Polish your personality- Training classes in Mumbai

 “Personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures”- F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Personality development classes not only involve a person's individual character, but also cause a vast impact on his/her business role as they center on some specific demands that are necessary for an employee to sustain in the job area. These classes may help you over building up your confidence in public speech production, dealing with anxiety and self doubt, becoming a self starting motor, and to sharpen your focusing skills.

Personality Development is centered on enhancing and grooming our image to fetch about a positive change in our spirit. Our image depends on two factors, one being how other’s view us and second, how we feel about ourselves. Our personality is not merely limited to the physical exterior, but our thoughts, emotions and reactions to people and places. Each individual has their own unique personality that distinguishes them from others and can be developed, polished and refined. This process includes enhancing one’s confidence, improving communication and language speaking abilities, widening one’s horizons, developing certain hobbies or skills, learning the finer etiquettes and manners, learning how to take one’s own way, how to walk the talk and overall instilling oneself with positive and go getter attitude.

The most important characteristic of an appealing and respected personality is that you must hold the right beliefs about yourself. The most certain means to help yourself developing your personality is to instill a positive mindset on life and develop the strong point to fight negative thoughts. Developing a personality that is liked by most people, if not all, is a task. One cannot please everybody, but strive to be confident, humble, prudent and most of all always believe in oneself.

The personality development classes teach you how to organize a speech, how to dress, how to attend to a group of diverse individuals, it will also guide you on the proper use of grammar and language. Many masses can and do experience anxiety and low self-esteem in different everyday life situations such as going to a party, or addressing a room full of people, going on a job interview, or peddling a new estimate to your chief. These classes can assist you to overcome the nervousness and self doubt and improve your efficiency at work and social standing among peers.

Personality development classes also help you by improving yourself motivation and drive that will catapult your chances of getting promotions at work. Aside from all the above mentioned qualities, personality development classes also enable you to zero in on your skills and knowledge so that you can grasp the finer points.

As a whole, attending personality development classes can bring about a positive alteration in your lifestyle as easily as in your performance at the workplace.

Image Consulting Business Institute (ICBI) is breaking new ground in India and is the biggest brand in the world in Image Consulting and Soft Skills Training space. ICBI offers the most comprehensive and well-defined image consulting and Soft Skills Training programs in a scientific, yet functional approach. If you are looking for personality development classes in Mumbai, then ICBI is your stop. 

Communication skills- How to be an effective communicator

“People may hear your words but they feel your attitude”. More than what you have to say it’s about how you say it

Effective communication helps you connect to with others and improves teamwork, decision making, and problem solving. It facilitates one to communicate even negative or difficult messages without disrespecting the other party. Want to know how to improve your communication skills?

Whether you’re trying to improve communication with your spouse, kids, boss, or coworkers, you can learn how to improve your communication skills that enable you to effectively connect with others, build trust and respect, and feel heard and understood.  Effective communication combines a set of skills including nonverbal communication, engaged listening, stress management, communicate in a self-assured manner, and the capacity to empathize with others.

Here is a rundown of how to improve your communication skills:

1)      Be an engaged listener-effective communication is less about talking and more about listening. It’s about focusing on the tone, the tiny intonations in someone’s voice. It encourages one to understand the emotions of another. If someone is agitated, you can help calm them by listening conscientiously so the person feels understood.    

·         Focus on the speaker-body language, tone of voice, and other nonverbal cues.

·         Favor the right ear-The left side of the brain contains the primary processing centers for both speech comprehension and emotions.

·         Avoid interruptions or redirecting the focus of the conversation to you-by saying something like, “that’s nothing! What happened to me is worse”.

·         Show that you are interested-Nod occasionally, smile, and make sure your posture is open and inviting.

·         Set aside judgment and provide feedback-express what the speaker’s words mean to you.  Set aside your judgment and withhold blame and criticism in order to fully understand a person.

2)      Pay attention to nonverbal signals-Nonverbal communication, or body language, includes facial expressions, body language and gestures, eye contact, posture, the tone of your voice, and even your muscle tension and breathing.

·         Make note of individual differences- People from different countries and cultures use different nonverbal gestures.

