MANAGERS CAN CREATE SATISFIED EMPLOYEES

A review of the evidence has identified four factors conducive to high levels of employee job satisfaction; mentally challenging work, Equitable rewards, Supportive working conditions, and Supportive colleagues. Importantly, each of these factors is controllable by management.
Mentally challenging work.
People prefer jobs that give them opportunities to use their skills and abilities and offer a variety of tasks, freedom, and feedback on how well they are doing. These characteristics make work mentally challenging.

Equitable rewards:
Employees want pay systems and promotion policies that they perceive as being just, unambiguous, and in line with their expectations. When pay is seen as fair on job demands, individual skill level, and community pay standards, satisfaction is likely to result. Similarly , employees seek fair promotion policies and practices. Promotions provide opportunities for personal growth, more responsibilities, and increased social status. Individuals who perceive that promotion decisions are made in a fair and just manner, therefore, are likely to experience satisfaction from their jobs.

Supportive working conditions:
Employees are concerned with their work environment for both personal comfort and facilitating doing a good job. Studies demonstrate that employees prefer physical surroundings that are nor dangerous or uncomfortable. In addition, most employees prefer working relatively close to home, in clean and relatively modern facilities, and with adequate tools and equipment.

Supportive colleagues:
People get more out of work than merely money or tangible achievements. For most employees, work also fills the need for social interaction. Not surprisingly, therefore, having friendly and supportive coworkers leads to increased job satisfaction. The behavior of one's boss is also a major determinant of satisfaction. Studies generally find that employees satisfaction is increased when the immediate supervisor is understanding and friendly, offers praise for good performance, listens to employees' opinions, and shows a personal interest in them.

Effective Career Development

EFFECTIVE CAREER DEVELOPMENT - SOME IMPORTANT POINTS


Challenging Initial Job Assignments:
There is evidence indicating that employees who take up initial challenging jobs perform better at later stages.
Dissemination of Career Option Information not informed to employees. Mostly employees lack information about career choices/options. The managers identify career paths and succession paths. This information should be made available to all employees concerned.
Management should provide job information to employees through Job positioning. For posting the jobs organizations can use bulletin board displays, company publications, electronic billboards and similar means.

Assessment Center:
The assessment centers evaluate the people regarding their ability to certain jobs. This technique helps to identify the available skills, abilities and knowledge.
Career counseling helps employees in setting directions, reviewing performance, identifying areas of professional growth. The content of career counseling include,
(i) Employee's goals, aspirations and expectations with regard to future career.
(ii) The manager's views about the future opportunities.
(iii) Identification of employee's attempts for self-development.

Career Development Workshops:
Managements should conduct career development workshops. These workshops help for resolving misperceptions. Entry workshops help for orientation and socialization activities. Mid career workshops help the employees with the same background and length of service. Late-career workshops are helpful for the employees preparing for retirement and employees who are frustrated over unfulfilled career goals.
Continuous education and training help the employees to reduce the possibilities of obsolete skills. In fact, continuous education and development are highly essential for career planning and development. Competency based training approaches are best for career development.
Periodic Job Changes at appropriate time imparts career growth. In the modern business, the proverb, rolling stone gathers no mass? has a little relevance. In fact, the rolling stone gathers mass. The technique of job rotation helps the employees to acquire the organization knowledge, and knowledge about different jobs and departments. Ultimately, the employee gains confidence of working efficiently under any environment. The periodic job changes offer diverse and expanded range of experiences that the future job will demand. Thus, this technique prepares the employee for the future careers.

Leave of Absence\Lien\Sabbaticals:
Long leave of absence or sabbaticals allow the employee to work under new environment or attend an executive development program. Thus, leave allows the employees to learn under different environments.
Management Simulation technique is adopted in which employees are taken through a number of exercises and given extensive career development feedback regarding the areas of development necessary.

Professional Associations:
Professional Associations enable the managers to interact among themselves and learn from each other. Further, associations arrange guest speakers on current topics. Thus, these associations help the employees to keep abreast of current career demands and expectations.

Mentor's  Relationships:
Organizations encourage these relationships through networking, building mentor expectations into managerial job descriptions and recognizing and rewarding successful mentoring efforts.

Management Lesson

One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage, started his bus, and drove off along the route. No problems for the first few stops - a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well.

At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a guy got on. Six feet eight, built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground. He glared at the driver and said, "Big John doesn't pay!" and sat down at the back..

Did I mention that the driver was five feet three, thin, and basically meek? Well, he was. Naturally, he didn't argue with Big John, but he wasn't happy about it. The next day the same thing happened - Big John got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down. And the next day, and the next.

This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of him. Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff.

By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; what's more, he felt really good about himself. So on the next Monday, when Big John once again got on the bus and said, "Big John doesn't pay!"

The driver stood up, glared back at the passenger, and screamed, "And why not?"

With a surprised look on his face, Big John replied, "Big John has a bus pass."



Management Lesson: "Be sure there is a problem in the first place before loosing sleep over it and working hard to solve one."

MBA with HR Specialization - Guidance Required !!

Hello friends,

My first suggestion - contact career consultant and do an aptitude test . Get a second opinion of your interest.

WHAT IS YOUR REAL INTEREST?

Unless you have genuine interest in people / their problems/ their situations etc, it could be a dry subject.

HR covers subjects like

-human psychology
-human relations
-recruitment / selection
-induction
-orientation
-training
-management development
-compensation development
-performance appraisals
-performance management
-career planning
-coaching
-counsellinges
-staff amenities planning
-event management
-succession planning
-safety management
-staff communication etc

So think about HR and also other subjects like the above list. You need to discuss with some people and come to a judgement, what is best for you.

The questions are centered around
-personal interest
-career interest/ why
-subject interest
-career plan
-career goal etc

From the above list of hr activities, you may be leaning towards just 2/3 areas .

You need to determine the 2/3 subject areas and work on it as your career plan.

Apart from career consultant, you need to take the opportunity of discussion with some HR MANAGERS of different cos. like IT FIELD, CONSUMER PRODUCTS, SERVICE INDUSTRY to get a first hand view of the roles. You will find it very different.

The prospects are very bright.

You can seek senior management position or HR DIRECTOR OR become an independent consultant.

Emotional health- When relationships are strained

After years of coping with the emotionally charged and excruciatingly painful divorce of her parents, it came time for the adult daughter to assume the care of her aging mom and dad. The lifelong irreconcilable differences were compounded by incompatible distances–her folks lived hours away from each other. She found herself running ragged from one parent’s house to the other, struggling to take care of them, and having to listen to and endure their ongoing battle.

“She said ‘they were never there for me when I needed them because they were always fighting with each other, and now I’m supposed to take care of them? ” recalled Roberta Cole, co-author of “Caregiving from the Heart: Tales of Inspiration.”

The woman described is one of the almost 100 caregivers across the United States Cole interviewed for the book. She heard time and time again stories of people who had strained relationships with their elderly parents, but were forced to pick up the around-the-clock caregiving.

The woman told Cole: “ I’m resigned to doing this because when they’re not around, I’ll feel guilty. It’s just sad to see they never are going to stop hating each other.”

Cole recounted how another man told the story of his estranged relationship with his father. He is gay, and his father rejected him when he was a young adult. Now, years later, his father’s health was failing and he was the only one who showed up at his dad’s bedside to care.

“He came back to care for his father, because he felt it was his last hope to melt the ice,” said Cole, a New York City writer and university teacher who took care of her own mother during her last 10 years. “He was hoping that finally he could find a way for his dad to identify with him and to share a bond they never had.”

These stories, and dozens of others hint at the emotional and spiritual land mines a growing number of people face as they suddenly and unexpectedly are thrown into the role of caregiver.

"Even if you had the best parent in the world, every caregiver is at some point reluctant or at least ambivalent, making the difficulty of the situation even greater,“ said Cole.

Taking on the role of caregiver can be especially tough for adult children who may have to navigate caring for an elderly parent who wasn’t that great at parenting. Or, with the growing divorce rate and evolving scope of families, many ex-spouses are finding themselves thrust into the role of caregiver for their children’s father or mother–the person they divorced. Also prevalent are those people who are forced to take on the role of caregiver in non-loving and often abusive relationships.

Certainly illness becomes a spiritual teacher in the practices of forgiveness, prayer, and letting go, according to Amy Baker, a self-proclaimed “reluctant caregiver,” who chronicles her perseverance and hope as she coped with the decline and death of her parents in her book, "Slow Dancing at Death's Door: Helping Your Parents Through the Last Stages of Life." The book details Baker's own strained relationship with her parents and how she reconnected with both of them before their deaths.

