Exercise-1

SELF-ESTEEM

Self-esteem refers to a person’s overall sense of his or her value or worth. It can be considered a
sort of measure of how much a person “values, approves of, appreciates, prizes, or likes him or
herself” (Adler & Stewart, 2004).

According to self-esteem expert Morris Rosenberg, self-esteem is quite simply one’s attitude
toward oneself (1965). He described it as a “favourable or unfavourable attitude toward the self”.

Various factors believed to influence our self-esteem include:

 Genetics
 Personality
 Life experiences
 Age
 Health
 Thoughts
 Social circumstances
 The reactions of others
 Comparing the self to others

People with high self-esteem will:

 Appreciate themselves and other people.

 Enjoy growing as a person and finding fulfillment and meaning in their lives.
 Are able to dig deep within themselves and be creative.
 Make their own decisions and conform to what others tell them to be and do only
when they agree.
 See the word in realistic terms, accepting other people the way they are while
pushing them toward greater confidence and a more positive direction.
 Can easily concentrate on solving problems in their lives.
 Have loving and respectful relationships.
  Know what their values are and live their lives accordingly.
 Speak up and tell others their opinions, calmly and kindly, and share their wants
and needs with others.
 Endeavor to make a constructive difference in other people’s lives (Smith & Harte, n.d.).

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Image

 Another similar term with a different meaning is self-image; self-image is similar to

self- concept in that it is all about how you see yourself (McLeod, 2008). Instead of
being based on reality, however, it can be based on false and inaccurate thoughts about
ourselves. Our self-image may be close to reality or far from it, but it is generally not
completely in line with objective reality or with the way others perceive us.

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Confidence

 Self-esteem is not self-confidence; self-confidence is about your trust in yourself and

your ability to deal with challenges, solve problems, and engage successfully with
the world (Burton, 2015). As you probably noted from this description, self-
confidence is based more on external measures of success and value than the internal
measures that contribute to self-esteem.
 One can have high self-confidence, particularly in a certain area or field, but still lack
a healthy sense of overall value or self-esteem.

How to Increase Self-Esteem

1. Take a self-esteem inventory to give yourself a baseline.

It can be as simple as writing down 10 of your strengths and 10 of your weaknesses. This
will help you to begin developing an honest and realistic conception of yourself.

2. Set realistic expectations.

It’s important to set small, reachable goals that are within your power. For example,
setting an extremely high expectation or an expectation that someone else will change
 their behavior is virtually guaranteed to make you feel like a failure, through no fault of
your own.

3. Stop being a perfectionist.

Acknowledge both your accomplishments and mistakes. Nobody is perfect, and trying to
be will only lead to disappointment. Acknowledging your accomplishments and
recognizing your mistakes is the way to keep a positive outlook while learning and
growing from your mistakes.

4. Explore yourself.

The importance of knowing yourself and being at peace with who you are cannot be
overstated. This can take some trial and error, and you will constantly learn new things
about yourself, but it is a journey that should be undertaken with purpose and zeal.

5. Be willing to adjust your self-image.

We all change as we age and grow, and we must keep up with our ever-changing selves if
we want to set and achieve meaningful goals.

6. Stop comparing yourself to others.

Comparing ourselves to others is a trap that is extremely easy to fall into, especially
today with social media and the ability to project a polished, perfected appearance. The
only person you should compare yourself to is you.

SWOT ANALYSIS

It is extremely important to stay aware of the positive and negative aspects of oneself and it
helps a person to understand what to avoid in his nature, what to champion & where to work
harder.

SWOT provides a tool to explore both internal and external factors that may influence your
work.

WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A SWOT ANALYSIS?

A SWOT analysis focuses on Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

How to Use the Tool

To perform a personal SWOT analysis writes down answers to the following questions.

STRENGTHS

What advantages do you have that others don't have (for example, skills, certifications,
education, or connections)?
 What do you do better than anyone else?
 What personal resources can you access?
 What do other people (and your boss, in particular) see as your strengths?
 Which of your achievements are you most proud of?
 What values do you believe in that others fail to exhibit?

