Secretary Suharto "Teng" Mangudadatu Ph.D.

TESDA SECRETARY GENERAL

Dr. Dan M. Navarro DPA
TESDA REGIONAL DIRECTOR
 Director Noralaine Rasul, Ph.D.
TESDA PROVINCIAL DIRECTOR, MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF TESDA?

• The Technical Education and Skills

Development Authority (TESDA) is the
government agency tasked to manage and
supervise technical education and skills
development (TESD) in the Philippines. It
was created by virtue of Republic Act 7796,
otherwise known as the “Technical
Education and Skills Development Act of
1994”.
Can I use my TESDA certificate abroad?

TESDA is a great option for those

looking to work abroad and gain more
professional experience. The courses
offered by TESDA provide an excellent
foundation for international
employment. Here we share some of the
best TESDA courses to consider when
planning your overseas career.
TESDA has developed health-related courses that are
suitable for jobs in Canada. These are Health Care
Services NC II, Caregiving (Elderly) NC II, Caregiving
(Clients with Special Needs) NC II, Caregiving (Grade
Schooler to Adolescent) NC II, and Emergency Medical
Services NC II.
It also has training regulations on Medical Transcription
NC II, Contact Tracing NC II, Dental Hygiene NC IV,
Dental Laboratory Technology Services NC I, Dental
Laboratory Technology Services (Fixed Dentures/
Restorations) NC II, Dental Laboratory Technology
Services (Removable Dentures/ Appliances) NC II, and
Pharmacy Services NC III.
December 05, 2022
 EMERGENCY
MEDICAL SERVICES
NC II
BASIC COMPETENCIES
BASIC COMPENTENCIES NC II
1. PARTICIPATE IN WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION
2. WORK IN A TEAM ENVIRONMENT
3. SOLVE/ADDRESS GENERAL WORKPLACE PROBLEMS
4. DEVELOP CAREER AND LIFE DECISIONS
5. CONTRIBUTE TO WORKPLACE INNOVATION
6. PRESENT RELEVANT INFORMATION
7. PRACTICEOCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
POLICIES AND PROTOCOLS
8. EXERCISE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE SUSTAINABLE
PRACTICES IN THE WORKPLACE
9. PRACTICE ENTREPRENUERIAL SKILLS IN THE
WORKPLACE
What basic skills mean?
Basic skills are the key skills you need in study and life,
and include Math, English and ICT. Apprenticeships Job
seeking School. Basic skills are very important. Everyone
needs them. These are skills like reading, writing,
number skills and computer skills that we use every day.

What is basic Competencies in TESDA?

DEFINITION. The BASIC COMPETENCIES refer to non-
technical skills (knowledge, skills. and attitudes) that
everybody will need in order to perform satisfactorily at.
work and in society and are considered portable and
transferable irrespective.
 PARTICIPATE IN
WORKPLACE
COMMUNICATION
UC. 1 OBTAIN AND CONVEY WORKPLACE
INFORMATION
• Communication applies to the exchange of ideas and
thoughts within two or more individuals. It can be done
through writing, speech, gestures, symbols, or written
communication. Communication is a continuous
transmission of a message among two or more individuals the
sender and receiver.
• It covers the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to
gather, interpret and convey information in response to
workplace requirements.
• Workplace communication is the exchange of information
between employees in a work environment. This includes
face-to-face conversations, emails, chat messages,
videoconferencing, phone calls, and other methods used to
convey information in the workplace.
Effective Communication
Communication is the process of exchanging information and
ideas. There are many means of communication. To be
an effective and valuable member of your workplace it is
important that you become skilled in all of the different methods of
communication that are appropriate. This website looks at different
types of communication and associated technology, but before that
it is important to understand the communication process.
The Communication Process for communication to occur it must
pass from a sender to a receiver. This must occur irrespective of
the form of communication. For communication to be effective it
must be understood by the receiver and be able to be responded
to. This means that total communication involves speaking,
reading, listening, and reasoning skills. As communications pass
from the source to the receiver there is plenty of opportunity for its
original meaning to change or alter.
Communication is relevant in any
workplace since this is the only a
venue where people can understan
d, connect and build a
relationship with each other.
Let us learn more about
communication through its
process.
The Communication Process
Communication is the process of giving
and exchanging
information between two or more peopl
e.
Communication Process
is the steps that we take in order to
achieve successful communication. And
it consists of several components
• The Sender is the one who sends the message.
• The Message is the information or the idea from the
sender that needs to be sent.
• The Channel is the manner in which the message will be
sent. For example, if the message is sent through
speaking, then the channel speaking. The
body language is also included when doing non-verbal
communication, and writing or texting when it is written
communication. T
• The Receiver is the target of the communication. They
are the one who receives the message and must be able to
understand it in order to achieve successful
communication.
• Feedback is the message that is sent by the receiver back
to the sender.
Written Communication

Written Communication is the type of communication

that is done through letters, cellphone texts, e-mails,
books, magazines, and other media. Visualizations such
as graphs, charts, maps and logos can also
communicate messages.

For instance, when your teacher gives you an exam and

the instructions are written
in the paper, the moment you comprehend the
instruction, it is a form of communication, written comm
unication may be not that effective if misinterpreted.
• Verbal Communication
Verbal or spoken
Communication is the type of communication
that is done by simply talking to a person
face to face or by the use of telephone, radio
or television and other media or example,
when your teacher is asking you regarding
the tools needed for checking the amount of
power supplied in a common electrical circuit.
The moment you and your teacher are
talking, that is a verbal communication.
• Non-verbal Communication
Non- Verbal Communication is giving out information
through body language such as gestures, facial
expressions, how we dress and how we smell. This
type of communication varies how you deal with this
because sometimes, we have unconscious moments
that we already made a non-verbal communication
with someone, or instance, when someone is not
wearing a proper attire on fixing an electrical supply
and you made a bad facial expression through them, it
gives them the assumption that you might not like the
way they dress.
Other forms of non-verbal communication
regularly found in the workplace include:
• Signals, for example hand signals used when
operating machinery; traffic lights.
• Signs, for example safety signs; workplace
warnings; men’s, ladies and disabled toilets; first
aid posts.
• Diagrams, for example property maps; diagrams in
machinery manuals.
• Symbols, for example poison schedules; map
legends; machinery gears and levers
Therefore listening, reasoning and feedback is an
important part of the process as it is an opportunity for
the sender to make sure the receiver has understood the
message. The other consideration is the “noise” associated
with the communication – what else is happening, what
are the distractions, the baggage etc. Noise can have a big
impact on the message the receiver decodes.
Parts of Speech
• noun – A noun is a type of word that represents a person,
thing, or place, like mother, apple, or valley.
• verb – A verb is a type of word that describes an action or a
state of being, like wiggle, walk, run, jump, be, do, have,
or think.
• pronoun – A pronoun is a substitute for a noun. Some
pronouns are: I, me, she, hers, he, him, it, you, they, them, etc.
• adjective – An adjective is a word that describes something (a
noun). Some adjectives are: big, cold, blue, and silly. One
special type of adjective is an article, a word that introduces a
noun and also limits or clarifies it; in English, the indefinite
articles are a and an, the definite article is the.
• adverb – An adverb is a word that tells “how,” “when,” “where,”
or “how much”. Some adverbs
are: easily, warmly, quickly, mainly, freely, often,
and unfortunately.
• preposition – A preposition shows how something is related to
another word. It shows the spatial (space), temporal (time), or
logical relationship of an object to the rest of the sentence. The
words above, near, at, by, after, with and from are prepositions.
• conjunction – A conjunction is a word that joins other words,
phrases, clauses or sentences. Some conjunctions
are: and, as, because, but, or, since, so, until, and while.
• interjection – An interjection is a word that expresses emotion.
An interjection often starts a sentence but it can be contained
within a sentence or can stand alone. Some interjections
are oh, wow, ugh, hurrah, eh, and ah.
 Sentence Construction

A sentence is a collection of words that convey sense or

meaning and is formed according to the logic of grammar.
Clear, short sentences are preferable, and more effective,
than long, complex ones.
The simplest sentence consists only of a noun, a naming
word, and a verb or action word. For example, in the
sentence “Mary walked”, Mary is the naming noun
and walked is the action verb.
Mary is the proper noun in the example sentence above
but can be substituted in following sentences by the
pronoun she. A pronoun is a word that can be used
instead of a noun when a noun has already been
mentioned. Other pronouns are he, we, they and it.
• Most sentences have a subject noun and
an object noun. For example, consider the
sentence “Mary walked towards the
hotel”. Mary is the subject noun (a person or
thing performing the action of walking), and the
hotel is the object noun (a person or thing
towards which the action is directed)
• Adjectives describe nouns. Adjectives usually
come before the noun.
• They are sometimes known as ‘describing words’.
When two adjectives are used to describe one
noun, they are set apart with the use of a comma.
• They are sometimes known as ‘describing
words’. When two adjectives are used to
describe one noun, they are set apart with
the use of a comma.
• For example: The lazy dog dozed. The hairy,
lazy dog dozed.
• Adverbs describe verbs. The adverb should
always follow the verb.
• For example: Mary walked slowly. or Peter
ran away quickly.
 Tense

• Verbs, or action words, are expressed in tenses; past,

present or future. The tense of a verb is its setting in
time.
• For example: Mary walked (past
tense) Mary walks (present tense) Mary will walk (future
tense)
• There are also other, more complex tenses not covered
here. An important point is to be consistent in your use
of tense. Decide whether you are explaining an event in
the past, present or future and then be consistent in the
use of that tense until there is a good reason for changing
• The incorrect use of tenses is one of the most
common mistakes of grammar. For example,
consider the following sentence: “Marianne
describes the new techniques, how they varied in
approach and attitude”.
• The verb describes is in the present tense
but varied is in the past tense. The correct
tensing of the sentence should be: “Marianne
describes the new techniques, how they vary in
approach and attitude”
2. Perform duties following workplace instructions

When we communicate, we say the things that we want to

say. It sounds so simple.
But sometimes the message that we are trying communica
te is not properly understood by the receiver. We say one
thing, but the receiver hears something else. That's why
misunderstandings, frustrations and conflicts happen.
Proper communication is more than just exchanging ideas
and information. It’s about understanding the emotion and
intentions behind the information. That is why it is
important that we communicate properly and effectively
with our family, friends, boss and even co-workers in order
for us to not just connect with them, but also to build trust
and respect, and feel heard and understood.
Basic Tips in Proper
and Effective
Communication in
the Workplace
Be a good listener.

In communication, you have to remember that it is not always you

who will do the talking.

We need to listen properly in order understand the information

that the sender is trying to give. One common mistake in
communication is that when someone else is talking, they don’t
usually listen and tend to be only thinking about the things
that they want to say when it’s time for them to talk again,
therefore missing out important information from the sender.
Know who you are talking to.
We communicate with different kinds of people.

That’s why it is important for us to figure out another perso

n’s attitude and their relationship with you in order for you
to get along with them and communicate smoothly. For
example, in communicating with your boss, you need to use
Honorifics like “Sir/Ma’am” to show respect. However, don’t
forget to be respectful with every people you communicate
with.
Get to the point.
You have to remember that it’s not just you who are busy

in your workplace. Your co-workers are also busy with

their daily tasks. That’s why your message needs to be

short and straight to the point. Do not say any additional

information unless needed. Time is gold.

Tips on taking directions and fulfilling tasks:

1.Actively listen: Try to listen intently, not just

hear. When you actively listen, you can better
understand what you need to do. Here’s a trick
that may help: pretend that there is going to be a
quiz after the conversation. Visually think about
what's being said and maybe even repeat it in your
head.
2.Take notes: Instead of trying to remember
everything, write it down. There’s nothing wrong
with keeping notes; it shows that you are prepared,
organized and want to do the job correctly.
4. Ask questions: If you are even slightly unsure of what
you are being asked to do, don’t be afraid to question.
Make sure the other person allows you the chance to find
out all the needed details to move forward.
5. Respond with a good attitude: Just as the person
giving directions needs to speak respectfully, it’s important
to respond respectfully. If you go into the conversation with
a bad attitude, it’s likely that performing the task will be
much more challenging.
6. Before starting the task, make a checklist: Whenever
there is a job that requires multiple steps, try organizing a
to-do list. Check things off as you go to make sure you
don’t miss anything. Then when you’re done, be sure to
review correctly.
Understanding
Appropriate
Language
Structures
Yes/No Questions
• Are often defined as questions that take only either “yes”
or “no” as an answer. These can be helpful when
checking facts, clarifying a point or providing some
direction to the information being gathered.
How to form a Yes/No question
In the English language, a special word order (verb–
subject-object)is use to form yes/no questions. Examples:
• Affirmative
Electric power begins at a generating station.
• Yes/No
• Does electric power begin at a generating station
• Rules:
1. If the main verb of the sentence is “be”, invert the
subject and the verb “be”.
E.g. Urban distribution is mainly underground?
-Is urban distribution mainly underground?

2. If the sentence includes a main verb and another or other helping

(auxiliary)verb, invert the subject and the helping verb.
• E.g. Large consumers are fed directly from distribution voltages. ?
- Are large consumers fed directly from distribution voltages?

