SELF MANAGEMENT

Self-management refers to the ability to effectively control your own thoughts, emotions, and
behaviors in order to achieve your goals. It encompasses a wide range of skills and practices that
enable you to take charge of your life and navigate challenges with resilience and confidence.

Key Components of Self-Management

 Self-Awareness: Understanding your own strengths, weaknesses, values, and emotions. This
involves recognizing your triggers, identifying your thought patterns, and understanding how
your actions impact yourself and others.
 Goal Setting: Defining clear and achievable goals, both short-term and long-term. This
includes breaking down large goals into smaller, more manageable steps.
 Time Management: Effectively prioritizing tasks, scheduling your time, and managing
distractions to maximize productivity. Techniques like the Pomodoro Technique or time
blocking can be helpful.
 Stress Management: Developing healthy coping mechanisms for stress, such as exercise,
mindfulness, and relaxation techniques.
 Emotional Regulation: Managing your emotions effectively, such as identifying and
understanding your feelings, responding appropriately to challenging situations, and
controlling impulsive behaviors.
 Decision-Making: Making informed and thoughtful decisions by considering the potential
consequences and weighing the pros and cons.
 Problem-Solving: Identifying and analyzing problems, generating creative solutions, and
taking action to address them.
 Self-Discipline: Staying motivated and focused on your goals, even when faced with
challenges or distractions.
 Continuous Learning: Seeking out new knowledge and skills, adapting to change, and
embracing opportunities for personal growth.

Benefits of Strong Self-Management Skills

 Increased productivity and efficiency

 Improved relationships
 Reduced stress and anxiety
 Enhanced self-esteem and confidence
 Greater overall well-being
 Improved decision-making
 Increased resilience to setbacks
 Greater success in personal and professional endeavors

Developing Self-Management Skills

 Set realistic goals: Start with small, achievable goals and gradually increase the difficulty.
 Prioritize tasks: Identify the most important tasks and focus on them first.
 Break down large tasks: Divide large tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.
 Create a schedule: Plan your day or week in advance to stay organized and on track.
 Minimize distractions: Find a quiet and focused environment to work in.
 Practice mindfulness and relaxation techniques: Such as meditation, deep breathing, or
yoga.
 Seek support from others: Talk to friends, family, or a mentor for guidance and
encouragement.
 Continuously learn and adapt: Reflect on your progress, identify areas for improvement, and
adjust your strategies as needed.

Self-Awareness.

Self-awareness is the ability to understand yourself deeply and objectively. It's about recognizing
your own thoughts, feelings, emotions, strengths, weaknesses, values, and how they impact your
behavior and interactions with others.

Key aspects of Self-Awareness.

1. Understanding Your Emotions:

 Identifying Emotions: Recognizing and labeling the emotions you're experiencing in the
moment (e.g., anger, sadness, joy, fear). Understanding Triggers: Identifying the situations or
events that trigger specific emotions in you. Managing Emotional Responses: Learning to
regulate your emotions effectively, such as finding healthy ways to cope with stress or anger.

2. Recognizing Your Thoughts and Beliefs:

 Identifying Thought Patterns: Recognizing recurring thoughts, such as negative self-talk or
overthinking. Challenging Assumptions: Questioning your assumptions and beliefs to
determine if they are accurate and helpful. Identifying Cognitive Biases: Recognizing
common thinking traps that can distort your perception of reality (e.g., confirmation bias, all-
or-nothing thinking).

3. Understanding Your Values and Motivations:

 Identifying Core Values: Determining what's truly important to you in life (e.g., honesty,
integrity, compassion). Aligning Actions with Values: Ensuring your actions and decisions
align with your core values. Understanding Your Motivations: Identifying the underlying
reasons for your actions and behaviors.

4. Recognizing Your Strengths and Weaknesses:

 Identifying Strengths: Acknowledging your talents, skills, and areas of expertise. Identifying
Weaknesses: Recognizing areas for improvement and areas where you may need to seek
support. Developing Strengths: Focusing on developing your strengths to achieve your goals.
Addressing Weaknesses: Finding strategies to mitigate or improve upon your weaknesses.

5. Understanding How Others Perceive You:

 Seeking Feedback: Actively seeking feedback from others about your behavior and impact.
Observing Your Interactions: Paying attention to how others react to you in different
situations. Developing Empathy: Understanding and considering the perspectives of others.

Benefits of Self-Awareness

 Improved Relationships: Better communication, empathy, and conflict resolution.

 Increased Emotional Intelligence: Enhanced ability to manage emotions and build stronger
relationships.
 Enhanced Decision-Making: More informed and effective decision-making.
 Increased Self-Confidence: Greater self-acceptance and a stronger sense of self-worth.
 Improved Leadership: Ability to lead effectively and inspire others.
 Increased Resilience: Better ability to cope with challenges and setbacks.
 Personal Growth: Continuous learning and personal development.

Cultivating Self-Awareness
 Mindfulness Practices: Meditation, journaling, and mindful observation.
 Self-Reflection: Regular introspection, such as journaling, asking yourself questions, and
reviewing past experiences.
 Feedback Seeking: Actively seeking feedback from trusted friends, colleagues, and mentors.
 Personality Assessments: Exploring personality assessments (e.g., Myers-Briggs,
Enneagram) for self-understanding.
 Coaching and Mentoring: Working with a coach or mentor to gain insights into your
strengths and weaknesses.

Formulating Personal Vision, Mission and Goals.

Personal Vision

What is it?

 Your idealized future.

 A compelling picture of what you want your life to look like in the long term.
 It's aspirational, inspiring, and something you strive towards.

Examples:

 "To live a life of purpose, surrounded by loved ones, contributing to a better world."
 "To be a successful entrepreneur, building a thriving business that empowers others."
 "To become a renowned artist, sharing my creativity with the world and inspiring others."

Tips for Creating Your Vision:

 Dream Big: Don't limit yourself.

 Be Specific: Use vivid language and sensory details.
 Make it Personal: Reflect your unique values and passions.
 Visualize: Imagine yourself living your vision.

2. Personal Mission

What is it?

 You’re guiding principles and purpose in life.

 It defines how you want to live your life and make an impact.
 It's your "why" – the reason behind your actions.

Examples:

 "To live a life of integrity, compassion, and service to others."

 "To pursue excellence in all my endeavors and inspire those around me."
 "To continuously learn and grow, both personally and professionally."

