Civil Service Administrative Practice Test

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• Which principle best explains the need for explicit lines of authority and defined duties?
• Which description best captures the advantage of the pulling-strings management method?
• When a subordinate offers a suggestion that is not practical, what is the proper response?
• If morale is affected because a manager is disliked by workers, the best initial response is to
• In planning to complete a heavy workload, which approach is most effective?
• When conducting an interview to discuss unsatisfactory aspects of a generally satisfactory employee's work, what is the most effective opening?
• Which statement best describes the impact of giving subordinates a voice in planning procedures?
• In handling errors by staff, the unit head should be most concerned with which goal?
• Of the following, the most valid statement dealing with the relations between supervisors and subordinates in a department is that:
• Which statement best describes unified but decentralized hierarchies?
• A chief staff officer, serving as one of the immediate advisors to the department head, has demonstrated a special capacity for achieving internal agreements and for sound judgment. Developments such as this are:
• If it becomes necessary for a supervisor to hold a corrective interview with a worker, good practice dictates that the reprimand should be given:
• To be a leader whom his men will follow with enthusiasm, a competent administrator should rely on:
• When an employee's total work must be criticized, a supervisor can best improve the effect of the criticism by:
• The chief task of a supervisor of a trained clerical staff with the normal work load to perform is to:
• Which action best demonstrates leadership by example through supervising to drive ongoing improvement?
• Upon promotion to administrator in a well-running organization, what is the most appropriate initial approach to gain goodwill?
• If a supervisor has criticized one of his subordinates for making a mistake, the supervisor should:
• "An administrator should be a leader whom his men will follow with enthusiasm." A competent administrator should realize that this type of leadership is most effectively based upon:
• Suggestions on improving methods of work when submitted by a new employee should be:
• In light of the idea that personal problems can affect job performance, which approach should a supervisor take?
• The major function of all administrators with regard to the departmental policies is to:
• Which practice best supports fairness and impartiality in supervision?
• Of the following, the most significant quality in relation to good supervision is:
• Before taking action on adding functions to your unit, which action requires prior approval of your supervisor?
• As the supervisor, what is the most appropriate first step when a transferred employee with a history of uncooperativeness reports to you for work?
• Which statement best demonstrates effective leadership by a supervisor?
• When an employee comes to the administrator's office to discuss a personal matter, what is the recommended approach?
• Although it is not necessary to list and define every supervisory responsibility, it is essential for an individual placed in a supervisory position first to:
• In making corrections of or criticizing an employee's work, it is least desirable to:
• Based on the quotation that 'The successful administrator wins victories through preventive rather than through curative action,' which statement is most accurate?
• If an administrator must use authority to obtain acceptance of an idea, what is the most probable reason?
• According to the above paragraph, in order for an organization to have good personnel relations, it is not essential that:
• When an unpleasant routine job is to be assigned, to whom should it generally be assigned?
• All but one of the following are considered sound principles to follow in leading workers. The one which is not considered a sound principle is:
• Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a good administrator?
• A sound organization may be said to exist when:
• When a new employee suggests a change to a procedure after several years of smooth operation, what is the appropriate response?
• An administrator who pitches in and personally helps out with a rush job would:
• A supervisor praises subordinates for satisfactory aspects of their work only when he or she is about to criticize them for unsatisfactory aspects. Such a practice is undesirable primarily because:
• A man under you supervision complains against a decision you have made in assigning staff. You consider the matter to be unimportant but it seems to be very important to him. He is excited and very angry. The best way to handle this case is to:
• When delegating a task to subordinates, what is the best practice?
• When reviewing records, you notice that a certain worker's assignments consistently take longer than others; what is the best action to take?
• The best method of handling an employee who is chronically dissatisfied is to:
• An administrator who does not have all the traits for good leadership should:
• Following the practice of praising only when about to criticize is undesirable because:
• If an intelligent employee assigned to a routine job is restless, a supervisor could most probably correct this situation by?
• When a subordinate proposes a change to a proven procedure, what should the supervisor do first?
• Which supervisory duty is most suitable to delegate to an employee?
