ENHANCING SOFT SKILLS

Introduction-1

AND PERSONALITY
T. Ravichandran Lesson
1

Week 1 Unit 1
 HIGHLIGHTS OF DEVELOPING
SOFT SKILLS AND PERSONALITY

About 15,000 students from India and Abroad;

around 3000 gave exams
8 Weeks from 18 July 2016 to 9 September 2016.
Each week: 6 lectures of 25 minutes: 2.5 hours
Total: 20 hours: 48 lectures.
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality

Week 1
Module 1 COURSE INTRODUCTION:
Lecture 1 HOW TO LEARN THIS COURSE?

Emphasis on . . . Experiential Learning

Learning as change in behaviour
Preparedness, receptivity & resilience for change
Holisticapproach: physical, mental, emotional,
psychological, social, cultural and spiritual levels
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 1: Module 2, Lecture 2

HUMAN PERCEPTIONS: UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE

Softskills are people skills
8o% of your happiness is determined by other people
So you need to work on your soft skills and develop your
personality to achieve what you want in your life.
BUT : You need to be sure of what you want in your life.
To be clearly purpose oriented, you need to begin with
the end in mind.
Each day you need to begin a task with the result in mind.
You should stop doing any task that will not add any value
to your life and development of your personality.
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 1: Module 3, Lecture 3

HUMAN PERCEPTIONS: UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE

Human perceptions determine proper understanding in

relationships.
Perceptions are bound to be different; often
contradictory!
Don’t be guided by prejudice.
Seek first to understand and then to be understood
(Steven Covey)!
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 1: Module 4, Lecture 4

TYPES OF SOFT SKILLS: SELF-MANAGEMENT SKILLS

Self-Management Skills Set

 1. Self-Awareness
 2. Self-Confidence
 3. Mind-Set
 4. Emotional Balance
 5. Stress Handling
 6. Coping with Failure
 7. Patience, Tolerance & Trustworthiness
 8. Perceptiveness
 9. Spiritual Intelligence
 When you develop your
emotional intelligence and live with
high spiritual intelligence,
your life will be so clear and transparent
that even if anyone speaks badly of you
no one would believe it!
 Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 1: Module 5, Lecture 5

TOWARDS EXCELLENCE: DEVELOPING POTENTIAL

 Towards Excellence: Outstanding feature, possessing good qualities of high degree
 Identifying potentiality for excellence
 Pursuing excellence by strengthening the inner core
 Law of abundance vs. poverty of mind
 Choices made out of fear followed by regret vs. the ones made out of courage and
ends in fulfilment.
 Processing Excellence:
 Making radical changes and making constant improvement
 Moving from one vision/mission to other enhanced vision/mission
 Self-actualisation: highest level of growth need
 Actualising of one’s potential, uniqueness and seeking self-fulfilment
 Although few people achieve self-actualisation fully, it is important to aspire for it as
the unrealised and unactualised people remain unhappy throughout their lives!
 Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 1: Module 6, Lecture 6

NEED ACHIEVEMENT: SPIRITUAL INTELLIGENCE

David McClelland: Affiliation, Power, Achievement
The desire to excel: N-Ach
PQ, IQ, EQ & SQ
Danah Zohar’s Spiritual Intelligence
12 Underlying principles: Self-awareness, Spontaneity,
Being vision- and value-led, Holism, Compassion,
Celebration of diversity, Field independence, Humility,
Tendency to ask fundamental “Why?” questions, Ability to
reframe, Positive use of adversity, Sense of vocation
Act from higher motivations
Live life as a project with sensitivity towards Goodness, Truth
and Beauty
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 2: Module 1, Lecture 7

CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLS: WIN-WIN SOLUTION

Conflicts—

disagreements, struggles, fights as part of life

Destructive or constructive ways of resolving conflicts
What to say and not say
Escalate / Eliminate conflicts
3 levels: Negotiation, Mediation, Arbitration
A Win-Win attitude
Peace & harmony comes by solving the conflicts
 Peace comes not from
the absence of conflicts
But from the ability to
cope up with it.
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 2: Module 2 & 3, Lecture 8 & 9

CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLS: INTER-PERSONAL CONFLICTS

Resolving Conflicts—
Looking at both sides
Giving contingency to the third side!
Conflict Resolution Skills & Process
2 Conflict Situations: 1. Husband-Wife 2. Father-Son
Discussed solutions to two conflicts at inter-
personal level
 Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 2: Module 4, Lecture 10

