CHAPTER 6: EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS/DEMONSTRATE EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS

6.1Introduction

Employability skills unit is among the seven basic competencies units offered in all the TVET Level 6
qualification. The unit covers the knowledge, skills, and behaviour required to demonstrate effective
employability skills at place of work. It entails conducting self management, demonstrating interpersonal
communication, practicing safe work habits and leading a workplace team. It also involve planning and
organizing work, maintaining professional growth and development, demonstrating workplace learning,
problem solving skills and managing ethical performance. This unit is critical for trainees to develop skills
for efficency and productivity at workplace. It is also significant in enhancing effective communication at
a workplace and reduction of conflict.

The unit will cover the following critical aspects; conduct self-management, demonstrate interpersonal
communication, demonstrate critical safe work habits, demonstrated the ability to lead a workplace
team, plan and organize work, maintain professional growth and development, demonstrate workplace
learning, demonstrate problem solving skills, and demonstrated the ability to manage ethical
performance. The basic resources required include check list, research tools and machines. The unit of
competency cover nine learning outcomes. Each of the learning outcome presents; learning activities
that covers performance criteria statements, thus creating an opportunity for trainees to demonstrate
knowledge and skills in the occupational standards and content in curriculum. Information sheet
provides; defition of key terms, content and illustration to guide in training. The competency may be
assessed through written test, demostration, practical assignment, interview/oral questioning and case
study. Self-assessment is provided at the end of each learning outcome. Holistic assessment with other
units relevant to the industry sector workplace and job role is recommended.

6.2Performance Standard

Demonstrate employability skills by conducting self-management, demonstrating interpersonal

6.3Learning Outcomes
6.3.1List of learning outcomes

a)Conduct self-management

b)Demonstrate interpersonal communication

c)Demonstrate critical safe work habits

d)Lead a workplace team

e)Plan and organize work

f)Maintain professional growth and development

g)Demonstrate workplace learning

h)Demonstrate problem solving skills

i)Manage ethical performance

6.3.2Learning Outcome No 1: Conduct Self-Management

6.3.2.1Learning Activities

Learning Outcome No 1: Conduct Self-Management

Learning Activities Special Instructions

1.1. Formulate personal vision, mission and goals based on potential

and in relation to organization objectives. Individual

1.2. Manage emotions as per workplace requirements. presentations

1.3. Evaluate and monitor individual performance according to the

agreed targets.

1.4. Develop and maintain assertiveness based on the requirements Role play on

conducting self at

of the job. place of work

1.5. Demonstrate accountability and responsibility for own actions.

1.6. Develop and maintain self-esteem and a positive self-image.

the organization policy.

1.8. Manage goals as per the organization's objective.

1.9. Identify self-strengths and weaknesses as per personal

objectives.

1.10. Manage critics as per personal objectives

6.3.2.2Information Sheet No 6 /LO 1 Conduct Self-Management

Introduction

In this unit trainees will train on how to formulate personal vision, mission and goals, manage emotions,
evaluate and monitor individual performance, develop assertiveness and be accountable and
responsible for their own actions. In addition, trainees will train on time and goals management and
identification of their strength and weakness at place of employment.

Definition of key terms

Personal Objectives: This refers to job specific goals of each individual employee when completed at the
individual level. Managers may add more objectives specifically designed to maximize their efforts. This
goal is to achieve quantity and quality of efforts between individual and the team.

Self-esteem: This is an individual subjective evaluation of their own worth encompassing beliefs about
one self as well as emotional state such as triumph, despair, pride and shame. Self-image: The idea one
has of one's abilities, appearance and personality.

Assertiveness: This is a skill that allows someone show confidence about what they believe at place of
work.
Self-management: Involves understanding yourself, understanding your interests and abilities, having a
positive attitude and grooming yourself in order to develop self confidence.

Content/procedures/methods/illustrations

1.1Personal vision, mission and goals are formulated based on potential and in relation to organization
objectives

Personal vision is a picture of what and where you want to be in life. Developing of personal vision is a
vital step for identifying development needs and taking action to address them to achieve career goals.
Personal mission is the statement that helps one to further define their purpose and what they seek to
achieve. It is a tool for making difficult decisions and a framework of how you want your life to be. It is
used in expressing a person's life purpose, motivation, values and inspiration. This statement is
important in helping one identify reasons for one's choices and behavior at place of work or in life
generally.

Steps in formulating personal mission statement

Mission statements may vary depending on individual, area of specialization and desired organization.
One could use the following steps to formulate a simple mission statement.

