BEGE-145

ASSIGNMENT: SOFT SKILLS

Programme: BAG/2022-2023

Course Code: BEGE-145

1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it.

In all aspects of life, effective communication is critical to success. Particularly beneficial for those in
positions of leadership and management, almost all aspects of work and functionality are affected
by communication. Training specialists Brad Humphrey and Jeff Stokes identify communication skills
as being amongst the most important skills for modern supervisors. Andrew Posner, a career
counsellor, advises that employees looking for career advancement require such “transferable skills”
as the ability to “analyze, write, persuade, and manage”. Effective leaders are able to use a wide
variety of media and strategies to communicate. They are not only skilled at using verbal
communication skills, but they are also adept at reading nonverbal cues. Great leaders collaborate to
foster harmony and amicability at work and help teams achieve organizational objectives, in addition
to writing regular and constructive messages, gathering and conveying information, and making
informed decisions for better productivity. Additionally, they collect useful information through
informal networks such as the company grapevine; they can communicate effectively and
persuasively in core groups and formal presentations; and they write with conviction. Relying on the
latest systems and technology to improve their day-to-day operations, modern day managers
employ modern collaborative software like Skype and Google docs, Team Viewer to communicate
more efficiently in real time with their colleagues all over the world. In today's world, apart from
using e-mail as a competent communication tool, Managers are also using social media networks to
launch, promote, and collaborate with potential clients and customers. Online collaborative postIt
notes are a great way to share ideas within a team. In contrast to the traditional methods like
newsletters, flyers, and brochures, modern day managers are enhancing their professional reach
exponentially by writing professional e-mails, relevant WhatsApp messages, effective business blogs,
informative podcasts, and so on to connect with a wide variety of stakeholders. However, depending
on the purpose and scope of your writing, having your authentic voice and personal style to
communicate with different individuals and groups is even more essential. Clear and honest
communication can strengthen the relationships at the workplace. Leaders need to keep themselves
abreast with latest motivational theories and leadership models to help create a stable system and
philosophy for their own business enterprise viable in their indigenous surroundings. It’s imperative
on the part of managers to acknowledge the contribution of employees every now and then by
generously offering words of appreciation such as “thank you”, “great job”, “commendable effort”,
“laudable effort” etc. These kind expressions recognize individual effort, increase loyalty and inspire
people to work even harder. In a survey by Mc Kinsey Quarterly in 2009 it has been stated that
praises from immediate superiors can empower and motivate employees.

Delayed feedback, stilted and rude content, delayed action; fewer personal pronouns can mark a
manager’s expression discourteous, impolite and offensive. However, putting a focus on
interpersonal relations, conversational tone, immediate feedback, prompt action and usage of more
personal pronoun, simpler yet colloquial expressions can bring the manager closer to his
subordinates and other members of the organization. “You” is more preferable than “I” or “We” in
most instances. Use of more positive words can draw more encouraging response from the listeners.

a) Now answer the following questions:

i) What is the role of great leaders in a company? Discuss.

Answer:

Leadership is to “inspire, influence and guide others to participate in a common effort.” leaders
don’t just bark orders or hand out directives with no explanation. Instead, they use effective
communication and motivation techniques to facilitate action by their teams.

ii) What does the writer mean by “----they are also adept at reading nonverbal cues.”

Answer:

Effective leaders are able to use and understand Nonverbal communication types include facial
expressions, gestures, paralinguistic’s such as loudness or tone of voice, body language, personal
space, eye gaze, touch, appearance, and artifacts.

iii) How do managers communicate with their clients and customers in today’s world?

Answer:

Communication well with customers:

1. Build a relationship. Take the time to be professional and personable with your customers.
2. Listen to customers. Active listening is a skill like any other, and you need to practice it.
3. Use analogies.
4. Develop customer service standards.
5. Resolve disputes quickly.

iv) Discuss what managers should not do while communicating and why.

