Team and Intercultural Communication CHAPTER 2

Using wikis for group projects usually results in more contributions from group members, fewer in-person meetings, and better overall collaboration.

TRUE

When we talk about culture, we refer to the customary traits, attitudes, and behaviors of a group of people.​

TRUE

Which of the following statements is not generally true of working in teams?

Teamwork induces people to contribute equally.

Which of the following statements about inclusive language is not true?

Terminology used to refer to groups remains largely static.

Which of the following is not a reason to value diversity?

The U.S. population is less diverse now than ever before.

What is the rationale for using "I" language when critiquing peer writing?

The rationale is to use "I" because it avoids attacking and blaming the other person.

What do competent communicators consider when communicating with people from different cultures?

They consider the culture and how they're norms may differ.

Provide three examples of nonverbal messages which have different meanings in different cultures.

eye contact, thumbs up, personal space.

Explain the difference between intercultural communication, multiculturalism, and inclusion.

intercultural communication is when communication from one culture has to be understood by the other culture (cross-culture communication). Multiculturalism is appreciating diversity among people. Inclusion refer to creating an environment where all people can be valued and can be themselves to the fullest.

If you are writing to someone and you do not know their gender, you should use a salutation that

is gender neautral

Which of the following is not a cultural value ascribed to the United States?

low time orientation

Cultural Value ascribed to the United States

low uncertainty avoidance low power distance high individualism low formality

When communicating with people with disabilities, effective managers

offer help without being patronizing. recognize that we are all "differently abled." create an inclusive workplace. go beyond the legal accommodation requirements. ALL

Because individuals don't waste time interacting with others, they can usually accomplish more work alone than in teams.

FALSE

The word "ethnic" primarily applies to people of color.

FALSE

Wikis are likely to reduce the need for in-person team meetings, although they usually result in increased email for participants.

FALSE

Suggest an "I" statement to provide feedback to a team member who constantly interrupts other team members.

I get annoyed whenever you interrupt one of the team members whenever they're in the middle of talking.

Given that a person's biological sex may not match what we can see, what is the best approach for communicating in an inclusive manner? Provide specific examples for your response.​

In addition to accepting potential differences, we can improve working relationships by avoiding gender-specific language: 2. Avoid words of phrases that unnecessarily imply gender. 1. Use neutral job titles to avoid implying that a job is held by only men or only women. 4. Avoid he or his as generic pronouns. 3. Use appropriate personal titles and salutations.

Which of the following is not a helpful strategy when providing constructive feedback?

Avoid providing specific, recent examples.

What are three guidelines for giving feedback in teams?

Be descriptive, avoid labeling, and don't exaggerate

Why is "small talk" important when a group is first forming?

Because teams work better when each member knows each other. No one wants to work with total strangers. It allows everyone to be more open.

List and describe the four strategies for communicating with people from different cultures.

Call others by their title or family name unless told otherwise. Show respect by learning part of their culture. Do not use slang. Communicate slow but not too slow.

Which of the following is not a key question to consider when improving inclusiveness at your workplace?

Do hiring practices meet the minimum standards in the law?

Describe ways to avoid overreacting or underreacting to team problems.

Do not exaggerate, speak for yourself and use I statements.

Which of the following is an example of preferred wording for commenting on peer writing?

I was confused by this paragraph

What are the five strategies that writing teams should follow?

Identify project requirements, create a project plan, draft the writing, revise the writing, finalize the project.

Explain the ways wikis may help writing teams function more effectively.

It publicly shows the work to other team member, the work could be edited by any of the team members. Team members can also communicate through wikis.

Explain why a deliberate strategy of inclusion might be valuable for an organization.

It will make everyone more comfortable. Everyone can freely work to their full potential without being hindered.

Give a definition of neutral language and some examples of types of bias that might harm inclusiveness.

Nurse instead of male nurse Server instead of waitress Everyone instead of you guys

What are the major divisions of cultural diversity within the United States?

