Aecs Lab Manual (1)
Aecs Lab Manual (1)
RESEARCH ACADEMY
Advanced Communication Skills Lab Manual
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EvaluationPattern:
AdvancedEnglishLanguageCommunicationSkillsLaboratorycanbebroadlyclassifiedinto two:
i) ComputerAssistedLanguageLab
ii) InteractiveCommunicationSkillsLab
1) Twointernalswillbeconductedfor Labassessment
2) Studentsareadvisedto maintainarecordbooktomakeanoteoftheactivitiesdonein the
lab.Five marks will be awarded for the same.
3) Attendance will be taken regularly for the lab sessions for which five marks will
beawarded.
4) Awritten test for10marks will be conducted.
5) Studentsareevaluatedfor fivemarksfor activity.
6) Totalnumberofmarksforinternalassessmentis25.
ExternalExamination:50Marks
Externalassessmentisbasedona3hourexaminationprocess.
Evaluation Pattern
Theory-20Marks
Activity-10Marks
VivaVoce-20 Marks
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ListofExercises
UNIT Nameof theExercise PageNo
1 ActivitiesonInterpersonalCommunicationand 10-19
BuildingVocabulary
2 ActivitiesonReadingComprehension 20-25
4 ActivitiesonPresentationSkills 40-42
5 ActivitiesonGroupDiscussionandInterview Skills
43-55
6 ConflictManagement 56-62
8 TeamBuilding 69-72
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General Instructions:
2) Headphonesshouldnotbeusedforanyotherpurposeexceptforlisteningtothe information
3) Studentsarerequestedtobecarefulwhilehandlingandoperatingthecomputers.
4) Students must bring their lab manuals to the lab without fail and get them signed
10) StudentsarenotallowedintothelabwithoutIDcards.
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Unit-1
ActivitiesonInterpersonalCommunicationandBuildingVocabulary
Positivebodygestures
Positive body gestures enhance confidence and security. They are signs of active participation
and leave a good impression. Positive gestures include:-
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Walkingupright
Shakinghandsconfidently
Havingapleasantface.
Noddinghead is a positive gesture
A steadyeyecontact
Negativebodygestures
Negativegesturessymbolizeinsecurityandrestlessness.Suchgesturesshowlackofconfidence. Such
gestures should be avoided in interviews or meetings.
Beingup tied
Bitingnails
Gettingdistracted
Fakingasmile
Lookingat somethingelsewhiletalkinginstead ofthespeaker
Properetiquettesshould be followed.
Pointsto remember:-
Neverbestiffwhile makingmovements.
Avoidbodylanguagethat maybemisunderstood orlook unprofessional. E.g. Winking.
Aconsistent eyecontactisa positivesign andmust be used.
Avoidfiddlingwiththingsaround.Itmaydistractthe attention.
Each body part movement signifies something and helps in interpreting. E.g. Standing
with hands on hips signifies aggressions, nodding signifies agreement and active
listening, biting nails signifies nervousness.
Unlike emails, body language does not give time to think. Hence they must be used
appropriately.
Howtostarta conversation:
Starting a conversation to know someone, or breaking tongue-tied silence can be very stressful.
However, it is not difficult. The following guidelines can be used to start a conversation, when
there is nothing to talk about.
Comment on the location or occasion: Look around to see if there is anything worth
pointing out. For instance, “I enjoy this view!” “Such incredible food!” etc.
Ask an open-ended question: Open ended questions facilitate to start the conversation
andcontinuetheconversationwithease.Openendedquestionsgenerallybeginwith
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question words like who, when, what, why, where and how. For example, “What sort of
books do you like?” Which season do you prefer the most etc.
Learnhowtocombinegeneralremarkswithopen-endedquestions:Sometimeseither one
of these may be awkward or seem to be out of place or context on its own. In such
situations, combine general remarks with open ended questions for maximum effect. For
example, “That’s a beautiful hand bag, where did you get it?” This combination of
general remarks with open ended question allows the owner of the hand bag to talk about
the day she went for shopping and her experiences.
Enquire about their pets:Talking about animals can create a common ground to speak
about when thereis absolutelynothingto talk in common. Don’t talk about yourpet, as it
may be annoying to some people. Instead, asking about their pets is a great way to allow
people to open up and talk with less effort.
Make use of previous discussions: If the person is a known individual, recollect the list
of topics already discussed and continue with one of them. For example, children, or
projects or bad news that he/she shared. This gives a topic to talk about, and also makes
them understand that you care about them.
Pose questions that are easy to answer:Some questions are hard to answer and make
the person think sometimes, “Do I really have to answer this question?” Many people
prefer easy questions to hard questions. For instance, “What are your plans for today?”,
“How do you feel working in summer?”etc.
Understand their feelings:Don’t ask questions that invade their personal space. Some
people experience discomfort in discussing topics such as weight, or lack of possessing a
degreeorqualificationetc.Bethoughtfulandavoidstartingaconversationonsuchtopics even
with strangers.
Wash off your fears: When you feel that you are not able to participate in conversation,
with another person, it may be because you started telling yourself a few negative things
like you are boring, intruding or wasting their time. This can leave you embarrassed and
tongue-tied. Feeling self-conscious during conversation is not unusual and also not
productive.
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Tipsforan effective conversation:
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to continue the conversation and maintaining its momentum rests on you. If the other
person listens to actively and pose open questions back for you, take them as their cues
and keepthem engaged in conversation by asking them open questions.
Don’t be afraid of pauses: Pauses can be looked at as opportunities to change the topics,
re-energize the conversation. Letting a pause for a long time is the only time that you
shouldthinkorworryaboutsilenceinaconversation.Aslongas youcanmovenaturally to the
next subject or topic, its fine and should not feel stressed.
Give yourself an out:Entering into a conversation means that you can talk briefly with
yourfriends.Thiswillnotmakeyourpartnerfeeltrappedorobligated,andalsogives you an
opportunity to conclude, when necessary.
In day to day life, we require information about many things. We have to ask for information
about various things and also give information to different people about different things.
Expressions utilized differ from situation to situation. For instance, the expressions used in
asking for information is different from complaining. Thus, the students should know the
differences and master them to be proficient in using the language. Few expressions that are
generally used during request are given below for better understanding as an example.
Making Requests:
Doyouthinkyoucouldgiveme aglassofwater?
Wouldyoumindgivingmeaglassof water?
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individuals practice at dealing with real life problems, and many of these methods involve
theuseof role-play. Ifit is used well, role-playcan vastlyenhancethe learning experience, but often
the full potential of the role-play is diminished as it is ineffectively, or inappropriately, applied.
DiscussionQuestions:
1. Imaginethatyouaretravellinginatrainandwouldliketoconversewiththetraveler sitting
opposite to you. How will you start a conversation?
3. Mrs. Mary is baking cakes when her daughterLinda came home from school. Write
animaginary conversation between Mary and Linda.
6. Browseandfindoutvariousformalexpressionsusedinsituationslikecomplaining,
apologizing, giving and asking for information.
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VocabularyBuilding
Vocabulary means a sum or stock of words employed bya language, a group, an individual or a
work or in a field of knowledge.It is the collection of words and terms available for used in
communication. Developing good vocabulary is not only important to writers and speakers. It is
important in everybody’s life both personally as well as professionally. The three main reasonsto
improve one’s vocabulary are:
Itsharpensyour communication
Itopensyourmind
Vocabularyhelpsyoutobecomesuccessful
Tipstoimprove vocabulary
Read, read, and read! The more you read novels, newspapers and magazines, the better is
your vocabulary, as you are exposed to number of different and new words.
Keepathesaurusorpocketdictionary, orasmartphone.
Maintaina vocabularyjournal.
Learnawordaday,itssynonymsand antonyms.
Learnwordroots(Etymology)
Understandthe meaningsof as manyprefixes and suffixes.
Rememberone-wordsubstitutes,business vocabulary.
Practiceverbal analogy.
Useidiomsandphrasesandcollocationsinyourspeech.
Antonyms:Anantonymisawordthatisoppositeinmeaningtothegivenword. Ex:
Turbulent x Tranquil
Idioms and Phrases: Understanding and remembering idioms and phrases is very important to
improve one’s vocabulary. The word ‘Phrase’ can be defined a small group of words standing
together as a conceptual unit, typically forming a component of a clause.
