WHAT IS SOFT SKILLS? There is an axiom which suggests that

“Hard skills will get a person an interview, but Soft skills will land that person a job”.

This means an applicant with years of education and experience in the field might have the hard skills necessary to fill the position, but lack soft skills such as leadership ability or self-motivation necessary to perform well on the job.

Soft skills are qualities, personality traits and social skills which everyone possesses in varying degrees. Some people make friends easily, for example, which would be considered a valuable soft skill in the world of sales. Others are extremely punctual, or able to make rational decisions under pressure. A person may also have the innate ability to work with co-workers from other cultures, or learn a new language quickly. These would all be considered valuable soft skills.

Some employers use open-ended interview questions about an applicant's work or life experiences in order to determine desirable soft skills.

For example, an applicant for a managerial position might be asked about a past incident in which he or she had to assume leadership. Another applicant might be asked to recall a time when he or she had to resolve a conflict or deal with a difficult co-worker or customer. How an applicant handles such probing questions during an interview can also reveal a number of other soft skills, such as the ability to form answers quickly or to see the positive side of a negative situation.

Examples of soft skills

Socializing with someoneParticipate in a team (see team building)Lead a team (see leadership)Unite a team amidst cultural differencesTeach othersCoach othersMotivate othersProvide servicesNegotiateDecision makingProblem solvingObserve forms of etiquetteActive ListeningMaintain meaningless conversation (small talk)Maintain meaningful conversation (discussion/debate)Defuse arguments with timing, instructions and polite, concise languageForesee situationsEstablish rapportEmpathic communicationSelf-awarenessProactive Attitude

Soft skills may also be defined as a sociological term relating to a person's "EQ" (Emotional Intelligence Quotient), the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that characterize relationships with other people.

A person's soft skill is an important part of their individual contribution to the success of an organization. Particularly those organizations dealing with customers face-to-face are generally more successful if they train their staff to use these skills. Screening or training for personal habits or traits such as dependability and conscientiousness can yield significant return on investment for an organization. For this reason, soft skills are increasingly sought out by employers in addition to standard qualifications.

Soft skills refer to a very diverse range of abilities such as:

Self-awareness Analytical thinking Leadership skills Team-building skills Flexibility Ability to communicate effectively Creativity Problem-solving skills Listening skills Diplomacy Change-readiness

BODY LANGUAGE

What Is Body Language?

Body language is a form of non-verbal communication, which consists of body posture, gestures, facial expressions, and eye movements. Humans send and interpret such signals subconsciously.

Understanding body language:

The technique of "reading" people is used frequently. For example, the idea of mirroring body language to put people at ease is commonly used in interviews. Mirroring the body language of someone else indicates that they are understood.

Body language signals may have a goal other than communication. Both people would keep this in mind. Observers limit the weight they place on non-verbal cues. Signalers clarify their signals to indicate the biological origin of their actions. One example would be yawning,showing lack of interest,desire to change the topic.

Physical expression:

Physical expressions like waving, pointing, touching and slouching are all forms of nonverbal communication. The study of body movement and expression is known as kinesics. Humans move their bodies when communicating because, as research has shown, it helps "ease the mental effort when communication is difficult." Physical expressions reveal many things about the person using them. For example, gestures can emphasize a point or relay a message, posture can reveal boredom or great interest, and touch can convey encouragement or caution.

One of the most basic and powerful body-language signals is when a person crosses his or her arms across the chest. This can indicate that a person is putting up an unconscious barrier between themselves and others.

It can also indicate that the person's arms are cold which would be clarified by rubbing the arms or huddling. When the overall situation is amicable, it can mean that a person is thinking deeply about what is being discussed. But in a serious or confrontational situation, it can mean that a person is expressing opposition. This is especially so if the person is leaning away from the speaker.

A harsh or blank facial expression often indicates outright hostility.

Consistent eye contact can indicate that a person is thinking positively of what the speaker is saying. It can also mean that the other person doesn't trust the speaker enough to "take his eyes off" the speaker.

Lack of eye contact can indicate negativity. On the other hand, individuals with anxiety disorders are often unable to make eye contact without discomfort. Eye contact can also be a secondary and misleading gesture because cultural norms about it vary widely. If a person is looking at you but is making the arms-across-chest signal, the eye contact could be indicative that something is bothering the person, and that he wants to talk about it.

While making direct eye contact if a person is fiddling with something, even while directly looking at

you, it could indicate the attention is elsewhere. Also there are three standard areas that a person will look which represent different states of being.

