An introduction to ‘Andragogy’ – the concept of adult education

Andragogy is a concept that has been explained over the years in no few words. Malcolm Knowles popularized the concept in the 80’s while many companies tried to apply this in theory to their training programs in the early 90’s. Although andragogy sounds like a new concept, it was first used in Germany in 1833.

What is Andragogy?

Andragogy is quite simply put, the theory and practice of adult education. It is a field where adults are educated by the self-driven desire in them to acquire, theorize and practice the then acquired knowledge in a practical environment. Andragogy, unlike traditional forms of education was not started as a mission or a vision, but by reflection, critique and historical analysis.

How is it different from Pedagogy?

Pedagogy is the art and science of instructional education designed and structured to serve its original purpose of academics. In a pedagogical environment, students are completely dependent on the instructors. The standardized curriculum under pedagogy does nothing to motivate students; the actual motivators being the society, peers and grades.

Andragogy is education that is self-directed and sometimes customized. It allows for a free flow of information from the sender to the receiver as the receiver here is present in the classroom by free will as opposed to pedagogy.

What are the contributions of Malcolm Knowles to andragogy?

In 1984, Malcolm Knowles suggested four principles that are associated and in recent times applied to adult education:

1. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction.

2. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for the learning activities.

3. Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance and impact to their job or personal life.

4. Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented. 

These principles serve as guidelines to all companies that take part in andragogy. The 21^st century has brought about a change in the mindsets of the decision makers. They now understand that employees not only have to perform their job roles, but also need to constantly learn new things in order to grow, the end result being a healthier and a more sustainable work environment.

Andragogy allows for near total freedom in learner determination of objectives. When the learner chooses what to learn based on his/her objectives, the path to achieve the said objectives becomes all the more clearer. According to Knowles, the concept of andragogy, in any given space, can be successful only if the adult in question shows an actual desire to learn. The adult’s need to learn is directly proportional to the effort (and in most cases, end-result) put in by the adult (learner) and the instructor.

Another age old debate that Knowles addresses is that of ‘experience’. Is experience an asset or a liability? Knowles does not provide a definitive answer but instead emphasizes on the importance of kinesthetic s in adult education. He feels that adult learners are more prone to a hands-on approach and show better results compared to the learners who adopt traditional classroom techniques. Is the concept of andragogy new? Maybe not. Is it necessary? Absolutely.

HOW TO STAY MOTIVATED IN THE WORKPLACE

Have you ever tried to ‘get motivated’ in the workplace but nothing seems to work? You’re bored and lethargic; you don’t wish to meet friends and acquaintances as you used to. Motivation comes from living a balanced life, both in and out of the workplace. It really is just the simple things in life that we ignore – that makes us motivated, energetic and ready to conquer the world. The following are a few tips on how to stay motivated in the workplace:

Exercise early in the morning

Staying motivated at work truly starts before you walk into the workplace. Exercising helps you begin your day on the right note and provides the energy necessary to accomplish various work-related tasks throughout the day.

Remind yourself of your strengths

Ambitious individuals typically have a significant temperament flaw. They beat themselves up for their weaknesses and don’t really concentrate on their strong points. Spending two minutes every morning reminding yourself of why you’re (or will become) very good at your career will go a long way. Get a pen & a paper and simply jot down reasons and explanations on why you are good at your job; list out your areas of expertise; list out your positive attributes, etc. Merely stating the obvious each day can forge a much more powerful sense of self, which can result in higher motivation levels.

Spend time with co-workers

Once you realise the importance of your colleagues and acquaintances in the workplace, your job will get much easier. Use their expertise to solve your problems while contributing something of your own to the team. Always keep in mind that you are a co-worker to your teammates and they would like to be treated in exactly the same manner in which you would like to be treated by them.

Be sure to regenerate

Get enough sleep. It is very important to re-energize as work-related tasks often drain out your energy. Sleep not only puts a person in a good mood, but also gives him/her the energy required to accomplish work-related targets. In addition to a robust sleep routine, it’s vital to take breaks at regular intervals from work.

Understand success

Success is extremely stimulating. Use every success in your work to bring more successes. Tell yourself that hard work and perseverance result in success and that there are no shortcuts. Aim to channel the positive energy in order to achieve similar superlative results in upcoming tasks and work-related events.

Reward yourself

Reward yourself as you accomplish your objectives and/or reach specific, necessary milestones. Arrange ahead what forms this reward can take and what tasks/projects/results are going to be rewarded. This not only motivates you to work hard and achieve the said goal, but also gives you the urge and enthusiasm to finish the task at hand in the best possible manner, thereby achieving the best possible result. Rewards help you look forward to certain outcomes and hence drive the urge to succeed.

HOW TO SET GOALS AND ACHIEVE THEM

Setting goals at the workplace might seem like a piece of cake to most employees and it is. However, the most challenging goal in itself is to achieve these said goals within the stipulated time. This is where employees falter. The idea might be extremely creative; the execution is what matters at the end of the day.

In the book ‘Flight Plan,’ author Brian Tracy juxtaposes goal setting and achievement at the workplace with an analogy of the process of flying an aircraft. Most aircrafts, once they take off, tend to go off-course. It is the job of the pilot to set down certain objectives, while dealing with storms, turbulence, crosswinds, etc. (which symbolizes the various hurdles every person has to deal with) which forces the pilot to make certain necessary adjustments. This, according to Tracy, is how goal setting works in real life scenarios.

