Faculty

Personality Traits in Mahabharata and the Ocean Model

Campus Life, Center for Emotional Intelligence, Faculty, General Blog, IILM University, , , , , , ,

Introduction:

While going about our usual day we interact with people, judge their personality as to how they are different from us and at times compromise  with the changing facets of their personalities without even thinking. We unknowingly almost like an automatic response form opinion about people depending on their overt behavioural responses.

Why we do this? Because we humans are wired for curiosity to know more about our environment aWhy we do this? Because we humans are wired for curiosity to know more about our environment and the people we live with. Like when we notice someone at a party surrounded by a large group of people, obviously the centre of attention, chatting and laughing; we may conclude that person is an extrovert.

So, how do we understand personality?

While studying personality we assume that personality characteristics are relatively stable over time and that traits show stability across situations. For example, someone who is described as an extrovert may be very outgoing and chatty at a party but less so in a conference. In both situations, they are likely to be more sociable than an introvert person. We also assume that personality traits influence behaviour. The person is outgoing and chatty because they are an extrovert.

At IILM, we offer courses in personality to undergraduate courses to help them discover themselves as well as understand our basic individual differences.

Personality and its spectrum

Cattell (1965) defined personality as being the characteristics of the individual that allows prediction of how they will behave in a given situation. Psychologists increasingly agree that five super traits may adequately describe the structure of personality.

Costa and McCrae (1992), who measured personality with their OCEAN model represents a continuum along which individuals can be explained in terms of their traits.  For a better understanding of these traits, the following is my explanation of how characters and their personalities were depicted from Mahabharat.

Characters from Mahabharat to explain OCEAN Model:

At IILM the curriculum is an interesting blend of science and mythology. I will explain how we teach traits to our Psychology students with the help of characters from Mahabharat.

OPENNESS – This factor refers to the individual having an openness to new experiences and an active imagination.

Karna was seen to be high on this scale as throughout the epic he justified his never-say-die attitude and courageously confronted all the odds of his destiny. His character in Mahabharata has everlasting fame because he teaches how can one present himself better than the destiny and accomplish everything with shatterproof determination. Bhima was seen low on this scale as he was conventionally oriented towards a particular goal that is of being the mightiest warrior.

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS– This factor describes our degree of self-discipline and control. Yudhishthira was high on this scale; was hard-working, organized, goal-driven whereas Shakuni was seen to be low on this scale as he is the person who poisoned the mind of his explosive nephew Duryodhana and fuelled-up the destructive war of Mahabharata, thus becoming the cause of the destruction of the Kauravas.

EXTRAVERSION – This factor is a measure of the individual’s sociability, energetic, optimistic, friendly and assertive.

Krishna was high on this scale as he attempted to navigate negotiations between the Pandavas and Kurus before the Kurukshetra war even happened. He convinced Balarama to not partake in the war itself. He even tried to get Karna to fight for the Pandavas as well. Sahadeva was shown to be low on extroversion, even though as the wisest of all the Pandava brothers he mostly kept to himself reading Vedas, spoke less and followed mostly what his elder brothers decided upon him.

AGREEABLENESS – This factor relates to the characteristics of social interaction. Individuals with high scores are trusting, helpful, soft-hearted and sympathetic.

Bhishma was high on this scale as his peerless statesmanship to be the mediator between the Kauravas and Pandavas and other impeccable characteristics still inspire his ardent followers across the world. Dronacharya was low on this scale as he discriminated against Karna and Eklavya on the basis of their caste. He did not voice out any objection in the court during Draupadi’s assault.

NEUROTICISM – This factor measures an individual’s emotional stability and personal adjustment. Duryodhana is seen to be high on this scale as he is motivated by greed, jealously, and a desire for retribution. Yudhishthira was low on this scale as he is calm, even-tempered, secure and happy.

Is there a situational difference when we portray our personality?

Psychologists explain this by segregating personality into a private and public persona. Private being the ‘real’ inner person, while public is the way that the individual presents themselves to the outside world. We may be confident and outgoing in some situations and less sure of ourselves and more retiring in other situations. A case where a shy reserved person joins an organisation but eventually becomes an arrogant and stubborn boss. This fits the explanation of how our personalities differ situationally.

Conclusion:

As much as individuals behave differently in different situations, our behavioural reactions can be clubbed into traits as similar reactions across age and cultures. To conclude, we can say that each one us is uniquely different yet distinctively similar as well.

 

“Personality is a mask we believe in”

Dr White

 

Virtual Teaching

How to Make your Virtual Teaching Interesting for Learners

Campus Life, Faculty, General Blog, IILM Graduate School of Management, IILM Institute for Higher Education, , , ,

Change always creates anxiety and when this change is rapid then it creates panic too. Recent changes in an environment completely upset the traditional classroom teaching-learning process. It left no other choice but to move on a new platform for learning that is virtual classrooms.  This transition from traditional face to face teaching to virtual teaching was highly unexpected and too quick to absorb hence given a very strong blow on the teaching-learning process. Moreover, neither the teachers nor the students were trained for such a virtual environment. When I thought about learning through virtual teaching, I encounter two questions. Does any scientific method exist to enrich the learning process? Can learner also enhance their learning?

On the lines ‘the show must go on’, one needs to adapt to the virtual teaching-learning model and should make this interesting for learners. Learners are sitting at the comfort of their homes with too many distractions all around. Learning will only happen when they find interest in lectures and feel engaged.

