Deck 10: Persuasive Messages

Question 1

The 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.

Answer 1

True
Explanation: The 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.

Question 2

Severity relates to the probability of a bad event occurring.

Answer 2

False
Explanation: Likelihood relates to the probability of the bad event occurring.

Question 3

The primary benefit of using simple and specific language is that recipients are more likely to interpret the information as honest and up-front.

Answer 3

True
Explanation: The most obvious and primary benefit of using simple and specific language is that recipients are more likely to interpret the information as honest and up-front.

Question 4

The credibility of individuals is not affected by the way they deliver bad news.

Question 5

Controllability is the degree to which the bad-news message receiver can alter the outcome.

Question 6

One characteristic of high-performing organizations is that employees are reluctant to share bad news.

Question 7

When bad news becomes more controllable, less likely, and/or less severe, less rich channels are justified.

Question 8

In less-direct messages, the rationale for the bad news is first described and then the bad news is given.

Question 9

The immediate impacts of bad news on recipients should not be discussed with them.

Question 10

According to communication specialist Dave Zielinski, openness must be avoided when delivering bad news.

Question 11

When delivering negative performance reviews, it is important to focus on attitudes and intentions rather than actions and results.

Question 12

Providing feedback only on observable actions and not on attitudes and intentions is typically perceived as judgmental and provokes defensiveness.

Question 13

According to David Falk, trust and long-term success in business are built on honesty in bad-news situations.

Question 14

Bad news is best delivered in person.

Question 15

By placing the bad news in writing, you can control the message more carefully and ensure that you state the bad news precisely and accurately.

Question 16

A buffer is a statement to establish common ground, show appreciation, state your sympathy, or otherwise express goodwill.

Question 17

Delivering bad news without knowing the details tends to cause unnecessary anxiety among receivers.

Question 18

When bad-news message recipients know you are concerned about them, they generally respond without antagonism and even appreciate your honesty.

Question 19

If you gather as much information as you can from a variety of sources, then you are less likely to make objective judgments and propose fair solutions.

Question 20

The power of delivery often outweighs the content of the message in feedback situations.

Question 21

Which of the following is an advantage of delivering bad news in person?

A)Verbal delivery of bad news message requires less time compared to written delivery.
B)Compared to written delivery, verbal delivery results in better documentation of the message.
C)One can effectively clarify and explain the bad news when it is delivered in person.
D)Verbal delivery of bad news provides directions that bad-news recipients can refer to later.
E)Compared to written delivery, verbal delivery can deliver bad news to more people more effectively.

Question 22

Which of the following is most likely to be communicated in writing?

A)Rejecting a colleague's idea
B)Decision to give fewer work hours to employees
C)Poor performance rating of an employee
D)Decision to lay off an employee
E)Terminating a long-term supplier's business relationship

Question 23

The _____ aspect of bad news relates to the probability of the bad event occurring.

A)adaptability
B)controllability
C)likelihood
D)severity
E)agility

Question 24

An email which rejects a colleague's idea should ideally start with a(n):

A)list of the problems that the organization will face while implementing the idea.
B)compliment as a buffer statement.
C)explanation of the immediate impacts.
D)criticism of the colleague's idea.
E)sarcastic appreciation of the idea.

Question 25

In the context of a bad-news message, a buffer is a statement that is most likely to be used to:

A)express criticism.
B)malign others.
C)convey false hope.
D)show appreciation.
E)express disappointment.

Question 26

The bad-news messages need not be reviewed.

Question 27

In the context of a bad-news message, a _____ is a statement to establish common ground, show appreciation, state your sympathy, or otherwise express goodwill.

A)buffer
B)writ
C)deed
D)codicil
E)memorandum

Question 28

The _____ aspect of bad news indicates how serious or detrimental a bad news is.

A)severity
B)agility
C)controllability
D)adaptability
E)intensity

Question 29

Jacob, the owner of Unicorn Systems, wants to inform the employees that they will face a twenty percent salary reduction to help the company to survive through recession.Which of the following is true of communicating this bad message in an honest and an open manner?

