Business Communications Final Exam Review
Illusion of invulnerability
when team members are overly optimistic in their ideas and don't consider the risks or drawbacks of their ideas
What are the 3 steps to respond to uncivil communications?
1.) reinterpret 2.) relax 3.) defuse
Business periodicals
(magazines, newspapers) provide stories, information, and advice about contemporary business issues
When to use a semicolon
- between 2 closely related independent clauses omitting "and", "but", "or", "nor" - between 2 independent clauses separated by traditional expressions - between items in a series that contains internal commas - in a series of long dependent clauses
Gen Z
- born after 2000
Traditionalists
- born between 1925 and 1945
Boomers
- born between 1946 and 1964
Gen X
- born between 1965 and 1981
Gen Y
- born between 1982 and 1999
Coordinating conjuctions
- connect words, phrases, or clauses - ex. and, but, or, nor
When to use a dash/hyphen
- dash (em dash): to take the place of commas, semicolons, colons, or parenthesis to add emphasis - en dash (figure dash): to separate a range of values, such as years or page numbers - hyphen: to combine words (compound modifiers, come compounds)
When to use a colon
- for further explanation or elaboration following an independent clause
Closed questions
- most survey questions are closed questions - restrict respondents to certain answers (rating scales, multiple choice, etc.)
Subjects
- nouns that are the primary topics of a sentence - determines the verb form used in the sentence
Business casual dress
- one step down in formality along the continuum. - intended to project a more comfortable, relaxed feel while still maintaining a high standard of professionalism
Rules for numbers
- spell out numbers 1-10 - use numerals for numbers above 10 - spell out numbers when they begin a sentence - use a combination of numerals and words for larger numbers (over a million) - use numerals for dates - use numerals with currency symbols in text - spell out the word percent in text - use parenthesis to indicate precise figures in text - spell out fractions in text - clearly differentiate adjacent numbers
What happens in the forming stage of team development?
- team members focus on gaining acceptance and avoiding conflict. - this stage is seen as the honeymoon phase in which team members get to know one another
What happens in the storming stage of team development?
- team members open up with their competing ideas about how the team should approach work. - this stage is typically the least productive, since team members are attempting to make sense of uncertain roles
What happens at the performing stage of team development?
- teams operate efficiently toward accomplishing their goals - they have evolved to a level where they can transform disagreement and conflict into consensus for future action
What happens in the norming stage of team development?
- the team arrives at a work plane, including the roles, goals, and accountabilities
When to use italics
- to emphasize a word or phrase - for formal definition - for titles of books, newspapers, and magazines
When to use parethesis
- to enclose details and explanation - to enclose references and directions
When to use quotation marks
- to enclose direct quotations - to indicate the exact words of a source or speaker - to enclose titles of articles, presentations, and speeches
When to use commas (8)
- use commas to distinguish essential from nonessential (essential don't require commas; nonessential do require commas) - to set of interrupting expressions - following a transitional expression - between 2 independent clauses with "and", "but", "or", "nor" - in a list with 3 or more items - between 2 independent adjectives preceding a noun - after introductory expressions - in dates
Pie charts
- useful for illustrating the pieces within a whole - market share is best illustrated with a pie chart
Participles (present, past, and perfect)
- words that share characteristics of verbs and adjectives - present participles end in "-ing" - past participles end in "-ed" - perfect participles are a combination of a form of the verb "to have" and a past participle
Prepositions
- words that show the relationship between nouns - ex. at, in, by, from, with
Informational interview
- you speak with a successful and accomplished professional to seek out career advice - it is an excellent opportunity to learn about career choices and career paths
What are the 6 methods of persuasion?
1. Reciprocation 2. Consistency 3. Social proof 4. Liking 5. Authority 6. Scarcity
What are the 10 components of a business plan?
1. cover page 2. executive summary 3. business description 4. business objectives 5. market analysis 6. products and services 7. organization/management 8. marketing and sales strategy 9. financial management 10. appendixes
What are the 8 components of a business proposal?
1. cover page 2. executive summary 3. current situation 4. specific objectives 5. deliverables overview 6. timeline 7. results enhancers 8. pricing
What are the 9 principles of effective resumes?
1. emphasize accomplishments with action verbs 2. quantify accomplishments where possible 3. position your most important contributions first 4. remove irrelevant details 5. avoid buzzwords and jargon 6. be exact and avoid any errors 7. group and label information to improve ease of reading 8. format to distinguish pieces of information 9. select a simple yet visually appealing layout
What are the 5 components of crisis communications?
