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Business Communication
Q:
If you are listening mainly to understand the speaker's message, you are engaging in
A) content listening.
B) critical listening.
C) empathic listening.
D) active listening.
Q:
How would you suggest improving this message?
Q:
Which of the following was found to be true about lying in online dating profiles?
a. The more deceptive a dater's profile was the less likely they were to use "I."
b. Fabricators tend to write shorter self-descriptions.
c. Liars often flip their language, as in "not sad" instead of "happy."
d. b and c
e. all of the above
Q:
Briefly describe at least three meeting technologies that make it easy for virtual teams to interact.
Q:
Discuss FOF's letter in light of the four goals of delivering bad news.
Q:
According to research, when searching for a job, there are no downsides to being physically attractive.
Q:
The ability to convey nonverbal subtleties such as facial expressions and hand gestures makes ________ particularly good for negotiations, collaborative problem solving, and other complex discussions.
A) conference calls
B) telepresence
C) instant messages
D) video blogs
Q:
Research shows that social media audiences respond much better to impersonal messages than to personal-sounding responses.
Q:
Children whose parents helped them learn to express emotions are at a lower risk for behavioral problems.
Q:
Conducting successful virtual meetings requires ________ before the meeting and ________ during the meeting.
A) less planning; less diligence
B) more planning; more diligence
C) less planning; more diligence
D) more planning; less diligence
Q:
Use a template or a generic message to respond to negative posts or even complaint emails.
Q:
Which of the following is not an example of a self-fulfilling prophecy?
a. A child fails a test after hearing her teacher tell her mother that she never does well on tests.
b. A student who previously complained of stage fright loses his place during a class speech and can"t go on.
c. A husband reluctantly agrees, with reservations, to his wife's request that they spend the holiday visiting Disneyland. He has a terrible time.
Q:
Which of the following meeting technologies would be most effective for negotiations, collaborative problem solving, and other complex discussions?
A) Instant messaging
B) Teleconference
C) Telepresence
D) None of the above
Q:
If denying a customer's request results in losing their goodwill, the worst that can happen is that you can lose their business.
Q:
INSTRUCTIONS: Match each statement below with the appropriate defense-arousing behaviors.
a.
b. control
c. neutrality
d. superiority
e. certainty
Q:
Once you have decided that a meeting is necessary, what four strategies can help you plan it effectively?
Q:
Declining an invitation is an example of a bad-news message.
Q:
Couples who rely on one method for managing dialectical tensions have the most productive results.
Q:
The main role of the meeting leader is to be passive and let others speak without interference.
Q:
Imposing bad news on a client may lead to negative business results.
Q:
Relational messages are frequently nonverbal.
Q:
If you want to use a mobile device to take notes during a meeting, it's a good idea to let the meeting's leader know ahead of time.
Q:
For sensitive communication like bad-news messages, evaluation is particularly important because communication can have significant negative business results.
Q:
The old adage "You never get a second chance to make a first impression" does not really apply to job interviews.
Q:
Unproductive meetings are rare in today's business environment.
Q:
Within Indian culture, saying "no" without actually saying it is considered evasive.
Q:
Your text suggests that to feel better you should first talk about how you feel and then act on that feeling.
Q:
Which of the following would not be a positive, productive way of using a mobile device during an important meeting, convention, or conference in the workplace?
A) Jotting down some follow-up questions
B) Taking notes about essential ideas
C) Checking your Facebook or working on unrelated tasks
D) Tweeting key points from a convention speech
Q:
The following statement eases the impact of the bad news by placing it in a subordinate clause:
"Although a replacement is not provided by the terms of your warranty, we are happy to offer you a 15% discount on your next purchase."
Q:
The most intimate relationships are those in which disclosure is great in both breadth and depth.
Q:
Formal meetings are conducted according to ________, a time-tested method for planning and running meetings effectively.
A) business etiquette
B) parochial protocols
C) Emily Post's Rules of Order
D) parliamentary procedure
Q:
If bad news is expected, then you shouldn't try to soften the blow of the bad news.
Q:
A reciprocating communication pattern in which each person's message reinforces the other's is called a(n)
a. conflict.
b. defense mechanism.
c. face-threatening act.
d. attack.
e. spiral.
Q:
When planning a meeting, the group leader prepares a(n) ________ of items to discuss, topics to present, or decisions to make.
A) agenda
B) shortlist
C) roster
D) proforma
Q:
When delivering bad news it is best to only imply the message.
Q:
Almost all verbal messages have a content dimension as well as convey relational information.
Q:
If you're the designated leader of a meeting,
A) don't interfere if the discussion departs from the goals of the meeting.
B) allow introverted participants to disengage from the meeting.
C) try to simply act as an observer, and let the meeting "run itself."
D) do none of the above.
Q:
A buffer is an introductory sentence or paragraph that leads up to and softens the bad news.
