HRMA 101: Service Culture Standard - Instructional Materials PDF

Republic of the Philippines POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs College of Business Administration INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR HRMA 101: SERVICE CULTURE...

Republic of the Philippines POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs College of Business Administration INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR HRMA 101: SERVICE CULTURE COMPILED BY: ASST. PROF. BONIFACIO P. ECHAUZ PUP A. Mabini Campus, Anonas Street, Sta. Mesa, Manila 1016 Direct Line: 335-1730 | Trunk Line: 335-1787 or 335-1777 local 000 Website: www.pup.edu.ph | Email: [email protected] THE COUNTRY’S 1st POLYTECHNIC  INTRODUCTION In the study of Hung Hoang, et al (2017) entitled “The Influence of Service Culture on Customer Service”, evidently showed that service industries make significant contributions to economic and social development worldwide. Most advanced economies are dominated by services, which account for more than 70 per cent of their gross domestic product. Two thirds of the Global economy accounting for 72% of the GDP of developed nations and a high GDP share in developing economies (The World Bank). Beyond their own dynamism services have a wider impact on economic growth providing support to other industries (Malhotra et al., 2005). Even tangible products are, for the most part, “wrapped” in services to achieve market acceptance (Evangelos Tsoukatos). Service Culture is defined as "a culture where an appreciation for good service exists, and where giving good service to internal as well as ultimate, external customers is considered by everyone a natural way of life and one of the most important values" (Grönroos 2007). Based on the definition, service culture not only refers to organizational practices but also relates to manner, values, and behavior of both the organization and its employees. The service organizations worldwide are also shifting their focus to service quality as a priority in the current competitive environment (Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuraman,1996). High service quality allows service providers to differentiate themselves from their competitors and thus gain sustainable competitive advantages in the global market place (Gounaris, et al 2003). This course builds the students’ personal and social competencies (values and attitudes) necessary to executing and delivering excellent service in any professional endeavor. It introduces students to various service companies and industries and key concepts in being a customer-centric organization. It also allows students to practice practical customer service skills and to manage a project.  TABLE OF CONTENTS Course Outcomes (page 1) PART I Lesson 1: Emotional Intelligence In The Work Place (pages 2 - 6) Components Of Emotional Intelligence Emotional Intelligence; A New Skill To Be Added At The Workplace Qualities Of People With High Emotional Intelligence Lesson 2: Self Awareness and Regulations (pages 7-16) Self-awareness and Self-regulation Core Skills in Effective Leaders The Importance of Self-Awareness Lesson 3:Social Skills and Personal Vision and Mission (pages 17-25) Social Skills: Definition and Examples Why Social Skills are Important ? Six Examples of Social Skills How to improve social skills 20 Skills in Demand in Today's Workforce Lesson 4: Motivation and Empathy (pages 26-35) What is Empathy? What is Motivation? The Nature of Motivation The Importance of Motivation The Empathic Leader Ways to Strengthen your Own Empathy Managers´ Display of Empathy as a Stimulant for Employee Motivation Lesson 5: Coaching Session on Learning Opportunities (page 36-42) Definition of Coaching Common Benefits of People Experience from Coaching Five Steps for Effective Workplace Coaching How to Effectively Conduct One-on-One Coaching Sessions Six-Question Process PART II Lesson 1: Competencies Valued in the IT-BPM Industry (page 43-53) Definition and Principles of Competencies Different Types of Competency What Is the Difference between Skills and Competencies Competencies listed by “cluster” (similar competencies related to a common skill set) Lesson 2: Taking Charge of your Learning and Development during your Professional Lifelong (page 54-62) Careers Today Employer Career Efforts Today Roles in Career Development Take Charge of Your Professional Growth Career Development Goals Take Charge of Your Learning at Work Lesson 3: American Service Expectations (pages 63-68) Service Expectations: Meaning, Types and Models Understanding Customer Expectations When Do Customers Get What They Expect Effects of Customers’ Service Expectations on Satisfaction Lesson 4: European Service Expectation (pages 69-73) European Service Expectation: Consumer in Europe Characteristics of European Consumers What’s the State of European Customer Service State of the Connected Customer Report Lesson 5: Asian Service Expectation (pages 74-83) Customer service expectations Comparing Asia and the West The Key To Improving Asia's Service Culture Lesson 6: Collaborating in Global Environment (pages 84-90) Global Business Environment How Cultural Differences Impact Global Business Environment The Importance of a Global Mindset Ways to Develop a Global Mindset PART III Lesson 1: Introduction to Vision and Mission of a Service Organization (pages 91-107) Service organization Mission and Vision Statements How Mission and Vision Statements work: What is Service Organization? Types of Service Organization Type of Business Services Economic Development Outsourcing and Offshoring Human Resources in the Service Industry Service Organization Structure Best Practices For Service Organizations Moving From Customer Satisfaction To Customer Loyalty Lesson 2: Culture and Values of an Organization (pages 108-122) Company Values: Definition, Importance and Examples Organizational Culture Importance of Organizational Culture Lesson 3: What is Customer Service (page 123-161) What Is Customer Service? Understanding Customer Service Basics of Good Customer Service Customer Service: Who are our CUSTOMERS 8 Golden Rules for Good Customer Service Best (and Worse) Practices in Customer Communication The Good Experience: Good Customer Service Experience 16 customer service skills Top Seven Reasons Why Customer Feedback is Important Reasons Why Customer support is Important 10 Principles of Customer Strategy Best Practices for Providing the Best Customer Service Lesson 4: Importance of Customers (pages 162-171) Who Is a Customer? Importance of Customer: Why Customers Are Important To Business What Is the Difference Between a Customer and Consumer Four (4) Types of Customers: Driver, Analyst, Amiable and Expressive Lesson 5: Types of Customer Service Interactions (pages 172-189) Introduction to customer interactions Customer interaction skills and etiquette Customer interaction process & map The Importance of Customer Interaction Customer Interaction Cycle 10 Principles of Customer Strategy Examples of Dealing With Difficult Customers Lesson 6: Dealing With Customers (pages 190-198) 10 Tips for Dealing with Difficult Customers CRM (Customer Relationship Management) 5 Critical Components of a CRM Implementation Lesson 7: Customers Service Principles and Practices (pages 199-204) Principles Of Good Customer Service Elements of Good customer Service Customer Service Practices PART IV Lesson 1: Delivering Excellent Customer Service (pages 205-215) Strategic Customer Satisfaction Management Three Critical Components Customer Service Examples that Provide Great Service The Importance Of A Good Customers Service: Case Study With Lufthansa Lesson 2: Internal Company Methodology and Standards (pages 216-223) What is ISO? What Is ISO Standard? Management System Standards Customer Perception of TQM The Eight Principles of Quality Lesson 3: Internal Customer Satisfaction Measures I and Lesson 4: External Customer Satisfaction Measures II (page 224-235) Definition of Service Importance of Service Leadership and Management Competencies What is the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA)? The Seven MBNQA Criteria Categories PART V Lesson 1: Project Management Initiation and Planning (page 236-240) 5 Phases of Project Management Phase 1: Project Initiation Phase 2: Project Planning Lesson 2: Project Implementation (page 241-248) Phase 3: Project Implementation Phase 4: Project Performance/Monitoring Lesson 3: Project Evaluation and Closure (page 249-252) Phase 5: Project Closure Project Evaluation and Project Recycling Appendix A: Case I Case #1: Leadership Crossroads (pages 253-255)  COURSE OUTCOMES At the end of the semester, the student will be able to: Acquire the framework of personal and social competencies that serve as the foundation of performance excellence. Develop analytical skills when assessing work and performance habits of a service professional. Acquire the basic knowledge ( e.g. principles , practices) of service excellence practices in organizations and by individual services professionals Integrate key learning ( e.g. theoretical and practical concepts of service culture ) in designing a service experience. Create effective ways of implementing service culture in the IT-BPM industry. 1  PART I Lesson 1: Emotional Intelligence In The Work Place I.OVERVIEW Many of us are aware of IQ (Intelligence Quotient). Designed to measure intellectual intelligence, it gives a score from a series of tests. Higher IQs indicate better cognitive abilities, or the ability to learn and understand. People with higher IQs are more likely to do well academically without exerting the same amount of mental effort as those with lower IQ scores. A logical assumption, therefore, is that people with higher IQs will be more successful at work and through life. This assumption has been proven incorrect – there is more to success than simply being ‘clever’. Emotional intelligence (otherwise known as emotional quotient or EQ) is the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict (Daniel Goleman, et al, 1990). II. LEARNING OUTCOMES After successful completion of this module the students should be able to : 1. Develop the ability to understand, use, and manage own emotions in positive way. 2. Acquire positive emotions to relieve stress. 3. Utilize emotional intelligence to communicate effectively. 4. Relate emotions to empathized with other people. 5. Connect positive emotions to overcome challenges and defuse conflict. 6. Develop right attitude and behavior. 7. Establish leadership and social competencies. 