Deck 14: Influencing and Communication

Question 1

Effective communication has really only taken place when the decoder and encoder have a shared ________.

A)message
B)understanding
C)channel
D)relationship
E)signal

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The process of guiding the activities of organization members in appropriate directions is called controlling.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

What is emotional intelligence? Why is it important in organizations?

Answer 3

Emotional intelligence is the capacity of people to recognize their own feelings and the feelings of others,to motivate themselves,and to manage their own emotions as well as the emotions in relationships with others.
Some research indicates that managers with higher levels of emotional intelligence are more likely to be successful because they are likely to build organization culture characterized by trust,learning,information-sharing,and desirable risk taking.Studies have also shown that managers with higher levels of emotional intelligence are likely to be more satisfied in their jobs than other managers,and employees who work for managers with higher levels of emotional intelligence are more satisfied with their jobs than employees who work for managers with lower levels of emotional intelligence.

Question 4

Which one of the following communication macrobarriers was the reason President Barack Obama's White House Staff retooled its communication strategy at the conclusion of his first year in office?

A)need for increasing complex information
B)increasing need for information
C)need to know languages other than English
D)decreased time available to learn new concepts
E)multimeaning words

Question 5

________ is the process of guiding the activities of organization members in appropriate directions.

A)Communicating
B)Influencing
C)Controlling
D)Planning
E)Organizing

Question 6

Which one of the following is the primary purpose of the influencing managerial function?

A)eliminating organizational grapevine
B)business process restructuring
C)enhancing the attainment of management objectives
D)manipulation of critical information
E)elimination of organizational conflicts

Question 7

The person in the interpersonal communication situation who originates and encodes information to be shared with another person is called the ________.

A)presenter
B)channel
C)administrator
D)medium
E)source

Question 8

Managers transform a portion of organizational resources into appropriate organization member behavior mainly by performing activities such as leading and communicating.

Question 9

Primary management activities such as communicating,leading,and motivating are considered ________.

A)influencing processes
B)organizational outputs
C)internal resources
D)external resources
E)organizational inputs

Question 10

Research shows that while emotional intelligence skills are fundamental for managers,most managers are promoted based on their ________ performance.

A)leadership
B)teamwork
C)innovation
D)financial
E)creativity

Question 11

An individual's emotional intelligence is characterized by self-awareness,self-motivation,self-regulation,empathy for others,and ________.

A)systems thinking
B)formal communication abilities
C)openness to experience
D)adeptness in building relationships
E)superior intellectual capabilities

Question 12

Which one of the following is a primary managing activity?

A)building corporate culture
B)reducing conflicts
C)eliminating workplace stress
D)creating norms
E)maintaining work-life balance

Question 13

When executives were asked to rank essential skills employees need in their jobs ________ skills ranked as number one.

A)interpersonal
B)motivational
C)oral and written communication
D)collaboration
E)planning

Question 14

The purpose of the influencing function of management is ________.

A)persuade customers to purchase the company's products
B)guide the behaviors of employees to attain the organization's goals
C)coerce employees into changing their behaviors
D)control the actions of employees in their personal lives
E)organize groups of employees into efficient work units

Question 15

Which one of the following terms best represents the capacity of people to recognize their own feelings and the feelings of others,to motivate themselves,and to manage their own feelings as well as the feelings in relationships with others?

A)consideration
B)interpersonal skills
C)compassion
D)emotional intelligence
E)assertiveness

Question 16

Trot is the CEO of a consulting firm.He plays a key role in guiding the activities of organization members in appropriate directions.This role performed by Trot is called ________.

A)communicating
B)influencing
C)collaborating
D)motivating
E)coaching

Question 17

________ is the process of sharing information with other individuals.

A)Delegation
B)Communication
C)Allocation
D)Authorization
E)Distribution

Question 18

The capacity of people to recognize their own feelings and the feelings of others,to motivate themselves,and to manage their own feelings as well as the emotions in relationships with others,is called ________.

A)emotional intelligence
B)business intelligence
C)social emotional learning
D)affective science
E)competitive intelligence

Question 19

Which one of the following is considered a fundamental managerial skill?

A)technical skills
B)communication ability
C)charismatic leadership
D)ability to maintain status quo
E)ability to regulate procedures

Question 20

John is a new supervisor concerned with having effective communications with his employees and wants to try to minimize the barriers that get in the way of understanding.When communicating with them,John should be aware of ________ barriers.

