Question 1

Gina has a meeting scheduled for an hour during which she needs to find a solution for the problem at hand.If the problem cannot be solved in the time allotted,which of the following should Gina follow to achieve her goal?
A) Schedule a follow-up meeting.
B) Set a starting time but no ending time for the meeting.
C) Start later than the expected starting time.
D) Discourage any sort of diversion or interruption even if it requires being rude.

Accepted Answer

Gina should schedule a follow-up meeting. It is smart to set an ending time for the meeting. If you cannot solve the problem in the time allotted, schedule a follow-up meeting.

Question 2

Identify the statement that is true of procrastination.
A) It helps to feel better for a few minutes while avoiding doing something unpleasant.
B) Projects should be divided into smaller segments in order to avoid the desire to stall.
C) Checking instant-messaging programs intermittently takes nervousness away from work.
D) Ending in the middle of a paragraph makes starting again less intimidating.

Accepted Answer

Prepare for the temptation to procrastinate by ending an ongoing project in a place where it's easy to get started the next time you work on it. For example, if you're writing a report, end in the middle of a paragraph. Finishing the paragraph will be easier than starting a new thought, so getting started again will be less intimidating.

Question 3

A supervisor answers a call while he is in a meeting.He explains to the caller that he cannot give the call the attention it deserves at that time and schedules a convenient time to call back.However,the telephone call will become the supervisor's top priority if the person calling is a(n):
A) HR personnel.
B) subordinate.
C) colleague.
D) customer.

Accepted Answer

If you answer the telephone while you are in a meeting or doing something important, explain to the caller that you cannot give the call the attention it deserves at that time, and schedule a convenient time to call back. Of course, you have to use this approach carefully. If the person calling is your manager or a customer, the telephone call may be your top priority.

Question 4

Identify the factor involving an organization's work design that can contribute to work-related stress.
A) Poor social environment
B) Poor communication
C) Lack of support from supervisor
D) Hectic pace

Accepted Answer

The causes of stress linked to the workplace involving an organization's work design are heavy workload, hectic pace, infrequent rest breaks, lack of control, meaningless tasks, long work hours, and shift work.

Question 5

To control your use of time,you must be able to say no when appropriate to people who approach you with new tasks. Which of the following tips is most appropriate?
A) Ask the person not to bother you as you are busy.
B) Go according to your supervisor or colleague's timetable.
C) Remind the person that he or she must learn to manage time properly.
D) Put a time limit on your participation.

Accepted Answer

For those times when you cannot say no, put a time limit on your participation. For instance, explain that you can only give an hour and no more.

Question 6

Which of the following is a common reason why supervisors resist delegating work?
A) They cannot set aside some time to list and review all their tasks.
B) They believe only they can really do the job right.
C) They find that all the activities and associated paperwork are always necessary.
D) They cannot identify any activity that their employees can be trained to handle.

Accepted Answer

Even when someone else can do a job more efficiently in terms of that person's cost and availability, supervisors may resist delegating because they believe only they can really do the job right. This attitude stands in the way of appropriate delegating.

Question 7

Stuart had an open door policy for his employees and their problems.However,he was also aware of how this policy could be abused to waste time.Therefore,when one of his employees came to him to discuss her recent European vacation,Stuart should respond by:
A) listening attentively.
B) calling a departmental meeting to hear about this topic.
C) saying that they could have lunch together so that they can talk about it.
D) asking her to write about it and submit it to the company's weekly newsletter.

Accepted Answer

In the given scenario, Stuart would have most likely responded by saying that they could have lunch together so that they can talk about it. With low-priority interruptions, the supervisor needs to take control of his or her time diplomatically. The supervisor might say to the co-worker back from vacation, "It's great to hear you had fun last week. Let's have lunch together so you can tell me about it."

Question 8

Perfectionism often underlies the:
A) failure to delegate work.
B) job being done more efficiently in terms of a person's cost and availability.
C) inability to say no.
D) need for an effective stress management technique.

