Lecture Notes

Module 1

Life skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable humans to deal effectively with the
demands and challenges of life.
Life skills have been defined as “the abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable
individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life” (WHO). ‘Adaptive’ means
that a person is flexible in approach and is able to adjust in different circumstances. ‘Positive behaviour’
implies that a person is forward looking and even in difficult situations, can find a ray of hope and
opportunities to find solutions.

The Ten core Life Skills as laid down by WHO are:

 Self-awareness
 Critical Thinking
 Empathy
 Creative Thinking
 Interpersonal relationship
 Problem Solving
 Effective communication
 Decision making
 Coping with stress
 Coping with emotion
Self-awareness includes recognition of ‘self’, our character, our strengths and weaknesses, desires and
dislikes. Developing self-awareness can help us to recognize when we are stressed or feel under pressure. It is
often a prerequisite to effective communication and interpersonal relations, as well as for developing empathy
with others.
Empathy - To have a successful relationship with our loved ones and society at large, we need to
understand and care about other peoples’ needs, desires and feelings. Empathy is the ability to imagine what
life is like for another person. Without empathy, our communication with others will amount to one-way
traffic. When we understand ourselves as well as others, we are better prepared to communicate our needs and
desires. We will be more equipped to say what we want people to know, present our thoughts and ideas and
tackle delicate issues without offending other people. At the same time, we will be able to elicit support from
others, and win their understanding.
Empathy can help us to accept others, who may be very different from ourselves. This can improve social
interactions, especially, in situations of ethnic or cultural diversity.

Critical Thinking: Critical thinking is focused, careful analysis of something to better understand it. When
people speak of “left brain” activity, they are usually referring to critical thinking. Here are some of the main
critical-thinking abilities:
 Analyzing is breaking something down into its parts, examining each part, and noting how the parts fit
together.
 Arguing is using a series of statements connected logically together, backed by evidence, to reach a
conclusion.
 Classifying is identifying the types or groups of something, showing how each category is distinct
from the others.
 Comparing and contrasting is pointing out the similarities and differences between two or more
subjects.
 Defining is explaining the meaning of a term using denotation, connotation etc.
 Describing is explaining the traits of something, such as size, shape, weight, color,use, origin, value,
condition, location, and so on.
 Evaluating is deciding on the worth of something by comparing it against an accepted standard of
value.
 Explaining is telling what something is or how it works so that others can understand it.
 Problem solving is analyzing the causes and effects of a problem and finding a way to stop the causes
or the effects.
 Tracking cause and effect is determining why something is happening and what results from it.

Creative Thinking: Creative thinking is expansive, open-ended invention and discovery of possibilities.
When people speak of “right brain” activity, they most often mean creative thinking.
Here are some of the more common creative thinking abilities:
 Brainstorming ideas involves asking a question and rapidly listing all answers, eventhose that are far-
fetched, impractical, or impossible.
 Creating something requires forming it by combining materials, perhaps according to aplan or perhaps
based on the impulse of the moment.
  Designing something means finding the conjunction between form and function and shaping materials
for a specific purpose.
 Entertaining others involves telling stories, making jokes, singing songs, playing games, acting out
parts, and making conversation.
 Imagining ideas involves reaching into the unknown and impossible.
 Improvising a solution involves using something in a novel way to solve a problem.
 Innovating is creating something that hasn’t existed before, whether an object, a procedure, or an idea.
 Overturning something means flipping it to get a new perspective, perhaps by redefining givens,
reversing cause and effect, or looking at something in a brand new way.
 Problem solving requires using many of the creative abilities listed here to figure out possible
solutions and putting one or more of them into action.
 Questioning actively reaches into what is unknown to make it known, seeking information or a new
way to do something.

Effective communication means that we are able to express ourselves, both verbally and non-verbally, in
ways that are appropriate to our cultures and situations. This means being able to express opinions and
desires, and also needs and fears. And it may mean being able to ask for advice and help in a time of need.
Communicating: Analyzing the situation means thinking about the subject, purpose, sender, receiver,medium,
and context of a message.
Choosing a medium involves deciding the most appropriate way to deliver a message,ranging from a face-to-
face chat to a 400-page report.
Evaluating messages means deciding whether they are correct, complete, reliable,authoritative, and up-to-
date.
Listening actively requires carefully paying attention, taking notes, asking questions,and otherwise engaging
in the ideas being communicated.
Reading is decoding written words and images in order to understand what their originator is trying to
communicate.
Speaking involves using spoken words, tone of voice, body language, gestures, facial expressions, and visual
aids in order to convey ideas.
Turn taking means effectively switching from receiving ideas to providing ideas, back and forth between
those in the communication situation.
Writing involves encoding messages into words, sentences, and paragraphs for the purpose of communicating
to a person who is removed by distance, time, or both.
Coping with stress means recognizing the sources of stress in our lives, recognizing how this affects us, and
acting in ways that help us control our levels of stress, by changing our environment or lifestyle.

Coping with emotions means involving recognizing emotions within others, being aware of how emotions
influence behaviour and being able to respond to emotions appropriately and us. Intense emotions like anger
or sadness can have negative effects on our health if we do not respond appropriately.

Life skills for professionals

POSITIVE THINKING

Three Steps to Positive Thinking

1. Understanding Thought Awareness

You're thinking negatively when you fear the future, put yourself down, criticize yourself for errors, doubt
your abilities, or expect failure. Negative thinking damages your confidence, harms your performance, and
paralyzes your mental skills.

A major problem with this is that negative thoughts tend to flit into our consciousness, do their damage and
flit back out again, with their significance having barely been noticed. Since we do not challenge them, they
can be completely incorrect and wrong. However, this does not diminish their harmful effect.

Thought Awareness is the process by which you observe your thoughts and become aware of what is going
through your head.

2. Developing Rational Thinking

The next step in dealing with negative thinking is to challenge the negative thoughts that you identified using
the Thought Awareness technique. Look at every thought you wrote down and rationally challenge it. Ask
yourself whether the thought is reasonable, and does it stand up to fair scrutiny?

As an example, by analyzing your Stress Diary you might identify that you have frequently had the following
negative thoughts:
 Feelings of inadequacy.

 Worries that your performance in your job will not be good enough.

 An anxiety that things outside your control will undermine your efforts.

 Worries about other people's reactions to your work.

Starting with these, you might challenge these negative thoughts in the ways shown:

 Feelings of inadequacy: Have you trained and educated yourself as well as you reasonably should to
do the job? Do you have the experience and resources you need to do it? Have you planned, prepared and
rehearsed appropriately? If you've done all of this, then you've done everything that you should sensibly
do. If you're still worried, are you setting yourself unattainably high standards for doing the job?
 Worries about performance: Do you have the training that a reasonable person would think is
needed to do a good job? Have you planned appropriately? Do you have the information and resources that
you need? Have you cleared the time you need, and cued up your support team appropriately? Have you
prepared thoroughly? If you haven't, then you need to do these things quickly. If you have, then you are
well positioned to give the best performance that you can.
 Problems with issues outside your control: Have you conducted appropriate contingency planning?
Have you thought through and managed all likely risks and contingencies appropriately? If so, you will be
well prepared to handle potential problems.
 Worry about other people's reactions: If you have put in good preparation, and you do the best you
can, then that is all that you need to know. If you perform as well as you reasonably can, and you stay
focused on the needs of your audience, then fair people are likely to respond well. If people are not fair,
then this is something outside your control.

3. Positive Thinking Exercises

Where you have used Rational Thinking to challenge incorrect negative thinking, it's often useful to use
rational, positive thoughts and affirmations to counter them. It's also useful to look at the situation and see if
there are any opportunities that are offered by it.

Positive affirmations might be:

 Feelings of inadequacy: "I am well trained for this. I have the experience, the tools, and the resources
that I need. I have thought-through and prepared for all possible issues. I can do a really good job."
 Worries about performance: "I have researched and planned well for this, and I thoroughly
understand the problem. I have the time, resources and help that I need. I am well prepared to do an
excellent job."
 Problems with issues outside your control: "We have thought about everything that might
reasonably happen, and have planned how we can handle all likely contingencies. Everyone is ready to
help where necessary. We are very well placed to react flexibly and effectively to unusual events."
 Worry about other people's reaction: "I am well-prepared and am doing the best I can. Fair people
will respect this. I will rise above any unfair criticism in a mature and professional way."

