Business Communication Polishing Your Professional Presence, Second Canadian Edition, 2E BY Barbara G. Shwom
Email: richard@qwconsultancy.com
Business Communication: Polishing Your Professional Presence, 2Ce (Shwom/Snyder) Chapter 1 Becoming a Successful Business Communicator 1) All of the following are examples of communicating EXCEPT A) posting updates on Facebook to keep in touch with geographically distant friends and family. B) emailing your employer to confirm scheduling issues. C) speaking to your mother on the phone. D) gesturing across the table to a friend to get them to stop telling the story they have begun. E) reciting a list of dates to memorize them for an upcoming exam. Answer: E Explanation: All of the other choices are examples of the complex process of communication: planning, creating, delivering, and interpreting messages. This choice is simply a means to learn and retain information. Diff: 1 Type: MC Objective: LO 1.1 2) The communication skills you already possess ________ in the workplace. A) will likely hamper your attempts to communicate B) are inapplicable to communication C) are most likely sufficient to meet the challenges of communication D) will be valuable to you for communicating E) must all be unlearned if you want to successfully communicate Answer: D Explanation: The communication skills you have already developed will be valuable to you in the workplace, where communication is considered to be the most important of all abilities you can possess. However, your current skills may not be sufficient to meet many challenges of communicating in the workplace. Diff: 1 Type: MC Objective: LO 1.1 3) Which of the following is NOT an example of communication? A) texting a colleague that you will be a few minutes late for your meeting B) tweeting that you are headed to a concert in the park C) updating your page on a social networking site D) listening to classic music on iTunes E) whispering to a friend during a meeting Answer: D Explanation: All of the other choices are examples of the complex process of communication: planning, creating, delivering, and interpreting messages. In this choice you are using an electronic device to listen to music, but are not seeking to share information with others. Diff: 1 Type: MC Objective: LO 1.1
1 .
4) Which of the following workplace activities is NOT one in which your communication skills will be utilized? A) calculating whether sales are up this quarter using the latest figures B) explaining why sales were down last quarter C) persuading your colleagues that your idea will likely lead to increased sales D) ensuring that your department understands that increasing sales is the top priority E) discussing your employee's poor sales figures without making them feel defensive Answer: A Explanation: All of the other choices represent situations in which you will need to use your communication skills. Computing sales figures from data is not an example of communication. Diff: 1 Type: MC Objective: LO 1.1 5) In 2018, the Royal Bank of Canada produced a fascinating report on youth and entry-level skills and employability called Humans Wanted. Which of the following skill is identified as being critical to personal and professional success? A) technological literacy B) creative thinking C) dexterity D) active listening E) industry-specific knowledge Answer: D Explanation: Skills identified as being critical include: critical thinking, coordination and collaboration, social perceptiveness, active listening, and complex problem solving. Diff: 2 Type: MC Objective: LO 1.1 6) The Council of Canada surveyed 95 leading Canadian employers to produce its 2018 report, Navigating Change. Which of the following skills were identified as top requirements for entry-level hires? A) leadership skills and communication B) flexibility and entrepreneurial skills C) communication skills and teamwork skills D) teamwork skills and strategic planning skills E) strong work ethic and initiative Answer: C Explanation: These were the top ranked skills sets. Diff: 1 Type: MC Objective: LO 1.1
2 .
Ryan, a recent college graduate, possesses exemplary written and oral communication skills. Ryan always received top marks for college writing assignments such as reports, and was a successful member of the school debate team. 7) As Ryan begins a job search, Ryan can expect that ________. A) being an effective communicator will be a competitive advantage B) most post-secondary graduates possess similar communication skills C) employers will not be unduly impressed by these skills, as most people in the workplace have mastered them D) this ability might hinder opportunities as a job candidate E) excellent speaking skills will be a plus for job opportunities, but writing skills are taken for granted in the workplace Answer: A Explanation: Employers who recognize the value of communication skills may pay a premium to get employees with those skills. Strong communication skills are highly valued in the workplace. Thus, developing proficiency in this area can enhance your professional and personal success. Diff: 2 Type: MC Objective: LO 1.1 8) In terms of Ryan's career, Ryan's communication skills ________. A) will not help find a job but will help keep the job B) will give Ryan prestige in the job but will not make any difference in salary potential C) will be perceived as valuable by employers but cannot translate into monetary savings for the company D) may give an opportunity to produce documents that save money or generate income for the company E) may have a positive impact on Ryan's professional life but a negative impact on Ryan's personal life Answer: D Explanation: Even a small change in communication can have a large return on investment for an organization, enabling it to save money or generate income. A skilled communicator can improve a company's public image and employee satisfaction; earn up to three times as much as a poor communicator; and apply their communication skills to their personal life as well. Diff: 2 Type: MC Objective: LO 1.1
3 .
9) Research confirms that communication can help your career and your employer in all of the following ways EXCEPT which of the following? A) Communication skills will help you find a job. B) Communication skills will make employers overlook that you do not have the necessary qualifications for a job. C) Communication skills will make you a more valuable employee. D) Communication skills can improve your salary. E) Communication skills can have a positive impact on your life outside of work. Answer: B Explanation: Because communication is a valued commodity in the workplace, it can enhance your professional and personal success. Research confirms that it will help your career and your employer in all of the ways described in the other choices. Diff: 1 Type: MC Objective: LO 1.1 Kaylin just graduated from college in June. For the last three years Kaylin successfully ran a small business at the school. The business arranged for the delivery of personalized birthday cakes and other gifts to students in the school. Since many of these students were from out of the province or even out of the country, this service provided a way for their family and friends back home to celebrate special occasions. Kaylin used social media like Facebook and Twitter to remind potential customers of upcoming birthdays and other gift-giving occasions such as holidays or campus events (care packages for mid-term exams, picnic packs to celebrate the arrival of spring after a snowy winter, etc.). 10) Prospective employers are likely to ________. A) admire Kaylin's initiative but see little application to a "real job" B) think Kaylin should have focused on course studies while at school instead of on a side venture C) expect that Kaylin, as a successful entrepreneur, will have experience with many types of business communication D) place little value on a hobby that did not lead to many valuable skills E) impress upon Kaylin that real business communication will be very different from what Kaylin engaged in as an entrepreneur Answer: C Explanation: If you run your own small business as an entrepreneur, your communication abilities will be especially critical since most of the communication responsibilities will fall squarely on your shoulders. Diff: 2 Type: MC Objective: LO 1.1
4 .