There are two types of skills needed to excel in your 

career and personal life as well.

These are - interpersonal skills and technical skills. Interpersonal skills are what

basically what are known as soft skills whereas technical skills are called hard skills.

While hard skills are specific to the job you want to do, soft skills, on the other
hand are general and are required everywhere even in personal life.

This video above will tell you how to identify between soft and hard skills as well as how
essential these are.

Why Should you Bother ?

Your technical knowledge is definitely very important for getting the job that you want.
But if you think about it, everyone in your batch has similar technical knowledge and
experience.

It is your soft skills that will set you apart from the crowd. Remember that the company
that you applied in is looking for a suitable candidate to work in their office. You’ll need
more than just technical skills and the right qualifications to be a good employee.
You’ll be required to work harmoniously with the rest of the organization while also
meeting their goals at the same time. Your soft skills will help you win half of this
battle!

Understand Soft Skills

There are many types of soft skills such as :-

 Your personal characteristics.

 Your personality traits.

 How you Interpret social cues.

 Communication skills.

Since soft skills are less theoretical and more practical in nature, reading or writing
about them is not enough. It is hard to teach soft skills in a classroom setting, just like a
lot of other subjects that need practical methods of learning.

However, you can learn them slowly as you start observing and applying them in daily
life.
Must-Have Soft Skills

Here are a few soft skills that can help you excel at your workplace:-

1) Strong Work Ethic- Your work ethic has many components like your motivation to
do your best and your willingness to overcome obstacles. 2) Positive Attitude- It talks
about an optimistic outlook and good will. 3) Communication Skills- Your ability to
communicate your message clearly as well as your ability to listen to others. 4) Time
Management- Your ability to make the best use of your time in order to meet the goals
set by your company. 5) Problem Solving Skills- Your ability to find the best possible
solution to a problem using the resources that you have.

More Must-Haves

6) Being a Team Player - When you work in an organization, you’ll have to work in a
team. So learning how to cooperate and work in harmony is an important skill . 7) Self-
esteem - This is your own belief regarding how well you can do a job that you are
assigned. An appropriately high level of self-esteem will help you be more creative in
your work and become a good leader. 8) Accepting Criticism - You’ll face criticism
for your work at some point or the other. But what matters more is how you deal with
it. An employee who can learn from criticism and improve their work instead of
giving up will always be valued.

Going the Extra-Mile

1) Adaptability- There may be many instances where you will be required to adapt to
something completely different from what you did before. For example, a new project
may require you to work in a completely different manner. 2) Leadership Skills- You’ll
use skills including decision making, problem-solving, etc. to lead a team when you get
the opportunity to do so. 3) Handling Pressure- At times, you may have to work in
greater pressure of deadlines or deal with a crisis. Whether you can handle the
pressure or you crumble under it will make a big difference.    

we talked about soft skills and hard skills. We also looked at a few different types of soft
skills, such as stress management, problem solving skills and time
management. In many cases, your hard skills alone are not enough to get the job done
effectively. A sales person who knows everything about sales might still not be able to
do well unless they have the interpersonal skills that they’ll need to connect with
customers. In this lesson, we will be focusing on why soft skills matter.

You know that soft kills are characteristic traits, personal attributes, and non-technical
abilities. But why are soft skills important?

Soft skills are important because they make it easier to form relationships with people,
create trust and dependability, and lead teams.

Watch the above video to understand the importance of soft skills in your profession
and what importance it holds

While Interacting with Clients

You must be interacting with many people in your daily life. When you start working,
you will be responsible for communicating with many different groups of people
such as your clients, colleagues, and seniors. Soft skills are an essential part of
finding, attracting, and retaining clients. Your networking skills, etiquette, and
presentation skills will help you meet the target set by the company. In fact, they will
help you just as much as your work and technical knowledge!

Take, for example, you're pitching a product to a new client. Just talking him/her into
the process would not work, instead, giving proof in the form of reports and
presentations would work much better. This would need you to have a grip on
your communication skills. This is where soft skills come in handy!

While Working with Your Colleagues

Most of the work that you will be doing will require you to interact with many other
people at your workplace. You might have to interact with them as a team member, a
team leader, a supervisor, or an employee. Your communication skills and work
ethic will have a major impact on how you interact with these people and work
with them. You might also have to use your problem-solving skills in times of crisis!

For example, if you're working for the sales department of a company and your boss
has asked to make a powerpoint presentation on the last month's quota and which sales
pitch and techniques were productive. You would need to know how to present your
work. Working for sales doesn't just mean selling the product to clients, it also has a lot
of communication requirements in the office.

The Modern Workplace is Interpersonal

Skills such as listening, collaborating with others, presenting your ideas, and
communicating with team members are highly valued in today’s workplaces. If
you have strong soft skills, you can contribute to creating a work environment that has
the following qualities:- 1) It helps everyone work productively with less distraction
from conflicts. 2) It encourages people to collaborate so that their skills and expertise
can be used effectively to produce better outcomes. 3) A healthy work
environment also promotes good mental health and reduces stress.

Soft Skills are Harder to Learn

Hard skills can easily be taught over the years. People can excel at them easily too. So
what will set you apart from a room full of people with the same degree,
qualifications, and experience? This is where your soft skills come in. Your hard
skills help you figure out what work is to be done. But, your soft skills help you
figure out how to do it well. So it is just as important to work on them!

The Future Relies on Soft Skills

Machines and technology are becoming an increasingly important part of nearly every
industry today. Since the tasks that require hard skills are being taken over by
automation and artificial intelligence, the ones with soft skills are in greater
demand.

A recent survey by TimesJobs revealed that 60% employers feel soft skills are
essential for hiring candidates. Soft skills came out to be most important for
the middle level hiring (40%), followed by junior (35%) and senior level (25%). So,
its clear that soft skills is a big plus point when it comes to hiring for new jobs.

What are Communication Skills?

Communication is one of the most common parts of our everyday lives. However, we

don’t pay much attention to it on most days.

Communication skills define your ability to share your ideas and feelings
effectively.
Effective communication skills are fundamental to success in many aspects of life. 
Many jobs require strong communication skills. People with good communication skills
also usually enjoy better interpersonal relationships with friends and family.

Effective communication is therefore a key interpersonal skill and learning how to

improve your communication has many benefits. However, many people find it
difficult to know where to start.

Verbal Communication and it's importance!

Verbal communication is the use of words to share information with other people. It
can therefore include both spoken and written communication, especially in contrast
to using gestures or mannerisms.

Effective verbal communication involves three main areas: the words you choose, how
you say them, and how you reinforce them with other non-verbal communication.

Watch on the video to know how verbal communication affects the efficiency at the
workplace and then swipe on to see what you can do to improve your verbal
communication!

Be Friendly

Remember the times when you paid more attention to a teacher who was more
friendly and fun rather than one who was more strict? Similarly, other people also
connect better with those speakers who have a warm smile and a friendly tone. They
like to be treated with the respect that they deserve. So, you are more likely to be heard
when you treat your listeners with respect and warmth than when you demand them to
pay attention aggressively.

Form your Message Beforehand

It is always helpful to have a clear idea of what you want to say. You can make short
notes of the points you want to put across. Some of its benefits are:-

 It gives you a clear framework of points to talk about.

 When you are clear about what you want to say, you will be less likely to lose
your train of thoughts and ramble.
 It gives you a clear framework of points to talk about.
 You will be able to mention important points effectively in less time.
  If you forget any point, you'll always have something to help you remember it
again. Impactful communication will help you ensure that your listeners
remember what you say.

Be Yourself

Many people believe that effective communication happens only when they speak in a
particular language with difficult words and an accent. However, this can make them
sound very inauthentic. The people you are speaking to are there because they
want to hear the points that you have in mind. Such a style of speaking can make it
difficult for them to connect with you or understand what is happening!

Keep your Audience In Mind

You interact with many different types of people every single day. Do you talk to
all of them in the same way? This is a very important part of effective
communication. Your style and content should change according to what your
audience requires to hear in a particular setting. You may talk very differently when
you are presenting an idea of yours to your colleagues in the canteen than you would
while presenting it at a conference.  

Don't Take Too Much Time

Remember that your audience needs to keep track of what you are trying to
convey. They often find it difficult to pay attention when you continue to speak for
very long, or if you keep derailing from your points. So ensure that you speak in a
short and crisp manner so that people listen to what you have to say.

Why are They Important ?

Here are a few reasons why communication skills are important for you:- 1) They are
Valued at your Workplace - Only technical skills will not be enough to help you grow in
your career. Each stage in it will require you to interact effectively with more and more
people. 2) It helps you Communicate Effectively in Challenging Times - We all tend
to get nervous at some point of time, like during presentations, or when we have to
address a large crowd. Communication skills help you speak in a clear and confident
manner even when you are not feeling prepared. 3) It helps in Solving Problems and
Making Decisions- Effective communication plays an important role in developing
problem-solving and decision-making skills.

More Reasons to Work on your Skills

4) They ensure Higher Productivity- Clear communication lines help the team

understand what work each person has to do and how. It also helps the members
come together to brainstorm ideas and solve the problems that they might be facing.
Most importantly, it reduces the scope for making errors. 5) It is Important for Building
Good Professional Relationships- Good communication skills will help you form
strong relationships at your workplace. Moreover, they will also help you connect
with people outside for networking. It is this network of people that can bring in many
resources and opportunities for your company. 6) It Impacts your Image- In a world
where soft skills like communication skills are becoming more and more
important, communicating effectively will enhance your professional image. You
can see a version of this process in movies like The King's Speech.

7) Improves Personal Relationships - Verbal communication helps to clarify

misunderstandings and provides missing information. It deepens
existing relationships with friends, family, your crush and creates new
relationships by helping in expressing emotions properly.

What are Non-Verbal Communication Skills?

Have you ever seen someone walk into a room and get everyone's attention? Or
that smile on your friend's face when they meet you after a long time, even before they
greet you? Communication that does not come from your words at all, but instead is
about the tone of voice, the body language, facial expressions and many more
things. These are known as non verbal cues of communication. Professor Mehrabian
combined the statistical results of the two studies and came up with the now famous—
and famously misused—rule that communication is only 7 percent verbal and 93
percent non-verbal. The non-verbal component was made up of body language (55
percent) and tone of voice (38 percent). It depends on certain aspects, such as:-

 Eye contact
 Physical Space
 Attentiveness
 Facial Expression

In this lesson, we will be looking at a few non-verbal communication skills that you can
develop.
Eye Contact

Eye contact is a very important part of communication. A soft eye contact made from
time to time with the people that you are speaking to will help them connect with
you better. It makes them feel like you are speaking to them directly. Having no eye
contact can make it look like you are not confident. At the same time, if you make eye
contact for too long, the audience can feel uncomfortable! The most convenient way to
do this is to look at the whole face of the person you are talking to and blinking when
you feel the need to do so.

Body Language

Your body language gives a louder message than your words. If you talk to your
colleagues or seniors while slumping in your chair or while looking away from them, it
might seem like you don't respect them. They might also think you don't care about the
conversation. On the other hand, if you sit at the edge of your seat in a stiff manner, you
might seem anxious. Try sitting comfortably in the middle of your seat with your hands
on the table. Make eye contact with the people you are talking to so that they know
you are listening to them.

Physical Space

The concept of appropriate physical space changes from one context to another.

While you might sit closer to your colleagues in an office party or gathering, you might
want to be at a little more distance during meetings. But if you are too far away, you
both might struggle to understand what is being said. People in different countries
have different concepts of physical space. For example, in San Francisco, the
physical act of affection (kissing one's spouse) will not be looked down upon in
European offices whereas in India, its very much condoned. Thus, it is advisable to
try to figure out a comfortable distance from which you can communicate in different
settings.

Facial Expression

Your facial expressions can be a very effective tool for conveying how you
feel. For Example, try looking into the mirror and say "I look forward to working with
you!" with a straight face. Now say the same line with a warm smile. Which one was
more convincing? Your expressions can either strengthen your message or contradict
it. So remember to pay attention to this aspect.

Hand Gestures

Your hand movements can help you lay emphasis on your points. For Example,
you can point to certain important figures in your presentation to show your team how
important the project is. But excessive hand movements can become very
distracting and take away from the conversation. Make sure you use your hand
movements to your advantage.

In the world where employees are constantly growing and learning new

things, employers need to enable easy knowledge sharing within their organizations.
Without a well set internal business communications strategy, knowledge sharing and
organizational knowledge suffer.

In a large organization, perhaps even more so than in a small one, effective business

communication is necessary to direct the day to day activities.

Internal Communication

Internal Business Communication

First of all, there is Internal business communication where messages are

exchanged between people working in the same organisation. The 3 ways in which
this may happen are:-

1) Upward Communication- Communication floes from lower levels to upper levels,

such as from a ground-level employee to their manager. Such communication may be in
the form of reports, feedback, suggestions, queries, complaints, etc.

2) Downward/Managerial Communication- Communication flows from managers to

subordinates in the form of instructions, feedback, progress checks, and so
on. You’ll encounter this form of communication most frequently in every organisation.

3) Lateral/ Technical Communication-  It takes place between people working at the

same level in either the same or different departments involved in a
project. Brainstorming sessions and progress reports can be good examples of
lateral communication.

External Communication
External Business Communication

Do you remember being handed pamphlets while walking down the street? Or,
have you come across those dedicated Instagram handles and Facebook pages that
many businesses have nowadays? They form a part of external business
communication by involving customers, vendors, investors, and other
businesses. It can be of the following types:-

1) Websites, Social Media, and Blogs- These platforms can help you share important
information about your business with a large population without having to spend a lot
of money.

2) Conferences, Seminars, and Webinars- These have proven to be a great way

to boost external communication by bringing a large audience together in both
physical and virtual spaces.

3) Emails and Newsletters- These can be used to connect with your target population
at more regular intervals, such as once every month. You can use this space to talk
about new offers, products, services, schemes, and to keep in touch with your
stakeholders.

4) Press Releases- These are basically short and impactful bits of news published
in newspapers, magazines, and other such publications in mainstream media. It
can help you connect with potential customers as well as to attract more attention
towards your product.

Combining Internal and External Communication

You learned about internal and external business communication earlier in this lesson.
Now, let’s see how you can use them together!

Apple is a household name for upscale electronics today, but this wasn’t the case in
the late '90s and early 2000’s. Their stocks had taken a dip, their employees were
receiving better offers from their rivals and the future didn’t look too bright. The “Think
Different” campaign had launched back then. Using Craig Tanimoto’s creative
insights, it helped Apple regain its popularity by linking the company with a list of
revolutionary thinkers of our time.

Jobs also used the same advertisement to create anticipation amongst the employees
who worked tirelessly to rebuild Apple over the years.
So if you think about it, Apple was rebuilt on the shoulders of one campaign, a lot of
anticipation, and well-informed employees motivated by the critically acclaimed
campaign who worked tirelessly!

“Inside Out”

Another way in which you can link internal and external business communication for
the ultimate benefit of your business is by looking at how to use transparency as a
way to win people’s trust.

Many successful businesses such as Walmart, Coca Cola, Ambassador, and

Google have open conversations about everything ranging from their algorithms to the
process of making their award-winning products. Doing so helps them portray a positive
view that makes them even more credible!