Learning skills

The 21st century learning skills are often called the 4 C’s: critical thinking, creative thinking, communicating,
and collaborating. These skills help students learn, and so they are vital to success in school and beyond.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is focused, careful analysis of something to better understand it. When people speak of “left
brain” activity, they are usually referring to critical thinking. Here are some of the main critical-thinking
abilities:

 Analyzing is breaking something down into its parts, examining each part, and noting how the parts fit
together.
 Arguing is using a series of statements connected logically together, backed by evidence, to reach a
conclusion.
 Classifying is identifying the types or groups of something, showing how each category is distinct from
the others.
 Comparing and contrasting is pointing out the similarities and differences between two or more
subjects.
 Defining is explaining the meaning of a term using denotation, connotation, example, etymology,
synonyms, and antonyms.
 Describing is explaining the traits of something, such as size, shape, weight, color, use, origin, value,
condition, location, and so on.
 Evaluating is deciding on the worth of something by comparing it against an accepted standard of value.
 Explaining is telling what something is or how it works so that others can understand it.
 Problem solving is analyzing the causes and effects of a problem and finding a way to stop the causes or
the effects.
 Tracking cause and effect is determining why something is happening and what results from it.

Creative Thinking

Creative thinking is expansive, open-ended invention and discovery of possibilities. When people speak of
“right brain” activity, they most often mean creative thinking. Here are some of the more common creative
thinking abilities:

 Brainstorming ideas involves asking a question and rapidly listing all answers, even those that are far-
fetched, impractical, or impossible.
 Creating something requires forming it by combining materials, perhaps according to a plan or perhaps
based on the impulse of the moment.
 Designing something means finding the conjunction between form and function and shaping materials for
a specific purpose.
 Entertaining others involves telling stories, making jokes, singing songs, playing games, acting out parts,
and making conversation.
 Imagining ideas involves reaching into the unknown and impossible, perhaps idly or with great focus, as
Einstein did with his thought experiments.
 Improvising a solution involves using something in a novel way to solve a problem.
 Innovating is creating something that hasn’t existed before, whether an object, a procedure, or an idea.
 Overturning something means flipping it to get a new perspective, perhaps by redefining givens,
reversing cause and effect, or looking at something in a brand new way.
 Problem solving requires using many of the creative abilities listed here to figure out possible solutions
and putting one or more of them into action.
 Questioning actively reaches into what is unknown to make it known, seeking information or a new way
to do something.

Communicating

 Analyzing the situation means thinking about the subject, purpose, sender, receiver, medium, and context
of a message.
 Choosing a medium involves deciding the most appropriate way to deliver a message, ranging from a
face-to-face chat to a 400-page report.
 Evaluating messages means deciding whether they are correct, complete, reliable, authoritative, and up-
to-date.
 Following conventions means communicating using the expected norms for the medium chosen.
 Listening actively requires carefully paying attention, taking notes, asking questions, and otherwise
engaging in the ideas being communicated.
 Reading is decoding written words and images in order to understand what their originator is trying to
communicate.
 Speaking involves using spoken words, tone of voice, body language, gestures, facial expressions, and
visual aids in order to convey ideas.
 Turn taking means effectively switching from receiving ideas to providing ideas, back and forth between
those in the communication situation.
 Using technology requires understanding the abilities and limitations of any technological
communication, from phone calls to e-mails to instant messages.
 Writing involves encoding messages into words, sentences, and paragraphs for the purpose of
communicating to a person who is removed by distance, time, or both.

Collaborating

 Allocating resources and responsibilities ensures that all members of a team can work optimally.
 Brainstorming ideas in a group involves rapidly suggesting and writing down ideas without pausing to
critique them.
 Decision-making requires sorting through the many options provided to the group and arriving at a single
option to move forward.
 Delegating means assigning duties to members of the group and expecting them to fulfill their parts of the
task.
 Evaluating the products, processes, and members of the group provides a clear sense of what is working
well and what improvements could be made.
 Goal setting requires the group to analyze the situation, decide what outcome is desired, and clearly state
an achievable objective.
 Leading a group means creating an environment in which all members can contribute according to their
abilities.
 Managing time involves matching up a list of tasks to a schedule and tracking the progress toward goals.
 Resolving conflicts occurs from using one of the following strategies: asserting, cooperating,
compromising, competing, or deferring.
 Team building means cooperatively working over time to achieve a common goal.

Research Skills
Research skills are the ability to search for, find, collect, analyse, interpret and evaluate information that is
relevant to the subject being studied.Research shapes the future, it teaches us new things and helps us adapt
and evolve. Employers love research skills. Research is an important part of business because it helps
companies:

 Report writing
 Keep an eye on their competitors
 Develop new products
 Identify what customers want
 Get better at what they do
 Keep up with changing technologies

Research saves money

Launching a new product is expensive. Research helps companies find out if anyone will buy it.
Launching a product without research is risky. There might not be a demand for it. The money spent on
launch, marketing and production could’ve been saved if the company did some research.

MOTIVATION
An important element of professionalism is one’s motive for working. There are several
distinct possible motives; some are good and proper while others are not. Having the wrong
motive–usually self-centered–can easily lead to professional work that is poorly done and even
at times to work that is harmful to the client/patient/customer. These bad motives can also lead
persons to act unethically within their professional work. On the other hand, a good motive
usually leads not only to work that is well done and of real service to others, but also tends to
be more personally fulfilling for the professional. Hence it is important to reflect on one’s
motive in working.
Top 10 ways to motivate your employees:
#1. Make your business a pleasant place to be.
#2. Be a respectful, honest, and supportive manager.
#3. Offer employee rewards.
#4. Give them room to grow.
#5. Share positive feedback.

#6. Be transparent.

#7. Offer flexible scheduling.

#8. Offer food in the workplace.

#9. Recognize their achievements.

#10. Ask them what they want.

Perseverance
Perseverance means going through the sometimes frustrating process of working through technical issues,
continuing to grapple with tough course material, and completing projects when there is every possible
distraction. What will perseverance look like in the workplace? It will mean attempting to resolve issues with
challenging co-workers, spending time researching a case or file, and being able to stay focused on long-term
goals such as a promotion. Thinking about how your coursework will help you cultivate perseverance will be
a great strength to showcase in an interview. Being able to specifically demonstrate focus on long-term goals
will make you that much more appealing to future employers, and more confident in your own abilities.

Perseverance is a very important character trait for you to be successful in life. It means determination at
working hard regardless of any odds or obstacles that may exist. It is to insist and to be firm on getting
something done and not giving up.

In life we will not always have things going our way all the time, sometimes we will falter or fail at
completing a task or getting what we want. However, by persevering and sticking to the task we will
eventually overcome and be successful.For example, if Thomas Edison, the American Inventor, who invented
the electic light bulb, had given up the first time he failed; maybe this marvelous invention might not have
been a possibility as early as 1879.

Personality Development

Personality Development quintessentially means enhancing and grooming one’s outer and inner self to bring
about a positive change to your life. Each individual has a distinct persona that can be developed, polished
and refined. This process includes boosting one’s confidence, improving communication and language
speaking abilities, widening ones scope of knowledge, developing certain hobbies or skills, learning fine
etiquettes and manners, adding style and grace to the way one looks, talks and walks and overall imbibing
oneself with positivity, liveliness and peace.

The whole process of this development takes place over a period of time. Even though there are many crash
courses in personality development that are made available to people of all age groups, implementing this to
your routine and bringing about a positive change in oneself takes a considerable amount of time.

 Think Positive”.
 Smile. And smile some more. It adds to your face value and to your personality as well.
 Read a few articles in the newspaper loudly. This will help in communicating fluently.
 Follow table manners and dining etiquettes
 Take good care of your health, dress well, be neat and organized
 Prepare a chart that mentions your strengths and weaknesses. Now concentrate on the latter and find
ways to improve upon the same. Do not forget to strengthen your strengths.
 Spend some time alone concentrating on you and yourself alone.
 Practice meditation and yoga. It will help you develop inner peace and harmony that will reflect
outside.
 Do not live a monotonous life. Be creative and do something new all the time. Nothing bigger than the
joy of creative satisfaction.

