© 2007 wmhl consulting ltd confidential eurostar 2007 can “softer skills” help define your...

© 2007 WMHL Consulting Ltd Confidential

EuroStar 2007

Can “Softer Skills” Help Define Your Career Growth?


Why Soft Skills?

• We are always part of a team

• We’re dependent on information from others

• We constantly have to demonstrate our value

• We want enough resources to do our job

• We want to progress our career – don’t we!


Skills I’ve found helpful, and why

1. Communication • Understand how other’s prefer to

communicate

2. Negotiation • Learn to “trade” not just getting your own

way

3. Coaching • Grow careers, and handle “difficult

conversations”


Communication


Communications

• Why does it matter to testers?

• What does it mean?

• How can it help me?


Styles of Communication

• Internal communication – thinking styles

• External communication – to others

• Recognising others preferences


Internal Communications

Thoughts Thoughts

Words

Tonality

Body Language Body Language

Tonality

Words


How do you think?

• Pick a memory e.g. Holiday– What can you see?– What can you hear?– How do you feel?

• What representation of the memory came first and most easily?

• How you think is personal to you, others don’t think the same way, although we assume they do


External Communications

Thoughts Thoughts

FILTERS

SightHearing

Touch or feeling

Taste

Smell

Sight, hearing and touch/feeling are most

prominent in most peoplebut to different levels


Recognising Preferences

• Sight (Visual)– I see what you mean– We see eye to eye– You’ll look back on this and laugh– Show me what you mean– It appears to me– The future looks bright– Sight for sore eyes



• Hearing (Auditory)– On the same wavelength– Unheard of– Music to my ears– Hold your tongue – Turn a deaf ear – Loud and clear– Rings a bell



• Touch/feeling (Kinaesthetic)– I will get in touch with you– Hold on a second– I can’t put my finger on it– Firm foundation– Heated argument– Thick skinned– A cool customer



• Smell and Taste (Olfactory and Gustatory)– Smell a rat– Fishy situation– A bitter pill– Fresh as a daisy– A taste for the good life– A sweet person– An acid comment


Just a few Words on Body Language

• Zones• Handshake• Barriers• Carbon Copy• Desk and Seating

European and American interpretation Culture adds another dimension


Comfort Zones

Intimate15-46 cms

Personal46cm – 1.2m

Social1.2 – 3.6m

Public>3.6m


Handshake

• Take control– Place your hand on top and press

downwards

• Give control– Place your hand underneath and push

upwards

• Equal– Meet side on and move upwards and

downwards equally


Barriers

• Leg barriers– Cross legs – nervous, reserved or defensive– Cross legs (left over right) displeasure– Foot on opposite knee – argumentative,

competative

• Arm barriers– Cross arms – hiding from unfavourable situation– Cross arms with fists clenched - hostile– Cross arms with fingers showing – firm stand– Using a prop – handbag, papers, etc


Carbon Copy

• Very common in one-on-one discussions• Others naturally mirror you• To gain acceptance, mirror others

position• To maximise constructive

communication, take an open position– No arm or leg barriers– Lean forward slightly– Make regular eye contact


Desk and Seating

A

B1

B3 B4

B2

A - Other person seated firstB1 – Corner, friendly negotiationsB2 - Co-operative, comfortable with working together B3 - Competitive/defensive, solid barrier can lead to people taking a firm viewB4 – Independent, does not want to interact or participate


Negotiation Skills


Principles of Negotiation

• EVERYONE negotiates• Don’t confuse with selling or persuasion• Seen as a formal process, even threatening• Most people feel ill equipped to negotiate• You have more skill than you think already!

– Priorities, budgets, time, resource– Holidays, teenagers nights out, pocket money


Agreement & ConflictOR.. Co-existence of hope and

frustration!

Theywant

You want

You want

Theywant

You both want

Negotiation opportunityBUT…if you’ve nothing to vary, you can’t negotiate

Nothing to gain from negotiation

No point in negotiation


Internal vs External

• Internal– Time from business

users– Budget process with

project managers– Acceptance criteria

• External– Supplier doing

development– Supplier doing

systems testing– Supplier doing

ongoing support


Preparing for Negotiating

• Set your objective• Establish your fallback position• Identify issues and priorities• Set limits and Targets• Calculate cost of concessions


Plan Ahead for Trading

• Prepare and plan with great care– Identify common ground– Identify options and how you’ll use them

• Trade concessions, don’t just concede• Identify and use your levers• As yourself “what if’s”• Don’t open on the most contentious

issue• Don’t settle minor issues early


Interaction Categories

• Content• Procedure• Building• Supporting• Disagreeing• Defend/attack

• Test understanding• Summarising• Seek information• Give information• Bringing in• Shutting out

I have a skills planning sheet I can forward you if you request one via email


Coaching Skills


Coaching Model

• Many models are available for this• I’ve selected one by way of example• It needs practice! Try it out for

yourselves• Can be used to resolve issues• Can also be used to conduct

“difficult” conversations e.g. someone’s performance on the team.


GROW Model

• Goal• Reality• Options• Way Forward


Goal

• What do you want from THIS discussion?

• Use SMART goals– Specific– Meaningful– Agreed to– Realistic– Time-phased

• What are the consequences if you do not reach this goal?


Reality

• Briefly, what’s been happening?• What have you tried so far?• What were the results?• What’s the sense of the obstacles for

you?, for others?• Is the goal still realistic?


Options

• Describe “fantasyland”: if you could do anything, what might you do?

• If you were the other person, what would you have to hear/see to get your attention

• If you were watching this conversation, what would you recommend?

• Would you like suggestions?• Do any of these interest you enough to

explore further?• If you were to do this, how might you go

about it?


Way Forward

• Does this option interest you enough to take action?

• How will you go about it?• What might get in the way?• How might you overcome that?• What and when is the next step?

(SMART)


Implement the Model

WILL•Choose an option•Commit to action•Identify obstacles & Resources•Recap & identify follow up

GOAL•Identify the long and short term goals•Describe the desired future state

OPTIONS•Explore possibilities for action•Uncover new opportunities•Identify potential next steps

REALITY•Describe the current situation•Understand what is happening right now

Go forwards and backwards around the model as necessary


What will you do differently?

• Understand your own preferences for communication and recognise others are different – use different methods to get your message over – not just one!

• Practice the “trading” aspect of negotiating next time you plan your testing project or need specialist assistance.

• Practice the coaching model, maybe in your own team to start with

All these skills require preparation and practiceIt’s rare to find someone with this ability

You’ll be recognised and rewarded when you demonstrate them!!


QUESTIONS ?

NOW OR EMAIL ME ON [email protected]

© 2007 wmhl consulting ltd confidential eurostar 2007 can “softer skills” help define your...

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