Chapter 02 Focusing on Interpersonal and Group Communication
What kinesic message is your colleague sending?
"I find this boring, and I am not paying attention."
What kinesic message is the receptionist sending?
"My phone conversation is more important than you."
Nonverbal communication means
"without the use of words"
What meaning might be conveyed through metacommunication in your reply?
- "I'm busy and can't chat now." - "Not really." - "I don't like company parties."
What meaning might be conveyed through metacommunication in your coworker's comment?
- "That's a brilliant and innovative analysis." - "That wasn't very interesting." - You really think that's what it means?" - "Are you crazy? That's not what the data conveys."
Which of the following are the four interpersonal communication styles?
- Aggressive - Passive-aggressive - Passive - Assertive
You are at happy hour with your supervisor Raman. Raman facilitates department meetings, and asks you "off the record" how you feel about them. You'd like to tell Raman that the meetings are at inconvenient times in the day, no one knows what they are going to be about, and then no one can remember what happened at the meetings. Instead, you choose to provide some carefully worded suggestions. What suggestions should you give Raman?
- Distribute an agenda - Schedule meetings at more convenient times - Prepare through minutes
We all have bad listening habits from time to time. Which of these choices are listening habits to be avoided?
- Failing to observe nonverbal aids - Over listening
During the meeting, you know that your coworker is not listening well. Which of the following bad listening habits does your coworker have?
- Failing to observe nonverbal aids - Overlistening - Allowing disruptions
According to Dean Barnlund, which of the following are part of the "six persons" involved in every two-person communication?
- How the other person believes you view them - How the other person views you - How the other person views people other than you - How a neutral third party views the sender and the receiver of a message - How you believe the other person views you
What purposes are satisfied when an individual listens?
- Interacting socially - Receiving information - Solving problems - Sharing feelings with others - Showing interest and resolving conflict
Which of the following statements are true regarding communicating with oneself and with others?
- Intrapersonal intelligence is developed by reflecting on our thoughts and actions to understand what motivates those thoughts and actions. - Another word for intrapersonal intelligence is reflexivity. - Intrapersonal intelligence is a correlative ability to interpersonal intelligence. - Interpersonal intelligence is the ability to understand other people.
Which of the following statements are true regarding self-esteem?
- It is part of self-concept. - It represents how we feel about ourselves and how well we like and value ourselves. - In the contemporary business world, high levels of self-esteem may help us be more open to the opinions and perspectives of others. - Communication and perception is affected by self-esteem.
How can improved listening skills help you advance your career?
- Listening will help you learn more. - Good listeners tend to be more likeable. - Good listening skills can help you be more productive and efficient. - Listening well can help you avoid false persuasion. - Good listening leads to sensitivity. - Good listening will help you make better decisions - Through listening, you will have a better understanding of others.
Your coworker Simona was just promoted to a leadership position. Simona is now responsible for supervising three teams, and asks for your advice on how to conduct effective meetings. What advice would you give Simona?
- Maintain order - Limit meeting time and frequency - Encourage participation
All nonverbal messages have key characteristics that communicators must take into account. Identify the characteristics of nonverbal messages.
- Nonverbal cues may be beneficial or harmful. - Nonverbal messages may have different meanings for different people. - Nonverbal messages can contradict the accompanying verbal messages. - Nonverbal messages provide clues about the sender's background and motive
All nonverbal messages have key characteristics that communicators must take into account. Identify the characteristics of nonverbal messages
- Nonverbal messages cannot be avoided. - Nonverbal messages may receive more attention than verbal messages. - Nonverbal messages may be intentional or unintentional.
Listening is the first step to effective communication. Which of these choices promote effective listening?
- Not interrupting the speaker - Minimizing distractions - Asking reflective questions - Getting in touch with the speaker
Cahaya is an interior designer who has worked independently for an entire career. Recently, Cahaya acquired a fellow designer's studio, staff, and clientele. Cahaya now finds herself running many meetings, but not as effectively as desired. What advice can you give Cahaya about running effective meetings?
- Seek consensus - Maintain order - Distribute an agenda in advance
Which of the following statements are true regarding the characteristics of effective groups?
