Crew project

Clarity is one of the essential components of effective communication and it refers to the structure of our thoughts in a logical sequence and choice of the right words. When listeners struggle to understand you, they eventually ignore you (https://voiceandspeech.com/clear-communication-skills/). To maintain clarity in communication, you’ll need to: ensure what you are saying makes sense; […]

If someone asked you to say what the basics of good leadership are, what would you tell them? Perhaps you’d use phrases like “having integrity,” “inspiring people,” “leading from the front,” and a whole range of other phrases besides that. Good leadership involves many different attributes, but there are common factors that link many of […]

Soft or social skills (also called non-technical skills) refer to a combination of personal attributes, emotional skills, communication skills, and interpersonal skills that equip a person to fit into a social structure. They also include the set of personal values which determines a person’s ability to work well with others. Effective communication, leadership, problem solving abilities, critical […]

The aim of communication is to get our message across to others clearly and unambiguously. For this, we must understand what our message is, who the audience is and how it will be perceived. We must weigh-in the circumstances surrounding our communications, such as the situational and cultural context.  Effective communication and soft skills not […]

Presentation is a form of communication. We are trying to communicate to the audience our knowledge, beliefs, estimations regarding a specific topic and/or present the results of data analysis or the results of a research etc. A presentation can be adjusted to several speaking situations, such as talking to a small group or to a […]

Persuasiveness is a soft skill that concerns the process of convincing a person to carry out an action or agree with a particular idea.  In fact, persuasiveness is strictly connected with the concept of influence. This is the ability of a person to affect, to shape, to change the opinions, the behaviours, or the actions […]

For 29 % of people, new information comes through vision (learning by seeing, or so-called visualics), 34% learn by listening (auditorics), and 37% by movement (kinesthetics). Whether knowingly of it or not, when a person interacts with others, he or she is continuously giving and receiving wordless signals. All the nonverbal behaviors—the gestures a person […]

Active listening is the process by which an individual secures information from another individual or group.  The “active” element involves fully concentrating on what is being said, paying attention to the conversation, not interrupting, and taking the time to understand what the speaker is discussing.  It involves listening with all senses and giving full attention […]

Interpersonal skills are the behaviours and tactics a person uses to interact with others effectively, both individually and in groups. They include a wide range of skills, but particularly communication skills such as listening and effective speaking. They also include the ability to control and manage your emotions. You will find out how your emotional […]

Exercising your creative thinking skills is a critical part of life, no matter the field you work on. According to Alves et al, (2005), creativity can in a simple way be identified as the generation of ideas whereas innovation implies the transformation of these ideas into a new product or service for someone to buy […]

To what extent does a person’s life, activities and decisions depend on himself? As much as he manages his own life properly, says dr. Janina Radvilė, PMP, Lithuanian couch and lector on management of individual’s life. Despite numerous descriptions, strategic planning of personal career can be described as a process of sequential steps, during which […]

The term “performing under pressure” is usually mentioned in professional life but we may also have to perform under pressure in our personal life. We might come across performance under pressure, when we lack the expertise or knowledge required to complete a task (Bigelow, 2019). Performing under pressure requires effective emotional management, so that feelings, […]

„Knowing what your strengths are is the most important thing an individual can know about himself or herself. “ Peter F. Drucker, management thinker Feedback is probably one of the most difficult and sensitive processes in interpersonal communication.  ‘It is easy to hurt people with criticism, but false compliments are also unhelpful.  P. F. Drucker […]

Mentorship is described as a dedicated relationship whereby a senior or more experienced person provides advice, counselling, and development opportunities to shape the career experience of a junior person through both career and psychological support (Eby, 1997). Mentoring can bring about a range of benefits for low qualified adults, such as improved relationships, increased communication […]

Empowerment is suggested to encompass individual goals (e.g., ability, autonomy, control and self-efficacy) and acts as a process for personal development (Hansson and Björkman, 2005); in addition, it is defined as a process through which people gain greater control over decisions and actions, set new goals and develop of methods and strategies to reach the […]

Critical thinking vs Creative thinking Critical and creative thinking skills are perhaps the most fundamental skills involved in making judgments and solving problems.  The ability to think critically about a matter—to analyze a question, situation, or problem down to its most basic parts—is what helps us evaluate the accuracy and truthfulness of statements, claims, and […]