A)It will enhance the credibility of Jacob and the company.
B)It will lead to employees undermining Jacob's character.
C)It will increase the negative impact of bad news on employees.
D)It will signify that Jacob is incompetent in overcoming challenging situations.
E)It will be detrimental toward creating an atmosphere for long-term success.

Question 30

It is inappropriate to talk to colleagues about bad-news messages that you plan to deliver to groups of customers or employees.

Question 31

Which of the following should be avoided while delivering bad-news messages?

A)Viewing delivery of bad news opportunistically
B)Bearing responsibility for one's own role in causing bad news
C)Commitment to transparency and honesty in delivering bad news
D)Sympathizing with the recipients of bad news
E)Telling the truth even when it isn't popular or politically correct

Question 32

Which of the following is an example of a bad-news message that is characterized by high severity and low controllability?

A)An employee being laid off
B)Rejecting a customer claim
C)An employee receiving poor performance rating
D)A vendor choosing another supplier
E)Rejecting a colleague's idea

Question 33

Which of the following is the best example of a less-direct message?

A)Employees will have to bear a salary cut due to the recession.
B)Your last quarter's performance rating is low due to your ill health.
C)Since the warranty clause has expired, we will not be able to replace your television.
D)This employment contract is terminated as you have failed to meet our quality standards.
E)Your idea seems to be infeasible due the lack of funds in the company.

Question 34

_____ is the degree to which the bad-news message receiver can alter the outcome.

A)Controllability
B)Severity
C)Likelihood
D)Agility
E)Adaptability

Question 35

Before delivering bad-news messages, gathering as much information as one can from a variety of sources reduces the:

A)credibility of the message.
B)fairness of the message.
C)ability to propose fair solutions.
D)probability of making irrational judgments.
E)controllability of the message.

Question 36

Which of the following statements is true of delivering bad news in writing relative to delivering it in person?

A)Delivering bad news in writing allows richer communication than delivering it in person.
B)Delivering bad news in writing provides greater scope for immediate feedback from those receiving the bad news than delivering it in person.
C)Delivering bad news in writing allows for intentions to be demonstrated more easily than when it is delivered in person.
D)Delivering bad news in writing is considered more callous and impersonal than delivering it in person.
E)Delivering bad news in writing is more efficient in allowing a person to immediately come up with options and solutions than delivering it in person.

Question 37

When bad news with high severity and high controllability is to be communicated, the most appropriate way of communication will be a(n):

A)email.
B)phone call.
C)video call.
D)personal meeting.
E)webinar.

Question 38

Which of the following is an example of a bad-news message that is characterized by high severity and high controllability?

A)Laying off an employee
B)Rejecting a customer claim
C)An employee receiving poor performance rating
D)A vendor choosing another supplier
E)Rejecting a colleague's idea

Question 39

In delivering bad-news messages, it is advisable to:

A)allow scope for speculations and anxiety among recipients.
B)keep the structure of the message as less direct as possible.
C)deliver it as soon as possible even if it is not supported by details and specifics.
D)ensure that one's expressions of sympathy and concern go beyond two sentences.
E)keep the message as impersonal as possible.

Question 40

Sarah, a team manager at the head office of Elixir Corp.situated in Germany, was sorry that her subordinates in the France unit of the company had to be laid off.She sent a mail to deliver this bad news to her French subordinates.Which of the following justifies Sarah's decision to deliver the message through email instead of meeting them in person?

A)A written message, such as email, is a richer communication channel to deliver bad news messages than a personal meeting.
B)Sarah works in a virtual team; this limits her from delivering the bad news in person.
C)Bad news, such as employee lay off, has high controllability and low severity.
D)Delivering bad news in person signifies lack of concern and goodwill.
E)Delivering bad news in writing will do greater good to Sarah's credibility than delivering it in person.

