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MODULE 1
SELF AFFIRMATION
Psychological theory that focuses on how individuals adapt to information or experiences that are
threatening to their self concept. Self affirmation can help individuals cope with threat or stress and
that it might be beneficial for improving academic performance, health, and reducing defensiveness.
Claudw steele popularised during 1980 s
SELF AWARENESS
For more than 2000 years, knowledge of the self has been considered at the very core of human
behavior. The ancient dictum “Know thyself” has been variously attributed to Plato, Pythagoras,
Thales, and Socrates. The knowledge we possess about ourselves, which produces our self-concept, is
central to improving our management skills. We cannot improve ourselves or develop new
capabilities unless we know what level of capability we possess. Considerable empirical evidence
suggests that individuals who are self-aware are healthier, perform better in managerial and leadership
roles, and are more productive at work.
You must first be open to the other person before you catch a glimmering of yourself. Our self-
reflection in a mirror does not tell us what we are like; only our reflection in other people. We are
essentially social creatures, and our self-understanding resides in association, not in isolation.
5 CORE AREA OF SELFAWARENESS
We selected five of the most critical areas of self-awareness that have been found in research to be
key in producing successful management. They are: emotional intelligence, personal values,
cognitive style, orientation toward change, and core self-evaluation. These areas have been found
to be among the most important predictors of effective personal and managerial performance—
including achieving life success, performing effectively in teams, competent decision making, life-
long learning and development, creativity, communication competency, job satisfaction, and job
performance.
1. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE : Research on emotional intelligence—the ability to
correctly diagnose and manage one’s own emotions and relationships with others—has been
identified as among the most important factors in accounting for success in leaders and
managers. Self-awareness has been identified as a crucial aspect of emotional intelligence,
and it is more powerful than IQ in predicting success in life.
Superior performers—who had significantly higher emotional intelligence and self-awareness scores
— contributed more than twice the revenues to the firm and were four times more likely to be
promoted than those with low self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
Emotional Intelligence or Emotional Quotient is a type of social intelligence that involves the ability
to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and use this
information to guide one’s thinking and actions” (Salovey & Mayer, 1990). Emotional intelligence
has come to encompass almost everything that is not IQ. S
Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to diagnose, understand, and manage emotional cues.
Emotional competence refers to the noncognitive capabilities and skills—including social skills—
that affect human functioning.
Emotional intelligence refers specifically to: (1) the ability to diagnose and recognize your own
emotions, (2) the ability to control your own emotions, (3) the ability to recognize and diagnose
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emotions displayed by others, and (4) the ability to respond appropriately to those emotional
cues. These abilities are not inherent but can be developed and improved.
Emotionally intelligent people remain in control of their emotions, whereas less emotionally
intelligent people tend to lose control. This ability does not mean being bland or even tempered all the
time . It means that a person is aware of his or her emotions and can control them so that they are not
unrestrained.
Emotionally intelligent people are also able to accurately diagnose and empathize with the feelings
of others. Empathy refers to the ability to understand and connect with others’ feelings. If someone
has experienced a tragedy or loss, for example, emotionally intelligent people can share in and
understand those feelings even if they have never experienced something similar. They need not be
depressed themselves, for example, in order to understand the depression of others.
Emotionally intelligent people also respond appropriately to the emotions of others. Their
responses match the intensity of the emotions other people feel, and they support and encourage
emotional expressions.
One reason emotional intelligence is so important is that it has deteriorated over time. Think, for
example, of the amount of litigation, conflict, disrespect, bullying, and divorce that characterizes our
society. Whereas average IQ points have increased almost 25 points over the last 100 years.
Emotional intelligence is four times more important than IQ in accounting for success.

2. PERSONALITY :Personal values are included here because they are “the core of the
dynamics of behavior, and play so large a part in unifying personality”. They are the
foundation on which attitudes and personal preferences are formed.

They help define our morality and our conceptions of what is “good.” Much of what we are is
a product of the basic values we have developed throughout our lives. The values held by
each of us are affected by a variety of factors, and a number of ways have been used to
Cultural Values – Universalism Relativism
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individualism—an emphasis on the self, on independence, and on uniqueness—versus

collectivism—an emphasis on the group,
display of feelings in public. It identifies an affective versus neutral

3. 3rd area of self-awareness is cognitive style OR LEARNING STYLE which refers to the
manner in which you gather and process information. Researchers have found that individual
differences in cognitive style influence perception, learning, problem solving, decision
making, communication, and creativity.
Each of us is constantly exposed to an overwhelming amount of information, and only part of
it can be given attention. Over time, we all develop strategies for suppressing some kinds
of information and paying attention to other kinds. These strategies become habitual and
ingrained, and they result in a unique cognitive style for each of us.
Cognitive style is based on two key dimensions: (1) the manner in which you gather
information and (2) the way in which you evaluate and act on information.
Unlike personality types, they are not inherent attributes. Rather, they are inclinations toward
information and learning that we have developed over time. Hence, cognitive styles can be
altered and changed through practice and conscious development.

