Organizational Behavior, Version 1.1
Bauer & Erdogan
FWK Test Item File
Chapter 8
TRUE/FALSE
1. Communication is the process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.
(True)
2. The best approach to delivering bad news in the workplace, such as a downsizing decision, is a written one like e-mail.
(False)
3. Research indicates that communication ability is related to a manager’s performance.
(True)
4. Deficient interpersonal communication was a factor in 70-80% of all accidents over the past 20 years.
(True)
5. Though employees seem more satisfied when their company communicates with them about issues that impact them, effective communication does little to improve the firm’s market value.
(False)
6. The communication process is very complex, and thus presents almost insurmountable challenges to understanding and controlling it.
(False)
7. The sender in the communication process is totally responsible for successful, effective communication between the sender and receiver.
(False)
8. In the communication process, noise is found only in the external environment of the communication situation.
(False)
9. Filtering, emotional disconnects, and lack of credibility are all barriers to effective communication.
(True)
10. Selective perception is the personal filtering of what we see and hear so as to suit our own needs.
(True)
11. Nancy goes to work at her job at the university after the December holiday break. She opens her email and finds 312 emails after her vacation. Nancy is experiencing information overload.
(True)
12. The EEOC is an acronym for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the Human Resource area.
(True)
13. Men like to ask questions before starting a project; women just “jump right in.”
(False)
14. Men tend to focus more on data in their communications, while women focus on intuition.
(True)
15. The word or term “secretary” is an example of biased language.
(True)
16. Listening is an art, not a skill, and thus individuals cannot be trained to be better listeners.
(False)
17. The phrase, “You had better…” is a communication freezer because it is somewhat threatening.
(True)
18. There are two types of communication in organizations: verbal and written.
(False)
19. Storytelling is largely an ineffective means of communication as receivers perceive the senders to be largely unable to control the process.
(False)
20. Crucial conversations are discussions where the stakes are high, so opinions need to be in line with the majority in the group.
(False)
21. Verbal communication is largely asynchronous.
(False)
22. Written communication is the most often used form of communication in business.
(False)
23. People speak much faster than they hear words.
(False)
24. Nonverbal communication is at least as important as verbal communication.
(True)
25. If I emphasize the word “Max” in the following sentence, “I did not tell Max you were late,” it could suggest that I might have implied it to anyone listening.
(False)
26. There are cultural differences in the use of nonverbal communication elements like body language and facial expression.
(True)
27. Proxemics suggests that standing at an intimate distance to a colleague increases communication effectiveness.
(False)
28. The most information-rich communication channel is a formal written document like a report.
(False)
29. A face-to-face information channel is high in information richness.
(True)
30. Written communication is best utilized when the ideas are simple.
(False)
31. In a business e-mail, using a subject line is often unnecessary as it may create unrealistic expectations about the message content.
(False)
32. Communication flows upward, downward, and laterally in an organization, but it is not possible for communication to flow diagonally.
(False)
33. Written and verbal communication tends to seek, give, or exchange information.
(True)
34. A press release generally appears to be independent of its sender.
(True)
35. People are not happy when something unexpected happens, but they are less upset when things are somewhat hidden.
(False)
36. In crisis situations, it is extremely important that an executive be the spokesperson for the firm.
(True)
37. Communication methods and forms differ little across cultures.
(False)
38. A nonverbal gesture, like the “OK symbol” made in the United States, could be offensive in another culture.
(True)
39. In China, as in the United States, direct eye contact is important in a communication situation.
(False)
40. The sentence construction of the “Isn’t it?” question we ask in the United States is confusing for non-native speakers.
(True)
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Opening Section: You’ve Got Mail…and You’re Fired! The Case of RadioShack
|
41. Which of the following statements about communicating downsizing decisions is INCORRECT?
a. Employee termination should be conducted in a standardized and consistent manner, so using e-mails is a highly acceptable technique.
b. The communication of employee termination decisions requires careful crafting of the message and its delivery.
c. Many firms have outsourced the employee termination process to third parties.
d. A number of new terms have been developed which attempt to convey the employee termination decision in a softer, more impersonal manner.
(a) Difficult/Synthesis
| Section I: Understanding Communication |
42. Which of the following statements about communication is correct?
a. Communication is the process by which information is exchanged between individuals, through a common system of symbols, signs or behavior.
b. Miscommunication is an annoyance, but seldom has serious consequences.
c. Between 10 and 20 percent of a manager’s time is spent communicating.
d. Communication ability is particularly important in lower levels of organizations.
(a) Medium/Analysis
43. Research on communication indicates all of the following EXCEPT
a. Poor communication can lead to lawsuits.
b. Effective communication skills are the top skills sought by recruiters today.
c. Poor communication is seen as a causal factor in 70-80% of all accidents.
d. Although good communication helps retain effective performers, it does not increase a firm’s market share.
(d) Difficult/Evaluation
44. Communication fulfills all of the following organizational functions EXCEPT
a. transmitting information.
b. sharing emotions.
c. control.
d. coordination.
(c) Easy/Comprehension
45. In the communication process model, the task of translating an idea into words is called
a. decoding.
b. encoding.
c. medium.
d. noise.
