Tag: communication

The Christian,Muslim conundrum

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I sat with my friend clive to know more about his culture. He told me how he was brought up to be a Christian and what were his values. He used to go to church every morning. Then we discussed if he has ever faced discrimination due to his religion. He didn’t feel that he has experienced discrimination. I also asked my Muslim friends if they’ve had any such experiences. They also felt the same way.

All of the people that I interviewed are from a well-to-do backgrounds. This makes me come to my next observation. Are people discriminated against because of their religion or because they belong from a not so well to do background? If you see in our society, Muslim or Christian people who have money don’t have to go through the religious stigma that other people go through. For example, a poor Muslim might have to go through a lot of discrimination as compared to a well-to-do Muslim. In today’s world if you are rich then you’re a powerful man.

Credits- gettyimages

I also had the opportunity of meeting a Muslim boy who was not very well-to-do. He told me that in his school, people were always given an opportunity before him. He was the last boy to be considered for every activity and he feels it’s because of his religion. I am not trying to make a stupid assumption but I feel this has some truth to it. In today’s world, if you belong to the higher class of society, you are likely to not go through any hardships due to your religion. Although, that is not completely true because there have been a lot of events where people were either kicked out or denied to take property at a certain place.

This activity led me to discover a lot of insights into the religious stigma that exists around me. I’d encourage everyone to go and ask people from vulnerable backgrounds about their lives. It serves two purposes. They get to share their sorrows and you become more informed about the situation of the matter.

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Effective Communication

Communication is the process of sending and receiving messages through verbal or nonverbal means, including speech, or oral communication; writing and graphical representations (such as info graphics, maps, and charts); and signs, signals, and behavior. More simply, communication is said to be “the creation and exchange of meaning.”.  Communication is a two-way progression that empowers you to exchange your thoughts, notions, and opinions with each other. Communication has now become overbearing to flourish in the world of business.

We have already stepped into a modern world! Haven’t we? The excessive exposure to the use of gadgets and increasing knowledge because of that makes us more sensitive today. We are always worried about our image in society and on social media. And, when we are concerned, it is bound to create sensitivity around the way we behave and communicate in the larger groups, our office, in our neighborhood, or on social media. And as we are humans, we get impacted by what others do and how they react.  Social dynamics bring together the ideas from people who would want to influence the changes and thus communication is the act of conveying your thoughts to others through the use of mutually understood signs which will influence their behavior.

Social dynamics such as seminars, interviews and even conversations during networking call for excellent communication skills. One person can be distinguished from another with the development of different skills which can influence people around them and one of utmost importance skill that is the influence are the Communication Skills. It is the sole medium through which people share their ideas, feelings, knowledge, and thoughts with others. If you have effective communication skills, you will be able to present yourself and your knowledge with everyone confidently and be able to stand out from the crowd.

Someone has truly said that if you want to be a good communicator, learn how to be a good listener. One with better listening ability master’s communication skills. Listening is as important as speaking and is the key to developing good communication skills.  Communication can be verbal, visual, or written. To ensure that you maintain the social dynamics of the society, as an individual, you need to be a good communicator. Here‘s what you can do to improve your communication which can create a positive impact on Social Dynamics around you:

  1. Always know what type of communication you are doing and where. Is it a written, oral, social, etc.? Is it happening between two people or a larger group?
  2. Be confident and have the courage to speak what you think. But that does not mean that you speak without thinking. Always take some time to think and then react to a situation that might be as small as a casual conversation with people in a group.
  3. If you are getting prepared to speak in public or make a presentation, do the practice. It is very well said that “Practice makes the man perfect.” In case you are speaking for the first time, remember that new skills take time to shape up, but every time you use your communication skills, you prepare yourself for opportunities and future consoles.
  4. When you are speaking or communicating, make sure that you have eye contact with others, and you use gestures to express yourself. Gestures are a great way to communicate a positive body language, make optimal use of them.
  5. To create an impact on what you want to present, have the right attitude and behaviour in your communication. When the qualities as honesty, peace, culture, optimism, etc. reflect in your talk, it definitely elevates you and your communication.
  6. User right words and learn to speak words that are simple and not confuse people. Do not hesitate to bring a change in your communication style on the basis of past experiences so that others do not have to say to repeat the thing.

With strong communication skills, you can clearly impact your business. Great communicators are the ones who bring solutions, drive change, motivate and inspire their colleagues.

By improving communication skills, we can improve employee engagement, teamwork, decision-making, and interdepartmental communication in the workplace.

How to prepare for a Group Discussion?

What is Group Discussion?

Group Discussion comprises of group of individuals who discuss a topic of similar interest, either formally or informally. Group Discussion tests the individual’s leadership skills, general awareness, communication skills, social skills and behavior, listening skills, confidence and problem solving skills. Formal Group Discussion normally comprises 10-15 members and lasts for 15-20 minutes. The seating arrangement for a group discussion is circular, semi- circular, horseshoe or rectangular. Usually 3-5 minutes are given for preparation after the topic is given by the moderator. After the start of the discussion, the moderator(s) silently observes the speakers and judges them on various parameters. Anyone can start or end the discussion and moderator doesn’t help anyone with the topic.

How to prepare for a Group Discussion?

  • Reading: Reading is a never ending process. The more you read the better. Reading helps you in gaining knowledge on various topics. Its important to be in touch with current affairs, debate topics, etc. It is also important to read different articles on same topic to know various perspectives about the topic.
  • Mocks: We all are aware of the fact that practice makes a man perfect. Forming a group discussion group and practicing helps to overcome shyness and confident. Also, it improves the communication skills.

Initiating a Group Discussion

Initiating a Group Discussion is the best way to grab moderator’s attention. It is a high profit- high loss strategy. Initiating a group discussion grabs the attention of moderator and fellow candidates however stuttering or stammering while initiating causes irreparable damage, that is why it is important to initiate only when there is in-depth knowledge about the topic. However, make sure to participate later also even if you initiate.

Techniques to initiate a Group Discussion:

1. Quotes: Starting with a quote is an effective way to start the group discussion. Quoting something catchy which is relevant to the topic grabs the attention of fellow candidates and moderator. For example, Customer is King- There is one boss: the customer.

2. Definition: Defining the topic is also an effective way. Any discussion should always start with definition of the topic. You can always start a group discussion by giving introduction or by defining the topic. For example, Advertising is a diplomatic way of telling a lie- define advertising.

3. Question: Asking a question related to the topic and then answering it yourself is also an effective way to start a group discussion. Also, it promotes a flow of ideas. For example, “What does war bring to the people of the nation”?

4. Shock Statement: Starting a group discussion about the topic with a shock statement immediately grabs the attention. For example, Impact of population on Indian Economy- “At the center of the Indian capital stands a population clock that ticks away relentlessly, It tracks 33 births a minute.”

5. Facts, figures and statistics: Telling a facts, figures and statistics about a topic shows your knowledge about the topic and can give you an advantage if you start with it. However, make sure you quote only correct facts because wrong facts adds to disadvantage.

6. Short story: Initiating with a short story is also an effective way to start a group discussion.

7. General Statement: You can also start group discussion with a general statement to put it in the right perspective. For example, Should Sonia Gandhi be the Prime Minister of India? – Before jumping into conclusions like, “Yes Sonia Gandhi should be…”

How to interrupt someone in Group Discussion?

  • “Excuse me, but I feel that what you are saying isn’t universally true..“
  • “Yes, I agree with your idea, and I would like to further add to it..”
  • “Yes, I think you are right when you say that, but could you clarify what if…”

How to ward off stubbornness and aggressiveness in Group Discussion?

  • Ignore the person and address the others.
  • Be assertive and inform the person that he is wrong.
  • Point out to him that his point is well taken and the group must progress and discuss other views.

How to conclude in a Group Discussion?

Most group discussions do not have any conclusions but it is important to summarize a group discussion. A group discussion can be summarized if the time is available on hand otherwise no summary is needed.

How to summarize a group discussion:-
– Avoiding raising new points
– Avoid stating only your views
– Avoid concentrating on only one aspect of group discussion
– Keep it brief and concise
– Include/Incorporate all important points
– Summarization includes end of Group Discussion
– Do not add anything after Summarization.

TIPS TO DEVELOP YOUR INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:

     Interpersonal skills are the soft skills that you rely on to communicate or interact with others. These skills are essential for communication between people. Effective interpersonal skills can get you a good job and have a bright light on your career advancement. Some of the interpersonal skills include leadership, teamwork, active listening, responsibility, dependability, motivation, flexibility, patience, and empathy. In the workplace, strong interpersonal skills are an asset to you that helps you to be confident. 

WHY INTERPERSONAL SKILLS ARE IMPORTANT?

     Strong interpersonal skills help you during the interview for your jobs since interviewers will always expect a person who can easily interact with others. This will also help you to succeed in your job by helping you with understanding others and adjust according to them to work effectively. These skills are essential for communicating and working in groups in your personal and professional life. People with strong intercommunication skills can always maintain a good relationship with friends, families, and colleagues. Other benefits include good problem-solving techniques and decision-making skills. 

TIPS FOR IMPROVING INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:

      You can improve your interpersonal skills by following the tips listed below:

  1. FIND WHAT YOU NEED TO IMPROVE: Identify the areas of interpersonal skills that you are weak. You can find it by asking for feedback from your friends, teachers, or family members since they know you well. After getting feedback from them, work on that area to improve your skills.
  2. LEARN FROM OTHERS: Learning is a great habit to improve yourself. Learning happens everywhere. Even a small kid can teach something that will be useful for you and others around you. Learn from your colleagues, friends, and leaders who inspire you. Note their tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions. Apply those skills to improve your communication skills.
  3. TRAIN YOURSELF: Put yourself in a position where you can use your interpersonal skills. For example, you can join the social events and clubs of the company/college where you can get a chance to interact with others.
  4. AVOID DISTRACTIONS: Put your mobile aside when you are communicating with others. Give full attention to what they are saying so that you can understand them and respond to them more effectively.
  5. ENROLL IN COURSES: Enroll yourself in courses to learn and improve your skills. Different apps like BYJUs, Coursera, Udemy, etc., provide various courses for developing your interpersonal skills. You can also see a lot of videos posted on YouTube regarding interpersonal skills and practice in daily life.
  6. RECORD YOURSELF: Record your speaking on your phone or recorder and then listen to it. Then identify the areas where you are mistaken. Note things that you would like to change or develop such as grammatical errors, tenses, tone of voice, speed of talking, or body language. Record periodically to assess your progress. Also, speak in front of mirrors so that you can see your body language and expression.
  7. BE CONFIDENT: Teach yourself to be positive and confident by reminding the good things you have accomplished earlier. Try to see the positive things in every work you are assigned so that you do not need to be stressed or depressed.
  8. BE ASSERTIVE: Assertiveness is when you confidently express your ideas fairly and honestly considering the views of other people. People are more likely to like and respect you if you are assertive. 
  9. AVOID TALKING OVER OTHERS: Always practice the habit of listening to others. Good listeners will always possess strong communication skills. Wait until the opposite person ends their conversation and then convey your ideas on that.
  10. THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK: Consider your words while you are communicating with others. Don’t use harsh words while speaking. You must be calm, honest, and also respectful.

Interpersonal Skills-A Way to Success

“To open the doors of success,

Get out of the pleasing fake bubble,

And meet the harsh real world.“

Photo by Christina Morillo on Pexels.com

There are 3 basic questions that arise in the minds of each individual when thinking about their interpersonal skills:

  • What are interpersonal skills?
  • Why is there a need to absorb these skills?
  • How to identify and improve them?

MEANING

Interpersonal skills are the skills that a person uses to interact with others. They are also referred as social skills, which helps you to interact , communicate & collaborate with others effectively. Some examples of such skills are:

  • Self confidence
  • Positive attitude
  • Empathy
  • Listening skills
  • Controlling your emotions
  • Communication skills

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

In today’s world the most important interpersonal skill is the communication skill. For an effective interaction and good relations, we need to posess and polish our communication skills. It is divided into 3 divisions:

  1. Verbal communication– To convey our thoughts and ideas to the other person, it is very important to express them clearly and precisely, either verbally or through written mediums(letters, reports, etc.)
  2. Non-Verbal communication– Not all conversations are verbal, some are also carried by non-verbal components like when we express our opinion by our gestures or body language.
  3. Effective listening– Yes, listening is also a part of communication. Only a good listener can be a good speaker, as to make others understand your viewpoint, you need to first listen theirs.

WHY TO ABSORB THEM?

We often come across various people for different purposes but our relation with them depends on our ability to handle them. The key role, here, is played by our interpersonal skills. As we grow, we possess some of these skills unconsciously while some of these has to be assimilated.

For a successful career we need to have good relations with others. A student having good social skills has many opportunity doors opened and can explore different areas. A person seeking job needs to first pass the interview round(in almost every paid job)where his interpersonal skills are tested. Even in a business, good social relations increases the chances of a longer and successful business.

Not only for our career but social skills are also important for a good personal life. Whether it is our friends, family, relatives or partners, each of them is to be handled with care by using your skills. These skills also enhances your overall personality, boosts your confidence and makes you a better person. Also some people may wonder that such skills are present in every human being by birth but that’s not true, each individual is different and such skills comes with experience. As we grow, we tend to develop them, but to make them useful you need to polish them as well.

HOW TO IDENTIFY AND IMPROVE?

By now, you may have identified some of the social skills you have. To identify these skills, the most effective way is to interact with more &more people(known and unknown)as this will help you spot your strengths and weaknesses. After doing so just pick out your strengths and practice them daily and use them to overpower you weakness. In due course of time you will see that your polished strengths have reduced and ultimately removed your weaknesses.

So just focus on your skills, improve them and conquer your dreams….

Unique Barriers to Communication

Even after taking care of every other detail, some differences arise. So, to reduce these differences, we have to understand the most common barriers to effective communication.

The method of communication has multiple difficulties. The expected MESSAGE will often be disturbed and twisted leading to a form of difference and collapse of communication. The barriers to effective communication can be of many types.

The communication limits may prevent communication or carry wrong meaning due to which confusion may be created. Hence, it is essential for a supervisor to identify such boundaries and take suitable measures to overcome them. The unique barriers to communication in organizations can be:

1. Physical Barriers to Communication

They are the most prominent barriers to efficient communication. These barriers are mostly easily removable in principle at least. They include barriers like noise, closed doors, faulty equipment used for communication, closed cabins, etc. Sometimes, in a large office, the physical separation between various employees combined with faulty equipment may result in severe barriers to effective communication.
Learn more about Interpersonal Skills and Emotional Intelligence here in detail.

2. Cultural Barriers of Communication

As the world is getting more and more globalized, any big office may have people from various parts of the world. Various cultures have different meanings for several fundamental values of society. Dressing, Religions or lack of them, food, drinks, pets, and the general behaviour will change drastically from one culture to another.
Hence it is a must that we must take these different cultures into account while communicating. This is what we call being culturally appropriate. In many multinational companies, special courses are offered at the orientation stages that let people know about other cultures and how to be courteous and tolerant of others.

3. Organisational Structure Barriers

As we saw there are many systems of communication at an organizational level. Each of these systems has its own problems and constraints that may become barriers to effective communication. Most of these barriers arise because of misinformation or a lack of relevant transparency available to the employees.

4. Attitude Barriers

Some people like to be left alone. They are introverts or just people who are not very social. Others like to be social. Both these cases could become a barrier to communication. Some people have attitude issues, like huge egos and inconsiderate behaviours.

These employees can cause severe tensions in the communication channels that they are present in. Certain personality traits like nervousness, agitation, social anxiety may be removable through courses and proper training. However, problems like egocentric behaviour and self-indulgence may not be correctable.

5. Perception Barriers

Different people perceive the same things differently. This is a fact which we must consider during the communication process. Knowledge of the perception levels of the audience is crucial to effective communication. All the messages or communique must be easy and clear. There shouldn’t be any room for a diversified interpretational set.

6. Physiological Barriers

Certain disorders or diseases or other limitations could also prevent effective communication between the various channels of an organization. The shrillness of voice, dyslexia, etc are some examples of physiological barriers to effective communication. However, these are not crucial because they can easily be compensated and removed.

7. Technological Barriers

Other barriers include technological barriers. The technology is developing fast and as a result, it becomes difficult to keep up with the freshest developments. Hence sometimes the technological advance may become a barrier. In addition to this, the cost of technology is sometimes very high.

Most organizations will not be able to afford a decent tech for the purpose of communication. Hence, this becomes a very crucial barrier. Other barriers are socio-religious barriers. In a patriarchal society, a woman or a transgender may face many difficulties and barriers while communicating.

Common Barriers to Communication

Even after taking care of every other detail, some differences arise. So, to reduce these differences, we have to understand the most common barriers to effective communication.

The method of communication has multiple difficulties. The expected MESSAGE will often be disturbed and twisted leading to a form of difference and collapse of communication. The barriers to effective communication can be of many types.

The communication limits may prevent communication or carry false meaning due to which confusions may be created. Therefore, a supervisor needs to identify such boundaries and take suitable measures to overcome them. The barriers to communication in organizations can be:

1. SEMANTIC Barriers

These are concerned with the obstacles and difficulties in the process of encoding and decoding a message into words or impressions. Usually, such barriers happen due to the use of improper words, erroneous translations, varying interpretations, etc.

For example, a manager has to communicate with workers who have no knowledge of English and on the other side, he is not well conversed with Hindi. Here, language is a barrier to communication as the manager may not be able to communicate properly with the workers.

2. Psychological Barriers

Emotional or psychological factors also play as barriers to communication. The state of mind of both the sender and receiver of communication indicates ineffective communication. A troubled person cannot communicate properly and an irritated recipient cannot understand the message properly.

Thus, at the time of communication, both the sender and the receiver need to be psychologically sound. Also, they should trust each other. If they do not believe each other, they cannot understand each other’s message in its original sense.

Some people have stage fear, speech disorders, phobia, depression etc. All of these conditions are very difficult to manage sometimes and will most certainly limit the ease of communication.

3. Organizational Barriers

The factors related to organizational structure, rules and regulations authority relationships, etc. may sometimes act as barriers to effective communication. In an organization with a highly centralized pattern, people may not be encouraged to have free communication. Also, rigid rules and regulations and cumbersome procedures may become a hurdle to communication.

4. Personal Barriers

The personal factors of both sender and receiver may act as a barrier to effective communication. If a superior thinks that a particular communication may adversely affect his authority, he may suppress such communication.
Also, if the superiors do not have confidence in the competency of their subordinates, they may not ask for their advice. The subordinates may not be willing to offer useful suggestions in the absence of any reward or appreciation for a good suggestion.

5. Linguistic Barriers

The language barrier is one of the main barriers that limit effective communication. Language is the most commonly employed tool of communication. The fact that each major region has its own language is one of the Barriers to effective communication. Sometimes even a thick dialect may render the communication ineffective.
As per some estimates, the dialects of every two regions change within a few kilometers. Even in the same workplace, different employees will have different linguistic skills. As a result, the communication channels that span across the organization would be affected by this.
Thus keeping this barrier in mind, different considerations have to be made for different employees. Some of them are very proficient in a certain language and others will be ok with these languages.

6. Emotional Barriers

The emotional IQ of a person determines the ease and comfort with which they can communicate. An emotionally mature person will be able to communicate effectively. On the other hand, people who let their emotions take over will face certain difficulties.
A perfect mixture of emotions and facts is necessary for effective communication. Emotions like anger, frustration, humour, can blur the decision-making capacities of a person and thus limit the effectiveness of their communication.

Communication & it’s Process

“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” – Tony Robbins

Communication is fundamental to the existence and survival of humans as well as to an organization. Communication is actually the act of conveying information from one place, person, or group to another. The complexity is why great communication skills are deemed so desirable by employers around the world: accurate, effective and unambiguous communication is actually extremely hard.

Every communication involves (at least) one sender, a message, and a recipient. This may sound simple, but communication is actually a very complex subject.

The transmission of the message from sender to recipient can be affected by a huge range of things. These include our emotions, the cultural situation, the medium used to communicate, and even our location.

It is a process of creating and sharing ideas, information, views, facts, feelings, etc. among the people to reach a common understanding. Communication is the key to the Directing function of management.

A manager may be highly qualified and skilled but if he does not possess good communication skills, all his ability becomes irrelevant. A manager must communicate his directions effectively to the subordinates to get the work done from them properly.

Communication Process

Communication is a perpetual process that essentially involves three factors which are: sender, message, and receiver. The factors involved in the communication process are:

1. Sender
The sender/communicator creates the message and sends it to the receiver. He is the source and the one who starts the communication.

2. Message
The message is the idea, information, view, fact, feeling, etc. that is created by the sender and is then intended to be communicated further.

3. Encoding
The message generated by the sender is encoded symbolically such as in the form of words, pictures, gestures, etc. before it is being communicated.

4. Media
It is the manner in which the encoded message is conveyed. The message may be conveyed orally or in writing. The medium of communication includes telephone, internet, post, fax, e-mail, etc. The choice of medium is decided by the sender.

5. Decoding
It is the means of transforming the symbols encoded by the sender. The message is received by the receiver after decoding.

6. Receiver
This person is last in the chain for whom the message is sent by the sender. Once the receiver receives the message and interprets it in the proper viewpoint and acts according to the message, then the purpose of communication is successful.

7. Feedback
Once the receiver confirms to the sender that he has received the message and understood it, the process of communication is complete.

8. Noise
It refers to any hindrance caused by the sender, message, or receiver during the process of communication. For example, poor telephone connection, defective encoding, weak decoding, unmindful receiver, weak understanding of message due to bias or improper gestures, etc.

Every communication involves (at least) one sender, a message, and a recipient. This may sound easy, but communication is actually a very tricky subject. The delivery of the message from sender to recipient can be influenced by a huge range of things. These include our sentiments, the social situation, the medium used to communicate, as well as our location.

Career options in Journalism and Mass Communication

Mass communication and journalism is a rapidly growing field of study. The world is now connected through the media. The information we get daily is the hard work of the mass communication industry. They are constantly working to provide us with the latest happenings around the world every moment of the day. 

But this is not a job of just a handful of people. Thousands of people work day and night on-screen and off-screen.

Earlier it was assumed that the only career option after a degree in mass communication and journalism would land you a job as a reporter or an anchor. And it was not considered a cup of tea for everyone.
But today, people are becoming well aware of the different roles people in this industry play and choosing to opt them as a career. 

If you are confused as to what are the many job options in this industry, below is a list of some of the jobs other than the commonly known ones. 

  1. Public relations:

These are the people who serve as a representative for businesses, institutions, persons and government bodies. PR executives launch campaigns through print, electronic, and online media. Their main role is to create and develop a brand and help them build a positive image and communication in public. You also have to make sure that correct information about your client is being conveyed to the people at the right time.

To become a PR executive you need to have good communication skills, creative, reliable and tech-savvy. Moreover, you need good written and oral skills, strong command over language and good organising skills.

  1. Photography:

As a professional photographer, you will be responsible to manage artists/products, set lights, manage time and create quality content. Your job is not limited to clicking photos only. You can pick one or more than one genre of photography. The genres include candid, food photography, photojournalism, wildlife, fashion or interior. 

If you have a passion for photography and make a career in it, this is the job for you. You must be tech-savvy and willing to learn on the go. The main aspect of this job is to capture emotions and moments.

  1. News Editor:

The job of news editor involves deciding which news stories need to be printed. He manages and produces news to present information with flow, accuracy and within a time frame. They work as a coordinator with other team members and other departments. 

  1. Sound engineer:

They work in films, music, television and radio. They can also work for live performances and shows. They handle tasks like adding sound effects to recordings, resolving technical problems, performing duties assigned by directors and producers. Qualities you must have are, editing techniques and different audio recordings to perform well with the various tasks appointed.

  1. Art director:

The look after the creation of visual material for print, advertisement, film production and other related things. The see how to present the concept visually and which photographs or design elements in the best way possible. Their role is to develop the overall style of publication, television and advertising campaign. They understand the designs elements of projects and keep the projects on budget within the given time frame. 

There are other job opportunities as well. The list is long and this is a field that people are not ready to explore completely. 

But as people are becoming aware, they are seeking jobs in this field. Some other jobs you can try in mass communication and journalism are:

News reporter 

TV correspondent 

Producer 

Radio jockey 

Content writer 

Sound mixer 

Screenwriter 

Film writer 

And the list goes on. Some qualities are specifically important in people working in the mass communication industry. They should be inquisitive, alert, confident, patient and enthusiastic. 

If you are looking to pursue a career in mass communication and journalism, these are some of the options out of the many that you can opt for. The jobs are well paying and you get to learn something new every day. 

What COVID-19 has taught us?

We used to watch the news and feel bad for people in China regarding COVID-19, little did we know that in a month it will hit us. Things changed drastically. The way we used to interact with people, work, shop, eat, or travel outside; it all underwent a major transformation. Due to this, we have realized what needs to be valued that we took for granted earlier.

  • We can no longer exploit nature ruthlessly. Oceans are other water bodies that have cleaned up. There has been a return of wildlife as seen by the residents. The quality of air has improved. The ozone layer which depleting rapidly has started repairing itself. We can easily save our environment just like we during the lockdown. Only we need to be cognizant of this important factor once we completely resume our lives.

 

  • Now we have started valuing our loved ones more. Not able to interact like we used to, no meetings, no parties, no concerts; all of it was a part of our mundane lives has become so important in the last few months. We still don’t know when we will be able to socialize like earlier. Hopefully, we don’t take this for granted once we are back at it again.

 

  • We realized how fragile the economy is. There immense employees lay-off, salary cuts, migrant laborers were thrown out of factories or other workplaces leaving them without money. This crisis made us realize one should save enough that if anything like this happens again, one can tackle them with little ease.

 

  • We realized how important water it, and lack of it can be troublesome. As asked by the Government to wash our hands 20 seconds at a time has revealed the weak water infrastructure. This simple act has wasted a lot of water during this time. Not just this, there were millions of people who still don’t have access to water facilities in the country. They don’t receive clean water to wash their hands in the middle of the pandemic. The bells are loud and clear. Immediate action needs to be taken. Also, people should educate themselves about water conservation and try adopting it.

 

  • It has taught us about the importance of preparation- Preparation of everything! Whether it is money, food, healthcare anything.

At last, the virus has taught us how to be patient and the benefits of silence and solitude. We could look into ourselves and explore our consciousness. Otherwise, our busy lives would never have given us this chance. We were so involved in superficial activities and never got time for ourselves. Now that we have this opportunity, use it to the fullest. This will not only uplift each individual but society at large.

 

 

Friendship And Physical Distancing

Introverts or extrovert, social interaction is a need for everyone. No one is liking the fact that physical distancing isn’t taking place on their terms.

Self Isolation, physical distancing and ‘Real Friends’

To give you a breakup: Some of my friends aren’t taking self-isolation very well. Some don’t seem to be minding it at all. And then there are those who, on the surface, seem to be taking it well, but in reality are carrying the heavy load of being ‘the strong friend’.

In April, a tweet by the handle @/tiamowry got viral, it read “During this pandemic, you’ll really see who your friends are. Who’s really checking up on you? Making sure you’re okay? Remember that when all this is over?”. It was deleted after the backlash, but the sheer number of likes, retweets and all the ‘yes omg, you’re right’ comments it received made it clear that a lot of us follow the same mentality that the tweet reflected. The mentality, in plain words, is being self-absorbed. Sure, all of us want to receive love and feel loved. We want constant reassurance from our friends and family that care about us.

However, to go ahead and suggest that a friend who is not constantly checking up on you isn’t a ‘real’ friend is parochial. This mentality implies that the pandemic is only affecting you and your mental health. It fails to acknowledge that it is also affecting everyone else, which includes your ‘real’ friends.

The last thing you should do is measure the strength of your friendships based on how often a friend is checking up on you as if they don’t have other things that could be worrying them or occupying their time during a pandemic.

Personally, I’ve been checking in on my friends, talking to them as much as I can. Doing as much listening as sharing. In no way am I doing this expecting everyone else to do the same for me. While saying this, it is also important that I mention the context- I’m in an extremely privileged position than most in this whole situation. For one, I have a roof over my head, three hot meals and not any financial burden to keep me worried about. I am someone who can be described as an ‘overly productive’ person during the pandemic. While on most day I like to be buried in work, but there are also days when everything starts to take a toll on me, on those days, sometimes I’m busy pretending to be strong for people even though I can hardly seem do anything for my own mental health. The other times I prioritise myself, something I learned the hard way.

Who SHOULD YOU CHECK UP ON?

There is no fixed answer to this question. It could be people with emotional/mental disorders, your current friends, old friends, new friends, family or even distant relatives. It is okay to do this as long as it doesn’t cost you your own peace of mind. You can not help anyone if you yourself are struggling. If you are over extending yourself it is okay to not check in with people you regularly check in with. You can keep yourself first without dissolving in guilt.

UNLEARNING

Like I mentioned before, I personally don’t take offence to whether or not a friend drops me a text or randomly video calls me. The pandemic isn’t just about me nor is it just about them. It is something that we are all collectively experiencing combined with our own personal struggles.

Take a quick moment to practice a more open and accommodating mindset.

Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before Graduating School

It’s again the time to apply for colleges while you’re just out of school. This stage in life always involves uncertainty and stress, and in addition COVID-19 has made it even more challenging for students. Here are some things I wish I knew before I got out of school-

It’s okay to not have everything figured out just yet

I’m sure you have heard all types of questions about your future- ranging from which college would you like to get into to what do you want to major in, from what type of career do you want after college to what’s your plan-B. If you know the answer to such questions then, congratulations you’re the lucky one. But It’s okay if you don’t know the answers to these right now. Most people don’t have their entire life figured out at age of 17/18. You’ll get there eventually. Try exploring one question at a time instead of stressing about all of these at once. Small steps, remember?

Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone

This is probably one of the biggest things I had to learn after getting out of school. It’s so important that you learn to step out of your comfort zone while you’re in school. School offers you a very sheltered environment, but college doesn’t. You’ll have to make ways to achieve things you want and even go and extra mile for them. Inculcating this habit will benefit you in the long run. You surely don’t want to miss out on opportunities in college simply because you were afraid to take a risk.

You and your friends might grow apart

I was fortunate enough to experience my school friendships grow even stronger after leaving school. But this wan’t the case with most of the friend groups in my school batch. It is something that happens when you all jet off to different cities, when you meet new people who you connect with better or when you see that people who you were close to in school aren’t making as much effort to communicate as you are, which happens a lot. It’s highly unlikely for your entire friend group to end up in the same university or college after graduation or for them to make the same efforts they were making when you all were meeting each day. Either way, don’t be discouraged if you realise you’re not as close as you were in school.

ask for help

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Whether it’s your pride or your fear holding you back, try and get over it. You don’t have to force yourself to struggle when you can ask the ones you trust for help. Whether it’s related to academics or your personal struggle adjusting to a new environment, reach out for help. Looking back you will wish you had asked for help when you had the chance to. This will make your life a lot more easier.

PRIORITIzE your health, physical and mental

Learn to prioritize your health and pay attention to what your body needs from you. Pulling all nighters day after day after day will destroy you and your focus. And No, you can’t survive the whole day at college on a diet of lays and coke forever. Don’t skip your meals. Your health is very important.

You don’t have to be the same person you were in high school

College is the perfect time to reinvent yourself. It’s the perfect time to unlearn concepts and opinions that you no longer agree with. It’s the perfect time to to better yourself educating yourself with issues that are revenant around you. University offers you an environment suitable to reinvent yourself, it offers you the space to give educated opinions and to find like minded people who you willingly want to interact with online school where you had to interact with your classmates only. If you were the brainiac that always had a secret passion for art, then join your college’s art club. If in school you were into sports but always appreciated and enjoyed debating, then join the debate club while participate in the sports activities of your choice. You don’t have to stay the same and that’s the beauty of it.

How Can You Avoid Getting Sucked Into Toxic Behaviour Online

A lot of us, without even realising, engage in toxic and unhealthy behaviours online. I’ll shares some tips that I follow for avoiding getting sucked into such behaviours.

RECOGNISING TOXIC BEHAVIOUR ONLINE

People today are always on some form of social media all the time, whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, the list is never ending. Though using social media has its own benefits, I feel as though a lot of people get trapped in unhealthy behaviour patterns online without even knowing, as it isn’t something we talk about often.

step 1: Unfollow the ones you compare yourself to

It is a drastic step, but I really do believe that this helps you to stop comparing yourself to others online. If you compare yourself to people online and if you’ve been doing for a while, then it will be natural for you to compare yourself to the ones that you deem perfect. The best way to stop doing this, is to unfollow such accounts and fill your feed with accounts that are raw and make you feel good and real about yourself. After you have completed this step, you will begin to feel positive about yourself when you scroll your feed.

step 2: Make yourself Realise that it’s just one photo not their whole life

When you post a picture on any social media platform, do you tend to post when you’re having a bad day, or do you post it when you know you look your best? It’s more likely that you post a picture when you feel good about yourself, when you’re enjoying yourself, when you’re having fun and you then post the highlight of your day. When we look a someone’s picture, we automatically assume that you know everything about their lives, and that everything in their life is as perfect at their post. When you realise that every single person tends to post only the bits of the day that they love or enjoy, the sooner you’ll be able to ditch the unhealthy pattern and it will instantly make you feel good and much happierWhen you realise that every single person tends to post only those bits of their day that they love or enjoy, the sooner you’ll be able to ditch this unhealthy pattern and it will instantly make you feel good and much happier about where you are in life.

step 3: Set aside time to scroll

But I seem to have even 5 free minutes to myself I will pick up my phone and scrolled through my social media feed as if it is my daily newspaper. But this is something that I am working on and that something that you should aim to change too. The more you endlessly scroll through your social media feed, be it any platform, the more you will be out of touch with reality. That is why it is important to set aside some time for scrolling. In a long run this would allow you to focus throughout the day on things that you actually need to do as you know whenThat is why it is important to set aside some time for scrolling. In a long run this would allow you to focus throughout the day on things that you actually need to do as you know when you have allotted time to scroll.

Social Media can be a positive and an empowering place, but when/if it starts to have a negative impact on your mental health then something needs to change. Start making these small CHANGES today – you can do it

4 Productive Things To Do During Quarantine

REMINDER: IT’S OKAY TO NOT BE PRODUCTIVE EVERYDAY. YOUR WORTH IS INDEPENDENT OF YOUR PRODUCTIVITY

PART 1

Here are 4 productive things to do during quarantine:

1. Learn to play an instrument

Playing an instrument is a great skill, you could start with an instrument that you have always thought of playing- a guitar, a ukulele, a tabla or an instrument that is fascinating to you. Though it will take some time to get used to the habit of following YouTube tutorials or online lessons, but once you get a hang of it, you’ll realise just how rewarding it is. With so much time on your hands you’ll not be under any pressure to reschedule your day and make time out of you busy schedule, instead you’ll be able to take it at your pace and pay more attention to details. 

Here’s a list of easy to learn instruments: Top 15 musical instruments you can easily learn & play

2. Read more books

There are hundreds of thousands of authors and an even bigger amount of books you could read. Books are an essential item for improving your language as well as your vocabulary. They develop your knowledge – and like instruments, they help sharpen your memory. If you don’t want to shell out money from your pocket and/or are sceptical to order paperbacks online from stores like Amazon or Flipkart, the easier way out is free e-book websites. 

You can try and give EPDF or PDF Drive a shot. 

3. Bake

Baking is incredible and extremely fulfilling: mix a few ingredients, put it in the oven – and bingo! You have a tasty treat for yourself. Baking can also be advantageous for mental health as it is very therapeutic and calming for the brain. Research show that it is a great stress reliever and can leave you feeling happier and more positive.  

Here are some YouTube channels that will make you want to run to you kitchen to get your supplies

  1. Bake With Shivesh
  2. The Terrace Kitchen
  3. Spice Bangla

4. Learn a new language

If you want to level up and attempt a more challenging activity, which will benefit you exceedingly- learn a new language. It is scientifically proven that learning a new language makes you smarter and helps in developing cognitive abilities. Learning a new language help strengthen your listening and multitasking skills. Research also suggests that it helps prevent the onset of Alzheimers. 

There are plenty apps and e-learning wesbites that can help you learn a language. These include: Affordable yet excellent language courses on Udemy and Coursera also offers such free and paid courses by prestigious universities from all over the globe. 

Communication 101: How to convince someone?

How to be More Persuasive on the Phone: 7 Powerful Persuasion ...

Human beings are social animals. Not a day passes by without interacting with people in both personal and professional life. We do everything in our hands to make people like us, accept us and agree with us. Our communication skills play a major role in making the image that we want of ourselves in the eyes of the people we are trying to impress. It is not even only the effective conviction of the messages we are trying to send but the how we structure the message so that it appeals to people. To persuade someone is to make them believe in your ideas.

Persuasion is not that simple. It doesn’t matter if you are trying to sell a good or a service or just sending your idea across, you must know how psychology works and what makes people agree. Yes! Human psyche also plays a major role in making a person reject or accept another person’s offer, keeping aside a person’s perspective about the thing that has been offered. What I am saying is it is not always the attractiveness and the benefits that could be derived from the thing that is presented but also the way in which it is presented.

Dr Robert B Cialdini, a renowned psychologist and an academician, has defined six principles of persuasion in his book ‘Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion’ and each one of them are briefly explained in the following section:

  1. Reciprocity

When you do something nice for someone, they might do something nice for you in return as well or simply, a positive action leads to a positive action. Humans have a tendency to return favors so as to not feel indebted. This is the universal principle of reciprocity. It is demonstrated when you are offered something for free, maybe in a restaurant or a store, and it makes you wanna go back and/or make another purchase. Reciprocity is also at play when a colleague offers to do some of your work when your workload is high and you do the same for them in their time of need.

  1. Scarcity

Like the literal meaning of the word ‘scarcity’, when a particular thing is available in limited amounts, it makes you wanna lay your hand on it. We want to have things that are limited edition because of the uniqueness compared to things that are in abundance and it makes us feel special. Very general examples can be seen on online shopping sites when a particular article is about to get sold out and they inform it to you by displaying ‘only 3 left in stock’. In personal life, a person might value you more if you give to them, something that is scarce – your time.

  1. Authority

When you associate, whatever you are trying to convey, with a person who is an expert in the field or has relevant knowledge, the chances of your audience believing you become significantly higher. In everyday life, we see advertisements in which a dentist recommends a particular toothpaste brand or a doctor recommends a soap. The principle of authority is at play here. Even when you are making a point in a conversation with your friends or colleagues, people might get immediately convinced the moment you quote a credible source to support your argument. 

  1. Consistency

If someone was to get interviewed on news about their views on education of underprivileged children, there’s a good chance that they might agree to make a donation to an NGO who is working towards the very cause. People like to be consistent with their words and actions. Why would anyone want to be called a hypocrite and even if no one points it out, at least their perspective of themselves will change but it’s still inacceptable and leads to discontent. 

  1. Liking

This principle doesn’t need as much explanation. People who are likable find persuading people much easier than people who are not. It is important to make your intended audience like you for them to hear what you are offering or you would like to tell. Companies appoint celebrities for brand endorsements because they are influential and people like and follow them. With a complete stranger, you might wanna start with a personal conversation and see what you and them have in common to make you like them before you get down to business.

  1. Social Proof

Not only do people follow celebrities, they also follow what is being done on a large scale. If something has become a trend and almost everyone in every section of the society is doing it, you will do it too. It doesn’t even have to be every section. If most of your colleagues are carpooling to commute to the office, you will want to carpool too. Even when you read reviews about a product or a movie, they influence your decision of whether you will buy it or watch it or not.

3 Ways for Students to Make Money Online Without Getting a Job

USE Depop

Similar to eBay, Depop is a platform for those who want to sell their clothing, jewelry, artwork, and anything else under the sun. The app is well known for being populated by vintage lovers and those who want to reduce their carbon footprint by practicing sustainability. The app also includes item recommendations based on your taste, top sellers based on style, and world favourites. Users can decide to follow shops and sellers in order to keep track of the items they are selling.

Starting up on this app is very elementary. The user only needs to connect their Paypal account for transactions and other payments. In addition to payments, many sellers and users on the app also participate in trades where they trade items from either store of similar value. After this step, the only thing left is setting up an account with a profile photo, a biography, and social media links, if that’s what your heart desires. From here, you can post photos of whatever you want to sell and choose the price.

If your item is a clothing item, a jewellery piece, or an accessory of any sort, wearing it in a photo for reference is normally preferred by buyers so they can see how it may fit another individual. Always take as many photos of your product as possible. This usually increases the likelihood that someone will buy it because you show all the angles of the product as well as the flaws it may have. Include a bunch of tags related to your item under the post. These tags are used for when other users search an item through keywords.

Youtube

For creators from all walks of life, Youtube is one of Gen Z’s golden media platforms. From compilations to make up tutorials to daily vlogs to art tutorials to photography tips, the platform is extremely versatile. And this is where you come in. Like the previous idea, take something you like and start a channel on it. If you’re really religious, start a channel on things you have learned or practice. If you love makeup, become a practicing beauty guru. Or maybe even just do daily vlogs and stream your routine in quarantine. The possibilities of Youtube are endless, but that doesn’t always promise you money. Many Youtubers correlate their large incomes from Youtube to brand deals, views and hard work But the message on success in the Youtube space is clear: you need to be patient. Success on Youtube doesn’t just come with the click of the upload button, you need to work for it or do something that is worth remembering. 

SELL YOUR ART

This option is much more universal than you think. Whether you are a skilled artist or not, selling paintings or art on eBay is much more simple than one would expect. If you’re an amateur then start by making a small abstract piece. If you’ve mastered an art form then you have an upper hand, show your art skills, create more art pieces since you have more time on your hand.

Job is lost, not the mastership!

Get the ‘tasks’ of your own!

You’ve lost your job but you are still in the possession of your skills.

“Unemployed, what to do now?”
“From where to start?”
“I can’t find anything else to do!”
It’s better to ponder over the strategies to get a job instead of spoiling the mood following such qualms.
Stop worrying, start learning something new. Because it’s just the scepticisms talking!

Many fundamental tasks at home must have been hung back, caused by unemployment. But it does not mean that all the portals are closed.
You have got time to think something raw, something fresh and to do something new as well. Then why not to do the enhancement of your skills?
First and foremost, start making a plan to control the expenditures and start executing it at your earliest convenience.
You can do anything you want to do. Just think ahead about what to do.

Think of ahead, what do you want to do


It happens many times that we stay in a job despite the fact that it is bearing no interest. Or say that we never really wanted to do.

Co-founder of a career assessment – ‘Map My Talent’, Rohit Sehgal says, “About 80% of employees believe that they are stuck in their jobs which actually is not for them.”


So you seek such a job that interests you.
For that, if you need to do any course or get enrolled in any program of two or three months, just go for it.
Can do work from home or would like to start something of your own, considering all these aspects, search for a new job.

“Don’t Worry About Job Burn-Out. Worry About Job Boredom.” -Darius Foroux

Learn something new

HR consultant, Nirmala Menon says, “You’ve to remember one thing that whether the company has fired you or you’ve left the job, no matter what’s the case with you, your skills are still lodging in there!”
Instead of being disappointed, think about the ways in which you can reinforce your skills.
Due to lockdown, you’ve got enough time to train yourself to be a multitasker. If you want to learn something new, then choose the hi-tech way! Choose your desired online course from a list of choices and join online programs. (‘Modern problems require modern solutions!’)

Don’t flatten the graph of evolution

Networking is constructive


A survey of Yale University claims that 70% of jobs are available through the networks only.
So you need to find a new networking strategy.
You need to be active on social media platforms. Keep your revamped profile on job providers or search engines, particularly for jobs like LinkedIn and other job sites.
If you are looking for a job in marketing, then you can join the space of global marketing and communication professionals on LinkedIn.
Stay connected to your seniors and ex-colleagues. Discuss and swap viewpoints, seek pieces of advice.
Thrive the flexibility of decision-making as per the requirement of time.
Don’t think twice about challenging yourself otherwise you’d stop evolving.

New Normal: Virtual Teams

Keys to Overcoming Virtual Team Communication Challenges - Chanty

The current pandemic situation has driven everyone to their homes in order to protect themselves from the novel Coronavirus. Countries are in the phase of ‘unlocking’ now as they can’t afford the lockdown anymore but the virus is still prevalent. Social distancing measures must be taken up even when all activities resume and other necessary precautions like wearing a mask and maintaining hygiene must be taken as well. The work-from-home culture has been adopted worldwide and both a person who is working individually and people who are working in teams need to be managed. 

A virtual team is a group of individuals in remote locations that are working together towards a common goal and the mode of communication through which they coordinate their activities is electronic. Before the pandemic, virtual teams were formed when people from different countries were on board for a project. Such a team was advantageous because the organisation could save up on real estate costs and it was also favourable for the employees because their time wasn’t spent on commuting, leading to more productivity. There are also disadvantages like technological issues and lack of that level of bonding associated with workplace teams. Managing a virtual team is obviously more difficult than workplace teams, especially when the communication between the team members isn’t as effective.

Due to the prevailing circumstances, formation of virtual teams is inevitable but there are a few differences. The members of the team aren’t necessarily in different locations and the was formed to ensure social distancing and prevent the transmission of virus, in turn. There is a chance that the members of the team know each other personally beforehand. Formation of a virtual team is also more complex because the people with qualities like effective communication and sense of individualism have to be handpicked and assigned role after due thought process for smooth working of the team.

The leader of a virtual team isn’t very different from the workplace team and needs to have qualities like emotional intelligence and effective communication so that the members of the team are clearly aware of  division of work and goals of the team and shortcomings of face-to-face interaction can be prevented. There is a possibility that the members might hesitate to speak up their concerns in such a setting but the leader must encourage them to speak their hearts out whenever needed. 

Read about Emotional Intelligence here.

Now that there is a team with a leader, the members have to get to know each other personally in case they don’t and the targets have to be made and communicated. Short term milestones should also be set in order to keep the members motivated for them to keep up with their efforts continually in order to reach them. The means of electronic communication should also be decided and they should be favorable with whatever project the team is taking up. There are an array of platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams available that facilitate the work-from-home culture. Video conferencing should be done regularly for both work and non-work related conversations to increase cohesiveness.