Ex: I cannot put up with that fellow. The italicized words are a phrase. The contextualized
meaning of the phrase is endured.
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An‘Idiom’canbedefinedasagroupofwordswhosemeaningcannotbepredictedfromthe literal
meaning of the constituent words.
Ex:To smellarat:tosuspectfoul dealings.
One-WordSubstitutes:Substitutingalongsentencebyasinglewordconveyingthemeaningof the
sentence.
Ex:A personwhom oneknows butis not particularlyaclosefriend-Acquaintance.
Business Vocabulary: It is defined as set of words used for specific purposes. For example, the
words used by a lawyer are different from the words used by an engineer.
Ex: Cash Cow: It is a business term that is used to talk about a business, investment or
productthat gives steady income or profits.
Collocations:Afamiliargroupingofwords,especiallywordsthathabituallyappeartogetherand thereby
convey meaning by association.
Ex:Richlydecorated,fullyaware,excruciatingpain etc.
DiscussionQuestions/ Exercises
1. Identify any ten difficult words from a newspaper article and write their synonyms
andantonyms.
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1. BagofBones
2. PlayPossum
3. AHot Potato
4. APrettyKettle ofFish
5. ToBringto Book
1. Personlackinginexperienceandcompetenceinartorscience----------------------------
2. Obvioustotheeyeormind---------------------------------
3. Fearofgreatheights-----------------------------
4. Todivideintobranchesorparts----------------------------------
5. Thescienceofcolors--------------------------
4. Selectanyfiveprefixesandfivesuffixes.Writetheirmeaningsandformasmanymeaningful
words as possible.
5. Completeeachofthesentencesbychoosingthecorrectwordfromthefouroptions given.
1. Dramaisrelatedtostage astennisisrelatedto----------------------
a. Field b. court c.net d. racket
5. Wellisrelatedtodepthasofficeisrelatedto---------------------------------
a. Subordinatesb. promotionc. efficiency d. authority.
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Unit-2
ActivitiesonReadingComprehension
Introduction: Reading is an essential element at every stage of one’s life, especially in schools,
colleges and at workplace. This is because reading is a means of discovering information to
expand one’s knowledge and understanding of the subject of any kind and any field. Reading
helps in mental development and is known to stimulate the muscles of the eyes. It involves
greater levels of concentration and improves the conversational abilities of the reader.
ReadingComprehension Strategies:
Students often complain that they are unable to understand the given passage. If, you
happen to belong to this category of students, remember that you need not understand
each and every word, and at the same time you need to find out the summary or the gistof
the paragraph. Focusing on the key words is more important.
Know your strengths. The conservative approach is, reading the passage and then
answering the questions. But some students do not feel comfortable with this approach.
Probably, they do not know which key words they have to remember, and waste a lot of
timeinreadingthepassageagainandagain.Insuchsituations,a‘bottomup’approachis followed,
where the students read the questions first and then look for corresponding answers from
the paragraph.
Time management plays a crucial role. Apart from testing knowledge and skill,
competitive examinations also test an individual’s time management. Practice numerous
reading comprehension exercises with the help of a timer.
Practice more. This will alone make you smart in managing time, understanding the
techniques and finally makes you proficient in answering the reading comprehension
passages.
Improve your vocabulary. A person who has poor vocabulary stops more number oftimes
while reading a passage. Every time he/she comes across a new word, he/she stops
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and tries to understand the meaning. In such situations, understanding the gist of the
passagebecomes difficult. Having good vocabularyimproves readingspeed. It also helps
in understanding the passage better and saves a lot of time.
Most reading comprehensions are complex passages taken from scientific essays, well-
known fiction, literature or economics. Solving passages from different fields of
knowledge will not only give practice, but also increases vocabulary and reading speed.
Focus on the content. Don’t let your mind to waver here and there.
GeneralVsLocalComprehension
Readingforfacts
Every reading passage contains facts and details.The facts and details tell more about the main
idea.Questionsaboutfactsanddetailsaskyouaboutsomethingthatwasstatedinthe passage.To answer
aquestion about afact ordetail, look back to thepassageto findtheanswer. Five WH questions and
one H question answers everything about facts or details. They are who, what, when. Where,
why and how.
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Guessingmeaningsfromcontext
The ability to infer the meaning of an unknown word either by looking at the vocabulary around
it or its context is an important reading skill. The context here either refers to the sentence or the
paragraph where the unfamiliar word appears which provides the reader with information that to
give meaning or sense of the term. Four types of clues can be used to support reading
comprehension. They are synonyms, antonyms, examples and definitions and generalknowledge.
Scanning
a. Aspecificpoint or fact
c. aformulaein a text
e. trainortelevisionschedules
f. referencesorbibliographicallistings
g.examination results
Skimming
It is the rapid surveyof the subject. This is to get a rough idea or to see quickly what the book is
about. It is a more sophisticated skill than scanning. The main objective of skimming is to
understand the central idea and the main points of a text. The reader has to read fast and make
quick analysis. Skimming involves three main skills: Identifying the central idea, recognizing
main ideas, and identifying the writing patterns of the passage. Skimming is indispensable for
better understanding of a text. Skimming should answer the following questions about a passage
or text.
Whatisthe overallpurposeofthetext?
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What is the organization of the passage?(general to specific, specific to general,
chronological,more important to less important, or less important to more important and so on.
Inferringmeaning
Inferences are broadly referred to what “you read between lines.” Inferences are what the author
suggests or implies. The author wants the reader to arrive at the same conclusion the author has
arrived at. When the author implies something, the reader has to infer.
CriticalReading
Criticalreadingisengaginginwhat youreadbyposingquestionstooneself.Forexample‘What is the
author trying to say’? or ‘what is the main idea or argument presented’? It involves a reasoned
argument coupled with evaluation and analyses of what you read.
Note: Don’t spend lot of time in skimming and scanning to avoid drifting awayfrom the content
of the paragraph.
EffectiveGoogling
Effective search is an important skill that everybody has to master. There are few tips to be
followed for effective googling.
1. Keepthesearchphraseshort
2. Use quotes
3. Searchawebsite
4. Searchadomainextension
6. Tellaboutwhatyoudon’twant.
7. Searchforthisor that
9. Avoid synonyms
10. Do aspecialtysearch.
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DiscussionTopics/Exercises
Readtheparagraphandanswerthefollowingquestions
Aprilfool’sDay
April fool’s Day, sometimes called All Fool's Day, is on the first of April every year. People can
play practical jokes. That's why you shouldn't believe what is said to you and you should be
doubtful of the people around you on this day. Someone might change the time on another
person's alarm to make him wake up very early or very late. Or she / he may put a lot of pepperin
another's food. Of course all this is done just for fun. When the trick is played people say "April
Fool" to make the poor person realize that it was just a joke.
Some of the well known and most successful pranks orpractical jokeswere on the media -
television, radio stations, newspapers... For instance, a BBC television program ran a famous
hoax in 1957, showing Italians harvesting spaghetti from trees. A large number of people
contacted the BBC wanting to know how to cultivate spaghetti trees. In 2008, the BBC again
reported on a newly discovered colony of flying penguins showing people walking with the
penguins in Antarctica, and following their flight to the Amazon rainforest.
Source:Wikipedia
Comprehension:
1. AprilFool’sDayisalsocalledFoolDay?
a. True
b. False
2. On this day
a. youmust be suspicious about what peoplearoundyou sayor do
b. Youshould wakeup earlyin order not to behoaxed
3. Afteryouplayatrickonsomeone
a. sayAprilFool
b. sayAprilFool'sDay
4. Afterthe announcementoftheBBC"spaghettidocumentary"
a. peoplebelieved thepieceof news
b. peoplecalled theBBC tocomplainabout beinghoaxed
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Unit-3
ActivitiesonWritingSkills
Writingskillsaretendedtobeinborntalents.Butwithoutputtinguphardwork,theinnatetalents are of no
use. Sustained motivation and hard work are the two secrets to a good write up. The skill of
writing has taken last place in communicative skills (LSRW). To acquire this ability
continuouspracticeandinvolvementarenecessary. If youwouldwishtowritestartwriting,keep
writing and check your writing then rewrite. It is a process of answering umpteen (No. of)
questions related to the write up. Information gathering from dayto daylife experiences helps to
improve writing skills which are an integral part of good communication. The more effective
your writing skills are, the more you through influence on people around you.