If the person looks from one eye to the other then to the forehead it is a sign that they are taking an authoritative position.

If they move from one eye to the other then to the nose, that signals that they are engaging in what they consider to be a "level conversation" with neither party holding superiority. The last case is from one eye to the other and then down to the lips. This is a strong indication of romantic feelings.

Disbelief is often indicated by averted gaze, or by touching the ear or scratching the chin. When a person is not being convinced by what someone is saying, the attention invariably wanders, and the eyes will stare away for an extended period.

Boredom is indicated by the head tilting to one side, or by the eyes looking straight at the speaker but becoming slightly unfocused. A head tilt may also indicate a sore neck or Amblyopia, and unfocused eyes may indicate ocular problems in the listener.

Interest can be indicated through posture or extended eye contact, such as standing and listening properly.

Deceit or the act of withholding information can sometimes be indicated by touching the face during conversation.

Excessive blinking is a well-known indicator of someone who is lying. Recently, evidence has surfaced that the absence of blinking can also represent lying as a more reliable factor than excessive blinking.

Some people use and understand body language differently, or not at all. Interpreting their gestures and facial expressions (or lack thereof) in the context of normal body language usually leads to misunderstandings and misinterpretations (especially if body language is given priority over spoken language). It should also be stated that people from different cultures can interpret body language in different ways.

How prevalent is non-verbal communication in humans?

Some researchers put the level of nonverbal communication as high as 80 percent of all communication when it could be at around 50-65 percent. Different studies have found differing amounts, with some studies showing that facial communication is believed 4.3 times more often than verbal meaning, and another finding that verbal communication in a flat tone is 4 times more likely to be understood than a pure facial expression.

Albert Mehrabian is noted for finding a 7%-38%-55% rule, supposedly denoting how much communication was conferred by words, tone, and body language. However he was only referring to cases of expressing feelings or attitudes.

Body Language and Space:

Interpersonal space refers to the psychological "bubble" that we can imagine exists when someone is standing too close to us. Research has revealed that there are four different zones of interpersonal space.

First zone is called intimate distance and ranges from touching to about eighteen inches (46 cm) apart. Intimate distance is the space around us that we reserve for lovers, children, as well as close family members and friends.

Second zone is called personal distance and begins about an arm's length awaystarting around eighteen inches (46 cm) from our person and ending about four feet (122 cm) away. We use personal distance in conversations with friends, to chat with associates, and in group discussions.

Third zone of interpersonal space is called social distance and is the area that ranges from four to eight feet (1.2 m - 2.4 m) away from you. Social distance is reserved for strangers, newly formed groups, and new acquaintances.

Fourth identified zone of space is public distance and includes anything more than eight feet (2.4 m) away from you. This zone is used for speeches, lectures, and theater; essentially, public distance is that range reserved for larger audiences.

Unintentional gestures:

Recently, there has been huge interest in studying human behavioral clues that could be useful for developing an interactive and adaptive human-machine system. Unintentional human gestures such as making an eye rub, a chin rest, a lip touch, a nose itch, a head scratch, an ear scratch, crossing arms, and a finger lock have been found conveying some useful information in specific context.

Some researchers have tried to extract such gestures in a specific context of educational applications. In poker games, such gestures are referred to as "tells" and are useful to players for detecting deception or behavioral patterns in an opponent.

Writing Skills Writing evaluates a person’s proficiency indications, spelling grammar etc… errors committed while writing circulars, reports & agenda considerably spoil the image of the writer

Why do we need to write Clearly and Legibelly?

A short Story:

A colleague has just sent you an email relating to a meeting you're having in one hour's time. The email is supposed to contain key information that you need to present, as part of the business case for an important project.

But there's a problem: The email is so badly written that you can't find the data you need. There are misspellings and incomplete sentences, and the paragraphs are so long and confusing that it takes you three times more than it should to find the information you want.

As a result, you're under-prepared for the meeting, and it doesn't go as well as you want it to.

Have you ever faced a situation similar to this? In today's information overload world, it's vital to communicate clearly, concisely and effectively. People don't have time to read book-length emails, and they don't have the patience to scour badly-constructed emails for "buried" points.

The better your writing skills are, the better the impression you'll make on the people around you – including your boss, your colleagues, and your clients.

Audience and Format:

The first step to writing clearly is choosing the appropriate format. Do you need to send an informal email?Write a detailed report? Create advertising copy? Or write a formal letter?