Personality development is gaining more and more importance because it enables people to create a good
impression about themselves on others; it helps them to build and develop relationships, helps in your career
growth and also helps to improve your financial needs.After all, personality development is nothing but a tool
that helps you realize your capabilities and your strengths making you a stronger, a happier and a cheerful
person.

IQ, EQ, SQ

 IQ is associated with the serial processing activity of the brain (rational thought). It is associated with
our neural tracts. Neural tracts learn (are wired) according to a fixed program, the rules of which are
laid down in formal logic. The learning involved is step-by-step. and rule bound. When we teach
children their times table by rote, we are encouraging them to wire their brains for serial processing. It
 produces the kind of thinking that is useful for solving rational problems or achieving definite tasks.
Much instinctual behaviour is also accounted for by serial processing. An instinct can be thought of as
a fixed program, as in the imprinting instinct in ducks and other birds - where the newly hatched bird
identifies as its mother the first caring object or person it meets, and remains stuck on that
identification. Some over rational human beings can get stuck in a programmed mode of thinking in
the same way, finding it difficult to bend rules or to learn new ones.

 EQ: Associative thinking underlies most of our purely emotional intelligence (EQ) - the link between
one emotion and another, between emotions and bodily feelings, emotions and the environment. It is
also able to recognise patterns like faces or smells, and to learn bodily skills like riding a bicycle or
driving a car. It is 'thinking' with the heart and the body and so is thought of as our 'emotional
intelligence' or the 'body's intelligence'. The structures within the brain with which we do our
associative thinking are known as neural networks. Each of these networks contains bundles of up
to 100,000 neurones, and each neurone in a bundle may be connected to as many as 1,000 others.
Unlike serial neural tracts which are rule bound or program-bound and thus unable to learn, neural
networks have the ability to rewire themselves in dialogue with experience. All associative learning is
done by trial and error. This kind of learning is experience-based: the more times I perform a skill
successfully, the more inclined I will be to do it that way next time. Associative learning is also tacit
learning - I learn the skill, but I can't articulate any rules by which I learned it and usually can't even
describe how I did so. Neural networks are not connected with our language faculty, nor with our
ability to articulate concepts. They are simply imbedded in experience. We feel our skills, we doour
skills, but we don't think or talk about them. We develop our skills because they give us a sense of
satisfaction or a feeling of reward, or because they help us avoid pain.

 SQ: Spiritual intelligence (SQ) could also be called the 'intelligence of meaning'. It is what makes us
essentially human: the ability to plan, to make sense of our emotions, to control our impulses, to make
choices, and endow our world with meaning. The frontal lobes of the brain are where our ideas are
created; plans constructed; thoughts joined with their associations to form new memories; and fleeting
perceptions held in mind until they are dispatched to long-term memory or oblivion.
Module 2
Self-awareness
Self-awareness skills, as the term indicates, refer to one’s ability to be aware of or to recognize his
emotions, behaviors, beliefs, motivations and other characteristics such as strengths and weaknesses, such that
it enables him to identify and understand himself as a separate entity.
Having self-awareness skills not only enables you to understand your own personality but also helps
you apprehend other people, their perceptions about you, and your response to their actions. Apart from
enabling you to understand, it also helps you to change your own thoughts and interpretations in an effort to
alter some unwarranted emotions.

Need for self-awareness

Self-awareness is directly related to both emotional intelligence and success.

  It helps you create achievable goals because you can consider your strengths, weaknesses, and what drives
you when goal-setting.

  It allows you to guide yourself down the right path by choosing to pursue the opportunities that are the best
fit for your skill-set, preferences and tendencies.

  It makes identifying situations and people that hit our triggers and anticipating our own reactions easier.

  It allows us to make positive behavioural changes that can lead to greater personal and interpersonal
success

Methods of self-awareness

 Observe: We should start from observing yourself. How do you act under certain situations? How do you
react to others in a specific circumstance? Then turn your observant eye outward. How do other people
react to you? How they react to you will tell you a lot about yourself. For example, if you notice people
acting warily around you, it may be because you give off the impression that you are easily provoked. If
 your subordinates rarely talk when you are around when they are chatterboxes when you are out of the
room, it must mean that they have trouble interacting with you because you give them the impression that
you are difficult to talk to.

 Write them down: Keeping a journal is a great way of keeping a record of your journey towards
improving your self-awareness. Writing your thoughts, emotions, and feelings is a good outlet; at the same
time, it serves as an excellent source material or reference. Read what you have written, and you may
discover something about yourself.

 Try new experiences: Sampling new things will teach you a thing or two about yourself. This is all about
stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something that you have never tried before. Because things
are unfamiliar, you are bound to respond in new and different ways that you never thought possible.
Travelling is also another way to discover things about yourself. You may not have known before that you
have a penchant for learning new languages until you started travelling to new places. You may also
discover that you have an untapped interest in history and culture.

 Take tests: There are several psychometric tests that you can try taking in order to assess your level of
self-awareness. The results will then tell you whether you need to make changes, and in what areas you
should make them. Some examples of these tests are the Myers-Briggs and the Predictive Index.
 Meditate: This can be as simple as inhaling and exhaling, focusing on one’s breathing, or as elaborate as
dimming the lights in the room, closing all the windows, lighting candles and scents, sitting down and
closing your eyes, and reflecting deeply. The method of meditating will mostly depend on the person, on
what he is most comfortable in and what works best. There are even people who view routine chores as
part of their meditative process. It is easier for them to be in a reflective mood when they are, say, writing
poetry, dancing, painting, or taking the dog on a walk.

 Yoga and tai chi: If you are healthy in both mind and body, you have a greater chance at improving your
self-awareness. Both are disciplines that will help improve your outlook and your health at the same time.
 Obtain Feedback: Actively ask family and friends: If you are curious how others perceive you, then go
right ahead and ask them. Pick the family members and friends whom you trust will give you an honest
and unbiased answer. Ask them what they truly think of you and your actions, and be gracious about it.
You have to be careful how you ask them, though. Even if you initially do not agree and would actually
like to protest to what they are saying, you should not immediately react negatively. Sit down and think
carefully: Why did they say such things? Is there truth to their observations?

 Undergo coaching: Coaching is highly encouraged, especially in corporate settings, to help employees

increase their self-awareness. When an opportunity presents itself to undergo coaching by an external
party, grab it. Through coaching, you will also receive feedback from the coaches that you can use to
change or improve your perspective.

 Listen: This is probably one of the more crucial steps. When you are being given feedback, listen. You
may find it difficult at first to accept what they are saying, especially if they are criticisms, and your first
impulse may be to close your ears and say that they do not know what they are talking about. However,
you should listen to what they have to say.

Stress

Stress is the “psychological, physiological and behavioural response by an individual when they perceive a
lack of equilibrium between the demands placed upon them and their ability to meet those demands, which,
over a period of time, leads to ill-health”

Stress management is “set of techniques and programs intended to help people deal more effectively with
stress in their lives by analysing the specific stressors and taking positive actions to minimize their effects”.

“Four A’s” developed by the Mayo Clinic for coping with stress.

1. Avoid: Where possible, take control of your environment in order to avoid stress. Planning ahead can
reduce stress. Don’t take on more responsibility than you can reasonably manage. Organize your day by
listing tasks in order of importance. Complete the most pressing responsibilities first, and save the others for
later or ask for assistance from a co-worker.

2. Alter: During times of stress, attempt to make changes that impact your stress level for the better.
Communicate by using “I” statements when asking others to change their behavior—for example, “I feel
frustrated by this heavy workload. Can you help me balance this?” To manage time better, group phone calls,
computer tasks, and other responsibilities together if possible. If an individual tends to take up a lot of your
time, politely say, “I only have five minutes to cover this, so please tell me what I can do for you.” 

3. Accept: There are times when the only response is to accept things as they are. Talk about the stressors with
a person you trust in order to relieve the pressure. If experiencing anger at someone, free yourself from it by
forgiving the individual and moving on. Avoid negative self-talk and focus on the positive. Learn from past
mistakes and accept them as “teachable moments.” 

4. Adapt: Redefine the need to achieve perfection in order to function with less frustration. Stop gloomy
thoughts when they occur. Try to reframe the situation by looking at it through another person’s eyes. Adopt a
saying to use in tough situations, such as “I can handle this” or “This will pass.” Look at the big picture to put
things in perspective. Ask, “Will this matter in a year? In five years?” Viewing stressors from this angle can
make situations feel less overwhelming. 