1. Determine one's ideal self

11. Examine the lives of others who are your role models or you admire

m. Consider your legacy

1v. Determine your life purpose

v. Clarify your skills, talents and abilities v1. Define specific personal goals

v11. Craft your mission statement

Example of a mission statement

Figure 25. Example of a mission statement

Personal Goals
Personal goals provide a long-term direction and short-term motivation for individuals in what they
want to achieve. These are very specific statements of what an individual wants to achieve in career,
academics, life or spiritually. Personal goals are formulated from an individual knowledge, available
resources and skills. They are time bound such that one

can set specified time of achieving the goals. Setting in personal goals is key in helping one keep sight of
their progress in life and at workplace. One can formulate different goals to achieve various purpose in
life. Such areas that one can formulate personal goals for are;

•Academic

•Spiritual

•Career

•Ethical

•Physical

•Academic personal

Example of a personal goal is

"I want to become a nationally recognized sportsperson"

1.2Emotions are managed as per workplace requirements

Emotional management at place of work is important. This goes a long way in one being able to
understand their emotions, control reactions and recognize the effect of their emotions and action on
others. People experience various emotions at place of work. These keep changing based on the
situation. Five common emotions people handle at work include; frustration, dislike, anger, feeling low,
and insecurity.

Management of Anger at place of work

Anger takes many forms such as slamming doors and yelling etc. It is important to note that anger is not
physical. Anger can be caused by feeling of being undervalued at place of work, differences in opinion
and tensions when one cannot express themselves. The following are common forms of anger at place
of work:

•Being excessively critical of others

•Berating or bullying others

•Being abrupt and dismissive

•Being cynical and sarcastic

•"Sabotaging" other people's work indirectly; for example, by being consistently late to meetings,
responding late to messages or not sharing information.

Anger sometimes is a symptom of fear, insecurity, depression or even substance abuse. Unless anger is
managed it can be misdirected toour work or close family members without realizing it. Many of us,
after a bad day at work, have gone home angry and then erupted in an angry outburst at a partner or a
family member. Management of anger at workplace is vital in enhancing relationships and avoiding
conflict.

Methods of managing anger

When anger is expressed in an unhealthy way it ends up destructing everyone else at place of work. The
following are ways one can use to ensure they control anger:

•Observe professionalism at place of work: These will include engaging rational problem solving and
maintaining a positive attitude to work and interaction with people at the place of work. Be careful to
separate personal matters from official one to avoid overindulgence in unprofessional behaviors such as
gossip.

•Avoid getting personal.

•Take in a deep breath.

•Take a healthy break if under pressure.

•Listen to your favorite music.

Effects of unmanaged anger

•Affects team productivity.

•Demoralization of team.

Insecurity

Change and the feeling of loss of control often trigger or make one feel nervous or insecure at work.
Insecurity at work affects self-confidence. There are various things that can make one feel insecure at
place of work e.g.

•Hearing a new downsizing rumor.

•Finding out a new manager is going to lead the team.

•Being assigned to a new project or area of responsibility.

•Learning the company may merge with another company.

With so much change in our everyday work world, it's no wonder that many ofus feel more worried and
insecure than ever before.

Managing insecurity at place of work

•One can ensure that they are constantly developing their skills to lessen instances where one feels
insecure.

•Maintain professionalism to avoid collecting rumors.

•Being positive and ready to changes within the organization such as new management and uncertainty.

•Ensuring that you are constantly networking to scout for new opportunities.

•Having clear personal goals in career development.

•Ensuring the terms of employment are clear.

Dislike

In normal circumstance the places of work will have many people with different personalities, beliefs
and values. Sometimes one might find themselves working with or reporting to people whom they
dislike for one reason or another. At place of work it is important to know how to work effectively and
productively with people we dislike. One should be able to remain calm and avoid confrontation with
the people they dislike. Avoid being personal.

Feeling Down
Everyone feels "low" or has a bad day now and then. When we feel down, we may:

•Have low energy to work.

•Worry more than usual.

•Feel distracted or guilty about time away from family and friends.

•Feel disappointed or unhappy.

•Just not feel "up" to doing a full load of activities.

Feeling down affects work productivity and can land someone into big problem. There are various
reasons for feeling low for example;

•A prolonged feeling of despair, worthlessness and personal feeling down can be a response to a
setback such as not being recognized for an achievement at work or being overloaded.

•Some people feel down after they've finished an important or especially exciting project and return to
more ordinary tasks.

•Others feel low because of circumstances in their personal lives. Most people bounce back from these
occasional "blues." But left unchecked, feeling down can interfere with productivity and with
relationships with co-workers.

It's important to keep in mind that a prolonged period of feeling low, or feelings of worthlessness and
despair, can be a sign of depression, which should be treated with professional help. To manage such
emotions, one should;

•Go for leave if they have one and engage in exciting supports or activities they like.

