Deck 2: Mastering Interpersonal Communication

Question 1

In participative management

A) all top-level managers participate in profit sharing.
B) an authoritarian management model is used.
C) teams are discouraged in favor of individual achievement.
D) employees are involved in the company's decision making.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Group members who are motivated mainly to fulfill personal needs play a

A) coordinating role.
B) self-oriented role.
C) task-facilitating role.
D) team-maintenance role.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The first phase that a team typically goes through is

A) conflict.
B) brainstorming.
C) reinforcement.
D) orientation.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

A hidden agenda refers to

A) a meeting agenda that is not revealed to others outside the meeting group.
B) individuals harboring motives that are concealed from the rest of the group.
C) an approach to group dynamics that helps facilitate group functioning.
D) an agenda that members must look for before they can attend a meeting.

Question 5

The primary difference between constructive feedback and destructive feedback is

A) constructive feedback can hurt people's feelings.
B) constructive feedback is focused on the people involved.
C) destructive feedback is focused on the process and outcomes of communication .
D) destructive feedback delivers criticism with no guidance for improvement.

Question 6

When composing collaborative messages, the best strategy is to

A) begin by letting all members "do their own thing" and then seeing what they all produce.
B) avoid writing as a group.
C) make the team as large as possible so that every possible area of expertise will be covered.
D) let all members use their own preferred software.

Question 7

A meeting agenda

A) should be circulated before the meeting, providing participants with enough time to prepare.
B) is only a guideline, and deviations are common and expected.
C) is a formality that most groups skip these days.
D) should be general rather than specific.

Question 8

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) the best way to deal with a conflict.
B) a win-lose situation.
C) the five-step decision-making process.
D) all of the above.

Question 9

When conducting a meeting

A) if some people dominate the conversation, let them do so, since they are probably the most knowledgeable attendees.
B) if some people are too quiet, leave them alone; they probably have nothing to contribute.
C) try to simply act as an observer, and let the meeting "run itself."
D) do none of the above.

Question 10

When it comes to overcoming resistance to change in groups, it is a good idea to

A) hold off dealing with minor problems until the conflict becomes major.
B) avoid all conflict in the first place.
C) encourage participants to repress their emotions about the situation.
D) deal directly with resistance.

Question 11

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) coordinating role.
B) task-oriented role.
C) self-oriented role.
D) team-maintenance role.

Question 12

Social networking technologies that are specifically designed for business are best used to

A) help dissatisfied employees air their complaints.
B) discourage socializing so individual employees can reach their full potential.
C) discourage employees from socializing at work.
D) create virtual communities.

Question 13

You and several coworkers serve on a task force charged with updating the company personnel policy manual. To proceed effectively, you should concentrate on

A) ensuring that all members have a clear and shared sense of purpose.
B) making other team members feel good.
C) pointing out as many typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors as possible.
D) doing all of the above.

Question 14

"Virtual offices" that give everyone on a team access to the same set of resources and information are called

A) instant messaging software.
B) shared workspaces.
C) videoconferencing systems.
D) none of the above.

Question 15

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) Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
B) Robert's Rules of Order
C) Fundamental Meeting Management
D) SEC Standards of Ethics

Question 16

Groupthink refers to

A) the basic rules that underlie a group's behavior and guide the group to make its decisions that operates primarily in large groups but can also be seen in small groups.
B) the willingness of individual group members to withhold contrary or unpopular opinions, even when those objections are legitimate, and to favor majority opinion.
C) software programs that help groups make decisions.
D) the four-step decision-making process in groups.

Question 17

Use of parliamentary procedure

A) is only useful for meetings with more than a dozen participants.
B) tends to slow meetings down.
C) helps meetings run more smoothly.
D) contributes to dissent among participants.

Question 18

Which of the following is not a way teams help organizations to succeed?

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

Question 19

The key to a productive meeting is careful planning that addresses

A) its participants.
B) its location and agenda.
C) its purpose.
D) all of the above.

Question 20

________ are informal standards of conduct that team members share.

A) Group norms
B) Robert's Rules
C) Group maintenance roles
D) Rules of parliamentary procedure

Question 21

When it comes to online etiquette,

A) avoiding "flames" is really all that matters.
B) you can rest assured that there's almost nothing you can do that will offend your audience.
C) do not assume that people are available to discuss work matters around the clock.
D) spelling, punctuation, and capitalization are not important.

Question 22

Which of the following meeting technologies would be most effective for negotiations, collaborative problem solving, and other complex discussions?

A) Telepresence
B) Instant messaging
C) Teleconference
D) None of the above

Question 23

If you are listening mainly to understand the speaker's message, you are engaging in

A) empathic listening.
B) active listening.
C) content listening.
D) critical listening.

Question 24

One characteristic of effective teams is that one leader tends to take charge and make all the major decisions.

Question 25

Touch

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

Question 26

Selective listening refers to

A) letting one's mind wander until something personally relevant is said.
B) a highly focused form of listening.
C) listening only long enough to get a word in edgewise.
D) a form of defensive listening.

Question 27

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) sustained listening.
C) empathic listening.
D) critical listening.

Question 28

Cross-functional teams perform several roles, but contain employees from the same department or division.