A)macro
B)neutral
C)general
D)micro
E)situational

Question 21

A signal refers to ________.

A)a decoded message with the receiver
B)the medium used to encode a message
C)a nonverbal clue provided by a communicator
D)the medium used to transmit a message
E)a message transmitted from one person to another

Question 22

To minimize the negative effects of the perceptual differences of receivers on interpersonal communication,managers should ________.

A)use verbal communication instead of visual communication
B)communicate only when they have the total attention of the destination
C)try to send messages with precise meanings
D)preferably communicate using casual terms and references
E)use low involvement channels for communication

Question 23

Encoded information that the source intends to share with another person is called a ________.

A)rumor
B)message
C)signal
D)medium
E)code

Question 24

________ is the destination's reaction to a message.

A)Perception
B)Feedback
C)Channeling
D)Signaling
E)Grapevine

Question 25

Which one of the following is considered the first step toward effective communication?

A)clarifying the idea or problem to be communicated
B)examining the true purpose of communication
C)consulting with others in planning communication
D)identifying actions that support the message being communicated
E)understanding the total physical and human setting

Question 26

Which one of the following is the most complete and accurate description of communication barriers?

A)factors that decrease the probability that communication will be successful
B)aspects that allow unwanted entities to participate in the communication process
C)external stimuli that interfere with transmission of messages from the sender to the receiver
D)innate factors in the receiver that influence the interpretation of a message
E)attributes that lead to environmental noise and organizational stress

Question 27

What is the major purpose of feedback in the communication process?

A)It is used by the source to ensure successful communication.
B)It can be used to boost the legitimate power of managers.
C)It provides formal documentation of the communication process.
D)It helps the source avoid questions from the destination.
E)It fosters lateral communication in the organization.

Question 28

Which one of the following is an example of a macrobarrier when a manager communicates with his or her subordinates?

A)The manager considers the subordinates to be irresponsible and unprofessional.
B)The subordinates have a strong negative attitude toward the manager.
C)The subordinates constitute a diverse population and speak different languages.
D)The manager uses words that have multiple meanings.
E)The manager is a specialist in information technology and tends to use technical jargon.

Question 29

The communication source's view of the destination is a microbarrier of communication.

Question 30

Tim is speaking to one of his professors.He tells the professor that he is satisfied with the grades that he has received.In this situation,Tim is the ________.

A)encoder
B)message channel
C)signal channel
D)decoder
E)receiver

Question 31

Which one of the following should the source do to gather nonverbal feedback?

A)Observe the destination's gestures and facial expressions.
B)Ask the destination questions about the message.
C)Repeat the message and ask for specific feedback.
D)Ask the destination about how the message was perceived.
E)Use tests and procedures that suit the situation.

Question 32

The increasing need for information in today's society is an example of a microbarrier to communication.

Question 33

________ is the process of converting messages back into information.

A)Decoding
B)Encoding
C)Derivation
D)Paraphrasing
E)Rewording

Question 34

Which one of the following is considered a microbarrier to organizational communication?

A)need for better information
B)need to learn new concepts
C)need to learn new languages
D)individuals' complex information processing abilities
E)individuals' perception of message

Question 35

You are the manager of a legal consulting firm.Which one of the following is an example of a microbarrier of communication that you are likely to come across?

A)The firm has several international clients who speak different languages and have different cultures.
B)The legal data that your firm processes on a daily basis is increasingly becoming more complex.
C)The firm must keep abreast of the frequent changes that are made to laws and regulations in order to remain competitive.
D)The firm is forced to maintain a highly efficient information system to be able to access timely and accurate information.
E)The firm's clients incorrectly perceive the information that is provided to them.

Question 36

Which one of the following is a communication macrobarrier?

A)need for complex information
B)destination's view of the source
C)message interference
D)receivers' perception
E)usage of multimeaning words

Question 37

The basic elements of the interpersonal communication process are the source,the encoder signal,and the decoder.

Question 38

If effective communication is equal to 100%,what fraction of that 100% is the actual content of the message itself?

A)55
B)38
C)27
D)7
E)0

Question 39

Which one of the following observations is consistent with the "ten commandments of good communication"?

