Communicating at Work
Communication, Culture, and Work
Listening
Verbal and Nonverbal Messages
Interpersonal Skills
100
Sally isn’t sure how to solve a problem at work, so she walks over to Fred’s cubicle to discuss it with him. Fred is in the same department as Sally and has only been with the company for a few more months than Sally. Sally’s problem solving with Fred is considered what kind of communication? A. Communication context B. Upward communication C. Physical noise D. Downward communication E. Horizontal communication
E. Horizontal communication
100
Which of the following statements about culture is most accurate? A. The values we learn from our culture are important, but they don’t effect our communication B. Most member of culture can easily describe the “rules” of the culture C. Culture is not something that can be shared D. Culture variation rarely exists within the country. E. We are usually not even aware of our own culture’s “rules.”
E. We are usually not even aware of our own culture's "rules."
100
Adam believes that he is a good listener because he lets the other person talk without interrupting. He doesn’t paraphrase or ask questions of the listener, and he doesn’t attend to the listener’s nonverbal cues. Adam is mistakenly assuming that: A. Effective communication is the sender’s responsibility. B. The communication model is accurate. C. Effective communication is the listener’s responsibility. D. Talking has more advantages than listening. E. Talking is an active process.
A. Effective communication is the sender's responsibility.
100
Over 50% of the meaning of a message is communicated nonverbally. Which of the following characteristics of nonverbal communication best represents this statement? A. Nonverbal behaviors is culture-bound B. Nonverbal communication is powerful C. Nonverbal behavior has little communicative value D. Nonverbal behavior is ambiguous E. Nonverbal communication primarily expresses attitudes.
B. Nonverbal communication is powerful
100
Which of the following is an example of constructive criticism? A. “You consistently have errors in your reports.” B. “If you cannot be on time, then you need to look for another job.” C. “You are completely unreliable and I would not recommend you to another department.” D. “You were out of line for speaking to Karen in the meeting like that.” E. “We are a deadline-driven organization, and it is very important that you return calls and emails in a timely fashion.”
E. "We are a deadline-driven organization, and it is very important that you return calls and emails in a timely fashion."
200
Consider the following statement: “More and open communication is all that is needed to improve career skills such as interviewing, group meetings, leadership, and negotiation abilities.” Which of the following communication principles does this statement ignore? A. Communication is irreversible B. Communication operates on two levels C. Communication is not a panacea D. Communication is a process E. Communication is unavoidable
C. Communication is not a panacea
200
You are an American transferred to Guadalajara, Mexico for your job as a Project Manager. At your first departmental meeting in Mexico, you share some of your ideas with the company president that you had not discussed with your own supervisor. Your teammates subsequently perceive your behavior as inappropriate and overly aggressive. This perception is probably attributed to a difference in which of the two culture’s dimensions of cultural diversity? A. Uncertainty avoidance B. Task orientation C. Context orientation D. Power distance E. Time orientation
D. Power distance
200
200Egocentrism is an example of which type of listening barrier? A. Environmental B. Physiological C. Sociocultural differences D. Attitudinal E. Lack of training
D. Attitudinal
200
Which form of nonverbal communication is most effective at controlling the flow of conversation? A. Paralanguage B. Eye Contact C. Dress D. Appearance E. Posture
B. Eye Contact
200
When collaboration is unsuccessful you should use this type of conflict style: A. Competing B. Clarifying C. Compromising D. Avoiding
C. Compromising
300
While Andrea was discussing a business proposal with one of her coworkers, the annoying sound of Jimmy’s cell phone ring kept going off. This is an example of what kind of noise? A. Feedback B. Psychological noise C. Physical noise D. Physiological noise
C. Physical noise
300
Which of the following indicates a low-context culture? A. Language is primarily used to express meaning thoroughly and logically. B. Communicators often rely on subtle, nonverbal cues to convey meaning. C. Nonverbal behaviors are totally unimportant in understanding meaning. D. Social context reveal much information about relationships.
