Chartered Membership of the IET (CEng MIET) Responsibility, Management and Leadership (UK-SPEC C) Flashcards

24 sample cards from the Responsibility, Management and Leadership (UK-SPEC C) deck

Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.

1. Distinguish direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation under the Equality Act 2010.

   Direct: treating someone less favourably because of a protected characteristic. Indirect: a provision/criterion/practice that disadvantages a protected group and cannot be objectively justified. Harassment: unwanted conduct related to a characteristic that violates dignity or creates a hostile environment. Victimisation: treating someone badly for raising or supporting a complaint.

2. Differentiate equality, equity, diversity and inclusion (the EDI terms).

   Equality: treating people the same / equal rights. Equity: giving people what they need to reach fair outcomes (accounting for different starting points). Diversity: the range of differences among people. Inclusion: creating an environment where all feel valued and able to participate fully.

3. Identify the five conflict-handling modes of the Thomas–Kilmann model.

   Competing (assertive, uncooperative), Accommodating (unassertive, cooperative), Avoiding (unassertive, uncooperative), Collaborating (assertive, cooperative — win/win), and Compromising (intermediate on both).

4. What are the eight steps of Kotter's model for leading organisational change?

   1) Create urgency; 2) Build a guiding coalition; 3) Form a strategic vision; 4) Enlist a volunteer army (communicate the vision); 5) Enable action by removing barriers; 6) Generate short-term wins; 7) Sustain acceleration; 8) Institute/anchor change in the culture.

5. Describe the ADKAR change management model.

   A goal-oriented model for individual change: Awareness (of the need to change), Desire (to participate/support), Knowledge (of how to change), Ability (to implement), and Reinforcement (to sustain the change).

6. What is the Kübler-Ross 'change curve' as applied to organisational change?

   A model of emotional response to change passing through stages such as Shock/Denial, Frustration/Anger, Depression, Experimentation, Decision/Acceptance and Integration, as people adjust to a new situation.

7. What is a stakeholder, and what does the power/interest grid (Mendelow's matrix) recommend?

   A stakeholder is any individual or group affected by, or able to affect, the project. Mendelow's matrix maps stakeholders by power and interest into four strategies: Manage Closely (high/high), Keep Satisfied (high power/low interest), Keep Informed (low power/high interest), Monitor (low/low).

8. In stakeholder analysis, what is the RACI matrix used for?

   To assign and clarify roles/responsibilities for each task: Responsible (does the work), Accountable (ultimately answerable, one person), Consulted (provides input, two-way), and Informed (kept up to date, one-way).

9. What is the difference between accountability and responsibility in management?

   Responsibility can be shared and delegated — it is the obligation to carry out tasks. Accountability cannot be delegated — it is the ultimate answerability for the outcome, resting with a single owner who must justify decisions.

10. Compare leading indicators and lagging indicators in performance monitoring.

    Leading indicators are predictive measures of future performance (e.g. number of safety inspections, pipeline size) that allow proactive action. Lagging indicators measure past results/outcomes (e.g. accidents, revenue, defects) and confirm what has already happened.

11. What makes a performance objective or KPI effective under the SMART criteria?

    Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.

12. What is management by exception in monitoring and control?

    A control technique where routine progress within agreed tolerances is handled by the team, and only deviations (exceptions) beyond defined tolerance thresholds are escalated to management for decision — focusing attention where it is needed.

13. In decision making under uncertainty, distinguish 'risk' from 'uncertainty' (Knightian distinction).

    Risk refers to situations where outcomes are unknown but their probabilities can be estimated/quantified. Uncertainty refers to situations where the probabilities themselves are unknown and cannot be reliably quantified.

14. How is the Expected Monetary Value (EMV) of a decision option calculated?

    $$EMV = \sum_{i} P_i \times V_i$$ the sum over outcomes of each outcome's probability $P_i$ multiplied by its monetary value $V_i$; used in decision-tree analysis to compare options.

15. What is a contingency reserve versus a management reserve?

    Contingency reserve is budget/time set aside for identified ('known-unknown') risks and is part of the cost baseline, controlled by the project manager. Management reserve covers unforeseen ('unknown-unknown') work, sits outside the baseline, and requires management approval to release.

16. What is the OODA loop and why is it relevant to decision making under pressure?

    Observe, Orient, Decide, Act — a continuous decision cycle (from John Boyd). It is relevant because making and executing decisions faster and more accurately than changing circumstances lets a leader stay ahead in rapidly evolving, high-pressure situations.

17. Distinguish accuracy levels of estimates: Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) versus a definitive estimate.

    A ROM estimate is early and broad (typically around $-25\%$ to $+75\%$), used for initial feasibility. A definitive/control estimate is refined with detailed scope (often $-5\%$ to $+10\%$), used for budget control.

18. What is resource levelling versus resource smoothing in scheduling?

    Resource levelling adjusts the schedule to address resource constraints, allowing the end date to move if necessary to avoid over-allocation. Resource smoothing adjusts activities within their available float so resource demand stays below a limit without changing the critical path or end date.

19. What does a contingency-based ('technical risk') approach to managing uncertainty in delivery involve?

    Identifying technical unknowns early, building in design margins/safety factors, prototyping and testing to retire risk, staging decisions with go/no-go gates, maintaining schedule and cost buffers, and using progressive elaboration so commitments increase only as uncertainty reduces.

20. What is a stage gate (phase gate) review and its purpose?

    A decision point at the end of a project phase where progress, business case, risks and deliverables are reviewed and a go/no-go/hold decision is made before authorising the next phase and releasing further funding.

21. What are the typical components of a project status/progress report?

    Overall RAG (Red/Amber/Green) status, progress against schedule and budget (often via earned value), key milestones achieved and upcoming, top risks and issues, change requests, decisions required, and actions with owners and dates.

22. What is Herzberg's two-factor theory of motivation?

    Hygiene factors (e.g. pay, working conditions, job security) cause dissatisfaction if absent but do not motivate. Motivators (e.g. achievement, recognition, responsibility, growth) drive genuine satisfaction and motivation. The two are separate dimensions.

23. Summarise Maslow's hierarchy of needs as applied to motivating staff.

    Needs are met in ascending order: Physiological, Safety, Social/Belonging, Esteem, and Self-actualisation. People are motivated by the lowest unmet level, so managers should address basic needs before higher-order ones.

24. What is the purpose of a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) plan in developing colleagues?

    A structured, recorded cycle of identifying development needs, planning learning activities, undertaking them, and reflecting on/recording the outcomes to maintain and enhance competence — a requirement for maintaining professional registration.

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