SOFT SKILLS

CURRICULUM
PATHWAYS TO PROGRESS
Grooming and Hygiene
The Whys and How's
Objectives

At the end of the session, you will be able to :

 Explain the importance of Grooming

 Describe different elements of grooming
 Identify well-groomed individuals
 Apply corporate grooming norms
Grooming Standards

Grooming

Personal Presenting
Appearance
Hygiene Self
Importance of Hygiene
Body image : influences self esteem, confidence and
motivation.

Social reasons: we are more assured of projecting a positive

body image that reflects our personality

Health reasons: poor hygiene can lead to poor health.

Psychological issues: clean and tidy people feel more

confident
Hygiene Must-Dos
Taking Care Your Hair
Washing
and Your Face
Grooming of
Your Skin

Your Teeth

Your Ears

Your Hands

Your Nails

Your Feet
Areas of Hygiene

HAIR TEETH AND FOOT NAIL SKIN

HYGIENE : MOUTH: A HYGIENE : HYGIENE : HYGIENE :
Dirty head beautiful The feet Trim the Even our
and hairs smile and a contains lots nails weekly skin has its
impacts fresh smell of sweat and brush own needs
appearance can make a glands. them daily
and hence, person’s Hence with soap
keeping hair day. closed feet
clean is a can get very
good idea. smelly .
Hair
How do By Shampooing it regularly
we keep
hair Brushing it twice daily
clean?
By cutting it regularly

How do By washing hair regularly

we avoid
lice and By cleaning combs and brushes regularly
dandruff?
By not sharing combs and brushes
Head Lice
and Dandruff
Wash your hair regularly

Combs and brushes should

be cleaned regularly

Never share combs and

brushes with anybody

8
Face Care
Always wash your face with Soap and water at
least thrice a day ,especially during Summers

This will prevent Acne and other skin disease

from your face

Use a good Soap which is meant for your skin

type ,which is not very harsh
Teeth Care
Keep clean Teeth by brushing them twice daily
with a good toothpaste

Do not share Toothbrushes and keep all

toothbrushes covered

Do brush or floss after eating if possible as this

will get rid of all the food particles that are
stuck in your teeth
Visit the dentist every 6 months
Bad Breath
CAUSES

• Oral bacteria
• Food particles stuck in the mouth
• Sinus problems
• Stomach problems
• Eating Nonveg food

CURE

• Brushing/ flossing frequently

• Chewing fresh mints or Gums
• Rinsing your mouth or gargling
• Keeping your stomach clean
Body Odour

Using
Causes Deodorants Having Bath
and Daily
• Caused by Perspiration Antiperspirants
and bacteria mixed
together Cure
• Poor hygiene
• Poor diets or some Change Maintain a
foods such as onions clothing daily healthy diet
and garlic
Foot Care
Keep • Keep feet clean

• Wash feet often , every time you

Wash
come from outside

Avoid • Avoid walking Barefoot

Change • Change socks daily

• Prevent ‘feet odour’ by allowing

Prevent your feet to breathe ;wear open,
comfortable sandals

Throw away • Throw away old, worn-out shoes

13
Hand Care
Wash hands before eating and after
going to the bathroom
1
Wash hands after sneezing and
coughing
2
Use a good quality soap or hand
sanitiser
3
Avoid sharing soaps , use a hand wash
instead
4

Keep hands clean and nails well trimmed

Personal Hygiene
Also means

being
cleaning putting
careful not
things items not
not to picking
that you such as licking
cough or your
touch if tissues fingers
sneeze nose in
you are into a or hands
on public
unwell bin
others
GROOMING
Corporate Grooming

Grooming well gives you

an opportunity to grow
within your organization

For the customer, the way

you dress, and conduct
represents your company
Determines our Personality
Grooming
Checklist
Corporate Grooming Aspects

Hair
Nails
Perfumes and Colognes
Footwear and belts
Name-tags
Make-up
Jewelry
What will you use to avoid body odour?
a. Scent
b. Deodorant
c. Sanitizer
Let’s recapitulate
d. Soap

Which of the following statements is False?

a. Only pastel shades and small prints are
formal.
b. Flowing skirts are considered to be casual.
c. In India, only Sarees and Salwar Suits are
considered formal wear for women.
d. None of the above

Which is these items must always match

the colour of the trousers?
a. Belt
b. Socks
c. Tie
d. Shirt
Business Etiquette
Corporate Success Mantra
Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to :

Explain the various facets of

etiquette in professional life
01

Articulate the importance of workplace

02 etiquette

Demonstrate workplace
etiquette 03
Etiquette Basics

Webster’s dictionary defines it as

“the forms , manners, and
ceremonies established by
convention as acceptable or
required in social relations, in a
profession, or in official life.”