TYPES OF CONFLICTS: BECOMING A CONFLICT RESOLUTION EXPERT

 Discussed other ways of resolving conflicts.
 Emphasising NEED instead of Demanding SOLUTION
 Types of Conflicts: Intra/Interpersonal and Intra/Intergroup
 Toughest is the intrapersonal one
 Why conflicts are seen in a negative perspective?
 Why you need to see it in a positive perspective?
Helps increase in productivity, intimacy in relationships & growth for self.
 Resolving Types: Avoiding, Accommodating, Attacking Collaborating,
Competing, Compromising
 Becoming an expert: Embrace conflicts, test your abilities resolve them.
 Conflicts are hidden opportunities to strengthen your personality and
develop harmonious relationships—two aspects which are important for
your personal as well as professional success.
 Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 2: Module 5, Lecture 11

TYPES OF STRESS: SELF-AWARENESS ABOUT STRESS

Caused self-awareness about stress

Stress
is an imbalance between situational
demand and individual supply.
All people, all livings things get stressed.
Good stress (Eustress) and Bad Stress (Distress)
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 2: Module 6, Lecture 12

REGULATING STRESS: MAKE THE BEST OUT OF STRESS

 Stressshould be regulated for strengthening oneself & remaining
cheerful
 For completing jobs in time and create time for new jobs or just
relax with family or friends.
 Developing personal health habits, staying fit, eating in time, and
sleeping well at night are important.
 Being mindful in whatever you do, and working with a plan and
taking frequent breaks from your work.
 Concluded with some simple tips for quick relief from stress such
as taking a cold or hot shower, talking to a friend, walking in a
natural setting, listening to favourite/soothing music, deep
breathing, watching a favourite movie, reading a favourite novel,
or pages from motivating book, going to a temple, shopping in a
mall, eating your favourite food and laughing.
 Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 3: Module 1, Lecture 13

HABITS: GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Habits are (unconscious) behavioural responses to

stimuli
Cleared some presumptions associated with it
Such as you can form and change them easily.
Not all habits are easily formed; especially the good
ones!
Guiding principles to identify good and bad habits.
Bad habits, even changed, will still leave an indelible
mark on your character.
Story of the nail on the wall.
 Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 3: Module 2, Lecture 14

HABITS: IDENTIFYING GOOD AND BAD HABITS

Story: The Doctor and the Patient

Bothgood habits and bad habits are formed by peer
group influence and/or environment.
But much depends on the individual perception and
belief to retain a good habit or to change a bad habit.
Story: The Mother Who Loved Her Son So Much!
Forming bad habits are dangerous and extremely
harmful.
Therefore, it is better to nip a bad habit in the bud itself!
 Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 3: Module 3, Lecture 15

HABITS: THE HABIT CYCLE

 Discussed about the importance of forming good habits because

everything we do happens to be part of our habit formation.
(Getting up in the bed to going back to it).
 Habit Cycle: Thoughts/Stimulus—Action/Reaction—
Reward/Punishment—Habit formation—Character/Personality—
Action/Reaction—Success/Failure
 The Decision to Change: Raju’s decision (in R. K. Narayan’s Guide)
to change from a sinner to a martyr and saint.
 Circumstance do not make a man; it reveals him.
 Writers like William Golding asserts that “The Beast is within us.” But
R. K. Narayan implies that “The God is also within us.”
 Conclusion: The ability to form bad habits as well as good habits
lies within us.
 Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 3: Module 4, Lecture 16

HABITS: BREAKING BAD HABITS

 Why is that some are able to change their habits in a lightning second and
others are not able to do in ages?
 Theanswer lies in . . . their level of self-awareness; correct perceptions of
reality, and using Dopamine (chemical that induces pleasure) in a
constructive manner.
 Dopamine plays a crucial role in forming addictive habits.
 Badhabits are usually formed in those circumstances where it is easy to
seek pleasure by which you are also able to avoid painful or disagreeable
experiences
 The Zeigarnik Effect highlights a compulsive need to complete.
 Human nature is to finish what we start and, if it is not finished, we
experience dissonance.
 Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 3: Module 5, Lecture 17

