essential skill pastpaper answers
essential skill pastpaper answers
1.
2.
1. Anger
2. Happiness
3. Frustration
4. Anxiety
5. Excitement
(5 Marks)
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Drugs and substance abuse are a threat to work productivity. State
FOUR drugs that are regularly abused at the workplace.
18.
1. Alcohol
2. Marijuana
3. Cocaine
4. Prescription painkillers
(4 Marks)
19.
20.
Poor communication
Misaligned goals and interests
Limited resources or competition
Personality clashes among employees
(4 Marks)
13.
a) Explain FIVE time-wasting activities that need to be discouraged to improve
productivity and achieve organizational goals.
1. Excessive social media use – Spending too much time on non-work-related apps and
platforms.
2. Unnecessary meetings – Holding frequent or unstructured meetings that are not productive
or essential.
3. Procrastination – Delaying important tasks and focusing on less urgent work.
4. Multitasking – Shifting between tasks inefficiently, leading to reduced focus and productivity.
5. Distractions from personal calls or emails – Engaging in non-work-related conversations
during work hours.
(10 Marks)
b) Hedrick is an office manager at one of the flower firms in Kenya. She has been
portraying anger outbursts on staff. She has been sent for counseling. As a
counselor, discuss FIVE ways to manage anger at the workplace.
1. Identify triggers – Encourage her to recognize the situations that lead to anger and avoid
them where possible.
2. Practice deep breathing and relaxation techniques – Help her learn how to calm down when
feeling overwhelmed.
3. Use communication strategies – Teach her how to express frustrations constructively
without resorting to anger.
4. Take timeouts – Suggest taking breaks when emotions run high to regain control.
5. Seek professional help if needed – Encourage continuous counseling or therapy for ongoing
anger management.
(10 Marks)
14.
a) Company A and B have been holding negotiations on collaborations, but they
have failed to reach an agreement. Explain FIVE reasons that may have led to
the failure of the negotiations.
b) A good negotiation can leave both parties fulfilled. Discuss FIVE stages of
negotiation as per communication policy.
1. Discriminative listening – Focusing on tone, pitch, and other auditory cues to understand the
message's meaning.
2. Comprehensive listening – Fully concentrating on the content to grasp the message’s details
and purpose.
3. Empathetic listening – Paying attention to the speaker’s emotions and concerns to offer
support or understanding.
4. Evaluative listening – Analyzing the message to form an opinion or make a judgment.
5. Appreciative listening – Enjoying or gaining pleasure from the speaker’s communication,
such as storytelling or motivational speeches.
(10 Marks)
b) JJ has always been late in meeting deadlines of tasks allocated. Advise him on
FIVE steps he would follow when setting work priorities.
1. List all tasks – Start by listing all pending and upcoming tasks to visualize the workload.
2. Identify critical tasks – Determine which tasks are urgent and important for immediate
action.
3. Set deadlines – Assign realistic deadlines for each task, prioritizing based on urgency.
4. Break tasks into smaller steps – Divide large projects into manageable steps to avoid feeling
overwhelmed.
5. Review and adjust priorities – Regularly assess progress and adjust priorities as necessary to
meet deadlines.
(10 Marks)
16.
a) You have been appointed as a team supervisor at a construction firm. Explain
FIVE roles that you would play.
1. Task delegation – Assigning duties to team members based on their skills and project
requirements.
2. Monitoring progress – Ensuring that tasks are completed on time and to the required
standard.
3. Conflict resolution – Addressing any disputes within the team to maintain productivity.
4. Providing guidance and support – Offering technical and motivational support to team
members.
5. Ensuring safety standards – Overseeing that safety protocols are followed on-site to prevent
accidents.
(10 Marks)