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STRESS MANAGEMENT

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

Authors
P. Sumathi,
A. Ashokkumar & R. Rohini
Title: Stress Management

Author’s Name: P. Sumathi, A. Ashokkumar &

R. Rohini

Published by: Shanlax Publications,

Vasantha Nagar, Madurai – 625003,
Tamil Nadu, India

Publisher’s Address: 61, 66 T.P.K. Main Road,

Vasantha Nagar, Madurai – 625003,
Tamil Nadu, India

Printer’s Details: Shanlax Press,

66 T.P.K. Main Road,
Vasantha Nagar, Madurai – 625003,
Tamil Nadu, India

Edition Details (I,II,III): I

ISBN: 978-93-91373-77-1

Month & Year: October, 2021

Copyright @ P. Sumathi, A. Ashokkumar &

R. Rohini

Pages: 174

Price: `/-
 PREFACE

“The truth is that stress doesn’t come from your boss, your kids, your
spouse, traffic jams, health challenges, or other circumstances. It comes
from your thoughts about your circumstances.”
Andrew Bernstein

In today’s world managing stress is a very big challenge. Stress

is a type of attitude to protect our self from many critical situations.
So, there is need to write a book on this title ‘Stress Management’.
This book covers understanding stress, common stress factors time
and career plateauing, crisis management, work place humour and
self-development.

It has been written keeping in mind the needs of the students

studying MBA & such similar courses offered by Anna University
and other universities in Tamil Nadu. This book is suitable for both
regular and correspondence students.

It will be useful for the students not only in the exam point of
view but also to manage their stress level till their life goes on. It’s
not an ordinary subject to study it is life lesson for every individuals.

Dr. P. SUMATHI
Mr. A. ASHOKKUMAR
Mrs. R. ROHINI
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We sincerely thank our family members for their interest

they have shown throughout the period of work and for their
moral support.

We extend our faithful gratitude to our esteemed

management for giving space to prepare this book and thank
our President, Secretary, Governing Council Members,
Principal, Vice principal, Dean, all our colleagues & counter
parts for their constant encouragement and support.

Finally, We sincerely thank Shanlax publications for

assigning the work for preparing a book on ‘Stress
Management’.
Dr. P. SUMATHI
Mr. A. ASHOKKUMAR
Mrs. R. ROHINI
 SYLLABUS

UNDERSTANDING STRESS
Meaning - Symptoms - Work Related Stress - Individual
Stress – Reducing Stress - Burnout.

COMMON STRESS FACTORS TIME AND CAREER

PLATEAUING
Time Management – Techniques – Importance of planning
the day – Time management schedule – Developing concentration –
Organizing the Work Area - Prioritizing – Beginning at the start –
Techniques for conquering procrastination – Sensible delegation –
Taking the right breaks – Learning to say ‘No’.
Career Plateauing – Identifying career plateaus, structural
and content plateauing - Making a fresh start – Importance of
sabbaticals – Counselling out – Executive leasing – Sustaining a
marketable career.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT
Implications – People issues – Structure issues,
environmental issues, psychological fall outs – Learning to keep
calm – Preventing interruptions – Controlling crisis – Importance of
good communication – Taking advantage of crisis – Pushing new
ideas – Empowerment.

WORK PLACE HUMOUR

Developing a sense of Humour – Learning to laugh, role of
group cohesion and team spirit, using humour at work, reducing
conflicts with humour.
SELF DEVELOPMENT
Improving Personality – Leading with Integrity, enhancing
creativity – Effective Decision Making – Sensible Communication –
The Listening Game – Managing Self - Meditation for Peace – Yoga
for Life.

TEXT BOOK
1. Greenberg Jerrold S., Comprehensive Stress Management,
9th edition, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi, 2005.
2. Schafer, Stress Management, 4th Edition, Cengage Learning,
Delhi, 2008.

REFERENCES
1. Bhatia R.L., The Executive Track: An Action Plan for Self
Development, Wheeler Publishing, New Delhi, 1996.
2. Charavarthy S.K., Human Values for Managers, Wheeler
Publishing, New Delhi, 1996.
3. Frances A. Clark, Total Career Management, Mc Graw
Hill/Henley Management Series, 1995.
4. Swami Ranganathananda, Eternal Values for a changing
society, BharatiyaVidyaBhavan, 1995.
 CONTENTS

Page
Unit Contents
No
I Understanding Stress 1-32
Signs and symptoms of stress
Causes of stress
Risk factors for stress
Symptoms of Stress
Causes of workplace stress
Do's and don'ts'' of relaxation
II Common Stress Factors Time and Career 33-70
Pleating
Different Uses of the Time management
Techniques for setting priorities
Developing concentration
Prioritization
Techniques for conquering procrastination
Five Effective Strategies for Dealing with
Employees Stagnating on Career Plateaus
Planning Your Career to Improve Marketability
III Crisis Management 71-99
A Framework for crisis management and crisis
management planning
Models and theories associated with crisis
management
Crisis management success stories
Issues in crisis management
Top tips for managing a crisis
Empowerment
Importance of Effective Communication
IV Work Place Humour 100-119
How to develop your sense of humor
Group cohesion
Stages of Formation
Carron's Model of Factors Affecting Cohesion
Principles underlying the Team-Building Program
10 Tips for Using Your Humor for Good, Not Evil
V Self Development 120-176
Tips to Improve Your Personality
Steps to Leading with Greater Integrity
Decision-Making Techniques
Classic Approach to Decision Making
Different methods for team decision-making
 Stress Management

UNIT-I
UNDERSTANDING STRESS: SIGNS, SYMPTOMS,
CAUSES, AND EFFECTS

We all face different challenges and obstacles, and sometimes

the pressure is hard to handle. When we feel overwhelmed, under the
gun, or unsure how to meet the demands placed on us, we
experience stress. In small doses, stress can be a good thing. It can
give you the push you need, motivating you to do your best and to
stay focused and alert. Stress is what keeps you on your toes during
a presentation at work or drives you to study for your midterm when
you'd rather be watching TV. But when the going gets too tough and
life's demands exceed your ability to cope, stress becomes a threat to
both your physical and emotional well-being. We have to see,
 What is stress?
 Signs and symptoms of stress
 Causes of stress
 Risk factors for stress
 Effects of chronic stress
 Severe stress and trauma
 Related links for stress

What is stress?
 How to manage, reduce, and cope with stress
 Relaxation techniques for stress relief
 How to recognize and prevent burnout
Stress is a psychological and physiological response to events
that upset our balance in some way. When faced with a threat,
whether to our physical safety or emotional equilibrium, the body's
defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as
the "fight-or-flight" response. We all know what this stress response
feels like: heart pounding in the chest, muscles tensing up, breathes
coming faster, every sense on red alert.

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What is the definition of stress?

Stress is defined as a person's response to his environment.
Stress is measured in terms of arousal or stimulation. As such, stress
must be present for a person to function.
Each person has his own normal (homeostatic) level of arousal at
which he functions best. If something unusual in the environment
occurs, this level of arousal is affected.

There are three phases of arousal:

Phase 1. Alarm phase: When an unusual (or stressful) event
occurs, the output of energy drops for a short period as the event is
registered in the person's mind.
Phase 2. Adaptation phase: Next, the output of energy
increases above the normal level; arousal is heightened as the person
seeks to deal with the situation. Adaptation responses available to
humans include physically running away, fighting, freezing (self-
immobilization), suppression of emotion, or learning.
Phase 3. Exhaustion phase: Finally the person's available
energy is expended and his

Signs and symptoms of stress

To get a handle on stress, you first need to learn how to
recognize it in yourself. Stress affects the mind, body, and behavior
in many ways— all directly tied to the physiological changes of the
fight-or-flight response. The specific signs and symptoms of stress
vary widely from person to person. Some people primarily
experience physical symptoms, such as low back pain, stomach
problems, and skin outbreaks. In others, the stress pattern centers on
emotional symptoms, such as crying jags or hypersensitivity. For
still others, changes in the way they think or behave predominate.
The following table lists some of the common warning signs and
symptoms of stress. Use it to identify the symptoms you typically
experience when you‘re under stress. If you know your red flags,
you can take early steps to deal with the stressful situation before it
or your emotions spiral out of control.

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Stress Warning Signs and Symptoms

Cognitive Symptoms
 Memory problems
 Indecisiveness
 Inability to concentrate
 Trouble thinking clearly
 Poor judgment
 Seeing only the negative
 Anxious or racing  Feeling tense and ―on edge‖
thoughts
 Constant worrying
 Loss of objectivity
 Fearful anticipation
Physical Symptoms
 Headaches or backaches
 Muscle tension and  Sleeping too much or too little
stiffness
 Diarrhea or constipation
 Nausea, dizziness
 Insomnia
 Chest pain, rapid
heartbeat
 Weight gain or loss
 Skin breakouts (hives,  Teeth
eczema)
 Loss of sex drive
 Frequent colds
Emotional Symptoms
 Moodiness
 Agitation
 Restlessness
 Short temper
 Irritability, impatience
 Inability to relax
 Feeling overwhelmed
 Sense of loneliness and
isolation
 Depression or general
unhappiness
Behavioral Symptoms
 Eating more or less
 Isolating yourself from others
 Procrastination, neglecting
responsibilities
 Using alcohol, cigarettes, or
drugs to relax
 Nervous habits (e.g. nail
biting, pacing)
grinding or jaw
clenching
 Overdoing activities (e.g.
exercising, shopping)
 Overreacting to unexpected
problems
 Picking fights with others

Keep in mind that the signs and symptoms of stress can also be
caused by other psychological and medical problems. If you‘re
experiencing any of the warning signs of stress, it‘s important to see

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a doctor for a full evaluation. Your doctor can help you determine
whether or not your symptoms are stress-related.

Causes of stress
Top Ten Stressful Life Events
1. Spouse‘s death
2. Divorce
3. Marriage separation
4. Jail term
5. Death of a close relative
6. Injury or illness
7. Marriage
8. Fired from job
9. Marriage reconciliation
10. Retirement

The potential causes of stress are numerous and highly

individual. What you consider stressful depends on many factors,
including your personality, general outlook on life, problem-solving
abilities, and social support system. Something stressful to you may
not faze someone else, or they may even enjoy it. For example, your
morning commute may make you anxious and tense because you
worry that traffic will make you late. Others, however, may find the
trip relaxing because they allow more than enough time and enjoy
listening to music while they drive.
The pressures and demands that cause stress are known as
stressors. We usually think of stressors as being negative, such as an
exhausting work schedule or a rocky relationship. However,
anything that forces us to adjust can be a stressor. This includes
positive events such as getting married or receiving a promotion.
Regardless of whether an event is good or bad, if the adjustment it
requires strains our coping skills and adaptive resources, the result is
stress.

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Major life changes

Major life events are stressors. Whether it be a divorce, a child
leaving home, a planned pregnancy, a move to a new town, a career
change, graduating from college, or a diagnosis of cancer, the faster
or more dramatic the change, the greater the strain. Furthermore, the
more major life changes you‘re dealing with at any one time, the
more stress you‘ll feel.
While major life changes are stressful, they are also relative
rarities. After all, it's not every day that you file for divorce or have a
baby. However, you may battle traffic, arguing with your family
members, or worry about your finances daily. Because these small
upsets occur so regularly, they end up affecting us the most.

Daily causes of stress include:

 Environmental stressors – Your physical surroundings can
set off the stress response. Examples of environmental
stressors include an unsafe neighborhood, pollution, noise
(sirens keeping you up at night, a barking dog next door),
and uncomfortable living conditions. For people living in
crime-ridden areas or war-torn regions, the stress may be
unrelenting.
 Family and relationship stressors – Problems with friends,
romantic partners, and family members are common daily
stressors. Marital disagreements, dysfunctional relationships,
rebellious teens, or caring for a chronically ill family
member or a child with special needs can all send stress
levels skyrocketing.
 Work stressors – In our career-driven society, work can be
an ever-present source of stress. Work stress is caused by
things such as job dissatisfaction, an exhausting workload,
insufficient pay, office politics, and conflicts with your boss
or co-workers.
 Social stressors – Your social situation can cause stress. For
example, poverty, financial pressures, racial and sexual

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discrimination or harassment, unemployment isolation, and

a lack of social support all take a toll on daily quality of life.
 Internal Causes of Stress Not all stress is caused by external
pressures and demands. Your stress can also be self-
generated. Internal causes of stress include:

 Uncertainty or worries  Perfectionism

 Pessimistic attitude  Low self-esteem
 Self-criticism  Excessive or unexpressed anger
 Unrealistic expectations  Lack of assertiveness
or beliefs

Risk factors for stress

The presence of a stressor doesn‘t automatically result in
disabling stress symptoms. The degree to which any stressful
situation or event impacts your daily functioning depends partly on
the nature of the stressor itself and partly on your own personal and
external resources.

Stress: How vulnerable are you?

The nature of Stressors that involve central aspects of your life
the stressor (your marriage, your job) or are chronic issues (a
physical handicap, living from paycheck to paycheck)
are more likely to cause severe distress.
A crisis Sudden, intense crises (being raped, robbed at
experience gunpoint, or attacked by a dog) are understandably
overwhelming. Without immediate intervention and
treatment, debilitating stress symptoms are common.
Multiple Stressors are cumulative, so the more life changes or
stressors or life daily hassles you're dealing with at any one time, the
changes more intense the symptoms of stress.
Your The same stressor can have very different effects on
perception of different people. For example, public speaking
the stressor stresses many out, but others thrive on it.
Additionally, if you‘re able to see some benefit to the

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situation—the silver lining or a hard lesson learned—

the stressor is easier to swallow.
Your The more you know about a stressful situation,
knowledge and including how long it will last and what to expect, the
preparation better able you‘ll be to face it. For example, if you go
into surgery with a realistic picture of what to expect
post-op, a painful recovery will be less traumatic than
if you were expecting to bounce back immediately.
Your stress Some people roll with the punches, while others
tolerance crumble at the slightest obstacle or frustration. The
more confidence you have in yourself and your ability
to persevere, the better able you‘ll be to take a
stressful situation in stride.
Your support A strong network of supportive friends and family
network members is an enormous buffer against life‘s
stressors. But the more lonely or isolated you are, the
higher your risk of stress.

Effects of chronic stress

Chronic stress wears you down day after day and year after year,
with no visible escape. Under sustained or severe stress, even the
well-adjusted person loses the ability to adapt. When stress
overwhelms our coping resources, our bodies and minds suffer.

Health effects
Recent research suggests that anywhere from 60 to 90 percent of
illness is stress-related. The physical wear and tear of stress includes
damage to the cardiovascular system and immune system
suppression. Stress compromises your ability to fight off disease and
infection, throws your digestive system off balance, makes it
difficult to conceive a baby, and can even stunt growth in children.

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Stress and Your Health

Many medical conditions are caused or exacerbated by stress,
including:
 Chronic pain  Heart disease  Infertility
 Migraines  Diabetes  Autoimmune
 Ulcers  Asthma diseases
 Heartburn  PMS  Irritablebowel
 High blood  Obesity syndrome
pressure  Skin problems

Emotional effects
Chronic stress grinds away your mental health, causing
emotional damage in addition to physical ailments. Long-term stress
can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to everyday
pressures and less able to cope. Over time, stress can lead to mental
health problems such as:
 anxiety
 depression
 eating disorders, and
 Substance abuse.

Severe stress and trauma

Severe stress reactions can result from sudden, catastrophic
events or traumatic experiences such as a natural disaster, sexual
assault, life-threatening accident, or participation in combat. After
the initial shock and emotional fallout, many trauma victims
gradually begin to recover from its effects. But for some people, the
stress symptoms don't go away, the body doesn‘t regain its
equilibrium, and life doesn‘t return to normal. This severe and
persisting reaction to trauma is known as post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD).

Common symptoms of PTSD include:

 Flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, or nightmares about the
trauma

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 Avoidance of places and things associated with the trauma

 Hypervigilance for signs of danger
 Chronic irritability and tension
 Depression.
PTSD is a serious disorder that requires professional intervention.

Managing stress and its symptoms

While unchecked stress is undeniably damaging, there are many
things you can do to control it and reduce its effects.
Coping with stress
Following a few simple stress management tips can help you
minimize stressors in your life, healthily deal with your stress
symptoms, and buffer yourself from its negative effects.

Relaxation techniques for stress relief

Not all stress can be avoided, but when it hits, relaxation
techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga can provide
relief.
 Preventing Burnout:  Relationship Stress
Signs, Symptoms, and Management: How To Stay
Strategies Calm and Communicate
 Dealing with Job Better
Stress: Reducing and  Stress Management: Skills
Managing Stress at Work to Reduce, Prevent, and
Cope with Stress

Stress in kids and teens

Stress at work is a relatively new phenomenon of modern
lifestyles. The nature of work has gone through drastic changes over
the last century and it is still changing at whirlwind speed. They
have touched almost all professions, starting from an artist to a
surgeon, or a commercial pilot to a sales executive. With change
comes stress, inevitably. Professional stress or job stress poses a
threat to physical health. Work-related stress in the life of organized
workers, consequently, affects the health of organizations.

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What'sIt?
Job stress is a chronic disease caused by conditions in the
workplace that negatively affect an individual's performance and/or
overall well-being of his body and mind. One or more of a host of
physical and mental illnesses manifests job stress. In some cases, job
stress can be disabling. In chronic cases, psychiatric consultation is
usually required to validate the reason and degree of work-relevant
stress.

The signs of job stress vary from person to person, depending on

the particular situation, how long the individual has been subjected
to the stressors and the intensity of the stress itself. Typical
symptoms of job stress can be:
 Insomnia
 Loss of mental concentration,
 Anxiety, stress
 Absenteeism
 Depression,
 Substance abuse,
 Extreme anger and frustration,
 Family conflict
 Physical illnesses such as heart disease, migraine,
headaches, stomach problems, and back problems.

Job stress may be caused by a complex set of reasons. Some of

the most visible causes of workplace stress are:

Job Insecurity
Organized workplaces are going through metamorphic changes
under intense economic transformations and consequent pressures.
Reorganizations, takeovers, mergers, downsizing, and other changes
have become major stressors for employees, as companies try to live

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up to the competition to survive. These reformations have put a

demand on everyone, from a CEO to a mere executive.

High Demand for Performance

Unrealistic expectations, especially in the time of corporate
reorganizations, which, sometimes, puts unhealthy and unreasonable
pressures on the employee, can be a tremendous source of stress and
suffering. Increased workload, extremely long work hours, and
intense pressure to perform at peak levels all the time for the same
pay can leave employees physically and emotionally drained.
Excessive travel and too much time away from family also
contribute to an employee's stressors

Technology
The expansion of technology—computers, pagers, cell phones,
fax machines, and the Internet—has resulted in heightened
expectations for productivity, speed, and efficiency, increasing
pressure on the individual worker to constantly operate at peak
performance levels. Workers working with heavy machinery are
under constant stress to remain alert. In this case, both the worker
and their family members live under constant mental stress. There is
also the constant pressure to keep up with technological
breakthroughs and improvisations, forcing employees to learn new
software all the time.

Workplace Culture
Adjusting to the workplace culture, whether in a new company
or not, can be intensely stressful. Making one adapt to the various
aspects of workplace culture such as communication patterns,
hierarchy, dress code if any, workspace and most importantly
working and behavioral patterns of the boss as well as the co-
workers can be a lesson of life. Maladjustment to workplace cultures
may lead to subtle conflicts with colleagues or even with superiors.
In many cases, office politics or gossips can be major stress
inducers.

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Personal or Family Problems

Employees going through personal or family problems tend to
carry their worries and anxieties to the workplace. When one is in a
depressed mood, his unfocused attention or lack of motivation
affects his ability to carry out job responsibilities.

Job Stress and Women

Women may suffer from mental and physical harassment at
workplaces, apart from the common job stress. Sexual harassment in
the workplace has been a major source of worry for women, since
along. Women may suffer from tremendous stress such as 'hostile
work environment harassment, which is defined in legal terms as
'offensive or intimidating behavior in the workplace. This can
consist of unwelcome verbal or physical conduct. These can be a
constant source of tension for women in the job sector. Also, subtle
discriminations at workplaces, family pressure, and societal
demands add to these stress factors.

Because change is constant in life, stress is an integral part of it.

Since we don't want to perish under it, we have to adhere to the
bottom line for survival—adapt.

Following are some of the long-term tips to survive stress:

 Even if we feel secure in a habituated life, the truth remains
that changing with the times makes one's position more
secure. In today's business climate, you must continually be
prepared for changes to avoid stress and survive in the
competitive world.
 Find and protect whatever time you get to refresh, re-
energize and re-motivate yourself. Spend quality time with
your family. This can be an excellent source of emotional
and moral support.
 Avoid giving in to alcohol, smoking, and other substance
abuse while under constant stress.

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 Develop positive attitudes towards stressful situations in life.

Give up negative mental traits such as fear, anger, and
revengeful attitudes, which germinate stress. Try to revert to
holistic relaxation and personal growth techniques such as
meditation, breathing, exercises, to remodel your lifestyles.
 In case of chronic stress consult a health professional.
 Reduce workplace stress by celebrating your's or your
colleagues' accomplishments.
 Adapting to the demands of stress also means changing your
personality. Improve your line of communication, efficiency
and learn from other's experiences.
 Don't be complacent. Be prepared for any change physically,
emotionally, and financially.

But, when you are under stress at work, some simple practices
can help:
 Sit straight and comfortably on your seat, and try breathing
exercises. It will relax your nerves and muscles.
 Relax and count backward (20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15….)

When under severe stress, an individual fails to make clear-cut

decisions, reevaluate and reassess the priorities and lifestyles, and
ultimately, tend to fall into unproductive distractions. This can be
described as a classic case of 'burnout'. The 'burnouts' often engage
in reckless or risk-taking behaviors. Starting from glamor and sports
celebrities to common men, 'burnouts' are found everywhere.
Chronic Responsibility Syndrome is a kind of burnout where
people get mentally and physically exhausted from their workload.
The symptom is often described as "there's simply too much work to
do, and no one else can do it but me". Typically it will occur in hard-
working, hard-driven people, who become emotionally,
psychologically, or physically exhausted. You are at risk of burnout
where:

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 You find it difficult to say 'no' to additional commitments or

responsibilities
 You have been under intense and sustained pressure for
some time
 Your high standards make it difficult to delegate to
assistants
 You have been trying to achieve too much for too long
 You have been giving too much emotional support for too
long
Often burnout will manifest itself in a reduction in motivation,
volume, and quality of performance, or dissatisfaction with or
departure from the activity altogether.

Are You in Danger of Burning Out?

If you feel that you are in danger of burning out, the suggestions
below can help you correct the situation:
 Re-evaluate your goals and prioritize them
 Evaluate the demands placed on you and see how they fit in
with your goals
 Identify your ability to comfortably meet these demands.
 If people demand too much emotional energy, become more
unapproachable and less sympathetic. Involve other people
in a supportive role. Acknowledge your humanity:
remember that you have a right to pleasure and a right to
relaxation
 Learn stress management skills
 Identify stressors in your life, such as work, or family. Get
the support of your friends, family, and even counseling in
reducing stress

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Ensure that you are following a healthy lifestyle:

1. Get adequate sleep and rest to maintain your energy levels
2. Ensure that you are eating a healthy, balanced diet—a bad
diet can make you ill or feel bad. Limit your caffeine and
alcohol intake
3. Try to recognize your spiritual needs that may have been
buried under the mires of worldly pursuits
4. Develop alternative activities such as a relaxing hobby to
take your mind off problems

Have You Burned Out?

 If you are so de-motivated that for a time you do not want to
continue with what you do, then take some time off
 Alternatively, try to switch to another area of activity within
your organization. If you come back later, you may find that
you have started to enjoy the work again and can take on
only those commitments that you want. You may, however,
find that you have absolutely no interest in continuing with
what you are doing. In this case, it may be best to drop it
altogether
 Take support and counseling of near and dear ones to bring
change to the current situation
 Enroll yourself with some meditation or yoga classes (to
ensure group spiritual practice), gyms, aerobics, or sports
clubs to switch your focus, and to reorganize your priorities
 If you are in the late stages of burnout, feeling deeply de-
motivated and disenchanted with your job or life, get help
from a good psychologist.

Reducing Stress:
What are sources of stress?
 Individual personality characteristics that can induce stress
 Interpersonal issues that can induce stress
 System issues that can induce stress

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 Is all stress bad?

 What is the definition of stress?
 What is the stress/relaxation physical response cycle?
 Personal life events analysis
 What is personal progressive relaxation?
 Relaxation training technique
 A full breathing exercise
 What are sources of stress?

Change of any kind can induce stress because of:

 fear of the new, the unknown
 feelings of personal insecurity
 feelings of vulnerability
 fear of rejection
 need for approval
 lack of tolerance for ambiguity
 fear of conflict
 fear of taking a risk
 fear of developing trust
 fear of inability to cope with changed circumstances

Individual personality characteristics that can induce stress

Individual personality characteristics that can induce stress
include:
 low self-esteem
 feelings of over-responsibility
 fear of loss of control
 fear of failure, error, mistakes
 fear of being judged
 lack of belief in ``being good enough''
 chronic striving to be ``perfect''
 chronic guilt

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 Stress Management

 unresolved grief over a loss or a series of losses

 chronic anger, hostility, or depression

Interpersonal issues that can induce stress

Interpersonal issues that can induce stress include:
 a lack of adequate support within the relationship
 a lack of healthy communication within the relationship
 a sense of competitiveness between the parties involved
 threats of rejection or disapproval between people
 an inability to be appropriately assertive
 struggle for power and control in the relationship
 poor intimacy or sexuality within the relationship
 chronic conflict and disagreement with no healthy resolution
 over-dependency of one party on another
 a troubled person who refuses to recognize the need for help
System issues that can induce stress
System (family, job, school, club, organization) issues that can
induce stress include:
 lack of leadership
 lack of sense of direction
 uncooperative atmosphere
 competitive atmosphere
 autocratic leadership
 unclear expectations
 a chronic sense of impending doom
 a lack of teamwork
 confused communications
 Developmental disability or chronic ill health of one or more
members.

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Is all stress bad?

Not all stress is distress: a certain amount of stress or pressure
is necessary and shows a positive adaptation being made by a
person. This is calledeustress.
Bad or negative stress is calleddistress: the negative
physiological and emotional response when stress is intense and
unresolved.
There are three degrees of stress:
Low: This is distress leading to boredom, fatigue, frustration,
or dissatisfaction.
Optimum: This is eustress leading to creativity, problem-
solving, progress, change, learning, and energetic satisfaction.
High: esteem, and irrational problem-solving.
What is the stress/relaxation physical response cycle?
The physical response to stress is as follows:

The signs of this physical response include:

Increased: heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, perspiration,
pupil dilation, muscle tension. In the state of chronic stress, heart
rate, blood pressure, and respiration are chronically elevated

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The physical relaxation response is as follows:

The signs of this physical response include:

Decreased: heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, pupil dilation,
muscle tension
Stress management strategy is to evoke the relaxation physical
response on a regular, daily basis.

Common stress-related illnesses include:

 Coronary artery disease
 Peptic ulcer
 Mental Illness


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A diagram of the stress cycle:

Personal Life Events analysis*

To learn the level of stress (distress) in your life, circle the value
at the right of each of the following events if it has occurred within
the past 12 months:

Event Value
 Death of spouse 100
 Divorce 73
 Marital separation 65
 Jail term 63
 Death of close family member 63
 Personal injury or illness 53
 Marriage 50
 Fired from job 47
 Marital reconciliation 45
 Retirement 45
 Change in family member's health 44
 Pregnancy 40
 Sexual difficulties 39
 Addition to family 39
 Business readjustment 39
 Change in financial status 38
 Death of close friend 37

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 Career change 36
 Change in number of marital arguments 35
 Mortgage or loan over $10,000 31
 Foreclosure of mortgage or loan 30
 Change in work responsibilities 29
 Son or daughter leaving home 29
 Trouble with in-laws 29
 Outstanding personal achievement 28
 Spouse begins or ceases working 26
 Starting or finishing school 26
 Change in living conditions 25
 Revision of personal habits 24
 Trouble with boss 23
 Change in work hours, conditions 20
 Change in residence 20
 Change in schools 20
 Change in recreational habits 19
 Change in church activities 19
 Change in social activities 18
 Mortgage or loan under $10,000 17
 Change in sleeping habits 16
 Change in number of family gatherings 15
 Change in eating habits 15
 Vacation 13
 Christmas season 12
 Minor violation of the law 11

How to analyze your score:

Add the circled values. If your total score is more than 150, find
ways to reduce stress in your daily life so that your stress level
doesn't increase. The higher the score, the harder one needs to work
at staying physically well.

