Title: Teamwork and Communication
Course: Demo 1

Q: Which of the following definitions best describes a team (or work team)?
- a group of people who go about their jobs independently and meet primarily to share information
- a group of people performing the same job functions and working in the same office space
- a group of people with complementary skills who work together to achieve a specific goal
A: a group of people with complementary skills who work together to achieve a specific goal

Q: A working group is best described as:
- a group of people with complementary skills who work together to achieve a specific goal
- a group of people performing the same job functions and working in the same office space
- a group of people who go about their jobs independently and meet primarily to share information
A: a group of people who go about their jobs independently and meet primarily to share information

Q: Lola works at ActionTech’s headquarters where she leads a team of eight people. The team is focused on providing technical support and customer service for ActionTech’s new line of wearable computing gear for runners. It is Lola’s sole responsibility to set team goals, assign tasks and monitor the performance of team members. Lola reports to her manager on team progress, outcomes and performance metrics. Lola’s team structure is:
- a self-managing team
- a virtual team
- a manager-led team
A: a manager-led team

Q: Michael is a cybersecurity analyst for a regional bank. His work team includes two other analysts, two developers and a software quality/testing engineer. All of the team members are focused on identifying vulnerabilities and protecting the bank’s systems against cybersecurity threats. Michael and his colleagues work independently to plan and schedule work, share tasks and meet performance objectives set by the team leader. Michael’s team structure is:
- a manager-led team
- a virtual team
- a self-managing team
A: a self-managing team

Q: Choose the answer(s) below that describe a work team rather than a work group.
- employees from different parts of the business working together to develop a new product
- a workplace committee that plans office social events and celebrations
- employees working in the same department who attend periodic departmental meetings
A: employees from different parts of the business working together to develop a new product; a workplace committee that plans office social events and celebrations

Q: Key characteristics of work teams include:
- teams have collective accountability for achieving specific common goals
- teams function interdependently to share information, input, and expertise
- teams are co-located in the same physical space
A: teams have collective accountability for achieving specific common goals; teams function interdependently to share information, input, and expertise

Q: Key characteristics of work teams include:
- teams have authority and decision-making power to pursue their goals and complete assignments
- teams are stable and remain intact long enough to finish their assigned tasks
- all team members report through the same department and/or management chain
A: teams have authority and decision-making power to pursue their goals and complete assignments; teams are stable and remain intact long enough to finish their assigned tasks

Q: Research evidence cited in the reading states that team-based operations provide important benefits to businesses including:
- improved productivity
- better product and service quality
- decreased employee theft
A: improved productivity; better product and service quality

Q: Businesses that implement team-based operations can expect which of the following performance improvements according to research cited in the reading?
- better customer service
- higher employee satisfaction
- quicker time-to-market for new products
A: better customer service; higher employee satisfaction

Q: Bruce Tuckman identified forming, storming, norming, and performing as four phases of:
- product development
- business development
- team development
A: team development

Q: According to Bruce Tuckman, forming, storming, norming and performing are:
- inevitable and necessary parts of a successful team’s evolution
- characterized by common sets of interpersonal dynamics among team members
- obstacles to a team’s ability to function effectively
A: inevitable and necessary parts of a successful team’s evolution; characterized by common sets of interpersonal dynamics among team members

Q: During which phase of team development are team members focused primarily on defining tasks, establishing a schedule, organizing the team’s work and building relationships?
- storming
- norming
- forming
A: forming

Q: Interpersonal conflict between team members is most likely to surface and become contentious during the ________ phase of team development.
- forming
- performing
- storming
A: storming

Q: A team in the ________ phase is transitioning to a period when it focuses on developing shared values and expectations for how to work together and facilitate collaboration.
- storming
- performing
- norming
A: norming

Q: Working easily together on interdependent tasks, effective communication and high motivation are most characteristic of which phase of team development?
- forming
- norming
- performing
A: performing

