Welcome to HIP3E – Managing Personal Resources



Unit 2 Self and Others

Progressing from Adolescence to Adulthood

The journey of adolescence to adulthood is full of contradiction. It is definitely the most confusing period of life, for both adolescents and adults. As a young person enters adolescence, they will be experiencing both hormonal and neurological changes. Their bodies and minds are changing chemically, in many ways permanently. This is why the journey from adolescence into adulthood is so crucial. It is the only time that this will happen, the changes had during adolescence will be with most of us, all our lives.

What is adolescence?

Adolescence is a time of growth and innocence. Each individual adolescent has their own needs to be addressed. As an adult, it is possible to mold the adolescent as an adult figure in their life. Different kids will respond to certain actions differently, boys and girls, or other groupings. Adolescence begins shaping the world of the young. As the young identity forms, so does comradely, cliques and other social dynamics. As the adolescent loses their childhood innocence, so do they gain insights and adult wisdom. For example, one thing that teenagers often do is writing in their journals. They record their thoughts onto paper and sum up their day or recent events. However, when these teenagers become adults, they may grow out of this habit. Although they won’t keep a diary anymore, writing often will give them practice in expressing their thoughts in a coherent manner. These are the things they will later use to become a successful, mature and capable adult.

What marks adulthood?

As an adolescent grows into maturity, their personality takes form, based on both experiences and what they have learned. At first the adolescent may seem to be out of sync with their peers, but as time moves forward they start maturing. There is no strict timeline for the period known as adolescence. So some adolescents are late bloomers, while others mature early, but most spread it out over a few years. This would be where most adolescents fall; they are happily average in timing with their maturity. This is probably a good thing overall. If they had to choose their timing, it would be hard. Being able to make such decisions also marks the individual’s adulthood.

So it is, that the journey of adolescent can be contradictory, but still formative. It is not always in the way that seems logical to adults, but it is how the adolescent matures into adulthood. This is the goal that the adolescent is hopefully going to achieve. Even the most rowdy adolescent is just a young person waiting to bloom. The journey is made complete as the adolescent reaches adulthood successfully, but no journey is the same.

Assignment #1

How are expectations for an adult’s behaviour different from those for an adolescent?

Planniong for Employment

Planning for Employment

In this unit students will identify the core skills needed by employees in the workplace today and compare these to their own skills inventory as determined through a self-assessment exercise. After determining their strengths and weaknesses in the various skills, students set short- and long-term goals regarding their own personal skill development. At the end of this activity, students reflect on their talents as personal resources.

The assignments in this lesson will teach you more about yourself and the skills that you already have. You will also learn more about the skills that you need to work to make yourself more marketable in the job market of tomorrow.

What exactly are skills?

|No matter what our age, we all have our own unique set of skills which help build our self-confidence and add to our |

|self-esteem. Our skills are directly linked not only to how well we do a job but also to how fulfilled we feel doing it. Certain|

|skills give us a lot of personal satisfaction, and these are usually the ones that we're good at. So, for any work we do to be |

|enjoyable, we must be able to use a good number of such skills. |

| |

|Of course, skills are critical to our ability to function in the paid workplace. But there's more to it than that. We also need |

|to build our skills if we want to play an active role in our community and help find solutions to the complex challenges that |

|face our modern society. |

| |

What makes skills transferable?

Transferable skills are the ones used in a wide range of tasks and work contexts. Take, for instance, the ability to communicate well in writing. This skill is valued in business, government, educational institutions and voluntary organizations alike not to mention, in many different types and levels of positions.

Transferable skills provide a base that allows us to adapt to new activities, new work situations or even an entirely new type of job with relative ease (that is, with a minimum of preparation and training). Consider this example: the skills you'd need as a volunteer to organize a fundraising event for a local charity are useful to, and therefore transferable to, many different kinds of jobs in the labour market.

All transferable skills increase your chances of finding employment. But certain skills have a higher transfer value than others these are the ones employers judge to be the most valuable, no matter what the job or organization.

What skills do employers look for?

A few years ago, the Corporate Council on Education (part of the Conference Board of Canada) carried out a major survey of employers across the country. The aim was to find out which skills are the most important for people entering the workforce today.

These essential skills for employment can be summarized as follows:

effective oral communication

effective written communication

logical and critical thinking

creative, innovative thinking

the ability to work well with others

self-confidence and initiative

a positive attitude towards work

a keen sense of responsibility for your actions

eagerness to continue to grow and to learn.

Studies on the modern workplace also stress the need for employees who are very flexible and able to cope with, and adapt to, new challenges that result from constant change in technology and in the structure of organizations. What's more, it is assumed that computer knowledge will be a pre-requisite for most, if not all, of the jobs in the future.

This means that you really have to plan for the future now more than ever before.

Skills can be divided into three types:

a) core,

b) transferable

c) job-specific.

Core skills form the set of skills you'll need to enter the labour market toady. Since they form the foundation required to find and keep most jobs, they are job-readiness' skills. These core skills focus on a basic level of competence in:

reading, writing and numeracy skills

oral communication

thinking skills

social skills

the ability to manage yourself

the ability to work in a team setting

computer literacy.

Note: Here's something interesting: studies are showing that your level of mastery in these core skill areas is not necessarily linked to the marks you get in school!

Assignment #2 – Core Personal Skills Inventory

Use the following Core Personal Skills inventory to map out the core skills you already have. You may want to ask your teacher to make a copy of the skills inventory for you.

Using the list below, assess yourself. Place a check mark (() opposite the statement (or statements) that best describes you.

Reading skills

___ able to understand written information aimed at a general audience, including schedules and basic manuals

___ able to identify the main ideas and key facts in a written text

Writing skills

___ able to present information, thoughts and ideas in written form

___ able to record information accurately and completely

___ able to draft routine correspondence and instructions

___ able to edit texts to ensure proper spelling, syntax and grammar

Numeracy skills

___ able to perform basic computations

___ able to use basic math concepts in practical situations (e.g., measurement, percentages, ratios and proportions)

___ able to make reasonable estimates

___ able to understand graphs and charts

___ able to handle cash and do stock inventories

Speaking skills

___ able to organize and present information or ideas in a clear and concise way communicates messages in a way appropriate to the situation and the listeners participates effectively in conversations and discussions

Listening skills

___ receives information and instructions effectively (=active listening)

___ open to the ideas and perspectives of others (that is, can listen to and evaluate them without feeling defensive)

Social skills

___ relates well to both peers and superiors

___ able to work cooperatively with others

___ treats others with respect

___ able to demonstrate friendliness and politeness

___ able to interpret the body language of others

Thinking skills

___ understands ideas and assimilates new information with relative ease

___ uses logic to draw conclusions, predict results and evaluate ideas

___ makes sound decisions and judgements

___ evaluates the possible courses of action in a critical way

___ able to analyse problems and find solutions

___ able to infer the meaning of unknown vocabulary

___ uses imagination and ingenuity; able to think of new ways to get a job done

___ able to use foresight and be resourceful

___ able to learn from experience and to apply this knowledge in other contexts

Memory skills

___ able to remember information and details on both a short-term and long-term basis

___ able to follow multi-stepped instructions

Teamwork skills

___ able to work cooperatively with others

___ makes a point of understanding the goals of the group

___ contributes to team or committee efforts with ideas and suggestions

___ shows respect for the perspectives, ideas and opinions of others

Computer literacy skills

___ understands the basic functions of the computer

___ able to operate a word-processing system

___ able to use an E-mail system

___ able to surf the Internet

Self-management skills

___ good work habits and a positive attitude

___ thorough, reliable, self-disciplined, and motivated to get the job done

___ works well without supervision but knows when to ask for help

___ able to manage time well

___ able to plan and complete projects

___ able to set goals and priorities in personal and work situations

___ shows initiative and able to solve problems independently

___ takes responsibility for and accepts consequences of own actions

___ able to accept authority

___ able to accept constructive criticism

___ able to remain calm and to cope with deadline pressures

___ keeps emotions and impulses under control

___ develops coping strategies to deal with new or stressful situations

___ self-awareness (insight into personal feelings, needs, strengths and values)

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS: What you'll need to get ahead

Transferable skills are a higher order than core skills. They're needed in a wide range of jobs in many different organizations, and they can be transferred from one work setting to another. Because these skills are highly marketable, they're sure to increase your opportunities for employment.

