Jobberman Soft Skills Training Manual

Jobberman Soft Skills Training Manual
Confidential: Do not share or re-purpose this content without permission from Jobberman. This document is
strictly for the Jobberman Soft Skills Training
Personal Effectiveness and Time Management

Objectives: By the end of the course, learners will be able to:
• Answer the 'who am I?" question. (Self-awareness) Know who you are (self-identity) and build self-
confidence using confidence tools.
• Integrate personal and professional goals
• Overcome obstacles to effective time management
• Effectively set up themselves for success by establishing accountable assignments, use accountability-
based question sets for increased self-awareness and an effective approach to coaching others
• Develop a personal "Picture of Success" and learn how to use that picture to inspire and guide the
realisation of your aspirations and dreams.
What is Personal Effectiveness?

Personal effectiveness is the ability to make a positive impact on others by conveying ideas and information
clearly and persuasively (McCrimmon, 2018)
Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is the ability to take an honest look at your life without any attachment to It being right or wrong,
good or bad - Debbie Ford
Self-awareness was first defined by Shelley Duval and Robert Wicklund (1972), who proposed that, at a given
moment, people can focus attention on the self or on the external environment. "When we focus our attention
on ourselves, we evaluate and compare our current behaviour to our internal standards and values. We become
self-conscious as objective evaluators of ourselves. “With us better understanding ourselves, self-awareness also
helps in understanding others, and developing and maintaining healthy working relationships.
It is how clearly you see your values, passions, and aspirations, and how well those standards fit with your
environment and your reactions (which include thoughts, feelings, behaviours, strengths, and weaknesses).
Essentially, internal self-awareness is recognizing your current job doesn’t match your true passion for marketing
or feeling dissatisfied with a heated conversation you had with your parents, which conflicts with your belief
that respecting your elders is important.
Is the ability to clearly see how other people view you. People who know how others see them are usually more
empathetic. External self-awareness is recognizing your employee took your feedback personally because of
your tone of voice or body language.
The Four Self-Awareness Archetypes

Being aware is finding the balance between self-awareness (how well you know yourself) and external self-
awareness (how well you understand how others see you). The four self-awareness archetypes help you to
assess your level of self-awareness and following from that, you’ll see in which area you want to invest more
time in terms of training or self-study.
The Big 5 Personality Traits

The big 5 is all about answering the question “Who are you?” Such a simple question but one of the hardest
ones to answer. It is also known as the OCEAN Model (formed from the first letter from the big five.
Openness: An individual who is high in openness is likely someone who has a love of learning, enjoys the arts,
engages in a creative career or hobby, and likes meeting new people.
Conscientiousness: People high in conscientiousness are likely to be successful in school and in their careers,
to excel in leadership positions, and to doggedly pursue their goals with determination and forethought.
People low in conscientiousness are much more likely to procrastinate.
Extraversion: People high in extroversion (extroverts) tend to seek out opportunities for social interaction,
where they are often the “life of the party.” People low in extroversion (introverts) are more likely to be
people “of few words who are quiet, introspective, reserved, and thoughtful.
Agreeableness: People high in agreeableness tend to be well-liked, respected, and sensitive to the needs of
others. People low on agreeableness are less likely to be trusted and liked by others.
Neuroticism: Those high in neuroticism are generally prone to anxiety, sadness, and low self-esteem. They
may be easily angered, and they tend to be unsure of themselves. Individuals low on neuroticism are more
likely to feel confident, sure of themselves, and adventurous.
You can take a personality test here: https://www.123test.com/personality-test/
What is Self-Confidence
Types of Confidence
1. Self-Confidence: Doing what you believe to be right, even when others mock you. Being willing to take risks
and go the extra mile for better results. Admitting your mistakes and learning from them. Recognizing and
being able to articulate your strengths/ what you are good at.
2. Low Self-Confidence: Behaving or acting based on what others think. Staying with what is ‘safe’ and familiar
to avoid failure. Hiding your mistakes and trying to fix them before anyone notices. Depending on others to
validate your accomplishments.
3. Over Confidence: Behaving egotistical and stubborn. Having a “superiority complex” and coming off as
irritating. Bragging about your qualities and achievements.
How to Overcome Low Self-Confidence

• Self-Acceptance: Accept yourself as you are
• Self-Belief: Remember the fearlessness you had as a child
• Self-Image: All that matters is how you see yourself
• Self-Esteem: It is important that you feel good about yourself
• Self-Talk: what you say to yourself matters the most
• Self-Analysis: Focus on what you have and your strengths rather than what you do not have
What is Time Management

Time management is the process of planning and exercising conscious control of time spent on specific activities,
especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity.
• Process – Building good time management habits is a process

• Conscious control – It requires conscious planning and awareness of our time management habits, our
distractions and their impact on our achievable goals
• Specific activities – Must be built around specific well thought out assigned tasks
Obstacles to Effective Time Management

• Unclear Objectives
• Overloaded Schedule
• Disorganisation
• Inability to say NO
• Failure to prioritize
• Idle time & Interruptions
Strategies for Time Management

• Write out your daily plan ahead of time (can use a diary, excel, word, sticky notes, app, or a calendar),
your daily plan must be SMART that is specific, measurable, actionable, reliable and time based and
track the time it takes you to complete tasks over time for maximum efficiency
• Learn when to say NO: Remain consistent to your goals and committed to your planned schedule!
Understand it is humanly impossible to be available to everybody at the same time
• Recognize obstacles exist, identify them and employ strategies to overcome them. Making a list of
possible threats to the flow of your schedule (e.g., PHCN power cuts or internet downtime) and planning
alternative ways to achieve your results
• Make the most of your free time to overcome mediocrity. For example, Read and develop your skills,
explore your talents and interests, Exercise, Meditate, Meet up with a book club
• Always reward your success. Could be as simple as checking off that to do list or ordering something
special for lunch or going to the beach on the weekend! Rewarding yourself keeps you motivated and
ready to get back to being productive.
The Time Management Matrix
• Quadrant 1: These are the activities we cannot avoid and absolutely should not avoid. Spending too much
time in this quadrant will lead to stress, anxiety and fatigue. Be proactive: In order to spend less time in the
quadrant we must be proactive with spending more time on the important activities before they become
urgent
• Quadrant 2: This is the optimum quadrant to spend most of our time. Activities in this quadrant include
planning, investing, strategizing, creating, learning, finding new opportunities, relationship building etc.
Spending quality time in this quadrant will lead to: discipline, self awareness, clear vision, balance and
reduced crisis situations.
• Quadrant 3: Where most of us spend our time confusing urgent activities for important activities. Activities
in this quadrant include responding to WhatsApp messages, colleague interruptions, a lot of emails.
Spending too much time in this quadrant leads to: short term focus, continuous fire fighting and crisis
management, disorganization and conflicts in professional and personal relationships.
• Quadrant 4: These are the complete wasters of valuable time! Spending too much in this quadrant will lead
to: low self esteem, unemployment, economic dependence, depression and lack of progress.
Stress Management
It is a wide spectrum of techniques aimed at controlling a person's level of stress, especially chronic stress,
usually for the purpose of and for the motive of improving everyday functioning.
Stress Management Tips

