Read the following situation, and then answer the questions. You have been working in an entry-level position in the Environmental Health and Safety division of a company for the last six months. You spend your time reviewing safety reports, entering them into the database, and compiling statistical analyses of the results for your superior, Ray Blaine. Lately, Mr. Blaine has been asking you when each report will be finished. Following this query, Mr. Blaine often compliments you on the results of your past analyses.
1) What is the most important message your superior is trying to deliver?
A. He is worried about the results of your analysis.
B. He wants to know when the report will be ready.
C. You are ready for a promotion.
2) What can you do to listen more effectively to your superior?
A. Lean forward and make eye contact.
B. Paraphrase his questions in return.
C. Ask questions in return.

1)B

2)C

Explanation:

1) Mr. Blaine wants to know when will the results be ready. He is complimenting to let you know that he has good expectations from you.

2) Asking questions in return lets the other person know that you are interested in the conversation.

Question 1 answer is B

Question 2 answer is C

Explanation:

1. From the data in the question, we can tell what your superior has in mind.

- The fact that Mr Blaine has been asking when each report will be finished shows that he is concerned ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF TIME it takes you to complete work on a safety report.

- He often compliments you on the results of your past analyses. This means that he is recertifying that your results come out fine and accurate BUT need to start coming out FASTER. He uses the compliments to lift your spirit so you don't feel downcast by the complaints. So you can be sure that as far as the work is concerned, YOU ARE GETTING IT RIGHT but as far as delivery window is concerned, you are delivering SLOWLY.

So the answer is B - he is most concerned about the timeframe you use to go through each report. He wants you to understand that good timing adds to the quality of a result!

2. The three options here are things you can do, to listen more effectively to your superior. The most important though is C.

You need to ask questions in return!

- Ask questions on the clarification of what exactly you are expected to do, in order to produce results that are both accurate and timely.

- Ask Mr. Blaine how he thinks you should go about it.

- Ask questions where you don't understand

- Ask when exactly you are to submit each result

After he replies, put his advice and corrections into practice.

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