·         Use nonverbal signals that match up with your words- Nonverbal communication should reinforce what is being said, not contradict it

·         Use body language to convey positive feelings-If you’re nervous about a situation, say a job interview, you can use affirmative body language to signal confidence. Try standing tall with your shoulders back, smiling and maintaining eye contact, and delivering a firm handshake.

3)      Keep stress in check-When you’re stressed, you’re more likely to misinterpret other people, send mixed or off-putting nonverbal signals. It’s only when you’re in a calm, relaxed state that you'll be able to know whether the situation requires a response, or whether the other person’s signals indicate it would be better to remain silent.

In situations such as a job interview or any other high-pressure situation this is how to improve your communication skills.

·         Use stalling tactics -to give you time to think.

·         Pause to collect your thoughts-pausing can make you seem more in control than rushing your response.

·         Make one point - provide an example or supporting piece of information. If your point is too long you risk losing the listener’s interest.

·         Deliver your words clearly and wrap it up with a summary-Speak clearly, maintain an even tone, and make eye contact.

·          Be willing to compromise and agree to disagree- meet halfway so it reduces the stress levels for everyone concerned.

4)      Assert yourself- Direct, confident expression makes for lucid communication and can help your self-esteem and decision-making. It does NOT mean being hostile, aggressive, or demanding, but expressing one’s needs, thoughts and feelings in a manner that does not disrespect others

·         Value yourself and your opinions-They are as important as anyone else’s.

·         Know your needs and wants- Learn to express them without breaching the rights of others.

·          Express negative thoughts- It’s OK to be angry, but you must be respectful as well.

·         Receive feedback positively-Accept compliments humbly, learn from your mistakes and ask for help when needed.

·         Say “no”- don’t let others take advantage of you. Look for alternatives so everyone feels good about the outcome.

So the next time you find yourself in a difficult situation where your communication skills could come in handy, remember these steps. These simple pointers can help you answer the how in how to improve your communication skills.

Presentation Guide- Ideas, Tips and Skills You Need

“All the great speakers were bad speakers at first” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

A presentation is a very technical display but it’s also an emotional display. Not only do you display your work but your effort and your personality. We all want to make good presentations that are memorable, understandable and emotional. The audience is King and you present to them and for them. A presentation has 2 key parts- talking and presenting. Presentation skills training allow one to develop effective presentations and public speaking skills. These skills are important in business, sales and selling, training, teaching, lecturing, and generally feeling comfortable speaking to a group of people.

Developing the confidence and capability to give good presentations, and speak well in front of a crowd, are also extremely helpful to increase one’s proficiency for self-development and in social situations.

Presentation skills and public speaking abilities are not limited to certain special people - anyone can give a good presentation, or perform public speaking with some preparation, practice and presentation skills training

Presentations can be of different types- oral (spoken), multimedia (using various media - visuals, audio, etc), PowerPoint presentations, short impromptu presentations, long planned presentations, educational or training sessions, lectures, and simply giving a talk on a subject to a group on a voluntary basis for pleasure. Even speeches at weddings and eulogies at funerals are types of presentations.

The main idea behind getting presentation skills training is to build up one’s confidence not only in making professional presentations, but also being able to communicate that content in simple terms to the public.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Frame Your Story

Have your content ready. If you don’t have or don’t know what to talk about you won’t be able to effectively communicate it to the audience. Conceptualize and frame the content so that it is delivered in short sentences, it should drive home the point without beating about the bush, and it should be simple for a layman to comprehend.  Make sure the slides you present are aligned and offer contrast. Avoid crowding the slides with too many words; otherwise it will just be difficult to read.

Plan Your Delivery

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough” –Albert Einstein

Presentation skills training also focus on the three main ways to deliver a talk. You can read it directly off a script or your slide. You can memorize your talk, which entails rehearsing it to the point where you internalize every word—verbatim. Make sure that you don’t refer to your slide too often. The slides just offer a visual aspect for the audience, just something to glance at. Their main focus is on you and what you are saying. Nobody has the time or the will to read slides. Use graphs or representations instead of writing. Keep eye contact with the audience; do not fixate on your slides. You lose eye contact you lose their interest.