Flexible thinking is the ability to shift thinking or attention in response to a switch in rules, or to new or unexpected situations. Flexible thinking is also referred to as mental flexibility or cognitive flexibility. (https://mindprintlearning.com/blog/flexible-thinking/) We can say that flexible thinking is the ability to adapt our own behaviours in the moment depending on the situation and […]

Pay attention to the small things. They turn into big things. (Jocko Willink) Critical observation is the ability to notice subtle details or gain them through analysis that allows to maneuver situations more tactfully. Our observation skills inform us about objects, events, attitudes and phenomena using one or more senses, thus forming a basis for […]

The expression “thinking outside the box” is a metaphor that generally means approaching problems in new, innovative ways, conceptualizing complicated situations differently and comprehending them by numerous points of view, in relation to several particular conditions.  Thinking outside the box is complex, in particular due to the fact mankind is composed of beings full of […]

Critical Thinking is the ability to evaluate information to determine whether it is right or wrong. To think critically about an issue or a problem means to be open-minded and consider alternative ways of looking at solutions. Nowadays, critical thinking is defined as the ability to think clearly and rationally, making reasoned judgments that are […]

As stated in the dictionary, “to be receptive” means to be open to new ideas or change. If you’re responsive to other people’s suggestions and not set in your ways, then you’re not only receptive, but flexible. (https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/receptive) Receptive individuals are more willing to physically expose themselves to the opposing views of others. In everyday life, […]

‘Discussion’ refers to examining the topic thoroughly to reach a conclusion. Collectively, it is called Group discussion which means the exchange of ideas by participating candidates on a specific subject or topic. The whole concept is to bring collectively a unit of people on a common platform to share their ideas. http://targetstudy.com/articles/importance-of-group-discussion.html ‘Collaboration’ is all […]

The ability to simultaneously perform as an individual and together with people in effective teamwork is key to attaining growth and success. That is why, the importance of teamwork is essential in today’s multidisciplinary world. Moreover, it is proven that teamwork improves the overall efficiency and productivity, because it allows the workload to be shared, […]

Internal communication is the function responsible for effective communications among participants within an organization. The scope of the function varies by organization and practitioner, from producing and delivering messages and campaigns on behalf of management, to facilitating two-way dialogue and developing the communication skills of the organization’s participants (Wikipedia, 2021). Internal communication has been constantly recognized by management […]

What is autonomy in the workplace Autonomy has long been established as a critical component of professional work. Traditionally, autonomy has been examined as the extent to which an individual or a professional group controls the decisions and knowledge used in their work (VanHeuvelen, 2020). Job autonomy is the freedom given to employees to make […]

We are going through an era when it is now easier than ever for everyone to express his/her opinions, especially owing to the wide use of social media. However, the question is, has this opportunity of expressing our ideas freely made us more tolerant and helped us show respect to opinions that might be totally […]

In recent years, due to the increasing level of immigration, cultural exchange and cosmopolitanism, diversity has become a popular topic.  The concept “diversity” could be shortly expressed with a single word: differences. Human diversity refers to the differences between people; each of us lives in a rich and infinite variety of mankind. So, diversity awareness […]

What is reliability? The term “reliability” refers not only to the state, when someone does what he/she was committed to do, but also to the ability to look around and realize the tasks needed to be carried out, and then perform them. Although it might sound simple, reliability requires itself a variety of other personal […]

Generally, networking is explained as the exchange of information and ideas among people with a common profession or special interest, usually in an informal social setting. Networking often begins with a single point of common ground. But what is networking about, indeed? There are 3 main concepts of networking among public members: Networking is a […]

Career competences are competences for self-understanding and self-development; for exploring life and the worlds of learning and work; and for dealing with life, learning and work in periods of change and transition. Career Management Skills (CMS) enable you to manage your individual life paths in education, training and work across the lifespan. They include: Planning […]

The concepts identified above, although different, are related with: Knowledge – the result of assimilating information through learning, experience or self-awareness. Knowledge is the collection of facts, principles, theories and practices related to an area of study or work. Skill – ability to carry out or perform a specific task. Competence – proven ability to […]

Your individual career management journey is influenced by your formal and informal learning experiences, advices and guidance and using effectively your skills, resources and services offered will equip yourselves to construct your CMS frameworks.   Career Management Skills   Source: Own elaboration Developing an action plan There are a number of elements that you need to […]

What is an employment contract? An employment contract is a verbal or a written agreement that covers the working relationship of a company and an employee.  It allows both parties to clearly understand their obligations and the terms of employment such as the rights of the employee, the responsibilities, conditions and duties.  In case of […]

