Deck 1: Achieving Success Through Effective Business Communication

Question 1

The communication process is a simple one consisting of two phases: the sender transmits the message and the receiver gets the message.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Information has become one of the most important resources in business today.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Whether you're listening or speaking,communication is a two-way process.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Most often you will be communicating with people who are similar to you in age,profession,and ethnic background.

Question 5

Unclear communication not only results in errors and missed deadlines,but also lies at the root of many other serious workplace issues.

Question 6

Grapevines flourish when employees don't receive information they want or need.

Question 7

Company outsiders may form an impression of your organization based on subtle,unconscious clues you transmit through your tone of voice,facial expression,and general appearance.

Question 8

Communication and effective communication are basically the same thing.

Question 9

The formal communication network is typically shown as the organizational chart.

Question 10

A diverse workforce can yield a significant competitive advantage by bringing more ideas and broader perspectives to bear on business challenges.

Question 11

Most messages aimed at important external receivers,such as the press,investors,and customers are drafted by the president of the company.

Question 12

Technology always helps a company.

Question 13

Although companies often communicate with outsiders in a formal manner,informal contacts with outsiders are not important.

Question 14

The grapevine helps employers determine if their formal means of communication are effective.

Question 15

The first step in the communication process is "the sender has an idea."

Question 16

Most of the information that flows downward in an organization is geared toward helping employees do their jobs.

Question 17

Employers start judging your ability to communicate on the day you show up for the first interview.

Question 18

Only 20 percent of the information that travels along the grapevine in an organization pertains to business.

Question 19

A message is interpreted correctly when the receiver assigns to the words the same meaning as the sender intended and then responds in the desired way.

Question 20

The "grapevine" is another name for formal horizontal communication.

Question 21

Your communication efforts will also be influenced by the organization's corporate culture.

Question 22

With the audience-centred approach,communicators try to learn as much as possible about their receivers.

Question 23

To make your messages effective __________

A) give facts rather than impressions.
B) present a lot of information.
C) use a lot of body language.
D) use arguments.

Question 24

The more your audience members share your experiences-personal,professional,and cultural-the more likely they are to extract the same meanings that you encode in your messages.

Question 25

A major barrier to effective communication is competing messages.

Question 26

When people must choose between conflicting loyalties and weigh difficult trade-offs,they are facing an ethical lapse.

Question 27

A message that means to mislead or manipulate the audience is unethical.

Question 28

Constructive feedback focuses on the process and not the outcomes of communication.

Question 29

Your own skills as a communicator will be as much a factor in your business success as anything else.

Question 30

Your ability to empathize with,be sensitive to,and generally consider your audience's feelings is the best way to be effective in your communication.

Question 31

The stakeholders in an organization do NOT include _____________

A) employees.
B) competition.
C) supervisors.
D) government.

Question 32

Sending more messages is usually better than not sending enough.

Question 33

Three principles of etiquette that will get you through almost any situation are respect,fun,and courtesy.

Question 34

Setting aside time to attend to email and telephone messages all at once is one way to help minimize distractions.

Question 35

Inappropriate web surfing while at work can leave employers open to lawsuits for sexual harassment if inappropriate images are displayed.

Question 36

React emotionally when you receive constructive feedback.

Question 37

Communicating in today's business environment nearly always requires some level of technical competence.

Question 38

Because of technology's speed and efficiency,it is the best choice for every communication situation.

Question 39

When interference in the communication process distorts or obscures the sender's meaning,it is called noise.

Question 40

"Knowledge workers" are those employees that specialize in acquiring,processing,and communicating information.

Question 41

An example of downward communication flow is ___________

A) a junior staff person giving information to a staff supervisor.
B) a sales manager giving instructions to a salesperson.
C) an email message about sick leave sent from one staff secretary to another.
D) a company briefing held on the organization's top floor.

Question 42

Employers often express frustration at the poor communication skills of many employees-particularly ____________

A) managers.
B) recent graduates.
C) sales personnel.
D) contract employees.

Question 43

One example that is NOT an example of horizontal communication is communication that flows _________

A) from the Sales department to the Accounting department.
B) from V.P. Finance to the V.P. Marketing.
C) from one project team member to another project team member.
D) from a Warehouse manager to a Warehouse employee.

Question 44

How much of the information that travels along the grapevine actually pertains to business?

A) almost none of it
B) half of it
C) more than three-quarters of it
D) none of the above

Question 45

A flatter organizational structure ___________________

A) decreases the chance of misunderstandings occurring.
B) increases costs and reduces productivity.
C) can reduce profit.
D) creates more opportunities in middle management.

Question 46

Statements to the press,letters to investors,advertisements,and price announcements require ________

A) group meetings.
B) vendors.
C) annual reports.
D) extremely careful planning.

Question 47

The most extreme example of how backgrounds can impede communication occurs when the communicators _________________

A) are different ages.
B) are of different social status.
C) come from different countries or cultures.
D) have opposing political views.

Question 48

To make your messages more effective __________________

A) send fewer of them.
B) mark all your messages with HIGH PRIORITY.
C) send messages frequently.
D) include as much detail as possible, even if it is not immediately needed.