1. express concern 2. explain corrective actions 3. provide instructions 4. give an excuse/justification (for certain types of crises) 5. provide compensation/apology (for certain types of crises)
What are the 6 components of PR messages (press-release style)?
1. headline 2. dateline 3. PR story 4. boilerplate 5. contact information 6. call to action
What are the 3 components of cover letters?
1. interest in position 2. match with position 3. call to action
What are the 7 components of letters?
1. letterhead 2. date 3. inside address 4. salutation 5. body 6. closing/signature 7. notations (optional)
What are 4 types of good questions?
1.) rapport-building 2.) funnel 3.) probing 4.) solution-oriented
What are the 5 components of chronological resumes?
1. name block 2. summary of qualifications or career objective (optional) 3. education 4. work experience 5. additional information
What are the 4 components of functional resumes?
1. name block 2. summary of qualifications or career summary 3. skills 4. additional information
What are the 6 components of memos?
1. to 2. from 3. date 4. subject 5. body 6. notations (optional)
What are the 4 components of PREP method?
1.) Prep 2.) Reasons 3.) Example 4.) Position
What are the 5 items in an agenda?
1.) agenda items 2.) time frames 3.) expected outcomes 4.) roles 5.) materials needed
What are the 9 etiquette and customs?
1.) appropriate topics of conversation 2.) private or taboo topics 3.) punctuality and meetings 4.) Dining 5.) touching and proximity 6.) conversation style 7.) business dress 8.) titles 9.) gift giving
What are the 7 speech patterns more common among women?
1.) asking questions 2.) apologizing 3.) sharing credit 4.) giving feedback 5.) avoiding verbal opposition 6.) being indirect or subordinates 7.) complimenting
What are the 7 principles of audience analysis that you must identify?
1.) audience benefits 2.) existing knowledge 3.) concerns 4.) decision makers 5.) appeals 6.) communicator style 7.) learning style
What are the 3 things that create a tone that shows concern for others?
1.) avoid relying too heavily on I-voice 2.) respect the time and autonomy of your readers 3.) give credit to others
What are the 8 principles for using slides?
1.) avoid turning out the lights in most cases 2.) don't start the slides right away 3.) speak to your audience, not the screen 4.) interpret, don't read your slides 5.) preview the slides before showing them 6.) use remotes to advance slides 7.) avoid standing in front of the slide projection 8.) use blank slides strategically
What are the 5 ways to prepare to present effectively in teams?
1.) be clear with one another about your objectives and key messages 2.) decide on your presentation roles 3.) stand together and present a united front 4.) refer to one another's points 5.) transition effectively
What are 4 strategies for developing abilities in sight-reading?
1.) consciously practice every day 2.) pay attention to congruence 3.) sight-read in clusters, not in isolation 4.) sight-read in context
What are the 5 parts of using conciseness to improve ease of reading with writing style?
1.) control paragraph length 2.) use short sentences 3.) avoid redundancy 4.) avoid empty phrases 5.) avoid wordy prepositional phrases
What are the 9 principles for developing slides?
1.) create a storyboard with your PowerPoint slide titles 2.) design your slides for ease of processing 3.) limit the amount of information on any given slide 4.) use font sizes that all audience members can read easily 5.) focus on and highlight key information 6.) use plenty of white space 7.) use high-contrast backgrounds and colors 8.) use compelling images, charts, and colors 9.) get professional design help when possible
What are the 7 items in the Minutes?
1.) date and time 2.) team members present 3.) meeting roles 4.) ket decisions 5.) key discussion points 6.) open issues 7.) action items and deadlines
What are 4 nonlistening behaviors?
1.) defending 2.) "me too" statements 3.) giving advice 4.) judging
What are 3 things that demonstrate a positive tone?
1.) display a can-do, confident attitude 2.) focus on positive rather than negative traits 3.) use diplomatic, constructive terms
What are the 6 components of direct bad-news messages?
1.) ease in with a buffer 2.) deliver the bad news 3.) provide a rationale 4.) explain impacts 5.) focus on the future (as appropriate) 6.) show goodwill
What are the 6 components of Indirect bad-news messages?
1.) ease in with a buffer 2.) provide a rationale 3.) deliver the bad news 4.) explain impacts 5.) focus on the future (as appropriate) 6.) show goodwill
What are the 3 parts of testing logic and the 3 things you avoid?
1.) either/or logic 2.) slanting of facts 3.) exagegration AVOID: 1.) unsupported generalizations 2.) faulty cause/effect claims 3.) weak analogies
What are the 7 principles for difficult conversations?