HABITS: USING ZEIGARNIK EFFECT FOR PRODUCTIVITY

 Since unfinished activity gives anxiety, it is important to focus on an activity and stick
to it till its completion.
 If you start it, finish it. Don’t leave it in between. This is an important growth habit you
need to inculcate in your personality!
 This knowledge also helps in beating procrastination: you realize that it is just the
starting trouble, once you start somehow, you will finish it anyhow!
 Unfinished tasks use large amount of mental resources by occupying and blocking
premium space but refusing to go away until you finish it. That is why you should stop
watching any tele-serials or play video games.
 Internalisation of the Zeigarnik Effect can give you the much needed intrinsic
motivation to achieve or excel in any activity.
 You can rewire your brain to seek completions, as it takes you to resolution of tension
and adds to the feel-good factor.
 Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 3: Module 6, Lecture 18

HABITS: FORMING SUCCESS HABITS

 Replacing a bad habit with a good habit
 Unfinished task will hang heavy in your brain causing you less space for focussing and
concentrating on new activities.
 Some habits of highly successful people worth inculcating in you:
 1. Be extremely hard working
 2. Do the extra work with a smile, even if you don’t get paid.
 3. Never look at your watch and work.
 Work till you complete, so that your mind stays calm and
 you can sleep peacefully each night.
 5. Focus on the most important goal.
 6. Never spend more time on something that can be completely avoided!
 7. Concentrate 100%, you will finish it faster than the rest!
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 4: Module 1, Lecture 19

COMMUNICATION: SIGNIFICANCE OF LISTENING

Looked at listening as an integral part of communication.

Cleared some misconceptions about listening.
Like: To be a good speaker, you don’t have to be a listener.
Only speaking consumes energy, not listening.
Difference between hearing and listening.
Hearing is physical, while listening is a mental activity that involves
Reception, Selection, Organization, Assimilation, Interpretation, Evaluation
and Response.
The first step to become a good listener is to keep one’s mind open and free
from any prejudice!
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 4: Module 2, Lecture 20

COMMUNICATION: ACTIVE LISTENING

Good Communication is Good Listening.
Good listening is an active, integrated communication skill that
demands energy and know-how.
It is purposeful, powerful and productive.

Active Listening: Whole body listening.

Tips for becoming an active listener:

Be courteous and considerate, Don’t interrupt
Note down important points, Minimise self-talk
Stay Focused, Encourage, Acknowledge efforts, Summarise,
Seek Clarifications, Use Silence,
Conclude with a good feeling.
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 4: Module 3, Lecture 21

COMMUNICATION: BARRIERS TO ACTIVE LISTENING

Barriers to Active Listening:

Physical Barriers: External noise, inside chats

People-Related Barriers: Physiological, Psychological.

Other Barriers:
Inadequate language base, partial listening,
disinterestedness, prejudging, hatred/love for the
speaker, diffidence, over-enthusiasm, intolerance,
deep-rooted beliefs, positive bias/influence.
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 4: Module 4, Lecture 22

TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION: BASIC TELEPHONE SKILLS

Various aspects of telephone communication
Phone calls are important aspect of human communication:
You can make or mar it!
Different from oral: face to face communication
Keep a pen and paper: Don’t miss important point, number
Smile, your voice will be different when you do it!
Be patient; don’t rush
Make the other person speak; don’t interrupt
Never lose your temper
Don’t eat or chew or munch
Stop reading, typing
Verbal encouragement:
I see, tell me more, go on . . .
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 4: Module 5, Lecture 23

TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION: ADVANCED TELEPHONE SKILLS

Effectiveness needs clarity in communication and active listening.

Enunciate Clearly: Frogs or Frocks; Lab staff or Lap tops?
Steps involved in holding simultaneous calls
Organizing yourself; organising the desk, knowing your equipment
Norms for making phone calls properly
Ending a call
Noting important information by using a format
Facing challenges like delivering bad news.
IMPORTANT: You should earn the other’s respect!
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 4: Module 6, Lecture 24

TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION: ESSENTIAL TELEPHONE SKILLS

More Challenges
Handling difficult callers, Dealing with angry callers
Essential Telephone Skills
Manage your voice
Be an active listener
Be cheerful
Know your caller
Replace fear with confidence
Be Polite
Avoid Jargons
Anticipate Problems
Consider calls as opportunities
You should be the person any body wants to talk to!
FURTHER REFERENCE

Developing Soft Skills and Personality

 YouTube Channel Link:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdX7RF2FJMnNNWCUSZSHptA
/videos?view=0&sort=dd&live_view=500&flow=grid

 NPTEL Link:
http://nptel.ac.in/courses/109104107/
ENHANCING SOFT SKILLS
Introduction-2

AND PERSONALITY
T. Ravichandran Lesson
2

Week 1 Unit 2
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 5: Module 1, Lecture 25

