Q&A Hero

Q: When conducting a meeting over a meal, it is appropriate to A) ask personal questions. B) tell a few jokes. C) avoid profanity. D) discuss business documents before the entre arrives. E) choose foods that can be eaten with your hands.

Q: To use electronic media as effectively as possible, A) use one message for multiple topics. B) use standard texting acronyms. C) assume the receiver can chat at any time. D) carefully word opinions to sound fact based and forceful. E) avoid "reply all" unless everyone can benefit from your reply.

Q: Successful teamwork, productive meetings, effective listening, and nonverbal communication depend on ________ among all participants. A) exclusive face-to-face contact B) mutual respect and consideration C) common cultural reference points D) the use of the latest communication technology E) regularly scheduled meetings

Q: All of the following except ________ are best practices when using phones at work. A) being positive and professional when you answer the phone B) varying your vocal pitch and inflections so people know you're interested C) enabling your voicemail, even if you don't check messages regularly D) ending your calls with courtesy and clarity E) responding to messages promptly

Q: Because phone calls lack the visual richness of face-to-face conversations, you'll need to use ________ to convey confidence and professionalism. A) questions and social media B) smartphones and apps C) context and subject matter D) attitude and tone of voice E) facts and research

Q: When you're using a mobile device, making any of the following choices except ________ will reflect negatively on your professionalism. A) talking loudly in open offices or public places B) texting during a meal or while someone is talking to you C) allowing incoming calls/texts to interrupt meetings or discussions D) asking for permission before using your device's camera E) using the device in the restroom

Q: Whenever you're representing your company online, all of the following except ________ will help you maintain a high standard of business etiquette. A) differentiating facts from opinions B) assuming that people are available to discuss work-related issues around the clock C) following basic expectations of spelling, punctuation, and capitalization D) watching your language and keeping your emotions under control E) supporting facts with evidence

Q: Using mobile phones during meetings is A) routine in today's high-tech workplace. B) now restricted or prohibited in many organizations. C) an effective way to show your professionalism. D) almost always acceptable, as long as your phone is in silent mode. E) an effective way to show your ability to multitask.

Q: When introducing yourself to someone in a business context, you should always include a brief description of A) one of your personal interests or hobbies. B) your role in the company. C) your company's history. D) your greatest accomplishment. E) the correct spelling of your name.

Q: A new coworker from Russia asks you about North American greeting customs. You explain that in most business contexts, A) women are not expected to shake hands. B) it is not necessary to stand up before shaking hands if you are already seated. C) shaking hands is an outdated custom in North America. D) a firm handshake is expected when two people meet. E) it is acceptable to shake hands only with men.

Q: When receiving business-related phone calls, A) you should use frequent verbal responses (such as, "I see") to show that you are listening. B) it is impolite to say things such as, "I understand" while the other person is speaking. C) it is perfectly acceptable to put the caller on hold without explanation. D) your primary goal should be to get off the phone (and back to work) as quickly as possible. E) it is perfectly acceptable to take the call during a meeting.

Q: Which of the following is not an important consideration related to etiquette in the workplace? A) the clothing you wear to work B) your grooming habits C) your telephone skills D) your height and weight E) your behavior

Q: Successful teamwork, productive meetings, effective listening, and nonverbal communication all depend on ________ among all participants. A) face-to-face contact B) mutual respect and consideration C) common cultural reference points D) the use of the latest communication technology E) support of personal goals

Q: List and briefly explain the three roles nonverbal communication plays in successful communication.

Q: If you are new to a company, what is the best way to decide what type of dress is appropriate in that organization?

Q: List at least three general categories of nonverbal communication.

Q: When it comes to personal appearance in the workplace, it's best to match your style to the expectations of your organization.

Q: Unlike with verbal language, the meanings of nonverbal signals are consistent across cultures.

Q: One way to show respect for others is being on time for a meeting. This is an example of ________ as a nonverbal cue. A) influence B) time and space C) gesture D) dominance E) pitch, pace, and stress

Q: To be a better speaker and a better listener, pay attention to A) audience. B) subject matter. C) time. D) word choice. E) nonverbal cues.

Q: In addition to conveying warmth and comfort, ________ can be used to convey control. A) time and space B) personal appearance C) gesture and posture D) touch E) facial expression

Q: The primary vehicle for expressing emotions is A) facial expression. B) gesture and posture. C) vocal characteristics. D) personal appearance. E) touch

Q: Which of the following indicates a specific and intentional meaning when using gestures and posture as a form of nonverbal communication? A) slouching B) waving C) fidgeting D) leaning forward E) pacing

Q: Especially effective in establishing dominance, ________ can also regulate interaction and indicate attention or interest. A) touch B) posture C) appearance D) pace and pitch E) eyes

Q: When it comes to nonverbal communication, A) culture does not influence how signals are interpreted. B) the senderrather than the receivergets to determine what signals mean. C) it pays to be careful, since others might interpret things very differently than you intended. D) eye contact is a universal symbol of respect. E) don't forget that you can never smile too much.

