1
Institute of Technology and Business
in České Budějovice
Self-marketing
Study Support for the combined form of study
Supervisor: Ing. Veronika Humlerová, Ph.D.
Faculty of Corporate Strategy
Department of Tourism and Marketing
Author: Ing. Veronika Humlerová, Ph.D.
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Contents
1 Summary.........................................................................................................................4
2 Preparation for lectures...................................................................................................8
2.1 Self-analysis and defining goals..............................................................................8
2.2 Self-coaching.........................................................................................................11
2.3 Personal business model concept 1.......................................................................14
2.4 Personal business model concept 2.......................................................................17
2.5 Personal business model concept 3.......................................................................20
2.6 Professional image building tools 1 ......................................................................23
2.7 Professional image building tools 2 ......................................................................26
2.8 Professional image building tools 3 ......................................................................29
2.9 Presentation in public and body language.............................................................32
2.10 Assertive techniques, defence against manipulation.............................................35
2.11 Coping with objections, feedback, constructive criticism ....................................38
2.12 Self-presentation ...................................................................................................41
2.13 Building personal and professional business contacts ..........................................44
3 Preparation for seminars...............................................................................................47
3.1 Self-analysis and defining goals, values and preferences .....................................47
3.2 Self-coaching and its active application................................................................50
3.3 Rules of the application of a personal business model .........................................52
3.4 Application of the personal business model elements ..........................................54
3.5 Creation of one’s personal business model...........................................................56
3.6 Professional image building tools 1 (body language)...........................................58
3.7 Professional image building tools 2 (dress code and personal business ethics) ...60
3.8 Professional image building tools 3 (professional communication, personal
brand) ...............................................................................................................................62
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3.9 Practical training of presentation in public ...........................................................64
3.10 Mastering assertive techniques and defence against manipulation.......................67
3.11 Coping with objections, feedback, constructive criticism ....................................71
3.12 Self-presentation and its practical training............................................................73
3.13 Building personal and professional business contacts ..........................................76
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1 Summary
Period Year 1, 2nd term / Year 2, 3rd term
Course Self-marketing
Language English
Supervisor Ing. Veronika Humlerová, PhD.
Supervisors
department
Faculty of Corporate Strategy
Department Department of Tourism and Marketing
Lecture tutor Ing. Veronika Humlerová, PhD.
Seminar tutor Ing. Veronika Humlerová, Ph.D.
Assessment
type
exam
Assessment
note
attendance at seminars 70 %
Extent and
intensity
2/2
Credits 5
The goal of the
course
The course continues where the course Professional Career
Management ended (term 1 of bachelor studies) and extends the
knowledge and skills already achieved. The goal is to provide the
students with the theoretical as well as practical bases for the
achievement of skills like the ability to present one’s potential and
differentiate from competitors whether as an employee, in the labour
market or within his/her own business.
Learning
outcomes
Self-marketing helps individuals improve their image and reputation,
develop their careers. Self-marketing is sometimes referred to as
personal branding as it uses brand tools for creation of the image of an
employee. It gives more opportunities how to communicate one’s
values, skills, experience and vision for potential employers or business
partners. The course also includes an explanation and creation of a
personal business model, which is based on the marketing principles.
After successful completion of the course a student:
29.1 purposefully uses tools of creation of his/her professional image,
29.2 builds his/her professional image and reputation for the
development of his/her career,
29.3 effectively communicates his/her values, skills, experience and
vision for employers or business partners,
29.4 applies business model tools to professional opportunities and
adapts them actively,
29.5 flexibly utilizes his/her business model, which is based on the
marketing principles,
29.6 applies assertive approach to solution of problematic situations
5
and making contacts,
29.7 clearly presents his/her ideas, attitudes and proposals,
29.8 uses and accepts constructive criticism and perceives it as a
feedback for the improvement of the professional image being
created,
29.9 is versed in problems being dealt with and is able to search
actively necessary information sources to extend the achieved
knowledge.
Syllabus of the
course
Lectures
1. Self-analysis and defining goals (29.3, 29.9)
2. Self-coaching (29.7)
3. Personal business model concept 1 (29.4)
4. Personal business model concept 2 (29.4, 29.5)
5. Personal business model concept 3 (29.4, 29.5)
6. Professional image building tools 1 (29.1, 29.2)
7. Professional image building tools 2 (29.1, 29.2)
8. Professional image building tools 3 (29.1, 29.2)
9. Presentation in public and body language (29.7)
10. Assertive techniques, defence against manipulation (29.6)
11. Coping with objections, feedback, constructive criticism (29.8)
12. Self-presentation (29.3, 29.7)
13. Building personal and professional business contacts (29.3)
Seminars
1. Self-analysis and defining goals, values and preferences (29.3)
2. Self-coaching and its active application (29.7)
3. Rules of the application of a personal business model (29.4)
4. Application of the personal business model elements (29.4, 29.5)
5. Creation of one’s personal business model (29.4, 29.5)
6. Professional image building tools 1 (body language) (29.1, 29.2)
7. Professional image building tools 2 (dress code and personal
business ethics) (29.1, 29.2)
8. Professional image building tools 3 (professional communication,
personal brand) (29.1, 29.2)
9. Practical training of presentation in public (29.7)
10. Mastering assertive techniques and defence against manipulation
(29.6)
11. Coping with objections, feedback, constructive criticism (29.8)
12. Self-presentation and its practical training (29.3, 29.7)
13. Building personal and professional business contacts (29.3)
Organizational
forms of
teaching
lecture, seminar
Complex
teaching
methods
frontal teaching
group teaching – cooperation
brainstorming
critical thinking
independent work – individual or individualized activity
teaching supported by multimedia technologies etc.
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Study load
Activity
Hours per term
Daily form
Combined
form
Preparation for the final test 26 26
Attendance at the final test 1 1
Preparation for lectures 0 0
Preparation for a seminar, exercise,
tutorial
38 61
Preparation of a seminar paper 19 19
Presentation of a seminar paper 20 7
Attendance at lectures 13 0
Attendance at a seminar, exercise,
tutorial, industrial visit
13 16
Total: 130 130
Assessment
Methods and
Assessment
Rate
final test 70 %
continuous assessment 30 % (seminar paper 15 % and activity at
seminars 15 %)
Exam
conditions
Daily and combined study form:
Handing-in the seminar paper and its presentation 0 - 15 points.
Continuous activity 0 - 15 points. Final test: 70 – 0 points. The overall
classification of the course, i.e. the points for the written test (70 - 0) +
the points for the continuous assessment (30 - 0 points): A 100 – 98, B
97.99 – 91, C 90.99 – 80, D 79.99 – 73, E 72.99 – 70, FX 69.99 – 30, F
29.99 - 0. NB: Active work on continuous task assigned by the teacher
during the term is compulsory.
Teacher's
information
The attendance in the lessons in all forms of study is dealt with by a
special internal standard (Registration of VŠTE students attendance).
70 % attendance at seminars and exercises is compulsory for daily
students.
Compulsory
literature
CLARK, T., A. OSTERWALDER and Y. PIGNEUR, 2013. Osobní
business model: jednoduchá metoda, jak vylepšit svůj život a
nastartovat kariéru. Brno: BizBooks. ISBN 978-80-265-0075-9.
Recommended
literature
ATKINSON, R. L., 2003. Psychologie. Prague: Portál. ISBN 80-7178-
640-3.
BLATNÝ, M., and A. PLHÁKOVÁ, 2003. Temperament, inteligence,
sebepojetí. Brno: Psychologický ústav Akademie věd ČR. ISBN 80-
86620-05-0.
BOHOŇKOVÁ, I., 2010. Sám sobě koučem: cesta k úspěchu v práci i
7
v životě. Olomouc: Poznání. ISBN 978-80-86606-94-1.
BRUNO, T. and G. ADAMCZYK, 2013. Řeč těla: jak rozumět
signálům řeči těla a cíleně je používat. Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-
247-4592-3.
DEMANN, S., 2016. Sebekoučink: 86 nástrojů pro osobnostní rozvoj.
Prague: Portál. ISBN 978-80-262-1086-3.
HELUS, Z., 2009. Osobnost a její vývoj. 2nd, rev. ed. Prague: Charles
University in Prague, Faculty of Education. ISBN 978-80-7290-396-2.
MEDLÍKOVÁ, O., 2010. Přesvědčivá prezentace: špičkové rady, tipy
a příklady. 2nd rev. ext. ed. Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-3455-2.
PURKISS, J. and D. ROYSTON-LEE, 2014. Vytvořte si vlastní
značku: proměňte své jedinečné nadání v úspěšný obchodní produkt.
Prague: Synergie. ISBN 978-80-7370-295-3.
VOŘÍŠEK, K. and J. VYSEKALOVÁ, 2015. Jak být přesvědčivý a
neztratit se v davu. Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-5385-0.
VÝROST, J. and I. SLAMĚNÍK, 2008. Sociální psychologie. 2nd rev.
ext. ed. Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-1428-8.
Websites ---
Publishing
activities
Course supervisor, lecturer and tutor (Ing. Veronika Humlerová, PhD.)
HUMLEROVÁ, V. and R. ŠVEC, 2017. Self-marketing a osobní
branding jako nutná dovednost absolventů vysokých škol. Mladá veda
(Young Science). 5(6), 45-51. ISSN 1339-3189.
HUMLEROVÁ, V. and P. MARTÍŠKOVÁ, 2017. Evaluace kariérních
kotev studentů bakalářského studia ekonomického zaměření. Mladá
veda. 5(6), 39-44. ISSN 1339-3189.
MARTÍŠKOVÁ, P., V. HUMLEROVÁ a A. ŠTENSOVÁ, 2017.
Nový způsob ochrany osobních údajů v podobě „GDPR“ očima
veřejnosti. Mladá veda. 5(6), 1-11. ISSN 1339-3189.
ŠVEC, R., V. HUMLEROVÁ and P. MARTÍŠKOVÁ, 2017.
Motivace pracovníků v cestovním ruchu. Mladá veda. 5(6), 84-96.
ISSN 1339-3189.
JÍRA, S. and V. HUMLEROVÁ, 2013. Time-management. České
Budějovice: Chance in Nature - Local Action Group. ISBN 978-80-
7394-408-7.
Topics of
diploma theses
New trends in personal career development
Self-marketing as a tool of career growth
Evaluation of self-marketing competence levels among tertiary students
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2 Preparation for lectures
2.1 Self-analysis and defining goals
Key words
Self, self-concept, selfhood theory, self-esteem
The goals of the chapter
The goal of this chapter is to acquaint readers with the self-theory (selfhood theory) to
learn them perceive self-concept and its four components, to be able communicate
effectively his/her values, skills, experience and vision for employers or business partners.