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION :

TECHNOLOGICAL PERSONALITY?
Impact and Influence of Technology in Communication

Donna Haraway’s “Cyborgs”: Cybernetic Organisms

Blurred interface between biotic and mechanical
We became cyborgs by treating all media extensions of human faculty as real.
Technological components define as well as give human identity.
Machine is given human treatment and human is treated like a machine.
Story: The father’s new car.
The cyborgian shift is affecting the mind and the body.
KEY WORDS: Control, Benefit and Choice
Who controls technology?
Who benefits from it?
Do we have a choice? Or who is choosing it for us?
 “I fear the day that
technology will
surpass our human
interaction.
The World will have a
generation of idiots.”
Mobile phone makes
you closer to person
far from you,
but it takes you away
from the one
sitting next to you.
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 5: Module 2, Lecture 26
TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION:
MOBILE PERSONALITY
 Influence of mobile on human personality
 How mobile has deviated from its main intention: saving time, help in
emergency, distance connection, keep human relations intact
 Humans have become “Moborgs”: sleeping, playing games, watching
movies, using it for checking time, calculation, address, etc
 Mobile addiction/Nomophobia
 Obsessive compulsive disorder
 Suggestions for become human: mobile free time, keeping it away,
treating it as a slave, not using it as a substitute for watch, calculator,
map, etc.
 Mobile Etiquette: Avoid when face-to-face communication is possible;
be empathetic about others time; use apt caller/ring tone; use silent
mode/switch off; use e-mail
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 5: Module 3, Lecture 27

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION:

E-MAIL PRINCIPLES
 5Ps/Cardinal Principles of Soft Skills & Personality Development:
 Planning
 Preparedness
 Persuasiveness
 Presentability
 Perseverance

 Discussed some E-mail examples that violated the above

principles!
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 5: Module 4, Lecture 28

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION:

HOW NOT TO SEND E-MAILS!

How not to send (bad) e-mails?

 Use of formal salutation
 Avoiding excessive use of capital letters
 Avoiding slang and colloquial language
 Avoiding mixing up of two languages
 Avoiding text language in formal communication
 Showing regard for punctuation, spelling and grammar
 Mailing only to the concerned person
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 5: Module 5 & 6, Lecture 29 & 30

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION: NETIQUETTE

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Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 6: Module 1, Lecture 31

COMMUNICATION SKILLS: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION


 An effective communicator will always lead.
 People will be happy if they are able to communicate effectively.
 Communication is a complex interactive process involving shared
assumptions and unspoken agreements!
 Frequent miscommunications are possible!
 EC is your ability to cause the intended and desired response.
 Basic communication process: Who sends what to whom through which
channel with what effect?
Components: Conciseness & Clarity, Conviction & Confidence, Genuineness &
Interest, Empathy and Timing Sense, Brevity and Effectiveness.
 Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 6: Module 2, Lecture 32
BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION:
SENDER/RECEIVER’S PERSONALITY
Barriers act as physical, mental, emotional, psychological
blocks and result in failure of communication.
Barriers arising from Sender/Receiver’s personality
 Encoding/Decoding
level Sharing of a common code;
language common frame of reference.
 Personality
barriers are Psychological in nature: Difference in
backgrounds are overlooked
Difference in perception and the factors which cause
barriers were discussed.
 Overcoming strategies such as use of empathy.
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 6: Module 3, Lecture 33

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION:
INTER-PERSONAL TRANSACTIONS
 Limited frame of reference
 Emotional interference
 Overcoming strategies: Removing fear of change, Choosing the right
psychological moment.
 Various types of language barriers:
 Same words, different cultural meanings
 Same letters, different grammatical meanings
 Overcoming strategies: Making the context clear, using nonverbal
correlatives, seeking clarifications
 Technological Barrier
 Overcoming strategies: Use of appropriate medium, avoiding
excessive/misuse of media.
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 6: Module 4, Lecture 34

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION: MISCOMMUNICATION

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Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 6: Module 5 & 6, Lecture 35 & 36

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION: PRE-THINKING ASSESSMENT 1 & 2

Pre-Thinking Assessments were done for

checking your existing knowledge about body
language and to clear certain misconceptions
about non-verbal communication.
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 7: Module 1, Lecture 37

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION: INTRODUCTION & IMPORTANCE

