Description

BEGE-145
ASSIGNMENT: SOFT SKILLS
Programme: BAG/2022-2023
Course Code: BEGE-145
1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it.
In all aspects of life, effective communication is critical to success. Particularly beneficial for
those in positions of leadership and management, almost all aspects of work and functionality are
affected by communication. Training specialists Brad Humphrey and Jeff Stokes identify
communication skills as being amongst the most important skills for modern supervisors.
Andrew Posner, a career counsellor, advises that employees looking for career advancement
require such “transferable skills” as the ability to “analyze, write, persuade, and manage”.
Effective leaders are able to use a wide variety of media and strategies to communicate. They are
not only skilled at using verbal communication skills, but they are also adept at reading
nonverbal cues. Great leaders collaborate to foster harmony and amicability at work and help
teams achieve organizational objectives, in addition to writing regular and constructive
messages, gathering and conveying information, and making informed decisions for better
productivity. Additionally, they collect useful information through informal networks such as the
company grapevine; they can communicate effectively and persuasively in core groups and
formal presentations; and they write with conviction. Relying on the latest systems and
technology to improve their day-to-day operations, modern day managers employ modern
collaborative software like Skype and Google docs, Team Viewer to communicate more
efficiently in real time with their colleagues all over the world. In today’s world, apart from using
e-mail as a competent communication tool, Managers are also using social media networks to
launch, promote, and collaborate with potential clients and customers. Online collaborative postIt notes are a great way to share ideas within a team.
In contrast to the traditional methods like newsletters, flyers, and brochures, modern day
managers are enhancing their professional reach exponentially by writing professional e-mails,
relevant WhatsApp messages, effective business blogs, informative podcasts, and so on to
connect with a wide variety of stakeholders. However, depending on the purpose and scope of
your writing, having your authentic voice and personal style to communicate with different
individuals and groups is even more essential. Clear and honest communication can strengthen
the relationships at the workplace. Leaders need to keep themselves abreast with latest
motivational theories and leadership models to help create a stable system and philosophy for
their own business enterprise viable in their indigenous surroundings. It’s imperative on the part
of managers to acknowledge the contribution of employees every now and then by generously
offering words of appreciation such as “thank you”, “great job”, “commendable effort”,
“laudable effort” etc. These kind expressions recognize individual effort, increase loyalty and
inspire people to work even harder. In a survey by Mc Kinsey Quarterly in 2009 it has been
stated that praises from immediate superiors can empower and motivate employees.
Delayed feedback, stilted and rude content, delayed action; fewer personal pronouns can mark a
manager’s expression discourteous, impolite and offensive. However, putting a focus on
interpersonal relations, conversational tone, immediate feedback, prompt action and usage of
more personal pronoun, simpler yet colloquial expressions can bring the manager closer to his
subordinates and other members of the organization. “You” is more preferable than “I” or “We”
in most instances. Use of more positive words can draw more encouraging response from the
listeners.
a) Now answer the following questions:
i) What is the role of great leaders in a company? Discuss. (2 marks)
ii) What does the writer mean by “—-they are also adept at reading nonverbal
cues.” (2 marks)
iii) How do managers communicate with their clients and customers in today’s
world? (2 marks)
iv) Discuss what managers should not do while communicating and why. (2 marks)
v) Give an appropriate title to the passage and give reasons for your choice. (2 marks)
b) Pick out words from the passage which mean the same as the following: (6 marks)
i) crucial (para 1)
ii) skilful (para 2)
iii) pleasant behaviour which brings about good-will (para 2)
iv) to a great extent (para 3)
v) local context(para3)
vi) informal (para 4)
c) What have you learnt from the above passage about communication at the workplace?
Give your personal views. (4 marks)
2. Write short notes on any two of the following. Give examples: (20 marks)
i) Importance of Small Talk in Business
ii) Write a job profile of your mother/father
iii) Types of internal communication with
iv) Characteristics of a good report
3a. Complete the following company profile with either the present perfect or past simple tense
of the verbs in brackets: (10 marks)
William Colgate………….(found) the Colgate Company in 1806 as a starch, soap and candle business
in New York City. For the first one hundred years, the company………….(do) all its business in the
United States. However, in the early 1900s, the company………….(begin) an aggressive expansion
programme that ………….((lead) to the establishment of Colgate operations in countries throughout
Europe, Latin America and the Far East. Recently it………….(set up) operations in Turkey, Pakistan,
Saudi Arabia, Eastern Europe and China. Colgate-Palmolive ………….(become) a truly global
consumer products company, worth $6.6 billion and selling in more than 160 countries.
Colgate-Palmolive’s five main sectors of business are: Oral Care, Body Care, Household Surface Care,
Fabric Care and Pet Nutrition and Health Care. In the area of Oral Care, Colgate-Palmolive is the
world leader in toothpaste. Since 1980, the company …………….(increase) its share of this market by
more than 12% to over 40% today. Oral care revenues ……………..(grow) significantly in recent
years and in 1991, they …………..(exceed) $1.3 billion. As a result of the company’s heavy
investment in research and technology, it…………………(develop) many successful toothpaste, rinses
and toothbrushes.
3b. Here are the answers to some questions. What are the questions? (5 marks)
i When ………………………………………….?
I joined the company six years ago.
ii What ………………………………………….?
I was an office assistant.
iii Which ………………………………………….?
I worked in After-sales.
iv How long ………………………………………….?
I worked in that department for 18 months.
v Where………………………………………….?
It was just 6 kms from my home.
3c Complete these sentences with the correct comparative or superlative form of the
adjectives in brackets. (5 marks)
i IBM is one of the ……………………………..(big) computer companies in America.
ii A notebook computer is ……………………………..(expensive) than a desktop one.
iii I think a desktop computer is ……………………………..(good) than a Notebook.
iv In my opinion, telephone is the ……………………………..(important) piece of office
equipment.
v The ……………………………..(fast) way to contact a client is by phone.
4. You recently moved to a new city on a job transfer. Write an email to your friend
informing him of this move. In your email: (20 marks)
i Describe the new city
ii Explain how life in this city is different compared to the previous city
iii Invite your friend and family to visit you in the new city
iv Say what your new job profile is.
5. Write a dialogue, in about 20 turns, between two friends discussing what professions they
would like to get into in their lives after completing their education. (20 marks)