In order to achieve the goals that are laid down, every employee must remember that productivity is the time spent working towards the goal (s). It really does matter how every employee uses his/her ‘time’ to achieve these goals. Let us find out how to not only set goals, but also how to achieve them. Here are 4 vital steps:

1. Determine what you want to achieve: The first step of goal-setting is to identify what needs to be achieved. It can be as simple as a promotion. However, multiple goals set at the same time can cause trouble. It is advised to set one main goal and other small goals which lead to the main goal.

2. Set specific sub-goals and be realistic: In order to achieve the main goal, employees need to set sub-goals and work towards achieving the main goal. When we take the example of promotion as a main goal, sub-goals can be (1) finishing a project well within the deadline and (2) maintaining good relations with the management. Employees need to remember that these goals have to be realistic in nature and something that might be a challenge to achieve but not impossible.

3. Note it down: When you have a goal in mind, it is advisable to write it down on a piece of paper or make a note of it. This helps the brain retain the goal on a subconscious level; it also provides clarity on how to achieve the said goal (s).

4. Remind yourself of the goal: Once you set the goal and are working towards achieving it, make sure you ask yourself everyday (EOD) if you were successful in your activities that day and if you are doing all you can to achieve the goal. If not, it is time to throw the turbulence out and make necessary adjustments.

Achieving a goal/goals is not an easy task. A lot of work goes into the planning aspect of achieving the goal (s). Sound planning results in sound execution and in turn produces results – results that determine if a goal (or a sub-goal) has been achieved.

4 Reasons why women have an edge over men in the field of training

The antiquated debate of which gender would be more effective in delivery of communication has dogged the field of training for a while now. The honest truth is that every training program must only be judged on a case-by-case basis and not in general form. This essentially rules out the possibility of the notion that women make better trainers being true. In fact, this argument boils down to which party has a stronger opinion, not entirely based on facts. What makes people think that one gender could be better than the other while delivering the same material? After all, each person would have had both good and bad experiences with both genders when it comes to training and over a lifetime, these things tend to even themselves out. Then why does this notion exist? Because even though no gender is a clear cut winner here, women do tend to possess certain innate characteristics in training that may favour their cause. Some are genetic, some are picked up along the way and some are just in-grained in female trainers. Let’s look at 4 reasons why women have an edge over men when it comes to the effectiveness of delivery of material:

1. Women are genetically programmed to show care. Taking nothing away from the care and concern showed by men, women are just genetically more superior in this regard. From the time of birth, the mother feeds & comforts her baby which results in the child growing up with a subconscious tenderness for women. Trainees would sometimes require an authority figure to share their emotions and their experiences. Men can be a lot harder to approach in this regard.

2. Women have an innate maternal instinct. There is a reason why female teachers are more in number (when compared to their male counterparts) at the elementary level in American schools. This is due to the uncontested perception that women have an instinctive connection with children.

3. Women trainers come off as approachable. Male trainers are often seen as stern authority figures while women are more approachable to trainees. This not only helps the students to relax a bit more, but also to maintain good harmony in the classroom. Trainees will then feel more comfortable in classroom participation – the most basic form being putting their hands up to ask a question.

4. Women trainers tend to possess a softer correctional procedure. Mistakes happen everywhere, even in the most unexpected of situations. It is up to the trainer to decide how to deal with the mistake made by a trainee. Generally, male trainers seem to be harsher in comparison to female trainers. Women, being genetically more caring and sensitive, try to solve a problem by emotionally connecting with the trainee.

If one thinks that the above reasons give female trainers the edge, one is right. However, these reasons are NOT in any way conclusive. From a bird’s eye-view, both genders have their advantages and disadvantages but it is really in the worm’s eye-view that clear differences can be seen. Are women better at training than men? It is definitely up to the trainees to decide on an individual basis, however, women do seem to have the advantage in the form of certain core skill sets that are innate in nature.

8 ways to deal with stress in the classroom

The learning that occurs within a classroom is directly proportional to the way that the trainees feel about the subject matter and more importantly, about the trainer. Trainees possess an innate desire to succeed in their field of work and hence are anxious about their learning and their ability to comprehend the subject matter. This, more often than not, leads to an increasing level of cortisol – the hormone related to stress. Although cortisol is useful in certain instances, consistently elevated levels of cortisol could lead to impaired cognitive abilities among the trainees. In other words, stress is an encumbrance to both the trainees and the trainer. Here are 8 ways for trainers to keep stress in check in a classroom:

1. Add creativity in the learning process.Trainers must not just resort to the deliverance of their module, but also add a pinch of creative & practical learning methods. Getting the trainees out of their seats for a practical session will result in a much better level of concentration once the trainees get back to their seats.

2. Encourage humour in the classroom. Laughing is the best way to get comfortable with the trainees. Once the comfort sets in, there wouldn’t be any scope for stress in the classroom. Flexibility in terms of humour goes a long way in reducing or preventing any stress between the trainer and the trainees.

3. Adopt the ‘flexible assignments’ model. Instead of assigning work with close deadlines on a consistent basis, the trainer could assign a packet of work to trainees and let them decide the deadline. This is particularly useful if a trainee is involved in other activities outside of work as it avoids the sacrifice made by trainees on their sleeping hours.

