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Question
Deborah Tannen writes: "Why should meetings be so frustrating? A large source of dissatisfaction is the conviction that your time is being taken up without obvious results; another is the feeling that you are not being heard. In that sense, meetings are a pressure-cooker microcosm of the workplace: A diverse group of people, with their own ideas, comes together to get a job done." Discuss Tannen's comments. Suggest guidelines from your text that could help alleviate the two sources of frustration she writes about.
Answer
Answer will vary.
Related questions
Q:
Which of the following would contribute to an effective delivery of a group presentation?
A. When it is your turn to speak, look at your teammates.
B. When you're not speaking, look at the audience with undivided attention.
C. If you are bored when a team member is speaking, look at your notes to hide your boredom.
D. Choose a seating format that will allow each speaker to get up and sit down without running into obstacles or bumping into one another.
Q:
All of the following are potential effects of group presentations on the audience EXCEPT:
A. hearing from several speakers can provide variety that can help keep the audience interested.
B. audience members are likely to learn more when they hear from speakers who represent a variety of skill sets.
C. team presentations tend to reduce audience receptivity.
D. the audience can hear a more complete message when the perspectives of several speakers are included.
Q:
In public speaking, the phrase "common ground" refers to
A. an occasion in which several speakers share the stage.
B. a strategy in which the speaker shows that some of her or his beliefs are similar to the audience's beliefs.
C. telling the audience what they want to hear, whether you believe it or not.
D. a legal strategy often used successfully by public speakers who are advocating new zoning laws.
Q:
If you use threats in an attempt to persuade an individual into action, which of the following tactics would you be using?
A. coercion
B. persuasion
C. manipulation
D. propaganda
Q:
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of an effective closing strategy for a sales presentation?
A. Focus on closing the immediate sale, not on developing a long-term relationship with clients.
B. Keep an optimistic attitude.
C. Assure the client that your product exceeds their needs.
D. Call for action from the client.
Q:
Which of the following is NOT a guideline for a sales presentation?
A. Focus on what's great about your product more than you focus on answering the buyer's concerns.
B. Spend more time listening than talking.
C. Emphasize the benefits of your products more than their features.
D. Get to know your clients before you deliver your sales presentation.
Q:
For sales presentations, all of the following are suggested except
A. Plan what you will say in advance.
B. Plan to speak only about 30 percent of the time, and let your client do the rest of the talking.
C. If your clients want to interrupt your presentation, ask them to hold their questions until you have completed your remarks.
D. Show compassion toward the needs of your client.
Q:
Which is the best advice for seeking a raise?
A. Describe how much effort you put into your job.
B. Clarify ways in which you have directly contributed to your company's profits.
C. Remind your boss of how long you have worked for the company without a raise.
D. Deliver your request in an emotional way.
Q:
The most typical and straightforward approach for organizing a proposal is a _______________ pattern of organization.
A. chronological
B. criteria satisfaction
C. motivational sequence
D. problem solution
Q:
When Exxon's ship, the Valdez, was found responsible for an immense oil spill in the waters off Alaska, Exxon began to deliver televised presentations aimed at preserving their public image. These presentations were examples of
A. motivational speeches.
B. proposals.
C. sales presentations.
D. goodwill speeches.
Q:
Use a __________________ pattern of organization when the audience does not feel a strong need to change from the status quo.
A. motivated sequence
B. problem solution
C. criteria satisfaction
D. topical
Q:
One clear way to link the familiar to the unfamiliar for an audience is to
A. ask for direct participation.
B. include a startling statistic.
C. use personal interjections.
D. compare and contrast new information to information the audience already knows.
Q:
All of the following are tips for delivering your training session EXCEPT:
A. use specialized terminology.
B. explain the payoffs your audience will gain by listening to your presentation.
C. compare your topic to concepts the audience is already familiar with.
D. start with an overall picture of what you plan to discuss.
Q:
Describe the decision-making process a leader should go through in deciding whether to call a meeting. Identify at least four reasons to hold a meeting and four reasons not to hold a meeting. Explain each briefly.
Q:
According to Fisher, the emergence stage of a group's development occurs when members resolve their disagreements and solve their problem.
Q:
Even if the meeting has been productive, the leader should follow up on the assignments given to group members to be sure they are being performed.
Q:
If the agenda for a meeting has been covered, it is recommended that you fill up the remaining time with chatter.
Q:
Parliamentary procedure slows down the pace of a meeting and obliges participants to spend some time deliberating on issues.
Q:
It is inappropriate to discuss time constraints during the opening of a business meeting.
Q:
The textbook suggests that meetings are desirable when confusing or controversial information is being communicated.
Q:
Questions with more than one correct answer are better handled in meetings, while those with only one solution can usually be handled best by individuals.
Q:
Meetings that function only as ritual activities are a waste of valuable time.
Q:
Three types of meetings include information-sharing, problem-solving, and ritual activities.
Q:
Which of the following does NOT describe the "majority vote" method of decision-making?
A. A substantial minority may feel resentful after the decision is made.
B. The group can be railroaded into accepting a plan.
C. Majority vote is the best method for deciding important issues in small groups.
D. Decisions can be made quickly.
Q:
Which of the following is NOT a necessary question to ask when selecting the best of your proposed solutions?
A. Will the proposal bring about all the desired changes?
B. Is this the plan that takes the least effort for us to achieve?
C. Is the solution feasible?
D. Does the idea have any serious disadvantages?
Q:
You are on a team of students using the reflective-thinking sequence to select the communication text for next year's students. Currently, your team is completing the third step (identifying the criteria to use when you compare possible textbooks). Which of the following statements is NOT an example of a criterion?
A. I like this book best.
B. The information in the book we choose should be accurate.
C. The text we choose should be written so it's interesting to read.
D. The content of the text we choose should be up to date.
Q:
The first four steps of the reflective thinking sequence, in order, are:
A. define the problem; analyze the problem; establish criteria for a solution; generate possible solutions to the problem.
B. brainstorm solutions; analyze and decide on a solution; implement the best solution; follow up on the solution.
C. forming; storming; norming; performing.
D. orientation; conflict; emergence; reinforcement.
Q:
Which of the following does NOT describe the reflective thinking sequence?
A. a seven-step process
B. developed by John Dewey
C. a systematic way to solve problems
D. a meditation practice that is proven to improve communication
Q:
When a group uses the nominal group technique (NGT) method
A. ideas, along with their authors, are posted for all to see.
B. evaluation of ideas is conducted orally.
C. each member privately rank-orders the ideas that have been posted.
D. the final decision is made by majority rule.
Q:
When Jordan asked a question, Jennifer repeatedly jumped in and voiced her opinion, cutting off other group members before they had a chance to speak. As a result, Jordan decided to aim his questions at specific individuals to allow for more sharing of information across the group. Jordan was using _______ questions.
A. overhead
B. direct
C. reverse
D. relay