Deck 2: Mastering Team Skills and Interpersonal Communication

Question 1

Trinkets began as a small family business,but has since spread throughout the country and now employs more than a thousand people.Though each branch operates almost independently,the owners want to develop a feeling of community among Trinkets employees.Which is the most convenient way for all the employees across the country to get to know each other?

A) Conducting regular teleconferences among employees
B) Developing a community for the company on a social networking site
C) Organizing virtual meetings regularly
D) Videoconferencing at every opportunity

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Emma wants to set up a wedding planning website for weddings in her city.She needs a site where caterers,florists,and designers from the city can post their offerings and prices for a fee.As the products and rates will change with the seasons,the site will have to be updated often by the sellers themselves.Prospective customers should be able to register on the site to read the information,but should not be able to make any changes to the site.Which of the following is the best option for Emma?

A) A social networking site
B) A central content management system
C) A public wiki
D) A private wiki

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Teams ________.

A) are two or more people working together
B) are less important in the workplace
C) share many goals
D) are none of the above

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Effective teams do all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) have a clear sense of purpose
B) think creatively
C) reach decisions by consensus
D) consider every possible perspective

Question 5

Team conflict may be good if it ________.

A) forces important issues into the open
B) allows weak employees to contribute
C) gets every employee to think alike
D) creates a tighter organization

Question 6

Teams tend to be ineffective when there is/are ________.

A) few members
B) only one focus
C) high involvement
D) a lack of trust

Question 7

Janice is seeking input on a new initiative with her company Global Communications.She has asked for a meeting of supervisors,managers,and front line workers.She is engaging in a strategy of ________.

A) reducing tension between workers
B) unleashing creativity and energy in workers who share a sense of purpose
C) reducing boredom
D) participative management

Question 8

In social networking,________ are mechanisms for finding and communicating with other members.

A) connections
B) wikis
C) archives
D) forums

Question 9

Effective teams will have all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) a clear objective
B) a shared sense of purpose
C) procedures for reaching consensus
D) competitive relationships between members

Question 10

When peer pressure in a team is more important to members than making the right decision,that team may develop what is termed ________.

A) increased performance levels
B) groupthink
C) effective team work
D) diversity of views

Question 11

Hidden agendas occur in teams when team members ________.

A) read one another's nonverbal messages
B) don't contribute their fair share
C) place greater value on belonging to a team than making right decisions
D) have private motives that affect the group's interaction

Question 12

A key advantage of teamwork is ________.

A) it is easier to get a consensus
B) work is usually done more quickly
C) improved acceptance of solutions
D) all of the above

Question 13

When undertaking a collaborative writing project,which of the following steps is best undertaken by individual team members rather than by the team working as a group?

A) Outlining the project and determining project goals
B) Planning
C) Writing
D) Research

Question 14

A team is likely to work more efficiently if ________.

A) tools and technology are compatible across the team
B) a clear hierarchy is established
C) most of the work is done virtually
D) it is limited to fewer than four members

Question 15

In a collaborative project,it is best to ________.

A) allocate roles depending on the strengths of each team member
B) write altogether
C) share tasks exactly equally so that everybody contributes equally
D) avoid socializing outside of the team meetings

Question 16

________ refer(s)to computer-based systems that let people communicate,share files,review previous message threads,work on documents simultaneously,and connect using social networking tools.

A) Groupware
B) Firmware
C) Operating systems
D) Ecommerce systems

Question 17

TGA Solutions has employees in branches across Canada.The company wants to create a common site for information about all the projects that its employees tackle,the solutions they offer,and the outcomes of these solutions over time.Most of its employees are not well versed with creating web content,but will be required to update the site frequently by themselves,adding their observations and experiences.Which of the following technologies is the best option for both TGA and its employees?

A) A centrally-controlled content management system
B) A wiki
C) A social networking site
D) A virtual whiteboard

Question 18

Orion Ltd.is a toy company headquartered in Winnipeg,with distributors throughout the country.At present,the company keeps in contact with its distributors through telephone and email,communicating confidential information about new products and prices.Distributors contact Orion's headquarters to communicate their queries or requirements,but responding to these questions is a time-consuming process.Orion wants to upgrade to a secure online system through which distributors can access information from the company and communicate their queries or complaints.Which of the following methods is most suited for this purpose?

