College of Computing Sciences and Information Technology,

Faculty of Engineering

MCA- Semester-I
Business Communication
(MCA120)
Unit-5 Presentation Strategies:
Presentation: 5 Ws of Presentation, Defining Purpose, Audience & Locale, Audio-
Visual Aids, Organizing Content, Voice Dynamics, Five Ps- Pace, Power,
Pronunciation, Pause and Pitch, Body Language, Modes of Speech Delivery,
Strategies for Effective Power Point Presentation. Group Discussion: Dos and
Don’ts of Group Discussion, Techniques of Group Discussion. Interview: Types of
Interviews, Strategies for Successful Interviews, Mock Interview. Corporate
Expectations: Office Etiquettes, Time Management, Service Mindset, Goal
Setting, Team Building, Team Talk Dynamics, Traits of Leadership, Negotiation,
Types of Negotiation, Techniques of Negotiation, Tele-Conferencing, Video-
Conferencing, Internet, Intranet, Professional Ethics.

PRESENTATION STRATEGIES

A presentation is the process of presenting a topic to an audience. It is typically a

demonstration, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, or build good will.
A presentation is a means of communication that can be adapted to various
speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing
a team. A presentation can also be used as a broad term that encompasses other
‘speaking engagements’ such as making a speech at a wedding, or getting a point
across in a video conference. To be effective, step-by-step preparation and the
method and means of presenting the information should be carefully
considered. A presentation requires the presenter to get a message across to the
listeners and will often contain a 'persuasive' element. It may, for example, be a
talk about the positive work of an organisation. We need to develop effective
and memorable oral presentation for a successful career. Constant practice will
help us acquire this skill.

DEFINING PURPOSE

The purpose of presentation is to express the aims and objectives of any given
task. It decides the style, content and targeted audience. When our purpose is to
provide information or to analyze a situation, we and the audience interact in a
limited manner. We may ask questions or offer suggestions. When our purpose

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is to persuade people to take a particular action or make a decision, the
interaction will be more.

We generally begin by providing facts and figures. They increase the audience’s
understanding of the subject.

The purpose of presentation also requires lots of “on-the-spot” thinking skills

and in-depth knowledge of the subject. The speaker should be flexible enough
to adjust to new input and unexpected audience reactions.

The major purposes of presentation strategies are following:

1. To present the subject matter in a very comprehensive manner.
2. To present subject knowledge with CAI (Computer Aided Instructions),
LCD, OHP, Transparencies and other audio- visual aids.
3. To ignite the cognitive skill of the listeners/ participants.
4. To enhance communicative interaction.
5. To facilitate learning process.
6. To use efficaciously all aspects of oral communication.
7. To exhibit thorough knowledge of SWRL.
8. To widen circumference of subject expertise and psychological
dimensions.

AUDIENCE

Audiences are the receivers. They may be our friends, enemies, clients,
colleagues or unfamiliar faces. The nature of audience has direct impact on the
strategy which we devise for our presentation. The speaker should have the
prior knowledge of the audience’s characteristics, level and cultural background
to make the presentation effective and acceptable. We should estimate
audience’s interests, their likes and dislikes. The speaker should be aware of the
gender, group, approximate age, size and composition of the audience. The
speaker should try to assess their knowledge of the subject matter. What do
they know about the topic already? What more will they want to know about the
topic? What does he want them to know by the end of his talk?

In the beginning of the presentation, we should make a proper eye contact with
the audience. This will help us to assess whether they are excited, resistant,
hostile, or dull. Always begin with a smile and greet them in a pleasant tone.

Understanding of audience would help the presenter (speaker) to

• Build support
• Anticipate problems
• Consider Strategies
• Tune the approach
• Competent delivery of content

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Moreover, the speaker should speak with confidence and sincerity. He should
ask questions to the audience. It will make them the topic understand. In
addition to that he should check the place and available facilities therein for
effective presentation.

LOCALE

Every location has its unique physical environment. Locale is an important

factor for proper understanding of the message. We may give our presentation
in a large auditorium or small conference room. The speaker should know
about:
i. The Place of Presentation
ii. A podium or table provided
iii. Public address system available
iv. Seating arrangement, room temperature and lighting
v. Visual-aids available

AUDIO - VISUAL AIDS

Spoken words are not long lasting. If the presentation is made by using the
audio visual aids, it gives lasting effect. Audio visual aids
• Increase audience interest
• Illustrate key points
• Signal transition from one part of the presentation to the next
• Help listeners retain information
• Help one to deliver ones speech better

Some hints to use audio-visual aids:

Overhead Transparencies:
• Use larger & simple fonts
• Keep the transparencies neat and clean
• Show only required information
• Do not make it more colorful
• Use pointer to draw attention of audience
• Keep notes also ready in case of power failure

Power Point Presentations:

• Check the multimedia & other devices
• Familiarize yourself with transition of slides
• Transfer your files to the hard disc
• Rehearse your presentation
• Keep the printed copy of your presentation in case of power failure

Blackboard or Whiteboard:
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 • Clean the board & check the markers or chalk sticks before writing
• Write in legible size of fonts
• Stand to the side as you write
• Do not face the board while talking to audience
• Keep the main points on board, in case required

Flip Charts:
• Use different color markers
• Keep the number of pages
• Write in large letters
• Use only one side of the chart
• Wait for the understanding of the audience

STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION OF CONTENT

Preparatory Steps for Presentation (Public Speaking):

1. Mental map for presentation.
2. Collection of material from the authentic sources.
3. Sequencing of material: Introduction, Body and Conclusion.
4. Prepare the material for display and distribution.
5. Inspect the venue for physical arrangement.
6. Decide on audio- visual aids to be used by you.
7. Analyse the audience.
8. Practice for presentation.
9. Actual presentation.

Gather the relevant material:

The first step is to gather the relevant material from sources such as newspaper,
journals, books, internet, websites etc. and note it down in any organized way in
note cards or thick note sheets. If collected already, one should go through it
carefully. Now divide it into three parts.
a) One that must be presented because it is crucial to the understanding of
the topic.
b) Two that should be presented because without it the audience would not
be able to fully understand the matter in part one.
c) Three that might be presented if time permits or the occasion demands.

Structuring the contents:

For a success in public speaking, it is necessary to organize the material
meticulously keeping the following factors in mind:
a) Key – idea.
b) Supporting Ideas.
c) Time available.
d) Expectations of the audience.

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It is customary to divide the contents into three main parts. Namely
a) Introduction.
b) Main Body.
c) Conclusion.

“The first Impression is last impression” You should, therefore, go all – out to
win the audience right from the beginning. You may be aware that their
attention level is very high at this stage. There are the points that should be
included:
a) Spell out the objective of the talk clearly.
b) Provide a context for the speech in brief.
c) Give a preview of what you are going to say.
d) Relate the topic to the need or protest of the audience.
e) Prepare the material for display and distribution – The material relating to
the points you have already identified should be divided into small
modules. Each module should have clear beginning, middle and an end.

Have you ever been put on the spot to deliver a business presentation? I often
hear from people who have been given no time to prepare, no time to present
and too much information to cover. For example, you may have ten things to
discuss in only fifteen minutes. Many people make the mistake of trying to cover
too much information in the allotted time. In order to get through all of the
material, they talk too fast, rush through the information and leave the audience
overwhelmed, confused and downright bored. That’s hardly the result you want!

When preparing for a presentation or meeting, take a few moments to really

think about your audience’s goals and what you want your audience to get from
the meeting. Be decisive about these points. The following four tips can help you
better organize your content so your presentation inspires and informs.

1. Who is attending? Before you write anything, first determine what your
audience wants from you as it relates to the topic. To do this, list two to four
goals you know your listeners would like to accomplish as a result of your
meeting or presentation. Ask yourself: Why do they care about your topic? What
problem are you going to solve for them. Give them a good reason for being
there.

2. Be concise. Most communications, whether they’re 30 minutes or three

hours, should have an outlined agenda. We recommend you discuss from three
to five key topics. Most people walk away from a presentation or meeting and
are able to recall only two to three key points. In other words, if you try to cover
a lot of different topics, you’re not going to be able to focus on anything
important and you’ll lose your listeners. You’re better off to have shorter
meetings with fewer points then one long meeting covering everything.

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3. State your goals. In the first minute of your presentation or communication,
state the two or three goals you’ve identified for your audience. Make it clear
why they should listen to you and how you’re going to help them accomplish
what they want to do. Don’t go into detail yet; just state their goals.

4. Be repetitive. At the conclusion of each slide or key point of your

presentation, you will want to restate one of the goals back to the audience. Yes,
this is repetitive, but your listeners need repetition for the information to sink
in. Remember, they don’t know the topic as well as you, so they need to hear the
key points and goals often to get the full impact of your message and to
remember why it’s important to them.

Structure of Presentation:
Regardless of whether your presentation is going to be delivered formally, such
as at work place or informally, for a club; you should always aim to give a clear
and well-structured delivery. That is, you should know exactly what you want
to say and the order in which you want to say it. Having thought about and
planned a good structure will also help to alleviate any nervousness you may be
feeling in the build up to your talk. Clarity of ideas and good organisation should
help result in a lively, logical and compelling message, delivered in a confident
and professional way.

Organizing the presentation material may include:

1. Blue Sky Thinking (the ideas).
2. Selecting the main points.
3. Deciding whether to illustrate.
4. Introduction and conclusion.

1. Blue Sky Thinking (The Ideas)

Keeping your objectives in mind, write down all the points you wish to make,
irrespective of order.

2. Selecting the Main Points

The talk/presentation should be divided into three sections:
• Introduction (beginning)
• Main Content (middle)
• Conclusion (end)

Introduction (beginning)
Tell the audience in the introduction what your subject is and how you have
organised the presentation (by stating the key elements).

Main Content (middle)

Then tell them the details of the key elements and/or messages (by expanding
and qualifying the key points in more detail and providing supporting evidence).

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Conclusion (end)
Then tell the audience what you have just told them (by summarising the key
points, concluding with the main subject again).

Work on the main content first.

From your notes decide on the most important things that need to be said. If
you have too much material, be selective.
As a guide:
• 3 key points are sufficient for a 10-15 minute presentation.
• 6 key points are sufficient for a 30 minute presentation.
• 8 key points are sufficient for a 45 minute presentation.
Arrange the key points in logical order and expand them with supporting
material - discussion, argument, analysis and appeal. If you are hoping to
persuade people then it is advisable to address potential objections within the
presentation so that you present a reasoned, well-balanced view.

3. Decide Whether to Illustrate

Most talks benefit from personal anecdotes, real-life situations or hypothetical
examples to bring them to life.
If the presentation is short and informal it is probably not necessary to use any
visual aids. Use visual illustrations if anything requires expanding, clarifying or
simplifying. Illustrations of any type should be relevant and fully explained.
Bear in mind that a talk will last longer if visual aids are used.

PowerPoint or other presentation software is often used to support a

presentation, although care needs to be taken to ensure that this technology aids
the presentation and does not detract from the main essence of your talk. Do not
use visual aids or PowerPoint just for the sake of it or to show off your
technological prowess, there is nothing more distracting than whizzy and
pointless PowerPoint animations in a presentation.

4. Introduction and Conclusion

The introduction should give a preview of what you are going to say and should
gain the attention of the listeners with a statement of purpose. Make it clear
whether you wish to accept questions as they arise during the presentation,
thereby breaking your flow and risk being side-tracked, or will invite questions
at the end.

The conclusion should repeat the main points but this time try to use different
words and summarize the main point and argument. End decisively, so that no-
one is in any doubt that your presentation is finished. This is also the time to ask
the audience whether they have any questions.

Presentation Patterns:

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Since you have to cater to the need of all the audience, try to provide relief by
sprinkling your presentation with personal/ references, quotations, questions
and audio – visual material:
a) Arrange the material into sub topics and modules constituting them into
an order of their importance.
b) If the topic is predominantly informative, the modules may be arranged in
a chronological order and each module should be related to a period or
point of time or an event.
c) The contents would have mainly two divisions: The first, describing or
explaining the problem and its causes, and second, offering a solution and
its impact.
d) We have to describe the cause or factors responsible for the happening
and then explain the effect.

Development of Points:
A speech is an oral composition. In developing the points you have included in a
speech you have to follow more or less, the same strategy as in developing the
points in written communication. Here we shall discuss a few common devices
used for this purpose.
a) Example
b) Comparison and Contrast
c) Statistics
d) Testimony

Planning and Preparation

1. The topic must be known in advance.
2. The target audience must properly be known.
3. Time allocation.
4. Obtain books/ journals etc. to strengthen and authenticate information.
5. Cite names, illustration, references etc.
6. Acknowledge the source of borrowed materials.
7. Prepare visuals i.e. transparency, slides, film strips well in time.
8. Make use of Infrastructure OHP, LCD Projector, and Computer etc.

BODY LANGUAGE/ KINESICS

Kinesics is a term used for physical movements of the body to communicate

meaning. Nodding head, blinking eyes, shrugging shoulders, waving hands, and
such other physical activities are the parts of body language. Understanding
non-verbal cues develop our ability to use them more effectively during
presentation. In face to face communication, the message is conveyed on two
levels- verbal and non verbal.

It is the study of body movements in such a manner that each and every
movement of our body communicates a message depending on the environment.
It is not rigid in nature rather flexible. It is one of the most important aspect of
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Nonverbal communication and communication. The different body language
cues sometimes function independently and sometimes there is a combination
of two or more. We must study all the cues before judging the meaning of the
message. For having a proper understanding of it one must have a serious
approach towards it. Then one will definitely succeed in their communication
under any circumstances. The study of body movements, facial expressions,
postures, gestures, eye contact etc. is known as Kinesics. The various types of
body language cues are as follows:

1. Emblems: It is the study of finger movements or hand movements. This

type of body language is culture bound. Most of the emblems are
deliberate in nature.

2. Regulators: It is the study of head movements. Regulators are an

important part of any communication as they regulate and maintain the
flow of speech in communication.

3. Adopters: It is the study of postural changes of body/stretching. Yawning,

sitting, meditating etc. This is universal in nature. But when we use it
deliberately to reflect a meaning it becomes culture bound.

4. Oculesics: It is the study of eye contact. It is universal in nature. It

depends on individual’s cultural background, age, gender and upbringing.
Various position of our eye can depict different meanings. E.g. Looking
straight suggests direct/open/straight forward, Looking down suggests
out of respect/guilt/lack of confidence, looking up suggests lack of
knowledge, wandering etc.

5. Haptic: It is the study of touch. It ranges from touch to cuddling, hugging,

hand shaking, even kicking.

6. Proxemics: It is the study of space distancing. It refers to the distance

generally we maintain in different situations. E.g. Intimate: zero, personal:
1.5 ft-4 feet, social: 4- 35 12 feet etc. It is cultural specific. In western
countries particularly Europe they are very particular about proxemics. In
India, it is difficult to understand the relevance of this concept.

Non verbal communication is concerned with the movement of our body, space
and vocal features. It is important to know about these features of body
language. They are as follows:

Physical Appearance:
Physical appearance plays an important role. People see you before they hear
you. You should dress yourself in the manner you want to communicate to the
audience. Appearance includes clothes, hair, jewellery, cosmetics, and so on. In

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today’s society clothing is to express oneself. Clothes accent the body’s
movements.

Posture:
Posture generally refers to the way we hold ourselves when we stand, sit or
walk. The way you sit, stand, or walk reveals a lot about you. New speakers are
not sure what to do with their body. Certain mannerisms creep in from
nervousness such as pacing constantly, bobbing the shoulders, jingling coins,
constantly moving the body or remaining static.