3. If the sentence includes a verb which is not the verb “to be” and
doesn’t include a helping verb, the transformation is more complex.
a. If the verb is in the present tense, add either do or does and put
the main verb in its base form:
(do if the subject is the first person singular, second person
singular, first person plural, second person plural and third
person plural (you, we, they)
E.g. They move up 1.2 tons of rice to the market.
-Do they move up1.2 tons rice to the market?
• (does if the sub4ect is the third person singular (he, she, it).
E.g. It gives good nutrition to the plants.
- Does it give good nutrition to the plants?
b. If the verb is in the past tense, add did and put the main
verb in its base form:
E.g. They developed into a healthy adult when fed properly.
-Did they develop into a healthy adult when feed
properly?
 Wh- Questions
• are questions that includes questio
n words with"wh9”.
They provide breadth and are helpful
for gaining more detailed and better
eof a quality information,
distribution system( exploring ideas
and opinions, and crystallizing
someone’s thoughts.
• Tag Questions
Are short question added to the end of a positive or negative
statements. These are use to verify or check information that
you think is true, or to check information that you aren’t sure
about.
How to form a Tag question:
Positive statement is followed by a negative tag.
Negative statement is followed by a positive tag.
Ex: An electric power distribution system is the final stage in
the delivery of electric power, isn’t it?
Commercial and residential customers are not connected to the
secondary distribution lines through service drops, are they?
Important points to remember

1. The statement and the tagged on

question are always separated by a
comma.
2. Treat any statements with
“nothing”, “nobody”, etc. like negative
statements. The verb in the statement
should be the same tense as the verb
in the tag.
When filling in a form:
• read the form carefully
• fill in all the required details
• only include necessary information
• write clearly and simply
• check that you have completed it
properly
• send or give it to the appropriate
person, or file in the appropriate place
Work instructions are the most basic
tool used in every business or organization to
help workers follow a sequence of steps.
Inadequate work instructions are likely to
result in a variety of problems in the workplace
that could range from:
• returned products
• loss of materials
• customer complaints
• liability issues
• poor work performance
Interaction in the Workplace
1. Attire- At a distance, initial impressions begin with attire,
dress like those people as long as it’s appropriate for the
job you actually do.
2. Body Language- The second impression you make is with
body language. Posture (a form of body language)
communicates a lot about you.
3. Handshake- Handshakes are the staple of business and
professional greetings. They are another way to get off to
a good start—or not. Your reputation may be made in this
few second interaction. Reach with your right hand to
grasp the other person’s right hand. Grasp firmly but not
in a manner to suggest a contest of strength. Shake
hands up and down gently three to four times. “It’s a
pleasure to meet you.
4. Eye Contact- Eye contact is dramatically different
among different cultures. Just like the handshake, it is
a part of body language that can be handled poorly.
“Look at me when I’m talking to you,” is a phrase we
may hear from a parent or teacher. It is true that we
should look at the other person in a conversation and
look in his or her eyes.
• 5. Gestures -Gestures are another component of body
language. In a business setting, gestures are somewhat
contained. Avoid knocking into other people or items
that are close to you. Use appropriate gestures to make
your point. Fidgeting is another gesture that may occur
subconsciously. Some people tap pencils or snap
rubber bands. Whatever your habit, avoid it.
6. Volume and Location- Volume and location of conversation are
important. When you are speaking with others, use a volume that is
audible to those individuals and only to them. You want to avoid others
being forced to hear your conversation when they may be trying to have
conversations of their own. Your volume will be adjusted to the situation
of the conversation. Avoid cell phones around others as the volume is
frequently annoying. If you must use a cell, move to a location with some
privacy. Business conversations have a special need for security.
7. Written Communication- Professional written communication is
another sign of respect for coworkers that matters to a successful career.
While we’ve covered those aspects extensively in this course, this is a
reminder not to let your guard down. Always do your best work because
it only takes one or two careless emails or memos to leave the impression
that that is how you conduct all your work.
8. Be on Time- Another important impression you make on others
involves punctuality. In some cultures, it is appropriate and acceptable
to be late to a meeting. This is not true in the United States where we say
“time is money.” Persons in position of power may keep subordinates
waiting.
What are the regular personalities of people at work?

• The Blamers: These ones always shift responsibility away from

themselves to others whenever things go wrong in the office.
They hardly acknowledge or apologize for their mistakes, bad
decisions, or poor performance. They are good at gaslighting
and will often stretch the truth to convince others that their
version of events is accurate and factual even when it’s not.
• The Control Freaks: These people often want others to do
things their way. They feel the need to control the outcome of
everything and everyone around them. Sometimes, they go
over appropriate boundaries and attempt to supervise
situations that aren’t relevant to their job duties.
• The Quiet Ones: These people are the office wallflowers that
prefer staying aloof in the office. You may notice them always
at their desk or closing themselves off to others instead of
interacting with other colleagues.
• The Paranoid Ones: These people are often hard to deal
with because they are always suspicious of other people.
They lack trust in other people without any reason, and
they interpret others’ behaviors and motives to be
unfavorable towards them.
• The Narcissist: These people work best and are more
productive on their own. They burn a lot of bridges along
the way, and they find it easy to push past other colleagues
to achieve their goals. Plus, you can notice these people
within the management levels of many companies and
organizations.
• The Optimist: These people are always willing to offer a
helping hand, and they know exactly how to empathize.
They are often great mentors for new employees unfamiliar
with the work environment.
The most important interpersonal skills I need when interacting
with people at work
Communication skills: It’s the ability to communicate and express
yourself clearly and effectively to other people. It could be in verbal
terms or writing, but most importantly, your no-verbal
communication, which is your body language.
Empathy: It’s the ability to understand and put yourself in other
people’s shoes. Empathy is a vital part of emotional intelligence and
leadership effectiveness, especially in the workplace.
Conflict management: It’s the ability to solve issues between
people, which could be between you and a colleague, a client, your
boss, or between two other parties. More often than not, conflicts
result from miscommunication, and they can cause negativity and
reduce productivity. Hence, knowing how to meditate, find the root
cause, and solve the problem is very important when you want to
interact with people.
• Leadership: It’s the ability to motivate and encourage
others and help a team achieve success. The good thing is
that you can learn to be an effective leader. But, to attain
this effectiveness, you should have a strong sense of who
you are as a person and be confident in your abilities.
• Listening: It’s the ability to pay attention and understand
other people’s views. Aside from paying attention, it also
means the ability to reflect and respond to show you’ve
fully absorbed the speaker’s words and are considerate
enough to formulate the best answer. Failure to pay
attention can have consequences, from failing to follow
your manager’s instructions to the latter to not
completing a customer’s request.
How to Interact with People in the Workplace

• Be Respectful: Showing respect means that you regard

your co-workers for their qualities or traits. It can also be
the action of treating people with appreciation and
dignity.
• Build Trust: When your coworkers see you as a
transparent person, you show them that they can trust
you enough with vital tasks, and you’re willing to work
with them toward solutions.
• Listen to other people’s views: Pay attention by
actively listening to the views and contributions of other
people. This act fosters collaboration and builds
relationships within your team.
• Receive feedback without complaints: Don’t take feedback too
personally, especially the negative ones. Objective feedback from people
who care about you puts you on the right track, and this can help you
grow. It can also help you adjust your course and direction in dealing with
situations, people, and challenges at work.
• Build important alliances: An ally is someone who could help you to
achieve your objectives, and he is likely to support your views. They can
assist with your work problem, provide advice and a different perspective
on your assumptions and decisions. Allies are critical to your success at
work, especially during recommendations for a higher position.
• Encourage Difficult Conversation: Difficult conversation can never be
avoidable in the workplace, and being able to handle and overcome
difficult conversations is essential. This is where emotional intelligence
and interpersonal skills come into play.
• Don’t take credits alone: It’s almost impossible to complete a task
without the help of other people at work. So, take the time to share your
credit for accomplishment, contributions, and ideas with other co-workers
that helped you succeed. It’s a staple secret tool to building effective work
relationships.
• Keep Your Commitments and Promises: Never forget
the promises you made to a coworker, and always keep
up with commitment. If you know you can’t help, don’t
offer a hand. And if you’ve made a promise or
commitment you can’t keep, make sure to let the other
party know what happened. You could also proffer a new
deadline date and make sure to honor the new deadline.
• Communication is key: Communication gives you
closure with your co-workers. When you communicate
well, they know what’s up, and you as well will have an
idea of how to treat them better. Lack of communication
reduces your job performance, productivity, and job
satisfaction.
 COMPLETING
RELEVANT WORK-
RELATED
DOCUMENTS
• Objectives:
• 1.Recognize common workplace
forms and documents.
• 2.Identify the uses of workplace
documents.
• 3. Apply the mechanics of technical
writing.
Forms and Documents
In a practical world we are living in, papers play a
big role in our lives. Forms and documents hold a
great chance of getting a job, because it is where
information is gathered and important information
is recorded. Efficiency in this aspect is a tool for the
success not only to you but also to the agency as
well. You must make sure that you know which
forms to fill in, when you need to use forms and
where to find the necessary forms.
procedures.
Common Forms and Documents
• Resume
document used to present individual’s background and
skills; use to secure new employment.
sonsand offices.
• Application Letter
summarizes knowledge and experiences of employee and
details as to why he is qualified for the job; formal
introduction with your potential employer.
plaintletters, inquiry letters
• Contract
a legal agreement between two or more competent
industries; have to do with employment, sale or lease, or
tenancy.
• Timesheet
method used for recording the number of hours
worked.
• Leave Forms
request for leave of absence during critical conditions.
Safe Working Forms
determine a protects compliance with safe working
procedures.
• Contact List
records the names, contact numbers, addresses of
persons and offices
• Client Letters
letters containing the concerns of the client; e.g. complaint
letters, inquiry letters
• Invoice
list of products and prices issued by a seller.
• Written reports on workplace activities
e.g. accident or incident reports
• Memos
for internal communication; short for “memorandum”
“meaning to be remembered”.
• E-mails
letters in electronic form
Why is Technology Important in the Workplace?

• Make Your Business More Competitive

• Enhance Communication and
Collaboration
• Increase Security
• Improve Productivity and Efficiency
• Achieve Compliance
 Technical Writing

Definition of Technical Writing

Technical writing is a type of writing where
the author is writing about a particular
subject that requires direction, instruction,
or explanation. This style of writing has a
very different purpose and different
characteristics than other writing styles
such as creative writing, academic writing
or business writing.
 Some examples of technical writing include
• Instruction manuals
• Policy manuals
• Process manuals
• User manuals
• Reports of analysis
• Instructions for assembling a product
• A summarization of a long report that highlights
and shortens the most important elements
Uses for Technical Writing

• Technical writing is straightforward, easy to understand

explanations and/or instructions dealing with a
particular subject. It is an efficient and clear way of
explaining something and how it works.
The subject of technical writing can either be:
• Tangible – Something that can be seen or touched, such
as a computer or software program, or information on
how to assemble a piece of furniture.
• Abstract – Something that involved a series of steps that
aren’t related to a tangible object. One example of this
might be steps required to complete an office process.
Tips for Good Technical Writing

Regardless of the type of document which is written, technical

writing requires the writer to follow the properties of knowing their
audience, writing in a clear, non-personal style and doing extensive
research on the topic. By including these properties, the writer can
create clear instructions and explanations for the reader.

• Know your audience. An expert in the field will understand certain

abbreviations, acronyms, and lingo that directly applies to such a
field. The novice will not understand in the same manner and,
therefore, every detail must be explained and spelled out for them.
• Use an impersonal style. Write from a third person perspective, like
a teacher instructing a student. Any opinions should be omitted.
• The writing should be straightforward, to the point, and as
simple as possible to make sure the reader understands the
process or instruction. This at times may appear as simply a
list of steps to take to achieve the desired goal or may be a
short or lengthy explanation of a concept or abstract idea.
• Know how to research. Gather information from a number of
sources, understand the information gathered so that it can
be analyzed thoroughly, and then put the information into an
easy to understand format to instruct those who read it. The
more inexperienced your audience, the more information you
will need to gather and explain.
• Be thorough in description and provide enough detail to make
your points; but, you also have to consider that you need to
use an economy of words so that you do not bore your reader
with gratuitous details
WORKPLACE WILL HAVE PROCEDURES OR POLICIES
FOR LEGISLATED COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS
RELATED TO:

• access and equity

• anti-discrimination
• ethical standards
• OHS
• employment agreements
• industrial awards
• industry and workplace codes of practice
WRITTEN PLANS, PROCEDURES OR
WORKPLACE INSTRUCTIONS
These may include:
• Organizational values and behaviors
• Work procedures and quality assurance manuals
• Business and performance plans
• Goals, objectives, plans, systems and processes
• Quality and continuous improvement
UC 2: WORK IN A TEAM ENVIRONMENT
What is Team?
A Team is a group of people working together to achieve
common objectives and willing to forego individual autonomy
to the extent necessary to achieve those objectives. While
teamwork is the process of working collaboratively with a
group of people in order to achieve a goal. Teamwork is often
a crucial part of a business, as it is often necessary for
colleagues to work well together, trying their best in any
circumstance. A smallest team consists of 2 people and the
upper limit can be to the size of the organization. The whole
organization can work as a team if its members develop a
common style of working i.e., constructive and cooperative.
This is normally described as teamwork. An organization is
viewed as a network of teams, temporary and permanent.
A team environment is a setting in the workplace that's
focused on everyone working together toward a common
goal. Brainstorming, joint projects and collaboration are all
common elements of team environments and strong, open
communication is essential for success.
What Is the Purpose of a Team?