Learning outcomes
 29.3 effectively communicates his/her values, skills, experience and vision for
employers or business partners
 29.9 is versed in problems being dealt with and is able to search actively necessary
information sources to extend the achieved knowledge
Abstract
The term self is the basis of self-analysis. We find it in the personality psychology by Carl
Rogers (1902-1987). Carl Rogers believed that a human has an inborn tendency to the
movement towards growth, maturity and a positive change. Self, or also real self, consists
of all thoughts, perceptions and values that characterize “I” and includes the awareness of
“what I am” and “what I achieve”. This perceived self then influences how a human
perceives the world and his/her own behaviour.
Self-concept is a “set of perceptions and beliefs about oneself” (Blatný 2003, p. 92). It is
based on the selfhood theory. The term selfhood (from lat. ego, Engl. self or we) is used in
several meanings in modern psychology:
 it expresses the accent of feeling and behaviour, i.e. the fact that a human feels
some conditions and acts as if they were his/her own;
 it expresses the term of the individually integrated complex of mental life, a human
(the term personality);
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 it expresses deliberate self-esteem – I, as something specific compared to other
people.
Self-image expresses what we are able to do, what we look like, what other people think
about us, what we are really like. It enables us to understand the motives and reasons for
our behaviour. Self-feeling means how we see, perceive ourselves. Whether we like
ourselves, are fond of ourselves or whether we feel shame of ourselves, we despise
ourselves, or hate ourselves. Self-esteem is how we evaluate ourselves, we compare present
performance and traits with the past or with the performance of other people. By selfactualization
we strive for our development, improvement, self-improvement, we try to
achieve what we want to be.
Self-concept analysis is often difficult as the way we see ourselves and others is very much
subjective. Structured methods are used for analyses (e.g. a questionnaires or scales). There
is however an advantage that a respondent sometimes does not relate the replies to
him/herself. This is why unstructured methods based on free answers, where a respondent
for example answers the question “Who am I?” are also used in the practice. The answer to
this question then can be decoded into categories:
 social attributes (name, gender, age, role, status)
 personal attributes (interests, relations to other people, property references,
appearance),
 opinion about oneself (opinion about oneself, method of regulation of own
behaviour, moral values),
 feeling of personal autonomy, global assessment.
Literature
Recommended literature
ATKINSON, R. L., 2003. Psychologie. Prague: Portál. ISBN 80-7178-640-3. (pp. 454-
479)
BLATNÝ, M. and A. PLHÁKOVÁ, 2003. Temperament, inteligence, sebepojetí. Brno:
Psychologický ústav Akademie věd ČR. ISBN 80-86620-05-0. (pp. 87-141)
HELUS, Z., 2009. Osobnost a její vývoj. 2nd rev. ed. Prague: Charles University in Prague,
Faculty of Education. ISBN 978-80-7290-396-2. (pp. 29-31)
VÝROST, J. and I. SLAMĚNÍK, 2008. Sociální psychologie. 2nd rev. ext. ed. Prague:
Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-1428-8. (pp. 89-107)
10
Control questions
1. What does the term self mean?
2. What psychology personality is linked to self?
3. How we define self-concept?
4. What theory is self-concept based on?
5. What does the term selfhood mean, in what sense is it used?
6. What are the basic components of self-concept?
7. What does self-awareness mean?
8. What does we struggle for by self-actualization?
9. What methods are used for the analysis of self-concept?
10. What are the disadvantages of structured methods of self-concept evaluation?
Link to the practical part
3.1 Self-analysis and defining goals, values and preferences
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2.2 Self-coaching
Key words
Coaching, self-coaching, personal and professional development
The goals of the chapter
The goal of the chapter is to acquaint a reader with the concept of self-coaching, its starting
points, spheres of use, to explain to him how self-coaching is carried out, how it can be
used for personal or professional development.
Learning outcomes
 29.7 clearly presents his/her ideas, attitudes and proposals
Abstract
Self-coaching represents a current trend in the development of people also in the
managerial practice. It is based on scientific knowledge in psychology, neuropsychology,
human brain functioning, theory of systems and communication theory. It is supported by
philosophic foundations – e.g. by the systemic approach or constructivism.
Self-coaching can be defined as a process that controls our growth and development,
particularly in a period of changes, both in professional and personal spheres. It is a
practical and efficient method that enables us to cope with tasks that are new for us,
strenuous and difficult.
Self-coaching is most often used in the following situations: self-seeking, strengthening of
self-confidence, personality development, motivation problems, fear of a decision, a feeling
of hopelessness, breakthrough situations, frustration and dissatisfaction, gate-shut panic,
midlife crisis, burnout prevention, orientation before new life periods, position
strengthening, success and failure.
Self-coaching helps develop spheres that a human can personally influence by means of
tools. As the term prompts, self-coaching is a self-management activity, i.e. we are our own
coaches. Self-coaching always starts in a look at ourselves, i.e. how a human perceives
him/herself, whether he/she is open to changes, shifts, further learning etc. This attitude is
12
very important and it is the basis of each self-coaching. It has a strong influence on the
effectiveness and contains the ability to use self-coaching tools effectively.
The self-coaching process consists of four subsequent steps:
1. To find out what I am like, what is typical for me, what is important for me, in what
way I have been solving problems so far, how I was brought up, what potential I
have.
2. To answer question regarding my existing behaviour – what decisions I have made
so far, what decisions will follow, how I have decided so far, whether I have ever
regretted my decisions etc.
3. To set a goal, to draft a plan, to get rid of doubts.
4. To maintain motivation, to be able to award myself, to learn to rest, to enrich my
experience.
As mentioned in the last step, self-coaching also includes the process of self-reflection. It is
necessary to have some distance from one’s life, to be able to assess one’s previous
behaviour, to learn from one’s mistakes and to exploit the achieved experience for the
future behaviour. Self-coaching helps us change our routine patterns of behaviour and
thinking, to be effective in the achievement of our goals.
Literature
Recommended literature
BOHOŇKOVÁ, I., 2010. Sám sobě koučem: cesta k úspěchu v práci i v životě. Olomouc:
Poznání. ISBN 978-80-86606-94-1. (pp. 9-99)
DEMANN, S., 2016. Sebekoučink: 86 nástrojů pro osobnostní rozvoj. Prague: Portál.
ISBN 978-80-262-1086-3. (pp. 9-58)
Control questions
1. What is self-coaching?
2. What sciences form the basis of self-coaching?
3. What philosophic foundations support self-coaching?
4. What does self-coaching deal with?
5. In what spheres of activity do we most often use self-coaching?
6. What attitude should an individual take to make the self-coaching process effective?
7. In how many steps does self-coaching run?
13
8. What is the first step of self-coaching based on?
9. How is reflection included in self-coaching?
10. What does self-coaching help us in?
Link to the practical part
3.2 Self-coaching and its active application
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2.3 Personal business model concept 1
Key words
Work-life balance, business model, personal business model, key elements of a business
model.
The goals of the chapter
The goal of this chapter is to explain to students the concept of a personal business model,
in what way could a personal business model help him/her in his/her development or a
change of the career and how to communicate values, skills and experience through it.
Learning outcomes
 29.4 applies business model tools to professional opportunities and adapts them
actively
Abstract
According to a research carried out by Grafton Recruitment personnel agency the desire to
change a job is strongest in the last 5 years among the Czechs. The key reasons are a desire
for higher salary, career shift and also the need for a change. The Czechs choose new jobs
with regard to the distance from their homes, type of contract and also on the basis of the
offered employee benefits.
Another research moreover mentions another reason why people want to change jobs – the
way of the perception of the so-called work-life balance is changing. More than material
benefits people in both the countries of the former federation appreciate the possibility to
influence their free time and to find the balance between the professional and private lives.
Nevertheless, not many employees change their jobs as they miss the way how to direct the
thinking of the career so that it reflects the present work environment and meets our
personal needs. This can be supported by a business model – a framework, which serves
for the description and analysis of a career and helps find the way to a change. The term
business model is not new. In the simplest from it is the logic, on the base of which an
organization ensures financial survival.
15
Personal business model is a framework that enables us describe and analyse the career of
each individual. It examines how he/she utilizes the strengths and talents to personal and
professional growth. Business model can be perceived as a plan that describes how an
organization works. Each business model should contain 9 key elements:
 customers - the organization serves customers,
 given value – the organization helps customers solve problems or satisfy their
needs,
 channels – organizations communicate and transfer value through various channels.
 relations to customers – organizations establish and maintain various types of
relations with customers,
 incomes – organizations gain money if customers pay for the value provided,
 key resources – represent the funds necessary for the creation of the previous
elements, or for their supply to customers,
 key activities – organizations have to carry out certain tasks and actions necessary
for the creation and supply of the previous elements,
 key partners – some activities are outsourced and some resources are from the
outside of the organization,
 costs – represent the expenses spent on the acquisition of the key sources, carrying
out the key activities and cooperation with the key partners.
These nine construction elements together constitute a tool – business model canvas, which
is dealt with by the next chapter.
Literature
Compulsory literature
CLARK, T., A. OSTERWALDER and Y. PIGNEUR, 2013. Osobní business model:
jednoduchá metoda, jak vylepšit svůj život a nastartovat kariéru. Brno: BizBooks. ISBN
978-80-265-0075-9. (pp. 24-31)
Sources used for the elaboration of examples from the practice
Téměř polovina českých zaměstnanců uvažuje o změně práce, požaduje vyšší mzdu i více
benefitů, 2017. In: Aktuálně.cz [online]. [cit. 2017-11-30]. Available at:
https://zpravy.aktualne.cz/ekonomika/temer-polovina-ceskych-zamestnancu-uvazuje-o-
zmene-prace-poz/r~f3175daab7ec11e7a9d00025900fea04/?redirected=1512030767
16
Třetina Čechů plánuje změnu zaměstnání. Průzkum vysvětluje proč, 2017.
In: IDNES.cz [online]. [cit. 2017-11-30]. Available at: https://finance.idnes.cz/prace-
zamestnani-vypoved-srovnani-cesi-a-slovaci-fb7-
/podnikani.aspx?c=A170201_104955_penze_sov
Control questions
1. How is the labour market developing in the Czech Republic?
2. What reasons lead citizens of the Czech Republic to a change of a job?
3. What does the work-life balance concept mean?
4. What is business model?
5. What is the difference between a business model and a personal business model?
6. How many key elements should each business model contain?
7. What are the business model element names?
8. What does the key element referred to as given value mean?
9. What does the term key activities in a business model mean?
10. What do the key elements of a business model constitute?
Link to the practical part
3.3 Rules of the application of a personal business model
17
2.4 Personal business model concept 2
Key words
Personal business model, business model construction elements, customers, resources
The goals of the chapter
The goal of the chapter is to acquaint a reader with the structure of a personal business
model, to explain him/her the individual elements – construction blocks so that he/she is
able to apply them independently.
