Thriving in a Digital, Social, and Mobile Workplace - Chapter 1 Review Flashcards

Flashcards for reviewing key concepts from Chapter 1 on thriving in a digital, social, and mobile workplace.

Which statement regarding communication skills in the workplace is correct?

Superior communication skills will make you marketable in the workplace of the future regardless of economic climate.

Communication skills _.

Are ranked by recruiters at the top of qualities they most desire in job seekers.

Which of the following statements is an accurate description of communication in the workplace today?

Businesses today generate a wide range of messages using a variety of media.

The combination of communication, logical reasoning, critical-thinking, teamwork, and management skills used to be referred to as soft skills, but now are being referred to instead as interpersonal skills or _.

Professional skills.

Strategic use of e-mail, internet, voice mail, and texting are important in developing your _.

Professional image.

Major trends in today's dynamic world of work include increased emphasis on self-directed work groups and virtual teams, heightened global competition, innovative communication technologies, new work environments, and focus on _.

Business ethics.

Which one of the following statements about today's business environments is correct?

Many employees today no longer need an office; they can work anytime and anywhere.

Which statement below is an accurate description of today’s workplace?

Today's employees can expect to interact with people from many cultures.

The term flattened management hierarchies refers to _.

Fewer levels of management.

The ability to access data on remote servers with a computer or mobile device is called _.

Cloud computing.

According to researchers, most people listen at what level of proficiency?

25-50 percent.

Which of the following statements is an accurate statement about listening?

Most people are not very good listeners.

Many of us are poor listeners because _.

The brain can process information at least three times as fast as people talk.

The lag time between the speed with which listeners process words per minute (450) and the speed at which speakers talk (about 125 to 175 words per minute) is called the _.

Speech-thought differential.

Which of the following is a psychological barrier for listening?

Personal values.

Your boss is giving instructions for a new method of keeping expense accounts. However, you find it difficult to concentrate because you think the change is unnecessary. What type of barrier to effective listening are you experiencing?

Psychological barrier.

Breanna must inform her workforce that the company will need to let go of a certain number of employees. Which word would be best for Breanna to use when delivering this news to the employees?

Layoff.

Which of the following is associated with active listening?

Establishing a receptive mindset.

To show that you are actively listening during a job interview, you should _.

Nod strategically and maintain eye contact.

Amelia has made a conscious effort to become an active listener. Therefore, she shuts down her computer, turns off her cell phone, and asks her assistant to hold all incoming calls when she conducts interviews. What technique is she using to improve listening?

Controlling her surroundings.

Nonverbal communication includes _.

All unwritten and unspoken messages.

Examples of nonverbal communication include facial expressions, eye contact, and _.

Posture.

Which of the following statements is an accurate description of nonverbal communication?

Meanings of nonverbal behaviors are often influenced by the communication context and by one's culture.

Most people think that the best predictor of a speaker's true feelings is their _.

Eyes.

Which of the following statements about posture and gestures is accurate?

The meaning of some gestures can vary among cultures.

According to Edward T. Hall, in which spatial zone do most people converse with friends and family members?

Intimate.

According to Edward T. Hall, which spatial zone is the largest?

Public.

Which of the following tips should you follow to improve your nonverbal communication skills?

Observe yourself on video.

In addition to her attire and physical engagement during an interview, what other element of Layla’s candidacy for the position embodies nonverbal communication?

The visual appeal of the resume and cover letter she has submitted.

Stephen's manager notices that he slammed his desk drawer right after he said that he was happy to work late. To optimize communication, the manager should _.

Seek additional information by saying, I'm not sure that you're okay with staying late. Do you have somewhere you need to be?

Every country has a unique culture or common heritage that _.

Teaches its members how to behave and conditions their reactions.

The five dimensions of culture are: power distance, individualism, context, time orientation, and _.

Communication style.

The most important cultural dimension is _.

Context.

Which of the following is a common trait of a business communicator from a low-context culture?

Placing emphasis on written information.

Communicators from North America, Scandinavia, and Germany tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented. They also depend little on the context of a situation to convey their meaning. These communicators represent what kind of culture?

Low-context.

Which of the following countries represents a high-context culture?

Japan.

North Americans value straightforwardness and are suspicious of evasiveness. These traits identify the cultural dimension of _.

Communication style.

Which of the following countries would likely view a business contract as a binding document?

Germany.

Which one of the following statements accurately describes the effect of social media and communication technology on culture?

Because of social media, communicators can now reach out to larger and more varied audiences than in the past.

Which one of the following is an accurate statement about ethnocentrism?

Ethnocentrism causes us to judge others by our own values.

An American businessperson who thinks that all Swiss are hardworking, efficient, and neat is demonstrating an example of _.

Stereotyping.

Learning about beliefs and practices different from our own and appreciating them means displaying _.

Tolerance.

One of the best ways to increase tolerance when communicating with those from other cultures is to practice empathy, which refers to _.

Trying to see the world through others' eyes.

While conducting business with a customer from Italy, Zoe was careful to speak slowly and clearly, using short sentences and familiar words. However, she noticed that the customer had a glazed expression and did not understand her. Zoe should _.

Graciously accept the blame for not making her meaning clear.

When speaking with someone for whom English is a second language, you should talk slowly, enunciate clearly, check frequently for comprehension, observe eye messages, listen without interrupting, and _.