These are the rules of polite and

correct behaviour.
Why Etiquette

01 02 03

Differentiates you in Enables you to be confident in Modifies distracting

competitive market. a variety of settings with a behaviors and develops
variety of people from all admired conduct.
walks of life.
“Good manners will open
doors that the best
education cannot.”

-Clarence Thomas
Corporate
Etiquette
Facets of Etiquette in Professional
Interactions

Business Etiquette Workplace Etiquette

• How to conduct business • Often termed as Office

with other businesses and Etiquette or Office Manners
clients • Is about conducting
oneself respectfully and
courteously in the
• office or workplace
Workplace
Etiquette
 Good Etiquette

A positive attitude and

A firm handshake Great eye contact
pleasant demeanor

Appropriate Show respect and

Appropriate
Nonverbal consideration for
introductions
communication others
Shaking Hands

A handshake leaves a very definitive and often lasting impression, and in the business
world, handshake is the only truly appropriate physical contact for both men and
women.
The proper handshake:

Doesn’t
Lasts about Takes only Starts and continue
Comes with It’s firm but
three two or three stops through the
a contact painless
seconds pumps crisply entire
introduction
Shaking Hands
Shake hands web-to-web,
with the firm but not
crushing grip.

Begin with your Never offer only your

fingers together and fingertips, limp
your thumb up handshake
Video
Meeting
Etiquette
Business Meetings

Planning the meeting Conducting the Concluding the meeting

meeting
Must Dos
Cut off the cell phone

05
Don’t interrupt others 04 06 Be attentive

03 07 Make meetings
Consider using
interactive
parliamentary
procedures
Manage behaviour such as 02 08 Keep confidential
outbursts, going off on matters confidential
tangents, and negativity
Manage you time by 01 09
Ask for feedback
setting time limitation
on each topic.
Dining
Etiquette
Dining Etiquette - Basics
Neither should you take too much of one dish
nor should you avoid any dish completely
Do not pick up food from the
05
common bowl /serving plate Do not talk with your
04 06
with soiled hands mouth full.

Start eating only after a Follow napkin

03 07
few others have started etiquettes.

02 08
Use ‘Thank you’, ‘
Be on time – avoid being Please’ and ‘Sorry’
late deliberately whenever
required
Revert to the host after 01 09
receiving the invite. Thank the hosts before
leaving
Additional Pointers
Etiquette that Win
06 Discourage personal Be punctual. 01
visitors in office. 06
01
Become genuinely
interested in other Practice
05 people - teamwork 02
Remember their 05
names.
02 Be a good
listener;
Encourage
others to talk
04 Smile. 03
04 about
themselves.
03
Taboos

Do not discuss : Safe topics

• Tasteless jokes • Sports
• Politics • Cultural events
• Religion • Food and local attractions
• Finances • Books
• Life’s disappointments etc.… • Movies
• Vacation ideas etc…
Etiquette
Quiz
1. When someone new enters a room, would 7. How should you greet someone with
you stand? a disability?

2. When you have finished your meal, where do 8. What color of suit is best to wear?
you place the napkin?

9. When leaving a good phone message

3. How should you receive a special guest or for someone, what elements should you
an alumnus who is visiting? be sure to include?

4. You should answer the phone after how

10. When you receive an invitation that requests
many rings?
an RSVP, what does that mean?

5. How quickly should you send a thank-you

11. Should a thank-you note be handwritten or
note for a gift or for someone hosting an
typed?
event?

6. When the National Anthem is being played, 12. At a business lunch, who should pay for
where should you be facing? the meal?
Ethics in Business
Corporate Success Mantra
Learning Objectives

By the end of this session the participants would be

able to:

• Explain Work ethics

• Explain the Model of building Workplace Ethics

• Explore the applications through examples

Introduction
• Is there a connection - a link between
the terms ethics, professionalism,
character and values?

• What is it?

• Do these traits have any relevance

today?

• How do they impact a person’s career

and work life?
 What are Ethics?