• Keep a positive attitude
• Accept that there are events that you cannot control
• Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of becoming
angry, defensive, or passive
• Learn and practice relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises
• Exercise regularly
• Eat healthy, well-balanced meals
• Learn to manage your time more effectively
• Make time for hobbies, interests, and relaxation.
• Get enough rest and sleep
How to Manage Stress

• Keep a positive attitude.
• Accept that there are events that you cannot control.
• Be assertive instead of aggressive.
• Practice mindfulness - Be here now
• Exercise regularly.
• Eat healthy, well-balanced meals
Summary
• High levels of self-awareness benefit oneself and one’s social relations.
• Self-confidence is believing in yourself
• Time expands to meet your obligations so it helps to prioritize and avoid procrastination
• To effectively manage your time, prioritize the 4 Ds Prioritize: the 4 D’s
• Do, Delegate, Delay and Delete
• Stress Management are a wide spectrum of techniques used in controlling our stress levels
Quiz
• What is Self-Awareness?
• List the big five personality types
• Angela and he team of three designers are working hard to complete five promotional artworks for
their client. Suddenly, a day before delivery, Angela's client calls to cancel the order because the
event has been postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. What should Angela and her team do?
• List 5 Stress Management Tips
Effective Communication, Presentation and Storytelling

• Understand the various types of communication for building relationships
• Identify key elements and principles of communication
• Improve interpersonal engagement
• Demonstrate understanding of the communication process, Understand and apply knowledge of
human communication and language processes as they occur across various contexts
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Develop active listening and empathy skills towards others
• Learn the effects of non-verbal messages and what it is telling others
• Ability to describe their own communication style and strengths.
What is Effective Communication
Effective communication is a process of exchanging ideas, thoughts, knowledge and information such that the
purpose or intention is fulfilled in the best possible manner. In simple words, it is nothing but the presentation
of views by the sender in a way best understood by the receiver.
For communication to be complete, there must be a feedback from the receiver.
5 Tips for Effective Communication
Some communication channels are;

• Face to face talking
• Phone calls
• Meetings
• Newsletters
• Proposals
• Reports
• Internet
• Social Media
Which of these communication channels are you more comfortable with?
The 7 Cs of Effective Communication
For communication to be effective, it must be;
• Clear: The clearer your message, the easier it gets for the receiver to decode it according to your original
intent. Start with a clear communication goal.
• Correct: Correct grammar and syntax vouch for increased effectiveness and credibility of your message.
Formal errors might affect the clarity of your message, trigger ambiguity and raise doubts.
• Complete: Effective communications are complete, i.e., the receiver gets all the information he needs
to process the message and take action. A complete message reduces the need for follow-up questions
and smoothens the communication process.
• Precise/Concise: Conciseness is about keeping your message to a point. This is more about the content
of your message rather than its length. For example, if it is to communicate time for class, it must
include the time for class.
• Credible: Reliability of the message is determined by the credibility of who is sending the message. It’s
supported by facts and figures for enhanced credibility.
• Considerate: Effective communication takes into account the receiver’s background and points of view.
tailoring your message to your audience.
• Courtesy: Courtesy means respecting the receiver’s culture, values and beliefs – i.e., crafting a message
that is genuinely polite and unbiased.
See this scenario below; Daniel sends a message to his Manager that reads; The project starts tomorrow and
we will need the help from Mr James. Thank you. – Is this message clear and complete? What is wrong with it
based on the 7Cs of effective communication?
Active Listening
Have you ever been in a situation where you are speaking to someone but they are not listening? They rather
quickly reply you than listen to what you have to say? Active listening is an important tool in effective
communication. Communication is not just about speaking but listening.
Active Listening is the act of listening and comprehending what the speaker is saying. It is the process of listening
attentively while someone else speaks, paraphrasing and reflecting back what is said, and withholding judgment
and advice.
Active Listening involves; Patience, Objectivity, Questioning and Feedback
Mehrabian Communication Model
Communication is not just about what you say BUT how you say what you say. Based on research, Albert
Mehrabian has concluded that verbal communication is: 7% Verbal, 38% Tone and 55% Body language.
This is part of the reason that chats and emails are less effective than telephone calls, which are less effective
than video calls which are in turn less effective than face-to-face meetings.
Barriers to Communication
• PHYSICAL e.g., Noise, lack of time, Interruptions

• PSYCHOLOGICAL: Emotion, Attitudes, Shredding
• SEMANTIC: Languages differences
Overcoming Communication Barriers
To overcome the barriers above, it's important to keep in mind the following to ensure that communication is
effective.
• Language: Recognize that language has different levels of meaning. People will respond differently to
the same words especially if the words are vague or general
• Feelings: Try to present your arguments rationally than emotionally and accept that other people may
have strong feelings about a subject
• Stereotypes: Don’t assume that all members of a group share the same characteristics. Put aside any
bias or views you may have; treat each person as an individual
• Prejudice: Never make a judgement before knowing the facts about a situation. Acknowledge that you
are usually working with incomplete data
• Culture: Be aware that different backgrounds, education and experience give people different
expectations. Your way of seeing the world is not the only one.
Feedback
Rapport is power: Rapport is a close relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each
other's feelings or ideas and communicate well. Rapport building is important because it lays the foundation
for giving and receiving feedback. It's when you are familiar and trust someone that you can give to and
receive feedback from said person.
• Building and maintaining rapport in the workplace, or anywhere is your best tool for cultivating a
positive environment, both in and out of the office.
• Regardless of the context, when we feel connected with others and there is a shared vision, we are
more likely to put forth our best efforts. On the contrary, when we feel isolated, misunderstood, or
excluded from others, even if it’s just one person, it will have an adverse effect on our emotional state
and our productivity.
FEEDBACK
How can we expect people to change and develop if they don’t know what they need to change? Unless they
get feedback, how do they know what they do well so they can continue doing it?
• Feedback is Information about performance or behaviour that leads to action to affirm or develop
that performance or behaviour. The aim of feedback is to build up relationships.
Giving Feedback: to be effective in giving feedback, the feedback sandwich method is highly recommended.
The feedback sandwich consists of starting your feedback with PRAISE followed by a corrective feedback or
criticism and closed by PRAISE.
Receiving Feedback: There is something called the Feedback Staircase. This talks about the different emotions
we experience when we receive feedback.
These emotions bubble out in the following steps:
• DENY - Problem? What problem?

