Deck 3: Team Communication and Difficult Conversations

Question 1

High self-awareness is crucial for handling difficult conversations successfully.

Answer 1

True
Explanation: During difficult encounters, high emotional intelligence is crucial. Self-awareness is the foundation.

Question 2

An absence of conflict during conversations might imply that employees are not voicing their true perspectives.

Answer 2

True
Explanation: The exchange of perspectives and competing ideas reflects open and honest communication. If there is no conflict, employees are likely not voicing their true perspectives.

Question 3

The minutes of a meeting serve as a record of what a team has accomplished.

Answer 3

True
Explanation: Minutes of a meeting should include the date and time, team members present, decisions, key discussion points, open issues, and action items and related deadlines. The minutes serve as a record of what a team has accomplished.

Question 4

To keep from making defensive comments, one requires a low level of self-awareness and self-management.

Question 5

Probing questions are opinions presented in question form.

Question 6

Coordination meetings typically involve fluid issues that cannot be given time allotments.

Question 7

Holding judgment implies agreeing with everything you hear.

Question 8

When developing an agenda to address high-priority items, items of least importance must be placed near the beginning of the agenda.

Question 9

Active listening involves expressing your own perspectives and feelings.

Question 10

In emotionally charged, high-stakes conversations, approaching the conversation with a judger mind-set will often lead to productive outcomes.

Question 11

Research has shown that teams that have lesser dissent during meetings reach higher-quality decisions.

Question 12

In order to conduct meetings effectively, it is critical that the facilitator acts from a neutral position.

Question 13

In effective learner statements, individuals explicitly state their desire to hear differing opinions.

Question 14

High-performing teams go through repeated cycles of disassociation and association.

Question 15

Astute business executives and managers recognize that they need information-even bad or unpleasant news-to lead an organization to its best potential performance.

Question 16

Rapport-building questions reflect a judger mind-set.

Question 17

Effective teams feel a common sense of purpose.

Question 18

"Me too" statements are a type of listening behavior.

Question 19

One of the best ways to make others feel comfortable expressing themselves fully is to demonstrate a judger mind-set.

Question 20

Leading questions are perceived as dishonest or manipulative.

Question 21

Which of the following statements about learner mind-sets is true?

A)People with learner mind-sets are not open to finding common ground during disagreements.
B)People with learner mind-sets ascribe negative traits to people who disagree with them.
C)People with learner mind-sets have their minds made up before listening to other peoples' perspectives and experiences.
D)People with learner mind-sets believe that difference of opinion leads to the resolution of problems.
E)People with learner mind-sets view difference of opinion as unnatural and undesirable.

Question 22

Which of the following can be attributed to a good manager?

A)Believing that listening too much shows indecisiveness
B)Handing out advice freely and frequently
C)Using the either/or approach often
D)Listening to and acting upon negative feedback
E)Possessing a short attention span and a judger mind-set

Question 23

Which of the following does holding judgment entail?

A)Agreeing with everything you hear
B)Labeling people with differing views negatively
C)Hearing people out before making your mind up
D)Approaching people with a judger mind-set
E)Imposing your views on other people

Question 24

_____ may lead to self-protectiveness from all parties involved in a conversation, reducing trust and goodwill.

A)Defensive comments
B)Funnel questions
C)Probing questions
D)Rapport-building questions
E)Me-too statements

Question 25

Holding judgment is a commitment to:

A)work by inflexible rules.
B)listen completely to a person before reacting.
C)steer conversations toward predetermined conclusions.
D)lead people to your way of thinking.
E)approach conversations with a judger mind-set.

Question 26

_____ is the component of active listening in which nonverbal communication plays a vital role.

A)Reflection
B)Retrospection
C)Paying attention
D)Meditation
E)Clarification

Question 27

Which of the following statements is true of attention spans?

A)Almost all people have long attention spans.
B)People with high emotional intelligence have short attention spans.
C)People can improve their attention spans with conscious, consistent effort.
D)Good managers have short attention spans.
E)Patience and span of attention are unrelated to each other.

