GE Foundation Workplace Skills Program

Module One
Understanding Self

Participant Booklet
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction to Module One – Understanding Self

2. Words That Describe Me

3. Your Personal Identity

4. A Portrait of Yourself

5. Setting Priorities About Values

6. Success Stories

7. Basic Psychological Needs

8. My Unique Picture Album

9. Responding to Change

10. Changes in Our Lives

11. Change and Emotions

12. Understanding Change

13. Transitions
14. My Lifeline – Important People and Experiences

15. “What If” Discussion Groups

16. Two-Minutes Speeches

17. Feedback

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GE Foundation Workplace Skills Program – Module 1
 Introduction to Module One

Understanding Self

Knowing oneself is critical to being an effective team member as well as being successful in life,

work, and relationships. Your personal identity influences everything you do, and it changes

and evolves over time.

The purpose of this module is to help you deepen your understanding and appreciation for who

you are as a person. You will explore how you see yourself through the lenses of personal

identity, your skills and talents, roles, values, personal core, and how you meet your

psychological needs. You will also examine how you respond to the pressures of changes and

transitions in your life.

You will have an opportunity to examine how your personal identity has been shaped by a

variety of people and experiences. You will also have opportunities to think about and discuss

your values, interests, hopes for the future, as well as, your strengths and challenges. You will

learn about how your psychological needs are the primary source that motivates and drives

your behavior. You will also learn critical knowledge about change and how important it is in

today’s workplace to be adaptive and to embrace change as a personal and professional growth

experience.

You will be invited and encouraged to take risks, to step outside your comfort zone, and to

challenge your thinking and the thinking of others. You will be engaged in reflection, partner

activities, storytelling, discussion groups, self-assessment, and giving and receiving feedback.

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GE Foundation Workplace Skills Program – Module 1
 Words That Describe Me
Circle the words that describe you. Add additional words.

Adaptive Self-Aware Tolerant

Dependable Intelligent Fearless

Compassionate Hard Worker Capable with Hands

Respectful Calm Humble

Energetic Eccentric Clever

Creative Confidant Thoughtful

Complex Realistic Cautious

Balanced Cooperative Shy

Quiet Attentive Picky

Other Words that describe you: ____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

Answer Briefly:

1. Why do we need to study Understanding the SELF?

2. Define SELF from various perspective:
Socrates

Plato

Locke

Augustine

Descartes

Kant

Of the seven perspective, with whom and what philosophy are you most comfortable
with and why? Choose 2 only

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GE Foundation Workplace Skills Program – Module 1
 SELF AWARENESS EXERCISE

Here is a list of adjectives. Check all the words that you truly fell describe you.

Able Aggressive Annoying Adaptable

Passive Anxious Independent Pleasant
Dignified Knowledgeable Intelligent Stubborn
Certain Warm Reasonable Shy
Cheerful Vain Unpredictable Immature
Irritable Respectful Temperamental Patient
Tense Diligent Rigid Lazy
Sympathetic Nervous Sarcastic Responsible
Fearful Pessimistic Observant Self-Centered
Organized Introvert Trustworthy Cranky

Here are 10 “I am” sentence stems. Please complete each with the thoughts as who you think
you are, but writing the thought that immediately comes to your mind.( please exclude facts
about yourself such as “ I am a man/woman.)

1. I am….
2. I am….
3. I am….
4. I am…
5. I am…
6. I am…
7. I am..
8. I am…
9. I am….
10. I am…

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GE Foundation Workplace Skills Program – Module 1
 Your Personal Identity

“Who Are You?”

Roles
Where have you taken
on responsibilities
in your life?

Personal Core Learning

How would you What have you
describe yourself in learned and what are
one sentence? you hoping to learn?

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GE Foundation Workplace Skills Program – Module 1
 Your Personal Identity

“Who are you?”

Family History Values

Where have you What is really

come from? important to you?

Strengths Hopes for the Future

What skills and Where do you hope to

talents do you be in 5-10 years?
have?

Interests

What are you most

interested in?

