Soft Skills

Intreview Questions - Part 2

2008-06-11T09:07:00.003+03:00

Oral Communications

§ What types of experiences have you had dealing with irate customers or clients?
§ What was the hardest "sell" of a new idea or method you have had to make to get it accepted?
§ Tell me about a time when you "put your foot in your mouth" and what happened?
§ Describe a problem person you have had to deal with at work, what did you say?
§ What has been your experience in dealing with the poor performance of subordinates?
§ All of us feel shy or socially uncomfortable at times - when have you felt this way about communicating? Has that influenced your career?
§ Timing is very important in communications sometimes... tell me about a time when your timing was very good and one when it was bad?
§ The old proverb "silence is golden" is sometimes hard to live by - tell me about a time when you were proud of your ability to restrain yourself from saying something?

Teamwork

§ Tell me when you think it is important for a manager to use a participative style and involve work unit members in making decisions.
§ Describe the types of teams you have worked in and tell me what worked well and what did not.
§ Have you ever had to work with a team of people who did not work well together or did not like each other? Tell me what happened and how you reacted.
§ Give me an example of a situation in which you managed or led a team and were able to create a high morale, high productivity work group.
§ Tell me about a time when you had difficulty getting others to work together on a critical problem and how you handled it.
§ Some managers encourage people to work together while others encourage direct competition among their people. Tell me about the best manager you have worked for and what approach that person took and what you learned.
§ Describe a really difficult person you worked with and how you handled working with that person.

Enjoy,
Amjad Alqaisi

Soft Skills "Interview Questions" Part 1

2008-05-11T01:25:00.003+03:00

Here are some soft skills interview questions, largely focused on a behavioral approach, you may want to use or adapt during your interview process.

Interpersonal Skills

Describe how you developed relationships with others when you were new on your current/ most recent job?
Have you ever worked for an extremely talkative manager? How did you ensure you were communicating effectively?
Have you ever worked for a very reticent manager? How did you ensure you were communicating effectively?
Describe a time when you had problems with a supervisor and had to communicate your unhappy feelings or difficult disagreements. Tell me what you did and what happened?
What words do your current co-workers use to describe you and how accurate do you think these are? If they are not accurate, what do you think caused the person to choose that word?
Tell me about a time when you became involved in a problem faced by a co-worker -how did it happen, what did you do and what happened?
When you are dealing with co-workers or customers, what really tries your patience and how do you deal with that?
Describe a situation when one of your decisions was challenged by higher management; what did you do and how did you react?
Describe how you changed the opinion of someone who seemed to have a very negative opinion of you?
Describe some of the most unusual people you have known - what was different about them and how did you work with them?
Give me an example of how you handled a very tense situation at work?
How skillful do you think you are at "sizing up" others? Give me an example.

Dears, Next is Oral Communication Questions..

Enjoy Learning,
Amjad T. Alqaisi

Soft skills "Survey with Professor Anna Tzanakaki "

2008-04-22T02:51:00.004+03:00

In a survey conducted by our team members titled “Soft skills & E-learning” with Professor Anna Tzanakaki (MSITT Program Director) she answered:

What do soft skills mean to you?

Communion skills, leadership skills, Negotiation skills, presentation skills etc…

Are soft skills as important as “Hard skills”?

Yes, although to some extend it depends on the person’s type of work.

Do you believe that soft skills can be taught through internet means (E-learning)?

Not very effectively

When you interview a possible employee or a student, how do you measure his/her soft skills generally?

By the impression I get through the interaction & specific relevant questions I ask.

Do you recommend AIT to include core subject about “Soft skills” in its curriculum?

It maybe a good idea although having it as elective maybe more appropriate.

Enjoy & Learn,

Amjad Alqaisi

Communication Skills

2008-04-19T18:16:00.003+03:00

Effective Communication Skills are very important for our professional /personal success, regardless in what business we participate to.

The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others clearly and unambiguously, and the communication becomes successful when both the sender and the receiver understand the same information as a result of the communication.

Searching online for "How to.." on Communication Skills, i cam across on some very useful videos which i want to share them with you.

Communication Skills_Part1

Communication Skills_Part2

Communication Skills_Part3

Communication Skills_Part4

More to come....

