EADERSHIP AND ETHICS D016
L
WGU | Already Graded A+ | Exam
Questions & Answers |
Complete Solution | Pass
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## **PART I: MULTIPLE CHOICE (Q1–Q30)**
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* *Q1:** A nurse manager notices that one team member consistently takes credit for others'
ideas during meetings. When the manager privately confronts the behavior, the employee
apologizes but repeats the behavior the following week. According to the PLUS ethical
decision-making model, what is the manager's next step?
. Ignore the behavior to avoid conflict.
A
B. Publicly shame the employee in the next team meeting.
C. Document the repeated behavior, review organizational policies, and escalate to HR if the
policy is violated.
D. Transfer the employee to another shift.
* *[CORRECT]** C
*Rationale: C is correct because PLUS requires aligning actions with organizational policies
(Policies) and making fair decisions (L=Legal, U=Universal, S=Self-assessment). A violates
ethical action and enables misconduct by avoiding accountability; B is punitive and violates
professional respect; D avoids addressing the root issue and fails the Self-assessment
component of PLUS.*
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* *Q2:** According to the WGU Student Leadership Pledge (2026 version), which of the following
is a core commitment?
, . Prioritizing personal career advancement over team welfare.
A
B. Demonstrating integrity in all academic and professional interactions.
C. Avoiding difficult conversations to maintain workplace harmony.
D. Delegating all ethical decisions to senior leadership.
* *[CORRECT]** B
*Rationale: B is correct because the 2026 WGU Student Leadership Pledge explicitly commits
students to integrity, ethical conduct, and accountability in all interactions. A contradicts the
pledge's emphasis on servant leadership; C violates the pledge's commitment to courageous
communication; D contradicts the pledge's emphasis on personal ethical responsibility.*
---
* *Q3:** A project leader uses their legitimate authority to assign tasks but also shares personal
stories of failure to build trust with the team. This leader is primarily demonstrating which
combination of power bases from French and Raven's framework?
. Coercive and reward power.
A
B. Expert and referent power.
C. Legitimate and referent power.
D. Information and legitimate power.
* *[CORRECT]** C
*Rationale: C is correct because legitimate power comes from formal authority (assigning
tasks), and referent power comes from interpersonal attraction and trust-building (sharing
personal stories). A is incorrect because there is no evidence of punishment or reward; B is
incorrect because expert power requires demonstrated specialized knowledge, not just
authority; D is incorrect because information power involves controlling access to data, not
personal disclosure.*
---
* *Q4:** In the 2026 WGU D016 case study "The Remote Work Integrity Gap," a team lead
discovers that remote employees are logging hours they did not actually work. Applying
situational leadership theory (Hersey-Blanchard), which leadership style is most appropriate if
the team is competent but lacks commitment to time-tracking policies?
. Telling (S1) – high directive, low supportive.
A
B. Selling (S2) – high directive, high supportive.
C. Participating (S3) – low directive, high supportive.
D. Delegating (S4) – low directive, low supportive.
**[CORRECT]** C
, * Rationale: C is correct because the team is competent (low directive needed) but lacks
commitment (high supportive needed), matching the Participating (S3) style. A is for low
competence/high commitment; B is for low competence/low commitment; D is for high
competence/high commitment, which does not match the commitment deficit described.*
---
* *Q5:** A CEO decides to close a profitable factory because the pollution it causes violates the
company's new ESG commitments, even though shareholders object. This decision best
exemplifies which ethical framework?
. Utilitarianism – maximizing overall happiness.
A
B. Deontology – following moral duties regardless of consequences.
C. Virtue ethics – acting in accordance with character virtues.
D. Justice ethics – ensuring fair distribution of benefits and burdens.
* *[CORRECT]** B
*Rationale: B is correct because the CEO follows a moral duty (ESG commitment) despite
negative consequences (shareholder objections), which is the core of deontological ethics. A is
incorrect because utilitarianism would weigh total happiness, potentially favoring profit; C is
partially relevant but less precise than deontology for duty-based decisions; D is incorrect
because the scenario emphasizes duty over distributive fairness.*
---
* *Q6:** Which leadership theory emphasizes that leaders are born with innate traits such as
intelligence, self-confidence, and determination?
. Behavioral leadership theory.
A
B. Trait leadership theory.
C. Contingency leadership theory.
D. Transformational leadership theory.
* *[CORRECT]** B
*Rationale: B is correct because trait theory posits that effective leaders possess innate, stable
characteristics distinguishing them from non-leaders. A is incorrect because behavioral theory
focuses on learnable actions, not innate traits; C is incorrect because contingency theory
emphasizes situational fit, not inherent characteristics; D is incorrect because transformational
theory focuses on behaviors that inspire change, not inherited traits.*
---
L
WGU | Already Graded A+ | Exam
Questions & Answers |
Complete Solution | Pass
Guaranteed
## **PART I: MULTIPLE CHOICE (Q1–Q30)**
---
* *Q1:** A nurse manager notices that one team member consistently takes credit for others'
ideas during meetings. When the manager privately confronts the behavior, the employee
apologizes but repeats the behavior the following week. According to the PLUS ethical
decision-making model, what is the manager's next step?