• According to the material, what is the relationship between impartiality and intellectual honesty?
• If, as a supervisor, you find yourself in a position where your authority is not clear and well defined, the first thing you should do is to:
• Which circumstance most strongly indicates to a supervisor the need for a personal conference with an individual under supervision?
• On returning from vacation and finding a replacement administrator changed your methods, what is the best approach?
• If a subordinate makes a work suggestion that would give better service but would result in gain by some persons and in loss by others, the supervisor should:
• What is a constructive approach after a subordinate makes a mistake to support improvement?
• If a supervisor omits thefts from his reports, what is the best course of action?
• One implied cause of difficulties in an organization's personnel relations is that its employees:
• Which statement best restates the preventive approach for administrators?
• The difference between an ordinary supervisor focused only on getting the work done and a constructive supervisor who develops favorable attitudes lies in which idea?
• If an administrator is able to admit failures, mistakes, or lack of knowledge, he or she usually:
• If a supervisor omits a major problem from reports, what is the most appropriate supervisory response?
• In improving work habits, what should be the supervisor's primary approach?
• You notice that one employee stops work an hour before quitting time although he produces as much work as his fellow workers. As supervisor you should:
• When establishing a central check on subordinates' work, which factor is most important to consider before implementing the procedure?
• Which action best supports timely completion of work?
• Which option is a less justifiable aim of centralizing administrative functions?
• Which action best ensures employees understand the rules governing office conduct?
• To gain the respect of a long-tenured employee after promotion, which approach is most effective?
• What is the effect of inconsistent delegation of responsibilities on a team?
• If an employee is emotionally upset when he comes to a supervisor with a problem, the supervisor should, in most instances:
• If a situation arises that is not clearly covered by rules and regulations, what is the recommended course of action?
• If decentralization leads to poor coordination between units, which outcome is most likely?
• A new employee suggests changing the method of performing a routine job. As an administrator, what should you do?
• The statement that senior members of a unit require the most attention implies which of the following about supervision and experience?
• Supervisors were cautioned not to seek popularity at the expense of efficiency. This caution rests on the assumption that which of the following is true?
• “Interest is essentially an attitude of continuing attentiveness, found where activity is satisfactorily self-expressive. Whenever work is so circumscribed that the chance for self-expression or development is denied, monotony is present.” On the basis of this quotation, it is most accurate to state that:
• If a rule does not clearly cover a matter, what is the recommended course of action?
• When giving corrective feedback, which practice is recommended?
• For a new supervisor, which task requires the most diplomacy?
• What is the best way for an administrator to get prompt and effective service from subordinates?
• Which practice is recommended for assigning unpleasant routine work to manage morale?
• When feedback is delivered by expressing disappointment and pointing out shortcomings, this approach is generally considered:
• What is the greatest work incentive that a supervisor should recognize?
• If a supervisor needs to enforce rules that are unpopular, what is the best approach?
• If you never receive any problem reports from subordinates, what is the most probable reason?
• When instructing staff on a revised procedure, which approach is least helpful?
• If an order contains a serious error, the prudent action is to
• On being promoted to a supervisory position, an individual should recognize that the position is primarily one of:
• Participation of operating officials in developing new procedures is generally desirable because:
• In a unit with 40 employees, after breaking the job into simple components and assigning each component, should more than one person be instructed on the procedure to be followed on each component?
• From the viewpoint of an administrator, the chief value of authority is its use as a means of:
• When a worker comes to you with an unusual emergency, and you as the supervisor are unable to consult your superior on the handling of the emergency, the best procedure to follow is to:
• When formulating a plan to make an activity more efficient, which factor should you least regard?
• A subordinate supervisor who has quite a following with the workers disagrees with you on a point in administration. What is the best course of action?
• What is the stated advantage of the approach where the leader steps back and lets others take charge only when necessary?
• In an unusual emergency where contacting a supervisor would take too long, what is the best procedure to follow?
• Of the following, the least desirable procedure for an administrator to follow is to:
• An important responsibility that you have as an administrator is to make certain that all required work is completed on time. Of the following procedures, the one which is most likely to lead to accomplishing this aim is for you to:
• In order to properly design a form for office use, which consideration should come first?