The format, as well as your audience, will define your "writing voice" – that is, how formal or relaxed the tone should be. For instance, if you write an email to a prospective client, should it have the same tone as an email to a friend?Definitely not. Start by identifying who will read your message. Is it targeted at senior managers, the entire human resources team, or a small group of engineers? With everything you write, your readers, or recipients, should define your tone as well as aspects of the content.

Composition and Style:

Once you know what you're writing, and for whom you're writing, you actually have to start writing.A blank, white computer screen is often intimidating. And it's easy to get stuck because you don't know how to start. Try these tips for composing and styling your document:

Start with your audience – Remember, your readers may know nothing about what you're telling them. What do they need to know first?

Create an outline – This is especially helpful if you're writing a longer document such as a report, presentation, or speech. Outlines help you identify which steps to take in which order, and they help you break the task up into manageable pieces of information.

Use AIDA – If you're writing something that must inspire action in the reader, follow the Attention-Interest-Desire-Action (AIDA) formula. These four steps can help guide you through the writing process.

Try some empathy – For instance, if you're writing a sales letter for prospective clients, why should they care about your product or sales pitch? What's the benefit for them? Remember your audience's needs at all times.

Use the Rhetorical Triangle – If you're trying to persuade someone to do something, make sure that you communicate why people should listen to you, pitch your message in a way that engages your audience, and present information rationally and coherently. Our article on the Rhetorical Triangle can help you make your case in the most effective way.

Identify your main theme – If you're having trouble defining the main theme of your message, pretend that you have 15 seconds to explain your position. What do you say? This is likely to be your main theme.

Use simple language – Unless you're writing a scholarly article, it's usually best to use simple, direct language. Don't use long words just to impress people.

Structure:

Your document should be as "reader friendly" as possible. Use headings, subheadings, bullet points, and numbering whenever possible to break up the text.

After all, what's easier to read – a page full of long paragraphs, or a page that's broken up into short paragraphs, with section headings and bullet points? A document that's easy to scan will get read more often than a document with long, dense paragraphs of text.

Headings should grab the reader's attention. Using questions is often a good idea, especially in advertising

copy or reports, because questions help keep the reader engaged and curious.

In emails and proposals, use short, factual headings and subheadings. Adding graphs and charts is also a smart way to break up your text. These visual aids not only keep the reader's eye engaged, but they can communicate important information much more quickly than text.

Grammatical Errors:

It is not necessary to tell you that errors in your document will make you look unprofessional. It's essential to learn grammar properly, and to avoid common mistakes that your spell checker won't find.Here are some examples of commonly misused words:

Affect/effect

"Affect" is a verb meaning to influence. (Example: The economic forecast will affect our projected income.)

"Effect" is a noun meaning the result or outcome. (Example: What is the effect of the proposal?)

Then/than

"Then" is typically an adverb indicating a sequence in time. (Example: We went to dinner, then we saw a movie.)

"Than" is a conjunction used for comparison. (Example: The dinner was more expensive than the movie.)

Your/you're

"Your" is a possessive. (Example: Is that your file?) "You're" is a contraction of "you are." (Example: You're the new manager.)

Note: Also watch out for other common homophones (words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings) – such as their/they're/there, to/too/two, and so on.

Its/it's

"Its" is a possessive. (Example: Is that its motor?) "It's" is a contraction of "It is." (Example: It's often that heavy.) (Yes, it is this way around!)

Company's/companies (and other possessives versus plurals)

"Company's" indicates possession. (Example: The company's trucks hadn't been maintained properly.) "Companies" is plural. (Example: The companies in this industry are suffering.)

Whether you are writing a memo to your co-worker or a report for your boss, you should decide what information you want to convey. Here is how to do this:

1. List each item you need to discuss in your memo or report. 2. Put them in order — from most to least important 3. Write a brief summary of your entire memo — this will be your first paragraph.

4. Expand on each item listed in step 1. 5. If any action needs to be taken by the recipient, state that in your closing paragraph.

PRESENTATION SKILLS

Ideas, concepts or issues talked about or spoken to a group or audiencePublic speaking is one of the most feared things “I could make such a fool of myself”Skills required to give a good presentation can be developed

Basic Guidelines For Designing Your Presentation:

1. List and prioritize the top three goals that you want to accomplish with your audience. It's not enough just to talk at them. You may think you know what you want to accomplish in your presentation, but if you're not clear with yourself and others, it is very easy - too easy - for your audience to completely miss the point of your presentation.

