Journey From Good To Great

A Journey from
Good to Great
Reading Material
“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”
-Harry S. Truman
Heavy Civil Infra

IC, L&T ECC DIV
Reading Materials, “A Journey from Good to Great”
Session Plan
Time Assignment
Session1. Inaugural
 2 mins  L & T Anthem
 1 mins  Safety Pledge
 7 mins  75 years of L & T
 5 mins  Introduction of guests
 15 mins  Context setting (A journey from good to great)
Session 2. Ice breaking
 20 mins  Know me ice breaker
 5 mins  Debriefing
Session3. L & T values and culture
Creating a culture of discipline
Objectives
• To make people aware of the core values and culture of L & T
• To make people understand how to assimilate the values and culture of L & T and
reflect it in their day to day performance.
 5 mins  Concept of culture
 50 mins  Core values of L & T
 5 mins  Disciplined thought and action
Session 4. Desired competency level
Understanding what makes great performance
Objectives
 To make participants aware of the competencies required in their cadre
 To explain the behavioural indicators for each competency
 To help them prepare action plans to develop competencies
 5 mins  Concept of performance
 5 mins  Concept of KSA (competency)
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 80 mins  10 competencies
Session 5. JOHARI Window
Understanding what you can do and what you can’t (strengths and weakness;
identifying the hedgehog)
Objectives
 To gain understanding on the real self
 To learn the methods to gain understanding about own potential (passion and
drive)
 20 mins  JOHARI window questionnaire
 15 mins  Concept of JOHARI window (PPT)
 5 mins  Giving and receiving feedback (PPT)
 20 mins  Exercise (identify your strength)
 30 mins  Identify the hedgehog
Session 6. Emotional Quotient (EQ)
Self-motivation: confronting the brutal facts and have faith that you will prevail at
the end.
Objectives:
 To make participants aware of essence of success in life and role of EQ.
 To make participants aware of the concept of emotional quotient and its different
dimensions.
 To make participants aware of the ways to gain emotional maturity.
 10 Mins  Activity on the concept of success

 5 Mins  Briefing on the concept of success
 15 Mins  Administration of EQ Questionnaire
 10 Mins  Briefing on the scores
 20 Mins  Briefing on the EQ dimensions, relevance of EQ (PPT)
 5 Mins  Small video clip on EQ
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 25 Mins  Discussion on how to improve EQ

Session 7. Project Planning and Project Implementation and Cost Reduction
Understanding the core business (functional competency)
Objectives
 To make participants learn the basics of project planning and project management
 To make them aware of different cost reduction strategies
 To provide hands on training on a small live project
 15 mins  Concept of Project planning
 10 mins  Concept of Project management
 15 mins  Cost reduction
 30 mins  Live case study
 40 mins  Discussion on different aspects of project planning and
management
Session 8. Time Management
Inculcating disciplined life, goal setting
Objectives
 To help participants understand the importance of time management in
performance enhancement
 To make them aware of the different time wasters
 To make them aware of the different time management tools
 10 mins  Concept of time management
 30 mins  Exercise (identify time waster)
 10 mins  Debriefing on important time wasters and how to handle them
 10 mins  Time management and performance
 30 mins  Goal setting and preparation of schedule
Session 9. Decision Making
Consensus decision making, brain storming
Objectives
 To make participants aware of effective decision making process.
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 To enable participants learn the process of consensus decision making

 To enable participants develop decision making and analytical skills
 20 mins  Concept of decision making: types of decision

 25 mins  Consensus decision making activity
 10 mins  Benefits of consensus decision making
 20 mins  Tips to develop decision making and analytical skills
Session 10. Dealing with Stress
Stockdale Paradox
Objectives
• Make participants aware how stress affects performance and make them
understand what causes stress
• How to deal with stress
 15 mins • The concept of stress, job stress and non-work related stress
 25 mins (PPT)
 10mins • Exercise on stress
 5 mins • Debriefing on stress and arousal
 25 mins • Some amount of stress is good (eu-stress and de-stress)

• Dealing with stress, relaxation techniques, shaping the
 5 mins perception, lifestyle management (PPT)

• Video clip (success lies in handling stress)
Session 11. Leadership

Level 5 leadership style
Objectives
 To make participants understand the concept of leadership
 To make them aware the leadership styles
 To make them aware of the level 5 leadership
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 10 mins • The concept of leadership (PPT)

 20 mins • Exercise on leadership
 10mins • Debriefing on leadership
 50 mins • Qualities of level 5 leaders and case examples (good to Great
companies)
Session 12. Action Plan presentation and Closing

 5 mins • Introduction
 30 mins • Action plan presentation
 15 mins • Future context setting and closing
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L & T Values and Culture
This session will help you in……..
 Understanding the organizational culture and its importance

 The core values of L & T culture
 How to inculcate a disciplined culture
Culture: It is the shared system of values that all the organization members hold. For
example, integrity is a core value of L & T which refers to maintaining transparency in all
monetary transactions, and be ethical while discharging the duties. When all the members
of L & T hold this value and show in their day-to-day behavior, culture is reflected.
Values:What members collectively see as important and which consequently tends to

guide behavior. It is a long term issue and beyond cost-benefit analysis. In other words,
the values does not change frequently and the notion of right-wrong, important-not
important is not based on any cost benefit analysis. Has impact on the brand image and
business prospects of the Company.
Functions of Culture
 Culture provides a sense of identity to members and increases their

commitment to the organization
 Culture is a sense-making device for organization members
 Culture reinforces the values of the organization
 Culture serves as a control mechanism for shaping behavior
Core values of L & T
 Customer Focus
 Integrity
 Excellence
 Caring
 Corporate Social Responsibility
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Desired Competency Level
 The what makes a great performer

 Understand the meaning of competencies
 And competencies required in your cadre
Performance: KSA X Motivation
 Can be related to the three circles of Hedgehog principle (ref: Good to Great,
Jim Collins)
Competencies Defined: Competencies are the measurable or observable knowledge,

skills, abilities, and behaviors (KSABs) critical to successful job performance. Following
competencies have been identified in the tier-1 managerial level at L & T.
Competencies required at L & T in tier 1
 Business Communication: Produces clear and effective documentation and

communication. Is able to make accurate interpretations of complex material.
 Interpersonal Skills: Involves others, interacts effectively and is a committed
team member. Understands other people and is able to utilize them effectively.
Shares information and ideas and seeks to resolve conflicts.
 Customer Focus: Builds effective relationships with the internal or external
client and acts to ensure that all stages of the transaction are smooth and
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efficient. Makes the additional effort to exceed expectations and delight the
customer.
 Creativity: Comes out with new ideas/approaches. Ability to think beyond the
defined frames (Out of the box thinking).
 Improvement Orientation: Keeps own skill set up to date and is proactive in
ensuring the implementation of new and better ways of achieving desired
objectives. Ensures that learning is shared and quality is maintained and
improved upon.
 Drive: Is committed to the job and works hard for the long term good of the
organization. Takes on responsibility and accepts challenges.
 Planning & Organizing: Works in an organized and systematic manner.
Identifies and prioritizes resources. Anticipates constraints, schedules work and
mobilizes and monitors resources to achieve targets.
 Analysis: Overcomes problems and obstacles through systematic analysis and
balanced decision-making. Seeks all relevant information, draws accurate
conclusions and inferences and finds the optimal solution.
 Decision Making: Proactively seeks and accurately evaluates the available data.
Anticipates outcomes and implications. Chooses the optimal solutions from all
those available and implements the necessary actions in a timely manner.
Involves others and ensures buy-in to decision making process.
 Functional Knowledge: Has a good grasp of a wide range of operational issues
and demonstrates good technical project skills. Keeps updated on new
developments, theories and methods and continuously expands his knowledge
base. Capable of conducting research in a specialist area.
Additional readings: turn the page!!!!!!
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JOHARI Window
 Understand the concept of JOHARI Window

 Gaining understanding about your self
 And your clear goal (hedgehog concept) in life
 JOHARI Window is a technique created by Josheph Luft and Harrington Ingham in

1955.
 Named so by combining their first names “Joe” and “Harry”= JoHari
 A model for self-awareness, personal development, group development and
understanding relationship, group dynamics, team development and inter-group
relationships.
 Also referred to as a ‘disclosure/feedback model of self awareness’, and an
‘information processing tool’
 Represents information – feelings, experience, views, attitudes skills, intentions,
motivation, etc – within of about a person – in relation to their team, from four
perspectives
 Can also be used to represent the same information for a team in relation to other
teams
Additional Reading: Please turn the page!!!!
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Emotional Quotient (EQ)
 Understand the concept of Emotional Quotient and its role in success

