Real Communication An Introduction

Chapter 11  Communicating in Organizations 327

Are You Off Balance?

1. Which statement best describes you after you leave work for the day?
   A. I don’t think about work again until I arrive the next morning.
   B. I usually check my work e-mail before bed.
   C. I check my work e-mail or make calls three or four times during the evening.


2. A big project requires you to stay late to meet a deadline. You think to yourself:
   A. “This is happening way too much. I’ll have to talk to my supervisor about it.”
   B. “Oh, well, I’ll take off a little early next week to make up for it.”
   C. “I wonder if Bud, the night watchman, will bring me a sandwich like he always does.”


3. Which statement best describes what you usually do on vacation?
   A. I kick back, relax, and savor the time off.
   B. I check in with my organization at least once so that people know I’m available.
   C. I continue to check my e-mail because you never know when an emergency
   might arise.


4. It’s Tuesday, and you arrive home at 5:30 P.M. How do your housemates or family react?
   A. They say hello and discuss dinner plans.
   B. They act surprised—they never know if you’ll be on time or not.
   C. They wonder if you’ve been fired because you’re home so very early.


5. What are you most likely to do to manage your time at home?
   A. I organize chores and write to-do lists.
   B. I try to run errands on days off from work or school.
   C. I tackle chores and errands one at a time as needed.

If your answers are mostly A’s: You’re leading a fairly well-balanced life—

congratulations! You may, however, need to give your organization more priority

now and then, particularly during time-sensitive projects.

If your answers are mostly B’s: You’re striking a great balance! Keep up the good work.

If your answers are mostly C’s: You’re likely headed toward burnout. Consider

some of the strategies we discuss to find more balance.

Source: CNN.com/living (2008). Adapted with permission.

what about you?

origin, sexual orientation, age, or abilities (Federal Communications Commis-
sion, 2008).
One particularly offensive type of harassment is sexual harassment, which
the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) (2011) defines
as follows: “Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other