 Non-Verbal Communication is Communication without words.
 Communication using images, symbols, signs, gestures, facial expressions,
postures, etc.
 93% of Communication effectiveness is determined by body language
 Nonverbal messages are harder to hide and consciously control, so they are
more accurate indicators of how a person feels.
 Functions of Nonverbal Communication
 Repeat what is said verbally
 Complement or clarify verbal meaning
 Contradict verbal meaning
 Regulate verbal interaction
 Substitute for verbal meaning
 Nature or Nurture?
 Nurture: Desired behaviour can be learnt and cultivated.
 Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 7: Module 2, Lecture 38

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION : ISSUES AND TYPES

 Issues of Non-Verbal Communication:
 Voluntary body language: formalised gestures, unproblematic
 Involuntary body language: subconscious reflections, problematic
 Issues with Appearance:
 People who are attractive are judged to be more intelligent.
 No factual basis—but it can affect decisions about, hiring, placement and promotion.
 Types of Nonverbal Communication
 Kinesics--body movement and gesture
 Facial Expression
 Oculesics--eye gaze
 Haptics--touch
 Proxemics--use of interpersonal space
 Chronemics--time
 Paralinguistics--vocal cues and silence
 Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 7: Module 3, Lecture 39

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION: BASICS & UNIVERSALS

 We should use caution while applying some basic and universal body language in the
Indian context.
 Defensive Gesture like crossing arms can also be interpreted as offensive gesture depending
on the way one crosses the arms!
 Feet: Can be indicators of attraction, withdrawal/dislike
 More basics and universals indicating
 Openness
 Defensiveness
 Insecurity
 Cooperation
 Confidence
 Nervousness
 Frustration, etc.
 Body language is innate. What is latent in us can be manifested by good efforts and
practice.
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 7: Module 4, Lecture 40

NVC: INTERPRETING NON-VERBAL CUES

3 Primary Dimensions: Immediacy: Liking, Arousal: Responsiveness,

Dominance: Balance of Power.
3 C: Context, Cluster & Change
Identifying a liar
Challenges of Studying Non-Verbal Communication:
Ambiguous, Continuous, Multi-channelled, Culture-based
Caution: Don’t jump into conclusions
Consider other external factors like temperature, weather, etc
Appearance can be deceptive
Awareness can help in controlling negative expressions.
Develop wide range of nonverbal behaviours
Positive Body Language:
Smile, Open Posture, Forward Lean, Touch, Eye Contact, Gestures & Nods
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 7: Module 5, Lecture 41

BODY LANGUAGE: FOR INTERVIEWS

Preparation at mental, emotional and spiritual levels
Employers are clearly looking for soft skills which comprise many
body language traits such as Appearance, attitude, personality &
positive outlook.
In order to make the first best impression, one has to keep in
mind: Punctuality, Dress, Handshake, Body Language, Enthusiasm
Do’s and Don’ts: Dress Code; Appearance & use of accessories
Emphasised on firm handshake, eye contact, appropriate posture,
showing enthusiasm throughout, smiling radiating confidence,
remaining calm and collected, leaving with a good feeling.
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 7: Module 6, Lecture 42

BODY LANGUAGE: FOR GROUP DISCUSSION

Discussed various aspects and components of body language

for Group Discussion
Don’ts:
Being Anxious to talk too much or nervous and talks little
Showing aggressive behaviour, arrogant gestures
Distractive body language (Biting nails, shaking legs,
Picking nose, playing with pen)
Do’s:
Maintaining eye-contact
Smiling, Remaining cheerful
Open palm gestures, upright walk
Nodding to show agreement
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 8: Module 1, Lecture 43

PRESENTATION SKILLS: OVERCOMING FEAR

People fear– Humiliation, unfamiliarity and the unexpected.

Overcoming Fear
Remaining confident, having a positive self image
Being determined to do something about the fear
Practicing at a small informal level
Pumping out the inner resources like adrenaline
Knowing that people don’t really care about what you do
Knowing the subject thoroughly and believing in it
Preparing and Practicing
Keeping a relaxed frame of mind
Being empathetic to the audience
Visualizing your delivery
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 8: Module 2, Lecture 44

PRESENTATION SKILLS: BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL

View the Venue
Welcome the Viewer
 Master Your Material
 Calm your mind
 Visualize Yourself Speaking
Realize People Want A Winning Leader
Avoid apologies
Focus on Your Message -- not the medium
Turn Nervousness into Positive Energy
Gain Experience
Main Objectives of Public Speaking:
To Entertain, Educate, Provoke, Influence
Structuring & Delivering Your Speech
3 or 4 major points; starting strongly & clearly; making use of anecdotes,
summarising briefly, making it relevant, ending with a positive note
23
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 8: Module 3, Lecture 45