Develop Stage Presence

 Presentation skills training helps inexperienced speakers overcome the stage fright when it comes to giving a presentation. Getting your substance right can reveal the success or failure than your body language as such. Once you feel confident about your content and believe in it, your body language will automatically relax. Concentrate on your voice, listen to what you say, and when it comes to stage presence, a little coaching can go a long way. A confident voice lasts in the memory more than a confident poise.

Plan the Multimedia

The main advice about PowerPoint: Keep it simple; don’t use a slide deck as a substitute for notes (by listing the bullet points you’ll discuss—those are best put on note cards); and don’t repeat out loud words that are on the slide. Information is interesting only once, and hearing and seeing the same words is just repetitive and frankly boring! That advice may seem universal by now, but go into any company and you’ll see presenters violating it every day. Pictures and graphs are your friends; let them communicate the something extra in your slides.

Putting It Together

Think about what you will say and what you will show. There must be some congruence between the two. Be unique by adding references for people, either a famous quote or a witty line. Time your presentations, do not talk for more than 2 to 3 minutes on one topic, and keep your voice loud and clear. Breathe and know when to pause because speeding trains are just noisy.

Presentation skills training highlights that there is no one good way to do a presentation. The most memorable talks offer something fresh that keeps the audience on their toes. The worst ones are those that feel formulaic. You know what defines you and your idea. Play to your strengths and give a presentation that is leaves your personality on the table. Present the way you would want to see and listen to one. 

Mind your Manners- Professional Etiquette Training

“Etiquette means behaving yourself a little better than is absolutely essential” – Will Cuppy

When you are in a professional environment, there is a lot more to learn than just the basic social etiquette. It's implied that you have to be polite and well-mannered at all times, irrespective of where you are.  Professional etiquette training understands that in a professional environment one must maintain a standard of professionalism. One’s mannerisms, reactions and behaviors need to be tailored to the professional and formal environment in a business setting.

Professional etiquette training ensures the following:

An enhanced image

 As a business person you are judged by how you portray yourself in a social and professional setting. If you are uninformed about the right way to shake someone's hand, or the proper way to offer people your business card, then people might end up questioning your business skills

When you observe the right etiquette, you give the impression to your fellow professionals that you are on the same level as them. You also end up casting an image of someone who is at ease in the boardroom and also when you are meeting people one-on-one.

Better workplace relations

 Professional etiquette training can make it easier for you team up with other people and work together. It also helps you promote a work culture which is both cooperative and civilized. Business etiquette training will help you not only mind, but master your manners. Many of the core business protocols are in practice, the common courtesies meted out on a daily basis. For instance, not checking your email when a meeting is going on or not using your speaker phone during a meeting are common courtesies. When you follow these protocols, you mitigate many of the distractions that are associated with the workplace. This ensures that the atmosphere is professional, and the line between a colleague's work and personal life is not blurred.

Growth in your business

Knowledge of basic business etiquette can open a lot of doors for you. Your potential clients, as well as associates, will judge you as much on your business skills as on your soft skills. This often happens because if you are a skilled communicator and comfortable in different professional situations, then you will come across as more trustworthy than someone who is lacking in soft skills. Being courteous, knowing how to conduct yourself,  be it at a high-stakes meeting or at business lunches, you  will leave a lasting impression. For instance, if a client is looking for an organization that manages public relations, then they will favor someone who is confident and has a positive mindset with a professional attitude.

Image Consulting Business Institute (ICBI) is breaking new ground in India and the world as the biggest brand in Image Consulting and Soft Skills Training space. It offers the most comprehensive and well-defined image consulting and Soft Skills and Business Skills Training programs in a scientific, yet functional approach. If you are looking for professional etiquette training in Mumbai, then ICBI is the place to go.

The etiquette principles are there in place because they make others feel like they actually matter. It is more about respecting others rather than just portraying yourself to be a well mannered individual and that's why professional etiquette training is important. For instance, upon entering a meeting, it is required that you greet each person individually. These gestures might seem unimportant, but they delicately point out the respect the two parties bear to each other. Also, when everyone follows the same social customs, then it guarantees that personal and professional interactions will get off on the right foot allowing everyone to effectively interact with each other.

