What are in-depth interviews?

In-depth interviews are a qualitative data collection method that allows for the collection of a
large amount of information about the behavior, attitude and perception of the interviewees.

During in-depth interviews, researchers and participants have the freedom to explore additional
points and change the direction of the process when necessary. It is an independent research
method that can adopt multiple strategies according to the needs of the research.

Characteristics of in-depth interviews

There are many types of interviews, each with its particularities, in this case the most important
characteristics of in-depth interviews are:

1. Flexible structure: Although it is not very structured, it covers a few topics based on a
guide, which allows the interviewer to cover areas appropriate for the interviewee.
2. Interactive: The interviewer processes the material that is produced during the interview.
During the interaction the interviewer poses initial questions in a positive manner, so that
the respondent is encouraged to answer. The complete process is very human, and so less
mundane and dull.
3. Deep: Many probing techniques are used in in-depth interviews, so that results are
understood through exploration and explanation. The interviewer asks follow-up
questions to gain a deeper perspective and understand the participant’s viewpoint.
4. Generative: Often interacting with your target audience creates new knowledge. For
instance, if you are talking to your customers, you learn more about the purchase
behavior. Researchers and participants present ideas for a specific topic and solutions to
the problems posed.

To learn more about the characteristics of in-depth interviews, check out our blog on interview
questions.

Importance of conducting in-depth interviews

As an in-depth interview is a one-on-one conversation, you get enough opportunities to get to the
root causes of likes/dislikes, perceptions, or beliefs.

Generally, questions are open-ended questions and can be customized as per the particular
situation. The interviewer gets an opportunity to develop a rapport with the participant, thereby
making them feel comfortable. Thus, they can bring out honest feedback and also note their
expressions and body language. Such cues can amount to rich qualitative data.

With surveys, there are chances that the respondents may select answers in a rush, but in case of
in-depth interviews it’s hardly the worry of researchers.
Conversations can prove to be an excellent method to collect data. In fact, people might be
reluctant to answer questions in written format, but given the nature of an interview, participants
might agree giving information verbally. You can also discuss with the interviewees if they want
to keep their identity confidential.

In-depth interviews are aimed at uncovering the issues in order to obtain detailed results. This
method allows you to gain insight into the experiences, feelings and perspectives of the
interviewees.

When conducting the initial stage of a large research project, in-depth interviews prove to be
useful to narrow down and focus on important research details.

When you want to have the context of a problem, in-depth interviews allow you to evaluate
different solutions to manage the research process while assisting in data analysis.

Steps to conduct in-depth interviews

1. Obtain the necessary information about the respondents and the context in which they
operate.
2. Make a script or a list of topics you want to cover. This will make it easy to add
secondary questions.
3. Schedule an interview at a time and date of the respondent’s choice.
4. Ask questions confidently and let the interviewees feel comfortable, so that they too are
confident and can answer difficult questions with ease.
5. Set a maximum duration such that it doesn’t feel exhaustive.
6. Observe and make notes on the interviewee’s body expressions and gestures.
7. It is important to maintain ethics throughout the process.
8. Transcribe the recordings and verify them with the interviewee.

Advantages of in-depth interviews

The benefits of conducting an in-depth interview include the following:

 They allow the researcher and participants to have a comfortable relationship to generate
more in-depth responses regarding sensitive topics.
 Researchers can ask follow-up questions, obtain additional information, and return to key
questions to gain a better understanding of the participants’ attitudes.
 The sampling is more accurate than other data collection methods.
 Researchers can monitor changes in tone and word choice of participants to gain a better
understanding of opinions.
 Fewer participants are needed to obtain useful information.
 In-depth interviews can be very beneficial when a detailed report on a person’s opinion
and behavior is needed. In addition, it explores new ideas and contexts that give the
researcher a complete picture of the phenomena that occurred.
Disadvantages

The disadvantages of in-depth interviews are:

 They are time-consuming, as they must be transcribed, organized, analyzed in detail.

 If the interviewer is inexperienced, it affects the complete process.
 It is a costly research method compared to other methods.
 Participants must be chosen carefully to avoid bias, otherwise it can lengthen the process.
 Generally, participants decide to collaborate only when they receive an incentive in
return.

What is the purpose of in-depth interviews?

The main purpose of in-depth interviews is to understand the consumer behavior and make well-
informed decisions. Organizations can formulate their marketing strategies based on the
information received from the respondents. They can also gain insights into the probable demand
and know consumer pulse.

In the case of B2B businesses, researchers can understand the demand in more detail and can ask
questions targeted for the experts. Interviews offer a chance to understand the customer’s thought
process and design products that have higher chances of being accepted in the market.

Final words

An in-depth interview should follow all the steps of the process to collect meaningful data. Hope
this blog helps you decide whether you should conduct a detailed interview with your target
audience, keeping in mind the pros and cons of it.

If you want to get started with conducting research online, we suggest using an online survey
software that offers features like designing a questionnaire, customized look and feel,
distributing to your contacts and data analytics. Create an account with QuestionPro Surveys and
explore the tool. If you need any help with research or data collection, feel free to connect with
us.

Presentation Skills and Techniques

Presentations skills and public speaking skills are very useful in many aspects of work and life.
Effective presentations and public speaking skills are important in business, sales and selling,
training, teaching, lecturing, and generally feeling comfortable speaking to a group of people.

Developing the confidence and capability to give good presentations, and to stand up in front of
an audience and speak well, are also extremely helpful competencies for self-development and
social situations.
Presentation skills and public speaking abilities are not limited to certain special people - anyone
can give a good presentation, or perform public speaking to a professional and impressive
standard. Like most specialisms, this requires preparation and practice.

The formats and purposes of presentations can be very different, for example: oral (spoken),
multimedia (using various media - visuals, audio, etc), PowerPoint presentations, short
impromptu presentations, long-planned presentations, educational or training sessions, lectures,
and simply giving a talk on a subject to a group on a voluntary basis for pleasure. Even speeches
at weddings and eulogies at funerals are types of presentations.

Yet every successful presentation uses broadly the essential techniques and structures explained
here.

This article provides:

 A guide to the process of creating effective presentations,

 Tips and techniques for successfully delivering presentations
 Explanations and methods for reducing presentation fears and stresses - notably
through the use of preparation and control, to build confidence

Fear of Public Speaking and Presentations

You are not alone if the thought of speaking in public scares you. On the contrary.

Everyone feels fearful of presenting and public speaking to one degree or another.

Giving a presentation is very worrying for many people. Presenting or speaking to an audience
regularly tops the list in surveys of people's top fears - more than heights, flying or dying.

Here is a popular saying (which features in many presentations) about giving presentations and
public speaking:

"Most people would prefer to be lying in the casket rather than giving the eulogy."

I first heard a speaker called Michelle Ray use this quote in the early 1990s. The quote is often
credited to Jerry Seinfeld, although the basic message is much older. For example (thanks Dr N
Ashraf) the ancient Tamil work Thirukkural (also called Tirrukural) includes the following
words in its aptly titled chapter, Fearlessness in an Assembly:

"Many are ready to even die in battle, but few can face an assembly without nerves."

Couplet 723, from Thirukkural/Tirrukural, also called the Kural - a seminal guide to life and
ethics attributed to the Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar, said to have lived between about 200-10BC.
I am grateful also to R Ersapah for an alternative translation of couplet 723, and below, a more
modern literal interpretation:

"Many encountering death in face of foe will hold their ground; who speak undaunted in the
council hall are rarely found."

In more modern language this means:

"Many indeed may (fearlessly) die in the presence of (their) foes; (but) few are those who are
fearless in the assembly (of the learned)."

In a French translation, this is:

"Nombreux sont ceux qui peuvent affronter la mort face à leurs ennemis; rares sont ceux qui
peuvent sans crainte se tenir devant une assemblée."

The title of Tirrukural's chapter 73 is: Not to dread the Council (French: Ne pas craindre les
assemblees).

Couplet 727 says, amusingly and incisively:

"The learning of him who is diffident before an assembly is like the shining sword of an
hermaphrodite in the presence of his foes..." (French: "Les connaissances de celui qui a peur des
auditoires sont comme l'epee tranchante que tient l'eunuque en presence de son ennemi..." )

I am informed (thanks again R Ersapah) that all of chapter 73 fits the theme of public
speech being one of the greatest challenges many people face in their lives.

This is further evidence that speaking in public is not just a modern fear - this fear has been in
humankind for at least 2,000 years.

Incidentally the English translation of Tirrukural comprises various chapters such as: Domestic
Virtues, Ascetic Virtue, Royalty, Ministers of State, The Essentials of a State. The English
Translations are by Rev Dr G U Pope and Rev W H Drew. The French translation is by a
Mauritian author M Sangeelee.

I'm always keen to receive and share old examples of public-speaking-and-fear analogies - if you
know any please send them.

Understanding and Overcoming Fear

The key to managing and controlling anything is first to understand it, especially its causes.

The cause of fear is (a feeling of) insecurity and/or an unfamiliar or uncontrollable threat.
In the context of presentations and public speaking, this is usually due to:

 Lack of confidence, and/or

 Lack of control (or a feeling of not having control) - over the situation, other people (the
audience) and our own reactions and feelings
 And (in some cases) possibly a bad memory or experience from our past

The effects of these are heightened according to the size of the audience, and potentially also
the nature of the audience/situation - which combine to represent a perceived uncontrollable
threat to us at a very basic and instinctive level (which we imagine in the form or critical
judgement, embarrassment, humiliation, etc).

This 'audience' aspect is illustrated by the following:

"Most of us would not feel very fearful if required to give a presentation to a class of 30 five-
year-old children, but we would feel somewhat more fearful if required to give a presentation to
an interview panel of three high court judges. So audience size is not everything - it's the nature
of the situation and audience too."

As such audience size and situation are circumstantial factors which can influence the degree of
anxiety, but they are not causal factors in themselves. The causes exist because of the pressure to
command, control, impress, etc.

Confidence and Control

The two big causal factors (low confidence and control) stem typically from:

 Inadequate preparation/rehearsal, and/or

 Low experience.

If we have a bad memory which is triggering a fear response, then it is likely that the original
situation we recall, which prompts our feelings of anxiety, resulted from one or both of the above
factors.

Preparation and rehearsal are usually very manageable elements. It's a matter of making the
effort to prepare and rehearse before the task is upon us. Presentations which do not work well
usually do so because they have not been properly prepared and rehearsed.

Experience can be gained simply by seeking opportunities for public speaking and presenting to
people and groups, wherever you feel most comfortable (and then try speaking to groups where
you feel less comfortable). Given that humankind and society everywhere are arranged in all
sorts of groups - schools and colleges, evening classes, voluntary groups, open-mic nights,
debating societies, public meetings, conferences, the local pub, sports and hobby clubs, hospitals,
old people's homes, etc, etc - there are countless groups everywhere of people and potential
audiences by which you can gain speaking and presenting experience - this is not so difficult to
achieve.

So experience, is actually just another manageable element before the task, although more time
and imagination are required than in preparing and rehearsing a particular presentation.

Besides these preparatory points, it's useful to consider that fear relates to stress.

Stress can be managed in various ways. Understanding stress and stress management
methods can be very helpful in reducing the anxiety we feel before and while giving
presentations and public speaking.

Physiology, Chemistry, Stress

Fear of public speaking is strongly related to stress - see the causes of stress and stress
management.