Enjoy,
Ana

Tips to Improve Your Interpersonal Skills.

2008-04-19T16:15:00.004+03:00

Recently i had a job interview with an International company, and despite testing technical / professional skills, a great importance on the interview process was given to the "Interpersonal skills".

Interpersonal Skills is one of the elements how you are perceived by your manager and coworkers, which play a large role in things as minor as your day-to-day happiness at the office and as major as the future of your career.

No matter how hard you work or how many brilliant ideas you may have, if you can’t connect with the people who work around you, your professional life will suffer.

Here are some tips, on how to improve our Interpersonal Skills.

Smile. Few people want to be around someone who is always down in the dumps. Do your best to be friendly and upbeat with your coworkers. Maintain a positive, cheerful attitude about work and about life. Smile often. The positive energy you radiate will draw others to you.
Be appreciative. Find one positive thing about everyone you work with and let them hear it. Be generous with praise and kind words of encouragement. Say thank you when someone helps you. Make colleagues feel welcome when they call or stop by your office. If you let others know that they are appreciated, they’ll want to give you their best.
Pay attention to others. Observe what’s going on in other people’s lives. Acknowledge their happy milestones, and express concern and sympathy for difficult situations such as an illness or death. Make eye contact and address people by their first names. Ask others for their opinions.
Practice active listening. To actively listen is to demonstrate that you intend to hear and understand another’s point of view. It means restating, in your own words, what the other person has said. In this way, you know that you understood their meaning and they know that your responses are more than lip service. Your coworkers will appreciate knowing that you really do listen to what they have to say.
Bring people together. Create an environment that encourages others to work together. Treat everyone equally, and don't play favorites. Avoid talking about others behind their backs. Follow up on other people's suggestions or requests. When you make a statement or announcement, check to see that you have been understood. If folks see you as someone solid and fair, they will grow to trust you.
Resolve conflicts. Take a step beyond simply bringing people together, and become someone who resolves conflicts when they arise. Learn how to be an effective mediator. If coworkers bicker over personal or professional disagreements, arrange to sit down with both parties and help sort out their differences. By taking on such a leadership role, you will garner respect and admiration from those around you.
Communicate clearly. Pay close attention to both what you say and how you say it. A clear and effective communicator avoids misunderstandings with coworkers, collegues, and associates. Verbal eloquence projects an image of intelligence and maturity, no matter what your age. If you tend to blurt out anything that comes to mind, people won’t put much weight on your words or opinions.
Humor them. Don’t be afraid to be funny or clever. Most people are drawn to a person that can make them laugh. Use your sense of humor as an effective tool to lower barriers and gain people’s affection.
See it from their side. Empathy means being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand how they feel. Try to view situations and responses from another person’s perspective. This can be accomplished through staying in touch with your own emotions; those who are cut off from their own feelings are often unable to empathize with others.
Don't complain. There is nothing worse than a chronic complainer or whiner. If you simply have to vent about something, save it for your diary. If you must verbalize your grievances, vent to your personal friends and family, and keep it short. Spare those around you, or else you’ll get a bad reputation.

Enjoy,
Ana

Soft skills "Survey with AIT's Managing Director"

2008-04-18T04:00:00.004+03:00

In a survey conducted by our team members titled “Soft skills & E-learning” with Mr. Athanasios Zesimopoulos he answered:

What do soft skills mean to you?

This term refers to a set of personality characteristics and traits that are complementary to the “hard skills” acquired through formal education and training. Under the wide umbrella of soft skills someone could include leadership, motivation, communication skills, team management, confidence, versatility, reliability, efficiency among others.

Are soft skills as important as “Hard skills”?

One set of skills balances the other.

Do you believe that soft skills can be taught through internet means (E-learning)?

Soft skills refer mainly to personality and the conduct towards others/tasks/jobs, etc. Interaction and sometimes mimicking others behavior is a key component in acquiring soft skills. If an on-line method allows real time interaction then some soft skills could be taught by experts.

When you interview a possible employee or a student, how do you measure his/her soft skills generally?

An interview and direct interaction are the only ways to evaluate his/her personality and his/her ability to deal with a set of issues/problems/standards. Setting real problems and case studies evaluating his/her reaction to these is one way to measure soft skills.