Strategiestodevelopwritingskills:
Commandoverwritingcomesthroughpractice.
Lifeexperiences shouldbeconvertedto activity‘writing’.
Grammaticalerrors arecontinuouslychecked
Actionwordsareconcentratedupon
Accuracyandcoherence
Redrafting
Rememberyouraudienceandtheir requirement
Themedium and styleofwriting
Genderneutral language
DifferentTypesofWritingSkills
1. Letters,Formaland informal
2. ReportsProject reportsMemoreportsandminutesofmeetings
4. Emails
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5. Portfoliowriting
6. Taking Notes
ImprovingOne’sWriting
Keepitsimple
Keepit active: passivevoiceis avoided
Worktogether:share theworkdone by showingitto specialistsin thatarea toget
feedback
Invest on books and training: Look into dictionary or thesaurus to produce clear ad
understandable writing. Courses and workshops will help to improve writing
Makeitinteresting.Asthereadersarenotfamiliarwithsubjectmatter,necessary details are
given
UsenewandbetterTechnology:updateknowledgeofgivingheadings,margins, alignment
and new words
Hiring a professional: when the volume of wring is large and professional matter, it
can be given to persons who are proficient in writing
RésuméorJobApplication
A Résumé is a calling card for one’s future. It is a brief summary of your talents, abilities
education, experience and skills. A successful Résumé will review summarize and present your
training,expertiseinthe saidfieldandachievementsclearlyand concisely. Itsmainpurposeisto
convince the prospective employer to contact you for an Interview. A Résumé is normally2 to 3
pages. But a Curriculum Vitae is longer.
Majoruses of a Résumé:
1. Tohelptogoforaninterview
2. Toprovidetheemployer withreferencematerialduringthe interview
3. Toserveasareminder to the employer afterthe interviewtosend a letter
TypesofRésumés
1. ChronologicalRésumé
2. FunctionalRésumé
3. CombinationRésumé
4. TargetedRésumé
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ChronologicalRésumé
It starts by listing your work history with the recent position listed first. Your jobs, educational
qualifications are listed in reverse chronological order, with the recent one first. Employersprefer
this type of Résumé because it is easy to assess one’s caliber.
FunctionalRésumé
This type of Résumé focuses on skills and experience rather than one’s chronological work
history. It is used most often by people who are changing careers or who have gaps in their
employment history. It highlights major skill areas. Skills are emphasized over work experience.
Job titles, Dates or names of the employers may be left out. You may describe or label this
section in varieties of ways.
Skills
Abilities
Accomplishments
Experience
Areasofcompetence
CombinationRésumé
A combination Résumé lists a person’s skills and experience first. The employment history
comes next. With this type of Résumé one can highlight the skills relevant to the job one is
applying for. It also provides the chronological work history that employers prefer. You are
writing a targeted Résumé and need an effective way to match the skills to the job requirements.
TargetedRésumé
RésuméStructure
The Résumé structure is important in more than one way. The ideal Résumé structure gives a
professional outlook while displaying a career – oriented attitude of the applicant. It influences
the flow of the Résumé and thereby affecting its readability. Hence, constructing the Résumé
perfectly will improve your chances of gaining the important interview call. Each applicant
decides on the structure as per his strengths, capabilities and expectations of the prospective
employer and hence, every Résumé tends to differ from the other. In general the structure
contains the following steps.
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Presentation
Planning
Projectingskillsandstrengths
Summary
Formand style
Expertadvice(petpeeves)
Coverletter
Introduction:
Itcontainsaheader andobjectives.
Header includes name and contact details of the applicants. The name should be in bold letters.
The address, email id and telephone numbers are furnished.
Objectives:
It holds the aspirations and career plans. The applicant’s potential qualities and his expectations
from the job are clearly indicated here.
PrimarySection:
Experience:
It contains work history, designation, place of work, total work duration and responsibilities.
While giving the above details bullet format and action words are used. Elaborate this section
wisely to bring out the best of the applicant’s capacities.
EducationQualification:
This section should include qualifications both education as well as additional, name of the
awarding bodies, year of passing and grades scored.
Certifications
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Achievements:
Secondarysection
PersonalDetails:Itincludesfamilybackground,maritalstatus,age,interestsetc.
References: This includes the name and contact details of the people worked with or studied
under the guidance of. However the practice of writing references is thinning down and
concluded in one sentence, “available on request”. This is the last part of the Résumé.
GeneralEditingandProofReadingofarésumé
A fresh eye can spot any mistakes which were overlooked. If it is reviewed, the reviewer may
notice a better way of saying something. Misspellings can also be avoided.
Résumé Parsing Services: these are Computer Programs that filter through Résumés utilizing
key words.
Don’t use the page Header and Footer Features: your Résumé will probably not make it past the
Parsing Service if you put your contact information etc., as a header or footer. Using a page
header or footer on Résumé is a good way not to get noticed.
Legible andAttractive:
Stay with the Times New Roman, Verdana or courier. The font size for the content would be
between 11 and 12 and for headers it could be 12 or 14, Leave a margin of 1 1/2” to left and
right. The content should be in black, highlighting headers with dark gray or deep navy blue.
Bold and words in italics should be sparingly used.
Final Formatting
ChecksthejobpostingrequirementstobesureyouaresubmittingyourRésuméintheprescribed format
through email, postal mail (hard copy) or fax. Most commonly used format is Microsoft Word. A
file name should be given for your Résumé.
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CoverLetter:
The Cover Letter basically consists of a request or self recommendation. It is short explanations
ofwhyshouldtheemployer considertheapplicant? Acoverlettercanbe shortwhen youenclose a C.V.
It is best to personalise the letter for maximum impact on the reader, the recruiter. Only factual
information should be given in it. The opinion about the company can be briefly written along
with a mention of how it would help the applicant to work effectively in the workplace.
TheFormat
In the first para details of getting the information about the job i.e. through advertisements, job
portal, and internet are given.
The 2ndpara should be about appraising the growth of the company and applicant’s selfappraisal.
The skills and achievements also should be given.
The 3rdparaconsists conclusion with a complimentary word to prove one’s mettle. A brief
mention of the enclosures is also given.
All the 3 paras should be precise but very clear and impressive so that the employer can send an
interview call.
1. See that a Résumé doesn’t have any typographical, spelling, grammar, syntax errors
orfactual errors
2. Keyinformation is given i.e. Name, address, phone number and email id at the top of the
first page. Objectives are listed next in concord with the job requirements
3. Experience,educationalqualificationsinreversechronologicalorder.Additionalinformation
regarding hobbies/interests is given
4. Specifythegoals foroptingthe job
5. Strengthsarehighlighted
6. Makecareful andstrategicchoicesashow toorganise,orderandconveyskills
7. Itshouldbe ‘You’attitudenotself.
8. Usemostimpressiveandpowerwords
9. Resultorientedapproach isused
10. Usephrases insteadof longsentences
11. Uselaserprinter
12. Watchthetenseused
13. Experiencesectionshouldcomebeforeeducationdetails
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Whatnot to writeina résumé
1. WordRésumé or C V on thetop
2. Fluffyrambling/ objectivesentences
3. Salary
4. Fulladdresses oftheformer employers
5. Reasons for leavingpreviousjobs
6. Personalstatistics
7. References
8. Your weaknesses
Discussion/Activity
E Correspondence
Characteristicsof anemail
1. Concisefewestpossiblewordsareused
2. Accurateformatisused
3. Clear:simple,familiar,directandspecificwords,appropriatelinkersandtransitional signals
should be used
4. Conventionaltone:formalandconversationaltoneis used
5. Single theme: logical development of the content with sub-ordinating ideas related to the
context.
Advantages
Speed
Quickdistribution
Flexibilityto modify,edit and revise
Easyattachmentof documents
Lowcost
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Email format
To:receiver’semailid
CC(carbon copy)
Body:sender’saddress,date,recipient’snameandaddress,salutation,
complementary close,
Discussionquestions
c. Writetoyourcolleaguesinyourofficetosavealltheirdocumentsinviewofthe changes
to be made in the software.