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GE Foundation Workplace Skills Program – Module 1
 A Portrait of Yourself

• The best thing(s) I ever did was (were) _______________________________________

• I wish I could lose my fear of _______________________________________________

• I know I have the talent to _________________________________________________

• I enjoy people who _______________________________________________________

• I admire ________________________________________________________________

• I feel most productive when ________________________________________________

• I am motivated by ________________________________________________________

• I almost never ___________________________________________________________

• My idea of fun is _________________________________________________________

• Work is exciting when _____________________________________________________

• The best advice I ever got was ______________________________________________

• The thing I value most is ___________________________________________________

• If money were no object, I would ____________________________________________

• It is easy for me to focus on ________________________________________________

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GE Foundation Workplace Skills Program – Module 1
 • My idea of a perfect life is __________________________________________________

• My best days are _________________________________________________________

• My dream is _____________________________________________________________

• I always wanted to ________________________________________________________

• I look forward to _________________________________________________________

• I spent too much time _____________________________________________________

• The thing my friends like about me is _________________________________________

• When I try to change something _____________________________________________

• In a group I like to ________________________________________________________

• If I ever win a prize it will be for ______________________________________________

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GE Foundation Workplace Skills Program – Module 1
 Setting Priorities About Values

Values are beliefs, feelings, and principles that guide a person’s actions and give those actions
meaning.

Values

1. Money

2. Peace of mind

3. Happiness

4. Success

5. Nature

6. Spiritual Life

7. Friends

8. Taking on Challenges

9. Satisfaction with Work

10. Learning

11. Balancing Your Life (work and play)

12. Physical Health

Success Stories

Think about and write two or three of your success stories.

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GE Foundation Workplace Skills Program – Module 1
 1. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

What does this say about who you are and what’s important to you?

Share with your group “why” these success stories are important to you.

Basic Psychological Needs

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GE Foundation Workplace Skills Program – Module 1
 Belonging Recognition
A sense that someone A sense that you are
truly cares about you. acknowledged for
That you are in a mutual what you accomplish
and loving relationship and who you are. To
with another person. feel significant, that
you make an impact.

Freedom Self-Esteem

The need to have choice in The need to feel

your life, to have a sense of competent & confident.
control over the decisions The sense that you can
that direct your behavior. achieve results, make
To be free from a sense of good decisions, and you
external control. will stand by your
principles.

Fun Safety

The need to have joy and The need to feel physically

laughter in your life. The and psychologically safe.
sense that we can Free from emotional and
experience elation and light physical threats or harm.
heartedness.

My Unique Picture Album

Think about the people, places, and experiences in your life that are very special to you. This is
where you get your psychological needs met. Write two examples in each box of how you meet
this particular need.

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GE Foundation Workplace Skills Program – Module 1
 Belonging Recognition

Self-Esteem Safety

Freedom Fun

Change and Emotions

1. Why is change hard for most people?

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GE Foundation Workplace Skills Program – Module 1
 2. Why is change easier for some people?

3. What strong emotions do people feel when they are asked to change?

Understanding Change

The two most important reasons why people find it difficult to change are loss and fear.

Loss of Fear of

Control The Unknown

• •
Confidence Failure
• •
Identity Embarrassment
• •
Power/Status New Responsibilities

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GE Foundation Workplace Skills Program – Module 1
 • •

Relationships New People

• •
Hope Negative Consequences
• •

Talk about some personal examples with participants in your small group.

Loss Fear

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My Lifeline – Important People and Experiences

Who are the important people that have helped shape who you are today?

Birth 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40+

What are the important life experiences that changed you in some way?

What have you taken forward into your life (attitudes, behaviors, beliefs)?
 Two-Minute Speeches

Prepare a two-minute speech about yourself describing the essence of your personal identity,
“Who are you?” You can choose to share a personal story or an interesting experience. You can
talk about your family and career, or your goals and dreams.

Presentation Notes
Debriefing Questions

• What was your experience going through this exercise?

• How was this difficult for you?
• What were you thinking (self-talk) before and during this speech?
• What were you feeling before you told your story?
• What is it you want us to see in you by telling this story?