Question 41

Ace Machineries has been using batteries supplied by its long-term vendor Thorium Inc.in all its products.Recently, a competitor of Thorium agreed to provide superior quality batteries at the same price.Ace Machineries has decided to change the supplier for batteries from Thorium Inc.to its competitor.The most appropriate way for the supplier relationship manager at Ace Machineries to convey this bad news is to:

A)avoid using nonverbal behavior to show concern and appreciation.
B)use general and legal language in the written message.
C)avoid starting the written message with a buffer or a teaser statement.
D)provide a clear rationale and specific feedback in the written message.
E)use a direct message structure over an indirect message structure.

Question 42

Which of the following is the most effective practice in delivering a negative performance review?

A)Rita sugarcoats the bad news of poor performance while delivering a negative performance review.
B)Adrianne believes that it is best to avoid delivering negative feedback when poor performers are defensive.
C)Julia helps the poor performers of her team understand the ways in which they are hurting organizational performance.
D)George ensures to focus on attitudes and intentions rather than actions and results when delivering negative feedback.
E)Derek uses an accusatory tone while delivering a negative performance review.

Question 43

Vanessa, the customer relationship manager at Silver Fish Inc., has to decline an unreasonable claim made by a customer.She will not be able to replace the product or provide a refund to the customer because the cause of damage is not covered by the product warranty.Which of the following will make the best buffer statement when Vanessa is writing an email to the customer for conveying this bad news?

A)We, the customer relations team at Silver Fish Inc., are unable to help with your claim.
B)Your claim for a refund or replacement of the product has been rejected.
C)We're sorry that the product purchased from us has malfunctioned.
D)Silver Fish Inc.has always valued you as customer and has enjoyed serving you.
E)Our products are foolproof; hence, the company will not entertain false claims.

Question 44

Gerald, the general manager at Meteorite Systems, has to give a negative performance evaluation to Norman, one of the shift managers.Gerald does not want to harm his working relationship with Norman, and hence plans to convey the bad news over coffee after work.During the review, Gerald first thanks Norman for all his efforts, then sugarcoats the bad news to keep it subtle, indirect, and vague and then ends the review with an expression of goodwill.In this situation, Gerald is applying the _____ for delivering the negative performance review.

A)sandwich approach
B)problem-solving approach
C)lean approach
D)pragmatic approach
E)direct approach

Question 45

Which of the following must be avoided in delivering bad news?

A)Using a neutral subject line
B)Using a one- or two-sentence buffer
C)Showing sympathy to the readers
D)Taking responsibility even if one is not at fault
E)Providing a rationale for the unfavorable decision made

Question 46

Who among the following falls under the category of external partners?

A)A shareholder
B)An employee
C)A supplier
D)A competitor
E)A local community

Question 47

Juana wants to reject her colleague's idea.To deliver this bad news effectively in writing, she must:

A)use a lot of jargons in her message.
B)use a simple design for her message.
C)avoid the use of buffer statements.
D)ensure that the message looks extremely slick.
E)use a direct message structure over an indirect message structure.

Question 48

Which of the following best allows the effective delivery of negative performance reviews?

A)Using an accusatory or confrontational tone
B)Adopting a team-centered orientation
C)Focusing on attitudes and intentions rather than actions and results
D)Pointing out mistakes rather than problem solving
E)Sugarcoating the bad news

Question 49

The mum effect results when employees in an organization:

A)avoid sharing bad news because they do not want to be blamed.
B)view the delivery of bad news opportunistically.
C)take quick actions to rectify the problems conveyed by a bad-news message.
D)take responsibility for bad events even if they are not at fault.
E)convey bad news to the top executives quickly.

Question 50

Ryan, the owner of Home Value supermarket chain, wants to terminate a contract with a supplier.During the tenure of the contract, Ryan had interacted with the representatives of the supplier mainly over the phone or email.Which of the following will be interpreted by the supplier as a less-than-straightforward way of saying no and ending the working relationship?

A)Ryan takes the supplier representatives out for lunch and thanks them for being such great friends.
B)Ryan ensures that his written message leaves the door open to future business.
C)Ryan provides rationale for his decision so that the supplier company can improve its competitiveness by focusing on its weaknesses.
D)Ryan keeps the written message short, but ensures to include a neutral subject line as buffer.
E)Ryan uses an indirect message structure to convey the bad news instead of a direct structure.

