To Be Well Informed and Benefit From Employees' Creativity

Answer Key 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15) 16) 17) 18) 19) 20) 21) 22) 23) 24) 25) 26) 27) 28) 29) 30) 31) 32) 33) 34) 35) 36) 37) 38) 39) 40) 41) 42) 43) 44) 45) 46) 47) 48) 49) D D D B C C C B D D A C D B B A C D C B A B C D D D B B A B A D B A D A C A B B D D D A C B A C B Answer Key 50) 51) 52) 53) 54) 55) 56) 57) 58) 59) 60) 61) 62) 63) 64) 65) 66) 67) 68) 69) 70) 71) 72) 73) 74) 75) 76) 77) 78) 79) 80) 81) 82) 83) 84) 85) 86) 87) 88) 89) 90) 91) 92) 93) 94) 95) 96) 97) 98) A A C B B C C D D D B D A B D C A D A A B C D C D C B B C B A A C A A C D A D B C D A D D B C A FALSE Answer Key 99) 100) 101) 102) 103) 104) 105) 106) FALSE TRUE TRUE TRUE FALSE FALSE TRUE Anything that can distort a message by interfering with the communication process is referred to as noise. Examples of noise are distractions, ambiguous words, and incompatible electronic equipment used to transmit the message. 107) An effective way of dealing with the problem of information overload is for the supervisor to give employees only information that will be useful to them. Also, the supervisor should be sure that employees are paying attention. The way to do this is to observe the people receiving the information and look for feedback. 108) Hearing means the brain is registering sounds but is not necessarily paying attention to the meaning conveyed by the sounds. Listening means paying attention to what is being said and trying to understand the full message. This is the meaning of "decoding" a message. When parents nag or co-workers complain, we often choose not to listen to them. 109) When feedback indicates that a message has not been received fully and correctly, the supervisor can try modifying the message so that it is better adapted to the receiver. The supervisor may have to eliminate sources of noise, for example, by talking in a location with fewer distractions or choosing clearer words. 1) To be well informed and benefit from employees' creativity, a supervisor should primarily encourage ________. A) haptic communication B) grapevine communication C) nonverbal communication D) upward communication 1) 2) Which of the following statements about inferences and facts is true? A) An inference is a conclusion drawn from observation. B) Statements using the words "never" and "always" are less likely to be inferences. C) A fact is a conclusion drawn from the inferences available for scrutiny. D) When sending a message, a supervisor should avoid statements that phrase inferences as facts. 2) 3) Most complications from e-mail communications arise because A) two-way communication is not possible. B) it takes a long time to write an email. C) they do not provide a written record for review. D) of how easy it is to send an e-mail. 3) 4) If incompatible electronic equipment is used to transmit a message, ________. A) the receiver will not be able to receive the message B) the communication is likely to be distorted by noise C) the message gets encoded by the equipment D) lateral communication is not possible 4) 5) A supervisor should choose written communication over oral communication when A) building a relationship with the receiver of the message is important. B) information is more sensitive than factual. C) a message includes complex information. D) immediate feedback is necessary. 5) 6) In the context of barriers to communication, misunderstandings are most likely to occur when A) the sender encodes a message. B) simple words are used. C) a message is complicated. D) gestures are used. 6) 7) Lateral communication occurs when a message is sent to a person A) at a lower level in the organization. B) at a higher level in the organization. C) at the same level in the organization. D) outside the organization. 7) 1 8) Which of the following is a true statement about workplace communication? A) It merely involves trading of facts. B) Higher interaction with co-workers leads to increased productivity. C) Effective workplace communication is more about simply talking and writing. D) Worker productivity is shown to dramatically decrease when communication involves topics not related to work. 8) 9) One way to minimize the intrusiveness of modern media is to A) convey messages without using complicated words. B) rely only on oral communication which gives an opportunity to send and receive many nonverbal cues. C) communicate without the use of feedback. D) limit the use of calls and texts to situations where an immediate reply is essential. 9) 10) When a supervisor gets a memo from top management describing a new company policy, he or she is receiving a(n) ________ communication. A) upward B) diagonal C) lateral D) downward 10) 11) When there is a need for a record, which of the following is the most effective mode of communication? A) Memorandum B) Face-to-face communication C) Conference call D) Telephone conversation 11) 12) The sender of a message can recognize and resolve communication problems by paying attention to ________. A) grapevine B) noise C) feedback D) inference 12) 13) We learn the meaning of nonverbal messages by A) encoding messages. B) drawing facts from inferences. C) engaging in passive listening. D) participating in our culture. 