PRESENTATION SKILLS: THE ROLE OF BODY LANGUAGE

Practice before the mirror
Dress appropriately
 Do not hide
 Maintain eye contact with all
 Do not shift legs
Do not hold on to anything
Face the audience
Keep the palm open
Do not put hands in the pocket
Speak loudly and clearly
Maintain a normal pace
Never slouch
Never turn back to the audience!
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 8: Module 4, Lecture 46

PRESENTATION SKILLS: USING VISUALS

Purpose of Visuals
Illustrate key points; Reinforce verbal message
Stimulate audience interest; Focus audience attention
Visual Guidelines
Use of bullet points; suitable font size; checking spelling; visibility
Avoiding standing between the projector and the screen
Presentation Practicalities
E-mailing the presentation in advance
Keeping a hard/spare copy
Rehearsing with the computer
Final Tips
Using topics from own experience; developing narrative skills; speaking with
purpose; using anecdotes and funny facts;
communicating clearly & effectively.
Developing your own style.
Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 8: Module 5, Lecture 47

READING SKILLS: EFFECTIVE READING

Previewing/Sampling
Helps you to eliminate what you do not want to read; and chose the one you like to read!
Skimming
Glancing through the key words
Newspapers, magazines, travel brochures, etc.
Scanning
Scanning is reading a text quickly in order to find specific information, e.g. names.
Clustering
Reading words in groups
For quick and full comprehension
Close Reading
Reading for appreciation. [Literature/Philosophy]
Words are analysed for inner and in-depth meanings.

Developing addiction for reading; finishing, once started . . .

Highlights of Developing Soft Skills and Personality Week 8: Module 6, Lecture 48

HUMAN RELATIONS: DEVELOPING TRUST AND INTEGRITY

Human Relations Contribute to your success or failure

Golden Rule: Treat others as how you wanted to be treated by
others!
Never break the trust of someone built for years!
Do not let some one down in impulsive moments!
Circumstance does not make you; but reveals you!
If you decide to betray someone, or to give an unfair treatment,
ask yourself whether that person would do the same to you in the
given circumstance.
People can forget things, but they can never forgive the wrong-
doings!
Developing Soft Skills and Personality
(Personal and Professional Skills)

Enhancing Soft Skills and Personality

(Interpersonal and Management Skills)
FURTHER REFERENCE

Developing Soft Skills and Personality

 YouTube Channel Link:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdX7RF2FJMnNNWCUSZSHptA
/videos?view=0&sort=dd&live_view=500&flow=grid

 NPTEL Link:
http://nptel.ac.in/courses/109104107/
 Mindset-1:
Definitions

ENHANCING SOFT SKILLS

& Types

AND PERSONALITY
T. Ravichandran Lesson
3

Week 1 Unit 3
DIFFERENCES IN OUTLOOK . . .


The Difference Lies in MIND-SET!

Mind-Set/Mindset:
Refers to one’s attitude, idea, notion,
disposition, inclination, intention, habit,
tendency, propensity, outlook, worldview,
philosophy of life, way of thinking, way of
observing/interpreting, perspective, mood,
state of mind, mentality that conditions one to
act or respond in a manner that tells upon the
personality of a person.
MINDSET definitions . . .

“a habitual or characteristic mental attitude

that determines how you will interpret and
respond to situations.” (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mindset)

“a person's way of thinking and their opinions:”

(http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/mindset)

Word Origin and History for mind-set:

(http://www.dictionary.com/browse/mindset)
“habits of mind formed by previous
experience," 1920
MINDSET types . . .

You may have a defence or offence mind-set

Environmentalist/technological mindset
Same/different mindset, positive/negative
mindset, abundance/poverty mindset, group
mindset, public mindset, press mindset, etc.

Most Important:

Fixed and Growth Mindset

Importance of MINDSET . . .

All of us have mindsets; we work according to our own

assumptions, perceptions, opinions—which are formed
from our previous experiences or knowledge gained from
peer group.

Is it good or bad to have a mindset?

Having a mindset that results in favourable results and

positive response from the people around is always
desirable.