For example, your goals may be for them to appreciate the accomplishments of your organization, learn how to use your services, etc. Again, the goals should be in terms of what you want to accomplish with your audience.

2. Be really clear about who your audience is and about why is it important for them to be in the meeting.

Members of your audience will want to know right away why they were the ones chosen to be in your presentation. Be sure that your presentation makes this clear to them right away. This will help you clarify your invitation list and design your invitation to them.

3. List the major points of information that you want to convey to your audience. When you're done making

that list, then ask yourself, "If everyone in the audience understands all of those points, then will I have achieved the goal that I set for this meeting?"

4. Be clear about the tone you want to set for your presentation, for example, hopefulness, celebration,

warning, teamwork, etc. Consciously identifying the tone to yourself can help you cultivate that mood to your audience.

5. Design a brief opening (about 5-10% of your total time presentation time) that:

a. Presents your goals for the presentation.b. Clarifies the benefits of the presentation to the audience.c. Explains the overall layout of your presentation.

6. Prepare the body of your presentation (about 70-80% of your presentation time).

7. Design a brief closing (about 5-10% of your presentation time) that summarizes the key points from your presentation.

8. Design time for questions and answers (about 10% of the time of your presentation).

Basic Guidelines About Presentation Materials:

You might be handing out supplemental materials, for example, articles, reports, etc. along with making your presentation. You might also be handing out copies of your presentation, for example, handing out copies of your slides that you will be referencing during your presentation. You might be using transparency slides or showing slides from a personal computer onto a project screen.

1. If you plan to project your slides from a computer onto a projection screen, then be sure to check out the computer system before people come into the meeting room, if at all possible.

2. Use a consistent layout, or organization of colors and images, on your materials.

3. If you use transparencies on an overhead projector, then allocate one slide for every 3-5 minutes of your presentation. Include 5-8 lines of bulleted phrases on each slide.

4. If you provide the supplemental information during your presentation, then your audience will very likely read that information during your presentation, rather than listening to you. Therefore, hand out this information after you have completed your presentation. Or, hand it out at the beginning of your presentation and ask them not to read it until you have completed your presentation.

5. If you hand out copies of your slides, be sure that the text on the slides is large enough that your audience can read the text on the table in front of them without having to hold the handouts up to their faces. Be sure to leave space on the handouts for the audience to make notes on them.

Basic Guidelines About Your Delivery:

1. If you're speaking to a small group (for example, 2-15 people), then try to accomplish eye contact with each person for a few seconds throughout your delivery.

2. Look up from your materials, or notes, every 5-10 seconds, to look into the audience.

3. Speak a little bit louder and a little bit slower than you normally would do with a friend. A good way to practice these guidelines is to speak along with a news anchor when you're watching television.

4. Vary the volume and rate of your speech. A monotone voice is absolutely toxic to keeping the attention of an audience.

5. Stand with your feet at shoulder-length apart.

6. Keep your hands relatively still.

Teamwork

What Is TEAMWORK?

Teamwork is defined as "a joint action by a group of people, in which each person subordinates his or her individual interests and opinions to the unity and efficiency of the group".

This does not mean that the individual is no longer important; however, it does mean that effective and efficient teamwork goes beyond individual accomplishments. The most effective teamwork is produced when all the individuals involved harmonize their contributions and work towards a common goal.

Characteristics of Effective Teams:

The following are eight characteristics of effective teams the were identified by Larson and LaFasto in their book titled Teamwork:

1. The team must have a clear goal. Avoid fuzzy, motherhood statements. Team goals should call for a specific performance objective, expressed so concisely that everyone knows when the objective has been met.

2. The team must have a results-driven structure. The team should be allowed to operate in a manner that produces results. It is often best to allow the team to develop the structure.

3. The team must have competent team members. In the education setting this can be take to mean that the problem given to the team should be one that the members can tackle given their level of knowledge.

4. The team must have unified commitment. This doesn't mean that team members must agree on everything. It means that all individuals must be directing their efforts towards the goal. If an individual's efforts is going purely towards personal goals, then the team will confront this and resolve the problem.

5. The team must have a collaborative climate. It is a climate of trust produced by honest, open, consistent and respectful behavior. With this climate teams perform well...without it, they fail.

6. The team must have high standards that are understood by all. Team members must know what is expected of them individually and collectively. Vague statements such as "positive attitude" and "demonstrated effort" are not good enough.