A) An extranet
B) Teleconferencing
C) Videoconferencing
D) Social networking

Question 19

________ are online "virtual offices" that give everyone on a team access to the same set of resources and information.

A) Shared workspaces
B) Web cubicles
C) Shared hosting
D) Creative commons

Question 20

Identify the item listed below that is NOT a way teams help organizations succeed.

A) Increased information and knowledge
B) Increased groupthink among members
C) Increased diversity of views
D) Increased performance levels

Question 21

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of virtual offices?

A) The technology allows the business to build a repository of organizational knowledge over the long term.
B) The physical distance between participants tends to reduce distractions.
C) Large companies can encourage a sense of community even as companies grow too large for conventional interaction.
D) Using meeting technologies saves wear on employees.

Question 22

An effective agenda answers which of the following questions?

A) What is expected of all the participants?
B) How long will the meeting last?
C) What needs do each of the participants have?
D) Both A and B

Question 23

In social networking,the information stored about each member of the network is known as a(n)________.

A) wiki
B) connection
C) profile
D) archive

Question 24

Identify the one trait that does not characterize a responsible leader of a meeting.

A) Draws out participants in the discussion
B) Keeps the meeting moving along
C) Dominates the meeting
D) Summarizes meeting achievements

Question 25

The two main types of meetings are ________.

A) informational and decision-making
B) problem and solution
C) focused and free-form
D) analytical and comprehensive

Question 26

The key to productive meetings is careful planning of ________.

A) purpose, participants, location, and agenda
B) ethics, purpose, rules of order, and location
C) ethics, purpose, location, and agenda
D) purpose, participants, location, and protocol

Question 27

The agenda is ________.

A) helpful in deciding the issues
B) a statement of purpose
C) an important tool in guiding a meeting's progress
D) useful in limiting the number of participants

Question 28

The listening process involves ________.

A) interrupting
B) knowing
C) registering
D) remembering

Question 29

When selecting participants for a team meeting,you should ________.

A) include only the senior level workers on the project
B) include everyone who might possibly have any connection to the topic at hand
C) include only those people who really need to be there
D) include as many people as you can fit in the meeting room

Question 30

The most effective meetings are those in which ________.

A) only the group leader talks
B) everyone shares the responsibility for productivity
C) parliamentary procedure is used
D) only the experts on the topic talk

Question 31

Minutes should be taken ________.

A) only at larger or more formal meetings
B) only at smaller or more informal meetings
C) at every meeting
D) only when some members of the group cannot be present

Question 32

Sensient Solutions picked out a team from its employees to research and develop a new software product.The team outlined the requirements for the product and set a deadline for the research process,leaving individual developers free to explore and research their own ideas.When the team finally began to evaluate the results of the research,it was found that a lot of the effort had been duplicated,resulting in a waste of time and resources.Which of the following guidelines for collaborative work did the team ignore?

A) Agree on project goals before the start of the project.
B) Clarify individual responsibilities.
C) Make sure tools are compatible across the team.
D) Give the team time to bond before beginning.

Question 33

Assume two companies that are geographically distant from one another are negotiating a joint venture.The negotiation promises to be difficult and much of it will have to be conducted virtually.The best option for companies X and Y is ________.

A) teleconferencing
B) videoconferencing
C) telepresence technologies
D) virtual whiteboards

Question 34

As a leader,if one person is dominating the meeting and not letting others contribute,you should ________.

A) ask that person to leave the meeting
B) politely point out that time is limited and that others need to be heard from too
C) ignore the situation but not invite that person to the next meeting
D) avoid conflict

Question 35

Ruth is the editor of Bliss,a lifestyle magazine.Rachel has written a substandard article for the magazine and Ruth has to give her feedback to help her improve the piece.Which of the following is the most effective way to offer feedback?

A) Ruth should mark out the faults in the article and send it back to Rachel.
B) Ruth should tell Rachel the shortcomings of her method and approach to writing.
C) Ruth should point out weak areas in the article and suggest alternative approaches.
D) Ruth should compare Rachel's methods to the standards of the magazine to bring out the flaws in the article.

Question 36

To close a meeting effectively,you should ________.

A) summarize the group's conclusions
B) review who has agreed to do what
C) list the actions to be taken
D) do all of the above

Question 37

The key to productive meetings is careful planning of ________.

A) risks
B) rewards
C) hidden agendas
D) purpose, participation, and a place to meet

Question 38

Organizational communication can be achieved most effectively through ________.