Learning outcomes
 29.4 applies business model tools to professional opportunities and adapts them
actively
 29.5 flexibly utilizes his/her business model, which is based on the marketing
principles
Abstract
No organization can do without customers. They are the sense of the existence of
organizations. This is why an organization has to reflect their needs and keep in mind the
following: different customers have different requirements, some customers pay some
might not, an organization has higher income from a certain group.
Given value represents advantages for a customer. Given value is one of the main reasons
in the decision about the choice of a particular company. The most frequent examples of
given value are: comfort, price, design, brand or status, cost saving, risk reduction.
Companies communicate with clients by means of channels. Thanks to them they create
awareness of services and products, help potential customers to valuate products, they
enable them to buy and thanks to the support they ensure satisfaction after a purchase.
Typical channels are among others: personal or telephonic channels, at a customer or in a
shop, physical delivery, the Internet and traditional media.
It is very important for a company to define the type of relations that their customers
prefer. Whether they like shopping personally of through an automated or self-service
interface. Whether they carry out just one transaction or are regular customers. It is also
18
useful to think about the initial purpose of the customer care – whether to gain new
customers, to maintain existing customers of to gain higher incomes from existing
customers.
Each organization has to find out what value are customers really willing to pay for, and to
accept the payment methods that customers prefer. Incomes may be either individual or
repeated, e.g. a full sale, leasing or rent, a fee for services or use, subscription, licensing or
a fee for mediators.
Four key resources are important for an organization: human, physical, intellectual and
financial.
Key activities represent the most important activities that an organization has to carry out
to operate. They are production, sale and support.
Key partners are companies that perform certain activities1
for the organization, activities
that would require expensive equipment or a special expertise for the organization.
Acquisition of key resources, carrying out key activities and work with key partners
requires costs. Costs can be calculated if we define the key resources, activities and
partners.
Literature
Compulsory literature
CLARK, T., A. OSTERWALDER and Y. PIGNEUR, 2013. Osobní business model:
jednoduchá metoda, jak vylepšit svůj život a nastartovat kariéru. Brno: BizBooks. ISBN
978-80-265-0075-9. (pp. 33-43)
Control questions
1. Why is customer care important for companies?
2. What does given value mean and for whom is it important?
3. By means of what channels is communication with a customer carried out?
4. How can we classify relations with customers?
5. Name examples of incomes of an organization (payments from customers).
6. What key resources are important for an organization?
7. What are physical resources of an organization? Give examples.
8. What most important activities does an organization have to perform?
1
This activity is also referred to as outsourcing
19
9. How can you explain the term outsourcing?
10. How can we calculate the costs of an organization?
Link to the practical part
3.4 Application of the personal business model elements
20
2.5 Personal business model concept 3
Key words
Personal business model, personal business model canvas, construction blocks of a
business model.
The goals of the chapter
The goal of this chapter is to teach students to draw up a personal business model for
individual professional opportunities and to adapt it actively to the current situation in the
professional field.
Learning outcomes
 29.4 applies business model tools to professional opportunities and adapts them
actively
 29.5 flexibly utilizes his/her business model, which is based on the marketing
principles
Abstract
Personal business model canvas. Personal business model looks and works similarly like
a business model of an organization. But the key resource is a human, his/her interests,
skills, competences, personality, the assets he/she owns or controls. Hardly quantifiable
“soft” costs (such a stress) and “soft” benefits (such a satisfaction) are most important for a
personal business model. In the preparation of a business model we must focus on the
professional activity only – the work by which a human makes money. If a human creates a
clear and exact image of his/her professional activities, he/she gains the basis for being able
to concentrate on the “soft” element of his/her career, like e.g. satisfaction, stress,
recognition, time demands etc. A personal business model is drawn in a table, see chapter
3.5.
Key resources represent an individual, who he/she is and what he/she has. This box of the
table contains a list of the biggest interests; specific competences, skills, material assets
that a human has are written there.
Key activities are what we regularly perform at work – physical and/or mental activities.
21
Customers are those we assist. This box contains the names of all those who depend on
our assistance in their work (customers, our boss, colleagues etc.)
Given value means what we provide to customers or how we help other people cope with
their work.
Channels actually represent a marketing process. Channels are defined on the basis of our
answers to several questions – How will customers learn about us? How will they decide
whether to buy our services? How will they buy them? How will we find out that they are
satisfied with our services? etc.
Relations to customers represent a description of how we behave to customers, how we
communicate with them, whether we provide personal services or communicate via e-mail
or other form of personal communication, whether the relations are short- or long-term etc.
Kea partners are those who support us in our profession and help us perform our work
successfully.
Incomes and benefits are resources of income, e.g. a salary, fees for professional services,
share options, royalties and other cash payments. This also includes benefits such as health
insurance, pension insurance and professional courses. This also includes the so-called
“soft” benefits like higher satisfaction, recognition or a contribution to the society.
Cost are everything we input into our work (time, energy, money)
Literature
Compulsory literature
CLARK, T., A. OSTERWALDER and Y. PIGNEUR, 2013. Osobní business model:
jednoduchá metoda, jak vylepšit svůj život a nastartovat kariéru. Brno: BizBooks. ISBN
978-80-265-0075-9. (pp. 46-72)
Control questions
1. What is personal business model canvas?
2. What do we write in the personal business model canvas?
3. What form the “soft” elements of a career?
4. What do key element represent for a human?
5. What persons do we include among customers?
6. What do we call all we give our customers or how we help other people cope with
their work?
22
7. How do we define channels in a personal business model?
8. Who are key partners?
9. What do we include in the incomes and benefits of our work?
10. What forms the costs of the work of an individual?
Link to the practical part
3.5 Creation of one’s personal business model
23
2.6 Professional image building tools 1
Key words
Body language, non-verbal communication, mime, proxemic.
The goals of the chapter
The goal of this chapter is to teach students understand the importance of non-verbal
communication, to explain them how body language works and what influence it has on the
professional image.
Learning outcomes
 29.1 purposefully uses tools of creation of his/her professional image
 29.2 builds his/her professional image and reputation for the development of his/her
career
Abstract
Non-verbal communication is a complex of communications without words that are
intentionally or unintentionally sent by a human to another person or people. It is the oldest
form of communication in the human development. Its encoding is difficult as unlike
verbal communication it has no exactly defined system of communication standards.
Body language is our first and sincere address. It often expresses emotions and inner
attitudes of a human. As soon as we learn to speak we intentionally do not assign
importance to it. Non-verbal communication has however much higher importance than
verbal and can reveal a lot about us. Body language displays have strong influence in
human contacts. If we learn to perceive and understand body language we will be able to
understand people and various situation better.
Body language signals are among others: body posture, the way of walking, mime,
gestures, voice and intonation, status, territories, body types.
Body posture, the way of walking express individual’s inner attitude. We can recognize
his/her emotions. We do not only perceive the body posture but also the complex of mime,
gestures and voice. Like from the body posture, we can recognize the emotional status from
the length and dynamics of steps.
24
Mime is conveyance of information by means of facial expression. Whenever we meet
other people we perceive what is happening in their faces. We perceive the eye expression,
movement of the mouth and lips. This is why we should always realize the transparency of
our mime as our face reveals a lot about us.
Gestics studies learned movement displays, symbols and characters. Gestures that
accompany or even substitute speech reflect the emotions of a communicator (joy,
displeasure, disagreement etc.). Gestures that do not comply with what we are saying
reveal our real emotions and it can make a listener uncertain or annoyed and reduce his/her
attention.
Voice and intonation belong to paralinguistic communication features. Speech melody
and accent are decisive for the interpretation of what we are saying. Intonation and the way
of expression suggest the cultural and social origin of an individual.
Territories or also proxemics (space location) represent the distance between
communicating persons and the information resulting from it. We distinguish four
communication zones: an intimate zone, a personal zone, a social zone and a public zone.
Body types. People do never exactly correspond with a particular typology by their
behaviour, but we can determine some characteristic traits that enable us to include a
partner to a certain body type. Such a typology is useful if we do not have enough
information about our counterpart. We can usually distinguish the following types:
dominant type, punctual type, enterprising type, contact type and shy type.
Literature
Recommended literature
BRUNO, T. and G. ADAMCZYK, 2013. Řeč těla: jak rozumět signálům řeči těla a cíleně
je používat. Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-4592-3. (pp. 23-58)
Control questions
1. What is non-verbal communication?
2. Why should we pay attention to the body language?
3. What do we include among body language signals?
4. According to what non-verbal features can we distinguish the emotional status of a
human?
5. How is conveyance of information by means of facial expressions called?
25
6. What is gestics?
7. What are paralinguistic traits of speech?
8. What forms the status of a human?
9. What does the term proxemics mean?
10. What body types do we distinguish?
Link to the practical part
3.6 Professional image building tools 1 (body language)
26
2.7 Professional image building tools 2
Key words
Dress code, outfit, dressing, etiquette, image
The goals of the chapter
The goal of this chapter is to teach students to use purposefully tools for creation of their
professional image and reputation for the development of their career, to teach them to
distinguish various types of dress codes according to the importance of social events.
Learning outcomes
 29.1 purposefully uses tools of creation of his/her professional image
 29.2 builds his/her professional image and reputation for the development of his/her
career
Abstract
Well selected and adequate personal style is the basis of our overall image. Dress code
belongs to etiquette, i.e. the set of social conventions and behaviour norms. It is a code of
clothing that defines how to dress for a particular more or less formal event. The following
international terms are most usual:
Black tie means a formal event and therefore also formal clothing. A man should wear a
tuxedo and a black bow tie and a woman a dress. Although black colour is in the name, it is
not necessary for a woman. The variant creative black tie means that although an event is
formal new trends in evening clothing can be applied.
White tie is a term for a highly formal, socially important event, where men should wear a
tailcoat with a waistcoat, a white bow tie and patent leather shoes. A woman should wear a
full-length dress.
Formal (sometimes also ultra-formal) means nearly the same as black tie, but it allows
for higher freedom. A man can wear a dinner jacket with just a shirt, and women can wear
a cocktail dress or an evening skirt suit instead of a long dress.
The term semi-formal is not much specific and is relatively confusing. In this case it is
good to comply with the time of the day when the event takes place. During the day a wrap
27
front dress, a formal suit, elegant business style is a good choice, a man can wear a leisure,
walking suit with a tie. After six pm a man should be wearing a black suit and a woman a
cocktail dress.
The term cocktail clearly says what a woman should wear. A cocktail dress is
accompanied with high-heeled court shoes and a small handbag.
