SOCIAL SKILLS

(DCU 101)

STUDY PACK MODULE

DILPOMA COURSE
The Management University of Africa
MANAGEMENT CENTRE | Popo Road, Off Mombasa Road, Bellevue, South C |
P. O. Box 29677, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya |
Tel: 0722 301 398| Email: fchege@mua.ac.ke
Developed by Francis Chege
 COURSE OUTLINE
COURSE CODE: DCU 101
COURSE TITLE: SOCIAL SKILLS
YEAR: 2024
SEMEMSTER/TRIMESTER: 1
MODE OF STUDY: ODEL
CREDIT HOURS: 2 hrs
CONTACT HOURS: 36 hrs
LECTURER: Dorothy Lagat
CONTACTS: dorothy@mua.ac.ke
LECTURE HOURS:
CONSULTATION HOURS:

1.0 Purpose of the Course

This course provides learners with specific instruction in interpersonal skills, problem

solving, emotional intelligence – self-awareness and self-management skills, conflict

resolution. Students are expected to develop social skills through discussion, self-

reflection and role play. Students are expected to demonstrate what they learn through

written work, presentations, and daily interaction with peers and staff.

2.0 Expected Learning Outcomes of the Course

At the end of the course students should be able to:

2.1 Apply skills for educational and workplace success; listening, following directions,

ignoring distractions, persistence, and respectful speech;

2.2 Demonstrate interpersonal skills; sharing materials; asking permission, working as

part of a group, joining and inviting others in activities;

2.3 Demonstrate skills for problem solving; asking for help, apologizing, accepting

consequences, considering alternatives, and decision making;

2.4 Acquire conflict resolution skills; responses to teasing, bullying, losing, accusations,

being left out, and peer pressure; and,

2.5 Demonstrate intrapersonal skills; recognizing strengths and weaknesses, setting goals

and self-assessment.

3.0 Course Content

3.1 Introduction to social skills

3.1.1 Overview of social skills

3.1.2 Characteristics of social skills

3.1.3 Goal setting and self-advocacy

3.1.4 Self –monitoring

3.1.5 Personal goal settings

3.2 Emotional Intelligence

3.2.1 Self-awareness

3.2.2 self-management

3.2.3 Techniques of improving emotional intelligence

3.3 Cultural literacy

3.3.1 Conflict management

3.3.2 Conflict Resolution techniques

 3.4 Respectfulness and responsible behavior

3.4.1 Responsible behavior

3.5 Anger management

3.5.1 Anger health related problems

3.5.2 Strategies to overcome anger

3.6 Tolerances and Differences

3.6.1 Element of responsible behavior

3.7 Team work and Group dynamics

3.7.1 Benefits/importance of teamwork in organization

3.7.2 Essential Qualities of team a player

3.7.3 Group development

3.8 Career choice

3.8.1 Career choice definition

3.8.2 Steps in career and planning process

3.8.3 Importance of career choice

3.9 Coaching and Mentorship.

3.9.1 Definition of coaching and mentorship

3.9.2 Steps in coaching and mentorship

3.9.3 Importance of coaching in an organization

4 Class Activities

4.1 Guest speakers ( if Any)

 4.2 Academic Trips (if any

5 Methods of Delivery

5.1 Lectures

5.2 Assignments readings

5.3 Discussions led by students given their experience in the industry

5.4 Case analysis and group discussions

5.5 Tutorials

6.0 Instructional Material and/ or Equipment

Overhead projector and LCD, whiteboard, Audio-visuals, computers, pens and smart
boards

7.0 Course Assessment

Assignment/Assessment Time Percentage

for
academic
course
Continuous Assessment Tests (CAT) 15 30%
Work Based Assignment (WBA) 15

Final Written Examination 70 70%

Total 100%

8.0 Core Reading Materials for the Course

8.1 Baker G.S. (2011). Developing Effective Communication and Social Skills. Fitly
Spoken.
9.0 Recommended Reference Materials

10.0 Coleman D (2013). Working with Emotional Intelligence. Colins Harper

11.0 Coleman D (2013). Using Emotional Intelligence. Colins Harper
12.0 Grandin, T. and Barron, S. (2005). Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships. Arligton:
Future Horizons, Inc.
13.0
................end...........
TOPIC 1 - Introduction to social skills

Overview of social skills

Social skill is any competence facilitating interaction and communication with others

where social rules and relations are created, communicated, and changed in verbal and

nonverbal ways.

The process of learning these skills is called socialization. For socialization, interpersonal

skills are essential to relate to one another. Interpersonal skills are the interpersonal acts

a person uses to interact with others, which are related to:-

a) Authority vs suggestion

b) Love vs hate

c) Relationship vs violence

d) Control vs independence.

Positive interpersonal skills include:-

a) Persuasion,

b) Active listening,

c) Delegation,

d) Stewardship

A healthy Social interest that involves more than being in a group is required for well-

adjusted social skills. Social psychology is the academic discipline that does research
related to social skills and studies how skills are learned by an individual through

changes in attitude, thinking, and behavior.

Social skills are the tools that enable people to:-

a) Communicate

b) Keep on Learning

c) Ask for help

d) Get their specific needs met in appropriate ways

e) Get along with others well

f) Make friends

g) Develop healthy relationships

h) Protect themselves

i) Interact with the society harmoniously.

Social skills build essential character traits which includes:-

a) Trustworthiness

b) Respectfulness,

c) Responsibility,

d) Fairness,

e) Caring,

f) Citizenship.

Socials skills traits help build an internal moral compass, allowing individuals to make

good choices in thinking and behavior, resulting in social competence.

The important social skills identified by the Employment and Training

Administration includes the following:-

• Coordination – Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

• Mentoring – Teaching and helping others how to do something (e.g. a study

partner).

• Negotiation – Discussion aimed at reaching an agreement.

• Persuasion – The action or fact of persuading someone or of being persuaded to

do or believe something.

• Service Orientation – Actively looking for ways to evolve compassionately and

grow psycho-socially with people.

• Social Perceptiveness – Being aware of others' reactions and able to respond in an

understanding manner.

Social skills are goal oriented with both main goals and sub-goals. For example, a

workplace interaction initiated by a new employee with a senior employee will first

contain a main goal. This will gather information, and then the sub-goal will be to

establish a rapport in order to obtain the main goal.

Self-Advocacy Goal Setting

Self-advocacy clearly and simply describe what you want to do in life and it involves the

following steps:-

a) Begin Planning and Working.

 b) Describe the steps you need to take to reach your goal.

c) Describe who needs to Help You

d) State the dates steps are to be accomplished

e) Analyze you learnt from each step you tried or accomplish

Characteristics of social skills

1) The ability to stay calm in social situations

Regardless of how many social skills you have, if you’re anxious then your brain won’t

work properly. It’s always harder to think and speak clearly when we become agitated.

So calming down is vital. But relaxing in social situations helps in another way too.

2) Listening skills

There is little more attractive and seductive than being truly listened to. Good listening

skills include:

• Making 'I'm listening' noises - 'Uh-huh', 'really?', 'oh yes?' etc.

• Feeding back what you've heard - "So he went to the dentist? What happened?"

• Referring back to others' comments later on - "You know how you were saying earlier…"

• Physical stillness, eye contact and attentiveness while the other person is talking.

• To listen well to others you need to develop real interest in them.

3) Empathy with and interest in others' situations

A major part of social anxiety is self-consciousness, which is greatly alleviated by

focusing strongly on someone else. A fascination (even if forced at first) with another's

conversation not only increases your comfort levels, it makes them feel interesting. I

never worry what I’m going to talk about because I know I can get other people to talk.

