1. Personality Development and Soft Skills.pptx

Personality and development

1. Personality Development and Soft Skills

2. Exercises Write 20 strengths and 5 weaknesses of yours categorizing as Physical, Mental, Emotional, Behavioral and Technical. Write a note on yourself without (excluding your family information, academic qualification, and strengths and weaknesses as we have already discussed). GDs on abstract topics like: Small is Beautiful Size does matter Smart work v/s Hard work Food is more important than Ethics Happy v/s Successful If I was the Prime Minister of the Nation

3. Exercise Speech on a topic and Video production to be done by the student. Voice over by student on existing video. Preparing the answer of the Interview question ‘Tell us about Yourself’ and present in front of all. Identify your 5 year plan and write down in notebook. Read a Book (exclude Textbook) and write your observation in 500 words.

4. Same but different In some ways we are all the same. We all have the same human nature. We share a common humanity. We all have human bodies and human minds, we all have human thoughts and human feelings. Yet in other ways we are all completely different and unique. No two people are truly alike. No two people can ever have the same experience of life, the same perspective, the same mind. Somewhere between these two – our common humanity and our unique individuality – lies our personality .

5. Personality Personality is about our different ways of being human. How we are all variations on the same themes. How the human nature we all share manifests in different styles of thinking , feeling and acting . Just as human beings can differ a great deal in terms of their physical traits (i.e. height, weight, hair, and so on), they also differ in terms of mental and behavioral traits. For example, some people are talkative and outgoing, while others are quiet and reserved.

6. “Your personality style is your organizing principle. It propels you on your life path. It represents the orderly arrangement of all your attributes, thoughts, feelings, attitudes, behaviors, and coping mechanisms. It is the distinctive pattern of your psychological functioning – the way you think, feel, and behave – that makes you definitely you.” - The New Personality Self-Portrait by Oldham and Morris

7. Personality refers to an individual’s characteristics, style, behaviour, mindset, attitude, his own unique way of perceiving things and seeing the world. Genetic factors, family backgrounds, varied cultures, environment, current situations play an imperative role in shaping one’s personality. The way we behave with others reflects our personality. An individual with a pleasing personality is appreciated and respected by all.

8. Effective Communication Communication, whether oral or written, is all about understanding . The aim should be to communicate a message successfully so that it is received as it is intended by the sender, without any misunderstanding. Effective communication can be achieved by having a thorough knowledge of communication cycle. To be more effective, communication should possess certain qualities. It should be intentional as well as unintentional, dynamic as well as systematic so that the two participants i.e. Sender or transmitter and receiver or audience exchange ideas and information , and influence each other in the process. Most jobs need good communicators, people who can express themselves clearly and positively, both verbally and in writing. It’s one of the key ingredients of success. Having good communication skills in the workplace is all about being able to convey information to people clearly and simply.

9. Skills required for Effective Communication Transmitting and receiving messages clearly Being able to understand or read (i.e. psychology and behaviour) the audience Being empathic (this helps to understand how others will interpret your words and behaviour) Giving and understanding instructions Learning new things Make requests, ask questions and convey information with ease Adapt yourself to new and different situations Have difficult conversations with ease Be a good listener Avoid and resolve conflict Compromise to reach agreement Positive body language (Open hand, good eye contact, plenty of smiling, good posture, etc.) Respect for other’s personal space Establish trust and rapport with people (this means people not only have more confidence in you, but will want to listen to and work with you) Good oratorical skills and command over language Clear diction, strong vocabulary,

10. Effective Communication Skills in Personality Development Communication helps individuals to express themselves in the most convincing way People with great communication skills tend to have a better and impressive personality Effective communication skills strengthen the bond among individuals Speaking convincingly helps the other person to understand what you intend to communicate Take care of the body language, this shapes the individual’s personality and give confidence to the person Be very particular about the pronunciation of words Be a good and patient listener for effective communication skills

11. A highly confident speaker is viewed as being more accurate, competent, credible, intelligent, knowledgeable, likable, and believable than the less confident uncertain speaker. If one is truly excited about their subject, that feeling will shine through any nervousness one may have while they are giving their presentation. Studies show that people who label their anxiety as excitement end up feeling more comfortable speaking. ‘Being yourself’ is the most important trait of effective speakers.

12. Principles of Effective Communication If communication are to be effective then certain principles should be followed. These principles of effective communication are as follows: Principle of Simplicity: The message prepared for communication should be simple and easy to understand. Common words and simple sentences should be used. Principle of Clarity: The message prepared for communication should be clear. An ambiguous message will not be able to make effective communication. Principle of Brevity (Concise): The message should be concise in nature. The reader may feel disturbed in receiving a long message. So, only necessary information should be given in the message. Principle of Planning: Before preparing any message, the sender should plan for the message and after that, he should plan for selecting media and process of sending the message to the receiver.

13. Principle of Accuracy: The facts and information provided in the message should be accurate. Any wrong information in the message may create confusion. As a result, communication failure may occur. Principle of Objectivity: Communication can be effective when it is purposeful. It is required that both sender and receiver must know about the objectives or purpose of communication. Principle of Attentiveness: Effective listening is important in effective communication. The receiver should be attentive while receiving any message. Principle of Relevancy: The subject matter of communication should contain relevant information. Irrelevant and unnecessary things should be eliminated from the subject matter of communication. Principle of Feedback: Sending of message is not sufficient for effective communication. To be effective, a feedback from the receiver is essential. Principle of Time Consideration: The sender should consider the proper time for effective communication. If communication is not made in time, its effectiveness is lost. Principle of Language Control: Control of language is important for effective communication. The sender should be careful in selecting words and framing sentences.

14. Essentials of Effective Communication Extend knowledge by reading Identify the objective of the communication Think and plan before speaking or writing Command over language Know well the audience Adequate knowledge of human psychology Know the circumstances in which the communication takes place Use appropriate language and words Create self-interest to the receiver Imagination and perception is required Cheerfulness is required Mannerism and Etiquettes Be open-minded to other’s ideas Sincerity and accuracy of facts

15. Know the recipient’s reaction to the communication Select appropriate media Listen carefully and intelligently Consider the best time for the communication Keep the channel of communication always open Communication should be controllable Obtain feedback to ensure the effectiveness of the communication Set and maintain high standards in the method of communication (in terms of language and presentation) Trust and confidence to be developed

16. 7 Cs of Effective Communication Clarity Completeness Conciseness Consideration Courtesy Correctness Concreteness (definite and specific) 7 Cs will be followed in all i.e. effective speaking, effective listening, and effective writing.

17. Effective Speaking Communication, whether oral or written, is all about understanding. In the oral communication, the speaker’s aim should be to communicate a message successfully so that it will be received as he intended, without any misunderstanding, then it will be known as ‘ Effective Speaking ’. Effective speaking concerns being able to speak in a public context with confidence and clarity. It is simply a persuasive conversation developed and adapted to fit the occasion, further a special purpose, and suit the people who listen.

18. Techniques for Effective Speaking Breathing: Everyone breathes. It’s one of the most natural things we do. There are some special ways to breathe that makes our voice better. Some of the instructions are given below: Sit forward in a chair and let your stomach muscles relax. Breathe in through your nose and imagine that you are a vessel filling up with air as you would pour water into a vase. Fill up your abdomen first, then your lower ribs (you should feel them expand) and then all the way up to your chin. Hold this breath for a count of ten. Now exhale slowly. As you exhale, keep your ribs expanded and tighten your abdomen as you would if you were doing a ‘crunch’. Repeat. Once you have mastered the exercise sitting down, practice incorporating it into your speaking and singing. You may need to do it slowly at first until you can coordinate all the actions smoothly.

19. The key thing to remember is that breathing should be low and expansive. If you do the exercise correctly, your stomach will go in while your chest stays out and expands. Practicing this technique will provide many benefits, including: Awareness of your breathing will enable you to breathe more effectively. Proper posture for breathing creates a confident, strong appearance. Deeper breathing makes you feel more confident and strong as well. Andrew Weil writes, “You cannot always center yourself emotionally by an act of will, but you can use your voluntary nerves to make your breathing slow, deep, quit, and regular, and the rest will follow.” Deep breathing decreases tension and helps to focus intellectual activity. Proper breathing technique helps an speaker to remain calm on the floor.

20. Breathing and Vocal Variety It is advised to an speaker to ‘use your voice to complement your message’. Ideally, you want your content to align with your delivery method and both to align with the sound of your voice. Vocal variety is all about the sound of the voice and, in this case, that vocal image is created through several aspects of your sound, including pace, pitch, pause, and power. I. Pace: Pace is the speed of your delivery of message. In general, for vocal variety you are encouraged to vary your pace by speeding up and slowing down appropriately for the message you are delivering. However, some people have trouble with pacing due to poor breathing. If you speak too quickly, or if your speaking is labored or too slow, consider the following:

21. Speaking too fast is often the result of not stopping to breathe often enough. Solution: To slow down your speaking with the breathe, consciously take a breathe before you begin. Remember to stop and breathe between ideas. The next time you practice a presentation, take time to inhale and exhale deeply five times before you start to speak. Then take one more deep breathe and exhale vigorously into your first words. Speaking too slowly can also be caused by not taking in and using enough air. Solution: Not using enough air can cause a person to sound dull and lifeless. This may also be caused by poor posture. Practice the breathing technique mentioned above, paying special attention to posture. Be sure you move that air with the abdominal muscles as you speak. Overdo the latter when you practice so you really feel the breathe in the sound. By breathing deeper and then using all the air in your sound, you create a more energetic sound and you feel more energized too.

22. II. Pitch: Pitch is determined by the notes we use when we speak. Yes, we use notes when speaking just as we do for singing. Speaking notes, however, are random, informally ordered, and usually of shorter duration than notes we sing. To create vocal variety, one uses different pitches to make their sound more interesting. Sometimes problems with creating variety in pitch can be result of poor breathing technique. Here are two such problems, their likely causes, and some ways to fix them: A voice that is too high-pitched and thin can be the result of shallow breathing, i.e. without abdominal expansion and support. Solution: The solution to shallow breathing is to relax the abdomen and drop the air in lower. This also relaxes the larynx so it doesn’t ride so high. A high larynx can create a higher, thinner sound. If your voice sounds squeezed or strained , or too low, you may not be using all the air you take in. Solution: You can improve a strained sound by practicing a breathy sound and then gradually adding more and more vocal sound to it. This can be called as ‘energizing the voice’ . It also has the effect of making pitch variety much easier to achieve because the voice becomes free to move and create more pitches. If you do this correctly, you will definitely feel the freedom in your voice.

23. Some tongue twisters: The blue bluebird blinks. Three free throws. Strange strategic statistics. Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried flesh. Accents Exercise: Try recording your own voice in an informal setting, like at home. Then listen carefully to how your sound in order to become accustomed to your own voice. You might also note any aspects of your speech which reduce the overall effectiveness of your message. Finding your voice The effect of breath on voice and speech Vocal production

24. Requisites for Effective Speaking Think clearly what to communicate Make clear about the objective Know well the audience Command over language Clear pronunciation Precise form of message Appropriate word choice Logical sequence Avoid hackneyed phrases (like, generally, etc.) Natural voice Adjusting the speech according to the needs of listeners

25. Adequate knowledge of human psychology Cheerfulness Sincerity and accuracy of facts Timing of communication Ensure whether properly received at the other end Proper facial expressions and gestures Using visual aids Comfortable posture Eye contact Natural Movements Voice Modulation Pauses Feedback or follow-up

26. Types of Speaking Informative: Informative speaking generally centers on talking about people, events, processes, places or things. This speech imparts information on a particular topic or issue. Business presentations, seminars, class presentations are some examples of informative speeches. A person preparing for an informative speaking has to research the subject or topic very well. Persuasive: Persuasive speaking is the type of speaking in which the speaker is trying to persuade or convince the audience about an idea or product. These speeches aim to influence and change the opinions of the audience. Special Occasion: Speaking on Special Occasion aims to pay tribute or praise a person, an institution, an event, idea or place. Entertainment: This form of speaking is usually given at weddings, parties etc. The entertainment speaking can be humorous, touching or emotional, as per the occasion and the mood. However, one should take utmost care of not to hurt feelings by making snide (i.e. false or sarcastic) remarks about people.

27. Effective Listening Listening is an important part of the process of communication. It means making effort to get the full meaning of speaker’s message. It involves not only understanding the content of the message, but also understanding the feeling of the speaker. Understanding the feeling is called ‘ Empathy ’ or ‘ Effective Listening ’. Listening is a positive activity and it needs a good deal of hardwork. It involves effort and self-discipline to listen attentively. It is the responsibility of the speaker to make effort to be understood, similarly the listener has the responsibility to be attentive and to make effort to understand the message conveyed by the speaker. The success of any seminar, meeting or function also depend on this fact. If there is no listening in a communication, it will be only a wastage of time and energy of the speaker and organizers.

28. The meaning of ‘listening’ must be understood different from ‘hearing’. Hearing is just a part of listening. Listening means understanding the message properly. For example, if a person gives a message to some rural person in English then the message was just heard not understood. Thus, it cannot be called ‘listening’, because listening means ‘decoding’. The process of listening starts with receiving the message and ends with understanding and reacting to the message.

29. Types of Listening Content Listening: Under this type of listening the message is easily understood and the message is also preserved in the written form. Active Listening: This means listening and having new ideas crop up in the mind on the same subject. Pretending Listening: Under this type of listening the audience’s facial expressions and gestures reveal whether he has got the message or not. Attentive Listening: In this type of listening the audience pays full attention to the message. Selective Listening: In this type of listening only the selected part of the message is retained / paid attention to, whereas the unnecessary details are chopped off. Critical Listening: In this type of listening the message is analyzed and evaluated.

30. Requisites for Effective Listening Message retention Full attention to the speaker’s message Listening without arguments (put the speaker at the ease) Evaluation after complete listening Verification of reliability and truthfulness To be unbiased To find out the points of common interests Acceptance to change (ready for a flexible approach of learning) Proper eye contact Show a desire to listen (no disturbance through topping with foot or a pencil, shuffling of papers, attending to other works, etc.) To note the main points and get them checked for correctness Keep an open mind (avoid any pre- judgement before listening to the speaker) Timely clarification Focus and Self Discipline Courtesy

31. Elements / Characteristics / fundamentals of Effective Listening Clarity of thought (through getting the meaning of message in a proper way) Positive attitude Concentration Self-Discipline Courtesy (a good listener should admire and respect the good ideas of a speaker) Eye contact (while listening a speech, a listener should make relationship with speaker through proper eye contact. It supports listener that he is being listened)

32. Persuasive or Influential Skills “Influence is not really a skill, although it requires skill. Influence is who you are and how you are perceived by others. It is vital to be skilled at communicating in an influential way, to understand how others think, how to connect with them and how to persuade them.” Suzanne Bates Author of Discover Your CEO Brand “Persuasion is about creating an environment that lets two or more people find common ground and beliefs. The fine line between persuasion and manipulations revolves around intent. Typically persuasion has a very positive connotation while manipulation does not.” - D. Lakhani Click to add text

33. Persuasive or Influential Skills Persuasion means one’s ability or power to influence someone’s opinions or feelings. It means trying to influence the way someone thinks or behaves. This is a way to influence someone to do or believe something through reasoning or the use of temptation. Persuasion is the art of getting people to do things that are in their own best interest and that also benefit the persuader. Persuasive skills are used to convince or influence others to follow a course of action. It is an attempt to influence a person’s beliefs, attitudes, intentions, motivations, or behaviors. This can be an effective way to change the minds and behaviors of people. Persuasion skills are needed both in business as well as in the private life. In business it is a crucial aspect as you have to be able to communicate and negotiate with individuals at all levels of an organisation and also with the external partners.

