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Trademark Acknowledgements

All products are registered trademarks of their respective organizations. All software is used for educational purposes only.

Item Name: Professional Skills Self Help Starter KitVersion: 1May, 2014Copyright ©NIIT Yuva Jyoti Ltd., 2012. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form, orby any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior writtenpermission of the publisher.

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About This Course

©NIIT Yuva Jyoti

i

About This Course

Welcome to the first step in an exciting journey towards a bright future!

The Professional Skills Self Help Starter Kit is your springboard to a number of interesting

interventions that will support your growth and development as a working professional in

five critical steps:

Understand the competencies required in today’s global working environment. 1.

Analyse where you stand on each of these competencies.2.

Work with us to improve your skills in all these areas.3.

Get certified on each of the competencies, so that potential employers recognize4.

your job-readiness.

Go ahead and build the career you always dreamt of!5.

The Starter Kit outlines the competencies that are considered global job-readiness skills, as

well as those that have been defined as essential professional skills by the IT & ITeS Sector

Skills Council of India and the National Skills Development Corporation.

We wish you all the best in your journey of learning and improvement and hope that you will

make the most of the opportunities being provided to you.

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Table of Contents

Communication --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving ----------------------------------------- 19

Accessing and Analysing Information ------------------------------------------ 25

Teamwork and Collaboration ------------------------------------------------------ 29

Time and Resource Management ------------------------------------------------ 39

Values and Ethics ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 51

Health Safety and Security ---------------------------------------------------------- 54

Building Aptitude----------------------------------------------------------------------- 70

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Communication

The ABCs are Attitude, Behaviour and

Communication skills.

- Gerald Chertavian

Social Entrepreneur and Founder CEO of Year Up

“ ”

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Communication Skills

Communication is an integral part of our life. We all communicate to share information,ideas, thoughts, and feelings. This session provides an introduction to communication and

its process. It describes the different elements of communication. In addition, it alsodescribes the types of communication and the medium of communication

In this module, you will:

Understand the elements of communication

Identify the types of communication

Discover how to communicate assertively

Identify ways to improve your conversational skills

Communication is defined as the process of sharing information, ideas, facts, or emotionsbetween two or more persons. The information is shared by various methods. Thesemethods are auditory such as speaking or singing and physical such as gestures, touch, oreye contact.

Communication involves exchange of information. However, it is effective when thecommunicating parties are able to comprehend the intended message. In perfectcommunication, there will be no dilution, exaggeration, or distortion of messages. A clearunderstanding of the terms used in the communication process is essential for effectivecommunication. Symbols, gestures, sounds, letters, numbers, and words are used torepresent or approximate the ideas that they are meant to communicate.

Communication takes place between a sender and a receiver. It can flow in one direction(when there is no feedback from the receiver) or can be bi-directional (when there isfeedback from the receiver)

Communication Process

ENCODING DECODINGCHANNEL

NOISE

TRANSMIT

MESSAGE

RECEIVE

FEEDBACK

MESSAGE

RECEIVERSENDER ENCODING DECODINGCHANNEL

NOISE

TRANSMIT

MESSAGE

RECEIVE

FEEDBACK

MESSAGE

RECEIVERSENDER

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The process of communication involves the following five elements:

Sender : Sender is the one who initiates communication.

Message: Message is the core idea that has to be communicated which mayconsist of both verbal (written & spoken) and non-verbal (unspoken) symbols.

Medium: Medium refers to the channel used for sending messages.Receiver : Receiver is the one who receives the message, that is, the reader or thelistener. Receiver is the person who senses or perceives the sender‟s message.

Feedback: Feedback is the response from the receiver to indicate that themessage has been understood correctly.

If the message does not reach the receiver and if the desired response is not received, thencommunication has not been effective.

Types of Communication

We are involved in varying degrees of regular contact with people. These contacts areclassified as follows:

Personal: It refers to face to face or telephonic conversations. This includes verbaland non-verbal communication.

Verbal communication is expression of thoughts in spoken words; this could bein words, phrases, or sentences.

Non-verbal communication consists of expressions and body language.

Impersonal: It refers to paperwork, that is, through letters or processing forms /complaints.

Verbal communication

In a working environment, you need to focus on the words that you use in verbal

communication. Problems are inevitable at any place. However, you should avoid words thatare critical, judgmental, or harsh that tends to create a resistant and defensive mindset. Youshould select words that normalize the issues and problems and reduce resistance. Amessage conveyed should be clear and crisp. Further, listening to the message is anotherpart of verbal communication. Listening to a disorganized message is tedious and themessage loses its impact. However, to understand the message, you need to listen to themessage actively and understand the relevance of the message. Therefore, in verbalcommunication, you need to choose appropriate words that are clear and concise. Avoid

jargon, confusing words and short form of a terminology. Do not use conflicting words thatmight create a resistance in the mind of a listener.

It has been observed that 55% communication is based on non-verbal clues, such as facialexpression and body language. Voice intonation, which includes tone, tempo, pitch, and

volume, makes up 38% of our communication, while actual words account for only 7% ofcommunication.

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Non-Verbal communication

Non-verbal communication consists of:

Kinesics: This includes gestures, postures, and facial expressions. Your faceconveys your emotional information, especially the eyes. Eyes are very expressive

and instantly show joy, sadness, anger, and confusion.Further, body postures can create a feeling of warm openness or cold rejection. Forexample, a person sitting in a meeting with arms crossed portrays rigidity.Whereas, a person sitting with hands loosely folded portrays a feeling of interestand expectation.

Proxemics: This focuses on the distance to be maintained while talking. You needto maintain a space while talking with another person to make the communicationmore comfortable.

Paralanguage: This focuses on the tone, speed, and volume of your speech. Forexample, the words on which you emphasize change the manner of yourcommunication.

“I didn‟t SAY you were good.”

“I didn‟t say YOU were good.”

“I didn‟t say you were GOOD.”

Therefore, while communicating, you need to focus on all these aspects.

Communication Styles

In addition to the nonverbal communication cues discussed, how we say things is influencedby culture. This is referred to as "communication style." Each person has its owncommunication style.

Let‟s learn about them.

Communication Styles

Assertive

Aggressive

Passive

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Words that describe aggressive style of communication:

Pushy; demanding; thoughtless; unyielding; angry; loud; violent; forceful; hostile;destructive; belligerent; antagonistic; forceful; insistent; hard-line; assertive; hard hitting;uncompromising; walking over others

Words that describe passive style of communication:

Inert, inactive, indecisive, unreceptive, submissive, no mind of her/his own, sedentary,sluggish, lifeless, compliant, subservient, docile, meek, timid, rarely express opinions, shy,anxious, tries to please others

Words that describe assertive style of communication:

Self-confident, self-assured, confident, firm, forceful, forward, open, honest, direct, calm, firm

To be an effective communicator, you have to be assertive -- and neither passive noraggressive.

To sum up, aggressiveness is pushing to get what you want and almost stepping on the

feelings and needs of others to get there. Such persons tend to show lack of respect forothers, as in an “I win, you lose” situation.

Passiveness is giving in and bending to the needs of others at the expense of you. Suchpersons show a lack of respect for themselves. It is like a “you win, I lose” situation.