Casual dress does not mean full freedom in clothing. Casual means that you feel
comfortably in your clothing, however you still maintain a certain level of professionality.
You should look smart but not too dressy. It depends on the time again and on the level of
formality of the event.
Some situations require adherence to specific dressing rules. Religious institutions might
for example insist on dressing rules that have to be adhered to in particular areas or at
particular social events. Some schools order wearing school uniforms, mainly in Asia,
America or Great Britain.
What we look like and what we are wearing influences the first impression up to 50 %
according to experts, 40 % is the way we talk (the depth of our voice, intonation, speed of
speech etc.) and remaining 10 % is what we say, i.e. the content of our speech. Our
approach to dressing is also influenced by the environment in which we live.
Literature
Recommended literature
VOŘÍŠEK, K. and J. VYSEKALOVÁ, 2015. Jak být přesvědčivý a neztratit se v davu.
Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-5385-0. (pp. 100-107)
Control questions
1. What is dress code?
2. What does black tie dress code mean?
3. What does white tie dress code mean?
4. What does formal dress code mean?
5. What does semi-formal dress code mean?
6. What does cocktail dress code mean?
7. What does casual dress code mean?
8. How does the fact what we are wearing influences the first impression?
9. What factors influence the style of dressing?
28
10. What institution require adherence to specific rules in dressing?
Link to the practical part
3.7 Professional image building tools 2 (dress code and personal business ethics)
29
2.8 Professional image building tools 3
Key words
Personal brand, professional image, archetypes, formal appearance.
The goals of the chapter
The goal of this chapter is to teach students to build their professional image and reputation
for career development by means of tools for creation of a professional image and help
them create their personal brands.
Learning outcomes
 29.1 purposefully uses tools of creation of his/her professional image
 29.2 builds his/her professional image and reputation for the development of his/her
career
Abstract
People tend to believe what they see more than what they hear. A visual impression
therefore overrides the voice impression in most cases. Appearance is a key element of our
identity. It is worth to be fostered and to invest therein. Some people are so much
distinctive that we remember them at first sight (for examples Albert Einstein’s moustache
and lively appearance, the hairstyle, characteristic clothing and a heat of Queen Elisabeth
II, Marilyn Monroe’s blond hair dark eyebrows and puckered lips). If we want to be
visually rememberable, we must develop and accentuate our appearance.
An archetype helps us give a clear message of how we do things. The word archetype
comes from Greek and means pre-form. Archetypes can be helpful in creation of a personal
brand. Creation of a strong personal brand means that we will present our intention to the
environs. Archetypes can help us express our intention in a language that everybody
understands. We recognize the following archetypes: the caregiver (helps and protects
against an injury), the creator (creates and innovates), the explorer (researches and
explores), the hero (fights courageously for putting things in order), the innocent (seeks
clarity, good and happiness), the jester (lives it up, but can mediate important information),
the lover (finds and gives love and sensual pleasure), the magician (transforms situations),
30
the regular boy/girl (is OK as he/she is, joins with others), the ruler (rules, introduces order
to chaos), the rebel (opposes, breaks the rules), the sage (helps people understand the
world).
It is recommendable to concentrate on maximum two archetypes in the life of work. If we
evoke one or two archetypes we will create a stronger brand. Whether intentionally or not,
people want to know what we are. They also appreciate consistency and adherence to
principles, they know what they can expect from us and feel safe with us.
When we are choosing clothes, it is good to consider which archetype we want to evoke
within the organization. If we want to create the creator, we should be dressed originally
and add for example an unusual hairstyle. If we want to change the conditions in the
company we should evoke the rebel and to refuse to submit to dressing conventions as
well. Even though ties are nearly no more worn, they appear again where people want to
ask for money of look for a job. The reason is, that if we seek money, the formal
appearance helps us evoke the ruler. Investors or those who we want to lend us will rather
tend to believe us that their money will be under control and safe.
A so-called cyclic aspect exists in men’s clothes – according to American designer and
author Alan Flusser men got used to wear ties in the period of economic instability. The
sales of ties usually start to grow when finances are worsening. The reason is that if we
want to hold out position, it is necessary to evoke the ruler.
Literature
Recommended literature
PURKISS, J. and D. ROYSTON-LEE, 2014. Vytvořte si vlastní značku: proměňte své
jedinečné nadání v úspěšný obchodní produkt. Prague: Synergie. ISBN 978-80-7370-295-
3. (pp. 113-142, pp. 185-190)
Control questions
1. What role does appearance play in communication?
2. What is archetype?
3. What archetypes do you know?
4. Describe briefly the archetype of the caregiver.
5. Describe briefly the archetype of the ruler
6. Describe briefly the archetype of the jester
31
7. Describe briefly the archetype of the regular boy/girl
8. Describe briefly the archetype of the sage
9. To how many archetypes should you concentrate in the life of work and why?
10. What is cyclic aspect in men’s clothes?
Link to the practical part
3.8 Professional image building tools 3 (professional communication, personal brand)
32
2.9 Presentation in public and body language
Key words
Presentation in public, Lasswell’s communication model, visual aspect, spoken language,
jitters
The goals of the chapter
The goal of the chapter is to teach students to prepare a successful presentation from the
content and formal point of view, to explain them the features of a self-assured spoken
presentation and to show them how to calm jitters.
Learning outcomes
 29.7 clearly presents his/her ideas, attitudes and proposals
Abstract
According to some researches people have stronger fear of a public presentation than for
example of diseases, financial problems or for example insects and beetles. The following
rules of successful presentation have to be adhered to:
1. To set clearly the goal of our presentation.
2. To set the goal of the listeners, i.e. what they want to hear.
3. To set three key notifications.
4. To draft the structure or a plan of the presentation.
5. To prepare the form and visual aids.
6. To prepare an attractive introduction.
7. To prepare an unforgettable conclusion.
Lasswell’s communication model serves for the thinking of the whole presentation
concept:
 who conveys the information? – the communicator,
 what is being conveyed? – the communique (the content of the communication)
 how is the conveyance carried out? – the communication channel
 to whom the communication is intended? – the communicant, receiver,
 with what effect? – the efficiency of the information conveyance.
33
The effort to attract is a battle for attention. According to rule 55, 38, 7, by dr. Mehrabian
from Los Angeles University College each communication that we interpret consists of:
55 % of visual elements (what we can see), 38 % of vocal elements (what we hear), 7 % of
the verbal component (what we say, i.e. the content of our words). It means that 93 % of
the non-verbal character of our communication decides whether we persuade our listeners,
whether they accept our communication. This is why we should remember that when we
speak we must think that there must be something to watch and something to listen to in
our communication. We should not only concentrate on what we look like, but also what
the visual aspect of our communication is like. We should not overload listeners with too
much text. Each slide should not contain more than 40 words and only one main idea, no
more than seven lines of text and no more than seven words on a line. The rules of
formatting have also to be adhered to – fonts, colours and colour schemes, typography and
text in paragraphs, to avoid too many bullets, animations and pictures. A self-confident
(stylish) presentation has the following traits: eye contact, self-confident presentation,
controlled gestures, the “red thread”, convincing arguments, tension and points, work with
the voice/pauses, pace/rhythm and spontaneity. Many people however suffer from jitters so
self-confident presentation is not an easy thing for them. Jitters are a natural physiological
reaction of the organism. Careful preparation reduces anxieties and ensures 50 % of
success.
Literature
Recommended literature
MEDLÍKOVÁ, O., 2010. Přesvědčivá prezentace: špičkové rady, tipy a příklady. 2nd rev.
ext. ed. Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-3455-2. (pp. 11-23, pp. 89-98)
VOŘÍŠEK, K. and J. VYSEKALOVÁ, 2015. Jak být přesvědčivý a neztratit se v davu.
Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-5385-0. (pp. 140-149, pp. 160-181)
Control questions
1. What are the rules of a successful presentation?
2. What is Lasswell’s model, what does it serve for and what should it contain?
3. How many per cent do the individual component of a communication represent?
4. What are the requirements for the content of a slide?
5. What are the requirements for the visual aspect of a slide
34
6. What are the rules of presentation formatting?
7. Describe the features of a self-confident presentation.
8. What are jitters?
9. How do jitters show themselves in a presenting person?
10. What are the techniques for the reduction of jitters?
Link to the practical part
3.9 Practical training of presentation in public
35
2.10 Assertive techniques, defence against manipulation
Key words
Assertiveness, manipulation, aggressiveness, self-assertion
The goals of the chapter
The goal of this chapter is to teach students the ability to assert themselves, how to solve
problematic situations, how to establish relations and to defend against manipulation.
Learning outcomes
 29.6 applies assertive approach to solution of problematic situations and making
contacts
Abstract
The term assertiveness comes from Latin assere, i.e. to assume something, to enforce
something. Assertiveness is the way of acting and behaviour by which we are able to get
our way, to defend our opinion strongly, but not to the detriment of anybody else or of
ourselves. The term aggression or aggressiveness and manipulation are related to the term
assertiveness. Aggressiveness is a tendency to aggressive behaviour to others.
Manipulation is unfair, dishonest behaviour. We face manipulation daily, whether in the
role of a manipulator or a victim. Manipulation relates to the type of personality.
American psychologist Everett L. Shostrom defined nine styles of manipulator personality:
The Dictator – refers to authority and tradition, often uses quotations. He/she is often an
authoritative boss or a father of a family. The Weakling highlights his/her handicaps,
stresses his/her inferiority complex. Hides unwillingness under inability. The Calculator –
complies with what is most advantageous for him/her at a moment, usually does not
manifest his/her ambitions and fulfils the easiest tasks only. The Clinging Wine – pretends
dependence on the others, likes to parasite on them to a high extent. Individuals of this type
often suffer from hypochondria and highlight adversity. The Bully – manipulates by means
of rudeness, is persuaded on his/her truth, does not admit a compromise or even a
discussion, in marginal situations he/she uses offensive language and threats. The Nice
Guy – this type is best characterized by the statement “The kindest people are worst”
36
He/she is relatively often present in a family, mostly in the person of the mother. The
Judge – constant criticism is the basic form of manipulation. He/she elicits the feeling of
guilt in his/her environs, however he/she overlooks his/her own mistakes. This is
particularly typical for the male gender. The Protector – constantly cares about others,
often against their will. He/she lives in the persuasion that he/she knows best what is good
for the others. This is particularly typical for authoritative parents. The Mafioso –
manipulates by power like a bully, but at the same time he/she offers some protection. This
manipulation type is often used in politics.
An assertive person is able to say no to such a manipulator, he/she is able to pronounce
his/her thoughts, to persuade others, but also to respect others and their standpoints. He/she
is able to defend against aggressive attacks but remains him/herself. An assertive person
uses the following ten rules of self-assertion: 1. I have the right to judge my own
behaviour, thoughts and feelings and to be responsible for them and their consequences. 2.