Do you recommend AIT to include core subject about “Soft skills” in its curriculum?

As an academic institution that concentrates on the hard skills our students should acquired (especially in technical masters) and given the limitations of time and heavy work load such an addition could be difficult. However, in the MBIT program there is a mandatory course on negotiation which is in this direction. Moreover part of every day student life is presentation and defense of the projects, homework, thesis, etc. There are also team projects and a number of activities that involve the use of soft skills. Finally, the preparation towards AIT’s career days and the interview process with potential employers itself is a valuable activity through which a set of soft skills are acquired.

Finally, Tomorrow we will publish the MSITT Program Director Professor Anna Tzanakaki’s Answers (visit us again)!

Enjoy & Learn,

Amjad Alqaisi

Soft skills "Survey with Professor G. Yovanof"

2008-04-16T01:41:00.004+03:00

In a survey conducted by our team members titled “Soft skills & E-learning” with Professor Gregory S. Yovanof (Our respected and expert professor at AIT) he answered:

What do soft skills mean to you?

They are people’s skills, presentations, communication skills, team players, and openness to cultural diversity. Personal traits (such as time management, leadership ability, being dependable and honest) all fall under soft skills.

Are soft skills as important as “Hard skills”?

Yes, they are equally important since they contribute towards establishing an overall healthy working environment.

Do you believe that soft skills can be taught through internet means (E-learning)?

No! They are primarily social skills developed through personal relationships. The virtual world is a poor substitute for social networking.

When you interview a possible employee or a student, how do you measure his/her soft skills generally?

Through direct questions, but also relying on observation of body language clues, eye contact…etc.

Do you recommend AIT to include core subject about “Soft skills” in its curriculum?

It should be an integral part of “Human Resource Management” elective course, recently added to the MBIT curriculum (to be offered first time in the summer 2008)!

Tomorrow we will publish the AIT’s Managing Director’s Answers (visit us again)!

Enjoy & Learn,

Amjad Alqaisi

Soft Skills "Survey"

2008-04-15T12:38:00.006+03:00

In a survey conducted by our team members titled “Soft skills & E-learning” with Professor L. David Brown (Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government) when he visited the AIT last month he answered:

What do soft skills mean to you?

Soft skills are personal skills, emotional skills, and managerial skills. It is different from hard science capacities.

Are soft skills as important as “Hard skills”?

Sure, they are a lot more important in our social life (at home). Technical people might require more hard skills than soft skills to carry out their jobs, but soft skills are of so importance if they want to pursue managerial positions.

Do you believe that soft skills can be taught through internet means (E-learning)?

Its hard, soft skills cannot be broadcasted; it should be transferred through interactive learning (i.e. face to face)

When you interview a possible employee or a student, how do you measure his/her soft skills generally?

CVs would tell something but not so much. Direct questions, body language and oral interaction will tell a lot more.

Do you recommend AIT to include core subject about “Soft skills” in its curriculum?

Yes very much recommended. In the MPA and MBA of Harvard business school, we have core courses about leadership, negotiation and other soft skills.

Tomorrow we will publish Professor G. Yovanof 's Answers (Visit us again)!

Enjoy & Learn,

Amjad Alqaisi

www.online-learning.com Survey HW#2

2008-04-10T01:59:00.001+03:00

As part of our Home Work #2 in the E-business please follow th link below to answer the questions of the survey.

Believe me its less than 2 Minutes of you valuable time!

Click here to take our Online Survey

Enjoy,

Amjad T. Alqaisi

How To Gain Recognition for Your Hard Work

2008-04-09T10:04:00.000+03:00

To ensure you get the full recognition you deserve for your work, the following strategies can improve your on-the-job recognition factor:

-First and foremost, you have to be liked

-Make it a point to tell your supervisor what you have done, and offer some well-thought-out new ideas and suggestions for improving the bottom line.

-Without making it appear that you are bucking for a promotion, volunteer for additional assignments.

-Keep your own personal performance chart and review it regularly to see how you can improve your contributions to the company.

