Verbal Communication
Which audience requires the most professional verbal communication — friends, teachers, or a boss/supervisor?
A boss or supervisor.
True or false: When words and body language send different messages, we tend to believe the body language.
True
How should a professional email greeting begin, and what should you include if you know the person's name?
Begin with 'Dear' or 'Hello,' and include the person's name and title if known — for example, 'Dear Mrs. Smith.'
You are mid-interview and your mind goes completely blank on a question. What should you do instead of just saying "I don't know" and going silent?
Use the 3-2-1 strategy to organize your thoughts (3 steps, 2 types, 1 thing), ask for a moment to think, or restate the question out loud to buy yourself time. Staying calm and making an attempt is always better than shutting down.
How is a 'feeling' different from a thought?
A feeling is a real emotion (sad, frustrated, nervous) or a body sensation (heart racing, steady hands, tight throat). A thought is a belief or interpretation — for example, 'I feel like you don't listen' is actually a thought, not a feeling.
What does 'tone' mean when we talk about verbal communication
Tone is how your voice sounds — for example, friendly, serious, respectful, or sarcastic.
Your supervisor corrects you in front of others and you feel embarrassed. What non-verbal behavior should you avoid?
Rolling your eyes, crossing your arms, or showing a dismissive expression — instead, maintain open, attentive body language.
What is the purpose of a subject line in a professional email?
It tells the reader what the email is about before they open it — it should be short, clear, and specific.
An interviewer asks "Tell me about yourself." What are two things your answer should include?
Something about who you are (age, student, etc.), a strength or skill you have, and why you are interested in the job or what you are looking for from the role. Keep it brief and professional, don't share your whole life story.
What are the four steps of Non-Violent Communication (NVC)?
Observations, Feelings, Needs, and Request.
Name 3 key parts of Verbal Communication?
Word choice, tone, volume, and respect level (formal vs casual language)
Name three types of non-verbal communication.
Any three of: body language, facial expressions, eye contact, gestures, posture.
Name three professional ways to close an email.
Sincerely, Best Regards, Best, Warm Regards
Name three things you should do during a job interview to show you are listening and engaged.
Any three of: make eye contact, sit up straight, nod, avoid interrupting, respond directly to the question.
Name one quality of a professional request.
Any two of: positive (states what you DO want), specific (concrete and doable), flexible (open to compromise — not a demand) reasonable (is realistic and makes sense in the situation).
If you are 20 minutes late to work, what is a professional way to communicate that?
Something like: 'Good morning, I'm running about 20 minutes late due to traffic. I apologize and will be there as soon as possible.'
You are in a job interview and you feel nervous. Name two things your body might do that could send the wrong message, and what should you do instead?
Nervous habits like avoiding eye contact, slouching, crossing arms, fidgeting, or looking at the floor can signal disinterest or low confidence. Instead: sit up straight, make natural eye contact, keep hands relaxed, and face the interviewer as best you can, Utilize accommodations to support you if needed.
After your interview, what is one professional action you should take?
Send a thank-you email to the interviewer.
An interviewer asks 'What is one weakness you are working on?' What is the best strategy for answering this?
Name a real weakness and then explain the steps you are taking to improve it — show self-awareness and growth.
What is the difference between an observation and an evaluation in NVC?
An observation is a neutral, specific statement of what happened ('I noticed...'). An evaluation adds judgment or interpretation ('You always...').
You disagree with your supervisor's method. What is a professional way to share your idea?
'I have another idea that might work. Can I share it?' or 'Would you like to hear it?'
What was a key take away from "the onion" concept we used in class?
The different layers of relationships (strangers, acquaintances, peers, friends, close family, etc.) and how the level of communication changes for each. The closer the relationship to more casual the respect level. The further the relationship is from you the more formal the respect level.
What are the six parts of a professional email?
Email address, subject line, greeting, reason, details, and closing/salutation with contact information.
At the end of an interview, you are given a chance to ask the interviewer questions. Name one good questions you could ask.
Any two of: 'What does a typical day look like?', 'What do you like about working here?', 'What training will I receive?', 'What are the next steps in the hiring process?'
A coworker blows up at you and later wants to apologize. Which is the better apology and why? Option A: 'I'm sorry you're upset.' Option B: 'I'm sorry for what I did. That wasn't okay.'
Option B — it takes responsibility for the behavior. Option A shifts focus to the other person's feelings without owning the action.