Transferable skills relate to such areas as:

interpersonal relations

oral communication

written communication

problem-solving

analysis and logical thinking

creative thinking

organizing people or things

teaching others.

Every job requires a unique combination of transferable skills. For instance, to work as a professional fundraiser, you need good interpersonal skills, oral communication skills, creative thinking skills, persuading skills, advanced writing skills and public speaking skills

In taking on the future, the first step is to be aware of both your strengths and the areas you need or want to work on. The next hurdle is to figure out which skills you'll need to focus on to get the kind of job you really want. To do this, you'll have to get your mind around the concept of skills and give this subject some thought. True, this is a somewhat heavy task - but it could be critical to your future success in these highly competitive times.

The transferable skills have been organized into the following categories:

|people skills |applied/practical skills |

|mind skills |adaptability skills |

The next four assignments are inventory lists that pertain to the four categories of transferable skills. After completing each inventory, you will go back and look at what you have checked off. From these inventory checklists you will get a better idea about the skills you already have and the skills that may need a bit more work.

Assignment #3: People Skills inventory

Use the following People Skills inventory to map out the people skills you already have. You may want to ask your teacher to make a copy of the skills inventory for you.

Using the list below, try assessing yourself. Place a check mark (() opposite the statement or statements that best describe you.

PEOPLE SKILLS INVENTORY

Interpersonal skills

___ able to interact successfully with a wide range of people

___ knows how to express feelings warmly and sensitively

___ gives and receives feedback in a constructive manner

___ "hears" what is said and implied

___ knows how to interpret and use body language

___ knows how to use tact and diplomacy

___ recognizes and values the uniqueness of individuals

___ works well with a wide variety of people: males and females; people from other social, educational, religious, cultural and racial backgrounds; individuals who have disabilities or special needs

Oral communication skills

___ presents information and ideas clearly and concisely, with content and style appropriate for the audience (whether one-to-one or in a group)

___ presents opinions and ideas in an open, objective way

___ able to "think on feet"

Public speaking skills

___ able to make formal presentations

___ presents ideas, positions and problems in an interesting way

___ maintains poise in public situations

Counselling skills

___ responds to what others have said in a non-judgemental way ("active listening")

___ builds trust and openness with others

___ able to help others understand themselves better and to build self-esteem

___ able to help others solve their problems

___ gives sound advice in an effective way

___ able to demonstrate empathy

Coaching / mentoring skills

___ gives appropriate advice in a persuasive way

___ gives feedback in a constructive way

___ helps others to increase their knowledge or skills

___ works and communicates with others to satisfy their needs and expectations

Teaching / training skills

___ able to help others gain knowledge and skills

___ able to motivate people to learn new things and to perform well

___ able to adjust content and teaching style to the audience

___ able to create an effective learning environment

Supervising skills

___ motivates individuals to perform well

___ able to coordinate the assignment of tasks appropriately

___ identifies and uses human resources in an effective way

___ delegates responsibilities and establishes an appropriate system of accountability

___ able to monitor progress and assess the quality of job performance of others

Leadership skills

___ motivates and empowers others to act

___ inspires trust and respect in others

___ able to build effective teams

___ involves others without coercing or cajoling

___ promotes open discussion and involvement of all participants, while not dominating

___ able to facilitate and manage group interactions

___ able to delegate effectively

___ able to gain cooperation from difficult people

Persuading skills

___ communicates effectively to justify a position or influence a decision

___ effective spokesperson; able to explain goals and activities in a way appropriate to the audience

___ able to sell products

___ able to promote ideas

___ effective in lobbying for change

Negotiating skills

___ able to negotiate skilfully

___ knows how and when to make compromises

Mediation skills

___ able to resolve conflicts that stems from different perspectives or interests

___ helps those with opposite viewpoints reach mutual agreements, either through consensus or compromise

___ encourages give and take' from both sides; can persuade others to agree to disagree if a compromise position cannot be found

___ able to deal with conflict in an open, honest and positive way

Interviewing skills

___ asks and responds to questions effectively able to make others feel relaxed

and to create a feeling of trust

Client service skills

___ able to build a relationship of mutual trust with clients

___ able to understand or perceive clients' needs

___ gives or finds appropriate services

___ helps individuals develop more positive attitudes

___ helps clients cope with stressful situations

___ acts as an advocate for clients

___ develops ways (tailored to individual needs) to help people reach personal goals

___ able to handle complaints and concerns in a sensitive way

Care-giving skills

___ able to identify and respond appropriately to the need for care, counselling, treatment or therapy

___ patient and able to empathize with others

___ able to give sensitive care to people who are sick or elderly or who have severe disabilities

Assignment #4: Mind Skills Inventory

Use the following Mind Skills inventory to map out the mind skills you already have. You may want to ask your teacher to make a copy of the skills inventory for you.

Using the list below, try assessing yourself. Place a check mark (() opposite the statement or statements that best describe you.

MIND SKILLS

Analytical / logical thinking skills

___ able to draw specific conclusions from a set of general observations (= deductive reasoning)

___ able to draw general conclusions from set of specific facts (= inductive reasoning)

___ examines data to understand inter-relationships and correlations

___ able to compare and contrast details and options

___ able to synthesize information and ideas

___ able to identify appropriate frameworks for analysis and evaluation

Critical thinking skills

___ able to review different points of view or ideas and make objective judgements

___ able to examine underlying assumptions

___ able to formulate a question, analyse a problem or define a situation with clarity, accuracy and fair-mindedness

___ investigates all possible solutions to a problem, weighing the pros and cons

___ able to review or develop policy and programs

Creative thinking skills

___ able to use imagination and intuition freely

___ able to generate new ideas, invent new things, create new images or designs; find new solutions to problems

___ able to conceive new interpretations to ideas or information

___ able to design new approaches to solve problems

___ able to make connections between seemingly unrelated things

___ able to reshape goals to reveal new possibilities

___ able to use wit and humour effectively

Problem-solving skills

___ able to clarify the nature of a problem, evaluate alternatives, propose viable solutions and determine the outcome of the various options

Decision-making skills

___ able to identify all possible options, weigh the pros and cons, assess feasibility and choose the most viable option

Planning skills

___ able to plan projects, events and programs

___ able to determine the need for action

___ able to lay out a step-by-step process for achieving a goal

___ able to establish objectives and needs, evaluates options, chooses best option

___ able to analyse all the requirements (i.e., human, financial and material resources) to accomplish specific goals

___ able to establish realistic timetables and schedules

Organizational skills

___ able to organize information, people or things in a systematic way

___ able to break down an activity into component tasks and coordinates resources (both human and financial);

___ assigns appropriate people to undertake tasks

___ able to establish priorities and meet deadlines

___ able to understand the inter-relationship between the parts of a whole

___ able to develop or streamline procedures

___ monitors progress and effectiveness

Assignment #5: Applied/Practical Skills Inventory

Use the following Applied/Practical Skills inventory to map out the mind skills you already have. You may want to ask your teacher to make a copy of the skills inventory for you.

Using the list below, try assessing yourself. Place a check mark (() opposite the statement or statements that best describe you.