-If you do not feel you are getting the recognition you deserve, do not complain about it to co-workers

Full article can be found http://www.jobjournal.com/article_full_text.asp?artid=2285

Technological component Vs. Business needs for Oracle University

2008-04-08T08:53:00.001+03:00

Click here to take our Online Survey to evaluate Oracle University e-learning site

As a part of our study for the e-business course and since our blog theme is related to e- learning area, as a homework we had to do a study about an e-learning website (The site technological component corresponding business needs ) for Oracle University (http://education.oracle.com/).

You can download the file from here
Enjoy
Fadi
P.S Please take time to fill our survey

Click here to take our Online Survey to evaluate Oracle University e-learning site

How to improve your memory: 5 simple tips

2008-04-07T12:33:00.001+03:00

Believe in yourself

Don't let negative expectations defeat you. If you expect to fail, you won't even try. If you find yourself thinking, "I can't remember names," substitute "I may forget some names.

Focus your attention on what you really want to remember

No one can remember everything. So put effort and energy into those areas that are most important to you. Much of what is called forgetting is a lack of attention. Before you blame your memory, ask yourself if you were really paying attention.

Relax

Tension interferes with the memory process; relaxing often lets the memory come to the surface. When you feel anxious about the possibility of forgetting, you may become preoccupied with the anxiety and unable to concentrate on recalling the needed information. The solution is to take a deep breath and relax; often the information will come to you.

Give yourself plenty of time

People of all ages forget more frequently when they are rushing. In general, if you have enough time to think about what you need to accomplish, you are less likely to forget something. You may also find that you need more time for learning new information and for recalling information from long-term memory. Give yourself a little additional time and see if it helps in encoding and retrieving information.

Be organized

The old saying, "A place for everything, and everything in its place" is good advice for memory improvement. Make a decision to improve your organizational skills in whatever ways are important to you. If you routinely put your keys, glasses, purse, and bills in the same place, you will not waste time searching for them.

Reference www.bayt.com

Improve your Self-esteem

2008-04-01T13:54:00.002+03:00

Self-esteem is a personal quality that plays an affective role in our lives. In psychology, self-esteem reflects a person’s overall self-appraisal of their own worth. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs and emotions. Our behaviour may reflect our self-esteem. Psychologists usually regard self-esteem as an enduring personality characteristic. Self-esteem can apply specifically to a particular dimension or have global extent.

In order to improve your self-esteem you must first believe that you can change it. Change doesn't necessarily happen quickly or easily, but it can happen. You are not powerless! Once you have accepted, or are at least willing to entertain the possibility that you are not powerless, there are three steps you can take to begin to change your self-esteem:

· Step 1: Rebut the Inner Critic

The first important step in improving self-esteem is to begin to challenge the negative messages of the critical inner voice. Here are some typical examples of the inner critic's voice and how you can "rebut" that voice.

The Inner Critic's Voice:

Is Unfairly Harsh:

"People said they liked my presentation, but it was nowhere near as good as it should have been. I can't believe no-one noticed all the places I messed up. I'm such an impostor."

Be Reassuring:

"Wow, they really liked it! Maybe it wasn't perfect, but I worked hard on that presentation and did a good job. I'm proud of myself. This was a great success."

Generalizes Unrealistically:

"I got an F on the test. I don't understand anything in this class. I'm such an idiot. Who am I fooling? I shouldn't be taking this class. I'm stupid and I don't belong in college."

Be Specific:

"I did poorly on this one test, but I've done O.K. on all the homework. There are some things here that I don't understand as well as I thought I did, but I can do the material-I've done fine in other classes that were just as tough.

· Step 2: Practice Self-Nurturing

Rebutting your critical inner voice is an important first step, but it is not enough. Since our self-esteem is in part due to how others have treated us in the past, the second step to more healthy self-esteem is to begin to treat yourself as a worthwhile person. Start to challenge past negative experiences or messages by nurturing and caring for yourself in ways that show that you are valuable, competent, deserving and lovable.

· Step 3: Get Help from Others

Getting help from others is often the most important step a person can take to improve his or her self-esteem, but it can also be the most difficult. People with low self-esteem often don't ask for help because they feel they don't deserve it. But since low self-esteem is often caused by how other people treated you in the past, you may need the help of other people in the present to challenge the critical messages that come from negative past experiences.