(b) Easy/Knowledge
46. The individual originating a message is called the
a. sender.
b. encoder.
c. receiver.
d. decoder.
(a) Easy/Knowledge
47. Jason sent an email to his mother, “Ur never going 2 believe this. That prof gave me no credit for my paper. I h8 him.” (with emoticons included). When his mother got the e-mail, it took her quite some time to decipher the message. Jason should have considered his audience when he _________ the message.
a. decoded
b. validated
c. received
d. encoded
(d) Easy/Comprehension
48. Ariel was writing a paper at her laptop when the phone rang. She answered it but kept writing as she talked. It was a friend who needed an assignment that had been given last week. Ariel e-mailed her the assignment. A second e-mail just arrived from the friend, which said: “I said the assignment for Monday, this is Wednesday’s.” Ariel likely made the mistake because of the _________ in her communication situation.
a. message.
b. noise.
c. sender.
d. feedback.
(b) Easy/Analysis
A professor decides to save paper by posting her syllabus on the university’s web-based course application program instead of printing it and handing it out during the first class. She sends an e-mail to all her students prior to the actual start of the course that reads, “Your syllabus is available on Courseweb. I will go over that syllabus during the first class but, since I am attempting to conserve paper, will not make a copy available to you. Students however, are welcome to print out their own copy of the syllabus.”
49. In this scenario, the professor has what role in the communication process?
a. receiver
b. medium
c. decoder
d. sender
(d) Easy/Application
50. Given the above scenario, the students have what role in the communication process?
a. receiver
b. medium
c. decoder
d. sender
(a) Easy/Application
51. The email sent by the professor represents what aspect of the communication model?
a. feedback
b. noise
c. medium
d. decoding
(c) Easy/Application
52. Students come to class and ask why they are not receiving syllabi. This question represents what aspect of the communication model?
a. noise
b. feedback
c. medium
d. message
(b) Medium/Application
53. If students try to go online to view the syllabus and the university’s computer system keeps shutting down on them as they read the syllabus, the students are dealing with what aspect of the communication model?
a. message
b. medium
c. feedback
d. noise
(d) Difficult/Application
| Section II: Communication Barriers |
54. Which of the following is not a barrier to communication?
a. filtering
b. intention of communication
c. selective perception
d. jargon
(b) Easy/Comprehension
55. Jason received the sales report and noted how badly the southern sector performed. As he prepared the a presentation for the weekly executive meeting, Jason decided to focus his remarks on the northern and western sectors, which had record sales levels, and refrain from mentioning the southern numbers. This scenario focuses on the communication barrier of
a. filtering.
b. selective perception.
c. emotional disconnects.
d. semantics.
(a) Medium/Analysis
56. Which of the following statements about filtering information is INCORRECT?
a. Filtering is withholding information to manage a person’s reactions.
b. Filtering prevents people from getting a complete picture of a situation.
c. People tend to filter downward communication more than upward communication.
d. To maximize the chances of sending effective communication, it is advisable to use multiple channels to send it.
(c) Medium/Analysis
57. Which of the following is not a criterion that individuals may use in deciding whether or not to filter a message?
a. past experience
b. month of the year
c. emotional state, involvement with the topic and level of attention
d. knowledge and perception of speaker
(b) Medium/Comprehension
58. Martin is the financial director of the small business. He recently read a memo from one department presenting a new idea for a product. During the discussion on the item afterward, Martin kept focusing on the cost of producing and marketing that product. The barrier facing Martin in this scenario is
a. filtering.
b. selective perception.
c. emotional disconnects.
d. semantics.
(b) Medium/Comprehension
59. The personal filtering of what we see and hear so as to suit our own needs is
a. filtering.
b. semantics.
c. selective perception.
d. information overload.
(c) Easy/Knowledge
60. Martha’s mom asks her to go to the grocery store for her. Martha agrees and heads upstairs to get ready. Before she leaves her house, she sits down at her desk to check her e-mail and receives a text message from her friend Nancy to turn on the television and see the story about their friend, Jill. As the story about Jill comes on, Martha’s mom comes in and asks Martha to get her an eight-ounce can of diced tomatoes. Martha smiles at Mom and nods and listens to the story on television as she e-mails Sandra and picks up her phone to text Nancy. When Martha gets to the store, she heads to the tomato aisle and stands in front of the pureed tomatoes trying to remember if mom wanted an 8- or 16-ounce can. This scenario depicts which barrier to communication?
a. filtering
b. selective perception
c. semantics
d. information overload
(d) Medium/Application
61. Bill is speaking to a group of fellow marketing specialists at a national convention. He opens his presentation with a dumb blonde joke. Unfortunately, there is dead silence in the room. Bill did not fully address which barrier to communication in preparing his speech?
a. filtering
b. selective perception
c. lack of source familiarity or credibility
d. semantics
(c) Medium/Application
62. Which of the following statements about workplace gossip is not correct?
a. Research finds that only a minimal amount of workplace communication occurs at the grapevine level.
b. Politically motivated employees use the grapevine to disseminate self-promoting information in the organization.
c. Employees trust their peers as a source of information.
d. Managers can control and manipulate the grapevine if they understand it.