• A line supervisor's role includes which of the following?
• Which method should be used when correcting unsatisfactory work to help the employee understand and improve?
• Which outcome is most likely when responsibilities are not clearly defined?
• Prior to discussing them with his superior, a supervisor often discusses with his subordinates certain procedures under consideration. Of the following, the principal reason this technique has been found useful is that:
• An employee in your unit consistently completes tasks quickly but carelessly. A supervisor from a unit that is to receive him asks for your assessment. Which response is most appropriate?
• A common problem for administrators who have not organized responsibilities into unified but decentralized hierarchies is that:
• Often a staff wastes time doing unproductive work as part of a particular routine or in traveling about while working. The first possibility a supervisor should investigate as the cause of this situation is:
• The immediate task of a supervisor of a clerical staff, augmented by an increase in temporary employees to put out an increased volume of work in accordance with a well-established routine, is to:
• What is the chief advantage of centralizing stenography to a transcribing unit?
• Which practice would be considered poor supervision?
• Which of the following statements is not essential for good personnel relations?
• The recommendation to discontinue interviews with dissatisfied employees and handle grievances in writing only is best described as...
• After a recent promotion, an employee becomes irritable and frequently loses his temper. What is the most advisable first action for the supervisor to take?
• When expanding clerical staff to handle higher volume, what is a key step to ensure consistent work?
• Normally, operating personnel tend to resist and resent changes or innovation in existing procedures. To the supervisor, the most basic solution to this problem is to:
• In an organization, which method is ordinarily most effective for obtaining conformance to office rules and regulations?
• Which statement aligns with modern supervisor-subordinate relationships as described in the material?
• The improvement in skill and the development of proper attitudes are essential factors in building correct work habits. Which of the following is the most valid implication for a supervisor?
• In supervising a new employee, the one of the following which is not generally accepted as a good basic principle is to:
• It is a serious mistake to assume that a weak person in charge of a division can be bolstered by surrounding him with one or more subordinate supervisors who are of known ability. This solution is poor primarily because the:
• When a subordinate consistently performs at a higher level, management should focus on recognizing and reinforcing appreciation rather than giving preferential treatment. Which option best reflects this approach?
• You observe a woman performing a task improperly. When you discuss this with her, you are told that her previous superior taught her this method. Of the following, the best action for you to take at this point is to:
• Two subordinates who frequently quarrel when paired on tasks can best be addressed by which initial step?
• Which statement best supports unity of command within a department?
• A supervisor who has good supervisory ability will have a group of subordinates who:
• Generally the best procedure for a supervisor to follow to get a planned heavy work load completed is to:
• What is the best single measure of a supervisor's ability to perform his job?
• When one exceeds the span of control in a department, it is almost inevitable to have:
• In a department facing a staffing shortage due to an employee's failure to report, what should you do first?
• Listed below are several administrative duties and a method of accomplishing each duty. While the duties are all correct, only one method of performing the duty is correct. It is:
• The most basic of the following duties of a supervisor is that of:
• What is the best way for an administrator to stay informed about new regulations?
• If an administrator finds out that he is disliked by the workers under his supervision, and that the situation is affecting the morale and the efficiency of the department, the best thing the administrator can do is to:
• The quotation about leadership implies which of the following about leadership and other administrative qualities?
• Which statement accurately describes the effect of inflation on the purchasing power of money?
• In developing a plan to increase operational efficiency, which factor should be given the least weight?
• Which action best promotes a positive supervisor-subordinate relationship in day-to-day management?
• When a newly appointed employee makes frequent blunders, what is the best initial action?
• A supervisor can best develop an employee's understanding of a job and his skill in performing by:
• If an administrator makes a serious mistake in the details of an order issued to the staff, he or she should:
• A line supervisor can play an important role in helping subordinates to make healthy mental, emotional, and social adjustments. Which of the following would not be considered part of the supervisor's role?
• To keep employees engaged, the most effective approach is to
• Which supervisory practice is not recommended for obtaining prompt performance from staff?
• Before a division-wide conference, which action by the secretary is least appropriate?
