Deck 8: Working and Writing in Teams

Question 1

In the phase of formalization,the group finalizes its work.

Answer 1

True
Explanation: In the process of formalization, the group finalizes its work. The success of this phase determines how well the group's decision will be implemented.

Question 2

A good leader may be defined as one who implies that he or she has the best ideas and can do the best work.

Answer 2

False
Explanation: Being a leader does not mean doing all the work on one's own. Someone who implies that he or she has the best ideas and can do the best work is likely playing the negative roles of blocking and dominating.

Question 3

Dot planning offers a way for large teams to choose priorities quickly.

Answer 3

True
Explanation: Two strategies that are often useful in organizational teams are the standard problem-solving process and dot planning. Dot planning offers a way for large teams to choose priorities quickly.

Question 4

Team work becomes important when there are high stakes involved because multiple skilled people are needed.

Question 5

The role of restating major points and summarizing decisions helps the team achieve its task goals.

Question 6

Teams are least effective when they explicitly adopt ground rules because they tend to hinder work processes.

Question 7

Voting is a lengthy process but ensures that all team members are happy with the final outcome.

Question 8

Consensus takes time but usually results in speedy implementation of ideas.

Question 9

Taking every opportunity to be the first to speak indicates a positive action which helps a team achieve its task goals.

Question 10

Disagreeing with everything that is proposed is a positive role and helps in arriving at better solutions.

Question 11

While giving feedback,it is best to avoid providing criticism of any form.

Question 12

Formation,coordination,and formalization are the three stages in the life of a task team.

Question 13

Informational dimensions focus primarily on promoting friendliness,cooperation,and team loyalty.

Question 14

Successful teams analyze their tasks thoroughly before they begin to search for solutions.

Question 15

Regular feedback is a good way to keep team members contributing their share of work in a timely fashion.

Question 16

Content,method,and process are parts of interpersonal dimensions.

Question 17

Relieving tensions by joking and suggesting breaks help build loyalty,and resolve conflicts in a team.

Question 18

Skills in collaborative writing and conflict resolution help in team work.

Question 19

According to team-building expert Bob Frisch,when a team is unable to reach a consensus,one should allow team members to make their decisions confidentially.

Question 20

Formalization is the longest phase during which most of the team's work is done.

Question 21

Dealing with criticism depends on understanding the real concern of the critic.

Question 22

Which of the following does an informational dimension of a team focus on?

A) Cooperation
B) Team loyalty
C) Problem
D) Process
E) People

Question 23

A purpose of paraphrasing is to be sure that one has heard the critic accurately.

Question 24

Matthew Scott is a member of the "Campaign against Whaling Project" and recently attended a team meeting on organizing a press conference to launch the campaign publically.However,the project manager was disappointed with Scott's behavior in the meeting because he obstructed the team's communication process.Which of the following did Scott most likely do at the meeting?

A) Asked questions and made clarifications
B) Participated in sharing and listening to ideas
C) Suggested possible solutions to problems
D) Took every opportunity to be the first to speak
E) Coordinated contributions of team members

Question 25

George Banks recently attended a team meeting which required participants to discuss and share ideas on ways to increase sales of the company's eco-friendly line of clothing.Banks' behavior throughout the meeting was considered unproductive.Which of the following negative actions did he most likely undertake?

A) Clowning
B) Synthesizing
C) Summarizing
D) Checking feelings
E) Coordinating

Question 26

_____ is the longest phase during which most of a team's work is undertaken.

A) Aggregation
B) Formalization
C) Formation
D) Coordination
E) Finalization

Question 27

Members of the "Koala Habitat Conservation" project in Australia are working on the last phase of their campaign.They are currently finalizing ways to create public participation on the issue and making the wildlife department revive regulatory laws on poaching.They are undertaking these decisions carefully because they understand that the success of this phase determines how well the group's decision will be implemented.Which of the following phases is the team most likely working on?

A) Aggregation
B) Coordination
C) Initiation
D) Formation
E) Formalization

Question 28

A way to resolve a conflict when one person criticizes everything is to ask the person to follow up the criticism with a suggestion for improvement.

Question 29

Positive roles of individuals that help a team achieve its task goals consist of:

A) taking every opportunity to be the first to speak.
B) disagreeing with all solutions to make them more concrete.
C) restating major points and summarizing decisions.
D) insisting on responding to everyone else's comments.
E) insisting on one's own arguments and points put forward.

Question 30

The David Anderson Foundation has recently started a large scale project on tackling climate change.Team members of the project are currently working on considering numerous options to tackle the issue.They are debating solutions such as shifting to renewable energy,limiting the use of coal,and awareness about overconsumption.Which of the following phases is the team most likely working on?

A) Finalization
B) Aggregation
C) Coordination
D) Formation
E) Formalization

Question 31

The culture to which a team belongs can be a distinct asset,uniting strangers in positive ways.

Question 32

While composing drafts,one should carefully label and date drafts so that everyone is working on the most current version.

Question 33

Teams that deal directly with conflict,ignore the full range of alternatives,and seek only information that supports the positions they already favor.

Question 34

Which of the following does a procedural dimension of a team focus on?

