The HARD TRUTH About SOFT SKILLS

The entire world today speaks of Soft Skills and their importance. Industry has been emphasizing continuously the need for acquiring and strengthening these skills. Over the last 6 years all colleges which run professional courses have been implementing Campus Recruitment Training (CRT) programs in their campuses to ensure that their students get trained on these soft skills and build successful careers.

What are soft skills?

Even before we understand the meaning of soft skills, let us first discuss the meaning of Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. To perform any action, we need to have knowledge of how to go about doing it; some tasks will require us to possess the relevant skills and / or abilities also. For example, if we want to speak fluently in English, we need to have the knowledge of using grammatically correct sentences and appropriate words according to the context.

Our ability to use sentences that are grammatically correct and vocabulary that is appropriate to the situation depends on our knowledge. On the other hand, the speed at which we speak or the accent with which we speak depends on our skill and also our ability. One important thing we need to understand here is that every skill is built on some foundation of knowledge; if we are skilled in something, it automatically implies that we have the knowledge to demonstrate that skill. So, these three components: Knowledge, Skills and Abilities together influence the amount of success one can achieve in life. In fact, we can represent the relationship among these three components as follows:

Now, a skill cannot be learnt by just reading a book or watching a video or listening to someone; it can be acquired by doing only! Skills that help us improve our relationships and interactions with people, skills that help us achieve great things in life, and skills that make our life easier can be generically termed as Soft Skills. However, today Soft Skills refer to the skills that are not part of our regular academic curriculum. An easy way to define Soft Skills is: all skills that are related to our Emotional Quotient (EQ); hard skills are related to our Intelligence Quotient (IQ)! Soft Skills are considered to be more important than hard skills and hence companies conduct Group Discussions, Personal Interviews to assess the soft skills of a person before deciding to extend an offer of employment. A couple of Soft Skills that are considered to be most essential are: Team Working / Team Building, Leadership, Motivational skills, Decision making and problem solving skills, negotiation skills, tolerance to ambiguity, listening skills, speaking skills (assertive as well as persuasive; public speaking / presentation skills), etc.

For whom are Soft Skills important?

Anyone who wants to lead a happy life and ensure that they achieve what they want in life need to strengthen their soft skills! An entrepreneur, an employee, an employer, a freelancer, a home maker, a student, everyone needs soft skills. Of course, unemployed youth who pass out of colleges and universities are expected to demonstrate their soft skills in a more tangible form in order to secure employment with reputed companies like Accenture, Google, IBM, Infosys, Infotech, Microsoft, TCS, Wipro, Yahoo, etc. Please note that soft skills are needed not only for the IT industry people, but also for anyone who wants to be employed in other sectors as well like the BPO, manufacturing, FMCG, BSFI, real estate, etc. More specifically, B. E / B.Tech graduates, MBA and MCA graduates, who are professionally qualified, are expected to possess strong soft skills apart from the academic percentages and strong knowledge of their subjects.

We learned the importance of Soft-skills in current competitive job world. We learned that Soft-skills are sometimes classified into personal attributes & interpersonal abilities. We also briefly touched up on few key Soft-skills which can be considered, with adequate priority, to be included in learning program to succeed in our career.

Here is an attempt to provide some more information on these soft-skills and few helpful books, where available. Being Positive: There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. That little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative. - Robert Collier. The attitude one carry reflects on one's appearance, unless, that one is a great actor. And, they are the thoughts which are very powerful and affect one's general attitude. That's not the end of it, one's attitude not only reflects and effects one's appearance but also affect people around. It completely depends on the individual what type of attitude he/she carry; it can be either positive or negative.

