Part C - Case Incidents

Customer Service Supervisor for Hoffman Airlines

Question 31 (1 point)

Use this case incident to answer the questions that follow:

Harry Patterson is the customer service supervisor for Hoffman Airlines at the Kiowa Airport in Colorado. He supervises 10 employees who are responsible for helping customers with lost baggage, dealing with delayed or missed flights, finding hotel rooms for stranded passengers, and so on. Hoffman Airlines has been considering implementing multisource feedback program for the employees and has hired you to help them develop such a program. Management has decided to test the concept by using it as a developmental tool for Harry Patterson.

What might be the benefits of implementing 360-degree feedback as a developmental tool for this supervisor?

Question 31 options:

	If Harry gets feedback from a variety of sources, he may be more likely to trust its accuracy. He can then feel confident that when his salary and bonus are calculated based on the 360 feedback, that it is a fair reflection of his work.
	Harry might have a better understanding of what others expect of his performance. Since Harry only has 10 direct reports it will be easier to identify who gave the feedback so he can talk to them about it directly.
	Harry might have a better understanding of what others expect of his performance. If he gets feedback from a variety of sources, he may be more likely to trust its accuracy, and he might make more of a commitment to improve his performance.
	If Harry gets feedback from a variety of sources, he may be more likely to trust its accuracy. Since the comments will be unfiltered/uninterpreted even the unconstructive comments can be considered by Harry.

Question 32 (1 point)

What might be the dangers of implementing 360-degree feedback as a developmental tool for this supervisor?

Question 32 options:

	Since there are so many raters, there is more opportunity for bias to creep into the feedback. This means that there might be a lack of trust in the system. Harry is unlikely to make positive changes unless he believes that he will be rated honestly and treated fairly.
	Harry is unlikely to make positive changes unless he believes that he will be rated honestly and treated fairly. If the raters are concerned that they may be identified (especially Harry's direct subordinates), it is possible that the feedback will be distorted to protect the raters.
	If it is anonymous, then Harry won't be able to follow up with the people who evaluated him. This means he won't be able to confront them, and challenge them on their feedback, explaining his perspective.
	Harry might see the feedback of his peers, and it might have an influence on the structure and goals in his development plan. He might have to incorporate goals that reflect his impact on each of the groups that have evaluated him.

Question 33 (1 point)

The following competency is part of Harry's job: Who would be the appropriate evaluators for this competency?

• Staffing Organizational UnitsRecruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time

Question 33 options:

	Self, Peers, Subordinates, Manager
	Peers, Self, Customers, Manager
	Customers, Subordinates, Manager, Self
	Self, Customers, Peers, Subordinates

Question 34 (1 point)

Harry has been with Hoffman Airlines for 10 years. The first 5 of those years he was a front-line customer service agent, then he was promoted to Customer Service Supervisor, and he has held this role for the past 5 years. His last performance review Harry was rated 5/5 on almost every competency, and the results of the 360 Review are expected to be positive. Lately Harry has been talking about how fun it must be to work as flight crew, and you saw him looking at a Customer Service Director role on his lunch break. If you were Harry's manager, what development plan objective would you set for him?

Question 34 options:

	Improve performance in the current job
	Sustain performance in the current job
	Enrich employee's work experience
	Prepare employee for advancement

Question 35 (1 points)

During your development plan meeting with Harry, he mentions that he isn't sure what he wants to do next, but that he is interested in in-flight passenger services, cabin crew management and training, as well as flight dispatch. What would be a good development activity to help him explore these roles on the job?

Question 35 options:

	Reading a book about aviation
	Getting a certificate for Aircraft Dispatcher
	Job rotation in each position
	Attending a conference