Deck 15: Managing Communication

Question 1

The choice of a communication channel can convey a symbolic meaning to the receiver.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Formulating in your mind what you are going to say next is an important part of effective listening.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The sender must encode the message and select a communication channel after developing the message.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The process by which information is exchanged and understood by two or more people is the definition of communication.

Question 5

Without feedback, communication is only a two-way process, sender to receiver and receiver to sender.

Question 6

Creating a climate of trust and openness is the most important thing managers can do to enhance organization communication.

Question 7

Impersonal written media, including flyers and bulletins, are the lowest in channel richness.

Question 8

An individual's level of fear or anxiety associated with interpersonal communications is called communication apprehension.

Question 9

Face-to-face discussion is the richest channel, in terms of channel richness.

Question 10

A decentralized network is a team communication structure in which team members freely communicate with one another and arrive at decisions together.

Question 11

Managers facilitate strategic conversations by using open communication, actively listening to others, applying the practice of dialogue and using feedback for learning and change.

Question 12

Routine messages tend to be simple and straightforward, such as conveying data or statistics.

Question 13

Communication can break down if sender and receiver do not encode or decode language in the same way.

Question 14

Managers spend 80 per cent of every working day doing desk work.

Question 15

Team members, in decentralized networks, must communicate through one individual to solve problems or make decisions.

Question 16

Forms of nonverbal communication include blushing, perspiring, glancing, crying and laughing.

Question 17

Routine messages typically are ambiguous, concern novel events and impose great potential for misunderstanding.

Question 18

Channel richness is the number of cues and the level of potential noise in a channel that is selected for communication.

Question 19

By selecting rich channels managers can communicate nonroutine messages effectively.

Question 20

Managers connect with others, to persuade and influence, primarily by using impersonal written media such as fliers and bulletins.

Question 21

Messages that are designed to share information among teams and departments that can help the organization change, grow or improve are called change initiatives and improvements.

Question 22

The receiver usually will give more weight to behavioural actions than to verbal messages when verbal and nonverbal messages are contradictory.

Question 23

Performance reports and suggestions for improvement are two types of upward communication.

Question 24

Horizontal communication is the lateral or diagonal exchange of messages among peers or coworkers.

Question 25

Social media does not include blogs and wikis.

Question 26

The topics covered in upward communication are indoctrination and implementation of goals and strategies.

Question 27

Interdepartmental coordination refers to messages that take place among members of the same department and concern task accomplishment.

Question 28

Acquisition and cultivation of personal relationships that cross departmental, hierarchical and even organizational boundaries refers to personal networking.

Question 29

An example of upward communication is performance feedback.

Question 30

Types of information generally communicated upwards include performance reports, suggestions for improvement and performance feedback.

Question 31

A poor listener listens to central themes.

Question 32

A good listener is passive and laid back.

Question 33

Procedures and practices are downward communication topics that define the organization's rules, regulations, benefits and structural arrangements.

Question 34

Grapevine is a type of personal channel used in many organizations.

Question 35

Blogs, running Web logs that allow people to post opinions, ideas, and information, provide a low-cost, always-fresh real-time link between organizations and customers, employees, the media and investors.

Question 36

An informal, person-to-person communication network of employees that is not officially sanctioned by the organization refers to the grapevine.

Question 37

Horizontal communication is particularly important in teaching organizations, where teams of workers are continuously solving problems and searching for new ways of doing things.

Question 38

_____ refers to dialogue across boundaries and hierarchical levels about the team or organization's vision, critical strategic themes and values that help achieve important goals.

A) Tactical discussion
B) Strategic conversation
C) Intentional chat
D) Calculated exchange
E) Deliberate talk

Question 39

The major problem with downward communication is drop off, the distortion or loss of message content.

Question 40

A formal communication channel is a communication channel that flows within the chain of command.

Question 41

To improve communication with a non-native English speaker, you can do all of the following EXCEPT:

A) keep your message simple.
B) select your words with care.
C) cover your mouth with your hand.
D) speak slowly and carefully.
E) fight the urge to shout.

