Deck 9: Professional Relationships

Question 1

Your textbook suggests six criteria for a satisfying coworker relationship. Which criterion answers this question: Do we treat each other with respect?

A) integrity
B) interdependence
C) investment
D) information
E) individual excellence

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The primary source of most job satisfaction is

A) salary.
B) a large office.
C) supervisory power.
D) good relationships with coworkers.
E) good customer relations.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which criterion for a satisfying coworker relationship is described as "devoting time and resources to help the other succeed"?

A) individual excellence
B) interdependence
C) investment
D) information
E) integration

Answer 3

C

Question 4

A study of grocery store applicants found that applicants believed that customers should follow company policies in order to deserve help and should

A) be made to shop elsewhere.
B) be asked to leave.
C) be told when they are wrong.
D) be asked to purchase more products.
E) be put on notice.

Question 5

Good __________ assess employees' work record and professional goals, identify their training needs, determine where and how they can make the best contribution to the organization, and provide motivation through feedback on job performance.

A) selection interviews
B) appraisal interviews
C) disciplinary interviews
D) exit interviews
E) information-gathering interviews

Question 6

What kind of interview do police officers use when interviewing crime witnesses and victims?

A) selection interview
B) appraisal interview
C) disciplinary interview
D) exit interview
E) information-gathering interview

Question 7

If you quit a job and you do not want to leave on good terms, which of the following strategies should you employ?

A) Follow company policies and procedures when resigning.
B) Tell your coworkers first before notifying your supervisor.
C) Resign in person, but also write a brief resignation letter.
D) Give the appropriate advance notice.
E) Phrase your reasons for leaving positively.

Question 8

The marketing department in an organization may develop different customs than the accounting department across the hall. What term best describes how the two departments can be a part of the same organization but have different customs?

A) organization subtheory
B) organizational culture
C) organizational subculture
D) organizational strategy
E) organizational knowledge

Question 9

In his book, Dealing with Difficult People, Hal Plotkin recommends a six-step approach to providing feedback to such people and to helping them realize their full potential. Which of the recommendations does Plotkin identify as the first step?

A) Identify specific successes and failures.
B) Stop talking and start listening.
C) Describe the implications of the behavior.
D) Link past accomplishments to needed change.
E) Agree and follow up on a course of action.

Question 10

If, during a job interview, someone asks you to describe your weaknesses, you should

A) deny that you have any.
B) choose a weakness that is really a strength (I work so hard that I often come in early to get a jump on the day).
C) tell a funny story about how a "weakness" became a friendly running joke in the office.
D) identify a real weakness and explain what you have done to overcome or minimize it.
E) assume that the interviewer hasn't noticed any weaknesses on your application or resume.

Question 11

What kind of interview do high school seniors experience when they visit a college campus and are interviewed by an admissions officer or group of faculty members?

A) selection interview
B) appraisal interview
C) disciplinary interview
D) exit interview
E) information-gathering interview

Question 12

Research notes that 60 percent of employees say dealing with their boss is the most stressful part of their job. What type of professional relationship is being studied in this research?

A) client relationships
B) coworker relationships
C) superior-subordinate relationships
D) customer relationships
E) work-based gender relationships

Question 13

Which of the following is not one of the most common job interview mistakes identified by senior executives?

A) reviewing an organization's website prior to the interview
B) having little or no knowledge of the company
C) being unprepared to discuss skills and experiences
D) being unprepared to discuss career plans and goals
E) all of the above are mistakes

Question 14

Studies of workplace romances report all of the following results except:

A) About 40-60 percent of employees have been involved in one workplace romance.
B) Half of the romantic relationships begun in the workplace also end there.
C) 84 percent of millennial employees said they would date a coworker.
D) 46 percent of Generation X employees said they would date a coworker.
E) 5 percent of baby boomers said they would date a coworker.

Question 15

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, approximately 15,000 complaints of sexual harassment are filed every year. What percent of these 15,000 complaints are filed by men?

A) 3 percent
B) 13 percent
C) 23 percent
D) 33 percent
E) 43 percent

Question 16

In a survey of office workers, more than 90 percent of employees admitted to engaging in gossip. The study also revealed that after learning information about a colleague intended to be secret, __________ percent of employees revealed the coworker's secret to at least two other employees that same day.

A) 10
B) 25
C) 50
D) 75
E) 90

Question 17

Why do businesses curb or express concern about the amount of time employees use computers for personal communication while they're on the job?

A) Employees become less productive.
B) Employees use it to a take a break from tiring and difficult work.
C) Employees may send sexually explicit messages to coworkers or clients.
D) Employees may reveal confidential company information.
E) Employees may send racial slurs or discriminatory statements.

Question 18

Gossip serves an important social function in organizations because it can

A) humanize the workplace and help employees bond with one another.
B) let employees feel superior to their boss.
C) curtail employee misbehavior.
D) give employees accurate information about the organization, individuals, and their relationships.
E) open up and use informal channels of communication.

