CHAPTER – 1

Communication – Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication

Verbal Communication:

Verbal communication is defined as communication to express our views, information, and

ideas in the form of sound and words. The spoken part usually involves face-to-face
communication. Communication through radio, television, or mobile phones is also called
verbal communication. Effective verbal communication encompasses good relations at the
workspace and home.

Types of Verbal Communication:

 Public Communication
 Intrapersonal Communication
 Interpersonal Communication
 Small group Communication

Public Communication:

The public communication is defined as the communication of a person with the public. It
involves a massive assembly of people. For example, the Prime Minister addressing the
public about the multiple developing projects.

Intrapersonal Communication:

Intrapersonal communication is communication within us. It is also called as internal

communication. It includes self-thinking, analysis, thoughts, assessments, etc. associated with
the inner state of mind. The person's internal thoughts or feelings play a vital role in
intrapersonal communication. It also includes various activities, such as solo speaking, solo
writing, solo dancing, concentration, and self-awareness.

Interpersonal Communication:

Interpersonal communication is the communication between us and others over the channel.
The communication can be online, face-to-face, video conference on mobile, etc.
Interpersonal skills are essential, whether we are a manager, employee, or looking for work.
Such skills are also known as soft skills that determine how well a person can communicate,
behave, and relate to others.

Small group Communication:

The small group communication is defined as communication within two or more people.
The number of people participating in such communication is enough to have a good
interaction with each other. For example: school meetings, board meetings, press
conferences, office meetings, team meetings, family gatherings, etc.

Non-Verbal Communication:

Nonverbal communication (NVC) is the transmission of messages or signals through a

nonverbal platform such as eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, posture, and the distance
between two individuals. It can include the use of time and eye contact and the actions of
looking while talking and listening, frequency of glances, patterns of fixation, pupil dilation,
and blink rate.

Here are some types of nonverbal communication and the effects they can have on the
success of your communication:

Facial Expressions:

Facial expressions—happy, sad, angry—help you convey your message. Be aware of your
facial expression when you talk and particularly when you listen, which is when it’s easy to
forget.

Gestures:

When you speak, a gesture can make your message stronger. Pointing out something you
want your listener to look at more closely is an example of nonverbal communication that
makes your message understood.

Proximity:

How close you are to your audience when you speak sends a nonverbal message. If your size
is imposing and you leave a very small distance between you and your listener, it’s likely
your nonverbal communication will be a bit threatening. On the other hand, giving someone
too much space is an awkward nonverbal communication that might confuse your listener.

Touch:

Touch communicates affection, but it also communicates power. In fact, when women touch
a listener, it’s often assumed that they’re being affectionate or conveying empathy, but when
a man touches a listener, it can be taken as a sign of communicating power or even
dominance.

Eye Contact:

Making and maintaining eye contact with an audience when you’re verbally communicating
or listening communicates to the other party that you’re interested and engaged in the
conversation. Good eye contact often conveys the trait of honesty to the other party.

Appearance:

Your clothing, hair, and jewellery are also a part of nonverbal communication. Dressing
appropriately for the context, maintaining good hygiene, and presenting a polished look
demonstrate attention to detail and cultural awareness. It enhancing trust and credibility in
interactions.

Personal Grooming – (Etiquette, Attitude, Body Language)

Personal grooming is the term for how people take care of their body and appearance. Habits
that are considered personal grooming include bathing, dressing, applying make-up, hair
removal, and taking care of one's teeth and skin. A person's personal grooming routine may
determine how he or she feels about themselves, and how other people perceive him or her.

There are three basic elements of personal grooming and etiquette

1. Personal hygiene
2. Dressing neatly
3. Manners and business etiquette
Personal Hygiene:

Personal hygiene is the most important aspect of personal grooming and etiquette. Some tips
to maintain your personal hygiene are as follows:

 If you are not clean and smell no one will want to be near you.
 Ensure body odour is fresh, clean, and pleasant by showering and using cologne if
necessary.
 Maintain healthy teeth and fresh breath by brushing every day.
 Your nails should be clean, neatly trimmed, and shaped.

Dressing Neatly:

Dressing professionally is an essential part of good business etiquette. Here are some tips on
making sure that you are dressed properly:

 Dress for the audience and the occasion.

