Business Communication Developing Leaders For A Networked World 3rd Edition By Cardon – Test Bank

Chapter 11 Bad-News Messages Answer Key

True / False Questions

1. According to communication specialist Dave Zielinski, communicators should avoid openness when delivering bad news.

FALSE
In the context of delivering bad messages, Zielinski’s point is clear: Honesty and openness are key. Although people do not like to get bad news, they expect the truth.

AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Chapter – Chapter 11 #1
Chapter 11
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 11-01 Describe how delivering bad news impacts your credibility.
Topic: Effectively Delivering Negative or Bad-News Messages
Topic: How Delivering Bad-News Messages Affects Credibility
Topic: Maintaining Goodwill When Writing and Delivering Negative or Bad-News Messages

2. According to research firm Siegel+Gale, delivering bad news the right way can strengthen customer relationships and lay the foundations for increased trust when conditions improve.

TRUE
Siegel+Gale’s research shows that those who deliver bad news appropriately enhance their credibility.

AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Chapter – Chapter 11 #2
Chapter 11
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 11-01 Describe how delivering bad news impacts your credibility.
Topic: Effectively Delivering Negative or Bad-News Messages
Topic: How Delivering Bad-News Messages Affects Credibility
Topic: Maintaining Goodwill When Writing and Delivering Negative or Bad-News Messages

3. The manner in which Luis delivers bad news to his employees will have little to no effect on his credibility.

FALSE
How you deliver bad news strongly impacts your credibility. Although one should never view the delivery of bad news opportunistically, those who deliver bad news appropriately enhance their credibility.

AACSB: Knowledge Application
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Chapter – Chapter 11 #3
Chapter 11
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 11-01 Describe how delivering bad news impacts your credibility.
Topic: Channels Used to Deliver Negative or Bad-News Messages
Topic: Effectively Delivering Negative or Bad-News Messages
Topic: How Delivering Bad-News Messages Affects Credibility

4. Delivering bad news without knowing the details tends to cause unnecessary anxiety among receivers.

TRUE
Do not deliver bad news when you do not know the details, since this can cause unnecessary anxiety.

AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Chapter – Chapter 11 #4
Chapter 11
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 11-02 Explain considerations for deciding which channels to use when delivering bad-news messages.
Topic: Constructing Negative or Bad-News Messages
Topic: Effectively Delivering Negative or Bad-News Messages

5. Bad news is best delivered in person.

TRUE
Generally, bad news is best delivered in person. Speaking face-to-face is a rich channel of communication and allows you to use verbal and nonverbal cues to show your concern and sensitivity.

AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Chapter – Chapter 11 #5
Chapter 11
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 11-02 Explain considerations for deciding which channels to use when delivering bad-news messages.
Topic: Channels Used to Deliver Negative or Bad-News Messages
Topic: Effectively Delivering Negative or Bad-News Messages

6. One advantage of giving bad news in a written communication is that you can ensure that you state the bad news with great care and accuracy.

TRUE
By placing the bad news in writing, you can control the message more carefully and ensure that you state the bad news precisely and accurately.

AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Chapter – Chapter 11 #6
Chapter 11
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 11-02 Explain considerations for deciding which channels to use when delivering bad-news messages.
Topic: Channels Used to Deliver Negative or Bad-News Messages

7. Severity relates to the probability of a bad event occurring.

FALSE
Likelihood relates to the probability of the bad event occurring. Severity relates to how serious or detrimental the consequences of a bad event will be.

AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Chapter – Chapter 11 #7
Chapter 11
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 11-02 Explain considerations for deciding which channels to use when delivering bad-news messages.
Topic: Channels Used to Deliver Negative or Bad-News Messages
Topic: Effectively Delivering Negative or Bad-News Messages

8. Deb has been informed by her manager that she will be fired if her performance does not improve. This bad news has a high degree of controllability.

TRUE
Controllability is the degree to which the bad-news message receiver can alter the outcome of the news they have received.

AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Chapter – Chapter 11 #8
Chapter 11
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 11-02 Explain considerations for deciding which channels to use when delivering bad-news messages.
Topic: Channels Used to Deliver Negative or Bad-News Messages

9. A less-rich channel of communication is more likely to be appropriate for bad-news messages that are relatively controllable, unlikely, and/or less severe.

TRUE
When bad news becomes more controllable, less likely, and/or less severe, less-rich channels are more often justified.

AACSB: Communication
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Chapter – Chapter 11 #9
Chapter 11
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 11-02 Explain considerations for deciding which channels to use when delivering bad-news messages.
Topic: Channels Used to Deliver Negative or Bad-News Messages

10. If you gather as much information as you can from a variety of sources, then you are less likely to make objective judgments and propose fair solutions.

FALSE
Gathering the facts from a variety of sources is critical for bad-news messages. If you gather as much information as you can from a variety of sources, you are more likely to make objective judgments and propose fair solutions.