(a) Medium/Analysis
63. The acronym SOX refers to what? If you are not clear, then you have been impacted by a communication barrier. Which one?
a. selective perception
b. lack of source familiarity or credibility
c. filtering
d. semantics
(d) Medium/Application
64. Men and women tend to differ in their communication styles. Which of the following statements regarding those differences is correct?
a. Women focus more on competition in their communication; men on cooperation.
b. Women use metaphors from the home; men from work.
c. Women focus on intuition in communicating; men on data.
d. Men focus on requests in their communication; women on orders.
(c) Medium/Analysis
65. Which of the following terms is an example to biased language?
a. salesman
b. cleaner
c. nurse
d. engineer
(a) Medium/Application
66. Which of the following statements about listening is correct?
a. Listening takes practice and concentration.
b. Managers listen up to 70% of their day.
c. Listening skills are related to promotions.
d. All of the above
(d) Medium/Analysis
67. A communication receiver who is preparing his comment or answer and not really listening to the sender is
a. using jargon.
b. using semantics.
c. biased.
d. rehearsing.
(d) Easy/Comprehension
68. All of the following are rules for active listening EXCEPT
a. find areas of agreement with the speaker.
b. listen for feelings.
c. note all cues.
d. listen for message content.
(a) Medium/Analysis
69. Active listening involves
a. interrupting the message sender to clarify what she is saying.
b. giving partial attention to the sender so you can be thinking about your response.
c. refraining from asking senders any questions about their messages.
d. taking time to understand the points being made.
(d) Medium/Analysis
70. Listening
a. is an art, not a skill, and cannot be learned.
b. does not require close attention to the sender so multitasking is possible.
c. can be demonstrated to the sender by nonverbal signals like the nod of a head.
d. creates a bond between communicators, but does not increase communication flow or accuracy.
(c) Difficult/Analysis
71. Which of the following pieces of advice is not a tip to improve your listening habits?
a. Start by stopping.
b. Think about what you will say when the time comes.
c. Don’t multitask during listening.
d. Empathize with the sender’s viewpoint.
(b) Medium/Evaluation
72. Maria is conducting a seminar on active listening. She is preparing a list of ways to improve one’s active listening. Which of the following statements is not on her list?
a. To not be rude, do not ask questions of the sender.
b. Establish eye contact.
c. Pay attention to what is not said.
d. Be surprised.
(a) Medium/Evaluation
73. Which of the following would freeze a conversation?
a. giving praise
b. asking questions
c. empathizing with the other person
d. telling the other person what to do
(d) Medium/Evaluation
74. All of the following would freeze a conversation EXCEPT
a. You think you have problems!
b. You are very skilled at that.
c. You’re jealous.
d. You had better listen.
(b) Difficult/Synthesis
75. Which of the following statements about communication barriers is correct?
a. Employees are often eager to share bad news with those above them in an organization to get credit for discovering potential problems.
b. Jargon spoken between people from different areas and backgrounds helps them forge a professional bond.
c. Managers can use grapevine to send and receive messages.
d. Men often jump right into a project while women ask a lot of questions before beginning.
(d) Difficult/Synthesis
76. Which of the following statements about communication barriers is correct?
a. men focus on intuition to make decisions, women on data.
b. a receiver who is emotionally upset still clearly receives communication from the sender.
c. there are very few words that inflame or insult people.
d. selective perception is a time saver, but it can lead to mistakes.
(d) Difficult/Synthesis
| Section III: Different Types of Communication and Channels |
77. Which of the following is not a type of communication?
a. verbal
b. direct
c. nonverbal
d. written
(b) Easy/Knowledge
78. Anna is placing her workgroup’s lunch order over the phone with the Pizza Shoppe. She is using what type of communication?
a. verbal
b. direct
c. nonverbal
d. written
(a) Easy/Comprehension
79. Storytelling is an effective form of communication for which of the following situations?
a. assigning tasks to an employee
b. explaining the benefit package changes to employees
c. orienting new employees to the company’s culture
d. correcting an employee’s approach to a project
(c) Difficult/Synthesis
80. Which of the following statements about storytelling is INCORRECT?
a. Storytelling helps construct common meanings for individuals in an organization.
b. The more frequently stories are shared in an organization, the lower the organizational commitment.
c. The greater the strength of the stories shared in an organization, the greater the organization commitment.
d. The higher quality story relayed by an entrepreneur, the greater the ability to secure capital for his firm.
(b) Medium/Analysis
81. An example of a crucial conversation is
a. asking for a raise
b. taking part in a weekly meeting
c. assigning weekly work to an employee
d. chatting about the company’s latest email on the firm’s holiday party plans
(a) Easy/Comprehension
82. All of the following are aspects of crucial conversations EXCEPT
a. crucial conversations are ones where opinions vary and emotions run strong.
b. high stakes conversations require more planning, reflection and skill than many other types of verbal communication.
c. communications experts suggest using “but” not “and” in crucial conversations.
d. crucial conversations require flexible communication styles to be most effective.
(c) Medium/Evaluation
83. Nina is a career counselor in a university’s career development office. She is making recommendations to a student in a career planning session related to improving the quality of the student’s conversation. Which piece of advice should be deleted from Nina’s list?
a. Speak more than the receiver.
b. Ask questions.
c. Use eye contact and smile.
d. Be receptive to new ideas.