Answer:

Managers should not do while communicating:

1. Not using “we” language.

2. Not giving eye contact.
3. Interrupting.
4. Having negative or apathetic body language.
5. Not paraphrasing and restating what the other person says.
6. Making assumptions before you hear the whole message.
7. Letting your emotions control what you say.
8. Not asking probing questions of other people.
9. Referring to yourself and your life more than asking people about theirs.
 10. Needing to “win” an argument.
11. Attacking other people’s character instead of what they say or do.
12. Expecting people to be a mind reader.

v) Give an appropriate title to the passage and give reasons for your choice.

Answer:

The title should have been communication skills Effective communication is essential for both
individual and team success as it can help you reduce misunderstandings, develop strong
relationships and establish yourself as an active team member. Learning to communicate effectively
requires time and practice to master.

b) Pick out words from the passage which mean the same as the following:

i) crucial (para 1)

Answer:

Critical.

ii) skilful (para 2)

Answer:

Adept.

iii) pleasant behaviour which brings about good-will (para 2)

Answer:

Amicability.

iv) to a great extent (para 3)

Answer:

Enhancing.

v) local context(para3)

Answer:

Indigenous.

vi) informal (para 4)

Answer:

Colloquial.

c) What have you learnt from the above passage about communication at the workplace? Give
your personal views.
Answer:

Communication at the workplace:

Workplace communication is the process of exchanging information and ideas, both verbally and
non-verbally between one person or group and another person or group within an organization. It
includes e-mails, video conferencing, text messages, notes, calls, etc. Effective communication is
critical in getting the job done, as well as building a sense of trust and increasing productivity.
Workers may have different cultures and backgrounds, and can be used to different norms. To
strengthen employee cooperation and avoid missed deadlines or activity that could affect the
company negatively effective communication is crucial. In effective communication leads to
communication gaps, which causes confusion, wastes time, and reduces productivity.

Managers and lower-level employees must be able to interact clearly and effectively with each other
through verbal communication and non-communication to achieve specific business goals. Effective
communication with clients also plays a vital role in the development of an organization and the
success of any business. When communicating, non-verbal communication must also be taken into
consideration. How a person delivers a message has a large impact. Another important aspect in
effective workplace communication is taking into consideration the different backgrounds of
employees. “While diversity enriches the environment, it can also cause communication barriers.”

Difficulties arise when a coworker’s cultural background leads him or her to think differently than
another. It is for this reason that knowing about intercultural communication at work and learning
how to treat others without offending them can bring several benefits to the company.

2. Write short notes on any two of the following. Give examples:

1. Importance of Small Talk in Business

Answer:

Small talk might appear to be inconsequential and unimportant, but it’s actually vital across all types
of industries, businesses and networks. It helps to form a social cohesion that makes interaction
possible and builds trust. If you dismiss small talk, you risk appearing stilted, socially inept,
unconfident and even untrustworthy. The good news is that these types of communication skills can
be learned, as we’ll show in this article, and will become much easier with practice.

Small talk is the common term for a conversation about light and unimportant matters.

i) It’s a friendly dialogue about a common topic, such as the weather.

ii) It’s a way of conversing with someone you’ve only just met, are meeting for a short
amount of time at a conference, for example or don’t know very well.
iii) Small talk is vital for situations where silence would be awkward and uncomfortable, but
where in depth and personal conversations would be inappropriate.

Small talk skills essential:

Small talk allows people to communicate in a friendly way without inadvertently offending anyone
or getting too personal.

Having strong small talk skills can help you meet new people, form positive business relationships
and open new career opportunities. Most businesses expect their employees to have the skills
needed to engage appropriately in small talk.

Soft skills like these are often assessed at interview stage, and failure to demonstrate them could
result in the job being offered to someone else.

