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Q:
Since termination letters are highly controversial, you should never deliver them in person.
Q:
If you must give an employee a negative performance review, it is best to avoid any positive comments since they might distract attention from all of the problems.
Q:
Firing an employee whose performance reviews were all positive can result in a lawsuit.
Q:
When rejecting a job applicant, it is best to explain specifically why that individual was not selected.
Q:
When responding to social networking recommendation requests, a single sentence that focuses on one positive aspect is often all that is necessary.
Q:
Refusing a request to write a recommendation letter generally calls for using the indirect approach and a great deal of diplomacy.
Q:
A crisis management plan includes information on which individuals are authorized to speak for the company in the midst of a crisis.
Q:
To avoid legal problems, businesses should delay communicating with the media in the aftermath of a crisis.
Q:
One way to avoid being accused of defamation is to stick to the facts when communicating with customers.
Q:
If a customer makes an unreasonable claim against your company, there is no need for you to explain why you are rejecting it.
Q:
When you deliver bad news about business transactions (such as a delayed order shipment), you should always apologize to the audience.
Q:
If you are turning down an invitation, it is usually necessary to use the indirect approach.
Q:
The direct approach is always best when denying a request for information.
Q:
In rejecting a proposal you solicited, you should use the indirect approach and provide an explanation.
Q:
The close of a negative message should end with a statement such as We hope you will continue to do business with us.
Q:
In the close to a negative message, you should repeat the bad news.
Q:
In closing negative messages, it is always best to encourage additional communication.
Q:
Extremely blunt statements such as I must refuse and We cannot allow usually help audiences accept the bad news you are delivering.
Q:
In a negative message, you should never give the reader any indication that the situation could change to a more favorable outcome in the future.
Q:
You can deemphasize bad news by minimizing the space or time devoted to it.
Q:
When the bad news appears to be a logical outcome of the reasons that precede it, the reader is more prepared to accept it.
Q:
It is a good idea to use "company policy" as a cushion when presenting reasons for bad news.
Q:
It's best to suggest that the bad news will actually benefit your audienceeven if you don't really think it will.
Q:
In a negative message using the indirect approach, an effective explanation section leads readers to your conclusion before you come right out and say it.
Q:
For particularly difficult situations, it is best to place the buffer at the end of the negative message.
Q:
When writing negative messages, you should begin with a buffer to make the reader think that good news will follow.
Q:
The buffer for a negative message should be positive.
Q:
Using a buffer to begin a negative message is generally manipulative and unethical.
Q:
No matter what the situation is, you should always provide an extensive explanation of the bad news in negative messages.
Q:
An advantage of the direct approach for communicating bad news is that it keeps the message short.
Q:
You should use the direct approach for negative messages when the message has a relatively minor impact on the audience.
Q:
The direct approach is never used for negative messages.
Q:
You can help establish the right tone in a negative message by using positive words rather than negative, counterproductive ones.
Q:
To avoid awkward situations, it is best to deliver bad news for employees in writing whenever possible.
Q:
When delivering bad news, your only goal is to make the recipient feel good about him- or herself.
Q:
When writing an employment termination letter, you should
A) include words that are open to interpretation, such as difficult and untidy.
B) clearly present the reasons for the action.
C) not get too caught up in trying to preserve a good relationship with the employee.
D) make clear to the employee that you have carefully researched relevant employment laws.
Q:
If you must give an employee a negative performance review,
A) do so by email or fax.
B) support your claims with careful documentation.
C) limit your discussion to the areas where the employee needs improvement.
D) do all of the above.
Q:
A letter rejecting a job applicant should
A) avoid explaining why he or she was not selected.
B) point out the applicant's shortcomings.
C) be as personal as possible.
D) be as long as possible.
Q:
Compared to traditional letters of recommendation, social networking recommendations
A) require the same amount of detail.
B) pose less of a risk to your professional reputation.
C) become a part of your brand.
D) are none of the above.
Q:
A crisis management plan
A) defines operational procedures to deal with a crisis.
B) is not helpful for small to mid-sized organizations.
C) should avoid limitations on who is authorized to speak to the media.
D) does all of the above.
Q:
When you need to inform employees that a benefit or privilege will be eliminated
A) the best approach is to leak the news as a rumor rather than make a public announcement.
B) minimize the impact of the bad news by presenting it in as positive a light as possible.
C) use the direct approach.
D) use as many hedging words as possible.
Q:
In refusing a customer's request for adjustment, you are concerned about possible defamation charges. You should
A) make all refusals by phone instead of in writing.
B) explain why you are making the refusal.
C) consult your company's legal department or an attorney if you think a message might have legal consequences.
