Q&A Hero

Q: Routine request and response messages should be written using ________. a. the indirect strategy b. persuasive techniques c. the direct strategy d. heightened emotion

Q: Incivility A. consists of seemingly inconsequential, inconsiderate words and deeds that violate the conventional standards of workplace conduct. B. is always aggressive. C. has no impact on a company's productivity. D. has decreased in the 21st century.

Q: Your firms policy is to respond to selected comments your customers make on Facebook and Twitter. What should you do when responding to these comments? a. Use a friendly, upbeat, professional tone. b. Take this opportunity to name your competitors and explain how much better your products are. c. Avoid admitting mistakes. d. Remind customers that they do not have to buy your products.

Q: All of the following are important elements of an effective apology except: A. Explain how you will prevent this mistake from occurring again. B. Acknowledge that your actions made the other person suffer. C. Suggest how you can compensate the other person for the damage you did. D. Save face by providing an excuse for your actions.

Q: When confronted with the criticism "You're never back from lunch on time," which of the following statements acknowledges a critic's perception as valid, yet does not agree with the critique? A. "You're right; it was after 1:00 when I returned from lunch." B. "You weren't back on time yourself; you couldn't know." C. "It must seem like I'm never back on time. The boss has asked me to cover the phones in his office from 1 - 1:30 every day, so I don't get back to this office right away." D. "You're partly to blame--you weren't back by 12, so I couldn't leave on time."

Q: Here is the information you wanted about . . . is a forceful and efficient way to open a message responding to an inquiry.a. Trueb. False

Q: If you disagree with another person's critique of your performance, which of the following responses would be the most confirming? A. pretending to agree, even though you don't B. emphasize areas where you and the other person share the same point of view C. ignoring the comment so as not to draw attention to your disagreement D. none of these, because it is impossible to be confirming if you disagree with the other person's comments

Q: One constructive, non-defensive way to effectively respond to criticism directed at you is to A. avoid the person who is criticizing. B. be sharp enough to verbally counterattack. C. seek more information. D. disagree with the criticism whether the critique is true or not.

Q: Businesses and professionals can take individuals to court for negative comments online. a. True b. False

Q: Which of the following illustrates an effective critique of a co-worker's performance? A. "Well, if you weren't so interested in going to night clubs, you might get to work on time once in a while." B. "I depend on you to help me answer these phones. When you showed up late last week, we missed ten important calls." C. "I sure hate it when you show up late." D. "Last week, you were late three times, you didn't finish filling out all the customer reports, and you forgot to lock the file cabinets, too."

Q: It gives me great pleasure to extend my congratulations is an effective way to begin a goodwill message. a. True b. False

Q: Which of the following illustrates an effective critique of a co-worker's performance? A. "I didn't have enough advance notice to arrange my schedule to attend the meeting, because the notice was posted only yesterday. Can you find a way to send out the meeting date at least two weeks ahead of time?" B. "If you're going to be inconsiderate enough to wait five days before you return my call, don't bother. I'll go ask someone else." C. "You sure blew it when you fouled up your presentation, right in front of our best customer." D. "You never help me when I need it."

Q: Pull the red lever is an example of an instruction in the imperative mood. a. True b. False

Q: When you are delivering criticism, avoid A. accepting partial responsibility for the problem B. offering to help solve a problem, if appropriate. C. commenting about the person's personal life (unless their personal life has a proven impact on their work). D. delivering the remarks in private.

Q: If you have a complaint against a company, you should begin by posting your comments online on various social media sites. a. True b. False

Q: If you were offering constructive criticism to an employee, which of the following would NOT be recommended? A. Explain the value of the improvement to the employee. B. Be sure to mention every detail that needs to be improved on. C. Wait to deliver the criticism until you are certain you have the facts straight. D. Offer to help the employee find a solution.

Q: Individual consumers can become powerful brand ambassadors by championing certain products online. a. True b. False

Q: Waiting a few weeks to write a claim letter increases your chances of getting what you are requesting. a. True b. False

Q: All of the following are characteristics of constructive feedback except: A. focuses on behavior. B. imposed. C. timed appropriately. D. descriptive.