Question 19

Mixing personal and professional relationships at work can be difficult for all of the following reasons except:

A) A friend may be held to a higher performance standard at work.
B) A friendship may be damaged by negative feedback given at work.
C) Socializing with a friend at work may be a satisfying and stressless experience.
D) Equal status in a friendship may be compromised by inequality at work.
E) Public expressions of friendship may need to be minimized.

Question 20

Organizational Culture Theory describes and predicts

A) the interactions between someone communicating on behalf of an organization with an individual who is external to the organization.
B) interactions with people who have little or no official authority over one another but who just work together to accomplish the goals of an organization.
C) how shared symbols, beliefs, values, and norms affect the behavior of people working in and with an organization.
D) how the quality of customer relationships affects the financial health of a business and employee job security.
E) the type of relationship characterized by the formal authority one person has over another person's work and behavior.

Question 21

In general, employees should not help a customer if it isn't part of their job and should not volunteer to assist customers unless they ask for help.

Question 22

During a job interview, Patti is asked what to explain what she means by a "difficulty client" in reference to something she said in one of her earlier responses. Patti was asked what type of question?

A) probing
B) exploratory
C) hypothetical
D) leading
E) closed

Question 23

Professional relationships also develop beyond the traditional workplace in professional associations, community organizations, or volunteer and public service groups.

Question 24

During a job interview, Juan is asked what he would do if he was running behind schedule and wasn't going to be able to meet the client's deadline. Juan was asked what type of question?

A) probing
B) exploratory
C) hypothetical
D) leading
E) closed

Question 25

Effective customer relations entail separating the issues from the emotions because rude customers may have legitimate complaints and only be expressing frustration.

Question 26

"Do you think the ability to work well with colleagues is just as important as the ability to work well with your boss?" is an example of a(n) __________ question.

A) illegal
B) open-ended
C) hypothetical
D) leading
E) probing

Question 27

Before ending an interview, interviewers often ask if you have additional questions. All of the following are appropriate questions except:

A) What major challenges are currently facing the organization?
B) How big a salary offer can you make and when would I be eligible for a promotion?
C) What is the most important characteristic you are looking for in an employee for this position?
D) What other people or departments will I be working with?
E) How will success be measured for this position?

Question 28

Of the six criteria for a satisfying coworker relationship, interdependence reflects whether both of you have complementary skills and need one another to do the job.

Question 29

An organizational subculture can be defined as a group of people who engage in behavior and share values that are different from the larger organizational culture.

Question 30

The accuracy of information can be reduced by up to 20 percent every time a message passes through a different level of hierarchy in an organization.

Question 31

In a study by Northwestern University, 153 companies were asked why they rejected job applicants. Of the 50 reasons identified, almost half were related to

A) inappropriate or inadequate candidate qualifications.
B) lack of communication skills and failure to create a positive impression.
C) inappropriate or inadequate previous job experience specific to the job.
D) the candidate's race, gender, ethnicity, age, religion, or political affiliation.
E) lack of research about the company and its organizational culture.

Question 32

A good relationship with a boss is the primary source of most job satisfaction.

Question 33

"Have you ever made presentations using PowerPoint software?" is an example of a(n) __________ question.

A) close-ended
B) open-ended
C) hypothetical
D) leading
E) illegal

Question 34

Good customer relations assume that customers should follow company policies in order to deserve help and should be told when they are wrong.

Question 35

Researchers who study the nature of professional relationships report that 85 percent of managers are seen as unfit for their jobs.

Question 36

For supervisors, success largely depends on their ability to organize the work of their subordinates.

Question 37

Professional relationships include superior-subordinate, coworker, friend-romantic relationships, and customer relationships.

Question 38

Of the six criteria for a satisfying coworker relationship, interdependence reflects whether both of you have complementary skills and need one another to do the job.

Question 39

Customer relations also include the way students are treated at a college and the way police officers treat crime victims.

Question 40

Research indicates that approximately __________ percent of applicants lie on a resume or in a job interview.

A) 10-15
B) 15-25
C) 20-45
D) 45-65
E) 65-85

Question 41

"What, in your opinion, are the most significant challenges facing this industry over the next five years?" is an example of an open-ended question.

Question 42

An effective disciplinary interview should focus on punishing an employee for problematic or unethical behavior.

Question 43

A certain amount of gossip and small talk at work helps people feel closer to their coworkers.

Question 44

We listen to rumors because we want to have as much information as someone else, and subsequently, we spread gossip to be perceived as "in the know."

Question 45

About 40 to 60 percent of employees say they have been involved in at least one workplace romance.

Question 46

Approximately two-thirds of all romantic relationships begin in the workplace.

Question 47

The typical American will change careers approximately seven times.