4. orientation toward change : methods people use to cope with change in their environment.
In the twenty-first century, we are faced with increasingly fragmented, rapidly changing,
tumultuous conditions; knowing your orientation toward coping with such change is an
important aspect of self-awareness.
The ability to process information and act accordingly with the help of our cognitive skills, is
depended on your fundamental attitude about change.
Two dimensions of change orientation: Tolerance of Ambiguity - The first important
dimension is tolerance of ambiguity, which refers to the extent to which individuals have
difficulty coping with situations that are ambiguous,
Locus of Control - attitude people develop regarding the extent to which they are in control
of their own destinies - internal locus of control - external locus of control-

5. core self-evaluation: core self-evaluation is a construct that captures the essential aspects of
core personality.
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-combination of traits that makes an individual unique- “Big Five” personality

attributes as the most important aspects of personality- extroversion (the extent to which
people are inclined toward gregariousness and sociability instead of quiet and reserved);
agreeableness (the extent to which people are friendly and affable as opposed to being
disagreeable and aggressive); conscientiousness (the extent to which people are careful, task
oriented, and orderly as opposed to being disorganized, flexible, and unreliable); neuroticism
(the extent to which people are emotionally fragile, negative, and fearful as opposed to being
optimistic, positive, and emotionally stable); and openness (the extent to which people are
curious and open to new ideas as opposed to being rigid or dogmatic).

The Johari Window Model

It is necessary to improve self-awareness and personal development among individuals when they are
in a group. The ‘Johari’ window model is a convenient method used to achieve this task of
understanding and enhancing communication between the members in a group. American
psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham developed this model .
The Johari window model is used to enhance the individual’s perception on others. This model is
based on two ideas- trust can be acquired by revealing information about you to others and learning
yourselves from their feedbacks. Each person is represented by the Johari model through four
quadrants or window pane

The information transfers from one pane to the other as the result of mutual trust which can be
achieved through socializing and the feedback got from other members of the group.
1. Open/self-area or arena – Here the information about the person his attitudes, behaviour,
emotions, feelings, skills and views will be known by the person as well as by others. This is mainly
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the area where all the communications occur and the larger the arena becomes the more effectual and
dynamic the relationship will be. ‘Feedback solicitation’ is a process which occurs by understanding
and listening to the feedback from another person. Through this way the open area can be increased
horizontally decreasing the blind spot. The size of the arena can also be increased downwards and
thus by reducing the hidden and unknown areas through revealing one’s feelings to other person.
2. Blind self or blind spot – Information about yourselves that others know in a group but you will be
unaware of it. Others may interpret yourselves differently than you expect. The blind spot is reduced
for an efficient communication through seeking feedback from others.
3. Hidden area or façade – Information that is known to you but will be kept unknown from others.
This can be any personal information which you feel reluctant to reveal. This includes feelings, past
experiences, fears, secrets etc. we keep some of our feelings and information as private as it affects
the relationships and thus the hidden area must be reduced by moving the information to the open
areas.
4. Unknown area – The Information which are unaware to yourselves as well as others. This includes
the information, feelings, capabilities, talents etc. This can be due to traumatic past experiences or
events which can be unknown for a lifetime. The person will be unaware till he discovers his hidden
qualities and capabilities or through observation of others. Open communication is also an effective
way to decrease the unknown area and thus to communicate effectively.

MODULE 2
POSITIVE AFIRMATION
Positive affirmations are defined as statements that affirm something to be true. To explain, positive
affirmations generally mean positive phrases that a person repeats to themselves to describe how they
want to be. . It mainly involves picking a phrase and repeating it to oneself constantly. Positive
affirmations require regular practice, Positive affirmations are widely accepted and well-established in
psychological studies.
The theory is that when one starts saying positive affirmations to themselves, though they may not be
true, with repetition they embed into the subconscious mind and eventually they become believable to
the person. Over time, the negative beliefs fade and get replaced with positive thoughts. This helps to
boost confidence, build positivity, pursue ambition, and achieve goals.
USES
 Control negative feelings such as frustration, anger, or impatience.
 Improve your self-esteem.
 Overcome a bad habit.
 Raise your confidence before presentations or important meetings.
 Finish projects you've started.
 Improve your productivity.
Positive Affirmations can be very different from person to person. They work best when you
tailor them to your individual needs, and you deeply resonate or connect with them.

Your situation -> Your Positive Affirmation Example

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 I don’t deserve this -> I am enough. I deserve the best.

 I am afraid -> I am strong.
 It will never work out -> I can do this.
 I’m stressed by everything that’s on my to-do list -> I choose to live in the present
moment.
 I feel like I must pretend -> I give myself permission to be me.
 I feel like a loser -> I am kind to myself.
 Everything keeps happening to me. I don’t have a choice. -> I have the power.

POSITIVE ATTITUDE
A positive attitude is essential to happiness, joy, and progress in life. This state of mind brings light,
hope and enthusiasm into the life of those who possess it.
Here are a few definitions:

1. Positive attitude is a state of mind that envisions and expects favorable results.
2. The willingness to try doing new things<./li>
3. The belief that everything would turn all right.
4. It is an attitude that helps you see the good in people.
5. It is a mental attitude that sees the good and the accomplishments in your life, rather than the
negative and the failures.
6. A positive attitude is a mindset that helps you see and recognize opportunities.
7. Positive attitude means positive thinking.
8. It is optimism and maintaining a positive mindset.
9. It is a mental attitude that focuses on the bright side of life.
10. It is a mindset that uses the words, “I can”, and “it is possible”.

