Friday, March 28, 2008

Organizations - Two Structural principles

Organization structure must apply one or both of two principles.

It must whenever possible integrate activities on the principle of federal decentralization, which organizes activities into autonomous product businesses each with its own market and product, and with its own profit and loss responsibility. Where this is not possible it must use functional decentralization, which sets up integrated units with maximum responsibility for a major and distinct stage in the business process.
Federal decentralization and functional decentralization are complementary rather than competitive. Both have to be used in almost all businesses. Federal decentralization is the more effective and more productive of the two. But the genuinely small business does not need it, since it is entirely an “autonomous product business”. Nor can federalism be applied to the internal organization of management in every large business; in a railroad, for example, the nature of the business and its process rule it out. And in practically every business there is a point below which federal decentralization is no longer possible, below which there is no “autonomous product” around which management can be organized.
Functional decentralization is universally applicable to the organization of management. But it is second choice for any but the small enterprise. It has to be used in all enterprises sooner or later, but the later it can be resorted to, the stronger the organization.
Decentralization whether federal or functional has become so prevalent in industry during the last few years it has become a household word. Its practice goes back at least thirty years. DuPont, General Motors, Sears and General Electric all, started to develop their decentralized organization before 1929.
Yet organization theory has paid little attention to it. General Motors in 1946 was the first to consider decentralization as a distinct principle of organization.
The reason for this lag is that conventional organization theory starts with the function inside a business rather than with the goals of a business and their requirements. It takes the functions for granted if not for God-given; and it sees in the business nothing but a congeries of functions.
Moreover, conventional theory still defines a function as a group of related skills. And it considers this similarity of skills to be both the essence of functionalism and its major virtue. If we look at well-organized functional units, however, we shall find no such “bundle of skills”. The typical sales department, for instance, includes selling activities, market research, pricing, market development, customer service, advertising and promotion, product development, often even responsibility for relationships with governmental bodies and trade associations. And the typical manufacturing department covers an equally wide range. No greater diversity of skills, abilities or temperaments could be imagined than that needed in these “functional” organization. Indeed, no greater variety exists in the business as a whole. If functionalism were really, as the books say, organization by skill-relationship, the typical sales or manufacturing department would be absurd if not totally unable to function. But they work indeed, they work much better than units organized on similarity of skills because they bring together all the specialized activities needed in one fairly sharply delimited stage of the work. That they require different skills and different temperaments is irrelevant; what matters is that they bring together what is objectively needed for performance. The first principle of good production organization is to bring the machines to the work rather than the work to the machines. It is cheaper to have the work flow according to its own inner logic, even if it requires a few more machines, than to cart materials around. Similarly, we must always bring the special activity to the work, never the work to the special activity. For ideas and information cost even more to cart around than materials.
The stress on functional organization by related skills is thus a misunderstanding of what functional organization properly should be organization by stage of process. This is illustrated by the unsatisfactory experience with those functions that are typically organized as bundles of skills: accounting and engineering. The typical accounting department is in constant friction with the rest of the organization. The typical engineering department has constant difficulty working out its objectives or measuring its performance. Neither condition is an accident.

Dress to impress at workplace

The dressing protocol is not limited to any single industry but has spread its wings all over. Different sectors have different rules for their male employees to dress. The reasons given for the same may be ranging culture, atmosphere to ethics. So what is this right dressing? It is true that dressing styles vary according to industry to reflect the culture and work ethics of the work place. Since the atmosphere/outlook within certain business communities, for example an ad agency tends to be informal the attire of the employees reflects this outlook. On the other hand the protocol of corporate dressing in the sectors such as IT, hospitality, banking, etc, is more conservative as it reflects directly on employee professionalism.
But, the advertising industry in India is one of those industries that do not promote a dressing culture. They believe that dressing casually enhances their creativity. Being in a creative field, people in advertising believe they have the passport to dress more casually at least in India unlike the west where Account Management people dress formally to office. At Ogilvy they expect their employees to dress in a presentable manner- there is no official dress code for men or women but it’s an unwritten rule to dress in a presentable fashion.
So, that means that the attire of an employee of a particular industry does speak about the company’s work ethic, image and culture. It adds an impression of professionalism, intelligence, and commitment that enhances the overall credibility of the company. Similarly, non-adherence to a dress code can send out a message of discredit and incompetence. People are one of the strongest expressions a company can have of its corporate brand. Impressions which people create do say a lot about the company’s work ethics or corporate brand image. And, dressing style has a very high weight age in the first impression that an individual can create.
Casual Fridays is catching up in the corporate circles. Many organizations have come up with the unique tool referred as “Friday dressing” to motivate and encourage associates in feeling at home at their workplace. They feel this increases the productivity and makes them comfortable with the organization and colleagues. One company HR manager says they have casual Fridays but a majority of their associates wear business casuals. Today, across the industry it is important that the same company is able to make workplaces associate-friendly in every way. At the same time they also need to build a professional environment that conveys the right message to clients. It is a delicate balance, but the company was able to manage to walk that line very successfully admits their Head, Human Resources. Over years, we have also come to follow Friday dressing-a day when members “can let their hair down” and be more casually dressed than other days.
Many organizations believe that the younger employee today is more fashion conscious and is experimenting a lot with style even in formal wear. The companies are also waking up to this fact and are flooding the market with formal yet fashionable attire. With the increase in number of young professionals there is a bigger demand of formal shoes with fashion elements. The age old interpretation would be a black and brown shoe. But for fashion element manufacturing companies, it means not just black or brown footwear you wear to office or formal functions, but equally fashionable and comfortable products.
Metrosexuality is another trend which is catching up fast in the corporate sector. In earlier days it was unthinkable to have men in offices with perfectly manicured hands, freshly scrubbed faces so on and so forth; right now however the scene has changed and it is perfectly acceptable to have such ‘liberated’ men within the workplace. Improved fitness amongst men as also metrosexual role models have caused men to focus much more on their dressing style.
Dressing perfectly to work everyday today is important for the complete look and feel for the employees and the organization. So, the next time you buy that business shirt, make sure that it fits for your office culture and remember, dress to impress.

