| 1. |
First-level supervisors have a clear and vital role: achieve the organizational goals assigned to their work unit through the unit’s employees. Simply put, their job is to do everything they can to help their employees succeed in their jobs and thereby achieve organizational goals. Federal supervisors are the nexus between Government policy and action and the link between management and employees. |
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True |
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False |
| 2. |
They ensure that the decisions made by the President and Congress are implemented through the information and services that employees provide to the American public. Because they have direct and frequent contact with employees, first-level supervisors can have a stronger, more immediate impact on employee performance and productivity than higher-level managers. |
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True |
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False |
| 3. |
Competence in performance management is the hallmark of a good supervisor and should be a key criterion of selection. The implementation of this primary role of managing employees’ performance to achieve organizational goals typically requires supervisors to play additional, secondary roles such as technical expert, administrator, liaison with management, and ambassador to other work units in the agency and to the public. |
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True |
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False |
| 4. |
OPM stands for: |
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Office of Personnel management |
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Official performance model |
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Out sourcing professional management |
| 5. |
For a supervisory position technical expertise alone is not sufficient. |
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True |
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False |
| 6. |
In Table 5, Foundational Competencies and supervisory responsibilities, The Foundational Competencies are:
Accountability , Customer service, Conflict management, Integrity, Interpersonal skills/ Oral communication
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True |
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False |
| 7. |
Candidates for a first-level supervisory job who meet minimum qualifications could be asked to submit a resume and an accomplishment record in which they are asked to write a brief narrative (e.g., one page) explaining how they have demonstrated one or two core supervisory competencies such as Conflict Management and Accountability. |
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True |
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False |
| 8. |
In choosing the right candidate for the supervisory position, managers really do not need to learn to identify the competencies needed for effective supervisors, to ensure that these are assessed, or conduct thorough interviews and rate candidates. Whoever among the candidates who has the most technical knowledge is the right choice for the position. |
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True |
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False |
| 9. |
Currently there is no probationary period for a first time supervisor or managerial position. |
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True |
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False |
| 10. |
Many Federal career paths are designed so that employees who begin at the entry level routinely participate in training and development activities that help them build the competencies they will need to successfully perform their jobs. Supervision is a career path and employees starting out on that path also need training and development to be effective. The complexity of supervisory responsibilities also requires that more experienced supervisors be given the opportunity to continually enhance their skills. |
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True |
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False |
| 11. |
The effective management of supervisors’ performance is a key ingredient for their success. However, many managers and executives may not be providing the management support first-level supervisors need to effectively drive results and engage their employees. |
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True |
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False |
| 12. |
For Federal employees, accountability is demonstrating a personal commitment to serving the public by diligently investing individual resources of competency, time, and energy to produce the outcomes valued by their organization. |
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True |
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False |
| 13. |
The problems in supervisory selection reported over the past 30 years appear to persist. Supervisory selection is often based more heavily on technical expertise than on leadership competencies. Technical skills appear to be much more strongly emphasized in job announcements and assessments than are supervisory skills. |
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True |
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False |
| 14. |
First-level supervisors are vital to the success of every Federal agency. Numerous studies conducted over the past three decades by both Federal agencies and nonprofit organizations have provided strong support for the need to improve the effectiveness of Federal first-level supervisors. Although there has been some overall improvement in employees’ perceptions of their supervisors’ performance in recent years, there is still much work that can be done to improve first-level supervision. Key areas for improvement are selection, development, guidance and support, and accountability. Each of these are essential elements of a successful talent management strategy and each needs to be integrated with and support the other three. |
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True |
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False |
| 15. |
The Merit Systems Protection Board conducts studies of the Federal civilian workforce to determine if the workforce is being managed effectively, efficiently, and in accordance with the Federal merit system principles. One way we fulfill this responsibility is by periodically conducting the Government wide Merit Principles Survey (MPS) and reporting the results. |
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True |
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False |
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