TIME MANAGEMENT
We all get the same 24 hours – so why do some people seem to achieve more with their time than
others? The answer: good time management.Time management is the process of organizing and
planning how to divide your time between different activities.
The modern concept of time management - the act of planning the amount of time you spend on
which activities - really began with Frederick Taylor's scientific management techniques. His goal
was to increase worker productivity. To do this, he conducted time and motion studies and began to
focus on the best ways for jobs to be performed to maximize the work completed in a given amount of
time.
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Time management skills are those that help you use your time effectively and achieve desired results.
Time management skills can help you allocate your time properly and accomplish tasks efficiently.
Some of the most important skills related to successful time management skills include

 Organisation : An organised list of tasks acts as a map to guide you from morning to
evening and helps increase your productivity. A well-organised plan helps you break down
large goals into smaller,
 Prioritsation : When you prioritise your daily tasks, you ensure that you will complete the
important tasks first.
 Goal setting : Goal setting is the process of defining your aims and objectives with a certain
plan to help you achieve the set goals.
 Communication: Effective communication promotes trust and makes your plans and goals
clear to people you work with. It plays a crucial role in resolving conflicts and preventing
potential conflict situations.
 Planning: With a proper plan, you can prioritise your tasks accordingly, which can help avoid
confusion and unnecessary stress. A planned work schedule helps you complete the tasks in
the given time frame
 Delegation: While managing a project, you can delegate some of the tasks to your
subordinates. This will help in reducing your workload so that you can focus more on
important tasks
 Stress management: Positively handling stress keeps you motivated and helps you complete
tasks at the scheduled time against all adversities. Exercise, yoga or having snacks during
breaks can help you reduce stress.
 Flexibility : It's vital that you maintain some flexibility in your schedule. have space to adjust
in preparation for last-minute changes

Benefits
Greater productivity and efficiency.
Less stress.
A better professional reputation.
Increased chances of advancement.
More opportunities to achieve your life and career goals.
Overall, you start feeling more in control, with the confidence to choose how best to use your time.
And by feeling happier, more relaxed, and better able to think, you're in a great place to help others
reach their targets, too.

STRESS MANAGEMENT
Stress is part of being human, and it can help motivate you to get things done. Effective stress
management helps you break the hold stress has on your life, so you can be happier, healthier, and
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more productive. The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation,
and fun
To reduce stress

 Keep a positive attitude.

 Accept that there are events that you cannot control.
 Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of becoming
angry, defensive, or passive.
 Learn to manage your time more effectively.
 Set limits appropriately and say no to requests that would create excessive stress in your life.
 Make time for hobbies and interests.
 Don't rely on alcohol, drugs, or compulsive behaviors to reduce stress. Drugs and alcohol can
stress your body even more.
 Seek out social support. Spend enough time with those you love.
 Seek treatment with a psychologist or other mental health professional trained in stress
management or biofeedback techniques to learn more healthy ways of dealing with the stress in
your life.

 Tip 1: Identify the sources of stress in your life : Stress management starts with
identifying the sources of stress in your life.

 Tip 2: Practice the 4 A’s of stress management: The four A’s – Avoid, Alter, Adapt &
Accept
: Avoid unnecessary stress- Learn how to say “no.- Avoid people who stress you out. - Take
control of your environment.-
Alter the situation: Express your feelings instead of bottling them up.- Be willing to compromise.-
Create a balanced schedule. - Try to find a balance between work and family life, social activities
and solitary pursuits,
Adapt to the stressor: If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful
situations and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude. Reframe
problems- Look at the big picture- Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of
avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection.- Practice
gratitude. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate
in your life
Accept the things you can’t change- Don’t try to control the uncontrollable- Look for the
upside. When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth.-
Learn to forgive- Share your feelings

 Tip 3: Get moving:

When you’re stressed, the last thing you probably feel like doing is getting up and exercising.
But physical activity is a huge stress reliever. Exercise releases endorphins that make you feel good,
and it can also serve as a valuable distraction from your daily worries.

 Tip 4: Connect to others

There is nothing more calming than spending quality time with another human being who makes you
feel safe and understood. In fact, face-to-face interaction triggers a cascade of hormones. It’s nature’s
natural stress reliever
 Tip 5: Make time for fun and relaxation
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Set aside leisure time- Do something you enjoy every day- Keep your sense of humor.- Take up a
relaxation practice.

 Tip 6: Manage your time better

Don’t over-commit yourself.- Prioritize tasks. - Break projects into small steps- Delegate
responsibility.

PERSONAL ETIQUITTE
Etiquette helps us know how to treat others. Etiquette makes people comfortable and at ease, it shows
that we value and respect others. Etiquette promotes kindness, consideration, and humility. Etiquette
gives the confidence to deal with different situations in life, it gives us life skills. In a nutshell,
etiquette is a complex network of unwritten rules that govern social interactions and behaviour. It
reflects our cultural norms, ethical codes and various social conventions. Etiquette is always evolving
with the demands of society.
1. Social etiquette
Social etiquette is exactly how it sounds, it refers to behaviour you resort to in social situations—
interactions with your family, friends, co-workers or strangers. Imagine you’re in a business
conference and a stranger wants to interact with you. Despite not knowing the person, social
etiquette suggests that you introduce yourself to the person politely.

2. Professional etiquette
Professional or business etiquette is instrumental to advancing your career. It helps you show
others the kind of values and belief systems you follow. Businesses are always on the lookout for
individuals who can present themselves in a dignified manner because some of them become the
face of the organization.

3. Meeting etiquette
Business meeting etiquette refers to the standard behaviour expected in workplace meetings. It
prompts you to behave professionally and respect others’ time and effort.

4. Workplace etiquette
Etiquette in professional settings or offices matters a lot. How you present yourself to your co
workers, managers and supervisors affects your professional development. Workplace etiquette
is the foundation of professional success.

5. Corporate etiquette
It is instrumental to helping advance in your career. It helps you show others the kind of values
and belief systems you follow. Businesses are always on the lookout for individuals who can
present themselves in a dignified manner because some may represent the organization
externally. Whether it’s interacting with clients or convincing customers, your corporate etiquette
can help you create a powerful impression.

6. BUSINESS MEETING ETIQUETTE

It refers to the behaviour expected in workplace meetings. It prompts you to behave
professionally and respect others’ time and effort.