Gesture:
Gesture is the movement made by hands, arms, shoulders, head, etc. It clarifies
our ideas and reinforces them. Gesture should be well suited to the audience and
the occasion. There are about 7, 00,000 different hand gestures. The meanings
derived from these gestures may vary from individual to individual.
Gestures should not divert the attention of the listener and distract from the
message. Speakers’ gestures should be quite natural and spontaneous.

Facial Expression:
Facial expressions also play important role in presentation. The face is the most
expressive part of our body. A smile stands for friendliness, a frown for
discontent, raised eyebrows for disbelief, tightened jaw muscles for antagonism,
etc. The face rarely sends a single message at a time but it sends a series of
messages. Our facial expressions may show anxiety, recognition, hesitation, and
pleasure in quick succession.

Eye Contact:
The eyes are considered to be the windows of the soul. We look into the eyes of
a speaker to find out the truthfulness of his speech, his intelligence, attitudes,
and feelings. Eye contact is a direct and powerful form of non-verbal
communication. Looking directly at listeners builds affinity between the speaker
and the listener. Making eye contact for three to five seconds continuously tells
the audience that the speaker is sincere in his communication.

GROOMING & DRESSING SENSE

The Power of a Good First Impression:

Your appearance enables people to assume your professional credibility and
potential performance. Many employers interpret your appearance in terms of
what you know about the world around you. If you come to face an interview
dress yourself professionally. You will feel a sense of confidence and others will
sense your self-assurance.

Dressing for Interview Success:

Nonverbal elements during interview like your handshake, eye contact, body
language, posture, listening skills, clothing, grooming and accessories also
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matter a lot. A job interview is a process where almost every aspect of a person
is gone through minutely. Therefore, one should be completely presentable and
ready during interview. Most of the interview is over at the first glance of the
interviewer on the interviewee. Therefore, the sense of clothing makes a lot of
difference in cracking the interview. If you are going to face the interview for the
job of an MNC or a local company, what you wear for the interview will be
judged equally with your background. When selecting your look for the
interview, “Dress to impress” is always the best practice. When you talk about
interview dress, it intends to say whether it suits your appearance or not. What
you wear for an interview is a big part of the job searching process.

Dress code for an Interview – 3 Factors:

An interview is the first meeting between two professionals on the same
professional line. You should think about your interview dress as a code for
casting a strong and positive impression on the interviewer. For this purpose
following factors should be kept in mind: -

1. Line of Work: This is one of the most common mistakes that a person
commits while attending an interview. If the job interview is for a media
company, wearing casual clothes like jeans or t-shirts does not serve the
purpose. Appearing well dressed and in a corporate manner works a lot towards
this mission.

2. Design and Sense: Your clothes do not shout out anything about you to the
interviewer. This is something that you might want to have communicated or
not. The clothes should not be gaudy or striking to take anything away from the
conversation. After all, it is a conversation that would apparently decide a long
stint of your life.

3. Colours: The best corporate colours are something that do not call too much
attention on yourselves, preferably light shades. One should avoid wearing
black colour, because black colour is synonymous with employees working at
the lower level.

Interview dress code for women:

Dressing for a job interview is much harder for a woman than it is for a man.
There is a wide range of clothes, footwear, shirt, tie, suit and black shoes for
women. Women should ensure that their clothes are not too scanty.
Interview dress code for men:
Remember first impression counts. The suitable dress for men can be white or
similar shade shirts, black pants and ties. Other than that, men can use any
design that does not disturb the conversation.

PERSONAL HYGIENE

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Personal hygiene is one of the most important things to think about when one
gets ready for an interview. However, personal hygiene does not come naturally
to some people as it plays a big part in our day to day life. Chances of selection
instantly reduce if you do not maintain personal hygiene during interview. Poor
personal hygiene suggests that your smell might be off putting to potential co-
workers. It also suggests that if you don't care much for your own body then you
won't care much about the work you are doing. The interviewer will think that
you would be unappealing to clients and therefore unable to perform certain
roles. Therefore, you should be sure that you have washed yourself thoroughly
before the interview. Your clothes should be well cleaned and ironed. It will also
be wise to enhance the good odour of your body by using deodorant and other
perfumes, but excess use of cosmetics should be avoided.

VOICE DYNAMICS (PARALINGUISTICS)

Paralinguistic features are non-verbal cues. They help us to give importance to

our voice. Our voice is our trademark. Therefore, it is useful to understand the
characteristics of our voice. They are as follows:

1. Quality: Each one of us has a unique voice and its quality depends upon
its resonating mechanism. It may be rich and resonant, soft and alluring,
thin and nasal, hoarse and husky, or harsh and irritating. So, one can make
conscious efforts to improve one’s quality of voice.

2. Volume: Volume is the loudness or the softness of voice. Our voice should
always project but need not always be loud. We should vary our volume so
as to make our voice audible and clear.

3. Pace/Rate: Rate is the number of words which we speak per minute. It

varies from person to person. The normal rate is from 120 to 150 words
per minute. We should cultivate our pace so as to fit in this reasonable
limit. We should use pauses to create emphasis. A well paced message
suggests enthusiasm, self-assurance and awareness of audience.

4. Pitch: Pitch refers to the number of vibrations per second of our voice.
The rise and fall of the voice conveys various kinds of emotions. A well
balanced pitch results in a clear and effective tone.

5. Articulation: Speakers should be careful not to slop, slur, shorten, or omit

sounds between words or sentences. If all the sounds are not uttered
properly, the flow of understanding gets interrupted. It dissuades the
listener from understanding the meaning of the message. We should speak
clearly and produce the sounds in a clear manner.

6. Pronunciation: Pronunciation requires us to produce sounds in an

acceptable way. The best way is to follow British Received Pronunciation.
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 One should be careful to pronounce individual sound properly. If there are
confusions, we should consult a good pronouncing dictionary and try to
pronounce the word correctly.

7. Voice Modulation: Modulation refers to the adjustment of sound to its

proper tone, pitch, and volume produced by a speaker. Modulation of
voice can help us to express our emotion and sentiment in the best
possible way.

8. Pauses: A pause is a short silence between the spoken words. A pause

during speech enables the listener to reflect on the message and digest it.
It helps us to move from one thought to another. It beautifies our speech,
because it is a natural process to give a basic form of our voice.

Five P’s of Voice Modulation:

1. Pace:
Pace is the speed of voice. It depends on the number of words which you speak
per minute. It varies from person to person and from 80 to 250 words per
minute. The normal rate is from 120 to 150 words. Cultivate your pace so as to
fit in this reasonable limit. Use pauses to create emphasis. A well paced, varied
message suggests enthusiasm, self-assurance and awareness of audience.

2. Power:
Each one of us has a unique power of voice and its quality depends upon its
resonating mechanism. It may be rich and resonant, soft and alluring, thin and
nasal, hoarse and husky, or harsh and irritating. So, one can make conscious
efforts to improve one’s quality of voice. Your voice should always project but
need not always be loud. You should vary your volume so as to make your voice
audible and clear.

3. Pronunciation:
If articulation means speaking out all the sounds distinctly, then pronunciation
requires us to speak out sounds in way that is generally accepted. The best way
is to follow British Received pronunciation. One should be careful enough to
pronounce individual sounds along with word stress according to the set norms.
Wherever there is confusion, always consult a good dictionary and try to
pronounce it correctly.

4. Pause:
A pause is a short silence flanked by words. A pause is speaking lets the listener
reflect on the message and digest it accordingly. It helps you glide from one
thought to another one. It embellishes your speech because it is a natural
process to give a basic form of your voice.

5. Pitch:

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Pitch refers to the number of vibrations per second of your voice. The rise and
fall of the voice conveys various emotions. A well balanced pitch results in a
clear and effective tone.

Speakers should be careful not to slop, slur, chop, truncate, or omit sounds
between words or sentences. If all the sounds are not uttered properly, the flow
of understanding gets interrupted and deters the listener from grasping the
meaning of the message. Develop in yourself the ability to speak distinctly;
produce the sounds in a crisp and lucid manner.

IMPROVING VOICE AND SPEECH

Voice is nature’s blessing to human being. It conveys their involvement and

conviction. It reveals their personality to some extent. That is why the quality of
voice differs from person to person. Think for a while and you would be able to
recall different kinds of voice you have heard. If you examine them critically, you
may come to the following conclusion. Some people nasalize their voice by
exercise. It requires very little time but the effort has to be sustained.
In improving voice, three factors play a key role:
• Activating Tongue.
• Relaxing facial muscles.
• Breathing properly.

Activating Tongue: The correct placing of the tongue is essential for clear and
distinct delivery. Pronounce the individual sound of English and you would feel
the movement of the various parts of the tongue at different places in the mouth.
To keep your tongue agile, do the following exercise:

✓ Fill air in your mouth and close it. Role your tongue clockwise and then
anti-clockwise, without letting the air escape.
✓ Touch the teeth ridge and the centre of the mouth with the tip of the
tongue in quick succession.
✓ Energize your tongue by flapping and fluttering it.

Relaxing Facial Muscles: Tired muscles may muffle your voice. To keep them
relax, you may try the following exercise:
✓ Open your mouth wide and move your lower jaw from side to side.
✓ Close your mouth and do what is stated above.
✓ Spread your lips as much as you can, and then round them.
✓ Pretend to chew or munch smoothly.

Breathing Properly: Breathe is the stuff of which sound is made. When we

produce sound, It travels through air waves for proper breathing which is
essential for clear production of sounds. You may do the following exercise.
✓ Inhale air, hold it for some time and then exhale it.
✓ Inhale and exhale the puffs of air in quick succession.
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 ✓ Hold your breath and speak as many words as you can.

PUBLIC SPEAKING

Speech is gift of Nature. It distinguishes man from other living being.

Preparatory Steps for Public Speaking:

• Gather the relevant material.
• Structure the material.
• Prepare the material for display and distribution.
• Inspect the venue for physical arrangement.
• Size up the audience.
• Decide on audio- visual aids to be used by you.

Gather the relevant material: The first step is to gather the relevant material
from sources such as newspaper, journals, books, internet, websites etc. and
note it down in any organized way in note cards or thick note sheets. If collected
already, one should go through it carefully. Now divide it into three parts.
i. One, that must be presented because it is crucial to the understanding of
the topic.
ii. Two, that should be presented because without it the audience would not
be able to fully understand the matter in part one.
iii. Three, that might be presented if time permits or the occasion demands.

Structuring the contents : For a success in public speaking , it is necessary to

organize the material meticulously keeping the following factors in mind :-
i. Key – idea.
ii. Supporting Ideas.
iii. Time available.
iv. Expectations of the audience.

It is customary to divide the contents into three main parts. Namely

i. Introduction.
ii. Main Body.
iii. Conclusion.

Introduction
“The first Impression is last impression” You should, therefore, go all – out to
win the audience right from the beginning. You may be aware that their
attention level is very high at this stage.

These are the points that should be included:

i. Spell out the objective of the talk clearly.
ii. Provide a context for the speech in brief.
iii. Give a preview of what you are going to say.

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iv. Relate the topic to the need or protest of the audience.
v. Prepare the material for display and distribution – The material relating to
the points you have already identified should be divided into small modules.
Each module should have clear beginning, middle and an end.

Presentation Patterns
Since you have to cater to the need of all the audience, try to provide relief by
sprinkling your presentation with personal/ references, quotations, questions
and audio – visual material.

i. Arrange the material into sub topics and modules constituting them into
an order of their importance.
ii. If the topic is predominantly informative, the modules may be arranged in
a chronological order and each module should be related to a period or
point of time or an event.
iii. The contents would have mainly two divisions :
iv. The first describing or explaining the problem and its causes and second
offering a solution and its impact.
v. In a speech to explain why something happened or happens you have to
describe the cause or factors responsible for the happening and then
explain the effect.

Development of Points
A speech is an oral composition. In developing the points you have included in a
speech you have to follow more or less, the same strategy as in developing the
points in written communication. Here we shall discuss a few common devices
used for this purpose.
1. Example
2. Comparison and Contrast
3. Statistics
4. Testimony

Definition
A definition usually leads a listener to the unknown or the unfamiliar from the
known and the familiar. It sets the boundary of the semantic area of a concept or
idea under discussion and this helps the listener concentrate on the central
thought.

Venue
Another preparatory step to which attention is seldom paid is the inspection of
the venue of the speech before hand. If feasible do find out whether.
i. The Venue is well ventilated.
ii. The seats are properly arranged.
iii. There is a podium with steps.
iv. There is a screen for display.
v. There is a lecturer on the podium.
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 vi. A technician would be available to assist you.

Size up the audience

Speaker should always be aware of the size of his audience.

NUANCES OF SPEECH DELIVERY (PUBLIC SPEAKING)

It means effective presentation by the presenter. Presentation delivery is both

science and art. It is art because it involves comprehensive knowledge of all
modern equipments and gadgets which form audio – visual aids. It also includes
a very effective command over language, kinesics, paralanguage and semiotics
(sign language etc.) Many presenters extremely fail in their presentation
strategies because they lack in one or another skills. It is said that effective
presentation means effective delivery of the subject. For this, the presenter has
to prepare his topic well. He should also develop functional knowledge of all
audio- visual aids. He should also know the importance of the body language,
voice modulation, effective communication skills and paralanguage.

Speaking in public has more formality than talking. During a speech, you should
present yourself professionally. This doesn’t mean you must wear a suit or
“dress up” but it does mean making yourself presentable by being well groomed
and wearing clean, appropriate clothes. It also means being prepared to use
language correctly and appropriately for the audience and the topic, to make eye
contact with your audience, and to look like you know your topic very well.

While speaking has more formality than talking, it has less formality than
reading. Speaking allows for meaningful pauses, eye contact, small changes in
word order, and vocal emphasis. Reading is a more or less exact replication of
words on paper without the use of any nonverbal interpretation. Speaking, as
you will realize if you think about excellent speakers you have seen and heard,
provides a more animated message.

Delivery of Presentation requires:

1. Focused Presentation.
2. Discreet use of illustration and anecdotes.
3. Logical development of the theme.

Manner of Presentation
1. Use of technical methods.
2. Use of kinesics.
3. Use jokes and anecdotes.

Four Modes of Speech Delivery:

1. Manuscript Mode of Speech Delivery:

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Manuscript speaking is the word-for-word iteration of a written message. In a
manuscript speech, the speaker maintains his or her attention on the printed
page except when using visual aids.

The advantage to reading from a manuscript is the exact repetition of original

words. As we mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, in some circumstances
this can be extremely important. For example, reading a statement about your
organization’s legal responsibilities to customers may require that the original
words be exact. In reading one word at a time, in order, the only errors would
typically be mispronunciation of a word or stumbling over complex sentence
structure.

However, there are costs involved in manuscript speaking. First, it’s typically an
uninteresting way to present. Unless the speaker has rehearsed the reading as a
complete performance animated with vocal expression and gestures (as poets
do in poetry slam and actors do in a reader’s theater), the presentation tends to
be dull. Keeping one’s eyes glued to the script precludes eye contact with the
audience. For this kind of “straight” manuscript speech to hold audience
attention, the audience must be already interested in the message before the
delivery begins.

It is worth noting that professional speakers, actors, news reporters, and

politicians often read from an autocue device, such as a TelePrompTer,
especially when appearing on television, where eye contact with the camera is
crucial. With practice, a speaker can achieve a conversational tone and give the
impression of speaking extemporaneously while using an autocue device.
However, success in this medium depends on two factors: (1) the speaker is
already an accomplished public speaker who has learned to use a conversational
tone while delivering a prepared script, and (2) the speech is written in a style
that sounds conversational.

2. Memorization Mode of Speech Delivery:

Memorized speaking is the rote recitation of a written message that the speaker
has committed to memory. Actors, of course, recite from memory whenever
they perform from a script in a stage play, television program, or movie scene.
When it comes to speeches, memorization can be useful when the message
needs to be exact and the speaker doesn’t want to be confined by notes.