Different Stress Management Techniques & Strategies

 Action Orientated Approaches: used to take action to change a stressful situation
 Emotion-oriented approaches: used to change the way we perceive a stressful situation
 Acceptance-oriented approaches: used for dealing with stressful situations you can’t control
Action- Orientated Approaches
Action-oriented approaches allow you to take action and change the stressful situation.
 Be assertive
Clear and effective communication is the key to being assertive. When we’re assertive, we can ask for what
we want or need, and also explain what is bothering us. The key is doing this in a fair and firm manner while
still having empathy for others. Once you identify what you need to communicate, you can stand up for
yourself and be proactive in altering the stressful situation.
 Reduce the noise
Switching off all the technology, screen time, and constant stimuli can help us slow down. Remember that
recharging is a very effective way of tackling stress.
 Manage your time
If we let them, our days will consume us. Before we know it, the months have become overwhelmingly busy.
When we prioritize and organize our tasks, we create a less stressful and more enjoyable life.
 Creating boundaries
Boundaries are the internal set of rules that we establish for ourselves. They outline what behaviors we will
and won’t accept, how much time and space we need from others, and what priorities we have.
Healthy boundaries are essential for a stress-free life. When we have healthy boundaries we respect
ourselves and take care of our well-being by clearly expressing our boundaries to others.
 Get out of your head
Sometimes it’s best not to even try contending with the racing thoughts. Sometimes you just need a break.
Distract yourself. Watch a movie, phone or catch up with a friend, go for a walk, or do something positive that
you know takes your mind off things.
 
Emotion – Orientated Approaches
Emotion-oriented approaches are used to change the way we perceive stressful situations.
 Affirmations and imagery
The power of positive imagery and affirmations is now scientifically proven to increase positive
emotion.So, replace those negative thoughts with positive statements and challenge and change the
way you see and experience the world.
 Cognitive Restructuring: In the mid-1950’s psychologist Dr. Albert Ellis developed what cognitive
restructuring, a technique for understanding negative emotions and challenging the sometimes
incorrect beliefs that cause them. Cognitive restructuring is a key component of Cognitive behavioral
therapy (CBT).
 ABC Technique: The ABC technique was also originally created by psychologist Dr. Albert Ellis and
was later adapted by Martin Seligman. The letters ABC stand for; A – adversity, or the stressful event.
B – beliefs, or the way that you respond to the event. Then C – consequences, the result of your beliefs
lead to the actions and outcome of that event.
 
Acceptance-Orientated Approaches
Acceptance-oriented approaches are useful in stressful situations that you cannot control.
 Diet and Exercise
Be mindful of having a balanced and healthy diet. Making simple diet changes, such as reducing your alcohol,
caffeine and sugar intake is a proven way of reducing anxiety.
Another guaranteed way to reduce stress is exercise. It’s proven to also be as effective as antidepressants in
relieving mild depression.
 Meditation and physical relaxation
Use techniques such as deep breathing, guided visualizations, yoga, and guided body scans. These activities
help relax the body. Some examples for you to try out are included below.
 Build resilience
Resiliency is our ability to bounce back from stressful or negative experiences.To simplify, resilient people
are skilled at accepting that the situation has occurred, they learn from what transpired and then they move on.
 Talk it out
Don’t hold it all inside. Talk to someone close to you about your worries or the things getting you down.
Sharing worries can cut them in half, and also give you a chance to laugh at potentially absurd situations.
If you don’t feel up to sharing, writing them down is also a great way to release them. Or maybe engage with
an independent professional.
 Sleep
Getting a good night sleep is fundamental for recharging and dealing with stressful situations in the best
possible way. While it varies from individual to individual, on the exact amount of sleep needed, an
uninterrupted sleep of approximately 8 hours is generally recommended.

Coping with Emotions

Coping with emotions is all about the capability to speak or express the way one is feeling. It is a life skill that
leads to a healthy and prosperous life. Coping with emotions include the following.
 Understand the impact of emotions on perception.
 Realize the effect of emotions on behavior and assess its influence on others.
 Understand the role of physiological or bodily changes behind the emergence of emotions.
 Emotions, thus, create responses in the brain called feelings. These feelings are caused by 
 Physical changes in the body that include expressions of the face

Identify the emotion you’re feeling: Identifying a specific emotion can be more difficult than you think. If
you are struggling, start with the four basic categories: anxiety, sadness, anger, or happiness. By simply
identifying exactly what you’re feeling, you can begin taking the power away from the emotion as you work
through what’s causing it. Though your feelings may vary in intensity, most fall into one of these broad
categories
 Anxiety often takes the shape of “what if” questions. What if they don’t like me? What if I’m not
accepted? Etc.
 Sadness tends to happen when we focus on things we cannot change such as death or loss.
 Anger is the response after being attacked, such as our values.
 Happiness is positive thought often around a gain, such as a compliment from a friend or a reward like a
promotion at work
Try breathing relaxation techniques:Taking steps in the moment to deal with a difficult emotion are one
common coping strategy. You can help deal with an emotional response by focusing on something else that
you can control, such as your breathing. Research shows that practicing breathing control has a positive
impact on your stress response or “fight or flight” response.
For example, a simple technique is to count to five while inhaling, hold for five counts, and take five counts to
exhale. Focus on your each part of your breath.
Another way to focus on your breath is to use a deflated balloon. Blow up the balloon and watch it deflate.

Try a self-soothing technique. Self-soothing techniques are another way to focus on something aside from a
difficult emotion. One specific example is the five senses technique to help you improve your state of mind.
Sit in a comfortable position and focus on your breathing. Then isolate each of your five senses and spend one
minute each focusing on the specific sensations of each.
 Hearing: What sounds do you hear around you? Focus on external sounds, such as cars going by, people
talking, birds chirping. Focus on internal sounds, such as your breathing or digestion. As you focus on
hearing, do you notice anything you did not before?
 Smell: What do you smell? Is there food near you? Or maybe flowers outside? You might notice smells
you did not before like the paper in an open textbook beside you. Try closing your eyes. Sometimes this
helps decrease visual distractions.
 Sight: What do you see? Take notice of details such as colors, patterns, shapes, and textures. Look for
variations in hues of colors you haven’t noticed on common objects before.
 Taste: What do you taste? Even if you do not have food in your mouth, you can still taste. Notice any
aftertaste of a previous drink or meal? Run your tongue over your teeth and cheeks to help you become
more aware of subtle tastes.
 Touch: What do you feel without moving from your seated position? Feel the sensation of your skin being
touched by clothing, your chair, or the floor. Feel the texture of your clothes or the chair with your fingers
and focus on that.

Try progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). Progressive muscle relaxation is a type of coping skill that
focuses on tensing and relaxing different muscle groups. The benefits of progressive muscle relations include
helping you become more aware of physical sensations in your body.
 Try starting with your toes and then isolating different muscle groups in your body all the way up to
your head.
 Tense each muscle group for five seconds, and then spend the next thirty seconds slowly relaxing
them.
 You can use your imagination to help the process as well. For example, when you get to your face
muscles, imagine eating a lemon to help you tense them up, and imagine eating something sweeter as
your relax them.
Try meditating or praying: Meditating has been shown to improve positive emotions, satisfaction, health,
and happiness. Also, it decreases anxiety, stress, and depression. There are many different types of mediation,
but the goal of all mediation is about calming the mind.

Try throwing the negative thought away.:Some people find it helpful to write down the negative emotion as
they question it. The physical action of throwing away the paper on which you’ve written the negative
emotion can assist with letting it go mentally as well. Though symbolic, associating a physical, controllable
action with letting go of the negative emotion may be helpful to you.

Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies

The Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) Curriculum is a program for educators and school
staff designed to facilitate the development of self-control, positive self-esteem, emotional awareness, and
interpersonal problem solving skills. PATHS has been used, researched, and found effective with classrooms
of students as a prevention program or with a specific target population such as special needs students as an
intervention program. The purposes of the PATHS Curriculum are to enhance social and emotional
competence and understanding in children, as well as develop a caring, pro social context that facilitates
educational processes in the classroom.