Attitude can also be defined as the way of looking at the world. If you choose to focus on the negative things in the world, more or less you have a negative attitude brewing up. However, if you choose to focus on the positive things, you are more likely carry a positive attitude. Positive Attitude: Have a filling effect; admittedly invigorating. Plus, the people around the person carrying positive thoughts are usually energized by this type of attitude. Attracts people. promotes better health. Those with this kind of attitude also have more friends. projecting a positive attitude also helps one to handle stress and problems better than those who have a negative attitude. A positive attitude begins with a healthy self-image. If you will love the way you are and are satisfied, confident, and selfassured, you also make others are around feel the same way. Negative Attitude: Negative thoughts have a sapping effect on other people. Aside from making you look gloomy and sad, negative thoughts can turn a festive gathering into a funeral wake Repels people. People tend to shy away from those who carry a negative attitude A negative attitude, on the other hand, has, of course, an opposite effect on healthy self-image. So, carrying a negative attitude has a twofold drawback. You feel bad about yourself, and you make others feel the same way. If you want to have a positive attitude, you have to feature healthy thoughts. This is probably very hard to do nowadays since, all around us, the media feeds us nothing but negative thoughts. A study shows that for every 14 things a parent says to his or her child, only one is positive. This is truly a saddening thought. If you want a healthier outlook in life, you need to think happy thoughts, and you have to hear positive things as well. So, what can you do? Well, for starters, you could see a funny movie, you could play with children, spend some time telling jokes with friends. All these activities fill you with positive stimuli, which in turn promotes positive attitude. Although it is impossible to keep ourselves from the negative things around us, you can still carry a positive attitude by focusing on the good things, the positive things in life. And this positive attitude you now carry can be of benefit to other people. Sometimes when other people feel down, the thing people mostly do is try to give them advice. But sometimes, all they need is somebody to sit by them, and listen to them. If you have a positive attitude you may be able to cheer them up without even having to say anything. If positive attitude is really great, why do people choose to adopt a negative attitude instead? One who carries a negative attitude may be actually sending a signal for attention. Before you get me wrong, feeling sad, angry, or gloomy is not wrong itself. But dwelling on these thoughts for far too long is not healthy either. There is a time to mourn. As always, if you are beset by troubles, even in your darkest hour, focus on the good things in life, you will always have hope. Problems become something you can overcome. You do not have much to lose by adopting a healthy, positive attitude. Studies show that such an attitude actually retards aging, makes you healthier, helps you develop a better stress coping mechanism, and has a very positive effect on all the people you meet every day. So, what's not to like about a positive attitude? Adopt one today. Jon Gordon Jon Gordon is a speaker, consultant and author of the international best sellers The Energy Bus:10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work and Team with Positive Energy, The No Complaining Rule: Positive Ways to Deal with Negativity at Work, Training Camp: What the Best do Better than Everyone Else and The Shark and The Goldfish: Positive Ways to Thrive During Waves of Change, Over the years Jon did a lot of research on the positive effects of being positive and the negative affects of being negative. The research is clear. It really does pay to be positive and the benefits include enhanced health and longevity, happiness, career advancement, athletic performance, team building and financial success. Being positive is not just a nice way to live. It's the way to live. In this spirit here are 11 benefits of being positive. 1. Positive People Live Longer - In a study of nuns, those that regularly expressed positive emotions lived on average 10 years longer. 2. Positive work environments outperform negative work environments.

3. Positive, optimistic sales people sell more than pessimistic sales people. 4. Positive leaders are able to make better decisions under pressure. 5. Marriages are much more likely to succeed when the couple experiences a 5 to 1 ratio of positive to negative interactions whereas when the ratio approaches 1 to 1, marriages are more likely to end in divorce. 6. Positive people who regularly express positive emotions are more resilient when facing stress, challenges and adversity. 7. Positive people are able to maintain a broader perspective and see the big picture which helps them identify solutions where as negative people maintain a narrower perspective and tend to focus on problems. 8. Positive thoughts and emotions counter the negative effects of stress. For example, you can't be thankful and stressed at the same time. 9. Positive emotions such as gratitude and appreciation help athletes perform at a higher level. 10. Positive people have more friends which is a key factor of happiness and longevity. 11. Positive and popular leaders are more likely to garner the support of others and receive pay raises and promotions and achieve greater success in the workplace.

Books: The power of positive thinking - Norman Vincent Pele Positive Thinking Every Day - Norman Vincent Pele You can if you think you can - Normal Vincent Pele How to stop worrying and start Living - Dale Carnegie The magic of Thinking Big - David J Schwartz Success Through a positive mental attitude - Napoleon Hill

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EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Communication - the human connection - is the key to personal and career success. - Paul Meyer Communication is about being effective, not always about being proper. - Bo Bennett Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know. - Jim Rohn

