Deck 5: Interpersonal Strategies and Skills

Question 1

Which of the following demonstrates a focus on solving problems,not controlling others?

A) "You need to take on more responsibility next year."
B) "Why didn't you report your error to accounting sooner?"
C) "So, how are you going to get yourself out of this mess you've made?"
D) "Our "rejected products" count has increased by 10% in the past month. Can you suggest any remedies?"

Answer 1

D
Explanation: Problem-oriented messages aim to involve both parties in developing a solution that meets all the participants' needs.

Question 2

Which of the following can be characterized as a descriptive "I" statement?

A) "You're not doing your share around here."
B) "I'm worried about the way our customers will react to your report if it contains any errors."
C) "There are three terrible problems with the job you've done: it's late, it's incomplete, and it's messy."
D) "I refuse to work with a negative person like you."

Answer 2

B
Explanation: "You" language often evaluates the receiver.

Question 3

The term "emotional intelligence" refers to

A) the ability and skill of interacting well with others.
B) a tendency of highly intelligent people to be emotionally imbalanced.
C) a belief that women are too emotional to be intelligent.
D) a person's score on the personality questions found on most IQ tests.

Answer 3

A
Explanation: Emotional intelligence describes our ability to interact well with others.

Question 4

In a recent survey of 1,000 personnel directors in the United States,the top characteristic identified for ideal management was:

A) the ability to work well with others on-on-one.
B) the ability to give public speeches.
C) training in technical skills.
D) an outgoing personality.

Question 5

The principal factor in shaping a communication climate is the

A) degree to which people feel valued.
B) level of compensation employees receive.
C) degree of human-relations training management has received.
D) number of messages sent and received.

Question 6

Attitudes of superiority create disconfirming climates; attitudes of ______ tend to create confirming climates

A) equality
B) evaluation
C) control
D) indifference

Question 7

All of the following are true about workplace dignity EXCEPT

A) Workplace dignity arises from respectful communication.
B) Workplaces in which workers treat each other with respect tend to be more productive than those where workers treat each other disrespectfully.
C) Workplace dignity increases worker satisfaction but does not impact an organization's productivity.
D) Absenteeism is higher in workplaces where employees do not treat teach other respectfully.

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a trait of an unpleasant co-worker?

A) being nosy about other peoples' business.
B) delivering constructive criticism.
C) bad-mouthing others.
D) promoting one's own contributions.

Question 9

A guideline for giving praise effectively is:

A) Give praise as frequently as possible.
B) Wait until someone has done a task perfectly to give praise, because praising a person's steps of progress is insincere.
C) Use specific compliments that help the receiver recognize the exact behaviors you appreciate.
D) Praise people only when they are present; don't share compliments about people who are not present.

Question 10

All of the following are characteristics of constructive feedback except:

A) focuses on behavior.
B) imposed.
C) timed appropriately.
D) descriptive.

Question 11

Which of the following is the best example of descriptive,not evaluative,"I" language?

A) "I feel like you're being mean to me."
B) "I worry when you come home late."
C) "I think your report was awful."
D) "I'm sick of your antics."

Question 12

A positive organizational climate

A) can occur even if physical working conditions are uninspiring.
B) does not vary from one work group to another within the organization.
C) only occurs in Fortune 500 companies.
D) has little effect on customers.

Question 13

According to Jack Gibb's work on supportive and defensive communication,a supervisor who ____________ is promoting a disconfirming climate.

A) focuses on solving problems
B) listens open-mindedly to opposing viewpoints
C) doesn't show concern for the feelings of others
D) treats her subordinates as if they were equals

Question 14

According to the text,which of the following is NOT recommended when you are attempting to establish confirming relationships with others in the organizational setting?

A) Attempt to focus on problem solving.
B) Be as honest as possible.
C) Use evaluative "you" language.
D) Demonstrate concern for others.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a trait of an unpleasant co-worker?

A) bringing personal problems to work.
B) distracting others from their tasks.
C) focusing on work-related issues.
D) talking down to others.

Question 16

If you were offering constructive criticism to an employee,which of the following would NOT be recommended?