 For the vast majority of positions, this will mean a smart, conservative suit, however,
it is better to do prior research.
 Make sure you do not have wrinkled clothes, or worse, stained ones.
 Pay attention to details such as polishing your shoes.
 If you wear glasses, make sure to clean the lenses.
 Women should wear light make-up and keep jewellery to a minimum.

Manners and business etiquette:

People who don’t follow business etiquette frequently make a poor impression and this may
decrease their chances for success. There is some basic workplace etiquette that one must
follow. A few of these are as follows:

 Neatly trim facial hair.

 Wear light perfume or cologne.
 Don’t smoke or eat candies and chewing gums inside the office.
 If you color your hair, maintain it properly and try opting for neutral colors.
 It is suggested to cover the tattoos if you have any.

Impact of managing your personal grooming and etiquette well:

Professional grooming has always been an important factor in achieving considerable
confidence which further helps in effective communication. Personal grooming and etiquette
are all about presenting yourself in the best possible way, by focusing on personal hygiene
and cleanliness. The way you treat the work environment and more importantly, how you
treat yourself speaks volumes about who you are and what your ethics are.

Etiquettes:

Etiquette in simpler words is defined as good behaviour which distinguishes human beings
from animals. Human Being is a social animal and it is really important for him to behave in
an appropriate way. Etiquette refers to behaving in a socially responsible way. Etiquette
refers to guidelines which control the way a responsible individual should behave in the
society.

Need for Etiquette:

 Etiquette makes you a cultured individual who leaves his mark wherever he goes.
 Etiquette teaches you the way to talk, walk and most importantly behave in the
society.
 Etiquette is essential for an everlasting first impression. The way you interact with
your superiors, parents, fellow workers, friends speak a lot about your personality and
up- bringing.

Types of Etiquette:

 Social Etiquette- Social etiquette is important for an individual as it teaches him how
to behave in the society.
 Corporate Etiquette- Corporate Etiquette refers to how an individual should behave
while he is at work.
 Meeting Etiquette- Meeting Etiquette refers to styles one need to adopt when he is
attending any meeting, seminar, presentation and so on. Listen to what the other
person has to say.
 Telephone Etiquette- It is essential to learn how one should interact with the other
person over the phone. Telephone etiquette refers to the way an individual should
speak on the phone. Never put the other person on long holds. Make sure you greet
the other person. Take care of your pitch and tone.
  Business Etiquette- Business Etiquette includes ways to conduct a certain business.
Don’t ever cheat customers. It is simply unethical.

Corporate Etiquette - Do’s and Don’ts:

It is essential for every individual to behave in a socially acceptable way. An individual must
know how to behave at the workplace. There is a huge difference between college and
professional life. One needs to be disciplined at the workplace. Corporate Etiquette refers to
set of rules an individual must follow while he is at work. One must respect his organization
and maintain the decorum of the place.

Some Do’s and Don’ts at workplace:

 Never adopt a casual attitude at work.

 Don’t peep into other’s cubicles and workstations.
 Put your hand phone in the silent or vibrating mode at the workplace.
 Don’t open anyone else’s notepads registers or files without his permission.
 Stay away from nasty politics
 Keep your workstation clean and tidy
 Never criticize or make fun of any of your colleagues.
 Respect your fellow workers and help them whenever required.
 Park your car at the space allocated to you.
 Never ever drink while you are at work.
 Reach office on time.
 Never wear revealing clothes to work.
 Never attend meetings or seminars without a notepad and pen.
 Take care of your pitch and tone at the workplace.
 Popping chewing gums in front of co-workers is simply not expected out of a
professional.

Presentation Skills:
A presentation is a means of communication which can be adapted to various speaking
situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team.

Following are the steps include in preparing effective presentation:

 Plan
 Prepare
 Practice
 Present

Planning:

Planning usually include following questions:

• Who is your audience?

• Why are they there?
• What is your goal?
• How long will it be?
• Where will it take place?

Prepare:

Following points must keep in mind while preparing:

• Structure
• Prompt
• Visual aids
• Voice
• Appearance
• Style
• Questions

Structure:

Write your presentation in this order:

• Objective
• Beginning or introduction
 • Main content
• Summary, conclusion and recommendations
• Questions

Prompt:

• Short bullet points, key words only.

• Put your entire prompt onto your power point slides.
• These prompt are for you.

Visual aids:

• Use simple fonts, colors and graphs.

