Introduction to Personal Mastery

“To be a model, commit yourself to

your own personal mastery.” –
Peter Senge

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Personal Mastery – A journey towards continuous improvement

 An essential ingredient for super-happiness in life is

discovering personal mastery. Personal mastery is
something that we all want to achieve, whether we know
it or not. It is about our journey towards continuous
improvement and seeing life from a different
perspective.

 Personal mastery is about understanding exactly how you

think, why you do things the way you do, having clarity
around your purpose and direction in life and taking
steps towards continual learning and development to
evolve and enhance oneself. It is not something that is
achieved overnight, but rather something that each and
every one of us strive towards in our journey of life,
fostering a more satisfying, successful, happier and
fulfilling life.

 To summarize it, personal mastery guides you to develop

being aware with your beliefs, attitudes and behavior
impacts. It also enables you to accept yourself and be
responsible with your own action, attitude, and thought.

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 Personal Mastery Principles

You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one.”

―Henry David Thoreau

To set goals for yourself

To prioritize what is more important to you

To develop self-confidence and self-esteem

To deepen your commitment

Personal Mastery Principles

To adapt and work with change

To accept harsh realities of life

To let go of negativities like resentment and

blame

To deal with the most difficult and challenging

situations

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7 pathways to Personal Mastery

Maybe you know where you are, and you

know where you want to go, but you don't
know how to get there. This crucial middle
step can be bridged by laying a road map
towards your goal. So how does this
happen?

Check out the blog on 7 pathways to

Personal Mastery which has the power to
transform your life!

 Article - 7 Pathways to Personal Mastery

(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

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How do I Develop Personal Mastery

One of the first questions when it comes

to personal mastery is ‘How do you
develop it?’ The best approach to
developing personal mastery is to take a
few tips in mind and work on one at a
time. You can develop exercises for
figuring out each of these and then mark
your progress as you go through them
and figure out how you’re doing at
making sure you keep up with your
development over time. Here are a few
examples for ways to develop yourself
and tips for improving

 Article: 'Personal mastery' and how

to develop it
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)
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Self-improvement, the lifelong journey!

To be the best version of yourself, you need work on

yourself. While crafting the each aspect of you, you will
come across to yourself; you understand your own flaws,
scars and heal it on your own. Further, even the small
improvement and achievements will strengthen your self-
confidence and escalate your progress. The self
improvement journey isn’t just about you; it lays in each
phase of life including social, personal and professional. The
changed you, can inspire others to be a better one. So be
ready to meet the new you, be your own hero!

Now let us work towards our self-improvement which has

positive impacts on both personal and professional life. The
course mentioned below will help you get at the heart of
who you are and what you do best. The author shows you
how to be unstoppable, find your flow, and create a more
positive and successful future. Click on the link to learn
more:
 Linkedin Course: Being the Best You: Self-
Improvement Modeling – 38mins
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

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Developing Growth Mindset

"Growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are
things you can cultivate through your efforts. Although people may
differ in every which way in their initial talents and aptitudes, interests,
or temperaments, everyone can change and grow through application
and experience. This is important because it can actually change what
you strive for and what you see as success” – Carol Dweck

A “growth mindset,” as Dweck calls it, is pretty much exactly what it

sounds like: a tendency to believe that you can grow. She explains that
while a “fixed mindset” assumes that our character, intelligence, and
creative ability are static givens which we can’t change in any meaningful
way, a growth mindset thrives on challenge and sees failure “not as
evidence of unintelligence but as a heartening springboard for growth
and for stretching our existing abilities.”
Reference: 25 Ways to Develop a Growth Mindset by Saga Briggs
People with a growth mind-set achieve ever-higher levels of
performance, and help their organizations thrive. In these videos,
course and article you'll learn what constitutes a growth mind-set and
how to cultivate, develop and embrace it.

 Linkedin Course: Cultivating a Growth Mindset – 58mins

 Linkedin Video: Motivate and instill a growth mindset – 4mins
 Video: Developing Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck – 10mins
 Article: 25 ways to Develop Growth Mindset
(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)

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Result Orientation

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Result Orientation

Result oriented is a term used to describe an

individual or organization that focuses on outcome
rather than process used to produce a product or
deliver a service.
As such, a number of processes are used where the
most effective and economical process is identified.
The primary goal of a result-oriented individual or
organization is to meet objectives and realize positive
growth. So how can this happen?

Check out the blog and course below to know how

to deliver results effectively and become a Results
Driven Worker in an organization.

 Article: 4 Ways to Become a Results Driven

Worker
 Linkedin Course: Delivering Results Effectively
- 55mins

(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

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Personal Productivity - To understand how to manage our work

Plan & Prioritize

Prioritizing your work is not that easy. You have
to identify which things need to be done first. It
is a crucial process, but once you get used to it,
organizing and planning will be less difficult. If you
know how to effectively organize and prioritize
your workload, you will learn how to be more
efficient and productive. Let’s get started!

 Linkedin Course : Prioritizing Your Tasks –

37mins
 Linkedin Video : Prioritize your tasks and
time – 2mins

(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)

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Delegation

Delegation involves providing the

responsibility (and at times authority) to
perform a task to a team member. While the
task is originally assigned to us, delegation
provides an excellent opportunity to develop
the skills of team while ensuring better
prioritization for ones tasks.
To learn more about fundamentals and styles
of delegation, launch the below courses and
reads.
• Linkedin Course: Delegating Tasks –
35mins
• Linkedin Video: Learning to delegate -
3mins
• Article: An Introduction to the Delegating
Leadership Style
(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)

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Ownership & Accountability

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Ownership & Accountability

Ownership & Accountability means individuals and teams taking

accountability for the quality and success of both the output
and outcomes of their work. Both of these are important, as
ownership doesn’t mean perfection. It means knowing why you
are doing the work (the outcome) and making sure that what
you produce (the output) is fit-for-purpose. It also means
understanding, learning, and challenging rather than
mindlessly following instructions.

Accountability is to be held to account for the fulfillment of your

duties and responsibilities. Accountability requires answers
and entails consequences. Accountability is not a feeling like
ownership or responsibility, rather accountability is a process
that is usually external. Someone holds you accountable, although
a sense of ownership means that you will also hold yourself
accountable as well.

To get more understanding please refer this short blog and video
which gives a great insight into accountability and ownership
 Article: Accountability vs. Ownership
 Video : Accountability and Ownership - 3mins 15secs

(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

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 Professionalism in the workplace

The accountability for meeting your objectives and work targets, is an excellent
indicator of your professionalism. While it can be challenging at times, being
accountable for delivering on your objectives shows you are reliable, organized, and
dedicated to your work.
The following course provides tips and guidance that can help you successfully
navigate the start of your professional career. The author explains how to develop the
right mindset for dealing with workplace challenges and getting ahead in your career
focusing on your vision, mission, goals, and targets. The next course talks about how to
hold each other accountable in order to succeed your goals.