• In a day-to-day management context, which practice best promotes warmth in supervisor-subordinate relationships?
• Direct, immediate guidance and control of subordinates in the performance of their tasks is achieved through which supervisory function?
• If a unit shifts from rigid control to a participative approach, which step is most appropriate?
• The staff of a unit has been wasteful in the use of stationary, paper, and other office supplies. Of the following, the most desirable action for the supervisor to take to reduce this waste is to first:
• An employee 'called on the carpet' for poor performance tells his supervisor that his recent behavior has been due to a serious family problem. The supervisor suggests several social agencies which may be able to help him. The supervisor's action was:
• A supervisor is indefinite in assigning responsibilities for various phases of work. This action is most likely to result in:
• Of the following, the best measurement of a supervisor's ability to do his job is:
• Which action best promotes a positive supervisor-subordinate relationship in day-to-day management?
• An organization which provides full information about itself to its employees is most likely to:
• In management, the principle of preventing errors emphasizes what focus?
• For stenographic and typing services within a division facing turnover, the most satisfactory arrangement is:
• What is the supervisor's best starting point to resolve unclear authority over subordinates?
• Among the problems that particularly confront a new supervisor in relation to his subordinates, the one which requires the exercise of the most unusual degree of skill and diplomacy is:
• In planning training for a new employee, which factor should receive the greatest consideration?
• When teaching a new office procedure, which approach is most effective?
• Which practice best reflects the essence of servant leadership?
• If a subordinate does a good piece of work, the best procedure is to:
• Which statement best reflects the idea that leadership can compensate for deficiencies in other administrative qualities?
• A good way of obtaining high quality work from the department is for the administrator to:
• Of the following, the least justifiable reason for the establishment of a central unit is that:
• Before implementing a new procedure to check the accuracy of subordinates' work, what is the most important consideration?
• If you have an employee who is willing and tries hard but is consistently incompetent, what is the best course of action?
• What is the appropriate response when a subordinate performs well?
• Which statement about trial-and-error learning in training is most accurate?
• To maintain the best morale in his or her staff, a supervisor should?
• Which statement best describes effective lines of authority in supervision?
• The direct, immediate guidance and control of subordinates in the performance of their tasks is called:
• Which action best demonstrates a supervisor's focus on developing both skill and attitude?
• What principle of proper supervisory relationship to subordinates is suggested by the old saying 'Twice I did well, and that I heard never, Once I did ill, and that I heard ever'?
• When subordinates request advice on solving problems, a bureau chief sometimes asks for their input. This behavior is best described as:
• Assume you are the supervisor of a stenographic unit. One stenographer discovers an erroneous statement in a letter dictated by a bureau head. Because of prior criticism for rephrasing, what is the best action for you to take?
• In attempting to improve the work habits of the staff, a supervisor's chief concern should be to:
• If two workers argue about seating and lighting, what is the fairest corrective measure?
• The job interest of the employees in your department is best secured by:
• The supervisor has a reputation as a "conscientious officer." The best example of this statement is that such officer:
• One method an administrator may use to correctly evaluate the ability of his workers is to:
• Assume that you have an employee who is extremely efficient but who is continually complaining about the work assigned. You have noticed that the complaints have a bad effect on the other employees. It would usually be best to:
• Bureau chief central stenographic unit cooperation emphasis: which point is most appropriate to emphasize?
• Which of the following attitudes is most conducive to cooperation when dealing with subordinates?
• From a supervisory viewpoint the most desirable trait which an employee can have, of the following, would be:
• When an employee questions a staffing decision and is upset, what is the best approach?
• Suppose an employee makes a suggestion to you that is ridiculous. Of the following, the most proper action by you should be to:
• Of the following responsibilities of a supervisor, the most important is:
• Which practice best fosters worker input for procedure improvements?
• The administrator best exemplifies leadership ability by:
• Which statement describes the value of keeping records of your jobs for future references?
• As supervisor of a stenographic unit, you find that one stenographer is efficient and another is careless. The most appropriate action for you to take in this matter is to:
• If a supervisor in the department asks his subordinates for suggestions to solve a particular problem they will usually, which of the following is true?
