Communication Skills Team Communication and Collaboration

Question 1

What is 'psychological safety' in team communication, and why is it important?

Accepted Answer

The shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking — speaking up, questioning, and making mistakes without fear of punishment

Answer

Amy Edmondson's research identifies psychological safety as the single most important factor in high-performing teams — it enables candid communication, innovation, and learning from failure.

Question 2

What is the difference between a team 'norm' and a team 'rule'?

Accepted Answer

Norms are informal, shared behavioral expectations that emerge organically; rules are formal, explicit standards often written down

Answer

Norms are unwritten behavioral standards that teams develop through shared experience and mutual observation; rules are formally stated and often enforced. Both influence communication, but norms are often more powerful day-to-day.

Question 3

What is 'groupthink' and how does it harm team communication?

Accepted Answer

The tendency for cohesive groups to suppress dissenting views to maintain harmony, leading to poor decisions

Answer

Groupthink (Irving Janis) occurs when desire for group harmony overrides critical thinking — dissenting views are suppressed, alternatives are not explored, and flawed decisions go unchallenged.

Question 4

What does the 'storming' phase in Tuckman's model of team development involve?

Accepted Answer

A period of conflict and tension as team members assert different opinions and approaches

Answer

Tuckman's 'storming' stage follows initial forming and involves conflict over roles, approaches, and authority as team members express their individual perspectives and challenge the emerging group structure.

Question 5

What is the primary communication challenge in remote or hybrid teams?

Accepted Answer

Reduced access to nonverbal cues, asynchronous communication gaps, and 'out of sight, out of mind' dynamics create misalignment and disconnect

Answer

Remote and hybrid teams lose the richness of in-person nonverbal communication, face delays in asynchronous communication, and risk exclusion of remote members from informal information-sharing that happens organically in offices.

Communication Skills Practice Test

Communication Skills Practice Test

Communication Skills Team Communication and Collaboration