7. EMAIL ETIQUETTE
Good email etiquette can improve professional relationships and personal reputation. You
need to follow certain principles to demonstrate good email behaviour

8. TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE
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Phone etiquette is a way for you to showcase good manners and properly represent yourself or
your business to others. Positive interactions create lasting impressions that are instrumental to
business success.

Module 3

DECISION MAKING SKILLS

Decision-making skills can be the difference in making a choice that improves your
organization. The aptitude to make decisions is a leadership trait, which portrays
your ability to think objectively and relates concepts to the goals you're trying to
reach. Your capacity to make a quick decision can help establish a strong bond with
all employees that strengthens your company's culture.
Decision-making skills show your proficiency in choosing between two or more
alternatives. You can make decisions once you process all the information available
to you and speak with the right points of contact involved in a certain situation.
Overall, it's important to identify processes that help you make the right decision on
behalf of the organization and make a concerted effort to uncover biases that may
affect the outcome of it.
-Problem-solving
-Leadership
-Reasoning
-Intuition
-Teamwork
-Emotional Intelligence
-Creativity
-Time management
-Organization

CREATIVITY & INNOVATION

Creativity and innovation are characteristics that people seek to develop to help
them look at the world in new ways and form ideas to improve or add to it.
Creativity serves to express an idea or
concept, while innovation seeks to solve an issue.
Creativity allows us to view and solve problems more openly and with innovation.
Creativity opens the mind. A society that has lost touch with its creative side is an
imprisoned society, in that generations of people may be closed minded. It broadens
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our perspectives and can help us overcome prejudices

An innovation process consists of two main activities: creativity and innovation.
Creativity involves the generation of novel and useful ideas while innovation entails
the implementation of these ideas into new products and processes.

While creativity is the ability to produce new and unique ideas, innovation is the
execution of that creative ideas. When properly fostered, creativity and innovation
create inventive problem solving for your business or your audience. Creative and
innovative problem solving can make your company run more efficiently.
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PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS

Problem-solving skills help you determine the source of a problem and find an effective solution.
Although problem-solving is often identified as its own separate skill, there are other related skills that
contribute to this ability.
Some key problem-solving skills include:
Active listening
Analysis
Research
Creativity
Communication
Dependability
Decision making
Team-building
Problem-solving skills are important in every career at every level. As a result, effective problem
solving may also require industry or job-specific technical skills. For example, a registered nurse will
need active listening and communication skills when interacting with patients but will also need
effective technical knowledge related to diseases and medications. In many cases, a nurse will need to
know when to consult a doctor regarding a patient’s medical needs as part of the solution.

STEPS TO IMPROVE CREATIVITY

In the field of organizational behaviour, creativity is usually defined as an outcome—that is,

products, services, business models, work methods, or management processes that are novel and
useful
These steps will encourage your employees to think creatively and facilitate a culture of innovation
at work.

-Set the stage for brainstorming. ...

-Encourage individuality. ...
-Provide a stimulating atmosphere. ...
-Facilitate anonymous suggestions. ...
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-Act on good ideas. ...

-Continue to hire diverse talent.
-Foster an open, creative work environment. ...
-Motivate your team. ...
-Encourage diversity. ...
-Provide the proper tools. ...
-Create innovation teams. ...
-Don't penalize. ...
-Hold That Line.

Ways to Encourage Creative Thinking in Your Team

-Ask for what you want. Creativity requires clarity. ...

-Appreciate new ideas. ...
-Reward effort, not just success. ...
-Combine ideas and constraints. ...
-Start small. ....
-Create space

DESIGN THINKING

Design thinking is a process for creative problem solving. Design thinking has a human-centered core.
It encourages organizations to focus on the people they're creating for, which leads to better products,
services, and internal processes.
Stage 1: Empathize—Research Your Users' Needs.
Stage 2: Define—State Your Users' Needs and Problems.
Stage 3: Ideate—Challenge Assumptions and Create Ideas.
Stage 4: Prototype—Start to Create Solutions.
Stage 5: Test—Try Your Solutions Out.
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LATERAL THINKING

Vertical Thinking The term vertical thinking was coined by Edward de Bono (1968, 2000). It refers to
defining a problem in a single way and then pursuing that definition without deviation until a solution
is reached. No alternative definitions are considered. All information gathered and all alternatives
generated are consistent with the original definition. De Bono contrasted lateral thinking (de Bono,
2013) to vertical thinking in the following ways: vertical thinking focuses on continuity, lateral
thinking focuses on discontinuity; vertical thinking chooses, lateral thinking changes; vertical thinking
is concerned with stability, lateral thinking is concerned with instability; vertical thinking searches for
what is right, lateral thinking searches for what is different; vertical thinking is analytical, lateral
thinking is provocative; vertical thinking is concerned with where an idea came from, lateral thinking
is concerned with where the idea is going; vertical thinking moves in the most likely directions, lateral
thinking moves in the least likely directions; vertical thinking develops an idea, lateral thinking dis-
covers the idea.

BRAIN STORMING

Brainstorming is designed to help people generate alternatives for problem solving without pre-
maturely evaluating, and hence discarding, them. It is practiced by having a group of people get
together and simply begin sharing ideas about a problem—one at a time, with someone recording
the ideas that are suggested. Four main rules govern brainstorming:

1. No evaluation of any kind is permitted as alternatives are being generated. Individual energy is
spent on generating ideas, not on defending them.

2. The wildest and most divergent ideas are encouraged. It is easier to tighten alternatives than to
loosen them up. Culture and communication

3. The quantity of ideas takes precedence over the quality. Emphasizing quality engenders judgment
and evaluation.

4. Participants should build on or modify the ideas of others. Poor ideas that are added to or altered
often become good ideas.

