Role-Play & Skill Development

Role-Play & Skill Development

Using role-play in skill development has proven to be an invaluable training tool for all types of businesses – from industrial to corporate environments.

During my multinational management program in Japan, we performed countless role-plays to prepare ourselves for unfamiliar situations.

Role-playing happens when two or more people act out roles in a particular scenario. Any training that involves human communication can benefit from this powerful tool.

Using role-play in skill development has proven to be an invaluable training tool for all types of businesses – from industrial to corporate environments.

You can also use role-play to spark brainstorming sessions, to improve communication between team members, and to see problems or situations from different perspectives.

Any training that involves human communication can benefit from this powerful tool. 

For an effective role-play, remember these 5 important steps,

1. Identify the situation.

2. Add details.

3. Assign roles.

4. Act out the scenario.

5. Discuss the learning outcomes.

Do you remember when was the last time you also performed a role-play?

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*If you like this blog post and wish to share your experiences/ remarks/ views with me, you are most welcome to write to me at pdpbygauravmisra@gmail.com. Thanks!

Top 10 Resume "Hacks" to Stand Out among Other Candidates

Top 10 Resume "Hacks" to 

Stand Out among Other Candidates

1. Tweak your resume to fit the Job Description. 

2. While listing your experience & qualifications, list the most relevant to the post you are applying for. 

3. Don't include old information that may not be of any interest to the employer. 

4. Make sure bullet points are achievement-oriented with power words and action verbs. 

5. Never lie about your abilities. 

6. Be consistent with your use of font sizes and spacing. 

7. Use standard fonts and sizes – Times New Roman, Cambria, Calibri, etc. 

8. Don't use fancy designs – Shadow, Inner Glow, All Caps, etc. 

9. Save and send the resume as a PDF, so it will retain its formatting if somebody prints it. 

10. Last but not the least, a resume won't be the only factor that helps to land you a job. Put your best foot forward at every stage of the selection process. 

Best of luck!

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*If you like this blog post and wish to share your experiences/ remarks/ views with me, you are most welcome to write to me at pdpbygauravmisra@gmail.com. Thanks!

How to Present Like A PRO?

Presentation is a skill that can be mastered with careful preparedness.  

How to Present Like A PRO?

While there is no denying the fact that public speaking may not be an easy task, a little planning can definitely make things easier. 

Developing and delivering effective presentations is critical for corporate success. When it comes to addressing even a small crowd or making a presentation in front of a small group, most of us get anxious. It is a skill that can be mastered with careful preparedness.  

Here are 12 quick-tips for you to present like a PRO in your next presentation, 

1. Start planning well in advance. No matter how confident you think you are, it’s always better to start preparing well in advance. The earlier you start preparing, the better it is. 
   
   
2. Apart from the content, your planning would include everything from visuals - posters, charts, PowerPoint presentation, etc – to your speech, appearance and body language. 
   
   
3. According to studies conducted, visuals are the most effective medium of communication because the brain absorbs visual data much faster than any other source of information. So your visual will be your trump card. 
   
   
4. Don't overload your presentation with information. Keep the visuals as simple as possible. Get creative and use minimal images and words, but ensure that you convey your message effectively. 
   
   
5. Start working on your speech. It’s best to write it down and practice. Ensure that you are not getting monotonous and include occasional momentary relief by adding humor to your speech.

   

   Ensure that you are not getting monotonous and include occasional momentary relief by adding humor to your speech. 

6. Speak about only those points that you think needs to be presented. The less important points can be shared through handouts, etc. Write down your points and keep it ready for easy referral. 
   
   
7. Apart from the content, your speech preparation should include voice modulation and pronunciation as well. Recording yourself and listening to it will give you an idea of where you falter. 
   
   
8. It’s important to keep your session alive and your audience awake. So ensure that you do not sound mechanical. It’s advisable to make the speech as conversational as possible by including your audience in it. 
   
   
9. It’s important to talk ‘to’ your audience. Maintain eye contact and avoid using fillers like ‘eeh’, ‘uhm’, ‘aah’, etc. All this requires a lot of practice. It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.
   
   
10. Be presentable; show your confident personality. Your body language is perhaps the first thing your audience is likely to notice. So work on it.
    

    

    Think from your audience’s perspective and try to find ways of improving.

11. Think from your audience’s perspective and try to find ways of improving. Appear confident. Rather than standing in one place, walk around. However, do not indulge in brisk walking.
    
    
12. Check and re-check your preparation. Watch what you say. Use pauses and speak slowly. In case of an unwarranted situation, do not panic; handle it with tact.

Have a great presentation!