1.) embrace difficult conversations 2.) assume the best in others 3.) adopt a learning stance 4.) stay calm/overcome noise 5.) find common ground 6.) disagree diplomatically 7.) avoid exaggeration and either/or approaches
What are the 9 principles for establishing presence?
1.) establish credibility 2.) maintain authenticity 3.) know your material 4.) speak with confidence 5.) focus on people 6.) stay flexible 7.) use the room to your advantage 8.) communicate nonverablly 9.) dress for success
What are the 6 principles for virtual team communication?
1.) focus on building trust at each stage of your virtual team 2.) meet in person if possible 3.) get to know one another 4.) use collaborative technologies 5.) choose an active team leader 6.) run effective virtual meetings
What are the 4 stages of team development?
1.) forming 2.) storming 3.) norming 4.) performing
What are the 2 parts of message development?
1.) frame the main point 2.) set up the structure/logic of the message
What are the 5 components of announcements?
1.) gain attention 2.) give announcement 3.) provide details 4.) call to action 5.) state goodwill
What are the 7 components of persuasive messages?
1.) gain attention 2.) raise a need 3.) deliver a solution 4.) provide a rationale 5.) validate the views, preferences, and concerns of others 6.) giver counterparts (optional) 7.) call to action
What are the 3 components of style for delivering negative performance reviews?
1.) give clear and targeted feedback 2.) focus on actions and results, not attitudes and intentions
What are 5 ways to improve ease of reading by using navigational designs?
1.) headings 2.) highlighting 3.) lists 4.) white space 5.) simplicity
What are the 5 parts of audience analysis?
1.) identify reader benefits and constraints 2.) consider reader values and priorities 3.) estimate your credibility 4.) anticipate reactions 5.) consider secondary audiences
What are the 3 parts of information gathering?
1.) identify the business problems 2.) analyze the business problems 3.) clarify objectives
What are cultural dimensions classified as? (8)
1.) individualism and collectivism 2.) egalitarianism and hierarchy 3.) performance orientation 4.) future orientation 5.) assertiveness 6.) humane orientation 7.) uncertainty avoidance 8.) gender egalitarianism
What are the 5 barriers to active listening?
1.) lack of time 2.) lack of patience and attention span 3.) image of leadership 4.) communication technology 5.) fear of bad news
What are 3 types of poor questions?
1.) leading questions 2.) disguised statements 3.) cross-examination questions
What are the 3 principles for focusing on people?
1.) make people the subject of your sentence 2.) introduce colleagues by name 3.) use names of audience members
What are the 4 characteristics of the social age?
1.) networked communication 2.) respect for expertise and contributions to the network 3.) knowledge sharing 4.) transparency, honesty, and camaraderie
What are the 3 components of presentations?
1.) preview (10-15 percent of time) - attention-getter - positioning statement (thesis) - overview: takeaway messages 2.) view (85-90 percent of time) - takeaway message #1 - takeaway message #2 - takeaway message #3 3.) review (5 percent of time) - recap - call to action
What are the 3 parts of using completeness to improve ease of reading with writing style?
1.) provide all relevant information 2.) be accurate 3.) be specific
What are the 10 reasons to create messages?
1.) requests 2.) expectations 3.) directions 4.) inquiry responses 5.) announcements 6.) claims 7.) appreciation messages 8.) congratulations and celebration 9.) apologies 10.) sympathy
What are the 9 principles of high cultural intelligence?
1.) respect, recognize, and appreciate cultural differences 2.) Possess curiosity about and interest in other cultures 3.) avoid inappropriate stereotypes 4.) adjust conceptions of time and show patience 5.) manage language differences to achieve shared meaning 6.) understand cultural dimensions 7.) establish trust and show empathy across cultures 8.) approach cross-cultural work relationships with a learned mind-set 9.) build a co-culture of cooperation and innovation
What are the 5 types of attention-getters?
1.) rhetorical question 2.) intriguing statistic 3.) compelling and unusual facts 4.) challenge 5.) testimonial
What are the 4 principles for survey questions?
1.) simple to answer 2.) non-leading 3.) exhaustive and unambiguous 4.) single idea
What are the 4 steps in difficult conversations?
1.) start well 2.) listen to their story 3.) tell your story 4.) create a shared story
What are the 4 components of routine messages?
1.) state the primary mesage (10 words or fewer) 2.) provide details in paragraphs of 20 to 80 words 3.) restate the request or key message in more specific terms 4.) state goodwill
What are the 7 components of effective emails?
1.) subject line 2.) greeting 3.) message 4.) closing 5.) signature block 6.) attachments
What are the 6 parts of using natural style to improve ease of reading with writing style?
