People always proclaim that one must have the required Officer Like Qualities(OLQs) to be selected as an officer in the Indian armed forces. However, anyone hardly explains the way to go about imbibing these officer like qualities in oneself. Today, we will understand the OLQs and discuss the ways to inculcate them.
The way we react to things, the way we plan our day, the choices which we make, the way we deal with people and the way in which we lead our life is all attributed to our upbringing and the external and internal factors surrounding it. On the whole, our surroundings and the way we think makes us the person we are. Every person will have some special qualities in different amounts. Given the multi-facet job profile of an officer in the defence forces, it becomes inevitable for an aspirant to have certain qualities in him to sail through the selection process. There are 15 such qualities known as Officer Like Qualities (OLQs). The candidates must have all of these qualities in sufficient amounts to be deemed suitable for defence services. The entire selection system revolves around these 15 qualities. The candidate is tested by the psychologist, GTO(Group Testing Officer) and the interviewing officers in these 15 qualities only. Interestingly, all of these OLQs can be developed if one works indefatigably.
OLQs AND WAYS TO DEVELOP THEM
- Effective Intelligence :- It is how one utilizes his intelligence in different type of situations to produce productive outcomes. My advice would be to think the best and simplest way to solve any day to day problem. Slowly but steadily you will see that you are thinking in the right direction and the results are coming.
- Reasoning Ability :- It is the ability to grasp a piece of information and to arrive at a logical solution with a rational mind set. My advice will be to read opinion pages in the newspapers and listen to the TV debates to have an idea about what is more rational and what is not. Try to have maximum conversation with learned and erudite people.
- Organizing Ability :- It is the capability to put things in right places and utilize them to your benefit. You can develop organizing ability by taking part in organizing various events in your school, college and work place. However, my advice will be to make your room and surroundings organized first and then take the next step.
- Power of Expression :- One of the most important ones, it is the ease with which one can put across his ideas in the mind of people. The best way to acquire this is to talk to different people in English, watch chat shows and speak with conviction.
- Social Adaptability :- Again it is very important. It is the way one adjusts in different environments consisting of different kind of people. An easy way to develop this is to talk with different people and try to understand their culture. If possible, you may travel to various places to know people. Living in camps, going for treks will also enhance your social adaptability.
- Cooperation :- If you have this quality, you cannot be rejected in the group tasks. It is the willingness of an individual to work in a group and play his part in as a team member. This quality is very difficult to improve as one has to subdue his ego and concur with his team members to arrive at a solution. Whenever you are in a team, try to work selflessly towards the objective without worrying about getting acknowledged.
- Sense of Responsibility :- It is a comprehensive understanding of one’s duties and obligations. Giving your full dedication to the task you are doing while taking moral responsibility for the consequences of your actions translates into sense of responsibility. One should never bog down and run away from the problems rather should face it brazenly.
- Initiative :- This is a really talked about quality. It is the ability to take the first step in unbeknownst (unfamiliar) situations and put a sustained and long lasting effort to accomplish the goal. Be the first one in your group (school, college, workplace) to take up new tasks and projects. Never think about what people will think of you if you fail, have faith in yourself.
- Self Confidence :- It is the extent of faith and conviction one has in himself. It is tested when you face unfamiliar and stressful situations. My advice to develop this would be to keep calm and focus during demanding circumstances.
- Speed of Decision :- It is the ability to come up with viable and workable ideas without taking much time. People with a wavering mind set have difficulties in taking the correct decisions. Best way to develop this is to sift through the pros and cons of a situation and go for the best way possible without thinking too much about the consequences.
- Ability to Influence the Group :- It is the quality to put reasonable and workable plans in front of the group in a manner which is clearly understood by the group members. Wonder how certain people easily convince others to do a specific task? It is nothing but the tactfulness to deal with people to get the work done. My advice will be to first learn from the people in your surroundings who have this quality and then apply your learnings to get positive results.
- Liveliness :- Certain people are just fun to be around, they bring a smile to your face whenever you meet them, the quality they possess is called liveliness. One should know the art of enjoying life while dealing with its harsh realities. Try to avoid cribbing, griping, worrying and complaining about things which are not under your control. Focus on your work and enjoy every moment of life. Always keep smiling and one day the world would become tired of upsetting you.
- Determination :- You require sustained efforts to achieve any type of goal in life. Working diligently towards your goal, unabashed by difficulties is called determination. A determined person never goes for shortcuts in life, he takes the path of toil. Have short term goals to make it easier for you to be determined to fight the bigger battle.
- Courage :- The propensity to take risks and to face danger head on is a key characteristic of a courageous person. To develop this quality one must become more adventurous and headstrong. Go for various expeditions, try to learn new things. Always be at the brink of doing something you haven’t done before.
- Stamina :- It is the ability of an individual to work beyond his ordinary limits to accomplish a task. One has to have physical and mental stamina to deal with complex problems of life. Try to stretch your limits, go beyond your routine to do things. One has to get out of his comfort zone to increase his stamina. Remember, the more you sweat in practice, the lesser you bleed in war.
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Developing OLQs is not an overnight process. Maintain a diary to monitor your actions. Your actions should reflect the OLQs listed here. You cannot change yourself suddenly but a religious effort will always yield results in the longer run. I hope you have understood the gist of this article. Please comment below or email me at [email protected] for any suggestions and queries. JAI HIND