• Ethics are a set of principles of right conduct

• Rules of conduct that govern behavior

• Standards of behavior that are acceptable

• Application of moral principles, standards of behavior, or
set of values regarding proper conduct in the workplace
• Workplace ethics also reflects an organization's set of
values
• Ethics allow you to distinguish the difference between
right and wrong.
The “Six Pillars of Trustworthiness
Honest – Reliable – Reputable

Character” Respect
Tolerant – Considerate – With manners

Fairness Responsibility
Just – Reasonable – Impartial Self control – Self discipline – Accountable

Caring
Kind – Compassionate – Giving

Citizenship
Obey – Respect – Protect
The Shared Garden

Once upon a time in a small community, there was a vacant plot of

land that had become an eyesore.

The community members decided to transform it into a communal

garden, a space where everyone could contribute and benefit.

This story revolves around six individuals, each embodying one of

the six pillars of character
The Shared Garden
Trustworthiness: Sarah took the initiative to
organize the community and establish the garden
project. Her reliability and honesty inspired trust,
and people willingly joined the effort, knowing she
was committed to the project's success.

Respect: Mr. Johnson, an elderly member of the

community, had a wealth of gardening knowledge.
Despite his age, he was respected for his wisdom,
and the community sought his advice. The respect
they showed him fostered a positive atmosphere.
The Shared Garden

Lisa took on the responsibility of ensuring the garden

received proper care. She volunteered to water the
plants regularly and coordinated a schedule to involve
others. Her sense of responsibility kept the garden
thriving.

As the vegetables ripened, the community faced the

challenge of distributing them fairly. Jane suggested a
system where each family would take turns receiving a
share of the harvest. This fair distribution ensured
everyone benefited equitably.

8
The Shared Garden
Michael, passionate about
sustainability, took on the role of
managing the compost. His caring
nature extended to educating others
on the importance of eco-friendly
practices, fostering a sense of
environmental consciousness within
the community.
Maria saw the potential for the
garden to extend beyond their
community. She organized events to
showcase the project, inviting
neighboring communities to learn
and participate. Her sense of
citizenship broadened the positive
impact of the garden.
The Shared Garden

The communal garden became a symbol of the community's character,

demonstrating trustworthiness in their commitment, respect for the
elderly, responsibility in caring for the garden, fairness in resource
distribution, caring for the environment, and citizenship in extending their
positive influence beyond their immediate surroundings.

This story illustrates how individuals embodying these six pillars can
come together to create something truly meaningful and beneficial for
all.
 Work Ethics and Performance Standards
Attendance Character Loyalty Honesty

• Good attendance • Display a high • In return for • Honesty is not

is expected level of effort and salary and only taking
• It is the corner- commitment to benefits, the firm • How much time
stone of performing and expects loyalty. should be spent
Advancement completing work • Employees must on task?
• Dependability = • Demonstrate keep company • How much should
reliability = trustworthiness secrets. you use the
Marketability and responsible • All employees are company
behavior goodwill telephone for
• Displays loyalty, ambassadors personal calls,
dependability, and salespeople checking email,
reliability, for their etc.?
initiative, and company.
self-discipline
Dos and Don’ts
Make decisions
Stay for your own Lie or Steal
productive - personal gain
be
accountable
Set an Take Ignore
Withhold
example initiative information
procedures and
policies.
Attempt to
correct an
Be punctual Abuse
issue Falsify
confidentiality
immediately agreements.
information

Take pride in Stay

Resort to Bribes
your work professional
Gossip Abuse computer
privileges
Always
Remember…
Ethics Guides in an Organization

• Mission
• Values
• Code of conduct/ethics
• Policies
• Decision methods
• Culture
 A Sales Case Study
You have gone about 30 km for a sales call in the gruelling traffic.
It took you about three hours just to commute to the client’s
place. You have conducted a thorough fact-finding exercise with
the client and after a lot of effort, were able to procure the signed
proposal form and a cheque from the client. You come back to the
office and triumphantly hand over the cheque and proposal form
to the operation department for onward processing.

You go back to your seat and lazily relax in your chair smiling at
you success – congratulating yourself. Just then the intercom
rings and you are told that the date on the cheque is missing.

How would you feel? What will you do?

Case Study - Discussion

• Write the today’s date on the cheque?

• Call the client and seek his permission to write today’s

date?

• Write today’s date and send a scanned copy of the cheque

to the client informing him about the flaw?
What do your ethics tell you?– what should you be doing?
Let’s Discuss

You are about to close the branch when an elderly gentleman walks in. It is past
working hours and is against the guidelines to attend customers at this time. What
will you do?