“Dealing with the emotional and spiritual issues becomes paramount,” said Baker, a Fort Worth, Texas, mom of two teenagers. “The raw emotions just come pouring out. What we don’t realize is that all of these unresolved relationships are simmering somewhere ready to surface. The reality is, we all will become sick and die one day, and our loved ones will too. It’s a truth we can no longer ignore.”

Indeed, this reluctant caregiver dilemma is positioned to spread like a cancer as our population is living longer. The nation’s largest demographic–78.2 million baby boomers–increasingly face caring for aging parents, their own mortality and need for healthcare, along with the care of their children, friends, and co-workers. According to a 2005 study by Campbell-Ewald Health, 13 million baby boomers are currently caregivers for their aged parents. This year, the oldest of the generation born between 1946 and 1964 will turn 60 years old. "The luckiest ones are able to do that with their parents, but that's rare,” said Baker. “Most of the time, you’re going to face some pretty heavy spiritual and emotional baggage through the experience of caregiving.”

Even when we’ve experienced a change of heart in caregiving an elderly relative or loved one where the loving was not so visible, the reluctant caregiver syndrome spills over to the sibling front, where family members are stuck repeating childhood conflicts and having those conflicts turn into a war on how to best care for mom and dad, according to Kevin O’Connor, a professional speaker, consultant, and pastoral counselor educator at Loyola University in Chicago. (See tips below)

What’s more, caregivers of parents, ex-spouses, or relatives who haven't been loving or caring can feel especially alone and isolated, said Lori Ovitz, author of “Facing the Mirror With Cancer,” (Belle Press). Through her non-profit organization, www.facingthemirror.org, this former Hollywood and TV makeup artist visits patients – adults, teens and children – at the University of Chicago Hospitals and across the country, using makeup to make a difference in how cancer patients, and their caregivers, look and feel. (See tips below)

Frequently, Ovitz deals with young children whose parents are “overwhelmed by what has happened to their child and just can’t deal with it.”

“They do their best to be the caregiver, but the role is too overwhelming,” said Ovitz. “There was one little baby boy where everyone decided it was just better for him to stay in the hospital and be cared for than to go home. It’s heartbreaking.”

For all caregivers–unexpected, reluctant, or no matter what the situation, caregiving is a role that is learned along the way.

"We learn that caregivers come in many different forms, that there is no right way to care and that if we can take care as well as give it and make peace with the experiences along the way, it can be a transformative journey," said Cole.

Ideas expressed by Mary Beth Sammons


Prof.Lakshman Madurasinghe

Depression- The common cold of the mind

You find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning. If you have responsibilities for other family members you let them shift for themselves. You are becoming indecisive and even forgetful. Your ability to concentrate seems to have fled. You don’t feel like laughing. Food has lost its taste and sex has lost its appeal. You seem to be withdrawing into a shell, not wanting to be bothered by family or friends.


Telltale signs

Depression has been called the common cold of the mind. Mental health experts conservatively estimate that one in every ten people in our country suffers from this affliction.
Depression affects our roles and relationships – work, play friendships, marriage and family, church and community.


The common symptoms

In any one year it is estimated that between 4 and 8 million people are depressed to the extent that they cannot effectively function at their jobs or must seek some kind of treatment.


A suicidal person lacks the courage to be depressed

Aretaeus, a physician living in the second century A. D., described the melancholic patient as “sad, dismayed, sleepless ……….. They become thin by their agitation and loss of refreshing sleep ……… At a more advanced state, they complain of a thousand futility’s and desire death”

Depression is an inner scream telling us that we have neglected some area of our lives.

“Often a man kills himself because he is unable to despair and endure depression.”

On the Plus side

I had learned a great deal about the human psyche and the strange ways in which it works. I felt better equipped to meet the stresses of living in an unsettled world, and better able to understand the motivations of others around me.
Unfortunately, within society in general depression is stigmatised as sinful and indicative of weakness and spiritual inadequacy


Who gets depressed ?

Various subgroups of the population are clearly at higher risk than others. The following is a summary of these risk factors.

1. Sex – overwhelming body of research shows a higher rate of
depression in women than in men. We will look closer at this
phenon in the next major section.

2. Age – Recent community surveys report a higher prevalence
of depression symptoms in young adults (18 – 44) than older
adults. This is a change from the early twentieth century
when reports indicated older adults were more depressed.
The elderly are also becoming more depressive prone as life
span is lengthened.

3. Marital status – Separated and divorced persons show a
higher incidence of depression than do those who have
never married or those who have currently married. Rates
are lower among married persons than among single
persons.

In the United States, women are two to six times more likely
to be diagnosed as depressed than men.



Women and depression

In the past, some women were taught to lower their personal aspirations and depend upon dominant males for their well being. This didn’t do much for a healthy self-esteem and often contributed to depression. Secondly, the marriages of some women also contribute to depression. Some men are quite insensitive to their wives moods. Pressure points in the lives of

women said that no women reaches maturity without having taken on a freight car load of unresolved issues.

It is interesting to note that male alcoholics outnumber female alcoholics significantly, and the rate for successful suicides is three times higher for men than for women. Men perhaps deal with their depression differently than women do.

It is no surprise that many people who struggle with depression are perfectionists.

Loss of perspective.

When a person is depressed he loses perspective. The way he views his life, his job and his family is coloured.

What do we distort ? We distort life itself. It loses its excitement and purpose.

Part of the journey for the depressed person is to change the distorted lens of his mind to a realistic one. Usually we need help from other people to do that. If we are depressed we need to ask for help.

Light depression

If you can recognise these symptoms as indications of depression (and if this is a reaction depression), you are still in a position to reverse the depression. Ask yourself these questions : What is my depression trying to tell me ? (Having a pre planned reading program in mind will be beneficial.)




Moderate depression

Sleeping and eating problems may emerge – either too much or too little.


Why do people get depressed ?

Past Deprivation

Resentment is a feeling of ill will or bitter indignation toward another person. And the greater the resentment, the greater the depression potential. Resentment has been called anger rethought.

Improper Food and Rest

Such a simple thing as not eating properly or not getting proper rest can cause depression. The person who does not eat regular meals or get sufficient sleep may find himself becoming depressed because he is cheating his body of the food and rest it needs to keep functioning properly. College students often suffer from this type of depression. The cure is simply and obvious; Eat right and get enough sleep.

Reaction to Medication

Reactions to certain medications can affect a person’s moods. Medications administered to correct a physical problem may cause a chemical change in the body bringing on the blues.

Chemical imbalance

When there is an imbalance of the hormone level, mood alterations can result. Imbalances of the steroid hormones, which are produced by the adrenal glands, can produce depression. Disorders to the hypothalamus can produce emotional highs and lows.

There are many other physical causes for depression. Infections of the brain or nervous system, generalised body infections, hepatitis and hypoglycemia can cause depression. Other glandular disorders, such as a low thyroid condition, hyperthyroidism, excessive ovarian hormonal irregularities and an imbalance of secretions from the adrenal or pituitary glands also cause a type of depression. Usually other symptoms and bodily changes are also in evidence.

The mineral metabolism in our bodies can also affect our moods. We need a balance of minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, which are called electrolytes.

Repressed anger turned inward upon oneself will lead to depression.

Repressed Anger

Repressed anger turned inward upon oneself will lead to depression. In fact, repressed anger is commonly used as a synonym for depression. This type of anger has been turned from its original source to the inner person. As William Blake wrote in “A Poison Tree”

I was angry with my friend :
I told my wrath, my wrath did end,
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

Grief

Reactive depression, usually called grief depression,

Depression and negative thinking

One of the primary causes of depression is negative thought patterns. Some people literally think their way into depression apart from any valid, external causes.

Negative worldview. The first part of the Depressive Trial identifies a person looking at his experiences in a negative manner, giving him a negative view of the world. He interprets (rightly or wrongly) his interactions with the world as representing defeat, disparagement or deprivation. All of life is filled with burdens and obstacles, and his negative thinking can lead him into depression.

Negative self-view. The person with a negative view of the world interprets his experiences as actually detracting from himself. Even neutral experiences are interpreted in a negative manner. A neutral attitude on the part of a friend is seen as rejection.

Negative future view. The third part of the Depressive Triad naturally follows the first two. Since a negative thinking individual interprets all his experiences and relationships negatively.