• DEFEND - You wouldn't understand...
• EXPLAIN - I know, but I did it because...
• UNDERSTAND - I see what you are talking about.
• CHANGE - Cool, this is what I'm going to do about it.
Note that you can feel all the steps or skip a few steps, as you hone your self-awareness skills.
Effects of Giving & Receiving Feedback
• Greater openness
• Increased trust
• Fewer surprises
• Less game playing
The Johari Window
Johari Window is a technique for improving self-awareness within an individual. It helps in understanding your
relationship with yourself and others. Johari Window model can be a useful tool if you want to improve your
communication skills.
• ARENA/OPEN AREA - Here the information about the person his attitudes, behaviour, emotions,
feelings, skills and views will be known by the person as well as by others. This is mainly the area where
all the communications occur and the larger the arena becomes the more effectual and dynamic the
relationship will be.
• BLINDSPOT Information about yourselves that others know in a group but you will be unaware of it.
Others may interpret yourselves differently than you expect. The blind spot is reduced for an efficient
communication through seeking feedback from others.
• FACADE/AVOIDED AREA or SELF - Information that is known to you but will be kept unknown from
others. This can be any personal information which you feel reluctant to reveal. This includes feelings,
past experiences, fears, secrets etc. we keep some of our feelings and information as private as it affects
the relationships and thus the hidden area must be reduced by moving the information to the open
areas.
• UNKNOWN AREA - Contains information, feelings, latent abilities, aptitudes, experiences etc, that are
unknown to the person him/herself and unknown to others. These unknown issues take a variety of
forms: feelings, behaviours, attitudes, capabilities, aptitudes, which can be quite close to the surface,
and which can be positive and useful, or they can be deeper aspects of a person's personality,
influencing his/her behaviour to various degrees.
.
Presentation and Storytelling
In the workplace, Microsoft Presentation or Google Slides is commonly used to design and deliver effective
presentations in the workplace.
PowerPoint is a computer program that allows you to create and show slides to support a presentation. You can
combine text, graphics and multimedia content to create professional presentations.
PowerPoint can be used to:

• organise and structure your presentation
• create a professional and consistent format
• provide an illustrative backdrop for the content of your presentation
• animate your slides to give them greater visual impact
Stages in Planning a Presentation

• Preparation
• Choosing your main points
• Choosing your supporting information
• Developing an opening
• Developing your conclusion
• Reviewing your presentation
Effective Presentation Tips

• Prepare: Preparation is one of the most important parts of delivering an effective presentation and it
can also help to control the nerves - Trust me, you can never over-prepare!
• Keep your presentation slides simple: Be as clear and concise as possible. Your listeners cannot
concentrate on what you are saying if you have lots of text on slides. Try to use images to supplement
what you are saying instead of text.
• Focus on your audience: Your presentation must be tailored to your listeners; this will keep them
interested and engaged. What do you want your audience to think, feel and do?
• Have an open and inviting body language: Your body language shows that you are confident and
believe in what you are saying.
• Smile and make eye contact: This show you are friendly and builds rapport with the audience. It also
helps keep you calm and concentrated as you will feel like you are talking to individuals rather than a
room filled with people.
• Dress for the occasion: Check what the dress code is; if in doubt we would always advise you to dress
smartly as this will look much better than being under-dressed.
• Don’t rush, keep your speech at a slow and steady pace: This is a common fault with presenters, it
especially happens when people are nervous. Try to be aware of the pace you are speaking at and speak
slower than you think you need to; trust us this will be a perfect speed.
• Practice, practice, practice: First practice aloud to yourself in front of a mirror, then practice in front of
your friends, family, or colleagues. Then ask them for feedback, improve, and practice again.
To make an effective presentation, Storytelling is very important

• Storytelling is the most important facet of effective presentations. Unfortunately, in the age of
PowerPoint, many presenters rely too much on technology and forget how important stories are. To
get the results you’re looking for, build your presentations on a foundation of great stories—not the
other way around.
• When you’re able to tell a good story, it’s easier to relate to your audience on a deeper emotional
level. Whether you’re trying to get your listeners to become engaged in your story, rally to your cause
or make a particular purchasing decision, tapping into those emotions makes it easier to incentivize
and encourage specific actions compared to trying to reason with someone logically.
How to Tell A Story
• Show and tell - Showing is preferable

to just telling
• Begin powerfully
• Unfold events - reflect on the plot and
theme through behaviour reveal the
character and conflict
• Keep it simple
• Characters unique
Business Etiquette and Workplace Ethics

• Understand what etiquette is and why it is necessary
• Impact of etiquette on everyday life
• Different types of Business etiquettes
• How to excel at networking events,
• Learn all aspects of business etiquette
• Understand workplace ethics
What is Etiquette?
Etiquette has been defined by Clover to mean good behavior which distinguishes human being from
animals. What differentiates us from animals is actually the way we behave and the way we think.
What makes you wonder when some individuals behave inappropriately is the guiding rule you believe
every human should follow (etiquette).
Principles of Etiquette
a. The Golden rule which states thus “Treat people the way YOU want to be treated” No one
wants to be treated anyhow.
b. The Platinum rule which states thus “Treat people the Way THEY want to be treated”
Traits that define these principles of etiquette are:

• Respect: doing an intentional act that shows that person is cared for and respected.
• Consideration: this is giving thoughts to your action, conducting yourself through a thoughtful
behavior while interacting with someone.
• Honesty: this means acting sincerely with integrity, not participating in gossip, not lying or
cheating to get ahead. It also encapsulates giving praise to someone who does something
good, giving praise to who deserves it.
Question: What are some of the ways you can show Respect, Consideration and Honesty?
Types of Etiquette
Generally, the two types of etiquette most people focus on are Social Etiquette which is based on
chivalry and the concept that old people and women need to be protected. Business Etiquette is based
on hierarchy and power, men and women are treated as peers and the same way.
• Social Etiquette
• Corporate Etiquette
• Good Dining Etiquette
• Business Etiquette
• Good Bathroom Etiquette
• Meeting Etiquette: the manner with which you conduct yourself during meetings matters.
• Telephone Etiquette: for instance, when a contact you do not know calls you, the polite thing
to do is to wait and allow the person to introduce him/herself and if the person fails to do so
then you can politely ask but do not attack the person from the onset of the conversation.
Action Point: We need to improve how we people experience you and how you experience others.
Impacts of Etiquette in Everyday Life

• Good manners show the best you have to offer and encourage others to be their best.
Practicing these manners on a daily basis makes for a more pleasant life.
• Manners are important to make a good impression on others in everyday life. They help you
to feel good about yourself and your identity
Etiquette Tips
a) Say please: this sounds easy and random but it is one of the tips and communication tools
that convey respect and is one of the ways you can easily get what you are asking for. It is a
sign of strength.
b) Thank You: saying ‘thank you’ gives a good feeling. Say thank you when someone does
something nice to you, sending a thank you note to interviewer isn’t a bad idea.
c) Listen more than you speak: by all means you should express yourself but before you say
something, think about it twice. Words said cannot be retracted even if you apologize. Once
said, it is said! How you covey your words is also of ultimate importance.
d) Table manners: take reasonable quantity of food; eat reasonable size of whatever you choose
to eat in your mouth. Ask for a thing to be passed to you respectfully. Maintain a level of
decorum; don’t muddle foods into your mouth.
e) Technology: when using your mobile phone, be mindful of the volume of your ringtone. Be
mindful of the kind of music for your ring tone and mind when you answer calls.
Business Etiquette
This is the expected behavior and mannerism amongst professionals. It entails acting in a manner
appropriate to the situation and recognizing cultural differences. This is the manner in which one
should behave in a business environment. It is how one should interact with team members, clients
and business associates. The appropriate behavior of this etiquette is reflected in how you dress,
address people and how you behave with people
The DOs and Don’ts of Business Etiquette

