ACCA BT · Chapter 13
Personal effectiveness and communication MCQs with Answers
10 multiple-choice questions on Personal effectiveness and communication for ACCA BT Business and Technology. Try each one before revealing the answer and explanation.
Practise this chapter interactivelyQuestion 1
Which of the following is the best description of SMART objectives?
- A) Simple, Manageable, Accurate, Reliable and Timely
- B) Strategic, Monitored, Agreed, Realistic and Tested
- C) Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound
- D) Specific, Motivating, Approved, Rewarded and Tracked
Show answer & explanation
Answer: C) Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound
SMART objectives are specific, measurable, achievable (or attainable), relevant (or realistic) and time-bound. Setting objectives in this way makes it possible to plan, prioritise and assess whether they have been achieved, which supports personal effectiveness and performance management.
Question 2
When prioritising tasks, which type of task should generally be dealt with first?
- A) Tasks that are both urgent and important
- B) Tasks that are urgent but not important
- C) Tasks that are important but not urgent
- D) Tasks that are quick to complete regardless of importance
Show answer & explanation
Answer: A) Tasks that are both urgent and important
A common time management approach classifies tasks by urgency and importance. Urgent and important tasks need immediate attention. Important but non-urgent tasks should be scheduled, urgent but unimportant tasks may be delegated, and tasks that are neither should be minimised. Choosing tasks just because they are quick can mean important work is neglected.
Question 3
Which of the following is the main difference between coaching and mentoring?
- A) Coaching is always provided by external consultants, while mentoring is always provided by the line manager
- B) Mentoring focuses only on technical skills, while coaching addresses career progression
- C) There is no difference between the two approaches
- D) Coaching usually focuses on improving specific skills for the current job, while mentoring is a longer-term relationship supporting broader career development
Show answer & explanation
Answer: D) Coaching usually focuses on improving specific skills for the current job, while mentoring is a longer-term relationship supporting broader career development
Coaching is typically shorter-term and task-focused, helping an individual develop particular skills or performance, often with the line manager or a specialist. Mentoring is a longer-term relationship, often with a more experienced person outside the line, offering guidance on career, personal development and organisational politics.
Question 4
In a basic model of communication, what is the term for anything that interferes with the message as it passes from sender to receiver?
- A) Feedback
- B) Encoding
- C) Noise
- D) Channel
Show answer & explanation
Answer: C) Noise
Noise is any distortion or interference, physical or psychological, that prevents the message being received as intended, such as jargon, background sound or emotional reactions. Encoding is putting the message into a form for transmission, the channel is the medium used, and feedback is the receiver's response that confirms understanding.
Question 5
A manager needs to inform 300 staff across several sites of a minor change to car parking arrangements, and wants a permanent record. Which communication method is most appropriate?
- A) An email or intranet notice
- B) Individual face-to-face meetings with each employee
- C) A telephone call to each employee
- D) A formal board meeting
Show answer & explanation
Answer: A) An email or intranet notice
For simple, routine information to a large, dispersed audience, written electronic communication is quick, cheap and provides a record. Individual meetings or calls would be time-consuming and costly for a minor matter, and a board meeting is inappropriate for operational announcements to staff.
Question 6
Information in an organisation flows between managers at the same level in different departments, for example between the production manager and the sales manager. What is this type of communication called?
- A) Vertical downward communication
- B) Lateral (horizontal) communication
- C) Vertical upward communication
- D) Diagonal communication
Show answer & explanation
Answer: B) Lateral (horizontal) communication
Lateral or horizontal communication occurs between people at the same level in different functions, supporting coordination and problem-solving. Downward communication flows from managers to subordinates, upward communication from subordinates to managers, and diagonal communication crosses both functions and levels.
Question 7
Which of the following is a feature of the informal communication network often called the 'grapevine'?
- A) It is always slower and less reliable than formal channels
- B) It is controlled and approved by senior management
- C) It only carries information about social events
- D) It is fast and can spread information widely, but it may be inaccurate or distorted
Show answer & explanation
Answer: D) It is fast and can spread information widely, but it may be inaccurate or distorted
The grapevine is the informal network of communication between staff. It is usually fast and can be a useful indicator of employee concerns, but messages may be incomplete, distorted or rumour-based. It is not controlled by management and carries all kinds of information, including work matters.
Question 8
Team members working on a cross-functional project are in conflict about deadlines. Their manager encourages them to openly explore the underlying concerns of both sides to find a solution that fully satisfies each party. Which conflict-handling approach is this?
- A) Compromising
- B) Accommodating
- C) Avoiding
- D) Collaborating
Show answer & explanation
Answer: D) Collaborating
Collaborating is assertive and cooperative: parties work together to find a solution that fully meets both sets of concerns, a 'win-win' outcome. Compromising involves each side giving up something, accommodating means one party gives way to the other, and avoiding means withdrawing from the conflict without resolving it.
Question 9
Which of the following is a feature of effective active listening?
- A) Preparing a response while the speaker is still talking
- B) Interrupting frequently to show interest
- C) Concentrating only on the facts and ignoring the speaker's feelings
- D) Giving full attention to the speaker and checking understanding by summarising what has been said
Show answer & explanation
Answer: D) Giving full attention to the speaker and checking understanding by summarising what has been said
Active listening involves concentrating fully, using non-verbal cues to show attention, asking questions and summarising to confirm understanding, and paying attention to both content and feelings. Planning responses, interrupting and ignoring emotions all reduce the effectiveness of listening.
Question 10
Which of the following best describes the purpose of a personal development plan (PDP)?
- A) To record the organisation's annual budget for training
- B) To list the disciplinary warnings issued to an employee
- C) To specify the organisation's succession plans for the board
- D) To set out an individual's development objectives, the activities to achieve them and timescales for review
Show answer & explanation
Answer: D) To set out an individual's development objectives, the activities to achieve them and timescales for review
A personal development plan is an individual action plan identifying current skills, desired goals, development activities (such as courses, projects or coaching) and a timetable for review. It is owned by the individual, often agreed with their manager, and is distinct from organisational budgets, disciplinary records and board succession planning.