A strong sense of ethics will help you use communication effectively. (True or false?)

Answer to #1

Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Being strategic, professional and adaptable will help you communicate effectively. Ethical behavior is an aspect of professionalism.

Answer to #2

Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Professionalism reflects the ability to understand that each situation in the workplace requires a different set of behaviors.

Answer to #3

Answer: This notice is too blunt and too vague. The parents are probably lingering as they are worried about their children starting school, and want to stay and support them. This message will likely suffer from a psychological barrier, as it fails to take their emotional state into account. Wording the message more gently, and explaining that this request is aimed at making things better for their children, would likely make parents more willing to accept the message and comply with it. A semantic barrier is also likely. The message says parents are remaining for too long, which is vague and still leaves it to parents' judgment as to what is long enough. To ensure that parents comply, specifying a particular time limit is ideal. Another problem might be a language barrier. Some parents might not be native English speakers, so translating the message into other languages might be wise.

To improve the message, make it strategic, professional, and adaptable. The message should be audience-oriented and parents' concerns should be taken into consideration while designing the message. The notice should also be specific as to the behavior the parents are expected to adopt. Issuing a solution-oriented message would make it more likely for the audience to comply. To be professional, Olivia should remember that this message is directed at parents, not students, so it shouldn't talk down to them or treat them as if they are children. It should also be appropriate to the situation. The original message is vaguely accusatory, blaming the audience. It is not clear if the parents have already been told that their behavior is problematic, so expecting them to follow a rule that they may not know and chastising them for it will likely anger the audience. To be adaptable, the message should be available in English and in any other language spoken by the school community. It should be available as a flyer handed out to parents, as a posting on the school website, and also as an email to the kindergarten parents, etc.

Answer to #4

Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Effective business communicators have a competitive edge in the job market, and will contribute to your company's and your own success.

Answer to #5

Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Professionalism refers to the qualities that make you appear businesslike in the workplace.

Answer to #6

Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Being strategic requires effective communicators to be purposeful and design their communication to achieve a specific outcome.

Great answers, all of them were right