A common physical reaction in people when having to speak in public is a release of adrenaline
and cortisol into our systems, which is sometimes likened to drinking several cups of coffee.
Even experienced speakers feel their hearts thumping very excitedly indeed.

This sensational reaction to speaking in public is certainly not only felt by novices, and even
some of the great professional actors and entertainers suffer from real physical sickness before
taking the stage or podium.

So you are not alone. Speaking in public is genuinely scary for most people, including many who
outwardly seem very calm.

Our primitive brain shuts down normal functions as the 'fight or flight' impulse takes over - see
FEAR under the acronyms section (note: there is some adult content among these acronyms for
training and presentations).

But don't worry - every person in your audience wants you to succeed. The audience is on your
side (if only because they are very pleased that it's you up there in the spotlight speaking and not
them).

All you need to do is follow the guidelines contained on this page, and everything will be fine.
As the saying goes, don't try to get rid of the butterflies - just get them flying in formation.

Incidentally, the origins of this famous public-speaking/performing butterflies metaphor are

typically given as "There is nothing wrong with stomach butterflies! You just have to get them to
fly in formation!" - see the attribution information for the butterflies metaphor on the
inspirational quotes page.

So, how do you calm the butterflies and get them flying in formation?
The answer (where butterflies equate to fear) is clear and simple in the following maxim:

To calm the butterflies you must be relaxed. To be relaxed you must be confident. To be
confident you must be prepared and rehearsed.

Good preparation is the key to confidence, which is the key to being relaxed, and this calms
the butterflies,(i.e., overcomes the fear).

Good preparation and rehearsal will reduce your nerves by 75%, and increase the likelihood of
avoiding errors to 95%. (Source: Fred Pryor Organisation, a significant provider of seminars and
open presentation events.)

And so this is the most important rule for effective presentations and public speaking:

Prepare, which means plan it, and practise/rehearse it.

Then you'll be in control, and confident.

Your audience will see this and respond accordingly, which in turn will help build your
confidence, and you even start to enjoy yourself too.

And remember that there is a cumulative effect:

Every successful presentation that you create and deliver generates more experience and
confidence for you, which makes every future presentation easier and more successful for you,
and so it goes, until every last butterfly is calmed.

Tips for Effective Presentations

1. Preparation and knowledge (of subject and the presentation itself) are the pre-requisites
for a successful presentation, which importantly produce confidence and control, which
in turn is important for relaxing the presenter, and the audience.
2. As a presenter, remember and apply Eleanor Roosevelt's maxim that "no one can
intimidate me without my permission". When you are a presenter you are in charge. The
audience generally accepts this, and you are within your rights to control anyone who
does not.
3. Remember also that "depth of conviction counts more than the height of logic, and
enthusiasm is worth more than knowledge", (which is apparently attributed to David
Peebles, about whom I have no further details - please let me know if you do). Passion is
therefore a very powerful component in any successful presentation.
4. Good presenting is about entertaining as well as conveying information. As well, people
retain more if they are enjoying themselves and feeling relaxed. So whatever your subject
and audience, try to find ways to make the content and delivery enjoyable - even the most
serious of occasions, and the driest of subjects, can be lifted to an enjoyable or even an
amusing level one way or another with a little research, imagination, and humour.
 5. Enjoyment and humour are mostly in the preparation. These effects are not easily
produced spontaneously. You don't need to be a natural stand-up comedian to inject
enjoyment and humour into a presentation or talk. It's the content that enables it, which is
very definitely within your control.
6. Research and studies generally indicate that in presentations you have between 4 - 7
seconds in which to make a positive impact and good opening impression, so make sure
you have a good, strong, solid introduction, and rehearse it until it is 'second nature' to
you and an action of 'unconscious competence'.
7. Try to build your own credibility in your introduction, and create a safe comfortable
environment for your audience, which you will do quite naturally if you appear to be
comfortable yourself.
8. Smiling helps a lot. It will relax you and the audience. In addition to giving you a relaxed
calm appearance, smiling actually releases helpful 'happy' chemicals into your nervous
system, and makes you feel good.
9. So does taking a few deep slow breaths to make you feel relaxed - low down from the pit
of your stomach - before you take to the stage.
10. Avoid starting with a joke unless you are supremely confident - jokes are high-risk things
at the best of times, let alone at the start of a presentation.
I was sent this excellent and simple idea for a presentation - actually used in a job
interview - which will perhaps prompt similar ideas and adaptations for your own
situations.
At the start of the presentation the letters T, E, A, and M - fridge magnets - were given to
members of the audience.
At the end of the presentation, the speaker made the point that individually the letters
meant little, but together they made a team
This powerful use of simple props created a wonderful connection between start and
finish, and supported a concept in a memorable and impactful way. (Thanks P Hodgson)
N.B. There is a big difference between telling a joke and injecting enjoyment and humour
(US spelling, humor) into your talk. Jokes are risky. Enjoyment and humour are safe. A
joke requires quite a special skill in its delivery. Joke-telling is something of an art form.
Only a few people can do it well without specific training. A joke creates pressure on the
audience to laugh at a critical moment. A joke creates tension - that's why it's funny
(when it works). This tension equates to an expectation in the listener, which produces a
small degree of pleasure when the joke works well, but a very unhelpful awkwardness if
the joke is not well-delivered or well-received. A joke also has the potential to offend,
and jokes are culturally very sensitive - different people like different jokes. Even
experienced comedians can 'die' on stage if their jokes and delivery are at odds with the
audience type or mood. On the other hand, enjoyment and humour are much more
general, they not dependent on creating tension or the expectation of a punchline.
Enjoyment and humour can be injected in very many different ways - for example, a few
funny quotes or examples; a bit of audience participation; an amusing prop; an amusing
picture or cartoon; or an amusing story (not a joke). Another way to realise the difference
between jokes and enjoyment is to consider that you are merely seeking to make people
smile and be mildly amused - not to have them belly-laughing in the aisles.

Preparation and Creating Your Presentation

This is a sequential step-by-step process - a list of the main action points - for creating and
preparing a successful and effective presentation - large or small. The process includes
preparing, creating, checking, rehearsing, refining and finalising the presentation.

1. Think about your audience, your aims, their expectations, the surroundings, the facilities
available, and what type of presentation you are going to give (lecture style, informative,
participative, etc).
2. What are your aims? To inform, inspire and entertain, maybe to demonstrate and prove,
and maybe to persuade.
3. How do you want the audience to react?
4. Thinking about these things will help you ensure that your presentation is going to
achieve its purpose.
5. Clearly identify your subject and your purpose to yourself, and then let the creative
process take over for a while to gather all the possible ideas for the subject matter and
how you could present it.
6. Think about interesting ways to convey and illustrate and bring your points to life, so that
your presentation is full of interesting things (think of these as 'spices') to stimulate as
many senses as possible. A presentation is not restricted to spoken and visual words - you
can use physical samples and props, sound and video, body movement, audience
participation, games and questions, statistics, amazing facts, quotes, and lots more ideas
to support your points and keep the audience engaged.
7. Use brainstorming and 'mind-mapping' methods (mind-mapping is sketching out ideas in
extensions, like the branches of a tree, from a central idea or aim). Both processes involve
freely putting random ideas and connections on a piece of paper - the bigger the sheet the
better - using different coloured pens will help too.
8. Don't try to write the presentation in detail until you have decided on the content you
need and created a rough structure from your random collected ideas and material. See
the brainstorming process - it's very helpful and relevant for creating and writing
presentations.
9. When you have all your ideas on paper, organise them into subject categories. Three
categories often work best. Does it flow? Is there a logical sequence that people will
follow, and which makes you feel comfortable?
10. Use the 'rule of three' to structure the presentation where possible, because sets of three
have a natural balance and flow. A simple approach is to have three main sections. Each
section has three sub-sections. Each of these can have three sub-sections, and so on. A
30-minute presentation is unlikely to need more than three sections, with three sub-
sections each. A three-day training course presentation need to have no more than four
levels of three, giving 81 sub-sections in all. Simple!
11. Presentations almost always take longer to deliver than you imagine.
12. When you have a rough draft of your presentation you should practise it, as if you
were actually in front of an audience, and check the timings. If your timings are not
right - (usually you will have too much material) - then you can now adjust the amount of
content, and avoid unnecessarily refining sections that need to be cut out. Or if you are
short of content, you can expand the presentation material accordingly, or take longer to
explain the content you already have.
13. You must create a strong introduction and a strong close.
 14. You must tell people what you're going to speak about and the purpose or aim of
your presentation.
15. And if you finish with a stirring quotation or a stunning statistic, you must, before
this, summarise what you have spoken about and if appropriate, demand action from
your audience, even if it is to go away and think about what you have said.
16. When you have structured your presentation, it will have an opening, a middle with
headed sections of subject matter, and a close, with an opportunity for questions, if
relevant. This is still a somewhat flat 'single-dimensional' script. Practice it in its rough
form, which is effectively a 'read-through' rather than a fully formed presentation with all
aids and equipment.
17. Next, you bring it to life as a fully formed presentation - give it space and life and
physicality and character - by blending in your presentation methods, aids, props, and
devices, as appropriate. This entails the equipment and materials you use, case studies,
examples, quotations, analogies, questions and answers, individual and syndicate
exercises, interesting statistics, samples, visual and physical aids, and any other
presentation aid you think will work. This stage often requires more time than you
imagine if you have to source props and materials.

Delivering Presentations Successfully

The day before your presentation see again the notes about calming your butterflies - i.e., be
prepared and rehearsed, be confident, calm your butterflies, and overcome any fears you have.

In the half-hour before your presentation: Relax. If you are not relaxed then try to find a way
to become so. Think about breathing slowly and deeply. Think about calming relaxing things.
Smile. If despite all your preparations you remain scared, a good way to overcome your fear is
just to do it. Paraphrasing the great philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.. "What doesn't kill you
makes you stronger." Remember you are not alone among presenters in having these feelings,
and the audience is on your side. Remember also, the initial impact is made and audience's mood
towards you is established in the first 4-7 seconds. So go for it.

Start with your solid practised opening, and smile. Enjoy it. Or look like you are enjoying it.

Be firm, be confident and be in control; the stage is yours, and the audience is on your side.

Introduce yourself and tell them what you're going to tell them. Tell them why you are
telling them it; why it's important, and why it's you that's telling them.

Tell the audience how long your presentation will last, and explain when in the presentation the
audience is able to ask questions.

It is generally easier to deliver and manage a presentation if you tell the audience to ask their
questions at the end. For a more participative and involving presentation you can allow questions
at any time, but ensure you keep firm control of your timings, and the audience.
If your audience is more than about 30-40 people then it can become difficult to take questions
during the presentation, so for large groups, and certainly, groups exceeding 100 people it's
generally best to take questions at the end of the presentation.

By the time you've done this introduction, you've established your authority, created respect and
credibility, and overcome the worst of your nerves. You are probably enjoying it. If you're just
giving a short presentation then by the time you've done all this you've completed a quarter of it!

Be aware of your own body language and remember what advice you got from your friend on
your practice run. You are the most powerful visual aid of all, so use your body movement and
position well. Don't stand in front of the screen when the projector is on.

