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Soft Skills Training

May 8, 2023

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Objective

To create an awareness about the basic desired Corporate behavior through the following topics:

•Personal Grooming•Business Etiquette•Email Etiquette•Effective Communication Skills•Customer Orientation

These skills will help to make good impression and impact to gain professional development.

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Topics

• Introduction to Soft Skills

• Personal Grooming

• Etiquette

• Business Etiquette

• Pointers for Good Self Conduct

• Good Interpersonal Relationship

• Email Communication

• Email Etiquette

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Introduction to Soft Skills

• According to Wikipedia, Soft Skills is a sociological term relating to a person's "EQ" (Emotional Intelligence Quotient), the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that characterize relationships with other people. Soft skills complement hard skills which are the occupational requirements of a job and many other activities.

• Soft skills are subjective and are often associated with personal attributes and character. It refers to those skills which have to do with human interactions. It includes your Interpersonal Skills such as communication, listening, etiquette, language skills, articulation (pronunciation), negotiation, confidence, etc.

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Introduction to Soft Skills…continued

• Through Soft Skills, people can be trained on how to communicate well, how to express their view with others in a clear manner without fear, how to cope with problems that arise in the job, how to cope with a team member, etc.

• In the corporate world, soft skill is needed to run and increase a business. Hence, it is essential to be technically sound, but one should also have the ability to convey the idea to people in the simplest possible manner.

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Personal Grooming

• It improves a person’s appearance.

• Facial Hair.

• Skin Care.

• Hair Style.

• Dental Care.

• Nail Care.

• Dressing Elegance.

• Accessories.

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Personal Grooming…continued

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Personal Grooming – Do’s & Don’t’s

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What is Etiquette?

• Etiquette is a code of behavior that delineates expectations for social behavior according to contemporary conventional norms within a society, social class, or group.

• The French word étiquette, literally signifying a tag or label first appeared in English around 1750.

• It means, ethical and socially acceptable behavior regarding professional practice or action among the members of a profession in their dealings with each other.

• Simply put, Etiquette is a set of practices or forms followed in a certain situation.

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Why is Etiquette required?

• Etiquette makes you a cultured individual who leaves his mark wherever he goes.

• It teaches you the way to talk, walk and most importantly behave in the society.

• Etiquette is essential for an everlasting first impression.

• Etiquette enables the individuals to earn respect and appreciation in the society. It helps to grow ahead in the corporate world.

• Etiquette inculcates a feeling of trust and loyalty in the individuals. One becomes more responsible and mature. Etiquette helps individuals to value relationships.

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Without Etiquette...

• You limit your potential.

• Risk your image.

• Jeopardize relationships that are fundamental to business and personal success.

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Types of Etiquette

• Social Etiquette.

• Corporate Etiquette.

• Business Etiquette.

• Meeting Etiquette.

• Telephone Etiquette.

• Eating Etiquette.

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Business Etiquette - Basic Principles of Professional Business Behavior

• Adopt a positive attitude.

• Be professionally competent.

• Overcome self centered-ness.

• Be discreet.

• Be considerate and sensitive- seek first to understand, then be understood.

• Be punctual.

• Learn the forms of courtesy and respect.

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Business Etiquette - Introduction and Greetings

Being Introduced•Always rise.•Smile.•Shake the person's hand.•Articulate a pleasantry.•Maintain eye contact.

Introducing Oneself•Clearly state your first and last name.•Exclude title / honorific.•Be clear and concise.

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Business Etiquette - Handshake

• Firm and brief shake.

• Don't keep the hand shaking...let go!

• Don't shake with both hands.

• Be aware of Wet / Dirty hands.

• Shaking hands with a lady.

• If sitting, get up to greet and shake hands.

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Business Etiquette - Introductions

• Thumb Rule - Speak to the more important person first.

• Introduce the "Strange" face.

• Host should introduce guests.

• Forgetting Names.

• Joking about Names.

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Identify Issues / Concerns in the Image

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Identify the Improvements in the Image

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Pointers for Good Self Conduct - ACTIONS

• Holding the door.• Excuse yourself.• Regular feedback to manager.• Avoid lengthy socializing in the corridors.• Be prompt in your actions.• List down action items.• Responsiveness.• Take responsibility for your words and actions.• Accept and learn from mistakes.• Neat Desk.• Office Equipment.

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Pointers for Good Self Conduct - DISCPLINE

• Punctuality.

• Office rules and norms.

• Leave.

• Deadlines.

• Record maintenance.

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Don'ts for Good Self Conduct

• Hands in pockets.

• Staring.

• Slouching.

• Legs sprawled - out.

• Reading other's monitors / papers.

• Eavesdropping.

• Scratching.

• Unkempt hair.

• Shabbily dressed.