2  III.COURSE MATERIALS COMPONENTS OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE By: Kendra Cherry Source:https://www.verywellmind.com Have you ever known people who always seem to keep their cool, who are able to handle even the most awkward social situations with grace, and who always seem to make others feel at ease? Chances are pretty high that those individuals possess what psychologists refer to as emotional intelligence.Emotional intelligence involves the ability to understand and manage emotions. Experts agree that this type of intelligence plays an important role in success, and some have suggested that emotional intelligence, or EQ, might even be more important than IQ. In any case, research has suggested that emotional intelligence is linked to everything from decision-making to academic achievement.So what does it take to be emotionally intelligent? Psychologist and author Daniel Goleman has suggested that there are five components critical to emotional intelligence. See if you recognize yourself in these descriptions. You can also take an emotional intelligence quiz and see how you do. 1 Self-Awareness Self-awareness, or the ability to recognize and understand your own emotions, is a critical part of emotional intelligence. Beyond just recognizing your emotions, however, is being aware of the effect of your actions, moods, and emotions on other people. To become self-aware, you must be capable of monitoring your own emotions, recognizing different emotional reactions, and then correctly identifying each particular emotion. Self-aware individuals also recognize the relationships between the things they feel and how they behave. These individuals are also capable of recognizing their own strengths and limitations, are open to new information and experiences, and learn from their interactions with others. Goleman suggests that people who possess self-awareness have a good sense of humor, are confident in themselves and their abilities, and are aware of how other people perceive them.2 Self-Regulation In addition to being aware of your own emotions and the impact you have on others, emotional intelligence requires you to be able to regulate and manage your emotions. This doesn't mean putting emotions on lockdown and hiding your true feelings—it simply means waiting for the right time and place to express them. Self-regulation is all about expressing your emotions appropriately. Those who are skilled in self-regulation tend to be flexible and adapt well to change. They are also good at managing conflict and diffusing tense or difficult situations. Goleman also suggests that those with strong self-regulation skills are high in conscientiousness. They are thoughtful about how they influence others, and they take responsibility for their own actions. Social Skills Being able to interact well with others is another important aspect of emotional intelligence. True emotional understanding involves more than just understanding your own emotions and those of others. You also need to be able to put this information to work in your daily interactions and communications.In professional settings, managers benefit by being able to build relationships and connections with employees. Workers benefit from being able to develop a strong rapport with leaders and co-workers. Important social skills include active listening, verbal communication skills, nonverbal communication skills, leadership, and persuasiveness. 3 Empathy Empathy, or the ability to understand how others are feeling, is absolutely critical to emotional intelligence. But it involves more than just being able to recognize the emotional states of others. It also involves your responses to people based on this information. When you sense that someone is feeling sad or hopeless, how do you respond? You might treat them with extra care and concern, or you might make an effort to buoy their spirits. Being empathetic also allows you to understand the power dynamics that often influence social relationships, especially in workplace settings. Those competent in this area are able to sense who possesses power in different relationships, understand how these forces influence feelings and behaviors, and accurately interpret different situations that hinge on such power dynamics. Motivation Intrinsic motivation also plays a key role in emotional intelligence. People who are emotionally intelligent are motivated by things beyond external rewards like fame, money, recognition, and acclaim. Instead, they have a passion to fulfill their own inner needs and goals. They seek internal rewards, experience flow from being totally in tune with an activity, and pursue peak experiences. Those who are competent in this area tend to be action-oriented. They set goals, have a high need for achievement, and are always looking for ways to do better. They also tend to be very committed and are good at taking initiative. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE; A NEW SKILL TO BE ADDED AT THE WORKPLACE By: Daniel Goleman Source:https://www.verywellmind.com How Adding Emotional Intelligence Skills Improve the Workplace Environment Emotional Intelligence is the most valued attribute for leadership. An organization can strengthen its culture and other crucial values by building a higher level of emotional intelligence. Mariah DeLeon, VP of People at Glassdoor says, “Emotional Intelligence attracts committed and engaging employees to your firm that boosts the success.” Emotional intelligence is an integral part of a workplace that effectively manages adversities in the business and reinforces the decision-making process. It effectively resolves critical situations, internal disputes, and criticism. Managers and team leaders who own high-grade emotional intelligence build strong comprehension with colleagues, supervisors, and clients that requires emotions more than logic A survey reveals that emotional intelligence is a non-negotiable attribute of soft skills which is preferred more than IQ amongst employees by 75 per cent of HRs and hiring managers. According to studies, workplaces that promoted emotional intelligence got associated with better job satisfaction and performance optimization. Furthermore, these studies find that a high level of EQ improves stress management and enhances leadership capabilities. Advantages of Higher Emotional Intelligence Aids employees and managers to develop and maintain strong interpersonal relationships easily Employees tend to relate with each other well to perform better Such people are better at apprehending self-psychological state that helps in dealing with stress efficiently EQ assists people to combat with depressing situations with a broader perspective to tackle adversities Boosts their confidence and improves their communication skills, enabling them to interact with others in an impressive manner that builds healthy internal and external business relations 4  Leaders with better EQ encourage the team to understand things in-depth and to bring excellent results to succeed EQ makes people good and attentive listeners and quick learners Employees with high EQ exhibit high characteristics of patience, self-motivation, and self- improvisation Assist them in taking a wise decision even in the worst and extremely stressful situations Soft skills like Emotional Intelligence are as important as technical and logical skills among individuals and professionals. It makes them more acceptable and humbler towards others which is a mandate for a business to enjoy a healthy work culture and to grow successfully. Qualities of People With High Emotional Intelligence By: Zai K. Dahhai Source: https://medium.com If your emotional abilities aren’t in hand, if you don’t have self-awareness, if you are not able to manage your distressing emotions, if you can’t have empathy and have effective relationships, then no matter how smart you are, you are not going to get very far.” At least that’s what Daniel Goleman, Ph.D., well-known writer and researcher on leadership who wrote the best-seller Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, says. Goleman has dedicated his work to finding out what makes people successful. And, his title spoiling the surprise, he says it comes down to their emotional intelligence. That’s what drives a person to excellence. What exactly is emotional intelligence (EI)? Psychology Today says it’s: 1. The ability to accurately identify your own emotions, as well as those of others 2. The ability to utilize emotions and apply them to tasks, like thinking and problem-solving 3. The ability to manage emotions, including controlling your own, as well as the ability to cheer up or calm down another person The concept of emotional intelligence has been around since 1990, when Yale psychologists John D. Mayer and Peter Salovey presented the concept to the academic world. But Goleman has gone on to study it further—and he found a direct relationship between the EI of a company’s staff and the company’s success: Employees with a high level of EI have self-awareness that helps them understand co- workers and meet deadlines. When people have high EI, they are not bothered by client criticism; they remain focused on outcomes, rather than feeling offended. If two job candidates have similar IQs, the one with the higher EI will likely be a better fit for the company. Like Goleman said, no amount of smarts will make up for a lack of the ever-important emotional and social abilities, especially as part of the professional world. Not sure how to recognize this essential trait? Here are seven characteristics of emotionally intelligent people. 1. They’re change agents. People with high EI aren’t afraid of change. They understand that it’s a necessary part of life— and they adapt. 2. They’re self-aware. They know what they’re good at and what they still have to learn—weaknesses don’t hold them back. They know what environments are optimal for their work style. 5 3. They’re empathetic. The hallmark of EI, being able to relate to others, makes them essential in the workplace. With an innate ability to understand what co-workers or clients are going through, they can get through difficult times drama free. 4. They’re not perfectionists. While extremely motivated, people with EI know that perfection is impossible. They roll with the punches and learn from mistakes. 5. They’re balanced. Their self-awareness means that they naturally know the importance of and how to maintain a healthy professional-personal balance in their lives. They eat well, get plenty of sleep and have interests outside work. 6. They’re curious. An inborn sense of wonder and curiosity makes them delightful to be around. They don’t judge; they explore the possibilities. They ask questions and are open to new solutions. 7. They’re gracious. People with high EI know every day brings something to be thankful for—and they don’t see the world as “glass half-empty” as a lot of people do. They feel good about their lives and don’t let critics or toxic people affect that. Emotionally intelligent people know how to make work, and the world, a better place. Are you one of them? ACTIVITIES/ASSESSMENTS Essay Questions: 1. How will you develop your ability to understand, use and manage own emotions in a positive way? 2. Make a brief reaction/insight paper in the statement “acquiring positive emotions to relieve stress”. 3. In your opinion, how will you utilize emotional intelligence to communicate effectively? share your opinion in writing. 4. Based on your personal experience, how did you relate emotions to empathize with other people? Share your experience in writing. 5. In relation to the lesson, what is your insight to the statement “connect positive emotions to overcome challenges and defuse conflict” Share your insight in writing. 6. In the materials provided, how do you develop the right attitude and behavior in the workplace? 