Tips for Creating Your Mission:

 Focus on Values: Align your mission with your core values.

 Keep it Concise: A short and impactful statement is more memorable.
 Make it Actionable: Your mission should guide your daily decisions and actions.

3. Personal Goals

What are they?

 Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives.

 They are the stepping stones to achieving your vision and fulfilling your mission.

Examples:

 Short-term: "Run a 5k race in 3 months."

 Long-term: "Earn a master's degree in [field]."
 Professional: "Get promoted to [position] within 2 years."
 Personal: "Learn to play the guitar."

Tips for Setting Effective Goals:

 Break down large goals: Divide them into smaller, more manageable steps.
 Set deadlines: Establish clear timelines for achieving your goals.
 Track your progress: Regularly monitor your progress and make adjustments as needed.
 Celebrate your successes: Acknowledge and reward your accomplishments.

Strategies for Overcoming Work Challenges.

Identify and Define the Challenge

 Clearly define the problem: What exactly is the challenge? Be specific and avoid vague
descriptions.
 Gather information: Analyze the situation thoroughly. What are the root causes of the
challenge? What are the potential consequences?
 Break it down: Divide the challenge into smaller, more manageable parts.

2. Develop Solutions

 Brainstorming: Generate a list of potential solutions, both big and small. Don't limit yourself
at this stage.
 Evaluate options: Analyze the pros and cons of each solution. Consider the feasibility,
potential impact, and resources required.
 Seek input: Get feedback from colleagues, mentors, or supervisors.

3. Create an Action Plan

 Prioritize solutions: Choose the most effective and feasible solution.

 Develop a step-by-step plan: Outline the specific actions you need to take to implement the
solution.
 Set deadlines and milestones: Establish a timeline for completing each step.
 Assign responsibilities: Determine who is responsible for each task.

4. Take Action

 Implement the plan: Start taking action and monitor progress regularly.
 Be flexible and adaptable: Be prepared to adjust your plan as needed based on unforeseen
circumstances.
 Celebrate successes: Acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishments along the way.

5. Learn and Grow

 Reflect on the outcome: Evaluate the effectiveness of your solution. What worked well?
What could be improved?
 Learn from your mistakes: Analyze any setbacks and identify areas for improvement.
 Continuously improve: Use the lessons learned to approach future challenges more
effectively.

Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, as well
as recognize and influence the emotions.

Key Components of Emotional Intelligence:

Self-Awareness:

 Recognizing your own emotions as they happen.

 Understanding how your emotions affect your thoughts and behavior.
 Knowing your strengths and weaknesses.

Self-Regulation:

 Controlling impulses and managing disruptive emotions.

 Thinking before acting.
 Adapting to changing situations.

Motivation:

 Passion and perseverance in the face of setbacks.

 Setting realistic goals and finding ways to achieve them.
 Pursuing challenges with energy and enthusiasm.

Empathy:

 Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.

 Taking an interest in their perspectives.
 Cultivating compassion and kindness.

Social Skills:

 Building and maintaining strong relationships.

 Communicating effectively and assertively.
 Resolving conflict constructively.
 Inspiring and influencing others.

Benefits of High Emotional Intelligence:

 Stronger Relationships: Better communication, empathy, and conflict resolution.

 Increased Success: Improved leadership, teamwork, and overall job performance.
 Enhanced Well-being: Reduced stress, anxiety, and depression.
 Improved Decision-Making: More informed and thoughtful decision-making.
 Increased Resilience: Better ability to cope with challenges and setbacks.

Developing Emotional Intelligence:

 Self-Reflection: Regularly reflect on your emotions, behaviors, and interactions with others.
 Mindfulness Practices: Meditation, deep breathing, and mindfulness exercises can help you
become more aware of your emotions.
 Emotional Literacy: Learn to identify and label different emotions.
 Empathy Training: Actively listen to others, try to understand their perspectives, and
practice expressing empathy.
 Conflict Resolution Skills: Develop effective communication and conflict resolution
strategies.
 Seek Feedback: Ask trusted friends, family, or colleagues for constructive feedback on your
behavior.

Coping with Work Stress

Identify and Address the Root Causes

Workload:

Prioritize: Learn to say "no" to non-essential tasks.

Delegate: When possible, delegate tasks to colleagues.

Time management: Use techniques like the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes of focused work
followed by 5 minutes of break) to improve efficiency.

Communication:

Clear communication: Ensure clear expectations and responsibilities with your manager and
colleagues.

Address conflicts directly: If you have concerns, communicate them assertively and
respectfully.

Work Environment:
Disorganization: A cluttered workspace can increase stress. Keep your workspace organized.

Lack of control: If you feel you have little control over your work, discuss your concerns with
your manager.

Perfectionism:

Set realistic goals: Aim for excellence, not perfection.

Focus on progress, not just the outcome.

2. Relaxation Techniques

 Mindfulness: Practice mindfulness techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga to

calm your mind and body.
 Physical Activity: Exercise is a powerful stress reliever. Even a short walk or a quick
workout can make a difference.
 Relaxation Techniques: Listen to calming music, take a warm bath, or engage in hobbies you
enjoy.

3. Lifestyle Changes

 Prioritize Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.
 Healthy Diet: Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
 Limit Caffeine and Alcohol: These substances can worsen stress and anxiety.

4. Seek Support

 Talk to someone: Share your concerns with a trusted friend, family member, or mentor.
 Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs): Many workplaces offer EAPs that provide
confidential counseling and support services.
 Professional Help: If stress is significantly impacting your life, consider consulting with a
therapist or counselor.

5. Set Boundaries

 Work-life balance: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal time.
 Disconnect from work: Avoid checking work emails or messages outside of work hours.
 Take regular breaks: Step away from your desk throughout the day to stretch, move around,
and recharge.

Assertiveness versus Aggressiveness and Passiveness

Assertiveness

Definition:

 Expressing your needs, wants, and feelings honestly and directly, while respecting the rights
and feelings of others.
 It's about finding a balance between being passive and aggressive.

Key Characteristics:

 Direct and honest communication: Clearly stating your opinions and feelings without being
rude or demanding.
 Respectful of others: Acknowledging and considering the perspectives of others.
 Confident and self-assured: Believing in your own worth and the validity of your feelings.
 Ability to say "no" when necessary.
 Effective listening: Paying attention to others and understanding their viewpoints.