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Self Conduct – Don'ts

Spying

Scratching / Bad Manners

Legs on the desk

SlouchingCasual sitting posture

Legs Sprawled Out

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Good Interpersonal Relationship

• Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

• Life is a boomerang.

• Be aware of what you do in your daily life....small things can make a big difference!

• How we place ourselves in the world is most significantly influenced by the kind of relationships we enjoy with people (Relationships are our mirror.)

• Courtesy and politeness give us:• larger circle of people• the depth of relationships

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Your parents and background caninfluence who you are,

But only YOU are responsible forwho you become.

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Email Communication

• Written communication has great significance in today’s business world.

• Careful choice of words.

• Writing is more valid and reliable than speech.

• Email is preferred form of communication.

• Time saving.

• Cost saving.

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Email Etiquette

• Send to the correct person.

• Avoid writing too much.

• Ask for a specific action.

• Avoid being mysterious.

• Avoid being too pushy.

• Avoid expecting too much.

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Three Elements of an Email

• Structure.

• Style.

• Content.

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Writing Effective Emails

• Making sure your messages get read and acted upon.

• Subject Lines are Headlines.

• Make One Point per Email.

• Specify the Response You Want.

• Using EOM Headlines (eg. Subject: 10/5 Meeting, 10am, Conf. Rm. A, On PASS Procedure EOM).

• Be a Good Correspondent.

• Internal Email.

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E-mails - Structure and Components

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E-mails - The Address Fields

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E-mails - The Subject Line

• Do’s• Subject line should be meaningful and precise• It should convey the gist of your e-mail.

• Don'ts• Forget to mention Subject of your e-mail.• Write long subject lines.

1. “Important, Read Immediately!!!”• What is important to you may not be important to the recipient 2. “Meeting”• The subject line does not say if the e-mail is a routine request

for a meeting, the announcement of a last-minute rescheduling, or a summary of yesterday's meeting

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Key Points - Subject Line

• Always send a BCC (Blank Carbon Copy) if the email is being sent to multiple people. For e.g. HR updates, Policy updates

• The subject line should be detailed enough to give the reader an idea of the email content

• Avoid use of slang’s, acronyms and complicated words.• If multiple attachments are sent, always zip them rather than

attaching one by one.• Avoid using words like “I” “ME” which may pass across a

negative impression.• Avoid attaching large size attachments.• Never command in an email. Always request.• Avoid spelling and grammatical mistakes.• Use of salutations and signature adds to the professionalism• Avoid using smiley or quotes in a business email.• Avoid using Capital letters. It may look offensive.

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E-mails - The Body Area - Salutation

• Salutation• Start with a Greeting• Dear Mr. Vijay/Dear Ms. Vani• Hello Anand

• Address everyone in a multiple recipient e-mail

• Ensure the gender

• Spell the recipient’s name(s) correctly

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E-mails - The Body Area - Subject Matter

• Subject Matter• Know whom you are writing to. The recipient and purpose of

writing will decide the tone you have to adopt• Introduce yourself when writing to someone for the first time – Say what you do, not what you are: –“I'm working on the XYZ project”, and not, “I am the Project

Leader”• Quote previous message, if necessary, to set out the context.

However, include only relevant information• Cover the main point in the first few lines• Use paragraphs or bulleted and numbered lists ( saves time for

everyone!!)• Remember the KISS (Keep it short and simple) rule

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E-mails - The Body Area - Content

• When you have committed a mistake

• Apologize immediately – Apologies for the delay caused…• Give a reason – The data given was incorrect, hence…• Suggest an action – We will send you the revised estimates by tomorrow…• Apologize again – Sorry about the inconvenience caused

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E-mails - The Body Area - Do’s & Don’ts

• Do’s• Use formatting to highlight important items.• Read the e-mail from the recipient’s perspective.

• Don’ts• Overuse formatting.• Write long paragraphs.• Forget to attach files.

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E-mails - The Signature

Signing Off•You could end your e-mails saying:• – Please do contact me if you need any clarification• – I hope you find this information useful. Let me know if you need anything else•Sign-off with expressions like: “Regards/Best Regards”•Use your preferred name•Include your designation (or Role ) to have more influence on the recipient•Provide your contact information.

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Writing E-mails - Some Do’s

Do’s•Ensure a quick reply to all mails•Spell-check all your mails•Use the out-of-office reply feature, when out of office•Mark a copy of the e-mail to all concerned•Mark e-mails as FYI for which you don't expect an action from the recipient•Mark e-mails as FYA if you want the recipient to act on the content•Give your comments when you forward e-mails.

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Writing E-mails - Some Don’ts

Don'ts•Use “ Reply to all” feature unnecessarily.

•Reply to e-mails, if you are the BCC recipient.

•Forward e-mails unnecessarily.

•Overuse abbreviations and acronyms.

•Attach multiple documents without prior permission from the recipient.

•Write e-mails while you are in a fit of rage OR at odd times

Thank YouThank You