34. Persuasive skills are important in many jobs, especially areas such as marketing, sales, advertising and buying, and are also valuable in everyday life. Influence and persuasion is not only for the leaders, it’s an essential skill we all must have to strengthen the path to career success. Persuasion and influence are one’s stepping stones toward success, whether at the workplace or in our personal lives – we are influencing and persuading others in different ways. Think about how an advertisement or a speech persuades us to buy the product or the idea? The whole process is not as simple as one might think, it entails a whole gamut of emotional satisfaction, viable presentation and clear action plan.

35. Types of Persuasion Appeal to Reason / Logic (Logos): The appeal-to-reason method uses a logical argument, with everything about the persuasion centered in logic and in the scientific method. This method will work best with the types of people who need proof of something and don’t accept arguments that are based more on faith rather than on fact. For example , if you are trying to convince a group a scientists to follow your belief that the earth revolves around the moon, then you need to have a lot of proof to back it up, otherwise you will not persuade them to your argument. Appeal to Emotion (Pathos): The appeal-to-emotion is not based on proof, but on the emotions that a person feels. This can be a more effective approach for the population as a whole, because people can often be governed by their emotions more than by their minds. For example , sales people use this method quite well. They will appeal to your imagination by giving a presentation of a test drive of a vehicle so that you can see yourself in the vehicle. Advertising and propaganda are two other methods of using this form of persuasion.

36. Appeal to Trust: The appeal-to-trust is based on trustworthiness. If people believe and trust someone, they are more likely to persuade them. One should show they are trustworthy in some ways. One can also show credibility through things like their profession. For example , we trust doctors based on their experience. Appeal to Credibility / Character (Ethos): The appeal-to-credibility means convincing by the character of the person. We tend to believe the person whom we respect. Project an impression to people that you are someone worth listening to, in other words making yourself as someone who is likable and worthy of respect. Appeal to Authority Appeal to Fear or Insecurity Appeal to Stupidity Appeal to Loyalty and Patriotism Appeal to tradition and Customs Appeal to Repetition

37. How to influence people (Tricks) Show genuine interest in people / Be friendly Remember people’s name Listen them Sincerely make people feel important Take care of your Body language Speak well / Communication skills Smile Show gratitude Visualize things (to help people to visualize things that how being convinced the situation be for them) Ask questions Be aware Be yourself Show sincerity and your good behavior / character Help people Praise / Complement others Be brave / strong

38. Ways for better Persuasive Skills Listen: To be an effective persuader one needs to listen carefully. If you want to be heard, then listening is vital as it gives the other person chance to express all the wants and needs. It shows that one is not just pursuing only their own interests. Everyone strives for benefits. Therefore the result of the conversation should be beneficial for both sides. In other words, win-win situation should be achieved. Practise: Even though one might not be good at persuading others, it is not a huge problem. One just need to practice as much as possible. No matter how much shy one can be, persuasion skills can be improved. One should communicate with all different people and definitely one will face a situation when one would like to convince the other person about something. Try to improvise and behave naturally. The more one communicates with people, the better one will become in persuasion and negotiation.

39. No fear: Try to eliminate all worries and fear of being unsuccessful in their persuasion. These feelings create a barrier for improvement. The only solution is not to think about being unsuccessful and making mistakes, as this may affect their mood and they will behave stiff and nervous. If any mistake occurs in the discussion, then analyze it properly when the conversation is over. Learn from the mistakes and improve it.

40. Principles of Persuasion Six principles of Persuasion: Reciprocation: (Obligation to give when you receive, be the first to give and ensure that what you give is personalized and unexpected) People feel indebted to others who do something for them or offer them a gift. That’s why free samples are so effective. Getting something for nothing makes buyers feel obligated to purchase. Commitment and Consistency: People are more likely to follow through with something if they have committed to it, verbally or in writing. Social Proof / Consensus: Whether they realize it or not, people look to others for cues on how to behave and what to believe. Liking: People prefer to say yes to individuals they know and like. Research shows that people attribute talent, kindness, honesty, and intelligence to people they find attractive.

41. Authority: There is strong pressure in society for people to obey authority figures and experts. Authority comes in many forms. Dressing in a business suit makes one appear authoritative at work. This helps to increase one’s authority and makes it easier to influence others. Scarcity: (People want more of those things they can have less of, it is also required to tell people the benefits of the matter/object, what makes it unique and if they will not get it then what they stand to lose) According to the scarcity principle, people assign more value to objects and opportunities that come in limited quantities or are more difficult to obtain.

42. Steps involved in / Process of Persuasion In the 1930s, John Monroe developed a series of steps that he believed were the keys to persuading another individual. The steps are: Attention: To get someone to listen to their argument, one needs to get their attention. The speaker can get this in the following ways: Use people’s name with a tone that conveys importance. Use emotion to demonstrate the speaker’s position – smile, frown, be exasperated (angry, annoy, frustrate, provoke), whatever emotion conveys the strength of their position. Physical touch, if suitable, to have the level of rapport where this is appropriate. Bring up a topic where the speaker know the listeners are passionate about, but make sure that there is a valid connection so the speaker don’t seem to changing the topic too quickly. Start with a statement that conveys the benefit of the speaker’s position for the other person.

43. Need: Once the speaker get the attention of the audience, they should work on to keep it. The speaker can loose the attention as quickly as they have it if the other person doesn’t see the need to continue listening. To keep the other person’s attention, the speaker has to be familiar with what is important to the audience. This includes the following things: What do the audience want? What do they value? Why should they care about their side of the argument? Once the speaker can answer these questions, they are ready to ‘hook’ the listener by focusing on what they care about.

44. Satisfaction: In this step, the speaker should describe to the listener that how their position will meet the need they addressed in the previous step. They may have following questions: Will the solution solve the audience’s problem? Will it prevent them from having to deal with additional problems? what benefits will the listener receive if they are persuaded by the speaker’s argument. Or what negative consequences will they avoid? Visualization: Visualization means that the speaker can create a picture for the listener of what the situation will look like once they have been persuaded to accept their position or agree to their decision. Action: Act as soon as the audience approach to an agreement, otherwise people may perhaps change their mind. Example, discount offers by companies to persuade people for limited time being.

45. Barriers to Successful Persuasion Physical / Physiological barriers: this include distance, background noise, poor or malfunctioning equipment, bad hearing, poor eyesight, speech impediments (problems / hindrances). Emotional and Cultural barriers: Emotions (anger, fear, sadness) and attitudes (having to be right all the time, believing oneself to be superior or inferior to others) affect objectivity, as well as the stereotypical assumptions that people make about each other based on cultural background. Language barriers: Speaking different languages, having strong accents, using slang or jargons can affect communication and negotiation efforts. Nothing or little in common with audience: When the audience cannot relate to any of the talks of the speaker, because they don’t share a common experience with the speaker.

46. Lack of eye contact: Not making eye contact is a sure way of raising doubt in listeners and losing their attention and making them feel suspicious of the speaker. Information overload and lack of focus: Too much information and lack of focus in the orientation of speaker can confuse the audience and even make them wonder. Not being prepared: If the speaker is not prepared, if he lack the facts, and if listeners will notice and feel let down, then they won’t believe the speaker. Talking too much: When we talk that time we are not listening, and it is required that the speaker should listen to the people they are attempting to persuade. Trying too hard to persuade the audience: When we try too hard to persuade someone, they may seem desperate, and desperations reflects like manipulation and turns people off. Lack of enthusiasm: If the speaker don’t believe in their position, product, service, or whatever they are trying to sell, they won’t believe in it either.

47. Interview Skills An interview is a conversation where questions are asked and answers are given. Interview is a social process, which involves interaction between two persons – the interviewer and the interviewee. It gives a chance to the interviewer to have a glimpse of the inner traits and qualities of the interviewee. In a very short span of time, interviewee has to exhibit their attitude, skills and knowledge. Interviews usually takes place face to face and in person, although modern communication technologies such as internet have enabled conversations to happen in which the two groups or parties are separated geographically, such as with videoconferencing and telephone interviews can happen without visual contact. Getting an interview is an achievement in itself. Only a small proportion of applicants are selected for interview, so the person has already made a positive impression to have got to this stage.

48. Purpose of the Interview To see if the interviewee match the requirements of the job. These will naturally vary with different jobs but are likely to include: the personal qualities of the interviewee how well they express themselves the interviewee’s motivation and energy To accurately assess the competency, fit and motivation of the interviewee. To verify the information of the candidate obtained through application form, resume and tests. To identify the extent of the applicant’s education, work experience, job-related interests, and other information. To clarify the real job needs to the candidate. To give the candidate necessary facts and information about the job and the organisation.

49. Traits Tested in Interviews Technical Traits Subject Knowledge Work skills Finer skills Communication skills Ability to listen Honesty and forthrightness Non-Technical Traits Body language Gestures Dress Manners Etiquette Attitude

50. Interview Panel Subject knowledge expert: tests the subject knowledge Management representative: tests the ability to be a team player HR manager: tests the attitude and innate interest

51. Types of Questions asked in Interviews Direct Questions: These type of questions predetermine the focus of the candidate’s answer. For example, ‘What skills do you have that relate to this position?’ . Make sure your information should be clear and specific. These questions are easy to answer if the candidate has researched on him/herself. Indirect Questions: These questions are general and do not ask for specific information. For example, ‘Tell us about yourself.’ In response to this particular question, the interviewee should briefly summarize approximately four areas: education, skills, and personal attributes . And if possible, the candidate should make the response relevant to the job they are seeking.

52. Hypothetical / Situational Questions: These questions use a problem solving approach to determine their analytical and critical thinking abilities. These ‘What if’ questions are presented in the form of case examples or problem situations. The candidate will be asked to imagine themselves experiencing a situation and then they will be evaluated on how they would handle that situation. The interviewee should provide their answer in a logical sequence relating to the situation. There are many different problem solving models. The following is merely one model the candidate could use to shape their answer: Gather information Evaluate Prioritize Seek advice (if necessary) Weigh alternatives Make and communicate your decision Monitor results Modify if necessary

53. Behavioural / Descriptive Questions: Behavioural questions offer the opportunity to provide examples of past performance that may help determine the future performance. Interviewers asks to the interviewee what they did in a particular situation rather than what they would do. For example, ‘Tell us about a time when you displayed good leadership skills’. The answer of the interviewee could be delivered using the STAR (Situation, Task or Problem, Action, Result) Model . In short, the type of questions asked under this category are classified as under- Leading questions: These are questions which prompt the candidate to answer in a particular way. Example, ‘When did you complete your MBA?’ Open ended questions: It is asked to encourage a full, meaningful answer using the candidate’s subject, general knowledge and feelings. Example, ‘Tell us about your higher education.’ Probing questions: It is asked to find out the candidate’s ability to react to a critical situation. Example, ‘Why did you choose this company?’ Close ended questions: It is asked to find out the candidate’s precise answer. Generally the interviewee has to answer either yes or no. Example, ‘Can you work in night shifts?’

54. Types of Interviews Campus Interview: Campus interviews will determine who will be invited for on-site interviews in the Institute. The candidates must impress the campus recruiter with their knowledge, enthusiasm and potential. Screening / Preliminary Interview: Screening interviews are often conducted on the telephone, skype or virtual form. This type of interview is often used when an organisation is considering the candidate to their headquarters for a full round of interview. The candidate should tell about their technical competence as well as their personality traits. Non-directed / Unstructured Interview: Non-directed interviews rely primarily on traditional questions such as ‘tell us about yourself. What are your career goals’. The interviewer asks a series of questions but often without a real focus or direction. Even the interviewer may seem unfocused, the interviewee should be very focused, although the candidate may not control the direction of the interview, but they can control the content.

55. Stress Interviews: Stress interviews consist of questions and situations designated to put the interviewee under stress. The purpose is to reveal that how the interviewee will actually handle stress when it occurs on the job. The key to surviving this type of interview is not get panic or get angry or defensive. Panel Interviews: In this interview setting, two or more interviewers will interview the candidate simultaneously. Try to respond to the person who asks each question, while maintaining eye contact with the group as a whole. Behavioral Interviews: In a behavioral interview, the interviewer will ask questions based on common situations of the job the candidate is applying for. In a behavioral interview, the interviewer wants to see how the interviewee deals with the certain problems and what they do to solve them. Series Interviews Case Interview (Puzzle or a business problem will be given to the interviewee to solve) Group Interview (group of interviewees in the session) Pattern / Standardised Interview: In this interview, the pattern of the interview is decided in advance. What kind of information is to be sought or given, how the interview is to be conducted, and how much time is to be allotted to it, all these are worked out in advance. Depth Interview: Depth interview tries to portray the interviewee in depth and detail. It covers the life history of the applicant along with his/her work experience, academic qualifications, health, attitude, interest and hobbies.

56. Competency-based / Structured / Situational Interview: Many large graduate recruiters now used competency-based interviews in which the questions are designed to help candidates of the personal qualities which are needed to perform well in the job. For example, questions may be asked like, describe a situation where you had to - Show leadership Make a difficult decision Work as a member of a team Show initiative, etc. Walk-in-Interview Promotion Interview Appraisal Interview Exit Interview Reprimand Interview Lunch / Meal Interview

57. Preparation for Interview Physical preparation Properly groomed and formally dressed clean and well cut nails decent nail paint Less makeup properly combed hair gentle light aroma/perfume/scent personal hygiene well ironed clothes decent and neat footwear suitable handbag neat and formal documents folder less accessories

58. Correct body language / posture (this develop over the years as this cannot be changed in a short time) Good way of standing, seating and walking (over/under/self confidence can be reflected through the gestures and postures) Check your body movements (like don’t nod head more, point fingers, improper eye contact) Take care to stop bad habits (like eating nails, playing with hair, making noise with pen and chair) Good manners and conduct Wish the interviewer considering the time of the day. Do not offer to shake hands unless it is offered by an interview. Reach on time for interview. Keep extra copies of resume, all the documents arranged in your file. Do not sit until you are asked to sit down, if you are not asked to sit, ask for permission to sit: ‘May I sit down’. Take care while handling the chair; it should not be dragged noisily or clumsily.  Sit comfortably with good posture. Keep mobile silent not even on vibration. Keep your bag on the floor near the chair, or on your lap. Do not put your hands or elbows on the table. Maintain comfortable posture throughout the interview. At the end of the interview thank the interviewers and wish them Good day.

59. Mental preparation For new job seekers, it is necessary to revise subjects studied for the completed examinations and courses. Knowledge in the field of specialisation must be updated. Take a look at your resume, and be prepared to give information about all the items including hobbies and other interests or achievements mentioned in it. Be aware of the current events, important current issues in the country or the world. (so regular reading of newspapers, watching current affairs news on TV and discussions on current issues are useful in being well informed). Be prepared for your personal views and opinions on current issues. Have Information about the job for which you have applied (like duties, task, skills, nature of job, challenges, etc). Information about the interviewing company (information about its owners, directors, products, turnover, share capital, etc. may available on the company’s website and annual report). Information about the industry the firm belongs. Be prepared with the answers of general nature of questions.

60. Psychological preparation Balance of mind is needed to deal with the discouraging situations in an interview Psychological preparedness is a part of personality and character development. Honesty in answering questions is the best policy, as dishonesty can be reflected easily and will create a bad impression. It is better to admit inability to answer a question than to pretend and guess answers. Clarity of purpose or career objective should be reflected by the interviewee. Salary is a topic that can be discussed in the interview, without appearing to be bargaining. Self-Assessment Knowledge of your strong and weak points of personality. Self assessment should be done carefully. Identify your skills, talents which may be helpful in getting the particular job. And highlight during interview. If possible keep proofs of your achievements with you in documents form.