• The purpose of a team is the motivating force for why

employees do what they do. Having direction in what
their team is working toward can help individuals feel
more encouraged to work and have a collective identity.
Understanding ways to make a more purposeful team can
help your organization attract and engage employees.
• The purpose of a team is the reason for the actions they
perform in their organization. This is what helps keep
them aligned and fulfilled toward reaching their
company's objectives and goals. The team purpose is why
they exist and can motivate employees in their work.
Organizations use groups of skillful individuals to
accomplish a common goal together.
Some benefits of knowing the purpose of a team
include:
• Creating awareness and inclusion
• Bringing a collective identity
• Attracting and engages employees
• Helping create a partnership with other
organizations
• Defining a shared future
IDENTIFY TEAM PARAMETERS
What does parameters mean in work?
• a set of facts or a fixed limit that establishes or
limits how something can or must happen or be
done.
As a leader, there are a number of elements that
you must help to create in a team. Teams learn and
demonstrate behaviors that are not exhibited by
mere groups. These characteristics represent the
essential elements of an effective team.
Parameters keep the team focused
and provide a policy block that help
difficult decisions be made most
efficiently. Parameters keep a team
identity strong and keep rogue team
players in the game when they are
having a bad day. Parameters protect
the team.
Common/ essential elements
• A team goal - Although your team might have a number
of goals, one of them must stand out. For example, “To
produce 10% more widgets than last year without hiring
additional personnel” Everyone must know, agree upon,
and are committed to accomplishing the team goal.
• Communication - Open, honest, and effective exchange
of information between members.
• Trust - Openness in critiquing and trusting others.
• A sense of belonging - Cohesiveness by being committed
to an understood mandate and team identity
• Diversity - This must be valued as an asset. It is a
vital ingredient that provides the synergistic effect of a
team.
• Creativity and risk taking - If no one individual
fails, then risk taking becomes a lot easier.
• Evaluation - The ability to self-correct.
• Change compatibility - Being flexible and
assimilating change.
• Participatory leadership - Everyone must help lead
to one degree or another.
 What is information?
A knowledge obtained from investigation, study, or
instruction, intelligence, news and data. The following are
sources of information; "It is an assemblage of data in a
comprehensible form capable of communication. This may
range from content in any format-written or printed on
paper, stored in electronic databases, collected on the
Internet etc. Good information, it is believed, improves
decision making, enhances efficiency and provides a
competitive edge to the organization which knows more
than the opposition. ... But in modern times information
has acquired a new status and importance as an
organizational resource.
There are four types of information namely;
●Factual.
Factual information is information that solely deals with facts.
Example: George A. Romero directed Night of the Living Dead.
Example Factual Resources: Encyclopedias, Almanacs, Government
Resources, Statistics

●Analytical.
Analytical information is the interpretation of factual information.
help the Organization to analyze the data. This is used mostly by
managers and senior management in making managerial and
strategic decision.
• Example: According to a 2016 survey, pests are more frightening
than zombies.1
• Example Analytical Resources: Scholarly Journals. Academic and
Scholarly Books. Library Databases. Some scholarly websites
• Subjective
• Subjective information is information from only one point of
view. Opinions are always subjective.
• Example: Z-Nation was an entertaining show that should have
never been canceled.
• Example Subjective Resources: Websites, Blogs, Social Media,
Non-scholarly Books and Journals. Book Reviews.

• Objective
• Objective information is information that is understood from
multiple viewpoints and presents all sides of an argument.
• Example: While April enjoys zombie films, many people find them
violent, pointless, and unnecessarily gory.
• Example Objective Resources: Books, Journal Articles,
Newspapers, Library Databases including Opposing Viewpoints
and Facts on File
The characteristics of good information are as follows:
• Availability/accessibility. Information should be easy
to obtain or access.
• Accuracy. Information needs to be accurate enough
for the use to which it is going to be put.
• Reliability or objectivity.
• Relevance/appropriateness.
• Completeness.
• Level of detail/conciseness.
• Presentation.
• Timing
We can get sources of information through:
Primary Sources
● Archives and manuscript material. ●Photographs, audio
recordings, video recordings, films. ●Journals, letters and
diaries. ● Speeches. ●Scrapbooks. ● Published books,
newspapers and magazine clippings published at the time.
●Government publications. ●oral histories
Secondary sources:
● Bibliographies. ●Biographical works. ●Reference books,
including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and atlases. ●Articles
from magazines, journals, and newspapers after the event.
●Literature reviews and review articles (e.g., movie reviews,
book reviews)
Internet
WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF INFORMATION IN
THE WORKPLACE?
Information is collected from many different sources,
including emails, reports, customer records and
surveys, telephone calls, meetings, informal and formal
communication networks, journals and computer
sources.
Business information comes in general surveys, data,
articles, books, references, search-engines, and
internal records
Ways of sharing information includes face-to-face
conversations, instant messaging services, email, video
conferencing, phone calls, and even social media.
IDENTIFY ONE’S
ROLE AND
RESPONSIBILITY
WITHIN A TEAM
IDENTIFY OWN ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY
WITHIN TEAM
A team is only effective when the members understand
their roles and responsibilities within the group, and
endeavor to execute them effectively. Each member is
assigned a part of the task based on his role within the
group and his level of expertise. Every workplace will have
written procedures that list the organizations daily
operating requirements. It is essential that both the
business and people working within the business, operate
within the legislated requirements. In addition to legislated
requirements the business may have many other written
plans, procedures or workplace instructions.
ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL IN A TEAM

What does role mean? :

A socially expected behavior pattern usually
determined by an individual's status in a particular
society
Role is a part or character someone performs or
the function or position of a person.
An example of a role is the character of the nurse
in Romeo and Juliet. An example of a role is doing
accounting for a business. A part, or character,
that an actor plays in a performance
The roles and responsibility of team members is to
Commit to completing tasks allocated to them and
assist others to meet deadlines. Take an interest in
the work performed by other team members and
share relevant information freely. Focus on solving
problems rather than placing blame on others. When
work is divided up among members of a team, it gets
done faster, making the overall business operate
more efficiently. Your team will develop a sense of
comradery as you work toward a common goal.
Teamwork builds morale. You'll feel that your work is
valued when you contribute to something that
produces results.
In a team, different individuals have different roles to play.
Here are four roles for a team:
Leader, Facilitator, Coach or Member. All these are the
components of a team, but remember that these need not
be exclusive. A leader can act as a facilitator and a coach as
well at different times.
S M A R T is a common acronym used to describe setting
goals or objectives. Briefly SMART goals are: S Specific and
clear. The objective is identified M Measurable. There is
some form of measurement built in. A Achievable. The team
has the capacity to achieve it. R Realistic. The goal must be
within the capabilities of the team. T Time related. There is
a defined time frame to achieve the goal.
ROLES OF TEAM MEMBERS
Every organization encourages a team environment. Teams
help each other succeed to accomplish the company’s
goals. In a functional structure, it’s designed by hierarchy.
Hierarchy is when the roles of each group are ranked one
above another based on responsibility.
Most of the organizations consist of the following roles:
• Executive officers: These are the highest ranking roles
within the organizational structure. They manage all
departments and makes the final company decisions.
They’re pretty much at the top of the functional
structure.
• Research and development team: This group (also called
R&D) consists of team members who focus on researching
whatever product the company has decided to work on. After
research, they go into development to produce the product.
• Operations and production team: Once the product comes
from research and development, it’s then passed along for
production. The operations and production team takes the
designs and input from research and assemble the product.
• Sales and marketing team: The sales and marketing team
basically takes the product to the customer. They take the
product from operations and production and then work with
their team members to sell and advertise to their target
market.
• Accounting and finance team: Once the sales are
completed, the accounting and finance team calculate the
monthly, quarterly, and yearly totals.
What is responsibility?
Responsibility means you do the things you are
supposed to do and accept the results of your
actions. A responsibility is something you are
expected to do. Being responsible: doing the
things you are supposed to do. Accepting
responsibility is taking the praise or the blame
for something you have done. The responsibility
to do your very best to fulfill your roles in life
whether they be social or economic. For example,
trying to do your job well and being a good parent
WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY?
In a team, individual members tend to be highly aware of
their responsibility, whether it stems from social pressure or
the fulfillment of personal need. Teams are capable of
performing functions and achieving some goals more
efficiently and accurately than individuals can. Although
there is evidence that individuals sometimes perform better
than teams, the quality of decision making is much high in
teams working under certain conditions. The team and the
individual members are dependent on each other. Their
relationships play a vital role in the success of the team. As
the individual member grows and matures, so does the
team.
 Essential Team Roles
Involving role. One initiates action. A team member
may motivate others by getting them involved in an
idea or problem. The involving role consists of asking
questions of other members to "bring out" or stimulate
each team member.
Listening role. A member listens actively (nodding,
leaning forward), expressing that he/she is really
hearing what is being said. Active listeners encourage
group members to express themselves.
Supporting role. A team member gives an
added dimension to good ideas by their
support. By supporting and encouraging
others, the team member strengthens
confidence and trust.
Compromising role. One member gives up
something for problem solving to take place.
Compromising can lead to team
productivity. It is a role that is necessary for
cooperation and collaboration.
 Responsibilities of the Team Members
The company pays each employee to perform a specific duty or action. Each
team has a responsibility to the entire company. Let us look at those now:
• Executive officers: The officers or leaders of the organization are
responsible for keeping the ship afloat. They work with all of the teams to
create synergy and hold them accountable.
• Research and development team: This team has the responsibility of
being innovative and keeping up with the latest trends and developments in
whatever field the company is in. For example, tech companies like Apple
have to stay innovative and creative for consumers to care about their
products. Their R&D team is responsible for researching the market and
developing new technologies to stay ahead of their competition. This
explains their constant cell phone battle between Android phones.
• Operations and production team: The operations and production team
are responsible for bringing the product to life. They receive the product’s
vision from the research team and then they use the team’s expertise to
bring the product into its finished stage.
How to develop functional roles and responsibilities in
your team:
1. Determine what needs to get done. Make a list of all the
tasks that need to be completed.
2. Identify strengths and weaknesses.
3. Refer back to a team member's job description.
4. Get feedback. People work together better when they
understand their roles.

There's less jockeying for position, fewer arguments, and

higher overall creativity when everyone understands their
responsibility as part of the group. Less energy is wasted.
Elements of Team Role in the Workplace
Team role can be an important part of an effective workplace. An
efficient team can be trained as a group, help each other
maximize their job performance, and help to make an inviting
and productive atmosphere for new team members. Certain
elements of team role in the workplace should be in place for
your company to benefit from group organization.

• Collaboration
• Conflict Resolution
• Reporting Relationship within Team
• Relationships within Team and External to Team
Collaboration. Collaboration is an important element to any
team. Members of the team bring in their own experiences and
level of expertise to a project to help create an effective finished
product. To collaborate effectively the team must be able to
communicate and share ideas, and there also needs to be a
feeling of respect in place for each team member’s contribution.
Conflict Resolution. After a team has started working
together there can be conflict, the online Reference for
Business. Some people feel their ideas are not being heard, and
others feel that their ideas should always be part of the team’s
solution. There could also be a struggle for leadership of the
group that can threaten to diminish the group’s effectiveness.
The element of conflict resolution within a team means leaving
room for everyone’s contributions, developing the ability to
listen to all ideas and creating a method of consensus that is
used to develop a solution the team can agree on expertise to
bring the product into its finished stage.
Conflict resolution is conceptualized as the
methods and processes involved in facilitating the
peaceful ending of conflict and retribution.
Reporting Relationship within Team
One workplace reporting relationship that used to
be fairly rare is older workers reporting to younger
managers. This is a growing phenomenon and will
become more prevalent, at least until the younger
boomers stop working in any form. As boomers
transition from leader and top expert roles to new
roles that allow the next generations to move up
the ladder, we’ll see what traditionally have been
unconventional structures
Relationships within Team and External to Team
When you form a team at a small business, it is helpful to
assign roles to the members so that all tasks are covered. One of
those roles should be external liaison. This member not only
participates in team meetings, but also communicates with
groups and individuals outside the team. This vital role ensures
that the team has the support of the company, and it helps the
team have an impact on other teams.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
• A team is only effective when the members understand their
roles and responsibilities within the group, and endeavor to
execute them effectively.
• One team member should be assigned to seek resources,
information and contacts that can benefit the team in its work.
Who is Who in the Workplace?

Three main roles settle the majority of workspaces:

• administration
• managers
• employees
• Administrators work to ensure the proper functioning
of their workplace. They might be called CEOs, CFOs,
or general managers; whatever the title may be,
administrators manage all aspects of a business from
budgeting to marketing strategies.
• Managers lead different departments, guiding projects
and managing teams of employees. Since they are in
direct contact with those on the ground floor,
managers need strong leadership skills to motivate
employees whilst meeting employer expectations.
• Finally, employees form the backbone of a workspace
and carry out daily tasks set by administrators and
managers.
Work as a team
member
What is workplace context?
Work context refers to concepts that can be used to
describe the specific context of different jobs that
belongs to the same occupation. Work context can for
example describe a workplaces, types of company,
environmental conditions, products, technologies or
business activities.
A workplace or place of employment is a location where
people perform tasks, jobs and projects for their
employer. Types of workplaces vary across industries
and can be inside a building or outdoors. Workplaces
can be mobile, and some people may work in different
locations on various days.
Working on teams can be rewarding, but at
times it can be difficult and downright
frustrating. If there are poor communicators
on your team, you may often feel left in the
dark, confused or misunderstood. To create
a successful team, effective communication
methods are necessary for both team
members and leaders. Even though some
people understand their communication
skills need improving, many are not certain
how to improve them.
Honest and Straightforward. A good team member is
up front. He/she doesn’t play games, or lead others on.
You can count on a good team member to tell you what’s
what, regardless of whether it is good news or bad news.
Shares the Work Pressure. A good team member does
his or her fair share of the work. There is a sense of
equity and fairness in the good team member. A sense of
equity is critically important for team members’
collective motivation.
Reliable. The good team member can be counted on.
She or he meets deadlines and is on time.
Fair. A good team member takes appropriate credit, but
would never think of taking credit for someone else’s
work.
Complements Others’ Skills. An important
characteristic of effective work teams is the shared
capacity. Every member has areas of strength and
some weak spots. A good team member provides some
unique skills and/or knowledge that move the team
forward.
Good Communication Skills. Teamwork is social, so
good team members need to be skilled, and tactful,
communicators.
Positive Attitude. No one would ever follow a
pessimistic leader, and the same goes for team
members. A positive, “can-do” attitude is critical for the
good team member.
Don’t Blame Others People. in your group lose respect for you
if you’re constantly blaming others for not meeting deadlines.
You’re not fooling anyone; people know who isn’t pulling his
weight in a group. Pointing the finger will only make you look
cowardly. Group members understand if you have a heavy
workload and weren’t able to meet a deadline. Saying something
like, “I’m really sorry, but I’ll get it to you by the end of today.”
will earn you a lot more respect than trying to make it seem like
it’s everyone else’s fault that you missed your deadline.
Support Group Member’s Ideas. If a teammate suggests
something, always consider it – even if it’s the silliest idea you’ve
ever heard! Considering the group’s ideas shows you’re
interested in other people’s ideas, not just your own. And this
makes you a good team member. After all, nobody likes a know-
it-all.
No Self-importance. It’s one thing to rejoice in your successes
with the group, but don’t acts like a superstar. Doing this will
make others regret your personal successes and may create
tension within the group. You don’t have to brag to let people
know you’ve done a good job, people will already know. Have
faith that people will recognize when good work is being done
and that they’ll let you know how well you’re doing. Your
response? Something like “Thanks that means a lot.” is enough.
Listen Actively. Look at the person who’s speaking to you, nod,
ask probing questions and acknowledge what’s said by
paraphrasing points that have been made. If you’re unclear
about something that’s been said, ask for more information to
clear up any confusion before moving on. Effective
communication is a vital part of any team, so the value of good
listening skills shouldn’t be underestimated.
Get Involved. Share suggestions, ideas, solutions and
proposals with your team members. Take the time to help your
fellow teammates, no matter the request. You can guarantee
there will be a time in the future when you’ll need some help or
advice. And if you’ve helped them in past, they’ll be more than
happy to lend a helping hand.
WORK EFFECTIVELY WITH COLLEAGUES
Develop working relationships with colleagues, within
your own organization and within other organizations
that are productive in terms of supporting and
delivering your work and that of the overall
organization. ‘Colleagues’ are any people you are
expected to work with, whether they are at a similar
position or in other positions, including your
manager.
A team leader is someone who provides guidance,
instruction, direction and leadership to a group of
other individuals (the team) for the purpose of
achieving a key result or group of aligned results.
The main generic ‘skills’ that need to be applied in
developing productive working relationships with
colleagues:
• Communicating
• Managing conflict
• Empathizing
• Networking
• Information management
• Leading by example
• Valuing and supporting others
• Involving others
• Providing feedback
• Obtaining feedback
• Stress management
• Prioritizing
What does plan mean?
A plan is a method of achieving something that you have
worked out in detail before hand, "I have plans for
tonight”. When you plan something that you are going to
make, build, or create, you decide what the main parts
of it will be and do a drawing of how it should be made.
A good plan is based upon clear, well-defined and easily
understood objectives. General objectives like improving
morale or increasing profits are ambiguous in nature
and do not lend to specific steps and plans. If possible,
objectives must be quantified for sake of simplicity .
Basic Features of a Good Plan

