Questions and CORRECT Answers
Communication - Correct Answer- #1 source of conflict in organizations
Barriers to effective communication - Correct Answer- 1. filtering (choice of words)
2. overload (too much info for receiver to process)
3. timing (receiver not ready to hear message)
4. channel misusage (using email instead of face to face)
5. perceptions (credible or reliable source)
Hedging words - Correct Answer- confusing
Driver style (action oriented) - Correct Answer- - decisive
- efficient
- impatient
- dominating
Expressive style (intuition oriented) - Correct Answer- - creative
- energetic
- emotional
- unpredictable
Amiable style (relationship oriented) - Correct Answer- - dependable
- supportive
- compliant
- passive
Analytic style (thinking oriented) - Correct Answer- - rational
,- precise
- indecisive
- inflexible
Problems with email - Correct Answer- - messages are easily and commonly misinterpreted
- not appropriate for sending negative messages
- overused and overloading on readers
- removes inhibitions and can cause inflammatory emotional responses
- not private: may be forwarded to anyone and monitored by company
Email (sender) - Correct Answer- - clear identity in email address
- meaningful subject line
- only one screen of info
- make easy to quickly read w bullet points or spacing
Email (receiver) - Correct Answer- - meet in person or call if receive an ambiguous or
negative email
Building rapport over email - Correct Answer- - people who take time to get to know each
other boost trust immediately
- discuss non-negotiation-related topics
- highlight similarities
- personal disclosure
- express positive emotions
Social networking sites - Correct Answer- - public spaces, anyone can see what you post
- can be used for job application screening
- avoid "overstimulating" contacts
Blogs - Correct Answer- - employees may post harmful information
- such comments may be cause for dismissal
,- no First Amendment rights protection
- can be used against company policy to post in a blog during company time and on company
equipment/connections
Rumor Mill - Correct Answer- - perceived by most employees as being accurate and reliable
(86%)
- where 75% of employees get their information first
- insightful to managers: what is important to employees, understand morale, and anxieties
Rumors result from - Correct Answer- desire for information about important situations
Reducing rumors - Correct Answer- - explain decisions and behaviors that may appear
inconsistent or secretive
- openly discuss worse-case possibilities, they are almost never as anxiety-provoking as the
unspoken fantasy
Good location for communication - Correct Answer- head of the table
Warmness - Correct Answer- - lean inward in a nonaggressive manner to signal interest and
engagement
- aim for body language that feels professional but relaxed
- when standing, balance your weight primarily on one hip to avoid appearing rigid or tense
- tilt your head slightly and keep your hands open and welcoming
Coldness - Correct Answer- - try not to angle your body away from the person you're
engaging
- crossing your arms indicates coldness and a lack of receptivity
- avoid sitting "at attention" or in an aggressive posture
- avoid standing with your chin pointed down
- don't pivot your body away from the person you're engaging with
- avoid closed-hand positions and cutting motions
, Other communication strategies that build trust - Correct Answer- - mirroring: helping others
feel comfortable
- priming: reducing surprised and influencing
- framing: labeling your own behavior for clarity
Men talk to: (direct and assertive) - Correct Answer- - emphasize status, power, and
independence
- offer solutions
- boast about their accomplishments
Women talk to: (indirect and overly polite) - Correct Answer- - establish connection and
intimacy
- speak of problems to promote closeness
- express regret and restore balance to a conversation
Communication disagreement among cultures - Correct Answer- - willingness to openly
disagree or speak assertively
- directness of language (ESL no softeners)
- importance of maintaining "face" or dignity
- time devoted to establishing personal relationships
- mode of communication, written or verbal
- personal space and nonverbal communication
- the way "agreement" is defined
Cultural barriers: - Correct Answer- - semantics: some words aren't translatable
- word connotations: some words imply multiple meanings beyond their definitions
- tone differences: the acceptable level of formality of language
- differences in tolerance for conflict: address directly or indirectly
Cultural context - Correct Answer- the importance of social context to meaning
Low-context - Correct Answer- cultures (like the U.S.) rely on words for meaning