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2 Workbook | Fundamental Workplace Skills | onlineacademy.co.za

Aggressive behaviour fails to consider the views or feelings of other individuals, while passive people do not regard themselves as equals, and being assertive involves taking into consideration your own rights, wishes, wants, needs and desires, as well as those of the other person.

Identify whether the following scenarios show assertive, aggressive or passive behaviours.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 01

CASE STUDY

Scenario Behaviour

It’s 10 o’clock and Xoliswa has a data statistics report due at 1 o’clock. Her direct manager asked her to attend a meeting as a minute-taker, from 11 o’clock until 12 ‘clock. Xoliswa has a deadline, and minute-taking is not in her job description. She reluctantly takes on the request as a favour for her manager.

There is a new employee who sits across from Xoliswa. She often sees her struggling with the process of uploading her work onto the work’s server. Xoliswa assists her by uploading the documents step by step. This has been going on for the past four assignments. The new employee now emails her assignments for Xoliswa to upload for her, blaming it on being unable to use the server. Xoliswa emails the assignments back to her, saying that she must keep trying using trial and error.

Xoliswa’s boyfriend has his 35th birthday celebration at 6.30 tonight. She ends work at 5 o’clock, and is usually home by 5.45pm. Her manager has asked her to review 15 client proposals. He tells her not to take the proposals home, as they are confiden-tial, so she has to stay an extra hour or two after work instead. Xoliswa negates her manager’s suggestion, letting him know that she will come into work early tomorrow, instead of staying the extra hour today.

Xoliswa has been late three times this week, and has blamed it on traffic every time. Her manager usually lets it slide, but he is concerned that Xoliswa will become a habitual latecomer. She is called into his office to address the matter. Xoliswa grows angry, and leaves while her manager is talking. She is now ignoring his emails, and Human Resources is involved, threatening her with suspension.

WHAT BEHAVIOUR HAS XOLISWA DISPLAYED?

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 02

GROUP WORK

1. What is the difference between being aggressive and being arrogant?

2. Why is assertiveness in the workplace such an important characteristic?

3. What, in your opinion, is the reason why not everyone has this skill or characteristic and what can they do to develop their levels of assertiveness?

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 03

SELF-EVALUATION

The following self-evaluation will allow you to identify and assess confident behaviour and behaviour associated with low self-esteem. It is not a test, and relies fully on you evaluating yourself as honestly as possible.

Instructions: To identify the self-confidence behaviour that you need help with, rate yourself according to the relevance of each statement. Read each statement and place an ‘x’ in the ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ column for each statement. If you are unsure about your answer, it may be useful to get a second opinion from a colleague who knows you well.

Are you self-confident? Yes No

1. Do you do what you believe to be right, even if others mock or criticize you for it?

2. Are you willing to take risks and go the extra mile?

3. Do you admit your mistakes, and learn from them?

4. Do you extol your own virtues as often as possible?

5. Do you dismiss compliments offhandedly?

If you have answered ‘No’ for a statement, discuss how you could improve on the self-confidence behaviour. If you answered ‘Yes’ for a statement, discuss the methods you use to achieve the self-confidence behaviour.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 04

INDIVIDUAL WORK

Match the aspects of business etiquette with the correct statement.

Benefits Significance Considerations Features

1. Establishing good rapport. ______________________

2. Business people are expected to dress professionally. ____________________

3. Tableside Etiquette. _______________________

4. Spurs innovation and industrial progress. ______________________

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 05

GROUP WORK

1. When organising an international business meeting over a meal, what considerations should you take into account to ensure each person is well accommodated? Are there any clashes in etiquette you would have to pay attention to?

Business clients and colleagues who are visiting your country should be treated with sensitivity and with an awareness of their unique culture.

2. Identify and discuss the etiquette in your country, relating to the culture each group member identifies as

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 06

INDIVIDUAL WORK

Match the steps to effective time management to each statement.

Plan Schedule Organise Assess Prioritise

1. Research shows that individuals who set personal goals have a greater chance of success. _______________________

2. Determine how you are currently using your time. ______________________

3. Ideally, you should make a list each morning of everything that you want or need to do for that day. ______________________

4. Rewrite in order which things you need to do at the top and less important or pressing tasks at the bottom. _____________________

5. Begin to work these ‘things to do’ into your time. _____________________

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 07

INDIVIDUAL WORK

State whether the following statements are true or false.

Statement True or False?

