CTAE1 - Foundations Level 1 Overview

⇥ Introduction to Foundations

Employers regularly talk about the skills and work ethics they’re looking for in employees. 

Although technology has impacted skills needed for certain jobs, the need for employees to communicate effectively remains high on the list. 

Employers are looking for employees who follow company policies while maintaining productivity. Because the workforce has expanded globally, one of the pressing issues in the workplace is an employee’s ability to get along with co-workers. 

How would you rate yourself for communicating with individuals with different opinions and values than you? 

The lessons in this module will cover workplace communication topics, productivity and organization, work readiness, teamwork, and work ethics and character. 

Watch the video below to discover some of the people skills, also called soft skills, that are needed in the workplace. 

 

Let's Look Again at Those "People Skills".

  • Leadership - Ability to guide, motivate, and inspire others toward achieving a common goal 
  • Collaboration - Capacity to work effectively on a team. 
  • Integrity - Being trustworthy, honest, and authentic. 
  • Critical Thinking - Challenging assumptions and finding new and bold solutions. 
  • Creativity - The ability to generate innovative ideas and solutions. 
  • Time Management - Ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines. 
  • Emotional Intelligence - Ability to recognize and manage one’s own emotions and those of others. 

Key Terms 🔑

  1. Aggressive Customer - a customer who readily complains, often loudly and at length  
  2. Chain of Command - a system where authority passes down from the top through the levels of an organization.   
  3. Ethics - moral principles that guide a person’s behavior.   
  4. Functional organization - a classical organizational structure where employees are grouped hierarchically, managed through clear lines of authority, and report to one person.
  5. High-Roller Customer - a customer who expects the absolute best, is willing to pay for it and usually complains reasonably.   
  6. Meek Customer - a customer who usually will not complain to the company but is most dangerous because they complain to others.
  7. Organizational chart - diagrams that show the structure of an organization and the relationships and relative ranks of its parts and positions/jobs.  
  8. Organizational structure - mainly a hierarchical structure- shows the subordination of entities that collaborate and contribute to a common cause.
  9. References - a formal recommendation made by a former employer to a prospective employer concerning a job applicant’s skills and job performance   
  10. Resume - a written document that lists your work experience, skills, and educational background   
  11. Rip-Off Customer - a customer who tries to get something they are not entitled to by complaining and repeatedly responding “not good enough” to offers.   
  12. Troubleshoot - to determine what problems exist and how to correct them.   

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