Q: After a kick-off session and six contentious weekly team meetings, Lola is struggling to align her team around common expectations. These expectations are: how to work together, communicate effectively, and identify appropriate hand-off points as her team provides customer service and technical support for a new product line. Two team members in particular keep butting heads on every issue and Lola is losing patience with their inability to work together. Based on Bruce Tuckman’s theory of team development, where is Lola’s team currently in the evolution process?
- performing
- norming
- storming
A: storming

Q: The productivity of a group in the forming stage is:
- moderate
- high
- minimal
A: minimal

Q: The productivity of a group in the norming stage is:
- minimal
- high
- moderate
A: moderate

Q: The productivity of a group in the performing stage is:
- minimal
- moderate
- high
A: high

Q: What key characteristic(s) may be seen when groups are in a norming stage?
- distrust
- synergy
- collaboration
A: collaboration

Q: ________ is the tendency to conform to group pressure in making decisions, while failing to think critically or to consider outside influences.
- Group dynamic
- Group cohesiveness
- Groupthink
A: Groupthink

Q: Successful teams require:
- inconsistent management
- volatile management
- supportive management
A: supportive management

Q: When hiring new managers, employers are looking for people with the ability to develop and sustain ________ because ________ is the chief cause of ineffective teamwork.
- productivity : lack of productivity
- consensus : inability to achieve consensus
- motivation : failure to maintain high levels of motivation
A: motivation : failure to maintain high levels of motivation

Q: “Groups are most effective when their members like being members of the group.” This is the principle of:
- team motivation
- groupthink
- group cohesiveness
A: group cohesiveness

Q: Which of the following is NOT a factor that typically contributes to successful teamwork?
- members work better together than individually
- members trust one another
- leadership remains consistent over time
A: leadership remains consistent over time

Q: Which of the following are factors that typically contribute to successful teamwork?
- members depend on each other
- members become boosters
- members work better individually than together
A: members depend on each other; members become boosters

Q: Teams can fail because of tasks team members do (or fail to do), as well as tasks that managers do (or fail to do). Which of the following are leading causes of team failure linked primarily to what MANAGERS do or don’t do effectively?
- failure to commit needed resources like funding or personnel
- failure to delegate authority and seek consensual decisions
- failure to cooperate on common goals and activities
A: failure to commit needed resources like funding or personnel; failure to delegate authority and seek consensual decisions

Q: The exchange of information or ideas between sender and receiver is known as:
- active listening
- feedback
- communication
A: communication

Q: In order to be in business, it is essential to develop relationships inside the organization as well as with your customers. These relationships allow you to:
- Build trust
- Help solve your customer’s problems
- Be promoted more quickly.
A: Build trust; Help solve your customer’s problems

Q: As your presentation to work colleagues comes to a close, you prepare for the question-and-answer (Q&A) portion. You know that during Q&A it is important to do all of the following EXCEPT:
- actively listen to colleagues’ comments and check your understanding of the questions they pose
- take notes to signal you are listening and to ensure you remember what was discussed
- deflect any critical comments or difficult-to-answer questions to avoid appearing unprepared
A: deflect any critical comments or difficult-to-answer questions to avoid appearing unprepared

Q: Effective communication in the workplace is essential to:
- being a true partner with colleagues and customers
- being able to help solve customers’ problems
- building relationships and trust
A: being a true partner with colleagues and customers; being able to help solve customers’ problems; building relationships and trust

Q: In business, effective managers use:
- primarily verbal communication
- primarily written communication
- a combination of verbal, nonverbal, and written communication
A: a combination of verbal, nonverbal, and written communication

Q: The Mehrabian formula explains that in situations when verbal and nonverbal communication do not match, people tend to:
- believe the words more than the facial expressions
- stop believing either the words or the facial expressions
- believe the facial expressions more than the words
A: believe the facial expressions more than the words