 Linkedin Course: Developing Your

Professional Image – 56mins

 Linkedin Course: Fred Kofman on

Accountability -1hr10mins
(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)
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How to become your own best boss?

Have you ever thought that you could be the best

boss you've ever had? By developing attitudes and
skills that empower you, you can manage from
within and become your own best boss.
So here is the course which focuses on attitudes
and behaviors that promote self-empowerment. It
provides strategies like balance servant
leadership with self-care, navigate politics at work,
build a rapport with colleagues, how to thrive in
meetings and more. All these leadership lessons
will help lead you in the right direction. Applying
these will also help you become a self-
empowered contributor in your organization.
Now let us learn how we can develop it.

 Linkedin Course: Lead Like a Boss – 46mins

(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)

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Creating a Culture of Ownership and Accountability

A good ownership culture definition or culture

of accountability definition is being able to trust
your employees to bring their best work to the
table, so that promoting accountability and
ownership in the workplace is essential and
engrained in day-to-day work life. So here are
five ways to encourage and instill ownership
and accountability in the workplace.

 Article: Creating a Culture of Ownership

and Accountability

 Video: Creating an Ownership and

Accountability Mindset – 3mins

(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)

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Collaborative Ways of Working

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Collaborative Ways of Working

Collaboration is defined as the

action of working with one or more
people to produce an output or
reach a goal. If used well
collaboration brings in strong
synergy in teams and helps achieve
results much higher than what could
be achieved by the individuals.
Collaborating also makes employees
more responsible, which goes a long
way in raising their motivation
levels, especially when teams work
virtually.

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Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success. –Henry Ford

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Building a Cohesive Team

Teamwork is the joint action of people working

toward the same end goal. The strength of a
team comes from open communication,
cooperation and trust. Like the strands of a cord,
these elements hold the team together and give
it strength. Without these elements, team
members will not participate fully in team
activities and may not find true satisfaction in
their work.
This course introduces techniques for building a
cohesive team and highlights the foundations of
successful teams. The author also talks about the
essential elements for strong team
communication in different settings.

• Linked Course: Communication within Teams – 1hr8mins

(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)

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Overcoming Barriers to Team Communication

With the growing trend of remote

working and millennials striving for
flexibility at work, teams must be able to
collaborate seamlessly across
geographies and networks. To enable
this it is critical that communication is
flawless and has minimal barriers.

In the following article, you'll learn about

different verbal barriers to effective
team communication and strategies for
overcoming them.

 Article: Overcoming the Ten Most

Common Barriers to Effective Team
Communication
(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)
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How to be a Good Team player

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How to be a Good Team Player

How to be a Good Team Player

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Contribution as a Team Player

Have you worked for teams where everyone

pitches in, and you all work together in perfect
harmony? Do you always play to your
strengths in a team, or are there times when
the group you're in just doesn't gel? Either
way, team working is such a vital way of
completing projects. It's worth developing and
refining the skills that will help you make a
valuable contribution to whichever type of
team you're in. So do you want to become a
more effective and valued member of your
team? Let’s get started!

 Linkedin Course: Being an Effective Team

Member – 31mins
 Linkedin Course: Managing a diverse
team – 1hr21mins
(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)
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Ability to Work with Various Stakeholders

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 How do I manage multiple
stakeholders and their priorities on
large project teams ?

Throughout the project, it's important to

communicate regularly with the stakeholders,
to keep them informed of what's happening
regarding the requirements. Always interact,
communicate, and stay connected with them.
For each stakeholder, draw up a list of their
expectations and responsibilities, to ensure
that they know exactly how much and what
kind of "say" they'll have regarding the
requirements process and the ultimate
solution.

 Article: How to communicate effectively

with stakeholders in project management
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)
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Strong project managers encourage active involvement to ensure the team
has a clear understanding of the project requirements and stakeholder
expectations. Are you clear enough with your stakeholder needs and
expectations? In this course you'll learn about the importance of
stakeholders and determine the elements of the stakeholder engagement
process.

 Linkedin Course: Managing Project Stakeholders – 23mins

(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)

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Agile Mindset

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What Is Mindset?

Mindset is a collection of
thoughts and beliefs that shape
thought habits. And your
thought habits affect how one
thinks, what one feels, and what
one does.
So, it is a way of thinking about
things that those in a group
share or have in common to
the point that it becomes a way
of life.

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Why does Mindset matter?

What do people that consistently perform at their peak

have in common? It's not a certain ability, it's not a specific
skill, it's not even knowledge. It's a mindset, and to be
precise, a growth mindset.
The idea of mindsets was discovered and popularized by
Carol Dweck , a world-renowned psychologist from It’s all in the mind-set!
Stanford University.

Those with a fixed mindset believe that their skills and

abilities cannot change. Those with a growth mindset believe
that their ability can be developed through effort. The belief
that people hold influences behavior and success.
Here are a couple of videos to learn more about growth
and fixed mindsets:

 Video: Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset: An Develop a growth

Introduction – 2:40mins
mindset for success
 Article:The Mindset
(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)

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Mindset at work – Becoming agile

Now that you have learnt about fixed and growth mindsets and also how to
rewire your brain, you may be wondering how does this apply to work.
In today’s dynamic world the problems are complex, time is critical and mistakes
are costly. It is not feasible to make elaborate plans or run multiple tests to
design fool proof solutions.

 Article: Agility: mindset makeovers are critical

(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

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What Exactly is the Agile Mindset?

Learning how to consciously approach every task at hand with an agile mindset, gives individuals and
organizations an ability to foresee problems and provide solutions in an incremental fashion.

Adopting agile way of thinking in today’s dynamic, volatile work environment is expected. But what is
agile? How do you adopt an agile mindset in order to pursue an agile career? Check out the articles
and video to know more on how develop an Agile mindset.

Articles
 What Is an Agile Mindset?
 Embracing Agile
 What Does It Mean to Have an Agile Mindset?

Video
 Mental model for the agile mindset - 3.5 minutes

(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)

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Attributes for developing an Agile Mindset

Cognitive Agility

Analytical
Communication
and
and career
different
networking
thinking
Professional
Social Agile and
Agility Mindset Personal
Agility
Reflection
Innovation ands
and adoption
collaboration

Change Agility

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DevOps Mindset

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DevOps Mindset

 The concept of DevOps is founded on building a culture of collaboration between

teams that historically functioned in relative siloes. The promised benefits include
increased trust, faster software releases, ability to solve critical issues quickly, and
better manage unplanned work.

 DevOps is a firm handshake between development and operations that emphasizes

a shift in mindset, better collaboration, and tighter integration.
It unites agile, continuous delivery, automation, and much more, to help development
and operations teams be more efficient, innovate faster, and deliver higher value to
businesses and customers.

