Communication and Soft Skills
Communication and Soft Skills
This domain tests clear workplace communication: listening, speaking, writing short reports, teamwork, customer handling, and conflict resolution. It rewards precise, courteous, and safe communication.
Core rules
- Communication is a loop: sender, message, medium, receiver, feedback. Confirm understanding by summarising or asking a closed question.
- Active listening means giving attention, not interrupting, and checking meaning: So the isolation is on feeder 3, correct?
- Use simple technical language for the listener; avoid unexplained jargon with customers.
- Be assertive, not aggressive: state the fact, the risk, and the needed action.
- In an incident report, record date, time, location, what happened, immediate action, and who was informed-without blame or guesses.
Worked example
A supervisor says, Finish the panel job quickly. The instruction is unclear about isolation and testing. A good response is: I can prepare the tools and label the panel now. Will the supply be isolated by the electrician before I remove the cover, and who will verify dead? This shows willingness while clarifying the safety-critical step. Repeating back the answer confirms the handover.
Traps
Saying yes to an unclear instruction; interrupting a colleague; using an aggressive email when a phone call would resolve the issue; and writing opinions as facts in a report.