Dear Reader ,
C.E.O's globally are held in awe .
However it is these very mortal beings who hold these fancy titles who are called upon to play the guardian's role.
Yet there are always a few bad sheep.
This in no way dictates that the entire tribe is bad.
In fact many an employee in many an organization would say yes- thanks to the CEO' things are going good.
However to know more, about their being,"Guardians of Values", do read on and chew up on it.
Happy reading ,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
Today's CEOs: Guarding Against Value Destroyers
by Roza Rojdev
Every corporate suite has two types of executives. First, there are the value creators: those who believe in themselves, in the potential of others and in their ability to create a better organization. They don't regard themselves as omnipotent; rather, they know that it is human to be imperfect, make mistakes, hold biases and occasionally be fooled by others. Consequently, value creators take proactive steps to safeguard against falling victim to their own shortcomings and the ill intentions of others. Value creators nurture and grow human capital.
Conversely, value destroyers are executives who fundamentally seek to seize value from those who create it and to secure their own career advancement, accolades, power, money or special privileges. With these executives, the focus is on them and their short-term needs rather than on achieving the company's long-term strategic goals and results. Ultimately, they jeopardize the organization's integrity and interests. Value destroyers often engage in counterproductive back-channel gossip, character assassination, political maneuvering and risky business practices. Value destroyers embezzle human capital.
The Role of the CEO
Organizations need good executives, and at the top of this leadership group is the CEO. While CEOs have multiple responsibilities, their primary objectives should be to protect and promote the success of their companies. To that end, CEOs can arm themselves against value destroyers in various ways.
First, they must remain self-aware and combat their own tendencies toward destructive self-interest. Some CEOs look to their peers or HR departments for coaching to preserve their objectivity. Others document and share self-reflections with someone they trust in order to gain insights into their own behavior. The most effective strategy is to commit to an ongoing development process, ideally with a professional whose expertise is working with CEOs and senior executives.
Second, it is important for CEOs to search constantly for evidence of value destroyers. Self-interest at its best is a motivating force that drives individuals to aspire to and achieve success. But in the wrong hands, this otherwise positive element can be converted to a destructive force that undermines the integrity of the organization. Identifying value destroyers with precision and speed is paramount.
Third, CEOs need to create an environment of transparency, candor and straight talk. They can do this by setting a good example themselves and by not tolerating hidden agendas or doublespeak. Any time the CEO is introduced into a private conversation about another executive without that third party being present, the ground is laid for potential misconduct and corrosive effects.
If the CEO is to get involved, his or her role needs to be limited to bringing clarity to the real issues and reaffirming expectations. The CEO should engage in complete transparency in the course of bringing all parties to the table. People cultivate their relationships through working on problems together.
Further, it is essential for CEOs to insist on accountability. If a team member is consistently at the root of problems, then that team member should be coached and mentored. If there continues to be a problem, then the CEO should hold that team member accountable and insist upon consequences, which may include separation from the organization. When there are no consequences, employees lose respect for those in charge, and a low level of performance becomes the norm.
Finally, CEOs should provide a unifying force and common goals. The responsibilities of executives are paramount, and in most instances, no individual can get the job done without the commitment of others. CEOs play a key role in identifying those strategic priorities and formulating appropriate goals. For a diverse team of executives, the selected goal must be complex enough to be compelling and unifying. Working on "stretch goals" highlights everyone's strengths and weaknesses and requires them to be transparent in the course of their participation. All of this promotes trust, builds cohesiveness and challenges people to work out their differences for the success of achieving desired goals.
Further, those who can't make the leap with stretch goals - or choose not to - usually self-select out. For this reason, stretch goals are powerful tools that CEOs can use to ward off the contaminating influence of value destroyers.
Seeds of Discontent
Politics, regardless of type, thrive in particular environments. When common goals and desired results remain unclear, the climate becomes ideal for sowing seeds of political discord. And when leadership doesn't insist on accountability and candor in addressing personal agendas, the roots of politics dig deeper.
To survive the perils of corporate politics and lead their companies toward sustainable progress, CEOs must create a system that identifies weaknesses and simultaneously create an environment in which destructive political forces wither and die.
[About the Author: Roza Rojdev is a leadership consultant, educator and speaker based in Cincinnati.]
LULU PAGE
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Are B-Schools Failing Female Students, Faculty?
Dear Reader,
Indeed an often thought about point, on the way the fair gender is treated.
With a growing tribe of female students , executives , minority are the numbers that actually make it through to the corporate world and indeed a handful few who survive the corporate jungle or even venture into taking up their rightful place in the academia as faculty.
For a thought provoking read , go ahead and read about it.
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
Are B-Schools Failing Female Students, Faculty?
By Stacy Blackman
Last month, I blogged about a new study finding that when it comes to pay and promotions, female MBAs lag significantly behind their male colleagues. Two recent articles once again examined the disparity between men and women in MBA culture.
B-schools don’t address female concerns
In their Forbes.com piece “Why Business Schools Are Failing Women,” writers Selena Rezvani (an author and Johns Hopkins MBA) and Sandie Taylor (a current MBA student at Wake Forest University) make many compelling arguments as to why business schools fail to attract and retain as many female students as they do male. One of the key nuggets of their argument is this:
B-school culture is very masculine and “known for its aggressive, thigh-slapping, beer-swilling culture,” the authors write. Because of this, female-centric concerns such as being viewed seriously, balancing career and family and navigating male-female power struggles are not part of b-school education.
Where are the female b-school profs?
Perhaps this would be different if there were more female MBA professors. Rezvani and Taylor quote a Financial Times finding that Columbia Business School and Stanford’s MBA program employ 17 percent and 19 percent female faculty respectively. However, low employment numbers isn’t the only problem that female b-school faculty faces.
In “Harvard Business School Grapples With Gender Imbalances,” The Harvard Crimson reports on nine female junior faculty members who have left in recent years because they were denied tenure or felt their chances of obtaining it were slim, even though they had many “similar characteristics” as male faculty members who were granted tenure.
Is Harvard b-school discriminating against female candidates? Not exactly, but the article makes the case for both conscious and unconscious biases against women in b-school culture. As one professor who left explains, “There is a subtle difference in treatment that men and women receive. These small differences in treatment accumulate. It damages women over time.”
Indeed an often thought about point, on the way the fair gender is treated.
With a growing tribe of female students , executives , minority are the numbers that actually make it through to the corporate world and indeed a handful few who survive the corporate jungle or even venture into taking up their rightful place in the academia as faculty.
For a thought provoking read , go ahead and read about it.
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
Are B-Schools Failing Female Students, Faculty?
By Stacy Blackman
Last month, I blogged about a new study finding that when it comes to pay and promotions, female MBAs lag significantly behind their male colleagues. Two recent articles once again examined the disparity between men and women in MBA culture.
B-schools don’t address female concerns
In their Forbes.com piece “Why Business Schools Are Failing Women,” writers Selena Rezvani (an author and Johns Hopkins MBA) and Sandie Taylor (a current MBA student at Wake Forest University) make many compelling arguments as to why business schools fail to attract and retain as many female students as they do male. One of the key nuggets of their argument is this:
B-school culture is very masculine and “known for its aggressive, thigh-slapping, beer-swilling culture,” the authors write. Because of this, female-centric concerns such as being viewed seriously, balancing career and family and navigating male-female power struggles are not part of b-school education.
Where are the female b-school profs?
Perhaps this would be different if there were more female MBA professors. Rezvani and Taylor quote a Financial Times finding that Columbia Business School and Stanford’s MBA program employ 17 percent and 19 percent female faculty respectively. However, low employment numbers isn’t the only problem that female b-school faculty faces.
In “Harvard Business School Grapples With Gender Imbalances,” The Harvard Crimson reports on nine female junior faculty members who have left in recent years because they were denied tenure or felt their chances of obtaining it were slim, even though they had many “similar characteristics” as male faculty members who were granted tenure.
Is Harvard b-school discriminating against female candidates? Not exactly, but the article makes the case for both conscious and unconscious biases against women in b-school culture. As one professor who left explains, “There is a subtle difference in treatment that men and women receive. These small differences in treatment accumulate. It damages women over time.”
TEN COMMANDMENTS
Dear Reader,
With the confidence that you would accept that all work and no play makes jack and jill a dull boy and girl , i deccided to share some thoughts of a diferent strain than the norm that you are ussed to reading here.
These are not my words , yet there is significane in it.
Read on to know and chew more .
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
In his early days as Acharya Rajneesh, a correspondent once asked Osho for his "Ten Commandments". In his letter of reply, Osho noted that it was a difficult matter, because he was against any kind of commandment, but "just for fun" agreed to set out the following:
1. Never obey anyone's command unless it is coming from within you also.
2. There is no God other than life itself.
3. Truth is within you, do not search for it elsewhere.
4. Love is prayer.
5. To become a nothingness is the door to truth. Nothingness itself is the means, the goal and attainment.
6. Life is now and here.
7. Live wakefully.
8. Do not swim – float.
9. Die each moment so that you can be new each moment.
10. Do not search. That which is, is. Stop and see.
Whatever I tell others is exactly what I need to hear in that moment.........
"Do not assume that he who seeks to comfort you now, lives untroubled among the simple and quiet words that sometimes do you good.
His life may also have (had) much sadness and difficulty, far beyond yours.
Were it otherwise, he would never have been able to find these words." Unknown
With the confidence that you would accept that all work and no play makes jack and jill a dull boy and girl , i deccided to share some thoughts of a diferent strain than the norm that you are ussed to reading here.
These are not my words , yet there is significane in it.
Read on to know and chew more .
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
In his early days as Acharya Rajneesh, a correspondent once asked Osho for his "Ten Commandments". In his letter of reply, Osho noted that it was a difficult matter, because he was against any kind of commandment, but "just for fun" agreed to set out the following:
1. Never obey anyone's command unless it is coming from within you also.
2. There is no God other than life itself.
3. Truth is within you, do not search for it elsewhere.
4. Love is prayer.
5. To become a nothingness is the door to truth. Nothingness itself is the means, the goal and attainment.
6. Life is now and here.
7. Live wakefully.
8. Do not swim – float.
9. Die each moment so that you can be new each moment.
10. Do not search. That which is, is. Stop and see.
Whatever I tell others is exactly what I need to hear in that moment.........
"Do not assume that he who seeks to comfort you now, lives untroubled among the simple and quiet words that sometimes do you good.
His life may also have (had) much sadness and difficulty, far beyond yours.
Were it otherwise, he would never have been able to find these words." Unknown
Ambiguity Leadership: It's OK to Be Uncertain
Dear Reader,
Leadership is the key to success.
Sterling leadership is the driver.
Leadership where clarity of thought and clarity of purpose exist is often the quality most people look for in all people.
In the article given below, you could be a little surprised.
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
Ambiguity Leadership: It's OK to Be Uncertain
by Randall P. White and Sandra Shullman
In today's economic climate, uncertainty is a fact of life. For a leader to be successful, he or she must be able to navigate and ultimately thrive in it.
If you're like most people, uncertainty makes you panic. It can ruin a plan. It can make you lose sleep. It can stop you in your tracks. Most people try to avoid it.
A few, however, seek uncertainty out - and they deserve our attention. They understand and manage it with philosophical contemplation, scientific trial and error, or entrepreneurial aplomb. We often call these people effective leaders. And the very nature of leadership, as required today, is ambiguous.
Research done by the Executive Development Group suggests that the ability to positively manage uncertainty may be an essential trait of effective leaders, often found in those considered high potentials. Evidence shows it can be measured and learned.
Based on interviews with numerous C-level executives around the world, Elizabeth Mellon, executive director of Duke Corporate Education, said mindset - more than personality and behavior - forms an observable pattern among some of the most successful leaders and that a fearless approach to uncertainty is required.
"C-suite executives reveal a high degree of being comfortable with discomfort," Mellon said. "They accommodate ambiguity and the uncertainty it brings. They are confident in making decisions that move their organizations into uncharted territory because they know this ensures long-term prosperity. They have 'solid cores' that allow them to navigate the unknown and accept not knowing everything. And they tend to have a longer view because they see time as a continuum in which uncertainty will come and go as they progress. Being uncertain doesn't stifle them."
A Fact of Life
In recent months, media outlets have filled their pages with and dedicated ample airtime to stories about uncertainty. While we believe uncertainty sneaks up on us, in reality, it is present every day. In fact, one could argue that ambiguity is simply "the way things are" in a post-industrial organization.
However, few discussions of or models for leadership acknowledge uncertainty as a fact of life for practicing leaders.
"The classical leadership way of thinking that many business schools and many corporations used assumed a world that was controllable and predictable," said Christine Williams, director of global people strategies and metrics at Standard Bank in Johannesburg, South Africa. "We have a hypothesis that emerging-market [non-Western] leaders are actually much better suited to the way the world is going. One of the things our leaders have always had to do was deal with masses of ambiguity, enormous amounts of change."
Measuring Uncertainty
Measuring the ability to engage amid uncertainty is no more difficult than measuring any of the other important traits that we look for in self-assessments and multi-rater feedback. The traits of uncertainty tolerance can also be revealed through coaching and interviews. Created by the Executive Development Group, Ambiguity Architect is a program designed to assess "comfort with discomfort." It identifies eight types of workers based on their comfort level with ambiguous situations and their skill at comforting the ensuing uncertainty.
1. Mystery seekers:
These individuals are fascinated by what they do not yet know. They might follow a path simply to see where it goes. Curiosity is high.
2. Risk tolerators:
They are not necessarily risk takers, but these folks have a willingness and an ability to make choices with incomplete information. Duke Corporate Education program participant Howard Edelstein summed up this kind of person's style as "fail fast, but fail forward." Risk tolerators may be intuitive, but more importantly, they can be described as seeing mistakes as a way to learn.
3. Future scanners:
These individuals are actually fluid thinkers who want to understand how a business operates and constantly consider how it will play out in future states. They are not "futurists," but instead demonstrate a curiosity for the future.
4. Tenacious challengers:
These people are tireless in solving problems. They will, in some case, drive others to do similarly, even though it is not always appreciated. If they don't excite others, they will be seen as tough or - worst-case scenario - harsh.
5. Exciters:
These individuals were common in the study. They love what they do - and they want everyone else to love what they do, too. A behavior indicative of exciters might be efforts to make work fun for others in an organization.
6. Flexible adjusters:
These leaders exhibit two tendencies: the ability to admit they're wrong and the ability to sell change to people whose self-interest is against the change. This is shown to be an especially significant advantage in business.
7. Simplifiers:
Using verbal or written methods, these individuals are able to take complicated ideas and help everyone in an organization understand where the organization is going. Being a simplifier appears to be something that can be learned.
8. Focusers:
Last but not least, focusers have the ability to identify and attack the critical few actions that need to be done, as well as shift to a different set of actions at the right time.
The study also identified sets of behaviors that tend to hobble performance during uncertain times and used these to classify workers.
1. Poor transitioners:
These folks have difficulty shifting from one kind of task or behavior to another. Indicators of this trait might include being extremely capable at some tasks but extremely challenged by others.
2. Wet blankets:
They dampen the energy of an organization. They may lack enthusiasm for their own work and respond negatively to the fervor of co-workers.
3. Conflict avoiders:
These individuals tend to be overly accommodating, often the result of being highly averse to potentially controversial or heated situations.
4. Muddy thinkers:
They exhibit confusion that is sometimes self-inflicted. They process issues in a way that makes the issues more complicated than need be.
5. Complex communicators:
These people build up their explanations with unnecessarily complicated language. They use jargon presumptively.
6. Detail junkies:
Hooked on the little things, this group often considers smaller tactical issues while excluding more strategic points.
7. Narrow thinkers:
It's as if these folks have tunnel vision. They are focused on the moment and sometimes blind to new possibilities. They're not fluid.
8. Repeaters:
Tethered to the past, these individuals continue actions that may not be as effective as others.
In the debate over strengths-based leadership versus development, the problem of uncertainty suggests that the strengths approach ignores a career-altering issue. A person who is strong in one or two areas but weak when it comes to managing ambiguity is rendered ineffectual or counterproductive.
Three Tenets of Mastering the Unknown
Mastering uncertainty is learned over time, and the skills to do it should be included in the curriculum of leadership development initiatives. Here are three simple coaching suggestions.
1. Learn to make a decision with incomplete information.
Take a decision you would normally agonize over and, instead, make this decision based only on what you know now. Write it down and seal it in an envelope. Then, go through the normal cycle time of decision making. After the normal decision-making process is complete, get out the sealed decision and compare and contrast. Would you have made the same decision? Could you have made the decision yourself at the earlier stage and saved energy, time and money?
2. Read up.
Train your mind to be fluid and attuned to faint signals of impending change. Uncertainty is the ocean on which we sail. Studying up is a way of understanding that ocean and coming to terms with the inevitability of ambiguity.
3. Examine five ideas or trends that you know nothing about, but that will affect the business in three to five years.
Consider how they may or may not affect your products, services and jobs. Discuss how you can prepare for them.