Incentives for Salespeople

Sales compensation plans typically rely heavily on incentives in the form of sales commissions. However, some salespeople get straight salaries, and most receive a combination of salary and commissions.
Salary Plan:
Some firms pay salespeople fixed salaries perhaps with occasional incentives in the form of bonuses, sales contest prizes, and the like. Straight salaries make particular sense when the main job involves prospecting finding new clients, or when it mostly involves account servicing such as developing executing product training programs for a customer’s sales force or participating in national and local trade shows. You’ll often find jobs like these in industries that sell technical products. This is one reason why the aerospace and transportation equipment industries emphasize sales salary plans.
The straight salary approach has pros and cons. Straight salary makes it simple to switch territories or to reassign salespeople, and it can foster loyalty among the sales staff. Commissions tend to shift the salesperson’s emphasis to making the sale rather than to prospecting and cultivating long term customers. The main disadvantage, of course, is that pay isn’t proportionate to results. This can constrict sales and de-motivate potentially high performing sales people.
Commission Plan:
Commission plans pay salespeople for results, and only for results. Under these plans salespeople have the greatest incentive and there’s a tendency to attract high performing salespeople who see that effort clearly leads to rewards. Sales costs are proportionate to sales rather than fixed and the company’s fixed sales costs are low. It’s a plan that’s easy to understand and compute.
However, it is not without drawbacks. Salespeople tend to focus on making the sale and on-high-volume items, and may neglect non-selling duties like servicing small accounts, cultivating dedicated customers and pushing hard-to-sell items. Wide variations in income may occur; this can lead to a feeling that the plan is inequitable. In addition, pay is often excessive in boom times and low in recessions. Also keep in mind that sales performance like any performance is a product of not just motivation, but of ability too. If the person hasn’t the sales skills, then commissions won’t produce sales.
Research evidence provides further insights into the pros and cons of sales commissions. One study addressed whether commission plans influenced salesperson turnover. One potential drawback of commission-only plans is that working without a financial safety net may induce salespeople to leave when pay is 100% at risk.
One sales representative put it “If I go on vacation, I lose money, If I’m sick, I lose money, If I’m not willing to drop everything on a moment’s notice to close with a customer, I lose money”. “I can’t see how anyone could stay in this job for long. It’s like a trapeze act and I’m working without a net”.
In this study, paying salespersons under maximally contingent reward conditions in other words, where commissions accounted for 100% of pay was the situation with by far the highest turnover. Turnover was much lower when salespersons were paid a combination of a base pay plus commissions. These findings suggested that 100% commission can drive higher sales by focusing strong-willed salespeople on maximizing sales. However, it can also undermine the desire of less-strong-willed salespeople to stay. Thus, the effects of a commission plan depend on the salesperson’s skills and personality.
Combination Plan:
Most companies pay salespeople a combination of salary and commissions, usually with a sizable salary component. Early studies suggested that the most popular salary / commission split was 80% base salary and 20% incentives, with 70/30 and 60/40 splits being the second and third most frequently reported arrangements. These splits have not appeared to change dramatically over the years. For example, one compensation expert used a 70% base salary/ 30% incentive mix as a target; this cushioned the down side risk for the salesperson, while limiting the risk that the upside rewards would get out of hand from the firm’s point of view.
Combination plans have pros and cons. They give salespeople a floor to their earnings, let the company specify what services the salary component is for (such as servicing current accounts), and still provide an incentive for superior performance. However, the salary component isn’t tied to performance, so the employer is obviously trading away some incentive value. Combination plans tend to become complicated, and misunderstandings can result.

INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE INCENTIVE AND RECOGNITION PROGRAMS

Several incentive plans are particularly suited for use with individual employees.
Piecework Plans:
Piecework is the oldest individual incentive plan and is still the most widely used. Here you pay the worker a sum (called a piece rate) for each unit he or she produces. Thus, if Tom the Web surfer gets $40 for each e-mail sales lead he finds for the firm, he would make $40 for bringing in 100 a day and $80 for 200.
In a perfect world developing a workable piece rate plan requires industrial engineering (that’s how Frederick Taylor got his start).The crucial issue is the production standard, and industrial engineers usually set this for instance, in terms of a standard number of e-mail leads per hour or a standard number of minutes per e-mail lead. In Tom’s case, a job evaluation indicated that his Web surfing job was worth $8 an hour. The Industrial engineer determined that 20 good leads per hour was the standard production rate. Therefore, the piece rate (for each lead) was $8 divided by 20, or $40 per sales lead. Of course, we need to ensure that Tom makes at least the minimum wage, so we’d probably pay him $5.15 per hour—the minimum wage – whether or not he brought in 13 leads and then pay him $40 per lead for each over 13.
Piecework generally implies straight piecework, which entails a strict proportionality between results and rewards regardless of output. However, some piecework plans allow for sharing productivity gains between employer and worker, such that the worker receives extra income for some above normal production. So of Tom starts bringing in 30 leads per hour instead of the “standard” 20, his piece rate for leads above 25 might bump to $.45 each.
Piecework plans have pros and cons. They are understandable, appear equitable in principle, and can be powerful incentives, since rewards are proportionate to performance. However, workers on piecework may resist attempts to revise production standards, even if the change is justified. Indeed, these plans may promote rigidity: Employees concentrate on output and are less willing to concern themselves with meeting quality standards or switching from job to job (since doing so could reduce their productivity). Attempts to introduce new technology or process may trigger resistance, for much the same reason. Options in such an event include team-based incentives and gain sharing programs, both discussed below.
The standard hour plan is like the piece rate plan, with one difference. Instead of getting a rate per piece, the worker gets a premium equal to the percent by which his or her performance exceeds the standard. So, if Tom’s standard is 160 leads per day (and thus $64 per day), and he brings in 200 leads, he’d get an extra 25%,or $80 for the day. Some firms find that expressing the incentive in percentages reduces the workers’ tendency to link their production standard to pay thus making the standard easier to change. It also eliminates the need to recomputed piece rates whenever hourly wage rates are changed.
In some industries, the term piecework has a poor reputation, and not just because managers have a history of changing the production standards. For example, some garment manufacturers had operators assemble items (like shirts) in their homes, and paid them for each piece they completed. Unfortunately the hourly pay for this work didn’t always fulfill the minimum wage requirements of the Wage and Hour Act. The problem continues today, in a more modern form. For example, an electronics firm had a woman who assembled cables for the firm during the day take home parts to assemble at night. Working with her sister, the two reportedly assembled cables in their downtown apartment allegedly averaging only $2 to $2.50 an hour for the piecework less than half the minimum wage.

While still widely used, even industries that traditionally stressed piecework incentive plans, such as textiles, are reportedly moving to other plans. People did work harder under these programs, but they posed problems. For one thing, they created quality problems,” says one expert. Firms also tend to be more interested in incentive plans “that focus on profitability and profitability related accomplishments”, rather than just production volume. More firms are therefore moving to the team incentive plans, gain sharing plans, and organization wide incentive pay program.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Unlock Employee Motivation through Personality Testing

Remember that really smart co-worker, the one who had so many answers he could run the company, but who put in minimal effort and seemed unconcerned with promotions? Or your boss who had brilliant ideas for product improvements, but couldn't motivate direct reports to get anything done? Personality testing might have unearthed the key to unlock their motivation and prompt the performance you knew they were capable of.

We have all seen people who know could be wildly successful, if they just tried harder or were better fit for their roles. Or people whose inability to maintain positive working relationships undermined their other contributions. What explains these strange gaps in performance? Can we know in advance who will best "fit" the job at hand and what motivates them to succeed?

Actually, yes. Decades of research shows a lot of what motivates people is inside them. While money, opportunities for growth and good leadership all matter for employee motivation, a big piece of motivation is based on a person's character or personality. For better or for worse, we are who we are, and our personality tends to be stable over time and across situations. This consistency in people creates an opportunity for organizations. By assessing personality characteristics in job candidates, employers can predict their motivation and make better informed hiring decisions.

Sounds good in theory, but does it really work? PreVisor's 2007 Business Outcomes Report indicates pre-employment personality tests, when implemented and used effectively, predict key performance outcomes and improve organizational effectiveness. For example, when Starwood Hotels redesigned its hiring solution to include personality testing for the right attitude, it saw a two and a half times increase in performance for one customer facing role. A nationwide auto-parts distributor showed retention improved more than 80 percent for high-scoring candidates. Among warehouse associates taking a customized job-fit test, 43 percent of those who scored high remained on the job after 90 days, whereas only 23 percent of those who scored low on the assessment were retained. Higher retention leads to reduced costs, higher productivity and better organizational performance.

What is Motivation, Anyway?
We hear about motivation all of the time - in school, at work, in sports, in the context of motivational speaking. However, it is curiously difficult to pin down exactly what motivation is and how it works. While it has many definitions among scientists, motivation boils down to wanting something to be different.

Motivation is an energizing, mobilizing force related to striving toward goals and satisfying needs - everything from food to sex to self-esteem. From an employee perspective, this means work is the environment where they strive toward and achieve many of life's goals. Motivation can lead people to work hard and manage their interactions with others. On the other hand, a lack of motivation can lead to carelessness and callousness at work. A recent Career Builder survey found 32 percent of workers called in sick with fake excuses in the past 12 months, which is hardly a ringing endorsement of strong work ethic or job satisfaction.

