Deck 7: Change Communication Strategies

Question 1

Which of the following is a power tell of dominant individuals?

A) Using open postures
B) Smiling a lot
C) Using a higher vocal register
D) Hesitating more frequently

Answer 1

A

Question 2

According to Eddie Erlandson, many senior managers are _____, in that they are fast thinkers who have opinions on every topic and are analytical, data-driven, impatient, and think that they are smarter than most other people.

A) subservient princes
B) "alpha" males
C) "theta" geniuses
D) introverted men

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The _____ image of change views the purpose of communication as a way to ensure that people share similar values and are aware of what actions are appropriate to those values.

A) director
B) navigator
C) caretaker
D) coach

Answer 3

D

Question 4

_____ occurs when more new information is provided more quickly than recipients can process.

A) Message overload
B) Message distortion
C) Message ambiguity
D) Message perception

Question 5

Under the communication strategy of _____, information that is limited to core organizational issues is quickly provided to staff who are passive recipients.

A) tell and sell
B) spray and pray
C) underscore and explore
D) withhold and uphold

Question 6

The _____ image of managing change argues that the purpose of communication is to let people know the "why" of changes, their inevitability, and how best to cope and survive them.

A) director
B) navigator
C) caretaker
D) interpreter

Question 7

Change managers are most likely to avoid the situation of negative emotions and a loss of trust in management by _____ which involves self-evaluation to reduce the emergence of negative emotions and to identify corrective actions where necessary.

A) taking others' perspective into consideration
B) exhibiting threat-reducing behavior
C) using reflection
D) undergoing internal therapy

Question 8

According to Joseph Daly, which of the following will NOT make managers more trusted by staff during times of change?

A) Providing accurate information about the change
B) Providing accurate feedback about the process
C) Adequately explaining the basis for decisions during the process
D) Leaking information regarding the change using the informal communication process

Question 9

_____ is thinking about how others are likely to think and feel about a change.

A) Perspective taking
B) Desiccation
C) Regression
D) Internal therapy

Question 10

In organizational communication, _____ includes coding and decoding problems and errors, perceptual filters, and any other distractions that damage the integrity of the communication channel.

A) feedback
B) ambiguity
C) overload
D) noise

Question 11

A person exhibits _____ by engaging in intentional, interpersonal interactions with staff to minimize their perceptions that changes are likely to lead to harm for them.

A) perspective taking
B) threat-reducing behavior
C) reflection
D) internal therapy

Question 12

Under the communication strategy of _____, employees are showered with a wide variety of information.

A) tell and sell
B) spray and pray
C) underscore and explore
D) identify and reply

Question 13

Which of the following is most likely to reduce the communication problem of message overloading?

A) Reducing the reliance on feedback in change-related communications
B) Reducing employee involvement in the change process
C) Using specialist staff to monitor the change process
D) Using several different languages at every level of the change process

Question 14

Which of the following statements is True of alpha males?

A) They are good listeners.
B) They miss subtleties.
C) They reduce the pressure on others to perform.
D) They are patient and unambitious.

Question 15

Which of the following statements signals higher status of the person uttering the statement, perhaps indicating anger, and informal conversation is not appropriate?

A) "I would be honored if you sit down."
B) "You must be so tired. Why don't you sit down?"
C) "Sit down!"
D) "Have you considered sitting down?"

Question 16

Which of the following is a power tell of submissive individuals?

A) Using a lower vocal register, and speaking more slowly
B) Modifying speech style to sound more like the person they are talking to
C) Adopting open postures
D) Speaking first, and influencing the conversation thereafter

Question 17

According to Deborah Tannen, _____.

A) men tend to claim credit through the use of the word "I" in instances where women are more likely to use the word "we."
B) women tend to claim credit through the use of the word "I" in instances where men are more likely to use the word "we."
C) language has little effect on social relationships.
D) men are better managers than women.

Question 18

Which of the following statements is True of change-related communication?

A) It is important throughout the change process, not just at the beginning.
B) It needs to be free from feedback in order to be effective.
C) It is unaffected by perceptual filters.
D) It fails whenever transmitters and receivers have the same frame of reference.

Question 19

The _____ image of managing change argues that the purpose of communication is to ensure that people understand what is going to happen and what is required of them.

A) director
B) navigator
C) caretaker
D) coach

Question 20

_____ occurs when meanings are misinterpreted due to intentional or unintentional problems during the sending or receiving of the message.

A) Message overload
B) Message distortion
C) Message ambiguity
D) Message perception

Question 21

Incremental transitions seek to de-emphasize face-to-face communication.

Question 22

According to the Kathleen and Kevin Reardon, in the _____ style of leadership, leaders explore strategic options through analysis and reasoning.

A) commanding
B) logical
C) inspirational
D) supportive

Question 23

According to Jeanie Duck, managers often fail to realize that they are sending out messages even when they are not formally communicating.

Question 24

According to Lengel and Daft, which of the following media is the lowest in the media richness hierarchy?

A) Impersonal static media
B) Personal static media
C) Interactive media
D) Physical presence

Question 25

When male change managers wish to communicate change using a style that is not direct, competitive, confrontational, and authoritative, they can be seen as "going soft," and becoming "touchy-feely."

Question 26

Which of the following statements is True of face-to-face communication?

A) It lacks nonverbal information cues.
B) It provides a personal focus.
C) It is characterized by delayed feedback.
D) It is most suited to the communication of routine issues.

Question 27

Information overload can be problematic in organizations where employees are already in receipt of a high volume of other information.

Question 28

Men are more likely to downplay their certainty, and women are more likely to minimize their doubts.

Question 29

According to Stace and Dunphy, _____ transitions aim for widespread involvement and emphasize face-to-face communication as well as the use of change teams to identify initiatives and broaden commitment.

A) developmental/incremental
B) task-focused
C) charismatic
D) turnaround

Question 30

Women are more likely to ask questions than men.

Question 31

Under the communication strategy of _____, a defensive approach is used to identify and respond to employee rumors and innuendos regarding changes.

A) tell and sell
B) spray and pray
C) identify and reply
D) withhold and uphold

Question 32

Which of the following is NOT a stage of change identified by Kathleen and Kevin Reardon?

A) The planning stage
B) The enabling stage
C) The launching stage
D) The floating stage

Question 33

In the inspirational style of leadership, leaders develop a vision of the future and seek to encourage cohesion, and their communication style involves creating trust and mobilizing people around the change program.

Question 34

Under the communication strategy of _____, fundamental issues remain the focus, but management engages employees in a dialogue about the change process and seeks to identify obstacles and misunderstandings that need to be addressed.

A) tell and sell
B) spray and pray
C) underscore and explore
D) identify and reply

Question 35

According to Stace and Dunphy, _____ tend to follow from organizational crises and draw on formal, top-down modes of communication that attempt to force people to comply with the new direction.

A) developmental/incremental transitions
B) task-focused transitions
C) charismatic transformations
D) turnarounds

Question 36

Humor can reduce the gap, and tension, between manager and staff while packaging a message.

Question 37

With regard to change communication, Bill Quirke suggests that the _____ type of target audience know that they will be affected by a change and are interested and concerned about the change.

A) waking up
B) engaging
C) educating
D) reassuring

Question 38

According to Lengel and Daft, nonroutine, difficult communications preferably need to be performed through the face-to-face communication format.

Question 39

According to Kathleen and Kevin Reardon, in the _____ style of leadership, leaders are performance- and results-oriented and their communication style is directive.

A) commanding
B) logical
C) inspirational
D) supportive

Question 40

The "spray and pray" strategy is also known as the "communication clutter" approach.