APPLIED / PRACTICAL SKILLS

Advanced writing skills

___ able to communicate in writing for maximum impact

___ able to select, interpret, organize and synthesize key ideas

___ able to adjust style, form and content to a particular audience

___ able to draft non-routine correspondence and complex reports

___ able to write in a creative way for the general public (e.g., publicity material)

___ able to edit a written text to ensure that the message is as clear, concise and accurate as possible

Research skills

___ able to design research projects

___ able to define the scope of a topic

___ able to develop appropriate methodology and implement a plan

___ knows how to find and collect relevant background information

___ able to identify people who have information relevant to the task

___ knows how to collect and compile data

___ able to analyse data, summarize findings and write a report

___ attention to detail; observation skills

Administrative / clerical skills

___ able to operate computers and other basic office equipment

___ able to do word processing, data entry and basic formatting of texts

___ able to compile basic information

___ able to design and maintain filing and control systems

___ general office work

Financial skills

___ able to keep accurate financial records

___ able to manage a budget (that is, preparing sound budgets and monitoring expenses)

___ able to establish and maintain accounting and auditing procedures

___ able to compile financial and other numerical data

___ able to prepare financial statements and reports

___ able to interpret financial reports and audited statements

___ able to monitor inventory flow

Language skills

___ competence in a language other than the one dominant in the organization

___ functionally bilingual (for example, fluency in French or English as a second language)

___ able to translate and/or interpret in a given language

___ able to communicate in sign language

Advanced computer skills

___ able to use a variety of software programs

___ able to learn new software quickly

___ able to manipulate data in a computer system

___ knowledge about desk-top publishing

___ able to design a web page for the Internet

Technological skills

___ understands technical systems and operates effectively within them

___ understands technical specifications; reads technical manuals with ease

___ able to maintain computer or other systems; able to analyse potential dysfunctions and troubleshoot for potential problems

___ able to suggest modifications to an existing system or design a new system to improve performance

Performing skills

___ able to make presentations for video or television in an interesting way

___ able to entertain, amuse and inspire an audience

___ able to act, sing or play an instrument in public

Artistic skills

___ able to draw diagrams and illustrations

___ uses colour and design creatively

___ able to design displays and publicity material (print, video, Internet)

Perceptual skills

___ able to visualise new formats and shapes

___ able to estimate physical space

Mechanical skills

___ able to install, operate and monitor the performance of equipment and mechanical devices

___ able to repair mechanical devices

___ "hand-skills"

Assignment #6: Adaptability Skills Inventory

Use the following Adaptability Skills inventory to map out the adaptability skills you already have. You may want to ask your teacher to make a copy of the skills inventory for you.

Using the list below, try assessing yourself. Place a check mark (() opposite the statement or statements that best describe you.

ADAPTABILITY SKILLS

___ capacity to adapt to new situations and settings and to tolerate change well

___ ability to work in a changing environment; tolerance for ambiguity

___ flexibility to adapt to the needs of the moment

___ a positive attitude towards change (this means seeing change as a challenge and yes, even an opportunity rather than as a problem)

Investigating your skills and the career choices you have

In lesson 1 you completed the skills inventory. Below are some job profiles and the skills that are recommended for careers in those areas.

(** From Springboard to Tomorrow: Creating Youth Volunteer Programs that Encourage the Development of Skills published by the Community Partnerships Program of Canadian Heritage, 1994. )

|Youth Program Leader Skills Profile |Informatics (Computers) Assistant Skills Profile |

|Leadership skills |Advanced computer skills |

|Interpersonal skills |Technological skills |

|Oral communication skills |Analytical skills |

|Coaching/mentoring skills |Critical thinking skills |

|Teamwork skills |Decision-making skills |

|Teaching/training skills |Problem-solving skills |

|Supervising skills |Creative thinking skills |

|Planning skills | |

|Organizational skills | |

|Creative thinking skills | |

|Decision-making skills | |

|Problem-solving skills | |

|Committee/Board Member Skills Profile |Research Assistant Skill Profile |

|Teamwork skills |Research Skills |

|Interpersonal skills |Analytical skills |

|Oral communication skills |Critical thinking skills |

|Analytical skills |Planning skills |

|Critical thinking skills |Organizational skills |

|Creative thinking skills |Problem-solving skills |

|Problem-solving skills |Advanced writing skills |

|Decision-making skills |Advanced computer skills |

|Planning skills | |

|Organizational skills | |

|Financial Assistant Skills Profile |Special Events Co-ordinator Skills Profile |

|Financial skills |Planning skills |

|Analytical skills |Organizational skills |

|Decision-making skills |Interpersonal skills |

|Problem-solving skills |Teamwork skills |

|Computer literacy skills |Supervising skills |

|Organizational skills |Creative thinking skills |

| |Problem-solving skills |

| |Decision-making skills |

| | |

|Childrens's Sports Coach Skills Profile |Publicity Assistant Skills Profile |

|Coaching/mentoring skills |Creative thinking skills |

|Teaching/training skills |Advanced writing skills |

|Leadership skills |Oral communication skills |

|Interpersonal skills |Planning skills |

|Oral communications skills |Organizational skills |

|Supervising skills |Problem-solving skills |

|Planning skills |Decision-making skills |

|Organizational skills |Persuading skills |

|Problem-solving skills |Public speaking skills |

|Decision-making skills | |

Assignment #7: Getting to know yourself better

Even though you completed the skills inventories in lesson 1, perhaps you feel that you have not yet discovered the real you? If so, here are some questions to get you started with this self-exploration. It is not necessary to answer these questions using complete sentences. This is a brain storming activity on the journey of self-discovery.

a) What kinds of activities do I like doing? Consider school work, clubs, hobbies, cultural activities, sports, etc

b) Of the activities listed in a), what activities do I enjoy the most? What am I good at? What do I dislike doing?

c) What would I consider my greatest accomplishment(s) so far? What knowledge and skills helped me do this well?

d) What are my strongest skills and abilities?

e) What skills have I gained at school and through extra-curricular and leisure activities?

f) What kinds of skills would I like to develop? What new activities would I like to try?

g) Do I prefer to work as a part of team or on my own?

h) Do I like taking on a leadership role or do I try to avoid it?

i) What occupations or types of jobs appeal to me? What would my ideal job be?

j) What would I like to accomplish over the next five years? What do I picture myself doing in ten years in my professional life? In my personal life?

k) What kinds of things am I concerned about beyond my own personal life? If I could change one thing for the better in my community, my country or the world, what would it be?

l) What kinds of things do I admire in other people and why?

m) How would I define a successful life?

Objectives and Goals

What are Short-term and Long-term Goals?

Goals provide you with a focus for your life. These are determined largely by your values and world view, interests, aptitudes, and sense of social responsibility. They often determine the education you need to obtain and the career journey you will take.

Short-term goals are steppingstones on the way to meeting long term goals. Short-term goals usually consist of goals regarding education, part-time or short-term jobs, as well as projects that give you valuable work experience. Each of these often contributes directly to the long term goals you have set for yourself.

Long term goals consist of plans you make for your future. These typically consist of family/lifestyle, career, and retirement goals. Long term goals are achieved over time as you complete stages of your education and career. People set long term goals for themselves by envisioning what they want to be doing and where they want to be five to ten years from the present. Then they use short-term goals to get there.

In summary:

Short-term goals are ones that you will achieve in the near future (e.g., in a day, within a week, or possibly within a few months).

Long-term goals are ones that you will achieve over a longer period of time (e.g., one year, five years, or twenty years).

Assignment #8: Preparing for the future

What careers am I interested in? What careers match the skills that I have? What careers can I work at with the education level that I want to attain?

To help you answer the above questions you are going to use the Career Cruising web site to help you come up with a list of careers that match you skills inventory.

Web site: (ask your teacher for the username and password)

Once you are in to the Career Cruising web site you will select Career Matchmaker. This interactive survey will help you find careers that match your interests.

Hand in a list of the top 10 jobs that fit your skills inventory.

Answer the follwing questions:

1. Are the jobs that the progam came up with of interest to you?

2. Of the jobs in the list, which would be your top three picks for career choices?

Assignment #9: Others skills and personal interests

One way people choose a career is to base their selection on their personal interests. The goal of this activity is to find out what other people like. With your classmates, family and friends, see if you can find someone in your life who matches each of the following skills. Don’t worry if you can’t fill every box in. One person may have more than one skill.

Find Someone Who…

|Skill |Student’s Name |

|Speaks another language | |

|Plays a musical instrument | |

|Enjoys personal grooming and clothing | |

|Is concerned with the environment | |

|Likes talking on the phone | |

|Enjoys working alone | |

|Prefers the outdoors | |

|Would like to be on TV or radio | |

|Wants to join the military service | |

|Likes to organize things | |

|Likes working with computers | |

|Types well | |

|Is good at growing plants | |

|Is a good salesperson | |

|Likes talking to people | |

|Has artistic ability | |

|Gets along well with others | |

|Enjoys working with money | |

|Likes to sing | |

|Likes to debate issues | |

|Likes or would like to travel | |

|Likes constructing or building things | |

|Reads and writes well | |

|Is interested in math | |

|Enjoys helping others | |

|Is good at sports | |

|Is interested in science | |

|Likes to work with anything mechanical | |

|Enjoys working with animals | |

|Likes performing in public | |

|Seems to be able to teach others | |

Setting Goals

It’s important to have future goals. Your goals could be to narrow your career focus, to find a school, job or apprenticeship program that will prepare you for the future, or to apply for financial aid. Whatever your goals, the following activity may help you transform your goals into reality by clarifying and ranking them. .