The advantage to memorization is that it enables the speaker to maintain eye

contact with the audience throughout the speech. Being free of notes means that
you can move freely around the stage and use your hands to make gestures. If
your speech uses visual aids, this freedom is even more of an advantage.

However, there are some real and potential costs. First, unless you also plan and
memorize every vocal cue (the subtle but meaningful variations in speech
delivery, which can include the use of pitch, tone, volume, and pace), gesture,
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and facial expression, your presentation will be flat and uninteresting, and even
the most fascinating topic will suffer. You might end up speaking in a monotone
or a sing-song repetitive delivery pattern. You might also present your speech in
a rapid “machine-gun” style that fails to emphasize the most important points.
Second, if you lose your place and start trying to ad lib, the contrast in your style
of delivery will alert your audience that something is wrong. More frighteningly,
if you go completely blank during the presentation, it will be extremely difficult
to find your place and keep going.

3. Extemporaneous Mode of Speech Delivery:

Extemporaneous speaking is the presentation of a carefully planned and
rehearsed speech, spoken in a conversational manner using brief notes. By using
notes rather than a full manuscript, the extemporaneous speaker can establish
and maintain eye contact with the audience and assess how well they
understand the speech as it progresses. The opportunity to assess is also an
opportunity to restate more clearly any idea or concept that the audience seems
to have trouble grasping.

For instance, suppose you are speaking about workplace safety and you use the
term “sleep deprivation.” If you notice your audience’s eyes glazing over, this
might not be a result of their own sleep deprivation, but rather an indication of
their uncertainty about what you mean. If this happens, you can add a short
explanation; for example, “sleep deprivation is sleep loss serious enough to
threaten one’s cognition, hand-to-eye coordination, judgment, and emotional
health.” You might also (or instead) provide a concrete example to illustrate the
idea. Then you can resume your message, having clarified an important concept.

Speaking extemporaneously has some advantages. It promotes the likelihood

that you, the speaker, will be perceived as knowledgeable and credible. In
addition, your audience is likely to pay better attention to the message because
it is engaging both verbally and nonverbally. The disadvantage of
extemporaneous speaking is that it requires a great deal of preparation for both
the verbal and the nonverbal components of the speech. Adequate preparation
cannot be achieved the day before you’re scheduled to speak.

Because extemporaneous speaking is the style used in the great majority of

public speaking situations, most of the information in this chapter is targeted to
this kind of speaking.

4. Impromptu Mode of Speech Delivery:

Impromptu speaking is the presentation of a short message without advance
preparation. Impromptu speeches often occur when someone is asked to “say a
few words” or give a toast on a special occasion. You have probably done
impromptu speaking many times in informal, conversational settings. Self-
introductions in group settings are examples of impromptu speaking: “Hi, my
name is Steve, and I’m a volunteer with the Homes for the Brave program.”
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Another example of impromptu speaking occurs when you answer a question
such as, “What did you think of the documentary?”

The advantage of this kind of speaking is that it’s spontaneous and responsive in
an animated group context. The disadvantage is that the speaker is given little or
no time to contemplate the central theme of his or her message. As a result, the
message may be disorganized and difficult for listeners to follow.
Here is a step-by-step guide that may be useful if you are called upon to give an
impromptu speech in public.
• Take a moment to collect your thoughts and plan the main point you want
to make.
• Thank the person for inviting you to speak.
• Deliver your message, making your main point as briefly as you can while
still covering it adequately and at a pace your listeners can follow.
• Thank the person again for the opportunity to speak.
• Stop talking.

As you can see, impromptu speeches are generally most successful when they
are brief and focus on a single point.

The 5 W’s and an H of Public Speaking:

In any presentation, there are basic pieces of information that an audience

expects to receive from the presenter. You are the problem solver presenting a
solution that will benefit your audience.
Even if you are just blessing the newlyweds at your best friend’s wedding, you
still have questions that must be answered. These questions are the classic five
Ws and an H: who, what, when, where, why and how. Read on to better
understand what I mean.

1. Who?
Who is your target audience? What would they like to know about your topic?
Do they have any preconceived notions about your material? What are their
concerns? Are you addressing the “who” you targeted in your research?
When you address the “who” of your message, you are better able to relate with
your audience. They will feel like you are speaking directly to them. They will
give you their attention because they feel like their needs are being addressed.

2. What?
What is the message you want to communicate? What are the issues? What are
the solutions?
The “what” in your message is the backbone of your presentation. It is your
purpose for speaking. It is also the reason why people come to hear you.

3. When?

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When should the audience take action? Is there a sense of urgency in your
presentation?
Stressing the “when” aspect of your message is especially important when you
want your audience to take action immediately following the presentation — for
example sign up for a class, sell promotional materials, implement what was
learned.

4. Where?
Where is the problem? Where is the solution? Where can your audience find the
help they need?
“Where” signifies direction. This leads your audience somewhere in your
presentation. Where would you like to take them? Common “where” statements
include: “across America today”, “in college campuses nationwide”, “in the
construction industry” and “in families in California”.

5. Why?
Why should the audience take action? What are the motivating factors in
prompting your audience to take action?
The main focus here is to inspire and motivate your audience to take action. Not
only do you want them to listen to you, but you want your audience to take
action on what you’ve said. You want to somehow improve their lives and
honing your message on the “why” is a critical factor to accomplishing that goal.

6. How?
How can they respond to your message? How can they take action based on
what they’ve heard?
This is the learning and teaching portion of your message. This can be the “how-
to” section telling them how they can easily improve their lives. This section
often incorporates steps to follow.

There are still many more questions that your presentation should answer.
You’ll be giving your audience the detailed answers they are looking for. You
also present yourself as the credible source of information.

MANAGING TIME

Do you regularly go over time when you’re delivering a presentation? If a time

limit has been set for your presentation, then it’s your responsibility to finish it
within that time. Consider it as part of the contract between you and your
audience.

Here are some tips to help you manage time:

1. Decide on your “talking time”

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You can’t keep to time unless you know beforehand how long you should be
talking. Your “talking time” is different than the total time you’ve been given for
your presentation for two reasons:
a) You need to allow time for questions. This may be decided by the meeting
organizer. If not, as a rule of thumb I would allow 20-25% of your
presentation time for questions.
b) Generally, live presentations take longer than the rehearsal. This is
because of a combination of factors. You might start a couple of minutes
late, you might take longer to make a point, and there may be other
interruptions that delay you.

So, if your presentation time is one hour, you’re talking time will be 40 minutes
(15 minutes for questions and 5 minutes for interruptions and delays).

2. Find out how long it takes to deliver your material

This is a prerequisite to being able to keep to time. If you don’t know how long
your talk takes then how can you hope to meet the time limit? Many presenters
are very bad at judging how long it will take to deliver something.

Time yourself early on in your planning process. This will save you time and
agony.

3. Write a timed schedule for your presentation

When you do a final rehearsal, note down the time that each segment takes and
then take that information to prepare a timed schedule.

So, for example, if your presentation started at 3pm, your schedule would look
like this:
3 pm: Opening
3.05: Part 1
3.15: Part 2
3.25: Part 3
3.35: Closing
3.40: Stop talking

Thus, during the live presentation, you’ll be able to easily tell whether you’re
keeping to time. Note that it’s not enough to know that each part takes 10
minutes. In the presentation itself you won’t have the head space available to
calculate whether you’re ahead or behind.

4. Have a clock or timekeeper

You can’t manage your time unless you can see the time. And you can’t rely on
every meeting or conference room having a clock. Have a small, but easily
readable, travel clock that you can put on the lectern or even in front of you on
the stage. Make sure you can read it at a distance without your glasses on. There

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are remotes that also have a countdown timer and that will buzz you at 5
minutes and 2 minutes before the end of your presentation.

5. Start on time
Many presentations go over time simply because they started late. You never
have as much time as you want. Often that’s because the presenter or meeting
organizer has decided to wait for late-comers. You may be concerned that
people who are late will miss out on crucial information. So, don’t start with
crucial material. Instead open with a relevant and engaging story which leads
into your first main point. The stragglers will come in while you’re telling your
story.

6. Be ready to adapt
Despite all your advance preparations you may still run out of time. The solution
is not simply to talk faster. Work out ahead of time what segment you will drop
if this should happen. Make a note of the first slide number after the dropped
segment. By keying in the number of that slide and then pressing ‘Enter’ you will
jump straight to that slide. This is much more professional than clicking through
your slides. Your audience need never know that you had to edit on the fly.

MOTIVATION

Motivation is an act or process of giving someone a reason for doing something.

It is the condition of being eager to act or work. It is also a force or influence that
causes someone to do something. Motivation is an act of stimulating someone or
oneself to get desired course of action.

Our behaviour is governed by unconscious motives. We explain our everyday

behaviour in terms of various motives. Motives help us make predictions about
behaviour. We may tell what a person will do in future. Motives may not tell us
exactly what will happen, but they give us an idea about the range of activities a
person will d

Types of Motivation:
There are basically two types of motivation, Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic Motivation:
Intrinsic motivation means that the individual's motivational stimuli are coming
from within. The individual has the desire to perform a specific task, because its
results are in accordance with his belief system or fulfils a desire and therefore
importance is attached to it. Our deep-rooted desires have the highest
motivational power. For examples:

Extrinsic Motivation:
Extrinsic motivation means that the individual's motivational stimuli are coming
from outside. In other words, our desires to perform a task are controlled by an
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outside source. Extrinsic motivation is external in nature. The most important
motivational factor is money like monthly award, benefit package and bonus.

Factors of Motivation:
1. Incentive:
Incentive is a form of motivation .It involves rewards; both monetary and
nonmonetary. Many people are driven by the knowledge that they will be
rewarded in some manner for achieving a certain target or goal. Bonuses and
promotions are good examples of the type of incentives that are used for
motivation.
2. Fear:
Fear motivation involves consequences. This type of motivation is often utilized
when incentive motivation fails. In a business style of motivation “carrot and
stick,” method of motivation is followed. Incentive is the carrot and fear is the
stick. Punishment or negative consequences are a form of fear motivation.
3. Achievement:
Achievement motivation is also commonly referred to as the drive for
competency. We are driven to achieve goals and tackle new challenges. We
desire to improve skills and prove our competency both to others and to
ourselves. We often have a desire or need to receive positive feedback from both
our peers and our superiors.
4. Growth:
The need for self-improvement is truly an internal motivation. A keen desire to
increase our knowledge of ourselves and of the outside world can be a very
strong form of motivation. We seek to learn and grow as individuals.
5. Power:
We want to have choices and control over our own lives. We strive for the ability
to direct the manner in which we live now and the way our lives will unfold in
future. We also often aspire to control others around us. In some cases, the
craving for power enforces people to harmful, immoral, or illegal behaviour. In
other situations, the longing for power is merely a desire to affect the behaviour
of others. We simply want people to do what we want.
6. Social:
Many people are motivated by social factors. We have an innate need to feel
belongingness with others. We also have the need for acceptance and affiliation.
If we have a longing to make a contribution to the world around us, it is
generally a sign that we are motivated by social factors.

Process of Motivation:
1. Unsatisfied needs and motives:
It is the first process of motivation. This stage involves unsatisfied needs and
motives. Such unsatisfied needs can be activated by internal stimulus such as
hunger and thirst. They can also be activated by external stimulus such as
advertisement and window display.
2. Tension:

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This stage involves tension. Unsatisfied needs create tension in an individual.
Such tension can be physical, psychological and sociological, etc. In this
situation, people try to develop objects that will satisfy their needs.
3. Action to satisfy needs and motives:
This stage involves action of people to satisfy needs and motives. Such tension
creates strong internal stimulus that calls for action. An Individual gets engaged
in action to satisfy his needs. It motivates him and reduces his tension. For this
purpose, alternatives are searched and choices are made. The action can be hard
work for earning more money.
4. Goal accomplishment:
This stage involves goal accomplishment. Actions which satisfy needs motivate
an individual to accomplish goals. It can be achieved through reward and
punishment. When actions are carried out as per requirement, people are
rewarded. The persons who fail to accomplish the goal are punished. Ultimately,
goals are accomplished.
5. Feedback:
This is the last stage for motivation. Feedback provides information for revision
or improvement or modification of needs as needed. Drastic changes in
environment necessitate the revision and modification of needs.

Tips for Improving Self-Motivation:

1. Clarify your goals:
Clarify what it is that you want, and why you want it. Sometimes we are stuck
for motivation simply because we don’t have a clear picture of the end result.
2. Think long-term:
Thinking of the long-term is significant to overcome small obstacles.
3. Celebrate the small wins:
Set some milestones for you to celebrate when you get there. These milestones
are great motivators in themselves. Celebrating your small wins is also
important to renew motivation. It will provide you with positive feedback and
reinforce your good behaviours.
4. Reassess and readjust on the way:
Continually coming up against the same obstacle can be “de-motivating”.
Readjusting your strategy may be the best way to get past and get on. After all,
there’s “more than one way to skin a cat”. The end result is the key here.
5. Evaluate (and re-evaluate) your goals:
As you start to get closer to your end goal, take time to evaluate the outcome you
are trying to achieve. It could be that once you are able to see the finishing line,
it’s not actually the result you want. It may be that the particular outcome is not
as important to you as it initially was. Evaluating your goals ensures that you are
heading towards something that you really want.

POSITIVE ATTITUDE

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Definition: A positive attitude is a philosophy of approaching life with optimism and
confidence. Developing a positive attitude requires replacing negative thinking with
positive in an effort to create a successful outlook on life and experience.

Function: A person with a positive attitude has a positive outlook on various

situations, even during difficult times. Maintaining the perspective that the glass is
half full rather than half empty is essential for keeping a positive attitude.

Significance: Your attitude can determine your success or failure in your career and
relationship. Putting forth positive energy is more likely to get positive results, while
negative energy is likely to cause problems.

Ways: Daily affirmation, good physical, mental and spiritual health, exercise, study
of self-help materials and application of relaxation techniques are ways to develop
positive attitudes.

Effects: A positive attitude gives a new outlook to our life .It enables us to gain
power over our thoughts and emotions. Thus, it changes our outlook of life.

Tips for Positive Attitude:

1. Avoid everything that can affect you badly. Your environment is one of the biggest
factors that influence your thought. If the environment is negative, you will be
surrounded by it and then your thought will also be affected. If it is positive, you will
be surrounded by positive things that can support you for having positive thinking.

2. Try not to worry. If something bad happens or everything doesn’t go well, do not
worry. By adopting this attitude, you are going to believe that everything will be OK
and fine.

3. Only use positive words when talking. If you're constantly telling yourself "I can't"
you may convince yourself that's the truth. Replace these negative words with
positive ones. Tell yourself that you will do your best or you will try your hardest.

4. Analyze what went wrong. Thinking positively doesn't mean denying the wrong.
Instead, give yourself some time to think about the things that led you up to the
current situation, so that you can avoid future mistakes and look towards a more
positive tomorrow.

5. Give yourself credit. When we feel frustrated or upset, we only concentrate on the
bad things or the mistakes which we've made in the past instead of giving credit to
ourselves for the right. Allow yourself to feel confident about the things, you have
accomplished, even if you've messed up in other areas.

6. Learn from the past. The past is behind you. It does not matter how badly things
happened to you. It is nothing but you can change them. Whenever you have negative
thoughts about the past, replace them with positive thoughts about the future.
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7. See it from another point of view. Change your way of thinking by trying to see
things from positive point of view, whether it's your co-worker, your boss or just
someone.

8. Believe you deserve good things. If you don't truly believe that you deserve good
things in your life, you aren’t going to encounter many. Believe that you are worthy
for good fortune to come to your way.

9. Believe the world is a good place. Believe the world is a good place and you're
likely to find many more ways to perform well.

PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE ORAL COMMUNICATION

1. Prepare
2. Identify the audience
3. Structure the presentation
4. Practice
5. Maintain audience interest by
6. Take charge

1. Prepare
• We should take plenty of time to search out topic
• Take time to draft then re-draft
• Develop material to support rather than summarize presentation
• Narrow the focus so that the given topic can be managed within the
available time

2. Identify the Audience

• Find out who is likely to be there
• Assess their level of knowledge or experience in the given topic
• Consider what you need to address the interests of this particular
group.

3. Structure the Presentation so it

• Flows logically
• Begins with an introduction, moves smoothly through the main body,
and reaches a clear conclusion
• Hangs together, with easy transition between ideas and sections
• Stays within the time limit

4. Practice
• In private and assess your own performance
• Watch the pace of the presentation
• Revise the flow of the material

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 • Avoid over anxiety and over perfection

5. Maintain Audience Interest By

• Keeping good eye contact
• Using direct language
• Repeating main points
• Varying tone and pace: using the voice
• Being aware of body language: positive and negative gestures, etc.

6. Take Charge
• Of yourself – be aware of nervousness and use this energy for good
effects
• Remember- most people feel nervous infront of the audience
• Take control of the presentation – make sure the equipments work, and
you know how to be aware of physical needs of group

Other Factors
• Researcher suggests audience attitude is probably formed on the basis
of something like;
• 7% content
• 38% tone and inflection of voice
• 56% body language

Conclusion: Oral communication helps students to improve their academic

performance. It facilitates employment options. It also enhances their
professional competence and helps them in their career building.

VITALS OF COMMUNICATION

The Function of Language:

Language embodies and conveys thought. It is an important means to convey
our thoughts and feelings. In its spoken and written form, language is the
commonest means of communication in all our social activities.

Elements of Human Communication:

Human communication is not a dull and passive process. It is a dynamic and
active process. It has the following important elements:
i. Initiation: Communication begins when a sender initiates a statement in
order to transmit a thought, an idea or information. The receiver receives the
statement transmitted by the sender. He interprets it and decides how to
respond.

ii. Feedback: The response of the receiver that is sent back to the sender is
called feedback. The sender modifies further statements based on the

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 feedback. Feedback thus helps the sender to know whether the message has
been received correctly or not.

iii. Channel: Channel connects the source and the receiver. A speaker and a
listener are connected to each other by sound waves and light waves.
Language is carried by sound waves and facial expressions and body
gestures by light waves.

iv. Situation: Situation is the place or setting in which communication takes

place.

v. Purpose: Purpose contains the intention of the source, or speaker. It is the

communicative aim of the speaker.

vi. Attitudes: The speaker and the listener carry certain ideologies, world-
views, beliefs, likes, dislikes and aptitudes with them. They are also under
the influence of changing emotional and mental states. These factors affect
the attitudes of the speaker and the listener at the time of communication.

vii. Knowledge: The speaker has to possess adequate knowledge of the message
that is to be transmitted. Knowledge based on observation, study and
personal experience, helps the speaker to communicate effectively.

viii. Expression: Expression consists of the ability to transmit or communicate.

Fluency, clarity and intelligibility of expression pave the way for effective
communication. When expression is clear, the the message is transmitted
smoothly. This helps the speaker and the listener avoid communication gaps.
It also helps them to arrive at an agreement and take decisions. Improper or
faulty expression leads to breakdown of communication.

ix. Language: Language is the most important element in the communication

process. The effective use of language means selecting appropriate words
and patterns of sentences during communication. These linguistic patterns
are supported by facial and body gestures which facilitate effective
communication.

x. Intellectualism: Communication is made effective only in an intellectual

atmosphere. The speaker and the listener have to express and understand
views calmly, rationally, precisely and efficiently. When intellectualism is
absent, thoughts and ideas are likely to be ineffective.

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Communication at this level refers to the sharing of information among people.

Man is a social animal and he interacts with other persons in his day-to-day life.
Whenever a sender and a receiver have some common background, purpose and
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interest, they have relevant interaction. Cooperation between the sender and
the receiver facilitates some fruitful interpersonal communication. In this kind
of communication, sender and receiver are in close physical proximity
(nearness) to each other. The roles of sender and receiver also keep
alternating. This form of communication is beneficial, because direct and
immediate feedback is possible. If a doubt occurs, it can be instantly clarified. It
is important to note that non-verbal communication plays a major role in the
interpretation of a message during interpersonal communication.

Interpersonal communication can be formal or informal depending upon the

situation. Most of the situations of Interpersonal communication depend on a
variety of factors. They are the psychology of the two parties, the relationship
between them, the situation in which the communication takes place, the
surrounding environment, and finally the cultural context.

PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION

The term ‘persuasion’ means to persuade or influence someone to do something.

Persuasive communication also means to persuade others to understand what
one is trying to communicate in one’s own way. Persuasive communication has
one main purpose to win the reader’s and listener’s support, belief, and favour.
The following factors are important for persuasive communication:

Understanding the Audience:

A thorough understanding of the audience for persuasive communication is
essential. Businessmen must consider whom they are attempting to
communicate and with what objective. Objective and audience are key points of
effective persuasive communication.

Choosing the Right Medium:

For effective persuasive communication, it is important to choose the medium
suitable for the message and the audience as well.

Taking Time to Listen:

Two-way communication is the most effective way to persuade audience.
Sometimes communicators are so engaged in presenting their views that they
forget to listen to their audience. They fail to take the time to listen. However,
listening is important. It can help to provide further insights into the interest
desire, concern and motivation of audience.

Building Strong Relationship:

Effective communication is built on strong relationship. It enables us to
communicate even the most sensitive message to individual and audience with
whom we have established solid, trusting and strong relationship.

Connect Emotionally with your Audience:

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Good communicators are aware of the importance of emotion of the audience.
They always try to touch the heart of the audience. They respond to them in two
ways. First, they show their own emotional commitment to the position from
where they are advocating or speaking. Secondly, they have a strong and
accurate sense of their audience’s emotional state and they adjust their tone and
the intensity of their arguments accordingly.

GROUP DISCUSSION

The term “Group Discussion’ is used to refer to an oral communication situation

in which a small number of professionals meet and discuss a problem or issue to
arrive at exchanging information on a significant matter. Sometimes, the group
discussion is used as an instrument for judging the suitability of a candidate for
a job as several personality traits come to the force during discussion.
The first thing which should keep in the mind is that one should be
immaculately dressed. It is the first impression of the candidate. Candidate has
to be aware of the accessories like shoes, belt, handbag, jewellery, etc.

Style of Group Discussion (G.D)

Since the formal G.D is conducted with a purpose should be handled in a
systematic manner. An individual has enough liberty to express ideas, opinions
and views but in a planned manner. The style of G.D may be included in these
points.

1. Broaching (Introducing) the topic:

It is quite clear that there is no nominated leader; therefore, anyone in the group
can take the initiation to begin the G.D. The candidate who begins the G.D has
the responsibility of explaining the key words of the topic. It is very necessary to
take the decision in the right direction.
A few examples of opening statements in G.D:
• Hello everybody! Today we are here to discuss an interesting topic. Now
let us quickly begin since we have 30 minutes forr discussion. So here we
are………
• My dear friends! Can I have your attention please! This is much talked
about issue which we have to discuss. Let us not waste time and get to the
serious discussion on……….

2. Contributing Judiciously:
While participating in a G.D. keep the following points in mind.
• Listen carefully and catch the discussion from what is previously
said.
• Relate your topic to the point.
• Deal with the sub topic to the point.
• Move according to the requirement of the stage.
• Group goal should always be kept in mind.

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 3. Creative Conducive Environment :
• Keep in mind to make the discussion vibrant and enjoyable.
• Treat each other as friends and not as competitor.
• Don’t embarrass the participant on their personal life and
contradicting them.
• Avoid being too formal by calling a participant no. – 4.

4. Handling Difficult Situation:

• Be clear with the discussion procedures in the beginning.
• Continue friendly attitude by respecting feelings of each individual.
• Difference in ideas should not bring out difference in individuals.
• Look at the problem objectively.

5. Closing Effectively: The evaluator gives an indication for winding up the

discussion. At this juncture (a particular point in time), one of the
participants who has been actively listening to all should take a lead to
sum up what had been discussed in the previous 30 minutes.

DO’S AND DON’TS OF GROUP DISCUSSION

Do’s:
• Define the topic or issue.
• Analyze its scope & implication.
• Initiate and generate discussion.
• Have eye contact with all.
• Deliberate and slow in delivering your points.
• Listen to the views of other’s interest.
• Encourage and provide feedback to the members to speak.
• Intervene forcefully and justify when the situation demands.
• Summarize views of others before presenting your point.
• Be brief and to the point in the presentation of your views.
• Try to lead the group to a definite conclusion.
• Speak with proper pronunciation.
• Maintain a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere throughout the discussion.
• Summarize the main view points at the end.

Don’ts:
• Don’t be assertive in presenting your views.
• Don’t disturb the discussion.
• Don’t monopolize the discussion.
• Don’t give a casual look.
• Don’t flay your hands.
• Don’t make any personal remark.
• Don’t jump up to the conclusion.

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 • Don’t speak continuously for a long time.
• Don’t use slangs and improper language
• Neither raise your voice too high nor too low.
• Don’t give aggressive gesture.
• Neither be relaxed in your chair nor lean forward.

INTERVIEW

Interview is a face-to-face interaction between two persons for a particular

purpose. It is widely used not only in employee selection, but also for placement,
orientation, appraisal, disciplinary action, exit or separation, counselling and
general problem solving. Interviews of present employees are a channel of
upward communication. Employees’ attitudes, opinions and views, ideas and
suggestions, feelings of fear, hopes and ambitions are all revealed during an
interview. Thus, interview is a purposeful exchange of views between two
persons.

We have always been told by our superiors that the key to success at an
examination is to practice by writing, rewriting and keep writing to ultimately
reach the pinnacle of success. You should speak and only speak until you are
confident of putting across your views and ideas. Does that mean that one
should speak in the same manner at all times? Not at all!

Is language wholly sufficient to put across your thoughts? The answer is ‘No’.
Feelings are also very important. We feel good when we are appreciated, hurt
when we are scolded. At times we are polite, sometimes rude, or happy and so
on……. Are these expressed by mere words in a particular language? No.
Sometimes you must have played a game of trying to say the same sentence with
different emotions. Try to say, “What a beautiful rose!” with a feeling of joy,
happiness, sorrow, anger and so on. The final impact of your message is going to
be different. Emotions and tone play a vital role in putting your thoughts across
to another person. Compare the chirping of bird- the crowing of crows and the
sweet sound of the koyel. Don’t we prefer the koyel? Similarly, the emotions in
the words we utter are vital in translating the actual meaning of our thoughts.

TYPES OF INTERVIEWS

There are many different types of interviews as well as interview methods and
techniques. Every job is different, so be prepared! You may experience a
combination or all of these.

Also, remember that in professional interviewing, you will almost always go

through a series of interviews. As a general rule, each subsequent interview will
become longer and more detailed. Remember that the key to success is to be
well prepared for every interview.

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1. Screening Interviews
Screening interviews are generally conducted when an employer has a large
applicant pool which they want to narrow down to a more manageable number.
The purpose is to “weed out” the applicants who are obviously not a fit.
Screening interviews are usually done by phone, tend to be very short, and the
questions will focus on basic qualifications.

2. Phone Interviews
Most screening interviews are done by phone, but phone interviews will also be
used for other reasons, such as geographic obstacles – the applicant lives in
another city or state. In this case, phone interviews will be longer and more
detailed. Here are a few do’s and don’ts of phone interviews in all situations:
• Be well prepared.
• Never conduct a phone interview in your car or in a public area – you need
to focus all your attention on the interview.
• Use a land line to avoid the possibility of a cell phone call being dropped
or poor reception.
• Conduct the interview in a quiet private area.
• Ask family members and friends not to disturb you during the interview.
• No eating, surfing the web, or text messaging during the phone interview –
avoid distractions and focus on the interview.

Also, phone interviews are often not scheduled in advance, they will just call
you. If you are busy, driving or in any way not able to focus 100% on the
interview, tell them you are busy and ask to schedule a time later in the day or
week. Don’t worry, interviewers know they are calling you without an
appointment and are very flexible – they will work with you.

3. One-on-One Interviews
This is the most common interview method and involves you and the
interviewer alone in a private office. Once you are face-to-face with the
interviewer your dress, appearance, non-verbal communication skills and other
visual factors, as well as your verbal communication skills will come into play.
Building rapport with the interviewer is usually easiest in this setting.

4. Panel Interviews
Sometimes the employer will have a “selection committee” or for some other
reason there will be multiple people involved in conducting interviews. They
may want to conduct a “panel interview” in which you will be interviewed by
several people at the same time. Panel interviews are very efficient from the
employer’s perspective because it allows them, in effect, to do many interviews
all at once.
Remember that in a panel interview you must connect with and engage every
member of the panel, not just the person asking the question. Make sure you get

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a business card from every panel member and send each a thank you note
afterwards.

Always bring extra resumes and offer one to each member of the panel at the
beginning of the interview.

5. Serial Interviews
In a serial interview you will meet with several people throughout the day,
usually back-to-back. One person will interview you, then pass you to the next
person, and so on throughout the day. Serial interviews are physically and
mentally tiring because they can often take the entire day. Remember that each
time you are passed onward your chances of being hired improve!
Serial interviews are typically used for senior-level positions, but there are
exceptions.

6. Lunch Interviews
Sometimes the employer will take you to an interview lunch or even dinner.
Interview lunches are very unstructured, and they will probably be evaluating
your social skills and manners. If you haven’t yet done so, make a point of
attending the University Career Center Professional Etiquette dinner to
familiarize yourself with the basics of dining etiquette. When ordering off the
menu, stick with something in the mid-range of prices that’s easy to eat. Never
under any circumstances order an alcoholic drink during a lunch or dinner
interview.

7. Group Interviews
You may be asked to do a “group” interview, which is the opposite of a panel
interview. Instead of several interviewers and one candidate, one interviewer
will sometimes interview several candidates at the same time. The interviewer
will ask questions of no one in particular in hopes that a “leader” will emerge.
Group interviews are not very effective for most situations and are rarely used.

8. Stress Interviews
Stress interviewing is a generally ineffective and antiquated interview method,
and most – but unfortunately not all – employers have discontinued this
practice. The theory is to see how you react to stress. The interviewer may make
the room physically uncomfortable by turning up the heat, make the candidate
sit in an uncomfortable chair or sometimes even stand, ask off-the-wall
questions that have nothing to do with the job and possibly refuse to answer
your questions. Today’s job candidates are too sophisticated to tolerate these
methods and this technique is very ineffective.

Conclusion
Employers conduct multiple interviews as a filtering or screening process. At
each step candidates are eliminated from consideration until at the end only one

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person remains. Each time you are invited back for a subsequent interview
means you are one step closer to a job offer.

In all interviewing situations the key to success is good preparation. The more
effort you put into it, the better your odds of succeeding.

TIPS FOR PREPARING FOR INTERVIEW

If skills and knowledge were all that counted in getting a job, there would be no
need for interviews. Companies would simply look at your CV, verify its
accuracy and make a decision based on that alone. This is obviously not the case
as companies want to meet the person they will employ. They will want to
assess your skills, and gain a measure of your personality as a potential
employee to determine whether you are the kind of individual that would
benefit their company.

The Steps:
1. Do Your Research
2. First Impressions
3. The Interview
4. The Interview Process
5. The Interview Relationship
6. Their Q & A to You
7. Your Q & A to Them
8. Things To Avoid
9. How To Finish
10. The Follow Up

Do Your Research
Know the location. Be clear on where the company is located and plan on how
you will get there. Do not leave this to the last minute, as rushing could not only
make you late but also make you arrive in the wrong state of mind.

