NYJ Career Productivity Skills SW V1

Career Productivity Skills
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Item Name: Career Productivity Skills Version: 1 January, 2014 Copyright NIIT Yuva Jyoti Ltd., 2012. All rights reserved.
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Table of Contents
Session 1: Personality Traits ................................... 1 Session 2: Tips on Personality Improvement ......... 7 Session 3: Common Aspects of Business Etiquette ................................................................... 18 Session 4: Personal Grooming .............................. 26 Session 5: Dress to Impress .................................. 31 Session 6: Effective Communication ..................... 41 Session 7: Listening-I ............................................. 52 Session 8: Listening-II ............................................ 58 Session 9: Effective Conversation ......................... 64 Session 10: Questioning and Paraphrasing .......... 73 Session 11: Importance of Communication in Persuasion and Negotiation ................................... 79 Session 12: Effective Writing ................................. 86 Session 13: Business Writing ................................ 95 Session 14: E-Mail Writing.................................... 105 Session 15: Working in Teams ............................. 110 Session 16: Effective Teamwork .......................... 114 Session 17: Team Motivation ............................... 119
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Session 1: Personality Traits

Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Understand what is personality Define personality Identify the various personality types Understand the various personality traits Understand anxiety and various forms of defence mechanisms Identify the desired personality traits in shaping a career
Introducing Personality
One of the most important factors determining your happiness and success in life is your personality. Your personality is a combination of characteristics that makes you what you are. Understanding the qualities of personality is one of the important factors in life. To have a successful career in life, to lead a healthy and disease free life, and to guide your children wisely to choose an appropriate career are some of the instances where personality plays an important role. Therefore, in order to have a successful life and career, you need to understand your personality, various personality types, and personality traits. This information will help you develop your personality and build a sound career for yourself. Personalities are complex in nature because the same person may react differently in different situations. Though researchers have classified different personality traits, it is not easy to identify anybody with a particular personality trait. Human beings are born with certain genetically inherent personality traits. He/she inherits these characteristics from his/her forefathers, both paternal as well as maternal. While some of these characteristics are dominant, others are dormant. However, this makes classification of personalities difficult. A person can be a combination of characteristics, thereby making it difficult to categorize him/her in any particular personality type. Despite the difficulties, researchers have analysed and categorized personality traits. After numerous studies, they have classified personalities according to their dominant characteristics.
Defining Personality
What do you mean by personality? Is it only the external appearance of a person or something more? What defines a personality? A famous psychologist, Raymond Cattell, expresses personality as something that enables us to predict a persons behavior in a given situation. Accordingly, an individuals personality includes physical features, intelligence, and emotional and social qualities. The sum total of these decides the behaviour of a person to a particular stimulus under a given set of circumstances. The term, personality, can be looked at in two ways. The first view stands for the effect the person has on those with whom he interacts and how others perceive the person.
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The other views look at personality in terms of attributes possessed by a person that can be described objectively. Accordingly, a personality can be described as honest, serious, or humorous. Therefore, the term personality has many definitions and there is room for differences in scope as well as understanding of the definition. The various definitions take into account the inner characteristics of an individual, such as level of motivation, perceptions, feelings, reactions, attitudes, values, and prejudices, which form the basis of a persons behaviour. In other words, rather than simply assessing an individuals external behaviour and comparing it with other members in his/her group, personality reflects the real person and what sets him/her apart from other individuals.
Types of Personality
After extensive research, behavioural scientists have identified a variety of personalities. An individuals personality obviously is not constant under different circumstances. Researchers broadly classify personality types based on general behaviour patterns, under the following popular heads: Perfectionists: Perfectionists look for perfection in whatever they do. They are disciplined, principled, and idealistic. They work hard to live up to their own high targets and expect others to follow. They are highly responsible and dedicated to their work and make excellent employees. However, they are easily disappointed because they set high goals for themselves and on failing to meet these goals they become tense, anxious, and dejected. Helpers: Helpers are concerned about others and sensitive to others needs. They are easy to get along and share your problems with. They are sensitive to others feelings, fun loving, and usually have a good sense of humour. However, they may have a low self-esteem and tend to overdo things for others. Achievers: Achievers love nothing better than achieving their goal. Therefore, they are generally energetic, self-assured, and goal-oriented. They appreciate honest but non-judgmental feedback. They like a peaceful and harmonious environment. They are also optimistic, friendly, and provide well for their family. However, they cannot tolerate inefficiency and may lose their temper when they come across inefficient individuals. Romantics: Romantics are warm and sensitive people and love to be complimented. They are creative, intuitive, and have a good sense of humour. They like to maintain friendly relations with everyone and do not like to think ill of others. They trust others easily and are disillusioned if that trust is broken. Romantics tend to feel emptiness and despair when they are misunderstood, which hurts and frustrates them. Observers: Observers are usually introverts, curious, and analytical. They like to be left alone and consequently dislike any intrusion on their privacy. One of their greatest qualities is that they remain calm even during a crisis. With their insight, keen observation, and analytical skills they are often able to predict correct outcomes even in complex situations. They may get overly disturbed when such anticipated outcomes do not result. Questioners: Questioners are responsible, trustworthy, and loyal. They value their family and friends a great deal. Depending on the situation, they can be either shy and supportive or outspoken and assertive. Questioners often face difficulties when asked to cope with differing pressures. In addition to having a
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fear of failure, they are usually quite self-critical if they do not live up to their own expectations. Adventurers: Adventurers like to live an interesting and thrilling life. They are fun-loving people who are often gregarious. They love to party and entertain. They are optimistic and are not easily troubled. They love to take risks and to tackle problems head-on. Asserters: Asserters are direct, straightforward, and confident people, who are known for their assertive behaviour. They prefer to be independent and selfreliant. They also like to take up challenges directly. Asserters are courageous, generally honest, and protective of those around them. However, they lack tact. Peacemakers: Peacemakers are cordial and peace-loving people. They dislike confrontations and like to live in a harmonious environment. When given sufficient time to complete their work and allowed to work at their own pace, they prove to be efficient. Since they are very caring and concerned about others, they can be very good mediators and facilitators. However, they can be hyper sensitive to criticism.
Personality Traits
The word trait refers to an individuals consistent pattern of behaviour that distinguishes him/her from others. Though every individual has a mixture of attributes, the dominant attribute as defined in degree and over a period of time refers to his/her particular personality trait. Introversion, intelligence, anxiety, aggressiveness, prejudice, musical aptitude, aptitude, sensitivity, seriousness, and friendliness are all examples of personality traits. The traits that people possess and the degree to which they possess them are part of their personality.
Developmental View of Personality

In the developmental view, the decisive role of childhood in shaping the basic character structure of the person is emphasized. Freud, an early theorist, observed that the personality development is governed by the need for satisfying wants through transactions with the external world. This external world also poses danger and insecurity to the individuals due to which the individual is filled with fear and anxiety. Anxiety warns a person of impending danger and motivates him/her to do something about it. When anxiety cannot be coped with rationale methods, an individual has to fall back on defence mechanisms. When under pressure because of extreme anxiety, you are sometimes forced to resort to mental strategies called defence mechanisms to relieve the pressure. It is important to note that the mechanisms reduce mental anxiety. Defence mechanisms are common and represent self-deception. They prevent the individual from learning more effective and rational ways of overcoming frustrations.
Using Defense Mechanisms

The salient features of the various defence mechanisms are: Denial: In the denial form, the individual rejects an intolerable reality by denying its existence. Denial is one of the most primitive of the defence mechanisms.
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Displacement: In the displacement form, unacceptable feelings or reactions about a person or a situation are transferred from their true target to another against which these feelings or reactions can more safely be vented. Repression: In the repression form, dangerous or embarrassing thoughts and events are banned from memory. This prevents the arousal of anxiety. Repression is the most basic form of defence mechanism. Sublimation: In the sublimation form, unpleasant or hostile reactions that are provoked are not expressed but the energy generated is diverted into other outlets that are socially acceptable. Compensation: In the compensation form, an individual who perceives certain deficiencies or shortcomings tries to make up or compensate for these in some other way. Rationalization: In the rationalization form, feelings or actions that are unpleasant to the recipient are projected but are attempted to be justified by the initiator on the grounds that these are in the recipients best interests. Projection: In the projection form, moral anxiety is converted into an objective fear. The individual attempts to generalize his/her own behaviour through the thought that others should also exhibit similar behaviour. Reaction Formation: In the reaction form, unacceptable feelings towards persons or situations are replaced with their exact opposites. For example, a person hostile towards another, would not only deny the presence of hostile feeling, but would in fact be demonstrably affectionate or considerate towards that person.
Importance of Personality Traits

When defined broadly, personality is what makes a person. The secret of life is to know yourself and what you want in life. You need to identify your traits as it is going to lay the foundation for your career. Remaining focused on ones target has a great bearing in defining a persons character. When applying for a job, being focused means that you have to be clear that the job you are applying for is right for you. It does not matter if you are a little unclear on your long-range goals. This is because it is quite possible to lose track and become unfocused if too much long term planning is done initially. Therefore, it is often unrealistic to think that you can perfectly plan out your career path. Before attempting to interact with your prospective employers, you should have a clear understanding on the kind of job suitable for you. Therefore, while contacting prospective employers through letters, phone calls, or face-to-face interview, you need to convey to your employer that you have a clear focus on your career and that you have arrived at that focus carefully and thoughtfully. How can you acquire a focus on your career? For this you need to introspect and analyse your basic traits. This focus on your traits enables you to identify the kind of environment you may thrive in.
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The three questions that you might ask yourself to know your interest areas and skills are: What do I like? What are my strengths? What do I care about? While talking about your interests, you need to keep in mind the following points: What kind of areas are you really interested in? What kind of activities you enjoy doing? What are your favourite hobbies, sports, academic subjects, and work activities? Now, you can decide which interests need to be a part of your work life. Similarly for identifying your skills, consider the following three main areas: Learned skills Innate skills Personality skills (such as hard-working, detail-oriented, or creative) Decide which of the preceding skills you enjoy using. This is an important factor in defining a career focus, especially critical in obtaining a job. In addition to assessing your interests, strengths, values, and personality, style plays an important role in shaping your personality. All of you are aspiring for a bright career in your lives. But you often forget that there are certain inherent factors that decide the nature of your work. Most of you have qualities that are suitable for any job or career. Hence, based on your interest in selecting a career and developing the necessary personality traits, you can be sure of getting what you aspire.
Summary
In this session, you learned the following: One of the most important factors to determine your happiness and success of your life is your personality. The definition of Personality covers the inner aspects of the individual that form the basis of a persons behaviour. The various types of personalities are: Perfectionist Helper Achiever Romantic Observer Questioner Adventurer Asserter Trait refers to any relatively enduring and consistent way of behaving in which people differ from one another.
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In the developmental view, the decisive view of childhood in shaping the basic character structure of the person is emphasized. Anxiety is a state of tension that warns a person of impending danger and motivates the person to do something about it. Defence mechanisms represent self-deception, in which we are sometimes forced to resort to mental strategies. The basic traits required to succeed in any career are: Flexibility Mobility Communication skills Interpersonal skills Proactiveness Responsibility Ability to handle work pressure Self-learning ability
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Session 2: Tips on Personality Improvement

Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Identify the need for improving an individuals personality Understand other peoples personality and help them in improving their personality Identify the general techniques that an individual follows to improve his/her personality Identify various ways to improve your self-esteem
Introduction to Personality Improvement

Everyone is different and has good and bad qualities. But what makes a person prominent and leading in the society is his/her personality. You cannot define personality as right or wrong. However, at times, when a persons personality is assessed and acclaimed, it enhances his/her image in the society. You have identified your personality as an introvert, extrovert, or an ambivert and you know the qualities that you possess. But, at times, you may feel that you have the capability to perform better than the way you are performing at present. A very common question that may arise in your mind is, how do I improve myself to perform better and thus become more acceptable and efficient? By working on your good qualities, you can improve your personality.
Development of Personality Type

Personality can be developed according to ones need. It is always better to have a good mix of different types of personalities. A person who is willing to adjust his/her personality based on the requirements is usually accepted by everyone and is regarded as a dynamic person. For example, there is no need for an introvert to be always an introvert. He/she can acquire some of the best characteristics of an extrovert, thus making him/her flexible. You should make the most out of opportunities to equip yourself with the right skills and personality. You will learn how despite being an introvert, extrovert, or an ambivert, you can develop your personality type. As you already know, extroverts are people who are outgoing, confident, and generally seek excitement. They tend to enjoy human interactions and are enthusiastic and talkative. They enjoy attending large social gatherings, such as parties, community activities, public demonstrations, and business or political groups. When given a chance, an extrovert will prefer talking with someone rather than sitting alone and thinking. There may be certain situations when an extrovert needs to adapt himself/herself as an introvert. With an extrovert personality, it is an added advantage if you have the good qualities of an introvert personality. If you are an extrovert, then to grasp the good qualities of an introvert, you can: Sit quietly for one hour each day, for concentrated reflection. Learn active listening techniques.
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Make notes in meetings and important discussions. Keep the focus on the other person when communicating. Learn the relaxation response, or try transcendental meditation or pranayam. Take a long walk alone in the park, beach, or woods, and contemplate nature. It is not a bad quality to have an extrovert personality. However, there may arise certain situations, when it is required by an extrovert to be an active listener rather than an active speaker. For example, while attending a seminar or a meeting, it is more essential for an extrovert to be an active listener. He/she can speak his/her viewpoints when given a chance to speak. As you have already learned, introverts are people who are reserved, less outgoing, and less sociable. However, do not consider introverts as asocial. They just tend to have smaller circles of friends and are less likely to thrive on making new social contacts. It is not advisable for an introvert to be always introverted. He/she should try to adapt himself /herself to the good qualities of an extrovert, depending upon the circumstances. If you are an introvert, then to grasp the good qualities of an extrovert, you can: Attend assertive communication training classes. Join a discussion group in which everyone has to talk about what is on their minds. Ask yourself, did I miss out any point in the conversation. Introduce yourself and interact actively with others at parties, get-togethers or conferences. Attend role playing seminars and programs on effective presentation skills or public speaking skills. Refer to the following link to know more on development of personality types: http://www.personalitypage.com/development.html Refer to the following link to know more on how to convert an introvert to an extrovert: http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/09/how-to-go-from-introvert-to-extrovert/ Refer to the following link to know about the advantages of being an extrovert: http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Develop-an-Exciting-Personality-to-AttractPeople---Learn-How-to-do-Wonders-with-no-Effort&id=879943
Helping Others
Most of the times, an individual is led by the society, which includes parents, brothers, sisters, relatives, friends, neighbors, and strangers. Often they are influenced by this society, either positively or negatively. However, if a person knows how to handle other people and can act accordingly, he/she has an edge over others and can lead them in their way. In the present context, it will be useful if you understand the personality of others and help them in improving their personality type. You have learned the various characteristics of different types of personality, such as an extrovert, an introvert, and an ambivert. Now you will learn how you can help others develop or enhance their personality. Being an introvert, you can help an extrovert to develop the skills possessed by an introvert by asking him/her to perform the following tasks:
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Ask more questions to yourself and fewer questions to others. Find the answers to these questions immediately, without delay. Try to be an active listener, in combination with an active speaker. Being an extrovert, you can help an introvert to develop the skills possessed by an extrovert by asking him/her perform the following tasks: Ask questions to others and try to elaborate their answers with explanations. Try to be an active speaker, in combination with an active listener. Try to interact with more people at social gathering and parties.
Relating and Responding to Others

Besides helping others to develop their personality type, you should also try to relate and respond to them according to their personality types. For example, you should try to relate to an individual with an extrovert personality type according to his/her type. If the person you are communicating with is an extrovert, then you should: Listen attentively to what is he/she saying. Be actively responsive to his/her queries. Be energetic and enthusiastic during the discussion. Support his/her need to communicate. If the person you are communicating with is an introvert, then you should: Relate to him/her one to one. Value his/her need for privacy. Ask questions to involve him/her in the discussion. Give him/her time to change focus and should not pressurize him/her for instant responses.
Tools for Personality Improvement

To improve your personality effectively, you can: Follow definite techniques. Perform Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat (SWOT) analysis. Perform Personal Quality Initiative (PQI). Read and follow Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
Definite Techniques
Improving or developing ones personality with respect to different requirements, is an important characteristic of a smart person. Every person aims at improving his/her personality. But, how does one achieve it is an important question to be answered? There are certain definite techniques which can be utilized for the improvement of your personality in the framework of the social setting. You can easily practice these techniques to spruce up your personality. According to Geoffrey A. Dudley, you can use the following general principles of habit formation that can be applied to the various habits to improve your personality:
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Concentrate on one activity at a time: You should concentrate on one activity at a time in order to improve your personality. Personality of an individual is defined as the combination of all the attributes that an individual has, such as behavioural, temperamental, emotional, and mental attributes. These attributes characterize a unique individual. Thus, it is logical to split the problem of improving personality needs into specific attributes that require enhancement. Then, these habits should be tackled one at a time. Therefore, concentrating on one habit at a time helps in improving your personality. Understand what you are and why: You should always have an understanding of what you are and why. You should try and develop a fuller understanding of your motives. For example, you can study your childhood experiences to discover the causes of the trouble, if any in your life. Finally, revive the original memories and re-evaluate them in the light of mature adult experience. Now, think about a person who lacks confidence. Try to find out the reasons for his/her low confidence level. One such reason could be his/her family environment where the family lacks confidence. Other possible reasons for low confidence level include: Being unloved and unwanted in childhood Being over protected by people around Being spoilt or pampered as a child Undergoing physical traumas or emotional shocks Experiencing a mental conflict which leads to the repression of a strong desire View yourself becoming what you want to be in the future : You should imagine yourself as the person you want to become in your future. You cannot overcome the lack of confidence merely by will power. Besides relying only on will power, you should use the power of imagination to acquire high confidence level. Imagination and will power together work very effectively. Visualize yourself as the person you would like to be in future. Try and create your own picture and the desired change (s) you expect. Then use your will power to make this picture or visualization come true, in real. For example, visualize yourself acting with confidence in your social or professional life. Imagine yourself exchanging opinions with people you meet and expressing an active interest in their interests. Consider yourself replying confidently when your supervisor speaks to you. Suggest to yourself that you can be what you imagine: You should inform yourself that you can become whatever you want to be. You should no longer be afraid of the memories of the past. Replace your fears with confidence by giving yourself suggestions at different intervals. For this purpose, repeat the following statement, at any convenient time, in your mind, hour by hour, I am gaining confidence in every way. Perform the part you want to play in life: You should try and perform the part that you want to play in life. Behave as if the desired change in you has already taken place. Also listen to others viewpoint. If you want people to be interested in you, then: Be as interested in them as you expect them to be in you. Show a genuine interest in other people.
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Talk about the things that interest them. Rejoice with them in their good fortune. Show appreciation of others. Speak well of people. Avoid making others feel inferior. Eliminate disapproval and adverse criticism. Give a friendly smile. Cultivate a sense of humour.
So far you have learned the general techniques that an individual can practice to improve his/her personality. Now, you will learn some more specific analysis techniques that are used to improve an individuals personality type and how an individual can develop new traits to relate to his/her career and society.
Performing SWOT Analysis

For any work you do, your personality contributes a lot to the success of the work. Selfanalysis, analysing the environment in which we work, and the real knowledge about the work are the major factors that contribute to the success of your work. SWOT analysis is an effective method for identifying your strengths and weaknesses, and to examine the opportunities and threats you have. In addition, SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats involved in a project or in a business venture. Generally, SWOT analysis is conducted for teams or groups by the team or project leader. The major benefits of performing SWOT analysis for an individual are: It identifies the career growth of an individual. It identifies the personal effectiveness and productivity of an individual. It enables recognizing the potential of an individual which has not been identified so far. It nullifies the weaknesses of an individual and evolves a suitable action plan as a part of remedial measure. It identifies the various training needs for an individual from his/her weaknesses identified during the SWOT analysis. Thus, you can now identify that when performed for a team or group, SWOT analysis serves as a balance sheet indicating the health of the team/group. Thus, you can build your strengths and address your weaknesses by evolving appropriate action plans, leveraging your opportunities, and eliminating threats.
Personal Quality Initiative (PQI)

After identifying your strengths and weaknesses and the opportunities and threats that you face from the outside world, you will be wondering as to how you will tackle all these problems. Since you have identified your problem areas, it is very easy to weed out the problems. There are certain mechanisms that come handy to solve your problems. The mechanisms have more to do with your behaviour or habit, and are useful tools of selfdevelopment.
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One such tool is the Personal Quality Initiative (PQI). You always want to inculcate some new habits or improve upon some of the tasks that you perform regularly. In PQI, you will identify various parameters to improve your habits. A parameter is defined as the framing of few good practices that you would like to acquire and some ineffective practices that you would like to cast off in your personal and professional life. You can use the PQI tool to identify meaningful parameters and to give you a simple mechanism, where problems/improvement areas are the input and well-defined parameters are the outputs. There are many techniques and approaches that can be utilized to improve personal quality. Adhere to the following steps that should be followed as an approach to selfimprovement: 1. Identify the shortcomings: Identify the defects or shortcomings that you want to improve in yourself. List the improvement areas in the following spheres of your life: Self: You may want to improve your behaviour and habits. For instance, you tend to get angry over extremely trivial matters. Consequently, you react in the heat of the moment and regret the reaction later. Family: You may not have harmonious relations with your spouse, siblings, cousins, or relatives, and you wish to improve the same. Health: You may have a disease or an ailment that you want to eradicate. Social: You may not have cordial relations with your friends or neighbours, and you wish to improve the same. 2. Set up measurement: Select any one of the preceding areas on which you wish to work. Then, use a check sheet to quantify the problem and define it as clearly as possible. Suppose you select the problem - I tend to get angry over trivial matters. Now, quantify it in terms of the number of days in a week or month that you got angry, as shown in the following table.
Checksheet used to Quantify and Define the Problem
S. No 1.
Parameter Get angry over trivial matters
2 -
3 -
4 -
5 -
WEEK1 4
3.
When you measure this quantity after a period of time, you know whether or not the situation has improved. Identify the possible causes: List the probable causes of the problem. You can use the given fishbone diagram that will enable you to classify the causes or likely reasons for the problem.
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4.
5.
6.
7. 8.
The preceding diagram defines the reasons of an individual getting angry over trivial matters, as discussed in step 2. The diagram enables you to identify various reasons and causes that are under your influence. By controlling the causes under your influence, you can control the occurrence of the problem. Identify the root cause: Merely providing a fix to the problem can be very dangerous because this may lead to permanent damage. Therefore, you should determine the root cause or the main reason behind the problem. List the possible solutions: List the ways by which you can correct the problem. Create a detailed list. Even if you think the solution is impractical, write it down. Do not eliminate any possible solution at this stage. Some generic solutions to some problems include: Do breathing exercises to calm the mind and control your anger. Do not expect people to behave the way you want them to. Overcome the problem: Choose one of the corrective actions that you can take to solve the problem. You should understand that people behave according to their nature. Therefore, you should accept others as they are and do not expect them to behave according to your whims. Prepare a backup plan: Prepare a backup plan that can be used if the master plan fails to be effective. Evaluate and follow up: Use the check sheet to check the status after you start implementing a solution to a problem. Verify if the number of instances of becoming angry reduces or not. If the number has reduced, you can congratulate yourself. Also, you should continue to tread the same path and before long you will be able to get rid of your anger once and for all.
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Besides using the various techniques, such as SWOT analysis and PQI, use the seven habits of highly effective people to improve your personality type. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People1, first published in 1989, is a self-help book written by Stephen R.
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Covey. Stephen Covey is an internationally respected teacher, chairman, and founder of Covey Leadership Center. Adhere to the following seven habits of highly effective people to improve your personality: Be proactive: Covey emphasizes that you can either be proactive or reactive when it comes to how you respond to different situations. When you are reactive, you blame other people and circumstances for obstacles or problems. Being proactive, you take the responsibility for every aspect of your life. Then, you take actions to solve various problems. Begin with the end in mind: Covey emphasizes on setting long-term goals. He recommends creating a vision of ones own life. He sees visualization as an important tool to develop a vision. In addition, Covey has mentioned about organizational vision statements. According to him, the organizational vision statements can be more effective, if developed and supported by all members of an organization. Put first things first: Covey describes a framework for prioritizing work aimed at short term goals, at the cost of tasks that appear not to be urgent, but are, in fact, very important. Think win/win: Covey describes that win/win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. It means that agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial and satisfying. Win/win is a belief in the Third Alternative. Its not your way or my way, its a better way. In relationships and businesses, effectiveness is largely achieved through the cooperative efforts of two or more people. Win/win is based on the paradigm that there is plenty for everybody, that one persons success is not achieved at the expense or exclusion of the success of others. Win/win sees life as a cooperative, not a competitive arena. Seek first to understand, then to be understood: Covey describes that communication is the most important skill in life. You spend most of your life communicating. Consider that you have spent years learning how to read and write and years learning how to speak. But what about listening? What training or education have you had that enables you to listen so that you really and deeply understand another human being from that individuals own frame of reference? In addition, Covey mentions that giving out advice without understanding a person and their situation might result in rejection of that advice. Synergize: Covey describes that synergy is the essence of principle-centered leadership. It catalyses, unifies, and unleashes the greatest power within people. It describes the way of working in teams, applies effective problem solving, applies collaborative decision making, values differences, builds on divergent strengths, leverages creative collaboration, and embraces and leverages innovation. Sharpen the saw: Covey describes that this habit makes all the other habits possible. It is preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have, that is, You. It focuses on balanced self-satisfaction. It is the renewal of the four dimension of your nature, physical, spiritual, mental, and social/emotional. Without this discipline, the body becomes weak, the mind becomes mechanical, the emotions become raw, the spirit becomes insensitive, and the person becomes selfish.
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These seven habits are the habits of effectiveness. Because they are based on principles, they bring the maximum long-term beneficial results possible. They become the basis of a persons character, creating an empowering center of correct maps from which an individual can effectively solve problems, maximize opportunities, and continually learn and integrate other principles in an upward spiral of growth. The seven habits of highly effective people provide a holistic, integrated approach to personal and interpersonal effectiveness. Taken together, these seven habits cultivate personal character, which is the foundation of effectiveness.
Ways to Improve Self-Esteem