First, it is important to know what a goal should be.

A GOAL MUST BE:

1. STATED IN CLEAR TERMS

Example: I want to attend an apprenticeship program at Algonquin College by September 2015.

2. BELIEVABLE

You must believe you can reach the desired goal.

Example: I will earn my high school diploma and then continue on to the workplace or to an apprenticeship program.

3. ACHIEVABLE

You must have the interest, skills, abilities, strengths and resources (time, money, etc.) to make this goal happen.

Example: I love to work with my hands, participate in extracurricular activities and, with my part time job, will work out a way to pay for my education.

4. MEASURABLE

There must be a way to measure your goal. This can be accomplished by being observed, by being completed in a certain time frame, or by being calculated (if your goal involves a quantity).

Example: I will get letters of recommendation and complete the application for the apprenticeship program before the deadline.

5. DESIRABLE

The goal must be something that you truly want to achieve.

Example: An apprenticeship program at Algonquin will allow me to work as a chef and earn a good living.

Assignment #10: Setting my goals

List three goals in each area. Then rank them in order of importance. (1, 2, 3)

MY SCHOOL GOALS:

______________________________________ rank:___

______________________________________ rank:___

______________________________________ rank:___

MY FUTURE EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

______________________________________ rank:___

______________________________________ rank:___

______________________________________ rank:___

MY CAREER GOALS:

______________________________________ rank:___

______________________________________ rank:___

______________________________________ rank:___

MY PERSONAL GROWTH GOALS:

______________________________________ rank:___

______________________________________ rank:___

______________________________________ rank:___

MY LONG RANGE LIFE GOALS:

______________________________________ rank:___

______________________________________ rank:___

______________________________________ rank:___

Now choose ONE of the #1 ranked goals you identified. Consider whether it is believable, achievable, measurable and desirable. Then, identify three actions you can take that will help you reach that goal:

ACTION 1.

ACTION 2:

ACTION 3: \

Assignment #11 My Temperaments Assessment

Part A: Go to the following website and take the Myers-Briggs Temperament Test.

cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

Do the Jung Typology Test.

My four-letter Temperament Profile: ____ ____ ____ ____

Example: ENTJ

Decoding Your Temperament Profile

Each of the four letters in your Temperament Profile represents an aspect of your personality, which is useful for making rough generalizations into the way you perceive yourself and others.

Check each of the four letters in your Temperament Profile against the eight possibilities below.

1. I or E?

The first letter of your profile discerns whether you have a tendency for Introversion or Extraversion. The two types differ in how the relate to people and to what degree they value time by themselves.

Introverts

People classified as introverts prefer to be generally quieter and keep to themselves. This does not mean that they do not talk to or avoid people, rather the introvert is a better listener than talker, and keep their feelings more private than extraverts.

Introverts are not as likely to have lots of fun in large crowds, and will tend to find a quiet corner and socialize with a smaller group of people within the crowd. Introverts are more likely to have solitary, favourite hobbies that they like to pursue or quiet places where they can relax on their own.

Extraverts

Unlike introverts, extraverts are energized by large groups of people, and prefer being around others rather than being on their own. This does not mean that they do not like being alone from time to time, but for extraverts, being in contact with others is an easier thing to do.

Extraverts let others know what is on their minds, and tend to make poorer listeners than introverts.

All individuals are at times introverts and at times extraverts, the two types simply distinguish which of the two you tend towards most of the time.

2. N or S?

The second letter of your profile is used to determine whether you are more likely to be an Intuitive or Sensing person. This refers to whether you are more likely to be concerned with internal or external influences.

Intuitive

The intuitive person is more strongly concerned with their inner workings of their mind than what is going on in the world around them. Although they are more likely to be aware of their thoughts, feelings and ideas, they do not ignore the outside world entirely.

The intuitive is more likely to become absorbed in their own ideas, daydream, wonder about different possibilities and imagine things differently than a sensing person.

An intuitive person is more likely to “drift off” and lose track of what is going on right around them, and as such does not have as good observational skills as a sensing individual. This type of individual is more easily able to ponder such questions as “What if? than sensing persons.

Sensing

The sensing person does just that – use their senses; sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell are attuned to the world around them. These individuals have evolved to observe the world around them with greater detail, and see practical aspects of their environment, such as where there is danger and where to find food.

Sensing people are more concerned with the present and the tangible world around them rather than the future and possibilities of what could be.

Just as an intuitive person is able to sense the world around them rather than just inside them, so a sensing person is also able to observe their inner self. However, their self-observation will not be as deep or accurate, or as enjoyable as it would be for the intuitive individual. Intuitive people, because of their concern with inner thoughts and possibilities, are sometimes seen by sensing people as dreamers and unrealistic. In turn, sensing people tend to be seen by intuitive persons as unimaginative and too focused on the routine of life.

Both types have their own qualities and capabilities, but tend to simply focus on one aspect of life while paying little attention to the other.

3. T or F?

The third letter of your Temperament Profile gauges to what degree you rely on Thinking or Feeling. Obviously, you both think and feel, but your type in this category indicates to which of the two you pay more attention.

Thinking

As the name implies, thinking individuals pay more attention to their thoughts than to their feelings. These individuals use their prior knowledge and calculation to reach a decision more so than their feelings.

These types of individuals are more likely to disguise their feelings, being embarrassed with public displays of emotion, and not wishing to be seen as being out of control, which can sometimes result in them being thought of as cold or indifferent.

Feeling

Feeling individuals are more likely to make a decision using more of their emotions and desires than their thoughts. These persons do not hide their feelings, and make them known to the people around them. They do not necessarily react more strongly or more often with their emotions than the thinking individuals, they simply make their feelings better known.

Thinking and feeling individuals tend to complement each other well in relationships, one bringing perspective that the other does not necessarily focus on.

4. P or J?

The final letter in your profile indicates if you are more of a Judging type or Perceptive type individual. This type differentiates between your ability to adapt, perform routine tasks and keep to schedules.

Perceptive

Those individuals who are classified as perceptive adapt much more easily to change than judging types. This kind of person likes to keep their options open, delaying decisions until they have to be made. This can, however have negative impacts on their ability to plan in advance, which they are less likely to do; perceptive individuals are much more likely to “wing it”.

Poor planning and open options often result in missed deadlines, which these persons tend to see as mere suggestions than absolutes. They tend to perform poorly in tasks that they do not like or do not see as being important; for example they will participate in art class because it’s fun, but will not help in the clean-up afterwards as readily.

Judging

The judging type indicates a preference for advance planning and rigidity, which limits their ability to adapt. These individuals are more likely to make themselves schedules and agendas and stick to them.

They are not as likely to see options that open up, but are mostly focused on the task ahead of them, which they see as being very important to finish.

Concluding a task is very important to this type of person, and they will not be comfortable until a job is done right. Just as they like order in their schedules, these people like to keep the area they live and work in clean and tidy

Unlike thinking and feeling individuals, the perceptive and judging types do not tend to get along well. Perceptive people tend to see the judging types as being too much in a hurry and as obsessed with neatness.

The judging types sometimes see their opposites as lazy and indecisive. These differences usually arise from a lack of understanding of the other type.

My Temperaments

Now that you have decoded your individual character preferences and learned of the various strengths and weaknesses associated with your types, use Table 3-1 on the following page to find famous persons with the same character preferences. The most common jobs held by people of the same character preferences are also listed. Table 3-2 lists the least common jobs held by each of the various personalities.

