SOFT SKILL BHILAI: E Mail Ettiquettes

SOFT SKILL BHILAI: E Mail Ettiquettes: It is amazing to find that in this day and age, some companies have still not realized how important their email communications are. Ma...

SOFT SKILL BHILAI: Telephone Etiqutte

SOFT SKILL BHILAI: Telephone Etiqutte: Phone Etiquette Communicating over the phone is an integral component of conducting business for many people. Below are some helpful tips a...

SOFT SKILL BHILAI: Emotional Insecurity

SOFT SKILL BHILAI: Emotional Insecurity: Emotional insecurity is a sense of having a low self-worth. Most people have some level of emotional insecurity and may be more or less...

SOFT SKILL BHILAI: Challenges Are Opportunities in Disguise

SOFT SKILL BHILAI: Challenges Are Opportunities in Disguise: A final year MBBS student of SIMS Medical college of Bilaspur (CG), committed suicide a few days ago i.e. on 12.01.2012, because she w...

SOFT SKILL BHILAI: YOU CAN ENJOY THE PARTY IF YOU FOLLOW THESE STRATE...

SOFT SKILL BHILAI: YOU CAN ENJOY THE PARTY IF YOU FOLLOW THESE STRATE...: It’s that time of year again. Time for the barrage of holiday parties. There are the nice, small intimate gatherings. We like those, righ...

SOFT SKILL BHILAI: Workplace Diversity: A decade of growth...

SOFT SKILL BHILAI: Workplace Diversity: A decade of growth...: The past decade has seen explosive growth in workplace diversity . Today, businesses of all sizes and industries are striving to harnes...

Workplace Diversity: A decade of growth...

The past decade has seen explosive growth in workplace diversity.  Today, businesses of all sizes and industries are striving to harness the power of individual differences, looking for ways to solidify such a unique and vast pool of talent.  Diversity Training programs are instrumental in creating cohesion; however, an examination of diversity trends is equally necessary in order to achieve success.  Analysis of the gender, age, and racial makeup of American employees between 2001 and present day will help to identify areas where training is necessary, as well as provide insight as to which elements of diversity are likely to impact the businesses of tomorrow.

 

Growing Workplace Diversity: Gender, Age, and Race

Gender

Gender has seen a substantial realignment since the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s.  The landscape has slowly shown a more equitable distribution as Federal equal opportunity legislation has increased workplace accessibility for females.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of employed females in the United States has grown by 3.3% between the years of 2001 and 2010.  Contrast this with the overall increase of employed males for the same decade, which amounts to only 0.33%.  This trend is constant across racial lines, with Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, and Asian women all exhibiting higher employment rates than respective males.
Despite increased employment rates, a great divide still persists between male and female employees.  Female employees, for example, make an average of 70 cents per dollar compared to equally qualified male employees, illustrating that some degree of gender discrimination still exists.

Age

Today’s workplace now exhibits a degree of age diversity never before seen in American culture.  Historians point to at least two causes of this new quality:  Aging Baby Boomers and a tumultuous economy.  The Baby Boomer generation has increased the number of individuals nearing retirement, creating a top-heavy distribution of working Americans.  However, this cohort is working well past age 65, perhaps because of the second cause for increased diversity in worker age:  The economy.
The United States has ridden the burden of a chaotic economy since the dot-com bubble burst of the late 1990s.  Moving into 2001 and beyond, the American public was further rocked by the unconscionable acts of Enron, Bernie Madoff, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, and the collapse of seemingly too big to fail investment brokerages.  Now, 2011 is characterized by a large portion of aging Americans who continue to work for stability, extra income, and peace of mind.
On the opposite side of the age distribution, rapidly proliferating technology is pulling young adults into the upper echelons of Corporate America at a faster rate than ever before.  As a result, four generations of Americans are now working side-by-side in the workplace (iii).  Today, there is a growing need for diversity training that helps these four very different cohorts identify, communicate, and transfer skills among one another.

Race

Racial representation has grown significantly since 2001, as greater proportions of African, Asian, and Hispanic Americans have entered the workforce.  Employment has fallen among Caucasians since 2001, dropping from 113.88 million to a present day level of 112.75 million.  African, Asian, and Hispanic Americans have seen only increased workplace representation, however, amounting to 0.03, 8.5, and 22.9 percent, respectively.  American business culture is undoubtedly growing more diverse, and organizations are smart to anticipate this distribution to become more even over time.