13) 14) Much of the communication that occurs in an organization is A) through recorded conversations. B) directed toward meeting individual needs. C) directed toward meeting the organization's goals. D) through formal meetings. 14) 15) The difference between a fact and an inference is that a(n) A) inference is always true. B) inference is a conclusion drawn from the facts available. C) fact is a conclusion drawn typically from an informal mode of communication. D) fact is a conclusion drawn from statements using the words "never" and "always." 15) 2 16) According to Alex Pentland and Benjamin Waber, the workers who interact the most with their co-workers are the most productive because A) they are more prepared to make important work-related decisions. B) they are more likely to experience groupthink. C) workplace communication is always oral. D) workplace communication only involves trading facts. 16) 17) Jude loves to play GameCube games. While he is playing, he gets so involved that when someone asks him a question, he answers, "Uh-huh." He is most likely A) communicating effectively. B) listening, but not hearing. C) hearing, but not listening. D) using formal communication. 17) 18) When a person is sending both verbal and nonverbal messages, ________. A) the probability of noise distorting the communication is very less B) the information is most likely to be misinterpreted C) the receiver is more likely to not send any feedback D) the nonverbal message may have more influence on the receiver 18) 19) Which of the following is a major type of distraction that obstructs active listening? A) Decoding the receiver's feedback B) Trying to hear the main points and supporting points C) Assuming that the listener has nothing interesting to say D) Looking at the speaker most of the time 19) 20) As the grapevine is a source of information for employees, supervisors should A) be careful not to use lateral forms of communication. B) expect that employees sometimes have information before they have delivered it. C) use it as the primary way to communicate with their employees. D) ensure that they are the primary source of all the information that flows through the grapevine. 20) 21) Susanna strongly believes in the relationship between workplace communication and employee productivity, and she agrees with Alex Pentland and Benjamin Waber's findings on workplace communication patterns. She finds that two of her employees, Steven and Amy, are talking to each other in Amy's cubicle. She is likely to A) allow them to continue for a reasonable amount of time. B) ensure that they only talk about work-related topics. C) subtly hint to Steven that he should be getting back to work. D) ensure that they only talk about non work-related topics. 21) 22) Supervisors can help with the constant interruptions of modern media by A) communicating without the use of feedback. B) setting aside time when cell phones should be turned off so everyone can concentrate. C) restricting all emails to lateral forms of communication only. D) banning the use of memos at work. 22) 3 23) Why is knowledge about the directions of communications essential for a supervisor? A) Without knowing about directions of communications, supervisors cannot encode messages. B) Supervisors need it to protect themselves from the ethical problems that can arise from public speaking. C) Supervisors can use that knowledge to be sure that they are communicating in all directions. D) Without knowing about directions of communications, supervisors cannot engage in cross-cultural communication. 23) 24) Organizational communication in which a message is sent to someone at a higher level is referred to as ________. A) lateral communication B) diagonal communication C) downward communication D) upward communication 24) 25) Which of the following is an effective way to seek feedback from a listener? A) Asking simple yes-or-no questions B) Asking questions such as "Do you understand?" C) Asking questions such as "Do you work tomorrow?" D) Asking questions that require some level of understanding to answer appropriately 25) 26) Which of the following is a requirement for supervisors to communicate better with employees? A) Focusing on giving directions and advice than on listening to employees B) Excluding employees' emotions and paying attention to their words C) Thinking of an immediate response when an employee is talking D) Being more open to possibilities when employees come up with ideas 26) 27) The ability to send and receive information from many places, including one's workplace, home, car, and airplane seat, can contribute to A) the halo effect. B) information overload. C) increase in noise. D) the recency syndrome. 27) 28) Which of the following is a common error in cross-cultural communication? A) Using literal meanings of words B) Assuming that a limited knowledge of English means that the person is uninterested in learning English C) Seeking feedback by asking the listener what he or she has heard D) Assuming that people from other cultures may be unfamiliar with the idioms used in one's own culture 28) 29) Which of the following is a similarity between letters and memos? A) Both take a relatively long time to prepare and deliver. B) Both can only be sent electronically. C) Both are formal ways of sending a written message. D) Both can only be used for lateral communication. 