From the employer's perspective, employee motivation impacts performance. Scientists describe performance as a function of a person's ability and motivation:

a) Ability or "can-do" is based largely on general cognitive ability or intelligence. Cognitive ability contributes to acquisition of job skills and knowledge through experience. Tests of these areas predict job performance.

b) Motivation or "will-do" is driven mainly by personality. Personality describes a person's disposition, interests and recurring behavior patterns.

Both ability and motivation are necessary for successful performance. By testing for personality, we can measure an important determinant of talent and success, one that is often overlooked in hiring processes that emphasize only technical skills, learning ability or past achievements.

As a key predictor of success in many people-facing roles, personality is particularly important in management and senior leadership positions, where one individual can have a strong impact on the whole organization.

PreVisor's 2007 Business Outcomes Report showed senior leaders who scored high on director/senior manager assessment - which assesses both ability and motivation factors - were promoted at a 30 percent faster rate than those who scored poorly.

The Maze of Employment Testing

Employment testing combines the power of science and technology to help organizations make better informed hiring decisions. Professionally developed tests are routinely used during the hiring process to measure candidates' job skills, technical knowledge, learning ability and motivation. The value proposition underlying scientific hiring practices is: Individual performance drives organizational performance.

"It is important to remember that job success almost always depends on several different kinds of performance," said Dr. Charles Handler, founder and president of Rocket-Hire, a consultancy specializing in online screening and assessments. "For example, an employee who is very good at customer service will be of little value if her or she frequently misses work. You can measure these traits by combining assessment tools that predict different types of job performance. For instance, combining a personality test with an ability test can increase the overall predictive ability of your selection system by a significant amount."

Personality Testing: Science or Alchemy?
Personality testing is a decades-old application of behavioral science undergoing a renaissance among both employers and researchers due to improvements in technology and a deeper understanding of its potential value. At its best, personality testing reliably predicts on-the-job performance. At its worst, companies may use poorly researched but well-marketed personality testing tools or use good tools (e.g., designed for team building) for the wrong thing (e.g., hiring). Only by carefully aligning testing programs with hiring needs will employers maximize prediction and ROI.

Scientists have known or suspected for some 30 years there are just five major dimensions of personality, called the Big 5 factors of personality.

a) Openness: Appreciation for creativity, adventure, unusual ideas and variety of experience.

b) Conscientiousness: A tendency to plan rather than be spontaneous, to show self- discipline, caution and to seek achievement.

c) Extraversion: The tendency to seek stimulation and the company of others, energy, positive emotions.

d) Agreeableness: A tendency to be pleasant and accommodating in social situations.

e) Neuroticism: The ongoing tendency to experience negative emotional states.

Within these broad factors, additional characteristics can be tested, such as dependability, a part of conscientiousness, and stress tolerance, a part of neuroticism.

The effective use of personality testing in the hiring process can lead to a workforce that is more motivated, more disciplined and better with customers.

For example, a major high-end retailer needed help hiring managers and staff whose personal motivation was to sell, not steal. Sales locations staffed with associates who scored high on a conscientiousness assessment experienced less shrinkage - almost $50,000 less per year - than other locations. Across the chain's 1,500-plus stores nationwide, this translated into nearly a $78 million difference in annual shrinkage.

"It is important to choose assessment tools that predict the various kinds of performance that are most critical to the job," Dr. Handler said. "As a general rule, it is good to focus on having assessment tools that predict both what candidates 'can do' and what they 'will do.' This usually means having a mix of assessment tools that measure hard skills, such as knowledge and problem-solving ability, as well as soft skills, such as reliability and customer service."

Uncovering the Research
Research clearly indicates personality testing in the hiring process works best and is most predictive when job requirements are well understood and characteristics most valuable to performance are assessed. How do we know which combination of characteristics will be most useful?

In a 2007 "Aha! Report," Dr. Wendell Williams wrote, "There are hosts of personality tests on the market, all claiming to be helpful in making hiring decisions. But before hiring and recruiting professionals commit to using personality tests, they need to understand the difference between causation and correlation. In other words, does a good personality score really indicate good performance?"

Causation means one thing causes another to happen. Throw chalk at the class bully, and you can expect to be punished. The stimulus causes the punishment.

Correlation means two things tend to occur at the same time, but one does not cause the other. Pocket protectors and mathematical ability are correlated or co-related, but having a pocket protector does not cause someone to be a math whiz. This is very important to know when using a personality test to hire someone.

In the real world, this translates into organizations finding people who not only have the necessary skills or abilities to do the job, but who really want to do the job under required conditions. Imagine two equally experienced sales manager candidates - same number of years in the field, same ability to create pricing models or presentations - but one of them scores high in agreeableness, while the other is Attila the Hun. Because of the criticality of people skills in this role, this difference in personalities likely would impact the performance of the sales organization. One manager may motivate the sales team and negotiate successfully with clients, while the other may terrorize everyone into submission or quitting.

If you are looking for the magic formula for hiring success, look to the science of assessment to help uncover the personalities of your future workforce. It will not only give you insight into their motivation, you also will be able to measure the dollar impact of better performance on your company's bottom line.

VERY IMPPORTANT PHRASES : USE THEM FREQUENTLY & MEAN THEM

I'll Be There
If you have ever had to call a friend in the middle of the night, to take a sick child to hospital, or when your car has broken down some miles from home, you will know how good it feels to hear the phrase "I'll be there." Being there for another person is the greatest gift we can give. When we're truly present for other people, important things happen to them & us. We are renewed in love and friendship. We are restored emotionally and spiritually. Being there is at the very core of civility.
I Miss You
Perhaps more marriages could be saved & strengthened if couples simply & sincerely say to each other "I miss you." This powerful affirmation tells partners they are wanted, needed, desired & loved. Consider how ecstatic you would feel, if you received an unexpected phone call from your spouse in the middle of your workday, just to say "I miss you."
I Respect You / I Trust You
Respect and trust is another way of showing love. It conveys the feeling that another person is a true equal. If you talk to your children as if they were adults you will strengthen the bonds & become close friends. This applies to all interpersonal relationships.
Maybe You're Right
This phrase is highly effective in diffusing an argument and restoring frayed emotions. The flip side to "maybe you're right" is the humility of admitting maybe "I'm wrong". Let's face it. When you have a heated argument with someone, all you do is cement the other person's point of view. They, or you, will not change their stance and you run the risk of seriously damaging the relationship between you. Saying "maybe you're right" can open the door to further explore the subject, in which you may then have the opportunity to get your view across in a more rational manner

Please Forgive Me
Many broken relationships could be restored and healed if people would admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness. All of us are vulnerable to faults and failures. A man should never be ashamed to own up that he has been in the wrong, which is saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.
I Thank You
Gratitude is an exquisite form of courtesy. People who enjoy the companionship of good, close friends are those who don't take daily courtesies for granted. They are quick to thank their friends for their many expressions of kindness. On the other hand, people whose circle of friends is severely constricted often do not have the attitude of gratitude.
Count On Me
A friend is one who walks in when others walk out. Loyalty is an essential ingredient for true friendship; it is the emotional glue that bonds people. Those that are rich in their relationships tend to be steady and true friends. When troubles come, a good friend is there indicating "you can count on me."
Let Me Help
The best of friends see a need and try to fill it. When they spot a hurt they do what they can to heal it. Without being asked, they pitch in and help.
I Understand You
People become closer and enjoy each other more if they feel the other person accepts and understands them. Letting your spouse know in so many little ways that you understand them, is one of the most powerful tools for healing relationship. This applies to any relationship.