•Play a favorite music.

•Avoid people who discourage you.

Importance of emotions management

•Enabling employees handle changes and challenges at all jobs.

• Emotions control enables employees to adjust to changes like new boss or coworker.

•Enhances working in a team

•Improves handling conflict with customers and coworkers.

To manage emotions effectively one needs to be aware and recognize their emotions and feelings. It is
also important for one to be knowledgeable on what triggers their emotions. Emotions often have a
positive impact at work. Leaming to manage our most challenging emotions takes effort, but the payoff
is big. The following are ways used in managing emotions at place of work.

a)Learn to express your emotions in appropriate ways

Allow yourself to deal with difficult feelings in the appropriate ways for the work place. If you feel angry,
take the time to consider what may have triggered the feeling and consider actions you could take to
diffuse such a situation in the future. You don't need to pretend you're not feeling the way you are, but
you do need to deal with the emotions so that they do not affect your interactions with others.

b)Recognize your emotions

Recognize your emotions in their early stages, before they feel out of control. By reviewing your day's
activities and the feelings that were triggered by them, there's a good chance

you will discover the source of whatever difficult feelings you may have experienced. ff writing things
down helps you clarify your thoughts, you might try doing this as you're reviewing your emotions and
the work circumstances when they occurred.

c)Give appropriate feedback to clear the air

For example, if a co-worker has said something in a meeting that offended you and this is bothering you;
talk with the person about it, preferably soon after the event but in private. Be matter-of-fact and focus
on what was said or done and how it made you feel, without attacking the person individually.
Remember, even though expressing your emotions can be useful, it's never appropriate to do so at work
by yelling at or demeaning others.

d)Remember how you managed a problem in the past

ff an event at work: like a conflict with a co-worker or an unusually stressful workload is triggering an
emotional challenge, consider how you overcame a similar problem in the past. What worked? What
didn't?

e)Problem-solved by writing it down

This can be especially helpful if a problem is keeping you awake at night. ff you are having an ongoing
conflict with a coworker, you might write: "Every time we talk, even about unimportant things, we end
up arguing. Maybe I did something to offend him once but don't know it. Maybe ask him out for lunch
and find out." This can help you come up with strategies, and can keep the problem from distracting
you.

f)Seek support from your company's employee assistance program (EAP) or the program that provided
this publication

Talking to a professional can help you gain perspective on problems and come up with solutions as well
as specific techniques that will help you manage your emotions more effectively.

g)Build up your emotional resilience

Pay attention to your overall physical and psychological health by eating well, get enough sleep, and
exercise regularly. If you're well-rested, well-nourished, and physically strong, you'll have more energy
to meet emotional challenges. This will help keep you "emotionally resilient" and help you feel more in
control of your emotions and your life.

h)Maintain support systems outside of work

Talking honestly about your concerns with close friends or your partner can help reduce your anxiety
and keep problems in perspective. Choose someone you trust who knows you well enough to give you
honest feedback when you need it.

i)Cultivate interests outside of work

These include activities with good friends. Remember, not all satisfaction comes from work
accomplishments.

1.3Individual performance is evaluated and monitored according to the agreed targets.

To manage individual performance at place of work one needs to have clear goals and expectations.
Record what you are expecting from your work and what the organization expects from you. Maintain a
personal work achievement diary where you could be checking on achieved goals. It is important to
review your expectation periodically to ensure that you are performing well. Steps of managing
individual performance are:

1. Start your development plan early.

11. Communicate your plans to your manager or supervisor/ mentor or any relevant
stakeholder in the area of your profession.

m. Get to know the advancement opportunities that are available and adhere and strive to achieve
them.
1v. Seek feedback or a pulse check on the performance of your current position.

1.3.1 Assertiveness is developed and maintained based on the requirements of the job.

Assertiveness is a very important communication skill, used in ensuring one voice is heard and the way
they feel about something is understood. This is not about having your own way but being clearly
understood in your goals and objectives towards achieving organization goals.

Assertiveness includes and it is not limited to;

•Taking responsibility for yourself.

•Being unafraid to ask for help and support when you need it.

•Being able to say what you think/feel without losing your temper.

•Standing up to difficult people.

•Being able to give and receive feedback.

•Knowing its okay to say 'no'.

How to be assertive

Principles to help you be more assertive;

•Always ask questions about anything you don't understand.

•Think first, react second - it's hard to do both simultaneously.

•Don't say 'yes' just to please someone, when you really mean 'no'.

•Maintain eye contact during conversations.

• Be clear and specific about what you want to say- stick to the point and don't make it personal.

•Be polite, but firm.

•Give praise where it is due.