Assertiveness is working toward meeting your needs as well as of others. Assertive behaviourlooks for and offers open, honest and direct communication. It presents an example of “win-win”situation.

We do not need to look at every step in a conversation to check for aggressiveness,passiveness or assertiveness. We must look at the overall handling of a situation to see howthe communication has been handled.

Activity: Being Assertive in an Interview Setting

Instructions:

Respond to each of the following questions according to how you think you wouldreact in the given situation.

For each question, imagine that you are faced with the given situation in a jobinterview, even if it seems unlikely. Then, select a response from the given optionsthat you think is the closest to how you would respond to the situation.

Answer as honestly as you can.

Interview Questionnaire

The interviewer asks you several questions, in a row, that require you to provide1.comprehensive responses. However, he gives you neither the time nor theopportunity to share what you have to offer. What would you do?

a. Answer the questions, but tell the interviewer that you would like to provideadditional information that you think supports your application moreappropriately.

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b. Answer the questions as best as possible, even though you can feel thedisappointment and despair setting in.

c. Instead of answering the questions and being unhappy about it, you tell theinterviewer that the questions he asked were besides the point.

As your discussion with the interviewer turns into an argument, you can sense his2.displeasure mounting, gradually yet steadily. What would you do?

a. Resist the urge to continue the argument while you can still think calmly. Makean effort to end the argument by mentioning that the discussion does not seemto be leading to an agreement, in a polite and friendly manner.

b. Carry on with the argument looking for opportunities to prove the interviewerincorrect.

c. Surrender by accepting the interviewer‟s point of view.

The interviewer asks closed-ended questions that require nothing but a single word3.response and rob you of the opportunity to explain your point. What would you do?

a. Provide one word responses, feeling both relieved at not having to give lengthyexplanations, and uneasy that you are not providing enough information.

b. Expand your responses, so that you provide more details to support yourapplication.

c. Provide one word responses in an irritable tone, which indicates that you areunhappy with the interviewer‟s style of questioning.

The interviewer appears to have a dominating personality. What would you do?4.

a. Adopt a formal interaction style. Thereby maintaining distance with theinterviewer.

b. Adopt a provokingly indifferent pose, while responding, in order to intimidatethe interviewer.

c. Be as straightforward as possible with your answers.

The interviewer congratulates you for being a member of the student committee.5.What would you do?

a. Hastily add that you did not really have any competition for the post, thecommittee had power only on paper and your only contribution to thecommittee was to attend the meetings, which were rare and infrequent.

b. Provide a lengthy explanation of your contribution to this committee as well asother posts in an effort to overwhelm the interviewer with your capability.

c. Accept the compliment gracefully and with a smile.

The interviewer shares with you that he is upset due to personal reasons. This6.makes you a little uncomfortable. What would you do?

a. Wait for the interviewer to recuperate from his distress while maintaining

indifferent silence.b. Briefly sympathize with the interviewer and patiently wait for him to respond.

c. Allow the interviewer to see your awkwardness but make an effort to lessen hisgrief by making little of the situation.

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You are not aware of the correct answer to a technical question that you have been7.asked. However, this specific field was not covered at length in your professionalcourse. What would you do?

a. Tell the interviewer that your resume‟ clearly shows that this field was notcovered in your course.

b. Try to answer the question somehow since you cannot admit to the interviewerthat you have no clue about what the answer could be.

c. Admit that you don‟t know the answer and that this field wasn‟t covered in yourcourse. You, however, attempt to provide an answer based on logic with yourlimited knowledge on the subject.

The interviewer becomes considerably aggressive in his questioning. He speaks to8.you in a raised volume and makes offensive comments. What would you do?

a. You respond in a similar manner.

b. You sit back in your chair, feeling angry yet fearful and unable to speak. Or youapologize to the interviewer for offending him unknowingly.

c. You try to maintain your composure and convey to the interviewer in a politeyet firm tone and language that his comments are insulting. You add that youwill continue to participate in the interview once the interviewer calms down.

You are very nervous and anxious about appearing for the interview. You are9.certain that the interviewer is aware of this nervousness. What would you do?

a. Admit to your anxiety with a touch of humour, if possible, while explaining thatyou are unfamiliar with this situation and its outcome is very important to you.

b. Mask your nervousness with an aggressive approach to the interview.

c. Steer clear of any discussions about your nervousness. You are afraid that anymention of your anxiety will make it noticeable to the interviewer.

The interviewer presents a hypothetical situation and asks how you would act in10.

certain specific circumstances. The situation and the circumstances presented areso unbelievable that they completely confuse you. You find the question soridiculous that you would be laughing out loud if you weren‟t being interviewed.What would you do?

a. Permit the interviewer to see your confusion without disclosing how hilariousyou find the question. You hope this will encourage the interviewer tosympathize with you and help you out.

b. Answer the question with full seriousness, while permitting the interviewer tosee that you find the presented situation slightly far-fetched. You think throughthe presented situation, asking for clarifications wherever you need it.

c. Mask your confusion and amusement but refuse to answer the question sinceyou find it senseless.

The interviewer asks if you agree with the company‟s policy, details on which were11.sent to you prior to the interview. You weren‟t exactly thrilled with all that you cameacross in the policy. What would you do?

a. Admit that you were apprehensive about certain points in the policy, andprovide an example or two. You simultaneously acknowledge that your opinionmay be the result of insufficient experience and knowledge on the subject.

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b. Speak about the policy with admiration, stating that your approval of the policywasn‟t really warranted.

c. Critique the points in the policy that you disagreed with at length. Providedetails about the changes you would make if it was your job to make thepolicies.

The interviewer makes a suggestion that your professional course was an easy12.way out compared with the other courses in the market. What would you do?

a. Make it clear to the interviewer that his statement has offended you byresponding with anger.

b. Hold back any anger that you might feel, and convey in a neutral and steadytone that the interviewer ‟s suggestion has offended you. Carry on, providing arealistic and justified evaluation of the difficulty standard of the course.

c. Despite feeling angry and hurt by the interviewer‟s comments, you nod inagreement, feeling afraid that you might offend him.

Scoring

Assign 1 point to every response you have selected.

Add the score for each style.

The communication style in which your score is the highest is the style you tend torepresent in job interviews.

CommunicationStyle

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 SCORE

Aggressive

Passive

Assertive

Reflect: Do you agree with the evaluation? Which questions did you find most applied toyou?

Attributes of Communication Styles

Take a look at some of the different attributes of each style.

Styles

Features

Aggressive Assertive Passive

Definition

A style in which youstand up for yourrights, but you violatethe rights of others.

A style that permitsyou to stand up foryour rights whilemaintaining respectfor the rights of others.

A style in which youput the rights of othersbefore your own,minimizing your ownself-worth.

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Styles

Features

Aggressive Assertive Passive

Implications toOthers

“Your feelings are not

important”, “You don‟t matter”,

“I think I‟m superior”.

“We are both

important” “we both matter”,

“I think we are equal”.

“My feelings are not

important”, “I don‟t matter”,

“I think I‟m inferior”.

Verbal Styles

Your statements thatimplicate blame.

Loud voice.

My statements.

Firm voice.

Apologetic.

Overly soft or tentativevoice.

Non-VerbalStyles

Staring, narrow eyes.

Tense, clenched fists,rigid posture, pointingfingers.