 How to accept the harsh realities in life and develop self-motivation
 How to develop emotional maturity.
For hundreds of years a high intelligence quotient was considered to be the hallmark of
success; but in recent times it has lost its exalted status to emotional quotient. What is this
emotional quotient? What role does it play in our quest for success? How can we inculcate
it? Are we born with it or can it be nurtured? All these questions arise in our mind when we
think of this new lexicon. Here are the explanations
EQ Defined: Emotional intelligence, also referred to as ‘EQ’, is the ability to identify,
evaluate and control your own emotions and to better understand and manage the
emotions (or motivations) of others. The term "emotional intelligence" has been around
since the 1980s and came to popular prominence through Daniel Goleman who wrote a
best-selling book titled Emotional Intelligence.
Having high emotional intelligence can help you to lead a happier life because it is easier to
talk with and understand others, acting rationally and calmly in difficult situations becomes
second nature and it can also lead to better relationships and job opportunities.
Dimensions of EQ: There are four core elements to emotional intelligence that help you
lead a balanced life:
1. Self-awareness: This is the ability to recognize your own emotions for what they are and
to understand their origins. It is also about knowing your strengths and limitations and
self-esteem.
2. Self management: This is the ability to delay gratification, balance your needs with those
of others, take initiative and to pull back on impulsively. It is also about being able to cope
with change and to stay committed.
3. Social awareness: This is about being attuned to other people's emotions and concerns,
as well as being able to notice and adapt to social cues. It is also about being able to see the
power dynamics at play within any group or organizational context.
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4. Social skills/Relationship management: This is about the ability to get along well with
others, manage conflict, inspire and influence people and to communicate clearly.
Develop your Emotional Quotient
Before we try to develop our emotional quotient, we need to develop our emotional
awareness. We have to understand that our emotions carry messages for us. They convey
something that is happening in our current reality, or something that happened in the past,
but has not been resolved fully. Next time when you feel an emotion that does not feel
comfortable, ask yourself, “What is this feeling trying to tell me?” Very soon, you will
receive an answer in your mind. Trust the first thought that comes to you, for it is your
answer. Meditation helps in a great way to develop this awareness.
Take some time out of your busy schedule to relax completely. Sit in a comfortable
position, and become aware of your breath as you inhale and exhale air. Observe your
thoughts and feelings in this relaxed state. Do not be judgmental. This awareness of your
thoughts and feelings in a non-judgmental manner promotes detachment. You realize that
you are much more than your thoughts and feelings. You stop taking your thoughts and
feelings too seriously, as you stop identifying with them. This is a profound step in raising
your emotional quotient.
1. Maintaining Emotional Journal
There is another way of being aware of your emotions and accepting them. This is done by
maintaining an emotional journal. Every morning, ask yourself, “How am I feeling at this
moment”. Take five minutes to write down your answer. Writing promotes a degree of
detachment. It is also a safe way of expressing your negative emotions. Keeping an account
of your emotional history helps you in recognizing recurring patterns in your emotional
responses. It also helps you in maintaining a record of the progress you are making in this
area of developing your emotional intelligence.
It is important to take complete responsibility of your emotional responses and feelings.
Sometimes we tend to regard some emotional responses as unacceptable and refuse to own
our reactions. This denial is a great hindrance in developing our emotional quotient. It also
has a boomerang effect. For example, if we deny the feeling of anger in us, we will come
across ‘angry’ people in our lives. Take a moment to examine your life now. Do you
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encounter angry, grumbling, critical people in your life? Now ask yourself, are you denying
these same feelings in yourself?
We generally talk about feelings as though they are triggered by other people and outer
circumstances. Look at these utterances, “She upset me”, “He made me angry”, “That
leaking tap irritates me no end”. Do these sound familiar to you? Do you ever say such
things? Can people or objects control ‘your’ emotions? Can they release the right
combination of neuropeptides for you to experience irritation, anger, or fear?
2. Take responsibility for self
Usually other people and things merely act as triggers and push buttons in your sub-
conscious mind, which stores all your past memories, especially the memories of your
childhood.
As children we are constantly admonished to be responsible. Responsibility for the self is
what develops our emotional quotient. It encompasses taking a decision to be responsible
for everything that goes on within our self, and within our environment. Let us take a look
at some of the common external events that may push your emotional buttons.
 You have just been passed over for a promotion.
 Your bank has rejected your loan application.
 The person you love has jilted you.
 It rained the entire week during your much awaited holiday.
 Ten publishers have rejected your manuscript.
 You have been denied admission in the college of your choice.
In all these examples, something ‘external’ happened that is the cause of your frustration,
pain, anger, heartbreak, annoyance, envy etc. So you feel justified in blaming people, events,
or your luck. By doing this you end up handing over the control for your well-being in the
hands of others. This is what all of us do almost every day. No wonder we end up feeling
helpless. We feel that others control our destiny.
3. Be in control of your state of well being
Now you will ask me, ‘How do you expect me to react when such awful things happen to
me?’ All I can say is that you can be in control of your state of well-being, by just deciding to
be in control. It is as simple as that. Make the decision that in future you will look at all the
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possibilities, all the alternatives of responses at your disposal. Let us take a look at some of
these alternatives,
 You can choose not to get upset.
 You can choose to remain calm.
 You can choose to keep your cool.
 You can choose to remain in a good mood.
 You can choose not to let the event or other person bother you.
 You can choose to look at the situation as a learning experience.
 You can choose to grow from this experience.
 You can choose not to worry.
 You can choose to smile.
 You can choose to walk away from the situation.
 You can choose to let things/ people be as they are.
 You can choose to believe in your own value as a wonderful human being.
 You can choose to laugh.
 You can choose to shake hands with the other person.
There are endless choices that you can offer to yourself. Just make sure that your choices
always take you towards an enhanced state of well-being through an enhanced emotional
quotient.
This is not all; there is a long list of negative emotions. These are ‘overwhelm, fear, terror,
guilt, shame, anger, burden, betrayal, jealousy, judgment, resentment, low self-worth,
sadness, feeling out of control, needing to control, hatred, etc'. These emotions are more
destructive than all the destructive substances which hurt our bodies, such as alcohol,
nicotine, drugs, cholesterol etc.
Have you known any people who are tee-totaller, non-drinker, and fitness freaks, but who
still die of heart attacks? You wonder aloud, ‘But how could he have a heart attack? He
didn’t drink, he didn’t smoke, he took care of his diet and he exercised regularly.’ Have you
ever given a thought to his emotional makeup? Have you wondered if he harbored
destructive, negative emotions?
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Famous writer Peggy McColl has written in her book, ‘Your Destiny Switch’, “Negative
feelings are so powerful that they can be dangerous to your mental and physical health.
They may even affect you at the cellular level, causing disease and premature aging. In fact
the state of anger, hatred, or resentment is a form of death. If you give in to negative
emotions consistently, you can actually die of a broken heart or become so enraged or
upset that you suffer a fatal heart attack.”
I am sure you will agree with me when I say that emotionally stable people are optimistic
people. They remain happy, and live longer. They look younger than their chronological
age, and hardly have any health problems. They do not allow destructive emotions to run
havoc through their bodies and their minds. Is it any surprise that the emotional quotient is
the new buzz word?
Let me help you in letting your negative emotions serve you, instead of harming you. For a
moment, think of your body and mind as a robotic computer. Imagine that a negative
emotion is equal to a red, flashing signal, indicating a core problem in your operating
software. Perhaps this negative emotion is pointing towards a weakness in the body or the
mind. It may be directing your attention towards a limiting belief system that has got you
stuck in your negative patterns. You may even be addicted to a negative emotion because
deep down it fulfills some need in you. For example, children throw tantrums to attract
attention and get love or sympathy.
When you start observing your negative emotion as a red, flashing pointer to a much
deeper malaise, you will learn to understand your complex body and mind systems. But if
you ignore, suppress or deny these emotions they can completely destroy you. So, do not
delay any further. Start noticing your negative emotions and exploring their origins. See
where they lead you. Think positively, and constructively to improve your emotional
quotient.
Practice No Complaining Rule
You may wonder how you can remain emotionally sound when there is a lot of negativity in
the world, and certainly a lot to complain about. I have realized that following the ‘no
complaining’ rule really helps. Remember that every problem has a gift for you in its hands.
Look hard to find this gift. A friend of mine did just that. She recently told me, “Since eating
out has become so very expensive, we are dining more often at home. In the process I am
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discovering my culinary talents and also bonding better with the family.” What a lovely gift
the dreaded inflation has brought her?
So focus on being positive. Look at the brighter side of everything. Do not worry about
what others are saying or doing. Don’t get involved in office and family politics. Take
positive actions every day. Be a positive influence on others. If you can do all this, you need
not worry about your emotional quotient; you will be a shining example of a high EQ.
Three cheers to that!!!!!!
Few More steps to improve EQ
Step 1. Understand the importance of emotional intelligence in all aspects of your life. Being
intellectually capable is important in life, but being emotionally intelligent can be
considered even more so, as there are many benefits associated with high emotional
intelligence.
Step 2. Learn to recognize stress triggers and how to deal with them. Life is filled with
difficult situations from relationship breakdowns to job loss. In between, there are myriad
stress triggers that can make any daily issue seem much more challenging than it probably
is and the more stressed we are, the more vulnerable we are to not coping with life's many
stressors.
A very important part of improving your emotional intelligence is about being able to spot
stress triggers and recognize them for what they are and to bring yourself back to feeling
calm and relaxed.
This isn't the place to explore stress reduction techniques (and there are many) but you
might like to have a look at some relevant books and articles on the topic, such as: How to
relieve stress. How to reduce stress with martial arts. Deal with stress. Be assertive.
Step 3. The world is vast, be open to it. Be open-minded, intellectually curious and
agreeable. Openness and being agreeable go hand-in-hand when it comes to emotional
intelligence. Be open to new ideas – a narrow mind is generally an indication of a lower EQ.
To develop a more open mind, seek to understand and reflect upon the emotions and ideas
of others. Be open to their ideas and opinions so that you are in a position to consider all
possibilities in a positive manner. Remember that you can’t always be right, and by opening
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your mind and considering new possibilities your mind will be able to both expand and be
more accepting when you discover that your take on reality isn't as accurate as you once
thought.
When your mind is open through understanding and internal reflection, it becomes easier
to deal with conflicts in a calm and self-assured manner. You will find yourself socially
aware and new possibilities will be open to you.
While changing your mindset can be difficult if you're stuck on seeing everything in your
life in terms of absolutes, opening up a bit can lead to new insights and less personal angst.
To strengthen this element of your EQ, consider: Listening to debates on television or the
radio; in doing so, always consider both sides of the argument, as well as realizing that
there are nuances and subtleties that require closer inspection. It is often in the shades of
gray that answers can be found.
If you feel that you have a cluttered mind, write down your thoughts and ideas, critique
these thoughts, and think about why you may have these opinions. Moving thoughts from
your mind and onto paper takes them from the abstract to the concrete and allows you to
play around with them in front of you and to see them more clearly than simply being
mentally chased by them.
To clear an overwhelmed mind, do something soothing such as going to a deserted beach
or for a walk. Taking a break from anything you're doing can help you to cope with
stressing situations, unfolding change or repetitive daily routines.
When you hear something that you disagree with, before deciding you hate the idea,
consider it. When someone does not react emotionally the same way you would, consider
why this is.
To improve your ability to be agreeable, increase your trust in others. This doesn't mean
be naive or gullible but it does require you to be prepared to see the best in people and to
not assume the worst.
Step 4. Be heart smart, care for others. Be outgoing and empathetic. Those who have the
ability to understand others and direct interest toward external properties (i.e., being
focused on what is outside of the self) instead of being focused on oneself (self-absorbed)
have the qualities of extroversion and empathy. To break it down, being selfless is known
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as extroversion (note that this is not the same as being an extrovert) and understanding
others is known as empathy.
Extroversion and empathy grow concurrently – when teamed together you have an
understanding, selfless person. A selfish, self-centered person generally lacks empathy, and
a person who lacks empathy generally directs a lot more interest to themselves, seeing life
through the eyes of their own needs and wants only.
By strengthening this element of emotional intelligence, your communication abilities will
increase, allowing you to experience stronger and more satisfying relationships. The ability
to communicate clearly also helps you to manage conflict better and increases your
capability to influence others effectively.
To build upon the traits of extroversion and empathy, consider doing the following: To
improve empathy, put yourself in the shoes of others. Select someone who is experiencing
hardship (for example an asylum seeker or a friend who is in a spot of trouble) and think
about how you would feel if you were put in their situation. Actively imagine how it must
be to go through the experiences they're having and what might alleviate some of their
hardship in terms of support and care.
Practice empathy on friends and peers.
When seeing someone going through something emotionally ask yourself, “How would I
react in the same situation?” “Do these people deserve to suffer such hardships?” “Should I
feel sorry for this person?” “Are they being treated fairly?” and “Would I like to be treated
that way?”
By doing this you will begin to understand others and develop empathy.
Step 5. Be conscientious and prepared to deliberate. Rational thinking and actions are
abundant aspects of emotional intelligence. While you can understand a situation well and
have a clear idea of it, if you can’t take rational actions toward it then what use would an
analytical understanding of the situation be?
Conscientiousness is the act of analyzing a situation and deliberation is the act of
responding accordingly in a rational manner. In other words, it is the act of seeing a
situation, analyzing it, then acting upon it in a positive manner.
Many a person can "see" what's wrong but they stop there and don't move on to the
positive action as follow-through. Through the process of rational thinking and acting upon
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the deliberation, you will find yourself making better decisions and your ability to survive
hardships will increase drastically. Paired with an open mind, you will find yourself taking
the best possible route out of any sticky situation.
Ways to improve this element of your EQ include: When something occurs, analyze it.
Sometimes it isn’t a bad thing to over analyze, critique articles and get right down to the
bone, provided you don't suffer the "paralysis by analysis" problem. Get to the nub, then be
prepared to act upon what you've discovered.
Put yourself in a hypothetical situation and consider how you would react in certain
situations. Challenge yourself to a gradation of easy to very difficult situations so that your
thinking process has to work hard. Deliberating about difficult situations before they
happen to you helps to train your mind in responsible reactions.
Be goal-oriented. Being conscientious is about being focused on achievement and taking
the necessary steps to get there. One of the best things you can do is to form goals and
write them down so that they begin to direct your deliberation. It's hard to go somewhere if
you don't have the map and your life is no different.
Before making a decision, make sure you have taken into account all possibilities. Being
prudent requires restraint on impulsivity and delaying your response until you have all the
facts before you and have weighed your decision with care.
When making a decision, do not decide according to your mood. For example, if you are
angry at the time of a decision, it would be a very bad idea to make an important decision.
Make decisions when you are relaxed and have a clear head.
Step 6. Find peace within yourself Be attentive and self-aware – know thyself. To be
attentive is to pay attention to oneself and your surroundings in a positive manner.
Knowing who you are comes in big here. If you don’t know who you are how can you
expect to know others? Worse still is expecting others to define you, to remove your
autonomy and sense of life purpose by delineating your pathway for you.
Finding yourself is an enlightening journey and it can take time – indeed, a lifetime – but it
is the awareness that you continue to grow, change and learn more about yourself that
keeps you on an even keel. Be aware of who you are and you will begin to be much more
aware of others and their dreams, hopes, limitations and strengths. Also, being aware of
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your surroundings is important – you must be able to open your mind and analyze the
outside world.
Once you know yourself you can begin to recognize your own emotions and how they
affect your thoughts and behavior, which is self-awareness. Being self-aware allows you to
manage yourself in an effective manner, being able to control your emotions and behaviors
in a healthy way. And like a domino falling over, once you have yourself down-packed, you
should then be able to recognize the emotions and behaviors of others with clarity, which
can lead to better health and personal happiness.
To improve this element of EQ, consider these tips: Ask yourself questions like, “Why do I
act like that?” “Why do I have certain beliefs?” "Why do I find it so confronting to have my
beliefs challenged?"
Recognize your strengths and weaknesses and build upon the strengths while working out
how to either supplement or work around your limitations.
Develop morals and evaluate them. This is best done through broad reading, learning and
listening to a wide group of people, including those who really challenge your own view of
the world. Don't simply adopt what your parents, teachers, workmates or anyone else
believes; your morals must be carefully constructed from your broad learning and
openness to the world.
Allow space for personal growth. An intellectually curious person will always be interested
in self improvement through learning, discovering and reinventing as needed throughout
life. Nothing is static and the person who learns to go with the ebb and flow will lead a
much more fulfilled life than the one who resists change.
Step 7. Practice communication skills. Having good communication skills results in a better
EQ. A high level of communication skills makes it is easier to send across and receive
messages that are clear, to-the-point and respectful of both your own boundaries and those
of others.
It is important to not only build on your verbal communication, but also to take note of
your body language. You can learn a lot about a person and their emotions by studying
their body language and equally, you are always sending certain messages through your
body depending on how you control it (or omit to control it).
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Pay attention to: Comfort zones: Comfort zones vary between person-to-person. Study
how close people stand to you and how comfortable they are with physical contact. Respect
their comfort zones to decrease their discomfort; in turn, you will win them over for being
so understanding and clued in to their preferences.
Watch for sincerity: When someone smiles, is it a real smile? You can tell a lot about a
person from their smile. Read How to smile with the eyes for details about a genuine smile.
Body position: Study body positions to understand others better and to pick up on social
cues that aren't spoken. If a person's body is positioned toward you in a comfortable way,
with open arms and gestures and good eye contact, then they are happy to be with you.
Some people like to hide themselves by having a closed body position; don't always
assume it's because of you, as many people are simply afraid to reveal their real self to the
world and use body language to stay shut within themselves, believing it to be safer that
way.
You can help such people unfurl through trusting them and showing them that they can
trust you, as well as being genuine and compassionate.
Step 8. Be optimistic. Be optimistic. Those who are optimistic tend to live a happy,
successful life. When you're optimistic, it's easier to see the beauty in life and everyday
objects. In a way, being optimistic results in an open mind, making it a crucial element of
improving your emotional intelligence.
If you have a negative outlook on everything, how can you expect to be emotionally
intelligent? Negativity encourages us to stay wrapped up in ourselves, focused only on
what can go wrong in our lives rather than building our resilience and shoring ourselves
against the vicissitudes of life.
Optimism results in emotional well being and greater opportunities – people want to be
around the optimistic person and this draws them to you, with all the possibilities that
more connections bring you.
Be sure to take some time out to practice optimism by: Identifying your good features and
appreciating them
• Recognizing the good in others
• Recognizing flaws, then accepting them
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• Making the best out of difficult situations
• Using hardships as a fuel to improvement
• Improving your sense of humor and learning to see the lighter side of life's
difficulties.
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Project Planning and Project Implementation and