Question 29

If you are engaging in critical listening, your goal is to

A) understand and retain information.
B) evaluate the logic and validity of the message.
C) understand the speaker's feelings, needs, and wants.
D) appreciate the speaker's point of view.

Question 30

Solving a temporary problem involving office renovations would call for the formation of a task force rather than a committee.

Question 31

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 height and weight
D) Your telephone skills

Question 32

When introducing yourself to someone in a business context, you should always include a brief description of

A) your role in the company.
B) one of your personal interests or hobbies.
C) your company's history.
D) all of the above.

Question 33

A new co-worker from Russia asks you about North American greeting customs. You explain that in most business contexts,

A) it is not necessary to stand up before shaking hands if you are already seated.
B) women are expected to shake hands differently than men.
C) shaking hands is now widely regarded as an outdated custom.
D) a firm handshake is expected when two people meet.

Question 34

Using mobile phones during meetings is

A) now restricted or prohibited in many organizations.
B) routine in today's high-tech workplace.
C) an effective way to show your professionalism.
D) all of the above.

Question 35

A team consists of two or more people who share a mission and the responsibility for working to achieve their goals.

Question 36

Teams usually achieve lower performance levels than what would have been accomplished by the members working independently.

Question 37

When receiving business-related phone calls,

A) it is perfectly acceptable to put the caller on hold without explanation.
B) you should use frequent verbal responses (such as, "I see") to show that you are listening.
C) it is impolite to say things such as, "I understand" while the other person is speaking.
D) do none of the above.

Question 38

Within 48 hours, people tend to forget approximately ________ percent of what was said in a 10-minute conversation.

A) 1
B) 50
C) 90
D) 10

Question 39

In part, poor listening occurs because listeners

A) can think faster than speakers can speak.
B) are unable to think originally.
C) concentrate on each word the speaker says, rather than the overall point.
D) do all of the above.

Question 40

The first step in the basic listening process is

A) encoding the message.
B) evaluating the message.
C) physically receiving the message.
D) interpreting the message.

Question 41

Good listeners specialize in one of the three types of listening and apply it to nearly all situations.

Question 42

Group members who play team-maintenance roles help everyone to work better together.

Question 43

With collaborative writing, the usual outcome is a document that is inferior to one that would have been produced by a single individual.

Question 44

If you are trying to solve a problem or make a decision, the more people in your meeting the better.

Question 45

In the phenomenon of groupthink, the team may arrive at poor-quality decisions and even act unethically.

Question 46

A wiki is a website that allows anyone with access to add new material and edit existing material in collaborative documents.

Question 47

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

Question 48

Dealing directly with resistance to change is never good for team maintenance.

Question 49

Unproductive meetings are rare in today's business environment.

Question 50

Group members who play task-facilitating roles are motivated to fulfill personal needs, so they tend to be less productive than other members.

Question 51

When making a decision, groups usually go through five phases: orientation, conflict, brainstorm, emergence, and reinforcement.

Question 52

Although virtual meetings have become popular, evidence suggests that companies do not save much money by utilizing them.

Question 53

To resolve conflict successfully, it helps to get feelings out in the open before dealing with the main issues.

Question 54

The goal of content listening is to evaluate the logic, validity, and implications of a message.

Question 55

Despite the advantages of teamwork, the costs can be high.

Question 56

To resolve conflicts successfully, it is helpful to get opponents to fight together against an "outside force" (such as increased competition) instead of against each other.

Question 57

Cloud computing offers little that can affect how teams conduct virtual meetings.

Question 58

In productive teams, conflict is always handled politely--regardless of how strongly team members feel about their viewpoints.

Question 59

Conflict between persons or groups in an organization is always destructive and must be avoided at all costs.

Question 60

Now that technology is so vital in the workplace, few executives view listening as an important skill.

Question 61

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).

Question 62

________ refers to working together to meet complex challenges.

Question 63

________ management is a way of involving employees in the company's decision making.

Question 64

Some group members have ________ ________ made up of private motives that affect the group's interaction.

Question 65

Teams need to learn how to handle ________ : clashes over differences in ideas, opinions, goals, or procedures.

Question 66

Most people need to improve their listening skills.

Question 67

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

Question 68

Group ________ are the interactions and processes that take place in a meeting.

Question 69

Most audiences are unable to process information as quickly as a speaker talks, so they get behind in comprehending what the speaker is saying.

Question 70

When planning a meeting, the group leader prepares a(n) ________ of items to discuss, topics to present, or decisions to make.

Question 71

Group ________ are informal standards of conduct that members share and that guide member behavior.

Question 72

________ procedure is a time-tested method for planning and running effective meetings.

Question 73

When conducting business over a meal, you should wait to bring out business papers until after the entrée plates have been removed.

Question 74

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

Question 75

The primary goal of empathic listening is to solve the speaker's problem.

Question 76

Nonverbal communication includes facial expressions and hand gestures, but not the clothes people wear, the way they sit, or the way they walk.

Question 77

The use of time and space can send powerful nonverbal signals.

Question 78

These days, no one is bothered when employees use mobile phones in meetings.

Question 79

Selective listening is an important skill for professionals, since it helps them filter out information that is not relevant to their jobs.

Question 80

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.