A)All communications should be planned by the sender alone.
B)Focus more on the content than the overtones in communication.
C)Communication should be avoided if the receiver cannot perceive it correctly.
D)Communications must be planned with the past in mind.
E)Convey as much information as possible in each communication.

Question 40

George is the human resources manager of a small-scale manufacturing company.Which of the following is the best example of nonverbal communication?

A)He sends an angry email to one of the employees.
B)He uses a loud tone when speaking with a group of employees.
C)He uses words with implicit meanings when he talks to subordinates.
D)He prepares a performance appraisal report for one of the employees.
E)He uses harsh words during a meeting with one of his coworkers.

Question 41

Departmental relationships can be coordinated well enough to enhance the attainment of management system objectives only through ________.

A)upward communication
B)lateral communication
C)downward communication
D)informal communication networks
E)internal communication networks

Question 42

Which one of the following statements is true regarding nonverbal communication?

A)It is highly consistent with verbal communication.
B)It has little influence on the total effect of communication.
C)It cannot be used to encode and transmit thoughts.
D)Nonverbal messages can be used to add content to verbal messages.
E)Nonverbal messages do not include vocal tones.

Question 43

Explain the difference between communication macrobarriers and communication microbarriers.Give an example of each.

Question 44

Stimuli that compete with the communication message for the attention of the destination are called noise.

Question 45

The two primary factors that influence how a stimulus is perceived are the destination's education level and the destination's amount of experience.

Question 46

Peterson is a salesperson.He considers nonverbal feedback to be extremely important when making a sales presentation.He can gather nonverbal feedback by ________.

A)providing the customer with visual aids instead of speaking to them
B)asking the customer to fill up a feedback form at the end of the presentation
C)repeating the message and asking for specific feedback
D)paying attention to the customer's facial expressions and gestures
E)using sales tests and trial closes that help to assess a situation

Question 47

Organizational philosophy is primarily conveyed through ________.

A)upward communication
B)lateral communication
C)downward communication
D)horizontal communication
E)informal communication

Question 48

The members of a company's marketing team regularly meet with their peers from the R&D department to share information and insights on customer product preferences that they have gathered through market research.This is an example of which of the following types of communication?

A)upward
B)vertical
C)virtual
D)downward
E)lateral

Question 49

Which one of the following is most likely to encourage upward formal communication?

A)performance reviews
B)position descriptions
C)closed-door policies
D)suggestion systems
E)grapevines

Question 50

Gestures,vocal tones,and facial expressions are forms of nonverbal communication.

Question 51

What is the importance of nonverbal messages in a communicative process?

Question 52

Barbara is struggling to understand why her employees aren't completing assignments as asked.It seems they are waiting for her to confirm what she is saying is what she really wants done.Which one of the following statements may be the cause of the disconnect she is seeing between herself and her employees?

A)Barbara is having face-to-face conversations with her employees.
B)Barbara is waiting for her employees to offer feedback for clarity.
C)Barbara's nonverbal communication signals are in conflict with her verbal communication words.
D)Barbara is following up on her communication.
E)Barbara is a good listener.

Question 53

Which one of the following is an example of a nonverbal form of communication?

A)words used in emails
B)tone used in conference calls
C)words used in indirect communication
D)a performance appraisal report
E)language of communication

Question 54

The head of the HR department meets the head of the production department to discuss the production team's staffing needs for the next two quarters.This is an example of ________.

A)upward communication
B)downward communication
C)informal communication
D)lateral communication
E)external communication

Question 55

Many organizations implement grievance procedures to assist employees.Such procedures are an example of ________.

A)downward communication
B)upward communication
C)collaborative communication
D)lateral communication
E)parallel communication

Question 56

Which one of the following is true regarding serial transmission?

A)The information conveyed is highly accurate.
B)The message becomes distorted as the length of the series increases.
C)It provides stability to the organization.
D)Employee morale tends to be poor.
E)The presence of a leader is highly evident.

Question 57

Carolyn joins Arbitrar Consultants as a sales trainee.Her manager sends her an email outlining her role and responsibilities and the specific tasks she will be in charge of at the company.This is an example of ________.

A)upward communication
B)parallel communication
C)downward communication
D)horizontal communication
E)lateral communication

Question 58

Which one of the following is a formal organization communication pattern that involves passing information from one individual to another in a sequence?

A)lateral communication
B)parallel conversations
C)serial transmission
D)grapevine
E)chainmail

Question 59

Which one of the following is a common downward organizational communication tool?