Creating presentations: Step-by-Step

This is the basic sequence of actions for creating and preparing a presentation up to the point of
actually delivering the presentation to an audience:

1. Define purpose
2. Gather content and presentation ideas
3. Structure the subject matter (sections, headings, order)
4. Develop how to present it (style, elements, props, equipment)
5. Prepare presentation (wording, design, materials, equipment)
6. Practise and rehearsals (get feedback, refinement)
7. Plan venue, control the environment
8. 'Dress rehearsal' if warranted
9. Relax and prepare yourself - confidence and control

And in a little more detail..

Prepare the Presentation

Consider:

1. What's the purpose?

2. For whom?
3. What outcomes and reactions are you seeking?

Consider the more detailed nature of:

1. Subject and content, audience needs, type of presentation, equipment and venue.
2. Create and gather ideas - brainstorm, mind-map, initially random, be innovative and
daring.
3. Materials, media, exercises, case studies, statistics, props, quotations, analogies, and
participation.
4. Anticipate questions, know your subject and reference points
 5. Decide your notes system - cue cards, sheet notes.

Create and Design the Presentation

1. Plan the structure - sections, order, headings, intro/middle/close.

2. Tell'em what you're gonna tell'em, tell'em, tell'em what you told'em.
3. Use the ' rule of three'
4. Points of interest ('spice') and activities - early impact - create a credible impression.
5. Consider audience attention span and audience profile to get the language and tone right
6. Build the presentation, prepare equipment, prepare materials and props, and create your
prompts or notes.
7. Dry-run practise timings, fall-backs/contingencies.
8. Practise full presentation ('dress rehearsal'), get feedback, refine, practise and practise.
Practice gives you control. Control gives you confidence. Confidence and control
overcome fear.

Deliver your Presentation

1. Relax.
2. If necessary revisit your notes about how to relax. Stress can be managed, and to a small
degree, it is part of the presentation experience. Butterflies are exciting and beautiful,
even if they are not in perfect formation.
3. You have prepared and practised, so your presentation will succeed and be enjoyable.
4. Smile.
5. The audience is on your side.
6. Use a solid well-rehearsed opening, to make an immediate friendly impact.
7. "Tell'em what you're gonna tell'em, tell'em, then tell'em what you told'em."
8. Use confident body language, control, firmness, and confidence, speak your audience's
language, and accentuate the positive (be positive and upbeat).
9. Pause when you need to and don't apologise for it - pausing is perfectly okay.
10. Use audience participation where possible, be clear, calm, close powerfully and simply
and gratefully, and have fun!

Etiquette and Manners - Social and Business

The 5 Types of Business Etiquette

 Workplace etiquette
 Table manners and meal etiquette
 Professionalism
 Communication etiquette
 Meetings etiquette
Workplace Etiquette
These rules deal with your behavior at the office. Culture and expectations differ from company
to company, so what's rude at one workplace may be normal at another.

For instance, HubSpot is dog-friendly, so my coworkers frequently bring their pups in with them.
At a traditional office, showing up with Rover would probably annoy your colleagues — and
may even get you in hot water with upper management.

Figure out what's acceptable and what's not by reading your company handbook, paying
attention to how the executives behave (and following suit), and sticking by the standard rules
(such as "Don't heat up excessively smelly foods in the break room").

That said, there are a few universal workplace etiquette tips to remember, including:

 Acknowledge everyone you come into contact with. Even a simple "How are you?" or a quick
smile is enough.

 Clean up after yourself in shared spaces (i.e., meeting rooms, kitchen, etc.).

 Show respect for shared items. Borrowed a stapler? Return it to the correct place. Did the printer
run out of paper after you used it? Replenish it.
 Practice active listening in conversations.

 Don't overshare about your personal life at work. Additionally, topics like religion and politics
should be avoided.

 Respect people's time by sharing information clearly and succinctly.

Table Manners and Meal Etiquette

There's far more to dinner and meal etiquette than knowing which fork to use. Luckily, once
you've memorized these rules, you'll be well-equipped for any eating situation.

I can't even begin to cover them here — you should read a book on meal etiquette or watch some
videos for a full briefer — but every professional should know the following:

 Put your napkin in your lap when you sit down.

 Order items in a similar price range to your dining companions.

 Don't start eating until everyone has received their food.

 Give others equal opportunities for conversation.

 Pass condiments and dishes from left to right rather than reaching across the table.

 Chew with your mouth closed.

 Don't snap your fingers at your server.

 Don't blow your nose at the dinner table. Instead, excuse yourself to visit the restroom.

 After the meal is over, partially fold your napkin and put it to the left of your plate.

Professionalism
 Being professional means contributing to a pleasant, productive, and inclusive work
environment. Professionalism includes an entire range of behaviors; however, here are the most
standard:

 Keeping your word: When you make a commitment — whether it's big or small — keep it. If
you know that will be impossible, give the other person as much notice as possible.

 Being punctual: Show up on time (or early).

 Remaining calm: Even in heated situations, do your best to stay cool.

 Acting flexible: Sometimes you'll have to stay late, show up early, change plans, move meetings,
and more to make things work. Unless this is happening all the time, accommodate these
changes without raising a stink.

 Using diplomacy: There will be people you don't like — prospects, coworkers, or both. Be kind
and amiable anyway.

 Accepting constructive criticism: Throughout your career, others will offer feedback. If you're
closed off to it, you'll not only harm your professional rapport, you'll also lose valuable
opportunities to improve.

 Appearance: Follow the dress code and always practice good hygiene.

Communication Etiquette

A large majority of our relationships hinge on good communication. Not sure what that entails?
Let's break communication etiquette down into three categories:
 Phone Etiquette
 Don't speak too loudly or too softly. If you're worried about your volume, ask, "How am I
coming across? Do you need me to talk more or less quietly?"

 Never interact with your phone while you're with someone else. Keep it stashed in your pocket
or bag at all times.

 If you're on a conference call and you're not speaking, mute yourself so the others aren't
distracted by the outside noise.

 Use a pleasant but professional tone of voice.

Email Etiquette

 Aim to answer internal emails within one day and external emails within three days.

 Avoid overusing exclamation marks and smiley faces.

 Default to "Reply" over "Reply All."

 Check with each party before you make an introduction.

 Check for grammar and spelling before hitting "send."

 Don’t send anything that you wouldn’t say in-person.

In-Person Etiquette

 Steer clear of complimenting someone's appearance, since this can make people feel
uncomfortable.

 Maintain eye contact 60% to 70% of the time.

 Match their speaking volume.

 Show interest in what they're saying.

5. Meetings Etiquette
Meetings are an important aspect of business communication that allow teams to share ideas,
discuss strategy, and get on the same page about projects and priorities. And, due to an influx of
hybrid and remote work, we have a new batch of "rules" for virtual meetings.
Below are some strategies for maintaining proper meeting etiquette, whether you're meeting in-
person or virtually:
 Send a meeting agenda around when you invite people to attend so they can prepare for the
discussion in advance.
 Be mindful of time zones and the daily schedules of the people you're inviting when setting a
time so nobody has to attend a meeting too early or too late in the day.

 Cater lunch or ask people to bring lunch if your meeting is scheduled during a typical lunch hour.

 Introduce new team members or first-time attendees to the larger group.

In-Person Meetings Etiquette

 Test your equipment beforehand to ensure a smooth meeting.

 Give attendees up to five minutes to settle in before diving into the agenda.

 Follow or set a clear agenda so people have time to think about contributions and ideas before
presenting.

 Ask questions at an appropriate time. Avoid interrupting someone while they're speaking.

 Call on everyone who wants to participate in the discussion, or go around in a circle so everyone
can speak.

 Don't speak too loudly so as not to disturb people working around you.

 Observe your body language; watch out for fidgeting, foot tapping, and swiveling your chair side
to side.

Virtual Meetings Etiquette

 Look at the camera — not your own face or theirs — so you seem like you're making eye
contact.

 Shut the door and make sure you're not interrupted by your pets, children, roommates, etc.

 Before your meeting, check the area in camera range for inappropriate or overly personal items.

 Provide non-verbal acknowledgement, like nodding and smiling.

 Follow the dress code — even for virtual meetings.

 If you're the meeting facilitator, make sure all participants have the chance to speak or present
ideas, even if they're tuning in remotely.

Time management is the method of planning and balancing your time between different
activities. Good time management helps you to complete a given task in a specific time frame
amidst challenges and tight schedules. When you manage your schedule and deadlines, strong
time management skills help you better your reputation and move ahead in the workplace.
In this article, we discuss the meaning of time management, its importance and how you can both
improve upon and showcase your skills during the job search.

What Are Time Management Skills?

Time management skills are those that help you use your time effectively and achieve desired
results. These can help you allocate your time properly and accomplish tasks efficiently. Some of
the most important skills related to successful time management include:

 Organisation
 Prioritsation
 Goal setting
 Communication
 Planning
 Delegation
 Stress management
 Flexibility

Organisation

Staying organised helps you to keep track of your responsibilities and priorities, like what you
need to do first and when to do the rest of it. An organised list of tasks acts as a map to guide you
from morning to evening and helps increase your productivity. A well-organised plan helps you
break down large goals into smaller, easily achievable tasks and enables you to complete those
tasks on time.

Prioritisation

Prioritisation is the key to successful time management. When you prioritise your daily tasks,
you ensure that you will complete the important tasks first. Write down every single task starting
with the top priority. For instance, you can break down your tasks as the following:

 A-level tasks: Things that will lead to major consequences if not done today
 B-level tasks: Activities that may have a negative effect if not completed today
 C-level tasks: Activities that have no consequence if not completed today

Goal setting

Goal setting is the process of defining your aims and objectives with a certain plan to help you
achieve the set goals. Setting goals is a key step in excelling as a professional. Without goals,
you may find it challenging to complete your tasks in a well-organised manner. Setting both
short- and long-term goals can lead to success in your career. An example of a short-term goal
may be to increase sales in your department by 40%. A long-term goal could be something like
completing law school or starting your own business.

Communication
Communication skills are a major component of success in life. Effective communication
promotes trust and makes your plans and goals clear to people you work with. It plays a crucial
role in resolving conflicts and preventing potential conflict situations. Strong communication
helps you delegate more work, which lets you focus more on the important tasks that support
your goals.

Planning

Planning is the core of time management. With a proper plan, you can prioritise your tasks
accordingly, which can help avoid confusion and unnecessary stress. A planned work schedule
helps you complete the tasks in the given time frame. For example, a plan for a project manager
might include ordering supplies, scheduling labour, acquiring the proper permits and so on.

Related: Your Guide to the Strategic Management Process

Delegation

It is an important process to manage multiple tasks satisfactorily. While managing a project, you
can delegate some of the tasks to your subordinates. This will help in reducing your workload so
that you can focus more on important tasks, such as planning, business analysis and others.

Stress management

Positively handling stress keeps you motivated and helps you complete tasks at the scheduled
time against all adversities. Exercise, yoga or having snacks during breaks can help you reduce
stress. In fact, including stress-relieving activities or self-care rituals into your daily schedule can
positively impact your productivity on work-related tasks throughout the day.

Related: How To Handle Pressure From Work (With Practical Tips)

Flexibility

It is vital that you maintain some flexibility in your schedule. Often, a task will take longer than
you expect or your supervisor will give you a priority task you were not expecting. Clearly note
in your daily schedule where you have space to adjust in preparation for last-minute changes.