Learn as much as you can about the vacancy and the company. One of the first
questions you may be asked is “how much do you know about our company”.
Having knowledge of what the company do as well as the vacancy will indicate
you are prepared and organised. Typical information may include the service or
product they provide, the size of the company, turnover and client base. Much of
this information is readily available from the company’s own website and the
internet in general. If all else fails telephone the company and ask them directly.
If you are clear in your mind as to why you would be a good choice for the job it
will come over in an interview. So assess which of your skills you think would be
the greatest asset to both the job and the company prior to attending. If you do
not fully match the requirement, think how you could adapt to the role through
in-house training or learning “on the job”. In addition think of what skills you
have that could benefit the company in general.
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Be relaxed. It may be easier said than done, but it may help to remember two
points. They are already interested in you, or else you would not have been
selected for interview in the first place. Many job offers are actually turned
down, which means the selection is a two-way process.

First Impressions Arriving for Interview

First impressions count! It has been shown that most of an interviewer’s opinion
is formed in the first five minutes of an interview. So, always try to make a good
start.

When to arrive
As a rough guide it is advisable to arrive between ten and fifteen minutes early
for the interview. If you arrive too early it may be best to wait before going in.
Arriving late is to be avoided at all costs, as this would suggest future time
keeping could be a problem.

Mobile Phones
Always turn your mobile phone off during an interview. Do not just turn it to
silent as vibrating phones can still be heard in a quiet environment.

Dress code
Always dress smartly for the interview, and if possible, ask about the format of
the interview before hand to give you an idea of how formal it will be. If you are
going for an office-based position, a suit or formal attire is recommended. If you
are going for a more manual position, casual dress code may be acceptable, but
it is still important to be clean and tidy, [Link] ripped, dirty or creased clothing
and keep jewelry to a minimum.

If you are a coffee drinker, smoker or have a meal prior to an interview be aware
of your breath. If necessary, have a mint or brush your teeth prior to going in,
never chew gum during the interview.

The initial introduction

Start the interview in the right direction by means of a confident introduction.
Know whom you are seeing, introduce yourself, make eye contact, give a polite
greeting and a firm handshake. Also don’t forget to smile.

The Interview
The Format of the Interview
It is always best if you can find out beforehand the format it will take by simply
asking the company or agency. Some interviews may be multi-stage; having
initial skills-based assessment with successful applicants going through to a
second interview. If you know there will be a written or practical test, then
revise or practice before you go. Other interviews may be primarily verbal and

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more informal. On such occasions the interviewer may be able to give you an
instant decision at the end of the interview, although this is not always the case.

The Balance in the Interview

Interviews can take many formats, dependent on the job, the company and the
interviewer. In general, the interview will be led by the interviewer with 30% of
the conversation coming from them and 70% from you.

It is always best to place yourself on the same level as the person interviewing
you. If you take a subservient approach they will take the more dominant
position, which could affect their confidence in you. Similarly, if you take a more
dominant approach the interviewer may be concerned about you taking
direction from them in the future.

The Interview Relationship

Their Questions – Your Answers
To get you to speak the interviewer may ask more open than closed yes/no type
questions. Some are designed to simply find out more about you and others may
be testing you.

Below is a sample of typical questions you may be asked:

Q: Can you tell me about yourself?
A: Avoid a long rambling reply and make your response as relative as possible to
the job you are applying for.
Q: What did you do in your previous jobs?
A: Start with the main responsibilities and only go into great detail if they seem
particularly interested in something.
Q: What did you excel at?
A: Don’t be modest, everybody is good at something, so show confidence in what
you know without being arrogant.
Q: Why did you leave your previous companies?
A: Always give a positive reason i.e. leaving because of what you were looking to
gain from a new job is better than being negative about your old job or company.
Q: What were your achievements in your last positions?
A: Again, don’t be modest, show off a little.
Q: What made you apply for this position?
A: An ideal opportunity to show enthusiasm in both the job and the company.
Q: What do you think you could offer our company?
A: This answer should be based around both your skills and you as a person.
Characteristics like enthusiasm, loyalty, attitude and professionalism play just as
big a part as your skills.
Q: What did you enjoy most in your previous jobs?
A: Think why they are asking the question and how the answers would relate to
the job you are applying for.
Q: Why do you want to work with us?

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A: If you can’t answer this one, they will wonder why you are there. Think of the
positive things about both the company and the job and you will have your
answer.
Q: What are your strengths?
A: As before, don’t be modest.
Q: What did you not enjoy in your previous jobs?
A: Be careful, if you mention a task which could be part of the job you are
applying for you could shoot yourself in the foot. The best approach would be to
try and turn this in to a positive. e.g., “I found my previous job limited me in that
I felt I was able to take on more responsibilities.”
Q: What are your weaknesses?
A: You can either go for the typical positive response of “I get bored if I am not
kept busy”, although this can be a little transparent and clichéd. It would be
better to pick on something you feel would not be an interview breaker. i.e.
More of a minor weakness than a major character flaw.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
A: It is always best to show a little ambition but don’t overdo it. Your answer
should be relevant to the company and the job. If you are applying for a
pressurized sales role you would need to show more drive. In a steadier
background role, you may need to show that doing the job you will be taken on
for would suit you fine. And be honest, as an experienced interviewer will see
through you.
Q: Why do you think I should offer you the job?
A: Again, use both your skills and character traits in this answer. Even a little
flattery can go a long way. Saying “how well you could fit in” would both
compliment them personally and also suggest you would be good to work with.

You may also be given scenario questions such as “If a client asks you to deliver
the product and it will not be ready in time, how would you respond?” These
questions are not usually asked in the hope of getting an exact response, but
more aimed at seeing how you think. They may also be trying to assess your
behavioural patterns. You may even be asked how you have handled these
situations in the past.

There are no perfect answers, so the best way to respond is to be honest and
present your answers in a positive light. Be clear and concise and avoid being
vague at all costs.

Scenario Questions
Asking questions of the person interviewing you serves two purposes. Firstly, it
will tell you what you need to know about the company and the job. Secondly it
will show your enthusiasm and interest in the job. Many of your questions
should be in response to what they are saying as it will show you are listening.
Having no questions or response would suggest that you either do not
understand or are not paying attention. For example, a response to “you will be
dealing directly with clients” may be “will that be over the phone or in person?
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Your Questions – Their Answers
In general, typical questions may include:
Can you tell me more about the day-to-day duties?
How has this position become vacant?
Can you give me more detail on the company?
What would be my main responsibilities?
What are the prospects for promotion?
What training will I be given?
What are the future plans for the company?
Who will I report to?
Would it be possible to see more of the Company?

Things to Avoid
Do not be over chatty. If you talk too much in an interview, they will be
concerned about you being over chatty in the workplace.
Do not heavily criticise previous employers. No matter how justified, you will
just come over as a malcontent.
Do not make you first question about holiday or sick pay.
Never show aggression or frustration and never argue with the person
interviewing you.
Do not argue or criticize the way the company works.
Don’t show lack of interest through your body language. Look at the person
speaking to you, react to what they say and don’t fidget.

How to Finish the Interview

When the interview is coming to a close, it is good psychology to finish on a
positive note. If you feel an interview has gone well, there is nothing to be lost
by asking “do you feel I could be of interest to your company?” If the answer is
“No” it would probably always have been a “No” regardless. If they feel you
could be suited, they will likely answer “Yes” and if this is the last thing they say
to you it will be the last thing they remember. You can also ask the question
“when could you expect to hear from them?” as this may avoid a more delayed
response. Statistically, the more someone delays making a decision the more
likely it will be a “No”.

The Follow Up
Another way of showing your enthusiasm is with a follow up call to the
interview. The interviewer will usually give an indication of when you should
hear feedback; if not… it is acceptable to call a few days later (although not less
than four days). The sensible approach would be one of a proactive candidate,
keen on the job rather than an impatient candidate demanding to know what is
happening. Under no circumstances sound pushy or aggressive as this may
induce a negative response.

Finally
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When all is said and done, your overall personality will play a large part in the
selection process. In most cases the person interviewing you will be your future
boss. If they like you as a person they are more likely to want to work with you.

BRANDING YOURSELF

Branding yourself means to develop a unique professional identity and coherent

message that sets you apart from others either in your company or in your
industry. If you are a CEO or an entrepreneur, you may say, ‘I have enough on
my plate by building and managing my company’s brand, much less my own.’
But branding yourself is just as important, if not more so. Think of business
leaders like Steve Jobs and Oprah Winfrey. Their personal brand images are
synonymous with their companies. Regardless of your career status, you must
commit to being the brand manager of your own personal brand.

Personal Branding:
Companies and products have brands. But for whatever reason, many of us
aren’t comfortable with developing our personal brand. Maybe it feels forced. Or
you don’t want to put yourself out there. Or you feel like you're selling
your soul. But "personal branding" is not as intense as it sounds. All it means is
this:

As an entrepreneur, a creator, a professional (whatever it is you are), your

business, your craft, your value (whatever it is you create) is an extension of
yourself and a part of your life’s story.

Personal Branding weaves together your life and your work in the form of
sharing your life’s work.

Are you “results-oriented?” Do you have a “proven track record?” Would you
consider yourself a “problem solver?” According to LinkedIn, these are some of
the most overused buzzwords on profiles across the popular professional social
network.

A problem in today’s saturated marketplace is finding your unique place as a

professional. Whether you are a self-employed entrepreneur or an executive at a
large corporation, you are in charge of your own career. A successful brand
relies on its unique positioning in the marketplace. Likewise, a successful
businessperson must understand the importance of crafting a personal brand.
Your unique identity sets you apart from the competition and contributes to the
overall success of your company.

We choose one product over another because it offers something special. The
same is true for today’s professionals. In today’s competitive marketplace,
business professionals must perfect the art of what I call personal branding —
developing a unique personal brand and actively promoting that brand to
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others. Personal branding is not only beneficial for your own career but also
benefits your company’s brand image.

What is your unique selling proposition?

In branding yourself, the goal is to differentiation from others but consistently
within your message. What specific characteristics and field-related expertise do
you have that others may not? Try to develop a personal positioning statement.
It should be a concise, one- to two-sentence statement that reflects your unique
value as a business professional. Consider creating a short tagline for yourself
that captures who you are and what sets you apart.

What is your personal brand management strategy?

Once you have pinpointed your unique brand, you need to communicate it to
others. Your goal is to actively promote and manage your personal brand.
Branding yourself involves creating a unified message across all outlets.
Consistency is crucial, especially in today’s digital age. If someone were to
search your name on the Web today, what would they find? Take control of your
online brand image by creating a personal website outlining your achievements
or by starting a blog that allows you to share your distinct industry-related
ideas. Your personal brand management strategy should be proactive and
should reflect your natural capabilities. For instance, if you excel at face-to-face
communication, attend networking events and schedule coffee meetings.

How does branding yourself benefit your company?

In marketing, a phenomenon called the ‘halo effect’ suggests consumers make
more favourable judgments of a particular product because of positive biases
toward associated brands or people. For instance, consumers are biased toward
brands endorsed by their favourite celebrities. The same is true for personal
branding. If you develop a unique personal brand, your company gets included
in the positive halo of your success. The connections that you make and the
network that you develop can be transferred to your company.

How does branding yourself benefit your career?

You are the product and your employer is the customer. Branding yourself
allows you to market your skills to meet the customer’s needs. Regardless of the
stage at which you are in your career, it is important to stay marketable by
creating a unique brand for yourself, separate from your identity within your
company. This gives you more opportunities for mobility both within and
outside of your organization. As your personal brand awareness increases, you
may be invited to speak at industry events, contribute to industry related
stories, and so on not because of your status within a company, but because of
your branded expertise within the wider industry.

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Brands are not just for products anymore. Anyone can create his or her own
personal branding and can succeed at branding himself or herself for
professional success.

Tips for Branding Yourself:

1. Branding yourself begins with self-reflection. Take stock of your
strengths. What are your best attributes? What positive adjectives might a
colleague use to describe you? Is there one particular talent or discipline in
which you truly shine? What’s your personality? If you’re just beginning your
career, choose a discipline or area of focus that truly interests you. Don’t
pretend to be something you’re not. Hard-working, focused and reserved
people get ahead just as often as social butterflies.

2. To get a handle on the current state of your personal branding, Google

yourself and see what pops up. Does your online presence communicate the
brand you want? If not, take steps to change that. Start by refreshing
your social media profile. Try joining some LinkedIn interest groups and
become an active participant. Ask questions and initiate discussions.
Volunteer your own ideas and expertise when others post questions.

3. Now that you have a better grip on your brand, check out the brand presence
of some colleagues you admire. What sets them apart? How do they go about
letting others know about their talents? What skills can you use to help
polish your own image?

4. Don’t forget your soft skills. Savvy employers seek individuals with the
right combination of hard skills and soft skills (like persuasion and
diplomacy). For example, your ability to compile quarterly financial reports
might set you apart, but if you’re not adept at marshaling the support of the
colleagues who contribute to those numbers, career advancement could be
more challenging. Approach fellow team members informally to find out
how you can improve, and then act upon the feedback. You’ll demonstrate
two valuable soft skills at once — teamwork and adaptability.

5. Making presentations in the office or at a professional event is a great way of

branding yourself. It showcases your strengths and makes an impression on

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 people who could help advance your career. If you’re not a natural public
speaker, check out your local chapter of Toastmasters to help build your
speaking skills. The added boost you’ll give to your brand is worth
overcoming the stage fright.

6. Manage your reputation. Privacy is practically nonexistent in the age of

Facebook. When branding yourself personally and professionally, assume
that anything you post may be viewed by the masses. While you want to
showcase yourself as knowledgeable, interesting and fun to work with, be
sure to use good judgment. If there’s anything out there you wouldn’t want a
potential employer to see, delete it now. Remember, your reputation is your
best asset.

There’s a reason some of the most well-known, well-defined brands are often
closely tied to the reputation of the person behind them.

Bill Gates and Microsoft, Richard Branson and Virgin, Steve Jobs and Apple—
these entrepreneurs have distinct personal brands that are inseparable from the
companies that they've built.

Don't try to be unique. Just be you-nique.

Once you've taken a long, hard look at yourself and your history, think about
how you can package it into a handful of lines.

This is your personal brand statement or elevator pitch—it's something you can
say when others ask you about yourself, or include in your profiles online.

Your personal brand statement consists of three key elements:

• Your target audience: The specific market or people that you serve.
• The value you offer: How you help your target market.
• What makes you unique: Why people choose you over the competition?

Here's a personal brand statement template you can adapt for your own
purposes:

Personal Brand Statement Template:

I'm a [INTRODUCE YOURSELF]. I offer [PRODUCT/SERVICE] for [TARGET
MARKET] to [VALUE PROPOSITION]. Unlike [THE COMPETITION],
we [UNIQUE DIFFERENTIATOR].

Of course, as always, you should adapt this template to make it your own. Inject
your personality, your style, and what you stand for into your personal brand
statement.

NEGOTIATION SKILLS
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Negotiation is a fact of life. It is the basic means of getting what you want from
others. It is a two-way communication process designed to reach an agreement
when the two sides have some interests' that are shared and others that are
opposed. When we look around ourselves we find that almost everything needs
to be negotiated -whether in business, industry or family. Negotiation is a
demanding activity and the best way to learn it is to practice it with seasoned
negotiators and get a personal feedback. The primary objective of every
negotiation is goal achievement. Both the sides involved in negotiation will have
their own goals. But the desirable goal is a "win-win" situation -with a win-win
situation both the parties get a feeling of satisfaction with the outcome.

