OLQ or Officier Like qualities are the characteristics a candidate possesses and get evaluated upon. These are some of the main parameters based on which a candidate gets selected for being an officer at Defence Service.
OLQs are thus very important for cracking SSB Interview. The qualities show your leadership ability and confidence, mindset, and so on. The qualities are not a practice of a day, while it takes months to get imbibed.
Therefore, imbibe the qualities needs a lot of practice and involvement in daily routine and lifestyle. Only by changing a few habits, pushing yourself to some good ways of work, and thoughts officer qualities can be achieved.
OLQ involves behavioral, mental, and physical well being.
The qualities should be reflected involuntarily and for so you have to practice it on a daily basis.
So, here we shall reveal a few ways by which you can inculcate some practice in your daily life habits to imbibe the officer like qualities within your self.
I feel it is essential to mention that each one of us has some good qualities and certain bad qualities. So before you start to check up on the qualities and practice to imbibe them, analyze first what changes you want to see.
Before we get into this, do you know what are the qualities that make up a list of 15 essential qualities that a looked for in a candidate during an SSB Interview?
If you don’t know them yet, check out, What are the 15 Officer Like Qualities?
Effective Intelligence tops the list of the 15 OLQ.
Effective intelligence basically refers to taking decisions spontaneously think of them with every probable consequence. Thus practicality is an essential ingredient of effective thinking and decision-making skill.
Practicing and working on effective intelligence requires a very practical outlook and approach. You have to think about and work practically.
To ensure effective intelligence, try meditating and playing mind games.
Solving puzzles and riddles or a Rubik’s cube can be really helpful to sharpen your effective intelligence.
The quality that takes the second place in the list is reasoning ability.
For every decision you make, you should be answerable for each of them. It calls for ways to check on your effective intelligence.
This can be developed by reasoning yourself for every big-small incident that takes place in your life, for every choice you make in life. Practice writing it in a notebook or telling yourself the reasons in the mirror.
This will not only enhance your reasoning ability but also will boost your confidence.
Also remember, being reasonable is to be truthful.
Reading good books detective storybooks, self-motivating books can be greatly helpful.
Reading and more writing of argumentative essay can be really helpful for shaping your reasoning ability.
Next, that comes down the list is the power of expression.
This is again related to effective intelligence and your ability to reasoning. More powerful is your reason better would be your expression. For you have the confidence over your discussion and perspective.
Power of expression can be polished by reading more self-motivational books, watching documentary movies, practicing writing more argumentative essays, participating in debate and extempore competitions, and so on.
Power of expression is evaluated during the PPDT (Picture Perception and description test) as you narrate your story or during the group discussion round.
Two very important things that show the power of your expression are your tone and your body language while you deliver the speech. So, make sure to have a good grip over the two.
Your confidence would boost you up so, be confident and truthful to ace when it comes to expressing yourself.
Next, that comes to the list is Organizing ability.
Being organized is having a good grip over life and its outlook. It reflects how much clarity you have over your thoughts and action.
Organizing ability can be practiced by leading organized life daily. You keep your workplace, house, and belongings organized. Taking part in events and programs where you work as a backstage or management person, you will develop this skill.
Making plans for the next day or for a week setting goals this way can be helpful in developing this quality within yourself.
The next being Social adaptability can be achieved by socializing with people around.
This will be evaluated as when you go for the SSB interview you will be meeting new people (candidates) who would come from other states. So, you will need to be friends with them.
You can easily develop this by mixing with people initiating short talks with people around you and so on. Participation in events and functions is expected to be of great help.
You should have a mindset to let go of your comfort whenever required. You should have that compromising mindset to make adjustments when, whenever, and with whoever needed. And to do so you have to make friends, travel and socialize.
Sense of Responsibility, the sixth of the fifteen.
It is such a quality that would develop with initiation and you will do so. If you take up work you have to keep up at it in spite of the hardship you would face.
Responsibility is one of the chief characteristics of a true officer. For if you lead a team you have to be responsible enough to deserve the responsibility of your troop.
So to increase your ability to keep up with responsibilities you must start taking responsibilities in everyday life. Be cheerful when it comes to taking any responsibility and try to carry that out successfully with decency and joy.
Leading a group as an officer rest upon a pillar of Cooperation.
The more you co-operate with your fellow mates and peers better you are as a leader and an officer.
You can enhance these characteristics by socializing with people, sharing thoughts, and promising to help whenever needed.
You should make up an idea, where you have to think as if co-operating with people around you is not a choice but a duty. Remember, armed force is a resemblance of self-lessness.