A) Solutions
B) Method
C) Team loyalty
D) Content
E) Friendliness

Question 35

Successful teams take time to acknowledge each member during team meetings.

Question 36

Which of the following is undertaken in a formation phase of a task team?

A) Establishing ground rules for team members
B) Seeking numerous solutions to a problem
C) Undertaking most tasks during the project
D) Finalizing implementation of tasks
E) Debating solutions before arriving at one

Question 37

Kimberly Thompson who works for Green Planet,an environmental organization in Madrid,is working on a project where the team is currently allocating roles and clarifying nature of tasks for each member in the team.In addition,they decide that team members will meet every Monday to discuss their progress and setbacks faced.Which of the following phases is Thompson working on?

A) Formation
B) Coordination
C) Finalization
D) Formalization
E) Interpersonal

Question 38

Which of the following is a negative action that can hurt a team's product and process?

A) Summarizing
B) Synthesizing
C) Withdrawing
D) Evaluating
E) Coordinating

Question 39

It is important to schedule controversial items toward the end of a meeting because it helps manage time better.

Question 40

A healthy way to resolve conflict is to act like they do not exist and to let time sort them out.

Question 41

Which of the following should be undertaken while revising a collaborative piece of writing?

A) Evaluate the content and discuss possible revisions as a team
B) Ensure several good writers make changes for a consistent style of writing
C) Ensure one team member evaluates the organization for possible revisions
D) Avoid running the document through a spell check because it is never reliable
E) Ensure it aligns with one's writing style irrespective of business writing conventions

Question 42

Which of the following is a foundation of a good meeting?

A) Brainstorming ideas
B) Preparing minutes
C) Planning the agenda
D) Motivating members
E) Sharing ideas

Question 43

Briefly explain the three dimensions that a team can focus on.

Question 44

Which of the following should be undertaken while creating a collaborative writing project?

A) Make the analysis of the problem, audience, and context implicit
B) Plan the format and style of the document after people begin to write
C) Have ambiguous roles on who will undertake which piece of task
D) Consider work styles and other commitments when making a timeline
E) Ensure that everyone follows one particular style of writing

Question 45

_____ is a form of employee-development assessment in which a team member receives feedback from everyone who is in touch with that person's work.

A) 360-degree feedback
B) Upward feedback
C) Peer-review
D) Top-down feedback
E) Self-assessment

Question 46

George Morgan works at the marketing branch of a fashion house and attends a discussion on different ways to launch a new line of clothing.The team needs a member who can challenge the different modes put forward to market the product.He willingly opts to play the role.Which of the following would Morgan most likely play?

A) Dark horse
B) Rabble rouser
C) Devil's advocate
D) Jack of all trades
E) Second fiddle

Question 47

Which of the following is true of the voting process?

A) It is a short and quick process.
B) It ensures people in the minority are content.
C) It makes all participants committed to the plan.
D) It takes a long time to arrive at a consensus.
E) It leaves people in the majority dissatisfied.

Question 48

George Wagner is in charge of running a meeting of 30 people where he has 46 items on the agenda to be voted on in a two-hour time period.Which of the following should Wagner undertake which will help him cover all items on the list?

A) Take individual votes for each item
B) Take votes only of managers
C) Use an omnibus motion
D) Start agenda with routine items
E) Ensure minutes are taken for each vote

Question 49

The marketing team of You! a fashion house in London,is currently working on a project which involves a new winter line of clothing.Though their team leader,Lee Davis has chosen print media as the main mode of launching the product,the team strongly feels that broadcasting media is a much stronger option.However,they are unwilling to express their opinion because Davis is known for his autocratic ways and despises people who express dissent on ideas.Which of the following is the group suffering from?

A) Collective narcissism
B) Ethnocentricism
C) Groupthink
D) Group serving bias
E) Groupshift

Question 50

Which of the following is a characteristic of a successful student team?

A) They set ambiguous objectives and deadlines to allow flexibility in work.
B) They allow members to complete their specific tasks instead of working together.
C) They respond only to words or verbal communication and not to emotions.
D) They make decisions together instead of letting individuals make decisions.
E) Members rationalize criticism and ignore conflicts in any form.

Question 51

Which of the following is true of 360-degree feedback?

A) It involves assessment exclusively from issue experts and senior management.
B) It comprises of feedback only from individuals external to an organization.
C) It is useful especially when employees have a pessimistic view toward feedback.
D) It involves feedback from everyone who is in touch with an employee's work.
E) It is more effective when criticism is negative and needs to improve quality standards.

Question 52

Anthony Evans is a professor at Montfort University and recently divided his class into two teams to work on an assignment.When he received the assignment submissions,he noticed that though team A comprised of more intelligent students than Team B,Team B's strong team skills contributed to better quality of their assignment.Which of the following did team B undertake which made them more capable than the other team?

A) They avoided interactions to discuss progress because it wasted crucial time.
B) They undertook their tasks independently instead of together as a team.
C) They rationalized criticism and took individual contributions for granted.
D) They had a large number of passive members and set ambiguous goals.
E) They dealt directly with conflicts and paid attention to members' emotions.