Effective communication is all about conveying your messages to other people clearly and with no ambiguity. Doing this involves effort from both the sender of the message and the receiver. Failing which can cause tremendous confusion, wasted effort and missed opportunity. In fact, communication is only successful when both the sender and the receiver understand the same information as a result of the communication. By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughts and ideas effectively. When not successful, the thoughts and ideas that you actually send do not necessarily reflect what you think, causing a communications breakdown and creating roadblocks that stand in the way of your goals - both personally and professionally. Dennis Rivers, in his popular book, The Seven Challenges Workbook (A guide to cooperative communication skills for success at Home and at Work), elaborates on seven challenges for effective communication. 1. Listening more carefully and more responsively Actively acknowledging another person's experience does not have to mean that you agree or approve. Compassionately allow people to feel whatever they feel. People are much more likely to listen if they have been listened to with actively expressed acknowledgments. 2. Explaining my conversational intent and inviting consent The more involvement a conversation is going to require of the other person, the more you will benefit by sharing your conversational goal and inviting the conscious cooperation of your conversation partner. 3. Expressing myself more clearly and more completely Giving your listeners the information they need to understand (mentally reconstruct) your experiences more fully. One good way is to use the five I-messages: What/how I (1)observe, (2)am feeling, (3) because I interpret/evaluate/need, and now I (4)want to request, and (5)envision/hope for from request. Equally good for self-understanding, too. 4. Translating my criticisms and complaints into requests Do this for both your own complaints and the complaints that others bring to you. Focusing on the positive outcome shows respect to the recipient of a request as having a positive contribution to make, and shifts focus from past mistakes to present and future successes. 5. Asking questions more "open-endedly" and more creatively "How did you like that movie?" is an open-ended question that invites a wide range of answers. "Did you like it?" suggests only "yes" or "no" as answers and does not encourage discussion. Sincerely asked open-ended questions can open up our conversation partners. 6. Thanking. Expressing more gratitude and appreciation In a world full of problems, look for opportunities to give praise. Both at home & at work, it is the bond of appreciation that makes relationships strong enough to allow for problem-solving and differing needs. 7. Focusing on learning Make the practices described in challenges 1 through 6 important parts of your everyday living. Pay attention to each conversation as an opportunity to grow in skill, awareness and compassion. In a recent survey of recruiters from companies with more than 50,000 employees, communication skills were cited as the single more important decisive factor in choosing managers. The survey, conducted by the University of Pittsburgh's Katz Business School, points out that communication skills, including written and oral presentations, as well as an ability to work with others, are the main factor contributing to job success. Being able to communicate effectively is therefore essential if you want to build a successful career. To do this, you must understand what your message is, what audience you are sending it to, and how it will be perceived. You must also weigh-in the circumstances surrounding your communications, such as situational and cultural context. To deliver your messages effectively, you must commit to breaking down the barriers that exist within each of these stages of the communication process. Let's begin with the message itself. If your message is too lengthy, disorganized, or contains errors, you can expect the message to be misunderstood and misinterpreted. Use of poor verbal and body language can also confuse the message. Barriers in context tend to stem from senders offering too much information too fast. When in doubt here, less is oftentimes more. It is best to be mindful of the demands on other people's time, especially in today's ultra-busy society. Once you understand this, you need to work to understand your audience's culture, making sure you can converse and deliver your message to people of different backgrounds and cultures within your own organization, in your country and even abroad.

Improve your Communication Skills : Here are 6 great tips you can use:

1. Awareness of your own interaction with other people is the first step in improving your communication skills. 2. You must accept responsibility for your own behavior and do not fear apologizing for errors in judgment or insensitive actions. Asking others for honest feedback about the way you interact with others can be very helpful. Accept the negative feedback along with the positive and make changes accordingly. 3. Your non-verbal communication is equally as important as the things that you say. Positive body language is extremely important in your interactions with other people. If your words and your actions do not match, you will have a difficult time succeeding in social situations. 4. In order to learn how to improve your communication skills, you must become a great listener. You must fight the urge to respond immediately and really listen to what the other person is trying to communicate. Offering suggestions or criticism before you are certain of the other person's intent can only lead to frustration for both parties. 5. Improving your communication skills is a process and cannot be accomplished overnight. Trying to improve or change too many things at once will be counter-productive. You will become discouraged and overwhelmed if you attempt to change your entire personality all at once. Choose one or two traits at a time and work on those over a period of time. Learn to take advantage of your personal strengths and make a positive impact on others. 6. Maximize your positive personality traits and use them in your interactions with others. Good communication and great listening skills are the most important tools you can use in improving your communication skills. You can learn how to improve your communication skills by developing excellent listening skills, learning to resolve problems and conflicts, understanding body language, and accepting responsibility for your own negative behavior.

Books: Communication Skills: Stepladders to success for the professional by Richard Ellis The handbook of Communication Skills by Owen Hargie 101 ways to improve your communication skills instantly by Jo Condrill & Bennie Bough Communications Skills - continued . Based on the feedback & comments from readers of write-up on (comm. Skills came in last week' eenadu news paper), here is an attempt to explain ways to develop communication skills.