However, a mindset that brings in poor results and appear

to be harmful to the people around may not be desirable!
Harmful MINDSET . . .
Harmful to have a mindset that develops mental inertia,
gets frozen or fossilized and yields to a paradigm.
Results in patterning of behaviour and repeated responses.
In short, it becomes FIXED MINDSET!
Carol Dweck, world-renowned Stanford University
psychologist, based on her research on achievement and
success published in 2006 her path breaking book
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
She differentiates people with growth mindset and those
with fixed mindset. Since fixed mindset people believe that
their abilities are fixed, they do not flourish in life, whereas,
growth mindset people, as they believe that their abilities
can be developed through hard work, good strategies, and
mentorship, contribute to outstanding achievements.
 Fixed Mindset People* Growth Mindset People
 Avoid Challenges  Welcome Challenges
 Hate Changes  Embrace Changes
 Focus on Limitations  Look for opportunities
 Think that they can’t do anything to  Think everything is possible
change the situation
 Don’t accept criticism  Treasure feedback and would learn eagerly
 Prefer to stay in their comfort zone  Love to explore new things
 Think their efforts are futile attempts  Learn from failure, work hard to develop
themselves to achieve success in future
 Stop learning after school or
college  Keep learning till the end of their life

* Based on the infographic by Chloe Chong “8 Signs You Have A Growth Mindset That Makes You Mentally Stronger“
“I have always been
deeply moved by
outstanding
achievement and
saddened by wasted
potential.”
FOR FURTHER REFERENCE . . .


 Mindset-2:
Learning

ENHANCING SOFT SKILLS

Mindsets

AND PERSONALITY
T. Ravichandran Lesson
4

Week 1 Unit 4
 OF THE LAST LESSON
Discussed various types and definitions of mindset.
Mindset is one’s belief, mental attitude, habitual way of
interpreting and responding to situations.
Same situation can be responded to in different ways owing
to different mindsets.
The way we respond to failure especially tells us whether we
have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset.
It’s important to nurture a growth mindset to keep enhancing
personality traits and skills.
It’s harmful to have a fixed mindset as it leads to mental
inertia and intellectual fossilisation.
Distinguishing traits of growth mindset people are: their ability
to welcome challenges, embrace changes, look for
opportunities, optimistic thinking, learning from failure,
responding to feedback and exploring new things.
 Learning
Mindsets

Why is it some students prefer Maths and for some it is an allergy?

So with computers, fine arts, languages, etc.

Apart from one’s IQ, one’s ability to acquire knowledge, skills

and techniques, one’s perception about oneself as a learner
determines the way a person learns a subject.

In short, the mindset one has towards learning will affect one’s all
the decisions s/he makes towards his/her learning objectives.
 Learning
Mindsets
 We have developed our learning mindsets from our from the primary or middle
school level itself.
 Human intelligence is highly adaptable to new challenges.
 Carol Dweck observes that a person with a fixed mindset believes intelligence to
be a fixed trait.
 However, with growth mindset, one can learn from any unfamiliar field also. They
believe in the growth of intelligence when it is added with new information and
latest skill sets.
 The moment something in us tells us we are not “smart” we are not endowed with
the talent/skill to learn that subject, we should understand that we are in a fixed
learning mindset.
 To change it, we need to practice. Make baby steps. One at a time, to affirm,
confirm and reform our established belief system that is contributing to fixity.
 Even laziness, is actually lack of effort, caused by a fixed mindset.
 FMS student sees extra efforts as waste of time.
 Developing Growth Mindset Towards
Learning
Terry Doyle & Todd Zakrajsek in The New Science of Learning: How
to Learn in Harmony With Your Brain deriving from Carol Dweck’s
concept of mindset, suggest ways for changing to a growth mindset.
 Recognize that hard work, gaining new knowledge, facing
challenges will facilitate growth mindset.
 Intellect can be grown with regular practice. Brain muscle can be
strengthened.
 Failure need not be an end in itself. Focusing on how to improve
using different strategies, giving more time and efforts can
contribute to success.
 Be always willing to take risks in terms of learning however
difficult it looks.
Developing Growth Mindset Towards
Learning
 Poor performance is not a reflection of one’s
personality or intelligence.
 Self-talk is important. Killing negative voice is
a must.
 Exaggeration of a situation emanates from
Fixed Mindset: “It’s too tough for me . . . I can’t
do it . . . ”
 Always choose Growth Mindset voice!
I have not failed 700 times. I’ve
“

succeeded in proving 700 ways of how

not to build a light bulb.” ~Thomas Alva
Edison

“I can accept failure. Everyone fails at

something. But I can’t accept not
trying.” ~Michael Jordon
FOR FURTHER REFERENCE . . .