An effective social-emotional cognitive program is important because children frequently have difficulties
with self-control, self-esteem, affective understanding, social problem solving, and peer relations. The
PATHS curriculum provides teachers and school staff with a systematic developmental procedure for
enhancing social competence and understanding in children. More specifically, PATHS addresses the
following goals in the areas of social-emotional development:

 Increased self-control.

 Enhanced self-esteem, self-confidence, and the ability to give and receive compliments.

 Increased understanding and use of the vocabulary of emotions, verbal mediation, dialoguing, and
interpersonal communication.

 Improved ability to recognize and interpret the differences between feelings, behaviors, and
perspectives of self and others.
  Understanding of attributional processes that lead to an appropriate sense of self-responsibility.

 Recognition and understanding of how one’s behaviors affect others.

 Enhanced motivation and use of creativity.

 Increased understanding and use of logical reasoning and problem solving vocabulary.

 Improved knowledge of, and skill in, the steps of social problem solving-leading to the prevention
and/or resolution of problems and conflicts in daily life.

MORALS/ MORALITY

Morals/ morality is concerned with the principles of right and wrong in human behaviour, mostly based on
one’s conscience. A thought, word or action is considered to be morally good if it agrees with the general
perception of what is right and what is wrong. Most of the moral principles are teachings of wise men,
religious leaders, etc. Morals of a particular society may be different from another society. There will be
differences according to time, place, religion, ideologies, etc. However, morals always stand for goodness and
it promotes acceptable behaviour of individuals.

VALUES

Values are principles that reflect one’s judgements of what is important in life. They help us promoting our
well being. Values are more concerned with what is morally right. Personal values may be different from
individuals to individuals. Some values may have priority over others depending up on the need level.

ETHICS

The word ethics is derived from the Greek word “ethos”. Ethics is the set of codes of conduct or moral
principles with which behaviour can be analysed as good or bad or right or wrong. It teaches the well
disciplined behaviour and how to act according to the situations. Ethics is based on logic and reason. Often
morals and values contribute to ethics. Therefore we can state that morals + values = ethics.

INTEGRITY

Integrity is a character trait that reflects a person’s degree of honesty, adherence to moral principles and a
complete harmony of one’s thought speech and action. A person of integrity will be guided by morality and
has consistency in character. He/ she will do what is right every time.
CIVIC VIRTUES

Civic virtues are moral duties or standards of righteous behaviour of an individual as a responsible member of
the community and an integral part of the environment. They are habits of citizens that contribute to the
welfare of society.

Volunteering in community initiatives, voting in elections, attending important meetings, etc care some of the
activities a person may do. Civic virtues are categorized as follow,

 Civic Knowledge A citizen must be aware of his rights, duties and responsibilities. He should know
The Constitution of India and be aware of the responsibilities of the government.

 Self Restraint In democratic setup, we have limited government and it ensures equal rights and
freedom for all of us. The citizens should control or restrain ourselves from untoward activities to
maintain safety and law and order.

 Self Assertion Self assertion comes from self esteem. We must respect our rights and ourselves. If a
government acts against the rules and esteem of the people, it is the duty of the citizens to abolish the
government.

 Self Reliance It is a virtue to support oneself. A citizen should be careful not to be a burden to the
society.

IMPORTANT CIVIC VIRTUES ARE GIVEN BELOW

1. RESPECT FOR OTHERS

A man should respect himself first to get respect from others, i.e. self respect is very important. Respect for
others include acknowledge the importance of other persons, their view points and rights. It is a positive
feeling of appreciation for other people as human beings. Respect should be given irrespective of the position,
job, ethnicity, gender, social and financial statuses, etc.

2. LIVING PEACEFULLY

A society is a peaceful society where wars and conflicts are minimal or nonexistent. Peaceful living enhances
the quality of life. Principles of peaceful living include the following.

Respecting others and appreciating the differences

Forgiving others
Not interfering in other’s matters unless it is necessary

Giving credit for other’s works

Adapting to the circumstances you cannot change

Engage yourself constantly in good deeds

Ensuring the basic needs of everyone without exploiting the resources

Nurture love for all living beings in this world.

3. CARING AND SHARING

Caring is expressing concern about others, their feelings and well being. Caring shouldn’t be limited to one’s
family and friends. Caring should be given to neighbors, colleagues, with whom we deal with in our daily life,
etc. Caring for environment and Nature should be there as it is the necessity of time.

Sharing of knowledge, facilities, goods, experiences, etc lead to the growth of society. The act of sharing
should come voluntarily and without compulsion. It leads to peaceful living.

4. HONESTY

Honesty is the trait of adhering to truth even when it is inconvenient and unpopular. In a workplace, honesty
may be, stating the facts clearly without dilution, distortion or exaggeration ,Not hiding or withholding the
fact or truth for selfish reasons,Refraining from deceiving the customers,Not resorting to bribes and
nepotism ,Maintaining confidentiality and intellectual honesty,Being straight forward, loyal and trustworthy
in all relations Seeking truth before deciding and acting.

5.COURAGE

Courage is not the absence of fear. It is the ability to face fear and do something in spite of being afraid. It is
the willingness to confront with pain, agony and uncertainty for something that we believe in. Courage may
be seen in these situations,

 Courage as a Part of Duty

This will be seen in a firefighter who saves people from a building which caught fire, a soldier who
fights in the border, etc. These positions are synonymous to courage.
 Courage to Face Physical Challenges
Some people are engaged in very dangerous and adventurous sport item or activities by risking their
lives to get the thrill.
  Courage in a Social Context
To challenge injustice, to fight against discrimination, to protest against ill treatment, to fight for
freedom, etc. this courage is necessary.
 Intellectual Courage :It says about the courage to seek and speak truth even if it upsets the prevailing
beliefs.

6. VALUING TIME

Today, people find difficulty to manage time. There are some ways to utilise the time effectively as given
below.

 Be aware that time is a perishable resource Get your priorities rightBe punctualPlan in
advance
 Get rid of delaying

7. COOPERATION

Cooperation is the process of individuals or individual organisations working together synergistically towards
the completion of common objectives without surrendering the individual freedom.

It can be a joint action or a process of working together consciously for common benefit and is a continuous
process. The pooling of complementary skills, gathering more ideas, enhanced man power, greater resources,
minimum utilisation of time, etc are the advantages of cooperation. Cooperation among different departments
of a firm ensures better output, quality and efficiency.

8. COMMITMENT

The quality of holding on to a cause that one believes in, even in difficulties and setbacks, with great attitude.
In an organisation, commitment often refers to the dedication of an employee to his job and to the
organisational goals by following the ethical principles.

Allen and Meyer proposed a three component model for organisational commitment, namely

 Affective Commitment
Affective commitment happens when an employee loves his job and is aligned with the organisational
goals and values. It is commitment due to affection and contributes to job satisfaction.
 Continuance Commitment
Continuance Commitment happens when the employee is driven by the fear of the possible losses he
could incur by leaving the company. The losses may be financial, career oriented or societal.
  Normative Commitment
Normative commitment happens when the employee feels obligated or duty bound to stay with the
organisation even if he is unhappy. This commitment may arise out of reasons like relations with the
coworkers, personal beliefs about loyalty, etc.

9. EMPATHY

Empathy is the ability and willingness to imagine oneself in another’s place and see things in their
perspective. It is about putting oneself in the other person’s shoe. A person who empathizes with others will
feel, understand and accept their emotions, motives and concerns. Empathy in the workplace leads to,

 Better teamwork
 Better understanding of what motivates others
 Better appreciation of customer needs
 Better understanding of public perception of the company

10. CONFIDENCE

Confidence is the quality of believing in oneself and one’s abilities. Confidence encompasses two separate
traits; Self esteem is one’s innate sense of self worth. It reflects the individual’s evaluation of his/ her worth
and value. Self efficacy is the belief in one’s own capacity to perform, accomplish specific tasks and reach the
goal.

11. SPIRITUALITY

Spirituality is a broad concept involving a sense of connection to a higher transcendental reality and a quest
for ultimate truth and meaning of life. Spiritual practices like meditation and prayer are meant to focus on
one’s inner life rather than going after material possessions. Spiritual thinking includes the thoughts on the
following,

Why are we here?What happens to us after death? Do things happen for a reason?

Spirituality believes that some questions in the universe cannot be answered by an average thinking hence a
higher level of thinking is important and that is called spiritual thinking. Such thoughts are promoted by every
religion. Still then, spiritual thought is not only confined to religious thinking but it encompasses humanistic
values like love, compassion, tolerance, harmony, etc.