Some Business Etiquette sins
1. Not greeting or using a name
2. Leaving people waiting
3. Lack of courtesy and respect:
4. Breaking confidence
5. Interrupting when someone is speaking
6. Be mindful of your phone
Dos of Business Etiquette Rules

The good business etiquette rules are embedded in the 3 Rs
a) Recognition: recognize people by their name when talking to them, they feel valued and
appreciated. Acknowledge someone who does a good job or gives a good idea, it helps in
creating a better relationship with people. To be successful in business, you must be liked.
b) Respect: treat people with respect, value and courtesy. When you respect people, you
would be respected. Apologize when situation calls for it.
c) Response: people do not want to be kept waiting. They need to be responded to on time.
People would not value you, neither appreciate you if you waste their time. You need to be
true to your words when you give time, try your best to achieve your words and endeavor to
apologize when you default.
Other good business etiquette rules:
d) Be aware of your dressing: be conscious of your dress sense, deodorants etc., and use the
right quantity of deodorants. hygiene is very important. It is important to smell nice.
e) Show gratitude: don’t be an ungrateful person. Say thank you and mean it. If you don’t
show gratitude and appreciation, you would be seen as an ungrateful fellow.
f) Use name in meetings: most people remember those who remember their names.
Remember people’s name (clients, colleagues etc.) and always try to smile. Writing down
the names of people you met for the first time helps to facilitate remembrance.
Types of Business Etiquette

Telephone Etiquette: refers to the appropriate behavior you should adopt when having business-
related conversations.
1. Identify yourself when making a phone call. Introduce yourself and where you are calling from.
Also, endeavor to wait for the response of the call recipient.
2. Address the caller by name and courteously e.g., “am I on to……?”
3. Listen more than you speak and respond politely.
4. Close the conversation with an appropriate salutation, e.g., “thank you for your time,” “do
have a pleasant week.”
5. Allow the caller to hang up first. Don’t be in haste to end the call first.
Managing Angry callers

1. Listen to their problem /complaints and pick points carefully because they have a reason(s)
why they are angry.
2. Do not interrupt
3. Try to empathize with the caller, try to put yourself in that person’s situation or shoe.
4. Do not say, “No! You are wrong,”, do not disagree.
5. Try to investigate the complaints and resolve them, i.e., “please let me follow this up” Do not
mislead and do not over-promise.
6. Call back when you have a solution.
Office Etiquette: these are codes of conduct for how one must behave when in the office or
workplace.
a. Show a healthy dose of respect to your colleagues, junior and senior staff. Abide by the
manner of address that is in operation in your workplace.
b. Inquire from the Human Resource Manager about the code of conduct of the firm.
c. Appear in your professional attire
d. Be a problem solver
e. Be flexible so that you can relate well with your colleagues.
Netiquette: these are a series of rules for acceptable online behavior. It is the combination of the word
‘Network’ and ‘etiquette.’ It also refers to the correct and adequate ways of using the internet.
a. Recognize that the internet is an extension of society; it is not a space on its own. Treat people
the way you would treat them when you see them physically.
b. Apply the same standard online as you would do in public.
c. Refuse to empower abuse and harassment online.
d. Respect the privacy of co-workers. Know the kind of information you put out there.
Email Etiquette: this refers to the principles of behavior adopted when writing or replying to business
emails.
a. Be concise
b. Check spellings, punctuation marks, and grammar before sending your mail.
c. Avoid copying everybody when not necessary.
d. If it is a company’s message, do not reply if it is not necessary.
Chatting Etiquette: this refers to principles we must adopt when talking with colleagues, clients,
managers, or other stakeholders.
a. Compose your message as one and go straight to the point.
b. Be polite
c. Avoid unverified information
d. Show respect
Workplace Ethics
This is the balance of employer and employee rights. You should know your rights as an employee of
any organization. Workplace ethics are also a set of values, moral principles that employers and
employees must follow in an organization.
Importance of Workplace Ethics

It strengthens the relationship between the internal and the external organization.
Examples of Workplace Ethics
• Dress professionally
• Communicating with professional language
• Maintaining a professional organizational relationship: are you someone who delivers on time
and quality work?
• Punctuality
• Personal values: integrity, respect, not lies, no violence, not engaging in non-office related
work, sexual harassment, embezzlement, corruption.
Employees rights: every employee has the following right to enjoy;

• Right to privacy: personal information about an employee should be kept confidential
• Right to fair treatment
• Right to compensation
• Right to be treated reasonably and with respect
• Right to freedom from any form of discrimination
• Free speech but in a respectable manner
Fairness Issues: the absence of fair treatment results in a lack of self-motivation and bad behavior.
• Discrimination: employees have the right not to be discriminated against, whether by age,
religion, sex, gender, tribe, etc. these should not be the yardstick to judge people.
• Salary: all employees have a right to fir wages. Fair wages should be determined by job
competence, i.e., and not gender, religion, sex, age.
• Fair Policies: all staff should be treated with respect. Organizational policies should be on the
principles of equity and transparency.
Trust: all successful businesses are built on trust. Transparency is the key to building trust in the
workplace. Trust is the key to establishing an ethical organization. When there’s trust, it produces
creativity, collaboration, and cooperation. It also births innovation and business growth. It increases
production capacity. To gain the trust of employees, they must be treated well and fairly.
Networking:
Networking is the action or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop
professional or social contacts. Networking involves building and maintaining connections and
relationships with other people. Your Network determines your Net Worth. The more people you
know, the stronger your Network. Your social circle is very important. Networking is quite easy for
extroverts than introverts.
Types of Networking
• The Social Network: These contacts may comprise family, friends, former work colleagues,
contacts made through university etc.
• The Professional Network: Professional association members tend to be from one specific
type of industry, such as banking, architecture, personnel, accounting or health. The primary
purpose of a professional association is to exchange information and ideas.
• Artificial Networks/Casual Contact Networks: These are general business groups that allow
many people from various overlapping professions. They offer participants an opportunity to
make valuable contacts with many other businesspeople in the community. A great example
is the Lagos Chamber of Commerce.
Tips for Networking a Business

• Have a one-minute “elevator pitch” ready to describe your distinctive competence
• If you feel awkward, go with someone who is not and ask them to help you so you can learn
social skills and unlearn your shyness.
• Ask others to introduce you to the people you want to meet. This is also like a referral. It
makes you two times faster to connect to your Network.
• Get drinks for people who are having a good conversation: this makes people appreciate you
and give them a good impression about you.
Top Networking Skills

• Quality vs. Quantity: the quality of your Network is very important. The number of people
you know does not matter. It is the quality of your contact that does. Who is the decision-
makers? Influencers? Who can help you, and how?
• Go Low Tech - call, visit people, Emails sometimes are too formal. You need an interpersonal
touch to establish an interpersonal relationship.
• Unlearn Your Shyness: walk with confident people, don’t panic.
• Avoid Panic Networking- don’t wait until you are looking for a job to connect with your
classmates.
Benefits of Networking
There are two broad benefits of networking;
1. Core Benefits- Leads to market knowledge/information.
2. Other Benefits- Credibility/legitimacy, advice, and problem-solving, confidence and
reassurance, motivation/inspiration, relaxation/interest.
Action point: Ultimately, it’s not about who you know, but WHO KNOWS YOU! Your Network
would take you further than your skills
Employability Skills
The importance of quality CV cannot be overemphasized. Your CV is what is noticed first. If your CV is
not well packaged or written, you might miss opportunities. That is why it is important for you to have
a good CV that would communicate your skills.
The ATS System/Selection Process