The idea of brainstorming is to use it in a group setting so individuals can stimulate ideas in one
another. Often, after a rush of alternatives is produced at the outset of a brainstorming session, the
quantity of ideas often rapidly subsides. But to stop at that 1 point is an ineffective use of
brainstorming. When easily identifiable solutions have been exhausted, that’s when the truly creative
alternatives are often produced in brainstorming groups. So keep working. Apply some of the tools
described in this chapter for expanding definitions and alternatives. Brainstorming often begins with a
flurry of ideas that then diminish.

If brainstorming continues and members are encouraged to think past that point, breakthrough ideas
often emerge as less common or less familiar alternatives are suggested. After that phase has unfolded
in brainstorming, it is usually best to terminate the process and begin refining and consolidating ideas.
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Recent research has found that brainstorming in a group may be less efficient and more time
consuming than alternative forms of brainstorming due to free riders, unwitting evaluations,
production blocking, and so on. One widely used alternative brainstorming technique is to have
individual group members generate ideas on their own then submit them to the group for exploration
and evaluation (Finke, Ward, & Smith, 1992). Alternatively, electronic brainstorming in which
individuals use chat rooms or their own computer to generate ideas has shown positive results as well
(Siau, 1995). What is clear from the research is that generating alternatives in the presence of others
produces more and better ideas than can be produced alone.
The best way to get a feel for the power of brain-storming groups is to participate in one. Try the
following exercise based on an actual problem faced by a group of students and university professors.
Spend at least 10 minutes in a small group, brainstorming your ideas.

MODULE 4
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Verbal communication means effectively presenting your thoughts in verbal format i.e., by talking.
Verbal communication skills are essential in the world of business. Be it a weekly meeting or
presentation to stakeholders, the importance of verbal communication is unparalleled. People
always remember a person who speaks clearly, effectively, confidently, and charismatically.

INTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

This is your private verbal communication channel. You talk to yourself and articulate your thoughts.
Communicating with yourself will give you more confidence and clarity in your thoughts. It’ll help
you make up your mind, form your sentences, find suitable words and effective ways to connect with
other people. This will help you gain your colleagues’ trust in the workplace.

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

You can also call this one-to-one verbal communication. This type of communication happens
between two individuals. It helps you understand if you’re getting your thoughts across clearly.
Reactions, responses and verbal and nonverbal cues from the other person will help you understand
whether you’re being understood or not. Make sure that you listen to the other person intently.

SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION

The number of people increases in small group communication. You move from communicating with
a single participant to a few more. These small groups could be team meetings, board meetings or
sales meetings.
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PUBLIC COMMUNICATION

You may also know this type as ‘public speaking’. Here, an individual addresses a large number
of people at once. Speeches, election campaigns and presentations are a few examples of public
communication.
There are various elements that help us organize our thoughts around it. They are:

TONE

SPEED

VOLUME

the various ways in which strong verbal communication skills can be beneficial for professionals

-BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
-PERSUADING SOMEONE
-BRINGING CLARITY

As verbal communication enables feedback, you can provide clarity to your message by repeating
yourself

-IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY
-INCREASING MOTIVATION

Verbal communication plays a crucial role in providing feedback and recognizing individual effort.

NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Non-verbal communication is the transmission of messages or signals through a nonverbal platform

such as eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, posture, and body language. It includes the use of
social cues, kinesics, distance and physical environments/appearance, of voice and of touch.
Facial expressions. The human face is extremely expressive, able to convey countless emotions
without saying a word. ...
-Body movement and posture. ...
-Gestures. ...
-Eye contact. ...
-Touch. ...
-Space. ...
-Voice. ...
-Pay attention to inconsistencies
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The advantages of non-verbal communication are as follows:

-Complementary.
-Easy presentation.
-Substituting.
-Repeat.
-Help to illiterate people.
-Accenting.
-Attractive presentation.
-Reducing wastage of time.

COMMUNICATION AT WORK

Workplace communication is the process of exchanging information and ideas, both verbally and
non-verbally between one person or group and another person or group within an organization. It
includes e-mails, videoconferencing, text messages, notes, calls, etc

Quality communication in the workplace can eliminate unnecessary problems and promote better
performance. The ability to communicate effectively in the workplace can increase overall
productivity, and create a strong team.......When teams fail to communicate effectively, the results
are detrimental to the company.

The benefits of improving communication at work include:

Increasing
efficiency Problem-
solving Boosting
innovation
Building stronger relationships

ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION
Assertive communication is the ability to express positive and negative ideas and feelings in an open, honest and direct
way. Assertive communication clearly and firmly expresses their needs and/or opinions without violating the rights of
others.Assertive communication entails being mindful of your own emotions and personal needs while also considering
someone else’s emotions and needs. It allows us to take responsibility for ourselves and our actions without judging or
blaming other people.
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Here are some behaviors of an Assertive communication style:

 Expressing needs clearly, respectfully, and appropriately
 “I” Statements
 Active Listening- listening without interrupting and reflecting on what you’ve heard.
 Speaking calmly
 Good eye-contact
 Relaxed body posture
 Feeling in control
 Empathy
Assertive communication can be a tough skill to master because it requires a great deal of self-control. Emotions make
us human, and they can get the best of us, which can happen when communicating. Intense emotions can lead to
unhealthy interactions with others if unmanaged. Practicing mindfulness can help master an assertive communication
style. Assertive communication usually feels like they have control over their lives through taking responsibility for
their issues as they arise. Therefore, helping people maintain healthy relationships, mental health, and overall well-
being.

