Professional Development Exercise #4

Please choose the best answer to each question. At the conclusion of this exercise you will receive detailed feedback that you may print for your records.

To begin, please enter your first name, last name and CM Number or C.A.M. number. (CMAR certificants, please enter "CMAR" in place of a CM or C.A.M. number).

First Name:		Last Name:
CM or C.A.M. number:

As a manager for an organization that has a diverse, multi-cultural employee base, you should be patient with and considerate of employees that have difficulty speaking and writing the American English language because:

	the American English language has no rules
	the American English language has grammatical rules that are consistent
	the American English language has variations and inconsistencies in grammatical rules
	the American English language is easier to master than the Spanish language

Focusing on what you know, being genuine, and empathizing with colleagues are all strategies to enhance:

	effective communication
	improved perception
	effective listening
	all of the above

As a manager trying to explain an assignment to an employee, your communication will be most effective when you focus on:

	what you want to say
	what the employee wants you to say
	what the employee wants to hear
	what you want the employee to hear

Errors commonly occur in the English language due to words that look alike but have different meanings. Two such words are affect and effect. The correct meanings for these two words are:

	affect is a verb meaning to influence or cause a change in; effect is a noun meaning the result or cause of
	affect is a noun meaning the result or cause of; effect is a verb meaning to influence
	affect is a noun meaning to influence; effect is a verb meaning the result of
	affect is a verb meaning the power to bring about results; effect is a noun meaning to move or stir emotions

J. Johnson desires to improve his communication skills as a manager. He can accomplish this by:

	developing basic skills in planning, organizing, leading, and controlling
	developing basic skills in listening, perception, and verbal communication
	developing a written communications plan and following it
	eliminating all barriers and strategies to communication

Which of the following contribute to ineffective business writing:

	Failure to gear writing to the audience to whom it is intended.
	Failure to organize thoughts and prioritize important points.
	Failure to edit and proofread final writing.
	All of the above.

Which of the following is NOT a reason why risky communications are so difficult for managers?

	most receive little or no formal training on the topic
	stakes are high because opinions differ
	emotions run strong and instincts take over
	managers are skilled at holding risky conversations

What is the best way to approach difficult conversations?

	go silent
	go violent
	speak up in a way that gets results
	transfer responsibility to someone with more seniority

A lack of confidence can be a barrier to effective verbal communication because:

	shyness, difficulty being assertive, or a lack of self worth can hinder a manager’s ability to make his or her needs and opinions known.
	unqualified generalizations undermine a managers credibility
	a failure to respond to others is disrespectful
	focusing on the issue avoids making assumptions about people or situations

As a barrier to listening, emotional noise:

	can be avoided or eliminated
	is unique or personal to each manager
	always causes a manager to react positively
	always causes a manager to react negatively

Please click the SUBMIT button to view your results.