The best social situations are the ones in which you actually forget about yourself and

become focused on what is going on and other people. A major social skill is being able

to focus outward. Take a look at this how to overcome shyness article: How to Stop Being

Shy

4) Knowing how to build rapport

Rapport is a state of understanding or connection that occurs in a good social interaction.

It says basically "I am like you, we understand each other". Rapport occurs on an unconscious

level, and when it happens between two people you can see it because, the language,

speech patterns, body movement and posture of the two people seem to mirror and

match.

Rapport is an unconscious process, but it can be increased as part of social skills training.

Practice the following:

 ▪ Body posture 'mirroring', or movement 'matching'. When you are within someone

match their body posture and expressions. Don’t mimic too closely this is

supposed to have an unconscious effect.

▪ Reflecting back language and speech, including rate, volume, tone, and words.

▪ Feeding back what you have heard.

▪ Think about building rapport and you’ll feel naturally more socially confident as

you’ll be focusing outward.

5) Knowing how, when and how much to talk about yourself - 'self-disclosure'

Talking about yourself too much and too early can be a major turn-off for the other party

in conversation. Good initial small-talk is often characterized by discussion of subjects

not personal to either party, or by an exchanging of personal views in a balanced way.

Immediately describing your deepest desires and darkest fears to a stranger may freak

them out.

However, as conversations and relationships progress, disclosing personal facts (small,

non-emotional ones first!) leads to a feeling of getting to know each other. Now let’s look

at the importance of how your eyes communicate.

6) Look into their eyes and smile

If you don't look at someone when you are talking or listening to them, they’ll feel:

• You are ignoring them

• You are untrustworthy

• You don't like the look of them

This doesn't mean you have to stare at them. Too much eye contact too early on in a

relationship can be unsettling too.

Goal setting and self-advocacy

How to Set a Goal

First consider what you want to achieve, and then commit to it your goal to Set SMART

objectives:-

(Specific, measureable, attainable, relevant and time-bound) goals that motivate you and

write them down to make them feel tangible. Then plan the steps you must take to realize

your goal, and cross off each one as you work through them.

Goal setting is a powerful process for thinking about your ideal future, and for motivating

yourself to turn your vision of this future into reality.

The process of setting goals helps you choose where you want to go in life. By knowing

precisely what you want to achieve, you know where you have to concentrate your

efforts. You'll also quickly spot the distractions that can, so easily, lead you astray.

Why Set Goals?

Top-level performing people, successful business-people and achievers in all fields all set

goals. Setting goals gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation . It focuses
your acquisition of knowledge, and helps you to organize your time and your resources

so that you can make the very most of your life.

By setting tough, clearly defined goals, you can measure and take pride in the

achievement of those goals, and you'll see forward progress in what might previously

have seemed a long pointless grind. You will also raise your self-confidence , as you

recognize your own ability and competence in achieving the goals that you've set.

Starting to Set Personal Goals

a) First you create your "big picture" of what you want to do with your life (or over,

say, the next 10 years), and identify the large-scale goals that you want to achieve.

b) Break these goals down into smaller and smaller targets that you must hit to reach

your lifetime goals.

c) Once you have your plan, start working on it to achieve these goals.

Setting Lifetime Goals

The first step in setting personal goals is to consider what you want to achieve in your

lifetime (or at least, by a significant and distant age in the future). Setting lifetime goals

gives you the overall perspective that shapes all other aspects of your decision making.

To give a broad, balanced coverage of all important areas in your life, try to set goals in

some of the following categories (or in other categories of your own, where these are

important to you):

• Career – What level do you want to reach in your career, or what do you want to

achieve?
 • Financial – How much do you want to earn, by what stage? How is this related to

your career goals?

• Education – Is there any knowledge you want to acquire in particular? What

information and skills will you need to have in order to achieve other goals?

• Family – Do you want to be a parent? If so, how are you going to be a good parent?

How do you want to be seen by a partner or by members of your extended family?

• Creative – Do you want to achieve any imaginative goals?

• Attitude – Is any part of your mindset holding you back? Is there any part of the

way that you behave that upsets you?

• Physical – Are there any special goals that you want to achieve, or do you want

good health deep into old age? What steps are you going to take to achieve this?

• Pleasure – How do you want to enjoy yourself? (You should ensure that some of

your life is for you!)

• Public Service – Do you want to make the world a better place? If so, how?

Spend some time brainstorming these things, and then select one or more goals in each

category that best reflect what you want to do. Then consider trimming again so that you

have a small number of really significant goals that you can focus on.

As you do this, make sure that the goals that you have set are ones that you genuinely

want to achieve, not ones that your parents, family, or employers might want. (If you
have a partner, you probably want to consider what he or she wants – however, make

sure that you also remain true to yourself!)

Create a one-year plan, six-month plan, and a one-month plan of progressively smaller

goals that you should reach to achieve your lifetime goals. Each of these should be based

on the previous plan.

Then create a daily To-Do List of things that you should do today to work towards your

lifetime goals.

At an early stage, your smaller goals might be to read books and gather information on

the achievement of your higher level goals. This will help you to improve the quality and

realism of your goal setting.

Finally review your plans, and make sure that they fit the way in which you want to live

your life.

Once you've decided on your first set of goals, keep the process going by reviewing and

updating your To-Do List on a daily basis.

Periodically review the longer term plans, and modify them to reflect your changing

priorities and experience. (A good way of doing this is to schedule regular, repeating

reviews using a computer-based diary).

SMART Goals

A useful way of making goals more powerful is to use the SMART approach. SMART

usually stands for:

a) S – Specific (or Significant).

 b) M – Measurable (or Meaningful).

c) A – Attainable (or Action-Oriented).

d) R – Relevant (or Rewarding).

e) T – Time-bound (or Trackable).

The following broad guidelines will help you to set effective, achievable goals:

• State each goal as a positive statement – Express your goals positively – "Execute

this technique well" is a much better goal than "Don't make this stupid mistake."

• Be precise: Set precise goals, putting in dates, times and amounts so that you can

measure achievement. If you do this, you'll know exactly when you have achieved

the goal, and can take complete satisfaction from having achieved it.

• Set priorities – When you have several goals, give each a priority. This helps you

to avoid feeling overwhelmed by having too many goals, and helps to direct your

attention to the most important ones.

• Write goals down – This crystallizes them and gives them more force.

• Keep operational goals small – Keep the low-level goals that you're working

towards small and achievable. If a goal is too large, then it can seem that you are

not making progress towards it. Keeping goals small and incremental gives more

opportunities for reward.

 • Set performance goals, not outcome goals – You should take care to set goals over

which you have as much control as possible. It can be quite dispiriting to fail to

achieve a personal goal for reasons beyond your control!

In business, these reasons could be bad business environments or unexpected effects of

government policy. In sport, they could include poor judging, bad weather, injury, or just

plain bad luck.

If you base your goals on personal performance, then you can keep control over the

achievement of your goals, and draw satisfaction from them.

• Set realistic goals – It's important to set goals that you can achieve. All sorts of

people (for example, employers, parents, media, or society) can set unrealistic

goals for you. They will often do this in ignorance of your own desires and

ambitions.

It's also possible to set goals that are too difficult because you might not appreciate either

the obstacles in the way, or understand quite how much skill you need to develop to

achieve a particular level of performance.