• Which action best demonstrates leadership by example through supervision aimed at ongoing improvement?
• Under the best administrative conditions, 'authority' becomes a problem of:
• What best supports the statement that supervisors should be careful what they say in the presence of subordinates?
• The suggestion that all the secretaries assigned to the bureau chiefs of a certain agency be transferred to a newly established unit would most probably result in:
• Why is it important to note the name of the recipient and the time when reporting an accident by phone?
• A supervisor criticizes an employee's work by telling him that he is disappointed with it. The supervisor's method of handling this type of a situation is usually considered:
• When arguments arise between employees over the advantage of seating arrangements to give the best light, the best procedure for a supervisor to follow to deal with the situation efficiently and fairly is to:
• If one of your subordinates does not produce an exceptionally fine piece of work, what is usually the best approach?
• If work is frequently delayed because workers await your arrival to make decisions, what conclusion is most helpful for a supervisor to draw?
• When informing a generally satisfactory supervisor that some aspects of his work are unsatisfactory, what is the most effective interview approach?
• When a subordinate on routine work requests a change to increase engagement, what is the most appropriate response?
• A newly promoted individual discovers that a subordinate with greater seniority resents him. How can he best win the respect and cooperation of the subordinate?
• Which statement about involving operating officials in plan development is most accurate?
• Occasionally some of the men in a department will indulge in active horseplay. This should be:
• The one of the following qualities which makes an administrator respected by his employees is that he or she is:
• What is the primary purpose of developing written instructions when the workload increases and temporary staff are added?
• Why is impartiality regarded as an important qualification for an administrator?
• To provide stenographic and typing support efficiently when turnover is high, the preferred setup is:
• When a newly appointed administrator struggles to organize, what is the most appropriate first step?
• In general, when dealing with subordinates, an administrator should adopt:
• Of the following, the most important reason for investigating the cause of an accident is to:
• Assume that you have a woman in your department who is very conscientious and does more and better work than anyone else. In this case, as her supervisor, you should:
• A newly appointed employee makes blunders apparently regardless of the type of assignments given to him, what should you do first?
• When bureau chiefs must meet an urgent deadline and overtime stenography is requested, how should the central transcribing unit respond?
• To insure accurate copying of long reports from rough-draft originals, which procedure is most effective?
• In teaching a procedure to any member of staff, which method is the most desirable for a supervisor to follow? To teach the procedure by:
• Generally a good way for an administrator to retain the confidence of his subordinates is to:
• "Subordinates must obey orders without delay or question, but at the same time the administrator takes on a definite responsibility." Of the following, the most acceptable statement concerning such responsibility is that the administrator should:
• Why should supervisors submit written reports of unusual occurrences promptly?
• In attempting to correct unsatisfactory work of employees, it will be found most effective:
• What is the recommended approach to mistakes by a new employee during onboarding?
• Which behavior is most likely to undermine efficiency in a team setting?
• Which statement is least accurate about modern concepts of the supervisor-subordinate relationship?
• In assessing a subordinate's performance, what should a supervisor emphasize to maintain motivation?
• After five years of success, a new employee proposes a change in procedure. What should the supervisor do?
• If you face a situation where guidance is not clearly provided by policy, what should you do?
• During a period of inflation, which characteristic describes what happens to the purchasing power of money?
• Which practice best fosters commitment to personal development as a leader?
• The most productive aid to the administrator in discovering improvements in work procedures is to:
• As the division chief, which policy is best when moving away from rigid controls to allow staff participation?
• What is a likely consequence when an administrator is able to admit failures, mistakes, or lack of knowledge?
• Of the following, the quality which contributes most toward a good supervisor is:
• What is the chief advantage of a central transcribing unit compared with the previous arrangement?
• An employee reports an accident to the office by phone and notes the name of the recipient and the time. What is the purpose of this precaution?
• An organization which provides full information about itself to its employees is most closely associated with which outcome?
• On the basis of the quote about interest and monotony, which statement is most accurate?
• During instruction of a new, complicated procedure, which approach would be least helpful for subordinates?