Training for Diversity

Diversity training programs must be built to specifically address the rapidly evolving gender, age, and racial employment trends in the United States.  Successful programs must be built to leverage national, industry-specific, and interoffice trends.  It is no longer adequate to spread general awareness and appreciation for differences among individuals.  Rather, successful diversity training requires thoughtful consideration of influential diversity trends on both a macro and micro level, as well as developing a strategy to leverage those trends to combat stereotypes, spur inclusion, and fuel innovation.

(i) White, African American, and Asian Employment Statistics: http://www.bls.gov/webapps/legacy/cpsatab2.htm
(ii) Hispanic Employment Statistics:  http://www.bls.gov/webapps/legacy/cpsatab3.htm
(iii) http://www.diversityjournal.com/corporate/generations/i-gen/

HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT

Collected from Dr. Visesh Blog - NLP Expert

Hi Friends,
When I attended my first neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) training ten years ago, the trainer asked us if we’d like to know two questions which could change our lives. I have used these questions consistently ever since, and they have been among the most useful things I’ve ever learned. They were…
"What do you want?", and "How will you know when you’ve got it?"
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
"What do you want?" is probably the most well-known ‘NLP question’. It takes advantage of the fact that the human nervous system is ‘goal-seeking’… ie. we operate most effectively when we have a goal or objective of some sort to aim for, so…
1) Ask yourself "What do I want?" & pay attention to your answer.
YOU CAN’T DO A DON’T
Is your answer stated in the positive (eg. to get fit & healthy, to double your income, to start a new business etc.) or in the negative (eg. to quit smoking, lose weight, stop spending so much etc.)?
Negatives aren’t processed by the nervous system in the same way that they are linguistically (eg. The command "Don’t think of a purple hippo" is difficult to obey.) You get what you focus on, so if your goal is stated in the negative, you’re making it more difficult for yourself.
2) Ensure you state your goal positively.
HOW WILL YOU KNOW WHEN YOU’VE GOT IT?
I once had a client whose goal was to become rich. I asked her how she’d know when she was rich and she said she’d have more money. So I tossed a five rupees coin to her and said "Congratulations, you’re rich." ‘More money’ did not turn out to be specific enough evidence for her having achieved her goal, so we went into the detail of what she would see, hear and feel when she was rich. This gives your nervous system a rich representation of what success is for this particular goal. So, with regard to your goal…
3) Ask yourself "How will I know when I’ve got it?"
What will you see, hear and feel as you are achieving your goal? What specific details will let you know that you are getting what you want? The more sensory detail you include, the more information you will give to your nervous system about what to aim for.
4) Ensure you have details of what you will see, feel and hear.
GET YOUR BODY INVOLVED
Once you have clear evidence (ie. how you’ll know when you’ve achieved your goal), you can engage your unconscious resources more fully by getting your body more involved. Stand up and ensure you’ve got enough space to move safely, then…
5) Imagine you are going to step in to that time in the future when you already have what you want, then literally take a step & imagine you can see what you’ll see, hear what you’ll hear & feel what you’ll feel when you are achieving your goal.
MIND AND BODY ARE SINGLE SYSTEM
Mind and body are a single system, and people often find that the process of stepping into a future achievement has a profound effect, allowing you to experience learnings and insights which may not previously have been consciously available. Often, the people most sceptical of this approach have the most powerful experiences, so if you are dubious about whether this will work for you, great – do it anyway and see what happens!
THERE ARE ALWAYS HIDDEN BENEFITS
In almost any situation, there will be hidden benefits. If these benefits are uncovered, you can find other ways to satisfy them and achieve your goals more easily. However, if you are not aware of the hidden benefits of a situation, it can make it more of a struggle to change. So, with regard to a current goal you wish to achieve or change you wish to make…
1) Ask yourself "What are the benefits of NOT achieving this?" & pay attention to your answers.
You can look for other hidden benefits by asking "What are the benefits of the current situation?" The answers to these questions may seem strange or even a bit embarrassing, but once you’ve identified them, you can begin to find new ways to deliver the benefits as you achieve your goal.
EVERY BENEFIT ADDRESSES A NEED OR WANT
A benefit is only a benefit if it addresses a need or want, so the next step is to identify the needs or wants that the hidden benefit is addressing.
2) Ask "What is the need or want that this benefit is satisfying?"
Anthony Robbins talks about six basic human needs, so if you’re having trouble identifying the need or want, check this list for inspiration. Robbins’ six are paraphrased as follows:
- Love & connection to other people
- Contribution to something bigger (family, community etc)
- Predictability, familiarity & security
- Unpredictability & surprise
- Growth & learning
- A sense of importance
EVERY BEHAVIOUR HAS A POSITIVE INTENTION
One of the basic presuppositions of NLP is that ‘every behaviour has a positive intention’. It can be liberating to realise that there has been a positive intention behind something you have been coding as ‘bad’ or ‘wrong’. Once you know which needs or wants you’ve been satisfying, you can dream up some alternatives to find even better ways to feel satisfied in the future.
3) Ask "How can I get this benefit while I’m achieving my goal?"
Use your imagination – there’s always another way of meeting your wants and needs. The great news is, you’ll often come up with ways of getting far bigger benefits than the ones you currently have.
THE POWER OF FAMILIARITY
Sometimes people will be adamant that there is no benefit in the current situation. If this happens, check how long things have been as they are. If it’s more than a few weeks, then it will have been familiar. If things have been like this for years, it will have been VERY familiar! Human beings have a deeply coded need for familiarity, so track down a new way of providing consistency & familiarity (eg. a daily practice like meditating, exercise, reading etc.) This can provide a base of stability in a changing situation.
SUMMARY
1) Use "What do you want?" with yourself & others to elicit goals
2) If goals are stated negatively, re-state them in the positive
3) Use "How will you know when you’ve got it?" to elicit evidence
4) Ensure you have answers for "What will you see, hear and feel?"
5) Step into your imagined future achievement to get further insights.
6) Ask "What are the benefits of NOT achieving this?" to identify hidden benefits of the current situation.
7) Ask "What is the need or want that this benefit is satisfying?"
8) Ask "How can I get this benefit while I’m achieving my goal?" to identify better ways of satisfying the wants & needs.