Looking directly at theperson

Relaxed posture,smooth and relaxed

movements.

Looking down or away.

Stooped posture,excessive headnodding.

PotentialConsequences

Guilt,

Anger from others,

Lower self-esteem,

Disrespect fromothers,

Feared by others.

High self-esteem,

Self-respect,

Respect from others,

Respect for others.

Lower self-esteem

Anger at self,

False feelings ofinferiority,

Disrespect fromothers,

Pitied by others.

Changing your communication style will not happen overnight. It takes a lot of practice. Toreinforce new communication approaches or to learn about them, read books on being

assertive, listen to audiotapes, or learn by observing your colleagues who are assertive.Learn how they communicate effectively with others.

Assertive Communication

Assertive communication means transmitting information, needs and feelings in an honest,direct and open manner.

Honest means: “This is really what I know or feel, not what I think you want orexpect me to know or feel.”

Direct means: “I‟m discussing it with you since you are the person involved. I‟m nottalking about it behind your back.”

Open means: “I‟m sincerely interested in your viewpoint on this issue and in otherareas of our relationship as well.”

Open, honest and direct communication is sometimes difficult, especially when it exposesyour feelings. But assertive language can be helpful in difficult conversations.

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If you want to be more assertive, try the following:

Make direct eye contact with the person with whom you are speaking.

Have an open posture (stand erect; don't cross arms, for instance).

Speak clearly, audibly, firmly, and honestly. (This may take some practice.) Use "I”

statements. For example, "I would prefer a sandwich that is not burned. I wouldappreciate if you would take this one back to the kitchen and ask the cook to makeme another."

Do not apologize for your request or assertion. Do not say statements as if theywere questions (with the intonation rising at the end).Remember that it's perfectlyOK for you to ask for what you want in a non-aggressive way.

Techniques for Assertiveness

The following are different ways in which you can adopt a more assertive style ofcommunication:

Tension Control: The first step to assertiveness is controlling your anxiety.1.

Anxiousness leads to higher levels of stress and usually leads conversations to aburn-off stage. When anxious, one is not able to reason or think logically. Variousstrategies of tension control range from personal style of taking a deep breath tomeditation. Use what works best for you. As you relax, exercise your mind in apositive way and avoid unhelpful distractions, thereby achieving an inner calm.

Positive Thinking: Assertive people have a positive self-image; they use positive2.language; they look for positive outcome to interactions; they work with others toprovide positive solutions to problems which can make both sides „win‟; they arepositive in their respect for others‟ views and opinions, even if they do not sharethose views.

a. Identify how you feel and what you need.

b. Acknowledge your true feelings to yourself.c. Develop a value and belief system, which allows you to assert yourself. This is

the hardest part. It means giving yourself a permission to be angry, to say "no",to ask for help, and to make mistakes.

d. Identify and label the feeling you are experiencing. For example, do you feelangry, frustrated, hurt, bored, embarrassed, stressed, or anxious? It may bedifficult at first to identify and label your feelings if you are accustomed topushing feelings away.

e. Select the primary emotion that you feel. Some emotions mask other deeperemotions. For example, some people will be angry at the surface, but feel hurtor scared underneath.

f. Accurately identify the intensity of the emotion you feel. For example, angercan be felt on a continuum of irritation to mad to furious.

g. Identify what you need from the other. For example, "I need to be heard," or "Ineed to say no to that request."

Positive Self-Image: Undermined confidence equals a lower self-esteem, which in3.turn can produce non-assertive behaviour. The image you present to others,whether by your physical appearance, clothes, hairstyle or the body language has a

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lot to do with whether they perceive you as assertive. Assertive people have apositive self-image; they will use positive language; they will look for positiveoutcomes to interactions; they will work with the other person to provide positivesolutions to problems by which both sides „win‟; they will be positive in their respectfor the other person‟s views and opinions, whether or not they share these views.

Body Language:4.a. Maintain an assertive body posture.

b. Have direct eye contact. Looking at someone while speaking communicates astronger message, along with attention and interest.

c. Hold your body upright yet relaxed (do not appear stiff or stubborn) Standing orsitting up straight when speaking communicates that you mean it.

d. Gestures - Use open gestures and postures. Usually a higher degree of showof palms, indicating openness.

e. Face - Keep your face relaxed, showing sincerity, confidence andresponsiveness. Be sure your facial expression agrees with the message.

f. Breath - Try to breathe normally and don't hold your breath.

Positive Language: Clear, concise and constructive vocabulary is an5.all-important aspect of assertiveness. So is the ability to phrase discussions in apositive way; it helps your cause and makes the other person feel less threatenedand more responsive.

a. Listen attentively. Do not interrupt while the other person is speaking.

b. Concentrate more on the other person. Read the signs – body language;speech patterns and rhythms; levels of apparent tension or calmness.

c. Acknowledge (to yourself and to the guest) – block out various barriers oflistening

d. Summarize and review.

e. Sift information – discard assumptions, views and opinions and store facts.f. Give 100% attention –- be present on a one-to-one basis. Encourage the

speaker by your attentiveness, expressions of interest and by askingquestions. Read between the lines for non-verbal, hidden message. If need be,clarify the same.

Benefits of Assertive Communication

The following are some of the benefits of assertive communication:

Leaves no scope for resentment to foster

Helps to uncover the actual needs of the person you‟re with

Improves the chances of finding a win-win situationReduces unproductive communication

Increases time for problem-solving

Increases self-esteem and personal sense of control

Promotes your ideas, products and services

Fosters teambuilding

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Brings feelings and issues in the open

Reinforces your leadership

Improving your Conversation Skills

In addition to good communication skills, you also need to possess good conversationalskills. To be a good conversationalist, you need to work on some basic skills that arerequired to make a conversation effective. These skills can be broadly divided into thefollowing categories:

Speaking skills

Listening skills

Nonverbal cues

Emotional awareness

Speaking Skills

One way to improve your speaking skills is to increase your vocabulary. The more you readand listen to people talk, the greater is the possibility of you picking up new words andlearning to use them in the right context. Correct use of grammar is important, not just tocreate a positive impression on your listeners, but also to achieve clarity in your message.Improperly constructed messages and wrong pronunciations can create confusion andcause misunderstandings between you and the listeners.

Keep in mind that your voice reflects your attitude. For example, even if your usageof words is correct and intended to be polite, your tone could indicate the opposite.Your voice is made up of the following five distinct elements:

Tone: Your tone expresses your overall attitude and lets the person you arecommunicating with know how you feel about him.

Inflection: This refers to the way you highlight certain words and phrases.

When used well, you can use inflection to stress the importance of certainwords and keep the listener engaged and on track.

Pitch: This refers to how high or low your voice sounds. Generally,higher- pitched voices sound harsh, while lower and deeper voices tend to bemore soothing.

Rate of speech: This refers to the speed and pace of your voice. Speak slowlyand clearly, and/or adjust the rate of speech to match that of the conversationpartner.

Volume: This refers to how soft or loud you speak. Volume is the easiestelement to control. However, many people are unaware that they speak toosoftly or loudly and need to be coached to use an appropriate level when

speaking.