4. Encourage effort. Some trainees require ten minutes to complete a module and have the ability to get top marks while others require an hour to complete the same module with average scores. This is NOT the fault of the trainees as everyone has their own learning timeframe.

5. Allow chewing of gum in the classroom. Although this has always been a hotly debated topic, allowing trainees to chew gum in the classroom helps alleviate stress. The benefit of the doubt must be given to the trainees in this situation as everybody has a different way of dealing with stress and chewing gum might be one of them.

6. Be relaxed. A relaxed trainer makes for a relaxed classroom. Trainers set the tone for the entire session and it only helps when the tone that is set is stress-free in nature. If the trainer isn’t stressed about the results or marks (of the trainees), the trainees tend to be more relaxed as well.

7. Provide continual feedback. Feedback provided at just the right time can result in the end product being better. Trainers should provide ‘mini-grades’ or scores to trainees individually on a daily basis. Offering constant feedback helps trainees get back on track in order to make a difference to the end result.

8. Be aware of the set-up. Trainers must always make sure that comfortable arrangements have been made for the session. Bad seating posture or poor lighting could cause trainees to lose interest in the subject matter and elevate their stress levels.

Paper Presentation on Digital Education on IFIM Business School

IFIM Business School, Bangalore, hosted their 10th annual international conference called ‘Convergence’ from February 4-6, 2016 & the theme for the conference was ‘Digital Business: New Frontiers in Management.’ In a conference where over 50 papers were presented in different streams, the one stream that stood out was ‘Digital Education.’ Athiya’s very own Shirley Rose Louis, Project Lead (Blended Learning), co-authored & presented a paper along with noted academician Dr. Shubha B.N. on “Digital Learning: A Substitute Process to Traditional Learning.” Needless to say, Shirley has gained valuable experience in the field of research – a requisite of every trainer.

Shirley’s paper not only delved into the possibility of a future digital transformation, but also on the aspects that need to be carried forward (and not ignored) from traditional forms of learning. The argument of whether digital learning is in line to replace traditional learning is laughable to say the least. This is not an argument; rather a well calculated prediction. Certain papers that were presented discussed this transformation in detail and ruled that it wouldn’t be productive to digitalize education & learning. What these presenters fail to realize is that the world as a marketplace has already transformed into a digital hub. Make no mistake about it – this is the digital era where a person living in India can purchase a product from USA with only a single click of a button and the speed of delivery of the product is only getting quicker.

One initiative discussed by Shirley during her presentation at IFIM was Athiya’s ‘ExceliNet.’ ExceliNet is a cloud-based immersive learning solution. It is conducive for both group learning as well as independent learning. ExceliNet offers a comprehensive English language program based on Business English Certificate offered by University of Cambridge. In today’s flat world, English language competencies and superior communication skills are key contributors to one’s career commencement or progression and ExceliNet helps in this regard as it offers an in-depth curriculum of the four essential components for English language mastery – Reading & Comprehension; Writing; Speaking and Listening & Comprehension.

If one thinks that digitalizing education cannot be done or should not be done, one must only take a look at historical evidences – CDs replacing vinyl, MP3 replacing CDs & streaming replacing MP3. This clearly is a precedent to digital transformation.

In a world where 4 in 10 households have a smart device, it is imperative to learn and understand digital communication. Digital learning not only helps students learn through technology, but also helps them learn about technology. Technology provides a dynamic learning environment and this is what teachers & trainers crave for. The attention of students/trainees may wear thin under a normal lecture but with the usage of technology comes ease of understanding. It helps trainees to understand the concept in a theoretical as well as a practical way. High importance is given to the application of the concept rather than just a discussion. Digital learning is slowly creeping in to the societal structure and will be a norm sooner rather than later.

Why oration is a must-have skill for trainers

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education”.

• Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr was an excellent orator. What makes him so, you may ask. It is because Martin Luther King Jr single handedly convinced the entire black community that they ought to stand up for their rights – only by his words, not by physical force. When a person can affect the public, especially millions of American people to such an extent by just words, he deserves to be called an excellent orator.

Much of training is conducted by oration – by speaking. Granted, there is usage of property and physical material during a training session. However, without speech, training would become a herculean task. Speaking, in its truest form appeals not just to the ear, but also to the eyes. Trainers need to keep in mind the power of oration when they are communicating with their audience. A trainer’s message – of what he/she is trying to convey to the audience is enhanced when the trainer is also a good orator. Oration goes a long way in conveying the message, through the right channel, to the desired audience.

“In making a speech one must study three points: first, the means of producing persuasion; second, the language; third the proper arrangement of the various parts of the speech.”

Aristotle

Let us look at some tips for effective oration:

1. Stop trying to be great. Trainers tend to look at videos of great orators and try to emulate them by incorporating new techniques. This must not be overdone. People want to listen to someone who is interesting, relaxed, and comfortable. Stick to the basics.

2. Don’t be scared to make mistakes. Everyone – even the greatest orators make mistakes. Mistakes are a part of learning what NOT to do next time. If there ever is a stumble, a trainer must carry on like it never happened – if he/she is confident in their recovery, then the audience tends to forget about the mistake.