Q: When the nonverbal signals match the spoken words, nonverbal signals can ________ a verbal message. A) strengthen B) weaken C) replace D) eliminate the need for E) minimize

Q: According to the theory of nonverbal communication, touch A) is the least important form of nonverbal communication. B) is the great equalizer, putting people of different status on the same footing. C) should be completely avoided in all business situations. D) is governed by cultural customs that establish who can touch whom and when. E) is the primary vehicle for expressing emotion.

Q: Which of the following statements about nonverbal communication is false? A) Facial expressions are a primary means of conveying emotions. B) A person's voice carries both intended and unintended nonverbal cues. C) Nonverbal signals can be used to assert both authority and intimacy. D) Mastering nonverbal signals will allow you to "read someone like a book." E) Nonverbal communication can supplement spoken communication.

Q: Differentiate among the three primary types of listening.

Q: List at least three strategies to keep your mind from wandering while listening to a speaker.

Q: List at least three benefits of effective listening in business.

Q: Your ability to listen effectively will have little effect on your long-term career prospects.

Q: Using mnemonics (such as acronyms or rhymes) to help remember important information shared during a meeting A) is a waste of time. B) works only if you have special training. C) requires that you stop everyone from speaking so you can repeat what you hope to remember. D) can be a useful strategy. E) is far more effective than writing the information down.

Q: Active listening involves A) thinking of what you will say next, while others are speaking. B) playing "devil's advocate" and thinking of ways to disagree, even before the other person has finished speaking. C) making a conscious effort to truly hear and understand what the other party is saying. D) allowing your mind to multitask while others are speaking. E) working to overhear coworkers' conversations, even if they are unaware that you are listening.

Q: To overcome barriers to effective listening, the listener should A) use selective listening. B) rely on prejudgment. C) limit the use of categorization. D) interrupt often to ask questions. E) use visualization techniques.

Q: In part, poor listening occurs because listeners A) can think faster than speakers can speak. B) concentrate on each word the speaker says, rather than the overall point. C) are unable to think originally. D) cannot process words and phrases as quickly as speakers can say them. E) do all of the above.

Q: The goal of ________ is to understand and evaluate a speaker's message based on elements such as logic, evidence, and validity, as well as the speaker's intentions and motives. A) defensive listening B) content listening C) critical listening D) empathetic listening E) selective listening

Q: Selective listening refers to A) a highly focused form of listening. B) letting one's mind wander until something personally relevant is said. C) a form of defensive listening. D) listening only long enough to form an opinion. E) a timesaving technique in which you ignore at least 25% of what is being said.

Q: The first step in the basic listening process is A) receiving the message. B) interpreting the message. C) evaluating the message. D) encoding the message. E) decoding the message.

Q: Within 48 hours, people tend to forget approximately ________ percent of what was said in a 10-minute conversation. A) 10 B) 25 C) 50 D) 75 E) 90

Q: A reliable employee you supervise has come to speak with you about a leave of absence related to personal issues. To understand her feelings and needs, you should engage in A) content listening. B) empathic listening. C) critical listening. D) sustained listening. E) defensive listening.

Q: If you are engaging in critical listening, your goal is to A) understand and retain information. B) understand the speaker's feelings, needs, and wants. C) evaluate the logic and validity of the message. D) appreciate the speaker's point of view. E) find flaws in the speaker's ideas as quickly as possible.

Q: Some people use ________ to tune out anything that doesn't conform to their beliefs or their self-images. A) empathetic listening B) constricted listening C) egocentric listening D) active listening E) defensive listening

Q: An effective listener tries to practice ________ in an effort to hear and understand what the other party is saying. A) emphatic listening B) critical listening C) active listening D) content listening E) selective listening

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. E) selective listening.

Q: Briefly describe at least three meeting technologies that make it easy for virtual teams to interact.

Q: One of the simplest forms of virtual meetings is A) instant messaging. B) virtual whiteboards. C) video conferencing. D) webinars. E) idea campaigns.

Q: One advantage of virtual meetings is A) the elimination of subtleties such as hand gestures. B) the ability to conduct product demonstrations. C) the realistic conference feel. D) limited participants. E) wider access to expertise.

Q: Conducting successful meetings by phone or online A) is much easier than doing so face-to-face. B) is virtually impossible. C) dramatically reduces the distractions participants must overcome. D) requires extra planning before the meeting and more diligence during the meeting. E) eliminates the need for anyone to take minutes.