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Suggested uses for personal Life Events analysis:

1. Become familiar with the different events and the amounts
of stress they promote.
2. Put the list of events where your family can easily refer to it
several times a day.
3. Practice recognizing the stress level when one of these
events happens.
4. Think about the meaning of the event for you and identify
your feelings.
5. Think about the different ways you can adjust to the event.
6. Take your time in arriving at decisions.
7. Anticipate life changes and plan for them well in advance
whenever possible.
8. Pace yourself. It can be done even if you are in a hurry.
9. Look at the accomplishment of a task as a part of ongoing
daily living; avoid looking at such an achievement as a
stopping point. Congratulate yourself and push ahead.
10. Recognize that your internal mechanism of coping with
stress is directly tied to how your health and well-being will
be influenced by it.

What is personal progressive relaxation?

Learning to relax:
You may have grown to accept a certain high level of stress and
anxiety as ``normal.'' You may be unfamiliar with what it feels like
to be relaxed, calm, and unstressed. With progressive relaxation you
learn what it feels like to be relaxed, you learn to increase relaxation
to a new level. By doing this you not only improve your physical
well-being by reducing hypertension, headaches, and other physical
complaints, but you improve your mental state by reducing stress,
anxiety, irritability, and depression.

The physical setting:

Progressive relaxation should take place in a quiet, attractive
room. You should be completely supported. There should be no need

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for exertion to maintain body support. You should wear comfortable,

loose-fitting clothing during the sessions.

The process:
Lie on the floor or a bed and follow the directions of the
relaxation technique in the following Relaxation Training Technique
as you tense and relax various muscle groups. After the initial
tensing of the muscles, release the tension instantly and completely.
This is very important to get the ``pendulum effect.'' The muscles
relax beyond the point of their normal relaxed state. You should then
feel the important difference between tension and relaxation. You
should concentrate on the feeling of relaxation, learn what it is to
relax and how to increase it. Continually repeat to yourself, ``Know
what it feels like to be relaxed, deepen the relaxation, know what it
is to be relaxed.''

Do's and don'ts'' of relaxation:

Do: Make sure you have comfortable, loose clothing and proper
back support
Don't: Put yourself in an awkward position or in a position that will
make it easy to fall asleep
Do: Allow your mind to quiet down. If tense thoughts enter while
you are relaxing, let them pass out of your head.
Don't: Think your way into tension. If you can't clear your mind,
take a long, deep breath and let it out slowly.
Do: Stay alert and conscious while you are relaxing. Pay close
attention and note any changes in your body (feelings that stand out
for you).
Don't: Allow yourself to become groggy and sleepy. If you start
falling asleep, open your eyes and sit up. When you are ready, return
to relaxation posture.
Do: Go at your own pace and let go of your muscles as your body
decides to give up tension.
Don't: Expect yourself to relax all at once. Like any other physical
exercise, you must practice letting go step by step.

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Do: Give your body messages of appreciation for relaxing as you

notice these feelings going through your body.
Don't: Get down on yourself for not relaxing. Your body should be
trusted to go at its own pace.
Do: Stay aware of your breathing. Observe how much air you're
taking in full breaths at regular rhythms.
Don't: Smoke before, during, or after relaxation as it tightens lung
tissue and blood vessels. Let your body breathe.

Stress at Work
How to Reduce and Manage Job and Workplace Stress
In this difficult economy, you may find it harder than ever to
cope with challenges on the job. Both the stress we take with us
when we go to work and the stress that awaits us on the job are on
the rise – and employers, managers, and workers all feel the added
pressure. While some stress is a normal part of life, excessive stress
interferes with your productivity and reduces your physical and
emotional health, so it‘s important to find ways to keep it under
control. Fortunately, there is a lot that you can do to manage and
reduce stress at work.
 Coping with work stress
 Warning signs
 Taking care of yourself
 Prioritizing and organizing
 Improving emotional intelligence
 Breaking bad habits
 What managers or employers can do
 Related links

Coping with work stress in today’s uncertain climate

For workers everywhere, the troubled economy may feel like an
emotional roller coaster. "Layoffs" and "budget cuts" have become
bywords in the workplace, and the result is increased fear,
uncertainty, and higher levels of stress. Since job and workplace
stress grow in times of economic crisis, it‘s important to learn new
and better ways of coping with the pressure. The ability to manage

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stress in the workplace can make the difference between success or

failure on the job. Your emotions are contagious, and stress has an
impact on the quality of your interactions with others. The better you
are at managing your stress, the more you'll positively affect those
around you and the less other people's stress will negatively affect
you.

You can learn how to manage job stress

There are a variety of steps you can take to reduce both your
overall stress levels and the stress you find on the job and in the
workplace. These include:
 Taking responsibility forimprovingyour physical and
emotional well-being.
 Avoiding pitfalls by identifying knee-jerk habits and
negative attitudes that add to the stress you experience at
work.
 Learning better communication skills to ease and improve
your relationships with management and coworkers.

Warning signs of excessive stress at work

When people feel overwhelmed, they lose confidence and
become irritable or withdrawn, making them less productive and
effective and their work less rewarding. If the warning signs of work
stress go unattended, they can lead to bigger problems. Beyond
interfering with job performance and satisfaction, chronic or intense
stress can also lead to physical and emotional health problems.

Signs and symptoms of excessive job and workplace stress

 Feeling anxious, irritable,
or depressed
 Apathy, loss of interest in
work.
 Problems sleeping
 Fatigue,
 Trouble concentrating
 Muscle tension or
headaches
 Stomach problems
 Social withdrawal
 Loss of sex drive
 Using alcohol or drugs
to cope

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Common causes of excessive workplace stress

 Fear of layoffs
 Increased demands for overtime due to staff cutbacks
 Pressure to perform to meet rising expectations but with no
increase in job satisfaction
 Pressure to work at optimum levels – all the time!

Reducing job stress by taking care of yourself

Taking care of you doesn't require a total lifestyle overhaul.
Even small things can lift your mood, increase your energy, and
make you feel like you're back in the driver's seat. Take things one
step at a time, and as you make more positive lifestyle choices, you'll
soon notice a noticeable difference in your stress level, both at home
at work.

Get moving
Aerobic exercise –perspiring -is an effective anti-anxiety
treatment lifting mood, increasing energy, sharpening focus, and
relaxing mind and body. For maximum stress relief, try to get at
least 30 minutes of hearing pounding activity on most days but
activity can be broken up into two or three short segments.

Make food choices that keep you going and make you feel good
Eating small but frequent meals throughout the day maintains an
even level of blood sugar in your body. Low blood sugar makes you
feel anxious and irritable. On the other hand, eating too much can
make you lethargic.

Drink alcohol in moderation and avoid nicotine

Alcohol temporarily reduces anxiety and worry, but too much
can cause anxiety as it wears off. Drinking to relieve job stress can
also start you on a path to alcohol abuse and dependence. Similarly,
smoking when you're feeling stressed and overwhelmed may seem
calming, but nicotine is a powerful stimulant – leading to higher, not
lower, levels of anxiety.

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 Stress Management

Get enough sleep

Stress and worry can cause insomnia. But lack of sleep also
leaves you vulnerable to stress. When you're sleep-deprived, your
ability to handle stress is compromised. When you're well-rested, it's
much easier to keep your emotional balance, a key factor in coping
with job and workplace stress.

Reducing job stress by prioritizing and organizing

When job and workplace stress surrounds you, you can‘t ignore
it, but there are simple steps you can take to regain control over
yourself and the situation. Your growing sense of self-control will
also be perceived by others as the strength it is, leading to better
relationships at work. Here are some suggestions for reducing job
stress by prioritizing and organizing your responsibilities.

Time management tips for reducing job stress

 Create a balanced schedule. Analyze your schedule,
responsibilities, and daily tasks. All work and no play is a
recipe for burnout. Try to find a balance between work and
family life, social activities and solitary pursuits, daily
responsibilities, and downtime.
 Don’t over-commit yourself. Avoid scheduling things
back-to-back or trying to fit too much into one day. All too
often, we underestimate how long things will take. If you've
got too much on your plate, distinguish between the
"shoulds" and the "musts." Drop tasks that aren't truly
necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them.
 Try to leave earlier in the morning. Even 10-15 minutes
can make the difference between frantically rushing to your
desk and having time to ease into your day. Don‘t add to
your stress levels by running late.
 Plan regular breaks. Make sure to take short breaks
throughout the day to sit back and clear your mind. Also, try
to get away from your desk for lunch. Stepping away from

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work to briefly relax and recharge will help you be more,

not less, productive.

Task management tips for reducing job stress

 Prioritize tasks. Make a list of tasks you have to do, and
tackle them in order of importance. Do the high-priority
items first. If you have something particularly unpleasant to
do, get it over with early. The rest of your day will be more
pleasant as a result.
 Break projects into small steps. If a large project seems
overwhelming, make a step-by-step plan. Focus on one
manageable step at a time, rather than taking on everything
at once.
 Delegate responsibility. You don't have to do it all yourself,
whether at home, school or on the job. If other people can
take care of the task, why not let them? Let go of the desire
to control or oversee every little step. You'll be letting go of
unnecessary stress in the process.

Reducing workplace stress by improving emotional intelligence

Even if you‘re in a job where the environment has grown
increasingly stressful, you can retain a large measure of self-control
and self-confidence by understanding and practicing emotional
intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage and use
your emotions in positive and constructive ways. It's about
communicating with others in ways that draw people to you,
overcome differences, repair wounded feelings, and defuse tension
and stress.
Emotional intelligence in the workplace:
Emotional intelligence in the workplace has four major components:
 Self-awareness – The ability to recognize your emotions
and their impact while using gut feelings to guide your
decisions.
 Self-management – The ability to control your emotions
and behavior and adapt to changing circumstances.

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 Social awareness – The ability to sense, understands, and

reacts to other's emotions and feel comfortable socially.
 Relationship management – The ability to inspire,
influence, and connects to others, and manages conflict.

Reducing stress in the workplace with emotional intelligence

The more emotional intelligence you have, the more stress
you can avoid in the workplace. Fortunately, emotional intelligence
is not something we‘re born with; it‘s something we can learn and
develop.
The skillset that enables you to acquire these capabilities can be
learned but requires the development of emotional and nonverbal
ways of communicating that include:
 Learning to recognize your particular stress response and
become familiar with sensual cues that can rapidly calm and
energize you.
 Staying connected to your internal emotional experience so
you can appropriately manage your own emotions. Knowing
what you are feeling will not only add to your self-
confidence and improve your self-control but enhance your
understanding of others and help you build more satisfying
relationships.
 Learning to recognize and effectively use the nonverbal cues
that make up 95-98% of your communication process
including eye contact, facial expression, and tone of voice,
posture, gesture, and touch. It's not what you say but how
you say it that impacts others –for better or worse.
 Developing the capacity to meet challenges with humor.
There is no better stress buster than a hardy laugh and
nothing reduces stress quicker in the workplace than
mutually shared humor. But, if the laugh is at someone
else‘s expense, you may end up with more rather than less
stress.
 Learning to navigate conflict by becoming a good listener
and someone who can face conflict fearlessly with the

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expectation that differences resolved will strengthen the

relationship.

Reducing workplace stress by breaking bad habits

As you learn to manage your job stress and improve your work
relationships, you‘ll have more control over your ability to think
clearly and act appropriately. You will be able to break habits that
add to your stress at work – and you‘ll even be able to change
negative ways of thinking about things that only add to your stress.

Eliminate self-defeating behaviors

Many of us make job stress worse with patterns of thought or
behavior that keep us from relieving pressure on ourselves. If you
can turn around these self-defeating habits, you‘ll find employer-
imposed stress easier to handle.
 Resist perfectionism. No project, situation, or decision is
ever perfect, and you put undue stress on yourself by trying
to do everything perfectly. When you set unrealistic goals
for yourself or try to do too much, you‘re setting yourself up
to fall short. Do your best and you‘ll do fine?
 Clean up your act. If you're always running late, set your
clocks and watches fast and give yourself extra time. If your
desk is a mess, file and throws away the clutter; just
knowing where everything saves time and cuts stress. Make
to-do lists and cross off items as you accomplish them. Plan
your day and stick to the schedule — you‘ll feel less
overwhelmed.
 Flip your negative thinking. If you see the downside of
every situation and interaction, you‘ll find yourself drained
of energy and motivation. Try to think positively about your
work, avoid negative-thinking co-workers, and pat yourself
on the back about small accomplishments, even if no one
else does.

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Find Ways to Dispel Stress

 Get time away. If you feel stress building, take a break.
Walk away from the situation. Take a stroll around the
block, sit on a park bench, or spend a few minutes
meditating. Exercise does wonders for the psyche. But even
just finding a quiet place and listening to your iPod can
reduce stress.
 Talk it out. Sometimes the best stress-reducer is simply
sharing your stress with someone close to you. The act of
talking it out – and getting support and empathy from
someone else – is often an excellent way of blowing off
steam and reducing stress.
 Cultivate allies at work. Just knowing you have one or
more co-workers who are willing to assist you in times of
stress will reduce your stress level. Just remember to
reciprocate and help them when they are in need.
 Find humor in the situation. When you – or the people
around you – start taking things too seriously, find a way to
break through with laughter. Share a joke or funny story.

What managers or employers can do to reduce stress at work

It's in a manager's best interest to keep stress levels in the
workplace to a minimum. Managers must act as positive role
models, especially in times of high stress. All of the tips mentioned
in this article are twice as important for managers to follow. If
someone that we admire remains calm, it is much easier to remain
calm ourselves – and vice versa! There are also organizational
changes that managers and employers can make to reduce workplace
stress.
Improve communication
 Share information with employees to reduce uncertainty
about their jobs and futures.
 Clearly define employees‘ roles and responsibilities.
 Make communication friendly and efficient, not mean-
spirited or petty.

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Consult your employees

 Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions that
affect their jobs.
 Consult employees about scheduling and work rules.
 Be sure the workload is suitable to employees‘ abilities and
resources; avoid unrealistic deadlines.
 Show that individual workers are valued.
Offer rewards and incentives
 Praise good work performance verbally and institutionally.
 Provide opportunities for career development.
 Promote an ―entrepreneurial‖ work climate that gives
employees more control over their work.

Cultivate a friendly social climate

 Provide opportunities for social interaction among
employees.
 Establish a zero-tolerance policy for harassment.
 Make management actions consistent with organizational
values.
 Understanding Stress:  Dealing with
Signs, Symptoms, Relationships Stress:
Causes, & Effects How To Stay Calm and
 Preventing Burnout: Communicate Better
Signs, Symptoms, and  Stress Management:
Strategies Skills to Reduce,
Prevent, and Cope with
Stress

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UNIT-II
COMMON STRESS FACTORS TIME AND
CAREER PLEATING

Definition of Time Management

Time management is a set of principles, practices, skills, tools,
and systems that work together to help you get more value out of
your timeto improve the quality of your life

TIME MANAGEMENT
There's no doubt about it--you have to put in a lot of time to
succeed in law school. You have to study hard, but you don't have to
be consumed by your studies.
Studying longer does not mean studying smarter, and studying
longer does not always result in better grades.
But students who had more accurate expectations than others
about the time required for particular law-school-related activities
performed better than predicted. Research has shown that students,
who prepare written schedules and stick to them, study more
efficiently and get better grades than students who don't.

SCHEDULING
Several researchers suggest that you 1) prepare weekly
schedules and 2) semester-long schedules. The weekly schedule
allows you to schedule small blocks of time for day-to-day activities,
while the semester-long schedule allows you to set aside large
blocks of time for such things as writing a paper, extensive review,
or taking practice exams.

Time management is commonly defined as the various means

by which people effectively use their time and other closely related
resources to make the most out of it.
You can't manage time, it just is. So "time management" is a
mislabeled problem, which has little chance of being an effective
approach. What you manage is your activity during the time, and

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defining outcomes and physical actions required is the core process

required to manage what you do.
Time management can refer to all of the practices that
individuals follow to make better use of their time, but such a
definition could range over such diverse areas as the selection and
use of personal electronic devices, time and motion study, self-
awareness, and indeed a great deal of self-help. As narrowly defined,
it refers to principles and systems that individuals use to make
conscious decisions about the activities that occupy their time.

Different Uses of the Term

The label "time management" cannot predate the widespread use
of the word "management" in our sense at the beginning of the 20th
century. Concerns about the wise use of time have a long history,
reflected in the large number of proverbs concerning time and its
utilization.

As part of Project Management

Time Management is one of nine knowledge areas identified by
the Project Management Body of Knowledge, produced by the
Project Management Institute. The "Guide to the PMBOK" defines
project management as entailing management of scope, cost, time,
human resources, risk, procurement, etc. Time Management, as a
project management subset, is more commonly known as project
planning and/or project schedule.

Contemporary Time Management

Stephen R. Covey and his co-authors offered a categorization
scheme for the hundreds of time management approaches that they
reviewed:
 First-generation: reminders (based on clocks and watches, but
with computer implementation possible) can be used to alert of
the time when a task is to be done.
 Second generation: planning and preparation (based on
calendar and appointment books) includes setting goals.

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 Third generation: planning, prioritizing, controlling (using a

personal organizer, other paper-based objects, or computer- or
PDA-based systems) activities daily. This approach implies
spending some time clarifying values and priorities.
 Fourth generation: being efficient and proactive (using any
tools above) places goals and roles as the controlling element of
the system and favors importance over urgency.

Time management literature paraphrased:

 "Get Organized" - paperwork and task triage
 "Protect Your Time" - insulate, isolate, delegate
 "Achieve through Goal focus‖ - motivational emphasis
 "Work in Priority Order" - set goals and prioritize
 "Use Magical Tools to Get More Out of Your Time" -
depends on when written
 "Master the Skills of Time Management"
 "Go with the Flow" - natural rhythms, Eastern philosophy
 "Recover from Bad Time Habits" - recovery from
psychological problems underlying, e.g. procrastination But
in contrast, some of the recent general arguments related to
"time" and "management" point out that the term "time
management" is misleading and that the concept should
imply that it is "the management of our activities, to make
sure that they are accomplished within the available or
allocated time, which is an unmanageable continuous
resource".

Personal Time Management

Time management strategies are often associated with the
recommendation to set goals. These goals are recorded and may be
broken down into a project, an action plan, or a simple task list. For
individual tasks or goals, an importance rating may be established,
deadlines may be set, and priorities assigned. This process results in
a plan with a task list or a schedule or calendar of activities. Authors
may recommend daily, weekly, monthly or other planning periods,

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usually fixed, but sometimes variable. Different planning periods

may be associated with different scopes of planning or review.
Authors may or may not emphasize reviews of performance against
plan. Routine and recurring tasks may or may not be integrated into
the time management plan and, if integrated, the integration can be
accomplished in various ways.

How We Use Time

Time is similar to money in how we use it: We spend time; we
save time; we invest time. When we spend time, there is no
improvement in efficiency, productivity, or effectiveness. The time
is gone without a return. We save time when we perform tasks in
less time or with less effort than previously. We use shortcuts and
processes that streamline activities. We invest time when we take
time now to save time later.
We spend time when we go to a movie; however, if we are a
screenwriter, the time spent in the movie is an investment since it
will help hone our writing skills. If we invest time to learn
screenwriting software, we will save time in the future when we
compose our scripts.
Delegation is a valuable investment of our time. When we
delegate, we teach someone to perform tasks we usually perform.
While the training process takes time now, the investment pays off
later since we free our time to perform higher-payoff activities.

Task list
A task list (also a to-do list) is a list of tasks to be completed,
such as chores or steps toward completing a project. It is an
inventory tool that serves as an alternative or supplement to
memory.
Task lists are used in self-management, grocery lists, business
management, project management, and software development. It
may involve more than one list.
When you accomplish one of the items on a task list, you check
it off or cross it off. The traditional method is to write these on a

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piece of paper with a pen or pencil, usually on a notepad or

clipboard. Numerous digital equivalents are now available, including
PIM applications and most PDAs. There are also several web-based
task list applications, many of which are free.

Task list organization

Task lists are often tiered. The simplest tiered system includes a
general to-do list (or task-holding file) to record all the tasks the
person needs to accomplish and a daily to-do list which is created
each day by transferring tasks from the general to-do list.

Task lists are often prioritized:

 An early advocate of "ABC" prioritization was Alan
Lakein. In his system "A" items were the most important
("A-1" the most important within that group), "B" next
most important, "C" least important.
 A particular method of applying the ABC method
assigns "A" to tasks to be done within a day, "B" a
week, and "C" a month.
 To prioritize a daily task list, one either records the tasks
in the order of highest priority or assigns them a number
after they are listed ("1" for highest priority, "2" for
second-highest priority, etc.) which indicates in which
order to execute the tasks. The latter method is generally
faster, allowing the tasks to be recorded more quickly.

Alternatives to Prioritizing:
A completely different approach that argues against prioritizing
altogether was put forward by British author Mark Forster in his
book "Do It Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management".
This is based on the idea of operating "closed" to-do lists, instead of
the traditional "open" to-do list. He argues that the traditional never-
ending to-do lists virtually guarantee that some of your work will be
left undone. His approach advocates getting all your work done,

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every day, and if you are unable to achieve it helps you diagnose
where you are going wrong and what needs to change.

Software applications
Modern task list applications may have a built-in task hierarchy
(tasks are composed of subtasks which again may contain subtasks),
may support multiple methods of filtering and ordering the list of
tasks, and may allow one to associate arbitrarily long notes for each
task.
In contrast to the concept of allowing the person to use multiple
filtering methods, at least one new software product additionally
contains a mode where the software will attempt to dynamically
determine the best tasks for any given moment.
Many of the software products for time management support
multiple users. It allows the person to give tasks to other users and
use the software for communication
Task list applications may be thought of as lightweight personal
information managers or project management software.

Resistors
 Fear of change: Change can be daunting and one may be
afraid to change what's proven to work in the past.
 Uncertainty: Even with the change being inevitable, one
may be hesitant as being not sure where to start. Uncertainty
about when or how to begin making a change can be
significant.
 Time pressure: To save time, one has to invest time, and
this time investment may be a cause of concern. Fearing that
changing may involve more work at the start -- and thus, in
the very short term, make things worse -- is a common
resistor.
 Lack of willpower: Why change if one does not need to?
The greatest problem is a lack of will.

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Drivers
 Increased effectiveness: One may feel the need to make
more time to be more effective in performing the job and
carrying out responsibilities.
 Performance improvement: Time management is an issue
that often arises during performance appraisals or review
meetings.
 Personal Development: One may view changing the
approach to time management as a personal development
issue and reap the benefit of handling time differently at
work and home.
 Increased responsibilities: A change in the time-
management approach may become necessary as a result of
a promotion or additional responsibilities. Since there is
more work to do, and still the same amount of time to do it
in, the approach must change.
 According to Sandberg, task lists "aren't the key to
productivity [that] they're cracked up to be". He reports an
estimated "30% of listers spend more time managing their
lists than [they do] completing what's on them".
 This could be caused by procrastination by prolonging the
planning activity. This is akin to analysis paralysis. As with
any activity, there's a point of diminishing returns.

Rigid adherence
 Hendrickson asserts that rigid adherence to task lists can
create a "tyranny of the to-do list" that forces one to
"waste time on unimportant activities".
 Again, the point of diminishing returns applies here too,
but toward the size of the task. Some level of detail must
be taken for granted for a task system to work. Rather
than put "clean the kitchen", "clean the bedroom", and
"clean the bathroom", it is more efficient to put
"housekeeping" and save time spent writing and reduce

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the system's administrative load (each task entered into

the system generates a cost in time and effort to manage
it, aside from the execution of the task). The risk of
consolidating tasks, however, is that "housekeeping" in
this example may prove overwhelming or nebulously
defined, which will either increase the risk of
procrastination or a mismanaged project.
 Listing routine tasks wastes time. If you are in the habit
of brushing your teeth every day, then there is no reason
to put it down on the task list. The same goes for getting
out of bed, fixing meals, etc. If you need to track routine
tasks, then a standard list or chart may be useful, to
avoid the procedure of manually listing these items over
and over.
 To remain flexible, a task system must allow adaptation,
in the form of rescheduling in the face of unexpected
problems and opportunities, to save time spent on
irrelevant or less than optimal tasks.
 To avoid getting stuck in a wasteful pattern, the task
system should also include regular (monthly, semi-
annual, and annual) planning and system-evaluation
sessions, to weed out inefficiencies and ensure the user
is headed in the direction he or she truly desires.
 If some time is not regularly spent on achieving long-
range goals, the individual may get stuck in a perpetual
holding pattern on short-term plans, like staying at a
particular job much longer than originally planned.
Set goals for one and work on achieving these goals. Some
people study in different ways so you are to find out how you can
study and put that into action. Some people can understand their
work if they can see it. Some need to touch and feel whatever is
being spoken about in the book. Some people need to see what they
are studying to understand what is coming out of the book echniques
for setting priorities

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 Stress Management

ABC analysis
A technique that has been used in business management for a
long time is the categorization of large data into groups. These
groups are often marked A, B, and C—hence the name. Activities
are ranked upon these general criteria:
 A – Tasks that are perceived as being urgent and important.
 B – Tasks that are important but not urgent.
 C – Tasks that are neither urgent nor important.
Each group is then rank-ordered in priority. To further refine
priority, some individuals choose to then force-rank all "B" items as
either "A" or "C". ABC analysis can incorporate more than three
groups. ABC analysis is frequently combined with Pareto analysis.

Pareto analysis
This is the idea that 80% of tasks can be completed in 20% of
the disposable time. The remaining 20% of tasks will take up 80% of
the time. This principle is used to sort tasks into two parts.
According to this form of Pareto analysis, it is recommended that
tasks that fall into the first category be assigned a higher priority.
The 80-20-rule can also be applied to increase productivity: it is
assumed that 80% of the productivity can be achieved by doing 20%
of the tasks. If productivity is the aim of time management, then
these tasks should be prioritized higher.

Fit
Essentially, the fit is the congruence of the requirements of a
task (location, financial investment, time, etc.) with the available
resources at the time. Often people are constrained by externally
controlled schedules, locations, etc., and "fit" allows us to maximize
our productivity given those constraints. For example, if one
encounters a gap of 15 minutes in their schedule, it is typically more
efficient to complete a task that would require 15 minutes, than to
complete a task that can be done in 5 minutes or to start a task that
would take 4 weeks. This concept also applies to time of the day:
free time at 7 am is probably less usefully applied to the goal of

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learning the drums, and more productively a time to read a book.

Lastly, fit can be applied to the location: free time at home would be
used differently from free time at work, in town, etc.

POSEC method
POSEC is an acronym for Prioritize by Organizing,
Streamlining, Economizing and Contributi
The method dictates a template that emphasizes an average
individual's immediate sense of emotional and monetary security. It
suggests that by attending to one's responsibilities first, an individual
is better positioned to shoulder collective responsibilities.
Inherent in the acronym is a hierarchy of self-realization which
mirrors Abraham Maslow's "Hierarchy of needs".
1. PRIORITIZE-Your time and define your life by goals.
2. ORGANIZING-Things you have to accomplish regularly to
be successful. (Family and Finances)
3. STREAMLINING-Things you may not like to do, but must
do. (Work and Chores)
4. ECONOMIZING-Things you should do or may even like to
do, but they're not pressingly urgent. (Pastimes and
Socializing)
5. CONTRIBUTING-By paying attention to the few remaining
things that make a difference. (Social Obligations)

The Eisenhower Method

All tasks are evaluated using the criteria important/unimportant
and urgent/not urgent and put in according to quadrants. Tasks in
unimportant/not urgent are dropped, tasks in important/urgent are
done immediately and personally, tasks in unimportant/urgent are
delegated and tasks in important/not urgent get an end date and are
done personally. This method is said to have been used by US
President Dwight D. Eisenhower and is outlined in a quote attributed
to him: What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is
seldom important.

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Importance of planning the day:

 Just 10 minutes spent at the beginning or end of each day
planning for the day or the next day will help you get
organized well beyond your expectations.
 By failing to plan, you almost certainly fall into the trap of
reacting to situations as they come along rather than dealing
with priorities in a controlled, systematic manner.
 Get organized by identifying your top 3 priorities for the
day and then block out a period according to your estimate
to complete the task.
 If certain tasks need to be done daily, try and do them at the
same time each day.
 Doing things by habit, at the same time each day conserves
energy and reduces mental stress.
 Get organized by identifying your best time of day. Then
schedule your priority tasks for that time if possible, when
you are at your performance peak.

Developing concentration
All of us know the importance of concentration skills. Below
are given some tips to help you develop better concentration whether
you are working, studying or doing anything.