Question 49

In the first step of the communication process,________________

A) the sender decides what to say.
B) the sender has an idea.
C) the sender chooses a medium of transmission.
D) the sender transmits the message.

Question 50

An example of external communication would be ____________________

A) an email from a salesperson to a customer.
B) a memo from a manager at headquarters to a manager at a store in another state.
C) a teleconference among company sales representatives in several states.
D) talking on a cell phone to a colleague.

Question 51

The director of advertising writing a memo to the plant manager is an example of _______________

A) upward communication flow.
B) downward communication flow.
C) horizontal communication flow.
D) informal communication flow.

Question 52

The final link in the communication process is _________________

A) sending the message.
B) receiving the message.
C) giving feedback to the sender.
D) interpreting the message.

Question 53

A casual conversation between co-workers is an example of ______________

A) upward communication.
B) downward communication.
C) interdepartmental communication.
D) informal communication.

Question 54

The term "corporate culture" refers to ______________________

A) the number of organizational levels within a corporation.
B) the extent to which corporations dominate a particular culture.
C) the mixture of values, traditions, and habits that give a company its atmosphere or personality.
D) a company's sponsorship of cultural events.

Question 55

Bad connections,poor acoustics,and illegible copy are all examples of _______________

A) problems with feedback.
B) physical distractions.
C) problems with background differences.
D) overload problems.

Question 56

Some executives are wary of informal communication channels,possibly because they ______________

A) fear the spread of misinformation.
B) believe only formal channels are efficient carriers of information.
C) object to casual conversations on company time.
D) fear a loss of their control over the flow of information.

Question 57

Today's successful companies _____________

A) use teams and collaborative work groups to arrive at quick decisions.
B) limit decisions to a few managers at the top of a formal hierarchy.
C) realize that the traditional management structure still works best.
D) make all important decisions by going through a painstaking, careful, time-consuming process.

Question 58

On a typical day,the average office worker sends and receives about __________ email messages.

A) 20
B) 50
C) 90
D) 120

Question 59

Companies that restrict the flow of information limit their _______________

A) competitive potential.
B) potential employee promotions.
C) audience base.
D) management control.

Question 60

Communication is effective only when _____________________

A) the sender has a meaningful idea, sends it, and it is received.
B) the idea becomes a message.
C) the message gets transmitted without noise.
D) others understand your message correctly and respond to it in the way you want.

Question 61

__________ is interference in the communication process that distorts or obscures the sender's meaning.

Question 62

Some business communicators try to manipulate their receivers by using __________ tactics.

Question 63

When you put your idea into a message that your receiver will understand,you are __________ the message.

Question 64

There are many new technologies available to improve Business Communications. Which of the list below are NOT among them?

A) Blogging
B) Email
C) Online chats
D) Ergonomic offices

Question 65

Collectively,the people with whom you interact-your colleagues,employees,supervisors,customers,and so on-are referred to as __________.

Question 66

Which of the following is an example of an ethical dilemma?

A) Deciding whether or not to inform employees that layoffs are coming, when a big project needs to be finished
B) Deciding whether or not to sell company stock when you have inside information on a coming downturn
C) Deciding whether or not to use the copy machine for your personal papers
D) Deciding whether or not to declare the costs of your vacation travel as a deductible business expense

Question 67

__________ (communication,teamwork,problem solving)are just as important as technical abilities,as employers look for well-rounded individuals who will integrate well into their companies.

Question 68

An organization's __________ is the mixture of values,traditions,and habits that give a place its atmosphere or personality.

Question 69

Increased globalization and workforce __________ mean that employees must be able to communicate with people from other cultures.

Question 70

Which of the following is an example of an ethical lapse?

A) Putting suggestions in the company suggestion box without signing your name
B) Informing a new employer about your previous (competing) employer's major clients
C) Telling your supervisor that another employee is stealing office supplies
D) Providing incorrect data in a report, even though you didn't know it was incorrect at the time

Question 71

After getting a message,a receiver responds by giving the sender __________.

Question 72

Whether exchanging emails,giving a formal presentation,or chatting with co-workers at lunch,you are engaging in __________.

Question 73

Your receiver must cooperate by __________ your message-absorbing and understanding it.

Question 74

Plagiarism includes ___________

A) selectively misquoting.
B) disrepresenting numbers.
C) distorting visuals.
D) violation of a copyright.

Question 75

The informal communication network within an organization is referred to as the __________.

Question 76

An organization can foster ethical communication by _______________

A) helping top managers to become more frequent communicators.
B) setting ethical examples with ethical company leadership.
C) using an ethical lapse.
D) creating a mission statement.

Question 77

To make your business messages more effective you should _______________.

A) include as many details as possible.
B) give facts not impressions.
C) use "smart" words.
D) be sure to put in a lot of pictures.

Question 78

The exchange of information within an organization is referred to as __________ communication.

Question 79

Ethics in the workplace is an increasingly important issue.Which of the following examples is not considered unethical?

A) Self promotion
B) Plagiarism
C) Misrepresenting numbers
D) Distorting visuals

Question 80

Regardless of your specialty,most companies also expect you to be a competent communicator.Which of the following is NOT a communication skill desired by most businesses?

A) Organizing ideas logically
B) Presenting ideas persuasively
C) Communicating forcefully
D) Listening effectively