Reference:

http://www.utexas.edu/student/cmhc/booklets/selfesteem/selfest.html#anchor1648307

6 steps to more productivity

2008-03-24T12:27:00.001+02:00

Every one of us needs to organize his/her workload in order to be more productive below is a summarized steps on how to reach that. (summarized from reference below)
1-make a daily list: make a daily list of what you are going to finish today.
2- Segregate time for each task: give each task of your daily list a specific amount of time to be finished.
3- focus: The instant we break concentration, the entire problem that we were modeling in our head drops on the floor and shatters into a million pieces.
4- Take breaks: When you can’t figure out a problem, it’s time to put it on your mind’s back burner for a bit. Or, right after you solve a problem, have a 10 minute celebration before moving on to the next thing.
5- Take care of your equipment: Most of what you’re paid for is produced by your brain, so treat it like your most important piece of equipment. Caffeine may put some spark in it, but overdoing caffeine may make you think less clearly. Beer as well causes neurotoxins (nerve cell damages)
6- Follow through: If you have a choice between working on two projects, choose the one that is nearly finished even if the other one is more fun. When you complete a project, it creates momentum and reduces that long to-do list.

Reference: http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/project-management/?p=193&tag=nl.e108

Today, soft skills are required in all functions of the workplace

2008-03-20T02:31:00.008+02:00

Today, corporates are increasingly relying on e-learning to improve the soft skills of their employees. Until a few years ago, soft skills training was offered only to the sales team as these skills were equated to training in communication and client interaction. But now it is a prerequisite to all categories of employees.

A full study made by HR Magazine about e-learning and soft skills through a sample of big companies such as Reuters, Delaware North Companies Inc, US Bancorp and others stated that companies nowadays rely more on technology ways to deliver soft-skills to their employees. Globalization has played a major rule in this expansion as many companies have multinational employees and they want to teach them all sorts of soft skills in order to develop their productivity and teamwork efficiencies.

For example, more than half of the employees at Reuters News Agency are Non-native English speakers and operate in non-English native countries. That motivation created the need for developing their language skills, the reason that Reuters chose to contract with an e-learning company GlobalEnglish Corp to deliver online virtual classes and customized courses for their employees. The feedback of the program was positive and the cost of teaching each employee is about $500 a year.

You will find interesting information about more examples in this report.

http://brandguidelines.elementk.com/HRMagHTML/January%202008%20HR%20Magazine%20Hard%20Facts%20About%20Soft-Skills.htm

Amjad Alqaisi

E-learning reaches out to Soft-Skills students

2008-02-29T14:27:00.002+02:00

An article from: Talkibie

- February 19th, 2008
- Haley January Eckels

Businesses have increasingly turned to online training methods in recent years, using technology as a way to better serve the needs of their employees’ professional development. This is especially true for those employees who need help with “hard skills,” such as computer training, operating machinery, or safety standards. Now, HR departments are starting to look to e-learning as a means of teaching “soft skills” or “people skills,” like communication, conflict resolution, management techniques, teamwork, and foreign language. This trend is still in its infancy, and some business are scratching their heads and asking, “Can you really learn people skills online?”

Employers are turning to e-learning to ensure that younger workers are developing the soft skills they need as they take over the work force. Baby boomers are slated to retire soon, and companies are worried that their experience and knowledge will go with them. Younger workers are accustomed to using computers, cell phones, and social networking websites in their everyday activities, and e-learning advocates hope that these two groups can be linked through online mentoring and training programs.

U.S. Bancorp has begun using a software package called Open Mentoring which connects workers across the organization for personalized training and mentoring services. Open Mentoring matches up employees based on demographic and competency information, and helps them connect through phone calls, online chats, and forums. The strategy may help preserve some of the organizational knowledge and memory that would otherwise be lost when experienced employees retire.

Employers are also using e-learning technologies to improve the language skills of their increasingly diverse workforces. Many companies who use an outsourcing employment model or who operate overseas are finding it increasingly important to provide language training to employees at locations all over the world. E-learning tools can help make that experience uniform and ensure the quality of teaching is the same across the company. One leader in this market is GlobalEnglish, which boasts clients such as Reuters, Mitsubishi, Nestle, General Motors, Canon, and Hilton International. They offer customized programs which will allow for specific problems or challenges to be addressed depending on the native language of the employee.

