Interpersonal and Transferable Skills Essay Example for Free

Interpersonal and Transferable Skills Essay Youre probably familiar with the phrase ‘what gets measured gets done. Defining and measuring effectiveness – especially the performance of workers – is a critical part of your job as a manager. The question is: How do you define the skills, behaviors, and attitudes that workers need to perform their roles effectively? How do you know theyre qualified for the job? In other words, how do you know what to measure? Some people think formal education is a reliable measure. Others believe more in on-the-job training, and years of experience. Still others might argue that personal characteristics hold the key to effective work behavior. All of these are important, but none seems sufficient to describe an ideal set of behaviors and traits needed for any particular role. Nor do they guarantee that individuals will perform to the standards and levels required by the organization. A more complete way of approaching this is to link individual performance to the goals of the business. To do this, many companies use ‘competencies. These are the integrated knowledge, skills, judgment, and attributes that people need to perform a job effectively. By having a defined set of competencies for each role in your business, it shows workers the kind of behaviors the organization values, and which it requires to help achieve its objectives. Not only can your team members work more effectively and achieve their potential, but there are many business benefits to be had from linking personal performance with corporate goals and values. Defining which competencies are necessary for success in your organization can help you do the following: †¢ Ensure that your people demonstrate sufficient expertise. †¢ Recruit and select new staff more effectively. †¢ Evaluate performance more effectively. †¢ Identify skill and competency gaps more efficiently. †¢ Provide more customized training and professional development. †¢ Plan sufficiently for succession. †¢ Make change management processes work more efficiently. How can you define the set of practices needed for effective performance? You can do this by adding a competency framework to your talent management program. By collecting and combining competency information, you can create a standardized approach to performance thats clear and accessible to everyone in the company. The framework outlines specifically what people need to do to be effective in their roles, and it clearly establishes how their roles relate to organizational goals and success. This article outlines the steps you need to take to develop a competency framework in your organization. Design Principles of a Competency Framework A competency framework defines the knowledge, skills, and attributes needed for people within an organization. Each individual role will have its own set of competencies needed to perform the job effectively. To develop this framework, you need to have an in-depth understanding of the roles within your business. To do this, you can take a few different approaches: †¢ Use a pre-set list of common, standard competencies, and then customize it to the specific needs of your organization. †¢ Use outside consultants to develop the framework for you. †¢ Create a general organizational framework, and use it as the basis for other frameworks as needed. Developing a competency framework can take considerable effort. To make sure the framework is actually used as needed, its important to make it relevant to the people wholl be using it – and so they can take ownership of it. The following three principles are critical when designing a competency framework: 1. Involve the people doing the work – These frameworks should not be developed solely by HR people, who dont always know what each job actually involves. Nor should they be left to managers, who dont always understand exactly what each member of their staff does every day. To understand a role fully, you have to go to the source – the person doing the job – as well as getting a variety of other inputs into what makes someone successful in that job. 2. Communicate – People tend to get nervous about performance issues. Let them know why youre developing the framework, how it will be created, and how youll use it. The more you communicate in advance, the easier your implementation will be. 3. Use relevant competencies – Ensure that the competencies you include apply to all roles covered by the framework. If you include irrelevant competencies, people will probably have a hard time relating to the framework in general. For example, if you created a framework to cover the whole organization, then financial management would not be included unless every worker had to demonstrate that skill. However, a framework covering management roles would almost certainly involve the financial management competency. Developing the Framework There are four main steps in the competency framework development process. Each steps has key actions that will encourage people to accept and use the final product. Step One: Prepare †¢ Define the purpose – Before you start analyzing jobs, and figuring out what