7. To gauge the level of your critical and logical thinking in this lesson, do you think, it is essential to “establish leadership and social competencies”? justify your answer critically and logically. 6 Lesson 2 : Self Awareness and Regulations I.OVERVIEW Self-awareness is our ability to accurately perceive the level of skill, knowledge, value and responsibility we use when it comes to our emotions. It gives us the confidence to know who we are and what we have to offer, both personally and professionally. Awareness is the root of self-esteem. It allows us to understand our strengths and our weaknesses and is a critical step along the path to self-improvement. We must understand why we think the way we do and why we act the way we act to fully appreciate ourselves and see the value and importance of positive change. So how do we become more self-aware? How do we avoid easily misunderstood? II. LEARNING OUTCOMES After successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to: 1. Explain the importance of self-awareness and regulation and discuss how their practice helps demonstrate a capacity for leadership 2. Analyze situations in which self-awareness and regulation play a significant role in leadership. 3. Resolve ` practice self-awareness and self-regulation to further develop leadership capacity. III. COURSE MATERIALS In the Modern World The modern workplace has changed exponentially towards the accommodation of new technologies, systems and processes and theis change has defined the way companies have revamped how they work on balancing organizational goals with those of its employees. In the same way, companies were forced to evolve as old school thinking proved unable to keep up with these changes. In Daniel Goleman’s book, Working with Emotional Intelligence (1988), he noted how a national survey was conducted to discover what companies look for when hiring entry-level employees. Goleman stated that the survey showed how specific technical skills take second place to an employee’s ability to learn on the job. AT the same time, employers listed communication skills, adaptability, creativity, responsiveness, personal management and motivation, social skills and “contributorship” and leadership potentials as describe traits. Three most desired capabilities: Communication skills Interpersonal skills Initiative 7 Apparently, these listed competencies, alongside adaptability, creativity, responsiveness, personal management and motivation, social skills and “ contributorship” among others could be grouped under personal competencies. Foundation of Management Skills As a foundational skill for the development of management of leadership potential, self awareness plays a significant role in emotional competence, an attribute now considered among the most desired traits for managers. What is awareness? Self-awareness? Awareness is generally defined as having or showing a realization, perception or knowledge of a concept, situation, circumstance, or person. When an individual is aware, he or she is able to focus on facts or a perception of facts regarding a concept, situation, circumstance, or person. In one most commonly used image, (image 1.0) people are asked what they think of the glass containing water to to the half point. A number of respondents declared an awareness for the glass being half-empty while another set of respondents have just as strongly declared how they were aware that the glass was half-full. Figure 1.0 Half Empty or Half Full Interpretation aside, this is a very clear example of how individuals tend to have different ways of perceiving objects and interpreting these based on their personal frames of reference. The perception of varying stimuli is usually made through “seeing” or “hearing” or even “feeling”. And from a psychomotor perspective is usually the first step in a simple mental activity also known as cognition – a part of the cognitive process. This process of cognition also extends to a perception of what we are or who we are. This focus on “self-awareness”. Thus, and more accurately, self awareness is a state when an individual’s focus is directed towards the self-of having or showing realization, perception, or a knowledge or self from both the internal and external perspectives. Self-awareness allows an individual to recognize their place and role in the world and to express thought and behaviors based on this construct. It is an abstract inherent in human development. It is a process in the same manner that breathing or sensing may be considered processes. 8 For example, upon walking, a person becomes “aware” that he is awake. Or when tired, a person is “aware” that he needs to take a rest. Of course self-awareness goes beyond this psychological aspect. Such that a person becomes “aware” of feelings of guilt when he hurries through a door and bumps into another person but neglects to look around and apologize. At the same time, another person is “aware” about how a friend reacts to specific information such that he/she takes considerable effort to restate, paraphrase or frame the information in the most acceptable way possible. Theories of Self-Awareness If you’ve ever wondered how the concept of self-awareness crossed over from being a built- in human faculty into being a competency or skill, consider self-awareness as a human faculty, not unlike in-born motor skills which translate to applicable skills. For instance, while a child’s motor skills are mostly limited at a younger age, the same motor skills may be developed in individual with more advanced capacity for the same. Thin: athletes, sports-minded individuals, or extreme sports practitioners even. Areas of Self-Awareness 1. Personality According to various psychology papers and other published materials, there are as much as 20 personality types that determine how we project ourselves, relate with others and deal with experiences. Experience we gain through our lifespan may influence these and it is an acceptable fact that these events may change us in varying degrees from person to person. We respond differently to concepts, ideas, and facts now compared to how we might have when we were, say 16 years old, more so compared to when we were barely 9 years old. But while it is true that changes brought about by certain experiences may influence aspects of who we are, it also true that we do not normally change our personalities just to accommodate them. As understanding of our own personality can help us find situations in which to thrive or adapt. 2. Values Personal values are what we refer to as convictions about what we feel are important and attractive, advantageous or beneficial and we all possess a unique and complex combination of them. 3. Habits These are behavior we repeat routinely and often enough, even automatically that they tend to be unconscious. Being self-aware will help us examine and reexamine habits that get I the way of being more effective when we undertake tasks or complete projects. Recognizing habits that hinder high-performance will help leaders construct means of regulating them. Future leaders will realize too that habits may hinder their ability to build commitment and strengthen decision-making skills. 9  4. Needs Constructed with wants, needs drive us to do things we do, act the way we act, or think the way we think. According to Abraham Maslow 91908-1970), who formulated the commonly called Hierarchy of Needs (1943) theory, our behavior is often driven by our psychological needs: physiological, safety, affection, esteem and self-actualization. 5. Emotions Our combined feelings or “emotions” is one of five facets of emotional intelligence (EQ); understanding them requires us to analyze and know the underlying factors and processes associated with rooted emotional experiences. According to Goleman, emotionally aware people know which feelings they are feeling and why, and they link what they feel with what they do, say, and think. They recognize how their feelings affect their performance while having awareness regarding their values and goals guide them throughout. THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-AWARENESS By Garima Srivastava Source: https://www.whiteswanfoundation.org/ Think about describing yourself to another person without mentioning any external factors such as friends or family. Concentrate solely on yourself, how you feel and behave, what your strengths and weaknesses are, what make you angry or what makes you happy. This exercise is about finding out how self-aware we are as individuals. Self-awareness (sometimes also referred to as self-knowledge or introspection) is about understanding your own needs, desires, failings, habits, and everything else that makes you the unique individual that you are. The more you know about yourself, the better you are at adapting to life's changes. When we have a better understanding of ourselves, we are able to experience ourselves as unique and separate individuals. This empowers us to make changes and build on our areas of strength, as well as identify areas where we would like to make improvements. Self-awareness is often the first step to setting goals. Research shows that self-awareness is directly related to both emotional intelligence and success. It helps you create achievable goals because you can consider your strengths, weaknesses, and what drives you when you are setting goals. It allows you to guide yourself down the right path by choosing to pursue the opportunities that best fit your skill set, preferences and tendencies. It makes it easier to identify situations and people that hit our triggers and enables us to anticipate our own reactions. It allows us to make positive behavioral changes that can lead to greater personal and interpersonal success. Self-knowledge is also considered an important quality for a mental health professional. Mental health professionals deal with people from varied cultures, religions, languages, lifestyles, and value systems. In order to counsel effectively, a therapist must recognize his own value systems to be able to respect individuality. Good mental health practitioners will employ intervention beyond learned knowledge or acquired skills, by including themselves in their counseling practice, a task not easily accomplished. What happens when a counselor is not self-aware? Without at least a minimal sense of self- awareness, it is easy for counselors to identify with the clients problems and imagine that they are similar to, or even the same as their own. The reverse of this situation is also possible. Without 10 self-awareness, it is possible to imagine that everyone else has the same problems as they do. In this way, the counselor's own problems are projected onto the client. Being self -aware can enable the counselor to mark their ‘ego boundaries,’ and successfully discriminate between what belongs to them and what belongs to their clients. Secondly, self-awareness enables the counselor to make a ‘conscious use of the self’. Being self-aware can make the counselor feel empowered in delivering therapeutic interventions, as they will feel more conscious and thought of, rather than spontaneous and awkward. Being aware of yourself also helps in identifying what your stressors are, so you can utilize the information to build effective coping mechanisms. Every form of