Do Talk About:

i) The weather: It’s a cliché but people are generally happy to talk about the weather,
even if it can seem rather mundane.
ii) Work: You could start by asking if they’ve been in their current position for long or how
they got into their line of work.
iii) Travel: People love to talk about their vacation plans, where they have been and where
they are planning to go. Show interest and the conversation should flow.
iv) Local news: Be aware of what’s going on in your local neighbourhood social media
community groups are a great way of staying informed.

Don’t Mention

i) Money or anything financial: Talking about salaries, bonuses or anything financial is best
avoided.
ii) Politics: This can be an exceptionally divisive topic. Steer clear or you run a high risk of
upsetting or alienating at least one person in the room.
iii) Religion: Best avoided as it’s a personal matter about which many people hold strong
views
iv) Lifes and death: Any recent bereavements, health scares or chronic problems are not
appropriate small talk topics, however much they may be at forefront of your mind.

iv) Characteristics of a good report.

Answer:

1) Simplicity: The language shall be as simple as possible so that a report is easily

understandable. Jargons and techniques words should be avoided. Even in a technical report
there shall be restricted use of technical terms if it has to be presented to laymen.
2) Clarity: The language shall be lucid and straight, clearly expressing what is intended to be
expressed. For that the report has to be written in correct form and following correct steps.
3) Brevity: A report shall not be unnecessarily long so that the patience of the reader is not lost
and there is no confusion of ideas. But, at the same time, a report must be complete. A
report is not an essay.
4) Positivity: As far as possible positive statements should be made instead of negative ones.
For example, it is better to say what should be done and not what should not be done.
 5) Punctuation: Punctuations have to be carefully and correctly used otherwise the meaning of
sentences may be misunderstood or misrepresented.
6) Approach: There are two types of approaches:
(a) Person: When a report is written based on personal enquiry or observations, the
approach shall be personal and the sentences shall be in the first person and in direct
speech,
(b) Impersonal: When a report is prepared as a source of information and when it is merely
factual (e.g. a report on a meeting), the approach shall be impersonal and the sentences
shall be in the third person and in indirect speech.

7) Readability: The keynote of a report is readability. The style of presentation and the diction
shall be such that the readers find it attractive and he is compelled to read the report from
the beginning to the end; Then only a report serves its purpose. A report on the same
subject matter can be written differently for different classes of readers.
8) Accuracy: A report shall be accurate when facts are stated in it. It shall not be biased with
personal feelings of the writer.
9) Logical Sequence: The points in a report shall be arranged with a logical sequence, step by
step and not in a haphazard manner. A planning is necessary before a report is prepared.
10) Proper Form: A report must be in the proper form. Sometimes there are statutory forms to
follow.
11) Presentation: A report needs an attraction presentation. It depends on the quality of trying
of typing or printing as well as quality of paper used. Big companies make very attractive and
colourful Annual Reports.

3a. Complete the following company profile with either the present perfect or past simple tense of
the verbs in brackets:

William Colgate…founded………. (found) the Colgate Company in 1806 as a starch, soap and candle
business in New York City. For the first one hundred years, the company…did………. (do) all its
business in the United States. However, in the early 1900s, the company…began………. (begin) an
aggressive expansion programme that …lead………. (lead) to the establishment of Colgate operations
in countries throughout Europe, Latin America and the Far East. Recently it…set up………. (set up)
operations in Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Eastern Europe and China. Colgate-Palmolive
……became……. (become) a truly global consumer products company, worth $6.6 billion and selling
in more than 160 countries.

Colgate-Palmolive’s five main sectors of business are: Oral Care, Body Care, Household Surface Care,
Fabric Care and Pet Nutrition and Health Care. In the area of Oral Care, Colgate-Palmolive is the
world leader in toothpaste. Since 1980, the company …increased…………. (increase) its share of this
market by more than 12% to over 40% today. Oral care revenues …grew………….. (grow) significantly
in recent years and in 1991, they …exceeded……….. (exceed) $1.3 billion. As a result of the
company’s heavy investment in research and technology, it…developed………………(develop) many
successful toothpaste, rinses and toothbrushes.
3b. Here are the answers to some questions. What are the questions?

i When ………………………………………….? I joined the company six years ago

Answer:

When did you join the company?

ii What ………………………………………….? I was an office assistant

Answer:

What was your role in the company?

iii Which ………………………………………….? I worked in After-sales.