Achieving Goals

When you've achieved a goal, take the time to enjoy the satisfaction of having done so.

Absorb the implications of the goal achievement, and observe the progress that you've

made towards other goals.

If the goal was a significant one, reward yourself appropriately. All of this helps you build

the self-confidence you deserve.

With the experience of having achieved this goal, review the rest of your goal plans:

a) If you achieved the goal too easily, make your next goal harder.

b) If the goal took a dispiriting length of time to achieve, make the next goal a little

easier.

c) If you learned something that would lead you to change other goals, do so.

d) If you noticed a deficit in your skills despite achieving the goal, decide whether to

set goals to fix this.

Feed lessons you have learned back into the process of setting your next goals. Remember

too that your goals will change as time goes on. Adjust them regularly to reflect growth

in your knowledge and experience, and if goals do not hold any attraction any longer,

consider letting them go.

Example Personal Goals

During the New Year's Resolution, a student decided what he really wanted to do with

his life.

His lifetime goals are as follows:-

• Career – "To be managing editor of the magazine that he work for."

• Artist – "To keep working on my illustration skills. Ultimately he want to have

own show in our in a big town.

• Physical – "To run a marathon and win a trophy

Now that the student has listed his lifetime goals, he then breaks them down each into

smaller, more manageable goals.

Taking a closer look at how he might break down his lifetime career goal becoming

managing editor of a leading magazine:

• Five-year goal: Become deputy editor."

• One-year goal: Volunteer for projects that the current Managing Editor is heading

up.

• Six-month goal: Go back to school and finish his journalism degree

• One-month goal: Talk to the current managing editor to determine what skills are

needed to do the job.

• One-week goal: Book the meeting with the Managing Editor.

As you can see from this example, breaking big goals down into smaller, more

manageable goals makes it far easier to see how the goal will get accomplished.

Key Points in setting the SMART goals:-

a) Deciding what you want to achieve in your life.

b) Separating what's important from what's irrelevant, or a distraction.

c) Motivating yourself.

d) Building your self-confidence, based on successful achievement of goals.

Set your lifetime goals first. Then, set a five-year plan of smaller goals that you need to

complete if you are to reach your lifetime plan. Keep the process going by regularly

reviewing and updating your goals. And remember to take time to enjoy the satisfaction

of achieving your goals when you do so.

If you don't already set goals, do so, starting now. As you make this technique part of

your life, you'll find your career accelerating, and you'll wonder how you did without it!

Self –monitoring

Self-monitoring is a concept shows how much people monitor their self-presentations,

expressive behavior, and nonverbal affective displays. Human beings generally differ in

substantial ways in their abilities and desires to engage in expressive controls. It is

defined as a personality trait that refers to an ability to regulate behavior to

accommodate social situations.

People concerned with their expressive self-presentation tend to closely monitor their

audience in order to ensure appropriate or desired public appearances.

Self-monitors try to understand how individuals and groups will perceive their actions.

Some personality types commonly act spontaneously low self-monitors and others are

more apt to purposely control and consciously adjust their behavior (high self-

monitors).

TOPIC 2 - Emotional Intelligence

What Is Emotional Intelligence?

We all have different personalities, different wants and needs, and different ways of

showing our emotions. Navigating through this all takes tact and cleverness – especially

if we hope to succeed in life. This is where emotional intelligence becomes important.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize your emotions, understand what

they're telling you, and realize how your emotions affect people around you. It also

involves your perception of others: when you understand how they feel, this allows you

to manage relationships more effectively.

People with high emotional intelligence are usually successful in most things. This is so

because they're the ones that others want on their team. When people with high

emotional intelligence send an email, it gets answered. When they need help, they get it.

Because they make others feel good, they go through life much more easily than people

who are easily angered or upset.

Characteristics of Emotional Intelligence

1. Self-Awareness – People with high emotional intelligence are usually very self-

aware . They understand their emotions, and because of this, they don't let their

feelings rule them. They're confident – because they trust their intuition and don't

let their emotions get out of control. They’re also willing to take an honest look at

themselves. They know their strengths and weaknesses, and they work on these

areas so they can perform better. Many people believe that this self-awareness is

the most important part of emotional intelligence.

2. Self-Regulation – This is the ability to control emotions and impulses. People

who self-regulate typically don't allow themselves to become too angry or jealous,
 and they don't make impulsive, careless decisions. They think before they act.

Characteristics of self-regulation are thoughtfulness, comfort with

change, integrity , and the ability to say no.

3. Motivation – People with a high degree of emotional intelligence are

usually motivated . They're willing to defer immediate results for long-term

success. They're highly productive, love a challenge, and are very effective in

whatever they do.

4. Empathy – This is perhaps the second-most important element of emotional

intelligence. Empathy is the ability to identify with and understand the wants,

needs, and viewpoints of those around you. People with empathy are good at

recognizing the feelings of others, even when those feelings may not be obvious.

As a result, empathetic people are usually excellent at managing

relationships , listening , and relating to others. They avoid stereotyping and

judging too quickly, and they live their lives in a very open, honest way.

5. Social Skills – It's usually easy to talk to and like people with good social skills,

another sign of high emotional intelligence. Those with strong social skills are

typically team players. Rather than focus on their own success first, they help

others develop and shine. They can manage disputes, are excellent

communicators, and are masters at building and maintaining relationships.

How to Improve Your Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence can be learned and developed. As well as working on your skills

in the five areas above though the use of the following strategies:

1) Observe how you react to people.

Do you rush to judgment before you know all of the facts? Do you stereotype?

Look honestly at how you think and interact with other people. Try to put yourself

in their place , and be more open and accepting of their perspectives and needs.

2) Look at your work environment.

Do you seek attention for your accomplishments? Humility can be a wonderful

quality, and it doesn't mean that you're shy or lack self-confidence. When you

practice humility, you say that you know what you did, and you can be quietly

confident about it. Give others a chance to shine – put the focus on them, and don't

worry too much about getting praise for yourself.

3) Do a self-evaluation.

Try out our emotional intelligence exercise . What are your weaknesses? Are you

willing to accept that you're not perfect and that you could work on some areas to

make yourself a better person? Have the courage to look at yourself honestly – it

can change your life.

4) Examine how you react to stressful situations.

Do you become upset every time there's a delay or something doesn't happen the

way you want? Do you blame others or become angry at them, even when it's not

their fault? The ability to stay calm and in control in difficult situations is highly
 valued – in the business world and outside it. Keep your emotions under control

when things go wrong.

5) Take responsibility for your actions.

If you hurt someone's feelings, apologize directly – don't ignore what you did or

avoid the person. People are usually more willing to forgive and forget if you make

an honest attempt to make things right.

6) Examine how your actions will affect others – before you take those actions.

If your decision will impact others, put yourself in their place. How will they feel

if you do this? Would you want that experience? If you must take the action, how

can you help others deal with the effects?

Self-awareness

Self-awareness is the capacity for self-examination and the ability to recognize oneself as

an individual separate from the environment and other individuals. It is not to be

confused with consciousness in the same sense. While consciousness is being aware of

one's environment and body and lifestyle, self-awareness is the recognition of that

awareness

Self-awareness has been called arguably the most fundamental issue in psychology, from

both a developmental and an evolutionary perspective.