Question 48

Whereas gossip involves an unverified story or statement about the facts of a situation, rumors focus on the private, personal, or even scandalous affairs of others.

Question 49

Public expressions of close friendship with a colleague at work usually enhance productivity and the quality of work performance.

Question 50

Research has found that 90 percent of employees admitted to engaging in gossip, and that 75 percent revealed a coworker's secret to at least two other employees on the same day the secret was shared.

Question 51

"Are you able to work on weekends?" is an example of a hypothetical question in a job interview.

Question 52

"Which religious holidays will you take off from work?" is an inappropriate job interview question.

Question 53

Sexual harassment includes sexually demeaning or offensive communication, such as circulating sexually explicit messages and jokes via email, posting sexual images in staff rooms, or making sexually demeaning comments about a coworker.

Question 54

An appraisal interview is conducted to evaluate an employee's job performance.

Question 55

During an exit interview, you should tell the personnel officer the absolute truth about your reasons for leaving and share your negative opinions and complaints about coworkers and superiors.

Question 56

Research reveals that, when confronted with or witnessing sexual harassment, many people feel uncomfortable and fail to report the behavior.

Question 57

"How many more years do you plan to work before retiring?" is a reasonable, appropriate, and legal job interview question.

Question 58

"Do you think the ability to work well in a group is just as important as the ability to perform routine technical tasks?" is an example of a leading question.

Question 59

Men are more likely than women to view certain behaviors as sexual harassment.

Question 60

Sexual harassment is usually an isolated incident at work.

Question 61

Unfortunately, your best friend has just lost his/her job. Using the checklist for coping with job loss as a guide (be proactive, use your communication skills, and craft a persuasive message), write a letter to your friend recommending five things he/she can do to cope with the job loss.

Question 62

In preparing for a job interview, your textbook suggests that you assess your strengths and weaknesses. Explain how to accomplish this goal. Then, answer the following two interview questions for a hypothetical job: (1) In terms of this job, what is your greatest strength? and (2) In terms of this job, what is your greatest weakness?

Question 63

Based on what you've read in the textbook and what you have seen or experienced in work situations, why do many organizations strongly disapprove of workplace romances?

Question 64

In his book, How to Deal with Difficult People, Hal Plotkin recommends a six-step approach to providing feedback to difficult people at work in order to help them realize their full potential. Identify and describe three of these strategies. Provide an example of each strategy you choose to demonstrate how you would use it with a difficult colleague or subordinate.

Question 65

You can enhance your first impression in a job interview by using a posture that appears relaxed but not too casual.

Question 66

How do workplace romances differ from sexual harassment? Provide two examples of sexual harassment that demonstrate your understanding of the wide range of behaviors that can be categorized as sexual harassment.

Question 67

List three different types of professional relationships described in Chapter 9, "Professional Relationships." Provide an example of each type to demonstrate your understanding of how these professional relationships differ. Identify at least one type of interpersonal communication problem that can occur in each type of relationship.

Question 68

Briefly describe the purpose of a selection interview, appraisal interview, disciplinary interview, exit interview, and information-gathering interview. Provide relevant examples to demonstrate your understanding of the purpose for each.

Question 69

Your textbook discusses some of the tensions or strains that occur when friendship and work relationships collide. Describe three of these strains and how they affect workplace productivity and employee satisfaction.

Question 70

Before ending a job interview, interviewers often ask if you have additional questions. Provide three questions and explain why they are good questions to ask in an interview. In other words, how can these questions help you make a positive impression on your interviewer(s)?

Question 71

What are the positive and negative effects of gossip in the workplace?

Question 72

Explain Organizational Culture Theory by providing a definition, as well as addressing organizational subculture. Demonstrate your understanding of the theory by providing relevant examples.

Question 73

Identify four strategies you could use to help calm an unruly customer and promote effective problem solving.

Question 74

An interview should not include a discussion of race or ethnicity, gender, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, or disabilities. Choose two of the following questions and explain how you would respond to them if you were asked the question in a job interview: (1) What does your spouse or partner do for a living? (2) Do you plan to have children? (3) Do you have any disabilities or pre-existing medical conditions? (4) What country is your family from? (5) Does a member of your family need special medical care or services?

Question 75

Describe three strategies for leaving a job on good terms and handling your resignation with professionalism and courtesy.

Question 76

Identify and discuss three supervisory strategies for promoting trust and openness. Provide a description of each strategy, as well as an example that demonstrates your understanding of the strategy.

Question 77

Your textbook identifies six criteria that characterize satisfying coworker relationships (individual excellence, interdependence, investment, information, integration, and integrity). Choose three of these criteria and provide a definition of each, as well as an example that demonstrates your understanding of the criterion.

Question 78

Draft an email to employees outlining your organization's policy on office gossip. Your email message should demonstrate your understanding of the strategies for managing workplace gossip.