Is Your Leadership Showing?

You're the CEO of your company. But do you look and act like a leader? Here are five ways to get started.

For leaders, it’s a bit different. How do you show that you’re leading? Here are five competencies that good leaders demonstrate. They are related to one another, and each is framed with a question to help you think about opportunities to display leadership.Most members of a team know when they’re doing their work well. They often have a particular area of expertise, and they have deadlines and deliverables. 

1. Visibility

We know that leaders need to be seen by followers--from formal presentations and announcements, to a crisis, to simple “managing by walking around.”  The less-obvious occasions, however, are easily overlooked. They can be lost opportunities, or powerful expressions of leadership.

As a leader, when do you feel out of your comfort zone? Maybe it’s when you have to deliver bad or unpopular news, or mediate a conflict between direct reports, or perform a necessary task that you just don’t like. One CEO client told me that he found it hard to celebrate the “small to medium wins” that his team wanted acknowledged. He considered these victories just part of doing business. His solution was to ask his executives to publicize accomplishments up to a certain level, allowing him to save his praise for the really big achievements.

Ask yourself, “How am I visible to others when I don’t want to be?” The answer is not to pretend to like being visible--far from it. Instead, ask yourself this question prior to an uncomfortable event, and use it to help you prepare. Consider some behavioral options, and put yourself in a different mental space. Then you’ll be able to be visible in a more productive, less stressful manner.

2. Preparation

Many leaders are great at preparing the logistics of leadership (the facts and figures in a plan, or the pitch for a presentation). Too many leaders, however, don’t prepare regularly for the deeper daily requirements of leadership. This is a shame, because most leaders face complex challenges, relentless claims on their time, and increasing pressures to deliver on goals over which they don’t have direct control. A bit of regular preparation goes a long way.

Just as athletic activities involve physical, mental, and emotional energies, leadership is a “whole-body practice” and requires preparation of the whole person. The next time you are running through your checklist prior to a leadership event, ask yourself, “How have I prepared my whole self for this?”

3. Comfort

This is closely related to preparation, because leadership discomfort is greatly enhanced by a lack of preparation. In order to be more comfortable as a leader and to appear that way to other people, you need to practice (which is simple preparation repeated).  By “comfortable,” I don’t mean perpetually happy or even relaxed--I mean groundedin your complete embodiment of leadership.

Ask yourself, “How do I display that I am comfortable with the responsibilities and demands of leadership?” Look for nagging doubts in the back of your mind; or instincts that need to be surfaced around what you feel should be happening instead of what is happening, or that feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach about an issue not faced. This is valuable data, and if you do not address your lack of grounding and comfort, others will certainly sense it for you.

4. Listening

One reason that modern leadership is hard is because an effective modern leader must listen to others. Though few people manage to do it, this may be one of the easiest competencies to demonstrate--provided you can resist the urge to talk.

Ask yourself, “What one thing can I tell myself as a reminder to listen more?” It’s vitally important that you think up an effective cue. If you can’t come up with one, that in itself could indicate a deeper internal misalignment.

5. Blend

This list started with visibility. When the opposite is required, a leader must blend in. Otherwise, he or she risks drawing attention away from the people and issues at hand. When you pull back, it makes it easier for other people to bring you hard problems, bad news, and perspectives that challenge the status quo. 

As a leader, it’s not all about you. The clearest way to demonstrate this is to find the right moments to step out of the spotlight so that other people get the attention they need. Ask yourself, “When necessary, how do I lower the volume of my leadership presence?”

Though leadership can be hard to demonstrate at times, regularly questioning how you embody your role will serve your leadership well.

Brian Evje: Brian is a management consultant with the organizational effectiveness practice of Slalom Consulting and an advisory board member ofAstia, a global not-for-profit dedicated to increasing women's participation in high-growth businesses.

Original Link: http://www.inc.com/brian-evje/is-your-leadership-showing.html

Five Ways To Prepare for a Skype Interview

A NUMBER OF tech-savvy companies prefer to take the first cut interview through Skype that allows users to have video chats through the Internet. Mahima Puri puts together the ways to ace an interview via Skype.

1 Establish a Comfort Level It is always preferable to establish a certain level of familiarity with the software and use it for personal purposes, instead of directly using it for professional purposes. “This can be done by having chats with family members and friends on Skype,” says Shiv Agrawal, managing director of ABC Consultants. 