To increase the productivity of the class teachers might consider the following tricks:

Lay down fundamental rules

At the beginning of the class, the teacher should inform the students about few basic etiquettes to be followed in class. Ask the students to mute their microphones to avoid any disturbance. Students will unmute themselves only if they have any questions to ask or if they are asked to do so. If possible, ask the students to switch on their camera which will increase the engagement.

Engage students

On online platform, students have a shorter time span for concentration. By asking questions to random students in every 5-6 minutes will keep them engaged and hence increase the productivity of the class. At every 5-6 minutes keep asking simple questions and for answers ask students to type in the chatbox. Answers could be just ‘yes/no’ type.

Give control to the students

Generally, in classes teachers speak a lot, and students felt left out and learning stops. It is better to give control to students at times and ask them to interact in the form of discussing with each other in class.

Share content in advance

Possibly, share the content to be discussed in class with all the students in advance so that they are prepared well in advance.

Use easily available, copyright-free online resources

Share content with the students which are copyright free and easily available. Although, too many contents are available freely for all but do not expect that students will search on their own. It is better to mention the URL for the resource material as click and use the material for them.

Avoid information overload

Plan your sessions well in advance such that students will not be overloaded and they have time to practice problems on the topic discussed.

Make use of Multimedia

To avoid boredom in the classroom, use multimedia tools to make the classroom interesting enough so that students’ engagement increases and so productivity.

Record live sessions and share

Don’t forget to record your sessions for the benefit of those students who live in the area with bandwidth issues and not able to attend live sessions. Share these videos with all the students so all can revisit in case of doubts.

There are certain basic rules for students also to make learning effective and efficient. First and foremost, students need to have a reliable and stable internet connection to attend the classes in virtual mode. They must find a quiet corner at their respective places to avoid any disturbance during sessions. If possible, they can use headphones instead of earphones to reduce the noise level. Prepare for your class well in advance. Go through with all the resources shared by teachers. Be interactive during sessions but do not disturb the flow of the class. Either raise a hand or use a chat box in case of any query.

The productivity of the teaching-learning process in the management program will surely be enhanced if both the stakeholders follow the aforementioned tricks. Faculty and students of IILM will surely make teaching-learning much more interesting and productive on a virtual platform.

Dancing Market: Optimism or Insanity?

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In the era of COVID-19 when WHO has declared it as a pandemic. India is under the lockdown for more than sixty days like all other nations in the world. All the economic activities were shuttered down till lockdown 3.0. The future outlook for the Indian economy is not pleasant. Analysts are expecting negative growth for Financial Year 2021. Almost all medium and small-scale businesses are in crisis. Most of them have shut their shops and laid off their employees. Big business houses have announced a salary cut for their employees. For April, the Auto industry first time have observed zero production output. The unemployment rate is at an all-time high. Scores of migrant laborers have moved back to their native places.

In this gloomy scenario across the nation stock market is dancing like anything. Though, it is not at the record height as it was during February but it is not that bad either. Eventually, soon after the announcement of the lockdown market slumped to almost half but this state did not last long. At present, the market is hovering around the level of 2017 which under the present circumstances is quite amazing.

Barometer of Economy?

It is time to evaluate the phrase ‘SENSEX is the barometer of Indian Economy‘. Is it a barometer to gauge the economic activities anymore? The stock market is considered a leading indicator of the economy. It was believed that there is a high correlation exist between the stock market and economy but this correlation does persist?

Fool’s Paradise!

Though the stock market is not a true representative of the economy nowadays it seems like the market has divorced the economy especially to all whatever is happening around us; whatever is the reality of economic activities. The stock market is not showing any concern to the more than fifty-nine lacs corona positive cases around the world and more than forty-seven hundred deaths in India. Stock market and particularly investors are living in paradise.

Future Outlook

There are various explanations for this insane behavior of stock investors. First and foremost, the explanation is that stock prices are always based on the future outlook, not the present. Present stock prices are the discounted cash flows expected from stock in the future. So, the present stock prices reflect that investors believe that economy will have a speedy recovery shortly.

Expectations from Government

Investor’s expectation of a substantially large stimulus package from the government went in vain. Investors have a strong feeling that the government will be able to overcome all difficulties in the economic front. The historic decision of reducing the corporate tax rates and conceptualizing the idea of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ is giving hope to the investors.

The central government, as well as Reserve Bank, has already taken measures in terms of various fiscal and monetary policies to infuse the liquidity in the system. The financial year which generally ends on March 31 has been extended till June 30 exhibits commitment of government toward economic measures. Investors are betting on such strong interventions of government to boost the profitability of corporate houses in the future. The first year of NDA 2.0 is rated positively by various analysts which is enough to boost the confidence of investors.

Investment Options

Even more, now investors have not left with more options to invest as the prevailing interest rate on government bonds and all small saving schemes have been reduced. If we adjust the returns from these schemes with inflation, we will get negative returns for almost all investment products. So, the stock market is the only option left for investors to park their excess money with.

Optimism for Vaccine

Stock investors are at present feeling more optimistic about the future than the doctors and scientists who are working on the development of a cure for the Corona virus. Investors are expecting that soon enough a vaccine for the same will be discovered on which the whole world is working.