Seeking the Uncertain Leader
Being uncertain sounds counterintuitive to good leadership today, when consensus building is code for vacillating, hand-wringing or worse. But think of it this way: A scientist must argue his point through every stage of the experiment - from hunch to hypothesis, from theory to law.
"In most situations, the ability to manage volatility, complexity, ambiguity and other forms of uncertainty is critical," said Tim Last, regional managing director of Europe and Africa for Duke Corporate Education. "Executives that can effectively deal with dilemmas, incomplete information and unpredictable change give a competitive advantage to their organizations."
Willingness to collaborate also appears as a positive trait in a number of personality assessment instruments. It's not proven, but organizations seem to be more successful when there is teamwork; an open, nonjudgmental exchange of ideas; and creative thinking unbounded by hierarchy. When we rush to a decision that feels certain and safe, we are less likely to have participatory leadership that taps the power of the organization.
"High potentials and C-suite occupants inform us that they are at ease working 'without a net,'" Mellon said. "Not only are they OK with uncertainty, they are able to risk their stake in the enterprise on the decisions that they make - often from incomplete information. It's a bit like a high-wire act: They're the ones who don't need the safety net."
Measuring tolerance for uncertainty should be considered part of any learning organization's process for development. The trait is that essential, given that uncertainty can cause poor decisions, weaken leadership and paralyze an organization.
[About the Authors: Randall P. White, Ph.D., is an adjunct professor at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and co-author of Relax, It's Only Uncertainty. Sandra L. Shullman, Ph.D., is an adjunct faculty member for the Cleveland State University Diversity Institute and co-author of Performance Appraisal on the Line.]
Leadership is the key to success.
Sterling leadership is the driver.
Leadership where clarity of thought and clarity of purpose exist is often the quality most people look for in all people.
In the article given below, you could be a little surprised.
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
Ambiguity Leadership: It's OK to Be Uncertain
by Randall P. White and Sandra Shullman
In today's economic climate, uncertainty is a fact of life. For a leader to be successful, he or she must be able to navigate and ultimately thrive in it.
If you're like most people, uncertainty makes you panic. It can ruin a plan. It can make you lose sleep. It can stop you in your tracks. Most people try to avoid it.
A few, however, seek uncertainty out - and they deserve our attention. They understand and manage it with philosophical contemplation, scientific trial and error, or entrepreneurial aplomb. We often call these people effective leaders. And the very nature of leadership, as required today, is ambiguous.
Research done by the Executive Development Group suggests that the ability to positively manage uncertainty may be an essential trait of effective leaders, often found in those considered high potentials. Evidence shows it can be measured and learned.
Based on interviews with numerous C-level executives around the world, Elizabeth Mellon, executive director of Duke Corporate Education, said mindset - more than personality and behavior - forms an observable pattern among some of the most successful leaders and that a fearless approach to uncertainty is required.
"C-suite executives reveal a high degree of being comfortable with discomfort," Mellon said. "They accommodate ambiguity and the uncertainty it brings. They are confident in making decisions that move their organizations into uncharted territory because they know this ensures long-term prosperity. They have 'solid cores' that allow them to navigate the unknown and accept not knowing everything. And they tend to have a longer view because they see time as a continuum in which uncertainty will come and go as they progress. Being uncertain doesn't stifle them."
A Fact of Life
In recent months, media outlets have filled their pages with and dedicated ample airtime to stories about uncertainty. While we believe uncertainty sneaks up on us, in reality, it is present every day. In fact, one could argue that ambiguity is simply "the way things are" in a post-industrial organization.
However, few discussions of or models for leadership acknowledge uncertainty as a fact of life for practicing leaders.
"The classical leadership way of thinking that many business schools and many corporations used assumed a world that was controllable and predictable," said Christine Williams, director of global people strategies and metrics at Standard Bank in Johannesburg, South Africa. "We have a hypothesis that emerging-market [non-Western] leaders are actually much better suited to the way the world is going. One of the things our leaders have always had to do was deal with masses of ambiguity, enormous amounts of change."
Measuring Uncertainty
Measuring the ability to engage amid uncertainty is no more difficult than measuring any of the other important traits that we look for in self-assessments and multi-rater feedback. The traits of uncertainty tolerance can also be revealed through coaching and interviews. Created by the Executive Development Group, Ambiguity Architect is a program designed to assess "comfort with discomfort." It identifies eight types of workers based on their comfort level with ambiguous situations and their skill at comforting the ensuing uncertainty.
1. Mystery seekers:
These individuals are fascinated by what they do not yet know. They might follow a path simply to see where it goes. Curiosity is high.
2. Risk tolerators:
They are not necessarily risk takers, but these folks have a willingness and an ability to make choices with incomplete information. Duke Corporate Education program participant Howard Edelstein summed up this kind of person's style as "fail fast, but fail forward." Risk tolerators may be intuitive, but more importantly, they can be described as seeing mistakes as a way to learn.
3. Future scanners:
These individuals are actually fluid thinkers who want to understand how a business operates and constantly consider how it will play out in future states. They are not "futurists," but instead demonstrate a curiosity for the future.
4. Tenacious challengers:
These people are tireless in solving problems. They will, in some case, drive others to do similarly, even though it is not always appreciated. If they don't excite others, they will be seen as tough or - worst-case scenario - harsh.
5. Exciters:
These individuals were common in the study. They love what they do - and they want everyone else to love what they do, too. A behavior indicative of exciters might be efforts to make work fun for others in an organization.
6. Flexible adjusters:
These leaders exhibit two tendencies: the ability to admit they're wrong and the ability to sell change to people whose self-interest is against the change. This is shown to be an especially significant advantage in business.
7. Simplifiers:
Using verbal or written methods, these individuals are able to take complicated ideas and help everyone in an organization understand where the organization is going. Being a simplifier appears to be something that can be learned.
8. Focusers:
Last but not least, focusers have the ability to identify and attack the critical few actions that need to be done, as well as shift to a different set of actions at the right time.
The study also identified sets of behaviors that tend to hobble performance during uncertain times and used these to classify workers.
1. Poor transitioners:
These folks have difficulty shifting from one kind of task or behavior to another. Indicators of this trait might include being extremely capable at some tasks but extremely challenged by others.
2. Wet blankets:
They dampen the energy of an organization. They may lack enthusiasm for their own work and respond negatively to the fervor of co-workers.
3. Conflict avoiders:
These individuals tend to be overly accommodating, often the result of being highly averse to potentially controversial or heated situations.
4. Muddy thinkers:
They exhibit confusion that is sometimes self-inflicted. They process issues in a way that makes the issues more complicated than need be.
5. Complex communicators:
These people build up their explanations with unnecessarily complicated language. They use jargon presumptively.
6. Detail junkies:
Hooked on the little things, this group often considers smaller tactical issues while excluding more strategic points.
7. Narrow thinkers:
It's as if these folks have tunnel vision. They are focused on the moment and sometimes blind to new possibilities. They're not fluid.
8. Repeaters:
Tethered to the past, these individuals continue actions that may not be as effective as others.
In the debate over strengths-based leadership versus development, the problem of uncertainty suggests that the strengths approach ignores a career-altering issue. A person who is strong in one or two areas but weak when it comes to managing ambiguity is rendered ineffectual or counterproductive.
Three Tenets of Mastering the Unknown
Mastering uncertainty is learned over time, and the skills to do it should be included in the curriculum of leadership development initiatives. Here are three simple coaching suggestions.
1. Learn to make a decision with incomplete information.
Take a decision you would normally agonize over and, instead, make this decision based only on what you know now. Write it down and seal it in an envelope. Then, go through the normal cycle time of decision making. After the normal decision-making process is complete, get out the sealed decision and compare and contrast. Would you have made the same decision? Could you have made the decision yourself at the earlier stage and saved energy, time and money?
2. Read up.
Train your mind to be fluid and attuned to faint signals of impending change. Uncertainty is the ocean on which we sail. Studying up is a way of understanding that ocean and coming to terms with the inevitability of ambiguity.
3. Examine five ideas or trends that you know nothing about, but that will affect the business in three to five years.
Consider how they may or may not affect your products, services and jobs. Discuss how you can prepare for them.
Seeking the Uncertain Leader
Being uncertain sounds counterintuitive to good leadership today, when consensus building is code for vacillating, hand-wringing or worse. But think of it this way: A scientist must argue his point through every stage of the experiment - from hunch to hypothesis, from theory to law.
"In most situations, the ability to manage volatility, complexity, ambiguity and other forms of uncertainty is critical," said Tim Last, regional managing director of Europe and Africa for Duke Corporate Education. "Executives that can effectively deal with dilemmas, incomplete information and unpredictable change give a competitive advantage to their organizations."
Willingness to collaborate also appears as a positive trait in a number of personality assessment instruments. It's not proven, but organizations seem to be more successful when there is teamwork; an open, nonjudgmental exchange of ideas; and creative thinking unbounded by hierarchy. When we rush to a decision that feels certain and safe, we are less likely to have participatory leadership that taps the power of the organization.
"High potentials and C-suite occupants inform us that they are at ease working 'without a net,'" Mellon said. "Not only are they OK with uncertainty, they are able to risk their stake in the enterprise on the decisions that they make - often from incomplete information. It's a bit like a high-wire act: They're the ones who don't need the safety net."
Measuring tolerance for uncertainty should be considered part of any learning organization's process for development. The trait is that essential, given that uncertainty can cause poor decisions, weaken leadership and paralyze an organization.
[About the Authors: Randall P. White, Ph.D., is an adjunct professor at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and co-author of Relax, It's Only Uncertainty. Sandra L. Shullman, Ph.D., is an adjunct faculty member for the Cleveland State University Diversity Institute and co-author of Performance Appraisal on the Line.]
The Virtual World of Talent Measurement
Dear Reader,
You are a talented person as an individual .
Organizations have talented people.
So how does one really measure the really talented person .
Read on to know the virtual world of talent measurement.
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
The Virtual World of Talent Measurement
by Mike Fetzer
With all the noise in the media about recent changes in the work environment, one thing remains constant: It is still hard to find good people, but it is getting easier. Talent management in the virtual world has experienced a significant evolution during the past few years due to advances in the science and technology of talent measurement as well as information technology. This trend will continue until the next evolution, which is just beyond the horizon.
More than 10 years ago, cutting-edge technology in virtual talent measurement was little more than digitized paper-and-pencil tests that could be delivered via the Internet. Instead of filling out bubble sheets, online forms were completed and submitted for automatic scoring, the results of which were available in microseconds. This resulted in substantial savings of time and resources, not to mention efficiency gains when compared to testing methods in the early 1990s. Thus many companies were quick to take advantage of these bottom-line benefits.
Here and There, Now and Then
Technologies that were once cutting edge soon became the norm and eventually became outdated. This is not due to any sort of talent measurement fad, but for a variety of legitimate reasons. First, the proliferation of virtual talent measurement brings with it a potential reduction in online assessment security. The easier it is for applicants or employees to access talent measurement tools for legitimate reasons, the easier it is for those with not-so-honorable intentions to do the same. Static text-based assessment content that can be copied and pasted from a Web site is especially susceptible to being compromised.
Second, virtual talent measurement soon became one of the initial points of contact between applicants and most hiring organizations. Many organizations put a tremendous amount of thought, effort and money into branding their corporate career Web sites to portray the right image to prospective employees and draw in those most qualified. Once past the initial application screen, however, the first set of online assessments may feel like outdated technology rather than a company on the leading edge. Organizations looking to attract Gen X and Gen Y applicants may be losing more than they gain by using fading assessment technology.
Finally, the effectiveness of older, more traditional assessment tools such as paper-based tests put online may start to wane as applicants become savvier, especially in today's economic environment. Applicants may attempt to game the system by responding to simple statement questions in the most positive manner possible. The more popular traditional online testing becomes, the more familiar it is, and thus it's more susceptible to individuals inclined to find ways around it to get to the next step in the hiring process.
That said, the effectiveness of current virtual talent measurement methods still remains strong, as evidenced by the relationships between assessment scores and job performance. The vast majority of organizations using online assessment continue to see positive results and ROI with traditional methods, but the evolution that has recently occurred offers newer methods to supplement traditional assessments and provide benefits above and beyond existing practices.
In the past few years, a virtual talent measurement evolution has begun to address these trends and challenges with more sophisticated, secure and engaging methodologies that are already complementing or replacing online tests that were cutting edge a decade ago.
The More Realistic the Better
One aspect of this progression involves the utilization of computer adaptive testing (CAT) technology. With CAT, the test actually adapts to the test taker, administering questions from large item banks that are most relevant for his or her competency level. CAT greatly enhances the security of online testing as well as improves the accuracy and reliability of test results.
In use for years in the fields of education, certification and the military, CAT is now becoming a more common method for talent measurement in private-sector organizations due to recent advancements. Hiring organizations now have access to computer adaptive tests of cognitive ability, personality and other skills. These CATs are becoming integral parts of the hiring process and the norm rather than the exception as organizations upgrade their static tests to benefit from this more sophisticated testing technology.
Another aspect of recent evolution here involves the use of basic simulations, such as typing, word processing and data entry, and as the technology advanced, simulations also were developed that incorporated audio stimuli and more complex graphical user interfaces (GUIs). Organizations using call centers were the first to benefit from these advancements, as the interaction with stimulated callers via prerecorded audio files and typical call center applications was integrated to provide a representation of call center agent work.
Further, incorporating video has become more practical for online delivery as more businesses and homes upgrade to high-speed Internet connections. Video-based assessment typically involves presenting the test taker with short clips showing various types of situations involving co-workers or customers and then administering one or more questions based on the video, such as "What would you do in this situation?" These are similar to text-based situational judgment assessments that have been in use since the 1940s, but they provide an extra level of realism as emotion and body language now can be represented in a nearly real-life setting.
These basic simulations and multimedia-based assessments are extremely effective at evaluating certain competencies and are more realistic than their predecessors. They not only produce a more engaging experience for test takers, they provide more accurate assessments of test taker skills and competencies. This is because these assessments are classified as work samples since they elicit the same behaviors and actions that would be performed on the job. Meta-analytic research has shown that work samples are the best predictors of job performance, thus their effectiveness is undisputed.
The Next Wave
The next evolution of assessment technologies has its origin in the entertainment and video gaming industries. Feature-length films, such as "Avatar," "A Christmas Carol" and "Beowulf," along with popular video games, such as "Global Agenda," "Call of Duty," "Halo" and various professional sports games, have provided moviegoers and video gamers with incredibly realistic entertainment in the past few years. The technologies behind these films and games incorporate two main elements: 3-D computer animation and motion capture.
The first element, 3-D computer animation, is the process of creating three-dimensional computer-generated backgrounds, objects and characters known as avatars and setting them in motion. The second element, motion capture (mocap), involves the use of specially designed suits, cameras, hardware and software that record human motion in a three-dimensional space. The data generated by mocap systems is then incorporated into 3-D animation software to provide extremely realistic motion.
As these technologies are developed and implemented, another evolution will take place. Immersive simulations that provide realistic interpersonal interactions and behavioral examples will take virtual assessment to the next level. Not only will they enrich the test taker experience through a more game-like environment, but several other benefits will follow.
First, the interactive, dynamic nature of these assessments will enhance test security by enabling a unique experience for each individual. The probability that any two individuals will encounter the same set of situations will be extremely low, greatly reducing the possibility for cheating by collusion.
Second, organizations that strive to be on the leading edge of technology to appeal to younger generations will benefit from more positive applicant perceptions. Using the same technologies that candidates experience on a daily basis will make organizations that leverage this approach seem more advanced and more attractive as an employer than those that don't.
Finally, in much the same way that CAT produces a more accurate, reliable score for text-based assessments, the adaptive or dynamic nature of these new assessments will better evaluate applicants' true competency level. Similar to a video game, the situation and possible outcomes will evolve based on applicants' responses. Applicant decisions and actions during the course of the simulation will determine the progression and outcome of the experience, and scores produced will more closely represent their future behavior on the job.
For example, a simulation focused on customer service skills would leverage an applicant's responses to the virtual customer avatar to determine how the customer will react. If the applicant is less than helpful, the customer may become progressively more agitated unless the applicant does something during the simulation to turn the interaction into a more positive experience.
Use of these types of assessments will become more and more prevalent for organizations of all sizes as - like many other forms of technology - the quality goes up and the cost goes down. However, it is important to keep in mind that any assessment used for talent measurement should measure competencies important for job performance.
Be wary of assessments that look really cool and leading edge but have not been validated in real-world settings. Despite the realism being built into these simulations, it will still be a long time before interviews, face to face or otherwise, are replaced as a standard assessment practice. The primary purpose for using these types of simulations is to ensure applicants that get an interview after passing the assessments are truly the most qualified and don't waste valuable time.
The world of virtual talent measurement is evolving and will continue to evolve in the near future. These evolutions will further enhance the effectiveness of virtual assessment as well as provide additional benefits and address new challenges. As advanced technologies become more integrated with talent measurement tools, the pace at which these evolutions will occur will increase proportionately. Organizations that implement these new technologies sooner rather than later will more quickly realize the advantages and reap the rewards than those who don't.