Negative self-talk is the culprit that fosters Negative thinking leading to depression

Spending 15 to 20 minutes a day evaluating and challenging our self-talk can help us create a new pattern of response to life.

Having a excessively high standards (being a perfectionist) os a sure way to invite depression into your life.

Behaviour – Another common cause of depression has to do with our behaviour. If the way you are acting is contrary to your moral standards or your value system, depression could be the result.

Success. Did you know that achieving success can bring on depression ? A person works hard, strives for a position, and finally attains his goal.

Depression and loss

The common thread that underlies much of depression is that of loss. Whenever a person experiences a real or an imagined loss, depression may result. That is why in counselling the depressed we search to discover if there has been some loss.

Characteristic Depressive Losses

There are certain types of losses or events which are common among men. A man’s depression is precipitated by financial reversals, failure to achieve a vocational promotion, or the loss of physical strength or whatever constitutes his identity.

The events or losses which frequently cause depression in women are different. Major factors are events which affect her identity as a woman, such as a mastectomy or hysterectomy. The lost of a significant man in her life, such as father, husband or boyfriend, is another cause. The loss of a child through death or the grown child’s departure from home can create depression.

Some studies identified depression-prone people as those who need to gain other people’s approval and have very strong lists of should and should not. They are over conscientious, continually striving to conform.

Convenient Depression

Is it possible that some people benefit from depression and don’t want to give it up ?

Yes, it is. A housewife might use her depression, even though it hurts, to gain attention and sympathy from her husband.

Depression and stress

Stress – it’s a common, catch-all word to describe the tension and pressure we feel in our lives. And stress is another contributor to depression in our lives. But do you know what stress is ?

Stress is the irritation you feel in any bothersome life situation. The word for stress in Latin is strictus. It means “to be drawn tight”. In Old French the word is estresse which means “narrowness” or “tightness”

Good stress is called eustress, which comes from the Latin word eu,

Unique to the Sexes

Are there stress factors which are unique to either men or women ? Yes. In addition to the common sources of stress, there are some elements which are unique to each sex.

A - Z of Stress Management

An encyclopedia on the issue of stress management comprising of inputs to get rid of stress regularly and be fit and healthy all the time.

A - Always take time for yourself, at least 30 minutes per day.

B - Be aware of your own stress meter: Know when to step back and cool down.

C - Concentrate on controlling your own situation, without controlling everybody else.

D - Daily exercise will burn off the stress chemicals.

E - Eat lots of fresh fruit, veggies, bread and water give your body the best for it to perform at its best.

F - Forgive others, don't hold grudges and be tolerant -- not everyone is as capable as you.

G - Gain perspective on things, how important is the issue?

H - Hugs, kisses and laughter: Have fun and don't be afraid to share your feelings with others.

I - Identify stressors and plan to deal with them better next time.

J - Judge your own performance realistically; don't set goals out of your own reach.

K - Keep a positive attitude, your outlook will influence outcomes and the way others treat you.

L - Limit alcohol, drugs and other stimulants, they affect your perception and behavior.

M - Manage money well, seek advice and save at least 10 per cent of what you earn.

N - No is a word you need to learn to use without feeling guilty.

O - Outdoor activities by yourself, or with friends and family, can be a great way to relax.

P - Play your favorite music rather than watching television.

Q - Quit smoking: It is stressing your body daily, not to mention killing you too.

R - Relationships: Nurture and enjoy them, learn to listen more and talk less.

S - Sleep well, with a firm mattress and a supportive pillow; don't overheat yourself and allow plenty of ventilation.

T - Treat yourself once a week with a massage, dinner out, the movies: Moderation is the key.

U - Understand things from the other person's point of view.

V - Verify information from the source before exploding.

W - Worry less it really does not get things completed better or quicker.

X - Xpress: Make a regular retreat to your favorite space, make holidays part of your yearly plan and budget.

Y - Yearly goal setting: Plan what you want to achieve based on your priorities in your career, relationships, etc.

Z - Zest for life: Each day is a gift, smile and be thankful that you are a part of the bigger picture. 

Kolb's Learning Style Inventory and Kolb's Learning Cycle

Many models of adult learning style have been proposed. One of the most influential models has been David Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle. He is a professor of Organizational Behavior in the Weatheread School of Management. This model draws on research done by Kurt Lewin and was proposed in 1984. His findings were first published in his book “Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development”.

According to this model there are four consecutive stages to adult learning:

• Concrete Experience
• Reflective Observation
• Abstract Conceptualization
• Active Experimentation

“Immediate or concrete experiences” provide a foundation for “observations and reflections” which are, in turn, absorbed and distilled into “abstract concepts”. These concepts lead to new perceptions and interpretations based on which further “active experiments” are performed, leading to newer experiences. Each of these stages is closely linked to the developmental stages of a person, namely, acquisition which is a stage from birth to adolescence, specialization during the school years, and integration during the midyears and later life.

Four learning styles are derived from these learning stages:

• Diverging
• Assimilating
• Converging
• Accommodating

Different people have different learning styles. Diverging learning style is a combination of Concrete Experience and Reflective Observation. The two actions associated with this learning style are watching and feeling. People who learn this way tend to brainstorm well, gather information and form good team members. They are open minded people who, usually, are the first to spot newer perspectives. Assimilating learning style is a combination of Abstract Conceptualization and Reflective Observation. Thinking and watching are the two actions associated with it. Logical thinking, concepts and ideas appeal to people who learn in this manner. They need time to read, think and reflect. Abstract Conceptualization and Active Experimentation constitute the Converging learning style. People who engage in this style are doers and thinkers. They prefer to solve practical problems, like experiments, simulations and technical tasks. They are not very people-oriented. Concrete Experience and Active Experimentation comprise the Accommodating learning style. Feeling and doing are the ways in which people learn in this category. Challenges attract such people. Even though they are not great analysts, they rely on people who are better than they are. They are very dynamic and are known to set and achieve high targets.

There is a reason as to why there are two learning stages in one learning style. The human mind functions in a dialectic manner. Dialectic means “conflict”, which, in this case, arises because of the tendency to “do” and “feel” at the same time. This means that the mind wants to figure out how to do a job and respond to it emotionally at the same time. The former is known as “grasping experience” and the latter is known as “transforming experience”.

The Kolb model, though very efficient in explaining the major learning processes in adults, have some limitations too. Critics say that this model does not give enough importance to reflection. The elements of reflection are not worked out in this model. Also, socio-cultural conditioning is not taken into account, because people of different cultures tend to think in different manners. Yet another criticism is that learning cannot be equated to acquisition of knowledge. Notwithstanding these points, the Kolb model has proven to be an excellent tool in framing learning methods.

Manage in Style

The days of one style fits all are gone. Today’s manager needs to vary his Style of Management to bring out the Best in each Employee.
 
The demands of the workforce today are not the same as they were yesterday. The corporate world is changing at the speed of light and there is no escaping the pressure to create a new profile of what a manager should be.
 
In the past, you could survive as a manager with one main style. This is not possible anymore. New demands from customers, employees and society drive the corporation and the manager to be different. This means that as a manager, you need to assess and evaluate what type of leader you need to be. It also requires you to be ready, willing and able to change.
 
The successful manager of the 21st century is regularly evaluating himself and constantly asking: "How can I do this better?"
 
He is flexible, learns fast, thinks and acts globally and creates value for all stakeholders involved such as colleagues and customers. He takes full responsibility for his own behaviour and drives his team to achieve exceptional results. By using situational leadership styles, he ensures each team member creates value and results for the company.

Once you take charge of a division, you will be lucky indeed if you inherit an entire team of people who are already self-motivated, self-responsible peak performers. But that is not likely to happen. Instead, you will probably have to help members of your staff understand and fully internalise the principles of self-motivation and self-responsibility.

You will need to use different styles for different people and different situations in order to get your people to perform at peak levels. You should therefore analyse what type of support your subordinates need in their various tasks and responsibilities and then manage and lead them accordingly.
What you need to do is to evaluate your subordinates’ ability and motivation to perform their tasks in order to choose the correct management style. And it’s a different style for each task, depending on their ability and performance. To make it simple, you can divide your team members into three categories.

The Low Performer

This person has little or some ability and is often new to the job or specific task. His performance is low and he doesn't deliver significant results. The reason for the low performance can be a lack of ability for and understanding of the job or task.
 
However, the person can also be de-motivated, that is, not being committed to the work or having a negative work attitude. If a person is categorised as a low performer, you need to provide him with a clear direction, clarification and training, then supervise closely and follow-up accordingly. Basically, you tell him what he needs to do. The management style for a low performer is Directing.