Black-box Theory

Another theory argues that all investors are operating as a black-box process. No one knows about the future of investments or till when this pandemic end and the road to normality be back. It is just the mere expectations which are leading the market at present. Investors are also active because they fear being left behind. New investors are considering this time as an opportunity to enter into the market at this level which may not come around again.

Parallel with Lehman Crisis

If we draw a parallel between the current crisis with the financial crisis of 2009, we get a hint from there also about this euphoria in the market. In November 2009 when the future of economies was pathetic even then the stock market across the world was mostly up by more than 50 percent from the past year while the economies were only growing by 1 percent for that particular one-year period. People were investing based on their expectations not based on ground reality. So, again history is repeating itself in the market.

Advice for Novice Investors

It can be inferred that expectation of the majority is driving the market than reality. Investors are not acting insane rather they have optimist future outlook. For investors, market timing is really important. For a novice investor, it is time to get into the market with a long horizon. If you have missed the wagon in 2017 then prices are again around that level. ‘Buy with caution’ is the mantra for success.

At IILM, students are being prepared to analyse the economic situation and to identify the trend for investments to be successful. We conduct live trading sessions for better understanding of the same. For more information on stock market one can approach at kumar.saurabh@iilmgsm.ac.in.

A CACTUS IS REALLY JUST AN AGGRESSIVE CUCUMBER

Campus Life, Faculty, General Blog, IILM Institute for Higher Education, IILM University, , , ,

Introduction:

As a cool cucumber can turn into a savaged looking cactus, all of us can indeed turn our calm selves to something ferocious because of anger which at times triggers violent responses. Reactions ranging from rash driving to banging doors to actually getting into a physical altercation and verbal aggression are seen most commonly with people who are apparently aggressive.

Social Psychologists cleave the concept of aggression into emotional and instrumental aggression which is to say that former results from unhappy/negative emotions (carried out in the heat of the moment like slapping in a fit of rage) whereas the latter is intended, a well-planned move (to hurt someone purposely like a bully in school or at work).

Aggression is exhibited in physical aspects – hitting, kicking to non-physical aspects like verbal (yelling), social (bad-mouthing, excluding others), racial (micro aggression), sexual (misogyny, homophobic jokes) that are intended to harm others.

Following Liberal education at IILM University, we teach life skills in out everyday classes in the form of role plays or class discussion to help them accept, understand and manage negative emotions.

But why do we aggress? Is it like a life skill that we all need so that we don’t look meek?

Evolutionary Scientists explain that we have an innate ability to protect as well as seek continual survival of our genes. Human beings need to be able to aggress in certain situations, and nature has provided us with this skill which means that under the right situation, almost all of us will aggress (Buss & Duntley, 2006).

Physiologists’ support evolutionary perspective as it is known to mankind that aggression is controlled by Amygdala i.e. limbic system inside the cortex controlling emotions. This further controls our autonomic nervous system which in stress activates flight-or-fight mechanism.  What science is trying to explain to us is that under stress, we will either fight the stressor or run away from it. Not only this, some imperative chemical substances in our body like serotonin which when found to be at low levels predict aggression (Kruesi, Hibbs, Zahn, & Keysor, 1992; Virkkunen, de Jong, Bartko, & Linnoila, 1989).

Behavioral scientists feel that what we see in our environment is how we condition ourselves to be; so if children see their parents act out aggression by hitting, to them it’s OK to do the same. It’s no rocket science to explain that aggression would harbor aggression and the more we see it, the easier it is for us to repeat it.

It is imperative to say that one’s social situation also makes it critical for a response like aggression. As it is commonly noticed that we may react violently in situations where we are uncomfortable/ fearful or provoked (with friends or subordinates) but may react more calmly in others (in front of an authority).

On hindsight, it is easy to recall that when we were aggressive, we were likely to be experiencing a negative emotion (example- unhappy thoughts, pain or discomfort) that’s why it became so easy to react aggressively. In general, it could be the feeling of being ill or undergoing emotional disturbance that makes one vulnerable to frustration which further provokes violent behaviour.

At IILM University which is considered one of the best private universities for Psychology around Delhi/NCR, we teach critical thinking and communication skills along with other courses where we discuss how anger does not become an issue till you keep ignoring it. Reaching to the core of an internal conflict and addressing concerns is half battle won without inflicting pain to self or others.

 

How to if not stop, control aggression?

The answer to this is Catharsis which is a process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotion. For reducing negative affect and its arousal, if we can actively distract ourselves from that emotion it can help break the cycle of being provoked to react in anger. Catharsis can be any form of meaningful engagement like talking it out, exercising, listening to music and is most useful when done alone.

At undergrad and master’s courses in Psychology at IILM University we teach positive and social psychology and most importantly emotional intelligence. We endeavour to help our students with a thorough understanding of psychology, its components and how aggression is a symptom of repressed issues which through therapy and counselling can be managed.

Conclusion:

Aggression is seen more an emotional than instrumental response needs to be managed by first checking on our feelings. We need to assess what caused this emotion and why? At times aggression is directed at something different than what actually provoked it. When we think carefully about our situation, rather than simply responding in an emotional way, we can carefully choose the most effective responses when we are angry (Berkowitz, 1993).

To conclude, aggression is not a disease we need to fight, lets comes to terms with how normal an aggressed response is; but accept that it cannot be typified into personality. We need to address cause before the management for a long-term goal.