Race and ethnicity, sex and gender identity, age, sexual orientation, ability, religion, income level

According to research, the most effective work teams generally consist of no more than ____ members.

Seven

Which of the following is not good advice for communicating clearly in other cultures?

Stay away from specific examples.

"Saving face" is more typically a concern of group-oriented, rather than individualist, cultures.

TRUE

Which of the following is not true of communication about ethnicity?

The word "ethnic" is best reserved for minority groups.

Describe ethical dimensions of work-team communication.

There should be a plan and deadline. The plan should determine what's the objective, who is doing what and when it should be done.

wikis:

They can allow team members to work together to edit a document as it develops. They can help manage the flow of information. They can lead to fewer meetings. They can incorporate links, video, message boards, and other web features.

Which of the following statements is not generally true of wikis?

They can delete knowledge so that it gets lost when core team members leave.

Which of the following is not an appropriate way to manage team writing?

Use a data-dump to cover all research gathered.

Which statement about gender issues in communication is correct?

Women tend to emphasize politeness, whereas men tend to be directive in conversation.

Which statement about communicating across cultures is correct?

You can convey key points more effectively by mentioning concrete examples.

Groupthink is caused by

an overemphasis on unity that stifles information flow.

When communicating with a person who is disabled, you should

be alert and sensitive because some disabilities are not visible.

Which of the following is not a useful step in a team writing project?

clarify the team mission statement

Although body language varies from culture to culture, the implications of key signals such as direct eye contact are universally understood.

false

In most countries, strong, consistent eye contact is considered a sign of confidence.

false

The spread of English as a universal language for business has made intercultural understanding less important for managers.

false

To build a level of trust and ease, team members refrain from engaging in small talk at their initial meeting.

false

Using humor during business meetings with international contacts is effective at setting everyone at ease.

false

Using labels such as unreliable when giving feedback in meetings focuses members' attention on why certain behaviors are problematic.

false

When doing business internationally, managers from the United States should avoid long silences, which often signal discomfort.

false

When giving negative feedback on a peer's writing, emphasize the writer's role in creating the text, rather than the text itself.

false

When identifying performance problems, one should try to assign responsibility to a particular member instead of to the entire group.

false

When you use slang or jargon in conversation with businesspeople from other cultures, you should speak extremely slowly and avoid confusing specifics.

false

Whether you are offering a compliment or a complaint, you should use more you statements than I statements in communicating with team members.

false

____ is a trait that emphasizes social rules, rank, and tradition.

formality

When communicating with people from different cultures, you should

maintain formality, show respect, and speak clearly.

Touching behavior is

not consistent from culture to culture

When a large multinational company adapts its consumer website to different cultures around the world, it may create all of the following except:

pictures of people interacting, for high power-distance countries.

From an ethical perspective, team members should

respect the ideas of others

____ is the psychological term for avoiding individual responsibility in a group setting.

social loafing

In cultures where context sensitivity is high, businesspeople

stress the surrounding circumstances in communication.

Which of the following phrases is most likely to be neutral, respectful, and inoffensive?

the accountant who spoke of his disability

A consensus occurs when all team members can support a particular course of action.

true

A frequent problem of team-written documents is the lack of one "voice" throughout the document.

true

A person's biological sex may be different from what we can see.​

true

If you are striving to use gender-neutral language, always call a woman by her professional title.

true

More than women, men use communication primarily to show their expertise and preserve their status.

true

Research indicates that the ideal small team consists of around five members.

true

Team members have an ethical obligation to avoid promoting self-centered agendas.

true

When different team members contribute to a report, have each writer review the entire draft.

true

You should study customs related to formality and ways of showing respect before you travel to meet business contacts abroad.

true

What are some ways to minimize and solve group problems?

assign a task to everyone, speak up whenever your feeling like something is not right and use I

____ is the result of reaching a decision that best reflects the thinking of all team members.

consensus