61. Reasons for selecting a candidate Appears enthusiastic Seems to have managerial skills Appears to know a lot Has the right attitude Has a spark (i.e. a small amount of something such as an idea, that has the potential to become something grater) Way ahead of others Flawless expression Impressing personality Learning kind

62. Reasons for rejecting a candidate Doesn’t have spark (i.e. zeal, passion, enthusiasm) Too slow Doesn’t listen or think Looks too casual Too confused and unclear Couldn’t express himself Doesn’t have much credentials May not adapt to the situation Poor physical appearance Lack of courtesy and manners Under or Over Confidence Aggressive Lack of Sincerity Lack of tact and prudence (carefulness / caution) Poor eye contact

63. No previous or insufficient job experience Lack of required qualification Unable to do the job because of disability or religious reasons Not interested in job applied for Poor references Lied on application form Would not relocate Demand of higher salary than authorized

64. Skill A skill is the ability to do something well. Synonyms: Expertise, Skilful, Adroitness, Dexterity, Ability, Prowess, Mastery, Competence, Capability, Efficiency, Aptitude, Art, Finesse, Flair, Virtuosity, Talent, Knack, Know-how, etc.

65. Types of Skills Labor Skills eg . Electrician, Carpenter, Baker etc. Life Skills deals with personal affairs or problem solving behaviours People Skills includes relationships of trust respect and productive interactions, empathizing Social Skills includes interpersonal relations, interaction and communication with others Soft Skills combination of People skills, Social skills, Emotional Intelligence and Personal career attributes in relation to industries Hard Skills relating to specific task or situation and easily quantifiable Mastering Skills means expertise in your specific area

66. Soft Skills A skill is the ability to do something well. Soft skills is the combination of People skills, Social skills, Professional skills, Emotional Intelligence and Personal attributes (i.e. character traits) that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with people , whereas Hard Skills is relating to specific task or situation and easily quantifiable . Soft skills are non-technical, intangible, personality-specific skills that determine one’s strengths as a leader, listener, innovator, negotiator, and conflict mediator. Soft skills have become absolutely essential for the success of the organizations and the individuals. These skills cannot be taught. It can be developed through proper training and guidance.

67. Soft skills are combination of - interpersonal skills, social skills, communication skills, character traits, attitudes, personal habits, team spirit, emotional intelligence, friendliness, optimism, critical observation, problem solving, adaptability, creative thinking, self motivation, time management, personal accountability, and so on. On the other hand, Hard skills are more related with the technical knowledge, education, experience, and level of expertise.

68. Soft skills vs Hard skills Soft skills Hard skills Soft skills are personal attributes that enhance an individual’s interactions, job performance and career prospects. Hard skills are about a person’s skills set and ability to perform a certain type of task or activity. Soft skills are personal-driven and subjective skills, and are hard to quantify / measure. Hard skills are teachable abilities which can be defined and measure. To be good at Soft skills Emotional Intelligence or EQ (also known as our right brain i.e. emotional center) is required. To be good at Hard skills Intelligence Quotient or IQ (also known as our left brain i.e. logical center) is required. Most Soft skills are not learnt well in school, they are generally learnt by trial and error, books and guides. Hard skills can be learnt in school and from books. We can also learn on how we can master our Hard skills. Soft skills are related to our personal characteristics and traits and are difficult to prove. Hard skills are easy to prove with certificates, education degree, awards, and so on.

69. Soft Skills Hard Skills Experience-based Rule-based People-related Technological / Scientific Attitudinal and Behavioral Industrial / Mechanical and Tools / Techniques Intangible Tangible Interpersonal skills Learning a Foreign language Teamwork Programming language Communication Business Planning Understanding Global Culture Financial Analysis Public Speaking, Critical Observation and Listening skills Budgeting and Data Analysis Business Etiquettes Services Solution Leadership , Creativity and Motivation Innovation, Product Development and Construction Engineering Self Awareness and Empathy, etc. Relationship Building, etc.

70. Categories of Soft Skills Internal Soft Skills External Soft Skills Self confidence Collaborative teamwork Self awareness Effective communication Self compassion (understanding of others , empathy) Interpersonal skills Accepting criticism Self-promotion Critical thinking / Problem solving Managing conflict Resilience (mental ability to recover from depression, illness, misfortune) Adaptability Perseverance Networking Emotional management Influence Perceptiveness (insight, understanding, intuition) Negotiation Growth mindset (understanding that abilities and intelligence can be developed ) Expectation management

71. Categories of Soft Skills Soft skills can be broken into three types of categories. They are: Prepare = Job Readiness Soft Skills Search = Job Seeking Soft Skills Secure = Job Keeping Soft Skills Job Readiness Soft Skills: Job readiness skills are the soft skills related to the job preparation process. These should be taught and learn well before a person enters the workforce. Job readiness soft skills are what most people think of when they think of soft skills, and include the following: Attitude: a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person’s behavior. Communication: the imparting or exchanging of information or news.

72. Planning and Organizing: the process of thinking about and organizing the activities required to achieve a desired goal. Critical Thinking: the process of skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. Interpersonal / Social skills: the social skills we use every day to communicate and interact with other people, both individually and in groups, including listening, speaking, reading and writing. Teamwork: the combined action of a group of people, especially when effective and efficient. Professionalism: the competence and demonstrated behavior expected of a professional. Media rules: the main means of mass communication (email, television, video, newspaper, internet including social media) regarded collectively, and the rules for their appropriate use in the workplace.

73. Job Seeking Soft Skills: Job seeking soft skills are the skills related to the job search process. These skills need to be taught and learned in order to successfully find, apply, interview, and accept a job. Job Secure Soft Skills: Job secure soft skills are the skills needed to secure and keep a job. When an individual combine the soft skills included in job readiness, job seeking and job securing / keeping, the person acquires the employability skills. Employability skills are the essential soft skills that involve the development of a knowledge base or mindset that is mindset that is increasingly necessary to be hired in today’s workplace.

74. Significance of Soft Skills Soft skills helps to excel in the workplace Hard skills are of no use without soft skills Soft skills are harder to learn Now workplaces values interpersonal Customers demand soft skills Helps to make relations better at the workplace

75. Practicing Soft Skills Have a positive attitude Be a team player Communicate effectively Raise confidence Develop creative skills Accept and learn from criticism Motivate yourself and lead others Prioritize your to-do list Visualize things

76. Know Yourself / Self Discovery Exercise Casual / Fun questions for knowing basics of yours: Do you know your name Do you know what course are you pursuing Do you know what papers are you reading Do you know your home address Do you know your parents Do you know your friends Do you know what color you like the most Specific questions to know about you: Do you know where your happiness lies Do you know what makes you sad Do you feel insecure for certain things Do you feel worthiness in yourself

77. For how many times we do the Self-Talk (this raises questions and doubts in mind) Remember there is no worthiness when you feel insecure inside. Human nature looks comfortable in familiarity. Spirituality is being comfortable in the unknown. And for how many times you Listen to yourself (this gives you purpose, gives you relief, and gives an answer to all our problems, and peace of mind comes out of it; that’s why we said God is within us) When we listen to our self we are being more connected with our soul, spirit, and our own self; and then it is called as Spirituality.

78. Self “Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” - Carl G. Jung The journey of knowing the Self starts with the word ‘Self’ , which means to identify and understand one’s behavior, thoughts, emotions, feelings, perception and so on. Self means the basic nature, personality and beliefs of yours. Not as what you have been told by others, but what you have discovered for yourself. The process of knowing the self is a life-long journey. SELF can be understood as Spiritual Enlightenment through Learning and Focus within a person.

79. Dimensions of the Self The Body The Personality The Dream The Emotion The Conscious mind The Subconscious mind The Inner Ego The Outer Ego

80. Significance of Know Your Soul / Self To know your true potential: The process of knowing your life’s purpose involves identifying and unlocking your soul’s gifts which will lead you to living your highest and true potential. Our natural talents are what we are born with. Our natural strengths or soul gifts create a strong foundation for strengths to be developed upon. It is far easier to turn your natural talents into strengths by developing them further with practice and further learning than to develop strengths that are not aligned with your natural talents or soul gifts.

81. To open yourself to possibilities and opportunities: If you know and follow your life’s purpose you will open yourself up to possibilities and opportunities you never would think possible through synchronicities and coincidences. As your soul steers you on the path of your life’s purpose you start to receive inner guidance that influences your choices so that you may end up in the right place for the right opportunity to present itself to you at the right time. The more aligned your work is to your life purpose, the more success you will achieve with little effort on your part as synchronicities will work to get you what you need at the right time and place. Being on purpose and using your soul gifts will get you connected to life source so that you are ‘in the flow’ and what you needs shows up in your physical reality with little or no effort on your part.

82. To know your passion for life: for those of you who have run away from their life’s purpose may feel that they have lost their mojo , their passion for life, for their work and they just don’t know why. You may feel tired and fatigued for no reason. You may feel joyless. The biggest lesson one can learn during their life journey is that choosing a path or career just because you think it is safe and that it will make you money to keep you secure will eventually be deadly to your soul. When you find your life’s purpose and aligned your work to it you feel alive, your passion for life will be ignited and it will radiate within you. You will start living on your own terms and feel excited to do what you love for living. This will transform your life inside and out.

83. To create your own value: doing the work you love that is aligned to your soul’s purpose will lead you to success and enable you to attract abundance with ease. You will be creating value using your soul gifts and talents and you will have a deeper sense of meaning in life. To make a real contribution in the world To bring an overall improvement in all your relationships particularly your closed ones To positively influence your health and wellness: You feel energized and passionate when you find and start to fulfill your life’s purpose. Living your life’s purpose gives you more control over your life and happiness, hence, reducing the stresses on your body systems.

84. Know Yourself / Thyself Self Discovery Know Thyself is a term coined by the great Greek philosopher Socrates meaning ‘Know yourself’. Know yourself is the process of ‘understanding the Self’, on deeper levels. Knowing yourself means identifying and respecting one’s values in life, beliefs, personality, priorities, moods, habits, body, and relationships. Knowing yourself is a journey. It is a life long process. One needs to remove all of the multiple personalities that they put on for different people and at different times. One needs to get down to the core of their essence and then they need to get rid of their own false self-images and delusions.

85. One must live their life in search of identifying their true self, i.e. understanding their strengths and weaknesses, their passions and fears, likes and dislikes, tolerances and limitations, desires and dreams. To understand others first you need to understand yourself. Therefore, one needs to discover and become their own true person, not what others perceive them to be; and also not what they believe they must be, but the person that they truly are. Knowing yourself means being true to oneself and knowing one’s own purpose in life.

86. Know Yourself / Self-Discovery Knowing yourself is not about the skimming the surface like finding a favorite color or music one may like. Knowing yourself is about delving much deeper. Knowing yourself is a journey. It is about discovering who one is as a human being – the real you. The journey is unpredictable and engages one deeply as it brings us face-to-face with our deepest fears, self-doubts, vulnerabilities (susceptible or weak) and insecurities. In this journey, one may question themselves that how they are living their life and whether or not it is in alignment with their highest purpose. And if one don’t know their highest purpose, allow themselves to live in that space of not knowing. The journey around knowing yourself can be challenging, however it also changes over time, considering the saying “This too shall pass” .

87. Knowing yourself means giving yourself permission and not knowing whilst unraveling the deeper truth of who you are. It is about listening to a deeper calling and wisdom within, whilst following your heart. Knowing yourself is about being aware of your core values, priorities and dreams. Knowing yourself means respecting (but not attaching to) our strengths and weaknesses, your passions and fears, your desires and dreams, your thoughts and feelings, your likes and dislikes, your tolerances and limitations.

88. Importance of Knowing Yourself “We know what we are, but know not what we may become.” - William Shakespeare Helps to control emotions (knowing yourself helps you to take control of your emotions and helps in decisions and choices when you are in an emotional state) Helps to reach one’s goal Helps to reach better decisions Helps to improve relationships Helps to realize and improve one’s full potential Helps to experience happiness and joy Helps to gain a sense of self awareness

89. What to Know about Oneself? Get to know the personality Who are u behind your name? What are your traits? Who are you among friends? What persona do you portray to the outside world? Get to know the core values What values you can never compromise? Is it honesty, integrity, security, flexibility? Is it wisdom and learning, financial comfort, fun? Is it excellence, responsibility, ambition, innovation, improvement?

90. Get to know the physical traits How well do you know your body? How well do you know your abilities and limitations? Get to know the dreams Believe it your dreams are important. (Daydreamer) Make your dreams part of your daily pursuits. Work on your dreams. Glorify them instead of hiding them.

91. Get to know the likes and dislikes What do you like, and just as important, what do you dislike? Lot of people go through life liking what’s popular and disliking what’s not popular or ‘cool’. Don’t do that. Take time to define your likes and dislikes. But decide. This takes guts to define your likes and especially your dislikes. For eg , it may be impolite to dislike spending 3 hrs. with extended relatives, but if you keep doing, will frustrate you.

92. Process to Know Yourself I. Be conscious of yourself Write down your major goals you achieved and you want to achieve. Write down the events that happened in your life and that have affected you mostly. Analyze your negative past experiences, and focus on what you have learned from them. Create your opinion for the world around you. Think what you believe to be good and bad. (Remember writing will give you clarity in thoughts and you will be able to identify your issues. Your thoughts should not be influenced by anyone else’s thoughts. Your opinion should be your identification only. And somehow this will help to shape your personality. This is also a tool for awakening your consciousness)

93. II. Develop your trust on yourself Be patient with yourself Develop your trust on your feelings Develop confidence on your abilities Show trust on your decision making and judgement Learn through your mistakes Take responsibility of the tasks assigned to you (whether that is household or official) III. Develop your moral conduct Overcome your bad habits (like overeating, gossiping lot, playing with hair all time, biting nails, smoking, etc.) Create a forward approach in life Organize your world i.e. keep your things in order (like organize your room, do your assignments, resolve fights with your friends or siblings)

94. IV. Spare (i.e. reserve) time with yourself Go for a long walk and think about yourself Solitude brings confidence and makes you independent and self-sufficient Bring creativity in your approach Seek your passion (that is worthy of your best efforts, sacrifice and emotions) Look for a right mentor (your soul can also be your mentor) (to help you to hit the unavoidable troubles that comes to your way) V. Sort out your Career Path Find yourself by taking an interest in what you love to do. Think about what you like and dislike to do Identify the careers that excite and energize you, and also helps you to move on that path

95. VI. Change your perspective Accept the fact that some people will think poorly of you no matter how best you are (don’t try to please people, don’t be a needy to be loved by all) Stick to your own abilities and your own self VII. Abandon the negative Make a conscious effort to minimize your negative thoughts and views Develop positivity and bring the sense of happiness Be open to new experiences and new people Ask yourself difficult and far-reaching questions, and answer them (if I would be the CEO what will I do and why?) Record your answers also.

96. VIII. Act upon your discovered self Whatever you have decided you want to be or do, then start being and doing it now Be ready for dear-ends (you should not be affected by the hit and trials, after all life is a journey and you should forward) Ultimately Serve people and community (this is the only thing which gives fulfillment to your life)

97. Methods for Knowing Yourself Maintain personal diary Practice Meditation Do Exercise regularly Go for walk regularly (in solitude you feel independent) Do some riding or driving Do some outings for sight seeing Develop some hobbies Develop new interests

98. Personal / Self SWOT Analysis SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. The SWOT analysis was first devised as a business tool in the 1960s by business icons Edmund P. Learned, C. Roland Christensen, Kenneth Andrews and William D. Guth. In 1982, Heinz Weihrich took it one step further, constructing a 2-by-2 matrix to plot out the four quadrants for easy comparison. Strengths and Weaknesses were across the top, and Opportunities and Threats in the bottom row. This remains the most common and effective way to conduct the analysis. Honesty is crucial, or the analysis will not generate meaningful results. A personal SWOT analysis is a tool to evaluate the past, present, and future position of a company.

99. SWOT can help people to become best versions of themselves. When conducting a SWOT analysis, think about what you want out of it. To conduct the analysis, ask yourself questions about each of the four areas being examined. Honesty is crucial, or else the analysis will not generate meaningful results. SWOT analysis is short and simple process to the participants. It is a creative method of self-assessment to help an individual to assess where their career or life is and where it could go.

