Q&A Hero

Q: Which of the following will probably not demonstrate a strong work ethic? A) Demonstrate competence even on minor tasks B) Accept undesirable assignments willingly C) Suggest that others take the responsibility for free-floating problems D) Get your projects completed promptly.

Q: The most vital strategy for impressing your manager is to ________. A) take the initiative in asking for help B) enjoy your work C) be dependable and honest D) display good job performance

Q: There is no need to solve small issues ahead of meetings with e-mail, because the group will be getting together for the meeting and can take care of everything at that time.

Q: Product development manager Sylvia is probably on the right track when she holds brief standup meetings to deal with urgent problems.

Q: A noted consequence of standup meetings is that ________. A) participants usually have to think more quickly than in sit-down meetings B) it is quite difficult to serve refreshments C) wearing high heels is prohibited D) PowerPoint slides cannot be shown

Q: A key suggestion for having a successful business meeting is to ________. A) be flexible about start and stop times B) block critical feedback and commentary C) keep participants seated when quick action is needed D) start with a key meeting outcome

Q: A subtle communication feature of computer-generated data is that it is relatively easy to convince company officials, such as bankers and credit card officials, that the data are incorrect and you are right.

Q: An information technology research and consulting firm found that the average worker dealing with information gains the equivalent of two hours of productive work per day through multitasking.

Q: Decades of research indicate that the quality of mental output and depth of thought deteriorate as a person attends to more than one task at a time.

Q: A potential disadvantage of being a telecommuter is that many of these workers believe they are likely to be passed over for promotion.

Q: Eric has very little self-discipline, so he would do well as a telecommuter because he would not be closely supervised by a boss.

Q: A notable advantage of e-mail systems is that they curtail office politics by keeping people focused carefully on useful work.

Q: Computer-generated data sometimes creates the subtle communication problem that the data are regarded as ________. A) the product of tampering by a hacker B) having been created mostly to manipulate other people C) infallible D) most likely to be incorrect

Q: A notable consequence of electronic communication devices is that they have ________. A) facilitated creating sharp boundaries between work and personal life B) facilitated breaking down the distinction between work and personal life C) made it more difficult to communicate with coworkers after hours D) helped block the start of most rumors

Q: According to some information technology research, the average worker dealing with information loses about how many minutes of productivity every day to electronic interruptions and distractions? A) 10 B) 20 C) 60 D) 120

Q: Research about multitasking suggests that ________. A) when workers can multitask well, the workforce can be reduced by one half B) after age 25, the ability to multitask vanishes C) about three-fourths of the modern workforce is good at multitasking D) only a small percentage of workers can multitask successfully

Q: A problem noted with telecommuting is that it ________. A) lacks a solid human connection B) lacks the efficiency of the traditional office C) relies too heavily on in-person updates D) leads to frequent labor-management problems

Q: Pandora has landed a job that requires considerable telephone interaction with customers. Pandora can increase her telephone effectiveness if she ________. A) frowns when she speaks on the phone B) smiles when she speaks on the phone C) increase her productivity by multitasking while on the phone D) maintains a steady tone while talking to customers

Q: To use presentation technology to your advantage, ________. A) talk to the audience and not the screen B) reduce the text on each slide to the bare minimum C) triple check your presentation for spelling errors D) all of the above

Q: Safety inspector Gilda works in an office that has been shifted to shared workspaces, so she can finally now have a desk permanently assigned to her.

Q: A major purpose of open workspace arrangements is to facilitate informal communication among employees.

Q: Barb passes along positive gossip to her co-workers, but this would not be considered part of the grapevine because it is positive.

Q: An important feature of the company grapevine is that it passes along information almost strictly through people talking to each other face-to-face.

Q: Ted, a product design specialist, is included as a participant in a social network analysis, so the researcher is likely to ask Ted, "To whom do you turn for advice?"

Q: The shadow organization of a company is revealed by network analysis which traces who talks to whom.

Q: Trudy has some tidbits of knowledge about safety features of a drug that she would like to share with coworkers, so she might rely on a community of practice to spread the word.