Effective Communication is A Real Skill Communication skills have to be developed, nurtured and updated on an on-going basis. They are at the heart of interpersonal skills and more you know how it all works, the more effective your communication will be.

How to Develop Good Communication Skills 1. Communication (in this context) is the process of exchanging signals / messages between a set of sender(s) and receiver(s); and this can be in different modes, written, vocal or signs. It is also a mechanism to establish / modify relationship. 2. How do you present yourself & interact with others is greatly influenced by your attitude. It is strongly recommended to choose to be sincere, positive, be honest, sensitive to other's feelings, show patience and most importantly accepting others & believe in other's capabilities. 3. One most important & effective way to make a conversation or interaction successful is to make eye contact. It not only demonstrate your confidence but also conveys interest and encourages your partner (the speaker or listener). When in front of more people, making eye contact with different people at different times creates a comfort feeling and personalizes the interaction. 4. Body language, which is your physical posture, communicates much more than a bunch of words. Quite often, a conversation can be initiated or ended by the body language of people. Appropriate physical posture (and an approachable' stance) can make lot of difference in the result or consequences of a conversation. 5. You should know what you think so that you can convey them timely to others. You should take adequate time on each day (or in few days) to know your own opinions, feelings and thought process. In situations / conversations you should be able to express them boldly. What is important, useful to one person may not be of same to an other person or may be of more to someone else. The courage to say express your opinions / feelings may fetch you an opportunity to learn more than you knew before. Please note, you opinions / feelings may

be wrong, which can ONLY be corrected if you express them boldly. 6. When you express, express LOUD & CLEAR. A suitable level of tone & volume demonstrates that you mean what you say, you know what you say and you already thought of what to say; which means demonstrating confidence in your views and expressions. This would also reduce possible mis-understanding. 7. It is always small at the beginning; so as communication skills. Developing advanced commutation skills begins with simple & smaller interactions. Practice smaller conversations every day, with your own self, in the back your mind and/or with your mirror image. Any new learning takes time to excel, but each time you use your skills towards an effective communication, you open up to more opportunities, relationships and successful partnerships. 8. Any learning with respect to communication skills can not complete, infact can not start even without effective listening skills'. Yes, if you're not a good listener, you can never be a good speaker or articulator; because communication is not one way. Avoid the tendency to listen only to for the end of other persons words so that you can jump on to it with ideas, views, opinions or suggestions which comes in to your mind while the other person was speaking. TIPS Speak fluently; does not mean fast but avoid unwanted pauses & repetitions Use proper grammar Speak firmly; no murmuring

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PROBLEM SOLVING

The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problem. - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi When every physical and mental resources is focused, one's power to solve a problem multiplies tremendously. - Norman Vincent Peale No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it. - Albert Einstein Crisis Management & Problem Solving are indeed two different issues to deal with. Crisis Management is typically the term used in case of a disaster; we generally hear it in Organizations / Corporates. Problem Solving is more a general term or something we use on a day-to-day basis. But, here for the benefit of our readers who are either students or those in the beginning stage of their careers, we tried to present them as one aspect.

Problem Solving need demands for certain abilities: to be flexible. to apply different working styles on different occasions, e.g. Task', Individual' or Team' oriented to possess communicative skills and the confidence to negotiate and compromise. to be capable of handling and sifting large quantities of, sometimes inaccurate and sketchy information to draw up as accurate as possible a picture of the situation. to be capable of recognizing and filtering the right information and need to know when to become pro-active in gathering data. There are many approaches to problem solving, depending on the nature of the problem and the people involved in the problem. The more traditional, rational approach is typically used and involves, eg, clarifying description of the problem, analyzing causes, identifying alternatives, assessing each alternative, choosing one, implementing it, and evaluating whether the problem was solved or not. Another, more state-of-the-art approach is appreciative inquiry. That approach asserts that "problems" are often the result of our own perspectives on a phenomena, eg, if we look at it as a "problem," then it will become one and we'll probably get very stuck on the "problem." Appreciative inquiry includes identification of our best times about the situation in the past, wishing and thinking about what worked best then, visioning what we want in the future, and building from our strengths to work toward our vision. The activities of problem solving and decision making are closely intertwined, so the reader will often find mention of the two topics together. Key Elements of Problem Solving the problem you are trying to solve has already been solved by someone else in the past, by all means learn that solution first, even if you intend to improve on it begin by solving the simplest version of the problem build your solution incrementally avoid focusing on a single solution avoid hidden assumptions (which often means, no assumptions; consider the problem in totality) be patient and persevere 8

