Soft Skills Lecture 06: Positive Thinking PDF

Soft Skills Lecture 06 Positive Thinking Dr. Binod Mishra Department of HSS, IIT Roorkee 1  Defining Positive Thinking “Positive thinking is a positive mental attitude that firmly believes that things will soon be better and with that belie...

Soft Skills Lecture 06 Positive Thinking Dr. Binod Mishra Department of HSS, IIT Roorkee 1  Defining Positive Thinking “Positive thinking is a positive mental attitude that firmly believes that things will soon be better and with that belief, one can overcome any type of difficulty in his favor.” - Norman Vincent Peale 2  An observation “We are only half awake. We are making use of only a small part of our physical and mental resources. Stating the thing broadly, human individuals thus far live within their limits. They possess powers of various sorts which they habitually fail to use.” -- William James 3  Dr. Eric Berne’s views on attitude I’m not okay, you are not okay (Introvert) I’m not okay, you are okay. (Negative) I’m okay, you are not okay. ( Imposing) I’m okay, you are okay. (Positive) 4  Ways to develop Positivism  Believe in your abilities.  Enhance your skills.  Learn from others.  Take right paths.  Concentrate on your goals. 5  Johari Window Devised by American Psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in 1955.  To illustrate and improve self-awareness and mutual understanding To assess a group’s relationship with other groups  To understand and train soft skills behaviour 6 Contd. 7  Disclosure/feedback model  Combined after the first names of Joe and Harry  Represents information–feelings, experiences, views, attitudes, skills, intentions, motivation within or about a person in relation to their group 8  Contd.  ‘Self’ is the group and ‘others’ as other groups.  The four perspectives are called regions or quadrants.  Each region represents feelings or motivations. (known/unknown) by the person and whether the information is known /unknown by others in the group. 9  Four Regions 1. Open area: What is known by the person is also known by others 2. Blind area: What is unknown by the person but which others know 3. Hidden area: What the person knows about himself and others do not know 4. Unknown: What is unknown by the person and is also unknown by others 10  Quadrant One: Open Area  To develop open area for every person  The size of the open area can be expanded both horizontally and vertically through feedback solicitation  Open area can be expanded through open positive communication 11  Quadrant Two: Blind Area/ Spot  This area is to be reduced and open area to be increased.  Sensitive feedback can help an individual reduce this area.  Managers can promote non-judgmental feedback and group response to individual disclosure. 12  Quadrant Three: Hidden Self  What is known to ourselves but kept hidden from others.  Includes hidden agendas, fears, sensitivities, secrets and manipulative intentions.  Relevant hidden area should be moved into the open area through the process of disclosure.  Reducing hidden area promotes co-operation, trust and team working. 13  Quadrant Four: Unknown Self  Unknown to the person and also unknown to others  Can be uncovered in certain situations through collective/mutual discovery  Process of self-discovery is sensitive and depends upon individual’s own discretion 14  Unknown factors Ability i.e. under-estimated and untried A natural ability or attitude that a person doesn’t realize they have Fearor aversion An unknown illness Repressed or subconscious feeling Conditioned behaviour 15  Summing up Johari Windows  Can thus help in unraveling the various skills of individuals through self-awareness.  Knowing the group members and ensuring better relationship and communication skills through mutual co-operation and trust.  Ensures better productivity and success by reducing gaps in thinking. 16  Contd. “All that we are is the result of what we have thought.” - Dhammapada 17  Soft Skills Lecture 07 Telephonic Communication Skills Dr. Binod Mishra Department of HSS, IIT Roorkee 1  Importance  Fastest means of contact  Bridges time and distance gaps.  Entails low cost.  Saves us from geographical hazards of journey. 2 Features of Telephonic Communication  Clarity  Courtesy  Consideration  Brevity  Precision 3  Challenges  Lacks in face-to-face communication.  Not much time for orientation.  Dealing with strangers at times.  No background knowledge of the caller. 4  Guidelines While sending a call  Place your own call.  Plan an agenda.  Give your introduction.  Name the person you are calling. 5  Contd.  Identify yourself and your affiliation.  Explain the purpose of your calling.  Ensure cordiality through your voice.  Avoid general questions without forsaking enthusiasm. 6  Contd.  Close your talk using suggestive language.  