WEAKNESSES
 What tasks do you usually avoid because you don't feel confident doing them?
 What Will the people around you see as your weaknesses?
 Are you completely confident in your education and skills training? If not, where are you
weakest?
 What are your negative work habits (for example, are you often late, are you
disorganized, do you have a short temper, or are you poor at handling stress)?
 Do you have personality traits that hold you back in your field? For instance, if you have
to conduct meetings on a regular basis, a fear of public speaking would be a major
weakness.

OPPORTUNITIES
 What new technology can help you? Or can you get help from others or from people via
the Internet?
 Do you have a network of strategic contacts to help you, or offer good advice?
 What trends (management or otherwise) do you see in your organization, and how can
you take advantage of them?
  Are any of your competitors failing to do something important? If so, can you take
advantage of their mistakes?
 Is there a need in your organization or industry that no one is filling?
 Do your customers or vendors complain about something in your company? If so, could
you create an opportunity by offering a solution?

THREATS
 What obstacles do you currently face at work?
 Are any of your colleagues competing with you for projects or roles?
 Is your job (or the demand for the things you do) changing?
 Does changing technology threaten your position?
 Could any of your weaknesses lead to threats?

A Blank SWOT Analysis Template here would help you to structure your Strength,
Weaknesses, Opportunity and Threats on a readymade format – so that it’s easier to
understand for you.

The personal analysis of a student would help one to have a better idea about the best parts
or resources of the student as well his limitations. Then, the analysis would also bring out
the opportunities lying before the student so that he can make the most of them. Finally, it
will even warn about the threats.
Performing this analysis will often provide key information – it can point out what needs to be
done and put problems into perspective.

HOW TO USE SWOT ANALYSIS

Strengths – Opportunities: Use your internal strengths to take advantage of opportunities.

Strengths - Threats: Use your strengths to minimize threats.
Weaknesses – Opportunities: Improve weaknesses by taking advantage of opportunities.
Weaknesses – Threats: Work to eliminate weaknesses to avoid threats.
POSITIVE ATTITUDE
Attitude

Your attitude plays a huge part in how you look at life. It affects how you see things around you
and how you handle situations. You can’t control what happens to you. But you can control your
attitude.

Define a Positive Attitude

You may benefit from having a positive attitude, which is healthier than having a negative
attitude. People who have a positive attitude, for example, may get promoted in the workplace.
According to "Success" magazine, the benefits of having a positive attitude include improved
communication and productivity.

Positive Thinking Can Change Our Life

Much of your behavior depends on your attitudes. If your attitudes are negative, you can expect
to be vulnerable to addictions and psychosomatic disorders, and the resulting lack of focus and
concentration may degrade every area of your life. A positive attitude can be developed by
monitoring and disciplining your thoughts on a moment-by-moment basis

Thinking positively shows that there is a mutual respect between two people. A positive attitude
helps you cope more easily with the daily affairs of life. It brings optimism into your life, and to
avoid worries and negative thinking.

HOW TO DEVELOP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE?

 Choose to be happy.
 When negative thoughts enter your mind, just refuse to look at them, doing your best to
 substitute them with happy thoughts
 Look at the bright side of life
 Choose to be optimistic.
 Find reasons to smile more often
 Have faith in yourself, and believe that the Universe can help you.
 Associate yourself with happy people.
 Read inspiring stories, inspiring quotes.

“Negative attitude says: you cannot achieve success”.

“Positive attitude says: You can achieve success”.

Happiness.

Creative thinking. Optimism.

Motivation Positive thinking.

Constructive thinking.

ADVANTAGES OF POSITIVITY

 Expecting success and not failure.

 It helps you achieve goals and attain success.
 It brings more happiness into your life.
  It produces more energy.
 Positive attitude increases your faith in your abilities, and brings hope for a brighter
future.
 You become able to inspire and motivate yourself and others.
 You encounter fewer obstacles and difficulties in your daily life.
 You get more respect and love from people.
 Life smiles at you.
 Making you feel inspired.
 It gives you the strength not to give up, if you encounter obstacles on your way.
 It makes you look at failure and problems as blessings in disguise.
 Believing in yourself and in your abilities.
 Enables you to show self-esteem and confidence.
 You look for solutions, instead of dwelling on problems.
 You see and recognize opportunities.