 don't expect to find permanent answers Problems come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. There is no single or simple step-by-step process which guarantees a solution. We need to configure or adapt our problem solving processes to fit the problem at hand, based on our capabilities, skills, priorities etc. Toward that end, here are ten tipsideas to strengthen problem solving tool box. 1. Focus on the solved state Pay at least as much attention to the solved state as is paid to the problem state. If you're not sure where you're going, you're liable to end up someplace else - and not even know it - Robert F Mager. [Dr. Robert F. Mager is an accomplished author and world-renowned expert on training and human performance improvement issues. One of Dr. Mager's most significant contributions to the performance improvement field is his work on the Criterion-Referenced Instruction (CRI) training methodology. CRI is used to develop training guaranteed to work and has become the standard for excellence in training and performance improvement.] When solving a problem, more often than not we are trying also to achieve some other, more desirable state of affairs. Theoretically speaking, we're trying to move from the problem state to the solved state. But, if we're not in an emergency situation, and if we still have nothing more in mind than doing something to rid ourselves of the problem state, we can create situations where all we do is move from problem to problem, the result of the solution to one problem creating one or more new problems. These are referred to as inefficient solutions. An efficient solution, of course, creates no new problems. There are several ways of focusing on the solved state. One is to define it the same way we would define the problem state (more about that under Tip #3). Another is to list possible measures or indicators of its attainment. Ask yourself questions like these: How will I know the problem has been solved? What will I accept as evidence? What does the solved state look like? Yet a third is to be clear about all the goals and objectives of the problem solving effort. (This last point is so important that it constitutes a tip all its own the next one.) 2. Be clear about all your goals and objectives Ultimately, the aim of problem solving is action. To engage in problem solving is to search for a solution. To actually solve a problem is to implement the solution that has been found and demonstrate that it works. Solving problems requires intervention as well as investigation. One way of examining the multi-dimensionality of our goals and objectives is to compare and identify any disparities between our perceptions (what we have) and our preferences (what we want). Four categories of goals and objectives can be derived from the interplay of our perceptions and preferences: Achieve, Preserve, Avoid, and Eliminate (Arnold, 1978; Nickols, 1992). For any problem situation, it is useful to ask the following questions as a way of clarifying 9

all your goals and objectives: 1. What are we trying to achieve? 2. What are we trying to preserve? 3. What are we trying to avoid? 4. What are we trying to eliminate? 3. Expand your definition of Define the Problem Perhaps the best-known step in the problem solving process is the one most people think of as the first step: Define the Problem. This is probably the most misunderstood and poorly executed step in the process. For many people, Define the Problem means simply to provide a written definition or statement of the problem. There is much more to it than that. To define means to establish boundaries, to encompass, to enclose, to locate, to isolate, to distinguish, to differentiate, to set apart. To define the problem state (or the solved state) means, to do the following: 1. To establish boundaries; to delineate (Locate). 2. To give distinguishing characteristics; to differentiate (Isolate). 3. To state the nature of; to describe precisely (Articulate). 4. To state the meaning of; to provide a definition (Explicate). Rarely are definitions of the problem state or the solved state crystal-clear up front. Clarity typically develops over time. In many cases, the definition of a problem may be considered complete only after the problem has been solved. Until then, it is a shifting, evolving, changing part of the process. Thus, although Defining the Problem is a good step with which to begin the problem solving process, it is only a starting point and it must be revisited on a regular basis. This also is true of any definition of the solved state. 4. Think of problem solving as a cover-the-bases activity Information does not make itself available to suit the requirements of anyone's problem solving process. Solving a problem in a complex organization has much in common with detective work. We are forced to follow leads and unearth clues. A systematic approach is necessary but the point of having one is to make sure you tend to all the things that need tending to, that you cover the bases, not run around them in a 1-2-3 fashion. Here is a list of twelve bases to be covered or tasks that typically need tending to in the course of solving a problem: 1. Defining the problem state. 2. Specifying the solved state. 3. Modeling the structure of the problem. 4. Finding and fixing the cause of the problem. 5. Engineering a solution. 6. Settling on a course of action. 7. Reconciling restraints and constraints. 8. Obtaining support and consensus. 9. Preparing plans and schedules. 10. Taking action. 11. Assessing its effects and consequences. 12. Adjusting future actions as required. 10

Steps 4 and 5 are typically mutually exclusive; you do one or the other but not both. Step 3 is very important and is elaborated upon in the next tip. 5. Draw pictures of the structure of the problem A picture or model of the elements and relationships in a problem situation will help you to more quickly and more completely grasp the situation and figure out what to do about it.