SENSES OF ENGINEERING ETHICS

Engineering ethics has different senses and each one referring to different aspects.

 Engineering ethics as synonymous with morality in engineering (Normative sense).

 Engineering ethics as an enquiry into desirable ethical practices in engineering (Normative sense).
 Engineering ethics as followed by specific individuals or groups without recommending right action
(Descriptive sense).

In the first normative sense, engineering ethics is about understanding the moral values as well as
responsibilities and rights to be followed by engineers. The second normative sense involves examining
specific moral problems as well as morally correct decisions and policies in an engineering context. In the
descriptive sense, engineering ethics refers to an empirical research into what specific individuals or groups
believe as moral.

Module 3

CREATIVITY
Creativity is the skill of producing something new and valuable; be it a product, an idea, a concept, a process
or a solution to a problem. It involves the ability to acquire knowledge, break it down and rearrange it in a
different manner to generate something new and valuable. A creative person is able to use the existing
knowledge in new ways to search for all the possible solutions to the problems he confronts with. Creative
feelings cannot always be expressed in words.

Seven reasons to cultivate creativity  

 Creativity drives innovation. Creative processes and people can come together to solve difficult
problems and develop innovative solutions that meet the changing demands of clients and consumers. 
 Creativity drives prosperity. Consider this example: three hundred firms were compared using
measures for innovation. The most innovative firms enjoyed 30% greater market share.
  Creativity solves “VUCA” problems. You don’t always have a procedure manual for problems,
especially those that are volatile, unpredictable, complex and ambiguous (VUCA). Problems of many
shapes and sizes are made more manageable through creative problem solving techniques. 
 Creativity tips the scales toward success. The best cognitive predictor for creative achievement is not
intelligence but the ability to engage in divergent thinking, a skill that can be learned!
 Creativity increases employee engagement. Imagine a place where individuals feel motivated to do
their best and regularly find meaning in their work – an organization that supports creativity and
innovation makes that possible. 
 Creativity makes you “future-proof”. While it is impossible to precisely predict the jobs of the future,
organizations and people who continuously adapt – remember “unlearn, relearn” – can survive and
thrive. 
 Creativity promotes well-being and happiness. People who have the opportunity to express their
creativity, and have more skills for solving problems, are more resilient in the face of change and more
fulfilled in their daily lives. And they are physically healthier. 

IMAGINATION, INTUITION AND EXPERIENCE

 Imagination is the ability to see the impossible or unreal. To do something in a different way, we often
rely upon imagination. In creativity, we need to focus on ideas which might be possible. Imagination
requires less actual knowledge and it relies rarely on facts.
 Intuition is the ability to know something without using reasoning or rational thinking. It is knowledge
that we never consciously know that we had. All the experiences we receive store in our mind without
our attention. It is believed that these stored experiences will help us in problematic situations. The sub
conscious mind helps us connecting the stored information and provides solutions for the problems we
face. Intuition represents non linear thinking where the mind makes a jump from the known and
predictable to the unknown and unpredictable. Intuition can be systematically developed and trained.
 Experience is the source from which we acquire knowledge. Our brain develops databases through
different experiences and knowledge is increased by our experiences. People with more experience are
usually more creative. People who are more experienced are intellectually curious, comfortable with
expressing and experiencing emotions and willing to try new things.

According to Abraham Maslow, there are three types or levels of creativity as given below.
  Primary Creativity: It is from this level that new and fundamental ideas arise.It is most often expressed
in arts and literature. It is more spontaneous and child like and is not concerned with the utility of the
work. The importance here is for the self-expression only.
 Secondary Creativity: Secondary creativity develops from the already existing ideas. The level and
thought and planning associated with secondary creativity is higher.
 Integrated Creativity: This is the level of creativity, which brings great achievement in all fields like
arts, literature, science or business. It combines three elements of primary and secondary creativity.


According to Margaret Boden, creativity is a fundamental feature of our intelligence and can be learned by
systematic procedures and methods. The three kinds of creativity according to Margaret Borden, are given
below.
1. Combinatorial Creativity : Known ideas are combined in new, unfamiliar and different ways to form new
ideas and concepts. Example: - making collage by using available pictures.
2. Exploratory Creativity : New ideas are generated by exploring structured concepts which already exist. This
creativity is within a certain domain. This type of creativity contributes greatly by improving and refining the
existing structures.Example: - making new words by combining or coining two words like infotainment
(information + entertainment).
3. Transformational Creativity : This is the deepest kind of creativity where new ideas emerge by changing
the structured concepts. All the conventional structures will be broken in this type of creativity.

In short, creativity is
 A basic capability of the human brain.
 A skill which can be learned and improved.
 The product of disciplined thinking.
 The result of being open to experiences and thinking about them.
 A process that involves trial and error. Creative people learn from experiences.

Sources of Creativity
 Knowledge: We must have enough knowledge in the domain concerned to approach a problem
creatively. We should have deep knowledge in our area of interest and a general awareness about other
branches, so that only we can contribute something to the world by introducing innovative things. For
example; an engineer who is interested in nature can concentrate in making new products by following
the principle bio mimicry.
  Creative Thinking Skills: The manner in which our intellect processes a problem, question or
information and arrives at a conclusion can be called “thought process”. The more fine tuned our
thinking skills are, the better our creativity becomes. Generally, creative thinkers are,
Unafraid to try new things
Accepting and giving constructive criticism
Patient enough to persist through failures.
Interested in synergy
 Motivation: Motivation is the most important component of creativity. Motivation can be two types.
Intrinsic Motivation
Motivation, which arises within oneself, can be called intrinsic motivation. There is no external reward
or fear of punishment involved. Some factors that motivate us intrinsically are acceptance by our
colleagues and friends, curiosity, independence, power, social contact and social status.
Extrinsic Motivation: Motivation that arises from the promise of a reward or fear of punishment is
called extrinsic motivation. It arises from outside factors. Some extrinsic motivators are money,
promotion, bonuses,fear of punishment, deadlines, etc.
Intrinsic motivation promotes creativity more than extrinsic motivation. People always perform better when
they enjoy something rather than being forced.

LATERAL THINKING
Lateral thinking is a term coined by Edward de Bono. It represents a way of problem solving by an indirect
and non sequential method using reasoning. It is a process that starts with the generation of new ideas. The
logical continuity of steps to reach and solve a problem is not important here. The two main aspects of lateral
thinking are,
1. Freeing our thought process from old ideas.
2. Stimulating the creation of new ideas.
According to Edward de Bono, 4 types of thinking tools are used for lateral thinking, and are,
1. Idea generating tools to break routine thinking patterns.
2. Focus tools to identify new focus areas or ideas.
3. Harvest tools to create more value from the ideas generated.
4. Treatment tools to consider real world constraints and opportunities.

MYTHS OF CREATIVITY
Myths are widely held but false belief or idea and are evolved as means to explain the phenomena which are
difficult to understand. According to David Burkus, the myths are,
1. The Eureka Myth
We often think that creative ideas should come to us in a flash, which is in a Eureka moment. The creative
process often takes a certain amount of time from the inception of idea to its incubation phase where the sub
conscious mind links existing knowledge.
2. The Breed Myth
The common belief that outstandingly creative persons belong to a particular personality type or have
particular genetic predisposition is called the breed myth.
3. The Originality Myth
The idea that any creative work must be wholly original and depart from whatever has been done before is
called the originality myth. According to thismyth, an idea should be entirely unique and based on its creator’s
genius.
4. The Expert Myth
Most of the people believe that only experts in a particular field can be creative.Even though knowledge is
important, those who understand the situation andsolutions can be more creative. People are creatively the
best at their younger ages.
5. The Incentive Myth
This myth says that offering more payments or incentives make people workmore creatively. Incentives
provide extrinsic motivation to get the things done.Actually intrinsic motivation should make people more
creative.
6. The Lone Creator Myth
This myth believes that creativity is a one man show, that is, creativity is the result of a single person’s efforts.
Most of the inspirational stories we hear belong to this myth. In truth, everything comes as a result of
teamwork.
7. The Brainstorming Myth
It is believed that the easiest and most effective way to be more creative is to come with large number of ideas
and select the best from it by filtering the unwanted and unsuitable ones.
8. The Cohesive Myth
Friendly and cheerful teams can be more creative than others. This is the essence of the cohesive myth.
9. The Constraints Myth
Those who belong to the constraint myth believe that creativity flows only when there is absolute freedom.
Still then, there are no evidences that constraint shamper creativity.
10. The Mousetrap Myth
The name of this myth came from the saying “build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your
door”. It implies that any good idea will be immediately accepted and popularised.
CRITICAL THINKING
Critical thinking is clear, rational and disciplined thinking where the thinker is open to recognize and raise the
efficiency of thought process. It is a tool to improve one’s thinking capacity.Critical thinkers analyse, unify
and evaluate what is heard, seen or read by them.