 

Center for Emotional Intelligence

A Psychologist’s Guide to Coping in Uncertain Times

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“Always Expect the Unexpected Because the Only Certainty Is Uncertainty”

Uncertainty in life has many forms. Changes at workplaces, change in priorities, change in rules and regulations. Even if things are safe right now you never know when they would change and you need to be ready to handle that change.

Change is usually not the problem; it’s the discomfort that often bothers us as we are so strongly attached to a particular outcome in life.

When certainty is questioned we usually have a fight or flight reaction and try to safeguard ourselves. Our brain prefers to find a sure shot outcome to the uncertainty we are experiencing. Research proves that anticipating pain soothes us to be calm than anticipating uncertainty only because we know that pain is certain. For example, uncertainty about getting a job is more stressful than actually losing a job.

Now, the question arises what should we do to tackle uncertainty in a way that it doesn’t impact our overall health and well-being.

This is very important for students aspiring to work with multinationals, professionals struggling with changing roles, people disheartened with their job.

  1. Firstly, don’t panic, remain calm and level headed. Living in uncertain times can be discomforting but you can control how to respond to such situations.
  2. Avoid dwelling on things you can’t control. Try changing the habit of ruminating on negative events of life. Why only visualize worst case scenarios. If there is a fear of not getting a job think of ways to enhance your skills. Think positive and believe in yourself. Remember it’s your life and you have the potential to change it.
  3. Add Value to your skills. It’s important to align your skill set to what is currently the need of the industry. Make sure you have those skills that the current time is demanding. Act upon it. Visualize possibilities.
  4. Market Yourself. Do not think I am asking you to boast about yourself; but how would people know your calibre if you don’t tell them about yourself. Get the recognition you deserve. Go for it.
  5. Ensure your profile is updated. Have an eye-catching LinkedIn profile. Express your interest in companies that you aspire to work with. What you post on your profile should be interesting in content and original in nature to attract organizations towards you.
  6. Focus on Financial Well-Being. One tip for life is always having a financial saving of at least six months worth your livelihood. This will be your support during rainy days and you’ll always have time to choose the best opportunity and will never settle for something less in life. Savings are very essential.
  1. Engage in Self care. Healthy routines are magical. Eat well, exercise regularly, just like body needs stimulation so does our mind and thoughts. So feed your intellect with good literature. Practice mindfulness, it makes life a better place and opens doors that you thought were closed.
  1. Risk is real and Fear is optional. Risk assessed is risk management. Understand the uncertainty take calculated risks and overcome your fears to innovate the new you.
  2. Control what you can. We often run for things that are beyond our control. Try making a slight change by focusing on stuff that is within your control. It can be as basic as setting your clothes a night before a strenuous day. Try comforting your days.

If you see your Today. Job insecurity is the “New Reality,” why respond or perceive it as Negative. It might offer better opportunities for your growth and career enhancement.

Take that Extra Mile and prove your worth. Show the world your True Potential. Don’t Stress and rather Invest in this time to uplift your skills and embrace the new shift that the Industries are offering.

This is the only way you can see the New Positive and Let go the doubt and uncertainty around. Be prepared to change with the times instead of resisting to a change. Life’s most treasured moments come unannounced. Instead of being threatened by unexpected outcomes we should learn that they can be hidden seeds of opportunities.

For best professional practices and how to deal with professional challenges follow my blogs on IILM Blogs and LinkedIn or write to me at megha.kochhar@iilm.edu

We at IILM train students to handle complex situations and be proactive professionals in every situation by focusing on multiple skill development, developing emotional intelligence. There is a Center for Emotional Intelligence at IILM University where training programs help students build self awareness, emotional regulation that helps them deal with uncertainty in personal and professional life.

FUTURE OF WORK-FROM HOME

Campus Life, Faculty, General Blog, IILM Institute for Higher Education, IILM University, Uncategorized

Introduction

Most of my employed friends have seen this paradigm shift of working from home at the time when pandemic is hovering on our heads. With this cloud of constant worry and panic, I noticed a silver lining and that has been remote working. As much as thoughts about driving to work in traffic and chores to complete at home, seems like a lost memory; we all know it will take some time for us to go back to that mindless driving routine once the lockdown gets lifted.

Effective Diversion at the time of crisis

So, has this shift from “physically” being at work impacted performance for people? If it is to believed home-based jobs has been an effective diversion from anxious thoughts as well as keeping peace at home. Working from home has created a sense of purpose for the day along with balancing home and work commitments. This fine balance we all have evolved to is our future in 2020. IILM University which is excelling in blended modules for its students, aspires to teach innovatively while using latest web tools so that students keep pace with virtual learning while being at home.

Benefits to the Company

Companies post lockdown would be looking at securing future where cost savings leading to productivity gains and convenience of both employer and employees will be implemented. As expected, this year only we will see many of us having flexible workplace as we have learnt how to manage both aspects of life.

Ease for women to be at work while at home

WFH will encourage more women to join the workforce as the hassles of travelling daily would disappear. “In the US, about 25% of the workforce works out of home,” says Rohit Kapoor, vice-chairman & CEO of EXL Service. “In India, we will move to that kind of level over time. This option will also help women, especially mothers, a lot as it will make it easier for them to join the workforce.”

Is it just positive thinking or are we actually missing “going” to work?

Some say that the absence of meeting colleagues and dressing up for work would be missed and sometimes brainstorming sessions on calls may not work for everyone. People will or already are missing the human touch and at times, work from office becomes a form of diversion from personal problems back at home. No dedicated space at home can also be one major challenge and yes, not all professions can “fit in” this newest modal of working.