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DevOps Culture

Are you trying to get a better handle on what is

DevOps and how to adopt its culture? Here are few
articles, videos and blogs which gives you an in depth
understanding on DevOps.

 TCS Video: Nano Video on DevOps- 4.43mins

 Article: What is DevOps Culture?

 Article: DevOps Culture: A Huge Step for

Mankind
 Video: What does DevOps culture feel like? –
35mins

Articles:
 The DevOps Mindset
 5 essential values for the DevOps mindset
 7 Key Principles for a Successful DevOps Culture
(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)

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Developing the Consultative Mindset

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Developing the Consultative Mindset

Difficult situations with customers are often the result of a reactive rather than a
consultative mindset. Would you like to eliminate many difficult client situations before
they even happen? Would you like to be consultative and inculcate the mindset to build
a trusted partnering relationship? Check out the articles and video to learn more.
Articles
 The Heart of a Consultant, the Art of “the Mindset”

 Consulting Mindset: Shifting From The “What” To The “How”

 8 Characteristics of great consultants. Do you have what it takes?

Video
 What Does a Consultant Do? – 3.1mins
(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)

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Stress Management

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Stress Management

In 'Occupational Stress,' Stephen Palmer wrote 'Stress is

the psychological, physiological and behavioral response
by an individual when they perceive a lack of equilibrium
between the demands placed upon them and their ability
to meet those demands, which, over a period of time,
leads to ill-health.' Are you constantly adding items to
your to-do list and it seems like your list never shrinks?
Are you feeling overwhelmed at work and at home? Are
you afraid that stress is starting to negatively impact your
health and relationships? Stress is produced by your own
feelings and reactions to certain external events, rather
than by the events themselves. And while you may not
always be able to control the external events that are
causing you stress, you can control your reactions to
them and how you handle them.

Read the blog and get an understanding on how to cope

with stress at work
 Article: Coping With Stress At Work
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

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Controlling and Managing Stress

The VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and ambiguity)

world we live and operate in, brings with it a typical health
hazard of stress. Between juggling work, family, and other
commitments, one can become too stressed out and busy.
But its important to set time aside to unwind else our mental
and physical health can suffer.
The simple realization that you’re in control of your life is the
foundation of managing stress. No matter how stressful your
life seems, there are ways you can follow to relieve the
pressure and regain control. Learning how to manage your
stress takes practice, but you can -- and need to -- do it.
Check out the courses, you'll learn about stress and why it
often occurs in the workplace, how to identify and assess
your stress triggers, manage your responses more effectively,
and make positive personal choices.
• Linkedin Course: Managing Stress – 22mins
• Linkedin Course: Managing Stress for Positive Change –
58mins
• Linkedin Video: Reduce Stress – 3mins
(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)
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Performing Under Pressure

Nobody performs well under pressure. A

lot of us think we do, but we don't, or, at
least, we don't perform as well as we could
perform. It is very essential to stay focused
during a pressure situation. Develop skills
to recognize personal reactions to pressure
and to know how it impacts relationships
with others.
The course mentioned below will help you
learn how to identify pressure situations
Linkedin Course: Performing under and tackle them with confidence, explains
Pressure – 56mins how to approach them through preparation
and planning, as well as what to do when
Video: Performing Under Pressure by
the big moment arrives. All this helps to stay
Hendrie Weisinger – 7mins
in control and make the right moves when
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window) performing with others under pressure.

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Can the Anger be Managed?

It's important to find healthy ways of owning and expressing your anger. This course,
anger management helps you to explore how to manage your anger through emotional
and intellectual responses, and how to respond properly to anger directed at you. You'll
also explore the nature of anger including its root causes and how it can be a tool for
improving your personal and professional growth.

 Linkedin Course: Anger Management – 1hr

(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

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How to Stay Balanced?

How do you achieve and maintain that

balance? How will it be affected by external
factors and behaviors? This course will focus
on techniques for maintaining work/life
balance. The author tackles tough questions
like: What are the warning signs that my life
is out of balance? How do I keep balance
when I travel so frequently? How do I
balance work and life? Click on the course
and learn how to stay balanced.
 Linkedin Course: Balancing Work and Life –
30mins
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

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Continuous Learning Culture

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 Continuous learning is like blood in veins of an
engineering organization. Today's organizational
leaders know that cultivating a learning culture
means more than providing training sessions – it
means sustaining an ongoing process of learning
using various practices, all integrated with the
operations and routines of the business. It means
analyzing needs and planning strategically before
launching a learning initiative. It means setting up
diverse opportunities for acquiring, creating, and
sharing knowledge. And it means ensuring that
employees have the chance to practice and apply
what they have learned in a way that makes a
significant difference to the business. Let’s read
the blog and understand more!

 Article: Creating a culture of continuous

learning
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

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3L – Life Long Learning!

If the learning stops, innovation stops. And if innovation stops, so does progress….
A learning culture is a collection of organizational
conventions, values, practices and processes. These
conventions encourage employees and organizations
develop knowledge and competence.
Constant learning elevates an individual as a worker
and as a person, it opens opportunities for the
establishment to transform continuously for the better.

The following courses explains effective motivations

for learning and factors that influence the need for
lifelong learning. Also demonstrates how to empower
through knowledge sharing and teaches methods for
addressing opportunities.

 Linkedin Course: Creating a Culture of Learning – 1hr

 Linkedin Course: Developing a Learning Mindset – 32mins
(Right click on the links and open in a new tab/window)
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Module Introduction
Module Introduction

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Elementary, My Dear Watson!

Have you ever found yourself furiously

turning the pages of a detective fiction
novel or sitting at the edge of the seat
watching a ‘Whodunnit’ movie trying to
crack a murder mystery?

And were you able to solve the case?

Did you experience the ‘oh-I-knew-it’
moment?

Doesn’t it feel great to solve

mysteries?!!

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Solving Real World Problems
Whether it is a great detective story, puzzle,
game, treasure hunt, riddle, brain-teaser
etc.. surely, you have had your share of fun
and joy in solving problems for recreation.
In reality as well, be it consciously or not,
what you do almost all the time is, solve
problems.
The difference is that the intention may not
be entertainment but survival itself. You are
solving problems at home, at work, in your
personal life and beyond.
With shared economies, globalization and Today, more than
increased connectivity the world is anything else, the world
needs us to get better
becoming smaller and problems bigger. at solving problems as
Further, the impact of these issues is far they continue to
increase in complexity.
reaching and instant. An incident which
happens in one small part of the world can
disrupt life in another distant part of the
planet.
Heard of the ‘Butterfly effect’?

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The Butterfly Effect

The “Butterfly effect” is an

idea that says a small change
can make much bigger changes
happen. The idea started from
weather prediction. The
term ’butterfly effect’ comes
from an analogy where
a butterfly flaps its wings in
Chicago and a tornado occurs
in Tokyo.

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 What Is a Problem?

