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Chapter 2 Solutions to Activities
2.1 Soft Skills: Which Competencies Are More Desirable? (Obj. 1)
Students should find a range of soft skills mentioned, including oral and written communication
skills and team skills. But they will also find a combination of soft skills and character traits
2.2 Soft Skills: Personal Strengths Inventory (Obj. 1)
Your students should submit a list of four categories of soft skills. Encourage them to frame
statements that will be useful when they prepare a résumé later in the course. For example, under
2.3 Reaching Group Decisions: Majority, Consensus, or What? (Obj. 1)
More than one strategy may be appropriate for these situations. The authors’ recommendations
follow.
2.4 Resolving Workplace Conflicts: Apply a Plan (Obj. 1)
Students should apply the following six-step procedure: (1) Listen to each person's position. (2)
Understand the other's point of view. Ask questions and paraphrase what you hear. (3) Show a
2.5 Workplace Conflict: The Perils of Groupthink (Obj. 1)
2.6 Groupthink: Fastest Decision May Not Be Best (Obj. 1)
a. This group seemed too eager to make a quick decision. It failed to consider alternatives, and
b. The following conditions can lead to groupthink: team members with similar backgrounds, a
c. Groups can avoid groupthink by striving for team diversity in age, gender, background,
2.7 Meeting Malaise: Beyond Contempt (Obj. 2)
Answers will vary, but most will support the advice provided in this book. John Hollon, author of
“Meeting Malaise” [(2007, November 5). Workforce Management, p. 58] admits that “structured,
tightly focused meetings with a clear purpose and goal can serve a business purpose.” He
acknowledges that meetings can be “a road map to focus the participants on what needs to get
2.8 Evaluating Meetings: Productive or Not? (Obj. 2)
Getting Ready for the Meeting
Conducting the Meeting
Ending the Meeting and Following Up
Virtual Meetings
Students may want to explore the following questions and add their own observations:
a. What technology was used to connect the participants? Was it effective overall?
2.9 Stand-Up Meetings: Keeping Business Meetings Short and Sweet (Obj. 2)
Answers will vary. Students may come up with creative methods to ensure turn-taking and
participation by instituting a system of sanctions and rewards. They may realize that not all
companies or industries may be able or willing to hold supershort daily stand-up meetings.
Rather, this type of quickie meeting seems most suitable for highly creative, design- and
2.10 Virtual Meetings: Improving Distance Meeting Buy-In (Obj. 2)
c. Reminding participants of ground rules such as turning off or muting cell phones and not
d. Using interactivity helps prevent group members from losing interest. A technique such as
2.11 Virtual Meetings: Connecting by Skype to Clarify an Order (Obj. 2)
This simulation should proceed smoothly as long as each participating student has created a
Skype account and downloaded the Skype connection software or app. Students could be asked
to create or be given brief scripts, each defining the individual participant’s role and motivation.
This should help the students to assume Mr. Been’s and his caller’s personas. The script could
2.12 Web Conferencing: Take a Quick Tour (Obj. 2)
This engaging video makes Web conferencing sound simple and easy.
Step 3. Show and tell involves sharing your desktop with participants. You can show documents,
2.13 Rating Your Listening Skills (Obj. 3)
This quiz focuses attention on good listening techniques as presented in the textbook. Although
2.14 Listening: Recognizing Good Habits (Obj. 3)
Students should be able to name five good and five bad listening behaviors. They should clearly
2.15 Listening: An In-Person or Virtual Social Media Interview
The answers will vary. Students could brainstorm and discuss their interview questions in class
or prepare questions at home. Then they could approach their interviewee in person, by phone,
2.16 Listening and Nonverbal Cues: Skills Required in Various Careers (Objs. 3, 4)
Student teams should generate lists of listening and nonverbal cues that include some of the
following: good eye contact, avoiding being distracted by others while listening, not interrupting,
taking notes, paraphrasing instructions, asking pertinent questions in a nonthreatening manner,
2.17 Nonverbal Communication: Body Language (Obj. 4)
The following body movements do not necessarily mean the same thing when used by different
individuals. Remember that to a certain degree nonverbal communication can be culture or
subculture specific, and context always plays a major role when you interpret this type of
communication. Students may have other interpretations, but these body movements can be
construed to mean the following:
2.18 Nonverbal Communication: Universal Sign for I Goofed (Obj. 4)
This is a good exercise for teams. Suggest that team members take turns demonstrating each of
the nonverbal messages described here. They should then discuss how effective each would be.
2.19 Verbal vs. Nonverbal Signals (Obj. 4)
Although this is a neat trick, it hardly proves that nonverbal signals are ALWAYS more
meaningful than verbal signals. The truth is that nonverbal signals nearly always depend on
context. That is, the situation, setting, and accompanying verbal signals are necessary to interpret
2.20 Nonverbal Communication: Signals Sent by Casual Attire (Obj. 4)
This activity can be expanded into a research paper topic. A variation on this activity relies on
student experiences. Instead of conducting interviews in the community, they can conduct a
2.21 Nonverbal Communication: Comparing and Contrasting Casual and Business Casual
(Obj. 4)
Team reports defining business casual will probably include some of the following information:
Women should wear skirts, slacks, blouses, and jackets. Skirts should be no shorter than 2 inches
above the knee. Hosiery should be worn in the fall and winter. No sandals or open-toed shoes,
2.22 The Silent Language of Tattoos: How Much Self-Expression on the Job? (Obj. 4)
The wisdom of permanent body adornment aside, most people would probably still agree that it
is unwise to risk rejection when applying for a job simply for the sake of showing off a tattoo.
Even young people may agree that it may be opportune sometimes to conceal tattoos and
piercings that can be hidden. The discussion could be interesting if students manifest strong
opinions for openly and proudly wearing their body art or, conversely, against doing so. You may
2.23 Nonverbal Communication Around the World (Obj. 4)
Students should be able to find a number of gestures and their meanings discussed at various
websites. Here is one example: “The fingertip kiss, in which the tips of the thumb and fingers are
2.24 Guide to Business Etiquette and Workplace Manners: Sharpening Your Skills
(Obj. 5)
Students are encouraged to take the pretest and study the 17 business etiquette topics presented at
www.cengagebrain.com. Instructors will find a complete discussion guide plus three posttests
2.25 Business Etiquette: Breaking the Smartphone Habit in Meetings (Obj. 5)
(a) Short policy statement: In using a smartphone or other wireless device, be professional.
Respect others.
(b) More complete policy:
advance.
Leave the room if you must take a call or respond to an e-mail.
Shut the door quietly when you exit and enter the room.
Another source suggests three general strategies to minimize disruptions from mobile devices in
meetings:
2. Set expectations. Explicit instructions requesting smartphones to be put away—with
3. Schedule frequent breaks. When meeting participants know they will be able to check
[O’Brien Coffey, J. (2011, September). How to manage smartphones at meetings. Executive
Travel Magazine. Retrieved from
http://www.executivetravelmagazine.com/articles/how-to-manage-smartphones-at-meeting