psychotherapy has methods to enhance awareness. Modern psychotherapy began with psychoanalysis, the talk therapy originated by Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalysis employs free association to help people become aware of the thoughts and memories constantly emerging in a stream of consciousness. Psychoanalysts also interpret dreams to enhance awareness of the emotional context of experience that may otherwise escape observation. The current wave of cognitive therapies teach secular versions of Buddhist mindfulness practices. Enhanced mindfulness helps people increasingly act in accord with their values, instead of reacting with escape and avoidance behaviors that typically make problems worse. To improve self-observation, clients are taught mindfulness exercises such as watching the breath, moving the body with awareness and acknowledging experiences without filters of value judgement. The clients also fill out diary cards that record mood, thoughts, actions and emotional responses to difficult situations. The diary approach is central to early cognitive therapies, such as the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), where the clients fill out automatic thought records, recording their inner responses to situations. They are then instructed to counter habitual assumptions, reducing the anxiety and depression generated by helpless and hopeless expectations. Some techniques that can help you, or your clients if you are a therapist, become more self- aware include: Journaling, where one reflects on one’s experiences by writing about them outside the therapy session. Such insights can make therapy more effective. Bibliotherapy, including self-help books, especially those recommended by one’s therapist because they are particularly insightful and based on sound research. Art therapies and sand trays, where one creates images or arranges figures and objects that bring the playful imagination of childhood into greater awareness for self-discovery and healing. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) as taught by Jon Kabat-Zinn, which helps people manage physical and emotional pain. Meditation classes, especially those teaching mindfulness meditation, or shamata (calm- abiding) and vipassana (insight) meditation. Group therapies, where one’s self-awareness is enhanced by feedback from others and by hearing others’ similar experiences. One’s social interactions are also observed “live,” so the therapist and group can address them. 11 Being self-aware helps not just build a strong therapeutic relationship, but also helps a lay person make more informed decisions, and contributes to one's overall wellbeing. It is important to remember that self-awareness is an individual’s ability to appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of one’s own character. Realizing this will enable one to take actions, and make choices and decisions that are consistent with their own abilities. It is important to put the time in – self-awareness is not learned in a book, but achieved through self-reflection by using what you have learned about yourself to inform decisions, behaviors, and interactions with other people. Some guided questions to get you started: What are your strengths and weaknesses? List three of each. What do you value most? Differentiate between what one can or cannot do by themselves. What feelings are you more aware of experiencing, as compared to others? What are your triggers (people and situations most likely to trigger negative or uncomfortable emotions)? How do you respond under stress? How do the different roles you play in your life make you feel (eg. sister, student, best friend, employee, athlete, etc.)? SELF-REGULATION Self-regulation is defined as a stage where awareness of certain behavior leads to self-policing action or the capacity to alter behavior; it determines how we can choose to respond, along with the way we respond to particular situations, circumstances, events and people. Function of Self-Regulation 1. Social Learning Theory 2. Self-Determination Theory (SDT) Social Learning Theory focuses on learning that occurs within a social context. It assumes that people learn from one another such concepts as observation, imitation, and even modelling: 1. People can learn by observing the behaviors of others as well as the outcomes of those behaviors. The theory assumes that as we grow and develop, our social interactions allow us to recognize individuals within social circles that we find admirable and so we model ourselves after them. These idols are “ideal” to us and our perceived inadequacies 2. Learning can occur without a change in behavior. Example would be “bullying” where a bully learns that his behavior reinforces that behavior of similar bullies. What do these imply in self-regulations? 12 The manner in which we self-regulate certain behavior is influenced in one way or the other by the cognition of external behavior we might believe acceptable, and especially so if they are done by people who are in admirable positions. According to Bandura, there are four (4) conditions for effective modelling to occur: 1. Attention – observer should pay attention to the model. 2. Retention – Observer must be able to remember observable behavior, reinforcement may be in the form of rehearsals. 3. Motor reproduction- Observer’s ability to replicate the behavior should be demonstrated. 4. Motivation- Observer should be motivated to replicate the behavior, to demonstrate the behavior Bandura goes further in his linking social learning with cognitive processing and lists how modelling affects behavior: It teaches new behaviors. It influences the frequency of learned behaviors. It may encourage previously forbidden behaviors. It increases the frequency of similar behaviors. To a developing leader, these studies devoted to understanding self-regulation suggest that behavior developed in the course of childhood, indeed even those developed in later years during a job training for example are, in fact, changeable. If we know how. Behavior – performance or attitude behavior – change according to what we learn in the course of our interactions and based on the motivations that prompt them. When we own our goals – because we enjoy the activity or because it fits with our values – then we devote more time to them and demonstrate greater concentration, process information better, and show greater levels of persistence. The same applies to emotional self-regulation. Overall, developing and maintaining self-regulation as a strength is a lifelong process. Practicing Self-Regulation The practice of psychology and behaviorism has an extensive list of methods or steps we can take to learn how to self-regulate. Most of them are self-explanatory and in fact, simple enough that we overlook them. Methods of Self-Regulation Identifying behavior pattern Creating positive reinforcement with the use of small, possibly periodic, and reasonable rewards Consciously observing the frequency or Correction in the event that wrong behavior is intensity of particular behavior demonstrated Challenging ourselves by criticizing negative Challenging defeatist attitudes behavior and reinforcing positive ones Changing our reaction or response patterns When we learn to identify positive or negative behavior, we can go about consciously watching 13 out for the cues, actions or stimuli that trigger them. We can start challenging ourselves, to criticize negative behavior and reinforce the better ones. In the process, we can actually change our response patterns to stress and other triggers. We can correct ourselves consciously and with new-found confidence, actually challenge defeatist attitudes that get in the way of being more competent in the holistic sense. WHAT IS SELF REGULATION By: Andrea Bell https://positivepsychology.com/self-regulation/ What Is Self-Regulation? Andrea Bell from GoodTherapy.org has a straightforward definition of self-regulation: It’s “control [of oneself] by oneself” (2016). Self-control can be used by a wide range of organisms and organizations, but for our purposes, we’ll focus on the psychological concept of self -regulation. As Bell also notes:“Someone who has good emotional self-regulation has the ability to keep their emotions in check. They can resist impulsive behaviors that might worsen their situation, and they can cheer themselves up when they’re feeling down. They have a flexible range of emotional and behavioral responses that are well matched to the demands of their environment” (2016). The goal of most types of therapy is to improve an individual’s ability to self-regulate and to gain (or regain) a sense of control over one’s behavior and life. Psychologists might be referring to one of two things when they use the term “self-regulation”: behavioral self-regulation or emotional self- regulation. We’ll explore the difference between the two below. What Is Behavioural Self-Regulation? Behavioral self-regulation is “the ability to act in your long-term best interest, consistent with your deepest values” (Stosny, 2011). It is what allows us to feel one way but act another. If you’ve ever dreaded getting up and going to work in the morning but convinced yourself to do it anyway after remembering your goals (e.g., a raise, a promotion) or your basic needs (e.g., food, shelter), you displayed effective behavioral self-regulation. What Is Emotional Self-Regulation? On the other hand, emotional self-regulation involves control of—or, at least, influence over—your emotions. If you had ever talked yourself out of a bad mood or calmed yourself down when you were angry, you were displaying effective emotional self-regulation. Self-Regulation Self-regulation simply means self-control and our ability to manage emotions, desires, and behaviors in order to reach a positive outcome. Self-regulation can sometimes be difficult to handle because of the ingrained phenomenon (especially in western culture) which tells us it is important to just, “tell it like it is.” The art of building these skills and finding our balance between expressing feelings, avoiding unnecessary tension and experiencing negative unintended consequences, is our ability to successfully grow, prosper and self-regulate. Early on in our practice of effective Self-Regulation we may experience two types of pressure. 1. Bad pressure: When we fail to self-regulate, we build up stress and create an atmosphere 14  which is critical and toxic. As this happens, we lose focus, balance and self-regulation. Our positive sense of self wanes. We must learn to recognize our triggers for bad pressure and keep alert and on guard. We can start by simply recording our thoughts, feelings and information about our environment, including the people and circumstances involved, the physical setting and our reactions. 