One of the tasks that every person must face if you want to find a job is to look for it. It seems obvious to say it, but looking for a job is a homework, it’s a job; hence the talk of “the work of search for a job”. The job search takes time, effort, […]

Curriculum The curriculum is a document that reflects the studies and personal and professional merits of a person. The resume is usually written to respond to a job advertisement, but it can also be delivered on their own initiative in circumstances in which it is convenient to offer professional services, make yourself known, present projects, […]

Tests are objective tests that are used to assess a person’s abilities to perform certain tasks, personality traits, interests, motivations, intelligence, reactions to different situations, as well as their future behaviour at work. Recommendations prior to testing: Be calm and rested. Read the instructions carefully and comply with them during the development of the tests. […]

Self-employment is a very interesting way to join the labor market at all times, and especially in times of crisis such as the one we are experiencing, in which employment for others scarce. Self-employment can be defined as a professional or business activity generated by a person who exercises it directly. Self-employment has the added […]

Co-working spaces are basically shared workspaces. They offer reasonable office space for those looking to escape the isolation of a home office or coffee shop. These shared workspaces offer a suite of office-like amenities such as hot-desks, private meeting rooms, kitchens, coffee and more. Often, they also offer a community. Occupants typically are freelancers, entrepreneurs, […]

Recognize emotions Emotions are feelings and are not consciously controlled. The part of the brain, which is connected to emotions, is the limbic system (Recognizing and Managing Emotions, n.d.). Emotions are inseparable from previous experience and memory. Therefore, if someone had a traumatic experience before, then it is possible that his/her emotional response to a […]

Become confident, resilient and adaptable Confidence is the belief in yourself and the conviction that you will meet life’s challenges and you will succeed. Being confident involves recognizing your skills and your weaknesses and feeling safe with this recognition.  “Human resilience is the ability to cope and bounce back after encountering negative events, difficult situations […]

Negotiation and conflict resolution When two or more parties wish, through communication, to reach an agreement, which will reconcile their respective interests, this process is called negotiation (Negotiate to Resolve Conflict, 2020). Conflict arises when two or more parties have different interests, opinions, values or problem-solving strategies and when one party feels that the other […]

Understand relationships  Relationship is the state of being connected with one or more people. Understanding in a relationship means “being able to relate and comprehend the logic behind someone’s actions” (Oppong, 2019). It has a lot to do with emotional intelligence.  How to be more understanding in a relationship (Villalon, 2021) Take time and try to […]

What makes a team?  “A team is a group of individuals, all working together for a common purpose” (Understanding Team – What Is a Team?, n.d.). There is a difference between a group and a team. A group can include individuals with common interests, beliefs and attitudes. However, it is not necessary that the members […]

Problem solving The Concise Oxford Dictionary (1995) defines a problem as “A doubtful or difficult matter requiring a solution” and “Something hard to understand or accomplish or deal with” (Problem Solving, n.d.). Throughout our lives we are about to face numerous problems, either essential or less significant, in all the areas of our activity, such […]

Design a motivational job Motivation is the process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors (The Psychology of What Motivates Us, 2020). It is the driving force behind human activities.  Motivation can be either internal (is fired by intrinsic needs) or external (is fired by the need of money for example). Motivation in the labor […]

To Do Lists A To Do List “is a list of tasks you need to complete, or things that you want to do” (Burton-Payne, 2020). The included tasks are organized in order to prioritize them. This kind of lists can either be written on a piece of paper or you can use technological means, such […]

How to manage work from home Staying at home orders prompted by COVID-19, created a challenge for all employees. Some companies implemented remote working policies for the first time (Gurchiek, 2020). This unprecedented situation brought major changes to the labor market. The majority of the employees had to deal with telework; however, many of them […]

Even though the term of information acquisition is not something new, it creates new perceptions in such a vastly connected world in the beginning of the 3rd decade in the XXI century.  The American Library Association (ALA, 1989) defines information literacy as being able to ascertain what information is needed, understand how the information is […]

Why do we need to evaluate the information? Once you have found information that matches the topic and requirements of your research, you should analyse or evaluate these information sources. Evaluating information encourages you to think critically about the reliability, validity, accuracy, authority, timeliness, point of view or bias of information sources. Just because a […]

Information in any format is produced to convey a message and is shared via a selected delivery and distribution method. The iterative processes of researching, creating, revising, and sharing the information vary, therefore the whole process itself is a big part of the constant learning process while the information is being both created, consumed and […]