I have the right not to provide any explanations or justification of my behaviour. 3. I have
the right to assess whether and to what extent I am responsible for the problems of other
people. 4. I have the right to change my opinion. 5. I have the right to make mistakes and
be responsible for them. 6. I have the right to say “I don’t know”. 7. I have the right to be
independent on the good will of others. 8. I have the right to make illogical decisions. 9. I
have the right to say “I don’t understand you”. 10 I have the right not to be perfect, I have
the right to say “It’s not my business.” Our inborn politeness to reject anything, to say clear
and definite no, is usually the basis of all our troubles. To learn to say “no” is the basis of
assertiveness.
Literature
Recommended literature
VOŘÍŠEK, K. and J. VYSEKALOVÁ, 2015. Jak být přesvědčivý a neztratit se v davu.
Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-5385-0. (pp. 150-162, pp. 160-181)
Control questions
1. Define the term assertiveness.
2. Define the term aggressiveness.
3. Define the term manipulation.
4. Name the nine styles of manipulator personality.
37
5. Describe the manipulators style called the dictator.
6. Describe the manipulators style called the calculator.
7. Describe the manipulators style called the nice guy.
8. Describe the manipulators style called the protector.
9. Describe the manipulators style called the mafioso.
10. Explain the ten rules of self-assertion.
Link to the practical part
3.10 Mastering assertive techniques and defence against manipulation
38
2.11 Coping with objections, feedback, constructive criticism
Key words
Objections, feedback, active listening constructive criticism
The goals of the chapter
The goal of this chapter is to teach students how to present clearly their ideas, attitudes and
proposals, how to cope with objections, how to listen actively to the audience and how to
be able to accept constructive criticism.
Learning outcomes
 29.8 uses and accepts constructive criticism and perceives it as a feedback for the
improvement of the professional image being created
Abstract
Coping with objections belongs to the skills of a good speaker. A well proven way how to
respond if an objection occurs exists:
1. To accept an objection, to repeat it as the case may be, to write it or to clarify it if
its presentation was not clear.
2. To ask the objecting person a question (e.g. if that is all or if he/she is going to add
anything) or to ask the audience (if anybody has any comments to the objection).
3. To answer as possible (e.g. if the objection opens a wide space for discussion, to be
brief and to refer to materials or to say that you will deal with the problem in detail
later).
4. To visualize (write, draw) the objection and the answer if it is effective for further
discussion (e.g. to write data on a flipchart, to prepare a comparison in the pros X
cons form, public calculation before the listeners …).
5. To ask the audience whether they are satisfied with the answer or as the case may
be, with the inclusion of the objection, and if they are not, to ask what they propose
(e.g. a debate in a closer group of specialists, more detailed study material, a solver
workshop to the topic etc.).
39
If a presenter has a problem with the dealing with an objective he/she can use the following
recommendations:
 If I do not understand the problem I should not answer.
 A wrong answer is worse than no answer.
 Some questions are better not to answer. The formulation “if” is better than
“which”.
 A counterproposal is better than direct disagreement.
 “No” is a response, not an attitude so it may be usually changed.
 If you are in emergency, turn to a comparison, a story – do not let yourself drive
by impatience to an impetuous answer. The one who asks is the winner.
Persuasive behaviour in public, perfect rhetoric, as a means of our personal image,
influence on others, is particularly based on our ability to listen. Listening to what others
tell us is a real art. If we learn to listen, we will be able to read in human souls. By
listening, empathising with others, with their mime, attitude, words, expression voice we
get to know others. Listening also supports our personality, image, the impression we
make. We become interesting for others to certain extent as we listen to them, are
interested in them.
The ability to express criticism belongs to the basic skills of each manager. There are five
rules to adhere to: 1. Let the criticized realize their mistake. 2. Learn to convey criticism. 3.
Ask first. 4. Be discrete. 5. Do not use the word but.
Literature
Recommended literature
MEDLÍKOVÁ, O., 2010. Přesvědčivá prezentace: špičkové rady, tipy a příklady. 2nd, rev
ext. ed. Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-3455-2. (pp. 11-23, pp. 89-98)
VOŘÍŠEK, K. and J. VYSEKALOVÁ, 2015. Jak být přesvědčivý a neztratit se v davu.
Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-5385-0. (pp. 134-150)
Control questions
1. How to respond to objections?
2. What recommendations can be used in a response to an objection?
3. What does visualization of an objective mean?
4. What is active listening?
40
5. How does listening relate to image and influence?
6. What does the word empathy mean?
7. What does the statement “If we learn to listen, we will be able to read in human
souls.” mean?
8. How to present to make the audience listen actively and keep till the end?
9. What is the “willow” effect and how is it related to active listening?
10. How can constructive criticism be expressed?
Link to the practical part
3.11 Coping with objections, feedback, constructive criticism
41
2.12 Self-presentation
Key words
Self- presentation, personal brand, communication, image
The goals of the chapter
The goal of the chapter is to teach students how to communicate effectively their values,
skills, experience and vision for potential employers or business partners through a
personal brand, how to present their ideas, attitudes, proposals clearly and how to build
their image.
Learning outcomes
 29.3 effectively communicates his/her values, skills, experience and vision for
employers or business partners
 29.7 clearly presents his/her ideas, attitudes and proposals
Abstract
We play a high number of roles during our lives. We are able to cope with some of them
naturally, others require our ability to choose and some endeavour. We feel comfortable in
some of them, we would better do without others. Image is a kind of idea about an
individual, which forms on the basis of what we have heard of him/her and also during
communication with him/her. Image should correspond with our personality, come directly
from us, from our personal qualities. We should learn to work with what we are able to do
and develop it.
As social psychologists say, people form an idea of us in approximately 30 seconds. This
time is sufficient for them to evaluate us in terms of traits and abilities, social position,
education, qualification, credibility etc. 30 seconds is a too short period for us to be able to
show to the others that we are moral, credible, honest, inspirational, that we have talent or
some extraordinary capabilities.
The content of our image is appearance, reputation, body language, presentation, behaviour
and communication. Five basis traits necessary for us to make a professional impression
exist:
42
Competence. This includes all our capabilities, skills, experience, qualification and what
we can do. We should concentrate on what we do well, in what we are excellent and what
our strongest point is.
Self-confidence is psychologically conditioned by the positive state of mind, that we are
well prepared, have enough information. The term self-consciousness sometime belongs
here. This means how we esteem ourselves, how we believe ourselves in various life
situations.
Credibility. This is the ability to look like someone who is able to perform given work and
particularly to elicit this impression in others.
Consistency. If we want our image to be efficient, it must be created consistently, i.e.
every day and everywhere regardless to whom we have just met. Professional presentation
has to be a matter of course in each situation.
Self-control. This is the ability to control ourselves, it helps us look at our own behaviour
and presentation from a distance. Inadequate behaviour and negative state of mind that we
show my have a negative influence on the assessment of our competence and credibility.
Controlling our emotions is very important.
People generally have not enough time and they rely on the first impression. We can make
it in a very short time, but it can persist and it is difficult to improve. We decide on our
success ourselves to a high extent. Our image, the way how others perceive us, depends
also on how we ourselves feel.
Literature
Recommended literature
VOŘÍŠEK, K. and J. VYSEKALOVÁ, 2015. Jak být přesvědčivý a neztratit se v davu.
Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-5385-0. (pp. 79-97)
Control questions
1. What is image?
2. How long does it take people to make an impression of us?
3. What is the content of image?
4. What traits are important for us to make a professional impression?
5. Explain the term competence.
6. Explain the term self-confidence
43
7. Explain the term credibility.
8. Explain the term consistency.
9. Explain the term self-control.
10. What role does the first impression play in communication?
Link to the practical part
3.12 Self-presentation and its practical training
44
2.13 Building personal and professional business contacts
Key words
Professional contacts, business cards, e-mail, Internet communication
The goals of the chapter
The goal of this chapter is to teach students how to use effectively modern communication
tools – e-mail, social networks, their own websites and blogs that will help them build
business and professional contacts and present their ideas, attitudes and proposals clearly.
Learning outcomes
 29.3 effectively communicates his/her values, skills, experience and vision for
employers or business partners
Abstract
All possibilities start with a relation. Several simple steps how to make yourself visible
exist. A business card is the first and simplest tool in contact building. A business card
should be clearly arranged, with complete contacts including telephone numbers and an email
address. They should remind people of what you are involved in. Most business cards
make impersonal impression – they contain just a name, aa degree and a company. If a
person has a kind of distinctive design, it is useful to leave a space on the front side of the
card where something can be written if necessary.
E-mail is the most frequently used communication method nowadays. An e-mail address
should start with our name so that people with whom we have not been in touch for a
longer time can find our address easily by writing the beginning of our name in the address
box of a new e-mail. E-mail address should not contain nick names, only if we use a nick
name in business contacts we can use it in our e-mail address as well. If our name is very
common we can add something that reminds people what we do, e.g.
johnsmithdecorator@seznam.cz. E-mail is a way how to keep in touch with people and it is
not as obtrusive as the telephone. If an email falls to spam and remains there, the addressee
can find it at any time. A lot of people also delete such mails without reading them. If we
45
however personalize our e-mails, they are more likely to be red. It is always useful to write
the whole name in the subject box.
Social networks are modern tools of communication. If we want to present ourselves we
can register to a social network – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. These networks are
often personal. Professional social networks are more suitable for professional
communication. LinkedIn.com, is widely used and academics and scientists often use also
Academia.edu and ResearchGate.com. These networks help us build a personal brand and
image, present our experience and provide us with an opportunity to get new offers for
work and to establish business relations very simply.
One’s own website is another tool for building professional contacts. If we are sole traders,
we need people to find us and contact us. If we are public persons, our own website helps
us with presentation, our supporters can monitor what happens with us and will not be in
direct contact with us. A website can also be used for selling CDs, books or other products
we have on offer.
A blog is an abbreviation for a weblog, i.e. an online diary. Everybody can present his/her
opinions, photos, videos, sound recordings etc. in his/her blog. Blogs help us widespread
our web presentation and communicate with people. If people allow us to send them
announcements, they can read what we write as soon as we publish it on our blog.
Literature
Recommended literature
PURKISS, J. and D. ROYSTON-LEE, 2014. Vytvořte si vlastní značku: proměňte své
jedinečné nadání v úspěšný obchodní produkt. Prague: Synergie. ISBN 978-80-7370-295-
3. (pp. 191-215)
Control questions
1. What tools for building professional relations do you know?
2. How can we use business cards purposefully?
3. What are the rules for effective use of e-mail?
4. What social networks do you know? Which of them are suitable for professional
communication?