Examples:

 "I understand your perspective, but I also feel..."

 "I would appreciate it if you could..."
 "I am concerned that..."

Aggressiveness

Definition:

 Expressing your needs and wants in a forceful, hostile, or dominating manner.

 Often disregards the feelings and rights of others.

Key Characteristics:

 Dominating and controlling behavior: Trying to force your opinions on others.

 Using threats or intimidation: To get your way.
 Lack of empathy: Disregarding the feelings of others.
 Interrupting and talking over others.
 Using sarcasm or insults.

Examples:

 "You always..."
 "You should..."
 "I don't care what you think..."

Passiveness

Definition:

 Avoiding expressing your needs, wants, and feelings.

 Often sacrificing your own needs to please others.

Key Characteristics:

 Difficulty expressing opinions or asserting oneself.

 Avoiding conflict at all costs.
 Feeling resentful or angry but not expressing those feelings.
 Difficulty saying "no" to others.
 Often feeling anxious or overwhelmed.

Examples:

 "I don't mind..."

 "Whatever you want is fine with me."
 Avoiding eye contact.
 Apologizing excessively.

Developing Assertiveness:

 Practice active listening.

 Learn to express your feelings clearly and calmly.
 Use "I" statements to express your needs and feelings.
 Set boundaries and learn to say "no."
 Role-playing and assertiveness training.

Developing and Maintaining High Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is how you feel about yourself. It's a sense of worth and value as a person. Here are
some strategies to develop and maintain high self-esteem:

1. Practice Self-Compassion:

 Be kind to yourself: Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would
offer a friend.
 Acknowledge your imperfections: Everyone makes mistakes. Learn from them and move on.
 Focus on self-acceptance: Accept yourself for who you are, strengths and weaknesses.

2. Challenge Negative Self-Talk:

 Identify negative thoughts: Recognize when you're engaging in self-criticism or negative

self-talk.
 Challenge negative thoughts: Ask yourself if these thoughts are true and helpful.
 Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations: For example, "I am capable" instead of
"I'm not good enough."

3. Celebrate Your Accomplishments:

 Acknowledge your successes: Big or small, celebrate your achievements.

 Keep a record of your accomplishments: Write them down in a journal or create a list.
 Reward yourself for your efforts: Treat yourself to something you enjoy.

4. Set Realistic Goals and Achieve Them:

 Set achievable goals: Start with small, manageable goals and gradually increase the
difficulty.
 Break down large goals into smaller steps: This makes them feel less overwhelming.
 Celebrate your progress: Acknowledge and reward yourself for each step you take towards
your goals.

5. Take Care of Yourself:

 Prioritize self-care: Make time for activities that you enjoy, such as spending time in nature,
exercising, or pursuing hobbies.
 Get enough sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.
 Eat a healthy diet: Nourish your body with nutritious foods.
 Engage in regular physical activity: Exercise releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting
effects.

6. Surround Yourself with Positive People:

 Spend time with supportive and encouraging people.

 Limit your exposure to negative influences.

7. Practice Gratitude:

 Focus on the positive aspects of your life.

 Express gratitude for the good things in your life.

8. Seek Professional Help:

 If you're struggling with low self-esteem, consider seeking guidance from a therapist or
counselor.

Developing and Maintaining Positive Self-Image

 Developing and maintaining a positive self-image is crucial for overall well-being and
happiness. Here are some key strategies:

1. Focus on Your Strengths:

 Identify your strengths: Make a list of your talents, skills, and positive qualities.
 Acknowledge your accomplishments: Celebrate your successes, both big and small.
 Focus on your strengths in daily life: Find ways to use your strengths in your work, hobbies,
and relationships.

2. Challenge Negative Self-Talk:

 Identify negative thoughts: Become aware of the negative thoughts and beliefs you have
about yourself.
 Challenge those thoughts: Are they really true? Are you being overly critical of yourself?
 Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations: For example, instead of "I'm not good
enough," try "I am capable and worthy."

3. Practice Self-Compassion:

 Treat yourself with kindness: Be understanding and forgiving of your mistakes.

 Acknowledge your imperfections: Everyone has flaws. Accept yourself for who you are.
 Focus on self-acceptance: Accept yourself with all your strengths and weaknesses.

4. Set Realistic Goals:

 Set achievable goals: Start with small, manageable goals and gradually increase the
difficulty.
 Break down large goals into smaller steps: This makes them feel less overwhelming.
 Celebrate your progress: Acknowledge and reward yourself for each step you take towards
your goals.

5. Take Care of Yourself:

 Prioritize self-care: Make time for activities that you enjoy, such as spending time in nature,
exercising, or pursuing hobbies.
 Get enough sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.
 Eat a healthy diet: Nourish your body with nutritious foods.
 Engage in regular physical activity: Exercise releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting
effects.

6. Surround Yourself with Positivity:

 Spend time with supportive and encouraging people.

 Limit your exposure to negative influences, such as social media comparisons.

7. Practice Gratitude:

 Focus on the positive aspects of your life.

 Express gratitude for the good things in your life.

8. Seek Professional Help:

 If you're struggling with low self-esteem, consider seeking guidance from a therapist or
counselor.

Important Note:

 Building a positive self-image is an ongoing process.

 Be patient with yourself and celebrate your progress along the way.
 Remember that self-esteem is not about being perfect, but about accepting and appreciating
yourself for who you are.

TIME MANAGEMENT

Time management is a set of principles, practices, skills, tools, and systems working together to help us
get more value out of our time with the aim of improving the quality of our life.

Common Characteristics of time

 Time is gold. Do not litter it away.

 It is a unique resource and if wasted cannot be replaced.
 Cannot be stocked/ piled for future no retrieved.
 Everybody has its same share irrespective of being rich or poor
Purpose of Time Management

Time Management is a set of tools which enables us to:

1. Eliminate wastage

2. Be prepared for meetings

3. Refuse excessive workloads

4. Monitor project progress

5. Allocate resource (time) appropriate to a task’s importance

6. Ensure that long term projects are not neglected

7. Plan each day efficiently

8. Plan each week effectively

Myths about Stress and Time Management

Myth#1 (All stress is bad)

No, there’s good and bad stress. Good stress is excitement, thrills, etc. the goal is to recognize personal
signs of bad stress and deal with them.