Q: Attitudes of superiority create disconfirming climates; attitudes of ______ tend to create confirming climates A. equality B. evaluation C. control D. indifference

Q: Business letters remain a powerful tool to promote services and products, boost online and retail traffic, and enhance customer relations. a. True b. False

Q: According to Jack Gibb's work on supportive and defensive communication, a supervisor who ____________ is promoting a disconfirming climate. A. focuses on solving problems B. listens open-mindedly to opposing viewpoints C. doesn't show concern for the feelings of others D. treats her subordinates as if they were equals

Q: When you as a customer write to identify a wrong or ask a company to fix a problem, the message is called an adjustment. a. True b. False

Q: Social listening refers to businesses tracking social media platforms for chatter about their brands. a. True b. False

Q: Which of the following demonstrates a focus on solving problems, not controlling others? A. "You need to take on more responsibility next year." B. "Why didn't you report your error to accounting sooner?" C. "So, how are you going to get yourself out of this mess you've made?" D. "Our "rejected products" count has increased by 10% in the past month. Can you suggest any remedies?"

Q: Straightforward, direct claims are those to which you expect the receiver to agree readily. a. True b. False

Q: Which of the following can be characterized as a descriptive "I" statement? A. "You're not doing your share around here." B. "I'm worried about the way our customers will react to your report if it contains any errors." C. "There are three terrible problems with the job you've done: it's late, it's incomplete, and it's messy." D. "I refuse to work with a negative person like you."

Q: Business letters are still used to deliver information inside of an organization. a. True b. False

Q: Which of the following is the best example of descriptive, not evaluative, "I" language? A. "I feel like you're being mean to me." B. "I worry when you come home late." C. "I think your report was awful." D. "I'm sick of your antics."

Q: The following statement is an effective way to grant a customer's claim: Even though we normally don't repair printers that have been mishandled by their owners, we have decided to repair your printer this one time only. a. True b. False

Q: Which of the following types of statements is likely to promote a supportive climate? A. descriptive statements expressed in "I" language B. statements that focus on identifying who is to blame for a problem C. indifference to coworkers' needs and challenges D. conversations in which both parties accuse the other

Q: Instructions will be most readable if the steps are presented in a bulleted vertical list. a. True b. False

Q: According to the text, which of the following is NOT recommended when you are attempting to establish confirming relationships with others in the organizational setting? A. Attempt to focus on problem solving. B. Be as honest as possible. C. Use evaluative "you" language. D. Demonstrate concern for others.

Q: Business letters are preferred over e-mail when a permanent record is required, when a message is confidential, and when formality is necessary. a. True b. False

Q: A guideline for giving praise effectively is: A. Give praise as frequently as possible. B. Wait until someone has done a task perfectly to give praise, because praising a person's steps of progress is insincere. C. Use specific compliments that help the receiver recognize the exact behaviors you appreciate. D. Praise people only when they are present; don't share compliments about people who are not present.

Q: When offering praise, A. praise only with your own original comments; don't relay praise from others. B. praise only with broad sweeping generalizations. C. praise consistently, even if you have to stretch the truth to do so. D. praise steps of progress, not just perfection.

Q: Its not necessary to respond when you receive a written congratulatory note. a. True b. False

Q: The principal factor in shaping a communication climate is the A. degree to which people feel valued. B. level of compensation employees receive. C. degree of human-relations training management has received. D. number of messages sent and received.

Q: Social media have drastically shortened business response times to claims. a. True b. False

Q: A positive organizational climate A. can occur even if physical working conditions are uninspiring. B. does not vary from one work group to another within the organization. C. only occurs in Fortune 500 companies. D. has little effect on customers.

Q: In the workplace, most messages are positive or neutral and, therefore, direct. a. True b. False

Q: All of the following are true about workplace dignity EXCEPT A. Workplace dignity arises from respectful communication. B. Workplaces in which workers treat each other with respect tend to be more productive than those where workers treat each other disrespectfully. C. Workplace dignity increases worker satisfaction but does not impact an organization's productivity. D. Absenteeism is higher in workplaces where employees do not treat teach other respectfully.

Q: The following sentence could serve as an effective opening for a message of thanks: Thanks, Lyndsay, for hosting our class last Friday evening at your lovely home. a. True b. False

Q: Which of the following best describes the role of emotional intelligence in determining outstanding job performance? A. Emotional intelligence has no impact on job performance B. Emotional intelligence has less impact on job performance than cognitive IQ does. C. Emotional intelligence and cognitive IQ have about the same impact on job performance. D. Emotional intelligence has more impact on job performance than cognitive IQ does.

Q: We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused is a professional, sincere way to apologize in an adjustment message. a. True b. False

Q: The term "emotional intelligence" refers to A. the ability and skill of interacting well with others. B. a tendency of highly intelligent people to be emotionally imbalanced. C. a belief that women are too emotional to be intelligent. D. a person's score on the personality questions found on most IQ tests.

Q: When writing a positive review of a company or product, its best to include suggestions for improvement. a. True b. False

Q: Which of the following is NOT a trait of an unpleasant co-worker? A. bringing personal problems to work. B. distracting others from their tasks. C. focusing on work-related issues. D. talking down to others.

