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Select a real or potential situation from your working life, such as providing customer service or organising a two-day seminar. Write the name of the situation at the top of a sheet of paper and provide a brief description of what happens, for example in bullet points. The situation should include a few challenges, unusual events, or even the use of another language. Write at least seven such episodes.

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For example: Organising a two-day meeting.

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Examples of changes in situations:

• An unexpected event causing a last-minute change of location.

• One of the key figures is unable to participate due to flight issues.

• Some essential items do not arrive in time.

• Power cuts disrupt the event.

 

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Using the SCAMPER technique, adapt the situation into different scenarios and consider which skills and competencies you would use in each one. Ensure that each SCAMPER element is used at least once. Use each SCAMPER element at least once.

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• Substitute: Which of your usual hard and soft skills would you substitute to tackle the changed situation? For example, would you temporarily replace your teamwork skills with your leadership skills? Describe how you would use these skills and explain why. What added value would this bring?

• Combine: Which of your usual hard and soft skills would you combine to tackle the changed situation? For example, would you use a combination of risk management and time management? Describe how you would use these skills and explain why. What added value would this combination bring?

• Adapt: Which of your hard and soft skills could you adapt to respond to the changed situation? For example, do you adapt your communication style when talking to different types of people? Describe how you would do this and explain why. What added value would this bring?

• Modify (or magnify or minimise): Which of your usual hard and soft skills would you modify to tackle the changed situation? For example, would you need more emotional intelligence when dealing with a sad customer? Describe how you would use it and explain why this would be helpful. How would this add value?

• Put to Another Use: Which of your usual hard and soft skills would you put to another use to tackle the changed situation? For example, could any of the skills you have developed in your free time be useful in this context? Describe how you would use them and explain why they would be useful. What added value would this bring?

• Eliminate: Which of your usual hard and soft skills would you eliminate to tackle the changed situation? For example, are there any skills that are unnecessary this time? Describe how you would use each skill and explain why it is necessary. What added value would this bring?

• Reverse: Which of your usual hard and soft skills would you reverse use to tackle the changed situation? For example, could you change the order in which you usually do things to better serve the customer? Describe how and why you would use them. What added value would this bring?

 

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Look at your responses. What do you notice about how you used your skills, strengths, flexibility, adaptability and problem-solving abilities? Which skills did you use? Did anything catch you by surprise? In which jobs or situations could these skills be useful? Write down your findings.