Question 1

Successful teamwork requires ________ communication among team members.

Accepted Answer

Open communication refers to honest and direct dialogue among team members, where everyone feels comfortable expressing their ideas and opinions without fear of judgment or negative consequences. This type of communication helps to build trust and ensure the team is working towards a common goal. Stereotypical, assumed, and biased communication can lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and a lack of collaboration among team members.

Question 2

In the context of the characteristics associated with team productivity, openness and honesty build ________ between team members.

Accepted Answer

Openness and honesty are key factors in establishing trust between team members. Without trust, it is difficult for teams to work cohesively and productively. Status, norms, and homogeneity may be important in certain contexts, but they are not directly related to building trust between team members.

Question 3

The leader of a team will sometimes have to make a decision alone or reject suggestions. However, all team members should have a voice in making many decisions, rather than simply a vote without the full opportunity to be heard. This is a dimension of quality of team productivity referred to as ________.

Accepted Answer

Decisions made by consensus refer to a process where all team members have an opportunity to express their opinions and ideas before a decision is made. This encourages open communication and collaboration among team members, leading to better decision-making and improving overall team productivity.

Question 4

In the context of coaching employees, which of the following tips is most likely to help a supervisor stimulate high-quality performance?

Accepted Answer

Encouraging employees by expressing understanding and appreciation of their ideas and feelings is most likely to boost their morale and lead to high-quality performance. Criticizing, being authoritative or dominant, and not allowing employees to handle situation can have the opposite effect and demotivate them, leading to poor performance.

Question 5

In the context of coaching a team, enabling is best defined as the process of

Accepted Answer

Enabling in the context of coaching a team means to provide the team members with the resources and assistance they need to carry out their tasks effectively. Enabling involves removing any obstacles or challenges that prevent team members from achieving their goals, and providing them with the necessary support to succeed. Choice B is describing team formation, choice C is about adjournment, and choice D is describing delegation of authority, none of which describe enabling in the context of coaching a team.

Question 6

Jim and Nancy are managers at Zensol Inc. Jim proposes a plan for improving customer satisfaction, but Nancy disagrees with his plan. However, she asks him to speak about his plan at the quarterly meeting to see if the other members of her department like it. In the context of the characteristics associated with team productivity, which of the following most accurately highlights the characteristic that Nancy made sure was present in their department?

Accepted Answer

Nancy made sure that an atmosphere of listening was present in their department by allowing Jim's plan to be presented at the quarterly meeting and giving others the opportunity to provide their opinion. This characteristic is important for team productivity as it allows for open communication, collaboration, and the consideration of different perspectives.

Question 7

Which of the following best describes the process of team building?

Accepted Answer

Team building is the process of developing the ability of members to work together to achieve common objectives. It involves identifying and acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of team members and working towards maximizing their strengths while minimizing their weaknesses. The ultimate aim is to create a high-performance team that is focused on achieving the organization's goals.

Question 8

The graphics design team at TelDesign willingly takes on new projects and always completes them on time. The team members work together on all projects and help each other out as needed. In the context of the characteristics of team productivity, the dimension of quality described in this scenario is known as ________.

Accepted Answer

The dimension of quality described is "acceptance of assignments," as the team willingly takes on new projects and completes them on time, indicating their readiness and commitment to their work.

Question 9

José, a supervisor at Stay-A-Day Hotels, provides his subordinates with all the resources they need to do their job properly. He also ensures that he helps them in removing all obstacles that hinder their ability to perform well at work. In the context of coaching the team, José is ________ his subordinates.

Accepted Answer

José is enabling his subordinates by providing resources and removing obstacles. Enabling is a coaching style in which the coach helps the coachee to achieve their goals by providing necessary tools and guidance.

Question 10

Small organizations are sometimes unable to afford an expert consultant to carry out their team-building processes. In such cases, the ________ carries out this responsibility at regular team meetings.

Accepted Answer

If a small organization cannot afford an external consultant for team-building, team meetings are the best platform to carry out such processes. In such cases, the supervisor can take the responsibility of facilitating team-building activities to improve team performance. Human resource managers, top management, or production managers may not have the expertise or time to conduct team-building activities regularly. Therefore, the supervisor is the best choice in this scenario.

