SHRM CP EXAM PREP 2025-2026
QUESTIONS & VERIFIED CORRECT
ANSWERS PASSED 100%
Situational Leadership p17 - Correct Answer ✔✔ A leader should consider the
circumstances and his or her followers when planning and making decisions.
Inclusive Leadership p17 - Correct Answer ✔✔ A leader should promote an atmosphere
of respect, remaining conscious of cultural values while bridging behavioral gaps and
leveraging differences to increase performance.
Participative Leadership p17 - Correct Answer ✔✔ When a leader allows all employees
to be fully informed and involved in the operations of the organization.
Transformational Leadership p17 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Requires changing the attitudes
and assumptions of the team while building commitment. A transformational leader
must have be
1. charismatic.
2. inspirational
3. intellectually stimulating
4. considerate of individuality
Theory X and Y of Leadership p18 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Described by Douglas
Mcgregor.
Theory X: sees employees as lazy, only motivated by disciplinary action.
Theory Y: sees employees as willing, hard-workers who only need to be shown the
importance of their work to facilitate continued motivation.
People Management (4 Stages) p18 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Directing, coaching,
supporting and delegating.
Extrinsic Motivation p18 - Correct Answer ✔✔ derived from external factors (money,
gifts, recognition)
Intrinsic Motivation p18 - Correct Answer ✔✔ derived by person's own thoughts and
beliefs (feeling of achievement, excitement of learning something new)
Taylor's Scientific Management p18 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Frederick Taylor ran a series
of experiments within a manufacturing setting to better understand the nature of work.
He found that people could be motivated by their working conditions and noted that
employers should provide adequate safety measures, lighting, and tools to do the work.
,Further, he concluded that employees will change their behavior when they know they
are being observed.
Skinner's Operant Conditioning p18 - Correct Answer ✔✔ B.F. Skinner contended that
motivation is based on extrinsic factors such as reward and punishment.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs p18 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Abraham Maslow said that
people have a variety of needs that must be met in this particular order. physiological
(tied to the body like taking care of thirst), safety like adequate shelter from harm, social,
esteem, self-actualization,
Herzberg Motivator Hygiene Theory p19 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Employees motivation is
affected by both hygiene factors and motivators. Hygiene factors (also considered job
dissatisfiers) are extrinsic (salary, benefits) while motivators (also considered job
satisfiers) are instrinsic (growth and recognition). They are independent from one
another! Example-- a raise will not make you like your job more.
McClelland's Acquired Needs Theory - Correct Answer ✔✔ David McClelland states
that three needs - achievement (achieving goals), affiliation (yearning to be liked) and
power (wanting to influence others) - are major motives determining people's behavior
in the workplace.
Locke's Goal Setting Theory p19 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Intentions to work toward a goal
are a major source of work motivation. Goals tell employees what needs to be done and
how much effort should be expended. (motivation theory that focuses on behavior)
Key Words: goals, collaboration, feedback and rewards
Vroom's Expectancy Theory p19 - Correct Answer ✔✔ This theory states that people
will behave based on what they expect as a result of their behavior. In other words,
people will work in relation to the expected reward.
Formula is...
Expectancy X Instrumentality X Valence = Motivation
Attribution Theory p20 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Fritz Heider, further developed by Bernard
Weiner, identifies ability, effort, task difficulty, and luck as the most important factors for
achieving success.
Attribution consists of three stages.
1- observing behavior
2- determining whether the behavior is deliberate
3- concluding whether the behavior is due to internal/external factors.
Locus of Causality: identifies outcomes based on internal controls such as ability and
effort as well as external factors such as task difficulty and luck.
, Locus of Stability: identifies outcomes based on fixed, stable factors such as ability and
task difficulty, along with variable factors like effort and luck.
Self-Determination Theory p20 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Based on work by Edward L. Deci
and Richard M. Ryan
Identifies 3 core intrinsic motivators: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Leaders
should give employees opportunities to make decisions about their work, sharpen their
skills, and connect with others in the organization whenever possible. Doing so will
increase internal drive and promote psychological wellness.
Job Characteristics Model p20 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Richard Hackman and Greg
Oldman found that 5 characteristics affect job performance and satisfaction.
1. task identity
2. task significance
3. skill variety
4. autonomy
5. feedback
Influence and Persuasion Techniques p20-21 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Personal Appeal
(eliciting emotion to prompt behavior)
Forming Coalitions (when a shared goal is identified)
Rational Persuasion (employing facts, figures and logic as the basis for an argument or
case)
Leading by Example: models words, behaviors and attitudes.
Personal Leadership Qualities p21 - Correct Answer ✔✔ 1. Vision: ability to plan and
think about future with imagination, determination, wisdom and calculation.
2. Self-Motivation: passion/interest in goal or task
3.Self-Discipline: ability to stay motivated
4.Risk-Taking: develops creativity
5.Commitment to Continuous Learning: ongoing practice of gaining new knowledge
6. Growth Mindset: belief that skills/talents/abilities can be developed and improved
over time.
2 Types of an Organization's Culture p22 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Organizational Culture
and Political Environments
What is HR's role? p22 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Serving employees and protecting the
needs of the business. They should also serve to advance the strategic goals and
objectives of the organization
Ethics p23 - Correct Answer ✔✔ moral principles, values, and accepted standards of
behavior that determine whether an action is right or wrong.