2. Good pressure: This is a healthy type of pressure. It is the result of creating an assertive yet non-critical and non-harmful atmosphere. When we use good pressure, we set clear expectations and levels of accountability, which in turn generate levels of success, allowing us to become confident, calm and supportive. As we do, we attract people with like skills and qualities and create a circle of success that repeats day after day and year after year. Becoming emotionally aware and learning how to manage that awareness are two steps toward emotional independence and freedom. IV. ACTIVITIES/ASSESSMENT I. Practical Exercise: “The Animal In You” Instruction: In a plain sheet of paper, draw the animal in you. You can use different colors, symbols, letters, etc. The animal in you – is an animal who can do anything he/she chooses. If you were an Animal – What would you be? If you were to describe your own unique talent and potential-what you love to do anddream to be – what it would it be. How would you draw your own Animal? Expressing your dreams and self through a Fantastic Animal can be easier and more liberating than trying to imagine it as yourself. II. Case Study REFER to page 255-267 Case Study and the following discussion guide questions in Appendix A: Case 1for Self-Awareness and Regulations. 1. Who is the Client? Describe the nature of their business. 2. Who is the main character in this case study? 3. Describe what happened to prompt the Quality team to submit an escalation report requesting that action be taken regarding the behavior and performance of particular agents. 4. How many agents were involved in this collective report? How many managers? 5. Who spoke to the operators manager about agents' behavior and performance? 6. What are the main performance (or behavior) issues raised ? Were there other issues raised and can you list or identify what these are? 7. Illustrate what the leadership hierarchy of CTQ&A Ltd.looks alike. 8. In your own words, differentiate between the roles of the team managers , operation manager and senior management. 9. Which of these three roles should actively practice self-awareness and self-regulation? Why? 15 10. Can you explain what might have happened during the individual meeting the OM had with each of the five team managers? 11. What do you think should the two terminated managers have done to avoid reaching this leadership crossroad? What could they have done differently? 12. During which instances did the operations manager display self-awareness? During which instances did the OM practice self-regulation? (Describe the situation). 13. Do you think the OM should have responded differently given the consequence management measures he implemented? Why? What would you do in his place? 14. Was there anything the OM could have done to avoid getting this leadership crossroad? 15. Do you think the Client would have reacted or responded differently towards the consequence management measures implemented if they had knowledge of these reports? 16. How would you feel about the consequence management measures implemented if you were in the terminated agents' shoes? The other three agents ? The team managers of the five agents ? A senior manager ? The client ? 17. If you were in the agents' shoes? What could you have done differently? 16 Lesson 3: Social Skills and Personal Vision and Mission I.OVERVIEW Social skills are the skills we use to communicate and interact with each other, both verbally and non-verbally, through gestures, body language and our personal appearance. Human beings are sociable creatures and we have developed many ways to communicate our messages, thoughts and feelings with others. II.LEARNING OUTCOMES After successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to: 1. Identify and understand positive social skills as component of social competence. 2. Demonstrate social skills in others. 3. Compose your own personal vision/mission statement III. COURSE MATERIALS Soft Skills and Hard Skills Soft skills Defined as attributes that enhance how we relate with other people from day to day. We refer to them as people skills and occasionally, even EQ. These are skills we use-learned or intrinsically developed-in order to “survive in social setting. It may also may be known as Behavioral competencies, interpersonal skills or people skills. Hard skills Defined as tangible, specific and usually teachable. It pertains to technical skills used when we perform tasks. What are Soft Skills? Soft skills are personal attributes that enhance how we relate with other people and clount among them such skills as adaptability, trustworthiness, loyalty and communication skills, being respectful, dependability. According to more and more researchers and authors, soft skills are now recognized as critical competencies that make businesses more profitable and companies, better places to work. Soft Skills and Leadership While soft skills are often a skill set we might overlook-indeed some of the actual skills listed under this classification are-“values” taught us at very impressionable ages-we should carefully reexamine how we make use of them as we look towards developing our individual leadership potentials. Remember that leadership is not genetically pre-determined. Instead it may be considered as having developed from adaptive skills or as running parallel to 17 the adaptive skills we learned and/or absorbed from the environment and the people we’ve been in contact with. This may explain why some managers demonstrate certain behavior that can be considered irregular or even undesirable-ergo, that negative habits were inherited or learned from previous managers. Some organizations identified the following as the most urgent set of skills for people in positions of leadership: Respect Ethics Teamwork skills Integrity Some of these soft skills can also be classified under hard skills simply because these may be competencies or skills used to accomplish specific tasks. At the same time, there is a new school of thought, that advocates soft skills as leadership hard skills. Remember that leaders and managers are at the forefront of making sure the organization- made of human beings: from top to bottom- runs like clockwork. Since they deal with people, soft skills become operational tools and, by our earlier definition, are considered the hard skills of the leadership trade. Social Skills: Definition and Examples by: Indeed Career Guide https://www.indeed.com/career-advice Social skills are essential in building both personal and professional relationships. Demonstrating strong interpersonal skills can help you accomplish career goals, contribute to company achievements, perform well during the hiring process, expand your professional network and much more. Understanding and improving your social skills will support your efforts in every area of life. In this article, we discuss what social skills are, why they are important and how you can improve them with examples. What are social skills? Social skills, also known as interpersonal or soft skills, are used to communicate with others. There are several types of communication we use on a daily basis including verbal, nonverbal, written and visual. Verbal skills involve the spoken language, while nonverbal communication includes body language, facial expressions and eye contact. Any time you interact with another person, you’re using social skills in some way. Strong social skills can help you build and maintain successful relationships both professionally and personally. WHY SOCIAL SKILLS ARE IMPORTANT ? Source : upjourney.com › Social skills are important because they help you build, maintain and grow relationships with 18 colleagues, clients and new contacts alike. They are important to maintain and improve no matter your position, industry or experience level. Investing in relationships is beneficial for your career in many ways, some of which include: Gaining ideas, information, techniques and perspectives from people with different areas of expertise Providing your own perspective for the benefit of others Accomplishing tasks and working together towards a shared goal Providing mutual support for difficult or hard-to-navigate situations Expanding your network to learn about and pursue new opportunities Gaining feedback and referrals from people who can personally attest to your work, skills and qualities (and for whom you can do the same) Making the workplace more enjoyable It is also important to display your social skills during the hiring process. Being able to work and build relationships with others effectively is a crucial quality employers look for in candidates. It can also show your fitness for their company culture. Social skills are essential in building both personal and professional relationships. Demonstrating strong interpersonal skills can help you accomplish career goals, contribute to company achievements, perform well during the hiring process, expand your professional network and much more. Understanding and improving your social skills will support your efforts in every area of life. SIX EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL SKILLS To Build Increase Your Social Skills Source: Indeed.com Effective communication The ability to communicate effectively with others is a core social skill. If you have strong communication skills, you’ll be able to share your thoughts and ideas clearly with others. Effective communicators make good leaders because they can easily explain projects and goals in an easy- to-understand way. Conflict resolution Disagreements and dissatisfaction can arise in any situation. Conflict resolution is the ability to get to the source of the problem and find a workable solution. If you have good conflict resolution skills, you may be well-suited to a position in HR, where you can address disagreements between employees. You might also enjoy a customer service role where you will resolve conflicts for clients about a company’s products, services or policies. Active listening Active listening is the ability to pay close attention to a person who is communicating with you. Active listeners are typically well-regarded by their coworkers due to the attention and respect they offer others. You can increase your listening skills by focusing on the speaker, avoiding distractions, and by preparing questions, comments or ideas to respond. Empathy Empathy is the ability to understand and identify with the feelings of another person. If you have empathy, others will be more likely to confide in you. Being more empathetic takes a conscious effort to carefully consider how others feel. If you strengthen your empathy and rapport with others, you’ll be able to build stronger relationships, which can be beneficial in many ways. 19 Relationship management Relationship management is the ability to maintain relationships and build key connections. For example, if you have a job in customer service, you might be responsible for relationship management between your company and a specific set of clients. Executives at organizations manage relationships with stakeholders and investors. This is a useful social skills in a variety of roles. Respect A key aspect of respect is knowing when to initiate communication and respond. In a team or group setting, allowing others to speak without interruption is seen as a necessary communication skill tied to respectfulness. Respectfully communicating also means using your time with someone else wisely—staying on topic, asking clear questions and responding fully to any questions you’ve been asked. How to improve social skills There are several ways to improve your social skills. Here are just a few ways you can begin: Get