each role needs for success, make sure you look at the purpose for creating the framework. How you plan to use it will impact whom you involve in preparing it, and how you determine its scope. For example, a framework for filling a job vacancy will be very specific, whereas a framework for evaluating compensation will need to cover a wide range of roles. †¢ Create a competency framework team – Include people from all areas of your business that will use the framework. Where possible, aim to represent the diversity of your organization. Its also important to think about long-term needs, so that you can keep the framework updated and relevant. Step Two: Collect Information This is the main part of the framework. Generally, the better the data you collect, the more accurate your framework will be. For this reason, its a good idea to consider which techniques youll use to collect information about the roles, and the work involved in each one. You may want to use the following: †¢ Observe – Watch people while theyre performing their roles. This is especially useful for jobs that involve hands-on labor that you can physically observe. †¢ Interview people – Talk to every person individually, choose a sample of people to interview, or conduct a group interview. You may also want to interview the supervisor of the job youre assessing. This helps you learn what a wide variety of people believe is needed for the roles success. †¢ Create a questionnaire – A survey is an efficient way to gather data. Spend time making sure you ask the right questions, and consider the issues of reliability and validity. If you prefer, there are standardized job analysis questionnaires you can buy, rather than attempting to create your own. †¢ Analyze the work – Which behaviors are used to perform the jobs covered by the framework? You may want to consider the following: †¢ Business plans, strategies, and objectives. †¢ Organizational principles. †¢ Job descriptions. †¢ Regulatory or other compliance issues. †¢ Predictions for the future of the organization or industry. †¢ Customer and supplier requirements. Job analysis that includes a variety of techniques and considerations will give you the most comprehensive and accurate results. If you create a framework for the entire organization, make sure you use a sample of roles from across the company. This will help you capture the widest range of competencies that are still relevant to the whole business. †¢ As you gather information about each role, record what you learn in separate behavioral statements. For example, if you learn that Paul from accounting is involved in bookkeeping, you might break that down into these behavioral statements: handles petty cash, maintains floats, pays vendors according to policy, and analyzes cash books each month. You might find that other roles also have similar tasks – and therefore bookkeeping will be a competency within that framework. †¢ When you move on to Step Three, youll be organizing the information into larger competencies, so it helps if you can analyze and group your raw data effectively. Step Three: Build the Framework This stage involves grouping all of the behaviors and skill sets into competencies. Follow these steps to help you with this task: †¢ Group the statements – Ask your team members to read through the behavior statements, and group them into piles. The goal is to have three or four piles at first – for instance, manual skills, decision-making and judgment skills, and interpersonal skills. †¢ Create subgroups – Break down each of the larger piles into subcategories of related behaviors. Typically, there will be three or four subgroupings for each larger category. This provides the basic structure of the competency framework. †¢ Refine the subgroups – For each of the larger categories, define the subgroups even further. Ask yourself why and how the behaviors relate, or dont relate, to one another, and revise your groupings as necessary. †¢ Indentify and name the competencies – Ask your team to identify a specific competency to represent each of the smaller subgroups of behaviors. Then they can also name the larger category. †¢ Heres an example of groupings and subgroupings for general management competencies: †¢ Supervising and leading teams. †¢ Provide ongoing direction and support to staff. †¢ Take initiative to provide direction. †¢ Communicate direction to staff. †¢ Monitor performance of staff. †¢ Motivate staff. †¢ Develop succession plan. †¢ Ensure that company standards are met. †¢ Recruiting and staffing. †¢ Prepare job descriptions and role specifications. †¢ Participate in selection interviews. †¢ Identify individuals training needs. †¢ Implement disciplinary and grievance procedures. †¢ Ensure that legal obligations are met. †¢ Develop staff contracts. †¢ Develop salary scales and compensation packages. †¢ Develop personnel management procedures. †¢ Make sure staff resources meet organizational needs. †¢ Training and development. †¢ Deliver training to junior staff. †¢ Deliver training to senior staff. †¢ Identify training needs. †¢ Support personal development. †¢ Develop training materials and methodology. †¢ Managing projects/programs †¢ Prepare detailed operational plans. †¢ Manage financial and human resources. †¢ Monitor overall performance against objectives. †¢ Write reports, project proposals, and amendments. †¢ Understand external funding environment. †¢ Develop project/program strategy. You may need to add levels for each competency. This is particularly useful when using the framework for compensation or performance reviews. To do so, take each competency, and divide the related behaviors into measurement scales according to complexity, responsibility, scope, or other relevant criteria. These levels may already exist if you have job grading in place. †¢ Validate and revise the competencies as necessary – For each item, ask these questions: †¢ Is this behavior demonstrated by people who perform the work most effectively? In other words, are people who dont demonstrate this behavior ineffective in the role? †¢ Is this behavior relevant and necessary for effective work performance? These questions are often asked in the form of a survey. Its important to look for consensus among the people doing the job, as well as areas where theres little agreement. Also, look for possible issues with language, or the way the competencies are described, and refine those as well. Step Four: Implement As you roll out the finalized competency framework, remember the principle of communication that we mentioned earlier. To help get buy-in from members of staff at all levels of the organization, its important to explain to them why the framework was developed, and how youd like it to be used. Discuss how it will be updated, and which procedures youve put in place to accommodate changes. Here are some tips for implementing the framework: †¢ Link to business objectives – Make connections between individual competencies and organizational goals and values as much as possible. †¢ Reward the competencies – Check that your policies and practices support and reward the competencies identified. †¢ Provide coaching and training – Make sure theres adequate coaching and training available. People need to know that their efforts will be supported. †¢ Keep it simple – Make the framework as simple as possible. You want the document to be used, not filed away and forgotten. †¢ Communicate – Most importantly, treat the implementation as you would any other change initiative. The more open and honest you are throughout the process, the better the end result – and the better the chances of the project achieving your objectives. [pic] Key Points Creating a competency framework is an effective method to assess, maintain, and monitor the knowledge, skills, and attributes of people in your organization. The framework allows you to measure current competency levels to make sure your staff members have the expertise needed to add value to the business. It also helps managers make informed decisions about talent recruitment, retention, and succession strategies. And, by identifying the specific behaviors and skills needed for each role, it enables you to budget and plan for the training and development your company really needs. The process of creating a competency framework is long and complex. To ensure a successful outcome, involve people actually doing carrying out the roles to evaluate real jobs, and describe real behaviors.

Candide and Great Expectations: Comparing Candide and Pip :: Charles Dickens, Voltaire

Candide, by Voltaire, and Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, are two novels written in different periods of time and by authors with different backgrounds. Their main characters are consequently not identical to each other. The fundamental difference between Candide and Pip as characters is that Candide shows us only his outer countenance while Pip lets us know the deepest of his feelings. Candide is one of those "follow the leader" type characters, that doesn't do much thinking for himself. Most of Candide's opinions and actions match those of his philosophy teacher Pangloss. Pangloss firmly believes that he lives in the best of the worlds and that everything that happens is for the best and Candide has learned to apply this believe to all the events he goes through. Candide relies so much on Pangloss and other characters that the reader is not able to figure out Candide's inner thoughts nor his true personality. Pip, on the other hand, shows an internal struggle whenever he has to make a decision. Pip also has an image of a father imposed on other male characters throughout the progress of his life: first his brother-in-law Joe, later the lawyer Mr. Jaggers, and finally his secret benefactor Magwitch. But the relative importance that each of them hold on Pip's opinions is rather little compared to the effect of Pangloss' word upon Candide. Pip is always open to suggestions coming from any of the individuals around him, and he really cares about the judgement of any of these, but he is always left with freedom when concerning an ultimate decision. Candide and Great Expectations have much dissimilarity by themselves. Candide is narrated in third person by an omniscient voice, but Great Expectations' narrator is Pip as an adult: the story is told in first person retrospective.