Bring Out Your Inner Entrepreneur- Skill Development

“If you can dream it do it”- Walt Disney

What skills does an entrepreneur possess? What makes an entrepreneur? What is entrepreneurship skills development?

There’s no one way to answer this question. Some say you are born with it, others say it can only be inculcated with hard work and dedication. In short, either you have it or you don't. But it doesn’t matter, because we can achieve anything if we just our minds to it.

India and the world today are booming with young innovators, start-ups and fresh energy. Everybody wants to create something they can call their own.  It’s like a niche you carve out just for you, a legacy you leave behind.

So, how does one go about this entrepreneurship skills development path and what are the steps to follow? Here are some:

Learning to look at the big picture

Entrepreneurship skills development starts with the main focus being on the big picture. What this entails is that you have to understand the industry that you are in and its interconnections. It means garnering an insight into how companies operate on a fundamental level and how businesses work from the ground-up. You need to be updated about the market trends, the Sensex, how capital and investments work. You need not be a business major, but you need to be aware about how a market works in order to play your part in it. Your knowledge will drive you and that in turn will drive your business.  

An appetite for success

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower”- Steve Jobs

Entrepreneurship skills development is not just about learning and acquiring new skills, it is about having an inclination for success.”Where there is a will, there is always a way”, If you can will it you can do it, this requires not only motivation but an ability to push your own boundaries. The inconvenient truth is, this is your company that you are working to build and nobody is going to care about it apart from you. Become accomplished in the little things you do. If you want to succeed then plan and follow through. You can ensure this by planning your day well in advance. Remember a failure to plan is just a plan to fail.

Valor

“You don’t learn to walk by following rules, you learn by doing and falling over” – Richard Branson.

You can build up your self-confidence with the small achievements and then the big ones. The fact of the matter is this, even a Steve Jobs or a Bill Gates did not have much self-confidence when they started out. In Rudyard kipling’s Poem “If” he says,

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

The only way to be confident is if you fall a few times, fail a few more times, and despite the failures and broken bones, start all over again. Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Make others believe in your vision. That's enough to make those investors trust you and give your venture a shot. Entrepreneurship skills development can require you to fake confidence at times, to just go for it. You can’t be the expert or a good leader without first making the rookie mistakes of a novice.

Decisiveness

Resolve, determination and drive, that’s what you need to make a decision and follow through. A leader can be indecisive, can lack clarity, and can sometimes lose their vision. But a good leader knows how to bounce back from it. A good leader keeps the big picture in mind and plans around it, makes room for errors and also the solutions. Their decisions affect not only them but others too and this can be a huge responsibility to shoulder. But an entrepreneur has the courage to take risks. They must test the terrain to understand how it moves, and then adjust to it. Decisiveness will play a big role on your path towards Entrepreneurship skills development.

Listen carefully, Plan ahead, find solutions not problems focus on your goal and don’t be afraid to falter along the way. “If opportunity does not knock, build a door” – Milton Berle

Why soft skills matter- career development

“The most important thing is communication is to hear what is not being said”- Peter Drucker

The phrase ‘soft skills’ is often used to describe the skills which characterize relationships with other people, or which are about how you approach life and work. The skills we use to develop, transform, restructure or augment our personality, behavior, attitudes and mindset.  A lot of people are looking for soft skill training to improve their overall image.

Hard skills, describe a person's ability to perform specific tasks, soft skills apply across all job titles and industries. Hard skills are imperative to get the job but to keep the job you need soft skills. Soft skills constitute pleasant and charming personality traits as self-confidence, positive attitude, emotional intelligence, social grace, adaptability, sociability and effective communication skills.

Problem solving, delegating, inspiring and team building are effectively carried out with the help of soft skills. A positive frame of mind is crucial for success. This is where soft skill training comes in handy. It helps us visualize ourselves and work to improve our efficiency not only as workers but as people.

If there is some dissonance in our thoughts, if we come across as crass, if we can’t find a middle ground, there will be no relationship formed.  We need to introspect and understand who we are and how we come across to others. How can we improve ourselves to facilitate smoother relations with others? Awareness is essential when it comes to answering our own questions about ourselves. What's most important, however, is that those people who lack well-developed soft skills become aware of their lack otherwise they can do nothing about them.