• Use images and clipart.
• 3 to 7 bullets per slide.
• Don’t over crowd your slides, it will not look professional.
• New or different visual aids wake people up.

Voice:

• Louder and clear than your normal pitch.

• Vary pitch and volume.
• Over emphasis

Appearance:

• Dark colors read as businesslike.

• Wear comfortable shoes to weight your feet evenly.
• Allow yourself to move a bit.
• Look confident.

Professional dress code:

• Shirts should always have collars. A solid color is recommended. They should be long
sleeved, even in summer.
• Tie should coordinate with the color of your shirt. A small, conservative pattern is
okay, but remember : no character or novelty ties.
 • Always wear a belt. Also, keep ypur laptop and papers in a bag that’s as polished as
the rest of your ensemble.
• For colors, think shades of brown, beige, olive or gray.
• Finish your outfit with boots, leather penny loafers/monk straps, Oxfords, or formal
black shoes.

Style:

• You already have a style don’t try to copy others.

• Use words and sentences you use in normal days.
• Be yourself.

Questions:

Sketch an idea that what kind of questions audience may ask.

PUBLIC SPEAKING:

Public speaking is the act of performing a speech to a live audience. It is a skill which is
learnt through constant practice. It is commonly understood as formal, face to face speaking
of a single person to a group of listeners.

Three steps for the preparation of a formal speech

• Planning: facilitates the speaker to prepare and deliver the speech effectively. It
depends on the occasion, audience and purpose
• Writing: collects the required material, creates an outline, prepares the first draft and
edits the same
• Delivery: Speaker presents the same and fluency plays a vital role in the delivery of
an effective speech

Methods of Delivery:

1. Memorizing: some speakers memorize the entire text of the speech and deliver it.
Memory plays a crucial role in this method.
2. Reading out from the Manuscript: Here the speaker reads out the written
manuscript of the speech. It can become monotonous and boring.
 3. Extempore: Most effective method. Speaker carries few notes and explains each
point. This method sounds convincing and natural.
4. Power Point method: Speaker methods slides, and explains them orally. Best known
ways of delivering a speech. It provides flexibility to the speaker.
5. Impromptu: Impromptu means ‘without advance preparation’. The speaker needs to
speak without any preparation. It is delivered at the spur of the moment.

Strategies for Effective Delivery:

• Catchy beginning
• Correct pronunciation
• Proper voice modulation
• Use of positive body language
• Use of illustrations
• Use of wit and humor
• Emphatic ending

To make the speech effective, the speaker should:

• Research the topic thoroughly

• Keep audience centered approach
• Use simple words and language
• Articulate clearly
• Grab the attention of the audience with a powerful opening
• Assess the needs and priorities of a potential audience
• Control performance anxiety
• Create attractive PowerPoint slides with the right amount of detail
• Draft an evaluation form that attendees are likely to complete
• Handing out copies of slides in advance to minimize note-taking demands on the
audience
• Maintain eye contact with the audience and provide an energetic, animated physical
presence
 • Memorize enough content so that the speech does not come off as a reading of notes
• Modulate vocal tone to emphasize important points and avoid monotonous
presentation
• Organize a logical flow to a speech
• Prepare examples that are relevant to the experience of the expected audience
• Provide compelling evidence to support themes
• Rehearse the presentation and revising rough spots
• Restate critical points at the end of a speech to cement key concepts
• Review feedback and modify the approach for talks in the future
• Summarize the topics to be covered at the beginning to provide context for attendees
• Tell stories to illustrate points
• Plan the speech in advance to make sure it meets the allotted time
• Use humor to enliven a talk

JAM SESSION:

Just A Minute (JAM) Sessions are one-minute impromptu speeches. Here, the speaker is
presented with a topic on the podium and is given 10–30 seconds to think about it and
assimilate all their ideas. After the thinking period is over, the individual is given a minute to
express their views on that particular topic. JAM sessions are useful to test the
communication skills and general knowledge of the candidates.

The interviewer can assess the following skills with JAM sessions:

• Communication skills
• Quick wittedness
• The flow of thoughts and flow of speech
• Confidence in thoughts and speech
• Time Management
• Verbal English and Fluency

The JAM session is considered the toughest for any student. However, by following some
simple tricks, the JAM session can be cracked. Here are some simple tips:
Simple vocabulary:

When you are given a topic, give yourself a minute and frame your sentence in mind.

