spoken conversations/ Use e-
mail to discuss something with
a colleague who sits across the
aisle or down the hall from
Dos
Don’ts
You are doing research on
leadership communication.
You believe you understand
the basic aspects of the
communication process.
Illustrated in the table below
is a list of the
communication components
Aspects of
Communic
ation
Descriptio
n of
Aspects
Leadership Challenge #1
Leadership Challenge #5
Leadership Challenge #6
Connect
Feedback
The
medium by
which the
communic
ation is
sent
Channel
The
tangible
formulatio
n of the
thought or
idea sent
to the
receiver
Communic
ation
apprehensi
be
ation
Is the
amount of
informatio
Channel
richness
Avoidance
behavior
associated
with
communic
ation
Message
The
element of
the
communic
ation
process
that
enables
someone
to
A leader’s _____ is based on
the leader’s knowledge and
expertise as well as his or her
relationships with others.
a. credibility
b. candor
c. embeddedness
d. emotional appeal
Leadership Challenge #6
Connect
Media Quiz Questions
Topic
Category
Which of the following is an
advantage of a medium having
low channel richness?
a. It enables rapid feedback.
b. It enables two-way
Leadership Challenge #5
Connect
Which of the following
statements is true of routine
messages?
a. They are used to
communicate simple issues
such as product price change.
b. Leaders can communicate
routine messages effectively
only by selecting a rich
channel.
c. Routine messages typically
concern issues of change,
conflict, or complexity.
d. They are used to
Leadership Challenge #5
Connect
communicate issues that have
great potential for
misunderstanding.
Which of the following
statements is true of using e-
mails effectively?
a. While writing e-mails, put
the most important
information in the last
paragraph.
meetings and send agenda
materials.
c. Begin responding to e-mail
the minute you get out of a
colleague who sits down the
hall from you.
Leadership Challenge #5
Connect
Pre-Test Questions
Topic
Category
Which of the following is true
of feedback?
a. It refers to the errors that
occur during encoding of a
message.
b. It occurs after the
completion of the
communication cycle.
Leadership Challenge #1
Connect
Carl, an entrepreneur, believes
that communication is
essential in building trust. The
employees at his organization
are united in their
understanding and acceptance
of the organization’s vision
and strategy. Their decisions
are aimed to help the firm
Leadership Challenge #1
Perform
achieve its goals. This
understanding and acceptance
of the purpose of Carl’s
organization is referred to as
_____.
a. credibility
Mark has always been
criticized for being a poor
listener. Which of the
following should he do to
improve his listening skills?
a. He should pay close
attention to delivery errors.
b. He should keep an open
mind.
c. He should listen for facts
rather than listen to central
themes.
d. He should interrupt and
feign agreement.
Leadership Challenge #2
Perform
A good listener:
a. does not tolerate bad habits.
Leadership Challenge #2
Connect
Which of the following is true
of dialogue?
a. Its focus is to reveal
feelings and build common
ground.
b. It emphasizes advocacy
rather than inquiry.
c. It involves defensive
listening.
d. It is often resolved by
“beating down” opposing
viewpoints.
Leadership Challenge #3
Connect
A discussion differs from
dialogue, in that a discussion:
a. results in innovative long-
term solutions.
b. is often resolved by logic.
Leadership Challenge #3
Connect
d. fixes the big issues.
_____ refers to honest,
forthright expression of a
leader’s thinking.
a. Credibility
b. Sensegiving
c. Embeddedness
d. Candor
Leadership Challenge #3
Engage
Which of the following is true
of storytelling?
a. Storytelling goes hand in
hand with listening.
b. Telling stories is the
Leadership Challenge #4
Connect
Routine messages differ from
nonroutine messages, in that
routine messages:
a. can be efficiently
communicated through a
channel lower in richness.
b. are used to convey issues
Leadership Challenge #5
Connect
Which of the following
statements is true of effective
electronic communication?
a. People who have a new
working relationship should
communicate about complex
issues through electronic
channels.
b. Electronic channels can be
used effectively when the
Leadership Challenge #5
Connect
c. People should avoid
Haley, a new employee, asks
her team member for advice
on using e-mails to
communicate with people.