To be confident and effective in your life, you need to develop self-esteem. It is a fundamental ingredient for success. Consider a girl named Rosy. She is a timid person who does not mingle with others and always keeps herself away from her classmates. She is not confident about performing any activity and off late has also developed an inferiority complex. She feels others can perform better than her. She hesitates to share her ideas and believes that others might criticize or make fun of her. As a result, she prefers to stay aloof. After reading the preceding scenario, what do you think of Rosy? What kind of a person is Rosy? What is the problem with her nature? How can she overcome the problem that she is facing? Let us now move forward to learn some of the ways that can help you improve your selfesteem. The various ways to improve your self-esteem are: Build confidence: Confidence stays on the inside and builds from there. So, whenever you want to accomplish any goal, picture yourself as having already achieved the goal. See yourself as a successful individual and make it real in your mind. Then put what you see into action. Reach out to others: Give complements to others. Make a list of the things you would like and appreciate in others. Lend a helping hand when you can. By helping others, we feel more in control of our own lives. Avoid perfectionism: Perfectionism paralyzes you and keeps you from accomplishing your goals. Take care of your physical appearance: Your physical appearance is a critical factor in your self-esteem. Resist the urge to be sloppy on days when you feel bad. In fact, those are the days when you should take extra care to look your best. Get in touch with your own creative energy: When you can use your body effectively, then you feel controlled. Do regular exercise. Listen to music, communicate with nature, and do meditation. These actions enable you to let thoughts come and go. What were your passions as a child? What do you fantasize about now? Try to find answers of such questions. Respect yourself: List 50 reasons why you can respect yourself. If you get stuck, think of people who admire you or have admired you, and write down what they say about you. Look for a silver lining: When you are going through tough times, find strength or a piece of knowledge.
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Act in accordance with your own values: Sometimes your values conflict. In that case, practice role playing with a friend and explore the various consequences of each action. Then choose what feels best for you. Be good to yourself on a daily basis: Perform activities that makes you feel good, thats just for you. Do such activities every day. Challenge yourself: Travel to a new place. It is easier to try out new facets of your personality when you are away from the familiar. As you meet new challenges, you gain new confidence and enhance your sense of accomplishments. Practice optimism: If you believe in pessimism, then come out of such negative beliefs. Think of misfortunes as temporary and specific instead of permanent and general. For example, you may feel All managers are fools, a view that can lead to feeling hopeless about a particular problem you have encountered. My manager was in a bad mood this morning is an explanation that takes the temporary/specific viewpoint. It allows scope for improvement. You should try and practice these positive measures to reinforce your own belief in yourself and increase your self-esteem.
Summary
In this session, you learned the following: Everyone is different and has good and bad qualities. Personality can be developed according to ones need. Extroverts are people who are outgoing, confident, and generally seek out excitement. With an extrovert personality, it is an added advantage if you also have the good qualities of an introvert. Introverts are people who are reserved, less outgoing, and less sociable. Being an introvert, you can help an extrovert to develop introvert skills by asking him/her perform the following tasks: Ask more questions to yourself and fewer questions to others. Find the answers to these questions there and then itself. Try to be an active listener, in combination with an active speaker. Being an extrovert, you can help an introvert to develop extrovert skills by asking him/her perform the following tasks: Ask questions to others and try to elaborate their answers with explanations. Try to be an active speaker, in combination with an active listener. Try to be the centre of attraction at a social gathering and interact more with people around. To improve your personality effectively, you can: Follow definite techniques. Perform Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat (SWOT) analysis. Perform Personal Quality Initiative (PQI). Read Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
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The various ways to improve your self-esteem are: Build confidence. Reach out to others. Avoid perfectionism. Take care of your physical appearance. Get in touch with your own creative energy. Respect yourself. Look for a silver lining. Act in accordance with your own values. Be good to yourself on a daily basis Challenge yourself Practice optimism
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Session 3: Common Aspects of Business Etiquette

Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Understand the importance of first impression Identify tips to make good impression Learn the business handshake Learn business introductions Understand mixing and mingling in business Learn about exchanging business cards Identify office movement mannerism Learn to welcome new employees Develop harmony at the workplace
First Impression in Business

The first impression can be defined as the impression that people create in their minds when they come in contact with you or your organization for the first time. The first impression is important in every aspect, whether you are attending an interview or a business meeting. A good first impression paves the way for success. Within a few seconds, people set an opinion about the other person by seeing his/her body language, behavior, grooming, and accessories. Your grooming, clothing, and accessories also play an important role in making a good first impression. People observe the first 12 inches, that is, from your shoulders to the top of your head. Therefore, men should be clean shaved and should wear an appropriate shirt that has a formal collar and a tie. Similarly, women should have their hair properly groomed with appropriate make up and accessories. People also observe the last 12 inches, that is, from your knees to your feet. Therefore, ensure your shoes, socks, and stockings (for women) are appropriate. The first impression is also affected by the handbag or briefcase that you carry. Therefore, ensure that your handbag/briefcase is in proper condition. To make a good first impression, focus on the following factors: Prepare in advance the first few words that you are going to speak. It will help you to gain confidence. In business, it is very important for you to remember the names of the persons you meet. Call them by their names and thank them honestly because they are providing their valuable time to you. Stand and sit upright with appropriate body language because people make assumptions from the body language. In addition, you should neither walk too fast nor too slow. If you walk slowly, people think that you do not care about anything. Similarly, if you walk too fast, people think that you are in a hurry. Demonstrate good listening skills and do not try to be the centre of attraction. Remember, first impressions are formed in the first 30-40 seconds and are imperative. The impression that forms after every interaction is specified as a moment of truth. Thus, always try and leave a positive impression.
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Impact of the first impression: When your first impression appears to be comparable with the existing employees at a workplace, you are considered as a suitable person for further interaction. When your first impression appears to be higher in comparison with the existing employees at a workplace, you are admired and considered as a valuable person. When your first impression appears to be lower in comparison with the existing employees at a workplace, you are tolerated but kept at arms length. When your first impression appears to be bad in comparison with the existing employees at a workplace, you are not accepted and it hampers the outcome of the interaction.
Tips to Maintain a Good Impression at the Workplace

At the workplace, when you create a good first impression, you are able to grab the attention of your audience (clients and colleagues) easily. In contrast, when you make a poor first impression, your audience gets distracted. Later, it becomes very difficult to regain the attention of the audience. Therefore, the first good impression needs to be maintained. Maintaining a good impression at the workplace is very important and you can do that by using the following tips: Maintain good mannerisms and behaviors: Good manners and behavior with your clients, employers, and colleagues will help you to maintain a good impression. In addition, you need to adhere to all the common business etiquette rules. Accept your mistakes: Mistakes are inevitable. Therefore, accept the mistake instead of blaming others. Find a solution for the error. Your employer may not be happy. However, he/she will like your honesty and ownership of the work assigned to you. Inform about sickness: Do not think that your employer will be angry if you inform about your sickness. Responsible employers know that productivity decreases during sickness and they do not force employees to attend office. However, you need to inform about your absence at the appropriate time so that your work can be delegated easily. In addition, you need to inform in advance before availing your casual leaves. Be ready to help in crisis: Always be prepared to provide support during crisis. At times, sudden requirements might come up that need your help or expertise. Never refrain from helping. It is one way of gaining the attention of your employer/supervisor. Avoid discussing controversial topics: Avoid discussing topics that might lead to controversy, such as politics, religion, health, or personal issues. Manage time efficiently: All organizations want their employees to manage their time efficiently. Always strive to complete the tasks assigned to you within the given time frame. Dress appropriately: Dress according to your job responsibility and always leave a good impression by wearing appropriate clothes.
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Avoid offending colleagues: Never offend your colleagues. Always show respect and regard towards them. Converse in a positive tone. Represent the company properly in meetings: When you are representing your employer or your company in a business meeting, make a good impression by sharing positive information. In addition, discuss positively, dress appropriately, and bring back all the relevant information to the company. Consider an example. Rahul went to meet a client, ABC Company, to discuss the design of a new product. He discussed his companys achievements with respect to the previous products. The client was impressed and accepted his design. In addition, the client placed the order with certain requirements. Rahul made a note of all the requirements and informed the same to his company. In this manner, Rahul established a good impression at both the places. Observe proper cellphone etiquette: Speak softly on the mobiles and do not play loud music. Keep your cell phones switched off during meetings.
The Business Handshake

A handshake is an important part of business. It is a physical greeting that is commonly done at the time of meetings, greeting, departing, just after introducing, congratulating, thanking, and after completing/signing an agreement. In a business environment, you need to know: How to shake hands. When to shake hands. When not to shake hands. While shaking hands, you need to focus on the following factors: The way you extend the hand The way you apply the pressure The length of time you shake the other persons hand While shaking hands, you must adhere to the following guidelines: Extend your hands with the fingers extended, thumb out to side, close the thumb and give a slight squeeze, and move the hands up and down about two times. Ensure your handshake is firm but not tight irrespective of the gender. In addition, you should not hurt the other person with your fingertips or with your ring. Make eye contact and keep a pleasant smile on your face. If you are wearing a name tag, it should be visible. This is because, while shaking hands, it becomes easier for the other person to read the name from the tag. Some common rules related to a handshake are: Avoid shaking hands when you have a cold. Provide an appropriate explanation for the same. Refrain from shaking hands when the other persons hand is occupied with papers or files. Refrain from shaking hands if they are wet.
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Stand up to shake hands if you are sitting and someone is being introduced to you.
Business Introduction
When you introduce yourself or introduce others, you need to follow certain business etiquettes. The following guidelines need to be adhered to while making business introductions: Make an appropriate introduction: At your workplace, you will often meet new people. Introduce them immediately by saying, Hello, it is nice to meet you, make a firm handshake, and then start the conversation. Always introduce the lesser authority to the higher authority first: While introducing two people, first introduce the person with lesser authority and then the one with higher authority, irrespective of their gender. For example, while introducing Ms. Sharma (higher authority) and Mr. Gupta (lesser authority), you can begin the introduction by saying, Ms. Sharma, I would like to introduce you to Mr. Gupta. In any situation, the client is the higher authority. For example, if you are introducing your client to your employer, then also the client is the higher authority. Dont avoid a person if you forget his/her name: At your workplace, you will meet many people and you may forget their names. Therefore, when you meet them again at business meetings or in official parties, never run away or avoid speaking to them. You can say, I am sorry, I have forgotten your name. or Have we met earlier?. Such statements will make your conversation begin smoothly. To memorize the names of other persons, mention their names during your conversation at logical intervals. However, do not converse, by thinking and recalling their names. Just relax and converse with confidence. Provide information about the introduced person: When you are introducing someone, provide additional information. For example, Mr. Sharma, please meet our Coordinator, Mr. Aggarwal. Smile and make eye contact: Make good eye contact and keep smiling. Be confident and maintain an open body language. Maintain a comfort space: Maintain a comfort space of 18-24 inches, while conversing.
Mix and Mingle in Business Environment

Mingling is another vital skill required for the business environment. It shows that you are friendly, open, and approachable. Whether it is a business meeting, team meeting, business lunch, or an office party, you need to mingle with people. If you avoid mingling, then people assume that you are egoistic and are not interested in others. To overcome the phobia of mingling in a business environment, use the following tips: Prepare in advance: Preparation will make it easy to mingle. For example, if you are going to attend a meeting, you should know in advance what is the agenda and who all are attending the meeting. If you know all this information, it helps begin the conversation smoothly. Reach early: Some people face problems pitching into an ongoing conversation. To avoid this, you can reach five minutes earlier. In that way, you will not have to catch up with the conversation.
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Carry business cards: Always carry your business cards and exchange them appropriately. When you circulate business cards, excuse yourself from the conversation and distribute them courteously. If you distribute them without excusing, then it is considered rude. Be ready to shake hands: Hold your drink in the left hand so that your right hand is free to shake hands. In addition, always refrain from extending a cold or wet hand. Know when to leave: You should know when to leave. Never become a part of the clean-up crew especially at office parties. Check the time and leave at an appropriate time. Sit or stand with the people with whom you want to build a relationship : For example, Natasha is attending a meeting where her colleagues, supervisor, and people of other departments are also present. She wants to mingle with the people of other departments. Therefore, she sits with the people of other departments and not with her colleagues. Never interrupt an ongoing conversation: Listen to the conversation, make light comments at pauses, and slowly pitch in. For example, some of your colleagues are discussing the current share price of the company at an office party. You listen to them and during a pause, you mention the current inflation rate, and slowly get involved in the conversation. The idea is to make some concluding or informative statements to pitch in. Never spend your time mingling with one person: Remember that the other people would also like to mingle. Use your mingling skills effectively.
Exchanging Business Cards

A business card usually includes the individuals name, company name with a logo, contact information, such as address, telephone number, e-mail, fax number, and website address. In a business environment, you need to be aware of: How you present business cards. How you receive business cards. How you carry business cards. With whom to exchange business cards. While exchanging business cards, you must adhere to the following guidelines: Exchange business cards either at the beginning or at the end of an initial meeting (both formal and informal). Always keep a handful of business cards so that you never run short of them. Always use both your hands to give and receive business cards. Never give a damaged or dirty business card. A business card must always be neat. Always present your card by ensuring that your information on the card faces the other person and not you so that he/she can read it easily. Look at a business card for a few seconds after you have received it. If you have to clarify anything, do it at that time. For example, Is your office located near ABC tower? or Nice logo!
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Never place the business cards in a bag pocket. Place it in a notebook or in a business card case where it is easily accessible. Exchange cards with people you are interested in building a relationship.
Mannerism in Office Movement

In a business environment, your movement matters. The way you move from one room to another or from one department to another reflects certain mannerism and courtesy. Therefore, ensure you follow these guidelines while moving in the office: Hold the door if you find other people coming behind you. This should also be done for people coming from the other side of the door. Never shut the door on someones face. It is offensive. Regardless of gender, allow the person of a higher rank to proceed through the door. In case, you are a female and a male holds the door for you, do not feel offended. It is respectful. Hold the doors open whenever you see anybody carrying packets or files. This should be done irrespective of any gender. Be aware of others movements when you move around the office. Your movement should not create any problem for others. Offer your clients or your seniors the best seat when you invite them into a room. Do not walk absent-mindedly when you are walking fast. If you are carrying some objects such as files, walk carefully and ensure that you are going in the right direction. In addition, show courtesy to those around you by smiling. Hold the elevator doors, if you see somebody entering or approaching. Allow the person standing closest to the elevator to exit first. Do not waste time in order to help women enter or exit first. Lead the way for your client or for anybody who is not aware of the layout of your office.
Welcome New Employees

When an employee joins an organization, the first few weeks are very crucial for them. Beyond work, they need to adjust to the new environment, company processes, and its different rules and regulation. This is very common for everyone, and you need to show certain etiquettes while welcoming new employees. Follow the guidelines, while welcoming new employees: Give them a warm welcome: Greet new employees and help them adjust to the new work environment. Do not leave after showing them their working area. Brief them about the company and its policies: Inform them about the company policies and procedures, history, and its mission. Brief them on their roles and responsibilities: If you are aware of their roles, explain briefly their roles and responsibilities. A detailed explanation will be given by the supervisor. Give them a welcome tour: Take them round the office and show them the whole department as a welcome tour. Show them the meeting rooms, washrooms, cafeteria, and emergency exit.
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Inform them about the safety rules and procedures: If you are aware, inform them about the safety rules and procedures. Otherwise, inform them about the person who will provide a briefing on safety rules and procedures. Inform them about your roles and responsibilities: Inform them about your roles and responsibilities and the person you report to. It will give them an idea of the organizations hierarchy. In addition, it will help them to become comfortable with the environment. Demonstrate company products and/or services, if possible: If possible, demonstrate any company products and/or services to make them aware of the companys work. However, ensure that the demonstration is related to their work. Treat them equally and guide them honestly: Treat them equally as you treat other team members. It will motivate them towards team work. In addition, guide them honestly as they are new to the environment and your cooperation will help them fit in the environment quickly. For example, provide them the companys helpdesk, control room, mail room, cafeteria, and reception telephone numbers.
Develop Harmony at Your Workplace

To maintain harmony at your workplace and to build a strong relationship with your coworkers, you need to adhere to the following guidelines: Avoid using cell phones in washrooms: None of your colleagues are interested in hearing your personal conversations. However, when forced to listen to conversations in the washroom, it can be annoying. Avoid taking credit of others work: Do not try to take credit for work done by others. For example, if your supervisor congratulates you on doing some work, you must mention the names of other people in your team who contributed to the task. Avoid sharing everything with colleagues: Never share personal information with colleagues. This can later become office gossip that can annoy you. Avoid chewing gum loudly: You may enjoy making loud sounds while chewing gum. However, others may not like it. Always respect coworkers and refrain from being annoying at the workplace. Avoid sending spam e-mail messages: Do not forward e-mail messages that contain irrelevant content. This may annoy your coworkers. In addition, sending chain e-mail messages that contain jokes, religious oaths, or petitions are also annoying.
Summary
In this session, you learned the following: First impression can be defined as the impression that people create in their minds when they come in contact with you or your organization for the first time. A good first impression paves the way for success. A handshake is a physical greeting that is commonly done at the time of meetings, greeting, leaving, just after introducing, congratulating, thanking, and after completing/signing an agreement.
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Business introductions guidelines should be followed for making introductions at workplace. Some of the common tips of mixing and mingling in business are: Prepare in advance Reach early Carry business cards Be ready to shake hands Know when to leave Business cards should be exchanged by following the guidelines of exchanging business cards. Guidelines for office movement should be followed while moving in the office. Guidelines for welcoming new employees should be followed to make them comfortable in the new environment. Guidelines for developing harmony at workplace should be followed to build a healthy working environment.
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Session 4: Personal Grooming

Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Understand personal cleanliness and hygiene Identify guidelines for dressing up
Personal Cleanliness and Hygiene

The appearance begins with personal cleanliness. Parents always teach their children about basic hygiene that should be maintained. For example, a mother scolds her child when he/she eats food without washing hands. Similarly, she ensures that her child brushes twice a day, bathes daily, and wears clean clothes. However, when the child grows up, he/she has to take care of his/her personal cleanliness and hygiene. If these habits are ignored, it can: Create an embarrassing situation: Ignoring personal cleanliness and hygiene can create embarrassing situations. Consider a situation. Sunoj works as a customer service representative at SM Retail. One day he went to attend the inauguration function of a new retail store. The employer instructed all the employees to remove their shoes because it was an auspicious occasion. When Sunoj removed his shoes, a bad smell put off all the colleagues. It was so bad that Sunoj became embarrassed and left the place immediately. In this way, his negligence for personal cleanliness and hygiene led to his embarrassment. Put off clients and colleagues: You are constantly interacting with people these are the people who matter to your growth and to your companys growth. Ignoring personal cleanliness and hygiene can put off clients and colleagues. Consider an example. Jack is a sales executive in an organization. His job is to sell products to the customers. To sell the products, he has to visit the customers and give a demonstration of the products. Despite being well qualified for the job and having good communication skills, he is not able to sell his products to most of the customers. Even his colleagues avoid talking to him. He discussed his problem with one of his colleague, Robin, who is close to him. Robin told him that he has all the qualities of a good sales executive but he has a problem of body odor, which overshadows his good qualities. This problem puts off his clients and colleagues. Hamper your professional image: You represent your company. Therefore, ignoring personal cleanliness and hygiene can also hamper your and your companys professional image. Consider an example. Mohan has recently joined an organization as a regional sales manager. He has to address a meeting of all the area managers. It is his first face-to-face meeting with the area managers. The area managers assume that the new regional manager is a smart and dynamic person. However, when the area managers met Mohan, the image that they had in their minds was shattered. This is because Mohan came to the meeting with untidy hair and clothes. The untidy appearance of Mohan made the area managers think that he was not worthy of the position. This diminished their interest in the meeting.
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Some of the basic hygiene problems that you are likely to face due to negligence of personal care are: Bad breath: You should take care of bad breath by brushing your teeth daily. In addition, you should also visit a dentist regularly. Body odor: You should use deodorants daily to avoid body odor. Persistent dandruff: You should use an anti-dandruff shampoo to get rid of dandruff. If you find that one of your colleagues is prone to some personal hygiene problem, ensure that you confront the issue sensitively. For example, Amir and Sanjay are colleagues. Amir is suffering from body odor. All other colleagues avoid him because of his body odor. To handle this matter sensitively, Sanjay mentions that recently ANJ Company has launched a new deodorant, which is very effective and suggests him to use it. Checklist for Maintaining Personal Cleanliness and Hygiene Brush daily Bathe daily Use an anti-dandruff shampoo Use good soaps Cut your nails regularly Use deodorants Brush your hair properly Shave regularly Wash your hands before and after meals
Clothes
Some common guidelines for your clothes are: Check the fittings of the clothes: Check that the clothes you wear to the workplace are neither too tight nor too loose. In addition, women should avoid wearing clothes that have low necklines. Clothes should be ironed: Iron your clothes, especially cotton clothes. Creased clothes hamper the professional image. Select anti-crease material: You can select clothes that are made of an anticrease material. They are good for long workdays. Wear clean clothes: Your appearance reflects your companys image. Therefore, wear clothes that are washed and clean. Avoid T-shirts with words or pictures: Usually many workplaces allow casual clothes on Friday/Saturday. You can wear T-shirts as casual wear. However, avoid wearing T-shirts that have words, messages, or pictures embossed on them. Refer to companys dress code: Refer to the companys dress code to ensure that the clothes you wear to the workplace are according to the company policy.
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Jewelry
You might love to wear jewelry. However, at the workplace, excess jewelry hampers your professional image. Follow these guidelines, while using jewelry: Use simple gold or sterling silver: Invest in simple 14 carat gold or sterling silver jewelry, such as earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets, or pins. Simple gold and silver jewelry is best suited with the professional attire. However, do not mix gold and silver jewelry. Select jewelry that complements your attire: You need to ensure that the jewelry that you select complements the attire rather than being distracting. Avoid wearing jewelry that you seem doubtful of: While dressing, if you feel that you are wearing jewelry that might not complement your attire, avoid wearing it. Maintain the key Simplicity: Jewelry that you wear to the workplace should be subtle and simple. Simple gold and silver jewelry adds a finishing touch to the attire. Follow Rule of 13: Women should not have more than 13 accessories. Count your accessories, which include glasses, earrings, necklaces, watches, bracelets, rings (one on each hand), a belt, scarf, ornate buttons, and buckles. If the number is more than 13, then you are over-accessorized. Avoid danglers: You should avoid wearing danglers. In addition, avoid wearing charms and identity bracelets. Select classic styled watches: A watch is worn more than any other jewelry. Therefore, you should invest in classic styled watches that have a gold or silver tone band. Never wear large flashy watches. Wear natural color contact lenses: If you wear contact lenses, use the natural eye color. While selecting jewelry you should follow the simple rule of thumb Be as understated as possible. An appropriate set of jewelry consists of simple gold earrings, a single chain with a small pendant, a wedding band (if married), and an elegant watch.
Hair Grooming
Some common hair grooming tips for women are: Style should project a professional look: Your hairstyle should enhance the professional look. If it is shoulder length or longer, ensure you tie it neatly. If it is short, it should be well groomed. Maintain a simple style: Maintain a style that is simple. Else, ensure the style you create is maintained with regular trimming. Wash your hair regularly: Wash your hair regularly to keep it clean and healthy. Select the hair color appropriately: Some hair colors are acceptable for recreational settings but not acceptable for the workplace. If you need to color your hair, select natural colors. Some common hair grooming tips for men are: Trim and brush your hair neatly: Your hair should be trimmed regularly, usually after every 20 days. Ensure that it does not cover any portion of the ear.
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If you have long hair in the front, it should be properly groomed so that it does not touch the eyebrows. Carry a comb and brush your hair at regular intervals to maintain the neat look. Spiky cuts are not accepted. Wash your hair regularly: Wash your hair regularly to keep it clean and healthy. Select hair color appropriately: Select a color carefully because many colors are not suitable at the workplace. The best practice is to select natural colors. Trim moustache and beard: Moustache and beard must be neat and welltrimmed. In addition, ensure that sideburns are trimmed short. Some common tips of hair grooming: Dont use perfumed oils. Use gel if necessary, in small amounts. Always carry a comb/brush so that you can set your hair right frequently.
Tattoo and Body Piercings