100. Elements of SWOT analysis SWOT analysis is a way of looking at your situation by identifying: Strengths (Internal) , are those areas where you have an advantage over others, or you possess some unique traits than others. Weaknesses (Internal) , are those areas where you may be weaker than others, and may find that others can do better than you. Opportunities (External) , are the possibilities that you can take advantage of to help you achieve your goals and ambitions. Threats (External) , are the things that may prevent you from achieving your goals.

101. Determine the outcomes of SWOT analysis One can evaluate the results of SWOT analysis using two popular methods. Matching: Matching means connecting two of the categories to determine a course of action. For example, matching strengths to opportunities shows you where to be aggressive and take action. On the other hand, matching weaknesses to threats exposes those areas you should work on or situations to avoid, and let you know where to be more defensive of your position. Convert: Convert means to turn negatives into positives – in other words, converting your weaknesses into strengths, or threats into opportunities. This can mean growing a skill set through education or finding a creative way to feature a weakness as a strength. For example, if you are very outgoing, working in an introspective and isolated environment may not suit you very well. But if you can work toward a position, such as sales, in which you interact with many people, that weakness turns into a strength and could allow you to excel.

102. Categories for Self Strengths and Weaknesses Physical Mental Emotional Behavioral Technical

103. Categories for Self Opportunities and Threats Required Education Family Support and Commitments Technical know-how Awards and Achievements Financial Freedom Surroundings and Social Environment

104. Personal / Self SWOT Analysis Strengths How do your education, skills, talents certifications, and social connections set you apart from your peers ? What would your boss or coworkers / others say are your strengths ? What values or ethics do you have that your peers often lack ? What achievements are you most proud of ? Weaknesses Where are your education, training, or skills lacking ? What would your boss or coworkers / others say are your weaknesses ? What are your negative work habits and personality traits ? What do you avoid because you lack confidence ?

105. Opportunities What trends are affecting your industry? In what areas is your industry growing? How could new technology help you to advance ? How could your social connections help you ? Threats What obstacles do you currently face in your career ? Who is your competition ? Will new technology or certifications demands slow your progress ? How is your job or industry changing in ways that could affect your advancement ?

106. Significance of Self SWOT Analysis

107. Categories for Self Strengths and Weaknesses Physical Mental Emotional Behavioral Technical Strengths Weaknesses Strengths Weaknesses Strengths Weaknesses Strengths Weaknesses Strengths Weaknesses

108. Categories for Self Opportunities and Threats Opportunities Threats

109. Exercise Set aside at least 30 minutes, with no distractions, before you start. If you feel that you are too busy to spare even 30 minutes, consider that 30 minutes is a minuscule investment for an output that will turn your whole life around. Exercise #1: Consult your inner self The exercise to discover your purpose is summarized in 4 easy steps: Equip yourself with a pen/paper or word processor. Do this when you’re be yourself. Answer the question: ‘What is my life purpose?’ Write all thoughts pop in. All of them, including miscellaneous ones. For every thought that pops in, continue asking that same question. Keep doing it until you reach the final thought of your mind.

110. Tips to help you to get your answer Write whatever comes to your mind Do not over think. Don’t filter Having no thoughts is just a mid-point You may feel lazy, drowsy or uninterested but don’t stop your inner search Write the imposed purposes which accumulates your mind Write your doubts/fears Write down the things/activities you like Don’t be frustrated if you are not getting anywhere Take a break, and do it later if you need Use different sittings to get your answer Do not stop writing Get to the core, uncover the answer it is there inside you waiting to be uncovered Get to the answer that evokes your strongest emotions and resonates with the depth of your soul You will feel overwhelmed when you reach your core inside Just refine it You will have a mixed emotion of satisfaction, happiness and sorrow Do this again to check your right emotion If that is truly the answer, it will come up again You will feel happy and relaxed , then set the mission of your life The answer truly connects with your heart and soul

111. Emotional Intelligence Developing strong ‘People skills’ We probably all know people, either at work or in our personal lives, who are really good listeners. No matter what kind of situation we’re in, they always seem to know just what to say – and how to say it – so that we’re not offended or upset. They’re caring and considerate, and even if we don’t find a solution to our problem, we usually leave feeling more hopeful and optimistic.

112. We probably also know people who are masters at managing their emotions. They don’t get angry in stressful situations. Instead, they have the ability to look at a problem and calmly find a solution. They’re excellent decision makers, and they know when to trust their intuition. Regardless of their strengths, however, they’re usually willing to look at themselves honestly. They take criticism well, and they know when to use it to improve their performance. People like this have a high degree of emotional intelligence, or EI. They know themselves very well, and they’re also able to sense the emotional needs of others.

113. Emotional Intelligence We all have different personalities, different wants and needs, and different ways of showing our emotions. Navigating through this all takes tact and cleverness – especially if we hope to succeed in life. This is where EI becomes important. EI is the ability of individuals to recognize their own emotions and those of others. This is the ability to realize how our emotions affect people around us. It also involves our perception of others, i.e., when we understand how they feel, this allows us to manage relationships more effectively.

114. Emotional intelligence ‘EI’, also known as Sthitaprajna , is a self-perceived ability to identify, assess and control the emotions of oneself, and of others. The concept of EI, was being popularised , for the last few decades or so has been the part of the Hindu psyche, imbibed from Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta , in which Lord Krishna guides Arjuna whose emotions had hijacked his intelligence when he saw his relatives standing in the opposing armies of the Kauravas in Kurukshetra . He had no desire left for victory, kingdom or pleasure. Then the Lord Krishna elucidates the concept of Sthitaprajna to him. It means a person of steady wisdom, a person whose intelligence ( vivek ) is always in complete command of his senses, a person who has the capacity to stand apart and be independent of feelings or emotions.

115. Origin of the term ‘Emotional Intelligence’ Since 1990, Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer have been the leading researchers on Emotional Intelligence. The term ‘emotional intelligence’ seems first to have appeared in 1964 in a paper by Michael Beldoch. The first use of the term ‘EI’ was usually attributed to Wayne Payne’s doctoral thesis, ‘A Study of Emotion: Developing Emotional Intelligence’ from 1985. However, the concept of ‘EI’ is popularized after the publication of psychologist and writer Dr. Daniel Goleman ’s book ‘Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ’ in 1995. Thus, Daniel Goleman is known as the ‘ Father of EI ’. Dr. Goleman described emotional intelligence as a person’s ability to manage his feelings so that those feelings are expressed appropriately and effectively. According to Goleman, emotional intelligence is the largest single predictor of success in the workplace.

116. EI links strongly with concept of love and spirituality – bringing compassion and humanity to work, and also to ‘Multiple Intelligence’ theory – which illustrates and measures the range of capabilities people possess, and the fact that everybody has a value. Emotional Intelligence is the area of cognitive ability that facilitates interpersonal behaviour. EI is increasingly relevant to organizational development and developing people, because the EI/EQ principles provide a new way to understand and assess people’s behaviours, management styles, attitudes, interpersonal skills, and potential. EI is an important consideration in human resource planning, job profiling, recruitment, interviewing and selection, management development, customer relations and customer service, and more. The EQ concept argues that IQ, or conventional intelligence, is too narrow, that there are wider areas of EI. Success requires more than IQ (Intelligence Quotient), which has intended to be the traditional measure of intelligence , ignoring essential behaviour and character elements . We’ve all met people who are academically brilliant and yet are socially and inter-personally unskilled (i.e. inept, or unskillful) . And we know that despite possessing a high IQ rating, success does not automatically follow.

117. EQ Versus IQ EQ is emotional intelligence IQ, on the other hand, is cognitive intelligence

118. Dimensions of Emotional Intelligence According to Salovey and Mayer, there are four distinct dimensions or branches of emotional intelligence that form a hierarchy of emotional skills and abilities:

119. EI Framework / Elements In his book, Daniel Goleman presents five categories of emotional intelligence. Self-awareness: A person has a healthy sense of emotional intelligence self awareness if they understand / observe their self and recognize their emotions as they happen and have a strong sense of one’s self worth and capabilities (i.e. strengths and weaknesses), as well as aware of how their actions affect others. A person with emotional self awareness is usually receptive to, and able to learn from, constructive criticism more than one who doesn’t have emotional self awareness. Emotional Awareness: recognizing one’s emotions and their effects Accurate self-assessment: knowing one’s strengths and limits. Self confidence: sureness about one’s self worth and capabilities

120. Self-regulation: A person is being flexible in dealing with changing situations and if required inhibiting (hinder, restrain) one’s emotions in service of groups with a proactive bias towards action. A person with a high emotional intelligence has the ability to exercise restraint and control when expressing their emotions. Self-control: managing disruptive emotions and impulses Trustworthiness: maintaining standards of honesty and integrity Conscientiousness: taking responsibility of personal performance Adaptability: flexibility in handling change Innovativeness: being comfortable with and open to novel ideas and new information

121. Self Motivation: A person is having a strong sense of optimism and channelizing energies towards achievement of life goals with consistency in values, emotions and behaviour. People with high emotional intelligence are self-motivated, resilient and driven by an inner ambition rather than being influenced by outside forces, such as money or prestige. Achievement drive: striving to improve or meet a standard of excellence Commitment: aligning with the goals of the group or organisation Initiative: readiness to act on opportunities Optimism: persistence in pursuing goals despite obstacles and setbacks

122. Empathy / Social Awareness: An empathetic person understand others and take active interest in their concern with an appreciation for the differences among people. A person has compassion and is able to connect with other people on an emotional level, helping them respond genuinely to other people’s concerns. Empathy: sensing others’ feelings and perspective, and taking an active interest in their concerns Service orientation: anticipating, recognizing, and meeting customers’ needs Developing others: sensing what others need in order to develop, and bolstering their abilities Leveraging diversity: cultivating opportunities through diverse people Political awareness: reading a group’s emotional currents and power relationships

123. Interpersonal / Social skills: A person inspires and guide groups, help others to improve performance, resolve conflicts and build relationships with a shared vision. An emotional intelligent person are able to build trust with other people, and are able to quickly gain respect from the people they meet. Influence: wielding effective tactics for persuasion Communication: sending clear and convincing messages Leadership: inspiring and guiding groups and people Change catalyst: initiating or managing change Conflict management: negotiating and resolving disagreements Building bonds: nurturing instrumental relationships Collaboration and cooperation: working with others toward shared goals Team capabilities: creating group synergy in pursuing collective goals

124. Aspects of Emotional Intelligence This is the essential premise of EQ, to be successful requires the effective awareness, control and management of one’s own emotions, and those of other people. EQ embraces two aspects of intelligence: Understanding ourself , our goals, intentions, response, behaviour and all. (b) Understanding others, and their feelings.

125. Characteristics of Emotionally Intelligent Person Emotionally intelligent people use both intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. A good understanding of the world inwards helps one in being aware of the self and motivates the person. Emotionally intelligent communicators pay attention to and understand other’s emotions, likes and dislikes, values and ethics, things that matter to them most, and motivate them. They think positively, and are self-confident and know what they want.

126. These are the people who can see an opportunity in any challenging situation. They know how to channelize their energies well and give their best to everyone’s benefit. They analyze their failures well and learn by recollecting the same incident and trying to search for the errors committed by them rather than complaining about the situation or the people involved.

127. Domains of Emotional Intelligence Goleman identified the five ‘domains’ of EQ as: (a) Knowing our emotions (b) Managing our emotions (c) Motivating ourself (d) Recognizing and understanding other people’s emotions (e) Managing relationships, i.e., managing the emotions of others

128. EI embraces and draws from numerous other branches of behavioural, emotional and communication theories, such as NLP ( Neuro -linguistic Programming), Transactional Analysis, and Empathy. By developing our EI in these areas and the five EQ domains we can become more productive and successful too. The process and outcomes of EI development also contain many elements known to reduce stress for individuals and organizations, by decreasing conflict, improving relationships and understanding, and increasing stability, continuity and harmony. ‘The Emotional Competence Framework’ – a generic EQ competence framework produced by Daniel Goleman covering in summary: (a) Personal Competence – Self awareness, Self regulation, and Self motivation (b) Social Competence – Social awareness, and Social skills

129. One can become Emotionally Intelligent by: Take responsibility for your emotions and your happiness. Examine your own feelings rather than the actions or motives of other people. Learn to relax when your emotions are running high and to get up and move when your are feeling down. Learn to look for healthy humor in a negative situation. Be honest with yourself. Acknowledge your negative feelings, look for their source, and come up with a way to solve the underlying problem. Show respect by respecting other people’s feelings. Avoid people who invalidate you or don’t respect your feelings. Listen others with empathy Have the courage to forgive oneself as well as others

130. Guidelines for promoting EI at the workplace (a) Paving the way i . Assess the organization’s needs ii. Assessing the individual iii. Delivering assessments with care iv. Maximizing learning choice v. Encouraging participation vi. Linking goals and personal values vii. Adjusting individual expectations viii. Assessing readiness and motivation for EQ development

131. (b) Doing the work of change i . Foster relationships between EQ trainers and learners. ii. Self-directed change and learning iii. Setting goals iv. Breaking goals down into achievable steps v. Providing opportunities for practice vi. Give feedback vii. Using experiential methods viii. Build in support ix. Use models and examples x. Encourage insight and Self awareness

132. (c) Encourage transfer and maintenance of change (Sustainable change) i . Encourage application of new learning in jobs ii. Develop organizational culture that supports learning (d) Evaluating the change i . Evaluate individual and organizational effect

133. Empathy Empathy is the capacity to understand or feel the emotions of other people. It is a key element of Emotional Intelligence, the link between self and others, because it is how we understand what others are experiencing as if we were feeling it ourselves. Empathy goes far beyond ‘sympathy’, i.e. ‘feeling with’ that person, through the use of imagination. Daniel Goleman, author of the book Emotional Intelligence , says that empathy is basically the ability to understand others’ emotions. It is about defining, understanding, and reacting to the concerns and needs that underlie others’ emotional responses and reactions. According to Tim Minchin, Empathy is a skill that can be developed and, as with the most interpersonal skills, empathising (at some level) comes naturally to most people.

134. Elements of Empathy Daniel Goleman identified five key elements of empathy. Understanding others: In Goleman’s words, ‘sensing others’ feelings and perspectives, and taking an active interest in their concerns. This includes listening well, paying attention to non verbal communication, showing sensitivity, and understanding others’ perspectives. Developing others: Developing others means acting on their needs and concerns, and helping others to develop to their full potential. People with skill usually (a) reward and praise people for their strengths and accomplishments, and provide constructive feedback designed to focus on how to improve, (b) provide mentoring and coaching to help others to develop to their full potential.

135. Having a Service orientation: This means putting the needs of others’ first and looking for ways to improve their satisfaction. They genuinely understand other people’s needs, and go out of their way to help meet them. They develop a long-term relationship with people. Leveraging diversity: This means being able to create and develop opportunities through different kinds of people. They adopt a tailor-made way to interact with others to fit with their needs and feelings. People with this skill respect and relate well to everyone, regardless of their background. As a general rule, they see diversity as an opportunity, understanding that diverse teams work much better than teams that are homogeneous. Political Awareness: Political awareness means sensing and responding to a group’s emotional undercurrents and power relationships. This can help individuals to navigate organisational relationships effectively.

136. Types of Empathy Psychologists have identified three types of empathy: Cognitive empathy is understanding someone’s thoughts and emotions, in a very rational, rather than emotional sense. Emotional empathy is also known as emotional contagion, and is ‘catching’ someone else’s feelings, so that one can feel them too. Compassionate (i.e. deep awareness of suffering) empathy is understanding someone’s feelings, and taking appropriate action to help.

