Communicating at Work, 12e (Adler)
Chapter 8 Effective Meetings
1) Which of the following statements about meetings is true?
A) Information sharing is the primary function of a ritual activity.
B) Common types of meetings include information-sharing meetings, problem-solving meetings,
and ritual activities.
C) Although efficient meetings indicate an organization’s health, inefficient meetings are usually
unrelated to a firm’s culture.
D) Each meeting should have only one purpose: to ensure that it does not waste attendees’ time.
2) Emilio is a member of a small research team that is working on developing a cure for
Alzheimer’s. Once a week, team members meet to share their most recent findings. These
gatherings illustrate the ________ function of meetings.
A) information-sharing
B) problem-solving
C) decision-making
D) ritual activity
3) Katrina writes novels. Two or three times a year, she goes to writers’ workshops, where she
learns about different writing techniques. These workshops are an example of what type of
meeting?
A) decision-making
B) problem-solving
C) ritual
D) information-sharing
4) A small team of salespeople receives several negative reviews from customers about their
current product, so they decide to have a meeting to develop potential solutions to eliminate the
existing flaws. As a result of their meeting, the company implements the suggestions they offered,
which leads to a significant increase in sales. The meeting held by the salespeople would be best
described as a(n)
A) information-sharing meeting.
B) problem-solving meeting.
C) ritual activity.
D) seminar.
5) Armando is a human resources manager. Today he is meeting with the company vice president
and the marketing manager to select a job applicant to become the new assistant marketing
manager. This meeting would best be described as a(n) ________ meeting.
A) decision-making
B) ritual activity
C) information-sharing
D) policy
6) If a meeting served a social rather than a task function, it would be best described as a(n)
A) information-sharing meeting.
B) problem-solving meeting.
C) decision-making meeting.
D) ritual activity.
7) As the owner of a small computer store, Giselle decided that the best way to improve company
morale was to hold weekly lunches to allow her employees to interact on a social level. As a result,
Giselle’s employees became more committed to the company and to one another because they
began to form interpersonal relationships. Which of the following types of meetings did Giselle
organize?
A) ritual activity
B) problem-solving
C) decision-making
D) information-sharing
8) One of the primary intended purposes of ritual activity meetings is to
A) reaffirm members’ commitment.
B) share important company information with members.
C) make decisions affecting the company.
D) solve problems affecting the organization.
9) Which of the following statements about virtual meetings is true?
A) Virtual meetings are often expensive.
B) Virtual require participants to attend the entire meeting, even if their role is limited.
C) Virtual meetings can utilize asynchronous communication to allow people to participate at
different times.
D) Virtual meetings are less likely than in-person meetings to be awkward and dull.
10) Which of the following is true about telephone conferences?
A) Hosting a telephone conference is typically quite expensive and complicated.
B) Telephone conferences make it possible for members in multiple locations to efficiently figure
out details.
C) Members must go through extensive training before using a telephone conference.
D) Meetings conducted by telephone conferences require more time than meetings conducted by
e-mail.
11) Which of the following statements about web conferencing is true?
A) A webinar is a type of web conference that encourages a high degree of audience participation.
B) Most web conferences are prerecorded to allow for editing before they are presented to an
audience.
C) One disadvantage of web conferences is that they do not allow audience tracking.
D) Web conferences usually take place in real time, but they may be recorded.
12) Cassidy is a regional manager for a company that sells custom telecommunications solutions.
She needs to hold a virtual meeting with nine managers who are all located in different states. As
part of her preparation, she sends the managers a link so they can download an application that will
host the meeting and enable participants to see each other and interact. What type of virtual
meeting is Cassidy leading?
A) a video conference
B) a webinar
C) a web conference
D) a wiki
13) Ariana is giving a lecture on pollinator decline and is streaming the video live via the Internet.
After the presentation, audience members will be able to post questions to a comment board, and
Ariana will do her best to answer them. What type of virtual meeting is Ariana hosting?
A) a video conference
B) a webinar
C) a wiki
D) a conference call
14) Akiro and his colleagues are working on a large construction project. The environmental,
architectural, and marketing specialists are located in three different geographic locations. Team
members do not have time to fly to a central location every time a meeting is needed, yet they need
to be able to have a high level of interaction and want to see each other’s nonverbal
communication. Which of the following types of virtual meetings would you suggest to this team?