However, remember to patent your innovations before sharing them with the world so
that nobody else can claim they aren’t yours.

Benefits of Using Business Communication

In the previous chapter, we discussed elements that decide if your business

communication is effective or not. Now, let’s take a look at what this will help you
achieve:

1) Improving Coordination between Team Members-  Effective communication can

help team members - especially those working together for the first time
- coordinate in a better manner in order to achieve goals on time.

2) Networking- This skill will not only help you connect better with your colleagues but
also with people outside the business who can bring in a lot of important
opportunities to help your company grow! An example of networking is sharing and
acquiring information between different divisions of the same company to share
information and solve business problems.

3) Reducing Information Overload-  Have you ever logged into your inbox only to
be greeted by multiple copies of the same email forwarded to you by different
people early in the morning? Even figuring out that all these messages are the same
can take a lot of time, and you may end up looking past them altogether. Avoid such
problems by simply having well-defined channels of communication!

There's More!
4) Following a Set Protocol-  Ensure all the people you work with know what is to be
done and avoid any confusions by simply ensuring that you are communicating with
all of them.

5) Boost your Ties with Customers-  Connect with your customers to find out what
they need, and let them know how your product helps them fulfill these needs. This
will help you create a loyal customer base. Remember: no business ever succeeded
without its customers!

 6) Encourage Feedback-  One good way to ensure that your product or service is still
useful is to listen to the feedback given by the people it impacts. You can then
decide what changes should be made in order to benefit more people and attract
more profits

Business communication is the process of sharing

information between people within and outside
a company. Effective business communication is how
employees and management interact to reach
organizational goals. It's purpose is to improve
organizational practices and reduce errors.
Understanding Business Communication

Simply put, communication is all about the exchange of information between a

certain number of people or units.     

This is done using various platforms for chatting, social media, emails, memos, and so
on. Nevertheless, all communication is conducted to ensure that the organization is
benefited.  

But why do people emphasize so much on communication in a business workspace?

 It helps you build a good team.

 It encourages feedback.
 It boosts customer relationships.
 It helps enforce rules.

Here's an example -
This Asian subsidiary of the Microsoft Services has 5,000 employees based in 17
different companies who are receiving around 200 emails a day. It became obvious
that traditional internal communications channels were going to be insufficient.

The organization devised “Five-minute Fridays” – a series of weekly video podcasts

that allows management to communicate with staff in a more personal way.

Staff have said they look forward to these videos each week, and many employees
ask to be included to showcase their work. 

Why is it essential to a business?

Now that you know what business communication is, let’s figure out why it is called the
lifeblood of any business :-

 1) Keeping Employees Informed- An organization works well only if the people

working in it interact and collectively decide what is to be done, by whom, and
how. This must happen across the hierarchy, amongst colleagues as well as
between the departments concerned. Otherwise, a working day might end without
anything being achieved!

2) Coordinating with other Businesses-  Be it Nike or Google, companies often

outsource work to other businesses in order to get the best products and services at
the lowest price possible. However, they must communicate in order to ensure that
the end product is flawless and launched on time.

3) To Inform Stakeholders and Investors- Businesses often inform their investors and

stakeholders about the state of affairs to receive their support and cooperation.
Without your stakeholders, your firm would not run. Its essential to deliver
information, good or bad, for their knowledge.

4) Connecting with the Society- Not only should products and services fulfill the
needs of people, but potential customers must also know about them.
Hence, companies conduct surveys before working on new projects to
understand people's needs and advertise the finished products and services across
different channels to attract customers.

Essentials Elements of Business Communication

The parts that you need to pay attention to while communicating within a business are:-
1) The Message-  This is what you want to tell your receiver. Your message should
be clear, meaningful, and crisp.

2) The Sender-  This is the person who starts the conversation for passing some
information.

3) The Receiver- It is the person or group(s) who will receive the message. Ensure that
your message is created to fit their needs.

4) The Channel - The modern modes of communication (email, memo, chat message,
PPT, verbal communication, etc.) have their own limitations that you’ll have to consider
while writing the message. A good way to avoid this issue is to double-check your
work.  For example - bad internet connection, typos, technical errors, etc.   

5) The Symbols-  These are the words, figures and gestures used to pass on the
message. For example - words, diagrams, charts, body language, etc.

6) Feedback-  You’ll get feedback when your receiver acknowledges the message and
replies to it. But if you don’t get any response, your communication will be
considered incomplete. Make sure to ask for feedback!

What Will Business Communication Help You Achieve?

Mastering this art will help you and your business achieve the following goals:-

1) Communicating with your colleagues, employees, and seniors will help you

exchange important information about your work and upcoming events so that everyone
can work together towards the same goals. For example, if you're giving a combined
presentation with another colleague, you would need to coordinate on the presentation
slides.

2) It can help you persuade the different groups of people and involve their
cooperation. You trying to get off a new project off the ground would be difficult in a new
office environment, but seeking help from others will help you loads.

3) You can also use business communication to request as well as convey suggestions
politely. This can help you improve your product, service, as well as the work
environment.

4) Employers often use business communication to train and motivate new

employees as well as to deliver feedback. Proper business communication can help
you utilize your money and manpower effectively in order to ensure smooth
functioning. For example, you would need to train you intern and motivate them
with a "good work today" for them to grow along with the organization.
Checkpoints for Effective Business Communication

Ideally, business communication should have the following characteristics:-

1) Practical-  Your message should explain your points clearly and answer all the basic
questions that might arise about the plan’s execution.

2) Factual-  Remember to cover all the important dates, facts, figures, locations, and

the timelines that you have in mind for the project.

3) Brief- Try to convey your message in as few words as possible, but don’t forget to
ensure that your message is still meaningful and complete.

4) Goal-oriented-  Business communication is always started with a goal in mind which

it should achieve by the time you finish speaking.

For example - assigning new responsibilities to the new interns.

5) Persuasive-  You might have to use business communication to convince your

stakeholders to invest their time, energy, and resources in your product. Your
language should be convincing enough to gain their trust.

Process of Business Communication

 Lawrence A. Appley stated that the following are the basic steps for effective business
communication:-

1) Clarifying the idea or problem.

2) Getting people to participate.

3) Communicating the final idea or decision.

4) Motivating people to follow the decided course of action.

5) Measuring the how effective your communication was.

Important Tools for Business Communication

1) Social Intranet Software- This is basically a central portal where all the people
involved can access the information they need.

2) Private as well as Group Messaging Tools- This is to help different teams and their
members collaborate effectively in order to work more efficiently.

3) Task Management Platform- A good task management software helps in keeping a

record of all the work that is assigned, completed, reviewed, and altered according to
the feedback received.

4) A Platform for Customer Queries- It helps a firm become aware of it's customer's

requirements and feedback that can be used for developing their product.

5) Employee Profiles- Such a database helps project heads allocate tasks to the right
people while also increasing their accountability.

The Importance of E-mail writing Skills

To date, E-mails are the most popular written form of communication preferred in

the corporate world. This makes it important for one to grasp all skills needed to draft
a good email. But why do we need to perfect this skill? Here are a few reasons: 1) To
Maintain Business Relations: Emails are often used in the workplace for
communication between employees, clients, etc. A well-written and informative email
can help maintain the flow of formal communication. A poorly written email, however,
can be a nuisance for the recipient and even hamper business relations. 2) To Elevate
your Reputation: When you are able to convey your work in the form of an informative,
well-written email you tend to create a good reputation in the eyes of your employers
and clients. An error-free email can instill confidence in the recipient. 3) To Keep a
Record of Communication: Have you heard of the phrase ‘get it on paper’? Verbal
communication is often said to be unreliable because unless it’s recorded, you can't use
it as a proof of communication. This is the reason why its better to get things ‘on paper’
and have an email record of all business communications.

How to Write a Formal E-mail?

Unlike a casual email that one shares with their family or friends, a formal email has a
definite structure and makes use of professional language and grammar instead
of slang. Let us take a look at the various components of a formal email. 1) Subject
Line: This is the first part of your email that someone views in their inbox. It is important
to make sure it is concise and provides the reader with all the essential details. “Team
Meeting today” This type of subject line is vague and does not refer to which ‘today’
the person is talking about. “Team Meeting: April 28, 2020, at 8 p.m” This is a concise
and informative subject line devoid of any confusion. 2) Salutation: Now words
like ‘Hey’ or ‘Hello’, while acceptable at certain workplaces, do come across as casual.
It is always better to start your email with ‘Dear sir/madam’ instead and in cases where
you have multiple recipients or you don’t know the recipient’s name, you can even use
‘To whom it may concern’. 3) Introduction: Mention your name and designation at
the beginning of the email to establish a connection. 4) Body: This is the main part of
the email where you state your purpose or any relevant information. Make sure to
distribute it into paragraphs instead of writing it in one big block to make it easier for the
recipient to gather key information.

5) Closing: You can end your email with ‘Sincerely’ and mention details such as
your name, designation, contact info, etc. Its always better to create a professional
signature template to automatically add to every email.

Common Mistakes Made While Writing an E-mail

Here are a few common mistakes people tend to make while drafting a formal email: 1)
Writing a Lengthy E-mail: No one has the time to read a long email so keep it short
and stick to essential information. Your email should not be longer than 300
words. 2) Repeating Words: People often tend to repeat words within the same
sentence and this can make it a burden for your recipient to read your email. Try using
different words to convey the same meaning. “This event has caused a change in
company policies. It caused changes in the way we define our mission
statement.” The word ‘caused’ has been repeated in the above sentences. Now let’s
try changing that by using a different word. “This event has caused a change in
company policies. It has altered the way we define our mission statement.” Now
isn’t that better? 3) Do not Overuse Exclamations: Exclamations are to be used only
once or twice in an email as per requirement. You could use one in salutation and one
in the body of your letter if need be. 4) Make Use of Positive Tone: As much as
possible avoid making your email sound overly negative or neutral. Always use an open
or encouraging tone in your emails as it’ll more likely elicit a response from your
recipient. 5) Read the Room: When you are in an email conversation with someone,
always ‘read the room’ or write out a response according to your recipient. If your
recipient is using a casual or friendly tone, respond with such. If they are being to-the-
point and formal, reciprocate the behavior. While your starting email should be
formal, it’s okay to shape your responses accordingly in the later emails.

What are Business Letters and their Types?

While we all are aware of what a letter is, a business letter is one of the oldest forms of
written communication in the corporate world. It is a type of letter that is used for official
correspondence at a workplace.

A business letter can be a business deal/contract, notice, invitation, warning,

complaints, etc. There are two types of business letters:

1) Formal Business Letter: A formal business letter is meant for legal purposes or
business-related purposes like sales reports, business deals, etc.  In other words, it is
used for more serious or important communication.

2) Casual Business Letter: Even though its a casual business letter, that does not
mean it makes use of a casual tone. Rather, it is used for slightly less important events
like interviews, appraisals, reference letters, etc.

Purpose of a Business Letter

If you are wondering why one uses a business letter, here are a few reasons why:

1) Sales: When a company comes out with a new product or service and they wish to
inform their customers about it, they make use of something known as a ‘sales
letter’. A sales letter gives the customer all details about the new product and how it
would benefit them.

A sales letter is one form of advertising used in the corporate world. It is usually mailed
along with a brochure and order form.

2) Maintaining relations: Sometimes companies send letters to their clients or

customers as a form of gratitude in order to maintain a cordial relationship. These letters
can also be used as a ‘call-to-action’ to visit their website or order products from them.

More purposes of a Business Letter

3) Sales Incentive: Sales incentive letters are written to inform a long-term client or

customer about the latest deals or offers available whilst purchasing a product. As
the name suggests, the letter is written with the aim to convince the customer to place
an order or make a deal.

4) To settle disputes: If a company receives any complaints regarding their customer

service, product damage, etc, it has to write a letter in response to that to
acknowledge the complaint and provide a probable solution or replacement. This letter
is crucial to avoid any legal troubles in the future.

How to Write a Business Letter ? (1/2)

Now that we know the purpose and importance of a business letter, let us take a

look at various parts of a business letter:

1) Letterhead/Senders Address: This is the topmost part of the letter which consists of
the logo of the organisation, the name, and address. Usually, bigger companies
have their own professional letterhead whereas small companies just usually mention
their name and address.

2) Date: The date has to be written in full. It had to be written as “20 April 2020” and
not “20/4/2020”. The date is an important point of reference.

3) Recipients Address: This should include the name, designation, full address, and
contact details of the receiver.

4) Salutation: It is always preferred to use ‘Dear’ as a salutation for formal letters

instead of ‘Hello’ or ‘Hey’.

How to Write a Business Letter? (2/2)

5) Body: This is the main part of the letter. Ideally, your letter should have no more
than 3 paragraphs. The first paragraph should be an introductory paragraph wherein
you state your motive for writing the letter.

The middle paragraph should give the reader more detailed information about the
motive. The last paragraph should reiterate the motive and thank the reader for his/her
time.

6) Closing: This should include a closing salutation. Most commonly used salutation

is ‘Yours sincerely’.

7) Signature: It should follow the order: signature, your name, designation, phone

number and email id.

8) Enclosures: If you wish to attach some reference documents, include the name of
the document below the signature line. For example, “Enclosure: Company
brochure”.
What Is a Report?

A report, in layman's language, is a document that presents information in an organized

way. Unlike an essay, which sets out to defend a writer's view about a topic and does
not have to feature headings, a report discusses a topic in a structured, easy-to-follow
format. Although summaries of reports may be delivered orally, complete reports are
almost always in the form of written documents. Reports are written to present facts
about a situation, project, or process and will define and analyze the issue at hand. 

There are broadly 10 types of reports:

1. Ordinary Report
2. Special Report
3. Formal Report
4. Informal Report
5. Informative Report
6. Interpretative Report
7. Verbatim Report
8. Summarised Report
9. Performance Report
10. Technical Report

Writing a Report
Writing a report can feel like an exhausting task but if you understand what are the
different types of report and to structure them, it will be easier for you to write a
report.

How to Get Started!

Writing a report can be overwhelming but if you follow the step-by-step process down
below, it should be a cakewalk.

1) State the purpose of your report: Before getting started on your report, think about
why you are writing the report. What is your end goal with this report? Do you wish to
report facts and figures or do you wish to include your opinions as well? Is the purpose
of your report to analyse a problem?

If so, what is the exact problem statement? You should figure out the answer to these
questions and come up with a brief for your report. Think of your brief as a foundation
for your report!
2) Do your research: Once you have figured out a brief for your report, read and
research on the topic at hand as thoroughly as possible. Try to look at past
documents covering the same topic and compare them with current statistics. Your
report should come across as a well-thought-out projection of your thoughts.

There's More!

3) Cite your sources: Always keep track of all the sources you refer to while quoting
any fact or figure. This acts as an assurance for the recipient of your report and instills a
sense of confidence while they read your report.

4) Come up with a well-rounded conclusion: A good conclusion is just as important

when it comes to a report. Analyse your topic from every angle and come up with
a probable solution or comment for future actions.

Structure of a Report.

There are 4 main parts of a report. Let’s take a look at each:

1) Introduction: This is the beginning portion of your report. It should contain the

objective of the report and a brief summary of the problem you’re about to discuss or
analyse. It should give your reader an idea of what he/she is about to read and
should be to-the-point.