Tattoos and body piercings are not acceptable at the workplace and many people feel uncomfortable with that look. In addition, they are not good for health because they might cause infections in the body. Some common guidelines of tattoos and body piercing are: Tattoos, if any, needs to be covered: You might consider tattoos to be appealing, but usually it is not accepted at the workplace. Therefore, it is preferable to cover your tattoos at the workplace. Pierced ears of women are accepted: Globally pierced ears of women are accepted. However, ensure that you wear only one pair. You might wear multiple earrings at social events, but it is not accepted at the workplace. Pierced ears of men are not accepted: Nowadays, it has become a trend for men to wear a small stud in one ear or both ears. However, it is usually not accepted at the workplace. If you are eager to wear earrings, check the company policy before wearing earrings to the workplace. Body piercing in non-traditional places is not accepted: Body piercing in non-traditional places, such as the eyebrow, lips, tongue, and belly might give you credibility in the street but not at the workplace. Always remember, an appropriate professional appearance is a must for the workplace.
Tips to Complement Appearance

Some of the common tips to complement your appearance are: Wear ironed clothes: The clothes you wear should be ironed properly. Ironed clothes give a smart and professional look. Wear polished shoes: The shoes you wear should be polished. It boosts the appearance. However, avoid flashy shoes. Avoid noisy heels: You should ensure that the heels of your shoes do not make any noise. Noisy heels disturb others. Wear a recent haircut: Hair is an important factor that compliments your appearance. Therefore, you should wear a recent haircut, which is neat.
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Wear appropriate make-up: It is important for a person to wear appropriate make-up. The make-up should not be too light or too dark. It should be appropriate according to the appearance of a person. Use a fragrant detergent and fabric softener: Use a fragrant detergent and fabric softener to keep your clothes smelling fresh for a long period. Shave regularly: It is an important factor for men to shave regularly. Use mild fragrances: Use perfumes with mild fragrances.
Summary
In this chapter, you learned that: Lack of attention to personal care can: Create an embarrassing situation. Put off clients and colleagues. Hamper your professional image. Some of the basic problems that occur due to lack of personal cleanliness are: Bad breath Body odor Persistent dandruff Common dressing guidelines for clothes should be followed to maintain the professional image at workplace. Jewelry needs to be worn by following the guidelines of wearing jewelry. Some common hair grooming tips for women are: Style should project a professional look Maintain a simple style Wash your hair regularly Select the hair color appropriately Some common hair grooming tips for men are: Trim and brush your hair neatly Wash your hair regularly Select hair color appropriately Trim moustache and beard Common guidelines of tattoo and body piercing should be followed to show appropriate etiquette at workplace. Some of the common tips to complement your appearance are: Wear ironed clothes Wear polished shoes Avoid noisy heels Wear a recent haircut Wear appropriate make-up Use a fragrant detergent and fabric softener Shave regularly Use mild fragrances
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Session 5: Dress to Impress

Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Identify clothing and grooming tips for men Learn how to tie a tie Identify clothing and grooming tips for women Learn how to apply makeup Identify articles to avoid wearing at the workplace Identify shopping tips
Professional Business Attire for Men

You need to wear professional business attire for events such as business meetings, seminars, or interviews. Professional business attire for men consists of: A two- or three-buttoned suit: A conservative, two-piece business suit, in natural fiber is the perfect professional attire for men. Fitting is important. If required get it stitched. Sleeves should not be too long. Ideally, they should extend two and a half centimeters past your wrist bone. Similarly, trousers should not be too high or too long. Further, ensure that your trousers are not too tight or too loose. Preferably wear anti-crease material because it always looks fresh. Never select flashy colors. Use colors such as dark navy, charcoal gray, dark brown, or black in pinstripe or solid. Collared shirt: A collared, button-down shirt (a shirt having the ends of its collars fastened down by buttons) is an essential part of your professional attire. Ensure that your shirt fits properly around your neck. Tight collars create a bulging effect and increase discomfort. In addition, ensure that the sleeves of your shirt extend a couple of centimeters beyond the sleeves of your coat. Silk tie: Silk is the best material for ties. Select a tie that complements your shirt. Choose conservative stripes or soft patterns. In addition, ensure that the design and color of the tie is not gaudy and loud. Belt, shoes, and socks: Your belt and shoe color must match. You can buy a medium quality belt but it should look good. However, buy good quality shoes that are conservative, clean, and well-polished. Poor quality shoes can break your professional image. Preferably wear shoes with laces. Your socks should be calf-length or above. Further, the color of your socks must match the color of your trousers and not your shoes. Avoid wearing white socks as they are always associated with sports people. Appropriate accessories: Your accessories should match your professional attire. Your accessories could include a classic business watch, well-designed cufflinks that complement your attire, a leather briefcase in black or brown, and a good quality pen. When you wear professional business attire to formal occasions, you need to consider the following points: Ensure that the length of the trouser falls just at the heel of your shoes.
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Ensure that the pleats of the trouser lie flat and do not appear stretched or pulled. Do not load your pockets with too many things. Keep an extra pair of socks in the office desk drawer especially during monsoons. Keep a soft fabric sheet in your office desk drawer or in your briefcase so that you can quickly polish your shoes if they appear dull. Ensure that the heel of your shoe is less than four and half centimeters high.
Casual Business Attire for Men

Casual business attire is worn when you are scheduled to do routine work at your workplace. The term casual business attire is probably the least understood description of appropriate business attire at a workplace. Different people interpret the term in different ways. In addition, every organization has its own definition of casual business attire. At times, the dress code also varies depending upon the type of industry or work environment. Originally, casual business attire for men consisted of a button-down shirt, casual pants, a blazer or a sweater over the shirt (if required), with an optional tie. The intention was to leave the formal suit and tie look and to provide employees an opportunity to work in a more relaxed, yet professional type of clothing. In many organizations, casual business attire has become even more informal, allowing for polo shirts, jeans, and sneakers. While this may be acceptable for businesses that do not require client interaction, it is not acceptable for businesses that require their employees to deal extensively with clients. Although, you wear casual business attire when you are scheduled to do routine work in your workplace, it is a good idea to keep a jacket (short coat) in office so that you can wear it when some formal work comes up. Casual business attire should also be complemented with appropriate belt, shoes, socks, and accessories. Some other points that need to be considered while wearing casual business attire include: Ensure that your tie is conservative and does not bear crazy designs or logos. However, you can avoid wearing a tie with casual attire. Never load the jacket or trouser pockets with too many things. Do not try out the latest fashion trends.
How to Tie a Tie

While wearing professional business attire, a tie is a must. It provides a professional look to a person. However, wearing tie is an art. A person needs to master it in order to wear it properly. There are various types of tie-knots that are used by business professionals. However, the most common tie-knot used by the business professionals is the Windsor knot. To tie the Windsor knot, you need to select a tie, stand in front of a mirror, and perform the following steps.
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1.
The wide end A should extend about 12 inches below end B. Cross end A over end B, as shown in the following figure.
2.
Bring end A up through the loop between the collar and your tie, as shown in the following figure.
3.
Pull end A down, underneath end B and to the right, as shown in the following figure.
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4.
Pull end A back through the loop and to the right, as shown in the following figure.
5.
Bring end A across the front from right to left, as shown in the following figure.
6.
Pull end A up through the loop again, as shown in the following figure.
7.
Bring end A down through the knot in front, as shown in the following figure.
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8.
Using both hands, tighten the knot carefully and draw it up to the collar, as shown in the following figure.
9.
After completing the knot, ensure that the knotted tie is not too short or too long. Ideally, the wide end of the tie should end at the belt buckle.
In addition to Windsor knot, there are several other type of knots. Some of them are: Half Windsor knot Four in Hand knot Pratt knot You can visit the site http://www.tie-a-tie.net/ to learn how to tie other types of knots.
Professional Business Attire for Women

When you need to attend a business meeting, seminar, or interview, you need to wear professional business attire. Professional business attire helps a person create a professional impact, which is necessary in the organizational environment. Therefore, ensure your professional attire consists of: A Business or skirt suit: You can wear either a pant or a skirt suit. Ensure that the skirt has a straight cut and fits well. Skirts should be knee-length or slightly above or below. Avoid extremes. The top should be full sleeved with collars or close necks. The color of the top should complement the color of your skirt/pant and jacket. You should check the fitting of the jacket before wearing it. The fit should be checked when it is buttoned. It should not be tight around your back or chest. Sari: You can wear a sari for formal occasions, such as meeting with corporate clients. Silk or starched cotton saris are generally preferable. Avoid saris with heavy gold/silver borders and large prints. Salwaar kameez: You can also wear salwaar kameez at formal events. However, the salwaar kameez should look professional. It should not be gaudy. Footwear and accessories: The accessories should be selected according to the attire. If you are wearing a pant/skirt suit, you should not wear open-toed or backless shoes. A low heel looks more professional than flats or high heels. Use comfortable footwear rather than footwear that conforms to current trends. Do not wear too much jewelry. Carry a leather handbag in black or brown, preferably the same color as your shoes. Avoid overfilling it to maintain the form of the bag.
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When you wear professional business attire to formal occasions, you need to consider the following points: Avoid sleeveless tops or those with sequins. Ensure that the jacket sleeves are two and half centimeters past your wrist bone when your arms are at your sides. Do no load the jacket or trouser pockets with too many things. Do not wear sport shoes with formal attire. Wear moderate heels and avoid heels over three inches high.
Casual Business Attire for Women

Every organization has its own definition for casual business attire. You should check the organizations policy regarding the dress code. Usually, casual business attire for women includes: Salwaar Kameez: Ensure that the kameez fits well. It should be at least knee length. Avoid wearing a kameez that has a low neckline or is sleeveless. The salwaar should not be excessively flared. A dupatta is essential at the workplace and it should not be kept flowing. Sari: You can wear saris too. Ensure that it is draped properly. Skirt and top: Prefer navy or black skirt as they provide a classic appearance. The top should complement the skirt. White, cream, or light pastel coloured tops in silk or rayon fabric look good as business casuals. Trouser and top: You can wear trousers also. Prefer neutral colors such as black, blue, or gray. Ensure that your top has collars or is close neck. The top should complement the trouser. Footwear and accessories: While selecting footwear ensure that it complements the color of the outfit. Neutral colors such as, black, beige, blue, gray, and tan generally work well with most clothes. Avoid footwear in colors such as, red, gold, or silver. Use accessories that complement your professional image. In addition, ensure that your handbag is in proper condition.
Tips on Office Makeup

Some common office makeup tips are: Use light and minimal makeup: You office makeup should be light and natural. Choose makeup colors that are subtle and flatter your skin tone. Maintain nails and select subtle polish colors: Your nails should be clean, stain free, and of uniform length. Trim them at regular intervals. You can apply subtle polish colors. Apply office makeup in day light: Apply makeup in natural light and not in artificial light of a closed room. Often makeup defects are noticeable under natural light, which get hidden in artificial light. Follow the steps to learn applying office makeup: Prepare your face: Clean your face using cleansing milk. Apply toner to remove the remaining cleanser and to shrink the pores. Apply moisturizer: Before makeup, apply moisturizer that suits your skin type. Massage properly.
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Foundation: You should avoid foundation. However, if your complexion is not smooth then you can wear it. Add some water to the foundation to make it transparent. After applying, pat some powder and use a powder brush to smooth it evenly. In addition, avoid using blusher. Eyeliner, eye shadow, and mascara: Proper eyeliner is necessary to define the eyes. You can use kajal also. Then you can add some natural shades of eye shadow. If you do not have eye shadow, draw a thin line on top of your eyelids by using kajal. Then soften it by using finger or with a cotton bud. This will provide a smoky effect. Then apply mascara to complete your eye makeup. Avoid using false eye lashes. Lipstick: Apply light or natural long lasting lipstick. To make the lipstick long lasting, use a lip liner. If you do not have lip liner, apply lipstick, dab with a tissue, and apply lipstick again. You can also apply little lip gloss. It goes well with office makeup. Finish with compact powder and with mild fragrances: Finish your office makeup by applying compact powder. Select colors that look fresh as office makeup is done in the morning. Apply deodorant or mild body fragrances to keep you smelling nice the whole day.
Things to Avoid
For Women
Women should avoid wearing the following types of clothes to their workplace: Tank tops Cropped tops T-shirts/Tops with slogans or pictures Tops with low necklines Jeans Leggings Shorts Short skirts Cargo skirts Jogging outfits Capri Avoid the following Strong or over-powerful fragrances Bright color nail polish and makeup Body/facial piercing Visible tattoos Dirty fingernails Messy hair Danglers Jingling bracelets
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Women must also be careful about the colors that they wear to their workplace. They must avoid wearing outfits that are very bright. Outfits in catchy prints and faded colors should also be avoided. In addition, women must avoid wearing the following types of footwear: Sandals and flip-flops Sneakers Hiking boots Stiletto heels
For Men
Men should avoid wearing the following types of clothes to their workplace: Tank tops Muscle shirts T-shirts/Tops with slogans or pictures Untucked shirts Flannel shirts Jeans Sweatpants Shorts Sloppy and oversized trousers Cargos Jogging outfits Earrings Heavy chains Bracelets Men should also be careful about the colors that they wear to their workplace. They should avoid wearing bright and loud colors. Outfits in catchy prints and faded colors should also be avoided. In addition, men should avoid wearing the following types of footwear: Sandals and flip-flops Athletic tennis shoes Hiking boots Work boots
Tips on Shopping Business Attire

Some common tips while you shop for business attire are: Select clothes that you can wear in multiple settings: Buy some clothes that you can wear for both formal and casual occasions. Such clothes are required when you have some casual work in the morning and then a formal meeting in the evening. Select neutral and quality items: Buy items that you can match with multiple pairs. For example, a black trouser goes well with many shirts, tops, and jackets.
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Select fabrics that are easy to maintain: Buy fabrics those are easy to maintain, such as linen. Such fabrics are good when you need to travel. Shop for outfits in different fabrics, so that you can wear them according to the situation. Make smart purchases: Women should buy three-piece suits so that they can bring variation in their look by alternating between a trouser and skirt. Men can buy two or three professional business outfits and bring variation in their look by changing shirts and ties. Do not buy fashionable items: Buy articles that are classic and will never be outdated. Fashionable items often go out of style. Plan and make a collection: Do not wait for an occasion to purchase professional business attire. You might need it anytime. Prepare yourself and start making a collection. Look for offers and buy good items at discounted prices.
Summary
In this session, you learned that: Professional business attire for men consists of: Two-piece business suit Collared shirt Silk tie Belt, shoes, and socks Appropriate accessories Casual business attire is used when you are scheduled to do routine work at your workplace. Every organization has its own definition for casual business attire. There are various types of tie-knots that are used by business professionals. However, the most common tie-knot used by the business professionals is the Windsor knot. Professional business attire for women consists of: A formal dress, such as: A business suit or skirt suit Sari Salwaar kameez Footwear and accessories Casual business attire for women consists of: Salwaar kameez Saris Skirt and top Trouser and top Footwear and accessories Some common office makeup tips are: Use light and minimal makeup Maintain nails and select subtle polish colors
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Apply office makeup in day light You must avoid wearing certain articles to the workplace, such as jeans, tank tops, bright makeup, shorts, sandals, and sport shoes. Some common tips while you shop for business attire are: Select clothes that you can wear in multiple settings Select neutral and quality items Select fabrics that are easy to maintain Make smart purchases Do not buy fashionable items Plan and make a collection
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Session 6: Effective Communication

Session Objectives
By the end of these sessions, you will be able to: Understand the behavioral patterns of communication Identify and classify the barriers to communication Understand the rules for overcoming barriers Understand the importance of effective business communication
Activity: Identify the behavior

Sample Situations and Answers: Situation 1: You have bought a juicer from a local retail store, and it doesn't work properly. You: Answer 1: Go to the local retail store and say This juicer does not work. I would like to have my money back Answer 2: Go to the local retail store and shout You guys sell all junk items. You must close this outlet Answer 3: Keep the juicer aside and silently buy another one. Situation 2: You are in a team lunch and someone starts smoking. Smoking offends you. You: Answer 1: Say We are on a team lunch. Get out if you want to smoke! Answer 2: Dont say anything and quietly suffer the smoke. Answer 3: Say I would appreciate if you avoid smoking here Situation 3: You are on the phone and someone is talking to you. However, the voice is not clearly audible. Answer 1: You strain yourself to listen and end up understanding nothing. Answer 2: You shout and say I cant hear you. Are you talking to yourself Answer 3: You interrupt the person and say Could you please be louder The objective of this activity is to help you to identify the behavior in the given situations. The various behavioral patterns can be: Passive Aggressive Assertive.
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Behavioral Patterns in Communication

Research shows that difference in personalities is caused due to different levels of understanding and enthusiasm in human beings. Based on the combination of understanding and enthusiasm, some basic behavior pattern is reflected in every person. The behavior pattern has an effect on the communication style of the person. These behavioral patterns are classified as: Passive behavior: People having passive behavior are usually submissive. They are taken for granted as they usually are unable to get their point across. They get very easily influenced and are not great professionals. They end up with lose-win situation, where the winner is the other party. Characteristics of passive behavior are: Low level of enthusiasm and understanding Quiet and humble Prefers in maintaining a low profile Do not convey feelings easily to others Often agree with aggressive people Analyse better Good listeners Aggressive behavior: People having aggressive behavior are the most dangerous communicators in a customer-centric organization. They usually generate too much defensiveness and friction. They easily involve themselves into argumentative situation. Consequently, the original message gets lost in the heat of the moment. The tone of an aggressive customer is arrogant, threatening or sarcastic. They end up in a lose-lose situation. Characteristics of aggressive behavior are: High level of enthusiasm Low level of understanding Seize control irrespective of others feelings and rights Confident Commanding Bad listener Assertive behavior: People having assertive behavior have the best mindset in a customer-centric environment. They are open, honest and direct, and have a friendly tone. They are able to balance the interest of the other party and the organization at the same time, and thus do justice to both. They are focused and end up in a win-win situation. They respect differences of opinion and do not try to enforce opinion when any disconnect arises. Rather, they try to get to a solution through mutual acceptance. Characteristics of assertive behavior are: High level of enthusiasm and understanding High self-esteem Aware of rights and personal needs Sensitive towards others rights and needs
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Attentively listen to others Communicates firmly Pro-active and solution oriented Less willingness to teach people who are not assertive
One should work on improving their behavioral pattern, as this has a direct impact on the communication style.
Activity: Identify Your Behavioral Pattern

The objective of this activity is to help you to identify your behavioral pattern. The table lists some situations. 1. Check the column that best describes your behavior in that situation. 2. Add up the number of check marks in each column. 3. The column that has the highest number of check marks shows that this particular behavioral pattern is dominant in comparison to other behavioral patterns. Situation Scheduling an appointment Asking for help Passive Aggressive Assertive
Protesting when gets cheated Suggesting an idea that is not conventional Responding to unfair criticism Saying No to friend Saying No to family Taking part in the conversation to make others realize their mistake
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Situation Asking someone to stop bothering you
Passive
Aggressive
Assertive
Assertiveness is an ideal behavior. You need to be assertive and act dynamically depending on the situation. For example, Richa has taken a book from Ravi. Now, she is not returning his book in spite of reminding her several times. Therefore, Ravi has to be assertive and tell Richa that he must have his book back the next day.
Improving Behavioral Pattern
Aggressive Behaviour
Anger always aggravates a sensitive situation. You should control your anger and try to be calm. For this, you should try and be aware of your anger signals and learn to take control. An aggressive person should try to improve his behavioral pattern by: Accepting that someone else may have a better idea or solution to a problem than him/her. Accepting positive criticism and suggestions. If you have an aggressive behavior, you need to do the following: Take a deep breath when you are angry. Try to be calm. It changes the offensive tone of communication. Avoid fight. It prevents productive communication. Think that you are going to lose a good relationship before fighting.
Passive Behaviour
Being quiet and keeping the anger inside is not good. If you do not communicate then people might take you for granted. You need to communicate and show your emotions in an appropriate manner. A passive person needs to keep the following points in mind: To speak up and share your views if you disagree with others opinions. To be confident about your opinions and decisions.
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To ask for help when you need it. To be able to turn down requests that seems unreasonable or unfair. To directly address things that bothers you. To speak confidently about things that matter a lot to you. To consider your needs as important as others. If you have a passive behavior, you need to do the following: Participate and be assertive in all responses. Aggressive person wins and passive person loses. However, remember that in the long run both are losing relationship and respect. Be expressive using positive language and a firm tone. Think before you compromise while dealing with aggressive persons.
Assertive Behaviour
Assertive behavior helps in effective communication. However, to remain assertive you need to enhance your thought process while communicating. To make the other person understand your message, provide example. Exemplifying the message will bring more clarity in the receivers mind. Be calm and listen actively. If you have an assertive behavior, you need to do the following: Avoid temptation for counter attack as aggressors do. Validate the feelings of aggressors by stating good examples that they want to hear. Slowly you can make them listen. Compromise only when the other person is listening. Ensure that the other person is happy with the communication.
Barriers to Communication
No two people in this world are exactly alike either mentally, physically, or emotionally. Thus, innumerable human differences, along with cultural, social, and environmental differences, may cause problems in conveying an intended message. Therefore, in a communication process, barriers are likely to happen. Communication barriers mean anything that prevents the sender or the receiver from understanding the message. In communication process, you need to avoid barriers. Barriers are erected consciously or unconsciously by the sender or the receiver. Barriers hamper communication and degrade the status of the feedback. Barriers are broadly classified into physical, semantic, and socio-psychological barriers.
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Physical Barriers
This type of barrier comes up when a part of the message is lost in transmission. For example, you are sending information via telephone and due to some disturbance the receiver is unable to understand the message. Physical barriers in an oral communication can occur through: Noise Faulty seating arrangement Distance between the sender and the receiver Fatigue Physical barriers in a written communication can occur through: Poor hand writings Bad photocopies of documents
Semantic Barriers
Some barriers are also created due to misunderstanding. The words used by the sender are not understandable by the receiver or the receiver interprets the message in a different way. Therefore, in order to avoid semantic barriers, the communication needs to be simple and should clarify the message clearly. Semantic barriers occur when the sender and the receiver assign different meanings to the same word or use different words for the same meanings. Words used in communication may have varied meanings. The receiver of the message may not assign the same meaning as intended by the sender of the message. For example, the word Vent is used as a noun (opening, chimney, air hole). However, the same word can be used as a verb (to express, to utter, to escape).
Socio-Psychological Barriers
Socio-psychological barriers can occur through: Attitudes and Opinions: We react in a favourable or aggressive manner depending on whether the information is to our personal advantage or not. Our prejudices and opinions on the subject also get reflected in our reaction. Emotions: We can neither transmit nor receive anything if our mind is agitated. Status consciousness: We are over conscious of our position and social recognition. Source of Communication: We react according to the trust we have in the source from which the communication originates. Inattentiveness: Unconsciously, we become inattentive if the communication contains a new idea and our mind refuses to respond to it. Poor retention: We lose oral messages due to poor retention. Unsolicited communication: We do not respond if the communication is unwanted. In addition, there are some more socio-psychological barriers. They are: Making hasty judgments Not listening to problems
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Being easily distracted Taking words too literally Being afraid of criticism Daydreaming Being impatient Interrupting Switching off Interruptions Preconceived notions Health You can overcome these barriers by applying a conscious personal effort.
Rules for Overcoming Barriers