A) teleconference
B) chat room
C) videoconference
D) listserve
15) Collaborative, interactive websites that allow team members to add, edit, delete, and share
content are
A) project management tools.
B) wikis.
C) internal social media.
D) team communication platforms.
16) Which of the following statements is true of internal social media?
A) They are apps that teams use to assign tasks and keep track of deadlines.
B) They are instant messaging applications that allow team members to communicate with people
outside the organization.
C) They are an ideal way to share files and information without requiring members to use email.
D) They are online communities that only members of the company can access.
17) Apps, such as Trello, that enable teams to create timelines and assign tasks are
A) project management tools.
B) team communication platforms.
C) internal social media.
D) document sharing software.
18) Shanti is an executive at an image management firm. To help facilitate communication and
collaboration, Shanti and the members of her team use Slack, an online service that allows them to
send instant messages, categorize conversations by topic, and send files, all without needing to
access their email. Shanti and her team are using
A) a team communication platform.
B) a wiki.
C) internal social media.
D) webinars.
19) Kiyo needs to find a way to help his team communicate in a more organized manner than is
possible with email. He would like for them to be able to share files and messages that are easily
searchable in case they need to revisit or confirm something. He would also like to be able to create
private groups so that if only part of the team is working on a particular project, they can exchange
messages and information without clogging the feeds of other team members. Which of the
following solutions would best fulfill Kiyo’s needs?
A) a wiki
B) a team communication platform
C) internal social media
D) a webinar
20) A meeting should probably be avoided if
A) the items to be covered do not require discussion or decision.
B) the job requires input from a variety of people.
C) participants are likely to suggest controversial solutions.
D) the decision to be made will require creative solutions.
21) A meeting should be called when
A) a memo or e-mail would suffice.
B) most team members would consider the matter to be important.
C) one person could handle the matter without needing input.
D) you have already made the decision.
22) In which of the following situations would it be best to call a meeting rather than to send a
memo?
A) The information that is being communicated is controversial.
B) Some key people are not available to attend the meeting.
C) Members do not have time to prepare for the meeting.
D) The reason for meeting would be routine (e.g., reading progress reports).
23) You should handle decisions without a meeting when
A) there is only one correct answer to the question under consideration.
B) the task will require more time than any single person has available.
C) an agenda has been distributed ahead of time.
D) knowledge from several professions is needed.
24) Jeannine has been scheduled to attend a meeting that will cover only trivial matters. Jeannine
does not want to waste time and is trying to decide how to respond. Which of the following actions
would not be recommended?
A) sending a written report rather than attending the meeting
B) suggesting that the task be delegated to a subcommittee rather than holding a meeting
C) explaining your reasons for not wanting to attend
D) failing to show up at the meeting
25) A meeting is advisable when
A) each person on the team has a separate assignment and doesn’t need to consult with others to
complete it.
B) the decision has already been made.
C) an agenda has not been distributed ahead of time.
D) the CEO has already decided what will be done, but employees are likely to have reservations
about the decision.
26) Which of the following best meets the criteria for a well-written agenda item?
A) We will decide on the menu for the fundraising meal.
B) Bring your survey results so we can select which items to include on our fundraiser menu.
C) Discuss the fundraiser.
D) The primary purpose of our meeting on Thursday is to discuss our menu.
27) Which of the following should be included on an agenda?
A) an extensive explanation of each item
B) a list of future meeting dates
C) relevant background information
D) the CEO’s recommendation for how to vote on each item
28) Cassandra is a lawyer for a large company, and she will be hosting a virtual meeting to discuss
an impending merger with a competitor. The executives who will be attending the meeting are
located in several different states. What should Cassandra be sure to include on her agenda that
would not be necessary if she were hosting the meeting in person?
A) the address of the office she works from
B) the length of the meeting
C) a list of attendees
D) the time zone
29) Which of the following statements about agenda items is true?
A) Agenda items may be selected by the group leader or team members.
B) The items included on an agenda should be limited to a simple list of topics.