Elements of Literature Essay

Many literature students are expected to be familiar with the basic terms listed below (and discussed in more depth in your text). Keep this study guide with your text. At the beginning of each reading assignment, write the elements of literature pertaining to the particular type of literature at the beginning of the short story or poem. After reading, define them in your text for class discussion, quizzes, and test preparation. To understand literature, it is necessary that you ask yourself certain questions, such as â€Å"what is the theme of this story? † or â€Å"why does the author use this particular type of imagery? † You are not necessarily reading for pleasure–although it is sincerely hoped you will derive pleasure from your assignments–but for the development of critical analysis skills, so observe the author’s style and intent carefully. Short Stories/Novel Theme–The idea or point of a story formulated as a generalization. In American literature, several themes are evident which reflect and define our society. The dominant ones might be innocence/experience, life/death, appearance/reality, free will/fate, madness/sanity, love/hate, society/individual, known/unknown. Themes may have a single, instead of a dual nature as well. The theme of a story may be a mid-life crisis, or imagination, or the duality of humankind (contradictions). Character–Imaginary people created by the writer. Perhaps the most important element of literature. †¢ Protagonist–Major character at the center of the story. †¢ Antagonist–A character or force that opposes the protagonist. †¢ Minor character–0ften provides support and illuminates the protagonist. †¢ Static character–A character who remains the same. †¢ Dynamic character–A character who changes in some important way. †¢ Characterization–The means by which writers reveal character. †¢ Explicit Judgment–Narrator gives facts and interpretive comment. †¢ Implied Judgment–Narrator gives description; reader make the judgment. Look for: Connections, links, and clues between and about characters. Ask yourself what the function and significance of each character is. Make this determination based upon the character’s history, what the reader is told (and not told), and what other characters say about themselves and others. Plot–The arrangement of ideas and/or incidents that make up a story. Causality–One event occurs because of another event. †¢ Foreshadowing–A suggestion of what is going to happen. †¢ Suspense–A sense of worry established by the author. †¢ Conflict–Struggle between opposing forces. †¢ Exposition–Background information regarding the setting, characters, plot. †¢ Complication or Rising Action–Intensification of conflict. †¢ Crisis–Turning point; moment of great tension that fixes the action. †¢ Resolution/Denouement–The way the story turns out. Structure–The design or form of the completed action. Often provides clues to character and action. Can even philosophically mirror the author’s intentions, especially if it is unusual. Look for: Repeated elements in action, gesture, dialogue, description, as well as shifts in direction, focus, time, place, etc. Setting–The place or location of the action, the setting provides the historical and cultural context for characters. It often can symbolize the emotional state of characters. Point of View–Again, the point of view can sometimes indirectly establish the author’s intentions. Point of view pertains to who tells the story and how it is told. †¢ Narrator–The person telling the story. †¢ First-person–Narrator participates in action but sometimes has limited knowledge/vision. †¢ Objective–Narrator is unnamed/unidentified (a detached observer). Does not assume character’s perspective and is not a character in the story. The narrator reports on events and lets the reader supply the meaning. †¢ Omniscient–All-knowing narrator (multiple perspectives). The narrator takes us into the character and can evaluate a character for the reader (editorial omniscience). When a narrator allows the reader to make his or her own judgments from the action of the characters themselves, it is called neutral omniscience. †¢ Limited omniscient–All-knowing narrator about one or two characters, but not all. Language and Style–Style is the verbal identity of a writer, oftentimes based on the author’s use of diction (word choice) and syntax (the order of words in a sentence). A writer’s use of language reveals his or her tone, or the attitude toward the subject matter. Irony–A contrast or discrepancy between one thing and another. †¢ Verbal irony–We understand the opposite of what the speaker says. †¢ Irony of Circumstance or Situational Irony–When one event is expected to occur but the opposite happens. A discrepancy between what seems to be and what is. †¢ Dramatic Irony–Discrepancy between what characters know and what readers know. †¢ Ironic Vision–An overall tone of irony that pervades a work, suggesting how the writer views the characters. Poetry Allegory–A form of narrative in which people, places, and events seem to have hidden meanings. Often a retelling of an older story. Connotation–The implied meaning of a word. Denotation–The dictionary definition of a word. Diction–Word choice and usage (for example, formal vs. informal), as determined by considerations of audience and