[About the Author: Mike Fetzer is the global director of advanced assessment technologies at PreVisor.]
You are a talented person as an individual .
Organizations have talented people.
So how does one really measure the really talented person .
Read on to know the virtual world of talent measurement.
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
The Virtual World of Talent Measurement
by Mike Fetzer
With all the noise in the media about recent changes in the work environment, one thing remains constant: It is still hard to find good people, but it is getting easier. Talent management in the virtual world has experienced a significant evolution during the past few years due to advances in the science and technology of talent measurement as well as information technology. This trend will continue until the next evolution, which is just beyond the horizon.
More than 10 years ago, cutting-edge technology in virtual talent measurement was little more than digitized paper-and-pencil tests that could be delivered via the Internet. Instead of filling out bubble sheets, online forms were completed and submitted for automatic scoring, the results of which were available in microseconds. This resulted in substantial savings of time and resources, not to mention efficiency gains when compared to testing methods in the early 1990s. Thus many companies were quick to take advantage of these bottom-line benefits.
Here and There, Now and Then
Technologies that were once cutting edge soon became the norm and eventually became outdated. This is not due to any sort of talent measurement fad, but for a variety of legitimate reasons. First, the proliferation of virtual talent measurement brings with it a potential reduction in online assessment security. The easier it is for applicants or employees to access talent measurement tools for legitimate reasons, the easier it is for those with not-so-honorable intentions to do the same. Static text-based assessment content that can be copied and pasted from a Web site is especially susceptible to being compromised.
Second, virtual talent measurement soon became one of the initial points of contact between applicants and most hiring organizations. Many organizations put a tremendous amount of thought, effort and money into branding their corporate career Web sites to portray the right image to prospective employees and draw in those most qualified. Once past the initial application screen, however, the first set of online assessments may feel like outdated technology rather than a company on the leading edge. Organizations looking to attract Gen X and Gen Y applicants may be losing more than they gain by using fading assessment technology.
Finally, the effectiveness of older, more traditional assessment tools such as paper-based tests put online may start to wane as applicants become savvier, especially in today's economic environment. Applicants may attempt to game the system by responding to simple statement questions in the most positive manner possible. The more popular traditional online testing becomes, the more familiar it is, and thus it's more susceptible to individuals inclined to find ways around it to get to the next step in the hiring process.
That said, the effectiveness of current virtual talent measurement methods still remains strong, as evidenced by the relationships between assessment scores and job performance. The vast majority of organizations using online assessment continue to see positive results and ROI with traditional methods, but the evolution that has recently occurred offers newer methods to supplement traditional assessments and provide benefits above and beyond existing practices.
In the past few years, a virtual talent measurement evolution has begun to address these trends and challenges with more sophisticated, secure and engaging methodologies that are already complementing or replacing online tests that were cutting edge a decade ago.
The More Realistic the Better
One aspect of this progression involves the utilization of computer adaptive testing (CAT) technology. With CAT, the test actually adapts to the test taker, administering questions from large item banks that are most relevant for his or her competency level. CAT greatly enhances the security of online testing as well as improves the accuracy and reliability of test results.
In use for years in the fields of education, certification and the military, CAT is now becoming a more common method for talent measurement in private-sector organizations due to recent advancements. Hiring organizations now have access to computer adaptive tests of cognitive ability, personality and other skills. These CATs are becoming integral parts of the hiring process and the norm rather than the exception as organizations upgrade their static tests to benefit from this more sophisticated testing technology.
Another aspect of recent evolution here involves the use of basic simulations, such as typing, word processing and data entry, and as the technology advanced, simulations also were developed that incorporated audio stimuli and more complex graphical user interfaces (GUIs). Organizations using call centers were the first to benefit from these advancements, as the interaction with stimulated callers via prerecorded audio files and typical call center applications was integrated to provide a representation of call center agent work.
Further, incorporating video has become more practical for online delivery as more businesses and homes upgrade to high-speed Internet connections. Video-based assessment typically involves presenting the test taker with short clips showing various types of situations involving co-workers or customers and then administering one or more questions based on the video, such as "What would you do in this situation?" These are similar to text-based situational judgment assessments that have been in use since the 1940s, but they provide an extra level of realism as emotion and body language now can be represented in a nearly real-life setting.
These basic simulations and multimedia-based assessments are extremely effective at evaluating certain competencies and are more realistic than their predecessors. They not only produce a more engaging experience for test takers, they provide more accurate assessments of test taker skills and competencies. This is because these assessments are classified as work samples since they elicit the same behaviors and actions that would be performed on the job. Meta-analytic research has shown that work samples are the best predictors of job performance, thus their effectiveness is undisputed.
The Next Wave
The next evolution of assessment technologies has its origin in the entertainment and video gaming industries. Feature-length films, such as "Avatar," "A Christmas Carol" and "Beowulf," along with popular video games, such as "Global Agenda," "Call of Duty," "Halo" and various professional sports games, have provided moviegoers and video gamers with incredibly realistic entertainment in the past few years. The technologies behind these films and games incorporate two main elements: 3-D computer animation and motion capture.
The first element, 3-D computer animation, is the process of creating three-dimensional computer-generated backgrounds, objects and characters known as avatars and setting them in motion. The second element, motion capture (mocap), involves the use of specially designed suits, cameras, hardware and software that record human motion in a three-dimensional space. The data generated by mocap systems is then incorporated into 3-D animation software to provide extremely realistic motion.
As these technologies are developed and implemented, another evolution will take place. Immersive simulations that provide realistic interpersonal interactions and behavioral examples will take virtual assessment to the next level. Not only will they enrich the test taker experience through a more game-like environment, but several other benefits will follow.
First, the interactive, dynamic nature of these assessments will enhance test security by enabling a unique experience for each individual. The probability that any two individuals will encounter the same set of situations will be extremely low, greatly reducing the possibility for cheating by collusion.
Second, organizations that strive to be on the leading edge of technology to appeal to younger generations will benefit from more positive applicant perceptions. Using the same technologies that candidates experience on a daily basis will make organizations that leverage this approach seem more advanced and more attractive as an employer than those that don't.
Finally, in much the same way that CAT produces a more accurate, reliable score for text-based assessments, the adaptive or dynamic nature of these new assessments will better evaluate applicants' true competency level. Similar to a video game, the situation and possible outcomes will evolve based on applicants' responses. Applicant decisions and actions during the course of the simulation will determine the progression and outcome of the experience, and scores produced will more closely represent their future behavior on the job.
For example, a simulation focused on customer service skills would leverage an applicant's responses to the virtual customer avatar to determine how the customer will react. If the applicant is less than helpful, the customer may become progressively more agitated unless the applicant does something during the simulation to turn the interaction into a more positive experience.
Use of these types of assessments will become more and more prevalent for organizations of all sizes as - like many other forms of technology - the quality goes up and the cost goes down. However, it is important to keep in mind that any assessment used for talent measurement should measure competencies important for job performance.
Be wary of assessments that look really cool and leading edge but have not been validated in real-world settings. Despite the realism being built into these simulations, it will still be a long time before interviews, face to face or otherwise, are replaced as a standard assessment practice. The primary purpose for using these types of simulations is to ensure applicants that get an interview after passing the assessments are truly the most qualified and don't waste valuable time.
The world of virtual talent measurement is evolving and will continue to evolve in the near future. These evolutions will further enhance the effectiveness of virtual assessment as well as provide additional benefits and address new challenges. As advanced technologies become more integrated with talent measurement tools, the pace at which these evolutions will occur will increase proportionately. Organizations that implement these new technologies sooner rather than later will more quickly realize the advantages and reap the rewards than those who don't.
[About the Author: Mike Fetzer is the global director of advanced assessment technologies at PreVisor.]
ACTION PACKED LEARNING
Dear Reader,
Here's something on learning which everyone feels is natural yet take it on in the far from natural manner.
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad
Action-Packed Learning
by Scott Blanchard and David Witt
The concept has been around since the 1970s, but cohort-based action learning programs are enjoying newfound popularity in executive development programs, thanks to modern training design's ability to make instruction more applicable on the job while simultaneously building and strengthening relationships in an organization. This type of event is a more effective way to enhance development, particularly at senior levels.
Many talent managers believe that if they really want to get to know their employees, they should go off and do something with them, either traveling or working together to solve a common business problem. Cohort-based action learning uses this same principle to bring executives together around a common issue in a way that promotes learning and builds relationships - even across business units. Action learning provides a one-two punch that enriches the classroom experience while simultaneously creating a bond among participants. This combination can speed development and create connections that otherwise may never have occurred because the executives did not have a chance to work together on a daily basis.
Not Just a Training Gimmick
Cohort-based action learning also is a great way to provide context and build relevance into an executive development program. The challenge for HR and training professionals is to make sure they use the technique properly. Action learning is a high-stakes, high-reward strategy that can pay off handsomely when done right, but it also can fail miserably if participants perceive that it is being done solely as a training gimmick. This is especially true when creating programs designed for high-potential executives, who, by their very nature, can quickly become impatient with learning they do not perceive is relevant and applicable to their future career aspirations. This type of learning must have strategic significance to current or future business challenges. To make sure the action learning projects they create will succeed, talent managers should begin by answering two key questions:
1. Will it teach participants skills they can apply immediately? While the focus of the program may be long-term executive development, it is important that the design include elements that are immediately actionable back on the job. The goal is to drive performance today and tomorrow.
2. Will participants have a tangible and business-relevant experience? The best designs mix a combination of theory and practice.
Answering these two fundamental questions will help talent managers get off to a good start. A focus on two additional components - context setting and after-training support - will create the opening and closing bookends that result in a good training design.
Context and support may seem like well-known components of good learning design, but the reality is that instructional designers often focus more of their attention on how best to promote the acquisition of knowledge and practice of skills. While the acquisition of skills, testing and the demonstration of learning are always important parts of any good development design, for an executive group, context and support need to be especially strong to show relevance and drive focused application back on the job.
This means talent managers and learning professionals may have to spend more time than usual at the beginning and at the end of a training session. At the beginning of a program, it's important to connect the dots for participants both individually and organizationally. On an individual level, this means showing participants how the upcoming program will personally make them better leaders, more skillful and able to lead at a higher level. From an organizational standpoint, it means connecting the learning explicitly to key strategic business objectives.
Both contexts are important. When people can see upfront how a development exercise can be useful, they listen more intently, imagine application immediately and ultimately learn more effectively.
Good post-learning strategies include making sure there is a support plan in place once participants return to work. One of the biggest reasons most learning is never applied is because no one supports or even asks about the new information when a participant returns to his or her job. Even though it can be uncomfortable when working with an executive group - some may query the need for such learning in the first place, and others may resent standard learning follow-up procedures because of the time involved - talent managers should drive on-the-job application by holding participants accountable for using what they have learned. For a high-powered executive group, asking senior executives to help "check the homework" is one way to make this happen. In addition to accountability, ensuring participants have access to support materials, coaching and other tools they may need to successfully apply new skills can facilitate on-the-job learning application.
High Stakes at Skanska
One organization that has enjoyed success by implementing cohort-based action learning is Skanska USA. For more than three years, Skanska has used cohort-based action learning as a key component of its executive development program.
At Skanska, each manager invited to participate in the executive development program is selected by a member of senior management from a pool of executives working in geographically dispersed business units around the world.
Because a majority of the leaders selected for the development program are responsible for lines of business often approaching more than $100 million, it is critical that the program be focused and impactful. At Skanska, this means selecting content and employing a training design that ensures executives are learning in areas that truly matter to the organization. It also means that any action learning module must be more than an isolated learning event and instead be designed to help the business move forward.
For John Benson, senior director of leadership development for Skanska, who is leading the project, helping to move the business forward means focusing the executive development program on two goals. The first is to help develop the skills future leaders will need to be successful in a changing business environment. The second is to build a deeper sense of cooperation across the organization as part of an initiative called One Skanska. At Skanska USA, growth through acquisitions has created a need to bring the newly acquired parts of the company closer together. Therefore, a desired outcome for the executive development program is to identify solutions for how to better enable collaboration between disparate parts of the organization.
The dual focus means creating a program with strong, relevant content taught in an environment that brings a group of leaders together. The design also has to be rigorously managed, with participants demonstrating that they have learned and applied the content. "It is not a program for part-timers," Benson said. "The participants spend a great deal of energy and time on the work, including preparation for final presentations to the entire U.S. management team. It is a high-stakes learning environment which provides an immediate seriousness about the education."
Emphasizing the importance and usefulness of the learning can help bring out the best abilities of everyone involved.
"You don't just put executives running $100 million [worth] of business in the room for 10 days and expect them to simply listen and absorb," Benson said. "Rather, you must provide an education and experience which matches their level of expertise and stature. They deserve our utmost respect, but we must also be willing to push them if we are to have a real impact in their leadership abilities and an impact on the future direction of the company."
Sticking Your Neck Out
For talent or learning executives who are considering adding an action learning component into their next executive development design, there is one additional question to ask: To what degree is the learning department willing to stick its neck out to pursue a high-risk, high-reward training design?
The answer to this question may be part of the reason for action learning's on-again, off-again use during the past three decades. Not everyone is willing to put in the time and apply the rigor necessary to be successful. In some cases, a strategy to minimize the impact on the executive participants' time - rather than ask them to do more - can seem like a safer, more prudent approach to promote engagement or acceptance. But this type of sentiment can backfire, as it may hobble a program's effectiveness from the start.
Talent and learning leaders need to have a great deal of confidence that any action learning component they design - especially for high-potential leaders - is really going to stand up to the pressures an executive may bring to it. They must be willing and able to defend it. For talent managers who are ready to step up to that challenge, it is important to learn from others' experiences before beginning.
Action learning can be hard to implement. It's risky, and it requires a lot of time and energy to manage, but at the end of the day, it is an effective way to dramatically improve engagement levels in the classroom, promote connections across the organization and ensure learning application back on the job.
[About the Authors: Scott Blanchard is executive vice president and David Witt is program director for The Ken Blanchard Companies, a provider of training and organizational development services.]
Here's something on learning which everyone feels is natural yet take it on in the far from natural manner.
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad
Action-Packed Learning
by Scott Blanchard and David Witt
The concept has been around since the 1970s, but cohort-based action learning programs are enjoying newfound popularity in executive development programs, thanks to modern training design's ability to make instruction more applicable on the job while simultaneously building and strengthening relationships in an organization. This type of event is a more effective way to enhance development, particularly at senior levels.
Many talent managers believe that if they really want to get to know their employees, they should go off and do something with them, either traveling or working together to solve a common business problem. Cohort-based action learning uses this same principle to bring executives together around a common issue in a way that promotes learning and builds relationships - even across business units. Action learning provides a one-two punch that enriches the classroom experience while simultaneously creating a bond among participants. This combination can speed development and create connections that otherwise may never have occurred because the executives did not have a chance to work together on a daily basis.
Not Just a Training Gimmick
Cohort-based action learning also is a great way to provide context and build relevance into an executive development program. The challenge for HR and training professionals is to make sure they use the technique properly. Action learning is a high-stakes, high-reward strategy that can pay off handsomely when done right, but it also can fail miserably if participants perceive that it is being done solely as a training gimmick. This is especially true when creating programs designed for high-potential executives, who, by their very nature, can quickly become impatient with learning they do not perceive is relevant and applicable to their future career aspirations. This type of learning must have strategic significance to current or future business challenges. To make sure the action learning projects they create will succeed, talent managers should begin by answering two key questions:
1. Will it teach participants skills they can apply immediately? While the focus of the program may be long-term executive development, it is important that the design include elements that are immediately actionable back on the job. The goal is to drive performance today and tomorrow.
2. Will participants have a tangible and business-relevant experience? The best designs mix a combination of theory and practice.
Answering these two fundamental questions will help talent managers get off to a good start. A focus on two additional components - context setting and after-training support - will create the opening and closing bookends that result in a good training design.
Context and support may seem like well-known components of good learning design, but the reality is that instructional designers often focus more of their attention on how best to promote the acquisition of knowledge and practice of skills. While the acquisition of skills, testing and the demonstration of learning are always important parts of any good development design, for an executive group, context and support need to be especially strong to show relevance and drive focused application back on the job.
This means talent managers and learning professionals may have to spend more time than usual at the beginning and at the end of a training session. At the beginning of a program, it's important to connect the dots for participants both individually and organizationally. On an individual level, this means showing participants how the upcoming program will personally make them better leaders, more skillful and able to lead at a higher level. From an organizational standpoint, it means connecting the learning explicitly to key strategic business objectives.
Both contexts are important. When people can see upfront how a development exercise can be useful, they listen more intently, imagine application immediately and ultimately learn more effectively.
