1

ABC Campus to Corporate

Mindflex Program 2019

for Students of
Mulund College of Commerce (MCC)

Contents
 Communication With Self-Confidence
 Presentation Skills
 Curriculum Vitae – Writing Your CV
 Email Etiquette
 Stress Management
 Group Discussion
 Personal Interview
 Leadership Lessons From Arthashastra

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 2

Communication With Self Confidence

Eleanor Roosevelt was a shy young girl who was terrified at the thought of speaking in
public. But with each passing year, she grew in confidence and self-esteem. She once
said, "No one can make you feel inferior, unless you agree with it."

Tips to combat nervousness

The Voice: A control over your voice can help you communicate better.
 Volume: Do not shout. Lower voice to draw the audience in, and raise it to make
a point.
 Tone: A voice that carries fear can frighten, while a laughing voice can get the
audience to smile.
 Pitch: How high or low a note is.
 Pace: Talking too fast confuses, while talking slowly distracts. Vary the pace
helps to maintain the audience's interest.
 Colour: Practice projection and tone variance to convey surprise, irony, grief, and
anger. The key is to over-act.

The Body: Good posture helps you to speak more clearly and effective.
 Eye contact: Eye contact opens the flow of communication and conveys interest,
concern, warmth, and credibility.
 Facial Expressions: Smiling is a powerful cue that transmits happiness,
friendliness, warmth, and liking.
 Gestures: Don‘t be boring and stiff. Have a lively speaking style.
 Posture and body orientation: Stand erect and lean forward to appear
approachable,
 Receptive and friendly. Turning your back or looking at the floor or ceiling
communicates disinterest.
 Proximity: moving close to the listener enables you to make better eye contact
and conversation. People may show discomfort when you move too close – i.e.
rocking, leg swinging, tapping, and gaze aversion.
 Voice. Modulate your voice to get audience interest more quickly.

Active Listening:
Use Active listening with a purpose to gain information, to determine how another
person feels, and to understand others.
 Spend more time listening than talking
 Do not finish the sentence of others.
 Do not answer questions with questions.
 Aware of biases. We all have them. We need to control them.
 Never daydream or become preoccupied with your own thoughts when others
talk.
 Let the other speaker talk. Do not dominate the conversation.
 Plan responses after others have finished speaking...NOT while they are
speaking.
 Provide feedback but do not interrupt incessantly.

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 3

 Look at all the relevant factors and asking open-ended questions. Walk the
person through analysis (summarize).
 Keep the conversation on what the speaker says...NOT on what interest you.

Nerves:
Tension ruins the voice, posture, and spontaneity. The voice becomes higher, shoulders
tighten up and legs start to shake. The speaker locks in on the notes and starts to read
directly from them.
 Stand with your feet apart, arms hanging, fingers unclenched. Gently shake each
part of your body, starting with your hands, then arms, shoulders, torso, and legs.
Rotate your shoulders.
 Move on to your head. Rotate slowly clockwise, and then counter-clockwise.
 Do not fight nerves, welcome them! Everyone gets tense, but winners use them
to advantage.

“All you have to do when you speak in front of people is to think that you are just
speaking to one person and that you need to communicate to this one person alone... so
look at that beautiful face in the crowd and begin by speaking to her/him... one person
at a time. Talk… then transfer your gaze to the next person and always keep that eye
contact with every person in the crowd… and next think you know… you are speaking to
everyone. Not only are you being very personal when you look at their eyes… but you
also get to be more spontaneous as you speak „to the crowd‟ and not „at the crowd‟.” -
Joseph Bismark
------------

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 4

Presentation Skills
Before the presentation:
Visualize the room, audience, and your presentation. Mentally go over what you are
going to do.

During the presentation:

Take a moment for yourself by getting a drink of water, take a deep breath, and
concentrate on relaxing the most tense part of your body, and then return to the
presentation saying to yourself, "I can do it!"

After the presentation:

Know that even the best presenters make mistakes. The key is to continue on after the
mistake. If you pick up and continue, so will the audience. Winners continue! Losers
stop!