Self-awareness theory, states that when we focus our attention on ourselves, we evaluate

and compare our current behaviour to our internal standards and values. This provokes

a state of objective self-awareness. We become self-conscious as objective evaluators of

ourselves.
However self-awareness is not to be confused with self-consciousness. Various emotional

states are intensified by self-awareness. However, some people may seek to increase their

self-awareness through these outlets. People are more likely to align their behaviour with

their standards when made self-aware. People will be negatively affected if they don't

live up to their personal standards. Various environmental indications and situations

induce awareness of the self, such as mirrors, an audience, or being videotaped or

recorded. These indications also increase accuracy of personal memory.

Developmental stages

Individuals become conscious of themselves through the development of self-

awareness. This particular type of self-development pertains to becoming conscious of

one's own body and mental state of mind including thoughts, actions, ideas, feelings and

interactions with others. Self-awareness does not occur suddenly through one particular

behaviour: It develops gradually through a succession of different behaviours all of

which relate to the self.

The monitoring of one's mental states is called metacognition and it is considered to be

an indicator that there is some concept of the self. It is developed through an early sense

of non-self-components using sensory and memory sources. In developing self–

awareness through self-exploration and social experiences one can broaden his social

world and become more familiar with the self.

There are five levels of self-awareness

Level 0: Confusion.
At this level the individual has a degree of zero self-awareness. This person is unaware

of any mirror reflection or the mirror itself. They perceive the mirror as an extension of

their environment.

Level 1: Differentiation.

The individual realizes the mirror is able to reflect things. They see that what is in the

mirror is different from what is surrounding them. At this level they can differentiate

between their own movement in the mirror and the movement of the surrounding

environment.

Level 2: Situation.

At this point an individual can link the movements on the mirror to what is perceived

within their own body. This is the first hint of self-exploration on a projected surface

where what is visualized on the mirror is special to the self.

Level 3: Identification.

This stage is characterized by the new ability to identify self: an individual can now see

that what's in the mirror is not another person but actually him/herself. It is seen when

a child, instead of referring to the mirror while referring to him/herself, refers to

him/herself while looking in the mirror.

Level 4: Permanence.

Once an individual reaches this level they can identify the self beyond the present mirror

images. They are able to identify the self in previous pictures looking different or

younger. A permanent self is now experienced.

Level 5: Self-consciousness
At this level not only is the self-seen from a first person view but it’s realized that it's also

seen from a third person's view. They begin to understand they can be in the mind of

others. For instance, how they are seen from a public standpoint

Self-management

Self-management Skills and Techniques

Self-management skills are some of the most important and difficult to learn abilities in

business, in the workplace, and in our personal life.

Effective self-management and self-motivation skills have the power to change

dramatically almost every aspect of our life.

Self-management skills definition refers to our abilities to control our feelings, emotions,

and activities. They play a decisive role in our personal and business life.

The following are some of the Essential Self-Management Skills and Techniques.

1) Self confidence

Self-confident people tend to see their lives in a positive way and they face their fears

head-on.

To be self-confident means to like and to respect yourself and to believe in your own

abilities and strengths.

Some of the best self-confidence and self-management techniques are:

a) Get rid of the negative thoughts in your head

 b) Power of positive thinking

c) Be happy with small things;

d) Do not forget to tell yourself that you are smart and intelligent;

e) Chat with positive people

2) Stress management at a work environment

NB! Self-confident people are some of the most successful people in the business.

Stress management skills are among the most important in the self-management skills

list.

It is impossible to find a completely a stress-free work and life environment!

We have to learn to cope with problems and to manage stress because the stress situations

are everywhere. Unmanaged workplace stress reduces productivity, increases pressures,

and affects the performance of the brain, memory, and concentration.

Good stress and self-management tips and techniques are:

a) Exercise your body, relax yourself by taking your mind off your stress

b) Enjoy yourself, rest yourself as regularly as possible;

c) Go to an outing or a holidays with the people you love

d) Take walks in natural environment

e) Do hobbies and take time to do activities that you love the most.

3) Time management and organizational skills

In the business area, organizational skills are valuable for any employee. In our busy

lives, managing our time is becoming more and more important for success especially in

business.

Good time management examples and techniques:-

a) Set and prioritize your goals

b) Create a schedule

c) Make lists of tasks

d) balance work and leisure;

e) Use different optimization tools and to break large tasks into smaller tasks.

4) Self-motivation

Self-motivation is a crucial ability in the self-management skills in the work environment.

Self-motivation is one of the most powerful forces that drive you to do things and to

achieve success in business and personal life.

Good self-motivation techniques includes the following:-

a) Find and list your motives needs and desires

b) Find different sources of motivation and inspiration music, books, activities

c) Think expansive thoughts

d) Live fully in the present moment

e) Have big dreams

5) Healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet

Heathy eating and physical activities are extremely important when it comes to

increasing your mind and body power. When you exercise and do activities your brain

releases more of endorphins known as serotonin, which helps you feel good and fight

bad mood and negative emotions.

Healthy eating plays a crucial role in overall health and will give you a great power and

energy.

TOPIC 3 - Cultural literacy

Definition on Cultural literacy

Cultural literacy is a term used to refer to the ability to understand and participate

fluently in a given culture. Cultural literacy is an analogy to literacy proper (the ability to

read and write letters). A literate reader knows the object-language's alphabet, grammar,

and a sufficient set of vocabulary; a culturally literate person knows a given

culture's signs and symbols, including its language, particular interaction,

stories, entertainment, phrases, features, etc. The culturally literate person is able to talk

to and understand others of that culture with fluency, while the culturally illiterate

person fails to understand culturally-conditioned suggestions, references to past events,

fluent expressions, jokes, names, places, etc.

Children of a given culture typically become culturally literate there via the process

of enculturation. Enculturation seems to occur naturally, being intertwined with

education, play, family relationships, friendships, etc. The cause of cultural literacy is a

more difficult question when considering acculturation of immigrants, outsiders,

cultural minorities, strangers, guests, etc.

Literacy of a given culture seems to arise over time with consistent exposure to and

participation in that culture, especially certain key cultural strongholds, like business,

story, arts, education, history, religion, and family. One could become literate for an oral

culture (with no written language or recorded media) only by extended conversation.

Alternatively, one could become literate for a written culture through conversation as

well as reading culturally relevant books or exposure to culturally relevant films, plays,

monuments, television shows, etc.

The benefits and detriments of cultural literacy are debated. For example, social mobility

increases when one is able to comfortably participate in conversation with gatekeepers

like employers and teachers. Non-native members of a culture, such as missionaries to a

foreign land or refugees from a native land, may experience negative consequences due
to cultural illiteracy. However, the achievement of cultural literacy may seem to come at

a cost to one's own native culture.

Conflict management

Conflict management and Resolution

Definition of Conflict Management

Conflict management is the practice of being able to identify and handle conflicts

sensibly, fairly, and efficiently. Since conflicts in a business are a natural part of the

workplace, it is important that there are people who understand conflicts and know how

to resolve them. This is important in today's market more than ever. Everyone is striving

to show how valuable they are to the company they work for and at times, this can lead

to disputes with other members of the team.