CRITICAL THINKING VERSUS CREATIVE THINKING

Based on the Characteristics of Thought Process
CRITICAL THINKING CREATIVE THINKING
Mostly linear Often non linear
Selective (works by elimination) Generative (generates new
possibilities)
Converges towards single answer Moves away from a single answer
Looks for correct answer Looks for possibilities
Remains objective and logical Suspends judgements

Based on Skills Used

Comparison, classification,
sequencing,cause/effect/ patterning, analogies, Flexibility, originality, fluency, elaboration,
deductiveand inductive reasoning, forecasting, brain storming, modification, imagery,
planning, associative thinking, attribute listing,
hypothesising and criticising. metaphorical thinking and forced relationships

FUNCTIONS OF LEFT BRAIN AND RIGHT BRAIN

The human brain is divided into two hemispheres; the right and left hemispheres, which are connected by a
band of tissue called corpus callosum. The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body and vice
versa. The two hemispheres are associated with different types of cognitive functions. The left brain is
associated with rational, sequential thinking and the right brain is with intuitive and non linear thinking. In
every individual, one side is more dominant. The brain functions more efficiently when both the hemispheres
are equally active.
The functions of left and right hemispheres of the brain are given below.
LEFT BRAIN RIGHT BRAIN
1. Responsible for the 3R’s(Reading,writing and 1. The sensory, spatial and synthesizing part
arithmetic)

2. Information processed linearly.Arranges pieces 2. Information processed holistically. Proceeds

of data logically before reaching to from the answer to the details (from whole to
conclusions(from parts to whole). parts)

3. Controls feelings and emphasizes 3. Acknowledging feelings and emotions.

logic.

4. Tasks are processed sequentially.Completes 4. Tasks are processed randomly. Not

tasks in order. Responds well to schedules and systematic and changes from one task
lists.Comfortable with planning and structuring. to the other.

5. Skillful in processing data 5. Skillful at processing concrete

represented by symbols and numbers. concepts.

6. Logical.: It sees cause and effect. 6. Intuitive.:Sees correspondences and

Looks for logical conclusions when similarities.
confronting with too many issues.

7. Prefers validated and quantified 7. Prefers elusive and uncertain ideas.

data.

8. Skillful at seeing differences and 8.Skillful at seeing underlying similarities.

dissimilarities. Works by contrast.

9. Highly verbal. Responds better to 9 Predominantly non verbal. Responds well to

verbal instructions. visual/graphicalinstructions.

10. Responsible for optimism and jolliness

10 Emotive and pessimistic.

CONVERGENT AND DIVERGENT THINKING

Convergent thinking refers to the ability of a person to arrive at a single and the most appropriate and often
correct answer to a question. The questions in this case do not demand much creativity. The emphasis here is
on speed, accuracy, logic, etc. The answers come out of divergent thinking can be right or wrong. It is a good
problem solving tool. Critical thinking is an example for convergent thinking.

Divergent thinking is the opposite of convergent thinking. It is a thought process works by generating and
exploring different alternatives for a single problem. The thought process is nonlinear and spontaneous.
Creative thinking is an example for this. Divergent thinking is associated with personality traits such as
curiosity, persistence and openness to risks.

CRITICAL READING
In simple, critical reading is reading between the lines. A critical reader approaches the reading material with
an analytical outlook. The critical reader actively considers the content of the write up and tries to find out the
purpose of writing, the style of the author and writing style,etc.
How to Read Critically
Critical reading is the starting point for good writing. A combination of the following approaches will help us
improve reading comprehension and consequently writing skills.They are,
1. Previewing
Previewing helps defining our expectations from the reading material. Ittakes place before reading the text. It
includes the questions we ask ourselves, like what am I looking for from the text? What do the title,subtitles
and structure of the document tell me about the text? What do Iknow about the author?
2. Annotating
Annotating means making notes at the margins of the text. This may help usfor future reference.
3. Summarising
It is shortening the overall content of the text. We identify the main ideas ofthe given material.
4. Analysing
The total text will be analysed by the reader in this step.
5. Re reading
Critical cannot be completed in a single reading. At least three readings are necessary to find and understand
the exact meaning of the text.
6. Responding
It tells about giving our own critique for the text. This can be practiced by writing a short note on what we
have read.

THEORY OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

The theory of multiple intelligences was proposed by Dr Howard Gardner, in 1983. According to Gardner,
there are eight different intelligences which individuals may have in varying degrees.
They are as given below.
1. Logical Mathematical Intelligence
Prefers working with numbers, logic, patterns, mathematics and abstract thoughts.
2. Linguistic Intelligence
Comfortable with words, language and linguistics.
3. Musical Intelligence
Skillful in music, tones and rhythms.
4. Spatial Intelligence
Has aptitude for images, visualisation and understanding special relationships.
5. Bodily Kinesthetic Intelligence
Excellent body awareness, control over movements, balance, effective
communication through body language.

6. Interpersonal Intelligence
Keen sense of empathy, capability for team work, mediation and inter personalcommunication is included in
this.
7. Intrapersonal Intelligence
Highly self aware, interested in higher truths, rich inner life, etcare coming under it.
8. Naturalist Intelligence
Deals with appreciation and respect for all life forms, ability to draw inspiration fromthe Nature, conscious of
one’s relationship with Nature, etc.

PROBLEM SOLVING
Problems are obstacles thrown in front of us to hamper our progress. These problems must besolved and
overcome. Problems can arise in personal, professional and social contexts. Some problems can be solved
alone, some can be by collective thought and some by using computers.
Problem solving refers to any activity or group of activities that seek to resolve problems orfind a solution to
solve the problems, by proceeding in an orderly fashion.
Steps in Problem Solving
Problem solving requires a number of different thinking styles. Some problems require critical thinking while
others need creative thinking styles. There is a problem solving cycle which has been identified by Bransford
and Stein and is known as the IDEAL model.
The steps in IDEAL model are,
1. Identification of Problems and Opportunities
This is the first step which involves actively looking to the problems and not just responding to them. The
problems must be stated clearly so that the subsequent steps are easier.
2. Definition of Goals
Defining the goals of the solution is important to decide the direction of the problem solving process. There
must be clear understanding of what the requirement is. The constraints, various interests, etc must be taken
for consideration in this step.
3. Exploration of Possible Strategies
This stage needs a considerable amount of iteration. There are several methods like formal and informal for
the generation of alternatives. The goals, constraints and interests must be constantly re analysed with respect
to the strategy we adopt for problem solving. Every possible strategy must be tried before we take a decision.
4. Anticipation of Outcomes and Action
Every possible outcome must be analysed after deciding a strategy. The already fixed strategy may have to be
modified or even discarded. Inappropriate assumptions which were made earlier can be rectified in this stage.
5. Learning through Retrospection
This is the key for all the possible and further progress. It helps to understand the mistake we made and learn
from the past experiences. This helps in adopting the most suitable strategy in future.