Question 42

Communication can be defined as the process by which information is:

A) shared.
B) exchanged and understood by two or more people, usually with the intent to motivate or influence behaviour.
C) received.
D) transmitted to others.
E) stored.

Question 43

For complex problems, a(n) _____ network is most effective for swift, accurate problem resolution.

A) linear
B) centralized
C) decentralized
D) all of these
E) linear and centralized

Question 44

_____ are examples of channels which managers might choose to use when communicating with employees.

A) Newsletter, telephone and feedback
B) Telephone, electronic mail and memo
C) Television, encoding and letter
D) National newspapers and television
E) All of these

Question 45

_____ and _____ have the most potential for communication errors, because knowledge, attitudes and background act as filters.

A) Encoding, channel
B) Encoding, noise
C) Decoding, channel
D) Decoding, encoding
E) Decoding, noise

Question 46

A manager might use _____ as a type of communication.

A) meetings
B) telephone conversations
C) talking informally
D) all of these
E) meetings and telephone conversations

Question 47

Which communication channel would be most successful to inform managers of an impending company-wide layoff?

A) Telephone conversations
B) Face-to-face contact
C) Electronic media
D) Written media
E) None of these

Question 48

The receiver _____ the symbols to interpret the meaning of the message.

A) encodes
B) transmits
C) decodes
D) responds to
E) must ignore

Question 49

Managers' communication is _____-directed, in that it directs everyone's attention toward the vision, values, and desired goals of the team or organization and influences people to act in a way to achieve the goals.

A) image
B) idea
C) purpose
D) communication
E) need

Question 50

Which of the following, in the communication process, has the responsibility to decode the symbols and interpret the meaning of the message?

A) Sender
B) Receiver
C) Channel
D) Filter
E) Middleman

Question 51

Sharon is a part of a software engineering team. Her task is to develop a diagnostic program for the medical profession. This is a very complex task. What type of communication structure would work best for her group?

A) Linear
B) Centralized
C) Decentralized
D) Focused
E) All of these

Question 52

Selina is meeting with her subordinate Mike for his annual performance review. At the end of the review, Mike tells Selina that he is confused about some things she said. By asking Selina to explain certain things in more detail, Mike is engaging in which component of the communication process?

A) Selecting a channel
B) Sifting through noise
C) Providing feedback
D) Encoding the message
E) Decoding the message

Question 53

When interviewing prospective employees, Samuel, a seasoned manager, often observes hand gestures, facial expressions, and use of space to gauge individuals' personalities. These are all examples of:

A) listening.
B) non-verbal communication.
C) empathizing.
D) direct communication.
E) nuance communication.

Question 54

_____ refers to a team communication structure in which team members freely communicate with one another and arrive at decisions.

A) Decentralized network
B) Centralized network
C) Linear network
D) Circular network
E) Gossip structure

Question 55

Jenna composes an email from home to her boss to inform him that she will be late getting to work that day. The act of composing an email involves which stage of the communication process

A) Selecting a channel
B) Sifting through noise
C) Providing feedback
D) Encoding the message
E) Decoding the message

Question 56

A centralized network is one in which:

A) team members are free to interact with any of the team members.
B) team members communicate through one individual to make decisions.
C) team members communicate with an assigned partner.
D) team members work independently and there is no need for communication.
E) None of these.

Question 57

Louise, a top-level manager at INF Inc., has the difficult task of informing 12 employees that they are about to be laid off. Which communication channel should Louise use to break the news?

A) Face-to-face
B) E-mail
C) Instant messaging
D) Telephone
E) Handwritten letter

Question 58

When a group of workers have routine tasks to perform, a _____ communication structure allows more time for the task to be completed.

A) linear
B) centralized
C) decentralized
D) gossip
E) team

Question 59

What are the key elements of communication?