A communication generates the highest level of interest when you share information that closely relates to the receivers individual environment. Therefore, try to identify the individuals areas of interest before communicating your ideas. Then, try to relate your ideas with their areas of interest (if possible). The most effective way of communication is face-to-face. The speaker should have prior knowledge on the issues as compared to the receiver. The lesser the number of people involved in the communication process, the greater will be the assurance for reliable content or quick processing. All communication should be processed both ways. Therefore, to confirm the effectiveness of a communication, eliciting feedback is important. Barriers hamper communication and you need to overcome those barriers to make communication effective. You can overcome the barriers by following certain rules. They are: Create a plan: Make a plan by collating all the ideas that you want to communicate. This will help you to maintain completeness in your communication. Further, you will not miss any important message. Clarify ideas: Simplify ideas to provide support in decision making. Create an environment of assurance and confidence: At times, you need to create an environment of assurance and confidence to remove barriers. This will bring out greater acceptance from the audience. Consider time while you communicate: Keep in mind the time you need to communicate. It should not be too long or too short. The best practice is to consider the factors what, when, why, where, who and how while you communicate. When you communicate by keeping in mind all these factors, your communication will be appropriate. Support your speech with action: You need to practice communication, along with action. Your action should support your words. In case your actions prove contrary to your words, then the receiver will lose trust in you. Communicate efficiently: Ensure that the receiver is able to grasp the ideas efficiently. Use question-answer technique to achieve this. This will help you to understand whether the receiver understood your message.
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Ensure clarity in your message: The communication should not be ambiguous. The language used should be simple, without any overtone. This will help the receiver understand your message easily. Communicate by focusing on the purpose: Keep in mind the purpose of the communication. This will help you keep in track.
Importance of Effective Communication in an Organization

Once you are on job, you will be communicating with a lot of people, customers, peers, and subordinates. Thus, effective communication is very important while working in an organization. Effective communication is critical to the success of an organization because of the changes that occur in organizations today: Organizations are becoming more complex, both in structure and technology. Economic and market conditions are forcing greater efficiency and quality in manufacturing and services sectors. Government legislation requires individuals to interpret the changing implications for policies and practices in their own organization. Workers are organized into trade unions, necessitating proper and clear communication at all times. The failure of these trade unions could lead to worker-related problems. Employees expect greater personal and job satisfaction from their employers. Effective communication promotes the spirit of understanding and cooperation between the employer and the employees Effective communication is important in both your personal and professional life. Communication skills are more important in careers that involve more mental computations than manual labour. However, to grow in your professional life, it plays a vital role. Your job, promotion, and professional reputation often depend on your written and oral communication skills and expertise. Your progress will be strongly influenced by how effectively you communicate your knowledge, proposals, and ideas to others. Communication skills are important to every sphere of job or career opportunity, be it customer care, trade unions, marketing, sales, teaching, or accounting. The prime requisite of executives is their ability to communicate. Too often, those who cannot communicate effectively in either oral or written communications remain buried in lower, dead-end jobs. In an organization, members involved with management spend 60 to 90 percent of their working days on communication that is, writing, speaking, and listening. Effective written and spoken communication helps you to accomplish your goals more efficiently. You may need to write letters, proposals, reports, or present views as a committee chairperson, club official, or a private citizen. Whatever be the purpose, you can be effective only when you apply those skills in your day-to-day work. Effective communication is extremely important to an organization and without it, an organization cannot function. An organization is a group of people associated for business, political, professional, religious, athletic, social, or other purposes. The activities involved in an organization require people to interact, react and communicate. They exchange information, ideas and also formulate plans, decisions, rules, proposals, contracts, and agreements.
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Effective communication (oral and written) is the lifeline of any organization. However, when you are working in an organization, there are certain factors that you need to follow to make communication effective. They are: Be clear about the objectives of communication: The sender must decide what the purpose of the communication is. This will help in bearing a style on the language, the choice of words, the media of communication, and identification of the receivers. Organize the message: The content of the message must be arranged in such a way that it makes sense to the receiver. The best method is to present one idea at a time and present it completely before moving on to the next. Suit your message to the needs of the receivers: The sender must get a picture of the receivers expectation from the communication. For example, in the context of a seller and a buyer, the buyer might be interested in knowing about those brands that suits his/her budget. It is of no interest to the buyer if the seller talks about products that oversteps the budget. Carefully select your medium: The media of communication has a bearing on the effectiveness of the communication. For example, an invitation for a party can be communicated through a letter or over the telephone. However, if a person has to be given a feedback to improve his performance, then, a face to face communication is the best. Be careful about timing the message: The message has to be appropriately timed. The sender must determine the circumstances and the state of mind of the receiver before communicating the message. Remove the barriers to effective communication: The sender must follow the rules for overcoming the physical, semantic, socio-psychological, and other barriers to make effective communication. Try to get feedback: Invite comments or opinions from the receivers and respond positively to their reactions. Where necessary, ask questions and encourage the receiver to reply. Keep an open mind to their ideas and feelings. Their responses will help you to assess whether your message has been understood and/or accepted. Getting feedback will help the sender of the message to ensure that the message: Is listened by the receiver Is understood by the receiver Holds the receiver's interest Gets the receivers involvement Leads to positive response or action from the receiver Further, you need to focus on the receivers/participants interaction. For example, some participants might be dominating, whereas some might remain uninvolved. Similarly, some of the participants might raise multiple queries and some might provide advice. Understanding the participants reaction will help you to control the communication.
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Seven Cs and Four Ss

To make communication effective the concept of seven Cs and four Ss are used. The Seven Cs are: Credibility: The receiver must accept the sender as a credible source. Otherwise, the message conveyed hardly influences the receiver. Context: Think about the context while sending and receiving information. In what context the message is being conveyed? This will help you to understand the time-span, current situation, and the proceeding interaction. Content: The content should be clear so that it conveys the proper message. Clarity: There should be clarity in both pronunciation and diction to achieve better impact of the message. Channels: Clarity is partly dependent on the channels/media you choose to deliver the message. The sender should be comfortable with the channels. Then, the message delivery will be more effective. Consistency: Maintain consistency until and unless you are highlighting differences. Avoid using words that have different meanings. Further, when you are writing, maintain consistency in color, font, and spacing to avoid distraction. Capability of the audience: Identify the capability of the audience before you deliver the message. This will help you to modify the message according to the comprehension capacity of the audience. The Four Ss are: Shortness: Ensure that the sentences are short and to the point. Long sentences distract the focus of the receiver. Simplicity: Ensure that the message is simple language. Simple messages can be comprehended easily. Strength: Ensure that the message is of proper strength with substantial information and should not be vague. Sincerity: Ensure that the message is conveyed honestly and sincerely. Sincerely conveyed messages are usually accepted by a receiver. After completing this activity, you will be able to understand the problems created when seven Cs and four Ss are avoided. Further, you will focus on using seven Cs and four Ss while communicating.
Summary
In this session, you learned the following: Different behavioral patterns in communication are: Passive behavior Aggressive behavior Assertive behavior Barriers are created consciously or unconsciously by the sender or the receiver. Barriers hamper the communication and degrades the status of the feedback. The types of communication barriers are: Physical
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Semantic Socio-psychological Rules for overcoming barriers are: Create a plan. Clarify the ideas. Create an environment of assurance and confidence. Consider time while you communicate. Support your speech with action. Communicate efficiently. Ensure clarity in your message. Communicate by focusing the purpose. Effective communication is critical to the success of an organization. Make your communication effective by following these factors: Be clear about the objectives of communication. Organize the message. Suit your message to the needs of the receivers. Carefully select your medium. Be careful about timing the message. Remove the barriers to effective communication. Try to get feedback. To make communication effective, the concept of seven Cs and four Ss are used.
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Session 7: Listening-I
Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Identify the steps in the listening process Identify the factors affecting the listening process
Activity: Self-Awareness Test

The objective of this activity is to help you to identify your listening habit. The SelfAwareness Test table lists some situations. 1. Check the column that best describes your listening habit in that situation. 2. Add up the number of check marks in each column. 3. After completing this activity, you will be aware of your listening habits and would focus on improving it. Self-Awareness Test Put an X in the appropriate box. Do you: Tune out people who say something you dont agree with or dont want to hear? Concentrate on what is being said even if you are not really interested? Stop listening on the assumption that you know what the speaker is about to say? Repeat in your own words what the speaker has just said? Listen to the other persons viewpoint, even if it differs from yours? Learn something from each person you meet, even if it is ever so slight? Find out what words mean, when they are used in ways not familiar to you? Form a rebuttal in your head while the speaker is talking? Most of the time Frequently Occasionally Almost Never
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Self-Awareness Test Put an X in the appropriate box. Do you: Give the appearance of listening when you arent? Daydream while the speaker is talking? Listen for main ideas and not just facts? Recognize that the same words dont mean exactly the same thing to everyone? Listen to only what you want to hear, blotting out the speakers whole message? Look at the person who is in front of you? Concentrate on the speakers message rather than how he or she looks? Know which words and phrases you respond to emotionally? Think about what you want to accomplish with your communication? Plan the best time to say what you want to say? Think about how the other person might react to what you say? Consider the best way to make your communication (written, spoken, phone, bulletin board, memo, etc.) work? Think about what kind of person you are talking to (worried, hostile, disinterested, rushed, shy, stubborn, impatient, etc.) Feel that you usually get through to the other person? Think I assumed he or she would know that? Most of the time Frequently Occasionally Almost Never
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Self-Awareness Test Put an X in the appropriate box. Do you: Allow the speaker to vent negative feeling towards you without becoming defensive? Exercise regularly to increase your listening efficiency? Take notes, when necessary, to help you to remember? Hear sounds without being distracted by them? Listen to the speaker without judging or criticizing? Restate instructions and messages to be sure you understand correctly? Come in with a statement about what you believe the speaker is feeling? TOTAL Most of the time Frequently Occasionally Almost Never
Listening Self-Awareness Test Score Interpretation: 110 120 99 109 88 98 77 87 <77 Superior Above average Average Fair Poor
Introduction to Listening
We were given two ears but only one mouth. This is because God knew that listening is twice as important as talking. Listening is the most powerful tool of communication. It is the first step to comprehension. Listening, to put in simple words, refers to hearing something with thoughtful attention. We spend about 80% of our waking time communicating with others. 30% of our communication involves talking, while listening is said to involve 45%. The remaining time is spent on hearing and non-verbal gestures. Although our listening skills are taken for granted, the quality of all our relationships and effectiveness at work depends on our ability to listen. Listening not only to the words but also to the way it is being conveyed provides an insight into the actual meaning that the speaker is trying to convey.
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People dont care how much you know, but they know how much you care.by the way you listen - Bob Conklin People often equate listening to hearing. The two, however, do not mean the same. Listening involves hearing the message, then questioning what was heard and arriving at a logical understanding of the message. However, hearing is the act of perceiving sound by the ear. Listening is done consciously so that the brain can interpret the meaning of the words or the sentences. Points to remember: Listen to what is said and left unsaid: Listen carefully to the words explicitly stated and also, pay attention to what is not stated but meant by the speaker. The explicit words and the implicit meaning put together convey the actual message of what the speaker is trying to say. Note the voice tone: The voice tone is an important indicator to what the message wants to convey. Note the body language: Sometimes, the speaker may say something that he/she does not actually mean. However, body language may reveal the real intent of the speaker. For example, while answering a query, the speaker is not making eye contact with the participant. Therefore, the participant assumes that the speaker is not sure of his answer, despite getting the correct answer. Ask for clarification: When you have any doubt, you need to ask for clarification. As a listener, it will help you get a clear understanding. Similarly, when you act as a speaker, you can ask questions to clarify that the listeners have understood your idea.
Activity: Match the Following

1. 2. 3. The following Match the Following table list contains two columns about some situations, along with explanations. Match the situations with its corresponding explanation and then check your answer. After completing this activity, you will be aware of the different listening situations. Match the Following Situation Listen and respond appropriately Listen and be judgmental Listen to what interests us Refrain from listening Listen however do not respond Physically exist in a conversation Explanation Pretending Ignoring Active Attentive Evaluating Selective
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Match the Following (Solution) Situation Listen and respond appropriately Listen and be judgmental Listen to what interests us Refrain from listening Listen however do not respond Physically exist in a conversation Active Evaluating Selective Ignoring Attentive Pretending Explanation
The Listening Process

The listener does not perform the steps of the listening process consciously. It happens automatically. The listener: Determines a reason for listening. Takes the raw speech and deposits the information. Attempts to organize the information. Recalls the background information to help interpret the message. Assigns a meaning to the message. Checks that the message has been comprehended correctly. Respond appropriately. What happens when we listen? Listening is an active process of selecting and interpreting information from auditory and visual clues. It involves certain steps. They are: Receiving: You receive or hear what was said. Interpreting: Interpret as per your own understanding. Evaluating: Pass judgment (Is it right or wrong?). Remembering: Store for reference.
Factors Affecting the Listening Process

Factors Related to the Listener: Interest in a topic: It increases the listener's comprehension; the listener may filter out topics that are not of interest. Content of the topic: The extent of listening increases when the content of the topic is familiar and easy to comprehend. The extent of listening decreases when the content has unfamiliar vocabulary or for which the listener does not have much background knowledge. Negotiation skills: Further, the ability to use negotiation skills, such as asking for clarification, repetition or definition of points not understood; enable a listener to make sense of the information.
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Factors Related to the Speaker Language form: The choice of words and the form of language used also have a bearing on the listening process. The extent to which the speaker uses informal language and reduced forms impacts comprehension. The more exposure the listener has, the greater will be the ability to comprehend. Style: A speaker's pace of delivery, frequency, and extent of hesitations affect the listening process for the listener. Speech habits: The speaker can be better understood if the listener is aware of the corrections and use of rephrasing ("WellI meanThat is") employed by the speaker. The speech habits of the speaker act as clues to interpret what the speaker actually intend to say. Visual Support Visual support used by the speaker, can increase comprehension if the listener is able to interpret it correctly. Visual support includes video, pictures, diagrams, gestures, facial expressions, and body language.
Summary
In this session, you learned the following: Listening is the most powerful tool of communication as it is the first step to comprehension. Hearing is the physiological sensory process by which auditory sensations are received by the ears and transmitted to the brain. Listening is a more complex psychological procedure that involves interpreting and understanding the significance of the sensory experience. Listening process involves: Receiving Interpreting Evaluating Remembering Responding
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Session 8: Listening-II
Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Identify the types of listening Identify the barriers to listening Identify the strategies used to improve listening
Types of Listening
Listening can be categorized as: Passive: In this type of listening, the listener shows interest in understanding the idea, however nothing goes into his/her head. The words of the speaker do not activate their thought process as they are physically present but mentally absent. This happens due to their preconceived notion that the speaker is wrong, the information is not required, or if the introduction is boring. The speaker is mostly responsible for negative listening as he/she may not have aroused the interest of the listeners. Marginal: This type of listening is also referred as selective listening. A selective listener collects information into bits and pieces, instead of understanding the whole. Selective or marginal listeners involve themselves in the conversation when their view matches with the speakers view. Otherwise, they avoid participation. This is also classified as negative listening as the part of the message/information is ignored by the listeners and the benefit is missed out. Projective: In this type of listening, the listener absorbs the information according to their understanding and negates the view of the speaker. The listener ignores the broader view and collects the limited view of the speaker. The listener then amalgamates their view, along with the view collected from the speaker, thus giving less importance to the speakers view. Ultimately, this amalgamated view is not very authentic. Sensitive/Empathetic: This type of listening is the opposite of projective listening. The listeners consider the speakers view and ignore their own views. Listening becomes positive when there is proper balance between the speakers view and the listeners view. Dominance of any ones view makes the listening negative. Too much empathy with the speakers view makes the listening exploited. However, there are some good features associated with this type of listening such as building of trust, assisting in release of emotions, reducing tensions, and creating a positive environment for negotiations. Active: This type of listening is also referred as attentive listening. In this case, the listeners participate actively and are highly involved. They participate in the discussion, seek clarification, and provide feedback. Active listening, combined with empathetic listening, produces excellent result. The ideas of both, the speaker and the listener, are merged in complete synchronization with each other. To make the listening attentive, the speaker needs to generate interest on the topic with proper introduction. However, the listeners should also make the speaker involved by showing interest in the subject, moderate encouraging nods, infrequent questions, and attentive silence. In addition, listeners need to
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confirm their understanding by paraphrasing their understanding or by restating the emotions of the speaker.
Activity: Identify the Listening Type

1. 2. 3. The objective of this activity is to identify different types of listening. Read the following conversations in Case1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 and identify the listening type. After completing this activity, you will be able to distinguish between different listening types and would focus on improving your listening skills.
Case 1
Maggie is a customer care executive at Koyona mobiles. Jonathan is a customer, who bought a mobile phone and is now facing problem in operating that mobile. He calls the customer care centre and Maggie picks up the phone to answer him. Maggie: Good morning. Koyona Mobiles. This is Maggie. How may I assist you? Jonathan: Good morning. I am Jonathan. I purchased a 3210 model from NH Store on Tuesday and ever since its camera is not working. I followed all the instructions given in the instructional manual, but it didnt work. Maggie: OK. Jonathan: Moreover, I am unable to make calls today. I charged it for 8 hours still its not functioning. Maggie: Please let me know the model number. Jonathan (in loud and frustrated tone): Are you with me? I told you the model number earlier.
Case 2
Sonia is a sales personnel at Big Store. Maria comes at Big Store to purchase a shampoo. Sonia: Good morning madam. How may I help you? Maria (Smiling): I am looking for a shampoo. It should be suitable for daily wash. I would prefer some herbal product. Sonia (Smiling): Sure madam. I will get it for you. Maria: Thanks. Sonia: Madam, this is a new product launched by Akme and good for dandruff. You need to use it thrice a week. Maria (Disappointed and angry): I told you that I need a shampoo for daily wash and not for dandruff. I think you have not understood my requirement.
Case 3
Ryan loses his credit card. He calls the customer care executive, Meena, explaining about the loss and requesting her to block the credit card. He is very upset and Meena listens empathetically. Meena also gets involved into the problem by asking various questions like when and how did he lost his card? She gets into the minute details of the incident and forgets to take the card details from Ryan. She informs Ryan that the
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cancellation will be done within 48 hours. After keeping the phone, she realizes that she has forgotten to take the card number.
Case 4
Mausam is a sales associate at Big Store. Manoj comes at Big Store to purchase oatmeal. Mausam: Hello Sir. How may I help you? Manoj: I am looking for the new oatmeal launched by KGS Company. I heard its very good for lowering cholesterol and weight. Mausam (Smiling): Yes sir. Oatmeal is very good for health. I will get it for you. Manoj: Thanks. Mausam: Sir, this is your oatmeal produced by Breakfast Company. Take one tablespoon two times a day. Manoj (angry): What is this? I have asked for the oatmeal launched by KGS Company. I will not take this.
Case 5
Nirmal arrives in a retail store to purchase canned juice. A sales associate, Tina asks Nirmal about his requirement. Nirmal informs that he wants to buy canned juice. Tina clarifies the requirement by asking further questions such as which one (apple, orange, or guava), what should be the quantity, and whether Nirmal wants any specific company product. Then, considering the requirements of Nirmal, Tina gets the appropriate canned juice. Case 1 Answer The conversation shows that Maggie did passive listening. She was physically present on the phone but was mentally absent. If she would have been an active listener then, she would have noted the model number and solved Jonathans problem. Case 2 Answer The conversation shows that Sonia was a projective listener. She heard the requirement of Maria and interpreted that in her own way. If she would have been an active listener then she would have provided Maria a shampoo suitable for daily wash. Case 3 Answer The conversation shows empathetic listening. Then, highlight that if the customer care executive would have done active listening, along with empathetic listening, then he/she would have solved the problem. In addition, he/she would have gained customer satisfaction. Case 4 Answer The conversation shows that Mausam was a marginal listener. She heard the requirement of Manoj partially. If she would have been an active listener, then, she would have provided the oatmeal launched by KGS Company to Manoj.
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Case 5 Answer The conversation shows active listening. Then, highlight the usefulness of active listening
Barriers to Listening
We often get involved in needless conflict, because we do not listen. We may never be able to avoid conflicts completely but at least we can avoid conflicts that occur as a result of poor listening. In a communication process, poor listening happens due to many reasons. The common barriers are: Assumptions: The listener considers the statements or facts as granted that lead to misunderstanding and then into conflict. Generalizations: The listener draws statements or facts that are unclear and arbitrary and lead to conflict. Filtrations: The listener extracts statements or facts that matches with their understanding and negates the actual message. When the ideas are dissimilar, it leads to conflict. Prejudice against the speaker: Having prejudice against the speaker hampers the listening process. For example, if you have a negative mindset against the speaker, you will not focus on listening. External distractions: Listening needs full concentration. Any external distraction is a deterrent to the listening process. For example, you are speaking over telephone and somebody starts playing music loudly. Thinking speed: The thinking speed of the listener should match with the speaker. For example, the speaker is going to discuss a topic after an hour. However, the listener starts thinking about that topic before the speaker starts discussing about it. Premature evaluation: Evaluation of the message should happen after interpretation. Evaluating while receiving the message leads to premature evaluation. Rejection without evidence: A biased mind hampers the listening process. For example, Reshma is sharing the experiences of her visit to a health care centre. As she does not have any proof of her visit, some listeners may not pay attention, though the experience is worth listening. Attempt to extract only facts: All information, ideas, or messages that a speaker delivers is not a fact. However, using the thought process to extract only facts, hampers the listening process. Most of the information is missed as the focus lies only on the facts.
Improving the Listening Process

Consider the following strategies to improve the listening process: Listen attentively: Listening attentively/actively helps the listener to understand the speakers viewpoint and reduces the chance of conflict. Keep an open mind: Open mind helps in wide acceptance. Close mind often make things rigid and the ideas of the speaker and the listener clashes. Analyze the speakers viewpoint: Listening and analyzing the speakers viewpoint simultaneously helps the speaker and the listener to be on the same
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level. Moreover, the listeners are able to understand the feelings of the speakers. Avoid interrupting the speaker: Do not interrupt the speaker. He/she might feel offended. Wait or pause to ask questions. Interact either by questioning or by paraphrasing: Communicate with the speaker to confirm your understanding. Interact either by questioning and paraphrasing or by simply participating in the conversation. Keep eye contact: Keep eye contact while you communicate. Maintain a positive attitude: Positive attitude helps in accepting new ideas/messages. Be prepared to listen: The most important part of a listening process is the willingness to listen and understand what the speaker is trying to address. You cannot fully hear the speakers point of view or process information when you argue mentally or judge what is being said before it is completed. Listen to the speakers viewpoints with an open mind. An open mind receives and listens to information. Maintain eye and face contact with the speaker: Look at the speaker. Our eyes can pick up the non-verbal signals when a speaker is speaking. Moreover, eye contact keeps you focused on the task and simultaneously keeps you involved in the subject. Focus on content, not delivery: Pay attention to the content rather than the mannerisms of the speaker. For example, if you are counting the number of times the speaker clears his throat or says a particular word; it means you are not focusing on the content. Avoid emotional involvement: When you are emotionally occupied in listening, you are likely to hear what you want to hear and not to what is actually being said. Try to remain objective and open-minded. Avoid distractions: Don't let your mind wander or be distracted by external disturbances like noise or someone else speaking loudly etc. Do not interrupt: Instead of disagreement, you should try to understand what is being said. At the same time, not interrupting does not mean not reacting at all. A good listener will react to the speaker by sending out non-verbal signals and receptive language such as I see, Oh really, and Okay that follow and encourage the speaker's trail of thought. This compels you to react to the ideas presented. Treat listening as a challenging mental task: You need to concentrate on what is said so that you can process the information. Take notes, if required. However, do not take notes of everything, as you may then miss out the key points. Note down the main ideas. Stay active by asking mental questions: Active listening keeps you focused. Ask yourself questions like, What is the key point/main idea made by the speaker? to be an active listener. Use the gap between the rate of speech and your rate of thought to frame questions. You can think faster than the speaker can talk. That's one reason your mind may tend to wander. However, using this time appropriately can help you in staying an active listener. Reflect and summarize: It helps you to: Check your understanding Lead towards joint/shared understanding Get good and clear explanations Reduce
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confusion and misunderstanding Clarify what exactly needs to be done Agree upon action to be taken All the above suggestions will help you to keep your mind occupied and focused on what is being said. You can actually begin to anticipate what the speaker will say as a way to keep your mind from straying. Your mind does have the capacity to listen, think, write and ponder at the same time but it needs practice.
Summary
In this session, you learned the following: Listening can be categorized as: Passive Marginal Projective Sensitive/Empathetic Active Barriers to listening occurs as listeners make: Assumptions Generalizations Filtrations Prejudice against the speaker External distractions Thinking speed Premature evaluation Rejection without evidence Attempt to extract only facts Consider the following strategies to improve listening: Listen attentively. Keep an open mind. Analyze the speakers viewpoint. Avoid interrupting the speaker. Interact either by questioning or by paraphrasing. Keep an eye contact. Maintain a positive attitude. Be prepared to listen. Maintain eye and face contact with the speaker. Focus on content, not delivery. Avoid emotional involvement. Avoid distractions. Do not interrupt. Treat listening as a challenging mental task. Stay active by asking mental questions. Reflect and summarize.
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Session 9: Effective Conversation

Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Identify the constituents of a good conversation Understand the techniques to enhance your conversation Describe the non-verbal cues in a conversation Identify cultural differences Understand the importance of avoiding slang
Conversation: The Heart of Communication

Conversation is the most important means of communication you possess. Conversation may be defined as oral and is usually an informal or friendly exchange of ideas, views, and thoughts. An interaction between two persons is also called dyadic communication. Even if more than two persons are communicating, only two communicators will interact at a point in time. It is a one-to-one interaction and one of the most common forms of speech communication. It provides an ideal platform for continuous feedback because both the parties are available during the communication. When two people interact, the body language assumes a great significance because even the minutest reaction is mutually observable. Conversation can be done face-toface, over the telephone, through an interview or presentation, and in a meeting. In a conversation, the participants have played the role of a speaker or a listener interchangeably. Every organization is a network of conversations. No organization can function smoothly without conversation. Through conversations, you can build relationships with colleagues, customers, and friends. Conversations enable you to understand how people feel, what they think, and what they are doing. Face-to-face conversation is the most common form of dyadic communication. It links people together in the social and professional life. Conversations enable you to form an impression about an individual and the subject matter. You may find it easy to converse with family, friends, relatives, and colleagues whom you like and trust. However, every professional is required to participate in this form of dyadic communication. Therefore, it is important for you to enhance your conversational skills in order to make effective face-to-face conversations.
Activity: Analyzing Conversation Habits

1. 2. The objective of this activity is to help you analyze your own conversation habits. It is important to have pleasing and effective conversational skills. To check what you do when you are conversing, state Yes or No, to the following questions given in the Conversations Habits table. After you are through with the test, count and note down the total number of Yes.
3.
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Conversations Habits Questions Do I find it easy to start a conversation? Am I able to pick a topic? Am I able to keep the conversation flowing smoothly? Do I always encourage others to express their viewpoints? Do I refrain from talking about my family, my interests, and myself all the time? Do I have I a tendency to be assertive in every conversation? Do I give the other participants a chance to speak? Do I listen actively while others are speaking? Do I have any mannerisms that are likely to delight others? Do I make appropriate use of nonverbal communication, such as facial expression and gestures, while conversing? Do I respect other people's time and interests? Am I self-conscious about the language I use grammar, punctuation, and articulation? Am I able to impact others with my conversation? Do I converse to express myself? Do I pay attention to others while they are conversing? Total Analyzing Conversation Habits Score Interpretation: If you score more than 10, then you possess good conversation skills. However, you should not get carried away as there is still ample scope for improvement. If you score between 1 and 10, do not get disheartened but try to improve your conversation skills. Yes/No
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After completing this activity, you will be able to identify your strengths and areas that require improvement with respect to your conversation habits.
Constituents of a Good Conversation

Consider the statement Have a good day today. This sentence could have been crisper if you would have said Good Day. Now write the following sentences by using the KISS technique. 1. The very reason why I came to you is to tell you that I am unwell. 2. I bought some sweets, which are Swiss made and which tasted delicious for $100. 3. What I am trying to tell you is. 4. As per me, the exercise has many positive responses. The answers are: 1. I am not well. 2. I bought delicious Swiss sweets for $100. 3. For your information. 4. The exercise has a positive response. You should avoid superfluous words. In addition, a conversation can get hampered if you try to impress the listener by using highly sophisticated vocabulary. An overdose of words such as very lovely, excellent, and wonderful ruin the pleasant informal atmosphere of a conversation Face-to-face conversation should always be clear and effective. The speakers must make the message easily understandable, both in the professional and personal life. Confusion and misunderstandings in a conversation arise due to ineffective, faulty, and vague speech. Conversation is an art and, like any other art, there are no fixed rules that can be uniformly followed in all circumstances. However, a good conversation follows certain principles. The essential ingredients of a good conversation are: Clarity: Clarity of the message is the first and foremost criterion in a good conversation. Before you start conversing, think and rethink about ideas till they become clear. Then only can you put forth ideas in your conversation in a clear manner. Clarity can be attained with short sentences, simple words, and common words. Brevity: The message to be delivered should be brief. It should neither be too short or too long. Lengthy sentences confuse the listener and may lead to misunderstandings. Conversation in short sentences gives time and opportunity to the listener to follow the speaker. Therefore, it is recommended to use the KISS technique that means you should Keep It Short and Simple. No verbosity: Your conversation should not be verbose. It is more important to convey the meaning than using superfluous words. Using more words does not assure greater clarity but increases complexity and might give an impression that you are unsure of the subject. Being verbose consumes time in conveying your message and consequently, wastes the listeners time.
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Sequence: Presentation of the matter in a logical sequence is another important characteristic of a good conversation. You should not jump points or change the sequence of the conversation at random. You should ensure consistency and continuity of the subject matter. The manner in which you say is more important in a conversation than the subject itself. Precision: Use the right words at the right place with respect to the context to convey the meaning intended.
Techniques to Improve Conversation

Following are certain techniques that can be effectively used in order to enhance your conversation style to a great extent: Audibility of voice: Speech that may be audible in some circumstances may be inadequate in others. For example, a soft voice is usually satisfactory in the home environment however; the same voice may not be heard at the back of an auditorium. Therefore, the first requirement of an effective conversation is that in any given circumstance, the voice should be audible. Level of interest: The conversation should be of interest to the participant. It can begin with a topic in which both of you have some interests. As the conversation flows into new realms, be prepared for comments and new viewpoints. There may be periods of silence during a conversation. However, this should not bother you because new thoughts are created during such periods. You can further use these thoughts to develop your conversation. Friendly atmosphere: It is the responsibility of the speaker to maintain a kindly attitude and friendly atmosphere at the place of conversation. Occasionally, call the person by name and look at him while speaking. If you speak the name aloud, you would be generating a more friendly feeling. Always be courteous, cheerful, and feel interested in what is being said. Inculcating a feeling of warmth in your speech can do wonders to your conversation. Sense of humor: Being amusing is an important characteristic that most good conversationalists possess. Being humorous in your speech not only puts the speaker at ease but also relaxes the listener. The ability to make others laugh while speaking keeps the conversation pleasant and friendly. Use of visuals: Your conversation will benefit if you can make your thinking visible. You can create an image of your conversation by recording your ideas or by using metaphors. Recording your ideas on a paper or a flip chart enables all the parties in the conversation to see and comment on the ideas. Another way is to use phrases that exhibit a resemblance between things of different kinds. Phrases enable the listeners to gain a different view of an idea by visualizing it. The use of phrases can make your thinking more creative and your conversation more interesting. For instance, the mystery of gaining happiness can be conveyed by using the phrase Happiness is like a butterfly, which when pursued is always beyond your grasp however, if you sit down quietly, it may alight upon you.
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Non-verbal Cues in a Conversation

Conversations are not merely exchange of words. Unknowingly or knowingly, you use a whole range of non-verbal communication while interacting with others. The tone of your voice, the gestures you use, and the way you move your eyes or your body can also convey messages. Non-verbal communication is important because non-verbal messages can emphasize, contradict, or substitute the words you use. Conversations often go wrong because you misinterpret non-verbal messages because of the following reasons: Non-verbal messages cannot be defined by any dictionary or encyclopedia. Their meaning can vary depending on the context or the intention of the person. For instance, some people close their eyes to concentrate on the speech while others to avoid paying attention. Non-verbal messages are continuous. You can stop talking; however, you cannot stop behaving. You constantly convey some message even if when you are not speaking. Non-verbal messages are universal in nature. For example, when a person is happy, he/she invariably expresses that happiness by smiling because everyone smiles when happy. However, most non-verbal behaviours are specific to a culture and a lot of misinterpretation can occur because of this reason. Therefore, you should make a conscious effort to be aware of non-verbal cues that can be categorized into the following elements: Body language Gestures Facial expression Eye contact Space distancing
Body Language
The most powerful of all the language is the language spoken by the body. For example, your friend is going out for a movie and asks you to join. You may not reply in words. However, you may shake your head in negativity. This is termed as body language. You tend to judge people more from the manner in which they look than what they actually say. When you meet someone, the body language helps in creating a first impression. The famous quote The first impression is the last impression truly reflects the importance of body language. Think of your own posture while you are reading this statement. If you are sitting in a relaxed position, it implies that you are interested in the subject. Body language communicates much more than words. You should be aware of how certain postures are usually perceived by others. Body language signals are called leakages because you may want to say something but the truth leaks out visually. For instance, you are appearing for an interview. You may be saying that you are confident to undertake the job; however, your legs might be moving to and fro. This action is perceived as a negative leakage that contradicts your words. Some negative leakages that you should avoid during a conversation are: Crossing your arms or legs
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Tapping your foot Biting your nails Scratching your face Clearing your throat too much Sliding your hands in the pocket
Gestures
Gestures play a significant role in making the conversation effective. Gestures are expressed with the movement of body parts especially associated with hands. Gestures can annoy listeners at times. However, they can also impair the effectiveness of a conversation. Gestures are usually associated with the movement of hands, such as playing with a ring, twisting a chain, or holding hands tightly. All conversations are accompanied by gestures. As a matter of fact, it would be difficult to speak without them. Gestures can be irritating to listeners and can also be annoying at times. Some of the gestures that should be avoided during a conversation are: Tilting the head back Closing eyes Tearing paper into little bits Chewing pens Cleaning ears or nails Wiping your nose on your shirt sleeve Some positive gestures are: Open hand gestures Keeping the thumb out when you put your hands in the pockets Carrying documents to one side rather than close to your chest Leaning forward slightly to show interest
Facial Expression
The face is the most expressive part of the body. Some of the facial expressions and their implied meanings are: Smile: Friendliness Frown: Discontent Raising the eyebrows: Disbelief Tightening the jaw muscles: Dislike and hostility The face is the most expressive part of the body. Your face is the mirror of your personality. The expression on your face conveys the present state of your mind. Facial expressions are important in a conversation because you spend most of the time looking at the face when talking to others. Some of the facial expressions and their implied meanings are: Smile: A smile on your face usually indicates friendliness. Frown: A frown shows discontent. Raising the eyebrows: Raising your eyebrows reflects disbelief.
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Tightening the jaw muscles: Tightening your jaw muscles indicates a feeling of dislike and hostility. It is said that a smile is a curve that sets everything straight. A genuine smile can help you achieve all that your hard work may not. A fake smile can be easily identified by others.
Eye Contact
Eye contact is one of the most powerful tools that you possess during a conversation. Eye contact is one of the most powerful tools that you possess during a conversation. If you use too much of eye contact with the other person, you will look aggressive. However, if you use too little eye contact, you will appear nervous. Like your smile, your eye contact will vary depending on the people you are dealing with. During a conversation, people generally spend two-thirds of the time looking at each other. However, if you stare at the other person for more time, then the other person may become uncomfortable. If you look away while someone is talking to you, it gives the impression that you are getting bored. It may also mean that you are physically present but mentally absent
Distance Spacing
When you go out in the world, you move within four distance bands. The four bands are: Public: In this band, the distance between the speaker and the audience may range from 12 to 30 feet. It is the farthest band and at this distance you will feel comfortable with most strangers. Social: In this band, the distance may vary from 4 to 12 feet. This is the distance you maintain while talking to people not very well known to you. You will feel uncomfortable when an unknown person breaches this distance. Friendly: In this band, you maintain a distance that is normally kept at a party or in a social gathering. You will not feel at ease even when a person whom you know breaches this distance. Intimate: In this band, no track of distance is maintained because this track is reserved for your spouse and close family members When someone breaches our intimate band without permission, you feel uncomfortable because it indicates a threat. Therefore, during a conversation, you must invade another persons intimate space only if you are completely sure that it is appropriate.
Identifying Cultural Differences

In the era of globalization, you will deal with people of different cultures. People from different cultures, have different perspectives on life, dressing, and communicating. When you communicate with the people of a different culture, you need to be aware of your body language, words that you use, and the way you interpret the situation. Often miscommunication occurs due to cross-cultural problems. Primarily, miscommunication occurs due to differences in: Body language or gestures: Same gestures have different meanings in different countries. For example, Indians nod their heads to convey a YES or to show the confirmation. However, Bulgarians nod their heads to convey a NO.
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Similarly, the Chinese count one to ten on one hand. They use the thumb and the pointer finger to display eight. However, the same gesture means two in France and a pointing gun in North America. Meanings for the same word: Same words have different meanings or connotations in different countries. For example, in America pants mean trousers and in Europe it means underwear. Similarly, in America the word eraser is used and in Europe it is rubber and both words have the same meaning. In French, the word char means an army tank, whereas the same word means car in Quebec. Assumptions made in the same situation: Similar situations have different interpretations in different countries. For example, the sight of a black cat is considered unlucky in some countries and lucky in Britain. Similarly, in Europe and North America, dragons are viewed as negative and in China they are viewed as positive. You should use simple and clear English while communicating. You need to focus on the body language while communicating so as to avoid misinterpretations. In additions, clarify instead of assuming. For example, when you are attending to a customer coming from different culture, clarify the requirement by asking questions.
Slang
Slang can be defined as an informal language that uses rude or imperfect words. For example, alrighty is slang; you should use all right. Similarly, Okie dokie, which means OK, is another slang used by foreigners. You can use slang in an informal conversation especially when you are conversing with friends. The use of slang creates a friendly atmosphere. On the other hand, in a business communication, it is advisable to converse in a professional manner and avoid slang. In a professional environment, the customers always interpret your personality and form an opinion by the way you converse. Using slang is hazardous because all customers may not understand or appreciate it. Using slang or casual language takes away the professional image of the individual as well as the organization. You should avoid slang and maintain a positive tone in your conversation.
Exercise: Identifying Slang

Read the following sentences and identify the slang: 1. The printer that I purchased from your shop is nothing but a piece of crap. 2. No matter how many mistake she makes, she will say it aint my fault. 3. After listening to her story, I am in a fix. 4. I was supposed to provide technical assistance but I screwed it up. 5. I dont give a damn because it is none of my business. Exercise Solutions: Identifying Slang: 1. 2. 3. 4. The printer that I purchased from your shop is nothing but a piece of crap. No matter how many mistake she makes, she will say it aint my fault. After listening to her story, I am in a fix. I was supposed to provide technical assistance but I screwed it up.
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5.
I dont give a damn because it is none of my business.
Summary
In this session, you learned the following: Conversation is the most important means of communication. The essential ingredients of a good conversation are: Clarity Brevity No verbosity Sequence Precision The techniques that can be used to enhance your conversation style are: Audibility of voice Level of interest Friendly atmosphere Sense of humor Use of visuals Non-verbal cues are categorized into the following elements: Body language Gestures Facial expression Eye contact Space distancing Body language is the most powerful language. Gestures are usually associated with the movement of body parts especially associated with hands. The face is the most expressive part of the body. Eye contact is one of the most powerful tools that you possess during a conversation. When you go out in the world, you move within four distance bands: Public Social Friendly Intimate Miscommunication occurs due to cross-cultural differences. Primarily, miscommunication occurs due to differences in: Body language or gestures. Meanings for the same word. Assumptions made in the same situation. Slang: Is an informal language. Is inappropriate for formal communication.
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Session 10: Questioning and Paraphrasing

Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Understand the importance of effective questioning Explain the purpose of questioning Identify the power of questions Explain the different types of questions Understand the importance of paraphrasing
The Importance of Effective Questioning

Questioning initiates a conversation and helps finding out what people want. You can use questioning to understand and enhance your awareness about those individuals with whom you communicate. It is important to know the objective of your questions while communicating with people. Questioning is similar to a good doctors diagnosis of a patients ailment through observing and probing, which leads to the right prescription for curing the patient. Similarly, an effective communicator asks relevant questions and this in turn helps to better understand the problem in context. Relevant questioning is of utmost importance in any communication. Questions can also be asked to gather required information and to initiate discussions. The information gathered helps you analyze and clarify problems and provide solutions. Questioning helps you explore new avenues and look at the same problems from a new perspective. This enables you to think innovatively and make sound business decisions to provide effective solutions. Do you get the best information in your day-to-day work? Do you know if what you are trying to say is understood? You have to do more than just asking questions. You must refine and redefine the kinds of questions you are asking. The secret of obtaining the information lies in asking smart questions. Effective use of questioning is a critical asset and has become an integral part of every business conversation. Robert Focazio, a regional sales VP at AT&T says, If you improve your questions by 10 percent, you improve your productivity by 20 percent and that is being conservative. Asking effective questions is productive, positive, creative, and can get you what you want. However, most people do not ask good questions because of inexplicable reasons. Effective questions are powerful and thought provoking. They usually start with "what" and "how". The questions starting with "Why" are good for soliciting information. However, such questions can make people defensive. When asking effective questions, it is important to wait for the answer and not provide the answer. Apart from effective questioning, you should have the ability to listen attentively and avoid judging others. As a communicator, your purpose of questioning is: What other ways did you try so far? How do you feel about it?
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What do you think about doing it this way?
Purpose of Questioning
Some of the common reasons of questioning are: To attract attention: To capture attention of the customer, you can start your discussion or communication with a question. Interest can be retained in the discussion or communication by well-timed and thought-provoking questions. It is important that the questions are understood by those who receive them. As a communicator, you should phrase questions that are within the realm of knowledge of the receiver. Ask clear and relevant questions so that others do not have to assume. In addition, the questions should be phrased so that the receivers can draw a conclusion or give their opinion. To maintain an interest in a discussion: You can consider the following tips to maintain interest in a discussion: Focus on the discussion. Cover the important points of the discussion. Move the discussion into a new area when there is a deadlock. To stimulate and guide customer thinking: It is imperative that you ask assumption-free questions so that you do not prejudice your beliefs about the needs of your customer. When asking assumption-free questions, you can understand the customers perspective and how it differs from your own. This can also affect the customer's attitude towards the subject under discussion. To evaluate and summarize: You can ask questions and help the customers summarize the main points of your discussion so as to ensure all the important points of the discussion are covered. Questions can also be used to check how effective the communication has been and identify misunderstandings so that it can be immediately corrected. Summarize the main points of the subject to ensure that the important points have been thoroughly understood. To develop the subject: Questions can help you lead the customer towards the objective in a logical sequence and to unearth important, quality information, which your customer might already know but has not considered.
Characteristics of a Good Question

The characteristics of good questions are: Purposeful: The question must relate to the subject being discussed. Clear and concise: The question must be worded so that they can be easily understood. Related to the objective: The question should be asked keeping the end objective in mind so that your conversation does not stray into unknown realms. Trace the line of thought that you want the customer to follow so that you drive the conversation rather than being driven by the customer. Limited to one idea: The question should present only one idea at a time. Double questions tend to be confusing. They lead to incomplete answers and are easily sidetracked. It is very important to question appropriately. One should refrain from demanding information or asking personal questions if they are not relevant to the environment. It is
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also important to sequence the questions in the correct order and ask precise questions at the right time.
The Power of Questions

To obtain relevant information and improve productivity in your day-to-day work, you need to do more than just ask questions. You may need to refine and redefine your questions. Effective questioning can be a powerful tool for gathering relevant information. The five powers of questions are: They demand answers. They put you in control. They lead to the desired information. They encourage people to assume responsibility for their problems and solve their problems. They help you to find out how other people think. Some questions are good while some are not. A good question has the power to elicit a response that meets your purpose.
Asking Quality Questions

A question that helps the other persons think further, develop an idea, or make their thoughts visible is a high-quality question. However, people rarely ask high-quality questions in a conversation. The highest quality questions liberate the other persons thinking. Such questions eliminate the notions that block creative thinking. Typically, these high-quality questions are What if questions. Asking quality questions can motivate the other person to overcome all kinds of inhibitions and evolve as a competent thinker. Questions are the most powerful tool to enquire into other peoples thinking. Questions can also be used in ways that do not promote enquiry. For instance, people may ask questions to: Ridicule the other person Criticize the other person Find fault Make themselves look clever Create an argument You can either ask a question in either of the two forms: What if this assumption werent true or What if the opposite assumption were true? Examples of the former include: What if I werent your supervisor? What if you werent authorized to send the product? What if you werent limited in your use of resources? Examples of the latter include: What if customers were actually flocking to us? What if you knew that you will get an appraisal soon? What if you were limited by a budget?
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Asking quality questions can help you to motivate the other person to overcome all kinds of inhibitions and evolve as a competent thinker.
Types of Questions
Questions can be: Open-ended Closed-ended.
Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions are questions that encourage people to talk about things that are important to them. These questions help establish a rapport, gather information, and increase understanding. They are the opposite of closed-ended questions that typically require a simple brief response such yes or no. Open-ended questions enable a person to provide elaborate answers. These are questions that make the customer talk and are also termed as Information Questions. These questions begin with words, such as What, Why, When, How, Where and Who. Rudyard Kipling, in his book Just So Stories remarked that, I kept six honest serving men (They taught me all I knew). Their nam es are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who. You should ask open-ended questions in order to: Encourage the speaker to open up. Allow the speaker to expand on the subject in a free-ranging, comprehensive way. Allow the speaker know that his/her thinking matters to you. Loosen up quiet or reserved people. Help vent anger or negative emotions. Some of the examples of open-ended questions include: Are things going along well? What seems to be the problem? How do you think you will solve the problem?
Closed-Ended Questions
Closed-ended questions cause a person to provide single word answers or short answers. They encourage the customer to speak to the point and steers the conversation to a particular direction. These questions contribute to lower talk time, which is very critical for effective communication. Examples of close-ended questions are: May I know your name? May I have the model number of your oven? Closed-ended questions remain within the structure of your communication without deviating from the objective. They also provide more information about the person. There are two effective ways to use these questions. One way is to gather specific information after establishing a rapport with the person you are communicating with. The other way
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is to remain in control of the structure of the conversation or discussion by establishing the content of your questions. As an effective communicator, it is important to identify the right questions so that they provide the desired information. The art of asking good questions requires skills and ensure big rewards.
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is a method of identifying your requirements by reflecting on how your communication is interpreted. Paraphrasing is an essential prerequisite skill to good listening. It gives you the opportunity to find out the objective of your message and enables you to make the required corrections before you communicate a message. Paraphrasing does not shorten an original message; however, it transforms a message so that those who receive it easily understand it. You benefit from paraphrasing your communication. It enables you to understand the message and can also prevent misunderstandings. Paraphrasing is a brief rephrasing of information provided by the speaker. It restates the essence of the information in your own words. The uses of paraphrasing are: Demonstrates that you are listening and that you understand what the speaker is saying Helps you ensure your interpretation or understanding is correct
The Process of Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing provides the client the essence of what has just been said by shortening and clarifying client comments. The process of paraphrasing involves: A base statement: The base statement is the first statement that you say while paraphrasing. Some examples of a base statement are: You appear to be saying... What I hear you saying is... If I understand you correctly Correct me if Im wrong, but Main idea: The main idea includes the key descriptors and concepts that the client used to describe the situation or person. In addition, it includes the essence of what the client has said in a summarized form in your own language. The advantage of using key descriptors is that the person will feel that you are listening attentively. Conclusion: Lastly, you need to authenticate your understanding to ensure that the message perceived by you is accurate. You can verify if you have received the intended message by asking questions such as Is that correct?.
Summary
In this session, you learned the following: Effective use of questioning is a critical asset and has become an integral part of every business conversation with the client/customer. As a communicator, your purpose of questioning is: To attract attention. To maintain an interest in a discussion. To stimulate and guide customer thinking.
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To evaluate and summarize. To develop the subject. A question that helps the other persons think further, develop an idea, or make their thoughts visible is a high-quality question. The characteristics of good questions are: Purposeful Clear and concise Related to the objective Limited to one idea Open-ended questions make a person open up and provide elaborate answers. Closed-ended questions make a person give single word answers or short answers. The process of paraphrasing involves: A base statement Main idea Conclusion
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Session 11: Importance of Communication in Persuasion and Negotiation

Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Apply persuasion skills Apply negotiation skills
The Importance of Persuasion

Persuasion means making someone adopt a certain position, belief, or course of action. It is the process of guiding people towards accepting an idea. In todays business environment, everyone is required to influence the thinking or action of others. Professionals constantly make an effort to persuade others through various business events, such as presentations, conferences, seminars, and business meetings. The result of such efforts depends on the kind of request, your trustworthiness, and your ability to make your request attractive to the receiver.
The Skills to Persuasion

