, select e as your answer.
6. If you think that option d is the least effective action, select d as your answer.

Sample questions 7 and 8

One of your coworkers receives many more letters of appreciation from clients for excellent service than anyone else in your unit. She is frequently praised by your manager for representing your unit so well. One day you overhear her on the telephone saying: "If you really like my service, you should write to my director and tell him. His name is..."

7. The most effective response to this situation would be:
8. The least effective response to this situation would be:
   
   1. Do nothing.
   2. Advise the coworker that what she is doing is unprofessional.
   3. Tell you director what you overheard.
   4. Do the same in the future.
   5. Congratulate your co-worker as she is obviosuly rendering good service.

Answers

7. If you think that option b is the most effective action, select b as your answer.
8. If you think that option d is the least effective action, select d as your answer.