Keep your vocabulary as simple as possible.

Don’t use heavy jargons and complex sentences which confuse the interviewer.

Pre-preparation:

There are some common topics on which the JAM sessions are conducted. It is always better
to have a knowledge of those topics and prepare for one minute to speak. They will cover
some topics like why is Engineering or MBA the right platform to start a bright career, the
impact of greenhouse emission, global warming, the latest policies by Modi, etc.
Preparedness creates confidence and reduces nervousness.

Avoid repetition:

Students generally make the mistake of repeating the points during the one-minute time. This
makes the presentation boring and unimpressive. An uninterrupted well-spoken speech is
always appealing.

Avoiding MTI:

Mother tongue influence and slang should be avoided while giving formal presentations. The
usage of proper diction is important. Also, do not pretend that you just landed in the UK or
the US by imitating the English slang. Please be yourself and present clearly.

Mock JAM sessions:

Students should practice Mock JAM sessions before their fellow students and friends. They
can get constructive feedback and improve their presentations. The faults, mistakes can be
identified and can be corrected. Students will become more confident.

Usage of proverbs:

Start your speech with a saying which connects with the topic given. It’s a nice way to start
and make an impressive presentation. Avoid using irrelevant proverbs which dilute the
essence of the presentation.
Avoid casual talk:

A JAM session is a formal presentation to test your presentation skills and spontaneity.
Therefore, the JAM session presentation should be in a formal tone. Do not make the speech
colloquial or conversational. Many students have the habit of using some broken Hindi or
mother tongue words in their conversations. The one-minute is to express yourself on the
topic given. Do not involve the audience in the discussion by asking questions and making
the entire speech participative. JAM sessions are meant to test you in one- minute.

Thank you note:

It is always nice to end the session with a thank you note instead of ending abruptly. Keep all
your suggestions and recommendations for the topic at the end. If the audience has any
questions, you may politely answer them at the end of the JAM session.

Dressing sense:

The JAM is a formal session. Therefore, present yourself properly at the JAM session this
will create a good impression on your interviewee. Use appropriate body language and hand
gestures whenever required.

ADAPTABILITY:

Adaptability means easily adjusting to changing circumstances. Today’s focus is adaptability

as a student and professional.

WHY DO WE NEED ADAPTABILITY?

• It is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that
survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able to adapt to and to
adjust best to the changing environment in which it finds itself.
• We can't plan for everything.
• Plans go wrong
• Unexpected changes happen
• How we handle challenges mentally and emotionally.
• How to find paths forward.
 • Adaptability can lead to a healthier well-being.
• It is a highly sought after skill by employers.

SKILLS FOR ADAPTABILITY:

OPEN-MINDEDNESS

• Being open-minded means being willing to learn from different perspectives and take
new approaches.
• Without being open-minded, we limit ourselves to methods and solutions that we
have done in the past, which may no longer be viable.
• We often must admit to ourselves that we don’t have the “answer” and need to look
outside of ourselves to find it.

RESILIENCE:

 Resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or

challenging life experiences.
 Resilience alone will not be enough to overcome obstacles, but it is a key component.

CRITICAL THINKING:

 Processing information
 Informing conclusions
 Making predictions
 Solving Problems

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE:

 Emotional intelligence is our ability to notice and manage our emotions and to use
them in constructive ways.
 Prevent stress from overwhelming us, handle setbacks better, and improve
interactions with others.
 Helps us put thoughts into action while also preventing us from acting recklessly.
 Better deal with the impact of failure.

COMPONENTS OF ADAPTABILITY:
  Concern
 Control
 Curiosity
 Confidence

CONCERN:

 Thoughts and Goals for the Future

 Immediate Goals  Long-Term Plans
 Optimism

CONTROL:

 We all want to have control over our current situations

 Decision-making and planning
 Ask yourself some questions about your goals and the future.
 What can you control vs what you cannot  Focus your energy on what you can
control

CURIOSITY:

 New information, skills, and possibilities

 Ask questions & do research
 Some questions to ask:
What do I need to know?
What do I need to do?
How can I reach my goal?