Q: An adjustment message granting a claim should be arranged using the direct pattern. a. True b. False

Q: Which of the following is NOT a trait of an unpleasant co-worker? A. being nosy about other peoples' business. B. delivering constructive criticism. C. bad-mouthing others. D. promoting one's own contributions.

Q: Goodwill messages (those expressing thanks, recognition, or sympathy) are often more difficult to write than other types of routine business documents. a. True b. False

Q: In a recent survey of 1,000 personnel directors in the United States, the top characteristic identified for ideal management was: A. the ability to work well with others on-on-one. B. the ability to give public speeches. C. training in technical skills. D. an outgoing personality.

Q: In an information request message to which you expect no resistance, your first sentence should provide explanation or justification before the request. a. True b. False

Q: Adjustment messages should avoid words such as regret, inconvenience, and misunderstanding. a. True b. False

Q: Think of a minor disagreement you have with another party. Briefly describe the disagreement. Now, identify the goal each party wants to attain. Next, identify the means each party wants to use to attain their goal. Finally, brainstorm two or three possible solutions to the disagreement.

Q: Phone calls and e-mail messages are usually taken more seriously than a written claim letter. a. True b. False

Q: What are the steps in achieving a win-win solution to negotiation? List the steps in sequence, and explain what each participant should do to accomplish that step.

Q: Explain the major differences between the win-win, win-lose, lose-lose, and compromising approaches to negotiation. How might you decide which approach to adopt when negotiating with others?

Q: Oral messages are usually more expressive and more meaningful to receivers than written goodwill messages. a. True b. False

Q: Identify five approaches to managing conflict. Explain what each one means, and provide an example of a situation in which each approach would be beneficial.

Q: Thank you in advance for your cooperation is an effective way to show appreciation in a request letter. a. True b. False

Q: Action information, including deadline dates, should be placed in the body of a routine request message. a. True b. False

Q: Conflicts may be about the topic at hand, the process being used, relational issues, or ego/identity issues. Describe each type of conflict, and illustrate each one with a brief example.

Q: Indicate whether the statement is true or false.Most routine request and response messages should be organized using the indirect strategy.a. Trueb. False

Q: Compare two types of sexual harassment. Give an example of each. Then, suggest at least five actions you could take if you were ever the victim of sexual harassment. Which action would you try first? Why?

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: E-mail serves as an appropriate _______ document when sending longer attachments and other media.

Q: Outline four possible responses to bullying. What are some possible advantages and disadvantages of each approach?

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: A(n) ________ is a website with journal entries usually written by one person with comments added by others.

Q: Identify several examples of uncivil behavior that might occur in the workplace. Does the encoder always know that their behavior will be considered uncivil? Why or why not? Why is it advisable to reduce uncivil behavior?

Q: Why is it important to apologize for your mistakes? Describe five elements of an effective apology.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: The term ________ marketing refers to the rapid spread of messages online, often through blogging, where large companies can find buzz and positive or negative postings about their organizations and products.

Q: Briefly describe a situation when you responded defensively to criticism. Draw on your text's guidelines for responding constructively to criticism to explain at least three changes you could have made to respond more effectively.

Q: Discuss guidelines for offering constructive criticism. Explain why each guideline is important.

Q: What is the most accurate statement about company concerns related to text messaging?a. Because text messaging is so informal, messages sent or received cannot create legal liability for a company.b. Companies cannot be held responsible if an employee gets into an accident while texting and driving on the job.c. Some organizations have instituted detailed digital-age e-policies, offer formal employee training, and use technology tools such as monitoring, filtering, and blocking.d. Spam is a concern only with e-mail, not with text or instant messaging.

Q: Choose three pairs of adjectives from Gibbs' categories of messages that evoke defensiveness or reduce defensiveness. For your three chosen categories, explain the meaning of each term and illustrate with an example.

Q: Which of the following statements is most accurate about the new user-centered digital environment? a. Most podcasts are devoted to business topics. b. Internet users have the power to create Web content. c. Businesses are in complete control of their marketing. d. Everything posted online is fact checked.

Q: Discuss guidelines for offering effective praise. Explain why each guideline is important.

Q: An advantage of business blogs is that they ________. a. potentially reach a far-flung, vast audience b. are exempt from possible legal litigation c. are easy to maintain d. are always written by top managers to enhance credibility

Q: List and explain four of the communication characteristics that create a confirming communication climate. Provide at least one specific example of an action that typifies each characteristic.

Q: Which of the following would make the most effective title for a blog post? a. What Investors Know b. Investing Today c. These 3 Rules Will Make You a Better Investor d. Learning to Invest