(a) Medium/Application
84. A memo is an example of
a. verbal communication.
b. direct communication.
c. nonverbal communication.
d. written communication.
(d) Easy/Knowledge
85. Communication that is asynchronous
a. is written for one receiver, but can be read by many.
b. is written for one receiver and read by one receiver.
c. is written by the sender and can be read any time by the receiver.
d. is written for many but often read by only a few.
(c) Easy/Knowledge
86. Which of the following statements about written and verbal communication is correct?
a. Verbal communication is constructed over a longer period of time than written.
b. Written communication is better at conveying feelings than verbal communication.
c. Humans listen faster than they speak.
d. Written communication is used more often than oral communication.
(c) Medium/Analysis
87. Which of the following statements regarding verbal and written communication is true?
a. Written communication is an inherently flawed medium for conveying specific facts.
b. Individuals hear about 150 words per minute, but speak around 400–500 per minute.
c. It is very difficult to teach individuals to write clearly.
d. Over ninety percent of employers consider writing a key skill for hiring new employees.
(d) Medium/Analysis
88. What has research shown to be true about nonverbal communication?
a. Nonverbal cues are only minimally important.
b. Our gestures and other nonverbal movements are largely habitual and really do not convey much to your audience.
c. When individuals are lying, they blink more frequently, shift their feet, and shrug more often.
d. Only 7% of our message is conveyed through nonverbal communication while 55% is conveyed through the actual words of the message.
(c) Medium/Analysis
89. In the sentence, “I did not tell the teacher you were cheating,” if the word “I” was emphasized by the tone of your voice, what are you implying?
a. Someone else told the teacher you were cheating.
b. I was talking about someone else.
c. I told the teacher you were cheating.
d. I may have implied it.
(a) Difficult/Synthesis
90. Which of the following statements about nonverbal cues is INCORRECT?
a. If your posture mirrors that of the person to whom you are speaking, it shows you are not listening and generally, not paying attention to that speaker.
b. Happiness is conveyed through facial expressions of an upturned mouth and slightly closed eyes.
c. In some countries, like the United States, direct eye contact conveys trustworthiness.
d. In many parts of the world, simple touch is a necessary, positive part of doing business.
(a) Medium/Evaluation
91. You are part of a marketing team that has just secured a contract for a national ad campaign. The client firm is holding a luncheon to celebrate the contract signing and you are attending. According to Edward Hall’s work, what distance will you maintain from members of the client firm as you network with them?
a. personal
b. social
c. intimate
d. public
(a) Medium/Application
92. Information-rich channels convey more
a. verbal information.
b. nonverbal information.
c. effective information.
d. ineffective information.
(b) Difficult/Comprehension
93. Effective managers tend to use more
a. information-rich channels.
b. verbal channels.
c. written channels.
d. nonverbal channels.
(a) Medium/Application
94. Which of the following communication channels would be the most information-rich?
a. Written letters.
b. Handheld devices.
c. E-mails.
d. Videoconferencing.
(d) Medium/Knowledge
95. Which of the following communication channels has the lowest information richness?
a. emails
b. formal written documents
c. blogs
d. telephone conversation
(b) Medium/Knowledge
96. Marcus wants a record of his communication and is not physically near the person to whom he is communicating. He knows it will take the recipient of his communication some time to understand the message conveyed. What communication channel should Marcus utilize?
a. written report
b. meeting
c. telephone conversation
d. blog
(a) Difficult/Synthesis
97. Nancy is the human resource manager at Alba Company. She needs to lay off twenty employees who are all located at her facility. Which communication channel should she use to deliver the layoff information?
a. telephone conversation
b. e-mail
c. face-to-face conversation
d. videoconferencing
(c) Difficult/Synthesis
98. Verbal communication should be used when
a. immediate feedback is needed.
b. conveying facts.
c. ideas are complicated.
d. no feedback is needed.
(a) Medium/Comprehension
99. Written communication should be used when
a. there is time urgency.
b. ideas are simple.
c. emotions or feelings need to be conveyed.
d. facts need to be conveyed.
(d) Medium/Comprehension
100. Which of the following statements about e-mail is INCORRECT?
a. Over 100 million American adults use e-mail at least once a day.
b. Some companies are so concerned about the amount of e-mail their employees receive that they are instituting “no e-mail Fridays.”
c. E-mail is the most popular medium of communication today.
d. A large portion of e-mails received are either scam or spam attempts.
(c) Medium/Analysis
101. Which of the following is not a piece of good advice regarding business e-mails?
a. Do not sign off your e-mails with a closing like “Thank you”; it just wastes space. Simply send your contact information.
b. Do not place anything in an e-mail you would not want the world to see.
c. Do not use capital letters for your message.
d. Do not hit the send button until you check your e-mail.
(a) Medium/Analysis
102. Communication usually travels diagonally to
a. supervisors.
b. coworkers.
c. subordinates.
d. other departments.
