2. Contents Click the link below to go directly to the slides for that chapter. Chapter 1 ■ Your Personal Strengths Chapter 2 ■ The Roles You Play Chapter 3 ■ Why We Work Chapter 4 ■ Exploring the Career Clusters Chapter 5 ■ Think Like an Entrepreneur Chapter 6 ■ Skills for Success Chapter 7 ■ Academic Planning Chapter 8 ■ Communicating with Others Chapter 9 ■ Building Relationships Chapter 10 ■ Basic Math Skills Chapter 11 ■ Technology and Your Career Chapter 12 ■ Career Planning Chapter 13 ■ Managing a Job Search Chapter 14 ■ Getting Started in Your Career Chapter 15 ■ Being Productive in Your Career Chapter 16 ■ Living a Healthy and Balanced Life Chapter 17 ■ Starting Your Own Business Chapter 18 ■ Planning Your Own Business Chapter 19 ■ Managing Your Business Chapter 20 ■ Personal Money Management Chapter 21 ■ Personal Financial Planning Chapter 22 ■ Basic Economics Chapter 23 ■ Basic Business Financial Management Chapter 24 ■ Financial Calculations for Business

3. Making Decisions  If the consequences of a decision are positive, it means you made a healthy choice. If the consequences are negative, that means you made an unhealthy, or poor, choice.  You can take some of the uncertainty and doubt out of decision-making by turning it into a process. 1.Identify the decision to be made. 2.Consider all possible options. 3.Identify the consequences of each option. 4.Select the best option. 5.Make and implement a plan of action. 6.Evaluate the decision, process, and outcome. 3 Any time you make up your mind about something, or choose one option over another, you are making a decision. ChapterSkills for Success 6

4. Evaluating Decisions  When you are evaluating your options, consider if the decision is hurtful to you or someone else.  Decision-making can be stressful. Even simple choices can seem overwhelming at times.  If you are indecisive, you might think about what will happen if you choose one option over another, and never make a decision at all.  If you are impulsive, you might make a snap decision without considering the consequences.  You can learn how to make healthy decisions that turn out positive more often than they turn out negative.  Even when we make a poor choice with long-term consequences, we can learn from our mistakes and try to make better choices going forward. 4 ChapterSkills for Success 6

5. Solving Problems  The person who is blocked from a goal is generally the one who owns the problem. If you own the problem, you are responsible for solving it.  Use the problem-solving process to find the best solution: 1.Identify the problem. 2.Consider all possible solutions. 3.Identify the consequences of each solution. 4.Select the best solution. 5.Make and implement a plan of action. 6.Evaluate the solution, process, and outcome. Did your solution work? 5 A problem is a difficulty or challenge that you must resolve before you can make progress. It is barrier or obstacle between you and a goal. ChapterSkills for Success 6

6. Setting Goals  You make goals real by deciding what you want to achieve and then planning how to get there.  Use this process to help identify, assess, and set goals. 1.Identify the goal 2.Assess the goal. 3.Make an action plan for achieving the goal.  A short-term goal is one you want to achieve quickly. A long-term goal is one that you want to achieve in the future.  Breaking the long-term goal down into a series of short-term goals—or milestones—makes it easier to stay on track. 6 A goal is something you are trying to achieve. ChapterSkills for Success 6 4.Write down your action plan. 5.Reevaluate your goals.

7. Thinking Critically  Critical thinking can help you make decisions, set goals, and solve problems.  When you think critically, you try not to let emotions get in the way of choosing the best course of action.  When you think critically, you consider all possible options and points of view. You look at things objectively.  Objective means fairly, without emotion or prejudice.  Subjective means affected by existing opinions, feelings, and beliefs.  Looking at things both objectively and subjectively can help you make choices that are right for you. 7 Critical thinking is the ability to be honest, rational, and open-minded. ChapterSkills for Success 6

8. Using Management Skills  A good manager uses a three-step process to make thoughts and ideas become reality:  Figuring out what needs to be done.  Putting a plan into action.  Looking back to assess and evaluate.  A manager is effective when he or she achieves a goal.  You become a manager at work by showing you are responsible, independent, and capable of making decisions and solving problems. 8 A manager is someone who makes decisions, solves problems, and uses resources to achieve specific goals. ChapterSkills for Success 6

9. Becoming a Leader  In the world of work, leaders supervise other employees and manage projects.  Leaders make healthy decisions, set goals, and solve problems. They know how to use their resources to help others achieve their goals.  Leaders exhibit positive qualities that other people respect, such as self-confidence.  Leaders understand their own strengths and weaknesses. A leader accepts responsibility when something goes wrong and how to give credit to others when something goes right.  A leader is willing to take a stand, even if it’s unpopular. 9 A leader is someone who unites people to work toward common goals. ChapterSkills for Success 6

10. Chapter Review  When you make up your mind, or choose one option over another, you are making a decision.  A problem is a difficulty or challenge that you must resolve before you can make progress.  A goal is something you are trying to achieve.  Critical thinking is the ability to be honest, rational, and open-minded.  A manager is someone who makes decisions, solves problems, and uses resources to achieve specific goals.  A leader is someone who unites people to work toward common goals. 10 ChapterSkills for Success 6