3. Practice makes perfect. Every trainer must practice his material until it becomes routine. Even great speakers started out at the bottom. The amount of practice makes it seem as though they were born to speak in public. Trainers must never be afraid to try new things and practice them before showcasing it to their audience.

4. Make the audience want more. Build anticipation in your speech and make the audience want more of you. Most speeches are long and boring and are not well received. Making a speech short – a summary of whatever a trainer wants to say is perfect as it induces questions from the audience – in this case trainees. When trainees participate, their level of focus and concentration increases, thereby resulting in the message being efficiently communicated.

Good oration can help a trainer convey the message to the audience in a quicker and simpler way. After all, this is what trainers are paid to do – to effectively communicate the message from the company to the trainees.

8 things to keep in mind while receiving ‘negative’ feedback

In the previous article, we read about things to keep in mind while delivering negative feedback. If a trainer knows how to ‘dish it out’, he/she must also be ready to ‘get dished’. Negative feedback is part of every trainer’s job role. Besides the obvious criticism, it helps the trainer keep his/her foot firmly on the ground. How does it feel like to receive negative feedback from trainees and/or higher-ups? Let us now delve into the 8 things to keep in mind while receiving ‘negative’ feedback.

1. Receive feedback only when you are ready. Make sure you receive your feedback scores only when you are ready. It doesn’t make sense to receive negative feedback when you are in a vulnerable state of mind. So, hold the scores, fix a time and be mentally prepared. In case of receiving feedback from a higher-up, make sure to book an appointment as it gives you time to prepare yourself.

2. Listen carefully. When you are in a discussion about your performance (feedback), make sure you listen to every point that is being made. You may not agree with all the points but it is your duty to listen to all the speaker has to say. The next step is to mentally differentiate points into facts and opinions as the speaker is most likely to mix the two in the discussion.

3. Perception doesn’t matter. Sometimes employees complain of harsh treatment while receiving negative feedback – “it wasn’t what he said, it was the way he said it”, is one of the most common dialogues in this context. However, the way you receive the message is not important here; the message itself is. Make sure you concentrate on what is being said rather than how it is being said.

4. Don’t get defensive. When a person is providing negative feedback, saying, “You’re wrong”, will never help, even if the person is indeed wrong. Do not listen just to point out the person’s errors or spot distortions. Make sure you listen to everything that the person has to say and then analyze it, interpret it and respond accordingly.

5. Do not plan your reply. The key is to listen to the other person without planning a reply. Nod your head until the person is done and make sure not to show any emotion.

6. Ask questions. Asking questions will help ease the tension in the room. It will also eliminate the appearance of defensiveness.

7. Take your time. Once the negative feedback is delivered, ask the person for time to consider the feedback. This not only diffuses the immediate situation, but also shows that you consider the person’s feedback important enough to think and analyze the scenario in a calm fashion. Saying “I appreciate your feedback and will go through it carefully before I get back to you”, will demonstrate your seriousness.

8. Apologize. Even though it may not be your fault, always apologize. There must be a reason why the person giving you negative feedback is doing what he/she is doing. Hence, respect the person and make sure you apologize. However, never over-apologize. Remember that negative feedback and criticism are a fact of life.

Negative feedback can be tough to deal with sometimes. Everybody prefers compliments over criticism as compliments mean that you are doing something right whereas criticism means that you are going wrong somewhere. The most important thing to remember is to not avoid negative feedback but to accept it and to learn to deal with it in order to grow as an individual.

8 things to keep in mind while delivering ‘negative’ feedback

Everyone has put themselves in others’ shoes at one point in their lives and thought, “I could have done that better”. This is innate human nature. However, how do you express this particular emotion? Therein lies the problem that trainers/mid to senior level managers face in today’s corporate environment. Can trainers/managers shout at trainees/employees in order to get work done in the present day and get away with it? Perhaps, but this ‘technique’ is definitely not ideal and must never be used in the workspace. Raising your voice or taunting trainees/employees is unqualified, unprofessional and amateur. Let us now look at 8 things that trainers/managers have to keep in mind while delivering ‘negative’ feedback:

1. Make feedback a weekly routine. Whatever communication style a trainer/manager uses, if the feedback is relayed in a routine manner, the trainee/employee will expect it and hence the impact of the negative feedback is cushioned.

2. Ask for permission to give feedback. Approach the trainee/employee and inquire if the person is OK with being given feedback. This bridges the gap between the trainer/manager and the trainee/employee and allows for a free flow of communication.

3. Concentrate on what could have been done. Trainers/managers focus on the error committed by trainees/employees more often than the process of rectification of the error. Instead of stressing on the mistake, trainers/managers must always look at ways a certain task could have been accomplished and educate the trainee/employee regarding the same.

4. Never ask to alter personality. Trainers/managers must be very careful so as to not ask trainees/employees to change their personality traits. Instead, they must request them to change their behavior. For example, Trainer A must not ask Employee X to make personality changes or to “be more extroverted, more social”. The trainer must in fact concentrate on the behavioural aspects – what he/she sees or hears.

5. Do not stockpile negative feedback. Trainers/managers must not wait for the opportune moment and vent out their frustration on a trainee/employee with details of his/her past errors which were not addressed at the time. According to Kate Ludelman, “Feedback is best given real time, or immediately after the fact”.

