Deck 10: Communicating in Person: Professionalism, Etiquette, Teamwork and Meetings

Question 1

Morgan, Karla's boss, discovers that the report Karla delegated to members of her department is not yet ready for his review. He criticizes Karla for not checking on the progress of the report earlier. What is the best way for Karla to respond to her boss's criticism?

A)Listen, paraphrase, and clarify what is being said.
B)Ignore the person because he doesn't know what he is talking about.
C)Pretend to listen politely while at the same time preparing your comeback.
D)Defend yourself vigorously against all criticism. If you don't defend yourself, no one else will.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

William has worked very hard on his latest project and is eager to share it with his boss and co-workers. He also spent hours of his own time helping a co-worker finish her project successfully. Which of the dimensions of professional behaviour mentioned in the textbook does William display?

A)tolerance and tact
B)reliability and responsibility
C)diligence and collegiality
D)honesty and ethics

Answer 2

C

Question 3

During a presentation, a speaker concentrates on saying words correctly and clearly. What aspect of her voice is she trying to control?

A)rate
B)tone
C)pitch
D)pronunciation

Answer 3

D

Question 4

According to the textbook, which communication channel is the most effective?

A)e-mail
B)phone call
C)written proposal
D)face-to-face conversation

Question 5

Which of the following strategies would be most likely to promote positive workplace relations?

A)Appreciate and recognize good work.
B)Use nicknames with all colleagues to encourage a team-like atmosphere.
C)Make negative comments about your boss only to those in lower, not higher, positions than you.
D)Keep up to date with politics and controversial issues so you can discuss these topics knowledgeably at workplace events.

Question 6

Which of the following statements best expresses one of the textbook's central ideas about professionalism?

A)Most employers are more concerned with employees' "hard skills" than whether or not they behave professionally.
B)"Professional behaviour" is so poorly defined that it is pointless to worry about it.
C)The term "professional behaviour" is difficult to define and can be confusing.
D)Most people share a common definition and understanding of what constitutes "professional behaviour."

Question 7

Your company wants to redesign the company's online ordering procedures to make the process more efficient, accurate, and user-friendly. Which of the following is most likely to happen?

A)The Web Services department manager will likely redesign the procedures herself.
B)The company will select a team to collaborate on the project.
C)The person selected to complete the redesign will assume total responsibility and all the risk involved in the project.
D)The company will choose the person with the most experience to complete the project because employees will be more receptive to the solution.

Question 8

You are forming a task force that will make an important decision about stock options for employees. According to studies done at 3-M Corporation, what is the ideal number of employees you should include on your task force?

A)at least ten
B)five or fewer
C)the ideal number depends on the situation
D)at least one employee representing every department or division

Question 9

Samir Prada arrives 20 minutes late for a meeting with five colleagues. He explains that on his way to the meeting, he met a friend from another department. Since they hadn't talked for a few days, they stopped to chat. The group has already made a decision about one of the tasks they have been assigned, but Samir wants the others to back up and reconsider their decision. Samir's behaviour illustrates that he needs to be more knowledgeable or careful about one of the following terms related to professional behaviour discussed in the textbook. Which terms is it?

A)polish
B)soft skills
C)civility
D)social intelligence

Question 10

The team selected to redesign your company's online ordering process is meeting. Sung, who is leading today's meeting, knows that at last week's meeting, Denton tended to interrupt other team members and to monopolize the conversation. Anna, on the other hand, contributed very little, even when her body language indicated that she was unhappy with a comment or decision. Which of the following is probably the best strategy for Sung to use as he leads the meeting?

A)Ask all members to contribute their ideas in a specific order.
B)Make almost constant eye contact with Denton so that he knows you are paying attention to him even when he isn't speaking.
C)Wait until Denton interrupts and then reprimand him for not waiting his turn.
D)Make group members take responsibility for ensuring that everybody has an equal voice in the meeting.

Question 11

Karla and her boss, Morgan, are having a serious disagreement. Karla is becoming upset and angry because she feels that Morgan isn't listening to her. What is likely the best way for Karla to respond at this point?

A)She should just walk away.
B)She should interrupt assertively and present her point of view.
C)She should set the example and be the first to listen.
D)She should tell Morgan that his behaviour is unprofessional.

Question 12

Shelbi and Carlos are working on an important project together. They disagree on a fairly minor point about how to proceed. Neither Shelbi nor Carlos feels that an ideal solution is necessary. They will both benefit if they reach an agreement quickly and move on so that they can finish the project on time. What response pattern discussed in the textbook will they likely choose?

A)compromise
B)accommodation/smoothing
C)avoidance/withdrawal
D)competition/forcing

Question 13

Which of the following statements offers the best advice to follow when making business telephone calls?

A)Since the person you're calling can't see you, there's no need to smile.
B)The responsibility for ending a call lies with the person who receives the call.
C)When you leave a voice mail message, it is only necessary to leave your name and number so that your call can be returned.
D)Before placing a call, jot down notes regarding all the topics you need to discuss.

Question 14

According to the textbook, which is the most accurate statement about workplace conflict?

A)Conflict will not occur in a productive, professional workplace.
B)Avoidance may be the best response for some conflict situations.
C)It's okay to leave a conflict unresolved as long as those involved avoid each other.
D)Workplace conflict is always negative and can seriously damage a company's image.