Why Are Time Management Skills Important?

If you want to excel in life, you have to respect the importance of time and find a way to manage
it efficiently. Time management skills help you systematically organise your tasks and
accomplish them by their deadline.

For example, if you are looking for a job, you need to devote time to updating your resume,
searching for job openings, researching good companies for openings, applying and preparing for
interviews. Setting aside some specific time daily for the job-related tasks can help you in getting
the right job. For example, managing your time properly can give you more time to read job
postings thoroughly and finding the ones that best suit your needs.

Proper time management allows you to be creative and proactive with your goals. With a well-
defined time frame for each workplace task, you can ensure you are contributing to the company
in a reliable way.

How To Improve Your Time Management Skills?

With limited time at your disposal and numerous tasks to accomplish in your professional and
personal life, time management is a challenging task. Whether you are an executive or a job
aspirant, better time management skills can not only help you become a better employee but also
a strong candidate while applying for new opportunities. Some ways to improve your time
management skills are given below:

1. Prepare a schedule and follow it strictly

2. Set some boundaries for yourself
3. Fix deadlines
4. Set long- and short-term goals
5. Manage your calendar effectively
6. Prioritise your assignments

1. Prepare a schedule and follow it strictly

Organise your days and weeks well in advance. There might be unforeseen circumstances, so
take into account the kinds of challenges that may arise in your work and budget time around
your tasks and responsibilities. Spend some days tracking everything you do. This will help you
identify recurring tasks, which you can include in your schedule.

2. Set some boundaries for yourself

If you want to accomplish tasks on time without any distraction, you need to inform your team
and family members about your limitations and when you are not available. Be sure to
communicate your limits in a polite, direct manner. Make it clear to everybody which hours of
the day you prefer not to be disturbed at all, except in case of an emergency. During these times,
set your phone to do-not-disturb and close any chatting applications on your computer to help
you focus exclusively on the task at hand.

3. Fix deadlines

When you have a task, set a realistic deadline and strictly follow it. The deadline should be a few
days before the delivery date whenever possible so that you can review the tasks and implement
corrective measures. Keep an eye on the progress of the work and provide timely feedback to
ensure that the project is not deviating from its course.

4. Set long- and short-term goals

Set at least one long-term goal that you wish to achieve. These goals give an idea of what
direction you want your life to go in. However, every long-term goal needs related short-term
goals as well, as they keep you on track and motivate you to realise your long-term goals. For
example, if your objective is to get a promotion within six months, you need to set the short-term
goal of improving certain skill sets related to the new position. Your goals should follow the
SMART goal strategy to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based.

5. Manage your calendar effectively

A calendar is one of the most important tools to manage your time, productivity and
effectiveness. A calendar allows you to stay caught up on your appointments while giving you a
physical space to plan what you need to do first and when, why your involvement is required and
what you can complete at a later date. You might consider reserving certain brackets of time
regularly for meetings or important tasks.

6. Priorities your assignments

Prioritisation is one of the cornerstones of productivity as it can help with everything from time
management to work-life balance. You can practice prioritisation by including tasks in one
master list then breaking it down by daily goals, weekly goals and monthly goals. One way to
help you prioritise your schedule is to separate time-bound and important tasks:

 Important, but not time-bound tasks: Decide when you will do these and schedule
them in your calendar.
 Time-bound tasks: Add these to your immediate to-do list. If necessary, find colleagues
to assist you to ensure these tasks meet their deadlines.

PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

“Success is a Journey and it is not the destination. Disappointments, Rejections, Unsuccessful

attempts and Criticisms are not failures to the Successful people. Failures are thePart of success.
Winners use failures as stepping stones to success. This is the only difference between people
who win and people who don’t! ”

UNIT I INTRODUCTION TO PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

The concept of personality - Dimensions of personality – Theories of Freud &

EricksonSignificance of personality development. The concept of success and failure: What is

success? - Hurdles in achieving success - Overcoming hurdles - Factors responsible for

success – What is failure - Causes of failure - SWOT analysis.

1.1 THE CONCEPT OF PERSONALITY- DEFINITION:

“Personality is that pattern of characteristic thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that distinguishes
one

person from another and that persists over time”

“It is the sum of biologically based and learnt behaviour which forms the person's unique
responses to

environmental stimuli”

1.2 DIMENSIONS OF PERSONALITY:

The Big Five personality traits, also known as the five factor model (FFM), is a model based on
common

language descriptors of personality (lexical hypothesis). These descriptors are grouped together
using a

statistical technique called factor analysis (i.e. this model is not based on scientific experiments).

This widely examined theory suggests five broad dimensions used by some psychologists to
describe the

human personality and psyche. The five factors have been defined as openness to experience,

conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, often listed under the acronyms

“OCEAN”.

Dimension of Personality High Level Low level

Openness to experience Inventive, Curious Cautious, Conservative

Conscientiousness Efficient, Organised Easy going, Careless

Extraversion Outgoing, Energetic Solitary, Reserved

Agreeableness Friendly, Compassionate Competitive, Outspoken

Neuroticism Sensitive, Nervous Secure, Confident

These five factors are assumed to represent the basic structure behind all personality traits. They
were
defined and described by several different researchers during multiple periods of research.

Employees are sometimes tested on the Big Five personality traits in collaborative situations to
determine

what strong personality traits they can add to a group dynamic. Businesses need to understand
their people

as well as their operations and processes. Understanding the personality components that drive
the

employee behavior is a very useful informational data point for management.

THE FIVE DIMENSIONS OF PERSONALITY: (THE FIVE FACTOR MODEL)

a. Openness to experience: (inventive/curious vs. consistent/cautious):

Openness to experience describes a person's degree of intellectual curiosity, creativity,

appreciation for art,

emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, curiosity, and variety of experience. It is also described as the
extent to

which a person is imaginative or independent, and depicts a personal preference for a variety of
activities

over a strict routine. High openness can be perceived as unpredictability or lack of focus.
Moreover,

individuals with high openness are said to pursue self-actualization specifically by seeking out
intense,

euphoric experiences, such as skydiving, living abroad, gambling, etc. Conversely, those with
low

openness seek to gain fulfilment through perseverance, and are characterized as pragmatic and
datadriven—sometimes even perceived to be dogmatic and closed-minded. Some disagreement
remains about

how to interpret and contextualize the openness factor.

b. Conscientiousness (efficient/organized vs. easy-going/careless):

Conscientiousness is a tendency to show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for achievement.

Conscientiousness also refers to planning, organization, and dependability. High

conscientiousness is

often perceived as stubbornness and obsession. Low conscientiousness is associated with

flexibility and

spontaneity, but can also appear as sloppiness and lack of reliability.

c. Extraversion: (outgoing/energetic vs. solitary/reserved):

Extraversion describes energy, positive emotions, assertiveness, sociability, talkativeness, and

the

tendency to seek stimulation in the company of others. High extraversion is often perceived as
attentionseeking, and domineering. Low extraversion causes a reserved, reflective personality,
which can be

perceived as aloof or self-absorbed.

d. Agreeableness: (friendly/compassionate vs. analytical/detached):

Agreeableness is a tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious and

antagonistic

towards others. It is also a measure of one's trusting and helpful nature, and whether a person is
generally

well-tempered or not. High agreeableness is often seen as naive or submissive. Low

agreeableness

personalities are often competitive or challenging people, which can be seen as argumentative or

untrustworthy.

e. Neuroticism: (sensitive/nervous vs. Secure/confident).

Neuroticism is a tendency to experience unpleasant emotions easily, such as anger, anxiety,

depression,
and vulnerability. Neuroticism also refers to the degree of emotional stability and impulse
control and is

sometimes referred to by its low pole, "emotional stability". A high need for stability manifests
as a stable

and calm personality, but can be seen as uninspiring and unconcerned. A low need for stability
causes a

reactive and excitable personality, often very dynamic individuals, but they can be perceived as
unstable

or insecure.

1.3 PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT:

talents

and potential, build human capital and facilitate employability, enhance quality of life and

contribute to the realization of dreams and aspirations.

programs, tools, techniques, and assessment systems that support human development at the

individual level in organizations.

potential and looks to improve the quality of life. It involves formal and informal activities that

put people in the role of leaders, guides, teachers, and managers for helping them realize their
full

potential.

ity is
called

personality development.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OR IMPORTANCE OF PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT:

Most people underestimate the importance of having a pleasing personality. Majority think it just

means being born good-looking, that there isn’t anything much to do about it. But this is not true.
The

scope of personality development is quite broad. It includes knowing how to dress well, social
graces,

grooming, speech and interpersonal skills. Whatever your career, these are very important skills
that will

promote your objectives.

To better appreciate its importance, some of the key benefits of developing your personality
include the

following:

a. Confidence:

Personality development gives more confidence to people. When you know you are
appropriately attired

and groomed, this makes you less anxious when meeting a person. Knowing the right things to
say and

how to conduct yourself will increase your confidence.

b. Credibility:

Personality development makes people more credible. Despite the saying that you don’t judge a
book by

its cover, people do tend to judge people by their clothing and how it is worn. This does not
mean buying

expensive clothes. We all know people who look shabby in expensive clothes. There are also
people who
look great even if their attire is inexpensive. Because of this, you must know what to wear and
you must

be aware of other aspects of enhancing your physical features.

c. Interaction:

Personality development encourages people to interact with others. Studies have consistently
shown that

people communicate more openly with people they are comfortable with. If your hygiene and
social

graces are unrefined, then expect to have a much harder time connecting with people.

d. Leading and Motivating:

Personality development enhances the capacity to lead and motivate. A person with a winning
personality

will be able to motivate better. People are less likely to get bored, and our ideas will have more
credibility.

We can lead better if we project an aura of confidence and credibility.

e. Curiosity:

A single wrong word can destroy a business relationship. Knowing the right things to say shows
both

respect and intellectual sophistication. This is especially the case if you are dealing with
foreigners or if

you conduct business outside the country. The right thing to do in our country could be horrible
blunders

in a different culture. These are the soft skills that may break or make a deal.

f. Communication skills:

It improves your communication skills. People are more receptive to what you say if they are
impressed
with your personality. Verbal communication skills are also part of personality development;
improving

your speech will strengthen the impact of your message.

You cannot win by talent and hard work alone. Personality development is a crucial ingredient
that you

must obtain. Most of the people you see as models of great personality have taken a lot of effort
in

developing their natural features.

1.5 THEORIES OF PERSONALITY:

Many psychologists have developed theories about personality—how to describe it, how it
emerges, what

influences it, how it changes, and what constitutes a healthy or an abnormal personality. Here
you will

learn about the three most important personality theories: psychoanalytic theory, behaviourism
and

humanism.

The first of the modern personality theories was developed by Sigmund Freud and is known as

psychoanalytic theory. The psychiatric practice of this theory is called psychoanalysis. Freud’s
ideas were

plentiful, profound, and often controversial. His theory about personality has had tremendous
influence on

societies around the world through many different disciplines. Not only psychology has been
influenced

and informed by the ideas of Freud, but also literature, art, philosophy, cultural studies, film
theory, and

many other academic subjects. Freud’s theory represents one of the major intellectual ideas of
the modern
world. Right or wrong, these ideas have had a lasting and enormous impact.