5. What is LinkedIn?
6. What does one’s own website serve for?
46
7. What is the content of a blog?
8. What further presentation tools do you know?
9. What is the quickest way of drawing attention on the Internet?
10. What is pyramidal principle?
Link to the practical part
3.13 Building personal and professional business contacts
47
3 Preparation for seminars
3.1 Self-analysis and defining goals, values and preferences
Key words
Self-analysis, self-scheme, rep test, repertory grid technique (rep test).
The goals of the chapter
The goal of the chapter is to find out our goals, values and preferences by means of the
repertory grid test and to reveal our attitudes and our relation to the environ. A partial goal
is to teach the students how to use tools for creation of their professional image.
Learning outcomes
 29.3 effectively communicates his/her values, skills, experience and vision for
employers or business partners
Example, introduction of a sample task
Rep test. Assign real persons to the roles below:
1. A teacher you liked (or a teacher of a subject you liked)
2. A teacher you did not like (or a teacher of a subject you did not like)
3. Your wife/husband or your present partner
4. An employer, warden or an officer under whom you worked or served and did not
get on well with him/her (or under whom you worked in a situation that you did not
like)
5. An employer, warden or an officer under whom you worked or served and liked
him/her (or under whom you worked in a situation that you liked)
6. Your mother (or a person that played the role of mother in your life)
7. Your father (or a person that played the role of father in your life)
8. Your brother, nearest to you in age (or a person that was most like your brother)
9. Your sister, nearest to you in age (or a person that was most like your sister)
10. A person you worked with, with whom you got on easily
11. A person you worked with, with whom you did not got on easily
48
12. A neighbour you get on well with
13. A neighbour that is hard to understand for you
14. A boy you got on with well in high school (or when you were 16)
15. A girl you got on with well in high school (or when you were 16)
16. A boy you liked in high school (or when you were 16)
17. A girl you liked in high school (or when you were 16)
18. A person of the same gender whom you would like to have as a companion on a trip
19. A person of the same gender whom you would not like to have as a companion on a
trip
20. A person you have been in a close contact with recently and who does not like you
21. A person whom you would like to help (or with whom you sympathize)
22. The most intelligent person you know personally
23. The most successful person you know personally
24. The most interesting person you know personally
The solution of the task depends on student’s preferences, life attitudes and values.
Assignment of independent work (task)
Compare trios from the previous task to in the table. Identify two persons of each trio, that
are similar and different from the third person and say on what basis the identified couple is
similar and the third different (choose the trait common for two of the trio and a trait in
which the third person differs from the others)
Person No. Person No. Person No. What do two
of the trio have in
common?
What does the
third person
differ in?
20. 21. 22.
17. 18. 19.
13. 14. 16.
6. 7. 8.
2. 3. 4.
5. 17. 21.
2. 9. 17.
3. 19. 20.
4. 13. 18.
5. 13. 18.
49
5. 14. 22.
4. 9. 15.
6. 15. 21.
2. 6. 7.
3. 6. 7.
8. 9. 16.
1. 4. 5.
19. 20. 22.
2. 3. 15.
1. 14. 16.
7. 13. 14.
1. 6. 8.
Literature
Sources used for the purpose of the assignment
ATKINSON, R. L., 2003. Psychologie. Prague: Portál. ISBN 80-7178-640-3. (pp. 454-
479)
URBÁNEK, T., 2003. Psychosémantika: psychosémantický přístup ve výzkumu a
diagnostice. Brno: Pavel Křepela. ISBN 80-86669-03-3. (pp. 122-132)
50
3.2 Self-coaching and its active application
Key words
Self-reflection, presentation of attitudes, career, personal life.
The goals of the chapter
The goal of this chapter is to direct students to thinking of what place work and further
spheres of interest have in their lives, whether their career is developing to their
satisfaction. To learn students build their professional image and reputation for the
development of their career on the base of these findings.
Learning outcomes
 29.7 clearly presents his/her ideas, attitudes and proposals
Example, introduction of a sample task
“Who am I?” If we think of what place our work occupies in our life we often find
imbalance. How can we get back to the balance? Try to return in time to the times when
you were less than 20 and answer the following question: “What did I do with enthusiasm?
What activities – games, hobbies, sports, extra school activities did I enjoy?” Recall your
natural tendencies and activities, to which no one had to force you and write them.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………....
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
51
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………
The solution of the task depends on student’s preferences, life attitudes and values.
Assignment of independent work (task)
“Who am I? II” Do you remember in what you could immerse for long hours and happily
forget the rest of the world? In what tasks did the time rune fastest?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………....
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………
Literature
Compulsory literature
CLARK, T., A. OSTERWALDER and Y. PIGNEUR, 2013. Osobní business model:
jednoduchá metoda, jak vylepšit svůj život a nastartovat kariéru. Brno: BizBooks. ISBN
978-80-265-0075-9. (pp. 86-89)
52
3.3 Rules of the application of a personal business model
Key words
Wheel of life, self-reflection, priorities, life goal.
The goals of the chapter
The goal of the chapter is to help students find out in which spheres they find themselves
and what interest them most. Another goal is to remind them of the dimension of life that
may be as important as their work. A partial goal is to teach them how to communicate
their values, skills, experience and vision.
Learning outcomes
 29.4 applies business model tools to professional opportunities and adapts them
actively
Example, introduction of a sample task
Wheel of life. Choose eight topics from the sample picture or add your own topics (your
own spheres of interest). Input your rates of satisfaction in the individual categories in the
empty scheme by drawing points into each segment. The centre of the wheel means zero
satisfaction, the perimeter means absolute satisfaction. When you finish connect the points
and hatch the area in the middle.
Example
Source: Clark, Osterwalder and Pigneur 2013, pp. 84
53
The solution of the task depends on student’s preferences, life attitudes and values.
Assignment of independent work (task)
Wheel of life II. Take another colour pencil and hatch the individual segments in the
previous picture according to where you would like to be.
Literature
Compulsory literature
CLARK, T., A. OSTERWALDER and Y. PIGNEUR, 2013. Osobní business model:
jednoduchá metoda, jak vylepšit svůj život a nastartovat kariéru. Brno: BizBooks. ISBN
978-80-265-0075-9. (pp. 83-85)
54
3.4 Application of the personal business model elements
Key words
Personal business model, life roles, priorities, career
The goals of the chapter
The goal of the chapter is to think over one’s role in the life and in the career and to
develop both the spheres by means of the personal business model.
Learning outcomes
 29.4 applies business model tools to professional opportunities and adapts them
actively
 29.5 flexibly utilizes his/her business model, which is based on the marketing
principles
Example, introduction of a sample task
Test of roles. Take ten blank sheets of paper and write at the top of each. “Who am I”
Than write an answer to the question on each sheet of paper. When you finish, get back to
each sheet and write why you wrote that particular answer and what you are enthusiastic of
in given role. After that go through all the sheets and arrange them according to priority,
i.e. which role is most important for you. In the next step get back to the answers and
concentrate on the answer to the question what you enjoy most in each particular role,
whether similarities or common denominators appear in the individual roles. If they do,
write them on another sheet of paper.
The solution of the task depends on student’s preferences, life attitudes and values. An
example of a possible solution:
55
Assignment of independent work (task)
On the basis of the answers to the previous task thing and write what your career must
contain to make you feel happy and work efficiently.
Literature
Compulsory literature
CLARK, T., A. OSTERWALDER and Y. PIGNEUR, 2013. Osobní business model:
jednoduchá metoda, jak vylepšit svůj život a nastartovat kariéru. Brno: BizBooks. ISBN
978-80-265-0075-9. (pp. 90-96)
•love, sex, family circle, community1. Husband
•incentives, joy, satisfaction from seeing how children’s future is developing,
pride of their succes2. Father
•helping others, being useful, examining and revealing secrets/truths, planning
exercises and presentation skills, learning, writing3. Teacher
•enthusiasm of creating something new, reward/risk, secret, self-expression4. Entrepreneur
•self-expression, recognition, pleasure of applying skills and techniques in
writing, beauty, elegance5. Writer
•family relations, seeing onself in parents/own children, thoughts of heritage6. Son
•family relations, community, thoughts of heritage7. Brother
•application of an unusual skill, using language as a bridge between cultures,
revealing universal cultural truths and truths about the world, writing, editing8. Translator
•attention, recognition, planning and conveying information, respoding to
audience9. Lecturer
•creating and sharing beauty, learning, community, performance10. Musician
• examining and revealing secrets/truths, planning and presentation, writing, selfexpression,
learning, application of unusual skills, communityCommon denominators
56
3.5 Creation of one’s personal business model
Key words
Personal business model, life roles, priorities, career
The goals of the chapter
The goal of the chapter is to prepare one’s own personal business model based on
marketing principles and to use it actively for one’s personal and professional
development.
Learning outcomes
 29.4 applies business model tools to professional opportunities and adapts them
actively
 29.5 flexibly utilizes his/her business model, which is based on the marketing
principles
Example, introduction of a sample task
Design your own personal business model:
Key partners Key activities Given value Relations
to customers
Customers
Key resources Channels
Costs Incomes
Who helps you What
you are
doing
How you
help
What you
give
What you
obtain
Who you
are and
what you
have
How you
communicate
How they learn
about you and
how you deliver
your services
Who you
help
57
The solution of the task depends on student’s preferences, life attitudes and values -
example:
Source: Clark, Osterwalder and Pigneur 2013, pp. 175
Assignment of independent work (task)
Look at the individual elements of your personal business model and identify where your
work life most warries you. Circle the construction blocks you are unsatisfied with. E.g. if
you are not satisfied with how much you earn, circle the construction block incomes.
Literature
Compulsory literature
CLARK, T., A. OSTERWALDER and Y. PIGNEUR, 2013. Osobní business model:
jednoduchá metoda, jak vylepšit svůj život a nastartovat kariéru. Brno: BizBooks. ISBN
978-80-265-0075-9. (pp. 46-190)
58
3.6 Professional image building tools 1 (body language)
Key words
Body language, non-verbal communication, proxemics, mime, posturology.
The goals of the chapter
The goal of this chapter is to teach students how to use non-verbal communication in
interpersonal communication and how to use the body language for one’s professional
image.
Learning outcomes
 29.1 purposefully uses tools of creation of his/her professional image
 29.2 builds his/her professional image and reputation for the development of his/her
career
Example, introduction of a sample task
Identify the state of mood of the people in the pictures:
1. 2.
Source: Khelerová 2010, pp. 21 Source: Khelerová 2010, pp. 24
59
3. 4.