1.) use action verbs when possible 2.) use active voice 3.) use short and familiar words and phrases 4.) use parallel language 5.) avoid buzzwords and figures of speech 6.). avoid it is/there are
What are the 8 principles of effective emails?
1.) use for the right purposes 2.) ensure ease of reading 3.) show respect for time 4.) protect privacy information 5.) respond promptly 6.) maintain professionalism and appropriate formality 7.) manage emotion effectively 8.) avoid distractions
What are the 3 types of learners?
1.) visual 2.) auditory 3.) kinesthetic
Line charts
useful for depicting events and trends over time
Bar charts
useful to compare amounts or qualities
Mass sales messages
messages sent to a large group of consumers and intended to market a particular product or service
Mindguards
team members who purposely filter information so there is not dissent or threat to the team leader
Business messages are ___________ (direct/indirect) and ____________ (implicit/explicit)
Direct; explicit
What is the FAIR Test?
Facts: How factual is your communication? Access: How accessible or transparent are your motives, reasoning, and information? Impacts: How does your communication impact stakeholders? Respect: How respectful is your communication?
Persuasive messages are _________ (direct/indirect) and ___________ (implicit/explicit)
Indirect; implicit
STAR method for telling success stories
Situation Tasks Actions Results
Cultural intelligence (CQ)
a measure of your ability to work with and adapt to members of other cultures
Reciprocation
a principle of influence based on returning favors
Liking
a principle of influence whereby people are more likely to be persuaded by people who they like
Social proof
a principle of influence whereby people determine what is right, correct, or desirable by seeing what others do
Authority
a principle of influence whereby people follow authority figures
Scarcity
a principle of influence whereby people think there is limited availability of something they want or need, so they must act quickly
Networking
a proactive approach to building professional relationships to achieve shared company, career, and professional development goals
Leading questions
a question on a survey that suggests an answer
Buffer
a statement to establish common ground, show appreciation, state your sympathy, or otherwise express goodwill
Personal brand
a unique set of professional skills and attributes that others associate with you
When should meeting minutes be distributed? a.) as soon as possible after the meeting b.) one week after the meeting c.) immediately before the next meeting d.) at the close of the meeting
a.) as soon as possible after the meeting
In direct bad-news messages, when should you deliver the bad news? a.) before providing the rationale b.) after providing the rationale
a.) before providing the rationale
An audience members says to a presenter, "Your analysis looks flawed to me. Could you explain how you arrived at that number?" Which of the following is the best response? a.) "I'm glad you're working on the calculations. I have some more detailed figures in the handout. perhaps we could look at those figures together in a few minutes after I wrap up. would that work for you?" b.) "I can assure you the analysis is 100 percent accurate. if you take a bit more time reviewing the numbers, you'll see." c.) "You've actually made some incorrect calculations. please read the handout. If you have questions after you've done that, let's work through it together."
a.) "I'm glad you're working on the calculations. I have some more detailed figures in the handout. perhaps we could look at those figures together in a few minutes after I wrap up. would that work for you?"
What percentage of their high-performing teams' conversations are primarily social? a.) 10 to 15 percent b.) 20 to 25 percent c.) 40 to 45 percent d.) 0 to 5 percent
a.) 10 to 15 percent
You've decided you want to highlight your spreadsheet and database skills. Are these better categorized as abilities or attributes? a.) abilities b.) attributes
a.) abilities
Which of the following is considered the richest? a.) an online conference b.) an email c.) a phone call
a.) an online conference
Which of the following is the most tangible for employees? a.) employees each save an average of $375 per year on health insurance costs by taking a lipid panel and showing that their lipid levels are within the normal range. b.) the company gives all employees the opportunity to save money by taking a lipid panel and showing that their lipid levels are within the normal range. c.) The company saves employees at the company over half a million dollars annually by giving them the opportunity to take a lipid panel and show that their lipid levels are within the normal range.
a.) employees each save an average of $375 per year on health insurance costs by taking a lipid panel and showing that their lipid levels are within the normal range.