SOFT SKILL PERFORMANCE REVIEW FACTORS

1.         Customer Service - Meets customer expectations in a courteous and timely manner. Examples:

           

(a) Checks voice and e-mail regularly and responds ASAP.  Responds in a credible, knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, empathetic, courteous, confident, and professional manner. 

(b) Helpful to co-workers, subordinates, managers, etc.  Treats internal customers with the same professionalism and respect as external customers.

(c) Provides follow-up to customers to ensure that problem is resolved and/or being

            worked on.

                       

2.         Teamwork - Quality of working relationships; degree of adaptability to changes in work processes/environment; level of commitment to unit goals; willingness to share knowledge and/or mentor coworkers. Examples:

(a) Shares information with other coworkers and other areas of the organization - Systems, Applications, Help Desk, Operations, Telecommunications, and Finance and Administration.

(b) Productive member of the team, shares responsibility, completes tasks on time.  WVNET Conference Committee, BANNER Implementation Team, Telephone Work Group, etc. 

(c) Adapts to changes at WVNET.  Acts professionally and focuses on work to be completed.  Treats other team members as professionals and avoids personality conflicts.

3.         Initiative - Assumes responsibilities within the scope of the position. Takes appropriate and independent action to meet goals, respond to crises, and/or resolve problems. Examples:

(A) If employees cannot assist customers to resolve a problem because the problem is outside his/her area of expertise, employee finds another staff member to resolve the problem and provides follow-up to ensure customer satisfaction.

(b) Employee thinks beyond the immediate task at hand, analyzes future impact, and makes preparations for future consequences.

(c) Employee analyzes work processes and is able to come up with a more efficient means of getting the work completed.

4.         Dependability - Follows instructions and fulfills job responsibilities in a timely manner.  Ability to organize, manages time effectively, and meets deadlines and output expectations. Examples:

(a) Employee is on time and prepared for work, meetings, conference calls, and other appointments. 

(b) Tasks assigned by supervisor, customer (internal and external) requests, daily duties and responsibilities are completed on time and accurately.  Employee does NOT have to be reminded of deadlines. Quantity of output is appropriate for position.

            (c) Problems are logged, solved, and follow-up is provided.

5.         Quality of work - Produces acceptable output and results. Examples:

            (a) Assignments are completed thoroughly and accurately in a timely manner.

           

            (b) Output is presented in a professional manner - error-free, legible and suitable for                           

       internal or external customer use.