A) individual conversations
B) memos
C) reports
D) in-person or online meetings

Question 39

Which of the following is true for feedback on a writing project?

A) Destructive feedback delivers criticism with no effort to stimulate improvement.
B) Feedback is constructive and always results in improvement.
C) Constructive criticism focuses on personal shortcomings.
D) Destructive feedback focuses on the process and outcomes of communication.

Question 40

Which of the following statements is an example of constructive criticism?

A) Your argument will be stronger if you rewrite the introduction to include more details about the event.
B) There were three factual errors in the document you sent. Lately, you have been very careless.
C) Your meaning is unclear; you should rework the document for more clarity.
D) Your method of organizing information is inappropriate for the subject.

Question 41

Within 48 hours of the completion of a typical 10-minute conversation,people tend to forget ________ of the content.

A) 75%
B) 25%
C) 15%
D) 50%

Question 42

In part,ineffective listening is caused because ________.

A) people are uninterested in the subject matter
B) people are unable to think originally
C) people think faster than they speak
D) of all of the above

Question 43

Which listener listens passively?

A) The reluctant listener
B) The effective listener
C) The ineffective listener
D) The surface listener

Question 44

Most of us listen ________.

A) better when we are tired
B) better when the subject matter is complex
C) very effectively since it is such an easy skill
D) very ineffectively, remembering about half of what we hear

Question 45

Which listeners interrupt whenever they disagree or don't understand?

A) Effective listeners
B) Surface listeners
C) Reluctant listeners
D) Ineffective listeners

Question 46

Which listener judges content and not delivery?

A) The effective listener
B) The reluctant listener
C) The ineffective listener
D) The surface listener

Question 47

Which listener makes little or no eye contact?

A) The ineffective listener
B) The reluctant listener
C) The effective listener
D) The surface listener

Question 48

Which of the following is a barrier to effective listening?

A) Maturity
B) Attentiveness
C) Selectiveness
D) All of the above

Question 49

The receiving element in the listening process can be blocked by ________.

A) poor acoustics
B) noise
C) inattention
D) all of the above

Question 50

The ineffective listener ________.

A) takes detailed notes
B) nods a lot
C) asks questions
D) listens with the same style in every situation

Question 51

Effective listeners ________.

A) fight to avoid distractions
B) take complete notes
C) judge content and skip over delivery errors
D) do none of the above

Question 52

Which of the following is a trait of effective listening?

A) Listening to someone who is speaking while ignoring other sounds.
B) Paraphrasing the speaker's ideas at the end of the presentation.
C) Finding areas of interest in common with someone sitting beside you.
D) Interrupting the speaker

Question 53

All of the following are elements in the listening process EXCEPT ________.

A) interpreting
B) evaluating
C) remembering
D) focusing

Question 54

In selective listening,the listeners ________.

A) tend to take control of the conversation
B) distort the message by tuning out anything that doesn't confirm their assumptions
C) tune out until they hear something that gets their attention
D) do all of the above

Question 55

Which listener mentally paraphrases key points?

A) The ineffective listener
B) The surface listener
C) The reluctant listener
D) The effective listener

Question 56

Which listener doodles or draws instead of taking notes?

A) The surface listener
B) The ineffective listener
C) The reluctant listener
D) The effective listener

Question 57

Which listener exhibits an active body state like nodding for example?

A) The ineffective listener
B) The effective listener
C) The reluctant listener
D) The surface listener

Question 58

Jennifer isn't impressed by her professor's mismatched suit of tweed and stripes and his voice is so boring it drives her crazy.Jennifer is an example of ________.

A) the surface listener
B) the reluctant listener
C) the effective listener
D) the ineffective listener

Question 59

Nicholas and his team need to write and design a small brochure for an insurance plan.Which of the following methods is the ideal way to go about this?

A) Allocate every task, from planning to writing, equally among all members of the team.
B) Assign parts of the project to certain members and allow them to decide the concept and write in their own styles.
C) Outline the brochure together but assign the task of writing to one person.
D) Divide the writing equally among all team members and have each person review another person's work.

Question 60

Most people listen at or below an efficiency rate of ________.

A) 25%
B) 50%
C) 75%
D) 85%

Question 61

Identify the one statement below that is a valid claim concerning touching behaviour.