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a software application that enables the electronic handling of
recruitment and hiring needs. Applicant tracking systems collect and store resumes in a database for
hiring professionals to access. The process is like a tunnel, in most companies, these processes are
automated. It starts by;
a. Receiving all applications
b. Qualification criteria: applications that are substantially qualified. This is screening with
keywords that are related to the job description.
c. Rated Criteria: applications are scored and ranked based on keywords on your CV that are
related to the job description.
d. The highest are ranked
When packaging your CV, use the keywords from the job description.
How to prepare your CV for the ATS:

1. Carefully tailor your resume to the job description every single time you apply.
2. Optimize for ATS search and ranking algorithms by matching your resume keywords to the
job description
3. Use both the long-form and acronym version of keywords (e.g., “Master of Business
Administration (MBA)” for maximum searchability
4. Design-wise keep your resume simple. Use traditional resume font like Helvetica, Garamond,
or Georgia. Don’t use tables or columns. No headers and footers as the ATS will not read
those.
5. Use standard resume section headings like “Work Experience” rather than being cute or
clever (“Where I’ve Been”)
6. Avoid submitting your resume as a PDF unless the system specifically lists PDF files among
the acceptable options. Some ATS software scans a PDF as though it were one big image,
essentially missing all the information contained in your resume. Stick to a Microsoft Word
document.
CV- Your Marketing Tool

Everybody is a brand; your CV is how you showcase your skill and what you are about. The average
recruiter spends about 3-5 seconds looking at a resume and then decides whether to keep reading.
Your CV is meant to market you in the best possible way. Your CV should always stand you out.
Things to put into consideration while preparing your CV

✓ Think like an employer.
✓ Write relevant things on your resume: You cannot have one particular CV for all the
jobs you want to apply for. Decide the relevant experience you are projecting, write
your resume to fit the job you are applying for.
✓ Layout and Design: do not over design your resume, do not use too many colours.
Stick to one font.
✓ Spelling & Grammar
✓ Relevant
Note: while packaging your resume, endeavor to fill the gaps of idle time in your life.
What qualifies you to get a job?
• Skills or Work experience: industry placement, teaching, casual, voluntary, commercial,
military service
• Academic background: relevant modules, research training, academic success, scholarships,
awards and prizes
• Research experience/Success: practical work, laboratory or field, research assignments and
projects, research skills, publications, conferences, funding, training (research training
programme)
• Interests & achievements: committees and societies, positions of responsibility,
professional memberships, projects, Team.
Required Sections of a CV
• Personal Details: Name, Surname, Contact Details
• Work experience: Highlight your responsibilities using action words and quantify your
achievements whenever possible.
• Skill, interests and achievement: this part is the combination of your relevant skills; list what
you can do, i.e., put them in bullet points. Don’t lump it up.
• Education and qualification: Start from the most recent. Ordinarily, your primary and
secondary school education is not really necessary because if you didn’t have it, you would
not have made it to the university.
• Training: highlight the different training you have attended.
• Professional Qualifications
Helpful tips for CV Writing

• Tailor your CV to each job advert by using the exact keywords and skills mentioned in the
advert
• Keep your CV short and simple.
• Only include relevant information
• Clearly state your achievements and how you achieved it. If possible, quantify the results
achieved
• Check for spelling and grammatical errors on your CV
• Be honest. Do not include jobs you did not do or false achievements
At the application stage, your referees are not needed on your CV. You can just input “References
available upon request”
Cover Letter Writing Tips

Your cover letter is important because it showcases you as the best talent for the position. It is like a
personal touch on your CV. Your cover letter shows how serious you are and it also showcases your
writing skills.
Cover Letter Structure

• Paragraph 1 (2 sentences): who you are, how you found the application and what you are
applying for.
• Paragraph 2 (3-4 sentences): summary of ‘YOU’ i.e., your knowledge, skills and experience.
• Paragraph 3 (3-4 sentences): why you are so serious about the job (your magic), what
connects you to the industry, company and job, what makes you fit and why you should be
hired. Also show your knowledge about the company and culture.
• Paragraph 4 (1-2 sentences): you inform the employer that your resume is attached to the
cover letter. Call to action/intent to follow up, then thanks.
If you are applying for a job whose position is not stated, you should still state the position you are
applying for.
Job Search Strategies

Before you can begin your job search you need to have a clear idea or shape that you want your career
to take. The career development cycle is an ongoing personal development process which one
undertakes to map out and achieve a personal career plan.
Stages of the career development cycle

• Self-Assessment (Gaining clarity and
direction)
• Researching and Exploring Options
• Creating a Strategy and Conducting a Job
Search
• Developing and Expanding Professional Skills
Job Search Process

When conducting a job search, narrow your focus
considering the following:
✓ Career Goal: you have to know the kind of job
you are interested in and be specific.
✓ Desired Role: jobs that you are qualified for and have relevant experience.
✓ Industry: whether education, agriculture, legal, accounting/finance, etc.
✓ Type of organization
✓ Platforms or sources of job postings
✓ Job search materials (resume, cover letter, etc)
✓ Your Network: your network is very important Nearly 70% of jobs are never posted on a
website or listed in a newspaper. The majority of your job search time should be spent
networking - talking with people who can help you uncover opportunities that are not posted
on any job board or website.
Talk to the market

Connect with people currently working in that career field/job. They will have the most valuable
advice.
Job Search Methods
• Job fairs
• Online Job Portals e.g., Jobberman
• Cold calling
• Volunteering
• Recruiters/Staffing Firms
• Networking
Online Job Search Process

Social Media - General Suggestions
• Make sure the content is appropriate
• Market your skills and experience
• Follow key leaders with large impacts
• Follow organisations or companies that interest you
• Be aware of your internet trail
Your LinkedIn Profile

Your LinkedIn profile is your visibility tone. It is a premium social business network. it provides the
opportunity for you to market your skills. It makes you visible to others and gives you awareness to
opportunities. It is your email address and your substitute for online resume. On your LinkedIn profile,
make sure to do the following;
- Market yourself and build your brand
- Tell people your skills in detail
- No significant space constraints like resumes
- Get recommendations from coworkers
- List your education in detail
- List your professional associations
- Everything should show your uniqueness
Job Scam Identification

• E-mailed/Text Job Offer Supposedly from an Employer, Recruiter, or Job Board.
• Fake Jobs on Social Media.
• Fake Jobs Apparently from Legitimate Employers/ corporate identity theft.
• False Jobs on Legitimate online recruitment portals.
• Fake job boards, Fake
Employer Websites,
and Fake Recruiter
Websites.
Interview Preparation
• The best candidate on paper can lose a job to a less experienced candidate based on
a bad interview.
• You are the best candidate for a job not because you are the smartest, but because
you are always PREPARED to present your best self at a successful interview.
• The Good News!! Interviewing is a skill that you can learn!
Before the Interview