A) Explain the value of the improvement to the employee.
B) Be sure to mention every detail that needs to be improved on.
C) Wait to deliver the criticism until you are certain you have the facts straight.
D) Offer to help the employee find a solution.

Question 17

Which of the following best describes the role of emotional intelligence in determining outstanding job performance?

A) Emotional intelligence has no impact on job performance
B) Emotional intelligence has less impact on job performance than cognitive IQ does.
C) Emotional intelligence and cognitive IQ have about the same impact on job performance.
D) Emotional intelligence has more impact on job performance than cognitive IQ does.

Question 18

Which of the following types of statements is likely to promote a supportive climate?

A) descriptive statements expressed in "I" language
B) statements that focus on identifying who is to blame for a problem
C) indifference to coworkers' needs and challenges
D) conversations in which both parties accuse the other

Question 19

When you are delivering criticism,avoid

A) accepting partial responsibility for the problem
B) offering to help solve a problem, if appropriate.
C) commenting about the person's personal life (unless their personal life has a proven impact on their work).
D) delivering the remarks in private.

Question 20

When offering praise,

A) praise only with your own original comments; don't relay praise from others.
B) praise only with broad sweeping generalizations.
C) praise consistently, even if you have to stretch the truth to do so.
D) praise steps of progress, not just perfection.

Question 21

Incivility

A) consists of seemingly inconsequential, inconsiderate words and deeds that violate the conventional standards of workplace conduct.
B) is always aggressive.
C) has no impact on a company's productivity.
D) has decreased in the 21^st century.

Question 22

"Quid pro quo" sexual harassment

A) occurs when an employee's continued employment depends on their willingness to grant you sexual favors.
B) is a problem that exists only in people's imaginations.
C) is the legal term for the punishment meted out to someone accused of harassment.
D) occurs when an employee experiences an offensive work environment, such as being stared at in a blatantly sexual way.

Question 23

Which of the following illustrates an effective critique of a co-worker's performance?

A) "Well, if you weren't so interested in going to night clubs, you might get to work on time once in a while."
B) "I depend on you to help me answer these phones. When you showed up late last week, we missed ten important calls."
C) "I sure hate it when you show up late."
D) "Last week, you were late three times, you didn't finish filling out all the customer reports, and you forgot to lock the file cabinets, too."

Question 24

Most bullies

A) move on to hassle new targets, after their initial target quits or is fired.
B) stop bullying once they know their victim feels frustrated.
C) are silenced by the boss before they can do much harm.
D) don't succeed in making others look bad.

Question 25

How can you best show respect for individuals' rights to pursue their own chosen approaches to spirituality in the workplace?

A) Open each staff meeting with a few moments of silent prayer.
B) Encourage employees to display religious symbols on the office bulletin boards.
C) Visit your co-workers' offices during lunch and share your religious pamphlets with them.
D) When others practice a religious belief that makes you feel uncomfortable, remove yourself from the situation without voicing your judgment about their belief.

Question 26

If you disagree with another person's critique of your performance,which of the following responses would be the most confirming?

A) pretending to agree, even though you don't
B) emphasize areas where you and the other person share the same point of view
C) ignoring the comment so as not to draw attention to your disagreement
D) none of these, because it is impossible to be confirming if you disagree with the other person's comments

Question 27

One constructive,non-defensive way to effectively respond to criticism directed at you is to

A) avoid the person who is criticizing.
B) be sharp enough to verbally counterattack.
C) seek more information.
D) disagree with the criticism whether the critique is true or not.

Question 28

Strategies used by bullies include all of the following EXCEPT

A) controlling the resources that lead to success
B) presenting concrete examples of ways a subordinate can improve their performance
C) making threats
D) setting deadlines that are impossible to meet

Question 29

All of the following are important elements of an effective apology except:

A) Explain how you will prevent this mistake from occurring again.
B) Acknowledge that your actions made the other person suffer.
C) Suggest how you can compensate the other person for the damage you did.
D) Save face by providing an excuse for your actions.