The Average Performer

This person has a good understanding of the job or specific task and moderate or even high ability. His performance varies throughout the year. Sometimes, the individual's willingness to perform is reduced due to a lack of self-confidence, low motivation or difficulties faced in performing the task. If a person is categorised as an average performer, you need to encourage, support, motivate and give some direction and clarification. The management style for an average performer is Coaching.

The Peak Performer

This person has an excellent understanding and ability of what needs to be done. He achieves beyond expectations or even produces superior results. The motivation is high and he seldom needs Encouragement.
 
He is a self-starter and needs very little or even no direction and supervision. But he will expect a facilitating management style and a manager who is more a colleague and mentor than a boss. Make sure you delegate responsibility, give him authority to decide and challenge him to take additional responsibilities. The management style for a peak performer is Empowerment.
 
To be a manager in the 21st century is definitely a challenge. But if you follow the above guidelines you will take a big step forward as a manager. Remember to:

•Analyse your subordinates’ performance levels, motivation and general needs’
•Apply the “correct” leadership style accordingly;
•Develop each person’s ability and influence to achieve self-responsibility;
•Give your vision of where you want to be as a company, division and team; and
•Lead them towards your vision and encourage peak performance at all levels and all time.  

Written By Henrik Essen 

What are the different types of interviews?

Acquiring and retaining good and competent employees is the objective of all companies. In this age of cut-throat competition and declining margins, the quality and capability of the employees is an extremely significant asset. One of the most important parts of the recruitment process is the interview. Interview can be used to assess the individual, his skills, his ambitions and expectations etc.

There are many types of interviews ranging from the simple interview which seems more like two people talking across a table to the stress interview which is used to find how the individual responds to stress.

Some of the Types of Interviews are:

Panel interview: In this kind of interview, the candidate is interviewed by a panel of interviewers. The panel is composed of the HR manager, the union leader, the supervisor and manager of the department and a few employees from the relevant department. Each panel can be expected to ask a couple of questions. These interviews have the advantage of analyzing the candidate from different perspectives and building a picture of the candidate and his capabilities.

Directed Interview: This kind of interview involves the interviewer asking pre-defined questions. This kind of interview is used to find facts and qualifications.

Non-Directed Interview: This kind of interview is more informal. Here, the candidate and the interviewer are able to discuss freely. This kind of interview puts the candidate in a certain degree of control, and hence, the candidate may seem relaxed and has an opportunity to express himself and showcase his strengths more freely.

Group interviews: This kind of interview seeks to find the response of the individual in a social setting - The way the candidates interact with his peers, the manner in which he frames questions, how he handles criticism and different opinions etc are also scrutinized.

Seqential interview: the sequential interview derives its name because it consists of a long sequence of interviewing procedures. First there may be a casual exploratory interview, then there can be a group discussion and then there can be a final interview. The assessment is done during all the phases of the interview.

Stress interview: This kind of interview is usually carried out where the workplace is demanding and hostile as in the armed forces. The aim of the interview is to put the candidate in a tight spot and see his response. The interviewer can be brash and hostile in his speech and body language. He can make non-flattering comments about the candidate, his dress and his look. He can fault his responses and try to undermine his self confidence. The response of the candidate can be observed by his replies, his facial expressions and his body language.

An Analogy of Leadership That Failed

"We have struck iceberg ... sinking fast ... come to our assistance." Burning the airwaves came those words late in the cold evening of 1912. Before they tapped the last bit of Morse code, those words became the epitaph over the lives of the 1200 people lost on the Titanic. The ship was doomed and it was slowly sliding into its watery grave. Why did the largest, most advanced ship of the century sink?

Those of us who studied the Titanic or at least saw the movie may know why. It wasn't the iceberg that caused the disaster. It was something else. Clear in my mind was the real cause -- LEADERSHIP had FAILED .

The Titanic still rests on the bottom of the ocean, but we can resurrect the truth. The lessons we learn can help our businesses and ability to lead others. 

Leadership is Always Responsible
Leadership is more than a wooden figurehead. Leadership is not a position, a job title or in this case, merely the captain of the ship. Leadership is not just power, ego, and pride. Leadership is both science and art. Leadership is ever-present, touching, motivating, talking, checking, barrier removing, training, preparing, breathing, active, moving about.

This was Captain E.J. Smith's retirement trip. He was headed for the easy life. All he had to do was get to New York. God only knows why he ignored the facts, why he ignored seven iceberg warnings from his crew and other ships. Responsibility can't be delegated. Leadership is responsible for everything the organization does or fails to do. 

Biggest Is Not the Best The larger an organization becomes, the greater its inflexibility. The more difficult and cumbersome to steer, to direct and to change. It soon becomes a bureaucracy where rules, regulations, policies, procedures and "I need permission to make a decision" becomes the norm. Today's businesses must change course quickly. It took over 30 seconds before the Titanic turned away from the iceberg, but then it was too late.

Rank Has It's Privileges?
Ranking is good for command and control, not good for change and innovation. Ranking people limits potential. Today, businesses rank and classify people - sometimes unintentionally. However, the results are the same. Whether it is simply reserved parking spaces, blue collar, white collar, temporary, part-time, those with cubicles, those with desks etc. Ask yourself, when the ship sinks, who gets in the lifeboats first? Who gets severance pay, bonus, stock options or nice hotels. Clear the lines between the classes and make everyone feel they are rowing in the same direction for the same purpose. In a disaster everyone is an equal.

The Truth Changes
The Titanic was unsinkable ... so they thought. So confident were they, that they only had enough life boats for half the passengers. The thinking that made us successful yesterday is the very same thinking that will cause us to fail tomorrow. Our unlearning curve must be greater than our learning curve.

Technology is Never a Substitute for Leadership
Someone said, The danger is not that computers will replace us. The real danger is when we start acting like computers. When technology fails, leadership must prevail. Captain E.J. Smith said years before the Titanic's voyage, "I cannot imagine any condition which would cause a ship to founder. Modern shipbuilding has gone beyond that." Many businesses today have replaced their leaders with technicians, their brains with a hard drive. So -- when disaster strikes who is going to lead and will your technology pull you under?

Leadership is Always Training
As the stern of the Titanic lifted out of the water, the crew and passengers struggled with the lifeboats. There were no drills, no rehearsals and the crews stood unfamiliar with their responsibilities. The boats were improperly loaded and only one boat went back to try to recover survivors. Everyone in business today must be a trainer, not just the training department.

Leadership Looks Below the Surface
The greatest danger as well as the greatest opportunities lie below. The ocean in 1912 was like glass, deceptively dangerous. The biggest part of an iceberg lies below ... unseen. Like steel fangs, it tore at the rivets along 300 feet of the Titanic's hull. Those below, the "crew and steerage," felt and saw the damage first. Like a gasping breath, the steam billowed above as chaos reigned below. Just like then and now, those who know what's wrong with your "ship" are those below. Furthermore, those below usually have the best ideas and solutions to your problems. Start looking toward those on the front-line for the ideas, problems and solutions. Do it before you hit the icebergs.

Leadership Looks Beyond the Horizon
Success gets organization's in trouble. A good "Captain" is on the lookout for changing trends, changing needs, storms and icebergs. Sam Walton identified the need and Sears didn't. Apple computer saw the need before IBM. The vision of the Sony Walkman existed in Akio Morita's mind before RCA. Mary Kay Ashe saw it and others didn't. Get the picture? Be out there looking for the next change.

The Moral of the Story: Few of us were alive when the Titanic sank, but all of us lost something that night. Hopefully, we recognize the lessons learned and chart our course toward the right direction. Let's don't make the same mistakes so to avoid our own Titanic's.

Author : Gregory P. Smith

Hope you enjoyed reading. Your comments shall be welcome !!

Sangeet Raj .N

A Thought for Introspection !!

Dear Friends,

I am writing a thought which has often occured in my mind.

Please feel absolutely free to respond.

Regards,

Sangeet Raj .N
---------------------------

You Pour a glass of water in a filled jug , the jug will overflow..
You Let there be a spell of torrential rain, a river will start overflowing..

You Even if all the rivers terminate in sea, the sea never overflows...

Moral of the thought :

Those who have depth , never overflow or over-react ...


------------------------------------

A Connected Life

"The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves."