The elements of this system include inputs, a processor, outputs, a controller, and control loops. On the front end of this system is a task initiation loop and on the back end is an evaluation and termination loop. The relationships among these elements are such that inputs to the work system interact with the processor. The interactions between inputs and processor, which typically consist of prefigured routines, are referred to as processes. These processes produce the work system's outputs. All this occurs under the watchful eye of the controller. The use of diagrams or schematics as an aid to problem solving is not new. Technicians have been using schematics as troubleshooting aids for years. Computer programmers and systems analysts are familiar with, if not dependent on, flowcharts and data structure models. Industrial engineers have relied on process flow diagrams. 6.Take the concept of cause with a grain of salt If ever there was a time-waster in problem solving, it has to be the search for the cause of the problem. Don't misunderstandthe concept of cause is frequently relevant, but its usefulness depends on the kind of problem being solved. It's not relevant all the time and, for some problems, it's never relevant. Not all problems can be said to be caused. And not all causes can be corrected. At a more mundane level, consider the employee who doesn't know how to perform a certain task. Suppose this person was never trained to perform the task. Suppose the task itself was only recently made a part of the person's job. What's the cause in this case? Is it the employee's lack of knowledge? Is it the fact that she was not trained? Is it the newness of the task? Is it the reduction in force? Or is it the economic conditions that led to the reduction in force? The point of this tip is a simple one: The concept of cause is relevant in some cases but not in others. Take the time early in your problem-solving efforts to decide if the concept of cause is or isn't relevant before you spend time and energy looking for something that doesn't exist or that can't be corrected. 7. Watch out for disconnects 11

The term disconnect refers to the uncoupling of solutions from the problems they are intended to solve. This typically happens when one person or group of persons defines the problem, a second person or group of persons is assigned to figure out what to do about it, and yet a third person or group of persons is tasked with actually implementing the solution. Beware of disconnects! 8. Be aware of your own blinders (beliefs, we are so used to) We all wear a custom-tailored set of blinders, that is, perceptual and value-based filters that lead us to see or not see certain things, or to interpret them in certain ways. These blinders are sometimes useful, but many a times not. In all cases, it pays to know what they are. When it comes to problems and problem solving, there are several ways we can get a peek at how we're placing our own personal spin on things. One is the way we label the problem. Labels invoke what Allen Newell and Herbert Simon (1972) termed the problem space': - problem labels influence the way I frame a problem, they lead me look in different places for different things. It is useful to pause during the course of working on a problem and ask yourself how you've got it labeled. Deliberately changing the label can also be useful. 9. Develop your own system for solving problems This amounts to recommending that you reinvent the wheel. Be that as it may, the point is that you simply cannot pick up someone else's conceptual tools and make immediate use of them. A certain amount of adaptation is unavoidable & inevitable. As a problem solver, you must develop your own system for solving problems. You have to develop a scheme whereby you can tell if a given problem solving tool is useful or not and put it to use accordingly. An earlier example of a problem solving tool that might or might not be useful in a given situation was the concept of cause. Below are three more. These are techniques. 1. Brainstorming. Coming up with ideas is important, and brainstorming is a good way to do that. But, brainstorming won't take the place of detailed financial analysis. And brainstorming won't tell you who's going to oppose your definition of the problem. And brainstorming won't tell you how to persuade that person to support your definitionor lead you to acknowledge that there may be merit in her position. Brainstorming is a useful technique, but not for all occasions. The definitive book on this subject is Applied Imagination, by Alex Osborn. 2. Force-Field Analysis. This, too, is a useful techniquein certain situations. Force-field analysis isn't likely to be of much use in determining which component burned out (and neither is brainstorming). In general, force-field analysis is a useful technique for examining psychological and sociological factors or forces, but there are better tools available for diagnosing problems in physical systems. A good summary of this technique can be found in the second edition of The Planning of Change. 12

