How we do it: Three executives reflect on strategic decision making

1)Who is Randy Komisar associated with?

1) Apple.

2)Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

3) LucasArts.

4)Xerox.

2) What was Randy Komisar's career path before becoming a partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers?

1)He was an economist.

2)He was considering a graduate

degree in economics, then became a lawyer and later pursued commerce.

3) He founded Silicon Valley.

4)He only worked as a lawyer.

3) What does Komisar's 'Getting to Plan

B' concept emphasize?

1)Plan B is only for emergency

scenarios.

2)Plan A often fails, and assumptions need to be tested.

3)There's no need for a Plan B.

4)Plan A always succeeds

4) What role did Bill Campbell play in Randy Komisar's perspective on decision-making?

1)He promoted quick decision-making.

2)He prioritized individual experience.

3)He ignored biases.

4)He balanced biases to reach effective decisions.

5) Which executive introduced a balance sheet process for decision-making at Kleiner Perkins?

1)Bill Campbell

2)Sir Martin Sorrell

3)Randy Komisar

4)Anne Mulcahy

6) In Sir Martin Sorrell's perspective, what is a possible downside of not making decisions?

1)Less profitability 2)The company would grind to a halt

3)More collaboration among employees

4)Reduced customer satisfaction

7) What did the author appreciate about the young woman from the sales organization at LucasArts?

1)Her support for distributors.

2)Her suggestion to reduce the

gross margin.

3)Her courage to voice a differing opinion.

4)Her agreement with the majority.

8) Which of the following was a particularly challenging type of decision for Xerox?

1)Investing heavily in the acquisition market.

2)Moving from black-and-white imaging to color.

3)Investing in new technologies.

4)Focusing on just R&D.

9) What does the book 'Getting to Plan

B' suggest about the execution of Plan A in larger companies?

1)It doesn't contemplate testing assumptions.

2)It is flexible and frequently corrected.

3)It is rarely executed to the end.

4)It is always based on accurate

assumptions.

10) Which of the following is NOT one of the suggestions Mulcahy gave for high-quality decision making?

1)Cultivate internal critics.

2)Always prioritize perfection.

3)Know when to let go.

4)Force tough R&D choices.

11) In the context of making decisions, what does Mulcahy mean by "taking risks"?

1)Taking actions despite uncertainties.

2)Engaging in high-return investments only.

3)Avoiding all uncertain scenarios.

4)Betting on long-term projects without analyzing them.

12)Anne Mulcahy suggests that senior leaders should:

1)Avoid confrontation.

2)Rely on their own decision-

3)cultivate internal critics

4)always seek consensus

13) What regret did Mulcahy have regarding Xerox's acquisition strategy during her initial years as CEO?

1)They acquired too many companies.

2) They were too aggressive and made poor choices.

3)They had a perfect strategy and no regrets.

4)They were too conservative and

missed opportunities.

14)Sir Martin Sorrell believes that the decision-making process should be:

1)Based solely on data

2)Quick, flexible, and largely

informal

3)Without feedback

4)length and formal

15) What did Randy Komisar say about biases?

1)They should be recognized and balanced.

2)They should be eliminated.

3)They should be ignored.

4)They should be shared with

everyone.