Portfolio Writing
A professional portfolio is a tangible collection of items that charts your professional growth and
illustrates the best examples of the most relevant skills and experiences. It enables todemonstrate
allied qualifications clubbed with skills. The process of putting portfolio together helps to
determine how organized you are. It gives a clear picture of targets for chosen career. It is a
valuable tool that can be used throughout the career to assess the professional development,
negotiate effectively, prepare for performance appraisals, navigate career transitions and track
professional growth and opportunities. It is a proof of achievements and rewards. Job seekers
who use Portfolios often receive more offers at higher starting pay.
Creatingaportfolio:
Collect items that show case your skills and abilities in various areas. At the end of each
college semester or during each year of employment, collect and file evidence of activities,
work, assignment, internships, accomplishments, special trainings, workshops and artifacts.
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Theartifactsare:
Communityorclubactivities
Collegeextracurricular recognition
Classroom experiences
Special interests
Professionalmemberships
Specialskillsor certifications
Workrelatedskills
Serviceorvoluntarywork
Next step is selecting artifacts that exhibit accomplishments. Select material that is exemplary
and lead nearer to goals
Connect material to achievements with summaries or reflection papers that highlight learning.
Forexampleif youparticipateinleadershiptrainingworkshopconnectthepamphletwithwritten
summary of what is learned and growth prospects.
Assemble a working portfolio by purchasing a professional binder, divider tabs, clear sheet
protectors and creative paper. Card stock for keeping photos and captions is a MUST. Use high
quality paper for lay-out pages and strive for consistency and professionalism
Filteritintoatargetedpresentationtopotentialemployers andgraduateschools.
Forexample,apresentationportfolioforascholarshipapplicationmightincludeitemsrelatedto
Leadership, Service learning or Academic excellence.
A portfolio is a proof to show in an Interview that you are well qualified for the job. Use SIR
(situation, input and result) approach. Respond to the questions based on the above approach.The
portfolio can never be left with the interviewers.
Discussion topic:
Createyourportfolio.
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TechnicalReportWriting
Introduction: A Technical report is a formal report designed to conveytechnical information in a
clear and accessible format. It is divided into sections which allow different readers to access
different levels of information. The purpose of the individual sections is to produce an accurate
professional document.
Rules of writing a Technical Report: Four general requirements should be met to writing areport.
They are
1. Clarity
2. Continuity
3. Conciseness
4. Objectivity
Clarity: The purpose of a technical report is to transmit conclusions and their supportive
evidences. To do this, a report must convey the exact meaning of the writer’s intention to the
reader. Ambiguity regarding mathematical symbols must be clearly defined, the grammatical
errors should be rechecked and figures and tables must be easily understood.
Continuity:Thematterofareportshouldbelogicallyarrangedsothatitisinterestingstatement. It
requires continuity between succeeding sentences, paragraphs and sections. The transitional
words, phrases and sentences may be influencing the reader so one should be careful in
maintainingthe continuity. Whilereferringfiguresandtableslimitthedistractionsthe references
should be either at the beginning or at the end of the report.
Conciseness: The reports should be concisely written by using fewest possible words and
illustrations. Omit irrelevant details and conclusions. The quality of the report is inversely
proportional to the length of it. The supporting evidences for every conclusion should be given
simultaneously.
Objectivity: Technical report should show the restraint and expect the reader evaluate the data
honestly. Do not try to hide the deficiencies in the research.No technical report is better than
research. The assumptions, hypotheses and results should be frankly stated in a report. Do not
write any matter which may cause irritation or to impress the reader.
TypesofTechnicalReports:
Informal reports: Memorandum, brief analysis, Tour report laboratory report field report and
inspection report
Formal reports: Committee reports Institution reports, Project reports, Survey reports, Status
reports, Progress reports, Annual reports, Letter report, Feasibility study, Damaged report,
Maintenance report and Project Proposal.
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TheFormatofa Report
1. Titlepage/Cover page
2. Abstract
3. Contents
4. Introduction
5. Objectives
6. Procedure
7. Conclusion
8. Recommendationor suggestion
9. References/ bibliography
10. Acknowledgements
11. Appendices
Title Page:The title of a report or main text word is given at the beginning of a report in this
page.
Abstract: It is the summary of the whole report including important features, results and
conclusions.
Contents: Numbers and lists of all sections and sun-sections with page numbers. In other words
this is the preface or foreword of a report.
RecommendationsorSuggestions: Detailsofopinionsforfurtherimprovement.
Acknowledgments: List of people who helped you to prepare the report. This can be put after
contents page also.
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WritingStyles:
a. The report must be printed on one side of white A4 size paper. It may be handwritten or
printed.
b. Marginsmustbeatleast2.5inches.
c. Pagenumbersstartaftercontentspage.Donotnumberthetitlepage,summaryand contents
pages.
Planning the Report: Collect the information from the library, handouts, lecture notes,
pamphlets, journals and reference books. Keep an accurate record of all the published references
to be used while writing a report. The following points should be remembered while writing
reference or bibliography.
Creativephaseof planning
Write the topics and ideas from the researched material in random order. Arrange them into
logical groups. Keep note of the topics that do not fit into groups in case they come to use later.
Put the groups into a logical sequence which covers the topic of the report.
StructuringtheReport:
Using the logical sequence of grouped ideas, write a rough outline with Headings and Sub-
headings.
Writingthe firstDraft
For the course work assignments, the readers, particularly in professional context would like to
consider the level of details given in the report. Begin writing the main text not the introduction.
Followtheoutlineintermsofheadingsandsideheadings.LettheIdeasflow.Donotworry
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about style, spelling or word processing. If you are stuck, go back to the outline plan and make
more detailed preparatory notes to get the flow again. Make rough sketches of diagrams or
graphs. Keep a numbered list of references as they are included in the write up. Put the quoted
texts in quotation marks. Write the conclusion next, followed by the introduction. Do not write
the summary at this stage.
Revisingthefirstdraft
TheReportLayout
Styles
Note
Professional reports generally do not increase the font size for titles and headings.
Length:Therewillnotbeextracreditsforlongreports.So,concisereportsarepreferred.
Finalizing the report:Add page numbers, contents and title pages and summarize. The summary
should indicate the scope of the report and give conclusions. It must be intelligible.
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Proof-reading
Re-checking every aspect of the written matter from the beginning to the end is absolutely
necessary. This act should be either done by the author or given to someone else to check the
contents, style, structure and layout. Don’t forget to record the person’s name in
acknowledgment.
1. Write a letter report for establishing language lab in engineering colleges with advanced
software.
2. Writeanote reportofthe importanceof readingrooms incollegelibraries.
3. Writeatechnical reporton thecollapseof anewlyconstructedbridgetoanewspaper
4. Reportontheeducationaltourundertakenbyyourcollege.
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Unit-4
ActivitiesonPresentationSkills
An oral presentation is a formal address by a person to a group of people with or without using
visual aids and other tolls like slide show, video or audio clip successful presentations are
designed to meet the needs and expectations of the audience. It serves varies purposessuch as
improvingspeaking skills, increase the chances of getting good jobs and to gauge the strength of
oneself regarding language competency an persuasive skills. It is therefore, a conscious effort of
the speaker and is a purposeful communication and establishes the reputation of the speaker.
TYPESOFORALPRESENTATIONS
Impromptu
Impromptu refers to the type of oral presentation were the person has to speak on the spot
without any previous preparation this skill demands a good level of presence mind and self
confidence apart from the skill of organizing the materiel in a quick pace. Impromptu reflects
highly competitive and agile environment in which we work.
In the absence of earlier arrangement of ideas and structuring of arguments, the speaker might
fail to present a coherence speech. The looseness as when compare to a seminar presentation is
expected. However, one should make an attempt to reduce chaotic presentation.
Extempore
In this format of presentation, the speaker is given time for presenting his speech. He or she has
timetoworkandrework hisorherargumentsand ideastakingintoconsiderationtheequipments of the
delivery say brevity, coherence and ample supporting evidence etc. in extempore, we cannot
directly use the materiel, that is, read it out while delivering it to the audience. Consequently,
extempore presentation demands a deeper and thorough understanding of the issue/topic being
spoken.