Q: The limited 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 E) virtual whiteboards

Q: Conducting successful virtual meetings requires ________ before the meeting and ________ during the meeting. A) less planning; more flexibility B) more planning; more diligence C) less diligence; more flexibility D) more planning; less diligence E) more flexibility; more diligence

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) wiki E) web links

Q: Once you have decided that a meeting is necessary, what four strategies can help you plan it effectively?

Q: The main role of the meeting leader is to be passive and let others speak without interference.

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: To ensure participants know what is expected of them, the meeting leader should A) email each participant with their specific task(s). B) distribute minutes, allowing for corrections. C) summarize the discussion, noting those who contributed major points. D) post a sign-up sheet for all tasks that need to be accomplished. E) include all assignments for each participant in the meeting minutes.

Q: Which of the following would be a positive, productive way of using a mobile device during an important meeting, convention, or conference? A) using the mobile device so the speaker cannot see it B) working on other projects while listening to the speaker C) checking your Facebook D) tweeting key points from a convention speech E) answering emails

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 E) majority rules

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 E) flow chart

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) allow individuals to decide their individual roles. E) follow a predetermined agenda.

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 E) Congressional Meeting Policies and Procedures

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. E) is used rarely by U.S. organizations.

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. E) as participates arrive.

Q: For a formal meeting, appoint one person to record a ________ to summarize the important highlights of the meeting. A) detailed meeting agenda B) set of meeting minutes C) pro-forma meeting matrix D) list of personal impressions E) list of key opinions

Q: Much of your workplace communication will occur during in-person or online meetings. If you're leading a meeting, you can help to make sure it's productive by A) preparing carefully. B) allowing anyone interested in the topic to attend. C) limit participation during the meeting to supervisors. D) minimize your participation during the meeting. E) develop a flexible agenda.

Q: Discuss the concept of unified communication as it applies to mobile communication and collaboration.

Q: Mobile devices aren't particularly useful for collaborative writing and other workplace communication projects.

Q: The outcome of collaborative writing is usually inferior to what a single individual can produce.

Q: An extranet is A) a web-monitoring tool that provides an "extra net" of protection against malware and viruses. B) a restricted website available to employees and to outside parties by invitation only. C) another name for a social network such as LinkedIn or Facebook. D) another name for the hidden internet, which standard search engines do not reach. E) a network tool that allows employers to "ping" website users and monitor their activity.

Q: One of the main advantages of collaboration via mobile devices is A) a record of all comments. B) limited involvement in the brainstorming process. C) the ability to multitask. D) transference of fixed-web collaboration efforts. E) flexibility.

Q: During the ________ phase of group development, the team clarifies and summarizes the agreed-upon solution, and team members receive their assignments for carrying out the group's decision. A) orientation B) conflict C) brainstorming D) emergence E) reinforcement

Q: When a team that has never worked together collaborates on communication efforts, A) it's important to give members time to bond before getting down to business. B) there isn't time for team members get to know one another-work should begin immediately. C) you should expect poor results. D) members should always meet in person and never rely on meeting technologies. E) members should avoid trying to reach consensus, since it is nearly impossible.

Q: The primary difference between constructive feedback and destructive feedback is A) constructive feedback is focused on the people involved. B) destructive feedback is focused on the process and outcomes of communication. C) constructive feedback can hurt people's feelings. D) destructive feedback delivers criticism with no guidance for improvement. E) constructive feedback includes a threat of consequences for failure.

Q: An important aspect of mobile communication in the workplace is ________, which integrates voice, video, instant messaging, and real-time collaboration into a single system. A) business communication B) unified communication C) peripatetic communication D) digital communication E) real time communication

Q: ________ focuses on the process and outcomes of communication, whereas ________ delivers criticism with no guidance to stimulate improvement. A) Intuitive feedback; rational feedback B) Circular feedback; linear feedback C) Open feedback; closed feedback D) Constructive feedback; destructive feedback E) Constructive feedback; linear feedback

Q: Social networking technologies can help a company create virtual communities of practice that A) allow employees to develop new workplace skills. B) encourage disgruntled employees to vent their frustrations. C) discourage socializing so that individual employees can get their work done. D) discourage teamwork so individual employees can reach their full potential. E) link employees to others with similar professional interests throughout the organization.

Q: "Virtual offices" that give everyone on a team access to the same set of resources and information are called A) instant messaging software. B) videoconferencing systems. C) shared workspaces. D) extended databases. E) wikis.

Q: When composing collaborative messages, the best strategy is to A) assign the writing task to one person or divide larger projects among multiple writers. B) begin by letting all members "do their own thing" and then seeing what they all produce. C) let all members use their own preferred software. D) make the team as large as possible so that every possible area of expertise will be covered. E) compose as a group.

Q: Writing for websites often involves the use of ________, which organize and control content and support teamwork. A) wikis B) shared workspaces C) word processing software D) content management systems E) social networks

Q: What are three potential disadvantages of working in teams?