Points to remember
• Make eye contact with your audience at all times. Sweep the room like a lighthouse,
staying only 2-3 seconds on each person. This will give each participant the impression
that you are speaking to him/her personally and ensure that you keep their attention.

 Avoid looking at one person in particular (usually the friendly face!) or some
non-threatening point on the floor or wall.
 Don’t read your notes
 Gestures and verbal emphasis
 Pause often - silence allows points to sink in and your audience to catch up
 Use intelligent humour
 Be enthusiastic - if you’re not enthusiastic, why should your audience be?
 Don’t drop your voice
 Avoid jargons - use simple language
 Project your voice
 Keep your gestures big and bold and make them visible to your whole audience
 Rehearse your presentation
 Practice Practice Practice!!!

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 5

Test Your Skill

Read the following statements and respond with Yes or No.

1 I get butterflies in my stomach just thinking about presentations

2 I can’t sleep the night before presenting

3 I avoid speaking in a group presentation

4 I experience sweaty palms, pounding heart, trembling knees

5 My breathing becomes rapid

6 I feel underprepared

7 I blank out while presenting

8 I get lost in my notes

9 I hide behind the AV tools

10 I feel nervous

11 I let others feel I am nervous

12 I feel everyone is staring at me

13 I fear impromptu speaking

How many YES?

 10 – 13 Needs Guidance
 7 - 9 Needs Practice
 4 – 6 Needs Encouragement
 0 – 3 Needs Challenges

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 6

Curriculum Vitae - CV
Drafting a good CV

 Personal details. Most CVs start with these but take care to avoid superfluous
details, such as religious affiliation, children's names and so on.
 Education and qualifications. Take care to include the names of institutions and
dates attended in reverse order; university before school results.
 Work experience. The most widely accepted style of employment record is the
chronological CV.
 Career history is presented in reverse date order starting with most recent.
Achievements and responsibilities are listed against each role. More
emphasis/information should be put on more recent jobs.
 Skills. Include computer skills and (genuine) foreign language skills and any
other recent training/development that is relevant to the role applied for.
 Hobbies and Interests. Keep this section short.
 Referees. These can simply be 'Available on request'.

Crafting a good CV:

 Get the basics right

 Presentation is key
 Stick to no more than two pages of A4
 Understand the job description
 Tailor the CV to the role
 Make the most of skills
 Make the most of interests
 Make the most of experience
 Including references
 Keep your CV updated

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 7

Dos and Don’ts of a good CV

 A good curriculum vitae should cover no more than two pages

 Clear
 Structured
 Concise
 Relevant
 Using bullet points rather than full sentences can help minimise word usage.

EMAIL ETIQUETTES
I. Be Considerate
1. Be informal, not sloppy.
2. Keep messages brief and to the point.
3. Use sentence case.
4. Use the blind copy and courtesy copy appropriately.
5. Don't use e-mail as an excuse to avoid personal contact.
6. Remember that e-mail isn't private.
7. Be sparing with group e-mail.
8. Use the subject field to indicate content and purpose.
9. Don't send chain letters, virus warnings, or junk mail.
10. Remember that your tone can't be heard in e
11. Use a signature that includes contact information.
12. Summarize long discussions.
II. Method of Communication
1. Start with a salutation
2. Write in short paragraphs
3. Stick to one topic
4. Use capitals appropriately
5. Sign off the email
6. Use a sensible email signature
7. Putting it all together

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 8

Some important Pointers to writing Good Emails.

