Question 1

Michelle is being transferred from the United States to one of her company's overseas offices, in a country that is considered polychronic. Which of the following is a difference to which Michelle will need to adapt?
A) Meetings will begin on time.
B) Efficiency will be valued highly.
C) People will be expected to adhere closely to schedules.
D) The order of items on a meeting agenda may get changed easily.
E) The importance of schedule will be put before people and relationships.

Accepted Answer

D) Polychronic cultures are more relaxed about time and punctuality, and tend to put people and relationships before schedules.

Question 2

In a high-context culture ________.
A) direct conversation is the norm
B) people tend to get right to the point
C) people use unambiguous language to communicate
D) people rely on subtle cues
E) people use explicit language to communicate a message

Accepted Answer

D) High-context cultures derive meaning not just from words but from everything surrounding the words: how something is said, nonverbal behavior, the history of the relationship, even silences in the conversation.

Question 3

Listening comprehension refers to how well you hear what is being said.

Accepted Answer

Listening comprehension refers to how well you can understand what you hear. You might very clearly hear someone speaking in Dutch, but if you don't comprehend that language you won't understand what is being said.

Question 4

Tone of voice is not considered a form of nonverbal communication.

Accepted Answer

Emphasis and tone of voice are considered a form of nonverbal communication. The same words can mean very different things when spoken in different tones of voice or emphasizing different words.

Question 5

All cultures around the world interpret facial expressions the same way.

Accepted Answer

Not all cultures around the world interpret facial expressions in the same way.

Question 6

Asking "What do you think?" at the end of a presentation is not recommended, as it is too simple a question to move the discussion forward.

Accepted Answer

After making your points, invite the audience to respond or add to the conversation. While you can ask situational-specific questions, even a simple question like "What do you think?" can help move the conversation forward.

Question 7

An empathetic listener focuses on the literal content of the communication but not on the emotional content.

Accepted Answer

An empathetic listener is skilled at focusing on the emotional content of the communication.

Question 8

You are assembling a team for a new project and need to select four more members. You have it narrowed down to five candidates, and write down each of their names and the reason you want to include them on your team. Which of the following members is the LEAST compelling choice for your team?
A) Marjorie: She is very interested and motivated to work on this project.
B) Alberto: He has the technical expertise I lack.
C) Coleman: He has experience on this kind of project.
D) Gavin: He and I have worked together effectively in the past.
E) Rita: She's my friend and I'd like to spend more time with her.

Accepted Answer

E) Friends are not always the best choices for teammates. It is more important to select members who have the skills required, skills you may be lacking, the time and resources to contribute, are very interested and motivated, and who are easy to work with.

Question 9

Interpretation involves analyzing the meaning of what you hear, read, or see.

Accepted Answer

Interpretation involves analyzing the meaning of what you hear, read, or see to determine its intention.

Question 10

A company sends one of its junior executives to meet with the CEO of another company. The CEO is insulted that someone of equal rank was not sent. Which of the following is most likely true?
A) At the junior executive's company, people are granted respect based on their position alone.
B) The junior executive's company is very formal and hierarchical.
C) The CEO's company believes in social equality.
D) The CEO's company has a relaxed attitude about title and status.
E) The CEO's company has a clear separation between superiors and subordinates.

Accepted Answer

E) In high power distance cultures people typically expect to conduct business with others of equal rank. To send a junior executive to meet with a CEO would be an insult. In a high power distance culture, organizations are very formal and hierarchical with a clear separation between superiors and subordinates.

Question 11

In today's business world, learning about other cultures is ________.
A) optional
B) necessary
C) not required
D) ill-advised
E) interesting but of no real business concern

Accepted Answer

B) Because workplaces are increasingly global, learning about other cultures is required, not optional. It will help you avoid misinterpreting verbal and nonverbal communication of colleagues and customers who do not share your culture.

Question 12

If Samantha doesn't listen closely to her supervisor's instructions and ends up sending a shipment to the wrong address, this costly mistake can be attributed to passive listening.

Accepted Answer

Hearing information without actively paying attention to ensure understanding leads to costly mistakes like this one.

