Version 1.3 Platforms - Soft Skills Training February 24, 2016 2 Objective To create an awareness about expected Corporate behavior through the following topics: Personal Grooming Business EtiquetteEtiquette Effective Communication Skills Customer Orientation These skills will help you to: Make a positive, formal impression to customers about your employer and yourself Improve your interpersonal relationships with colleagues and superiors Enhance your self confidence and image 3 Introduction to Soft Skills What are soft skills? Personal attributes (mannerism, body language) Enhance an individuals interactions Enhance job performance Enhance career prospects What are hard skills? Skill set Ability to perform a certain task / activity Hard skills will get you an interview, but soft skills will help you get the job and keep it! Personal Grooming 5 Personal grooming is the art of cleaning, grooming and maintaining parts of the body It includes, taking care of your appearance: Face Skin Hair Dental Hygiene Nails Dress Code Accessories (glasses, shoes, belts, bags, jewelry) Personal Grooming 6 Dress Code Personal Grooming 7 Personal Grooming Dos & Donts Personal Grooming Business Etiquette 9 What is Etiquette? Etiquette is polite behavior among members of a particular group What is Business Etiquette? Business etiquette is expected behavior while one is on the job It involves treating colleagues with respect and courtesy Business Etiquette Etiquette is what you are doing and saying when people are looking and listening. 10 Why is Business Etiquette Required? Creates a pleasant working environment Creates a good first impression Helps in improving your image and benefits the organization in which you work Enables the individuals to earn respect and appreciation Builds a feeling of trust and loyalty in the individuals Business Etiquette 11 Types of Etiquette Social Etiquette Corporate/Business Etiquette Meeting Etiquette Telephone Etiquette Eating Etiquette Business Etiquette 12 Business Etiquette - Introduction and Greetings Being Introduced Always rise Smile Shake the person's hand Greet (Good morning / Hello) Maintain eye contact Introducing Oneself Clearly state your first and last name Exclude title / honorific Be clear and concise Business Etiquette 13 Business Etiquette - Introductions Thumb Rule - Speak to the more important person first Introduce the strange" face Host should introduce guests Avoid forgetting names Do not joke about names Business Etiquette 14 Business Etiquette Mannerism & Body Language Business Etiquette DOs: Remember to say Thank you / Please / Sorry Hold the door for person behind you Maintain eye contact Excuse yourself when you sneeze, cough, leave a meeting in progress Be prompt & responsive List down action items Maintain a neat desk. Take care of office equipment. DONTs: Hands in pockets Stare Slouch Legs sprawled - out. Peep into other's monitors / desk Eavesdrop Scratch / Unkempt hair Dress shabbily Socialize for long in the corridors 15 Self Conduct Don'ts Peeping Scratching / Bad Manners Legs on the desk Slouching Casual sitting posture Legs Sprawled Out Business Etiquette 16 Identify Issues / Concerns in the Image Business Etiquette 17 Identify the Improvements in the Image Business Etiquette 18 Meeting Etiquette Be punctual (start and end meetings on time) Be prepared Avoid electronic distractions (laptops, phones) One conversation at one time Participate, take notes Treat everyone with respect Business Etiquette 19 Telephone Etiquette Business Etiquette Individual Calls: Identify yourself at the beginning of the call Plan your discussion before speaking Mind your tone Do not put the call on hold for long, else take permission Ensure there is no background noise Put your phone on silent mode during meetings and training, Do not eat while speaking on the phone Conference Calls: Join on time Identify yourself Put your phone on mute, if you are not speaking Do not place the call on hold Avoid taking con-calls while in traffic noisy area Beware of background noise One conversation at all times Etiquette 21Etiquette What isEtiquette? The manner in which you communicate when using e- mail Why is it important? Most preferred form of corporate communication Majority of our internal and external communication is on Etiquette 22- Structure and Components Three components of Structure Style ContentEtiquette 23- The Address FieldsEtiquette 24- The Subject Line Dos Subject line should be meaningful and precise It should convey the gist of your. Don'ts Forget to mention Subject of your. Write long subject lines. Some mistakes: 1. Important, Read Immediately!!! What is important to you may not be important to the recipient 2. Meeting The subject line does not say if theis a routine request for a meeting, the announcement of a last-minute rescheduling, or a summary of yesterday's meetingEtiquette 25 Writing Effective Subject Lines Making sure your messages get read and acted upon. Subject Lines are Headlines. Make One Point per. Specify the Response You Want. Using EOM Headlines (eg. Subject: 10/5 Meeting, 10am, Conf. Rm. A, On PASS Procedure EOM). Be a Good Correspondent. Internal.Etiquette 26- The Body Area - Salutation Salutation Start with a Greeting Dear Mr. Vijay/Dear Ms. Vani Hello Anand Address everyone in a multiple recipientEnsure the gender is correct Spell the recipients name(s) correctlyEtiquette 27- The Body Area - Subject Matter Know whom you are writing to. The recipient and purpose of writing will decide the tone you have to adopt Introduce yourself when writing to someone for the first time Say what you do, not what you are: I'm working on the XYZ project, and not, I am the Project Leader Quote previous message, if necessary, to set out the context. However, include only relevant information Cover the main point in the first few lines Use paragraphs or bulleted and numbered lists ( saves time for everyone!!) Remember the KISS (Keep