Communication and Collaboration Flashcards

What is 'groupthink' and why is it a risk in collaborative settings?

Answer: A phenomenon where the desire for group harmony suppresses critical thinking

Groupthink can lead teams to poor decisions because members suppress dissenting views to maintain harmony.

Which type of written communication is most appropriate for formally requesting information from an external organization?

Answer: Business letter

A business letter is a formal document appropriate for professional external communications.

What is the primary role of a facilitator in a group meeting?

Answer: To guide discussion, ensure participation, and keep the meeting on track

A facilitator manages the meeting process to ensure productive discussion without imposing their own agenda.

Which principle of effective communication ensures the message is clear and understandable to the audience?

Answer: Clarity

Clarity means using simple, unambiguous language so the receiver can easily understand the intended message.

When collaborating on a document, version control is important primarily because it:

Answer: Tracks changes and allows recovery of previous versions

Version control preserves a history of edits, preventing loss of work and enabling teams to review or revert changes.

A team member responds to a colleague's idea with 'Yes, and...' rather than 'Yes, but...'. This technique is associated with which collaborative approach?

Answer: Improv-based collaboration building on ideas

'Yes, and...' is an improv-derived technique that builds on others' ideas rather than blocking them, fostering creativity.

Which communication channel is most appropriate for conveying complex, multi-step instructions to a team?

Answer: A detailed written document or procedure guide

Complex instructions require a written format so team members can reference them accurately and at their own pace.