Online training has also come in handy for companies who need to give seminars on ethics or sexual harassment laws. During my tenure at a major publishing company with thousands of employees worldwide, we were required to participate in a web-based sexual harassment course. The 60-minute interactive class included a pretest, videos of real-life scenarios, test questions, and follow-up material that could be printed. Rather than attending a crowded meeting with a frustrated HR rep trying to shout over the chatter of bored employees, we were able to complete the training on our own schedule without the distractions of our immature coworkers.

So how do we know if online training is appropriate or effective for soft skills development? Many organizations are attempting to answer the same question. A number of online training models include follow-up meetings and sessions to allow trainees to interact and test their knowledge. This means that local HR reps have a chance to evaluate the effectiveness of the training, if only on an informal level. Metrics for soft skills learning are hard to define, but many programs use a survey/user satisfaction model to collect data and measure success. However, with the incorporation of more and more Web 2.0 tools into e-learning programs, people skills can indeed be exercised online. Between blogs, WIKI, social networking/bookmarking, and video sharing, employees really are able to communicate and learn in a group setting from the comfort of their cubes.

Enjoy,
Ana

Play & Learn @ Soft Skills.

2008-02-29T13:39:00.005+02:00

One of the effective ways to grasp knowledge is an online simulation.
Get to know what are your soft skill capabilities in sales!

Enjoy,
Ana

Speed Reading and E-Learning

2008-02-29T09:59:00.001+02:00

In this blog we are trying to give you the skills that will help you to develop your learning through e-learning concepts. One of the most important soft skills that will help in your development is the ability to read in a fast way.
I created a presentation about how to start reading in a fast way, what to do in order to reach great results.
And by this speed-reading will allow you to read more materials in the same time that you spend reading now.

You can download the presentation from here.

Enjoy fast reading and fast e-learning

Fadi

Soft skills & E-learning: A new revenue streams!

2008-02-28T23:33:00.001+02:00

Recently I have visited many e-learning websites, and found that most of them offer variety of soft skills training courses!

Usually soft skills courses used to be taught traditionally face-to-face not online, as they involve a lot of oral communications and body language arts and tools. The question is what made a lot of big corporations and companies to accept to train their employees by courses offered online? Do e-learning really help increase the efficiency of teaching soft skills? If yes, is there any proof that can we present and rely on?

The answer is yes, yes, and yes! According to an independent study made by Development Dimensions International addressing this issue and implementing a full survey on it, they found back in 2002 that e-learning is contributing to more than 42% of the learned soft skills in the sample they drawn! Imagine how it should be right now in 2008! At the very same study, they have shown a bunch of detailed pros and cons of e-learning, and how they suggest overcoming the problems companies faced in order to get the maximum benefit of it.

Please try to go through this PDF file if you are interesting and take a quick look on it…it is very useful to know generally.
www.ddiworld.com/pdf/ddi_stateofe-learning_rr.pdf

My interest overall is to realize the size of the market that we are talking about, and the huge amounts of money that companies are willing to spend in order to get their employees capable and handling enough skills to carry out their jobs and their lives either. No one can deny the advantages of teaching courses online being cost-effective and cutting big efforts for all parties. Nevertheless, the new commented trend is that companies more than individuals are more willing to engage online training. That is why we see many companies surviving and end-up with more profits from online training courses that relates to soft skills such as http://www.balancelearning.co.uk/. and there where the money is.

Amjad Alqaisi

Online-learning.com

2008-02-26T14:59:00.010+02:00

I have done an analysis about www.online-learning.com which concern pure virtual play company which teach courses online as well as doing business with other companies and universities.
Please find the study results of that website on the following link.

http://ait.softskill.googlepages.com/E-Business.doc

Also please take time to fill our survey.

Regards,
Amjad

Oracle University as an e-learning website

2008-02-26T14:11:00.003+02:00

Click here to take our Online Survey to evaluate Oracle University e-learning site

As a part of our study for the e-business course and since our blog theme is related to e- learning area, as a homework we had to do a study about an e-learning website Oracle University (http://education.oracle.com/).

