Deck 9: Routine Business Messages

Question 1

In responses to inquiries, setting off each question is an unnecessary and distracting formatting gimmick.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

A business professional who becomes aware of harming others and who makes an apology has demonstrated cultural intelligence.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Typically, routine messages deal with complex matters that require in-depth analysis.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Typically, an announcement is broadcast to very few receivers.

Question 5

When choosing between bullets or numbered lists in responding to an inquiry, one must consider whether the order of the items is important.

Question 6

Three components are central in setting expectations for those you manage: describing responsibilities, providing deadlines, and discussing coordination.

Question 7

Even in today's flatter organizations, being bossy to the boss can be counterproductive.

Question 8

A failure to set expectations for subordinates can damage a professional's credibility.

Question 9

To prevent employees and customers from ignoring announcements, the subject line must be specific and must create interest.

Question 10

Business professionals who fail to do audience analysis for routine messages lose credibility.

Question 11

The foremost requirement of any expression of sympathy is that it be sincere.

Question 12

Routine requests typically involve cases where you expect strong resistance from message recipients.

Question 13

The tone for most routine messages should be helpful, professional, and reader centered.

Question 14

Very general messages keep readers from being bogged down in detail and add to the sender's credibility.

Question 15

Messages that provide directions and messages that set expectations both involve telling others what to do.

Question 16

Appreciation messages should not appear self-serving in any way.

Question 17

Appreciation messages should focus exclusively on the recipient.

Question 18

Expressions of sympathy should be long and eloquent.

Question 19

When conducting a FAIR test on a routine message, the most important aspect to consider is respect.

Question 20

To make sure a claim is responded to in the way you want, be sure to use emotional and accusatory language.

Question 21

While drafting a routine message, you should

A) avoid using bullets or numbers.
B) use very long sentences and paragraphs.
C) ensure the tone of the message is reader-centered.
D) place the primary message at the end.
E) avoid using the recipient's name.

Question 22

Read the following email, which Costa sent to his team. Then choose the answer below that best explains what is wrong with the email. SUBJECT: Weekly team meeting moved to Thursday
Because of the all-company presentation on Wednesday, we are moving our team meeting to Thursday in the same conference room as usual. See you then.

A) The tone is too casual for a business email.
B) The message is too short.
C) It is not proper memo style to skip the greeting.
D) Stating the reason for the change is unnecessary.
E) The meeting time is missing.

Question 23

Which of the following will damage the credibility of the author of routine messages?

A) a too-direct subject line
B) the use of short paragraphs
C) the use of bulleted lists
D) short, concise messages
E) overly general messages

Question 24

When making requests, ______ goes a long way in maintaining goodwill.

A) using a self-oriented, positive tone
B) ordering people to complete a task
C) keeping the subject line mysterious
D) showing respect for the recipient's time
E) omitting the rationale for the request

Question 25

Which of the following should you focus on during the reviewing step of writing a routine message?

A) message structuring
B) design
C) proofreading
D) audience analysis
E) front-loading the message

Question 26

Which of the following types of messages will probably require the least amount of time for planning and reviewing?

A) routine message
B) persuasive message
C) bad-news message
D) crisis communications message
E) public relations message

Question 27

Which question will help you to establish credibility with the readers of your routine messages?

A) What information does the audience need, and how do they want to receive it?
B) How can I use this message to show off my experience and accomplishments?
C) How can I trim as much detail as possible from this message?
D) What is the most persuasive argument that I can make in this message?
E) What type of formatting will draw the most attention to my design skills?

Question 28

Which of the following is the most important step in planning routine messages?

A) audience analysis
B) idea development
C) message structuring
D) meta message development
E) crisis analysis

Question 29

What is the advantage of front-loading a routine message?

A) It ensures that the tone of your message is other-oriented.
B) It enables you to elaborate on non-important matters at the end.
C) It is an efficient way to make an email less bulky.
D) It ensures that the recipients perceive your message as unbiased.
E) It makes it easier to grab the reader's attention.

Question 30

In routine messages, the primary message should ______ words.