Mother Nature says yes to WFH

However to look at the bright side, WFH will help in reducing carbon emissions, will bring in flexible working hours, people will be able to manage time to do things they enjoy and pursue some for which they couldn’t find time and most importantly to be able to slow down the pace of life.

Conclusion

All of us given in the past with hectic routines have now become attentive to our environment, our relations and how much we miss the good times. WFH if taken in a positive way is a step closer to saving our environment, building economy, being creative at work, able to pursue vocational aspirations and most importantly being able to multi-task with ease; it’s that change which will be for the better.

“When you put yourself in an uncomfortable position; is when you grow the most”

Gary Swart CEO oDesk

Mental Wellbeing

MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL BEING FOR ALL

Center for Emotional Intelligence, Faculty, General Blog, IILM University, , , , ,

Good mental health and wellbeing mean different things to different people. Each one of us has to pave their way to a life that is relevant, consequential, and rewarding. COVID’19 has taken the world by storm in the last 3 months. These are unprecedented times and the most common emotion that all of us are experiencing fear followed by anxiety, and these could make people behave in a manner, which are otherwise inappropriate.

The next challenge was facing a complete lockdown. This was of course done to safeguard people and stop the spread of infection. Staying at home for some time may be relaxing but for prolonged periods it may become taxing and frustrating for many. However, such situations have become the norm today and people need to understand the importance of confinement and maintain good mental, physical, social health and wellbeing.

Despite the strict measures of confinement, some people got infected with the coronavirus. We need to understand that people infected with coronavirus have to be handled with care, empathy and kindness. This condition should not be stigmatized to the extent of isolation and rejection by the family, friends and society. The people who have recovered from the coronavirus will go on to lead a normal life with their families and also continue to do their jobs. Hence, linking the people with their former medical condition will only stigmatize people more strongly.

This disorder has instilled a lot of long-lasting fear anxiety and distress in the individual and society. To minimize this impact, it is advised not to read and listen to constant news and progress of the disease. Additionally, developing a positive attitude with a spirit to overcome stressful times is important.  Protecting oneself first to protect others is the first foot forward and being actively involved and giving assistance to others who are needing it will benefit both; the people receiving help and those who are helping.

When it comes to children, they need special care and attention. Positive ways of expressing their fear and sadness can be through creative activity such as dance and drawing which is a safe and familiar platform for expression and hence catharsis through this can alleviate their anxiety.

Therefore, well-being is necessary for a  holistic healthy existence. The three areas that are covered under this are Mental, Physical and Social Well Being.

MENTAL WELLBEING

  • Mindfulness – The surroundings are constantly flooded with constant stimuli, both positive and negative. For people to keep positive and healthy a need to Practice Mindfulness, which asks people to be aware of all that is going on in and around them but bring all the attention to the “present and to now”. One can learn to live for the moment one is in and be aware of each passing thought and feeling. Studies show that mindfulness helps people in coping with traumatic events and emotional states that lead to reducing anxiety and stress.
  • Breathing – When tense and anxious take a deep breath to relax. In the present times all are all familiar with Pranayam, also referred to as Mindful Breathing, which helps to regulate emotions and manage stress and, in the process, mentally separate self from negativity.
  • Meditation promotes reducing negative emotions through relaxation and helps deal with stress, build mental and emotional resilience, thus leading towards relaxation and a positive mindset.

PHYSICAL WELLBEING

  • Routine – During this period of confinement to the house setting, following a routine is very important for well-being. It is important to prioritize work and set designated slots for tasks that need to be completed.
  • Set up a workstation – It helps to set-up a workstation for yourself. It gives a feeling of going to work and separates home and work life. Moving around for a minute every hour while working to keep the body system active for good physical health and better focus on work and productivity can be achieved. Scheduling time outside of work with family and friends regularly helps to avoid emotional inertia and loneliness which is needed for physical well-being.
  • Regular meals and exercise patterns – A healthy diet and exercise are important for good mental health as the mind and body are intrinsically related. Hence, during confinement, the regularity of meal and exercise/yoga patterns are important for a healthy physical and mental balance.
  • Sleep – A regular sleep pattern is important to maintain as sleep is a very important aspect of physical and mental wellness. During this confined period, one tends to lose the sense of time and can forget that one has to follow a regularity for sleep also. Studies have proved that sleep irregularity can contribute to the malfunction of the brain and body and also leads to physical and mental illnesses. A good sleep of 8 hours can lead to improved mental and physical health during confinement.
  • Hobby – This is also a perfect time to try out a new hobby, which one wanted to take up but could not due to pressing times. This will give a sense of mental freedom and growth and hence physical confinement will not feel so oppressive; stress anxiety and depression will reduce; cognition and creativity will improve immensely.

SOCIAL WELLBEING

To be positive in such times of confinement one has to shed the feeling of helplessness and adopt an optimistic approach. This can move people towards contributing to society with a helping hand creating a sense of purpose. It further enhances self-worth which gives a good mental and physical health. Acts of kindness increase happiness positivity and reduce negativity.

Sharing positive news articles and items to help spread positivity and also be sensitive to children and elders and how they should be explained the situation in an age-appropriate manner is very important for emotional security and well-being. Volunteering to be part of community drives for giving a helping hand, imparting information, tele counselling or guidance through various social media which will serve as a respite for many, gives a sense of being part of the community and the feeling of isolation and depression can be countered.

