Ch 11 Business Communication

Jue understands that soft skills and professional polish will ensure her long-term success on the job. Which of the following is not a soft skill?

d. Proficiency in using a variety of computer software packages

What is the optimum number of participants for most group projects?

d. Four to five

Tao has just volunteered to participate in a work team that will explore the establishment of an employee exercise facility. Which of the following behaviors should he practice?

c. Remind group members of their task if they periodically get off track.

You are in a meeting receiving your performance review and are surprised that your supervisor has offered you many suggestions for improvement. How should you react to the criticism?

d. Ask for clarification of comments when necessary

Which of the following statement best provides constructive criticism?

d. Producing inferior work often causes this company to lose time and money.

Richard wants to prove that he is diligent and collegial. What is the best advice you can give him?

b. Show a willingness to share his expertise with others.

Which statement about professionalism is accurate?

d. Professionalism describes desirable workplace behavior.

Melinda uses a cell phone for all her business communications. What advice should she follow?

a. Screen incoming calls.

The best definition of uptalk is

c. a rising inflection at the end of a sentence that makes statements sound like questions.

Stephen is starting a new job and wants to demonstrate that he is a professional employee. What advice should he follow?

c. Keep personal opinions of people private.

You recently chaired a team implementing new federal confidentiality requirements. After implementation, you must evaluate each team member’s performance. Which of the following suggestions about giving constructive criticism is not accurate?

d. To show more compassion, be as vague as possible.

LaTarsha’s coworker has told her that LaTarsha is more likely to be promoted if she speaks effectively in conversations. Which of the following is a good tip for LaTarsha

d. Give sincere and specific praise to managers, colleagues, and workers.

Which of the following statements is accurate?

d. You can learn to change your voice to make it more powerful.

How do recruiters and employers view the importance of professional behavior in the workplace?

a. Employers will often promote or advance individuals who display appropriate communication skills and professional polish.

What term describes groups of people who work interdependently with a shared purpose across space, time, and organization boundaries using technology?

d. Virtual teams

When the purpose of your meeting is to solve a problem, what is the recommended number of meeting participants?

d. Five or fewer

Marsha has limited time and must call Charlie for answers to several questions. Which of the following is the best example of a brisk and professional approach?

a. Charlie, I have only a few minutes, but I knew you were the one with answers to my questions

Team leaders can handle difficult group members during a meeting by

b. assigning a task to the disruptive person.

Which of the following is the best practice for a group when it begins a meeting?

a. Establish ground rules.

A synonym for professionalism is

b. business etiquette.

Shawn needs to record his business voicemail outgoing message. Which of the following outgoing messages is most professional?

d. Hi! You have reached the voice mail of Shawn Berg of Juarez Accounting. I am currently away from my phone but will return by 2 p.m. Please call back then. Thank you for calling

Which of the following demonstrates the best example when answering a telephone call?

c. Thanks for calling Precision Integrations. This is Beth Dittmer. How may I help you today

Which statement about group conflict is accurate?

c. Good groups acknowledge conflict and address the root of the problem openly.

Which of the following is the best advice regarding small talk in the workplace?

d. Read newspapers and listen to the radio and TV so that you can discuss current events intelligently

Lucas will attend his first sales meeting and wants to follow proper meeting etiquette. Which of the following should he do to make a good impression?

c. Leave the room only for breaks and emergencies

Professional behavior is comprised of six dimensions, including courtesy and respect, appearance and appeal, tolerance and tact, honesty and ethics, reliability and responsibility, and

d. diligence and collegiality.

Leticia has called a client and gotten his voice mail. What is the best advice you can give Leticia for leaving a message?

b. Smile when leaving her message to add warmth to her voice.

Which of the following statements about face-to-face communication is accurate?

d. Face-to-face interaction is the most effective of all communication channels.

Which of the following statements about meetings is most accurate?

a. As businesses become more team-oriented, people are attending more meetings than ever

To use your voice effectively,

b. speak in a moderately low-pitched voice at about 125 words per minute.

Which of the following statements about meetings is not accurate?

b. Meetings should start on time unless someone important is late

The most effective groups have members who

b. offer information and try out their ideas on the group to stimulate discussion

The benefits of voice mail include eliminating unnecessary chit chat, telephone tag, inaccurate messages, and

b. time-zone barriers.

Which of the following statements about using cell phones for business is most accurate?

d. Be careful about using your cell phone to discuss private or confidential company information.

How should a group leader keep a meeting progressing effectively?

d. Discourage members who monopolize the discussion.

Saying words correctly and clearly with the accepted sounds and syllables reflects

b. proper pronunciation

What is your first task before holding a meeting?

c. Determine your purpose

The most successful workplace teams

b. have a small number of members.

Which of the following statements about professionalism in the workplace is accurate?

c. More organizations are establishing procedures or policies to encourage professionalism.

Which of the following should occur at the end of a meeting

b. The leader should provide a summary of accomplishments and a review of action items.

Which of the following is the best advice to follow when receiving telephone calls for others?

b. Verify telephone numbers and spelling of names when taking messages.

Which of the following statements about workplace teams is most accurate?

b. Team members who are involved in the decision-making process show less resistance to change

Antonia is leading her first professional business meeting and wants to follow professional meeting etiquette. Which of the following is the best tip for Antonia?

b. End the meeting on time, even if the group hasn’t discussed all agenda items.

Which of the following is the best example of a response when answering calls for others?

c. Annette is away from her desk, but I will give her your message when she returns.

Which of the following would probably best help a group achieve its goal?

a. Active listening skills

Which of the following statements about managing workplace conflict is most accurate?

a. Conflict in the workplace can be desirable

A coworker has justly criticized you for poor performance at work. If you agree quickly with this on-target criticism

a. others will more likely respect you.

Which of the following is the best advice when making business telephone calls?

a. Before you make a call, ask yourself if it’s necessary.

Alec, hoping for a promotion, wants to improve his pronunciation skills so that he’s able to say words correctly and clearly with accepted sounds and accented syllables. Which of the following is the best advice for Alec?

c. Listen carefully to educated people.

A meeting agenda should include the date and place of the meeting, start and end times, a brief description of each topic with its time allotment, and

d. any premeeting preparation expected of participants.