Listening Skills

Apart from your ability to speak well, one of the most important conversation skills is theability to turn into a good listener. This is an aspect of effective conversations that cannot besubstituted with anything else. Effective and active listening involves not just hearing andunderstanding the words that the speaker uses and the information that is passed on to you,

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it also involves identifying and understanding the feelings behind the speaker‟scommunication. Effective listening can benefit a conversation in the following ways:

When you listen attentively to the speaker, it makes him feel heard and understood.This in turn creates a foundation to form a stronger, deeper connection betweenyou and the speaker.

It enables the speaker to trust you enough to express his ideas, opinions, andfeelings without the fear of being judged. This leads to the better focus on creativeplanning and problem solving.

Effective listening saves your time as well as the speaker‟s. When you payattention to what someone is saying, you usually eliminate the need for the sameinformation to be repeated. This saves time and enables you to carry theconversation forward with minimal repetition of points. It also enables you to askrelevant and specific questions when clarification may be needed, thereby avoidingmisunderstandings.

Emotions can run high during a conversation, especially when the topic iscontroversial or if the participants feel strongly about what is being discussed.

When the speaker feels that you are listening attentively to him and trying tounderstand his point of view, it can help to calm his emotions. This takes the focusaway from negative feelings and diverts the conversation towards problem solving.

Listening effectively comes naturally when you are genuinely motivated andinterested in what the other person is saying. However, there may be instanceswhen distractions may occur and make it hard for you to pay attention to thespeaker. You can use the following tips to overcome such circumstances and makeyour conversations more satisfying and rewarding:

Try and place complete focus on the speaker, such as what he says, how hesays it, what his nonverbal cues indicate, and so on. If you are distracted withother conversations going around, checking the time, looking at your phone,and so on, you will miss the important cues, which provide you with a great

deal of information about the speaker and the conversation itself. If you find ithard to concentrate on what the speaker is saying, try repeating his words inyour mind. This helps to reinforce the message he is trying to convey andkeeps your mind from drifting away.

Minimize interruptions as much as possible. This also involves self-createdinterruptions, such as cutting the speaker off to make your point or direct theconversation to your concerns. If you want to contribute to the conversation,wait for the speaker to finish, and then make your point. However, keep inmind that you still need to pay attention and listen to the speaker while you arewaiting for your turn to speak. If you stop paying attention, it is possible that thespeaker is able to read your nonverbal cues and he/she realizes that you areonly pretending to listen to him/her.

It is possible that you may not agree with the speaker‟s views, opinions,feelings, or beliefs. However, set your judgment aside and show respect to thespeaker. You do not necessarily need to agree with him to be able to makeyour communication effective and successful. Active listening involvesunderstanding. When you make an effort to understand the speaker‟s point ofview, it may help you to form a kind of connection with the speaker, which youhad never thought could be possible.

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You may be a good listener, but sometimes, it‟s important to convey this to thespeaker. Drop subtle hints in the form of nods and verbal cues, such as“Hmm”, “Ummhmm”, “yes”, “I see”, and so on. This not only shows that you arepaying attention, but also encourages the speaker to continue.

Nonverbal CuesThe way in which you move or fail to move, react or fail to react tells the otherperson as much, and sometimes even more, about you than your words do.

Developing and enhancing your knowledge of ability to understand and usenonverbal communication can greatly enhance your ability to connect with peopleeffectively and express your message correctly. Correct display of appropriate bodylanguage helps to create a positive impression about you. For example, when youadopt an open body posture, keeping arms uncrossed and standing with an openstance, it creates the impression that you are a confident person. When youmaintain direct eye contact, it conveys confidence and interest. Sitting with astraight posture and a slight forward lean indicates you are interested in what thespeaker has to say.

Body language, when used in sync with verbal communication, enhances andsupports your verbal messages. However, when your body language gives adifferent message than what your words imply, it may create a doubt in the mind ofthe person you are interacting with.

Effective nonverbal communication has two aspects, such as your delivery ofnonverbal cues and your interpretation of other‟s nonverbal cues. Mastering boththese aspects can greatly enhance your and your partner‟s conversationexperience.

You can use the following tips to improve your interpretation of other people‟s nonverbalcues:

Exercise:

Practice by observing other people‟s nonverbal cues. You can start in a relati velysafe environment such as your home, and then move on to friends home. This willhelp you read and interpret each action, even if you do it with the help of trial anderror. Also, pay attention to how people act and react in malls, buses, trains,restaurants, and so on. These observations can teach you a great deal about howappropriate or inappropriate a certain action appears to others. Try to guess whatrelationship the speakers share, what they might be discussing, and how eachindividual feels about what is being discussed.

Pay attention to and be cautious of individual differences. Although most nonverbalcues may be interpreted in a specific way across a particular culture, these

interpretations may not hold true for people belonging to different cultures andbackgrounds. People from different cultural backgrounds may exhibit nonverbalcues that are different from those that you exhibit. They may also interpret yournonverbal cues differently than what you had intended.

Look at an individual‟s nonverbal cues holistically. Sometimes, a single gesturemay not communicate enough information. In such cases, do not force yourself tolabel that specific signal. Instead, look at the whole gamut of nonverbal signals

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Communication


presented by the person you are interacting with in context of the current situation. Also, when you adopt this approach to nonverbal communication, you allow theother person a certain margin of error. This is good as anyone can make anoccasional slip.

Reflect: How effective are you at picking up non-verbal cues?

Emotional Awareness

Emotions play an important role in the way you communicate with people. Theyrepresent how you feel, and it‟s usually feelings that provoke you to communicateand make decisions. Your emotionally-driven words and nonverbal signals andreactions influence how you understand others and how others understand you.Not being in touch with your feelings, and not understanding why you feel the wayyou feel, can create complications and hurdles in communicating your feelings andneeds to others. The consequences of this, ranges from frustration, anger,misunderstandings, conflict, and many failed conversations. Therefore, it isimperative for you to address your emotions and the causes behind them. A failure

in doing so leads to displaced emotions and reactions.Emotional awareness provides you with the tools you need to interpret not just yourbehavior but also that of others around you. It also provides clarity that helps you tocorrectly interpret the messages that people try to convey to you. It helps you tomanage your feelings appropriately.

Emotional awareness helps you to:

Identify and understand what is really troubling other people.

Understand yourself, what‟s really troubling you as well as your expectations.

Stay motivated to understand and empathize with the people you are interactingwith, even if you do not approve of them or their messages.

Communicate clearly, effectively, and constructively.

Build strong, trusting, and rewarding relationships.

Indulge in creative thinking, problem solving, and conflict resolution.

Even though the benefits of enhancing your emotional awareness are obvious, itmay often be difficult for someone to identify and understand them. No matter howhard this task may seem to you, remember that your ability to communicatedepends on staying connected to these feelings. You can‟t rely only on yourthinking when it comes to conversing with people or making decisions. Emotionshave a way of creeping up on you. Therefore, it is best to acknowledge them andfigure out a way to use them to your advantage.

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Communication


Conversation Etiquette

Conversation

Let us take a look at some of the guidelines that will help in following appropriateconversation etiquette:

Do not interrupt: One of the most common mistakes that people make whileconversing is to interrupt the speaker while he is talking. The impression that this

act portrays is that you are not interested in what the other person is saying ortalking about. Regardless of what you want to say, refrain from cutting the otherperson off. Wait for him to finish speaking, and then put your point forward. There isa simple solution for this mistake, focus on listening to what is being said. Listeningmeans paying attention to what the person is saying, as well as its impliedmeaning. Do not lose focus by using this time to think what you should say next.This may lead to a situation where you miss chunks of the conversation, and as aresult, may not be able to contribute to it as you do not understand it completely.