2) Body: This is the main content of your report. In this portion, you should present all
information regarding the topic, and give a thorough analysis of the same. It’s always a
good idea to split the body into multiple sections by using subheadings to provide a
smooth transition for the reader instead of randomly placing your data. The length of the
body depends on the type of report and the brief.

3) Conclusion: This is where you make a summary of all that you have researched and
present what you have learnt from it.

4) Recommendations: Now that you have analysed the problem, what do you think

should be done to improve upon it? Present practical solutions to the issue and if
there are any projected figures (costs, growth rates, etc) that can be included, by all
means, do so.
What Is Networking?

Many jobs are found through networking. It might seem unconventional and intimidating
but do not let that hold you back.

Jobvite's 2019 Job Seeker Nation Survey reports that 50% of respondents heard

about jobs from friends, while 37% say they also learn about jobs from professional
networks.

Networking is the exchange of information and ideas among people with a common
profession or special interest, usually in an informal social setting.

Networking is used by professionals to widen their circles of acquaintances, find

out about job opportunities, and to increase their awareness of news and trends in their
fields.

Hence it can be a very important tool for you during your job search but this is a
practice you should develop long before you start looking for jobs and maintain all
throughout your career.

What Is Networking?
A strong and expansive network gives you insight into trends as well as insider
information on job openings and movement within the company. These days
social media makes it easier than ever to hone your existing relationships as well as
make new contacts. 

A successful network must be balanced, meaning you should give as much as you take.
If you ask for someone's help or use a contact for your gain, make sure you are ready to
give back when called upon.

 Let's Understand Networking

We’ve all heard the advice that networking is important for our careers. Regardless
of your profession, your industry, or demographic, the message is loud and clear. If you
want to be successful, you need to spend time networking. It’s great advice. But the
critical missing piece to this advice is exactly how to network.

You cannot be successful if you isolate yourself from people; people provide you with
information, connect you to others, help you get your job done, advocate for you,
mentor, guide, and sponsor you. To build this type of network, your networking
activity needs to be strategic. To create the type of network that supports your
ambition, your efforts must be intentional and purposeful.

Advantages of Networking

1) Information sharing

Networking will provide many opportunities to ask questions and receive feedback.

Discussing other points of view really expands your knowledge base and allows you to
see things from a broader perspective.

2) Connections

When opportunity knocks on your door, you want to be in a position to take advantage
of it. Having a wide network of individuals to contact may be the difference in seizing
the moment or missing it completely.

More Advantages

3. Promotion

Whether promoting yourself or your organization, having a large network may assist you
in moving your career forward, promoting a new product launch, or driving new
members to your organization.

4. Building Confidence

Making new friends and socializing is an important aspect of our human nature.
Developing new relationships leads to higher self-esteem and confidence.

How To Go About Networking?

The good thing about networking is that you’ve already started. To help you further here
are some steps you can follow to get better at it.

1) Develop contacts
Friends, family, neighbors, college alumni, people in associations - anyone who
might help generate information and job leads. Conduct informational interviews with
your contacts and ask for referrals for additional meetings.

2) Use Social Networks and Online Resources

If you want to maximize your reach, use social networks and other online resources
to reinforce relationships and search for new connections. Being regular on social
media keeps reminding people of your presence. You can also use social media
to express your interests other than work. This will help you expand your
network further.

You’d be surprised to know how many deals happen over tinder.

LinkedIn is an invaluable resource for developing your network online. Reach out

to people, comment on their activity, and provide valuable content yourself by speaking
about topics you know so that people can reach out to you.

Follow these steps

3) Prepare

Create an inventory of your accomplishments, including your educational background

and work history to keep at hand, in case an encounter becomes a contact.

4) Follow Up

Following up is an essential step in guaranteeing that your networking interactions were

worthwhile. Follow up with new connections after making initial contact. This follow-up
can involve thanking them for meeting with you, asking further questions, or
sending along an article relevant to your conversation.

These continued interactions strengthen the relationship, remind the contact of your
meeting, and perhaps cause them to think of you for an open position.

What are Business Meetings?

No matter which industry you work in, you’ll have to participate in business meetings at
some point of time or the other. While some workplaces hold multiple meetings
every day within the office setting, others may have one every few weeks. Essentially,
a business meeting is an event in which two or more people working for an organization
come together to discuss its goals, objectives, and status of affairs.
These meetings may take place with managers, employees, executives, suppliers,
partners, and customers amongst other stakeholders. They may either happen
within the office space or over audio and video conference calls.

The following cards break business meetings down in order to turn these largely feared
events into another format of formal conversation that you’ll get to be a part of.

What are The Different Types of Meetings?

The different types of meetings that you’ll probably encounter at your workplace are:-

1) Status Update Meetings- These are one of the most common types of meetings.
They include project and team meetings that take place regularly to get updates on
the progress made, the roadblocks that team members might be facing, and to chalk
up a plan for the next few days.

2) Information Sharing Meetings- They are conducted with the primary goal

of sharing information with other stakeholders. They may be conducted in the form
of presentations, panel debates, lectures, and keynote speeches.

3) Decision Making Meetings- Many important decisions about a business are taken in

these meetings. This gives an opportunity to the people concerned with the decision
to express their opinions and learn more about the decision before it is implemented
so that there are no misunderstandings later.

What are The Different Types of Meetings?(contd.)

4) Innovative Meetings- Meetings concerned with innovation and creativity often start

with brainstorming sessions in which the participants are asked to come up with ideas
that are off the beaten track. The list is then reduced to the most suitable ones on which
people start working.

5) Problem Solving Meetings- These can be a little tricky and stressful to

handle. Such a meeting is often called to deal with an identified problem or to lay down
strategies to tackle troubles in the future.

6) Team Building Meetings- Although all meetings should make teams a tightly-knit

bunch, a few are often conducted only to strengthen these bonds. They make
employees feel valued which motivates them to work harder and even increases
their level of engagement with the organization.
How to Participate and Conduct Meetings?
You know by now what is meant by meetings and briefly understand what are the
different types of meetings that are held. But how do you attend such meetings? Do you
get an invitation or an order? Or do you just walk in?

Tips for Participating Effectively In Meetings

Here are a few tips that can come in handy when you attend your first of many business
meetings:-

1) Show up to the venue on time- Leave for the meeting a little early so that you don’t
have to rush. This rule isn’t applicable just at the beginning of the meeting, but also after
breaks.

2) Don’t get distracted- It isn’t uncommon to zone out in one of those long meetings.
However, try your best to stay focused instead of getting caught doodling or
interrupting the speaker with a side-conversation.

3) Be prepared to contribute- A little bit of reading on the previous night and

confidence go a long way.

4) Listen with an open mind- You’ll get to hear a lot of different opinions and
ideas. Listen to them with an open mind even if you disagree and you’ll learn so much!

5) Let Everyone Participate- Remember that everyone in the room deserves equal

respect and an opportunity to share their views.

6) Make your Points Crisp- Some meetings might leave you bursting with ideas, but
remember that there is limited time and everyone should get their chance to
speak. Write down your points and make them clear, short, and impactful.

7) Attack the Problem, Not the Person- You won’t agree to every point mentioned by
others, and you can choose to say so. Nevertheless, don’t forget to be polite with your
words. Use your time wisely to discuss your concerns with the idea instead of
shaming the person who said it.

8) Look for Action Points- Once the team is onboard with an idea, discuss the major
points that came up in the discussion. These should guide you in making an action
plan.

How to Conduct Meetings Effectively?

There will come a time when you’ll be sending out emails to call people for meetings.
Here’s how you can ensure it is an effective one:-

1) Set a Clear Goal and Agenda- Ensure that you know why you are calling for this
meeting. Then break it down into the subtopics that you will be discussing and
arrange them in a meaningful order. The conversation will run more smoothly that
way.

2) Use Visual Representations- A good PowerPoint Presentation, clear charts, and

neat diagrams will help you explain your points more easily.

3) Choose your Members Wisely- Only invite those people to the meeting who are
required to be a part of the discussion.

4) Choose your Speakers Carefully- While everyone will get a chance to voice their
opinions,  you’ll have to decide who will lead the meeting. The attendees must then
be informed about the principles and agenda by you.

5) Make some Ground Rules- These rules should help you conduct the meeting
fruitfully. A few general rules may be setting a time frame, encouraging participation,
and requesting for a mindful use of gadgets.

Writing Minutes of The Meeting

You’ll probably be asked to write minutes of the meeting sooner or later and share it
with others. These are basically detailed notes that are used as an official, written
record of a conference.

An effective one should include:-

1. The points on the agenda that were covered.

2. Important dates and timelines.
3. The tasks that were decided upon and how they were divided.
4. Key points of the discussion.
5. Decisions made by participants.
6. Future goals, decisions and plans.
7. Important documents, such as the images and files meant to be shared.

Here's a standard template for "Minutes of the Meeting" -

https://templates.office.com/en-in/classic-meeting-minutes-tm00002074

Types of Meetings
Every meeting has a certain agenda set of it and based on that agenda we
determine what type of meeting it is.

For example, if it is just a meeting to get updates from the team then it is called a
status update meeting or a scrum meeting. If it is a meeting to plan for the upcoming
month or year then it is called a decision-making meeting. If a meeting is held to
welcome new members to a team then it is called a team building-meeting.

Therefore, every meeting has a specific agenda set to it.

Based on this, the most common types of meetings that we’ll come across are:

1. Status Update or Scrum Meeting

2. Decision Making Meeting
3. Team Building
4. Training Sessions
5. Investor/Client Meetings
6. One-on-One Meetings
7. Review Meetings

Status Update or Scrum Meetings

A status update or Scrum meeting as we call it, is usually held at the beginning of the
day. A particular department may consist of multiple teams that take care of different
processes. This update meeting is for the manager as well as the team members to
know the status or progress of a particular project that they are working on.

How to Plan for it?

It is the team leader or the manager who conducts such a meeting. Therefore, the
manager must know beforehand what each of the teams or sometimes every team
member has been working on. According to the flow of work, each team member
must share the status of their work and the estimated time for it to be completed.

This meeting can also take place to assign new work to every team member. Therefore,
the team leader or manager needs to be prepared with what the project is and every
detail of the project to explain it to the team members.

When it comes to team members, they must know how much work the team as a
whole has completed. It should be checked If they are on time and if not, what are the
reasons that there is little or no progress in their work?
Decision Making Meetings

A vast majority of business decisions are made in meetings. Decision making is made in
all types of meetings, but the most important ones often have their own dedicated
meetings. A decision making process can include group processes like information
gathering and sharing, brainstorming solutions, evaluating options, ranking preferences,
and voting.

How to Plan for it?

In order to avoid getting off-topic it is recommended that one person be in charge of

guiding the direction of team negotiation. In addition, it can be helpful to use some
elements of status update meetings in order to have meeting attendees present and
be held accountable for research into the decision being made.

A great decision making meeting effectively incorporates all participants, benefiting

from the knowledge and experience they bring to the process. Giving all relevant
parties the opportunity to participate in the decision making process increases the
quality of the decision, adds to the collective understanding and support of the outcome,
and ensures successful implementation.

Team Building Meetings

Team Building Meetings are not just about increasing the number of team
members. Such meetings help to build the team, strengthen the relationships among
the team members, and bring corporate culture. However, now and then team building
activities should be the main focus of a meeting. This category includes meetings
like all-hands meetings, kick-off meetings, team building outings, and corporate
events.

Having participants feel like essential parts of their unit, team, department, branch, and
the company has all kinds of positive impacts on their engagement, performance, and
satisfaction.

How to Plan for it?

Such meetings mainly include two parties - one being the team members and the other
being the activity leader. The activity leader usually plans and runs the meeting with
specific goals.

Team building meetings should combine work with fun, featuring team building
activities that let team members share experiences together, get to know each other in
new ways, and build trust and communication channels to tap into when completing
their tasks. Team building meetings are particularly effective for getting new hires
introduced to team culture and aligned with the way things are done.

Training Sessions

Training sessions are also meetings that run on a set agenda. Every business expands
its team every now and then. The new employees need to be trained into the system
for which training sessions are conducted.

How to Plan for it?

Training sessions may not be done in a single session and so the person conducting
the training needs to plan beforehand the topics to be covered for every session. In
order for the trainees to be completely inducted into the company, the sessions need
to be well planned and exciting. It must cover the basics they need to know and also
get them excited about working with the team.

Investor/Client Meetings

These types of meetings are mostly for the top-level authorities of the

company. Usually any of the board members or the CEO. These types of meetings
are either to bring in new investors or clients to expand your business. Such meetings
are very formal and need to be well planned.

How to Plan for it?

Investor/Client meetings need proper planning and preparation. The meeting

should reflect how the business will help them and in what way. It should also include
what the plans are for the future. It is important to have a structure set to such meetings
like an Introduction, the goals, the achievements and the conclusion.

Moreover, it is also important to inform the clients or investors about the progress of the
company, where the company stands now, and where they wish to be with the
investments or participation of the clients.

One-on-One Meetings
One-on-one meetings are meetings involving two people with an established
relationship. The quality of that relationship is critical to succeed in these meetings.
The leadership may alternate between the participants based on their individual goals.
While these meetings may follow an agenda, the style is entirely conversational.

In some instances, the only distinction between one-on-one and a plain old
conversation is the fact that the meeting was scheduled in advance to address a
specific topic.

The intention of such meetings is career and personal development, individual

accountability, and relationship maintenance.

How to Plan for it?

Although the style of such meetings is conversational, there needs to be a proper

agenda set for such meetings as well. Here is where you tell your manager about the
problems you face or the manager asks you if there is anything that is hindering your
work and therefore reaching a conclusion.

The manager can decide the questions to be asked or just go with the flow, but the
main goal is to understand the employee better and build a relationship with
them.

Review Meetings

Review meetings are conducted quarterly or annually to review your performance in

that time period. Such meetings are conducted with the employee and the manager or
team leaders. Both parties need to prepare the details of the performance of each
employee and questions to be asked or answered.

How to Plan for it?

The employee whose performance is being reviewed needs to have a PowerPoint

presentation prepared with the details of what they had planned to achieve and what
they have actually achieved in the quarter or the year. The presentation consists of:

1. SWOT analysis
2. Achievements
3. Future goals
4. Personal Learnings

The manager or team leaders have a discussion with the employee after the
presentation to analyse the performance, the achievements, giving feedback,
etc. The employee is also free to give feedback about the manager and other
employees. This is where the employees gets to know where they stand and what can
they do to make their performance better.

When Do you Present?

Ever wondered what was the use of all those presentations you gave, back in
college or school? Well, it was a starter course for the professional world. No matter
what profession you choose, there will come a time when you have to give a
presentation, whether its marketing pitch for a potential client, or to inform an audience
about the work you do, or a cause you believe in, or a new project you’re working on,
etc.

A presentation is an event where the speaker presents certain information to an

audience using visual aids. It is an essential skill in today’s world.

Types of Presentations

The different types of Presentations that you will come across are:

1) Informative Presentation

2) Instructional Presentation

3) Persuasive Presentation

4) Decision-making Presentation

1. Informative Presentation

This format is usually followed for conclaves, university lectures, or events where the
primary audience is subject experts. As the name suggests, the content for such
presentations is usually facts, figures, and straightforward data.

Example -

 College professor presenting and lecturing on a specific topic during a class.

