Work Readiness Work Readiness ProgramProgram

Willingness To LearnWillingness To Learn

ObjectivesObjectives

List three reasons why employers List three reasons why employers value an employee whose attitude value an employee whose attitude expresses a willingness to learn.expresses a willingness to learn.

Describe the importance of Describe the importance of communication skills to job success.communication skills to job success.

Describe the five competency areas Describe the five competency areas of emotional intelligence.of emotional intelligence.

Willingness to LearnWillingness to Learn

Is the “glue” that holds together all Is the “glue” that holds together all the other work readiness traits.the other work readiness traits.

AttitudeAttitude AdaptabilityAdaptability Problem SolvingProblem Solving

Why Learning is Important in the Why Learning is Important in the Work PlaceWork Place

Companies have to be in a constant Companies have to be in a constant state of growth to survive.state of growth to survive.

It is our nature to want to learnIt is our nature to want to learn We are most valuable to our We are most valuable to our

employer if he/she perceives us to be employer if he/she perceives us to be eager to learneager to learn

Learning: What It’s All AboutLearning: What It’s All About

Communication is for…Communication is for…

Social – Communication is vital to Social – Communication is vital to social interaction.social interaction.

Informational – Communication is how Informational – Communication is how we impart information to others.we impart information to others.

Expressive – We express our thoughts Expressive – We express our thoughts and feelings using communication.and feelings using communication.

Persuasive – We persuade others by Persuasive – We persuade others by communicating with them.communicating with them.

ListeningListening

Fosters respectFosters respect

Promotes cooperationPromotes cooperation

Reduces stressReduces stress

Stimulates team solidarityStimulates team solidarity

Brings out real issuesBrings out real issues

ListeningListening

Improves accuracyImproves accuracy

Promotes better understandingPromotes better understanding

Facilitates self-discoveryFacilitates self-discovery

Leads to better decision-makingLeads to better decision-making

Tips to Become a Better Tips to Become a Better ListenerListener

Become aware of your own listening Become aware of your own listening habitshabits

Share responsibility for 2-way Share responsibility for 2-way communicationcommunication

Be physically attentiveBe physically attentive Concentrate on what the speaker is Concentrate on what the speaker is

sayingsaying Listen for the total meaning, including Listen for the total meaning, including

feelingsfeelings

More Listening TipsMore Listening Tips

Observe nonverbal signsObserve nonverbal signs

Adopt an acceptable attitude toward Adopt an acceptable attitude toward

the speakerthe speaker

Express empathetic understandingExpress empathetic understanding

Listen to yourselfListen to yourself

Take appropriate actionsTake appropriate actions

Listening “Don’ts”Listening “Don’ts”

Don’t mistake not talking for listeningDon’t mistake not talking for listening

Don’t interrupt needlesslyDon’t interrupt needlessly

Don’t pass judgment too quicklyDon’t pass judgment too quickly

Don’t argue simply to prove you are Don’t argue simply to prove you are

right or for ego sakeright or for ego sake

More Listening Don’tsMore Listening Don’ts

Don’t ever tell a speaker “I know Don’t ever tell a speaker “I know

exactly how you feel”exactly how you feel”

Don’t overreact to emotional wordsDon’t overreact to emotional words

Don’t give advice unless it is Don’t give advice unless it is

requestedrequested

Don’t use listening as a way of hiding Don’t use listening as a way of hiding

yourselfyourself

Nonverbal CommunicationNonverbal Communication

Eye contactEye contact Facial expressionsFacial expressions GesturesGestures Posture and body orientationPosture and body orientation ProximityProximity Para-linguisticsPara-linguistics HumorHumor

Proximity/Personal SpaceProximity/Personal Space

Intimate distance – 18” for friends & Intimate distance – 18” for friends & familyfamily

Personal distance – 1.5’ to 4’ normal Personal distance – 1.5’ to 4’ normal conversation without touchingconversation without touching

Social distance – 4’ to 12’ informal Social distance – 4’ to 12’ informal and business transactionsand business transactions

Public distance – 12’+ casual Public distance – 12’+ casual greetings and acknowledgementgreetings and acknowledgement

ParalinguisticsParalinguistics

ToneTone PitchPitch RhythmRhythm LoudnessLoudness InflectionInflection

Communicating in the Communicating in the WorkplaceWorkplace

Communication RoadblocksCommunication Roadblocks

InterruptionsInterruptions Trigger wordsTrigger words JargonJargon Indifferent responsesIndifferent responses Note takingNote taking Limited attention spanLimited attention span TT

Emotional IntelligenceEmotional Intelligence

Learned behaviorLearned behavior Necessary for people to work together Necessary for people to work together

toward an organization’s goalstoward an organization’s goals Primarily maturity and character. Primarily maturity and character.

Mature people can recognize and Mature people can recognize and control their emotions.control their emotions.

Key to leadership and higher-skilled Key to leadership and higher-skilled employment positions. employment positions.

EI ElementsEI Elements

Self-AwarenessSelf-Awareness Self-Regulation/Self-Self-Regulation/Self-

ManagementManagement Social Awareness Social Awareness

(Empathy)(Empathy) Social SkillsSocial Skills

Self-AwarenessSelf-Awareness

Recognition of our emotional state is Recognition of our emotional state is the foundation of all emotional the foundation of all emotional intelligence skills.intelligence skills.

““Tune in” to your emotions; they can Tune in” to your emotions; they can provide valuable insights about your provide valuable insights about your responses to stressful situations.responses to stressful situations.

Recognize the importance of your Recognize the importance of your emotions even in technical fields.emotions even in technical fields.

Self-RegulationSelf-Regulation

Accept responsibility for choosing Accept responsibility for choosing your own emotional responses.your own emotional responses.

Learn to “reframe” stressful Learn to “reframe” stressful situations into ones that are situations into ones that are challenging.challenging.

Be aware of and learn to manage Be aware of and learn to manage your own emotional “triggers.”your own emotional “triggers.”

Social AwarenessSocial Awareness

Empathy means recognizing and Empathy means recognizing and responding appropriately to the responding appropriately to the emotions of others.emotions of others.

By expressing empathy, you also By expressing empathy, you also create empathy in others.create empathy in others.

Realize that emotions impact such Realize that emotions impact such measurable goals as productivity and measurable goals as productivity and safety.safety.

Social SkillsSocial Skills

Use all of you emotional Use all of you emotional competencies to influence and competencies to influence and persuade others.persuade others.

Strive to build consensus and support Strive to build consensus and support for team goals.for team goals.

Motivate and inspire yourself and Motivate and inspire yourself and others to achieve goals.others to achieve goals.