Test Bank

Chapter 13
Interpersonal Communication and Teamwork

TRUE/FALSE

1. "Communication climate" refers to the free flow of ideas within an organization.

ANS: F

2. Relationships generally begin with cautious conversation.

ANS: T

3. The closing to a conversation may be verbal, nonverbal, or both.

ANS: T

4. Interpersonal communication encompasses the verbal and nonverbal skills used in one-to-one and
small-group interactions.

ANS: T

5. Open, honest communication among group members is essential to effective teamwork.

ANS: T

6. Once damaged, a relationship cannot be repaired.

ANS: F

7. Writing teams face the same challenges as teams formed for other purposes.

ANS: T

8. Never admit you’ve forgotten someone’s name; the conversation will help you remember who the
person is.

ANS:

9. One-to-one oral communication is less valuable in business than is one-to-one written

communication.

ANS: F

TB-103
10. Only those who play a role in reaching a group’s goals should be invited to a meeting.

ANS: T

11. When a manager hears two employees talking in raised voices, the manager must facilitate a
resolution to the conflict.

ANS: F

12. Agendas are less important for audio and video conferences than for face-to-face meetings.

ANS: F

13. In collaborative writing, the task of analyzing the receiver is done by the group.

ANS: T

14. The attitudes, personal qualities, social graces, and habits that make someone a good employee and
compatible coworker are referred to as “soft skills.”

ANS: T

15. The second stage of conversation, the exchange, is delivered using the direct plan.

ANS: F

16. Being aggressive during a conversational exchange demonstrates your enthusiasm for the topic
being discussed.

ANS: F

17. Fast-paced questioning shows your interest and stimulates discussion.

ANS: F

18. Constructive feedback and criticism are different names for the same process.

ANS: F

19. Having two or more people work together to draft a document is effective and efficient.

ANS: F

20. Teams are the most popular work unit in organizations because of their flexibility and their
productivity.

ANS: T

TB-104 Test Bank for Business Communication, 7e

21. Relationships cannot be repaired unless the participants are willing to let go of the problem that
caused the breakdown.

ANS: T

22. A process-improvement team draws its strength from the perspectives and diverse viewpoints its
members represent.

ANS: F

23. Your goals when facilitating conflict resolution are to identify who was at fault and to have him or
her apologize.

ANS: F

24. Webcasting is real-time, two-way communication.

ANS: F

25. A person’s status within the organization should be considered when a team evaluates the
contributor’s ideas.

ANS: F

26. Web conferencing is a synchronous conference over the Internet that connects participants in
different locations who are sitting at computers.

ANS: T

27. Traditional teams are bound by time and location; virtual teams are not.

ANS: T

28. The anonymity of virtual discussions or meetings can reduce an individual’s fear of disapproval; as
a result, participation increases.

ANS: T

29. The main purpose of constructive feedback is to help people understand where they stand in relation
to the expected job behavior.

ANS: T

30. One benefit of keeping teams to ten or fewer members is that contributions are likely to be more
balanced.

ANS: T

Chapter 13 Interpersonal Communication and Teamwork TB-105

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. The greeting stage of a conversation

a. makes your position on the topic clear.
b. may be either direct or indirect.
c. previews what will follow.
d. provides information about your relationship with the receiver.
ANS: d. "Communication climate" refers to the free flow of ideas within an organization

2. A small group meeting participant spends most of his or her time

a. listening.
b. organizing materials.
c. speaking.
d. taking notes.
ANS: a. Listening

3. Creating and holding a mental image of the person with whom you are conversing by telephone will
a. give the impression the other person is important.
b. help you keep the conversation focused on the other person.
c. make your voice sound professional.
d. minimize the potential for in-person interruptions.
ANS: b.

4. The three most common communication styles are

a. aggressive, assertive, and direct.
b. passive, aggressive, and assertive.
c. passive, aggressive, and direct.
d. passive, assertive, and indirect.
ANS: b. passive, aggressive, and assertive.

5. On her way to an important Friday morning meeting, Shannon Gaydos observes one of the people
she supervises speaking harshly to a customer. Shannon knows she must offer constructive feedback
to the employee, so she decides to
a. concentrate more on her verbal than on her nonverbal message.
b. minimize the impact of her criticism by speaking in general terms.
c. speak to the employee early Monday morning.
d. stress the benefits the receiver will gain by modifying his/her behavior.
ANS: d. stress the benefits the receiver will gain by modifying his/her behavior.

TB-106 Test Bank for Business Communication, 7e

6. Which of the following would NOT be a “safe” topic at a social event before an American
Marketing Association meeting?
a. A local politician who was forced out of office for taking bribes
b. An article in the newpaper reporting that the local military base is being considered as the
site for the new San Diego International Airport
c. The last game of the San Diego Chargers
d. Participation in the upcoming Rock ‘n Roll Marathon
ANS: a. A local politician who was forced out of office for taking bribes

7. The quality of thinking that emerges from small-group meetings

a. has no relationship to what one person can achieve alone.
b. is usually higher than one person can achieve alone.
c. is usually lower than one person can achieve alone.
d. is usually the same as one person can achieve alone.
ANS: b. is usually higher than one person can achieve alone.