A) not exceed ten
B) not exceed five
C) be between fifteen and twenty
D) be more than fifty
E) be between twenty and thirty

Question 31

Many routine business messages involve such things as teams coordinating their assignments, customers buying products, and colleagues asking if they can meet. Such messages are known as

A) requests.
B) expectations.
C) apologies.
D) claims.
E) announcements.

Question 32

Which of the following should you focus on during the drafting stage for routine messages?

A) audience analysis
B) idea development
C) message structuring
D) front-loading the message
E) gathering accurate information

Question 33

Which of the following is true about developing routine messages?

A) Routine messages have very few purposes.
B) Routine messages do not need to be planned.
C) Routine messages have little effect on credibility.
D) Routine messages need to be reviewed.
E) Routine messages are not composed very often.

Question 34

The step of idea development for routine messages primarily involves

A) coming up with persuasive arguments to support your claim.
B) asking yourself how to grab the reader's attention.
C) identifying and gathering relevant, accurate, and up-to-date information.
D) checking for typos and any signals that you have ignored the needs of others.
E) requesting feedback about the message from trusted colleagues.

Question 35

Which statement about audience analysis for routine messages is true?

A) Routine messages are not important, so audience analysis is unnecessary.
B) Top management is usually the audience for routine messages, so audience analysis is vital.
C) Most routine messages do not contain much content, so little audience analysis is needed.
D) The audience is likely to respond positively to routine messages, so little audience analysis is needed.
E) Routine messages are not composed very often, so audience analysis must be thorough.

Question 36

Why is efficiency one of the primary goals when sending routine messages?

A) Routine messages require in-depth analysis.
B) Routine messages contain elaborately detailed content.
C) The structure of routine messages is pyramid shaped.
D) The volume of routine messages is high.
E) Most professionals rarely write routine messages.

Question 37

Read the following request, which Shana sent to her supervisor. Then choose the answer below that best evaluates the email. SUBJECT: request for vacation time in October
Les, as we discussed yesterday, I would like to take the first week in October as vacation time. My niece is getting married, so I want to travel to San Francisco to help with last-minute planning. My current project ends September 20, so the trip should not interfere with any department deadlines. Would you be able to let me know by the end of this week so I can book my airline ticket while I can still get a discount rate?

A) The email fails to provide a rationale for the request.
B) The email does not have a specific enough subject line.
C) The tone is too bossy, so it is inappropriate to send to a supervisor.
D) The message does not show respect for Les's time.
E) The email is specific, positive, and shows concern for the department.

Question 38

Read the following email, which Leah sent to her supervisor. Then choose the answer below that best explains what is wrong with the email. SUBJECT: praise for our intern's work
Janice, I just wanted to let you know that Bryan is doing exceptional work as an intern. I'm really happy with his effort.

A) The email is too general to tell Janice anything about Bryan's performance.
B) The tone is too casual for this type of email.
C) It is not Leah's place to send a note praising a colleague to her supervisor.
D) Leah should have waited until Janice asked her opinion.
E) The subject line should be more specific to capture Janice's attention.

Question 39

Which of the following is most likely to take place during the drafting stage?

A) creating a professional and helpful tone
B) ensuring that the message contains all needed information
C) identifying the primary message and key points
D) checking for typos
E) conducting audience analysis

Question 40

What is the main challenge that authors of routine messages have to overcome?

A) Finding enough facts to write a routine message is difficult.
B) Readers receive so many routine messages that it is hard to catch their attention.
C) Routine messages require substantial evidence to document their claims.
D) Knowing what the audience wants from a routine message can be very difficult.
E) Most routine messages have complex content that is difficult to simplify.

Question 41

Many employees gloss over announcements because announcements

A) are typically written in an other-oriented tone.
B) typically consist of requests for claims.
C) are broadcast to a large number of employees.
D) are rarely interesting to read.
E) are complicated to understand.

Question 42

What are claims?