PASSIVE STYLE OF COMMUNICATION

A passive communication style occurs when individuals tend not to express their feelings or opinions to others. People
take on a passive communication style for various reasons. Sometimes it’s to protect them out of fear of confrontation.
Other times it’s because they have a genuinely laid-back personality and like to go with the flow.
They have a higher tolerance for others’ behaviors. A passive communication style tends to involve compromise more
and allow the other person to have their way. For example, when your partner is having a bad day, you may choose to
take a passive stance on an issue you’re having with them. You may think to yourself, “eh, I don’t need to bother them
with this today; it will be there tomorrow,”
AGRESSIVE COMMUNICATION
Aggressive communication is described as expressing your feelings and opinions strongly and as they occur. Clients
were taught the verbal characteristics of aggressive communication (eg, shouting, yelling, demanding, commanding,
blaming, being critical, or being verbally abusive). In addition, the nonverbal characteristics were also emphasized (eg,
pushing, hitting, slapping, throwing things, or being physically abusive).
Here are some examples of an aggressive communication style:

-Speaking in a loud and overbearing voice

-Criticizing others
-Using humiliation to control others
-Attempts to dominate
-Frequent interruption
- “You” statements
-Easily triggered temper

ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING
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Assertiveness training is a form of therapy that has been used since the 1970s to help people learn how to better
communicate their needs and wants so that they don’t feel taken advantage of or used. Assertiveness training can be
very helpful to people who learned to be passive or passive aggressive due to the circumstances that they grew up in.
Assertiveness training was originally developed as an offshoot of the women’s movement of the 1970s and it was
designed to help women learn to stand up for themselves in situations where typically they hadn’t in the past like in the
workplace or in higher education settings.
Today both women and men who are shy, or never learned how to appropriately and respectfully set boundaries and
prioritize their own needs go through assertiveness training to learn better ways to communicate in all facets of their
lives including personal relationships, work relationships, and educational relationships.

REASONS FOR ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING

Assertiveness training is based on the principle that we all have a right to express our thoughts,
feelings, and needs to others, as long as we do so in a respectful way. When we don’t feel like we
can express ourselves openly, we may become depressed, anxious, or angry, and our sense of self-
worth may suffer. Our relationships with other people are also likely to suffer because we may
become resentful when they don’t read our minds for what we are not assertive enough to be telling
them. There are no hard-and-fast rules of what assertive behaviour is; rather, it is specific to the
particular time and situation.
In other words, behaviour that is appropriately assertive for one person in one situation may be
either excessively passive or too aggressive for someone else in a different situation. Finally,
assertiveness training is based on the idea that assertiveness is not inborn, but is a learned
behaviour. Although some people may seem to be more naturally assertive than others, anyone can
learn to be more assertive.

MINDFULNESS LISTENING
How often have you had a conversation with someone, and thought you were paying attention to
him or her, only to realize shortly afterwards that you can't remember what he said? Or, perhaps you
got distracted while he was speaking and missed the message that he was trying to deliver.

In today's busy world, it can be hard to shut out distractions such as noise and electronic devices,
and our own thoughts or reactions can draw us away from a conversation. So, how can we listen
more effectively?

Mindful listening is a way of listening without judgment, criticism or interruption, while being aware
of internal thoughts and reactions that may get in the way of people communicating with you
effectively.

Mindfulness encourages you to be aware of the present moment, and to let go of distractions and
your physical and emotional reactions to what people say to you. When you're not mindful, you can
be distracted by your own thoughts and worries, and fail to see and hear what other people are doing
and saying.

How to Listen Mindfully

1. Being present. When you listen mindfully, your focus should be on the person you are listening
to, without distractions. So, how do you do that?
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-Simplify your surroundings:- Give yourself time: take a minute or two to clear your mind
before you meet with someone.- Meditate:-Leran how to focus on the moment

2. Cultivating empathy. We often see the world through the lens of our own experiences,
personality and beliefs. When you're empathic, you can understand a situation from someone else's
point of view.

3. Listening to your own "cues." According to Scott, our cues are the thoughts, feelings and physical reactions that
we have when we feel anxious or angry, and they can block out ideas and perspectives that we're uncomfortable with.
Mindful listening can help us to be more aware of our cues, and allow us to choose not to let them block
communication.

CULTURE & COMMUNICATION

The Relationship Between Communication and Culture

First, cultures are created through communication; that is, communication is the means of human
interaction through which cultural characteristics— whether customs, roles, rules, rituals, laws, or
other patterns—are created and shared.
The culture in which individuals are socialized influences the way they communicate, and the way
individuals communicate can change the culture. Culture provides its members with an implicit
knowledge about how to behave in different situations and how to interpret others' behaviour in
such situations.
Components

The major elements of culture are symbols, language, norms, values, and artifacts. Language makes
effective social interaction possible and influences how people conceive of concepts and objects.
An overview of culture in communication

Culture plays a major role in your communication. As you work and socialize, you convey
information to others and interpret what is conveyed to you. Your culture's characteristics influence
these communications, so learning about these features can help you to identify issues, address them,
and become a better communicator.
-It helps you to identify the cultural basis of beliefs.
-It helps you to identify cultural behaviours.
-It improves your skill set for working with multinationals
-It makes you a better communicator.
-It helps you to progress in your career.

MODULE 5
WORKING WITH TEAM & TEAM BUILDING
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Working with others involves:

 agreeing a shared vision for what you want to achieve.

 allowing each person the chance to contribute equally and valuing all contributions.

 sharing decision-making, power and control.

When you work with others you’ll be working as a team. Teamwork skills can be learned through practice. You’ll want
to:

 Build relationships and trust – make time for people to get to know each other.

 Respect each person’s contributions– make allowances for different ideas and try to see things from the other person’s
point of view.

 Share responsibility – spread power and make sure everyone has meaningful roles that – something that they’re
interested in that will make a real impact.