Question 13

Teams ________.
A) are rarely effective in accomplishing a goal
B) must involve at least 3 people
C) benefit the group as a whole but not the individual members
D) are not as important today as they were 20 years ago
E) collaborate in their efforts to achieve a specific common goal

Accepted Answer

E) An effective team involves two or more people who recognize and share a commitment to a specific common goal and who collaborate in their efforts to achieve that goal. Individuals benefit from teamwork by learning new skills from others, improving interpersonal skills, and expanding their personal networks.

Question 14

Julie has been asked to keep the minutes at the next weekly meeting. She hasn't done this before and isn't sure what to include. Which of the following should Julie include?
A) what the team decided to do
B) a copy of presentations and handouts
C) a description of everything that was said
D) pictures of the meeting
E) seating allotments

Accepted Answer

A) Minutes focus on what the team decided to do, and do not repeat everything that was said. The minutes also include the assignments and deadlines.

Question 15

Understanding the meaning of an email message uses totally different skills than understanding the meaning of a conversation.

Accepted Answer

Most of the same skills, especially interpreting and evaluating, are equally useful when you listen to the spoken word and the written word.

Question 16

According to the model first proposed by Tuckman, which of the following occurs during the storming stage of team development?
A) Team members discuss and resolve problems.
B) Team members work collaboratively.
C) Team members achieve a high level of productivity.
D) Team members experience conflict and tension.
E) Team members decide to create standards about communication and accountability.

Accepted Answer

D) Storming is the stage of team development in which teams experience conflict and begin to confront differences.

Question 17

Listening is widely considered to be one of the most important communication skills.

Accepted Answer

Listening is an important communication skill, in and out of the workplace.

Question 18

Which of the following terms best represents a culture that values punctuality and efficiency?
A) high-context culture
B) polychronic culture
C) collectivist culture
D) low-context culture
E) monochronic culture

Accepted Answer

E) Monochronic culture, like the United States and Northern European countries, value punctuality and efficiency.

Question 19

Observing behavior can help you interpret meaning, especially if the behavior is inconsistent with a spoken statement.

Accepted Answer

Observing behavior can help you interpret meaning, especially if the behavior is inconsistent with a spoken statement.

Question 20

Which of the following statements is true about leadership?
A) The leader of a team must never be changed.
B) It is crucial for a team to have one single leader.
C) The person with the most creative ideas on the team must be its leader.
D) Leadership can rotate during different phases of a project.
E) A good leader always encourages groupthink.

Accepted Answer

D) A team can establish leadership in a number of ways. It is not crucial for the team to have one single leader, but it is crucial for the team to have capable leadership that keeps the good of the team in mind.

Quiz 2: Working With Others: Interpersonal, Intercultural, and Team Communication

Michelle is being transferred from the United States to one of her company's overseas offices, in a country that is considered polychronic. Which of the following is a difference to which Michelle will need to adapt?

In a high-context culture ________.

Listening comprehension refers to how well you hear what is being said.

Tone of voice is not considered a form of nonverbal communication.

All cultures around the world interpret facial expressions the same way.

Asking "What do you think?" at the end of a presentation is not recommended, as it is too simple a question to move the discussion forward.

An empathetic listener focuses on the literal content of the communication but not on the emotional content.

You are assembling a team for a new project and need to select four more members. You have it narrowed down to five candidates, and write down each of their names and the reason you want to include them on your team. Which of the following members is the LEAST compelling choice for your team?

Interpretation involves analyzing the meaning of what you hear, read, or see.

A company sends one of its junior executives to meet with the CEO of another company. The CEO is insulted that someone of equal rank was not sent. Which of the following is most likely true?

In today's business world, learning about other cultures is ________.

If Samantha doesn't listen closely to her supervisor's instructions and ends up sending a shipment to the wrong address, this costly mistake can be attributed to passive listening.

Teams ________.

Julie has been asked to keep the minutes at the next weekly meeting. She hasn't done this before and isn't sure what to include. Which of the following should Julie include?

Understanding the meaning of an email message uses totally different skills than understanding the meaning of a conversation.

According to the model first proposed by Tuckman, which of the following occurs during the storming stage of team development?

Listening is widely considered to be one of the most important communication skills.

Which of the following terms best represents a culture that values punctuality and efficiency?

Observing behavior can help you interpret meaning, especially if the behavior is inconsistent with a spoken statement.

Which of the following statements is true about leadership?