If you need to persuade someone to buy your product or believe in your argument, you need to use the following persuasive skills: Work your ideas in a plan: Create a plan with your ideas. A plan will allow you to structure ideas and organize what you have to say. Introduce yourself: Start off with a clear introduction by introducing yourself and your subject. Try to grab the audiences attention straightaway. Speak with confidence and conviction: Make your speech sound as if it is extremely critical. If you are selling a product, explain to the potential customers what savings they will make and what prizes they could win. Be sensitive to the feeling and emotions of the people: Be sensitive to the feeling and emotions of the people. For example, you can tell the customers that the ABC energy drink will enhance their childrens mental abilities. Highlight the need of the product: Make the audience aware of their needs and advantages of using the product. Make a comparison with the other brands available in the market. State the prospective loss if they do not purchase the product. Ask rhetorical questions that do not need to be answered to make the audience think. You may ask, Can you really live without this state -of-the art home theatre system. Have thorough knowledge: Use information to support your ideas. Do not keep saying I think. You need to explain what you believe and why. Use adjectives and memorable phrases/slogans: Use strong adjectives, such as best, most important, and stunning. Be aware of the audience by speaking to them directly. Use words such as I, We, and You to involve your audience. Use memorable phrases and slogans to create more powerful effects and visual images in the minds of the audience. Summarize the main ideas: End your speech with a summary that will fix your ideas firmly in the audiences mind
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The Art of Negotiation

Negotiations are a part of everyday life. Today, business professionals need to negotiate with each other while: Deciding on a date for the next meeting of your project group Agreeing on realistic project deadlines Deciding on a strategic alliance with another firm. Agreeing about a change of work rules with the union Obtaining a raise in pay Deciding the new work timings for shop floor employees Choosing a new location for the office The aim of negotiation is to explore a situation and find a solution that is acceptable to both parties. Negotiation is the process in which two or more individuals or groups, with common and conflicting goals, discuss proposals for a possible agreement. Negotiation is one of the key skills of conflict resolution and is central to success because it combines communication, persuasion, and resolution. It is usually regarded as a form of alternative dispute resolution. Good negotiation skills are essential for the smooth running of business operations. You should be able to negotiate in many different situations to obtain the required results. Clear communication is the key to effective negotiation. You cannot make one skill work without the other. For example, you cannot have good understanding without good listening and speaking. Negotiation is most effective when people are able to clearly identify and discuss their sources of disagreement and misunderstanding. The three important skills of communication, listening, understanding, and speaking are critical for negotiating effectively as described below: Listening: The best listeners usually become the best negotiators. In order to negotiate successfully, you should inculcate the habit of constantly observing the communication skills of your colleagues, peers, supervisors, and friends. While observing, note how other negotiators frame sentences and use their voice to make an impact while they are negotiating. Speaking: Negotiation is effective when both the parties take time to think before making any strong statement as it can disrupt the negotiation process. Understanding: If the two negotiating parties do not understand each others concerns, then the negotiation process will not be successful. To ensure proper understanding, you should never speculate. You need to develop the habit of asking appropriate questions, such as Did I hear you correctly and Id like to know how you feel on this aspect?.
Strategies to Negotiate
The basic strategies to negotiation are: The win-win strategy: In this strategy, the disputing parties endeavor to settle their positions so that the end result is an agreement that is advantageous to all. Win-win negotiations are characterized by open and empathetic communication. With this strategy, each party communicator acknowledges the others viewpoints. This strategy is based on the assumption that it is possible to meet your needs and those of the other person. For example, you are negotiating the price with a customer. You quote the price of a particular product as Rs.20,000
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however the customer insists on buying it at Rs.18,000. In the end, instead of reducing the price, you offer a coupon that the customer can avail to purchase tickets worth Rs.2,000 at any of the multiplexes. The customer readily agrees and buys the product for Rs. 20,000. The win-lose strategy: In this strategy, one of the negotiating parties looks for maximum benefits and seeks to impose maximum loses for the other side. Each communicator acts in a selfish manner and extracts as much as possible from the other party. For example, the employees make a request for an increase in salary to the senior management. However, the management informs them that they cannot increase the salary. The employees then call a strike and stop work to insist for an increase in salary. Ultimately, the management agrees to increase the salary so that work can resume. The lose-win strategy: In this strategy, the communicating party is only concerned with maintaining harmony in relationships. Therefore, they appease the opposite party rather than handle the negotiation assertively. For example, the marketing team asked the production department to make some modifications in the product. However, the production team overlooked the proposal and did not change the design. The marketing team accommodated the negligence and launched the product that failed in the market. The lose-lose strategy: In this strategy, both the negotiating parties are only concerned with attaining their own objectives. If one of the parties cannot fulfill its objective, it will make sure that the objective of the opposing party also remains unfulfilled. For example, the customer likes the product and is willing to spend Rs.18,000. However, the salesperson is determined to sell the product at Rs.20,000 only. Eventually, the customer decides to move to the next shop. Consequently, both the parties end up losing because the customer could not get the product and the company lost a potential customer.
The Negotiating Process

The negotiating process encompasses six basic steps. You need to adhere to each of the following steps irrespective of the duration it takes: 1. Knowing each other: Negotiating is like any other social situation that has a business purpose. It moves smoothly when all the parties take time to get to know each other. It is helpful in breaking the ice and assesses those persons who are involved in the negotiation. 2. Building a favorable atmosphere: After knowing each other, negotiation transitions into the goals and objectives of the involved parties. This is the stage where each party begins to explore the requirements of the other. At this point in time, you need to build an atmosphere of cooperation and mutual trust. 3. Initiating the process: After a friendly atmosphere is created, the actual negotiation process is initiated. Some negotiations are complicated while others are easy. No one can predict the outcome of any negotiation until both the parties have presented their issues. A competent negotiator will study all these issues before determining which party has an upper hand. 4. Expressing disagreement: After the issues have been determined, conflict and disagreement will occur. If conflicts are handled properly, it will result in harmonious relations between the negotiators. However, if conflict is handled poorly, it will widen the differences. Good negotiators never try to avoid this
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5.
6.
stage because they understand that successful deals take place in this process of giving and taking. Knowing your BATNA: You should know your BATNA in order to make a negotiation. If you have your alternatives, then you can negotiate effectively and close the deal soon. Recognizing compromise: At some point, one of the parties will move towards compromise. Such a situation usually occurs when a negotiator makes statements beginning with words, such as Suppose that?, What if?, or How would you feel about?. When these statements are made, the other negotiator should listen carefully to see if an attempt to compromise is being offered.
Activity: Understanding the Negotiation Process

1. 2. Read the following case study on negotiation and answer the questions that follow. Though the answers will vary, the sample answers are given below for your reference:
Case Study Prerna Sharma, a homemaker, is interested in buying a new washing machine. She has read advertisements in the newspapers and selects an electrical appliance shop that seems to offer good prices. She has performed sufficient research to know exactly what she wants and how much she needs to pay. She visits the shop and asks Vikas, a salesperson, to help her select the washing machine. The excerpts of a conversation between Prerna and Vikas are: Prerna: Hi, My name is Mrs. Prerna Sharma and I would like to see the different models of washing machines. (She is careful to clearly establish her purpose and a business-like tone. She observes the salespersons attitude and approach to the sale closely to pick up clues to the stores sales policies, willingness to bargain, and desire to satisfy new customers.) Vikas: Hello Mrs. Sharma. Could you please tell me about your requirements in terms of size, accessories, efficiency of operation, and the range of price? (Prerna specifies her needs and Vikas acknowledges.) Vikas: There are multiple options available for you as per your requirements. However, you have selected some expensive options that will take you above your expressed price range. Prerna: I do not see why they should. (Prerna determines the model she wants and asks the price.) Vikas: It is worth Rs. 19,999. (Prerna is shocked.) Prerna: As per my understanding of the advertisements, it should not be more than 17,500 Rs. Vikas: Mrs. Sharma, this particular model has two features not included in the sales models.
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(Prerna acknowledges this however still questions the added cost.) Prerna (After some discussion): I just cant pay that much. I will look somewhere else. Vikas: Would you like to have a less expensive model? Prerna: No, I want the same model for Rs. 17500. Vikas: Could you handle Rs. 18,500? Prerna: Rs. 18,500? Vikas: Yes, that includes transportation and connection. Prerna: I cannot exceed Rs. 18,000. Vikas: Maam Rs 18,500 is the best option that I can offer you for this particular model. Prerna: I am sure you can give me a further discount because my budget is Rs 18,000. Vikas: Ok, I will let you have it for Rs 18,250. Prerna: Well, okay. If that includes delivery and installation, you can write up the order. Vikas: I am afraid this price is exclusive of the installation charges worth Rs. 250. However, we are offering you free home delivery. (Prerna eventually agrees to buy the washing machine.) Questions: 1. 2. 3. 4. What traits can you identify about Prernas character? What was Vikas attitude as a salesperson? What kind of negotiation will you term it as? As a salesperson, what would you have done differently to make it a better experience for the customer?
Case Study Answers 1. 2. Prerna is a well-informed customer and knows exactly what she wants. Vikas was a skilful negotiator who showed great concern about the customers request. At the same time, he kept the interest of the company also in mind while negotiating. In addition, he demonstrated persuasive qualities that are necessary in any negotiation. A win-win negotiation. I could have created an atmosphere of trust and cooperation before initiating the negotiation. If I knew that I had two options, I would have presented both together and let the customer choose (Rs 18500, and Rs 18250) rather than stretching the conversation.
3. 4.
Guidelines for Successful Negotiation

In the business arena, you will be required to constantly negotiate with the clients, suppliers, colleagues, and supervisors. Consider the following guidelines in order to make sound decision during negotiations: Identify negotiation goals and time: Ensure that you negotiate with concrete goals in mind. In addition, do not forget to consider the needs of the other party.
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Choose the right moment: While preparing for arguments, do not just think about which arguments to use, but think about the best time to use the arguments. When negotiations are hurried, business decisions cannot be made effectively. Therefore, consider the timing that is best suited to both the parties. Be objective: While negotiating, remain calm and do not show your emotions. If you feel offended or insulted by the other party, change the subject. Wait for a little while and begin again. Visualize your opinions: Make your viewpoints and ideas clear by using charts, graphs, diagrams, or overheads. These aids make arguments easier to understand and accept. Use phrases: Do not reply directly to the other party. Form your arguments in a positive manner. For example, instead of saying, I have a completely different opinion, you can say That is a good point, however I think we should also take into consideration. In addition, rather than saying No, that will never work, say, Yes, this is an important problem; however, let us concentrate on the following situation now. Affirm and summarize: You should always confirm and summarize the key points that have been agreed upon. This clears up any misunderstandings, if any. For example, you can say, Let us summarize what we have agreed today. You will reduce your delivery period by two weeks and we will pay immediately on receipt of the goods. Am I correct?.
Summary
In this session, you learned the following: Persuasion means making someone to adopt a certain position, belief, or course of action. You need to use the following persuasive skills: Work your ideas in a plan. Introduce yourself. Speak with confidence and conviction. Be sensitive to the feeling and emotions of the people. Highlight the need of the product. Have thorough knowledge. Use adjectives and memorable phrases/slogans. Summarize the main ideas. The aim of negotiation is to explore a situation and find a solution that is acceptable to both parties. The following important skills of communication are critical for negotiating effectively: Listening Understanding Speaking The basic strategies to negotiation are: The win-win strategy The win-lose strategy
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The lose-win strategy The lose-lose strategy The negotiating process encompasses the following six basic steps: Knowing one another Building a favorable atmosphere Initiating the process Expressing disagreement Knowing your BATNA Recognizing compromise Consider the following guidelines in order to make sound decision during negotiations: Identify negotiation goals and time Choose the right moment Be objective Visualize your opinions Use phrases Affirm and summarize
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Session 12: Effective Writing

Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Understand the importance of correct usage of grammar Understand the importance of constructing sentences correctly and effectively Identify common errors while writing Identify best practices of effective writing
Importance of Correct Usage of Grammar

In a working environment, you may be required to write letters or e-mails. The effectiveness of written communication is rooted in grammar. Grammar is a set of rules that govern correct and perfect writing. By adhering to the rules of grammar, you can ensure that the document contains the intended meaning.
Subject-Verb Agreement
The subject of the sentence is the main person or object in the sentence. The verb in the sentence illustrates the actions being performed by the subject. It is essential for the subject and verb to agree in terms of number. A singular subject requires a singular verb. For example, The chairperson is going to the meeting. A plural subject requires a plural verb. For example, The companys directors are going to the meeting. When two or more subjects are included in the sentence, ensure that the verb agrees with the main subject. For example, The chairperson, as well as the directors, is going to the meeting. The chairperson accompanied by the directors is going to the meeting. Exception: Whenever the word and is used, the subject becomes plural, so a plural verb needs to be used with it. For example, The chairman and the directors are going to the seminar. The subject should not be confused with its extension and the verb needs to agree with the main subject only. For example, The box of files is lying on the table. Certain words are always in a plural form because of their spelling. They need plural verbs except when the word pair is used with them. For example, My glasses are lying on the table Wearing a pair of jeans is not allowed in the premises. Indefinite pronouns, such as anyone, everyone, someone, no one, nobody, are always singular. Therefore, you need to use singular verbs with indefinite pronouns. For example, Everyone has done their task.
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Somebody has left a pen. Few indefinite pronouns, such as all and some, can be singular or plural depending on what they are referring to (Is it countable?). You need to select the verb accordingly. For example, Some of the beads are available. All my hard work is wasted.
Punctuation
Punctuation includes all the marks used within or after the sentences. It clarifies the meaning of the sentences. Missing or misplacing of punctuation changes the meaning of the sentences. Therefore, you need to use them properly. Apostrophe: The presence or absence of an apostrophe can alter the meaning of a sentence. An apostrophe indicates contraction, possession, or plural forms. For example, Contraction: I cant find the file. You shouldnt be going against the rules of the organization. Possession: The directors secretary has been jailed. Its hard disk has been damaged. The managers file has been stolen. Plural forms: The department was set up in the 90s. The trainees got 2 As in Communication Skills. Incorrect or no usage of apostrophe: I wont be able to meet that deadline. Gary computer contains some sensitive information The company was established in the 80s. She got 4 Bs in her assessments. Period: A period is used to end a sentence. It is also used to end an indirect question and to separate abbreviations. For example, Ending a sentence: Please bring the posters on Friday. In case it rains, take an umbrella. Indirect question: The teacher asked why Sonia had left out the easy exercises. My father used to wonder why my sister was so naughty. Abbreviations: My father told me about Washington, D.C. Dr. Neharika arrived from Pune.
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Question mark: A question mark (?) is used at the end of the sentence that makes a request for information. Avoid inserting a question mark for sentences ending as an indirect question. For example, Direct question: What is your problem? Indirect question: I asked my sister if she had baked the cake. Exclamation: Use an exclamation (!) at the end of forceful declaration, interjection, or command. To emphasize a word, exclamation can be inserted within parentheses (!). For example, No! Why are you doing this? Stop! She will be coming here. I got some bags really (!) on low price. Ooh! I am so sorry. Colon: Use a colon (:) in a sentence, when you want to add extra information without using period. It can be a list, a statement, or a proverb. The sentence before the colon should be a clause that can stand itself. For example, The following factors need to be considered for effective writing: Clarity Conciseness Correctness Cohesion Consistency There is only one thing that you can do now: confess before your mother. The good news was announced yesterday: The baby is a girl. Semicolon: Use a semicolon (;) to sort a long list. Further, use it to separate two interrelated clauses in a sentence. For example, We had four team members in our team: Richa, graphic designer; Sohail, programmer; Meera, analyst; and Nandwani, tech support. I liked the novel; it was a pleasure to read. Hyphen: Use a hyphen (-) to create compound words, mainly modifiers (adjectives and adverbs) before nouns. It is a short dash used for connecting words or breaking words into parts. The self, all, and ex prefixes always require a hyphen. For example, Well-known actor Out-of-process component Much-improved situation Writing numbers twenty-one to ninety-nine and fractions (two-third, one-fourth) All-inclusive Self-control Do not to use hyphens to join prefixes and suffixes with another word. Examples Prehistoric
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Subcommittee Interclass
Certain homographs (one of two or more words spelled alike but different in meaning) require a hyphen to prevent mistakes in pronunciation and meaning. Example Recreation and re-creation Release and re-lease Parentheses: Use parentheses ( ) to add any material (text, number, and punctuation) that you want to de-emphasize and normally you are not able to fit that material into the flow of your text. For example, I got some bags really(!) on low price. You are going to learn Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook) in the training. Bracket: Use brackets [ ] to include explanatory words or phrases in a quoted sentence or phrase. It can also be used when you want to insert a pronoun within the sentence. For example, Naina charged her former landlord with "falsification of [her] rent agreement. Ellipses: Use ellipsis () when you want to omit some words. It contains three evenly spaced dots. For example, Rishi said, Im wondering The teacher thought and thought and then said, you need to practice more. Quotation marks: Use quotation marks () to highlight a sentence that does not stand by itself. This part of a sentence is usually separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma. For example, My favourite book is Enid Blytons, The boy next door. My uncle always say, Be careful and drive safely. Slash: Use a slash (/) when you want to indicate a choice among the words. While using pronouns, it is often used to avoid gender problems. For example, Inform the customer care executive about your problem. He/she will help you. The result will display pass/fail. Comma: Use a comma (,) before the conjunction (and/or) joining the last two elements in a sentence containing a series of three or more elements. Further, use a comma after every introductory phrase or clause. For example, Conjunction: They are LEFT, RIGHT, or CENTER. You need to buy a soap, a toothpaste, and a toothbrush. Introductory phase: In recent months, many changes have taken place in the city. In these days, more people are getting infected by malaria. Do not use a comma before the final and/or if there are only two components. Example You need to call Ram and Hari.
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Sentence Construction
Sentences are created by using words. However, if sentences contain grammatical errors, are disjointed, or are incomplete it creates confusion for the readers. Constructing sentences is not an easy task especially when you try to communicate some complex matter. Often, the subject and verb are placed so far apart that the eventual outcome of the sentence turns out to be funny.
Active-passive Voice
Writing in active voice is a good practice. Sentences written in the active voice exemplify the meaning clearly. The main verb in the sentence can be in the active or passive voice. In the active voice, the verb directly links to its subject while in the passive voice, the verb is indirectly linked to its subject. Example Active voice: The chairperson has thanked you for your contribution to the organization. Passive voice: All of you have been thanked by the chairperson for your contribution to the organization. The tone of a sentence largely depends on whether active or passive voice is used. Active voice is preferred because it is more impressive, professional, and direct. Example I have forwarded the proposal to you this morning via email. Mona is making a change in the content of the presentation. Passive voice can be used only when the doer of the action is not important but the action is. For example, A mistake has been made by the Accounts department. A file has been handed over to the competition.
Exercise: Check Your Understanding

After completing the following exercises, you will be able to identify the correct usage of subject-verb agreement, sentence construction, active-passive voice, and punctuation. Fill in the blanks: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. A large number of people ________ (was, were) voting for the new school. Either the principal or the head of the department (Science) ________ (is, are) going to make the decision. Naina, together with her team members, _______ (make, makes) a presentation. Jaya needs to buy two types of juices ________ (: , ;) orange and mango. My sisters ________ (is, are) nutritionists. The _________ (Ex-governor, Exgovernor) is coming a a chief guest in the function. The trainees got 3A __________ (, )s in Communication Skills.
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Correct the following sentences: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The chairperson are going to meet all the employees today. The hard copy as well as the soft copy are going to be handled over to you. Me and Susan would be happy to take over the responsibility. Charles responsibility is to prepare the final draft of the tender. I wish to inform you that I have finalized a draft that I have prepared so that I can give you a clear picture that I feel you want.
Answers Fill in the blanks: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. were is makes : are Ex-governor 3As
Answers - Correct the following sentences: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The Chairperson is going to meet all the employees today. The hard copy as well as the soft copy is going to be handed over to you. Susan and I will be happy to take over the responsibility. Charles responsibility is to prepare the final draft of the tender. I have prepared and finalized a draft to give you a clear picture.
Common Mistakes in Effective Writing

To succeed in your working environment, you need to focus on various grammatical aspects for effective writing. However, due to some common mistakes, the work gets hampered. These mistakes are: I syndrome: Too much use of first person (I, I am, I will). For example, I am going to arrange a meeting and then I am going to take my clients for lunch. Wrong capitalization: Improper use of capitalization such as chairperson, director, and supervisor in the middle of the sentence. For example, Our Chairperson is coming in the meeting. Spelling mistakes: Perform a complete read thru to avoid spelling mistakes. When using Microsoft Word, you can run a spell check. . Long sentences: Extremely long sentences create confusion in the readers mind. For example, The company requires to translate the data from one specification to other and wants to maintain data regarding the salary, expenses, and allowances of each employee. Wrong ordering: Not putting words in the correct order. For example, Me and my friend should be replaced by My friend and I.
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All these mistakes lead to confusion and create a chaotic situation.
Best Practices of Effective Writing

Think for a while, how happy you feel when somebody appreciates your work. You feel motivated, valued, and your enthusiasm towards your work increases. Positive and effective words have a great value and should be used. Consider the following situation: Naren is a manager and Sana is a salesperson in AutoZen, an automobile company. Last year, Sanas performance was excellent. However, in the current year she has not met the given targets. Naren wrote the following letter to Sana: Dear Sana, Subject: Performance Review I would like to mention that you have not met your targets. If this continues, then I have to take necessary action. Regards, Naren After reading the letter, Sana became upset and lost interest in her work. However, if Naren had written this letter using positive words, then the impact would have been different. Dear Sana, Subject: Performance Review I would like to remind you that last year your performance was excellent. However, this year it is comparatively low. I honestly believe that you can improve it. If you need any assistance, please do ask me. Regards, Naren The preceding letter shares the information in a positive tone. This draws the attention towards the negative information. However, the positive tone does not make the person feel low. Positive words generate positive emotions in the readers mind. This influences the reader to become optimistic. Low achievers turn into high achievers. Similarly, when you write grieving or fearful information by using positive words, you reduce the negative emotions and experience positive emotions. Consider an example; Reshmas supervisor told her You have done an excellent job. In return, she says Thank you so much. Therefore, she repeats the appreciat ion. Writing becomes effective when you add positive notes or appreciation. For example, if you are replying to an e-mail, you can start with a thanking note, such as, Thanks for your email. Positive notes or appreciation helps to continue the positive feeling between the
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sender and the receiver. Showing gratitude by thankful recognition is an art of appreciation. This should be practiced in your written communication.
Common Spelling Mistakes in Effective Writing

Imagine a situation, where you have written a letter to a customer and it contains spelling mistakes. Spelling mistakes usually happen when the spelled word is different from its sound. Therefore, check the document to avoid spelling mistakes. A best practice is to refer a dictionary. For example, know and no, weather and whether, right and write, knot and not, and to and too. There are some common words, on which people makes mistakes while writing. For example: Minuscule Millennium Embarrassment Occurrence Perseverance Supersede Noticeable Harass Inoculate Mischievous Pastime Occurred Separate Embarrass Preceding Indispensable definitely Privilege Gauge Questionnaire Existence Miniature Publicly Precede Weird Rhythm Separately Conscientious Misspell Hierarchy Grammar Calendar Withhold You may refer to the following links for your future reference: http://www.yourdictionary.com/library/misspelled.html
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http://www.askoxford.com/betterwriting/spelling/
Positive Statements
Write a paragraph (minimum five lines) using any of the five words given above. This activity, will help you to understand the importance of using positive words in writing
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Session 13: Business Writing

Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Understand the importance and types of business writing Appreciate and use five Cs of effective writing
Importance and Types of Business Writing