"Believe, when you are most unhappy, that there is something for you to do in the world. So long as you can sweeten another's pain, life is not in vain." - Helen Keller

3 Simple Strategies for Never Losing out Again

====================================
3 Simple Strategies for Never Losing out Again

Life is full of ups and downs and sometimes has a few sideways thrown in too. When things go wrong or don’t go as planned, or when something happens to throw us off balance and doubt ourselves it can be tough to deal with. After all, we all want things to go well and to end up as ‘winners’. But life will always throw challenges at us, and we can’t control everything. Nor should we try. It’s not what happens to you but what you do with what happens to you that makes the difference.

Here are three easy ways that you can always come out on top.

1. Focus on Your Strengths
2. Set Things Up Ahead Of Time
3. There’s No Such Thing as Losing Anyway

1. Focus on Your Strengths

We’re a bunch of contradictions – sorry to break it to you. Sometimes happy, sometimes sad; sometimes hopeful, sometimes pessimistic; sometimes childish and sometimes mature. We also have a whole load of strengths and weaknesses that affect what we do and how we do it, but tend to put more focus on our weaknesses and not our strengths.

Strength is something that you do consistently well or at a near-perfect level of performance – it’s something you’re just able to do, you’re hard-wired to do it well and you get an inherent satisfaction from doing it. It could be tackling and solving complex problems, empathising with people, having a lively imagination or being able to make the perfect omelette.

Focusing on what you do well rather than what you’re not so good at makes all kinds of sense. When you look at what you’re not good at you feel bad about yourself and your ability, but when you focus on and play to your strengths you’re guaranteed to get results, and can even eliminate any negative effect your weaknesses might have.

There was a guy I worked with who hated public speaking and recognised that it was one of his weaknesses. He worked as an advertising executive and as he climbed the ladder he found he had to do more and more presentations – he’d stutter, freeze, forget his point and not perform at his best at all. But when we focused on his strengths we found that he had amazing social skills, an ability to establish great rapport with people in no time at all and had a fantastic sense of humour. Using those strengths he was able to connect easily with each person in his audience, enjoy himself a whole lot more and to deliver presentations that had fun, humour and warmth in them. He used his strengths to overwhelm his weaknesses and went from strength to strength himself.

2. Set Things Up Ahead Of Time
Sure, there will be times when you can just head into something, do brilliantly at it and get the result you were hoping for (normally if you’re playing to your strengths), but other times you might blunder forwards, wing it and not get the result you wanted. Whatever challenges or opportunities you’re facing you’ll stand a much better chance of getting a great result if you set things up to succeed ahead of time.

So what exactly do you want to happen? What solution, outcome or result would be great? Get really clear on the outcome you want from what’s facing you and how it would feel to get the outcome you’re looking for. Then start breaking it down – what can you do to set things up so that your desired outcome happens? What needs to be put in place? What will help to make what you want to happen, happen? And to ensure the best outcome, what are you willing to do?

3. There’s No Such Thing as Losing Anyway...

15 Types of Thinking to avoid in life

Discover and change the following
15 types of distorted thinking
1. Tunnel vision

Example: ‘I expect it’ll be another boring party’. It is being stuck in a mental groove. In particular you look for that which confirms your fear or prejudice, remember it from the past and expect it in the future. You ignore other points of view or the possibility of alternative solutions.
2. Awfulizing

Example: ‘I can’t bear going on these awful buses’. This attitude is saying that it’s unacceptable if things aren’t as you would prefer them to be. You take the negative aspect of a situation and magnify it. To handle this, recognize when you use words like terrible, awful, disgusting, etc. and in particular the phrase ‘I can’t stand it’. Examine their rationality.

3. Black & White Thinking
Example: ‘You’re either for me or against me’. Things are black or white, wonderful or terrible, a great success or a total failure, brilliantly clever or really stupid, a certainty or a complete mystery, friend or enemy, love or hate - there is no middle ground, no room for improvement, no room for mistakes. Judgments on self and others swing from one emotional extreme to another and are easily triggered. It is important to remember that human beings are just too complex to be reduced to dichotomous judgments, and that all qualities fall somewhere along a continuum, containing elements of either extreme.
4. Generalization

Example: ‘I’ll never be any good at tennis’ after one poor game. In this distortion you make a broad, generalized conclusion, often couched in the form of absolute statements, based on a single piece of evidence. If something bad happens once, you expect it to happen over and over again. If someone shows evidence of a negative trait, this is picked up on and exaggerated into a global judgment. This inevitably leads to a more and more restricted life and your view of the world becomes
stereotyped. Cue words that indicate you may be over-generalizing are: all, every, none, never, always, everybody and nobody. To become more flexible use words such as: may, sometimes and often, and be particularly sensitive to absolute statements about the future, such as ‘No one will ever love me’, because they may become self-fulfilling prophecies.

5. Assumption

Example: ‘Nothing can change the way I feel’. Making an assumption, presupposes knowledge that you do not have. Assumptions are often popular beliefs that have been adopted without examining their basis in fact, such as ‘I’m over the hill now that I’m forty’. Making decisions based on assumptions may lead to disaster, as when an executive assumes that a new product will sell well, having made no market research. Often, taking things for granted causes people to be blind to possible solutions - assuming no-one can help them, a couple’s marriage may go on the rocks, when they could seek counseling. Question: what leads you to believe this? Why do
it this way? Who says? What alternatives are there? What would happen if you did? What would happen if you didn’t? As a practical matter, all of us must proceed with the business of living by relying on ‘maps’ of the world which we have taken on trust and which we have not tested and often cannot test. To supplement personal experience, we absorb a constant stream of
reports, descriptions, judgments, inferences and assumptions coming from a
multitude of sources. From this abundance of stored information, you piece together a mental ‘model’ of the world and its workings that literally becomes your world view. However, people do vary considerably in the extent of their misinformation and in the degree to which they actively seek out new information, take opportunities to correct or update their mental models, and expose themselves to new experiences.

6. Projection

Example: ‘I know he doesn’t like me’. Making false assumptions about what other people think depends on a process called projection. It is like mind-reading – putting words into peoples’ mouths. You imagine that people feel the same way you do and react to things the same way. If you get angry when someone is late, you assume that another will feel the same way about you or others, in that situation. If you don’t like yourself, you assume others also think that way. The answer is not to jump to conclusions about what other people think and feel.

7. Negative thinking

Example: ‘We haven’t seen each other for two days - I think the relationship is falling apart’. You read a newspaper article about some misfortune and wonder if that could happen to you. Predicting negative consequences is a defense, to protect oneself from disappointment by expecting the worst. Consider, what are the realistic odds of that happening?

8. Self-consciousness

Example: ‘Quite a few people here seem smarter than I am’. This is the introverted tendency to relate everything around you to yourself, to think people must be judging you, or to think that everything they do or say is a reaction to something about you. It is the habit of continually comparing yourself to other people, based on the underlying assumption is that your worth is questionable. You are therefore continually forced to test your value as a person by measuring yourself against others. If you come out better you have a moment’s relief; if you come up short, you feel diminished. Your worth doesn’t depend on being better than others, so why start the comparison gamble?

9. Blame

Example: ‘It’s your fault we’re in debt’. If you see yourself as externally controlled, you see yourself as helpless, a victim of fate or ‘the system’. You don’t believe you can really affect the basic shape of your life, let alone make any difference in the world, so you try and manipulate others to take care of your interests. Someone else is to blame and is responsible for your pain, your loss, your failure. The truth is that we are constantly making decisions and every decision affects and steers our lives. It is your responsibility to assert your needs, to say no or go elsewhere for what you
want. In some way we are responsible for nearly everything that happens to us, including our distress and unhappiness. Taking responsibility means accepting the consequences of your own choices. Ask yourself: ‘What choices have I made that resulted in this situation? What decisions can I now make to change it?’ The opposite distortion is also very common - the fallacy that makes you responsible for the pain or happiness of everyone around you. You carry the world on your shoulders. You have to right all wrongs, fill every need and balm each hurt; if you don’t you feel guilty and turn the blame on yourself. Blaming yourself means labeling yourself inadequate if things go wrong. With this viewpoint you are very
easily manipulated. The key to overcoming this fallacy is to recognize that each person is responsible for himself - taking responsibility doesn’t imply that you are also responsible for what happens to others. Remember, part of respecting others includes respecting their ability to overcome or accept their own pains, make their own decisions and be in control of their own lives.

10. Unfairness

Example: ‘It’s not fair, he should take me out more often’. The consideration of unfairness results from resentment that the other person does not want or prefer the same as you, or that events do not turn out in your favor. The person gets locked into his or her own point of view, with a feeling of ever-growing resentment. Be honest with yourself and the other person. Say what you want or prefer, without getting involved in the fallacy of unfairness: that people and situations shouldn’t be the way they are.

