BLOCK 1A: MANAGERIAL PROBLEM SOLVING

1. Problem Solving Steps
   1. Name and describe the four general steps of problem solving.
   2. Name and describe two additional steps managers should but often fail to take when solving problems
2. The Point of Managerial Problem Solving
   1. What do all managers want from their organizations?
   2. Name and describe its two constituent elements.
   3. Provide an example of each constituent element.

BLOCK 1B: CAPACITY

1. The three types of capacity
   1. Name and define each
   2. Given an example of each
2. The three types of capacity are ability, knowledge, and skill.
   1. How should managers assess (measure) each?
   2. How can each be developed/increased?
   3. Where do managers go wrong trying to manage each?

BLOCK 2A: MOTIVATION

1. Fundamentals:
   1. Define motivation
   2. List the three ways that motivation manifests behaviorally
   3. Name and differentiate the two basic types of motivation.
2. Extrinsic versus Intrinsic
   1. Differentiate the two.
      1. What are they?
      2. How do they influence employee performance?
      3. Dan Pink explained how one of them comes in three forms. Name and briefly explain each.
      4. Bonus: in addition to the three Dan Pink mentioned. Theres a fourth form. Name and briefly explain it.

BLOCK 2B: VALUES & ATTITUDES

1. What all employees want
   1. What are the two things all employees want?
   2. To what two general attitudes do these translate?
2. Two general employee attitudes:
   1. What are they?
   2. How do they influence employee performance?
3. What is the primary difference between values and attitudes that managers need to keep in mind, especially when conflicts arise? Why?

BLOCK 3A: Context & Job Design

1. Context:
   1. Define what context means with respect to employee performance.
   2. Name the four facets of context
   3. Given two examples of the four.
2. Job Design
   1. Name and briefly describe the three ways of implementing job (re)design.
   2. Explain the two ways that job (re)design can impact employee performance.
   3. Explain the trade offs between these two ways.

BLOCK 3B: ORGANIZATIONAL ALIGNMENT (NO QUESTIONS SO FAR)

BLOCK 4A: STRADDLERS

1. Energy
   1. Briefly explain why energy is a straddler.
   2. Why should managers care about it?
2. Personality
   1. Briefly explain why personality is a straddler.
   2. What did we learn from Brian Littles talk that managers should know to better manage different personality types?
   3. How should managers use this information.
3. Self-Concept & Core Self-Evaluation
   1. Name and briefly describe the four factors that together indicate core self-evaluation?
   2. Why might managers prefer employees with strong or positive self-concepts?
   3. Why might managers prefer employees with weak or negative self-concepts?
4. Emotional IQ (EQ) versus Mindfulness
   1. At their core, what is central to both EQ and Mindfulness? That is, what is their fundamental commonality?
   2. Why do some researchers, like yours truly, say that mindfulness is a more useful concept for managers to study?