Conflict Management techniques

a) Accommodating

An accommodating manager is one who cooperates to a high degree. This may be at the

manager's own expense and actually work against that manager's own goals, objectives,

and desired outcomes. This approach is effective when the other person is the expert or

has a better solution.

b) Avoiding
Avoiding an issue is one way a manager might attempt to resolve conflict. This type of

conflict style does not help the other staff members reach their goals and does not help

the manager who is avoiding the issue and cannot assertively pursue his or her own

goals. However, this works well when the issue is trivial or when the manager has no

chance of winning.

c) Collaborating

Collaborating managers become partners or pair up with each other to achieve both of

their goals in this style. This is how managers break free of the win-lose paradigm and

seek the win-win. This can be effective for complex scenarios where managers need to

find a novel solution.

d) Competing

This is the win-lose approach. A manager is acting in a very assertive way to achieve his

or her own goals without seeking to cooperate with other employees, and it may be at

the expense of those other employees. This approach may be appropriate for emergencies

when time is of the essence.

e) Compromising

This is the loose-loose scenario where neither person nor manager really achieves what

they want. This requires a moderate level of assertiveness and cooperation. It may be
appropriate for scenarios where you need a temporary solution or where both sides have

equally important goals.

TOPIC 4 - Anger management

What Is Anger?

Anger is a very powerful feeling that can happen when you are frustrated, hurt, annoyed,

or disappointed. Anger can help or hurt you, depending on how you react to it. If you

can react without hurting someone else, it can be a positive feeling. If you hold your anger
inside, it can lead to passive-aggressive behaviour like getting back at people without

telling them why or being critical and hostile.

Knowing how to recognize and express these feelings in appropriate ways can help you

handle emergencies, solve problems, and hold on to meaningful relationships.

Anger can also be defined as unwanted or irrational emotion that everybody experiences

from time to time.

Anger experts describe the emotion as a primary, natural emotion which has evolved as

a way of surviving and protecting yourself from what is considered a wrong-doing.

Mild anger may be brought on by feeling tired, stressed or irritated, in fact we are more

likely to feel irritated if our basic human needs (food, shelter, sex, sleep, etc.) are not met

or are jeopardized in some way.

We may become angry when reacting to frustration, criticism or a threat and this is not

necessarily a bad or inappropriate reaction.

We can also feel irritated by other people’s beliefs, opinions and actions and hence anger

can affect our ability to communicate effectively - making us more likely to say or do

unreasonable or irrational things.

Being unreasonable or irrational can lead others around us to feel threatened, resentful

or angry themselves and, again, these can all be barriers to effective communication.

Anger can also be a ‘secondary emotion’ to feeling sad, frightened, threatened or lonely.

It is useful to try to understand why you (or somebody else) is feeling angry at any given

time so that the root causes can be addressed and problems solved.

Anger, however, is not just a state-of-mind. Anger can trigger physical changes including

an increased heart rate, blood pressure and levels of hormones such as adrenaline

preparing us physically for ‘fight or flight’. Due to these physical effects long-term anger

can be detrimental to health and wellbeing.

Anger health related problems

Some of the health problems that may occur as a result of being angry regularly

a) Aches and pains, usually in the back and head.

b) High blood pressure, which can, in severe cases, lead to serious complaints such

as stroke or cardiac arrest.

c) Sleep problems.

d) Problems with digestion.

e) Skin disorders.

f) Reduced threshold for pain.

g) Impaired immune system.

Anger can also lead to psychological problems such as:

a) Depression.

b) Reduced self-confidence.

c) Eating disorders.

d) Alcoholism.

e) Substance abuse.

f) Self-injury.

Strategies to overcome anger

a) Take Regular Exercise

The hormones that we release when we are angry - mainly cortisol and adrenaline

are similar to those produced when we are stressed to help us to escape from

danger. The release of these hormones is an evolutionary trait, useful if you are

trying to run away from a massive but maybe less important in modern life where,

for most of us, such life-threatening situations do not occur regularly.

When you exercise regularly your body learns how to regulate your adrenaline

and cortisol levels more effectively. People who are physically fit have more

optimum levels of endorphins; endorphins are hormones that make you feel good

and therefore less likely to feel angry.

b) Sleep
 Sleep is an important part of life and good quality sleep can help combat many

physical, mental and emotional problems, including anger.

When we sleep, the body and mind rest and rebuild damaged cells and neural

pathways. We all know that people often feel better after a good night’s sleep.

The optimum level of good quality sleep is about 7 hours a night, however

everybody is different and you may need more or less than this.

c) Plan ‘Difficult’ Conversations

If you are worried about having a conversation that may leave you feeling angry

then try to take control of the situation. Make notes beforehand, planning what

you want to say in a calm and assertive way. You are less likely to get side-tracked

during your conversation if you can refer to your notes.

d) Learn how to Express Yourself

Wait until you have calmed down from your anger and then express yourself in a

calm and collected way. You need to be assertive without being aggressive.

We all need to accept that everybody is different and that we cannot control the

feelings, beliefs or behaviors of others.

e) Plan your Time well

 Avoid conversations that may make you angry when you are feeling tired,

distracted or stressed. We are more likely to feel and behave in an angry way

when there are other worries on our minds.

f) Be Humorous

It is easy to use inappropriate sarcasm when angry; resist the temptation to do this

and instead work on introducing some good humor into potentially difficult

conversations. If you can introduce some humor then resentment will be reduced

and your mood lifted.

The simple act of laughing can go a long way to reduce anger, especially over the

longer term. See our page on Laughter Therapy for more information. Be aware

that although laughing can help you feel better you need to make sure there is no

danger of misinterpretation.

g) Breathe Slowly and Relax

Try to reverse the physical symptoms of anger by practicing some simple

breathing exercises. Breathing exercises can help you to relax and slow your heart

rate to more normal levels.

TOPIC 5 - Respectfulness and Responsible behavior

What Is Receptiveness and Responsible Behaviour?

Consider the Consequences

You are asked to clean your room. Your lectures wants you to do your homework. And,

your boss at work wants you to get to work on time. Everybody is on your case to do the

right thing, to do what you say you will; to be, in a word, responsible.

But, there’s more to being responsible than just doing what other people want you to do.

Being responsible means making the right choices. It means identifying and accepting the

consequences good or bad of your decisions. Eventually, it means considering how your

actions will affect people and situations around you.

Elements of responsible behaviour

Responsible behaviour is made up of five essential elements which includes the

following:-

a) Honesty

b) Compassion

c) Respect

d) Fairness

e) Accountability

f) Courage.

Honesty

Honesty really is the best policy in everything we do in life. Even if you’re able to get

away with lying for a little while, your lies are bound to catch up with you at some point.
Some good guideline to live be tell the truth, and tell it with respect for the people who

hear it.

Honest people don’t mess with things that doesn’t belong to them. Basically, they don’t

steal. They don’t take things that belong to other people. And, if they do something, they

admit it and try to make amends.

Basically, responsible behaviour is doing the right thing. Responsible behaviour is doing

what you should do in any situation. It is doing what people expect you to do, even when

it’s not easy, fun, or clear. Responsible people can be counted on to do what they say

they’re going to do, even in tough situations. For society to work, people have to behave

in responsible, predictable, and ethical ways. Trust is essential, and being responsible

means being someone other people can trust. It means knowing the right thing to do and

then doing it.

Compassion

Compassion motivates people to go out of their way to help the physical, mental or

emotional pains of others and themselves. Compassion is often regarded as having

sensitivity, an emotional aspect to suffering, though when based on cerebral notions such

as fairness, justice, and interdependence, it may be considered rational in nature and its

application understood as an activity also based on sound judgment.

Compassion involves allowing ourselves to be moved by suffering, and experiencing the

motivation to help alleviate and prevent it. An act of compassion is defined by

its helpfulness.

Qualities of compassion includes the following:-

a) Patience

b) Wisdom

c) Kindness

d) Perseverance

e) Warmth and resolve.