137. Importance of Empathy Empathy creates connections between people, bringing them together and helping to forge trust, friendships and love. It makes us feel as if someone cares for us. Empathy gives u insights into what others may be feeling or thinking. It helps us understand how or why others are reacting to situations, and are more prone to help each other. Empathy helps us to connect with each other Empathy shows that we care about each other Empathy helps to create a better world Empathy gives an edge to the one who possess it Empathy helps to handle conflicts better Empathy makes it easier to convince and motivate others Empathy broadens our horizons of understanding Empathy brings out the positivity in relationships Empathy helps to better understand the non-verbal components of communication Empathy builds cooperation, collaboration, and teamwork

138. How to become more Empathetic Be real about how you feel: When we’re willing to get real about how we truly feel and have the courage to be vulnerable about it with ourselves and others , we can so often liberate ourselves from the negativity, projections, and judgements that mask what’s really going on. When we’re in a conflict with another person or dealing with someone or something that’s challenging for us, being able to admit, own, and express our fear, insecurity, sadness, anger, jealousy, or whatever other ‘negative’ emotions we are experiencing, is one of the best ways for us to move past our defensiveness and authentically address the deeper issues of the situation. Doing this allows us to access empathy for ourselves, the other person or people involved, and even the circumstances of the conflict or challenge itself.

139. Imagine what it’s like (i.e. perceive) for others: While it can sometimes be difficult for us to ‘understand’ another person’s perspective or situation, being able to imagine what it must be like for them is an essential aspect of empathy. Whatever the situation is, the more willing we are to imagine or understand another person’s perspective or situation or what it’s like for them , the more compassion, understanding, and empathy we’ll be able to experience.

140. Forgive yourself and others: Forgiveness is one of the most important things we can do in life to heal ourselves, let go of negativity, and live a life of peace and fulfillment. Forgiveness has to first start with us. When we forgive ourselves, we create the conditions and perspective to forgive others.

141. Examine your attitude: Build relationships, and accept others. Pay attention, physically and mentally, to what’s happening. Without an open mind and attitude, one probably won’t have enough space for empathy. Be flexible, prepare to change direction as the other person’s thoughts and feelings also change. Be good Listener: Listen to the entire message that the other person is trying to communicate. Listen carefully, and note the key words and phrases that people use. Listen with your ears: What is being said, and what tone is being used? Listen with your eyes: What is the person doing with his or her body while speaking? Listen with your instincts: Do you sense that the person is communicating something important or not? Listen with your heart: What do you think the other person feels?

142. Interpersonal Skills Interpersonal skills are the skills that a person uses to interact with other person. These skills also referred as ‘People skills’ or ‘Communication skills’. Interpersonal skills involve using skills such as active listening and tone of voice, delegation and leadership. It is how well we communicate with someone and how well we behave or carry our self. It also helps people to further their careers. Interpersonal skills refers to mental and communicative algorithms applied during social communications and interaction to reach certain effects or results. The term ‘interpersonal skills’ is often used in business context to refer to the measure of a person’s ability to operate within business organisation through social communications and interactions. Interpersonal skills are how people relate to one another.

143. It communicates respect for other people or professionals which enables one to reduce conflict and increase participation or assistance in obtaining information or completing tasks. Having positive interpersonal skills increases the productivity in the organisation since the number of conflicts is reduced. In informal situations, it allows communication to be easy and comfortable. People with good interpersonal skills can generally control the feelings that emerge in difficult situations and respond appropriately, instead of being overwhelmed by emotion. Essential Interpersonal Competencies: Self awareness Control Motivation Acknowledging the interests of others Communication skills

144. Nature of Inter-personal Behaviour Inter-personal Cooperative Behaviour Inter-personal Conflict Behaviour Factors hampering Inter-personal Interactions Poor listening Emotional Arousal Lack of time Different sets of values Lack of trust

145. Transactional Analysis and Interpersonal Skills Transactional analysis is a theory developed by an American Scientist, Dr. Eric Berne in 1964 through his book ‘Games People Play’. This theory is an important technique used for developing inter-personal skills. Originally trained in psychoanalysis, Berne wanted a theory which could be understood and available to everyone. Today, this theory is a part of organisational training in many organisations around the world. Transactional analysis is a technique used to help people better understand their own and other’s behaviour. It is a theory of personality and a systematic psychotherapy for personal growth and personal change.

146. Components of Transactional Analysis: Three components Id: id functions in the irrational part and emotional part of the mind. Ego: Ego functions as the rational part of the mind. Super ego: Superego can be thought of as the moral part of the mind, a manifestation of societal or parental values.

147. Life Positions: Berne has discussed about four life positions that a person can hold. This helps to identify that how an individual operationalizes his or her life. I’m ok and you are ok: This is the healthiest position about life and it means that I feel good about myself and that I feel good about others and their competence. I’m ok and you are not ok: In this position I feel good about myself but I see others as damaged or less than and it is usually not healthy. I’m not ok and you are ok: In this position the person sees himself/herself as the weak partner in relationships as the others in life are definitely better than the self. The person who holds this position will unconsciously accept himself weaker as ok. I’m not ok and you are not ok: This is the worst position to be in as it means that I believe that I am in a terrible state and the rest of the world is as bad. Consequently, there is no hope for any ultimate supports.

148. Ego States: According to Transaction analysis, there are three ego states that people consistently use. This describes that how people are structured psychologically. Parent ego: a taught concept Adult ego: a learned concept Child ego: a felt concept

149. Johari Window and Interpersonal Skills The Johari window is a technique that helps people better understand their relationship with themselves and others. It was created by psychologists Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham in 1955. They named their model ‘Johari’ using a combination of their first names. Four Quadrants of Johari Window: Open, or Arena Hidden, or Façade Blind Area Unknown

150. Johari Window Open / Arena Blind Area Hidden/Facade Unknown Known to Self Not Known to Self Known to Others Not Known to Others

151. Ten ways to improve interpersonal skills Smile: One should do their best to be friendly and upbeat with their co-workers. Maintain a positive, cheerful attitude about work and personal life. The positive energy we radiate will draw others to us. Be appreciative: Find one positive thing about everyone we work with and let them hear it. Be generous with praise and kind words of encouragement. If we let others know that they are appreciated, they’ll give their best to us. Pay attention to others: Observe what’s going on in other people’s lives. Acknowledge their happy milestones, and express concern and sympathy for difficult situations such as an illness or death. Make eye contact and address people by their first names. Also ask others for their opinions.

152. Practice active listening: To actively listen is to demonstrate that we intend to hear and understand other’s point of view. Our co-workers will appreciate knowing that we really do listen to what they have to say. Bring People together: Create an environment that encourage others to work together. Treat everyone equally, and don’t be biased. Avoid talking about others behind their back. Follow up on other people’s suggestions or requests. If people see us fair, they will develop their trust on us. Resolve Conflicts: Take a step to resolve conflicts of people when they arise. Learn how to be an effective mediator. By taking such a leadership role, one will earn respect and admiration from those around him.

153. Communicate clearly: Pay close attention to both what we say and how we say it. A clear and effective communicator avoids misunderstandings with co-workers, colleagues and associates. Humour others: Most people are drawn to a person that can make them laugh. We can use our sense of humour as an effective tool to lower barriers and gain people’s affection. Empathy: Empathy means being able to put ourself at someone else’s place and to understand how they feel. Try to view situations and responses from other person’s perspective. Avoid / Don’t complain: There’s nothing worst than a chronic complainer. If we must verbalize our grievances, move to our close friends and family, and keep it short. Otherwise it will make our bad reputation.

154. Personality Development Personality: Personality encompasses a person’s relatively stable feelings, thoughts, and behavioural patterns. Personality is what makes a person unique, and it is recognizable. Personality is concerned with the psychological pattern of an individual – the thoughts, emotions and feelings – that are unique to a person. In fact, the totality of character, attributes and traits of a person are responsible for molding his/her personality. The word ‘Personality’ originates from the Latin word ‘Persona’ which means ‘a mask’ . Personality is the sum of characteristics that constitute the mental and physical being of a person including appearance, manners, habits, taste and even moral character. The personality of a person is how he/she presents him/herself to the world; it is how others see him/her.

155. Personality Development: Personality development is the development of the organized pattern of behaviors and attitudes that makes a person distinctive. Personality development occurs by the ongoing interaction of temperament (i.e. a person’s normal behavior of thinking, behaving or reacting) , character and environment. Personality development is an all round development of an individual.

156. Types of Personality Extrovert personality: These individuals are highly socialized and have contact with outside people in the society. Introvert personality: Introvert is opposite to extrovert. These people like to live alone. They do not like to go outside and avoid social interactions. They have their own imaginary world. Example, Scientists, thinkers and philosophers. Ambivert personality: Between extrovert and introvert personalities there is a third type called ambivert. People belonging to this type enjoy both the groups and attend them.

157. Personality Traits ‘Big Five’ personality model / traits : The Big Five is a personality model that has been around since the 1960s. This five core personality traits has been growing for many years, beginning with the research of D. W. Fiske (1949), and later expanded upon by other researchers including Norman (1967), Smith (1967), Goldberg (1981), and McCrae & Costa (1987 ). The five key scales that are measured are as given: Extraversion (being sociable, excitable, assertive, expressive, warm, energetic, seeks excitement). This goes High to Low. Agreeableness (being altruistic, kind, cooperative, trusting, showing prosocial behaviors). This goes High to Low. Conscientiousness (being goal-directed, organized, detail conscious, planned in their approach, reliable, self-disciplined and achievement-focused). This goes High to Low. Neuroticism / Emotional stability (also referred to as Neuroticism when reversed) (being emotionally stable, resilient (flexible), restrained, controlled and relaxed). This goes Low to High. Openness to Experience (being open to ideas, curious, imaginative, creative, adventurous, embracing change and even unconventional). This goes High to Low.

158. Guidelines for Personality Development Be Confident: Your confidence reflects your character, attitude and passion. You should be confident about who you are and whatever you do. Being confident will help you to express yourself and stand amongst the crowd. Improve your communication skills: The way you speak reflects who you are. Be polite and gentle with your words. Always think before you speak. English being globally accepted is preferred everywhere. So work on your English proficiency by listening to English news, reading English newspapers and magazines. Always use simple words in general interactions. Dress up well: Dressing sense means the general sense about how you should dress up for office, party or any other occasion. A person should therefore wear according to how well the attire suits him/her. Good looks no doubt will add to your personality but what matters the most is how you are dressed up. Dressing sense thus plays a major role in personality and confidence development.

159. Do what you are Passionate about and be Passionate about what you do: Always follow your passion and do what interests you. This will not only help you to grow as a person but will also add to your confidence. Be passionate about your work. Make sure you give your best in whatever you do. This will add to your growth and strengthen your self confidence. Watch your Body language: Body language plays an important role to judge a person’s confidence and personality. Try to make use of positive gestures while interacting with others. This shows that you’re at ease while having a discussion. Studies reflect that 75% of our communication happens non-verbally. Your gestures thus play a vital role while interacting with others. Improve your social skills: Man is a social animal. Every individual has to interact with a group of people one time or the other. Being shy or introvert is the least desirable characteristics in any individual. Always stay updated with the current affairs and what is happening in the society. Try participating in group discussions and seminars. This will help you to be more open and adjust amongst a group of individuals.

160. Develop Leadership qualities: A good leader is believed to have a good personality. Leadership skills do not mean how well you give orders to your subordinates. It means how well you can manage your subordinates to accomplish a particular task. Work harder to set an example to your subordinates. Express yourself and always do as you say. Be Optimistic: Have a positive outlook towards everything. Nobody wants to be around a person who is negative and complaining all the time. Nobody wants to work or live with a pessimist. When you face a failure, let go of the assumption that you’re the unluckiest person alive. Use positive statements like ‘I can do it’, ‘I always have a choice’, etc. Expect good things from the future. Be a Patient Listener: Be an enthusiastic listener. Listening is very part of communication. This will help you to see things from the eyes of others. Mental presence is a must to be good listener. Try to get away from possible distraction when talking to people. Ask questions to let the other person know that you were listening to him/her. Be a Good learner: Good learning skills in an individual are highly desirable. You should always have the zeal to learn new things while at work. This reflects your enthusiasm. Don’t let yourself repeat the same mistakes. Learn from them. Also ‘Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself’.

161. Self Confidence Confidence Expression or feeling of Certainty Trust or Assurance Faith or Rely Preparing yourself for success Confidence can be described as a belief in oneself and one’s ability. This is generally described as a state of being certain. Confidence means a feeling of trust and firm belief in yourself or others. Under Confidence: if you are under-confident, you will avoid taking risks and stretching yourself; and you might not try at all. Over Confidence: if you are over-confident, you may take on too much risk, stretch yourself beyond your capabilities, and crash badly. You may also find that you are so optimistic that you don’t try hard enough to truly succeed.

162. Self Confidence is having confidence in one’s self. Self confidence is a good feeling about one’s self and their capabilities. This is generally described as a state of being certain. A self confident person feels good about who he is and also feel good about their ability to achieve things they want to achieve. Self confidence comes from one’s abilities. This comes from three powerful abilities that a person possess. They are: Ability to think positively about oneself and their capabilities (rather than negatively). Ability to be certain that the person possess positive values and have powerful capabilities (regardless of whether others doubt this or disagree with you). Ability to continue thinking positively about oneself and their capabilities in any situation or circumstance, no matter what.

163. Self confidence is extremely important in almost every aspect of our lives. People who lack self confidence can find it difficult to face challenges and become successful. Confident people inspire confidence in others i.e. their audience, peers, boss, customers, friends. And gaining the confidence of others is one of the key ways in which a self confident person finds success. The good thing is that self confidence really can be learned and built on. And whether you’re working on your own confidence or building the confidence of people around you, it’s well-worth the effort.

164. Most people are reluctant to back a project that’s being pitched by someone who is nervous, fumbling (clumsy / lack of elegance) , and overly apologetic. On the other hand, one might be persuaded by someone who speaks clearly, who holds his or her head high, who answers question assuredly, and who readily admits when he or she does not know something.

165. Two important aspects of Self Confidence There are two main things to contribute to Self confidence i.e.: Self Efficacy: Self efficacy refers to belief in one’s own capabilities to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. Psychologist Albert Bandura defined Self Efficacy as an individual’s belief that he or she will be able to accomplish a specific task. Self Esteem: Self esteem is a feeling of having respect for one’s own self and their abilities. Self esteem is the opinion of an individual for his own self. High self esteem is a good opinion of oneself. And low self esteem is a bad opinion of oneself. Self esteem affects how a person thinks, act and even how he relate to other people.

166. Benefits of Being Confident Self confident people are in an advantageous position to enjoy happiness . They manage stress efficiently, control their own emotions, behaviors, and feelings with greater responsibility. Self confident people possess leadership qualities . They trust their judgment. They are risk takers. A confident person is not afraid to fail or make mistakes. Because deep down they know that mistake is not a failure, rather a learning process. They are the most successful people. A self confident person use criticism as a learning experience . An individual that is self confident is one that earns the most money . This holds true in the corporate world and entrepreneurship.

167. Ways to boost Self Confidence Stay away from negativity and bring on the positivity Choose a right body language and image Don’t accept failure and get rid of the negative voices in your head Be prepared Create a list of all the things you are proud of accomplishing Dress better (the way you dress has a dramatic effect on your confidence level, like outfits, glasses, perfume, accessories, shoes. When how you appear is in sync with how you want people to view you, confidence can easily follow.) Fix things you don’t like about yourself Be yourself Enter competitions you can do well in Speak on something you understand well Work out (Exercise) Learn, gain knowledge and experience Use criticism as a learning experience Being assertive (means standing up for what you believe in and sticking to your principles) Avoid Arrogance (be polite, humble and down to earth)

168. Self Efficacy ‘If you believe you can, you can’. ‘If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it, even if I may not have it at the beginning’. - Mahatma Gandhi Self efficacy can have an impact on everything from psychological states to behaviour to motivation. People with a strong / high sense of self efficacy: View challenging problems as tasks to be mastered. Develop deeper interest in the activities in which they participate. Form a stronger sense of commitment to their interest and activities. Recover quickly from setbacks and disappointments. People with a weak sense of self efficacy : Avoid challenging tasks. Believe that difficult tasks and situations are beyond their capabilities. Focus on negative outcomes. Quickly lose confidence in personal abilities.

