Judgement Test Question 71 – A senior leader asks for an immediate commitment
Read the scenario and rate every action independently. Several actions can receive the same rating.
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Scenario
During a call, a senior leader asks you to commit your team to deliver an additional piece of public-facing work within four weeks. The work could create clear public value, but your team already has two important deadlines and you do not have current capacity information. The senior leader wants an answer before the call ends because another team is ready to begin. You have authority to agree the work, and you can obtain a reliable capacity view within one day. You need to respond constructively without making a commitment that the team may be unable to meet.
Rate the actions
For each action, choose Counterproductive, Ineffective, Fairly Effective or Effective.
Action A
Explain the potential value and commit to a rapid capacity check. Agree a time the next day to return with delivery options, trade-offs and a clear recommendation.
Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective
Action B
Decline the work because the team already has important deadlines and cannot take on anything else.
Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective
Action C
Agree the four-week deadline during the call and work out which existing priorities must move afterwards.
Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective
Action D
Say you are open to the work and ask the senior leader for more detail before deciding whether the team can deliver it.
Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective
Click to reveal the answer
- Action A: Effective
- Action B: Ineffective
- Action C: Counterproductive
- Action D: Fairly Effective
Members can unlock the detailed explanation for all four actions, including why each response helps, falls short or makes the situation worse.
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