Question 30

The text outlines a number of channels for dealing with sexual harassment.All of the following are mentioned as possible responses except

A) Keep a detailed record of the harassment incidents.
B) Write a personal letter to the harasser, asking them to stop.
C) Ask a trusted friend to intervene.
D) Start telling your co-workers some nasty gossip about the offender.

Question 31

Various forms of sexual harassment can exist in any work setting.If Tony expected sexual favors from Judith in return for a promotion to assistant coordinator of the sales division,which type of sexual harassment would be involved?

A) sexual initiation
B) quid pro quo
C) work-environment hostility
D) This is not a form of sexual harassment.

Question 32

Which of the following statements best describes job-related conflicts?

A) Conflicts should be avoided as much as possible at work.
B) Conflicts occur most frequently among less-intelligent employees.
C) Conflicts occur more frequently between managers and subordinates than between employees of equal authority.
D) Whether a conflict diminishes or improves organizational effectiveness depends on how the conflict is handled.

Question 33

All of the following could be examples of uncivil communication EXCEPT

A) an insensitive joke.
B) a false rumor.
C) withholding information.
D) telling a subordinate his or her behavior needs improvement.

Question 34

You are a member of a small group in your communication class,formed for the purpose of completing a decision-making project.Robert insists that your meetings should be conducted according to Parliamentary Procedures,but Serena wants to use a consensus approach.Your group is experiencing conflict about

A) the topic of the project.
B) the process.
C) relational issues.
D) legal issues.

Question 35

When confronted with the criticism "You're never back from lunch on time," which of the following statements acknowledges a critic's perception as valid,yet does not agree with the critique?

A) "You're right; it was after 1:00 when I returned from lunch."
B) "You weren't back on time yourself; you couldn't know."
C) "It must seem like I'm never back on time. The boss has asked me to cover the phones in his office from 1 - 1:30 every day, so I don't get back to this office right away."
D) "You're partly to blame--you weren't back by 12, so I couldn't leave on time."

Question 36

Reinhardt wants to keep the thermostat set at 65 degrees in the winter,while his roommate Peter wants to keep it set at 74.This conflict is primarily about

A) the topic at hand.
B) the process.
C) relational issues.
D) ego/identity issues.

Question 37

Ashraf accidentally drops Ceil's favorite glass vase,which crashes into fragments on the kitchen floor.Ceil screams,"You clod!" Ashraf retorts,"I didn't drop it on purpose,you witch!" This conflict is focusing on

A) the topic at hand.
B) the process.
C) ego/identity issues.
D) reparation.

Question 38

If you are the victim of a bully,one response that is never advisable is to

A) avoid the bully.
B) consider whether you might have unintentionally acted in a way that aggravates the bullying.
C) rationalize that you deserve the abuse.
D) confide in a trusted and influential co-worker.

Question 39

Which of the following illustrates an effective critique of a co-worker's performance?

A) "I didn't have enough advance notice to arrange my schedule to attend the meeting, because the notice was posted only yesterday. Can you find a way to send out the meeting date at least two weeks ahead of time?"
B) "If you're going to be inconsiderate enough to wait five days before you return my call, don't bother. I'll go ask someone else."
C) "You sure blew it when you fouled up your presentation, right in front of our best customer."
D) "You never help me when I need it."

Question 40

Sexual harassment

A) may be initiated by men or women.
B) is unpleasant but not actually illegal.
C) was never noticed by women in the workplace before 1964.
D) involves only overt sexual behavior.

Question 41

When a conflict arises in Rosie's work group,she simply denies that a problem exists.Which of the following approaches to conflict is she using?

A) avoiding
B) accommodating
C) competing
D) compromising

Question 42

When employees who don't want to attend an all-day workshop take the attitude "You can make me go,but you can't make me pay attention," they have adopted a __________ stance.

A) bargaining
B) lose-lose
C) compromise
D) win-win

Question 43

A statement such as "I don't care what you think is going to work best,we are either going to go with my proposal or forget about the whole thing" is an example of which of the following approaches to conflict?

