41)
There is a problem with George. You don’t doubt his knowledge or ability to do the job. However,
lately he has developed a problem concerning his co–workers. He doesn’t need or want their input
to the project. He says that his work is above standards and remarks, “Can I help it if I work with
idiots?” What kind of problem is George most likely exhibiting?
41)
A)
A problem that needs counseling
B)
A problem that needs coaching
C)
A problem that needs person–oriented communication
D)
A problem that needs global communication
42)
You need to turn in your expense account. This is your first one. Mary, your co–worker, has turned
in over 50 in the last two years. As you explain a problem related to turning in your expense
account to her, which response type would be most appropriate for Mary to use?
42)
A)
Deflecting response
B)
Advising response
C)
Probing response
D)
Reflecting response
43)
What does research on interpersonal communication among various cultures and nationalities
confirm about the eight attributes of supportive communication?
43)
A)
The attributes have varying degrees of applicability in solving interpersonal problems in
neutral and achievement–oriented cultures.
B)
The attributes have varying degrees of applicability in solving interpersonal problems.
C)
The attributes have almost universal applicability in solving interpersonal problems.
D)
The attributes have varying degrees of applicability in solving interpersonal problems in
affective and particularistic oriented cultures.
44)
Examples of conjunctive communication include (1) “Relating to what you just said, I’d like to
discuss this.” (2) “… so, that’s how I see it. So what is your opinion?” (3) “Let’s talk about horned
frogs … No, I don’t want to talk about birds … I want to talk about horned frogs in particular and
lizards in general.”
44)
A)
Only statement 1 is an example.
B)
Only statement 2 is an example.
C)
Only statement 3 is an example.
D)
Statements 1 and 2 are both examples.
E)
Statements 2 and 3 are both examples.
45)
What is the statement “You interrupted me three times during the meeting!” an example of?
45)
A)
Owned, not disowned communication
B)
Problem oriented, not person oriented communication
C)
Specific, not global communication
D)
Conjunctive, not disjunctive communication
46)
For a deflecting response to work, which principle of communication should one follow?
46)
A)
Global communication
B)
Owned communication
C)
Descriptive communication
D)
Conjunctive communication
47)
Sharing personal data and engaging quickly in sensitive topics is more likely to occur in which
culture?
47)
A)
A culture with particularistic orientation
B)
A culture with neutral orientation
C)
A culture with affectivity orientation
D)
A culture with achievement orientation
48)
You have just given a report to your boss. He says, “You have a good idea, but I’m afraid
headquarters will think it is a little radical.” What type of communication is this an example of?
48)
A)
Disowned
B)
Supportive
C)
Owned
D)
Disjunctive
49)
Research has found that which of the following is true?
49)
A)
People improve on their listening skills over time.
B)
People only listen at about a 50% effectiveness level.
C)
People speak at a faster rate than they are able to listen.
D)
People tend to become poorer listeners as they age.
50)
Your boss has just left your office. You heard what she said but feel there was a hidden message in
her statements. What type of communication did your boss most likely practice?
50)
A)
Nonsupportive communication (it was person–oriented communication)
B)
Nonsupportive communication (it was problem–oriented communication)
C)
Nonsupportive communication (it was incongruent communication)
D)
Nonsupportive communication (it was evaluative communication)
E)
Supportive communication
51)
In her student evaluations, Morgan notes the following comments: (1) “The course is boring,” (2)
“The room is always cold,” (3) You are a great teacher,” and (4) “You are easy to understand; you
provide real–life examples to clarify your point.”
51)
A)
All the comments are specific communication and are useful.
B)
Only comment 4 is specific communication that is useful.
C)
All the comments are global communication.
D)
Comments 3 and 4 are specific communication and are useful.
52)
Which of the following supervisor statements is an example of coaching?
52)
A)
Let’s sit down and work through the audit process together this time so that you see what I’m
looking for.”
B)
“I’d really like to see you try to approach this problem more optimistically.”
C)
“Your teammates are expressing concern that you don’t handle conflict well.”
D)
“You need to work on your attitude.”
53)
Your co–worker remarks to you, “You are always late to meetings, how come?” Your co–worker is
practicing what type of communication?
53)
A)
Specific
B)
Incongruent
C)
Global
D)
Descriptive
E)
Invalidation
54)
You are channel surfing while watching TV, and you come across a rather rotund individual sitting
by himself talking politics in a rather rushed manner. In the few minutes you watch, you notice that
he has an answer for everything, that his answer is always right, and that he appears to reduce
complex issues to very simplistic definitions. You think to yourself, “I’m glad no one listens to this
person.” The TV person is practicing which form of communication?