Question 28

Which of the following statements describes people with learner mind-sets?

A)They view disagreements rigidly.
B)They refuse to compromise on their views.
C)They are open to hearing the ideas of other people.
D)They believe that they are always right.
E)They believe that disagreements hinder personal growth.

Question 29

Which of the following should one do to diffuse tense and emotionally charged situations?

A)Engage in self-protective behavior
B)Approach people with a judger mind-set
C)Find common ground
D)Maintain your point of view assertively
E)Use the either/or approach

Question 30

Which of the following statements about active listening is true?

A)Active listening is first about understanding the other person, then about being understood.
B)Active listening is best accomplished with a judger mind-set.
C)Active listening requires you to distance yourself from the emotions and perspective of the speaker.
D)Active listening necessitates agreeing with everything you hear.
E)Active listening requires a low sense of self-awareness.

Question 31

Which of the following communication trends is considered a barrier to effective listening?

A)Giving employees advice only if necessary or when requested
B)Rarely using the either/or approach
C)Relying excessively on the use of communication technology
D)Approaching conversations with a learner mind-set
E)Not taking silence to imply acceptance or agreement

Question 32

Which of the following is true of people with judger mind-sets?

A)They try to understand things from the other person's points of view.
B)They stay open to the possibility of finding common ground during disagreements.
C)They often have their minds made up ahead of discussions.
D)They consider differing opinions to be normal and healthy.
E)They believe in holding judgment.

Question 33

People with judger mind-sets:

A)are open to finding common ground during conflicts.
B)ascribe negative traits to others and label them in undesirable terms.
C)empathize with other people easily.
D)prefer to react only after they've heard other people out fully.
E)view disagreements as healthy and normal.

Question 34

_____ is the component of active listening which includes both double-checking that you understand the perspectives of others and asking them to elaborate and qualify their thoughts.

A)Clarifying
B)Reflecting
C)Introspecting
D)Sharing
E)Meditating

Question 35

Which of the following is a trait of a good listener?

A)The ability to steer a conversation to a predetermined conclusion
B)The ability to give advice freely and frequently
C)The ability to anticipate how a speaker thinks and feels
D)The ability to approach conversations with a judger mind-set
E)The ability to phrase questions as statements

Question 36

As a component of active listening, _____ involves restating major themes so that you can make sense of the big issues from the perspective of the other person.

A)reflecting
B)summarizing
C)clarifying
D)brainstorming
E)sharing

Question 37

Clarifying is the component of active listening which entails:

A)approaching conversations with a judger mind-set.
B)expressing your own perspectives and feelings for the benefit of your colleagues.
C)agreeing with everything you hear to ensure goodwill and harmony.
D)active nonverbal communication.
E)connecting the thoughts of others to understand how they make conclusions.

Question 38

A good manager:

A)gives advice freely and frequently.
B)is more result-oriented than relationship-oriented.
C)has a judger mind-set and low self-awareness.
D)schedules time for listening to employees each day.
E)believes that listening too much is a sign of indecisiveness.

Question 39

Reflecting is the component of active listening which entails:

A)active nonverbal communication.
B)approaching conversations with a judger mind-set.
C)making sure you understand others by frequently paraphrasing what you're hearing.
D)agreeing with everything you hear to ensure goodwill and harmony.
E)expressing your own perspectives and feelings for the benefit of your colleagues.

Question 40

_____ is the component of active listening which involves expressing one's own perspectives and feelings.

A)Reflecting
B)Summarizing
C)Clarifying
D)Sharing
E)Judging

Question 41

Which of the following is true of probing questions?

A)They ensure that no explanation is overlooked, thus leading to a reliable understanding of the problem.
B)They gradually ease people into conversations about shared business interests.
C)They are opinions presented in question form and are used to point out flaws.
D)They steer conversations toward predetermined conclusions.
E)They tend to be casual and social and avoid divisive or offensive topics.

Question 42

Which of the following is true of defensive behavior?