How Do Negative & Positive Attitudes Affect the Workplace?

People's attitudes in the workplace directly affect job performance, teamwork, creativity,
leadership, decision-making, turnover and negotiations.

 Workplace Influences-People with positive attitudes tend to fare better at work because
they can process information with greater awareness and efficiency, and more
appropriately.

 People with negative moods and attitudes dedicate excess time and energy to supporting
the mood, which prohibits them from taking in the needed information that can help them
perform better in their jobs.

 A negative attitude puts a negative spin on new information coming in, which prevents a
clear view of the circumstances or situation.

 A positive attitude takes less energy to maintain, which allows a person to be more
responsive in the work environment.

 Group Meetings: A negative attitude stifles the flow of ideas between people
because it shuts down creative thinking processes.

 Negativity and Stress: A positive attitude can help buffer negativity in the workplace.
 IMAGE MATTERS

A professional image describes the way a person conduct themselves at work and in other
professional settings. It also involves the attitude they use at work and how others
perceive them. People often strive for a professional image that aligns with the
expectations of their particular workplace or industry, as it can help individuals influence
decisions and form important business connections. It can also help people communicate
with others more effectively.

Components of Professional Image

1. Communication Style
Conversation habits and the language one chooses are both part of professional image.
This refers to how one speaks about oneself, others and ones work and the tone and
words one uses.
2. Behaviour and Attitude
Your mindset towards your work can have a positive or negative impact on your
productivity, and others can often sense your attitude based on your behaviors. Taking
initiative, addressing responsibility and encouraging others are all behaviors that reflect a
professional attitude.
3. Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication may include your posture, eye contact and hand gestures, all
of which can convey your thoughts and emotions in ways in which you may not be
conscious, but which can still affect how others perceive you.
4. Attire and Grooming
How you dress and style yourself for work and other professional gatherings impacts
your professional image. Demonstrating attention to your appearance reflects confidence
and gives others the impression that you understand your social role in the workplace.
How to Develop Professional Image
1. Be Mindful off the First Impressions
People form first impressions quickly, and these impressions can impact scenarios like
job interviews and meetings with new clients. By being mindful of your appearance and
conduct in these situations, you can project a more positive professional image. Here are
three elements to consider when meeting a new professional contact or entering a new
professional situation that can help with first impression.
2. Assess Your Communication Style
To show professionalism when you interact with others, you can use certain verbal and
nonverbal techniques. Consider using a clear speech pattern to help you convey your
purpose and express accurate information, which others may appreciate if you work on a
project together. Depending on your comfort level, it may be helpful to sustain some eye
contact and monitor the volume of your voice so you can better align your actions with
the tone of a conversation. You can also practice active listening during conversations,
meaning you remain engaged when someone is talking and reflect information back to
them.
3. Consider What Your Clothes Reflect About You
While it’s important to dress within your means, consider whether your everyday attire
meets both written and unwritten rules about clothing in your workplace.. Written rules
may be guidelines in an employee handbook, while unwritten rules may include the size,
color or style of accessories and statement pieces. You can get a sense of unwritten rules
by observing your colleagues and noting similarities in their dress styles. Once you
understand these guidelines, implementing style choices you enjoy can increase your
confidence, which may help you perform your job responsibilities successfully.
4. Use Social Media Thoughtfully
Because of social media’s increased presence, it’s important to be mindful of the version
of yourself you present online. Even if your personal accounts aren’t publicly viewable,
it’s good practice to assume that others can still share and view anything you post on
social media. As such, think about how your posts do or don’t match the professional
image you’re cultivating at work. By being consistent about your image both in the
workplace and online, you can avoid any potential missteps about how others perceive
your attitude and behavior.
5. Increase Your Time Management Skills
Remain punctual when attending meetings, presentations or other events. Arriving on
time can convey a strong sense of professionalism, as it often shows respect for your
colleagues and their responsibilities. To increase your chances of starting an event on
time, it may be helpful to prepare your materials beforehand. Consider using a planner or
scheduling application to organize events during a workday and record your obligations.
To learn how to optimize your time, you can also set timers to better understand how
long each task takes.