 Guest speaker presenting information to a group of students about how to apply

for college.
  Company president presenting information about last quarter's sales to a group
of board members.

2. Instructional Presentation

This kind of presentation is made to bring forward a new idea or to teach something
new to the audience in a step by step manner. These presentations give specific
directions or orders.

Examples - training sessions, tutorial classes, safety

demonstrations, instructional videos. etc.

3. Persuasive Presentation

This type of presentation is done by presenting a problem along with its

solution and the reasons behind the agreement. It is for persuading the
audience to accept or understand it. You can think of it as a pitch.

These presentations are given to make listeners accept and agree with the

presenter's proposal.

Examples - Presentations given in business meetings, client meetings, political

debates, business proposals, etc.

4. Decision Making Presentation

In this, the speaker presents a problem and convinces the audience to act upon it

by giving evidence and making a decision regarding a probable solution. It also
includes pointing out what can happen if the decision is not taken.

You’ll find this format being followed in law making discussions in government
meetings, business meetings, bank promotion meetings, etc.

Tools for Making a Presentation

1) A laptop and a projector

2) A remote device with a laser pointer

3) Microphone

4) Cables

5) Email the presentation to the hosts - Always send the presentation in .pdf file
format.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1) Make sure the font on the slides is visible.

2) Do not read from the slides too often. Memorize your key points and build upon them
as you go. Use your visual aids only as a reference.

3) Use simple language and avoid jargon as much as possible.

4) Do not add extreme transitions & animations.

5) Avoid talking to the screen. Talk to the audience.

Tips for Making a PPT

1) The content on your presentation slides should be a condensed form of your speech.

2) Keep your presentation of the appropriate length. Do not repeat yourself or over-
explain a concept.

3) Follow the 10/20/30 rule: Your PPT should have 10 slides, no more than 20 minutes,
and contain no font smaller than 30 points.

4) Always cite your sources especially when it comes to photos, factual data etc.

5) Towards the end of your presentation, provide a brief summary and ask your
audience if they have any questions.

6) Read extensively on your subject matter. Be confident about every piece of

information you’re putting out there.

Check out this blog page that gives you some amazing examples of how your ppt can
look for your next presentation.
https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/6012/17-examples-of-great-presentation-
design.aspx

Parts of a Presentation

All types of presentations consist of three basic parts: The Introduction, The Body,
The Conclusion. In general, the introduction should be about 10-15% of your speaking
time, the body around 75%, and the conclusion only 10%. The old adage is that in
the introduction you tell them what you will tell them;In the body you tell them;and in the
conclusion you tell them what you told them.

Let's look each of these components in detail in this lesson!

 The Introduction
 The Body
 The Conclusion

The Introduction

The introduction is the most important part of your presentation as it sets the tone for
the entire presentation. its primary purpose is to capture the attention of the audience,
usually within the first 15 seconds.make those first few words count!

The best introductions are those that are creative and original, so use your
imagination!

There are many way you can begin your presentation.

Creative Introductions!

 Ask a question
 Share a fascinating fact or startling statistic.
 Quote someone.
 State a problem.
 Share a personal story.
After this attention-getter, you need to introduce yourself If you are giving a team
presentation, you may introduce each other or each of you can each introduce yourself.

Finally, you need to state what your presentation will be about including the major
points you will cover. In some cases you might want to include why you selected this
topic or what you hope the audience will learn. And its always nice if something in your
introduction relates to your title.

The Body

When your introduction is finished, you need to make a smooth transition into the body
of your talk.

The body is the main part of your presentation. This is where you explain your topic
and where all your information is presented. The organization of the body is critical
because the audience needs to be able to follow what you are saying and /or doing.

Arrange your points in a logical order and then give information to support each point.
Examples of ways to organize points are to number them (1, 2, 3....); put them in a
time frame (past, present, future); use narration (tell a story from beginning to
end); or present them as a problem -effect-solution (state a problem, describe its effect,
then suggest ways to solve the problem).

Structuring the Body

All information you present in the body of your presentation must be accurate and
understandable. You need to offer enough information to cover your topic thoroughly
while eliminating any unnecessary information.

Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared
beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you're
moving onto the next point.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask
yourself "What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from
this?" refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.

Example - Suppose you're giving a presentation on "Types of Employment". Do not

stray off this topic and go into the problems relating to employment or what the
government should do about it. Make sure you explain the types of employment in
detail. This will be an informative type of presentation.

The Conclusion

Now that you understand how to begin your presentation and how to deliver the body,
watch the above video to understand more about how to end it!

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks

purpose which is a shame as it's the best place to reinforce your messages.

Your conclusion should be short and concise. It should summarize or highlight the
main points you made or emphasize what the audience should have learned. Do not
restate everything you said in the body and never introduce new information at this time.

A good conclusion ties together all the parts of your presentation. Try to include
some sort of link to your introduction. Avoid false or multiple endings. End with a catchy
phrase and leave the audience with a good impression.

What Next?

After your conclusion, you need to state your sources of information. These could
include books, magazines articles, or interviews with people. if you've used material
from the internet, don't state entire websites . Just give key search words.

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to ask any
questions they may have.

Be sure that you repeat each question before you give an answer. Not only does this
ensure everyone hears the question, but it gives you the chance to make sure you
understood the question.

What Is Leadership?

Growing up, you must have been a part of group projects and assignments in which
your team had a leader. According to author Kevin Kruse, it is the leader’s job to create
such a social influence on other team members which motivates them to put in
maximum efforts so that they can achieve a shared goal.
In some cases, this leader is chosen by the members of the team. At other times, this
leader is simply selected by a superiors like teachers or managers on the basis of their
skills and experience.

The cards that follow will help you understand leadership a little better.

How to be a Leader?
Solely learning the definition of leadership and memorizing it will not help you in
becoming a leader. Being a leader comes with a lot of responsibilities and
accountability.

Why you Must Learn about Leadership?

Here are a few ways in which learning about leadership will help you:-

1) Making leadership seem more doable- Many of us think of leading a group as a

very scary task in which no mistakes can be forgiven. This often stops us from going
ahead and taking this opportunity to progress in our careers. However, understanding
what leadership is will help you feel more prepared.

2) Busting Myths- While many of us think leadership is only about using the power that
the title brings, others see it as a sure-shot path to success. It is important to bust
such myths and understand the importance of a leader as well as team players.

3) Avoiding Common Mistakes- Learning more about leadership will help you learn
from other's common mistakes, like the ones mentioned in the cards that follow.

A Leader vs. A Manager

Managing people and leading people are two different things. It can be difficult to
differentiate between them. So here are nine of the most important differences that set
leaders apart:

1. Leaders create a vision, managers create goals.

 Leaders inspire and engage their people in turning a vision into reality. They

activate people to be part of something bigger. They know that high-functioning
teams can accomplish a lot more working together than individuals working
autonomously.
 Managers focus on setting, measuring and achieving goals. They control
situations to reach or exceed their objectives.
2. Leaders are change agents, managers maintain the status quo.

 Leaders embrace change and know that there is always a better way to do

things. They understand and accept the fact that changes to the system are
often disturbing but necessary.
 Managers stick with what works, refining systems, structures and processes to
make them better.

3. Leaders take risks, managers control risk .

 Leaders are willing to try new things even if they may fail miserably. They
know that failure is often a step on the path to success. 
 Managers work to minimize risk. They seek to avoid or control
problems rather than embracing them.

What Does It Mean to be a Leader?

Being a leader has the following aspects related to it:-

1) Focus on social influence- If you are chosen to lead a team, you will definitely be
given some powers and responsibilities that nobody else in the team will have.
However, leadership is not simply about directing your team or keeping them in check.
Your role is to create a positive social influence. A good way to do this is to set an
example for your team with your actions.

2) A leader requires members- Your team members are a very important part of the
project. You need to work with them in order to reach the team’s goals. Taking care of
your team, respecting them, and valuing their contribution will only make you a
better leader.

3) There’s no secret ingredient- All of us have looked for some tried-and-tested

formula to become a good leader. However, there is no single definition of good
leadership. How you lead your team in one situation may not work in another one. So
try to study the situation and adapt to it.

Continued...

4) Motivate your Team Members

As a leader, your role doesn’t end with assigning tasks and waiting for them to be
completed. You have to work with your team and motivate them to do the best that
they can! You may also have some skills, experience, and expertise that the other
members might not have. You can use these to help them grow and get around any
obstacles in the way of achieving your goals.

5) Facilitate Communication

In a team, communication needs to take place between the team members and the
leader freely. Don’t restrict the communication to only the instructions that you give
the team. Instead, encourage the members to communicate and brainstorm ideas.
Another useful tip might be to be open to feedback.

Common Leadership Mistakes

Here are some of the most common leadership mistakes that you can avoid:-

1) Delegating Work Incorrectly- Good leaders select people for tasks based on their
skills and interest. Spend some time learning who your team members are and what
they can do best. Otherwise, they may lack the motivation and knowledge that they
need to deliver the best results.

You can also allow them to volunteer for the task they like.

For example, if you are organizing a college fest, you won’t choose someone from the
sponsorship team to host an event.

2) Poor Communication- Not getting the right message at the right time can hamper
the team’s progress. Check the lines of communication in your team and ensure that
the members can interact freely in a productive manner. This is also the right time
to figure out if there are any delays in responses from anyone, or if the messages are
unclear.

3) Not focusing on the Big Picture- There will be many day- to-day tasks that you will
have to take care of . It is common to forget about the larger picture at such times.
However, ensure that your daily achievements are leading you towards the goal
that the project was started with. Doing so will give you a lot more time to identify any
problems and work on them than checking on the last day would.

Common Leadership Mistakes (cont.)

4. Balance your Investment

As a leader, you need to ensure that all the work done is  not only correct, but also of
good quality. However, checking too often on the progress made by the team may
annoy them and stop them from being creative. Trust how knowledgeable, skilled
and responsible your team is. You can simply check in from time to time to ensure
things are on the right track.

5. Forgetting to Train, Motivate, and Reward.

Keep encouraging the team to update their skill set and explore more. You can
motivate them to attend online seminars and workshops for this. Lastly, it is very
important to acknowledge and reward the efforts of your team members to help them
feel valued!

Manager or Leader?

The terms “leader” and “manager” are often used in place of one another. In fact,
their duties may overlap as well. While you might come across the term ‘manager’ in
many companies, you might think that only schools, colleges, political parties, and
unions have leaders. However, people playing either of these two roles have very
different tasks and responsibilities on their plates.

The cards that follow will help you understand the difference between a leader and a
manager.

Who Is a Leader?

A leader is a person from a group or a team who has taken the responsibility of

ensuring that the whole group makes efforts to reach its goal in the best possible
way. The leader often has a certain vision for the team and all the members work
together to make that vision a reality. They also have the freedom to choose from
different leadership styles.

They usually take the responsibilities of dividing tasks between team members,
checking to see if the work is being done correctly, and ensuring that there are no
blocks in communication. At the same time, a leader should not forget to motivate
the team, set examples for others with their actions, and acknowledge the efforts made.

However, a leader’s role may be more temporary. For example, the leader for your
class group project may not have the same powers and responsibilities after the
submission is made.

Who Is a Manager ?
A manager is someone who is responsible for running a part of the
company. They may be in charge of a department, a branch, or the whole company.
Managers also have the authority to carry out different functions. Some of them are:-

 Hiring and firing employees.

 Taking disciplinary actions against employees.
 Approving work hours for the day.
 Deciding if some people need to work overtime.
 Conducting performance appraisals.
 Maintaining attendance records.

Different Types of Managers

A few different types of managers are:-

1) Top Managers- They are in-charge of a company’s strategy. They aim to turn its
vision and mission into reality. Examples of top level managers include the CEO of any
company.

2) Functional Managers- They are responsible for the quality of results produced by

specific areas of the company, such as the marketing and sales departments. They also
look after its financial requirements and expenses.

3) Team or Supervisory Managers- They are responsible for the functions carried out
by different subgroups of the company.

4) Line Managers- They take responsibility for the output of certain products and
services. For example, line managers in the leading automobile company Hero
Motocorp may be responsible for different lines of products such as their motorbikes
and scooters.

Difference Between Leaders and Managers

Some of the most noticeable differences between leaders and managers are :-

1) Leaders try to motivate their team members to work towards achieving certain
goals using their full potential. Managers focus more on setting goals and measuring
progress towards their achievement.

2) Leaders can be more innovative, but managers are bound to follow the existing

protocol. However, they may try to refine the systems, structures, and procedures.
3) Leaders make efforts to try out new approaches to doing certain tasks even if it
has high risks. On the other hand, it is a manager’s duty to ensure that the
company doesn’t face any problems so they stick to the safest route possible.

4) While managers focus more on short-term goals such as hitting a sales

target, leaders think of long term goals such as coming up with unique marketing
strategies.

5) Leaders focus more on personal relationships and the growth of the team. Managers,
on the other hand, focus on the structures and processes that help them achieve their
goals.

6) Leaders rely more on the abilities of their team members. Meanwhile, managers

have a more hands-on approach and they prefer to direct every step of the process
closely.

Why are there Different Leadership Styles

As you read earlier, there isn’t one single way in which all leaders lead people. How
you behave as a leader will depend on a lot of factors, such as your personality,
the level of uncertainty you can handle, how much you can trust the rest of your
team, the industry that you are in, and the demands of the situation. You may also
have to step back from time to time and see whether there is a need to change your
leadership style or not.

The cards that follow will take you through some of the most common leadership styles.

Why are there Different Leadership Styles

As you read earlier, there isn’t one single way in which all leaders lead people. How
you behave as a leader will depend on a lot of factors, such as your personality,
the level of uncertainty you can handle, how much you can trust the rest of your
team, the industry that you are in, and the demands of the situation. You may also
have to step back from time to time and see whether there is a need to change your
leadership style or not.

The cards that follow will take you through some of the most common leadership styles.

Why Should you Know This?

Studying the different styles of leadership can be confusing and time consuming. But
here’s how this effort will help you:-

 You can use different styles to see which one suits you best in which
situation.

 If you are aware of the pros and cons of each leadership style, you will be
better prepared to look out for any of the problems that commonly arise while
using them.

 If you feel one leadership style is not giving you the results you want, you’ll
know that you can step back and change it to something more useful.

 You’ll be able to identify which leadership style is at play in different

situations. This can also help you decide how you need to interact with your
team members and the leader.

Autocratic Leadership

Leaders who use this kind of leadership have significant levels of control over the
rest of the team or the staff. In such cases, communication mostly happens in the
form of instructions given by the leader and the progress reports submitted by the rest
of the team. Here, the leader doesn’t share power with any other team member and
rarely allows anyone else to make suggestions.

Autocratic leaders can handle high stress situations very well because they can
arrive at decisions quickly. Such leadership is also useful when team members lack
knowledge and experience, and hence require guidance from the leader. However,
there may be no room for creativity.

This form of leadership is very common in the military and construction sectors.

Democratic Leadership

Here, the leader values the opinions of the team members and asks them to pitch their
ideas quite often. The decision-making process includes nearly everyone’s
participation. Such leaders motivate their teams to stay engaged. Since the power is
decentralized, every matter goes through a lot of people before a decision is made.