1. Take a re-Look Before You Send a Message Don't send anything you don't want to.
2. Do Not Default to "Reply All" "Reply" is good.
3. Keep Emails Short Do not trouble recipients with too much text.
4. Properly Format Your Email Replies
5. Write Perfect Subject Lines
6. Clean Up Emails Before Forwarding Them.
7. When in Doubt, Send Plain Text Email, Not Rich HTML.
8. Don't Forward Hoaxes. Email hoaxes often contain stories that are intriguing, and
sure to irritate.
9. Use Antivirus Software, Keep Up to Date. Make sure you're not spreading viruses
10. Explain Why You Think What You Forward Will Interest the Recipient. More and
better communication makes better relationships.
11. Do Let People Know Their Mail Has Been Received.
12. Ask Before Sending Huge Attachments. Don't clog mailbox without permission.
13. Talk About One Subject per Email Message. For other subjects, start a new email.
14. Don't make life more difficult for the recipients. Pay some attention to punctuation.
15. Use Acronyms Sparingly. DYK? Not everybody knows every acronym.
16. Resize Pictures to Handy Proportions for Emails. When your photos look good in
your email, you look good, too!
17. WRITING IN ALL CAPS IS LIKE SHOUTING (ALL CAPS IS SO DIFFICULT TO READ).
18. Be Careful with Irony in Emails. No, really! I mean it. Honestly!
19. Catch Typos by Printing Your Emails. Always proofread.
20. Avoid embarrassing emails by sending them to yourself (by default).
21. Set Your System Clock Right. Make sure you don't send messages from 1981.
22. In Doubt, End Emails with "Thanks.
23. Put Your Signature.
25. Compress Files Before Sending Them via Email. Smaller is more beautiful, at least
when it comes to email attachments.

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 9

Stress Management
Stress is the resulting tension associated with the individual’s internal response to an
external challenging situation.

On a dark night trekking in Himalayas, I came across a snake across my path. I

experienced fear and alarm. The tension expressed as perspiration, dryness of mouth,
rapid heartbeats and running pulse, tightening of the stomach and limbs, etc. I was
experiencing stress.

Stress!
Today’s enemy no. 1. We face stress in every walk of life. It is present in our work, in our
personal relationships, in our social sphere, and in the global international arena.

Stress claims its victims in many ways – in terms of ill health, mental disturbance,
productivity loss, etc. Relationship problems, addictions, and social violence are all by-
products of stress. Stress is defined as a feeling of emotional or physical tension.

Emotional stress usually occurs when situations are considered difficult or

unmanageable. Therefore, different people consider different situations as stressful.

Physical stress refers to a physiological reaction of the body to various triggers. The
pain experienced after surgery is an example of physical stress. Physical stress often
leads to emotional stress, and emotional stress is frequently experienced as physical
discomfort (e.g., stomach cramps).

Stress Response
The stress response manifests in our body through physiological and psychological
changes. According to Dr.(Prof) Manilal Gada, biological changes occurring under stress
include the following:
• Breathing becomes faster so that body has access to more oxygen.
• Liver releases sugar and fat into the blood stream quick burst of energy.
• Heart begins to beat faster to pump blood into muscle and brain bringing extra oxygen
to these organs.
• Muscles tense up for action.
• Blood flow decreases to certain organs in chest and abdomen and change occurs that
will cause blood to clot faster in case of injury and bleeding.
• Mouth feels dry as saliva production is reduced temporarily.
• Sweating is more to cool the body faster.
• Pupils get wider allowing one to see better.
These changes come about when a stressor registers on the brain and stress hormones
are released in the body.

Stressful Living
Normal day to day stressful situations are well within our capacity to manage. As the
situation becomes more and more challenging, we are able to invoke our inner

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 10

resources and prime ourselves to face the situation. Our performance improves
proportionate to the challenge.

Without the threat of exams looming over us, we are hardly motivated to open our
books. However, as the exam dates come nearer, we begin studying better. Just a few
days before the exam, we burn the midnight lamp. The tougher the exam, the more we
exert. We are now better prepared to cope. The situation is still within our grasp.

The situation changes drastically when the challenge becomes tougher. Our ability to
manage successfully breaks down and our performance declines. We may feel paralyzed
and go through the exam without a blank mind. Alternately we may refuse to take the
exam and avoid it altogether. Like scapegoats in the forest used by hunters to lure tigers
into a trap, we cannot fight nor can we run away.