Answer:

Which provision of service you worked in?

iv How long ………………………………………….? I worked in that department for 18 months

Answer:

How long did you work in the company?

v Where………………………………………….? It was just 6 kms from my home.

Answer:

Where was the company located?

3c Complete these sentences with the correct comparative or superlative form of the adjectives in
brackets.

i IBM is one of the ………Biggest…………………. (big) computer companies in America.

ii A notebook computer is ……Move expensive………………………(expensive) than a desktop one.

iii I think a desktop computer is ………Better……………………(good) than a Notebook.

iv In my opinion, telephone is the ………most important……………………(important) piece of office

equipment.

v The ………Fastest…………………(fast) way to contact a client is by phone.

3. You recently moved to a new city on a job transfer. Write an email to your friend
informing him of this move. In your email:

i Describe the new city

ii Explain how life in this city is different compared to the previous city
iii Invite your friend and family to visit you in the new city

iv Say what your new job profile is.

Answer:

Email to friend informing him of recently moved to a new city on a job transfer:

To - krishna88@gamil.com

From – shyam5657@gmail.com

Subject- My new job profile.

Dear krishna ,

I hope you are doing well! I have written you this mail to inform you about my transfer for new job
role at Himachal.

This city is lavishly green and when I entered this city I could feel the re freshness and rejuvenation
in me.

If I compare Himachal to Delhi, one can feel the fresh air in Himachal, whereas, Delhi has become
overpopulated and polluted. Moreover, people here are very polite and humble.

I invite you along with your family to my apartment and would like to take you for tour in the city.

My new job profile is of a ignou assignment solver, wherein I would counsel students for the
upcoming project viva examinations. Hope to see you and my parents soon.

5) Write a dialogue, in about 20 turns, between two friends discussing what professions they
would like to get into in their lives after completing their education.

Answer:

Dialogue between two friends discussing what professions they would like to get into in
their lives after completing their education:

Krishna: Hello shyam, how are you?

Shyam: Fine, thank you. And how about you?

Krishna: I’m also fine, shyam. Our examinations are almost here. So we must decide what
we will be doing after the education.

Shyam: You are quite right. Success in life depends on the right choice of career.

Krishna: We must choose our career properly. May I know your choice of career?
Shyam: Yes, of course. I have decided to became a doctor. Do you like this profession?

Krishna: Yes, I do. It is a good profession. Could you tell me why you have chosen this
profession?

Shyam: I chose this profession because most of our people are deprived of the service of the
doctors.

Krishna: Yes there are shortage of good doctors in our country. The people who live in the
villages cannot consult a good doctor.

Shyam: I want to serve the people.

Krishna: Are you willing to go to the villagers if necessary?

Shyam: Yes, of course. Well, could you tell me about your choice of career?

Krishna: Of course. I want to be an agriculture officer.

Shyam: Most students like to be doctor , engineer or administrator. Why not you?

Krishna: Our country is an agricultural country. Our economy depends on agriculture.

Shyam: Yes, it is right. Please tell me about your plan.

Krishna: First of all I will get myself admitted into an Agricultural University. After
completing my education I will join the service of agriculture cadre. I will make research on
agriculture. I”ll teach the farmer about the modern method of cultivation.

Shyam: I appreciate your plan. It’s a very noble profession.

Krishna: Choosing career is not enough. We must work hard to fulfil our dreams. Must do

Shyam: Of course. We must do well in the examination, otherwise we will not be able to
become a doctor or an agriculture officer.

Krishna: Of course. Thank you Shyam. It was really nice speaking to you.

Shyam: You’re welcome. Good bye. See you again.

Krishna: Bye..