feedback. It can be helpful to ask trusted friends, mentors or managers to provide you with honest feedback about your areas for improvement. Use this feedback to start setting measurable goals toward having a strong, well-rounded set of social skills. Set goals. After identifying areas for improvement, use the SMART goals framework to work toward building interpersonal skills in a specific, measurable way. Find resources. There are countless classes, guides, books and more both online and off. While you can certainly pay for an e-book or class, there are also many free resources you can consume. You can also find focused resources on topics such as body language or negotiations. Identify areas for practice. Once you have learned tactics and tips for improving your social skills, put them into practice at home and at work. You can also look for volunteer opportunities or extra-curricular activities for which you can practice interpersonal skills with less pressure. If you’re looking for soft skills that will improve your employability and help you excel in nearly any job, social skills are a great place to start. The best way to improve your social skills is to put your learning into practice. A background demonstrating success with social skills will serve you well in many areas of life. 20 Skills in Demand in Today's Workforce The job market is constantly changing and technology-driven careers are becoming more and more popular. No matter what field you choose, having certain career skills can increase your likelihood of success. Determining which skills are most in-demand can be helpful as you select a career path. In this article, we will review some of the most valuable modern skills to develop while searching for a job. To push your career forward, you will need to pursue in-demand skills to expand your knowledge and capabilities and to set yourself apart from other candidates. To help you remain a competitive job candidate, here are some of the most in-demand skills you should look to develop: 1. Cloud computing 2. Artificial intelligence 3. Sales leadership 4. Analysis 20  5. Translation 6. Mobile app development 7. People management 8. Video production 9. Audio production 10. UX design 11. SEO/SEM marketing 12. Blockchain 13. Industrial design 14. Creativity 15. Collaboration 16. Adaptability 17. Time management 18. Persuasion 19. Digital journalism 20. Animation 1. Cloud computing Skills in cloud computing are in great demand due to the increasing number of companies moving business functions to the cloud—the global network of remote servers. Cloud engineers are the people responsible for developing and managing these cloud computing systems so end users can easily store files and back up their data. Cloud computing requires technical skills to perform migrations, as well as the ability to negotiate terms with the cloud service providers, ensure data security and implement best practices throughout the process. 2. Artificial intelligence Due to the growing number of companies that want to streamline their workflows and derive insightful data while minimizing costs, experts in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are in high demand. These professionals usually handle the development of AI. They build, test and implement AI models, as well as maintain the organization’s underlying AI infrastructure. If you want to develop these skills, you’ll need a strong foundation in software design, statistics, coding, engineering and similar fields. 3. Sales leadership Sales is ultimately what keeps most companies profitable, which means having sales leadership experience will give you opportunities in many different industries. Sales leadership is the ability to close business deals and coach others. Outstanding sales leaders are strategic, looking at the overall view of an issue and identifying patterns to be improved or areas of opportunity to boost revenue. Key characteristics of high-performing sales leaders include excellent communication skills, the ability to motivate, a drive to achieve results and skills in coaching and team building. 4. Analysis Companies look for employees who are great at investigating a problem and finding the ideal solution in an efficient and timely manner. That’s why people with strong analytical skills are in high demand in many industries. Analytical skills refer to your ability to understand and analyze a 21 problem or situation and make a decision about what actions to take next. Developing this skill not only helps improve your work but also helps you achieve company goals. You may already use analytical skills in your day-to-day work. Brainstorming, detecting patterns, interpreting data, observing, theorizing, integrating new information and making decisions based on multiple factors and options available all require the use of analytical skills. What is analytical thinking? Analytical thinking is observing and researching a problem or topic to develop more complex ideas about it. Your analytical thinking should result in additional knowledge, solutions or ideas related to the problem or topic. The process usually involves several steps: Identifying a topic, problem or issue Gathering information Developing solutions or furthering your understanding of the topic Testing solutions or new ideas based on what you’ve learned Post-analysis, or reviewing what solutions worked, or assessing your new knowledge. A key element to analytical thinking is the ability to quickly identify cause and effect relationships. This means understanding what might happen during the problem-solving process, for example, and examining how new ideas relate to the original topic. Most analytical thinking requires trial and error. Those with strong analytical thinking skills are often capable of quickly analyzing a situation, topic or problem, and often work well in a team setting to accomplish goals. A key element to analytical thinking is the ability to quickly identify cause and effect relationships. This means understanding what might happen during the problem-solving process, for example, and examining how new ideas relate to the original topic. What is critical thinking? Critical thinking is the act of analyzing facts to understand a problem or topic thoroughly. Critical thinking often occurs in order of a few steps from identifying a problem or issue to developing a solution. Here are common steps that occur when using critical thinking for problem solving: Identify a problem or issue Create inferences on why the problem exists and how it can be solved Collect information or data on the issue through research Organize and sort data and findings Develop and execute solutions Analyze what solutions worked or didn’t work Identify ways to improve the solution Part of being a good critical thinker is being objective. That means analyzing the problem without allowing emotions or assumptions to influence how you think about it. Instead, you should only analyze the problem based on the context and facts you are able to collect. 22 Critical thinking skills are essential in every industry at every career level, from entry-level associates to top executives. Good critical thinkers will work both independently and with groups to solve problems. Why are critical thinking skills important? Critical thinking skills are important because they help businesses run smoothly by solving problems, developing solutions and creating new ideas. Many areas of improvement like process inefficiencies, management or finances can be improved by using critical thought. Because of this, employers value and seek out candidates who have demonstrated strong critical thinking skills. For example, if you’re working in human resources and must resolve a conflict between two employees, you will use critical thinking to understand the nature of the conflict and what action should be taken to resolve it. Examples: Observation Observational skills are the starting point for critical thinking. Employees who are observant can quickly sense and identify a new problem. Those skilled in observation are also capable of understanding why something might be a problem, and may even be able to predict when a problem might occur before it happens based on their experience. Analysis Once a problem has been identified, analysis skills become essential. The ability to analyze the situation includes knowing what facts, data or information about the problem are important. You will also find analysis is an essential skill to eventually solving the problem. Inference Inference is a skill that involves drawing conclusions about the information you collect and may require you to possess technical or industry-specific knowledge or experience. When you infer information about a situation, that means you are developing answers based on limited information. For example, a car mechanic may need to utilize inference skills to determine what is causing a car’s engine to stall at seemingly random times. Communication Communication skills are important when it comes time to explain and discuss issues and their possible solutions with colleagues and other stakeholders. Communication is an important skill to have and improve on for many purposes at work including critical thinking. Problem solving After you’ve identified a problem, analyzed it and discussed possible solutions, the final step is to execute the solution. Problem solving often requires critical thinking to implement the best solution and understand whether or not the solution is working as it relates to the goal. 23 What is logical thinking? Logical thinking is the act of analyzing a situation and coming up with a sensible solution. Similar to critical thinking, logical thinking requires the use of reasoning skills to study a problem objectively, which will allow you to make a rational conclusion about how to proceed. When you use the facts available to you to address a problem you may be facing at work, for example, you are using logical reasoning skills. Why are logical thinking skills important? Logical thinking skills are important because they can help you reason through important decisions, solve problems, generate creative ideas and set goals—all of which are necessary for developing your career. Whether you have just entered the workforce or want to advance your career, you will come across challenges on a daily basis that require logical reasoning skills. The stronger your logical thinking skills are, the more easily you will be able to come up with solutions and plans that benefit you and your workplace. How to build logical thinking skills? There are many ways to strengthen logical thinking in your daily work. Here are a few methods you might consider to develop your logical thinking skills: Spend time on creative hobbies Practice questioning Socialize with others Learn a new skill Try to anticipate the outcome of your decisions If you’ve ever held a job—or even if you’re new to the workforce—you’re probably familiar with feelings of stress at work. Potential employers may sometimes ask about how you handle stress in a job interview. When they ask this question, interviewers are looking for information on how you will react in stressful moments, and how your reaction may affect your teammates and the company overall. 