7. The team must receive external support and encouragement. Encouragement and praise works just as well in motivating teams as it does with individuals.

8. The team must have principled leadership. Teams usually need someone to lead the effort. Team members must know that the team leader has the position because they have good leadership skills and are

working for the good of the team. The team members will be less supportive if they feel that the team leader is putting him/herself above the team, achieving personal recognition or otherwise benefiting from the position.

Difference Between a Group Exercise and a Team Exercise?

One of the first things in the difference between an individual working as part of a group and an individual working as part of a team. Below is a list of the differences that exist between these categories. After reading through the list, it should be clear what the difference is and which one would be ideal in a classroom and the workplace.

Groups Teams

Members work independently and they often are not working towards the same goal.

Members work interdependently and work towards both personal and team goals, and they understand these goals are accomplished best by mutual support.

Members focus mostly on themselves because they are not involved in the planning of their group's objectives and goals.

Members feel a sense of ownership towards their role in the group because they committed themselves to goals they helped create.

Members are given their tasks or told what their duty/job is, and suggestions are rarely welcomed.

Members collaborate together and use their talent and experience to contribute to the success of the team's objectives.

Members are very cautious about what they say and are afraid to ask questions. They may not fully understand what is taking place in their group.

Members base their success on trust and encourage all members to express their opinions, varying views, and questions.

Members do not trust each other's motives because the do not fully understand the role each member plays in their group.

Members make a conscious effort to be honest, respectful, and listen to every person's point of view.

Members may have a lot to contribute but are held back because of a closed relationship with each member.

Members are encouraged to offer their skills and knowledge, and in turn each member is able contribute to the group's success.

Members are bothered by differing opinions or disagreements because they consider it a threat. There is not group support to help resolve problems.

Members see conflict as a part of human nature and they react to it by treating it as an opportunity to hear about new ideas and opinions. Everybody wants to resolve problems constructively.

Members may or may not participate in Members participate equally in decision-making,

group decision-making, and conformity is valued more than positive results.

but each member understands that the leader might need to make the final decision if the team can not come to a consensus agreement.

Stages of Team Growth:

It is important for teacher and students (the team members) to know that teams don't just form and immediately start working together to accomplish great things. There are actually stages of team growth and teams must be given time to work through the stages and become effective. Team growth can be separated into four stages.

Stage 1: Forming. When a team is forming, members cautiously explore the boundaries of acceptable group behavior. They search for their position within the group and test the leader's guidance. It is normal for little team progress to occur during this stage.

Stage 2: Storming. Storming is probably the most difficult stage for the group. Members often become impatient about the lack of progress, but are still inexperienced with working as a team. Members may argue about the actions they should take because they faced with ideas that are unfamiliar to them and put them outside their comfort zones. Much of their energy is focused on each other instead of achieving the goal.

Stage 3: Norming. During this stage team members accept the team and begin to reconcile differences. Emotional conflict is reduced as relationships become more cooperative. The team is able to concentrate more on their work and start to make significant progress.

Stage 4: Performing. By this stage the team members have discovered and accepted each other's strengths and weaknesses, and learned what their roles are. Members are open and trusting and many good ideas are produced because they are not afraid to offer ideas and suggestions. They are comfortable using decision making tools to evaluate the ideas, prioritize tasks and solve problems. Much is accomplished and team satisfaction and loyalty is high.

Since working as part of a team can improve learning and is a much needed skill in today's workplace, some team exercises should be included in the classroom. With well planned out tasks, careful guidance, and close observation, instructors can make team exercises extremely valuable learning experiences.

Professional ethics

What is Professional Ethics?

Professional ethics concerns the moral issues that arise because of the specialist knowledge that professionals attain, and how the use of this knowledge should be governed when providing a service to the public.

The concept of Professional Ethics is partly comprised of what a professional should or should not do in the work place. It also encompasses a much greater part of the professionals life. If a professional is to have ethics

then that person needs to adopt that conduct in all of his dealings.

Things that are included are concepts like: professional respect, avoidance of dishonest or fraudulent activity such as plagiarism and the professional development of the individual. Another aspect of this is the enhancement of the profession and the industry within which the professional works. This concerns a professional's conduct and behaviour while carrying out their professional work. This then, is work for the good of the community and mankind.

Things to Do:

1. Do return value to your customer (internal and external) in all business decisions

2. Do return value to your community locally and globally

3. Do deliver quality in a timely fashion

4. Do be honest in your work by telling the client, customer, or boss that the task or project you are working on will not meet the target date.