Go For It
We are all unique individuals. Don't try to get your friends to conform to your ideals. Support them in pursuing their interests, no matter how weird they seem to you. Everyone has dreams, dreams that are unique to that person only. Support and encourage your friends to follow their dreams. Tell them to "go for it."
I Love You
Perhaps the most important three words that you can say. Telling someone that you truly love them satisfies a person's deepest emotional needs. The need to belong, to feel appreciated and to be wanted. Your spouse, your children, your friends and you, all need to hear those three little words
"I Love You."

What Employees Want for 2008: A New Boss!

Is your boss driving you to consider looking for a different job? If so, you're not alone, as 43% of workers in a recent survey said a dislike of their boss' performance would be a main reason for taking a new job in 2008.
According to the Yahoo! HotJobs annual job satisfaction survey, more than 7 in 10 workers are open to landing a new job in 2008. After discontent with a supervisor, the next two reasons cited for making a move are higher salary (36%) and more growth potential (34%).
"It's clear from the survey that employers need to pay attention to the boss-employee dynamic if they want to retain talented workers," said Susan Vobejda, vice president of marketing for Yahoo! HotJobs. "In addition to factors like salary, competitive benefits, and good work-life balance, employees equate job satisfaction with knowing that their contributions are recognized and valued by their managers."
In fact, 55% of the survey respondents agreed with the statement, "People don't leave companies; they leave managers."
Better Boss Relations in Three Steps
If you are unhappy with a boss, quitting your job may not be necessary. Experts recommend that you first try a strategy that involves self-reflection and discussion.
Examine the situation. "Try hard to determine the reason for your unhappiness with the boss," says career coach Julie Jansen, author of "You Want Me to Work with Who?" The difficulty, for example, may be due to differences in expectations, communication style, or values. Talk it over. Meet with your boss to discuss your concerns and how they may be affecting your productivity. "Be wary of saying things such as, 'You always do this,'" Jansen says. "Instead say, 'When you dump a group of folders on my desk and tell me that you need the work done by 5 p.m., I feel discounted and that you aren't aware of the other projects that I'm working on. May we try to prioritize my work more regularly?'" Allow time for change. Jansen adds, "Realize that you always have to try harder than your boss does to get along. It's not fair, but neither is life!"
You Are the Driver
The important thing to remember is that you are in the driver's seat when it comes to your job satisfaction, reminds J.T. O'Donnell, career development specialist and author of "Find Your Career Path." She recommends challenging yourself with the following questions before confronting a bad manager:
What have you done to effectively "manage up" and create a relationship that is strong and effective? While you are frustrated and critical of your manager, are you also prepared to step up and show how it should be done?
Change Could Do You Good
If you decide you'll be happier changing jobs, Richard Phillips of Advantage Career Solutions advises a three-step plan. Be clear about the reasons. "Vague generalizations about 'satisfaction' won't provide enough motivation to carry you through the work of actually making a change," he says. Develop a vision. Your vision should be what you want your work life to look like in the future. "This will serve as a guide and inspiration after you've made the change."
Identify a step you can take. "Getting started is the hardest part," Phillips concludes. "After that, take small steps toward your goal; change seldom happens overnight."

Winning with People : Making a Difference

One of the exercises we do in our teambuilding programs revolves around participants identifying people whom they consider to be great role models - people they would be honored to be compared with. There are always a great variety of names, often changing depending on the part of the world we are in. Some names consistently come up, regardless of the country we're in, including Oprah Winfrey, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Bill Gates and Martin Luther King, among others. Regardless of who it is, though, when participants are asked to explain their choices, the answer is always the same: It's someone who's made a positive difference in the lives around them.

The same holds true with how we value the people in our workplace. Think about it. The people we respect the most are not always the most senior, but the ones who make a difference. They get things done, they look after the people around them, they make their mark, they make positive change.

Why is it, that we consistently define peoples' success based on how much of a difference they've made, yet so many of us who are striving to be successful focus on completely different things: trying to make more money, gain more fame, get more power, etc? Is it really any surprise that so many people who finally achieve wealth, power or fame still end up unhappy?

Do you want to make a difference in the world around you? It's not that hard, really. In fact, you make a difference to the people around you every day, whether you're trying to or not. We've all seen how one individual who comes into work in a bad mood can bring everyone else down, or how one cheerful, positive person can bring everyone up. Each of our actions has a consequence for those around us, as well as for ourselves. The secret, though, is trying to ensure it is a positive difference we're making, not a negative one.

It's the New Year and the traditional time for new resolve. In addition to all your other New Year resolutions, try this: Commit to yourself to make a positive difference in the life of someone else over the next month. Whether it's donating an hour of your time to a charitable organization, giving ten dollars to a worthy cause, or simply giving someone that needs cheering up a warm smile. Each of these makes the little piece of the world around you a better and happier place to be. Make it your mission to make your mark, however humble, in 2008. The road to greatness often starts with just one simple random act of kindness.

Good luck and all the best for a fabulous 2008!

"If it hasn't been said, say it. If it hasn't been built, build it. If it hasn't been dreamt of, dream it."

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS!

I have pooled few Time Management Tips which I thought would be useful at least to few..
1.One task at a time:
Never indulge in another activity while doing something. If you are having meal, enjoy it but not while conversing with others.
2.Never indulge in loose talk:
Yes, many of us waste our time in loose talk. No more self-adulation, whining or demeaning others. These things take way our valuable time.
3.Stick to your time:
Time is like money. If you want to perform something, then try doing it in limit.
4.Assessment:
If you think, commuting to your office takes fifty minutes, then add ten minutes extra to it. It saves you from other commitment.
5.Priority:
Always try to complete the most important task on hand
6.Delegate:
If there are tasks that can be done by others, please seek their help. This may save your time. However, do not forget to thank your collaborators.
7. Practice:
Time management comes by practice. It is a habit. If you adopt it forever, you may gain immense prosperity.
8.Find out where you're wasting time :
Many of us are prey to time-wasters that steal time we could be using much more productively. What are your time-bandits? Do you spend too much time 'Net surfing, reading email, or making personal calls? Tracking Daily Activities explains how to track your activities so you can form a accurate picture of what you actually do
9.Create time management goals:
Remember, the focus of time management is actually changing your behaviors, not changing time. A good place to start is by eliminating your personal time-wasters. For one week, for example, set a goal that you're not going to take personal phone calls while you're working.
10. Implement a time management plan:
The objective is to change your behaviors over time to achieve whatever general goal you've set for yourself, such as increasing your productivity or decreasing your stress. So you need to not only set your specific goals, but track them over time to see whether or not you're accomplishing them.

SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRESSION IN HR

HR Administration and Human Relations are the things talked about and written about whenever the management of worker and work is being discussed. They are the things the HR Department concerns itself with. But they are not the concepts that underlie the actual management of worker and work in industry. This concept is Scientific Management. Scientific management focuses on the work. Its core is the organized study of work, the analysis of work into its simplest elements and the systematic improvement of the worker’s performance of each of these elements. Scientific Management has both basic concepts and easily applicable tools and techniques. And it has no difficulty proving the contribution it makes; its results in the form of higher output are visible and readily measurable.
Indeed Scientific Management is all but a systematic philosophy of worker and work. Altogether it may well be the most powerful as well as the most lasting contribution America has made to Western thought since the Federalists Papers. As long as industrial society endures, we shall never lose again the insights that human work can be studied systematically, can be analyzed, can be improved by work on its elementary parts.
Like all great insights, it was simplicity itself. People had worked for thousands of years. They had talked about improving work all that time. But few people had ever looked at human work systematically until Frederick W Taylor to do so around 1885. Work was taken for granted; and it is an axiom that one never sees what one takes for granted. Scientific Management was thus one of the great liberating, pioneering insights. Without it a real study of human beings at work would be impossible. Without it we could never, in managing worker ad work, go beyond good intentions, exhortations or the “speed up”. Although its conclusions have proved dubious, its basic insight is a necessary foundation for thought and work in the field.
It is one concept that has penetrated the entire world. It is practiced in India and in Soviet Union, in Argentina and in Sweden. The Germans have made pseudo-metaphysics out of it; they call it “rationalization.” The critics of America everywhere think that they are attacking the “real America if they attack Scientific Management”. When America started, after World War II, to give assistance to Western Europe’s attempt to improve productivity, they thought that is meant primarily the exportation of scientific management techniques. America preached that “productivity is an attitude” and stressed the importance of mass distribution, of capital investment, of research. But what they actually did was to send over industrial engineers equipped with Scientific Management tools and imbued with its philosophy. And where the European industrialist on the whole turned a deaf ear to their recommendations of mass distribution, capital investment or research, he took to Scientific Management techniques with alacrity. For, in common with the rest of the outside world, he had come to believe – though wrongly – that Scientific Management was the essence of America’s industrial achievement.
Yet, Scientific Management, too, has been stagnant for a long time. It is the oldest of our three approaches to the management of workers and work; it rose together with the new profession of engineering in the last decades of the nineteenth century. It also ran dry first. From 1890 to 1920 Scientific Management produced one brilliant new insight after the other and one creative new thinker after the other – Taylor, Fayol, Gantt, the Gilbreths. During the last thirty years, it has given little but pedestrian and wearisome tomes on the techniques specialties. But on the whole there have been oceans of paper but few, if any, new sights. There has been a great deal of refinement; yet the most mature and most cogent statement on Scientific management is still the testimony Taylor gave before a special Committees of the House of Representative in 1912.

MAKING THE GLOBAL HR SYSTEM MORE ACCEPTABLE

First, employers engage in three best practices so that the global HR systems they eventually develop will be acceptable to their managers around the world.
Remember that global systems are more accepted in truly global organizations. These companies and all their managers think of themselves as global in scope and perspective, and all or most functions and business units operate on a truly global basis. They are not simply aggregates of numerous more or less independent local entities. For example, truly global organizations require their managers to work on global teams, identify, recruit and place the employees they hire globally. As one Shell manager put it, If you’re truly global , then you are hiring here [ the United States] people who are going to immediately go and work in the Hague, and vice versa. This makes it easier for managers everywhere to accept the global imperative for having a more standardized HR system.
Investigate pressures to differentiate and determine tier legitimacy. HR managers seeking to standardize selection, training, appraisal, compensation, or other HR practice worldwide will always meet resistance from local managers who insist, you can’t do that here, because we are different culturally and in other ways. Based on their research, these investigators found that these differences are usually not persuasive. For example, when Dow wanted to implement an online employee recruitment and selection tool in a particular region abroad, the hiring managers there told Dow that there was no way managers would use it. After investigating the supposed cultural roadblocks and then implementing the new system what we found is that number of applicants went through the roof when we went online, and quality of the applicants also increased.
However, the operative word here is investigate – it does not mean ramming through a change without ascertaining whether there may in fact be some reason for using a more locally appropriate system. Carefully assess whether the local culture or other differences might in fact undermine the new system. Be knowledgeable about local legal issues, and be willing to differentiate where necessary. Then, market test the new HR tool.
Try to work within the context of a strong corporate culture:
A strong corporate culture helps override geographical differences. Companies that create a strong corporate culture find it easier to obtain agreement among far-flung employees when it comes time to implement standardized practices worldwide. For example, Procter & Gamble has a strong corporate culture. Because of how P&G recruits, selects trains and regards them, its managers have a strong sense of shared values. For instance, Procter & Gamble emphasizes orderly growth, and is culture therefore encourages a relatively high degree of conformity among managers. New recruits quickly learn to think in terms of “we” instead of “I”. They learn to value thoroughness, consistency, self-discipline and a methodical approach. Because all P&G managers worldwide tend to share these values, they are in a sense more similar to each other than they are geographically different. Having such global unanimity makes it easier to develop and implement standardized HR practices worldwide.
Developing a more effective Global HR System:
Similarly researchers found that these companies engaged in several best practices in developing effective worldwide HR systems.
Form global HR network:
The firm’s HR managers around the world should feel that they’re not merely HR managers, but are part of a greater whole, namely, the firm’s global HR network. These six firms did this in various ways. For instance, the formed global HR development teams were involved in developing the new HR systems. In fact, these researchers found that in developing global HR systems, the most critical factor for success is ‘creating an infrastructure of partners around the world that you see for support, for but-in, for organization of local activities, and to help you better understand their own systems and their own challenges,. Treat the local HR managers as equal partners, not just implementers.
Remember that it’s more important to standardize ends and competencies than specific methods. For example, (with regard to screening applicants) the researchers conclude that ‘while companies may strive to standardization tools globally, the critical point is [actually] to standardize what is assessed but to be flexible in how it is assessed. Thus IBM uses a more or less standardized recruitment and selection process worldwide, but details such as who conducts the interview (hiring managers Vs recruiter) or whether the prescreen is by phone or in person , differ by country.

MAINTAINING DECORUM AT WORK

There are certain situations at work which can bother an individual like, an over-friendly subordinate or to deal with a colleague who is too familiar with the boss. Then, how to cope up with the situations without affecting the work results and relationship? Here is an etiquette guide to follow at work.
Familiarity breeds contempt is an adage that holds true across relationships. These relationships also include the ones that we forge within our professional environment where we spend at least 3/4th of our day.
While it is essential to maintain certain decorum amongst superiors and colleagues, it is important to remember that these relationships are human; therefore fact, sensitivity and professionalism are vital for them to remain healthy. While it does well to lace professional relationships with friendliness and humor, there are boundaries that must be maintained.
It is permissible to cultivate a friendship with one’s superiors or colleagues as this encourages trust and loyalty, qualities that are essential to undertake challenges in the progress, development and profitability of the business.
But these are some musts that must be followed in the office space:
An employee must conduct himself accordingly to gain respect. Do not undermine superior’s behavior, depth of knowledge or information in public. Any such factors may be communicated in private. This enables an employee to earn a professional reputation.
Maintain a certain physical distance, do not touch or back slap colleagues, junior or senior. Keep a healthy distance if in conversation with a senior and always keep hands folded behind. If an employee is addressing a junior it is better to maintain eye contact, a straight posture with arms folded across chest. By doing this, an employee also set a precedent on how others should conduct themselves in his presence.
There are a few topics of conversation that must be avoided – personal, religious and political. Do not indulge in office gossip. It is inappropriate to take sides, offer unsolicited advice or pit one against the other. Doing so may embroil an employee in controversies that may at times border to the personal. Maintain an objective but fair stand.
Treat all person/s with equal respect and do not play favorites. Avoid forming cliques or being part of ‘camps’ that may be detrimental to an employee’s growth path in and outside of the office. If an employee is in a senior position and is fond of someone ensure that he is objective while in the office space. Do not spend more than a certain desired amount of time with the person in in the cubicle. Otherwise others will feel ignored, and may have given adequate time listening to their queries either. It will ruffle a lot of feathers and may give rise to unnecessary bad blood among colleagues.
An employee is more likely to be taken seriously and treated with regard if he dresses in a manner that does not border on the frivolous. Office attire should convey a no-nonsense personality. Here is a simple ethic that we follow in the world of business etiquette:
IntegrityManners of the impeccable kind Personality: Down to earth and affable Appearance: appropriate Considerable; sensitivity Tact: think before behaving, acting, reacting
Rules to improve efficiency at work
Be systematic:
Always be systematic in your work and keep every document and the file at a place they are supposed to be. The work will be smooth without any delays and quick. It will also help the employee to form a good impression about himself among his colleagues.
Delegate Work:
Delegating work is the best policy to improve efficiency at work. Always believe in your team and delegate the work between them equally or according to their responsibilities. This will infuse confidence in the team and will lead to improved efficiency.
Time is Money:
Never delay any work and always try to finish it on time or before time. By doing this, one will get more time to cross-check what he has done and can eliminate the errors better. It saves a lot of time and money.