Which of the following is the best method for delivering bad news that is high in severity? a.) face-to-face meeting b.) text c.) email d.) phone call
a.) face-to-face meeting
Which of the following sentences best focuses on people? a.) grace and I surveyed employees in our Salt Lake city branch. over 73 percent ranked more vacation time as their first choice of desired benefits b.) in our survey, 73.19% of respondents ranked more vacation time as their first choice of desired benefits c.) our research shows that nearly three our of four workers consider vacation time to be more valuable than other types of benefits
a.) grace and I surveyed employees in our Salt Lake city branch. over 73 percent ranked more vacation time as their first choice of desired benefits
Jenna just finished a meeting with some potential customers. She doesn't have the deal yet, but she is cautiously optimistic. She writes an email to her boss, Helena, explaining the potential customers' many positive reactions, while also noting a few areas that require additional negotiation. After reading the email, Helena is frustrated that they have lost another potential deal. What does this example best illustrate? a.) negativity effect b.) neutrality effect
a.) negativity effect
Which of the following sentences is the most objective and positive? a.) our research involving 100 current users of VR technologies for tours shows these services will appeal to perhaps 20 to 30 percent of our customers, which is a significant portion of our market. b.) our research shows VR technologies for tours appeal to less than half of our customers; therefore, we should avoid any investments in them c.) our research shows that VR technologies clearly create exponential growth in the market
a.) our research involving 100 current users of VR technologies for tours shows these services will appeal to perhaps 20 to 30 percent of our customers, which is a significant portion of our market.
Which of the following has the most effective tone? a.) our return policy is the most generous in the industry, allowing free returns with no questions asked for up to 60 days after your purchase b.) our return policy is nothing like those of our competitors c.) our return policy is not like those of our competitors, which only allows free return for one week after your purchase
a.) our return policy is the most generous in the industry, allowing free returns with no questions asked for up to 60 days after your purchase
Which of the following sentences best demonstrates that it is based on facts? a.) over 95 percent of our clients are "satisfied" or "extremely satisfied", according to our most recent anonymous poll b.) we enjoy extremely high client satisfaction with our financial services c.) over 95 percent of our clients are "satisfied" or "extremely satisfied" according to our most recent anonymous poll; therefore, we know we won't lose many clients during the next three years
a.) over 95 percent of our clients are "satisfied" or "extremely satisfied", according to our most recent anonymous poll
Which of the following sentences is positive and effective? a.) this job gives you four weeks of paid vacation, two weeks more than all other major companies in our industry b.) we guarantee you will love this job more than any you've had before c.) this job is not like those at all other major companies in our industry, which only offer two weeks of paid vacation
a.) this job gives you four weeks of paid vacation, two weeks more than all other major companies in our industry
Which of the following sentences best emphasizes reader benefits? a.) you receive an experienced mentor after joining the program b.) we provide an experienced mentor after you join the program c.) I will make sure there's an experienced mentor for you after you join the program
a.) you receive an experienced mentor after joining the program
Exhaustive
all possibilities are available
Open-ended questions
allow respondents to answer in any way they choose
Social age
an era in which people engage in networked communication, collaborate across boundaries, and solve problems communally
Token appreciation
an expression of thanks or gratitude for a request or idea while immediately dismissing the request or idea as implausible or even inappropriate
Precision-oriented style to reports
apply precision-oriented language and display excellence in thinking
Thinkers
are impressed by data-driven arguments
Skeptics
are suspicious of every data point, especially those that run counter to their own views
Using proofreading during the review stage
ask trusted colleagues to review your message for effectiveness and accuracy
Which of the following patterns is best for delivering negative performance feedback? a.) starting with good news, giving the negative feedback, and the concluding with good news b.) clearly stating the feedback upfront and then discussing how to make improvements
b.) clearly stating the feedback upfront and then discussing how to make improvements
Which of the following phrases is the weakest for a resume? a. greeted clients and scheduled appointments b. answered calls c. took inventory of all items sold in the store d. analyzed social media campaigns
b. answered calls
Which of the following types of attention-getters is not considered one of the most effective types of attention getters for a business presentation? a.) an intriguing statistic b.) a joke c.) a dramatic demonstration d.) a vivid example
b.) a joke
Which of the following best demonstrates writing concisely while avoiding redundancy? a.) each and every business executive should definitely understand how artificial intelligence and related technologies will impact their companies and industries in the next year as well as the in the five- and ten-year horizons b.) all business executives should understand how artificial intelligence will impact their companies and industries c.) all business executives should take the time to understand and thoroughly comprehend how artificial intelligence will impact their companies and industries in the future
b.) all business executives should understand how artificial intelligence will impact their companies and industries
Which of the following channels has the most constraints? a.) an email conversation between a manager and one of her employees b.) an online conference involving a senior executive team c.) a phone call between two colleagues in the same office
b.) an online conference involving a senior executive team
Your company is considering adoption of a paid parental leave policy (PPL). You've concluded the following based on your research : (1) a generous PPL policy will increase engagement and satisfaction; (2) a generous PPL policy will reduce employee turnover; (4) a generous PPL policy will attract top talent; and (5) the company would see a return on investment with a PPL policy that provides full paid leave for between six and ten weeks for new parents. Which of the following recommendations emerges best from these conclusions? a.) develop a PPL policy that will take effect for all employees hired after the start of the year b.) develop a PPL policy that gives new parents paid time off for eight weeks c.) develop a PPL policy that includes grandparents and other non-parent caretakers
b.) develop a PPL policy that gives new parents paid time off for eight weeks
Which of the following are applications of the AIM planning process in presentations and speeches? a.) understanding the interests and needs of others b.) having a track record of success c.) demonstrating high moral principles d.) showing you always try hard
b.) having a track record of success
Which of the following sentences does not contain any passive verbs? a.) you will be informed of our decision after your application is carefully reviewed b.) we will inform you of our decision after we carefully review your application c.) we will inform you of our decision after your application is carefully reviewed
b.) we will inform you of our decision after we carefully review your application
Which of the following is least likely to be considered a leading post in an online discussion forum? a.) why don't we be more honest about our refund policy? b.) what do you think should be the key criteria for a refund policy? c.) shouldn't we focus more on customer service instead of shortchanging customers? d.) don't you think we should refund our loyal customers?