Negotiation can be defined as a process for resolving conflict between two

or more parties where both or all modify their demands to achieve a mutually
acceptable solution. You may note from this definition some of the following
important points.

1. Negotiation is a process of resolving conflicts and if there are no conflicts,

there is no need to negotiation.
2. There is a need to resolve conflicts, more so with our customers. If we don't
resolve conflicts we may even loose them.
3. Negotiation does not mean persuading the others to accept our offer. Rather
we should listen to others, and their propositions. If possible modify one
stand or suggest/guide the others to modify their demand.
4. Through negotiations we try o reach at a mutually acceptable compromise to
solve a problem.

Different Steps of Negotiation:

1. Preparing - Have you decided your objectives ?- Have you prioritized
them?- Are they realistic- What are your opponent's objectives- Do you have
any information regarding buyer attitudes, personalities, assumptions etc.-
Is your strategy simple and flexible- In a group negotiation, have each
members tasks been clearly defined.
2. Discussion - Always try to avoid interrupting, talking too much, using
sarcasm and threats. - Practice listening, and summarizing.
3. Signaling - Is your signal generating some movement? – What signals save
you made? If your signals have been ignored, have you tried rewording
them? - Are you listening attentively for your opponents' signals?
4. Proposing - What is the language you are using to convey your proposal? -
Have you itemized your proposal- While receiving a proposal ensures that
you do not interrupt it?
5. Offer - Before making an offer review your opponents and your own
objectives. - How can your offer meet all/some of your opponent’s
inhibitions/objectives- Have you considered all the possible variables in
your offer.

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6. Bargaining - Everything must be conditional- Decide what you require in
exchange for your concessions- Keep all unsettled issues linked
7. Closing and agreeing - Decide where you intend to stop trading - Whattype
of close are you going to use- Always list the agreement in detail- If the
agreement is oral, always send a written note to your opponent, as soon as
possible after the meeting.

Principles of Negotiations
1. Negotiation is about bargaining to reach a mutually agreeable outcome.
Thus, your endeavor should be a win-win outcome for both the parties.
2. Never neglect your preparation and you must have a clear plan. It is also
advisable that you select the right starting point.
3. All the participants of the negotiation must regard each other as equals as
mutual respect is essential to both the conduct and the outcome of
negotiation.
4. Always keep in mind that negotiation is not a debate but a discussion.
Therefore, each person must 'fight his comer' without trying to over
dominate or show one-upmanship.
5. Patience is a key characteristic of a good negotiator, thus take your time and
do not rush into decision making. Delay is much better than a poor outcome.
6. Empathy is another vital characteristic; therefore see things from other's
point of view objectively.
7. State clearly your objectives and take a feedback as to whether the other
person has clearly understood your objectives or not.
8. Avoid confrontation and avoid getting into a corner you cannot get out of.
When you have to disagree, do it carefully. When you have to make
concessions, make them one at a time, unwillingly.
9. Aim high, and settle as high as possible. Know when to drop the whole thing
rather than agree to a totally inappropriate deal.
10. Maintain your stamina.
11. Never underestimate people.
12. End positively. Neither party will get exactly what they want, but the deal
should be agreeable.

Negotiation is about bargaining to reach a mutually agreeable outcome. As a

party to negotiation your endeavour should be a win-win outcome for both the
sides. All the participants of negotiation must regard each other as equals. If
you want to be a good negotiator, patience should be your key characteristic.
Always end positively. Remember, neither party will get what they want, but the
final deal should be agreeable to both the sides.

CORPORATE EXPECTATION

There are many expectations in the young minds of graduating engineers in

India today. This can also be referred to as their perception of the scenario after
college. What are the exact expectations of the engineering graduates from the
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corporate world in India? Is it influenced by the individual graduate or is it as a
result of the education that they receive from the Universities? What is their
opinion regarding the relevancy of the training attained in college in relation to
their corporate expectations?

The main aim of university education today is moulding and furnishing students
to be ready to face the challenges and responsibilities in their future. This
therefore requires the education be value based with the ability to synthesize
the morals of the student individually. It has been very compelling to the
education system to give high quality education which meets the international
standards this is with regard to the global demands, technology and scenario on
the inception of skills on the input side and the fast changing products and
services on the output side.

The acquisition of employment in the competitive environment and sustaining

the same demands a high degree of adaptability in today’s fresh engineers. The
quick and dynamic changes in the industry globally may be attributed to the
workforce worldwide, dynamically changing specifications of products and
services, heightened competition and changing technology. Employers today
prefer to hire young and energetic engineers who have the potential of
becoming future leaders and possess skills to motivate the team members to
take sensible resourcefulness.

Every employer will have certain expectations while choosing the candidates:
1. Ability to reach the goal or target
2. Aggressiveness towards work and his promises
3. Communication skills
4. Soft skills and sometimes hard skills also
5. Candidate’s confidence and spirit of challenge
6. A Positive Attitude (Sincerity, Can-Do, Ownership/Motivation)
7. Business Ethics/Honesty
8. Basic Managerial Skills (Leadership, Teamwork, Time Management, etc.)
9. Basic Sales and Customer Service (most entry level jobs require one of
these)
10. Domain Knowledge
11. Fast learning ability
12. Decision making
13. Loyalty towards company
14. Smart working
15. E-mail writing skills
16. Business communication
17. Documentation & Auditing
18. MS Word , MS Excel, PowerPoint and Internet Searching
19. Market knowledge and general awareness
20. Technical skills
21. Practical application
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 22. Problems solving and analytical skills
23. Conceptual understanding of theory and basic Understanding of
application
24. Logical thinking
25. Application of concepts
26. Coding
27. Embedded systems
28. Innovative skills
29. Networks
30. Basic operating systems
31. Digital Communication
32. Internships in Good companies
33. Basic in analogue and digital systems
34. Simulation language
35. Willingness to learn new things and adapt to new environment

SERVICE
MINDSET: SELLING A PRODUCT - AD MADE SHOWS

What Is a Service Mindset?

A service mindset is an outlook that focuses on creating customer value, loyalty
and trust. A business with this outlook wants to go beyond simply providing a
product or service. It wants to create a positive impression in the customer's
mind. To do this, a business has to care about the customer experience and work
continuously at enhancing it.
Vision
The service mentality starts with a vision of what you want your company to be
known for. You must have a vision in mind for how you want your business to

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be perceived. With this as a blueprint, you can begin recruiting and training your
staff to execute this vision.
People
Your employees are one of your greatest assets. If you expect them to execute on
your vision, you must share and remind them of what it is at every turn. Don't
forget that a service mindset should not just exist where there is customer-
employee interaction. Encourage departments to adopt a service mentality
when it comes to interacting with each other.
Training
To deliver on service, your company must have training for your employees in
place. Consider options that are fun for your employees and that offer
assessments and reporting so you can review agent performance and see where
deficiencies exist.
Feedback
Gathering feedback is an important component of enhancing the service your
business provides. You'll want to have a means of soliciting customer feedback
so you can determine if your business is delivering on the service goals and
mission you've established. Don't neglect employee feedback.

The 4Es to Cultivating Service Mindset

What is a mindset?
Here is one example. People often describe other people as either ‘glass half full’
or ‘glass half empty’. What they are referring to is a mindset, a fundamental way
to view the world.

Mindset includes a person’s attitudes and assumptions, values, beliefs,

preferences, standards, and judgments. These are the family points-of-view that
filter our perceptions and create meaning in our lives. These familiar reference
points are learned throughout our lives, and may not be easily changed.

So how can we foster a better service mindset, at home, in the community, and at
work? Many leaders made the mistake of simply sending people for training and
hoping to see some magical result, only to realize that the change – if any – is
short lived.
You need to show people what a service mindset looks like, hear what it sounds
like, and help them discover what this new way of thinking and behaving feels
like. This requires teaching, demonstrating, encouraging, and reinforcing with
an eco-system to support these attitudes, beliefs and behaviours consistently
over time.

There are 4 Es to be paramount in cultivating better service mindset: Empathy,

Education, Eco-system and Encouragement.
Empathy
First seek to understand the current situation. Conduct conversations with
employees to find out what are their fears, concerns, and frustrations at work.
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Listen carefully. Show genuinely interest in what they’ve got to say, try to
appreciate and enter into their world. To quote Theodore Roosevelt: “People
don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” When
people know you truly care, and feel they are being understood, they will then
be more open to listen to your point to view.
Education
Educate your people with a common service language that everyone
understands. Show them a new way of thinking and responding to customers.
Invite them to a world of superior service. Help them experience what superior
service looks, sounds, tastes, smells, and feels like. Educate not just one person,
one department, but the whole organization. People can be influenced by peers
to adopt certain behaviours and trends.
When all employees are equipped with the same set of service principles and
aligned in their thinking as a team, they will more naturally choose effective
behaviours in a wide variety of service situations.
Eco-system
Educate your employees is not enough. You must also provide an eco-system for
service mindset to take root, ensuring that your systems, processes, and culture-
building activities are aligned and reinforce one another. This includes the way
your company hires, orientates, communicates, rewards, measures, listens,
recovers from mistakes, and benchmarks other organizations.

Leaders play a critical role in ensuring the eco-system is conducive for service
mindset to be nurtured and service behaviours encouraged.
Encouragement
How do you encourage your people?
World-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck, most well
known for her work on “fixed mindset and growth mindset”, suggests that
organizations can learn and progress by encouraging productive effort. Instead
of only celebrating employee achievements, you can celebrate intention and
endeavour by saying, ‘Thank you for your effort.”
You want to encourage people to put in continuous effort to try new tactics,
develop new strategies, seek input from others, and capitalize on setbacks to
keep moving forward effectively.
Remember, when you recognize effort, learning and progress, you are sending a
strong message to all staff that everyone is constantly in the making, improving,
and becoming together. After all, building a better service mindset and
providing excellent service is a journey, not a destination. And it is a journey we
are all on together.

TEAM BUILDING

Team building is an ongoing process that helps a work group evolve into a
cohesive unit. The team members not only share expectations for accomplishing
group tasks, but trust and support one another and respect one another's
individual differences. Your role as a team builder is to lead your team toward
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cohesiveness and productivity. A team takes on a life of its own and you have to
regularly nurture and maintain it, just as you do for individual employees. Your
Employee Relations Consultant can advise and help you.

With good team-building skills, you can unite employees around a common goal
and generate greater productivity. Without them, you limit yourself and the staff
to the effort each individual can make alone.

Team building can lead to:

• Good communications with participants as team members and individuals
• Increased department productivity and creativity
• Team members motivated to achieve goals
• A climate of cooperation and collaborative problem-solving
• Higher levels of job satisfaction and commitment
• Higher levels of trust and support
• Diverse co-workers working well together
• Clear work objectives
• Better operating policies and procedures

Symptoms that Signal a Need for Team Building

• Decreased productivity
• Conflicts or hostility among staff members
• Confusion about assignments, missed signals, and unclear relationships
• Decisions misunderstood or not carried through properly
• Apathy and lack of involvement
• Lack of initiation, imagination, innovation; routine actions taken for
solving complex problems
• Complaints of discrimination or favoritism
• Ineffective staff meetings, low participation, minimally effective decisions
• Negative reactions to the manager
• Complaints about quality of service

Steps to Building an Effective Team:

The first rule of team building is an obvious one: to lead a team effectively, you
must first establish your leadership with each team member. Remember that the
most effective team leaders build their relationships of trust and loyalty, rather
than fear or the power of their positions.
• Consider each employee's ideas as valuable. Remember that there is no
such thing as a stupid idea.
• Be aware of employees' unspoken feelings. Set an example to team
members by being open with employees and sensitive to their moods and
feelings.
• Act as a harmonizing influence. Look for chances to mediate and resolve
minor disputes; point continually toward the team's higher goals.
• Be clear when communicating. Be careful to clarify directives.

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• Encourage trust and cooperation among employees on your team.
Remember that the relationships team members establish among
themselves are every bit as important as those you establish with them. As
the team begins to take shape, pay close attention to the ways in which
team members work together and take steps to improve communication,
cooperation, trust, and respect in those relationships.
• Encourage team members to share information. Emphasize the
importance of each team member's contribution and demonstrate how all
of their jobs operate together to move the entire team closer to its goal.
• Delegate problem-solving tasks to the team. Let the team work on
creative solutions together.
• Facilitate communication. Remember that communication is the single
most important factor in successful teamwork. Facilitating communication
does not mean holding meetings all the time. Instead it means setting an
example by remaining open to suggestions and concerns, by asking
questions and offering help, and by doing everything you can to avoid
confusion in your own communication.
• Establish team values and goals; evaluate team performance. Be sure
to talk with members about the progress they are making toward
established goals so that employees get a sense both of their success and
of the challenges that lie ahead. Address teamwork in performance
standards. Discuss with your team:
o What do we really care about in performing our job?
o What does the word success mean to this team?
o What actions can we take to live up to our stated values?
• Make sure that you have a clear idea of what you need to accomplish;
that you know what your standards for success are going to be; that you
have established clear time frames; and that team members understand
their responsibilities.
• Use consensus. Set objectives, solve problems, and plan for action. While
it takes much longer to establish consensus, this method ultimately
provides better decisions and greater productivity because it secures
every employee's commitment to all phases of the work.
• Set ground rules for the team. These are the norms that you and the
team establish to ensure efficiency and success. They can be simple
directives (Team members are to be punctual for meetings) or general
guidelines (Every team member has the right to offer ideas and
suggestions), but you should make sure that the team creates these
ground rules by consensus and commits to them, both as a group and as
individuals.
• Establish a method for arriving at a consensus. You may want to
conduct open debate about the pros and cons of proposals, or establish
research committees to investigate issues and deliver reports.
• Encourage listening and brainstorming. As supervisor, your first
priority in creating consensus is to stimulate debate. Remember that
employees are often afraid to disagree with one another and that this fear
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 can lead your team to make mediocre decisions. When you encourage
debate you inspire creativity and that's how you'll spur your team on to
better results.
• Establish the parameters of consensus-building sessions. Be sensitive
to the frustration that can mount when the team is not achieving
consensus. At the outset of your meeting, establish time limits, and work
with the team to achieve consensus within those parameters. Watch out
for false consensus; if an agreement is struck too quickly, be careful to
probe individual team members to discover their real feelings about the
proposed solution.

LEADERSHIP

Leadership Skills
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
Steve Jobs (founder of Apple)
Leadership skills are an essential component in positioning executives to make
thoughtful decisions about their organization's mission and goals, and properly
allocate resources to achieve those directives. Valuable leadership skills include
the ability to delegate, inspire and communicate effectively. Other leadership
traits include honesty, confidence, commitment and creativity.

Leadership involves
▪ Being able to motivate & direct others
▪ Taking responsibility for the direction & actions of a team
▪ Setting objectives.
▪ Organising & motivating others.
▪ Taking the initiative

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 ▪ Persevering when things are not working out.
▪ Taking a positive attitude to frustration/failure.
▪ Accepting responsibility for mistakes/wrong decisions.
▪ Being flexible: prepared to adapt goals in the light of changing situations.
How to become a leader
▪ Use initiative to act on opportunities. Become a leader before other people
view you as one. Healthy organisations reward those who take the lead,
not just those with formal management roles.
▪ Take responsibility for own objectives: set priorities.
▪ Display a "can do" attitude even in demanding situations.. Try to solve
problems, rather than to pass them on to other people. First answer is
‘yes, I’ll make it happen’.
▪ "Go the extra mile" when asked to do tasks. Go beyond your job
description. Do work that gets you noticed.
▪ Show enthusiasm: this will be noticed and you will eventually be
rewarded.
▪ Take ownership of problems: anticipate potential problems, take pre-
emptive action and act quickly to resolve problems.
▪ Introduce improvements to the way things are done.
▪ Develop innovative practices. Value innovative thinking.
▪ Learn new skills that will enhance capability.
▪ Common sense is not common!

