Secretarial Skills - Confidentiality, Time Management, Communication

As a Secretary you should posses the skill set to be effective in your line of work and below are the skills which should be in (but not limit) your range:

Confidentiality

From its root word Confidential which means an information that should be kept secret, as a Secretary, you should know how to deal with and handle information that needs to be closed from the knowledge of everybody but the ones concerned.

Time Management

This one is already like a cliche to everyone. It has already lost its meaning but a crucial skill that not only secretaries must posses but every one of us. Time management is the way you organize and plan how long you spend on specific tasks. As a Secretary, you should know how to compare and weigh the urgency of each task given at a time and work on what is needed first. Or you may start with difficult ones and then the easy ones however, if a certain task can be done in less than 2 minutes do it first.

Communication

The imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing or using some other mediums.

*2 Categories of Communication*

Verbal Communication

Describes the process of conveying meaning through speech or human language.

Non-Verbal Communication

Describes the process of conveying meaning in the form any of the below mentioned:

* Haptic

Conveys meaning through touch

* Chronemic

Conveys meaning through human tempo

(time-experiencing)

* Kinesis (Body Motion/Language)

Conveys meaning though movement of any parts of the body

* Paralanguage

Conveys meaning thru nonphonemic properties

(ex. gasp, clear-throat, sigh)

* Proxemics

Conveys meaning through the use of space 

(ex. you don't communicate and distance yourself from a person)

* How One Dresses

Conveys meaning through the way you dress

*5 Levels of Communication*
by: John Powell

Phatic Communication

Using conventional messages to establish rapport, to break the ice, and/or to end a conversation. You might hug, kiss, shake hands, bow, smile, make eye contact, and face one another. We exchange pleasantries by using clichés. Clichés are overused expressions that have lost their original (content) meanings and have taken on new relational meanings. We expect phatic communication at the beginning and end of every conversation, regardless of our feelings about a person.

Examples: Hello. How are you?

I’m fine. How are you?

Hi. Paper or plastic?

Thanks for coming. Have a nice day.

You’re welcome.

Factual Communication

Using events, making observations, offering knowledge to others in a manner which can be called chit chat or small talk. At business parties, we rely upon factual communication to network, to schmooze, and to work the room. Factual communication includes reporting what you’ve read in a textbook, what you’ve studied for a test, showing pictures of your children, and exchanging biographical information about yourself. Factual communication is relatively safe and most do this well.

Examples: I’m majoring in business administration.

I’m married with three children, two sons and one daughter.

Did you watch the basketball game last night?

What did we do in class last Friday?

Evaluative communication

Offering opinions, ideas and judgments to others. This is risky business because the odds are that others will reciprocate with their own evaluations, which may be different from yours. When people consistently use evaluative communication, they must be prepared for eventual conflict. Many U.S. Americans enjoy sharing at this level and feel that disagreeing with others is useful and invigorating. Unfortunately, many of us don’t use evaluative communication with a high level of competence. It’s important to consider the value of critical and creative thinking, as well as the relational meanings of messages that are exchanged. When using evaluative communication, consider carefully the importance of descriptive, provisional, and responsible expressions. Strive to avoid cautionary language, sarcasm, and nonverbal put-downs (e.g., rolling your eyes in response to another’s comments).

Examples: Of all my children, my daughter is the better athlete.

I thought that movie was excellent, particularly with the surprising ending.

I’m not convinced that your argument is well supported.

I agree with you!

 Gut-level Communication

Involves sharing our emotions and feelings with another. We are sharing our very essence when we allow others to know our heart. This is risky business! Societies place constraints upon the specific emotions which can be conveyed (e.g., It’s good to express love; it’s bad to express hatred). We also have rules about when and how feelings can be expressed ("That was the wrong time and place for arguing with your spouse.")

Emotional intelligence involves interpersonal competencies including self-awareness, self control, flexibility and empathy.

Examples: I deeply appreciate your thoughtfulness and generosity in helping me earlier.

I’m so frustrated with you!

I’m wish that I hadn’t called you that name. I hope that you’ll forgive me.

He called me! I’m so excited to see him again!

Peak Communication

Coming together with another in an extraordinary way. Two individuals who are gut leveling experience a transformation when they are sharing the exact same emotion with the same level of intensity. This is also called, "communal-level communication." It’s as if, for the moment, two souls merge into one. Peak communication is rare, even among close friends and family members.

Examples: I love you. I love you too.

I’m so angry with you. I’m so angry with you as well.

I’m glad that we were able to fight long enough to get this resolved. Yes, I feel exactly the same way, glad that we communicated collaboratively.

I’m scared. I’m scared too.