b.) what do you think should be the key criteria for a refund policy?
Consistency
based on the idea that once people make an explicit commitment, they tend to follow through or honor that commitment
Teaser message
messages, often written, signal to recipients that an upcoming conversation or other communication may involve unpleasant news
Which of following has the most control? a.) an online conference b.) a phone call c.) an email
c.) an email
Which type of buffer is the statement "Thank you for stopping by on such short notice"? a.) compliment b.) neutral statement c.) appreciation d.) sympathy
c.) appreciation
The PREP approach to example is based on starting and ending with your position. Which of the following statements is best characterized as a position? a.) roughly 57 percent of producers say they have already used artificial intelligence to learn about audience reactions b.) ever since our studio started using an AI tool to help interpret audience sentiment, our films have been successful with new audience types c.) artificial intelligence helps entertainment companies better understand their audiences and produce better films
c.) artificial intelligence helps entertainment companies better understand their audiences and produce better films
You're doing research about AI use in retail. You find an excellent report from Microsoft about use cases of AI in the retail industry. It was written in the past month by a team of Microsoft engineers. What is the most likely concern about data quality for this report? a.) relevance b.) expertise c.) bias
c.) bias
A manager wants her employees to attend voluntary training about a new software tool. She creates a Google form as a sign-up sheet so everyone can see who has signed up. Which of these principles of persuasion is most at play? a.) reciprocation b.) liking c.) consistency d.) authority
c.) consistency
Which of the following best demonstrates accuracy and specificity? a.) you will make nearly $13,000 more per year by getting a business degree b.) you will see a dramatic return on investment by getting a business degree c.) five years after graduation, the average student with a business degree earns $77,000 per year, compared to $64,000 for all other non-engineering 4-year college degrees and $48,000 for professionals without 4-year college degrees
c.) five years after graduation, the average student with a business degree earns $77,000 per year, compared to $64,000 for all other non-engineering 4-year college degrees and $48,000 for professionals without 4-year college degrees
Which of the following stages of team development comes immediately after forming? a.) norming b.) performing c.) storming
c.) storming
Which of the following recommendations is specific and actionable? a.) we should invest heavily in AI b.) we should give our marketing director full authority to invest heavily in AI c.) we should give our marketing director up to $200,000 in the upcoming year to invest in AI tools that help identify key trends among our customers
c.) we should give our marketing director up to $200,000 in the upcoming year to invest in AI tools that help identify key trends among our customers
Dependent clauses
cannot stand alone
Clauses
contain a subject and a predicate
Scholarly journals
contain business research that is extremely reliable
Coordination
deals with the effort and timing needed to allow all relevant people to participate in a communication
Assertiveness
deals with the level of confrontation and directness that is considered appropriate and productive
Which of the following countries is best described as high in individualism, high in future orientation, low in humane orientation, and high in uncertainty avoidance? a.) Japan b.) The United States c.) China d.) Germany
d.) Germany
What's the main problem with the following survey item? What is your income annual income? A. $30,000 to $50,000 B. $50,000 to $75,000 C. $75,000 to $100,000 D. $100,000 to $125,000 E. Over $150,000 a.) it contains more than one idea b.) it is not simple to answer c.) it is a leading question d.) it is not exhaustive and unambiguous
d.) it is not exhaustive and unambiguous
A manager wants her employees to attend voluntary training about a new software tool. She offers a free lunch for all who attend. What principle of persuasion is most at play? a.) liking b.) authority c.) consistency d.) reciprocation
d.) reciprocation
Gender egalitarianism
deals with the division of roles between men and women in society
Psychological safety
defined as "team members feel safe to take risks and be vulnerable in front of one another"
Asynchronous communication
does not occur in real time
Controllers
dread uncertainty
Tone in reports
emphasize objectivity and project a tempered can-do attitude
Using the FAIR test during the review stage
evaluate your message in terms of facts, access, impacts, and respect
Independent clauses
express a complete thought and can stand alone
Cultural dimensions
fairly permanent and enduring sets of related norms and values
Using feedback during the review stage
for important messages, ask trusted colleagues to give input about effectiveness and fairness
Positioning statement
frames your message in appealing terms to your audience members and demonstrates clear and valuable benefits to them
2-D diversity
having both inherent and acquired diversity
Immediacy
