Chapter 5 Interpersonal Communication

Question 1

What is the most important single skill of a supervisor

Answer 1

The ability to communicate clearly and concisely because it is basic to understanding the subordinate’s point of view

Question 2

Among supervisors, what is a common weakness that gets neglected?

Answer 2

The ability to communicate

Question 3

T of F: Communication is the number one problem of management and the number one complaint of workers

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Is communication only words?

Answer 4

No. It includes tones and deeds.

Question 5

T or F: The environment in which a communication takes place has no effect on how it is received.

Answer 5

False.

Question 6

Can harmless and common words be considered insulting?

Answer 6

Yes. Depending on the time, place, and circumstances

Question 7

What are the barriers to effective communication?

Answer 7

Failure to listen, status differences, psychological size, noise, language barriers, criticism, jumping to conclusions, filtering, individual sentiments and attitudes

Question 8

T of F: the failure to listen results purely from the lack of effort to engage actively

Answer 8

T

Question 9

In which direction does communication travel better in a bureaucratic agency

Answer 9

Top to bottom

Question 10

Is filtering information good or bad for supervisors

Answer 10

Filtering is said to be worse than giving employees no information at all

Question 11

What is meant by overloading the communication channel

Answer 11

Overloading results from lack of discrimination in separating relevant and irrelevant information.

Question 12

How is overstructuring of communication channels considered a communication barrier?

Answer 12

Employees will sterilize the passing of information upward, downward, and across organizational lines. Formal channels within the hierarchy facilitated communications but the morale was better in systems involving informal channels.

Question 13

Does the grapevine tend to be accurate?

Answer 13

Yes. Employees will tend to rely on this when communication with management is limited.

Question 14

A saying about empathy and communication is

Answer 14

Seek first to understand then to be understood

Question 15

Why should a supervisor keep his subordinates informed as much as possible about work plans, schedules, policies, decisions, and programs.

Answer 15

Employees react best to changes in the above when they have been given some background to aid them in understanding the need for change.

Question 16

T of F: Developing big ears and a little mouth philosophy is one of the most important and most often neglected skills in communicating

Answer 16

True

Question 17

Communications autocratic leader:

Answer 17

Best for emergency situations. Otherwise they might find difficulty in getting buy-in from subordinates

Question 18

Communications Democratic leader

Answer 18

Two-way passing of information makes commo easy to understand. Lacks speed of autocratic.

Question 19

Communications free rein (laissez-faire)

Answer 19

Guidance is often absent. Subordinates do not realize the benefits of two-way commo. Misunderstandings misapprehensions and mistakes flourish

Question 20

When is clarity in communication most important?

Answer 20

When commo is in writing because the readers are not permitted the opportunity to ask questions

Question 21

What are the four Ds of the decision making model in regard to email?

Answer 21

Delete it, do it, delegate it, defer it

Question 22

Difference between general orders, special orders, and operation orders?

Answer 22

GO establish policy, the broad rules describing general objectives of the organization. Special orders are issued to establish procedures or rules and regulations necessary in carrying out policy. Op orders are used to describe procedures of a specific event.

Question 23

What are the three typical deficiencies in writing?

Answer 23

1. Writer fails to determine fact and non-fact. 2. The writer fails to use most specific and concrete words to make meaning clear. 3. Writer fails to support conclusions by factual data.