(d) Easy/Knowledge
103. Which of the following is not a function of business communication?
a. creating information
b. exchanging information
c. seeking information
d. giving information
(a) Easy/Knowledge
104. Recent surveys indicate that managers spend a majority of their time communicating with what group?
a. those external to the organization
b. superiors
c. subordinates
d. others that are internal to the firm (e.g., those in other departments).
(c) Medium/Analysis
105. Which of the following is not an example of external communications?
a. ads
b. press release
c. attitude surveys
d. web page
(c) Easy/Knowledge
106. External communication about a client’s product or service created for a specific receiver is
a. a company report
b. a web page
c. an ad
d. a press release
(d) Easy/Knowledge
107. An external communication that combines the look of an article with the focused message of an ad is
a. a web page.
b. an advertorial.
c. a press release.
d. a sweepstakes form.
(b) Easy/Knowledge
108. Which of the following statements regarding external communications is INCORRECT?
a. Press releases are sometimes constructed without acknowledging the sender’s identity.
b. Ad fees are based on the perceived value of the audience who watches, reads or listens to the channel where the ad appears.
c. The key to a successful external communication to customers is to keep the business message formal and professional.
d. Blogs are growing in popularity, so much so that some firms have created official positions for those bloggers.
(c) Medium/Evaluation
| Section IV: The Role of Ethics and Culture during Communication |
109. Which of the following statements regarding communication and ethics is INCORRECT?
a. Ethical, forthright communication by an organization should occur internally as well as externally.
b. A high profile employee, such as an executive, should be the chief external communicator during a crisis situation for a firm.
c. People are unhappy with the occurrence of the unexpected, but are even more unhappy when they find out someone tried to hide it.
d. Exxon Oil is widely recognized as having been successful communicators during the Valdez incident.
(d) Difficult/Evaluation
110. Which of the following statements regarding cross cultural communication is INCORRECT?
a. Nonverbal communication is consistent across cultures.
b. The question “Isn’t it?” should be avoided by English speakers with non-English speaking colleagues.
c. Low situational context cultures, like the United States, “get down to business” in negotiating deals.
d. Within the same culture, words can be misunderstood because of a lack of common experiences.
(a) Medium/Evaluation
111. Which of the following statements regarding nonverbal body signals is true?
a. Hand waving indicates greetings in Europe just as it does in the United States.
b. A “thumbs up” means five in Germany and one in Japan.
c. The American “ok” gesture would be inappropriate or offensive in Brazil or Russia.
d. The “hook ’em horns” gesture from the University of Texas means you are warding off evil in Italy.
(c) Medium/Analysis
FILL IN THE BLANK
112. ___________ is the process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs or behavior.
(Communication)
113. Communication fulfills three main functions within an organization including _____________, _________________, and ______________.
(coordination, transmission of information and sharing emotions and feelings)
114. A ______________ originates the communication process.
(sender)
115. The process of translating ideas into words is ______________.
(encoding)
116. Communication media include spoken words, written words, or signs.
(media)
117. Anything that interferes with or distorts the message being transformed is __________________.
(noise)
118. _____________ is a communication barrier where information is withheld or distorted to manage a person’s reactions.
(Filtering)
119. Personal filtering of what we see and hear so as to suit our own needs is _____________ _______________.
(selective perception)
120. When we receive more information than we can take in, the imbalance is known as __________ ______________.
(information overload)
121. An informal gossip network that can be a barrier to effective communication is called a ____________.
(grapevine)
122. Words mean different things to different people; this is the concept of __________.
(semantics)
123. In accounting, students talk about LIFO and FIFO; these are two examples of shortcuts called _________ that many in the field take to talk in code.
(jargon)
124. Men and women differ in their communication styles. When using analogies in their discussion, men reference ____________ and women reference ____ ____________.
(sports, the home)
125. To resolve the issue of biased language, instead of calling an individual a businessman, you should call that individual a _______________.
(businessperson)
126. The behavior where we are not really listening but preparing our response is called ________________.
(rehearsing)
127. Giving full attention to what other people say, taking time to understand the points made, asking questions as needed, and not interrupting at inappropriate times is called ____________ ______________.
(active listening)
128. _____________ _______________ put an end to effective communication by making the receiver feel judged or defensive and include criticizing, blaming, ordering or judging.
(Communication freezers)
129. The three types of communication are: _____________, _______________, and _______________.
(verbal, written, and nonverbal)
130. Discussions that are high stakes and where opinions vary and emotions run strong are ____________ ______________.
(crucial conversations)
131. A message that can be read at any time is ____________ unlike a conversation, which is carried on in real time.
(asynchronous)
132. ______________ communication does a better job of conveying feelings while _______________ communication does a better job of conveying facts.
(Verbal, written)
133. Nonverbal cues including the tone, pace, and volume of speech is called ______________.
(paralanguage)
134. ___________ is a term coined by Edward T. Hall to denote the different kinds of distance that occur between people.
(Proxemics)
135. The distance between two people, like a mother and child, usually in the zero to eighteen inch range is called the ___________ distance.
(intimate)
136. _________________ __________ communication channels convey more nonverbal information and tend to be used by effective managers.
(Information-rich)
137. __________ communication is best utilized when you need feedback and there is time urgency.
(Oral)
138. ____________ communication is best utilized when ideas are complicated or you are conveying facts.