Although such an environment encourages innovation, creativity and independent

decision making, it takes a long time to arrive at any conclusion. Hence, such a
leadership style might not be very useful in times of crisis.
Creative industries and organizations that wish to include many stakeholders in
the decision making process often use this form of leadership.

Transformation Leadership

Employees and team-mates often consider this to be the most desirable leadership
style. It focuses on creating a thriving work culture using effective
communication. Here, the goals are set very high and the entire team must work
together to meet these strict deadlines. However, they also practice empathy and
respect towards the team members.

Most transformation leaders aim to inspire their team to grow by setting good
examples with their own actions.

This kind of leadership is often used in businesses that are trying to let go of old
ways of working for a more dynamic structure. Such leaders work very well in small
teams where everyone wants to work towards a shared, big dream.

They also thrive in large, well-established groups that aim to motivate employees.

Transactional Leadership

Transactional leaders do not try to set an example for others using their actions.
Instead, they make policies, procedures and, rewards that help in improving the
quality of performance. Such rewards may include bonuses, tickets and passes to
certain events, discount coupons, and other benefits. They mainly focus on short-term
goals and intervene when someone is not able to reach them.

Such leaders thrive in organizations that have to work on incremental goals in

short periods of time, such as retail companies. However, the quality of work may
suffer from time to time with this approach.

Visionary Leadership

Visionary leaders are passionate about reaching long-term goals. They work

towards these goals in a disciplined manner and encourage team members as well as
employees to do the same. Such leaders also make efforts to stimulate creativity
and innovations. They flourish with like-minded team members who wish to reach new
heights together.

They fit perfectly in organizations that want to motivate employees to meet new goals or
objectives. Another common example can be that of student groups that introduce
a new activity club in a college with the hopes of being able to enter major inter-
college events someday.

Affiliative Leadership

Affiliative leaders try to create a work environment in which teamwork and unity
play an essential role. Such leaders are very effective in bringing a group together
after a crisis and keeping their spirits high. They also provide a lot of positive
feedback that is likely to raise a group’s morale.

Organizations which require multiple departments to work together can benefit

from having an affiliative leader. An example of such organizations can be ones that
focus on research and development.

Laissez-Fairre Leadership

This is an extreme form of democratic leadership in which leaders intervene very little.
The team members or employees must regulate themselves and use the resources
provided by the leader to get the job done.

There is a lot of room for creativity, innovation, and development here. However, it
is possible to work in this manner only when the team is highly experienced, motivated,
responsible, and trustworthy.

After all, the goals still need to be met on time! Such leadership is used most often
in short-term voluntary projects ranging from food collection, and awareness
generation drives.

Situational Leadership

This term was developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard in 1969. Situational
leadership occurs when the leaders use a range of different styles depending on the
environment and the situation’s demands.
Factors such as worker seniority, the business process being performed, the
complexity of the tasks involved and the resources available are taken into
account.

For Example, your group leader for a project may use a more democratic style in the
beginning, and may even resort to laissez-faire on seeing how well you all handle the
work. But if the work is not completed 2 nights before the date of presentation, they may
take up a more autocratic approach to finish the work on time.

Importance of Determining Your Leadership Style

Understanding your leadership style might not be on the top of your list of priorities,
but it should be. Figuring out your leadership style might help in the following areas:

1) Determining your Work Environment: Work environment differs from place to

place and each of them demands a different style of leadership. Once you have
established which leadership style you resonate with, it’ll make it much easier for you
to select a line of work, a job position, or a company.

2) Communicate Better: A good leader has the power to communicate effectively

with their colleagues and understands situations/issues better from their
perspective thereby creating a healthy work environment. Your leadership style can
help you stay in touch with the ground realities of your team members.

3) Dealing with Conflicts: Your leadership style can help you determine your place in
a conflict or how to deal with issues that arise once-in-a-while or on a daily basis. This
results in you being able to make quick decisions and therefore excelling at
conflict resolution.

4) Increasing Productivity: When your leadership methods align with the work

environment, it leads to better productivity as your team members are able to work
freely, communicate more openly, and look up to you for guidance when needed.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

MBTI is a personality test based on the psychiatrist Carl Jung’s conceptual theory

which speculates that there are 16 personality types that are based on four
principle psychological functions: sensation, intuition, feeling, and thinking. One
of these functions, tend to be dominant in a person and influence their decision-making
skills.
Based on the four psychological functions, a questionnaire is made whose
answers will help determine your distinct personality type.

Now, there have been criticisms of MBTI test as being unscientific and vague, but if
you’re looking for a good starting point regarding your decision-making skills, this is a
good path to take. Remember that irrespective of your personality type, you can be a
good leader.

Blind Spot Assesment

While every person claims to have a 100 percent accurate sense of who they are, they
can often be wrong. Sometimes you might think you’re being a good leader but other’s
perception of you might be quite the opposite. The blind spot assessment helps you
identify blind spots in you, your decision making, and the job you work in.

Thus, it helps you look at yourself from a third-person perspective and identify
mistakes in your leadership style.

Take the
test: http://princetonmc.com/wp-content/uploads/leadership_blindspots_survey.pdf

Team Leadership

Team leadership is an important part of effective team performance. Nearly every

team has some individuals who take the responsibility of defining team goals. They also
help the team develop and create structures using which their missions can be
accomplished.

A team leader plays an important role in the team’s success or failure. The
following cards will take you through some important aspects of team leadership.

Team Leadership: How to lead the way

Team leadership is important because when you have the privilege and responsibility of
leading a company, having the right skill set is vital to success. Business owners
and managers need to understand the difference between a leader and a boss and
which skills distinguish the two. Watch this video to know more!

Roles of a Team Leader

A team leader has many roles. A few of them are:-

1) Goal-Setter- Most importantly, they must set achievable goals for the team to work
towards.

2) Manager/ Supervisor- They are responsible for ensuring that all the activities done
by the team are done correctly.

3) Strategist- They need to decide how the team will approach each task. Once that is
done, a team leader must also develop a plan for the goals to be accomplished.

4) Communicator- It is a team leader’s responsibility to inform the team and the

stakeholders about relevant information. 5) Organizer- They are also required to create
important tasks, keep a record of the documents required, take care of employees
working under them, and to keep track of the progress made.

While all these roles may be played by a single team leader at times, other teams may
require more than one leader. For Example, a group project in college can be done
within a small group that has relatively few things to take care of, so a single leader can
manage to do all these tasks. But a large production team working on a feature film for
the college fest may need more leaders to take care of different aspects, such
as lighting, location, and logistics.

How to Get the Right Team?

Whether you are hiring a team for your startup or selecting one for a project of your
choice in college, here are a few tips for building a good team:-

1) Check their Communication Skills- Working as a team requires people to

communicate not only with other team members and the team leader but also with other
people whose help you might need. This is very important for coordinating, keeping
people updated, arranging for resources, and solving any problems that may
arise. Look for people who can communicate relevant information clearly, politely, and
in a comprehensive manner.

2) Ensure they have the Right Knowledge and Skills- Now this can be a little tricky.
Many people can have the knowledge and skills that you are looking for. However,
ensure that the ones you select are capable of applying them in a way that works
for your project.

3) Check their Work Ethic- While some projects require every team member to work in
a highly organised and time-bound manner, others need more flexibility. Ensure that
the people you select can work in the conditions that are likely to be created for
your project.

Some more Tips on Building the Right Team

4) See How Understanding they are- Team members need to be able to understand

each other’s condition. This becomes all the more important in times of a crisis. Hence,
you need to see if the people you select are willing to be flexible in order to help
their teammates out.

5) Look for Accurate Estimation Skills- Your team should be able to estimate the
time and resources needed to get the work done realistically. Once this estimate is set,
they need to be able to work responsibly to meet these goals individually as well as
in a group.

6) Check if they are Self-assured- Your team members should be able to put their
ideas forward with clarity and confidence.

All the team members will not have all these qualities, but ensure that they can work
together harmoniously. That way, all the team members can lift each other up.

Building Trust

Trust between team members and the team leader is very important for deciding how
well they work with each other. This, in turn, affects their overall output. Here’s how you
can build trust in your team:-

1) Lead by Example- To begin with, you need to trust the rest of the team as well
as the team leaders no matter what position you are at. Getting to know them better
might help you. If you are the team leader, you also need to show your team that the
behavior that you are expecting is achievable. For this, you need to lead by example
and follow the exact same rules that you set for them. 2) Communicate Openly- You
need to create an environment where everyone in the team can talk honestly and
freely. That way, the team will be able to discuss any problems that they may face and
solve it together instead of letting it impact the end result. 3) Encourage Socializing- A
team that sits quietly next to each other and works away would probably not be working
well together. This is just like the times when you were put in a class group that you felt
lost in. Instead, encourage them to socialize. Even something as simple as having
coffee breaks together can bring in team harmony. This will also help them cope
with stress better.
Some more Tips on Building Trust

4) Don’t Point Fingers- No matter how foolproof your plan is, some mistakes and
problems might crop up. However, blaming will only lead to a team member feeling
embarrassed and discouraging everyone from seeking help. Instead, try to find the root
cause of the problem and solve it while respecting all the team members. 5)
Discourage Divides- Your team might get divided into subgroups based on who all like
to work together. This can leave other members feeling isolated. Over time, such
differences may lead to blocks in lines of communication. Make sure that
you address such issues and encourage all team members to work together. 6)
Discuss Obstacles- Your team members won’t be able to trust each
other overnight. However, it is important to provide a safe space in which they can
talk about any troubles that they may be facing in doing so. This is all the more
important if you all plan to work together for long.

Choosing a Leadership Style

You read about the different styles of leadership earlier. Now let’s talk about the factors
that will help you decide which one to choose:-

1) Your Own Personality- You yourself may feel more comfortable doing certain things
than others. For Example, if you are someone who believes in taking your team’s
opinions into account before you make a decision, you may feel more comfortable using
a democratic style of leadership

2) The People you Work With- The knowledge, skills ,and personality of your team
will impact this decision as well. For Example, you might want to use a laissez-
faire style if your team is highly motivated, experienced, and has won your trust.

Conflict at Workplace

A conflict is a disagreement or a clash between two or more people who have

different opinions. It can happen in any setting including your workplace. As a team
leader, you might have to address conflict at your workplace from time to time. If
you do not do so in a healthy and productive manner, it may impact the quality of work
that will be produced. At the same time, unresolved conflicts can have a negative
impact on your team’s unity and productivity.

The cards that follow explore conflicts at the workplace. They also mention a few
strategies to resolve these conflicts.

Conflict and its hazards

Conflict resolution skills are required for a wide range of positions across
many job sectors. This requirement is based around the fact that conflict tends to
reduce productivity and create a difficult work environment. Watch this video to
know more on conflict resolution.

Conflict and Group Formation

At the workplace, different individuals have to come together to form teams that work for
completing projects, running a department, or to ensure that the organization is working
well. According to Bruce Tuckman, each group goes through certain stages of
development:-

1) Orientation/Forming - This is the very first stage at which the members come

together for the first time. No systems or processes are in place at this stage and there
is a high need for guidance. 2) Power Struggle/Storming- There are high levels of
dispute and competition at this point. Questions around leadership, authority, rules,
evaluation criteria, and reward system are raised. A group can come out of this stage
with a feeling of belongingness. 3) Cooperation and Integration/Norming- This is the
stage where group members learn to cooperate and interact freely. They also learn
how to engage in open conversations with mutual respect for bonding. 4)
Synergy/Performing- This is the stage when the group actually starts working towards
its goals. 5) Closure/Adjourning- Many groups disintegrate after the work has been
completed successfully.

Conflicts can arise right when a group is being created for the first time as well. They
are pretty much unavoidable. So the best way to handle conflicts is to learn how to
deal with them.

Reasons Behind Conflict at Workplace

A few common reasons behind conflicts at workplace are:-

1) Poor Communication- Poor communication takes place when the receiver
either doesn’t get the message from the sender or isn’t able to understand it. In
some cases, the receiver may not get the full message that was sent. Any of these
situations can lead to confusion, stress and chaos. This, in turn, can decrease the
team’s productivity and morale. 2) Different Values- We all tend to have different
values that we use to make our decisions. While some members of a team may
value punctuality, others may value perfection more. But troubles arise when
differences in values lead to clashes. This can result in group members refusing to work
together. The main reason behind such clashes is lack of flexibility and understanding.

Reasons Behind Conflict at Workplace (Contd.)

3) Different Styles of Working - Many people have extremely different ways of

working. While some work very well in stressful situations, others freeze under
stress. While some people like to work in an organised manner with strict deadlines,
others need more room to be creative. However, they need to find ways to work
together, otherwise no work will get done.

4) Personality Clashes- Your team members might come from different backgrounds

with diverse experiences. These factors play a very important role in shaping who
they are as people. If they are not able to move past these differences, your team might
find it very difficult to work together without getting into fights.

More Reasons can be -

5) Unhealthy Competition- Some industries might foster more competition at their

workplace than others. This is especially true for countries like India which have limited
resources. However, some people might resort to the use of unfair means for favorable
outcomes. Actions like these can lead to major conflicts at some point of time or the
other.

6) Working Conditions- Workplaces which have stressful working conditions, where

employees might be overburdened, and where there are health hazards might see more
conflicts than others. Examples of the same can be hospitals and understaffed
businesses.

Conflict Resolution
Here are a few tips that you can use to resolve conflict within your team:-

1) Communicate- It is best to start by arranging for a conversation. You can start

by talking to the people involved separately first, and then arrange for a dialogue
between the people involved in the conflict. Ensure that all of them get a chance to
speak about their concerns without interruption. 2) Avoid the Blame Game- During the
conversation, ensure that nobody should feel like they are being targeted or
blamed. The focus should be on resolving the conflict. 3) Listen
Carefully- Encourage the participants to listen to each other with an open mind. Ensure
that they take turns while speaking so that nobody talks over the others. 4) Identify
Points of Agreement and Disagreement- Take the time to summarize chunks of the
discussion by looking at the points on which the members agree. Also, use this time to
highlight the ones on which there is disagreement. This will help in creating a better
understanding of the situation.

Some More Tips on Conflict Resolution

5) Develop a Plan- List the areas of conflict and plan how to work moving from the
most important areas of conflict to the least important ones. 6) Identify Resources and
Responsibilities- Once you have a plan, figure out who all will have to be involved in
solving the problems that arose. Next, allocate who needs to do what in order to
resolve the conflicts. Try to answer all the questions and objections that they may
have. 7) Work Accordingly- Observe whether everyone is working according to
the plan or not. Also, you must give the group members a chance to address any
problems that they might be facing. 8) Arrange for a Follow-up- The last step is to call
everyone back and check if the plan has been working. It is very important to accept
feedback at this stage and make the necessary changes to the plan. Doing so will help
you resolve the conflict better.

Benefits of Conflict Resolution

A few benefits of resolving conflicts are:-

 You’ll have a healthier work environment.

 The team members will have to work under lesser stress.
 They will be able to pay their undivided attention to work instead of worrying
about conflicts.
 Conflict resolution can create a sense of belongingness in the group.
 Better cohesiveness and communication in the group fosters creativity.
 The lessons learned can be used in future to resolve bigger problems.
 You’ll have a variety of opinions on matters which will lead to more detailed
decision-making.
What Is Delegation of Work?