A)Defensive comments increase trust and goodwill in the workplace.
B)People who make defensive comments often are good listeners.
C)Defensive comments shift attention away from listeners and to the speaker.
D)Avoiding defensiveness requires a high level of self-awareness and self-management.
E)Defensive comments encourage people to protect each other.

Question 43

Which of the following is a disadvantage associated with using "me too" statements?

A)They prevent other people from empathizing with you.
B)They make people feel micromanaged.
C)They don't offer you a chance to share your story with others.
D)They prematurely draw attention away from the stories of others.
E)They lead people to attack others in an effort to protect themselves.

Question 44

Which of the following is true of funnel questions?

A)They are used to analyze business problems from every angle possible.
B)They involve neutral topics in order to establish an atmosphere of friendliness.
C)They start with broad and open questions and move to more specific and closed ones.
D)They are used to find contradictions in what other people have said or done.
E)They steer the conversation toward predetermined conclusions.

Question 45

Rapport-building questions are intended to:

A)analyze business problems from every angle.
B)create bonds between people.
C)increasingly deconstruct a business issue.
D)find contradictions in what others have said or done.
E)guide people to your way of thinking.

Question 46

Which of the following is true of team members in the forming stage of team development?

A)They attempt to make sense of their roles, goals, and accountabilities.
B)They offer ideas about how the team should approach work.
C)They focus on getting to know each other.
D)They operate efficiently toward accomplishing their goals.
E)They formulate coherent work plans and guidelines.

Question 47

Teams rapidly develop shared perceptions and commitment during the _____ stage of team development.

A)norming
B)forming
C)performing
D)storming
E)reforming

Question 48

The "me-centered" maneuver which causes a shift in focus during difficult conversations is the result of:

A)rapport-building questions.
B)probing questions.
C)defensive comments.
D)me-too statements.
E)solution-oriented questions.

Question 49

Which of the following types of questions reflects a learner mind-set?

A)Leading questions
B)Disguised questions
C)Cross-examining questions
D)Ethnocentric questions
E)Rapport-building questions

Question 50

In the performing stage of team development, team members:

A)focus on gaining acceptance and avoiding conflict.
B)open up with their competing ideas about how the team should approach work.
C)arrive at a work plan, including their roles, goals, and accountabilities.
D)operate efficiently toward accomplishing their goals.
E)spend time getting to know each other.

Question 51

Cross-examination questions are those which:

A)increasingly deconstruct a business issue.
B)guide people to your way of thinking.
C)analyze business problems from every angle possible.
D)find contradictions in what other people have said.
E)present opinions in the form of questions.

Question 52

Which of the following types of questions reflects a judger mind-set?

A)Leading questions
B)Funnel questions
C)Probing questions
D)Solution-oriented questions
E)Rapport-building questions

Question 53

Which of the following stages of team development involves team members opening up with their competing ideas about how the team should approach work?

A)Norming
B)Forming
C)Performing
D)Storming
E)Reforming

Question 54

Disguised statements are those which:

A)increasingly deconstruct a business issue.
B)guide people to your way of thinking.
C)present opinions in question form.
D)analyze business problems from every angle possible.
E)find contradictions in the words of other people.

Question 55

Which of the following is true of disguised statements?

A)They reflect a judger mind-set.
B)They build rapport between people.
C)They facilitate the exchange of honest opinions.
D)They analyze business problems.
E)They lead people to your way of thinking.

Question 56

What are solution-oriented questions?

A)Solution-oriented questions are icebreakers which gradually ease people into conversations about shared business interests.
B)Solution-oriented questions move from general to specific and are intended to increasingly deconstruct a business issue.
C)Solution-oriented questions are those which lead people around to your way of thinking.
D)Solution-oriented questions focus on how to overcome business problems and what should be done to accomplish business objectives.
E)Solution-oriented questions are those which strive to find contradictions in the actions and words of other people.

Question 57

Which of the following statements about defensive comments is true?

A)They are the result of high self-awareness.
B)They increase trust and goodwill in group discussions.
C)They cause people to attack others in an effort to protect themselves.
D)They simplify the exchange of honest opinions between group members.
E)They facilitate the process of active listening.