Good post-learning strategies include making sure there is a support plan in place once participants return to work. One of the biggest reasons most learning is never applied is because no one supports or even asks about the new information when a participant returns to his or her job. Even though it can be uncomfortable when working with an executive group - some may query the need for such learning in the first place, and others may resent standard learning follow-up procedures because of the time involved - talent managers should drive on-the-job application by holding participants accountable for using what they have learned. For a high-powered executive group, asking senior executives to help "check the homework" is one way to make this happen. In addition to accountability, ensuring participants have access to support materials, coaching and other tools they may need to successfully apply new skills can facilitate on-the-job learning application.
High Stakes at Skanska
One organization that has enjoyed success by implementing cohort-based action learning is Skanska USA. For more than three years, Skanska has used cohort-based action learning as a key component of its executive development program.
At Skanska, each manager invited to participate in the executive development program is selected by a member of senior management from a pool of executives working in geographically dispersed business units around the world.
Because a majority of the leaders selected for the development program are responsible for lines of business often approaching more than $100 million, it is critical that the program be focused and impactful. At Skanska, this means selecting content and employing a training design that ensures executives are learning in areas that truly matter to the organization. It also means that any action learning module must be more than an isolated learning event and instead be designed to help the business move forward.
For John Benson, senior director of leadership development for Skanska, who is leading the project, helping to move the business forward means focusing the executive development program on two goals. The first is to help develop the skills future leaders will need to be successful in a changing business environment. The second is to build a deeper sense of cooperation across the organization as part of an initiative called One Skanska. At Skanska USA, growth through acquisitions has created a need to bring the newly acquired parts of the company closer together. Therefore, a desired outcome for the executive development program is to identify solutions for how to better enable collaboration between disparate parts of the organization.
The dual focus means creating a program with strong, relevant content taught in an environment that brings a group of leaders together. The design also has to be rigorously managed, with participants demonstrating that they have learned and applied the content. "It is not a program for part-timers," Benson said. "The participants spend a great deal of energy and time on the work, including preparation for final presentations to the entire U.S. management team. It is a high-stakes learning environment which provides an immediate seriousness about the education."
Emphasizing the importance and usefulness of the learning can help bring out the best abilities of everyone involved.
"You don't just put executives running $100 million [worth] of business in the room for 10 days and expect them to simply listen and absorb," Benson said. "Rather, you must provide an education and experience which matches their level of expertise and stature. They deserve our utmost respect, but we must also be willing to push them if we are to have a real impact in their leadership abilities and an impact on the future direction of the company."
Sticking Your Neck Out
For talent or learning executives who are considering adding an action learning component into their next executive development design, there is one additional question to ask: To what degree is the learning department willing to stick its neck out to pursue a high-risk, high-reward training design?
The answer to this question may be part of the reason for action learning's on-again, off-again use during the past three decades. Not everyone is willing to put in the time and apply the rigor necessary to be successful. In some cases, a strategy to minimize the impact on the executive participants' time - rather than ask them to do more - can seem like a safer, more prudent approach to promote engagement or acceptance. But this type of sentiment can backfire, as it may hobble a program's effectiveness from the start.
Talent and learning leaders need to have a great deal of confidence that any action learning component they design - especially for high-potential leaders - is really going to stand up to the pressures an executive may bring to it. They must be willing and able to defend it. For talent managers who are ready to step up to that challenge, it is important to learn from others' experiences before beginning.
Action learning can be hard to implement. It's risky, and it requires a lot of time and energy to manage, but at the end of the day, it is an effective way to dramatically improve engagement levels in the classroom, promote connections across the organization and ensure learning application back on the job.
[About the Authors: Scott Blanchard is executive vice president and David Witt is program director for The Ken Blanchard Companies, a provider of training and organizational development services.]
RICH and POOR
Dear Reader,
MMMMmmmm, trust all is well with you.
Well, i am confident that you would agree that besides health it includes everything including wealth
Rich or poor is again what one percieves.
To know a little more on Rich and Poor let me narrate a small story.
Here it is.
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
"The great Buddhist saint Nagarjuna moved around naked except for a loincloth and, incongruously, a golden begging bowl gifted to him by the King, who was his disciple.
One night he was about to lie down to sleep among the ruins of an ancient monastery when he noticed a thief lurking behind one of the columns. "Here, take this," said Nagarjuna, holding the begging bowl. "That way you won't disturb me once I have fallen asleep."
The thief eagerly grabbed the bowl and made off only to return the next morning with the bowl and a request:
"When you gave away this bowl so freely last night, you made me feel very poor. Teach me how to acquire the riches that make this kind of lighthearted detachment possible."
MMMMmmmm, trust all is well with you.
Well, i am confident that you would agree that besides health it includes everything including wealth
Rich or poor is again what one percieves.
To know a little more on Rich and Poor let me narrate a small story.
Here it is.
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
"The great Buddhist saint Nagarjuna moved around naked except for a loincloth and, incongruously, a golden begging bowl gifted to him by the King, who was his disciple.
One night he was about to lie down to sleep among the ruins of an ancient monastery when he noticed a thief lurking behind one of the columns. "Here, take this," said Nagarjuna, holding the begging bowl. "That way you won't disturb me once I have fallen asleep."
The thief eagerly grabbed the bowl and made off only to return the next morning with the bowl and a request:
"When you gave away this bowl so freely last night, you made me feel very poor. Teach me how to acquire the riches that make this kind of lighthearted detachment possible."
Monday, April 26, 2010
Six Career Secrets You won't Learn in School
My Dear Reader,
Here's something that i would like to share with many a younger colleague who stands at the threshhold of his degree college .
Indeed such sane yet free advice was hardly ever forthcoming in my days.
So here goes.
Happy Reading,
Regards ,
A.S.Prasad.
Six Career Secrets You Won't Learn in School -
by Alexandra Levit,
author of "They Don't Teach Corporate in College:-
A Twenty-Something's Guide to the Business World"
When I landed a job in a top public relations firm after my college graduation, I thought the toughest part of my entry into the business world was over. I dumped my extra résumés in a recycling bin and eagerly awaited a paycheck that would scarcely cover my rent. I looked forward to worldly business trips, stimulating office brainstorms and hanging out with my co-workers every Friday at happy hour.
A few years later, I had never made it to a happy hour gathering because on Friday nights I was passed out on the couch. I held an entry-level position for 16 months while people with half my intelligence and work ethic lapped me. My résumé listed four positions in three years because I was always on the lookout for a better opportunity that would bring the ever-elusive job satisfaction.
Eventually, I considered joining the large numbers of my friends who were leaving the corporate world in favor of business or law school. The idea of going back to school is tempting, and why not? We're comfortable with the concept of school. We know how the story goes. If you work hard, you get good grades, and everyone is happy.
The business world is another animal entirely. Politically motivated and fraught with nonsensical change, it's not a natural fit for ambitious graduates who leave school expecting results from a logical combination of education and effort. Suddenly, the tenets of success we've followed since kindergarten don't apply, because getting ahead in the business world often has nothing to do with intelligence or exceeding a set of defined expectations. Since they don't teach corporate in college, here are six tips to help you win at the business world's game: -
Develop a marketable corporate person
Think of yourself as a publicist with the task of promoting you. Learn to capitalize on your skills, succinctly assert your achievements and project a corporate persona -- or your most mature, professional and competent face.
Establish profitable relationships
Business networking is a valuable tool to gain information, increase your visibility in your field and make connections that will help you move forward in your career. Seek out new contacts and potential mentors whom you like and admire and whose interests you share. On the home front, don't expect your boss to figure out what you're all about. Determine her priorities, find out what she wants from you, and brainstorm ways to surpass her expectations.
Master transferable skills like goal setting, effective communication and time management
You might not know exactly what you want to do with your life, but transferable skills will serve you well no matter what future path you decide to pursue. Make your time count now by working with your boss to set specific, reasonable and attainable goals for your present position that will help you advance to the next level.
Stay motivated despite trying circumstances
There's no doubt that the business world can be frustrating, but remember that you can choose your response to your environment. If you make a conscious decision to begin each day with a positive outlook, negative conditions at work can't take that away from you. Aim to increase your self-awareness so you can better understand your emotional hot buttons.
Get people to cooperate
Always keep in mind that other people don't care what you want -- they want to know what's in it for them. By approaching negotiations with an attitude that allows both parties to win, you'll be more effective at eliciting cooperation and ultimately getting what you want.
Be proactive about your career growth
Approach your performance review strategically by soliciting feedback on your progress, identifying new goals and growth opportunities and hammering out a long-term promotion plan. When asking your boss for a raise, be prepared with a list of contributions that have positively impacted the bottom line.
When you're struggling to survive in a corporate job, it might be an achievement just to make it through the day. But if at any point you feel like taking these steps is not worth the effort, just consider how much time you are likely to spend in the business world. Assuming you work from age 22 to age 65 for 235 days a year, you'll be on someone else's clock for about 80,000 hours, or one tenth of your life. Isn't it only fair that you do everything you can to create a rewarding job experience?
Here's something that i would like to share with many a younger colleague who stands at the threshhold of his degree college .
Indeed such sane yet free advice was hardly ever forthcoming in my days.
So here goes.
Happy Reading,
Regards ,
A.S.Prasad.
Six Career Secrets You Won't Learn in School -
by Alexandra Levit,
author of "They Don't Teach Corporate in College:-
A Twenty-Something's Guide to the Business World"
When I landed a job in a top public relations firm after my college graduation, I thought the toughest part of my entry into the business world was over. I dumped my extra résumés in a recycling bin and eagerly awaited a paycheck that would scarcely cover my rent. I looked forward to worldly business trips, stimulating office brainstorms and hanging out with my co-workers every Friday at happy hour.
A few years later, I had never made it to a happy hour gathering because on Friday nights I was passed out on the couch. I held an entry-level position for 16 months while people with half my intelligence and work ethic lapped me. My résumé listed four positions in three years because I was always on the lookout for a better opportunity that would bring the ever-elusive job satisfaction.
Eventually, I considered joining the large numbers of my friends who were leaving the corporate world in favor of business or law school. The idea of going back to school is tempting, and why not? We're comfortable with the concept of school. We know how the story goes. If you work hard, you get good grades, and everyone is happy.
The business world is another animal entirely. Politically motivated and fraught with nonsensical change, it's not a natural fit for ambitious graduates who leave school expecting results from a logical combination of education and effort. Suddenly, the tenets of success we've followed since kindergarten don't apply, because getting ahead in the business world often has nothing to do with intelligence or exceeding a set of defined expectations. Since they don't teach corporate in college, here are six tips to help you win at the business world's game: -
Develop a marketable corporate person
Think of yourself as a publicist with the task of promoting you. Learn to capitalize on your skills, succinctly assert your achievements and project a corporate persona -- or your most mature, professional and competent face.
Establish profitable relationships
Business networking is a valuable tool to gain information, increase your visibility in your field and make connections that will help you move forward in your career. Seek out new contacts and potential mentors whom you like and admire and whose interests you share. On the home front, don't expect your boss to figure out what you're all about. Determine her priorities, find out what she wants from you, and brainstorm ways to surpass her expectations.
Master transferable skills like goal setting, effective communication and time management
You might not know exactly what you want to do with your life, but transferable skills will serve you well no matter what future path you decide to pursue. Make your time count now by working with your boss to set specific, reasonable and attainable goals for your present position that will help you advance to the next level.
Stay motivated despite trying circumstances
There's no doubt that the business world can be frustrating, but remember that you can choose your response to your environment. If you make a conscious decision to begin each day with a positive outlook, negative conditions at work can't take that away from you. Aim to increase your self-awareness so you can better understand your emotional hot buttons.
Get people to cooperate
Always keep in mind that other people don't care what you want -- they want to know what's in it for them. By approaching negotiations with an attitude that allows both parties to win, you'll be more effective at eliciting cooperation and ultimately getting what you want.
Be proactive about your career growth
Approach your performance review strategically by soliciting feedback on your progress, identifying new goals and growth opportunities and hammering out a long-term promotion plan. When asking your boss for a raise, be prepared with a list of contributions that have positively impacted the bottom line.
When you're struggling to survive in a corporate job, it might be an achievement just to make it through the day. But if at any point you feel like taking these steps is not worth the effort, just consider how much time you are likely to spend in the business world. Assuming you work from age 22 to age 65 for 235 days a year, you'll be on someone else's clock for about 80,000 hours, or one tenth of your life. Isn't it only fair that you do everything you can to create a rewarding job experience?
Saturday, April 24, 2010
LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP
Dear Reader,
Indeed a handful of those living today would consider themselves fortunate enough to even have heard , or met, or seen, or interacted with JRD TATA.
Still there may be more who have ehard the pleasant fortune of having an interaction with R.N.TATA.
Ratan Tata ( R.N.T) as the handful close to him know him was a different person from the image perceieved by the public .
Here is something that i would like to share on Mr. Ratan . N. TATA.
Please do read on ,
Enjoy the read,
regards,
A.S.Prasad.
" Ratan Tata and the flat tyre - Lessons in Leadership !!!!-
One of Mr. Ratan N Tata's first assignments was the stewardship of the ailing electronics company in the Tata portfolio - Nelco.
Story goes that a team of senior managers from Nelco was driving to Nasik along with RNT. Halfway into the journey, the car had a flat tyre, and as the driver pulled up, the occupants - including Mr. Tata - got off for a comfort break, leaving the driver to replace the tyre.
Some of the managers welcomed the forced break, as it allowed them a much-needed chance to light up a cigarette. Some used the opportunity to stretch, and smile, and share a joke. And then, one of them suddenly noticed that Mr. Tata was not to be seen, and wondered aloud where Ratan Tata might have vanished.
· Was he behind some bush?
· Had he wandered off inside the roadside dhaba for a quick cup of tea?
· Or was he mingling with some passer-bys, listening to their stories?
None of these, in fact while his colleagues were taking a break, Ratan Tata was busy helping the driver change tyres. Sleeves rolled up, tie swatted away over the shoulder, the hands expertly working the jack and the spanner, bouncing the spare tyre to check if the tyre pressure was ok. Droplets of sweat on the brow, and a smile on the face.
In that moment, the managers accompanying Ratan Tata got a master class in leadership they haven't forgotten.
And that's a moment that the driver of that car probably hasn't forgotten either.
Questions to ask:-
When was the last time I rolled up my sleeves to do a task much below my hierarchy?
Do I wait for the big opportunity to showcase my leadership?
Is that big opportunity ever going to come?
Am I trying to manage upwards so much that I lost the feel of the field?
Ideas for action:-
* Humility is the essence of success.
Be humble and even teach your children to be so.
* To reach the top and remain there, always start from the bottom, else your days at the top will not last long.
* Practice leadership in small things instead of waiting for the big crisis or a major product launch.
* Seek to find opportunities to lead in everyday moments.
* Build your leadership skills one baby step at a time.
"It is not how much you do, but how much love you put in the doing".
Indeed a handful of those living today would consider themselves fortunate enough to even have heard , or met, or seen, or interacted with JRD TATA.
Still there may be more who have ehard the pleasant fortune of having an interaction with R.N.TATA.
Ratan Tata ( R.N.T) as the handful close to him know him was a different person from the image perceieved by the public .
Here is something that i would like to share on Mr. Ratan . N. TATA.
Please do read on ,
Enjoy the read,
regards,
A.S.Prasad.
" Ratan Tata and the flat tyre - Lessons in Leadership !!!!-
One of Mr. Ratan N Tata's first assignments was the stewardship of the ailing electronics company in the Tata portfolio - Nelco.
Story goes that a team of senior managers from Nelco was driving to Nasik along with RNT. Halfway into the journey, the car had a flat tyre, and as the driver pulled up, the occupants - including Mr. Tata - got off for a comfort break, leaving the driver to replace the tyre.
Some of the managers welcomed the forced break, as it allowed them a much-needed chance to light up a cigarette. Some used the opportunity to stretch, and smile, and share a joke. And then, one of them suddenly noticed that Mr. Tata was not to be seen, and wondered aloud where Ratan Tata might have vanished.
· Was he behind some bush?
· Had he wandered off inside the roadside dhaba for a quick cup of tea?
· Or was he mingling with some passer-bys, listening to their stories?
None of these, in fact while his colleagues were taking a break, Ratan Tata was busy helping the driver change tyres. Sleeves rolled up, tie swatted away over the shoulder, the hands expertly working the jack and the spanner, bouncing the spare tyre to check if the tyre pressure was ok. Droplets of sweat on the brow, and a smile on the face.
In that moment, the managers accompanying Ratan Tata got a master class in leadership they haven't forgotten.
And that's a moment that the driver of that car probably hasn't forgotten either.
Questions to ask:-
When was the last time I rolled up my sleeves to do a task much below my hierarchy?
Do I wait for the big opportunity to showcase my leadership?
Is that big opportunity ever going to come?
Am I trying to manage upwards so much that I lost the feel of the field?
Ideas for action:-
* Humility is the essence of success.
Be humble and even teach your children to be so.
* To reach the top and remain there, always start from the bottom, else your days at the top will not last long.
* Practice leadership in small things instead of waiting for the big crisis or a major product launch.