how quickly someone is able to respond and give feedback
Severity
how serious or detrimental the bad news is
Tangible statement
implies that the readers can discern something in terms that are meaningful to them
Culture
includes the shared values, norms, rules, and behaviors of an identifiable group of people who share a common history and communication system
Formal business dress
intended to project executive presence and seriousness
Priorities
involve ranking or assigning importance to things, such as projects, goals, and tasks
Reinterpretation
involves adjusting your initial perceptions by making more objective, more fact-based, and less personal judgments and evaluations
Manipulation
involves attempting to influence others by some level of deception so you can achieve your own interests
Defusing
involves avoiding escalation and removing tension to focus on work objectives
Divergence
involves considering as many solutions as possible
Active incivility
involves direct forms of disrespect (i.e., being condescending, demeaning, saying something hurtful).
Convergence
involves evaluating the proposed ideas and solutions and narrowing them to a small set of feasible solutions to address the problem
Passive incivility
involves indirect forms of disrespect (i.e., using emails for time-sensitive messages, not acknowledging receipt of emails, not replying to emails).
PREP method
involves stating your position, providing the reasons, giving an example or providing evidence, and then restating your position
Future orientation (FO)
involves the degree to which cultures are willing to sacrifice current wants to achieve future needs
Inherent diversity
involves traits such as age, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation
Acquired diversity
involves traits you acquire through experience, such as customer service experience, retail experience, or engineering experience
Paraphrasing
involves using your own words to express the meaning of the original speaker or writer
Humane orientation (HO)
is "the degree to which an organization or society encourages and rewards individuals for being fair, altruistic, friendly, generous, caring, and kind."
Performance orientation (PO)
is "the extent to which a community encourages and rewards innovation, high standards, and performance improvement."
Casual dress
it is the least formal option and is rare in a business-related setting
What is emotional hijacking?
it occurs when emotions control our behavior, causing us to react without thinking
Followers
make decisions based on what has worked in the past
Economic responsibility
means producing products and services that meet the needs of customers and clients
Social responsibility
means that companies give back, serve, and meet the social interests of their communities
Ethical responsibility
means that corporate activities comply with high ethical and legal standards
Setting for business stories
most stories for business involves a setting, which is the time, place, characters, and context of the business situation
Plot for business stories
most stories for business should include a plot, which is a business situation that involves challenges or tensions to overcome and a clear beginning and end
Resolution for business stories
most stories include a clear resolution, a solution to the challenges or tensions
Moral for business stories
most stories should contain a compelling moral or lesson
Cyber silence
nonresponse to emails and other communications
Synchronous communication
occurs in real time
Mum effect
occurs when the chain of messages within an organization is filtered at each level to leave out or inaccurately state the bad news
Unambiguous
only one choice is appropriate
Project blogs
organized around particular projects that generally involve temporary teams
External blogs
other online resources provide a plethora of information
Hierarchical cultures
people expect power differences, follow leaders without questioning them, and feel comfortable with leaders receiving special privileges and opportunities
Egalitarian cultures
people tend to distribute and share power evenly, minimize status differences, and minimize special privileges and opportunities for people just because they have higher authority
Attributes
personal traits or characteristics
Chronological resumes
present the information grouped by work and education over time
Functional resumes
present the information in terms of key skills
Coordination meetings
primarily focus on discussing roles, goals, and accountabilities
Design your reports to aid in decision making
provide easy navigation so that decision makers can quickly identify key points and themes
Business and management books
range greatly in terms of their overall usefulness
Values
refer to enduring beliefs and ideals that individuals hold
Constraints
refer to the practical limitations of coordination and resources
Individualism
refers to a mind-set that prioritizes independence more highly than interdependence, emphasizing individual goals over group goals, and valuing choice more than obligation
Collectivism
refers to a mind-set that prioritizes interdependence more highly than independence, emphasizing group goals over individual goals, and valuing obligation more than choice
Team culture
refers to a set of shared perceptions and commitment to collective values, norms, roles, responsibilities, and goals
Uncertainty avoidance (UA)