1. Do one thing at a time, set aside a specific period:

It helps concentration if you just do one thing at a time giving it
your complete undivided attention. Multitasking (doing many things
simultaneously) will make you distracted and it is an ineffective way
of doing things contrary to what many people believe. Do one thing
at a time to develop concentration. If you are trying to think of
giving a presentation at the office or studying for your exam - for the
next 30 minutes or so, just think of that alone. Focus your mind on
the details of the job and how you plan to do it. Let not your
attention wander to other things during this time.

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2. Do something as if for first or last time :

We take a lot of everyday things for granted and do not observe
as intently as we should. To develop focus and observation, try to
look at tasks that you do every day as if you are doing or seeing
them for the first or the last time. This will encourage you to observe
details that you may have missed before, thus improving your
observation, concentration and also gaining new insights.

3. More rules:
From now on, if you're in the middle of a task and tempted to
give up -- just do FIVE MORE. Read FIVE MORE pages. Finish
FIVE MORE math problems. Work FIVE MORE minutes".
By implementing this strategy, you are stretching your mind past
the point of frustration and building up mental endurance just as
good athletes push past the point of exhaustion by not giving up
when their body initially protests of tiredness. This way they build
up stamina.

4. Uncluttered your mind by writing down :

While doing something important, if other worries are invading
your mind thus affecting yourconcentration then an effective way to
overcome this problem is to write down any concern you might be
having on a piece of paper, next to it write down a date or time when
you want to deal with this problem. Writing it down this way will
help in uncluttering your mind so that it is free to concentrate on the
task at hand.

5. Reward yourself:
Decide before starting your work how you would like to reward
yourself when you finish. The reward can be anything that makes
you happy and relaxed - like having your favorite food, going out for
a walk, meeting your best friend, etc. It doesn't have to be something
big, any activity that gives you pleasure and takes your mind off
work for some time will do. This system of rewarding yourself will
increase motivation for doing things.

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6. Be project-specific:
Before you start any work, be clear in your mind as to what you
want to accomplish. Before sitting down to study for exams, be clear
about what chapter you want to study now, how much time do you
intend to study, etc. Be as specific as possible and move on to some
other task only after you complete this.

7. Use a concentration scoresheet:

Whenever doing some important work, use a concentration
scoresheet. Each time you find your mind wandering, make a
checkmark on the sheet. If you do this consistently, you may find
that you have far fewer check marks and far greater concentration.

8. Break the task into smaller parts:

Breaking a task into smaller parts will make it seem less
daunting and help you approach it with more positivity. If you are
trying to study a textbook for an exam, then you can make a goal of
finishing one chapter at a time.

9. Concentration exercises:
Concentration exercises help in training your mind to
concentrate more and for a longer time.

10. Do a thing wholeheartedly:

If you approach something half-heartedly, it can show in the
quality of the work. To do things better, do them with interest.
Whatever you are doing, try to find some aspect of it that interests
you. If you can find something interesting in each thing you do, you
can enjoy even the most mundane and boring tasks.

Organizing the work area:

In the beginning, I was like so many work-at-home businesses I
didn't know how to organize both my time and my workspace. After
much learning and experimenting, I was able to find what works for
me.

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Here are some suggestions that I have found useful. You will
find what fits your needs and business as well. Try out the tips
below, figure out what works for you. Only you will know what
works and doesn't work for you.
 Have a planner.
 Have a notebook just to jot down ideas fast.
 Have pens and pencils at the ready.
 Have an area to hold all your CD ROMs that you use all
within reach.
 Have a file cabinet to hold all your files, sales receipts, etc.
 Hang up a HUGE wall calendar to look at at a glance near
your computer.
 Have your phone near your computer with the answering
machine on it, this way you can screen your calls while you
are working. Call back friends and family when it is a more
convenient time.
 Have Caller ID, WHY? So you can glance at your phone
and decide if you can answer the phone. I hate it when I am
in deep thought and I get bothered by a non-important call,
such as the newspaper salesperson or a recorded message
that I could have listened to later.
 Keep your printer supplies in reach. If at all possible, keep
an extra ink cartridge, extra printing paper and extra
highlighters, etc., so you don't run out. Check-in your area to
see if Office Depot or Office Max will exchange your ink
cartridge for paper. I never have to buy paper, as I have so
many ink cartridges saved. I take one cartridge to one store
and go to the next with another and thus have two reams of
paper sitting at my table at all times.
 Keep any books you refer to for work on or near your
computer table for quick reference.
 Have an index box to hold all your customer contact
information.

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 Keep track of customer‘s birthdays and send them cards

when it comes around.
 Keep a diary. Why is this important? On those days you are
so frustrated and just need to vent…write it all down! Get it
off your chest! Then walk away for a while and do
something else.
 Have a briefcase to hold any information for those times you
go networking offline. Yep, I said offline. To be successful,
no matter what you do, you need to do both online and
offline marketing. So keep a briefcase or a file folder ready
at all times to run out the door, you never know when and
where your next client will come from.

Prioritizing
Virtually every time management system teaches that you must
prioritize your projects to make sure you're working on what's truly
important instead of getting caught up in minor things. However,
few systems explain precisely how to do this. How do you decide
which task is the most important at any given time? Is it the one
that's most urgent, the one that will earn you the most money, the
one that will produce the greatest long-term happiness, the one that
will please your boss the most? If you don't use an intelligent
method of prioritization, you'll lack consistency and bounce from
one task to another with no rhyme or reason.
From a pure military (i.e. non-political) standpoint, the goal of
any engagement is to achieve victory by inflicting the greatest
damage on your enemy with the least amount of resources.
Wouldn‘t you say this is the essence of personal time management
as well? You want to make the greatest amount of progress towards
your goals with the least amount of effort.

Objective
For prioritization to have any meaning, you must have a clear
objective. For the military, your overall objective may be to achieve
a decisive victory. Your objective may be a set of goals, your

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mission statement or purpose, or even a state of being. The role of

prioritization then is to help you achieve this result with as little
effort as possible.

Resources
The second consideration is the resources you have available.
Military resources include troops, guns, tanks, bombs, planes, fuel,
supplies, etc. Your resources include time, money, your social
network, your physical energy, and so on. Time is generally your
scarcest resource because it cannot be replenished.

Prioritization
Now to prioritize intelligently, we need a method that tells us
how to evaluate projects in terms of their overall importance. Which
projects will help us achieve our objectives most efficiently?

Carver
A key component of military strategy is selecting the most
important targets to attack. But how do you know which targets are
the most important? Centuries of warfare have provided us with a
reasonably intelligent answer.CARVER is an acronym for a military
method of target selection. CARVER stands for Criticality,
Accessibility, Return (or Recuperability), Vulnerability, Effect, and
Recognizability
For every potential target, we assign a value of 1 (lowest) to 5
(highest) for each CARVER factor, thereby creating a CARVER
matrix. Then by summing the six CARVER values, we can
calculate a total score for each target, and those scores represent the
targets‘ relative prioritization. The higher the CARVER score, the
more ―important‖ a target becomes.
Now let's explore the six CARVER factors, and consider how
we can apply them to personal projects.
Criticality. How critical is the target for the main objective?
Will it move you significantly closer to your goal, or is it a relatively
puny and insignificant item? A low criticality project might be

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cleaning out your garage. It would be nice to do, but it's probably
not going to make that much difference in your life.
Accessibility. Can you reach the target, or is it so well defended
that attacking it directly is impossible? Do you have the means to
tackle this project immediately, or does it have prerequisites?
Starting a new business might not be very accessible if you work
long hours and are living paycheck to paycheck, but asking for a
promotion may be very accessible.
Return. In military operations the term Recuperability is used
here, referring to how quickly the enemy can recover from the
destruction of the target. There's little point in attacking a target that
can be rebuilt or replaced with minimal effort. For personal
effectiveness, we'll use Return instead. How great is the expected
return on your commitment of resources? Developing a new passive
income stream may yield a significant return, while watching the
news may yield virtually none.
Vulnerability. How vulnerable is the target? What amount of
resources will be required to take it out? How vulnerable are the
projects you‘re considering? A one-day project will score a high
vulnerability rating, while a six-month project will score much
lower. Similarly, an inexpensive project is more vulnerable than an
expensive one.
Effect. If you successfully destroy the target, how widespread
will the impact be? If you complete your project, what effect will it
have on your life as well as the lives of others? Writing a best-
selling book may have a significant effect while completing your tax
return will have very little effect.
Recognizability. Can we see the target well enough to attack it,
or is it highly camouflaged or mobile? Is your project crystal clear
or fuzzy? How easy is it to recognize the steps necessary to
complete the project? Have you completed this type of project
before, or will you have to figure out the steps as you go along?
Clear goals with clear steps will score higher on recognizability than
foggy goals with unclear steps.

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Now let's see how we can create a CARVER matrix to prioritize

certain projects. The 1-5 rankings for each factor are simply for the
sake of example, so your rankings may vary. Keep in mind that
these rankings are all relative to your primary objective, mission, or
purpose.

Recognizability
Vulnerability
Accessibility
Criticality

Return

Effect

Total
Write a book 5 3 3 1 5 3 20
Start a blog 2 5 2 5 4 4 22
Run a marathon 2 4 3 1 4 5 19
Make new friends 4 2 5 3 3 1 18

The numbers tell the story. According to our CARVER matrix,

the most important project to tackle next is to start a blog. While it's
among the least critical items and won't necessarily produce a great
return for the time invested, it's relatively straightforward to do.
Next comes writing a book, which is a more critical long-term
project (at least for our arbitrary person making these evaluations),
but it will also require a lot more effort to achieve. The worst
project is making new friends, its main drawbacks being that it's too
fuzzy and ill-defined, so it might be wise to replace that one with a
more specific project.
Even though we're just using simple addition instead of a more
complex weighting of these factors, CARVER does a fairly decent
job of spitting out an intelligent prioritization of projects. It's good
at depicting which projects are worth the effort and which aren't. It
also shows when you should tackle a piece of low-hanging fruit vs.
initiating a really big project.
I used CARVER often when running my computer games
business. For example, my CARVER matrix suggested it would be
wise to release an add-on for my top-selling product instead of
creating a whole new game from scratch. Although the add-on

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wasn't going to sell as well as a new game, it was a fairly

straightforward two-week project that produced solid results.
Feel free to adapt the basic concept of CARVER to your specific
needs. You can assign extra weight to certain factors as well as
introduce additional factors like enjoyment or financial payoff. Just
be careful not to get carried away. The point of CARVER is to
select a reasonably intelligent project and then get into action. Don‘t
lose yourself in hours of analysis paralysis.
For group decisions, you can even have each team member
create their own CARVER matrix and then average the results.
You'll quickly discover whether the team leader and team members
are on the same page.
By using a simple system like CARVER, you‘ll know which
projects are important enough to deserve your attention and which
are, relatively speaking, a waste of your time and energy. You‘ll
benefit from greater consistency in decision-making and better
results for your efforts.

Prioritizing Work Tip #1

A tired, emotional brain is not best placed to make decisions –
this is when the baby gets thrown out with the bathwater. Good
decisions are made by alert, objective minds, so make an effort to
keep your energy levels up and your stress levels down.

Prioritizing Work Tip #2

Know what's important – learn to distinguish the baby from the
bathwater. Ask yourself what's important, and what's urgent - Take
the pressure off and make good prioritizing decisions by creating a
list of questions to ask yourself when deciding what you should be
doing.

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Prioritizing Work Tip #3

If you're still struggling to separate the baby and the bathwater,
maybe you need help. Help can come from anywhere – from your
manager, your peers, your partner (or an optician!). Someone with
clearer sight or more experience may provide you with the insight
and objectivity you were lacking. It's okay to ask!

Techniques for conquering procrastination:

Procrastinate - To put off doing something, especially out of
habitual carelessness or laziness.
Wow, that's a negative definition. I am a procrastinator and proud of
it. My wife bought me a shirt that I proudly wear. It reads
"Procrastinators Unite... Tomorrow."You see I think procrastinators
are getting a bad rap. But to understand where I am coming from we
need to break procrastination down into a new workable definition.

1. Bad Procrastination
There are some things you shouldn't procrastinate about like;
renewing your driver's license, or going to the doctor because you
broke your arm. Now those things are a given and if you
procrastinate too long, you might want to get professional help.

2. Good Procrastination
The second form of procrastination and the one I suffer from is
not doing things until the last minute. But I don't think there is
anything wrong with this, because I work more efficiently when I
put things off to the last moment.
For example; the house is a mess. I've been wearing the same clothes
for days and haven't showered, and my wife just told me her mother
is coming over for dinner.
I'm immediately motivated by fear to clean the entire house,
bathe all the children and pets and become transformed into the male
version of Martha Stewart. I work faster, more efficiently and I just
spent the last few weeks relaxing around a pile of clothes and dishes.
And when she leaves I can relax again.

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Procrastinators are a special breed. We work best under

pressure. And we have more time to relax, watch our favorite
programs, surf the net, and play with our children more than those
who worry endlessly about getting things done promptly.
In summary, learn to embrace and love the good procrastinator
within. And if you fall into the bad procrastinator definition, seek
professional help, because if you wait too long your arm may fall
off.
Overcoming procrastination is one of the major dilemmas facing
anyone, whether in their personal or professional life. The habit of
putting off work instead of attending to them right away has caused
several lost opportunities or missed deadlines. In your aim towards
increased productivity, this can be considered an unhealthy habit.

Who Is A Procrastinator?
To overcome the habit of a procrastinator, you should first
identify the common tell-tale signs. Because this is a habit shared by
several people, sometimes you won't even be able to identify that
you possess these characteristics.
A procrastinator is someone who puts off the task at a later time,
thinking they can complete tasks last-minute. Plus, s/he likes to
believe that they have things under control until confronted by the
reality that time is fast running out and there are still loads of work
to be done. Even though he or she manages to complete the task on
time, the quality is questionable.

Reasons for Procrastination

There are several reasons why people procrastinate. Oftentimes,
it is innate to an individual or it could be a lack of self-discipline.
However, it is important to point out the reason for this unhealthy
habit to know how to deal with it.
1. Desire for perfection. Aspiring for perfection is not a
negative thing. However, you have to make sure that it is
realistic enough for your skills. If not, then you are merely
finding an excuse to postpone tasks.

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2. Frustration. When tasks become too difficult, an individual's

response would be to give up easily due to frustration. Aside
from complaining about the task, you often decide to put it
off until such time when you are in a better mood to attend
to it.
3. Lack of belief in own ability. When you start doubting your
skills and abilities, you will find it of no use working on the
task assigned to you. Hence, you will lose productive time
and end up accomplishing nothing.

Finding a Cure
Only when you have been able to recognize the reasons for your
procrastinating habits will you be able to arrive at a resolution to
your problem. There could be several reasons for this, so you have to
arrive at a specific angle to effectively address this unhealthy habit.
For some people, responsibility is a burden. Therefore, when
they are obliged to do something, they initially resent it and look for
ways not to deal with the responsibility. However, by embracing
your task as something that you enjoy doing, then you'd become
more productive in it. To do that, you must create a balance between
work and recreational activities. Do not punish yourself by depriving
your schedule of fun. Make room for fun in your schedule. This
might seem unproductive but by doing this, you will realize that you
become more productive.
As soon as you start work on a task, the amount of work you
need to put in could readily discourage you. Therefore, you need to
mentally condition yourself to appropriate this one large task into
smaller tasks that are more manageable. Once you get started on one,
you will find it easy to pick up the pace and before you know it, you
are finished.

Benefits of Overcoming Procrastination

1. Peace of mind
2. Having a sense of accomplishment
3. Regaining control of your life

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4. Increased personal freedom

Self-discipline is essential in helping overcome the habits of
procrastination. When you learn to identify the unhealthy habits you
possess, you can be on your way to overcoming procrastination and
increasing your productivity.

Then use these five simple time management tips to improve

how you use to-do lists to get things done.
1. If what you need to do is a large time-consuming project,
then divide it into smaller tasks that can be done in two
hours or less. Then write down the shorter tasks in the order
in which you feel they need to be done and assign possible
due dates to them.
2. When planning daily activities, reduce time spent on errands
or appointments by grouping items logically. Then you can
make a plan or map to get things done. Alternatively, you
may choose to ask a co-worker, friend, or family member to
do something for you when they are in a specific area.
3. Prioritize your to-do list so you are working on the most
important tasks to accomplish each day. When time allows
after important items, you can work on other priorities or
get a jump on a future task
4. Divide your to-do list horizontally by writing during job
time items at the top of the to-do list and outside of work
items at the bottom. This allows you to see at a glance what
you need to do for your job and what is personal.
5. Review your list at the beginning of each day so you know
what must be done and can arrange your schedule to
accommodate

Beginning At the start

How to Make a Fresh Start
 Nothing can ruin your success faster than personal conflicts.
Upsets between business partners or battles between bosses

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and staff ruin productivity, reduce income and build up

stress.
 Bad marriages can also ruin your success. You show up for
work in a bad mood and dislike everything and everyone
around you.
 Bad relationships at work can even hurt your marriage. You
come home in a bad mood and take it out on your spouse.
 Most people have good intentions most of the time. They
want to get along, do their work and succeed. Yet personal
upsets can make good people into monsters.
 Office politics, backstabbing, covert and overt attacks,
jealousy, rumors and revenge are the result of personal
conflicts. No matter which side you are one in a personal
conflict, they are major blocks to your success.
 Relationship problems are often caused by a bad start.

Is Your Career Plateaued?

How does your career start? You take a job with a big company
and decide to do the same kind of work throughout your working life
for the same company, or you keep on changing companies as they
offer better growth opportunities. Your keep on scaling new heights
in your career and keep on climbing up your career ladder.
Gradually there comes a phase where one feels that his likelihood of
being promoted is low, or where his learning rate won't improve.
This period is known as a Career plateau.
Every individual experiences a career plateau at one or more
points in his working life. It is perceived as a time of stagnation and
lack of progress in one's career and where there is no further scope
of growing ahead.
The chances of promotion are also low, thus leading to poor job
performance and dissatisfaction with the job.

Career plateaus can be classified as position plateaus and

contribution plateaus. Position plateauing occurs when there is
limited or no upward movement possibly due to a lack of

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opportunities within the organization. On the other hand,

contribution plateauing occurs when there is stagnation in one's
personal development and growth. Here, there is no further
development of one's skills and abilities. It is believed that position
plateaus can happen to every employee and do not necessarily mean
the absence of skills. On the other hand, contribution plateaus
happen to specific individuals only and are incompetent due to a lack
of skills. An employee can be personally plateaued or
organizationally plateaued. An organizationally plateaued worker is
an employee who can perform effectively in a higher-level position,
but a lack of job openings may prevent his/her promotion. This type
of plateau takes place in organizations with pyramid-like structures.
This means, career plateauing results because the number of
positions available decreases as one moves forward hierarchically in
the organization. In contrast, a personally plateaued worker is
viewed by the organization as either lacking the ability or the desire
to move into a higher-level position. A lack of technical skills or
career skills may lead to an individual's lack of promotional
opportunities.

Good or bad??
Career plateaus, as they are perceived, are not necessarily
negative. A career plateau, as we now know, is a temporary period
of stagnation during the career which leads to low performance,
sluggish promotion of the individual, the frustration of mind and
finally quitting the job. Plateaus in a career can have positive
impacts on one's job performance as optimal levels of stress have.
Some organizations believe that healthy plateaus are necessary for
keeping employees motivated and keep their energy and enthusiasm
high while at work. Successful career plateauing takes place when
there is effective job performance and high job satisfaction despite a
low likelihood of promotion. It is considered healthy for those who
have just accomplished a breakthrough in their careers.

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Career plateaus are valuable to the individual as they provide

an opportunity to explore new and ways of utilizing one's skills and
abilities, take more responsibilities and deliver better performances.
Individuals who are successful in coping with this stage are more
likely to plan better for the further stages of their career development
and are less likely to experience frustration and dissatisfaction.

Sources and symptoms:

Some sources of plateauing that push an employee towards his
career plateau include lack of internal motivation, lack of extrinsic
rewards, stress and early burnouts and slothful organizational
growth. So how does one get to know that his career has reached the
highest point of stagnation? Well, there are many symptoms of the
career plateau-like when your colleagues get promoted and you
don't even if it's due; when lesser responsibilities are handed over to
you; when salary hikes are not meant for you; when your
responsibilities are transferred to your colleague or some other
employees. Besides this, the employer may feel that the employee is
incompetent to carry responsibility and lacks interpersonal skills.

Managing the plateau

HR personnel plays a vital role in managing the career plateaus
of their employees. HR personnel can work towards preventing
plateaued employees from becoming ineffective. They can show
possible avenues for personal growth and development to the
employee. Job rotation and job enrichment also act as rational
strategies for managing career plateaus. Acquiring new
competencies and skill development also are reasonable sometimes,
and if nothing works, then there is always an option of switching to a
new job.

Definition
The high point in one's career where the probability of, or
motivation to, progress is low.

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By definition, a career plateau is a point in the career of an

employee where the possibility of vertical promotion within the
official hierarchy becomes very low or absent altogether. When
faced with someone on a career plateau, the human resources
professional must determine the opportunities for lateral growth that
exist for the concerned employee. Then, he or she needs to select
and present acceptable options to keep the trapped employee
engaged and on the move. When dealing with employees stuck on
career plateaus, those in human resources jobs have three principal
tasks to perform:
1. Preventing the stagnating employee from becoming
ineffective. This involves convincing the employee that
stagnation doesn't necessarily mean failure and then
directing him or her toward any avenue for personal
development and growth that exists.
2. Integrating all relevant career-related information so
that problems can be anticipated and treated as early as
possible. To carry out this function, a thorough and effective
performance appraisal system is necessary.
3. Managing frustrated employees and others who have
become ineffective through stagnation. Open
communication between the stagnating employee and people
in human resources jobs is essential to this function.

Five Effective Strategies for Dealing with Employees Stagnating

on Career Plateaus
This critical issue needs to be handled carefully by human
resources professionals. Stagnating employees often refuse to budge
and allow themselves to be overtaken by frustration. The immediate
absence of opportunities for vertical advancement also prevents
human resources professionals from instilling encouragement. Five
simple strategies for dealing with the situation are:
1. Provide alternative means of recognition. The stagnating
employee can be given special assignments and tasks of
special importance, like training new employees,

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representing the organization to others, or participating in

brainstorming sessions.
2. Develop ways to make current jobs more satisfying. This
can be attained by creating competition on the job and
personal rewards.
3. Revitalize through reassignment. Systematically switch
the stagnating employee to different positions at the same
level that can be handled given his or her core skill set.
4. Use self-development programs. Instead of preparing
employees who have reached career plateaus for future jobs,
prepare them to perform their present jobs better.
5. Change managerial attitudes. Managers and human
resources professionals should never give up and start
neglecting the stagnating employee.

What to Do When You Realize You Have Reached a Career

Plateau

If you are stuck on a career plateau and have been able to

recognize it, you should start to move immediately to free yourself
of career barriers. Possible strategies for breaking free of stagnation
include the following:
 Create your mission statement and decide where you would
like to be.
 Start taking responsibility for your direction and growth, and
avoid placing your hopes in an organization-provided
solution.
 Constantly work to broaden your skillset; seek to enhance
rather than advance.
 Talk with people who are already in the job roles you desire
and ask for suggestions on how to proceed to their level.
 Set realistic short-term goals that will move you toward your
ultimate goal.

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At the same time, while continuing in the same organization:

 Always keep in mind that while your performance at your
job is important, you have reached the phase where
interpersonal performance is critical.
 Align your behavior, rights, and values with the company's
values, goals, and objectives.
 Do not provide problems. Offer positive solutions, and take
time to think through issues before offering suggestions.
 Be a team player, and put the spotlight on the group's
efforts.
 Approach everything you do with a positive attitude, and be
sure that each thing you do makes a difference, regardless of
appreciation.

Step 1: Plateau Career & Succession helps you identify critical

positions while enabling employees to develop and execute their
career plans. This integrated approach matches employee career
goals with organizational staffing needs, helping you successfully
leverage your existing workforce.

Key Benefits
 Reduces Organizational Risk–Increases organizational
readiness by identifying successors for critical positions and
helping organizations proactively develop talent
 Improves Employee Morale and Engagement–Enables
employees to take charge of their careers
 Improves Employee Development–Clearly defines
development goals and provides targeted learning activities

Key Capabilities
 Integrated Career & Succession Planning–Matches
employee job preferences and capabilities with the critical
successor positions.
 Real-World Usability–Supplies an easily configurable
solution to meet unique organizational requirements.

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 Robust Architecture–Provides proven reliability with 4th

generation J2EE technology.

Step 2: Plateau Career & Succession is comprised of two

separate, integrated products:
 Plateau Career & Development
 Plateau Succession Planning
Key Benefits
 Increases Workforce Productivity–Increases employee
performance and goal achievement
 Improves Employee Performance–Clearly defines goals
and provides targeted learning activities
 Reduces Costs–Improves organizational readiness and
alignment and reduces administration costs

Key Capabilities
 Integrated Learning and Performance Management–
Provides a closed-loop process to fill employee performance
and development gaps with targeted learning activities.
 Real-World Usability–Supplies an easily configurable
solution to meet unique organizational requirements.
 Robust Architecture–Provides proven reliability with 4th
generation J2EE technology
People in human resources jobs should always be aware of
career plateaus and levels where good employees can get caught and
start to stagnate. As an employee, one should always be aware of
career plateaus and set strategies to avoid their grip.

Step 3: Counseling Out: A New Solution for Bad Employees

One of the most difficult parts of being a manager is that some
days, you have to fire an underperforming employee. Firing an
employee is not usually a pleasant experience, especially if you like
the person. In some cases, the alternate tactic of Counseling Out may
be a better solution to your problem.

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What is Counseling Out?

Most managers wait too long to fire underperforming
employees. It's better for the employee, manager, and company if the
employee quits.
Counseling Out is the process of providing enough regular,
candid and honest feedback that an employee quits before being
fired. Most managers wait too long to fire underperforming
employees. It's better for the employee, manager, and company if the
employee quits. If Counseling Out is done correctly, your problem
employee will find a job and quit before you have to take action.
There are usually two scenarios where counseling out can be used:
'Good Employee, Wrong Job' or 'Bad Employee, Really Trying'.

Document Everything
Any time an employee may need to be fired, you need to
document all communication. Regardless of how hard you try to
help your employee or be nice, there is still the risk of a wrongful
termination lawsuit. To protect yourself from wrongful termination
lawsuits, you should implement some basic Human Resources best
practices. If you are unfamiliar with these practices, consult an
attorney to learn how you can protect yourself.

4 Steps to Counseling Out

1. Establish a Counseling Out Timeline
This first step to Counseling Out an employee is to establish
your timeline. Four weeks is usually sufficient. Because you want
the right people on your team, do not extend this process for months.
When you decide that you are going to start, put an appointment in
your calendar as your deadline. If he/she does not quit by your
deadline, fire the underperforming employee.

2. Start with Hone

Although it is sometimes easier to ignore a problem and hope it
goes away, that is the wrong approach. Failing to give reviews,

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being falsely positive or giving undeserved bonuses leads to your

team's failure.
It is usually easy to give positive feedback and bonuses, but
difficult to cut someone's pay or give a bad review. Although it is
sometimes easier to ignore a problem and hope it goes away, that is
the wrong approach. Failing to give reviews, being falsely positive
or giving undeserved bonuses leads to your team's failure. If you
choose to counsel out an employee, honest reviews are vital.
Start with an employee meeting to give honest feedback. Prepare
a list of the problems with examples to help communicate the
message. (For example, John Doe does not follow instructions - On
April 15, 2006, John Doe was asked to do X. He did Y.) Be clear
that this meeting is not his/her time to defend himself/herself. This is
your time to present all of the issues and let the employee know that
the issues can not continue to exist. You may consider letting
him/her schedule a meeting with you on the following day if the
employee feels the need to explain or defend himself/herself. After
you finish communicating your list, both you and your employee
should sign and date the document of problems, indicating that it has
been communicated. If you believe there is a chance for
improvement, you may choose to offer a performance improvement
plan. Do not feel obligated to offer such a plan. Some employees are
just not a good fit for a certain position. Finally, close this meeting
with a clear statement like, "John, now would be a good time to start
looking for another job."

3. Weekly Reviews
It is okay to encourage the employee in the job search, to ask
what job search tools he/she is using, to offer your name as a
reference (if you have some positive things to say), and to ask if the
employee has had any good leads or interviews.
Schedule weekly meetings with your employee through the end
of your Counseling Out Timeline. Be careful to not share your
timeline with the employee, in case you decide that an earlier than
planned dismissal is needed. Use these weekly meetings to make

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sure that he/she is still providing at least a neutral contribution to

your company, and to inquire about the employee's job hunt. If the
underperforming employee's attitude or performance is getting
worse, point it out and make sure he/she understands that he/she still
has a job to do. It is okay to encourage the employee in the job
search, to ask what job search tools he/she is using, to offer your
name as a reference (if you have some positive things to say), and to
ask if the employee has had any good leads or interviews.
Remember to document any progress, the topics discussed at the
weekly meeting, and to both sign a meeting summary before leaving
the room.