Question 51

Using _____ must be avoided while conveying bad news to customers.

A)an accusatory tone
B)neutral language
C)passive verbs
D)teaser messages
E)a buffer statement

Question 52

In one of the annual employee meetings, Watson said "Managers have to stop using the good news-bad news-good news approach in performance reviews that gives poor performers a false sense that their work is acceptable." Watson is asking the managers to stop applying the _____ approach to delivering bad news.

A)sandwich
B)problem-solving
C)blaming
D)pragmatic
E)direct

Question 53

Veronica, a sales manager at West Wind Apparel Company, is reviewing the performance of her team.She observes that one of her subordinates, Melissa, has performed poorly in the last quarter.While delivering a negative performance review to her, Veronica should ensure that:

A)she sugarcoats the bad news.
B)she focuses on attitudes and intentions rather than actions and results.
C)she avoids the use of a forward-looking tone.
D)she gives Melissa an opportunity to discuss her perspectives on her poor performance.
E)she uses an accusatory or a confrontational tone.

Question 54

If managers want to deliver bad news to their subordinates such as poor performance reviews, they should typically avoid:

A)using a neutral subject line as buffer.
B)using a rich communication channel.
C)ending without any expression of goodwill.
D)focusing on the employees' needs and concerns.
E)using a teaser message as the opening line.

Question 55

In delivering negative performance reviews, a focus on attitudes and intentions will:

A)prevent defensiveness.
B)increase the effectiveness of the performance review.
C)be considered as a fair practice.
D)be perceived as judgmental.
E)increase the credibility of the boss.

Question 56

As a result of the mum effect, the message that reaches the top executives of an organization is:

A)clear and specific.
B)unrealistically rosy.
C)delayed and outdated.
D)highly credible.
E)completely accurate.

Question 57

Which of the following is the best example for measurable and realistic expectations?

A)During a performance review, Jessica told her team that she believed they could turn things around for their next performance review.
B)Marsha, when delivering performance review for the production team, told the team that they should work toward achieving a sixty percent reduction in product defect.
C)Tom kept the performance review of the sales team vague by just mentioning that he expects an improvement in the team's performance.
D)During a performance review of the sales team, Mark conveyed that the team should ensure the market share of the company increases as early as possible.
E)Karen told her team that she expects to see an improvement in their output as soon as possible.

Question 58

Which of the following is the most efficient way of delivering bad-news messages to customers?

A)Ursula uses you-voice in her written messages when responding to customer complaints.
B)Brian believes in providing long descriptions of why his company can't meet customer demands as a response to customer complaints.
C)Even when customers are at fault, Sandra uses a neutral language to point out mistakes.
D)Tommy believes in emphasizing the company's reputation over a customer's problem in his response to customer complaints.
E)Calvin uses a legal language to convey the bad news and directly points out customers' mistakes.

Question 59

Which of the following is relatively ineffective in softening the blow or impact of a bad-news message?

A)A direct message structure
B)A buffer statement
C)A teaser message
D)A message that expresses concern for the recipient
E)A rationale for the unfavorable decision made

Question 60

Research on Uno Motor Corp.revealed that the company shows signs of the mum effect.As a result of the mum effect, the chances of Uno Motor to _____ will increase.

A)repeatedly underperform
B)succeed on projects
C)reap the benefits of a transparent culture
D)accurately state bad news
E)build its credibility

Question 61

List the various points that are to be considered while delivering negative performance reviews.

Question 62

What is meant by the mum effect? How does it affect businesses?

Question 63

Raven was preparing for receiving the performance feedback from her boss.She was aware that her performance for that quarter had been bad, and this put her through fear and anxiety.Raven, however, decided to focus on believing that getting an honest assessment of her work would only help her.This means that Raven:

A)is reframing her thoughts to initiate constructive feedback conversations.
B)is displaying counterproductive response to negative emotions.
C)is an individual with low emotional intelligence.
D)is not capable of identifying the negative emotions that she is feeling as a result of the upcoming performance review.
E)is displaying signs of defensiveness, denial, and withdrawal.