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*If you like this blog post and wish to share your experiences/ remarks/ views with me, you are most welcome to write to me at pdpbygauravmisra@gmail.com. Thanks!

Life Lessons by A Super Successful Wall Street Professional

Mr. Larry has been handling over 𝐔𝐒$ 𝟐𝟓𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 as a portfolio professional! 

Life Lessons by 

A Super Successful Wall Street Professional 

Today, we had an exceptional opportunity to have him as our instructor. Mr. Larry not only shared his invaluable lessons on 'Corporate Finance'; he also shared his precious gems of wisdom on "How to Become Successful in Life?" 

Meet Mr. Larry, who has been handling over 𝐔𝐒$ 𝟐𝟓𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 as a portfolio professional! 

Today, we had an exceptional opportunity to have him as our instructor. Mr. Larry not only shared his invaluable lessons on 'Corporate Finance'; he also shared his precious gems of wisdom on "How to Become Successful in Life?" 

Here they are, 

• You have to be more of a People Person, rather than just being a 'Number Person'. 
  
  
• You gotta dream BIG, and you gotta work on yourself. 
  
  
• It's extremely crucial to be a 'strong' speaker as well as an impactful presenter to be successful in life. 
  
  
• Don't be afraid to fail; if you don't fail, that means you are NOT doing enough. 
  
  
• It's NOT perfect English; what matters most is effective 'Communication Skills.' 
  
  
• You only have 24 hours a day; use your time wisely. 
  
  
• You should be culture sensitive. You should know how to speak with people from different cultural backgrounds.
  
• I only prefer hiring those, who are willing to learn and keep learning. 

Mr. Larry's life-lessons are of great help for anyone who seeks for high accomplishments in life.

It was definitely a great experience meeting such a successful yet humble professional. I am sure his life-lessons are of great help for anyone who seeks for high accomplishments in life. 

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*If you like this blog post and wish to share your experiences/ remarks/ views with me, you are most welcome to write to me at pdpbygauravmisra@gmail.com. Thanks!

Why Cultural Exchange is Important for Students?

Why Cultural Exchange 

is Important for Students ?

Global understanding, today, has become an extremely important part of a person’s wholesome development into global citizenship. And while exploring and learning about the cultures of others, you tend to discover new aspects of yourself.

Since the beginning, I have had a keen interest in people and have always aspired to experience and explore other cultures, and simultaneously learn and contribute as much as possible. Be it in school or in college, I always participated in events that promoted community welfare and cross-culture experience ignoring all prejudices of caste, creed, class or color. During my college days, I was an active member of ‘Alliance’, the students’ welfare committee and participated in various student exchange programs and cultural events. 

While exploring and learning about the cultures of others, you tend to discover new aspects of yourself.

By learning new cultures at a young age, you get to learn the skills and cultural acceptance that prepare you to become a more mature individual. When you experience a different culture through various cultural exchange activities, you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and those around you—deepening your knowledge of foreign cultures and strengthening global understanding. 

"Culture is this thing that we can exchange among ourselves as human beings to knock aside our differences and build upon our similarities. Cultural exchange is the ultimate exchange." - Chuck D

Global understanding, today, has become an extremely important part of a person’s wholesome development into global citizenship. Learning new cultures can be a very exciting, fun, and enlightening experience. Try to experience building new friendships, taking responsibility for yourself, respecting differences and tolerating the beliefs of others. And while exploring and learning about the cultures of others, you tend to discover new aspects of yourself.

Learning new cultures can be a very exciting, fun, and enlightening experience.

There are also several other benefits that come along with cultural exchange experience,

• Self-development and awareness leading to enhanced self-confidence and self-esteem. 
• Integration into another family as well as the development of life-long friendships, fostering an appreciation of home and family. 
• A tremendous sense of accomplishment upon completion encourages students to develop independent opinions, make informed decisions and strive to attain fresh goals. 
• Prospective employers in almost every field look favorably upon experience gained while living overseas and knowledge obtained of another language and culture. 
• Successful program completion represents an excellent measure of personal flexibility, encompassing an ability to reach compromise, focus and succeed through challenging times.

Prospective employers in almost every field look favorably upon experience gained while living overseas
and knowledge obtained of another language and culture.

As a final advice, I would strongly suggest the following, 

"Become friends with people who aren’t your age. Hang out with people whose first language isn’t the same as yours. Get to know someone who doesn’t come from your social class or culture. This is how you see the world. This is how you grow."

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*If you like this blog post and wish to share your experiences/ remarks/ views with me, you are most welcome to write to me at pdpbygauravmisra@gmail.com. Thanks!