8. The conflict resolution technique of compromise should be used when

a. some areas of agreement exist.
b. the relationship has been long-term.
c. the situation is an emergency.
d. the situation may be repeated.
ANS: a. some areas of agreement exist.

9. Which of the following web-assisted technologies allows you to store a presentation and watch it at
a later time?
a. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
b. Web caching
c. Web conferencing
d. Webcasting
ANS: b. Web caching

10. Jordan Ragsdale has been the chair of a committee within his firm for over a year. Michelle Wymer
became a member of the group about a month ago. Since joining the committee, Michelle has made
few if any comments, yet Jordan knows she has creative ideas to share because she has discussed
them with him outside of the group's regular weekly meeting. Jordan wants to encourage Michelle to
speak at meetings. What should he do?
a. Ask Michelle to take notes.
b. During the meeting, ask Michelle direct questions related to her area of expertise.
c. Criticize Michelle privately.
d. Discuss the situation with another committee member and ask that person to talk to
Michelle.
ANS: b. During the meeting, ask Michelle direct questions related to her area of expertise.

Chapter 13 Interpersonal Communication and Teamwork TB-107

ESSAY

1. Define “communication climate” and explain how it relates to interpersonal communication.

ANS:
A communication climate is the social tone of a relationship. It's how people interact with each other
within their relationships. In a positive communication climate, people perceive others as liking,
appreciating, and respecting them – they feel valued.

2. List at least four “soft skills” employers are seeking in prospective employees.

ANS:
 Creativity.
 Communication skills.
 Growth mindset.
 Emotional intelligence.

3. Name the five stages in the conversation process and explain the role each plays in a successful
conversation.

ANS:
 Verbal Level of Communication.
 Physical Level of Communication.
 Auditory Level of Communication.
 Emotional Level of Communication.
 Energetic Level of Communication.

4. List and explain three general techniques for resolving conflict.

ANS: Some of the key steps I use to resolve conflict are as follows.
1. Listen to understand. Meet with each person on their own to understand what their issues are. ...
2. Meet to discuss the key issues. Organise a meeting of yourself and the two people in a neutral and
confidential environment. ...
3. Hold follow-up review meetings.

5. In what ways do effective teams benefit organizations?

ANS: Organizational Benefit: Teamwork promotes collaboration, commitment, motivation,

dependability and accountability among staff or organizational members. Imposing team responsibilities
helps increase individual strengths, improves delegation and reduces or eliminates certain lower levels of
management.

TB-108 Test Bank for Business Communication, 7e

6. List the three communication styles and tell how they differ.

ANS: Three communication styles are:

 Passive Communication:
 Aggressive Communication
 Passive-Aggressive Communication

7. List five guidelines to observe when attending a social business gathering.

ANS:

REF: pp. 374-375

8. Conflict may be constructive or destructive. List at least two positive and two negative outcomes of
conflict.
ANS: Conflict is a process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively
affected, or is about to negatively affect, something that the first party cares about.
Positive Effects of Conflict in an Organization
 Social Change,
 Decision Making,
 Reconciliation,

Negative Effects of Conflict in an Organization

 Mental Health Concerns,

 A decrease in Productivity,
 Members Leave Organization,

REF: p. 378

Chapter 13 Interpersonal Communication and Teamwork TB-109

9. Why would a business consider using a meeting format other than face-to-face?

ANS: Face-to-face meetings “build stronger, more meaningful business relationships,” they said, while
allowing better social opportunities to bond with clients and coworkers. It is also easier to read body
language and facial expressions and interpret nonverbal communication signals.

REF: pp. 289-392

10. Explain how a team might approach the steps involved in composing a message.

ANS: While this whole module is about writing, most of the thinking about what we are going to write
happens beforewe compose a single sentence. Planning and outlining is where your analysis and
organization get done, so that when you’re ready to write, all you have to worry about is sentence
structure, word choice, and tone—which is more than enough!

Remember those school days when teachers required outlines before you could start writing your paper?
They may have referred to it as part of a “pre-writing” phase. It turns out those outlines are life skills, not
just busy work. As adult business communicators, you should still commit to outlining. An outline serves
as a road map for what you’re going to write, and it aids in breaking weak writing habits. Outlines set a
writer up for success. Unlike in school, they do not need to be formally typed and numbered; they can
exist on a notepad or scrap to the side of the keyboard. That said, using your word processor’s outlining
function is a great way to keep your outline tidy, and cutting and pasting makes it easy to rearrange your
order.

REF: p. 394

TB-110 Test Bank for Business Communication, 7e