Myth#2 (Planning my time just takes more

time) Actually, research shows the opposite.
Myth#3 (I get more done in less time when I wisely use caffeine, sugar , alcohol or nicotine.)

Wrong! Research shows that the body always has to “ come down” and when it does, we can’t
always be very effective then after the boost.

Myth#4 (A time management problem means that there’s not enough time to get done what needs to
get done.) No, a time management problem is not using our time to our fullest advantage, to get done
what we want done. Myth#5 (The busier I am, the better I’m using my time.)
Look out! We may only be doing what’s urgent, and not what’s important.
Myth#6(I feel much harried, busy, so I must have a time management problem.)

Not necessarily. We should verify that we have a time management problem. This requires knowing
what we really want to get done and if it is getting done or not.

Myth#7 (I feel OK, so I must not be stressed)

In reality, many adults don’t even know when they’re really stressed out until their bodies tell them so.
They miss the early warning signs from their body, for example, headaches, still backs, twitches, etc.

Myth#8 (There’s too much to do; I can’t handle it all.)

This can’t be the real reason why I have a messy house. After all, other people manage. It’s
encouraging to hear that there are others who also have trouble with the ”little “ things in life.

Myth#9 (There’s plenty of time; I can do that later.)

Funny. This is the exact opposite of myth#8, Yet both myths contribute to procrastinating. Rather
than switch from one myth to the other, I need a specific, realistic view of how much my time is
worth and how much of it is left.

Myth#10 (I’ m busier than usual right now , so it makes sense to shift some tasks off to another time)

Occasionally it’s really true, of course. But really, there are so many other aspects to life: dentist
appointments, parties holiday celebrations, bike repairs, etc. etc. that taking all into consideration , the
other days are also just as busy.
Myth#11 (Re-scheduling something to a later time is procrastinating)

No, re-scheduling is taking control and responding to new information about priorities and time
available. It’s only procrastinating if you don’t schedule it at all, or if you re-schedule for the wrong
reasons.

Myth#12 (This little task is not important.)

Some times trifling little things are of utmost importance which should be done immediately. We
cannot postpone hanging the Danger board while working on live electrical lines.

Time Management Matrix

Sector 1 Sector 3
Priority
Urgent Not Urgent

Important Important
 Very urgent
Sector 2 Sector 4
 Urgent
 Important Urgent Not Urgent
Not Important Not Important
 Not important
 Not urgent

Time Wasters

a) Worrying about a task at hand and putting it off, which leads to indecision
b) Creating inefficiency by implementing first instead of analyzing first

c) Unanticipated interruptions that do not pay off

d) Procrastinating

e) Making unrealistic time estimates

f) Unnecessary errors (not enough time to do it right, but enough time to do it over

g) Crisis management

h) Poor organization
i) Micro-managing by failing to let others perform and grow

j) Doing urgent rather than important tasks

k) Poor planning and lack of contingency plans

 l) Failing to delegate
m) Lacking priorities, standards, policies, and procedures

n) Ineffective meetings

Time Savers

a) Managing the decision making process, not the decisions.

b) Concentrating on doing only one task at a time.

c) Establishing daily, short-term, mid-term and long –term priorities

d) Handling correspondence expeditiously with quick short letters and memos

e) Throwing unneeded things away.

f) Establishing personal deadlines and ones for the organization.

g) Not wasting other people’s time.

h) Ensuring all meetings have a purpose, time limit, and include only essential people.

i) Getting rid of busy work.

j) Maintaining accurate calendars; abide by them.

k) Knowing when to stop a task, policy, or procedure.

l) Delegating everything possible and empowering subordinates.

m) Keeping things simple.

n) Ensuring time is set aside to accomplish high priority tasks.

o) Setting aside time for review.

p) Using checklists and To-Do lists.

q) Adjusting priorities as a result of new tasks.

Common Symptoms of Poor Stress And Time Management

o Irritability. Fellow workers notice this first.

o Fatigue. How many adults even notice this ?
o Difficulty concentrating. We often don’t need to just to get through the day!
o Forgetfulness. I can’t remember what I did all day, what I ate yesterday.
o Loss of sleep. This affects everything else!
o Physical disorders, for example, headaches, rashes, tics, cramps, etc.
 o At worst, withdrawal and depression

What to do?
Write things down

A common time management mistake is to try to use our memory to keep track of too many details
leading to information overload. Using a to-do list to write things down is a great way to take control
of our projects and tasks and keep our self organized.

Prioritize our list

Prioritizing our to-do list helps us focus and spend more of our time on the things that really matter to
us. Rate our tasks into categories like “should do”, “Must do” etc.

Plan our week

Spend some time at the beginning of each week to plan our schedule. Taking the extra time to do this
will help increase our productivity and balance our important long-term projects with our more urgent
tasks. All we need is fifteen to thirty minutes each week for our planning session.

Carry a note book

We never know when we are going to have a great idea or brilliant insight. Carry a small notebook
with us wherever we go so we can capture out thoughts. If we wait too long to write them down we
could forget. Another option is to use a digital recorder.

Learn to say No

Many people become overloaded with to much work because they over commit; say yes when they
really should be saying no. Learn to say no to low priority requests and we will free up time to spend
on things that are more important.
Think before acting

How many times have we said yes to something we later regretted? Before committing to a new task,
stop to think about it before we give our answer. This will prevent us from taking on too much work.

Continuously improve our self

Make time in our schedule to learn new things and develop our natural talents and abilities. For
example, we can take a class, attend a training program, help children make their project or read a
book.
What we giving up to do our regular activities ?

It is a good evaluating regularly how we are spending our time. In some cases, the best thing we can do is
to stop doing an activity that is no longer serving us so we can spend the time doing something more
valuable.

Use a time management system

Using a time management system can help us keep track of everything of everything that we need to
do, organize and prioritize our work, and develop sound plans to complete it. An integrated system is
like glue that holds all the best time management practices together.

Identify bad habits

Make a list of bad habits that are stealing our time, sabotaging our goals, and blocking our
success. After we do, work on them one at a time and systematically eliminate them from
our life. Remember that the easiest way to eliminate a bad habit, it to replace it with a
better habit.

Don’t be a perfectionist

Some tasks don’t require our best effort. Sending a short email to a colleague, for example,
shouldn’t take any more than a few minutes. Learn to distinguish between tasks that
deserve to be done excellently and tasks that just need to be done.