CONFIDENCE:

 Resilience Emotional Intelligence

 Trust in yourself
 Overcoming challenges and setbacks
 Anticipation of what’s to come!
 CHAPTER – 2

Goal Setting and Time Management

One of the most essential tasks for any group to be successful is proper goal setting. It is
important to work with your fellow student leaders and adviser to determine the goals that
your student organization will work towards this year. Spend an adequate amount of time for
brainstorming and then dialoguing on the goals. Try to establish one or two objectives that
will help you achieve those goals as well. Remember to keep these goals written down and
refer to them at various points throughout the year. Don’t lose sight of your goals; if you
manage to keep them in mind, you’ll be that much closer to achieving them!

Making S.M.A.R.T. Goals:

S.M.A.R.T. Goals Are:

 Specific-they are clear and direct

 Measurable-helps in creating objectives to reach the goal
 Action-oriented-they are something to work towards
 Realistic-they need to be something that can be obtained
 Timely-groups should set time limits and try to stick to them

Difficulties That May Be Faced Along The Way:

Goals are extremely important to make, but they are also quite difficult to explicitly make. It
is easy to have an understanding of what you think goals may be, but to write them out and
follow the guidelines for goal setting is quite difficult. And it also takes a lot of time. It can
also be hard to get all members on board with goal setting and then with what the goals
specifically are. But do not get discouraged along the way. Creating these goals are so
important to the success of the group that it will ultimately be worth pushing through any
obstacles that arise along the way.

The 10 Main Benefits of Goal-Setting:

1. Improves your self-image (or the self-image of the group).

 2. Makes you aware of your strengths, which can be used to overcome obstacles and
provide solutions to problems. (The same is true for the group.)
3. Makes you aware of your weaknesses so you can begin to improve them and make
them into your strengths.
4. Gives you a sense of past victories and provides a stimulus for present successes.
5. Helps you visualize. Plans actions to achieve goals you set and then carry them out.
6. Gives you a track to run on so you can see where you have to go.
7. Forces you to set priorities. Priorities establish direction to your pursuits.
8. Defines reality and separates it from wishful thinking.
9. Makes you responsible for your own life. Makes your group responsible for its own
success or failure.
10. Serves as a criterion to sharpen decision making.

Time Management:

Many students discover the need to develop or hone their time management skills when they
arrive at college. Unlike high school where teachers frequently structured your assignments
and classes filled your day, in college, you will have less in-class time, more outside of class
work, and a great deal of freedom and flexibility.

When you put new time management strategies to use, you will

 Gain time
 Improve your motivation and initiative
 Develop alternatives to procrastination
 Structure review habits and improve long term retention
 Avoid long cramming sessions and sleepless nights
 Ease your anxiety and lower your stress

Creating To-Do Lists:

 Each day write a list of things to be accomplished beginning with high priority tasks.
 Check off or put a line through each task when it is completed. This illustrates a
person's progress throughout the day.
 A to-do list is a simple tool to employ when it comes to organizing a day's work.
  A to-do list must be flexible. For instance, sometimes deadlines for projects are
moved up creating the need to move items around on the to-do list.
 A to-do list can include fun activities. In fact, writing down a leisure activity on a to-
do list is a great way of making sure that relaxation time is incorporated into a day.

Setting Priorities:

 In setting priorities for the day, take the time to decide which tasks need to be
completed right away.
 A person should review all of the tasks that they need to complete, in order to decide
how much time to dedicate to each one.
 If a person is assigned a time-consuming project, they may want to break the work up
into manageable portions to be worked on over time.
 The arrival of an unexpected assignment means that the day's work priorities will
likely need to be adjusted in order finish items on schedule.
 Setting priorities is a great way to organize work hours as well as make the most
productive use of them.

Meeting Deadlines:

 If a person writes down project deadlines as well as keeps them on hand, he or she
will always know what work needs to be completed and when.
 Before jumping into a work project, a person would be wise to review all aspects of it.
An overall understanding of the project will give the person some insight on how
much work time to set aside for it.
 A person should endeavor to finish a project before its deadline in order to have some
extra time for last minute changes.
 When it comes to meeting a project deadline, planning a time schedule to complete
the work is essential.
 A person who meets project deadlines is demonstrating professionalism to clients,
bosses, and co-workers around them.

Setting Goals and Achieving Them:

  Setting goals and then writing them down is an effective way for a person to focus his
or her efforts.
 Setting goals can help a person learn how to better organize their time. For instance,
setting a goal to finish a project two days before its deadline teaches a person to use
their work time effectively.
 Setting a goal and achieving it lends confidence to a person in all areas of their work.
 Once a goal is achieved, it usually inspires a person to set a higher goal, which
improves work performance.