169. Origin of Self Efficacy Self efficacy was developed by Albert Bandura , as part of a large theory the Social Learning Theory, which was progressed into the Social Cognitive Theory . Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes how cognitive, behavioral, personal, and environmental factors interact to determine motivation and behavior. Self efficacy is a person’s belief about his or her ability and capacity to accomplish a task or to deal with the challenges of life. Self efficacy can also be referred as Self Confidence. The basic principle behind Self efficacy theory is that individuals are more likely to engage in activities for which they have high self-efficacy and less likely to engage in those they do not.

170. Self efficacy beliefs determine how people feel, think, motivate themselves and behave. Self efficacy reflects confidence in the ability to exert control over one’s own motivation, behavior and social environment. A strong self efficacy enhances human accomplishment and personal well-being in many ways. People with high assurance in their capabilities approach difficult tasks as challenges to be mastered rather than as threats to be avoided. Such an efficacious outlook fosters intrinsic interest and deep engrossment (i.e. concentrate, engage) in activities. They set themselves challenging goals and maintain strong commitment to them.

171. Sources of Efficacy beliefs Albert Bandura has referred the following first four sources of self efficacy. They are: Mastery experiences / Performance accomplishments: The most effective way of developing a strong sense of efficacy is through mastery experiences. Performing a task successfully strengthens our sense of self efficacy . However failing to adequately deal with the task or challenge can undermine or weaken self efficacy. Vicarious experiences: Observing someone else who perform a task or handle a situation can help people to perform the same task by imitation , and if they succeed in performing a task, they are likely to think that they will succeed as well, if the task is not too difficult. Observing people who are similar to a person will increase their beliefs that they can master a similar activity.

172. Verbal persuasion: When other people encourage and convince a person to perform a task, they intend to believe that they are more capable of performing the task. Constructive feedback is important in maintaining a sense of efficacy as it may help overcome self-doubt. Emotional and Physiological states: Moods, emotions, reactions and stress levels may influence how people feel about their personal abilities. If they are extremely nervous, they begin to doubt and develop a weak sense of self efficacy. If they are confident and feel no anxiety or nervousness at all, they may experience a sense of excitement that fosters a great sense of self efficacy. For this reason, being able to diminish or control anxiety may have positive impact on self-efficacy beliefs. Imaginal experiences: Psychologist James Maddux has suggested a fifth route to self efficacy through ‘imaginal experiences’, i.e. the art of visualizing oneself behaving effectively or successfully in a given situation.

173. Self Esteem Synonyms of Self Esteem: Self worth, Self regard, Self respect, and Self integrity Self esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself. For example, ‘I am competent’, ‘I am worthy’. Smith and Mackie (2007) defined it by saying, “Self esteem, is the positive or negative evaluations of the self, as in how we feel about it”. In psychology, the term self esteem is used to describe a person’s overall sense of self-worth or personal value. In other words, how much a person appreciate and like him/herself. Self esteem is often seen as a personality trait, which means that it tends to be stable and enduring. Self esteem can involve a variety of beliefs about oneself, such as the appraisal of their own appearance, beliefs, emotions, and behaviors.

174. Self esteem is also called Self Respect factor. It is basically the emotional component of the Self Concept System and represents the real sense or the core aspect of human personality. Self esteem is singularly the most important factor which affects your total performance. It projects your liking and self dignity and the feelings about being yourself. It reveals as to how a person feels about himself and conducts himself in public. Your self esteem is always true to the image you hold in your mind. It has the moral power to propel you forward or retain you behind. Since it is an overall judgement about yourself, it causes a deep influence on all your activities, friends, relationships, and productivity. It affects your creativity, integrity, stability and potential. Self esteem becomes the single motivating factor for you to do things correctly, sincerely and honestly and more so in a dignified manner.

175. Types of Self Esteem High level of Self esteem: High self esteem means that you believe in yourself and know that you are a great addition to this world. You recognize that you might have a few weaknesses, but you also have a lot of strengths which really shape up who you are. Your glass is always ‘half full’. Low level of Self esteem: Low self esteem means that you don’t believe in yourself. Often you compare yourself to other people, and find that you ‘don’t measure up’, which is discouraging. You tend to focus on your weaknesses, and don’t focus on your strengths. Your glass is always ‘half empty’. If you feel that you have low self esteem, remember this, you are such a valuable addition to this world. Just like everybody else, you are good at so many things which will help make our world a better place.

176. Self Esteem Theories The need for self esteem plays an important role in psychologist Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs , which depicts self esteem as one of the basic human motivations. Maslow suggested the people need both esteem from other people as well as inner self respect. Both of these needs must be fulfilled in order for an individual to grow as a person and achieve self-actualization. It is important to note that self esteem is a concept distinct from self efficacy, which involves how well one believes they will handle their future actions, performance, or abilities.

177. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Pyramid Physiological Breathing, Food, Water, Sleep, etc. Safety Security of Life, Employment, Resources, Morality, Family, Health, Prosperity Social / Belonging Friendship, Family, Marriage Esteem Self esteem, confidence, achievement, Respect of others, Respect by others Self actualization Creativity, Spontaneity, Problem solving, Acceptance of facts

178. Developing Positive Attitude Attitude Synonyms: point of view, frame of mind, way of thinking, way of looking at things, outlook, perspective, reaction, orientation, approach. Example, Do you believe that God exists? What is your opinion on politics? Which are your favorite pizza toppings? The above questions may be seemingly unrelated, but it’s likely you have strong opinions about all the three of these topics. Developing opinions and forming likes and dislikes about everything around us are part of our daily lives. These attitudes affect the way we live and the choices we make.

179. Attitude is the settled way of thinking or feeling about something. Example, Glass half filled with water or half empty. Attitude is a tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person, or situation. Attitude influences an individual’s choice of action, and responses to challenges, incentives, and rewards. Attitude are formed with respect to situations, persons or groups with which individual comes in contact in course of the growth and development of his personality. The attitude of a person is determined by psychological factors like ideas, values, beliefs, perception, etc. It is a generalized tendency to think or act in a certain way in respect of some object or situation, often accompanied by feeling. It is a learned predisposition to respond in a consistent manner with respect to a given object.

180. Why Attitude is important to you? You can’t build anything without a solid foundation. The ‘A’ is for Attitude – the foundation sustaining all successful people. The roots spread inward and are anchored in past experiences, and the fruit branch outward exposed for all to see. Attitude is both our best friend and our worst enemy. It is more honest and more consistent than our words. Our Attitude is 100% within our control. For example, there is absolutely nothing we could do about how people react to us, or our products and services. All we can do is control the manner in which we react.

181. Components of Attitude Affective component (Emotions or feelings) : The affective component of attitudes refers to your feelings or emotions linked to an object. Affective responses influence attitudes in a number of ways. For example, many people are afraid or scared of spiders. So this negative affective response is likely to cause you to have a negative attitude towards spiders. Another example, statements such as ‘I like this’ or ‘I prefer that’ reflect the affective component of an attitude. Behavioural component (Observed behaviour) : The behavioural component refers to the way one behaves when exposed to an object. It is an attitude consists of a person’s tendencies to behave in a particular way toward an object. It refers to that part of attitude which reflects the intention of a person in short run or long run. For example, the attitudes of men towards women in management may be inferred from an observation of the way they behave towards a female supervisor. Cognitive component (Belief or opinions held consciously) : The cognitive component of attitude refers to the beliefs, thoughts, and attributes that we would associate with an object. Many times a person’s attitude might be based on the negative and positive attributes they associate with an object. It refers that part of attitude which is related in general knowledge of a person. For example, the belief that ‘discrimination is wrong’ is a value statement.

182. Attitude and Behaviour Be Yourself (An original is always worth more than a copy) Change in attitude causes change in the behaviour. Vice-versa change in behaviour causes change in attitudes. Eg . An Original brand worth more value, than the first copy of that brand. So consider urself as an original brand.

183. Formation of Attitudes Individuals are not born with certain attitudes. Attitudes are not inherited. These are acquired and learned by individuals from the situation they face in their life. Various factors influencing the formation of attitudes: Psychological factors (like his ideas, values, beliefs, perceptions, etc.) Family Education Society Economic factors (like his salary, status, work, etc.) Political factors (like ideologies of political parties, political leaders, and political stability)

184. Change of Attitudes Changing attitude is a long-term process. Acceptance of new attitudes depends on who is presenting the knowledge, how it is presented, how the person has perceived, the credibility of the communicator, and the conditions in which the knowledge has perceived.

185. Positive Attitude Nervous, I can’t do it ----- Smile, and say, I can do it The way you think and feel, affects all aspects of your life. Positive attitude helps to cope more easily with the daily affairs of life. It brings optimism into your life, and makes it easier to avoid worry and negative thinking. If you adopt it as a way of your life, it will bring constructive changes into your life, and make you happier, brighter and more successful. With a positive attitude you see the bright side of life, become optimistic, and expect best to happen. It is certainly a state of mind that is well worth developing.

186. Positive attitude manifests in the following ways: Positive thinking Constructive thinking Creative thinking Optimism Motivation and Energy to do things and accomplish goals An attitude of happiness

187. Negative Attitudes Negative Attitude in Action Results Inconsiderate Worry Pessimistic Tension Weak Frustration Rude Failure Soar Sickness Irritable Poverty Inferiority Boredom Indecision Dissatisfaction

188. Developing Positive attitude Listen to internal dialogue (jot down all your negative thoughts on the paper. Rewrite each thought in a positive way in front of that. Practice doing it in ur mind until it becomes a habit.) Learn to communicate (not sharing our opinions, feelings, thoughts can bring frustration. If u find communicating difficult, or are afraid of arguments, then learn how to communicate effectively) Get back to basics (reconnect with old friends, do the things which u like d most, listen ur favorite music, etc. this will give u the pleasure) Help someone out (simple act of helping others helps us to feel good) Find your spirituality (believe in your own personal and unique beliefs) Love yourself and others Laugh and find humor in simplest things Don’t underestimate yourself and others Participate in physical and mental activities Follow the principles of holistic health (better nutrition and exercise helps to improve mood and attitude)

189. Leadership Skills Leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal. Leadership involves: establishing a clear vision, sharing that vision with others so that they will follow willingly, providing the information, knowledge and methods to realize that vision, and  coordinating and balancing the conflicting interests of all members and stakeholders.

190. Traits of Leaders A leader steps up in times of crisis, and is able to think and act creatively in difficult situations. Unlike management, leadership cannot be taught, although it may be learned and enhanced through coaching or mentoring. Someone with great leadership skills today are those who, despite of various failures, with continued passion and innovation has driven to success. Leadership is a process of inter-personal interaction. Leaders inspire people and people inspire leaders. Leaders have strong self values, and self-esteem. Leadership is all about performance, motivation and communication. A leader defines change and takes on challenges. Leadership is all about taking that step forward. It is about having self worth and self confidence. Leaders always show respect for others. Leaders are positivists. They appreciate what’s good. They ignite imagination, inspire passion in people. Leader’s role is to review, communicate, appreciate, and celebrate. Leaders help people to realize their full potential.

191. Leadership Styles Autocratic: The autocratic leadership style allows leaders to make decisions alone without the input of others. Leaders possess total authority and impose their will on followers. No one challenges the decisions of autocratic leaders. Countries such as Cuba and North Korea operate under the autocratic leadership style. This leadership style benefits followers who require close supervision. Creative employees who thrive in group functions detest this leadership style. Laissez-Faire: A laissez-faire leader lacks direct supervision of followers and do not provide regular feedback to those under his supervision. Highly experienced and trained followers who requires little supervision fall under the laissez-faire leadership style. However, not all employees possess those characteristics. This leadership style hinders the production of employees need supervision. The laissez-faire style produces no leadership or supervision efforts from managers, which can lead to poor production, lack of control and increasing costs.

192. iii. Bureaucratic Leadership: Bureaucratic leaders "work by the book", ensures that their subordinates follow procedures exactly. This is a very appropriate style for work involving serious safety risks (such as working with machinery, with toxic substances or at heights) or where large sums of money are involved (such as cash-handling). In other situations, the inflexibility and high levels of control exerted can demoralize followers, and can diminish the organizations ability to react to changing external circumstances. iv. Democratic or Participative: The democratic leadership style or participative leadership values the input of team members, but the responsibility of making the final decision rests with the participative leader. Participative leadership boosts employee morale because employees make contributions to the decision-making process. It causes them to feel as if their opinions matter. This style meets challenges when companies need to make a decision in a short period.

193. v. Charismatic Leadership: Under charismatic leadership style are sometimes called as transformational leadership style, this leadership style relies on the charm and persuasiveness of the leader. Charismatic leadership is the process of encouraging certain behaviors in others through their personality, persuasion and eloquent communication. As such, charismatic leadership carries great responsibility, and needs long-term commitment from the leader. However, a charismatic leader can tend to believe more in him or herself than in their team. This can create a risk that a project, or even an entire organization, might collapse if the leader were to leave.

194. vi. Transactional: The transactional leadership style is a style in which leaders motivate their followers through rewards or punishments based on performance results. Managers and team members set predetermined goals together, and employees agree to follow the direction and leadership of the manager to accomplish those goals. The manager possesses power to review results and train or correct employees when team members fail to meet goals. Employees receive rewards, such as bonuses, when they accomplish goals. vii. Transformational: The transformational leadership style depends on high levels of communication from leader to meet goals. Leaders motivate their followers and enhance productivity and efficiency through communication and high visibility. This style of leadership requires the involvement of management to meet goals. Leaders focus on the big picture within an organization and delegate smaller tasks to the team to accomplish goals.

195. Keys to become an Effective Leader Clear Vision Set goals Delegate wisely Communicate Interpersonal relations with people / pay attention to people Recognize achievements of people Think about solutions, not problems Take responsibility for their people’s performance Determined and Supportive Self assessment Listen carefully Allows failure to guide people rightly Focus on the positives Motivate people Unbiased

196. Ways to improve Leadership Skills There are several strategies found useful in the art of successful leadership and supervision. Verbalize, or communicate the goals and ambitions to people. Ask advice from people. This makes people feel that their opinion is worth considering. Remember the name of the person you are dealing with, and use it often in the conversation. Sincerely compliment people occasionally. Be more willing to listen than to talk. Keep people well informed on all matters that may concern them.

197. Show respect for a person's knowledge by repeating a remark of their that will reflect favorably on them. Eliminate bias in the thoughts about a person. Stay alert in your posture and facial expression. Challenge a person, thus allowing them to grow. Make people feel proud of the job they are doing. Recognition is more important to some people than salary.

198. Have regular meetings to exchange thoughts and take the opportunity to advise people of what is going on around the company, with customers and in the industry. Set goals for those you supervise. Also, help them to achieve the goals by giving them the opportunity to get things done. Be enthusiastic, have a great vision and continually look for ways to maintain morale, build confidence, and motivate. Show your human side. Demonstrate that you care about people. Provide the tools, environment and most importantly support for the team to perform at its peak.

199. Do a good job of planning and scheduling. Keep the team informed so that they will understand their role in the organization. Keep people busy. Generally, people would like to have too much to do. They lose self esteem if they are not kept busy, and then productivity falls off dramatically. Try to solve problems promptly. Letting bad situations go tends to only make them worse.

200. Self Development Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as the process of Self Actualisation or Self Development. Self development is the state or process of improving or developing oneself. This is the efforts toward self-fulfillment, either through formal study programs or on one’s own. Meditation can boost self development because it helps people gain awareness of oneself and the world around them. Self development is taking steps to better yourself, such as by learning new skills or overcoming bad habits. An Example of self development is taking courses at the university to learn new skills and interesting things.

201. Self development is a lifelong process. It is a way for people to assess their skills and qualities, consider their aims in life and set goals in order to realize and maximize their potential. This is the process by which a person’s character or abilities are gradually developed. It includes taking steps to better oneself, such as by learning new skills or overcoming bad habits.

