Title: Direct vs Indirect Quiz
Course: PIM: Teaming 1: Communication > Section: 2. Direct vs. Indirect Styles

Q: Which statement do you see as the most direct:
- Turn up the heat! (This is the most direct statement. The speaker expresses explicitly what they want.)
- Would you mind if we adjusted the temperature? (Not the most direct choice - try again!)
- Is anyone else cold? (Not the most direct choice - try again!)
- What do you think of the temperature in here? (Not the most direct choice - try again!)
A: Turn up the heat!
Feedback: Remember, direct communication gets right to the point and says exactly what the speaker means.

Q: Which of these statements do you see as the most indirect?
- What do you think of the temperature in here? (That's right. This is the most indirect example. By asking the question without any reference to themself, the speaker avoids verbalizing an opinion or desire.)
- Turn up the heat! (Not the most indirect choice - try again!)
- Would you mind if we adjusted the temperature? (Not the most indirect choice - try again!)
- Is anyone else cold? (Not the most indirect choice - try again!)
A: What do you think of the temperature in here?
Feedback: Remember that indirect communication implies instead of explicitly saying outright the intended message of the speaker.

Q: Why do you think the question "Is anyone else cold?" is more indirect than the question "Would you mind if we adjusted the heat?"
- The first question suggests a perspective or opinion but doesn't tell others what to do. (Yes, it is a marker of indirectness to leave the course of action open.)
- The first question is shorter. (Length is not always relevant, but sometimes longer speech/text can seem more indirect.)
- The second question uses the first person (I/we). (Mentioning yourself specifically can seem more direct.)
- The second question doesn't mention the directionality of temperature (up or down/hot or cold). (It is less specific in that way, but overall the second question is more direct.)
A: The first question suggests a perspective or opinion but doesn't tell others what to do.; The second question uses the first person (I/we).

Q: You present an idea during your team brainstorming. A teammate responds: "That idea could work."

What do you think their response means?
Feedback: There is not one correct answer to this question! How you read their response depends a lot on your own tendency to engage in direct vs indirect communication. More direct communicators might hear something like, "Sounds feasible to me." More indirect communicators might interpret it more like, "Thanks for your contribution, but that is not likely to work." And of course there are other interpretations somewhere between. Being aware of your own cultural communication style can help you identify how you are reading between the lines (or not) of what others say, and knowing others' cultural tendencies towards directness or indirectness can help you tease out what they might have actually meant.

Q: Decide if this statement is more direct or more indirect, and then rewrite it to move it towards the opposite end of the spectrum:

I will try my best to get that done on time.
Feedback: If you thought the statement was more indirect, you might have tried to rewrite it more directly with language like: That's an unrealistic deadline. I can't meet that deadline. I will try to meet the deadline, but it will be hard. If you thought the statement was more direct, you might have tried to rewrite it more indirectly with language like: Things are really busy right now. I sure do have a lot on my plate.