Lecture 1

Life Skills Needed in the Workplace

Introduction:

    Why do some people exhibit positive character qualities while others fall short of the mark? Why are some people more competent in the workplace than others? Can qualities of character and competence be learned? The answer appears to be, yes, they can be learned. A central point of this lecture is that people of both character and competence are the best people in any workplace situation.

Success in the Workplace

    Why is it that some employees are more successful than others in the workplace? Why do some people receive promotions and higher salaries than others? Why do some people lose their jobs in spite of the fact that they have good technical skills? These questions are not simple. The answers may be rather more different than you think.

    Some years ago, David McClelland, a psychologist at Harvard University, identified the crucial differences between the most and least successful people in the world of work. He found that successful people have three character qualities that are often not found in the least successful. According to McClelland, the most successful people typically have three such competencies that distinguish them from the least successful:

Empathy
Self-Discipline
Initiative

Let us examine each of these qualities in turn.

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Empathy

    Empathy is an awareness of the feelings, perspectives, and wishes of others. A person who has empathy is an understanding and caring person. Persons of empathy actively seek out others and show concern for them. Sometimes this involves little more than listening to someone or encouraging another person when he or she is experiencing difficulty. Do you consider yourself to be an empathetic person, that is, a person who shows empathy? If so, continue to work on this quality. Practice it when opportunities arise. Don't always expect others to reward you immediately for being a person of empathy. Perhaps they do not have this quality. What if you feel you yourself do not have this quality? Remind yourself that it can be acquired through practice. Start practicing today.

Self-discipline

    Self-discipline means doing what needs to be done whether you want to do it or not. For example, some children do not want to do their home tasks assigned by teachers. They would rather watch television or do nothing in particular. Such children are not self-disciplined. Unless they change their pattern of behavior, they will not be successful in the workplace as adults. What is true of some children is also true of some adults. A self-disciplined individual, however, realizes that certain things must be done in order to achieve long-term goals. Research has shown that people who set long-term goals tend to be more successful than those who do not. A self-disciplined person realizes that there is a time to work and a time to play. Good organization is a key to achieving self-discipline. Sometimes it is as simple as creating a schedule for yourself. If you know you are supposed to study at certain hours, then you also know you can relax and play at certain other times.

Initiative

    Initiative is a character quality that implies a willingness to make decisions and act when a situation is not perfectly clear. Some people are good at doing what they are told to do by their superiors. This, of course, is good. However, it is not enough. Sometimes problems must be solved when the boss is not around. A person of initiative decides the best course of action and at least tries to solve the problem. A person of initiative does not try to undermine the leadership of the workplace. Rather, he or she attempts to make the workplace better by doing something more than simply what he or she is told to do.

Conclusion:

    David McClelland demonstrated that the three character qualities of empathy, self-discipline, and initiative distinguish successful workers from their unsuccessful counterparts. McClelland found that people of empathy, self-discipline, and initiative are more likely to be promoted in their work. He also found that people who lack these important qualities are less likely to be promoted, more likely to be dismissed, and are less satisfied with their work.

    Each of us wants to have a good job. We want to be happy in our work. We want to feel successful. This is true of our lives in general. We want to contribute to others. We want to have a good home life. We want to be participating citizens in our communities. Make it your goal to become a person of empathy, self-discipline, and initiative beginning today.

Questions to Discuss with Others:

1. How can a person know that he or she is making progress toward achieving the character and competence qualities of empathy, self-discipline, and initiative?
2. It has been observed that we become better at those things we practice. Practice is a necessary condition of improvement. How can a person practice the qualities of empathy, self-discipline, and initiative?
3. Why do you think these three qualities are the characteristics of the most successful employees in the workplace? Are there other qualities that you think are also important?

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