• Research and planning: prepare for potential questions, plan your travel route to the
interview and research the company.
• Your CV: prepare to explain any problematic aspects of your CV such as leaving a job or a long
gap in between jobs.
• Contact your references: let them know you have applied for a position and so the company
might potentially be reaching out to them.
• Job Role: fully understand the role that you are applying for by studying the job description
and doing extra research on what that role typically entails.
• Prepare your own questions: Always have questions to ask the interviewer.
• Choose your outfit: pick your power suit that builds your confidence.
Common Interview Questions
• Tell me about yourself
• What are your strengths?
• What is your weakness?
• Why should we hire you?
• Why have you been unemployed for such a long time? /Why did you leave your last job?
• How long will you expect to work with us if hired?
• Describe your teamwork style?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• What irritates/could irritate you about a co-worker?
• Tell me about your ability to work under pressure
Interview Questions You Can Ask

An interviewer will always ask you, “Do you have any questions for us?”
• Your answer is always yes!
• What does a typical work day look like for this job role?
• What is the greatest challenge facing your team right now?
• How would you describe the corporate culture?
• What do you look for in a member of your team?
• How long have you worked here?
Telephone and Video Interviews

• Direct the interviewer to your web portfolio (LinkedIn profile)
• Find a quiet place for the interview
• Fully charge your phone or laptop
• Write down your key attributes and points to make sure you get your points across quickly
• Have a glass of water available
• Have strong internet access
• Keep your CV, application and job description in clear view
• Do not smoke, chew gum or eat
• Do not interrupt the interviewer
• Give relatively short answers

• Smile, as this projects a positive image and changes your tone of voice
• Speak slowly and clearly
• Dress to impress
• Keep your body language positive
Salary Negotiation
It is important to note that there are some jobs where salary negotiation is not appropriate. Entry
level and graduate trainee positions. These positions come with a fixed salary.
How to Approach a Salary Negotiation

The biggest salary negotiation secret: Do not be the first to give a number!
1. Be Confident: You demonstrate a healthy level of confidence by knowing your value and
what you deserve for your skill set and the work you will be undertaking.
2. Do your Research: Fail to prepare...prepare to fail. You have to be able to back up your
request with industry, market and business-based evidence to support your
expectations.
3. Have Answers to Difficult Questions: You might be asked what you earned in a former
role. Answer this question carefully, but note that the companies are different and so
have different pay structures in place so that should determine your pay more than your
last pay check.
4. Look at the Whole Package: Make sure to consider all the employer is offering within the
package. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
5. Remain Calm and Amicable: A negotiation is about having a conversation. Every
conversation you have with the hiring manager will make a lasting impression.
Mistakes to Avoid in Salary Negotiation

• Not being prepared.
• Consider the economic or industry timing.
• Bluffing.
• Only seeing the salary and not the whole package.
• Not acting like the professional your resume and interview portrayed.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotions & moods influence the quantity & quality of the work people do. Emotional Intelligence is
vital for professional success!
“It is a term used to describe the various competencies that are essential for building, developing and
managing relationships” (Peters, 2008). It Refers to the ability to recognise, interpret and process
emotions in yourself and others.
Intrapersonal intelligence + Interpersonal Intelligence = Emotional Intelligence
Daniel Goleman on Emotional Intelligence

Daniel Goleman’s model (1998) focuses on Emotional Intelligence (EI) as a wide array of
competencies and skills that drive leadership performance, and consists of five areas:
Emotional Intelligence can be Learnt. We must detect the emotion behind each of our actions.
Understanding Personalities
People are different.... Predictably different! To effectively work with people, it is important to
understand the different personalities and behavioural styles. THE DISC is a personality profile
designed in 1926 by William Marston. It helps us to discover our personality style to help us
understand ourselves and others.
DOMINANT INFLUENCE
Strong bottom line organiser Great encouragers
Place a high value on time Motivate others to achieve
Challenge the status quo Persuasive negotiators
Innovative Possess a positive sense of humour
Take charge and move quickly into Great networker
action Volunteer for jobs
Results oriented Think up new activities
Thrive on opposition Creative and colourful
Seek practical solutions Inspire others to join
Delegate work
Areas of Growth
Areas of Growth Consider the ideas of others
Strive to learn to be an active listener Follow through with tasks
Appreciate the opinions of others Slow down your pace for others
Be more approachable
STEADINESS CONSCIENTIOUS
Reliable and dependable Possess the ability to gather, analyse and test
Loyal to the team authority information
Good listener, patient and empathetic Realistic (providing perspective)
Respect authority Conscientious and even tempered
Peaceful and agreeable Thorough in all activities
Has admin ability Ability to identify problems and find solutions
Mediates problems Persistent
Avoids conflict Schedule oriented
Good under pressure Economical
Areas of Growth Areas of Growth

Be open to change Focus less on facts and more on people
Be direct in your interactions Avoid the paralysis of analysis
Express your ideas and opinions Work to build relationships
Enthusiasm & Attitude

According to many recruiters including Jobberman, your attitude is the #1 factor in getting or losing a
job. 40% - Attitude 25% - Image and appearance 25% - Communication skills (verbal and non-
verbal) 10% - Job skills
For example:
Attitude: Do you demonstrate confidence and enthusiasm, are you on time or early?
Image and appearance: Do you wear too much perfume or cologne, are your clothes wrinkled or
inappropriate for the work environment?
Communication skills: Do you look the interviewer in the eye, is your handshake firm, do you speak
clearly?
Having a positive attitude in the workplace can help with potential promotions. Employers promote
employees who not only produce, but also motivate others in the workplace. For example, many team
members notice people who are usually upbeat and happy to help.
Once hired into a position, an enthusiastic employee will typically show up on time, show interest in
his or her job, and demonstrate a willingness to listen, learn, and try new things. In customer service
settings, an enthusiastic employee will approach customers proactively and offer assistance or seek
out tasks and projects when there is down time. This positive attitude helps employees go above and
beyond to get along with co-workers and managers – even difficult ones – and respond to constructive
criticism with maturity and willingness to improve. Overall, an employee with enthusiasm comes
across as someone who wants to be at work and who is willing to do what it takes to get the job done.
Positive Mental Health
Positive mental health is one’s ability to maintain the belief that he or she can transform or change a
tough situation into something better. It is that inner knowing that no matter how challenging a task
is, you can resolve it by either asking more questions, collaborating with colleagues or carrying out
extensive research. People with positive mental health attitudes embrace learning. Remember, there
is no such thing as failure, only feedback!
• Be open. Talk to people around you.
• Share your challenges.
• Seek help. Ask for feedback.