1.5.1 FREUD THEORY:

Freud theorized that personality contains three structures—the id, ego, and superego—and that
the mind is

like an iceberg, the unconscious making up 90% while the conscious (like the tip of the iceberg
floating

above water) makes only 10% of the mind.

Freud suggested an analogy about the mind. He said that the mind is like an iceberg in the ocean,
floating

10% above the water and 90% below. The unconscious, Freud proposed, makes up the vast
majority of

our mind. In Freud’s view, only about 10% of our behaviours are caused by conscious
awareness—about

90% are produced by unconscious factors.

According to psychoanalytic theory, most of what controls our behaviours, thoughts, and
feelings is

unknown to our aware minds. Normally, the unconscious guides us. Freud said that the mind
could be

divided into three abstract categories. These are the id, the ego, and the superego.

1. The id:

Latin for the term “it,” this division of the mind includes our basic instincts, inborn dispositions,
and

animalistic urges. Freud said that the id is totally unconscious, that we are unaware of its
workings. The id

is not rational; it imagines, dreams, and invents things to get us what we want. Freud said that the
id
operates according to the pleasure principle—it aims toward pleasurable things and away from
painful

things. The id aims to satisfy our biological urges and drives. It includes feelings of hunger,
thirst, sex, and

other natural body desires aimed at deriving pleasure.

2. The ego:

Greek and Latin for “I,” this personality structure begins developing in childhood and can be
interpreted

as the “self.” The ego is partly conscious and partly unconscious. The ego operates according to
the reality

principle; that is, it attempts to help the id get what it wants by judging the difference between
real and

imaginary. If a person is hungry, the id might begin to imagine food and even dream about food.
(The id is

not rational.) The ego, however, will try to determine how to get some real food. The ego helps a
person

satisfy needs through reality.

3. The superego:

This term means “above the ego,” and includes the moral ideas that a person learns within the
family and

society. The superego gives people feelings of pride when they do something correct (the ego
ideal) and

feelings of guilt when they do something they consider to be morally wrong (the conscience).
The

superego, like the ego, is partly conscious and partly unconscious. The superego is a child’s
moral
barometer, and it creates feelings of pride and guilt according to the beliefs that have been
learned within

the family and the culture.

Conclusion:

Although these are known as structures, do not take the term literally. Freud did not mean that
these are

physical parts of our bodies or our brains. He coined these terms and proposed this division of
the mind as

abstract ideas meant to help us understand how personality develops and works, and how mental
illnesses

can develop.

Freud theorized that healthy personality development requires a balance between the id and the
superego.

These two divisions of the mind are naturally at conflict with one another: The id attempts to
satisfy

animal, biological urges, while the superego preaches patience and restraint. The struggle
between these

two is an example of intrapsychic conflict—conflict within the mind.

According to psychoanalytic theory, defense mechanisms are automatic (unconscious) reactions

to the fear

that the id’s desires will overwhelm the ego. Freud believed that a healthy personality was one in
which

the id’s demands are met but also the superego is satisfied in making the person feel proud and
not

overwhelmed by guilt. If the id is too strong, a person will be rude, overbearing, selfish, and
animalistic. If
the superego is too strong, a person is constantly worried, nervous, and full of guilt and anxiety
and is

always repressing the id’s desires.

An overly strong id makes one a psychopath, lacking a conscience, or an ogre, selfishly meeting
one’s

needs without concern for others. An overly strong superego, on the other hand, makes one a
worrier, a

neurotic, so overwhelmed by guilt that it is difficult to get satisfaction.

1.5.2 ERIKSON THEORY:

Erikson converted Freud’s emphasis to a focus on social relationships into eight psychosocial
stages.

These stages became known as the Eight Ages of Man. (As you know, at that time in history, the
word

man was used to apply to all human beings.)

Each of Erikson’s eight stages was described as a time of crisis—a time when the personality
would go

one way or the other. For example, you’ve likely heard of the identity crisis. Erikson theorized
that during

adolescence, we all face a crisis of figuring out who we are. Each of the stages has this either-or
quality.

Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages: (Eight Ages of Man)

1. Infant

Trust

versus

Mistrust
Babies whose needs are met develop a feeling of trust for the

environment. If infants have frustration and deprivation, they learn a

basic mistrust for the world that will stick throughout life.

2. Toddler

Autonomy

versus

Shame

When toddlers learn to act independently and to control and doubt their

bodies (toilet training, walking, etc.), they learn self confidence and a

feeling of autonomy. Failure leads to feelings of inadequacy and

therefore a sense of basic shame and doubt.

3. Preschool

Initiative

versus

Guilt

The preschooler is ready to take action—in play, in imagination and in

running his or her life. Success here leads to good self-esteem; problems

lead to feelings of guilt.

4. Early

school age

Industry

versus
Inferiority

The school-aged child is ready for learning many new skills and, if

successful, will develop a sense of industry—being good at things.

Failures at this stage result in a deep sense of being no good, of being

inferior to others—a feeling that might carry into adulthood.

5. Adolescent

Identity versus

Role of

confusion

An adolescent is beginning to think abstractly and can conceptualize his

or her self-identity and personality. The adolescent begins to consider

questions of identity such as: Who should I be? What should I value?

And what interests should I have? The teen must answer these to

develop a good sense of self-identity. Exploration of various roles and

personalities is common in this stage.

6.Young adult

Intimacy

versus

Isolation

A young adult faces the challenge of developing close emotional

relationships with other people. Here the term intimate does not mean

sexuality, but social and emotional connections with others. The

opposite result, for those who do not develop a sense of intimacy, is to

become isolated from social contact.

7.Middle-aged

adult

Generativity

versus

Stagnation

Middle-aged adults feel an urgency to leave a mark on the world, to

generate something of lasting value and worth. Finding a purpose in life

is a central theme. To fail at generating something significant means a

person becomes stagnant and stops moving forward; this person may

become selfish and self-absorbed.

8. Old adult

Integrity

versus

Despair

In old age, it is common to look back on life and reflect on what was

accomplished. People who feel good about what they have done build a

sense of integrity. For those whose evaluations are not so good, there is

despair, the feeling of regret and remorse for the life they led.

1.6 CONCEPT OF SUCCESS:

1.6.1 DEFINITION:
What makes a person successful? How do we recognize success?

To some people, success might mean wealth. To others, it is recognition, good health, good
family,

happiness, satisfaction, and peace of mind. What this really tells us is that success is subjective.
It can

mean different things to different people.

The best definition for success is

“Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal”

Let's look at these definitions carefully.

reach

one goal, we go on to the next and the next and the next.

to

feel it within myself. It is internal not external.

Worthiness determines the quality of the journey. That is what gives meaning and fulfilment.

Success without fulfilment is empty.

1.6.2 GOALS:

Why Goals are important?

In a study conducted on students in the 1979 Harvard MBA program, only three percent of the

graduates had written goals and plans; 13 percent had goals, but they were not in writing; and 84
percent
had set no goals at all.

Ten years later, the findings revealed that 13 percent of the class who had goals were earning up

to 84 percent compared to those who had not set any. For the three percent who defined their
goals and

wrote them down, they were earning on average, ten times as much as the other 97 percent put
together.

Goal Setting:

Most People don't know how to set goals. Some set goals that are too general. These are, in
reality,

fantasies common to everyone. Goals, on the other hand, are clear, written, specific, and
measurable.

Most People fear failure. Failure hurts, but it is often necessary to experience failure in order to

achieve the greatest success. Do not unconsciously sabotage yourself by not setting any goals in
which

you might fail. They fear rejection. People are often afraid that if they are unsuccessful at
achieving a

goal, others will be critical of them. This is remedied by keeping your goals to yourself at the
outset; let

others see your results and achievements once you've accomplished your goals.

Some goals are called away from goals. These are usually framed in the negative. Here are a few

examples.

• I don’t want to smoke anymore

• I don’t want to be unfit

• I don’t want to be overweight

• I don’t want to be broke

Now let’s reframe them in the positive

• I am a non smoker

• I am fit and healthy

• I am at my ideal weight

• I can cover my bills

Notice the difference. They are stated in the positive and take on the assumption that you have

achieved it already. By assuming “as if” your behaviour changes so that you are acting like to
have

already achieved what you wanted to do. What a great feeling to have even before you have got
there. It

also bolsters your motivation.

So now we have determined if our goal is towards something, or away from something. We have

now stated it in the positive. This however is still not a very well detailed goal. We will now look
at how

we can make it more specific.

An ideal goal should be expressed in the positive, be time bound and specific. You may also like

to consider, how will you know when you have achieved it, what will it feel like, what will the
people

around you be like? What will you do to celebrate it?

A goal must be time bound. When do I want to have achieved it? If that’s when I want to achieve

it, then when must I start? What is the first step I need to take? Who should I tell? Should telling
that

person be the first step? What skills or knowledge do I need to acquire along the way?

Goal size, is the goal too big to achieve? If so then breaking it down into smaller bite sized
pieces
may be the right approach.

1.6.2 FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCCESS:

1. Desire:

The motivation to success comes from the burning desire to achieve a purpose.

Napoleon Hill wrote, "Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, the mind can
achieve."

A young man asked Socrates the secret to success. Socrates told the young man to meet him near

the river the next morning. They met. Socrates asked the young man to walk with him toward the
river.

When the water got up to their neck, Socrates took the young man by surprise and ducked him
into the

water. The boy struggled to get out but Socrates was strong and kept him there until the boy
started

turning blue. Socrates pulled his head out of the water and the first thing the young man did was
to gasp

and take a deep breath of air. Socrates asked, 'What did you want the most when you were
there?" The boy

replied, "Air." Socrates said, "That is the secret to success. When you want success as badly as
you wanted

the air, then you will get it." There is no other secret.

A burning desire is the starting point of all accomplishment. Just like a small fire cannot give

much heat, a weak desire cannot produce great results.

2. Commitment:

Integrity and wisdom are the two pillars on which to build and keep commitments.
This point is best illustrated by the manager, who told one of his staff members, "Integrity is
keeping your

commitment even if you lose money and wisdom is not to make such foolish commitments."

Prosperity and success are the result of our thoughts and decisions. It is our decision what

thoughts will dominate our lives. Success is not an accident. It is the result of our attitude.

There is a big difference between playing to win and playing not to lose. When we play to win,
we

play with enthusiasm and commitment; whereas when we play not to lose, we are playing from a
position

of weakness. When we play not to lose, we are playing to avoid failure. We all want to win, but
very few

are prepared to pay the price to prepare to win. Winners condition and commit themselves to
winning.

Playing to win comes out of inspiration, whereas playing not to lose comes out of desperation.

There are no ideal circumstances. There will never be. To reach anywhere we cannot just drift
nor

lie at anchor. We need to sometimes sail with the wind and sometimes against it, but sail we
must.

Ask any coach or athlete what the difference between the best and the worst team is. There
would be very

little difference in their physique, talent and ability. The biggest difference you will find is
emotional

difference. The winning team has dedication and they make the extra effort. To a winner, the
tougher the

competition

3. Responsibility
A duty which becomes a desire will ultimately become a delight. --George Gritter

People with character accept responsibilities. They make decisions and determine their own
destiny in life.

Accepting responsibilities involves taking risks and being accountable which is sometimes
uncomfortable.

Most people would rather stay in their comfort zone and live passive lives without accepting

responsibilities. They drift through life waiting for things to happen rather than making them
happen.