Organize and Develop a Daily Routine :

 When facing a heavy workload, a daily routine can help with organization.
 When a person develops a daily routine, it helps to balance the amount of time that is
dedicated to each task or work project.
 A written daily schedule can help to focus a person's efforts on one task at a time.
 A daily routine must sometimes be adjusted to allow for unexpected occurrences or
projects that consume more time than expected.

Make Decisions More Efficiently :

 An important part of time management is deciding how to spend one's time. In other
words, a person shouldn't try to accomplish everything in one day, but instead choose
a few things to focus on.
 Endlessly putting off a decision is stressful to a person. It's a better idea to think
something over for a reasonable amount of time and then make a decision.
 When making a decision on how to spend time a person should consider the level of
importance of the task or project.
 CHAPTER – 3

Leadership and Team Management

Qualities of a Good Leader:

Effective leadership combines vital qualities that push individuals and organizations toward
success. Each quality is unique in the leadership journey.

1. Integrity:
Integrity is the cornerstone of trust in leadership. Leaders who demonstrate unwavering
integrity inspire confidence among their team members. They build credibility by being
transparent, keeping their promises, and admitting when they are wrong. Integrity ensures
that a leader’s actions align with their words, creating a foundation of trust and respect.

2. Communication:

Effective communication in leadership roles involves conveying ideas, listening actively, and
ensuring mutual understanding. Leaders must articulate their vision, provide guidance, and
listen to their team. When leaders communicate effectively, they minimize misunderstandings
and ensure everyone is on the same page. Leaders can improve communication by holding
regular one-on-one meetings, providing constructive feedback, and encouraging open
dialogue. By promoting open and honest communication, leaders build stronger relationships
with their team members, enhancing overall team performance and morale.

3. Accountability:

When leaders hold themselves accountable, they set a standard of responsibility for their
team, fostering a culture of ownership and reliability. Accountable leaders admit their
mistakes, learn from them, and make amends. This behavior creates an environment where
team members feel safe taking responsibility for their actions, knowing their leader will
support them.

4. Vision:

A leader’s vision provides direction and purpose for their team. It creates a shared goal that
motivates and guides everyone toward a common objective. A clear and compelling vision
helps align the team’s efforts and ensures that everyone understands the broader goals they
are working towards. Communicating this vision is crucial. Leaders do this through regular
meetings, presentations, and strategic planning sessions.

5. Decision-making:

Decision-making is a key skill in leadership. This skill allows leaders to thoughtfully align
decisions with their broader vision and goals. They seek diverse opinions, carefully weigh the
pros and cons, and then choose a course of action with conviction. This meticulous approach
drives their objectives forward and builds trust and respect among team members, reinforcing
the leader’s role as a trusted guide.

6. Problem-solving:

Problem-solving helps leaders identify issues, analyze potential solutions, and implement
effective strategies to address challenges. Leaders who excel in problem-solving approach
issues systematically and creatively, ensuring that solutions are practical and aligned with
organizational goals.

Negotiation Skills:

Negotiation skills are inherent qualities that help two or more parties agree to a common
logical solution. Lack of negotiation skills affects the business bottom line and could ruin
customer relationship. Negotiation skills are soft skills and essential to become a negotiator
and resolve workplace conflicts.

Benefits Of Negotiation Skills:

 Builds a relationship: Despite the difference in opinion, negotiation skills help strike
a solution and focus more on creating goodwill and value. This builds a long-term
relationship.
 Delivers excellent solutions: Good negotiation skills ensure that solutions to the
conflicts are not short-term. It focuses on creating long-lasting solutions because both
parties make a concession only when the solution is satisfactory.
 Avoids future conflicts: As both parties agree to a common solution, the chances of
future conflicts reduce to a great extent.
 Create an environment of business success: Good negotiation skills ensure the
accomplishment of business goals, which creates an environment of business success.
This also increases the chances of future business transaction.
 CHAPTER – 4

Group Discussion

Group discussion (GD) is a comprehensive technique to judge the suitability of an individual

and his appropriateness for admission, scholarship, job, etc. GD assesses the overall
personality – thoughts, feelings and behaviour - of an individual in a group. A topic is
presented to the group members for discussion. While the discussion is going on, a group of
panellists observe them. Through this observation they judge intellectual, social, leadership,
communicative skills of candidates taking part in the GD. Importance of GD For admission
to some of the universities, B- Schools, campus placements after graduation or for
recruitment to a multinational company, you need to have knowledge of the field and also
have the capability to work in a group as a leader or as a member. The group discussion
technique is a very effective way to judge the candidate’s ability to work in a group. What are
the skills that are judged in a GD?