HUMOR AT WORK

Humor is essential at workplace, but not many are lucky to have it. In this article we are trying to suggest some pointers that can help an employee add that much-needed witty dynamism at work.

Surfing the internet will tell the employee that this trend of working just for the sake of money with disgust in heart when it comes to the work environment is one of the leading causes of attrition. But what is the solution for this? Today, even the Human Resources Department of almost all organizations takes note of the humor factor within the workplace. It’s not that in every office an employee will be allowed to play pranks on co-workers. But the fact is that humor is an important ingredient of success at the workplace. This cannot be negated. In an organization employees try do everything with a touch of humor. For example, even when CEO sends out a message, he usually uses a funny anecdote to convey it. This brings the much-needed smile on employees faces.. Almost every organization has employee initiatives that guarantee some humor in an otherwise formal work environment. In some firms they have yearly talent hunt contests, cricket and football matches and an annual party that ensures humor levels don’t slide down and making the work environment ‘wanted’.
Is there a way to usher some fun and happiness around at the workplace? Well, there is no definitive answer to this as it depends on who the employee is as a person. Humor that works in the workplace has a lot to do with attitude. Employees should be able to see humor in everyday situations. It means taking everything and everyone not quite so seriously all the time. It means having the confidence to laugh at self.
A humorous employee will always find a quiet corner in office where he can laugh about the pompousness and idiosyncrasies of superiors, and for his colleagues that is real breather. But someone like BT, who works with an investment consultant, says his music is his savior at work. It helps to stay alert and concentrate. Because his job demands a high level of concentration, all other distractions are a strict ‘no’. He further confesses that he has actually managed to smuggle at least a dozen CDs into his workplace which his micromanaging boss is yet to find out.
For others who are not music buffs like B suggests subscription to a comic strip, online games, constructive Internet surfing (some really interesting stuff) and blogging, desk Yoga, reading e-books and e-paper among others.
A humorless office is like a dark room with no window. It is true that humor is essential in every aspect of life it is a must at the workplace. It is widely believed that people with a sense of humor at their jobs, compared to those who have little or no sense of humor. Studies have shown that happy workers are more productive. Humor could help employees release tension and relax for a while. What’s more? Employees who enjoy interacting with their co-workers aren’t as likely to be distracted or absent from work. All said done while office humor is recommended but the employees must not for get of achieving their tasks as per specified schedules.
The funny Side
Suggests that your department have a bulletin board, where employees can share funny cartoon, photographs, anecdotes, amusing advertisements, and bumper stickers. And don’t let the enthusiasm take a nosedive after the first few months.
Use humor to break the ice when you’re presiding a meeting or to make your point during a discussion Remember, a good sense of humor and skilled communication always go hand in hand.
Give your co-workers funny cards and gag gifts for special occasions.
Send “Humor grams’, when you want to express appreciation. Instead of a verbal compliment, send a humorous card to the concerned person, or create a “humor gram” by writing a note and attaching a relevant cartoon.

How to Uncover What the Interviewer Is Looking For

This Guide is written for all job hunters - both first time job hunters and seasoned professionals alike. It is assumed that you are already familiar with the basics of preparing a decent resume and cover letter.
Interviewing: The Basics
Employers look for employees because they have a NEED. Don't mistake that the interview is about you – it is really about their NEED. You have to sell yourself as the right person to satisfy that SPECIFIC need. Certainly, you may have great experience, but WHAT’S IN IT FOR THEM?
Managers hire people mainly to make their own job easier. How are you going to make the Hiring Manager's job easier? How are you going to make the Hiring Manager look good in THEIR boss's eyes? You need to be able to make your skills, experience, and education relevant to them and their needs, goals, and situation. After each statement you make to the Hiring Manager, you need to mentally add ' … and this will make your job easier because …' or” … and this will make you look good in front of the others because …'
Imagine the Hiring Manager asking you '… so how would that benefit me and my needs?' Make your answers and examples relevant to THEIR needs and communicate that offering this position to you will benefit THEM as well as the company.
If Managers hire based on their needs, then you are going to have to uncover and reveal their needs in order to come up with answers that will get you hired. Questions are a great follow up to any winning answer.
Early on in the interview you should use your own questions to uncover the hidden needs of the Hiring Manager. This will help you tailor your answers and attitude to show that you understand their needs and that YOU are exactly the perfect person to solve those needs.
What Are Hiring Managers Looking For?
Hiring Managers are looking for certain characteristics or 'Behavioral Competencies. ' One of the most important is CONFIDENCE. We have all made mistakes in the past, and maybe all of your performance reviews have not exactly been 'glowing,' but the point is not to live your life looking in the rear view mirror. If you know you have made mistakes, and you are working on improving yourself, then there is no reason why you shouldn't move forward with confidence and an expectation of success.
Review the following Behavioural Competencies with CONFIDENCE. Nobody is a super-man or superwoman that exhibits all of these characteristics at 100%, however if you have ever worked then you have exhibited all of these characteristics to some degree. EMPHASIZE THE POSITIVE when you read these, and think of times on the job when you HAVE exhibited these characteristics – NOT times when you might have failed to.
Demonstrate the below to the Hiring Manager:
Commitment: This is your capacity for becoming dedicated to your work. You should demonstrate a strong belief in what you do. Demonstrate that you are willing to make a sacrifice for people when appropriate because you are a COMMITTED person. Show a strong responsibility and commitment to not only the Hiring Manager and the company, but even more importantly, to customers and clients.
Work Orientation / Stamina: This is your capacity to handle mental intensity and hard work. Indicate the high tempo and speed at which you work, and your capacity for endurance. Show that you invest the TIME and ENERGY necessary to get the job done right the first time – consistently.
Interpersonal Skills / Charm: This is your capacity to know how and when to get things done with people. Show that you are outgoing and charming, and that you are especially effective in this regard when you have an objective in mind, or need someone to do something. Demonstrate that you have an intrinsic need to win the approval of others, fit in, and get along. Show that you have the ability to build quick relationships with people.
Discipline: Demonstrate that you have inner standards that make you both predictable and productive. Show that you enjoy the responsibility of planning and carrying out your own schedule. Indicate that you can motivate yourself to work on a task until completion.
Competitiveness: This is your drive to be better than others. Show that you like to compete and have the desire to win, and show the maturity of knowing how this benefits everyone.
Courage / Persuasion: This is your ability to increase your determination to get the job done when you are faced with resistance or a difficult situation. Show the ability to move people towards a commitment to buy or act. Demonstrate that you are fair and nice, but also show that you can be very firm and even a bit aggressive when necessary. Don't be modest. Demonstrate confidence and the fact that you are not easily intimidated. Indicate the desire to influence the thinking of others. Show that you can gain agreement from others via logic, alternatives, and emotional appeals.
Beliefs / Ethics: This is your capacity to believe strongly in what you do and emphasize service. Indicate loyalty so that the Hiring Manager knows that you won't leave the job within the first few months – or leave your clients hanging and out of the loop. This quality is key to the development of accounts and customer satisfaction. Show that you will act in terms of what is right. Demonstrate that you follow through and actually do what you say you will do.
Focus: This is your ability to determine what is important, set priorities for tasks, and maintain direction. Show that you understand how to set short and long-term objectives and how to intelligently schedule these objectives so that you hit your goals and complete tasks on time.