Quick Tips on How to Make a Strong Scholarship Application

A successful scholarship application is more about how well you 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞 your application.

Quick Tips on How to Make 

a Strong Scholarship Application 

A successful scholarship application is not so much about how many scholarships you apply for, but more about how well you 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞 your application.

Meet Anubhav who recently got selected for his admission to the Manchester School of Architecture (MSA), Manchester, United Kingdom. 

He, in fact, left no stone unturned in making his dream come true. He made sure to prepare himself in the best possible way. As being a sincere and ambitious student right from the very beginning, it was great to guide him during his graduation years. It was also a pleasure to write an official letter of recommendation for him; and as expected when he got selected, I felt super-proud of him.   

It was great to guide him during his graduation years and a pleasure to write an official letter of recommendation for him.

Most large universities offer a variety of scholarships, many of which are funded by internal or external sources. Here are Quick Tips on How to Make a Strong Scholarship Application  

𝟭. Read and understand the scholarship 𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 criteria well. It is better to select and focus on the scholarship that you seem to be eligible. 

𝟮. Pay attention to the 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 for scholarship applications to assess if you are able to complete and provide all the paperwork by the due deadline. 

𝟯. If scholarships are directed towards attracting high performance in 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 activities, it's important to provide details of all your achievements and certificates. 

𝟰. Your 𝐂𝐕 is crucial. It gives you the opportunity to highlight areas relevant to the scholarship application. A covering letter with your application is useful if you want to highlight any special circumstances. 

𝟱. 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐞 reports need to be professionally written (preferably on a letter head) in professional language. This allows for the report to be treated as credible and acceptable to the assessor. 

𝟲. And finally, a successful scholarship application is not so much about how many scholarships you apply for, but more about how well you 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞 your application. 

If you can dream it, you can do it. 

Also Remember, "if you can dream it you can do it!"

*If you like this blog post and wish to share your experiences/ remarks/ views with me, you are most welcome to write to me at pdpbygauravmisra@gmail.com. Thanks!

Serving Your Nation is Much Simpler Than It Seems!

I am glad to be in a profession that allows me assist my learners overcome challenges in
their personal growth and professional development. 

Serving Your Nation is Much 

Simpler Than It Seems! 

Whatever we do in our respective professions, it does impact our country in one way or the other. You can follow any profession in the world, and it always has a special contribution towards the nation building.

I strongly believe that serving your nation is much simpler than it seems. You need not become a soldier or politician or anything. You need not possess a lot of money or power even. 

I think the best way to serve the nation is to do complete justice with our chosen duty along with a sense of responsibility, enthusiasm, gratitude, creativity, love, efficiency, and with commitment and pride. 

Whatever we do in our respective professions, it does impact our country in one way or the other. You can follow any profession in the world, and it always has a special contribution towards the nation building. 

I am glad to be in a profession that allows me assist my learners overcome challenges in their personal growth and professional development. I am proud to be in a profession that allows me to remove negativity from the young minds, and replace it with emotional intelligence, assertiveness, positive attitude, and self-esteem. 

Md. Hidayat came across as a humble student during T&D sessions. He was quite ambitious,
but confidence and communication were his areas of improvement.

Meet Mohammad Hidayat!

It was pleasure to hear his story of his transformation into a confident performer. 

I vividly remember, Md. Hidayat came across as a humble student during T&D sessions. He was quite ambitious, but confidence and communication were his areas of improvement. 

I tried to ignite a spark in him, and inspired him have a sense of purpose in life. Once this goal got accomplished, half the job was already done. 

The rest of the task was to create an interest in him by incorporating a number of experiential learning methods to bring variety and engagement. 

This simple yet effective method enabled me witness many such success-stories time and again, and Hidayat is one of the best testimonials for the same.

Today, Osheen is not just an established makeup artist, but also an aspiring model; plus, camera is her best friend now. 

Meet Osheen! 

I remember when she sought my guidance for eliminating her stage fear as well as enhancing her self-confidence. 

We did numerous rounds of presentations and a number of confidence building exercises. She also took the feedback quite seriously and kept working hard on herself. 

After a couple of weeks of rigorous training and regular sessions, she could strongly sense a positive change in her overall personality. 

Today, Osheen is not just an established makeup artist, but also an aspiring model; plus, camera is her best friend now. 

I repeat, serving your nation is much simpler than it seems. Just make sure whatever you do, you do it with all your heart and soul, and it DOES benefit your country for sure.

*If you like this blog post and wish to share your experiences/ remarks/ views with me, you are most welcome to write to me at pdpbygauravmisra@gmail.com. Thanks!