11. Emotional reasoning

Example: ‘I feel depressed, life must be pointless’. You believe that what you feel must be true - automatically. If you feel stupid then you must lack intelligence. If you feel guilty then you must have done something wrong. If you feel angry, someone must have taken advantage of you. However, there is nothing automatically true about what you feel - your feelings can lie to you, they can be based on misconceptions. If your feelings are based on distorted thoughts, then they won’t have any validity. So be skeptical about your feelings and examine them as you would a used car.

12. Manipulation
Example: ‘If we had sex more often, I’d be more affectionate’. The only person you can really control or have much hope of changing is yourself. When you pressure people to change, you are forcing them to be different for your own benefit. Strategies for manipulating others include blaming, demanding, withholding and trading - in order to make the other feel obliged. The usual result is that the other person feels attacked or pushed around and resists changing at all, or feels resentful if they do. The underlying fallacy of this thinking style is that your happiness depends
on controlling the behavior of others. In fact your happiness depends on the many thousands of large and small decisions you make during your life.

13. Shoulds

Example: ‘You should never ask people personal questions’. In this distortion, you operate from a list of inflexible rules about how you and other people should act. The rules are right and indisputable. Any particular deviation from your particular values or standards is bad. As a result you are often in the position of judging and finding fault. People irritate you, they don’t act properly or think correctly. They have unacceptable traits, habits and opinions that make them hard to tolerate. They should know the rules and they should follow them. Of course, the answer is to focus on
each person’s uniqueness: his or her particular needs, limitations, fears and pleasures, and consequently different values. Personal values are just that - personal. You are also making yourself suffer with shoulds, oughts and musts (or their negatives). You feel compelled to do something or be a certain way and feel guilty if you don’t, but you never bother to ask objectively if it really makes sense. Some people beat themselves up constantly for being incompetent, insensitive, stupid, too emotional, etc. They are always ready to be wrong. The psychiatrist Karen Horney
called this the ‘tyranny of the shoulds’.

14. Got to be right

Example: ‘I’ve been doing this longer than you, so I know what I’m talking about’. In this distortion you are usually on the defensive, needing to prove to yourself and others that your views, assumptions and actions are all correct. You never make mistakes! If you’ve got to be right, you don’t listen. You can’t afford to – listening might reveal that you are wrong sometimes. Your opinions rarely change because if the facts don’t fit what you already believe you ignore them. This makes you lonely, because being right seems more important than an honest, caring relationship. The key to overcoming being right, is active listening - making sure you really understand what’s been said to you, to appreciate the other’s point of view and what you can learn from it, which is effort better spent than in devising rebuttals and
attacks. Remember that other people believe what they are saying as strongly as you do, and there is not always just the one right answer.

15. Heaven’s reward
Example: ‘I worked and raised these kids and look what thanks I get’. This distorted thinking style accepts pain and unhappiness because ‘those who do good are rewarded in the end’. You expect all your sacrifice and self-denial to pay off, as if there was someone keeping score. You feel hostile and bitter when the reward doesn’t come. In reality the reward is now. Your relationship, your progress toward your goals, and the care you give to those you love, should be intrinsically rewarding. If not, you need to rearrange your activities to provide some here-and now reward, dropping or sharing the activities that chronically drain you - Heaven is a long way off and you can get very tired waiting. The best way to practice identifying Thought Distortions in everyday life, is to take particular notice of one of the distortions for one day, and notice whenever it is used - by others or by yourself! Frequently, several Distortions are combined in a statement, or a statement fits into several categories of Distortion.

15 Things you probably never knew or thought about

1. At least 5 people in this world love you so much they would die for you.

2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.

3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.

4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.

5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.

6. You mean the world to someone.

7. If not for you, someone may not be living.

8. You are special and unique.

9. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.

10. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.

11. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a look: you most likely turned your back on the world.

12. When you think you have no chance of getting what you want, you probably won't get it, but if you believe in yourself, probably, sooner or later, you will get it.

13. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude
remarks.

14. Always tell someone how you feel about them; you will feel much better when they know.

15. If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they are
great.

15 Laws of Life : From Swami Vivekananda

Dear Friends,

Read below an excellent self improvement writeup :-

1. Love Is The Law Of Life: All love is expansion, all selfishness is contraction. Love is therefore the only law of life. He who loves lives, he who is selfish is dying. Therefore, love for love's sake, because it is law of life, just as you breathe to live.

2. It's Your Outlook That Matters: It is our own mental attitude, which makes the world what it is for us. Our thoughts make things beautiful, our thoughts make things ugly. The whole world is in our own minds. Learn to see things in the proper light.

3. Life is Beautiful: First, believe in this world - that there is meaning behind everything. Everything in the world is good, is holy and beautiful. If you see something evil, think that you do not understand it in the right light. Throw the burden on yourselves!

4. It's The Way You Feel: Feel like Christ and you will be a Christ; feel like Buddha and you will be a Buddha. It is feeling that is the life, the strength, the vitality, without which no amount of intellectual activity can reach God.

5. Set Yourself Free: The moment I have realised God sitting in the temple of every human body, the moment I stand in reverence before every human being and see God in him - that moment I am free from bondage, everything that binds vanishes, and I am free.
6. Don't Play The Blame Game: Condemn none: if you can stretch out a helping hand, do so. If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers, and let them go their own way.

7. Help Others: If money helps a man to do good to others, it is of some value; but if not, it is simply a mass of evil, and the sooner it is got rid of, the better.

8. Uphold Your Ideals: Our duty is to encourage every one in his struggle to live up to his own highest idea, and strive at the same time to make the ideal as near as possible to the Truth.

9. Listen To Your Soul: You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.

10. Be Yourself: The greatest religion is to be true to your own nature. Have faith in yourselves!

11. Nothing Is Impossible: Never think there is anything impossible for the soul. It is the greatest heresy to think so. If there is sin, this is the only sin - to say that you are weak, or others are weak.

12. You Have The Power: All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.

13. Learn Everyday: The goal of mankind is knowledge... now this knowledge is inherent in man. No knowledge comes from outside: it is all inside. What we say a man 'knows', should, in strict psychological language, be what he 'discovers' or 'unveils'; what man 'learns' is really what he discovers by taking the cover off his own soul, which is a mine of infinite knowledge.

14. Be Truthful: Everything can be sacrificed for truth, but truth cannot be sacrificed for anything.

15. Think Different: All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything. 

Regards,

Sangeet Raj .N

10 Ways To Boost Your Creativity

Creativity is your birthright – but can often be hidden in the everyday. To facilitate your personal development and self growth, here are some creativity tips you can use to resurrect, refresh and enhance your creative faculties.

1. Look after yourself.
2. Do something different.
3. Be curious about your world around you.
4. Read a book on something you previously had no interest in.
5. Do something childlike once in a while.
6. Create/prepare quiet time for yourself every day.
7. Ask 'what if' questions.
8. We often make assumptions.
9. Write and storyboard your life.
10. Talk to people you routinely ignore or dismiss.

10 Rules For Success

Sam Walton's 10 Rules For Success

Rule #1

Commit to your business. Believe in it more than anything else. If you love your work, you will be out there every day trying to do the best you can, and pretty soon everybody around will catch the passion from you - like a fever.

Rule #2

Share your profits with all your associates, and treat them as partners. In turn, they will treat you as a partner, and together you will all perform beyond your wildest expectations.

Rule #3

Motivate your partners. Money and ownership aren't enough. Set high goals, encourage competition and then keep score. Make bets with outrageous payoffs.

Rule #4

Communicate everything you possibly can to your partners. The more they know, the more they'll understand. The more they understand, the more they'll care. Once they care, there's no stopping them. Information is power, and the gain you get from empowering your associates more than offsets the risk of informing your competitors.

Rule #5

Appreciate everything your associates do for the business. Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They're absolutely free and worth a fortune.

Rule #6

Celebrate your success and find humor in your failures. Don't take yourself so seriously. Loosen up and everyone around you will loosen up. Have fun and always show enthusiasm. When all else fails put on a costume and sing a silly song.

Rule #7

Listen to everyone in your company, and figure out ways to get them talking. The folks on the front line - the ones who actually talk to customers - are the only ones who really know what's going on out there. You'd better find out what they know.