• Be optimistic about the future.
• Live a healthy life by eating right and exercising. Don’t give in to fear and anxiety.
• Work hard and smart.
High and Low Emotional Quotient
• Low EQ people are often completely oblivious to the feelings of other people. They don’t get
that their spouses might be angry at them or that their co-workers are irritated. Not only that
but they also feel very annoyed that other people expect them to know how they are feeling.
Emotions, in general, tend to exasperate people with low EQ.
• Signs of Low EQ include; Frequent arguments (because of disregard for others feelings),
Insensitive behaviour (cannot read the emotional temperature of a situation), Refusal to listen
to other views, always blaming others, emotional outbursts and lack of empathy.
• People with High EQ pay attention to what they are feeling (this helps them manage and
control it), they have empathy, they are not afraid to talk about their feelings, they know how
to express their feelings appropriately and they can correctly identify the root cause of their
emotions.
Adaptability and Flexibility in the workplace

Adaptability can be defined as creating modifications or changes in oneself to suit a new environment.
For a work environment culture, it connotes being open to new ideas, innovations, or alterations.
Someone with this skill can work independently or in groups, or perform tasks not designed only for a
single individual. Flexibility is the mindset that aids adaptability.
Mindset of an Adaptable and Flexible Employee
• Open to new trends
• Not rigid in thoughts
• Effective problem solving
• Adjusting to new trends
• Taking initiative
• Effective communication skills
• Active listening skills
• Negotiation
• Organisational culture fit
• Team player
• Collaborative
Teamwork
A team is a collection of individuals that are organized to accomplish a common purpose; they
are interdependent and can be identified by themselves and observers as a team. No man is
an island; teamwork is essential to achieving your goals and objective, so you need to learn
teamwork. Teams allow for organizations flexibility in assigning members to projects and even
allow for cross-functional groups to be formed.
Types of Teams
1. Functional Department Teams:
2. Cross-Functional Teams:
3. Self-Managing Teams
4. Matrix Team:
5. Virtual Teams
Difference between Groups and Teams

People often use these terms interchangeably. Ideally, they do not mean the same thing.
Teams are tightly coupled, which means that the members work together coherently,
whereas the roles and responsibility of the members may differ. While groups are loosely
coupled because they are heavily dependent upon individual contribution, Teams rely on
teamwork.
Characteristics of a High-Performing Team

• Recognizing individual strength
• Focus on hitting goals
• Alignment
• Open communication/ feedback
• Integrity
• Kept promises- to it increases trust
• Interest in learning
Qualities/ Traits of High-Performing Teams

• Dependability – Team members get things done on time and meet expectations.
• Structure and clarity – High-performing teams have clear goals, and have well-defined
roles within the group.
• Meaning – The work has personal significance to each member.
• Impact – The group believes their work is purposeful and positively impacts the
greater good.
• Psychological Safety – An environment where opinions are listened to and team
members feel heard
Four keys for Team Success
Action Point: active listening is a key to unlocking trust, sensitivity, respect and appreciation.
Many people believe that they are good listeners, but studies have shown that normal
average human beings only hear one-third of the words spoken to them.
Active/Effective Listening
This is actively absorbing the information given to you by a speaker and providing feedback
to the speaker so that he/she knows the message was received.
Four Rules of Active Listening

a) Seek to understand before you seek to be understood
b) Be non-judgmental
c) Give your undivided attention to the speaker
d) Use silence effectively
The Eight Listening Barriers

1. Scoring points – For example saying “Oh, that's nothing, you should have seen what happened
to me last week!”
2. Mind reading - Saying to yourself “I bet that's not the real reason he missed that deadline!”
3. Rehearsing -Preparing your next “clever” question and missing the present answer.
4. Selective listening - for a key piece of information and then 'switching
5. Daydreaming
6. Labelling - putting someone into a category before hearing all the evidence
7. Counselling - being unable to resist interrupting to give advice
8. Arguing - Saying “you won't find anyone in my department behaving like that”.
Benefits of Improving your Listening

✓ you improve your capability to learn and makes you more capable and competent
✓ it builds confidence and helps you and your team build knowledge and skills- both
technical and soft skills
✓ it helps bridge the gap between what you know now and what you need to know
Collaboration
We live in a world where we need to collaborate with people. It helps in building trust.
Elements of a Successful Collaboration

a. Establish clear definitions and agreement.
b. Keep the communication open with teams
c. Place the team goals above your satisfaction and recognition
Collaboration Skills
✓ Effective communication, both oral and written
✓ Emotional intelligence
✓ Respect for diversity- this does not mean you must let go of your religious belief or
conviction, it means that you respect everyone’s perspective is equal and not seeing
yours as superior.
✓ Having a productivity software, things like google drive, emails, etc
Conflict Resolution
Conflict is inevitable in an organization, especially where you have people from different
background.
Healthy conflicts
Conflicts are not totally harmful; we can learn from people who have significantly different
opinions from us.
To deal with conflict in a healthy way;
✓ Build emotional self-awareness
✓ Explore the other person by using empathy
✓ Speak for yourself with clarity and power
✓ Shift between using empathy and assertive skills that are needed
✓ Focus on solving the problem by using problem-solving skills
How do you communicate?

How you communicate affects conflict. Are you a passive, assertive or aggressive
communicator?
Ways to Handling Criticism Effectively

• Be your own best critic
• Self-Awareness- Knowing and becoming the best version of yourself is a life long
journey; we are all a work in progress. Knowing the areas of yourself on which you can
improve would also go a long way to helping you deal with criticisms that are true or
partially true. Criticisms strike at your ego and your self-esteem. One best way to
handle it is to be fully aware of the component of yourself that result in self-defeating
behaviour.
Guidelines for Accepting Criticism

• Separate yourself from the criticism. You are not your mistakes.
• It’s OK to dislike your behaviour and still like yourself.
• Think about modifying and improving your behaviour, not labelling or judging yourself.
• Deal with the issue, not your personality or irrelevant personal matters.
• Hold the belief that you, not others, are responsible for your behaviour and feelings.
Stages of Team Development

1. Forming: this involves orientation and getting acquainted with what the team is about.
2. Storming: this stage is the most difficult and critical stage to pass through because
there is a lot of conflict and competition among individuals
3. Norming: This is where conflict is resolved, and unity emerges to a good extent.
4. Performing: there is consensus and cooperation has been well developed, and the
team is matured, organized and a well-functioning team.
Stressors and Triggers

Stressors are events or conditions in your surroundings that may trigger stress.
How to Manage Stress

Some stress management tips are as follows;
• Identify the source of stress in your life. This is a good way to observe your triggers
and eliminate stress
• Learn to say ‘No’. Know your limits
• Avoid people who stress you out or limit the amount of time you spend with such
person or end the relationship if you can.
• Take control of your environment- if some information makes you anxious, turn it off.
If traffic makes you tense, take a longer but less-travelled road.
• Have your ‘to-do list’, analyze your schedule and daily task
• You can do other activities like meditation, exercise, spend some relaxing time with
nature, try and sleep well, connect with people socially, eat well.
Creativity
Creativity is the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules and patterns to create
meaningful new ideas, methods and interpretations.
Creativity, Innovation & Invention
• “Creativity Is the Capability or Act of Conceiving Something Original or Unusual.”