Leadership Skills Employers Look For:

1. Communication
As a leader, you need to be able to clearly and succinctly explain to your
employees everything from organizational goals to specific tasks.
Leaders must master all forms of communication, including one-on-one,
departmental, and full-staff conversations, as well as communication via the
phone, email, and social media.
A large part of communication involves listening. Therefore, leaders should
establish a steady flow of communication between themselves and their staff or
team members, either through an open-door policy or regular conversations
with workers. Leaders should make themselves regularly available to discuss
issues and concerns with employees.
2. Motivation
Leaders need to inspire their workers to go the extra mile for their organization;
just paying a fair salary to employees is typically not enough inspiration
(although it is important too). There are a number of ways to motivate your
workers: you may build employee self-esteem through recognition and rewards,
or by giving employees new responsibilities to increase their investment in the
company.
You must learn what motivators work best for your employees or team
members to encourage productivity and passion.
3. Delegating

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Leaders who try to take on too many tasks by themselves will struggle to get
anything done. These leaders often fear that delegating tasks is a sign of
weakness, when in fact it is a sign of a strong leader.
Therefore, you need to identify the skills of each of your employees, and assign
duties to each employee based on his or her skill set. By delegating tasks to staff
members, you can focus on other important tasks.
4. Positivity
A positive attitude can go a long way in an office. You should be able to laugh at
yourself when something doesn't go quite as planned; this helps create a happy
and healthy work environment, even during busy, stressful periods. Simple acts
like asking employees about their vacation plans will develop a positive
atmosphere in the office, and raise morale among staff members. If employees
feel that they work in a positive environment, they will be more likely to want to
be at work, and will therefore be more willing to put in the long hours when
needed.
5. Trustworthiness
Employees need to be able to feel comfortable coming to their manager or
leader with questions and concerns. It is important for you to demonstrate your
integrity — employees will only trust leaders they respect. By being open and
honest, you will encourage the same sort of honesty in your employees.
6. Creativity
As a leader, you have to make a number of decisions that do not have a clear
answer; you therefore need to be able to think outside of the box.
Learning to try non-traditional solutions, or approaching problems in non-
traditional ways, will help you to solve an otherwise unsolvable problem. Most
employees will also be impressed and inspired by a leader who doesn't always
choose the safe, conventional path.
7. Feedback
Leaders should constantly look for opportunities to deliver useful information to
team members about their performance. However, there is a fine line between
offering employees advice and assistance, and micromanaging. By teaching
employees how to improve their work and make their own decisions, you will
feel more confident delegating tasks to your staff.
8. Responsibility
A leader is responsible for both the successes and failures of his or her team.
Therefore, you need to be willing to accept blame when something does not go
correctly.
If your employees see their leader pointing fingers and blaming others, they will
lose respect for you. Accept mistakes and failures, and then devise clear
solutions for improvement.
9. Commitment
It is important for leaders to follow through with what they agree to do. You
should be willing to put in the extra hours to complete an assignment;
employees will see this commitment and follow your example. Similarly, when
you promise your staff a reward, such as an office party, you should always

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follow through. A leader cannot expect employees to commit to their job and
their tasks if he or she cannot do the same.
10. Flexibility
Mishaps and last-minute changes always occur at work. Leaders need to be
flexible, accepting whatever changes come their way. Employees will appreciate
your ability to accept changes in stride and creatively problem-solve.
Similarly, leaders must be open to suggestions and feedback. If your staffs are
dissatisfied with an aspect of the office environment, listen to their concern and
be open to making necessary changes. Employees will appreciate a leader's
ability to accept appropriate feedback.

Development in the forms of Communication:-

It is the time of science and technology. Scientific and technological changes
have transformed almost every walk of life, including communication.
Developments in the field of information technology (IT) and computers have
introduced a number of modern forms of communication. Faxes, E-mail,
Internet, E-commerce, Cellular phones, Video conferences, Voice message
system etc. are the important modern forms of communication. These are
replacing the traditional forms of communication gradually. The time has gone
when we used to communicate through sound or messengers. A fashion of
writing letters and reports is also becoming out dated.

Stages of Development of Modern forms of communication:-

Development is always a gradual process. It can never be an overnight
revolution. It holds true about the development of modern forms of
communication. It can be divided into three stages:-
First Stage:
It is the earliest stage of development of communicator facilities. At this stage,
message were communicated orally i.e. by mouth. The speaker used to deliver
the message directly to the listener. If the same message was to be
communicated to a large number of persons, drums, loudspeaker etc. were used.
Second Stage:
This is the stage at which written communication also came into existence.
Letters, newspaper, magazines, telegraphs, telephone etc. were used for
communication. This stage can well be recognized as the start of modern stage.
Third stage (Modern Stage):
It is the time in which we are living at present. Ways and forms of
communication have undergone such an important change that this stage is
known as ‘Communication Revolution’. E-mail, Internet, Fax, Cellular phone,
Video conferencing, Video message system etc. are important forms of
communication of this stage.

Definition of Globalization:
The worldwide movement towards economic, financial, trade and
communication integration is called globalisation.

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Globalization implies the opening of local and nationalistic perspectives to a
broader outlook of an interconnected and interdependent world with free
transfer of capital, goods, and services across national frontiers. However, it
does not include unhindered movement of labour and, as suggested by some
economists, may hurt smaller or fragile economies if applied indiscriminately.

Globalization of Business:
Globalization refers to the activities of large number of business enterprises
which carry out in many different locations across national boundaries. It is
much more than just importing or exporting from one country to another. True
globalization involves one firm procuring form, manufacturing in, and selling in
many different countries. There has been an increasing trend in the world
towards globalization is characterized by trends such as:
• Increased trade across national boundaries.
• One company having subsidiary companies and plants in many countries.
• One company procuring material required from multiple countries.
• One company selling its products in many different countries.
• Growth of joint ventures and technical collaborations between companies
from different countries.
• Lowering of trade barriers and simplified import and export procedures.

Advantages of Globalization:
• Greater employment opportunities for people.
• Availability of greater variety of goods and services to the consumers.
• More competitive price to the competitors.
• Ability of companies to achieve lower costs.
• Access to bigger markets to business firms.
• Faster and wider spread of new technologies across the world.

Disadvantages of Globalization:
• Unrestricted globalization can hamper the development of less developed
countries.
• Smaller firms may lack the resources to compete internationally and
therefore may be forced out of business.
• Countries become increasingly dependent on other countries for meeting
their needs for goods and services. This can become a major disadvantage in
situations like war.
• Adverse economic condition in one country can escalate to other countries
and may even adopt global proportion.
• Globalization may also lead to faster spread of infectious disease, for
people animals and plants. Such infection may be carried through, people or
goods.

Role of Technology in Globalization with reference to Business Continuity

Technology is the vital force in the modern form of business globalization.
Technology has revolutionized the global economy and has become critical
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competitive strategy. It has globalized the world, which drive all the countries to
more ethical standards. Technology revolution is sweeping the globe and the
transition from manual to electronic delivery of services both in public and
private sector leads to advancement of business community throughout the
world. Globalization has lead to new markets and information technology is one
of the technologies fostered to the new market in this increasing competitive
world. Technology has helped us in overcoming the major hurdles of
globalization and international trade such as trade barrier, lack of common
ethical standard, transportation cost and delay in information exchange, thereby
changing the market place. Technology has enabled the software experts to
work collaboratively over the network with companies from around the world.
The technological advancement has helped a lot in creation and growth of global
market. Multinational Corporations (MNC) can be seen as a central actor in
globalization. Markets have become global at a rapid pace, as indicated by
several kinds of trade extended to foreign countries. The innovation in host
country is often undertaken by MNC based in one country and due to the
technological advancement MNC(s) have expanded to other countries by some
kinds of FDI also facilitating the movement of research and development. The
researchers have analyzed that though the technology has globalized the
business but economically well developed countries have been more benefited.
While technology has created many opportunities for global networks of tasks it
is important to look at the friction in the system to understand the limitations.
The sources of friction are many and could bring the system to its knees.
Companies and countries that want to thrive in this era of globalization will seek
to mitigate the abuses, while dealing with the friction.

Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among the people,

companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by
international trade and investment and aided by information technology. This
process has effects on the environment, on culture, on political systems, on
economic development and prosperity, and on human physical well-being in
societies around the world. Globalization is not new, though. For thousands of
years, people—and, later, corporations—have been buying from and selling to
each other in lands at great distances, such as through the famed Silk Road
across Central Asia that connected China and Europe during the Middle Ages.
Likewise, for centuries, people and corporations have invested in enterprises in
other countries. In fact, many of the features of the current wave of globalization
are similar to those prevailing before the outbreak of the First World War in
1914.

Role of Information Technology:

The flow of information has changed the way we live in today world.
Information is the backbone of every system. Every morning when we read a
newspaper having out so much information we came to know the latest
happening in the world (of course in details), yeah you are right even the
internet edition also. This is just a very basic example of IT.
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All our Railways, Air and even sea networks are connected with the help of IT.
The information is very vital for running these smoothly. Even if we have do not
have information for one minute it may result into a big disaster.

We can take the example of banking. It is very to transact any amount of money
from part of the world to other with help of e-commerce. We can purchase
anything online with help of debit and credit cards. This has made our lives
more and more simple.

Now days if we want to buy to something and are not getting it nearby store
then we can simply search for that thing on internet and then order it on the
internet. We will get it delivered at our doorstep with just few clicks of mouse.

Similarly if we want to travel around the world we can book airline tickets
online and even book rooms for our hotels (of course at competitive rates).

People are working on the internet without really having to go outside to their
workplace.

IT has changed the whole scenario. Companies can share technologies online
even the doctors can guide the other doctors while operating on a patient with
the help of Information Technology. A whole new world is coming in our way.

Without information life can’t exist. We need information for all our activities.
For example: When we start a new business we gather information about the
demand, weather this product will be successful etc. Thus our life and role of
information technology are parallel in nature one cannot exist without another.

Today, the term Information Technology has ballooned to encompass many

aspects of computing and technology, and the term is more recognizable than
ever before. The Information Technology umbrella can be quite large, covering
many fields. IT professionals perform a variety of duties that range from
installing applications to designing complex computer networks and
information databases. A few of the duties that IT professionals perform include,
but not limited to:

• Data Management
• Computer Networking
• Database Systems Design
• Software design
• Management Information Systems

Need and Importance of Information Technology in Education

Need:

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• Education is a lifelong process therefore anytime anywhere access to it is
the need
• Information explosion is an ever increasing phenomena therefore there is
need to get access to this information
• Education should meet the needs of variety of learners and therefore IT is
important in meeting this need
• It is a requirement of the society that the individuals should posses
technological literacy
• We need to increase access and bring down the cost of education to meet
the challenges of illiteracy and poverty-IT is the answer

Importance:
• Access to variety of learning resources
• Immediacy to information
• Anytime learning
• Anywhere learning
• Collaborative learning
• Multimedia approach to education
• Authentic and up to date information
• Access to online libraries
• Teaching of different subjects made interesting
• Educational data storage
• Distance education
• Access to the source of information
• Multiple communication channels-e-mail, chat, forum, blogs, etc.
• Access to open courseware
• Better accesses to children with disabilities
• Reduces time on many routine tasks

Information Technology in Education:

Introduction:
The pace of change brought about by new technologies has had a significant
effect on the way people live, work, and play worldwide. New and emerging
technologies challenge the traditional process of teaching and learning, and the
way education is managed. Information technology, while an important area of
study in its own right, is having a major impact across all curriculum areas. Easy
worldwide communication provides instant access to a vast array of data,
challenging assimilation and assessment skills. Rapid communication, plus
increased access to IT in the home, at work, and in educational establishments,
could mean that learning becomes a truly lifelong activity—an activity in which
the pace of technological change forces constant evaluation of the learning
process itself.

Significance of IT in education:
IT aids plenty of resources to enhance the teaching skills and learning ability.
With the help of IT now it is easy to provide audio visual education. The learning
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resources are being widens and widen. Now with this vivid and vast technique
as part of the IT curriculum, learners are encouraged to regard computers as
tools to be used in all aspects of their studies. In particular, they need to make
use of the new multimedia technologies to communicate ideas, describe
projects, and order information in their work.

Immediacy to education:
IT has provided immediacy to education. Now in the year of computers and web
networks the pace of imparting knowledge is very fast and one can be educated
anywhere at any time. New IT has often been introduced into well-established
patterns of working and living without radically altering them. For example, the
traditional office, with secretaries working at keyboards and notes being written
on paper and manually exchanged, has remained remarkably stable, even if
personal computers have replaced typewriters.

Any time learning:

Now in the year of computers and web networks the pace of imparting
knowledge is very fast and one can be educated .One can study whenever he
wills irrespective of whether it is day or night and irrespective of being in India
or in US because of the boom in IT.

Collaborative learning:
Now IT has made it easy to study as well as teach in groups or in clusters. With
online we can be unite together to do the desired task. Efficient postal systems,
the telephone (fixed and mobile), and various recording and playback systems
based on computer technology all have a part to play in educational
broadcasting in the new millennium. The Internet and its Web sites are now
familiar to many children in developed countries and among educational elites
elsewhere, but it remains of little significance to very many more, who lack the
most basic means for subsistence.

Multimedia approach to education:

Audio-Visual Education, planning, preparation, and use of devices and materials
that involve sight, sound, or both, for educational purposes. Among the devices
used are still and motion pictures, filmstrips, television, transparencies,
audiotapes, records, teaching machines, computers, and videodiscs. The growth
of audio-visual education has reflected developments in both technology and
learning theory.

Studies in the psychology of learning suggest that the use of audio-visuals in

education has several advantages. All learning is based on perception, the
process by which the senses gain information from the environment. The higher
processes of memory and concept formation cannot occur without prior
perception. People can attend to only a limited amount of information at a time;
their selection and perception of information is influenced by past experiences.
Researchers have found that, other conditions being equal, more information is
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taken in if it is received simultaneously in two modalities (vision and hearing,
for example) rather than in a single modality. Furthermore, learning is enhanced
when material is organized and that organization is evident to the student.

These findings suggest the value of audio-visuals in the educational process.

They can facilitate perception of the most important features, can be carefully
organized, and can require the student to use more than one modality.

Authentic and up to date information:

The information and data which are available on the net is purely correct and up
to date. Internet, a collection of computer networks that operate to common
standards and enable the computers and the programs they run to communicate
directly provides true and correct information.

Online library:
Internets support thousands of different kinds of operational and experimental
services one of which is online library. We can get plenty of data on this online
library.

As part of the IT curriculum, learners are encouraged to regard computers as

tools to be used in all aspects of their studies. In particular, they need to make
use of the new multimedia technologies to communicate ideas, describe
projects, and order information in their work. This requires them to select the
medium best suited to conveying their message, to structure information in a
hierarchical manner, and to link together information to produce a
multidimensional document.
Distance learning:
The term distance learning was coined within the context of a continuing
communications revolution, largely replacing a hitherto confusing mixed
nomenclature—home study, independent study, external study, and, most
common, though restricted in pedagogic means, correspondence study. The
convergence of increased demand for access to educational facilities and
innovative communications technology has been increasingly exploited in face
of criticisms that distance learning is an inadequate substitute for learning
alongside others in formal institutions. A powerful incentive has been reduced
costs per student. At the same time, students studying at home themselves save
on travel time and other costs.

Whatever the reasoning, distance learning widens access for students unable for
whatever reason (course availability, geographical remoteness, family
circumstances, individual disability) to study alongside others. At the same time,
it appeals to students who prefer learning at home. In addition, it appeals to
organizers of professional and business education, providing an incentive to
rethink the most effective way of communicating vital information.