Self-confidence, another key to be an officer in the Indian Armed forces.
It shows who you are. Confidence is always a key to success.
Every individual has some confidence in themselves. Some have it more and some less.
Shaping is all you need to do. If you lack self-confidence you have to start believing yourself and boost yourself that you can do with your best input.
You have to make yourself understand that you are capable of all the things you wish to achieve. You can enhance self-confidence by reading good books, motivational books, taking part in competitions. Reading biographies of great personalities and inspirational figures can definitely help.
There is a thin line of difference between being confident and over-confident. So, try to understand where to and how to channelize it.
With being responsible, you have to take initiative to show your sense of responsibility.
An ideal leader always looks out for taking initiative, carries it out responsibly, and co-operates with whoever seeks help.
To enhance this quality within your self you must start taking the initiative to help people on normals days of your life. Help out people who looking for a direction or the beggar you need your help. Start from a timid spot, initiate small appreciable works.
The tenth in the list is the ability to influence the group.
This is one such criterion which will be reflected during your PPDT and you will have to sum up all your individual story and come up with one story unanimously.
You will be evaluated upon this during your SSB interview.
You can enhance this skill of your by participating in events where is group involvement, in programs and group works.
The ability to influence the group directly depends upon your power of expression and self-confidence. Watching inspirational videos and readies good books can help you to gain this influential power.
Also, public speaking can help you to develop this characteristic. Reading newspapers is also another way to develop this skill.
Next, that comes to this list is the speed of decision-making.
As an officer of an armed force, you will need to make spontaneous decisions. And be reasonable about it. So, in any crucial and emergency time, you will have to take calls very quickly. Thus, the speed of making decisions is hugely important.
You can only increase your decision-making pace only if you start thinking and acting practically.
And to work on this quality you must start to read newspapers, inspiration stories, and biographies. You have to be effectively intelligent and self reason for every decision.
Solving a crossword puzzle of Rubik’s cube can be helpful to develop this skill.
The twelfth in the list is occupied by determination.
The root system of a successful personality. It is the determination that transforms failure into success. A given up thought to I won it scream.
Determination is a way paved towards success. You can develop this skill by reading good motivational books and watching good movies.
You must take your everyday work sincerely and seriously. No matter what responsibility you take, keep up at it. Only by staying determined you can win over any problem.
Set short personal goals and fulfill them. Do not give up until you successfully accomplish them. This will not only enhance your determination but also self-confidence.
Liveliness, the essence of life.
A happy soul is a healthy soul. Amidst all the difficulty and hardship of life, it is very necessary to stay happy and enjoy every bit of life.
To be happy is to socialize with people. To make yourself happy make sure that people around you are happy.
Watching movies, reading books, playing any outdoor or indoor games, can be a good way to keep yourself happy and healthy. Talking to people is also how you take care of your happiness.
Courage, the fourteenth of the fifteen OLQ is Courage.
It is one very important quality looked for in candidates. Only if you are courageous and selfless you are eligible to work for your nation in the armed forces.
Courage is basically an innate characteristic but however, it can be developed or polished.
This quality can be practiced by raising your voice if you see and wrong thing happening. You have to initially start from small things.
Try to bring change in-crowd. Do not wait but speak up for what’s right. Participation in the debate can be helpful. Courage also exhibits how fearless you are.
Being courageous has gifted a number of brave hearts the Param Vir Chakra.
Last but not least is stamina.
You have to be powerful and fit physically as well as mentally to stand as an officer in the armed forces.
You can inculcate physical stamina within yourself by exercise daily, maintaining a proper diet, practicing fitness training, and so on.
On the other hand, you can enhance your mental stamina by practicing brain gym, playing mind games, solving puzzles and cubes, meditating, etc.
What should be the daily routine of a student so as to inculcate OLQs and prepare for SSB?
To develop the OLQ you must practice the above mention ways in your everyday life. Also, enhance the with some approach and outlook of life.
Following are a few ways by which you can involve OLQ in your life by putting them in your daily life routine.
- Maintain a daily schedule for a healthy head and heart.
- Stay calm and cool, and try to handle every situation with ease.
- Try to solve your own problems. It is always better not to wait for anyone to solve your problems.
- Take responsibility and do not give up.
- Be spontaneous.
- Exercise daily and play outdoor games. The goal is to keep yourself fit.
- Enjoy wherever you go.
- Stand up for what is right.
- Respect everyone irrespective of age, gender, or caste.
Related reads: Why is OLQ important for SSB?
Why is it important to narrate a positive story in PPDT?
Can a candidate with depression get selected in SSB?