5. Do ask for help in order to meet the project or task deadline. A professional will not feel slighted if he or she acknowledges that he or she needs help.

6. When you accept an assignment, Do start using words like we, us and ours. A professional never works at cross-purpose with the employer.

7. If the employer wants respect from employees, he/she should treat all employees as professionals in their own right. Remember, if you treat someone as a professional, they will (hopefully) treat you like one too.

8. Promote your profession i.e. Information Technology

9. Do things for the good of yourself, the customer and the profession. You are not a true professional if you don't deliver outcomes that satisfy all three of these areas.

10. Do provide respect to others. This means truly thinking of their beliefs and desires, and the contribution they make to the organization, however small.

Things We should Not Do:

1. Do not tell the client, customer, or boss that you can do something when you cannot.

2. When you accept an assignment, Do not use words like me, mine, you and yours.

3. Do not steal from your employer.

4. Do not underestimate your capabilities

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

What Are Interpersonal Skills?

Interpersonal skills are the skills that a person uses to interact with other people. Interpersonal skills are

sometimes also referred to as people skills or communication skills.Interpersonal skills involve using skills such as active listening and tone of voice, they include delegation and leadership. It is how well you communicate with someone and how well you behave or carry yourself. Also they help people further their careers.

Interpersonal skills refers to mental and communicative algorithms applied during social communications and interaction to reach certain effects or results.

The term "interpersonal skills" is used often in business contexts to refer to the measure of a person's ability to operate within business organizations through social communication and interactions. Interpersonal skills are how people relate to one another.

As an illustration, it is generally understood that communicating respect for other people or professionals within will enable one to reduce conflict and increase participation or assistance in obtaining information or completing tasks.

For instance, to interrupt someone who is currently preoccupied with the task of obtaining information needed immediately, it is recommended that a professional use a deferential approach with language such as, "Excuse me, are you busy? I have an urgent matter to discuss with you if you have the time at the moment."

This allows the receiving professional to make their own judgement regarding the importance of their current task versus entering into a discussion with their colleague. While it is generally understood that interrupting someone with an "urgent" request will often take priority, allowing the receiver of the message to judge independently the request and agree to further interaction will likely result in a higher quality interaction.

Following these kinds of heuristics to achieve better professional results generally results in a professional being ranked as one with 'good interpersonal skills.' Often these evaluations occur in formal and informal settings.

Having positive interpersonal skills increases the productivity in the organization since the number of conflicts is reduced. In informal situations, it allows communication to be easy and comfortable. People with good interpersonal skills can generally control the feelings that emerge in difficult situations and respond appropriately, instead of being overwhelmed by emotion.

ways to improve interpersonal skills:

1. Think positively, and enter the mindset to work well with others and maintain good relationships.2. Do not criticise others or yourself.3. Be patient4. Learn to listen, experts recommend listening 80% of the time and only talking 20%.5. Be sensitive to others, this includes not gossiping6. Have a sense of humour appropriate to your situation. Many people benefit from a good joke.7. Treat others and their experience with respect.8. Praise and compliment people when they deserve it.9. When someone is telling a story, don’t interrupt or try to upstage them with a story of your own.10. Smile – even when you don’t feel like smiling.11. Be cheerful and try to make others smile.12. Look for solutions13. When someone compliments you, don’t disagree or boast about it – simply say thank-you with a smile and

move on.

14. Don’t complain

15. When you’re unhappy, try your best to act happy anyway. You will end up feeling better and so will the people around you, your mood is contagious.

16. Fake it ‘till you make it. If you’re not naturally confident or happy, fake it until you generally possess the desired characteristics.

17. Learn to appreciate, be helpful and not demotivate your team members. Work as Team not as an individual, this will achieve better results.

18. Treat your Team members and collegues as friends and not as strangers or subordinates.

Beatrice Vincent once said, “The people with whom you work reflect your own attitude. If you are suspicious, unfriendly and condescending, you will find these unlovely traits echoed all about you. But if you are on your best behaviour, you will bring out the best in the persons with whom you are going to spend most of your working hours.”

10 helpful tips for improving your interpersonal skills:

1. Smile. Few people want to be around someone who is always down in the dumps. Do your best to be friendly and upbeat with your coworkers. Maintain a positive, cheerful attitude about work and about life. Smile often. The positive energy you radiate will draw others to you.