Why soft skill training? Why does it matter?

The first reason for soft skill training has to do with a threatening shortage of skilled workforce. India has a high rate of aging population. High illiteracy only exacerbates the problem of unskilled labor. The youth need training to enhance their skills, polish their work ethic to then match up to the competition from the global market.
A second reason why soft skill training is so important has to do with the generation gap in our workforce. According to most researchers there are at least four distinct generations in our workforce today. Communication between such wide generational gaps is currently and will continue to be a challenge.

The most industrially proficient person in the world will remain unemployed unless they can advertise themselves better. In time, , someone who is less technically assured but has better people skills will always get promoted over someone who can't. There is a positive correlation between your ability to interact with co-workers and your task performance.

Finally, soft skill training has even more relevance in the workplace. Researchers have spent the past decade looking at the effect of employee engagement on our businesses and economy.  Higher engagement means higher productivity and profitability of your business. And engagement is achieved not only with technical skill, benefits plans or increased pay. Engagement is achieved by companies that engage in soft skill training for a more efficient workforce.

A good image goes a long way- personal image makeover

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent”- Eleanor Roosevelt.

How you look, your attitude and style say a lot about you. From the first impression to the last, your image, the perception that people have about you, affects your success in every aspect of life - your life on the job, your social life, even your love life! This is why personal image makeover is the need of the hour.

Your image is essentially a reflection of how other people view you. We tend to see ourselves the way other people see us and thus, we have this need to make an impression. Somewhere we do want others to look up to us. In a corporate setting this applies even more so. If you want to get to the top you need not just your hard skills but soft skills. How you carry yourself, how you communicate, and your attitude can affect others and your own view of you, either negatively or positively.

Your personal image has a number of elements. The way you dress, the colors you choose, the way you talk and the way you relate to others are some of the more important ones. They say “don’t judge a book by its cover”, but at the end of the day, people do measure you in the first 15 seconds of seeing you, even if unconsciously. Ask yourself why is it that you stress so much over what to wear before a job interview? Neat hair, tidy clothes, confident voice and an assured look in your eye can affect whether you get the job or not, despite your skill set.
It’s all a façade, a show, but notwithstanding the superficiality, our body language actually does communicate a lot about our character, social status, intelligence et cetera. To elicit that favorable response from our peers and seniors we do look for that personal image makeover.
To get that personal image makeover to create that professional look one needs to concentrate on:

·         hair

·         makeup

·          style

·         body type

·          wardrobe building

·          Communication skills and attitude.

Hair: Your hair is a really important accessory.  In a corporate setting, hair should be styled in a neat and tidy manner. If your hairstyle is modern and cut in a sleek but smart fashion, it can make a statement. If you need an updated look find a hairstylist who knows the latest hair fashions. Make sure it is in line with the rules and regulations of your workplace.

Makeup: should light and conservative. A bit of foundation, or a BB cream, light lipstick and eye-liner can really help define your look. For men, apply some light sunscreen, some balm so your lips don’t appear chapped. A clean shaven look is best suited for the workplace. If you look good you feel good, others will naturally display positive attitude towards you.

Style: Everyone has their own personal style statement. If you find styling yourself difficult then seek the help of a professional. Learning how to pair outfits, matching colors, finding the best fit for your clothes, speaks volumes about your personality. The extra effort to dress properly is always a bonus and will be appreciate by your co-workers.

Body Type: The same outfit will look different depending on one’s body size. Body size is nothing to be ashamed of. Even if you are big boned, find clothes that suit your body. This will ensure you are not only comfortable but feel good in what you wear. Understanding what clothes work for you and don’t can be quite tricky. The length of your trousers, to the fit of your blazer, even the size of your heel, can either boost your confidence or make you really self-conscious.

Building a Wardrobe: it’s about knowing what you need and not over spending. Build it according to your work, your social life and your everyday wear. If you are in a corporate setting your wardrobe cannot be filled with crop tops and converse or sparkly heels.

Your personal Image makeover is incomplete without-

Communication Skills: We communicate using our body language, intonation of the voice and our listening skills. Good communication skills can help improve your company's profits, and in turn increase your income. It can increase your chances at a promotion and your job satisfaction.