Table 3-1. Famous persons and most common professions based on character preferences.

|ISTJ |ISFJ |INFJ |INTJ |

|George Washington Evander Holyfield |Queen Elizabeth II Jerry |Mother Teresa Nelson Mandela |A. Schwarzenegger Jane Austen |

|Military Officer |Seinfeld |Scientist |Inventor |

|Judiciary |Librarian |Psychologist |Engineer |

|Police Officer |Curator |Playwright |Judge |

|Income Tax Officer |Physical Therapist |Novelists |Computer Programmer |

|Business Executive |Artist |Photographer |Professor |

|Human Resource Manager |Real Estate Agent |Musician |Dentist |

|Medical Practitioner |Interior Decorator |Actor |Economist |

|Computer Programmer |Musician |Artist |Environmental Planner |

|Biologist |Teacher |Social Worker |New Business Developer Psychologist |

|Pharmacists |Personal Counsellor |Education Consultant Translators|Civil Engineer |

|Real Estate Agent |Computer Operator | | |

| |Administrator | | |

|ISTP |ISFP |INFP |INTP |

|Clint Eastwood |Donald Trump Christopher Reeve |W. Shakespeare |Albert Einstein |

|Tom Cruise |Fashion Designer |Julia Roberts |Tiger Woods |

|Police Officer |Psychologist |Psychologist |Astrologist |

|Pilot |Social Worker |Social Worker |Genealogist |

|Fire Fighter |Artist |Writer |Neurologist |

|Electrical Engineer |Musician |Teacher |Strategic Planner |

|Athlete Coaches |Physical Therapist |Musician |Mathematician |

|Athlete |Radiologist |Researcher |Lawyer |

|Race Car Driver |Surveyor |Human Resource Developer |Writer |

|Mechanic |Consultant |Poet |Architect |

|Computer programmers and Network |Teacher |Novelist |Software Designer |

|Analysts |Supervisor |Art Director |Artist |

|Private Detectives | | |Database Administrator |

|ESTP |ESFP |ENFP |ENTP |

|Madonna |Goldie Hawn Woody Harrelson |Mark Twain |Alexander the Great Thomas Edison |

|Ernest Hemingway |Fashion Designer |Robin Williams |Foreign Service |

|Politician |Artist |Writer |Judiciary |

|Diplomat |Actor |Politician |Psychologist |

|Fire Fighting Officer |Musician |Diplomat |Scientist |

|Sales Representative |Photographer |Actor |Sales Manger |

|Pilot |Public Relation Officer |Journalist |Computer Expert |

|News Reporter |Stock Broker |Engineer |Journalist |

|Insurance Agent |Sales Representative |Computer Programmer |Actor |

|Public Administrator |Social Consultant |Musician |Photographer |

|Aircraft Engineer |Real Estate Agent |Artist |Real Estate Agent |

|Paramedic | |Human Resource Manager |Advertiser |

|Police Investigation Officer | | | |

|ESTJ |ESFJ |ENFJ |ENTJ |

|Rev. Billy Graham Simon Peter |Elvis Stojko |Abraham Lincoln Michael Jordan |Jim Carrey |

|Management Officer |Bill Clinton |Personal Consultant |Whoopi Goldberg |

|Military Officer |Public Relation Officer |Politician |Management Officers |

|Accounts Officer |Public Administration |Social Worker |Executive Officer |

|Audit Officer |Commerce Officers |Teacher |Administrator |

|Finance Officer |Office Management |Sales Representative |Lawyer |

|Project Manager |Business Administrator |Human Resource Manager |Judge |

|Public Administrator |Teacher |Event Coordinator |Banker |

|Information Officer |Home Economic |Comedian |University Professor |

|Electrical Engineering |Nursing |Artist |Program Designer |

|Database Administrator |Child Care |Journalist |Sales Manager |

|Sales Representative |Social Worker |Librarian |Chemical Engineer |

|Teacher |Insurance Agent |Small Business Executive |Business Consultant |

| |Sales Representative | |Financial Advisor |

Table 3-2. Least common professions based on character preferences

| | | | |

|ISTJ |ISFJ |INFJ |INTJ |

| | | | |

|Dental Hygienist |Marketing Personnel |Factory Supervisor |Food Counter Worker |

|Fine Artist |Executive Manager |Surveyor |Cleaning Services |

|Entertainer |Human Resource Planner |Child Care worker |Receptionist |

|Musician |Management Consultant |Police Officer |Cashier |

|Pre-School Teacher |Actor |Electronics Technician |Teacher Aide |

|Psychologist |Photographer |Fire Manager |Corrections Officer |

|Public Relations |Entertainer |Sales Agent |Nurse Aide |

|Clerical Supervisor |Social worker |Corrections Officer |Physical Therapist |

|Child Counsellor |Sales Manager |Farmer |Bus Driver |

|ISTP |ISFP |INFP |INTP |

| | | | |

|Detective |Dental Hygienist |Police Officer |Dental Hygienist |

|Clergy |Engineer |Fireman |Education Consultant |

|Guidance Counsellor |Pathologist |Computer Operator |Home Economist |

|Dentist |Actor |School Bus Driver |Fire Manager |

|Journalist |Research Assistant |Manager |Cleaning Services |

|Engineer |Psychiatrist |Coal Miner |Air Force Pilot |

|Scientist |Manager |Pollution Control |Police Officer |

|Weatherman |Credit Investigator |Crane Operator |Typist |

|Librarian |Private Detective |Park Warden |Heavy Equipment Operator |

| | | | |

|ESTP |ESFP |ENFP |ENTP |

| | | | |

|Dental Hygienist |Police Management |Scientist |Police Officer |

|Dentist |Psychiatrist |Farmer |Factory Supervisor |

|Chemical Engineer |Researcher |School Bus Driver |Teacher |

|Surveyor |Lawyer |Retail Manager |Fine Artist |

|Photographer |Corrections Sergeant |Police Officer |Bank Employee |

|Religious Educator |Demolition |Steel worker |Steelworker |

|Electronics Engineer |Soldier |Social Services |Welder |

|Student Administrator |Management Consultant |Computer Specialist |Pharmacist |

|Helicopter Pilot |Engineer |Bank Employee |Accountant |

| | | | |

|ESTJ |ESFJ |ENFJ |ENTJ |

| | | | |

|Reporter |Actor |Restaurant Worker |Detective |

|Fine Artist |Psychiatrist |Farmer |Bookkeeper |

|Lawyer |Architect |Bank Employee |Hairdresser |

|Counsellor |Psychologist |Pollution Control |Security Guard |

|Entertainer |Electrician |Social Worker |Cleaning Services |

|Physical Therapist |Executive |Manager |Factory Supervisor |

|Research Assistant |Computer Professional |Coal Miner |Clerical Supervisor |

|Family Doctor |Police Management |Carpenter |School Bus Driver |

|Education Consultant |Lawyer |Computer Specialist |Construction Worker |

Part B: My Career Action Plan

|Personal Profile |Influencing Factors |Opportunities |My Future |

| | | | |

|Interests |Hobbies |In-School |At Age 25 |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|Values |Mentors |In-School |At Age 45 |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|Personal Characteristics |Definition of Success |Out-Of-School |At Age 65 |

| | | | |

| | | | |

Resume Writing

Personal Information:

• Include e-mail (only if it is appropriate)

• Name, address, telephone number and postal code

Objective:

• A job objective tells the employer, what you are seeking and where you might fit in the company

• Don’t be do specific, this might limit your chances of employment

Summary of Skills and Qualifications:

• This introduces you to the employer

• Gives an overview as to why you are qualified for the position applied for

• Ask yourself, “Why would I be good for this job?”, or if you already have experience in this area “Why was I successful in this job?”

• Include your experience, credentials and skills

Work Experience (Chronological resume):

• Name of position

• Dates (be consistent when documenting these)

• Location

• List your duties using bullets (maximum of 4)

• Use verbs ending in “ed” for things you’ve done in the past and “ing” for things you are currently involved in/

Or

Skills and abilities (Functional Resume):

• Choose 3-4 different types of skills and list yours under each heading

Volunteer Experience:

• Present this information in the same format as work experience or can be combiuned together under one heading

Education:

• If you have not graduated from high school you will want to record the last year you attended

• Academic institution

• Dates

• Location

• List any special courses or awards you have (First Aid, computers courses etc…)

Interests:

• List a few things you are interested in doing, don’t go into any kind of detail

References:

• “References available upon request”

• This should be your final statement

• Never list your references on your resume, instead have a copy of your three (3) references, include the name of the person, their title, address and phone number and bring this sheet to your interview.