• It should be simple
• It should be clear
• It should be comprehensive
• It should be flexible
• It should be economical
• It should establish standards
• It should be balanced
• It should be practicable
The Seven Steps of Action Planning
●Define the Problem(s) a question raised for
inquiry, consideration, or solution.
●Collect and Analyze the Data are defined as a
series of charts, maps, and diagrams designed
to collect, interpret, and present data for a wide
range of applications and industries. Data
collection is also the procedure of collecting,
measuring and analyzing accurate insights for
research using standard validated techniques.
● Clarify and Prioritize the Problem(s)
●Write a Goal Statement for Each
Solution. is to transform a generalized
problem
● Implement Solutions: The Action
Plan.
●Monitor and Evaluate.
●Restart with a New Problem, or
Refine the Old Problem.
 3. SOLVE/ADDRESS GENERAL
WORKPLACE PROBLEMS
Effective problem-solving involves several key steps,
including defining the problem, gathering information,
generating potential solutions, evaluating those
solutions, and implementing the chosen solution. By
following a structured problem-solving process and
using critical thinking skills, you can become a more
effective problem-solver. In summary, problem-solving
is an essential skill in the workplace. By improving
decision-making, increasing efficiency, building
confidence, strengthening relationships, and fostering
innovation, effective problem-solving can lead to
success and growth in your career.
 LO 1.
IDENTIFY
ROUTINE
PROBLEMS
Routine problems are common in the workplace
and often are about the best procedures to follow.
They are problems or challenges that have a
straightforward answer.
A routine problem is something which has a
straightforward and usually simple solution.
Routine or procedural problems are very common
in workplaces or in industries. An example of a
routine problem is when a service crewmember
does not follow the proper process for taking an
order, and an incorrect order goes to the kitchen.
Define the Problem and start to identify the
root cause by identifying the gap between the
current situation and the ideal situation once
the problem is resolved.
A Problem Statement outlines the details of
the situation and describes the who, what,
where, when, why and how.
Documentation is a written description of a
procedure or situation. Documentation serves
as a written record of what should happen or
what did happen.
What is a Fishbone Diagram?
A fishbone diagram is a cause-and-effect discovery tool
that helps figure out the reason(s) for defects,
variations or failures within a process. In other words,
it helps break down, in successive layers, root causes
that potentially contribute to an effect. Sometimes
called an Ishikawa diagram or cause-and- effect
analysis, a fishbone diagram is one of the main tools
used in a root cause analysis. It is a more structured
approach than some other tools available for
brainstorming causes of a problem (e.g., the Five
Whys tool). The problem or effect is displayed at the
head or mouth of the fish.
Manpower- the operational and/or functional labor of
people engaged in the design and delivery of a product. This
is considered a fairly rare "cause" of a given problem.
Typically, if manpower is identified as a cause of an
unwanted effect, it's often a factor of another 6 M.
 Method-a production process and its contributing service
delivery processes. Frequently, processes are found to have
too many steps, signoffs, and other activities that don't
contribute or create much value.. When not streamlined,
simplified and standardized, processes can be confusing and
hard to follow.
Machine- systems, tools, facilities and equipment used for
production. Often, machines, tools and facilities with their
underlying support systems are mismanaged or incapable of
delivering a desired output due to technical or maintenance
issues.
Material- raw materials, components and consumables
needed to produce a desired end product. Materials are often
mismanaged by way of being incorrectly specified, mislabeled,
stored improperly, out of date, among other factors.
 Mother Nature (Environment)-environmental factors that
are unpredictable and uncontrollable like weather, floods,
earthquakes, fire, etc. While many environmental factors are
predictable and can be considered manageable, there are
some unavoidable environmental factors that some facilities
find they are not prepared for.
 Measurement-manual or automatic inspections and
physical measurements (distance, volume, temperature,
pressure, etc.). At times, measurements can be inconsistent,
making it hard to use the data to form repeatable conclusions
that help nail down a consistent cause.
 Creating a Fishbone Diagram
The fishbone diagram technique combines
brainstorming and mind mapping to discover the
cause and effect relationship of an underlying
problem. It pushes you to consider nearly every
possible cause of an issue instead of just getting
stuck on the most obvious ones. Not only does it help
you get to the root cause of a problem, it also
uncovers bottlenecks in your processes and identify
areas where your processes aren't working. Let's take
a look at how to create a fishbone diagram is four
steps using an example.
1. Identify the problem.
The first step in creating a fishbone diagram is agreeing
upon and writing down the exact problem you're facing.
Have your team figure out who's involved, what the
problem is and when and where it occurs. Next, on a
whiteboard, write the problem statement in a box on the
right-hand side and draw a horizontal line protruding left
from the problem statement. The problem statement
resembles the head of the fish and the horizontal line
resembles the spine, giving you room to develop ideas.
Our example below identifies a problem of a
maintenance technician slipping and injuring himself
during a routine inspection.
Step 1

Technician
slipped during
routine
inspection
2. Brainstorm the major categories of causes. Step two is
deciding how to categorize the causes of the problem at hand
-the factors that may be part of the problem. These could be
equipment, materials, systems, external forces, people, etc.
In a manufacturing setting, they usually revolve around the 6
M's we discussed earlier. As you identify each cause, draw a
line off the spine of the fish for each factor and label each line
at the top. In our example, the team identifies the following
factors and places them on the diagram:
• People,
• Material,
• Method,
• Machine.
Step 2

People Material

Technician
slipped during
routine
inspection

Method Machine
3. Identify possible causes.
Step three really kicks off the brainstorming session as you
identify possible causes of the problem that may be related to
each factor. Visualize these possible causes by drawing shorter
lines off of the "bones" of the diagram. If a particular cause is a
bit more complex, feel free to draw smaller sub-branch lines
coming off of the "cause" line. Below, the team identifies the
following causes and adds them to the fishbone diagram, slowly
filling out the skeleton of the fish.
• People-Inspector, maintenance staff, MRO staff, supply staff
• Material-Parts used on machines
• Method-Inspection training, maintenance training, inspection
and maintenance procedures
• Machine-Inspection history, maintenance history, age of the
machine
 People Material
Supply staff
MRO Staff
Maintenance Staff Parts use on machines
Inspector Technician
slipped during
routine
Inspective Training Inspection History inspection
Maintenance Training Maintenance History
Inspection/ Age of the Machine
Maintenance Procedures

Method Machine
4. Analyze the diagram. By now, you should have a full
fishbone diagram showing all possible causes of the problem
statement. Using tools like the 5 Whys, investigations and
surveys, you can now investigate the problem further and
test to see which of these potential causes is, in fact,
contributing to the problem.
Defining a Problem and Developing A Problem Statement
Defining the Problem These steps will help you clearly identify
the root cause of a problem. This process will help you learn
how to think deeply about a problem.
1. Describe the problem, as you currently understand it.
2. Describe the ideal situation when the problem is resolved
3. List what you already know and don't know about the
problem. Where can you find out more?
4. What are the gaps between the reality and ideal situation?
5. Discuss the problem with your co-workers and brainstorm
ideas.
6. Try to see the problem from the perspective of the people
involved and affected.
Writing a Problem Statement.
who Who is involved?
Who is impacted?
Who will fix it?
what What is the current situation?
What will happen if the problem is not
addressed?
where Where is the issue coming from?
• Is there a specific part of the machine that
is causing a problem?
• Is there a specific place in the company
where the problem is originating?
when When does the problem occur?
When did it start?
Are there specific instances that trigger the
problem?
By when does the problem need resolution?
why Why is the problem important to be fixed?
how How are people impacted by the problem?
10 Best Practices for Improving Customer Support with Help
Desk Software
1. Use then Right Software First things first, you need to have a
powerful help desk system in place to provide great customer
support. The best systems automate the vast majority of
processes involved in managing a customer support team.
2. Hire top talent It's tempting to hire lower-level employees and
train them because you can pay them less. But there are a few
drawbacks to doing that:
• When you hire top talent, you know that your team can deliver
world- class support, which raises customer satisfaction.
• It's worth the extra cost of hiring the best, most experienced
support reps you can find. It will increase customer satisfaction
and brand loyalty.
3. Leverage dedicated help desk groups Dedicated help
desk groups are groups of support reps that specialize in
certain areas. Let's say you sell three products. You can
have three dedicated support groups—one for each
product. They are specialists in that product and can
solve issues faster than if they provide support for all
three products.
4. Develop canned responses Canned responses are pre-
drafted emails that are automatically sent to customers
who ask very common questions. Generally, the
resolution to that problem will be the same. Canned
responses save your team the hassle of having to draft
that same response over and over. Again, saving
significant amounts of time.
5. Incorporate service level agreements Service
level agreements (SLAs) lay out the terms and
conditions of your customer support efforts. They
are contracts between you and your customers.
6. Ask for feedback Your customers' feedback is
critically important to improving your customer
support process. Send short online surveys after
each ticket has been resolved to ask what you
could do to provide better support. Then, make
sure to implement changes based on their
feedback. Otherwise, collecting feedback is
pointless.
7. Offer multiple channels for customers to reach
you Your customers vary, and so do their
preferences and habits. Some like to submit
support tickets via email, while others prefer
calling via telephone, submitting a ticket via live
chat, or asking questions on social media.
8. Ensure your employees are satisfied These
programs build comradery among your reps and
help them feel part of the team, rather than
isolated. All of this leads to happier, more
motivated employees who will care more about
their job and strive to deliver better support.
9. Follow up on closed cases Once you
resolve a case, make a point to reach
out to that customer a few days later to
ask them if the resolution has fully
solved their issue. It's just a quick
email, which can be automated as a
canned response.
10. Measure your team's efforts You
should always measure the efforts of
your help desk team.
INVESTIGATING AND DOCUMENTING
PROBLEM AREAS
Documentation is any communicable
material that is used to describe, explain or
instruct regarding some attributes of an
object, system or procedure, such as its
parts, assembly, installation, maintenance
and use. It is a written description of a
procedure or situation. Documentation
serves as a written record of what should
happen or what did happen. It comes in
many forms:
Types of Sources
• Scholarly publications (Journals) A scholarly publication
contains articles written by experts in a particular field
• Popular sources (News and Magazines)
• Professional/Trade sources
• Books / Book Chapters
• Conference proceedings
• Government Documents
• Thesis & Dissertations
• Written Memo
• Email
• Policy or Rule
A written summary is helpful because:
✓It can be useful to refer back to when people don't
remember the details, and in the event that the problem
recurs.
✓Your supervisor and other relevant colleagues will be
aware of the situation and can be involved in the decision-
making process.
✓It shows that you are proactive about handling an issue
but your manager won't be surprised that there was a
problem.
Documentation comes in many forms. When documenting
a problem it may be in the form of an email, briefing notes,
a quality assurance form, or even a WhatsApp message.
 LO 2.
LOOK FOR
SOLUTIONS TO
ROUTINE
PROBLEMS
Problem solving and decision making belong
together. You cannot solve a problem without making a
decision. There are two main types of decision makers.
Some people use a systematic, rational approach. Others
are more intuitive. They go with their emotions or a gut
feeling about the right approach. They may have highly
creative ways to address the problem, but cannot explain
why they have chosen this approach.
A solution addresses your problem. Ultimately you
want to be addressing the root cause of the problem so it
doesn't happen again. Finding solution is not always
easy. The key is to identify a number of options so you
can make informed decision about the best solution.
Six Problem-Solving Steps:
1. Identify the problem
To solve a problem, you must first determine what the problem
actually is. You may think you know, but you need to check it
out. Sometimes, it is easy to focus on symptoms, not causes.
You use a rational approach to determine what the problem is.
The questions you might ask include:
• What have I (or others) observed?
• What was I (or others) doing at the time the problem occurred?
• Is this a problem in itself or a symptom of a deeper,
underlying problem?
• What information do I need?
• What have we already tried to address this problem?
2. Search for alternatives
It may seem obvious what you have to do to address the
problem. Occasionally, this is true, but most times, it is
important to identify possible alternatives. This is where
the creative side of problem solving really comes in.
Brainstorming with a group can be an excellent tool for
identifying potential alternatives. Think of as many
possibilities as possible. Write down these ideas, even if
they seem somewhat zany or offbeat on first impression.
Sometimes really silly ideas can contain the germ of a
superb solution. Too often, people move too quickly into
making a choice without really considering all of the
options. Spending more time searching for alternatives and
weighing their consequences can really pay off.
3. Weigh the alternatives
Once a number of ideas have been generated, you need to
assess each of them to see how effective they might be in
addressing the problem. Consider the following factors:
• Impact on the organization
• Effect on public relations
• Impact on employees and organizational climate
• Cost
• Legality
• Ethics of actions
• Whether this course is permitted under collective agreements
• Whether this idea can be used to build on another idea
4. Make a choice
Some individuals and groups avoid making decisions. Not making a
decision is in itself a decision. By postponing a decision, you may
eliminate a number of options and alternatives. You lose control over
the situation. In some cases, a problem can escalate if it is not dealt
with promptly. For example, if you do not handle customer
complaints promptly, the customer is likely to become even more
annoyed. You will have to work much harder to get a satisfactory
solution.
5. Implement the decision
Once you have made a decision, it must be implemented. With major
decisions, this may involve detailed planning to ensure that all parts
of the operation are informed of their part in the change. The kitchen
may need a redesign and new equipment. Employees may need
additional training. You may have to plan for a short-term closure
while the necessary changes are being made. You will have to inform
your customers of the closure.
6. Evaluate the outcome Whenever you have
implemented a decision, you need to evaluate the
results. The outcomes may give valuable advice about
the decision-making process, the appropriateness of the
choice, and the implementation process itself. This
information will be useful in improving the company's
response the next time a similar decision has to be
made.
If you have a problem that seems to have no solution, try
these ideas to "unfreeze" your mind:
• Relax before trying to identify alternatives.
• Play "what if" games with the problem. For example, What if
money was no object? What if we could organize a festival? What if
we could change winter into summer?
• Borrow ideas from other places and companies. Trade magazines
might be useful in identifying approaches used by other
companies.
• Give yourself permission to think of ideas that seem foolish or
that appear to break the rules. For example, new recipes may come
about because someone thought of new ways to combine foods.
Sometimes these new combinations appear to break rules about
complementary tastes or break boundaries between cuisines from
different parts of the world. The results of such thinking include
the combined bar and laundromat and the coffee places with
Internet access for customers.
• Use random inputs to generate new ideas. For
example, walk through the local shopping mall
trying to find ways to apply everything you see to
the problem.
• Turn the problem upside down. Can the problem
be seen as an opportunity? For example, the road
outside your restaurant that is the only means of
accessing your parking lot is being closed due to a
bicycle race. Perhaps you could see the bicycle
race as an opportunity for business rather than
as a problem.
DEVELOPING AND PRESENTING RECOMMENDATIONS
Determining Who Makes the Decision
Sometimes you will not be the person to make the final decision.
The decision maker may be a customer, a supervisor or a
colleague. Every workplace is different. And within a workplace
your role, your level and experience factor into your independence
with making decisions. When you are a new employee, it never
hurts to ask. You may not have the big picture. If your decision
has cost implication or impacts other people, it is especially
important to check in. Employers always appreciate when
someone not only asks, but comes with a proposition for them to
consider. That way, you are making their life easier! Instead of
coming to them saying "I have a problem, what should I do?", you
are saying "Here is the situation, here is what I suggest, what do
you think?" See how you are making things easier for a busy
boss?
Making Recommendations
To make a recommendation for a proposed
solution to the decision maker:
1. Describe the situation clearly
2. Summarize the options
3. Describe how you have evaluated them
4. Tell them your proposed solution
5. Explain why you recommend this solution.
How to Handle Conflict in the Workplace
1.Talk with the other person
2.Focus on behavior and events, not on
personalities
3.Listen carefully
4.Identify points of agreement and disagreement
5.Prioritize the areas of conflict.
6.Develop a plan to work on each conflict
7.Follow through on your plan
8.Build on your success
 LO 3
RECOMMEND
SOLUTIONS TO
PROBLEMS
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING SOLUTIONS
When you plan to implement your solution, you will
describe the actions you and your co-workers will take.
The plan has enough detail to help you plan your time
and track your progress. By planning well, you and your
co- workers can work efficiently and avoid costly
mistakes.
When making decisions and solving problems, it is
important for us to exhaust all our thinking to explore
possible solutions and be mindful of the consequences of
our actions and decisions. It is very normal, and
appreciated by employers when you find that you need
to course-correct your decisions and actions.
KEY ELEMENTS IN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING SOLUTIONS
COMPONENTS TIPS