it short and simple) ruleEtiquette 28 The Body Area - Mistakes When you have committed a mistake Apologize immediately Apologies for the delay caused Give a reason The data given was incorrect, hence Suggest an action We will send you the revised estimates by tomorrow Apologize again Sorry about the inconvenience causedEtiquette 29- The Body Area - Dos & Donts Dos Use formatting to highlight important items Read thefrom the recipients perspective Donts Overuse formatting Write long paragraphs Forget to attach filesEtiquette 30- The Signature Signing Off You could end yours saying: Please do contact me if you need any clarification I hope you find this information useful. Let me know if you need anything else Sign-off with expressions like: Regards/Best Regards Use your preferred name Include your designation (or Role ) to have more influence on the recipient Provide your contact informationEtiquette 31Etiquette - Tips Keep it short and crisp Avoid heavy attachments Ensure precise subject line Ask for a specific action. Send to the correct person Use CC and BCC appropriately Acknowledges Proof read yourAvoid Forwarding without summarizing Avoid use of CAPS Beware of Font and Colour Writes while you are in a fit of rage OR at odd timesEtiquette 32Etiquette - Tips Avoid use of slangs, acronyms and complicated words If multiple attachments are sent, always zip them rather than attaching one by one. Use of salutations and signature adds to the professionalism Avoid using smiley or quotes in a business. Ensure a quick reply to all mails Use the out-of-office reply feature, when out of office Marks as FYI for which you don't expect an action from the recipient Marks as FYA if you want the recipient to act on the contentEtiquette Effective Communication Skills Process of sending and receiving information Process of exchanging information by the use of words, letters, symbols, or nonverbal behavior Includes listening also Communication - Definition Communication Sender Message Channel Receiver Feedback Communication Communication - Components Communication - Types Communication Verbal (Spoken) Non-Verbal (Facial expressions, body language) Written The total impact of a message breaks down like this: 7 percent verbal (words) 38 percent vocal (volume, pitch, rhythm, etc) 55 percent body movements (mostly facial expressions) Hello!! Communication Types - Usage Communication Find Out what your Listener wants Know what you want to say Control Fear Stop Talking and Listen Think before you talk Believe in your message Repeat Major Points Find Out what your Listener wants Your communication style is a SET of various behaviors and methods of relaying information that impact all facets of life. Communication - Tips Communication Its not just what you say that matters, its how you say it! Communication Styles Communication Passive Communication Communication Attributes: Allowing our own rights to be violated by failing to express our honest feelings The goal of being a passive communicator is to avoid conflict no matter what Little risk involved very safe Little eye contact, often defers to others opinions, usually quiet tone, may suddenly explode after being passive too long Examples: I dont know. Whatever you think. You have more experience than I. You decide. Ill go with whatever the group decides. I dont care. It doesnt matter to me. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes... NO! Aggressive Communication Communication Attributes: Protecting ones own rights at the expense of others rights no exceptions The goal of the aggressor is to win at all costs; to be right Does not consider actions a risk because this person thinks they will always get their way. It is risky in terms of relationships Eye contact is angry and intimidating; lots of energy; loud and belittling; never defers to others, or at least does not admit to; manipulative and controlling. Often uses violence or verbal abuse Examples: I dont know why you cant see that this is the right way to do it. Its going to be my way or not at all. Youre just stupid if you think that will work. Who cares what you feel. Were talking about making things work here. Passive Aggressive Communication Communication Attributes: Allowing our own rights to be violated and violating others rights by indirectly expressing honest feelings The goal of the passive aggressive person is to avoid direct conflict but express feelings behind the back Tries to play it safe on the face but will take risks when alone. Will usually delay tasks assigned Avoids eye contact, appears to agree on the surface, head down, sarcastic tone Examples: Fine. Whatever. Saying I am not angry when the person is actually angry I didnt know you meant now! I thought you knew. I was joking. Why are you getting so upset? Assertive Communication Communication Attributes: Protecting your own rights without violating the rights of others. The goal of the assertive person is to communicate with respect and to understand each other; to find a solution to the problem. Takes a risk with others in the short run, but in the long run relationships are much stronger. Eye contact maintained; listens and validates others; confident and strong, yet also flexible; objective and unemotional; presents wishes clearly and respectfully. Examples: So what youre saying is.... I can see that this is important to you, and it is also important to me. Perhaps we can talk more respectfully and try to solve the problem. I think... I feel... I believe that.... I would appreciate it if you... Let me understand your thoughts on this Non-Verbal Communication Communication The study of non-verbal communication examines how messages are communicated through physical behaviour, vocal cues and spatial relationships. Nonverbal communication consists of body movement, facial expressions and eye movement. Effective communication is the combined harmony of verbal and nonverbal actions. Types of Non-Verbal