Question 15

Your company selects a team to redesign the company's online ordering procedures. According to the textbook, which of the following would most likely result in an effective team and a successful project?

A)The company chooses team members who are similar in age, ethnicity, gender, and skills because they will form a cohesive team and will understand one another better.
B)Twenty-five members are chosen for the team because larger numbers will bring more perspectives on the project.
C)Team members share leadership; the team operates democratically.
D)The team consists of members who avoid confrontation so there is no conflict to hamper the process.

Question 16

If Karla and Morgan successfully work through the six steps for dealing with conflict described in the textbook, what will be the final step?

A)They will identify their individual interests and find common ground.
B)They will reach an understanding about what is fair.
C)They will both demonstrate that they care about their relationship.
D)They will show that they understand the other's point of view.

Question 17

Which of the following statements offers the best advice to follow when receiving telephone calls?

A)When answering someone else's phone, give the person's exact whereabouts.
B)When taking messages for others, repeat the spelling of names and verify telephone numbers.
C)Try to get callers off the phone quickly, as important calls may be coming through at the same time.
D)Since callers know who they have called, there is no need to identify yourself when answering your phone.

Question 18

What claim does the textbook make about the relationship between "etiquette" and "ethics"?

A)They refer to very different concepts; "etiquette" refers to polite behaviour, while "ethics" refers to behaviour that is just and moral.
B)"Etiquette" refers to actions, while "ethics" refers to beliefs.
C)"Etiquette" relates to being sensitive to others' feelings while "ethics" relates to the outcome of our actions.
D)There is really very little difference between the two concepts.

Question 19

What does the textbook identify as the most important function of voicemail?

A)It provides message storage.
B)It allows you to screen your calls.
C)It provides automated attendance menus.
D)It eliminates unimportant personal chit-chat.

Question 20

Karla, an accounts receivable manager, receives a report from a team that she asked to investigate the latest accounts receivable techniques and software. She is disappointed when she reads it because the team has not done enough research and the report's recommendations are confusing and not supported by details or explanations. She considers responding with the following comments, but then decides that only one would be constructive. Which comment is the best example of constructive criticism?

A)You should always pay more attention to detail.
B)You and your team did a great job. Congratulations.
C)I don't understand a thing about this report. Learn to write better.
D)Next time, we'll need to explain the effects better before we provide recommendations.

Question 21

Working in teams eliminates frustration and increases productivity and employee satisfaction.

Question 22

As many recent news reports reveal, most companies and employees routinely engage in unethical behaviour.

Question 23

Social Intelligence can be more difficult to acquire than etiquette.

Question 24

In Canada, speakers and listeners prefer a variety of pitch patterns.

Question 25

Emphasis can affect the meaning of your words and the thoughts you express.

Question 26

Your voicemail greeting should be as short and generic as possible so that you don't have to change it often.

Question 27

If a conflict results from a trivial matter, the best way to handle it may be to avoid it.

Question 28

The textbook says that "professionalism," "business etiquette," and "ethics" are terms for very different, unrelated concepts.

Question 29

The way you pronounce words reflects your personality and your mood more than any other aspect of your voice.

Question 30

If criticism is fair and accurate, agree and apologize, because the sooner you do so the more likely others will respect you.

Question 31

A productive business meeting often begins with an agenda that lists topics to be discussed and an estimate of time to be spent on each item.

Question 32

You should always have your cell phone on in order to receive extremely important calls.

Question 33

Employers generally hire, value, and promote employees who have both hard and soft skills.

Question 34

A memory hook is an association you develop between a person you've just met and something else, such as an object, animal, or colour.

Question 35

When offering criticism, you should try to avoid two-way communication because it can stifle progress and confuse the listener.

Question 36

Because today's business world is more complex than in the past and demands more highly developed technical skills, professional polish is becoming less important.

Question 37

You should generally use face-to-face communication when offering constructive criticism.

Question 38

If colleagues senior to you call you by your first name, it's okay to go ahead and do the same with them.

Question 39

The best praise is a general comment, such as "Good work."

Question 40

Criticism is part of business, so you shouldn't disagree with it.

Question 41

The popularity of __________ __________ (two words) results from its ability to serve many functions, including storing messages.

Question 42

For many businesses, the ____________________ is the primary contact with the outside world.

Question 43

Changing the ________________________, or the stress that you place on different words, can change the meaning you are expressing.

Question 44

A __________  _________ (two words) list is a list of important but divergent issues that arise during a meeting but that should be addressed at a later time.

Question 45

Teams with members who come from _____________________ backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures can often produce more innovative solutions than homogeneous teams.

Question 46

_________________ typically develops during a meeting when people feel unheard or misunderstood.

Question 47

___________________________ may be the best approach to resolving conflict when both parties stand to gain, when a predetermined "ideal" solution is not required, and when time is short.

Question 48

In order to be _________________________, criticism should be specific and focus on the behaviour rather than the person.

Question 49

The textbook defines _______________________ skills as a cluster of personal qualities, habits and attitudes, communication skills, and social graces that are important for success in the workplace.

Question 50

When you __________________________ the criticism you are hearing, you re-state it objectively and in your own words.