purpose. Figurative Language–The use of words to suggest meanings beyond the literal. There are a number of figures of speech. Some of the more common ones are: †¢ Metaphor–Making a comparison between unlike things without the use of a verbal clue (such as â€Å"like† or â€Å"as†). †¢ Simile–Making a comparison between unlike things, using â€Å"like† or â€Å"as†. †¢ Hyperbole–Exaggeration †¢ Personification–Endowing inanimate objects with human characteristics Imagery–A concrete representation of a sense impression, a feeling, or an idea which appeals to one or more of our senses. Look for a pattern of imagery. †¢ Tactile imagery–sense of touch. †¢ Aural imagery–sense of hearing. †¢ Olfactory imagery–sense of smell. †¢ Visual imagery–sense of sight. †¢ Gustatory imagery–sense of taste. Rhythm and Meter–Rhythm is the pulse or beat in a line of poetry, the regular recurrence of an accent or stress. Meter is the measure or patterned count of a poetry line (a count of the stresses we feel in a poem’s rhythm). The unit of poetic meter in English is called a â€Å"foot,† a unit of measure consisting of stressed and unstressed syllables. Ask yourself how the rhythm and meter affects the tone and meaning. Sound–Do the words rhyme? Is there alliteration (repetition of consonants) or assonance (repetition of vowels)? How does this affect the tone? Structure–The pattern of organization of a poem. For example, a sonnet is a 14-line poem usually written in iambic pentameter. Because the sonnet is strictly constrained, it is considered a closed or fixed form. An open or free form is a poem in which the author uses a looser form, or perhaps one of his or her own invention. It is not necessarily formless. Symbolism–When objects or actions mean more than themselves. Syntax–Sentence structure and word order. Voice: Speaker and Tone–The voice that conveys the poem’s tone; its implied attitude toward its subject. Elements of Literature Literature is a reflection of the society. A writer appeals to our feelings, emotions through various elements of literature, such as plot, character, theme, etc. Read more to know about the elements of literature. We can summarize literature in the words of Ezra Pound that great literature is simply language charged with meaning to the utmost possible degree. Every race has its own literature, for example, English literature, American literature, German literature, etc. Various types of literaturesuch as story, novel and drama delight us through the elements of literature. In literature, theme is important to reveal the story. An author depicts the ups and downs of the protagonist with the help of characterization. The story progresses through various plots. There are prologues and epilogues in Shakespearean drama. Facts on Elements of Literature: Elements of literature denote the things that are used to make up a work of literature. There are different types and forms of literature. They are novel, drama, poetry, biography, non-fictional prose, essay, epic and short story. All these types of literature have some elements. To complete a piece of literature, a writer, dramatist or a novelist need to use certain elements like plot, character, theme, etc. However, elements of fiction and elements of drama differ from elements of poetry. These elements are discussed below: Elements of Fiction and Drama : Literary types such as fiction; drama and short story have some elements.

Essay about Child Discipline - 1793 Words

Children in today’s society seems to be more â€Å"out of control† than prior generations. Is this due to lack of discipline? For generations children were spanked, had their mouths smacked when back talking, or other various forms of discipline that today would be viewed as child abuse. With today’s generation, when spanking, if a mark is left on that child for longer than 24 hours, it is considered child abuse. How did society, who once thought spanking was okay, go to not seeing eye to eye? Through many years of research, psychologist are beginning to see that spanking or being aggressive with children has long term effects on those children. What exactly is considered child discipline? It is the set of rules, rewards and punishments used†¦show more content†¦Dr. Thomas Phelan, a registered clinical psychologist has been working in the field for over 40 years. He has written numerous books that help parents learn key ways to discipline their children. His book series â€Å"1-2-3 Magic† is very popular and has helped millions of parents reach out and be able to help parents encourage positive behavior in their children without the use of spanking. Dr. Phelan talks about how to break the cycle so many parents use. The cycle he talks about is â€Å"Talk-Persuade-Argue-Yell-Hit.