Cost Reduction
 Understanding the basics of project planning and project management

 Knowing different cost reduction strategies
 Getting hands on training on a small live project
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Time Management
 Understanding importance of time management and a disciplined life

 Knowing your main time wasters and how to handle them.
Developing self-discipline
Self-discipline: Self-discipline can be considered a type of selective training, creating new

habits of thought, action, and speech toward improving yourself and reaching goals. Self-
discipline can also be task oriented and selective. View self-discipline as positive effort,
rather than one of denial.
Schedule a small task for a given time of the day;

Practice deliberate delaying.
 Schedule a particular task in the morning and once in the evening.

 The task should not take more than 15 minutes.
 Wait for the exact scheduled time. When the schedule time is due, start the task.
 Stick to the schedule for at least two months.
Advantage 1: Scheduling helps you focus on your priorities. By focusing on starting

tasks rather than completing them, you can avoid procrastination.
 Schedule a task and hold to its time; Avoid acting on impulse.

 Track your progress;
 At the end of the allotted time, keep a record of accomplishment that builds over
time.
Advantage 2: Building a record will help you track how much time tasks take.
 If you begin to have surplus time, fill it with small tasks, make notes to yourself, plan
other tasks, etc.
Harness the power of routine.

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 Instead of devoting a lot of hours one day, and none the other and then a few on
another day and so on, allocate a specific time period each day of the week for that
task.
 Hold firm.
 Don't set a goal other than time allocation,
simply set the habit of routine.
 Apply this technique to your homework or your projects, you will be on your way to
getting things done
Advantage 3: You are working on tasks in small increments, not all at once. You
first develop a habit, then the habit does the job for you.
Use self-discipline to explore time management
Time management can become an overwhelming task. When you do not have control over
your own self, how can you control time? Begin with task-oriented self-discipline and build
from there.
Advantage: As you control tasks, you build self-discipline.

As you build self-discipline, you build time management.
As you build time management, you build self-confidence.
Maintain a self-discipline log book.
 Record the start and end times of the tasks.

 Review for feedback on your progress
Advantage: This log book can be a valuable tool to get a better picture over your
activities in order to prioritize activities, and realize what is important and not
important on how you spend your time.
Schedule your work day.
 When you first begin your work day, or going to work take a few minutes and write
down on a piece of paper the tasks that you want to accomplish for that day.
 Prioritize the list.
 Immediately start working on the most important one.
 Try it for a few days to see if the habit works for you.
 Habits form over time: how much time depends on you and the habit.
Advantage: When you have a clear idea as to what you want to achieve for the day
at its start, the chances are very high that you will be able to proactively accomplish
the tasks. Writing or sketching out the day helps.
Discouragement:
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 Do not be intimidated; do not be put off by the challenge

 If you slip, remember this is natural
 Take a break and then refresh the challenge
Tricks:
Associate a new habit with an old one:

If you drink coffee, make that first cup the time to write out and prioritize your tasks.
Advantage: Association facilitates neural connections!
Mark your progress:
On a calendar in your bathroom, on a spreadsheet at your computer, on your breakfast

table: Check off days you successfully follow up. If you break the routine, start over!
Advantage: Visualizing is a ready reinforcement of progress
Role models:
Observe the people in your life and see to what extent self discipline and habits help them
accomplish goals. Ask them for advice on what works, what does not.
Avoiding procrastination
Is your procrastination related to a project? or is it a habit?
To remedy procrastination:
1. Begin with one, modest project

2. Answer these basic questions
3. Keep the answers before you as you mark your progress
What do you want to do?
 What is the final objective, the end result?

It may be obvious, or not
 What are the major steps to get there?
Don't get too detailed: think big
 What have you done so far?
Acknowledge that you are already part of the way,
even if it is through thinking!
The longest journey begins with a first step
Why do you want to do this?
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 What is your biggest motivation?

Do not concern yourself if your motivation is negative!
This is honest and a good beginning.
However, if your motivation is negative,
re-phrase and re-work it until it is phrased positively
 What other positive results will flow from achieving your goal?
Identifying these will help you uncover
benefits that you may be avoiding: Dare to dream!
List out what stands in your way
 What is in your power to change?

 What resources outside yourself do you need?
Resources are not all physical (i.e. tools and money),
and include time, people/professionals/elders, even attitude
 What will happen if you don't progress?
It won't hurt to scare yourself a little...
Create a simple "To Do" list

This simple exercise will help you identify a few tasks, the reason for doing them, a timeline
for getting them done, and then printing this simple list and posting it for reminders.
Develop your plan, list
 Major, realistic steps

A project is easier when it is built in stages;
Start small;
Add detail and complexity as you achieve and grow
 How much time each will take
A schedule helps you keep a progress chart
and reinforce that there are way-stations on your path
 What time of day, week, etc. you dedicate yourself
to work. This helps you
develop a new habit of working,
build a good work environment, and
distance distractions (It is much easier to enjoy your project when distractions are
set aside.)
 Rewards you will have at each station
and also what you will deny yourself until you arrive at each station
 Build in time for review
Find a trusted friend, elder, or expert to help you
motivate yourself or monitor progress
Admit to:
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 False starts and mistakes as learning experiences

They can be more important than successes,
and give meaning to "experience"
 Distractions and escapes
Do not deny they exist, but deny their temptation
 Emotion
Admit to frustration when things don't seem to be going right
Admit that you have had a problem, but also that you are doing something about it
 Fantasy
See yourself succeeding
Finally, if procrastination is a habit of yours: Focus on the immediate task and project,
and build up from there. Each journey begins with one step.
Time Tips
1. Count all your time as time to be used and make every attempt to get satisfaction
out of every moment.
2. Find something to enjoy in whatever you do.
3. Try to be an optimist and seek out the good in your life.
4. Find ways to build on your successes.
5. Stop regretting your failures and start learning from your mistakes.
6. Remind yourself, "There is always enough time for the important things." If it is
important, you should be able to make time to do it.
7. Continually look at ways of freeing up your time.
8. Examine your old habits and search for ways to change or eliminate them.
9. Try to use waiting time¬¬-review notes or do practice problems.
10. Keep paper or a calendar with you to jot down the things you have to do or notes to
yourself.
11. Examine and revise your lifetime goals on a monthly basis and be sure to include
progress towards those goals on a daily basis.
12. Put up reminders in your home or office about your goals.
13. Always keep those long term goals in mind.
14. Plan your day each morning or the night before and set priorities for yourself.
15. Maintain and develop a list of specific things to be done each day, set your priorities
and the get the most important ones done as soon in the day as you can. Evaluate
your progress at the end of the day briefly.
16. Look ahead in your month and try and anticipate what is going to happen so you can
better schedule your time.
17. Try rewarding yourself when you get things done as you had planned, especially the
important ones.
18. Do first things first.
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19. Have confidence in yourself and in your judgment of priorities and stick to them no
matter what.
20. When you catch yourself procrastinating-ask yourself, "What am I avoiding?"
21. Start with the most difficult parts of projects, then either the worst is done or you
may find you don't have to do all the other small tasks.
22. Catch yourself when you are involved in unproductive projects and stop as soon as
you can.
23. Find time to concentrate on high priority items or activities.
24. Concentrate on one thing at a time.
25. Put your efforts in areas that provide long term benefits.
26. Push yourself and be persistent, especially when you know you are doing well.
27. Think on paper when possible-it makes it easier to review and revise.
28. Be sure and set deadlines for yourself whenever possible.
29. Delegate responsibilities whenever possible.
30. Ask for advice when needed.
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Decision Making
 Understanding the decision making process

 Knowing the types of decision
 Knowing the benefits and process of consensus decision making.
Decision Making: Decision making is choosing one alternative from among several.
Decision making Process:
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Types of Decisions:
Characteristics Programmed Decisions Non Programmed Decisions

Type of decisions Well structured Poorly structured
Frequency Repetitive and routine New and unusual
Goals Clear and specific Vague
Information Readily available Not available, unclear channels
Consequences Minor Major
Organizational Lower levels Upper levels
level
Time for solution short Relatively long
Basis for solution Decision rule, set and Judgment and creativity
procedures
Decision making styles:
High
Tolerance of ambiguity
Low
Rational Way of thinking Intuitive
Emotions and Decision Making:

 Emotional markers influence choice of alternatives
 Emotion influence the process of selecting alternatives
 Many a times “emotions act as information”
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Individual vs. group decision making:

Individual Decision making
 Speed
 Accountability
 Consistent values
Group decision making
 Generate more complete information and knowledge

 Offer increased diversity of views
 Higher quality decision
 Increased acceptance of a solution
Consensus Decision Making

The Basics of Consensus Decision-Making
by Tim Hartnett, PhD
The Principles of Consensus Decision Making
Consensus decision making is a process used by groups seeking to generate widespread

levels of participation and agreement. There are variations among different groups
regarding the degree of agreement necessary to finalize a group decision. The process of
group deliberation, however, has many common elements that are definitive of consensus
decision making. These include:
 Inclusive: As many stakeholders as possible are involved in group discussions.