D) do all of the above.
Q:
To avoid being accused of defamation, you should
A) refuse to communicate with unhappy clients.
B) make it clear to disgruntled customers that you refuse to be intimidated.
C) avoid any kind of behavior that could be considered abusive.
D) frequently refer to company policy.
Q:
A woman returns a formal dress to your store. It is stained and has a rip at the hem line, but she says she is returning it unworn because it doesn't fit. Which of the following would be the best way to inform her of your refusal to give a refund?
A) State that company policy prevents you from accepting the return but that if you had anything to say about it you'd take it back, no questions asked.
B) Restate her complaint to let her know you understand it, explain as positively as possible that you are unable to accept the return of damaged merchandise, and recommend a tailor who can fix the tear and alter the dress for her.
C) Challenge the woman to try on the dress and prove that it doesn't fit.
D) Use humor to soften the blow of your refusal.
Q:
Whether or not you should apologize when delivering bad news about transactions depends mainly on
A) how much the customer has purchased from your company in the past.
B) the medium you are using for the message.
C) how long it has been since the problem occurred.
D) none of the above.
Q:
Negative messages about business transactions are designed to
A) confirm the customer's expectations.
B) explain how you plan to resolve the situation.
C) show the audience that whatever has happened, your company is not at fault.
D) let the audience know which of your employees caused the problem.
Q:
When you are refusing a routine request, you
A) should always use the direct approach.
B) should invoke company policy if that is a possible out.
C) don't need to invest as much time and effort as you would for other kinds of negative messages.
D) should use the indirect approach when you're forced to decline a request that you might have said yes to in the past.
Q:
The tendency to delay, downplay or distort bad news
A) is natural, and you should de-emphasize the news at all costs.
B) can lead to problems with internal communication, but generally not with external audiences.
C) can lead to unethical decisions, and even lawsuits.
D) can be eliminated by punishing employees who regularly deliver bad news.
Q:
Which of the following is the most effective close for a letter rejecting a job applicant?
A) If you have any questions about our decision, don't hesitate to call.
B) We hope that despite this rejection you will continue to frequent our establishments.
C) Again, we are very sorry that we cannot offer you a position at this time.
D) I wish you the best in your job search. I am confident you will find a match for your skills and interests.
Q:
In the close of a negative message, you should
A) encourage the person to write or call to discuss the situation further.
B) avoid uncertainty.
C) ask for feedback on whether the decision is acceptable to the reader.
D) express concern over possibly losing the reader's business.
Q:
When delivering bad news, wording such as "We must turn down," "I am unable to," and "We cannot afford to"
A) softens the blow by drawing attention away from the reader and onto the sender.
B) will impress the reader as being straightforward and forceful.
C) is likely to cause pain and anger in the reader.
D) is unavoidable.
Q:
Which of the following statements does the best job of delivering bad news clearly and kindly?
A) I am sorry to have to tell you that you were not selected for the position.
B) Because you do not have the experience we clearly listed in the job posting, we cannot offer you the position.
C) Although you currently do not have the master's degree that we require for this position, we would be happy to reconsider your application once you have completed your degree.
D) Several other applicants were far more qualified for the position than you were, so we cannot offer you the job.
Q:
To reject someone as clearly and kindly as possible, do all of the following except
A) use phrases such as, "Much as I would like to help you."
B) de-emphasize the bad news.
C) use a conditional statement.
D) tell the audience what you can or will do rather than what you cannot or will not do.
Q:
When rejecting a job applicant, you can soften the blow by
A) expressing appreciation for his or her application.
B) mentioning the qualifications of the person who was hired.
C) telling the applicant how many others he or she was competing against.
D) apologizing for wasting the person's time.
Q:
A good way to deliver bad news kindly is to
A) maximize the space devoted to it.
B) say, "I trust our decision is satisfactory."
C) avoid stating it and hope that the reader understands what you mean.
D) deemphasize it by embedding it in the middle of a paragraph or use parenthetical expressions.
Q:
Using the indirect approach, the negative news comes
A) immediately after the buffer.
B) immediately before the reasons.
C) immediately after the reasons.
D) at the very end.
Q:
One way to be tactful when giving your reasons for bad news is to
A) explain why the decision is good for you and your company.
B) highlight, if possible, how your negative decision benefits the recipient.
C) explain that the decision is based on company policy.
D) apologize for having to be the bearer of bad news.
Q:
In the reasons section of a negative message, you should
A) present enough detail to make your conclusion compelling.
B) explain what your decision is before you explain why you have reached it.
C) apologize for the negative decision.
D) do all of the above.
