Chapter 11 12 13 14

Professionalism refers to desirable work behavior that makes someone a good employee with coworkers, bosses, and customers. Professionalism emphasizes civility, polish, etiquette, social intelligence, and soft skills for all workers in small or large companies. See page 352.

Soft skills are a whole cluster of personal qualities, habits, attitudes, communication skills, and social graces that employers actively seek in employees. Examples of soft skills include working effectively in teams, listening to customers and coworkers, appreciating and valuing diversity, prioritizing work schedules, making effective eye contact with others, and displaying appropriate workplace manners. See pages 353-354.

Face-to-face conversation reduces the likelihood of misunderstandings, especially in conflict situations in which it promotes efficient problem solving and cooperation. In addition, it is considered the richest communicational channel because the voice and body language can be used to make a point, convey warmth, and build rapport. As a result, face-to-face interaction is the most effective communication channel. See

Correct. Using a varied pitch and speaking at about 125 words a minute makes you sound pleasing and professional. Other tips include pronouncing words correctly, ensuring that the quality of your voice is appropriate, adjusting your volume and rate accordingly, and occasionally emphasizing words. See page 357.

Melanie should paraphrase what is being said to ensure understanding. See page 359.

Instead of using language that focuses on the problem, Matthew should use language that offers alternative behavior. See page 360.

the ​responsibility for ending a call lies with the caller. See pages 361-362.

Use caller ID to screen incoming calls, and let voice mail take routine calls. See page 363.

Serena should record a personal greeting that includes her name, her phone number, and an invitation for leaving a message. See pages 363-364.

Businesses form teams for better decisions, faster response times, improved employee morale, increased productivity, greater buy-in, reduced risks, and less resistance to change. See page 365.

Groups identify problems, collect and share information, establish decision criteria, and prioritize goals in the storming phase of team development

The best teams are small and diverse, agree on a purpose and a procedure, confront conflict, communicate effectively, collaborate rather than compete, accept ethical responsibilities, and share leadership. See pages 366-368.

Correct. The purpose of a meeting determines the number of participants. Because this meeting will require intense problem solving, Chris should invite five or fewer people. See pages 369-370.

Correct. The leader of the meeting should establish meeting ground rules during the introduction of the meeting. See pages 371-372.

Debi should set the meeting using Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), leave room for some small talk before and after the meeting, encourage turn-taking and ask questions of specific people, and establish ground rules for behavior such as avoiding multitasking. She should also select the most appropriate technology and make certain it is working for all participants. See pages

Correct. Employers prefer courteous and professional job candidates over those who lack these skills and traits. In fact, good manners and a businesslike, professional demeanor are among the top skills recruiters seek in applicants. See page 352.

Correct. Employers are very interested in desirable workplace behavior because they have an inherent interest in employees who get along and deliver positive results that enhance profits and boost the company's image. As a result, many businesses have established protocol procedures or policies to enforce workplace civility. See pages 352-353.

Despite their popularity and acceptance, alternate communication technologies can't replace the richness or effectiveness of face-to-face communication. See page 356.

It is important to remember that your actions at work-related social functions can help or harm your career. Dress appropriately, avoid or limit alcohol consumption, choose appropriate conversation topics, and make sure your voice and mannerisms communicate that you are glad to be there. See page 359.

Before making a phone call, plan a mini-agenda. Jot down all the topics you need to discuss to ensure that your phone call is complete and short. See page 361.