(Written)
139. _____________ are symbols that offer clues to the emotional side of words used in e-mail messages.
(Emoticons)
140. _________ ________ professionals create external communication about a client’s products, services, or practices for specific receivers.
(Public relations)
141. High __________ cultures place a high value on establishing relationships prior to working with others while low ____________ cultures “get down to business.”
(context, context)
SHORT ANSWERS
142. Briefly discuss the elements in the communication process.
A sender encodes a message that translates an idea into words. The message is sent through a medium that may include spoken or written words or signs. The receiver receives the message and decodes it by assigning meaning to the words. The receiver may then decide to respond to the original message by also encoding or translating his idea into words. This process of responding is called feedback. The entire process from sender to receiver may be altered or distorted due to noise in the system. The noise can be external to the environment or internal. If too much noise impacts the encoding or decoding, or any other aspect of the communication process, miscommunication can occur.
143. Name the three functions which communication fulfills and provide an example of each.
The three main functions of communication are: coordination, transmission of information, and sharing emotions and feelings. Coordination would ensure that everyone is aware of the strategy and goals of the organization and all are working together toward them. Transmission of information would be demonstrated by, for example, a written copy of the firm’s objectives such that all employees would know the goals and their general direction. Finally, the sharing of emotions and feelings could be exemplified by praising a department for exceeding annual goals set at a luncheon in their honor.
144. Name, describe and provide an example of two barriers to effective communication.
Barriers to communication include:
Filtering: a distortion or withholding of information to manage a person’s reaction. An example might be a manager who keeps negative comments about his department from his superior.
Selective perception is personal filtering of what we see and hear so as to suit our own needs. An example is when a sports fan reads the newspaper, he often does not “see” news stories but only those items related to sports.
Information overload is when the information processing demands on an individual’s time to perform interactions and internal calculations exceed the supply or capacity of time available for such processing. When an individual returns from vacation, he often has hundreds of email messages, phone messages and memos on his desk.
Emotional disconnects are when there are opinion or personality differences which impact communication. I have had a terrible day already and then you say something to me that is actually pretty innocuous, but I take offense.
Lack of source familiarity or credibility. There is no common context for the sender and receiver in the communication situation. This is a prime example of why some jokes just fail to make anyone laugh.
Workplace gossip is an informal gossip network. Sometimes people hear about events that will occur in a firm over lunch and then get the official e-mail about it later.
Semantics are the meanings we give to words. SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act) is an acronym widely understood by accounting and finance people but is something lost on others not in the field.
Gender differences in communication. Example: Men tend to focus on orders in their communication, women on requests.
Differences in meaning between the sender and receiver: The perspectives of the two parties differ and miscommunication occurs. For example, I use generational slang like the word “cool.” I think it means, “that’s interesting,” you are from a previous generation, so you think it has to do with temperature.
Biased language: words or actions that offend or stereotype others. For example, gender bias is shown when the word “salesman” is used. To avoid gender bias, use the term “salesperson.”
145. Give two examples of biased language and indicate why they would be considered biased.
Biased language is words or actions that offend or stereotype others. Examples: cleaning lady instead of cleaner. Also, chairman instead of chairperson.
146. Give an example of a communication freezer and indicate why it ends effective communication.
Communication freezers are words or phrases that put an end to effective communication by making the receiver feel judged or defensive. Examples include:
Telling the other person what to do: “You must…”
Threatening: “You had better…”
Judging the other person negatively: “You’re not thinking straight.”
147. Why is storytelling an important verbal communication skill?
Storytelling is important to the organization because it helps to establish common meanings for organization members. Stories clarify key values and indicate how tasks are to be performed. Story frequency, strength and tone are related to higher organizational commitment. Story telling on an individual level enhances interviewing skills.
148. Define a crucial conversation and give an example of it.
A crucial conversation is a discussion where the stakes are high and where opinions vary and emotions run strong. An example is during a performance evaluation where you might be asking for a raise.
149. Compare and contrast the uses for written and oral communication.
Written communication is printed messages. These include memos, proposals, e-mails, letters, training manuals, and operating policies. They may be printed on paper or appear on the screen. Written is asynchronous, which means that the message can be read at any time. Further, written communication can be read by many people, and can be constructed by many people in a collaborative fashion. Written communication is better for conveying facts.
Oral communication takes place in person or over the phone. The verbal communication takes place in real time and is generally one on one. Verbal communication is a better way of conveying feelings. Oral communication is the most frequently used method of communication.
150. Define and provide an example of paralanguage.
Paralanguage is the tone, pace and volume of speech. The tone can change even with the same sentence thereby changing the meaning of the sentence. For example, if I say, “I did not tell the teacher you copied the problem,” you are implying that someone else might have told. Changing the emphasis to another word in the sentence, “I did NOT tell the teacher you copied the problem,” implies that this event did not occur.
151. Define and provide an example of body language.
Body language is a series of nonverbal cues that arise from use of various parts of the body. For example, eye contact when direct in the United States shows that you are interested and listening; when indirect that you are not really paying attention to the speaker.