29) 4 30) Which of the following statements is true about inferences? A) Facts are derived from inferences. B) Statements using the words "never" and "always" are inferences. C) Inferences can only be used for lateral communication. D) Making inferences is always a conscious process. 30) 31) Which of the following rules should supervisors follow in order to be better listeners? A) Try to hear the main point and supporting points. B) Avoid distinguishing between opinions and facts. C) Refrain from giving smiling when the speaker hesitates. D) Ask questions to clarify one's understanding when the speaker is talking. 31) 32) In the context of barriers to communication, which of the following helps supervisors avoid misunderstanding? A) Treat inferences as facts when communicating. B) Use "you statements" instead of "I statements." C) Use words that attribute characteristics to another person. D) Avoid using language that obscures the meaning of words. 32) 33) Which of the following is true of rumors? A) Rumors are always based on facts. B) Rumors rarely tell a complete or unbiased version of the truth. C) Much of the formal communication takes the form of rumors. D) The supervisor is often obligated to participate in spreading rumors. 33) 34) Communication fails to occur when the A) receiver does not decode the message. B) feedback is negative. C) sender encodes the message. D) receiver fails to eliminate noise. 34) 35) One method that supervisors can use to encourage upward communication is to A) hear rather than listen to employees. B) persuade one's boss to ask questions. C) use an authoritarian leadership style. D) use a suggestion box. 35) 36) Which of the following is an advantage of sending letters over e-mails? A) Letters offer a chance for reflection and change. B) Letters take less time to be prepared and delivered. C) Letters can be used to communicate informally. D) Letters are easier to send. 36) 5 37) Supervisors send and receive lateral communications when they A) ask their manager for a raise. B) evaluate a new policy from top management. C) socialize with their peers at the company. D) take instructions from their manager. 37) 38) When feedback is critical, which of the following is the most effective mode of communication? A) Face-to-face communication B) Memorandum C) Telephone conversation D) Bulletin board notice 38) 39) Much of the verbal communication that occurs in organizations is in writing because A) writing is the only way to communicate laterally. B) written communication provides a record of what people tell one another. C) writing allows users to communicate nonverbally as well as verbally. D) written communication eliminates any disruptions caused by noise. 39) 40) The grapevine is important to supervisors because it is A) the only way to use downward communication. B) used by employees as a source of information. C) the only way to use upward communication. D) a formal form of communication used in organizations. 40) 41) One way supervisors can protect themselves and avoid ethical problems that can arise from their public speaking activities is by A) refraining from encoding their messages. B) sticking only to lateral forms of communication when speaking in public. C) sticking only to upward forms of communication when speaking in public. D) letting their employer know about their public speaking activities. 41) 42) A supervisor is receiving a(n) ________ communication when an employee reports a problem. A) downward B) lateral C) diagonal D) upward 42) 43) Identify a true statement about the communication process. A) The receiver decodes, but does not do any encoding. B) Noise and feedback do not affect communication. C) The sender encodes, but does not do any decoding. D) The receiver of a message must listen to it rather than just hear it. 43) 44) For emotionally charged issues, the supervisor should typically A) communicate face-to-face. B) use voice mail. C) use the bulletin board. D) communicate through e-mail. 44) 6 45) The model of the communication process shows that communication works A) when people hear messages instead of merely listening to them. B) only when there is no feedback. C) when people decode messages as well as send them. D) only when there is no noise. 45) 46) Active listening typically involves A) decoding the information conveyed rather than the emotions of the speaker. B) understanding the feelings the speaker is conveying through a message. C) focusing on cultural differences that can distort communication. D) always replying promptly with a yes/no answer. 46) 47) In the context of communicating in organizations, the grapevine is A) the path along which informal communication travels. B) an example of formal communication. C) the mode of communication preferred by supervisors for upward communication. D) the mode of communication used by supervisors to send messages outside the organization. 