* Seek to find opportunities to lead in everyday moments.
* Build your leadership skills one baby step at a time.
"It is not how much you do, but how much love you put in the doing".
BODY LANGUAGE
Dear Reader,
In my previous post i spoke about ,'Self - Confidence'.
Now let us ahve a quick look at,'Body Language'.
As a nation we are famed for our communication.
However out of all that, that composes communication skills, it is the body language of a persson which leaves an impact without our knowing it.
Infact psychologists often suggest that, if you want to win a person over more towards you, copying the body language of the person would help.
So much so that between a couple, it is often the lady who is scanning the body language of her partner and very often gives out more through her body language ....
So for more tips on confidence through body language please do read on ....
Happy Reading ,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
Confidence With Correct BODY LANGUAGE.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words; now picture yourself, approaching a woman or a prospective client, walking into a board meeting or a party. How do you look?
What message do you communicate the moment you walk into a room? What are your eyes, hands and shoulders saying? What information can people gather about you before you ever say a word? Never thought about it? You should. And you can start by perusing our top 10 tips to show confidence with body language.
People read your body language, often via instinct and without thinking. It’s because our poses and postures are a great source of information. They reflect our mood and our confidence level.
We stand and walk a certain way when we’re confident and another way when we’re nervous. In a glance, most people can discern if we’re apprehensive or outgoing, relaxed or aggressive. With a little practice, we can learn the tips to show confidence through body language so that we always appear confident, capable and ready.
1: Avoid your pockets
The first tip on our list of the top 10 tips to show confidence with body language is to keep your hands out of your pockets. We put our hands in our pockets when we’re uncomfortable or unsure of ourselves. And as long as you have your hands stuffed down your pants, that’s how other people will view you.
Instinctually we tend to hide our hands when we’re nervous; keeping your hands out in the open indicates confidence and shows people you have nothing to hide. Also, recognize that putting your hands in your pockets encourages slouching, which isn’t good. As an alternative, try putting your hands on your hips; it’s a far more confident posture.
2: Don't fidget
Fidgeting is a clear sign of nervousness. A man who can’t keep still, is a man who is worried, tense and certainly not confident. Your hands can be your worst enemies -- fight to keep them still and steady. You can definitely talk with your hands, but keep your gesticulations calm and under control. Also, when seated, avoid that rapid leg-vibration thing that some guys do (you don’t want to look like a dog getting his belly rubbed).
3: Keep your eyes forward
Keeping your eyes level might be one of the trickiest ways to show confidence in body language. When you’re walking anywhere by yourself, it often feels natural to lower your head slightly and watch your step, but this posture communicates to others that you don’t want to engage in conversation or interact. And if you’re not careful, you might get into the habit of doing it all the time. Keep your chin up and your eyes forward, even when you’re walking down the street by yourself.
4: Stand up straight with your shoulders back
Standing up straight is one of the most important of our top 10 tips to project confidence through body language. It can be a challenge especially if you’ve been a sloucher all your life, but get over it. Standing up straight is perhaps the most important means of communicating confidence. Concentrate on pushing your shoulders back slightly when standing and walking. Nothing major, just a little. That one simple motion does wonders for your posture. Try it in front of the mirror -- you’ll be surprised how much more confident it makes you look.
5: Take wide steps
A confident man will never be described as “scurrying,” “creeping” or “sneaking,” so pay attention to the way you walk. If you want to show confidence with body language you want to take large steps. Wide steps make you seem purposeful and suggest a personal tranquility, which denotes confidence in men.
6: Firm handshakes
Another of our top 10 tips for showing confidence with body language has to do with the firm handshake. There are few things worse than reaching out your hand during an introduction and getting a palm full of dead fish. Don’t be that guy. Instead, grip the other person’s hand firmly and confidently. If shaking hands with someone you’ve already met, you might even consider the two-hand grab: placing your free hand on the other person’s elbow adds warmth and enthusiasm to the handshake. Just don’t get carried away. A handshake is not a contest. Don’t try to crush the other person’s hand and don’t hold on too long.
7: Proper grooming
Imagine yourself walking into a room, maybe there are lots of beautiful women there or maybe the room is filled with respected colleagues. Now consider your appearance: four days' worth of scruff, bad skin, hair crispy and pointy like a Backstreet Boy’s. The point we’re trying to make is that grooming is an essential component of communicating confidence through body language. You want your hair, face and even your smell to work for you, not against you. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new products to find the ones that work for you.
8: Smile
Confident people smile because they have nothing to worry about. Try this as an experiment: smile at someone as you pass them on the street or walking around the office. Chances are good that they’ll smile back. Now wouldn’t you like to have that effect on people all the time?
9: Don’t cross your arms when socializing
Crossing your arms is a protective posture. We do it when we’re cold, nervous or on guard. Think of those big, burly nightclub bouncers, crossing their 26-inch pythons while standing guard at the door to a club. Do they look like guys you want to talk to, joke with or work with? No, right? Their job is to look intimidating. Your job is to look likeable, open and confident. So relax a little and keep your arms uncrossed.
10: Use contact to show appreciation
The pat on the back is a lost art. Don’t be afraid to pat a buddy or a colleague on the back when he or she delivers a perfectly timed punch line or nails the big presentation. Most people aren’t freaked out by a hand on the shoulder and they’ll likely be appreciative of your sign of affection and respect.
In my previous post i spoke about ,'Self - Confidence'.
Now let us ahve a quick look at,'Body Language'.
As a nation we are famed for our communication.
However out of all that, that composes communication skills, it is the body language of a persson which leaves an impact without our knowing it.
Infact psychologists often suggest that, if you want to win a person over more towards you, copying the body language of the person would help.
So much so that between a couple, it is often the lady who is scanning the body language of her partner and very often gives out more through her body language ....
So for more tips on confidence through body language please do read on ....
Happy Reading ,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
Confidence With Correct BODY LANGUAGE.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words; now picture yourself, approaching a woman or a prospective client, walking into a board meeting or a party. How do you look?
What message do you communicate the moment you walk into a room? What are your eyes, hands and shoulders saying? What information can people gather about you before you ever say a word? Never thought about it? You should. And you can start by perusing our top 10 tips to show confidence with body language.
People read your body language, often via instinct and without thinking. It’s because our poses and postures are a great source of information. They reflect our mood and our confidence level.
We stand and walk a certain way when we’re confident and another way when we’re nervous. In a glance, most people can discern if we’re apprehensive or outgoing, relaxed or aggressive. With a little practice, we can learn the tips to show confidence through body language so that we always appear confident, capable and ready.
1: Avoid your pockets
The first tip on our list of the top 10 tips to show confidence with body language is to keep your hands out of your pockets. We put our hands in our pockets when we’re uncomfortable or unsure of ourselves. And as long as you have your hands stuffed down your pants, that’s how other people will view you.
Instinctually we tend to hide our hands when we’re nervous; keeping your hands out in the open indicates confidence and shows people you have nothing to hide. Also, recognize that putting your hands in your pockets encourages slouching, which isn’t good. As an alternative, try putting your hands on your hips; it’s a far more confident posture.
2: Don't fidget
Fidgeting is a clear sign of nervousness. A man who can’t keep still, is a man who is worried, tense and certainly not confident. Your hands can be your worst enemies -- fight to keep them still and steady. You can definitely talk with your hands, but keep your gesticulations calm and under control. Also, when seated, avoid that rapid leg-vibration thing that some guys do (you don’t want to look like a dog getting his belly rubbed).
3: Keep your eyes forward
Keeping your eyes level might be one of the trickiest ways to show confidence in body language. When you’re walking anywhere by yourself, it often feels natural to lower your head slightly and watch your step, but this posture communicates to others that you don’t want to engage in conversation or interact. And if you’re not careful, you might get into the habit of doing it all the time. Keep your chin up and your eyes forward, even when you’re walking down the street by yourself.
4: Stand up straight with your shoulders back
Standing up straight is one of the most important of our top 10 tips to project confidence through body language. It can be a challenge especially if you’ve been a sloucher all your life, but get over it. Standing up straight is perhaps the most important means of communicating confidence. Concentrate on pushing your shoulders back slightly when standing and walking. Nothing major, just a little. That one simple motion does wonders for your posture. Try it in front of the mirror -- you’ll be surprised how much more confident it makes you look.
5: Take wide steps
A confident man will never be described as “scurrying,” “creeping” or “sneaking,” so pay attention to the way you walk. If you want to show confidence with body language you want to take large steps. Wide steps make you seem purposeful and suggest a personal tranquility, which denotes confidence in men.
6: Firm handshakes
Another of our top 10 tips for showing confidence with body language has to do with the firm handshake. There are few things worse than reaching out your hand during an introduction and getting a palm full of dead fish. Don’t be that guy. Instead, grip the other person’s hand firmly and confidently. If shaking hands with someone you’ve already met, you might even consider the two-hand grab: placing your free hand on the other person’s elbow adds warmth and enthusiasm to the handshake. Just don’t get carried away. A handshake is not a contest. Don’t try to crush the other person’s hand and don’t hold on too long.
7: Proper grooming
Imagine yourself walking into a room, maybe there are lots of beautiful women there or maybe the room is filled with respected colleagues. Now consider your appearance: four days' worth of scruff, bad skin, hair crispy and pointy like a Backstreet Boy’s. The point we’re trying to make is that grooming is an essential component of communicating confidence through body language. You want your hair, face and even your smell to work for you, not against you. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new products to find the ones that work for you.
8: Smile
Confident people smile because they have nothing to worry about. Try this as an experiment: smile at someone as you pass them on the street or walking around the office. Chances are good that they’ll smile back. Now wouldn’t you like to have that effect on people all the time?
9: Don’t cross your arms when socializing
Crossing your arms is a protective posture. We do it when we’re cold, nervous or on guard. Think of those big, burly nightclub bouncers, crossing their 26-inch pythons while standing guard at the door to a club. Do they look like guys you want to talk to, joke with or work with? No, right? Their job is to look intimidating. Your job is to look likeable, open and confident. So relax a little and keep your arms uncrossed.
10: Use contact to show appreciation
The pat on the back is a lost art. Don’t be afraid to pat a buddy or a colleague on the back when he or she delivers a perfectly timed punch line or nails the big presentation. Most people aren’t freaked out by a hand on the shoulder and they’ll likely be appreciative of your sign of affection and respect.
SELF CONFIDENCE
My Dear Reader ,
Here are some tips on Self - Confidence,
These are not the bible , nor are they the last words on the subject.
Surely in a few weeks to come by, possibly there would be more emanating from my desk .
Life teaches us many lessons .
However it is only a handful few who really, sit up take notice , consciously with an aim to improve.
These are the few lucky ones who dare and get away with Success.
SIMPLE TIPS.- SELF.CONFIDENCE.
Self confidence gives us the freedom to commit mistakes and cope with failure without making us feel worthless.If only we have confidence in ourselves, can we gain confidence of others.
After all, most people are reluctant to back a project thats being pitched by
someone who is nervous, fumbling and overly apologetic.
On the other hand, you might be persuaded by someone who spoke clearly, who held his or her head high, who answered questions assuredly, and who readily admitted when he/she did not know something.
So where do you rate yourself on the scale of 1-10 for your confidence level? Do you think you fall in the low confidence bracket? Here is some good news for you. And the good news is that self-confidence can be learned and built on.
Lets start the process of building self-confidence. Remember there is no quick fix solution for it. Nonetheless, practice makes a man perfect. So all you have to do is try and implement the following given tips in your day to day life.
Recognize your insecurities:-
We all have insecurities in life. It can be anything from acne, to regrets, to friends at school. Giving a name to the things which make you feel unworthy, ashamed or inferior helps to combat them. You can try to pen down your thoughts and you will find that it makes you feel much lighter and happier. Remember that no one is perfect. The man or woman sitting next to you might have the same amount of insecurities as you have. If writing doesnt come easily to you, you might want to talk it out with your friends or loved ones. Sharing your thoughts will help relieve the burden you have been carrying all alone.
Identify your successes:-
No matter how insecure you might feel, God has blessed each one of us with some talent. Discover the things you are good at and then focus on improving them. Give yourself permission to take pride in your talents. Give yourself credit for your successes. Inferiority is a state of mind in which youve declared yourself a victim. Do not allow yourself to be victimized.
Be thankful for what you have: -
A lot of the times, at the root of insecurity and lack of confidence is a feeling of not having enough of something, whether its emotional validation, good luck, money, etc. By acknowledging and appreciating what you do have, you can combat the feeling of being incomplete and unsatisfied. Finding that inner peace will do wonders for your confidence.
Be positive:-
Avoid self-pity or sympathy of others. Never allow others to make you feel inferior they can only do so if you let them. If you continue to loathe and belittle yourself, others are going to do and believe likewise. Instead, speak positively about yourself, about your future, and about your progress. Do not be afraid to project your strengths and qualities to others.
Dress sharp:-
Although clothes don't make the man, they certainly affect the way he feels about himself. When you dont look good, you dont feel good. It changes the way you carry yourself and interact with people. This doesn'tt mean you need to spend a lot on clothes. Rather than buying a bunch of cheap clothes, buy half as many select, high quality items. In long run this decreases spending because expensive clothes wear out less easily and stay in style longer than cheap clothes.
Walk faster:-
Your gait tells a lot about your personality. Is it slow? Tired? Painful? Or is it energetic and purposeful? People with confidence walk quickly. They have places to go, people to see, and important work to do. You can increase yourself confidence by putting some pep in your step. Walking 25% faster will make to you look and feel more important.
Compliment other people:-
When we think negatively about ourselves, we often project that feeling on to others in the form of insults and gossip. Refuse to engage in backstabbing gossip and make an effort to compliment those around you. In the process, youll become well liked and build self confidence. By looking for the best in others, you indirectly bring out the best in yourself.
Take the front seat:-
Back benchers might seem to have a lot of fun in schools and colleges but that does nothing to boost their self confidence. Don't be afraid to get noticed. By deciding to sit in the front row, you can get over your irrational fear of getting noticed and build your self confidence.
Speak up:-
Its a general observation that many people are afraid to speak or ask questions in a group discussion or a public gathering. They are afraid that they might be judged for saying something stupid. Generally, people are much more accepting than we imagine. In fact most people are dealing with the exact same fears. By making an effort to speak up at least once in every group discussion, you'll become a better public speaker, more confident in your own thoughts, and recognized as a leader by your peers.
Work out:-
A healthy mind resides in a healthy body. If you are fit, you are surrounded by positivity and energy. If you are out of shape you feel unattractive. This leads to demoralization. Just a little discipline in your life can help shape up your self confidence in a big way.
Smile:-
Last but not the least; try to smile as much as possible. People are always appreciative of a smiling face. You will be welcomed by anyone who comes in your contact. A smiling face is always received with warmth and affection. Acceptance and recognition from others helps in building self confidence.
Here are some tips on Self - Confidence,
These are not the bible , nor are they the last words on the subject.
Surely in a few weeks to come by, possibly there would be more emanating from my desk .
Life teaches us many lessons .
However it is only a handful few who really, sit up take notice , consciously with an aim to improve.
These are the few lucky ones who dare and get away with Success.
SIMPLE TIPS.- SELF.CONFIDENCE.
Self confidence gives us the freedom to commit mistakes and cope with failure without making us feel worthless.If only we have confidence in ourselves, can we gain confidence of others.
After all, most people are reluctant to back a project thats being pitched by
someone who is nervous, fumbling and overly apologetic.
On the other hand, you might be persuaded by someone who spoke clearly, who held his or her head high, who answered questions assuredly, and who readily admitted when he/she did not know something.
So where do you rate yourself on the scale of 1-10 for your confidence level? Do you think you fall in the low confidence bracket? Here is some good news for you. And the good news is that self-confidence can be learned and built on.
Lets start the process of building self-confidence. Remember there is no quick fix solution for it. Nonetheless, practice makes a man perfect. So all you have to do is try and implement the following given tips in your day to day life.
Recognize your insecurities:-
We all have insecurities in life. It can be anything from acne, to regrets, to friends at school. Giving a name to the things which make you feel unworthy, ashamed or inferior helps to combat them. You can try to pen down your thoughts and you will find that it makes you feel much lighter and happier. Remember that no one is perfect. The man or woman sitting next to you might have the same amount of insecurities as you have. If writing doesnt come easily to you, you might want to talk it out with your friends or loved ones. Sharing your thoughts will help relieve the burden you have been carrying all alone.
Identify your successes:-
No matter how insecure you might feel, God has blessed each one of us with some talent. Discover the things you are good at and then focus on improving them. Give yourself permission to take pride in your talents. Give yourself credit for your successes. Inferiority is a state of mind in which youve declared yourself a victim. Do not allow yourself to be victimized.
Be thankful for what you have: -
A lot of the times, at the root of insecurity and lack of confidence is a feeling of not having enough of something, whether its emotional validation, good luck, money, etc. By acknowledging and appreciating what you do have, you can combat the feeling of being incomplete and unsatisfied. Finding that inner peace will do wonders for your confidence.