Better accesses to children with disabilities:

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Information technology has brought drastic changes in the life of disabled
children. IT provides various software and technique to educate these poor
peoples. Unless provided early with special training, people profoundly deaf
from birth are incapable of learning to speak. Deafness from birth causes severe
sensory deprivation, which can seriously affect a person's intellectual capacity
or ability to learn. A child who sustains a hearing loss early in life may lack the
language stimulation experienced by children who can hear. The critical period
for neurological plasticity is up to age seven. Failure of acoustic sensory input
during this period results in failure of formation of synaptic connections and,
possibly, an irremediable situation for the child. A delay in learning language
may cause a deaf child's academic progress to be slower than that of hearing
children. The academic lag tends to be cumulative, so that a deaf adolescent may
be four or more academic years behind his or her hearing peers. Deaf children
who receive early language stimulation through sign language, however,
generally achieve academically alongside their hearing peers.

The integration of information technology in teaching is a central matter in

ensuring quality in the educational system. There are two equally important
reasons for integrating information technology in teaching. Pupils must become
familiar with the use of information technology, since all jobs in the society of
the future will be dependent on it, and information technology must be used in
teaching in order to improve its quality and make it more effective.

The information society challenges the education system. In recent years, the
speedy, effective and global communication of knowledge has created a new
foundation for co-operation and teamwork, both nationally and internationally.
The increasing role played by information technology in the development of
society calls for an active reaction to the challenges of the information society.

Already, new and greater demands are being made as to the core qualifications
of individuals, as well as to their understanding and knowledge of the
consequences of the introduction of information technology for the work and
organisation of a company. Companies are no longer forced to gather all their
functions in one place. The knowledge-intensive functions such as development
and marketing can be sited in countries where the labour market can supply
highly educated employees, whilst production itself can be moved to low wage
countries. The result is the efficient handling, processing, co-ordination and
administration of company resources, which is decisive for the competitiveness
of the company. In a society which is becoming increasingly dependent on
information and the processing of knowledge, great demands are therefore
made that the individual should have a solid and broad educational foundation
on which to build.

Educational policy in the information society must ensure that:

1. IT qualifications are developed by means of their integration in all
activities in the education sector and
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2. The individual citizen must have an active and critical attitude to
developments and not passively allow technological development to set the
pace.

Tele-Communication:
Telecommunication is the exchange of information over significant distances by
electronic means. A complete, single telecommunications circuit consists of two
stations, each equipped with a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter and
receiver at any station may be combined into a single device called a transceiver.
The medium of signal transmission can be electrical wire or cable (also known
as "copper").

Telecommunication simply involves sharing information over a distance, which

has made globalization in business possible. Networking means forging
connections with other business people and clients in order to maximize your
opportunities for growth. Every small business should take advantage of
emerging networking opportunities that use telecommunication to share its
message with a broader audience.

Modes
Telecommunication involves communication via email, which you probably
already do frequently. It also involves sharing information via social-networking
sites, websites and a blog. Software-sharing programs and web-conferencing
programs allow for an instant exchange of ideas. Online chats are another
example, and so are phone calls, including those between two parties or more
than two individuals.

Internet:
The term internet’ made up of two words: International and network. The
internet in simple terms is a network of the interlinked computer networking
worldwide, which is accessible to the general public. These interconnected
computers work by transmitting data through a special type of packet switching
which is known as the IP or the internet protocol.

Internet is such a huge network of several different interlinked networks

relating to the business, government, academic, and even smaller domestic
networks, therefore internet is known as the network of all the other networks.
These networks enable the internet to be used for various important functions
which include the several means of communications like the file transfer, the
online chat and even the sharing of the documents and web sites on the WWW,
or the World Wide Web.

It is always mistaken said that the internet and the World Wide Web are both
the same terms, or are synonymous. Actually there is a very significant
difference between the two which has to be clear to understand both the terms.
The internet and World Wide Web are both the networks yet; the internet is the
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network of the several different computers which are connected through the
linkage of the accessories like the copper wires, the fiber optics and even the
latest wireless connections. However, the World Wide Web consists of the
interlinked collection of the information and documents which are taken as the
resource by the general public. These are then linked by the website URLs and
the hyperlinks. Therefore World Wide Web is one of the services offered by the
whole complicated and huge network of the internet.

Internet tools are basically used so as to make the internet use much easier via
some of the applications specially made for a particular internet business.
These tools are advanced and custom-built for the development of the internet,
so that the optimal management can be achieved both in the informational and
communication solutions. These tools are also available commercially.

Role of Internet in the modern era:

The modern era has been now extremely advanced and well-developed and the
basic reason for this development is actually the launch of the internet and its
applications which have provided the individuals with the easiest routine in
their daily lives.

The modern era of the internet has made even the most tiring and physically
demanding works on the finger tips. For example the shopping which is indeed a
very complicated affair, can be easily done on the internet in the modern times,
via e-commerce. This technology has emerged as one of the breakthrough uses
of the internet.

The internet has changed the face of the lives of people, turning them completely
into the modern and latest lifestyle with its developments. Today, instead of the
newspapers, the people use the internet to access the e-news which provides
with not only the news papers completely but also various different news
channels from all over the world. Even the live video news from the news
channels can be accessed through the net, overpowering the other media, even
including the television.

The modern developments through the internet have also widened the
opportunities for business and professional developments. The need to
advertise the products of any business companies are no more a major problem,
as the companies can develop their own website and information regarding the
products to convince the customers with their works.

There are also several open opportunities of making money through the
internet, with the most common profession being the web site development
with the increasing demand of web-development personals used to develop the
websites to promote their business and companies.

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Internet is indeed the major advancement in the modern era, enabling the
common people to sit at home and rule the world.

Effect of Internet on our daily lives:

The maximum effect of the internet is actually on the daily life of the individuals
because indeed there is no aspect of life which is not influenced by the internet
and its uses.

Our daily life activities like travelling and planning are also related to the
internet in some way or the other. Internet can now be used to inquire about the
flight timings and delays which make it easier to plan for the departure time.

Any piece of information regarding anything at all in our daily lives, may it be a
cosmetic technique for the ladies or the men health problems, the cooking
recipes for trying the new dishes or the home decoration tips, the information
on the latest appliance or product you are going to buy or the search for the new
house, it is all there ready for you on the internet.

The most interesting aspect of the internet influencing our daily lives is the
factor of entertainment. Entertainment no longer demands your money or
expense, today you can just log on the internet in your free time and get
involved talking to people of similar interests, or watch movies or play games,
it’s all there in the internet.
Because of the so many opportunities on the internet it is also said to have
become an addiction for some people, which makes them more lazy and
inconsistent in much more important works in life.

Tele-conferencing:
Teleconferencing or Internet Teleconferencing means connecting people by a
phone, internet phone or video service so they can hold a meeting or share
information in real time without needing to be in the same building, city or
country.

Teleconferencing is often used to save travel costs or avoid the ‘down time’ of
people travelling to a central point to hold a meeting.

The two most popular types of teleconferencing are:

• Audio-based teleconferencing
• Video-based videoconferencing

Both methods have advantages and disadvantages.

Audio-based teleconferencing:
Teleconferencing is where a number of phone lines are ‘bridged together’ so
that people can talk to each other across all the lines and the same time.

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If you are asked to take part in a teleconference, you will typically get a:
• Phone number to dial
• Date and time to make the call
• Security code to enter

While there are many teleconferencing providers, a popular option for small
businesses is Skype. The internet phone service allows you to connect to a
number of other Skype users at the same time, free of charge, by using your
internet connection and a microphone and headset. You can even call people on
landlines or mobiles to join in the conversation for a fee.

Advantages:
Some of the advantages of teleconferencing include:
• Easy way to bring a number of people together quickly to discuss a topic
• Most teleconferences can be recorded for a record or to send copies to
people who could not make the meeting

Disadvantages:
One of the downsides of teleconferencing is that you cannot see the facial
expressions or body language of other people in the meeting. This means some
conversations can be misinterpreted from time to time because body language is
a big part of human communication.

Video-based videoconferencing:
Video conferencing is where at least one person uses a video camera and
microphone to be part of a meeting in another place. Everyone involved in a
video conference needs to be able to see a video screen and be in front of a
camera and microphone.

The most common setup in larger firms is for the boardroom to have large
monitors in place for board members to see remote guests and use microphones
set along the boardroom table to communicate with them.

Some smaller firms, use video conferencing companies to hold video

conferences (people travel to the conferencing provider’s office to use their
system), while others use freely available tools like Skype or Google+, as
examples.

Skype and Google+ both offer a video conferencing service that uses your
computer’s webcam and login account to broadcast you and your voice, and
connect you with other people you invite to your virtual meeting.

Advantages:
There are some important advantages that video conferencing has over
teleconferencing, namely:

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• People in the meeting can see each other’s facial expressions and body
language, making meetings almost as effective as meeting face to face
• Most set ups offer some ability for viewing online documents or video
during the meeting

Disadvantages:
One of the downsides of video conferencing is the extra bandwidth needed to
send your picture out and bring the picture of other attendees into your
computer.

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
Basics of Ethics
Ethics is a branch of philosophy that addresses the concepts of right and wrong
or good and evil. Ethics can also be called moral philosophy. Morality means
usually a more practical approach to ethics, for example questions about the
right and wrong in actions. Adjectives “moral” and “ethical” can be used fairly
synonymously.

Applied Ethics addresses practical, everyday issues. It is usually normative and

thus aims to find the best possible answers to questions like: “Is this act or
policy right or wrong?” Of course, life is often so complicated that simple
answers cannot be provided. Then applied ethics can serve as a tool for
clarifying the issue and for helping decision-making and account for these
decisions even if there is no absolute right answer to be found.

Professional Ethics is a professionally accepted standard of personal and

business behaviour, values and guiding principles. Codes of professional ethics
are often established by professional organizations to help guide members in
performing their job functions according to sound and consistent ethical
principles.

Professional ethics provides us means to solve certain ethical problems related

to a certain profession. Professional ethics is usually presented as guidelines and
rules, but it can be demanding to apply these to complex situations, that call for
sensitivity to circumstances and the individuals in question. Thus, professional
ethics cannot be only about abiding by the rules, but constant awareness to the
rights and needs of the clients or patients, and critical thinking in the cross-fire
of ethics, rules, conventions and difficulties of social interaction.

Requirements of ethical thinking

Ethical thinking in professional context has certain requirements. It should be
universal, normative, interpersonal, rational, and sensitive to circumstances. All
of these requirements are discussed in more detail below.

Normativity

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Normativity means that ethical reasoning should always lead to a claim how a
professional should act in a certain situation. In a broader scope, we may
enquire how the rules or conventions in a workplace should be designed to
support ethical conduct. Therefore, active ethical thinking is always progressive:
it seeks to improve current conditions and prevent problems by developing
better policies and by applying pre-emptive measures.

An important dimension of normative ethics is justifying policies or actions. As a

rule of thumb, ethical justification is usually based on prevention of harm or
protection of rights of a person. For example, a change in the code of conduct of
a hospital should always be justified by either of these principles. If the change is
targeted at some other good, such as smoothing cooperation or rationalising
resources, it should neither conflict with nor impair the realisation of these
principles.

Interpersonality
The object of ethical assessment is interpersonal activity: How are one’s actions
affecting other persons? Actions that affect only the actor herself are not
ethically relevant. Instead we can ask if for example self-harming
is prudential (which means rational and considered). Non-prudential acts are
not unethical: it is not ethically wrong to be unwise, stupid or reckless. Thus
self-harming or other non-prudential acts cannot be used as justification for
intervention unless there are other pressing ethical duties present (like the
duties of a parent or a care-giver). The problem of justifying intervention in a
case of self-harming is called the problem of justifying paternalism.

Rationality
Ethical claims should always be logically consistent, compatible with the facts
concerning the situation and well grounded in evidence. Common beliefs or gut-
feelings are not enough to validate an ethical claim although emotions always
should be taken serious, because they can serve as a guide to find underlying
moral values and standards. Ideally, ethical thinking is critical and constantly
assesses common beliefs and justifications for actions.

Universality and circumstances

Ethical rules and principles should be as universal as possible. There are no
different ethics for different nations, religions or genders. Thus, ethical claims
should be designed without any necessary dependence to disputable religious
or ideological beliefs because not everyone shares them.

The relation between universal rules and applying them according to the
circumstances is a complicated question. Basically, sensitivity to circumstances
means that we should not be too harsh with condemning unethical conduct in a
situation where the agent is for example a minor, mentally disabled or under
pressing conditions (i.e. self-defence or a doctor making decisions in a lose-lose
situation). Similarly, a person consenting to a boxing match cannot blame her
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opponent for unethical conduct when being hit – even if generally we may
consider hitting a person an unethical thing to do. It is always necessary to take
into account the context in which ethical decisions have to be made, that is, the
reason why it is important to reflect on moral questions in everyday practice.

Being a professional
Acquiring a professional role in health care is important from the point of view
of ethics. A professional is committed to the principles and aims of the work and
is aware of her own limitations and values. The most important questions in
acquiring high ethical standards in professional work are: 1) Why is the work
being done? 2) What are the necessary components of high quality? and 3) What
is the professional attitude? These questions concerning ‘good work’ can be
summarized in the 3 E’s: excellence, ethics and engagement.
Another way of looking at the professional working role is to ask what the
virtues of a high-grade professional worker are. Virtues mean acquired
capabilities that enable excellence in the practice according to its objectives, e.g.
wisdom, justice, self control and courage.
Why and how?
Aims, principles and values direct the work, but it is also important to think
about its functionality and pragmatic dimensions. How are the aims of the work
realized in the best way? And how is this done without neglecting the key
principles and values of the work? Pragmatism is not only about finding the best
solution for some concrete problem at hand, but also about connecting aims
with means. If a certain procedure is fast and efficient, but violates a patient’s
autonomy and causes distress, it is not pragmatic, considering not only the
immediate task but the idea of producing good care.
It is a common mistake to think that professionalism is based only on personal
competence of a worker. The fact is that maintaining a high quality of work
requires a lot more. Key factors are continuing education, professional pride and
good management. It is also essential that there is a functioning work society
and group dynamics with reasonable workload and reasonable resources.
Maintaining a high level of professionalism is a matter of cooperation in the
work society, but also a responsibility of the management and leaders.
Professional attitude
What is professional attitude? How can you obtain it? Can you choose your
attitude, can you change it, or can you develop it? Does your professional
attitude change during your career?

Work attitude means continuous evaluations and reactions towards one’s work
environment: co-workers, patients, work society, tasks, and more. Building
professional attitude can be described as an adjustment process that begins by
understanding what it means to be a professional and how a professional should
relate and react to her work environment. Health care professionals are in a
position which they can use to do good or harm depending on their work
attitude. That is why ethical awareness is an integral part of professional
attitude and why it is necessary to take time for reflection-on-action.
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One key ability in being a professional is a certain degree of value neutrality.
This means that the principles that guide the work should be always derived
from the main purposes of the work. Any other aims, ideologies, personal values,
personal gain or religious beliefs should be omitted from the professional role.

Applying ethics to professional work

During the past 10 years there has been a strong movement towards evidence-
based practice especially in the health care sector. This means that decisions
should be based on research findings, expertise of the health care provider,
patient’s opinions, views, situation and resources in the unit. Evidence-based
health care is not a “cookbook” practice, and the emphasis is still on the
individualized care of the patient and/or the client.

When approaching or solving ethical problems, we need to make choices on the

basis of our beliefs and feelings about what is fundamentally good or right.
However, applying ethics to clinical work does not mean that you have to reflect
only on your own thoughts and experiences and discuss with your colleagues.
Applying ethics to work also demands that we are aware of the current study
results of our own working field and consider the ethical problems that we are
dealing with.

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