Rule #8

Exceed your customer's expectations. If you do they'll come back over and over. Give them what they want - and a little more. Let them know you appreciate them. Make good on all your mistakes, and don't make excuses - apologize. Stand behind everything you do. `Satisfaction guaranteed' will make all the difference.

Rule #9

Control your expenses better than your competition. This is where you can always find the competitive advantage. You can make a lot of mistakes and still recover if you run an efficient operation. Or you can be brilliant and still go out of business if you're too
inefficient.

Rule #10

Swim upstream. Go the other way. Ignore the conventional wisdom. If everybody is doing it one way, there's a good chance you can find your niche by going exactly in the opposite direction.

--- by James E. McClain

 

10 Point Recipe for Business Success

Dear Professionals,

Wipro chairman Azim H Premji, one of India's most successful entrepreneurs, has prescribed a 10-point recipe for success, based on the very lessons he had learnt during his last 35 years in the organisation.

"You should dare to dream, define what you stand for, never lose your zest and curiosity, always strive for excellence, build self confidence, learn to work in teams, take care of yourself, preserve, have a broader social vision and finally never let success go to your
head," Premji said.

The Wipro chairman was delivering the convocation address at the 38 the convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.

Following is the entire text of the convocation address made by Premji:

I am privileged to be with you here today and to share this significant moment of your life.

The convocation marks the culmination of all the endless nights you worked through, all the anxieties you have gone through facing one examination after another and all the preparation you have put in, not only to enter this prestigious institution but also to
graduate from it successfully. It is no mean achievement.

Only a handful of the most talented people in the world have shared this success with you. Let me just say that I am very proud of each and every one of you.

I am a little wary about giving you advice- because advice is one thing young people all over the world do not like receiving. I cannot fault you for that.

The world does look very different when it is seen with your eyes. You are filled with enthusiasm and are straining at the leash to get on with life.

And the world is very different from what it was when I was at your age. Never before has the role of technology been so pervasive and so central. The Internet has breached all physical borders and connected the world together like no other force has done before.

For the first time, opportunities for creating wealth in India are at par with the best in world. There is no need for you to sacrifice the joy of remaining in your own country any more.

All opportunities are accompanied by their own challenges. I thought I would share with you a few of the lessons I have learnt in my own life, while loading the transformation at Wipro, from a small company three and a half decades back into a global corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange. I hope you find them useful.

Lesson # 1: Dare to dream

When I entered Wipro at the age of 21, it was a sudden and unexpected event. I had no warning of what lay ahead of me and I was caught completely unprepared. All I had with me was a dream.

A dream of building a great Organisation. It compensated for my inexperience and I guess, also prevented me from being overwhelmed by the enormity of the task before me.

What I am happy is that we never stopped dreaming. Even when we achieved a position of leadership in every business we operated in India. We now have a dream of becoming one of the top 10 global it service companies.

Many people wonder whether having unrealistic dreams is foolish. My reply to that is dreams by themselves can never be realistic or safe. If they were, they would not be dreams. I do agree that one must have strategies to execute dreams. And, of course, one must slog to transform dreams into reality. But dreams come first.

What saddens me most is to see young, bright people getting completely disillusioned by a few initial setbacks and slowly turning cynical and some of them want to migrate to America in the hope this is the solution.

It requires courage to keep dreaming. And that is when dreams are most needed- not when everything is going right, but when just about everything is going wrong.

Lesson # 2: Define what you stand for

While success is important, it can become enduring only if it is built on a strong foundation of Values. Define what you stand for as early as possible and do not compromise with it for any reason. Nobody can enjoy the fruits of success if you have to argue with your own conscience.

In Wipro, we defined our Beliefs long before it became a fashion to do so. It not only helped us in becoming more resilient to stand up to crises we faced along the way, but it also helped us in attracting the right kind of people.

Eventually, we realised that our values made eminent business sense. Values help in clarifying what everyone should do or not do in any business situation. It saves enormous time and effort because each issue does not have to be individually debated at length.

But remember that values are meaningful only if you practice them. People may listen to what you say but they will believe what you do. Values are a matter of trust. They must be reflected in each one of your actions. Trust takes a long time to build but can be
lost quickly by just one inconsistent act.

Lesson #3: Never lose your zest and curiosity

All the available knowledge in the world is accelerating at a phenomenal rate. The whole world's codified knowledge base (all documented information in library books and electronic files) doubled every 30 years in the early 20th century.

By the 1970s, the world's knowledge base doubled every seven years. Information researchers predict that by the year 2010, the world's codified knowledge will double every 11 hours.

Remaining on top of what you need to know will become one of the greatest challenges for you.

The natural zest and curiosity for learning is one of the greatest drivers for keeping updated on knowledge. A child's curiosity is insatiable because every new object is a thing of wonder and mystery. The same zest is needed to keep learning new things.

I personally spend at least ten hours every week on reading. If I do not do that, I find myself quickly outdated.

Lesson # 4: Always strive for excellence

There is a tremendous difference between being good and being excellent in whatever you do. In the world of tomorrow, just being good is not good enough.

One of the greatest advantages of globalisation is that it has brought in completely different standards. Being the best in the country is not enough; one has to be the best in the world. Excellence is a moving target. One has to constantly raise the bar.

In the knowledge-based industries, India has the unique advantage of being a quality leader. just like japan was able to win in the overseas market with its quality leadership in automobile manufacturing, india has been able to do the same in information
technology.

At Wipro, we treat quality as the #1 priority. This enabled us not only to become the world's first SEI CMM Level 5 software services company in the world but also a leader in Six Sigma approach to quality in India.

However, even today I am dissatisfied with several things which we are not doing right in the area of customer satisfaction.

Doing something excellently has its own intrinsic joy, which I think is the greatest benefit of Quality.

Lesson # 5: Build self-confidence

Self-confidence comes from a positive attitude even in adverse situations. Self-confident people assume responsibility for their mistakes and share credit with their team members.

They are able to distinguish between what is in their control and what is not. They do not waste their energies on events that are outside their control and hence they can take setbacks in their stride.

Remember, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

Lesson # 6: Learn to work in teams

The challenges ahead are so complex that no individual will be able to face them alone. While most of our education is focused in individual strength, teaming with others is equally important. You cannot fire a missile from a canoe. Unless you build a strong network of people with complimentary skills, you will be restricted by your own limitations.
Globalisation has brought in people of different origin, different upbringing and different cultures together. Ability to become an integral part of a cross-cultural team will be a must for your success.

Lesson # 7 Take care of yourself

The stress that a young person faces today while beginning his or her career is the same as the last generation faced at the time of retirement.

I have myself found that my job has become enormously more complex over the last two or three years. Along with mutual alertness, physical fitness will also assume a great importance in your life.

You must develop your own mechanism for dealing with stress. I have found that a daily jog for me, goes a long way in releasing the pressure and building up energy. You will need lots of energy to deal with the challenges.

Unless you take care of yourself there is no way you can take care of others.

Lesson # 8: Persevere

Finally, no matter what you decide to do in your life, you must persevere. Keep at it and you will succeed, no matter how hopeless it seems at times. In the last three and half decades, we have gone through many difficult times. But we have found that if we remain
true to what we believe in, we can surmount every difficulty that comes in the way.

I remember reading this very touching story on perseverance.

An eight-year-old child heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no money left. They were moving to a smaller house because they could not afford to stay in the present house after paying the doctor's bills. Only a very costly surgery could save him now and there was no one to loan them the money.

When she heard daddy say to her tearful mother with whispered desperation, 'Only a miracle can save him now', the child went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jar from its hiding place in the closet.

She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully.

Clutching the precious jar tightly, she slipped out the back door and made her way six blocks to the local drug Store. She took a quarter from her jar and placed it on the glass counter.

"And what do you want?" asked the pharmacist. "It's for my little brother," the girl answered back. "He's really, really sick and I want to buy a miracle."

"I beg your pardon?" said the pharmacist.

"His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle cost?"

"We don't sell miracles here, child. I'm sorry," the pharmacist said, smiling sadly at the little girl.

"Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me how much it costs."

In the shop was a well-dressed customer. He stooped down and asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does you brother need?"

"I don't know," she replied with her eyes welling up. "He's really sick and mommy says he needs an operation. But my daddy can't pay for it, so I have brought my savings".

"How much do you have?" asked the man. "One dollar and eleven cents, but I can try and get some more", she answered barely audibly.

"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man. "A dollar and eleven cents -- the exact price of a miracle for little brothers."

He took her money in one hand and held her hand with the other. He said, "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the kind of miracle you need."