 TOMORROW'S PROFESSOR eMAIL NEWSLETTER. “1324. Mindsets

Toward Learning.”
 Mindset-3:
Secrets of
Developing

ENHANCING SOFT SKILLS Growth

Mindsets

AND PERSONALITY
T. Ravichandran Lesson
5

Week 1 Unit 5
 OF THE LAST LESSON

 Discussed about learning mindsets.

 Understood that one’s perception about oneself as a learner
determines the way a person learns a subject.
 A person’s mindset towards learning will affect the decisions
s/he makes towards his/her learning objectives.
 A person with a fixed mindset believes intelligence to be a fixed
trait. But, with growth mindset, a person believes in the growth of
intelligence and learns from any new field also.
 By consistent practice, one can change established beliefs.
 Tips for developing growth mind-set: hard work, gaining new
knowledge, taking risks, facing challenges.
 Working on failure by focusing on different strategies and more
efforts can contribute to success.
 Use self-talk to eliminate fixed mind-set!
Secrets of Developing Growth Mindset

BE LIKE A BABY

A baby is never seen unmotivated, and is never afraid of exploring—be it

playing with fire, drenching in rain, eating mud or chewing slippers

As babies, we had a growth mindset, but developed fixity by accepting

the views of others on us. Such as—
× You belong to a particular caste, religion, race, so you are suited
only for a particular kind of work.
× You can develop expertise only in the fields where your parents
have expertise.
× You will excel if you are in that environment with those
conditions, with the given surroundings it is not possible . . .
× Your intelligence can never be improved despite your hard
work and determination.
Secrets of Developing Growth Mindset

LEARN TO LIVE WITH CRITICAL PEOPLE

In human relationships, it is normal and natural to like

someone who idolises, praises and worships you.

However, the relationship in which one keeps the other in the

pedestal leads to stagnancy.

For growth in a relationship, partners need to be critical where

required.

It’s only by giving a realistic picture of one’s achievements

and shortcomings, and by accepting it positively, relationships
will thrive.
Secrets of Developing Growth Mindset
DO NOT BELIEVE IN NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES
DO NOT BE VULNERABLE TO STEREOTYPE THREATS
Stereotype is a reductive, fixed image or oversimplified opinion that categorizes
a group or an individual in a generalized and prejudiced manner.

Stereotype threat refers to being at risk of confirming, as a self-characteristic, a

negative stereotype about one's social group (Steele & Aronson, 1995).

Steele and Aronson first used the term to prove that Black students performed
more poorly on standardized tests than White students when their race was
emphasized. When race was not emphasized, Black students performed better
and equivalently with White students.

Succumbing to stereotype threat can undermine one’s ability to perform.

E. G.: Boys have better aptitude for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics).
Secrets of Developing Growth Mindset
BELONG WHERE YOU NEED TO BE

Catherine Good and others establish sense of belonging as an important

variant in the representation gap between males and females in Math
ability.

Women’s lack of desire is produced by environmental factors that deter

their sense of belonging. [Lack of interest has nothing to do with genetics].
Once a person feels fit in an academic community, she will perform better.
Good, Rattan and Dweck: “when sense of belonging is protected by
learning environments that convey a malleable view of intelligence,
students may be less vulnerable to the impact of negative stereotypes on
achievement and intention to remain in the domain.” (714)

 Contribute to create a sense of belonging to where you need to be!

Secrets of Developing Growth Mindset

REMEMBER HAWTHORNE EFFECT!

Refers to the alteration of behaviour by the subjects of a study due

to their awareness of being observed.

Based on experiments conducted by Elton Mayo in the 1920s at the

Hawthorne Plant of the Western Electric Co., Chicago.

To study the workers productivity in higher or lower levels of light,

cleanliness, increase/decrease in duration.

“The Hawthorne studies found that workers were more responsive to

group involvement and managerial attention than to financial
incentives.” (Source: Boundless)

Positive emotion and sense of belonging can work wonders!

Finally . . .

MAKE INCREMENTAL CHANGES.

INCREMENT IT INCH BY INCH,

STEP BY STEP,
BRICK BY BRICK . . .

BUT MOVE FORWARD AND MOVE IN THE

RIGHT DIRECTION, THAT’S ENOUGH—
YOU WILL FIND EPIC CHANGE AND
MONUMENTAL TRANSFORMATION IN
THE LONG RUN!
FOR FURTHER REFERENCE . . .