Seminar
For a student, seminar is important an early exposure to this form of oral presentation is a must.
Seminars are regularly organized and conducted in colleges with a primary objective of
evaluating certain features that are present in both the two earlier forms---- Impromptu and
Extempore.Theseprovidethe speaker withample time tocollectthematerialandorganizeideas.
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Further, in a seminar like impromptu, the presence of mind, quick k grasp of situation andprompt
action are essential. In a seminar the speaker can access his or her material directly.
Elementsoforalpresentation
A) Introduction
B) MainBody
C) Conclusion
D) Questionsandresponses
Introduction:A well beginning is half done. The speaker has to prepare thoroughly and motivate
the audience. The introduction therefore should be attractive, attention drawing and thought
provoking. There are various ways to kick-start the presentation.
*greetthe audience
*introduceyourself
*announcethe topiceitherbyaskingquestionsorbydirectlygivingcluesbeforedeclaringit.
*maintaintime(durationofthepot)
Main Body
The main body should contain relevant matter, preferably divided into sub titles. Orderly
arrangement of these should cohere with the content. The relationship between the themes and
arguments should be clearly stated. It should contain a situation wherein, the audience can
effectively relate.
Conclusion
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SpecificObjectivesofanoral presentation
Stepsinvolvedinoralpresentation
Discussion Question
35
Unit-5
ActivitiesonGroupDiscussionandInterviewSkills
Interview is an opportunityto meet the challenges of professional life on the one hand and to get
skilled personnel for the employer. It is an opportunity for both employee and employer. If the
applicant wants to exhibit his skills, knowledge, self-confidence and motivation, the interview is
the only way to determine the candidate’s caliber.
The interview has a wide range of uses. It is a form of oral communication, one to one or one to
group interaction which proves the unique identity of the applicant. Every interview has some
process involving the following steps.
1. Typeofinterview
2. Howtostartan interview
3. Establishingrapport
4. Exchanginginformation
5. Closingthe interview
6. Follow-upaftertheinterview
7. Conclusion
Afewaspectsregardinginterviewprocessare:
1. Arrangementofplace,timeand questions
2. Acquiringjobrelatedinformationandknowledge abouttherequirement
3. AssessingSWOCof oneself
4. Openingstrategies
After sending Résumé to a company, the candidate will get a call from the hiring manager. The
interview may be either a phone interview or in-person interview. The phone interviews give a
chance to the employer to feel your skill set on conserving. In-person interview are usually
conducted if the candidate survives the initial phone interview.Mostly the in-person interviews
are based in asking questions relevant the job or to the person by a panel of members.
Theopening strategies:
1. Entranceandintroduction:Thebestwaytoenteraninterviewroomistoknock,askfor
permission to enter and then wait for a while before sitting down. Try to be comfortable
keeping your hands in the lap.
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a. Bepresentable,havetimesense, composedandgivecandid replies.
b. Befocused
c. Maintaineye contact
d. Introduceyourselfclearly
e. Smile
f. Beexpressive. Avoidusingmonotone.
g. Pronouncewords clearly
h. Beconcise
i. Stayfocused and to thepoint
j. Bedirect
k. Useappropriate handgesturesto emphasizekeypoints
l. Negotiate well
2. Attitude and Response: Interviewers will give a lead to the candidates. So try and take
cues from the tonal variations, facial expressions and thrust of questions.
a. Familybackground
b. Education
c. Initiation
d. Interpersonalskills
e. Aptitude
f. Appealing gestures
Inanyinterview therearethreestages:
1. Preinterview
Identifyyourstrengthsandweaknesses, goals,skills,etc
Researchthe company
Rehearsewhatyouplantosay
Practiceanswerstocommonquestions
Preparequestionsto asktheemployer
2. Processinterview
Makesureyouarriveafewminutesearly
Be aware of nonverbal communication. Sit up straight, look alert, speak clearly
and forcefully, but stay relaxed. Make good eye contact, avoid nervous
mannerisms, and try to be a good listener as well as a good talker. Smile!
Follow the interviewer’s lead, but try to get the interviewer to describe the
position and duties to you fairly early in the interview so that you can then relate
your background and skills in context
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Bespecific,concrete,anddetailedinyouranswers.Themoreinformationyou volunteer,
the better the employer gets to know you
Offerexamplesofyourworkandreferenceswhichwilldocumentyourbest qualities
Answer questions as truthfully and as frankly as you can. Answer honestly, while
trying not to say more than is necessary
3. Postinterview
Takenotesonwhatyoufeelyoucouldimproveuponforyournextinterview
Writeabriefthank-youlettertointerviewerindicatingyourinterestwithin24 hours of
your interview
If offeredtheposition,oneto twoweeksisareasonableamountoftimetomakea
decision. All employment offers deserve whether you accept them or not
Interviewpreparation
Research is a critical part of preparing for an interview. Spend time in thinking about yourself
andthequestions youmightaskattheendofinterview.Self-assessmentwillenable youto know what
you have to offer an employer. It is very important to develop an inventory of skills, experience
and personal attributes that can be used to ‘sell yourself’ to employers.
Analytical/Problemsolving
Flexibility/Versatility
Interpersonal
Oral/Written communication
Organization/Planning
Time management
Motivation
Leadership
Self-starter/Initiative
Teamplayer
Typesofinterviews
1. Facetoface interview
2. Group interview
3. Behavioralinterview
4. Telephoneinterview
5. Panel interview
6. Stress interview
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7. VideoConferencing
Face to face interview: This is also known as traditional interview. In this kind of interview the
employer and the job seeker can get to know each other about respective environment.
Group Interview: These interviews are conducted by large companies or MNC’s for graduates
at a time. They may give some exercises to solve in a group and observes the leadership and
communication skills of the participants. These interviews test the team work, listening
comprehension and stress managing skills among the group.
Behavioral Interview: In this, the candidates are asked to explain their skills, experience,
hobbies, projects and personal details.
Panel interviews: The candidates will meet several higher authorities and answer the critical
questions by a panel of members. Usually this method is used to hire for advanced positions.
Stress interview: The main purpose of this interview is to test the candidate’s ability to handle
stress situations. The employer will ask continuous questions to answer without giving time to
think. The interviewer might openly challenge beliefs or judgment. Sometimes impossible tasks
are given to test your abilities but not aim at a solution.
InterviewthroughVideoconferencing
Interviews are also held through video conferencing. This is very akin to a face-to face job
interview because the interviewers can watch the candidate answering the question, and can also
assess his/her behavior and non-verbal gestures. Some organizations prefer to have a screening
interview through video conferencing. The video conferencing interview follows a fixed
structure. The number of interviewers varies from one to eight. The chair person of the selection
committee introduces the members of the committee to the candidate. Each expert may talk tothe
candidate and asks him/her questions. This will continue until each member talks to the
candidate. As the form and structure of a videoconferencing interview is akin to face-to-face
personal interview, the candidate may apply the same techniques and strategies of interviewing.
Tipsforsuccessful interviews:
Keepallnecessaryinformationwithinyourreach
Don’tbeafraid,haveaglassofwater
Bea goodlistener
Dresswell (Formal)
Switchoffcellphone
Keep control on bodymovements
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Maintaineye contact
Don’tgive pauses
HaveaSmileon the face
DiscussionQuestions
1. Open questions: To encourage the candidates to feel at –home. E.g. (i) Name some of your
interests?(ii) Tell something about yourself
2. Closed questions: To limit the scope of responses with specific answers. E.g. What is data
processing?
3. Probingquestions:Totestthedeeperunderstandingofthesubject.E.g.Doyouthink recession
might help Developing Countries?
4. Reflective questions:Toconfirmthecandidate’sstatements.eg.Doyouwantthepublic sector
companies be privatized?
5. Loadedquestions:Tojudgetheabilities.Eg.Youaretooshort.Don’tyouthinkthisis going to be a
handicap for you?
6. Hypothetical questions: To test the problem solving capacity. Eg. How do you tackle
theproblem of difference of opinion with your Boss at work?