What do you mean by a

problem?
 Take a few moments and
reflect on how would you
define a problem.
'The problem is not that
there are problems.The
 In this context what are problem is expecting
the kind of problems that otherwise and thinking
you come across? that having problems is a
 While you do this problem.'
exercise, here are some Theodore Rubin
more questions that you (American author and psychiatrist)
may consider.
 You can surely add your
own!

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Lots Of Questions!

 Can all problems be solved?

 How can problems be solved better?

 What are complex problems?

 What kinds of problems are there?

 What is the difference between solving and resolving?

 Why do we need to learn problem solving skills?

 Don’t we already know how to solve problems?

 How to evaluate our own competency?

 Is there a process to solve problems?

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 “ If I had an hour
to solve a problem I'd spend 55
minutes thinking about
the problem and five minutes
thinking about solutions.”

- Albert Einstein

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 What is your ‘Personal’ Why?

Solving problems comes naturally to us and over the years

we have all discovered and developed our own styles,
methods and tactics to solve problems. Again, our skills may
have been tested and perfected as well having been used on
a variety of problems. So, if you are wondering what is the
need to learn these skills, then your query is valid.
Well, while you may have learnt how to tackle many
problems, is your way the best way to solve the problem?
Further, do you encounter situations or issues you have
dealt with but they keep recurring? If so, make a note of
these issues. There may also be big problems which have
somehow just been delayed, deferred, avoided or
transferred but are beyond your capability of solving.
Before proceeding further into this module take a few
minutes to note what is your personal reason and specific
requirement from this course. Click on the link below and
take the quiz for a self-check and make sure that you go
through the results and analysis as well:

• How Good Is Your Problem Solving?

(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

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Introduction to Problem Solving

A problem is a question or situation that presents doubt,

perplexity, or difficulty. It's an issue that needs to be corrected

or overcome in order to achieve a desired state.

Solving problems involves goal-oriented thinking and action in

Don’t wish it were easier
situations for which no ready-made solutions exist. While you

already possess problem solving skills, it is possible to sharpen

Wish you were better

them further by understanding the problem-solving process and Don’t wish for less problems
acquire an awareness of the challenges and pitfalls that impair Wish for more skills
the process. Don’t wish for less challenge
Do go through the following articles to learn more: Wish for more wisdom
 Article: Brief Introduction to Problem Solving

(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

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 What lies ahead…

In the module for problem solving we will learn

about:

• The problem solving process and its application

• How to get to root cause by framing the

problem

• Come up with ideas for the most appropriate

solution

• Further, We will also learn about the developing

creative and analytical skills which are requisites
for effective problem solving.

• Finally we will discuss the various approaches to

solve complex problems.

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Problem Solving: The Fundamentals
This article written by Wharton magazine covers
the fundamentals of problem solving, also we
have a Linkedin video which talks about a step
by step process that can be used effectively to
solve problems of any type.
 Article: The Fundamentals of Problem
Solving
 Linkedin Video: A framework for problem
solving – 8mins
The learning objectives are:
 sequence key activities performed in the six-
step problem-solving model
 recognize activities that demonstrate the
type of skills best suited to resolve a given
type of problem
 It will help you in any problem solving
situation; moving you towards better
solutions, less stress and greater confidence.
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)
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Problem Solving: The Fundamentals
You can use the following video as a ready reckoner to understand the steps of
Problem Solving:
Video - Six Steps to Problem Solving - 5mins
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

2
Problem Solving Skills: Building Your Strengths

We’ve learnt about the fundamentals of problem solving.

Now it is time check our strengths and build upon them.
Can you handle difficult or unexpected situations, business
challenges in the workplace. Have you ever thought of
yourself as a problem solver? Problem Solving is so
important in life like relationship building and day-to-day
decision making. Please go through the following articles
to learn how to develop and enhance problem solving
skills and styles:
• Article: 6 Ways to Enhance Your Problem Solving
Skills Effectively
• Article: Problem solving styles
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)
These articles will help you in:
• Determining Problem-solving Skills with examples
• Developing and enhancing Problem-solving skills
effectively
• Assessing Your Problem-solving Styles

3
 Barriers to Problem Solving

There are several common barriers and obstacles

to successful complex problem solving. The articles
and video below will walk you through the barriers
we have to solving problems and start to touch on
how you can create a problem-solving strategies.
Read about them using this link:
 Article: Barriers to Problem Solving
 Article: Problem-Solving Strategies and
Obstacles
 Video: Obstacles to Problem Solving – 9mins

While it is useful to know what are the barriers it

is more important to learn how to avoid and
counter them.
 Video: Problem-Solving Mind Traps – 11mins

(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

4
Bias in Problem Solving

• Action
• Confirmation
• Association
• Sunk-Cost

Use these articles to remind you of the types of biases you may encounter during the problem-
solving process.

 Article: 3 Common Biases That Impede Problem Solving

 Article: 4 Common Cognitive Biases To Avoid For Crystal-Clear Critical Thinking

(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

5
Analytical and Creative Skills

6
 Analytical Skills
Analytical skills or analytical thinking is an ability to collect, visualize and analyze information
to see the bigger picture or trend behind facts and help in finding solutions to common
problems and make decisions in helping what to perform next.

 Analytical skills are essential for gathering data, solving

complex problems, making rational decisions at workplace.
These skills allows in evaluating simple and complex problems.

 In order to analyze a question or problem and reach a

solution, need the below key aspects of analytical skills

– Attention to Detail

– Critical Thinking

– Decision-Making

– Researching Skills

7
Analytical Skills

 These skills are fundamental to a job because they demonstrate the individual’s capacity
to be an employee who can resolve problems on the job.
 Do you know Warren Buffett considers analytical skill as an important skill to become
successful?
 Do you know Analytical skills are among the top five skills frequently sought by
companies around the world
Ways To Master Analytical Skills
 Video: 3 Ways To Master Analytical Thinking – 2mins
Why Everyone Needs Analytical Skills
 Book: Your Guide to Understanding and Using Analytics by Jinho Kim, Thomas H.
Davenport
Making complex decisions with analytical thinking
 Linkedin Course: Time-Tested Methods for Making Complex Decisions
Thinking and analytical decision making
 Udemy Course: Decision Making: Solve Problems with Emotional Intelligence
(Optional)
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

8
Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and

rationally, understanding the logical connection
between ideas. It includes the ability to engage in
reflective and independent thinking.
1.This short video gives an idea about critical thinking.
 Video: What is Critical Thinking?

2. To know in detail what is Critical Thinking, what are

the constituent elements and how to improve the
quality of your thinking, please complete the web based
training from Linkedin using the link below:
 Linkedin Course: Critical Thinking – 1hr 6 mins

3. Brian Oshiro, a teacher evaluator, shares what he has

observed in the classrooms and offers three simple
questions we can ask to encourage critical thinking of
the children and ourselves in this TED talk.
 Video: Encourage critical thinking with 3 questions
| Brian Oshiro | TEDxXiguan
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)
9
Investigating Arguments

Debating an argument is part of reaching a logical

conclusion and solving problems. One needs to use
strategic thinking to identify and judge arguments,
recognize logical fallacies and persuasion techniques,
and make effective arguments of your own.