In a working environment, you will be writing business documents to: Convey messages effectively. Convey complex information. Make things convenient for the reader. Save time. Save money. Most people consider writing as an art. It is indeed an art. However, the correct usage of that art is not known to all. Different types of writing have different approaches. The approach of writing a novel varies from writing an article for a newspaper. Similarly, business writing requires a different approach. Flowery language, jargon, and wordy expressions are not required in business writing. Business writing requires a crisp, precise, and focused approach. Writing for a business audience is referred as business writing. Any business document you prepare carries the image of your organization. Any mistake in these documents will result in a loss to the company. Therefore, you need to be very careful while writing business documents. For example, you write a letter to a customer with an intention of selling a product. Therefore, based on that letter, the customer might agree or disagree to buy the product. It has been observed that 70% the miscommunication in business writing occurs due to confusing language and expressions. Perfecting the technique of correct business writing will ensure greater clarity, faster transmission of ideas, and excellent rapport between both parties (writers and readers). In an organization, business writing is commonly used to create reports, brochures, memos, questionnaires, surveys, letters, and e-mails.
Report
Consider a situation where an organization is planning to launch a product. The marketing personnel are analyzing the market before the product launch. They will prepare a report based on the data collected and submit it to the management. Reports can be defined as a document created to explain the result of a query. A report may contain text, data, graphics, graphs, videos, and calculations. The structure of a report may vary. A report contains: Title page: It contains the name of the report, name of the authors, and submission date. Executive summary/Abstract: It contains the overview of the subject matter, methodology used in the analysis process and recommendations. Table of contents: It contains the list of numbered sections.
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Introduction: It introduces the report structure and highlights the need of the report. Body: It contains all the information, such as the background of the report, analysis data, and result data. All this information is divided into structured sections. Conclusion: It contains the inference of the analysis. Reference list: It contains the list of the reference material used during analysis. Appendix: It contains the list of supplementary material that supports the analysis but not required for explanation.
Brochure
A brochure or pamphlet is a printed form of advertisement or promotional message. Brochures can be used to advertise of various products, services, events, hotels, and properties. A brochure needs to have crisp language and should be eye-catching in design. Brochures are distributed either by door-to-door marketing or directly on field. Depending on the content, brochures can be a single sheet or a booklet. Attractive colors, fonts, and graphics are used in brochures. Further, they are usually printed on thick glossy paper to provide the initial impression.
Memo
Memos are a written form of communication used within the organizations. Memos are issued in the organization to communicate information usually to multiple people. For example, the job objective of the employees working as retail managers has been changed. Therefore, to inform this change to all the retail managers, the organization issues a memo. The writing style of memos is direct. Therefore, avoid writing any sensitive information in it. The sentences used should be short and to-the-point. The readers should not have any emotional reaction after reading memos. It does not have a salutation or a complimentary closing. It contains: Date To From Subject Text Few important points to keep in mind: The memos should be to the point and accurate. Memos are not formal; however it should not be informal as a personal letter. The tone of communication in memos is usually friendly. This is because it is a communication between colleagues. If required, mention the reason of the memo with a short paragraph. Use bulleted list to explain important steps. A complimentary closing is not required. End the memo by writing a short thank you statement.
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Questionnaire
Questionnaires are used to collect data. It can be defined as a group of questions that is used to collect responses from people. Questionnaires are an inexpensive method of collecting data. Often a questionnaire is used to collect data for analysis. The questions in a questionnaire can be subjective or objective. While framing the questions for a questionnaire, consider the following rules: Write short and simple sentences. At one point of time, ask for one information. Try to avoid negatives (for example, whether they agree or disagree with e statements). Ensure that the people answering the questions have sufficient knowledge. Ensure that the people are comfortable in answering. Avoid being biased. Keep the length of the questionnaire as short as possible. Avoid beginning with demographic and personal questions. In addition to these rules, consider the following rules for ordering the questions: Order of the questions in a questionnaire should be general to particular. Order of the questions in a questionnaire should be simple to difficult. Order of the questions in a questionnaire should be factual to abstract. Begin with questions that are relevant to the main subject. Few important points to keep in mind: Questionnaires are used to collect responses from people. The responses collected are used for analysis. A questionnaire can be: Subjective Objective
Survey
Consider a situation; a retail store wants to know the likes and dislikes of their customers. Therefore, to know the opinions of the customers, they conduct a survey. A
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survey is a method of gathering information from individuals. The goal is to identify the opinion of individuals on certain topics. Occasionally, various organizations conduct surveys to obtain the views of their customers. The conclusion gathered from the survey is used in different ways such as improving a service or product, launching a new product or service, and in making decisions that will be used as a data analysis in a research. A survey form usually asks the individuals to rate various events, services, and products. Later, based on these ratings, improvement areas are identified and the goals are set. Surveys can happen face-to-face with printed survey forms or by e-mails, telephone, and mails. Therefore, while preparing a survey, consider the following rules: Try to keep the length of the form as short as possible. The opinions or the situations specified in the form should meet the survey goals. Questions in the survey form should be in the form of multiple choices. The content should be clear and specific. Choose the survey type carefully. For example, you want to conduct a survey on a website. Therefore, you can conduct the survey through e-mail or by online forms rather than a face-to-face survey. Similarly, to collect the opinion on the use of a cold cream, a printed survey form will be more preferable. Determine the type of people, who will be involved in the survey. For example, to collect the opinion of customers on a product, you need people who have previously used the product. Similarly, you need to decide the location you will conduct the survey and the age group of your target audience.
Letter
Letters are a formal type of correspondence often used in business communication. For example, employers write letters to inform the employees about the appraisals of the current year. Similarly, one organization can write letter to another organization, in order to sell some products. Letters can also communicate sensitive messages. For example, a letter might contain information to which the reader might react emotionally. However, letters do not have any specific pattern. It changes based on the organizational pattern. Letters are also used to persuade or convince the reader.
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A letter contains: Date Sender's address (Most of the times official letters are written on the letterhead that contains the logo and address of the company and the contact details of the sender) Recipient's address Subject Salutation or greeting Message (body of the letter) Closing Thanking you Place, date Signature, printed name, and position of sender In some situations, a letter might include optional information or attachments that appear at the bottom of the letter. This can be: Reference (RE:) Carbon Copy Recipients (CC:) Enclosures (ENC:)
E-mail
E-mail stands for electronic mail and is used to send electronic messages or files across a computer network or through the Internet. E-mails can be personal or official. Most email programs, such as Microsoft Outlook Express, include a text editor for composing messages. Text editors allow you to create and edit your message. After writing the message, you can send the message to the recipient by mentioning the recipients e-mail address. Further, you can also send the same message to multiple recipients.
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Sent messages are stored in the mailbox of the recipient until and unless the recipient fetches the messages. Most e-mail systems have an alert service that informs the recipients about an incoming e-mail. After reading the e-mail, the recipient can forward the e-mail to other users, store it, print it, or delete it.
Making Business Writing Effective

To make your business writing effective you need to: Provide all important information: Ensure that you provide all the important information. Incompleteness in business writing might result a loss in business. For example, a reply framed as "With response to your letter" is incomplete, it can be rephrased as With response to your earlier letter dated 16th May 2008". Answer all questions asked: When communicating answers, ensure you have provided the answers to all the questions. For example, a customer is interested in purchasing your product and has sent you an e-mail asking about the price range, address of the nearby outlet, and the transaction procedure. If you only provide the price list and the address of the nearby outlet, assuming that the transaction procedure can be explained later, you are not answering all the queries of the customer. Provide extra information when desirable: Take care to satisfy the customer by providing extra information, if required. You can provide relevant information, even if you have not been asked about it directly. If you have been asked about a product and its price, you may also provide information about other similar products and the cost comparison. You must provide a response to all service requests even if no immediate solution can be given. Eliminate wordy expressions: Be concise in writing. For example, statements like This is to thank you for the quick response. can be precisely stated as Thank you for the quick response. Include only relevant data: Avoid information that is not required. For example, a statement like Please refer to my earlier mail written yesterday in which I have informed you about . can be simply stated as Please refer to my mail dated 15/5/2002. Avoid unnecessary repetition (verbiage): Often phrases are repeated phrases when your thought process is not organized. For example, sentences, such as This is a reminder to inform you that your payment is due. The due payment must be cleared by 20th May can be rewritten as, "You are requested to clear your due payment by 20th May". Use appropriate words: Find the right words to express the desired meaning. For example, instead of a statement like We are happy with your effort, you could write We appreciate your effort/endeavor. Avoid statements beginning as: Obviously you overlooked Surely you do not expect me I do not agree with you You claim that Instead use: You may have missed
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As you know, it may not be possible Our opinions may vary As stated by you
Five C's for Effective Writing

The following writing principles makes your business writing effective: Clarity: The guidelines of clarity ensure that the document is unambiguous and free from error. Conciseness: The guidelines of conciseness ensure that the document is not lengthy and simple in language. Cohesion: The guidelines of cohesion ensure that the document has a proper transition/flow/structure. Consistency: The guidelines of consistency ensure that the words and the sentences used in the document are consistent throughout. Correctness: The guidelines of correctness ensure that the document is not gender-biased and uses correct language. Employers want their employees to write business documents that are easy to read. In addition, the business documents should avoid grammatical mistakes. Therefore, whenever you create business documents, you must ensure readability, comprehension, and credibility of information for each business document. In this regard, you need to follow the five Cs of writing. Each principle of the five Cs contains various guidelines. Adherence to those guidelines ensures that the document is clear, concise, and errorfree.
Clarity
You can ensure clarity in your document by following the guidelines: Use unambiguous language: Use unambiguous language to clearly illustrate the meaning of the content. Select your words and phrases carefully to ensure that they convey the proper meaning. Nonexample: Certain segments may face revenue losses because of fraud or dues not being collected. Example: The A, B, and C segments of the industry may face revenue losses because of fraud or dues not being collected. Use active voice: Passive voice slows down your writing and makes it wordy. Imagine reading a whole paragraph of sentences that begin with "There is, "There are, "It is", or "They are. This makes the matter boring and monotonous to read. Using more active verbs eliminates wordiness and makes what you have written more interesting to read. Sentences should be written in active voice where the subject performs the action expressed in the verb. Nonexample: A rose was given to Sally by John. Example: John gave Sally a rose. Avoid doublespeak: Doublespeak is language that distorts the actual meaning. Try to avoid it. Nonexample: You will end up paying through your nose. Example: This will be an expensive solution for the problem.
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Avoid repetition: Avoid repeating words in a sentence. Sentences should not begin with the word with which the earlier sentence ended. Nonexample: Mina left home at 6 P.M. She left home to visit Rosy. Example: Mina left home at 6 P.M. to visit Rosy. Avoid double negatives: Avoid double negatives as it complicates the sentence. Nonexample: It is not unworthy of praise. Example: It is worthy of praise
Conciseness
You can ensure conciseness in your document by the following guidelines: Use simple language: Use simple words and sentence structures. Follow the KISS principle. Lengthy interaction with multiple ideas in one statement distracts the focus of the reader. The KISS principle states that the interaction should be short and simple. A single statement should have a single idea. Try to avoid glamorous and dramatic words. Further, you need to: Avoid unnecessary adverbs, such as smile happily. Avoid using words, such as rather, very, little, and pretty. Do not use adjectives that state a known fact, such as a tall skyscraper. Avoid ambiguous sentences (by switching pronouns or tenses midway through the sentence). Nonexample: The film and video industry category can specifically be broken down into subsequent industries of motion picture and videotape production, motion picture and videotape distribution, movie houses, and cable and other pay television services, just to name a few. Example: The film and video industry category includes production, distribution, movie houses, cable, and other pay television services. Avoid clutter: To avoid clutter, while you write: Avoid unnecessary prepositions with verbs. For example, face up to problems. Avoid using long words when there are shorter alternatives. For example, Now instead of currently or presently. Avoid word clusters, such as It is interesting to note, I might add, and For the purpose of. Avoid words and phrases that do not convey any meaning. For example, sort of, in a sense, a bit of. Nonexample: The administrator needs to face up to this problem. Example: The administrator needs to solve this problem. Avoid redundant phrasing: Avoid superfluous words and write directly to the point. Nonexample: I am going to my place of residence. Example: I am going home.
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Use one idea per sentence: Avoid using multiple ideas in a single sentence. It is always better to write one idea per sentence. Nonexample: Navin is a musician; he plays the piano for a living. Example: Navin is a musician. He plays the piano for a living. Write short sentences: Long sentences distract the focus from the main idea and confuse the reader. Nonexample: The company requires to translate the data from one specification to other and wants to maintain data regarding the salary, expenses, and allowances of each employee. Example: The company requires to translate the data from one specification to other. In addition, it wants to maintain data regarding the salary, expenses, and allowances of each employee.
Cohesion
You can ensure cohesion in your document by the following guidelines: Ensure smooth transition: Transition refers to the link between adjacent frames of sentences. You can use different transitional words, such as and, also, then, next, on the other hand, similarly, for example, and behind. Nonexample: You learned about the methods of improving transitions and will study the elements of clarity in instructional text. Example: You learned about the methods of improving transitions. Next, you will study the elements of clarity in instructional text.
Consistency
You can ensure consistency in your document by the following guidelines: Use consistent terminology: Avoid inconsistency while you are writing. Inconsistent terms confuse the readers. For example, you are writing to your customers to inform them about a new product, VitaminX. This is a new baby food that your company has launched. Now, your company also sells a medicine named as VitaminX. If you write VitaminX and not mention baby food, then your customer might confuse it with the medicine. Therefore, you need to use consistent terminology to avoid confusion. Nonexample: Press the Menu button to open the message in your mobile. Then, press back. Example: Press the Menu button to open the message in your mobile. Then, press the Back button. Use consistent tense: Ensure correct usage of tense in the document. Nonexample: He was among the few who want to continue working on the project. Example: He was among the few who wanted to continue working on the project.
Correctness
You can ensure correctness in your document by the following guidelines:
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Use formal language: Nonexample: As having to worry about the current responsibilities. Example: Do not worry about the current responsibilities. Use bias-free language: Avoid he-she pronouns. Use words such as they and you. The following table highlights some words that are bias-free. Do Not Use Man, mankind Humanity, people, humankind Mans Operates, staffs Salesman Sales representative, salespersons Manmade Synthetic, manufactured Manpower Workforce, staff, personnel
Use Man, mankind Humanity, people, humankind Mans Operates, staffs Salesman Sales representative, salespersons Manmade Synthetic, manufactured Manpower Workforce, staff, personnel
Nonexample: You need to assess your manpower needs. Example: You need to assess your workforce needs. Use gerunds/infinitives appropriately: Nonexample: The child quit to steal anymore. Example: The child quit stealing. Use comparatives appropriately: Most adjectives and adverbs have three forms: positive, comparative, superlative. Use er/-est or more/most, not both: Example: This is the sharpest (not most sharpest) knife I possess. In general, use the comparative form for comparing two things and the superlative form for comparing three or more things. Example: This is the longer of the two plays. The longest play we ever performed was shorter than this one. Use comparative or superlative forms only for modifiers that can logically be compared: (Modifiers, such as unique, perfect, and impossible, cannot logically be compared because their positive forms describe only their state.) Example: The trick was almost impossible. Nonexample: That was the most impossible trick I ever tried. Use complete sentences: Nonexample: Computerized system to manage accounts. Example: The organization uses the computerized system to manage accounts.
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Session 14: E-Mail Writing

Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Understand the process of e-mail writing Understand the guidelines for writing effective e-mails Appreciate the e-mail etiquettes
E-mail Writing
E-mail has become an integral part in modern communication. It is a speedy form of electronic communication. Today, e-mails are used for both personal and for business communication. Thus, it can follow both formal and informal approach. However, when you write e-mails for business communication, it needs to be formal. An e-mail message is divided into two sections, the header and the body. The header contains the recipients addresses, while the body comprises the main message that is read by the recipients. A domain name is an address in the textual format that uniquely identifies a website on the Internet. For example, consider the domain name www.niit.com. Here, .com is identified as the top-level domain. As the name specifies, the top-level domain represents the objectives of the website and categorizes the websites.
The following table describes some top-level domain names, their description, and some examples.
Domain Name .com .edu Description Used by websites of business organizations Used by websites of educational institutions, universities, and colleges Used by websites of non-profit organizations Used by websites of network providers Used by websites of government organizations Used by websites of military organizations Examples www.ebay.com www.amazon.com www.career.edu www.harvard.edu http://en.wikipedia.org www.mozilla.org www.asp.net www.whois.net www.mit.gov.in www.dotgov.gov www.nic.mil www.dtic.mil
.org .net .gov .mil
The header of e-mail contains the following fields:
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To: You need to write the recipient/recipients e-mail address in this field. The email addresses mentioned in this field are the primary recipient's. For example, rahul@yahoo.com Cc: It stands for carbon copy. In this field, you include the e-mail addresses of those persons who are not the primary recipients. However, you want to keep them informed about this communication. Bcc: It stands for blind carbon copy. In this field, you include e-mail addresses of those people who are not the primary recipients. However, you do not want the primary recipient to know that you have e-mailed the same message to other recipient. Subject: Includes the subject of the e-mail where you specify the synopsis of the entiree-mail. The body of e-mail can be divided into: Opening: The opening of the e-mail is its introduction paragraph. In this paragraph, you acknowledge the recipient, introduce yourself or open a chain of communication. For example, Respected Sir/Madam, Hi All, Dear Aman. Detailing: The detailing is the actual content or body of the e-mail that consists of the main paragraph/ paragraphs where you express your ideas or messages. Closing: The closing includes the conclusion or the summary of the e-mail. The concluding paragraph where you thank the recipient, add hyperlinks (if required), set time frames for the next communication, and conclude by sign off. For example, Thanks and Regards, Sheena. Sign off is signature of the sender that includes full name / alias name, designation ( if required) and the name of the organization and contact numbers. For example, Thanks & Regards, Raj Kumar System Administrator | ISSD Ext.: 118
Nuc Exports Ltd.
Guidelines for E-mail Writing

To ensure clarity in your business e-mails, adhere to the following guidelines: Use an appropriate subject line: The recipient gets the first impression of your e-mail from the subject line. Often, recipients prioritize reading an e-mail by reading its subject line. Therefore, the subject line of the e-mail: Should not be blank: The subject line of the e-mail should not be blank. At times, the recipient might delete the file, if the subject is missing. Moreover, the subject line makes the recipient think about the message. Should be self explanatory: Recipients get confused when they receive e-mail with ambiguous subject line. For example: Important, please read. It does not mention why it is important. The subject line should be like an informative headline. It should summarize the entire content of the e-mail. Can be in form of a question: When you are writing an e-mail to receive an answer of a question quickly, you can just write the question in the subject line. However, this is applicable only when you know your recipient well such as
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between colleagues and friends. For example, At what time we are going to meet? Use an appropriate greeting: Begin your e-mail with a greeting such as Dear Natasha, Hi Manish, or Dear Sir/Madam. Keep the message short and simple: E-mails should be short, maximum 4-5 paragraphs. It should be clear and concise. If you write unnecessarily long emails then you are wasting the recipients time. In case, you want to write more, write it in a document and send it as an attachment. Quote accurate data/facts: Ensure that you send the correct message. For example, you are sending e-mails to inform the growth percentage of the company and you make mistakes in the percentage. Therefore, the recipient gets the incorrect information. Use business English: Use formal language and use standard spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. Use standard font and color: Use fonts that are easily readable. Choose color carefully. It should not create any distraction in recipients eye. Proofread and check spellings before sending the e-mail: Proofread the email to ensure that it contains the accurate message and is error free. For example, you are informing your colleagues the meeting time. The meeting time is 5 pm and you mention 6 pm in the e-mails.
Email Etiquettes
Follow the e-mail etiquette for writing an effective e-mail: Always read the complete e-mail before framing your reply. Write short sentences. Ensure that the grammar is correct. Keep the language simple and professional. Be accurate while providing information. Avoid spelling mistakes. Provide a subject that summarizes the content of the entire mail. Maintain a positive tone. Introduce yourself and provide a proper sign-off. Check the size of the attachments before sending. In addition, keep the following points in mind: Use fonts that are readable and easy to understand. Urgency of the message should be indicated in the subject line. If urgent, type Urgent. If it is not urgent then indicate FYI (For Your Information) before the subject line. Avoid SHOUTING that means do not write the complete e-mail in capital letters. Use bold/ italics/ underline for emphasizing text. Avoid sending spam mails. Spam mails are defined as unwanted e-mails that are sent to a large number of users specifically for advertising the products by unethical marketers.
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Avoid using chat language, acronyms, and emotions. Avoid humor, jokes, and sarcasm. Do not send e-mails to discuss confidential matters such as disciplinary action, conflicts, and personal complaints about coworkers.
Replying an E-mail
Draft an e-mail for the following situation: You are handling customer grievances and you receive an e-mail from a customer, Monisha Sharma, who has not received her mobile bill. You contact the dispatch department and find that the bill was sent to the customers address mentioned in the e-mail, however the company does not have a confirmation of receipt of the same. You need to draft an e-mail replying her that a duplicate copy of the same will be sent to her soon. Solution: The following parameters should not be left blank. To field containing the e-mail address of the recipient (Customer). Subject line not missing and self explanatory. Body should contain the opening, detailing, and closing structure. You may refer to the given sample e-mail reply: Sample Answer To: monisha.sharma@yahoo.com Sub: Sending the duplicate mobile bill Dear Customer, Thanks for your e-mail. I would like to inform you that we are sending the duplicate mobile bill on the address that you have specified in your e-mail. You will receive the same within three working days. For any assistance, please feel free to contact at 9999999999 (Customer Care) or write at helpdesk@airtalk.com. With Regards, Customer Care Executive AirTalk Ltd.
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Writing an E-mail
Write e-mails for the following situation: To the HR department of your organization, asking for information regarding your annual benefits and insurance. To your subordinate, asking him/her to send you the market analysis document urgently. To a client, sending a brochure of a new product and requesting him/her to purchase. Solution: Your answers should be based on the following parameters: To field containing the e-mail address of the recipient. Subject line not missing and self explanatory. Body should contain the opening, detailing, and closing structure. You may refer to the following sample asnwer: Sample Answer To: hr@ebizy.com Sub: Request for Annual Benefits and Insurance Details Dear Sir/Madam, Please send me the information of my annual benefits and insurance for the current financial year. The required details are as follows: Name: Raakhi Sinha Employee Id: 189765 Department: Sales Date of Joining: 04th Feb2006. Please let me know if you want to have any further information. Thanks and Regards, Raakhi Sinha Sales Executive rakhi.sinha@ebizy.com 011-25678923 (Extn: 234)
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Session 15: Working in Teams

Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Appreciate the importance of working in teams Identify the difference between a team and a group Understand the need for teams
What is a Team?
A team refers to a specific group of people who are collectively responsible and accountable for achieving a common goal. Bernard Babington Smith, a great author, once said, A team is a group in which the individuals have a common aim and in which the jobs and skills of each member fit in with those of others. Often, a group of individuals is considered a team; however this is not always the case. Although merely forming a group does not make a team; it definitely provides a base in building a team. The following aspects distinguish a group from a team: Understanding: In a group, the members do not have a common goal. Sometimes, they exchange their roles with other members. In a team, the members identify with their personal and team goals. Moreover, time is not wasted in attempting personal gain at the expense of others. Ownership: In a group, the members tend to focus on themselves because they are not sufficiently involved in planning the groups objectives. In a team, the members feel a sense of ownership of the goals because they have been involved in setting the team goals. Creativity and contribution: In a group, members are instructed what to do instead of being asked what the best approach would be. Suggestions and creativity are not encouraged. In a team, the members provide their suggestions in order to contribute to the organizations success. Trust: In a group, the members do not trust the motives of other individuals as they may or may not understand the role of other members. In a team, the members work in an environment of trust and are encouraged to express their views. Personal development: In a group, the members apply limited effort to make use of the trainings they would have received. In a team, the members continually develop their skills and further apply the skills to enhance productivity. Conflict resolution: In a group, the members often crumble, in case of a complex situation. This is so because they may not know how to resolve the problem at hand. In a team, the members confront a complex situation as a challenge and work constructively to overcome problems. Participative decision-making: In a group, the members may or may not participate in effective decision-making. In a team, the members participate in decision-making process. However, they do realize that the final decision is to be taken by their team leader. Commitment: In a group, the members are not committed towards their work.
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Consequently, the performance levels can get hampered. In addition, talented individuals often get frustrated in such an environment. In a team, only those individuals are hired who are committed towards excellence.
Understanding Teams
As a member of a team, you need to have a clear understanding of the following attributes: Common background: Every member of the team will have their own needs and expectations. It is very important for the team members to have a common background. This acts as a prerequisite for forming a team because only then the members can relate to each other. Moreover, the history of the group does have an influence on how it is going to function in the future. Participation among team members: Teams have to face various problems during the course of their projects or assignments. In such a case, the team members need to organize meetings in order to resolve the problems. Teams encourage members to share and express their viewpoints. Therefore, problems can be easily solved through collective responses of all the members. Cohesiveness: Cohesiveness literally means sticking together. The members should endeavor to be cohesive and create a feeling of we within the team. The factors that help the team come together include: Physical proximity: When people work together for a period of time, the bond between them strengthens. Similar work: When people do similar kinds of jobs, face similar kinds of problems, and think on the similar lines, they tend to share a strong bond between them. Homogeneity: When people working together are of same age groups and have the same attitudes, they are more likely to work better together. Size: When people work in small groups, they are more likely to develop strong bonds than the ones in bigger groups. Atmosphere: Atmosphere refers to the social climate of the team. It cannot be seen, however, you can definitely feel it. A good atmosphere usually means a high morale within the team and a bad atmosphere implies a low morale. You can feel a good atmosphere if the vibes from other members are warm, friendly, and confident. On the other hand, negative vibes such as cold, tense, or anxious, are indicative of a bad atmosphere.
Need For Teams