3. Root Cause Analysis. This technique has its roots in quality control. It is a structured method for identifying the factors that contribute to the effects observed in a given situation but it is not a means for identifying the structure of the problem. Those interested in the technique of root cause analysis can find adequate explanations in Kaizen, by Masaaki Imai, The Customer Driven Company, by Richard C. Whiteley, and in Section 22, of Juran's Quality Control Handbook. 10. Research the subject matter Many books have been written about problem solving and solving problems. It would take a great deal of time to read them allif you were so inclined. The good stuff is scattered about in several books. A tidbit here, a morsel there, a snack now and then, but hardly ever a full meal, let alone a feast. Books: How We Think (1910). John Dewey The psychology of problem solving by Janet E. Davidson, Robert J. Sternberg.
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TIME MANAGEMENT
Until you value yourself, you won't value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything productive with it. - M. Scott Peck This is a topic familiar to almost every individual irrespective of social, economical, educational, regional ..so on backgrounds. No Time' is something we hear in atleast 2 out of 3 conversations; let the conversation be at the school, in a friendly chat, at the market yard or at office. And, each one of us, at one point in time or other, have tried (or have been trying) to do something' about better utilizing time. . Most importantly, each one of us already have a method, a technique, an approach and/or a perception about time'. Having said this, I did not want to spend too much of time (or words) on this topic but yes, would like to share with you e few guidelines or techniques on Time Management.

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The key is in not spending time, but in investing it. - Stephen R. Covey
Time management is not exactly about managing time but mostly about managing task(s). Probably, it's been referred to as Time Management as there is a definite limit to the time available as compared to the number of tasks or amount of work one need to handle. Time Management in fact is an outcome of several activities; for example, how well the task is understood, how well it is planned to handle the task, how well the plan is executed and how well the outcome is assessed as compared to a desired, anticipated or expected outcome. Many people are discouraged from trying to learn new knowledge or skills, spend time with family and friends, go to visit a place or roam around and so on so forth because of time issues. They already feel that their lives are too busy and they don't see how it is possible to fit more commitments into their already jammed schedules. Other people take an overly easy-going approach towards similar things. Both types of people described above might benefit from improving their time management and organization skills. The first type of people (who believes that they are "too busy" and cannot afford to take-up any thing new) might actually be able to make the necessary time available if they try to tag a value to the things they are doing and the things they want to do. This will help figuring out whether new things might be more important than other current commitments, and then, if found that the new things have more value , a conscious and careful rearrangement of current commitments and responsibilities so as to move aside things that are less important and make room for learning. Normally scheduled events (like preparing dinner, or paying bills, or child care) might be able to be put off for a while, or given over to someone else in the family so as to make room for sparing time for the new things' being planned. The second type of people (who has an overly easy-going approach) might do much better in their already chosen programs/skill/activity/job if they actually set a priority & importance to them. We need to realize that many things can be accomplished in life when their value is known, the importance (rather need) is identified & are accordingly prioritized and then take them seriously enough to see that they get done in a timely manner. Time management skills boil down to awareness, organization and commitment. You need to become aware of and record everything you're doing so that important things get done on time and nothing bothers you at a crucial time. You also need to commit to keeping your schedule, and not wandering off when something more momentarily interesting occurs. Time management and organization skills are applicable to a wide range of life tasks you might decide to take on. They will benefit you broadly in whatever you might do. The awareness part of time management corresponds to self-monitoring methods. In this case, what you need to self-monitor are your commitments and how much time you spend on them. Commitments are appointments, or things you have to do like every-day-jobs, or attending a class. They are also the things you choose to do when you are avoiding your actual commitments (such as spending time hanging out with your friends). Some commitments are predictable and follow a formal schedule, while others are informal and occur more spontaneously. You have