Do watch the insightful videos to critically think

about critical thinking and learn how to apply and
improve it in your life.
 Video - Critical Thinking - Use Independent
Thinking To Build A Powerful Life – 18mins

 Video - 5 tips to improve your critical thinking -

Samantha Agoos – 4mins 30 secs

(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

10
Creative Thinking

Your thinking can have a significant effect on the

quality of your life – it determines how well you
work through complex problems, make decisions,
and accomplish your goals. That's why developing
creative thinking skills is so important. To think
Creative Thinking
creatively is a practical goal – you can apply to
every question, issue, or problem you face.
Critical Thinking
This course explains describes the skills required
for creative thinking and how to apply creativity
thinking to decisions, problems, or issues in the
workplace.

Critical Thinking and Creative Please click on the following course to learn
Thinking go hand-in-hand more:
• Linkedin Course: Creative Thinking – 47mins
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

11
 Creativity and Ideas

Creative thinking is the ability to look at things with a

fresh perspective to be able to generate new,
unorthodox ideas which can help in solving problems.
Creativity and the need for it is not limited only to
artists, designers or those in a creative profession. Each
of us can develop and benefit from it.
Do go through these courses to learn more:

 Linkedin Course - Creativity: Generate Ideas in

Greater Quantity and Quality – 1hr
 Linkedin Course - Take a More Creative
Approach to Problem-Solving - 27 mins

Additionally, check out these videos to enhance your

learning:
 7 steps of creative thinking: Raphael DiLuzio at
TEDxDirigo
 Creative thinking - how to get out of the box and
generate ideas: Giovanni Corazza at TEDxRoma
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

12
Framing the Problem

13
 Getting to the Root of a Problem

Articulating a problem requires asking the right

people the right questions. In this article , you'll learn
about how to use analysis techniques to get to the
root cause of a problem and also you have a course
which explains on how to solve business problems.
 Article: Getting to the root of the problem
 Linkedin Course: Solving Business Problems –
36mins (Optional)

Framing the Problem You Need to Solve

 Match root causes of problems with the
organizational level at which they typically occur
 Recognize how to investigate root causes of
problems using 5 Whys analysis
 Recall the steps in using a fishbone diagram to
investigate the root causes of a problem
 Use appropriate methods to get to the root
cause of a problem
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

14
 Problem Solving Techniques
Norman Vincent Peale, who stressed the need for analysing a
problem in detail, once said, 'When a problem appears, study it
until you are completely knowledgeable. Then, find the spot,
break the problem apart and the rest will be easy.' A fact-based,
honest analysis happens at two main steps in the problem-solving
process: first, when you analyse problems to identify the root
causes and then, when you evaluate and analyse potential
solutions to determine the one that has the maximum chance of
success.
The first course helps you to boost your creativity and select the
best solution that demonstrates how the application of a few
tools greatly assists you when determining the root cause of a
problem and the best solution. The second course explains how
to solve business problems using logic maps and 2x2 matrix
techniques.
 Linkedin Course: Problem Solving Techniques – 1hr
32mins
 Linkedin Course – Solving Business Problems – 36mins
Objectives
• Identifying the real problem
• Generating possible solutions
• Selecting the best solution
• Recall how to keep a problem well defined using logic maps.
• Recognize how to use a 2x2 matrix to prioritize solutions.
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)
15
Problem Solving Tools
The following links leads you to another
• Article: Problem solving comprehensive course which provides an array of
and Problem analysis tools tools to use to solve problems.
Take your time to go through it and ensure to note
what you find most helpful for your current work.
The best way to learn is to apply , so find avenues
where these tools can be used and begin right
away.

(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

16
Inventing Options

17
Inventing Options

Before generating alternative potential

solutions to a problem, it's helpful to have
a sense of the 'ideal state' – what the
situation would look like if people had a
magic wand. This provides some direction
to those coming up with new ideas.
Once ideas and alternatives are on the
table, evaluating which ones are the best
to implement can be a daunting task.
In this video, you'll learn how to elicit
descriptions of ideal states. Jordan B.
Peterson talks about adversity and
obstacles in life, and solutions for very
complex problems
• Video: Jordan Peterson – 7mins
Solutions for Very Complex Problems
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

18
Multidimensional Approach

19
 Design Thinking

Design thinking is a creative approach to problem

solving with a human centered core. The focus of this
approach is on the user and it starts with asking the
right questions. The five stages are to empathise, define
the problem, ideate, prototype and test.
Check out the course and videos below to learn and
understand more about Design Thinking:

 Linkedin Video: Design Thinking – 5mins

 Linkedin Video: What is Design Thinking – 4mins
 Video:The Design Thinking process – 4mins
 Linkedin Course: Design Thinking: Understanding
the Process -42mins
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

20
Holistic Approach

21
The Big Picture

Holistic means taking a comprehensive

approach. It encompasses the whole of a thing,
not just the part. An example of holistic is health
care that focusses on the health of the entire
body and mind and not just the parts of the
body.
One way to consider a problem is to look at its
constituent parts and get to the root of the
issue. Once the root cause is identified, one can
search and develop solutions. The holistic
approach involves looking at the problem as a
whole and viewing the big picture.

HBR Article A More Holistic Approach to

Problem Solving
Article: 6 ways to approach problems
holistically

(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

22
THANK YOU

23
Problem Solving Skills: Building Your Strengths

We’ve learnt about the fundamentals of problem solving.

Now it is time check our strengths and build upon them.
Can you handle difficult or unexpected situations, business
challenges in the workplace. Have you ever thought of
yourself as a problem solver? Problem Solving is so
important in life like relationship building and day-to-day
decision making. Please go through the following articles
to learn how to develop and enhance problem solving
skills and styles:
• Article: 6 Ways to Enhance Your Problem Solving
Skills Effectively
• Article: Problem solving styles
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)
These articles will help you in:
• Determining Problem-solving Skills with examples
• Developing and enhancing Problem-solving skills
effectively
• Assessing Your Problem-solving Styles

1
 Barriers to Problem Solving

There are several common barriers and obstacles

to successful complex problem solving. The articles
and video below will walk you through the barriers
we have to solving problems and start to touch on
how you can create a problem-solving strategies.
Read about them using this link:
 Article: Barriers to Problem Solving
 Article: Problem-Solving Strategies and
Obstacles
 Video: Obstacles to Problem Solving – 9mins

While it is useful to know what are the barriers it

is more important to learn how to avoid and
counter them.
 Video: Problem-Solving Mind Traps – 11mins

(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

1
Bias in Problem Solving

• Action
• Confirmation
• Association
• Sunk-Cost

Use these articles to remind you of the types of biases you may encounter during the problem-
solving process.