. Ignore the behavior to avoid conflict.
A
B. Publicly shame the employee in the next team meeting.
C. Document the repeated behavior, review organizational policies, and escalate to HR if the
policy is violated.
D. Transfer the employee to another shift.
* *[CORRECT]** C
*Rationale: C is correct because PLUS requires aligning actions with organizational policies
(Policies) and making fair decisions (L=Legal, U=Universal, S=Self-assessment). A violates
ethical action and enables misconduct by avoiding accountability; B is punitive and violates
professional respect; D avoids addressing the root issue and fails the Self-assessment
component of PLUS.*
---
* *Q2:** According to the WGU Student Leadership Pledge (2026 version), which of the following
is a core commitment?
, . Prioritizing personal career advancement over team welfare.
A
B. Demonstrating integrity in all academic and professional interactions.
C. Avoiding difficult conversations to maintain workplace harmony.
D. Delegating all ethical decisions to senior leadership.
* *[CORRECT]** B
*Rationale: B is correct because the 2026 WGU Student Leadership Pledge explicitly commits
students to integrity, ethical conduct, and accountability in all interactions. A contradicts the
pledge's emphasis on servant leadership; C violates the pledge's commitment to courageous
communication; D contradicts the pledge's emphasis on personal ethical responsibility.*
---
* *Q3:** A project leader uses their legitimate authority to assign tasks but also shares personal
stories of failure to build trust with the team. This leader is primarily demonstrating which
combination of power bases from French and Raven's framework?
. Coercive and reward power.
A
B. Expert and referent power.
C. Legitimate and referent power.
D. Information and legitimate power.
* *[CORRECT]** C
*Rationale: C is correct because legitimate power comes from formal authority (assigning
tasks), and referent power comes from interpersonal attraction and trust-building (sharing
personal stories). A is incorrect because there is no evidence of punishment or reward; B is
incorrect because expert power requires demonstrated specialized knowledge, not just
authority; D is incorrect because information power involves controlling access to data, not
personal disclosure.*
---
* *Q4:** In the 2026 WGU D016 case study "The Remote Work Integrity Gap," a team lead
discovers that remote employees are logging hours they did not actually work. Applying
situational leadership theory (Hersey-Blanchard), which leadership style is most appropriate if
the team is competent but lacks commitment to time-tracking policies?
. Telling (S1) – high directive, low supportive.
A
B. Selling (S2) – high directive, high supportive.
C. Participating (S3) – low directive, high supportive.
D. Delegating (S4) – low directive, low supportive.
**[CORRECT]** C
, * Rationale: C is correct because the team is competent (low directive needed) but lacks
commitment (high supportive needed), matching the Participating (S3) style. A is for low
competence/high commitment; B is for low competence/low commitment; D is for high
competence/high commitment, which does not match the commitment deficit described.*
---
* *Q5:** A CEO decides to close a profitable factory because the pollution it causes violates the
company's new ESG commitments, even though shareholders object. This decision best
exemplifies which ethical framework?
. Utilitarianism – maximizing overall happiness.
A
B. Deontology – following moral duties regardless of consequences.
C. Virtue ethics – acting in accordance with character virtues.
D. Justice ethics – ensuring fair distribution of benefits and burdens.
* *[CORRECT]** B
*Rationale: B is correct because the CEO follows a moral duty (ESG commitment) despite
negative consequences (shareholder objections), which is the core of deontological ethics. A is
incorrect because utilitarianism would weigh total happiness, potentially favoring profit; C is
partially relevant but less precise than deontology for duty-based decisions; D is incorrect
because the scenario emphasizes duty over distributive fairness.*
---
* *Q6:** Which leadership theory emphasizes that leaders are born with innate traits such as
intelligence, self-confidence, and determination?
. Behavioral leadership theory.
A
B. Trait leadership theory.
C. Contingency leadership theory.
D. Transformational leadership theory.
* *[CORRECT]** B
*Rationale: B is correct because trait theory posits that effective leaders possess innate, stable
characteristics distinguishing them from non-leaders. A is incorrect because behavioral theory
focuses on learnable actions, not innate traits; C is incorrect because contingency theory
emphasizes situational fit, not inherent characteristics; D is incorrect because transformational
theory focuses on behaviors that inspire change, not inherited traits.*
---