2 Have Test Runs Ensure that your Internet connection has an appropriate bandwidth to support a flawless chat. “Sound is very important. Similarly, the image should not be blurred. Ensuring a smooth interaction will create a good first impression for the candidate,” says Tejinder Pal Singh, life science partner, Transearch International. 

3 Dress Up Formally Though a majority of the candidates are at their homes while interacting on Skype, they are expected to dress up formally. “Usually, the first interaction is to understand the presentation and communication skills. It is advised candidates look their best,” Agrawal says. 

4 No Noise, Please In no way, a Skype interaction should be taken as a casual one, advises Agrawal. This also means candidates should make sure there is no unnecessary noise in the background or there is no one else in the room. 

5 Mind Your Body Language This includes hand movements, shifting in the chair and facial expressions. “Make sure you are not moving too much or talking too loudly,” Singh says.

The Economic Times, Mumbai, 24-07-2012

Five Ways To Create an Impressive Resumé

A RESUME is the first step towards your next assignment, and the stepping stone for building your brand. Anumeha Chaturvedi brings you tips from experts.

1 Keep it Short Though one page may appear to be too short to sum up your career trajectory, Radhakrishnan Menon, founder and MD of LBW Consulting, feels a one-page resume always grabs attention. “It reflects the focus and ability to summarise your career in one page,” he says. Uday Sodhi, CEO of HeadHonchos also feels that it is best to restrict the resume to one or two pages. 

2 Customise Career Goals Highlight your career objectives upfront. Focus on the employer’s needs, and do your due diligence on your prospective employees for stating your objective, says Pallavi Jha, MD and chairperson at Dale Carnegie Training India. 

3 Highlight Career Graph Try to share the story of your career, says Menon. “While it is important to mention about your skill sets in various roles and stints, your past experience should also reflect what you wish to do,” feels Sodhi. 

4 Back Details with Dates An employer frames an opinion on the resume in the first 25 seconds. “Give clear factual information by adding the months and years for stints and education,” says Sodhi. 

5 Format it Correctly The resume has to have eye appeal to attract attention, and that comes with a proper structure and formatting. While personal summary can come in the end, personal accomplishments can be explained in about three-four lines.

The Economic Times, Mumbai, 27-07-2012

Five Ways To Make A Good Presentation

Presentations are de rigueur in the corporate world. Engaging the target audience with the right words is critical for success, says Anumeha Chaturvedi. 

1 Practice Before Hand While some people are confident of impromptu presentations, others are not. “Presenters should practice as much as they can before a presentation ,” feels Rajita Singh, HR head of Broadridge Financial Solutions. One may also make a note of questions that might be asked. 

2 Keep it Simple Since the primary motive of the presentation is to make a lasting impact, it should be simple. “Trying to use big words and corporate jargon is a baggage that professionals carry,” says Singh. “They should use simple words and back it with data instead.” 

3 Use Non-verbal Cues “More than 70% of our communication is through non-verbal means. Hence, the use of hands, eyes, and eyebrows is also important for effective communication,” says Ramesh Shankar, EVP and cluster HR head, South Asia at Siemens. 

4 Evoke Emotions Evoking positive emotions will engage the audience. “If the audience is primarily male, presenters could draw examples from the sports arena; if it is largely female, it could be about relationships,” says Singh. 

5 End with a Catchphrase “Ending one’s presentation with a popular catchphrase or a quote will make it memorable,” feels Singh. If half the people look or sound excited, your mission is accomplished.

(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 13-07-2012)

Five Ways To Deal With an Incompetent Team Leader

There are very few things at work worse than having to deal with an incompetent boss. But if you do, then take comfort in the fact that you are not alone. Sreeradha D Basu gets you some tips on how to deal with an incompetent boss. 

1 Start on a Positive Note No one wishes to be an incompetent or a bad boss intentionally. Says Makarand Khatavkar, MD & HR head for Deutsche Bank Group, India: "To begin with, try changing how you define a problem: if you define the problem as a person and not as a behaviour to be changed, you create an emotional impasse and close all doors to improving the situation." People cannot change who they are but almost anyone can change the way they act. If you internalise this principle, you can deal with anyone, he says. 

2 Give Support to Your Boss Are you doing anything that is aggravating the problem? All managers are humans and are prone to human fallacies and they do need support of competent staff. "Generally speaking, most bosses are aware of their weak spots but may feel awkward to ask for help. If you recognize your boss’ limitations and support him in overcoming his challenges through your skills, knowledge and judgement, you will be valuable to your boss and gain a lot," advises Khatavkar. 