4. Time's Up - Time to Fire the Underperforming Employee

Hopefully, the employee finds a job before the end of your
timeline; but if he/she has not, you need to deliver the news that the
underperformer is fired. By this point, the employee should be on
his/her way toward finding a new job and may already have
interviews or a job offer. It is not usually appropriate to offer a
'layoff' or severance package to someone who has been Counseled
Out. While it may feel good to do so, you have already given the
person a working severance of sorts. Deliver the message, say
goodbye, and thank the employee for his/her work.

True Story #1: Good Employee, Wrong Job

"A few years ago I had an employee who had gotten into a rut after
four years in the same role. He and I candidly discussed the issues and
determined that we needed to find him another opportunity. I talked to
other managers, recommending him for a few open positions; and
within a month he was on a new team. On that team, he has performed
extremely well, is much happier, and is making a great contribution to
the company."
True Story #2: Bad Employee, Really Trying
"Last year, I had an underperforming employee. I noticed the
problem after only a month of employment. Because the job was
difficult, I decided to keep encouraging and training, rather than

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making a quick dismissal. Although she was trying, she had trouble
getting the job done correctly and efficiently. After a few more months
of problems, I decided to start four weeks of Counseling Out. She did
not quit but had interviews and good job leads by the time I fired her.
Although she pretended to act surprised in our final meeting, she
confirmed to former co-workers that she already had another job offer.
I did everythingpossible to help this employee find a new job and felt
good about the decisions

What is Executive leasing?

Executive leasing is the term used to describe the short-term,
assignment-specific use of a highly skilled professional. Variations
on the theme are interim management or transition management.

Why Use Executive Leasing?

Leased Executives can be used in a variety of ways, such as:
 To cover an unexpected vacancy in a mission-critical role
 To manage a specific project so that existing resources don't
have to be stretched or diverted from business as usual
requirements
 To provide specialist expertise to a new venture or project
 To develop the policies, systems, processes and procedures
for a new area of your business that you can then hand over
to an existing staff member
 To use the Executive's skills and expertise to prove a new
business concept before you make that full commitment
You can be as creative as you like! The Client can retain a Leased
Executive for as long–or as short–as he or she likes. The Client sets
the parameters for the assignment.

Who are these people?

Leased executives, or contractors, often choose Executive
Leasing as a career. It is an attractive option for people who enjoy
project work because of the variety and the opportunity to extend
their skills and expertise into a variety of different industries.

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Alternatively, the Leased Executive on assignment for you may be a

former senior manager or Chief Executive who lives in Tauranga for
the lifestyle and has considerable expertise to share and add value to
your business

Planning Your Career to Improve Marketability

"This approach gives you a head start in identifying specific skill
gaps that you need to make yourself attractive and qualified for the
positions of the future."
Rapid technological changes, globalization, and evolving work
processes highlight the need for new and enhanced skills. To be
successful you need to anticipate the requirements of future
positions. And if you can keep your skills inventory up-to-date you
will always be ready to assume new roles and responsibilities.

Begin With Your Skills Inventory

Briefly, you begin by listing
your skills and rating them on a
? 5 to +5 scale for weakness to
strength. Then repeat the process
for those same skills, this time
rating them using the ? 5 to +5
scale for how much you enjoy
(dislike to liking) applying the
skill. This exercise results in
data points (coordinates) that
you can plot on a skills map.
After you have listed, evaluated, and plotted your skills, you will
begin to see those activities that motivate you in a job (skills you
like) as well as the ones that turn you off. Understanding this will
help you select jobs that you enjoy and therefore jobs at which you
will excel.

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Conducting an Inventory of a Job’s Skill Requirements

Once you have an inventory of your skills, you can identify gaps
you need to fill to prepare for your dream job. The following is a
five-step process to assist you in mapping the skill requirements of
potential future positions:

Step 1. Identify the skills required for a position you may want
to do two to four jobs from your current role.
This may seem a daunting task, but with a map you won't get lost.
In addition to your assessment of what skills might be required for a
position, you need to turn to other sources of information. Contact
people currently doing the job, their bosses, and individuals that
interact with people in those positions. You can gain valuable
insights through informational interviews. Afraid of making cold
calls? Next time you are at a meeting, seize the opportunity to ask
people familiar with or in the jobs that interest you about the specific
skills required for those jobs. These conversations will provide you
important information that you can apply in the next two steps.

Step 2. Evaluate the relative importance of the identified skills

using the +5 to 5 scale (+5 very important, -5 not very
important).
Your sources may not refer to the position as requiring a skill
that isn't very important, but you may discern that particular skills
are not in high demand. To illustrate, you may hear that a position
requires someone who can be creative but it is not an essential skill.
In your discussion with the source, get a gauge on the scale of 0 to 5
approximately where it would fall.

Step 3. Evaluate the skills in terms of how frequently they are

used. Again, use a +5 to 5 scale. (+5 skill used a lot, -5 skill used
little).

Step 4. Put your evaluations into a spreadsheet or table.

Combine the data from steps 2 and 3 to create skill coordinates.
Here is an example of the chart format to capture the required skills

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Sample Table for Recording Skill Assessment

A Planning 5 4 5, 4
B Pipetting 5 -4 5, -4
C Teamwork 3 5 3, 5
D Creativity -3 5 -3, 5
Step 5. Plot the coordinates on a graph.
This is similar to the process used earlier for mapping the
inventory of your skills. But after you plot the skill requirements for
several potential positions, you will begin to see which skills need to
be strengths as well as those that are applied frequently.

Putting It All Together

The plotted graph provides you a visual tool that models the skill
areas at which you excel and those that require further development.
Most likely you would avoid pursuing positions that require skills
that you dislike, especially if your skills in the area are weak. Now
that you have a graph of required skills for future positions, you can
overlay your skills inventory to see if there is a gap between the data
points.
You can use this overlay to identify jobs that you may want to
pursue: positions where your skills in the top right side quadrant
(Important/like and Important/frequent) match those of the desired
positions. You will need to develop skills in the bottom right
quadrant (less important/like and less important/frequent) to improve
your marketability for positions with those skill requirements. For
skills that fall in the bottom left quadrant (weakness/dislike and
weakness/frequent) you must decide if you want to develop skills for
a position you might not enjoy.

Reverse Engineering Your Career Path

You have just reverse-engineered a career path, starting from a
job two to four moves from your current position and identifying
what jobs are between your current role and that future job. You can
now map the skill requirements of each of the positions along the
way and identify what skills you need to develop to improve your

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marketability (i.e., to acquire skills that are frequently required and

that are currently weaknesses for you).

Career Path Map

Fig. See that job B3 offers multiple

In the career map, you can see that job B3 offers multiple
career paths leading to your desired future job D, whereas job
B2 only affords you one path. Therefore, you most likely would
want to focus your near-term development and networking
efforts toward your skills gap with job B3.

Skill Development and Marketability

Knowing the most frequently required skills for future positions
and the gap between those and your current skills allows you to
focus your professional development. Corporations spend money on
developing their employees, but this approach gives you a head start
to identify specific skill gaps that you need to address to make
yourself attractive and qualified for the positions of the future. And
that gives you the Insider‘s Edge.

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UNIT III
CRISIS MANAGEMENT

Crisis management:
A crisis is a major, unpredictable event that threatens to harm an
organization and its stakeholders. Although crisis events are
unpredictable, they are not unexpected (Coombs, 1999). Crises can
affect all segments of society – businesses, churches, educational
institutions, families, non-profits and the government and are caused
by a wide range of reasons. Although the definitions can vary
greatly, three elements are common to most definitions of crisis: (a)
a threat to the organization, (b) the element of surprise, and (c) a
short decision time (Seeger, Sellnow& Ulmer, 1998).
The practice of crisis management involves attempts to eliminate
technological failure as well as the development of formal
communication systems to avoid or to manage crises (Barton, 2001),
and is a discipline within the broader context of management. Crisis
management consists of skills and techniques required to assess,
understand, and cope with any serious situation, especially from the
moment it first occurs to the point that recovery procedures start.
The crisis is also a facet of risk management, although it is
probably untrue to say that Crisis Management represents a failure
of Risk Management since it will never be possible to mitigate the
chances of catastrophes occurring.

A Framework for crisis management and crisis management

planning
The United Kingdom‘s Department for Business, Enterprise and
Regulatory Reform (2008) describes a crisis as "an abnormal
situation, or even perception, which is beyond the scope of everyday
business and which threatens the operation, safety and reputation of
an organization. The department advocates that businesses treat
crisis management planning with the same attention as other
business plans.

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The crisis should be dealt with as an operational management

issue that is simply being undertaken in extreme circumstances. The
crisis management framework for response is normally based on
existing management structures and responsibilities. It must also
reflect (or improve upon) existing lines of communication, both
within the company and with other organizations which may be
affected. This approach, when developed in conjunction with the
operational managers, will confirm ownership of plans and prepare
the proposed framework for practical implementation." (the United
Kingdom, 2007)
During the next five years, 83% of companies will face a crisis
that will negatively impact the profitability of a company 20 and
30%, according to new research by Oxford-Metrica, an independent
adviser on risk, value, reputation and governance (Aon, 2006). Crisis
management is the process by which the organization manages a
wider impact, such as media relations, and enables it to commence
recovery.
Irrespective of the size of an institution affected, the primary
aims or benefits of crisis management would normally include:

Models and theories associated with crisis management

Crisis Management Model
Successfully diffusing a crisis requires an understanding of how
to handle a crisis – before it occurs. Gonzalez-Herrero and Pratt
created a four-phase crisis management model process that includes:
issues management, planning-prevention, the crisis, and post-crisis
(Gonzalez-Herrero and Pratt, 1995).

Management Crisis Planning

No corporation looks forward to facing a situation that causes a
significant disruption to their business, especially one that stimulates
extensive media coverage. Public scrutiny can result in a negative
financial, political, legal and government impact. Crisis management
planning deals with providing the best response to a crisis.

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Contingency Planning
Preparing contingency plans in advance, as part of a crisis
management plan, is the first step to ensuring an organization is
appropriately prepared for a crisis. Crisis management teams can
rehearse a crisis plan by developing a simulated scenario to use as a
drill. The plan should stipulate that the only people to speak publicly
about the crisis are the designated persons, such as the company
spokesperson or crisis team members. The first hours after a crisis
breaks are the most crucial, so working with speed and efficiency is
important, and the plan should indicate how quickly each function
should be performed. When preparing to offer a statement externally
as well as internally, information should be accurate. Providing
incorrect or manipulated information tends to backfire and will
greatly exacerbate the situation. The contingency plan should
contain information and guidance that will help decision-makers to
consider not only the short-term consequences but the long-term
effects of every decision.

Business Continuity Planning

When a crisis will undoubtedly cause significant disruption to an
organization, a business continuity plan can help minimize the
disruption. First, one must identify the critical functions and
processes that are necessary to keep the organization running. Then
each critical function and or/process must have its contingency plan
if one of the functions/processes ceases or fails. Testing these
contingency plans by rehearsing the required actions in a simulation
will allow for all involved to become more sensitive and aware of
the possibility of a crisis. As a result, in the event of an actual crisis,
the team members will act more quickly and effectively.

Structural-Functional Systems Theory

Providing information to an organization in a time of crisis is
critical to effective crisis management. Structural-functional systems
theory addresses the intricacies of information networks and levels
of command making up organizational communication. The

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structural-functional theory identifies information flow in

organizations as "networks" made up of members and "links".
Information in organizations flows in patterns called networks
(Infante, Rancer, & Womack, 1997).

Diffusion of Innovation Theory

Another theory that can be applied to the sharing of information
is the Diffusion of Innovation Theory. Developed by Everett Rogers,
the theory describes how innovation is disseminated and
communicated through certain channels over some time. Diffusion
of innovation in communication occurs when an individual
communicates a new idea to one or several others. At its most
elementary form, the process involves: (1) an innovation, (2) an
individual or other unit of adoption that has knowledge of or
experience with using the innovation, (3) another individual or other
unit that does not yet know about the innovation, and (4) a
communication channel connecting the two units. A communication
channel is how messages get from one individual to another (Infante
et al., 1997).

Issues in crisis management

Public sector crisis management
Corporate America is not the only community that is vulnerable
to the perils of a crisis. Whether a school shooting, a public health
crisis or a terrorist attack leaves the public seeking comfort in the
calm, steady leadership of an elected official, no sector of society is
immune to crisis. In response to that reality, crisis management
policies, strategies and practices have been developed and adapted
across multiple disciplines
.
Government and crisis management
Historically, government at all levels – local, state, and national
– has played a large role in crisis management. Indeed, many
political philosophers have considered this to be one of the primary
roles of government. Emergency services, such as fire and police

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departments at the local level, and the United States National Guard
at the federal level, often play integral roles in crises.
To help coordinate communication during the response phase of
a crisis, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
within the Department of Homeland Security administers the
National Response Plan (NRP). This plan is intended to integrate
public and private response by providing a common language and
outlining a chain of command when multiple parties are mobilized.
It is based on the premise that incidences should be handled at the
lowest organizational level possible. The NRP recognizes the private
sector as a key partner in domestic incident management,
particularly in the area of critical infrastructure protection and
restoration.
The NRP is a companion to the National Incidence Management
System that acts as a more general template for incident
management regardless of cause, size, or complexity. FEMA offers
free web-based training on the National Response Plan through the
Emergency Management Institute
` Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) is a relatively recent
mechanism that facilitates crisis communication across different
mediums and systems. CAP helps create a consistent emergency
alert format to reach geographically and linguistically diverse
audiences through both audio and visual mediums.

Elected officials and crisis management

Historically, politics and crisis go hand-in-hand. In describing
crisis, President Abraham Lincoln said, "We live in alarms, anxiety
beclouds the future; we expect some new disaster with each
newspaper we read."
Crisis management has become a defining feature of
contemporary governance. In times of crisis, communities and
members of organizations expect their public leaders to minimize the
impact of the crisis at hand, while critics and bureaucratic
competitors try to seize the moment to blame incumbent rulers and
their policies. In this extreme environment, policymakers must

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somehow establish a sense of normality and foster collective

learning from the crisis experience (Boin, A., Hart, P., & Stern, E.,
2005).
In the face of crisis, leaders must deal with the strategic
challenges they face, the political risks and opportunities they
encounter, the errors they make, the pitfalls they need to avoid, and
the paths away from the crisis they may pursue. The necessity for
management is even more significant with the advent of a 24-hour
news cycle and an increasingly internet-savvy audience with ever-
changing technology at its fingertips. (Boin, A., Hart, P., & Stern,
E., 2005).
Public leaders have a special responsibility to help safeguard
society from the adverse consequences of the crisis. Experts in crisis
management note that leaders who take this responsibility seriously
would have to concern themselves with all crisis phases: the
incubation stage, the onset, and the aftermath. Crisis leadership then
involves five critical tasks: sense-making, decision making,
meaning-making, terminating, and learning. (Boin, A., Hart, P., &
Stern, E., 2005)

A brief description of the five facets of crisis leadership includes:

1. Sense-making may be considered as the classical situation
assessment step in decision making.
2. Decision-making is both the act of deciding as to the
implementation of that decision.
3. Meaning-making refers to crisis management as political
communication.
4. Terminating a crisis is only possible if the public leader
correctly handles the accountability question.
5. Learning, refers to the actual learning from a crisis is
limited. The authors note, a crisis often opens a window of
opportunity for reform for better or for worse.

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Examples of organizational crises

 Extortion
 Bribery
 Hostile Takeover
 Terrorist Attack
 Last-minute LARA RFC
 Copyright infringement
 Vehicular fatality
 Information sabotage
 Product tampering
 Workplace bombing
 The natural disaster that destroys the organizational office
 Computer tampering
 Sexual harassment
 A natural disaster that disrupts product/service
 Confidential data loss
 Kidnapping, (Key person; Tiger)
 Product/service boycott
 Work-related homicide
 Malicious rumor
 Hazardous material leak
 Plant explosion
 Personnel assault
 Assault of customers
 Product recall
 Counterfeiting
 The natural disaster that destroys corporate headquarters
 The natural disaster that eliminates key stakeholders

Top tips for managing a crisis

Tow to Keep Calm during Tests
1. Prepare well in advance. Keep up every day if you can, but
don't judge yourself harshly if you don't. Avoid last-minute
cramming. Don't go without sleep the night before.

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2. Know the time and place of the test and what you need to
bring. Be on time, neither too early nor too late, with blue
books or supplies. Don't rush.
3. Don’t talk about the test with classmates immediately
beforehand, especially if you know this sort of thing raises
your anxiety level.
4. Read over the test and plan your approach. Ascertain point
values per part, time limits for each section, which question
you'll start with to boost your confidence, etc.
5. Don't hesitate to ask for clarification from the professor,
teaching assistant, or proctor if you have questions about
instructions, procedure, etc.
6. Be clear about your job. A test is a thinking task, and your
job during an exam is to think as clearly as possible based
on what you currently know. Focus on your job (the thinking
process) and practice letting go of what you don‘t control
(the grading). Approach the test determined to think to the
best of your ability, but also accept the limits of what you
currently know as a beginner.
7. Reduce anxiety with activity. If your mind goes blank and
you can't think of anything to write, go on to another
question or another part of the test. On an essay question, jot
down anything you can recall on scratch paper to stimulate
your memory and get your mind working.

8. Relax yourself physically during the test, especially if you

notice that you are not thinking well or your muscles are
tight. Pause, put your test down, and take several slow, deep
breaths. Tense and release your muscles. Do this in
particular if you notice that you are worrying excessively
about one problem, not reading carefully, and unable to
recall information you know.
9. Pay attention to the test, not to others. Don't waste time
wondering how other people are doing. (over

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How to Keep Calm during Tests

ARE YOU "TEST ANXIOUS"?
10. Are you aware of being nervous on a test, maybe so nervous
that you don't do your best and you lose points, even though
you know you've studied well and are prepared?
11. Does your stomach ever get tight or upset before or during a
test? Are hands cold and sweaty? Headaches? Do you have
trouble sleeping the night before a test?
12. Do you ever find your mind racing, or dull or "muddy," so
that you can't think clearly while taking a test?
13. Do you ever forget material you studied and learned, maybe
only to remember it again later after the test is over?
14. Do you "overanalyze" questions, see too many possibilities
choose the complex answer and overlook—and miss—the
simpler, correct one?
15. Do you make many careless errors on tests?
A "yes" answer to any one of these questions suggests that
you may be experiencing test anxiety.
Of course, everyone is anxious about tests; if you weren't, you
wouldn't try. A certain amount of tension is good because it acts as a
motivator. But it has been estimated that as many as 20% of college
students may suffer from nervousness that is so severe a couple of
things may happen:
 Their grades may drop because anxiety interferes with their
mental processes and keeps them from doing their best.
 And the quality of their life may decline because they're so
miserable when they have to take tests.
Most test-takers may benefit from suggestions for ways to self-
calm and maintain a Productive level of tension while preparing for
and taking tests.

Empowerment
Definitions
The term Human Empowerment covers a vast landscape of
meanings, interpretations, definitions and disciplines ranging from

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psychology and philosophy to the highly commercialized Self-Help

industry and Motivational sciences.
Sociological empowerment often addresses members of groups
that social discrimination processes have excluded from decision-
making processes through - for example - discrimination based on
disability, race, ethnicity, religion, or gender. Empowerment as a
methodology is often associated with feminism: see consciousness-
raising

Marginalization and empowerment

"Marginalized" refers to the overt or covert trends within
societies whereby those perceived as lacking desirable traits or
deviating from the group norms tend to be excluded by wider society
and ostracized as undesirables.
Sometimes groups are marginalized by society at large, but
governments are often unwitting or enthusiastic participants. For
example, the U.S. government marginalized cultural minorities,
particularly blacks, before the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This Act
made it illegal to restrict access to schools and public places based
on race. Equal opportunity laws which actively oppose such
marginalization, allow increased empowerment to occur. It should
be noted that they are also a symptom of minorities and women's
empowerment through lobbying.
Marginalized people who have no opportunities for self-
sufficiency become, at a minimum, dependent on charity or welfare.
They lose their self-confidence because they cannot be fully self-
supporting. The opportunities denied them also deprive them of the
pride of accomplishment that others, who have those opportunities,
can develop for themselves. This in turn can lead to psychological,
social and even mental health problems.
Empowerment is then the process of obtaining these basic
opportunities for marginalized people, either directly by those
people, or through the help of non-marginalized others who share
their access to these opportunities. It also includes actively thwarting
attempts to deny those opportunities. Empowerment also includes

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encouraging and developing the skills for, self-sufficiency, with a

focus on eliminating the future need for charity or welfare in the
individuals of the group. This process can be difficult to start and
implement effectively, but there are many examples of
empowerment projects which have succeeded.
One empowerment strategy is to assist marginalized people to
create their nonprofit organization, using the rationale that only the
marginalized people, themselves, can know what their people need
most and that control of the organization by outsiders can help to
further entrench marginalization. Charitable organizations lead from
outside of the community, for example, can disempower the
community by entrenching a dependence on charity or welfare. A
nonprofit organization can target strategies that cause structural
changes, reducing the need for ongoing dependence. Red Cross, for
example, can focus on improving the health of indigenous people
but does not have authority in its charter to install water-delivery and
purification systems, even though the lack of such a system
profoundly, directly and negatively impacts health. A nonprofit
composed of the indigenous people, however, could insure their
organization does have such authority and could set their agendas,
make their plans, seek the needed resources, do as much of the work
as they can, and take responsibility - and credit - for the success of
their projects (or the consequences, should they fail).

The process of empowerment

The process enables one to gain power, authority and influence
over others, institutions or society. Empowerment is probably the
totality of the following or similar capabilities:-
 Having decision-making power of one's own
 Having access to information and resources for taking
proper decision
 Having a range of options from which you can make choices
(not just yes/no, either/or.)
 Ability to exercise assertiveness in collective decision
making

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 Having positive thinking on the ability to make change

 Ability to learn skills for improving one's personal or group
power.
 Ability to change others‘ perceptions by democratic means.
 Involving in the growth process and changes that are never-
ending and self-initiated
 Increasing one's positive self-image and overcoming stigma
 Increasing one's ability in discreet thinking to sort out right
and wrong
In short, empowerment is the process that allows one to gain the
knowledge, skill-sets and attitude needed to cope with the changing
world and the circumstances in which one lives.

Workplace empower
one account of the history of workplace empowermer in the
United States recalls the clash of management styles in railroad
construction in the American West in the mid-19th century, where
"traditional" hierarchical East-Coast models of control encountered
individualistic pioneer workers, strongly supplemented by methods
of efficiency-oriented "worker responsibility" brought to the scene
by Chinese laborers. In this case, empowerment at the level of work
teams or brigades achieved a notable (but short-lived) demonstrated
superiority.
Empowerment in the workplace is regarded by critics as more a
pseudo-empowerment exercise, the idea of which is to change the
attitudes of workers, to make them work harder rather than giving
them any real power, and Wilkinson (1998) refers to this as
"attitudinal shaping". However, recent research suggests that the
opportunity to exercise personal discretion/choice (and complete
meaningful work) is an important element contributing to employee
engagement and well-being. There is evidence that initiative and
motivation are increased when people have a more positive
attributional style. This influences self-belief, resilience when faced
with setbacks, and the ability to visualize oneself overcoming
problems. The implication is that 'empowerment' suits some more

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than others, and should be positioned in the broader and wider

context of an 'enabling' work environment.

Economics and empowerment

In economic development, the empowerment approach focuses
on mobilizing the self-help efforts of the poor, rather than providing
them with social welfare. Economic empowerment is also the
empowering of previously disadvantaged sections of the population,
for example, in many previously colonized African countries.

Personal development and empowerment

In the arena of personal development, empowerment forms an
apogee of many a system of Self Realization or identity (re-
information). Realizing the solipsistic impracticality of everyone
anarchistically attempting to exercise power over everyone else,
empowerment advocates have adopted the word "empowerment" to
offer the attractions of such power, but they generally constrain its
exercise to potentiality and feel-good uses within the individual
psyche. The concept of personal development is seen as important
by many employers, with emphasis placed on continuous learning,
increased self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Empowerment
is ultimately driven by the individual's belief in their capability to
influence events.
Empowerment can be attained in one or many ways. An
important factor in the discovery and application of human "self-
empowerment" lies within the tools used to unveil the truth. It has
been suggested that Yoga is one such tool that can be used for more
than the obvious physical benefits. When Yoga is practiced
consistently the mind/body connection is apparent. Through this
connection, the individual finds him or herself with a stronger sense
of self and the ability to change areas where bad habits rule, negative
emotions run rampant, even controlling addictions through
understanding them for what they are. What can be more
empowering than gaining control over self?

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You too can prevent interruptions

1. Relax and get comfortable before you begin the task at hand;
sit in a good chair, adjust the lighting, etc. It‘s bad enough
when other people interfere, you don‘t need to let your own
body beat them to it with a cramped neck or tired eyes.
2. Allow people onto your instant messenger contact list once
you‘re confident that they won‘t abuse the privilege of being
there.
3. Turn off your email/messaging program or any other work
communications mechanism but make sure that people know
how to reach you in case of emergency, work or otherwise.
In my case, I used instant messaging as my hotline and
that‘s why it‘s important to follow tip 2) before this one.
4. Keep your cellphone off during the day, and only check
messages during your lunch hour or breaks. This is true even
if you work or job search from home. It's very easy to let
cellphones blur the distinction between your personal life
and your work life, and if you're not careful both can suffer
for it.
5. Plan a part of your day to be available for others and tell
everyone concerned. Ideally, this would be the same time
slot every day so that people easily remember it. Expecting
to be interrupted, only use that time slot for light work that
can tolerate intervention. The rest of the time, be strict -
when people come to interrupt, tell them to come back
during your ‗available‘ hours.
6. Educate your questioners to answer their queries on their
own. This will eliminate their need to interrupt you for the
same question repeatedly and other questions in the future.
Just as good if not better - they may avoid bothering other
people too.
7. Recognize the patterns in interruption and react to break
them - is it always the same person? Make sure they only
come to you during your public time (see above). Do people
mostly bother you for the same reasons? Put a clock where it

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can be seen, teach someone else to use the coffee maker, or

write up a helpful guide on your blog or company intranet
about how to find the lost email. Whatever it takes.
8. Filter your email so that you receive alerts only for
important messages that need an immediate response.
Everything else can wait for daily time slots first thing in the
morning and first thing after lunch. If you consider this to be
light work, by all means, do it during your 'available' hours
from tip 5).
9. Remove any comfortable chairs that will tempt people to sit
down and chat when they’re distracted. When I first arrived
at my last job, I purposely kept a comfy chair near my desk
so that people would stop by, it was a great way to meet my
colleagues quickly. Once I felt comfortable enough, I got rid
of the chair.
10. Keep all cool gizmos/gadgets/gewgaws out of sight if they
are likely to attract others like bees to pollen. Yes, that
means your Palm Treo Lego cradle. Plus, it‘ll be easier for
you to resist the urge to play with them yourself.
11. Bonus tip! Respect the attention of people around you. If
you‘re careful about interrupting them, they‘ll be less
inclined to do it to you.

The Importance of Effective Communication

Introduction
People in organizations typically spend over 75% of their time in
an interpersonal situation; thus it is no surprise to find that at the root
of a large number of organizational problems is poor
communication. Effective communication is an essential component
of organizational success whether it is at the interpersonal,
intergroup, intragroup, organizational, or external levels.

The Communication Process

Although all of us have been communicating with others since
our infancy, the process of transmitting information from an

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individual (or group) to another is a very complex process with

many sources of potential error.
Consider the simple example:
 Terry: "I won't make it to work again tomorrow; this
pregnancy keeps me nauseous and my doctor says I should
probably be reduced to part-time.
 Boss: Terry, this is the third day you've missed and your
appointments keep backing up; we have to cover for you and
this is messing all of us up.