Most of our stressful moments are short term. We recover from the stress and revert to
normal. However, we also experience low-grade stress repeatedly over an extended
period of time, steadily accumulating in our system. Instead of reverting to normal, the
stress response becomes part of us, resulting in hypertension, ulcers, allergies, etc. and
other diseases.

Symptoms of High Stress

PHYSICAL: PSYCHOLOGICAL: EMOTIONAL: BEHAVIOURAL:
Fatigue Decrease in Anxiety Pacing
Headache Concentration Nervousness Restlessness
Sleeplessness Forgetfulness Depression Nervous Habits
Body ache Indecisiveness Frustration (nail tapping)
Palpitations Confusion Anger Increased Eating
Chest Pain Irritability or Impatience Yelling or Bursts
Trembling Short Crying of Anger
Nausea Temper Negative Thinking Increased
Cold Extremities Loss of Interest in Suicidal Thoughts Smoking
Flushing or Hobbies Hopelessness Increased Alcohol
Sweating Helplessness Consumption
Abdominal Pain
Acidity

Eustress – Good News about Stress

Our Stone Age ancestors lived in caves. They needed to come out of their caves for food
and relaxation. They needed to be fully alert to hunt for food, fight other predators, and
to run away from danger. The stress response was their way of being prepared for fight
or for flight. It was nature’s way of pumping energy in the body to meet the challenge
and survive.

Is stress good or bad? Stress is not necessarily unpleasant. The stress response ranges
from fear and paralysis on one side to excitement and elation on the other. The same
stressor that frightens one can exhilarate another. Isn’t that true while taking joyrides in
Essel World?

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 11

An impending wedding, a new job, promotion, taking a vacation, etc. create Eustress, i.e.
positive enjoyable stress. We look forward to these events and are excited about them.
Eustress is opposite of Distress or disabling stress. Eustress is nature’s way of warming
up to the task at hand.

In stressful situations, you :

(A) are active
(A) are flexible
(A) are realistically optimistic
(A) are thoughtful
(A) approach the problem bit by bit
(A) see things clearly and accurately
(A) ask for additional information if
necessary,
(B) are passive
(B) are rigid
(B) are pessimistic
(B) are impulsive and emotionally upset
(B) solve everything at once
(B) blow things way out of proportion
(B) are afraid to ask questions or obtain
additional information

The more (A)s you have in your list, the better is your level of Eustress.
(A)s indicate your positive coping (B)s indicate ineffectiveness in coping with
attitudes difficult situations.

Stressors and Stress Response

A stressor is something that sets off stress. Loss of a close relative, uncertain job
situation, misunderstandings in a relationship, difficult kids, change of residence,
impending deadlines, excessive workload demands, threat of physical violence, are all
stressors – they are sources of stress.

But, are these stressors the real causes of stress? How is it that some people are more
stressed out than others in similar situations? How do things that stress me leave
another unaffected? How come someone breaks down on losing his job, while another
anticipates a new and better job?

The stress response varies with our awareness of the situation and its consequences. If I
were knew the snake was non-poisonous, my fear would diminish. The attitude of an
individual can influence whether a situation or emotion is stressful or not. Having a
negative attitude can predict stress in a person, because this type of person will often
report more stress than would someone with a positive attitude.

ABC of Stress
According to the Rational Emotive Therapy propounded by Ellis, it is our Beliefs (B)
about the Activating Stressor (A) that leads to the Consequent Response (C).

A +B = C
Activating Stressor Beliefs Consequent Response

Thus, in our snake example,

A +B = C
Snake “I am helpless, I’m finished” feeling of terror

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 12

1. Had I believed that there was no snake, but only a rope, I would have no stress at all!
2. Had I believed that this was a rare snake and would fetch a lot of money, I might look
for creative ways to catch the snake without getting bitten.
3. Had I killed a snake in the past the sight of the snake might evoke guilt, or fatalistic
even resignation to impending death.

In fact, it is not necessary for there to be a snake to create fear. My beliefs themselves
might lead me to seeing snakes in every shadow. For all I know, the snake across my
path is just my imagination taking wings, leading to inappropriate stress.