7. Leadingquestions:Toknowthe desiredresponse. Eg.What isopinionaboutTRPratings?
GeneralHRinterview questionswithpossibleanswers:
1. Howwouldyoudescribeyourself?
My background to date has been centered on preparing myself to become the very best
engineer I can become. I was born and raised in …………….. I’ve graduated from the
JNTUniversitywithaB.Techdegreein….....................Ihaveworkedfor2yearsasajunior
engineer in LQ-Soft solutions. I enjoy playing cricket in my free time and learning
languages.
2. What specific goals, including those related to your occupation, have you established for
your life?
I want to be working for an excellent company like yours. I plan to contribute my
leadership, interpersonal, and technical skills. My long-range career goal is to be the best
engineer I can for the company I work for.
3. Howhasyourcollegeexperiencepreparedyou forthiscareer?
I have prepared myself to transition into the work force through real-world experience
involvingtravelabroad,internship,andentrepreneurialopportunitieswhichweregivento
meatourcollege.Asyoucanseefrommyacademic,extracurricularandexperiential
40
background, I have unconditionally committed myself to success as an engineering
professional.
4. Whatinfluencedyoutochoosethiscareer?
I like engineering because my potential for success is limited only by how much ofmyself
I dedicate toward my goal. If any profession is founded on self-determinism, it surely
must be engineering.
5. Do you have the qualifications and personal characteristics necessary for success in your
chosen career?
I believe I have a combination of qualities to be successful in this career. First, I have
astrong interest, backed by a solid, well-rounded, state-of the-art education, especiallyin a
career that is technically oriented. I am convinced that I possess these characteristics and
am ready to be a successful team member for your firm.
6. Are you more energized byworking with data or bycollaboratingwith other individuals? I
like the validity of information and also like the energy that comes with working with
people?
The best thing about working in a group is combining the great minds from different
perspectives and comingup with somethingextremelygreat, compared with when you’re
working alone. At the same time, information can generate vitality in the project you’re
working on.
7. How would you describe yourself in terms of your ability to workas a member of a team?
I have had opportunities in both athletics and academics to develop skills as a team
player. I have experience of being team leader to do a project. I maintained excellent
communicationamonggroupmembersand coordinatedtowardsreachingourteam goals.
9. Canyoudescribeyourlong-rangegoalsand objectives?
My primary objectivesaretolearnasmuchaspossibleaboutyourcompanyandlearn professional
techniques.
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Although it is hard to predict future, I sincerely believe that I will become a successful
engineer.
16. Tellmewhatdoyouknowaboutourcompany?
You are respected worldwide. Over the last fifteen to twenty years you have excellent
track record and won many awards.
19. Tellmeaboutatimeyouhadtohandlemultipleresponsibilities?
Whileattendingthecollege, Iworkedasaparttimerinanotherfirmandwassuccessful. As a
student, I was coordinator for cultural, literary and sports committees.
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21. Howwouldyoudeal withdifficult persons?
Iwouldfirstkeepanopenmindandlistentothem,whichinitselfcalmsdownmost people.
23. Whatisyourdefinitionofsuccess?
Success is never giving up.
25. Ifwedidofferyouthejob,howwouldyoureact?
I would take it, thank you verymuch, when can I start (or) let me request you to give me
time as I am slightly indisposed.
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GroupDiscussion
Introduction
The prospect of a GD tends to leave good number of participants petrified. You can get rid ofthat
feeling of fear by remembering you have experienced group discussions right from childhood.
Remember thoseheated discussions you had across the dinner table with family members, friends
and relatives? Consciously or unconsciously, they have helped youlearn a thing or two about
discussing in a group. As a result, you would have often felt thedesire to prove that you were
right and they were wrong. A bundle of angst would build within you. Discard that feeling now.
Remember, a GD is a discussion -- and not a debate -- between the members of a group.
Structured GD is where each participant gets specific time to speak. Unstructured is anyone inthe
group can speak at any point of time without disturbing general decorum.
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Usesof a GD
1. Toexpressimportantpointsaboutagiven topic.
2. Tellingfacts about thetopic with justification
3. Todevelop oratoryskills
4. Todrivefearaway
5. Toshare opinions
6. Toarriveatapositiveconclusion
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Usefulphrasesof aGD
Agreeing:Youareabsolutelyright
Disagreeing:Iamsorry,Idon’tseeitinthat way
Interrupting:Sorry,doyoumind, if Isaysomethinghere?
Dealingwith interruptions: CouldIjust finish withwhatIam saying?
Askingforinformation:Wouldyoumind sayingalittlemoreabout it?
Addingmoreinformation: AnotherpointIwould liketo make is…..
DifferentpartsofaGD(for15minutesGD)
Chaosperiod(1-2minutes)
Periodofgeneratingideas (7-8 minutes)
Buildingdiscussion on theideas (5-6 minutes)
Conclusion(1minute)
Strategiesforeffectivegroupdiscussion
1. Theopeningsentences shouldcreateenthusiasmandinterest amongthe listeners.
2. Systematicimplementation ofthe content.
3. Bodygesturesor nonverbalcommunication shouldbebalanced.
4. Balancingthepointsof discussionwhen oppositionis raised.
5. Anticipationofpossible disruptions.
6. Politenessdoesn’ttendtoeithermutenessormuttering.
7. Open mindedness
8. Cheerfulpersonalitywhilerecappingthe ideas.
Do’sof aGD
Listentothespeaker carefully
Putyourthoughtsonpaper
Initiatethediscussion ifyouarethoroughwiththesubject.
Support yourpointwithsomefactsand figures.
Giveothersa chanceto speakandrespecttheir contribution.
Disagreepolitely.
Donotforget tosummarize, if you arethe initiator.
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Don’tsofa GD
Sittingwithcrossedarmsandlegs.
Throwingyour bodyorgans or limbs.
Fidgeting
Sittingstiff
Scratching,prickingor rubbing
Expressinganger oruncontrollable laughter
Overspeakorintervene withoutproperusageofvocabulary
Argueorshout
Erraticstatistics
Speakaboutinterculturalorsocioeconomicbackgroundofany participant.
Afewexpressionsusedin GD
Activity Expression
1. Lead the discussion *Itisnotdifficulttounderstandthe
problem but…..
*Theactual point of discussion is….
*Dearfriend,don’t deviate
*Doyou agree,ifIsay…?
*MayIdrawyourattention…..?
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4. Helpsomeonetoparticipate *Can youspeaksomething…?
* Canyouelaborate?
*Pleasecontinue…
5. Makesuggestions *couldyouexplain?
*Canyougive details…?
6. Conclude *attheend,Isay
* Iwill sum up
DiscussionTopics
1. Disastermanagementisstill adreaminIndia.
2. WhyshouldonlyGandhiji’s imprintbe oncurrency?
3. Researchis stealing.
4. Indianslack etiquette.
5. Womenempowermentisacursefor mankind.
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Unit-6
ConflictManagement
Introduction:
Definitions:
Conflict:
While no single definition of conflict exists, most definitions seem to involve the following
factors: that there are at least two independent groups, the groups perceive some incompatibility
between themselves, and the groups interact with each other in some way. Two example
definitions are, “process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or
negativelyaffected by another party”, and “the interactive process manifested in incompatibility,
disagreement, or dissonance within or between social entities”.
Thereareseveral causesof conflict.Conflictmayoccur when:
1) Apartyisrequiredtoengageinanactivitythatisincongruentwithhisorherneedsor interests.
3) A party wants some mutually desirable resource that is in short supply, such that the wants of
all parties involved may not be satisfied fully.
4) A party possesses attitudes, values, skills, and goals that are salient in directing his or her
behavior but are perceived to be exclusive of the attitudes, values, skills, and goals held by the
other(s).
5) Twopartieshavepartiallyexclusivebehavioralpreferencesregardingtheirjoint actions.
49
Whatdoorganizationsuseconflictmanagementfor?
zFor any organization to be effective and efficient in achieving its goals, the people in the
organization need to have a shared vision of what they are striving to achieve, as well as clear
objectives for each team department and individual. You also need ways of recognizing and
resolving conflict amongst people, so that conflict does not become so serious that co-operation
is impossible. All members of any organization need to have ways of keeping conflict to a
minimum -and ofsolvingproblems caused byconflict, beforeconflict becomesamajorobstacle to
your work. This could happen to any organization, whether it is an NGO, a CBO, a political
party, a business or a government.