Tips:

• Your resume should only be one (1) page long unless you have lots of work experience then the maximum length is two (2) pages.

• It is a good idea to copy and paste your letterhead onto your cover letter as well. This will give everything a consistent look.

• Use a very simple font such as Arial or New Times Roman

• Keep it very easy to read and organized

A Basic Sample Resume

CARRIE REED

925 Magnolia Ave

Ottawa, ON K2S 1K4

(414) 555-7777

OBJECTIVE: Cashier with an Ottawa-area book store

EDUCATION:

June 2009 - High Diploma, Dalhousie Regional High School, Ottawa

August 2008, Associates of Arts Certificate, Valencia Community Centre, Toronto

EXPERIENCE:

1999-Present, Information Desk, OTT Examiner, Ottawa, Ontario

Answered phones and directed incoming calls to the appropriate place.

1996-1998, Student Assistant, Nepean City Library, Nepean, Ontario

Helped library patrons locate resources; organized a weekly reading group for young children; assisted with promotion of reading events; checked out books, filed information, and answered phones.

ACTIVITIES:

• 2007 - Present, Secretary, School Council,

• 2008 – Year book committee

SKILLS:

• Fluent in French

• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Quark Express, and Photoshop

• Excellent presentation and communication skills

REFERENCES:

• Available Upon Request

Resume Outline

After reading the Sample Resume, on the previous page, fill in the following resume outline for yourself.

|Personal Date |Name: |Full name – no nick-name |

| |Address: |Include your Postal Code |

| |Telephone | |

| |E-mail | |

|Position desired |_________________________ |Name the specific job you want |

|Education History | |Include schools you last attended and school |

| | |subjects that might be important to the job. |

|Work Experience | |Start with you most recent work and work |

| | |backwards. Include pat-time, summer and even |

| | |volunteer work. |

|Hobbies and Interests | |Include all sports and out-of-school activities|

| | |that might be useful to the employer. |

| | |Certificates: e.g. swimming, and special skills|

| | |or training, e.g. St. John’s first aid and |

| | |driver’s license are worth mentioning |

|References |Have handy the names, position and phone numbers of two or | |

| |three people who know you well. Former employers and teachers| |

| |are usually willing to act as references. Be sure to get | |

| |their permission first. However, offer those names when the | |

| |employer asks for references. | |

There are other ways to set up a resume and you can find other examples at the library or the Internet

What is a Covering Letter?

A covering letter should always be sent with your resume when an ad says to apply for a job in writing. A covering letter should be short and neatly written or typed. You should include you name, phone number and your particular abilities or interests that would help you in the job.

You should also mention that you are able to come in for a job interview and tell the employer where you can be contacted.

Sample Covering Letter:

Don Brown

22 Between Street

Ottawa, Ontario

K2L 3H4

February 9, 2013

Mr. Peter Jackson

Manager, Beston Bakery

100 Main Street

Ottawa, Ontario

K1J 5H4

Dear Mr. Jackson;

I would like to be considered for the position of baker’s helper in your company – Beston Bakery.

I have worked in a summer camp as a cook’s helper and have worked part-time as a short-order cook at Bill’s Barbeque. I have completed grade 11 and took a food prep course in high s school. I really enjoy baking fancy cakes and squares.

I am enclosing my resume and would like to talk with you in person. Please phone me at your convenience to arrange an interview.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours Truly,

Don Brown

Don Brown

Telephone: 613-555-6263

Covering Letter Template

Your Address

City or Town, Province,

Postal Code

Date

Employer’s Name

Employer’s Title

Company Name

Street Address

City or Town, Province, Postal Code

Dear (Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms.) Name:

I found out about the possibility of a job from (where you found out about the job). I know that (give some knowledge of the company).

I have skills in (explain why you are a good person for this job).

I can be available for an interview. Please contact me at (phone number).

Sincerely,

Your Name (Written Signature)

Your Name (Typed)

Encl. (This means enclosures - usually your résumé)

References

A reference is anyone other than a family member or a close friend who knows about your work habits or your personality. An employer might call your references to find out more about you.

Talk to your references and get their permission to give your names and phone numbers to an employer.

If someone is willing to provide you with a written reference, you might want to include a copy with your resume. Bring your resume and the names and telephone numbers of your references with you whenever you are looking for a job.

Who to use as a reference:

• Teacher

• Guidance counsellor

• Coach/instructor

• Band Elder

• Someone you babysat for

• Someone you did odd jobs for

• Someone on your paper route

• Someone you helped as a volunteer

• Former employer, supervisor

Job Application Forms

When you visit a business with your resume and covering letter, you may be asked to fill out an application form. Here are tips to help you make your application look good.

• Read and follow directions carefully

• Print or write VERY neatly

• Be honest. Remember that you will have to sign your name to the information you provide.

• Include all paid and unpaid (i.e. volunteer) work

• Answer every question. Write “N/A” (not applicable) if a question doesn’t apply to you

• Complete areas that ask for “Additional Information”. This helps employers learn more about you.

• Attach your letter/resume with your application.

• If possible, personally place your covering letter, resume and application form in the hands of the employer in order to make contact and a first impression.

Resumes

Marketing yourself is what getting a job, is all about. Your resume serves as your personal advertisement. It helps sell your education, your experience and your skills. Most of the time an employer will ask for a resume when you are applying for a job.

For young people who are entering the workforce, a resume which focuses on your skills and abilities, rather than past job experience, is probably best. If you don’t have any relevant work experience, you can list personal characteristics that relate to the job.

Covering Letters

Once you know where you want to apply for a job and who is responsible for hiring, you can create a covering letter for your resume. It’s an important tool that tells the employer why you are the right person for the job.

Covering letter tips

1. ADDRESS your covering letter to the person responsible for hiring. Don’t use “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To Whom it May Concern”. Call the business and get the exact name and title of the person and the correct spelling.

2. Paragraph One: State your interest in the company and the type of job you want. If you learned of the job through an advertisement, refer to it in the opening paragraph.

3. Paragraph Two: Highlight the experience and the skills you can offer the company. Use dynamic verbs. Refer to your resume for further details.

4. Paragraph Three: Request an interview and leave a number where you can be reached. Have others check it for spelling and grammar mistakes.

Assignment #12

Look through the newspaper or online for a job that you would be interest in being hired for. Write a cover letter and resume to submit with your application. If you already have a cover letter and resume, you may hand those in, but be sure to proof read very carefully looking for typos or grammatical mistakes before handing in your polished copies.

Communicating Effectively

Communication Skills

David Gordan, (Director of Advertising and Promotion Internships in the Marketing Communications Department at Columbia College in Chicago) says that good verbal communication skills, the ability to communicate your thoughts effectively, is one of the most important skills you must master to get a good job and advance within your chosen field.

Everything starts with your ability to be able to effectively express or present ideas, opinions, objections, emotions, directions, dissatisfaction and pleasure. While its importance is critical to success in business, it is very often the skill we most take for granted or assume we have, since we've been communicating with people and getting what we need or want, more or less, all of our lives. Also, the people you interact with most often are probably close to your age and communicate the same way you do.

O.K., so...like..., what's the problem?

A possible problem is that business communication can be different than social communication (communication with your friends). For one thing, you will be interacting with a wider variety of individuals with different educational backgrounds, ages and experience levels. And each, especially your future boss will have expectations about your job performance based upon your ability to express yourself effectively. A study by a major university, listed poor expression, diction or grammar as one of the major reasons for job interview failure.

What is communication?

Communication is the exchange of thoughts, ideas, information, or feelings between individuals using speech, writing, gestures, and artistic expression.

There is always a sender and a receiver in communication. At least there is an intended receiver. In the diagram above, “A” is the sender and “B” is the receiver. Messages sent by “A” can either be verbal (spoken), non-verbal or a combination of both.

Experts say that communication is composed of different methods: words, voice, tone and non-verbal clues. Of these, some are more effective in delivering a message than others. According to research:

• Words are 7% effective

• Tone of voice is 38% effective

• Non-verbal clues are 55% effective.

