Question

True or False
Decide whether each statement is true or false. If the statement is true, write True on the line provided. If the statement is false, write False and rewrite the statement to make it true.
1. A person with a positive attitude exhibits optimism.
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2. Having a closed mind means a person is willing to consider a point of view different from his or her
own.
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3. People who are trustworthy act with honesty and integrity only when it suits them.
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4. Procrastination is doing something now that should be done later.
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5. A critical thinker is a passive participant in learning and making decisions.
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6. When using deductive reasoning, the facts or examples observed are considered to be evidence of a
conclusion.
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7. Conflicts of interest can take many forms and harm a business.
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8. In a cross-functional team, each member has basically the same skills and qualifications.
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Chapter 22 Soft Skills 189
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9. Sharing ideas and responsibilities includes risk.
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10. Consensus building is the same as majority rules.
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Part 2: Concept Review
Optimism
Th ree key components of optimism are (1) expecting to succeed, (2) staying motivated after experiencing a failure, and (3) not immediately blaming yourself when something does fail. Each of the following
situations shows an example of one of the key components of optimism. After reading each situation, write
the component being illustrated. Th en, using complete sentences, explain how the example illustrates the
component of optimism.
1. Jaden wanted to begin a career in marketing. He had his heart set on a marketing program at a
private university. However, the private university did not admit Jaden to the school. After fi nding
out he was not accepted, Jaden chose to apply to a nearby state school that also had a highly rated
marketing program. Jaden is now a marketing manager.
A. Component of Optimism: ________________________________________________________________
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B. Explanation: ____________________________________________________________________________
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2. Kayla signed up to work on a special-project team with her coworker, Tracy. For months, Kayla was
told by Tracy that they made a good team. Th en, Tracy said Kayla’s work was making them both look
bad and Kayla should quit the team. Kayla felt very discouraged about her work abilities until she
found out Tracy had told her previous work partners the same thing.
A. Component of Optimism: ________________________________________________________________
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B. Explanation: ____________________________________________________________________________
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Answer 1

### True or False Statements

1. A person with a positive attitude exhibits optimism.
**True**

2. Having a closed mind means a person is willing to consider a point of view different from his or her own.
**False**
**Rewritten Statement**: Having a closed mind means a person is unwilling to consider a point of view different from his or her own.

3. People who are trustworthy act with honesty and integrity only when it suits them.
**False**
**Rewritten Statement**: People who are trustworthy act with honesty and integrity consistently, regardless of the situation.

4. Procrastination is doing something now that should be done later.
**False**
**Rewritten Statement**: Procrastination is delaying or postponing tasks that should be done now.

5. A critical thinker is a passive participant in learning and making decisions.
**False**
**Rewritten Statement**: A critical thinker is an active participant in learning and making decisions.

6. When using deductive reasoning, the facts or examples observed are considered to be evidence of a conclusion.
**False**
**Rewritten Statement**: When using deductive reasoning, general premises are used to reach a specific conclusion.

7. Conflicts of interest can take many forms and harm a business.
**True**

8. In a cross-functional team, each member has basically the same skills and qualifications.
**False**
**Rewritten Statement**: In a cross-functional team, each member has different skills and qualifications contributing to a common goal.

9. Sharing ideas and responsibilities includes risk.
**True**

10. Consensus building is the same as majority rules.
**False**
**Rewritten Statement**: Consensus building seeks agreement among all members, while majority rules simply follows the preference of the most members.

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### Part 2: Concept Review

**1.**
A. Component of Optimism: **Staying motivated after experiencing a failure.**
B. Explanation: Jaden's decision to apply to a nearby state school after being rejected from the private university illustrates the component of staying motivated after experiencing a failure. Instead of giving up on his dream of pursuing a career in marketing, Jaden demonstrated resilience by seeking out an alternative route that ultimately led him to a successful career as a marketing manager.

**2.**
A. Component of Optimism: **Not immediately blaming yourself when something does fail.**
B. Explanation: Kayla’s initial feelings of discouragement about her work abilities show the importance of not blaming herself immediately when faced with criticism. When she later discovered that Tracy had a pattern of making similar comments about other teammates, it helped her realize that the issue was more about Tracy's behavior rather than her own capabilities, and this understanding allowed her to maintain a more optimistic outlook regarding her contributions.