Accepting responsibilities involves taking calculated, not foolish, risks. It means evaluating all
the pros

and cons, then taking the most appropriate decision or action. Responsible people don't think that
the

world owes them a living.

4. Hard Work:

Success is not something that you run into by accident. It takes a lot of preparation and character.

Everyone likes to win but how many are willing to put in the effort and time to prepare to win? It
takes

sacrifice and self-discipline. There is no substitute for hard work.

Henry Ford said, "The harder you work, the luckier you get."

The world is full of willing workers, some willing to work and the others willing to let them.

“I like to work half a day. I don't care if it is the first 12 hours or the second 12 hours.”

--Kammons Wilson, CEO of Holiday Inn

One cannot develop a capacity to do anything without hard work, just as a person cannot learn
how to
spell by sitting on a dictionary. Professionals make things look easy because they have mastered
the

fundamentals of whatever they do.

“If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it wouldn't seem wonderful at all.”

--Michaelangelo

An executive called a company to check on a potential candidate. He asked the candidate's

supervisor,

"How long has he worked for you?" The man replied, "Three days." The executive said. "But he
told me

he was with you for three years." The man replied, "That is right, but he worked three days."

5. Character

Character is the sum total of a person's values, beliefs and personality. It is reflected in our

behavior, in our actions. It needs to be preserved more than the richest jewel in the world. To be
a winner

takes character. George Washington said, "I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue
enough to

maintain what I consider the most valuable of all titles, the character of an honest man."

It is not the polls or public opinions but the character of the leader that determines the course of

history. There is no twilight zone in integrity. The road to success has many pitfalls. It takes a lot
of

character and effort not to fall into them. It also takes character not to be disheartened by critics.

How come most people love success but hate successful people? Whenever a person rises above

average, there will always be someone trying to rip him apart. Chances are pretty good when you
see a
person on top of a hill, that he just didn't get there, but had to endure a tough climb. It's no
different in life.

In any profession, a successful person will be envied by those who are not. Don't let criticism

distract you from reaching your goal. Average people play it safe to avoid criticism, which can
be easily

avoided by saying, doing or being nothing. The more you accomplish, the more you risk being
criticized.

It seems there is a relationship between success and criticism. The greater the success, the more
is the

criticism.

Critics have always been sitting at the sidelines. They are underachievers who shout at doers,
telling them

how to do it right. But remember critics are not the leaders or doers and it is worthwhile asking
them to

come down to where the action is.

“The critic is one who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

6. Positive Believing:

What is the difference between positive thinking and positive believing? What if you could

actually listen to your thoughts? Are they positive or negative? How are you programming your
mind, for

success or failure? How you think has a profound effect on your performance.

Having a positive attitude and being motivated is a choice we make every morning.

Living a positive life is not easy; but then neither is negative living. Given a choice, I would go

for positive living.

Positive thinking is better than negative thinking and it will help us use our abilities to the fullest.
Positive believing is a lot more than positive thinking. It is having a reason to believe that
positive

thinking will work. Positive believing is an attitude of confidence that comes with preparation.
Having a

positive attitude without making the effort is nothing more than having a wishful dream. The
following

illustrates positive believing.

7. Give More Than You Get

It is easy to succeed today. We have no competition. If you want to get ahead in life, go the extra
mile.

There is no competition on the extra mile. Are you willing to do a little more than you get paid
for? How

many people you know are willing to do a little bit more than what they get paid for? Hardly any.
Most

people don't want to do what they get paid for and there is a second category of people who only
want to

do what they can get by with. They fulfil their quota just to keep their jobs. There is a small
fraction who

are willing to do a little bit more than what they get paid for.

Why do they do more? If you fall into the last category, then where is your competition?

The advantages of doing more than you get paid for are:
 s start respecting you.

8. The Power of Persistence

Nothing will take the place of persistence.

Talent will not: Nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent.

Genius will not: Unrewarded genius is a proverb.

Education will not: The world is full of educated derelicts.

Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. --Calvin Coolidge

The journey to being your best is not easy. It is full of setbacks. Winners have the ability to
overcome and

bounce back with even greater resolve.

Fritz Kreisler, the great violinist, was once asked, "How do you play so well? Are you lucky?"
He

replied, "It is practice. If I don't practice for a month, the audience can tell the difference. If I
don't practice

for a week, my wife can tell the difference. If I don't practice for a day, I can tell the difference."

Persistence means commitment and determination. There is pleasure in endurance. Commitment

and persistence is a decision. Athletes put in years of practice for a few seconds or minutes of

performance.

Persistence is a decision. It is a commitment to finish what you start. When we are exhausted,

quitting looks good. But winners endure. Ask a winning athlete. He endures pain and finishes
what he

started.
1.6.3 HURDLES IN ACHIEVING SUCCESS:

Although there are lot of potential obstacles, the following hurdles are more common.

1. Lack of information

2. Lack of skill

3. Limiting beliefs

4. Well being

5. Other people

6. Own motivation

7. Time

8. Money

9. Fear

1. Lack of Information:

Information can have one of two effects. With too much you can be overwhelmed, and can stop

you from making a decision or taking the next steps. With too little information you are not able
to put

things into perspective, or look at the bigger picture. Identifying where you have gaps in your
knowledge,

and including this as part of your goal will move you closer to achieving it. There are several
ways to

obtain new information. Research, planned reading, listening to CD’s, DVD’s on a specific topic
or

networking with individuals who have the knowledge to share with you.

2. Lack of Skill:

In order to move forwards you may have to pick up skills along the way. This need not be an
enormous challenge. As part of your goal setting, understanding what skills you need to acquire,
and how

you will acquire them will form steps of your plan. This does not necessarily mean that you need
to enrol

on a course, although that is a great idea. Other alternatives such as on-line study, planned
reading,

shadowing a colleague in the workplace, or seeking advice from a friend can also help you
obtain the

skills you need.

3. Limiting beliefs:

We all have a set of beliefs by which we live our lives. These are set in our subconscious at an

early age. Sometimes these beliefs can hold you back and limit your ability to achieve you goals.
Some

common examples may be familiar to you. Indecision or Procrastination- should I do one thing
or

another? This often results in you doing nothing. The limiting belief manifests itself as “I am not
able to

make decisions”.

Unable to make progress or stuck – when a way of working is no longer effective, you continue
to

use it and often forms a comfort zone, the limiting belief here could be “ I can’t/ won’t change”.
Often

people will state that “I don’t deserve to be successful”, or “that shouldn’t work for me”. Here
we are

seeing self sabotage and not valuing themselves and their own ability.

4. Well being:
Despite your best efforts, there may be times when you are simply not able to pursue your goals.

A sudden illness or injury can put set you back. When this happens you need to be realistic.

Beating yourself up will not help, nor simply giving up. Take a little time to re assess your goal

and consider what your options are now. How important is it that this goal is achieved within the
original

timeframe. Also consider how else you goal can be pursued, and who can help you during these
times.

5. Other People:

Quite often the people that are closest to us fear us achieving our goals. For them this means that
you may

change and that will also mean change for them. They may not be aware how important your
goals are to

you. If the people you share your time with for example family, friends, colleagues to not
understand and

support your goals, there is a chance that you may be influenced by this. If these people are
adverse to

change then they may well sabotage you plans.

6. Own Motivation:

Although you may see out with the best intentions, after a while the novelty may wear off or
there

are other distractions. This may be down to a number of factors. Perhaps the goals that you set
were too

large, and needed to be broken down into smaller manageable chunks.

Perhaps you are not getting the results, and need to consider what you doing that is are
preventing
you from moving forward. After continued effort you may feel that the goal is now actually
something

that do don’t want, or at least the outcome.

In this case the goal needs to be reassessed. If it requires modification because circumstances
have

changed, then change it. If it no longer serves you, then don’t waste your energy following up on

something just because you started it.

7. Time:

We all live in a world where we don’t seem to have enough time. Many of us are “time poor”,

which means that we do not manage our use of time to get the best results. Quite often I hear
from the

people around me “I just don’t have time to do x”. How true is this statement really? Have we
taken on too

much, overcommitted ourselves and are embarrassed to say no? Perhaps, but I have another
view.

If we approach our use of time without any structure we may just leap from one thing to another

in no particular order. Without priority we will move from one thing to the next urgent thing.

There is also the aspect of distractions. This can be distraction from others who do not have the

same aspirations as you. There is the distraction of telephone calls and emails. Quite often we
busy

ourselves with those things that are nice to do, but do not take us any further forward to
achieving our

goals.

8. Money:

Money is a common reason for not pursuing your goal. Usually it is the lack of money that stops
you. When you hear someone say “I can’t afford it” or “I just don’t have the money”. These
statements are

usually offered up without much hesitation.

While I agree that it may well be true to some extent, what alternatives have they really explored

and how else could the money be found? If you are really serious about achieving this goal, what
lengths

would you go to in order to find the money (legally)!

Let’s turn this around and look at it from another perspective. What is it costing you to not have

that goal in your life right now? For example being in that bad relationship or enduring bad
health. If in

achieving this goal it was going to get you that next job, or mean that you would get that 10%

performance bonus at work, what efforts would you go to?

9. Fear:

What do I mean by fear? There are the more straightforward examples. If you need to do

something that takes you right outside of your comfort zone for the first time, which may well
install fear

into you.

Then there is the fear of failure. What will those around you think if you don’t achieve you goal.

How will you face them and maintain your integrity. Better to quit now that to see it through
right? That

way no-one will be able to judge me.

Another type of fear is the fear of success. What if I actually do it, and people find out I am a

fraud? Is this goal something that I really want anyway? Self doubt comes into play and you try
to talk

yourself out of it.

1.7 FAILURE:

Failure can be defined as the state or condition of not achieving a desirable or intended objective;

it can be considered the opposite of success. Failure is just a state of mind. You are a failure only
if you

think that you failed. Your attitude towards a certain situation determines whether or not you
have failed.

The fact is that everyone fails in something or the other at some point in their lives.

It is easy to think negatively when it seems that everything that you do is not good enough.

Look at the following failures and come to a conclusion yourself:

1. Only 400 Cokes were sold in its first year of production.

2. Albert Einstein’s Ph.D dissertation was rejected.

3. Henry Ford had two bankruptcies before his famous success.

4. Thomas Alva Edison, the inventor of the electric bulb failed no less than 10000 times before

succeeding. But he said “I have not failed. I have just found 10000 ways that won’t work.

Disappointments, Rejections, Unsuccessful attempts were not failures to the successful people.

They used them as stepping stones to success. This is the difference between people who win
and people

who don’t. Failure is not the lack of success.

People are looking only the successes of others. They are not seeing the struggles, frustrations
and

disappointments they faced.

Ralph Waldo Emerson who was a successful American essayist, lecturer and poet told “Men

succeed when they realise that their failures are the preparation for their victories”
Successful people don’t blame others for what has happened to them and they don’t use other
people’s

definitions for success and failure. They use their own. They just change paths, re- assess goals,
try

something new or adjust direction. To them, failure happens when they stop trying to achieve
their

personal best.

1.7.1 CAUSES OF FAILURE:

The following factors can be considered as causes of failure. The most common failure-causing
problems

and their solutions:

1. Lack of Persistence:

More people fail not because they lack knowledge or talent but because they just quit. It’s

important to remember two words: persistence and resistance. Persist in what must be done and
resist what

ought not to be done.