47) 48) To avoid misinterpreting the words and behavior of others, a supervisor must A) not supplement his words with gestures as this is considered to be offensive in many cultures. B) speak in a loud tone of voice. C) be familiar with the communication styles of the various cultures of people with whom he or she works. D) use his or her industry's technical jargon instead of relying on simple words. 48) 49) Feedback is best defined as the A) actions that can distort a message by interfering with the communication process. B) way the receiver of a message responds or fails to respond to the message. C) way people draw negative conclusions about a category of people based on stereotypes. D) path along which informal communication travels in an organization. 49) 50) The communication process begins when the sender of a message ________. A) encodes the message B) receives feedback C) creates noise D) gives feedback 50) 51) When perceptions about others are false, ________. A) messages might get distorted B) stereotypes are overcome C) messages cannot be encoded D) prejudices are overcome 51) 52) Which of the following is true of informal communication? A) It is directed toward accomplishing the goals of the organization. B) It is typically used by top management but not by employees. C) It is directed toward meeting people's individual needs. D) It is typically used only for lateral communication. 52) 7 53) Which of the following is a defining characteristic of formal communication? A) It is typically used by top management but not by employees. B) It is directed toward accomplishing the goals of the organization. C) It rarely follows the lines of the organization chart. D) It is directed toward meeting people's individual needs. 53) 54) An important difference between hearing and listening is that A) hearing can occur even if there is feedback whereas listening cannot occur in the presence of feedback. B) hearing is the mere registration of sound whereas listening requires full understanding of a message. C) hearing cannot occur if there is feedback whereas listening can occur even if there is feedback. D) hearing requires full understanding of a message whereas listening is the mere registration of sound. 54) 55) Which of the following statements is true about nonverbal messages? A) The meanings of nonverbal cues are consistent among different groups of people born in a country. B) People from different cultures have similar nonverbal vocabularies. C) One way in which people can communicate nonverbally is through their choice of attire. D) When a person is sending both verbal and nonverbal messages, the nonverbal message has little or no influence on the receiver. 55) 56) When the sender of a message encodes a message, it means that the sender is A) distorting the message by adding noise to it. B) encrypting the message based on inferences, leading to misunderstandings. C) translating his or her thoughts and feelings into words. D) not focusing on the receiver's viewpoint. 56) 57) When feedback indicates that a message was not received fully and correctly, the sender should better adapt it to the receiver by A) avoiding the receiver's viewpoint. B) hearing rather than listening. C) not encoding his message. D) eliminating sources of noise. 57) 58) Rumors and gossip rarely tell a complete or unbiased version of the truth; therefore, supervisors should A) use grapevine communication to prevent the spread of rumors. B) immediately call for legal action against all rumormongers. C) participate in spreading rumors. D) have an open mind and get the facts from those directly involved. 58) 8 59) A supervisor can best combat biases in attention by A) using technical jargon to grab the attention of the listener. B) switching to nonverbal forms of communication. C) using statements that phrase inferences as facts. D) phrasing messages carefully to appeal to the receiver. 59) 60) The easiest way to get feedback is to ________. A) use bulletin board notices B) send an oral message C) use memos D) send an email 60) 61) Jeff is the owner of a new Indian restaurant. He employs Vijay, an immigrant from India, who mostly speaks Hindi. Vijay recently began learning English and is making good progress. Jeff will be effectively communicating with Vijay if he A) uses figurative meanings of words. B) talks to Vijay with a loud tone of voice. C) avoids using simple words. D) supplements his words with gestures. 61) 62) When Arianna, the supervisor of the production department of a fertilizer company, asks her counterpart, Brian, the supervisor of the raw materials department, for a meeting, she is using ________. A) lateral communication B) upward communication C) downward communication D) grapevine communication 62) 63) Which of the following is an advantage of memos? A) They allow the supervisors to send out nonverbal messages more effectively. B) They provide a written document for the receiver to review. C) They take a relatively short time to be prepared and delivered. D) They are the preferred mode of communication for writing to people outside the organization. 63) 64) In the communication process, encoded messages A) are only required when there is noise distorting a communication process. B) can only be transmitted through writing. C) always lead to misunderstandings. D) can be transmitted through personal contact. 