6. Do not email negative feedback. Trainers/managers who avoid confrontation resort to using text messages or emails to convey their emotions. This must be avoided. Face-to-face conversations work better and leave no reason to be misconstrued.

7. Coach correctional behavior. Trainees/employees sometimes fail to identify and practice behavior that is originally expected from them. For example, Employee A comes in late to the organization by30 minutes every day. Instead of just criticizing and warning the employee, a good manager would find out the problem, find a solution and coach the employee on time management.

8. Do not make feedback personal. This rule applies to positive as well as negative feedback. When trainers/managers involve personal affairs in feedback, things are bound to get unprofessional over the long term.

Delivering feedback happens every day in organizations and ultimately the objective is to change or modify certain behavioural aspects among trainees/employees which will undoubtedly help the company in the long run. If the above steps are followed, the feedback process, just as the training itself can yield more fruit than one can imagine.

A different look at leadership in training

“A leader is the one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.” – John Maxwell

Leaders are the backbones of our society. Imagine a society where there is no person to lead – it would be a place filled with followers who lose their original objective of following. We are privy to the most basic forms of leadership like the authoritative style, the autocratic style, the democratic style and so on. However, let us look at leadership in training in an easier way – creating, for all intents and purposes, a new method of presentation of leadership styles in training. Let us now refer to a research paper presented by Paul B. Thornton, Professor, Business Administration, Springfield Technical Community College, USA. This paper uses a different approach to determine the types of leaders in every society. As every other paper, this one isn’t void of error. However, it does look at an interesting phenomenon in an even more interesting way.

Types of leaders:

1. Thought Leaders: Thought leaders possess the power to make change through ideas. For generations, people have been fascinated by new ideas. This isn’t really surprising as the want to ideate is in our DNA and it is only natural to crave for ideation. Thought leaders communicate with their followers by promising creation and implementation of new ideas which ultimately becomes their selling point. In a training set-up, they require the utmost creative control of their sessions both with content as well as presentation. Also, thought leaders often either fail or they succeed – there is no concept of being ‘average’ here.

Examples– Jack Welch, Steve Jobs, Dr. W. Edwards Deming

2. Courageous Leaders: Courageous leaders stick to the morals and values that they believe in, come what may. Their opinions or methodologies do not waver even in times of considerable risks & hardships. They have a vision and they want to pursue it. In a training set-up, courageous leaders can come-off as stubborn and arrogant but display a high level of consistency.

Examples – Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln, Coleen Rowley

3. Inspirational Leaders: These leaders focus on their connection with the public/audience. Their passion is what drives them to promote change and maintain positivity in practice. They are committed to their beliefs which make the public emotionally attached to them. They are motivators of the highest grade and help improve relationships with people. The most important thing in a training room for a trainer is to connect with his/her trainees and inspirational leaders have mastered this art form. By connecting with the trainees, the message intended to be communicated is easily decoded.

Examples – Ronald Reagan, Martin Luther King Jr., Pat Summit

4. Servant Leaders: Servant leaders, as the name suggests, are prime helpers. They frequently ask the question – “How can I help?” and are always looking to identify and meet the needs of others rather than to acquire power, wealth and fame for themselves. Servant leaders are often found wanting under circumstances where assertion of authority is required. They are generally timid and seek to avoid confrontation. Servant leader-trainers will be admired and appreciated by trainees due to their selfless nature. However, trainees do tend to identify the weaknesses of servant leader-trainers to gain the upper hand in the classroom.

Examples – Mother Teresa, Oprah Winfrey, Max DePree

No two leadership styles are the same; every person has their own unique style of communicating with their followers/subordinates which suits their own strengths and weaknesses. Be it thought leaders, courageous leaders, inspirational leaders or servant leaders, the idea is constant – to get the message across.

Dealing with various personalities within a classroom

“Why are we all so different from each other? Why does a person want to stay quiet while the other won’t stop talking about Michael Jackson and the pop brigade?” When a professor at Harvard brought this question up for discussion, he received the most intellectually satisfying response. “Because we are humans brought about by natural selection. We have expanded our geographical boundaries in search of food and shelter, thereby creating the morally questionable concept of distance. Distance is equally proportionate to change and different people brought up, groomed and raised in different geographies behave differently.”

Every person is different, be it the way he/she looks or the way he/she behaves and responds to situations. This is the most challenging aspect of training. This is because people are innately trained in their early years to behave in a certain way and when there comes a time to train them (in adulthood) on a particular issue which clashes with their original ideology, their behavioral instinct objects.

A good school teacher will have a field day in judging the character and personality of a student over a period of 12 months. As a corporate trainer, what is harder though, is dealing with different personalities in a classroom for only a short period of time. There isn’t any time to judge a particular person or to longitudinally interact with the said person.

A good trainer cares about the different personalities in the room and respects them. A great trainer finds out why their personalities are different and adapts his/her training methodology to suit a certain system in order to reach every person in the room. A trainer can never use the cookie-cutter approach with a group of trainees. If he/she does, only the trainee (s) who innately resembles the trainer in mass outlook, world-views or behavioural patterns can truly understand the message being communicated.