Problem Solving through Six Thinking Hats

The Six Thinking Hats method was put forward by Edward de Bono. This method helps us analyse and
structure our thought process. According to de Bono, we are capable of different thinking styles. These styles
are represented by imaginary hats, each hat with different colour. By mentally wearing and switching hats, it
is easier to move from one thinking style to another. The six thinking hats are given below.
1. The White Hat
It is the hat of facts and data. When wearing a mental white hat, we must focus on analising the available data
and infer the information from them.E.g. There are hundred varieties of animals in this zoo.
2. The Red Hat
It is the hat of feelings and emotions. When wearing a red mental hat, we are free to focus on insights,
anxieties, feelings, etc.E.g. I feel worried about their safety.
3. The Blue Hat
It is the hat of process control. When wearing the blue hat, it is about the thought process itself that we think-
whether are we approaching the problem in the right way, what are all the ground rules and whether the
current thinking is productive. The blue hat initiates the discussion, controls its flow and sums it up to provide
the bigger picture.E.g. How are we planning to market this product?
4. The Yellow Hat
It is the hat of optimism and positivity. We take a logically optimistic view ofthe problem when we wear a
yellow hat. The benefits, feasibility, positive assets, etc are evaluated in this.E.g. Such low product cost will
raise profit.
5. The Green Hat
It is the hat of creativity. We can think and act creatively. We are encouraged to go beyond the limits we set
for ourselves. Out of the box solutions come from green hat thinking.E.g. If we can pack this product as a new
budget option, we can attract
more customers.
6. The Black Hat
It is the hat of caution and critical thinking. We can reflect on how an idea wouldn’t work in the current
context. The black hat is important for decision making, but it should be used moderately.
E.g. With such low price, we cannot assure quality.
Putting on and taking off each hat, mentally helps us to switch from one type of thinking to another. All the
six hats are important and they act as tools to strengthen critical thinking and the ability to solve every
problem effectively.
Advantages of Six Thinking Hats
1. Saves time in meetings
2. Eliminates personality conflicts in meetings
3. Helps to separate each aspect of problems, i.e. emotions, facts, etc.
4. Improves performance of individuals and teams
5. Helps in preparing for changes
6. Improves clarity and conciseness in communication.
7. Parallel thought is encouraged.

MIND MAPPING
The term “mind map” was coined by Tony Buzan in 1970s. Mind mapping is a method of pictorially
representing information and exploring new ideas and concepts. It represents the hierarchy/ interrelationships
of new ideas and concepts in the form of a picture or network. It isa spider diagram which “maps”
information.
A mind map usually has a central theme which is written prominently or drawn as an image atthe centre of a
blank page. Major ideas related to the central theme are placed around the central idea and are represented by
words, phrases or pictures and connected to the central idea. Each major idea has smaller ideas, and those are
placed in branched or hierarchical structures. Connections among these can be had with lines, arrows, etc. Use
of colours, images,etc. adds effectiveness.

Uses of Mind Mapping

 Mind maps are used by many companies like IBM, Walt Disney, Microsoft, etc.
 Mind maps are used for business presentations.
 It promotes creative and critical thinking processes.
 It can be used for educational purposes like taking classes, taking down notes,
etc.
 It can be used for training purposes.

Rules for Mind Mapping

 Start at the centre of a blank page and place the central idea there.
 Use a picture to represent the central idea, if possible.
 Use colours.
 Make the branches curved rather than using straight lines.
 There should be only one keyword per line.
 Images can be used.
 Develop your own style of mind mapping, if needed.

Advantages of Mind Mapping

 Both hemispheres of brain become active participants as mind maps have verbaland visual components.
 The storage and retrieval of information become easier for the brain.
 New information can be added easily into the mind map.
 Promotes creative thinking.
 Helps in concentrating on single and central idea.
 Helps in condensing large amount of information into single sheet of paper.

FORCED CONNECTIONS
Forced connections or forced association is an entertaining and radical way of generating new ideas. Forced
connections help individuals and groups to breakout the thought patterns that we may get fixed with. In this
method, the group members are expected to derive or force a connection between the problem at hand and a
random object or picture. The members can connect any attribute of the object/ picture to the problem, which
promotes divergent thinking.

When the brain considers two different items, it will try to find the possible connections between them. This is
the basis of forced connection method.

PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES

A problem solving strategy is a series of steps that a problem solver adopts to solve the problems. The steps
are usually closely connected. Experts use different strategies for problem solving. Effective strategies have 4
to 15 steps.

Polya’s 4 Step Method for Problem Solving

According to George Polya, there are 4 essential principles of problem solving which arecharacterised by the
following questions in each step.
1. Understand the Problem
 Do you understand all the words in the problem?
 Can you re state the question in your own words?
 What do you need to find out?
 Is there a picture/ sketch you can draw?
 Is the given information sufficient for the solution?
 If not, what other information is required?

2. Devise a Plan
There may be many ways to solve a problem correctly. A plan identifies the best strategy that can be used for
problem solving.
Some of the strategies are,
 Look for patterns
 Draw a diagram
 Make a table
 Break into sub problems
 Do a similar and simpler problem
 Guess an answer and check
 Write down equations
 Consider special cases
 Work backwards
 Be ingenious
3. Execute the Plan
Act according to the strategy planned out in the previous stage. Make sure that there is accurate record of
what you did.
4. Look Back
Reexamine the answers that you have obtained. It helps in improving our problem solving skills.

Common Problem Solving Strategies

 Abstraction
Modeling the system and solving at that level before moving on to actual system.
 Analogy
Using a solution that works for a similar problem.
 Brainstorming
A group activity involving suggesting a large number of solutions and refining them until an optimum
solution is found.
 Divide and Conquer
Breaking a larger problem into simpler sub problems.

 Hypothesis Testing
Assuming a possible solution beforehand and trying to prove or disprove the assumption.
 Lateral Thinking
Approaching solutions indirectly and creatively.
 Means Ends Analysis
Choosing an action each step to move closer to the goal.
 Method of Focal Objects
Combining characteristics of different objects into something new.
 Morphological Analysis
The output and interrelationship of the entire system is considered.
 Reduction
See whether the problem can be reduced with existing solutions.
 Research
Collect existing ideas used for similar problems and use for the solution of
the present problem.
 Root Cause Analysis
Identifying the basic cause of a problem.
 Trial and Error
Testing possible solutions repeatedly until the right one is found.

ANALYTICAL THINKING
Systematic problem solving strategies will help us solving the mathematical problems very easily. Analytical
and logical thinking belong to the category of systematic problem solving. In these two, we interconnect the
facts given in a problem and the required outcome.

QUANTITATIVE REASONING – STRATEGIES

Problem solving strategies can be used based on the type of problem we confront with, information given,
accuracy of the expected result, etc. They involve translating the representation of mathematical problem,
making educated guesses, pattern searches, using simplifications and so on. Some of the strategies are given
below.

Translate from Verbal to Numeric Form.

This strategy can be used effectively for word problems. The information given in word form is written in the
form of an expression. The problem is understood in the language of mathematics to model it mathematically.
Example: the minimum charge for an autorikshaw is Rupees 20 for the first two kilometers. Every additional
kilometer costs Rupees 4. If I paid Rupees 32 to come to college, how far away is my home?
If the distance is d, 20+4(d-2) = 32

Translate from Verbal to Graphical Form.

In this strategy, Information given in the problem is represented in the form of a picture. This can be either a
sketch like, conceptual or schematic diagram. Maximum care should be there to draw the diagram. Drawing
makes it easier to analyse the data and to identify the solution method.
Example: in a quiz, Ananth has 50 points more than Bimal, Chinmay has 60 points less than Ananth and
Dharini is 20 points ahead of Chinmay. What is the difference in points between Bimal and Dharini?
The figure is based on the data given in the question and the answer is 20-(60-50) = 10.
Translate from Numeric/Algebraic to Graphical Form
The problems that are stated in numeric or algebraic form can be understood and
solved better if converted to graphical form. This is especially useful when the problems
involve coordinates.
Example: which are the points of intersection of the two circles x2+y2=9 and (x-2)2+(y-1)2=4?
(A)(1.1,2.8),(2.9,-0.8) (B)(-1.1,2.8),(-2.9,0.8) (C)(3.6,1.3),(0.8,2.9)
(D)(-3.6,1.3),(-0.8,-2.9)
Translate from Graphic to Numeric/Algebraic to Form
If the question is given in the form of a picture, it can sometimes be translated into numeric/algebraic form
that can be handled more easily. This strategy is widely used in reading and interpreting problems involving
charts and graphs where data are represented graphically.
Example: Our college authority thinks about starting a new college bus route. A survey has been conducted
among students living along the proposed route. From the pie chart given below, determine the percentage of
students likely to use the college bus to travel. Form the given data, we can assume that those who use their
own vehicles will continue to do so and those who walk to the college live near to the college. Therefore the
percentage of students likely to use the college bus is, %possible to travel by college bus= % bus + %
rickshaw = 37+10=47