- The smaller the group, the more its members have the opportunity to communicate with each other. - Groups formed for short-term tasks will spend less time on the task than on group maintenance goals. - In effective groups, participants share a common goal, interest, or benefit. - Each person who is invited to join a group will have perceptions of how the group should operate and what it should achieve. - Groups formed for long-term assignments will devote their exclusive time to the task.
Face-to-face meetings are often necessary. What are the advantages of face-to-face meetings?
- They are good for building rapport and relationships. - They provide rich nonverbal cues.
Electronic meetings are increasingly common in the workplace. What are the advantages of electronic meetings?
- They facilitate geographically dispersed groups. - They save travel time and money.
Electronic meetings are increasingly common in the workplace. What are the limitations of electronic meetings?
- They may make it harder to reach consensus. - They cannot replace face-to-face contact.
Which of the following are examples of visual kinesic communications?
- Winks - Smiles - Gestures
Meetings are essential for communication within organizations. Meetings allow individuals and groups to share information, develop skills, and build relationships. Despite the value and need for meetings, many workers dislike meetings. What can be done to change workers' attitudes toward meetings?
- conduct meetings properly and efficiently - Limit meeting frequency and length - Carefully plan and execute meetings
Last February, Johannes visited a company production facility in Taiwan. Prior to the visit, Johannes assumed that Taiwanese colleagues would take one-hour lunches and frequently play golf, just like colleagues in the United States. Johannes was quite surprised (and disappointed) during the visit to learn that they preferred much shorter lunches, often at their desks, and rarely (if ever) played golf.
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Merete stops to chat with a coworker, Marco, about an upcoming trip to Italy, since Marco is originally from Rome. Marco has an upcoming meeting but stops to talk to Merete about various sites to visit and favorite restaurants. This makes Marco 10 minutes late for the meeting.
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You and a coworker are presenting a status report to a client. The project is a little behind schedule and may need to be adjusted. You have prepared a detailed presentation updating the client on the current state of research and development for the project. While you are meeting with the client, your coworker frequently checks for email, shuffles through papers, and interrupts you. The client is getting noticeably agitated with your coworker. The client seems worried about the project and unable to get a clear idea of why it is behind schedule. You fear that the client will begin to question your team's credibility. You decide to take control of the meeting. You ask the client to present questions and concerns. You indicate that the client will not be interrupted. Your coworker takes the cue and begins taking copious notes, trying to record every word that the client says. After expressing concerns, the client th
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You are busy working at your desk when your coworker sends you the following instant message: "Excited about the company party Saturday?" You reply: "Whatever."
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You enter the office of a new client and are greeted by a receptionist, who is talking on the phone. You wait for the receptionist to finish the call, but the conversation continues. After a few minutes, the receptionist waves you through the doors without making eye contact.
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You are in a meeting with a team of coworkers reviewing data. You present your data analysis, and your coworker responds, "Now, that's an interesting interpretation." He emphasizes the word that.
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You are sharing the latest market research data with a colleague. While doing so, your colleague out the window and then asks you to repeat yourself.
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In certain situations, nonverbal communication can account for more than _________ of the meaning conveyed in a message.
90 percent
Which of the following perceptual problems involves the assignment of meaning to other people's behavior?
Attribution
______ is one of the four key behaviors that performing teams exhibit.
Contribution
Furthermore, at the last few meetings, Jaime has wanted to talk about upcoming personnel changes in the customer service department. Dallas hasn't stopped criticizing others and complaining. Devin doesn't show up for meetings. Kaden has worked hard to smooth out any team differences, but you are the only one who has tried to make sure that everyone gets heard and that the team is making progress.
Dallas: Detractor Devin: Free rider Jaime: Digresser Kaden: Harmonizer You: Facilitator
You just received critical information regarding a project that you and your team have been working on for more than a year. You need to discuss the ramifications with your team before the end of the day. Your team is spread among your company's four locations in California. Which meeting format is most appropriate?
Electronic
________ allow(s) companies to reduce travel budgets, save professional time, and minimize the environmental impact caused by travel.
Electronic meetings
Which of the following is a guideline for productive meetings that involves brainstorming?
Encourage participation
You have just been selected to lead a team of accountants conducting a large-scale audit of a company. Your team members are located in various offices around the country; however, you need to kick off the audit with a full team meeting so that the team can build rapport. Which meeting format is most appropriate?