A) Encoding, message, and feedback
B) Encoding, noise, and symbols
C) Message, circuit, and decoding
D) Feedback, message, and perception
E) Feedback, circuit, and perception

Question 60

_____ is necessary for communication to be considered as two-way.

A) Message
B) Channel
C) Feedback
D) Noise
E) Circuit

Question 61

The capacity of an information channel is influenced by all of these except:

A) the ability to establish a personal focus.
B) the ability to handle multiple cues simultaneously.
C) the ability to facilitate rapid, two-way feedback.
D) the ability to minimize costs.
E) both the ability to establish a personal focus and the ability to facilitate rapid, two-way feedback.

Question 62

Listening is _____ of effective communication.

A) 10 per cent
B) 25 per cent
C) 40 per cent
D) 50 per cent
E) 75 per cent

Question 63

When informing your staff of the date for a company event, a _____ would be most practical and successful.

A) memo
B) telephone
C) video conference
D) face-to-face contact
E) newspaper notice

Question 64

_____ skills are necessary to accurately grasp facts and feelings so as to interpret the meaning of messages.

A) Communication
B) Listening
C) Managing
D) Reception
E) Telling

Question 65

_____ is defined as communication transmitted through actions and behaviours rather than through words.

A) Verbal communication
B) Oral communication
C) Written communication
D) Non-verbal communication
E) Electronic mail

Question 66

_____ refers to the amount of information that can be transmitted during a communication episode.

A) Channel richness
B) Electronic mail
C) Encoding
D) Upward communication
E) Feedback

Question 67

Which of the following comprises the lowest channel richness?

A) Electronic mail
B) Bulletins
C) Face-to-face talk
D) Telephone
E) Memos

Question 68

Keys to effective listening include all of the following EXCEPT:

A) find areas of interest.
B) listen for ideas.
C) be responsive.
D) have preconceptions.
E) All of these are keys to effective listening.

Question 69

To be effective communicators, managers should:

A) focus primarily on enhancing downward communication in the organization.
B) enhance lateral communication opportunities by encouraging teams.
C) limit use of communication technology.
D) strictly push for face-to-face communication.
E) encourage the use of multiple channels of communication.

Question 70

An example of non-verbal communication is all of these except:

A) posture.
B) facial expression.
C) voice.
D) written memo.
E) body language

Question 71

What percentage of a manager's time is spent in direct communication?

A) 20 per cent
B) 100 per cent
C) 50 per cent
D) 80 per cent
E) 40 per cent

Question 72

Highly successful sales people spend _____ of a sales call letting the customer talk.

A) 15-20 per cent
B) 40-50 per cent
C) 60-70 per cent
D) all
E) none

Question 73

Which of these is the richest medium for communication?

A) Telephone conversations
B) Face-to-face contact
C) Electronic media
D) Written media
E) Voice mail

Question 74

Messages that convey data or statistics or simply put into words what managers already agree on and understand are referred to as:

A) non-routine messages.
B) routine messages.
C) instant messages.
D) grapevine messages.
E) qualitative messages.

Question 75

The term _____ is defined as "an individual's level of fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication."

A) leadership trepidation
B) public consternation
C) anticipation nervousness
D) communication medium
E) communication apprehension

Question 76

_____ does not focus on a single receiver, uses limited information cues, and does not permit feedback.

A) Bulletins
B) Telephone conversations
C) Video conference
D) Face-to-face contact
E) A personal memo

Question 77

Channel richness refers to the:

A) number of messages a channel can carry at one time.
B) speed in which messages can be carried.
C) amount of information that can be transmitted during a communication episode.
D) number of channels available at any one time.
E) profitability potential of a proposed channel.

Question 78

_____ refer(s) to typically ambiguous, concern novel events, and impose great potential for misunderstanding.

A) Non-routine messages
B) Channel richness
C) Routine messages
D) Feedback
E) Nonverbal communications

Question 79

Non-verbal communication has the biggest impact when using _____.

A) video conference
B) telephone
C) formal letter
D) Face-to-face communication
E) newspaper article

Question 80

Most executives now believe that flows of important information start from the:

A) top down.
B) bottom up.
C) diagonal level.
D) horizontal level to diagonal level.
E) internal to external.