A seminar presentation made to the Youth Group at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture. The short session was to provide basic limited skill on time management and professional etiquette (in writing and at mealtimes).

1. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Seminar for Youth at IITA
9 October 2020
By Titilayo Falade Ph.D
Transferrable
Time Management and Professional Etiquette

2. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Outline
• What are transferrable skills and why do they
matter?
• Some transferrable skills
• Time management
• Professional etiquette

3. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
After NYSC, what next?
Postgraduate studies
Skills acquisition
EntrepreneurshipSeek employment
Other formal
education
Professional
examinations
Volunteering,
philanthropy
Gap year for
vacations, other
plans
I don’t know (yet)...

4. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Transferrable skills

5. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
No matter what you choose to do, you will need
transferrable skills.
• These are skills that can be used in multiple sectors and
disciplines (they are also called ‘portable skills’).
• Adaptable skills – they could be technical, administrative, or
life skills.
• They can be acquired intentionally or through life
experiences.
The world is constantly changing. We need to keep,
learning and be adaptable for relevance and
effectiveness.

6. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Some transferrable skills.
Time management Communication Critical thinking
Project
Management
Team work
Networking Problem solving
Negotiation
Use of Information
Technology
Professional
etiquette
Creativity Innovation
Self management Analytical thinking Decision-making
Others As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,
which transferrable skills were more
dominant than others?

7. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Time
Management

8. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Time management
•Divided
•Used
•Exchanged
•Managed
•Lost
•Wasted
Time is a valuable resource that everybody has,
that can be
“You communicate what you value by how you spend
your time” – Author Unknown

9. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Time management – the value of time
The value of your time increases with the value that you
put into the hours, months, and years of your life
Divide your time and put value into the allotments

10. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Time management – creating structure
Sunday Monday Tuesday WednesdayThursday Friday Saturday
0 - 1 hrs
1 - 2 hrs
2- 3 hrs
3 - 4 hrs
4 - 5 hrs
5 - 6 hrs
6 - 7 hrs
7 - 8 hrs
8 - 9 hrs
10 - 11 hrs
11 - 12 hrs
12 - 13 hrs
13 - 14 hrs
14 - 15 hrs
15 - 16 hrs
16 - 17 hrs
17 - 18 hrs
18-19 hrs
19 - 20 hrs
21 - 22 hrs
22 - 23 hrs
23 - 0 hrs
Dinner
Lunch
Commuting time
Personal time, reflection, exercise
Preparation and breakfast
Structure your time
Do the most
important things,
difficult things first
Use tools to help
you get things done
more efficiently

11. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Time management – managing big tasks
“There is only one way to eat and elephant, a bite at a
time” – Desmond Tutu
Image credit: https://www.launchsolutions.com

12. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Time management - planning
• Planning takes time, but it improves your effectiveness
• Include deadlines and calculate the time requirements,
by planning backwards on your calendar (start and finish
dates)
• Have a Yearly plan – Monthly plan – Daily ‘to-do’ list
• Include variety to break up time and keep momentum
and interest
• You are more likely to do it if you specify a time slot
• Celebrate completion of tasks
Set goals and have a strategy for accomplishing them

13. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Remove things that encroach on your time
• Procrastination
• Poor planning
• Fatigue or health challenges
• Losing things
• Time wasters – obsessive checking of emails, social media, phone Apps, cleaning
Stretch time – Overlap activities “Multi-tasking”
• Exercise and audio book
• Commuting and online training
Include realistic time estimates
• Include necessary social activities and other commitments
Time management – productivity

14. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Managing unplanned events
What do you do when things that you did not plan for occur?
Re-strategize
Ask for help
Be flexible and
re-negotiate
Delegate tasks
Do not panic
Do not be rigid
Be resilient,
analytical
Use problem
solving skills
‘No’ can be a
positive word

15. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Professional Etiquette

16. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Etiquette - Writing
Written communication
Email:
• Salutations
• Polite tone
• Date stamp
• Do not use SMS abbreviations
• Check for proper grammar and
typographical errors
Dear Sir/Ma,
Please help. I am looking for work since
I finished NYSC.
You do not know me b4 but I work very
had.
God bless you.
Thank you,
Eve Joshua
Sending email without subject or body
of message
Sending cover letter and CV as
attachments, but no text in the email or
meagre text like ‘Please find attached’.

17. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Etiquette at Meal times
Few notes
• Typically, you would wait for others before you start your meal –
you are there more for the people than the meal
• Note that you may be required to split the bill in some instances
• Eat with mouth closed, do not talk with food in mouth
• Talk with others at the table, be cordial
• Do not make discriminatory or other inappropriate jokes
• Keep your phone away and engage with others

18. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Meal etiquette
Image source https://www.marthastewart.com
• Which cutlery to use?
Start from outside and
work inwards
• The water glass is usually
bigger and taller than
the wine glass
• Hold the glass by the
stem not, the bowl
Some assessments are
made at mealtimes.
Be pleasant,
comfortable but don’t
forget yourself and
don’t get drunk!

19. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Professional etiquette
Keep emails and text messages with
formal tone
Send a curriculum vitae with a cover
letter and with a polite formal message
in the body of the mail
Maintain decorum on social media
platforms
Be mindful of your conversations in both
formal and informal organization settings
Be humble but not subservient
Wait for your host and the oldest people
at the table
Wait for others to receive their meals
before you start yours
Be mindful that you may split the bill –
hold sufficient cash
Keep conversations cordial and do not
talk with food in your mouth
Avoid gluttony, drunkenness and
inappropriate conversations
Respond to written communication and
send thank you emails
Written At mealtimes

20. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Summary
o Why do we need transferrable skills?
o Some transferrable skills
• Time management
o The value of time
o Creating structure
o Managing big tasks
o Planning and productivity
o Managing unplanned events
• Professional Etiquette
o Written communication
o Etiquette at mealtimes

21. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
There is a lot to learn.
We must keep learning, keep growing,

22. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Titilayo Falade: t.falade@cgiar.org
Thank you
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23. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
23