152. Define proxemics and provide an example of it.
Proxemics is the study of the different kinds of space or distance between people and their meaning. For example, a space of 0 to 18 inches is called intimate space and is reserved for those who are very close to an individual. 1.5 feet to 5 feet is the personal distance, and 5 to 7 feet is the social distance.
153. Define an “information-rich” communication channel and provide an example of such a channel that is high in information richness.
Information-rich communication channels convey more nonverbal information in addition to the verbal or written information. A channel high in information richness is the face-to-face conversation.
154. Provide two instances when written communication should be utilized and two when the choice should be oral communication.
Written communication is used when: conveying facts, the message needs to be part of a permanent file, there is little time urgency, you do not need immediate feedback, and ideas are complicated.
Oral communication is used when: conveying feelings and emotions, the message does not need to be permanent, there is time urgency, you need feedback, and the ideas are simple or can be simple with explanations.
155. Briefly discuss the different directions information can flow in an organization.
Information flows downward to subordinates, upward to supervisors, laterally to coworkers, and diagonally to different departments.
156. Provide two examples of external communications.
External communications include: press/public relations releases, ads, web pages, and customer communications.
Press releases are external communication about a client’s products, services or practices for specific receivers. Ads are external business messages for target receivers reached through media buys. Web pages combine elements of public relations, advertising, and editorial content and include banner ads, blogs or advertiser-driven click-throughs. Customer communications include letters, catalogs, direct mail, e-mails, text messages, or telemarketing messages.
ESSAY
157. Using the process model of communications as a focal point, discuss how a manager might prepare for his first meeting as the new head of a marketing department.
The manager will initiate the meeting, so he will serve as the original sender. The new manager must recognize that first impressions are lasting impressions, so the first message he sends is a critical communication to his future success in his position. Announcing the meeting would be the first communication and he wants to ensure he encodes the message carefully to convey the importance of that meeting. It is at the initial meeting that the strategy for subsequent meetings will be set, so that importance must be obvious in the words chosen. The medium through which the meeting announcement will be sent must also be carefully considered. Multiple channels are always best since individuals’ schedules differ and the medium choice is most dependent on which channel works best for which individual at any given moment in those busy schedules. For all intents and purposes, e-mail is effective but bulletin board notices would also be workable as might face-to-face reminders of this meeting.
Clearly words will be used in the various channels of communication but some attention-getting symbols or signs might also be used. The receivers are all those in the marketing department. The words chosen for the communication might contain some jargon from the marketing area so that some credibility is initially established as well as some camaraderie, since those in other departments who may view, for example, the bulletin board reminder, may not understand that jargon. The marketing department members will decode the message and, hopefully, provide some feedback. The feedback could itself be a written response email or simply showing up at the meeting at the designated time and place.
This entire communication scenario will take place within the context of noise in the environment. Some examples of the distortions or interferences that may occur include the email for some recipients “bouncing back,” the recipient being distracted when he/she reads the e-mail and focuses on the wrong date or time for the meeting, and/or some offense taken at words contained in the message because of their gender-basis or other aspects.
158. Maynard is the production department supervisor in a manufacturing firm. Recently rumors have been spreading through the department grapevine regarding a possible company-wide downsizing that will lay off approximately 20% of the employees. If you were Maynard, how would you handle this situation?
The grapevine is an informal network and can be the key source of company information for many employees. It is a two-edged sword for managers and supervisors. The grapevine must be recognized as an organizational fact of life, but must also be managed, or the gossip within the grapevine will manage the department and, ultimately, the firm.
Since the grapevine is a grassroots structure, it is viewed as having a great deal of credibility. In fact, the grapevine is often viewed as having greater credibility than managerial information because it is located at the grassroots level. Managers like Maynard must be wary of politically motivated employees who will use the grapevine for misinformation or information supportive of their views.
In Maynard’s position, one must understand who the key information disseminators in the grapevine are and the manner in which they choose the type of information to disseminate and how they so disseminate it. Once these two aspects are thoroughly understood, then Maynard can begin to place the nature of information he needs to have placed at the times he needs to do so. An alternative approach is to understand the dynamics of the grapevine and provide official communication that beats the grapevine to its dissemination.
159. Maria is the first female manager of the Finance Department at Xylox Corporation. She is contemplating her opportunities and threats as they are presented her over the next few months and realizes that communication between herself and her subordinates will be vital to success. Maria has six subordinates, all of them male. What are some of the key gender-based communication differences she should be attuned to as she begins her interactions with her employees?
Maria should first recognize that there are gender-based differences in communication. Women, for example, like to ask questions before beginning a project, while men tend to “jump right in.” Maria should be aware then that her male subordinates are not “knee jerk reactors,” but utilize that approach regularly.
Men speak quite often in sports metaphors while women tend to use home-based metaphors. Again, Maria must recognize her male subordinates are not just wasting time “chewing the fat about the weekend’s game,” but actually may be making some tactical or strategic decisions.
Maria must also be aware that she may need to change the manner in which she talks to better understand her subordinates or to ensure they better understand her. So, for example, Maria must recognize that while she focuses on cooperation, intuition and requests in her communication, her male subordinates will be focusing on competitiveness, data and order in their style. Again, the first step in dealing with these gender differences in is recognizing their existence and then their pervasiveness and moving forward from there.