Accepted Answer

Perfectionism often underlies the failure to delegate work. Even when someone else can do a job more efficiently in terms of that person's cost and availability, supervisors may resist delegating because they believe only they can really do the job right. This attitude stands in the way of appropriate delegating.

Question 9

If a supervisor is interrupted by an employee with a problem,and the supervisor views the employee's problem as not urgent,then he or she should:
A) call a departmental meeting to find out what the problem is.
B) schedule a meeting with the employee at a later time.
C) listen attentively to the employee anyway.
D) avoid that employee.

Accepted Answer

Interruptions from employees can be tricky to handle because part of a supervisor's job is to listen to employees and help them with work-related problems. If the problem is not urgent-for example, if it does not hold up an employee's work-a supervisor may want to schedule a later time when supervisor and employee can meet to work on the problem. At that later time, of course, the supervisor should give priority to the meeting with the employee and discourage interruptions from others.

Question 10

The process of putting off what needs to be done is termed:
A) procrastination.
B) laziness.
C) prejudice.
D) indifference.

Accepted Answer

This process of putting off what needs to be done is called procrastination. Procrastination is a time waster because it leads people to spend their time on low-priority activities while they avoid the higher priorities.

Question 11

The body's response to coping with environmental demands such as change,frustration,uncertainty,danger,or discomfort is known as:
A) natural selection.
B) stress.
C) biofeedback.
D) metabolism.

Accepted Answer

Stress refers to the body's response to coping with environmental demands such as change, frustration, uncertainty, danger, or discomfort. Usually when we think of stress, we think of the response to problems-for example, arguments, cold, or long hours of work.

Question 12

Which of the following is the attitude that stands in the way of appropriate delegating?
A) Employees believing they can do a job more efficiently in terms of cost and availability
B) Supervisors believing that they have taken on too much work
C) Supervisors believing only they can really do the job right
D) Employees identifying activities that they have been trained to handle

Accepted Answer

Perfectionism often underlies the failure to delegate work. Even when someone else can do a job more efficiently in terms of that person's cost and availability, supervisors may resist delegating because they believe only they can really do the job right. This attitude stands in the way of appropriate delegating. In terms of time management, the result is that the supervisor has taken on too much work.

Question 13

Which of the following is the best way to control time wasters?
A) The best cure for procrastination is to force yourself to jump in.
B) A to-do list should be filled up every hour of the day and week.
C) The best way to manage paperwork is to look into each item at least thrice.
D) Since employees are part of organizations, their visits cannot be categorized as unscheduled.

Accepted Answer

Procrastination is a time waster because it leads people to spend their time on low-priority activities while they avoid the higher priorities. The best cure for procrastination is to force yourself to jump in. To do that, focus on one step at a time.

Question 14

Which of the following can be best described as a time waster because it leads people to spend their time on low-priority activities while they avoid the higher priorities?
A) Procrastination
B) Burnout
C) Perfectionism
D) Biofeedback

Accepted Answer

Procrastination is a time waster because it leads people to spend their time on low-priority activities while they avoid the higher priorities. This process of putting off what needs to be done is called procrastination.

Question 15

During a meeting,when a problem cannot be solved in the allotted time,which of the following is the best practice to be undertaken by a supervisor?
A) Updating the time log
B) Scheduling a follow-up meeting
C) Creating a to-do list
D) Setting a reminder

Accepted Answer

It is smart to set an ending time for the meeting. If you cannot solve the problem in the time allotted, schedule a follow-up meeting.

Question 16

Which of the following is a strategy that employees should take up for efficient e-mail management?
A) Reading all messages completely as and when they are received
B) Reading and replying to all the messages as and when they arrive
C) Refraining from sorting messages into folders so they can be referred to later
D) Responding to every message as and when they arrive

Accepted Answer

The time required to read and respond to the incoming messages challenges employees to come up with strategies for e-mail management. In order to do this, some employees read each message when it arrives, ignores only the ones that are obviously spam, deletes about half as unimportant, and then saves the rest. Other employees periodically review their messages in the preview pane, delete unimportant messages, read the important ones, and then sort the messages into folders so they can refer to them later. If a message requires further action later (for example, when they receive more information), the employees keep it in their in-box.