Assignment #13 Communication Self-Assessment

Read the following statements carefully. Check the appropriate column to indicate how often you do each of the following:

|Effective Communication |Usually |Some- |Rarely |Never |

| | |times | | |

|When other people speak to me, I am attentive and try to listen and understand what they| | | | |

|are saying. | | | | |

|When I do not understand what another person is telling me, I ask that person to explain| | | | |

|the meaning. | | | | |

|When I disagree with what a person is saying, I do so respectfully and in the spirit of | | | | |

|constructive discussion. | | | | |

|I enjoy discussing issues and hearing other people's opinions. | | | | |

|When I speak to someone from another culture, I am aware that body language and manner | | | | |

|of speaking might differ from my own. | | | | |

|When I speak to someone whose first language is different from my own, I try to | | | | |

|communicate clearly and listen attentively. | | | | |

|When I am writing something, I think about who is going to read it, and why I am writing| | | | |

|it. | | | | |

|I consider the constructive comments of others about my writing without becoming | | | | |

|defensive. | | | | |

|When I have written something, I read it back to myself to be sure I said what I wanted | | | | |

|to say. | | | | |

|I enjoy reading for information and reading what other people have to say about | | | | |

|something in which I am interested. | | | | |

|I know how to search for information that I need. | | | | |

|When I search for information I make sure I have a clear idea of what I want to find | | | | |

|out. | | | | |

1. Based on the above, I describe myself as a communicator in the following way:

2. Pick two of the statements where improvement is needed (list them).

3. I could improve the above communication abilities by:

Tone:

Our voices carry a great deal of power and send messages to those around us. When we speak loudly and harshly, people around us often feel upset. On the other hand, when we speak kindly it encourages feelings of love, calmness and respect.

When our voice is controlled, we feel better about ourselves than when we lose control. Another benefit is that calm voices lead to good behaviour. If we want people to behave with respect towards one another, one of the best things we can do is to speak gently and with respect.

Using a kind tone of voice will help us prevent problems with friends, family and colleagues.

Assignment #14 Communication around you

1. Notice some occurrences of non-verbal communication around you. Make a list of the non-verbal communication you see between “A” the sender and “B” the receiver. (List five non-verbal communications you notice)

Example: Expression of annoyance from sender “A” to receiver “B”

2. a) How does the difference in “tone of voice” or punctuation create a statement that could be interpreted in different ways depending on voice intonation?

Example: I said, “Sit down!”

I said, “Sit down.”

b) Looking at the above example, we notice that using the exclamation mark, sets a tone of demanding whereas using the period sets a tone of a request, it is not meant to be demanding.

List two other examples of expressions that can be interpreted differently depending on the tone of voice used.

When we communicate with other people it is not only our words that contain the meaning. An important part of that meaning comes from what is called 'non-verbal communication'. By this we mean facial expression; gestures with hands, arms, legs; the way we sit or stand; the way we touch other people; the distance we keep between ourselves and the people we are talking to; our dress and our appearance. All these say something to other people.

Facial expressions and gestures are used by everyone often spontaneously, even unconsciously. Smiling, for example, is found in most cultures as a sign of happiness or pleasure. Gestures such as pointing, waving, shaking or nodding the head are also widely used, although the gestures themselves do not always mean the same in every culture. A tourist once asked a Portuguese student why bank officials in Lisbon seemed so grim – sorry Lisbon bank clerks, but it's true – and he told the tourist that if they smiled too much they would not seem serious about their work.

Here is a list of other cultural variations in body language:

• In Greece, you shake your head to indicate agreement. To indicate disagreement, you nod your head.

• In Japan, it is considered bad manners to look a person in the eye and to raise your eyebrows

• For the Masai of Kenya, spitting is considered to be a sign of affection

• In Iran, “thumbs up” is considered rude

• In Paraguay, winking is only done as a sign of romantic interest

Because many non-verbal messages are 'culture specific', they can cause a lot of misunderstanding between people from different backgrounds. Northern Europeans and Americans, for example, like to keep a certain 'personal space' between themselves and others and feel uncomfortable if people come too close to them. In these same cultures it is considered impolite to stare , but Greeks, it is said, feel ignored if people do not stare at them in public. Europeans usually change their facial expression to show happiness, anger, boredom, sadness. For this reason they call oriental people 'inscrutable' because they change facial expression much less.

In styles of dress we also make important statements about ourselves. Dress codes vary greatly from one culture to another and it is easy to make mistakes about people's status if you don't know the cultural norm. In Mediterranean cultures bank officials and similar employees wear short-sleeved, open-neck shirts and no jackets. This casual dress would not be acceptable in northern Europe, where suits and ties are a sign of seriousness. Ambitious women in western cultures wear classic clothes in sober colours to indicate their dedication to career.

One of the main differences between verbal and non-verbal communication is that we are often not conscious of the expressions and gestures we use and so we are in danger of giving more information than we really want to, or even of giving a conflicting message with our body language to the one expressed in our words.

Examples Of Body Language

(North American)

| |INTERPRETATION |

|NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR | |

|Brisk, erect walk |Confidence |

|Standing with hands on hips |Readiness, aggression |

|Sitting with legs crossed, foot kicking slightly|Boredom |

|Sitting, legs apart |Open, relaxed |

|Arms crossed on chest |Defensiveness |

|Walking with hands in pockets, shoulders hunched|Dejection |

|Hand to cheek |Evaluation, thinking |

|Touching, slightly rubbing nose |Rejection, doubt, lying |

|Rubbing the eye |Doubt, disbelief |

|Hands clasped behind back |Anger, frustration, apprehension |

|Locked ankles |Apprehension |

|Head resting in hand, eyes downcast |Boredom |

|Rubbing hands |Anticipation |

|Sitting with hands clasped behind head, legs |Confidence, superiority |

|crossed | |

|Open palm |Sincerity, openness, innocence |

|Pinching bridge of nose, eyes closed |Negative evaluation |

|Tapping or drumming fingers |Impatience |

|Steepling fingers |Authoritative |

|Patting/fondling hair |Lack of self-confidence; insecurity |

|Tilted head |Interest |

|Stroking chin |Trying to make a decision |

|Looking down, face turned away |Disbelief |

|Biting nails |Insecurity, nervousness |

|Pulling or tugging at ear |Indecision |

Assignment #15 Cultural Body Language

Identify some of your culture's body language by answering the questions below. These questions do not have a right or wrong answer. Answer all questions using complete sentences, unless otherwise stated.

Part A:

1. When you meet someone for the first time, how do you greet him or her?

2. Do you use the same greeting for men as for women?

3. How do you greet your friends?

4. How do you greet a friend of the opposite sex?

5. How do you greet members of your family: children, adults, senior citizens?

6. Describe three gestures you use frequently and say what they mean.

7. How would you expect the following people to dress?

a) dentist -

b) bank manager -

c) teacher -

d) shop assistant -

e) high school student -

8. Which gestures are impolite in your culture?

Part B:

Create a collage from newspaper or magazine clippings. The collage should exemplify North American body language. For three of the clippings, detail cultural variations that you have learned or read about that are different than North American culture.

Assignment #16 Body Language Interpretations

1. Match these actions with the messages they give:

|____ |to frown |a) |being afraid |

|____ |to smile |b) |being surprised |

|____ |to cry |c) |being determined |

|____ |to tremble |d) |being worried |

|____ |to raise your eyebrows |e) |being happy |

|____ |to grit your teeth |f) |being sad |

3. Posture is the word used to describe the way we use our whole body. We can stand straight and still, like a soldier on parade; we can sit back in a relaxed manner; we can fold our arms, cross our legs; we can lie down; we can jump about. Each posture reflects our emotion and attitude.

Think about postures and what they can show. Match the description of a posture, to an attitude or emotion. Don't forget to use your dictionary to check the meaning of new words.

|__ |She sits and folds her arms, hugging her body. |a) |anger |

|__ |She stands and pats her hair. |b) |worry |

|__ |He stands and adjusts his tie. |c) |interest |

|__ |He shrugs his shoulders. |d) |shyness |

|__ |He sits and puts his head down or down or slightly to one side. |e) |vanity |

|__ |He sits and bangs the table. |f) |male pride |

|__ |He sits and fidgets and then stands and walks about. |g) |boredom |

|__ |She leans forward. |h) |lack of concern |

The following article gives you some very interesting information on body language and the job interview.