54)
A)
Superiority–oriented
B)
Indifference
C)
Imperviousness
D)
Rigidity
E)
None of the answer choices are correct.
55)
What is the statement “I have decided to turn down your request” an example of?
55)
A)
Specific, not global communication
B)
Conjunctive, not disjunctive communication
C)
Owned, not disowned communication
D)
Problem oriented, not person oriented communication
56)
If, in a counseling situation, you are willing to accept that other alternatives besides yours exist,
what type of communication are you practicing?
56)
A)
Indifferent communication
B)
Person–oriented communication
C)
Flexible communication
D)
Superior communication
57)
You notice that your manager frequently interrupts you; when you ask him a question, you have to
repeat it two or three times before he acknowledges you. Your manager is practicing which form of
communication?
57)
A)
Indifference
B)
Rigidity
C)
Superiority–oriented
D)
None of the answer choices are correct.
58)
When using descriptive communication to help modify someone’s behavior, what should a person
do?
58)
A)
First discuss the problem, then the alternatives, then decide on a solution.
B)
Describe the behavior, describe why it’s a bad behavior, then describe what will happen (the
consequences) if the person keeps doing the behavior.
C)
First describe reactions to the behavior, describe the behavior, and then suggest an alternative
behavior.
D)
First describe the behavior, describe reactions to the behavior, then suggest an alternative
behavior.
59)
What are two major problems that result when principles of supportive communication are not
followed while coaching or counseling subordinates?
59)
A)
The person shows anger, aggression, competitiveness, and avoidance, and the person dislikes
the one sending the message.
B)
The person feels put down, ineffectual, or insignificant, and the person shows anger,
aggression, competitiveness, and avoidance.
C)
The person feels put down, ineffectual, or insignificant, and the person is not trustworthy.
D)
The person is not trustworthy, and the person dislikes the one sending the message.
60)
You have noticed since your discussion with Mary about her performance in the team that she
seems withdrawn and not very motivated. What should you suspect about your communication?
60)
A)
It caused some defensiveness in Mary.
B)
It was very supportive.
C)
It caused some disconfirmation in Mary.
D)
It caused both some defensiveness and disconfirmation in Mary.
TRUE/FALSE. Write ‘T’ if the statement is true and ‘F’ if the statement is false.
61)
Your boss usually only likes to discuss his point of view. When you offer another point of view, he
ignores you. He is practicing rigidity in his communication.
61)
62)
Communication that is accurate and honest regardless of whether or not it jeopardizes
interpersonal relationships is supportive communication.
62)
63)
The type of response that provides instruction or direction is an advising response.
63)
64)
You comment to a co–worker, “My supervisor, Maxine, is dictatorial.” This is an example of
person–oriented communication.
64)
65)
Because open responses allow the communicator to control the topic of conversation, it is
appropriate all the time under all circumstances.
65)
66)
Your boss tells you, “I can help you do this better.” This statement lets you know that your boss sees
your problem as an attitude problem.
66)
67)
If the person you are communicating with suddenly begins to drop important names in the
conversation such as “When the general manager, Sue, spoke with me about this matter, I offered
her advice…” you have probably caused this person to feel that he or she has been counseled.
67)
68)
Studies have found that productivity at work is markedly higher when relationships are positive.
68)
69)
If you make the comment, “You are doing it wrong,” to a co–worker, you are engaging in
evaluative communication.
69)
70)
Your supervisor remarks to you, “You spent an hour scheduling meetings today when that could
have been done by your assistant.” Your supervisor is using global communication.
70)
71)
When her boyfriend asks if everything is okay, a woman coldly responds, “Everything is fine.” She
is practicing congruent communication.
71)
72)
If a subordinate’s problem stems from attitudes, personality clashes, or other factors tied to
emotions, his or her boss faces a counseling problem.
72)
73)
Problem–oriented communication focuses on the individual’s personal traits that led to the
unacceptable behavior.
73)
74)
Whereas coaching focuses on attitudes, counseling concentrates on abilities.
74)
75)
You take responsibility for your statements, using first–person words, such as “I,” “me,” and “mine.”
This practice alone ensures that you are practicing validating communication.
75)
76)
A personal management interview program is a regularly scheduled meeting including a manager
and all of his or her employees. The meeting allows everyone the chance to talk together about
particular issues.
76)
77)
One aspect of supportive communicationlistening and responding effectively to someone else’s
statementsis at least as important as delivering supportive messages.