•Explain the advantages or benefits of what you are talking about.

1.4Accountability and responsibility for own actions are demonstrated. Accountability is about being
reliable, prepared, and setting clear goals and standards of how and what you seek to achieve at place of
work. It is important in ensuring one does not lie. Taking responsibility is ensuring you are able to deliver
what is expected of you at place of work.

1.5Self-esteem and a positive self-image are developed and maintained.

Self-esteem is the extent to which a person believes that he /she is a worthwhile and deserving
individual. Self-esteem is crucial in developing one's emotional stability. Developing a positive and
strong self-esteem is affects behavior in organizations and social settings. A person with high self-esteem
is likely to take risks in job selection, seek out high

status occupation than those with low self-esteem. Employees with low self-esteem are easily swayed
by the opinions of other workers than are employees with high self-esteem. They also set lower goals
for themselves than do employees with high self-esteem. High self-esteem is positively related to
achievement and a willingness to expend efforts to accomplish tasks.

Strategies for developing and maintaining self-esteem at work

•Select work/jobs that are in your passion

•Keep a record of your achievement

•Avoid negative thinking

1.5.1Time management, attendance and punctuality are observed as per the organization policy.

Being habitually late or failing to report to work is not a personal and a private thing at place of work. It
affects workplace in achieving its objectives. It is important for one to know the official reporting and
leaving time so that they are able to attend to work punctually. In case one has an emergency or cannot
be reporting to work on particular day's one need to formally place a requisition for permission to be
absent according to organization policy. This should be signed by the supervisor at the place of work.
Avoid faking illness so that you miss work it is unethical.

1.6Self-strengths and weaknesses are identified as per personal objectives Identification of one's
weakness and strength is done when one is able to know about what they can do well and what they
cannot do well. This is important in enhancing peoples work pe1formance. To be able to understand
one's weakness and strength is called self awareness. Self-awareness allows one to know their inner
strength and weakness, hidden talents, skills and even weakness. Self-strength and weakness enable
one to understand what they can do better and what they need to improve on. This skill is required at
workplace for good performance and development of training needs to enhance the weak areas.

Identifying strengths

•Take time off to think about what you do well.

•Think of anything that you are always good at.

•Think about what others appreciate about you.

Identifying weaknesses

•Point out the areas where you struggle and what you find difficult to do.

•Look at the feedback you receive from others.

•Be open to feedback and accept your weaknesses without feeling small about it. Look at it as an area of
improvement.

Table 9. Questions that will help in answering individual strength and weakness

Questions on what are my strength Questions on what are my weakness

How am I different from others? What do I do better than others? What do other people admire in me?
What makes me stand out? Where do I worry and struggle?

Where, how and why do others perform better than me?

What advice for improvement do I often

receive from others?

Conclusion

At the end of the training learners should be able to demonstrate skills and knowledge in conducting
oneself appropriately at place of work. The trainees are equipped with knowledge and skills to manage
emotions, maintain attendance, punctuality and accountability at place of work. The trainees should be
in a position to identify their strength and weakness.

Further Reading
1.hhtps://www.forbes.com ways of managing anger at place of work

2.Kerry Patterson's (2011) Crucial Conversations and Crucial Confrontations.

6.3.2.3Self-Assessment

r?i\

Written Assessment

1.Which of the following is not a self-management skill?

a)Problem solving

b)Bargaining

c)Understanding self

d)Confidence building

2.Grooming is a term associated with?

a)Time management

b)Problem solving

c)Neat and clean appearance

d)Self-management

3. Work reporting and leaving time is a private and personal matter that should not be discussed
by anyone at place of work?

a.True

b.False

4.Write a short note on the factors influencing self-management?

5.Describe the importance of self-management.

Oral Assessment

1.Identify ways in which you can develop a positive attitude.

2.What are some of the ways one can be assertive at place of work?

Practical Assessment

1."John a recruited to a company after college. He was so able to cope with the employees, company
dress code and was always late to office. What self management quality do you think are missing in
John?

2.Prepare a checklist on your strength, weakness and action plan on how to overcome your weakness.

3.Describe the steps you should take if there is a true emergency or you are very sick and can't go to
work.

6.3.2.4Tools, Equipment, Supplies and Materials

•Computers

•Stationery

•Charts

•Video clips

•Audio tapes

•LCD projectors

6.3.2.5References
John Neugebauer and Jane Evans (2016) Employability:Making the Most of your career development.
Sage Publications.

Slocum W John (2009). Principles of organizational behavior 12th ed. Nelson Education Ltd. Canada.

Stephens P.R and Langton N. (2009) Organizational behavior. Prentice Hall, Inc. New

Jersey.