† (Phelan 1) This cycle only teaches the child that it is okay to yell and hit. All too often we see children with tempers. Many times these tempers seem to stem from their home life. Parents use physical discipline/punishment to get through to their child and all that does is teach them that being aggressive and physical is okay. They end up getting into a scuff with another child at school and begin yelling and then hit the child. Some children have been known to be choked, even in pre-school. These are the cases where the child’s behavior can easily be tied to the environment in which they live. Where else would they learn to become that aggressive? Aggressive behavior as a child leads to advanced aggression as an adolescent and causes juveniles to start causing problems within society. Studies have been done with different groups of parents. â€Å"The Abusive profile applied to families who reported at least one severe assault onShow MoreRelatedParental Discipline And Child Abuse1809 Words   |  8 Pagespunishments as a child most likely became more disciplined earlier than everyone else and most likely still is. To be clear, the intended definition of punishments to be used is a penalization for committing an act that would be considered unacceptable in the eyes of the parent i.e. swearing, fighting, being disrespectful, etc. This is also known as parental discipline. Although it may not seem like it there is a clear boundary separating parental discipline from child abuse. Parental discipline is intendedRead MorePhysical Discipline And Child Behavior Problems Essay1470 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Physical Discipline and Child Behavior Problems: A study of Ethnic Group Differences† by Jodi Polaha, Robert E. Larzelere, Steven K. Sharpio and Gregory S. Petit is researching the relation between parental discipline and how it relates to the child’s behavior expression problems within different ethnic groups. They’re addressing how physical discipline in different ethnic groups can affect children’s way of expressing themselves in distinct ways. Previous research shows when a parent’s discipline is abusiveRead MorePosition Paper- Child Abuse and Discipline1181 Words   |  5 PagesPARENTAL DISCIPLINE AND ABUSE Parental discipline and child abuse are among the most controversial topics currently, and they cause serious problems for children in the United States. Child abuse essentially focuses on the child’s bad behaviors and gives the child emotional and physical harms. Forms of abuse include spanking, hitting, saying negative things and corporal punishment. In fact, parental discipline is a much more appropriate way of dealing with negative behavior than using abusiveRead MoreWhen Does Discipline Cross the Line to Child Abuse?1486 Words   |  6 PagesWhen Does Discipline Cross the Line to Child Abuse? In this report, I concentrated my research on the fine line between physical discipline and child abuse, with emphasis on spanking vs. not spanking and its effects on children. Included are research from statistics, opposing views and arguments, advocates’ and Department of Children and Families’ position. The use of corporal punishment, or spanking, as a form of parental discipline is a controversial topic. Adults who remember being spankingRead MoreChild Discipline Expository Writing1576 Words   |  7 PagesA Fine Line between Child Abuse and Discipline Child abuse is the physical injury of a child inflicted by a parent which ranges from superficial bruises, broken bones, burns, serious internal injuries and in some cases, death (Prevent Child Abuse America). Child abuse is a topic that causes rage in many discussions throughout the country because it is outrageous actions against innocent children. Many parents question whether discipline can become child abuse. Bell Hooks is an educated woman, feministRead MoreChildren Should Not Withhold Discipline From A Child845 Words   |  4 PagesDo not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.Proverbs 23:13-14. Spanking children is used as a form of discipline if brought upon with a valid reason. Peoples opinions may very because everything has an extent it can be taken to expressly discipline. Disciplining children has been an widely controversial topic for many years as in the forms , the things used to discipline children, and theRead MoreShould Child Discipline On A Physical Level?1462 Words   |  6 PagesIs it illegal to slap or smack a child as a form of discipline? Should it be? With the changing of times questions are being raised whether or not smacking or slapping a child is right or wrong by todays standards, This essay is going to argue why child discipline on a physical level should not only been illegal but why the country as a whole needs to ban it. As of the current point in time there are currently no laws making slapping, smacking or striking a child â€Å"illegal†. The only law that isRead MoreChild Discipline3229 Words   |  13 PagesAnton Shusterman June 4th, 2011 Child Discipline The most important thing in a child’s life is how his parents treat him. 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It may not be the parent’s intention to harm their child but it is something that occurs. â€Å"In 2012, state agencies found an estimate 686,000 of child maltreatment.† .*(*K ids Count) Every year more than 3 million reports of child abuseRead MoreIs Discipline A Child Abuse?969 Words   |  4 PagesIs Discipline Child Abuse? What does the word child abuse mean in your own words? Some people believe child abuse includes neglect, punishment, physical or emotional maltreatment. Child abuse is all over the world. Every day a child is either abused or neglected. Since the late 1900’s child abuse was commonly used in the United States (Gale). Now it is slowly coming to its ending point. Since 1992, only two states, Delaware and Oklahoma, have experienced consistent increases today. Is discipline