Respect

Respect is a positive feeling or action shown towards someone or something considered

important, or held in high esteem or regard; it conveys a sense of admiration for good or

valuable qualities; and it is also the process of honouring someone by showing care,

concern, or consideration for their needs or feelings.

Some people may earn the respect of individuals by assisting others or by playing

important social roles. In many cultures, individuals are considered to be worthy of

respect until they prove otherwise. Considerations that show respect include:-

a) Thank you

b) A smile
 c) Direct eye contact

d) Simple handshake.

Fairness

Fairness or being fair can refer to:-

Justice

A legal principle allowing for the use of discretion and fairness when applying justice

Social justice, equality and solidarity in a society.

Procedural justice, the perceived appropriateness of rules or procedures used to allocate

goods, benefits, and other outcomes.

Accountability

Accountability is responsibility, liability, obligation, and the expectation of account-

giving. As an aspect of governance. In leadership roles, accountability is:-

a) The acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for actions,

b) Making good decisions,

c) Policies formulations and administration

d) Good governance

In governance, accountability has expanded beyond the basic definition of being called

to account for one's actions.

It is frequently described as an account-giving relationship between individuals, e.g. "the

Manager is accountable to the worker in an organization.

Courage
Courage is the choice and willingness to:-

a) Confront agony

b) The pain

c) The danger

d) The uncertainty

e) The intimidation.

Physical courage is bravery in the face of physical pain, hardship, death or threat of death,

while moral courage is the ability to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, shame,

scandal, discouragement, or personal loss.

TOPIC 6 - Tolerances and Differences in social skills

Young people will experience more change and more challenges, see more

places, learn more things, and be exposed to a greater variety of people and

cultures than any other generation in the history of humankind.

Tolerances and differences will help the young to:-

1) How a Sense of Security Is Crucial where two aspects of this sense of safety in

key.

a) The first is a belief that one is special, valued, and accepted.

➢ This develops when the most important adults in a youth’s

life repeatedly tell and show them how loved they are.

➢ When they feel this unqualified acceptance, it will be much

easier for them to accept others.

b) Second key element depends on how threatened a young

person feels by new experiences.

➢ From brainstem to cortex, their brains have dozens of

neural systems involved in reading and responding to

potential threats.

➢ The brain will categorize new experiences as negative

and potentially threatening until it is proven

otherwise.

➢ All new situations or novel stimuli, therefore, activate

the stress-regulating neural systems in the brain.

➢ If the young person is in a safe and familiar setting, he

will perceive the feelings from this activation as

excitement.

➢ But if he is in an unfamiliar and potentially

threatening environment, the same situation will be

 perceived as frightening.

2) This also help the young person to Respect themselves

➢ The people in our lives act as a mirror in the process of building a sense of

self.

➢ When they give us attention, encouragement, and praise, our reflections

are clear and positive; at other times, our interactions may make us feel

unattractive or incompetent.

➢ When made to feel special and valued, a young person grows to respect

themselves, and a solid, positive sense of one's self allows the maturing

young person to respect others.

➢ The process of building self-esteem — and the related capacity for respect

— is complicated by our tendency to pay more attention to negative

stimuli than to positive.

➢ One negative comment can become magnified in ways that positive

comments cannot easily overcome.

3) This will also help in the signs that a young person needs Support
 ➢ A young person will be judgmental of those who appear different than he

is and is likely to lash out, tease, or bully others.

➢ Young people who struggle with tolerance help create an atmosphere of

exclusion and intimidation for those people and groups they fear.

➢ This intolerance can be the first step in bullying. The intolerant child is,

essentially, insecure — insecure about her status, skills, beliefs, and

values.

➢ When a young person is struggling with respect, you may see open

noncompliance and defiance and lack of respect for siblings, you, and

your authority as a parent.

➢ Almost always this is associated with a poor sense of self, despite the fact

the young people which can then boast and distort their strengths and

capabilities.

Another signs of struggle is when a young person begins to say:-

➢ I'm bad

➢ I can't do that

➢ I'm stupid

➢ He's better than I am.

The young person with this poor sense of self begins to limit his opportunities.

He doesn't try as hard and, as a result, may end up falling behind her peers and
 creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.

How to Promote Tolerance and Respect in Young people

• Make the young people feel special, safe, and loved. Don't be sparing with

words of praise. A loved youth learns to love.

• Create learning opportunities about new places, people, and

cultures. Expose them to a variety of perspectives through books, songs,

food, and cultural events and celebrations.

• Intervene when you hear or see intolerant behaviour among the young

people. Don't be too punitive help your them learn healthier ways to

interact with others.

• Use positive comments to shape and reinforce your child's behaviour.

• Avoid giving instruction using such as don’t do that.

• Offering helpful alternatives and be gentle with them will make them

more productive.

• Model tolerance and respect as will learn to reach out and be sensitive and

respectful of others by watching how you discuss, relate to, and value

other people.

Elements /Characteristics of Socially Responsible behaviour in Employers

Companies That Care, prize employees and are committed to community service.
 To sustain these values, companies consistently demonstrate the following

Characteristics in their work environment.

1. Sustain a work environment founded on dignity and respect for all employees

2. Make employees feel their jobs are important

3. Cultivate the full potential of all employees

4. Encourage individual pursuit of work/life balance

5. Enable the well-being of individuals and their families through compensation,

benefits, policies and practices

6. Develop great leaders, at all levels, who excel at managing people as well as results

7. Appreciate and recognize the contributions of people who work there

8. Establish and communicate standards for ethical behavior and integrity

9. Get involved in community endeavors and/or public policy

10. Consider the human element when making business decisions

TOPIC 7 -Team work and group dynamics

The process of working collaboratively with a group of people in order to achieve a goal.

Teamwork is often a crucial part of a business, as it is often necessary for colleagues to

work well together, trying their best in any circumstance.

Teamwork means that people will try to cooperate, using their individual skills and
providing constructive feedback, despite any personal conflict between individuals.

Importance of teamwork in the organization

It doesn’t mean everybody doing the same thing or everybody being able to do each

other’s jobs. It’s more a means to a synergistic way of working, where the sum is greater

than the parts. Properly managed, teamwork maximizes strengths, bringing out the best

in each team member, a key theme on this site. These specific, possibly unique individual

strengths are then complimented by the strengths of others, or of the team as a unit as

summarized below:-

1) Increased efficiency

When working in a team, you are working towards a common goal or set of objectives.

The whole process of your work becomes more efficient, for example if there is a problem

faced along the way there are more ‘hands on deck’ to help solve the issue. Similarly,

having multiple team members on board allows you to get the work done faster with

shared responsibilities. From a management perspective, encouraging teamwork in the

workplace will allow your company or department to take on additional work, and in

turn generate extra revenue without having to hire more staff.

2) Idea generation

One of the greatest benefits of working in a team is the inspiration and ideas that can

result from team discussions. When running ideas by one and other, there is a lot more
scope for creativity in comparison to working on a project alone. In an effective team

environment, staff members feel confident in suggesting their ideas. When working

autonomously and having a direct responsibility for ideas, people tend to present the

safer option to their managers. However, when in a team brainstorming environment the

notion of suggesting creative and unique ideas is welcomed. Teams also bring people

together from different backgrounds and levels of experience which can help in creating

optimal solutions.

3) A learning experience

Teamwork is important in the workplace as it brings people together from different

backgrounds and levels of experience. Consequently, projects which involve teamwork

serve also as an opportunity for professional development and learning. This may be

conscious learning during a meeting, or learning which occurs without you even realising

whilst listing to others. It is quite possible that you can learn from someone else’s

knowledge which allows your own skills and capabilities to grow.