Beware of “filler” tasks

When we have to-do list filled with important tasks, be careful not to get distracted by “filler” tasks.
Things such as organizing our bookcase or filing papers can wait until we tackle the items that have the
highest priority.

Avoid “efficiency traps”

Being efficient doesn’t necessarily mean that we are being productive. Avoid taking on
tasks that we can do with efficiency that don’t need to be done at all. Just because we are
busy and getting things done doesn’t mean we are actually accomplishing anything
significant.

Delegated tasks should be specific with an end date

 It should be ensured that all delegated task is concluded with a deliverable time and the
progress should be monitored through diary entry.
Setting Effective Performance Targets

Setting clear and achievable performance targets is crucial for individual and organizational
success. Here's a breakdown of the process:

1. Understand Your Role and Objectives

 Define your role: Clearly understand your job description, responsibilities, and key
performance areas (KPAs).
 Align with organizational goals: Ensure your individual targets align with the overall
strategic objectives of your team and the organization.

2. Use the SMART Framework

 Specific: Clearly define what needs to be achieved. Avoid vague or ambiguous terms.

Example: Instead of "Improve customer satisfaction," use "Increase customer satisfaction scores
by 10% within the next quarter."

 Measurable: Define how you will measure progress and success.

Example: "Reduce customer complaints by 15% by the end of the year."

 Achievable: Set challenging but realistic goals that are within your reach.

Example: "Complete the online marketing course by [date]."

 Relevant: Ensure your targets are relevant to your role, the team's objectives, and the overall
organizational goals.

Example: "Increase sales in the target region by 20%."

 Time-bound: Set clear deadlines for achieving your targets.

Example: "Complete the project by the end of the month."

3. Involve Stakeholders
 Discuss with your manager: Involve your manager in the target-setting process to ensure
alignment and provide guidance.
 Seek input from colleagues: Get feedback from colleagues who can provide valuable insights
and perspectives.

4. Monitor Progress and Adjust

 Regularly track your progress: Monitor your performance against your targets on a regular
basis (e.g., weekly, monthly).
 Use data and metrics: Track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure progress.
 Be flexible: Be willing to adjust your targets as needed based on changing circumstances or
unexpected challenges.
 Regularly review and update: Conduct regular performance reviews with your manager to
discuss progress, address challenges, and adjust targets as needed.

Example:

Objective: Increase customer satisfaction

SMART Target: "Increase customer satisfaction scores by 10% within the next quarter, as
measured by customer surveys, by implementing a new customer service training program and
improving response times to customer inquiries."

Benefits of Setting Effective Performance Targets:

 Increased motivation and focus: Clear targets provide direction and motivation.
 Improved performance: Setting and achieving targets leads to improved performance and
increased productivity.
 Enhanced employee engagement: When employees are involved in setting their own
targets, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated.
 Better decision-making: Clear targets help guide decision-making and resource
allocation.
 Improved communication and feedback: Clear targets facilitate open and honest
communication between employees and managers.

Monitoring and Evaluating Performance Targets

Monitoring and evaluating performance targets is crucial for ensuring progress, identifying areas
for improvement, and ultimately achieving desired outcomes. Here's a breakdown of the process:

1. Establish Clear Performance Indicators (KPIs)

 KPIs: These are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound metrics that
track progress towards achieving your goals.
 Examples:
 Sales figures
 Customer satisfaction scores
 Project completion rates
 Employee productivity
 Website traffic
 Number of leads generated
2. 2. Regular Tracking and Data Collection
 Consistent Monitoring: Regularly collect data on your progress towards your KPIs.
This could involve:
 Daily, weekly, or monthly reports
 Using project management software
 Tracking data in spreadsheets or databases
 Data Sources:
 Utilize various data sources such as sales reports, customer surveys, project timelines,
employee performance reviews, and website analytics.
3. 3. Data Analysis and Interpretation
 Analyze Data: Analyze the collected data to identify trends, patterns, and areas of
success or concern.
 Compare Actual Performance to Targets:
 Track your progress against your established targets.
 Identify any gaps between actual performance and desired outcomes.
 Identify Root Causes:
 Investigate the root causes of any performance gaps.
 Are there any obstacles or challenges hindering progress?
4. 4. Provide Feedback and Make Adjustments
  Regular Feedback: Provide regular feedback to individuals or teams based on their
performance.
 Recognize and Reward Success: Acknowledge and reward achievements to motivate
and encourage continued progress.
 Address Performance Issues:
 Identify and address any performance issues proactively.
 Provide support and guidance to help individuals improve their performance.
 Adjust Targets as Needed:
 Re-evaluate and adjust targets based on performance data, changing circumstances,
and new opportunities.
5. Continuous Improvement
 Regularly review and refine the monitoring and evaluation process.
 Use data and insights to inform future decisions and improve overall performance.
 Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement within your organization.

Tools and Technologies:

 Project management software: (e.g., Asana, Jira, Monday.com)

 Business intelligence software: (e.g., Tableau, Power BI)
 Spreadsheets and data analysis tools: (e.g., Excel, Google Sheets)
 Customer relationship management (CRM) systems: (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot)

TOPIC TWO: PROMOTE TEAM WORK

Introduction In this learning outcome trainees will train on setting performance expectation for
teams, assigning duties and responsibilities and identification of team parameters and
relationships. Trainees will also be given skills and knowledge of establishing forms of
communication, carrying out communication at workplace, supervision and providing feedback
for team performance. Other skills, knowledge and behaviours from this unit will be; collection
and analysis of feedback, conflict resolution adhering to gender mainstreaming and human rights
as well as creating healthy relationships.
Definition of key terms

 Performance expectation: They are the requirements of an employee including actions,

behavior and expected results.
 Forms of communication: Various ways of exchanging information, ideas, thought, feelings
and emotions.
 Conflict: It is a disagreement among groups or individuals characterized by antagonism and
hostility.
 Gender Mainstreaming: A strategy of realizing gender equality.
 Healthy relationships: It is having good interactions with fellow employees and working in
harmony to achieve the set goals.

Performance expectations for the team.

Setting performance expectations is to move towards a specific goal and creating workplace
accountability from one employee to another. It is applied to assess the progression and position
expectations as performed by individual employees. To communicate and manage expectations
effectively is important to know what is expected from the employees and teams and set realistic
reasonable tasks.