C) Agenda items should be covered in five minutes or less.
D) Agendas should list the most difficult items first.
30) The concept of a bell-shaped agenda means that
A) the group should appoint one member who will act as a timer, ringing a bell or buzzer when it is
time to move on the next item.
B) every third item on an agenda should be easy to complete so that the group will feel a sense of
success as it moves through the agenda.
C) the more time-consuming and difficult agenda items should be handled in the middle third of
the meeting.
D) the agenda should be distributed to the group three days before the meeting, and the minutes
should be distributed three days after the meeting.
31) Orlando runs a small accounting firm, and he will be hosting a meeting at his office in to
discuss some changes to company policy. Which of the following does Orlando need to do before
the meeting?
A) collect questions from employees
B) distribute an agenda
C) send login information to attendees
D) ask attendees to arrive 15 minutes before the start of the meeting
32) Which of the following is true of planning for a virtual meeting?
A) Planners should send attendees login information one hour before the meeting.
B) Planners should rely on audio technology because it makes participants feel more engaged.
C) Attendees should test their connectivity the night before a meeting.
D) Planners should request that participants review the agenda in advance.
33) To set the correct tone for a virtual meeting, it is a good idea to begin the meeting by
A) establishing etiquette.
B) asking a direct question.
C) proposing a motion.
D) distributing a new agenda.
34) Which of the following is a characteristic of an effective meeting opening?
A) It provides a formal opportunity for attendees to ask questions of the person who called the
meeting.
B) It gives attendees a clear picture of what will be accomplished.
C) It provides extensive background information on the items to be discussed.
D) It launches directly into discussion of the most difficult, important issues.
35) After etiquette has been established, you can create goodwill at the start of the meeting by
asking members to
A) present any complaints they have.
B) discuss the first item on the agenda.
C) briefly share something that is going on in their lives.
D) turn off their microphones when they are not speaking.
36) The executives of a solar energy company are holding a meeting to examine the quarterly
financial reports and discuss the state of the company. During the meeting, they will also decide
whether to pay a special dividend to shareholders. Because the decisions are of interest to an
external audience, the company will most likely
A) follow parliamentary procedure.
B) begin by discussing new business.
C) invite shareholders to open the meeting.
D) conduct the meeting as a webinar.
37) What are the four parts of a standard agenda for a meeting held according to parliamentary
procedure?
A) old business, new business, motions, and a vote
B) motion proposals, a vote, minutes, and new business
C) a reading of the previous agenda, new business, task assignments, and motions
D) a reading of the minutes, reports, unfinished business, and new business
38) The written record of a meeting is referred to as the
A) meeting minutes.
B) motion.
C) agenda.
D) relevancy challenge.
39) When you are using parliamentary procedure, to introduce a motion means to
A) call the meeting to a close.
B) decide to vote on an issue.
C) give the floor to a new speaker.
D) introduce a specific proposal for action.
40) Which of the following is an example of a good parliamentary procedure motion?
A) I move we hire either a second executive assistant or two temporary summer workers.
B) I move we hire a second executive assistant within three months.
C) I move we hire a second executive assistant after we secure new office space, which is more
urgent.
D) I move we hire a second executive assistant. Although, maybe we should hire a second IT
assistant, since most of the additional workload is IT-related.
41) Which of the following is true about a parliamentary procedure motion?
A) A motion should address a single issue.
B) A motion can be amended only by its sponsor.
C) A motion is adopted when another member seconds it.
D) A motion cannot be voted on in the same meeting in which it is introduced.
42) Which of the following does not describe consensus?
A) It ranges from unanimous agreement to “Well, I can live with it.”
B) It occurs when members of a group support a collective decision.
C) It can and will occur in every productive group.
D) It means hammering agreements out of conflicting ideas.
43) The decision mode in which all members agree (at least to some extent) and are willing to
support an idea is known as
A) consensus.
B) yes-yes.
C) concurrence.
D) complementarity.
44) Which of the following statements about consensus is true?
A) Arriving at consensus is typically a fast process.
B) Consensus requires all members to unequivocally support the decision.
C) The use of consensus should be limited to times when the need for agreement is high.
D) Most business decisions are made by consensus.