Connected with Family and Friends

Virtual connectivity is the new normal since people cannot physically meet and socialize. The socialization process is as important as our basic needs for survival and lack of it can make people go into depression and loneliness which will further lead to poor mental and physical health. So, staying connected virtually with family and friends is imperative for overall well-being using all modes of communication. Speaking and listening is a double-bind relationship which helps both. Reducing screen time is also recommended as too much screen time can lead to too much information on the same issue and leave you with emotions of fear and anxiety.

CONCLUSION                                                                                                          

To sum up, people should try to maintain a routine which can include all family and work demands with special attention to children and the elderly. During confinement, some emotions in family members become exaggerated e.g. anxiety, anger, stress, agitation and fear. Practical and emotional support needs to be provided through informal and health professionals. Any underlying health conditions need to be constantly addressed with access to medication and active socialization and connectivity for any assistance when needed physically and emotionally is very reassuring. Simple exercises, regular sleep, healthy diet, need to be regularly maintained for good physical and mental health during confinement as is proven through research.

As a community people will follow new practices and extend support in such times of confinement and new relationships and bonding will emerge from this experience with the learning of how to develop a healthy lifestyle and feeling of well-being.

Please contact us at neeru.singh@iilm.edu for free counseling by our reputed Psychologists.

covid

Anxiety in the times of COVID 19 pandemic: Surrender, Accept, Trust, and take the right Action

Center for Emotional Intelligence, Faculty, General Blog, , , , ,

“I don’t measure a man’s success by how he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits the bottom”.

                                       (George S. Patton)

Anxious and worried !!! are the common symptoms in the times of COVID’19.

Fear of an uncertain future and a sense of not being in control is prevalent across nations. Most religious institutions remain closed to the public, with no option for people to turn to the traditional means of solace in prayer, perhaps people are even losing faith in the religious zones of comfort to some extent. Not surprisingly, people are turning to science for rescue from the grip of this virus but despite all ongoing efforts, scientists all over the world have little to offer. They are focused more on the preventive measures to stay out of the grip of this virus as it is going to take quite some time to develop a vaccine for this unique virus, which probably is evolving and adapting itself to the weather of different countries and continents.

The future is uncertain and unpredictable, scientists are suggesting that we may have to learn to live with it and need to make many changes in our habits and ways of life. We need to live accordingly maybe for many more years to come, maybe even permanently.

So now the question that arises is, how do we deal with the anxiety in these stressful times while maintaining the quality and pace of life?

We always need to invent answers to the new questions that life comes up with. The Sanskrit word for “human” is “Manushya” which means “a being with the mind”. The mind is the most important aspect of the existence of “Manushya”. Understanding of any phenomena takes place at the level of mind. This whole meaning-making process is going to determine how you are going to feel and emotionally react to a phenomenon. Therefore, the process of meaning-making is going to make a great difference in the psychological experience of any situation, event, or incident as a whole. Without any gap in this simple equation about the degree of experience for COVID anxiety, logically and mathematically depends on our meaning-making process regarding events and incidents happening around us. In this situation, one cannot be blind optimistic, as the future is uncertain; realistic optimism is the only relevant requirement here. So, in the present scenario, it is the most appropriate question for each one of us to answer, how to maintain and restore mental peace and holistic wellbeing in the times of COVID 19?

Maintaining sound mental health and wellbeing is important, as it will surely affect our physical health, immune system, and our likelihood to deal with the situation in an adaptive manner.  The ones who adapt will survive and the ones who cannot vanish.

How to maintain and restore mental peace in the times of COVID 19?

 Gaining psychological strength through surrender and acceptance

  • We have to accept what we are going through, and we have to be adaptive to this new challenge ahead of us. Cognitive restructuring is important at this point. We must go with the flow of life with a greater level of surrender, acceptance, and trust at the same time being in the mode of performing the right action to deal with this situation.
  • Practising meditation and mindfulness can increase our capability of acceptance, resulting in a greater level of mental calm and peace.

“Surrender is the simple and profound wisdom of yielding to rather than opposing the flow of life” (Eckhart Tole)

Being realistic and taking the right action

  • In the present situation, this approach is extremely valuable and relevant. Right after surrender and acceptance of the situation, we must be realistic and trust our ability to take the right action. This can bring a lot of clarity and strength to move on the path of becoming a victor and not a victim as the human race overall. Rightly said by Toni Morrison “If you surrender to the wind. You can ride it” We need to understand the nature of the problem and use this understanding wisely to ride it.
  • We need to understand the new norms of social distancing, personal hygiene, and important guidelines to move and function in public spaces.
  • We need to keep ourselves physically and mentally healthy by proper exercise, the right nutrition, and the right attitude.

Nurturing determination, vision and resilience

The path ahead of us may not be easy but we have to walk on it with determination and a vision for future because ultimately resilience is going to be the only quality, which can help us survive, thrive, and flourish for sure.

Here I would like to share one of my dream reflecting my sense of emergency, worry, and anxiety for the future, which is so unpredictable as far as the wellbeing of the whole humanity concerned. Dreams reflect our inner states mental equilibrium and compositions in the realm of our psyche. Being a psychologist, I have had an opportunity to look into the dreams of many of my clients in the process of helping and guiding them to a better understanding of their psyche and to achieve a better sense of control leading a more meaningful life. Sometimes dreams give us insights and guidance contributing to new understandings into our waking lives too. This one dream made me smile with a sense of insight into the future to be achieved, carrying a profound meaning.