 Article: 3 Common Biases That Impede Problem Solving

 Article: 4 Common Cognitive Biases To Avoid For Crystal-Clear Critical Thinking

(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

2
 Analytical Skills
Analytical skills or analytical thinking is an ability to collect, visualize and analyze information
to see the bigger picture or trend behind facts and help in finding solutions to common
problems and make decisions in helping what to perform next.

 Analytical skills are essential for gathering data, solving

complex problems, making rational decisions at workplace.
These skills allows in evaluating simple and complex problems.

 In order to analyze a question or problem and reach a

solution, need the below key aspects of analytical skills

– Attention to Detail

– Critical Thinking

– Decision-Making

– Researching Skills

1
Analytical Skills

 These skills are fundamental to a job because they demonstrate the individual’s capacity
to be an employee who can resolve problems on the job.
 Do you know Warren Buffett considers analytical skill as an important skill to become
successful?
 Do you know Analytical skills are among the top five skills frequently sought by
companies around the world
Ways To Master Analytical Skills
 Video: 3 Ways To Master Analytical Thinking – 2mins
Why Everyone Needs Analytical Skills
 Book: Your Guide to Understanding and Using Analytics by Jinho Kim, Thomas H.
Davenport
Making complex decisions with analytical thinking
 Linkedin Course: Time-Tested Methods for Making Complex Decisions
Thinking and analytical decision making
 Udemy Course: Decision Making: Solve Problems with Emotional Intelligence
(Optional)
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

2
Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and

rationally, understanding the logical connection
between ideas. It includes the ability to engage in
reflective and independent thinking.
1.This short video gives an idea about critical thinking.
 Video: What is Critical Thinking?

2. To know in detail what is Critical Thinking, what are

the constituent elements and how to improve the
quality of your thinking, please complete the web based
training from Linkedin using the link below:
 Linkedin Course: Critical Thinking – 1hr 6 mins

3. Brian Oshiro, a teacher evaluator, shares what he has

observed in the classrooms and offers three simple
questions we can ask to encourage critical thinking of
the children and ourselves in this TED talk.
 Video: Encourage critical thinking with 3 questions
| Brian Oshiro | TEDxXiguan
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)
1
Investigating Arguments

Debating an argument is part of reaching a logical

conclusion and solving problems. One needs to use
strategic thinking to identify and judge arguments,
recognize logical fallacies and persuasion techniques,
and make effective arguments of your own.

Do watch the insightful videos to critically think

about critical thinking and learn how to apply and
improve it in your life.
 Video - Critical Thinking - Use Independent
Thinking To Build A Powerful Life – 18mins

 Video - 5 tips to improve your critical thinking -

Samantha Agoos – 4mins 30 secs

(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

2
Creative Thinking

Your thinking can have a significant effect on the

quality of your life – it determines how well you
work through complex problems, make decisions,
and accomplish your goals. That's why developing
creative thinking skills is so important. To think
Creative Thinking
creatively is a practical goal – you can apply to
every question, issue, or problem you face.
Critical Thinking
This course explains describes the skills required
for creative thinking and how to apply creativity
thinking to decisions, problems, or issues in the
workplace.

Critical Thinking and Creative Please click on the following course to learn
Thinking go hand-in-hand more:
• Linkedin Course: Creative Thinking – 47mins
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

1
 Creativity and Ideas

Creative thinking is the ability to look at things with a

fresh perspective to be able to generate new,
unorthodox ideas which can help in solving problems.
Creativity and the need for it is not limited only to
artists, designers or those in a creative profession. Each
of us can develop and benefit from it.
Do go through these courses to learn more:

 Linkedin Course - Creativity: Generate Ideas in

Greater Quantity and Quality – 1hr
 Linkedin Course - Take a More Creative
Approach to Problem-Solving - 27 mins

Additionally, check out these videos to enhance your

learning:
 7 steps of creative thinking: Raphael DiLuzio at
TEDxDirigo
 Creative thinking - how to get out of the box and
generate ideas: Giovanni Corazza at TEDxRoma
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

2
Framing the Problem

1
 Getting to the Root of a Problem

Articulating a problem requires asking the right

people the right questions. In this article , you'll learn
about how to use analysis techniques to get to the
root cause of a problem and also you have a course
which explains on how to solve business problems.
 Article: Getting to the root of the problem
 Linkedin Course: Solving Business Problems –
36mins (Optional)

Framing the Problem You Need to Solve

 Match root causes of problems with the
organizational level at which they typically occur
 Recognize how to investigate root causes of
problems using 5 Whys analysis
 Recall the steps in using a fishbone diagram to
investigate the root causes of a problem
 Use appropriate methods to get to the root
cause of a problem
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

2
 Problem Solving Techniques
Norman Vincent Peale, who stressed the need for analysing a
problem in detail, once said, 'When a problem appears, study it
until you are completely knowledgeable. Then, find the spot,
break the problem apart and the rest will be easy.' A fact-based,
honest analysis happens at two main steps in the problem-solving
process: first, when you analyse problems to identify the root
causes and then, when you evaluate and analyse potential
solutions to determine the one that has the maximum chance of
success.
The first course helps you to boost your creativity and select the
best solution that demonstrates how the application of a few
tools greatly assists you when determining the root cause of a
problem and the best solution. The second course explains how
to solve business problems using logic maps and 2x2 matrix
techniques.
 Linkedin Course: Problem Solving Techniques – 1hr
32mins
 Linkedin Course – Solving Business Problems – 36mins
Objectives
• Identifying the real problem
• Generating possible solutions
• Selecting the best solution
• Recall how to keep a problem well defined using logic maps.
• Recognize how to use a 2x2 matrix to prioritize solutions.
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)
1
Problem Solving Tools
The following links leads you to another
• Article: Problem solving comprehensive course which provides an array of
and Problem analysis tools tools to use to solve problems.
Take your time to go through it and ensure to note
what you find most helpful for your current work.
The best way to learn is to apply , so find avenues
where these tools can be used and begin right
away.

(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

1
Inventing Options

1
Inventing Options
Before generating alternative potential
solutions to a problem, it's helpful to have a
sense of the 'ideal state' – what the situation
would look like if people had a magic wand.
This provides some direction to those coming
up with new ideas.
Once ideas and alternatives are on the table,
evaluating which ones are the best to
implement can be a daunting task.
In this video and article, you'll first learn how
to elicit descriptions of ideal states. Next, you'll
find out how to use basic techniques for
generating and evaluating alternative solutions
to a problem. Finally, you'll learn to recognize
and avoid common pitfalls that can occur while
generating and evaluating alternatives.