In case of long talk, keep giving signals, such as; I see, OK, Yes etc.  Seek/mention specific time to call in case you have not been able to call.  Leave complete voice mail message. 7  Contd.  If the call gets disrupted, resume it by saying sorry.  Keep your note-book ready to jot down important points.  Be careful while answering call for others.  Explain when you are transferring calls. 8  While receiving calls  Answer the call as soon the bell rings.  End all other conversations.  Indentify yourself immediately.  Create a visual/mental image of the person you are talking to. 9  Respond positively if you are in a support role.  Take messages carefully.  Repeat the spelling of names and verify telephone numbers. 10  Contd.  Use the caller’s name and also the cordial terms, such as please, thank you, I’m delighted etc.  Stay clam if the caller is angry/complaining.  Correct the problem and provide a time frame.  Allow the caller to hang up even after the conversation is over. 11  Using Language  Use a cheerful voice to mean sincerity.  Avoid sounding negative.  Be aware of the language you are using.  Avoid saying “You have to…You need to…Why didn’t you?”.  In stead, try “Will you please…Would you please?” 12  Contd. In stead of saying, “I can’t do that” or “it’s not my job,” tell the caller what you can do. Expressions, such as: “Hang on.”, “Hold on.”, “Who’s calling?”, “I can’t hear you, speak up!”, “I can’t help you. You’ll have to speak to someone else.”, should be avoided. 13  Soft Skills Lecture 08 Telephonic Communication Skills Part II Dr. Binod Mishra Department of HSS, IIT Roorkee 1  Voice mail  Substitute to short memos and phone calls.  Solves time zone difficulties.  Reduces excess of interoffice paperwork.  Used for goodwill and positive messages. 2  Contd.  A way of digitizing and storing incoming calls.  Automated attendant menu through which caller can record messages.  Focus on essentials without interrupting potential receivers. 3  Contd.  State your name clearly.  State main point of message.  Give your phone number next. Mention the date and time when you’ll be able to call.  Answer your voice mail message quickly.  Write down your response before returning the call. 4  Cellular phones Etiquettes:  Avoid using cell phone in a meeting/ crowded places.  Send a message in case you are unable to take a call.  Take care to turn off your phone during conference /seminars/interview rooms. 5  Contd.  Avoid talk when signal is poor.  Avoid multi-tasking while on phone.  Avoid cell-yell.  Be polite and professional in a low-modulated voice. 6  Teleconferencing  Meeting conducted by use of telephones or cell phones without requiring attendees to be physically present in the same physical area.  Requires a facilitator or party leader to lead the meeting.  Useful for companies spread geographically in various countries where physical presence of participants is difficult.  Alternative to face-to –face meetings. 7  Contd.  Ineffective for negotiations.  Less scope of secondary conversation.  Limitation of time.  Poor signals. 8  Audio Conferencing  Use of voice communications equipment to connect audio link between persons dispersed geographically.  Reasonable cost.  Can be arranged at a short notice. 9  Video Conferencing  Major tool of business and management  Communication between individuals or groups separated by distance  Use of microphone and camera for every participant 10  Types of Video conferencing  One-way video and one way audio  One way video and two way audio  Two-way video and two-way audio 11  Contd.  A substitute to face- to- face communication  Helpful in decision –making process  Costly yet easier than rigorous travels 12  Points to remember  Check the microphone and ensure clarity of voice.  Introduce yourself.  Control your body movements..  Avoid parallel whispers.  Look at the camera. 13  Contd.  Allow the speaker to complete and avoid interrupting.  Be at your best both physically and mentally.  Avoid use of distracting clothes.  Avoid excessive movements. 14  Soft Skills Lecture 09 Communicating Without Words Dr. Binod Mishra Department of HSS, IIT Roorkee 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 1  Anthropologists' view 35% Verbal and 65% non verbal -Ray Birdwhistell 7% verbal, 38% vocal and 55% non verbal - Mehrabian 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 2  Non- verbal Communication Communicating without Words Communicating through non verbal symbols No substitute for verbal More impact 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 3  Importance of NVC Non verbal Communication is unintentional. Supplements verbal communication. Spontaneous and unstructured. Non –verbal messages have two levels. 