A)position descriptions
B)grievance procedures
C)attitude surveys
D)suggestion systems
E)socialization programs

Question 60

American Visual Network,Inc. ,a media and entertainment company,is involved in the production,distribution,and marketing of television programs and Internet broadcasting.The company uses various techniques to promote internal communication.Which one of the following programs of the company is an example of upward communication?

A)The company describes its management objectives on its Web site.
B)The management philosophy is communicated to employees through training manuals.
C)The company conducts an attitude survey to understand employees' opinion of the management.
D)The company conducts a collaborative training program to improve coordination between different departments.
E)Product training programs are conducted for newly recruited employees.

Question 61

Which one of the following grapevine patterns tends to distort messages the most?

A)gossip
B)probability
C)single-strand
D)cluster
E)group

Question 62

List the ten commandments for good listening.

Question 63

List the major characteristics of organizational grapevine?

Question 64

Describe formal communication and explain the three basic types of formal communication.

Question 65

What is the importance of lateral communication in an organization?

Question 66

What is one of the weaknesses of a serial transmission?

A)The information conveyed is highly accurate.
B)It is potentially inaccurate.
C)It does not influence morale.
D)It doesn't affect efficiency.
E)The presence of a leader is highly evident.

Question 67

Organizational communication that follows the line of the organization chart is called formal organizational communication.

Question 68

Which one of the following is the major reason for the establishment of informal communication networks?

A)lack of formal organizational communication channels
B)desire for information that is not furnished formally
C)inability of managers to communicate effectively
D)vertical nature of the organizational structure
E)lack of necessary rules and regulations within the organization

Question 69

In which of the following grapevine patterns does information travel only to selected individuals?

A)single-strand
B)gossip
C)probability
D)serial
E)cluster

Question 70

Sandra finds out that a rumor about her is making the rounds in the office - she supposedly had a rift with her manager over her performance review and is now planning to quit the company.Though completely untrue,she sets out to find the person who started the rumor.She confronts several of her colleagues regarding this and everyone tells her that they heard it from Sheela,her boss's secretary.This is an example of a ________.

A)single-strand grapevine
B)gossip grapevine
C)probability grapevine
D)serial grapevine
E)cluster grapevine

Question 71

Formal organizational communication is more important that informal organizational communication.Why?

Question 72

One of the characteristics of the grapevine is that it ________.

A)is usually controlled and monitored by managers
B)springs up and is used regularly within the organization
C)usually follows an upward communication channel
D)is heavily influenced by the top executives of an organization
E)exists largely to serve the self-interests of the people within it

Question 73

Mark finds out that his colleague,Mae,will soon be quitting the company and joining a rival firm.He immediately passes this information on to his teammate Josh,who tells Craig,who in turn mentions it to his secretary.In this way the message spreads from one person to the next,until the entire department knows about it.This is an example of the ________.

A)serial grapevine
B)single-strand grapevine
C)gossip grapevine
D)probability grapevine
E)cluster grapevine

Question 74

Employee A passes information to everyone else on the grapevine.This pattern is known as the ________.

A)gossip grapevine
B)cluster grapevine
C)single-strand grapevine
D)probability grapevine
E)serial grapevine

Question 75

Mark is the CEO of a leading FMCG company.He wants to encourage greater upward communication in the organization.What are some of the ways in which he can do this?

Question 76

In which one of the following grapevine patterns do grapevine members communicate randomly with one another?

A)probability
B)gossip
C)single-strand
D)cluster
E)group

Question 77

An effective listener should go easy on arguments and criticism because being critical ________.

A)reduces the importance of the conversation
B)is a symptom of unreceptive communication
C)puts the speaker on the defensive
D)creates a permissive environment for the speaker
E)is a sign of distraction

Question 78

Managers should prevent the flow of information through the grapevine.Do you think this argument is valid? Explain your answer.

Question 79

Henry just heard a rumor from one of his coworkers.He immediately passes the information on to the first person who happens to walk by.This is an example of the ________ grapevine.

A)single-strand
B)gossip
C)probability
D)cluster
E)leader-centered

Question 80

Organizational communication that does not follow the lines of the organizational chart is specifically called ________.

A)lateral communication
B)upward communication
C)vertical communication
D)informal communication
E)downward communication