3 Get Things in Black and White When you’re dealing with an incompetent boss, it’s good to opt for the formal communication route. Such bosses tend to impose their faults on others. So the best way to protect yourself is to communicate in writing, for instance over email. That way, it’s on official record. "You need to have your safeguards inbuilt so you are not made a scapegoat," warns Symbiosis Management Consultants CEO Vinay Grover. 

4 Remember the Context
Very often, problematic behaviour triggers issues that we are sensitive to and provoke unhelpful reactions subconsciously. This means you cannot put the blame entirely on the incompetent boss. Says Khatavkar: "Contextual factors play a major role in your boss’ performance. Most importantly, do not make judgement about your boss based on what you know—you might be blissfully unaware of organisational realities and dynamics that your boss may never speak about. Please incorporate this X-factor before forming any opinion." 

5 Adjust to the Situation If nothing else, just lie low and adjust to the situation. "Make adjustments according to your boss’ style to achieve organisational goals," says Vinay Grover. Figure out just what it is you have to deal with and work out your own coping tactics till the time you are ready to leave.

(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 10-07-2012)

Five Ways To Network like a Pro at Work

THE SKILL OF establishing and maintaining good network is critical for career growth. Building a good network not only helps reap benefits in your current organisation, but often comes in handy even after you switch jobs. Sreeradha D Basu gets the experts to tell you how to network like a pro 

1 Be Proactive "Be the one to make the first move instead of waiting for others to approach you," advises Prashant Deo Singh, Head- HR & General Affairs, Panasonic India. Many feel a bit hesitant, even scared, to go out and network, and the first few attempts in particular, may even be awkward. But if you hang in there and persevere, it will soon come easily to you. 

2 Reach Out Far & Wide Instead of confining yourself only to people in your department, or at a certain level, try and reach out to as many people as possible. Says Ronesh Puri, MD of head hunting firm Executive Access: "Try and gain acceptability at different levels. That way, your influence will increase." 

3 Think Long Term Networking isn’t a numbers game; it’s more about the quality and depth of the relationships. "That means going the extra mile for the people around you. Don’t think about how you stand to gain in the immediate short term. It’s more about the longterm perspective," feels Executive Access’ Puri. 

4 Get to Know Them Well The best way to build a good rapport with others is to be genuinely interested in them. Learning to communicate with different people from different backgrounds is an important networking skill, and one that will hold you in good stead in your career. "You need to get to know the other person beyond work; find out about his/her family, personal interests and more," feels Deo Singh. 

5 Be Genuine Go the extra mile to interact with and help others at work but be genuine. "If you are the kind who agrees with someone today but turns around and does the exact opposite tomorrow just because it serves your interest, no one will respect you or take you seriously," cautions Ronesh Puri. "Be consistent in what you stand for. Try and create a positive impact and make a difference to people’s lives at work," he says.

(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 06-07-2012)

Five Ways To Start Your Career On a Good Note

THE FIRST job marks an important milestone in a professional’s career and the first few months can make or break it. New hires can make the first impression a lasting one, says Anumeha Chaturvedi 

1 Have Positive Attitude Sameer Bhariok, HR director of pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly, feels nothing works better than having and expressing a positive attitude. “Let your enthusiasm for your team and the organisation be visible. You are now part of a team, and teams work together to solve problems and get the task done,” he says. Radhakrishnan Menon, founder and MD of LBW Consulting feels new hires should have the mindset of an apprentice. “There are no menial jobs, only menial attitudes,” says Bhariok. 

2 Listen and Observe Bhariok says the best career-related advice he ever received was from his ex-boss in his first job: it was to listen and observe before suggesting any changes. “I took that advice and have used it in many situations, even outside the workplace. While innovation is a good thing, it is important to be mindful of the dynamics of your workplace,” he says. A newcomer walking in and talking about ‘better ways’ of doing things will often be met with resistance or negative reactions. 

3 Be a Self-starter New hires are usually assigned small tasks in the first few weeks, but with time, they should start taking initiatives and should seek bigger responsibilities and more assignments. Menon suggests creating a career roadmap. “Professionals should set clear cut milestones and targets for themselves and should review them after the first six months,” he says. “Whatever you do, do not sit around waiting for your next project. There will be people who need help, and they will appreciate your efforts of pitching in if you volunteer for tasks,” says Bhariok. 