Message to be Decode some encoded by Message

sent error likely receiver some received
error likely)

In any communication, at least some of the "meaning" is lost in

the simple transmission of a message from the sender to the receiver.
In many situations, a lot of the true message is lost and the message
that is heard is often far different than the one intended. This is most
obvious in cross-cultural situations where language is an issue. But it
is also common among people of the same culture.
Communication is so difficult because at each step in the process
there is major potential for error. By the time a message gets from a
sender to a receiver there are four basic places where transmission
errors can take place and at each place, there is a multitude of
potential sources of error. Thus it is no surprise that social
psychologists estimate that there is usually a 40-60% loss of
meaning in the transmission of messages from sender to receiver.
It is critical to understand this process, understand and be aware of
the potential sources of errors and constantly counteract these
tendencies by making a conscientious effort to make sure there is a
minimal loss of meaning in your conversation.
It is also very important to understand that a majoring of
communication is non-verbal. This means that when we attribute
meaning to what someone else is saying, the verbal part of the

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message means less than the non-verbal part. The non-verbal part
includes such things as body language and tone.

Barriers to Effective Communication

There are a wide number of sources of noise or interference that
can enter into the communication process. This can occur when
people know each other very well and should understand the sources
of error. In a work setting, it is even more common since interactions
involve people who not only don't have years of experience with
each other but communication is complicated by the complex and
often conflictual relationships that exist at work. In a work setting,
the following suggests many sources of noise:
 Language: The choice of words or language in which a
sender encodes a message will influence the quality of
communication. Because language is a symbolic
representation of a phenomenon, room for interpretation and
distortion of the meaning exists. In the above example, the
Boss uses language (this is the third day you've missed) that
is likely to convey far more than objective information. To
Terry, it conveys indifference to her medical problems. Note
that the same words will be interpreted differently by each
different person. Meaning has to be given to words and
many factors affect how an individual will attribute meaning
to particular words. It is important to note that no two people
will attribute the same meaning to the same words.
 defensiveness, distorted perceptions, guilt, project,
transference, distortions from the past
 misreading of body language, tone and other non-verbal
forms of communication (see the section below)
 noisy transmission (unreliable messages, inconsistency)
 receiver distortion: selective hearing, ignoring non-verbal
cues
 power struggles
 self-fulfilling assumptions
 language-different levels of meaning

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 managers hesitation to be candid

 assumptions-eg. assuming others see the situation the same
as you, has the same feelings as you
 distrusted source, erroneous translation, value judgment,
state of mind of two people

Perceptual Biases: People attend to stimuli in the environment in

very different ways. We each have shortcuts that we use to organize
data. Invariably, these shortcuts introduce some biases into
communication. Some of these shortcuts include stereotyping,
projection, and self-fulfilling prophecies. Stereotyping is one of the
most common. This is when we assume that the other person has
certain characteristics based on the group to which they belong
without validating that they have these characteristics.

Interpersonal Relationships: How we perceive communication is

affected by the experience with the individual. Perception is also
affected by the organizational relationship two people have. For
example, communication from a superior may be perceived
differently than that from a subordinate or peer

Cultural Differences: Effective communication requires

deciphering the basic values, motives, aspirations, and assumptions
that operate across geographical lines. Given some dramatic
differences across cultures in approaches to such areas as time,
space, and privacy, the opportunities for miscommunication, while
we are in cross-cultural situations, are plentiful

You work in a Japanese company in the US. You have noticed

that the Japanese staff explains only the conclusion to Americans
when they address a problem, rather than discussing the steps to
the conclusion. Also, the Japanese staff sends reports directly to
Japan without showing them to you

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Reading Nonverbal Communication Cues

A large percentage (studies suggest over 90%) of the meaning
we derive from communication, derives from the non-verbal cues
that the other person gives. Often a person says one thing but
communicates something different through vocal intonation and
body language. These mixed signals force the receiver to choose
between the verbal and nonverbal parts of the message. Most often,
the receiver chooses the nonverbal aspects. Mixed messages create
tension and distrust because the receiver senses that the
communicator is hiding something or is being less than candid.

Nonverbal communication is made up of the following parts:

1. Visual
2. Tactile
3. Vocal
4. Use of time, space, and image

Visual:
This is often called body language and includes facial
expression, eye movement, posture, and gestures. The face is the
biggest part of this. All of us "read" people's faces for ways to
interpret what they say and feel. This fact becomes very apparent
when we deal with someone with dark sunglasses. Of course, we can
easily misread these cues, especially when communicating across
cultures where gestures can mean something very different in
another culture. For example, in American culture agreement might
be indicated by the head going up and down whereas, in India a side-
to-side head movement might mean the same thing.
We also look to posture to provide cues about the
communicator; posture can indicate self-confidence, aggressiveness,
fear, guilt, or anxiety. Similarly, we look at gestures such as how we
hold our hands or a handshake. Many gestures are culture-bound and
susceptible to misinterpretation

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Tactile:
This involves the use of touch to impart meaning as in a
handshake, a pat on the back, an arm around the shoulder, a kiss, or
a hug.

Vocal:
The meaning of words can be altered significantly by changing
the intonation of one's voice. Think of how many ways you can say
"no"-you could express mild doubt, terror, amazement, anger among
other emotions. Vocal meanings vary across cultures. Intonation in
one culture can mean support; another anger

Use of Time as Nonverbal Communication:

The use of time can communicate how we view our status and
power concerning others. Think about how a subordinate and his/her
boss would view arriving at a place for an agreed-upon meeting.

Physical Space:
For most of us, someone standing very close to us makes us
uncomfortable. We feel our "space" has been invaded. People seek
to extend their territory in many ways to attain power and intimacy.
We tend to mark our territory either with permanent walls or in a
classroom with our coat, pen, paper, etc. We like to protect and
control our territory. For Americans, the "intimate zone" is about
two feet; this can vary from culture to culture. This zone is reserved
for our closest friends. The "personal zone" from about 2-4 feet
usually is reserved for family and friends. The social zone (4-12
feet) is where most business transactions take place. The "public
zone" (over 12 feet) is used for lectures.

A "majority" of the meaning we attribute to words comes not

from the words themselves, but nonverbal factors such as gestures,
facial expressions, tone, body language, etc. Nonverbal cues can
play five roles:

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Repetition: they can repeat the message the person is

making verbally
1. Contradiction: they can contradict a message the individual
is trying to convey
2. Substitution: they can substitute for a verbal message. For
example, a person's eyes can often convey a far more vivid
message than words and often do
3. Complementing: they may add to or complement a verbal
message. A boss who pats a person on the back in addition
to giving praise can increase the impact of the message
4. Accenting: non-verbal communication may accept or
underline a verbal message. Pounding the table, for example,
can underline a message.
Skillful communicators understand the importance of nonverbal
communication and use it to increase their effectiveness, as well as
use it to understand more clearly what someone else is saying.
A word of warning. Nonverbal cues can differ dramatically from
culture to culture. An American hand gesture meaning "A-OK"
would be viewed as obscene in some South American countries. Be
careful.

Developing Communication Skills: Listening Skills

There are many situations when you need to solicit good
information from others; these situations include interviewing
candidates, solving work problems, seeking to help an employee on
work performance, and finding out reasons for performance
discrepancies.
Communication skill involves several specific strengths. The
first we will discuss involves listening skills. The following lists
some suggestions for effective listening when confronted with a
problem at work:
 Listen openly and with empathy to the other person
 Judge the content, not the messenger or delivery;
comprehend before you judge

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 Use multiple techniques to fully comprehend (ask, repeat,

rephrase, etc.)
 Active body state; fight distractions
 Ask the other person for as much detail as he/she can
provide; paraphrase what the other is saying to make sure
you understand it and check for understanding
 Respond in an interesting way that shows you understand
the problem and the employee's concern
 Attend to non-verbal cues, body language, not just words;
listen between the lines
 Ask the other for his views or suggestions
 State your position openly; be specific, not global
 Communicate your feelings but don't act them out (eg. tell a
person that his behavior upsets you; don't get angry)
 Be descriptive, not evaluative-describe objectively, your
reactions, consequences
 Be validating, not invalidating ("You wouldn't understand");
acknowledge others; uniqueness, importance
 Be conjunctive, not disjunctive (not "I want to discuss this
regardless of what you want to discuss");
 Don't control the conversation; acknowledge what was said
 Own up: use "I", not "They"... not "I've heard you are
noncooperative"
 Don't react to emotional words, but interpret their purpose
 Practice supportive listening, not one-way listening
 Decide on specific follow-up actions and specifically follow
updates
A major source of the problem in communication is
defensiveness. Effective communicators are aware that
defensiveness is a typical response in a work situation especially
when negative information or criticism is involved. Be aware that
defensiveness is common, particularly with subordinates when you
are dealing with a problem. Try to make adjustments to compensate
for the likely defensiveness. Realize that when people feel
threatened they will try to protect themselves; this is natural. This

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defensiveness can take the form of aggression, anger,

competitiveness, avoidance among other responses. A skillful
listener is aware of the potential for defensiveness and makes a
needed adjustment. He or she is aware that self-protection is
necessary and avoids making the other person spend energy
defending the self.
In addition, a supportive and effective listener does the
following:
 Stop Talking: Asks the other person for as much detail as
he/she can provide; asks for other's views and suggestions
 Looks at the person, listens openly and with empathy to the
employee; is clear about his position; be patient
 Listen and Respond in an interesting way that shows you
understand the problem and the other's concern
 is validating, not invalidating ("You wouldn't understand");
acknowledge others; uniqueness, importance
 checks for understanding; paraphrases; asks questions for
clarification
 don't control the conversation; acknowledges what was said;
lets the other finish before responding
 Focuses on the problem, not the person; is descriptive and
specific, not evaluative; focuses on content, not delivery or
emotion
 Attend to emotional as well as cognitive messages (e.g.,
anger); aware of non-verbal cues, body language, etc.; listen
between the lines
 React to the message, not the person, delivery or emotion
 Make sure you comprehend before you judge; ask questions
 Use many techniques to fully comprehend
 Stay in an active body state to aid listening
 Fight distractions
 ( if in a work situation) Take Notes; Decide on specific
follow-up actions and specifically follow updates

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Why managers are often reluctant to provide feedback

As important as feedback is, this critical managerial task remains
one of the most problematic. Many managers would rather have root
canal work than provide feedback to another-especially feedback
that might be viewed as critical. Why are managers so reluctant to
provide feedback? The Reasons are many:
 fear of the other person's reaction; people can get very
defensive and emotional when confronted with feedback and
many managers are very fearful of the reaction
 the feedback may be based on subjective feeling and the
manager may be unable to give concrete information if the
other person questions the basis for the feedback
 the information on which the feedback is based (eg.
performance appraisal) may be a very flawed process and
the manager may not trust the information
 many managers would prefer being a coach than "playing
God."
 Other factors get in the way of effective communication or
feedback sessions. Some of these reasons are:
 defensiveness, distorted perceptions, guilt, project,
transference, distortions from the past
 misreading of body language, tone
 noisy transmission (unreliable messages, inconsistency)
 receiver distortion: selective hearing, ignoring non-verbal
cues
 power struggles
 self-fulfilling assumptions
 language-different levels of meaning
 managers hesitation to be candid
 assumptions-eg. assuming others see the situation the same
as you, has the same feelings as you
 distrusted source, erroneous translation, value judgment,
state of mind of two people

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Characteristics of Effective Feedback

Effective Feedback has most of the following characteristics:
 descriptive (not evaluative)(avoids defensiveness.) By
describing one's reactions, it leaves the individual free to use
it or not to use it as he sees fit.
 avoid accusations; present data if necessary
 describe your reactions or feelings; describe objective
consequences that have or will occur; focus on behavior and
your reaction, not on other individuals or his or her attributes
 suggest more acceptable alternatives; be prepared to discuss
additional alternatives; focus on alternatives
 specific rather than general.
 focused on behavior, not the person. We must refer to what a
person does rather than to what we think he is. Thus we
might say that a person "talked more than anyone else in this
meeting" rather than that he is a "loud-mouth."
 It takes into account the needs of both the receiver and giver
of feedback. It should be given to help, not to hurt. We too
often give feedback because it makes us feel better or gives
us a psychological advantage.
 It is directed toward behavior that the receiver can do
something about. A person gets frustrated when reminded of
some shortcoming over which he has no control.
 It is solicited rather than imposed. Feedback is most useful
when the receiver himself has formulated the kind of
question which those observing him can answer or when he
actively seeks feedback.
 Feedback is useful when well-timed (soon after the
behavior-depending, of course, on the person's readiness to
hear it, support available from others, and so forth).
Excellent feedback presented at an inappropriate time may
do more harm than good.
 sharing of information, rather than giving advice allows a
person to decide for himself, following his own goals and

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needs. When we give advice we tell him what to do, and to

some degree take away his freedom to do decide for himself.
 It involves the amount of information the receiver can use
rather than the amount we would like to give. To overload, a
person with feedback is to reduce the possibility that he may
be able to use what he receives effectively. When we give
more than can be used, we are more often than not satisfying
some need of our own rather than helping the other person.
 It concerns what is said and done, or how, not why. The
"why" involves assumptions regarding motive or intent and
this tends to alienate the person generates resentment,
suspicion, and distrust. If we are uncertain of his motives or
intent, this uncertainty itself is feedback, however, and
should be revealed.
 It is checked to ensure clear communication. One way of
doing this is to have the receiver try to rephrase the
feedback. No matter what the intent, feedback is often
threatening and thus subject to considerable distortion or
misinterpretation.
 It is checked to determine the degree of agreement from
others. Such "consensual validation" is of value to both the
sender and receiver.
 It is followed by attention to the consequences of the
feedback. The supervisor needs to become acutely aware of
the effects of his feedback.
 It is an important step toward authenticity. Constructive
feedback opens the way to a relationship that is built on
trust, honest, and genuine concern and mutual growth.
Part of the feedback process involves understanding and
predicting how the other person will react. Or in the case of our
receiving feedback, we need to understand ways that we respond to
feedback, especially threatening feedback.
People often react negatively to threatening feedback. This
reaction can take some forms including:

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 selective reception and selective perception

 doubting motive of the giver
 denying the validity of the data
 rationalizing
 attack the giver of the data
Following the guidelines to effective feedback can go a long
way to limit these kinds of reactions but we need to be conscious of
them nonetheless and be ready to react appropriately.
When we are on the receiving end of feedback we should be
careful to avoid these pitfalls. Try to keep these points in mind.
 try not to be defensive
 check on a possible misunderstanding ("Let me restate what
I am hearing")
 gather information from other sources
 don't overreact
 ask for clarification

A Short Example of Effective Communication

Example:
Maria: My project coordinator, Judy, is in a slump; she's just not
producing her usual caliber of work. I need to find out what the
problem is.
On the surface, it would seem that getting good information is
easy. But like other forms of communication, it takes planning and
experience to develop skills in this area

Key Techniques
Focus the discussion on the information needed Judy, I've
noticed in the past month that you've fallen behind on keeping the
project schedule current. I'd like to figure out with you what we both
can do to get it back on track.

Use open-ended questions to expand the discussionYou've

always kept the schedule up to the minute until about a month ago.
Why the change?

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Use closed-ended questions to prompt for specifics "What

projects are you working on that take time away from your work on
this project (warning: closed-ended questions are often disguised as
open-ended as in "Are you going to have trouble finishing this
project?)

Encourage dialogue through eye contact and expression This

involves nodding in agreement, smiling, leaning toward the speaker,
making statements that acknowledge the speaker is being heard.

State your understanding of what you are hearing This can

be done by restating briefly what the other person is saying but don't
make fun of it "So it sounds like these phone calls have ended up
taking a lot more time than you or Jay expected; you think the three
of us should talk about priorities; is this your position?"

Summarize the key points; try to get some agreement on the

next steps and show appreciation for the effort made so far. "So let's
call Jay right now and set up a time when we can meet and iron this
out; keeping the schedule updated is a high priority and I'd like to
get this settled by Wednesday.

A Planning Form for Constructive Feedback

Instructions: Before the feedback session, answer these
questions:
 what is your purpose in giving the feedback
 what specific actions do you want to reinforce or correct?
what are the consequences of the action?
 what do you want to accomplish in this discussion
 what specific information do you need to learn; what
questions do you need to be answered
 what issues of timing, location, preparation, or other
logistics do you need to consider to get the most out of the
discussion

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Observe the basic principles of communication

 use open-ended and close-ended questions appropriately
 use eye contact, encouraging gestures
 focus on the situation, issue, behavior, not the person
 maintain the self-confidence and self-esteem of others
 maintain constructive relationships with your employees,
peers, managers
 use active listening techniques such as stating your
understanding of what you are hearing
 make sure you summarize
 lead by example

What pitfalls do you need to watch out for and how will these
be overcome from your experience, what potential pitfalls will you
need to overcome to achieve success in giving constructive
feedback? How will you overcome these pitfalls

Evaluating the Feedback Session

1. State the constructive purpose of your feedback
2. describe specifically what you have observed
3. describe your reactions
4. give the other person an opportunity to respond
5. offer specific suggestions
6. summarize and express your support

How well did the manager:

 focus on the situation,
 issue or behavior, not on the person
 maintain the self-confidence
 and self-esteem of the other
 maintain constructive relationships
 with your employees, peers, and managers
 take initiative to make things better
 lead by example

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Three Kinds of Interviews

Tell and Sell: Tell and Listen Problem Solving
 fits when the judgment of superior  fits same conditions as left  supervisor no longer judge, but
acceptable to subordinate, when sub.  the objective is to helper; not diagnosing and supplying
can change and desired objectives are communicate accurately; remedies
obtainable give chance to respond  sup. must be willing to accept
 most effective for new employees  there will be defensiveness; ideas for job improvement
 must concentrate on the
 objectives-communicate employee's listening skills critical;
evaluation as accurately as possible; active listening needed; situation, not individual
 the goal is to develop employee
gain employee acceptance of defensive behavior is
 skills needed- skillful
evaluation; reduced; if the boss is an
questioning; skillful communicator
 a most important skill is persuasion effective motivator, can
 the employee will think
 can expect some defensive reaction induce feelings of
constructively if he perceives an
 can be difficult if inappropriate acceptance
opportunity to influence the process
behavior is attractive to subordinate  can be joint problem
 the subordinate will likely feel
 often ineffective approach solving;
some increased job satisfaction, but
 this method encourages behavior  supervisor may change the superior may sacrifice some
focused toward pleasing supervisor  the risk that subordinates control
rather than best thinking may be satisfied but with no  failure if subordinate doesn't
plan to improve job respond

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UNIT-IV
WORK PLACE HUMOUR

There is a lighter side to workplace bullying and mobbing...

Workers talk about the Bosses
 My boss called a department meeting. He said, "My Boss is
visiting today for a plant tour. I want you all to act happy." I
said, "But I have to experience that!".
 My boss wants to fire an employee he doesn't like, but after
a short meeting, he decided not to. He said, "He seems to
have a little cash right now. I'm going to wait until he's more
vulnerable".
 My Boss is like sushi. He's raw.
 When my Boss gets mad he throws papers and pencils and
kicks over the trash can. We call him El-Mean you.
 In a recent discussion, my Boss said, "I think you prefer
your idea just because it's better than mine".
 Overhead at a meeting: "I just okayed that decision, I didn't
approve it".
 My Boss, during his first interview with a handicapped job
applicant: "You know I don't have much contact with
handicapped people. What's it like parking up close at the
mall all the time?"
 I work for a large communications firm. After some
"downsizing" in our department, a group of us went to the
big Boss and asked about our job security. He replied: "You
are 100% secure".
 Two days later, we got pink slips for a month-end layoff!!!!
 The following week the President came to speak to us. He
said, "I know you have gotten conflicting information in the
past, but yours will be the last layoff for now!!! That should
make you feel better".
 "This is the conclusion. I need you to create some facts to
support it".
 "It's okay if the analysis is flawed, the conclusion is correct".

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Office jargon
1. Blamestorming: Sitting around in a group, discussing why a
deadline was missed or a project failed, and who was responsible.
2. Seagull Manager: A manager who flies in, makes a lot of noise,
poops all over everything and then leaves.
3. Chainsaw Consultant: An outside expert was brought in to reduce
the employee headcount, leaving the top brass with clean hands.
4. Cube Farm: An office filled with cubicles.
5. Idea Hamsters: People who always seem to have their idea
generators running.
6. Prairie Dogging: When someone yells or drops something loudly
in a cube farm, and people's heads pop over the walls to see what's
going on.
7. Assmosis: The process by which some people seem to absorb
success and advancement by kissing up to the boss rather than
working hard.
8. Uninstalled: Euphemism for being fired. Heard on the voice mail
of a vice president at a downsizing computer firm: "You have
reached the number of an uninstalled vice president. Please dial
our main number and ask the operator for assistance".
9. Downsizing - Recruitment.
10. Depression: anger without enthusiasm.

Cutting Costs
Due to the current financial status of the company, all employees
are encouraged to adopt the following cost-cutting measures:

Lodging
All employees are encouraged to stay with relatives and friends
while on business travel. If weather permits, public areas such as
parks should be used as temporary lodging sites. Bus terminals, train
stations and office lobbies may provide shelter in periods of
inclement weather.

Transportation
` Hitchhiking is the preferred mode of travel instead of
commercial transport. Luminescent safety vests will be issued to all

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employees before their departure on business trips. Bus

transportation will be used only when work schedules require such
travel. Airline tickets will be authorized in extreme circumstances
and the lowest fares will be used. For example, if a meeting is
scheduled in Seattle, but the lower fare can be obtained by traveling
to Detroit, then travel to Detroit will be substituted for travel to
Seattle.

Meals
Expenditures for meals will be limited to an absolute minimum.
It should be noted that certain grocery and specialty chains, such as
Hickory Farms, General Nutrition Centers, and Costco, Sams stores,
etc. often provide free samples of promotional items. Entire meals
can be obtained in this manner. Travelers should also be familiar
with indigenous roots, berries, and other protein sources available at
their destinations. If restaurants must be utilized, travelers should
use "all you can eat" salad bars.
This is especially effective for employees traveling together as one
plate can be used to feed the entire group. Employees are also
encouraged to bring their food on business travel. Cans of tuna fish,
Spam, and Beefaroni can be consumed at your leisure without the
necessary bother of heating or costly preparation.

Miscellaneous
All employees are encouraged to devise innovative techniques to
save company dollars. One enterprising individual has already
suggested that money could be raised during airport layover periods
which could be used to defray travel expenses. In support of this
idea, red caps will be issued to all employees before their departure
so that they may earn tips by helping others with their luggage.
Small plastic roses and ballpoint pens will also be available to
employees so that sales may be made as time permits.

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Dilbert's Words of Wisdom

1. I can please only one person per day. Today is not your day.
Tomorrow's not looking good either.
2. I love deadlines. I especially love the swooshing sound they
make as they go flying by.
3. Tell me what you need, and I'll tell you how to get along
without it.
4. Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days
you're the statue.
5. Needing someone is like needing a parachute. If he isn't
there the first time you need him, chances are you won't be
needing him again.
6. I don't have an attitude problem. You have a perception
problem.
7. On the keyboard of life, always keep one finger on the
escape key.
8. I do not suffer from stress - I'm a carrier...
9. Everybody is somebody else's weirdo...
10. Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level
then beat you with experience.

Humour
17 Reasons
 It's an incentive to show up.
 It leads to more honest communications.
 It reduces complaints about low pay.
 Employees tell management what they think, not what
management wants to hear.
 It encourages carpooling.
 Increase job satisfaction because if you have a bad job, you
don't care.
 It eliminates holiday leave because people would rather
come to work.
 It makes fellow employees look better.

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 It makes the cafeteria food taste better.

 Bosses are more likely to hand out raises when they are
plastered.
 Salary negotiations are a lot more profitable.
 Employees work later since there's no longer a need to relax
at the pub.
 It makes everyone more open with their ideas.
 Eliminates the need for employees to get drunk on their
lunch break.
 Increases the chance of seeing your boss (or
employee)naked.
 Employees no longer need coffee to sober up.
 Sitting "Bare Bum" on the copy machine will no longer be
seen as "gross".
How to use humor to improve your relationships

First part:
Humor has long been considered one of the most effective tools
to judge the quality of any relationship. If there is laughter present
you can be sure the relationship is a healthy one. When the laughter
ceases the relationship is on the downslide. If you want to have more
fulfilling relationships at home and at work you might want to
consider sharpening your sense of humor as a great place to start.
Here are five ways to improve your sense of humor and improve
your relationships in the process.
1. Begin to cultivate an atmosphere of humor and laughter in
your relationships by focusing on the funny things in life
and enjoying the laughter they evoke. Soon you will be
seeing humor all over and enjoying it fully.
2. If you don‘t laugh as much as you used to and want

Keywords: workplace humor, honor and workplace stress,

humor in the workplace, improve relationships, humor, laughter,
cartoons

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How to Develop Your Sense of Humor

Having a good sense of humor can do many positive things to a
person. It can make them more attractive and more likable. People
who have a good sense of humor have the natural ability to start and
lead a good conversation.
A good sense of humor is not difficult to acquire. Everybody can
develop their innate sense of humor to a level admired by a lot of
people. Here are good tips on how to improve yours.
1. Project a light, humorous air. Your view of things would
count a lot. View the things happening around you as funny
and comical. Find the good and positive side in everything,
instead of always looking at the bad side.
2. Associate yourself with people who are fun and humorous.
If you can't seem to be amusing naturally all on your own,
be with people who are. Some of their witty abilities will
sure brush up on you.
3. Laugh at yourself. Who else will be a good subject of
something funny but you? If you can laugh at yourself and
the rather embarrassing things that you did, that means that
you have enough confidence in yourself. And you are not
afraid to make mistakes at all.
4. Read funny books and remember those good clean jokes.
Select the ones that you can easily insert into any type of
conversation. Collecting good jokes would give you
something to use when the need to break the ice arises.
5. Apply humor in your everyday life. Humor can lighten
things up. Humor can be applied in your workplace, in a
relationship, and in anywhere else. Humor can transform
attitudes – from gloomy to lively and enthusiastic.

Humor eventually leads to a happy disposition. Humor adds

more to an already healthy relationship. And it makes a
miserable one relatively better.
Add humor to your life. That is all you need for a more
zestful and rewarding existence. It does not only make you the

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fountain of happiness of your group. It could also improve your

aura to become a better person yourself.
A good sense of humor is a welcome addition to your
already happy and fulfilled life. Improve your sense of humor
now and see how many people will begin to like you better each
day.

Learning To Laugh
Laughter is the shortest distance between two people. It connects
us, lightens our burdens, and keeps things in perspective. We all
need humor, play, and celebration in our work, family, and
friendships. Being able to laugh helps us solve problems and handle
conflicts. A hearty laugh makes us feel good, even after the laughter
stops. Humor helps reduce stress. It is a socially acceptable way of
releasing feelings of anger and frustration. It reduces tension and
makes us more relaxed.
 Learn to laugh at yourself. Humor lets you know it's OK to
be human. Laughter keeps you from taking yourself too
seriously. If you can live with and laugh at your flaws, you'll
reduce the stress of not always meeting your expectations.
 Laugh together. Nothing in this world is perfect. Neither
are co-workers, family, or friends. Sharing the humor that
often comes from imperfections binds us closer together
instead of separating us.
 Use humor wisely. Don't let humor prevent you from
dealing with important issues in your life. Let humor help
you share openly and talk about feelings and problems.
Likewise, don't try to embarrass or hurt people. Rude
putdowns are not funny.
 Add humor to your everyday life. Take a 5-10 minute
humor break each day. Read jokes, add a note to a humor
journal, and listen to a funny tape. Rent funny videos or
watch TV comedies. If you hear a joke you like, write it
down or tell it to someone else. Start looking for the silly or
funny things that go on around you.

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Group cohesion
Factors
`Whether a group works well or not depends on a whole variety
of different factors. The three classes of variables identified by Davis
are:
 person variables - abilities, personality traits, motives
 environmental variables - the effects of the immediate
location and larger organization, community, social context
 task variables

Person variables
Under 'person variables', for example, it seems quite common
for my young adult students to run into conflicts with their parents,
sometimes to the extent that they move out - so their family group
was not particularly cohesive as a result of person variables.

Environmental variables
Under 'environmental variables', you can probably think of a
group that stopped meeting because they couldn't stand meeting in a
draughty, unheated church hall anymore; in my local union branch,
attendance at meetings has fallen since around half the members
were moved to a different timetable form the others; attendance at
evening classes tends to less regular by those who live far away.
Under 'environmental variables' might also be listed the size of the
group.

Task variables
'Task variables' is perhaps a less obvious term. It refers to factors
associated with the tasks or goals that the group is trying to achieve.
At the time of writing, for example, several Conservative MPs,
including cabinet ministers, are out of sympathy with the pro-
European goals being officially pursued by the party and the
consequences of this disagreement are potentially disastrous for the
party's prospects.