Communication: Eye Contact Facial expressions and movement Gestures Posture Proximity Paralinguistic Eyes are a persons doorway to his mind Pupils are an indicator of a persons mood. Dilated pupils indicate excitement. Contracted pupils indicate a negative mood Helps regulate the flow of communication Reflects interest in others / speaker Eye Contact Communication Direct eye-contact conveys interest, warmth, credibility and concern Shifty eyes suggest dishonesty Downward gaze may be a sign of submissiveness or inferiority Eye Contact Communication Facial Expressions Communication Facial Expressions Communication There are 80 muscles in the face that can create more than 7,000 facial expressions. The facial muscles produce the varying facial expressions that convey information about emotion, mood, and ideas. Types of Facial Expressions: Happiness Sadness Anger Disgust Surprise Fear HAPPINESS Whoever is happy will make others happy too. -Mark Twain Facial Expressions Communication SADNESS Sadness dulls the heart more than the grossest sin -Author Unknown Facial Expressions Communication ANGER Anger is one letter short of danger-Unknown Facial Expressions Communication DISGUST A disgusting expression on the face is considered negative and should be avoided in formal gatherings. Facial Expressions Communication SURPRISE The eye-brows and the eyes are most affected in an expression of surprise. Facial Expressions Communication FEAR There is nothing to fear, but fear itself. Facial Expressions Communication Gesture is a movement of part of the body, especially hand or head, to express an idea or meaning. Gestures communicate as effectively as words, sometimes even better. Gestures support the verbal communication. Gestures sometimes detract from what you say Gestures Communication Negative Gestures: Pointing at people- It is perceived as accusatory. Fiddling with your items-It gives the impression that you are nervous. Dragging the feet-It implies lethargy. Head Down- It suggests timidity. Drooping shoulders- It implies weariness and lethargy. Weak handshake-It implies meek and ineffectual personality. Shifty eyes- It suggests nervousness. Arms crossed on the chest- It is a defensive gesture. Hands in pockets- Shows disrespect, and that you have something to hide. Covering your mouth- It suggests you are lying. Shaking feet or legs- It shows indifference and disinterest. Gestures Communication Avoid these hand gestures Gestures Communication Use these hand gestures Gestures Communication Posture Communication A position of a persons body while standing or sitting Posture communicate the persons attitude A neutral posture is beneficial A good posture will protect your spine Posture Communication PostureIndicates Leaning ForwardInterested, Attentive Leaning BackwardsAloof, Rejection Head held StraightNeutral stance Head tilted to the sideInterest Head hanging downNegative stance Rigid BodyTense Hunched ShouldersLacking interest, feeling inferior Arms across chestNegative thoughts Arms on hipsAggression What impression do the following people give you? Posture Communication What impression do the following people give you? Posture Communication Proximity is the distance people maintain between themselves while talking. Proximity Communication Proximity Communication DISTANCE ZONES Intimate Zone- No more than18 inches apart (mother and baby) Personal Distance-18 inches to 4 feet. (Casual and personal conversations). Social Distance-4-12 feet (impersonal, business, social gatherings) Public Distance-More than 12 feet( Public speaking) Space/Distance as an indicator of intimacy-The more we get to know each other the more we are permitted into each other's personal space Space/Distance as an indicator of status- Executives, presidents of colleges, government officials have large offices with big space... secretaries have small space Para linguistics Communication Paralanguage refers to the vocal aspect of communication. Para linguistics are what accompany your words to make up for its true meaning. Components: Rate of speed- When a speaker speaks fast, he is seen as more competent. Pitch-Pitch should be changed in accordance with the context of spoken words Volume- It refers to how loudly we speak. Loud people are perceived as aggressive or over-bearing. Soft-spoken voices are perceived as timid or polite. Fillers- Words like umhh ahaaa are used to gather thoughts Customer Orientation A group of actions taken by a business to support its staff in considering client needs and satisfying their major priorities The focus on meeting internal and external customer needs and expectations (expressed ad unexpressed) Customer Orientation - Definition Customer Orientation Are you as a customer: Demanding? Direct? Clear and concise? Impatient? Want resolution fast? Not interested in details? You as a Customer Customer Orientation Why do customers leave? Death 1% Move Away 3% Friendships 5% Competition 9% Price 14% Indifference 68% Source:Customer Orientation - Facts Customer Orientation What could indifference mean? Not being empathetic Not listening carefully Not reverting as discussed Not providing resolution but, stating Company Policy / Procedures Out of 100 dissatisfied customers 4 will complain 96 will just leave Out of the 96 who leave, only 5 will return if resolutions are provided 91 will never return However People understand that those providing service are also human and can make mistakes 70% will do business with you again if you resolve their complaint satisfactorily 95% will continue doing business if their complaint is resolved immediately Source: Michael LeBoeuf, 2000 Customer Orientation - Facts Customer Orientation Being responsive, prompt and efficient Treat customers with respect Keeping customers informed Understanding customer needs and expectations Remain committed to helping Ask for feedback and act on it Customer Orientation - Tips Customer Orientation Thank You