Do not dominate the conversation: Remember a conversation involves morethan one person talking and listening to each other. If you are the only persontalking, it will be more like a lecture than a conversation. Even if you feel you havemore interesting stories to contribute to the conversation, give the other person a

chance to speak. Think of how you would feel if you were part of a conversationwith someone who did not allow you to talk at all.

Go with the flow: A conversation usually sees a multitude of topics beingdiscussed. It is possible that you may be more interested in few of them over theothers. However, this does not make it alright for you to change topics as and whenyou want to. Do not make forced transitions from one topic to another, especiallywhen no one else is interested in talking about it. Go with the flow of theconversation. Sense what everyone is interested in. Any shift in the conversationshould be subtle.

Focus on your audience: It is important that you get to know your audience. Assertiveness in conversations is good. However, you should know when to draw

the line. Effective conversations are those that are tailored to their participants. Ifthe content, tone, and verbiage of your conversation is not suited to the people youare interacting with, you may actually end up offending someone. Often yourrelationship with the person you are talking to defines how you should go aboutyour conversation.

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Communication


Introduce the participants: Show respect to the people participating in theconversation by introducing them to each other, if they haven‟t met before. If thisslips your mind, although it shouldn‟t, correct your mistake immediately. It createsan awkward situation if you are the only one who knows everyone who is present. Itmay also be interpreted as a rude and disrespectful act on your part by the other

participants.Don’t treat a conversation as a competition: A conversation is an interactionbetween two or more people. It is not a competition. This means that you do notneed to prove to everyone present that you are better than the other speakers. Thefocus should stay equally on all the participants. However, even if someone elseseems to be walking away with the limelight for few moments, it is not a reasonenough for you to top the person‟s story. An act like this can alienate the otherperson.

Eye contact: Maintaining eye contact communicates that you are interested inwhat the person is saying as well as the person himself. On the other hand,improper eye contact or constantly looking over the person‟s shoulder indicates thatyou would rather be speaking to someone else. Nothing could be more

disrespectful than giving someone this feeling. There is a way to exit aconversation.

Do not let your phone distract you: When you are conversing with someone, heshould be the focus of your attention. If you cannot switch off your phone, ensurethat it is in the silent mode. This is true even if the conversation isn‟t taking place ina professional setting. If it is extremely important for you to answer a call, excuseyourself appropriately from the conversation. Don‟t insult other participants bychecking every text message, e-mail, reminder, and so on. Few minutes‟ wait won‟tharm the person texting you.

Mind your language: Refrain from using any kind of profanity in yourconversations. This is especially true when the conversation takes place in a

professional setting or when you are interacting with someone for the first time.Regardless of how strongly you feel about the topic being discussed, keep youremotions and your language in check. You never know who you might offend.

Greet people appropriately: If someone approaches you and initiates aconversation while you are seated, make an effort to greet the personappropriately. If the person continues to stand while talking, it is only right that youstand up or at least offer the person a seat.

Summary:

In this module, you learned:

Communication is defined as the process of sharing information, ideas, facts, or

emotions between two or more persons.The process of communication involves 5 elements: Sender, Receiver, Medium,Message and Feedback.

Communication can be personal or impersonal, verbal or non-verbal.

How we communicate is referred to as a communication style. Communicationstyles can be Passive, Aggressive or Assertive.

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Communication


The most desirable style of communication is Assertive. Assertiveness can beaccomplished through:

Tension control

Thinking

Postive self image Postive body language

Conversation skills can be improved by developing the following:

Speaking Skills

Listening Skills

Non-verbal cues

Emotional awareness

Maintaining rules for conversation etiquette will improve your communication skills

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Critical Thinking andProblem Solving

The ability to ask the right questions is the single

most important skill

- Clay Parker

President, BOC Edwards

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Critical Thinkin and Problem Solvin


Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Everyone experiences problems from time to time. Some of our problems are big andcomplicated, while others may be more easily solved. In our everyday lives, we face multiple

challenges and issues that need to be resolved satisfactorily. Whether related to the tasks athand or to co-workers, the workplace presents challenges on a daily basis. Small or large,these problems need to be dealt with constructively and fairly. Having the necessary skills toidentify solutions to problems is one of the skills that employers look for in employees.

Problem solving and critical thinking refers to the ability to use knowledge, facts, and data toeffectively solve problems. This doesn’t mean you need to have an immediate answer, itmeans you have to be able to think on your feet, assess problems and find solutions.

Successful organizations recognize that critical thinking and creative solutions to problemssignificantly enhance business potential. Today's decision makers must use a variety ofthinking styles, methodologies and creative processes identify solutions and innovate.


Identify concepts related to critical thinking, problem solving and decision making

Understand and apply tools to enhance your skills in these areas

Critical Thinking

“Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively andskilfully conceptualising, applying, analysing, synthesising, and/orevaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation,experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide tobelief and action.”

(Michael Scriven & Richard Paul - 8th Annual International Conference on Critical Thinking

and Education Reform, Summer 1987)

In other words, a person who thinks critically learns to acquire data or information,analyse the information, reach a conclusion, evaluate that conclusion to test itsreasonableness, and finally arrives at a logical result. This entire chain of eventsrepresents the process of critical thinking.

Attributes of critical thinking

Experts believe that critical thinking includes the following attributes:

Analysing – understanding a given situation in terms of nature, relationships,functions

Applying standards – making a judgment on the basis of personal, professional orsocially accepted yardsticks

Discriminating – recognising and distinguishing between differences andsimilarities

Information seeking – actively gathering evidence, information and data, andidentifying appropriate sources of facts and figures

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Logical reasoning – arriving at reasonable conclusions supported by availableevidence and data

Planning – being able to use evidence and conclusions derived from it to plan for afuture period

Tools of critical thinking

The four main types of critical thinking tools are: Getting the Facts, Evaluating the Facts,Drawing a Conclusion using Logic, and Evaluating a Conclusion. Data collection,analysis and deriving appropriate and reasonable conclusions are all tools that help us tothink critically. However, the most important tool is questioning. It is not enough to collectdata; the data must then be questioned. “Is this information relevant?”, “Is it important?”, or“Is it significant?” are some of the questions that may be raised to evaluate the value ofavailable evidence. Similarly when drawing conclusions from the data, one needs to ask ifthe conclusion is reasonable, consistent with the data, or logical. Remember, it is asimportant to question yourself and the conclusions you have reached as it is to question thedata you have obtained.

It is also important that we ask questions not just of other people’s thinking, but that we alsochallenge, and ask questions of, our own thinking. One of the most important questions youcan ask another person is, “Let me understand what you are saying. Are you saying…?”Then in different words, repeat what you think the other person is saying, or repeat what youthink you are saying in a different way. This helps to express the problem in a different wayas well as to clarify the situation. Admitting that you may not understand what someone elseis saying is also a great way to open up more critical thinking questions.

Reflect: Imagine you have been called to the site of an accident to determine who wasresponsible. How would you proceed?