Follow up important messages in writing.

Which of the following is an example of an idiom, which can cause confusion for multicultural audiences?

This product really rocks!

Max is preparing a contract between his company and one in Mexico. What should he do when citing numbers in the contract?

Use the metric system.

The benefits of a diverse work environment include improved ability to respond to a diverse customer base, better decision making and problem solving, and _.

Improved employee relationships.

Which of the following is key to improving workforce diversity?

Making fewer assumptions.

Workers who communicate successfully with diverse audiences must make few assumptions, learn about their own and other cultures, and _.

Seek common ground.

Because of today's communication technology, employees in today's workforce can expect to write fewer messages.

False

Recruiters often rank communication skills as the highest skill set sought by employers.

True

Only managers and business executives need strong communication skills.

False

Employees in today's workforce must be prepared to write using a variety of media.

True

Appreciating diversity is an example of a soft skill.

True

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift to _.

Remote-based work.

As a frontline employee, you can expect to have more managers in the workforce.

False

As an employee in today's digital workplace, you can expect to work more independently rather than collaboratively in groups.

False

Faking attention while others are speaking often increases listening skills.

False

Psychological barriers to listening include hearing disabilities, poor acoustics, and noisy surroundings.

False

Physical barriers to listening include only environmentally produced noises.

False

Trying to write down the majority of what a speaker is saying can improve your listening skills.

False

If you want to become a better listener, your first step is to stop talking.

True

To improve your listening ability, focus both on what is spoken and what is unspoken.

True

Brooke is listening to a difficult presentation on nanotechnology development. As a good listener, she should ask as many questions as possible during the presentation.

False

Establishing a receptive mindset refers to the listener's openness to learn something new.

True

When verbal and nonverbal messages conflict, listeners tend to believe the verbal message.

False

Most communication is nonverbal.

True

Understanding a message involves listening to only the spoken words.

False

Most Americans communicate with business associates at approximately 1½ feet.

False

The physical appearance of your business documents (such as resume and cover letter) transmit important nonverbal messages.

True

Zach's company does business globally. By associating with people from diverse cultures, Zach can widen his knowledge of intercultural messages and can increase his tolerance of differences.

True

Guilherme wants to make sure that his posture during his upcoming job interview affirms his interest in the position. To accomplish this, he should lean slightly forward, sit erectly, and maintain eye contact.

True

Our culture molds the way we think, behave, and communicate.

True

Communication style is the most important dimension of culture.

False

Individuals in high-context cultures prefer direct verbal interaction, value individualism, rely on logic, say No directly, and give authority to written information.

False

The United States is an example of a low-context culture.

True

Laura values individualism and personal responsibility in herself and coworkers. These values are typical of North American culture.

True

North Americans consider time a precious commodity and correlate it with productivity, efficiency, and money.

True

Individuals in Western cultures are more relaxed about social status and the appearance of power.

True

Emphasis on the importance of individual words, especially in contracts and negotiations, is a trait of lower-context cultures such as that of the United States.

True

The first step in learning intercultural skills is being aware of your own culture and how it contrasts with others.

True

Ethnocentrism can be found in all cultures.

True

Cross-cultural communication can be improved by practicing tolerance and ethnocentrism.

False

When communicating face-to-face with a person from another culture, you can always assume that the other person is understanding your ideas if he or she smiles.

False

For international trade it is a good idea to learn and use the metric system.

True

The U.S. workplace is expected to remain dominated by males and be Anglo-oriented.

False

Diversity has become a critical bottom-line business strategy in today's global economy.

True

Businesses that want to capitalize on cultural diversity need to train workers to think and act alike to reduce conflicts.

False

Lori will be traveling to Germany for a business meeting. Because she and her German counterparts work for the same company, she can rightfully assume that they are like-minded and have similar ideas about how to accomplish goals.

False

Juan Jose’s supervisor has noticed that Juan Jose works effectively in teams, has excellent presentation skills, and has strong initiative at resolving problems when they arise. These qualities that Juan Jose’s supervisor appreciates in Juan Jose as an employee are his _.

Professional skills.

The ability to store and manage applications and data in remote locations is known as _.

Cloud computing.

Among the five most desirable attributes in job seekers––management, leadership, problem-solving skills, written and oral communication, and teamwork––which one ranked first?

Written and oral communication.

During Maram’s interview, the interviewer was interested in learning more about Maram’s background and extended the interview an extra 15 minutes. This is an example of what type of non-verbal communication?

Time.

What are the key components of what constitutes culture, as shared by a society, region, or country?

A complex system of values, traits, morals, and customs.

According to a model developed by cultural anthropologist Edward T. Hall, context refers to the stimuli, environment, or ambience surrounding an event. When cultures are placed on a continuum from low to high in relation to context, the model becomes especially useful for helping to understand differences in _.

Communication styles.

The belief in the superiority of one's own culture, an attitude found naturally in all cultures, is known as _.

Ethnocentrism.

What term describes the oversimplified perception of a behavior pattern or characteristic applied uncritically to entire groups?

Stereotyping.

Power distance refers to how people in different societies see and address differences in _.

Equality.

Tolerance means learning about those who are not like us and being receptive to new experiences. One of the best ways to develop this trait is to practice _.

Empathy.