I saw a train bogie crowded with people on an Indian railway station. There are noise, heat, and chaos. One old couple is sitting there. Somebody asked the old man, where are you going? The old man replied, “How it really matters where we want to go? We will be surely going where our youth will take us”.

I saw somebody cleaning a lot of settled dust from the floor of the bogie and many young people sitting there busy and preoccupied discussing their petty matters in a group.

I woke with the image of that scene in the morning and realized how it is important to let our youth find a sense of direction and meaning in the current situation because the future of the nation and the whole world dwellings is in the hands and senses of the wisdom of our youth for sure. The whole world will be moving in the direction where they will take us.

Many institutions have been building capacities to shape, nurture and build the mind’s thought process in a positive direction. At IILM we have “Centre of Emotional Intelligence” which is a step forward towards the same. Here students come with their stress-related issues and the psychologist renders them help for holistic well-being. The centre even does outreach programmes for society during this time of mental and physical crisis.

 Importance of Education Sector in Shaping the Future

Education is one especially important sector, which carries the responsibility to shape and prepare these young and potent minds for the future. Therefore, a huge responsibility sets there for this sector to be carried out. How teaching and learning will take place? How things will move positively for the maximum benefit of our youth? Answers to these questions will define how nation-building will take place and where the world will move from here. I believe the answer rests there “we need to surrender, accept trust and take the right action”. Nurturing determination, vision and resilience are surely going to be the key factors to survive, thrive, and flourish in a brighter future of hopes

To connect on knowing more about anxiety management, relaxation techniques and mindfulness write to me on archana.singh@iilmgsm.ac.in.

Please give your suggestions in the comment box below

What is the Mantra for right mentoring?

Faculty, IILM Institute for Higher Education, ,

 What do Steve Jobs, Larry Page and Sergey Brin have in common? Yes! All of them are tech titans of the 21st century and all three had excellent business mentors. There is a long tradition of mentoring that spans history and even dates back to mythology. Today, the term “mentor” has evolved to mean a trusted advisor, friend, teacher and wise person, according to a book on mentoring by author and businessman, Gordon Shea. 

What is Mentoring  

Mentoring is a fundamental form of human development where a person invests time, energy and personal know-how in assisting the growth and ability of another person. An educator wears multiple hats and has various avatars. One of the most important avatars is that of a mentor since it aims to nurture the mentee’s talents and interests in such a way that they can bring out their best.  ILM has always strived to empower its students by providing them value-based education and necessary inputs to achieve excellence in the world of business. Mentoring is one of the effective means to achieve the above objective.

 Facets of IILM Mentoring:

The mentorship program at IILM is multi-dimensional for students of BBA, MBA and PGDM and all undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Our mentoring programme ensures that it fully understands the circumstances and specific needs of students and delivers a service which is geared to serving their best interests and supporting their progress. The purpose of the mentoring program is to integrate academic learning with real-world experiences and to become a model for workforce readiness, embraced by the community. A very important facet of IILM mentoring programme is the integration between mentoring and career centre to maximize the effort of the successful career of students.

Monitoring is conducted on an on-going basis as a health check, allowing for early intervention when things go off-plan or to alter aspects of the programme in light of experience. Mentors and mentees are the primary contributors to the process of mentoring and monitoring. We believe that each student is different, with different personalities, traits, and skillsets. Some of the many facets of the Mentorship Programme at IILM are:

Identifying and addressing the strengths and weaknesses of mentees: 

To facilitate a 360-degree development of the mentees, the mentors make a plan that is executed from the day the mentee joins the university and continues till their exit. In this process, the mentor identifies the strengths of the mentee and suggests ways to overcome their weaknesses or any challenges that they may be going through.

Career Counselling:

The students of IILM are continuously guided by their mentors to help them reach their goal and objectives. The mentoring program is robust and takes into account every student’s needs into consideration. It is the education that takes place outside the classroom that makes the mentees ready to take on the world. While different students have different career goals, the mentors guide the students as per their interests and their strengths towards the right career path.

 The IILM Mentoring Process

When a student joins IILM, he/she is allocated a faculty mentor. The mentor is the initial point of contact for the mentees. The mentors help the mentees in understanding the procedures of the institute and help them to settle down. The mentors stay in contact with their mentees throughout the various semesters and act as a guiding light by showing them the right path. The mentees reach out to their mentors in case of any doubts or clarifications or queries. They are always welcome to interact with their mentors during their tenure in the institute. It is during the internship and placements stage that the mentor-mentee relationship plays the most vital role.

The faculty members at IILM have seen several batches of students pass out of their respective courses and conquer the world. Many of these students are in contact with their IILM mentors and still communicate with them in case of any doubts and share their life experiences. It would therefore not be wrong to say that the mentor avatar of a teacher is a lifetime avatar.

Watch Drishti Manchanda talk about the Mentorship Programme at IILM  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0VtwQxKFJU

For more details:

Dr. Oly Mishra, Assistant Professor (Marketing)

Skills Required in the Digital Age

Skills Required in the Digital Age

Faculty, General Blog, IILM University

Skills Required in the Digital Age

 The digital world is progressively penetrating the learning and skills domain. Technology is being widely used to provide learning, knowledge, and skills in novel and innovative ways. With the increased usage of rapidly changing digital technologies and knowhow in the workplace, there is an advent of new skills that are required to contribute to our digitally allied society. Currently jobseekers need specialized skills that will give them visibility in the crowd.

