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Are You a Good Communicator?

By Chris Woolston
CONSUMER HEALTH INTERACTIVE

Everybody knows that good business requires good communication. So why are so many offices hotbeds of misunderstanding? One reason is that few people really know how to express themselves, and even fewer have mastered the fine art of listening. Are you a good workplace communicator? Take this short quiz to find out.


1. Rapid responses are the best. If you know how you feel about a situation, don't wait one minute to say so.

True
False

2. Your boss has criticized you in a way that seems arbitrary and unfair. What's the best response?

a. Confront her and express your feelings in no uncertain terms. It's the only way to earn her respect.
b. Stay quiet and try to avoid such situations in the future.
c. After taking awhile to collect your thoughts, calmly discuss your concerns.
d. Carefully move the blame to someone else.

3. Which of these is a key part of "active listening"?

a. Stay quiet when someone else is talking
b. Ask open-ended questions
c. Repeat and paraphrase the other person's main message
d. All of the above

4. When talking to a manager about an important issue, is it better to keep it brief and stick to the facts or to impress him or her with your vast knowledge of the situation?

a. Keep it brief
b. Pile it on

5. Anger is an important negotiation tool. If someone sees your temper rise, they'll probably back down.

True
False

6. You're talking to a coworker who has a short attention span and the responsiveness of a brick wall. What's the best course of action?

a. Ignore him and talk to someone else.
b. Ask questions to make sure he understood what you were saying.
c. Assume he was listening carefully. You don't want to put him on the spot or question his professionalism.

7. Which of the following is NOT a good rule of thumb for using e-mail?

a. Keep the message short and simple.
b. Be very careful about jokes or sarcasm.
c. Use e-mail for sensitive messages that you don't want to say out loud.
d. Don't send messages in anger.



First published Sep 25, 2003


Last updated Aug 29, 2007


Copyright © 2003 Consumer Health Interactive, a CVS Caremark company

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