2. Be appreciative. Find one positive thing about everyone you work with and let them hear it. Be generous with praise and kind words of encouragement. Say thank you when someone helps you. Make colleagues feel welcome when they call or stop by your office. If you let others know that they are appreciated, they’ll want to give you their best.

3. Pay attention to others. Observe what’s going on in other people’s lives. Acknowledge their happy milestones, and express concern and sympathy for difficult situations such as an illness or death. Make eye contact and address people by their first names. Ask others for their opinions.

4. Practice active listening. To actively listen is to demonstrate that you intend to hear and understand another’s point of view. It means restating, in your own words, what the other person has said. In this way, you know that you understood their meaning and they know that your responses are more than lip service. Your coworkers will appreciate knowing that you really do listen to what they have to say.

5. Bring people together. Create an environment that encourages others to work together. Treat everyone equally, and don't play favorites. Avoid talking about others behind their backs. Follow up on other people's suggestions or requests. When you make a statement or announcement, check to see that you have been understood. If folks see you as someone solid and fair, they will grow to trust you.

6. Resolve conflicts. Take a step beyond simply bringing people together, and become someone who resolves conflicts when they arise. Learn how to be an effective mediator. If coworkers bicker over personal or professional disagreements, arrange to sit down with both parties and help sort out their differences. By taking on such a leadership role, you will garner respect and admiration from those around you.

7. Communicate clearly. Pay close attention to both what you say and how you say it. A clear and effective communicator avoids misunderstandings with coworkers, collegues, and associates. Verbal eloquence projects an image of intelligence and maturity, no matter what your age. If you tend to blurt out anything that comes to mind, people won’t put much weight on your words or opinions.

8. Humor them. Don’t be afraid to be funny or clever. Most people are drawn to a person that can make them laugh. Use your sense of humor as an effective tool to lower barriers and gain people’s affection.

9. See it from their side. Empathy means being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand how they feel. Try to view situations and responses from another person’s perspective. This can be accomplished through staying in touch with your own emotions; those who are cut off from their own feelings are often unable to empathize with others.

10. Don't complain. There is nothing worse than a chronic complainer or whiner. If you simply have to vent about something, save it for your diary. If you must verbalize your grievances, vent to your personal friends and family, and keep it short. Spare those around you, or else you’ll get a bad reputation.

LEADERSHIP QUALITIES

What Is Leadership?

Leadership is nothing but the quality which makes a person stands out different from other ordinary employees. It is associated with such a person who has aggressiveness in speech and action, love for the employees, and who can handle pressure under different circumstances and a person who is always ready to fight for the rights of employee. A leader is useless without followers. It is the followers who make a person as a leader and if required overthrow him.

Leadership Styles:

Some people have one style of leadership, which is fine if they can find a situation that requires that style of leadership.

Flexible leadership, however, involves being able to adapt your leadership style according to the situation and the state of the team - eg: taking charge when a team is forming but playing the role of coach when a team is managing itself well.

What is the Role of Leadership?

You may have the following questions about your peer leaders.

What do long-term school reform leaders view as their essential professional competencies? What do they see as their role in sustaining reform? How do they engage teachers, families, and communities in partnerships that build programs to help

children meet challenging standards? How do such leaders know when they are doing a good job?

Dimensions of Sustaining Leadership:

Partnership and voice Vision and values Knowledge and daring Savvy and persistence Personal qualities (passion, humor, and empathy strength of character, general maturity, patience, wisdom,

common sense, trustworthiness, reliability, creativity, sensitivity)

The Top 10 Leadership Qualities:

Leadership can be defined as one's ability to get others to willingly follow. Every organization needs leaders at every level.

A leader with vision has a clear, vivid picture of where to go, as well as a firm grasp on what success looks like and how to achieve it. But it’s not enough to have a vision; leaders must also share it and act upon it.

Jack Welch, former chairman and CEO of General Electric Co., said, "Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision and relentlessly drive it to completion."

A leader must be able to communicate his or her vision in terms that cause followers to buy into it. He or she must communicate clearly and passionately, as passion is contagious.

A good leader must have the discipline to work toward his or her vision single-mindedly, as well as to direct his or her actions and those of the team toward the goal. Action is the mark of a leader. A leader does not suffer “analysis paralysis” but is always doing something in pursuit of the vision, inspiring others to do the same.

Integrity is the integration of outward actions and inner values. A person of integrity is the same on the outside and on the inside. Such an individual can be trusted because he or she never veers from inner values, even when it might be expeditious to do so. A leader must have the trust of followers and therefore must display integrity.

