Exam 5: Business Communication: Creating Delivering Messages That Matter

Speaking immediately after someone stops talking demonstrates questionable listening skills.

Dave Malloy is the marketing director for the Redding Company. His recent trip to a developing Asian country got off to an awkward start when his attempt to greet his host with a hearty handshake was not well­received. Dave's experience is an example of a _____ barrier that undermined his attempts to communicate effectively.

Which of the following scenarios illustrates the full use of active listening in nonverbal communication?

Jim has posted an employment advertisement for a greeter at his store. The advertisement reads "only elderly individuals need apply." Jim has not exhibited any type of a bias, because there are not enough positions for the elderly in the job market.

One drawback of voice mail is that it doesn't provide the sender with a permanent record of the message.

One of the reasons people tend to have a hard time listening effectively is because:

A little nervousness right before giving a speech can actually help you perform better.

Effective communication is transmitting relevant information to an audience.

Which of the following is a recommended tip to pick the right words for communicating effectively?

In business communication, it is improper to use graphs and charts in PowerPoint presentations.

A person engaging in active listening should:

When delivering a message it is important to match the message to the communication channel.

Milo arrived to hear Ali's presentation on commodity futures. During the presentation, Ali made eye contact with his audience, spoke in a monotone, smiled often during his presentation, and appeared confident. However, Milo failed to follow some of Ali's presentation and he felt that some of his nonverbal communication was detrimental to effective communication. Milo felt this way as Ali _____.

Lindsey suspected that her sales team might be suspicious of some proposed new expense account rules, so she started her weekly meeting by describing a situation in which an employee was unable to claim a legitimate reimbursement because of the current policies. She used this anecdote to explain why management believed it was time to try something different. This opening was an effective way to introduce her message.

_____ can indicate a lack of authority.

Active voice refers to a sentence structure in which the subject performs the action expressed by the verb.

Marguerite had been asked by her manager to write a summary of a seminar she had attended. Marguerite's summary explained that the speaker's thick accent and excessive use of jargon made it hard for her to follow his presentation. In this case, it is clear that Marguerite experienced _____ barriers during the seminar.

Omegabux Inc. has worked out an agreement to merge with Lottadoe Enterprises. Amie Johnston, the CEO of Omegabux Inc, knows that the merger will require a reorganization and that employees will worry about their job security when the deal is announced. She wants to assure the employees of her personal commitment to minimize layoffs. One of the best ways for Amie to communicate information about the merger would be to issue a memo to all employees.

Passive voice tends to be more effective in business communications than active voice because it is more rational and has less emotional impact.

Describe and list three dos and don'ts of listening. Explain the impact of listening on effective business communications.