GOALS • What are you trying to achieve?

• What is the ideal situation once the
problem is solved?
• You may have more than one. You may
have an overall goal and several sub-goals.

STEPS • What tasks need to be completed for each

objective?
• You may have several steps for each. A more
complex objective will have more.
•Think about the sequence of the steps
carefully- what needs to be done 1st, 2nd, 3rd?
• Sometimes tasks can be completed at the
same time (one person does one task, while
another does another task)
TIME SCHEDULE How much time is needed for each
task?
•When will it happen?
•Be realistic about people's
availability and how much time
things will take
•Build in time for obstacles and
delays
PEOPLE INVOLVED • Who is responsible for each
task
• Who is involved with each task?
• Think about people's job roles
and skills so they are doing the
tasks that suit them best. (Your
supervisor can help with this.)
RESOURCES NEEDED •Are there costs involved? Try to
estimate any cost information your
supervisor will need to know.
•Are there materials needed?
•Is there any required equipment?
•Is transportation needed?
•Is storage needed?
•Are there printing requirements?

 What could go wrong?

RISK  What could impact the timeline or
results that needs to be considered?
 Are there factors outside of your control
that need to be accounted for? (Like
shipping delays, supplier inventory
issues, etc.)
HEALTH AND SAFETY

What safety and

health considerations
need to be taken into
account?
ENVIROMENTAL  What environmental rules or
CONSIDERATIONS protocols should you adhere to
while implementing your
solution?
 How can waste be recycled or
disposed of properly?
MEASURING SUCCESS How will you be able to see that
there is progress? What results
do you expect to see?
If your results aren't hitting
your expectations, what can you
do?
What can the supervisor or
others do to help make
REVIEWING THE PLAN  Are your actions going to
help you meet your overall
goal?
 Are the steps realistic?
 Is your plan REAL (Realistic,
Effective, Acceptable and
Logical)?
EVALUATING IMPLEMENTED SOLUTIONS
Evaluating solutions and situations is innate in us
human beings. We base our judgment, evaluation, and
recommendations on our own value system,
understanding of the problem, situation or goal, and
past experiences. In the workplace, evaluating solutions
ensures the operations run smoothly and that resources
are managed and utilized efficiently.
How to Evaluate Solutions Simply put, evaluation is
answering the question, "Did it work?" or "Were you able
to solve the problem through the actions you have
taken?"
1. Go back to your goal.
What was the desired outcome?
What would it look like if things are working well?
2. What are the indicators of success? This may sound
complicated, but it is not! You do it all the time? For example....
• Are there fewer mistakes?
• Is the process happening faster?
• Does the item taste better?
• Are customers happier?
• Have you increased your income?
• Have you saved money on expenses/materials?
• Have you increased your number of customers?
There are two basic types of indicators
• Qualitative: This describes behaviors, feelings, or
thoughts
• Quantitative: This describes things that can be
measured like costs and quantities

3. Be objective. Evaluations are subjective judgements

made based on the individual's assessment of the
situation and analysis of the information and data. To
decrease the level of subjectivity, clarify the key
performance indicators (indicators for success), how you
will verify them, and identify any critical assumptions.
This can help you objectively evaluate your solution.
4. After implementing your solution, ask yourself...
•Did I achieve my goals and desired outcomes?
•How did my solution perform against my indicators of success?
•Did I address the root cause of the problem?
•Have I prevented the problem from happening again?

5. Keep improving. Consider the different aspects of the

problem-solving process and your action plan.
• What can be adjusted and improved? For example, maybe
your solution took a lot of resources, and there is an even
cheaper way to do it.
• Had you made the correct assumptions?
• What changed along the way?
6. Evaluate and Recommend. Based on the analysis, make a
value judgement and come up with recommendations on what
to continue, change or stop in relation to the implemented
solution. Share this information with the person responsible.
It is important to know the appropriate person to whom you
should present your report and recommendations. Effective
reports are clear and concise and are written with the audience
in mind Some workplaces are formal in their communication,
and may have templates for reports. Many workplaces use
email as a communication method, and don’t expect formal
reports except for in particular circumstances.
The report should contain the following:
*Overview of the situation
*Problem statement
*Description of the root cause and the steps you took to make
this determination
*Recommendations for corrective and preventive actions
*Summary of your action plan
Why Document Problems and Solutions?
Documenting problems helps to:
• Provides a written history of the situation and the solution
that can be referenced in the future
• Improve processes by showing the best way to implement a
procedure
• Helps people learn from problems
• Keep supervisors aware of problems with procedures or with
the equipment
• Keep a record of equipment maintenance
• Helps minimize risks and maintain consistency and quality
•Shows that an employee was proactive about in handling an
issue •Increases customer and employee satisfaction
Common Forms of Documentation of Problems and Solutions
Email: Short for electronic mail, email is one of the most
common forms of workplace documentation. These are
messages distributed by electronic means from one computer
user to one or more recipients via a network. For relatively brief
messages, it is fine to document your planned solution in an
email. Be sure to use your work email account, not your
personal account!
Briefing Notes. Sometimes you want to include more information
than would be appropriate for an email, but it is still appropriate to
be relatively informal. Briefing notes are documents that quickly
and effectively informs a decision-maker about an issue. Bullet
points and tables are fine!
Written Report. In some cases, a
more formal written report is
appropriate. In this report you
present facts about a situation,
analyze the problem, and present
your plan for moving forward and
measuring success.
Evaluation Report. Once a solution is
put into place, you may need to share
an evaluation report. This document
examines whether a product, service,
or process is working, according to a
set of standards. In the report, you
should compare your criteria for
success with the current outcome.
4. DEVELOP CAREER AND LIFE DECISIONS
What is career development and
decision making?
DECISION MAKING STRATEGIES FOR CAREER SUCCESS.
Decision making is the process of identifying and selecting
alternatives based on your unique preferences. Successful
career planning requires you to make many decisions, an
ability to set goals and then to know how to reach them.
What is the importance of career planning and decision
making?
The main purpose is to provide you with a roadmap for your
future that'll help you make well informed decisions about your
career, and also future career moves. A solid career plan will
help you stay focused and motivated.
LO 1.MANAGE
ONE’S EMOTION
 Self-Management Strategies

Why Self-Management Is Important?

• Self-management- management by oneself of oneself or
one's affairs Self-management is about finding the self-
control and mastery needed to take control of one's work
(e.g., to manage one's time, workflow, and communication).
• It also refers to a combination of behaviors that focus on
how people manage themselves in their work and their life.
• Self-management strategies may include self-monitoring,
self-monitoring combined with self-reinforcement, goal
setting, self-evaluation, and self-reinforcement alone (DuPaul
& Weyandt, 2006; Reid, Trout & Shwartz, 2005).
Self-management skills are important in the workplace because
they help you contribute to a better work environment for
yourself and your coworkers. Examples of self-management
skills include self-confidence, persistence, resilience, patience,
perceptiveness, and emotional regulation.
Increase Your Emotional Intelligence through
Self-Management
1. Remain aware of feelings. Paying attention to
how you feel in the moment is the first step to
more effective self-management of your
behavior.
2. Keep a journal. Create a list of situations or
events that “trigger” negative emotions, such as
anger or frustration.
3. Pay attention to “self talk.”
4. Remember, you have a choice.
Robert Kelley includes a full chapter on self-management in
his book How to Be a STAR at Work. Kelley’s research
highlights the following key elements in self-management:
• Making a commitment to lifelong learning in support of both
the organization’s goals and your own goals
• Learning how to make certain that your projects add value to
the organization
• Developing your personal productivity skills to manage both
your time and your commitments
• Building broad personal networks that allow you to tap
expertise in and out of the organization for complex problems
• Being willing to embrace change and rethink both
organizational structures and work definitions as new
opportunities arise.
 Nine self-management strategies according to Robert
Kelley:
1. Initiative. Blazing trails in the organizational chaos by
going above and beyond the accepted job description
to offer new, often bold, and value-adding ideas.
2. Networking. Overcoming knowledge blocks in your
daily work by plugging into the knowledge net of
technical gurus.
3. Self-management. Managing your whole life at work by
contributing to the critical path and ensuring high job
performance.
4. Perspective. Getting the big picture by learning to see
things as your customers, competitors, colleagues, and
bosses see them.
5. Followership. Checking your ego at the door to lead in
assists while exercising independent, critical thinking on
goals, tasks, and methods.
6. Leadership. Doing small "l" leadership in a big "L" world
by partnering with colleagues to accomplish important
tasks.
7. Teamwork. Becoming a positive contributor to group
goals, commitments, work activities, group dynamics, and
accomplishments.
8. Organizational savvy. Using street smarts to navigate the
organization's competing interests, to win others' help and
cooperation, to address conflicts, and to complete tasks.
9. Show-and-tell. Persuading the right audience with the
right message and the right user friendly format.
Kelley emphasizes that star employees are intrinsically
managing both their work and their career. By providing
high value to the organization, stars get more opportunity
to select which projects they work on and are instinctively
building new skills to further their career prospects.
• At the core of self-management are three skills everyone
must develop:
• (1) learning to manage your commitments and time;
• (2) cultivating the motivation and capability to learn new
things on your own in support of your work; and
• (3) building and nurturing your personal network. With
those three skills, you will be successful, though they
may not make you a star.
Enablers and Barriers in Achieving Personal and Career
Goals:
Enablers(a person or thing that makes something possible)
Barriers(a fence or other obstacle that prevents movement or access)

You probably have a few barriers that are standing in your

way and preventing you from daring yourself to new levels
of greatness. Barriers, though they are imaginary
obstacles, seem very real at the moment you experience
them. What you must realize is that whenever you find
yourself resisting anything during the dream job process,
know that it is fear talking. When you begin to understand
why you’re having difficulty moving forward in the process,
you can identify the fear and be ready to move on with
confidence and embrace your greatness.
1. Time. We must take time for ourselves, but it’s difficult to
commit time, especially when you are working a full-time job.
We’re taught to put others needs and wants before our own and
often wind up tired, overscheduled and with no energy for
ourselves. Schedule daily appointments with yourself in order to
take time away from your busy life and become clear on where to
direct your energy and time.
2. Fear of change and success. Many people enjoy the status quo
and don’t want to make a change to become more successful.
Though they state that they do indeed want success, they choose
to stay in their comfort zone. Success is the unknown and the
unknown is often feared. Increased success means change and an
increased level of responsibility. It takes courage and risk for most
of us to take the leap and find a fulfilling job. After we’ve achieved
success, we must maintain that success and that takes effort.
3. Fear of failure. The most common fear of them all. We fear so many
things about failure. We fear making a fool out of ourselves, we fear
losing our security, we fear stepping backwards instead of forward, we
fear making the wrong decision, we fear not being able to live up to
standards (whether they are ours or society’s), we fear being labeled a
failure or a loser. There can be so much fear that it is often paralyzing.
We have no idea where to begin to deal with all the fears that we just
simply stay where we are.