24 IV. ACTIVITIES/ASSESSMENT Case Study Refer to Appendix A: Case 1 Leadership Crossroads in pages 255-257 Analyze the provided case study and complete the following : a) RELATE this case study with what you have learned. b) WRITE a three-part essay: EXPLAINED how you would be able to contribute to the development of a service orientation by being equipped with the soft skills we have discussed. DISCUSS how these skills may contribute to improve organizational dynamics in general. 25 Lesson 4: Motivation and Empathy I. OVERVIEW Recent breakthroughs in technology and the spread of globalization have exposed businesses to stiffer competitive environment where organizations have to continually strive to survive. Globalization has also brought about increase in multinational organizations where people from different countries and cultural values are employed to work as a team to achieve common organizational goals. The advantages resulting from people from diverse background working as a team are enormous. However, to benefit from these advantages, management must first overcome the challenges associated with motivating a workforce of a diverse nature. Employee motivation challenges are a common hurdle for managers and supervisors, irrespective of size, location, and type of their organizations. Glass (2007) opines that these challenges are more daunting in organizations where the workforce exhibits variations in perspectives and goals due to cultural or generational differences. These differences need to be adequately addressed if managers are to motivate employees for improved organizational performance in a competitive business environment (Njoroge &Yazdanifard, 2014). II. LEARNING OUTCOMES After successful completion of this module the students should be able to : 1. Define motivation and empathy and describe its importance. 2. Explain the importance of motivation in leadership. 3. Discuss how empathy is applied as a social competency and why it is an important skill for leaders to develop. 4. Develop and/or apply empathy. III.COURSE MATERIALS Soft skills are defined as personal attributes that enhance how we relate with other people every day. We refer to them as people skills and count among them skills we use when we interact with others, such as adaptability, trustworthiness, loyalty and communication skills, being respectful and dependability. A combination of these is used when we practice empathy. Having these skills help build our emotional competence-our ability to manage ourselves and to utilize social competences in relation to roles we take on each day. WHAT IS EMPATHY Empathy is the ability to emotionally understand what other people feel, see things from their point of view, and imagine yourself in their place. Essentially, it is putting yourself in someone else's position and feeling what they must be feeling. When you see another person suffering, you might be able to instantly envision yourself in the other person's place and feel sympathy for what they are going through. 26 Empathy is the capacity to recognize and to an extent, share feelings that are being experienced by another person. It is the ability, to place one’s self in the shoes of another, see through someone else’s eyes; it is a means of identifying with another person or group with whom we interact. IT is thus a social skill albeit a critical one. What is the difference between empathy and sympathy? Sympathy and empathy are separate terms with some very important distinctions. Sympathy and empathy are both acts of feelings, but with sympathy you feel for the person; you’re sorry for them or pity them, but you don’t specifically understand what they are feeling. Sometimes we’re left with little choice but to feel sympathetic because we really can’t understand the plight or predicament of someone else. It takes imagination, work, or possibly a similar experience to get to empathy. Empathy can best be described as feeling with the person. Notice the distinction between for and with. To an extent you are placing yourself in that person’s place, have a good sense of what they feel and understand their feelings to a degree. It may be impossible to be fully empathetic because each individual’s reactions, thoughts and feelings to tragedy are going to be unique. Yet, the idea of empathy implies a much more active process. Instead of feeling sorry for, you’re sorry with and have clothed yourself in the mantle of someone else’s emotional reactions. Empathy and Social Competency Social skills are skills that determine how we handle relationships. As a social competency, Daniel Goleman (Working with Emotional Intelligence) states that we make use of empathy to understand others, as a value we use to help us in developing other people, work on a service orientation, leverage diversity and to develop political awareness. When we attempt to understand others, we take out our emotional barometer to try to sense how others feel. We work at understanding their perspective and make the effort to take an interest in what concerns them. In helping others to develop empathy allows us to sharpen our senses when it comes to determining other’s developmental needs-along with what would inspire them. From a service orientation, empathy helps us anticipate, recognize and then meet service needs of our customers. Moreover, empathy provides us with a broader understanding and appreciation of the opportunities available through different people as much as reading a group’s emotional temperature helps us leverage the group as a resource. Maximizing the use of empathy is especially useful to leadership. Since staff development is a core task, leaders can draw from empathy to provide the kind of guidance his or her direct reports can appreciate. 27 Consider the following leadership methods or styles: Coaching Leadership In this kind of leadership, coaches give direction together with an action plan, then they follow-up with appropriate support and empathetic correction. Periodic activators keep people on the right track, while intermittent consequences provide motivation to keep people going. Delegating Leadership When leaders’ assign a task in general terms to limit behavior-focused feedback, it comes with the expectation that team members are already motivated to do their best and will, by and among themselves, give each other direction, support and feedback. It is also expected that team members are responsible, and use self-management techniques that keep them on the right track. Instructive Leadership This type of leadership is often used in the case of leading new hires-team members are highly motivated but do not know what to do. A lot of extrinsic motivation is needed and instructional leadership helps such team members to channel, or redirect, their motivation. Based on the situation, empathy does not always figure in the instruction. Supportive Leadership In certain cases, more support rather than direction is needed, as in the case of supportive leadership. Empathetic leaders tailor their leadership based on the needs of the team members. Where necessary, instruction is given newer members while the more mature and motivated could be delegated to undertake tasks. Coaching will be applied in instances where a sense of direction and motivation is needed. Finally, support could be provided at any point whenever it is necessary. Of the four, it generally preferred to develop this supportive style of leadership. Indeed, in the study of leadership and its analysis, it is shown that supportive leadership, sharing the underlying principles of situational leadership, works best. Effective leaders, in summary, should listen with empathy, and lead with empathy. General Aspects of Empathy: Understanding others-empathy is crucial to excellence. Developing others-empathy is best acknowledged when people are promoted to certain designations to develop their potentials. Service Orientation-Empathy provides a framework for how support can be appropriately provided to customers. 28  Leveraging diversity-empathy plays a significant role in enabling synergy within a group. Political awareness-empathy contributes to “savvy” which allows people to respond effectively despite currents in the organization. Things that help us develop empathy: 1. Trust 2. Attentiveness 3. Appropriate responses 4. Shared experiences 5. Respect 6. Support Empathy in Service Another consideration is the role of empathy in service. As a social competency, there is a need to consistently and proactively find ways in order to leverage it as we accurately anticipate, recognize, and meet customer needs. WHAT IS MOTIVATION? Motivation is considered as an encouragement to any kind of activity. It is important in an organization, especially for the employees. It keeps them up and running to achieve their main goal. In addition, motivation inspires many to work hard and for some, to keep their employees loyal in the organization. Motivation is a psychological state that exists whenever internal and /or external forces stimulate, direct or maintain behaviors. - Slocum, Jackson and Hellriegel (2008) Motivation refers to the psychological forces that determine a person’s behavior. -Fang &Kant (2011) The Nature of Motivation Motivation is the set of forces that causes people to engage in one behavior rather than some alternative behavior. Students who stay up all night to ensure that their term papers are the best they can be, sales people who work on Saturdays to get ahead, and doctors who make follow-up phone calls to patients to check on their conditions are all motivated people. Of course, students who avoid the term paper by spending the day at the beach, sales people who go home early to escape a tedious sales call, and doctors who skip follow-up calls to have more time for golf are also motivated, but their goals are different. From the manager's viewpoint, the objective is to motivate people to behave in ways that are in the organization's best interest. The Importance of Motivation Managers strive to motivate people in the organization to perform at high levels. This means getting them to work hard, to come to work regularly, and to make positive contributions to the organization's missions. But job performance depends on ability and environment as well as motivation. 29 This relationship can be stated as follows: P =M+A+E With P = performance, M = motivation , A = ability , and E = environment. To reach high levels of performance, an employee must want to do the job well (motivation), must be able to do the job effectively (ability), and must have the materials, resources, equipment, and information to do the job (environment). A deficiency in any one of these areas hurts performance. A manager should thus strive to ensure that all three conditions are met. In most settings, motivation is the most difficult of these factors to manage. If an employee lacks the ability to perform, she or he can be sent to training programs to learn new job skills. If the person cannot learn the skills, she or he can be transferred to a simpler job and replaced with a more skilled worker. If an employee lacks materials, resources, equipment, and slash or information, the manager can take steps to provide them. For example, if a worker cannot complete a project without sales forecast data from marketing, the manager can contact marketing and request that information. But if motivation is deficient, the manager faces the more complex situation of determining what will motivate the employee to work. Ways to Strengthen your Own Empathy by Andrew Sobel Source: https//.www.andrewsobel.com 1. Challenge yourself. Undertake challenging experiences which push you outside your comfort zone. Learn a new skill, for example, such as a musical instrument, hobby, or foreign language. Develop a new professional competency. Doing things like this will humble you, and humility is a key enabler of empathy. 