Archive for the ‘Management’ Category

A Simple Advice For Stressed Out Managers

Sunday, February 6th, 2011

Imagine the pilot of the aircraft you are traveling on says that –

He is stressed! Will you travel on that aircraft? Probably not…

Similarly as a leader, if you discuss your personal problems with your colleagues,

and look stressed, will they feel confident traveling with you? Probably not…

What happens when you share a personal problem with your colleagues?

You actually open the door to your personal life. And if you happen to talk about all your problems all the time, then you look:

1.      Out of control

2.      Indecisive

3.      Vulnerable

4.      Not dependable

5.      Like a nagging problem to everyone around

Therefore, come what may,

Please keep your personal problems far away from your professional playground. Exercise extreme restraint regarding what you share with your colleagues. Even if you are going through a difficult time, don’t succumb to the temptation of sharing your grief.

And if you have a psychological need to discuss,

Please park your problems elsewhere. Consult a doctor or a counsellor, talk to a friend, read a book, watch a movie, go for walks … whoever or whatever can help you, but keep it away from your workplace.  It is a losing game, so don’t play it in your professional playground.

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How To Be a Charming Leader

Sunday, January 30th, 2011

Here’s some news for you

Most people hate to work with hard babies. Difficult people make things difficult. People like to work with easy going individuals. Being easy to work with is a leadership quality that makes you charming.

How to be charming?

The short is answer is- Never Complain.

This is especially true, if the listener has no control or authority to solve your problem. No one wants to hear your problem because some of them have problems greater than yours, some are just indifferent, and some of them are happy that you have problems.

I’m not saying that you will not have real issues

Of course you will … but handle your issues without complaining.


You understand what I mean…

Address your problem only to the person who can solve it. There is no point talking to everyone.

How can you present the problem?

1.      You should present the problem as a matter of fact in an informed manner – NOT as a complaint.

2.      Give as much information as possible to help the other person help you.

3.      If you know how your problem can be resolved, spell it out fully and without abbreviating.

In other words, make it easy and pleasant for people to help you.

What happens when you continue to gripe and grumble or whine and complain?

1.      Initially you will negatively impact the morale of others around you.

2.      Then your seniors will dislike you for creating a culture of complaining in the work place.

3.      People will try to ignore you, then they will avoid you and if they have their way, they would try to get rid of you.

It doesn’t matter how good you are at work, if you complain, it will eventually bring you down. Next time you want to complain, think again – after all, leadership is about behaviors and not about titles and roles. Complaining certainly does not make you a charming leader!


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I Am Sure You Are Not One Of Those Managers

Sunday, January 23rd, 2011

Why are fifty percent of managers not effective?

A recent study shows that most managers don’t always know whether they’re displaying effective behaviors or not… and it doesn’t come as a surprise that 50% of managers are not effective-they either have a problem dealing with the team, or display poor leadership skills or lack emotional intelligence, or fall short of their objectives. Whatever be the reason, the biggest concern is that they are unaware of their own deficiencies.

What can they do before it’s too late?

Before it’s too late and leads to ultimate failure, these managers should enhance their self awareness. This advice may sound simple, but is most helpful to avoid derailment.

So how can they enhance their self awareness?

By seeking feedback!

Managers who display signs of cracks in their management style are often not in touch with reality. They are usually not aware of how others perceive them. Their arrogance forces them to surround themselves with people who do not give straightforward feedback.

What else can they do to avoid managerial derailment?

They must have the courage to receive honest and constructive feedback from peers and direct reports. They should now focus more on developing their leadership skills than technical skills. The leadership skills will take them further ahead in their career. Therefore, they should make every effort to strengthen those skills.

In brief:

Seek feedback through formal and informal means and have the courage to receive honest feedback.  This will lead to enhanced self awareness.

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How to create a perception of “You are always there”?

Sunday, January 9th, 2011

Do you want to excel in a leadership role?

Then start practicing by being early to work. People who arrive late convey that they don’t like their jobs or that’s the perception they create.

Would you ever arrive 10 minutes late for a popular movie?

I don’t think so. When you are early, you get a psychological advantage over others. Arriving early shows your commitment, allows you to get your ducks in a row and gives the impression that you are really prepared for the day. Your senior management will always appreciate such dependability.

So how early should you be?

You just need to be there 15 minutes before your boss or coworkers every day and it will give you such a psychological edge over others. The same principle goes for meetings and conference calls – always be early.

I know you must be thinking – What time should your leave?

Should you leave office on the dot? The same philosophy applies in the evening. Leave 15 minutes late; I mean don’t stay late, stay later. Leaving 15 minutes after your boss is gone reinforces the impression that you are a committed employee and take your job very seriously.

15 minutes in the morning and 15 minute in the evening adds up to half an hour every day. You can do the calculation for the entire year… trust me you can get ahead quickly working just an extra half an hour a day.

This is a simple trick which many people tend to ignore. Make sure you are not one of them.

Three DON’TS when you become a manager

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010
  1. Don’t be a part of the office gossip anymore. I know the temptation is too high but refrain from participating in such conversations. Moreover, your role now is to support everyone on the team.
  2. Don’t fall into the usual “boss bashing” activity that goes on in most offices in the coffee room. You lose credibility, you lose control and above all you lose reputation. You are a part of the management now.
  3. Don’t take your new role to the extreme. In other words don’t project the attitude of one-upmanship that you’re better than your former coworkers. The biggest disadvantage of such an attitude is — you lose all the home court advantages that promotion from within can give you. In the bargain you create distance, distrust and greater challenges in managing the same group.

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Management Meetings or Time Management …or Wasted Hours

Sunday, June 20th, 2010

Of all the woes that curse our race there is management meeting in the case.