Mark, her colleague, tells her
that she should:
a. write lengthy and detailed e-
mail messages.
b. use e-mail to have
Leadership Challenge #5
Perform
Which of the following should
leaders do to persuade and
influence others?
a. They should communicate
just to convey information.
Leadership Challenge #6
Connect
Which of the following
statements is true of
persuasion?
a. Communication
apprehension is particularly
useful to persuade and
Leadership Challenge #6
Connect
b. Most employees prefer
command-and-control
management rather than
To effectively communicate
during a crisis, leaders should:
a. delay their decisions.
b. avoid visibility.
c. instill a sense of urgency
and uncertainty.
d. communicate a vision for
the future.
Leadership Challenge #7
Connect
Nathan, as a leader, places a
lot of importance on
communication. He
understands that
communication becomes
critical during times of
uncertainty. In order to be an
effective leader during a crisis,
he should:
Leadership Challenge #7
Perform
Post-Test Questions
Topic
Category
Which of the following
statements is true of the
communication process?
a. The receiver engages in
encoding ideas and thoughts
Leadership Challenge #1
Connect
completion of the
communication cycle.
d. The message is the tangible
formulation of the thought
sent to the receiver.
Keith, a management student,
is studying a chapter on
management communication.
On completion of the chapter,
he should understand that:
a. management
communication and leadership
communication are
synonymous.
Leadership Challenge #1
Perform
Brooke, a team leader, is
known to be a good listener.
Which of the following
characteristics make her a
good listener?
a. She pays attention only to
ideas that conform to her
opinions.
b. She pays close attention to
delivery errors.
Leadership Challenge #2
Perform
Who among the following is a
poor listener?
a. Peyton lets the other person
do most of the talking.
b. James searches for common
ground and seeks to
understand.
c. Hillarie skips over delivery
Leadership Challenge #2
Connect
errors.
d. Chad listens for facts rather
than central themes.
Which of the following
statements is true of a
discussion?
a. It is often resolved by logic.
b. Its focus is to reveal
than advocacy.
d. It results in long-term
innovative solutions.
Leadership Challenge #3
Connect
Dialogue differs from a
discussion, in that a dialogue:
a. is often resolved by
“beating down” opposing
viewpoints.
b. requires defensive listening.
c. emphasizes inquiry rather
than advocacy.
d. results in a specific topic
being deliberated.
Leadership Challenge #3
Connect
Candor refers to:
a. honest, forthright
expression of a leader’s
thinking.
b. the belief that
communication is essential to
Leadership Challenge #3
Connect
Which of the following
statements is true of
storytelling?
a. Storytelling is independent
of listening.
b. Telling stories is the
foundation of sensegiving.
c. Creation of an intellectual
Leadership Challenge #4
Connect
context is the key to good
storytelling.
d. Leaders who use
storytelling are less influential
than those who use facts.
The richness of an information
channel is influenced by the
ability to:
a. handle a single cue.
Leadership Challenge #5
Connect
Which of the following
statements is true of routine
messages?
a. They are simple and
straightforward.
b. They can be communicated
only by selecting a rich
channel.
c. They are characterized by
time pressure and surprise.
d. They typically involve
issues of change and conflict.
Leadership Challenge #5
Connect
Which of the following
statements is true of writing e-
mails?
a. E-mails should be lengthy
and detailed.
b. The most important
information should be in the
last paragraph of the e-mail.
c. E-mails should be used to
discuss something with a
colleague who sits nearby.
d. The subject line of the e-
mail should be used to grab
the reader’s attention.
Leadership Challenge #5
Connect
Luke, an entrepreneur, is
starting his own business with
a five-member team. He
understands the importance of
persuasion as a
communication tool. Which of
the following should he do to
Leadership Challenge #6
Perform
persuade and influence his
team effectively?
a. He should react
immediately to the needs and
emotions of his team
members.
_____ refers to an individual’s
level of fear or anxiety
associated with either real or
anticipated communication
with another person or
persons.
a. Candor
b. Redundant communication
c. Embeddedness
d. Communication
apprehension
Leadership Challenge #6
Engage
To be prepared for
communicating in a crisis, a
leader should:
a. react immediately without
waiting for sufficient
information.
b. recall past triumphs and
successes.
c. encourage rumors that
benefit the organization.
d. be visible and supportive.