 Communicate well – speak clearly and listen to others

Make a code of conduct

It can help to agree a code of conduct when you’re working in a team. This is a set of guidelines for how the group will
work together. This will help avoid misunderstandings by outlining what sort of behaviour is expected from team
members.

Start small and build up

You can develop teamwork skills by starting work together on a small task, and building up to larger activities. For
example, you could start by putting together a poster advertising a project, before working out the budget.

Practice communication skills

Communicating is talking and listening. In fact, when you’re working with others, listening is probably more important
than talking!
Some good communication skills are to:

Show you’re listening

 Take notes (this will also help you to properly understand and respond to the speaker’s message).

 Use suitable non-verbal body language, like nodding and smiling.

 Ask questions, or repeat the speaker’s points, to check that you’ve understood them.
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Stay positive

 Keep your language upbeat and use suitable non-verbal body language, like nodding or smiling.

 Even if you are disagreeing with someone, start by pointing out where you do agree.
 Use ‘and’ instead of ‘but’ when responding to someone – e.g. instead of saying, “I like your idea but we don’t have
time”, it’s more positive to say “I like your idea and we can try it when we have more time”.

Avoid making assumptions about how others think or feel

 Own your own statements – start sentences with “I” or “my”, not “we” or “you”.

 Change “know” to “imagine”– e.g. say “I imagine you are…” instead of “I know you are…”.

GROUP VERSES TEAMS

Nowadays, group or team concept is adopted by the organization, to accomplish various client projects. When two or
more individuals are classed together either by the organization or out of social needs, it is known as a group. On the
other hand, a team is the collection of people, who are linked together to achieve a common objective.

Definition of Group

A group is an assemblage of persons who work, interact and cooperate with one another in achieving a common goal in
a specified time. The identity of the group members is taken individually. The members share information and
resources with other group members.

In an organisation, the groups are made on the basis of common interests, beliefs, experience in common fields and
principles, so that they can easily coordinate with each other. There are two kinds of groups:

 Formal Group: These groups are created by the management of the organisation for performing a specific
task.
 Informal Group: The formation of these groups is done naturally in an organisation, to satisfy the social or
psychological human needs.

For example: Ethnic groups, trade unions, friendship circles, airline flight crew, etc.

Definition of Team

A group of people who are joined for achieving a common goal within a stipulated period, having collective
accountability is known as the team. The agenda of the team is “one for all and all for one”. Apart from sharing
information, the team members also share the responsibility of the team task. The team is always responsible for the
outcome (i.e. Result of the collective efforts of the team members).

The team members have a mutual understanding with other members. They work jointly to maximise the strengths and
minimise the weakness by complementing each other. The most important feature of a team is “synergy” i.e. the team
can achieve much more as the members can achieve individually. The three key features of team functioning are:

 Cohesion
 Confrontation
 Collaboration
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For example: Cricket team, team for accomplishing a project, team of doctors, management team etc.

Similarities

 Two or more than two persons.

 Interaction of members.
 Face to face relationship.
 Focus on the achievement of an objective.
 Leader
 Sharing of information and resources
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EFFECTIVE TEAM PLAYERS

A team player is someone who combines their personal abilities with teamwork skills to complete tasks or move ahead
with projects. An employee with strong teamwork skills can also appreciate that their individual performance is critical
to the success of the team. For example, a good team player in a sales team would know that it is important for them to
meet their own weekly sales target to help the team achieve their overall goal. Effective teams require people with
different strengths to work together in new ways and at greater speeds to achieve top-results.
Several key traits distinguish great team players, including:
Active listening
An active listener stays engaged with discussions when other people express their opinion. They ask questions for
clarification or to find out more information. They also show with their body language or brief comments that they are
paying attention to what someone is saying- help create supportive conditions for collaborative working.
Understanding their role
A good team player is aware of the specific role they have as an individual and how it fits into the team. They take
responsibility for their actions and tasks while allowing other team members the freedom to accomplish their own
projects. They also recognise when a team member requires their help and feel confident in asking for help themselves.
Openness to feedback
Feedback can come in many forms, including formal comments from a manager or informal remarks from a colleague.
Employees with excellent teamwork skills value constructive feedback and understand how to use it to improve their
future performance. They are also willing to give feedback to others when appropriate.
When they comment on other peoples work, they avoid mixing up constructive criticism with personal insults or
gossip, which can prove harmful to a working environment. Effective and regular feedback is advantageous to
teamwork because it allows each team member to learn from others and support their colleagues in the achievement of
their common goals.
Acceptance of other work styles
Teams are made up of numerous employees with a range of abilities and talents. For example, a marketing team may
consist of designers who create images, copywriters who produce compelling texts to attract customers and editors who
review the material for grammatical and stylistic accuracy. All of these roles require different skill sets and may involve
different work styles.
A good team player can accept that different and even contradictory approaches to work can be valuable. While they
may have their own preferred approach to their work, they avoid trying to impose it on other people
Ability to compromise
Employees working as part of a team may have different ideas about what the goal of a project is or how that goal
should be achieved. For the team to work effectively, it is important for people to compromise so that the work can
move forward.

TEAM DEVELOPMENT

This process of learning to work together effectively is known as team development. For teams to be effective, the
people in the team must be able to work together to contribute collectively to team outcomes. But this does not happen
automatically: it develops as the team works together. Research has shown that teams go through definitive stages
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during development. Bruce Tuckman, an educational psychologist, identified a five-stage development process that
most teams follow to become high performing. He called the stages: forming, storming, norming, performing, and
adjourning. Team progress through the stages is shown in the following diagram.