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 4  Types of NVC  Kinesics  Proxemics  Chronemics  Paralanguage  Haptics  Meta-communication 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 5  Kinesics He who has eyes to see and ears to hear can convince that no mortal can keep a secret. If his lips are silent, he chats with his finger tips, betrayal oozes out of him at every pore. Sigmund Freud 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 6  Forms of Kinesics Personal appearance Facial expressions Eye contact Posture Gestures 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 7  Personal Appearance Face is a junction of emotions. Face is the index of mind. A false face must have a false heart within. 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 8  Eye contact Men trust their ears less than their eyes. Windows of the soul Eyes reflect sincerity & indicate our emotion Establishes goodwill and creates rapport 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 9  Movement People make impression about you the way you move. Avoid rushing. Maintain grace while moving. 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 10  Posture Positioning of one’s arms, hands and shoulders. You reveal yourself the way you sit. Sit relaxed but be alert. Avoid the following: Clamping, banding , playing with rings and buttons Pussyfooting, plodding, shuffling, being belligerent 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 11  Gestures Movement of hands, arms, shoulders and torso Enumerative – number or distance Descriptive – size of the object Locative – location of an object Symbolic – subtle suggestion Emphatic - emphasis 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 12  Hand Movements are symbolical Limp hands /Hanging hands boredom Flat hands silent questions Open hands trust, interest Clenched hands tension and frustration Covered hands insecurity Clinging hands uncertainty Wringing hands discomfort/tension Fists determination, anger 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 13  Contd. Crossing the arms negative attitude Arms and legs uncrossed attentive Double handed handshake intimacy Dead fish handshake formality Glove handshake politician’s handshake 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 14  Contd. Arms swinging goal oriented Hands in pocket critical and secretive Hands on hips fulfilling goals in short time Meditative walk preoccupied Pacing thoughtful Swagger power, struggle and dominance 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 15  Avoid the following gestures Scratching head/ eyebrows Tugging earlobes/buttons/sleeves Twitching the nose/rubbing the cheek Cracking the knuckles Glancing at the wrist watch 6/13/2017 nptel online certification course 16  Soft Skills Lecture 10 Paralanguage Dr. Binod Mishra Department of HSS, IIT Roorkee 1  Language of Voice  Voice carries intentional and unintentional emotions and messages.  Articulation  Problems of Pronunciation  Problems of translation 2  Features of voice  Quality  Volume  Rate  Pitch  Pronunciation  Silence and Pause 3  Some common faults Throatiness: deep resonance in voice Breathiness: passage of too much air through vocal chords Nasalization: releasing air through nose Harshness: inhibited flow of air Muffled: lazy lip, jaw, and movements Hoarseness: inflammation of larynx 4  Articulation Speak the words distinctly Avoid chopping/slurring/mumbling Ought to otta Didn’t dint Don’t know dunno Want to wanna 28/06/2017 5  Volume Degree of loudness/softness of voice Voice levels vary depending upon listeners Be audible Adjust to acoustics of the room Avoid speaking too loud 6  Pace/rate  Both too fast and too slow delivery is faulty.  Pace to be decided as per audience.  Variety adds spice to one’s speech.  Complex matters require slow delivery. 7  Pitch variations Vocal cords vibrate in the production of sounds. Pitch changes are called inflections. Pitch variations convey feelings. Speech without variation becomes monotonous. 8  Pronunciation  Received pronunciation  Word stress  Sentence stress  Intonation 28/06/2017 9  Word and Sentence stress Put stress at the right syllables. Stress the right words in a sentence. Modulate your voice to express intended meaning. Articles, prepositions, conjunctions, auxiliary verbs and personal pronouns do not take stress. 10  Intonation Rise and fall in the pitch of the voice. Falling tone: statements, commands, wh-questions. Rising tone: request, yes-no questions, question tags, protests. 28/06/2017 Non verbal Communication/Lucknow 11 Workshop/2010  Pauses Pause is a short silence in speech. Pauses emphasize/dramatize a point. Separate one unit of thought from another. Signal both the beginning and end of a speech. 12  Contd. “The right word may be effective but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.” ― Mark Twain 13  Silence  Thought process  Reactions  Introspection  Decision making 14  Contd. “Silence is better than unmeaning words.” ― Pythagoras 15