• Share the policy guidelines with the customer and ask him to come the next
day
• Decide to attend to the customer’s needs as he is quite elderly and clearly
needs help
• Call your supervisor and take him into confidence about doing an exception?
Communicating Effectively
Corporate Success Mantra
Performance Objectives
By the end of the session the participants would

1 Practice best practices of an effective communication

Practice the elements of Interactive Skills in day to

2
day conversations

Display the use of the practices for an effective

3 written communication
A blind boy sat on the steps of a
building with a hat by his feet. He
held up a sign which said:
"I am blind, please help.“
 There were only a few coins in the hat.
A man was walking by.
He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped
them into the hat.

He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote

some words.

rHe put the sign back so that everyone who

walked by would see the new words.
Soon the hat began to fill up.
A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy.
That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see
how things were.

The boy recognized his footsteps and asked,

"Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did
you write?“

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a
different way."
 What he had written was:
"Today is a beautiful day and
I cannot see it."
Do you think the first sign and the second sign
were saying the same thing?
 The Model

FEEDBACK

MESSAGE MESSAGE
MEDIUM

SENDER RECIEVER

Communication is a two way process of exchanging ideas, information

or transmitting verbal and non-verbal messages
We communicate to:

Get Gain
Share our Provide Develop
informati power
ideas and feedback social
on from and
opinions to others relations
others influence
Think…

What is the What is the

How much
main Who will likely attitude
does he/ she
purpose/ receive it? of the
need to know?
aim? listener?
Tips
Match your pace of talking with the receiver
Use intonation
Maintain eye contact
Learn to Listen
Pause between your speech
Think before you talk
Use facial expressions
Read and understand nonverbal language
Keep it short and simple
Listening

We were given two ears but only one mouth.

This is because listening is twice as important as talking

Tips to Active Listening
Be empathetic
Make eye contact and talk
Paraphrase
Use heads nods and appropriate facial expressions
Ask questions
Avoid distracting actions or gestures
Don’t over talk
Avoid interrupting the speaker
The Body Language
 Facial Displays
Anil wanted to buy a chocolate, but he had no money.
He thought of asking his father who was working in the study.
When he was about to ask, he saw his father’s eyes…then he decided not
to ask anymore.
What did you learn from the story?

Facial expressions, while talking, is a common non-verbal communication.

An expression can define lot about the person’s situation and emotional state.

Eye movement is very important, and it conveys lot of information.

It is suggested that while you speak it is best to keep eye contact, the opposite
person feels important.
Facial Expressions

Eyes are very

powerful and
can
communicate
more than a
person speaks
for himself.

When we are talking, we should not create such expressions that other person feels bored.

Our gesture should be easy and warm.

We should never lose our cool and emotional control.

Inattentiveness or fidgeting may indicate rude behaviour.

Written Communication
Emails
Parts of an Email

Introduction

Details

Action

Closing
Email Etiquette
Use Standard font size

Avoid colored fonts and All Capitals

Watch your words; avoid using acronyms like LOL, IMO, or IOW.

Keep attachments and subjects to a minimum

Avoid emoticons

Keep message short-25 lines

Proofread each message

Email Etiquette II

If your
message
Do not generates a
place a Define and Use Reply string of
"message" Fill the Explain or Reply four or
below your Subject line Attachment with more
signature s History replies or a
line. follow-up
question,
Call up.
Teamwork
Corporate Success Mantra
Learning Objectives

By the end of this session the participants would be

able to:

• Explain what is a Team

• Explain the difference between a Group and a

Team

• Explain What is Teamwork

Introduction
He could never trust
Jake was working as a
them and always thought
key accounts head with a
that they were incapable
leading advertising firm.
of doing good work.

He had four members

Unfortunately, he always
reporting to him.
underestimated his team
members and fought
with them constantly.

His organization also lost
one of its major and
prestigious client.
One fine day, he got a
major assignment from
one of his clients which
had to be submitted
within two working days.

He decided to do it all
Jake could never submit
alone as he thought
his assignment by the
nobody else would be
set deadline and
able to do it apart from
received good criticism
him.
from his superiors.
 One fine day, he got a
His organization also lost major assignment from
one of its major and one of his clients which
prestigious client.
Why do you think Jake failed?had to be submitted
within two working days.

Why could he not complete his

assignment on time?
He decided to do it all
Jake could never submit
alone as he thought
his assignment by the
nobody else would be
set deadline and
able to do it apart from
received good criticism
him.
from his superiors.
 Complex goals can easily be Here comes the role and
accomplished if individuals importance of a team and
work together as a team. teamwork.

Let us learn
about team
and team
building in
detail.