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explicit commitments (like classes, assignments and interviews) and also implicit commitments (like the time you'll need to put in studying for tests, or researching and preparing presentations). Make sure you schedule time for both commitment types! There never seems to be enough time to do everything. Time is something we all have in common. It does not matter how hard we try, we really can't save time or buy time. However, it is possible to learn to spend our time wisely to avoid losing on time. The goal of time management should not be to find more time, but use the available time more effectively. The goal is to set a reasonable amount of time to do things and then use that time wisely. A To Do' list helps listing tasks / activities. It will not only help as a good reminder on various things to be accomplished but also can be used to prioritize them, if spent little bit more time. What you need to do is to just write down all the tasks / activities for the given day, week and so on. Then, mark them based on time bound, routine, and one-time so on. Once you have it ready, then prioritize them in each of the categories separately. This is one way of doing, but, take my word, once you have the raw list ready, you will find yourself several ways to handle them all more efficiently Good time management goes in line with good organization of things. Put your daily routines into detail. While you don't need to schedule every step of them, listing routine tasks helps you to remember each step you need to take to meet your goal, whether it's getting to work or college on time or doing things beyond your regular Monday to Friday schedules. You might have realized quite often that some of tasks are relatively large. Try to break a large task in to smaller ones. There are more than few advantages with this approach; you can realize clear milestones in accomplishing a large task; easy to cater time and plan to complete this smaller task(s); these smaller achievements boosts up the morale & confidence; most importantly, if you're interrupted in the middle of a task (the smaller one) it's easy to cope-up again. Don't under or over estimate time. Over estimating time may find problems in fitment of such task in to the bigger plan or even may attain a lower priority (due to lack of fitment). Whereas, under estimating may disrupt your day's schedule and makes it impossible to meet-up with your schedule. However, be generous with your time allocation. It's much easier to fit a small task into extra time than it is to try to make up for lost time. (This comes with little experience; so don't be so bothered about allocating time in the beginning, but make sure you have surplus time if a task spills over originally estimated time). This one sounds little too much, but very useful. Though you plan your day very well, you may often find small portions of time being spent on waiting or not doing anything. You can even plan to utilize few of these small portions. For example, if you're waiting in the queue to pay electricity bill, you may like to pick up your to do' list and review or pick up your note pad and complete part of the assignment (atleast the outline, if not in paragraphs) Big messes start with little piles completing a task is an art; make sure you completely finish all circles. Put things away at pre-designated places as you finish using them. This completeness' not only helps keeping you out of clutter but also helps you with a big cleaned up space (may not be necessarily in physical dimensions); you'll know where things are the next time you need to use them. Added advantage here is, you won't waste time' searching for things; they are just there for you whenever you need them. I know & have seen people (both at work and outside) who spend a significant amount of time just searching for things; they don't remember or pay attention on where they kept them after last use. Plan your day in such a way that your tomorrow actually starts tonight. Get in the habit of preparing for the next day at the end of your day. Write out a to do list for tomorrow's tasks. Leave keys, wallet (or purse), and your To Do List all in the same place. For optimum time management, you can even lay out tomorrow's clothing before you go to bed. Reminders - all of us carry cell phones and other gadgets these days and almost every cell phone have the features of calendars, to do and reminders (so as our computers). Use them efficiently. You can also highlight on things which you should not forget' and give them space on the top of your To Do list Round to-its This goes with breaking up larger tasks to smaller ones. For example, if your personal room to be cleaned; it can be broken in to smaller tasks, clear the clothes, clear the books, clear the computer table, through unwanted stuff, get the room dusted and mopped. The easiest way to get a round to-it is to schedule a task or tasks. Each one of the above tasks can be done independently and separately. First things first - Prioritize your tasks and then schedule each one at the appropriate time. For instance, you may have to wait until after work or college to clean your room. Although it may be your top priority for the day, it needn't be at the top of your list! Learn to say no! Frequently, we consider that saying no is discourteous, but you can be frank without being rude. I can't do it now, but I could (insert when) or I'm sorry, but I just can't manage that today is just good time management. The pause that refreshes - Do make breaks a scheduled part of your day. A small break at the end of a large task or series of small tasks refreshes you and helps you to settle down and focus on what's next? Be flexible Effective time management will take some time to get used to. No matter what you did or didn't get done today, there is always

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tomorrow. To gain perfection and enjoy the benefits of Time Management' one need to be healthy, energetic and enthusiastic; one cannot be so, if there is not adequate time scheduled and religiously followed for food and sleep. Have a very strict schedule for your breakfast, lunch, dinner, when to go to bed and when to wakeup. It will be much more beneficial if you plan physical activities (sports, gym and other workouts) also so strictly. Remember, Time Management is not about creating extra time' but about using the available time' more efficiently and effectively. Main reasons for unsuccessful time management are: failure to arrange the tasks in preferential order, starting them without being attracted to more powerful unbeneficial deeds later and thirdly completing them with dedication and discipline - Yandamoori Veerendranath Books: There are several books on Time Management, but this is a skill should be developed using one's own style. SECRETS OF SUCCESS (What parents don't know, Teachers never tell) either in English or Telugu (Vijaya rahasyalu) and THE ART OF STUDYING either in English or Telugu (chaduvu Ekaagratha) by Yandamoori Effectiveness (Harvard Business Essentials) by Harvard Business School Press You may delay, but time will not. So, act now. Benjamin Franklin Time Management: Increase Your Personal Productivity and

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Date Description 21/07/2011 Direct Publish Other Suggested Articles No related articles were found

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