Resources
Video: Jordan Peterson
Solutions for Very Complex Problems
Article: 18 Best Idea Generation Techniques
2
Multidimensional Approach

1
 Design Thinking

Design thinking is a creative approach to problem

solving with a human centered core. The focus of this
approach is on the user and it starts with asking the
right questions. The five stages are to empathise, define
the problem, ideate, prototype and test.
Check out the course and videos below to learn and
understand more about Design Thinking:

 Linkedin Video: Design Thinking – 5mins

 Linkedin Video: What is Design Thinking – 4mins
 Video:The Design Thinking process – 4mins
 Linkedin Course: Design Thinking: Understanding
the Process -42mins
(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

2
Holistic Approach

1
The Big Picture

Holistic means taking a comprehensive

approach. It encompasses the whole of a thing,
not just the part. An example of holistic is health
care that focusses on the health of the entire
body and mind and not just the parts of the
body.
One way to consider a problem is to look at its
constituent parts and get to the root of the
issue. Once the root cause is identified, one can
search and develop solutions. The holistic
approach involves looking at the problem as a
whole and viewing the big picture.

HBR Article A More Holistic Approach to

Problem Solving
Article: 6 ways to approach problems
holistically

(Right click on the link to open it in a new tab)

2
THANK YOU

3
1
Building Trust

• The first step to any successful conversation is the ability to build

a sense of trust.
• Let’s explore the key elements to building trust and its
importance.
• The article below introduces some ideas about how you can
work towards building or restoring trust.
• Article : The Essential Importance Of Trust: How To Build It Or
Restore It
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)`
2
 Building Trust at Workplace
Let us now take a deep dive into understanding
Trust at workplace.

This course explains:

▪ How professionals build trust
▪ How to build trust in challenging situations
▪ How to integrate trust-building habits into
our daily routine.

▪ LinkedIn Course: Building Trust –

58mins
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

3
Leveraging Trust
Once we have acquired the ability to quickly build trust with stakeholders, we
can use it to:

– Persuade

– Influence

– Negotiate

– Manage Conflicts

– Overall – have an excellent communication with client and partners

– Let us now understand some of these concepts in more detail.

4
1
Persuasion Techniques

2
Aristotle’s Modes of Persuasion
The Greek philosopher Aristotle introduced a concept
called the three “modes of persuasion”
He coined the terms Ethos, Pathos and Logos referred to ETHOS
as the three modes of persuasion. They are means of
persuading others to believe a certain point of view.
Aristotle’s modes of persuasion should be at the heart of
almost every speech. They build credibility, stir emotions,
PATHOS
and prompt action.

Do you want to persuade people to do something? Let’s

LOGOS
take a closer look and learn how to sway the audience.

• Article : Modes of Persuasion

• Video :The 3 Methods of Persuasion – 6mins 30secs
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

3
The Art Of Persuasion
▪ Essentially, persuasion is the ability to get another person to act on your request
or need.
▪ Persuasion is about making sure your ideas get a fair hearing and get acted upon.
▪ It is crucial to be persuasive in a subtle way that takes advantage of natural
human psychology, and that doesn’t make you feel manipulative.
Let us learn to harness this skill. Click on the links below to learn more:

▪ Article:The Art Of Persuasion What It Is And How To Practice It

▪ LinkedIn Course: Persuading Others -33mins
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

4
1
Principles of Influence

2
Persuasion & Influence

▪ Persuasion is ethically winning the

heart and mind of your target. Basically,
you alter the behavior of someone
through reasoning.
▪ Influence on the other hand, is the
ability to affect the manner of thinking
of another.
▪ If persuasion is an action, influence is a
state or condition. 2mins

• Joe Friedman highlights the difference in this video -2mins

(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)
3
Influencing Styles
• Influence is the ability to personally affect the actions,
decisions, opinions, or thinking of others.
• The ability to influence others is often a crucial factor
that determines professional successful.
• Understanding how you influence others is an important
step as it identifies areas for potential improvement.
• However, being able to influence in your workplace may
require a variety of styles, depending on the situation.

Research suggests that successful leaders typically use 5 influencing styles. The
following article defines those and illustrates how and when to use them.
• Article: 5 influencing styles—and how to use them effectively
(Right click on the link 4and open in a new tab/window)
The 6 Principles of Influence
▪ There are many factors that
influence us to say yes to others. • Article: The 6
▪ Researchers have concluded that
there are psychological triggers to
Principles of Influence
understand how we are influenced. • Video: Robert Cialdini |
▪ Here are the six persuasion
techniques which increase
Six principles of
conversions and influence. influence –2mins
▪ If understood and used properly (Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)
one can yield top notch results.
▪ Well, let’s take a look at all of these.
While the video gives an overview,
Udemy course provides a deep
understanding of the principles.

5
How to Influence?
▪ Real influence is about forging deep connections quickly, stepping into someone’s
world authentically, and striving for consistent win/win outcomes.
▪ We all have encountered situations like getting worried when certain things go wrong.
We blame, complain and decide nothing can be done. Instead, why don’t we try and
influence the situation or the person?

Master the art of ‘How to Influence?’ by going through the links below -
• Article : 7 Tips to develop your influencing skills
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

6
1
Reciprocity

One of the most crucial

principles amongst those
that we have seen so far is
- Building Reciprocity.

Let us read on to build a

deeper understanding.

2
 Principle of Reciprocity
1. Has an old-time friend called you suddenly to just check on how you are doing?
2. Did you receive a surprise gift from someone, unexpectedly?
These people did something nice for you and now you would like to return the favor by doing something
nice for them too. However, do you feel almost obligated to return the favors? Think about it !

This is the basic Principle of Reciprocity - we try to repay, in kind, for the favors extended to us. Human’s
thrive on this give and take relationship.
Let us understand and explore more examples about reciprocity and its principles.
• Video - What is Reciprocity? – 2mins 30secs

• Article: How the Norm of Reciprocity Works

• Video - Robert Cialdini on the importance of reciprocity - 2mins

(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)
3
Reciprocity at Work
Reciprocity is a widespread practice in
organizations because it permeates human
exchange of every kind, thus promoting
learning, improving productivity, and building a
climate and culture of trust at workplace.
Reciprocity is an easy and powerful technique
to implement at work because most people,
enjoy the experience of helping others.
Check out the blog below to know various
ways you can use reciprocity to positively
influence your colleagues:
• Article: Reciprocity at Work: How to
Master Persuasion in Your Workplace
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

4
1
 Storytelling for Influence
From time immemorial, stories have been
used, to build nations and to destroy them, to
guide and misguide, and thus in our journey,
we must take a moment to build on our
storytelling skills too…….

…….or else the story of

influence and persuasion may
probably remain incomplete.

2
The Art of Storytelling
▪ Story telling is described as an art to communicate by introducing
emotions into a situation.
▪ The essence of a great story is its ability to make you forget your
worries, your problems, even your pain. A story helps you stimulate
your imagination and enter a new magical world that is extremely
appealing.
▪ Stories remain a way in which the storytellers create their own
styles of behavior and thoughts are put into words, in which the
audience can relate to the identity around their message.
▪ Inculcate the art of storytelling! Develop skills become a good
storyteller. Master storytelling skills by clicking the links below:
▪ Article: 10 steps to mastering the art of storytelling
▪ Article: How to be a Good Storyteller
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)
3
Storytelling Techniques
Based on Chris Anderson’s findings of what makes a story
captivating, here are some different storytelling techniques.
These are used by many TED presenters, who are some of the
most inspirational speakers in the world.
Remember to:
1. Immerse your audience in the story.
2. Tell a personal story.
3. Create suspense.
4. Bring characters to life.
5. Show. Don’t tell.
6. Build up to S.T.A.R. moment.
7. End with a positive takeaway.
▪ “A successful talk is a little miracle—people see the world
differently afterward.” -Chris Anderson,TED curator
Check out this blog mentioned below to know more:
▪ Video:The TED Talk Secrets – 8mins
▪ Article: 7 Storytelling Techniques Used by the Most
Inspiring TED Presenters
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)
4
Storytelling for Business
Story telling isn’t just for fiction, it’s vital for
your business too. In these courses the
authors walk you through the storytelling
strategies, including, identifying your
audience, brainstorming, nailing down
details, and turning your story into a reality.
Be heard, be remembered and create the
change you wish to see in your
communication with dynamic and • LinkedIn Course: Business Storytelling
entertaining storytelling. with C.C. Chapman -16mins (Optional)
LinkedIn Course: Storytelling by Shane
Snow – 1hr 13mins
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)
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1
Negotiation Skills

2
Negotiation Mindset
Negotiations are formal discussions between people
reaching a common ground. They have different
intentions during which they come to an agreement
eliminating their differences.
Negotiating can be a challenging prospect for some
people, especially if you go with a “Win the War”
approach. A key method to help us in such situations is
to develop a proper negotiation mindset.
Interestingly , while you may not realize it, you probably
already have a lot of experience negotiating things in • LinkedIn Course:
your everyday life. After all, negotiation is just another Developing a negotiation
form of communication, a means of problem-solving. mindset -60mins
(Right click on the link and open in a
This course helps you get an understanding of the new tab/window)
mindset.
3
 Negotiation Skills & Types
When it comes to business, negotiation has become one of the most important skills and ability.
There must be a meaningful give and take that should happen in negotiation. However, the most
effective negotiator will be both competing as well as collaborating. Let us understand the
negotiation skills and types through the following blogs and course:

• LinkedIn Course – Negotiation Skills – 2hrs 12mins

• Blog - 15 Ways To Level Up Your Negotiation Skills
• Blog - Negotiation Types

There are many types of negotiation strategies and many circumstances under which you may
find yourself needing to smartly and soundly negotiate for yourself or others. This course uses
live cases to understand the nuances of negotiations

• LinkedIn Course: Negotiating your leadership success -1hr 20mins (Optional)

(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)
4
1
 Managing Conflict
At times negotiations and
discussions can take a turn
for the worse and head
into conflict.

What should we
do in such a
2
scenario?
Managing Conflict
It’s all around us. Most of us aren’t
comfortable dealing with conflict when it
happens, especially if it is at work.
However, conflict is natural and happens,
so we must learn to manage it.
Whatever be the disagreements and
disputes, learning how to manage can
keep your personal and professional
relationships strong and growing.
Let us understand the basics of Conflict
Resolution through the following course:
• LinkedIn Course: Conflict
Resolution Foundations – 51mins
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

3
 Dealing with Conflict at Work
When conflict happens at work, do you jump to
silence or violence? Neither are very good options.
Many of us don’t always handle conflicts well. And by
handling it “well” we mean handling conflict in an
assertive, productive, respectful way.
It would help if you could use some new conflict
management skills. Here are a few tips for you to
practice and follow. Check out the blogs and course
to understand and learn how to handle workplace
conflict.
• Article: 5 Keys of Dealing with Workplace
Conflict
• Article: 10 Tips for Handling Conflict at Work
(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

4
1
 Customer
Conversations

2
Communicating with Clients
▪ A key part of our role involves our interacting with the clients at various stages.
▪ While some may be transactional exchanges like sending a report, there are
times when we need to have some crucial conversations with our clients like
understanding a requirement better or getting an update or even a collaborative
brainstorming session.
▪ Also, at different times the channel of communication would be different, like an
email/ phone call/ face to face.
▪ We need to be prepared to ensure that we can leverage these situations to our
maximum benefit.
▪ Let us focus on one of the most critical conversations – Customer Interviews

3
Effective Customer Interview

Focus on the problem • The first thing to understand

Define customer • Understand their role

archetypes
• Agility will help keep the interview going to
Develop an agile mindset collect more relevant and meaningful information.

Be prepared to listen and • Stay fully engaged in the conversation while

learn ensuring you capture all the information

Preferably conduct in- • Phone calls and video chats are convenient, but
person interviews nothing replaces face-to-face interviews.

4
Do’s @ Customer Interviews
During customer interviews, it’s important to:

▪ Focus on questions that allow you to validate the

problem. Who actually has the problem? How do they deal with
it?
▪ Develop questions that help you collect quantitative and
relevant data that you can later test. Avoid questions that
lead to subjective or speculative answers.
▪ Tailor questions to better understand a customer’s
habits. You may uncover important information around how a
customer thinks about a problem that you hadn’t considered.
▪ Finish each conversation with:
– “What did I not ask?” Always assume that you’re asking the
wrong questions, especially in the first interview. This allows you to
capture what you missed.
– “Who else do you suggest I interview?” This is an excellent
way to capture more targeted contacts directly from individuals
who work in the industry.

5
 Asking the Right Questions
Asking the right questions and the questions in the
right manner are both equally important.

While we are typically used to asking more of

close-ended questions, it is the open-ended ones
that are best to start off with.

Eventually, as we probe based on the information

gathered in the open-ended questions, we can
move to close-ended questions.

This is also referred to as the funnel technique.

6
1
Interviewing Skills

2
How to Conduct Interviews
▪ If you want to find the best person for a job, then it is
essential that your interviews are as thorough and well
thought out as possible.
▪ Conducting an interview isn’t as simple as it looks and
there are several things that you must consider before
meeting any candidate.
▪ Your judgment may be impacted by qualities or
experiences that don’t necessarily align with the role
you are hiring for, or overlook a shortage of the
required skills.
▪ The following course covers how to conduct an
interview to ensure you get the right person for your
project:
▪ Article : 9 Tips on Conducting Great Interviews

(Right click on the link and open in a new tab/window)

3
Summary

4
 Thank You

IT Services
Business Solutions
Consulting
studioppt I 01 I 2019