INSIGHTS Online Podcast

Honouring VUT WIL Alumnus (Ms Nontobeko Moimane, Communications Officer)

PODCAST! Vaal University of Technology (VUT) growing its own “timber” (talent) through the progressive Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) programme, coordinated by the Co-Operative Education Under The Centre for Academic Development. That’s the focus of this monthly VUT Student Academic Development Support & Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Show live here at COMETSA Radio Worldwide (CRW), streamed on Podbean Business Platform globally. In this podcast you will listen to the perspective from the VUT WIL Alumnus, Ms Nontobeko Moimane, who is now the Communications Officer at the University. The conversation is insightful, inspirational, informative and educational. If you are a prospective or current student at VUT or any other university, you are better advised to join the Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Programme, and enjoy the benefits associated with it. You will enjoy your transition from the world of learning to that of work. There is no need for trial and error when there is so much guidance, help and support gained from the Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Programme. It gave graduates like Nontobeko solid career development foundation. Enjoy listening and learn from Nontobeko. Visit the homepage of the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), www.vut.ac.za, for further information.

Unit 32, Conduct 27, Social Intelligence, Knowing Yourself and Guest

Social Intelligence is a basis for understanding your guests in depth to facilitate a progressive conversation. It is about having an understanding of your environment and having a positive influence on those around you. Expressing and interpreting social cues will make you more confident in your social situations. You will learn to create positive connections and increase your influence during social situations. In this conversation, Unit 32, Conduct 27, Social Intelligence, Knowing Yourself and Guest, we want to achieve the following objectives:
Be aware of our behaviours
Learn to be empathetic with others
Learn tools for active listening
Effectively communicate interpersonally
Recognize various social cues
Determine appropriate conversation topics
Learn various forms of body language
Whether we’re at home or at work, knowing how to be more aware of ourselves and our surroundings can help us make the best out of any social situation.

Unit 31, Conduct 26, Planning, Organising and Implementation Skills

We are back with our weekly Digital Online Streaming Mastery Show, the Train-The-Trainer Edition. Our resident co-hosts, Devesh Mothilall, Rapula Modibane, Omphile Leepile, Maynard Maesela, Frans Rammutla, and George Mutendadzamera were back with us after our one week break to celebrate Heritage Holiday in South Africa. Sam Tsima was anchoring and moderating the conversation on the following themes: Remove the Clutter, Prioritise, Scheduling Your Time, Mastering Your To-Do Lists, Paper and Paperless Storage, Organisation in Your Work Area, Tools to Fight Procrastination, Organising Your Inbox, Avoid the Causes of Disorganisation, and Discipline is Key. The takeaways and lessons from this conversation are to experience the application of The LEKGOTLA Way Conversation Methodology. You will hear us talking about our commitment to the IDEA Principle. You need not be a streamer, podcaster or broadcaster to benefit from the insights we will be sharing with you. We inspire and challenge you to rethink how you remove clutter from your workspace by applying the three boxes - Keep, Donate and Thrash. You will learn to use the famous Urgent/Important Matrix to set priorities. We will all benefit from learning to remove or limit the time wasters, coping with things outside our control, using a day planner, and doing quick tasks immediately. 
 
 

Unit 30, Conduct 25, Customer Service and Aftercare

Strive to provide excellent customer service and aftercare to guests, listeners, and stakeholders of your show. This practice and behaviour are integral parts of customer service. COMETSA Radio Worldwide (CRW) held this conversation during the weekly Tuesday evening show, Digital Online Streaming Mastery—Train The Trainer Version, on September 17th, 2024, from 19h00 to 20h30 (SAST), live over the Podbean Business Platform. The co-hosts and anchors explored the following themes: Who We Are and What We Do, Establishing Your Attitude, Identifying and Addressing Customer Needs, Generating Return Business, In-Person Customer Service, and Ten Things You Can Do to Wow Customers
1. Greet customers with a smile, either in person or on the phone. It may sound corny, but customers can indeed hear the smile in your voice when you talk on the phone.
2. Be helpful, even if there’s no profit in it. Make customers feel your primary concern is being helpful, whether or not you sell them something.
3. Know your Product or Service. If customers feel that you don’t have the knowledge they need, they will look for someone else who does. Your expertise is part of the value you bring to customer interactions.
4. Don’t make customers feel like dummies. Of course, you know more than your customers do about your product or service but don’t make them feel inadequate because they don’t share your expertise.
5. Listen to customers. When dealing with customers, listen more than you talk.
6. Remember that employees will treat customers how management treats them. If treated with consideration and respect, employees will be more likely to treat customers similarly.
7. Make customers feel important and appreciated. When a customer needs help, put aside your work and focus on the customer.
8. Make things easy for customers. Consider making every transaction as fast and effortless as possible.
9. Throw in something extra. Giving customers more than they’ve paid or expected can make them feel you care about their business.
10. Say Thank You. This might seem obvious, but it’s easy sometimes to forget to thank customers for their business. A genuine “thank you” can go a long way toward creating good feelings in customers.