Let us look at some of the different personalities in every class room:

1. Bully – As a trainer, bullies are a nightmare. They not only pick on other trainees, they are also so-called anti-establishment. Recognizing a bully in a classroom is easy as their body language is hardly challenging to decipher. They usually cross their arms (a sign of insecurity) and bear an arrogant look on their faces. Dealing with them requires a substantial amount of time and a firm approach as they tend to disagree with almost everything the trainer says or represents.

2. Class Clown – Class Clowns are usually people who enjoy a sense of humor that they think is better than the others’, which ultimately might not be a bane for the trainer. The trainer needs to acknowledge his/her jokes but also make it very clear that the session is under his/her control and not the trainees’.

3. Clueless – These trainees do not understand general sarcasm and social cues that the others do. The trainer needn’t be very worried about these trainees’ behavior; however the bigger problem would be comprehension, especially when the session is about the social structures of the society.

4. Natural Leader – These trainees are, to put it plainly, the easiest to teach. The other trainees look up to them and mirror their personalities. Leaders are hard-working and understand the problems of the trainer and hence will pay full attention (thereby influencing others to do so) to the session. Sometimes, these trainees are hated for their leadership skills and although others agree to the views of the leader, they wouldn’t like him/her as a social being.

These are the most basic types of personalities in a classroom. A great trainer will identify certain traits of the trainees and resonate to them collectively, trying to make the same impact with every trainee. After all, there would be no fun in training if all trainees had the same personality; juxtaposing robots being programmed to perform certain functions wouldn’t be then a laughable thought.

Hegemony & Imperialism

India was imperialized. So were the Unites States of America, Australia and many other countries. One may wonder what the difference between imperialism and hegemony is. One may also mistake these two terms to be the same (they are not). Basically, imperialism is the direct power of one country over another whereas hegemony is the indirect power of a country over another. There’s colonialism too when we talk about our geographical landscape and its succinct resume but let’s save that topic for another day.

Before I go any further, let me make everyone understand the difference between these two terms. Imperialism is when you take control and rule another country through colonization or exertion of military influence. What America did to Iraq according to me is a blatant attempt at imperialism (asserting power to rule) in the modern world although they screamed ‘hegemony’ (guidance & leadership). One true example of imperialism is the British Empire’s rule over India. The British governed India for about 200 years and made rules for everybody to follow. We can now contrast it with India’s hegemony over Nepal where India majorly helps the administration of Nepal in making decisions but lets the ultimate power of decision making go to the Government of Nepal. Another example of Hegemony is the Caribbean where the American countries help many islands function as separate independent countries.

I recently read a book which brilliantly brought out the societal norms surrounding the ideologies of imperialism & hegemony. The society, especially the American one, thinks Hegemony is cool and regards it as ‘desirable’ or ‘admirable’. This has not only spurred people to think about America as a very liberal and benevolent empire but also has changed moral terrain of every citizen in the world. I feel that the idea of ruling another state or territory – the idea of imperialism & hegemony has brought the idea of ‘dominance’ in this society. Dominance can be anything – male dominance, dominance of locals in a classroom, dominance of a particular political party in a state, dominance of a certain race in the society and others similar to these ones.

Dominance as an ideology in itself rose from our mythological stories & tales like the Mahabharata & Ramayana and has paved the way for the imperialistically infused thinking of a common man. I’ll even go as far as saying that imperialism has found its way in popular culture (note, not pop culture). Hegemony is a part of imperialism but it can never be the other way round.

An Interview With Kannada TV’s Most Famous Personality!

 Mr Ranganath Bharadwaj

We want to hear the most important things from the best people when it comes to news & media. I take pride in knowing that I sat down with Ranganath Bharadwaj, Kannada TV’s most beloved anchor and investigative journalist. I wanted to get his opinion about India’s independence and media’s involvement in it and boy was I in for a treat! Here is an excerpt from the interview: 

Naresh: What role did media play in our independence struggle? 

Mr Bharadwaj: There are so many contributions by the media but let me start off by saying that media was not at all strong in those days. If there was electronic media back then, perhaps we could have got our independence much earlier. The major Indian media houses in the 1940s were owned by well-known freedom fighters like Bal Gangadhar Tilak & Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji said that the media can either give people complete light or complete darkness and in this case it was the light. 

The people had nothing else to rely on except for these newspapers. They wanted to believe they could be free from the shackles of the British and this is what urged them on. The messages that the freedom fighters gave out in their newspapers reached millions of Indians. This caused unity at a crucial time in the 1940s. The fact that certain so-called ‘controversial’ newspapers were written and printed without the knowledge of the British is what made media a dangerous in-tangible weapon. After having read a lot about media’s role in our Independence, it is safe to say that media played one of the biggest parts for our Independence if not the biggest. 

Naresh: Let me be very honest here. I know about Honey Singh & Rakhi Sawant but I don’t know the name of one single freedom fighter that is alive. I’m sure this is the case with most of the youth in this generation. Don’t you think this is media’s fault? 

Mr Bharadwaj: I thought we agreed that you would go easy on me! Actually we do have freedom fighters like Doraiswamy sir on our shows. But I agree with what you are implying. I completely agree that freedom fighters are not ‘hot news’ and they would not improve the TRPs of a news channel. Let’s hope at least during August and January, the people who fought to secure our freedom are showcased by the media and felicitated and by God do they deserve it!