Situations are stressful to the extent we believe them as stressful. High stress occurs
when we see ourselves as helplessly trapped in a situation over which we have no
control. Our inability to cope is the belief that determines distress. Distress can change
into Eustress or vice versa as our ability to cope changes. I can enjoy watching a captive
snake in the zoo, but if it were to escape, I would probably panic. On the other hand, if I
were a snake catcher, my fear would be replaced by the excitement of trapping the
snake.

Saint Francis wrote this well-known “Serenity Prayer”:

“God grant me Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can, and
Wisdom to know the difference.”

Certain situations overwhelm us and there is nothing we can do about them but to
accept with serenity. In Indian tradition, this attitude is demonstrated in the temple
when ‘Prasad’ is distributed. The Prasad may be a sweetmeat, food items, plain water, or
even a flower or leaf. Even the diabetic person does not refuse a sweetmeat as Prasad.
He generally tastes it even if he does not eat it whole. ‘Prasad’ is grace, and there can be
graceful dignified acceptance of situations that are beyond our control.

Most situations however are in our control. It is in our power to change them or to avert
them in the first place. According to Stephen Covey, this capacity is in our circle of
influence. The larger circle of the two concentric circles is the circle of Concern. The
smaller circle is where we have power to change things. Outside of this, we have no
power. We can recognise the truth of this and learn to let go the stress of changing
things over which we have no power over.

The more we focus on the circle of influence, the more we take charge of our stress and
make it a better experience. We are able to let go of what is not in our hands, and do
what is within our power. But when we focus on the outer circle and worry about what
we cannot change, we create stress for ourselves, and we overlook the smaller circle
where we indeed have power take some positive action to improve the our condition.
The way we see the situation and ourselves makes a difference in whether we
experience Eustress or distress.

Stress can be managed

Stress management has to be handled on four different fronts.
1. The first is reducing the stress response by practicing stress relief techniques.
Participating in sports, performing physical exercises, reducing alcohol, smoking,

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 13

caffeine etc., result in physical and mental fitness necessary to withstand stress.
Moderate eating and sleeping habits add to good health. A healthy diet consisting of
balanced meals that are nourishing and pleasing is recommended.

Relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, yoga, creative visualization,

music and fine arts, are helpful when practiced on a regular basis. A variety of hobbies
and interests, a supportive family, involvement in community and social activities are
other ways towards a stress free living.
Humour too is a wonderful stress reducer. As the saying goes: “Laugh and the whole
world will laugh with you. Cry and you cry alone.”

2. The second is developing coping skills to manage the stressful situation. The skills
necessary for problem solving include time management, decision making, listening and
communication, negotiation, etc. Assertiveness, the ability to delegate work, working
within one’s limitations, asking for help or feedback, etc. are all aids for crisis
management.

3. The third is challenging and modifying our belief systems, so that we experience
Eustress instead of distress. We can choose to listen to either of the two voices in our
heads – the friendly voice or the enemy voice. The enemy voice victimises us and
degrades our abilities and self-worth. The friendly voice sees us as deserving and
capable. It encourages us to trust ourselves and to face up to the challenge with
confidence.

The enemy voice consists of our childhood beliefs that were based on irrational thinking
and half-truths. The more we listen to it, the more we feel cheated.
When we choose to listen to the friendly voice, we are encouraged to think realistically.
Instead of seeing situations and people as victimising us, we convert them into a
learning experience. Instead of feeling stuck in situations, we think of options to emerge
out of the situation successfully.

4. The fourth is a way to becoming insulated from stressors through a process called
progressive desensitisation. We choose to face the thing we fear through a series of
steps until we successfully overcome the fear. For example, we choose to face up to our
fear of heights by acclimatising ourselves first with manageable heights. If we are
comfortable looking down from the third floor, we can try the fourth floor and get used
to it before progressing to the fifth floor. We overcome the fear by actually facing it and
surviving the fear. In time, we can probably manage the tenth floor or more. Breaking
down the situation into steps is a good way of coping with the situation that we find too
stressful to manage.