• How good you are at communicating with other

• How easily you behave and interact with the other group members
• How open minded you are
• How flexible or rigid you are in accepting the view- points of others in the group
• Your leadership skills
• Your analytical abilities
• Problem solving & critical thinking skills
• Time management skills
• Your skills at putting forth your ideas in an unbiased manner
• Social attitude and confidence

Tolerance:

Mastering tolerance as an essential soft skill is vital. It helps build strong relationships,
embrace inclusivity, and boost workplace efficiency. Tolerance fosters collaboration,
enriches team dynamics, and fuels creativity. By valuing diverse perspectives, you create a
positive environment that sparks innovation and enhances job satisfaction.

Benefits of Tolerance:
Embracing tolerance can enhance team dynamics and foster a more inclusive work
environment. In the workplace, tolerance plays an essential role in promoting workplace
harmony and facilitating conflict resolution. By encouraging tolerance among team members,
you create an atmosphere where differences are respected, and everyone feels valued. This
leads to improved relationships, higher levels of trust, and a more cohesive team. When
conflicts arise, having a foundation of tolerance allows individuals to approach disagreements
with an open mind and a willingness to understand different perspectives. This, in turn,
facilitates smoother conflict resolution processes, preventing disputes from escalating and
creating a more peaceful work environment.

Tolerance in Communication:

In effective communication, practicing tolerance allows for a more open and essential
exchange of ideas and opinions. When engaging in conversations, important listening is key.
By actively listening to others without judgment, you show respect for their perspectives,
even if they differ from your own. This sets the stage for a more harmonious and productive
dialogue. Furthermore, responding with empathy strengthens the communication process.
Empathetic responses demonstrate your understanding of the other person's feelings and
viewpoints, fostering a sense of connection and mutual respect. This can help in avoiding
misunderstandings and conflicts that may arise due to miscommunication or lack of empathy.

Tolerance for Collaboration:

• When collaborating with others, remember the importance of open-mindedness in

teamwork.
• Embrace diverse perspectives to foster creativity and innovation within your group.
• Tolerance for collaboration can lead to more effective problem-solving and a stronger
team dynamic.

Open-Mindedness in Teamwork:

Fostering an open-minded approach in teamwork is crucial for enhancing collaboration and

productivity within a group setting. Understanding team dynamics and implementing
inclusivity practices are vital components in creating an environment where diverse ideas and
perspectives are valued.

Embracing Diverse Perspectives:

Embracing diverse perspectives in collaboration allows teams to leverage a range of ideas
and insights for enhanced problem-solving and innovation. By fostering an environment
where individuals feel comfortable sharing their unique viewpoints, teams can benefit from a
broader spectrum of solutions.

Cultivating Tolerance Daily:

Developing a habit of practicing tolerance daily can greatly enhance your interpersonal
relationships and overall well-being. Engaging in daily practices that promote mindfulness
can help you cultivate tolerance towards others. Mindfulness exercises, such as meditation or
deep breathing, can increase your self-awareness and emotional regulation, enabling you to
reflect on challenging situations with empathy and understanding. Setting aside a few
minutes each day to ponder your interactions with others and to explore different perspectives
can foster a mind-set of acceptance and respect.

Group behavior:

Your group behavior is reflected in your ability to interact with the other members of the
group. You must be mature enough to not lose your temper even if you are proved wrong.
You must be patient and balanced. Your success in a GD depends on how well you play the
role of initiator, information seeker, information giver, procedure facilitator, opinion seeker,
opinion giver, clarifier, summarizer, social-supporter, tension reliever, compromiser, attacker,
humorist and dominator.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Group Discussions:

• Interrupting others
• Dominating the discussion
• Lack of preparation
• Being aggressive
• Not participating enough
• Poor body language
• Repeating points
• Ignoring group dynamics
• Overusing jargon or complex language
• Failing to summarize
 CHAPTER – 5

Job Interviews:

A job interview is a great place to showcase your personality, highlight your strengths and
leave a positive impression on your potential employer. Having certain interviewing skills
like a positive attitude, honesty, communication and active listening can influence the hiring
decision in your favour. This means it is important to work on some of the key interview
skills to get hired for your desired job role.