(Hint: Begin by collecting basic data – who was involved, what happened, where did ithappen, when did it happen, how did it happen, etc? What are the relevant facts? Do thefacts support your conclusion?)

Tools of Critical

Thinking

Getting the

Facts

Evaluating

the Facts

Drawing a

Conclusionusing Logic

Evaluating

aConclusion

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Decision Making

Decision making is the process of selecting a logical choice from available options, in orderto best achieve one’s objectives. When trying to make a good decision, a person mustweigh the positives and negatives of each option, and consider all the alternatives. For

effective decision making, a person must be able to reasonably forecast the outcome ofeach option as well, and based on all these items, determine which option is the best for thatparticular situation.

This is something that you are familiar with from your everyday life. Each day, we makehundreds of decisions, ranging from what to have for breakfast to which course of study topursue. Decisions may be strategic, as in long term or higher order, or tactical or shortterm. A decision about what to have for breakfast or what to wear in the morning would thusbe tactical, while a decision about the career you want to pursue would be strategic. Theability to take decisions is an important component of problem solving.

Problem Solving

In our daily lives, we face problems of various kinds. These can range from small to large;for instance, rearranging your cupboard or planning your future career. The first is clearly asmall problem, while the second can be a very large one. A problem is simply a situation ormatter that presents difficulty or is troublesome, and needs to be overcome. The ability tosolve both personal and professional problems is a crucial and essential life skill, and standsus in good stead as we progress through life.

Critical thinking is an essential prerequisite for successful problem solving. Problem solvingis a mental process that involves discovering, analysing and solving problems. The ultimategoal of problem solving is to overcome obstacles and find a solution that best resolves theissue.

The best strategy for solving a problem depends largely on the situation. In some cases,

people are better off learning everything they can about the issue and then using factualknowledge to come up with a solution. In other instances, creativity and insight may bebetter options.

Steps in Problem solving

In order to correctly solve a problem, it is important to follow a series of steps. This is oftenreferred to as the problem solving cycle, which includes developing strategies andorganising knowledge. It is important to note that while this cycle is described sequentially,people rarely follow a rigid series of steps to find a solution. Instead, we often skip steps orgo back through steps several times until we reach a desired solution.

Identifying the Problem: While it may seem like an obvious step, identifying the1.

problem is not always as simple as it sounds. In some cases, it is possible toidentify the wrong problem, which can make attempts to solve it inefficient.

Defining the Problem: After the problem has been identified, it is important to fully2.define the problem so that it can be solved. This means breaking it down andformulating it in terms that clarify and explain the situation clearly.

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/process.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/logic.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/choice.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/decision.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/person.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/weight.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/effective.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/able.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/forecast.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/item.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/item.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/forecast.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/able.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/effective.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/weight.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/person.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/decision.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/choice.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/logic.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/process.html

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Forming a Strategy: The next step is to develop a strategy to solve the problem.3.The approach used will vary depending upon the situation and the individual'spreferences.

Organising Information: Before coming up with a solution, we need to first4.organize the available information. What do we know about the problem? What do

we not know? The more information that is available, the better prepared we will beto come up with an accurate solution. (Remember the tools of critical thinkingdiscussed earlier?)

Allocating Resources: Of course, we don't always have unlimited money, time5.and other resources to solve a problem. Before we start to solve a problem, weneed to determine its priority. If it is an important problem, it is probably worthallocating more resources to solving it. If, however, it is a fairly unimportantproblem, then you do not want to spend too much of your available resources incoming up with a solution.

Monitoring Progress: Effective problem solving requires close monitoring of6.progress as you move towards a solution. This means setting up milestones inadvance against which progress can be measured. If we are not making goodprogress toward reaching the goal, we will need to re-evaluate our approach or lookfor new strategies.

Evaluating the Results: After a solution has been reached, it is important to7.evaluate the results to determine if it is the best possible solution to the problem.This evaluation might be immediate, such as checking the results of a mathproblem to ensure the answer is correct, or it can be delayed, such as evaluatingthe success of a training program after several months of implementation.

Some of you may be familiar with the Plan-Do-Check-Act model that is often used inorganisations. Also known as the Deming Wheel, this is another way to describe the stepsabove, used for continuous improvement in organisations or for addressing long termproblems that need to be closely monitored.

Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle

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Problem Solving Strategies

There are multiple strategies available for problem solving. Some of these are discussedbelow:

Brainstorming is the generation and recording of ideas as they occur to you, either1.

alone or in a group. You do this for a set period of time, and then go through the listof solutions to evaluate their suitability.

Appreciative inquiry develops solutions by analysing what is currently going right2.and determining whether it can be applied to solve the problem at hand.

Design thinking means thinking like a product designer, observing how people3.interact with a product or service and noting what problems they are having with it.

Algorithm is a step-by-step procedure that will always produce a correct solution.4. A mathematical formula is a good example of a problem solving algorithm. While analgorithm guarantees an accurate answer, it is not always the best approach toproblem solving. This strategy is not practical for many situations because it can betime-consuming.

Trial-and-Error approach to problem solving involves trying a number of different5. solutions and ruling out those that do not work. This approach can be a good optionif you have a very limited number of options available. If there are many differentchoices, you are better off narrowing down the possible options using anotherproblem solving technique before attempting trial-and-error.

SWOT analysis is used to recognise Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and6.Threats of a particular situation, allowing you to identify the best approach tosolving a problem.

In some cases, a combination of strategies may be the best approach to solving a problem.

Reflect: You have recently bought a new smart phone at a cost of Rs 15000. Three daysafter you bought the phone, it seems to have developed some problems in operating. How

would you proceed to resolve the problem, and what steps would you take? Which of theabove methods (or a combination of them) would you use, and why?

Summary

In this module, you learned:

The importance of developing critical thinking skills, and how these are applied todecision making and problem solving in real life.

Whenever dealing with any situation, remember that it is important to:

Understand the situation

Gather all the relevant facts

Analyse them Identify options

Arrive at a conclusion

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Accessing and AnalysingInformation

There is so much information available that it is

almost too much, and if people aren’t prepared

to process the information effectively it almostfreezes them in their steps.

- Mike Summers

VP, Global Talent Management, Dell Computers

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Accessin and Anal sin Information


Accessing and Analysing Information

The technologies in the computer industry are constantly changing. The most dauntingchallenge faced by computer professionals is therefore to keep pace with these changing

technologies. Sources, such as newspapers, magazines, periodicals, books and Internetprove sufficient in providing information—anytime, anywhere.


Identify sources of information

Explore common methods of sourcing information on the internet

Identify steps to analyse information

Sources of Information

Where food grain was in abundance in the agricultural age, Information abounds in theInformation age. With more information available than can be handled, the need for

understanding and extracting the relevant piece of information is very important. Withmultiple sources of information, the need also arises for an individual to cross-reference toother sources of information for a complete understanding and generate and create anabstract to present conclusions on the information researched from different sources.Information consolidation is yet another skill that an information technology professionalshould possess.

What then are the sources of information available to us? The most cost-effective universallyaccepted media is the printed form. In this form we have daily newspapers, magazines,

journals, and technical books. A well rounded IT professional has to keep up with as manyof these sources as possible as well as others—newspapers, magazines, journals, technicalbooks, and the Internet.

