Succeeding in the World of Work

Chapter 16: Thinking Skills on the Job

Thinking Skills on the Job


1.	What are resources?
		A)	people
		B)	time
		C)	money
		D)	all of the above


2.	What is the final step in the decision-making process?
		A)	make a decision
		B)	gather information
		C)	plan how to reach your goal
		D)	identify your choices


3.	What are standards of judgment for comparing and evaluating choices?
		A)	analysis
		B)	criteria
		C)	resources
		D)	alternatives


4.	What can collecting more information involve?
		A)	asking a supervisor
		B)	analyzing the risk involved
		C)	judging alternatives
		D)	all of the above


5.	What do you do when you procrastinate?
		A)	put tasks in the order in which they should be done
		B)	delay making a decision
		C)	judge people according to stereotypes
		D)	ignore an alternative's feasibility


6.	What is the first step in the problem-solving process?
		A)	define your needs or wants
		B)	analyze your resources
		C)	gather information
		D)	identify and clarify the problem


7.	What is it called when you get a group of people together to think of ideas without judging the ideas?
		A)	analysis
		B)	evaluation
		C)	brainstorming
		D)	creating options


8.	What should you do when you need to solve a problem?
		A)	work by yourself because other people will muddle your thinking
		B)	talk to others because they might have good ideas for solutions
		C)	rely on your assumptions
		D)	avoid unrelated analogies, which can lead you away from the way you should be thinking


9.	What are you evaluating when you ask about the impact of a possible solution?
		A)	consequences
		B)	assumptions
		C)	consumptions
		D)	alternatives


10.	What should you do when using the problem-solving process?
		A)	identify and clarify the problem, then generate alternative solutions
		B)	evaluate the probable consequences of the solutions, then decide on the best solution
		C)	implement the solution, then evaluate the results
		D)	all of the above


11.	What should you do once you have chosen and implemented a solution to a problem?
		A)	move on; that problem has been solved
		B)	find another solution if your path has drawbacks
		C)	evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of the solution
		D)	decide on the best solution


12.	What should you do if you want your chosen solution to be effective?
		A)	make sure that everyone on your team agrees that the solution you have chosen is the only possible solution
		B)	choose another solution if you have misgivings about the one you've chosen
		C)	prioritize your steps and communicate your plan to others
		D)	act quickly


13.	Which of the following is an example of an analogy?
		A)	“Our company always has problems like this.”
		B)	“We must assume that all our customers are men.”
		C)	“A penny saved is a penny earned.”
		D)	“This problem is like a game of basketball.”


14.	What should you consider when prioritizing tasks?
		A)	the logical sequence of steps
		B)	which tasks are more important
		C)	which tasks can feasibly be completed
		D)	all of the above


15.	Which of the following is an example of a problem that needs to be solved?
		A)	“Which shoes should I buy?”
		B)	“Sales of Mega-Widgets are down.”
		C)	“Which standard of judgment should we use?”
		D)	“Are you assuming something that isn't true?”