CWEA CSM GRADE 3 - STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS ANSWERED CORRECTLY LATEST UPDATE 2026

CWEA CSM GRADE 3 - STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS ANSWERED CORRECTLY LATEST UPDATE 2026 "span and control" relates to the number of subordinates who can be supervised effectively by one supervisor. At the top level of organizations, what is this number? a. Two to four b. three to five c. six to eight d. nine to eleven - Answers nine to eleven What is the best approach to take when handling on the job conflict? a. Remain friendly to an adversary while criticizing him to others. b. Make your point aggressively and overwhelm others with your position. c. Communicate clearly without attacking the other person or personalizing the conflict. d. Deny the existence of a problem and hope it goes away. - Answers Communicate clearly without attacking the other person or personalizing the conflict. In order to estimate the amount of time it will take for a work unit to complete a given job, it will be necessary for the supervisor to? a. Estimate the cost of the materials for the job. b. Determine the types of assignments that have been given to other work units. c. Estimate the time required for routine and non-routine work activities. d. Determine the salary levels of the staff to be assigned to the job. - Answers Estimate the time required for routine and non-routine work activities. As a manager, which factors will help you the most to predict how much money should be set aside for a repair/ replacement fund for your utility? a. Brand of equipment desired, original purchase price of existing equipment, and the life expectancy of the equipment. b. Equipment required, life expectancy of the equipment and the replacement cost. c. Work hours saved with the new equipment, trade-in-value of existing equipment, and the life expectancy of the equipment. d. Equipment required, life expectancy of the equipment, and availability of equipment. - Answers Equipment required, life expectancy of the equipment and the replacement cost. Annual operating budgets should be based mainly on? a. The amount of money available. b. Last years activities and cost. c. Anticipated changes and costs. d. Equipment additions and replacements. - Answers Last years activities and cost. The fundamental elements in "Management by objectives" include? a. Control, competence and climate. b. Staging, action and evaluation. c. Planning, organizing, implementing and follow up. d. Personnel, plans, resources and direction. - Answers Planning, organizing, implementing and follow up. Debt service is defined as? a. The total amount of interest on debts required to be paid annually. b. The total amount of debt owed by the agency. c. The ratio of total debt in operating costs. d. The total amount of principal on debts that is required to be paid annually. - Answers The total amount of interest on debts required to be paid annually. What can and cannot be delegated? a. All simple tasks can be delegated; complex tasks cannot be delegated. b. Responsibility and accountability can be delegated; achievement of goals cannot be delegated. C. Tasks and accountability for results can be delegated; responsibility and authority cannot be delegated. d. Task and authority can be delegated; responsibility and accountability cannot be delegated. - Answers Responsibility and accountability can be delegated; achievement of goals cannot be delegated. Ongoing activities that flow from the departments mission statement and directly accomplish goals and objectives articulated by that statement are best defined as? a. Programs b. Projects c.. Divisions d. Branches - Answers Programs Which one of the following organizational development interventions is used by facilitators when work units are in competition and do not trust one another? a.Intergroup team building b.Role negotiation c. Organizational mirroring d.Interpersonal skills training - Answers Role negotiation Which item would not be considered a major component of a written Overflow Emergency Response Plan for the Director of Public Works? a. Safety issues-health concerns, traffic concerns, equipment operations, ect. b. Responsibilities-reports and record keeping, notification of regulatory agencies, other divisions and officials, press and general public. c.. General d. Budgetary consideration-calculating costs per incident; annual costs of personnel, equipment, materials and training - Answers Budgetary consideration-calculating costs per incident; annual costs of personnel, equipment, materials and training. Which of the following would be classified as a supervisory aid for effective time management? a. Purchase orders b. Employee evaluations c. Weekly planning sheet d. Annual budget reports - Answers Weekly planning sheet Decision making by group consensus has both advantages and disadvantages. Which of the following is a disadvantage of consensus decision making. a. The usefulness of the process for making complex decisions b. The willingness of participants to implement decisions c. The quality and acceptance of decisions made d. The time requirements to reach a decision - Answers The time requirements to reach a decision if you suspect that an employee is under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs while at work, you should? a. Ignore the employee and discuss this at a time when they are