Q:
Pupil dilation is a more reliable leakage clue than are facial expressions, which can be better monitored by the deceiver.
Q:
At the last staff meeting, someone suggested that using parliamentary procedure would help make the meetings more efficient. To learn more about parliamentary procedure, which of the following should you consult?
A) SEC Standards of Ethics
B) Robert's Rules of Order
C) Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
D) Fundamental Meeting Management
Q:
Most routine business communication benefits from an indirect organizational plan which involves placing the main idea after the supporting details.
Q:
When we experience mixed emotions, we generally communicate only one feelingusually the most positive one.
Q:
Use of parliamentary procedure
A) tends to slow meetings down.
B) contributes to dissent among participants.
C) helps meetings run more smoothly.
D) is only useful for meetings with more than a dozen participants.
Q:
If your supervisor asks you to communicate some news to many employees and shareholders in your company simultaneously, one appropriate medium to accomplish this is a letter.
Q:
Research supports that the quality of self-disclosure is not linked to marital satisfaction.
Q:
The best time to distribute an agenda for a meeting is
A) before the meeting.
B) at the start of the meeting.
C) during the meeting.
D) after the meeting.
Q:
If you feel that a face-to-face meeting is the appropriate way to deliver your bad-news message but it is too difficult to arrange logistically, a telephone call is a good alternative that still allows for personal contact.
Q:
Communication climates are a function of
a. the way people feel about one another.
b. the tasks people perform.
c. individual personality characteristics.
d. Gibb's functional theories.
e. time, place, and context.
Q:
A team consists of two or more people who share a mission and the responsibility for working to achieve their goals.
Q:
Analyzing is crucial to developing a message that supports your business goals and positively affects audience reaction.
Q:
Rules about self-disclosure vary between cultures.
Q:
In the ________ phase of team evolution, team members reach a decision and find a solution that is acceptable enough for all members to support (even if they have reservations).
A) orientation
B) reinforcement
C) emergence
D) brainstorming
Q:
After composing a bad-news message, analyze the situation by asking yourself about the goal of your message, the audience, content, organization, and medium.
Q:
________ are informal standards of conduct that members share and that guide member behavior.
A) Norms
B) Expectations
C) Dynamics
D) Responsibilities
Q:
Stating bad news in vague terms is a good way to preserve the audience's self-esteem.
Q:
The term ________ refers to the interactions and processes that take place among the members of a team.
A) group dynamics
B) process reconciliations
C) interpersonal rotations
D) cross-functional interlocutions
Q:
The rise of social media puts additional pressure on businesses to handle bad-news messages well.
Q:
Sometimes, a group member may have a hidden agenda: a private, counterproductive motive that will affect the group's interaction. All of the following except the desire to ________ are examples of possible hidden agendas.
A) take control of the group
B) reconcile schedule conflicts for group meetings
C) undermine someone else on the team
D) pursue a business goal that runs counter to the group's mission
Q:
"Because the personalization information was approved when the order was finalized, a refund is not possible for this purchase."
Through which of the following techniques does the statement above ease the impact of bad news?
A) using the passive voice
B) implying the bad news in vague language
C) putting the bad news in a subordinate clause
D) putting the bad news in a main clause surrounded by two subordinate clauses
E) stating the negative part of the message in the active voice
Q:
Group loyalty can lead members into ________, a willingness to set aside personal opinions and go along with everyone else, even if everyone else is wrong.
A) renegotiation
B) collaboration
C) groupthink
D) teamwork
Q:
Which of the following is an acceptable way to ease the impact of bad news?
A) using the active voice
B) putting the bad news ahead of the explanation
C) avoiding the passive voice
D) surrounding the bad news by two subordinate clauses
E) avoiding clear phrasing
Q:
________ refers to working together to meet complex challenges.
A) Collation
B) Collaboration
C) Gathering
D) Meeting up
Q:
When you encounter someone who is resistant to change
A) confront the person aggressively.
B) overcome resistance with logic.
C) empathize with the person's concerns.
D) tell that person to quit whining and get back to work.
Q:
Which of the following buffers would be the best choice to use in your opening remarks?
A) In spite of the bad economy, we have managed to maintain our high standards of customer service.
B) Our industry has been less affected by the financial downturn than many others.
C) We appreciate all the hard work you have put into trying to boost our store's performance; however, sales continue to drop significantly.
D) We expected better performance from all of you because that would have improved our sales.
E) I'm so sorry, but, unfortunately, people will lose their jobs today.
Q:
Business is bad and you need to cut costs by reducing your employees' work hours or by eliminating several positions. You plan a meeting with your employees to discuss this situation.
Beginning the meeting with a buffer statement ________.