Face to Face
You are going to announce a significant personnel reorganization. You need to inform all employees. Five of your sales representatives are traveling this week and will not be back until next Monday. You want to make the announcement before next Thursday, which is Veterans Day. Which meeting format is most appropriate?
Face to face
Which of the following is the use of the sense of touch?
Haptics
The process of Amadu reaching the conclusion about Vasco is known as which of the following?
Impression formation
Which of the following perceptual problems is the process of integrating a variety of observations about a person into a coherent sense of that person?
Impression formation
Different occasions call for different listening styles. Which listening style is best suited for this situation?
Intensive listening
Which of the following is the type of listening that involves the search for data or material?
Listening for information
Your team is meeting to plan an upcoming database transfer. Several of your team members have very different ideas on how the transfer should be handled. Two team members in particular are focusing on personality differences, not on ideas. What effective meeting practice should this team strive for?
Managing conflict
If you were to make suggestions to your coworker to improve listening, what would you suggest your coworker should do first?
Minimize environmental and mental distractions
Which of these statements about nonverbal messages is true?
Nonverbal messages may be beneficial.
Which of these statements about nonverbal messages is true?
Nonverbal messages may be intentional or unintentional.
Which of the following is an advantage of a majority rules method of decision-making?
Often perceived as a fair way of making decisions
Which of the following perceptual problems denies the variation among individuals of any cultural group and can detract from the development of positive working relationships?
Outgroup homogeneity effect
Johannes was subject to which of the following perceptual problems in communication?
Projected cognitive similarity
Which of the following is the study of human space?
Proxemics
A team of engineers is working on reducing stray light interference in telescope images of distant galaxies. The team has worked together for several years. Each team member plays a variety of necessary roles and has learned to eliminate nonproductive roles. Additionally, the team has adopted practices that encourage acceptance and create communication opportunities. This is largely due to the director of the team, who encourages participation and effective activity. Which characteristic of effective groups is presented in this scenario?
Role perception
_______ is how we think about ourselves and describe ourselves to others.
Self-concept
Which of the following is the term that refers to how we feel about ourselves and how well we like and value ourselves?
Self-esteem
In the appropriate order from beginning to end, steps in the perceptual process include
Sensing, organizing, and interpreting
Which of the following refers to one's formal position in the organizational chart?
Status
Which of the following perceptual problems is a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment?
Stereotyping
A team of engineers is working on reducing stray light interference in telescope images of distant galaxies. The team has worked together for several years. Each team member plays a variety of necessary roles and has learned to eliminate nonproductive roles. Additionally, the team has adopted practices that encourage acceptance and create communication opportunities. This is largely due to the director of the team, who encourages participation and effective activity. Which characteristic of effective groups is present in this scenario?
Team leadership
Listening for pleasure, recreation, amusement, and relaxation is known as
casual listening
Which characteristic of effective teams should your team work on to accomplish your objective and plan the holiday party?
common goals
The terms group and team are often used interchangeably; however, a team has a clear identity and exhibits _______ once it is in the performing stage.
contribution
is one of the four key behaviors that performing teams exhibit.
contribution
Due to the contextual forces influencing business today, many corporations have eliminated layers of management to create _____ ______ ______ and to distribute decision-making power throughout the organization.
flat organizational structures
Communication, which includes "our perceptions, memories, experiences, feelings, interpretations, inferences, etc.," is referred to as
intrapersonal communication
The process of integrating a variety of observations about a person into a coherent impression of that person is known as
intrapersonal communication
Your team is meeting to plan the upcoming database transfer. Several of your team members have different ideas on how the transfer should be handled. One coworker gets very angry and storms out of the room. The room promptly erupts in chaos. This team should strive for which of the following effective meeting practices?
maintaining order
When Marco finally arrives at the meeting, a colleague looks at the clock on the wall and frowns. This colleague most likely follows a
monochronic
When a team is operating at optimal levels, the process is called
performing
It is most likely that Marco follows a _______
polychronic
A ___________ team concentrates on innovation and the development cycle of new products, and is usually cross-functional in nature.
product development
Face-to-face meetings offer distinct advantages and are appropriate in all of the following situations except
when the participants know one another