 Participatory: All participants are allowed a chance to contribute to the discussion.
 Collaborative: The group constructs proposals with input from all interested group
members. Any individual authorship of a proposal is subsumed as the group
modifies it to include the concerns of all group members.
 Agreement Seeking: The goal is to generate as much agreement as possible.
Regardless of how much agreement is required to finalize a decision, a group using a
consensus process makes a concerted attempt to reach full agreement.
 Cooperative: Participants are encouraged to keep the good of the whole group in
mind. Each individual’s preferences should be voiced so that the group can
incorporate all concerns into an emerging proposal. Individual preferences should
not, however, obstructively impede the progress of the group.
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An Alternative to Common Decision Making Practices
Consensus decision making is an alternative to commonly practiced non-collaborative

decision making processes. Robert’s Rule of Order, for instance, is a process used by many
organizations. The goal of Robert’s Rules is to structure the debate and passage of
proposals that win approval through majority vote. This process does not emphasize the
goal of full agreement. Nor does it foster whole group collaboration and the inclusion of
minority concerns in resulting proposals. Critics of Robert’s Rules believe that the process
can involve adversarial debate and the formation of competing factions. These dynamics
may harm group member relationships and undermine the ability of a group to
cooperatively implement a contentious decision.
Consensus decision making is also an alternative to “top-down” decision making,

commonly practiced in hierarchical groups. Top-down decision making occurs when
leaders of a group make decisions in a way does not include the participation of all
interested stakeholders. The leaders may (or may not) gather input, but they do not open
the deliberation process to the whole group. Proposals are not collaboratively developed,
and full agreement is not a primary objective. Critics of top-down decision making believe
the process fosters incidence of either complacency or rebellion among disempowered
group members. Additionally, the resulting decisions may overlook important concerns of
those directly affected. Poor group relationship dynamics and decision implementation
problems may result.
Consensus decision making addresses the problems of both Robert’s Rules of Order and
top-down models. The goals of the consensus process include:
 Better Decisions: Through including the input of all stakeholders the resulting
proposals can best address all potential concerns.
 Better Implementation: A process that includes and respects all parties, and
generates as much agreement as possible sets the stage for greater cooperation in
implementing the resulting decisions.
 Better Group Relationships: A cooperative, collaborative group atmosphere
fosters greater group cohesion and interpersonal connection.
The Process of Consensus Decision Making
There are multiple stepwise models of how to make decisions by consensus. They vary in
the amount of detail the steps describe. They also vary depending on how decisions are
finalized. The basic model involves collaboratively generating a proposal, identifying
unsatisfied concerns, and then modifying the proposal to generate as much agreement as
possible.
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Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6
Finalize the
Decision
Identify Identify Any Collaboratively Assess the
Discussion Emerging Unsatisfied Modify the Degree of OR
Proposal Conserns Proposal Support
Circle Back to Step 1
or 3
Finalizing a Decision
The level of agreement necessary to finalize a decision is known as a decision rule. The
range of possible decision rules varies within the following range:
 Unanimous agreement
 Unanimity minus one vote
 Unanimity minus two votes
 Super majority thresholds (90%, 80%, 75%, two-thirds, and 60% are common).
 Simple majority
 Executive committee decides
 Person-in-charge decides
Some groups require unanimous consent (unanimity) to approve group decisions. If any
participant objects, he can block consensus according to the guidelines described below.
These groups use the term consensus to denote both the discussion process and the
decision rule. Other groups use a consensus process to generate as much agreement as
possible, but allow decisions to be finalized with a decision rule that does not require
unanimity.
Consensus Blocking
Groups that require unanimity allow individual participants the option of blocking a group
decision. This provision motivates a group to make sure that all group members consent to
any new proposal before it is adopted. Proper guidelines for the use of this option,
however, are important. The ethics of consensus decision making encourage participants to
place the good of the whole group above their own individual preferences. When there is
potential for a group decision to be blocked, both the group and any dissenters in the group
are encouraged to collaborate until agreement can be reached. Simply vetoing a decision is
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not considered a responsible use of consensus blocking. Some common guidelines for the
use of consensus blocking include:
 Limiting the option to block consensus to issues that are fundamental to the group’s
mission or potentially disastrous to the group.
 Providing an option for those who do not support a proposal to “stand aside” rather
than block.
 Requiring two or more people to block for a proposal to be put aside.
 Require the blocking party to supply an alternative proposal or a process for
generating one.
 Limiting each person’s option to block consensus to a handful of times in one’s life.
Consensus Decision-making
Agreement vs. Consent
Unanimity is achieved when the full group consents to a decision. Giving consent does not
necessarily mean that the proposal being considered is one’s first choice. Group members
can vote their consent to a proposal because they choose to cooperate with the direction of
the group, rather than insist on their personal preference. Sometimes the vote on a
proposal is framed, “Is this proposal something you can live with?” This relaxed threshold
for a yes vote can help make unanimity more easily achievable. Alternatively, a group
member can choose to stand aside. Standing aside communicates that while a participant
does not necessarily support a group decision, he does not wish to block it.
Debate over Decision Rules
Critics of consensus blocking object to empowering individuals to block otherwise popular

proposals. They believe this can result in a group experience of widespread disagreement,
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the opposite of a consensus process’s primary goal. Further, they believe group decision
making may become stagnated by the high threshold of unanimity. Important decisions
may take too long to make, or the status quo may become virtually impossible to change.
The resulting tension may undermine group functionality and harm relationships between
group members.
Defenders of consensus blocking believe that decision rules short of unanimity do not
ensure a rigorous search for full agreement before finalizing decisions. They value the
commitment to reaching unanimity and the full collaborative effort this goal requires. They
believe that under the right conditions unanimous consent is achievable and the process of
getting there strengthens group relationships.
Conditions that Favor Unanimity
The goals of requiring unanimity are only fully realized when a group is successful in
reaching it. Thus, it is important to consider what conditions make full agreement more
likely. Here are some of the most important factors that improve the chances of
successfully reaching unanimity:
 Small group size

 Clear common purpose
 High levels of trust
 Participants well trained in consensus process
 Participants willing to put the best interest of the group before their own
 Participants willing to spend sufficient time in meetings
 Skillful facilitation and agenda preparation
Using Other Decisions Rules with a Consensus Process
Many groups use a consensus decision making process with non-unanimous decision rules.
The consensus process can help prevent problems associated with Robert’s Rules of Order
or top-down decision making. This allows majority rule or hierarchical organizations to
benefit from the collaborative efforts of the whole group and the resulting joint ownership
of final proposals. For instance, a small business owner may convene a consensus decision
making discussion among her staff to generate a proposal for changes to the business. After
the proposal is developed, however, the business owner may retain the authority to accept
or reject it.
The benefits of consensus decision making are lost, however, if the final decision is made
without regard to the efforts of the whole group. When group leaders or majority factions
reject proposals that have been developed with widespread agreement of a group, the goals
of consensus decision making will not be realized.
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Dealing with Stress

 Understanding how stress affects performance

 Knowing what causes stress and what are the consequences of stress.
 Knowing the right attitude to deal with any kind of stress.
10 Stress Busters
By Therese J. Borchard
Stress is like dark chocolate. A little of it won’t kill you. In fact, small blocks here and there
can be good for you, or at least give you a reason to get out of bed in the morning. But
chronic and severe stress can damage your body and mind, blocking the fluid
communication to and from most organs–especially in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal
(HPA) axis and in the limbic system, the brain’s emotional center. Believe me, you want
these two systems running as smoothly as possible, with low levels of the delinquent stress
hormones in your bloodstream. Which is why I always keep some stress busters handy.
Here are 10 of my favorites.
1. Simplify
Cut your to-do list in half. How? Ask yourself this question after every item: Will I die
tomorrow if this doesn’t get accomplished? I’m guessing you’ll get a lot of no’s. I’m sure
Franklin Covey has a more efficient and elaborate system. But here’s mine: Every morning I
immediately jot down my to-do list. Once I experience the first heart palpitation, the list
gets cut in half.
2. Prioritize
Let’s say you’ve got five huge work projects due next week, two Cub Scout commitments
you promised your son, your mom’s overdue taxes on your desk, your wife’s 40th birthday
celebration to plan, and your sister’s computer to fix. What do you do? You record all the
tasks on a sheet of paper or on your computer and you give each one a number between 1
and 10: 10 being the most important (life threatening) to one (stupid bloody thing I signed
up for). Start with the 10s. If you never get beyond the 8s, that’s okay!
3. Use Pencil, Not Pen
If you rely on your to-do list as much as I do, then you’ll want to start using pencil instead
of pen. Because one important stress buster is to try to stay as flexible as you can. Things
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change! And change is not our enemy, even though our brain categorizes it as such. You
want to be able to erase a task or reminder at any time, because who the heck knows what
your day will be like.
4. Give Away Your Cape
If you haven’t already guessed by now, you are not a superhero and don’t possess
supernatural qualities and capabilities. I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to join the race …
the human race. Which means surrendering to limitations and conditions–like the number
of hours in a day and the amount of time it takes to get from point A to point B. In your car.
Not in your Batmobile.
5. Collaborate and Cooperate
There are lots of people out there with to-do lists that look very similar to yours. Why not
let them do some of your tasks so that you all don’t have to do them? The moms around me
have mastered this concept, as they have set up a babysitting co-op: one mom volunteers to
watches a neighbor’s kid and by doing so earns babysitting points that she can redeem
when a neighbor watches her kids. In the blogging world, I have begun to collaborate with
some other mental-health writers so that we all don’t have to scan the same media outlets
for depression-related stories. If I catch something I send it to them, and vice versa. It’s an
effective system.
6. Laugh
Just as chronic and severe stress can damage organic systems in our body, humor can heal.
When people laugh, the autonomic nervous system mellows out and the heart is allowed to
relax. Laughter can also boost the immune system, as it has been found to increase a
person’s ability to fight viruses and foreign cells, and reduce the levels of three stress
hormones: cortisol, epinephrine, and dopac. Plus it’s just fun to laugh. And having fun is its
own stress buster.
7. Exercise
Exercise relieves stress in several ways. First, cardiovascular workouts stimulate brain
chemicals that foster growth of nerve cells. Second, exercise increases the activity of
serotonin and norepinephrine. Third, a raised heart rate releases endorphins and a
hormone known as ANP, which reduces pain, induces euphoria, and helps control the
brain’s response to stress and anxiety. You need not run a marathon or complete an
Ironman triathlon. A quick stroll in the morning or in the evening might be just enough to
tell the stress hormones in your blood to scatter.
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8. Stop Juggling
I realize some multi-tasking is inevitable in our rushed culture. But do we really have to
simultaneously cook dinner, talk to Mom, help with homework, and check e-mail? If you
were an excellent waiter or waitress in your past or present, then skip this one. However, if
you have trouble chewing gum and walking at the same time like I do, you might try your
best to concentrate on one activity at a time.
9. Build Boundaries
Speaking of activities, get some boundaries, ASAP–meaning designate a place and time for
certain things so that your brain doesn’t have to wear so many hats at the same time. I
thought this was impossible as a mom who works from home until I made myself abide by
some rules: computer is off when I’m not working, and computer stays off in the evening
and on weekends. My brain adjusted nicely and appreciated the notice of when and where
each hat was required, and it actually started to relax a tad.
10. Think Globally
I don’t say this to induce a guilt trip. No, no, no. Guilt trips compound stress. What I mean
here is a simple reminder that compared to other problems in our world today–abject
poverty in Somalia or Cambodia–the things that we stress about are pretty minor. In other
words, if I shift my perspective a little, I can see that there are far worse dilemmas than my
poor royalty figures on a few books. Put another way: Don’t sweat the small stuff, and most
of it is small stuff.
Blissing Out: 10 Relaxation Techniques to Reduce Stress On-

