Test - Leadership and Navigation

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CHAPTER 5

Behavioral Competencies

Behavioral (situational judgment) competencies measure a test taker’s


decision-making skills given a situation presented as a realistic, work-
related scenario, and asked to choose the best of several possible strategies
to address or resolve the issues presented in the scenario. The scenario
typically presents multiple situations based on one scenario. The questions
based on the scenario are multiple-choice. More than one strategy may be
effective; however, one strategy is the best and the remaining options are
incorrect. The test taker receives credit for the best choice only.

This chapter includes SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP practice questions


organized into three behavioral competency clusters. This organization
mirrors the SHRM Body of Competency & Knowledge. The behavioral
competency clusters are Leadership, Business, and Interpersonal. The
Leadership cluster includes, Leadership and Navigation and Ethical
Practice. The Business cluster includes Business Acumen, Consultation,
and Critical Evaluation. Finally, the Interpersonal cluster comprises
Relationship Management, Global & Cultural Effectiveness, and
Communication. The behavioral competency clusters account for 50
percent of the test questions on the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP.
Specifically, the Leadership cluster represents 13 percent of exam
questions, the Business cluster represents 18.5 percent of the test questions,
and the Interpersonal cluster represents 18.5 percent of the total exam
questions.

Leadership Cluster
Behavioral Competency 1—Leadership &
Navigation
Leadership & Navigation is defined as the ability to direct and contribute to
initiatives and processes within the organization.

Key Behaviors for All HR Professionals (SHRM-


CP & SHRM-SCP)
• Exhibit behaviors consistent with and conforming to organizational
culture.
• Foster collaboration among stakeholders and team members.
• Understand the most effective and efficient ways to accomplish tasks
within the parameters of organizational hierarchy, processes, systems,
and policies.
• Develop solutions to overcome potential obstacles to successful
implementation of initiatives.
• Demonstrate agility and expertise in leading organizational initiatives
or supporting the initiatives of others.
• Set the vision for HR initiatives and build buy-in from internal and
external stakeholders.
• Lead the organization through adversity with resilience and tenacity.
• Promote consensus among organizational stakeholders (e.g., business
unit leaders, employees, informal leaders) when proposing new
initiatives.
• Serve as a transformational leader for the organization by
implementing change.

Q SHRM-CP Questions

Scenario 1 (Questions 1–5): The organization is in the middle of a change


management process, and it’s important that this process happens for the
success of the company in the future. The process is somewhat difficult and
requires training and the support of all the individuals who are affected.
Several individuals are resisting the idea and are strongly making efforts to
officially stop it. Behind the scenes, they are attempting to undermine the
new strategy and process and hope to maintain the way things are done in
the past. This is disturbing the process and slowing things down. It is
threatening to derail the process so it doesn’t actually occur successfully.
1. What should HR recommend if requested to intervene?
A. HR should recommend motivation and change management.
B. HR should recommend communication and strategic alignment.
C. HR should recommend organizational learning techniques.
D. HR should recommend reward and recognition programs.
2. What is the first thing that must be done to improve the situation?
A. The first thing to do that will improve the situation is to
communicate the reason for the change to all stakeholders
affected.
B. The first thing to do that will improve the situation is to establish
roles and responsibilities for each stakeholder.
C. The first thing to do that will improve the situation is to get
specific feedback from all stakeholders affected.
D. The first thing to do that will improve the situation is to
understand individual differences for all stakeholders affected.
3. What are the critical change management steps to turn this situation
into a positive?
A. The critical steps in the change management process are creating
and communicating the vision and building support for the
change.
B. The critical steps in the change management process are
involving everyone and recognizing emotional reactions to the
change.
C. The critical steps in the change management process are
following all the steps in a sequential manner without deviating
from the process.
D. The critical steps in the change management process are
involving only necessary stakeholders and pushing forward to get
the change moving.
4. What should HR do to ensure the change aligns with the company
strategy?
A. HR should execute organizational development interventions that
support the accomplishment of results toward that strategy.
B. HR should understand the strategy and how the change supports
the successful accomplishment of results toward that strategy.
C. HR should work on performance management actions and goal
development toward results that support the strategy.
D. HR should understand the competition, products, marketing,
business development, and other internal results toward that
strategy.
5. What assessment metrics would be most helpful in this situation?
A. The assessment metrics that would be most helpful are
effectiveness of the communication and number of stakeholders
represented in the feedback.
B. The assessment metrics that would be most helpful are specific
critical behaviors supporting the change and how well support
has been built.
C. The assessment metrics that would be most helpful are each
stakeholder’s vision realized and the ability of each stakeholder
to influence others in the change.
D. The assessment metrics that would be most helpful are
documenting the emotional reactions of each stakeholder and
following Adam’s equity theory.