In the event that despite our best efforts, we are not able to cope with the stress in our
work and relationships, it is advisable to take help of teachers, guides, or even a
professional counsellor. Asking for help may seem to be an act of helplessness. The truth
is that it takes a lot of courage to admit our inability to deal with situations, and
reaching out for help is a sign that we are ready to move beyond our helplessness and
seek remedial measures.

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 14

Group Discussion
Group Discussion or GD is an open discussion based on any given small case or judge a
person’s confidence and ability to put forward his/her thoughts to a group. The other
qualities sought are candidate’s leadership quality, conflict management ability,
communication skill (both and nonverbal) and listening ability...
 Initiate the GD only if you are aware of the topic and confident to speak first. Give
a structure to the discussion
 Maintain eye contact with group and address the entire group rather than a
single person
 Speak clearly with confidence
 Be polite yet firm while contradicting somebody’s point of view
 Note down key points during discussion; you may be asked to summarize the GD
 Do not be repetitive
 Avoid straying away from the topic. Use simple language which is understood by
everyone.
 Do not panic if you don’t get chance to speak initially. Listen carefully and enter
into GD at point
 Allow others to speak also
 Don’t carry mobile phones inside GD room. Keep it outside the room or switch it
off
 Do not use slang

ON THE DAY OF GD/PI

 Come fresh. Take good sleep the night before
 Reach the venue of GD/PI at least half an hour before your scheduled slot
 Remain calm and poised
 Interact with other candidates
As they say “Chance favours the prepared mind”, hence practice and prepare well in
advance. Believe that you have everything in you to crack the GD/PI. And always remember
what the Bhagavad Gita, the best management literature of all time, says: “Do your Karma and leave
everything on The Almighty.”

Personal Interview
The heat of the B-school admission process does not end with clearing the most
competitive entrance exams such as CAT, XAT and SNAP. You will have to face the final
frontier-the Personal Interview (PI). Although many students successfully clear the
exams and get the GD-PI calls, many fail to perform well in the interview room. To
perform well, it is essential that you understand the What, Why and How of the personal
interview round.

So what does the PI test?

Personal Interview aims at understanding and knowing the candidate better. It is an
opportunity to market yourself as the most suitable candidate who deserves that admit
card into the reputed B-school. The views expressed by the candidate in the application
form will be put to test. You will be asked about your academic background and the

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 15

accuracy of existing knowledge may also be put to test. Remember, it is not just the
knowledge gained from books that will be questioned. B-schools are looking for
candidates who are also well-aware of the world.
Key areas you should concentrate on?

Knowledge:
MBA programs are demanding and needs you to have adequate knowledge related to
the field. You should do your research on the specialization you are interested in. Do not
forget to research on the institute as the most common question asked is Why MBA?
Why MBA in this institution? The panel wants to know how you will cope with the
demands of the program, how their program will benefit you and how you will
contribute to the institution in return. Also be prepared to answer what your other
areas of interest include. Extracurricular activities also play an important role.

Clarity of goals:
Personal interview is a chance you get to emphasize on your goals. You will have to have
clarity of your goals to answer the questions such as Why MBA? How does in fit your
career goals? What are your plans after MBA? The panel is looking for the inner
motivations of the candidate. Since there are no right answers to these questions, it
demands introspection. Honest self-assessment may help you answer these questions
convincingly.

Communication skills:
This is the key to success. Personal interview is all about communicating your ideas,
goals and motives to the panel who is listening to you to know you better. Learn to
speak clearly and be professional. Have confidence in what you say and answer to the
point. Listen to what is being said and do not be afraid to give yourself some time to
understand it well before you answer. Do not try answering when you have no clue and
accept the things you do not know. The panel you will be addressing is experienced and
will be easily ticked off with tactics used to impress.

What are the most frequently asked questions?