Source: Khelerová 2010, pp. 22 Source: Khelerová 2010, pp. 24
Solution: 1. tension, 2. disagreement, 3. low self-confidence, 4. pretending interest
Assignment of independent work (task)
Add the distances to the communication zones:
 intimate zone: ………………………
 personal zone: ………………………
 social zone: ………………………
 public zone: ………………………
Literature
Sources used for the purpose of the assignment
BEČVÁŘOVÁ, I. and V. HUMLEROVÁ, 2013. Prezentační a komunikační dovednosti.
České Budějovice: Chance in Nature - Local Action Group. ISBN 978-80-7394-417-9.
(pp. 15-34)
BRUNO, T. and G. ADAMCZYK, 2013. Řeč těla: jak rozumět signálům řeči těla a cíleně
je používat. Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-4592-3. (pp. 23-58)
KHELEROVÁ, V., 2010. Komunikační a obchodní dovednosti manažera. 3rd ext. ed.
Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-3566-5. (pp. 13-42)
60
3.7 Professional image building tools 2 (dress code and
personal business ethics)
Key words
Dress code, outfit, dressing, etiquette, image
The goals of the chapter
The goal of the chapter is to teach students how to use the tools for creation of their
professional image and reputation for the career development, to teach them to distinguish
various types of dress codes according to the importance of social events.
Learning outcomes
 29.1 purposefully uses tools of creation of his/her professional image
 29.2 builds his/her professional image and reputation for the development of his/her
career
Example, introduction of a sample task
Colours, colour symbolism
Colours (our colour type) help us choose colours of clothes, hair colour, makeup,
accessories. Not only colour temperature, but also their brightness, intensity or contrast are
important. Numerous scientific disciplines deal with colours, psychology is among them.
Colour symbolism reflects in our lives in various forms. What do the following colours
mean: black, white, blue, brown, red, yellow, grey, pink, orange, green?
Solution:
Black colour is a colour of sadness, darkness, doom, accentuation, negation, capitulation
and helplessness. It means a defiant protest, a secret, misery and death, the end point of
darkness.
White colour indicates cleanliness, rebirth, the good, light, inception, deliberation. It
symbolizes brightness, innocence and also a new beginning.
Blue, it is coldness, calmness, cleanliness, unity, satisfaction, order and piece.
61
Brown means certainty, calmness, constancy and stability. It is a sober, quiet, solid and
serious colour linked to the impression of order, home and tradition.
Red represents vitality, taste for life, activity, victory, competitiveness, excitement, desire,
intensity, danger, warning, eroticism, dynamism.
Yellow, it is creativity, playfulness and lightness. It encourages, frees, brings relief,
harmony, has joyful and open effect.
Grey means ordinariness, lack of creativity, illness or poverty, or, on the other hand,
loyalty and impartiality.
Pink colour has elegant, romantic, fine, sweet, refined and tender effect. It symbolizes love
and affection
Orange colour, it is dynamism, profit, abundance, warmth, fire, warning, notification,
autumn, amusement and adventure.
Green means individualism, self-assertiveness and progressiveness.
Assignment of independent work (task)
Characterize the following colour types: spring, summer, autumn, winter.
Literature
Recommended literature
VOŘÍŠEK, K. and J. VYSEKALOVÁ, 2015. Jak být přesvědčivý a neztratit se v davu.
Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-5385-0. (pp. 108-114)
62
3.8 Professional image building tools 3 (professional
communication, personal brand)
Key words
Personal brand, archetype, professional image, career development
The goals of the chapter
The goal of this chapter is to teach students to define their own archetypes for the building
of their personal brand, professional image and reputation for the development of one’s
career.
Learning outcomes
 29.1 purposefully uses tools of creation of his/her professional image
 29.2 builds his/her professional image and reputation for the development of his/her
career
Example, introduction of a sample task
Madonna: a case study of a combination of two archetypes
Madonna is the highest earning female singer of all time. She has sold over two hundred
million albums. She is the third of six daughters of an Italian-American couple. Her father
worked in a car factory near Detroit. Her mother died when she was six. Madonna was
brought up as a Roman Catholic, which influenced her music as well as her imagination.
She inveighed against her religion, but she also promoted it during her career.
Madonna followed the example of Davida Bowie and attracted people’s attention by
frequent changes of her image. However, in terms of archetypes, she permanently
combined only two – the lover and the rebel. As she herself once said: “When I was small
my grandma asked me not to go out with boys, to love Jesus and be a nice girl. I grew up
between two poles of the female world: between a saint and a whore.” The generation of
young women of the 1980s identified with her as a woman that fought her way to the very
top of the men’s world and remained rebel and sexy. By selling herself as a sex symbol she
gained attention of male listeners. A lot of key situations of her career show how she built
her strong brand. Her distinctive style helped her cross the frontiers between groups of
63
listeners. Her music was played in gay as well as “normal” clubs throughout the States,
even numerous subcultures accepted her. The arrival of MTV and its 24-hour television
broadcast helped her gain many more listeners than she could gain through common tours.
Her second album and her videoclip Like a Virgin made her a perennial MTV star in 1985.
Video enabled her care thoroughly about her medial image. She sometimes borrowed ideas
from Hollywood films and intentionally posed as former silver screen stars. Apart from
singing her songs she also covered songs of other singers, which also helped her improve
the quality of her work. The sale of her album The Immaculate Collection grew rapidly
thanks to a scandal with the song Justify My Love, which was banned in MTV and
immediately became a must. It was changed to the first short video in February 1991 and
more than 400 000 copies were sold. Madonna became the face of H&M in 2006, which
marked one of the lines of its models with M as Madonna.
A question to the text: Think about what archetype do you express.
The solution of the task depends on student’s preferences, life attitudes and values.
Assignment of independent work (task)
When you are waiting somewhere at a reception next time, observe what the people that are
coming and going are wearing. What archetypes do they evoke? Watch them and try to
guess the reason why they came there. Do their archetypes really well reflect their
intentions?
Literature
Recommended literature
PURKISS, J. and D. ROYSTON-LEE, 2014. Vytvořte si vlastní značku: proměňte své
jedinečné nadání v úspěšný obchodní produkt. Prague: Synergie. ISBN 978-80-7370-295-
3. (pp. 134-136)
64
3.9 Practical training of presentation in public
Key words
Speech, audience, active listening, visual aspect of a presentation.
The goals of the chapter
The goal of the chapter is to teach students how to prepare a successful presentation in
terms of the content as well as the formal aspect, including self-confident presentation, and
to show them how to reduce jitters.
Learning outcomes
 29.7 clearly presents his/her ideas, attitudes and proposals
Example, introduction of a sample task
Audience typology. Each audience is different and responds differently to the speaker’s
person. Assign the following nations to the examples below: the Dutch, the Czechs, the
Koreans and the Italians.
1. If you are speaking to this audience you are a winner. You could not have wished a
better audience. They are sitting calmly and quietly, write down everything and take
photos. If you indicate that it is time to laugh they laugh. However, be careful,
smiles might also indicate embarrassment and shyness. They do not insist on a
break, but if you make it, they will be timely back at their seats.
2. They are everywhere. They speak one over another, their temperament is unbridled.
Drawing their attention requires a mastery. Shouting is useless, it can only excite
them and bring them to the boil. They appreciate expressive body language, they
are unbeatable in bodybuilding. They definitely ruin any of your presentations. Do
not make a break, they will not return.
3. This is an audience that accepts you. They listen to you but are adequately critical.
They understand your hints and they write what you write on the board. If you
make a break, they sometimes prolong it, but they usually all come back.
65
4. A professional disaster for a speaker. If people of this nation come, you try in vain,
they do not understand. Polite tense silence in the audience, expressionless faces.
They do now write, they do not understand so there is nothing to write down. There
is no sense to try to make a joke. Do not make a break, they would not understand
anyway. There is an advantage that they are great material for training. If you warm
them up not using their language, you are real masters.
Solution: 1. Koreans, 2. Italians, 3. Czechs, 4. Dutch
Assignment of independent work (task)
Prepare a presentation about yourself and your strong points. Use the following advice and
tips in the preparation:
1. Familiarize yourselves with the topic – if you are not experienced in presentation of a
specialized topic study it in depth. You would not be so nervous, you would be able to
answer inquisitive questions, you will manifest your knowledge even in a short speech and
will not get lost in the basic definition itself.
2. Make clear for whom and why you are presenting – think about the composition of the
audience before you start preparing for the presentation. The key question, why you are
going to present, must sound in your head as well.
3. PowerPoint is not the only available tool. If you do not like PowerPoint templates, you
can try new intuitive tools. Prezi, Impress LibreOffice or Powtoon, Keynote, Google Slides
are programmes that will give your presentation dynamism.
4. Mainly no flooding - a presentation enables listeners to concentrate on what you want to
say. It is a helper, there is no use to present the full text of a lecture. Use only key words in
a presentation, in big letters that even a listener in the back row is able to read. And do not
forget illustrative pictures. They are more efficient than a text and are often able to express
the nature of a problem better.
5. The beginning matters – you might not realize it, but the beginning and the end of a
presentation decide on the result of the whole presentation. Draw their attention during the
first 30 second, otherwise the audience would not pay enough attention. Draw them in by a
well-directed question, by saying a shocking fact or by a personal story. Add a short
summary at the end – information worth to remember – and finish with an appeal to be
fulfilled: Look at a website / Fill in a form.
66
6. Hold the main idea – have one or two ideas, which the listeners should take away and
think about.
7. Be yourselves – try to be authentic and thus believable. Do not look at the ceiling or at
the floor, keep the eye contact with the people in the audience and use a simple language.
And pauses! They are a kind of a miracle. They actually help listeners get oriented and the
speaker get rid of padding “er” and the rest of jitters.
8. Originality is appreciated – do not be afraid of unconventional presentation methods
which will help you differ from others on the podium.
Literature
Recommended literature
VOŘÍŠEK, K. and J. VYSEKALOVÁ, 2015. Jak být přesvědčivý a neztratit se v davu.
Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-5385-0. (pp. 140-149)
Sources used for the preparation of the task
STACHOŇOVÁ, M., 2017. 8 rad, jak správně prezentovat [online]. In: online.muni.cz
[cit. 2017-11-30]. Available at: https://www.online.muni.cz/student/5046-8-rad-jak-
spravne-prezentovat
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3.10 Mastering assertive techniques and defence against
manipulation
Key words
Assertiveness, aggressiveness, manipulation
The goals of the chapter
The goal of the chapter is to teach students to use assertive approach to solution of
problematic situations and making contacts, and to be able to defend against manipulation
thanks to that.
Learning outcomes
 29.6 applies assertive approach to solution of problematic situations and making
contacts
Example, introduction of a sample task
Assertiveness test – are you able to assert yourselves?