64) 65) To overcome the barrier of information overload, supervisors should ideally A) encourage employees to turn to the grapevine for information. B) not ask for feedback because employees might get distracted. C) give employees only the information that will be useful to them. D) speak clearly in a loud tone of voice. 65) 9 66) Researchers Alex Pentland and Benjamin Waber determined that the workers who interacted the most with their co-workers were A) the most productive. B) more prone to the recency effect. C) the least productive. D) least likely to experience groupthink. 66) 67) In times of crisis, when employees are not satisfied with the amount of information they receive from the management, they may be getting incorrect information from ________. A) haptic communication B) formal communication C) the employee handbook D) the grapevine 67) 68) To communicate with employees, supervisors usually depend on ________. A) oral communication B) haptic communication C) written communication D) nonverbal communication 68) 69) The negative conclusions about a category of people based on stereotypes are known as ________. A) prejudices B) perceptions C) reverse biases D) retrospective biases 69) 70) Which of the following should supervisors avoid when faced with cross-cultural communication? A) Seeking feedback by asking the listener what he or she has heard B) Using metaphorical meanings of words C) Supplementing words with gestures D) Using jargon of the industry they belong to 70) 71) In the context of barriers to communication, misunderstandings are least likely to occur when A) a message is emotional. B) a message is complicated. C) simple words are used. D) technical jargon is used. 71) 72) When James, the receptionist of a marketing firm, asks his manager for a raise, he is using ________ communication. A) grapevine B) diagonal C) lateral D) upward 72) 73) People will receive a message only if A) there is no feedback. B) it is a lateral form of communication. C) it comes through a channel they feel comfortable using. D) the message has not been encoded by the sender of the message. 73) 10 74) Which of the following is a basic guideline for cross-cultural communication? A) Talk fast. B) Use metaphors and similes. C) Speak loudly. D) Pronounce words carefully. 74) 75) Which of the following guidelines prepares employees for cross-cultural communication? A) Generalize about individuals based on their culture. B) Speak very loudly. C) Ask for clarification when required. D) Use the figurative meanings of words. 75) 76) A conclusion drawn from the facts available is referred to as a(n) ________. A) stereotype B) inference C) prejudice D) noise 76) 77) In which of the following situations is it possible to send both nonverbal and verbal cues? A) A supervisor receiving a memo from his manager B) A supervisor orally providing instructions to an employee C) An organization sending a letter to its customers D) A manager receiving an email from his employees 77) 78) A supervisor should choose oral communication over written communication when the message is ________. A) official B) complex C) sensitive D) factual 78) 79) Organizational communication in which a message is sent to someone at a lower level is referred to as ________. A) upward communication B) downward communication C) diagonal communication D) lateral communication 79) 80) Which of the following statements is true of feedback? A) Feedback may take the form of behavior. B) Feedback is the main source of noise. C) Feedback does not take the form of words. D) Feedback is used to eliminate noise. 80) 81) Jeremy is the manager of a supermarket. When he asks all his employees to assemble for a meeting, he is using ________ communication. A) downward B) upward C) lateral D) multidirectional 81) 11 82) Joy is a supervisor at an advertising agency. While conducting performance appraisal meetings with her employees, she instructs her secretary to hold all calls and to prevent any other interruptions. This action of Joy A) increases the likelihood of messages being distorted during the communication process. B) shows that she uses the informal mode of communication to make employees comfortable. C) ensures that distractions which might hamper communication are avoided. D) distinguishes between opinions and facts so that communication is not hampered. 82) 83) Which of the following is true of grapevine communication? A) It can happen online. B) It can be easily controlled by managers. C) It only occurs at times of crisis. D) It is primarily used by supervisors. 83) 84) Which of the following is true of bulletin board notices used in organizations? A) They are impersonal ways to send messages. B) They can only be used for upward communication. C) They are never used to supplement personal types of communication. D) They are highly ineffective. 84) 85) Pentland and Waber's research suggests that effective communication A) only occurs at a lateral level. B) can never occur in the presence of noise. C) is about more than talking or writing. D) only occurs when brainstorming. 