Deck 18: Communication, Conflict and Negotiation

Question 1

What is the communication process

Answer 1

Effective communication includes the process when the message that was required to be send from one person was received by other person in the exact sense as it was meant to be. Thus, when a person understands the message sent to him then it is said that the communication has been effective.
On the other hand when the message to be conveyed is sent in such a way that it saves time of both the sender and receiver then it is said that the communication process was efficient.
It is okay to sacrifice effectiveness over efficiency when the message that is to be communicated to other person is simple and does not requires detailed explanation from the sender.
These could be simple messages like conveying messages regarding organizing of a meeting, or mentioning the entry of a new person in the company or anything that would not require an explanation.
These messages could be sent by the sender over the mails or through other text mediums in masses.
On the other hand there are messages that require detailed explanations from the sender. Messages that require interpretations and the instructions that might require some explanations would involve effective communication as in case the message is understood in the wrong manner then it might result in losses to the parties involved.
Thus, in such cases effective communication is preferred over efficient mode of communication.
Hence, in cases where the message that is required to be communicated is simple and does not require explanation and does not involve any risk to the parties that are involved in the communication, efficiency could be preferred over effectiveness.

Question 2

The three criteria of an effective negotiation are quality, cost, and __________. (a) harmony
(b) timeliness
(c) efficiency
(d) effectiveness

Answer 2

The correct answer is
.
Options (b), (c), (d) are incorrect answers as the criteria given these options are not included in the effective negotiation's criteria.
Effective negotiation involves resolution of substance issues, improvement or maintenance of working relationships.
Effective negotiation's three criteria are quality, cost, and harmony.
Therefore, option (a) is a correct answer and remaining options are incorrect.

Question 3

LEARN FROM ROLE MODELS
"I like to know the bad news as soon as you know it-I promise no recriminations."
Lane Bryant CEO Linda Heasley Gives Others Reasons to Work with Her

W ould you like to work for a boss who encourages you to keep your eyes open for other job opportunities That's the message Linda Heasley, current CEO of Lane Bryant, communicated to members of her former team at the Limited. That message contributed to her executive success. About employees, she says it's her job to "re-recruit them every day and give them a reason to choose to work for us and for me as opposed to anyone else." This is part of a leadership philosophy based on the belief that "it's not about me... it's very much about the team."
Newcomers to Heasley's team are advised to follow a 90-day rule when it comes to communication. Based on her experience living in Thailand as a high school exchange student, she believes in taking the first 90 days to "watch and listen," trying "not to talk at meetings," and working to build relationships. And when it comes to performance, she also says: "I like to know the bad news as soon as you know it-I promise no recriminations-but I will expect to know what we could've avoided so it doesn't happen again."
When asked what she looks for in new hires, Heasley highlights things like passion, curiosity, energy, willingness to take risks, and a sense of humor. During interviews she uses proven questions to try to draw out job candidates and discover their capabilities. She might ask "What books have you read lately " or "Can you describe a challenging situation you've been in and where you took a controversial position "
FIND THE INSPIRATION
Linda Heasley seems very comfortable with herself and her role as CEO of this major retailer. Can you see where communication is one of her strengths Would you respond well to a leader like this In what respects might Heasley become a role model for making communication skills part of your own leadership approach

Answer 3

In the present case the CEO of a company is very open to other employees of the company. She believes in communicating in well manner with other employees. She is also ready to hear the bad things that come to the knowledge of the employees.
The philosophy of her leadership is to build relationship for the first 90 days in a company. She believes in talking less and just watches and listen the things that happen in the company. She recruits people who are energetic, have passion, curiosity and willingness to take risks.
Thus, it can be seen that she is a big proponent of communication and she believes in having interaction with the employees. She communicates by watching and listens to the thing that goes on in around the company.
Yes, such leaders usually get good response from the employees as such leaders are good in communication. Employees want interaction from the management that could provide them accurate feedback so that employees could work upon it and improve their performances.
At the same time the employees want transparency from the management so that they might not feel cheated and there is reassurance that their work is getting noticed. Thus, continuous interaction with the employers is also helpful for the companies as well as for the employees.
The CEO of the given company can become role model in the sense that the CEO is very interactive and at the same time ready to listen to the bad problems.
She also emphasizes on the fact that employees are recruited every day in an organization. Thus, she recognizes the need to make the employees happy and the role of communication in achieving this.