A) avoiding
B) accommodating
C) compromising
D) competing

Question 44

Brandon is concerned that his group members are not getting along as well as they should.He believes that effective group communication should be completely free of any conflict.Consequently,every time conflict arises,he attempts to maintain the group's harmony by yielding to others.Which of the following approaches to conflict is Brandon most likely using?

A) avoiding
B) accommodating
C) compromising
D) collaborating

Question 45

One good reason to take an accommodating approach to conflict is:

A) The other party is more powerful, so you know you are going to lose anyway.
B) Your goals are very important to you.
C) Both parties want to build a long-term working relationship.
D) Both sides want a fair solution, but time is short.

Question 46

The process in which two or more parties discuss specific proposals to obtain a mutually acceptable agreement is known as

A) conflict manipulation.
B) negotiation.
C) compromising.
D) conflict agreement.

Question 47

Which approach to conflict are you using if you sacrifice your own personal wishes for the sake of the group?

A) avoiding
B) accommodating
C) collaborating
D) compromising

Question 48

One good reason to take an avoidant approach to conflict is:

A) You realize the goal you originally wanted isn't a good idea after all.
B) To let others cool down temporarily before tackling the issue.
C) Harmony and stability are worth working for.
D) Both sides want a fair solution, but time is short.

Question 49

Many people believe that _________ is the best approach to conflict because,in the short-term,you might get the results you want.However,this approach to conflict often results in a number of long-term costs.

A) avoiding
B) accommodating
C) competing
D) compromising

Question 50

In her spare time,Sharon is the chair for a local nonprofit organization.The project committee is attempting to determine what the organization's next large charity drive will be.Sharon felt that she had a great idea,but it was quickly rejected by the other committee members.So,as chair,she simply selected her idea and forced it on the other members.According to the text,which of the following approaches to conflict did she employ?

A) avoiding
B) accommodating
C) competing
D) compromising

Question 51

You are babysitting your 3-year-old niece.As you approach a busy street,you reach out to hold her hand,and tell her to stop,look,and listen before crossing.She breaks away from you and starts to run into the street.Which conflict management style would you recommend for responding to this situation?

A) avoiding
B) accommodating
C) competing
D) compromising

Question 52

If each party gives a little ground to gain a solution that everyone can agree to,which approach to conflict have they selected?

A) accommodating
B) competing
C) collaborating
D) compromising

Question 53

Which of the following approaches is based on the assumption that in resolving conflict,it is possible to meet the needs of all parties?

A) avoiding
B) accommodating
C) collaborating
D) compromising

Question 54

Kristel has two free movie passes.She and Misha are involved in a heated negotiation over which movie they will go to see.Kristel gets angry and tears up the passes to teach Misha a lesson.Which of the following orientations toward conflict has Kristel adopted?

A) win-lose
B) lose-lose
C) compromise
D) win-win

Question 55

One good reason to take a competing approach to conflict is:

A) The other party is more powerful, so you know you are going to lose.
B) Your goals are trivial.
C) Both parties want to build a long-term working relationship.
D) You need to enforce an unpopular, but ethical and necessary action.

Question 56

Which is generally the most advantageous negotiation style for all parties involved?

A) win-lose
B) lose-lose
C) compromise
D) win-win

Question 57

Your team leader puts a suggestion box in the break room.At team meetings,he lists all the reasons why the suggestions can't be used,adding that he should be the one to make the decisions,anyway.The team members complain that he should share the decision-making.What kind of conflict does this illustrate?

A) relational issue
B) constructive conflict
C) compromise
D) collaboration

Question 58

One good reason to take a collaborative approach to conflict is:

A) An emergency demands quick, decisive action.
B) Your goals are trivial.
C) Both parties have important concerns and the long-term working relationship between the parties is important.
D) You need to enforce an unpopular, but ethical and necessary action.

Question 59

According to your text,which of the following is the best way to approach conflict?

A) collaboration
B) accommodation
C) compromise
D) The best choice of method varies according to the circumstances.

Question 60

One good reason to take a compromising approach to conflict is:

A) The other party is more powerful, so you know you are going to lose.
B) The issue is more important to the other party than it is to you.
C) Harmony is your key goal.
D) You've tried collaborating, but it didn't work because the parties' goals are mutually exclusive.