4. Isolation and lack of support Isolation is a dream job killer. We

all need support to land the job of our dreams. Daring ourselves and
moving forward are often facilitated when we have a great support
system. When we find ourselves trying to go it alone, it’s more likely
that we’ll have setbacks and just stay where we are. In many cases,
understanding who you are and what you enjoy doing is enhanced with
the help of others. If we don’t have support, it’s often too overwhelming
and easier to just play it safe and stay at our current level of mediocrity.
5. Should from family and society.

Throughout our lives, we hear many messages about how

we should act. We become conditioned and socialized to act
in acceptable ways that may not always be in our best
interests. We often live a life doing what others tell us we
should. We’re told/taught “Don’t rock the boat,” “Fit in, be
like everyone else”, “This is how it’s done” and more. Being
like everyone else may not be where our greatness lies and
we wind up not even knowing what we want in a dream job.
We fear rejection so much that we often play small just to fit
in. We take our place as one of the mindless worker ants,
trudging through the same routines, complaining about the
same problems and realizing the same small results. We
must move from our should to our genuine wants or desires .
6. Financial obligations and fear of poverty.

Financial obligations such as mortgages, credit

card bills, college savings for children and more
can restrain us. If your survival depends on your
income alone, this is a fear you may experience
when facing dramatic changes in your life.
Recognize that you have control over the changes
you wish to bring about and can do so gradually
while maintaining a secure income from a
familiar source. Thus, you can ease into the life
you want one step at a time and reduce the
threat of poverty.
7. Comparing and Despairing.

There will always be someone who is “better”. Someone

who has more, lives better, is more fulfilled, etc.
Comparison is a losing game. It lets us run round in
endless circles and provides many excuses for not
doing anything more – “I’ll never be as good an actor as
Meryl Streep so why should I even go on any
auditions?”, “I’ll never be able to get a recording
contract like Garth Brooks so why should I work on
my singing career?”. The fact that acting is your
passion or singing speaks to your soul gets lost
somehow.
8. Self Doubt
We see ourselves as less than who we really are and feel we
are unworthy to receive all that we deserve. Our own fears,
limitations and mental criticisms alienate us from our goal.
Self- doubt is one of the biggest obstacles to achieving our
dreams. We often ignore ourselves in favor of others. We
value their opinions too highly and our own too little. The
only real approval that matters is that which comes from
inside ourselves. We’re the only people who know what we
truly need and want. This makes us our own best judge of
whether or not what we’re doing is right and good for us. We
must shift from self doubt to belief. If we tap into our true
gifts and unleash our essence, we come from a place of
strength. It is possible to be all we can during the dream job
process.
9. Not knowing what you would love to do.

Most people don’t know what they want or

what they enjoy doing. They don’t know
what they value or believe in. They aren’t
sure where they are going and how to get
there. This frustration of not knowing
freezes people from taking the risk and
having the courage to find out what they
would love to do.
10. Fear of making the wrong decision

Each decision you make will lead you down a unique path with
challenges and opportunities of its own. You may have several
options you would like to try and worry that only one will be the
right one and spend endless time trying to decide which is best.
Thinking a situation through in a thorough manner is a good
thing. We weigh pros and cons and find the best way to achieve
our goals. However, analyzing can be used to avoid action. We
can make endless lists, but if items never get checked off the
list, what good is it? It’s easy to get lost in the details and never
get around to doing anything because you’re too busy planning
for every possible contingency. Life is not so easily split into
right or wrong, black or white. It is made up of many shades of
gray. Don’t allow analysis to become an excuse for inaction.
Handling Negative Emotions
Stressful situations are all too common in a workplace that's facing
budget cuts, staff layoffs, and department changes. It may become
harder and harder to manage your emotions under these
circumstances, but it's even more important for you to do so. After
all, if management is forced into making more layoffs, they may
choose to keep those who can handle their emotions, and work
well under pressure. So, how can you become better at handling
your emotions, and "choosing" your reactions to bad situations?
According to Fisher's research, the most common negative
emotions experienced in the workplace are as follows:
• Frustration/irritation.
• Worry/nervousness.
• Anger/aggravation.
• Dislike.
• Disappointment/unhappiness.
Frustration/Irritation. Frustration usually occurs when
you feel stuck or trapped, or unable to move forward in
some way. It could be caused by a colleague blocking
your favorite project, a boss who is too disorganized to get
to your meeting on time, or simply being on hold on the
phone for a long time. Whatever the reason, it's important
to deal with feelings of frustration quickly, because they
can easily lead to more negative emotions, such as anger.
Worry/Nervousness. With all the fear and anxiety that
comes with increasing numbers of layoffs, it's no wonder
that many people worry about their jobs. But this worry
can easily get out of control, if you allow it, and this can
impact not only your mental health, but also your
productivity, and your willingness to take risks at work.
Dislike. We've probably all had to work with
someone we don't like. But it's important to be
professional, no matter what.
Disappointment/Unhappiness. Dealing with
disappointment or unhappiness at work can be
difficult. Of all the emotions you might feel at work,
these are the most likely to impact your
productivity. If you've just suffered a major
disappointment, your energy will probably be low,
you might be afraid to take another risk, and all of
that may hold you back from achieving.
Here are some suggestions for dealing with frustration:
• Stop and evaluate – One of the best things you can do is mentally stop
yourself, and look at the situation. Ask yourself why you feel frustrated.
Write it down, and be specific. Then think of one positive thing about
your current situation. For instance, if your boss is late for your meeting,
then you have more time to prepare. Or, you could use this time to relax
a little.
• Find something positive about the situation – Thinking about a
positive aspect of your situation often makes you look at things in a
different way. This small change in your thinking can improve your
mood. When it's people who are causing your frustration, they're
probably not doing it deliberately to annoy you. And if it's a thing that's
bothering you – well, it's certainly not personal! Don't get mad, just move
on.
• Remember the last time you felt frustrated – The last time you were
frustrated about something, the situation probably worked out just fine
after a while, right? Your feelings of frustration or irritation probably
didn't do much to solve the problem then, which means they're not doing
anything for you right now.
Try these tips to deal with worrying:
• Don't surround yourself with worry and anxiety – For example, if co-
workers gather in the break room to gossip and talk about job cuts, then don't
go there and worry with everyone else. Worrying tends to lead to more
worrying, and that isn't good for anyone.
• Try deep-breathing exercises – This helps slow your breathing and your
heart rate. Breathe in slowly for five seconds, then breathe out slowly for five
seconds. Focus on your breathing, and nothing else. Do this at least five times.
• Focus on how to improve the situation – If you fear being laid off, and you
sit there and worry, that probably won't help you keep your job. Instead, why
not brainstorm ways to bring in more business, and show how valuable you
are to the company?
• Write down your worries in a worry log – If you find that worries are
churning around inside your mind, write them down in a notebook or "worry
log," and then schedule a time to deal with them. Before that time, you can
forget about these worries, knowing that you'll deal with them. When it comes
to the time you've scheduled, conduct a proper risk analysis around these
things, and take whatever actions are necessary to mitigate any risks.
Try these suggestions to control your anger:
• Watch for early signs of anger – Only you know the danger
signs when anger is building, so learn to recognize them
when they begin. Stopping your anger early is key.
Remember, you can choose how you react in a situation. Just
because your first instinct is to become angry doesn't mean
it's the correct response.
• If you start to get angry, stop what you're doing – Close
your eyes, and practice the deep-breathing exercise we
described earlier. This interrupts your angry thoughts, and it
helps put you back on a more positive path.
• Picture yourself when you're angry – If you imagine how
you look and behave while you're angry, it gives you some
perspective on the situation.
Here are some ideas for working with people you
dislike:
• Be respectful – If you have to work with someone
you don't get along with, then it's time to set aside
your pride and ego. Treat the person with courtesy
and respect, as you would treat anyone else. Just
because this person behaves in an unprofessional
manner, that doesn't mean you should as well.
• Be assertive – If the other person is rude and
unprofessional, then firmly explain that you refuse
to be treated that way, and calmly leave the
situation. Remember, set the example.
Here are some proactive steps you can take to cope with disappointment and
unhappiness:

• Look at your mindset – Take a moment to realize that things won't

always go your way. If they did, life would be a straight road instead of one
with hills and valleys, ups and downs, right? And it's the hills and valleys
that often make life so interesting.
• Adjust your goal – If you're disappointed that you didn't reach a goal,
that doesn't mean the goal is no longer reachable. Keep the goal, but make
a small change – for example, delay the deadline.
• Record your thoughts – Write down exactly what is making you
unhappy. Is it a co- worker? Is it your job? Do you have too much to do?
Once you identify the problem, start brainstorming ways to solve it or work
around it. Remember, you always have the power to change your situation.
• Smile! – Strange as it may sound, forcing a smile – or even a grimace –
onto your face can often make you feel happy (this is one of the strange
ways in which we humans are "wired.") Try it – you may be surprised!
LO 2:DEVELOP
REFLECTIVE
PRACTICE
What does develop reflective practice mean?
Reflective practice is 'learning through and from experience
towards gaining new insights of self and practice' (Finlay,
2008). Reflection is a systematic reviewing process for all
teachers which allows you to make links from one
experience to the next, making sure your students make
maximum progress.
 Basic SWOT Analysis
What Is a SWOT Analysis?

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses,

Opportunities, and Threats, and so a SWOT Analysis is
a technique for assessing these four aspects of your
business. You can use SWOT Analysis to make the most
of what you've got, to your organization's best advantage.
And you can reduce the chances of failure, by
understanding what you're lacking, and eliminating
hazards that would otherwise catch you unawares.
Better still, you can start to craft a strategy that
distinguishes you from your competitors, and so
compete successfully in your market.
How to Do a SWOT
Analysis First, draw up a SWOT Analysis matrix. This is
a 2x2 grid, with one square for each of the four aspects of
SWOT. You can approach a SWOT Analysis in two ways:
to get people together to "kick off" strategy formulation
informally, or as a more sophisticated and formal tool.In
either case, gather a team from a range of functions and
levels in your organization. Use Brainstorming techniques
to build a list of ideas about where your organization
currently stands. Every time you identify a Strength,
Weakness, Opportunity, or Threat, write it down in the
relevant part of the grid. Let's look at each area in more
detail and consider what questions you could ask as part
of your analysis.
• Strengths: good communication skills, on time for
shifts, handles customers well, gets along well with all
departments, physical strength, good availability.
• Weaknesses: takes long smoke breaks, has low
technical skill, very prone to spending time chatting.
• Opportunities: storefront worker, greeting customers
and assisting them to find products, helping keep
customers satisfied, assisting customers post-purchase
and ensuring buying confidence, stocking shelves.
• Threats: occasionally missing time during peak
business due to breaks, sometimes too much time
spent per customer post-sale, too much time in
interdepartmental chat.
8 Ways to Improve Your Attitude
A positive attitude makes success easy a negative one
makes success pointless. If you truly want to be
successful, your number one task should be to create
and maintain a positive attitude. When you've got an
attitude of optimism, expectancy and enthusiasm,
opportunities grow, and problems shrink. If you're a
leader, a positive attitude draws people to your side and
encourages them to do their best work. A leader with a
negative attitude, however, can only compel others to
take action through fear. More importantly, what would
be point of being successful if you're always feeling
lousy? With that in mind, here's how to ensure your
attitude stays upbeat.
1. Always act with a purpose. Before you take any action,
decide how it will serve your greater goals. If the connection is
weak or non-existent, take that action off your to-do list.
Aimless activity wastes time and energy.
2. Stretch yourself past your limits every day. Doing the same-
old, same-old is depressing, even if your same-old has been
successful in the past. Success is like athletics; if you don't
stretch yourself every day, you gradually become slow and
brittle.
3. Take action without expecting results. While you naturally
must make decisions and take action based upon the results
you'd like to achieve, it's a big mistake to expect those results
and then be disappointed when you don't get them. Take your
best shot but don't obsess about the target.
4. Use setbacks to improve your skills. Rather than feeling bad
if you fail or get rejected, look back at your actions and see
what you can do (if anything) to improve your performances.
Remember: the results you receive are the signposts for the
results you want to achieve.
5. Seek out those who share your positive attitude. It's a
scientific fact your brain automatically imitates the behaviors
of the people around you. (It's because of something called a
mirror neuron). Therefore, you should surround yourself with
positive thinkers and shun those who are excessively negative.
6. Don't take yourself so seriously. If you want to be happier
and make those around you feel more comfortable, cultivate
the ability to laugh at yourself. If you don't (or can't) laugh at
yourself, I guarantee you that the people you work with are
laughing behind your back.
7. Forgive the limitations of others. High
standards are important, but humans are, well,
human. It's crazy to make yourself miserable
because other people can't do a job as well as
you think you could, or when people don't share
your vision with the same passion that you feel.
8. Say "thank you" more frequently. Achieving
an "attitude of gratitude" requires more than
simply being aware of what's wonderful in your
life. You must, and should, thank other people
for their gifts to you, even if that gift is something
as simple as a smile.
LO. 3 BOOST SELF-
CONFIDENCE AND
DEVELOP SELF-
REGULATION
Self-regulation is the ability to control one's behavior,
emotions, and thoughts in the pursuit of long-term
goals. More specifically, emotional self-regulation refers to the
ability to manage disruptive emotions and impulses—in other
words, to think before acting.
• Self-regulation also involves the ability to rebound from
disappointment and to act in a way consistent with your
values. It is one of the five key components of
emotional intelligence.
• Self-regulation theory (SRT) says that we expend effort in
control of what we think, say and do, trying to be the person
we want to be, both in particular situations and in the
longer-term.
Four components of self-regulation described by
Baumeister et al (2007) are:
 Standards: of desirable behavior.
 Motivation: to meet standards.
Monitoring: of situations and
thoughts that proceed breaking
standards
Willpower: internal strength to
control urges.
These four components interact to determine our self-regulatory activity at
any given moment. According to SRT, our behavior is determined by our
personal standards of good behavior, our motivation to meet those standards,
the degree to which we are consciously aware of our circumstances and our
actions, and the extent of our willpower to resist temptations and choose the
best path.
Self-regulation includes impulse control, the management of
short-term desires. People with low impulse control prone to
acting on immediate desires. This is one route for such people
to find their way to jail as many criminal acts occur in the heat
of the moment. For non-violent people it can lead to losing
friends through careless outbursts, or financial problems
caused by making too many impulse purchases.
Why Self-Regulation Is Important
• Self-regulation involves taking a pause between a feeling and
an action—taking the time to think things through, make a
plan, wait patiently. Children often struggle with these
behaviors, and adults may as well.
An adult with poor self-regulation skills may lack
self-confidence and self-esteem and have trouble handling
stress and frustration. Often, this might result in anger or
anxiety. In more severe cases, it can even lead to being
diagnosed with a mental health condition.
Personality Development Concept
Personality is something that people
tend to think a lot about. When we meet
new people, whether through work,
school, or social events, it is often their
personality on which we immediately
focus. Whether they are nice, helpful,
outgoing, or shy are just a few of the
things that we assess as we evaluate the
people around us.
Why Is Personality so Important?