Question 4

In classic two-party negotiation, the difference between one party's minimum reservation point and the other party's maximum reservation point is known as the __________.
(a) critical choice
(b) arena of indifference
(c) myth of the fixed pie
(d) bargaining zone

Question 5

The use of paraphrasing and reflecting back what someone else says in communication is characteristic of __________. (a) mixed messages
(b) active listening
(c) projection
(d) lose-lose conflict

Question 6

The first rule of thumb for gaining integrative agreements in negotiations is to __________. (a) separate the people from the problems
(b) focus on positions
(c) deal with a minimum number of alternatives
(d) avoid setting standards for measuring outcomes

Question 7

How can we improve collaboration through communication

Question 8

Briefly describe how a manager would behave as an active listener when communicating with subordinates.

Question 9

Which is the best example of a supervisor making feedback descriptive rather than evaluative (a) You are a slacker.
(b) You are not responsible.
(c) You cause me lots of problems.
(d) You have been late to work three days this month.

Question 10

Explain the relationship between conflict intensity and performance.

Question 11

How can we deal positively with conflict

Question 12

How do tendencies toward assertiveness and cooperativeness in conflict management result in win-lose, lose-lose, and win-win outcomes

Question 13

When interacting with an angry co-worker who is complaining about a work problem, a manager skilled at active listening would most likely try to __________. (a) suggest that the conversation be held at a better time
(b) point out that the conversation would be better held at another location
(c) express displeasure in agreement with the co-worker's complaint
(d) rephrase the co-worker's complaint to encourage him to say more

Question 14

What is the difference between substance and relationship goals in negotiation

Question 15

How can we negotiate successful agreements

Question 16

After being promoted to store manager for a new branch of a large department store chain, Kathryn was concerned about communication in the store. Six department heads reported directly to her, and 50 fulltime and part-time sales associates reported to them. Given this structure, Kathryn worried about staying informed about all store operations, not just those coming to her attention as the senior manager. What steps might Kathryn take to establish and maintain an effective system of upward communication in this store

Question 17

When a manager uses e-mail to send a message that is better delivered face-to-face, the communication process suffers from __________. (a) semantic problems
(b) a poor choice of communication channels
(c) physical distractions
(d) information overload

Question 18

If a visitor to a foreign culture makes gestures commonly used at home even after learning that they are offensive to locals, the visitor can be described as __________. (a) a passive listened
(b) ethnocentric
(c) more efficient than effective
(d) an active listener

Question 19

In order to be consistently persuasive when communicating with others in the workplace, a manager should build credibility by __________. (a) making sure rewards for compliance are clear
(b) making sure penalties for noncompliance are clear
(c) making sure they know who is the boss
(d) making sure good relationships have been established

Question 20

MAKE DATA YOUR FRIEND
Only 3% of HR executives give "A" grades to their firms' performance measurement systems.
Value of Performance Reviews Gets Increasing Scrutiny

S urveys show people aren't always pleased with the way managers in their organizations do performance reviews. Some are so concerned that they suggest dropping them altogether. Check these survey findings:
Only 30% of HR executives believed that employees trust their employer's performance measurement system.
60% of HR executives give their performance management systems "C" grades or worse.
Top concerns of HR executives are that managers aren't willing to face employees and give constructive feedback, and employees don't have a clear understanding of what rates as good and bad performance.
1% of firms are completely doing away with performance reviews and shifting to regular one-on-one meetings where performance is discussed.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Performance review is often a hot topic. The buzzwords are "merit pay" and "performance accountability." But is it really possible to have a performance measurement system that is respected by managers and workers alike Do the data reported here fit with your own experiences What are their implications for management practice Will we soon see a dramatic increase in the number of employers who shift away from formal annual reviews and replace them with something less formal and more timely

Question 21

A manager who understands the importance of proxemics in communication would be likely to __________. (a) avoid sending mixed messages
(b) arrange work spaces so as to encourage interaction
(c) be very careful in the choice of written and spoken words
(d) make frequent use of e-mail messages to keep people well informed

Question 22

THINK BEFORE YOU ACT
Researchers found that tip giving increased when servers gave customers a piece of candy when presenting the bill.
Tapping into the Science of Persuasion