85) 86) Craig is the manager of a company that is opening a new branch of operations in another country. In a meeting set up to inform his employees of this news, he focuses on how this move is going to make the company more profitable but fails to address the employees' fears for job security. In this case, Craig has communicated ineffectively because he has A) not eliminated feedback. B) failed to eliminate noise. C) encoded his message. D) ignored his receivers' viewpoint. 86) 87) Supervisors receive a downward communication when they A) tell an employee how to perform a task. B) discuss their needs with co-workers in other departments. C) tell the manager how work is progressing or ask for a raise. D) coordinate their group's work with that of other supervisors. 87) 88) Communication that is primarily directed toward meeting people's individual needs is called ________. A) formal communication B) upward communication C) diagonal communication D) informal communication 88) 12 89) In the communication process, noise A) only affects the feedback process of communication. B) distorts communication by interfering with it. C) always leads to communication breakdowns. D) occurs because the sender of a message encodes the message. 89) 90) Steven is the supervisor of a transport company. He feels that he should do something to be more informed about his employees. Which of the following is a way for Steven to be more informed about his employees? A) He should discourage diagonal communication. B) He should shut down all forms of grapevine communication. C) He should encourage upward communication. D) He should rely on rumors. 90) 91) When a receiver decodes a message, he or she is A) sending feedback. B) hearing but not listening to the message. C) eliminating noise. D) listening to the message. 91) 92) The technique that involves hearing what the speaker is saying, trying to understand the facts and feelings the speaker is trying to convey, and then stating what the listener understands that message to be, is called ________. A) active listening B) downward communication C) upward communication D) feedback 92) 93) Which of the following is a difference between letters and memos? A) Letters provide a written document for review, whereas memos do not provide a written document for review. B) Letters are used for analyzing problems, whereas memos are only for formal communication. C) Letters cannot be sent electronically, whereas memos can be sent electronically. D) Letters are more formal than memos. 93) 94) In workplace communication, active listening is used effectively only when A) downward communication is used. B) upward communication is used. C) a supervisor does not encode his or her feedback to employees. D) a supervisor demonstrates genuine respect for employees. 94) 95) Managers are generally unable to control the grapevine of information as A) it is the most formal form of communication used by organizations. B) it generally springs up on its own. C) it is the only form of communication that does not require feedback. D) it is only used by supervisors for lateral communication. 95) 13 96) Which of the following statements is true about nonverbal messages? A) Nonverbal forms of communication work best when a supervisor wants to remove biases in attention. B) Nonverbal messages generally have lesser influence on the receiver than verbal messages. C) Our facial expression, posture, and even silence provide nonverbal cues. D) The meanings of nonverbal messages are universal and do not change from culture to culture. 96) 97) Which of the following is true of cultural stereotypes? A) Both positive and negative stereotypes result in negative emotions. B) It is acceptable to use positive stereotypes to give feedback. C) Even negative stereotypes can be used by supervisors to motivate their employees. D) It is only harmful when negative stereotypes are used by supervisors. 97) TRUE/FALSE. Write 'T' if the statement is true and 'F' if the statement is false. 98) Effective communication is most likely to occur when the focus is entirely on the speaker's viewpoint. 98) 99) A memo sent to the supervisor from top management about a new company policy is an example of lateral communication. 99) 100) Communication is the process by which people send and receive information. 100) 101) Tone of voice is a major type of nonverbal message. 101) 102) Awareness enables the sender and the receiver of a message to focus on understanding rather than assuming. 102) 103) In explaining to employees that the department will be reorganized, a supervisor should focus on how the changes will make the company more profitable, not on topics such as job security and job design. 103) 104) For effective communication to occur, it is mandatory for the sender to play an active role, but the receiver can play a passive role. 104) 105) An important way to combat information overload is to give employees only information that will be useful to them. 105) ESSAY. Write your answer in the space provided or on a separate sheet of paper. 106) In the context of communication, what is noise? Give at least three examples. 107) How can a supervisor respond to the barrier of information overload? 108) Distinguish between hearing and listening. 14 109) What should a supervisor do when a message has not been received fully and correctly by the receiver? 15