A) codes of conducts for employees
B) requests for other companies to compensate for or correct the mistakes they have made
C) detailed timelines by which work should be accomplished satisfactorily
D) guidelines for how employees should communicate and cooperate with one another
E) updates to policies and procedures, notices of events, and other correspondences

Question 43

Announcements are a form of

A) one-to-one communications.
B) one-to-many communications.
C) many-to-many communications.
D) one-to-many-to-one communications.
E) many-to-one-to-many communications.

Question 44

Hannah receives an email from Keith, a subordinate who is about to start analyzing a market research report. Keith has never done this before, so he sends Hannah a long paragraph that contains five questions about the assignment. What is the best way for Hannah to respond to Keith?

A) by inserting her answers directly into Keith's paragraph
B) by giving a general summary of the process that does not directly answer Keith's questions
C) by writing a new paragraph that contains all her answers
D) by writing her answers to the questions as a numbered or bulleted list
E) by telling Keith that he should model his work on the analysis she did last year

Question 45

To show your sincerity in an appreciation message, you should

A) include exaggerated displays of gratitude.
B) avoid including a rationale for the gratitude.
C) make sure that your message is extremely formal.
D) focus exclusively on the recipient.
E) include a call to action at the end of the message.

Question 46

When you describe your own role and responsibilities to supervisees, they are more likely to

A) see you as domineering and self-obsessed.
B) acknowledge your leadership and accept all your decisions.
C) hold you responsible for everything.
D) realize that you and they are mutually accountable.
E) become more reluctant to be open with you.

Question 47

Failure to set expectations will most likely lead to

A) employee goodwill.
B) team building.
C) increased self-determination.
D) professional disappointments.
E) honored claims.

Question 48

When a business professional has to send a message to answer another person's questions, the professional is

A) making announcements.
B) making claims.
C) responding to inquiries.
D) providing directions.
E) setting expectations.

Question 49

Which of the following components is usually found in a set of directions but not in a set of expectations?

A) an explanation of the work outcome
B) a description of responsibilities
C) a set of deadlines
D) step-by-step instructions
E) guidelines for working with others

Question 50

Updates to policies and procedures, notices of events, and other correspondences that apply to a group of employees and/or customers are called

A) announcements.
B) claims.
C) directions.
D) requests.
E) inquiries.

Question 51

Which of the following is a central component in setting expectations for those you manage?

A) making claims
B) making requests
C) stating goodwill
D) providing deadlines
E) analyzing audiences

Question 52

A message that makes a claim is most likely to close with

A) the rationale for the claim.
B) an emotional reason for the claim.
C) an announcement.
D) a call to action.
E) a step-by-step direction.

Question 53

Which of the following accurately describes the act of setting expectations for others?

A) Only senior managers ever have to set expectations for their subordinates.
B) First-time managers are the people who are most comfortable telling others what to do.
C) Setting expectations is directly tied to your ability to foster interpersonal trust in the workplace.
D) The way in which you set expectations for others will not affect your credibility.
E) Stating goodwill in a message for setting expectations conveys weakness.

Question 54

Which of the following is most likely to be a component of an appreciation message?

A) an attention getter
B) a quick rationale
C) a call to action
D) a goal for the message
E) a deadline for a task

Question 55

In the context of setting expectations, what does it mean to describe responsibilities?

A) encouraging employees to engage in networked communication to solve problems
B) designating tasks and work outcomes to certain employees
C) setting out the timeline by which the work should be accomplished satisfactorily
D) providing guidelines for how employees should communicate and cooperate with one another
E) identifying a potential crisis and developing a strategy for avoiding it

Question 56

Which of the following is a good way to write directions?

A) Compose the message entirely in passive voice.
B) Do not complicate the message with additional tips.
C) Put the different steps in a numbered or bulleted list.
D) Write the steps using the I-voice.
E) Summarize all the directions in the subject line of the message.

Question 57

Lok meets with the team he oversees and gives each team member a spreadsheet that shows when various stages of the project are due. The assignments for each team member are shown in a different color. What aspect of setting expectations has Lok just done?