A) It can always be interpreted as sexual harassment.
B) Lower-status personnel are less likely to touch than higher-status employees.
C) It conceals warmth, comfort, and reassurance.
D) The norms for touching behaviour are predictable.

Question 62

Which of the following is a form of nonverbal communication?

A) Touching behaviour
B) Education
C) Language
D) All of the above

Question 63

Which of the following is true for the use of mobile phones in the workplace?

A) Mobile phones have the potential to boost productivity if used mindfully.
B) Texting during meetings is now an accepted practice in offices.
C) Mobile phone etiquette demands that all incoming calls are answered immediately.
D) Restrictions on mobile phone use during meetings drain productivity.

Question 64

Groupthink leads team members to set aside their personal opinions and go along with everyone else,even if everyone else is wrong.

Question 65

Anita is an active listener.She tries to ________.

A) turn off her biases and filters
B) truly hear and understand the message
C) fidgets
D) A and B

Question 66

Teams contribute to performance levels because teams can be better at performing complex problem solving than top-performing individuals.

Question 67

Teams with interpersonal conflict can still be effective if the leadership is effective and members are committed.

Question 68

Ellen is the moderator of her company's complaints forum.Customers post their queries or complaints on the forum,and Ellen provides answers or solutions.Which of the following guidelines must Ellen follow?

A) Always start new topics on the original thread; don't change threads.
B) Use acronyms to save time and make it easier for readers to skim through.
C) Focus on the subject at hand, not on personal characteristics of respondents.
D) In order to save time for readers, avoid providing supporting statements.

Question 69

In a meeting with colleagues,Tom was presenting his ideas for gathering detailed information on customers.Tom feels strongly that having detailed profiles of each customer will dramatically increase sales; however,while the general reception of Tom's ideas were positive,several concerns were expressed over privacy.In a later report,Tom made no mention of these concerns.It is possible that during the meeting,Tom was ________.

A) listening selectively
B) perceiving selectively or defensively
C) listening deceptively
D) demonstrating arrogance

Question 70

A key to good listening is to pay attention to verbal and nonverbal clues,and ask yourself which of the following?

A) Do they contradict each other?
B) Are they infallible?
C) Are they problematic?
D) Do they amplify each other?

Question 71

Which of the following is a violation of workplace etiquette?

A) Switching off mobile phones during meetings
B) Multitasking while using IM for business communication
C) Avoiding the use of "reply all" when replying to emails
D) Using virus protection when sending a file

Question 72

Which of the following statements about workplace etiquette is true?

A) Dress codes in the workplace only matter if you interact with clients daily.
B) Using strong perfumes, shampoos, or after-shaves is acceptable as long as no one is allergic to them.
C) Personal appearance in the workplace sends a strong signal to colleagues and customers; therefore, you should dress as differently from other people as possible.
D) Dressing modestly and simply is always recommended, whatever the company dress code.

Question 73

Teams are appropriate in every situation in today's global workplace.

Question 74

Identify the one item below that is a method for improving your nonverbal communication.

A) Smile all the time.
B) Grasp the different meanings of common gestures in various cultures.
C) Use touch often.
D) Maintain the eye contact.

Question 75

Which of the following is good etiquette for online business communications?

A) Use informal and nonstandard spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
B) Multitask while using IM or other tools.
C) Always use the "reply all" function to reply to emails.
D) Assume that what you type will be read by your boss or the security staff.

Question 76

Which of the following is NOT true of cell phone etiquette?

A) It is appropriate to use your device during meetings if you are expected to participate in a back channel conversation.
B) It is appropriate to use your device in meetings to take notes so long as you have explained this to the meeting leader.
C) It is appropriate to use your device in meetings if you are accomplishing other tasks by multitasking efficiently.
D) Avoid obnoxious ring tones or answering your phone in potentially offensive places such as restrooms.

Question 77

If your boss is late and makes you wait for her at meeting after meeting,she could be trying to ________.

A) be deferential
B) show her own importance
C) work all the time
D) all of the above

Question 78

Which of the following is proper etiquette during a business meal?

A) Using a mobile phone for other business calls.
B) Discussing subjects like politics or religion at the beginning of the meal.
C) Making conversation by asking personal questions.
D) Only answering urgent calls during the meeting.

Question 79

You can always achieve the purpose of organizational communication most effectively through group meetings.

Question 80

While working in teams is productive for the individual,the group effort is less creative than an individual effort.