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Stages of Formation
Most writers on the formation and development of groups will
refer to the stages identified by Tuckman (1965) as:
 Forming - at this stage, group members will be uncertain of
the group's structure and its goals or a strategy for achieving
them; they will as a result be quite dependent on the leader;
 Storming - at this stage, conflict and disagreements between
the group members and the leader will arise, as well as
between various sub-groups; there will be a tendency to
rebel against the rules which have been established. If you
accept the basic premise that membership of a group is
motivated by a desire to achieve one's ends more effectively
than a person could as an isolated individual, then this
'storming' stage, where each individual competes for the
dominance of his or her ends, should come as no surprise.
 Norming - the group becomes more mature and cohesive;
group norms develop beyond any formally established rules
 Conforming - conflicts between individuals are resolved;
the group works constructively on problem-solving and
energy is directed towards the task. Of course, not all groups
will go through these stages of development, though you can
probably identify them in groups which you have joined,
whether formally established groups such as a committee or
informal groups such as a circle of friends.

Mature groups
It is quite possible also for a group to be quite cohesive even
though there is plenty of conflict and disagreement. This is fairly
typical of what is often referred to as a mature group, characterized
by positive regard for the members and their opinions, a willingness
to adapt to a point of disagreement and, ultimately, the members''
preparedness to reach a compromise position.

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Conformity and groupthink

The 'conformity' stage can be far less positive than portrayed
above, resulting in rather sterile groupthink. In such a case, the
survival of the group becomes more important than the achievement
of its goals and conflict is deliberately side-stepped to avoid any
threat to the group's existence (whereas the 'mature' group can cope
with disagreement). (For further information on group pressures to
conform, see the sections on social influence). Conceivably, we are
genetically predisposed towards social conformism and
ethnocentrism (i.e. the tendency to support and conform to our
group). Such a predisposition would be advantageous in promoting
cultural group selection in the same way that in natural selection
sharp teeth or the ability to run fast from danger confer an
advantage. Sociobiologists have found it difficult to account for such
behaviors as altruism, co-operation and group loyalty in terms of
Darwin's theory of evolution, which would be expected to lead to
primarily egocentric behavior. However, it might be possible to
demonstrate (theorists disagree over this) that cultures whose
members' behavior is purely egocentric tend to die out whereas
cooperative cultures survive. If so, then it would follow that the
surviving cultures are those with the 'co-operation gene'. (Further, a
brief comment on evolutionary psychology) Not all people conform,
of course, and there is evidence that those who don't tend to have a
healthy level of self-esteem and to have mature social relationships,
as well as being fairly flexible and open-minded in their thinking.

Social loafing
Over half a century ago the German psychologist Ringelman
identified the phenomenon now generally known as social loafing.
He noticed that, as you added more and more people to a group
pulling on a rope, the total force exerted by the group rose, but the
average force exerted by each group member declined. This social
loafing has been identified repeatedly in a variety of experiments
since Ringelman and it now seems to be generally accepted that it is
a widespread phenomenon affecting both sexes, a variety of cultures,

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and a wide range of different group tasks. Social loafing is naturally

a threat to a group's performance (whether a mature group or not).
Tests have shown that it is possible to eliminate social loafing if
things can be arranged so that an individual member's contribution to
the group effort is identifiable. In practice, of course, this can be
very difficult.

Group Cohesion
 The total field of forces that act on members to remain in the
group.
 Two Main Forces that act on members to stay in Group
 The attractiveness of the group--individual's desire for
interpersonal interactions with other group members and a
desire to be involved in the group's activities. (Sense of
satisfaction).
 Means Control--benefits that a member can derive by being
associated with the group.

Task Cohesion
The degree to which members of a group work together to
achieve common goals.

Social Cohesion
Reflects the degree to which members of a team like each other
and enjoy each other's company.

Carron's Model of Factors Affecting Cohesion

1. Environmental Factors
 The most general and remote, refer to the normative forces
holding a group together. (contracts, scholarships, family
expectations)
 These influences can hold a group together, although other
factors such as age, proximity, or eligibility requirements
can also play an important role.

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2. Personal factors
Refer to the individual characteristics of group members, such as
participation motives.
Three Motives
 Task motivation (associated with task cohesion)
 Affiliation motivation (associated with social cohesion)
 Self-motivation (attempt to obtain personal satisfaction)

3. Leadership Factors
 Include leadership style and behaviors that professionals
exhibit and the relationships they establish with their groups.
 The role of leaders is vital to team cohesion.
 Specifically clear, consistent, unambiguous communication
from coaches and captains regarding team goals, etc…

4. Team Factors
 Refer to group characteristics (individual versus team
sports), group productivity norms, desire for group success,
and team stability.
 The Relationship between Cohesion and Performance
 Cohesion increases performance for interacting sports but
decreases or shows no effect on performance for co-acting.
 Co-acting Teams--archery, bowling, golf, rifle, skiing,
wrestling.
 Mixed--football, baseball, track.
 Interacting--basketball, hockey, soccer, volleyball.

Direction of Causality
 Whether cohesion leads to performance success or
performance success leads to cohesion.
 Circular relationship.

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Other Factors Associated With Cohesion

 Team Satisfaction--an individual factor. (Circular)
 Conformity--the more cohesive the group, the more
influence the group has on its members.
 Adherence--exercise groups. Those that feel good cohesion
are more likely to attend more classes, arrive on time, less
likely to drop out, more resistant to disruptions in the group,
more likely to experience positive affect related to exercise,
have stronger efficacy beliefs related to exercise.

Other Factors…
Social Support--there is a positive relationship between the
social support an individual receives and her or his evaluations of
group cohesion.
Stability--refers both to the turnover rate for group membership
and to how long group members have been together.
 The more cohesive a group is, the greater an influence it
will have on individual members to conform to the group's
norms.
 Teams higher in cohesion can better resist disruption than
teams lower in cohesion.
 Teams that stay together longer tend to be more cohesive,
which leads to improvements in performance.

Principles Underlying the Team-Building Program

Team Structure
 Role Clarity and Acceptance--when group members clearly
understand their roles in the group. When group members
are satisfied and accept their roles in the group.
 Leadership
 The type of leadership should coincide with the type of
individuals or vise versa.
 Principles of Team Building
 Conformity to Standards
 Conformity to group social and task norms contributes to
enhanced cohesion.

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Team Environment
 Togetherness--When group members are repetitively put in
close physical proximity, the feeling of cohesion increases.
 Distinctiveness--the presence of group distinctiveness
contributes to group cohesion.

Team Processes
 Sacrifices--when high-status members make sacrifices for
the group, cohesion is enhanced.
 Goals and Objectives--group goals are more strongly
associated with team success than individual goals. Member
participation in goal setting helps cohesion.
 Cooperation--cooperative behavior is superior to
individualistic behavior.
 Common Barriers to Group Cohesion
 Clash of personalities in the group
 Conflict of task or social roles among members of the group
 Breakdown in communication among group members or
between the group leader and members
 One or more members struggling for power
 Frequent turnover of group members
 Disagreement on group goals and objectives
 What Coaches or Leaders can do?
 Communicate effectively
 Everyone is comfortable expressing thoughts and feelings.
 Explain Individual Roles in Team Success
 Develop Pride within Subunits
 Set Challenging Group Goals
 Encourage Group Identity
 Avoid Formation of Social Cliques
 Avoid Excessive Turnover
 Conduct Periodic Team Meetings

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 Know the Team Climate

 Know something personal about each group member
 What Group Members can do
 Get to know members of the group
 Help group members whenever possible
 Give group members positive reinforcement
 Be responsible
 Communicate honestly and openly with the coach or leader
 Resolve conflicts immediately
 Give 100% effort at all times

CRITICAL THINKING QUESTION

You are a new coach who has inherited a high school team that
had a great deal of dissension and infighting last season. Discuss
what you would do before and during the season to build both task
and social cohesion in your team.

10 Tips for Using Your Humor for Good, Not Evil

1. Focus the laughs on yourself. Using your own life and foibles
as the center of your funny stories and jokes, not only reduces
your chances of hurting someone's feelings, it humanizes you in
the eyes of others.

2. Drop the sarcasm. Sarcasm is mean-spiritedness masked as

humor. If you think there‘s even a chance you‘ll wish you hadn‘t
said it, don‘t. Any time a little voice in your head says ―You
might have to apologize for this later,‖ keep it to yourself.

3. Don’t be a humor shark. Sharks maim and injure. They stalk

their prey. They go in for the kill. Too many people use their
sense of humor the same way. Just because you think something
is funny doesn‘t mean it‘s not painful to someone else.

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4. Remember, you are not the god or goddess of comedy. The

only person you get to decide what is and isn‘t funny for is
YOU.

5. Poke fun up, not down. Never make fun of anyone with less
power than you. Better yet, instead of focusing on people and
characteristics over which they have no control, such as age,
gender, ethnicity, weight, etc., focus on situations.

6. Operate under an Implied Humor Contract. If you know

someone well, you know where their hot buttons are. Avoid
those buttons when you‘re trying to be funny. If you don‘t know
someone well yet, be as positive as possible in your use of
humor.

7. Listen to people. You'll get to know what they find funny faster
that way, AND you'll develop a better overall understanding of
how to have a positive relationship.

8. Use your humor to deflect conflict and tension. Someone who

can get a laugh out of a stressful situation is someone who has
learned to use their humor positively.

9. Remember, life is not a comedy club or an HBO special.

Certain topics and language should only be used if you‘re a
professional, it is night, and most of your audience is too drunk
to remember what you said.

10. Just laugh more. You don't have to be "The Funny One" to use
your sense of humor to improve life – simply allow yourself to
see the fun that is out there if you look for it.

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Building Laughter into Your Future

Get out and have some fun. You‘re more likely to laugh out
with friends than sitting at home reliving the stress of your day.

Ego stress is not worth your energy! When faced with a

stressor, ask yourself
 Is my life or health in jeopardy here?
 Is the life or health of anyone else in jeopardy here?
 Is Will getting mad help?
 Try to laugh out loud at least once an hour. Remember, you
don‘t get the physiological (cardiovascular, immune system,
neuromuscular, etc.) and emotional benefits of laughter
unless you do it!
 Find more funny friends and spend plenty of time with
them, especially when you‘re under stress.
 Understand what tickles your funny bone and build plenty of
those situations into your life.
 Never tell yourself or anyone else ―That‘s not funny!‖
 Notes, cards, and buttons, oh my! We all need regular
visual cues to remind us to lighten up.
 You CAN get over yourself and learn to lighten up. You
knew how as a child, you just have to remember.

Group Cohesion and Team Building

1) Develop a Shared Vision and Unity of Purpose
 Team building comes from a clear vision of what the group
is striving to achieve and is tied to commitment,
collaboration, teamwork, individual and mutual
accountability
 A shared vision that has meaning and purpose creates
synergistic empowerment

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2) Develop Pride in Group Membership and an Identity as a

Team
 Point outsources and consequences of taking pride in group
membership
 Get a team to think about the "legacy" they would like to be
remembered by this season

3) Develop a Meaningful and Inspiring Mission for the Team

 Mission statement: solemn unconditional agreement among
group members that spells out the meaningand purpose
behind groups existence affirming ―This is who we are, this
is what we are all about‖. ―what do you want to accomplish
this season, what will it take to get there?‖

4) Develop Complementary Roles and Synergistic Teamwork

 Everyone working together with a collective desire/passion
to succeed
 Understanding and appreciation of each others roles (role
clarity, role acceptance, role importance)
 Create a weekly reward system to recognize athletes who
excel within their roles (effort awards)

5) Individual and Mutual Accountability

 Everyone must be on the same page, working together to
achieve goals that are deemed important

6) Positive Team Culture and Cohesive Group Atmosphere

 Psychosocial factors that influence team chemistry both on
and off the field
 Note distinction b/w task cohesion and social cohesion
 Do things socially together, build a real sense of
camaraderie

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7) Strong Internal Leadership from Within the Group

 Genuine sense of peer helping and social support, stepping
up for what is right, moving team alongin the right direction

8) Ongoing Communication about How Things are Progressing

 Talk openly about the commitment and discipline required
to reach team goals
 Monitor, evaluate, and adjust goals as needed (goal boards)

9) Open and Honest Communication Processes and Trust at All

Levels
 Many communication problems on teams arise from
miscommunication and/or misunderstanding
 Effective communication involves mutual sharing and
mutual understanding
 Athletes respect coaches that are open, honest, genuine,
sincere, and direct
 Listen to others, they will listen to you (demonstrates that
you care)
 Non-verbal communication is just as important as what you
have to say
 Encouragement and support: Find things people are doing
correctly and acknowledge them!
 Remember, just because you have communicated does not
mean you‘ll always get what you want

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UNIT-V
SELF DEVELOPMENT

Improving personality:
Self-Development Tips!
As long as you are still alive, you are capable of changing and
growing. You can do anything you want to do, be anything you want
to be. Listen to some positive thoughts on how to continue your self-
development and then apply them in your own life.

Accept personal responsibility for your growth; no one can do it

for you. What you do today will determine your readiness for
tomorrow. Take time every day to do something for yourself. Take
classes to stay current in your field of expertise. The world is
changing rapidly and you must learn to manage change to avoid
obsolescence. The way Will Rogers put this was that "Even if you
are on the right track if you just sit there you will get run over."

Listen to cassette tapes on personal and professional growth

topics. Never look back to the past-you only can control your
actions in this instant, so what should you be doing right now?
Learn from "other people's experience" rather than having to try
everything for yourself. It shortens the time needed to learn. Dealing
with a problem helps you learn patience and strengthens your
management skills; it is a good mental exercise. Analyze, in a non-
judgmental way, the mistakes in which you were involved. It will
help you to prevent these in the future. Reward yourself when you
catch yourself working on the most important priorities. Never say
something can't or won't be done. Keep looking for ways to do it.

After attending a seminar, report to your boss or other people in

your organization, what the most important things are that you
learned from the program.

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For all learning experiences, whether it is reading, seeing, thinking

or attending, apply the R squared, A-squared formula: Recognize,

Relate, Assimilate, and Apply.

These actions will help you grow in the direction of your goals.
 Eliminate a one-time waster a week from your life.
 Read a minimum of one chapter of a book a day.
 Read a minimum of one book a month.
 Be hungry for what life has to offer and go for it.
 Decide what you desire to do then do it.

When you have the option of reading a book or listening to the

cassette tape version of the program, listen to the tape. It will be
more to the point and can be done while you are driving,
jogging/walking, or getting other routine things done.

 Develop a "mastermind" group of four or five people with

whom you can openly discuss ideas in a nonjudgmental
way.
 Develop yourself as a resource for others by networking.
Find out who does what, when, and for whom. You may
find excellent contacts for your future needs and for the
needs of others you meet.
 Work for balance in your life goals: family, financial,
professional, social, spiritual, and recreational.
 Always keep your goals in mind as you start a new activity.
 If you do a lot of work with the calculator, run the machine
with the hand you don't use for writing.
 Do not be afraid of failing at something. You can learn and
change as a result of it.
 The most difficult projects are opportunities for your biggest
successes just as the most difficult people could become
your strongest allies.

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 Put up pictures of your dreams and goals where you will see
them frequently. They will remind you and aid you in
focusing and visualizing your goal.
 We all have the same 24 hours in a day. Learn from those
people who get more done than you do. Perhaps you can
find a way to improve what you are doing.
 Find a nonjudgmental mentor who will help you by
providing feedback, suggestions, challenges and support.
 Identify some "models" and observe their style and actions.
Do not copy them but learn from their experiences.
 Learn from the errors you see others make as well as from
their successes.
 Fill your mind with positive ideas, thoughts and inspirations
and you will have no room left for the negative.
 Trade jobs with someone so you gain additional experience.
 Ask for and accept lateral moves in the organization so you
learn more about the entire operation.
 Do more than your "self-doubts" say you can.
 Have confidence that you can get through and learn from
anything and everything you experience.
 Reward yourself with a treat when you have completed a
learning objective.
 Keep a daily journal, recording your thoughts, ideas,
feelings and personal growth progress.
 Ask questions, listen, then ask more questions. You will
learn as well as help others learn. Ask yourself, "How can I
manipulate my fate?" Do things with someone you respect.
They will be supportive of you and you will learn from
interacting with them.
 Seek new information on projects for which you have
responsibility. Look for new "ah-ha" ideas all the time.
 Challenge yourself to learn something new every day.
 Remain flexible and constantly adaptable.

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 Be open to others and sincerely interested in them. You can

learn from everyone you meet.
 Mentally rehearse a new skill. Your subconscious does not
know the difference between actual practice and mental
rehearsal.
 Keep a record of what you accomplished the previous
day(s)/week. If you did not accomplish as much as you
wanted, it gives you extra incentive to do better in the next
period.
 Make notes of the questions you want to be answered. Then
as the answers come to you, jot them down next to the
question.
 Work on overcoming personal, nonproductive habits; for
example overeating, smoking, gossip.

Keep an "Idea File" ring binder or notebook in which you

record all new ideas. At least once a week in a standing
appointment with yourself, review your ideas.

Ten Commandments of Self-Development

1. Leave your comfort zone:
Many people feel very comfortable and complacent in their
comfort zone. Comfort zone refers to those areas of work with which
we are happiest or fastest at. It is often observed that people bask in
their previous glory and stop putting further efforts towards
development. Thus, they breed a feeling of indifference within
themselves and towards others around them.

2. Learning is a never-ending process:

This realization could go a very long way in our process of self-
development. Let us remember that education and training is a time-
bound process but this is not the case with learning. One of the
easiest ways to continue learning is to cultivate a reading habit. This
not only enriches your knowledge and skills but helps you to shape

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your personality and character. Busy executives can spend travel

time by reading. It is often rightly said, "A house without books is
like a body without a soul".

3. Attend seminars/conferences/workshops:
Many executives do so but more often than not the choice of the
above depends on factors like location and comforts than on
contents. We should study various seminar brochures and then
decide on those courses which would be of greatest relevance and
value-addition to us. We not only learn by listening to distinguished
speakers but also learn by interacting with each other.
Further, the relationships so built, go a very long way in our
process of self-development. If the company cannot sponsor us for a
course which we think would be useful, one should not hesitate to
invest one's resources for self-enhancement.

4. Develop others:
It is often said that what matters most in our life is what we do
for others. It is our moral responsibility to give back at least
something to society at large. It is strongly recommended that
executives spend time teaching students or contribute to
professional/social organizations like Rotary, Round Table, etc.
Various managers teaching in management institutes often share the
sentiment that they feel more enriched and developed through this
process. Similarly, if we develop our subordinates well enough, it
gives us time to focus on our own.

5. Confront Competition:
The competition gives us the unique opportunity to prove our
abilities and skills. It is healthy to accept that there may be many
others who are better qualified or better equipped than us. This gives
us the positive impetus to do better and reach greater glories. It
would be cowardly and foolish to avoid competition or not accepting
that it exists. Similarly, if the competitor is better than us, we should
strive for excellence. This also helps us to perform better.

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6. Crisis Management:
Any crisis in one's professional or personal life should be
viewed as a challenge and an opportunity to grow and develop. At
the same time, being proactive will go a long way in defusing
problems before they blow up into a major crisis. The greatest
successes that many people have enjoyed are in tackling the most
difficult crisis. To quote Joan of Arc "all battles are first won or lost
in the mind".

7. Practice what you preach:

"Easier said than done" is an often-repeated remark. But to lead
by example is the best way to develop oneself. It is here that
executives should ensure that they do not become hypocrites. Many
executives set double standards and indulge in questionable
behavior. This ruins their credibility among their peers, superiors
and subordinates.

8. Develop your mission statements:

Many executives confess that their current positions and
qualifications have been acquired by accident rather than by design.
However, this may not always be true. It is strongly recommended
that all executives develop their mission statement and try to achieve
it. This mission statement should be at the macro-level or even cover
about 2-3 years. Once we have identified and conceptualized our
mission statement, the charm and the challenge come from living to
achieve it. This perhaps could be the most rewarding and enjoyable
route to self-development.

9. Introspection/feedback:
Feedback is an excellent tool for motivation and success. It is
important to develop the maturity to accept negative feedback in the
right spirit. Furthermore, we should realize that different people
might perceive us in different ways. The ideal situation would be
when our self-image coincides with how others perceive us. It is
here that introspection could help to a great extent. Whilst praises

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and compliments prove the right energizers, our assessment is very

valuable and important.

10. Remember:
No one is indispensable many executives believe that they are
indispensable to the organization and that their absence could make
the organization collapse. Whilst this is wishful thinking, it is often
not true. Besides, the executive's efficiency should be proved in his
absence and not in his presence. If the executive has practiced
delegation and time management, he surely can find time for his
development. Thus, not attending seminars/workshops by claiming
to be indispensable is only an exaggeration. Let us remember that
everybody is important but nobody is indispensable.

Top 8 Tips to Improve Your Personality

Every person desires to improve his or her personality.
It is quite evident in the methods and processes that are being
employed to accomplish this particular goal. This is perhaps the
reason why people buy new clothes or cut their hair. They improve
their image and other things related to changing their appearances.
Personality goes beyond external appearance. It includes
dispositions, traits, qualities, speech, and other things innate in the
person.

Here are some tips for improving personality:

1. Be interested in people. Try to discover what other people
want. Know their likes, dislikes, interests, and beliefs. By
doing this, you will be regarded as a person with an
attractive and pleasing personality.
2. Assume that people like you. If you show the other person
that you want people to talk to you, they will react to you
with warmth.
3. Admit your weaknesses. Do not regard yourself as a
perfect person. Just as persons have strengths, they also have

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their weaknesses. To improve your personality, you should

admit that you also have defects.
4. Admire your friends. Praise them for their achievements.
Tell them how attractive they look. Make them feel how
important they are to you. By this, they will also give
importance.
5. Associate with people who are successful and happy.
Seek the companionship of others who can give you new
points of view, renewed hopes, and meaningful life. Ask for
their advice and guidance. They can give you valuable
insights into their experiences in life. You can learn from
their insights and apply their insights to improve your
personality.
6. Attend social gatherings. Social gatherings can increase
your circle of friends. Social events can likewise give you
new insights and experiences. It can help improve your
relationships with other people and your community. Social
gatherings can help you develop your communication skills.
7. Change your environment. Go on vacation or rest in a
new place. Renovate your house and fix your furniture.
Introduce changes in your environment.
8. Learn new things. Learn how to cook or play the piano.
Enroll in voice lessons. Indulge in gardening. By doing this,
you are expanding your horizons.

Aside from this, you can also develop your skills in other areas
such as public speaking and understanding other people‘s attitudes
and beliefs.
Improving your personality takes a lot of work and dedication.
While it may take a lot of work, it can be worthwhile and fun
because you are focusing your attention on improving relationships
with others and yourself.

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Some other ways to Improve Your Personality

 Contrary to what you may believe, you can improve your
personality.
 "We continue to shape our personality all our life. If we
knew ourselves perfectly, we should die."
 The "personality" is the typical pattern of thinking, feeling,
and behaviors that make a person unique.
 When we say that someone has a "good personality" we
mean that they are likable, pleasant to be around, and good
to socialize with.
 Everyone wants to be attractive to others. Having a good
personality helps - perhaps even more so than good looks.
 While we can improve our looks to only a certain extent, we
can work on improving our personality as much as we want.

Here are some ways in which we can accomplish this:

1. Be a better listener. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was
considered one of the most charming women in the world
because she cultivated the skill of being an exceptional
listener. She would look a person in the eyes and hang on to
their every word. Nothing is more appealing than having
someone listening to you intently and making you feel like
you're the only person in the world.
2. Read More and Expand Your Interests. The more you
read and interests you have, the more interesting you are to
others. It also allows you to meet people and share or
exchange your views with them.
3. Be a good conversationalist. This relates to how much you
read and know. Once you have much to contribute, learn
how to talk about it with others. We can‘t know everything,
so it‘s refreshing to learn about things we don‘t have time to
read about from others. If you‘re shy join a group like
Toastmasters that encourages you to talk about what you
know.

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4. Have an Opinion. There‘s nothing more tiresome than

trying to talk to someone who has no opinion on anything. A
conversation has nowhere to go if you have nothing to
expound on. When you have a differing opinion, it makes
you that much more interesting and stimulating to be around
(unless you‘re a know-it-all, of course). A unique outlook
expands everyone‘s perspective.
5. Meet New People. Make the effort to meet new people
especially those different from you. It not only exposes you
to different cultures and alternate ways of doing things, but
it also broadens your horizons.
6. Be yourself. The next most tiresome thing after having no
opinions is to try and be something you‘re not. Trying to
mold yourself to fit in and be accepted usually backfires.
Everyone is unique and expressing that uniqueness is what
makes us interesting. If we try to be a carbon copy of
someone else, the lack of genuineness comes across.
7. Have a positive outlook and attitude. No one wants to be
around people who are negative, complain a lot, or have
nothing good to say. Most of us run when we see them
coming. Be the kind of upbeat person that lights up a room
with your energy. You can do this by looking for the best in
people and things.
8. Be fun and see the humorous side of life. We all like to be
around someone who makes us laugh or smile. Look for the
humorous or quirky side in situations. There always is one.
When you are fun and lighthearted people are naturally
attracted to you.
9. Be supportive of others. This is probably the most
endearing quality you can integrate into your personality.
Just as you welcome it when you receive it, be the support
for others when they need it. Everyone wants a cheerleader,
someone who encourages and believes in them, in their
corner.

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10. Have Integrity and treat people with respect. Be honest

and true to your word and you will have the admiration and
respect of others. Respect others and you will have their
attention and gratitude. Nothing improves a person‘s
personality more than integrity and respect - respect for
others as well as respect for yourself.

Leading with Integrity

Defining Integrity
Integrity comes from the Latin integral, meaning "wholeness".
Integrity--acting as a whole. Webster defines it as 1) soundness, 2)
adherence to a code of values: utter sincerity, honesty, candor and 3)
completeness. To many, it's the measure of a person's character.

10 Steps to Leading with Greater Integrity

In this fast-paced, competitive world our integrity is often
challenged. As leaders, we must set our standards high, especially
because others look to us for guidance and direction and often model
our behavior. You've probably mastered some of the 10 steps and
find others to be more of a challenge. Practiced consistently,
especially in difficult times, you'll be a stronger leader with more
loyal followers.
1. Articulate your vision. Define and state your view of the
future. What is it about your vision that will inspire others to
follow?
2. Define the principles you stand for. Identify your highest
principles, values and convictions. When two or more
conflicts know which one is the more important--so that
others will know where you stand. Draw your line between
what you deem as ethical and unethical behavior.
3. Stand up for your principles and values-- even when it's
not a popular stance to take. This can be very difficult in our
current business, economic and social climate. But, if you
don't stand up for what you believe, who will?

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4. Respect other's beliefs. Be a good listener. As Stephen

Covey says in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,
"Seek first to understand, then to be understood." By
listening and asking the right questions, you'll find that the
gulf separating differences is often narrower than you think.
5. Lead by example. Know the business you're in--the
technical business and its standards--and equally as
important the communication and the leadership business.
6. Build trust and credibility. When you make a mistake
acknowledge it and let others know how you'll address it.
Give others the credit they deserve. Be a person of your
word.
7. Hold others accountable for the standards you and they set.
8. Demonstrate emotional self-control. Few people want to
follow a screamer or a whiner.
9. Pay attention to what end you use your authority and
expertise. Keep your eye on the goal and the best possible
solution, rather than on having to be right or having it your
way.
10. Be the person you would choose to follow.

Phase One - Setting down Principles.

When confronted with a challenging situation, the first step is to
determine what our principles are. This may not be as easy as it
sounds, particularly when faced with a difficult decision!! To work
through this study, you will need to use as an example which you are
either faced with currently (preferably) or have experienced recently.
What are your principles that apply to this situation?? Write them
down. This is very important - whilst we may think that we know
what our principles are - setting it down on paper is a real test of
whether that clarity is genuine!! Don't be surprised if you find it
difficult - most people need some quality thinking time to get clear
on their principles. Christian leaders also may expect that it is easy
to write down Christian principles, but too often we can fall into a
combination of Christian or management jargon!

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The chances are you may need to expand on what you have
written. For example, you may have written "love", or even "love for
every individual concerned". But perhaps it needs to go deeper to
clarify what maintaining a love for each means. These principles
must include all the relevant principles you are applying, not just
those that you think are "Christian". For example, in a work
situation, you may well have "building long-term shareholder value"
as a principle. If key ones are missing from your list, you may not
feel comfortable with a decision.

Phase Two - Developing Solutions

Now list your possible solutions. There may be a solution that
meets all of the principles. It may even be a good one!! However, the
chances are that there is no easy solution that comfortably fits all the
principles. Otherwise, you would probably not have selected it as an
example of a difficult decision. More often we are faced with four or
five possibilities, each with its advantages and drawbacks.

Phase Three - Exploration of Alternatives.