Leadership Challenge #7
Connect
Which of the following
statements is true of a leader’s
role in a crisis?
a. He or she should avoid
visibility.
b. He or she should react in
c. He or she should tell the
Leadership Challenge #7
Connect
truth.
d. He or she should remind
people of past glories.
Self-Assessment Questions
Topic
Category
Which of the following
statements is true of
networking leaders?
a. They regularly participate in
charitable causes.
b. They refrain from
contacting people of from
previous organizations.
Leadership Challenge #1
Connect
_____ is the active process of
building and managing
productive relationships.
a. Sensegiving
b. Networking
c. Encoding
d. Strategizing
Leadership Challenge #1
Engage
Which of the following
statements is true of
networking?
a. It is the process of
influencing how others make
sense of the organization.
b. Leaders accomplish much
of their work through formal
hierarchies rather than
networks.
c. It builds social, work, and
career relationships that
facilitate mutual benefit.
d. It is beneficial only for the
person initiating the process.
Leadership Challenge #1
Connect
Which of the following creates
the least communication
apprehension?
a. Interpersonal conversations
Leadership Challenge #6
Connect
d. Public speaking
What should a mentor do to
reduce communication
apprehension among his
mentees?
a. He should use effective
interpersonal conversations as
they create the least
apprehension for most people.
b. He should avoid paying
attention to nonverbal
communication as it seldom
helps in identifying conflicting
situations.
way communication system to
pattern.
Leadership Challenge #6
Connect
Which of the following is an
example of communication
apprehension?
a. Eagerness to speak at
meetings
b. Getting involved in group
discussions
c. Hesitating to speak up in a
conversation
d. Looking forward to
speaking in public
Leadership Challenge #6
Connect
When communicating with
candor, one should:
a. make people feel they are
being controlled.
b. present evidence for one’s
d. avoid hot topics.
Leadership Challenge #3
Connect
Many people have a hard time
giving straightforward
opinions and frank feedback
primarily because:
a. they feel that it solves
Leadership Challenge #3
Connect
problems only temporarily.
b. they do not have enough
time.
c. they do not have the
required skills.
d. they don’t want to hurt
people’s feelings.
Which of the following is an
example of a person speaking
with candor?
a. Bethany hesitates to hurt
by people all the time.
Leadership Challenge #3
Connect
In order to be a good listener,
one should:
a. be passive and laid back.
b. ensure that one’s mind
doesn’t wander when
someone is talking.
c. interrupt and ask questions
Leadership Challenge #2
Connect
Lucas claims to be a good a
listener. Which of the
following statements shows he
is an effective listener?
a. “I often restate what the
person said and ask if I got it
right.”
b. “I deliberately show people
Leadership Challenge #2
Perform
Which of the following
statements is true of listening
attentively?
Leadership Challenge #2
a. Attentive listening requires
a passive and laid back
attitude.
b. An open communication
climate is independent of
listening.
Which of the following
indicates poor listening?
a. Thinking about unrelated
problems
b. Skipping delivery errors
c. Exhibiting active body state
d. Letting the other person do
most of the talking
Leadership Challenge #2
A good listener:
a. has a passive and laid back
attitude.
b. judges delivery, not
content.
Leadership Challenge #2
Good leaders:
a. pay attention only to ideas
that conform to their opinions.
b. get out of their office and
mingle with others.
c. concentrate on formulating
what they’re going to say,
rather than on what is being
said.
d. listen for facts instead of
listening for ideas.
Leadership Challenge #2
Which of the following is a
characteristic of a good
listener?
a. Attempting to listen to
several conversations at the
Leadership Challenge #2
same time
b. Pretending to pay attention
to people
Which of the following is a
characteristic of a poor
listener?
a. Making a concerted effort
to understand other people’s
points of view
b. Asking people to clarify
what they have said rather
than guess at the meaning
c. Formulating a response
while the other person is still
talking
d. Paying attention to
nonverbal communication
Leadership Challenge #2