Big Picture Thinking: This is your ability to see the big picture, and not get bogged down in the minutia of small tasks. Demonstrate a tendency toward project closure. Show your ability to see the real goal and what it takes to get there.
'Show,' Don't 'Tell'

You may have noticed in the above section that it is suggested that you 'show' and 'demonstrate' that you have what it takes to fill the Hiring Manager's needs. This is contrasted with simply 'telling' the Hiring Manager that you have what it takes. Employers are more interested in what you can achieve for them, than the skills you possess. The interviewer will try to establish what benefits you will bring to the company, and where your benefits might be greater than those of other candidates.
The formula for this is quite simple:
1) Clarify the interviewer' s question.
2) Confidently answer the question by 'telling' using two of the above Behavioral Competencies.
3) 'Show' that you have demonstrated these competencies in the past by GIVING EXAMPLES.
4) Ask and verify that you have answered the question to the satisfaction of the interviewer.
A simple answer might then look like this:
'So … you are asking me if I have worked with important accounts before. That is a good question and I am glad you asked. Well, I definitely have the ability to work hard to earn the trust of my clients, and then focus on customer service in order to keep them happy with the business relationship. FOR EXAMPLE, in my last job I was brought in to work with a disgruntled client after another Account Manager left. Although it took a lot of hard work, I was able to fix what was wrong by listening to the client carefully and making sure that we delivered exactly what was expected of us. It took a while, but I was able to rescue the relationship with this important client. Does that answer your question? Good. I think I could be an asset to your group having worked through this type of experience with an important account.'

About using 'FOR EXAMPLE'
'FOR EXAMPLE' is the most important phrase in your job interview arsenal. Don't be afraid of using it frequently as a part of the answer to every question! The more examples you can provide of specific instances where you have demonstrated the characteristics Hiring Managers are looking for – your ability to fill their needs -- the more likely you will be hired.
There are two things to be said about using 'FOR EXAMPLE,' however. First, don't overdo it on the examples. You only need to provide enough examples to satisfy the interviewer, or basically instil the confidence that you will be successful in filling their needs. Don't oversell yourself by giving too many examples! Watch for cues that the interviewer is satisfied that your examples back up your statements or claims. You could also ask questions to probe the effectiveness of the answer.
Ask questions like:
* Does that make sense? Is that a good example?
* Have I addressed that 100% to your satisfaction?
* Does that answer your question about 'X'?
* Do you think that my experience with that type of situation would be relevant to my work here?

I think that's the kind of experience you are looking to bring to your team, isn't it?
Most importantly, when you use 'FOR EXAMPLE,' make sure your examples are specific, measurable, and relevant. You are telling a story. You need to PAINT THE PICTURE. Be specific. Use people's names. Give background info on clients and colleagues, and indicate your role and involvement. Make the situation as relevant to the Hiring Manager's work as possible and use terms and ideas he or she can understand and relate to. Give dates and measurable information and statistics relating to the time and money you have saved by deploying your Behavioural Competencies on the job. Use gestures and pauses, and don't be afraid of drawing simple charts or diagrams on paper or on a white board. Practice telling these stories! It is your examples or 'stories' that people relate to, and it is your examples and stories that will get you hired. Show, don't tell!
A useful tip before the interview is to practice putting together useful phrases starting with:-
Which means that........ ......... .....?
Which resulted in.......... ......... ....?
So that........ ......... ......... ......... ....?
The benefit was......... ......... .......?
We gained because..... ......... .....?
The advantage was......... ......... .?
To emphasize your achievements, quantify the facts where you can and use positive action verbs where you can.
In the next session, we will cover the S.T.A.R statement format which is very useful when giving examples.
What Questions To Use To Uncover The Hidden Needs Of The Interviewer?
Throughout your interview, you are going to want to tailor your answers to the interviewer. Each interviewer will have his or her own hidden needs depending on their role. For example, a person in HR will want to be convinced that you understand the corporate culture, you will fit in with the company, you will get along with everyone, you will not show any disruptive behavioural or ethical problems, and that you will generally be easy to deal with. A person at the VP level will want to know that you are going to be an asset to his or her department and reflect well on him or her. The Hiring Manager will want to be assured that you will be dependable and that you are completely capable of doing what it takes to be successful at the position you are being interviewed for. Remember that that the Hiring Manager in particular will want to hire someone that:
1) they like, and are likable
2) will make their job easier, and
3) will make them look good.
Each interviewer will also have their own set of hidden needs. Use the following question early on in the interview to uncover hidden needs so you can frame your answers to speak to those needs:
'What could the ideal candidate do to make your job easier?'
'What would be the most important ability for a person to have in order to succeed in this position?''What are the most important short term goals for this department?
'What are the most important long term goals?'
'What are your formal goals as a manager? What kind of challenges are you facing in meeting these goals?'
'How is your success and the success of your department measured?'
'What qualities are you looking for in the right person for this position?'
'What would be the top priority of the person who accepts this job?'
'Can you describe a typical day for someone in this position?'
'What are the day-to-day expectations and responsibilities of this job?
'What would make that person a superstar?'
'What kinds of challenges are you currently facing in your department?
'How will my leadership and management responsibilities and performance be measured? By whom? How often?'
'What is your biggest challenge coming up in the next eight weeks?'
'What is currently the greatest opportunity for you and your department? The biggest threat?'
'What are the qualities and skills of the people who have been most successful at this company?''I sense you're frustrated by 'X' … What would make it easier?'
'How does 'Y' affect your group and your ability to make your numbers?'
'If I could do just one thing over the next three months for the maximum benefit to you and your department, what would it be?'
Bye for now & good luck with the job hunting.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Kaizen Philosophy

Kaizen is a philosophy more than a practice. Its means "making small changes in everyday processes" to boost efficiency.

There are a few key points to remember here.

1) every person or the employee should have a right or should be given the right to propose changes or improvements. And by every i mean CEO to peons and everyone in between.

Often the people who work on the production floor would know if the layout is good, if the flow of material from one place to other is smoother and quicker, the sales guy would know what works in the market and how etc.

so its very essential to tap this "experiential knowledge" from ppl who actually do the job rather than ppl who "THINK" they know the job.

2) The implementors should have an open mind, ears, heart and soul to accept suggestions from ppl. If egos or superiority comes in picture here.. the whole things can backfire

3) not all suggestions r implemented. . suggestions r given thorough thought and feasibility is identified.. that y its said.. making small changes.. small means the ones which can be implemented with no.. or minimal cost.. eg. ergonomical, document format, record keeping styles, ambience maintenance, hygiene maintenance, forstering better relations with suppliers and clients, etc.

4) its very essential to gain the trust of ppl here.. if your company has never done this before and it has a reputation of not "listening" to the employees, you may want to start showing that you "care" but just implementing a few thngs that you know are a concern right nw..

5) in japanese mgmt.. they do not believe in rewards or acknowledgements. . coz ppl r matured to respect each others opinions and suggestions. . so thr is no need.. but i guess we need to add indian flavor to it.. here the only way an employee can feel comfy is when we praise him.. formally or informally..

6) ON IMPLEMENTATION:
start with the dept, you knw has the least of the problem.. and then gradually extend the program to the entire of the organisation

In any case .. this is a great initiative.. i wish u all the very best.. and please keep us informed how it shapes out to be..