When you delegate a task, you pass on the responsibility of doing it to someone

else. At the same time, you’ll still have to check for the overall quality of the work done.
The practice of delegation happens at many places right from college-level activity
clubs. It includes dividing the workload of conducting competitions to managers who
further delegate the task to the staff.

Delegating tasks may be very challenging in the beginning. This lesson will help
you learn how to delegate tasks effectively as a leader.

Understanding the concept of delegation

To be a great leader, you must know how to delegate the work to your teammates.
Delegation of work, when done correctly, will bring out your project's full
potential. Watch this video for more information on the concept.

Why Should You Delegate Tasks?

As a leader, you will be required to look after a wide range of tasks that your team
needs to complete. The quality of work cannot be compromised for any one of them.
Here’s how delegating this work will help you do so:-

1) High efficiency levels- Once you have a plan to achieve your goals, you need to
find the people with the right skills to execute each component. While they use their
knowledge and experience to deliver great results, you can focus on planning ahead
with less stress! This will ensure better planning as well as better results.

2) Development- As a team leader, you’ll have the skills and abilities that the rest of the
team can learn. The best way to do so is to give them an opportunity to carry out tasks
in which they will need to use those skills. This will help you create a team of experts
who can deliver the results you want and reduce your workload at the same time.

3) Swapping confusion with precision- Employees taking care of many tasks alone

tend to make more mistakes due to stress and exhaustion. Dividing work equally
amongst teams and team members helps them work efficiently on one task at a
time.

Reasons Why You Should Delegate Tasks

4) Making good use of expertise- Your team members and employees will come with
different skills and expertise. You can use their abilities to help you achieve shared
goals in a better manner.

5) Better work environment- Lesser levels of stress promotes a healthy work

environment. This, in turn, promotes better mental health for employees, better
interpersonal relationships, and more productivity!

6) Higher employee retention rate- If you are able to provide a healthy work
environment to your team, they will be less likely to take leaves or quit the job. They
may also be more creative because they feel you trust them!

Common Roadblocks

Here are a few common roadblocks that might stop you from delegating tasks:-

1) The urge to do It all - You might think that you’ll do the work better all by yourself.
While your unique skills make you the best fit for many tasks, you need to have faith in
your team too. Each member is a part of the team because they have something to
contribute to the project.

2) Lack of resources- At times, lack of right people and finances can force you to take
up many roles. Consider expanding your team, hiring part-time workers, or even
outsourcing work to another related organization.

3) Lack of knowledge- You may be ready to delegate work at times, but you may not
know how to do it! Earlier negative experiences with delegation can also discourage
you from doing so now.

Keep reading to know what all you should keep in mind while delegating work!

How to Delegate Work?

Here’s how you can choose the right people for the right work every time. Business
strategist recommends delegating the following types of tasks:

1) Tiny- These are relatively small tasks that won’t impact the final results for much.
However, these tasks can pile up if they are not done regularly. An example of such
tasks can be taking note of the items sold by a retail store at the end of the day.

2) Tedious tasks- these are tasks that require less skill but a lot of time effort, such
as copying and pasting data.
3) Time-consuming - These are tasks that can take up a lot of time, such as packing
large orders of delicate glassware for delivery.

4) Time-sensitive- You can consider delegating tasks that have similar

deadlines when none of them can be delayed.

5) The ones you can’t do- None of us can master every single skill that there is. If you
have to do some task that you don’t know about, you can pass it over to someone
who can.

6) Teachable- Choose those tasks to delegate that you can teach someone else

easily, such as storing documents in the right files.

How to Delegate to The Right Person?

1) Check their skills - Select someone who has the expertise, experience and
attitude that will help them deliver the best results on a task within the limitations of
the situation.

2) Give the right instructions, resources and timing- You need to explain the work
clearly to the person it is delegated to. Ensure that you hand over the resources that
they will need to work with. Also, check if the timeline you are giving is realistic.

3) Explain why you are delegating - Help the people selected understand why they
were selected. They also need to see how this can be  an opportunity for their growth.

4) Empower them- Allow the people who you select to make some reasonable

decisions about the task. Running back to you again and again will only waste more
time.

5) Check the work and provide feedback-  In the end, you are still responsible for
the quality of work delivered in the task. You can always check it in the end to make
sure there are no flaws. Make sure to give constructive feedback and thank the
people who helped you out.

Checking the Progress

You can check the progress made on the task that you delegated in the following ways:-

1) Schedule progress checks- Arrange periodic progress checks to ensure that the

work is happening correctly. This will help you spot mistakes sooner and give them
more time to make corrections.
2) Keep a record- You can create a system in which the person taking up a
delegated task must record their progress themselves at the end of the day. This
could be done in a register or an MS Excel sheet.

3) Be available for consultation- Ensure you are available to provide the guidance

that the people might require. This will also give you an idea of the progress made.

4) Inform about the desired outcome- Make sure the selected people know what
results they need to achieve. This will help them complete the task according to the
requirements.

5) Make good use of technology- You can review the task even on a task manager,
emails, or cloud storage options like Google Drive to avoid any delays in meeting
the deadline.

Success Stories

Here are 5 successful entrepreneurs who benefitted from effective delegation:-

 Andrew Carnegie, Founder of Carnegie Steel Company

 Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group
 Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft
 Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon
 Warren Buffet, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

Strategic Leadership
Strategic leadership refers to a manager's potential to express a strategic vision
for the organization, or a part of the organization, and to motivate and persuade others
to acquire that vision. Strategic leadership can also be defined as utilizing strategy in
the management of employees.

What Is Strategic Planning?

Strategic Planning is the art of making business strategies, implementing them,

and seeing how they affected your organization’s objectives. They focus is on
bringing different departments together to achieve organizational goals.

The different steps that come under strategic planning are:-

 Strategy Formation
 Strategy Implementation
  Strategy Evaluation

Strategy Formulation

At this stage, the current situation of a business is studied using an internal and external
audit. After that, an analysis is conducted to identify its strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats faced. This is called SWOT analysis. It helps to identify
the new markets to be explored, the strengths that they can play on, the weaknesses
that they need to overcome, and the ventures that must be abandoned. This exercise
can lead to a lasting effect on the organization’s chances of succeeding. An
Example of this can be the ventures by Google that they decided to stop working on
after some time, such as Google+.

Strategy Evaluation

You must go a step ahead after implementing the strategy and evaluate how successful it
was. This includes reviewing the internal and external factors that affected the
implementation, measuring performance and taking the corrective action required to make it
better. These steps must be taken at the corporate, administrative as well as the ground level.
Hence, communication plays an important role here as well.

Plan Keeping People in Mind

Many great strategic plans fail simply because they were made without keeping
the people of the organization in mind. Electronics giant General Electrics
suffered huge losses due to this mistake in the mid-1970s. Human resources are
crucial for getting any work done. Here are a few questions that you must ask yourself
before the plan leaves your desk:-

 Do the people who will be working on this plan have the skills needed ?
 Do I have enough people to work on it?
 Am I giving them a realistic timeline to get this work done?
 What is the condition of the people who I will be working with to implement this
plan? Their life events such as marriage, pregnancy, health conditions and
mental health status need to be considered as well.
 Will this plan require them to strain too much? If so, will they be given
compensations?
 Does my plan have room for delays, errors, and changes?
  Am I giving them the resources and authority that they need for this work?
 What role will I be playing to help them?
 Are there any health hazards involved for which I need everyone to take
precautions?

Strategies to Work effectively

A few strategies that you can use to work more effectively as an organization are:-

 State the tasks to be done clearly.

 Break bigger tasks into smaller ones.
 Make clear, realistic, and organised schedules that state how much work you
need to do at what time.
 Prioritize time-sensitive tasks that are more important over the ones that have
no deadlines and will take longer to do.
 Have clear and effective communication lines to avoid confusions, delays and
reworking.

Benefits of Strategic Planning

Here’s why you should invest more time in strategic planning:-

1) It helps you make more logical strategies with a systematic approach. 2) It

enhances effective communication between team leaders and the team, and
between employees and employers. 3) It empowers the people that you rely on to
make your dream project a reality. 4) It makes you aware of the
resources available. 5) It helps you prepare to deal with any undesirable situation
that you can foresee.

What is Effective Communication?

Effective communication happens when you are able to exchange ideas,

thoughts, knowledge, and information in such a manner that the purpose behind
it is fulfilled in the best possible manner. This can happen only when you convey
your message in such a manner that the people receiving the message can understand
it.

The cards that follow explore why effective communication is a skill that every leader
should have.
Importance of Communication in Leadership

Communication forms the very core of leadership. Leaders should be skilled

communicators so that they can handle the countless relationships in the
organization. Sometimes they also need to communicate with larger communities on
the behalf of the organization.

A few things for the leaders to remember while communicating :-

1) They need to give clear instructions to team members and other employees while
delegating responsibilities. 2) Leaders often represent teams, departments, and even
the entire organization in front of key stakeholder groups. Some of these groups include
customers, investors, and other organizations. 3) They conduct meetings in order to
discuss important issues before arriving at a decision. 4) Leaders also give feedback
to employees. These inputs help these employees mold their behavior and way of
working to meet shared goals and expected standards of performance. 5) How a leader
addresses others determines how much the other employees trust them.

Talking With Your Team

A few ways in which you can communicate effectively with your team are:-

1) Having One-on-One Interactions- Such interactions ensure that your

employees engage well with the organization. You can use this time to update them
about a project’s demands, norms of the company, and the timeline that they have to
work with. But, don’t forget to give them enough time to express their opinions and
concerns as well. 2) Encourage Feedback- Try to create an environment where
feedback flows both ways. Just like you can give your team feedback and coach them,
they should also be able to give their inputs. 3) Show Appreciation- Appreciating the
efforts made by the team can boost a member's morale and encourage them to be
more creative with their work in the future.

Some More Tips

4) Team-building Activities- Conducting team lunches, ice breaker games and

informal group meetings can give a push to the overall productivity, and
teamwork. They can also be used to understand the team’s take on the alterations that
will make them come on-board with your idea. 5) Use Time Wisely- If you cannot set
some time apart for interacting with your team, try looking for time slots in which they
interact with each other naturally. Having shared coffee breaks, for example, can be a
good way to understand your team better. This will help you understand how they will
be the most receptive to your message. 6) Use the Right Platforms- You don’t have
to call for a meeting for every single update. Communication tools like task
management software and employee profiles are much more effective for keeping a
record of the work assigned. Similarly, look for alternative ways to communicate with
them efficiently.

Communicating with Senior Leaders

When you represent a team, you might have to talk to other senior members for their
approval as well. They could be possible sponsors, professors, managers, or even the
CEO of your company. Here’s how you can be effective in such communication:-

1) Keep the Message Short and Simple- You might face a time crunch while talking to
such figures because of their busy schedules. Give them only the most relevant details
in the conversation until you are required to elaborate. 2) Focus on the
Positives- Highlight the efforts and the progress made by your team. You can also
focus on the pros of your product or idea. However, be honest with your message. If
you need to mention something negative, try to add how you plan to change it as well 3)
Give them Something to Act On- You’ll mostly contact people above you in the
hierarchy for a certain action to be taken. Don’t forget to mention politely what you
expect them to do after making a convincing case!

Connecting with Customers

Here’s how you can communicate effectively with your customers:-

1) Be Patient- Your customers may seem to be unsure, confused or even angry when

they give feedback. In other cases, they may not be clear with their message. Hear
them out patiently and follow up to ensure you understood their point. 2) Be
Accurate- Your advertisements and claims need to be accurate. This helps them in
setting realistic expectations which you will have to meet later. 3) Know your
Product- You need to understand the product or service that you are marketing well
enough to be able to answer any customer's questions. 4) Be Proactive in
Responding- The longer you delay responding to your customers, the higher are the
chances that you’ll lose them! 5) Use Simple Language- Your customers will not have
the same technical knowledge that you have. Help them understand your message
better by using examples, research findings and visual data such as graphs and
images.

What Is Self-Awareness?

It is said that we are our own harshest critic. Why? That’s because no one knows or
understands you better, than you yourself! Everyone is born with a healthy amount
of self-doubt which allows us to monitor our-self and reflect on our decisions.

When we learn to harness this self-doubt to objectively judge ourselves it is called self-
awareness.

1) Self-awareness can do wonders for our personal growth. When you learn to accept
your shortcomings, it leads to a positive surge in self-development.

2) We learn to see things from other’s perspectives instead of solely focusing on

what we think is right or wrong.

3) Self-awareness is also a great asset at a workplace and provides you with the
boost you need to succeed at your work.

Being Self Aware

Being self aware is a must in a business environment. It is our own perceptions and
mindsets that make us reach for our goals! Watch the video to know more!

How does Self-Awareness help you Become a Good

Leader

1) The Need to Learn and Un-learn: Self-awareness helps you develop humility. As a

leader, you’ll constantly have people looking up to you for advice and knowledge. This
might give you a false sense of pride or an idea that you know everything there is to
know. To become a good leader you need to constantly strive to learn from your
peers, people who work under you etc.

It’s not possible for you to be 100 percent perfect and when you acknowledge that, it
helps break down the rigid barriers in your mind and become more open towards
seeking new knowledge.
2) Personal Improvement: When a leader accepts his/her flaws and weaknesses and
makes it a point to work on it, it instills a great sense of confidence in their team
members and such leaders are found to be more trust-worthy.

Self-awareness allows you to detach yourself from the ‘idea’ of who you think you are
and allows you to evaluate yourself as a separate individual on an unbiased basis.

How Does Help Awareness Help You Become a Good

Leader?

3) Feedback A self-aware leader seeks feedback and critique from their team
members or employees. This creates a healthy environment for communication,
feedback, exchanges of ideas and this, in turn, can help increase the efficiency of the
workplace.

A self-aware leader also tends to take into consideration his or her own shortcomings
before critiquing someone’s work or offering them guidance thereby also imbibing
empathy towards their employees.

4) Improving Communication When you are mindful of your reaction towards verbal

and written communication in the workplace, it reflects in your response towards
them as well.

Communication is a crucial element in any project and when you maximize effective
communication, it can do wonders for your professional development.

Tips to Increase your Self-Awareness

1) Keep an Open Mind As a leader, you might feel you know what’s best for you and
your team. But that isn’t always true. Keep your mind open to ideas and feedback that
might not resonate with you but might prove to be better in the large scheme of things.
When you keep your mind open, you broaden your horizon and learn to look at things
from interesting perspectives.

2) Lead a Disciplined Life Living a disciplined life helps you bring about that same trait
into your workplace. A leader who is particular about getting things done, maintaining
a schedule, etc tends to be more effective and respected.

3) Follow Your Gut Your gut feeling or intuition is your unadulterated response to an

idea. You need to trust your basic instinct and run with it, even if it means taking a few
risks. The more you learn to follow your gut, the more self-aware you become.
4) Recognize your Strengths and Weaknesses These could also mean recognizing
your emotional weaknesses and learning to process them before you communicate
with someone. In other words, know when to ask help and know when to capitalize
on your strengths.

What Is Business Etiquette?

How do you decide what is the right thing to do at your workplace? Business

etiquette is a set of rules that help you decide how you should behave while
interacting with your colleagues, customers, suppliers, supervisors, and other
people. It is all about conveying the right image and behaving in an appropriate
manner. In this lesson, we will try to understand business etiquette better.