1. You get a slightly burned steak. What will you do?
a. You will get angry and scold the
waiter.
b. You will eat what they give you
but refuse to pay the full price.
c. You will let it pass but never
return to the restaurant again.
d. You will ask for another meal.
2. Somebody has fun at your expense at a party. How will you respond?
a. You will start crying.
b. You will answer in the
manners that put the joker in
his place.
c. You will join another group
of guests.
d. You will reproach the hosts.
3. Are you able to give orders to others?
a. Yes.
b. No.
c. It depends on how and whom.
d. You are learning.
4. Someone praises you at the presence of other people. It is:
a. Pleasant.
b. Unpleasant.
c. It depends.
d. Flattery.
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5. You are talking about a not much pleasant topic:
a. You are looking into
counterpart’s eyes.
b. You are looking at the floor.
c. You are moving your eyes.
d. You are looking at the top
of counterpart’s ear.
6. Your most favourite colour is:
a. White.
b. Blue.
c. Red.
d. Brown.
7. If you have a problem:
a. You look for help on your
own shoulder.
b. It increases your performance.
c. It reduces your performance.
d. You worry about it and suffer.
8. How do you most often if you don’t want something?
a. No, thanks, I do not want.
b. Sorry, it is impossible.
c. Call sometimes, we’ll arrange
it.
d. Kiss off.
9. The following proverb illustrates your behaviour:
a. Nothing is lost for asking.
b. Hiding leads to success.
c. Still waters run deep.
d. The squeaky wheel gets the
grease
Assessment:
A B C D
1. 0 0 1 2
2. 0 2 1 0
3. 2 0 1 0
4. 2 0 1 0
5. 2 0 0 1
6. 0 2 1 0
7. 2 1 0 0
8. 2 1 0 0
9. 1 0 2 0
15-20 scores: Assertive approach is close to
you. You choose direct strong defence, often
with a counterattack.
9-14 scores: You are capable of assertive
defence, but not always willing to apply it. But
this is also assertive. You decide. The fact that
you master assertiveness is sufficient.
0-8 scores: “Truth will finally definitely win…”
a folk singer sings. But you do not
contribute to that too much.
Assignment of independent work (task)
Have a small training every day. If you are given a dirty cutlery in a restaurant, ask for
a rectification politely with a smile. Are you looking for something in a shop? Do not let it
pass, do not waste time running between racks, but ask nicely a shop assistant.
70
Literature
Recommended literature
VOŘÍŠEK, K. and J. VYSEKALOVÁ, 2015. Jak být přesvědčivý a neztratit se v davu.
Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-5385-0. (pp. 160-162)
71
3.11 Coping with objections, feedback, constructive criticism
Key words
Objections, feedback, active listening, constructive criticism
The goals of the chapter
The goal of this chapter is to teach students how to present their ideas, attitudes and
proposals clearly, to cope with responses to objections, to listen to the audience actively
and to be able to express and accept constructive criticism.
Learning outcomes
 29.8 uses and accepts constructive criticism and perceives it as a feedback for the
improvement of the professional image being created
Example, introduction of a sample task
Techniques of active listening. What are the most important techniques of active listening
in your opinion? Which rules should be adhered to in terms of verbal and non-verbal
communication?
Solution:
The solution might differ depending on student’s preferences, life attitudes and values e.g.:
The technique of clarification, discouragement and conclusion is most important in
my opinion.
The rules applicable to verbal communication:
 not to interrupt when the other person is talking,
 to talk to the core of the matter,
 to adapt the tone of the voice to the situation,
 not to jump from one topic to another,
 to ask, to discourage, to listen.
The rules applicable to non-verbal communication:
 to keep the eye contact,
 to nod head,
 agreeing mime.
72
Choose a specialist discussion (e.g. a political debate) and assess what techniques of active
listening are used, whether the rules of active listening are adhered to.
Assignment of independent work (task)
A test of active listening. Ask someone to read the following tasks and solve them one
after another.
1. Divide forty by a half and add fifteen. What number have you got?
2. Is a man allowed to merry his wife by the law in Scotland?
3. What is correct in English? Nine and five is thirteen or nine and five are thirteen?
4. How many cubic meters of soil is in a pit six metres long, three metres wide and
one meter deep?
5. Sea ships are painted with twenty-five layers of paint. Which layer do they begin
with?
6. Which of these animals see best in absolute darkness: a leopard, an owl a bat?
7. You have two coins, thirty crowns together. One of the two coins is not a ten-crown
coin. What coins do you have?
8. How many animals of each species did Moses take to his Arch?
9. Which mountain was the highest in the world before Mount Everest was
discovered?
10. A train leaves from Birmingham for London at 7 am. The way is 100 miles long.
The train goes 100 miles per hour. Another train leaves from London for
Birmingham at 7 am as well. The way is the same. The train goes 50 miles per hour.
Which of the trains will be nearer to London at the moment they meet?
Literature
Recommended literature
VOŘÍŠEK, K. and J. VYSEKALOVÁ, 2015. Jak být přesvědčivý a neztratit se v davu.
Prague: Grada. ISBN 978-80-247-5385-0. (pp. 140-149)
Sources used for the preparation of the task
THOMSON, P., 2001. Tajemství komunikace. Cesta k úspěchu. Brno: Alman. ISBN 80-
86135-16-0. (pp. 11-26)
73
3.12 Self-presentation and its practical training
Key words
Self-presentation, personal brand, communication, image
The goals of the chapter
The goal of this chapter is to teach students how to communicate their values, skills,
experience and vision effectively for potential employers or business partners through a
personal brand, how to present clearly their ideas, attitudes and proposals and to build their
image.
Learning outcomes
 29.3 effectively communicates his/her values, skills, experience and vision for
employers or business partners
 29.7 clearly presents his/her ideas, attitudes and proposals
Example, introduction of a sample task
I care how I listen. Effective listening is a basic element of leadership. Not all leaders
however know how to listen actively properly. The first step to active listening is to give
the counterpart space and time to think and talk. Pay attention to your mind, to your body
language and to the other party. Be present, concentrate on the particular moment and act
with respect. Active listening requires an open mind. As a leader you must be open to new
ideas, perspectives and possibilities. Even if you have a different opinion, do not judge
others and refrain from hasty criticism. Try to understand the other party. Try to reflect the
information and the emotions of others by paraphrasing the key points of their speech. You
do not have to agree or disagree. You only confirm that you have heard and that you
understand by the repeating. Go and talk to someone for a few minutes. With anyone. Use
the telephone, if there is no one with you. When you are listening, try to note what else you
can hear apart from the voice of your counterpart, or what thoughts run in your head when
you are listening. Ask questions about all things that you do not perfectly understand. Use
open-ended questions to let the other party extend his/her explanation. Summarize the key
topic of the dialogue to confirm the correct understanding of the other’s attitude. It will also
74
help you explain your mutual competence and further steps. Active listening is about
understanding others, but also about how you are then understood. If you get a better idea
of their perspective, you can present your own ideas and feelings. You can for example
mention a similar situation that you have experienced or expand some of the ideas you
have already touched on.
Here is a list of what you might have noticed. It contains usual human attitudes that you see
when you are listening …
 Listening is an opportunity to understand a problem.
 Listening is an opportunity to look intelligent.
 Listening is an opportunity to get information.
 Listening is an opportunity to find out how to look important
 Listening is an opportunity to learn what is happening with the other person.
 Listening is an opportunity to listen to background sounds as other noise, e.g. music
etc.
 Listening is an opportunity to find out how you could help
 Listening is an opportunity to deal with your own thoughts and not to listen to the
other person at all.
What is your conclusion? How long were you present? Pay attention to your notes for a
moment and write your findings.
Assignment of independent work (task)
A quiz: Choose a nurse’s answer that best reflects active listening.
Client No. 1: “The doctor was here. He told me that the tablets had no effect as he had
expected. So I have to go to the operation.”
Answers:
a. Yes, if the doctor said it, you will probably go.
b. How do you feel about it?
c. A doctor decides on the treatment. I cannot tell you more.
Client No. 2: “It’s a pity that the doctor is so busy and has to hurry up on the ward round.”
Answers:
a. What’s the problem? Would you like to talk about it?
75
b. Yes, doctors are very busy.
c. Yes, but he is nice, isn’t he?
Literature
Sources used for the preparation of the task
ROCK, D., 2009. Leadership s klidnou myslí: šest kroků ke změně výkonnosti: pomozte
lidem lépe myslet - neříkejte jim, co mají dělat! Prague: Pragma. ISBN 978-80-7349-206-9.
(pp. 98-100)
6 pravidel aktivního naslouchání, 2017. In: HRNEWS.cz [online]. [cit. 2017-11-30].
Available at: https://www.hrnews.cz/lidske-zdroje/rizeni-id-2698710/sest-pravidel-
aktivniho-naslouchani-id-439162
76
3.13 Building personal and professional business contacts
Key words
Presentation, business and professional contacts, to communicate effectively their
knowledge, skills and experience through modern communication channels.
The goals of the chapter
The goal of the chapter is to teach students how to build business and professional contacts
through modern communication channels.
Learning outcomes
 29.3 effectively communicates his/her values, skills, experience and vision for
employers or business partners
Example, introduction of a sample task
Web presentation. Prepare your own web presentation. You can use tools like webnode,
wix, zombeek and others.
A web presentation should contain at least the following information:
 Opening (a short introduction) is a very important part. It should be engaging as it is
where a reader decides whether to go on reading or leave the site.
 A CV – describe your knowledge, experience and skills.
 Examples of your own work or projects you participated in or some know how or
advice and tips, experience that might interest a visitor. Such instructions and
advice should be referred to in discussions, on social networks or forums to increase
the traffic to your site.
 Contact – your e-mail address and/or telephone number where visitors may contact
you, or even your address.
A web presentation should be accompanied by suitable pictures, it should be catchy to
attract readers. The first/introductory page is most important.
It is also useful to enable visitors move within your website. You can do that by adding
links between the individual pages. If you want the visitors to register in your website
prepare a registration form.
77
The solution of the task depends on student’s preferences, life attitudes and values -
example:
Source: Maruniak 2017
Source: Maruniak 2017
78
Source: Maruniak 2017
Assignment of independent work (task)
Write your whole name into a browser (e.g. google) and find out what information about
you is available on the web.
Literature
Recommended literature
PURKISS, J. and D. ROYSTON-LEE, 2014. Vytvořte si vlastní značku: proměňte své
jedinečné nadání v úspěšný obchodní produkt. Prague: Synergie. ISBN 978-80-7370-295-
3. (pp. 191-215)
Sources used for the preparation of the task
MARUNIAK, M., 2017. Martin Maruniak. In: martinmaruniak.wixsite.com/blog. [online].
[cit. 2017-12-19]. Available at: http://martinmaruniak.wixsite.com/blog