Try new approaches. Persistence is important, but repeating the same actions over and over
again,

hoping that this time you'll succeed, probably won’t get you any closer to your objective. Look at
your

previous unsuccessful efforts and decide what to change. Keep making adjustments and
midcourse

corrections, using your experience as a guide.

2. Lack of Conviction:

People who lack conviction take the middle of the road. But what happens in the middle of the
road? You get run over. People without conviction go along to get along because they lack
confidence and

courage. They conform in order to get accepted, even when they know that what they are doing
is wrong.

Decide what is important to you. If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right and doing

well. Let your passion show even in mundane tasks. It’s OK to collaborate and cooperate for
success, but

it’s not OK to compromise your values—ever.

3. Rationalization:

Winners might analyze, but they never rationalize. Losers rationalize and have a book full of

excuses to tell you why they couldn’t succeed.

Change your perspective. Don’t think of every unsuccessful attempt as a failure. Few people

succeed at everything the first time. Most of us attain our goals only through repeated effort. Do
your best

to learn everything you can about what happened and why.

4. Dismissal of Past Mistakes:

Some people live and learn, and some only live. Failure is a teacher if we have the right attitude.

Wise people learn from their mistakes—experience is the name they give to slipups.

Define the problem better. Analyze the situation—what you want to achieve, what your strategy

is, why it didn’t work. Are you really viewing the problem correctly? If you need money, you
have more

options than increasing revenue. You could also cut expenses. Think about what you’re really
trying to do.

5. Lack of Discipline:
Anyone who has accomplished anything worthwhile has never done it without discipline.
Discipline takes

self-control, sacrifice and avoiding distractions and temptations. It means staying focused.

Don’t be a perfectionist. You might have an idealized vision of what success will look and feel

like. Although that can be motivational, it might not be realistic. Succeeding at one goal won’t
eliminate

all your problems. Be clear on what will satisfy your objectives and don’t obsess about
superficial details.

6. Poor Self-Esteem:

Poor self-esteem is a lack of self-respect and self-worth. People with low self-confidence are

constantly trying to find themselves rather than creating the person they want to be.

Don’t label yourself. You might have failed, but you’re not a failure until you stop trying. Think

of yourself as someone still striving toward a goal, and you’ll be better able to maintain your
patience and

perseverance for the long haul.

7. Fatalistic Attitude:

A fatalistic attitude prevents people from accepting responsibility for their position in life. They

attribute success and failure to luck. They resign themselves to their fate, regardless of their
efforts, that

whatever has to happen will happen anyway.

Look in the mirror every day and say, I am in charge. You might not have control over every

phase of your life, but you have more control than you realize, and you are responsible for your
own

happiness and success. Your attitude determines your altitude, and you can turn “down” into
“up”.
1.8 SWOT ANALYSIS:

SWOT stands for: Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat. A SWOT analysis guides you to

identify your organization’s strengths and weaknesses (S-W), as well as broader opportunities
and threats

(O-T).

A SWOT analysis can offer helpful perspectives at any stage of an effort. You might use it to:

rtunities for
success in

context of threats to success can clarify directions and choices.

your

strengths and weaknesses can reveal priorities as well as possibilities.

-course. A new opportunity might open wider avenues, while a

new threat

could close a path that once existed.

excellent

way to organize information you've gathered from studies or surveys.

SWOT analysis can help the following people.

 d Wife

1.8.1 THE ADVANTAGES OF CONDUCTING A PERSONAL SWOT ANALYSIS:

The main purpose of a SWOT is to promote the identified strengths, reduce weaknesses,
exploiting the

opportunities and having contingency plans to minimize threats.

There are many benefits and advantages of using SWOT Analysis for personal development. It is
good for

your success and betterment. Some of the most common benefits of conducting a personal
SWOT analysis

have been mentioned below.

in your goals

lly are as a person

 apabilities and capacities

1.8.2 USING THE SWOT ANALYSIS TOOL:

Strengths:

These are the traits or skills that set you apart from others. Questions to ask include:

connections.

Are you part of a network no one else is involved in? What connections do you have with

powerful people?

Weaknesses:

This part examines the areas in which you need to improve and the things that will set you back
in your

career. Questions to consider include:

k?
Opportunities:

For the opportunities section, look at the external factors you can take advantage of to pursue a
promotion,

find a new job or determine a career direction.

ts present state?

ld you create an opportunity by offering solutions to problems?

Threats:

This part takes into account the external factors that could hurt your chances to attain your goals.
The

factors to take into account include:

at work?

-workers competing with you for projects or roles?

1.8.3 EXAMPLE OF SWOT ANALYSIS:

SWOT tool used by a small independent book store:

HELPFUL HARMFUL

INTERNAL
STRENGTHS:

students who love books

book store

customers to linger and find

something to buy.

WEAKNESSES:

vacation

EXTERNAL

OPPORTUNITIES:

lectures and book signings.

recommendations to long term

customers

What Is Adaptability?
Adaptability as a skill means the ability to change or adjust to new circumstances. It implies how
you respond while anticipating a change, both to risks as well as to opportunities. In a workplace
it is considered a skill to be flexible with the demands of the job. Look beyond your own
perspectives. Adaptability implies how easily you adjust and if you are a quick learner it is a
good indication of this skill set. It is a soft skill that can be transferred across various industries
and careers and implies working without any fixed set of boundaries.

When applying for a position, even if you are not an exact match for a role, there can be
requirement for certain traits and soft skills in the candidate and adaptability skills feature high
on that list.

Consistency, optimism, creative thinking, organisation, flexibility, interpersonal

communication and problem-solving are some of the attributes of adaptability.

Various Types Of Adaptability Skills Are:

Communication skills

To adapt in the workplace you need to communicate effectively with your co-workers and
teammates. Communication skills help you to understand the environment that you are in and
successfully convey your ideas to others. While being adaptable with your colleagues, you can
still tactfully disagree if you think that the ideas and suggestions might be ineffective. Successful
communication skills imply how convincingly you convey your message without getting into a
conflict.

Non-verbal communication skills and active listening are also important adaptability features in
the workplace. It shows that you are attentive to your colleagues and can navigate changes in the
team dynamics.

Problem-solving skills

Being adaptable implies the ability to deal with issues better. Be open to unexpected challenges.
Problem-solving means you have to be open to practical, innovative, diverse and creative
solutions to address the issues. To demonstrate your problem-solving skills to your managers,
find solutions without being limited by any set boundaries. By being adaptable, it shows that you
remain positive in the face of adversity. Using the capabilities and skill sets of relevant people
help you to resolve the problem and get the job done.

Interpersonal skills

Adaptability is driven by your own initiative and not imposed externally. Interpersonal skills are
the characteristics and tactics you use to interact with others effectively. Good interpersonal
skills are particularly sought after in the workplace these days. To develop your interpersonal
skills further in the workplace, try to have a positive working relationship with your co-workers.
Understand their differences and emotions and give and receive constructive feedback. Even
under challenging workplace situations, positive interpersonal communication skills contributes
to a more healthy work environment.

Strategic and creative thinking skills

Creative thinking skill helps you to identify unique growth opportunities within an organisation.
Through creative thinking you can resolve problems by finding unique solutions. Identify the
problem first which might not be obvious and then follow it up by definite planning.

Creative thinking requires strategic framework where you can gather information, understand the
relationships and equations, find the solutions, evaluate and then implement the strategies.

Adaptability requires both creative and strategic thinking. Question standard practices, relax your
assumptions and learn to analyse the situation from another's perspective. Understanding from
your past experiences also help to create empathy while you brainstorm creative solutions to a
problem.

Teamwork skills

Adapting to diverse personalities and working scenarios call for teamwork within an
organisation. Teamwork is the ability to work across different backgrounds, experiences and skill
sets. Team adaptability evolves with time. Team dynamics is often influenced by the complexity
of the task which the team is working on.

The ability to adapt to different people within a team and positively adjust to their variety of
ideas, personalities and dynamics shows how developed your teamwork skills are. Tasks vary in
intensity on how much load they put on individuals and teams and the extent of adaptability
required. When the task load is high then intervention might be required to adjust strategies and
coordinate a team to address the issue. A lighter work load would imply that the team members
can develop their own strategies, goals and processes to achieve the desired outcome.

Organisational skills

To develop your adaptability skills, organisational skills are essential. Depending on your role or
the nature of your workplace, organisational skills can take on a different meaning. Usually,
having this skill would imply that you maintain your workspace efficiently, meet deadlines and
effectively communicate with your teammates or colleagues.

Being organised helps you to adapt to any changes that might come up in your organisation.
Time management while working under pressure, delegation of duties while setting goals,
making analytical choices, taking strategic decisions and communicating with the team are some
of the skill sets that is required to be well organised.

How To Develop Adaptability Skills

Adaptability is a must-have soft skill that requires practice and commitment. While being
flexible to change might not always be easy, the following steps might help to develop your
adaptability skill.

Recognise the changes in your surroundings

Being aware of the changes happening in your workplace helps you to adapt easily. Remain
open-minded and relevant to your role and organisation. You can stay abreast of the latest
changes taking place in the processes, practices and procedures within the firm. As changes
occur very fast in your surrounding workplace, you need to be resilient and continuously adapt to
it.

Be willing to learn

Having a curious, growth-oriented mindset helps you to learn new things regularly and stay
adaptable. Observe the changes and be flexible to learn from others. Ask well-researched
questions to mentors and colleagues. It can help you to navigate ideas and adapt better. Continue
to learn both from within the organisation and from external opportunities. While learning from
co-workers you will understand how the skills are best applied to the organisation and its people.

Regularly exploring new avenues to develop your skills and contribute to new plans and projects
can demonstrate to your employer your commitment to the firm. By having the right growth
mindset, you can continue to learn about the skills and processes that are best utilised for
optimising efficiency.

Have clear goals

Setting goals for learning and development helps to increase your overall adaptability skills. If
you need to sharpen certain skill set, try not to procrastinate the job which requires that skill but
make it a goal to work towards it. Have a goal to contribute to collaborations and team meetings.
This will increase your ability to adapt to diverse and difficult situations.

Be open to feedback or constructive criticism

Be open to feedback to learn from the mistakes and take it forward positively by working on
your weaker skills. While errors are normal, understanding what is the learning outcome and
how you attempt to resolve the issue helps to make you more adaptable. Constructive
criticism helps to motivate the employee to perform better as they can then reframe the focus and
review the strategy. The more you engage in this process, the easier it gets to deal with
challenges and adjust accordingly.

Accept change

Learning to adapt to changes and accepting them can be very helpful for your career. It is
important to be open-minded as change is inevitable. As an employee or a team leader you have
 to motivate your team to remain focussed and positive even in challenging times. Solutions to
problems can be found under all circumstances and situations.

Resume Writing

5.9 Resumes

A resume is a document that summarizes your education, skills, talents, employment history, and
experiences in a clear and concise format for potential employers. The resume serves three
distinct purposes that define its format, design, and presentation:

1. To represent your relevant professional information in writing

2. To demonstrate the relationship between your professional information and the problem or
challenge the potential employer hopes to solve or address, often represented in the form of a job
description or duties
3. To get you an interview by clearly demonstrating you meet the minimum qualifications and have
the professional background help the organization meet its goals

Regardless of the format, employers have expectations for your resume. They expect it to be
clear, accurate, and up to date (Bennett, 2005). This document represents you in your absence,
and you want it to do the best job possible. You don’t want to be represented by spelling or
grammatical errors, as they may raise questions about your education and attention to detail.
Someone reading your resume with errors will only wonder what kind of work you might
produce that will poorly reflect on their company. There is going to be enough competition that
you don’t want to provide an easy excuse to toss your resume at the start of the process. Do your
best work the first time. Table 4.9.1 highlights some common types of resumes.