refers to how cultures socialize members to feel in uncertain, novel, surprising, or extraordinary situations
Neurodiversity
refers to people with conditions such as being on the autism spectrum or having deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Secondary research
refers to the analysis of data collected by others with no direction from you or members of your organization
Primary research
refers to the analysis of data that you, people from your organization, or others under your direction have collected
Permanence
refers to the extent to which the message can be stored, retrieved, and distributed to others
Competence
related to your proven set of skills and knowledge to accomplish business tasks
Reliability
relates to how dependable the data is--how current and representative
Relevance
relates to how well it applies to your specific business problem
Adaptability
relates to how well the research can be altered or revised to meet your specific business problem
Likelihood
relates to the probability of the bad event occurring
Expertise
relates to the skill and background of the researchers to address your business problem
White papers
reports or guides that generally describe research about solving a particular issue
Caring
shows that you will act in the interests of others, cultivate a sense of community, and demonstrate accountability to others
Character
shows that you will adhere to high personal, corporate, and business values
Abilities
skills and knowledge that can be applied to accomplishing work tasks
SOFTEN model of nonverbal communication
smile, open stance, forward lean, tone, eye contact, and nod
Positions
stances that you take based on a set of conclusions
Conclusions
statements that are reasoned or deduced based on facts
Facts
statements that can be relied on with a fair amount of certainty and can be observed objectively
Charismatics
tend to get excited when they hear new ideas
Biases
tendencies to see issues from particular perspectives
Ethnocentrism
the belief that your own culture is superior--that it provides better approaches for solving work problems or dealing with work relationships and contains a better knowledge base to conceptualize work
What are business ethics?
the commonly accepted beliefs and principles in the business community for acceptable behavior.
Controllability
the degree to which the bad news message receiver can alter the outcome
Communication channel
the medium through which a message is transmitted
Meta messages
the overall but often underlying messages people take away from a communication or group of communications
Self-disclosure
the sharing of information about oneself
Projected cognitive similarity
the tendency to assume others have the same norms and values as your own cultural group
Outgroup homogeneity effect
the tendency to think members of other groups are all the same
Cyber incivility
the violation fo respect and consideration in an online environment based on workplace norms
What is the facilitator
they act from a neutral position to get each person to participate in the conversation and ensure that each agenda item is properly discussed
What are I-statements?
they begin with phrases such as I think, I feel, or I believe
What are personal values?
those values prioritized and adhered to by individuals
What are corporate values?
those values that are the stated and lived values of a company
Priming statements
trigger a mind-set that affects subsequent behavior
Problem-solving meetings
typically involve brainstorming about how to address and solve a particular work problem
Team blogs
typically organized around formal work teams
Solicited cover letter
used for an open position that a company advertises
Unsolicited cover letter
used when the company has not requested job applications
Predicates
verb phrases that in combination with a subject make a complete sentence
Direct quotations
verbatim restatements from another source
Complacency
when a group has experienced quite a few successes and begins to assume it will automatically make good decisions
Moral high ground
when group members assume they're morally correct and as a result dismiss competing ideas or alternate solutions
Collective rationalization
when group members convince themselves a solution is the best one even when faces with conflicting information
Self-censorship
when group members don't voice their opinions for the sake of harmony
Stereotyping
when group members see outsiders as morally inferior or less competent
Groupthink
when groups verbally or nonverbally agree to ideas without gathering enough information and exhaustively evaluating their options
Illusion of unanimity
when no one speaks out against the majority view and, as a result, everyone assumes there is agreement
Cascades
when the initial ideas in a discussion excessively influence the ultimate decisions
Peer pressure
when the majority of group members pressure or even penalize a member with dissenting views
Verbs
words or phrases that express action or existence
Adverbs
words or phrases that modify adjectives, verbs, or adverbs
Adjectives
words or phrases that modify nouns
Nouns
words or phrases that refer to persons, objects, qualities, or activities
Industry publications
written to cater to the specific interests of members in particular industries
What does it mean to validate others?
you recognize their perspectives and feelings as credible or legitimate