That well-dressed man was Dr Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specialising in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn't long before Andrew was home again and doing well.

"That surgery," her mom whispered, "was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?"

The little girl smiled. She knew exactly how much the miracle cost ... one dollar and eleven cents ... plus the faith of a little child.

Perseverance can make miracles happen.

Lesson # 9: Have a broader social vision

For decades we have been waiting for some one who will help us in 'priming the pump' of the economy.

The government was the logical choice for doing it, but it was strapped for resources. Other countries were willing to give us loans and aids but there was a limit to this.

In the millennium of the mind, knowledge-based industries like Information Technology are in a unique position to earn wealth from outside. While earning is important, we must have mechanisms by which we use it for the larger good of our society.

Through the Azim Premji Foundation, we have targeted over the next 12 months to enrol over a million children, who are out of school due to economic or social reasons.

I personally believe that the greatest gift one can give to others is the gift of education. We who have been so fortunate to receive this gift know how valuable it is.

Lesson # 10: Never let success go to your head

No matter what we achieve, it is important to remember that we owe this success to many factors and people outside us. This will not only help us in keeping our sense of modesty and humility intact but also help us to retain our sense of proportion and balance.

The moment we allow success to build a feeling or arrogance, we become vulnerable to making bad judgements.

Let me illustrate this with another story:

A lady in faded dress and her husband, dressed in a threadbare suit, walked in without an appointment into the office of the president of the most prestigious educational institution in America.

The secretary frowned at them and said, "He will be busy all day."

"We will wait," said the couple quietly.

The secretary ignored them for hours hoping they will go away. But they did not. Finally, the secretary decided to disturb the president, hoping they will go way quickly once they meet him.

The president took one look at the faded dresses and glared sternly at them. The lady said, "Our son studied here and he was very happy. A year ago, he was killed in an accident. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial for him on the campus."

The president was not touched. He was shocked. "Madam, we cannot put up a statue for every student of ours who died. This place would look like a cemetery."

"Oh, no," the lady explained quickly, "we don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would give a building to you."

"A building?" exclaimed the president, looking at their worn out clothes. "Do you have any idea how much a building costs? Our buildings cost close to ten million dollars!"

The lady was silent. The president was pleased and thought this would get rid of them.

The lady looked at her husband. "If that is what it costs to start a university, why don't we start our own?" Her husband nodded.

Mr and Mrs Leland Stanford walked away, travelling to Palo Alto, California, where they established the university as a memorial to their son, bearing their name - the Stanford University.

The story goes that this is how Stanford University began.

I wish you every success in your career and your future life.

Cell Phone usage in the office premises Policy

The policy on cell phone usage should be :

- Phone must be kept on silent or vibrate

- Not permitted to text or play games while on the floor

- Not permitted to use cell phone on floor

You may use your phone on your break or lunch break and only in the cafeteria, break room or outside the building. You are not permitted to go to the bathroom as an excuse to use your phone.

While this is inconvenient for some, it seems to be the best way. We had a HUGE problem with people texting while at their desk or playing games inbetween phone calls  and taking 15 bathroom breaks in an 8 hour shift. Our company also has allowance for making personal calls from your desk during working hours as long as it doesnt become excessive and the work at hand is not jeopardized.

We also have a progressive action policy if it is violated.

A memo is distributed to all employees
A verbal warning is issued
A written warning is issued
A suspension is issued for 3rd offense
4 times will end in termination

That may be a little harsh in some eyes, and while the company is understanding of employees who utilize their phone as a way to communicate with children and the like, I think that the company allowing you to use the company phone is more than adequate. For instance, if your child calls your cell when he/she gets home from school to let you know they are home, you can check to see who the message is from, then call on the company phone to make sure homework gets done, etc. There is no need to use the cell during working hours in our company's type of environment. 

Regards,

Sangeet Raj .N

What is 5S ?

It is a Japanese concept, basically meant for keeping the work place clean & tidy.

What are the 5S ?

1. Seiri (Proper Arrangement and Clearing up)
2. Seiton (Orderliness)
3. Seiso (Clean Up)
4. Seiketsu (Standardisation)
5. Shitsuke (Discipline)

Advantages of 5S

1.Operations can be performed withour error, proceeding in a well regulated fashion, resulting in fewer defective items thereby increase in the overall quality of product.

2. Operations can be performed safely and comfortably reducing the chances of accidents.

3. Machinery and equipment can be carefully maintained, reducing the number of break downs.

4. Operations can be performed efficiently, eliminating waste thereby increasing the efficiency and productivity.

How to achieve 5S ?

5S can be achieved very easily by every employee by having a close look at his work place. He is to ensure that :

1. No rejected/unwanted items are lying at his work place.

2. All items are kept in proper locations / order.

3. Everybody should cooperate with each other in keeping his and others' areas and the machines clean.

4. Everyone must follow rules and regulations and maintain required standards.

What is Collective Bargaining ?

Collective bargaining is the term used to describe negotiations between employees and an employer. The outcome of collective bargaining is known as a collective bargaining agreement or CBA. Collective bargaining is generally undertaken by a union. The negotiations are governed by laws and the regulations of the relevant administrative agency and are supposed to be in “good faith”. This is essential as both sides in an arbitration can indulge in malicious and negative actions against the other party. Management, for instance, can indulge in lay-offs, lockout workers and launch a publicity campaign in the media against the union. While unions can cause slow downs, create bottle necks in the production line and may, sometimes, resort to strikes. These hostile actions can lead to a stalemate known as a labor impasse which causes great hardship to both the workers and to the company. There are several methods of negotiating over the issue concerned and avoiding a stalemate.

Fact finding:  Fact finding seeks to avoid a stalemate by engaging a neutral party to study the facts from an unbiased and neutral perspective. The results of a fact finding committee are used by the parties as support for their contentions, though, the results are non-binding.

Non - binding arbitration involves an independent party who has the confidence of both the parties and who presents a solution to the crisis.

Mediation:  This provides a mechanism of resolving the issues with the aid of a third party that has the trust of both parties. The mediators help the union and the management to identify the points of contention and help them arrive at solutions. The mediator does not have any real power in the resolution of disputes. They can only propose solutions. Mediation is, in many situations, mandatory by law.

Arbitration:  In arbitration, an arbitrator makes a decision regarding a dispute. Arbitrations can be binding or non-binding. In a binding arbitration, the decision is reached after hearing the arguments of both the sides. The parties have to agree in advance that would abide by the decision made by the arbitrator. However, the parties may seek relief in the courts, if, they feel that they have not been heard enough or if they feel that the arbitrator is prejudiced. In the case of a non-binding arbitration, the decision of the arbitrator has a purely advisory significance. Voluntary arbitration occurs when the parties agree to a neutral arbitrator in which they have trust in a move to avoid the legal costs and the negative publicity created by a showdown.

What are the basic steps to effectively design a training program ?

Training has an important part in the modern organization. Companies spend substantial enormous sums in the training of their employees. Hence, it is of utmost essence to ensure that the training programs designed and conducted meet the training requirements of the organizations. All the training programs should be customized to meet the needs of individual and organizational needs.

The process of designing an effective training program has the following stages:

1. Definition of the training needs: In this phase, the needs of the organization are understood. These needs are not analyzed in isolation but in the context of the objectives of the organization. Goals are the long term objectives of the company such as reaching a position in the market, attaining a sales target. Needs are those factors which will enable the company to attain those goals, such as, training in hardware and software, negotiation skills etc.

2. Definition of the target employees: The next phase of designing the training program involves identifying the employees or a section of the employees who need training. This is imperative, since, training resources are limited and training programs, in general, may be specific to employees who are at a specific capacity and position in the organization. The employees should also be involved in this process as this makes the training programs more meaningful and productive.

3. Development of the content: In the majority of cases, the content development can be done by in-house experts. The content is usually done on the basis of a manual or a process chart, which already exists. In the remaining situations, help from an external vendor is necessary. Examples of these can include training in rules and regulations, behavioral training, training in computer competency etc. The development of the content also includes allied steps such as optimization of the delivery methods, pacing of the training to prevent boredoms, developing notes, proper sequencing of the training modules, effective testing to measure training at the end of the program or periodically etc.

4. Outlining the results expected from the training program: This step is extremely important as this gives an idea of the efficiency of the training program. This enables modification of the training programs in tune with the requirements. Some examples of results expected are higher efficiency, improved safety levels, better sales results, a more productive workplace etc.

At the end of the training program, feedback from the participants and tests should be conducted to gauge the success of the training program.