Question 58

Which of the following is characteristic of the norming stage of team development?

A)In the norming stage, team members focus on gaining acceptance and avoiding conflict.
B)In the norming stage, team members open up with their competing ideas about how the team should approach work.
C)In the norming stage, the team arrives at a work plan, including their roles, goals, and accountabilities.
D)In the norming stage, the team evolves to a level where conflict is easily transformed into consensus.
E)In the norming stage, team members spend time getting to know each other.

Question 59

When listeners get defensive and shift focus from the speaker onto themselves, it is termed a(n) _____ maneuver.

A)ethnocentric
B)me-centered
C)disguised
D)we-centered
E)xenocentric

Question 60

Leading questions are those which are intended to:

A)increasingly deconstruct a business issue.
B)guide people to your way of thinking.
C)analyze business problems from all angles.
D)find contradictions in what others have said or done.
E)build rapport between team leaders.

Question 61

What are the consequences of defensive behavior?

Question 62

In what way can giving advice become a barrier to effective listening?

Question 63

_____ is the psychological bonding that occurs between people and their ideas.

A)Consolidation
B)Association
C)Perception
D)Formation
E)Reflection

Question 64

Which of the following is true of high-performing teams?

A)High-performing teams do not commit to bonding socially and showing concern for one another.
B)High-performing teams do not see differences of opinion as a path to creativity or innovation.
C)High-performing teams do not spend most of their time discussing personal and social issues.
D)High-performing teams do not meet frequently to discuss their purposes and perceptions.
E)High-performing teams do not approach work with a learner mind-set.

Question 65

What does validating someone entail?

A)Recognizing their feelings as legitimate
B)Refusing to have difficult conversations with them
C)Agreeing unconditionally with their perspectives and views
D)Leading them around to your way of thinking
E)Deciding to comply with their requests in advance

Question 66

Briefly describe the different types of poor questions that reflect a judgmental mind-set and can lead to less listening.

Question 67

Why is disagreeing diplomatically an important component of managing difficult conversations?

Question 68

_____ are helpful in following up after meetings.

A)Agendas
B)Minutes
C)Facilitators
D)Proposals
E)Timetables

Question 69

What are the advantages of adopting a learning stance?

Question 70

List the traits of effective teams.

Question 71

Which of the following is characteristic of members from high-performing teams?

A)They view conflict as unhealthy and counterproductive.
B)They approach work with a judger mind-set.
C)They openly discuss the set of values, norms, and goals they share.
D)They make fewer work-related and supportive statements than other groups.
E)They meet infrequently, preferring to work as individual units.

Question 72

Effective teams build a work culture around values, norms, and goals.At which stage of team development does a team's work culture lead to high productivity?

A)Norming
B)Forming
C)Performing
D)Storming
E)Brainstorming

Question 73

Explain the following components of active listening: summarizing and sharing.

Question 74

_____ is a process by which professionals accept critique of their ideas without taking it personally and becoming defensive.

A)Consolidation
B)Association
C)Disassociation
D)Deflection
E)Reflection

Question 75

A learning stance implies that:

A)you have nothing to learn from the other people involved in the conversation.
B)you intend to find contradictions in what other people have said or done.
C)you avoid difficult conversations in order not to hurt the feelings of other people.
D)you are committed to understanding others peoples' version of interpersonal interactions.
E)you intend to agree and comply with everything that the speaker says.

Question 76

Explain, with examples, the following components of active listening: reflecting and clarifying.

Question 77

Difficult conversations can be handled successfully by:

A)hearing everybody's story.
B)agreeing with everything you hear.
C)using the either/or approach.
D)invalidating the perspective of other people.
E)adopting a judger stance.

Question 78

What is the purpose of an agenda?

Question 79

Which of the following is the role of a facilitator?

A)Keeping the meeting's minutes
B)Ensuring fair discussion of each agenda item in a meeting
C)Discouraging debate and dissent
D)Steering conversations toward predetermined conclusions
E)Presenting counter arguments to ideas or suggestions

Question 80

Briefly describe the four stages of team formation.