Team performance expectations

Team expectations are similar to individual expectations except that team expectations are
something every member of the team should be accountable for while also holding others
accountable. They are shared expectations. They are behaviors that occur while the team
accomplishes said tasks. They are for the team to be productive and work cohesively. Each
member of the team should be accountable for the following:

 Respect each other and be courteous.

 Be flexible about job and tasks assignments.
 Ask for help when needed.
 Work safely together.
 Be motivated and reliable.
 Shared ideas for improvement.

How team performance expectations are set.

Setting expectations for a team for excellent performance communicating clearly about the
specific tasks being assigned, results that should be accomplished, the degree of
accomplishment, the expectation of each step and how it will be monitored. By knowing the
specific requirements of each task, the expectation at each step in the process the employee will
have no doubt about what the task that is about. Expectations are set in the following steps:

 Having standards: Standards are levels or degree to which all are expected to strive. This is
mostly referred to as a norm. It is for the good of the company and all the team members
must work towards it.
 Set goals: The goals are set with a direction, connection to the company standards. The goals
may be challenging but realistic and set up to reach levels that are a progression upwards.
 Objectives are set: These are steps on a timeline that keep the workers towards moving the
goal in a specific and measurable way.

Requirements of performance expectation

 A requirement to conform to the core values of an organization.

 Compliance to laws, regulations, standards and policies is a requirement.
 Adhere to the norms of professionalism in the areas of specialization.
 Be adoptable which the ability to embrace change and learn.
 Compliance with applicable standards external or internal.
 High standards of work produced by the team.

Assigning duties and responsibilities.

This means putting a person in charge of tasks. When team leaders assess the scope and
feasibility of the work assigned to the team. The primary consideration is the strength of each
team member. From the strengths, leaders assign roles and responsibilities. Assigning roles and
responsibilities improve the work of the team in the following ways:

 Productivity: Productivity is enhanced when the responsibility assigned closely align with
team members’ strength.
 Morale: Issuing of duties and responsibility to team members gives each person a sense of
ownership. They become invested in projects outcome hence increasing their effort to create
quality product. Without assigning roles to members, they may grow disinterested and
detached.
 Efficiency: Assigning responsibilities boosts efficiency having a clear understanding of the
work roles allows leaders to develop timelines. This lists who is in charge of which task and
when the specific portion of the work is expected to reach completion.

Guidelines for delegating tasks to team members/assigning duties

 Identify key opportunities for delegation: Not all can be delegated. A leader has to
determine which duties and responsibilities can be assigned or delegated.
 Establish a clear set of objectives for each task- no matter the task being delegated; make
sure all the objectives are clarified so as the task can be accomplished.
 Construct timelines: Timelines keep people focused and hold all members of the group
accountable to meeting goals on time.
 Establish authority and respect: When assigning duties, it is important to set the tone for
your position in the relationship. This sets a tone of respect o they understand they are being
relied upon and appreciated.

Identifying Team parameters and relationships.

Team parameters and relationships is how the team members engage with each other. This will
highly be influenced by how the leaders engage with the time. Team parameters and
relationships involves finding a balance point. In order to achieve this, a team leader shouldn’t
lead a team too highly or too loosely.

Ways of finding a balance point in the team.

 Encourage discussion but not too much of it- discussion and the exchange of ideas allow for
greater creativity and innovation. Through dialogue a team expands its problem-solving
capability.
 Celebrate the collective and recognize the individual- team leaders have to maintain a sense
of who contributes what to the team. Team can be celebrated for completing major tasks but
the team members who accomplished and made significant contributions should be
celebrated.
 Give autonomy but define parameters- the team should know the general direction, where it
is heading and trusts everyone enough to carry on. If the work is going too far off the rails,
the leader has to step in and keep everyone on track and moving forward.
 Encourage opposing views but beware of obstructions – opposing views are important to
energizing teams and stimulating creativity. However, there is a thin line between well-
meaning critics and obstructionist rhetoric.

By keeping the above ways in mind, a leader can hit the balance point between loose and tight
leadership. If the balance is achieved, the parameter and the relationship of the team is identified.

Forms of communication establishing

These are the various ways of establishing and exchanging of information, ideas, thoughts and
feelings. Communication is categorized into two:

Informal communication: This is any communication that takes place without following the
formal channels of communication. It is often referred to as grapevine as it spreads without the
organization and in all directions without any regard to the levels of authority. Formal
communication: This is the type of communication that flows through official channels designed
in the organization chart.it may take place between a superior and a subordinate, a subordinate
and a superior or among the same cadre of employees or managers.

Formal communication can be classified into:

 Vertical communication: As the name suggests, information flows vertically upwards or

downwards through formal channels. Downward communication flow is communication
from superior to subordinate while upward communication flows from the subordinate to a
superior.
 Horizontal communication - this occurs between members of equal rank or positions like
between heads of departments or units. It helps to maximize achievements of the set goals.

Carrying out Communication

There are three basic methods of communication:

 Written communication: this is one of the most important and frequently used mode of
communication in organizations. Written communications includes: letters, electronic
mail, fax transmissions or other device that is transmitted via written words or symbols.
 Oral communication: this type of communication is through word of mouth. This can be
in meetings, or in any other event.
  Nonverbal communication /silent communication: This is the non-word human response
and the perceived characteristics of the environment through which the human and non-
verbal messages are transmitted. There are two forms of non-verbal communication i.e.
physical/symbolic language and body language.

Team performance is supervised

Supervision is an act or instance of directing, managing or oversight. Supervision is focused on

directing people to get work done where team leadership is focused on developing an
environment where people are motivated to do their work. There are two capabilities required in
team supervision:

Leading people capabilities: This includes giving feedback, coaching others, performance
management, managing reward and recognition and setting measurable objectives, and
Managing work capabilities: This includes: Planning work, monitoring progress, setting
measurable goals and facilitating meetings.

Team performance supervisors may play different roles which include:

 Advocate: Responsible in representing the employee’s requests to management and

representing the employees’ case for deserving a reward.
 Boss: The supervisor is deemed to be the boss when people in the department are ultimately
looking for direction and guidance in their job.
 Coach: supervisors might guide their employees to increase performance and satisfaction in
various ways such as advising them.
 Facilitator: The work of a supervisor is to support a group hence making the supervisor a
facilitator.
 Trainer: The supervisor is often the first person who is considered when a new employee
needs to learn the job. The supervisor is responsible to ensure that training occurs.