The questions generally revolve around behaviours, skills and attitudes of the student.
The selector aims to gain an insight into the personality of the student by assessing the
student in the following areas:
 The Strengths and weaknesses of the student
 Aim and objective behind management education
 Stress and Time Management skills
 Past performances and experiences as indicator to future behaviour
 Honesty and integrity
 Personality conflicts, if any

Success in the interview cannot be achieved with inadequate preparation. At the same
time it is not something that is impossible to achieve. It depends on how well you know
yourself, your goals and how serious and dedicated you are about achieving them. So do
some soul searching and you will be ready.
All the Best!!
------------

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 16

WHAT SHOULD I KEEP IN MIND DURING MY PERSONAL INTERVIEW

 Greet the interviewer(s) once you enter the interview cell

 Sit straight and use your hands for gestures
 Listen carefully to the questions asked
 Speak clearly, slowly. Remain confident while answering
 Be honest if you don’t know any answer; do not lie
 Carry a neat file folder with all your documents properly arranged
 Be well prepared to answer questions related to your resume.
 Do not use slangs
 Don’t carry mobile phones inside PI room. Keep it outside t
 Above all, always wear a smile
 GENERALLY ASKED PI QUESTIONS
 Why do you want to do join this company?
 How do you see yourself 10 years from now?
 What are your career aspirations?
 Why should we accept you in our organization?
 What are your strengths/weaknesses?
 Questions on basics of mathematics and engineering specialization subjects
 Current affair questions
 Questions on job experience

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 17

Leadership Lessons through Arthashastra

Arthashastra is a text on governance written by the Guru of Strategy – Chanakya. This

book was written in the 3rd century B.C. Chanakya was a teacher of political science in
the university of Takshashila and trained various students including Chandragupta
Maurya who went on to replacing the tyrannical kind- Dhananand. The work of
Chanakya was documented in this text in the form of 6000 sutras.

These sutras cover various topics such as:

Fundamentals Economics Law Foreign War

of Management Policy

A king was trained in the Arthashastra so he could rule his kingdom and also serve the
people in the best possible way. This book is a great leadership book as it focuses on
various aspects to make a king fit to take up this responsibility. It not only works on the
attitude of a person but also on the skill and behaviour to mould a person into a leader.

This book lays emphasis on nurturing and developing the mind of a leader based on
values and ethics. It polishes with every sutra the rough edges to make an individual a
gem of a leader .It brings out the best of potentials in person and teaches him/her to
harness the same from others around.

A few sutras from this powerful text can take us onto the path of leadership.

“In the happiness of the subjects lies the benefit of the king and in what is beneficial to
the subjects is his own benefit. What is dear to himself is not beneficial to the king, but
what is dear to the subjects is beneficial to him” (1.19.34)

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 18

Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

1. Self-awareness

If you're self-aware, you always know how you feel. And you know how your emotions, and
your actions, can affect the people around you. Being self-aware when you're in a leadership
position also means having a clear picture of your strengths and weaknesses. And it means
having humility.

So, what can you do to improve your self-awareness?

 Keep a journal – Journals help improve your self-awareness. If you spend just a few minutes
each day writing down your thoughts, this can move you to a higher degree of self-
awareness.
 Slow down – When you experience anger or other strong emotions, slow down to examine
why. Remember, no matter what the situation, you can always choose how you react to it.

2. Self-regulation

Leaders who regulate themselves effectively rarely verbally attack others, make rushed or
emotional decisions, stereotype people, or compromise their values. Self-regulation is all
about staying in control.

This element of emotional intelligence, according to Goleman, also covers a leader's

flexibility and commitment to personal accountability.

So, how can you improve your ability to self-regulate?

 Know your values – Do you have a clear idea of where you absolutely will not compromise?
Do you know what values are most important to you? Spend some time examining your
"code of ethics." If you know what's most important to you, then you probably won't have to
think twice when you face a moral or ethical decision – you'll make the right choice.
 Hold yourself accountable – If you tend to blame others when something goes wrong, stop.
Make a commitment to admit to your mistakes and face the consequences, whatever they
are. You'll probably sleep better at night, and you'll quickly earn the respect of those around
you.
 Practice being calm – The next time you're in a challenging situation, be very aware of how
you act. Do you relieve your stress by shouting at someone else? Practice deep-breathing
exercises to calm yourself. Also, try to write down all of the negative things you want to say,
and then rip it up and throw it away. Expressing these emotions on paper (and not showing
them to anyone!) is better than speaking them aloud to your team. What's more, this helps
you challenge your reactions to make sure that they're fair!