Honest dealings, predictable reactions, well-controlled emotions, and an absence of tantrums and harsh outbursts are all signs of integrity. A leader who is centered in integrity will be more approachable by followers.

Dedication means spending whatever time or energy is necessary to accomplish the task at hand. A leader inspires dedication by example, doing whatever it takes to complete the next step toward the vision. By setting an excellent example, leaders can show followers that there are no nine-to-five jobs on the team, only opportunities to achieve something great.

Magnanimity means giving credit where it is due. A magnanimous leader ensures that credit for successes is spread as widely as possible throughout the company. Conversely, a good leader takes personal responsibility

for failures. This sort of reverse magnanimity helps other people feel good about themselves and draws the team closer together. To spread the fame and take the blame is a hallmark of effective leadership.

Leaders with humility recognize that they are no better or worse than other members of the team. A humble

leader is not self-effacing but rather tries to elevate everyone. Leaders with humility also understand that their status does not make them a god. Mahatma Gandhi is a role model for Indian leaders, and he pursued a “follower-centric” leadership role.

Openness means being able to listen to new ideas, even if they do not conform to the usual way of thinking. Good leaders are able to suspend judgment while listening to others’ ideas, as well as accept new ways of doing things that someone else thought of. Openness builds mutual respect and trust between leaders and followers, and it also keeps the team well supplied with new ideas that can further its vision.

Creativity is the ability to think differently, to get outside of the box that constrains solutions. Creativity gives leaders the ability to see things that others have not seen and thus lead followers in new directions. The most important question that a leader can ask is, “What if … ?” Possibly the worst thing a leader can say is, “I know this is a dumb question ... ”

Fairness means dealing with others consistently and justly. A leader must check all the facts and hear everyone out before passing judgment. He or she must avoid leaping to conclusions based on incomplete evidence. When people feel they that are being treated fairly, they reward a leader with loyalty and dedication.

Assertiveness is not the same as aggressiveness. Rather, it is the ability to clearly state what one expects so that there will be no misunderstandings. A leader must be assertive to get the desired results. Along with assertiveness comes the responsibility to clearly understand what followers expect from their leader.

Many leaders have difficulty striking the right amount of assertiveness, according to a study in the February 2007 issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, published by the APA (American Psychological Association). It seems that being underassertive or overassertive may be the most common weakness among aspiring leaders.

A sense of humor is vital to relieve tension and boredom, as well as to defuse hostility. Effective leaders know how to use humor to energize followers. Humor is a form of power that provides some control over the work environment. And simply put, humor fosters good camaraderie.

Ten Basic Skills of Outstanding Leadership

• Integrity• Vision/strategy• Communication• Relationships• Persuasion• Adaptability• Teamwork• Coaching and Development• Decision-making• Planning

Leadership Continuum:

Principles of Leadership:

To help you be, know, and do, follow these eleven principles of leadership (U.S. Army, 1983). Note that later chapters in this guide expand on these and provide tools for implementing them:

1. Know yourself and seek self-improvement - In order to know yourself, you have to understand your be, know, and do, attributes. Seeking self-improvement means continually strengthening your attributes. This can be accomplished through self-study, formal classes, reflection, and interacting with others.

2. Be technically proficient - As a leader, you must know your job and have a solid familiarity with your employees' tasks.

3. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions - Search for ways to guide your organization to new heights. And when things go wrong, they always do sooner or later — do not blame others. Analyze the situation, take corrective action, and move on to the next challenge.

4. Make sound and timely decisions - Use good problem solving, decision making, and planning tools.

5. Set the example - Be a good role model for your employees. They must not only hear what they are expected to do, but also see. We must become the change we want to see - Mahatma Gandhi

6. Know your people and look out for their well-being - Know human nature and the importance of sincerely caring for your workers.

7. Keep your workers informed - Know how to communicate with not only them, but also seniors and other key people.

8. Develop a sense of responsibility in your workers - Help to develop good character traits that will help them carry out their professional responsibilities.

9. Ensure that tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished - Communication is the key to this responsibility.

10. Train as a team - Although many so called leaders call their organization, department, section, etc. a team; they are not really teams...they are just a group of people doing their jobs.

11. Use the full capabilities of your organization - By developing a team spirit, you will be able to employ your organization, department, section, etc. to its fullest capabilities.

REFERENCE:

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