Why Should It Matter to You?

Here are a few reasons why business etiquettes make a difference:-

 It creates a professional environment in which everyone feels mutually

respected.
 It improves the effectiveness of communication and productivity at the
workplace.
 It helps you create better relationships at your workplace.
 It tells you how to behave properly with your clients and customers.
 It is better for the mental health of everyone sharing the work space.

What are the 5 Sins of Etiquette?

Business etiquettes are a major part of how to keep up with other people in a
workplace, or corporate environment. Watch this video to know more!

The Five Sins

Here are a few mistakes in the world of business etiquettes that you can avoid:-
1) Not Greeting People or Using Their Name- This simple gesture of politeness can
help you build a relationship and even get a new client!

2) Leaving People Waiting- It is very important that you respect other people's time
just like you expect them to respect yours. Plan your appointments and meetings
carefully right in the beginning. Then, try to follow that schedule. Also, make sure that
you inform the concerned people if there are any changes in the plan.

3) Interrupting- Speaking in the middle of a conversation or cutting people short while

they are speaking are not practices that are encouraged. A little patience and respect
for what the speaker is sharing can go a long way.

The Five Sins (Contd.)

4) Lack of Courtesy and Respect- You might find yourself in unexpected

circumstances from time to time, such as handling a client who is not very polite, or
facing a conflict. While it is your right to express yourself and be assertive at such
times, remember to do so with respect for the people you are addressing.

5) Breaking Someone’s Trust- If someone shares some confidential information with

you which is not going to harm anyone, you should try not to break their trust. This
could be anything from a new business idea to personal information.

How Can you Improve your Business Etiquette?

Often, we do not even realize that we might be making mistakes in this area. One way
in which you can evaluate your business etiquette is by asking yourself the
following questions:- 1) How do I work with team? 2) What is the image I convey to
people? 3) Am I polite enough? 4) How can I show more respect, be more responsive,
and recognize people? What are my standards?

5) How do I answer when I disagree with people?

What Is Appropriate Business Etiquette?

You might have noticed that different kinds of jobs have different business
etiquette that decide what is the right professional behavior for that setting. But
there are a few etiquette that are followed everywhere. In this lesson, we will be taking a
look at some of those common business etiquette.
Using Names

Think of your last internship. How did you feel in the beginning when everyone
probably kept forgetting your name and what you were doing there? Addressing
the people you work with respectfully helps them feel acknowledged and
respected. This lays the foundation for healthy relationships at the workplace. Although
it can be a little challenging, knowing everyone’s names and designations can help you
a great deal. However, remember to not overstep your boundaries.

The 3 Rs

It is always a good idea to be considerate about the basic psychological needs of the
people you work with. A rule of thumb that you can follow is to be respectful of these 3
R's:- 1) Recognition- Make it a point to acknowledge people with appropriate
greetings. Also recognize the efforts that they put in to help your firm reach its goals. 2)
Respect- Treating people with respect, value and courtesy are a few more things
that can help you build professional relationships. Also, remember to apologise when
you make a mistake. This helps in maintaining clarity and moving from figuring out the
problem to finding a solution. 3) Response- Respond to any queries, requests, or
complaints at the earliest. In case the procedure will take time, you can also let them
know the same too. The aim is to respect other's time.

Wardrobe and Hygiene

How you present yourself is just as important as how you present your
work. Good hygiene and clean clothes appropriate for your work setting are a very
important part of your presentation. These factors also have a big role to play in how
others perceive you. It becomes all the more important when you are representing
your company outside in front of investors or clients. So when you dress up in the
morning, keep in mind what image you want to portray.

What are the 3 F's of Hygiene?

There are ways in which one has to present himself in a business organisation. Most
business organisations have a formal dress code. Watch the video to know more.

Using Appropriate Language

It is always helpful to be mindful of what message you are giving at your workplace.
Business etiquette is all about how you behave and your sensitivity so avoid saying
anything that can be hurtful to any other person, group or community. Jokes that
are racist, sexist or queer-phobic in nature should be completely off limits as well.

Showing Gratitude

Gratitude is a good way of acknowledging the thoughtfulness and efforts made

by people. However, saying “thank you” might just be an act of politeness
sometimes. Your gratitude should reflect in your actions. This can lead to better
interpersonal communication as well.

Technological Etiquette

Technology is becoming an increasingly essential part of the work culture today.

However, you need to follow some etiquette rules while using technology as
well. Things like being polite during a phone conversation, ensuring that you use
appropriate language on emails, being presentable during video conferences, etc.
are an important part of business etiquette in today’s world.

What Is Time Management?

You might have heard people talk about how they struggle to manage their time often. It
must have happened to you too, at one point of time. Have you ever been late for a
viva or project submission, or even to an exam because you were feeling lazy in the
morning? "Time is of the essence" is thrown around in conversations and its
absolutely true. Time management is a precious skill that takes years to develop. But
what is time management in real life? Time management is the process of
organizing and planning how you will divide your time between all the activities
that you have planned for the day. In this lesson, we will be looking at a few tools that
you can use to manage your time better.

Why should you Master it?

There are many benefits of mastering the skill of managing your time, such as:-

 You will be able to give adequate time to each task that you take up.
  Having an effective schedule can reduce the stress and fear about how you will
get all the work done.
 When you have less stress, you will be able to focus more on doing your tasks
well.
 With practice, you will be able to figure where you would like to use your time
better. So, you’ll be able to make time for a few more things that you have
always wanted to do.
 A good routine will also help you perform more consistently instead of having
to run through tasks at the end of the day.

Master Time Management

Managing your time is a must know for all aspects of a business. "Time waits for no
one" and it truly doesn't. Time is what we want most, but what we use worst. How do
we cope up with all the free time we have in our hands, or the time that we don't have
for so many things we love? Watch this video to know more.

Time management in today's digital world

From what we've learnt till now, time is a precious resource and you can’t stop using
it and you can’t find more of it, but you need it to do absolutely everything. From
scheduling meetings to fulfilling orders, time is behind every aspect of running a
business and you can’t afford to manage it poorly. Ineffective time management can
take many forms. Whether it’s procrastination, personal distractions or projects that
take more time than they should, there are tons of things that waste our time every
day. Wasted time means rushed deadlines, a work-life imbalance, and more stress
and anxiety. When it comes down to it, you just need to use the time that you
have more effectively. Thankfully, opportunities to manage your time better
are everywhere. Let's look into some apps that help you save your time in the digital
world!

Scoro

Scoro is an app that helps you plan your days, months, work, billing etc. in one
place. This helps you keep all your activities at a place where you can see it easily.
Some of its useful features are:-

1. You can manage your projects, tasks and clients effectively.

2. You can track the development at work, sales performance and other such
parameters.
 3. You can schedule reminders for delays in payments that you have to make or
receive.

Asana
Asana is an application that combines features of project management, file storage, and
collaboration. You can use it to manage team projects effectively. A few of its features
are:-

1. Break your work into tasks that can be divided among team members.

2. Organize your tasks according to a desired timeline.
3. Review milestones and check the progress your team made
4. Get notified about updates on work
5. You can even review the whole project on a dashboard.

Toggl
This is an easy- to-use software that integrates many different project
management systems. This is one of the most efficient tools for boosting your
productivity. Some of its top features are:-

1. It helps you track unlimited projects and sub-projects in accurate time.

2. It alerts you about the progress made by the team.
3. It has online as well as offline time tracking.

Trello
This application is great for keeping track of your daily assignments. It uses a
cardboard- like dashboard which is easy to use. Some of its features are:-

1. Simple Task Management
2. Creating Unlimited Task Lists
3. Image and File Sharing
4. Organizing Lists by Dates or Priority
5. Commenting and Collaboration

What Is Stress Management?

When we talk about stress, we usually relate it to feelings like anxiety, restlessness,

sadness, and anger. Managing these lot of emotions at a workplace can be quite
tough, given that work-related stress is very common, and more importantly,
undeniable.

So, we look into methods for managing our stress, minimizing it, and channeling it into
positive outcomes.

Why is it so important to manage stress?

Effective stress management helps you break the hold stress has on your life, so
you can be happier, healthier, and more productive. The ultimate goal is a balanced
life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun—and the ability to hold up
under pressure and meet challenges head-on. But stress management is not one-
size-fits-all. That’s why it’s important to experiment and find out what works best for
you. The following stress management tips can help you do that.

Stress Management in the Workplace

Stressful workplaces lead to a lot of internal chaos, but you can't run away or hide
from work stress. How do we manage it? Watch the above video for more information.

Five Major Tips

There are five mantras which will save you from drowning in work stress and will make
your life easier.

 Identify the sources of stress in your life

 Practice the 4 A's of stress management
 Eradicate laziness from your work life
 Make time to play
 Quick stress relief

How to know what Is Stressing You Out?

To identify your true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses:

 Do you always say things like -“I just have a million things going on right
now” even though you can’t remember the last time you took a breather?
  Do you define stress as an integral part of your work or home life “Things are
always crazy around here” or as a part of your personality "I just have a lot
going on right now"?
 Do you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely
normal and unexceptional?

Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your
stress level will remain outside your control.

The 4 A's

The 4 A's are like the holy grail of stress-busting. Incorporating these, even a little, will
help you save yourself from work stress big time.

 Avoid unnecessary stress

Things like learning to say "no" to extra work, avoid people who stress you out, or learn
how to politely let them know that their behavior is stressful. Take control of your
environment and analyze your schedule, drop tasks that are unnecessary.

 Alter the situation

If you cannot avoid a stressful situation, try to change it. Express your feelings instead
of bottling them up. Be willing to make some compromises and create a balanced
schedule.

 Adapt

If a situation is too stressful, you might try changing your perspective towards a solution.
Look at the bigger picture and ask yourself how important will it be in the longer run.

 Accept

Accepting the things you cannot change can surprisingly minimize your stress at the
workplace. Look at the glass half full instead of half empty, and learn to forgive and
share your feelings.

Being Active

Physical activity is a huge stress reliever—and you don’t have to be an athlete or

spend hours in a gym to experience the benefits. Exercise releases endorphins that
make you feel good, and it can also serve as a valuable distraction from your daily
worries.
While you’ll get the most benefit from regularly exercising for 30 minutes or
more, it’s okay to build up your fitness level gradually. Even very small activities can
add up over the course of a day.

Make Time for Play

Making time for yourself and doing the things that you love can bring in huge changes in
one's workplace attitude. Shifting your whole focus from your work to other things such
as hobbies, relationships, or just taking time out for yourself to introspect your
daily routine, could be a stress buster. Keep your sense of humor. This includes the
ability to laugh at yourself. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress in a number
of ways.

Quick Stress Relieve

If you're stressed by things like your morning commute, a particular project, or even

by talking to your boss, you can try to relieve your stress right there, right then.
Take a deep breath, look for quick fixes, and be assertive of how you think the work is
to be executed.

This would help you gain respect in the workplace and also reduce stress levels,
along with bringing up your self-esteem.

What Is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your emotions in

order to communicate more effectively and overcome difficult situations. Higher
Emotional Intelligence allows you to better maintain interpersonal relationships and
work better in groups. When you are able to recognize and evaluate your own emotions
in a positive manner, it also helps relieve stress.

There are 5 main elements of Emotional Intelligence:

 Self-awareness
 Self-Regulation
 Motivation
 Empathy
  Social Skills

The first three elements of Emotional Intelligence are a part of our personal skills and
the next two elements deal with our social skills.

Emotional Intelligence at Work

Emotional intelligence is something which a lot of people talk about, but few people
understand. There is educational intelligence, and then there is emotional intelligence.
Watch the video to know more.

Self Awareness

Self-awareness is a skill that helps you become aware of your own emotions and
process them as ‘appropriate’ and ‘inappropriate’ as per the situation.

A lot of people would paint ‘anger’ as a bad emotion to have. However, in certain
circumstances, anger is completely acceptable and appropriate. This self-assessment
of emotions instills a sense of confidence in you.

Self-Regulation

At times, your emotions can get the better of you and make you behave in a way that is
unprofessional or inappropriate.

That’s why it’s important to practice self-regulation to manage and control your
emotions while working on something, communicating with someone, etc.

Motivation

Motivation is the drive to perform better at anything you do. Self-motivation is an

important skill that helps you achieve your goals and stay committed to them.

Motivation also gives you the confidence to take an initiative in your personal or
professional life.
Empathy

Empathy is the skill that helps you acknowledge the needs and feelings of other
people. Developing this skill is crucial to develop a second perspective and think from
the point of view of others. It requires you to listen and communicate better with
others. Empathy also provides a much healthier environment for constant feedback.

Social-Skills

Your social skills include verbal and written communication skills, ability to resolve

conflicts, leadership skills, building networks, and the ability to work well in a team.

Social skills help you develop an all-rounded personality.

What Does ‘Work Ethic’ Mean?

Work ethic refers to a set of moral guidelines one follows in their formal
workplace. For example, doctors are expected to abide by their ethic of serving
anyone who is in need of medical attention. Different companies have different work
ethics. However, ‘work ethic’ could also be something personal or rather, a set of
guidelines you set for yourself. Work ethic is not something that one develops overnight.
It is cultivated over years of working upon yourself, interacting with others, etc. In the
next few cards, we’ll look at ways to develop a good work ethic.

Practice Punctuality

Time is of the essence and showing up on time to places shows that you take
your commitments seriously. Practicing punctuality in your personal life translates
into your professional life and makes you look good. In fact, being punctual can also
motivate your peers to practice the same

Always be Professional

Your ‘friendly’ personality should be different from your ‘work’ personality. At your

workplace, you are expected to be more professional in terms of clothes, attitude, etc.
When you behave in a professional manner, you command respect from your peers and
develop a good reputation.

Self Discipline is the Key

Always focus on long-term goals instead of getting distracted by short-term

bets. Long term goals instill a sense of discipline within you and allow you to stay
focused. This helps you to get disciplined in your professional and personal life as well.

Work Life is Balance

Work ethic does not mean overly focusing on just your work life. Work-life productivity
goes hand in hand with the state of your personal life. You need to take care of
your physical and mental well-being and indulge in a bit of relaxation. Work-life balance
helps you compartmentalize your life and strike the right balance!

Importance of Research and Analytical Skills

Companies are always on the lookout for candidates who possess good analytical and
research skills. People who know how to think out-of-the-box for problems and have an
eye for hidden mistakes make for desirable candidates.Research and analytical skills
are considered crucial for all kinds of organisations,and people who are good at
achieving alternative solutions are hired more. But what exactly are these skills and
why do we need them? These skills refer to your ability to collect and analyze
information and then make use of the information to solve problems and make a
definite decision. These skills are extremely important to interpret data and come of
great use during brainstorming sessions.

There are 5 basic types of of analytical skills:

 Communication
 Creativity
 Critical Thinking
 Data Analsis
 Research

Analysis and Research

Analysis & Research are two main pillars of any problem solving technique. But
how does it affect our work life? How does someone implement it properly, without
mistakes? Watch this video to know more!

Communication

If you cannot interpret your findings to your peers, it could be a huge

setback. Communication is key no matter what field you work in. Strong analytical
skills combined with great communication skill can really help you up your game!
Communication skills also include good listening skills and the ability to work with a
team in order to enhance productivity.