Search for Information on The Internet

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Information Search on the Internet

Search Engines

www.dogpile.com: One of the oldest and most favored meta-search engines. Itsearches 25 search engines. However, it searches only one search engine at atime. It also allows you to set the order of engines to search.

www.askjeeves.com: Searches six leading engines and its own knowledgebase ofsix million answers.

www.infind.com: Searches six engines in parallel and clusters the results afterremoving duplicate links. It can be configured to search additional engines.

www.metacrawler.com: Searches nine engines and ranks results based on theirrelevance.

www.savvysearch.com: Sequentially searches 100 engines. You can select thesearch engines of your choice and specify the order of search. You can also storethe customized set of search engines for future use.

Subject Directories or Virtual Directories

Searching the Net may give you the required results or may prove to be a futile exercisedepending on the methods and tools used to search for information. You can use somesimple techniques to narrow the search results and minimize the time spent on locatinginformation.

Before you submit a keyword for search on the Web, analyze your topic to determine how tostart searching for a topic. If you want to determine what is available in your subject area,the best place would be to start with a subject directory, such as Yahoo! After you havedetermined what is available under the topic, you can start searching for the subtopics onother search tools. At this point, you must determine whether your topic contains anydistinctive words or phrases. For example, typing terms such as “polymorphism” and

“protocols” in the search field will give meaningful results. If you are seeking for an overviewor wishing to cover a broad topic, specify a narrow aspect for the broad and common topic.Detailed search terms work best.

Analysing Information

Once you have a range of data and information on the subjects you are researching, youneed to start analyzing the data in order to present it. The following are some universallyapplied steps for analyzing information:

Review the questions:

Look back and renew your understanding of the central issues and key questions

that you started the search with.Important results that were not anticipated should not, however, be ignored.Sometimes putting information together will raise important, unforeseen andrelevant questions. These can be noted for future reference and pointed out in thepresentation of results.

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Organise the information

Gather together all the relevant information collected

Structure it and group information that belongs together

Check if any key areas have been left out and narrow down your search for

these areasDecide how to analyse the information

Is the data primarily numerical ? Are there elements that need to be contrasted orcompared? Decide on the analysis based on the outcome. Quantitative andqualitative information need to be analysed differently.

Integrate the information

Integrate the different aspects of your information in order to tell a complete story.Ensure that you have addressed the key premises of the research.

Present the information

Usually, the method of presentation is defined at the start of the project. However,in case it is not, give some thought to where and to whom you will be presenting

the information. This will provide you clues as to how to present it. Usually apresentation will have a mix of oral, visual and written information. People oftenspend a lot of time on the visual and written part of the presentation, but neglect toprepare the oral accompaniment. A good presentation requires appropriateplanning for all three.

Reflect: Identify an organization that has grown rapidly in the last one year, and analyse thereasons for its growth. How would you research and analyse this?

Summary

In this module you learned:

Sources of information can be newspapers, magazines, journals, technical books,and the Internet.

The internet can be searched through search engines, subject directories or virtualdirectories

Steps to analyse information are:

Review the questions

Organise the information

Decide how to analyse the information

Integrate the information

Present the information

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Teamwork and Collaboration

Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people

to attain uncommon results

- Andrew Carnegie

Self-made steel tycoon and industrialist

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Today‟s organisations require people to work together and collaborate, not only in the samelocation, but also virtually and cross-functionally. In order to do this effectively, it is important

to understand what constitutes a team and enables effective networking and collaboration.In this module, you will:

Understand what constitutes a team

Appreciate the importance of working in teams

Appreciate the importance of team communication

Understand how to reach a consensus

Realize the significance of relationships and trust

Explore methods to keep yourself and others motivated

What is a Team?

A team refers to a specific group of people who are collectively responsible and accountablefor achieving a common goal. Bernard Babington Smith, a great author, once said, “A teamis a group in which the individuals have a common aim and in which the jobs and skills ofeach 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 inbuilding 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 withtheir personal and team goals. Moreover, time is not wasted in attempting personalgain at the expense of others.

Ownership: In a group, the members tend to focus on themselves because they arenot sufficiently involved in planning the group‟s objectives. In a team, the membersfeel a sense of ownership of the goals because they have been involved in settingthe team goals.

Creativity and contribution: In a group, members are instructed what to do insteadof being asked what the best approach would be. Suggestions and creativity arenot encouraged. In a team, the members provide their suggestions in order tocontribute to the organization‟s success.

Trust: In a group, the members do not trust the motives of other individuals as theymay or may not understand the role of other members. In a team, the memberswork 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 ofthe trainings they would have received. In a team, the members continually developtheir skills and further apply the skills to enhance productivity.

Conflict resolution: In a group, the members often crumble, in case of a complexsituation. This is so because they may not know how to resolve the problem athand. In a team, the members confront a complex situation as a challenge andwork constructively to overcome problems.

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Participative decision-making: In a group, the members may or may not participatein effective decision-making. In a team, the members participate in decision-makingprocess. However, they do realize that the final decision is to be taken by theirteam leader.

Commitment: In a group, the members are not committed towards their work.

Consequently, the performance levels can get hampered. In addition, talentedindividuals often get frustrated in such an environment. In a team, only thoseindividuals are hired who are committed towards excellence.

Need For Teams

The knowledge, skills, experience, and perspectives of a wide range of people must bebrought together in order to succeed. Only then can an organization hope to resolvemulti-faceted problems, make good decisions, and deliver effective solutions to itscustomers. This is the reason why there is an ever-growing need for teams. Teams createenvironments in which all the members can keep up with the required changes, learn moreabout 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 complexand requires the interdependent efforts of a diverse group of people. This usuallyoccurs when the members of a team represent different functional areas, such asresearch and development, engineering, manufacturing, and marketing, of anorganization. Members of the team are dependent upon each other for thecompletion of a complex task.

Be more creative and innovative: In a team, the members are allowed to be moreinvolved with the decision-making process. They are encouraged to be morecreative with their ideas. It encourages an employee when the team accepts his/heridea. It also gives him/her immense job satisfaction.

Optimize available resources: Every person is unique and distinct in his/her ownway. You may possess certain skills required for a particular task that the otherperson working with you might not possess. Therefore, a team is formed to makeoptimum utilization of every member‟s skills and abilities to attain the organizationalobjectives. Each member is allocated a task in which he/she is proficient, therebyleading to enhanced productivity and job satisfaction.

For example, the cricket board chooses a team of 11 players and each player is aspecialist 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 uniquetalent 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 eachother. As a result, the employees are able to acquire those skills that are obliviousto them. This helps the team members to keep themselves abreast with therequisite abilities that are needed to meet the team‟s goal.

Consider a scenario wherein your team is facing a problem in the project. Yourteam 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

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member to go through all the four modules individually. The only way out, in thiscase, is that four members learn one module each. Then each member can assistother teammates in learning their modules. In this manner all of the four memberscan learn the technology and ensure timely delivery of the project.

The Importance of Communication in Teamwork and Collaboration

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 youropinions with confidence. While interacting with your team members, you need toclearly convey what‟s on your mind, give reasons for your opinions, and suggestimprovements, if required. Do not argue with your team members becausearguments can cause conflicts.

Active listening: You have to practice active listening, apart from presenting yourideas. Concentrate on trying to understand your team members‟ thoughts andfeelings. Focus on the non-verbal cues emanating from body language, vocal tone,and emotions to grasp your team members‟ messages. Acknowledge when youcompletely understand the message and ask questions when you don‟t.