• “Innovation Is the Implementation of Something New.”
• “Invention Is the Creation of Something That Has Never Been Made Before and Is
Recognized as The Product of Some Unique Insight.”
• All Inventions Are Innovations, Not All Innovations Are Inventions
Characteristics of the Creative Personality
• Creative individuals tend to be smart, yet also willing to learn
• Creative individuals have a combination of playfulness and discipline, or responsibility and
irresponsibility.
• Creative individuals alternate between imagination and fantasy at one end, and rooted
sense of reality at the other.
• Creative individuals sometimes have a remarkable sense of humour
• Openness and sensitivity
• Creative individuals have great energy
Habits of Highly Creative People
• Mindfulness - Creativity requires an absorbed mind, a relaxed state of focus and attention.
• Question Everything – Embrace a “beginner’s mind,” and ask questions, instead of trying to
find immediate answers.
• Be curious - Get interested in something and it will later provide you with a goldmine of
ideas.
• Experiment and Explore - “I make more mistakes than anyone else I know, and sooner or
later, I patent most of them.”—Thomas Edison
• Rest - “As artists, we must learn to be self-nourishing.” —Julia Cameron
• Self-remembering - Your child’s play provides the clue to your creativity, your talents and
your passion.
Overcoming the Myths about Creativity

Limiting beliefs that only special, talented people are creative (and you have to be born that way)
diminish our confidence in our creative abilities. The notion that geniuses such as Mozart were `gifted’
is a myth, according to a study at Exeter University.
The study concludes that excellence is determined by:

• Opportunities
• Encouragement
• Training
• Motivation, and
• most of all, Practice.
What Is Critical Thinking

The philosopher John Dewey, often considered the father of modern-day critical thinking,
defines critical thinking as:
“Active, persistent, careful consideration of a belief or supposed form of knowledge in

light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends.” [
A Critical Thinker Is:

• Observational
• Curious
• Objective
• Introspective
• Analytical Thinker
• Determining Relevance
• Able to Infer
• Compassionate and Empathetic
• Humble
• Willing to Challenge the Status Quo
Decision Making Skills - Edward De Bono Model

The Six Thinking Hats is a model was developed by Edward de Bono in 1986. It serves as a team-based
problem solving and brainstorming technique that can be used to explore problems and solutions and
uncover ideas and options that might otherwise be overlooked by a group thinking in only one
direction.
This systematic method of thinking helps teams with the skills and tools needed to make sound
decisions! Think of the 6 thinking hats like a diverse team where different ideas thrive. The more hats
we wear in our groups, the better our chances of making SMART decisions.
Problem Solving
Problem solving is the process of working through details of a problem to reach a solution.
Problem solving can be a gauge of an individual’s critical thinking skills.
Problems can be classified in three ways:

1. Problems that have already happened
2. Problems that lie ahead
3. Problems you want to prevent from happening
Approaching Problems
There are three ways to approach problems:
• You can stall or delay until a decision is no longer necessary, or until it has become an
even greater problem.
• You can make a snap decision, off the top of your head, with little or no thinking or
logic.
• You can use a professional approach and solve problems based on sound decision-
making practices.
4 Steps to Problem Solving

• Problem Identification - Be honest about the existence of a problem. Analyse the problems -
Understand the main causes of the problem. Focus is on root cause analysis.
• Idea Generation & Evaluation - Solve important problems first. These are problems that could
have the greatest detrimental effect on business and work. Generate potential solutions - Do
not stick to popular solutions, look into new solutions and list them.
• Selection of Ideas -Make plans “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” Make a specific and detailed
plan to carry out the chosen solution(s).
• Idea Implementation - Carry out solutions. Step by step and with a positive attitude carry out
your plan to implement the chosen solution(s).
Conflict Management
• Conflict resolution is the process of resolving a dispute by addressing and meeting at least
some of each side’s needs and concerns.
• It’s an indispensable process to create a productive workplace and effective team dynamics.
Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Resolution Model

• The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI®) is a conflict resolution model.
• One of the reasons for the Thomas-Kilmann’s popularity is that it shows how each conflict
mode can be useful for dealing with conflict in certain situations. It allows people understand
their conflict styles and those of team mates.
• Using the Thomas-Kilmann assessment allows people to focus and build on their strengths.
The 5 Modes
• Competing: Assertive and Uncooperative - You try to satisfy your own concerns at your
teammate’s expense.
• Avoiding: Unassertive and Uncooperative -You sidestep the conflict without trying to satisfy
your concerns or those of your teammate.
• Accommodating: Unassertive and Cooperative -You attempt to satisfy your teammate’s
concerns at the expense of your own.
• Compromising: Intermediate level of Assertiveness and Cooperativeness -You try to find an
acceptable settlement that only partially satisfies your concerns and those of your teammate.
• Collaborating: Assertive and Cooperative - You try to find a win-win solution that completely
satisfies both your concerns and your teammate’s concerns.
Functional/Constructive Conflict
Conflict is constructive when it:
• Results in clarification of important problems and issues
• Results in solutions to problems
• Causes authentic communication
• Involves people resolving issues that are important to them
• Encourages innovative thinking and reduces stagnation
• Builds cooperation among people through learning more about each other and working
together
• Joins in resolving the conflict and other underlying issues
• Helps individuals develop understanding and skills
Dysfunctional/Destructive Conflict
Conflict is destructive when it:
• Distracts from other important activities and issues that might need solving
• Leads to reduce trust and increased tension, anxiety and stress
• Undermines morale or self-concept
• Leads to poor decision making because of withheld or distorted information
• Polarizes people and groups, reducing cooperation
• Increases or sharpens differences
• Leads to irresponsible and harmful behaviour such as name-calling and physical fighting.

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Personal Effectiveness and Time Management

What is Personal Effectiveness?

The Four Self-Awareness Archetypes

The Big 5 Personality Traits

You can take a personality test here: https://www.123test.com/personality-test/

How to Overcome Low Self-Confidence

What is Time Management

• Process – Building good time management habits is a process

Obstacles to Effective Time Management

Strategies for Time Management

The Time Management Matrix

Stress Management Tips

How to Manage Stress

Effective Communication, Presentation and Storytelling

What is Effective Communication

For communication to be complete, there must be a feedback from the receiver.

5 Tips for Effective Communication

Some communication channels are;

Which of these communication channels are you more comfortable with?

The 7 Cs of Effective Communication

For communication to be effective, it must be;

Active Listening involves; Patience, Objectivity, Questioning and Feedback

Mehrabian Communication Model

• PHYSICAL e.g., Noise, lack of time, Interruptions

Overcoming Communication Barriers

These emotions bubble out in the following steps:

• DENY - Problem? What problem?

Effects of Giving & Receiving Feedback

The Johari Window

Presentation and Storytelling

PowerPoint can be used to:

Stages in Planning a Presentation

Effective Presentation Tips

To make an effective presentation, Storytelling is very important

How to Tell A Story

• Show and tell - Showing is preferable

Business Etiquette and Workplace Ethics

Traits that define these principles of etiquette are:

Impacts of Etiquette in Everyday Life

The DOs and Don’ts of Business Etiquette

Dos of Business Etiquette Rules

Types of Business Etiquette

Managing Angry callers

Importance of Workplace Ethics

Employees rights: every employee has the following right to enjoy;

Tips for Networking a Business

Top Networking Skills

The ATS System/Selection Process

How to prepare your CV for the ATS:

CV- Your Marketing Tool

Things to put into consideration while preparing your CV

Helpful tips for CV Writing

Cover Letter Writing Tips

Cover Letter Structure

Job Search Strategies

Stages of the career development cycle

Job Search Process

Talk to the market

Online Job Search Process

Your LinkedIn Profile

Job Scam Identification

Before the Interview