How to develop communication skills?

1. Learn the basics of non-verbal communication.

2. Over-communicate to get your point across.
3. Ask for honest feedback.
4. Engage in discussions.
5. Learn to listen.
6. Ask questions about things you don't understand.

Creativity

It takes a creative eye to spot trends or deviations in data and that creativity can
also help one to come up with out-of-the-box solutions. Therefore, don’t be afraid to
take a chance and let your creative juices guide you towards making effective decisions
regarding big problems. Creative skills could also come of use during budgeting,
brainstorming, predictive modelling, etc.

How to bring out creativity at your work space?

 Ask yourself "what would my idol do?" When you’re stumped with a problem

you can’t make any headway on, keep a list near your desk of some of your
favorite creative forces. Then, when a problem strikes, consult your list and ask
yourself what they might do to solve it. 
 Get out of office. Make a habit of stepping outside even if it’s just to walk around
the block. As you stroll, make a point to notice things. This helps you with
creativity.
 Fuel up on creativity. For too many of us, checking our phone is the first thing we
do each day. Feed your mind with creativity instead of diving into the email
deluge, that can wait. Pick your favorite song, podcast or blog to kick-start the
morning.
  Pick small projects. The benefits to small-scale innovation is huge. Not only do
they happen quickly and without a lot of fuss, they also cherish the interest and
attention of both your team and organization; thus paving the way for bigger,
meatier innovation projects to follow.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to evaluate information, break it down, and use it to
arrive at an effective solution for any problem. It includes data interpretation,
dissecting, inductive reasoning, case analysis, etc. For any organization or team to work
in the most productive manner possible it is crucial to possess critical thinking skills.

How do we cultivate critical thinking in the workplace ?

1. Ask Simple Critical Thinking Questions such as 'what do i already know?', 'How do
i know that?', "what am I trying to prove?', 'What are my motivations?'

2. Be Aware of Your Biases. There are three major types of biases, confirmation

bias: we always subconsciously think we're right), Action Bias: we act too quickly
before thinking something through and Association Bias: why did the rain dance
always work? Because they’d dance until the rain came.

3. Read a lot. This will not only help develop your critical thinking skills but actually
most skills you can think of. To get a sound start on the theory and strategies behind
critical thinking, brush up on different books.

Data Analytics

Data analysis requires you to evaluate a large volume of data and spot trends or
deviations and highlight patterns that allow you to make a decision or find a
solution. This skill is very much in demand especially nowadays. The most
common types of data analysis include business analysis, financial analysis,
SWOT analysis, etc.

How to develop data analyzing skills like a pro?

 Brush up on excel spreadsheets. Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet program that

allows you to perform complex data analysis. Excel’s built-in pivot tables are
one of the most popular analytic tools.
  Learn SQL. Structured Query Language is used to interact with databases
that store data, allowing us to retrieve data quickly and easily.
 Visualize your data. If you are creative, this may be the perfect skill to learn.
Learning data visualization can give you an edge over other job
applicants since employers are looking for people who understand both
the science and art behind data analysis.

Research

When you are solving a problem, you also need to research all information regarding
the problem in order to better understand it. This is where research skills come into
play. They could include online research, reviewing documents, and
spreadsheets, etc. Good research skills make it much easier to analyse a problem and
arrive at a well-rounded solution.

How to develop research oriented skills?

 Define your research

Jot down a brief paragraph summarizing what you are researching. This will
refine your research of a topic. 
  Make a plan
Make a plan for the project. Include a timeline, potential sources, and
deliverers. Create the timeline to have a visual representation of when each item
must be done.
 Know your sources
The more research you do, the more familiar you will be with the resources
available to you. Hit the books, search the internet, and look for valid sources of
information.
  Check authority and expertise
A sound source is one that is reputable. This means that you can trust the
information you find there because it has been properly researched, vetted, and
verified. This is especially important for information you find on the internet.
You should prioritize sites with .gov or .edu domain names.

Creativity In Decision Making

Creativity is a way of coming up with new ideas that could help improve the
quality of your decision-making. No problem has one single solution and creative
thinking allows you to explore alternatives. In your life, you’ll even come across
problems that are very unique in nature and imaginative thinking could help you tackle
them better.
Creative Approach in Problem Solving

1) There is a lot of old-school and conventional ways of doing things but that does not
guarantee it’ll always be the right path to take. Take the road less traveled and come
up with new and better ways to do something. It was an innovation that led to the
discovery of wheels and the rest, as they say, is history. 2) Always look at a
problem from different perspectives. Diverse perspectives allow you to question your
way of thinking and come up with creative solutions.

Creative Approach to Problem Solving ( Contd.)

3) There is always a scope for improvement. Life is a constant journey of learning

and un-learning. Even if you succeed once, question yourself and keep improving upon
your ideas. 4) Take risks and do not be afraid of failure. It is the fear of failure that
prevents us from thinking out-of-the-box and sticking to what’s comfortable and safe.
Your failure could lead to something bigger and better. Once you remove the fear of
failure from your head, you’ll be able to think clearly and creatively.

Creative Process: Convergent Thinking & Divergent

Thinking

In convergent thinking, there is a pre-defined way of solving a problem. It

generally means the ability to give the “correct” answer to standard questions that do
not require significant creativity, for instance in most tasks in school and on
standardized multiple-choice tests for intelligence.The solution to a problem is pre-
assumed and one has to move towards that solution by following a definite course of
action. In divergent thinking, a problem is viewed and analysed from different
angles and then a course of action is decided upon. By contrast, divergent thinking
typically occurs in a spontaneous, free-flowing, ‘non-linear’ manner, such that many
ideas are generated in an emergent cognitive fashion. 

When both convergent and divergent thinking is combined, we get lateral

thinking. One can also say it's "thinking-outside-the-box". Lateral thinking
uses indirect and creative approaches to problems with a logical reasoning to it. A
person uses lateral thinking to move from one known idea to many more new ones.

What are Project Management Tools?

Project management tools are guides that help an individual or a team organize
and manage their tasks to achieve maximum efficiency. Some of the tools we will
be discussing in this lesson are:-

 Teamwork
 Toggl
 Trello
 Slack
 Coschedule

Teamwork

In this software, you get to visualize your tasks and their timeline thereby
allowing you to easily allocate resources to these tasks and plan them better. If
you tend to work on time-sensitive projects, Teamwork is the best choice for you. It
offers you a 30-day free trial and you get to select a subscription as per your needs.

Toggl

If you are a freelancer or if you are a small business/startup, Toggl is the perfect fit for
you. They offer a variety of categories food different tasks and using their real-time
tracker feature you get to organize and manage your daily work hours. The layout is
easy to use and clutter-free so you don’t have to worry about being intimidated. It has
three subscription packages and a 30-day free trial.

Trello

Trello has a visual work-board where you can create, organize and prioritize your
tasks. It helps you maintain a good workflow so that your projects are completed on
time. You can also categorize your work for different teams whether its sales,
marketing, HR etc. An added bonus is that its a free tool! However, if you want the
additional benefits of privacy, you can also opt for its professional packages.

Slack

This is one of the most popular project management tools out there. The advantage
Slack has over others is its interface which almost makes it look like a text-
messaging app thereby making it easy and convenient to use. In slack, you can
create different channels for different projects or teams. You can also create private
channels for the exchange of any sensitive information. It has a free version and a
premium one as well.

CoSchedule

If you’re working in the marketing field, CoSchedule is the perfect tool for you. It offers
tools such as easy document upload, real-time tracking of projects, social media
update scheduling, social ad campaign tracking, headline analyzer integration
and other additional features. Its user-friendly interface makes it an extremely
sophisticated tool to use. It offers 14-day free trial and paid subscriptions as per your
requirements.

What Is Project Management?

Imagine you have a bunch of things to get done. Would it be easier to just get them
done in random order or to list out the tasks in a systematic manner according to
how much time they would take to get done? Definitely the latter right? That is the
essence of project management. Project management is a systematic procedure
wherein one applies the knowledge of process and resources to ensure that all
goals are met and the project is completed from start to finish.

Benefits of Project Management

1) When the work is distributed among teams to ensure all processes run smoothly,
it increases the efficiency of the work. 2) Organization skills tend to be better when
the work is overlooked by project managers who ensure that every step of the process
is covered. 3) Quality of the project goes up when it is done in a planned manner.

There are 5 stages of project management:

 Initiation
 Planning
 Execution
 Monitoring and Control
 Closure

Initiation
This is the first phase of project management. In this stage, the value and feasibility
of the project are determined. It helps justify the need for the project and helps
determine potential financial benefits. This way its easier to determine the timeline and
costs to be endured during the course of the project.

For example, the initiation period will involve your team to decide on certain ideas for
a product. Description of the project, documentation of project objectives or
deliverables, assignment of project manager and other key roles and the rough
cost estimation for the project is determined in this step.

Planning

It goes unsaid that everything works better with a plan. A well-defined plan provides
you with valuable information regarding finances, resources, and the direction
one needs to take to arrive at a quality output. A plan will also keep you prepared for
obstacles you might face during any process.

This step includes setting project timelines, setting goals, defining stages and
milestones, defining tasks and objectives, assigning tasks to individuals or
teams, deadlines for completion and creating a budget. For example, when the
project manager creates a logical sequence and highlights the important
tasks, these are aspects of planning.

Execution

Execution is when you act upon the plan. When you have made a definite plan and
you have allocated time and resources to different teams, the execution runs smoothly.
This stage depends a lot on the success of the planning stage.

During this stage any dependencies put in place come into play. Finish-to-Start
dependencies require completion of one task before another task can begin. For
example, ordering and delivery of necessary materials must occur before installation of
a product can begin.

Monitoring and Execution

Throughout execution, the process must be monitored to ensure that goals are
met on a timely basis and the quality of the project delivered does not get
affected. This stage goes hand in hand with execution. Monitoring is done by keeping
track of key performance indicators and their variations. For example, when the
project manager uses certain project management tools to track timeline of work
and budgets of top performers and the biggest clients, control and execution is
being carried out.

Closure

A project is declared ‘closed’ when the finished project is delivered to the client

and they are satisfied with the end result. This allows for the allocation of time and
resources to other projects and marks the end of the life cycle of the completed project.
The lessons learned during this phase can be used in future projects to enhance the
planning and execution process. 

A good example of closure is when the project manager or accountant sends out

partial or temporary invoices to the clients at the close of your project.

Why Is Feedback Important?

The word 'feedback' is thrown around so much in business conferences and

meetings, it’s easy to forget the core of why feedback is important in the first
place. But the importance of feedback in the workplace can’t be understated. It is a
fundamental pillar of successful company culture. Without it, that culture that you
worked so hard to construct can come crumbling down. Feedback is a person’s
reaction to something or someone. In the workplace, feedback could be a critique of
someone’s work ethics, job performance, a product, etc.

Imagine you’re working on a report. When you take a look at it and read through it, you
think it’s perfect. But when you show your report to your colleague, he/she point out
a few mistakes. Therefore, their ‘feedback’ helped you avoid a few errors.

Constructive criticism can also motivate you to push yourself to do better and

therefore contribute to personal growth in your workplace.

Basically, without continuous feedback, we’ll never know what we are doing right or
what we are doing wrong!

How to Communicate Feedback?

1) Start with the positive points: Not everyone is comfortable with receiving feedback.
To ease the process for you and the opposite person, it’s always good to start with
the positives or what he/she did right in their work. When you acknowledge their
hard work, it makes them willing to listen to the rest of the feedback.

2) Be clear and specific. Do not attempt to beat around the bush or make generalized
statements because by doing so, you are wasting time. Giving someone critique might
seem daunting, but the thing to remember is that you are only helping the opposite
person by being straight with them.

3) Focus on recent work: Feedback should be more focused on recent projects rather

than past projects. This means that you should make it a point to give feedback as
and when a project is done to ensure growth and improvement.

4) Never get personal: Your feedback should not include your feelings about the
person in question but rather their behavior towards their peers, their work ethics,
their performance etc.

How to Receive Feedback

1) Listen well: If someone is taking time out to provide you feedback, hear them out
with an open mind. Urge them to be honest with you as it’ll help you work more correctly
and effectively in your future projects. Maintain eye contact and ensure your body
language isn’t defensive. When you show the opposite person you are willing to listen,
you create a safe space for an exchange of feedback.

2) Ask questions: If there is any part of the feedback that isn’t clear to you, don’t
hesitate from asking them questions. When you ask questions, you understand
things better and it becomes easier to implement it in your future work.

3) Show gratitude: There will be times when you will receive positive feedback and
you’ll really appreciate it but its also important to be appreciative when you receive
negative feedback. It is important to acknowledge the fact that the opposite person has
taken the time and effort to let you know what they feel. Your reaction to feedback says
a lot about you as an employee.

4) Make a decision: Once you’ve received feedback, try to list down the things you
could improve upon, the things you’re good at and the ones that you got
wrong. The next thing you could do is to work upon your weaknesses to get better at
your job.
5) Filter feedback: Not everyone's feedback is equally valuable, and you need to filter
out the unnecessary feedback. For example, feedback given by your boss on a
company report analysis is more valuable than that of your mom's. Remember
who to take proper feedback from.

Communication In Planning

A communication plan is critical to the implementation of a strategic plan, regardless

of the size of the organization, its geography, or industry. For strategic plans to
be effectively implemented, they rely upon the input and commitment of a wide range
of individuals who need to be involved and informed in the process from its earliest
stages to the generation of results.

Planning happens frequently in an organization and happens across all hierarchical

levels. Understanding the importance of effective communication during the planning
process can really make or break the project.

Why Is It Important?

 Communication Creates Engagement

Effective communication ensures that all members of the organization are aware of the
plan, its importance and how they might be impacted. After all, to achieve success,
strategic plans rely on the activities of many people in the organization - not just the
planning them.

 Communication Generates Broad Input

Communication with employees, vendors, customers, community members, and

other key constituencies along with the active solicitation of their input and feedback,
ensures that the plan considers a wide range of impacts that will affect the organization
both positively and negatively.

Communication in Planning
Communication in planning is a key ingredient for managing a project. But how
does one plan his/her communication process? Watch the video to know more!

Communication Helps to Test Assumptions

A small group of people working independently may make assumptions that do not
reflect the reality of people on the front lines. Communication can help to test
assumptions as the plan is developed.

 Communication Provides Updates on Progress

Continuing to communicate with multiple constituencies as the plan is

implemented, to share updates on progress, roadblocks and changes to the
plan, helps to keep the plan alive.

Steps to Communicate

1) Depending on the scale of the project, the project manager may need to spend some
time laying the ground rules for meetings and other communications and could
possibly arrange for some communication skills training.

2) An essential starting point for communication is the development of an effective

communication plan that defines the information needs of each stakeholders.

3) Include a high level description of the plan, why it exists and a general idea of how
you will implement the plan on your project. Think of this as a summary section.

4) Define what you expect to achieve by communicating. This could be any number

of things and is dependent on what your project will accomplish. Generally, these
should be focused on educating and updating anyone impacted by the project.

5) What tools you use and how a message is delivered will vary from project to
project. The key to remember is to not get “stuck” using a single method for your
communication messages. Your preferred tools and methods should be those where
the receiving group will have the best chance for comprehending what you are
communicating.