The knowledge, skills, experience, and perspectives of a wide range of people must be brought together in order to succeed. Only then can an organization hope to resolve multi-faceted problems, make good decisions, and deliver effective solutions to its customers. This is the reason why there is an ever-growing need for teams. Teams create environments in which all the members can keep up with the required changes, learn more about the business, and gain skills in collaboration with each other. In a nutshell, teams are needed in order to: Simplify complex tasks: It is advisable to establish a team when the task is complex and requires the interdependent efforts of a diverse group of people. This usually occurs when the members of a team represent different functional
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areas, such as research and development, engineering, manufacturing, and marketing, of an organization. Members of the team are dependent upon each other for the completion of a complex task. Be more creative and innovative: In a team, the members are allowed to be more involved with the decision-making process. They are encouraged to be more creative with their ideas. It encourages an employee when the team accepts his/her idea. It also gives him/her immense job satisfaction. Optimize available resources: Every person is unique and distinct in his/her own way. You may possess certain skills required for a particular task that the other person working with you might not possess. Therefore, a team is formed to make optimum utilization of every members skills and abilities to attain the organizational objectives. Each member is allocated a task in which he/she is proficient, thereby leading to enhanced productivity and job satisfaction. For example, the cricket board chooses a team of 11 players and each player is a specialist in a particular skill. Therefore, the team comprises of openers, middle-order batsmen, pinch-hitters, fast bowlers, spinners, and a wicket keeper. Similarly, in a business organization, a team is formed to make use of the unique talent of every member. Expedite learning process: A team is built to ensure that all the employees develop and enhance their skills by continually sharing knowledge and wisdom with each other. As a result, the employees are able to acquire those skills that are oblivious to them. This helps the team members to keep themselves abreast with the requisite abilities that are needed to meet the teams goal. Consider a scenario wherein your team is facing a problem in the project. Your team has to learn a new technology to deliver the software product to the client. This particular technology has four modules and there is not enough time for each member to go through all the four modules individually. The only way out, in this case, is that four members learn one module each. Then each member can assist other teammates in learning their modules. In this manner all of the four members can learn the technology and ensure timely delivery of the project.
Summary
In this session, you learned the following: A team refers to a specific group of people who are collectively responsible and accountable for achieving a common goal. There are a few aspects on which a group can be distinguished from a team, such as: Five whys Understanding Ownership Creativity and contribution Trust Personal development Conflict resolution Commitment
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Clear leadership Participative decision-making As a member of a team, you need to have a clear understanding of the following attributes: Common background Participation amongst team members. Cohesiveness: Physical proximity Similar work Homogeneity Size Atmosphere The knowledge, skills, experience, and perspectives of a wide range of people must be brought together in order to succeed. Teams are needed in order to: Simplify complex tasks. Be more creative and innovative. Expedite learning process. Optimize available resources. Teamwork literally means work done by team members in a spirit of cooperation and coordination. Teamwork encompasses the following parameters: Caring attitude Mutual trust Taking collective responsibility Sincere communication
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Session 16: Effective Teamwork

Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Appreciate the importance of team communication Understand how to reach a consensus Realize the significance of relationships and trust
Communicating
One of the most important ingredients of successful teamwork is effective communication. Effective communication depends on: Clear speaking: You should be able to state your ideas positively and express your opinions with confidence. While interacting with your team members, you need to clearly convey whats on your mind, give reasons for your opinions, and suggest improvements, if required. Do not argue with your team members because arguments can cause conflicts. Active listening: You have to practice active listening, apart from presenting your ideas. Concentrate on trying to understand your team members thoughts and feelings. Focus on the non-verbal cues emanating from body language, vocal tone, and emotions to grasp your team members messages. Acknowledge when you completely understand the message and ask questions when you dont.
Feedback
Feedback implies one team members reaction to another members actions or statements. In the initial stages, teams do not give much feedback. With time, your team will open up more and react to each others actions. For instance, if you forget to do a particular task, your team members will remind you of the same. Feedback can be positive or negative. Sometimes, feedback is effective on a one-to-one basis; at other times, team feedback works better. Telling a team member privately that the meeting was a waste because he/she did not complete the assigned tasks is an example of a one-to-one feedback. Whereas, pointing in a meeting that many team members have not completed their respective tasks is an example of team feedback. You can give feedback to your team members when they: Disobey the ground rules Come up with brilliant ideas Use inflammatory language Perform actions that are helpful to the team Take discussions on a different tangent
One-On-One Feedback
There are two types of one-on-one feedback that are recommended for effective teamwork:
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Positive reinforcement: You can give positive reinforcement by keeping the following considerations in mind: Encouragement: Your feedback should encourage a specific action or behavior that you feel should be repeated. Support: Your feedback should support what people want to accomplish or what they are having difficulty with. Descriptive: Your feedback should describe in detail what went well, what you liked, and why the action was appreciable. Understandable: You feedback must be crystal clear, without the use of any jargon or unfamiliar terms. Pure: You should not criticize or give advice while giving reinforcement. Advice: You should consider the following points while giving advice: Tone: Keep your tone of voice pleasant and friendly. Positive: Make the other team member believe that your advice will help him/her improve. Results: Back up your advice through statistics. Receptivity: Ensure that your team member is ready and willing to receive advice. Suggestions: Frame your advice as suggestions. Studies reveal that children receive 40 times more negative feedback than positive feedback. In order to address this problem, teams should use 80% positive reinforcement and 20% advice.
Accepting Feedback
Accepting constructive feedback in the right spirit can be difficult at times. You can use the following techniques to accept feedback positively: Listen: Listen carefully and try to look at things from other team members perspective. Stay calm: Breathe deeply and stay cool, calm, and composed. Use questions: Use questions to ensure that you understand properly. Acknowledge: Acknowledge what you listen and understand without arguing.
Arriving at a Consensus
Team consensus is a decision that reflects the collective thinking of a team. It is an idea that merges the best thinking of all team members. All the team members participate actively in reaching a decision that is in harmony with others opinions. You can use team consensus for making important decisions while setting the ground rules, resolving a conflict, or analyzing a problem. In order to reach a consensus decision, a team needs to move through the following phases: Creativity Analysis Decision
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Creativity: The first phase of consensus decision-making is encouraging the team members to be as creative as they can. This will trigger discussions, build participation, and generate innovative ideas. The art of being creative can be perfected through brainstorming. Brainstorming is an idea generation tool in which team members are confronted with a question and they need to instantaneously provide top of the mind answers. In this manner, team members prepare an exhaustive list of ideas. During the brainstorming session, all the ideas are accepted no matter how impractical they are. The focus is on quantity and not on quality. Following list states some of the brainstorming techniques: Card deck: In this technique, each team member writes his/her opinions on paper slips. These slips are then combined and discussed by the team. Post-it: In this technique, team members write their ideas on post-it stamps that are placed on a wall for a discussion. Round robin: In this technique, one member initiates a discussion by sharing an idea with the team. Thereafter, the next person shares his/her point of view. This discussion continues in an organized manner till everyone shares his or her ideas. Popcorn: In this technique, team members come up with a word or a phrase that summarizes their viewpoints. Bouncing ball: In this technique, a team member holds the ball and shares an idea. Then, he/she throws the ball to another member who shares another idea. This process continues till everyone shares his or her ideas. Analysis: The second phase of consensus decision-making is to ensure that every team member clarifies, understands, and respects all the ideas that have been put forth in the previous phase. In this phase, you need to perform the following tasks: Group items: You need to organize similar ideas into sets by categorizing them. For this, you can determine common themes on the list, name these categories, and label each item. Understand ideas: You need to reflect and contemplate over everyone elses ideas in order to understand them better. Alternatively, you can split into pairs to discuss the ideas on the list and update the entire team on what you concluded in your discussion. Decision: The third phase of consensus decision-making is to further decrease the list of ideas to a manageable size. This phase comprises of the following tasks: Narrowing: You need to use some specific criteria to get rid of items that are not relevant. Alternatively, you can ask team members to vote as many times as they want while one of the members enumerates the ideas in the list. Ranking: You may want to arrange the items on the list in a sequential order by deciding their priority. Negotiating: You should come up with new ideas that mix current options into solutions that satisfy every team member.
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Relationship and Trust

You live in an environment where you are dependent on some people and they in turn are dependent on you. This kind of a relationship is often termed interdependence. It helps to have an understanding of how our routine interactions with our world impact it and vice versa. You all know how banks operate. You make deposits into it from which you can make withdrawals when needed. An Emotional Bank Account (EBA) is a metaphor that describes the amount of trust that has been built up in a relationship. It is the feeling of security you have with another human being. Small acts of kindness, such as being honest and keeping your commitments, often create trust and is considered deposits in EBA. Over a period of time, the goodwill accumulates to the extent that you can even call upon the trust for help when the need arises. You may allow or accept others mistakes in the relationship. You must have experienced this with your best friends. The Emotional Bank Balance is so high that even if your friend does or says something that would normally upset you, you do not mind very much. When trust is high, communication is easy and effective. On the other hand, showing discourtesy, disrespect, overreacting, ignoring, betraying our trust, or threatening people are considered withdrawals from EBA and it eventually erodes trust levels. In such scenarios, you have to be very careful about everything you say. Such relationships are full of tension and you cannot feel comfortable with the other person. Many organizations, families, and marriages experience this. For instance, a marriage demands constant deposits otherwise it may deteriorate. Relationships need continuous and genuine deposits. Building and repairing relationships takes time. Just like you cannot force a flower to bloom overnight or plants to harvest before their time, you cannot build relationships overnight. They take their own time to mature.
Summary
In this chapter, you learned the following: Effective communication depends on: Clear speaking. Active listening. Feedback implies one team members reaction to another members actions or statements. Feedback can be positive or negative. The following two types of one-on-one feedback are recommended for effective teamwork: Positive reinforcement Advice You can use the following techniques to accept the feedback positively: Listen Stay calm Use questions
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Acknowledge Team consensus is a decision that reflects the collective thinking of a team. In order to reach a consensus decision, a team needs to move through the following three phases: Creativity Analysis Decision You live in an environment where you are dependent on some people and they in turn are dependent on you. This kind of a relationship is often termed interdependence. An EBA is a metaphor that describes the amount of trust that has been built up in a relationship. Small acts of kindness such as being honest and keeping your commitments often creates trust and is considered deposits in EBA. Showing discourtesy and disrespect, overreacting, ignoring or threatening people, and betraying others trust are considered withdrawals from EBA.
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Session 17: Team Motivation

Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to: Describe motivation and its sources Identify the differences between intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation Identify the various steps towards motivation Learn to keep yourself and others motivated Identify various motivation theories
Describing Motivation
What is motivation? What do you think can motivate yourself to perform various tasks? To answer these questions, you need to first understand the basic definition of the term motivation. Motivation, in simple terms, can be defined as the desire to accomplish a goal. Thinking one step ahead, motivation can be defined as a process that accounts for an individuals intensity, direction, and persistence of effort to attain a goal. Intensity, direction, and persistence are the three key elements that define the motivation of an individual. Intensity defines how hard an individual tries to achieve his/her particular goal. It is not always true to say that high intensity will result in favorable job performance outcomes. In fact, as defined by the second element, direction, high intensity can only work if the effort of an individual is directed in the right direction. The third element, persistence, measures how long an individual can maintain the effort, required to achieve a goal. Motivation is extremely important for achieving goals. However, motivation itself is stimulated through a source. For example, if you desire to have a better job, then the new job with a bigger pay packet becomes your motivation. One of the good sources of motivation is to be surrounded by success-minded people. No matter how positive or motivated you are, you are still susceptible to negative influences. Surrounding yourself with successful people not only motivates but also encourages positive thoughts. This, in turn, helps you to achieve success faster. In addition, refer to the following links to know more about self motivation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self_motivation http://www3.telus.net/linguisticsissues/motivation.html
Intrinsic Motivation v/s Extrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic Motivation Extrinsic Motivation It is based on various essential factors that come from inside of an Individual. An intrinsically motivated person works on a task because of the satisfaction he/she will get from the task itself or from Intrinsic Motivation Extrinsic Motivation It is based on factors that come from outside of an individual. An extrinsically motivated person will work on a task because of the satisfaction he/she will get from some kind of a
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Intrinsic Motivation Extrinsic Motivation completing or even working on a task.
Intrinsic Motivation Extrinsic Motivation reward.
You can categorize the various motivating factors as intrinsic and extrinsic. These categories decide whether a person gets motivated due to internal or external factors. Each type of these motivating factors has its own importance and meaning, as explained in the following list: Intrinsic motivation: Intrinsic motivation is based on various essential factors that come from within an individual and not from any external or outside factors, such as money or grades. In other words, intrinsic motivation comes from the satisfaction one gets from the task itself or from completing the task or even working on a task. For example, an intrinsically motivated person will work towards finding a solution to a problem because of the challenges involved in finding a solution. In this case, the person does perform the task because there is some reward involved, such as a prize or a payment. On the contrary, it provides a sense of pleasure or satisfaction to him/her, after accomplishing the task of finding the solution. However, it does not mean that an intrinsic person will not seek rewards. It just means that the external factors are not the major reasons to keep the person motivated. Extrinsic Motivation: Extrinsic motivation is based on various factors that come from outside of an individual. The motivating factors can be external, such as rewards, money or grades. Such rewards provide satisfaction and pleasure to an individual that the task itself may not provide. An extrinsically motivated person will work on a task even if he/she has little interest in the task because of the satisfaction he/she will get from possessing the reward. The rewards can be a smiley face or, gaining fame or fortune. For example, an extrinsically motivated person may be solving a mathematical problem in spite of his/her dislike for the subject because of the reward associated with completion of the task. However, it does not mean that an extrinsic person will not get any pleasure from working or completing a task. It just implies that the pleasure he/she anticipates from some external reward will continue to be the major motivator even when the task to be done holds little or no interest.
How to be Internally Motivated?

It is a crucial task to understand what motivates or inspires an individual to accomplish a particular goal. Every individual works with certain motives to attain a goal. Motives are defined as inner needs or desires, which can be conscious, semi-conscious, or unconscious. An individual can be driven forward by more than one motive at a time. Adairs 50:50 rule says, 50% of motivation comes from within an individual, and 50% comes from his/her environment. As mentioned earlier, internal motivation occurs when a person characterizes an internal experience to the cause of his/her behavior, and that valued experience occurs while pursuing the task. Though it highly depends on an individual whether he/she gets motivated through external or internal factors, the following general steps might help you to get internally motivated: Listen to yourself first: Ask yourself what you want to know, what you want to do, and are you really willing to accomplish the task. Try and act upon your own ideas first.
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Believe and act: Act upon your own principles. Consider the task as if it is not at all that difficult to be accomplished. Believe in yourself and your abilities. Extend your knowledge: Knowledge is information that implements changes by making an individual capable of different actions. Try to increase the level of your knowledge. Be more interactive. Feel relaxed: Avoid getting panicky over minor issues. Be patient and relaxed, and believe in the concept of fun. Try to solve the issues with a calm and composed state of mind. Enjoy the task you are performing. Build your self-confidence: Work upon your self-confidence. Have trust in yourself. True confidence is about feeling comfortable with uncertainty and not knowing what the outcome will be. How you perceive yourself has a very high impact on how others perceive you. Therefore, the greater the self-confidence, the higher is the rate of success. People who are internally motivated show signs of higher levels of motivation, effort, creativity, and persistence in accomplishing tasks.
Steps Towards Motivation

People get motivated in number of ways. According to the motivational theories, following the steps towards motivation not only drives you to your destination with the development of positive energy in you, but it also helps in the enhancement of your selfesteem and confidence. The steps towards motivation, as described in the motivational theory are: Decide your vision: A motivating vision is very important to achieve your goal. Think about the force that motivates you from within to accomplish tasks. Think about the elements that help you to concentrate. Identify the factors that drive you towards your dream. This way, you can help yourself in developing a vision for motivation. Decide your goal: Since you have decided your vision, you can now move ahead to define your goal. Use all your senses to progress towards the success goal and keep on redefining your success goal. Once you start feeling the success, make note of what you actually observe. This process of visualizing and experiencing the achievement of goals will enable you to define your overall vision of success. Make a note of what you feel, what you see, the location you are at, the apparel you are wearing, and other peoples reaction towards you. The more detailed is your vision, the better you would be able to define your goal. When you are clear about what you are aiming to achieve, then you can concentrate on achieving the same. Plan the steps towards the success of your goal: Once you have decided upon your vision, have defined goals, and have a clear understanding of what success is to you, you can start working towards your goal. Define the steps in the form of milestones that will help you to climb the ladder of success.
How to Remain Motivated?

Although you may get motivated, you may face difficulty in remaining motivated until you achieve your goal. It is not uncommon to lose interest before the goal is achieved. For example, if you are assigned a very special task by your supervisor, you may express tremendous enthusiasm at the beginning because you know that the task is special.
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However, you can lose interest in the later stage and may not even complete the task. You tend to give excuses to yourself, such as, being discouraged, getting bored, and having too much work to do. Hence, although you have goals or dreams to accomplish, you are not making the desired progress. To remain motivated, you must: Take care of your interest: Undertake tasks that interest you. For example, ask any teenager how hard they will work to complete their school/college assignment compared to making arrangements for a party with friends. Understand your goals: It is very important that you remain clear about your goals and dreams. You can accomplish every goal if you define and visualize it. It is not possible to accomplish a vague and undefined goal. Thus, you must define a goal, which must be specific, precise, and concrete. Set small milestones: Small milestones are always easier and more fun to accomplish as compared to big milestones. For example, it is relatively hard to stay motivated over the years to put one lac rupees in your bank account, but its easy to start saving Rs 500 every month. You must have a clear, doable, and actionable plan, so that you can take steps one after another.
Motivating Others
When you think about motivating others, such as family members, friends, and colleagues, the main idea usually is to gel with them. Usually you motivate others to improve their behavior and encourage them to perform an activity. This can be done by inspiring them with your sense of achievement and motivational thoughts. You can improve your ability of inspiring and motivating others by: Being aware of the scope of motivation: As an individual, you must remember that each person is unique and may respond to different situations in a different manner. You can easily learn the various traits of an individual and process of motivating him/her, if you understand that each individual is unique in his/her own ways. Developing leadership qualities: You must develop leadership qualities if you want to motivate others. In other words, you must have the ability to lead others in order to motivate and inspire them. Following the eight rules of Adair: You can use the following eight rules of Adair to motivate people: Be motivated. Select people who are highly motivated. Treat each person as unique. Set realistic and challenging targets. Remember that progress motivates. Create a motivating environment. Provide fair rewards. Give recognition.
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Motivational Theories
The 1950s were an important period in the development of motivational concepts. During this period, numerous motivational theories originated. The following theories are best known for the explanation of motivation concepts: Hierarchy of needs theory: The most well-known theory of motivation is Abraham Maslows hierarchy of needs theory. He suggests that a person is motivated by inner needs rather than by external motives, such as rewards. Maslow identified that within every human being, there exists a hierarchy of five needs. These five needs are: Physiological needs: It includes needs such as hunger, thirst, and shelter. Safety needs: It includes security and protection from physical and emotional harm. Social needs: It includes affection, belongingness, acceptance, and friendship. Esteem needs: It includes internal esteem factors such as self-respect, autonomy, and achievement, and external esteem factors such as status, recognition, and attention. Self-actualization: It includes growth, achieving ones potential, and selffulfillment. Maslow divided these five needs into higher-order and lower-order needs. The higher-order needs are internal needs that are satisfied from within the person, whereas lower-order needs are external needs that are satisfied by external factors such as rewards, pay, union contracts, and tenure. The physiological and safety needs are the lower-order needs. On the other hand, social esteem, and self-actualization are higher-order needs. Two-factor theory: The two-factor theory, also known as the motivation theory was proposed by Frederick Herzberg. Herzberg identified 14 factors to be the sources of good (satisfaction) or bad (dissatisfaction) feelings. These 14 factors are recognition, achievement, possibility of growth, advancement, salary, interpersonal relations, supervision, responsibility, company policy and administration, working environment, work, factors in personal life, status, and job security. Herzberg categorized these 14factors into: Hygiene factors: These factors are needed to ensure that the employees working in an organization do not become dissatisfied. Though the hygiene factors do not cause higher levels of motivation, but without them there is dissatisfaction. According to Herzberg, the eight factors that can create job dissatisfaction are company policy and administration, supervision, interpersonal relations, salary, status, job security, factors in personal life, and working environment. Motivation factors: These factors are needed to motivate an employee for high performance. The motivation factors are the result of the internal motivation of an individual. According to Herzberg, six factors that can create job satisfaction are achievement, recognition, possibility of growth, advancement, responsibility, and work. Herzberg claimed that people who are satisfied with their jobs are motivated by the external factors such as achievement, recognition, and self actualization. By strengthening such factors, a manager would allow his/her team to have additional job improvement. Herzberg further identified that the factors leading
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Student Workbook
to job satisfaction are separate and different from those that lead to job dissatisfaction. Thus, managers who try to eliminate factors that can create job dissatisfaction may bring about peace but not necessarily motivation.
Applying Maslows Hierarchy of Need Theory

Read the following case scenario and answer the given question. John, a 30 year old engineer with Tayside Technology Ltd, works as a Technology Analyst earning Rs. 25 lacs per annum. Earlier, John had worked for two other organizations as Executive Engineer and Chief Technology Officer, respectively. He drives a Mercedes car. Like many of his generation, John is caught up in debt. He owes Rs. 10 lacs on his personal loans and has run up more than Rs 75, 000 on his credit cards. John is quite different from his father. According to John, the rules have changed now. He says, people go to college to get a decent job. But the majority of people graduate with high student debt. When John graduated, the job market was great. He got Rs. 80, 000 hiring bonus on his first job. When he was 28, he was making more money than his dad, who had been with the same company for over 20 years. But his dad had job security. And he had a nice retirement plan that will pay him a guaranteed pension when he turns 60. However, John does not even know whether he will ever be able to make sufficient money to continue to lead the life style he has been leading. John is in a dilemma right now. He is not sure about his future plans. He has no job security. He is paying Rs. 20,000 a month on his college loans and another Rs. 5,000 a month on his credit card account. He has got 30 more payments on his Mercedes car. His wife has asked him to start a family. She says that it would be nice to own a house. John is very frustrated. He feels that his generation has got a bad deal. Initially, he got great jobs with unrealistically high pay, but he admits that he got spoiled. He got used to working on one job for six months, quitting, then taking another and getting himself a 25 or 30 percent raise. He thought he would be rich and retired by 40. The competition for jobs, combined with pressures by business to keep costs down, means a future with minimal salary increases. According to John, it is pretty weird to be only 30 years old and to have your best years behind you. Question: Analyze John using Maslows hierarchy of need theory. Sample Answer According to Maslows hierarchy of need theory, the five needs of John are: Physiological need: There is need for shelter because his wife mentions owning a house. Safety need: There is need for job security. Social need: There is need to start a family. Esteem need: There is need for social esteem. This is exhibited in his possessing a Mercedes car. Self-actualization: There is need for self-actualization but that remains unfulfilled.
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Summary
In this session, you learned the following: Motivation is defined as the desire to accomplish a goal. Intrinsic motivation is based on various essential factors that come from inside of an individual. Extrinsic motivation is based on factors that come from outside of an individual. People who are internally motivated show signs of higher levels of motivation, effort, creativity, and persistence in accomplishing the task. The steps towards motivation, as described under the motivational theory are: Decide your vision. Decide your goal. Plan the steps towards the success of your goal. You can use the following eight rules of Adair to motivate people: Motivate yourself. Select people who are highly talented. Treat each person as unique. Set realistic and challenging targets. Remember that progress motivates. Create a motivating environment. Provide fair rewards. Maslow identified the following five needs: Physiological needs Safety needs Social needs Esteem needs Self-actualization
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NYJ Career Productivity Skills SW V1

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Career Productivity Skills

Career Productivity Skills

Session 1: Personality Traits

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Career Productivity Skills

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Career Productivity Skills

Developmental View of Personality

Using Defense Mechanisms

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Career Productivity Skills

Importance of Personality Traits

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Career Productivity Skills

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Career Productivity Skills

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Career Productivity Skills

Session 2: Tips on Personality Improvement

Introduction to Personality Improvement

Development of Personality Type

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Career Productivity Skills

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Career Productivity Skills

Relating and Responding to Others

Tools for Personality Improvement

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Career Productivity Skills

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Career Productivity Skills

Performing SWOT Analysis

Personal Quality Initiative (PQI)

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Career Productivity Skills

Parameter Get angry over trivial matters

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Career Productivity Skills

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

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Career Productivity Skills

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Career Productivity Skills

Ways to Improve Self-Esteem

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Career Productivity Skills

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Career Productivity Skills

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Career Productivity Skills

Session 3: Common Aspects of Business Etiquette

First Impression in Business

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Career Productivity Skills

Tips to Maintain a Good Impression at the Workplace

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Career Productivity Skills

The Business Handshake

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Career Productivity Skills

Mix and Mingle in Business Environment

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Career Productivity Skills

Exchanging Business Cards