Q: The primary advantages of verbal communication include:
- being powerful, fast, and natural
- voice inflections that help senders and receivers understand more clearly
- easy retention for future reference
A: being powerful, fast, and natural; voice inflections that help senders and receivers understand more clearly

Q: You start to write an end-of-week email progress report to your manager. It has been a very busy week and your manager has been out of the office. Therefore, there is a lot of ground to cover. Which of the following approaches is most likely to make this an effective business communication?
- list each milestone with all the accompanying details she might possibly be interested in, even though it’s a very long message
- send a one-line text message, with emojis, to say the week has been pretty good
- provide a brief overview of key milestones from the week, and offer to provide more detail upon request
A: provide a brief overview of key milestones from the week, and offer to provide more detail upon request

Q: In business communication, which of the following channels are considered informal – and therefore not appropriate for communicating official company business?
- text messaging
- instant messaging
- Email
A: text messaging; instant messaging

Q: What is proper etiquette regarding electronic devices during business meetings you attend in person?
- leave all electronic devices behind
- use electronic devices as you would outside the meeting
- bring electronic devices but silence them or turn them off
A: bring electronic devices but silence them or turn them off

Q: Letters, memos, proposals, and other written communication are considered formal:
- only when they are sent on paper (hard copy)
- only when they are transmitted electronically, typically via email
- regardless of whether they are sent on paper or electronically
A: regardless of whether they are sent on paper or electronically

Q: In email messages, using all capital letters denotes:
- nothing out of the ordinary
- you are excited or happy
- you are shouting or angry
A: you are shouting or angry

Q: Which of the following types of business information are typically inappropriate to communicate via informal channels like text message, instant message or social media?
- product pricing
- company policies
- meeting dates, times and locations
A: product pricing; company policies

Q: When is it appropriate to use social networking sites for business purposes?
- To join conversations and add your expertise and value.
- To build relationships and conduct professional networking.
- It is never appropriate to use social networking sites for business purposes.
A: To join conversations and add your expertise and value.; To build relationships and conduct professional networking.

Q: When using email for business communications, it is advisable to:
- Use text messaging abbreviations like “ur” and “2nite”
- Always “reply to all” when responding to an email message
- Check for proper spelling and grammar before sending a message
A: Check for proper spelling and grammar before sending a message

Q: You have some news to share with your manager. You’ve decided to take a new job, and you’re giving your two weeks’ notice. It’s bad news for him but good news for you. What is the best way to communicate this information to your manager?
- Send an email message to your manager and CC your manager’s boss
- Send a text message first and follow up with a phone call
- Talk to your manager first and follow up in written form if necessary
A: Talk to your manager first and follow up in written form if necessary

Q: Communication that flows horizontally across the organization among people working at the same level is known as:
- downward communication
- upward communication
- lateral communication
A: lateral communication

Q: The directives, policy statements, and memos a manager receives from his boss and other company leaders are considered:
- upward communication
- lateral communication
- downward communication
A: downward communication

Q: The weekly report you prepare for your supervisor about your team’s progress toward performance targets is considered:
- downward communication
- lateral communication
- upward communication
A: upward communication

Q: The memo about ideas for improving efficiency that you send to your supervisor is an example of
- lateral communication
- downward communication
- upward communication
A: upward communication

Q: Within a business, formal communication:
- may take place with people both inside and outside the organization
- follows the organization’s chain of command for internal communication
- involves planned, prepared communication pieces and artifacts
A: may take place with people both inside and outside the organization; follows the organization’s chain of command for internal communication; involves planned, prepared communication pieces and artifacts

Q: An organization’s formal communication network consists of all communications that flow along its official lines of authority. This means that the lines of communication flow the same direction as
- its organizational chart
- reporting relationships
- casual communication channels
A: its organizational chart; reporting relationships