In Conversation With Mr Bharadwaj

Naresh: As a prominent T.V personality, what are the major challenges you face? 

Mr Bharadwaj: To be frank, every day is a challenge for me. In fact, you will find many journalists who say the same thing. When you are in this industry, anything can happen. In the morning you get a promotion and in the evening you find out the chief guest has dropped out of a major show in the last moment. What would you do in that situation? I once had tuberculosis and had applied for a day off and it got approved. Luck was not on my side and a co-worker had to attend to an emergency family issue and I ended up being on T.V from 6 AM to 10 PM since it was the election results day. 

There are always challenges when it comes to different authoritative people. As you might know, the TV channel I work for currently is very public-issue oriented and we try to tackle and help the public with their particular issues. This requires us to be bold and demand justice where it is needed. During this course, we might get into a few tussles and might make a couple of enemies. Handling the people who you don’t have a good relationship with will then be your biggest problem. It is very difficult to handle the pressure but you will definitely learn to deal with these challenges with experience. 

Naresh: Wow. Alright, one final question! Tell us how you celebrate your independence day. 

Mr Bharadwaj: My Independence days have become a yearly routine! Every year, I make it a point to hoist a flag either in my own house or attend a flag hoisting ceremony in the neighborhood with my family. There isn’t a single year I haven’t done this! Without family, my independence day would not be the same. I look at my family as the people who gave my personal freedom and that was all I required. 

Naresh: Sir, thank you so much for your valuable insight. It really enhanced my respect for not only you but also for your TV Channel for all the things they have done to our society. Thank you!

Subramanian Swamy: The Un-trumpeted Hero Of Indian Polity

    Subramanian Swamy

The title of ‘Protagonist’ can hardly be attributed to a person with so-called Hindu extremist ideologies. Subramanian Swamy is one such person who is barely in the limelight but deserves to be. Who can get away with calling Sonia Gandhi ‘a fifth-class pass’ or calling Priyanka Gandhi ‘an alcoholic’ without much media scrutiny, let alone having their head held high?

In 2011, Mr Swamy wrote an article advocating disfranchisement of Muslims who were not ready to embrace the fact that both Hindus and Muslims have the same ancestral line. This article caused him a lot of things in life – Harvard dropped the courses he was teaching, media criticized him for communal hate and his personal life was being monitored closely by his detractors, for whom he couldn't care less about. However, this article garnered huge support from the right wing followers and that, along with the intent of the article was his objective.

While many people call him anti-Muslim, he asks his critics to stop speaking in hyperbole and argues that all religions in India have the same core values. Although he is a staunch Hindu, his secular credentials are amply exhibited in his marriage to a Parsi woman. He also points to the fact that his own daughter is married to a Muslim man. Mr Swamy has studied law and it shows. He has supported the abolition of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution un-disguisedly. He was the one who submitted a petition against A. Raja in the 2G scam case to the Supreme Court of India. This led to the arrest of A. Raja in 2012 and his subsequent imprisonment for 15 months. This act by Mr Swamy unearthed one of the biggest and most infamous scams of India. While Sonia Gandhi filed a fake affidavit citing a foreign degree to the Election Commission, Mr Swamy filed a case in the High court to impose a fine on Ms Gandhi. Ms Gandhi later admitted that it was a ‘mistake’ and apologized to the Election Commission.

Mr Swamy’s experience with the Planning Commission of India and as a Cabinet Minister makes him an extremely reliable person to his party. When one juxtaposes Mr Swamy and Mr Kejriwal, one can undeniably see that Mr Swamy is the better executor of ideas when it comes to fighting corruption and this has won him many an admirer. If Mr Swamy doesn't merit a place in the Indian political folklore then I don’t know who does.

COMMUNICATE WITHOUT ACTUALLY COMMUNICATING! - Implicit Communication Theory

Communication is not only about words, body language, gestures and expression but also about conveying things without using any of the above methods. At first look, one might ask how a person can communicate to another without using words or expressions. There is indeed a form of communication which we rarely delve into – implicit communication. Researchers love to include this form of communication into the Behavioural Implicit Communication (BIC) theory.

Implicit communication refers to the message(s) we ‘give off’ from our deeds/actions which may or may not be intentional. By simply performing an action, we send a message to our partner(s) in the interaction. This message may be intentional or unintentional, i.e. the sender wants that the receiver knows that he/she is performing that action or not. A classic example of this can be seen in restaurants. A customer orders an item in the menu and the chef prepares it. When the customer consumes the item, the chef, intentionally or not, is communicating with the customer and allowing him to make a positive or a negative judgement on his ability to cook.

After a lot of research and contrastive thinking, I have come up with other scenarios which will act as examples for implicit communication. For better understanding, I will divide the scenarios into ‘intentional implicit communication’ and ‘intentional or unintentional implicit communication’. Also, these scenarios are what one might like to call ‘day-to-day activities’.

Intentional Implicit Communication:

1.   When a person wears a shirt he received as a gift from his friend, he is implicitly communicating with his friend that he appreciates the gift and is grateful for it. This act is intentional because the person wants his friend to know that he is grateful for the gift.

2.   When a person leaves a coat or a hat on his seat while he leaves to the restroom, he is communicating with the people around him that he will be back and the seat is occupied.