S cene 1. Hoteliers want to wash fewer towels. So how do they get their customers to reuse more of them The science of persuading suggests that it's best to identify the request with a social norm. Researchers found that guests reused 33% more towels when left a message card that said "75% of customers who stay in this room reuse their towels."
Lesson : Want to persuade Identify with the social norm.
Scene 2. Restaurant servers want to maximize tips. How can they get more customers to leave bigger tips The science of persuading suggests that it's best to create a sense of reciprocity in the server- customer relationship. Researchers found that tip giving increased when servers gave customers a piece of candy when presenting the bill.
Lesson : Want to persuade Create a sense of reciprocity.
YOUR TAKE
Can these lessons be turned into advice for leaders Leadership is complicated in any setting. But, it ultimately requires success at influencing other people. Do a self-check of your success in leadership situations: To what extent is "persuasion" part of your leadership skill portfolio How about the leaders you work with: Do they pass or fail as masters of the science of persuasion If persuasion is so important, should we spend more time learning and practicing how to do it really well

Question 23

A conflict is most likely to be functional and have a positive impact on performance when it is __________. (a) based on emotions
(b) resolved by arbitration
(c) caused by resource scarcities
(d) of moderate intensity

Question 24

KNOW RIGHT FROM WRONG
A Christmas party was described in detail, including an executive's "unforgivable faux pas."

I t is easy and tempting to set up your own blog, write about your experiences and impressions, and then share your thoughts with others online. So, why not do it
Catherine Sanderson, a British citizen living and working in Paris, might have asked this question before launching her blog, Le Petite Anglaise. At one point it was so "successful" that she had 3,000 readers. But, the Internet diary included reports on her experiences at work-and her employer wasn't happy when it became public knowledge.
Even though Sanderson was blogging anonymously, her photo was on the site, and the connection was eventually discovered. Noticed, too, was her running commentary about bosses, colleagues, and life at the office. A Christmas party was described in detail, including an executive's "unforgivable faux pas." When her blog came to management attention, Sanderson says that she was "dooced"-a term used to describe being fired for what one writes in a blog. She sued for financial damages and confirmation of her rights, on principle, to have a private blog. The court awarded her a year's salary.
WHAT DO YOU THINK
What are the ethical issues here from both the blogger's and the employer's perspective What rights do employees have with regard to communicating about their work experiences Is it ethical for a supervisor to fire an employee any time the employee says something negative about the organization For example, which is the bigger "crime," to get drunk at the office holiday party or to write a blog that reports that your supervisor got drunk at the office party What obligations do employees have to their employers even when they are off the clock In contrast, where does the employer's ability to control employee behaviors outside of work end

Question 25

An appeal to super ordinate goals is an example of a(n) __________ approach to conflict management. (a) avoidance
(b) structural
(c) dysfunctional
(d) self-serving

Question 26

LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF
Recruiters give communication and networking skills high priority when screening candidates for college internships and first jobs.
Collaboration Begins with Communication and Networking
R ecruiters give communication and networking skills high priority when screening candidates for college internships and first jobs. They're looking for candidates who can communicate well both orally and in writing, and network well with others for collaboration and teamwork. They also want people who gain social capital through communication and networking so that they can handle conflicts and negotiate successfully. But if you're like many of us, there's work to be done to master these challenges.
The American Management Association found that workers rated their bosses only slightly above average on transforming ideas into words, being credible, listening and asking questions, and giving written and oral presentations. More than three quarters of university professors rated incoming high school graduates as only "fair" or "poor" in writing clearly, and in spelling and use of grammar. When it comes to decorum or just plain old "good manners," a BusinessWeek survey reported that 38% of women complain about "sexual innuendo, wisecracks and taunts" at work.
Social networking is very popular on the college campus and among young professionals, as everyone wants to be linked in. The same skills transfer to the workplace. A good networker acts as a hub -connected with others; gatekeeper -moving information to and from others; and pulse-taker -staying abreast of what is happening.

GET TO KNOW YOURSELF BETTER
Can you convince a recruiter that you are ready to run effective meetings ... write informative reports ... deliver persuasive presentations ... conduct job interviews ... use e-mail and social media well network well with peers and mentors ... keep conflicts constructive and negotiations positive Where does social capital rank on your own list of personal strengths Ask friends, co-workers, and family members to rate your communication and networking skills. Turn these ratings into a personal development "To Do" list that you can share with your instructor

Question 27

The conflict management style with the greatest potential for true conflict resolution involves __________. (a) compromise
(b) competition
(c) smoothing
(d) collaboration

Question 28

When the intended meaning of the sender and the interpreted meaning of the receiver are the same, a communication is __________. (a) effective
(b) persuasive
(c) selective
(d) efficient

Question 29

When a person is highly cooperative but not very assertive in approaching conflict, the conflict management style is referred to as __________. (a) avoidance
(b) authoritative
(c) smoothing
(d) collaboration