A. Language is primarily used to express meaning thoroughly and logically.
300
Which accurately describes a gender difference in listening behavior? A. Men tend to be listened to and given more attention to meaning than women. B. Women tend to attach no meaning to “listening noises.” C. Men tend to listen for the relational message rather than the content. D. Both genders are preoccupied with relational messages rather than content. E. Women tend to listen for the facts and ignore feelings in messages.
B. Women tend to attach no meaning to "listening noises."
300
Which type of culture is interested in building relationships through dialogue and discussion before getting down to the business at hand? A. Monochronic B. Polychronic C. Low-context D. High-context
B. Polychronic
300
Competition between two computer software companies forces one company to declare bankruptcy, but now their former customers refuse to switch to the remaining company’s software. This is an example of which negotiation style? A. Win-Win-Win B. Win-Win C. Win-Lose-Win D. Win-Lose E. Lose-Lose
E. Lose-Lose
400
The communication process begins with the _____ who must choose certain words or nonverbal methods to send an intentional message that is called _____. A. sender, encoding B. sender, decoding C. receiver, encoding D. receiver, decoding
A. sender, encoding
400
Tommy went to Japan for a business trip last fall. When he returned he boasted to his coworkers about how much better North Americans dress, communicate, and interact with each other. His coworkers told him that he was guilty of what?
Ethnocentrism
400
In an important business meeting, Sally was called up to give a five-minute presentation. Part way through her presentation she began talking about how she came home from work to find her dog chewing on her shoe last night. Sally’s behavior would annoy someone with which type of listening style? A. Action-oriented B. Time-oriented C. Content-oriented D. People-oriented
B. Time-oriented
400
During departmental meetings, Pat tends to minimize conflict and emphasize common ground to build relationships among coworkers. What kind of language does Pat’s speech style represent? A. Characteristically feminine speech B. Characteristically masculine speech C. Jargon speech D. Abstract speech E. Characteristically childlike speech
A. Characteristically feminine speech
400
Which of the following is the best example of descriptive, not evaluative, “I” language? A. “I think we did a lazy job on our report.” B. “I’m sick of your attitude." C. “I think you’re being disrespectful to me.” D. “I’m disappointed with your poor work ethic.” E. “I worry when you come to work late.”
E. "I worry when you come to work late."
500
Jane and Jill are both employees at a major business company in downtown Omaha. Jane works in a cubicle directly across from Jill and they go on weekly Starbucks runs before work. What type of communication network is this? A. Formal B. Personal C. Face-to-face D. Horizontal E. Informal
E. Informal
500
Tom works for an organization that has a recreational softball team, a golf league, a bowling league and a Toastmaster’s club. The employees regularly meet on Fridays after work to unwind together. When you consider the dimensions of organizational culture, this company likely possesses a high level of: A. Power distribution B. Structure C. Conflict tolerance D. Sociability E. Tolerance for risk and change
D. Sociability
500
Although listeners can process up to 500 words per minute; most people speak using around 125 words per minute. This discrepancy between processing and speaking rates is evidence of which physiological barrier to effective listening? A. Hearing problems B. Rapid Thought C. Physical Distractions D. Message Overload
B. Rapid Thought
500
Jennifer's boss, Dan, consistently refers to her as "girl" or "young lady" when introducing her to new and potential clients. Which type of verbal message is Dan demonstrating? A. Jargon B. Abstraction C. Feminine Speech D. Paraphrasing E. Biased Language
E. Biased Language
500
Su Lang and her colleague, Jen, are competing for the weekly top-salesperson award in their office. All week Jen has been bragging loudly about her chances for winning this award. Su Lang values salesperson performance, but finds the award rather trivial. Which approach to conflict should Su Lang take in handling this conflict with Jen? A. Competing B. Clarifying C. Collaborating D. Compromising E. Avoiding
E. Avoiding
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