Question 11

All team members need to know what is happening. In the context of the characteristics associated with team productivity, to which of the following characteristics does this statement correspond?

Accepted Answer

Access to information is the characteristic associated with ensuring that all team members have knowledge and updates about what is happening within the team. This helps to avoid misunderstandings, ensure effective decision making, and promote a sense of ownership and accountability among team members.

Question 12

When a team member is reluctant to speak up at meetings, the leader should seek his or her input during or outside the meeting. Identify the team characteristic associated with team productivity that deals with the significance of this issue.

Accepted Answer

Involvement and participation is the team characteristic associated with team productivity that deals with the significance of team members speaking up and contributing their ideas in meetings. When team members are involved and participate actively, they are more likely to offer their perspectives and suggestions, leading to better decision-making and outcomes. The leader seeking input from a reluctant team member is an example of promoting involvement and participation.

Question 13

In the context of the characteristics of team productivity, members of a team must have close relationships, which is impossible when the team's membership keeps changing. This is a dimension of quality known as ________.

Accepted Answer

Relatively low turnover refers to the stability of the team's membership, allowing for closer relationships and better communication among team members. A high turnover rate can lead to constantly changing team dynamics, which can negatively impact team productivity. Options A, B, and C are also important dimensions of team productivity but are not directly related to the stability of the team's membership.

Question 14

"Team members should view accomplishing objectives as the team's primary purpose because it gives them direction and purpose." Which of the following characteristics associated with team productivity best corresponds to this statement?

Accepted Answer

The statement emphasizes the importance of having clear goals that are understood and accepted by team members. This aligns with the characteristic of "Goals that are understood and accepted" which is associated with team productivity.

Question 15

Choose the team characteristic associated with team productivity that deals with the importance of team members focusing on outcomes and effects.

Accepted Answer

Assessment of progress and results is crucial for team productivity because team members need to focus on outcomes and effects to determine if they are meeting their goals and achieving success. By regularly assessing progress and results, team members can make adjustments and improvements to their work processes to ensure continued success.

Question 16

In the context of the characteristics associated with team productivity, a(n) ________ leader is most likely to have a leadership style that does not dominate.

Accepted Answer

A flexible leader is more likely to use a democratic or participative leadership style rather than an authoritarian or dominating style. They take into account the opinions and ideas of team members and allow for collaboration and input. This type of leadership is associated with higher levels of team productivity.

Question 17

The characteristic of successful teams that emphasizes the importance of team members working to resolve differences in ways that let everyone come out on top is known as ________.

Accepted Answer

The win-win approach to conflict emphasizes the importance of finding a mutually beneficial solution to conflicts, where all team members can come out as winners. This approach encourages collaboration and communication, which are crucial characteristics of successful teams.

Question 18

Activities like setting goals, analyzing what needs to be done and allocating work, examining how well the group is working, and examining the relationships among the team members are part of the process of ________.

Accepted Answer

The given activities are all essential steps in building and maintaining effective teams, which is the process of team building. The other options, such as enabling or biofeedback, do not encompass all of the listed activities. Appraisal may involve examining performance, but it is not specifically concerned with team dynamics and relationships.

Question 19

Ronnie and Ming are the only members of the electricals team at Zolaten Inc. They have an argument with their supervisor when they are informed that their targets will be increased the following month. This results in a minor conflict. However, they eventually agree to cooperate, and they go on to achieve their department's objectives. Which of the following team characteristics associated with team productivity is depicted by the electricals team in this scenario?

Accepted Answer

The scenario depicts a comfortable atmosphere where team members can express disagreements and resolve conflicts, leading to cooperation and achieving objectives.

Question 20

If everyone in a team agrees all the time, it may signify that the team members are unable or unwilling to contribute. Which of the following team characteristics associated with team productivity mostly deals with the significance of this issue?

Accepted Answer

The team characteristic associated with team productivity that deals with the issue of everyone in the team agreeing all the time is debate and discussion. This is because debate and discussion encourage team members to express their opinions, ideas, and concerns, which ultimately leads to more innovative and effective solutions. If team members are unwilling or unable to contribute, then there will be no debate or discussion, and the team may not reach its full potential.

Quiz 3: Groups, Teams, and Powerful Meetings