Q: Which of the following are considered informal communications?
- a lunch conversation with your colleague to discuss an upcoming presentation
- an instant message from someone you supervise to let you know she just signed a new customer
- a memo to your boss summarizing decisions made at a meeting he missed
A: a lunch conversation with your colleague to discuss an upcoming presentation; an instant message from someone you supervise to let you know she just signed a new customer

Q: Which of the following are considered informal communications?
- a text message from a client letting you know that she is running late for a meeting
- a conversation with your supervisor while riding in the elevator
- an email from the Human Resource Department containing information about the deadline to enroll in the company retirement plan
A: a text message from a client letting you know that she is running late for a meeting; a conversation with your supervisor while riding in the elevator

Q: Which of the following are considered formal communications?
- a monthly budget report from the accounting analyst who supports your team
- an email message from the CEO to all employees introducing a new vice president who was hired this week
- an email message from the CEO asking if you can stop by her office before going home
A: a monthly budget report from the accounting analyst who supports your team; an email message from the CEO to all employees introducing a new vice president who was hired this week

Q: The informal communication network, or grapevine:
- is not important because it is unplanned and may involve rumors, untruths, and trivial topics
- is moderately important, depending on what is happening within the organization and leadership
- is extremely important because it is widespread and carries information very quickly
A: is extremely important because it is widespread and carries information very quickly

Q: ________ is the distortion or withholding of information to manage a person’s reactions.
- Workplace gossip
- Semantics
- Filtering
A: Filtering

Q: When someone receiving or sending a message is upset either about the message topic or something totally unrelated, and those feelings get in the way of communication, it can result in a(n)
- lack of source credibility
- information overload
- emotional disconnect
A: emotional disconnect

Q: Filtering creates communication problems within an organization because:
- each sender translates the message into his or her own words, thus creating their own version of the message
- it prevents people from getting a complete picture of what’s really happening
- it may provide too much information or the wrong types of information to people
A: each sender translates the message into his or her own words, thus creating their own version of the message; it prevents people from getting a complete picture of what’s really happening

Q: When people filter information to see and hear only what they want to get out of a message, it is known as:
- biased language
- semantics
- selective perception
A: selective perception

Q: Every day, Tania receives more than 250 work-related email messages, on top of frequent instant messaging conversations with colleagues. Tania is also expected to review and respond to two daily project status reports. Further, she tries to scan 3–5 free daily e-newsletters related to her work, and monitors customer support inquiries when they arrive. She is struggling to keep up and is likely experiencing:
- excessive semantics
- inadequate filtering
- information overload
A: information overload

Q: Lack of source credibility is a likely communication problem or barrier when:
- the sender is perceived as untrustworthy
- the sender has communicated erroneous information in the past
- the sender is not part of the management team of the business
A: the sender is perceived as untrustworthy; the sender has communicated erroneous information in the past

Q: To avoid communication problems related to semantics and jargon, before composing a message it is always a good idea to consider:
- Who will receive this communication?
- Will this person understand the abbreviations and specialized terms I often use?
- Who is at the root of the company’s gossip network?
A: Who will receive this communication?; Will this person understand the abbreviations and specialized terms I often use?

Q: Active listening helps overcome communication problems associated with poor listening skills by:
- giving full attention to what other people are saying
- taking time to understand the points being made
- avoiding interruptions by asking no questions
A: giving full attention to what other people are saying; taking time to understand the points being made

Q: Which of the following are examples of biased language?
- using gender-specific terms like "chairman" and "salesman" instead of gender-neutral terms like "chairperson" and "sales representative"
- referring to someone’s ethnicity with an unnecessary descriptor, such as "I’d like you to meet our Asian sales representative, Julianne."
- writing an email message to your supervisor when you’re very upset about a hiring decision you just heard about
A: using gender-specific terms like "chairman" and "salesman" instead of gender-neutral terms like "chairperson" and "sales representative"; referring to someone’s ethnicity with an unnecessary descriptor, such as "I’d like you to meet our Asian sales representative, Julianne."