3. Motivation

Self-motivated leaders consistently work toward their goals. And they have extremely high
standards for the quality of their work.

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 19

How can you improve your motivation?

 Re-examine why you're doing this – It's easy to forget what you really love about your
career. So, take some time to remember why you wanted this job. If you're unhappy in your
role and you're struggling to remember why you wanted it, try the Five Whys technique to
find the root of the problem. Starting at the root often helps you look at your situation in a
new way.
 And make sure that your goal statements are fresh and energizing. For more on this, see our
article on Goal Setting.
 Know where you stand – Determine how motivated you are to lead. Our Leadership
Motivation Assessment can help you see clearly how motivated you are in your leadership
role. If you need to increase your motivation to lead, and it then directs you to resources
that can help.
 Be hopeful and find something good – Motivated leaders are usually optimistic, no matter
what they face. Adopting this mind-set might take practice, but it's well worth the effort.
Every time you face a challenge, or even a failure, try to find at least one good thing about
the situation. It might be something small, like a new contact, or something with long-term
effects, like an important lesson learned. But there's almost always something positive – you
just have to look for it.

4. Empathy

For leaders, having empathy is critical to managing a successful team or organization.

Leaders with empathy have the ability to put themselves in someone else's situation. They
help develop the people on their team, challenge others who are acting unfairly, give
constructive feedback, and listen to those who need it.

If you want to earn the respect and loyalty of your team, then show them you care by being
empathic.

How can you improve your empathy?

 Put yourself in someone else's position – It's easy to support your own point of view. After
all, it's yours! But take the time to look at situations from other people's perspectives. See
our article on Perceptual Positions for a useful technique for doing this.
 Pay attention to body language – Perhaps when you listen to someone, you cross your
arms, move your feet back and forth, or bite your lip. This body language tells others how
you really feel about a situation, and the message you're giving isn't positive! Learning to
read body language can be a real asset when you're in a leadership role because you'll be
better able to determine how someone truly feels. And this gives you the opportunity to
respond appropriately.
 Respond to feelings – You ask your assistant to work late – again. And although he agrees,
you can hear the disappointment in his voice. So, respond by addressing his feelings. Tell him
you appreciate how willing he is to work extra hours, and that you're just as frustrated about
working late. If possible, figure out a way for future late nights to be less of an issue (for
example, give him Monday mornings off).

5. Social skills

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com

 20

Leaders who do well in this element of emotional intelligence are great communicators.
They're just as open to hearing bad news as good news, and they're experts at getting their
team to support them and be excited about a new mission or project.

Leaders who have good social skills are also good at managing change and resolving
conflicts diplomatically. They're rarely satisfied with leaving things as they are, but they're
also not willing to make everyone else do the work. They set the example with their own
behaviour.

So, how can you improve your leadership by building social skills?

 Learn conflict resolution – Leaders must know how to resolve conflicts between their team
members, customers, or vendors. Learning conflict resolution skills is vital if you want to
succeed.
 Improve your communication skills – How well do you communicate? Our communication
quiz will help you answer this question, and it will give useful feedback on what you can do
to improve.
 Learn how to praise others – As a leader, you can inspire the loyalty of your team simply by
giving praise when it's earned. Learning how to effectively praise others is a fine art, but well
worth the effort.

Key Points
Thanks to the many challenges and opportunities that arise when working with others, leaders
must have a solid understanding of how their emotions and actions affect the people around
them. The better a leader relates to and works with others, the more successful he or she will
be.

Take the time to work on self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social
skills. Working on this will help you excel in the future!

ABC Campus to Corporate MCC Mindflex Program 2019 mindflextraining.com