Table 4.9.1 Common types of resumes

Type Function Advantage Disadvantage

Chronological Chronological resumes Demonstrates a consistent

It may be difficult to
(which list items in work history
highlight skills and
reverse time order) focus
experience.
on work history.

Functional Functional resumes (also Demonstrates skills that It is often associated

called competency-based can clearly link to job with people who have
resumes) focus on skills. functions or duties gaps in their
employment history.

Combination A combination resume Highlights the skills you Some employers

Type Function Advantage Disadvantage

lists your skills and have that are relevant to prefer a reverse
experience first, then the job and provides a chronological order.
employment history and reverse chronological
education. work history

Scannable A scannable resume is Increasingly used to Scanners may not read

specifically formatted to facilitate search and the resume correctly.
be read by a scanner and retrieval, and to reduce
converted to digital physical storage costs
information.

Main parts of a resume

Resumes have several basic elements that employers look for, including your contact
information, objective or goal, education and work experience, and so on. Each resume format
may organize the information in distinct ways based on the overall design strategy, but all
information should be clear, concise, and accurate (Simons & Curtis, 2004). The content in your
resume should be carefully selected to present the best, most applicable qualifications for a
particular employer (the company and position for which you are applying) or purpose (attending
a career fair).

Contact information

This section is often located at the top of the document. The first element of the contact
information is your name. You should use your full, legal name even if you go by your middle
name or use a nickname. There will plenty of time later to clarify what you prefer to be called,
but all your application documents, including those that relate to payroll, your social insurance
number, background checks, transcripts, certificates, or degrees, should feature your legal name.
Other necessary information includes your phone number and email address. For business
purposes, do not use an unprofessional email address like ilovedogssooooomuch@….com or
teddybears@….com. Create a new e-mail account if needed with an address suitable for
professional use. If you have more than one phone number at which you can be reached, list the
one you’re most likely or most easily able to answer. (Don’t make it confusing for an employer
to guess which number at which to call you.)

Objective
This is one part of your resume that is relatively simple to customize for an individual
application. Your objective should reflect the audience’s need to quickly understand how you
will help the organization achieve its goals. An example of an objective is shown in Figure 4.9.1.

Education

You should list your education in reverse chronological order, with your most recent education
first. List the school, credential type (e.g., diploma, certificate, degree), and the full credential
name. Don’t use abbreviations for your university/college or program. For example, if you’re
completing a BBA-Accounting, spell it out in full (Bachelor of Business Administration in
Accounting). If you went to a college or university that may not be known in the area where the
organization is that you’re applying for a job, include the city and country alongside the name of
the school. If you have some post-secondary education, you can include by this indicating you
are in progress. In most circumstances, it is preferable to omit your high school education.

Work experience

List in reverse chronological order your employment history, including the positions, companies,
locations, dates, duties, and skills demonstrated or acquired. You may choose to use active,
descriptive sentences or bullet lists, but be consistent. Emphasize responsibilities that are
relevant to the specific job for which you’re applying, but don’t let emphasis become
exaggeration. This document represents you in your absence, and if information is false, at a
minimum you could lose your job. Be specific, be precise, and quantify details whenever
possible. For example, instead of saying “managed employees during the night shift,” you could
quantify that statement by saying “supervised 8 employees during 9-hour overnight shifts.” Use
the present tense to describe positions you currently hold and the past tense to describe positions
you no longer hold.

Other relevant qualifications

If you have received awards or honours; given presentations; published papers or other materials;
or have other qualifications of note and relevance to the position for which you’re applying, you
can list these in an appropriately named section on your resume. Don’t include a list of your
personal interests or hobbies. If you are wondering whether or not to include a piece of
information, focus on the audience’s needs. Will they find this information valuable in making a
decision about you as a candidate? Does it reveal something important about your skills,
interests, and qualifications? Does it reveal something new about you that is not already revealed
in your resume?

References

You may choose to include references at the end of your resume, though simply writing
“references available upon request” is more common (and often more appropriate).

Additional resume strategies

Length

You may also be tempted to extend your resume to more than one page, but don’t exceed that
limit unless the additional page(s) will feature specific, relevant information that represents
several years of work that directly relates to the position. The person reading your resume may
be sifting through many applicants and will not spend time reading several extra pages if the
content is not directly relevant.

Use key words

Just as there are common search terms and common words in relation to each position, job
description, or description of duties, your resume should mirror these common terms when and
where appropriate.

Follow directions

If a job description uses specific terms, refers to computer programs, skills, or previous
experience, make sure you incorporate that language in your resume (assuming you have those
skills or experience!). You know that when given a class assignment, you are expected to follow
directions; similarly, the employer is looking for specific skills and experience. By mirroring the
employer’s language and submitting your application documents in accord with their
instructions, you convey a spirit of cooperation and an understanding of how to follow
instructions.

Make it easy to read

You need to make sure your resume is easy to read. Use white space between sections. Use
emphasis (such as bolding, italicizing, underlining, or all caps) consistently to draw attention to
headings or things of note, but avoid using multiple types of emphasis at one. For example, don’t
bold, underline, and italicize the heading for your work experience section. Choose an easy-to-
read font that is typically used in business documents, such as Times New Roman, Arial, or
Calibri. Avoid using less common font types, which may be difficult to read. A font size of 11 or
12 is easier to read for most people. Be consistent and purposeful in the visual design of your
resume. Align bullet points consistently. Use the same types of bullet points in your resume.
Align your resume content consistently. Remember that whomever will be reviewing resumes
will likely be looking at many documents in a row and may be working quickly!

1. Look for keywords in the job postings

The best place to start when preparing to write a resume is to carefully read the job postings that
interest you. As you apply for different jobs, you should study each job description for keywords
that show what the employer is looking for in an ideal candidate. Include those keywords in your
resume where relevant.

For example, if you’re applying for a job as a Medical Billing Coder, an employer might list
keywords such as “coding,” “claims submission,” “compliance” or “AR management” in the job
description. Pay particular attention to anything listed in the sections labelled “Requirements” or
“Qualifications”. If you have the skills that employers are looking for, you can add these same
terms to your resume in the experience or skills sections.

2. Review resume examples for your industry

When creating your resume, you could study examples of resumes from your industry for
inspiration and best practices. While there are many ways you can use resume samples, there are
three main takeaways you should look for:

 Make it simple and easy to read. Resume samples are simple and straightforward. This
is because employers have a minimal amount of time to review your resume, so
readability is key. This also means selecting a professional, clean font.
 Make it brief. You’ll notice that each section of the resume sample is short and to-the-
point, including the summary and experience descriptions. Including only the most key
and relevant information means employers are able to consume more information about
you and quickly understand your fitness for the role.
 Include numbers. You might also notice that there are often metrics included in the
experience section of resume samples. This is because employers are highly responsive to
measurable proven value. Numbers allow them to better understand the value you may
bring to the position. For example, one bullet point under the experience description for
an administrative assistant reads, “Executed processing of vendor contracts and
implemented a standardized process, reducing contract discrepancies by 90%.”
When using resume samples, you should keep in mind that these are not meant to be copied
exactly. While you should avoid using them as a template, samples are useful as examples of
high quality resumes in your industry and job title.

3. Use a professional font

Because employers have only a short time to review your resume, it should be as clear and as
easy to read as possible. You should use a basic, clean font like Arial or Times New Roman.
Keep your font size between 10 and 12 points. Selecting a clear, readable font will help make
your resume appear more professional.

You should also make sure that you reduce or eliminate any unnecessary white space. Too much
blank space might make your resume seem sparse, distracting the audience and possibly raising a
red flag. By reducing extra white space, you make it easier for the resume reader to focus only on
the content of your resume instead of the white spaces. You can reduce white space by
increasing your font size to 12 points and possibly adding an additional, optional section like
“ Skills” or “Awards and Achievements”.

4. Include only the most relevant information and put the most important information first

While you might have extensive work or educational experience, it’s important to keep your
resume as brief as possible without leaving out key information. Hiring managers don’t spend a
lot of time reading each resume. Research has shown that hiring managers tend to spend only 6
seconds per resume. If your resume includes old or irrelevant information, such as jobs held over
10 years ago or minor degrees and achievements, it may distract from important information.

Try to include only work experience, achievements, education and skills most relevant to the
employer. You can find the most relevant attributes by closely reading the job posting. You
should prioritise important information higher on your resume to draw attention to key skills and
achievements.

5. Use active language

Your resume should be written using active language without irrelevant words. This means using
power words such as “achieved,” “earned,” “completed” or “accomplished”. If your resume is
too long or seems hard to read, you should consider making sentences shorter or ideas more
concise.

For example, you may have a job description that reads:

“During my time at Freedom Private Limited, I ran multiple team-based projects and helped
each team member with various tasks associated with each project.”

This example could be shortened and strengthened in the following way:

“Led multiple team-based projects and effectively coordinated group tasks.”

The revised version communicates the same ideas about your accomplishments while reducing
the number of words and including more active language.

6. Call attention to important achievements

Instead of listing your job duties under the experience section, select your top three or four most
important achievements in each role you’ve held. Where possible, include numbers that measure
your success for that particular goal or achievement.
You might also consider including a separate “Achievements” or “Skills” section to specifically
highlight relevant achievements in your education, career, volunteer work or other experiences.

7. Only include subheadings and sections you need

Whether you’re using a resume template or creating your own, you may find there are some
recommended sections you do not need.
For example, you may need a resume summary or a resume objective, but you should not include
both. If you are just graduating from college or high school and have not yet held a professional
position, do not include an empty work history section. Instead, you could replace the experience
section with relevant coursework, academic achievements and other experiences like internships
or extracurricular projects.

Related: Writing a Resume With No Experience

You may also find it useful to combine sections if you are having trouble filling a section with
more than two bullet points.

8. Choose appropriate margins

Typically, you should use a one-inch margin size on all sides of your resume with single spaces
between the lines. If you have too much white space, you might consider making your lines
spaced by 1.15 or 1.5. You can also increase your margins if you find it is difficult to fill your
resume but they should stay below two inches.

9. Proof read and edit

Before sending your resume, you should undergo several rounds of proofreading to ensure there
are no spelling or grammar errors. While there are several proofreading programmes and tools
you can use, it is also helpful to ask trusted friends or colleagues to review your resume. It is
helpful for an objective third party to look at your resume as an employer might to find ways you
can correct or improve it.

10. Decide whether you need a unique resume for different jobs

Before submitting any application, you should ask yourself, “Have I made it as easy as possible
for this employer to see that I’m qualified?” If you’re applying for a job that has unique
requirements, you may need another version of your resume to fully demonstrate your
qualifications. Decide which resume to use on a case-by-case basis.

Your resume is often the first step to getting an interview with an employer. Make sure you
include the most relevant information on your resume, organise it to highlight the most important
information and carefully review for errors. Once your resume is polished and finalised, it should
help you get more call backs, interviews and job offers.