Not prioritising tasks is a time management mistake

Emails and Social Media are internet distractions

You can find more time by eliminating and multiplying

Task shifting is an element of achieving productivity

Multitasking is harmful to our brains

Before starting your work day, take 10 minutes to schedule your day

If you stated ‘false’ for any of the statements, provide the correct statement below:

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 08

CASE STUDY

Zahra is a junior manager at Twinkling Brand Agency, and has been in this position for 3 months. She has to present to top management twice a month, and she still gets nervous, despite her doing it several times.

Place an ‘X’ in the column next to the tips that are important to help her enhance her presentation abilities.

She must learn to alleviate her fears.

Develop an individualistic style.

Use her own laptop when presenting.

Adopt ways of building confidence.

Speak for at least an hour.

Can you think of any other tips she could use? List them below:

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 09

GROUP WORK

1. Discuss the best practices you have learned over time when making presentations to groups of people.

2. Why is it important to develop your own individualistic presentation style?

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 10

SELF-EVALUATION

Many people feel nervous when speaking publicly, either to a room of peers, conference delegates or an interview panel. The following self-evaluation will allow you to identify and assess whether you have performance anxiety. It is not a test, and relies fully on you evaluating yourself as honestly as possible.

Instructions: To identify whether you have performance anxiety, rate yourself according to the relevance of each statement. Read each statement and place an ‘x’ in the ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ column for each statement. If you are unsure about your answer, it may be useful to get a second opinion from a colleague who knows you well.

Do you have performance anxiety? Yes No

1. I get the feeling of butterflies in my stomach when I think about doing a presentation.

2. I am very concerned about how my audience will react to my presentation.

3. I fear that my presentation won’t yield good results, so I put it off.

4. I think about it until the very last second, which makes my heart rate accelerate.

5. When I am presenting, my voice trembles, and my palms become sweaty.

If you have answered ‘Yes’ for a statement, discuss the methods you could use to combat this anxiety. If you answered ‘No’ for a statement, discuss the methods you use to combat this anxiety.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 11

INDIVIDUAL WORK

There are ways of determining whether a meeting is worth your time. Place an ‘X’ for the tip relevant to the question.

Questions Tip X

Has a goal been set for the meeting?

Every meeting should have an objective.

Creating and distributing the meeting agenda one or two days before the meeting begins gives participants an opportunity to prepare for the meeting.

Has an agenda been created ahead

of time?

The purpose of most meetings is sharing information and updating others. If possible, make an effort to substitute these types of meetings.

Creating and distributing the meeting agenda one or two days before the meeting begins gives participants an opportunity to prepare for the meeting.

Will the appropriate people be attending?

It’s better to put the meeting on hold until all of the right people can be in the room.

Every meeting should have an objective.

Could the information be

covered in an email or memo?

The purpose of most meetings is sharing information and updating others. If possible, make an effort to substitute these types of meetings.

It’s better to put the meeting on hold until all of the right people can be in the room.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 12

GROUP WORK

1. What, in your opinion, are the biggest mistakes that are made in your business when meetings are held?

2. Many businesses have too many meetings. What could be the cause if this?

3. What, in your opinion, is the best time of day to meet for the following (motivate your answer):

• Recruiting new staff

• Strategy session

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 12

CONTINUED• Management meetings

• Drafting policies

• Staff evaluation meetings

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 13

INDIVIDUAL WORK

Establishing clear roles and responsibilities in your meeting helps to manage the meeting effectively. When roles are established, the participants have a clear understanding of what is taking place.

Write the participant’s role next to each responsibility.

Chairperson Minute-taker Attendees

1. Keep to the aim or objective of the meeting. ______________________

2. Contribute to the meeting. ______________________

3. Transition from agenda topic to the next. _______________________

4. Type up the minutes immediately after the meeting. ______________________

5. Obtain the agenda and become familiar with the topics. ______________________

6. Note the time the meeting begins. ____________________

7. Introduce the next presenter. ___________________

8. Remove distractions like cellphones. ____________________

9. Note items to be discussed in the next meeting. ____________________

10. Avoid carrying side conversations. _______________________

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 14

GROUP WORK

1. Identify the best possible ways to increase the attention of the attendees in a larger presentation, such as a seminar.

2. For which signs must the presenter be on the lookout to determine whether the attendees are engaging with presenter or not engaging?

3. Identify the success criteria of a successful presentation.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 15

GROUP WORK

1. Bridge building is the process of increasing rapport and affinity between people. Can you think of examples where bridge building is typically used?

2. When moving into negotiations, what are the factors that will give you a head start above another?

3. Can you think of names or tips to help you remember the names of people you meet?

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