A "devil's advocate" is someone who assumes the role of critic. Managers often assign the role of devil's advocate to someone to make sure ideas or assumptions are valid and that alternatives are realistic. The devil's advocate technique gets its name from a traditional practice within the Roman Catholic Church. Before an individual could be elevated to sainthood, the College of Cardinals felt that it was critical to ensure that the person's record was spotless. As such, one or more Cardinals were assigned the role of critic or devil's advocate to carefully scrutinize the person to uncover and air all possible concerns and objections to the person being canonized. Today, managers using this technique can get employees to systematically defend ideas using relevant facts rather than relying on personal bias or preference. 1. Managers make poor decisions when they fail to assign someone the role of devil's advocate a. True
b. False
c. Unknown 2. Mistakes can be avoided by assigning a devil's advocate a. True
b. False
c. Unknown 3. The best devil's advocates are those employees reporting directly to the manager a. True
b. False
c. Unknown

1. Unknown

2. True

3. False

Explanation:

It is true that Devil's advocate helps to prevent executing bad decision and also ensures that corrections are made once there is a bad decision made. Hence even if managers fail to assign the role of a devil's advocate to someone, it is possible that a good decision can still be made, and it is also possible that a bad decision will be made, hence it is unknown. Secondly, if a devil's advocate is assigned, it is possible to make avoid mistakes or correct one when made. A devil's advocate can be anyone, but making a devil's advocate someone reporting directly to the manager may be backfiring at times because the person may be afraid to counter a decision because of his or her manager.

1. False

2. True

3. False

Explanation: A manager is someone who manages the affairs of a business unit. managers has their own tools and technique to Analyse their decision before taking actions. The devil advocate is just like a second view to criticize. Before a mangers takes up a decision, he has already criticize it and understand the merit and demerit of such decision. From experience many organization does not practice this devil's advocate, instead everyone is allowed to contribute and criticize a decision before action is taken.

Mistake can actually be avoided by assigning a devil's advocate to an employee, because this person will want to research and discover all points that can be used to criticize such decision, and when such points are raised, precautions will be taken.

The best devil's advocate are not those reporting directly to the manager, but those reporting during the staff meetings. If a devil's advocate employee should report directly to the manager, such employee may be biased in it's report, because other staffs are not present.