160. Sergei has a career coach. The coach has just finished two extensive assessment sessions with Sergei and is now reporting to him on his results. The career coach tells Sergei that he has poor listening skills and must address them immediately before focusing on any other weaknesses. If you were the career coach, what tips might you give to him to begin an improvement plan focused on enhancing listening skills?
The first step in any listening improvement plan is to stop talking. If you are talking, you cannot be listening so the best first step is to just stop the talking.
It is also important to recognize if Sergei physically can hear. Many people do suffer from slight to moderate or worse hearing loss and may need some assistance.
Active listening is giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking the time to understand the points being made, asking questions as needed and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Active listening creates a relationship between the sender and the receiver. The process focuses on how to eliminate rehearsing, which is when the recipient of a verbal message is not really listening because he is preparing to respond to your item or question. Active listening involves not only listening to the content of the message, but also the feelings associated with that message.
The “plan” to improve listening begins with deciding that you want to listen. Then, you need to show the sender that you are listening. Nonverbal cues can help you convey the notion that you are listening. For example, one could shake his head as the sender speaks to acknowledge receipt of the message. In addition, what the sender has spoken can be repeated, either in full or part to convey receipt.
Some quick pieces of advice for the active listening training include:
Stop talking.
Don’t worry about what will be said when the time comes.
Join the sender’s team by indicating in some way your receipt of the information sent.
Don’t multitask while listening.
Try to empathize with the speaker’s point of view.
Ask questions if confused.
Establish and retain eye contact.
Listen with an open mind.
Pay attention to what is not said; body language is very important.
161. Networking is a very vital part of a student’s job search process. One key element in networking is the ability to carry on conversations. Like listening, conversation making is a skill that can be learned. What are some recommendations for being a better conversationalist?
Be the first to say, “Hello.”
Think before you speak. Don’t be afraid to pause before making a statement so that you are making an intelligent comment and not making a preventable mistake.
Be receptive to new ideas. If you disagree with someone, at least get more information on his position without dismissing him verbally at the initial mention of the item.
Repeat someone’s name to yourself and then aloud when being introduced.
Ask questions. This helps establish and demonstrate interest.
Listen as much if not more than you speak.
Use eye contact, smiles, and positive body language. Be aware of your posture.
Mirror the other person to some degree by repeating what they said.
Have an exit strategy ready.
Be prepared.
162. You have been asked to teach a business communication lesson on business e-mails. What are some important topics and tips you might want to include in that lesson?
Knowing the volume of e-mails sent each day and the number each individual employee is faced with each day, companies should provide their employees with some assistance in using this form of written communication, which studies indicate is the second most popular form of communication worldwide. Some tips include:
Do not send or forward chain e-mails.
Do not send cc e-mails to everyone.
Do not send, “reply to all” responses to every e-mail received.
Do not put anything into an e-mail that you would not want the world to see.
Do not write your message in all capital letters.
Do not hit the send button until you are absolutely sure you wish to send the e-mail.
Use a subject line with the e-mail.
Make your request early in the e-mail, preferably in the first line if possible.
End your e-mail with a brief sign-off like “thank you.”
Make sure to provide contact information on each e-mail.
Keep it brief.
Make sure the e-mail contains complete thoughts. Keep in mind that the recipient may not want to take the time to pull up and closely look at the preceding e-mail and thus you want to make sure that recipient understands what you are conveying.
163. Your company has just been received a phone call from the local news station requesting a response to a claim made on the air by a viewer. The viewer accuses your store of selling a toy she purchased that has made her child sick. The customer alleges that the paint used on the toy contains lead. Further, she has stated, on the air, that your firm was aware of the problem but because the toy is so popular and made exclusively for your store, you were unwilling to pull the item from the store shelves, choosing instead to make the profit on the toy. What will you do?
This scenario is obviously a crisis situation and the communication used in this instance is critical. Clear messages must be sent that are credible and that get to the parties necessary to address the issue and prevent further damage to your firm and the buying public.
A lesson learned from the Exxon Valdez incident as well as the Tylenol situation is to make certain that a high ranking official be the official spokesperson in any crisis situation. Also, keep in mind that while no one is happy when the unexpected occurs, they are even more unhappy when they find out you tried to hide something about the matter. Also, make certain that all communication is ethical and forthright. If the truth is missing people are demoralized. Employees want to be “in the know” and trusted with the truth about the business. If such a trust is established, employees are more loyal.
164. You are part of a group in a business communication class. You have a project due next week where you are to discuss nonverbal communication cues that differ depending on the country or culture. What will your segment of the project look like?
One aspect of nonverbal communication that can be examined is gestures around the globe. Some examples follow:
“V” for victory. In the U.S., this is a victory symbol, but in England, it is something like, “Take this.”
The “OK” gesture means things are going well in North America, but in France, it means that a person is worthless. In Brazil, Russia or Germany it means something not appropriate for the workplace.
The ‘thumbs up” means one in Germany, but five in Japan.
“Hook ’em horns” is the symbol for the Texas Longhorns at the University of Texas. In Italy, however, it means that you are being tricked.
Waving your hand in the United States means greetings; in Europe however, it signals disagreement.
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