Question 61

Win-win negotiation resembles the ____________ approach to conflict.

A) collaborating
B) competing
C) compromising
D) accommodating

Question 62

Which of the following characteristics is conducive to a win-win style of negotiation?

A) You do not need a long-term harmonious relationship.
B) Both parties are approximately equal in power.
C) The parties' needs are not compatible.
D) Short-term goals are more important than long-term goals.

Question 63

The LAST step in conducting a win-win negotiation is to

A) follow up to evaluate how well the solution has been working.
B) evaluate possible solutions.
C) implement the solution.
D) brainstorm possible solutions.

Question 64

Which statement describes the win-win orientation to negotiating?

A) It is a short-term approach focused only on immediate problems.
B) Each side sees the issue only from its own point of view.
C) Only task issues are usually considered.
D) Participants brainstorm various means (solutions) for reaching a desired outcome (the 'end'), and pick a solution that is mutually agreeable.

Question 65

All of the following will hinder effective negotiating EXCEPT:

A) Parties insist on using their favored means for achieving a solution.
B) Parties don't back off from their initial positions.
C) Parties focus on means, not ends.
D) Parties attempt to find creative solutions that meet everyone's needs, rather than forcing their initial positions.

Question 66

William has been the head of the Business Administration department of a small community college for the past 10 years.His administrative experience has demonstrated that the most effective technique for resolving conflict is to approach all situations with the assumption that a solution can be reached,and the solution will satisfy most of the needs of all those involved.Which of the following orientations toward negotiation would you suggest he is operating from?

A) win-lose
B) lose-lose
C) compromise
D) win-win

Question 67

Talking about non-work-related issues during working hours is considered to be a communication trait of unpleasant co-workers.

Question 68

The collaborative approach to negotiation involves a ___________ orientation.

A) win-lose
B) win-win
C) lose-lose
D) compromise

Question 69

When you are preparing to negotiate from a win-win approach,you should do all of the following EXCEPT:

A) Clarify what your interests and needs are.
B) Focus on the means for achieving your goals, not on outcomes ('ends').
C) Consider the best time to raise the issue.
D) Plan how to express your needs using "I" language.

Question 70

Expressing opinions on matters that aren't one's own business is considered to be a communication trait of unpleasant co-workers.

Question 71

A supervisor who openly acknowledges her worker's contributions helps build workplace dignity.

Question 72

The highest-performing organizations tend to favor the ___________ approach to problem solving.

A) win-lose
B) lose-lose
C) win-win
D) compromise

Question 73

Which of the following is NOT one of the steps in conducting a successful win-win approach to negotiating?

A) Identify the needs of both parties.
B) Conceal your true goals.
C) Brainstorm a list of possible solutions.
D) Evaluate the alternative solutions.

Question 74

An important FIRST step in conducting a win-win negotiation is to

A) identify the needs of both parties.
B) evaluate possible solutions.
C) follow up on the solution.
D) define criteria for workable solutions.

Question 75

It is not possible to critique an employee's performance in a respectful way.

Question 76

Emotional intelligence is more important than IQ in determining a person's career success.

Question 77

Constructive advice for responding when you receive a troubling message online is:

A) Find someone whose judgment you trust, and ask them for their perspective.
B) Respond to the message immediately.
C) If the message has a bullying tone, mirror that same bullying tone in your response.
D) Forward the message to all your Facebook friends.

Question 78

Using an assertive style of communication is considered to be a communication trait of unpleasant co-workers.

Question 79

Which of the following statements best describes a compromising orientation to negotiating?

A) It attains the best possible outcomes for both parties.
B) It emphasizes relationship goals over task goals.
C) It is a long-term approach that seeks to build and maintain a good relationship.
D) Both sides win some; both sides lose some.

Question 80

Which of the following is true about win-win negotiation?

A) A win-win approach is always the best approach to negotiation.
B) It is always possible to create a mutually agreeable solution.
C) Win-win negotiation attempts to find solutions that meet all parties' needs.
D) Any time is the right time for win-win negotiation.