Q: An advantage of open office space is that it facilitates ________. A) informal communication among workers B) formal downward communication C) being able to engage in brainwriting D) satisfying the human need for privacy

Q: Ken spends time everyday walking among her employees and customers to see how things are going and gather informal feedback. Ken's behavior is referred to as ________. A) horizontal communication B) searching for rumors C) management by walking around D) wasting time

Q: A recommended way of combating negative rumors in an organization is for management to ________. A) screen all e-mail and instant messages before they are sent B) conduct an extensive social network analysis C) promote healthy, accurate communication D) spread rumors in opposition to negative rumors

Q: ________ makes a contribution to the organization because trading information strengthens ties among workers and humanizes the workplace. A) Negative gossip B) Positive gossip C) Upward communication D) Diagonal communication

Q: Jason sits quietly in his cubicle, getting his work accomplished. To find out if Jason is really a loner, management might conduct a ________. A) shadow organization B) organization chart analysis C) performance evaluation D) social network analysis

Q: Samantha is part of the shadow organization in her company because she ________. A) quietly steals company supplies B) works from home or another remote location C) helps accomplish work whether or not it is part of her regular responsibilities D) has a side business that she runs partly on company time

Q: A major contribution of employee networks (or communities of practice) is that ________. A) they sometimes assume responsibility for key problems B) expand the social life of employees C) identify poorly performing employees D) maintain tight control over work-related information

Q: Marketing specialist Martin is participating in a community of practice when he ________. A) spreads gossip about company officials B) acquires an important new job-related skill C) applies new developments in his field to his job D) shares work relevant information with coworkers

Q: Lola has a group of people in both her formal and informal channels that she gets in touch with on a regular basis to get her work accomplished. This group of people is often referred to as her ________. A) subordinates B) grapevine C) network of contacts D) downward communication

Q: Matt is likely to receive more upward communication because he is known for listening to bad news without becoming upset with the messenger.

Q: Carter brings a complaint about unhealthy working conditions to top-level management. He is therefore making use of the company's open-door policy.

Q: Sally has a major concern about a company product. To use the open-door policy to communicate these concerns, Sally first consults with her supervisor before communicating higher in the organization.

Q: Webinars are useful communication vehicles yet they are quite costly because company employees from all over the country and world have to gather together to watch broadcasts of websites and videos.

Q: A formal communication channel in a company can often serve an informal, social purpose such as containing a classified ad section.

Q: A wiki feature of a company intranet is quite democratic because employees are invited to modify company policies such as sick days allowed, and the compensation of company executives.

Q: A practical application of a social networking site within a company is to match potential mentors with people who are looking to be mentored.

Q: Adam published negative information about the company he works for in his private blog. Adam is liable to be fired.

Q: Jan faces an emergency at her workplace, so it would be appropriate for Jan to bypass the formal channels of communication to handle the emergency.

Q: Formal communication channels are often bypassed through information technology.

Q: The transmission of messages to higher or lower organizational levels in different departments is known as ________ communication. A) diagonal B) ineffective C) downward D) upward

Q: All of the teachers in the social science department willingly share their ideas and expertise with each other. They are good at ________ communication. A) upward B) downward C) diagonal D) horizontal

Q: Marge has an open-door policy which allows employees to bring a complaint to her without checking with their manager first. This is an example of ________ communication. A) downward B) upward C) problem D) haphazard

Q: Downward communication is the flow of messages ________. A) from a lower level to a higher level B) from one co-worker to another C) from one level to a lower level D) in a circular direction

Q: Willy makes proper use of the wiki feature on the company intranet when he ________. A) lists a few personal items for sale to other employees B) explains to his boss why he deserves a raise this year C) explains what he thinks company management is doing wrong D) adds some updated features to product information

Q: A typical use of a company intranet would be to ________. A) give customers a convenient place to complain B) advertise company products and services to a wide audience C) make company information available in a convenient location for employees D) provide an online place for employees to socialize

Q: A major purpose of a company using a social networking site within the organization is to ________. A) encourage employees to purchase company products or services B) facilitate employees building their working relationships C) make the workday more fun for employees D) find out what types of information employees are sharing with each other

Q: Three words said by the listener that often shut down discussion are "no," "but," or "however."

Q: An example of a word or phrase by the listener that usually shuts down discussion is ________ A) "However." B) "I hear you." C) "Keep going, I'm listening." D) "Are you serious?"