If you want to save time, you need to ask yourself:

  1. Do I need to be present in the meeting?
  2. Do I need to be present for all the meetings?
  3. Is it possible to delegate to some one else?
  4. As a chairperson, before I begin a meeting do I have an idea how long will it take?
  5. Do I know how much time I plan to allocate on each item on the agenda?

I am assuming you have an agenda for the meeting.

Here is an eye opener

The time spent on any item on the agenda will be inversely proportional to its value.  In other words, there is a huge tendency to spend a disproportionate time on the trivial issues.

How do you ensure you don’t devote more time on trivial issues?

By prioritizing the items and then allocating appropriate time in relation to their importance. This is a very important consideration and often ignored by most managers.

It is not a test of intelligence that

The length of a meeting increases in proportion to the number of people invited.  Therefore, as a chairperson of the meeting, it is your responsibility to keep everyone’s contribution on target without offending them.

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Leadership, Leadership Development, Motivation, Team Work – All sounds too Mumbo Jumbo? (Part 2)

Monday, March 29th, 2010

The Individual – How can you modify your managerial/leadership approach to employee motivation?

Each of us is a complex bundle of wants and needs when it comes to motivation.

To give you every opportunity of meeting these wants and needs you have to modify your managerial approach in three particular areas:

  • Challenge: Unless you offer your team members a challenge they will never attain their true potential. By setting targets that will stretch them but are achievable, individuals will feel stimulated and involved in the team performance. This can be the further enhanced by asking them to develop special skills.

  • Praise: It is not uncommon for someone receiving praise to reject with “I’m only doing my job’. The end result of this is that, as managers, we only give praise when and where we feel it is deserved and do not take into account the feelings of the individual who feels he requires some recognition for his efforts. Giving acceptance and appreciation for effort, stops people wasting their enthusiasm. You may know the team’s abilities and they most probably know themselves. But do they know you know?

Concern: Showing concern to individuals is a way a leader gives confidence to individuals. Management by walking about (MBWA) is one way we can find time for individuals, and make them feel wanted. Their response will be a desire to show concern for the job and the organization.

Managing Change

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

Leadership Coaching is also of great significance in an ever-changing business environment. The issue faced by many managers is how to minimize resistance to new working practices? For many individuals fear of failing or fear of the unknown are the barriers to change. Coaching is a practical way to overcome these problems-by providing individuals with knowledge and guidance which enables them to achieves difficult objectives. It is a method which delivers quick and often impressive results, where recipients of the coaching get instant feedback on performance. Through coaching, individuals share experiences with others, thereby dramatically improving the others’ learning curve and the time it takes to achieve competence.

Do you use Reasons or Emotions?

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

Do you use reason or emotions?

When making decisions, people believe that they use reason rather than emotions.

Most people think that the statements they make and the acts they perform are based on logic and forethought. However, studies convey that 80% of decisions are based on emotions and 20% on reasons. People often take decisions with emotions, and then use logic to justify their actions.

If that is true, then, as a leader, what does it mean to you? – You need to connect emotionally with people to influence them. They will then align with you and lean towards you as plants lean towards the sun.

Something to think about?

The Secret of Anger Management – Ability to Manage Anger is an act of Bravery of the Stoics

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

When the surge of temper subsides, you will have regrets; then, you will be in a position to see your own signature

Do you have a personal anger management policy in place? How many times did you lose your temper recently? Can you retrace your steps and identify the underlying reasons for your behavior?

I am sure you must be going through your periodic cycles of visible or invisible outbursts of frustration

How do you resist the urge to explode? Well these are simple questions but difficult to answer. Today, I am going to give you to overcome the challenges posed by loss of temper.

 

Before learning anger management, lets find out – What is loss of temper?

It is an emotional disturbance, which seeks vindication and retaliation. It takes an immense toll on your confidence, friendship and peace of mind. Loss of temper is an indication of weakness, which conveys that you are incapable of containing yourself.

Loss of temper or a lack of anger management is an announcement of your inadequacy and feelings of inferiority. It results in a temporary derangement that sweeps everything else aside.

 

What are the losses that you might overlook?

Research has shown that there is a direct impact upon your nervous system, endocrine glands, heart and liver when you get angry.

But how does anger impact these organs?

 

When you get angry, your body produces excess acids and adrenalin, which is poured into the blood stream. This puts extra strain on your vital organs.

What else happens during anger?

There is an emotional disturbance, which results in an uncontrollable urge to strike back or to retaliate at any cost.

This is usually followed by

a sense of guilt or self-condemnation when the surge of temper has subsided.

 

Finally,

there is a rift between you and the other party. It is usually very hard to mend such a rift.

So how can you overcome these challenges?

If you are plagued by this habit and wish to get rid of it, then here are some guidelines:

¨      Know the root cause of your outburst; do not try to justify yourself or find excuses for your reaction.

¨      Put yourself on test and work consciously to disperse every provocation of anger.

¨      Ask your friends/spouse to raise the danger signal when you fail to notice the signs yourself.

¨      Visualize and repeat to yourself that loss of temper is a sign of weakness, is a condition of immaturity, and is the mark of irresponsibility.

¨      Look for extenuating circumstances whenever you want to accuse, to condemn, or to speak your mind freely.

There is an another technique

When you are in the grip of anger, try to clamp your lips tight, sit down and lean back in your seat, anchor your hands in your pockets and your feet to the floor and let the waves of temper pass over you.

No doubt, the wish to assert yourself may be strong, but a display of bad temper is not a good idea.

Remember: You are more likely to get angry when you are feeling sad or dejected. Similarly, you are less likely to take offence when you are happy and in high spirits.

Do not let your temper rule you. Retain control over your emotions, and you will surely add to your happiness and productivity.