Dressing for a Professional image at Office

Denims and sneakers just don’t belong to the corporate environment. There is lot of difference between what we would like to wear and what we are expected to wear to work. Lot of firms had introduced casuals on Friday, but the same firms today are not really happy with the idea simply because it’s just not working out. A professional image, appearance and behavior are what matters the most, when you become a part of the corporate world. Remember people can decide ten different things about you in just ten seconds of seeing you. So, it’s very important that you dress up according to the field you are in. Here’s a list of things that can help an employee build a professional image.
A suit coat with long sleeves and slightly padded shoulders can make one look like a corporate person. Avoid pleats and darts since they add bulk. Short men and women should wear shirts with vertical lines with a single breasted jacket.
Every Color has a message of its own. How you put them together sends the message. For instance: shades like black, blue, brown and also white. Dark colors like Black, navy and darker shades of gray in a way indicate power and authority. A lot of people at a higher post mostly prefer wearing these dark colors to work. White is a good choice for a shirt since it connotes clean, formal and sophisticated, while pastels denote softness and femininity.
Clothes need to look as if they were made for the executive wearing it. It’s very important to find the right tailor who can do wonders with a nip here and a tuck there. The right fit really matters a lot. The way an executive dresses up increase self-confidence and add to his presentation. Don’t try and match shoes with dress. Instead match it with the office bag. Stop wearing too loose clothes.
Make sure your accessories are simple and minimal. A nice fancy watch is certainly acceptable. Women can just wear a simple gold or silver bracelet or a chain. Make sure our jewelry complements the outfit in taste and design. Avoid wearing flimsy ear rings. Men, who like wearing studs, just wear a simple diamond stud. Don’t go in for the fancy ones. Go light on the cologne and perfume. This can be a major distraction at work. Remember that the focus should be on the business at hand with minimum distraction.
An executive’s out fit reveals self-confidence: The way you carry yourself contributes greatly to confidence. Your goal is to create an aura of confidence when you walk into a room. So, wear something you feel comfortable in.
Self esteem: Image matters the most. If you wear ill-fitting clothes, in a way you’re showing people a poor sense of self-worth. Image is what helps people understand you better
Confidence: the way you carry yourself contributes greatly to confidence. Our goal is to create an aura of confidence when you walk into a room. Make sure your clothing contributes its part.
Creativity: If your firms permits you to dress up in a bit of casual way that doesn’t mean you wear some funky casual outfit to work.
You could instead express your uniqueness with a special tie and a matching hankie, a scarf or an exquisite piece of jewelry. Maybe your mark will become the special way you tie a scarf or how you find just the right one to complement or coordinate with your suit.
Remember a polished look means being polished from head to toe not just neck to toe.
Things that can ruin professional image:
Pleasant voice and a friendly attitude are characteristics that people respond to positively. If those characteristics are missing no amount of training or grooming will pay up for it.
If you have habit of biting your nails or twisting your hair, keep it under control. It can distract the image you want to portray
Nothing ruins an image more than chewing a gum – if you want to create a professional image stop chewing a gum in public.
Poor posture is a simple mistake that can ruin your image. Learn to sit and stand erect.
No matter how expensive your outfit is, if you don’t attend to your hair or make up it’ll make that outfit look silly. In short presentation (appearance) of self helps in establishing ones image and builds up self confidence. Even an excellent business presentation minus smart appearance gives a poor image of yours to the listeners.—

Total Quality Management (TQM):

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management strategy aimed at embedding awareness of quality in all organizational processes. TQM has been widely used in manufacturing, education, government, and service industries, as well as NASA space and science programs.

Total Quality provides an umbrella under which everyone in the organization can strive and create
customer satisfaction at continually lower real costs.

TQM is composed of three paradigms:

Total: Involving the entire organization, supply chain, and/or product lifecycle

Quality: With its usual Definitions, with all its complexities (External Definition)

Management: The system of managing with steps like Plan, Organize, Control, Lead, Staff, provisioning and suchlike

As defined by the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO):

"TQM is a management approach for an organization, centered on quality, based on the participation of all its members and aiming at long-term success through customer satisfaction, and benefits to all members of the organization and to society." One major aim is to reduce variation from every process so that greater consistency of effort is obtained. (Royse, D., Thyer, B., Padgett D., & Logan T., 2006)

In Japan, TQM comprises four process steps, namely:

Kaizen – Focuses on "Continuous Process Improvement" , to make processes visible, repeatable and measurable.

Atarimae Hinshitsu – The idea that "things will work as they are supposed to"
(for example, a pen will write).

Kansei – Examining the way the user applies the product leads to improvement in the product itself.

Miryokuteki Hinshitsu – The idea that "things should have an aesthetic quality" (for example, a pen will write in a way that is pleasing to the writer).

TQM requires that the company maintain this
quality standard in all aspects of its business. This requires ensuring that things are done right the first time and that defects and waste are eliminated from operations.

A Comprehensive Definition:

TQM Total Quality Management is the management of total quality. We know that management consists of planning, organizing, directing, control, and assurance. Then, one has to define "total quality". Total quality is called total because it consists of 3 qualities:

Quality of return to satisfy the needs of the shareholders,

Quality of products and services to satisfy some specific needs of the consumer (end user) and

Quality of life - at work and outside work - to satisfy the needs of the people in the organization.

This is achieved with the help of upstream and downstream partners of the enterprise. To this, we have to add the corporate citizenship, i.e. the social, technological, economical, political, and ecological (STEPE) responsibility of the enterprise concerning its internal (its people) and external (upstream and downstream) partners, and community. Therefore, Total quality management goes well beyond satisfying the customer, or merely offering quality products (goods and/or services). Note that we use the term consumer or end customer. The reason is that in a Supply Chain Management approach, we don't have to satisfy our customers' needs but the needs of our customers' customers' all the way to the end customer, the consumer of a product and/or service. By applying this definition an enterprise achieves Business Excellence, as suggested by the Malcolm Baldrige (American) and the EFQM (European) Performance Excellence Models. To do that, one has to go well beyond
ISO 9000 Standards series as suggested by these standards (ISO 9001, then ISO 9004, then Total Quality).

TQM in manufacturing:

Quality assurance through statistical methods is a key component in a manufacturing organization, where TQM generally starts by sampling a random selection of the product. The sample can then be tested for things that matter most to the end users. The causes of any failures are isolated, secondary measures of the production process are designed, and then the causes of the failure are corrected. The statistical distributions of important measurements are tracked. When parts' measures drift into a defined "error band", the process is fixed. The error band is usually a tighter distribution than the "failure band", so that the production process is fixed before failing parts can be produced.
It is important to record not just the measurement ranges, but what failures caused them to be chosen. In that way, cheaper fixes can be substituted later (say, when the product is redesigned) with no loss of quality. After TQM has been in use, it's very common for parts to be redesigned so that critical measurements either cease to exist, or become much wider.
It took people a while to develop tests to find emergent problems. One popular test is a "life test" in which the sample product is operated until a part fails. Another popular test is called "shake and bake", in which the product is mounted on a
vibrator in an environmental oven, and operated at progressively more extreme vibration and temperatures until something fails. The failure is then isolated and engineers design an improvement.
A commonly-discovered failure is for the product to disintegrate. If fasteners fail, the improvements might be to use measured-tension nut drivers to ensure that screws don't come off, or improved adhesives to ensure that parts remain glued.
If a
gearbox wears out first, a typical engineering design improvement might be to substitute a brushless stepper motor for a DC motor with a gearbox. The improvement is that a stepper motor has no brushes or gears to wear out, so it lasts ten or more times as long. The stepper motor is more expensive than a DC motor, but cheaper than a DC motor combined with a gearbox. The electronics are radically different, but equally expensive. One disadvantage might be that a stepper motor can hum or whine, and usually needs noise-isolating mounts.
Often, a "TQMed" product is cheaper to produce because of efficiency/performa nce improvements and because there's no need to repair dead-on-arrival products, which represents an immensely more desirable product.