the-Spot
By Jenny Stamos Kovacs
Reviewed by Renee A. Alli, MD
If your hectic lifestyle has got you down, experts say relaxation techniques can bring you
back into balance -- some in five minutes or less.
Though experts say that some stress is good for you -- it can sharpen your senses and your
mind -- too much stress is bad for your mental and physical health. At the same time,
relaxation can do wonders to restore balance in your life -- and may even reduce some of
the health risks associated with stress.
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WebMD talked to the experts to learn more about relaxation -- and how to attain it. What
follows are 10 on-the-spot techniques you can use -- any time and almost anywhere -- to
reduce the tension in your life.
1. Meditate
If you're thinking meditation means twisting your body into an uncomfortable position and
uttering "oohs" and "omms" for an hour, guess again. Any repetitive action can be a source
of meditation, says Herbert Benson, MD, author of The Relaxation Response and director
emeritus of Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine in Chestnut Hill, Mass. This
includes walking, swimming, painting, knitting -- any activity that helps keep your attention
calmly in the present moment.
When you catch yourself thinking about your job, your relationship or your lifelong to-do
list, experts say to simply let the thought escape, and bring your mind back the repetition of
the activity. Try it for just 5 to 10 minutes a day and watch stress levels drop.
2. Picture Yourself Relaxed
Is your mind too talkative to meditate? Try creating a peaceful visualization, or

"dreamscape." To start, simply visualize anything that keeps your thoughts away from
current tensions. It could be a favorite vacation spot, a fantasy island, that penthouse in
New York City -- or something "touchable," like the feel of your favorite silk robe or cozy
sweater.
The idea is to take your mind off your stress, and replace it with an image that evokes a
sense of calm. The more realistic your daydream -- in terms of colors, sights, sounds; even
touch and feel -- the more relaxation you'll experience.
3. Breathe Deeply
Feeling stressed evokes tense, shallow breathing, while calm is associated with relaxed
breathing, says Michael Lee, author of Turn Stress into Bliss and founder of Phoenix Rising
Yoga Therapy in Bristol, Vermont. So to turn tension into relaxation, he says, change the
way you breathe.
Try this: Let out a big sigh, dropping your chest, and exhaling through gently pursed lips,
says Joan Borysenko, PhD, director of Harvard's Mind-Body Clinical Programs. Now
imagine your low belly, or center, as a deep, powerful place. Feel your breath coming and
going as your mind stays focused there. Inhale, feeling your entire belly, sides and lower
back expand. Exhale, sighing again as you drop your chest, and feeling your belly, back and
sides contract. Repeat 10 times, relaxing more fully each time.
4. Look around You
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"Mindfulness is the here-and-now approach to living that makes daily life richer and more
meaningful," says Claire Michaels Wheeler, MD, PhD, author of 10 Simple Solutions to
Stress. It's approaching life like a child, without passing judgment on what occurs.
Mindfulness means focusing on one activity at a time, so forget multi-tasking! Staying in the
present-tense can help promote relaxation and provide a buffer against anxiety and
depression.
Practice it by focusing on your immediate surroundings. If you're outdoors, enjoy the shape
and colors of flowers, hear a bird's call or consider a tree. In the mall, look at the details of a
dress in the window, examine a piece of jewelry and focus on how it's made, or window-
shop for furniture, checking out every detail of pattern and style. As long as you can keep
your mind focused on something in the present, stress will take a back seat.
5. Drink Hot Tea
If you're a coffee-guzzler, consider going green. Coffee raises levels of the notorious stress
hormone, cortisol, while green tea offers health and beauty, says Nicholas Perricone, MD,
author of 7 Secrets to Beauty, Health, and Longevity.
Chamomile tea is a traditional favorite for calming the mind and reducing stress. And black
tea may be a stress-fighter, too, researchers from University College London report.
Participants who drank regular black tea displayed lower levels of cortisol, and reported
feeling calmer during six weeks of stressful situations than those who drank a placebo with
the same amount of caffeine.
6. Show Some Love
Induce the relaxation response by cuddling your pet, giving an unexpected hug to a friend
or family member, snuggling with your spouse, or talking to a friend about the good things
in your lives, says psychologist Deborah Rozman, PhD, co-author of Transforming Stress.
When you do, you'll be reducing your stress levels.
Why? Experts say social interaction helps your brain think better, encouraging you to see
new solutions to situations that once seemed impossible, she says. Studies have also shown
that physical contact -- like petting your dog or cat -- may actually help lower blood
pressure and decrease stress hormones.
7. Try Self-Massage
When your muscles are tense and you've no time to visit a pro, try this simple self-massage
technique from Darrin Zeer, author of Lover's Massage and Office Yoga. Relax, and travel
straight to Zen-land.
1. Place both hands on your shoulders and neck.
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2. Squeeze with your fingers and palms.

3. Rub vigorously, keeping shoulders relaxed.
4. Wrap one hand around the other forearm.
5. Squeeze the muscles with thumb and fingers.
6. Move up and down from your elbow to fingertips and back again.
7. Repeat with other arm.
8. Take a Time-Out
Adults need time-outs, too. So when you sense your temper is about to erupt, Jeff Brantley,
MD, author of Five Good Minutes In the Evening, suggests finding a quiet place to sit or lie
down and put the stressful situation on hold. Take a few deep breaths and concentrate on
releasing tension and calming your heartbeat. Quiet your mind and remember: Time is
always on your side, so relax. The stress can wait.
9. Try a Musical Detour
Music can calm the heartbeat and soothe the soul, the experts say. So, when the going gets
rough, take a musical stress detour by aligning your heartbeat with the slow tempo of a
relaxing song. And you might want to make that a classical tune. Research shows that
listening to 30 minutes of classical music may produce calming effects equivalent to taking
10 mg of Valium.
10. Take an Attitude Break
Thirty seconds is enough time to shift your heart's rhythm from stressed to relaxed,
Rozman says. The way to do that: Engage your heart and your mind in positive thinking.
Start by envisioning anything that triggers a positive feeling -- a vision of your child or
spouse, the image of your pet, that great piece of jewelry you're saving up to buy, a
memento from a vacation -- whatever it is, conjuring up the thought will help slow
breathing, relax tense muscles and put a smile on your face. Rozman says that creating a
positive emotional attitude can also calm and steady your heart rhythm, contributing to
feelings of relaxation and peace.
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Leadership
 Understanding the concept of leadership and leadership styles