There are core competency skills that are suggested in supervision. These skills include:
communication, decision making, delegating, meeting management, problem solving and
planning skills. The supervision skills are improved over time.

Collecting and analyzing feedbacks on performance.

Feedback is the sharing of perspectives on work experiences in the organization by employees.

Importance of collecting feedback

 This is to ensure that employees are engaged and satisfied. These leads to:
 More production.
 Improve customer experience
 Employees become advocates for the company.

Ways of collecting and analyzing feedback.

 Anonymous surveys- it can be in house or via survey form solutions which can be
distributed.
 Non anonymous surveys- it creates an open culture based on open honest and respectful
feedback to replace fear in the workplace.
 Pulse surveys. - They are shorter surveys distributed more frequently.
 Suggestion boxes- employees who are hesitant to express unpopular ideas may want to
leave feedback in an anonymous way, but feel like surveys haven’t been a good idea to
express them.
 Feedback meeting – they are a great way to connect staff and managers in more effective
ways.

Collecting and analyzing feedbacks are the initial steps to increasing employee satisfaction. But
they are not enough. the information you learn from surveys must channeled into action.

Conflict resolution between team members

This is the process by which two or more parties engaged in disagreements, dispute or debate to
reach an agreement resolving it.

Conflict resolution process

 Recognition by the parties involved that a problem exists.

 Mutual agreement to address the issue and find some resolution.
 An effort to understand the perspective and concerns of the opposing individual or group.
 Identifying changes in attitude, behavior and approaches to work by both sides that will
lessen negative feelings.
 Recognizing triggers of episodes of conflicts.
  Interventions of third parties such as human resources representatives or higher level
managers to mediate.
 A willingness by one or both parties to compromise.
 Agreement on a plan to address differences.
 Monitoring the impact of any agreement for change.
 Disciplining or terminating employees who resist diffusing conflicts.

Some conflicts are essentially arbitrary which means it doesn’t matter who wins only that the
problem is relived to everyone who can get back to work. Conflict is normal occurrence in a
workplace hence the need to resolve them.

Undertaking Gender mainstreaming.

It is a strategy towards realizing gender equality. Gender mainstreaming requires both integrating
a gender perspective to the content of the different policies and addressing the issue of
representation of women and men in the given policy area. An effective implementation of
gender mainstreaming requires preparation and organization. People in decision making
positions can make a particular difference as they have more power to introduce changes. The
changes introduced they should at all-time distribute them across both genders in a balanced
way.

Adhering to Human rights.

Human rights are basic right of each human being of independent of race, sex, political
affiliation, religion, social status or any other character. Human rights provide a universal
benchmark for minimum standards of behaviour. Many national laws and regulations have
evolved as a result of a state’s obligation to implement human rights standards. Businesses must
also observe such laws in all countries and jurisdictions in which they operate. If the human
rights are not adhered to, it is against the law and action should be taken against those not
adhering to them.

Developing and maintaining healthy relationships.

It is having a good interaction with fellow employees and working in harmony to achieve the set
goals. Developing a work relationship involves the actions that create a positive empowering
motivational work environment for people. It also entails helping other employees to achieve this
greatness.

TOPIC THREE: APPLY PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS

Introduction

Trainees will acquire skills, knowledge and behavior in developing creative, innovative and
practical solutions, demonstrate independence and initiative in identifying and solving problems
solving team problems, applying problem solving strategies and analyzing in testing
assumptions.

Definition of key terms

 Team Problems: These are the challenges that teams experience while carrying out their
assigned activities.
 Problem-solving strategies: These are strategies of working through details of a problem to
reach a solution that may be favorable to the situation at hand.
 Problem assumptions: These are something or problems that are assumed to be the case even
without proof.

Content/procedures/methods/illustrations

Creative, innovative and practical solutions are developed based on the problem In today's
evolving world solutions for the emerging issues must be creative, innovative and practical for
them to effectively get a perfect solution to the problem at hand. In order to come up with this
kind of solution, the following criteria should be considered:

 Figure out the problem to be solved

This being the first step it is crucial a crucial one. At this stage, we should make sure the right
problem is being solved and be given a priority. The problem has to be clearly identified so as
the direction of solving it can be defined.

 Analyzing the problem

At this stage, the problem is scrutinized and all the variables and values that are the cause of the
problem. The focus should be on how often the problem occurs, how intense is it, the perceived
causes and if any special circumstances impact on it. All the primary causes should be on the
time frame of the problem. The duration it has been occurring if not are there factors that could
make it recur. In the future, critical thinking is involved which is the ability to analyze
information objectively? Good critical thinking leads to reasonable conclusion and solutions

 Classify the decision criteria.

• In this stage, all factors leading into the decision-making process are identified. Decisions
making is the process of making choices by identifying decision gathering information and
assessing alternative resolutions. Solutions decisions should be based on solely existing
standards.

 Coming up with more than one solution.

At this stage, you come up with a variety of solutions. Evaluate all the solutions and scenarios as
objectively as possible. Assess the pros and cons of each solution to ensure that the pursued
solution is the most competitive.

 Picking the best solution.

 After evaluating all the options and values from steps one through four, the best scientific
solution to move forward with is picked and this is the one that is to be implemented.
 The above stages give the beast criteria of coming to a solution that can be implemented
practically and effectively in any development.

Independence and initiative in identifying and solving problems is demonstrated. Independence

and initiative are important skills that everyone should have. It works effectively in a team.
Teams are made up of people that work together to arrive at a common goal. Each individual in
the team needs to take the initiative to fulfill their responsibilities. They need to be able to plan
how you are going to fulfill responsibilities that we assigned to the individual as part of the team.
This means close communication with other team members. But the individual has to determine:

• What needs to be done?

• How it is going to be done?
• When each task is going to be completed?
• What the potential roadblocks are?

The above give details about the independent skill that an individual should show in order to be
able to solve problems. In order for this skill to be portrayed in an individual, they need to be
able to follow through the task individual have without being monitored. This means that the
individual has to:

• Complete the task on time.

• Pay attention to details and produce high-quality work in an ethical manner.
• Use problem-solving skills take the initiative to help.
Independence and initiative skills are individualized skills that are necessary in any problem-
solving scenarios in the workplace context.