You can download the file from here
Enjoy
Fadi
P.S Please take time to fill our survey

Click here to take our Online Survey to evaluate Oracle University e-learning site

E-learnig @ Latitude University

2008-02-26T09:39:00.005+02:00

One of a classes i am attending at AIT (Athens Information Technology), is E-Business course.
Like all the courses, has its own project requirements.
This blog, by the way is initiated as an E-business project, where the team members had to define a topic to talk more in their blog. As a first homework our course professors involved us in finding a web site within the context or our blog (which is E-learning e-business area), and to elaborate in business models adopted by this website.
To accomplish this homework i referred to the "Latitude online University" "http://www.latitudeu.com". A report of the homework can be found here.

As an open training community, Latitude University, gives the possibility to everyone to share or gain knowledge. It brings together those with "teaching" skills to the knowledge seekers, and all this for free or at a low price fee.

@ LatitudeU, i found very interesting e-courses, talking about different aspects of "Soft Skill". I would recommend to the readers of this blog, to get and join LatitudeU, explore it and to benefit for its online course catalog, and please feel free to answer to the following questions:

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://polls.blogflux.com/poll-21838.html"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Take the poll&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://polls.blogflux.com/"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Free Poll by Blog Flux&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://polls.blogflux.com/poll-21839.html"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Take the poll&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://polls.blogflux.com/"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Free Poll by Blog Flux&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://polls.blogflux.com/poll-21840.html"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Take the poll&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://polls.blogflux.com/"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Free Poll by Blog Flux&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Enjoy Folks!
Ana

Managing a Busy Schedule

2008-02-18T18:27:00.006+02:00

We are always rushing to meet deadlines, wasting time at meetings, answering important emails very late and always starting projects but never getting around to finishing them: We generally feel unproductive although we are extremely busy all day.

What we need to employ are time management skills. This process, just like any other, includes planning, monitoring and implementation steps.

I created a presentation that you can download and get benefit out of it on how to manage your time successfully. It’s a great soft skill that every body should have.

You can download the presentation from here

Enjoy

Fadi

Subscribe Now

2008-02-18T18:25:00.001+02:00

Dears,
now you can subscribe directly to soft-skills to be updated once a new post created.

have fun
fadi

The Power of the Mind - Taking You to Another Dimension

2008-02-14T11:36:00.001+02:00

pI received the following email from price water house about a confrance about the power of mind here in Greece and thought of sharing it.
“8 April 2008
Badminton Theatre

The main theme of the conference is the power of the human mind. As many of us have been told at some point in our careers, there is no barrier to what we can achieve if only we were to put our minds to it. During this event, we aim to show those of you developing or embarking upon your careers that your achievements are in your hands. Similarly, those of you who have already achieved a great deal, may be able to discover new avenues to even greater success both personally and professionally.

The speakers we have chosen for this event are here to inspire and empower you through their individual views on life, and prove to us all that ‘the power of the mind’ really is the one tool we all need to succeed.

Career Event: The Best Meet the Best
Following last year’s success, this year the Career Event will also take place within the framework of our corporate conference. Top companies will meet with top students within the conference venue and discuss their career potential.

PricewaterhouseCoopers 2008 Scholars
During the conference we will be proud to announce the names of the students and professionals that will be awarded PwC Scholarships for 2008. This is part of our Corporate Social Responsibility programme, focussing on the young and talented people. Our objective is to contribute to bridging the gap between market demand and relevant education. This year we have increased the number of our scholarships to 16 (from 6 last year). Applicants must submit their credentials by February 28.

This conference is directed towards high-calibre professionals and young talented people, so whether you are an Executive or Student and interested in paricipating, please click on the links below to register. Participation is free of charge.
· Executive Registration Form
· Student Registration From
“
For more info check thier web site
http://www.pwc.com/extweb/ncevents.nsf/docid/B43FEFF622E7512C802573E100778CB1

Enjoy
fadi

Why Soft skills ?

2008-02-07T11:35:00.001+02:00

Soft skills somehow is the ability to communicate effectively with co-workers, employers, clients, customers, friends and family members!

Soft skills is now recognised as key to making businesses more profitable and better places to work. Increasingly, companies aren't just assessing their current staff and future recruits on their business skills. They are now assessing them on a whole host of soft skill competencies around how well they relate and communicate to others.

Measuring these soft skills is no easy thing. But in the most progressive companies, managers are looking for people's ability to communicate clearly and openly, and to listen and respond empathetically. They also want them to have equally well-honed written skills so that their correspondence (including emails) doesn't undo all the good work their face-to-face communication creates.