Source: American Career Counseling Center, New York City

Gestures and body movements are unconscious forms of expressions and therefore they have a language of their own. We are unaware of our gestures and body movements 99% of the time, but other people can notice our gestures and movements if they pay attention to and know what they mean.

Note that body language applies not only to the interviewer but also to the interviewee. Also note that these gestures may happen throughout the conversation and they change as the conversation progresses.

The objective of paying attention to non-verbal communication is to help you change the direction of the conversation. If the person is showing negative gestures, then you need to change the subject by asking a new question or talking about something else.

So, during a job interview, you can watch for the following gestures:

1. Crossed arms - means that the person is in a defensive and reserved mood.

2. Crossed arms and legs - means that the person feels very reserved and suspicious.

3. Open arms and hands - means that the person is open and receptive.

4. Standing before you with his/her hands inside the pockets - means he/she is not sure or feels suspicious.

5. Standing before you with his/her hands on his/her hips - means he/she is receptive and ready to help you out.

6. Sitting in a chair shaking one of the legs - means he/she feels nervous and uncomfortable.

7. If his/her eyes are downcast and face turned away - means he/she is not interested in what you are saying.

8. With the palm of the hand holding or stroking his/her chin - means he/she is in an evaluating position and being critical.

9. Leaning back in his/her chair with both hands clasped behind his/her head - means he/she is in an analytical mood, but it is also a gesture of superiority.

10. Rubbing or touching his/her nose when answering a question - means he/she is not telling the complete truth.

11. If he/she maintains good eye contact and he/she smiles in a relaxed and happy way - means he/she is definitely receptive to you.

12. Rubbing the back of his/her head or rubbing or touching the back of his/her neck - means the conversation is not really interesting.

13. If he/she moves his/her body and sits with his/her feet and body pointing towards a door - means he/she wants to end the conservation and leave the room.

Three Styles of Communication

There are three ways or styles of communication. The first style is the passive communication style. A passive person does not offer any opposition even when feeling pressured. The second style is the aggressive communication style. An aggressive person is hostile and unfriendly. The third style is the assertive communication style. An assertive person communicates in the healthiest way by being direct yet respectful.

Let's think of a situation and how the three types of people would communicate a response. Imagine your brother read your diary and told others about your secrets:

• A passive communicator wouldn't say anything, but might hide the diary so it wouldn't happen again.

• An aggressive communicator might scream to her brother, "I hate you."

• An assertive communicator would tell her brother, "It hurt my feelings that you did this. Please don't do that again."

Communication Styles Chart

| |Passive |Aggressive |Assertive |

|Definition |Communication style in which you|Communication style in which you|Communication style in which you|

| |put the rights of others before |stand up for your rights but you|stand up for your rights while |

| |your own, minimizing your own |violate the rights of others. |maintaining respect for the |

| |self-worth. | |right of others |

|Implications to others |My feelings are not important, I|Your feelings are not important,|We are both important, we both |

| |don’t matter, I think I’m |you don’t matter, I think I’m |matter, I think we are equal. |

| |inferior. |superior. | |

|Verbal Styles |Apologetic, overly soft or |You statements, loud voice |I statements, firm voice |

| |tentative voice. | | |

|Non-verbal styles |Looking down or away, stooped |Staring, narrow eyes, tense, |Looking direct, relaxed posture,|

| |posture, excessive head nodding.|clenched fists, rigid posture, |smooth and relaxed movements. |

| | |pointing fingers. | |

|Potential Consequences |Lowered self-esteem, anger at |Guilt, anger from others, |Higher self-esteem, self-respect|

| |self, false feelings of |lowered self-esteem, disrespect |from others, respect of others. |

| |inferiority, disrespect from |from others, feared by others. | |

| |others, pitied by others. | | |

Assignment #17 Communication Style

How do you communicate with others? If you're like most people, your style will vary depending on who you are communicating with and a multitude of other variables, such as your mood. We all have in us the capability to exhibit different communication styles in any situation. Take the following quiz and then take a look at the Communication Styles chart above and think about your communication style.

THE ASSERTIVENESS QUIZ

Directions: Read the following scenarios and decide how you would most likely respond to the situation by reading the choices below it.

1. Your boy/girlfriend tells you that he/she is really mad at you for not returning his/her calls. You realize that your roommate never gave you the messages. You...

A. don't say anything about the messages to your roommate

B. ask your roommate if your boy/girlfriend ever called while you were out

C. you get even by not giving your roommate a phone message

2. Your professor gives you a "C" on a paper that you believe was at least "B+" work. You...

A. go home and cry or chuck it up as a learning experience

B. ask the professor to explain the grade since you were expecting a better grade

C. rip the paper up and tell your friends what a lousy professor he or she is

3. Your friend says something that hurts your feelings. You...

A. say nothing and hope it doesn't happen again

B. tell your friend that what they said hurt your feelings

C. vow to get even with your friend (e.g., say something hurtful back)

4. Your friend offers to pick up lunch for you but doesn't give you your change. You...

A. assume there was no change

B. ask if there was any change

C. accuse your friend of trying to rip you off

5. Your classmate asks if he/she can copy your homework. You...

A. let them even though you're not real comfortable with the idea

B. tell them you'd rather not, but you'd be glad to help them with their's

C. tell them you're not a cheater like them

6. A friend asks you to take her pick up her car from the mechanics again but you're afraid you might miss class. You...

A. do it anyhow

B. ask her if you can do it after your class

C. agree but purposefully forget to pick her up

7. Your parents tell you they are sending a check to pay for your books, but the check never arrives. You...

A. cry, beg money from your friends, or try to take the classes without the text

B. call them and say that you're concerned the check got lost somewhere

C. call them and tell them you will fail your classes if they don't help you

8. You're about to have sex with someone you've been dating, but they tell you that they'd rather not use a condom. You are concerned about HIV and other STD's. You...

A. have unprotected sex

B. tell them you will not have sex without a condom

C. tell them you don't want to get a disease from them

9. Your date suggests a particular movie, but you've been looking forward to seeing a different one. You...

A. go to the movie they suggested

B. tell them that you really want to see the other movie and try to decide together

C. you see the movie they suggested but you complain about how stupid it is

10. You are shopping with a friend and they try on a pair of pants and ask you how they look. You think the pants are too small, but they sounds excited about how they look in them. You...

A. smile and say the pants are cool

B. tell them you like the pants but suggest a different size

C. tell them that the pants make them look like a fat pig

Scoring:

You have probably noticed that the responses to the scenarios followed a pattern. In fact, the “A” responses represented a passive style in interacting with others. The “B” responses were assertive. And the “C” responses represented an aggressive approach.

Add up your A, B, and C responses.

If you had more than two “A” responses, you may tend to interact with others in a passive manner, taking their feelings and thoughts as more important than your own.

More than two “C” responses may indicate that you come across to others as aggressive and perhaps course.

The more “B” responses you had suggest a more assertive interpersonal style, where you consider the thoughts and feelings of others without discounting your own.

It is possible to communicate with others in varying ways (e.g., you may be more passive with your boy/girlfriend and more aggressive with your parents). Think about how you responded and how you come across to people in different situations.

Assignment #18 Responding to situation using the three communication styles

Respond to the following situations with each of the three communication styles. (passive, aggressive, assertive). Use the chart below to form your answer.

a) You have been stood up for a date or an appointment

b) A co-worker states, “this is clearly not your best work.”

c) You are working with a group member who is not making an equal contribution.

|Situation |Passive response |Aggressive Response |Assertive Response |

| | | | |

|a) | | | |

| | | | |

|b) | | | |

| | | | |

|c) | | | |

|When we are being passive it means |When we are being aggressive, it |When we are assertive, we are being |

|that we let others boss us around and|means that we push others around and |respectful to others and to |

|we don't stand up for ourselves. |don't care about their feelings. |our-selves. We give clear messages |

| |People who bully others are usually |about what we are feeling and we try |

| |being aggressive. |to work things out fairly so that |

| | |everyone wins |

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Facial Expressions

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