`The next phase is to work through each principle in turn,
understanding it in depth. For Christian Leaders, this is where the
Bible Study comes in. Take some time to think of the biblical
examples, models and passages that have led you to adopt this
principle. List them, and explore how they may be relevant to your
situation. The first time you do this will take time, but as you
become used to the approach it will speed up!
You may struggle to think of relevant biblical models or
passages for some of your principles. This does not mean that your
principle is wrong. What it does suggest, however, is being clear
why you hold it as a principle!! There is an example below of a
principle and its biblical foundation. Although this is an illustration,
it may give you some thoughts on how to approach this.
This seeks to illustrate the process of exploring the biblical basis
for a principle. This example does not provide an exhaustive biblical
exposition of delegation - and it is unlikely that you will have time

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to fully explore all of your principles. Rather, it takes the 80/20

approach, noting the first four examples that come to mind, along
with some key points.

Principle: "Invest time to share responsibility with others so that

they can grow."

Implications of Principle
I will accept the risk that tasks may not get done as well as I
would have done them to allow colleagues the room to grow. This is
likely to have long-term benefits and risks a short-term opportunity
cost. However, staying close to them in a coaching role should
increase their growth, and minimize the risk.

Phase four - praying into action.

As you work through each principle, you may become aware of
indicated action that the principal points towards. For instance, the
principle of "love for each individual" may point you towards
explaining your decision one on one with each person affected by it.

Final Thoughts
Finally, having worked through all your principles, then spend
some time in prayer. This is a major help for Christian leaders to
maintain integrity. God is interested in all of our problems - He's
told us so!! This does not guarantee that the decision we make will
be the right one! But, finally, we need to take the decision and act
accordingly. Explaining the principles behind our decision can
sometimes help others accept the solution we have come to and can
support their view of our integrity - they may not agree with the
decision but can appreciate why you have made it.

Pause for Thought:

Consider your leadership: would you consider yourself to be
exercising situation-based leadership or principle-based leadership?
(Are your decisions based on what is expedient for the current

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situation, or to what degree are they based on principles.) Spend

some time in prayer asking God to show you where your integrity
may risk being compromised.

Through our work with individuals and organizations, we help

leaders:
1. Communicate with diverse audiences and constituencies
2. Expand the scope of their leadership style, influence and
behaviors
3. Build Their Careers through leadership, management and
communication skills
4. Be Ethical, compassionate and
5. Get The Results they want.

Enhancing Creativity
Thomas Edison once explained his creativity by saying, "Genius
is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration." Many studies of
creativity show that "genius" owes as much to persistence and
dedication as it does to inspiration (Hunt, 1982). Once it is
recognized that creativity can be hard work, and then something can
be done to enhance it.

Suggestions:
1. Define the problem broadly. Whenever possible, enlarge the
definition of a problem. For instance, assume your problem is
"Design a better doorway." This is likely to lead to ordinary
solutions. Why not change the problem to Design a better way to
get through a wall? Now your solutions will be more original.
Best of all might be to state the problem as Find a better way to
define separate areas for living and working. This could lead to
truly creative solutions (Adams, 1980) (as long as you are
solving the problem and not solving some other one). Asking a
group to think about opening in general before introducing the
problem of designing a new can opener--group came up with the

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solution of a self-opening can having considered that nature (pea

pods seams) have its openers
.
2. Create the right atmosphere. People make more original,
spontaneous, and imaginative responses when exposed to others
(models) doing the same. If you want to become more creative,
spend more time around creative people. This is the premise
underlying much education in, theater, dance, and music
.
3. Allow time for incubation. Trying to hurry or to force a
problem's solution may simply encourage fixation on a dead
end. Subjects were asked to list as many consequences as
possible that would follow if people no longer needed to eat.
Most subjects rapidly produced several ideas and then ran dry.
After working for a time, some subjects were interrupted and
required to do another task for 20 minutes. Then they turned to
the original question. The interruption improved their scores,
even though they worked no longer than the control group
(Fulgosi& Guilford, 1968).

4. Seek varied input. Remember, creativity requires divergent

thinking. Rather than digging deeper with logic; you are
attempting to shift your mental 'prospecting' to new areas. As an
example of this strategy, Edward de Bono (1970) recommends
that you randomly look up words in the dictionary and relate
each to the problem. Often this activity will trigger a fresh
perspective or open a new avenue.

5. Look for analogies. As the principle of selective comparison

suggests, many "new" problems are really old problems in new
clothing. Representing a problem in a variety of ways is often
the key to the solution. Most problems become easier to solve
when they are effectively represented. 6. Delay evaluation.
Various studies suggest that people are most likely to be creative
when they are given the freedom to play with ideas and solutions

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without having to worry about whether they will be evaluated. In

the first stages of creative thinking, it is important to avoid
criticizing your efforts. Worrying about the correctness of
solutions tends to inhibit creativity (Amabile, 1983).

Brainstorming
An alternative approach to enhancing creativity. The essence of
brainstorming is that production and criticism of ideas are kept
separate. To encourage divergent thinking in group problem solving,
participants are encouraged to produce as many ideas as possible
without fear of criticism or evaluation. Only after a brainstorming
session is complete are ideas reconsidered and evaluated. As ideas
are freely generated, an interesting cross-stimulation effect takes
place in which one participant's ideas trigger ideas from others. The
four basic rules for successful brainstorming are:
1. Criticism of an idea is barred. All evaluation is to be
deferred until after the session.
2. Modification or combination with other ideas is encouraged.
Don't worry about giving credit for ideas or keeping them
neat. Mix them up!
3. Quantity of ideas is sought. In the early stages of
brainstorming, quantity is more important than quality. Try
to generate lots of ideas.
4. Unusual, remote, or wild ideas are sought. Let your
imagination run amok!
The important point to remember is to suspend judgment. Ideas
should first be produced without regard for logic, organization,
accuracy, practicality, or any other evaluation. In writing an essay,
for instance, you would begin by writing ideas in any order, the
more the better, just as they occur to you. Later you would go back
and reorganize, rewrite, and criticize your efforts.

Creativity Checklist (helpful for encouraging original thought--

can be used to see if you have overlooked a possible solution. By
making a habit of subjecting a problem to each of these procedures,

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you should be able to greatly reduce the chances that you will
overlook a useful, original, or creative solution.):
1. Redefine. Consider other uses for all elements of the
problem. (This is designed to alert you to fixations that may
be blocking creativity.)
2. Adapt. How could other objects, ideas, procedures, or
solutions be adapted to this particular problem?
3. Modify. Imagine changing anything and everything that
could be changed.
4. Magnify. Exaggerate everything you can think of. Think on
a grand scale.
5. Minify. What if everything were scaled down? What if all
differences were reduced to zero? "Shrink" the problem
down to size.
6. Substitute. How could one object, idea, or procedure be
substituted for another?
7. Rearrange. Break the problem into pieces and shuffle them.
8. Reverse. Consider reverse orders, and opposites, and turn
things inside out.
9. Combine. This one speaks for itself.

Decision Making
Decision-Making Techniques
How to Make Good Decisions
If you want to lead effectively, you need to be able to make good
decisions. If you can learn to do this in a timely and well-considered
way, then you can lead your team to spectacular and well-deserved
success. However, if you dither or make poor decisions, your team
risks failure and your time as a leader will probably be brutally
short.
The techniques in this section help you to make the best
decisions possible with the information you have available. They
help you map out the likely consequences of decisions, work out the
importance of individual factors, and choose the best courses of
action.

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The section starts with some simple techniques that help you to
make decisions where many factors are claiming your attention. It
then moves on to explain more powerful techniques, such as the use
of Decision Trees, 6 Thinking Hats and Cost/Benefit Analysis,
which are routinely used in commercial Decision Making.

Premium Tools:
The Delphi Technique - Achieving well thought through
consensus among experts
Avoiding Groupthink - Avoiding fatal flaws in group
decision making
Impact Analysis - Identifying the "unexpected"
consequences of a decision
Inductive Reasoning - Drawing good generalized
conclusions
The Kepner-Tregoe Matrix - Making unbiased, risk assessed
decisions
The Ladder of Inference - Avoiding "jumping to
conclusions"
Nominal Group Technique - Prioritizing issues and projects to
achieve consensus
Prioritization - Making the best use of your time
and resources
Reactive Decision Making - Making good decisions under
pressure

The Classic Approach to Decision Making

1. Define the objective
2. Collect relevant information
3. Generate feasible options
4. Make the decision
5. Implement and evaluate

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12 Effective Leadership Roles

A. Permit group decisions; help your team reach better decisions...

Create an Inspiring Vision & Lead by Example

1. Create an inspiring vision, establish shared values, give
direction and set stretch goals
2. Create change, lead change, manage resistance to change
3. Lead by example; practice what you preach; set an example,
and share risks or hardship
4. Demonstrate confidence; win respect and trust without
courting popularity

B. Empower, Inspire, and Energize People

5. Be enthusiastic; inspire and energize people, create a
positive work environment
6. Empower people; delegate authority; be open to ideas; have
faith in the creativity of others
7. Communicate openly and honestly; give clear guidelines; set
clear expectations
8. Empathize; be willing to discuss and solve problems; listen
with understanding; support and help

C. Build and Lead a Team

9. Use team approach; facilitate cooperation; involve everyone;
trust your group; rely on their judgment
10. Bring out the best in your people; have common touch with
them; coach and provide feedback
11. Permit group decisions; help your team reach better
decisions
12. Monitor progress, but don't micromanage; avoid close
supervision; do not over boss; do not dictate

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Four Psychological Types of Decision-Makers

1. Intuitives – led by intuition; concentrate on the possibilities;
avoid the details and tend to look at the bigger picture.
2. Thinkers – are analytical, precise, and logical; process a lot
of information, often ignoring the emotional or feeling
aspects.
3. Feelers – are interested in the feelings of others; dislike
intellectual analysis and follow their likes and dislikes;
enjoy working with people and are capable of great loyalty.
4. Sensors – see things as they are; have great respect for facts;
have an enormous capacity for detail and seldom make errors;
are good at putting things in context.

Confirm Your Values before Making Decisions

1. Choose to be principle-based! How often do you allow
fleeting circumstances to influence your choices?
2. Choose to be deliberate! What mission are you pursuing
right now?
3. Choose to be dedicated! How does your mission benefit
from your current task?

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Decision Making Tips

 Where possible, build into your plans time 'to sleep on it, to
allow your inner brain to contribute.
 Use the ―master method‖ of decision making: ask yourself,
―What is the worst possible thing that can go wrong in this
situation?‖ and decide whether or not you can live with
those consequences.

Suggestions for Building Leadership Integrity

Tough decisions will always be a challenge to Integrity. At such
times it takes courage to do the right things. Leadership with
integrity acknowledges accountability and responsibility. Step up to
the task, don't waste time over-analyzing. If you embrace integrity
you will know what to do.

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The following strategies provide a useful framework for making

effective decisions.
1. Determine the problem and identify the goals to be
accomplished by your decision.
2. Engage your intuition. Get in touch with your instant feeling
on the situation and make note of it.
3. Collect data. Don't be too obsessed with researching every
piece of available information.
4. Identify the actions needed to accomplish your established
goals.
5. Develop a list of pros and cons for each possible action
(each pro and con need not be weighted equally). Monitor
your emotional reactions to each option.
6. Enlist the opinions of others and then make an intuitive
judgment about the best action to perform.
It can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours or days
to make a smart decision. To avoid wallowing around in an
indecisive rut, concentrate on making timely decisions sooner rather
than later. The emphasis on effective decision-making is finding that
perfect balance between efficient use of time, collecting just enough
data, and listening to your intuition.

What are different methods for team decision-making?

Many types of decision-making models can be studied and used
by teams. Understanding decision-making models allows teams to
make intentional choices about which model might be most
appropriate for the various decisions that they confront.
Individuals benefit from understanding decision models by
becoming aware of how cognitive and affective biases can both
positively and negatively impact how we work to influence our team
on making a decision. Being aware of our biases can limit any
negative impact from our biases. The models below describe how we
work to affect and manipulate the team decision-making process,
sometimes in productive ways and at times in detrimental ways for
team decisions.

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As a team, understanding decision-making models so that the

team can make the best decision is valuable. The ―best decision‖ is
described as a decision that (1) would not have been thought of by
an individual alone, (2) is a sound solution to the problem, (3) is a
decision based upon input, as unbiased as possible, from each team
member, and (4) addresses the team‘s goal for the decision-making
process.
Johnson and Johnson describe seven methods/processes that a
team might use to make a decision.5 Each method, along with its
strengths and weaknesses, is discussed below.

Method 1. Decision made by the authority without group

discussion
Process: The designated leader makes all decisions without
consulting group members.

Strengths Weaknesses
 Takes minimal time to make  No group interaction
decision
 Commonly used in  Team may not understand
organizations the decision or be unable to
implement the decision
 High on the assertiveness  Low on cooperation scale
scale

Appropriate Times for Method 1

 Simple, routine, administrative decisions; little time
available to make a decision; team commitment required to
implement the decision is low.

Method 2. Decision by expert

Process: Select the expert from the group let the expert consider
the issues, and let the expert make decisions
.

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Strengths Weaknesses
 Useful when one person on  Unclear how to determine
the team has the who the expert is (team
overwhelming expertise members may have different
opinions)
 No group interaction
 May become popularity
issue or power issue

Appropriate Times for Method 2

a. Result is highly dependent on specific expertise; clear
choice for expert, team commitment required to implement
decision is low.

Method 3. The decision by averaging individuals' opinions

Process: Separately ask each team member his/her opinion and
average the results.
Strengths Weaknesses
 extreme opinions canceled  no group interaction, team
out members are not truly
involved in the decision
 Error typically canceled out  Opinions of least and most
knowledgeable members
may cancel
 Group members consulted  Commitment to the
decision may not be strong
 Useful when it is difficult to  Unresolved conflict may
get the team together to talk exist or escalate
 Urgent decisions can be  May damage future team
made effectiveness

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Appropriate Times for Method 3

 Time available for decision is limited; team participation is
required, but lengthy interaction is undesirable; team
commitment required to implement the decision is low.

Method 4. Decision made by the authority after group discussion

Process: The team creates ideas and has discussions, but the
designated leader makes the final decision. The designated leader
calls a meeting, presents the issue, listens to discussion from the
team, and announces her/his decision.

Strengths Weaknesses
 Team used more than  Team is not part of the
methods 1–3 decision
 Listening to the team  Team may compete for the
increases the accuracy of the reader's attention
decision
 Team members may tell
leader ―what he/she wants to
hear‖
 Still may not have a
commitment from the team
to the decision

Appropriate Times for Method 4

 Available time allows team interaction but not agreement;
clear consensus on authority; team commitment required to
implement decision is moderately low.

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Method 5. Decision by minority

Process: A minority of the team, two or more members who
constitute less than 50% of the team, make the team's decision

Strengths Weaknesses
 Method often used by  Can be railroading
executive committees
 Method can be used by  May does not have full team
temporary committees commitment to the decision
 Useful for a large number  May create an air of
of decisions and limited competition among team
time members
 Some team perspective  Still may not have a
and discussion commitment from the team to
the decision

Appropriate Times for Method 5

 Limited time prevents convening the entire team; clear
choice of a minority group; team commitment required to
implement the decision is moderately low.

Method 6. The decision by majority vote

Process: This is the most commonly used method in the United
States (not synonymous with the best method). Discuss the decision
until 51% or more of the team members make the decision.
Strengths Weaknesses
 Useful when there is  Taken for granted as the
insufficient time to decide by natural, or only, a way
consensus for teams to make a
decision
 Useful when the complete  Team is viewed as the
team-member commitment is ―winners and the losers‖;
unnecessary for implementing a reduces the quality of
decision decision

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 Minority opinion not

discussed and may not be
valued
 May have an unresolved
and unaddressed conflict
 Full group interaction is
not obtained

Appropriate Times for Method 6

 Time constraints require decision; group consensus
supporting voting process; team commitment required to
implement decision is moderately high.

Method 7. Decision by consensus

Process: Collective decision arrived at through an effective and
fair communication process (all team members spoke and listened,
and all were valued).

Strengths
 Most effective method of 
team decision making
 All team members express 
their thoughts and feelings
 Team members ―feel
understood‖
 Active listening used
Weaknesses
Takes more time than
methods 1–6
Takes psychological energy
and a high degree of team-
member skill (can be
negative if individual team
members not committed to
the process)

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Appropriate Times for Method 7

 Time available allows a consensus to be reached; the team is
sufficiently skilled to reach a consensus; the team
commitment required to implement the decision is high.
 Method 7 takes well-practiced communication skills from all
team members. Review prior section on environments for
decision making and other inducements on effective
communication and conflict management.

Methods for Decision Marking—Retrospective

These seven methods/strategies for decision-making all have
strengths and challenges. However, repeatedly, Method 7 (Decision
by consensus) has positive long-standing results regarding team
decision-making.

Compulsory and Optional Decisions

There are many different kinds of decisions, of course, from the
very concrete to the very vague. Some decisions must be made and
those that can be put off or not decided at all.
Sometimes, a concrete decision is required. You have to decide
if you want to keep living in that house before the mortgage comes
due, or a decision will be made for you. But other decision situations
are optional: you can decide if you want to change your lifestyle,
your car, or where you live. Your decisions fall into one of these two
categories.
But either way, compulsory or optional, you're usually faced
with some choice in decision making. Even if you must make a
decision, you usually can choose how you implement it.

Decision Making in Real Life

Your decisions are no doubt limited by many real-life
constraints -- finances, relationships, jobs, and other things over
which you don't have full control. These make up the backdrop
against which your decisions are made. Making life more
complicated, there's often more than one "correct" decision, and
more than one "wrong" choice." But there are certainly guides to

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decision making that can help you to think about and arrive at -- not
the "right" decision -- but an appropriate and effective decision.

Making Appropriate Decisions

As you think about appropriate decisions, consider the fact that
many of your choices have consequences, certainly to yourself and
possibly to others. As you think about decisions, consider three
factors:

Responsibility. Some decisions are not choices at all, but

requirements, especially when attached to personal responsibility. If
you're a parent, for instance, you must ensure the health and safety
of your children. Especially consider who will be affected by your
decisions and for whom you may be responsible.
Spontaneity versus Impetuousness. Sometimes there's no reason to
not act on a whim or make a quick choice. It's healthy to be
spontaneous at times. On the other hand, acting without thinking can
be impetuous and foolhardy. As you make decisions, think about the
difference between being spontaneous and being impetuous.
Long Term Effects. Take into account that decisions you make now
may have effects that stay with you for a long time. Buying a new
wardrobe of clothes, seeking a new career, or moving from one
home to another in the same community may involve some deep
decision-making, but none represent necessarily radical changes.
Selling your home and moving to another state or giving up your job
are far more significant decisions in terms of their long-term impact,
and are often difficult decisions to later reverse.

Steps to Effective Decision Making

It's especially valuable to have a guide to decision-making. Here
are some simple steps to follow as you first think about, and then
make decisions. - Recognize that you have choices in the first place.
Most of the time, you're not simply a recipient of the way things
"have" to be.

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Consider the nature of the problem that you're trying to resolve.

Every decision is a response to a situation: what is the issue,
problem, or situation you need to address?
Think of all the possible choices you have. List every possible
choice, including the outlandish ones. Be creative -- what decisions
could be made?
List the rational and realistic choices. Break your list of possible
decisions into those that are unrealistic and those that are possible.
Evaluate your choices. Think about the possible decisions that you
can realistically make. Which most fit the circumstances of the
problem you're trying to resolve, and the circumstances of your life?
If only one choice comes up, you may even come up with a clear
decision at this point.
Consequences. What are the downsides to your possible choices?
Who will be affected, and how? How will your possible choices
affect your life, your finances, and your relationships?
Reflection. Think about the decision you're planning to make: what
will it feel like to make that choice? What will it feel like to not
make that choice? Is the decision you're pondering permanent or is it
reversible?
Thinking Things Through. It's important to have a way to consider
choices, think them through, and have a process by which to make
well-considered decisions. The more important the decision, the
more important the decision-making process

Sensible Communication
The Top 10 Sensible Assumptions about Communication
1. 1.As much as 80% of the message sent in communication, is
nonverbal.
2. Assume the next message that you send will be
misunderstood.
3. Don't worry about being clear; worry about being
understood.
4. A word means exactly what you mean it to; and something
completely different to another person.

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5. The connotations of a word are just as important, perhaps

more so, than the meaning.
6. With anyone with whom you communicate regularly and
intimately, there will develop a private language of
shorthand references, special terms and private meanings, in
which case the conventional meanings of words may
disappear.
7. If you are with someone, you are communicating. Whether
you 'mean to' or not.
8. 87% of the information that reaches our brains comes in
through our eyes.
9. Most people use words to hide meaning, not reveal it.
10. People have very different communication styles and
sometimes they don't meet or match at all.

LISTENING GAME
Listening Game: The most influential experience
1. Divide the group of people in two by counting off into twos.
The group should have even-numbered people. If the group
is odd-numbered, then ask the last person whose number is
'one' to be the observer. Take all the 'ones' outside the room.
(This listening game will work well when you have a co-
facilitator.)
2. The co-facilitator steps out of the room with the 'ones', while
you stay in the room with the 'twos'
3. Instructions to the 'ones': "Take a few moments and reflect
on an incident which had a dramatic influence on your life.
It should fit into the category of 'life-changing.
4. "After a while, you'll go back to the room. There you'll find
your colleagues sitting in different parts of the room with an
empty chair in front of them. You can take the empty chair
before anybody you choose.
5. "Once you are seated begin to tell that person the 'one most
influential event' in your life. After you have finished, your
partner will summarize what you told her."

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6. Room arrangement with the 'twos' during this listening

game: Get the twos to spread out in the room (not huddle
around one area of the room) and sit on a chair. Other than
their chair they should have an empty chair facing them.
Have the 'twos' sit on one of the pairs of chairs.
7. Instructions for the 'twos': "After a while, the ones will come
into the room and each one will occupy one of the empty
chairs. So that means each one of you will have one
colleague sitting in front of you.
"They will begin to tell you about an experience that they have
had in their lives. Your task is to ignore them as unobtrusively as
possible. Your body language will involve sitting back, not meeting
their eyes, twiddling with something in your hand like a pen or a
pencil and possibly doodling. "You'll continue this 'non-listening
behavior until the trainer gives you a signal like knocking on the
table with a marker. (Set a signal with the 'twos' that is mutually
agreeable to you and them. It should be something audible above the
din as well as unobtrusive.) " As soon as you hear the sound
transform your body language to one of listening. Lean forward,
meet the speaker's eyes, stop twiddling and doodling. Once your
partner has finished relating her piece, summaries to hear what you
heard." Now play this listening game exactly as per your instructions
above. You'll find that when the 'ones' walk in there is a momentary
hesitation in choosing a partner. Then they briskly walk up and sit
down in front of one person. Some behaviors that you will notice in
this listening game. Some of them start to speak immediately,
despite the fact their partners are not listening. Out of these, some
will stop talking on noticing that they are not being heard, while
others will plow on. The ones who stop speaking, you'll notice will
either look offended or will try and attract the attention of the
listeners.
Some of them will just sit down and wait for the listeners to look
up and start listening. There's also a certain tension you'll sense
because of the non-listening behavior. The listeners you'll find are
squirming in their seats because they have to keep themselves from

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listening to their partners. They can partially hear the speakers

relating 'life-changing experiences, their voices heavy with emotion
and they are not expected to listen. As the listening game reaches
this point and you give the prearranged signal, there's a marked
change in the emotional content of the room. There's interaction,
good listening behavior from the listeners and almost a relieved
continuation of the conversation by the speakers. Some other
behaviors you will notice in the room during this listening game:
Anger among some of the speakers, so much so that they refuse to
speak. Disinterest among the speakers, who are now completing the
activity very mechanically. Sometimes there are instances of
weeping as the speakers are very hurt by the listeners' behavior.
Consequently, the listeners are trying their best to gain control of the
situation once again.

Debrief of Listening game:

Before you begin the debrief ask the listeners and speakers to sit
in a row facing each other, the listeners in one row and the speakers
in the other.
1. First ask the listeners to respond to the following questions:
2. How do you feel? What are you learning?
3. You'll hear about all the behavior and feelings that you
noticed while the game was in progress.
4. While the speakers want to share too, try and contain them
till it's their turn to respond to the debrief questions.
5. Once again you will hear about the observations that you
made earlier.
6. You'll also sense amazement and hear sheepish laughter at
the discoveries they have made about themselves.
7. They will express learnings like :

 'I realize that I have done this with quite a few people and
when it happened to me I did not like it at all. I have decided
that I will never ignore people again.'

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 'I felt lousy not being able to listen to my partner especially

when she was sharing something so important.'
 Some of the other learnings that you need to gently bring
home to them
 It is not every time people have something earth shattering to
share. Yet whatever they do want to share is important to
them and so worth listening to.
 It is also insensitive for speakers to go ahead and share
whatever they want to even if the listener is not paying
attention to them. It would be more fruitful if speakers listen
to the body language of the listeners and deal with that first,
sensitively of course. They need to take time to find out
what's keeping the listener from listening.
 Not listening (either to the verbal message or the non-verbal
message) is the malaise that has affected society. This
malaise has resulted in competing relationships rather than in
collaborative synergistic relationships.

Two Listening Games

LISTENING TO I
This exercise is also designed to underscore some of the
problems involved with listening and word interpretation. It takes
about 10 minutes and can be used with groups of any size.

Procedure
1. The group is instructed to: "Draw a short vertical line to
represent a mama bull, a papal bull, and a baby bull."
2. Their task is to correctly follow the instructions.
3. After the group has completed the exercise, ask for correct
solutions.

Discussion
Anyone drawing three lines interprets a MAMA BULL as being
possible. There are not any mama bulls. In addition, the lines may
be of varied length—normally the mama bull is a medium-sized

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vertical line, the papa bull the longest, and the baby bull the shortest.
Why? There is nothing in the statement to indicate size variation,
yet preset concepts concerning "mama," "papa," and "baby" tend to
lead to the length variation. Was the group also tempted to follow
impossible instructions?

LISTING II
Procedure
1. The class is instructed to answer the following problem:
"You are driving a bus. You go east 12 miles, and turn
south and go 2 miles and take on 9 passengers, then you
turn west and go 3 miles and let off 4 passengers. How old
is the bus driver?
2. After the class has completed the exercise, ask for
solutions.

Discussion
Most listeners will attempt to follow the numbers and arrive at a
solution based on them. The actual solution is the age of each
listener. The problem uses the word "you" four times. What is the
relationship between listening and interpretation? Why did people
fail to hear the term "you?" What are the implications for any orally
delivered instructions?
Given to me as a photocopy from an old Communication
Textbook. I would love to credit the authors but am unsure of who
they are. If you know, please let me know so I may give them full
credit.

Listening Games And Activities

"Hey mom; I think I'm going to drop out of school!"
"Ok, hon. Just don't forget that dinner is at seven tonight."
 Doesn't this sound familiar to you? Don't we all do this at
one time or another? We hear! We hear the voice! We hear
the sound! But are we listening?

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 This is one of my greatest concerns about education. I

believe that if you know how to listen, school and life will
be easier to handle. The following are some suggestions I
would like to share with you on this topic.
 Listening skills are learned. They should not however be
learned haphazardly. There should be a planned program to
increase listening skill abilities, and it should be a significant
part of elementary education.
 Listening is basic for communicating, learning, thinking and
acquiring awareness of the world around you.
 Listening needs to be taught.
 Listening requires participation.
 Listening is an information-processing activity.
 Listening is more than just hearing; it's deciding what we
listen to and how this can be done most effectively.
 Listening requires an active effort on the part of the student.
It trains the child to select, remember and process sounds.
 Let us keep in mind that this is not necessarily every child's
preferred channel of learning. Some children learn better
through visual means or kinesthetic ones. Still, listening is
an important skill and needs to be taught. This skill can be
accomplished very simply by planning and dedicating no
more than 5 minutes daily.

Listening Games And Activities

We should work on:
1. Sound discrimination: what sounds are the same, different
2. Awareness of sounds: what sounds are heard in various
situations
3. Recognition of sounds: which of these sounds is like buzz?
hum? click?
4. Identification of sounds: name this sound. Name of item
making a sound or letter sound
5. Sound concepts: high or low? Loud or soft? Near or far?