Be positive:-
Avoid self-pity or sympathy of others. Never allow others to make you feel inferior they can only do so if you let them. If you continue to loathe and belittle yourself, others are going to do and believe likewise. Instead, speak positively about yourself, about your future, and about your progress. Do not be afraid to project your strengths and qualities to others.
Dress sharp:-
Although clothes don't make the man, they certainly affect the way he feels about himself. When you dont look good, you dont feel good. It changes the way you carry yourself and interact with people. This doesn'tt mean you need to spend a lot on clothes. Rather than buying a bunch of cheap clothes, buy half as many select, high quality items. In long run this decreases spending because expensive clothes wear out less easily and stay in style longer than cheap clothes.
Walk faster:-
Your gait tells a lot about your personality. Is it slow? Tired? Painful? Or is it energetic and purposeful? People with confidence walk quickly. They have places to go, people to see, and important work to do. You can increase yourself confidence by putting some pep in your step. Walking 25% faster will make to you look and feel more important.
Compliment other people:-
When we think negatively about ourselves, we often project that feeling on to others in the form of insults and gossip. Refuse to engage in backstabbing gossip and make an effort to compliment those around you. In the process, youll become well liked and build self confidence. By looking for the best in others, you indirectly bring out the best in yourself.
Take the front seat:-
Back benchers might seem to have a lot of fun in schools and colleges but that does nothing to boost their self confidence. Don't be afraid to get noticed. By deciding to sit in the front row, you can get over your irrational fear of getting noticed and build your self confidence.
Speak up:-
Its a general observation that many people are afraid to speak or ask questions in a group discussion or a public gathering. They are afraid that they might be judged for saying something stupid. Generally, people are much more accepting than we imagine. In fact most people are dealing with the exact same fears. By making an effort to speak up at least once in every group discussion, you'll become a better public speaker, more confident in your own thoughts, and recognized as a leader by your peers.
Work out:-
A healthy mind resides in a healthy body. If you are fit, you are surrounded by positivity and energy. If you are out of shape you feel unattractive. This leads to demoralization. Just a little discipline in your life can help shape up your self confidence in a big way.
Smile:-
Last but not the least; try to smile as much as possible. People are always appreciative of a smiling face. You will be welcomed by anyone who comes in your contact. A smiling face is always received with warmth and affection. Acceptance and recognition from others helps in building self confidence.
Pay Inequity for Women Starts at the First Job -- But Why?
Dear Reader,
The gender inequality is rampant everywhere -
No where is it more galring than in the corridors of power of the corporate world.
Pay Inequity for Women Starts at the First Job -- But Why?
By Sean Silverthorne
Pay discrepancies between men and women have been well documented. But many of us thought progress was being made over the last decade to fix the problem.
Guess we were wrong. Looking at salaries of newly minted men and women MBAs at their first jobs, a recent survey discovered the women made on average $4,600 less. The split grows wider as careers advance.
Now a mystery has emerged, reports HBR.org editor Scott Berinato. Why does this divergence start at the very first job women take?
“First jobs, where companies have the most control over setting salaries, seem like an especially egregious place for discrepancies to emerge. Female and male candidates at that stage are all freshly-minted MBAs, with similar backgrounds and career choices.” Berinato writes in his provocative blog post, Is a Woman’s MBA Worth Less?
Possible reasons:
It’s mostly men making the hiring decisions, and they will pick candidates they are most comfortable with, namely other men.
Money-starved institutions will choose women specifically to pay them less and save salary.
Male MBAs might have more references in high places (again, namely other men) that can drive up the salary on their behalf.
Women are less comfortable then men playing negotiation hardball.
All these sound pretty iffy to me, and the real answer is, we don’t know.
Do you know? Please share your ideas on why women start their careers lower on the salary ladder than their equally qualified male colleagues.
The gender inequality is rampant everywhere -
No where is it more galring than in the corridors of power of the corporate world.
Pay Inequity for Women Starts at the First Job -- But Why?
By Sean Silverthorne
Pay discrepancies between men and women have been well documented. But many of us thought progress was being made over the last decade to fix the problem.
Guess we were wrong. Looking at salaries of newly minted men and women MBAs at their first jobs, a recent survey discovered the women made on average $4,600 less. The split grows wider as careers advance.
Now a mystery has emerged, reports HBR.org editor Scott Berinato. Why does this divergence start at the very first job women take?
“First jobs, where companies have the most control over setting salaries, seem like an especially egregious place for discrepancies to emerge. Female and male candidates at that stage are all freshly-minted MBAs, with similar backgrounds and career choices.” Berinato writes in his provocative blog post, Is a Woman’s MBA Worth Less?
Possible reasons:
It’s mostly men making the hiring decisions, and they will pick candidates they are most comfortable with, namely other men.
Money-starved institutions will choose women specifically to pay them less and save salary.
Male MBAs might have more references in high places (again, namely other men) that can drive up the salary on their behalf.
Women are less comfortable then men playing negotiation hardball.
All these sound pretty iffy to me, and the real answer is, we don’t know.
Do you know? Please share your ideas on why women start their careers lower on the salary ladder than their equally qualified male colleagues.
MBAs vs. Puritans: Whose Values Will Lead to Economic Recovery?
Dear Reader,
MBA's world over have always managed to attract attention for themselves for good or bad- This might just seem to be the norm or it is not?!
Anyways from BNET comes thsi article wriiten by none other than my favourite Stacy Blackman
So Enjoy the read,
Take a call for yourself !!!!
Regards,
A.S.Prasad
MBAs vs. Puritans: Whose Values Will Lead to Economic Recovery?
By Stacy Blackman
“The real story of the massive meltdown of 2008 starts not in the late 20th century but in the early 17th.”
So say Kenneth Hopper and William Hopper in a recent Christian Science Monitor article, “Jobs in America: Puritan Values Must Replace MBA Values.” While articles linking the economic crisis to MBAs and their values have been popular the last couple of years, this one seemed unique with its call for harkening back to Puritan pursuits.
Like witch hunts? I thought. Intrigued, I read on.
The authors identify four key Puritan beliefs that they say were essential to U.S. prosperity, but the article deals primarily with one: The Puritans equated “godliness with craftsmanship,” which translated to an aptitude for mechanical skills.
Puritans got their hands dirty…
This meant that unlike earlier European cultures, the Puritans had no class stigma against performing menial labor. Those who succeeded in menial tasks were often given more complicated responsibilities, and so Puritan “managers” rose through the ranks by demonstrating ability at lower levels.
…MBAs didn’t.
The authors argue that this system of on-the-job learning led to America’s great industrial success. The break with this system — the authors say it happened in the 1970s — came with the rise of MBA culture. They write:
It was no longer considered necessary for an executive to learn the craft of management or to acquire ‘domain knowledge.’ The holder of an MBA was deemed capable of exercising control over any kind of organization through the medium of its accounts department.
The idea that managers need to get their hands dirty seems to be making a comeback elsewhere in our culture as well: just look at Undercover Boss for an example.
Yet is an MBA degree incompatible with these so-called Puritan values? I know plenty of MBAs who have gotten their degrees, then started their businesses from the ground up, doing plenty of dirty work. What do you think: Does the U.S. need a return to Puritan values to get back on the road to prosperity?
MBA's world over have always managed to attract attention for themselves for good or bad- This might just seem to be the norm or it is not?!
Anyways from BNET comes thsi article wriiten by none other than my favourite Stacy Blackman
So Enjoy the read,
Take a call for yourself !!!!
Regards,
A.S.Prasad
MBAs vs. Puritans: Whose Values Will Lead to Economic Recovery?
By Stacy Blackman
“The real story of the massive meltdown of 2008 starts not in the late 20th century but in the early 17th.”
So say Kenneth Hopper and William Hopper in a recent Christian Science Monitor article, “Jobs in America: Puritan Values Must Replace MBA Values.” While articles linking the economic crisis to MBAs and their values have been popular the last couple of years, this one seemed unique with its call for harkening back to Puritan pursuits.
Like witch hunts? I thought. Intrigued, I read on.
The authors identify four key Puritan beliefs that they say were essential to U.S. prosperity, but the article deals primarily with one: The Puritans equated “godliness with craftsmanship,” which translated to an aptitude for mechanical skills.
Puritans got their hands dirty…
This meant that unlike earlier European cultures, the Puritans had no class stigma against performing menial labor. Those who succeeded in menial tasks were often given more complicated responsibilities, and so Puritan “managers” rose through the ranks by demonstrating ability at lower levels.
…MBAs didn’t.
The authors argue that this system of on-the-job learning led to America’s great industrial success. The break with this system — the authors say it happened in the 1970s — came with the rise of MBA culture. They write:
It was no longer considered necessary for an executive to learn the craft of management or to acquire ‘domain knowledge.’ The holder of an MBA was deemed capable of exercising control over any kind of organization through the medium of its accounts department.
The idea that managers need to get their hands dirty seems to be making a comeback elsewhere in our culture as well: just look at Undercover Boss for an example.
Yet is an MBA degree incompatible with these so-called Puritan values? I know plenty of MBAs who have gotten their degrees, then started their businesses from the ground up, doing plenty of dirty work. What do you think: Does the U.S. need a return to Puritan values to get back on the road to prosperity?
Helpful Hints to Effectively Communicate Across Generations
Dear Reader,
Communication has many hues,forms .
From communication amomgst closed circles to communication acrosss borders communication across generation is also involved.
It is here that one must pause to see what it really delivers.
For more on that please do read on .
Happy Reading ,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad .
Helpful Hints to Effectively Communicate Across Generations
by Damon Kitchen
Numerous surveys and studies reveal that large segments of the workforce in the United States share common work values, preferences and attitudes based on life experiences. While it is erroneous to assume an employee's values and needs are similar to another's simply because of proximity in age, it's also a mistake to ignore shared generational values and perspectives that predominate in the workplace.
In many workplaces, there's a fairly significant age difference between the oldest and youngest workers. While this isn't a new phenomenon, what is unique today is that the workplace is much more "age diverse" than in past times. As American life spans continue to increase, more and more members of the so-called Silent Generation are returning to the workplace from unfulfilling retirements to work alongside baby boomers, Gen Xers and millennials.
Although historically the more senior employees in the workplace were found in the higher tiers of the business organization, that is no longer always the case. Today, it's not uncommon to have a significant number of high-level managers and supervisors who are younger than their subordinates.
Based upon this changed demographic, some older workers may feel resentment toward younger authority figures whom they perceive to have not paid their dues. Similarly, some younger employees may feel frustration with having to conform to workplace policies and practices that they perceive to be antiquated, dogmatic and baseless.
Employers who are challenged with managing a diverse age group of employees must be innovative in establishing effective ways to communicate with and motivate their employees.
1. Develop a culture of respect in the workplace.
Managers develop and maintain respect by treating people with courtesy, fairness and an even hand. It's far too easy to draw conclusions about people based on age; these conclusions are often wrong and damaging to an office environment. Age-based stereotypes abound in many workplaces, but good managers will get to know their subordinates and assess their individual strengths and weaknesses irrespective of age.
2. Be flexible in your management style.
Different generations often have different work ethics, so supervisors with rigid management styles may encounter problems when trying to manage and motivate an age-diverse workforce. A flexible management style can often be an asset in managing employees in widely divergent age groups.
Managers need to communicate clearly the particular tasks and functions to be performed, the time periods in which they must be performed and the standards to which they must be performed. Beyond that, they should assess whether it's essential to adopt a "business as usual" or "that's the way we've always done things" approach. As long as employees perform their assigned tasks and functions effectively, a manager who can learn to be flexible in his or her management style often can win the support and allegiance of subordinates.
3. Be guardedly open to new ideas and technologies.
Regardless of age, employees who are technologically sophisticated will want to incorporate new technologies into the workplace. In today's workplace, many employees may prefer to communicate via e-mail or Web conferencing rather than physically attending meetings or conferences. If business productivity, office efficiency and employee morale do not suffer as a result, managers should consider allowing the introduction of such technologies in their workplaces.
On the other hand, managers should be cautious about the manner in which they introduce new technologies into their businesses. Employers should have clearly written telephone, e-mail and computer usage policies that specify what is and is not considered appropriate usage.
4. Preach tolerance and practice patience.
Sometimes, employees from one generation view others with disdain because they do not share the same values, attitudes and work ethics. Good managers realize that while they cannot always change the way their subordinates think, they can control the way those employees behave and interact in the workplace. Managers should make it clear that employees should not only be tolerant of each other's personal views and beliefs, but also be patient and realize that personal views and beliefs are usually deeply ingrained and do not change overnight.
For instance, some office disputes involve differing opinions on dress codes. Many younger employees fail to see the utility of wearing formal business apparel; by contrast, older members of the workforce often view tattoos and piercings with disdain. Employers can avoid conflicts on this issue by developing carefully crafted yet flexible dress codes and grooming policies and then enforcing them consistently.
[About the Author: Damon Kitchen is a partner in the Jacksonville, Fla., office of national management-side labor and employment law firm Constangy, Brooks & Smith LLP.]
Communication has many hues,forms .
From communication amomgst closed circles to communication acrosss borders communication across generation is also involved.
It is here that one must pause to see what it really delivers.
For more on that please do read on .
Happy Reading ,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad .
Helpful Hints to Effectively Communicate Across Generations
by Damon Kitchen
Numerous surveys and studies reveal that large segments of the workforce in the United States share common work values, preferences and attitudes based on life experiences. While it is erroneous to assume an employee's values and needs are similar to another's simply because of proximity in age, it's also a mistake to ignore shared generational values and perspectives that predominate in the workplace.
In many workplaces, there's a fairly significant age difference between the oldest and youngest workers. While this isn't a new phenomenon, what is unique today is that the workplace is much more "age diverse" than in past times. As American life spans continue to increase, more and more members of the so-called Silent Generation are returning to the workplace from unfulfilling retirements to work alongside baby boomers, Gen Xers and millennials.
Although historically the more senior employees in the workplace were found in the higher tiers of the business organization, that is no longer always the case. Today, it's not uncommon to have a significant number of high-level managers and supervisors who are younger than their subordinates.
Based upon this changed demographic, some older workers may feel resentment toward younger authority figures whom they perceive to have not paid their dues. Similarly, some younger employees may feel frustration with having to conform to workplace policies and practices that they perceive to be antiquated, dogmatic and baseless.
Employers who are challenged with managing a diverse age group of employees must be innovative in establishing effective ways to communicate with and motivate their employees.
1. Develop a culture of respect in the workplace.
Managers develop and maintain respect by treating people with courtesy, fairness and an even hand. It's far too easy to draw conclusions about people based on age; these conclusions are often wrong and damaging to an office environment. Age-based stereotypes abound in many workplaces, but good managers will get to know their subordinates and assess their individual strengths and weaknesses irrespective of age.
2. Be flexible in your management style.
Different generations often have different work ethics, so supervisors with rigid management styles may encounter problems when trying to manage and motivate an age-diverse workforce. A flexible management style can often be an asset in managing employees in widely divergent age groups.
Managers need to communicate clearly the particular tasks and functions to be performed, the time periods in which they must be performed and the standards to which they must be performed. Beyond that, they should assess whether it's essential to adopt a "business as usual" or "that's the way we've always done things" approach. As long as employees perform their assigned tasks and functions effectively, a manager who can learn to be flexible in his or her management style often can win the support and allegiance of subordinates.
3. Be guardedly open to new ideas and technologies.
Regardless of age, employees who are technologically sophisticated will want to incorporate new technologies into the workplace. In today's workplace, many employees may prefer to communicate via e-mail or Web conferencing rather than physically attending meetings or conferences. If business productivity, office efficiency and employee morale do not suffer as a result, managers should consider allowing the introduction of such technologies in their workplaces.
On the other hand, managers should be cautious about the manner in which they introduce new technologies into their businesses. Employers should have clearly written telephone, e-mail and computer usage policies that specify what is and is not considered appropriate usage.
4. Preach tolerance and practice patience.
Sometimes, employees from one generation view others with disdain because they do not share the same values, attitudes and work ethics. Good managers realize that while they cannot always change the way their subordinates think, they can control the way those employees behave and interact in the workplace. Managers should make it clear that employees should not only be tolerant of each other's personal views and beliefs, but also be patient and realize that personal views and beliefs are usually deeply ingrained and do not change overnight.
For instance, some office disputes involve differing opinions on dress codes. Many younger employees fail to see the utility of wearing formal business apparel; by contrast, older members of the workforce often view tattoos and piercings with disdain. Employers can avoid conflicts on this issue by developing carefully crafted yet flexible dress codes and grooming policies and then enforcing them consistently.
[About the Author: Damon Kitchen is a partner in the Jacksonville, Fla., office of national management-side labor and employment law firm Constangy, Brooks & Smith LLP.]
A Little Positive Psychology Goes a Long Way
Dear Reader ,
There is hardly anything more than, the dynamics of a human brain functioning in a human being that pleases or enthuses me more in life today.