It is our personality that makes us who we

are, but how exactly do our personalities
form? Personality development has been a
major topic of interest for some of the most
prominent thinkers in psychology. Since the
inception of psychology as a separate science,
researchers have proposed a variety of ideas to
explain how and why personality develops.
Personality development refers to how the
organized patterns of behavior that make
up each person's unique personality
emerge over time. Many factors go into
influencing personality, including genetics,
environment, parenting, and societal
variables. Perhaps most importantly, it is
the ongoing interaction of all of these
influences that continue to shape
personality over time.
Key Theories of Personality Formation
Freud’s Stages of Psychosexual Development
In addition to being one of the best-known
thinkers in the area of personality
development, Sigmund Freud remains one of
the most controversial. In his well-known
stage theory of psychosexual development,
Freud suggested that personality develops in
stages that are related to specific erogenous
zones. Failure to complete these stages, he
suggested, would lead to personality
problems in adulthood.
Freud’s Structural Model of Personality
Freud not only theorized about how personality developed over the
course of childhood, but he also developed a framework for how
overall personality is structured. According to Freud, the basic
driving force of personality and behavior is known as the libido. This
libidinal energy fuels the three components that make up personality:
the id, the ego, and the superego.
The id is the aspect of personality present at birth. It is the most
primal part of the personality and drives people to fulfill their most
basic needs and urges. The ego is the aspect of personality charged
with controlling the urges of the id and forcing it to behave in
realistic ways. The superego is the final aspect of personality to
develop and contains all of the ideals, morals, and values imbued by
our parents and culture. This part of personality attempts to make
the ego behave according to these ideals. The ego must then
moderate between the primal needs of the id, the idealistic standards
of the superego and reality.
Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development

Erik Erikson’s eight-stage theory of human development

is one of the best-known theories in psychology. While
the theory builds on Freud’s stages of psychosexual
development, Erikson chose to focus on how social
relationships impact personality development. The theory
also extends beyond childhood to look at development
across the entire lifespan. At each stage of psychosocial
development, people face a crisis in which a task must be
mastered. Those who successfully complete each stage
emerge with a sense of mastery and well-being. Those
who do not resolve the crisis at each stage may struggle
with those skills for the remainder of their lives.
Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development
Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development remains
one of the most frequently cited in psychology, despite
being subject to considerable criticism. While many
aspects of his theory have not stood the test of time, the
central idea remains important today: children think
differently than adults. According to Piaget, children
progress through a series of four stages that are
marked by distinctive changes in how they think. How
children think about themselves, others, and the world
around them plays an important role in the formation
of personality.
Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development
Personality involves not only inborn traits but also the
cognitive and behavioral patterns that influence how
people think and act. Temperament is a key part of
the personality that is determined by inherited traits.
It is the aspects of personality that are innate and
have a lasting influence on behavior.
Character is another aspect of personality influenced
by experience that continues to grow and change
throughout life. While personality continues to evolve
over time and respond to the influences and
experiences of life, much of personality is determined
by inborn traits and early childhood experiences.
7 Habits of Highly Effective People

1. Be pro-active. Pro activity has a lot to do with a

person’s “circle of influence”. What you can control,
what you can influence and what is out of your reach.
Pro activity is strongly related to acknowledging your
own responsibility and influence. The first big step that
has to be taken is the step from dependence to
independence. Here you will begin to determine your
own life by using your own agenda. You are aware of
the fact that you are the architect of your own life (habit
1 of the seven habits of highly effective people) and with
this knowledge you set to work.
2. Begin with the end in Mind. This is the
habit of vision, objectives, and mission.
Beginning with the end in mind means that
when you make decisions today you
consistently take into consideration what
you stand for ‘in general’. Habit 2 has to do
with the principles and guidelines you
choose to live by. You determine what you
find important in life, what you stand for,
what you want to accomplish.
3. Put first things first. This habit has
to do with integrity, discipline, sticking
to your agreements. What is life about,
and how do you wish to shape your own
life? Knowing this, you will get to work
pro-actively while setting the right
priorities. The second big step is that of
independence to (self-selected)
interdependence.
4. Think win-win. This is the habit of the Paradox.
Temptation is strong to think in terms of winning OR
losing- or wanting to be right. The trick is to recognize
that a paradox provides an opportunity to unite the
poles. You will be independent but at the same time
you realize that you can accomplish more by
cooperating with other people. You know what you are
worth, but you also realize that you need the other
person and that it is important to give and receive love.
You can accomplish this by thinking in terms of win-
win. In case of conflicts you will always search for
solutions that are fair to all parties and in which there
are no losers.
5. Seek first to understand then to be understood
Concentrate first on understanding the other person
and then put energy into being understood. This is the
habit of listening, one of the basic qualities of a leader
or a coach.
6. Synergize. The sixth habit of the seven habits of
highly effective people, that is required to achieve
interdependence is synergizing. This means that your
approach is fundamentally based on respect,
cooperation and trust. This is the habit of
strengthening. the pitfall is compromise. The objective
is to find the third path: how can two paradoxes be
combined into something better?
7. Sharpen the saw. The last, seventh
habit of the seven habits of highly
effective people is maintenance. This is
the habit that tells you that are with
improving yourself and perseverance.
By taking plenty of exercise, rest,
meditation, etcetera, you will keep your
body, mind, relationships and
spirituality in balance.
Qualities of Self-Regulators
In general, people who are adept at self-regulating tend to be able to:
• Act in accordance with their values
• Calm themselves when upset
• Cheer themselves when feeling down
• Maintain open communication
• Persist through difficult times
• Put forth their best effort
• Remain flexible and adapting to situations
• See the good in others
• Stay clear about their intentions
• Take control of situations when necessary
• View challenges as opportunities
What Is Self-Regulation in the Workplace?
Self-regulation is a set of strategies used to regulate
and manage one’s behavior in the workplace. It is an
important aspect of any successful organization, as it
helps to create an environment that is conducive to
productivity and success.
Self-regulation can be improved by setting clear
expectations for employees regarding how they should
behave in the workplace. This includes setting standards
for dress, language, and other forms of behavior.
Moreover, employees should be encouraged to take
responsibility for their own actions and to think through
potential consequences before they act.
Here are some tips for improving self-
regulation in the workplace:
• Establish Clear Goals: A goal that is well-defined
and measurable will help you stay focused and
motivated. Taking the time to set meaningful goals
can help you stay on track and achieve results.
• Monitor Your Thoughts and Emotions: Learning
how to recognize when your thoughts or emotions
are getting in the way of achieving a goal is
important. Being aware of these patterns can help
you make better decisions and improve self-
regulation.
• Practice Self-Discipline: Taking the time to develop self-
discipline and practice delaying gratification can help you
stay on track and reach your goals more effectively.
• Take Breaks When Needed: It is important to take
regular breaks when needed in order to remain
productive, reduce stress, and avoid burnout.
• Seek Support: When self-regulation becomes difficult, it
is important to ask for help from colleagues or
supervisors. Seeking support can help you stay on track
and manage work-related stressors more effectively.
By improving self-regulation skills in the workplace,
employees can be better able to stay focused, set goals,
delay gratification, and manage emotions
In the workplace, self-regulation can help employees manage
stress, stay focused and motivated, increase productivity, and
build better relationships with their co-workers and supervisors.
TIPS FOR IMPROVING SELF-REGULATION AT WORK
• Practice Mindful Awareness: Mindful awareness is
about being present in the moment, aware of your
thoughts and feelings, and accepting them without
judgment. This can help you to stay focused on the task
at hand and be less reactive to stressful situations.
• Set Priorities: Setting priorities is an important part of
self-regulation. Having a clear understanding of what
needs to get done can help you stay on track and keep
your focus on the most important tasks.
• Break Down Tasks: Breaking down tasks into smaller,
more manageable pieces can help you stay on track and
avoid becoming overwhelmed. Set realistic timelines and
break tasks down into achievable chunks to ensure that
they are completed in a timely manner.
• Practice Self-Discipline: Having the discipline to stick to your
goals will help you stay focused and motivated. Make sure that
you are holding yourself accountable and that you stay on
track with your tasks.
• Build Positive Relationships: Building positive relationships
in the workplace can help create a more supportive
environment, which can lead to improved self-regulation.
Encourage collaboration and communication amongst co-
workers so that problems can be solved together.