Q:
In a negative message organized using the indirect approach, the reasons that justify the negative decision
A) are so obvious that you don't need to mention them.
B) come directly after the buffer and follow naturally from it.
C) should be glossed over quickly.
D) should be long and roundabout to cushion the negative aspects.
Q:
An effective indirect opening for a negative message would be:
A) I'm sorry to say I have some bad news.
B) In reply to your application for the management position I am sorry to say that we cannot use you.
C) Your rsum clearly shows why you are interested in becoming a management trainee with our company.
D) We have no openings at this time.
Q:
If you up to now you have failed to respond to a request, a buffer
A) comes right out and says no to the request.
B) ignores the request altogether.
C) automatically misleads the reader.
D) explains why you have so far not responded to the request.
Q:
One important goal of a buffer is to
A) delay stating the bad news.
B) establish common ground with your reader.
C) make your reader wonder what the message is about.
D) divert the reader's attention to a more pleasant subject.
Q:
A poorly written buffer
A) opens your message in a neutral manner.
B) is specifically related to the topic of the message.
C) may mislead the reader into thinking good news follows.
D) shows appreciation or empathy to the audience.
Q:
The buffer of a negative message
A) should be neutral and noncontroversial.
B) implicitly says no.
C) is a form of apology.
D) should be very vague about the subject of the message.
Q:
Instead of beginning your negative message with a blunt announcement of the news, you can use
A) the direct approach.
B) a buffer.
C) a combination of the direct and indirect approaches.
D) the deductive approach.
Q:
If you choose to apologize in a negative message, you should
A) phrase the apology in a conditional manner ("If I have offended anyone ...").
B) imply that not all of the blame lies with you or your company.
C) be sincere and make it a true apology.
D) always demonstrate sincerity, but never accept blame.
Q:
When you deliver negative messages, you
A) should always begin with a buffer.
B) should not include reasons for the decision or information.
C) should use language that conveys respect.
D) can expect your audience to be offended.
Q:
Which of the following is a negative phrasing?
A) Please confirm that your payment will be late.
B) We recognize that you have cash flow problems.
C) You are late on your payment.
D) Thank you for informing us about your attempt to make a payment.
Q:
Use the direct approach with a negative message if
A) the message will have a great deal of personal impact on members of the audience.
B) the situation is one in which people readily acknowledge the likelihood of receiving bad news.
C) an order is unfillable or portions of it must be back-ordered.
D) you are refusing to make an adjustment on a claim.
Q:
When composing a negative message, you should try to
A) choose a buffer that will distract your reader from the main point of your message.
B) gain the audience's acceptance of the bad news.
C) leave the reader with hope that you will change your decision.
D) avoid stating the bad news.
Q:
If you have mildly disappointing information to deliver as part of a positive message, you should
A) put the negative information in a favorable context.
B) just leave it out.
C) put the negative information first.
D) put the negative information last.
Q:
In a positive message, you should explain your point completely in the
A) introduction.
B) body.
C) close.
D) Noneall parts are usually the same length.
Q:
In a positive message, the main idea is presented
A) in the first sentence of the middle paragraph.
B) at the end of the middle paragraph.
C) right at the beginning of the letter.
D) in the last sentence of the letter.
Q:
Routine, positive messages should do all of the following except
A) leave your reader with a good impression.
B) use an indirect approach.
C) provide all required details.
D) communicate the information or positive news.
Q:
When making a claim or requesting an adjustment, your close should
A) clearly state how angry and disappointed you are.
B) explain the specific details of the problem.
C) request the specific action required to resolve the problem.
D) explain that you are planning to seek legal counsel.
Q:
When making claims or requesting adjustments, you should begin by
A) complimenting the company for past service.
B) providing a detailed description of the faulty merchandise.
C) providing a straightforward explanation of what the problem is.
D) threatening legal action if you do not receive a favorable adjustment.
Q:
In closing a request for a recommendation, you should include
A) an expression of appreciation.
B) an indication that you've enclosed a stamped, preaddressed envelope.
C) the full name and address of the person to whom the letter should be sent.
D) all of the above.
Q:
The opening of a request for a recommendation should include
A) a buffer.
B) a statement implying that you're applying for a position.
C) a statement on why the recommendation is needed.
D) an apology for bothering the reader.
Q:
If you request a recommendation from a person you haven't had contact with recently, you should
A) use the opening of your letter to refresh the person's memory.
B) enclose a stamped, preaddressed envelope.
C) use the persuasive approach.
D) use the bad-news approach.
Q:
Before volunteering someone's name as a reference, always
A) assume you have permission to do so.
B) ask that person's permission.
C) describe your relationship with that person.
D) list that person's address and phone number for ease of contact.