Ethical Business Principles and Practices p23 - Correct Answer ✔✔ 1.Transparency
2. Authenticity
QUESTIONS & VERIFIED CORRECT
ANSWERS PASSED 100%
Situational Leadership p17 - Correct Answer ✔✔ A leader should consider the
circumstances and his or her followers when planning and making decisions.
Inclusive Leadership p17 - Correct Answer ✔✔ A leader should promote an atmosphere
of respect, remaining conscious of cultural values while bridging behavioral gaps and
leveraging differences to increase performance.
Participative Leadership p17 - Correct Answer ✔✔ When a leader allows all employees
to be fully informed and involved in the operations of the organization.
Transformational Leadership p17 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Requires changing the attitudes
and assumptions of the team while building commitment. A transformational leader
must have be
1. charismatic.
2. inspirational
3. intellectually stimulating
4. considerate of individuality
Theory X and Y of Leadership p18 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Described by Douglas
Mcgregor.
Theory X: sees employees as lazy, only motivated by disciplinary action.
Theory Y: sees employees as willing, hard-workers who only need to be shown the
importance of their work to facilitate continued motivation.
People Management (4 Stages) p18 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Directing, coaching,
supporting and delegating.
Extrinsic Motivation p18 - Correct Answer ✔✔ derived from external factors (money,
gifts, recognition)
Intrinsic Motivation p18 - Correct Answer ✔✔ derived by person's own thoughts and
beliefs (feeling of achievement, excitement of learning something new)
Taylor's Scientific Management p18 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Frederick Taylor ran a series
of experiments within a manufacturing setting to better understand the nature of work.
He found that people could be motivated by their working conditions and noted that
employers should provide adequate safety measures, lighting, and tools to do the work.
,Further, he concluded that employees will change their behavior when they know they
are being observed.
Skinner's Operant Conditioning p18 - Correct Answer ✔✔ B.F. Skinner contended that
motivation is based on extrinsic factors such as reward and punishment.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs p18 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Abraham Maslow said that
people have a variety of needs that must be met in this particular order. physiological
(tied to the body like taking care of thirst), safety like adequate shelter from harm, social,
esteem, self-actualization,
Herzberg Motivator Hygiene Theory p19 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Employees motivation is
affected by both hygiene factors and motivators. Hygiene factors (also considered job
dissatisfiers) are extrinsic (salary, benefits) while motivators (also considered job
satisfiers) are instrinsic (growth and recognition). They are independent from one
another! Example-- a raise will not make you like your job more.
McClelland's Acquired Needs Theory - Correct Answer ✔✔ David McClelland states
that three needs - achievement (achieving goals), affiliation (yearning to be liked) and
power (wanting to influence others) - are major motives determining people's behavior
in the workplace.
Locke's Goal Setting Theory p19 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Intentions to work toward a goal
are a major source of work motivation. Goals tell employees what needs to be done and
how much effort should be expended. (motivation theory that focuses on behavior)
Key Words: goals, collaboration, feedback and rewards
Vroom's Expectancy Theory p19 - Correct Answer ✔✔ This theory states that people
will behave based on what they expect as a result of their behavior. In other words,
people will work in relation to the expected reward.
Formula is...
Expectancy X Instrumentality X Valence = Motivation
Attribution Theory p20 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Fritz Heider, further developed by Bernard
Weiner, identifies ability, effort, task difficulty, and luck as the most important factors for
achieving success.
Attribution consists of three stages.
1- observing behavior
2- determining whether the behavior is deliberate
3- concluding whether the behavior is due to internal/external factors.
Locus of Causality: identifies outcomes based on internal controls such as ability and
effort as well as external factors such as task difficulty and luck.
, Locus of Stability: identifies outcomes based on fixed, stable factors such as ability and
task difficulty, along with variable factors like effort and luck.
Self-Determination Theory p20 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Based on work by Edward L. Deci
and Richard M. Ryan
Identifies 3 core intrinsic motivators: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Leaders
should give employees opportunities to make decisions about their work, sharpen their
skills, and connect with others in the organization whenever possible. Doing so will
increase internal drive and promote psychological wellness.
Job Characteristics Model p20 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Richard Hackman and Greg
Oldman found that 5 characteristics affect job performance and satisfaction.
1. task identity
2. task significance
3. skill variety
4. autonomy
5. feedback
Influence and Persuasion Techniques p20-21 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Personal Appeal
(eliciting emotion to prompt behavior)
Forming Coalitions (when a shared goal is identified)
Rational Persuasion (employing facts, figures and logic as the basis for an argument or
case)
Leading by Example: models words, behaviors and attitudes.
Personal Leadership Qualities p21 - Correct Answer ✔✔ 1. Vision: ability to plan and
think about future with imagination, determination, wisdom and calculation.
2. Self-Motivation: passion/interest in goal or task
3.Self-Discipline: ability to stay motivated
4.Risk-Taking: develops creativity
5.Commitment to Continuous Learning: ongoing practice of gaining new knowledge
6. Growth Mindset: belief that skills/talents/abilities can be developed and improved
over time.
2 Types of an Organization's Culture p22 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Organizational Culture
and Political Environments
What is HR's role? p22 - Correct Answer ✔✔ Serving employees and protecting the
needs of the business. They should also serve to advance the strategic goals and
objectives of the organization
Ethics p23 - Correct Answer ✔✔ moral principles, values, and accepted standards of
behavior that determine whether an action is right or wrong.
Ethical Business Principles and Practices p23 - Correct Answer ✔✔ 1.Transparency
2. Authenticity