77)
78)
When you use the reflecting response, you are trying to pursue the topic in greater depth by posing
new questions that the speaker hasn’t thought of.
78)
79)
Congruence in communication means that what is communicated verbally and nonverbally
matches what the person is thinking and feeling.
79)
80)
Much of the literature on communication focuses on the accuracy of information being
communicated.
80)
81)
One suggested reason as to why communication remains a major problem for managers is that they
are expected to focus on what organizational goals should be, not how to accomplish the
organizational goals.
81)
82)
When utilizing descriptive communication, evaluative comments should never be made.
82)
83)
Interaction management, which focuses on taking turns speaking, management of timing, and topic
control, has been found to be crucial in supportive communication.
83)
84)
Studies have found that people make fewer mental errors when experiencing positive
relationships.
84)
85)
Although much progress has recently been made in improving the transmission of accurate
messages, comparable progress has not occurred in the interpersonal aspects of communication.
85)
86)
In cultures where individuals are assumed to have a great deal of individual autonomy, coaching
responses are less common than counseling responses in interpersonal problem solving.
86)
ESSAY. Write your answer in the space provided or on a separate sheet of paper.
Find Somebody Else
Ron Davis, the relatively new general manager of the machine tooling group at Parker Manufacturing, was visiting one of
the plants. He scheduled a meeting with Mike Leonard, a plant manager who reported to him.
RON: Mike, I’ve scheduled this meeting with you because I’ve been reviewing performance data and I wanted to give
you some feedback. I know we haven’t talked face–to–face before, but I think it’s time we review how you’re doing. I’m afraid
that some of the things I have to say are not very favorable.
MIKE: Well, since you’re the new boss, I guess I’ll have to listen. I’ve had meetings like this before with new people who
come in my plant and think they know what’s going on.
RON: Look, Mike, I want this to be a two–way interchange. I’m not here to read a verdict to you, and I’m not here to tell
you how to do your job. There are just some areas for improvement I want to review.
MIKE: Okay, sure, I‘ve heard that before. But you called the meeting. Go ahead and lower the boom.
RON: Well, Mike, I don’t think this is lowering the boom. But there are several things you need to hear. One is what I
noticed during the plant tour. I think you’re too chummy with some of your female personnel. You know, one of them might
take offense and level a sexual harassment suit against you.
MIKE: Oh, come on. You haven’t been around this plant before, and you don’t know the informal, friendly relationships
we have. The office staff and the women on the floor are flattered by a little attention now and then.
RON: That may be so, but you need to be more careful. You may not be sensitive to what’s really going on with them. But
that raises another thing I noticedthe appearance of your shop. You know how important it is in Parker to have a neat and
clean shop. As I walked through this morning, I noticed that it wasn’t as orderly and neat as I would like to see it. Having
things in disarray reflects poorly on you, Mike.
MIKE: I’ll stack my plant up against any in Parker for neatness. You may have seen a few tools out of place because
someone was just using them, but we take a lot of pride in our neatness. I don’t see how you can say that things are in
disarray. You’ve got no experience around here, so who are you to judge?
RON: Well, I’m glad you’re sensitive to the neatness issue. I just think you need to pay attention to it, that‘s all. But
regarding neatness, I notice that you don’t dress like a plant manager. I think you’re creating a substandard impression by
not wearing a tie, for example. Casualness in dress can be used as an excuse for workers to come to work in really grubby
attire. That may not be safe.
MIKE: Look, I don’t agree with making a big separation between the managers and the employees. By dressing like
36
people out on the shop floor, I think we eliminate a lot of barriers. Besides, I don’t have the money to buy clothes that might
get oil on them every day. That seems pretty picky to me.
RON: I don’t want to seem picky, Mike. But I do feel strongly about the issues I’ve mentioned. There are some other
things, though, that need to get corrected. One is the appearance of the reports you send into division headquarters. There are
often mistakes, misspellings, and, I suspect, some wrong numbers. I wonder if you are paying attention to these reports. You
seem to be reviewing them superficially.
MIKE: If there is one thing we have too much of, it’s reports. I could spend three–quarters of my time filling out report
forms and generating data for some bean counter in headquarters. We have reports coming out our ears. Why don’t you give
us a chance to get our work done and eliminate all this paperwork?
RON: You know as well as I do, Mike, that we need to carefully monitor our productivity, quality, and costs. You just
need to get more serious about taking care of that part of your responsibility.
