Chapter 2: Personal Skills
Part 1: Leadership 2.1.1) Leadership development * Influencing people so that they will strive willingly and enthusiastically toward the achievement of organisational skills * Motivating, directing, supervising, guiding and evaluating of others for the purpose of accomplishing a task

2.1.2) Characteristics of Good Leaders * Determination * Energy * Integrity * Self confidence * Fairness * Wisdom * Knowledge * Etc

2.1.3) Leadership style * Authoritarian/Directive – decides what to do and tells what + how to do * Democratic – involves group in deciding what and how to do something * Participative/Supportive – offers advice and lets individuals in group decide how to carry out their roles * Laissez faire – leaves group to decide what to do and how to do it

2.1.4) Individual, group and task needs

* Individual needs – motivate others * Know how to satisfy expectations, needs and goals of individuals * Show individual and group contribution * Making sure they know their responsibilities * Provide feedback on performance

* Group needs – building, maintaining and coordinating group so that it can achieve the task * Make everyone work together * Manage conflict within group

* Task needs – need for the job at hand to be clarified and achieved * Not achieving or making progress = group will become frustrated and demoralised * Criterion of success must be as important for the individual of the workforce

2.1.5) Leadership action * Look on p30

Part 2: Interpersonal communication
2.2.1) Concept of Communication
- Chain of communication

* Not just verbal communication, but also non-verbal (body language, gestures, facial expressions) * Message sent may not be the message received and understood * Barriers to effective communication – unclear message due to poorly structured thoughts * Patronising, presumptuous and arrogant manner of sender * Misinterpretation of sender * Lack of attention/Resistance of receiver due to other thoughts * Lack of time * Distractions

2.2.2) Receiving Skills * Good listening requires concentration * Techniques that are helpful – place 100% of your concentration on the speaker * Avoid interrupting * Listen to main ideas * Try to understand message from sender’s point of view * Don’t plan reply while others are speaking * Encourage speaker by asking open questions + inviting clarification * Check for understanding

* Non-verbal – more important than verbal communication * Body language, gestures and fascial expressions

* Active listening – show with eyes and body that we’re involved in the communication process * Establish eye contact * Smile * Be aware of your posture * Lean towards speaker to encourage rapport * Encourage speaker by nodding and smiling when appropriate

2.2.3) Sending skills * Spoken communication must be effective and efficient * Improving spoken communication – be honest * Schedule for a better time and place if there are distractions * Be aware of how long you speak * Think before speaking * Focus on one thing at a time * Separate fact from opinion in message * Awareness of potential emotional response * Make message appropriate to listener * Listener losing interest, involve by asking what they think * Give time to consider what’s required of them and ask questions * Get feedback that message was correctly received and understood

* Non- verbal – choose location of meeting carefully * Be aware of body language * Gestures and word should match * Be aware of distance between you and listener

2.2.4) Techniques for Achieving through communication * Be assertive + smile – save time * Establish confidence in others * Make working relationships closer * Build a winning image * Reinforce self-control and sense of responsibility

* Manifest itself through – statement of your position * Request clarification of other’s position * Empathy to control peace and mood of the communication * Establish control through facts and consequences

* Strokes = attention * Positive strokes (makes you feel good) * Negative strokes (makes you feel bad) * Can be physical or mental

* Keep the lines open – ask general questions * Ask specific questions * Project empathy * Request clarification * Acknowledge experience and expertise * Open door to alternatives * Use time to advantage

2.3) Part 3: Time management
2.3.1) Analysing time use * Keeping a time log * Businesses make use of a time log to record activities before making an analysis * Part time: only for working days * Full time job: on work days + when it’s appropriate to cover longer hours

* Analysing time log * Activities that takes up the majority of time * Activities to spend more/less time on * Number one priority for each day * Longest uninterrupted period * What activities can be eliminated/delegated to someone else * What else should I be doing * Do the activities relate to long term goals and objectives

* Action plan * Complete analysis * Write down ideas to improve time management * Commit to those ideas

* Causes of poor time management * Relying on mythical time * Underestimating demands on time * Inability to say no * Task hopping * Not knowing yourself

* Time waster + strategies to beat them * Telephone interruptions * Check time spent on phone * Social chit chat to a min * Arrange call-back time * Make list of items that need to be discussed * Let colleagues know when to call you * Set time limit before getting in a conversation * Summarise and terminate conversations

* Unexpected drop-in visitors * Make appointments * Social chit chat to a min * Establish quiet time with no interruptions * Make use of a “do not disturb” sign * Summarise and terminate conversations

* Too much information * Priorities mail * Dealing with specific pending files at specific time of day * One at a time * Throw away useless documents * Use a time frame for reading documents * Review filing system once a year

* Travel * Clarify purpose of travel * Alternatives to travel * Have a “take with” list * Short tasks and reading while traveling * Confirm appointments before traveling * Organise desk so that it is ready for your return

* 12 tips for good time management * Keep long term goals in front of you * Set objectives and priorities * Plan ahead * Distinguish the urgent from the important * Top priority first * Unclutter desk and work area * One thing at a time * Leave 20% of day unplanned to deal with crisis * Set realistic time lines * Remain calm * Do nothing that you can delegate