ACCA BT Personal effectiveness and communication: practice questions with answers

Question 1

Objectives should be SMART. Which of the following is not part of the SMART framework?

1. A Specific
2. B Measurable
3. C Time-bound
4. D Motivational

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Answer: D. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable (or Agreed), Relevant and Time-bound.

Question 2

What is the main purpose of continuing professional development (CPD) for an accountant?

1. A To meet tax requirements
2. B To qualify for a pay rise
3. C To replace formal exams
4. D To maintain and develop professional competence throughout their career

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Answer: D. CPD keeps professionals' knowledge and skills up to date so they remain competent, which also supports the ethical principle of professional competence.

Question 3

The grapevine is an example of formal communication in an organisation.

1. A True
2. B False

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Answer: B. The grapevine is informal communication that spreads through personal networks.

Question 4

What is the final stage of the communication process, in which the receiver responds to the sender to show how the message has been understood?

1. A Encoding
2. B Feedback
3. C Decoding

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Answer: B. The communication process runs: sender → encoding → medium → decoding by the receiver → feedback. Feedback lets the sender check that the message has been understood as intended.

Question 5

Lorna, an assistant accountant, keeps putting off a large and difficult report that is due in three weeks. Instead she fills her days with small, easy tasks. Which barrier to effective time management does this show, and what is the most appropriate way for her to overcome it?

1. A Interruptions; she should close her office door and switch off email notifications
2. B Poor delegation; she should pass the report to a more junior colleague
3. C Unclear objectives; she should ask her manager to set her SMART objectives
4. D Procrastination; she should break the report into smaller tasks, each with its own deadline, and start on the first one now

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Answer: D. Procrastination is putting off tasks, often large or unpleasant ones, by doing easier work instead. It can be overcome by breaking the task into smaller steps with their own deadlines, scheduling time for it and starting at once. Other barriers to time management include interruptions, poor delegation, unclear objectives and poor planning, but they are not the problem here.

Question 6

Two managers at Ostler Co both want to use the only large meeting room every Monday morning. Their director suggests that each manager uses it on alternate Mondays, so that each gets part of what they want. Which conflict-handling approach is the director using?

1. A Collaborating
2. B Accommodating
3. C Compromising
4. D Avoiding

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Answer: C. In Thomas and Kilmann's model, compromising is moderate on both assertiveness and co-operativeness: each party gives up something to reach an acceptable middle position, so each gets part of what they want. Collaborating aims for a solution that meets both parties' needs in full; accommodating gives the other side what it wants; avoiding leaves the conflict unresolved.