            (c) Output is usable for the internal or external customer.                                          

6.         Attitude and cooperation - Enthusiasm, courtesy, adaptability, flexibility, general disposition and spirit of cooperation in the work place.  Follows established guidelines and workplace policies including, but not limited to Safety, Harassment, Drug Free Workplace, and Security Policies. Examples:

(a) Employee expresses positive attitude in work place.  Expresses spirit of cooperation                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      and does NOT express an attitude of   “It’s not in my job description.”

            (b) Employee avoids negative comments, rumors, and gossip.  Concentrates on the  positive, and strives    to improve the services and reputation of WVNET.

(c) Employee is friendly, cooperative, and respectful in all communications/interactions at all levels of the organization - co-workers, subordinates, managers and senior staff.

7.         Judgment - Ability to make effective and appropriate decisions that incorporate an awareness of the specific context, constraints, and organizational impact. Examples:

(a) Network Operator is faced with a problem at 2:00 a.m.  Should he/she call a Systems Programmer, or can the problem wait until 8:30 a.m.?

(b) Three projects are being worked on simultaneously. Employee must prioritize tasks and decide the importance, scope, and impact of project deadlines to WVNET.

(c) Employee must make an informed decision to set-up a modem account for a prospective customer.  Does the prospective customer meet the criteria for having a WVNET modem account?

8.         Job Knowledge - Employee has the knowledge and skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the position. Examples:

(a) Employee is knowledgeable about software/administrative application programs for which he/she is responsible - BANNER, ORACLE, FIMS, Account Management System, etc.

            (b) Employee is knowledgeable about operating systems Linux, Unix, Windows, etc.

(c) Employee is knowledgeable/understands practices, standards, policies, and laws in his/her field of expertise.

9.         Communication - Employee’s ability to communicate with others effectively in written and/or oral communications. Examples:

(a)  Employee demonstrates excellent oral communication skills in interacting with customers.  Help Desk staff assists customer, in layman terms, to resolve problem. 

(b) Employee assists modem account customer with billing issue over the phone, in person, or through e-mail.  Information communicated accurately and clearly.

(c) Network Operator communicates telecommunication problem to telecommunications area in a prompt time frame with sufficient details of problem. 

10.       Resource Management - Employee’s effectiveness in the management and conservation of human, time, financial, physical, and other resources.  Ability to perceive and initiate productivity and cost improvement methods. Examples:

(a) Employee recognizes efficiencies within the system and promotes their use.  

            (b) Work time is managed in the most productive way possible. 

            (c) Materials and work tools are purchased by the most cost effective means.

                                                                       

11.       Professional Development - Employee works toward professional development on own initiative, through sponsored training and development courses, etc.  Examples:

(a) Employee conducts presentation for in-house training or conferences.

(b) Employee attends seminars, classes, conferences, etc. in his/her career/professional field. 

            (c) Employee takes work-related classes - WVU, Fairmont State, Vocational school, etc.

1.         Leadership - Provides guidance and support.  Manages problems and change.  Sets objectives, goals, and priorities for area of responsibility.  Is ethical, lawful, respectful, and accountable.   Examples:

(a) Supervisor meets with employee or team of employees on a regular basis to discuss objectives and goals.

            (b) Supervisor provides positive reinforcement.  Thank you notes for a job well done. 

(c) Supervisor sets good example by following policies and procedures, demonstrating excellent customer service skills, working well with other supervisors, and showing respect for other areas of the organization.

2.         Management - Effective and efficient in: planning, organizing, implementing, establishing, measuring performance standards, and allocating human and financial resources. Examples:

            (a) Supervisor completes Performance Reviews on time.

(b) Organizes subordinates’ work in the most efficient way possible.  Arranges for delivery of materials, tools, technology and training to employees to maximize workflow.           

            (c) Supervisor understands the “Big Picture” and “thinks outside of the box.”

3.         Development - Provides employees with opportunities to learn and use new skills.  Encourages improvement in work behaviors.  Improves work processes.  Examples:

            (a) Supervisor encourages employee to stay current on latest, state-of-the-art technology.

Supervisor encourages employee to attend seminars, classes, conferences to learn new skills and network with peers.

(b) Supervisor prepares and encourages the development of the employee to move onto the next career level in the organization.

            (c) Supervisor restructures position and work processes for more efficient work product.

(d) Cross-training is provided (where applicable and reasonable) in order to maintain continuity of operation in the absence of an employee.