One gets to see the various hues and colours which one would possibly have not seen earlier at all.
However it is of interest to note, how much Positive Strokes can help motivate / push / drive a person towards functioning better than he or she would have otherwise done so.
Just for your information , an average person in life goes through or gets something like about 400 Negative strokes as in words , actions , behaviour etc from family , relatives, friends , colleagues , peers , + an endless list .
This is against a dismal number of about 40 - 60 Positive strokes in a day.
Just look around yourself - see the truth !!!!
Happy reading ,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
A Little Positive Psychology Goes a Long Way
by Agatha Gilmore
If you think your employees seem a little downtrodden lately, you're probably right. After all, it's usually around this time of year that people are starting to get worn out from winter anyway, and if you add record levels of job dissatisfaction, high unemployment and the continued economic recession to the mix, you've got a recipe for burnout.
However, it's during tough times that the need for inspired, engaged employees is especially great. Just ask Shawn Achor, founder and CEO of Aspirant, a global positive psychology consulting firm, and author of the forthcoming book The Happiness Advantage.
"Companies oftentimes are seeing people [wallow in] helplessness and despair," Achor said. "What we're finding is if you can train your brain to be positive in the midst of a challenge, you significantly raise your ability to be able to deal with it."
The main tenet of positive psychology research is that - contrary to many current business models - it's only when people have attained a base level of happiness and satisfaction that they can increase productivity and performance at work.
"The problem is that each time we have a success, we change the goal post of what success looks like. So if you met your sales targets last quarter, now we move the sales goals further," Achor said. "We push happiness over the horizon. [But] what we find is that individuals that are positive have significantly higher levels of productivity, creativity, resilience, [and are] significantly more likely to stay with the company and have less burnout. So what we find then is that the formula is backwards. Happiness is actually a precursor to greater success."
The good news is that it's possible to teach employees to adopt positive mindsets - even during challenging periods - and the benefits are long term. For example, Achor said Aspirant recently worked with KPMG, a global provider of tax, audit and advisory services. In the middle of the busy 2009 tax season, KPMG's auditors and managers engaged in a three-hour course designed to teach them how to find and focus on positive elements within their environments and reach out to their social support networks instead of retreat.
"We get them to create positive habits and change their energy to make those positive habits easier," Achor said.
Aspirant then tested the managers who received the training and compared the results with those of a control at three different times: immediately following the training, two months later and four months later.
"Within one week, the managers who had been trained were reporting significantly higher levels of optimism, performance as a leader, greater levels of social support and less stress," Achor said. "When we tested those individuals again four months after the three-hour training, we weren't necessarily expecting to see that effect continue for so long, but we were thrilled to find out that the group that received the positive psychology training showed significantly higher levels of life satisfaction - which is job satisfaction and quality of life put together. This is the reason positive psychology is so important as a field, because we're looking at how we can make long-term changes to performance and happiness at work."
Achor said his firm has engaged in positive psychology training across various industries in 38 countries, and the results have been similar.
"I've seen this work for bankers in Zurich, and yesterday I was with truckers in Florida. I've worked with schoolteachers, HR departments, technology firms, with farmers in Zimbabwe. And what we're finding is that the human brain works the same everywhere," he said. "I've heard so many people say, 'If I can get through the next eight to 14 hours of work, then I'll be happy,' or 'If we can get through this quarter, then we'll be happy.' [But people] shouldn't wait till the end of work to be happy and be positive. A positive brain will always outperform a negative or stressed brain."
[About the Author: Agatha Gilmore is a senior editor for Chief Learning Officer magazine.]
There is hardly anything more than, the dynamics of a human brain functioning in a human being that pleases or enthuses me more in life today.
One gets to see the various hues and colours which one would possibly have not seen earlier at all.
However it is of interest to note, how much Positive Strokes can help motivate / push / drive a person towards functioning better than he or she would have otherwise done so.
Just for your information , an average person in life goes through or gets something like about 400 Negative strokes as in words , actions , behaviour etc from family , relatives, friends , colleagues , peers , + an endless list .
This is against a dismal number of about 40 - 60 Positive strokes in a day.
Just look around yourself - see the truth !!!!
Happy reading ,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
A Little Positive Psychology Goes a Long Way
by Agatha Gilmore
If you think your employees seem a little downtrodden lately, you're probably right. After all, it's usually around this time of year that people are starting to get worn out from winter anyway, and if you add record levels of job dissatisfaction, high unemployment and the continued economic recession to the mix, you've got a recipe for burnout.
However, it's during tough times that the need for inspired, engaged employees is especially great. Just ask Shawn Achor, founder and CEO of Aspirant, a global positive psychology consulting firm, and author of the forthcoming book The Happiness Advantage.
"Companies oftentimes are seeing people [wallow in] helplessness and despair," Achor said. "What we're finding is if you can train your brain to be positive in the midst of a challenge, you significantly raise your ability to be able to deal with it."
The main tenet of positive psychology research is that - contrary to many current business models - it's only when people have attained a base level of happiness and satisfaction that they can increase productivity and performance at work.
"The problem is that each time we have a success, we change the goal post of what success looks like. So if you met your sales targets last quarter, now we move the sales goals further," Achor said. "We push happiness over the horizon. [But] what we find is that individuals that are positive have significantly higher levels of productivity, creativity, resilience, [and are] significantly more likely to stay with the company and have less burnout. So what we find then is that the formula is backwards. Happiness is actually a precursor to greater success."
The good news is that it's possible to teach employees to adopt positive mindsets - even during challenging periods - and the benefits are long term. For example, Achor said Aspirant recently worked with KPMG, a global provider of tax, audit and advisory services. In the middle of the busy 2009 tax season, KPMG's auditors and managers engaged in a three-hour course designed to teach them how to find and focus on positive elements within their environments and reach out to their social support networks instead of retreat.
"We get them to create positive habits and change their energy to make those positive habits easier," Achor said.
Aspirant then tested the managers who received the training and compared the results with those of a control at three different times: immediately following the training, two months later and four months later.
"Within one week, the managers who had been trained were reporting significantly higher levels of optimism, performance as a leader, greater levels of social support and less stress," Achor said. "When we tested those individuals again four months after the three-hour training, we weren't necessarily expecting to see that effect continue for so long, but we were thrilled to find out that the group that received the positive psychology training showed significantly higher levels of life satisfaction - which is job satisfaction and quality of life put together. This is the reason positive psychology is so important as a field, because we're looking at how we can make long-term changes to performance and happiness at work."
Achor said his firm has engaged in positive psychology training across various industries in 38 countries, and the results have been similar.
"I've seen this work for bankers in Zurich, and yesterday I was with truckers in Florida. I've worked with schoolteachers, HR departments, technology firms, with farmers in Zimbabwe. And what we're finding is that the human brain works the same everywhere," he said. "I've heard so many people say, 'If I can get through the next eight to 14 hours of work, then I'll be happy,' or 'If we can get through this quarter, then we'll be happy.' [But people] shouldn't wait till the end of work to be happy and be positive. A positive brain will always outperform a negative or stressed brain."
[About the Author: Agatha Gilmore is a senior editor for Chief Learning Officer magazine.]
Employee's Confusion - Performance Appraisal
My Dear Reader,
Performance Appraisal is what every employee faces in the corporate world .
However it could take on differeent hues with different people experiencing different things at different levels between diffferent bosses and their colleagues / appraisees.
Read on to know what is one such hue
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
Big Boss: This year your performance was good, excellent and outstanding. So, your rating is "average".
Employee: What? How come 'average'?
Big Boss: Because...err...uhh...you lack domain knowledge.
Employee: But last year you said I am a ...domain expert and you put me in this project as a domain consultant.
Big Boss: Oh is it? Well, in that case, I think your domain knowledge has eroded this year.
Employee: What???
Big Boss: Yes, I didn't see you sharing knowledge on HR domain.
Employee: Why would I? Because I am not in HR, I am in People Acquisition.
Big Boss: This is what I don't like about you. You give excuse for everything.
Employee: Huh? *Confused*
Big Boss: Next, you need to improve your communication skills.
Employee: Like what? I am the one who trained the team on "Business Communication", you sat in the audience and took notes, you remember?
Big Boss: Oh is it? Errr...well..I mean, you need to improve your Social Pragmatic Affirmative Communication.
Employee: Huh? What the hell is that? *Confused*
Big Boss: See! That's why you need to learn about it.
Employee: *head spinning*
Big Boss: Next, you need to sharpen your retention skills. All the guys you recruited left within 2 months.
Employee: Well, not my mistake. You told them you will sit beside them and review their code, and most resigned the next day itself. Couple of them even attempted suicide.
Big Boss:*stunned* (recovers from shock) Err...anyway, I tried to give you a better rating, but our Normalization process gave you only 'average'.
Employee: Last year that process gave me 'excellent'. This year just 'average'? Why is this process pushing me up and down every year?
Big Boss: That's a complicated process. You don't want to hear. It is a long process, MS calls a meeting for all employees in supervisory level…it is long process and complicated.
Employee: I'll try to understand. Go ahead.
Big Boss: Well, we gather in a large room, write down the names of sub-ordinates in bits of paper, and throw them up in the air. Whichever lands on the floor gets 'average', whichever lands on table gets 'good', whichever we manage to catch gets 'excellent' and whichever gets stuck to ceiling gets 'outstanding'.
Employee: (eyes popping out) What? Ridiculous! So who gets 'poor' rating?
Big Boss: Those are the ones we forget to write down.
Employee: What the hell! And how can paper bits stick to ceiling for 'outstanding'?
Big Boss: Oh no, now you have started questioning our 20 year old organizational process! It has worked for so many years.......and you want us to change....HR operations smiles......
Employee: *faints*
Performance Appraisal is what every employee faces in the corporate world .
However it could take on differeent hues with different people experiencing different things at different levels between diffferent bosses and their colleagues / appraisees.
Read on to know what is one such hue
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
Big Boss: This year your performance was good, excellent and outstanding. So, your rating is "average".
Employee: What? How come 'average'?
Big Boss: Because...err...uhh...you lack domain knowledge.
Employee: But last year you said I am a ...domain expert and you put me in this project as a domain consultant.
Big Boss: Oh is it? Well, in that case, I think your domain knowledge has eroded this year.
Employee: What???
Big Boss: Yes, I didn't see you sharing knowledge on HR domain.
Employee: Why would I? Because I am not in HR, I am in People Acquisition.
Big Boss: This is what I don't like about you. You give excuse for everything.
Employee: Huh? *Confused*
Big Boss: Next, you need to improve your communication skills.
Employee: Like what? I am the one who trained the team on "Business Communication", you sat in the audience and took notes, you remember?
Big Boss: Oh is it? Errr...well..I mean, you need to improve your Social Pragmatic Affirmative Communication.
Employee: Huh? What the hell is that? *Confused*
Big Boss: See! That's why you need to learn about it.
Employee: *head spinning*
Big Boss: Next, you need to sharpen your retention skills. All the guys you recruited left within 2 months.
Employee: Well, not my mistake. You told them you will sit beside them and review their code, and most resigned the next day itself. Couple of them even attempted suicide.
Big Boss:*stunned* (recovers from shock) Err...anyway, I tried to give you a better rating, but our Normalization process gave you only 'average'.
Employee: Last year that process gave me 'excellent'. This year just 'average'? Why is this process pushing me up and down every year?
Big Boss: That's a complicated process. You don't want to hear. It is a long process, MS calls a meeting for all employees in supervisory level…it is long process and complicated.
Employee: I'll try to understand. Go ahead.
Big Boss: Well, we gather in a large room, write down the names of sub-ordinates in bits of paper, and throw them up in the air. Whichever lands on the floor gets 'average', whichever lands on table gets 'good', whichever we manage to catch gets 'excellent' and whichever gets stuck to ceiling gets 'outstanding'.
Employee: (eyes popping out) What? Ridiculous! So who gets 'poor' rating?
Big Boss: Those are the ones we forget to write down.
Employee: What the hell! And how can paper bits stick to ceiling for 'outstanding'?
Big Boss: Oh no, now you have started questioning our 20 year old organizational process! It has worked for so many years.......and you want us to change....HR operations smiles......
Employee: *faints*
You Can Be Whatever You Want To Be!
Dear Reader ,
Here's some motivational writing for you from my desk.
Enjoy it ,
happy Reading.
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
You Can Be Whatever
You Want To Be!
There is inside You
all the Potential
to be whatever You Want to be,
all the Energy
to do whatever You Want to do.
Imagine Yourself as You would Love to be,
doing what You Want to Do,
and Each Day, Take One Step
towards Your Dream.
Though at times it may seem too
difficult to continue,
Hold Tight on to your Dream.
One Morning You will Awake to Find
that You are the Person you Dreamed of,
Doing what You wanted to do,
simply because You had the Courage
to Believe in Your Potential
and to Hold on to Your Dream.
Here's some motivational writing for you from my desk.
Enjoy it ,
happy Reading.
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
You Can Be Whatever
You Want To Be!
There is inside You
all the Potential
to be whatever You Want to be,
all the Energy
to do whatever You Want to do.
Imagine Yourself as You would Love to be,
doing what You Want to Do,
and Each Day, Take One Step
towards Your Dream.
Though at times it may seem too
difficult to continue,
Hold Tight on to your Dream.
One Morning You will Awake to Find
that You are the Person you Dreamed of,
Doing what You wanted to do,
simply because You had the Courage
to Believe in Your Potential
and to Hold on to Your Dream.
Causes of Teenage Stress.
Dear Reader,
Today most if not all of us have come across or heard about stress, stress management, stress effects etc.
However as a psychologist , my line is that,'We are Ourselves Resposnible for Our Own Stress'.
We Choose Consciously or Uncosnciously what to Stresss on , without Realizing that in Effect it becomes a Major Stressor in our Life.
Further without realizing the spillover effecet is on others with whom relate or mingle or interact in Life
The spillover effect of it is very huge especially on Teenagers and Children.
Please do read on to know more.
Just for the knowledge of one and all it is said that in India for eevry 4 lakh population count there is only one psychologist.
Happy reading ,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
Causes of Teenage Stress.
Stress isn't only experienced by adults. Teenagers can also experience serious cases of stress that is caused by more than overactive hormones and an acne breakout. In fact, serious cases of personal stress can result in physical, emotional and/or behavioral changes, eating disorders, depression, and in extreme cases, suicide.
Most teenagers do not know what initially causes their stress, and may not be aware that what they are experiencing is stress, or not know how to treat it. Moreover, many teens are not aware what can happen to their health and wellbeing if stress isn't treated.
Most cases of teenage stress are usually a result of pent up emotions that go unexpressed because teens feel as if no one will understand their situation, or think their problems trivial. Moreover, due to the fact that the vast majority of teens have a hard time discussing personal problems with their parents, or may not have a good friend they can confide in, the emotional stress they feel grows, and they isolate themselves further.
Causes of teenage stress include, but are not limited to:
• School demands
• Learning disability
• Family, friends or relationship issues
• The end of a friendship or relationship
• Trouble making friends
• Family financial issues
• High expectations of self
• Balancing work and school
• Living with a tight schedule - Involved in too many activities always on the go.
• Changing schools
• Divorced parents
• Bodily changes
• Death of a loved one
• Chronic illness
• Living in an unsafe community
• Persistent negative thoughts and emotions
• Peer pressure
• Being bullied
Some symptoms that stressed teens may exhibit include, but are not limited to:
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Sweaty palms
• Acne breakout
• Pounding heart
• Mood swings
• Irritability
• Overemotional or sudden crying
• Forgetfulness
• Poor coordination
• Poor concentration
• Disinterest
• Negativity
One of the best ways teens can release stress is to express their emotions. This can be done through writing, music, talking with friends, or with someone they can trust such as a teacher or guidance councilor. Therefore, it is important that they know there are other people they can turn to when feeling down.
Furthermore, teens should be encouraged to take breaks, lower their intake of stimulants (IE caffeinated and sugared beverages), increase their intake of water, eat breakfast and engage in exercise.
Just like adults, if teens don't take care of chronic stress, it can develop into dangerous health issues as previously mentioned. Thus, if regular methods of stress management are not helping a teen cope, seek the help of your health care professional for treatment.
Finally, don't forget, not all stress is bad. Acute stress is actually normal, and is usually stress one feels during an exam, going out on a first date, or scoring the final goal that will win the game. This pressure tells you how important actions are to the task at hand. Thus, in these certain situations, although there is no danger, the stress we may feel helps to keep us alert and ready for anything.
You need to find out what is causing your stress and take the next step by incorporating stress relief methods in your life.
Today most if not all of us have come across or heard about stress, stress management, stress effects etc.
However as a psychologist , my line is that,'We are Ourselves Resposnible for Our Own Stress'.
We Choose Consciously or Uncosnciously what to Stresss on , without Realizing that in Effect it becomes a Major Stressor in our Life.
Further without realizing the spillover effecet is on others with whom relate or mingle or interact in Life
The spillover effect of it is very huge especially on Teenagers and Children.
