The Importance of Communication Skills in the Workplace

Question: Which statement regarding communication skills in the workplace is correct? a. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the relative unimportance of good communication skills in the workplace. b. Communication skills often rank at the bottom of recruiters' wish lists. c. Superior communication skills will make you marketable in the workplace of the future regardless of economic climate. d. Today's workers communicate less, not more, since information technology and social media have swept the workplace. Answer: c Question: Communication skills a. are not as important as technical skills for career success b. are not necessary in today's competitive job market c. are ranked by recruiters at the top of qualities they most desire in job seekers d. cannot be learned; they are innate Answer: c Question: Which of the following statements is an accurate description of communication in the workplace today? a. Workers today communicate less than in previous years. b. Technology has not affected how and why we communicate. c. Businesses today generate a wide range of messages using a variety of media. d. Writing is a skill set used only by managers and corporate executives. Answer: c Question: The combination of communication, logical reasoning, critical-thinking, teamwork, and management skills used to be referred to as soft skills, but now are being referred to instead as interpersonal skills or a. statistical skills b. professional skills c. emotional skills d. executive skills Answer: b Question: Strategic use of e-mail, internet, voice mail, and texting are important in developing your a. on-the-job accuracy b. relationships with your co-workers c. professional image d. productivity goals Answer: c Question: Major trends in today's dynamic world of work include increased emphasis on self-directed work groups and virtual teams, heightened global competition, innovative communication technologies, new work environments, and focus on a. creating an entirely online presence b. promoting from within c. increasing levels of management d. business ethics Answer: d Question: Which one of the following statements about today's business environments is correct? a. The number of telecommuting employees is expected to decline in the future. b. All companies assign offices for employees. c. Many employees today no longer need an office; they can work anytime and anywhere. d. Workers today spend more time in offices than workers in the past. Answer: c Question: Which statement below is an accurate description of today's workplace? a. Employees can expect to have more managers. b. Very few businesses involve employees in decision making. c. Today's employees can expect to interact with people from many cultures. d. Businesses use social media only to interact with customers. Answer: c Question: The term flattened management hierarchies refers to a. renewed emphasis on ethics b. fewer levels of management c. more levels of management d. less individual decision making and communication Answer: b Question: The ability to access data on remote servers with a computer or mobile device is called a. presence technology b. cloud computing c. videoconferencing d. podcasting Answer: b Question: According to researchers, most people listen at what level of proficiency? a. 100 percent b. 5 percent c. 25-50 percent d. 75 percent Answer: c Question: Which of the following statements is an accurate statement about listening? a. Very few management problems are related to listening. b. The average person remembers nearly three quarters of what he or she hears following a 10-minute presentation. c. We misinterpret, misunderstand, or change very little of what we hear. d. Most people are not very good listeners. Answer: d Question: Many of us are poor listeners because a. the brain can process information at least three times as fast as people talk b. we have become a distractible society c. we rely more on visual cues d. we rely more on non-verbal cues Answer: a Question: The lag time between the speed with which listeners process words per minute (450) and the speed at which speakers talk (about 125 to 175 words per minute) is called the a. speech-thought differential b. mind gap c. listening gap d. speaking distinction Answer: a Question: Which of the following is a psychological barrier for listening? a. Hearing disabilities b. Poor acoustics c. Noisy surroundings d. Personal values Answer: d Question: Your boss is giving instructions for a new method of keeping expense accounts. However, you find it difficult to concentrate because you think the change is unnecessary. What type of barrier to effective listening are you experiencing? a. Language problem barrier b. Psychological barrier c. Physical barrier d. Nonverbal distraction barrier Answer: b Question: Breanna must inform her workforce that the company will need to let go of a certain number of employees. Which word would be best for Breanna to use when delivering this news to the employees? a. Layoff b. Streamlining c. Paradigm shift d. Rightsizing Answer: a Question: Which of the following is associated with active listening? a. Establishing a receptive mindset b. Focusing on appearance and delivery c. Concentrating on your next comment d. Taking as many notes as possible Answer: a Question: To show that you are actively listening during a job interview, you should a. nod strategically and maintain eye contact b. reply quickly to minimize lag time c. use ambient noises to create a relaxed environment d. adopt a sympathetic attitude Answer: a