Unit 29, Conduct 24, Networking As A Source of Experts

NETWORKING (Outside and Within the Organisation) As A Source of Experts, Personal and Professional (Business) Relationships! Utilise Networking, inside and outside the organisation, as a Source of guest speakers and subject matter experts for your streaming show. During this weekly live show at COMETSA Radio Worldwide (CRW) We discussed the following themes: (1) The Benefits of Networking, (2) Networking Obstacles, (3) Networking Principles, (4) Why Network, (5) How to Build Networks, (6) Recognising Networking Opportunities, (7) Online Networking Tools, (8) Developing Interpersonal Relationships, (9) Common Networking Mistakes, (10) Time Management, (11) Managing Personal and Professional Networks, and (12) Maintaining Relationships over Time. 

Unit 28, Conduct 23, Show Guest Reputation and Personal Branding

Gauge the reputation of the Guest effectively to enhance the credibility of your show and the platform. In the information age, personal branding is necessary for the success of any company or individual. Failing to manage personal branding can lead to misinformation about you or your company becoming public. Taking control of your public image is no longer an option. Identifying and using the tools that affect personal branding will ensure the public sees the image you want them to see. A positive brand is necessary for success. You are in control of your brand if you choose to be. When establishing your brand, you must define yourself. Remember that perception is reality, so it is essential that you carefully cultivate your image. When you explain yourself and present this definition to the public, you will reap the benefits of taking control of your branding. It is easy to underestimate the importance of personal branding and avoid actively participating in your brand. The truth, however, is that branding occurs whether you participate in it or not. If you do not take time to brand yourself, the market will brand you, and it may not do it favourably. Customers can bring negative attention to a company or individual, and attention can quickly escalate to the court of public opinion. Taking control of personal branding is necessary to manage your public reputation.

Unit 27, Conduct 22, SME, Goal-Setting and Getting Things Done

Develop the ability to identify and engage subject matter experts (SME) in the content of your show. Get strategic with Goal-Setting and getting things done (PDC). The word Subject Matter Expert (SME) is self-explanatory, as it refers to someone who is an expert in a specific subject or topic. The journey towards mastery and subject matter expertise starts with acquiring theoretical knowledge through training, lectures, workshops, seminars, webinars, conferences, reading, and attending exhibitions, debates, etc. This is often followed by curiosity, testing and developing concepts formally or informally. Practical knowledge results from converting theories and models into actions. It is applied repeatedly, forms habit and contributes to gaining valuable insights and know-how. That becomes an experience shared with others as an expert until one acquires mastery. The person who reaches this level is or should be regarded as a subject matter expert.
The programme's goals and objectives inform the decision to engage a subject matter expert in your show or any knowledge-based intervention, such as a webinar, seminar, workshop, debate, conversation, or conference, to address a topic. We will examine the platform's vision, mission, and programming philosophy in this case.

Unit 26, Conduct 21, Sourcing Show Guests and Proposal Writing

COMETSA Radio Worldwide (CRW) presents a live show, Unit 26, Conduct 21, Sourcing Guest & Proposal Writing! Acquire Skills in Proposal Writing and Sourcing Perfect Guests for your Streaming Show. We look into Understanding Proposals, Beginning the Proposal Writing Process, Preparing an Outline, Finding Facts, Writing Skills, Writing the Proposal, Checking for Readability, Proofreading and Editing, and Adding the Final Touches. 

Unit 25, Conduct 20, Streaming Show Guest Criteria

Background: Understand the criteria for selecting guests for the digital online streaming show with the right interpersonal skills. Enhance your guest selection process by investigating the themes contained within our Business Academy course, INTERPERSONAL SKILLS (CDC): Verbal Communication Skills, Non-Verbal Communication Skills, Ability to make small talk and move beyond, Moving the Conversation along, Influencing Skills, Bringing people to your side, Sharing your opinion, and Making an impact.
Communicating with Power:  The power of communication refers to the ability to influence, persuade, or make an impact. Assertive communication is associated with self-confidence, credibility, and effectiveness.
Some ways you can communicate with power verbally:
Stick to the point
Don’t be too casual
Emphasize key ideas
Tailor-fit your communication to your audience.
Connect
Words are powerful communication tools. Indeed, word choice can easily influence the thoughts, attitudes, and behaviour of the people listening to us. Similarly, proper attention to the language of others can give us insight into what they are saying, helping us to respond appropriately and effectively.
Join our Social Collective Learning Community by taking up membership of our COMETSA Membership Club and let us build together here, https://www.cometsamember.com 

Part 2: Honouring VUT Alumnus, Walter Mgiba, and JEDD WIL Graduates

The four Vaal University of Technology (VUT) graduates and now staff members at JEDD Civils (Pty) Ltd, www.jedd.co.za, Thandeka Mkhwanazi, Tiyiso Maluleke, and Marcia Masia, the experience as WIL students and their transition from the institution of learning to the world of work. They studied engineering at VUT, did their P1 and P2 work-based training at JEDD Civils (Pty) Ltd, and started their careers there. Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) is a structured programme that introduces graduates to the world of work. It is a requirement for the students to graduate from the Universities of Technology (UoTs). It is run by the UoTs Cooperative Education Divisions or Departments, which are charged with establishing relationships with the industry and sourcing work-based learning vacancies as part of the completion of their studies. The benefit for the companies is that they can develop future talent without the risk of employing the graduates upon completion of their studies. However, if the students perform well, the companies have a preemptive advantage over non-participating companies.