Interviewing skills are your ability to interact with the employer or interviewer and show
them why you are the best-fit candidate for the job role. Your interview skills give an
interviewer insight into how you will communicate in the workplace and solve problems. It
also shows if you can actively listen and be honest in your work. All these factors tell your
potential employers how well you will fit in their work environment. During your interview,
the employer may pay attention to your answers and the non-verbal cues you use while
answering questions.

Interview skills are important because they give your potential employer confidence that you
can perform the job duties and accomplish your daily goals. Additionally, the skills you
showcase during your interview help an employer determine and validate if your
qualifications, experience and personality meet their requirements.

The most important skill for an interview is verbal communication because it helps you
convey valuable information about your education, abilities and experience to a potential
employer. Excellent verbal communication skills can help you deliver a well-thought-out
answer that can increase your chances of getting hired.

Here are a few examples of skills you can use during an interview:

1. Good research capabilities help you perform well in an interview. For instance, you
can read and analyse the job description and customise your resume based on that
research. You should also do your research on the company you are interviewing for.
That way, when the interviewer asks you questions like "Why do you want to work
for this company?", you will be able to provide an informed answer that shows the
employer you are the best-fit candidate for their organisation and its culture. As part
of your research, you can visit the company website, read the latest news about the
 company and talk to some of their employees. Some basic interview questions are
fundamental to almost every job role. It is always a good idea to practise such
questions before facing your potential employers. Preparing beforehand for questions
like "Tell me about yourself", "Why should we hire you?", "What are your greatest
weaknesses?" or "Do you have any questions?" is an important interview skill, as it
shows your attitude and seriousness about the job role. If you are applying for a
technical role, make a list of commonly asked technical questions for that job role and
practise them. The more you practise, the better answers you can provide during the
interview. During an interview, employers may pay close attention to your tone and
pitch. They want to see if you can communicate your ideas clearly and cohesively.
Talking too fast can make you look anxious. It also prevents you from conveying your
message clearly. The ability to speak calmly to make sure that others can understand
you is a skill that you can develop through practice. From the moment you walk into
the interview room, employers will pay close attention to the non-verbal cues you
portray. Non-verbal communication includes body language, posture, gestures, facial
expression and eye contact.
2. Time-management skills are important because they show that you can plan, prepare
and organise your time. You should reach the interview venue at least 10 to 15
minutes ahead of time and keep track of the time you spend answering each question.
Also, before coming for the interview, plan your mode and route of travel to be
punctual.
3. Self-confidence is the ability to stay confident in your skills and abilities. This is an
essential skill because it shows that you have trust in yourself. To showcase a
confident attitude during the interview, control your fidgeting, greet the employer
with a handshake, talk slowly and maintain eye contact. Also, when you answer the
interview questions confidently during an interview, it helps make the interviewer feel
more confident about your skills, experience and knowledge.
4. Active listening is as important as answering the job interview questions. If you listen
properly to the employer's question, you will be able to understand what exactly they
are looking for and craft your answers accordingly. It also shows that you are engaged
and serious about the job role.
5. Having a positive attitude during an interview can influence the hiring decision in
your favour. For example, when asked about why you left your previous job, saying
negative things about your previous employers is not a good way to answer such
 questions. So, focus on giving optimistic reasons for leaving a previous job. You can
also show your positive attitude using active verbs and positive connotations to
present your qualifications favourably to the employers.

Here are the top five interview techniques you can use to improve your chances of
getting hired:

• Make a good first impression.

• Dress appropriately.
• Improve your interview skills.
• Use the STAR technique to answer questions.
• Express gratitude after the interview.

What is the STAR method when interviewing?

The STAR interview response technique helps a candidate prepare for behavioural and
situational interview questions. STAR stands for situation, task, action and result. With this
technique, you can use real-life examples to give clear and concise answers. When using the
STAR technique, formulate your answer using the following steps:

1. Explain a challenge or situation you faced.

2. Describe your responsibility or role in the situation of challenge.
3. Explain what actions you took to solve the problem.
4. Give details about the outcome you reached with your actions.