Please do read on to know more.
Just for the knowledge of one and all it is said that in India for eevry 4 lakh population count there is only one psychologist.
Happy reading ,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
Causes of Teenage Stress.
Stress isn't only experienced by adults. Teenagers can also experience serious cases of stress that is caused by more than overactive hormones and an acne breakout. In fact, serious cases of personal stress can result in physical, emotional and/or behavioral changes, eating disorders, depression, and in extreme cases, suicide.
Most teenagers do not know what initially causes their stress, and may not be aware that what they are experiencing is stress, or not know how to treat it. Moreover, many teens are not aware what can happen to their health and wellbeing if stress isn't treated.
Most cases of teenage stress are usually a result of pent up emotions that go unexpressed because teens feel as if no one will understand their situation, or think their problems trivial. Moreover, due to the fact that the vast majority of teens have a hard time discussing personal problems with their parents, or may not have a good friend they can confide in, the emotional stress they feel grows, and they isolate themselves further.
Causes of teenage stress include, but are not limited to:
• School demands
• Learning disability
• Family, friends or relationship issues
• The end of a friendship or relationship
• Trouble making friends
• Family financial issues
• High expectations of self
• Balancing work and school
• Living with a tight schedule - Involved in too many activities always on the go.
• Changing schools
• Divorced parents
• Bodily changes
• Death of a loved one
• Chronic illness
• Living in an unsafe community
• Persistent negative thoughts and emotions
• Peer pressure
• Being bullied
Some symptoms that stressed teens may exhibit include, but are not limited to:
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Sweaty palms
• Acne breakout
• Pounding heart
• Mood swings
• Irritability
• Overemotional or sudden crying
• Forgetfulness
• Poor coordination
• Poor concentration
• Disinterest
• Negativity
One of the best ways teens can release stress is to express their emotions. This can be done through writing, music, talking with friends, or with someone they can trust such as a teacher or guidance councilor. Therefore, it is important that they know there are other people they can turn to when feeling down.
Furthermore, teens should be encouraged to take breaks, lower their intake of stimulants (IE caffeinated and sugared beverages), increase their intake of water, eat breakfast and engage in exercise.
Just like adults, if teens don't take care of chronic stress, it can develop into dangerous health issues as previously mentioned. Thus, if regular methods of stress management are not helping a teen cope, seek the help of your health care professional for treatment.
Finally, don't forget, not all stress is bad. Acute stress is actually normal, and is usually stress one feels during an exam, going out on a first date, or scoring the final goal that will win the game. This pressure tells you how important actions are to the task at hand. Thus, in these certain situations, although there is no danger, the stress we may feel helps to keep us alert and ready for anything.
You need to find out what is causing your stress and take the next step by incorporating stress relief methods in your life.
Here Come the Clevers! by Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones
Dear Reader,
In the article below we come across the truth in knowing that many an organization has people who would be contributing more than they need to .
Read on to know more please and see for yourself the truth.
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
Most organizations have people who make a disproportionate contribution to what they do. They habitually punch above their weight, though exactly who they are and what they do varies greatly according to context.
We have labeled such talented workers "clever people" or "clevers." In the United States, being clever carries connotations of being overly smart and difficult. But we prefer the English interpretation - being skilled and talented - with an acceptance that being smart usually comes with a few rough edges that can cause problems. Our research revealed that clever people often don't want to be leaders, and they say they don't want to be led. But they are much more productive when they are led in a distinctive way.
Once, leadership was about planting a flag on the summit and anticipating plaudits. Now the leader paces anxiously at base camp waiting to hear good news. Leaders can no longer be the sole driving force for progress. They are not the ones who lead the charge up the mountain. Rather, they must identify talented people with the potential to reach the summit, connect them with others and help them get there.
For example, think of software programmers who create a new piece of code or pharmaceutical researchers who create a new drug that can potentially bankroll the entire organization for a decade. Or think of investment bankers or tax advisers who find a tax-efficient way to structure a merger deal, or marketing executives who see patterns in consumer spending that no one else can detect and spot a new market category.
One can find value-creating brilliance in a huge variety of places, including schools, hospitals, fast-moving consumer goods businesses and retail outlets, not just in R&D departments. Clever people can hold any type of job.
Consider Will Wright. Intensely, energetically intelligent, Wright is regarded as one of the pioneers and greatest talents in the computer-gaming world. He is the man behind the original "SimCity," which spawned an entire series of "Sims" games, allowing players to create their own simulated towns, homes and families. The computer game, originally launched in 1989, is an urban planner's dream. It allows gamers to create their own 3-D cities and manage their growth and prosperity. For the city to flourish and grow, the player must manage its finances, environment and quality of life.
"SimCity" was an instant hit for California-based Maxis, a subsidiary of Electronic Arts (EA). It has generated a host of spin offs. The "Sims" series has now sold many millions of copies. During Wright's time at Electronic Arts - before leaving last year - he created enormous amounts of value for his organization. The "Sims" products have earned millions of dollars for the company, and the brand franchise is worth many millions more.
Despite his enormous personal contribution to the bottom line, and in spite of the fact that he needs the support and infrastructure that EA provides, Wright's primary affiliation is not with organizations but with the project or cause. "You say Electronic Arts, but to me that doesn't have much meaning," he said. His own startup, Stupid Fun Club, is jointly owned with EA. Yet, Wright needs organizations. Like most clever people, he creates value from the resources, networks, teams and sheer marketing muscle that companies can provide. This is highly significant. Clever people have symbiotic relationships with organizations.
To lead clever people effectively, talent managers have to do a number of things well. First, it is best to understand their key characteristics. Not recognizing these may cause stumbles at the first hurdle.
Not every clever person has all of the following characteristics, but they share many.
a) They know their worth; their skills are not easily replicated.
b) They ask difficult questions.
c) They are organizationally savvy.
d) They are not impressed by corporate hierarchy.
e) They expect instant access to decision makers.
f) They are well connected outside of the organization.
g) Their passion is for what they do, not who they work for.
h) Even if you lead them well, they won't thank you.
What Can Leaders Do?
There are rules talent leaders can use to guide clever people.
1. Explain and persuade.
Clever people do not like to be told what to do - and are likely to react badly if they are. It is as if this undermines their sense of self esteem - clever people shouldn't need telling.
2. Use expertise.
Hierarchy still exists. There are CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, department heads and so on. But using hierarchy to justify decisions or behavior is dangerous and probably self-defeating. Clevers will respond far better to expert power than to hierarchical power.
Tell them what - but not how. While grand visions may be a distraction, a sense of direction that unifies efforts is helpful. But going beyond what should be done to how it should be done is risky because it deprives clever people of the challenge of working things out for themselves.
3. Provide boundaries.
Clevers need space.They also need structure and discipline. Creating the right sort of space - sufficiently large to allow them to express themselves, but with boundaries that help them focus their efforts - is vital. One without the other is dangerous and ultimately unproductive. Talent leaders often find themselves in the structuring role but sometimes go too far and kill creativity.
4. Give them time for questioning.
An age-old instruction to children is to ask if they don't know something. Sadly, this advice often has been ignored in businesses. Rob Murray, CEO of Australian brewing company Lion Nathan, said, "Some people in the business avoid dialogue and engagement with the clevers because they feel intellectually intimidated. So the No. 1 rule is, even if you realize as a CEO [that] you're talking to people who are academically more astute than you are, you've got to be prepared to go in there and engage them."
5. Give recognition and amplify achievements.
What clever people do is central to their identity - so recognizing their achievements is vital. However, they tend to value recognition from prestigious peers and clients outside their organizations the most. Further, given their sensitivities to interference and the fact that many may be working on long and complex tasks with unknowable outcomes, recognition is highly valued, but it does not necessarily need to be delivered frequently.
6. Encourage failure and maximize learning.
Whereas many organizations need to train people intensively to reduce the risks of failure, clever people often arrive highly trained in professional or technical terms. Paradoxically, they may get cleverer mainly by organizations maximizing opportunities for failure. This is because they tend to respond best to difficult, stretching tasks where their talents are pushed to the limits. By contrast, their attitude toward training events, particularly managerially inspired ones, can be scornful.
7. Protect them from the rain.
Clever people see the administrative machinery of the organization as a distraction from their key value-adding activities. They need to be protected from the organizational "rain." Leading clevers is all about removing obstacles that prevent them from doing what they do best. Sometimes, that means knocking down the barriers; other times it means keeping the red tape at bay.
8. Talk straight.
In order to flourish, leaders must be confident about their own expertise. If they are not, the clevers will sense it. They have good antennae for corporate speak.
9. Provide real-world challenges with constraints.
Individuals can be energized to achieve goals by leaders encouraging them to believe that everything is possible, but this kind of optimism is not always successful with clever people. Their preference seems to be the reverse. Tell them something is not possible, and they will be highly motivated to prove you wrong. Clever people are at their most productive when faced with real, hard questions that they must solve within meaningful constraints.
10. Create a galaxy.
While it is conventional wisdom to attract stars to an organization, the real leadership task is to ensure these stars are connected to each other in ways that influence the organization. Allow the best players on the team to set the standards for everyone.
11. Conduct and connect.
Clevers don't like leaders who hog the limelight. Instead, the leader's task becomes how to conduct and connect.
It can appear that life in organizations full of clever people is a little hard - inhabited by difficult and unpredictable divas, with under pressure leaders battling to create order from a rising tide of chaos. Not so, at least not always. When leaders truly unleash the power of clever individuals and teams, the results can be stunning.
The Will Wrights of the world may seem like exotic creatures, but they can be found in any organization. Our collective task is to identify and tap the creative potential of clever people and clever teams.
[About the Authors: Rob Goffee is professor of organizational behavior at London Business School. Gareth Jones is a fellow of the Centre for Management Development at London Business School and a visiting professor at Spain's IE Business School in Madrid. They are the founding partners of Creative Management Associates and the authors of Clever: Leading Your Most Creative People.]
In the article below we come across the truth in knowing that many an organization has people who would be contributing more than they need to .
Read on to know more please and see for yourself the truth.
Happy Reading,
Regards,
A.S.Prasad.
Most organizations have people who make a disproportionate contribution to what they do. They habitually punch above their weight, though exactly who they are and what they do varies greatly according to context.
We have labeled such talented workers "clever people" or "clevers." In the United States, being clever carries connotations of being overly smart and difficult. But we prefer the English interpretation - being skilled and talented - with an acceptance that being smart usually comes with a few rough edges that can cause problems. Our research revealed that clever people often don't want to be leaders, and they say they don't want to be led. But they are much more productive when they are led in a distinctive way.
Once, leadership was about planting a flag on the summit and anticipating plaudits. Now the leader paces anxiously at base camp waiting to hear good news. Leaders can no longer be the sole driving force for progress. They are not the ones who lead the charge up the mountain. Rather, they must identify talented people with the potential to reach the summit, connect them with others and help them get there.
For example, think of software programmers who create a new piece of code or pharmaceutical researchers who create a new drug that can potentially bankroll the entire organization for a decade. Or think of investment bankers or tax advisers who find a tax-efficient way to structure a merger deal, or marketing executives who see patterns in consumer spending that no one else can detect and spot a new market category.
One can find value-creating brilliance in a huge variety of places, including schools, hospitals, fast-moving consumer goods businesses and retail outlets, not just in R&D departments. Clever people can hold any type of job.
Consider Will Wright. Intensely, energetically intelligent, Wright is regarded as one of the pioneers and greatest talents in the computer-gaming world. He is the man behind the original "SimCity," which spawned an entire series of "Sims" games, allowing players to create their own simulated towns, homes and families. The computer game, originally launched in 1989, is an urban planner's dream. It allows gamers to create their own 3-D cities and manage their growth and prosperity. For the city to flourish and grow, the player must manage its finances, environment and quality of life.
"SimCity" was an instant hit for California-based Maxis, a subsidiary of Electronic Arts (EA). It has generated a host of spin offs. The "Sims" series has now sold many millions of copies. During Wright's time at Electronic Arts - before leaving last year - he created enormous amounts of value for his organization. The "Sims" products have earned millions of dollars for the company, and the brand franchise is worth many millions more.
Despite his enormous personal contribution to the bottom line, and in spite of the fact that he needs the support and infrastructure that EA provides, Wright's primary affiliation is not with organizations but with the project or cause. "You say Electronic Arts, but to me that doesn't have much meaning," he said. His own startup, Stupid Fun Club, is jointly owned with EA. Yet, Wright needs organizations. Like most clever people, he creates value from the resources, networks, teams and sheer marketing muscle that companies can provide. This is highly significant. Clever people have symbiotic relationships with organizations.
To lead clever people effectively, talent managers have to do a number of things well. First, it is best to understand their key characteristics. Not recognizing these may cause stumbles at the first hurdle.
Not every clever person has all of the following characteristics, but they share many.
a) They know their worth; their skills are not easily replicated.
b) They ask difficult questions.
c) They are organizationally savvy.
d) They are not impressed by corporate hierarchy.
e) They expect instant access to decision makers.
f) They are well connected outside of the organization.
g) Their passion is for what they do, not who they work for.
h) Even if you lead them well, they won't thank you.
What Can Leaders Do?
There are rules talent leaders can use to guide clever people.
1. Explain and persuade.
Clever people do not like to be told what to do - and are likely to react badly if they are. It is as if this undermines their sense of self esteem - clever people shouldn't need telling.
2. Use expertise.
Hierarchy still exists. There are CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, department heads and so on. But using hierarchy to justify decisions or behavior is dangerous and probably self-defeating. Clevers will respond far better to expert power than to hierarchical power.
Tell them what - but not how. While grand visions may be a distraction, a sense of direction that unifies efforts is helpful. But going beyond what should be done to how it should be done is risky because it deprives clever people of the challenge of working things out for themselves.
3. Provide boundaries.
Clevers need space.They also need structure and discipline. Creating the right sort of space - sufficiently large to allow them to express themselves, but with boundaries that help them focus their efforts - is vital. One without the other is dangerous and ultimately unproductive. Talent leaders often find themselves in the structuring role but sometimes go too far and kill creativity.
4. Give them time for questioning.
An age-old instruction to children is to ask if they don't know something. Sadly, this advice often has been ignored in businesses. Rob Murray, CEO of Australian brewing company Lion Nathan, said, "Some people in the business avoid dialogue and engagement with the clevers because they feel intellectually intimidated. So the No. 1 rule is, even if you realize as a CEO [that] you're talking to people who are academically more astute than you are, you've got to be prepared to go in there and engage them."
5. Give recognition and amplify achievements.
What clever people do is central to their identity - so recognizing their achievements is vital. However, they tend to value recognition from prestigious peers and clients outside their organizations the most. Further, given their sensitivities to interference and the fact that many may be working on long and complex tasks with unknowable outcomes, recognition is highly valued, but it does not necessarily need to be delivered frequently.
6. Encourage failure and maximize learning.
Whereas many organizations need to train people intensively to reduce the risks of failure, clever people often arrive highly trained in professional or technical terms. Paradoxically, they may get cleverer mainly by organizations maximizing opportunities for failure. This is because they tend to respond best to difficult, stretching tasks where their talents are pushed to the limits. By contrast, their attitude toward training events, particularly managerially inspired ones, can be scornful.
7. Protect them from the rain.
Clever people see the administrative machinery of the organization as a distraction from their key value-adding activities. They need to be protected from the organizational "rain." Leading clevers is all about removing obstacles that prevent them from doing what they do best. Sometimes, that means knocking down the barriers; other times it means keeping the red tape at bay.
8. Talk straight.
In order to flourish, leaders must be confident about their own expertise. If they are not, the clevers will sense it. They have good antennae for corporate speak.
9. Provide real-world challenges with constraints.
Individuals can be energized to achieve goals by leaders encouraging them to believe that everything is possible, but this kind of optimism is not always successful with clever people. Their preference seems to be the reverse. Tell them something is not possible, and they will be highly motivated to prove you wrong. Clever people are at their most productive when faced with real, hard questions that they must solve within meaningful constraints.
10. Create a galaxy.
While it is conventional wisdom to attract stars to an organization, the real leadership task is to ensure these stars are connected to each other in ways that influence the organization. Allow the best players on the team to set the standards for everyone.
11. Conduct and connect.
Clevers don't like leaders who hog the limelight. Instead, the leader's task becomes how to conduct and connect.
It can appear that life in organizations full of clever people is a little hard - inhabited by difficult and unpredictable divas, with under pressure leaders battling to create order from a rising tide of chaos. Not so, at least not always. When leaders truly unleash the power of clever individuals and teams, the results can be stunning.
The Will Wrights of the world may seem like exotic creatures, but they can be found in any organization. Our collective task is to identify and tap the creative potential of clever people and clever teams.
[About the Authors: Rob Goffee is professor of organizational behavior at London Business School. Gareth Jones is a fellow of the Centre for Management Development at London Business School and a visiting professor at Spain's IE Business School in Madrid. They are the founding partners of Creative Management Associates and the authors of Clever: Leading Your Most Creative People.]
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