Q: A coworker says to Pam, "Our team is awesome." Pam displays the active listening technique of "accepting the sender's figure of speech" when she replies ________ A) "I like the way you talk like a teenager." B) "In what ways are we awesome?" C) "Tell me a couple of ways in which we are outstanding." D) "I like your enthusiasm."

Q: Research suggests than men use the terms "I," "me," and "mine" much more frequently than do women.

Q: Gender differences in communication suggest that men tend to be more directive and less apologetic in their conversation, whereas women are more polite and apologetic.

Q: According to research, a gender difference in communication style is that women make more frequent use of the words, ________. A) "a," "an," and "the" B) "you know" C) "you guys" D) "I" "me," and "mine"

Q: An effective mirroring technique is to imitate the breathing pattern of another person while the two of you are having a conversation.

Q: Looking for nonverbal indicators is a recommended way of understanding the feelings behind a message.

Q: Proper timing of a message includes taking into account the person's mental condition at the moment in which the message is to be delivered.

Q: Engaging in positive gossip ________. A) creates substantial communication barriers B) brings the person power and credibility C) isolates the person who gossips from others in the organization D) overcomes the communication problems of telecommuting

Q: You empathize with another person when you ________. A) feel sorry for his or her plight B) understand his or her point of view C) agree with his or her point of view D) make him or her feel at ease

Q: To effectively use mirroring, ________. A) make sure that your appearance fits your presentation B) look your listener straight in the eye C) reflect back on what he or she says D) imitate the other person in a subtle manner

Q: A major purpose of defensive communication is to ________. A) clarify meanings B) get messages repeated C) belittle the other person D) protect one's self-esteem

Q: When receiving a message, you should interpret feelings because ________. A) most people are devious when communicating B) facts are usually misleading C) feelings often contain the true meaning of a message D) most senders tend to color the truth

Q: Using powerful words is a key principle of ________ communication. A) wimpy B) persuasive C) controlling D) helpful

Q: A recommended technique for overcoming communication barriers is to ________. A) state your message with force one time, and wave your fist B) send the message when the intended receiver is multitasking C) display a negative attitude to be dramatic D) repeat your message assertively, using more than one channel

Q: Language barriers to communication can surface even when the sender and receiver are both native-speakers of English, such as the speaker being from the United States and the receiver from Scotland.

Q: To minimize the chances of erecting a communication barrier, wait until you are experiencing your strongest emotion before sending your message.

Q: One form of a mixed signal in communication is when a person sends you a message about being well organized, but is disorganized himself or herself.

Q: An effective way of overcoming communication barriers is to send a self-centered message because this indicates that you are serious.

Q: People are more receptive to messages ________. A) that promise to do something for them B) they expected to hear C) that contradict their beliefs D) that require them to do something for someone else

Q: Trucking supervisor Chad learns this morning that a company truck jumped a curb, and crashed into a restaurant. Chad sends a text message to his boss, saying, "We had a small incident involving a truck this morning, but we are OK." He has therefore created the communication barrier of ________. A) filtering of information B) communication overload C) improper timing D) emotions and attitudes

Q: Judy's credibility is diminished because she often says one thing, but does another. Judy is guilty of ________. A) semantics errors B) distortion information C) emotional communication D) sending mixed signals

Q: A practical way of overcoming the potential communication barrier created by semantics is to ________. A) emphasize nonverbal communication over verbal communication B) carefully explain the meaning of potentially ambiguous terms C) avoid almost all words with more than two syllables D) rely more on written than spoken messages

Q: Kate, a human resources specialist, wants to convince her boss, Quentin, to begin a program of pet health insurance for employees. Kate sends a self-centered message when she says to Quentin, ________ A) "I have a plan to boost employee morale." B) "My plan will save the lives of many pets." C) "You will make me a company hero if you accept my plan." D) "My research shows that pet insurance is a winner."

Q: Communication barriers are most likely to occur when the message ________. A) is delivered by an executive B) clashes with the receiver's mental set C) is emotionally neutral D) is delivered in the morning

Q: Erin cannot get satisfaction in resolving a dispute with her boss. A recommended tactic for Erin would be to share her dissatisfaction with her boss on Twitter and Facebook.

Q: A recommended approach to using social media in the workplace is to post information that will help work associates grow professionally.