An individual cannot perform all
tasks on his own. He needs the
support as well as guidance of
others to be excellent in whatever
he does.
If Jake had taken the help of his
team members, he would have
finished his assignment on time,
and everyone would have
appreciated him.
 Teamwork
• A team is a group of individuals
working together for a common
purpose.
• The individuals should have common
goals, common objectives and should
think on the same lines.
• They should have similar if not the
same interests, thought processes,
attitude, perception and likings.
• Individuals who are not compatible
with each other can never form a
team.
Real Life Example

Let us now look at an

example to understand the
differences between a
group and a team.
 Real Life Example

• Observe a politician delivering a speech at a

political rally and the throng of masses
listening eagerly .

• The political leader appeals to the crowd to

cast the votes in his favor only.

• There would always be some individuals who

would support his opponent. This crowd
represents a ‘group’.

• A group consists of all individuals gathered on

a common platform but had dissimilar
interests and likings.
 Real Life Example

• Now, think about a cricket team.

• All the players have a common focus and a

common objective; to win the game.

• Everyone works together to try to achieve a

common target of winning the game. No one
ever thinks of losing the game.

• Hence, the cricket team is a classic example of

a team and teamwork.
 Team Members

• Team members must

complement each other.
• All team members should help
each other and work in unison.
• Personal interests must take a
back seat and all of them must
deliver their level best to
achieve the team objective.
• Team members must not argue
among themselves or
underestimate each other,
 Team Members

For example an organization may have a sales team, administration team,

human resources team, operation team, marketing team, quality team and so
on, who
work together to achieve the sales target and generate revenues for the
organization.
What is Teamwork?

• As they say “There is no I in Team Work”, every individual

must think of his team first and the personal interests must
take a back seat.
• The success of any team is directly proportional to the
relation among its team members and their collective efforts.
Tips for Better Teamwork
The following are a few tips for better team work:

Think about your team first - Every individual should

1 think of his team first and his personal interests should
take a backseat. Do not mix your personal issues with
your professional life. Keep them separate.

2
Never underestimate your team member - Do not
neglect any of the members, instead work together
and also listen to them as well. Never try to impose
your ideas on any member. Avoid de-motivating any
team member.
Tips for Better Teamwork

Discuss - Before implementing any new idea, it must be

3 discussed with each and every member on an open
platform. Never ever discuss with anyone separately as
the other team members feel left out and reluctant to
perform and contribute to the team.

Understand others - For better team work, try to

4 understand your team members well. Do not just
always talk business, it is okay if you go out with your
team members for lunch or catch a movie together. It
improves the relations and strengthens the bond
among the team members. Team members must trust
each other for maximum output.
Tips for Better Teamwork

5
Promote transparency - Transparency must be
maintained and healthy interaction must be promoted
among the team members. The communication must
be effective, crystal clear and precise so that every
team member gets a common picture. Effective
communication also nullifies misunderstandings and
confusions.

6
Avoid criticism - Stay away from criticism and making
fun of your team members. Help each other and be a
good team player. Be the first one to break the ice and
always create a friendly ambience. Avoid negativity
within the team.
Tips for Better
Teamwork
Avoid conflicts in your team - Don’t fight over petty
7 issues and find faults in others. One should be a little
adjusting with each other and try to find an alternative
best suited to all the team members.

Rewards and recognition - Performance of every team

8 member must be evaluated timely and the best
performer should be rewarded suitably so that the
other members also get motivated to perform.
Appreciate the member who performs the best or does
something unique.
 Tip!
The top skills that you should master to become a great team player are:

Sharing Questioning

Sacrificing Working hard

Empathizing Listening

Persuading Respecting
Importance of Teams in Organizations
The following are the various reasons that teams are gaining popularity in
organizations:
Practice

Let us now practice all that

you have learned about
team building.
Case Study

In a microfinance institution,
Team Thrive, consisting of
fresh minds eager to make a
difference, encountered a
unique challenge when client
needs shifted unexpectedly.

A client's business
circumstances prompted a
modification in their
microfinance loan structure,
requiring Rahul from Team
Thrive to swiftly realign their
approach.
Steps
• The team conducted a
thorough analysis to identify
key issues.
• Breaking down the problem
into manageable tasks, each
team member took
ownership of specific
components. This ensured a
comprehensive solution.
• Weekly check-ins kept the
team on track. It monitored
progress and provided a
platform for members to
seek guidance when needed.
Practice

Get into groups of 4/5

Create a Problem Scenario

that would require Teamwork
at your workplace

Explain the steps that you

would take to solve the
problem

Highlight the communication

steps that would be required
to solve the problem.
Thank You