4) Enhanced communication

Communication is key to the success of many projects. Teamwork activities such as

meeting together to discuss ideas or collaborating information to contribute to a project

require both verbal and written communication skills. Working regularly in this capacity

will allow you develop both your own skills as well as those who are in your team.

Teamwork also facilitates an open discussion which allows each team member to be

adequately informed about the project. In this respect, when everyone is on the same
page this ensures that the project is completed as efficiently as possible.

5) Share the workload

When working in a team towards a common goal, the workload is shared among all team

members. In a perfect situation, this work should be shared equally and be distributed

according to the strengths of each member. Teamwork also allows for helping another

team member when you have finished your workload. It is important to remember that

you are all working towards the same goal – if you finish your work before others you

should offer your assistance in order to help complete the project. From a management

perspective, when it comes to delegation this should be conducted with the strengths of

your employees in mind. Assigning tasks to the correct people will ensure maximum

efficiency and a high quality output.

6) Support network

It is important to remember that support and a sense of belonging in a workplace can

contribute greatly to job satisfaction. A strong team environment can act as a great

support mechanism for staff members. Group members will help each other, rely on each

other and build trust within the group. During challenging times, support is crucial for

the success of the project; when members are able to look to one and other for guidance

or support, focus can remain on the overall goal. If a challenge is handled individually
you are at risk of becoming overwhelmed and making irrational decisions

Essential Qualities of a team Player

1. Reliable:

A team player should be reliable, so that other individuals can count on him.

2. Active Listener:

As a team player, the person must have the patience to listen and understand varying

perspectives of other team members. Individuals can give you a defined constructive

feedback, only if you don’t act defensive.

3. Effective Communicator:

It is essential that he is clearly and directly able to express his idea but in a respectful

manner.

4. Cooperative:

A team player must always work with others in order to achieve the team goals. He

should focus on the productive solution to secure optimal output as an end result.

5. Participates:

As an elite team player, a person has to show active participation in different events

organised by the company such as activities, discussions, and more.

6. Committed:

It is necessary for a team player to show complete dedication towards work and
accomplishment of goals.

7. Flexible:

Flexibility is another very imperative trait of a team player. A team player must

conveniently adapt to novel changes that have occurred based on direction or feedback

of others.

8. Respectful:

Group dynamics

A group can be defined as several individuals who come together to accomplish a

particular task or goal. Group dynamics refers to the attitudinal and behavioural

characteristics of a group. Group dynamics concern how groups form, their structure and

process, and how they function. Group dynamics are relevant in both formal and

informal groups of all types. In an organizational setting, groups are a very common

organizational entity and the study of groups and group dynamics is an important area

of study in organizational behaviour.

The following sections provide information related to group dynamics. Specifically, the

formation and development of groups is first considered. Then some major types or

classifications of groups are discussed. Then the structure of groups is examined.

GROUP DEVELOPMENT

There are five stages of group development in every organization: forming, storming,

norming, performing, and adjourning. During these stages group members must address
several issues and the way in which these issues are resolved determines whether the

group will succeed in accomplishing its tasks.

1. Forming.

This stage is usually characterized by some confusion and uncertainty. The major

goals of the group have not been established. The nature of the task or leadership

of the group has not been determined. Thus, forming is an orientation period when

members get to know one another and share expectations about the group.

Members learn the purpose of the group as well as the rules to be followed. The

forming stage should not be rushed because trust and openness must be

developed. These feelings strengthen in later stages of development. Individuals

are often confused during this stage because roles are not clear and there may not

be a strong leader.

2. Storming.

In this stage, the group is likely to see the highest level of disagreement and

conflict. Members often challenge group goals and struggle for power. Individuals

often vie for the leadership position during this stage of development. This can be

a positive experience for all groups if members can achieve cohesiveness through

resolution. Members often voice concern and criticism in this phase. If members

are not able to resolve the conflict, then the group will often disband or continue

in existence but will remain ineffective and never advance to the other stages.
3. Norming.

This stage is characterized by the recognition of individual differences and shared

expectations. Hopefully, at this stage the group members will begin to develop a

feeling of group cohesion and identity. Cooperative effort should begin to yield

results. Responsibilities are divided among members and the group decides how

it will evaluate progress.

4. Performing.

Performing, occurs when the group has matured and attains a feeling of

cohesiveness. During this stage of development, individuals accept one another

and conflict is resolved through group discussion. Members of the group make

decisions through a rational process that is focused on relevant goals rather than

emotional issues.

5. Adjourning.

Not all groups experience this stage of development because it is characterized by

the disbandment of the group. Some groups are relatively permanent. Reasons

that groups disband vary, with common reasons being the accomplishment of the

task or individuals deciding to go their own ways. Members of the group often

experience feelings of closure and sadness as they prepare to leave.

TOPIC 8 - Career choice and Planning

Career definition

The word career is defined as a person's "course or progress through life or a distinct

portion of life. In this definition career is understood to relate to a range of aspects of an

individual's life, learning and work. Career is also frequently understood to relate to the

working aspects of an individual's life e.g. as in career woman.

A third way in which the term career is used to describe an occupation or a profession

that usually involves special training or formal education, and is considered to be a

person’s lifework. In this case a career is seen as a sequence of related jobs usually

pursued within a single industry or sector e.g. a career in education or a career in the

building trade or career in Engineering.

Career choice definition

The career choice you make determines a huge part of the rest of your life. After all, you

spend large parts of your life working. The choice for a career or profession is not an easy

one. If you find out you have chosen the wrong profession, it is even more important to

carefully think about the next step.

Changing profession

The choice of profession used to be defined early on in people's lives. Once a choice was

made, people usually stuck to this profession for their entire lives. Nowadays there is an

abundance of choices and it is very common to switch professions. If you are not satisfied

with your job, you can now decide to do something entirely different without raising

eyebrows.

Career choice

When choosing a certain profession or making a career switch, it is important to carefully

find out what your interests and ambitions are. You can do this by means of a career

choice test. Such a test gives you a clear insight in your talents and interests. It also tells

you in which area of expertise you will probably find a profession suitable for you.
What are your options?

Besides taking a professional career choice test it is a good idea to find out more about

your options. What professions are there? What do they stand for? Ask people you know

what their profession is, and what it includes. What is it they like about their job and is it

something you might like? The experiences of others may help you to decide on your

own profession. You can also get professional consultation through a career guidance

counselor.

Do not rush it

Make sure you do not rush making career choices. Do not just apply for any random job.

Make a well-prepared career choice because it is one of the main factors determining

which specific profession you will end up in.

Considering the importance of your choice, it is essential to think about the desires you

have in respect to your future job.

Career planning

There are Five Steps to Career Planning

Step 1: Reflection and Self-Evaluation

The first step in career planning should be to gather information about yourself to assist
in making a decision about a career.

Do your SWOT analysis to be able to under yours self-better.

Step 2: Exploration

The second step in career planning is to explore and research your options. Exploring

takes your self-assessment a step further by looking at your personal interests, skills,

values, and work-life needs and narrowing down areas of possibilities.

Step 3: Decision-Making and Goal Setting

After having completed your self-assessment and explored your options you should be

ready to make some career decisions.

Step 4: Gaining Experience

Career related experience can help you develop the skills, abilities and knowledge to

solidify your career goals.

Step 5: Implementation

This is the step in the process where you implement what you have learned and move

forward towards a new job or more advanced education. You should also continue to

evaluate your options and make adjustments as needed.