 Understanding the level 5 leadership style and its effectiveness in getting great
results.
 Knowing the ways to develop leadership qualities
Leadership: Leadership has been described as “a process of social influence in which one
person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task".
Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged. Leadership is "organizing a
group of people to achieve a common goal". The leader may or may not have any formal
authority. Studies of leadership have produced theories involving traits, situational
interaction, function, behavior, power, vision and values, charisma, and intelligence, among
others. Somebody whom people follow: somebody who guides or directs others.
Early western history (source: Wikipedia)
The search for the characteristics or traits of leaders has been ongoing for centuries.
History's greatest philosophical writings from Plato's Republic to Plutarch's Lives have
explored the question "What qualities distinguish an individual as a leader?" Underlying
this search was the early recognition of the importance of leadership and the assumption
that leadership is rooted in the characteristics that certain individuals possess. This idea
that leadership is based on individual attributes is known as the "trait theory of
leadership".
The trait theory was explored at length in a number of works in the 19th century. Most
notable are the writings of Thomas Carlyle and Francis Galton, whose works have
prompted decades of research. In Heroes and Hero Worship (1841), Carlyle identified the
talents, skills, and physical characteristics of men who rose to power. In Galton's
Hereditary Genius (1869), he examined leadership qualities in the families of powerful
men. After showing that the numbers of eminent relatives dropped off when moving from
first degree to second degree relatives, Galton concluded that leadership was inherited. In
other words, leaders were born, not developed. Both of these notable works lent great
initial support for the notion that leadership is rooted in characteristics of the leader.
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Rise of alternative theories
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, however, a series of qualitative reviews of these studies
(e.g., Bird, 1940; Stogdill, 1948; Mann, 1959) prompted researchers to take a drastically
different view of the driving forces behind leadership. In reviewing the extant literature,
Stogdill and Mann found that while some traits were common across a number of studies,
the overall evidence suggested that persons who are leaders in one situation may not
necessarily be leaders in other situations. Subsequently, leadership was no longer
characterized as an enduring individual trait, as situational approaches (see alternative
leadership theories below) posited that individuals can be effective in certain situations,
but not others. This approach dominated much of the leadership theory and research for
the next few decades.
Reemergence of trait theory
New methods and measurements were developed after these influential reviews that
would ultimately reestablish the trait theory as a viable approach to the study of
leadership. For example, improvements in researchers' use of the round robin research
design methodology allowed researchers to see that individuals can and do emerge as
leaders across a variety of situations and tasks. Additionally, during the 1980s statistical
advances allowed researchers to conduct meta-analyses, in which they could quantitatively
analyze and summarize the findings from a wide array of studies. This advent allowed trait
theorists to create a comprehensive picture of previous leadership research rather than
rely on the qualitative reviews of the past. Equipped with new methods, leadership
researchers revealed the following:
Individuals can and do emerge as leaders across a variety of situations and tasks.
Significant relationships exist between leadership and such individual traits as:
 intelligence
 adjustment
 extraversion
 conscientiousness
 openness to experience
 general self-efficacy
While the trait theory of leadership has certainly regained popularity, its reemergence has
not been accompanied by a corresponding increase in sophisticated conceptual
frameworks.
Specifically, Zaccaro (2007) noted that trait theories still:
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1. focus on a small set of individual attributes such as Big Five personality traits, to
the neglect of cognitive abilities, motives, values, social skills, expertise, and
problem-solving skills;
2. fail to consider patterns or integrations of multiple attributes;
3. do not distinguish between those leader attributes that are generally not
malleable over time and those that are shaped by, and bound to, situational
influences;
4. do not consider how stable leader attributes account for the behavioral diversity
necessary for effective leadership.
Attribute pattern approach
Considering the criticisms of the trait theory outlined above, several researchers have
begun to adopt a different perspective of leader individual differences—the leader
attribute pattern approach. In contrast to the traditional approach, the leader attribute
pattern approach is based on theorists' arguments that the influence of individual
characteristics on outcomes is best understood by considering the person as an integrated
totality rather than a summation of individual variables. In other words, the leader
attribute pattern approach argues that integrated constellations or combinations of
individual differences may explain substantial variance in both leader emergence and
leader effectiveness beyond that explained by single attributes, or by additive
combinations of multiple attributes.
Behavioral and style theories
In response to the early criticisms of the trait approach, theorists began to research
leadership as a set of behaviors, evaluating the behavior of successful leaders, determining
a behavior taxonomy, and identifying broad leadership styles. David McClelland, for
example, posited that leadership takes a strong personality with a well-developed positive
ego. To lead, self-confidence and high self-esteem are useful, perhaps even essential.
Kurt Lewin, Ronald Lipitt, and Ralph White developed in 1939 the seminal work on the
influence of leadership styles and performance. The researchers evaluated the
performance of groups of eleven-year-old boys under different types of work climate. In
each, the leader exercised his influence regarding the type of group decision making, praise
and criticism (feedback), and the management of the group tasks (project management)
according to three styles: authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire.
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The managerial grid model is also based on a behavioral theory. The model was developed
by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton in 1964 and suggests five different leadership styles,
based on the leaders' concern for people and their concern for goal achievement.
Positive reinforcement
B.F. Skinner is the father of behavior modification and developed the concept of positive
reinforcement. Positive reinforcement occurs when a positive stimulus is presented in
response to a behavior, increasing the likelihood of that behavior in the future. The
following is an example of how positive reinforcement can be used in a business setting.
Assume praise is a positive reinforcer for a particular employee. This employee does not
show up to work on time every day. The manager of this employee decides to praise the
employee for showing up on time every day the employee actually shows up to work on
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time. As a result, the employee comes to work on time more often because the employee
likes to be praised. In this example, praise (the stimulus) is a positive reinforcer for this
employee because the employee arrives at work on time (the behavior) more frequently
after being praised for showing up to work on time.
The use of positive reinforcement is a successful and growing technique used by leaders to
motivate and attain desired behaviors from subordinates. Organizations such as Frito-Lay,
3M, Goodrich, Michigan Bell, and Emery Air Freight have all used reinforcement to increase
productivity. Empirical research covering the last 20 years suggests that reinforcement
theory has a 17 percent increase in performance. Additionally, many reinforcement
techniques such as the use of praise are inexpensive, providing higher performance for
lower costs.
Situational and contingency theories
Main articles: Fiedler contingency model, Vroom–Yetton decision model, path–goal theory,
and situational leadership theory
Situational theory also appeared as a reaction to the trait theory of leadership. Social
scientists argued that history was more than the result of intervention of great men as
Carlyle suggested. Herbert Spencer (1884) (and Karl Marx) said that the times produce the
person and not the other way around. This theory assumes that different situations call for
different characteristics; according to this group of theories, no single optimal
psychographic profile of a leader exists. According to the theory, "what an individual
actually does when acting as a leader is in large part dependent upon characteristics of the
situation in which he functions."
Some theorists started to synthesize the trait and situational approaches. Building upon
the research of Lewin et al., academics began to normalize the descriptive models of
leadership climates, defining three leadership styles and identifying which situations each
style works better in. The authoritarian leadership style, for example, is approved in
periods of crisis but fails to win the "hearts and minds" of followers in day-to-day
management; the democratic leadership style is more adequate in situations that require
consensus building; finally, the laissez-faire leadership style is appreciated for the degree of
freedom it provides, but as the leaders do not "take charge", they can be perceived as a
failure in protracted or thorny organizational problems. Thus, theorists defined the style of
leadership as contingent to the situation, which is sometimes classified as contingency
theory. Four contingency leadership theories appear more prominently in recent years:
Fiedler contingency model, Vroom-Yetton decision model, the path-goal theory, and the
Hersey-Blanchard situational theory.
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The Fiedler contingency model bases the leader's effectiveness on what Fred Fiedler called
situational contingency. This results from the interaction of leadership style and situational
favorability (later called situational control). The theory defined two types of leader: those
who tend to accomplish the task by developing good relationships with the group
(relationship-oriented), and those who have as their prime concern carrying out the task
itself (task-oriented). According to Fiedler, there is no ideal leader. Both task-oriented and
relationship-oriented leaders can be effective if their leadership orientation fits the
situation. When there is a good leader-member relation, a highly structured task, and high
leader position power, the situation is considered a "favorable situation". Fiedler found that
task-oriented leaders are more effective in extremely favorable or unfavorable situations,
whereas relationship-oriented leaders perform best in situations with intermediate
favorability.
Victor Vroom, in collaboration with Phillip Yetton (1973) and later with Arthur Jago
(1988), developed a taxonomy for describing leadership situations, which was used in a
normative decision model where leadership styles were connected to situational variables,
defining which approach was more suitable to which situation. This approach was novel
because it supported the idea that the same manager could rely on different group decision
making approaches depending on the attributes of each situation. This model was later
referred to as situational contingency theory.
The path-goal theory of leadership was developed by Robert House (1971) and was based
on the expectancy theory of Victor Vroom. According to House, the essence of the theory is
"the meta proposition that leaders, to be effective, engage in behaviors that complement
subordinates' environments and abilities in a manner that compensates for deficiencies
and is instrumental to subordinate satisfaction and individual and work unit performance".
The theory identifies four leader behaviors, achievement-oriented, directive, participative,
and supportive, that are contingent to the environment factors and follower characteristics.
In contrast to the Fiedler contingency model, the path-goal model states that the four
leadership behaviors are fluid, and that leaders can adopt any of the four depending on
what the situation demands. The path-goal model can be classified both as a contingency
theory, as it depends on the circumstances, and as a transactional leadership theory, as the
theory emphasizes the reciprocity behavior between the leader and the followers.
The situational leadership model proposed by Hersey and Blanchard suggests four
leadership-styles and four levels of follower-development. For effectiveness, the model
posits that the leadership-style must match the appropriate level of follower-development.
In this model, leadership behavior becomes a function not only of the characteristics of the
leader, but of the characteristics of followers as well.
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Functional theory
Functional leadership theory (Hackman & Walton, 1986; McGrath, 1962; Adair, 1988;
Kouzes & Posner, 1995) is a particularly useful theory for addressing specific leader
behaviors expected to contribute to organizational or unit effectiveness. This theory argues
that the leader's main job is to see that whatever is necessary to group needs is taken care
of; thus, a leader can be said to have done their job well when they have contributed to
group effectiveness and cohesion (Fleishman et al., 1991; Hackman & Wageman, 2005;
Hackman & Walton, 1986). While functional leadership theory has most often been applied
to team leadership (Zaccaro, Rittman, & Marks, 2001), it has also been effectively applied to
broader organizational leadership as well (Zaccaro, 2001). In summarizing literature on
functional leadership (see Kozlowski et al. (1996), Zaccaro et al. (2001), Hackman and
Walton (1986), Hackman & Wageman (2005), Morgeson (2005)), Klein, Zeigert, Knight,
and Xiao (2006) observed five broad functions a leader performs when promoting
organization's effectiveness. These functions include environmental monitoring, organizing
subordinate activities, teaching and coaching subordinates, motivating others, and
intervening actively in the group's work.
A variety of leadership behaviors are expected to facilitate these functions. In initial work
identifying leader behavior, Fleishman (1953) observed that subordinates perceived their
supervisors' behavior in terms of two broad categories referred to as consideration and
initiating structure. Consideration includes behavior involved in fostering effective
relationships. Examples of such behavior would include showing concern for a subordinate
or acting in a supportive manner towards others. Initiating structure involves the actions of
the leader focused specifically on task accomplishment. This could include role
clarification, setting performance standards, and holding subordinates accountable to those
standards.
Integrated psychological theory
The Integrated Psychological theory of leadership is an attempt to integrate the strengths

of the older theories (i.e. traits, behavioral/styles, situational and functional) while
addressing their limitations, largely by introducing a new element – the need for leaders to
develop their leadership presence, attitude toward others and behavioral flexibility by
practicing psychological mastery. It also offers a foundation for leaders wanting to apply
the philosophies of servant leadership and “authentic leadership”.
Integrated Psychological theory began to attract attention after the publication of James
Scouller’s Three Levels of Leadership model (2011). Scouller argued that the older theories
offer only limited assistance in developing a person’s ability to lead effectively. He pointed
out, for example, that:
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Traits theories, which tend to reinforce the idea that leaders are born not made, might help
us select leaders, but they are less useful for developing leaders.
An ideal style (e.g. Blake & Mouton’s team style) would not suit all circumstances.
Most of the situational/contingency and functional theories assume that leaders can
change their behavior to meet differing circumstances or widen their behavioral range at
will, when in practice many find it hard to do so because of unconscious beliefs, fears or
ingrained habits. Thus, he argued, leaders need to work on their inner psychology.
None of the old theories successfully address the challenge of developing “leadership
presence”; that certain “something” in leaders that commands attention, inspires people,
wins their trust and makes followers want to work with them.
Scouller therefore proposed the Three Levels of Leadership model, which was later
categorized as an “Integrated Psychological” theory on the Businessballs education
website. In essence, his model summarizes what leaders have to do, not only to bring
leadership to their group or organization, but also to develop themselves technically and
psychologically as leaders.
The three levels in his model are Public, Private and Personal leadership:
The first two – public and private leadership – are “outer” or behavioral levels. These are
the behaviors that address what Scouller called “the four dimensions of leadership”. These
dimensions are: (1) a shared, motivating group purpose; (2) action, progress and results;
(3) collective unity or team spirit; (4) individual selection and motivation. Public
leadership focuses on the 34 behaviors involved in influencing two or more people
simultaneously. Private leadership covers the 14 behaviors needed to influence individuals
one to one.
The third – personal leadership – is an “inner” level and concerns a person’s growth
toward greater leadership presence, knowhow and skill. Working on one’s personal
leadership has three aspects: (1) Technical knowhow and skill (2) Developing the right
attitude toward other people – which is the basis of servant leadership (3) Psychological
self-mastery – the foundation for authentic leadership.
Scouller argued that self-mastery is the key to growing one’s leadership presence, building
trusting relationships with followers and dissolving one’s limiting beliefs and habits,
thereby enabling behavioral flexibility as circumstances change, while staying connected to
one’s core values (that is, while remaining authentic). To support leaders’ development, he
introduced a new model of the human psyche and outlined the principles and techniques of
self-mastery.
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Transactional and transformational theories
Eric Berne first analyzed the relations between a group and its leadership in terms of
transactional analysis.
The transactional leader (Burns, 1978) is given power to perform certain tasks and reward
or punish for the team's performance. It gives the opportunity to the manager to lead the
group and the group agrees to follow his lead to accomplish a predetermined goal in
exchange for something else. Power is given to the leader to evaluate, correct, and train
subordinates when productivity is not up to the desired level, and reward effectiveness
when expected outcome is reached. Idiosyncrasy Credits, first posited by Edward
Hollander (1971) is one example of a concept closely related to transactional leadership.
Leader–member exchange theory
Another theory that addresses a specific aspect of the leadership process is the leader–
member exchange (LMX) theory, which evolved from an earlier theory called the vertical
dyad linkage (VDL) model. Both of these models focus on the interaction between leaders
and individual followers. Similar to the transactional approach, this interaction is viewed as
a fair exchange whereby the leader provides certain benefits such as task guidance, advice,
support, and/or significant rewards and the followers reciprocate by giving the leader
respect, cooperation, commitment to the task and good performance. However, LMX
recognizes that leaders and individual followers will vary in the type of exchange that
develops between them. LMX theorizes that the type of exchanges between the leader and
specific followers can lead to the creation of in-groups and out-groups. In-group members
are said to have high-quality exchanges with the leader, while out-group members have
low-quality exchanges with the leader.
In-group members
In-group members are perceived by the leader as being more experienced, competent, and
willing to assume responsibility than other followers. The leader begins to rely on these
individuals to help with especially challenging tasks. If the follower responds well, the
leader rewards him/her with extra coaching, favorable job assignments, and
developmental experiences. If the follower shows high commitment and effort followed by
additional rewards, both parties develop mutual trust, influence, and support of one
another. Research shows the in-group members usually receive higher performance
evaluations from the leader, higher satisfaction, and faster promotions than out-group
members. In-group members are also likely to build stronger bonds with their leaders by
sharing the same social backgrounds and interests.
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Out-group members
Out-group members often receive less time and more distant exchanges then their in-
group counterparts. With out-group members, leaders expect no more than adequate job
performance, good attendance, reasonable respect, and adherence to the job description in
exchange for a fair wage and standard benefits. The leader spends less time with out-group
members, they have fewer developmental experiences, and the leader tends to emphasize
his/her formal authority to obtain compliance to leader requests. Research shows that out-
group members are less satisfied with their job and organization, receive lower
performance evaluations from the leader, see their leader as less fair, and are more likely to
file grievances or leave the organization.
Emotions
Leadership can be perceived as a particularly emotion-laden process, with emotions