2. Get out of your usual environment. Travel, especially to new places and cultures. It gives you a better appreciation for others. 3. Get feedback. Ask for feedback about your relationship skills (e.g., listening) from family, friends, and colleagues—and then check in with them periodically to see how you’re doing. 4. Explore the heart not just the head. Read literature that explores personal relationships and emotions. This has been shown to improve the empathy of young doctors. 5. Walk in others’ shoes. Talk to others about what it is like to walk in their shoes—about their issues and concerns and how they perceived experiences you both shared. 6. Examine your biases. We all have hidden (and sometimes not-so-hidden) biases that interfere with our ability to listen and empathize. These are often centered around visible factors such as age, race, and gender. Don’t think you have any biases? Think again—we all do. 7. Cultivate your sense of curiosity. What can you learn from a very young colleague who is “inexperienced?” What can you learn from a client you view as “narrow”? Curious people ask lots of questions (point 8), leading them to develop a stronger understanding of the people around them. 8. Ask better questions. Bring three or four thoughtful, even provocative questions to every conversation you have with clients or colleagues. 30  Managers´ Display of Empathy as a Stimulant for Employee Motivation Source: https://www.ligsuniversity.com/en/blogpost/ Researcher and practitioners believe there is no generally exact formula for motivating employees since every organization is a unique workplace. The ability of a manager to motivate his subordinates also does not depend solely on professional knowledge but equally on the emotional behavior (attitude) of the manager and subordinates. Numerous studies have, thus, recommended various concepts, theories, and models on employee motivation; including skills that managers can adopt to keep employees highly motivated. One of these skills is empathy. The idea of empathy in leadership has been appreciably researched and often recommended due to its perceived positive impact on employee motivation. Empathy is a powerful skill a manager needs to motivate and drive subordinates to work harmoniously and productively in a diverse workplace.Though motivation is a mechanism that is deployed to get employees to work efficiently and deliver quality results, empathy is, nonetheless, an essential skill managers require for effective leadership in their respective organizations. This study discusses how managers' empathy skills stimulate employee motivation in a diverse workplace. The study begins with a review of some common mechanisms of motivation. The nature and features of leadership/managerial empathy are next described, followed by a discussion of the implication of empathy as a driver of employee motivation. Diverse Workplace Diversity in the workplace is often considered a challenging situation to manage. However, organizations that embrace diversity breed success and are usually competitive in today’s dynamic business environment (Jain and Verma, 1996). Workforce diversity can be described as a situation where employees from various socio-cultural backgrounds such as race, gender, physical ability, color, age, and ethnicity co-exist within the same company. Robbins and Judge (2011) differentiate between surface-level and deep-level diversity by affirming that surface-level diversity includes those characteristics that are easier to notice, such as ethnic group, gender, age, race, disability, and age; typical for those characteristics is that they can evoke a certain standard image in people, albeit they do not in themselves necessarily reflect how people think and feel. Deep-level diversity entails differences in attitudes, personality, and values (Robbins and Judge, 2011). Many companies now engage workers from across the world due to globalization and less restriction on the movement of labor. The importance of a diversified workforce, therefore, cannot be overemphasized in view of the sweeping changes across the world. The big question is how to keep employees motivated in a diverse workplace. The answer to this question is just as diverse as the concept itself. Rathman (2011) asserts that most challenges in a diverse workplace can be linked with differences in employees’ culture, ethnicity, gender, beliefs, and values. Challenges of communication and cooperation among employees complement the daily issues in a culturally diverse workplace (Glass, 2007). As earlier highlighted in this paper, employee motivation in a diverse workplace remains one of the biggest challenges for managers. To effectively manage a multi-national (or multi-cultural) workforce, it is necessary for managers to take into account the various beliefs, values and attitudes of employees which may influence performance drive in the workplace. Understanding what makes a diverse workforce tick is critical to optimizing an organization’s performance. However, contrary to the early belief that huge differences exist among diverse employees as regards what motivates them, recent literature shows that employees in the workplace have many similarities. Wong, Gardiner, Lang, & Coulon (2008) assert that recent research convincingly show all categories of employees are motivated by equally similar things like empathy, even in a diverse workplace. 31 Motivation Profitability and competitive advantage are some of the common objectives of businesses. Sustainable achievement of these major objectives requires motivated and inspired workforce. Origo and Pagani (2008) elaborate that a more motivated workforce is highly productive, generates profit, and exerts more positive effect on an organization. Clark, Geogellis, and Sanfe (1998) asset that employee turnover is a function of how motivated employees are in their work. The definition of “motivation” is broad, and there are many ways to define the term, depending on different ideas and perspectives. Barnhart and Barnhart (1981) defines motivation as the act or process of furnishing with an incentive or inducement to action. Motivation is the act or a process that gives a person the reason to do something in a particular way or an explanation for the repeated behaviors, needs, and desires (Ellliot 2001). Moran (2013) explains that a motivated employee shows enthusiasm and eagerness towards the work and a strong determination to complete the tasks. Jones and George (2008) identify the three major components of motivation as direction, intensity, and persistence. Conscious or unconscious goal that compels the performance and achievement of an act is regarded as direction. Intensity, on the other hand, is the effort used by the individual in the process of achieving the goal while persistence refers to the ability to retain motivation throughout the period of performance, even if there are obstacles to performance. Ryan and Deci (2000) also classify motivation into two types, namely intrinsic (internal) motivation and extrinsic (external) motivation. Intrinsic motivation derives from the self-desire to pursue new things or challenge oneself to gain knowledge or explore self-value and capabilities. According to Wigfield (1997), internally motivated people do their work with passion and willingness, strive for the best result and self-reward, and persistently improve their skills and abilities. Extrinsically motivated people perform activities to achieve desired outcomes. It arises majorly from external factors and sometimes from internal factors. Competitions, appraisals, external rewards, or punishment are some of the factors that can be linked to extrinsic motivation. Employee motivation is an advanced subject on which considerable studies providing numerous tools and theories on motivation have been conducted, Some major researchers of motivation who are still relevant today include Maslow, Hertzberg, McClelland, Vroom, Alderfer, and Locke, to mention a few. These numerous authorities provide mechanisms that can be adopted by organizations to keep their workforce motivated. There are many approaches to motivate employees in today’s workplaces, and managers have been using them to improve employee motivation. However, due to the different needs and values of employees, successful implementation of these strategies and theories has been difficult for managers, especially in diverse workplaces. Njoroge and Yazdanifard (2014) assert that early studies reveal that monetary benefit was a considerable motivational technique. Money obviously accounts for the huge difference between employees working in inhumane conditions in the early industrial revolution and the ones working in slave conditions in the countryside. Njoroge and Yazdanifard (2014) cited Fredrick Taylor as attributing money to have a foremost effect in keeping and motivating industrial workers towards higher performance and exceptional productivity. Recent literature has shown that employees are not motivated by money alone. Employees are sometimes motivated by emotional connection (Njoroge and Yazdanifard, 2014). Theorists of emotional connection show there is a relationship between emotion and motivation. The theory of emotional connection explains that people are naturally motivated to perform activities they hope would lead to happiness, satisfaction or other positive emotion. Goleman (2017) explains that employee motivation can be increased if managers develop emotional connection with their subordinates while also supporting the subordinates with what drives them to achieve personal 32 and organizational goals. Goleman’s position, thus, buttresses the fact that a one-size-fits-all approach, such as monetary reward, is not expedient when managing employees of diverse backgrounds. Managers’ Empathy Business managers have devised various tools that can be used to motivate a diverse workforce. Prominent among these tools is empathy. Stotland, Matthew, Sherman, Hansson, and Richardson (1978) affirm that discussions of empathy date back in history to the emergence of philosophical thought; the origin of the word was, however, coined over a century ago by Titchener when he used the German word “Einfuhlung” to describe the emotional appreciation of another’s feelings (Wispe, 1986; Ioannidou and Konstantikaki, 2008). Albeit empathy has an extensive history, the notion is considered as not well-defined because there are perhaps as many definitions of the word as there are researchers in the field (Decety& Jackson, 2004). Stotland (1969) defines empathy as emotional reaction of one person due to