Business Communication

A synonym for professionalism is

• hard skills

• social acceptance

• business etiquette

• diversity

Professional behavior is comprised of six dimensions, including courtesy and respect, appearance and appeal, tolerance and tact, honesty and ethics, reliability and diligence, and____.

• soft and hard skills

• self-actualization and self-control

• diligence and collegiality

• education and training

Fill in the blank

“The ________ of your voice identifies your personality and your mood.”

Which statement about professionalism is most accurate?

• Professionalism refers to those behaviors exhibited only by customers.

•  Professionalism describes desirable workplace behavior.

• Professionalism emphasizes hard skills or technical knowledge desired by employers.

•  Professionalism is important only in large companies.

Jue understands that soft skills and professional polish will ensure her long-term success on the job. Which of the following is not a soft skill?

• A grasp of workplace etiquette

•  An eagerness to learn

• The ability to work effectively as part of a team

• Proficiency in using a variety of computer software packages

Which of the following statements about face-to-face communication is most accurate?

• Face-to-face communication is the least rich communication channel.

• Face-to-face communication increases the likelihood of misunderstandings.

• Face-to-face conversations reduce cooperation and limit problem solving during the conflict.

• Face-to-face interaction is the most effective of all communication channels.

To use your voice effectively,

• speak in a relaxed, controlled, well-pitched voice at about 125 words per minute.

• overemphasize all words to guarantee audience understanding.

• avoid listening to educated individuals to retain your speaking uniqueness.

• keep the same volume and rate while speaking.

Which of the following statements about workplace criticism is most accurate?

• When receiving criticism, individuals should focus on their feelings rather than on the content of the criticism.

• Most individuals like to give and receive criticism.

• Giving and receiving criticism is a normal occurrence in the business world.

• In today's workplace, only managers must give criticism.

You are in a meeting receiving your performance review and are surprised that your supervisor has offered you many suggestions for improvement. How should you react to the criticism?

• Interrupt your supervisor frequently to comment on his or her suggestions so that you don't miss giving feedback on anything.

• To avoid any type of confrontation with your supervisor, agree with all comments made.

• Try to deflect blame for anything negative said to others in your department.  

• Ask for clarification of comments when necessary.

You recently chaired a team implementing new federal confidentiality requirements. After implementation, you must evaluate each team member's performance. Which of the following suggestions about giving constructive criticism is not accurate?

•  Use language that focuses on improvement instead of problems.

• To show more compassion, be as vague as possible.

• Ask the team members for feedback.

• Discuss the behavior, not the person.