Intentional or Unintentional Communication:

1.   When students obtain good marks, the teachers are communicating intentionally or unintentionally about their prowess to the parents. Regardless of whether it is intentional or unintentional, the mark that the student obtains is directly proportional to the perceived notion about the teachers by the parents. (Please note, this example holds good mostly in lower grades/standards of school).

2.   When Car ‘A’ moves towards the right (or left) on a highway (without an indicator), it intentionally or unintentionally communicates to Car ‘B’ which is behind Car ‘A’ that the lanes are being changed. (Please note, this kind of indiscipline of not using indicators on a highway can only be found in India!)

Implicit communication theories are often derived from animal communication. This form of communication is also based on ‘signification’ which is ‘the semiotic ability of cognitive agents’.  For example, the ability to take ‘smoke’ as a sign of ‘fire’ or to relate ‘thirst’ with a ‘drinking agent’; these notions are drilled in to us from birth and are signs of communication that goes beyond simple perception. 

TELEVISION MEDIA BEARS BRUNT IN MCC DISCUSSION

“Public outrage justified, T.V Channels not helping” say panellists in ‘Naming and Shaming: Sexual Violence and Media’ - an informative & slightly provocative discussion on media’s role in the recent anomalous events of rape which was hosted by Mt Carmel College. The event was presented by Media Watch Bengaluru and was held in the Mt Carmel Auditorium on August 1, 2014. The discussion panel included Ravi Hegde, Group Editor, Udayavani; Bansy Kalappa, Journalist, News 9; Ashok Murthy, Managing Partner, CorLit Legal; ML Madhuraveena, SP, CID and Shaibya Saldanha, counsellor and Co-founder, Enfold India. The event was moderated by Media Watch’s very own Ammu Joseph who is also an author and a journalist.

Ms Joseph kicked off the discussion by trying to explain the consequences of sensationalizing incidents related to rape. “News channels obviously want higher TRPs and hence they sensationalize everything” she said. She did agree that news channels could not do much about it because their success is directly proportional to their TRPs.  Ms Saldanha, although critical of T.V, heaped praises on all forms of media for creating awareness about the present situation. She was also of the opinion that the victims be called ‘survivors’ and not ‘victims’ as it looks at things in a positive light.

Mr Murthy, a lawyer, spoke about why the identity of the victim and/or the accused is kept secretive at least until the court has provided a judgement. He said it challenges the mere existence of the victim and that the families will not be spared either. Ms Madhuraveena confirmed that there will be no disclosure of the identity while the case was being investigated. She provided us with a little inside information so-to-speak about how every policeman has to undergo a ‘Gender Sensitization workshop’ which aims at training the police to treat genders in a different manner under different circumstances. She also suggested a spokesperson for the police, who can inform the media about the progress of the case. “This would definitely help to settle media unrest while the case is being investigated” she said.

Mr Hegde, a journalist of print media, had some harsh words for T.V channels and spoke about channels fighting for TRPs and thereby diluting the news. He said print media is much more sensitive when it comes to disclosure of information. He agreed that this is because T.V is real-time and print is not. He also pointed out the fact that the courts are now functioning quicker due to the monumental hype surrounding sexual violence.

Ms Saldanha had a very valid point about online news regarding the recent rape of a 6 year-old in Bangalore. She said the news will remain forever on the internet. “One can only imagine how the 6 year-old will feel 20 years from now when her kids read this news” she said. Ms Madhuraveena also brought up the topic of keeping track of convicted sex offenders in every neighbourhood. She said “India has to adopt the model of U.S.A when it comes to the disclosure of sex offenders in every neighbourhood”. Every panellist agreed with Ms Madhuraveena on this and said this should be made a high priority demand from the public.

When the Q&A session started, Gaurav, a Mass Communication student from Jain University questioned the motives of the recent ‘bundh’ in Bangalore citing lack of public participation. Mr. Murthy responded by saying that this was a start and that the awareness will gradually spread. Shweta, another Mass Communication student from Jain University asked if privatization of radio news has come at the right time. Mr Hegde responded by saying that the privatization of radio news did indeed come at a bad time. He said that the word ‘chaos’ wouldn’t be enough to describe the situation in an already chaotic society if the privatization was successful.

Ms Vasanthi Hariprakash, a very famous journalist who was present at the discussion disagreed with Mr Hegde and said that the privatization would definitely be good for the media as a whole. She said radio has always been the ‘forgotten media’ and is much more than just an item song on a warm Sunday afternoon.

Mr Kalappa who had been unusually silent throughout the discussion, offered his opinion on the matter of pornography being one of the major causes for sexual violence. All the panellists agreed and Mr Hegde pointed out that ‘sexuality education’ needs to be taught from school level. “Sexuality Education is not Sex Education. It is a form of education which instils respect for women and men equally. Kids need to know why it is wrong to do such things so that they can use their better judgement in later years of their lives” he said.

It was very clear that the panellists were open about their opinions. There was no diplomacy whatsoever and points were being made with an open mind and a clear conscious. The crowd was very warming to the people who were brave enough to question the panellists. They also reacted well to the opinions of the panellists. A few people in the crowd may disagree with certain points and opinions but I am sure that nobody will disagree when I say that this event was a grand success, not only in educating the masses but also in inducing passion to fight against sexual violence.