Page 429 - Effective Communication Soft Skills Strategies For Success by Nitin Bhatnagar, Mamta Bhatnagar

Model Question Papers | 417

iv. Ask questions
If you are not sure of what the speaker is saying, ask. But do not ask questions randomly. Ask
at suitable moments to get a clear perception. It is quite acceptable to say ‘do you mean. . . .?’

v. Do not be judgmental

Keep an open mind; do not jump to conclusions. Avoid making any judgment until the
speaker has completed speaking.

b. Darwin observed that, ‘It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most
intelligent, but the one most responsive to change’. His words are still as relevant today as
when they were first thought during the early phase of the 19th century. Indeed, his words
are more relevant right now than never before. The explosion of modern information
technology is posing a great challenge to the youth.
Firstly, if one does not change and adapt to the changing needs of the society, one will
remain a failure.
Secondly, in order to prosper and succeed in this period of technological advance,
individuals and organizations have to be ready to develop and adopt new skills and
approaches. Failing which the individuals and organizations will perish and their very
survival may be at stake.
Soft skills are the emotional sine qua non of the psychological survival. Soft skills are
essential for anyone to develop the ability to adapt to change.
Soft skills are the skills relating to people issues. Unless one gets along well with others,
unless one handles the negative emotions of others, it is not possible for one to succeed
in life. Interpersonal competencies, communication skills, time management skills are
essential to succeed in this era. One may have excellent hard skills, a meritorious track
record, and may stand out as an intellectual compared to others. Despite having all the
relevant and required hard skills, if one is not responsive to change, and if one remains
rigid and inflexible, one may not succeed and also may remain detrimental to the group.

Section - c

8. William Schultz has identified three basic interpersonal needs which underline most of
your behaviour around other people. These needs can be best represented as dimensions
or continuums along which most people fall. Schultz calls these interpersonal needs the
‘need for inclusion’, the ‘need for control’, and the ‘need for affection’.
Inclusion: According to Schultz, the need for inclusion is the need to be recognized as
an individual distinct from others. A person with a very high need for inclusion needs
recognition and attention from others. Such a person likes to be in the spotlight, to be
signed out, to be noticed. At one of the extremes of the continuum, we find the prima
donna, or the obnoxious little kid who does anything simply to attract some attention,

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