not under the influence. b. Tell the employee to drive home and charge the rest of the day to sick leave. c. Call the employee aside and discuss the behaviors that have led you to suspect the problem. d. Fire the employee on the spot for being under the influence at work. - Answers Call the employee aside and discuss the behaviors that have led you to suspect the problem. The primary responsibility of a departmental supervisor is to? a. See that employees accomplish their jobs safely and effectively. b. Step in whenever needed. c. Be able to perform all of the jobs in the department. d. Report to upper management whenever anything happens in the department. - Answers See that employees accomplish their jobs safely and effectively. When are yearly performance goals for the upcoming review period projected? a. During the annual performance review meeting. b. Just prior to the annual performance review meeting. c. After the annual performance review meeting. d.. When it is most convenient for the employee and management. - Answers During the annual performance review meeting. Before taking a specific adverse action against an employee, such as dismissal for continual unauthorized absences, a supervisor should have done all of the following except? a. Formally warned the employee of the consequences of his/her absences. b. Consider the employees past disciplinary and attendance records. c. Discussed the situation with the employee and counseled him/her on the continued absences. d.Offered alternative work schedules or arrangements to the employee to correct the problem - Answers Offered alternative work schedules or arrangements to the employee to correct the problem With regard to confined space programs, a review of the permit space program is required using the canceled permits within 1 year after each entry to? a. Document the time each employee spent in a confined space. b. Ensure that employees have received proper training. c. Revise the program as necessary, and to ensure that employees participating in entry operations are protected from permit space hazards. d. Ensure that pre-entry preparations have been completed - Answers Revise the program as necessary, and to ensure that employees participating in entry operations are protected from permit space hazards. Effective delegation from a manager to a subordinate requires? a. The manager to relinquish all responsibility to the subordinates to ensure full accountability. b. The employee to have the power and authority to perform the task. c. The manager to retain authority for the task thus minimizing the possibility of something going wrong. d. Giving the employee the discretion to expand his or her authority as required by the task. - Answers The manager to relinquish all responsibility to the subordinates to ensure full accountability. Which one of the following actions should be taken by a supervisor who suspects that an employee has a personal problem? a. Ignore the situation and hope that the problem resolves itself. b. Confront the employee and offer the suspected personal problem as the reason for the performance deterioration. c. Enroll the employee in an employee assistance program. d. Focus on the performance deterioration while encouraging the employee to talk out and identify the basic cause of the problem. - Answers Focus on the performance deterioration while encouraging the employee to talk out and identify the basic cause of the problem. When considering any personnel action, it is most important to ensure that it is? a. Related to job performance b. Considered fair by the employee c. Accepted by the management and union d. Accepted by the employees - Answers Related to job performance Two types of budgets for a department are an operating budget and? a. An income budget b. A capital budget c. An equipment budget d. A personnel budget - Answers A capital budget What skill is not needed to manage people? a. Conceptual skill b. Human relations skill c. Administrative skill d. Technical skill - Answers Conceptual skill A newspaper reporter calls you, the Collections Systems Manager, about a sensitive issue such as a sewer blockage and overflow, you should? a. Ask to see the story before its printed to check for accuracy and help you agency prepare for the possible impact of the story. b. Be as cooperative as possible clarifying concepts that you do not agree with by restating and explaining or refuting them. c. Refuse to speak to the reporter if he or she is rude or aggressive. d. Speak in personal terms trying to not use technical language. - Answers Speak in personal terms trying to not use technical language. Due to an excessive amount of discrepancies in records, it has been necessary for the supervisor and employee to have a face-to-face meeting. The supervisor should? a. Conduct the meeting so that other employees can hear the conversation and learn from it. b. Threaten the employee with serious consequences, even if these cannot be carried out to ensure immediate compliance. c. Clearly state the problem and the expected level of performance to the employee. d. Discuss not only job performance, but also characteristics that are annoying so the employee may correct those too. - Answers Clearly state the problem and the expected level of performance to the employee. Coordination and cooperation among staff is most likely in an organizational setting which includes?