Team problems are solved as per the workplace guidelines

Solving team problems is an act of defining a problem, determining its cause, prioritizing,
identifying and selecting alternatives for the solution and finally implementing a solution. There
are 4 steps of problem-solving in teams:

• Define the problem

• Generate an alternative
• Evaluate and select an alternative
• Implement and follow up of the solution
a) Define the problem

The situation within the team is diagnosed fully. Flowcharts to identify the expected steps of a
process and cause an effect diagrams are used to define analyze the causes in the team.

b) Generate an alternative

Several problem-solving alternatives are proposed. The selection of the solution should not be
implemented until an alternative is found. The consideration of the alternatives can enhance the
value of the solution. Once a decision on what should be model has been achieved. The target
standards become the basis for developing a plan for investigating alternatives. Any alternative
solutions to the problem are generated before the final evaluation. If someone focuses on trying
to get the results the team wants the potential of learning something new will be lost.

c) Evaluate and select an alternative

A series of consideration are considered when selecting and evaluating a solution. The
considerations are:

• The alternative should solve the problem without causing another. Some problem- solving
technique should not lead to causing a different problem of a different nature that may lead
another round of problem-solving and yet it could have been avoided.
• The alternative should be generally accepted by all teams involved. The alternative taken will
be taken as the accepted solution to the problem. The solution will be implemented hence it
 should be generally accepted by the majority of the team members hence it can be
implemented.
• Implementation of alternative if possible. The alternative selected should be implementable
within the team. There are three basic stages involved in implementing an alternative to a
solution.
• Planning and preparing to implement the solution. Planning of action describes. The more
important or complex the problem is the more thorough the planning and preparation of the
alternatives to solve it will be. The solution that may be chosen should not be difficult to plan
and prepare to implement.
• Implementing and monitoring: the alternative solution should be implemented in the easiest
way possible. The monitoring of the solution should be possible to easily monitored using
different monitoring techniques such as observation.
• Reviewing: reviewing involves how the alternative will solve the problem. Will it solve the
alternative effectively or not? If it won't, come up with a different alternative.
d) Implement and follow up of the solution

The solution selected should be the one that can implement and can be followed up. There are
solutions that are difficult to implement or impossible in a particular area. The above steps
enable effective problems solving skills process within a team.

Problem solving strategies are applied as per the workplace guidelines

Problem-solving is the process of working through details of a problem to arrive at a solution.

Strategies are things that could guarantee the solving of the problem at hand. The following are
known strategies for solving a problem:

a) Identify the issue

The issue needs to be clearly known. Different people might have different views of what the
issues of the problem maybe. The first strategy is to identify this problem clearly. Separate the
listing of issues from the identification of interests. Identifying the issue is the key to solving it.

b) Understand everyone’s interest

Interests are the needs that are supposed to be satisfied by a given solution. The best solution is
that satisfies everyone’s interest. This is done through active thinking and listening. The issues
that are to be solved have to be solved entirely.

c) List the possible solutions

This involves doing brainstorming. Creativity is encouraged so as to give a different perspective

of the possible solutions. Brainstorming is the process of generating creative ideas and solutions
through intensive and free willing group discussions. All the participants are encouraged to think
and suggest as many ideas as possible. Analysis, discussion or criticism of the aired ideas is
allowed only when the brainstorming is over. There should be a separation of listing of options
from the evaluation of the options.

d) Evaluate the options

The given solutions to the problem need to go through an evaluation test. This test is meant to
come up with the most suitable option that can effectively be the best solution to the problem at
hand.

e) Select an option or options

From the many options available the best option possible that effectively handles the problem
should be considered. It should be the best option that is likely to give the intended results of the
problem.

f) Document the agreements

It is good for the agreement to be given a proper agreement document. Writing it down will help
you think through the details and implications. As opposite to memory which may not be reliable
in the future because of distortion. The document should be agreed upon by those that are
solving the problem.

g) Agree on contingencies, monitoring and evaluation

In problem-solving there should be a contingency agreement about foreseeable future

circumstance. There should be creation of opportunities to evaluate the agreements and their
implementation.
The above strategies can be used in a large group, between two people or by an individual who is
faced with a difficult decision. The more the difficult and important the problem is the more
necessary and helpful it is to use the above strategy.

Problems are analyzed and assumptions tested as per the context of data and
circumstances

Problem analyzing involves identifying a problem and establishing the causes and effects related
to a problem. The key element to problem analyzing is ensuring that the root cause is identified.
There are techniques that are used in problem analyzing.

Techniques of problem analyzing

a) Identifying priorities

Many problems are complex, involving a whole range of causes. The priorities will give you
ways of handling the problem that is at hand, identifying the priorities will also enable you to
know the need for the problem solving and how it is going to influence the result of the problem.

b) Analyzing to find root causes

This is the heart of the problem. Before taking action the causes of the problem must be
distinguished. Many problems may be described and various solutions suggested as the way to
remedy the problem. It could not be wise to ignore anything said. We should listen carefully and
analyze any situation for ourselves before agreeing to a solution. Any solution suggested should
be a solution that is going to work and the most appropriate one after analysis.

c) Developing alternatives

Various approaches exist for developing alternatives. There are various approaches for
developing an alternative. This includes brainstorming and critical thinking. This also involves
the creativity of individuals to develop alternative, there is always another way of the problem if
we can find it.

d) Decision making

Choosing between an alternative can involve technical actors, human factors and risks. It
involves setting out the facts in a logical way so that the overall decision is made as a result of
many minor ones. The decision is made based on the various alternatives that are at hand.
e) Follow up

Having tackled the problem, there must be something learned from it. What new procedures will
help prevent similar problems in the future? Where decisions are made can we monitor their
effectiveness? The effectiveness of a solution should be monitored so as to see if the goal has
been achieved.

Assumption testing

An assumption is something taken to be true or the case even without proof. The data provided
can be used to make an assumption. The assumption made is testing so that it can be justified as
a problem to the solution of the problem. Assumption testing has three phases:

a) List assumptions

Start by listing the assumptions that are made in the problem.

b) Assess the assumed

Once there is a list of the assumptions, start to assess them. How much would you assume that
your assumptions are right? Asses the risk of what happens if the strategy is wrong.

c) Test your assumptions

Before spending time on assumptions tests you would like to do, sort the list of assumptions by
the confidence and risk score from the worst to the best. The one with the best score can be taken
as the one with enough proof to be implemented and the one with the worst score can be
rejected.