Question 64

Explain the sandwich approach.

Question 65

Why is it necessary to focus on actions and results, and not on attitudes and intentions, when providing negative feedback?

Question 66

The question "Have I stated the message in a way that recognizes the inherent worth of others?" reflects the _____ component of the FAIR test.

A)fact
B)access
C)impact
D)respect
E)improve

Question 67

Which of the following statements made by an employee best exemplifies a counterproductive response to a negative feedback?

A)Getting a negative feedback from my boss irritates me.
B)It's my responsibility to accept the feedback and improve myself accordingly.
C)The feedback I get from my boss will facilitate my career advancement.
D)Negative feedback is a part of the boss's job and mine.
E)My performance on the job isn't related to whether my boss likes me.

Question 68

On receiving a negative feedback from a supervisor, a person with high emotional intelligence is most likely to:

A)point out the supervisor's mistakes.
B)avoid future interactions with the supervisor.
C)display counterproductive responses to negative emotions.
D)accept the negative feedback.
E)criticize the attitude of the supervisor.

Question 69

Which of the following questions should you ideally use while reviewing your bad-news message to evaluate the "facts" aspect of the FAIR test?

A)Have I gathered all the relevant information and examined various accounts of the same event?
B)Have I considered all the ways in which this message will impact others in the near term and long term?
C)What have I done to lessen the negative impacts on recipients?
D)Have I stated the message in a way that recognizes the inherent worth of others?
E)What am I doing to provide appropriate opportunities to the bad-news recipients?

Question 70

The following is an exact quote from a negative performance review delivered by a senior manager to a team leader, "I know you and your team have the potential to turn things around for our next performance review; hence, we need to totally focus on getting everything right from now on." The performance review is ineffective because it:

A)does not focus on attitudes and intentions.
B)does not provide measurable and realistic expectations.
C)does not use the sandwich approach while delivering the negative feedback.
D)uses a compliment as a buffer statement.
E)uses a teaser message as an opening statement.

Question 71

Why is accepting negative feedback important for employees? What should be done by employees to accept and respond to it effectively?

Question 72

Who are external partners and when is it appropriate to deliver bad-news messages in writing to them?

Question 73

State a few guidelines for delivering bad-news messages.

Question 74

Catherine heads the sales team, and most of her subordinates have been able to deliver good performance.However, one of the team members, Dave has been exhibiting poor performance.Catherine has created a file that records Dave's performance and a few remarks about him.While delivering the negative feedback to Dave, Catherine should:

A)focus on attitudes and intentions rather than actions and results.
B)keep Dave's negative feedback private.
C)ask her colleagues to review Dave's performance file and give feedback.
D)sugarcoat the negative feedback.
E)focus on pointing out mistakes rather than problem solving.

Question 75

How can tone, style, and design be used to deliver bad news effectively?

Question 76

What are the three aspects of the bad news that impact how you approach delivering it?

Question 77

The _____ component of the FAIR test attempts to reflect the transparency of the motives and reasoning of the person delivering the bad news.

A)fact
B)access
C)respect
D)impact
E)adaptability

Question 78

A person with high emotional intelligence will:

A)not display counterproductive responses to negative emotions.
B)fail to recognize and name negative emotions.
C)be unable to develop a reframing statement to effectively respond to a negative feedback.
D)display withdrawal during negative feedback.
E)seek and accept only positive feedback.

Question 79

Which of the following questions should you consider while reviewing your bad-news message to evaluate the "impacts" aspect of the FAIR test?

A)Are my motives clear, or will others perceive that I have a hidden agenda?
B)Is my perspective of the facts influenced by defensiveness, favoritism, or some other bias?
C)Have I stated the message in a way that recognizes the inherent worth of others?
D)Am I doing what I can to provide opportunities "as appropriate" to the bad-news recipients?
E)Is the rationale for this bad news based on sound facts and conclusions?

Question 80

What are the various advantages and disadvantages of delivering bad news in verbal or in person?