entwined with the social influence process. In an organization, the leader's mood has some
effects on his/her group. These effects can be described in three levels:
1.The mood of individual group members. Group members with leaders in a positive mood
experience more positive mood than do group members with leaders in a negative mood.
The leaders transmit their moods to other group members through the mechanism of
emotional contagion. Mood contagion may be one of the psychological mechanisms by
which charismatic leaders influence followers.
2.The affective tone of the group. Group affective tone represents the consistent or
homogeneous affective reactions within a group. Group affective tone is an aggregate of the
moods of the individual members of the group and refers to mood at the group level of
analysis. Groups with leaders in a positive mood have a more positive affective tone than
do groups with leaders in a negative mood.
3.Group processes like coordination, effort expenditure, and task strategy. Public
expressions of mood impact how group members think and act. When people experience
and express mood, they send signals to others. Leaders signal their goals, intentions, and
attitudes through their expressions of moods. For example, expressions of positive moods
by leaders signal that leaders deem progress toward goals to be good. The group members
respond to those signals cognitively and behaviorally in ways that are reflected in the
group processes.
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In research about client service, it was found that expressions of positive mood by the
leader improve the performance of the group, although in other sectors there were other
findings.
Beyond the leader's mood, her/his behavior is a source for employee positive and negative
emotions at work. The leader creates situations and events that lead to emotional response.
Certain leader behaviors displayed during interactions with their employees are the
sources of these affective events. Leaders shape workplace affective events. Examples –
feedback giving, allocating tasks, resource distribution. Since employee behavior and
productivity are directly affected by their emotional states, it is imperative to consider
employee emotional responses to organizational leaders. Emotional intelligence, the ability
to understand and manage moods and emotions in the self and others, contributes to
effective leadership within organizations.
Neo-emergent theory
The neo-emergent leadership theory (from the Oxford school of leadership) espouses that
leadership is created through the emergence of information by the leader or other
stakeholders, not through the true actions of the leader himself. In other words, the
reproduction of information or stories form the basis of the perception of leadership by the
majority. It is well known that the great naval hero Lord Nelson often wrote his own
versions of battles he was involved in, so that when he arrived home in England he would
receive a true hero's welcome.[citation needed] In modern society, the press, blogs and
other sources report their own views of a leader, which may be based on reality, but may
also be based on a political command, a payment, or an inherent interest of the author,
media, or leader. Therefore, it can be contended that the perception of all leaders is created
and in fact does not reflect their true leadership qualities at all.
Styles
A leadership style is a leader's style of providing direction, implementing plans, and

motivating people. It is the result of the philosophy, personality, and experience of the
leader. Rhetoric specialists have also developed models for understanding leadership
(Robert Hariman, Political Style, Philippe-Joseph Salazar, L'Hyperpolitique. Technologies
politiques De La Domination).
Different situations call for different leadership styles. In an emergency when there is little
time to converge on an agreement and where a designated authority has significantly more
experience or expertise than the rest of the team, an autocratic leadership style may be
most effective; however, in a highly motivated and aligned team with a homogeneous level
of expertise, a more democratic or laissez-faire style may be more effective. The style
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adopted should be the one that most effectively achieves the objectives of the group while
balancing the interests of its individual members.
Engaging style
Engaging as part of leadership style has been mentioned in various literature earlier. Dr.
Stephen L. Cohen, the Senior Vice President for Right Management’s Leadership
Development Center of Excellence, has in his article Four Key Leadership Practices for
Leading in Tough Times has mentioned Engagement as the fourth Key practice. He writes,
"these initiatives do for the organization is engage both leaders and employees in
understanding the existing conditions and how they can collectively assist in addressing
them. Reaching out to employees during difficult times to better understand their concerns
and interests by openly and honestly conveying the impact of the downturn on them and
their organizations can provide a solid foundation for not only engaging them but retaining
them when things do turn around.
Engagement as the key to Collaborative Leadership is also emphasized in several original

research papers and programs. Becoming an agile has long been associated with Engaging
leaders - rather than leadership with a hands-off approach.
Autocratic or authoritarian style
Under the autocratic leadership style, all decision-making powers are centralized in the
leader, as with dictators.
Leaders do not entertain any suggestions or initiatives from subordinates. The autocratic
management has been successful as it provides strong motivation to the manager. It
permits quick decision-making, as only one person decides for the whole group and keeps
each decision to him/herself until he/she feels it needs to be shared with the rest of the
group.
Participative or democratic style
The democratic leadership style consists of the leader sharing the decision-making abilities
with group members by promoting the interests of the group members and by practicing
social equality. This has also been called shared leadership.
Laissez-faire or free-rein style
A person may be in a leadership position without providing leadership, leaving the group
to fend for itself. Subordinates are given a free hand in deciding their own policies and
methods. The subordinates are motivated to be creative and innovative.
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Narcissistic leadership
Narcissistic leadership is a leadership style in which the leader is only interested in

him/herself. Their priority is themselves - at the expense of their people/group members.
This leader exhibits the characteristics of a narcissist: arrogance, dominance and hostility.
It is a common leadership style. The narcissism may range from anywhere between healthy
and destructive. To critics, "narcissistic leadership (preferably destructive) is driven by
unyielding arrogance, self-absorption, and a personal egotistic need for power and
admiration."
Toxic leadership
A toxic leader is someone who has responsibility over a group of people or an

organization, and who abuses the leader–follower relationship by leaving the group or
organization in a worse-off condition than when he/she joined it.
Task-oriented and relationship-oriented leadership
Task-oriented leadership is a style in which the leader is focused on the tasks that need to
be performed in order to meet a certain production goal. Task-oriented leaders are
generally more concerned with producing a step-by-step solution for given problem or
goal, strictly making sure these deadlines are met, results and reaching target outcomes.
Relationship-oriented leadership is a contrasting style in which the leader is more focused

on the relationships amongst the group and is generally more concerned with the overall
well-being and satisfaction of group members. Relationship-oriented leaders emphasize
communication within the group, shows trust and confidence in group members, and
shows appreciation for work done.
Task-oriented leaders are typically less concerned with the idea of catering to group
members, and more concerned with acquiring a certain solution to meet a production goal.
For this reason, they typically are able to make sure that deadlines are met, yet their group
members' well-being may suffer. Relationship-oriented leaders are focused on developing
the team and the relationships in it. The positives to having this kind of environment are
that team members are more motivated and have support, however, the emphasis on
relations as opposed to getting a job done might make productivity suffer.
Sex differences in leadership behavior
Another factor that covaries with leadership style is whether the person is male or female.
When men and women come together in groups, they tend to adopt different leadership
styles. Men generally assume an agentic leadership style. They are task-oriented, active,
decision focused, independent and goal oriented. Women, on the other hand, are generally
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more communal when they assume a leadership position; they strive to be helpful towards
others, warm in relation to others, understanding, and mindful of others' feelings. In
general, when women are asked to describe themselves to others in newly formed groups,
they emphasize their open, fair, responsible, and pleasant communal qualities. They give
advice, offer assurances, and manage conflicts in an attempt to maintain positive
relationships among group members. Women connect more positively to group members
by smiling, maintaining eye contact and respond tactfully to others’ comments. Men,
conversely, describe themselves as influential, powerful and proficient at the task that
needs to be done. They tend to place more focus on initiating structure within the group,
setting standards and objectives, identifying roles, defining responsibilities and standard
operating procedures, proposing solutions to problems, monitoring compliance with
procedures, and finally, emphasizing the need for productivity and efficiency in the work
that needs to be done. As leaders, men are primarily task-oriented, but women tend to be
both task- and relationship-oriented. However, it is important to note that these sex
differences are only tendencies, and do not manifest themselves within men and women
across all groups and situations.
Performance
In the past, some researchers have argued that the actual influence of leaders on
organizational outcomes is overrated and romanticized as a result of biased attributions
about leaders (Meindl & Ehrlich, 1987). Despite these assertions, however, it is largely
recognized and accepted by practitioners and researchers that leadership is important, and
research supports the notion that leaders do contribute to key organizational outcomes
(Day & Lord, 1988; Kaiser, Hogan, & Craig, 2008). To facilitate successful performance it is
important to understand and accurately measure leadership performance.
Job performance generally refers to behavior that is expected to contribute to

organizational success (Campbell, 1990). Campbell identified a number of specific types of
performance dimensions; leadership was one of the dimensions that he identified. There is
no consistent, overall definition of leadership performance (Yukl, 2006). Many distinct
conceptualizations are often lumped together under the umbrella of leadership
performance, including outcomes such as leader effectiveness, leader advancement, and
leader emergence (Kaiser et al., 2008). For instance, leadership performance may be used
to refer to the career success of the individual leader, performance of the group or
organization, or even leader emergence. Each of these measures can be considered
conceptually distinct. While these aspects may be related, they are different outcomes and
their inclusion should depend on the applied or research focus.
55
Leadership traits
Most theories in the 20th century argued that great leaders were born, not made. Current
studies have indicated that leadership is much more complex and cannot be boiled down to
a few key traits of an individual. Years of observation and study have indicated that one
such trait or a set of traits does not make an extraordinary leader. What scholars have been
able to arrive at is that leadership traits of an individual do not change from situation to
situation; such traits include intelligence, assertiveness, or physical attractiveness.
However, each key trait may be applied to situations differently, depending on the
circumstances. The following summarizes the main leadership traits found in research by
Jon P. Howell, business professor at New Mexico State University and author of the book
Snapshots of Great Leadership.
Determination and drive include traits such as initiative, energy, assertiveness,

perseverance, masculinity, and sometimes dominance. People with these traits often tend
to wholeheartedly pursue their goals, work long hours, are ambitious, and often are very
competitive with others. Cognitive capacity includes intelligence, analytical and verbal
ability, behavioral flexibility, and good judgment. Individuals with these traits are able to
formulate solutions to difficult problems, work well under stress or deadlines, adapt to
changing situations, and create well-thought-out plans for the future. Howell provides
examples of Steve Jobs and Abraham Lincoln as encompassing the traits of determination
and drive as well as possessing cognitive capacity, demonstrated by their ability to adapt to
their continuously changing environments.
Self-confidence encompasses the traits of high self-esteem, assertiveness, emotional