202. Self development may include the following dimensions: Improving self awareness Improving skills and learning new ones Building self esteem Developing strengths or talents Improving career Identifying potential Enhancing lifestyle or the quality of life Improving health Improving wealth or social status Fulfilling aspirations Improving social relations Improving emotional intelligence

203. Factors influencing Self Development External factors Parents (guidance and right direction shown by the parents) Upbringing and Education Relations Environment (like rural, urban, backward, forward, literate, illiterate, rich, poor, noisy, silent etc. kind of surroundings) Internal / Self driving factors Self image Vision Inner desire / Ambition / Life aspiration Awareness Initiative Will power

204. Process of Self Development SOUL MIND HEART BODY SELF DISCOVERY SELF ACTUALIZATION SELF IMPROVEMENT SELF MASTERY

205. Process of Self Development The self / personal development process begins with self – discovery and continues to self actualization. Self Discovery: Self discovery is the first step in self development. It is the process of gaining a deep understanding of our own self, character, needs, values, and purpose in life. It is the exploration of our inner self in an attempt to discover who we are, our potential, our purpose in life, and what core principles are guiding us to take different paths along the way. The key components of self discovery are Self reflection and Self awareness. Self reflection allows us to explore our individual personality, preferences, values, beliefs, preferred styles and tendencies in order to become self aware. Meditation and reflection allows us to refocus our mind and concentrate on our inner self, and allow us to examine the way we see our self. Self awareness can be defined as having an insightful understanding of our personality, values, emotions, tendencies, and beliefs. Self awareness is about knowing and understanding the core of who we are: Our beliefs and principles Our emotions What motivates us Our thinking patterns Our tendencies to react to certain situations What we want out of life

206. Self Improvement: Self improvement is a process of consciously improving our self in various aspects of our life. It is the conscious pursuit of personal growth by improving personal skills, competencies, talents, and knowledge in order to seek self-fulfillment and proactively reach our fullest potential. Self improvement enables us to assess our skills and talents, to set goals, and then take action to achieve those goals and to maximize our potential.

207. Elements of Self Improvement / development Self knowledge: It is the bridge between self discovery and self development. Self knowledge identifies what we know about our self. With self knowledge we can understand our strengths to build upon, as well as identify areas where we would like to make improvements. Self assessment: It is the process of gathering information about our own aptitude, skills, competencies, and talents and critically reviewing the quality of our performance and abilities. Skill enhancement and Personal growth (action steps): Through effective skill enhancement, one can become more capable, competent, and confident in our self and our abilities, and are better able to reach our goals. One should focus on developing their personal effectiveness. Personal growth can be perceived as becoming a better person by modifying personal attitudes, traits, and characteristics. Personal growth also includes building self esteem, self image, and self confidence.

208. Self Mastery: Self mastery is the ability to recognize, understand, control, and make the most out of our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual self. It is gained through awareness, understanding, and control over our thoughts, emotions, and actions. Self mastery over our own thoughts, emotions, words, and actions can change and transform our life and our self. Self Actualization: Self actualization is seeking personal growth through experiences in order to realize our fullest potential and reach self fulfillment. Self actualization is the ultimate goal of Self development.

209. Topics for Group Discussions Indian economy in 2018-19: Performance and Policies of Modi Regime Social Media: Impact on human behavior and society Impact of technology on Jobs Zero Knowledge is the biggest asset one can accumulate

210. Group Discussions An individual working in an organisation spends a considerable amount of time in groups. In fact, a study reveals that 50% of the time the executives spend in attending meetings. Meetings are the interaction with lot of individuals. Ability to work in teams has become more important than knowledge of quantitative and statistical technical techniques. Group Discussion is a process of examining or considering the subject in detail in a group. It is a process of incorporating views of different team / group members to reach a common goal. The discussion enables the participants to see and appreciate other people’s point of view.

211. About GDs: Normal Duration of a GD: 15 to 20 minutes Number of Panel members: Usually to 1 to 4 Time for preparation: 2 to 5 minutes Seating arrangements: Circular or Semi-Circular Addressing the members: Dear friend/s, He, She When the topic is not clear: Do not ask the panel member. Wait for someone to begin and learn. Language or Content: Content is preferred over the language. Use examples and relevant data. How many times one can speak: 4 to 5 times in a span of 30 minutes. Language to be spoken: Only English GD is an elimination or selection process: Generally a selection process. If the group is asked to select a topic: Have a brainstorm session and decide in 2 to 3 minutes time. Acceptable ways of interrupting somebody in a GD: Use the words, “I agree with you but”.

212. Objectives of Group Discussion To arrive at a consensus To get feedback To know other person’s point of view To solve a problem To collect ideas To understand the situation To learn and train To inform and explain

213. Significance of Group Discussion It helps us to understand a subject more deeply. It improves our ability to think critically. It helps in solving a particular problem. It helps the group to make a particular decision. It improves the listening skills. It increases the confidence in speaking. It can change people’s attitudes.

214. Characters / Personality Traits tested in a Group Discussion Group Discussion is conducted to assess if the candidates have the following traits as expected in the workplace. Team Player: In the beginning of one’s career, a person has to work in a group and only at a later stage he/she starts working as a leader independently. Individuals lacking team skill cannot be good managers. Reasoning ability: It plays an important role while expressing one’s opinions or ideas. Leadership quality: At times, one has to direct the group, facilitate the situations, inspire individuals and guide in coming to a conclusion. Address the group as a whole. Flexibility: One must be open to other’s ideas as well as to evaluation of one’s ideas. It is advised that one should not start the group discussion with a stand or conclusion, because one may have to change or alter.

215. Assertiveness: One must put their views in a confident yet polite way. Initiative: One must be the first one in the group to initiate the group discussion. But there is a risk involved in it, that is, if one is not well versed with the topic, it can backfire them. Creativity: One should be able to think out of the box. If one’s ideas are open to new horizons for the discussion in a group then it is always appreciated. Inspiring ability: When one find some team members want to express their ideas but are not getting the chance to do so, give them a chance to speak will attract the attention of both the participants and the evaluator. Listening: The bigger part of communication is listening. One must strike a balance between expressing their ideas and listening to other’s ideas. Awareness: One’s awareness about the topic both at the micro and at the macro level is assessed. Knowledge and ideas regarding the given subject Communication skills Self Confidence Logical thinking Sense of responsibility and sincerity Appropriate body language Proper eye contact with all the group members

216. Types of GDs Factual topics: Factual topics are about practical things, which an ordinary person is aware of in his day-to-day life. Typically, these are about socio-economic topics. A factual topic for discussion gives a candidate a chance to prove that he is aware of and sensitive to his environment. Example, The education policy of India, The status of the aged in India. Controversial topics: Controversial topics are the ones that are argumentative in nature. They are meant to generate controversy. The idea behind giving a topic like this is to see how much maturity the candidate is displaying by keeping his temper in check, by rationally and logically arguing his point of view without getting personal and emotional. Example, Reservations should be removed, Women make better managers.

217. Abstract topics: Abstract topics are about intangible things. These topics test one’s lateral thinking (i.e. indirect or creative approach) and creativity. Example, Smart work v/s Hard work, Food is more important than Ethics. Case-based GD: Information about the situation will be given to members and they can be asked as a group to resolve the situation. In the case study there are no incorrect answers or perfect solutions. The objective in the case study is to get individuals to think about the situation from various angles.

218. Effective Planning Planning is deciding in advance about a future course of action. It is deciding what needs to be done, when and how it needs to be done. It is the process of making assumptions about the future and gathering facts in order to achieve the objectives. Effective planning is defined as the extensive and complete designing and scheming of a project or action in order to achieve certain objective. Effective planning is completed using the following three methods: Long term planning Short term planning Daily planning

219. Criteria of Effective Planning Simple: A good plan must be simple to understand and easy to put into action. Well defined objectives: A good plan is one in which objectives are clearly defined and properly selected. It must be based on clear, concise, definite, and accurate objectives. Comprehensive: A good plan has to be comprehensive enough to cover all the action required for the satisfactory fulfilment of the objective. Balanced: A good plan maintains a balance between goals and resources, between long term and short term results, and between change and stability. Flexible: A good plan is capable for quick and smooth adjustment to changing conditions. It should be responsive to the dynamic changes of the environment. Stable: Plan should not be changed too often. Economical: A good plan always achieves the goals at minimum cost. Practical: A plan must be capable of being implemented. It must be based on feasible and realistic conditions. Participation: A good plan always involve participation of people. Written: Plans must be put in writing. Time bound: A good plan is time bound and action oriented.

220. Process to make a Life Plan Determine your priorities Consider what roles you play in the present Think about your future roles Think about your physical and emotional needs Write down your priorities Creating your Goals Consider your goals you want to accomplish during your life time Figure out how you will accomplish your goals Writing your Plan Write down the actions you need to take to reach each of your goals Review your life plan Take required Actions

221. Non Verbal Communication Non verbal communication can be defined as communication that involves neither written nor spoken words, but takes place without the use of words. In non verbal communication, we are concerned with the non verbal aspects such as body language, space, time, voice tone, voice pitch, general characteristics of environment like color, layout and design, and any audio or visual signals that communicator may devise. Non verbal communication involves the conscious and unconscious processes of encoding and decoding. Culture plays an important role in non verbal communication, and it is one aspect that helps to influence the communication and learning activities.

222. Types of Non-verbal Communication Kinesics (Body language - D ance ) Proxemics (Space, Time and Surroundings) Paralanguage (Voice) Sign Language (Emoticons, Symbols) Haptics (Touch) Artifacts (Objects and Images, Physical Environment) Appearance (Dress and Grooming) (gives the idea of one’s personality) Chronemics (Time) Human Behaviour (transmission of thoughts, feelings through one’s manner of action or behaviour) Charts, Maps and Graphs (pictorial representation of statistics and information) Posters (Advertisements) Colors (Traffic Signals) Silence (Silence speaks louder than words) (Consent, Disagreement, Indifference, Appreciation, Withdrawals)

223. Kinesics (Body Language) The study of body language is known as Kinesics . Body language is an important factors in oral or face-to-face communication. Much of the body language is involuntary or unconscious, but it makes a powerful impact. Types of Body language: Postures: the position of the body (sitting, standing and lying down) Gestures: natural movement in any part of the human body (moving head, legs, hands, fingers etc.) Facial expressions: individual emotions could be read (happy, sad, fear, anger etc.) Eye contact (a sign of honesty) Smile Silence Appearance Touch (shaking hands, hugs)

224. Proxemics The language of time, space and surroundings is known as Proxemics . This is very important for communication because proxemics completes the process of communication through the use of surroundings and distance. Space language: In space language the nature of communication is affected by the distance between two people. Types of Space language a. Intimate space language: The distance between two people should not be more than 1.5 feet like in shaking hands. b. Personal space language: The distance between two people ranges from 1.5 feet to 4 feet like close friends. c. Social space language: The distance between two people lies from 4 feet to 12 feet like in a meeting. d. Public space language: The distance is more than 12 feet like in Seminars, Conferences, public speech.

225. ii. Time language (i.e. Chronemics): In time language the people connected with communication complete the process of communication keeping the time limits in mind. The way a person treats time reveals something about that person. Culture tells us how to manipulate time in order to communicate different messages. For instance, most people who have medical appointments are expected to arrive early and wait patiently for their doctor to see them. An invitation to a party is an entirely different matter. It is often expected that most guests will arrive “fashionably late”. iii. Surroundings: Surroundings covers the environment of communication and has the following parts: a. Colour b. Layout c. Design

226. Paralanguage Paralanguage is the study of voice or how the person speaks. Main elements of Paralanguage: Voice or tone: The tone of the person giving the message tells about his behaviour and education. Pitch: Pitch means increasing or decreasing a tone. Speed of Voice Pause Volume Proper Stress (or Highlighting)

227. Sign Language Sign language is also known as audio-visual elements. In the process of communication different signs are used to convey different meanings. It includes different signs and symbols. These signs are also described in words so that every one can understand them. Colours and sounds are also used in sign language.

228. Professional Grooming and Etiquette Skills Professional grooming and etiquette skills is targeted at making the participants learn about behaviors that are appropriate for the workplace.

229. Business Etiquettes Etiquette, is an important part of personality and business communication. All successful business relationships rely significantly on personal contact, sharing of mutual relationship and responsibility for each other’s benefit. Etiquette is free, and is never employed to obtain unscrupulous (i.e. illegal, immoral ) advantage. Courtesy, politeness and service are necessary in any business and in personal relationships. Etiquette is the ability to learn and use social skills to transact business with thoughtful consideration.

230. The word ‘etiquette’ is a French word that conveys an air of sophistication and time- honoured practices. One should respect those with whom they conduct business. A firm must deliver what they promise, keep in touch, build the relationship and offer competent service and reliable products, so that people will look forward to work with them and will recommend them to other business associates. People are attracted to those who are kind, considerate, thoughtful, courteous, respectful and interesting.

231. Business Etiquette is an integral part of different countries’ and regions’ business culture. Etiquette encompasses (i.e. include, cover ) the prescriptive elements of culture – the things people are expected to do and say, or to avoid doing and saying. As the globalisation of industries and marketplaces bring managers ever closer to unique cultures around the world, it is more important than ever for managers and small business owners to understand the importance of business etiquette. Knowledge of etiquette will help the businessman to become more considerate, competent and a credible person in the domain of business communication. It will enhance the quality of his business dealings, leading to long-term benefits by way of quality links.

232. Need for learning appropriate and polite ways to relate to others in the business world is extremely important. Whenever we meet with clients, we present an image of our company and the way our company conducts its business relationships. The ability to relate positively and professionally to our colleagues and associates will place us in the forefront of business. Currently, we are under pressure to do more in less time, without sacrificing the quality of our interactions and amicability ( pleasant to other people ) with our colleagues and clients. Our business survival against cut-throat competition depends upon our knowledge and practice of good manners. In fact, business etiquette is not constrained by rigid conventions or rules. Thus, etiquette can be better defined as guidelines for conducting business with grace, charm, and confidence.

233. Features of Business Etiquettes Verbal and Non-Verbal communications are a large part of etiquette. Communication styles, social customs / social taboo ( social customs to avoid doing that activity or talking about that subject ) topics and preferred speaking distances vary by culture. Dress and appearance is another important facet (elements) of etiquette. Business people are expected to dress professionally, or at least to take cues from those around them as to what is acceptable. Time sensitivity is another element of consideration. Some cultures place emphasis on punctuality, and others see punctuality as a sign of eagerness or even hastiness.

234. Types of Etiquettes Social Etiquette: Mannerisms, Communication and behaviour in general. One needs to be polite and humble. Use language effectively. Ask relevant and appropriate questions. Read newspapers regularly and be socially aware. Give other people chance to speak and listen them. Social etiquette conversations should be pleasant and short. Phone Etiquette: There are dos and donts involved under phone etiquettes. Be courteous. The voice and choice of words over the phone must be kind, polite, and clear. Before you begin your conversation introduce yourself incase you are talking to the person for the first time. Before speaking, take permission of the other person on the line whether it is the right time to talk to them or not. Keep the subject matter short. Email Etiquette: This is an important aspect in any organisational communication. Be cautious while drafting e-mails for office purpose. Be concise and to the point. Avoid long unclear emails. Use of grammar and punctuation should be correct. Use correct spellings and do not use the SMS language. Try and respond to emails faster. The subject line of email is important.

235. Dining Etiquette: Take small bites and do not chew your food with open mouth. Do not talk with food in the mouth. Eat food with the use of knife and fork. When using a finger bowl, do not put both the hands in it. Only dip one hand at a time. Gently wipe hands with table napkins. Do not put your elbows on the table, that is the sign of getting tired or bored. Business / Workplace Etiquette: Be punctual. Respecting time is the first sign of a good businessman or a professional. Maintain a planner to avoid any sort of confusion or delay for a meeting. Avoid gossips. Encourage ideas and consider other’s opinion. Be aware of what to wear and not to wear in office. Keep clothing simple and comfortable yet stylish. Pay attention to oral and written communication. Professional Etiquette: Actions and behaviour are important part of professional etiquette. Always listen to fellow members or clients. Do not be too aggressive. Be strong in your communication but present it calmly. Be polite. Maintain a good body language and eye contact.