These tips can help you improve your self-regulation skills in the
workplace so that you can be more productive and successful.
Practicing mindful awareness, setting priorities, breaking down
tasks, practicing self-discipline, and building positive
relationships can all contribute to better self-regulation at work.
 UC. 5 CONTRIBUTE TO WORKPLACE
INNOVATION
Innovation in its modern meaning is "a new idea,
creative thoughts, new imaginations in form of device
or method". Innovation is often also viewed as the
application of better solutions that meet new
requirements, unarticulated needs, or existing market
needs. The main driver for innovation is often the
courage and energy to better the world. An essential
element for innovation is its application in a
commercially successful way. Innovation has
punctuated and changed human history (consider the
development of electricity, steam engines, motor
vehicles, et al).
Types of innovation
1. Product innovation, which involves the introduction of a new
good or service that is substantially improved. This might include
improvements in functional characteristics, technical abilities,
ease of use, or any other dimension.
2. Process innovation involves the implementation of a new or
significantly improved production or delivery method.
3. Marketing innovation is the development of new marketing
methods with improvement in product design or packaging,
product promotion or pricing.
4. Organizational innovation (also referred to as social innovation)
involves the creation of new organizations, business practices,
ways of running organizations or new organizational behavior.
5. Business Model innovation involves changing the way business
is done in terms of capturing value e.g. Compaq vs. Dell.
Workplace Innovation is about creating
organizations in which all employees use
and develop their knowledge, skills,
experience and creativity to the full. Growing
evidence shows that work place innovation
practices which empower employees to make
day-to-day-decisions, challenge established
practices, contribute ideas, and be heard at
the most senior levels, lead to better
business results, as well as enhanced
workforce health and engagement.
WORKPLACE INNOVATION PRACTICES
good job design,
self-managed teamworking,
 human-centered technologies,
 employee-driven improvement and innovation,
 flatter organizational structures,
coaching styles of management,
 trust-based systems and processes,
 employee voice in decision-making,
 co-created leadership
POSITIVE IMPACTS AND CHALLENGES OF INNOVATION IN
WORKPLACE
Competition is fierce in almost every industry. In order to help
your organization stand out against the sea of competitors, it’s
vital to use innovative practices, technology and solutions. This
way, your business can increase market share, build brand
awareness, attract high-caliber employees and establish itself as
a leader in the industry. Workplace Innovation brought practices
such as job design and self-managed teams together with
employee involvement in innovation, and representative
participation in strategic decision-making. The concept
highlights the ways in which these specific workplace practices
connect skills development and skills utilization, business
performance, employee health, the retention of older workers,
and economic and social inclusion.
SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE
Habit 1: Be Proactive. A practical example of being proactive, is
focusing time and energy on what we can control, rather than
what we can't. Imagine two concentric circles.
Habit 2: Start with the End in Mind. The only constant in life,
is change, and it's our values and goals that keep us anchored.
It’s about identifying the big picture, figuring out who you want
to be, these serve as a constant reminder of our long-term goals
and values.
Habit 3: First Things First. In order to manage time effectively
for our long term benefit, we need to focus on what's important,
and deal with that first. Our activities can be split into two
categories, namely urgent, and important. The key to Habit 3, is
not to prioritize our schedule, but to schedule our priorities.
Habit 4: Think Win-Win. A Win-Win paradigm aims to find a mutually
beneficial solution, where everyone is happy with the decision, and
committed to a plan. It's about mutual respect and mutual benefit. The
problem is that we often think of negotiations in terms of either-or
paradigms, like 'I Win, you Lose,' or 'I Lose, you Win. Adopting such an
approach means that one person seems to get what they want at that
moment, but the results may negatively impact the future relationship.
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood.
Empathic listening is vital in meeting the needs of others. We all
need to work on understanding other people's perspectives first,
and only then help them understand yours. That's the only way to
reach a mutually beneficial solution in a win-win paradigm.
Communication experts estimate that what we say represents only
10% of our communication, our tone represents 30%, and our body
language represents a whopping 60%. So empathic listening isn't
just about listening to words; it's also attending to the feelings,
behaviors, and meaning behind them.
One way to practice this is to observe a conversation, and
move our focus from the words, to the emotions that we feel
are being communicated.
Habit 6: Synergize. When we understand and value others
then we can work towards synergy, which is the act of
working together, in order to achieve better results. This
habit requires openness and respect, which are developed in
Habit 4 and 5. It's important to realize that people see the
world not as it is, but as they are. When we leverage our
diverse perspectives, we feed off new ideas and create new
possibilities to solve difficult problems. We also end up with
a transformation, as opposed to a transaction. Everyone
wins, cementing relationships in the process. Mastering
independence and interdependence is lifelong work.
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw. Habit 7 helps us to sustain this
development, and It's about self-renewal. Renewal empowers us
to move along an upward spiral of growth and continuous
improvement. Here's an analogy. If lumberjacks spent all their
time sawing down trees, but never paused to sharpen their saws,
they would soon be unable to fell a tree with their blunt tools.
Similarly, if we don't pause to take care of ourselves, any gains
in our effectiveness would be short-lived. We'd be too exhausted
to stick to our good habits. To truly sharpen our saws, it may
help to write down activities that contribute to our well-being.
Look at this in terms of the four dimensions. We need to consider
our physical, spiritual, mental, and social-emotional wellbeing.
So, every week, why not commit to at least one of these domains.
It's essential to do this because recuperating and recharging is
how we sustain our effectiveness.
 WAYS OF APPROACHING PEOPLE TO BEGIN SHARING IDEAS ARE
SELECTED
1.Build trust and rapport
The first step to encourage idea sharing is to
build trust and rapport among your team members. This
means showing genuine interest in their perspectives,
listening actively, and giving constructive feedback. It also
means avoiding criticism, judgment, or ridicule of their
ideas, even if they are not feasible or relevant. Instead,
acknowledge their efforts, appreciate their strengths, and
celebrate their achievements. By doing so, you will create
a positive and respectful atmosphere that will make them
more comfortable and confident to share their ideas.
2.Ask open-ended questions
Another way to encourage idea sharing is to ask open-
ended questions that invite your team members to think
creatively and critically. Open-ended questions are those
that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no, but
require elaboration, explanation, or justification. For
example, you can ask questions like: "How can we
improve this process?", "What are the benefits and
challenges of this solution?", or "What are some
alternative ways to approach this problem?". By asking
open-ended questions, you will stimulate your team
members' curiosity, imagination, and problem-solving
skills. You will also show them that you value their
opinions and insights, and that you are willing to learn
from them.
3.Create a feedback loop
A third way to encourage idea sharing is to create a
feedback loop that allows your team members to see the
impact of their ideas. A feedback loop is a process of
sharing, testing, and refining ideas based on the results
and outcomes. For example, you can create a feedback
loop by: setting clear goals and expectations for the idea,
assigning roles and responsibilities for its
implementation, gathering data and evidence to measure
its effectiveness, and soliciting feedback from
stakeholders and customers. By creating a feedback
loop, you will motivate your team members to share
their ideas, as they will see how their ideas can make a
difference and how they can improve them further.
4. Reward and recognize idea sharing
A fourth way to encourage idea sharing is to reward and
recognize your team members for their contributions.
This does not mean that you have to give them monetary
incentives or prizes, but rather that you have to show
them appreciation and recognition for their efforts. For
example, you can reward and recognize idea sharing by:
giving verbal or written praise, highlighting their
achievements in meetings or newsletters, sharing their
success stories with other teams or leaders, or offering
them opportunities for learning and development. By
rewarding and recognizing idea sharing, you will
reinforce a culture of innovation and creativity in your
team, and inspire them to keep sharing their ideas.
5.Lead by example
A fifth way to encourage idea sharing is to lead by
example. This means that you have to model the
behavior that you want to see in your team members.
This means that you have to share your own ideas, ask
for feedback, admit your mistakes, and learn from
others. It also means that you have to encourage and
support other team members who share their ideas, and
create opportunities for them to collaborate and learn
from each other. By leading by example, you will
demonstrate your commitment and passion for idea
sharing, and set the tone and expectations for your
team.
THE IMPORTANCE OF EFFECTIVE MEETINGS
Meeting an assembly of people, especially the members of a society or committee,
for discussion or entertainment.

• Meetings are vitally important – if done well. Meetings help people feel included,
trusted, and that they are important team members, as well as giving them the
opportunity to contribute to the success of our companies. Meetings and
individual one-on-one conversations are fuel that runs our companies. Our
organizational culture is critically important and drives the consistency of our
success, or lack thereof. And our culture is not determined solely by our most
senior leaders. The principles, practices and behavior of our middle managers is
equally important. We’ve likely all heard “People don’t leave their companies, they
leave (quit) their bosses.” This is true.
• Meetings give important opportunities for our team members to contribute their
ideas and also letting them know our expectations, needs and wants from them.

• Here are the 7 most common business meetings types:

1. Decision-making meetings. These are called when an action needs to be taken by a group.
2. Problem-solving meetings. These are used when a group needs to come together to solve a specific problem.
3. Team-building meetings. These meetings are used to build cohesion within a group and improve the way team members work together.
4. Brainstorming meetings. These are used to generate new ideas or make links between novel or innovative concepts.
5. One-on-one meetings. This is a meeting scheduled between two people to discuss something specific.
6. Quarterly planning meetings. Held every three months, these are used to plan how a team will execute the company’s goals.
7. Check-in meetings. These meetings are used to monitor task progress against an expected outcome
HERE ARE IDEAS TO CONSIDER WHEN CONDUCTING
A MEETING
• What is the purpose of the meeting? If it is for
information sharing, can it be shared by email? This
could save time. Then the meeting could be to ask
questions and to clarify – and to make decisions.
• Meetings are typically scheduled for an hour, as that
fits a calendar. Why not 45 minutes, or 30? Let’s
respect people’s time.
• Start meetings on time and end on time. In my prior
career, based on feedback from our people, we
committed to follow this principle.
Our agenda discussions began on the button, not 5 after, and
ended at the scheduled time. When someone showed up late, which
of course will happen, we would not circle back to repeat what we
had covered. Guess what? People arrived on schedule.
• Are the right people invited to the meeting? And only those that
need to be there?
• Have we asked our team members in advance for their ideas of
discussion topics?
• Are agendas distributed in advance – ideally three days in
advance?
• Are we encouraging everyone to offer input and contribute
their ideas?
• Are we assuring everyone that respectful disagreement and debate
are desired? We do not want “yes” men and women, but, for
certain, when the discussion and meeting end, we unite and all
are supportive of decisions and no complaints afterwards.
IDEAS FOR FOLLOW UP ARE REVIEW AND SELECTED
BASED ON FEEDBACK.
Feedback is information about reactions to a product, a
person's performance of a task, etc. which is used as a
basis for improvement

65% of employees say they want more feedback. But why?

What do employees get out of asking for feedback? After
all, feedback can be a scary word. But it doesn’t have to
be. If you have the right perspective and mindset — along
with understanding the bigger picture — feedback is
valuable. Here are just a few benefits of regularly asking
for feedback.
• It demonstrates maturity, ownership, and autonomy
• Asking for feedback increases confidence and productivity
• It creates a culture of feedback where feedback is
embraced and welcomed
• It helps employees understand how their work contributes
to larger goals
• It creates a healthy dialogue and discussion
• It can lead to increased problem-solving and innovation
• It reduces white noise and allows employees to focus on
the most important tasks at hand
• It can help your teams reach their goals faster and more
efficiently
5 steps for asking for feedback
1.Reflect on what you hope to gain. Know your goal in asking for
feedback.
2. Identify the right people to ask for feedback. When deciding whom
to turn to for advice, above all else, consider the source.
3. Prepare the right questions. To get the right advice and feedback, you
need the right questions.
Open-ended questions. This type of question requires more detailed
answers, which you can use when you want to gather additional
information or have a larger discussion around a certain topic. E.g. What
are specific ways I can better support our team’s mission?
Yes / No or rating-based questions. This allows people to quickly give
you a straightforward answer. You can use this type of question to quickly
confirm an idea or validate a hunch.

For example: “Have I shown improvements in X?” or “Do you think I/we
should take this course of action?
Follow-up questions. No matter what, be prepared to ask follow-
up questions. Oftentimes, this is an opportunity to ask more
specific questions catered to a situation or task. Don’t waste the
opportunity to gain insight by hurrying past answers you don’t
understand. Asking for a specific example, or saying “Can you tell
me more about that?” Let the person giving feedback know that
you really want to understand their perspective.
4. Take notes on your feedback. Feedback is a gift. Just as
important as seeking feedback is hearing advice with an open
mind and a desire to implement it. Remember that feedback is an
opportunity to understand how others perceive you and your
work. You don’t have to agree with it, but knowing others’
perspectives is more useful than not knowing. Put yourself in the
other persons’ shoes and keep in mind that it can be just as hard
to be the person giving the feedback. Try to put your ego aside
and accept advice with a positive attitude.
5. Graciously reflect and review. Think about
what you’ll do with the feedback after you’ve
received it. Organize the feedback so that you can
refer back to it. Make a step-by-step plan that
outlines how you’ll implement the feedback in
tangible ways. Consider sharing that plan back
with at least some of the people who gave it. For
example, your boss may have suggested
work-life balance as a priority. An action item
would be to turn off and put away your laptop
every day by 6 p.m. The advice was to find
balance; the action was to implement a cutoff time
for work devices.
These tips can help you follow through on feedback:
• Review everything from your discussion and highlight the
changes you can implement immediately.
• Think about the changes that may require more time and break it
down into a step-by-step strategy to put them into action.
• Request time for another video call or a one-on-one meeting in
the coming weeks or months to assess your progress. The
appointment will keep you accountable for applying those
changes to your work.
• How to get in the right mindset for receiving feedback
• Receiving feedback doesn’t mean just listening to advice. Almost
as important as asking for feedback is the state of mind you’re in
when receiving it.
Receiving input isn’t always easy, especially if
you don’t like or agree with it. Your mindset is everything when it
comes to receiving advice.
How to ask for feedback in an email
Many of us are now working remotely, which can make seeking
effective feedback more difficult. For one, we may not be able to
walk over to our colleague’s desk to request their time. Second,
with a lack of in-person time, we must now request meetings via
email and receive feedback by video conference. It can feel more
formal and more daunting. Keep the limitations of remote
meetings in mind. Communication hallmarks like eye contact
and body language can get lost in video calls. Direct eye contact
isn’t possible, and hand gestures and posture don’t always come
through the screen. Despite good camera and microphone
quality, video conferencing only gives us a “flat” impression
relative to face-to-face communication. Lack of face-to-face
presence when discussing sensitive topics can leave room for
misunderstandings.
Before the feedback session, prepare by consciously committing
to:
• Assuming good intentions
• Not reacting too quickly
• Asking clarifying questions
• Also, remember that you may not receive the same amount of
feedback if your team is away from an office environment for
the first time. Many companies are still adjusting to the
dispersed team and new work environment.
What is 360 degree feedback? 360 degree feedback (also known
as multi-source or multi rater feedback assessment) is a way for
individuals to understand their personal strengths and
weaknesses, using the constructive feedback of others who work
with them the most.
Examples of 360-degree feedback
Questions and written answers can run the gamut given the
breadth of insight 360-degree feedback offers. Here are some
examples of the kind of feedback raters can give:
• Creativity: "This person often seeks out ways to improve
our current processes and offers new ideas to streamline our
work."
• Communication: "This coworker has a hard time listening
to other people's ideas. They rarely provide context or
evidence to support their decisions and instead prioritize
their own ideas."
• Teamwork: "This person helps delegate tasks and organize
the team during group projects. They put forth their best
effort promptly, so other team members have time to deliver
their work as well."
Pros and cons of 360-degree feedback
No review system is perfect. Just like other systems, 360-degree
feedback has its benefits and drawbacks. Let's look at the pros
and cons of 360-degree feedback.
Benefits of 360-degree feedback
• Strengthens company culture and builds trust in an
organization
• Helps leaders use recognition to shift company culture
• Provides nuanced perspectives to help conquer bias in the
workplace
• Fosters teamwork across departments
• Helps employees feel more appreciated and recognized
• Improves employee accountability and productivity
360-degree feedback and bias
One significant benefit of 360-degree feedback is how it can
combat managerial or team bias.
• A reported 68% of people say bias negatively impacted their
productivity
• 84% say that bias impeded their happiness, confidence, or
well-being
• 70% say that experiencing or witnessing bias negatively
impacted how engaged they felt at work
Experiencing or witnessing bias can create a
hostile work environment. And unfortunately, over 60% of
employees feel bias is still present in their workplace. There's
room for improvement here. 360-degree feedback can help
employees receive fairer and more balanced assessments
Critical inquiry is the process of gathering and evaluating
information, ideas, and assumptions from multiple perspectives to
produce well-reasoned analysis and understanding, and leading to
new ideas, applications and questions.
• How critical thinking is used in the innovation model?
Critical thinking is an essential part of the innovation process. It
involves judgments about what is important and not and
reasoning through problems. Making good decisions is vital to
success, but so is learning from bad ones. Every decision we
make teaches us something about ourselves and the world
around us
• How can innovation be encouraged in a workplace through
critical thinking? To foster innovation at work using critical
thinking, embrace diverse perspectives, question assumptions,
and encourage an environment where ideas are challenged
constructively. Analyze problems deeply, identify root causes, and
explore unconventional solutions.
Some characteristics of a critical thinker are:
• Objective - Able to recognize biases and look at things from a
neutral perspective.
• Logical - Sets standards and criteria for assessment, step-by-
step approach.
• Evidence-based - Takes into account facts and data, does not
rely on feelings or unsubstantiated claims.
• Collaborative - Receives input from multiple sources and is
willing to consider other people’s ideas.