stability, and self-assurance. Individuals that are self-confident do not doubt themselves or
their abilities and decisions; they also have the ability to project this self-confidence onto
others, building their trust and commitment. Integrity is demonstrated in individuals who
are truthful, trustworthy, principled, consistent, dependent, loyal, and not deceptive.
Leaders with integrity often share these values with their followers, as this trait is mainly
an ethics issue. It is often said that these leaders keep their word and are honest and open
with their cohorts. Sociability describes individuals who are friendly, extroverted, tactful,
flexible, and interpersonally competent. Such a trait enables leaders to be accepted well by
the public, use diplomatic measures to solve issues, as well as hold the ability to adapt their
social persona to the situation at hand. According to Howell, Mother Teresa is an
exceptional example that embodies integrity, assertiveness, and social abilities in her
diplomatic dealings with the leaders of the world.
Few great leaders encompass all of the traits listed above, but many have the ability to
apply a number of them to succeed as front-runners of their organization or situation.
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The ontological–phenomenological model for leadership
One of the more recent definitions of leadership comes from Werner Erhard, Michael C.
Jensen, Steve Zaffron, and Kari Granger who describe leadership as “an exercise in language
that results in the realization of a future that wasn’t going to happen anyway, which future
fulfills (or contributes to fulfilling) the concerns of the relevant parties…”. This definition
ensures that leadership is talking about the future and includes the fundamental concerns
of the relevant parties. This differs from relating to the relevant parties as “followers” and
calling up an image of a single leader with others following. Rather, a future that fulfills on
the fundamental concerns of the relevant parties indicates the future that wasn’t going to
happen is not the “idea of the leader”, but rather is what emerges from digging deep to find
the underlying concerns of those who are impacted by the leadership.
Contexts: Organizations
An organization that is established as an instrument or means for achieving defined

objectives has been referred to as a formal organization. Its design specifies how goals are
subdivided and reflected in subdivisions of the organization. Divisions, departments,
sections, positions, jobs, and tasks make up this work structure. Thus, the formal
organization is expected to behave impersonally in regard to relationships with clients or
with its members. According to Weber's definition, entry and subsequent advancement is
by merit or seniority. Employees receive a salary and enjoy a degree of tenure that
safeguards them from the arbitrary influence of superiors or of powerful clients. The
higher one's position in the hierarchy, the greater one's presumed expertise in adjudicating
problems that may arise in the course of the work carried out at lower levels of the
organization. It is this bureaucratic structure that forms the basis for the appointment of
heads or chiefs of administrative subdivisions in the organization and endows them with
the authority attached to their position.
In contrast to the appointed head or chief of an administrative unit, a leader emerges

within the context of the informal organization that underlies the formal structure. The
informal organization expresses the personal objectives and goals of the individual
membership. Their objectives and goals may or may not coincide with those of the formal
organization. The informal organization represents an extension of the social structures
that generally characterize human life — the spontaneous emergence of groups and
organizations as ends in themselves.
In prehistoric times, humanity was preoccupied with personal security, maintenance,

protection, and survival. Now humanity spends a major portion of waking hours working
57
for organizations. The need to identify with a community that provides security, protection,
maintenance, and a feeling of belonging has continued unchanged from prehistoric times.
This need is met by the informal organization and its emergent, or unofficial, leaders.
Leaders emerge from within the structure of the informal organization. Their personal
qualities, the demands of the situation, or a combination of these and other factors attract
followers who accept their leadership within one or several overlay structures. Instead of
the authority of position held by an appointed head or chief, the emergent leader wields
influence or power. Influence is the ability of a person to gain co-operation from others by
means of persuasion or control over rewards. Power is a stronger form of influence
because it reflects a person's ability to enforce action through the control of a means of
punishment.
A leader is a person who influences a group of people towards a specific result. It is not
dependent on title or formal authority. (Elevos, paraphrased from Leaders, Bennis, and
Leadership Presence, Halpern & Lubar.) Ogbonnia (2007) defines an effective leader "as an
individual with the capacity to consistently succeed in a given condition and be viewed as
meeting the expectations of an organization or society." Leaders are recognized by their
capacity for caring for others, clear communication, and a commitment to persist. An
individual who is appointed to a managerial position has the right to command and enforce
obedience by virtue of the authority of their position. However, she or he must possess
adequate personal attributes to match this authority, because authority is only potentially
available to him/her. In the absence of sufficient personal competence, a manager may be
confronted by an emergent leader who can challenge her/his role in the organization and
reduce it to that of a figurehead. However, only authority of position has the backing of
formal sanctions. It follows that whoever wields personal influence and power can
legitimize this only by gaining a formal position in the hierarchy, with commensurate
authority. Leadership can be defined as one's ability to get others to willingly follow. Every
organization needs leaders at every level.
Management
Over the years the philosophical terminology of "management" and "leadership" have, in
the organizational context, been used both as synonyms and with clearly differentiated
meanings. Debate is fairly common about whether the use of these terms should be
restricted, and generally reflects an awareness of the distinction made by Burns (1978)
between "transactional" leadership (characterized by e.g. emphasis on procedures,
contingent reward, management by exception) and "transformational" leadership
(characterized by e.g. charisma, personal relationships, creativity).
58
Group leadership
In contrast to individual leadership, some organizations have adopted group leadership. In

this situation, more than one person provides direction to the group as a whole. Some
organizations have taken this approach in hopes of increasing creativity, reducing costs, or
downsizing. Others may see the traditional leadership of a boss as costing too much in team
performance. In some situations, the team members best able to handle any given phase of
the project become the temporary leaders. Additionally, as each team member has the
opportunity to experience the elevated level of empowerment, it energizes staff and feeds
the cycle of success.
Leaders who demonstrate persistence, tenacity, determination, and synergistic

communication skills will bring out the same qualities in their groups. Good leaders use
their own inner mentors to energize their team and organizations and lead a team to
achieve success.
According to the National School Boards Association (USA): These Group Leaderships or
Leadership Teams have specific characteristics:
Characteristics of a Team
There must be an awareness of unity on the part of all its members. There must be
interpersonal relationship. Members must have a chance to contribute, and learn from and
work with others.
The members must have the ability to act together toward a common goal.
Ten characteristics of well-functioning teams:
Purpose: Members proudly share a sense of why the team exists and are invested in
accomplishing its mission and goals.
Priorities: Members know what needs to be done next, by whom, and by when to achieve
team goals.
Roles: Members know their roles in getting tasks done and when to allow a more skillful
member to do a certain task.
Decisions: Authority and decision-making lines are clearly understood.
Conflict: Conflict is dealt with openly and is considered important to decision-making and
personal growth.
59
Personal traits: members feel their unique personalities are appreciated and well utilized.
Norms: Group norms for working together are set and seen as standards for every one in
the groups.
Effectiveness: Members find team meetings efficient and productive and look forward to
this time together.
Success: Members know clearly when the team has met with success and share in this
equally and proudly.
Training: Opportunities for feedback and updating skills are provided and taken advantage
of by team members.
Leadership and Power: Varieties of individual power
According to Patrick J. Montana and Bruce H. Charnov, the ability to attain these unique
powers is what enables leadership to influence subordinates and peers by controlling
organizational resources. The successful leader effectively uses these powers to influence
employees, and it is important for leaders to understand the uses of power to strengthen
their leadership.
The authors distinguish the following types of organizational power:
Legitimate Power refers to the different types of professional positions within an

organization structure that inherit such power (e.g. Manager, Vice President, Director,
Supervisor, etc.). These levels of power correspond to the hierarchical executive levels
within the organization itself. The higher positions, such as president of the company, have
higher power than the rest of the professional positions in the hierarchical executive levels.
Reward Power is the power given to managers that attain administrative power over a
range of rewards (such as raises and promotions). Employees who work for managers
desire the reward from the manager and will be influenced by receiving it as a result of
work performance.
Coercive Power is the manager's ability to punish an employee. Punishment can be mild,
such as a suspension, or serious, such as termination.
Expert Power is attained by the manager due to his or her own talents such as skills,
knowledge, abilities, or previous experience. A manager who has this power within the
organization may be a very valuable and important manager in the company.
Charisma Power: a manager who has charisma will have a positive influence on workers,
and create the opportunity for interpersonal influence.
60
Referent Power is a power that is gained by association. A person who has power by
association is often referred to as an assistant or deputy.
Information Power is gained by a person who has possession of important information at

an important time when such information is needed to organizational functioning.
The Level 5 Leadership
Levels Type Characteristics

5 Executives Building enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend
of personal humility and professional will
4 Effective Leader Catalyzes commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear
and compelling vision, stimulating higher performance
standards
3 Competent Organizes people and resources toward the effective and
Manager efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives
2 Contributing Team Contributes individual capabilities to the achievement of
Member group objectives and works effectively with others in a
group setting
1 Highly Capable Makes productive contributions through talent,
Individual knowledge, skills and good work habits
61
Two sides of level 5 leadership
Professional Will Personal Humility

Create superb results, a clear catalyst in the
Demonstrates a compelling modesty,
transition from good to great shunning public adulation; never boastful
Demonstrates an unwavering resolve to do Acts with quiet, calm determination; relies
whatever must be done to produce the best principally on inspired standards, not
long-term results, no matter how difficult inspiring charisma, to motivate
States the standard of building an enduring Channels ambition into the company, not
great company; will settle for nothing less the self; sets up successors for even greater
success in the next generation
Looks in the mirror, not out the window, to Looks out the window, not in the mirror, to
apportion responsibility for poor results, apportion credit for the success of the
never blaming other people, external company – to other people, external factors,
factors, or bad luck and good luck.
62

Journey From Good To Great

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A Journey from

Heavy Civil Infra

 10 Mins  Activity on the concept of success

 25 Mins  Discussion on how to improve EQ

 To enable participants learn the process of consensus decision making

 20 mins  Concept of decision making: types of decision

 25 mins • Some amount of stress is good (eu-stress and de-stress)

 5 mins perception, lifestyle management (PPT)

Session 11. Leadership

 10 mins • The concept of leadership (PPT)

Session 12. Action Plan presentation and Closing

L & T Values and Culture

This session will help you in……..

 Understanding the organizational culture and its importance

Values:What members collectively see as important and which consequently tends to

 Culture provides a sense of identity to members and increases their

Core values of L & T

Desired Competency Level

This session will help you in……..

 The what makes a great performer

Performance: KSA X Motivation

Competencies Defined: Competencies are the measurable or observable knowledge,

Competencies required at L & T in tier 1

 Business Communication: Produces clear and effective documentation and

Additional readings: turn the page!!!!!!

 Understand the concept of JOHARI Window

 JOHARI Window is a technique created by Josheph Luft and Harrington Ingham in

Additional Reading: Please turn the page!!!!

Emotional Quotient (EQ)

This session will help you in……..

 Understand the concept of Emotional Quotient and its role in success

Few More steps to improve EQ

• Recognizing flaws, then accepting them

• Making the best out of difficult situations

• Using hardships as a fuel to improvement

Project Planning and Project Implementation and

 Understanding the basics of project planning and project management

This session will help you in……..

 Understanding importance of time management and a disciplined life

Self-discipline: Self-discipline can be considered a type of selective training, creating new

Schedule a small task for a given time of the day;

 Schedule a particular task in the morning and once in the evening.

Advantage 1: Scheduling helps you focus on your priorities. By focusing on starting

 Schedule a task and hold to its time; Avoid acting on impulse.

Harness the power of routine.

Use self-discipline to explore time management

Advantage: As you control tasks, you build self-discipline.

Maintain a self-discipline log book.

 Record the start and end times of the tasks.

Schedule your work day.

 Do not be intimidated; do not be put off by the challenge

Associate a new habit with an old one:

Advantage: Association facilitates neural connections!

Mark your progress:

On a calendar in your bathroom, on a spreadsheet at your computer, on your breakfast

Advantage: Visualizing is a ready reinforcement of progress

Is your procrastination related to a project? or is it a habit?

1. Begin with one, modest project

What do you want to do?

 What is the final objective, the end result?

Why do you want to do this?

 What is your biggest motivation?

List out what stands in your way