Good soft skills also include the ability of people to balance the commercial needs of their company with the individual needs of their staff. Being flexible and able to adapt to the changing needs of an organisation also qualify as soft skills, as do being able to collaborate with others and influence situations through lateral and more creative thinking. The ability to deal with differences, multiculturalism and diversity is needed more than ever. Very few companies are untouched by the ever-widening influence of other cultures and good soft skills facilitate better communication and people's ability to manage differences effectively.

Everyone already has some form of soft skills (probably a lot more than others may realise) They just need to look at areas in their personal life where they get on with others, feel confident in the way they interact, can problem solve, are good at encouraging, can schmooze with the best of them. All these skills are soft and all of them are transferable to the workplace.

http://www.impactfactory.com

A Definition of Soft Skills

2008-02-05T16:26:00.001+02:00

Some of us might be cureous to realise what exactly soft skills is. We could say that soft skills refers to personality traits, social graces, facility with language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that mark people to varying degrees. Soft skills complement hard skills, which are the technical requirements of a job. It can also be an important part of the success of an organization, especially if the organisation is dealing with customers face to face.

Some exaples of soft skills as showned by Wikipedia.
Personal Qualities:

responsibility,
self-esteem,
sociabilty,
self-management,
integrity/honesty.

Interpersonal Skills

Participates as a member of the Team
Teaches others
Serves Client / Customers
Exercises Leadership
Negotiates
Works with cultural diversity

Enjoy,
Panos

Personal Development!

2008-02-05T00:17:00.001+02:00

Today as I was talking online to a very best friend of mine, I noticed his personal quote:

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Others stay for a while and leave footprints in our hearts, minds and steps we walk. We're never the same"

These words make me think for the people I have encountered up so far, and how different I was going to be would be without having shared those experiences and moments.
As I interact with people, different situations, I slightly changed myself. Interests change in my life. I have found new goals to pursue, at professional or personal level.
Sometimes I am more self motivated and at other moments not.
What I try to do on my daily life is to improve myself emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically.

This is what the term "Personal Development" or "Personal Growth" is all about. Each of us can give its own definition for it.
I was searching online to come up with a scientific definition for the term "Personal Development", and I found a very interesting video on this topic, by Jim Rohn.

Jim Rohn-Personal Development_1.

Jim Rohn-Personal Development_2

Enjoy folks!
Ana.

Quote of the Day

2008-02-04T10:55:00.000+02:00

Dears,
New section was added on the right, Quote of the day, It will be updated daily.

Enjoy
Fadi

"Twelve Angry Men" The Art of negotiation

2008-01-31T12:24:00.001+02:00

"Twelve Angry Men" movie used by Harvard University in their course (The Art and Science of Negotiation) by Professor Brian Mandell, we learned a lot during the 3 full days course. Most of days were a real scenarios training plus watching and analyzing the movie.
The movie is basically about 12 random jurors from different backgrounds are summoned to give a verdict on a case concerning murder in the first degree. The vote has to be unanimous. The penalty for the guilty verdict is the death sentence. An 18-year-old boy accused of stabbing his father. All the jurors but one decide the young boy is guilty within the first few minutes of the film. Yet a few questions from one daring person, (Jack Lemmon) changes every thing slowly but steadily, the jurors' opinion sways, due to the very same factors that clinched the verdict of 'guilty' in the initial scenes. Finally all twelve jurors acquit the boy of the crime.

Lessons learned from the course
-You need to know when is a NO is not a real NO.
-People will not change their mind until they feel save to change.
-When negotiate people usually are (an ally, adversary or recruitable), so try to figure them out. It will make your job easy.
-When negotiating try to build a coalitions.
-During the negotiations others will try to pursuit your allies. So you have to be careful.
-Never leave the important things that need to be discussed until the end (endgame).

Enjoy negotiating,
Fadi and the team.

First Post

2008-01-29T17:50:00.000+02:00

Hello AIT people!!!
This is a project for e-business course created during class. We are 4 AIT (Athens Information Technology) students trying to develop our self soft skills blog. More is coming soon.

Best Regards
Ana,
Panos,
Fadi,
Amjad