Importance of career choice

a) The right career choice will lead you to much greater heights in terms of happiness

and success.
 b) The company will allow you the personal space and also let you enjoy the

personal interest, then the workspace will not suffocate you but would prefer

to stay even if it is a low paying job. This is because you will be happy with the

way things are going for you. This is what the right career choice is all about.

c) You must feel happy in whatever you do and also be satisfied with your

contribution in the workplace. Most of us are on the lookout for careers that

will help us enhance the skills that we have and also help us in learning new

skills as we grow in our job. So, the right career is not only about a paycheck,

instead it is more than that.

d) If you are in the right career, then you will face challenges that will provide you

the platform to make all the difference and also support the employer in

developing the business. Playing an important role in the office is much more

satisfying than a handsome paycheck where you don’t contribute much.

e) When you have an idea of the career path you want to pursue, it can help you

make the best decisions about your training and education.

f) Many lines of work require specific degrees and certifications, which can take

years to pursue. Understanding the requirements of your chosen path will allow

you to plan to prepare yourself for the career you want.

g) A career path is just that a journey, rather than a single one-time decision. Every

career path has milestones along the way. For example, if you want to pursue a

career as a chef, you may start working in a restaurant busing tables when you’re
 in high school, working as a waiter in college, attending a culinary arts school and

then taking an entry-level job as a prep chef.

h) When you choose a career path, you position yourself to look far into the future at

your ultimate objectives. This can help you identify positions you want to hold

and income levels you want to achieve. It can also help to guide you in building

your personal and professional networks in the industry in which you’re

interested. Having long-term goals in place will help you stay focused on your

ultimate career objectives, rather than moving aimlessly from job to job.

i) Your choice of profession can dictate where you live and may affect if and when

you marry and have a family. Choosing a career path can help you make other

important life decisions. Achieving a satisfactory work-life balance can be a

challenge for many professionals, but career planning can help to minimize some

of this stress.

TOPIC 9 - Coaching and Mentorship.

Coaching

Generally follows the format of individual guidance that is focused on job performance

and aimed at one person alone. The coach specifically advises the person on how to tackle

and perform a particular task, they provide constructive feedback and delegate further
similar tasks, setting goals or higher-level tasks for the individual to complete. The coach

in most instances will be an immediate supervisor or manager who will have overall

responsibility for the department's overall performance. Coaching is about having a

positive relationship where the coaches respects, trusts and identifies with the coach.

Mentoring

Generally follows the format of generalized advice and guidance of career development.

Mentoring is about developing a relationship between a more senior and experienced

mentor and an inexperienced mentee to guide and develop the mentee's knowledge and

career progression. The mentor generally will be someone who is not your immediate

supervisor/manager or within your organization can allow the luxury of talking to an

independent impartial confidante who is not your manager, they will have the ability to

listen to your issues, afford you the opportunity to vent unrestrictedly and support and

assist you in achieving your goals.

Steps in coaching process

An effective coaching process requires that goals and expectations are clearly understood.

It is essential that the employee being coached receive all the appropriate training based

on his job responsibilities and future developmental needs. Behavior observation,

communication and finally behavior modification are essential to success at coaching.

This includes the following steps:-

1. Set clear goals & expectations.

 Setting goals and objectives is no easy task. They must be specific, measurable,

attainable, relevant and timely. (SMART) Goals and objectives are the very first step

in effective coaching. The employee should participate in this process. After all, the

goals should be specific to that individual and they must take ownership. As goals or

expectations change, it is your job as coach to communicate these changes to your

employees. The goal should be negotiated, not dictated.

2. Training.

To be an effective coach, you need to understand the employee's strengths and

weaknesses. This includes a thorough understanding of their training needs and

accomplishments. Do they have the necessary skills and knowledge to accomplish the

goals and objectives that have been set? Making sure that the employee has the

opportunity to get the required training to develop their skill set is a prerequisite to

effective coaching.

One of your basic Challenging responsibilities as a coach is to identify the skills and

knowledge the employee needs and then arrange for the appropriate training.

3) Behavior Observation.

How does the employee react to a crisis? How do they handle themselves when they are

placed in leadership situations? How do they react to peer pressure? As a coach observing

the employee's behavior and noting specifics that need attention and discussion is a

primary responsibility. It is important that you collect and record both positive and

negative performance along the way to add credibility to your feedback.

4) Feedback.
Meeting with the employee regularly to discuss performance and other issues is

absolutely critical to their development. The key is not in telling the employee what to do

but it is helping the employee find the answers on their own. This can be done by asking

very specific thought provoking questions. Make sure you give the employee kudos for

all the positive behavior you have observed.

5. Positive Reinforcement.

Believe it or not, employees want to be held accountable. If we’re going to hold

employees accountable, they have to know how they are performing. Specifically we

should emphasize the positive aspects of their performance. Focusing on the good

things an employee accomplishes will motivate them to continue to do good work, and

in turn will ensure repeat performance.

6) Offering good Leadership

Make no mistake, coaching and mentoring is about leadership. It is difficult to be a coach

or a mentor without leadership skills. Coaching and mentoring is all about the

development of others. It requires effective development activities and projects related to

current and future performance expectations. It requires the unique ability to recognize

potential skill and ability in others that is worthy of development. A good coach or

mentor possesses an innate ability to motivate and inspire others to achieve stretch goals.

The Importance of Coaching and Mentoring

Mentoring programs help professionals grow, develop and learn new skills under the

direction and advice of a seasoned expert. Organizations implement mentoring programs

to align the goals of the company with the professional development of its employees.
Coaching and mentoring provides benefits for the "mentee," the mentor and the

organization.

a) Company Culture

A coach or mentor can help a new employee adjust to the culture in an organization.

Young professionals may not be accustomed to an organization's practices and acceptable

behaviors. The coach can provide the new worker with information on the corporate

culture, organizational structure and procedures that will help the younger professional

settle into his role in the business. Companies can assign a mentor or coach to new

employees during the adjustment period to help them get up to speed on company

procedures and policies. Mentoring also provides the worker with a leader he can turn

to with questions.

b) Employee Growth and Development

Coaching and mentoring programs provide the mentee with real-world knowledge that

bridges the gap between educational theory and actual business practices. Mentors also

grow in a mentoring position by honing leadership skills and remaining in touch with

other professionals. In an ideal coaching relationship, both parties learn from one

another.

c) Professional Satisfaction

Mentoring programs help new employees adjust to the organizational structure and

culture, which helps the business by bringing new hires up to speed. Those serving as
coaches and mentors within an organization gain personal and professional satisfaction

by sharing their expertise with other employees.

d) Employee Morale

Mentoring generally helps boost employee morale and engagement, experts say. "From

increased morale to increased organizational productivity and career development, the

benefits of an organization that actively supports mentoring are numerous," according to

a report by U.S. Office of Personnel Management. A supportive atmosphere can improve

employee morale and loyalty, thereby helping to reduce turnover and boost productivity.

High employee turnover costs organizations money in the form of recruitment hiring and

training of replacements. Companies should weigh the costs of implementing a

mentoring program against the high cost of employee turnover to determine the benefits

of coaching and mentoring.

e) Organizational Goals

Companies can align the goals of the business with a mentoring program to gain a

competitive edge. For example, the mentoring program can target new employees in

product development when the goal of the organization is to bring new products to the

market. Developing employees in weak areas of the company can also benefit the

business’s organizational goals.