It is a persistent endeavor of the best universities and B Schools to meet this rising demand for digital know-how and other significant skills required. On 2 May 2020, Prime Minister Narender Modi in a meeting emphasized the use of technology and digital age skills in the education sector to enhance the experience of learning. Working on his belief and idea, IILM offers the key skills vital in a digital age embedded in its portfolio to meet students’ and industry needs.

Knowledge includes two intensely interweaved yet diverse components – content and skills. Content comprises ideas, facts, evidence principles, and explanations of processes or techniques. Instructors at IILM are well proficient in content and ensure a profound knowledge of the subjects in the areas they are teaching. Proficiency in skills development is another significant domain. Trainers help students develop these skills keeping in consideration that these intellectual skills match the requirements of industry, knowledge-based personnel. Therefore, at IILM adequate emphasis is given to skills development within the course curriculum. The skills needed in a digital age comprise the following:

Communication Skills:

Along with the customary communication skills of reading, writing, and speaking articulately and clearly, spoken business communication skills are ever more important. Spoken business communication is at the core of specialized business management and thus, at IILM, it is contained within the curriculum. It is contributory to achieving positive results, as it allows numerous ways to send a message to others. It comprises understanding and training of employability skills relevant to the industry and students, the capability to put forth via the internet to a wide-ranging community of individuals with one’s ideas, to share information correctly, to receive and integrate feedback, and to recognize trends. Business communication is prevalent, and all processes are channelized through communication, via a consistent flow of information.

Social Media:

Using social media communication is an indispensable skill for a digital age. Social media marketing goes further than a Facebook or Instagram update or posting a tweet; it is about understanding the vigorous relationship amongst influencers, consumers, and brands. Educators, who are familiar with social media’s influence, also understand the complexities of each platform and its possible influence to make the most of community engagement to provide students with valued and relevant skills.

Data Analytics:  

Analytics predominantly let students take educated, informed, and data-driven decisions in their life choices and roles. Numbers state whether a campaign was effective and by what proportion. The fundamental to analytics is finding out what data to collect and how to measure to have a more effective next campaign. Hence, at IILM, data analytics as a complete course is embedded in the curriculum to make student’s industry-ready.

Thinking Skills: 

Of all the skills required to be effective in a digital economy; problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, originality are some of the most significant. Businesses focus on the creation of new products, new processes, and new services to maintain low costs and upsurge competitiveness. Though universities in specific have always gratified themselves in teaching such knowledgeable skills and information transmission, yet it challenges this conjecture particularly at the undergraduate level. It is not only in the upper management positions that these skills are vital, people in specific trade profiles increasingly ought to be problem solvers rather than ensuing standard processes, which tend to turn into automated.

Knowledge Management:

This is another important skill. Knowledge is no doubt one of the organization’s utmost valuable assets and is swiftly changing with fresh research, new developments, innovation, and rapid dissemination of thoughts, ideas, and practices on the internet. In tandem sources of information are growing, along with a lot of inconsistency in the reliability or validity of the information. The main skill in a knowledge-based era is knowledge management that defines how to find, collect, evaluate, examine, apply, and disseminate data, within a specific context. The ability and skill to access the right knowledge at the right time, through a strong knowledge management system, appraises accurate decision-making, and encourages collaboration and innovation. Knowledge management platforms are planned with best in class features as to capture the information needed, validate and organize and make it convenient to retrieve and share. Thus, it becomes the most in-demand skill that graduates will always need to employ even long after graduation throughout their life.

Strategy and Planning: 

Companies that set in strategic planning in their decision making and marketing outline are most likely to achieve measurable results and succeed in the long-term. Rather than planning and designing on an ad-hoc basis, executives and digital marketers must create and implement campaigns and drives based on analytics and quantifiable data. It is also imperious that they examine past campaigns and choose which metric is giving better results. To put things in view, strategy and planning is an important skills gap in organizations. And so, IILM develops skills in strategic planning and executing a digital strategy, graduates pursuing new roles certainly have an edge over their peers with slight or no knowledge.

Teamwork and Adaptability: 

The significance of teamwork is not only limited to the workplace but in every sphere of life. Teamwork and adaptability are vital to managing the everyday changing environment. In specific, knowledge personnel ought to know how to work in accord and collaboratively, virtually and at a distant space, with coworkers, clients, and associates. The sharing of collective knowledge, problem-solving, execution, and efficient implementation need good teamwork and adaptability for accomplishing tasks or solving problems that may be outside the purview of a thin job definition but indispensable for success.

Ethics and Responsibility:

This is a set of standards or codes of conduct, professional ethics comprises relationships with and responsibilities towards clients, employees, coworkers, vendors, suppliers, all stakeholders. This is essential to build faith and trust, most significant in informal social networks, however, because normally it is upright and great businesses worldwide where there are diverse players, and a higher degree of reliance and confidence in others are required to realize one’s own goals.

The crucial point here is that content and skills are firmly related and hence at IILM, much consideration is given to content acquisition as well as skills development embedded in the course itself to ensure that learners graduate with the required knowledge and skills to be effective in a digital age.

Dr. Rachna Madaan
Assistant Professor, IILM University
Gurugram, Haryana.