MIKE: Okay. I’m not going to fight about that. It’s a losing battle for me. No one at headquarters will ever decrease their
demand for reports. But, listen, Ron, I also have one question for you.
RON: Okay. What’s that?
MIKE: Why don’t you go find somebody else to pick on?
87)
Does Mike need coaching or counseling? What evidence do you have to support your conclusion?
88)
Which one of the eight attributes of supportive communication is most violated? Why?
89)
Explain and give an example for each of two major obstacles to effective interpersonal communication.
90)
Compare and contrast coaching and counseling. Give examples of both coaching and counseling.
Rejected Plans Case
The following dialogue occurred between two employees in a large firm. The conversation illustrates several characteristics
of supportive communication.
SUSETTE: How did your meeting go with Mr. Schmidt yesterday?
LEONARDO: Well, uh, it went … aaah … it was no big deal.
SUSETTE: It looks as if you’re pretty upset about it.
LEONARDO: Yeah, I am. It was a totally frustrating experience. I, uh, well, let‘s just say I would like to forget the whole
thing.
SUSETTE: Things must not have gone as well as you had hoped they would.
LEONARDO: I’ll say! That guy was impossible. I thought the plans I submitted were very clear and well thought out. Then
he rejected the entire package.
SUSETTE: You mean he didn’t accept any of them?
LEONARDO: You got it.
SUSETTE: I’ve seen your work before, Leonardo. You’ve always done a first–rate job. It’s hard for me to figure out why your
plans were rejected by Schmidt. What did he say about them?
LEONARDO: He said they were unrealistic and too difficult to implement, and …
SUSETTE: Really?
LEONARDO: Yeah, and when he said that I felt he was attacking me personally. But, on the other hand, I was also angry
because I thought my plans were very good, and, you know, I paid close attention to every detail in those plans.
SUSETTE: I’m certain that you did.
39
LEONARDO: It just really ticks me off.
SUSETTE: I’ll bet it does. I would be upset, too.
LEONARDO: Schmidt has something against me.
SUSETTE: After all the effort you put into those plans, you still couldn’t figure out whether Schmidt was rejecting you or
your plans, right?
LEONARDO: Yeah. Right. How could you tell?
SUSETTE: I can really understand your confusion and uncertainty when you felt Schmidt’s actions were unreasonable.
LEONARDO: I just don’t understand why he did what he did.
SUSETTE: Sure. If he said your plans were unrealistic, what does that mean? I mean, how can you deal with a rationale like
that? It’s just too generalmeaningless, even. Did he mention anything specific? Did you ask him to point out some problems
or explain the reasons for his rejection more clearly?
LEONARDO: Good point, but, uh, you know ... I was so disappointed at the rejection that I was kinda like in outer space.
You know what I mean?
SUSETTE: Yeah. It’s an incapacitating experience. You have so much invested personally that you try to divest as fast as you
can to save what little self–respect is left.
LEONARDO: That’s it all right. I just wanted to get out of there before I said something I would be sorry for.
SUSETTE: Yet, in the back of your mind, you probably figured that Schmidt wouldn’t risk the company’s future just because
he didn’t like you personally. But then, well … the plans were good! It’s hard to deal with that contradiction on the spot, isn’t
it?
LEONARDO: Exactly. I knew I should have pushed him for more information, but, uh, I just stood there like a dummy. But
what can you do about it now? It’s spilled milk.
SUSETTE: I don’t think it’s a total loss, Leonardo. I mean, from what you have told mewhat he said and what you saidI
don’t think that a conclusion can be reached. Maybe he doesn‘t understand the plans, or maybe it was just his off day. Who
knows? It could be a lot of things. What would you think about pinning Schmidt down by asking for his objections, point by
point? Do you think it would help to talk to him again?
LEONARDO: Well, I would sure know a lot more than I know now. As it is, I wouldn’t know where to begin revising or
modifying the plans. And you’re right, I really don’t know what Schmidt thinks about me or my work. Sometimes I just react
and interpret with little or no evidence.
SUSETTE: Maybe, uh … maybe another meeting would be a good thing, then.
LEONARDO: Well, I guess I should get off my duff and schedule an appointment with him for next week. I am curious to
find out what the problem is, with the plans, or me. (Pause) Thanks, Susette, for helping me work through this thing.
91)
Which statements in the conversation were most helpful? Which were least helpful or could have produced
defensiveness or closed off the conversation?
92)
Categorize each statement in the case according to the supportive communication characteristic or type of
response it represents. For example, the first statement by Leonardo obviously is not very congruent, but the
second one is much more so.