Conflictmanagementistheprocessofplanningtoavoidconflictwherepossibleandorganizing to
resolve conflict where it does happen, as rapidly and smoothly as possible.
Conflictbetweenindividual
People have differing styles of communication, ambitions, political or religious views and
different cultural backgrounds. In our diverse society, the possibilityof these differences leading
to conflict between individuals is always there, and we must be alert to preventing and resolving
situations where conflict arises.
Conflictbetweengroupsof people
Whenever people form groups, they tend to emphasize the things that make their group "better
than" or "different from" other groups. This happens in the fields of sport, culture, religion and
the workplace and can sometimes change from healthy competition to destructive conflict.
Conflictwithinagroupof people
Even within one organization or team, conflict can arise from the individual differences or
ambitions mentioned earlier; or from rivalry between sub-groups or factions. All leaders and
members of the organization need to be alert to group dynamics that can spill over into conflict.
"Disputesofright"and"disputesof interest"
Especially in the workplace, two main types of disputes have been noted (although these two
types may also happen in other situations). These are:
50
"Disputes of right", where people or groups are entitled by law, by contract, by previous
agreement or by established practice to certain rights. Disputes of right will focus on
conflict issues such as employment contracts, legally enforceable matters or unilateral
changes in accepted or customary practices. A dispute of rights is, therefore, usually
settled by legal decision or arbitration and not by negotiation.
"Disputes of interest", where the conflict may be a matter of opinion, such as where a
person or group is entitled to some resources or privileges (such as access to property,
better working conditions, etc). Because there is no established law or right, a dispute of
interest will usually be solved through collective bargaining or negotiation.
Stagesof conflict
The handling of conflict requires awareness of its various developmental stages. If leaders in the
situation can identifythe conflict issueand how farit has developed,theycan sometimessolveit
before it becomes much more serious. Typical stages include:
Where potential for conflict exists in other words where people recognize that lack of
resources,diversityoflanguageorculturemaypossibleresult inconflictifpeoplearenot
sensitive to the diversity.
Latent conflict where a competitive situation could easily spill over into conflict e.g. at a
political rally or in the workplace where there are obvious differences between groups of
people.
Openconflict -which can betriggered byan incident and suddenlybecomerealconflict.
Aftermath conflict the situation where a particular problem may have been resolved but
the potential for conflict still exists. In fact the potential maybe even greater than before,
if one person or group perceives itself as being involved in a win-lose situation.
Signsofconflictbetweenindividuals
In the organization leaders and members should be alert to signs of conflict between colleagues,
so that they can be proactive in reducing or resolving the conflict by getting to the root of the
issue. Typical signs may include:
colleaguesnotspeakingtoeachotherorignoringeach other
contradictingand bad-mouthingone another
deliberatelyundermining ornot co-operatingwith eachother, to the downfall of theteam
Signsofconflictbetweengroupsof people
Similarly, leaders and members can identify latent conflict between groups of people in the
organizationorthecommunityandplanactionbeforetheconflictbecomes openanddestructive:
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cliquesorfactionsmeetingtodiscussissuesseparately,whentheyaffectthewhole organization
onegroupbeingleftoutoforganizinganeventwhich shouldinclude everybody
groupsusingthreateningslogansorsymbolstoshowthattheirgroupisrightandthe others are
wrong
Howtobuildteamworkandco-operation(…andsominimizethepossibilityofconflict)
Howtomanageandresolveconflictsituations? Collective
bargaining
Conciliation
The dictionary defines conciliation as "the act of procuring good will or inducing a friendly
feeling".SouthAfricanlaborrelationslegislationprovidesfortheprocessofconciliationinthe
52
workplace, whereby groups who are in conflict and who have failed to reach agreement, can
come together once again to attempt to settle their differences. This is usually attempted before
the more serious step of a strike by workers or a lock-out by management is taken; and it has
been found useful to involve a facilitator in the conciliation process. Similarly, any other
organization (e.g. sports club, youth group or community organization) could try conciliation asa
first step.
Thedifferencebetweennegotiation,mediation,andarbitration:
Three methods of resolving situations that have reached the stage of open conflict are often used
by many different organizations. It is important to understand these methods, so that people can
decide which methods will work best for them in their specific conflict situation:
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Howtobe aneffective mediator?
How torunamediationprocess?
Stage1:Introductionandestablishmentofcredibility
During the first stage, the mediator plays a passive role. The main task is to gain the trust and
acceptance of the conflicting parties, so that they begin to believe that he/she will be capable of
assisting them fairly as a person on whom they can rely at all times. An experienced mediator
will leave most of the talking to the disputing parties, but will listen attentively and ask probing
questions to pinpoint the causes of the dispute, obstacles to a possible settlement and to identify
the issues in order of priority. Once credibility is achieved and sufficient background knowledge
gained, the mediator may begin to persuade the parties to resume negotiations, possibly with a
fresh perspective.
Stage2:Steering thenegotiationprocess
In the second stage, the mediator intervenes more actively in steering the negotiations. He/she
may offer advice to the parties, attempt to establish the actual resistance point of each party and
to discover areas in which compromises could be reached. The mediator will encourage partiesto
put forwardproposals and counter-proposals and (when asolution appears feasible)will begin to
urge or even pressurize the participants towards acceptance of a settlement.
An experienced mediator will know when to use diplomacy and when to exert pressure towards
final settlement of the dispute. Timing and sensitivity to personalities and strategic positions is
important to maintain credibility and avoid rejection by one or more parties in the process.
He/shemightusebi-lateraldiscussionswithindividualsorgroupsandduringthefinalstages
54
may actuallysuggest or draft proposals for consideration. In the event of a final settlement being
reached, the mediator usually assists the parties in the drafting of their agreement, ensuring that
both sides are satisfied with the wording, terms and conditions of the agreement.
The process of mediation is dynamic and finely-tuned. A good mediator has to be flexible and
inventive, must ensure that his/her personal values are not imposed on the conflicting parties. At
most a mediator can advise, persuade or cajole them towards agreement
c) Ethics - A wise leader must behave ethically, and to do so the leader should be open to
new information and be willing to change his or her mind. By the same token subordinates
and other stakeholders have an ethical duty to speak out against the decisions of supervisors
when consequences of these decisions are likely to be serious. “Without an understanding of
ethics, conflict cannot be handled”
Do not avoid the conflict, hoping it will go away. Ask the participants to describe specificactions
they would like the other party to take. It would also be beneficial to have a third party
(meaninganon-directsuperiorwithaccesstothesituation)involved.Thiscouldbeanindividual member
or a board dedicated to resolving and preventing issues. Lastly, do not meet separately with
people in conflict. If you allow each individual to tell their storyto you, you risk polarizing their
positions.
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Unit-
7LeadershipSkill
Introduction:
56
Leadershipinvolves:
Howtobecomea leader?
Useinitiativeto act on opportunities. Become a leader before other people view you as
one. Healthy organizations reward those who take the lead, not just those with formal
management roles.
Takeresponsibilityforown objectives: set priorities.
Display a"can do"attitude even in demanding situations... Try to solve problems, rather
than to pass them on to other people. First answer is ‘yes, I’ll make it happen’.
"Gotheextramile"whenaskedtodotasks.Gobeyondyourjobdescription.Dowork that gets
you noticed.
Showenthusiasm:thiswillbenoticedandyouwilleventuallyberewarded.
Take ownership of problems: anticipate potential problems, take pre-emptive action and
act quickly to resolve problems.
Introduceimprovementsto thewaythingsare done.
Developinnovativepractices.Valueinnovative thinking.
Learnnewskills that willenhancecapability.
Commonsenseis not common!
Usingtheappropriatestyleofleadershipindifferingcircumstances
Leadership involves managing, coordinating and supervising, taking responsibility for people;
directing, organizing and motivating them. A good leader will use a variety of styles of
leadership according to the situation whereas bad leaders tend to fall in to just one style. In
practice, most leaders use both task-oriented and people-oriented styles of leadership.
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A fire officer dealing with a serious fire may need to be authoritative, making instant decisions
and barking out commands, but when training staff, a participative style will be more effective.