A) describing responsibilities
B) setting deadlines
C) stating goodwill
D) discussing coordination
E) providing guidelines

Question 58

Lok meets with the team he oversees, passes out some guidelines for how they should communicate and cooperate with one another on an upcoming project, and asks if they have any questions. What aspect of setting expectations has Lok just done?

A) describing responsibilities
B) setting deadlines
C) stating goodwill
D) discussing coordination
E) designating tasks

Question 59

Which of the following accurately describes appreciation messages?

A) Your appreciation messages should include several statements about yourself.
B) Your appreciation message should include exaggerated displays of gratitude.
C) You should avoid explaining why you feel grateful because that sounds defensive.
D) You should begin your appreciation messages with an expression of thanks.
E) Your appreciation messages should have an informal tone when sent to clients.

Question 60

How can you prevent employees and customers from ignoring announcements?

A) Reward customers and employees for reading announcements.
B) Ask employees and customers to take turns writing the announcements.
C) Include links to funny articles or videos in every announcement.
D) Use a specific, catchy subject line that creates interest.
E) Request a read receipt for each announcement.

Question 61

Identify the three central components of setting expectations, and give details about each component.

Question 62

Which of the following is true of apologies?

A) Offenses caused by personality clashes do not warrant apologies.
B) It is always good to apologize regardless of whether you are right or wrong.
C) Not all apologies are necessarily good apologies.
D) Business professionals who are high in emotional intelligence never apologize.
E) Apologies are necessary only when you harm someone on purpose.

Question 63

What are announcements?

Question 64

What might cause an apology to be considered insincere?

Question 65

Describe the process of developing a message that makes a claim.

Question 66

Explain the importance of setting expectations.

Question 67

How can you construct a good set of directions that is easy to understand?

Question 68

Which of the following is a good guideline for messages that express sympathy?

A) Avoid sending sympathy messages to people with whom you have only professional relations.
B) In the case of death, avoid mentioning the name of the deceased person in the message.
C) Pay the most attention to using exactly the appropriate words.
D) Handwrite your expression of sympathy whenever possible.
E) Compose long and elaborate messages to express sympathy.

Question 69

Describe the writing process for routine messages. Explain what is involved in each of the steps.
The most important planning step is message structuring. Since routine messages are so common and readers are likely overloaded with many other messages and tasks, the primary challenge is to make sure that the readers pay attention. Ask yourself questions such as the following: How would my audience want to receive this information? How much detail do my audience members expect? As you draft the message, aim for a helpful, professional, and reader-centered tone. Focus on making the message easy to read. Readers expect to understand your primary message in less than 10 to 15 seconds, so use short sentences and paragraphs. Proofreading in the reviewing stage should take a minute or two. By rereading, you will make sure the content is complete and without errors. Even minor typos can distract your readers from complying with your messages.

Question 70

What are the drawbacks of showing excessive appreciation?

Question 71

Explain the different components of a message that makes a request.

Question 72

At a team meeting, Larry makes the following apology: "I was wrong in saying that Cathy missed her deadline. I'm sorry that I damaged her reputation. It was my fault for not checking my in-box before I came to the last meeting." What component of an apology has Larry failed to include?

A) acknowledgment of a mistake
B) acceptance of responsibility
C) sincerity and timeliness
D) an expression of regret
E) a commitment not to repeat the offense

Question 73

Rachel walks into her boss's office and makes the following apology: "I was wrong to yell at you when I found out that my trip had been canceled. I did a poor job of controlling my emotions. I'll do better next time." What component of an apology has Rachel failed to include?

A) acknowledgment of a mistake
B) acceptance of responsibility
C) sincerity and timeliness
D) an expression of regret
E) a commitment not to repeat the offense

Question 74

Explain strategies you should use in order to respond to inquiries effectively.

Question 75

Which of the following is a common component of all routine messages, including messages that express sympathy?

A) a statement of goodwill
B) deadlines
C) a rationale for a claim
D) a thank you statement
E) an attention getter

Question 76

Which of the following is most likely to be a component of a message that expresses sympathy for a death?

A) gaining attention
B) offering support
C) taking responsibility
D) providing rationale
E) providing directions