Question 53

According to team-building expert Bob Frisch,which of the following should be undertaken when a team is unable to arrive at a consensus?

A) Allow team members to use a secret ballot to express opinion
B) Ensure a decision is arrived at in the least amount of time possible
C) Avoid wasting time and compromise on quality of decision
D) Make team members express opinion one at a time in a round-table meeting
E) Make members pick options from the last brainstorming session

Question 54

Richard Fisher is interacting with Mark Bryant,a disgruntled client who did not receive the timely delivery of products.The client says to him,"This is the second time that the goods arrived late at my factory." Fisher tries to accept his criticism positively by identifying the feelings that Bryant's seems to be expressing.Which of the following is Fisher most likely to say?

A) "You feel pretty angry about the late delivery, right?"
B) "You believe that we have started making late deliveries."
C) "Are you saying that the delivery reached you late yesterday?"
D) "It is true that the delivery reached after the scheduled time."
E) "Please do not be angry. We will deliver on time next month."

Question 55

Which of the following is a danger of groupthink?

A) Too many alternatives will emerge, making it impossible to reach a consensus.
B) Members will test and analyze their assumptions against those of others in the team.
C) Each person will believe that he or she is right and make it hard to reach a consensus.
D) Members will fail to prepare contingency plans to cope with foreseeable setbacks.
E) Members will make decisions that are riskier than the initial inclination of its members.

Question 56

Donald Stewart is leading a team of 20 people on a "Campaign against Illegal Logging." Though the campaign is doing well and has been progressing as per schedule,Stewart notices a conflict between the communications manager and public relations manager at the meeting.Which of the following should he do to best help manage the conflict?

A) Discuss the problem with them at the upcoming meeting next month
B) Ignore the problem because conflicts are natural when people work together
C) Discuss the problem with them immediately instead of putting it off
D) Realize that team members are responsible for each others' happiness
E) Create ambiguous rules which offer flexibility during work and avoid conflict

Question 57

Which of the following should be undertaken in an effective meeting?

A) Ensure the leader avoids summarizing consensus if the group does not formally vote
B) Avoid making purposes explicit if meetings combine two or more purposes
C) Set down informal rules if the meeting is long or the group very large
D) Make information on the agenda specific so that participants can come prepared
E) Use an omnibus motion to help a group approve items one at a time

Question 58

Gary Coleman recently attended a team meeting where the fundraising manager criticized him saying,"I tried asking you several times about the utilization of corporate funds for the renewable energy project but you never bothered to answer my query." Coleman handled his criticism constructively by paraphrasing what he said.Which of the following did Coleman most likely say?

A) "You think I am not providing sufficient answers to your query."
B) "You sound pretty agitated for not replying to your query."
C) "Are you saying that I am not providing sufficient answers to your query?"
D) "It is true I have not offered sufficient answers about the utilization of funds."
E) "Please do not be agitated. I will respond to your email at the earliest."

Question 59

Which of the following tasks does an informational leader undertake?

A) Check if tasks are carried out on time
B) Check and resolve conflicts
C) Evaluate texts and ideas
D) Maintain coordination
E) Check people's feelings

Question 60

Green Cross,an environmental non-governmental organization,is planning on starting a Sustainable Agriculture Campaign in Ireland.The Campaign directors now need to decide on an interpersonal leader for the campaign.Which of the following roles should the leader be able to undertake?

A) Disagree with all solutions put forward
B) Take every opportunity to be the first to speak
C) Make jokes and help divert the team from the task
D) Insist on his way of undertaking tasks
E) Monitor the team's tasks and resolve conflicts

Question 61

What are some key factors for a writing team to work efficiently?

Question 62

List out the positive roles and actions that help a team achieve its task goals.

Question 63

What is dot planning? Explain.

Question 64

Kenneth Burton is currently working on "Protect the Rainforests" project and is at a stage in the task team which aims at completing 70% of the entire project's work.He understands that this is the longest phase of the campaign and will require a high-level of commitment from all members of the team.Explain which stage of a task team Burton is working on and its key characteristics.

Question 65

Brian Welch needs to ensure that the collaborative document that he and his team created is revised.During the process of revising the document,he notices that though the document does not meet the conventions of business meeting,it has a good writing style and is just how he would like it to be.Where does Welch go wrong in the revision process? What other steps should be taken to ensure that the document is efficiently revised?

Question 66

What is the purpose of checking for inferences while handling criticisms?

Question 67

Explain the formation stage in the life of a task team.

Question 68

What are the characteristics of successful student teams? Explain.

Question 69

Kevin Harvey,a sales manager at Williamson Bank,attended a team meeting where he asked members how they felt about their performances and whether they felt that their monthly sales targets were unrealistic.What team role is Harvey playing? State other such team roles that build team loyalty and smooth functioning of teams.

Question 70

What does groupthink mean? Explain with the help of an example.

Question 71

What are some of the situations that collaborative writing is often prompted by?

Question 72

List out some negative roles and actions that hurt a team's product and process.

Question 73

What are the key steps used in conflict resolution? Explain.

Question 74

What are some key elements that a good agenda should comprise of?