Different individuals also require different styles. You may need to manage an intelligent,
competent and trustworthyteam member byusingtransformational techniques whereas someone
who is lazy and unreliable may require an authoritarian style.
Whatmakesacharismaticleader?
Keepupgoodeyecontact
Developagenuinesmile.
Haveanopen bodyposture
Keep yourhands apartwith palms forwards or upwards and away from your face
whentalking.
Standupstraightbutbe relaxed.
Letpeopleknowtheymatterandyouenjoybeingaroundthem.Nodwhentheytalk, briefly touch
them on the upper arm.
Ingroupsmove around to appear enthusiastic, lean slightly forward and look at everyone
in the group from time to time.
Keep yourmessagessimpletounderstand.
Whenspeaking,beclear,fluent,forcefulandarticulate,evokeimagery,useanupbeat tempo,
occasionally slow for tension or emphasis
Leadership Skills
Many years of experience in Exploring have shown that good leadership is a result of the
careful application of following skills that any leader or officer can learn to use.
UnderstandingtheneedsandCharacteristicsofthe Post
Eachindividualparticipantofthegrouphascertainneedsand characteristics.
Aleader shouldunderstand his orher ownneeds and characteristics.
Aleadershouldunderstandtheneedsand characteristics ofeachparticipantofthe
group. This helps the leader to deal with each person as an individual, totreat that
individual with respect, and to help the person.
Thisunderstandinghelpsin planningthe programand ingettingthings done.
Thisunderstandingcreates trustand buildscondenseamonggroupparticipants.
Throughconversationandinformalsurveysofpostparticipants,tryto findout:
Whytheyjoinedyourpost?
What theyexpect from thepost’sprogram?
Whattheirmajor interests?
Whataretheirfutureplans?
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Knowingandusingtheresourcesof thegroup
Resources include all those things necessary to do a job. Resources also include people, because
people have knowledge and skills. Knowledge is what a person learns through familiarity or
experience what you know. Skill is the ability to use what you know. Attitude includes the
desire to do something motivation and the belief that you can do it condense.
When the leader uses the knowledge and skills of group participants to get a job done, the
participants gain experience and improve skills. They also develop a positive attitude toward
using a skill.
• Keepthe post’sprogramcapabilityinventoryup-todate and useit in planning.
• Understandthepurposeandresourcesofyourparticipatingorganization
• Findoutyourpostparticipants’skills,interests,andresources.
Communicating
Toimproveyourskills ingettinginformation:
d. Besureothersarelisteningbeforeyouspeak.
e. Speakslowlyand clearly.
f. Drawdiagrams,ifneeded. Askthosereceivinginformationtotake notes.
g. Havethelistenersrepeattheirunderstandingofwhatwassaid.Encourage questions.
Planning
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Evaluating
Gettingthejob done
Was the job done?
Was the job doneright?
Wasthe job doneon time?
Keepingthe group together
Wererelationshipsbetweengroupparticipantshelpedor hurt?
Wasparticipationequallydistributedamonggroupparticipants?
Did the groupenjoytheactivity?
Didthegrouphandleconflictswell?
Controllinggroupperformance
A leader influences the performance of the group and individual participants through his or her
actions. Why is control needed?
Agroupneeds control as an engineneeds athrottleto keep it from runningitselfinto theground. A
group works together best when everybodyis headed in the same direction. If a plan is to be
properly carried out, someone must lead the effort. Control is a function that the group assigns
to the leader to get the job done. Control happens as a result of recognizing the difference
between where the group is and where the group is going. The leader is responsible for
developing a plan to help the group get to its goal.
Setting the example is the most effective way of controlling the group. When working with post
participants, do the following:
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Counseling
Counselingis important…..
Tohelp peoplesolveproblems
Toencourageor reassure
TohelpanExplorer reachhisorher potential
Counselingcan beeffectivewhenaperson is
Undecidedheor shecan’t makeadecision
Confusedheor shedoesn’t haveenoughinformation or hastoo much information
Lockedin he orshedoesn’t knowanyalternatives
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Unit-8
TeamBuilding
Introduction:
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team members, sets priorities, demonstrates sufficient “know-how” and manage performance
through feedback.
5. Organizational Environment.The climate and culture of the organization must be
conducive to team behavior.
Reasonsforteambuilding:
The overall goals of team building are to increase the teams understanding of team dynamics
and improve how the team works together. Unlike working as a group, working as a team
incorporates group accountability rather than individual accountability and results in a
collective work product. Team-building encourages the team approach to working on a
project. There are many advantages to this approach. These advantages include the following:
Leadershiprolesinteambuilding:
Successfulteamleadersfrequentlycontain sixofthesameleadership abilities.
(1) Ateamleader isusuallygoal-orientedto keepteam theon track.
(2) Theymust promotea safeenvironment wheremembers canopenlydiscussissues.
(3) A leader must build confidence amongst members by building and maintaining trust and
offering the members responsibilities.
(4) Aleader should betechnicallycompetent in matters relatingto team tasks and goals.
(5) It is important for a team leader to set a manageable list of priorities for the team to keep
members focused.
(6) Finally, leaders should offer clear performance expectations by recognizingand rewarding
excellent performance, and provide feedback to others.
Carl Larson and Frank Lafasto conducted a three year study of over 75 diverse teams. By
interviewingkeymembers ofeach team, Larson &Lafasto identified eight effectivestrategies a
leader should employ to enhance team-building:
1. Establishclearandinspiringteamgoals
2. Maintainaresults-orientedteam structure
3. Assemblecompetentteam members
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4. Striveforunified commitment
5. Provideacollaborativeclimate
6. Encouragestandardsofexcellence
7. Furnishexternalsupportandrecognition
8. Applyprincipledleadership
Team culture
In an effective teamculture, the concept of context is addressed. Team members understand
why they are participating on the team and how the team fits within their organization.Team
members spend time defining their team culture by agreeing upon team norms and
expectations within the company’s overall team context. Finally, team members understand
that 20%oftheproblems theywill experienceas a team will fall within thecontext ofthetask or
mission the team is assigned to accomplish. The other 80% of the problems will relate to their
team culture and the processes team members establish and commit to for interacting.
Typesof teambuildingexercises
Team-building exercises consist of a variety of tasks designed to develop group members and
their abilityto work togethereffectively. There are manytypes of team-buildingactivities that
range from games for kids to games and challenges that involve novel and complex tasks that
are designed for improving group performance by addressing specific needs.
Team-building can range from simple social activities - to encourage team members to spend
time together- to team development activities -designed to help individuals discover how they
approach a problem, how the team works together, and discover better methods of
communication.
Team interaction involves "soft"interpersonal skillsincluding communication, negotiation,
leadership, and motivation - in contrast to technical skills directly involved with the job at
hand. Depending on the type of team-building, the novel tasks can encourage or specifically
teach interpersonal team skills to increase team performance.
Whether indoor or outdoor, the purpose of team building exercises is to assist teams in
becoming cohesive units of individuals that can effectively work together to complete tasks.
Communication exercise:This type of team building exercise is exactly what it sounds like.
Communications exercises are problem solving activities that are geared towards improving
communication skills. The issues teams encounter in these exercises are solved by
communicating effectively with each other.
• Goal: Create an activity which highlights the importance of good communication in team
performance and/or potential problems with communication.
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Problem-solving/decision-making exercise:Problem-solving/decision-making exercises focus
specifically on groups working together to solve difficult problems or make complex
decisions. These exercises are some of the most common as they appear to have the most
direct link to what employers want their teams to be able to do.
• Goal: Give team a problem in which the solution is not easily apparent or requires the team
to come up with a creative solution
Planning/adaptability exercise: These exercises focus on aspects of planning and being
adaptable to change. These are important things for teams to be able to do when they are
assigned complex tasks or decisions.
• Goal:Showtheimportanceof planningbeforeimplementingasolution
Trust exercise:A trust exercise involves engaging team members in a way that will induce
trust between them. They are sometimes difficult exercises to implement as there are varying
degrees of trust between individuals and varying degrees of individual comfort trusting others
in general.
• Goal:Createtrustbetweenteam members
Conclusion
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10Sure-FireStrategiestoImproveYourVocabulary
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