Forming stage

The forming stage involves a period of orientation and getting acquainted. Uncertainty is high during this stage, and
people are looking for leadership and authority. A member who asserts authority or is knowledgeable may be looked to
take control. Team members are asking such questions as “What does the team offer me?” “What is expected of me?”
“Will I fit in?” Most interactions are social as members get to know each other.

Storming stage

The storming stage is the most difficult and critical stage to pass through. It is a period marked by conflict and
competition as individual personalities emerge. Team performance may actually decrease in this stage because energy
is put into unproductive activities. Members may disagree on team goals, and subgroups and cliques may form around
strong personalities or areas of agreement. To get through this stage, members must work to overcome obstacles, to
accept individual differences, and to work through conflicting ideas on team tasks and goals. Teams can get bogged
down in this stage. Failure to address conflicts may result in long-term problems.

Norming stage

If teams get through the storming stage, conflict is resolved and some degree of unity emerges. In the norming stage,
consensus develops around who the leader or leaders are, and individual member’s roles. Interpersonal differences
begin to be resolved, and a sense of cohesion and unity emerges. Team performance increases during this stage as
members learn to cooperate and begin to focus on team goals. However, the harmony is precarious, and if
disagreements re-emerge the team can slide back into storming.

Performing stage

In the performing stage, consensus and cooperation have been well-established and the team is mature, organized, and
well-functioning. There is a clear and stable structure, and members are committed to the team’s mission. Problems and
conflicts still emerge, but they are dealt with constructively. (We will discuss the role of conflict and conflict resolution
in the next section). The team is focused on problem solving and meeting team goals
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Adjourning stage

In the adjourning stage, most of the team’s goals have been accomplished. The emphasis is on wrapping up final tasks
and documenting the effort and results. As the work load is diminished, individual members may be reassigned to other
teams, and the team disbands. There may be regret as the team ends, so a ceremonial acknowledgement of the work and
success of the team can be helpful. If the team is a standing committee with ongoing responsibility, members may be
replaced by new people and the team can go back to a forming or storming stage and repeat the development process.

BELBIN’S TEAM ROLES

A Belbin 'Team Role' is one of nine clusters of behavioural attributes identified by Dr Meredith Belbin's research at
Henley as being effective in order to facilitate team progress.

Belbin defines nine team roles that individuals may perform when working together.
These roles can be categorised into three groups:

 Action-oriented roles
 People-oriented roles
 Thought-oriented roles

Here’s a brief description of each team role from Belbin’s model, including the strengths and weaknesses commonly
associated with each role.
Action oriented-roles
Shaper: This role is usually fulfilled by extroverts who are confident in challenging other members of the team to
improve. Shapers don’t mind questioning the status quo to find the best solutions to problems and embrace the chance
to shake things up.

 Strengths: Problem solving, ambition

 Weaknesses: Potential to cause friction

Implementer: The implementer is a doer: someone who doesn’t mind getting their head down and working hard to
complete the task that’s been set for them. They thrive when turning plans into action, using methodical systems to get
the job done efficiently.

 Strengths: Task completion, dedication

 Weaknesses: Resistant to change

Completer-finisher: Perfectionists by nature, completer-finishers are the gatekeepers of quality within a team,
ensuring that each job is completed in a timely and professional manner. They’re meticulous about avoiding error, and
sticklers for meeting deadlines.
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 Strengths: Meeting deadlines, quality assurance

 Weaknesses: Over-worrying, reluctant to delegate

People-oriented roles
Coordinator: The role of coordinator is similar to that of a traditional leader. With a strong grasp of the team’s overall
goals and a talent for delegating tasks to the right people, coordinators guide their team toward the objective in a
controlled and proficient way.

 Strengths: Project management, effective delegation

 Weaknesses: Avoiding responsibility

Team worker: A catalyst for collaboration and unity within groups, the team worker excels in helping colleagues to
overcome differences and avoid conflict while striving towards a common goal. Their mission to create a supportive
work environment means team workers are often popular figures.

 Strengths: Perceptiveness, mediation

 Weaknesses: Indecisiveness

Resource investigator: This role is associated with people who find it easy to build contacts and get what they need
from others. Resource investigators are often extroverts and adept negotiators who work with external suppliers to
achieve great results for their team.

 Strengths: Wealth of contacts, negotiation

 Weaknesses: Overly optimistic

Thought-oriented roles
Plant: Plants produce interesting and original ideas for the benefit of the team. They’re typically introverted, preferring
to work alone when developing new ideas and coming up with solutions to problems.

 Strengths: Creativity, innovation

 Weaknesses: Sensitive to criticism, may ignore constraints

Monitor-evaluator: Thoroughly analysing and strategically evaluating ideas is the monitor-evaluator’s calling. They
enjoy gathering data and evidence to consider the advantages and disadvantages of every option.

 Strengths: Analysis, strategy

 Weaknesses: Poor leadership
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Specialist: A master in their chosen field, the specialist prides themselves on their knowledge and expertise in a given
subject area. They use their specialism to aid the team, acting as the authority on all technical and practical
considerations relating to their topic.

 Strengths: Subject-specific expertise

 Weaknesses: Too focused on technicalities

CHALLENGES IN BUILDING AND MANAGING TEAMS

Teamwork is all about working together and watching out for each other’s back. Effective teamwork is not even
teamwork unless everyone works together and there are enough challenges to win over.
Challenges are in every field of work, and so it is no different when you are trying to build a team or work with it. Here
we have highlighted some of the most commons challenges that the managers often come across.
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 Minimal or no leadership capabilities

 Trust issues among team members
 Poor communication & understanding skills
 Office politics, clashes & stress
 Dull working environment
 Confusion in understanding roles
 Lack of ability in long-shot thinking
 Zero diverse skill set & interest to learn
 Not being able to follow or delivers orders
 Lack of collaborative work tendency
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