Question 17

An efficient way to respond to a memo is to:
A) handle each item in the memo only once.
B) take it home since interruptions will not occur there.
C) ignore it until it actually needs to be answered.
D) write a brief response across the top and return it to the sender.

Accepted Answer

An efficient way to respond to a memo is to write a brief response across the top and return the memo to the sender.

Question 18

Bob is a newly-appointed manager who has difficulty in maintaining the time wisely during group meetings.Which of the following will help him do a better job?
A) Ensuring the meeting starts only after everyone has arrived
B) Making sure there is no ending time for the meeting
C) Reminding participants politely about the subject at hand if the discussion veers off course
D) Scheduling the meeting for a later date when everyone is relatively free

Accepted Answer

Reminding participants politely about the subject at hand if the discussion veers off course will help Bob do a better job. When you call a meeting, you can use time wisely by starting promptly. If the discussion veers off course, politely remind participants about the subject at hand.

Question 19

Identify the true statement about controlling time wasters.
A) A supervisor cannot ask to be taken off the distribution list when he or she receives an internal company report even if it provides little useful information.
B) Although high standards can inspire high performance, perfectionism can make people afraid to try at all.
C) The inability to say no and perfectionism are time savers that allow supervisors to fully use their time.
D) If your own supervisor asks you to take on an urgent new task, the best way out is to politely refuse since it would clash with your other priorities.

Accepted Answer

Although high standards can inspire high performance, perfectionism can make people afraid to try at all. Perfectionism is the attempt to do things perfectly. It may sound like a noble goal, but human beings are imperfect. Expecting to be perfect therefore dooms a person to failure.

Question 20

In the context of the most common time wasters,the attempt to do things thoroughly and precisely is termed:
A) delegation.
B) procrastination.
C) perfectionism.
D) time management.

Accepted Answer

Perfectionism is the attempt to do things perfectly. It may sound like a noble goal, but human beings are imperfect. Expecting to be perfect therefore dooms a person to failure.

Quiz 13: Managing Time and Stress

Gina has a meeting scheduled for an hour during which she needs to find a solution for the problem at hand.If the problem cannot be solved in the time allotted,which of the following should Gina follow to achieve her goal?

Identify the statement that is true of procrastination.

A supervisor answers a call while he is in a meeting.He explains to the caller that he cannot give the call the attention it deserves at that time and schedules a convenient time to call back.However,the telephone call will become the supervisor's top priority if the person calling is a(n) :

Identify the factor involving an organization's work design that can contribute to work-related stress.

To control your use of time,you must be able to say no when appropriate to people who approach you with new tasks. Which of the following tips is most appropriate?

Which of the following is a common reason why supervisors resist delegating work?

Stuart had an open door policy for his employees and their problems.However,he was also aware of how this policy could be abused to waste time.Therefore,when one of his employees came to him to discuss her recent European vacation,Stuart should respond by:

Perfectionism often underlies the:

If a supervisor is interrupted by an employee with a problem,and the supervisor views the employee's problem as not urgent,then he or she should:

The process of putting off what needs to be done is termed:

The body's response to coping with environmental demands such as change,frustration,uncertainty,danger,or discomfort is known as:

Which of the following is the attitude that stands in the way of appropriate delegating?

Which of the following is the best way to control time wasters?

Which of the following can be best described as a time waster because it leads people to spend their time on low-priority activities while they avoid the higher priorities?

During a meeting,when a problem cannot be solved in the allotted time,which of the following is the best practice to be undertaken by a supervisor?

Which of the following is a strategy that employees should take up for efficient e-mail management?

An efficient way to respond to a memo is to:

Bob is a newly-appointed manager who has difficulty in maintaining the time wisely during group meetings.Which of the following will help him do a better job?

Identify the true statement about controlling time wasters.

In the context of the most common time wasters,the attempt to do things thoroughly and precisely is termed: