For when you feel really bad There is harmony in disharmony
Behind the clouds, the sun is shining
It could be worse
It will be worse
Feeling bad is just a new sensation
Tomorrow is another day
I will survive
Every cloud has a silver lining
There is a light at the end of the tunnel
After the rain comes a rainbow
It's always darkest before the dawn
It has to get worse, before it gets better
Every rose has its thorn
Midnight is where the day begins
Cheer up, it's not the end of the world
This too, shall pass
Life's not so bad, when you consider the alternative
The sharper the berry, the sweeter the wine
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Diving To Success
Diving To Success
The affable president of a midsized privately held manufacturing company had worked himself through the sales dept. At least once a week, he stopped by the sales dept. to see “His Boys”.” How much money have you fellows made for me today? “he would ask, chortling. And they would laugh back at him saying, “Not enough for you, we know, but more than enough.”
The sales people loved the attention, for, they had great confidence in their president. They felt that his very presence was very lucky. As long as they saw his name on the door, they were convinced that they were unbeatable. Then the president retired. Almost immediately, the sales began to fall. The sales manager saw that his people were making fewer sales calls. They had become afraid: they believed that with their leader’s retirement they had lost their luck. In this case as in so many others, perception was reality. Fewer calls meant fewer sales. Fewer sales led to depression and a lack of confidence, which led to fewer sales calls. The downward spiral of depression had begun.
Soon the sales people were so depressed they couldn’t sell anything. All they could do was take orders.
The sales manager understood the problem. He even explained it to his subordinates. But try as he might, he could not improve the situation. Then one day he had an idea.
He called the sales organization together, but he didn’t say anything about sales calls. Infact, he didn’t mention sales calls at all. Instead he asked,” How many here have jumped out of an airplane?” No one raised a hand. “I’m told,” he continued, “that skydiving is lots of fun.” He had their interest now. “I’ve never jumped out of an aero plane,” he continued,” but I might like to. Who here would be willing to make a parachute jump with me if the company training, insurance and one parachute jump?”
After they realized that the sales manager was not joking, the sales people joined with questions and comments. I t was the longest discussion they had ever had on any subject.
Someone asked why the company would pay for them to go skydiving. “Oh, I don’t know.” He answered. “I guess the new boss just wants to know if we’ve got the stomach for it”. At last, of 31 people, 16 agreed to accept the challenge.
Note that the manager did not once mention declining sales or sales calls. His unusual proposal distracted his employees from their depression. They refocused on the challenge of jumping from an aero plane.
Two weeks later 14 of the 16 people showed up, completed their training and jumped. Five more jumped a week later and 3 more the week after that. Now the sales people started feeling good about themselves. They felt they were special. No other salespeople they knew jumped out of airplanes. In fact, they were hard pressed to think of anyone in the whole industry who did it.
Then a wonderful thing happened: Confidence Returned. The sales people felt that if they could jump out of an airplane, they could do anything. They began making more sales calls, in fact; they made more calls than they had before the president retired. As they made more sales calls, they increased sales. From these victories, their confidence returned and the number of calls and sales increased even more. Strangely, calls and sales increased even among those who did not jump. They caught the spirit from those who had. This confirmed that depression was an organizational ailment.
Taking dramatic action gets the depressed organization onto a different track and allows it to break out of a depressed cycle. Fortunately, there are other ways to distract an organization besides jumping out of airplanes. Many other actions, some quite simple, can get the organization focused on something else.
Depressed organizations tend to get caught in a sort of mental rut that sustains the depression. If you can interrupt this pattern, that one action may provide the necessary distraction and break the state of depression.
At Texaco one man did it with a speech.
In 1984 Texaco Inc. went into bankruptcy. When James W. Kinnear took over the company was still not out of bankruptcy. He started his treatment by doing something totally unexpected. He announced that he would address the entire company and he notified all the Texaco offices all around the world of the time and date. The employees thought they knew what was coming: criticism, announcement of more cutbacks, admonishing to work harder and be more productive.
They were in for a pleasant time. Kinnear began thanking everyone for staying and standing up for the organization when it was in the greatest of needs. He pointed out that their ability to do so gave him the courage and confidence that they would be an awesome organization. He shared his ideas for the development of the company and pointed out the bright future ahead of them and requested their support. This was totally unexpected by the employees who felt good and encouraged. A few years later Texaco Inc. became a company which everyone started talking about.
Being Yourself
Description: Are you ? Learn to recognize and accept the world and the people around us for what they are and not what we think they should be or how we can change them to thinking as we do.
Are you being yourself? We need to recognize and accept the world and the people around us for what they are and not what we think they should be or how we can change them to thinking as we do. Now this can be very tough but sometimes we can make a difference, especially when we see injustice.
What I am saying is try to not beat your head against a wall trying to change someone to your way of thinking, just accept them for who they are.
To be happy you need to be satisfied with yourself: you need to know how to meet your needs.
Sure you are around other people wanting to satisfy their needs and this is healthy but just don't hurt yourself and stunt your own growth trying to satisfy other people's needs.
Now you need to be responsible for your own actions, I feel that of all the qualities in having good mental health this may be the most important as it takes a certain maturity to know and be able to express your feelings and then take the responsibility for your feelings and also your actions.
Doing this can make you a more mature and also stronger person.
Try to be a free person: listen to your own feelings and also desires. Don't rely on others to determine how you live your life, it just isn't necessary. Sometimes you will have a friend that wants a certain image, say in the way she dresses, and she expects you to dress the same: don't as it is not necessary. If you lose that friend you will meet another. Think of yourself. Carry in your mind a positive picture of the person that you are: this isn't being conceited, it is being real.
Can you be alone and be comfortable with yourself or do you always need others around? We all need to spend time by ourselves, not to the limit that we don't include others in our lives but we each need a little private time and don't feel guilty about taking this time for ourselves.
Be aware of your feelings, and express them honestly:
This won't make you a phony and you won't become obnoxious, just express your feelings in a healthy way and not in a violent way, this can be done. Remember every situation you face is different than the last and has to be handled differently: think before you speak.
Try to function as fully as possible, just try to live your life to the fullest every day. It is possible.
Are you being yourself? We need to recognize and accept the world and the people around us for what they are and not what we think they should be or how we can change them to thinking as we do. Now this can be very tough but sometimes we can make a difference, especially when we see injustice.
What I am saying is try to not beat your head against a wall trying to change someone to your way of thinking, just accept them for who they are.
To be happy you need to be satisfied with yourself: you need to know how to meet your needs.
Sure you are around other people wanting to satisfy their needs and this is healthy but just don't hurt yourself and stunt your own growth trying to satisfy other people's needs.
Now you need to be responsible for your own actions, I feel that of all the qualities in having good mental health this may be the most important as it takes a certain maturity to know and be able to express your feelings and then take the responsibility for your feelings and also your actions.
Doing this can make you a more mature and also stronger person.
Try to be a free person: listen to your own feelings and also desires. Don't rely on others to determine how you live your life, it just isn't necessary. Sometimes you will have a friend that wants a certain image, say in the way she dresses, and she expects you to dress the same: don't as it is not necessary. If you lose that friend you will meet another. Think of yourself. Carry in your mind a positive picture of the person that you are: this isn't being conceited, it is being real.
Can you be alone and be comfortable with yourself or do you always need others around? We all need to spend time by ourselves, not to the limit that we don't include others in our lives but we each need a little private time and don't feel guilty about taking this time for ourselves.
Be aware of your feelings, and express them honestly:
This won't make you a phony and you won't become obnoxious, just express your feelings in a healthy way and not in a violent way, this can be done. Remember every situation you face is different than the last and has to be handled differently: think before you speak.
Try to function as fully as possible, just try to live your life to the fullest every day. It is possible.
Balancing Life & Work -- Can It Really Be Done?
Balancing Life & Work -- Can It Really Be Done? Susan PilgrimYou've heard it before: There is more to life than work. You've thought about it and agree that it's a good idea. Perhaps you've even struggled with just how to make that idea a reality in your life. You just can't seem to find that balance between your work life and your personal life. There are only so many hours in a day. Eight-hour workdays are remnants of the past. You now spend 10 and sometimes 12 or 14 hours working. That doesn't leave much time for anything else, does it?Finding and maintaining a comfortable balance in life is a universal challenge. As an executive, you're always aware that the success of your organization is up to you. It's likely that you focus so much time and attention on work that you sacrifice other areas of your life. Your responsibility for finances, products, services, customers, and employees is time-consuming and often overwhelming. There's no surprise that you feel out of sync.
Part of the confusion about "balance" comes from thinking that balance means equal amounts of time. Consider a new definition of balance -- paying attention to every aspect of your life on a regular basis. Balance is about living InSync® with yourself so you can live InSync with others. It's about attending to your multidimensional self so you can make conscious choices about how you spend your time and energy at work and in life.
There are five aspects of living that need your attention. They are the physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. Too little attention to any one of them will create the feeling of being out of sync with your self. Appropriate attention to each dimension will give you the power to find the right mix of priorities and actions for creating a balance between life and work. When you're in balance, you are more creative, more productive, and can truly experience the process of life.
Here are some actions you can take in each of the dimensions that will assist you in creating more balance between work and life:
In the Spiritual Dimension: - At work: Keep focused on the mission of the organization. Make your decisions based on what the organization is all about. Set aside time to reflect. Retreat with your executive team to spend time evaluating the vision, mission, and goals against the actual behavior of the employees and the performance of the organization. Reflect daily about your personal goals and behavior. Consider if you're on the most appropriate path for you. Determine if your daily activity is aligned with what you truly want to accomplish.
In the Mental Dimension: - At work: Plan your work and your time. Be sure to include your personal appointments, like your daughter's soccer game, in your scheduling. Look for ways to eliminate time-bandits, by using technology, uncluttering your office, and saying "no" to requests that don't fit with your master plan. Set reasonable time-lines for project completion. Hire staff who enthusiastically support the vision and mission of the organization. Delegate the work you don't really need to be doing.
In life: Schedule family and personal activities. Unclutter your home. Simplify. Let go of perfectionistic tendencies about how things should be. Set goals that allow you to discover yourself. Pursue a variety of interests unrelated to work.
In the Social Dimension: - At work: Honor relationships through open communication and conscious cooperation. Treat everyone--employees, customers, and vendors--with dignity and respect. Look at situations from different points of view. Look for the humor in running a business.
In life: Nurture your relationships. Refrain from canceling personal "appointments" because you have too much work to do. Do things for their pure enjoyment. Laugh often, especially at the silly things you do. Look for the humor in life.
In the Emotional Dimension: - At work: Monitor the emotions you feel. Take time to process what you observe. Refrain from dumping your feelings on another, especially when you're feeling angry. Take a break before dealing with an emotionally-charged situation so you can respond in an appropriate manner. At the end of the work day, release all of your concerns so you can be ready for time outside of work. Leave work at work.
In life: Take time for your self daily. Meditate, commune with nature, or read inspirational material. Get a massage. Sit and do nothing. Become comfortable with who you are outside of your title and occupation.
In the Physical Dimension: - At work: Take frequent breaks. Move around. If you find you're sitting a lot, stand up and move around about every 15 minutes. If you're on your feet, wear comfortable shoes, stretch your back and legs, and sit down periodically. Invest in an ergonomically correct work area. Take time for well-balanced meals.
In life: Exercise. Rest and relax your body. Get the appropriate amount of sleep you need. Play with young children. Eat nutritious foods. Refrain from smoking. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
How you live your life is much more important than what you do. Creating and maintaining balance in life is worth the effort right now because you'll live a richer life, enjoy the process of living, and nurture your relationships while being true to your own essence. In the end, the fact that you ran a multi-million dollar organization will pale in significance to what you contributed to life. You can balance life and work if you really want to. It starts with that first step.
Balance in Life Doesn't Have To Be Elusive
Balance in life is more important than ever before. Gone are the days when our most cherished identity was our profession. We now understand there's more to life than work, and we realize the value of our roles as partner, parent, sister, volunteer, and friend.
Work will always be a given in life, and we must make way for spending time with family and friends, taking care of ourselves, and dealing with the logistics of daily living. Unfortunately, most of our energy goes to our work and the logistics, forfeiting attention to what truly matters in our lives and the lives we touch.
It is our spiritual nature that compels us to seek balance between the important and the required. Deep within we know that balance will bring us a feeling of peace and the ability to handle whatever challenge comes our way. We desire to be InSync® with ourselves so our relationships and work are more meaningful. Maintaining what seems to be an elusive balance is possible when we learn to live InSync.
Living InSync is about understanding yourself and others. It's about having a clear vision of what you want so you can pursue goals that will help you realize your dreams. When you live InSync, you readily enhance your performance at work and in your personal life because you naturally access and optimize your personal power. You use your mental capacity for making creative decisions, increasing your productivity, and taking gentle control of life. You direct your thoughts and behaviors to accomplish your goals. You look for and are open to opportunities. Your emotional, physical, mental, social, and spiritual dimensions continually evolve in harmony. When you live InSync, you create a life of balance and purpose.
To get an idea about how InSync your life is, let's consider each of the dimensions. Take this quick self assessment to examine your current status. Respond affirmatively when you engage in that behavior most of the time. Then read about the InSync behaviors relative to that dimension.
Are you physically InSync? Do you eat only when you're hungry? Do you rest and relax your body regularly? Do you refrain from smoking? Do you exercise regularly?
When you're physically InSync, you understand that the care you give your body directly affects energy, clarity of thought, and longevity. You give your body adequate rest. You set aside time daily to relax. You fuel your body with nutritious foods and exercise it regularly.
Are you socially InSync? Do you enjoy satisfying, personal relationships? Do you communicate openly with others? Do you consciously cooperate with them? Are you willing to extend yourself to help someone else?
When you're socially InSync, you delight in giving to and receiving from others. You positively influence others' lives. You nurture your relationships by openly communicating and consciously cooperating. You treat others with respect. You laugh often and enjoy having fun with others. You maintain a broad support system.
Are you mentally InSync? Can you think of more than one answer for most questions? Do you pursue personal as well as professional goals you've set for yourself? Are you organized so you can easily retrieve information? Do you expend your energy to do what's important?
When you're mentally InSync, you set goals and priorities, making sure the important tasks are accomplished. You maximize the use of your time, energy, and resources. You're organized so you're more productive. You're creative and make responsible decisions. You deal sensibly with conflict and approach challenges with enthusiasm.
Are you emotionally InSync? Do you treat yourself with dignity and respect? Do you allow yourself to feel whatever emotion you're feeling? Do you love yourself regardless of what others think? Does your self talk reflect a positive attitude?
When you're emotionally InSync, you feel, acknowledge, accept, and appropriately express your emotions. You treat yourself with respect. You set aside time for reflection. The language you use is positive. You celebrate your gifts and talents. You love yourself without condition.
Are you spiritually InSync? Do you forgive yourself and others? Do you celebrate your mistakes? Do you trust your intuition? Do you know your purpose in life?
When you're spiritually InSync, you seek to know and fulfill your purpose. You celebrate the lessons you learn from your mistakes. You are trustworthy and trusting. You forgive yourself and others. You demonstrate integrity in all matters. You acknowledge that you're an integral entity in this expansive universe. You listen to your intuition so that the choices you make are the ones that will benefit you the most.
There are no right or wrong answers -- no specific score to achieve. This exercise is to help you assess where you are right now in your life. It's designed to create an awareness about the multidimensional essence of your being. You may find that you have more affirmative responses in certain dimensions. These are the ones that get your attention. You may choose to seek ways to increase your focus on life's other dimensions.
If you want to live InSync, it's essential that you attend to each dimension daily -- no matter how busy you are or how short the time might be. Engage in behaviors that enhance each of your dimensions. Living InSync isn't complicated. To do so, however, attention to your actions, attitudes, and beliefs and your intention to respond to what you know and learn about yourself is imperative.
Living InSync is far from an elusive ideal. It's a pragmatic way you can choose to live. When you live InSync, you feel you're in gentle control of your life because you're committed to honor, nurture, and strengthen the multidimensional person you are. You ensure that your own needs are met so you can give to others freely. Living InSync makes the difference in whether you live a busy life or whether you live one that's purposeful and synergistic. For a healthy, balanced and intentional life, choose to live InSync with yourself and, in turn, with others.
Part of the confusion about "balance" comes from thinking that balance means equal amounts of time. Consider a new definition of balance -- paying attention to every aspect of your life on a regular basis. Balance is about living InSync® with yourself so you can live InSync with others. It's about attending to your multidimensional self so you can make conscious choices about how you spend your time and energy at work and in life.
There are five aspects of living that need your attention. They are the physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. Too little attention to any one of them will create the feeling of being out of sync with your self. Appropriate attention to each dimension will give you the power to find the right mix of priorities and actions for creating a balance between life and work. When you're in balance, you are more creative, more productive, and can truly experience the process of life.
Here are some actions you can take in each of the dimensions that will assist you in creating more balance between work and life:
In the Spiritual Dimension: - At work: Keep focused on the mission of the organization. Make your decisions based on what the organization is all about. Set aside time to reflect. Retreat with your executive team to spend time evaluating the vision, mission, and goals against the actual behavior of the employees and the performance of the organization. Reflect daily about your personal goals and behavior. Consider if you're on the most appropriate path for you. Determine if your daily activity is aligned with what you truly want to accomplish.
In the Mental Dimension: - At work: Plan your work and your time. Be sure to include your personal appointments, like your daughter's soccer game, in your scheduling. Look for ways to eliminate time-bandits, by using technology, uncluttering your office, and saying "no" to requests that don't fit with your master plan. Set reasonable time-lines for project completion. Hire staff who enthusiastically support the vision and mission of the organization. Delegate the work you don't really need to be doing.
In life: Schedule family and personal activities. Unclutter your home. Simplify. Let go of perfectionistic tendencies about how things should be. Set goals that allow you to discover yourself. Pursue a variety of interests unrelated to work.
In the Social Dimension: - At work: Honor relationships through open communication and conscious cooperation. Treat everyone--employees, customers, and vendors--with dignity and respect. Look at situations from different points of view. Look for the humor in running a business.
In life: Nurture your relationships. Refrain from canceling personal "appointments" because you have too much work to do. Do things for their pure enjoyment. Laugh often, especially at the silly things you do. Look for the humor in life.
In the Emotional Dimension: - At work: Monitor the emotions you feel. Take time to process what you observe. Refrain from dumping your feelings on another, especially when you're feeling angry. Take a break before dealing with an emotionally-charged situation so you can respond in an appropriate manner. At the end of the work day, release all of your concerns so you can be ready for time outside of work. Leave work at work.
In life: Take time for your self daily. Meditate, commune with nature, or read inspirational material. Get a massage. Sit and do nothing. Become comfortable with who you are outside of your title and occupation.
In the Physical Dimension: - At work: Take frequent breaks. Move around. If you find you're sitting a lot, stand up and move around about every 15 minutes. If you're on your feet, wear comfortable shoes, stretch your back and legs, and sit down periodically. Invest in an ergonomically correct work area. Take time for well-balanced meals.
In life: Exercise. Rest and relax your body. Get the appropriate amount of sleep you need. Play with young children. Eat nutritious foods. Refrain from smoking. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
How you live your life is much more important than what you do. Creating and maintaining balance in life is worth the effort right now because you'll live a richer life, enjoy the process of living, and nurture your relationships while being true to your own essence. In the end, the fact that you ran a multi-million dollar organization will pale in significance to what you contributed to life. You can balance life and work if you really want to. It starts with that first step.
Balance in Life Doesn't Have To Be Elusive
Balance in life is more important than ever before. Gone are the days when our most cherished identity was our profession. We now understand there's more to life than work, and we realize the value of our roles as partner, parent, sister, volunteer, and friend.
Work will always be a given in life, and we must make way for spending time with family and friends, taking care of ourselves, and dealing with the logistics of daily living. Unfortunately, most of our energy goes to our work and the logistics, forfeiting attention to what truly matters in our lives and the lives we touch.
It is our spiritual nature that compels us to seek balance between the important and the required. Deep within we know that balance will bring us a feeling of peace and the ability to handle whatever challenge comes our way. We desire to be InSync® with ourselves so our relationships and work are more meaningful. Maintaining what seems to be an elusive balance is possible when we learn to live InSync.
Living InSync is about understanding yourself and others. It's about having a clear vision of what you want so you can pursue goals that will help you realize your dreams. When you live InSync, you readily enhance your performance at work and in your personal life because you naturally access and optimize your personal power. You use your mental capacity for making creative decisions, increasing your productivity, and taking gentle control of life. You direct your thoughts and behaviors to accomplish your goals. You look for and are open to opportunities. Your emotional, physical, mental, social, and spiritual dimensions continually evolve in harmony. When you live InSync, you create a life of balance and purpose.
To get an idea about how InSync your life is, let's consider each of the dimensions. Take this quick self assessment to examine your current status. Respond affirmatively when you engage in that behavior most of the time. Then read about the InSync behaviors relative to that dimension.
Are you physically InSync? Do you eat only when you're hungry? Do you rest and relax your body regularly? Do you refrain from smoking? Do you exercise regularly?
When you're physically InSync, you understand that the care you give your body directly affects energy, clarity of thought, and longevity. You give your body adequate rest. You set aside time daily to relax. You fuel your body with nutritious foods and exercise it regularly.
Are you socially InSync? Do you enjoy satisfying, personal relationships? Do you communicate openly with others? Do you consciously cooperate with them? Are you willing to extend yourself to help someone else?
When you're socially InSync, you delight in giving to and receiving from others. You positively influence others' lives. You nurture your relationships by openly communicating and consciously cooperating. You treat others with respect. You laugh often and enjoy having fun with others. You maintain a broad support system.
Are you mentally InSync? Can you think of more than one answer for most questions? Do you pursue personal as well as professional goals you've set for yourself? Are you organized so you can easily retrieve information? Do you expend your energy to do what's important?
When you're mentally InSync, you set goals and priorities, making sure the important tasks are accomplished. You maximize the use of your time, energy, and resources. You're organized so you're more productive. You're creative and make responsible decisions. You deal sensibly with conflict and approach challenges with enthusiasm.
Are you emotionally InSync? Do you treat yourself with dignity and respect? Do you allow yourself to feel whatever emotion you're feeling? Do you love yourself regardless of what others think? Does your self talk reflect a positive attitude?
When you're emotionally InSync, you feel, acknowledge, accept, and appropriately express your emotions. You treat yourself with respect. You set aside time for reflection. The language you use is positive. You celebrate your gifts and talents. You love yourself without condition.
Are you spiritually InSync? Do you forgive yourself and others? Do you celebrate your mistakes? Do you trust your intuition? Do you know your purpose in life?
When you're spiritually InSync, you seek to know and fulfill your purpose. You celebrate the lessons you learn from your mistakes. You are trustworthy and trusting. You forgive yourself and others. You demonstrate integrity in all matters. You acknowledge that you're an integral entity in this expansive universe. You listen to your intuition so that the choices you make are the ones that will benefit you the most.
There are no right or wrong answers -- no specific score to achieve. This exercise is to help you assess where you are right now in your life. It's designed to create an awareness about the multidimensional essence of your being. You may find that you have more affirmative responses in certain dimensions. These are the ones that get your attention. You may choose to seek ways to increase your focus on life's other dimensions.
If you want to live InSync, it's essential that you attend to each dimension daily -- no matter how busy you are or how short the time might be. Engage in behaviors that enhance each of your dimensions. Living InSync isn't complicated. To do so, however, attention to your actions, attitudes, and beliefs and your intention to respond to what you know and learn about yourself is imperative.
Living InSync is far from an elusive ideal. It's a pragmatic way you can choose to live. When you live InSync, you feel you're in gentle control of your life because you're committed to honor, nurture, and strengthen the multidimensional person you are. You ensure that your own needs are met so you can give to others freely. Living InSync makes the difference in whether you live a busy life or whether you live one that's purposeful and synergistic. For a healthy, balanced and intentional life, choose to live InSync with yourself and, in turn, with others.
Seven Mantras for Success
Seven Mantras for Success
In an era of stiff competition, success can only be achieved if one makes the right kind of endeavour at the right time and in the right direction.
The Following are the seven mantras for success :
1. Communication Skills - Most of what goes on as business in an organisation is, in fact, communication. Anything that is not communication is probably dependent on something to initiate communication or keep it going. This is why one needs to master the art of communication both verbal as well as written.
2. Influencing Abilities - This is more of a leadership trait. It includes persuading and negotiating skills. Persuasion means convincing and encouraging people to do, as against being pushy and aggressive. It is a very powerful tool, especially in conflicting situations both in your professional as well as personal life.
3. Managing Skills - In layman's words this term means getting things done. But from the career perspective it means managing things, people and of course, managing yourself, that is , your time, resources and money. To be able to achieve success one needs to prepare and train himself/ herself in the art of effective management.
4. Problem Solving - It means knowing how to recognize and define problems, implement solutions and track and evaluate results. Effective problem solving skills will help to become the backbone of any team, which in turn will help in career prospects.
5. Creative Thinking - It is said that intelligence is central to both the right and left modes of the brain. But the majority of people give more importance only to the logical approach in problem solving. What is really required is a blend of logical and lateral thinking processes together to generate new ideas and solutions, seeing things in the 'round' and having an open mind.
6. Social Skills - It means one's ability to relate to people, having insights, helping others and facilitating. Interdependence today is of greater value than independence. Thus it becomes that much more important for you to take a genuine interest in people with whom you work and spent time, emotion and money on them.
7. Managing Money- If in spite of possessing all the above mentioned skills you fail to achieve success it may be because you are poor in the number game ! You must have your figures, statistics and accounts in place. You must be shrewd in the money matters. As an old saying goes, " Money begets Money"
In an era of stiff competition, success can only be achieved if one makes the right kind of endeavour at the right time and in the right direction.
The Following are the seven mantras for success :
1. Communication Skills - Most of what goes on as business in an organisation is, in fact, communication. Anything that is not communication is probably dependent on something to initiate communication or keep it going. This is why one needs to master the art of communication both verbal as well as written.
2. Influencing Abilities - This is more of a leadership trait. It includes persuading and negotiating skills. Persuasion means convincing and encouraging people to do, as against being pushy and aggressive. It is a very powerful tool, especially in conflicting situations both in your professional as well as personal life.
3. Managing Skills - In layman's words this term means getting things done. But from the career perspective it means managing things, people and of course, managing yourself, that is , your time, resources and money. To be able to achieve success one needs to prepare and train himself/ herself in the art of effective management.
4. Problem Solving - It means knowing how to recognize and define problems, implement solutions and track and evaluate results. Effective problem solving skills will help to become the backbone of any team, which in turn will help in career prospects.
5. Creative Thinking - It is said that intelligence is central to both the right and left modes of the brain. But the majority of people give more importance only to the logical approach in problem solving. What is really required is a blend of logical and lateral thinking processes together to generate new ideas and solutions, seeing things in the 'round' and having an open mind.
6. Social Skills - It means one's ability to relate to people, having insights, helping others and facilitating. Interdependence today is of greater value than independence. Thus it becomes that much more important for you to take a genuine interest in people with whom you work and spent time, emotion and money on them.
7. Managing Money- If in spite of possessing all the above mentioned skills you fail to achieve success it may be because you are poor in the number game ! You must have your figures, statistics and accounts in place. You must be shrewd in the money matters. As an old saying goes, " Money begets Money"
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Understanding Emotions
Understanding Emotions
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
- Name a variety of emotions people experience.
- Understand that emotions are triggered by situations and people.
- Describe emotions people might experience in various situations.
- Understand how recognizing emotions contributes to positive relationships.
Definition of Terms
- Emotions: The mental and physical reactions people have to situations and people around them.
Lesson Preview
- Demonstrate a variety of emotions and practice naming them.
- Generate lists of emotions and words for feelings.
- Describe physical reactions to emotions.
- Identify multiple feelings that might result from various situations.
- Identify feelings resulting from personal experiences.
Materials Needed
- Visual means for recording ideas (paper, chart paper or white/chalk board and markers/chalk)
- For Information to Share Option #1: Paper and pencils (optional)
- For Information to Share Option #2: Chart paper and markers
- For Information to Share Option #3: Chart paper, markers and four different pictures depicting the emotions of anger, happy, sad and surprised
Tasks to Complete Before Teaching
- For Information to Share Option #2: Post four pieces of chart paper in four locations in the room. They should be far enough apart to allow small groups to sit or stand around them and write. On each piece of chart paper, write one of the following emotions: angry, happy, sad, surprised. If you have participants with low reading and writing abilities, Option #1 may work more successfully.
- For Information to Share Option #3: Post four pieces of chart paper in four locations in the room. They should be far enough apart to allow small groups to sit or stand around them and write. On each piece of chart paper, paste a different picture depicting one of the four emotions of anger, happy, sad and surprised.
Prerequisite Skill or Lesson
- None
Leader’s Note: This lesson provides background information for the lesson on “Managing Strong Emotions.” It would be best to teach “Managing Strong Emotions” as soon as possible after teaching this lesson. If possible, save the lists of emotion words the participants generate in Information to Share and post them for the “Managing Strong Emotions” lesson.
Length of Lesson: 45 minutes
Lesson Plan
Generating Interest in Topic
Demonstration (5 minutes)
1. Tell participants you are going to pantomime the topic for today’s session – emotions. Ask participants to observe your behaviors, gestures, and facial expressions and name the emotion or feeling being demonstrated.
2. Demonstrate an emotion, such as anger, through your body language and facial expressions. As participants name emotions, record them on chart paper or the white/chalk board. Several different emotions or feelings might be suggested such as angry, upset, and mad.
3. Repeat the procedure with several emotions. Include angry, happy, sad, and surprised.
4. Summarize by stating that everyone has many different emotions every day.
Information to Share
Leader Input and Discussion (15 minutes)
1. Explain what is meant by the word “emotion.”
- Emotions are the mental and physical reactions people have to situations and people around them.
Leader’s Note: Not all people have the same emotional response to the same situation. Emotional responses vary depending on many factors, such as age, experiences, attitude, hormonal influence, use of certain medications, and so on.
2. Select one of the two optional ways to have participants identify a variety of emotions. Then, continue with step #3.
OPTION #1
- Divide participants into small groups by counting off. Each small group should have four or five people in it.
- Assign group roles within each small group.
* The person with the largest shoe can be the leader. The leader will keep the group focused on the task.
* The person to the left of the leader can be the spokesperson. He or she will tell the large group what his or her small group discussed.
Leader’s Note: If writing is difficult for many of the participants, ask them to remember the emotions mentioned in their group. If participants can write easily, the person to the right of the leader can be the recorder. He or she will take notes for the small group.
- Ask the small groups to list on paper (or remember) as many emotions as they can in two minutes.
- Explain that, if they can use a word in this sentence, “I feel _____,” it is probably a word that describes an emotion.
- After two minutes, ask the spokesperson from each group to share one word suggested by his or her group that describes an emotion. Rotate from group to group until all of the words are shared. Record the words on the chart you began in the Generating Interest in Topic portion of this lesson.
Leader’s Note: Be sure to only accept words that describe an emotion. If the groups suggest words that do not describe an emotion, clarify by using the word in the sentence, “I feel ,” and suggest an alternate word that is an emotion.
OPTION #2
- Post the four prepared pieces of chart paper with the titles “angry,” “happy,” “sad,” and “surprised,” in different locations in the room.
- Divide participants into four groups by counting off and have one group stand at each piece of chart paper.
- Within each small group, ask the person with the largest shoe to be the leader. The leader will keep the group focused on the task. Ask the person to the right of the leader to be the recorder. He or she will take notes for the small group.
- Ask each group to record as many words as possible that mean close to the same thing as the emotion word on their chart. In other words, on the “Happy” chart, they might write “joyful,” “excited,” etc.
- Explain that, if they can use a word in this sentence, “I feel ____,” it is probably a word that describes an emotion.
- After one or two minutes, ask the groups to rotate to a different chart by moving to the chart on their left. Give them one or two minutes to add emotion words to their second chart. Repeat the procedure until all of the groups have visited all of the charts.
- Review the charts by highlighting several words from each chart or have the groups walk from chart to chart reviewing the words.
Leader’s Note: Be sure to only accept words that describe an emotion. If the groups suggest words that do not describe an emotion, clarify by using the word in the sentence, “I feel ,” and suggest an alternate word that is an emotion.
OPTION #3
- Paste four different pictures depicting the four emotions of anger, happy, sad and surprised on four separate charts. Post the charts in different locations in the room and proceed with the same process as described in Option #2
Leader’s Note: Instead of asking the small groups to list emotions similar to the emotion written at the top of their chart, the groups are to guess what is the emotion being depicted in their picture and then list as many words as possible that mean close to the same thing as the emotion being displayed.
3. Explain that emotions are normal reactions to situations and people. Everyone experiences these emotions. People experience these emotions at work, at home, with friends, and even when they are alone thinking about situations or events.
4. Ask participants how they might feel in each of the following situations. Choose three that are appropriate for the culture and group with which you are working. Try to elicit more than one emotion word for each situation.
- You have been assigned a difficult job at school or work.
- You just heard a friend is very ill.
- You have a family wedding to attend.
- Your teacher, parent, or supervisor yells at you.
- Your teacher, parent, or supervisor tells you he or she noticed what a good job you are doing.
- Someone says something that embarrasses you.
- Your cousin has just asked you to help with an important job at his or her wedding.
Leader’s Note: Emphasize that sometimes the same situation can elicit two very different feelings. For example, you may feel happy to be involved in your cousin’s wedding and nervous about doing the job well.
5. Explain the following points:
- Not everyone responds to the same situation in the same way. Each person’s life experiences, education, self-confidence, and family background, help to determine how he or she responds.
- Sometimes it is easy to identify how you feel. Other times, feelings can be confusing.
- A person may not always respond emotionally the same way each time he or she experiences similar situations.
- Recognizing how your body is responding can help a person identify what emotion he or she is experiencing. For example, a person might smile, act friendly and energetic, and walk with a bounce when feeling happy. A person might stomp around and yell when feeling angry.
- While emotions are normal, they can sometimes be hard to manage. Usually very strong emotions – either positive or negative – are more difficult to manage.
- The first step to effectively managing emotions is to recognize and name them. Indicate their lists of emotion words will help them.
Group Activity/Practice
Small Group Practice and Discussion (20 minutes)
1. Use the same small groups you formed in the previous section of this lesson.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITY IF TIME PERMITS AND YOUR PARTICIPANTS NEED ADDITIONAL PRACTICE PRIOR TO PERFORMING SKITS
If you used Option #2, assign a spokesperson in each small group.
Tell a story with several events or situations that elicit different emotions. See the story below as a sample. Pause as indicated in the sample story after each event or situation that elicits a feeling. Ask the small groups to discuss what happened and the possible emotions the person in the story might have experienced. Then, ask the spokespersons from the groups to name the emotions their group discussed. Possible emotions are listed in brackets for the following sample story. You may choose to use a different story if you wish; however, be sure the story has typical situations that will elicit emotions.
Leader’s Note: Replace (Name) with a common name from your culture.
- (Name) wakes up after a good night’s sleep. [Pause: happy, rested]
- Then, a family member or someone she lives with tells her she has to help with a difficult cleaning job after school (or work). [Pause: disappointed, unhappy]
- When (name) arrives at school (or work), she talks to someone who ignores her. [Pause: hurt, angry]
- An hour later, (name) talks with a special friend who invites her to a party. [Pause: happy, excited]
- Then, (name) learns from her teacher (or supervisor) she completed a project incorrectly and the work has to be redone. [Pause: ashamed, embarrassed, sad, upset, angry]
- She will need to stay late to redo the project. This means she will be late to help with the difficult cleaning job and will let people down when they depended on her help. [Pause: guilty]
- When (name) returns home, she is greeted at the door with a smile. [Pause: relieved, accepted, calm]
Summarize by stating that each person experiences many different emotions during one day.
2. Explain that, in order to continue to help one another identify and name emotions, each small group will perform a short skit. The skit will be about a typical situation that might trigger emotions. Each small group must verbally and nonverbally act out the situation and the emotions they think a person would feel in that situation. After each skit, the observers will guess what emotions were displayed in the skit.
3. Assign each small group one of the following situations. Choose those that are appropriate for the culture and group with which you are working.
- You learn to do a difficult task at school (or work) correctly. You will be better able to do your school work (or job) now.
- Your teacher (or supervisor) asks you to do a special job. He or she tells you he or she thinks you are competent and responsible enough to handle the job.
- You want to get a job and have asked to be considered. When someone was hired, you were not selected. Your best friend got the job.
- Your teacher (or supervisor) asks you to show others how to do a difficult task.
- A family member is sick and needs your help. You have trouble getting to school (or work) on time because of these extra family responsibilities.
- Someone keeps talking to others about you. You don’t like what he or she is saying.
4. After five minutes, call on the first small group to perform their skit. Ask the observers to identify the possible emotions the person might feel. Continue until each small group has presented their skit.
5. Ask participants:
- What are the advantages of being able to identify how you feel?
- How do you think your relationships with others are affected when you can identify your feelings?
Personal Application
Small Group Discussion and Personal Reflection (5 minutes)
1. Ask participants to think about one or two recent situations that elicited emotions. Encourage them to select situations they will be comfortable sharing with their small group. Have them share the situations and the feelings they identified in their small groups.
2. Encourage participants to notice the emotions they experience and what situations or people trigger the emotions. Explain that identifying emotions and understanding the experiences surrounding the emotions will help them manage emotions more effectively. During another lesson, they will learn more about how to manage strong emotions.
Leader’s Note: If possible, save the lists of emotion words the participants generate in Information to Share and post them for the “Managing Strong Emotions” lesson.
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
- Name a variety of emotions people experience.
- Understand that emotions are triggered by situations and people.
- Describe emotions people might experience in various situations.
- Understand how recognizing emotions contributes to positive relationships.
Definition of Terms
- Emotions: The mental and physical reactions people have to situations and people around them.
Lesson Preview
- Demonstrate a variety of emotions and practice naming them.
- Generate lists of emotions and words for feelings.
- Describe physical reactions to emotions.
- Identify multiple feelings that might result from various situations.
- Identify feelings resulting from personal experiences.
Materials Needed
- Visual means for recording ideas (paper, chart paper or white/chalk board and markers/chalk)
- For Information to Share Option #1: Paper and pencils (optional)
- For Information to Share Option #2: Chart paper and markers
- For Information to Share Option #3: Chart paper, markers and four different pictures depicting the emotions of anger, happy, sad and surprised
Tasks to Complete Before Teaching
- For Information to Share Option #2: Post four pieces of chart paper in four locations in the room. They should be far enough apart to allow small groups to sit or stand around them and write. On each piece of chart paper, write one of the following emotions: angry, happy, sad, surprised. If you have participants with low reading and writing abilities, Option #1 may work more successfully.
- For Information to Share Option #3: Post four pieces of chart paper in four locations in the room. They should be far enough apart to allow small groups to sit or stand around them and write. On each piece of chart paper, paste a different picture depicting one of the four emotions of anger, happy, sad and surprised.
Prerequisite Skill or Lesson
- None
Leader’s Note: This lesson provides background information for the lesson on “Managing Strong Emotions.” It would be best to teach “Managing Strong Emotions” as soon as possible after teaching this lesson. If possible, save the lists of emotion words the participants generate in Information to Share and post them for the “Managing Strong Emotions” lesson.
Length of Lesson: 45 minutes
Lesson Plan
Generating Interest in Topic
Demonstration (5 minutes)
1. Tell participants you are going to pantomime the topic for today’s session – emotions. Ask participants to observe your behaviors, gestures, and facial expressions and name the emotion or feeling being demonstrated.
2. Demonstrate an emotion, such as anger, through your body language and facial expressions. As participants name emotions, record them on chart paper or the white/chalk board. Several different emotions or feelings might be suggested such as angry, upset, and mad.
3. Repeat the procedure with several emotions. Include angry, happy, sad, and surprised.
4. Summarize by stating that everyone has many different emotions every day.
Information to Share
Leader Input and Discussion (15 minutes)
1. Explain what is meant by the word “emotion.”
- Emotions are the mental and physical reactions people have to situations and people around them.
Leader’s Note: Not all people have the same emotional response to the same situation. Emotional responses vary depending on many factors, such as age, experiences, attitude, hormonal influence, use of certain medications, and so on.
2. Select one of the two optional ways to have participants identify a variety of emotions. Then, continue with step #3.
OPTION #1
- Divide participants into small groups by counting off. Each small group should have four or five people in it.
- Assign group roles within each small group.
* The person with the largest shoe can be the leader. The leader will keep the group focused on the task.
* The person to the left of the leader can be the spokesperson. He or she will tell the large group what his or her small group discussed.
Leader’s Note: If writing is difficult for many of the participants, ask them to remember the emotions mentioned in their group. If participants can write easily, the person to the right of the leader can be the recorder. He or she will take notes for the small group.
- Ask the small groups to list on paper (or remember) as many emotions as they can in two minutes.
- Explain that, if they can use a word in this sentence, “I feel _____,” it is probably a word that describes an emotion.
- After two minutes, ask the spokesperson from each group to share one word suggested by his or her group that describes an emotion. Rotate from group to group until all of the words are shared. Record the words on the chart you began in the Generating Interest in Topic portion of this lesson.
Leader’s Note: Be sure to only accept words that describe an emotion. If the groups suggest words that do not describe an emotion, clarify by using the word in the sentence, “I feel ,” and suggest an alternate word that is an emotion.
OPTION #2
- Post the four prepared pieces of chart paper with the titles “angry,” “happy,” “sad,” and “surprised,” in different locations in the room.
- Divide participants into four groups by counting off and have one group stand at each piece of chart paper.
- Within each small group, ask the person with the largest shoe to be the leader. The leader will keep the group focused on the task. Ask the person to the right of the leader to be the recorder. He or she will take notes for the small group.
- Ask each group to record as many words as possible that mean close to the same thing as the emotion word on their chart. In other words, on the “Happy” chart, they might write “joyful,” “excited,” etc.
- Explain that, if they can use a word in this sentence, “I feel ____,” it is probably a word that describes an emotion.
- After one or two minutes, ask the groups to rotate to a different chart by moving to the chart on their left. Give them one or two minutes to add emotion words to their second chart. Repeat the procedure until all of the groups have visited all of the charts.
- Review the charts by highlighting several words from each chart or have the groups walk from chart to chart reviewing the words.
Leader’s Note: Be sure to only accept words that describe an emotion. If the groups suggest words that do not describe an emotion, clarify by using the word in the sentence, “I feel ,” and suggest an alternate word that is an emotion.
OPTION #3
- Paste four different pictures depicting the four emotions of anger, happy, sad and surprised on four separate charts. Post the charts in different locations in the room and proceed with the same process as described in Option #2
Leader’s Note: Instead of asking the small groups to list emotions similar to the emotion written at the top of their chart, the groups are to guess what is the emotion being depicted in their picture and then list as many words as possible that mean close to the same thing as the emotion being displayed.
3. Explain that emotions are normal reactions to situations and people. Everyone experiences these emotions. People experience these emotions at work, at home, with friends, and even when they are alone thinking about situations or events.
4. Ask participants how they might feel in each of the following situations. Choose three that are appropriate for the culture and group with which you are working. Try to elicit more than one emotion word for each situation.
- You have been assigned a difficult job at school or work.
- You just heard a friend is very ill.
- You have a family wedding to attend.
- Your teacher, parent, or supervisor yells at you.
- Your teacher, parent, or supervisor tells you he or she noticed what a good job you are doing.
- Someone says something that embarrasses you.
- Your cousin has just asked you to help with an important job at his or her wedding.
Leader’s Note: Emphasize that sometimes the same situation can elicit two very different feelings. For example, you may feel happy to be involved in your cousin’s wedding and nervous about doing the job well.
5. Explain the following points:
- Not everyone responds to the same situation in the same way. Each person’s life experiences, education, self-confidence, and family background, help to determine how he or she responds.
- Sometimes it is easy to identify how you feel. Other times, feelings can be confusing.
- A person may not always respond emotionally the same way each time he or she experiences similar situations.
- Recognizing how your body is responding can help a person identify what emotion he or she is experiencing. For example, a person might smile, act friendly and energetic, and walk with a bounce when feeling happy. A person might stomp around and yell when feeling angry.
- While emotions are normal, they can sometimes be hard to manage. Usually very strong emotions – either positive or negative – are more difficult to manage.
- The first step to effectively managing emotions is to recognize and name them. Indicate their lists of emotion words will help them.
Group Activity/Practice
Small Group Practice and Discussion (20 minutes)
1. Use the same small groups you formed in the previous section of this lesson.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITY IF TIME PERMITS AND YOUR PARTICIPANTS NEED ADDITIONAL PRACTICE PRIOR TO PERFORMING SKITS
If you used Option #2, assign a spokesperson in each small group.
Tell a story with several events or situations that elicit different emotions. See the story below as a sample. Pause as indicated in the sample story after each event or situation that elicits a feeling. Ask the small groups to discuss what happened and the possible emotions the person in the story might have experienced. Then, ask the spokespersons from the groups to name the emotions their group discussed. Possible emotions are listed in brackets for the following sample story. You may choose to use a different story if you wish; however, be sure the story has typical situations that will elicit emotions.
Leader’s Note: Replace (Name) with a common name from your culture.
- (Name) wakes up after a good night’s sleep. [Pause: happy, rested]
- Then, a family member or someone she lives with tells her she has to help with a difficult cleaning job after school (or work). [Pause: disappointed, unhappy]
- When (name) arrives at school (or work), she talks to someone who ignores her. [Pause: hurt, angry]
- An hour later, (name) talks with a special friend who invites her to a party. [Pause: happy, excited]
- Then, (name) learns from her teacher (or supervisor) she completed a project incorrectly and the work has to be redone. [Pause: ashamed, embarrassed, sad, upset, angry]
- She will need to stay late to redo the project. This means she will be late to help with the difficult cleaning job and will let people down when they depended on her help. [Pause: guilty]
- When (name) returns home, she is greeted at the door with a smile. [Pause: relieved, accepted, calm]
Summarize by stating that each person experiences many different emotions during one day.
2. Explain that, in order to continue to help one another identify and name emotions, each small group will perform a short skit. The skit will be about a typical situation that might trigger emotions. Each small group must verbally and nonverbally act out the situation and the emotions they think a person would feel in that situation. After each skit, the observers will guess what emotions were displayed in the skit.
3. Assign each small group one of the following situations. Choose those that are appropriate for the culture and group with which you are working.
- You learn to do a difficult task at school (or work) correctly. You will be better able to do your school work (or job) now.
- Your teacher (or supervisor) asks you to do a special job. He or she tells you he or she thinks you are competent and responsible enough to handle the job.
- You want to get a job and have asked to be considered. When someone was hired, you were not selected. Your best friend got the job.
- Your teacher (or supervisor) asks you to show others how to do a difficult task.
- A family member is sick and needs your help. You have trouble getting to school (or work) on time because of these extra family responsibilities.
- Someone keeps talking to others about you. You don’t like what he or she is saying.
4. After five minutes, call on the first small group to perform their skit. Ask the observers to identify the possible emotions the person might feel. Continue until each small group has presented their skit.
5. Ask participants:
- What are the advantages of being able to identify how you feel?
- How do you think your relationships with others are affected when you can identify your feelings?
Personal Application
Small Group Discussion and Personal Reflection (5 minutes)
1. Ask participants to think about one or two recent situations that elicited emotions. Encourage them to select situations they will be comfortable sharing with their small group. Have them share the situations and the feelings they identified in their small groups.
2. Encourage participants to notice the emotions they experience and what situations or people trigger the emotions. Explain that identifying emotions and understanding the experiences surrounding the emotions will help them manage emotions more effectively. During another lesson, they will learn more about how to manage strong emotions.
Leader’s Note: If possible, save the lists of emotion words the participants generate in Information to Share and post them for the “Managing Strong Emotions” lesson.
Tasks to Complete Before Teaching
Getting Started
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
- Identify the topics participants will explore in the project.
- Learn the names and interests of other participants.
- Create ground rules to guide the group’s behavior during the lessons.
Lesson Preview
- Illustrate the purpose for the lessons with a demonstration.
- Discuss the themes and topics of the project.
- Identify similar and different interests and characteristics of participants in the group.
- Learn about one another in structured sharing with a partner.
- Share self-introductions in the large group.
- Generate a list of ground rules for participants’ behavior during the lessons.
- Discuss their responses to the lesson.
Materials Needed
- Visual means for recording ideas (paper, chart paper or white/chalk board and markers/chalk)
- Bottle with a narrow neck
- Glass filled with water
- Funnel
Tasks to Complete Before Teaching
- For Generating Interest in Topic: Place the bottle, glass filled with water, and the funnel on a table at the front of the room.
- For Information to Share: Prepare a visual of the themes of the program. Use the following format:
* Write each theme as a title.
* Leave enough space to write 3-5 topic ideas.
* Include the following themes:
Getting a Job
Communicating With Others
Friendships
Staying Healthy
Working Out Conflicts
Keeping a Job
Gaining Self-Confidence
Making Good Decisions
Respecting Self and Others
Leader’s Note: If you are adding some of your country specific lessons to the program, add some of those themes to the above list.
- For Information to Share: Prepare a visual listing all of the lessons to be taught during the program.
- For Group Activity/Practice: Prepare a visual with a vertical line down the center of the chart paper or white/chalk board. Label the left-hand side “Comfortable and Respected” and the right-hand side “Uncomfortable and Uneasy.”
- For Group Activity/Practice: Prepare a visual with the title “Ground Rules.” The information that is written on this visual should be posted each time the group meets. It may be helpful to use chart paper for this visual.
Prerequisite Skill or Lesson
- None
Length of Lesson: 45 minutes
LESSON PLAN
Generating Interest in Topic
Leader Input and Demonstration (5 minutes)
1. Welcome participants to the group.
2. Introduce yourself by sharing your name, role with the organization, some of your interests, reasons you want to be a part of this project, and your excitement about working with the participants.
3. Tell participants you want to begin with an illustration. Point out the bottle with a small opening and the glass filled with water on the table at the front of the room.
4. Explain that you want to get the water from the glass into the bottle. However, if you pour the water very fast it will probably spill and go outside the bottle. If you pour it very slowly, it is likely to dribble down the side of the glass.
5. State that, in order for you to save all of the water and get it into the bottle, you will need skill and tools. You will need a funnel, the tool, and the skill to pour the water at the right speed to allow the funnel to work properly. Again, if you pour too fast or too slow, it will not work. If the bottle isn’t big enough and you try to pour all of the water into it, it will spill.
6. Illustrate the concept by pouring the water into the bottle.
7. State that this group/class is designed to give them opportunities to learn skills and tools they will need in life, whether they are in school, working at a job, or have a family. In some ways, the participants are like the bottle and its capacity to hold the water. The number of the tools and skills they learn and use in their life depends on their capacity and willingness to stay interested and attentive in class.
Information to Share
Leader Input (5 minutes)
1. Explain the purpose for the project.
- This project is designed to help participants gain the knowledge and skills to be more successful in school or on the job.
2. Display the visual listing the major themes of the project. Ask participants to think about the themes and be ready to share what topics they think might be covered in each theme.
3. After a minute or two, ask for ideas from the participants for each theme. Write their ideas on the chart in the space between each theme.
4. Display the visual of the lesson titles. Have participants compare their list of ideas with the lesson titles. Note the similarities and differences.
Leader’s Note: If there are many ideas suggested by the students that are not on the list of lesson titles, suggest that you will try to incorporate their interests throughout the course. As you lead discussions during the teaching of the lessons, try to remember their ideas and integrate them as appropriate.
5. Tell participants it will be more fun and easier to learn if they get acquainted with one another and begin to learn one another’s names and interests.
Group Activity/Practice
Activity (20 minutes)
1. For the first activity, explain that they will find others in the room who have the same interests or characteristics as they do. You will suggest some common interests and characteristics. When you state an interest or characteristic, they are to get up and move around the room forming groups with others in the room who share the same interest or characteristic as they do. Provide an example.
- If you, the leader, said, “Find others who like the same favorite fruit,” participants would get up and find others in the room who were saying the name of their favorite fruit.
- Share your favorite fruit and tell participants that, if you were playing the game, you would be trying to find others who were saying the name of “(your favorite fruit).” Then, you would stand together.
Leader’s Note: If possible, play the game with the participants so they learn about your interests and characteristics, too.
2. Have participants try the activity using the interest or characteristic you used as the example.
3. When they have formed groups, ask each group to report its favorite fruit or the interest or characteristic you used.
4. Repeat the process with the following interests or characteristics or create your own. Select those that are appropriate for the culture and group with which you are working.
- Favorite topping on rice
- Favorite evening activity
- Favorite musical group or artist
- Favorite breakfast food
5. After conducting the first activity with three or four interests or characteristics, have participants find a partner who was not in their last group and someone they do not know well. Have them find a comfortable place to sit together.
6. Ask them to decide who is Person “A” and who is Person “B.” Tell them that Person A will be talking with Person B about a topic you will give them. They will have one or two minutes to talk. Person B will listen and learn more about the person. The following are suggested topics. Select those most appropriate for your culture and group or create your own.
- Job I’d like to have some day
- Early childhood memory
- Characteristic I look for in a good friend
- One thing I worry about is…
7. After one or two minutes, ask the pairs to reverse the roles. This time Person B will speak and Person A will listen. Select a different topic.
8. When Person B is finished, have the participants form a seated circle. Have each participant introduce himself or herself by sharing:
- Name
- City or region where they live
- Something they like to do in their free time
- Someone they would like to meet if they could meet anyone in the world
Activity (10 minutes)
1. Display the visual with the titles “Comfortable and Respected” and “Uncomfortable and Uneasy.”
2. Ask participants to share with you behaviors that will make them feel comfortable and respected in the group. Write their ideas on the left side of the chart paper or white/chalk board.
3. Ask participants to suggest behaviors that will make them feel uncomfortable and uneasy. Write their ideas on the right side of the chart paper or white/chalk board.
3. Ask participants to look at their ideas. If you have participants who cannot read, review the ideas by stating them.
4. Tell participants they will use their ideas to create a list of ground rules for the group’s behavior during the lessons. Ask them to select the ideas that are the most important to them and create a list of five to eight ground rules.
Leader’s Note: If participants have difficulty suggesting rules, offer a few of the examples from the next step to get them started.
5. Write the ground rules on the visual titled “Ground Rules.” If the participants do not suggest the following ground rules, offer them as ideas that are important for you, as the leader, to be comfortable in the group.
- Show up for the lessons.
- Share your thoughts and opinions.
- Do not interrupt others when they are talking.
- Pay attention when others are speaking.
- Do not make fun of others or put them down.
- Do your share of the work in small groups.
6. Keep this visual posted whenever the group meets.
7. Tell participants that each group session/class will be 30-45 minutes in length. Be sure they understand the schedule for the lessons and when the next lesson will be taught.
Personal Application
Discussion (5 minutes)
1. Ask participants:
- What is one thing you are looking forward to as you think about attending this group/class?
- Why do you think it is important to have and adhere to the ground rules?
- What is something new you learned about someone in the room?
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
- Identify the topics participants will explore in the project.
- Learn the names and interests of other participants.
- Create ground rules to guide the group’s behavior during the lessons.
Lesson Preview
- Illustrate the purpose for the lessons with a demonstration.
- Discuss the themes and topics of the project.
- Identify similar and different interests and characteristics of participants in the group.
- Learn about one another in structured sharing with a partner.
- Share self-introductions in the large group.
- Generate a list of ground rules for participants’ behavior during the lessons.
- Discuss their responses to the lesson.
Materials Needed
- Visual means for recording ideas (paper, chart paper or white/chalk board and markers/chalk)
- Bottle with a narrow neck
- Glass filled with water
- Funnel
Tasks to Complete Before Teaching
- For Generating Interest in Topic: Place the bottle, glass filled with water, and the funnel on a table at the front of the room.
- For Information to Share: Prepare a visual of the themes of the program. Use the following format:
* Write each theme as a title.
* Leave enough space to write 3-5 topic ideas.
* Include the following themes:
Getting a Job
Communicating With Others
Friendships
Staying Healthy
Working Out Conflicts
Keeping a Job
Gaining Self-Confidence
Making Good Decisions
Respecting Self and Others
Leader’s Note: If you are adding some of your country specific lessons to the program, add some of those themes to the above list.
- For Information to Share: Prepare a visual listing all of the lessons to be taught during the program.
- For Group Activity/Practice: Prepare a visual with a vertical line down the center of the chart paper or white/chalk board. Label the left-hand side “Comfortable and Respected” and the right-hand side “Uncomfortable and Uneasy.”
- For Group Activity/Practice: Prepare a visual with the title “Ground Rules.” The information that is written on this visual should be posted each time the group meets. It may be helpful to use chart paper for this visual.
Prerequisite Skill or Lesson
- None
Length of Lesson: 45 minutes
LESSON PLAN
Generating Interest in Topic
Leader Input and Demonstration (5 minutes)
1. Welcome participants to the group.
2. Introduce yourself by sharing your name, role with the organization, some of your interests, reasons you want to be a part of this project, and your excitement about working with the participants.
3. Tell participants you want to begin with an illustration. Point out the bottle with a small opening and the glass filled with water on the table at the front of the room.
4. Explain that you want to get the water from the glass into the bottle. However, if you pour the water very fast it will probably spill and go outside the bottle. If you pour it very slowly, it is likely to dribble down the side of the glass.
5. State that, in order for you to save all of the water and get it into the bottle, you will need skill and tools. You will need a funnel, the tool, and the skill to pour the water at the right speed to allow the funnel to work properly. Again, if you pour too fast or too slow, it will not work. If the bottle isn’t big enough and you try to pour all of the water into it, it will spill.
6. Illustrate the concept by pouring the water into the bottle.
7. State that this group/class is designed to give them opportunities to learn skills and tools they will need in life, whether they are in school, working at a job, or have a family. In some ways, the participants are like the bottle and its capacity to hold the water. The number of the tools and skills they learn and use in their life depends on their capacity and willingness to stay interested and attentive in class.
Information to Share
Leader Input (5 minutes)
1. Explain the purpose for the project.
- This project is designed to help participants gain the knowledge and skills to be more successful in school or on the job.
2. Display the visual listing the major themes of the project. Ask participants to think about the themes and be ready to share what topics they think might be covered in each theme.
3. After a minute or two, ask for ideas from the participants for each theme. Write their ideas on the chart in the space between each theme.
4. Display the visual of the lesson titles. Have participants compare their list of ideas with the lesson titles. Note the similarities and differences.
Leader’s Note: If there are many ideas suggested by the students that are not on the list of lesson titles, suggest that you will try to incorporate their interests throughout the course. As you lead discussions during the teaching of the lessons, try to remember their ideas and integrate them as appropriate.
5. Tell participants it will be more fun and easier to learn if they get acquainted with one another and begin to learn one another’s names and interests.
Group Activity/Practice
Activity (20 minutes)
1. For the first activity, explain that they will find others in the room who have the same interests or characteristics as they do. You will suggest some common interests and characteristics. When you state an interest or characteristic, they are to get up and move around the room forming groups with others in the room who share the same interest or characteristic as they do. Provide an example.
- If you, the leader, said, “Find others who like the same favorite fruit,” participants would get up and find others in the room who were saying the name of their favorite fruit.
- Share your favorite fruit and tell participants that, if you were playing the game, you would be trying to find others who were saying the name of “(your favorite fruit).” Then, you would stand together.
Leader’s Note: If possible, play the game with the participants so they learn about your interests and characteristics, too.
2. Have participants try the activity using the interest or characteristic you used as the example.
3. When they have formed groups, ask each group to report its favorite fruit or the interest or characteristic you used.
4. Repeat the process with the following interests or characteristics or create your own. Select those that are appropriate for the culture and group with which you are working.
- Favorite topping on rice
- Favorite evening activity
- Favorite musical group or artist
- Favorite breakfast food
5. After conducting the first activity with three or four interests or characteristics, have participants find a partner who was not in their last group and someone they do not know well. Have them find a comfortable place to sit together.
6. Ask them to decide who is Person “A” and who is Person “B.” Tell them that Person A will be talking with Person B about a topic you will give them. They will have one or two minutes to talk. Person B will listen and learn more about the person. The following are suggested topics. Select those most appropriate for your culture and group or create your own.
- Job I’d like to have some day
- Early childhood memory
- Characteristic I look for in a good friend
- One thing I worry about is…
7. After one or two minutes, ask the pairs to reverse the roles. This time Person B will speak and Person A will listen. Select a different topic.
8. When Person B is finished, have the participants form a seated circle. Have each participant introduce himself or herself by sharing:
- Name
- City or region where they live
- Something they like to do in their free time
- Someone they would like to meet if they could meet anyone in the world
Activity (10 minutes)
1. Display the visual with the titles “Comfortable and Respected” and “Uncomfortable and Uneasy.”
2. Ask participants to share with you behaviors that will make them feel comfortable and respected in the group. Write their ideas on the left side of the chart paper or white/chalk board.
3. Ask participants to suggest behaviors that will make them feel uncomfortable and uneasy. Write their ideas on the right side of the chart paper or white/chalk board.
3. Ask participants to look at their ideas. If you have participants who cannot read, review the ideas by stating them.
4. Tell participants they will use their ideas to create a list of ground rules for the group’s behavior during the lessons. Ask them to select the ideas that are the most important to them and create a list of five to eight ground rules.
Leader’s Note: If participants have difficulty suggesting rules, offer a few of the examples from the next step to get them started.
5. Write the ground rules on the visual titled “Ground Rules.” If the participants do not suggest the following ground rules, offer them as ideas that are important for you, as the leader, to be comfortable in the group.
- Show up for the lessons.
- Share your thoughts and opinions.
- Do not interrupt others when they are talking.
- Pay attention when others are speaking.
- Do not make fun of others or put them down.
- Do your share of the work in small groups.
6. Keep this visual posted whenever the group meets.
7. Tell participants that each group session/class will be 30-45 minutes in length. Be sure they understand the schedule for the lessons and when the next lesson will be taught.
Personal Application
Discussion (5 minutes)
1. Ask participants:
- What is one thing you are looking forward to as you think about attending this group/class?
- Why do you think it is important to have and adhere to the ground rules?
- What is something new you learned about someone in the room?
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