Effective networking: You should be able to use common networking tools such asSkype, Google Groups, Webex, WhatsApp to communicate effectively with yourteam.

Giving and Receiving Feedback

Feedback implies one team member‟s reaction to another member‟s actions or statements.In the initial stages, teams do not give much feedback. With time, your team will open upmore and react to each other‟s 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 and can be given in a group or one-on-one. Someimportant practices to follow when giving and receiving feedback are:

Positive reinforcement: You can give positive reinforcement by keeping thefollowing considerations in mind:

Encouragement: Your feedback should encourage a specific action or behaviorthat you feel should be repeated.

Support: Your feedback should support what people want to accomplish orwhat they are having difficulty with.

Descriptive: Your feedback should describe in detail what went well, what youliked, 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.Whatever you state should be supported by facts.

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Accepting Feedback: Accepting constructive feedback in the right spirit can bedifficult at times. You can use the following techniques to accept feedbackpositively:

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.

Reflect: How could you improve your skill in giving and receiving feedback?

Arriving at a Consensus

Team consensus is a decision that reflects the collective thinking of a team. It is an idea thatmerges the best thinking of all team members. All the team members participate actively inreaching a decision that is in harmony with others‟ opinions. You can use team consens usfor 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 followingphases:

Creativity

Analysis

Decision

Creativity

The first phase of consensus decision-making is encouraging the team members to be ascreative 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 aquestion 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 theideas are accepted no matter how impractical they are. The focus is on quantity and not onquality.

Following list states some of the brainstorming techniques:

Card deck: In this technique, each team member writes his/her opinions on paperslips. 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 areplaced on a wall for a discussion.

Round r obin: In this technique, one member initiates a discussion by sharing anidea with the team. Thereafter, the next person shares his/her point of view. Thisdiscussion 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 thatsummarizes their viewpoints.

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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. Thisprocess continues till everyone shares his or her ideas.

Analysis

The second phase of consensus decision-making is to ensure that every team memberclarifies, understands, and respects all the ideas that have been put forth in the previousphase.

In this phase, you need to perform the following tasks:

Group items: You need to organize similar ideas into sets by categorizing them. Forthis, you can determine common themes on the list, name these categories, andlabel each item.

Understand ideas: You need to reflect and contemplate over everyone else‟s ideasin order to understand them better. Alternatively, you can split into pairs to discussthe ideas on the list and update the entire team on what you concluded in yourdiscussion.

Decision

The third phase of consensus decision-making is to further decrease the list of ideas to amanageable size. This phase comprises of the following tasks:

Narrowing: You need to use some specific criteria to get rid of items that are notrelevant. Alternatively, you can ask team members to vote as many times as theywant 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 bydeciding their priority.

Negotiating: You should come up with new ideas that mix current options intosolutions that satisfy every team member.

Relationship and Trust

You live in an environment where you are dependent on some people and they in turn aredependent on you. This kind of a relationship is often termed interdependence. It helps tohave an understanding of how our routine interactions with our world impact it and viceversa.

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You all know how banks operate. You make deposits into it from which you can makewithdrawals when needed. An Emotional Bank Account (EBA) is a metaphor that describesthe amount of trust that has been built up in a relationship. It is the feeling of security youhave with another human being. Small acts of kindness, such as being honest and keepingyour 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 uponthe trust for help when the need arises. You may allow or accept others‟ mistakes in therelationship. You must have experienced this with your best friends. The Emotional BankBalance is so high that even if your friend does or says something that would normally upsetyou, 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 ourtrust, or threatening people are considered „withdrawals‟ from EBA and it eventually erodestrust levels. In such scenarios, you have to be very careful about everything you say. Suchrelationships are full of tension and you cannot feel comfortable with the other person. Manyorganizations, families, and marriages experience this. For instance, a marriage demandsconstant „deposits‟ otherwise it may deteriorate.

Relationships need continuous and genuine „deposits‟. Building and repairing relationshipstakes time. Just like you cannot force a flower to bloom overnight or plants to harvest beforetheir time, you cannot build relationships overnight. They take their own time to mature.

Reflect: Do you make more deposits or withdrawals in your Emotional Bank Account withyour friends and family?

Describing Motivation

What is motivation? What do you think can motivate yourself to perform various tasks? Toanswer these questions, you need to first understand the basic definition of the termmotivation.

Motivation, in simple terms, can be defined as the desire to accomplish a goal. Thinking onestep ahead, motivation can be defined as a process that accounts for an individual‟sintensity, direction, and persistence of effort to attain a goal. Intensity, direction, andpersistence 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 notalways true to say that high intensity will result in favorable job performance outcomes. Infact, as defined by the second element, direction, high intensity can only work if the effort ofan individual is directed in the right direction. The third element, persistence, measures howlong an individual can maintain the effort, required to achieve a goal.

Motivation is extremely important for achieving goals. However, motivation itself isstimulated 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 ofmotivation is to be surrounded by success-minded people. No matter how positive ormotivated you are, you are still susceptible to negative influences. Surrounding yourself withsuccessful people not only motivates but also encourages positive thoughts. This, in turn,helps you to achieve success faster.

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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

Steps Towards Motivation

People get motivated in number of ways. According to the motivational theories, followingthe steps towards motivation not only drives you to your destination with the development ofpositive energy in you, but it also helps in the enhancement of your self-esteem andconfidence.

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. Thinkabout the elements that help you to concentrate. Identify the factors that drive youtowards your dream. This way, you can help yourself in developing a vision formotivation.

Decide your goal: Since you have decided your vision, you can now move aheadto define your goal. Use all your senses to progress towards the success goal andkeep on redefining your success goal. Once you start feeling the success, makenote of what you actually observe. This process of visualizing and experiencing theachievement of goals will enable you to define your overall vision of success. Makea note of what you feel, what you see, the location you are at, the apparel you arewearing, and other people‟s reaction towards you. The more detailed is your vision,the better you would be able to define your goal. When you are clear about whatyou 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 uponyour vision, have defined goals, and have a clear understanding of what success isto 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 youachieve your goal. It is not uncommon to lose interest before the goal is achieved. Forexample, if you are assigned a very special task by your supervisor, you may expresstremendous enthusiasm at the beginning because you know that the task is special.However, you can lose interest in the later stage and may not even complete the task. Youtend to give excuses to yourself, such as, being discouraged, getting bored, and having toomuch work to do. Hence, although you have goals or dreams to accomplish, you are notmaking the desired progress.

To remain motivated, you must:Take care of your interest: Undertake tasks that interest you. For example, askany teenager how hard they will work to complete their school/college assignmentcompared to making arrangements for a party with friends.

Understand your goals: It is very important that you remain clear about your goalsand dreams. You can accomplish every goal if you define and visualize it. It is not

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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 toaccomplish as compared to big milestones. For example, it is relatively hard to staymotivated over the years to put one lac rupees in your bank account, but it‟s easy

to start saving Rs 500 every month. You must have a clear, doable, and actionableplan, 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 theirbehavior and encourage them to perform an activity. This can be done by inspiring themwith your sense of achievement and motivational thoughts.

You can improve your ability of inspiring and motivating others by:

Being aware of the

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