Scenario 2 (Questions 6–9): During a routine review of the current


employees, temporary employees, and independent contractors, the new HR
admin discovers that several jobs appear to be out of compliance with the
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This includes exempt and nonexempt
status and the status of employees versus independent contractors. The HR
admin reports the concern to the HR leadership, and they are concerned
about the impact to the company if there are misclassified employees and
independent contractors. They are also disturbed by how this will make the
HR team look if they make this information known to the company outside
of HR.
6. What are the HR admin’s responsibilities to ensure that actions are
taken to correct the situation?
A. The HR admin has the responsibility to ensure that the HR
leadership team is informed about the concern.
B. The HR admin has the responsibility to ensure that the law is
upheld or inform the government authorities.
C. The HR admin has the responsibility to ensure that the HR
leadership takes action to correct the concerns.
D. The HR admin has the responsibility to ensure that all leaders in
the organization are aware of the concerns.
7. What should the HR leadership be concerned about?
A. The HR leadership should be concerned about what other
departments will think about their competency and if this will
make HR look bad to other departments.
B. The HR leadership should be concerned about enforcing the
provisions of the law and protecting the employees and
departments of the company.
C. The HR leadership should be concerned about enforcing the law
and also taking steps to work with management to get the
company mission accomplished.
D. The HR leadership should be concerned about why the HR admin
is conducting a routine review that identified the listed concerns
that surfaced.
8. What should the HR leadership do about this situation?
A. The HR leadership should take action to investigate and conduct
a thorough audit and take whatever corrective action is needed.
B. The HR leadership should take action to inform the executive
team, conduct an audit, and take corrective action as needed.
C. The HR leadership should take action to understand what other
companies benchmark and conduct as best practices in these
areas.
D. The HR leadership should take action to investigate and contact
the appropriate government agencies to correct the concerns.
9. How should the HR admin respond to concerns about reclassifying
positions correctly?
A. Explain federal and state regulations regarding employee
classifications.
B. Explain the rationale and benefits of correcting position
classifications, cite relevant state and federal laws, and include a
written policy on complying with regulations.
C. Develop a record of the internal audit process in case of legal
consequences.
D. Provide stakeholders with information on FLSA regulations and
classification discrepancies and discuss them with leaders.

Scenario 3 (Questions 10–13): The CEO of a midsize financial services


firm approaches the HR director about a client’s complaints of poor service
and unresponsiveness from the representatives of the client services
department. The manager of the unit, who began her career as a client
services representative, has been with the firm for 15 years and has held her
management-level position for seven years. The HR director is asked to
investigate the client’s complaints further.
The HR director met with the manager and listened to the challenges
occurring in the department. Calls were being ignored, messages were not
returned, and the average wait time for clients in the lobby was more than
45 minutes. All client services positions are filled, but the department
suffers from a high rate of absenteeism. Upon further questioning, the HR
director learns that the manager wants to have a more productive and
efficient department but does not know where to begin in fear of
jeopardizing friendships that have formed through the years.

10. What, if anything, is the HR director to report to the CEO?


A. The friendships within the department are hindering the
manager’s ability to effectively manage, and a transfer is
appropriate.
B. Report nothing immediately, as there should be additional fact-
finding and observations of the department.
C. Request an immediate corrective action plan from the manager
for all employees.
D. Provide a summary of the HR director’s findings and an outline
of how HR can assist.
11. What is the best course of action the HR director should immediately
take to assist the manager?
A. Advertise for additional client services representatives and
discipline employees with frequent absences.
B. With CEO approval, coach the manager on effective employee
management techniques with a goal of aligning work
performance with established goals.
C. Write a memo to the employees with reminders of the existing
policies.
D. Schedule customer service training for all employees.
12. In what ways might the HR director address the long wait times in
the lobby?
A. Observe the department’s daily operations from client arrival to
departure, analyze the number of clients and their reasons for
visiting to determine the appropriate time and resources needed,
and then discuss the results with the manager with the purpose of
agreeing on an appropriate action plan designed to correct the
existing problems.
B. Hire temporary employees to decrease wait time until the
challenges are resolved.
C. Collaborate with other departments within the firm to assist the
client services department.
D. Convene a “meeting of the minds” with the employees and then
clients to determine an acceptable wait time.
13. How should the HR director handle the reported high rate of
absenteeism?
A. Meet directly with each employee and offer the services of the
employee assistance program.
B. Document the manager’s observation and wait six months in
hopes the employees self-correct.
C. Along with the client services manager, review timesheets,
payroll records, and employee files to determine the rate of
absenteeism for each in accordance with the firm’s policies.
D. Begin disciplinary action by writing a warning letter to each
employee.

Key Behaviors for Advanced HR Professionals


(SHRM-SCP)
• Lead HR staff in maintaining or changing organizational culture.
• Work with other executives to design, maintain, and champion the
mission, vision, and strategy of the organization.
• Identify the need for and facilitate strategic organizational change.
• Develop the organizational strategy for achieving the human capital
vision and mission.
• Ensure alignment between the human capital vision, mission, and
organizational business strategy.
• Serve as the influential voice for HR strategies, philosophies, and
initiatives within the organization.
• Manage risk, opportunities, and gaps in business strategy.
• Oversee critical large-scale organizational changes with the support
of business leaders.
• Ensure appropriate accountability for the implementation of plans
and change initiatives.
• Set the tone for maintaining or changing organizational culture.
• Champion the HR function and organizational mission and vision.

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