236. Significance of Business Etiquettes Business etiquette provides a standard framework within which business people can operate as they communicate and collaborate. Attention to etiquette is a sign of professionalism and respect for others, and it can make positive first impression while building trust among colleagues. Etiquette plays a large role in the business culture of different countries and geographic regions. An attention to etiquette can help inter-cultural business dealings to be as productive as possible by bringing all parties together under a common understanding. Collaboration of individuals with diverse experiences and cultural backgrounds can bring the world’s brightest minds together by providing a commonly understood framework for social and workplace interaction.

237. Essential Practices of Business Etiquettes In the business world, good manners is essential for getting ahead. The essential practices of business etiquettes are: Listening skills: This practice is very important in communication. When others are speaking do not interrupt them. Also practice an active listening technique. Meetings: To be on time in meetings, even reach a few minutes early to meetings. Come prepared with pen and paper and other documents. Attire: The way you dress impacts whether you have good business etiquettes. Make sure that the clothes are clean and properly ironed.

238. Stress Management Stress is a feeling of emotional, physical or mental tension caused by either excess of efforts or by conflicting situations. Different people consider different situations as stressful. Stress is what one feels when they have to handle more than they are used to. Some stress is normal and even useful. Stress can help if one needs to work hard or react quickly. For example, it can help a person to win a race or finish an important job on time. When we are stressed, our body responds as though we are in danger. It makes hormones that speed up our heart, make us breathe faster, and give us a burst of energy. But if stress happens too often or lasts too long, it can have bad effects. It can be linked to headaches, an upset stomach, back pain, and trouble sleeping. It can weaken the immune system, making it harder to fight off disease.

239. If one is already having a health problem, stress may make it worse. It can make person moody, tensed, or depressed. Relationships may suffer, and one may not do well at work or studies. Stress management consists of making changes to our life if we are in a constant stressful situation, preventing stress by practicing self care and relaxation and managing our response to stressful situations when they do occur. Stress management is an important skill that everyone needs in order to improve themselves as problem solvers and to be more in control of their lives.

240. Types of Stress Good Stress / Positive Stress / Eustress Bad Stress / Negative Stress / Distress Acute Stress Episodic Acute Stress Chronic Stress Physical Stress Psychological Stress (emotional reactions) Psychosocial Stress (due to change in social situations) Psycho-spiritual Stress (relationship, financial, career pressures, issues of life goals)

241. Mental Stress Time Stress Anticipatory Stress (future based, ex. Upcoming event) Situational Stress Encounter Stress (due to your role which involves lot of personal interaction) Traumatic Stress (past experience) Emotional Stress

242. Good / Positive stress / Eustress: In such stress, excitement is felt by people when they are confronted by a demanding situation, which they think they can handle. This fills them with thrill and excitement. Dr. Hans Selye , one of the first to study the effects of stress, coined the term Eustress to explain the positive, desirable stress that keeps life interesting and helps to motivate and inspire. Positive stress is essential for bringing zest to the life. Life without any kind of stress will be very distressing indeed. Effects of Positive Stress: Target motivates us Challenge inspires us Provides an opportunity to prove Work better to a deadline Gives a positive emotional charge

243. Bad / Negative stress / Distress: Distress refers to the negative effects of stress that drain us of energy and surpass our capacities to cope. When one lacks the ability to handle the demands, the outcome is negative. When stress exceeds one’s ability to cope, this overload contributes to diminished performance, inefficiency, and even health problems. Effects of Negative stress: Become less efficient Deadlines makes us panic Forces to eat and drink

244. Acute stress: Acute stress is the result of short-term stressors, a stressor is the cause and stress is the effect . This stress is usually quite intense, and then disappears quickly. For example, imagine being out for a leisurely evening walk, a street dog barks at you. Episodic Acute stress: This is the stress which affects those who suffer from acute stress more frequently. People that tend suffer from this always seem to be in a rush. They take too much on stress and tend not to be able to organise themselves to deal with demands and pressures. They often blame their problems on other people and external events. Example, persistent tensions.

245. Chronic stress: This is a long term stress resulting from those nagging problems that just don’t seem to go away. Chronic stress is the response to emotional pressure suffered for a prolonged period of time in which an individual perceives he or she has little or no control. Example, death of a loved one, loss of job, loneliness, ongoing personal or marital problems etc.

246. Causes of Stress Career Concern Role ambiguity Rotating work shifts Long working hours Poor management Unclear expectations of work No satisfaction at work Work overload Work underload Working under dangerous conditions Being insecure at workplace Facing discrimination or harrassment at work Lack of Group cohesiveness Organisational changes Lack of Social support Emotional traumas in personal life

247. Techniques of Stress Management Self understanding (understanding of our personality) Self management (managing things better) Conflict resolution Adopting a more Positive attitude Self talk Breathing exercises and Exercise Meditation Altering our diet Taking more regular and effective rest Learn to say ‘No’ Do something we enjoy Writing about the things bothering us Let our feelings out through talk, laugh, cry, and express anger when we need to. Focus on present Set priorities

248. Goal Setting A goal is a desired result or possible outcome that a person or a system envisions, plans and commits to achieve. Goal setting involves establishing specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bounded (SMART) objectives. It is a powerful process for thinking about our ideal future, and for motivating our self to turn our vision of the future into reality. A research done on goal setting by Edwin A. Locke and his colleagues suggests that goal setting can serve as an effective tool for making progress when it ensures that group members have a clear awareness of what each person must do to achieve a shared objective. On a personal level, the process of setting goals allows individuals to specify and then work towards their own objectives. Goal setting comprises a major component of personal development and management. Goals can be long-term, intermediate, or short term.

249. Personal Goals Individuals can set personal goals. For example, a student may set a goal of a high mark in an exam. Managing goals can give returns in all areas of personal life. Knowing precisely what one wants to achieve makes clear what to concentrate and improve on, and often subconsciously prioritizes that goal. By setting clearly defined goals, one can subsequently measure and take pride in the accomplishment of goals.

250. Levels for Goal Setting Create a big picture of what one wants to do with his life, like the next 10 years, and identify the long term goals that one wants to achieve. Break down the long term goal into smaller targets that one must hit to reach their lifetime goals. Once the plan is clear, start working on it to achieve these goals. Similarly we work down to the things that we can do in, like next five years, then next year, next month, next week, and today, to start moving towards them.

251. Steps for setting Personal Goals Setting Lifetime goals: The first step in setting personal goals is to consider what we want to achieve in our lifetime. Setting lifetime goals gives you the overall perspective that shapes all other aspects of our decision making. To give a broad, balanced coverage of all important areas in our life, try to set goals in some of the following categories: Career: What level do one wants to reach in his career, what one wants to achieve? Financial: How much do one wants to earn, by what stage? How is this related to our career goals? Education: Is there any knowledge one wants to acquire in particular? What information and skills will one needs to have in order to achieve other goals? Family: How do one wants to be seen as a member of the family? Etc. Setting smaller goals: Once we have set our lifetime goals, set a five year plan of smaller goals that one needs to complete, then create a one year plan, six month plan, and a one month plan of progressive smaller goals that one should reach to achieve their lifetime goals. Then create a daily ‘To do list’ of things that one should do today to work towards our lifetime goals. Stay on Course: Once it is decided our goals. then keep the process going by reviewing and updating our do list on a daily basis.

252. Guidelines to set Effective and Achievable Goals Set the Lifetime plan: Career, Education, Family, Financial, etc. Set smaller goals to reach the lifetime plan: 10 year, 5 year, one year, six months, one month, one week, each day, so on. Create a daily ‘To do list’. State each goal as a positive statement Be precise Set priorities Write goals down Set performance goals, not outcome goals Set realistic goals Stay on course Review the plans and actions periodically

253. Team Building and Team Work Teams are groups of people that share a common purpose, to which they are all committed, and who are empowered to set goals, solve problems and make decisions. When a group of people in an organization work together with energy and passion forms team spirit. Most modern businesses are structured around teams. Even those with highly individualized jobs like graphic design and publishing need active co-operation among various members of the organization for a final product to emerge. It is critical for every member of the organization to understand the concept of teamwork and to consider his or her job as part of a team effort. Teamwork is based on a company’s culture. Companies that encourage open, honest communication and foster employee interaction are in a better position to have good teamwork among employees.

254. Characteristics of an Effective Team 1: Identity: Strong teams have a clear identity, often signified in a number of ways.  Most obviously a name, but also including budget, venue/meeting place, uniform, logo, colour scheme, language, rituals… 2: Shared values: Team members share similar values, such as integrity, commitment to the common task, and mutual support.  These are not imposed, but genuinely shared.  The teams should follow a transparent way of working for the members.

255. 3: Complementary skills: There is an excellent mix of complementary skills; within the team there is the competence to get the job done to a high standard.  Everyone’s skill set is recognised , valued and used.  4: Complementary roles: Based on Belbin’s work, there is a balance of key roles - eg completer-finisher, shaper, harmoniser .  Too many with the same role preference, or gaps, will diminish the team’s effectiveness…

256. 5: Common goal, vision, purpose: The main focal point for the team is some commonal mission, goal or purpose.  Many manufactured teams are created around achieving a specific goal or outcome; but others - often more informal - are built around other commonalities - eg shared values, or friendships.  It may be worth thinking of three types of commonalities - not necessarily mutually exclusive: commonality of destination, commonality of journey, commonality of state. destination: team members want to achieve, a shared end product, result, or goal journey: more important for the team members are to share the journey -whatever the project, or goal they have.  The team members are less bothered about where they go, than that they go there together

257. state: The team members just share ‘being’ together; a common of attitude, or state of mind. 6: Leadership: Strong teams have clear leadership. Some teams can be self-managing also.  But whatever the form of leadership, it is known and supported by all team members, and adds value to the functioning of the team. 7: Clear formal roles and responsibilities: Team members will have absolute certainty who is specifically responsible for what, either in terms of task completion, or formal roles.  Individual team members accept accountability for their role and contribution; they will also tend to have collective responsibility for whatever disagreements there are within the team, they provide a united front externally.

258. 8: Clear and agreed ground rules: The team operates within an agreed set of ground rules, which provides for team discipline.  These will include how the team makes decisions, and how it deals with internal conflict and disagreement. 9: Non-insular: One team strength is a potential weakness, that it becomes so internally strong that it loses touch with its external world; it becomes precious, internally focused, and risks becoming detached from ‘reality’.  A truly strong team welcomes external viewpoints and criticisms, and ensures it stays genuinely in touch with its customers, stakeholders and markets. (and avoids becoming smug or complacent)… 10: Celebratory: A strong team celebrates its successes, however measured.  These celebrations are a way of bonding and reaffirming the team’s identity and culture, and possibly attracting new members…

259. Types of Teams Problem solving team: A problem-solving team is a temporary, cross-functional group of people who come from different departments, and possess different roles, skills and interests. A fast, permanent solution to a specific problem is the problem-solving team’s priority. Work Group / Self managing: Work groups are often permanent teams that meet regularly. They are primarily self-managing, as each team member’s accountability to the group encourages active participation. Quality team / Cross functional: Quality teams, also known as quality circles or excellence teams, take a methodical approach to identify and resolve workflow issues that have a negative and ongoing impact on the organization's efficiency and working conditions. Although quality teams generally are temporary, the scope of the issues they address determine whether they’re short-term or ongoing. Quality teams are often cross-functional. They bring a unique perspective that may be overlooked by management. Virtual team: Technology allows people to participate in an organization's activities regardless of their geographic locations. Virtual teams communicate online, through various conferencing and collaboration technologies. Department / Functional team: Department teams are permanent and typically work on ongoing projects or goals. As a department team, individuals relate to specialty or focus he has mastered, with everyone working toward achieving goals outlined in the company’s mission statement.

260. Project team: Project teams are groups of employees who work collectively toward shared goals. This type of team allow to structure work in a specific, measurable, and time-constrained way. One can assign clear roles, responsibilities and deadlines. Matrix team: These teams are characterized by a ‘two-boss system’, where an individual report to a different manager for various aspects of the work.

261. Team Spirit Team spirit is the feeling of pride and loyalty that exists among the members of a team and that makes them want their team to do well or to be the best. This is the willingness among team members to cooperate as part of a team. Characteristics of Team Spirit: Sense of Purpose: Team spirit is essential to achieve a clear, specific goal need sense of purpose. Competency: All teams should consist of members who are capable of contributing to the achievement of the goal. Cooperative Spirit: All members need to work together to achieve the specific goal. Playing by the rules: Team should also have a set of rules that determines its operating procedures. Accountability: Team must ultimately be held accountable as a whole for their failure as well as their success.

262. Importance of Team Spirit Team spirit is willingness to cooperate as part of a team. Team spirit is essential for better bonding among employees and getting better output. All team members are responsible for getting success of a work. Team spirit has a faster pace than an individual work. Team spirit improves the ability of individuals to work together and boosts morale. Team spirit creates synergy in the organisation. It supports a more empowered way of working in an organized manner. It fosters flexibility and responsiveness, especially the ability to respond to change.

263. Creating Team Spirit in the Workplace Teamwork is based on company’s culture. Companies that encourage open, honest communication and foster employee interaction are in a better position to have good teamwork among employees. Team spirit comes from the top management. Building effective teams with the right attitude emanates (i.e. source, comes from) from the highest levels of an organisation. Team members function best when their individual contributions to the team are recognized. This, in turn, leads to a strengthening of the team spirit among its individual members. Encourage open communication among team members and management. Solicit (i.e. persuade, bring about, endeavor, attempt) ideas and suggestions from team members on ways to better achieve the team’s goals.

264. Negotiation Negotiation is a form of meeting or discussion between two parties to reach an agreement acceptable to both of them. Negotiation is reached through discussion not through power/ influence/ authority/ orders or instruction. Negotiation is a conflict resolution strategy between two or more parties in which discussion takes place at pre-decided time and place with a fixed agenda and an agreement is reached for the benefit of both the parties. The purpose of the negotiation is to arrive at an agreement that will satisfy both the parties. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (2009:1167) defines negotiation in the following words: “Official discussion between the representatives of opposing groups who are trying to reach an agreement, especially in business or politics”. Graham defines negotiation as ‘a face-to-face decision making process between parties concerning a specific product’. The Oxford Dictionary of Business defines negotiation as the process to reach an agreement through discussion. The Winston’s Simplified Advanced Dictionary defines negotiation as, ‘the discussion and bargaining that goes on between parties before a contract is settled or a deal is definitely agreed upon’.

265. Types of Negotiation Formal negotiation Predetermined meeting of the two parties. The agenda of the meeting is fixed. Two or more persons involved in the meeting. Both the parties have time to prepare for the meeting. They can also assign the task to each member of the party as to who will lead the discussion; who will be a trouble shooter in case of a deadlock and who will help in case some important point is not included in the discussion. It is simpler to deal with because there is time to study the total situation. It also gives time to study the strengths and weaknesses of the other party. Informal negotiation An unplanned meeting with other party. It is casual. Only two persons participate. Since it is unannounced, it gives no time for pre-study of the issue. It also gives no time to the participants to study strengths and weaknesses of the other party.

266. Factors affecting Negotiation Place of meeting: The place of meeting should be suitable to both the parties. This means the other party should be willing to come to the place chosen by the first party. In any case, the place of meeting is generally decided by mutual consent. Time of the meeting: The time of the meeting should be fixed in such a way that it is convenient to both the parties. The time decided for the meeting should be sufficient to hold the meeting comfortably and conveniently and the parties concerned do not have to rush through the meeting. They should be able to discuss all the points in detail and do not feel that there was a shortage of time for the meeting. Personal relationship of parties: The personal relationship between both the parties plays an important role. if it is sweet and friendly, the outcome of the meeting is likely to be positive . If it is strained, it will affect the outcome.

267. Personal likes and dislikes Persuasion