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Following are some suggestions of games and activities to do based

on these listening skills:
1. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds heard in one
minute. (b)
2. Recognize well-known sounds - like the ones we hear at
home. For this activity you will need a tape with different
sounds such as a tap running, flushing the toilette, vacuum
cleaner, etc. (b)
3. Discriminate high and low sounds. (with voice, or musical
instruments) (a)
4. Match sounds. Fill small identical containers with rice, sand,
nails, beans, cotton batting, etc. Make sure you have a pair.
Shake them, find the two that sound the same. (a)
5. Discover where a sound originates from. (close your eyes
and listen carefully. "Where is it coming from and where is
it going?" (e)
6. Guessing by the sound what food is being eaten. Use noisy
foods, like potato chips, celery sticks, carrots, toast, etc. The
children have to guess what it is. (d)
7. Use paper, tin sheet, aluminum foil, or any substance that
comes in sheets; produce sounds in various ways: by
crinkling, rubbing, tearing, waving, shredding, wrapping,
scratching, etc. One child does the action, the rest with their
eyes closed, have to guess how the sound was made.
Practice the vocabulary beforehand. (d)
8. Listen to the sound that common appliances make. Invent a
word that names the sound. As an added activity, children
name the appliance together with the sound they invented.
"The car goes _________." (c, d)
9. Look at a picture (e.g. a park) then think of the sounds that
you would hear if you were there. Make the sounds and
record them. Play the tape another day and let the children
guess what is making that noise. (When using it as an
activity for an ESL classroom, the next step would be to

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learn the proper vocabulary: footsteps, car honking, etc.) (c,

d)
10. Say a word. The next one says a word beginning with the
last letter. (Cat, top, pan, nail, leg, etc.) (d)
11. A similar game can be played by using the letters in a child's
name. (Carol: cat, arm, rock, oil, laugh) (d)
12. Finish the sentence with a word beginning with the same
letter as the others. (Silly Sally saw seven ... swings) (d)

Meditation For Peace

Meditation for World Peace
Meditation for world peace is a goal for some huge meditation
organizations. Meditation for world peace may be a form of
meditation that many people aren‘t aware of. But that is not to say
that meditation for world peace is not worth your contemplation.
Meditation requires stillness of thought, as well as careful
contemplation. Meditation can help to calm the nerves, reduce stress,
and give a person a greater feeling of harmony with the universe and
serenity. However, many people go beyond this benefit and practice
meditation for world peace for the betterment of all humanity.
Included is an example of the instructions for meditation for
world peace. It is meant for creating a feeling of calm and quiet in
oneself, as well as bringing it to the rest of the planet. Many people
believe that meditation can be a great help to the entirety of
humanity.
Meditation for world peace begins with a simple breathing
exercise. One consciously inhales and visualizes the life energy from
that breath going down to the chakra situated around the navel. This
exercise is performed eleven times. Then the exercise is repeated
oppositely, adding a visualization of all emotional impurities leaving
the body with the exhalation. A feeling of tranquility soon spreads
throughout the body.
The person performing the meditation for world peace then
visualizes a line of light running from the base of their spine to the
chakra behind their eye. This line is very thin and very bright,

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around the diameter of a hair, but gradually grows in thickness until

it is a column of light visualized inside the person. Then, the
meditator visualizes this light becoming egg-shaped. It is often
recommended that one concentrates on this light for around fifteen
minutes.
The light then reverses, becoming a column, and then thinning
back down in diameter until it is once again only as thick as a hair.
As the light is released, all the emotions intended for the rest of the
earth are also released – the silence of worry, inner peace, and joy.
Some people practice meditation for world peace daily to help bring
peace and happiness to the world around them.
There are many different variations on meditation for world
peace, but they all still have the same basic goal. People performing
meditation for world peace hope to better the lives of people all over
the world through their actions. Meditation helps us feel at peace
with ourselves, and interact with the world more calmly. Being at
peace with yourself can also help bring peace to the world in
general.

What Is Meditation
Many people have an uninformed view of meditation and
wonder, "What is meditation and what good can it do me?" While
some people may have visions of monks in far-off lands sitting
together in silence when they think about meditation. Meditation is
becoming a practice that is quite popular in the Western world
among people from all walks of life. If you are not familiar with
meditation, you may still be wondering, "What is meditation?"
Essentially, the answer to the question is a simple one. Meditation is
an approach that anyone can use to help them cope with medical
problems, stress, and anxiety by way of thought, contemplation, and
reflection.
Meditation encompasses a variety of practices that are somewhat
different while holding to the basic principles of consideration and
quiet thought to bring about a state of rumination. Various types of
meditation that are recognized include transcendental meditation,

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prayer, Zen meditation, Taoist meditation, mindfulness meditation,

and Buddhist meditation. Some methods of meditation may require
the body to be still or to be moved with controlled deliberation,
while other types allow for free movement of the body. While the
methods are different, the end goal of all types of meditation leads to
a mind that is quieted and free from stress by the use of quiet
contemplation and reflection.

How To Meditate
If you lead anything even close to a normal life, things are no
doubt pretty hectic for you daily. Between working, the children,
and your social life, it is easy for stress levels to get pretty high, and
this is okay for a short period. Stress is a natural response to things
that are occurring in your environment. It is your body's way of
telling you that you have something in your life that needs to be
taken care of. Sometimes, stress can get the best of you and that is
when it is important to find a way to cope with your stress before it
starts to mess with your life.Has meditation ever crossed your mind?
Meditation is becoming one of the most common methods that
people are using to alleviate some of the stresses that occur in
everyday life. It isn‘t difficult to meditate, but it most certainly
requires a few elements that are required to maintain an atmosphere
that is conducive to meditation. Here are a few tips that will help you
to learn to meditate, and to do it the right way from the start. You
may also get a copy of the free project meditation

1. Creating a Peaceful Atmosphere

Creating a peaceful atmosphere is a critical and one of the most
essential components of your meditation experience. Do whatever it
takes to create as calm an atmosphere as you can, through whatever
measures possible. Pack the children off to the babysitter, tell your
husband to play poker with his buddies, and make sure your phone is
silenced. Turn down the lights low and if you want to be put on
whatever music makes you feel serene and peaceful. Choose the type

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of music that creates a sense of calm in you. Music can set the mood
for reflection and contemplation.

2. Prepare & Set Up Your Props

Whilst you are creating your peaceful atmosphere, there may be
certain "props" to help you meditate. It isn't required that you have
any, but yoga mats or cushions are great seating areas for meditation
or you may simply sit on a dining chair or easy chair. To put it
frankly, if your rear end is killing you, you may not be able to focus
as intensely on your meditation, cushions are very helpful. Things
that help you relax are also good to have in your environment during
your meditation. Many people like to have small running water
fountains as the sound of running water is very soothing; lighting the
room with a few candles is also an effective way of 'setting the mood
for your meditation time.

3. Wear Comfortable And Easy Clothing

When it comes to your meditation, leave the stilettos and the
diamonds at home, please! Strangely, many people even choose to
meditate in the buff, as it provides less of a distraction from the
everyday world.
If you haven‘t seriously given the idea of meditation your
deliberation you should soon, while you can still save your sanity!

Some of the benefits of meditation are:-

 Reduces anxiety attacks as it lowers the levels of blood
lactate.
 Builds self-confidence.
 Increases serotonin which influences moods and behavior.
Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression,
headaches and insomnia.
 Enhances energy, strength and vigor.
 Help keep blood pressure normal
 Reduces stress and tension

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 Creates a state of deep relaxation and a general feeling of

wellbeing
 Helps with P.M.T.
 Increases concentration and strengthens the mind
 Help reduce heart disease
 Helps with weight loss

Meditation Techniques
1. Mantra Meditation: The mantra meditation technique
involves the conscious repetitions of certain sounds that
appeal to the mind to achieve a meditative state. Mantra
means 'revealed sound' or a combination of sounds that
develop spontaneously. It is important not to confuse a
mantra with religious chants. A mantra may be given by a
guru or maybe a personally chosen sound or word, but the
important thing is that it must appeal to the mind.

2. Trataka Meditation: The Trataka meditation technique has

been followed by many religious systems, including Sufism
and Christianity. In this, a steady gaze is performed on any
one particular object. Trataka is an established yoga
cleansing technique and dedicated practice of the same takes
it to the highest level of meditation.

3. Chakra Meditation: Chakras represent a higher level of

energy manifestation and development of self. The meaning
of the word ‗Chakra‘ is a wheel. Each chakra represents the
major nerve centers that branch off from the spinal cord,
serving the major organs of the body. In all, there are seven
chakras. The main aim of this meditation technique is to
help individuals discover and explore their chakras, thereby
awakening them on a conscious level in a balanced and
integrated way.

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4. Vipassana Meditation: The word Vipassana means

'insight'. It refers to the ability to see things as they are,
attained through a process of self-observation. It means
identifying one's nature, recognizing the bad elements and
consciously eliminating them from the system. Vipassana is
a meditation technique that is free of rites, helps develop
wisdom and allows an individual to study different
sensations in the body such as cold, pain, itching, etc.

5. Raja Yoga meditation: This form of meditation takes the

yogi (person who practices meditation) through to a higher
level of oneness and a greatly ennobling experience. It fills
him with super-sensuous joy or bliss that elevates the mind
away from pleasures of the flesh and reforms his bad habits.
A Raja Yogi establishes a relationship with God and gives
up all worldly pleasures and devotes all his energies to the
spiritual awakening of fellow beings.

The above-stated meditation techniques are merely a brief

insight into each one of them. To understand them fully and to
attain their benefits, one must learn the techniques under the
guidance of a guru. Yoga Schools

The different yoga schools simply adhere to different

applications of inner discipline, all of which ultimately lead to the
liberation of the soul and a unique understanding of the Divine
Unity.
The schools are merely named according to the yogi's objective
of self-transformation and the instrument chosen for such anticipated
change.

Ashtanga Yoga and its different variations, for the most part,
aim at the fullest development of anyone human faculty—the mind,
emotions, life force or the physical body. Such partial perfection is

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then allowed to spill over to one's entire being. But Sri

Aurobindo'sPurna Yoga or Integral Yoga focuses on the whole being
to bring about total transformation. The approach, objective and
means of Purna Yoga are all integral.

The main stages of Purna Yoga are:

 Aspiration for the Divine.
 Surrender of the individual soul to the Universal Soul.
 Rejection of all obstructions to the path of total
transformation.
Realizing the Divine within oneself is the first step of Integral
Yoga. The means of achieving this state of Divine awareness is
through a regular practice of either concentration, meditation or
prayer.
The next step involves the realization of the Divine in entities
beyond the subjective self. A realization of all constituent
consciousnesses of the universe—and acceptance of a common
origin of all beings.
The third stage consists of true identification with the
"Transcendental Divine", which is neither limited within the being
of a single individual nor within any other constituents of existence.
According to Sri Aurobindo, unless this crucial Truth is realized, the
sadhak or seeker can't attain liberation.
In his philosophy, Rishi Aurobindo termed this rarefied region
of higher consciousness as the "Supramental Consciousness", the
attainment of which is necessary for the liberation of the soul. The
Master believed this stage of spiritual awareness to be potentially the
ultimate rung on the human evolutionary ladder.And the realization
of this "Supramental Consciousness" is the principal aspiration of Sri
Aurobindo'sPurna Yoga or Integral Yoga.

Jnana refers to knowledge but the emphasis is not on acquiring

information but on developing the analytical powers of the mind.
How the power of analysis is applied depends on the metaphysical

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system within which it is practiced. In the Samkhya system of Indian

philosophy, the focus is on understanding one's inner self. In Advaita
Vedanta (non-dualist Vedanta philosophy), the idea is to understand
the difference between reality and illusion.

Bhakti Yoga is all about getting in touch with the Divine Being
by following the outpourings of one's heart. The term 'bhakti' can be
roughly translated to mean 'devotion', and this emotion coupled with
the Christian concept of faith leads to a state of mind which can be
described as being immersed in bhakti. This strand of yoga
principally advocates love and devotion as the path to moksha or
liberation

Originally, it was believed that the practice of Karma Yoga,

accompanied by the observance of certain rituals, would lead to
liberation from the cycle of birth and death. In the Bhagavad Gita,
Lord Krishna further extended the semantics of the term karma to
mean detached action, that is, subjugation of the individual will to
Divine purpose.
According to the Bhagavad Gita, these three different paths of
yoga (jnana, bhakti and karma) help to define three different
categories of men—reflective, emotional and active, respectively—
distinguished on account of the distribution of emphasis on the
theoretical, emotional and practical aspects of human personalities.

Raja Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga, which was formulated by

Patanjali into a definite system from classical yoga, forms one of the
Shad-Darshanas or classical systems of Indian philosophy. The
school of Raja Yoga prescribes a particular meditative system,
which focuses on the analysis and control of the field of human
consciousness. Often known as the 'royal road' or the 'royal path'
('raja' in Sanskrit denotes 'king' or 'royal'), it offers a comprehensive

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method for controlling waves of thought by channeling mental and

physical energies into spiritual energy.

The school of Hatha Yoga attaches a lot of importance to the

perfect physical form, believing it to be a way of attaining spiritual
perfection. And to this end, it takes the help of pranayama (breath-
control exercises) and mudras (hand gestures) to attain self-
realization. Often seen as part of Raja Yoga, the origins of Hatha
Yoga can be traced to Gorakhnath, the 12th-century founder of the
Kanphata Yogis. The word 'that is derived from the two root terms,
'ha' meaning 'the sun' and 'that meaning 'the moon'. Taken together,
the term stands for 'union of force'. Hence, central to Hatha Yoga
disciplines is the harmonizing of its positive (sun) and negative
(moon) currents.

Kundalini is the potential form of prana or life force, lying

dormant in our bodies. It is conceptualized as a coiled-up serpent
(literally, 'kundalini' in Sanskrit is 'coiled up') lying at the base of our
spine, which can spring awake when activated by spiritual
disciplines. The practitioners of Kundalini Yoga concentrate on
psychic centers or chakras in the body to generate a spiritual power,
which is known as kundalini energy.The practice comprises of
awakening and then forcing this energy, flowing through nadis or
channels, up the psychic channel of the Sushumna, which runs from
the base of the spine to the brain. The three main channels running
alongside the spinal cord are Ida, Pingala and the Sushumna. When
this kundalini energy, pictured as the serpent residing in the first
chakra at the root of the spine (Muladhara chakra), is raised through
the rest of the chakras until it reaches the seventh and the highest
chakra (Sahasrara) located at the crown of the head—self-realization
occurs. This induces the blissful state of samadhi. The school of
Sahaja Yoga is very similar to the Kundalini school.

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MantraYoga refers to the repetition of mantras (words or

sounds) during various yoga meditation techniques. This ritualistic
chanting helps bind the mind to a single thought until it attains the
state of samadhi.

The roots of Tantra Yoga go back to the ancient fertility cults of

India. The history of this strain of yoga, like the Kundalini school, is
linked with the worship of Shakti, the primordial female energy. The
objective of Tantra Yoga is to merge with the Ultimate by the
arousal and channeling of sexual energy.

The Tantra school equates spiritual awakening with the

awakening and rising of the kundalini power. According to Tantra,
the kundalini is present in everything, even in the smallest of
particles, in the form of cosmic energy. Only a fraction of it is
operative, while an unmeasured residuum is left 'coiled up' and
untapped at the 'base root'.

Yoga for life

Yoga is a way of life. It is predominantly concerned with
maintaining a state of equanimity at all costs. All yoga schools of
thought emphasize the importance of the mind remaining calm,
because as the saying goes, only when the water is still can you see
through it. Yoga Darshan or Yoga Philosophy also happens to be a
valid discipline of Indian metaphysics (Brahma Vidya). It is the
result of human wisdom and insight on physiology, psychology,
ethics and spirituality collected together and practiced over
thousands of years for the well-being of humanity.
The basic idea of yoga is to unite the atma or individual soul
with the Paramatma or the Universal Soul. According to Yoga
philosophy, by cleansing one's mind and controlling one's thought
processes one can return to that primeval state when the individual
self was nothing but a part of the Divine Self. This is the sense

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encapsulated in the term samadhi. The yogi aims to be able to

perceive the world in its true light and to accept that truth in its
entirety.
In Sanskrit, the term 'yoga' stands for 'union'. A yogi's ultimate
aim is to be able to attain this 'union' with the Eternal Self with the
help of certain mental and physical exercises. It is often said that
Hiranyagarbha (The Cosmic Womb) Himself had originally
advocated the traditional system of yoga, from which all other yoga
schools have evolved. But for all extant knowledge of yoga and its
practices, such as yogasanas and pranayama.
In this momentous work, we describes the aim of yoga as
knowledge of the self and outlines the eight steps or methods of
achieving it. These are:
 Yamas or eternal vows,
 Niyamas or observances,
 Yogasanas or yoga postures,
 Pranayama or breath control exercises,
 Pratyahara or withdrawal of the senses from distractions of
the outside world,
 Dharana or concentration on an object, place or subject,
 Dhyana or the continuance of this concentration-meditation
and
 Samadhi or the ultimate stage of yoga meditation.

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ANNEXURE
Case I
How Do You Deal with Personal Conflicts?
 Let's say you finally got a promotion at work. You have five
staff who now answer to you. Four of them are supportive
and friendly. Yet with the fifth person, Allen, there is a
problem.
 Allen is not cheerful around you. He jokes and smiles
around the other staff, but frowns and gets serious when you
show up. He never looks you in the eye. He avoids you
whenever possible.
 One day, a customer complains about Allen. After you make
the customer happy, you call Allen into your office. You
say, "So why did you mess up with that customer?"
 Allen sneers and says, "He's just a jerk. You shouldn't
believe customers like him. Can I get back to work now?"
 Do you . . .
 Let Allen leave your office and pretend there is no problem?
 Get angry at him and chew him out?
 Plead with him to be nice to you?
 Demand he tells you what is wrong?
 The real problem here is no working relationship exists yet.
You have not formed a working relationship. You need to
apply the Non-Existence Formula.

"The Non-Existence Formula is:

"1. Find a comm[communication] line.
"2. Make yourself known.
"3. Discover what is needed or wanted.
"4. Do, produce and/or present it." - L. Ron Hubbard
Since you already have the communication line as Allen is
sitting in front of you, you do steps 2 and 3.
You say, "Allen before we deal with this customer, I'd like to get
our relationship off to a good start. As you know, I'm now in charge
here and you are working for me. What do you need and want from

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me as your boss?"Allen looks startled. "What do you mean?""I want

to know the best way to work with you. I also want to tell you what I
need and want from you, but let's start with what you need and want
from me, okay?"Allen shrugs and says, "Okay. I like to know what
is going on. For example, nobody told me you were taking over."
You say, "Oh really! That's not okay! As your new boss, I'll be
happy to tell you what's going on. I have no secrets. What else do
you need and want from me?"Allen relaxes and says, "I like to
handle customers myself. If customers complain, I'd like a shot at
handling them before you step in. No one lets me do this."You say,
"No problem."Allen starts to look interested. "I want to go to lunch
at 12:30 instead of noon. I want a better chair. I need someone to
listen to my new ideas of how we can make more sales." All of this
is fine with you.You say, "Now let me tell you what I need and want
from you. I need a daily update on what you are doing. I want you to
see me if you aren't sure what to do. I want you to beat your own
sales records. I also want you to be friendly to me. Can you do these
things?"Allen's eyes sparkle as he says, "No problem!" He smiles,
sticks out his hand and you shake on it.You and Allen then discuss
the customer complaint and find there is no problem now. Allen gets
back to work and tells a coworker, "No one from management has
ever asked me what I want. We might have a good boss here!"

Lessons learned in crisis management

CASE I - Impact of Catastrophes on Shareholder value
One of the foremost recognized studies conducted on the impact
of a catastrophe on the stock value of an organization was completed
by Dr. Rory Knight and Dr. Deborah Pretty, (1995, Templeton
College, University of Oxford - commissioned by the Sedgewick
Group). This undertook a detailed analysis of the stock price, (post-
impact), of organizations that had experienced catastrophes. The
study identified organizations that recovered and even exceeded the
pre-catastrophe stock price, (Recoverers), and those that did not
recover on stock price, (Non-recoverers). The average cumulative
impact on shareholder value for the recoverers was 5% plus on their

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original stock value. So the net impact on shareholder value by this

stage was positive. The non-recoverers remained more or less
unchanged between days 5 and 50 after the catastrophe, but suffered
a net negative cumulative impact of almost 15% on their stock price
up to one year afterward.
One of the key conclusions of this study is that "Effective
management of the consequences of catastrophes would appear to be
a more significant factor than whether catastrophe insurance hedges
the economic impact of the catastrophe".
While there are technical elements to this report it is highly
recommended to those who wish to engage their senior management
in the value of crisis management

CASE II – Bhopal disaster

The Bhopal disaster in which poor communication before,
during, and after the crisis cost thousands of lives, illustrates the
importance of incorporating cross-cultural communication in crisis
management plans. According to American University's Trade
Environmental Database Case Studies (1997), residents were not
sure how to react to warnings of potential threats from the Union
Carbide plant. Operating manuals printed only in English is an
extreme example of mismanagement but indicative of systemic
barriers to information diffusion. According to Union Carbide's
chronology of the incident (2006), a day after the crisis Union
Carbide's upper management arrived in India but was unable to
assist in the relief efforts because they were placed under house
arrest by the Indian government. Symbolic intervention can be
counterproductive; a crisis management strategy can help upper
management make more calculated decisions in how they should
respond to disaster scenarios. The Bhopal incident illustrates the
difficulty in consistently applying management standards to multi-
national operations and the blame-shifting that often results from the
lack of a clear management plan (Shrivastava, 1987).

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CASE III - Ford and Firestone Tire and Rubber Company

The Ford-Firestone dispute transpired in August 2000. In
response to claims that their 15-inch Wilderness AT, radial ATX and
ATX II tire treads were separating from the tire core—leading to
grisly, spectacular crashes—Bridgestone/Firestone recalled 6.5
million tires. These tires were mostly used on the Ford Explorer, the
world's top-selling sport utility vehicle (SUV) (Ackman, 2001).
The two companies committed three major blunders early on, say,
crisis experts. First, they blamed consumers for not inflating their
tires properly. Then they blamed each other for faulty tires and
faulty vehicle design. Then they said very little about what they were
doing to solve a problem that had caused more than 100 deaths—
until they got called to Washington to testify before Congress
(Warner, 2002).

CASE IV - Exxon
On March 24, 1989, a tanker belonging to the Exxon
Corporation ran aground in the Prince William Sound in Alaska. The
Exxon Valdez spilled millions of gallons of crude oil into the waters
off Valdez, killing thousands of fish, fowl, and sea otters. Hundreds
of miles of coastline were polluted and salmon spawning runs
disrupted; numerous fishermen, especially Native Americans, lost
their livelihoods. Exxon, by contrast, did not react quickly in terms
of dealing with the media and the public; the CEO, Lawrence Rawl,
did not become an active part of the public relations effort and
shunned public involvement; the company had neither a
communication plan nor a communication team in place to handle
the event the company did not appoint a public relations manager to
its management team until 1993, 4 years after the incident; Exxon
established its media center in Valdez, a location too small and too
remote to handle the onslaught of media attention; and the company
acted defensively in its response to its publics, even laying blame, at
times, on other groups such as the Coast Guard. These responses
also happened within days of the incident (Pauly and Hutchison,
2005).

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ANNEXURE II
Think Yourself
Ten Great Uses of the Non-Existence Formula
1. You start a new job of any kind. You meet with everyone you
will be working with. You tell them your new position and
follow the steps of the formula. You are in control of your job
faster than ever.
2. You conflict with someone. You realize neither of you is doing
what the other needs and wants. You arrange a meeting (comm
line) and do the next two steps. "Joe, as your assistant, I want to
do a perfect job. Can we go over specifically what you need and
want from me?"
3. With a coworker, you say, "Jill, we're stuck with each other. I
think we should work things out so we get along. What do you
need and want from me as your coworker?" "Can I tell you want
I need and want from you?"
4. If this approach does not work, the person may be anti-social.
See the "Your Greatest Source of Stress and Trouble".
5. You want to be hired for the perfect job. During the job
interview, you ask. "If you hire me, what will you need and want
from me?" Since no one else has asked, the boss is a little
startled by the question but enjoys answering it. You explain
how you can deliver these needs and wants and a bit more. You
get the job on the spot.
6. You want to rent a building space, house or apartment and are
competing against several other applicants. When turning in
your application, you ask the landlord, "If you select me as your
tenant, what will you need and want from me as my landlord?"
The landlord thinks it over and tells you her needs and wants.
No one has ever asked her and she's delighted someone cares.
You assure her you can deliver. You are selected above all other
applicants.
7. You want your boss to sell you a partnership in his company.
You say, "I think you have a great operation here. If you were
going to sell a partnership, what might you need and want from

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a partner?" The boss starts to think about it and mentions a few

things. You start to do things he would need from a partner.
After a while, he makes you an offer to become a partner.
8. You're dating someone and want to take your relationship to the
next level. You find out what this person needs and wants from a
mate. You decide if you can do those things or not. If so, you
start showing you can deliver. He or she feels a strong attraction
to you and wants to take the relationship to the next level.
9. You make it clear to this person what you need and want from
the relationship. You observe if he or she can do those things for
you. If not, you break it off. If he or she can deliver, you go for
it!
10. Your marriage is not going well. You ask your spouse, "I want
us to have a really good relationship. I think we need a fresh
start. Do you agree?" If so, you ask "What do you need and want
from me as your spouse?"
11. Your child is starting in a new school. You visit the school and
ask the teacher, "What do you need or want from me?" "What do
you need and want from my child?"
12. You are constantly looking for the needs and wants of your
customers. For example, a superior cab driver not only finds out
the passenger's destination, he asks, "Are you comfortable?
Would you like to see today's local newspaper? Can I tell you
anything about our city?"
13. An electronics store surveys its customers every month to find
out what they want to buy. An orthodontist asks each new
patient for his or her needs and wants. A computer programmer
constantly asks users what they need from their computers.
14. Any successful business finds current data on its client's or
customer's needs and wants.
15. You want to form a great relationship with the new leaders of
your group. You say, "Hi. I'll be working under you as the
______ and want to know what you need and want from me."
You find you get the best treatment from the new leader.

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ANNEXURE III

Crisis management success stories

Tylenol (Johnson and Johnson)
In the fall of 1982, a murderer added 65 milligrams of cyanide to
some Tylenol capsules on store shelves, killing seven people,
including three in one family. Johnson & Johnson recalled and
destroyed 31 million capsules for $100 million. The affable CEO,
James Burke, appeared in television ads and at news conferences
informing consumers of the company's actions. Tamper-resistant
packaging was rapidly introduced, and Tylenol sales swiftly
bounced back to near pre-crisis levels (Dezenhall, 2004).
`Johnson & Johnson was again struck by a similar crisis in 1986
when a New York woman died on Feb. 8 after taking cyanide-laced
Tylenol capsules. Johnson & Johnson was ready. Responding swiftly
and smoothly to the new crisis, it immediately and indefinitely
canceled all television commercials for Tylenol, established a toll-
free telephone hotline to answer consumer questions and offered
refunds or exchanges to customers who had purchased Tylenol
capsules. At week's end, when another bottle of tainted Tylenol was
discovered in a store, it took only a matter of minutes for the
manufacturer to issue a nationwide warning that people should not
use the medication in its capsule form (Rudolph, 1986).

Odwalla Foods
When Odwalla's apple juice was thought to be the cause of an
outbreak of E. coli infection, the company lost a third of its market
value. In October 1996, an outbreak of E. coli bacteria in
Washington state, California, Colorado and British Columbia was
traced to unpasteurized apple juice manufactured by natural juice
maker Odwalla Inc. Forty-nine cases were reported, including the
death of a small child. Within 24 hours, Odwalla conferred with the
FDA and Washington state health officials; established a schedule of
daily press briefings; sent out press releases which announced the
recall; expressed remorse, concern and apology, and took

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responsibility for anyone harmed by their products; detailed

symptoms of E. coli poisoning; and explained what consumers
should do with any affected products. Odwalla then developed -
through the help of consultants - effective thermal processes that
would not harm the products' flavors when production resumed. All
of these steps were communicated through close relations with the
media and full-page newspaper ads.

Mattel
Mattel Inc., the country's biggest toymaker, has been plagued
with more than 28 product recalls and in the Summer of 2007,
amongst problems with exports from China, faced two product recall
in two weeks. The company "did everything it could to get its
message out, earning high marks from consumers and retailers.
Though upset by the situation, they were appreciative of the
company's response. At Mattel, just after the 7 a.m. recall
announcement by federal officials, a public relations staff of 16 was
set to call reporters at the 40 biggest media outlets. They told each to
check their e-mail for a news release outlining the recalls, invited
them to a teleconference call with executives and scheduled TV
appearances or phone conversations with Mattel's chief executive.
Mattel CEO Robert Eckert did 14 TV interviews on a Tuesday in
August and about 20 calls with individual reporters. By the week's
end, Mattel had responded to more than 300 media inquiries in the
U.S. alone‖ (Goldman and Reckard, 2007).

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