A) is inappropriate since the employees will not be pleased by this news
B) could help encourage your employees to listen to the rest of your message with a positive attitude
C) which signals that bad news may be coming later in your message may mislead your employees
D) will prevent the employees from realizing the gravity of the situation
E) should not be done, as it tries to deceive your employees that your message does not contain bad news
Q:
Only one sales representative can go to the conference in Hawaii, but both Susan and Sean want to go. After much discussion and arguing, they draw straws and Susan gets the trip. This is an example of
A) a win-lose situation.
B) the five-step decision-making process.
C) the best way to deal with a conflict.
D) all of the above.
Q:
Which of the following statements about buffers is true?
A) A buffer is a closing statement that comes after the bad news.
B) A buffer tends to aggravate the adverse impact of the bad news.
C) A buffer should obscure the fact that the bad news may be coming later in the message.
D) A buffer can provide a context for the message or provide positive information that builds goodwill.
E) A buffer should divert the audience from the main idea of the news.
Q:
During the ________ of the group-development process, the members of a problem-solving team would begin to discuss their positions and become more assertive in establishing their roles.
A) conflict phase
B) reinforcement phase
C) orientation phase
D) brainstorming phase
Q:
Which of the following is a way to "soften the blow" of bad news?
A) making the bad news vague
B) positioning bad news ahead of good news
C) subordinating the bad news
D) using negative language
E) placing the blame on the audience
Q:
One member of a task force on which you serve is particularly good at helping other members get along and work through their differences. This individual plays a
A) team-maintenance role.
B) task-oriented role.
C) self-oriented role.
D) coordinating role.
Q:
Which of the following statements phrases this bad news most clearly?
A) It is unfortunate that the damage is due to operator error; please see the enclosed list of repair shops.
B) Warranty information makes it clear which types of situations are covered by warranty and which are excluded; the following repair shops would be able to assist you.
C) The warranty for this product excludes the situation you describe; we advise that you contact one of the repair shops listed below if you wish to pursue these repairs yourself.
D) We wish that the terms of your warranty could cover issues like the one you experienced; a repair can be easily arranged by contacting one of the following repair shops.
E) Some instances of damage are covered by the warranty, while others are the responsibility of the owner; if you really want the laptop repaired contact one of these repair shops.
Q:
Group members who are motivated mainly to fulfill personal needs play a
A) team-maintenance role.
B) task-facilitating role.
C) self-oriented role.
D) coordinating role.
Q:
A customer writes to you seeking free repairs for a laptop manufactured by your company. From the customer's letter it is clear that the modifications she made to the computer void the warranty and leave her responsible for the repair costs.
Phrasing this bad news clearly ________.
A) is the best way to ensure that your message will be understood by the customer
B) runs the risk of confusing the customer
C) makes it more likely that the customer will misunderstand your message
D) is not recommended as it is more likely to anger the customer
E) is advised only if you are sure that the bad news will not upset the customer
Q:
You and several coworkers serve on a task force charged with updating the company's personnel-policy manual. To proceed effectively, you should concentrate on
A) pointing out as many typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors as possible.
B) ensuring that all members have a clear and shared sense of purpose.
C) making other team members feel good.
D) doing all of the above.
Q:
If you phrase bad news ________, your audience is more likely to understand your message.
A) by sugarcoating it
B) in clear terms
C) through implication
D) by subtle hints
E) in vague terms
Q:
A hidden agenda refers to
A) a meeting agenda that is not revealed to others outside the meeting group.
B) individuals harboring motives, which they conceal from the rest of the group.
C) an agenda that members must look for before they can attend a meeting.
D) an approach to group dynamics that helps facilitate group functioning.
Q:
You need to write a letter to a customer denying a claim, as the customer is responsible for the problem that she is asking you to fix. In this situation, ________.
A) the direct approach is best to buffer the bad news
B) the direct approach is preferred so that you get right to the point without introductory pleasantries
C) the indirect approach alleviates the need to phrase the bad news tactfully
D) the indirect approach can provide introductory information so it can be understood by the reader
E) you should always take responsibility for the claim even if you are not to blame in order to maintain the customer's goodwill
Q:
Groupthink refers to
A) the willingness of individual group members to withhold contrary or unpopular opinions, even when those objections are legitimate, and to favor majority opinion.
B) the four-step decision-making process in groups.
C) software programs that help groups make decisions.
D) the basic rules that underlie a group's behavior and guide the group to make its decisions.
Q:
Why is it inappropriate to use the indirect approach in a safety message?
A) The audience may mistake the message for a routine communication and decide not to read it.
B) It is most important to maintain the company's positive image and retain the customer's goodwill.
C) This approach will not be sufficient to soften the blow of the bad news.
D) This approach puts the audience's welfare ahead of the company's best interests.
E) It fails to adequately prepare the audience for the bad news that will follow.
Q:
Which of the following is NOT a way that teams help organizations to succeed?
A) Increase information and knowledge
B) Increase groupthink among members
C) Increase performance levels
D) Increase diversity of views