Attitude: Research has shown that the number one reason people lose their jobs is because of their inability to get along with others, in short - a poor attitude. Your attitude is how you engage with your peers, Listen to others, your reactions to others opinions, how you manage stress to how you solve disputes. A positive attitude is vital to survival at the workplace.

These are some of the elements to incorporate when considering a personal image makeover. It’s just polishing the rough edges so we can look and be the best we can be. 

Communication skills- How to be an effective communicator

“People may hear your words but they feel your attitude”. More than what you have to say it’s about how you say it

Effective communication helps you connect to with others and improves teamwork, decision making, and problem solving. It facilitates one to communicate even negative or difficult messages without disrespecting the other party. Want to know how to improve your communication skills?

Whether you’re trying to improve communication with your spouse, kids, boss, or coworkers, you can learn how to improve your communication skills that enable you to effectively connect with others, build trust and respect, and feel heard and understood.  Effective communication combines a set of skills including nonverbal communication, engaged listening, stress management, communicate in a self-assured manner, and the capacity to empathize with others.

Here is a rundown of how to improve your communication skills:

                  1)      Be an engaged listener-effective communication is less about talking and more about listening. It’s about focusing on the tone, the tiny intonations in someone’s voice. It encourages one to understand the emotions of another. If someone is agitated, you can help calm them by listening conscientiously so the person feels understood.    

·         Focus on the speaker-body language, tone of voice, and other nonverbal cues.

·         Favor the right ear-The left side of the brain contains the primary processing centers for both speech comprehension and emotions.

·         Avoid interruptions or redirecting the focus of the conversation to you-by saying something like, “that’s nothing! What happened to me is worse”.

·         Show that you are interested-Nod occasionally, smile, and make sure your posture is open and inviting.

·         Set aside judgment and provide feedback-express what the speaker’s words mean to you.  Set aside your judgment and withhold blame and criticism in order to fully understand a person.

2)      Pay attention to nonverbal signals-Nonverbal communication, or body language, includes facial expressions, body language and gestures, eye contact, posture, the tone of your voice, and even your muscle tension and breathing.

·         Make note of individual differences- People from different countries and cultures use different nonverbal gestures.

·         Use nonverbal signals that match up with your words- Nonverbal communication should reinforce what is being said, not contradict it

·         Use body language to convey positive feelings-If you’re nervous about a situation, say a job interview, you can use affirmative body language to signal confidence. Try standing tall with your shoulders back, smiling and maintaining eye contact, and delivering a firm handshake.

3)      Keep stress in check-When you’re stressed, you’re more likely to misinterpret other people, send mixed or off-putting nonverbal signals. It’s only when you’re in a calm, relaxed state that you'll be able to know whether the situation requires a response, or whether the other person’s signals indicate it would be better to remain silent.In situations such as a job interview or any other high-pressure situation this is how to improve your communication skills.

·         Use stalling tactics -to give you time to think.

·         Pause to collect your thoughts-pausing can make you seem more in control than rushing your response.

·         Make one point - provide an example or supporting piece of information. If your point is too long you risk losing the listener’s interest.

·         Deliver your words clearly and wrap it up with a summary-Speak clearly, maintain an even tone, and make eye contact.

·          Be willing to compromise and agree to disagree- meet halfway so it reduces the stress levels for everyone concerned.

4)      Assert yourself- Direct, confident expression makes for lucid communication and can help your self-esteem and decision-making. It does NOT mean being hostile, aggressive, or demanding, but expressing one’s needs, thoughts and feelings in a manner that does not disrespect others

·         Value yourself and your opinions-They are as important as anyone else’s.

·         Know your needs and wants- Learn to express them without breaching the rights of others.

·          Express negative thoughts- It’s OK to be angry, but you must be respectful as well.

·         Receive feedback positively-Accept compliments humbly, learn from your mistakes and ask for help when needed.

·         Say “no”- don’t let others take advantage of you. Look for alternatives so everyone feels good about the outcome.

So the next time you find yourself in a difficult situation where your communication skills could come in handy, remember these steps. These simple pointers can help you answer the how in how to improve your communication skills.