4 Keep Boss Informed The boss cannot read minds, so it is important to keep him or her informed of how you are faring. Frequent meetings with your boss are important for establishing a rapport and a relationship. “Request meetings with your boss on a regular basis to review performance. But do not reach out to him for day-to-day minor problems. Instead, seek help from colleagues,” says Bhariok. 

5 Psst...Avoid Gossiping The grapevine is unofficial office news and you can gain valuable insights about the office dynamics and your colleagues through it. But it is important not to contribute to the grapevine. This holds especially true when you are new. “You do not want to begin your career with a reputation for being a gossip monger,” says Bhariok. “And remember how small a world it truly is. Your reputation can precede you for years to come.”

(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 03-07-2012)

Five Ways To Deal With Laggards

Companies are increasingly becoming less tolerant towards underperformers. Leaders should take regular corrective measures on them as right mentoring can help in turning them around, says Mahima Puri

1 Give Regular Feedback “Give the employee constant and constructive feedback on his performance. However, this should be done in a non-threatening manner, says P Dwarakanath, director-group human capital, Max India. “Give the employee constant feedback on what he has done well and which areas need to be improved,” he adds. 

2 Guide and Counsel “Managers should be patient when dealing with underperformers as the factors affecting their performance could be varied, says Divakar Kaza, president-HR, Lupin. Dwarakanath adds: "It is important for a team leader to tell the employee how he can improve upon things. Doing a bit of hand holding and mentoring is crucial." 

3 Train to Enhance Skills An underperformer may lack certain skill sets for the job, and the organisation could look at job rotation and upgrading the skills of the employee. It could also look at giving the employee a lighter task if he feels pressurised in his current role. 

4 Set Time-frame Once the manger has identified the issue and has provided coaching and mentoring, the employee should be given a time-frame to improve his performance. The time-frame can vary from company to company, but 3-6 months is considered a preferable time period. 

5 Prepare Exit Strategy If nothing seems to yield results despite the coaching, and mentoring, then the employee will have to be asked to leave. "To avoid a sudden lay-off, managers should become more firm with regards to communicating the feedback," says Rajendra Ghag, HR head at HDFC Life. Their language should change to 'we cannot go on trying endlessly, we have to get results for our business’, he adds. At HDFC Life, underperformers are given the required hints a couple of months before their exit, which gives them time to look around.

(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 29-06-2012)

Five Ways To Agree to Disagree With Boss

HAVING DISAGREEMENTS with your boss is part and parcel of professional life. In an organisational culture which encourages differences rather than compliance, bosses welcome contrary views and are open to an alternative solution. But in organisations where you are confronting a not-so-openminded boss, you need be handle the situation with care to avoid an ugly outcome. Experts tell Sreeradha D Basu how to go about it. 

1 Don’t Do It Publicly Never disagree with your boss in a meeting or in front of others. “Request a private meet to discuss such issues," advises Vinay Grover, CEO of executive search firm Symbiosis Management Consultants. “Also, it’s much better to put across your differing views face-to-face, rather than over e-mail or phone," he says. 

2 Start on Positive Note Always start such a conversation with your boss on a positive tone. This helps reduce resistance, more so, if you are dealing with a boss with a delicate ego. "It’s much better to start out highlighting the positives or complimenting the boss on his/her analysis or opinion before politely trying to put your point across," says Grover. 

3 Do Your Homework "Have your facts and figures in place and make sure you have all the necessary data to back up your argument. The more organised you are, the better," says Arvind N Agarwal, president, corporate development and HR, RPG Enterprises. Try to put across the point that you are being helpful, rather than critical. 

4 Bide Your Time Sometimes, if you have that option, it is prudent to listen and then come back to the boss in a few days time instead of reacting right then. "Let that moment pass over. Come back in a few days saying ‘I have been thinking it over and there is another way you could look at’. That then, is your moment and there is a better chance of your boss listening to your views," says Agarwal. 

5 Know When to Quit At the end of the day, your boss gets the final vote, so notwithstanding the most logical arguments, you may still be required to implement decisions with which you disagree. Needlessly going on and on under such circumstances can be counterproductive and may prove to be damaging. In such a situation, it’s best to stop pushing and just let it go.

(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 26-06-2012)

Five Ways To Get Over a Bad Career Decision

A NEW job does not always mean moving ahead of the curve. There are times when a shift in loyalties can boomerang, but moving out again is not the only option, says Devina Sengupta.

1 Gain Clarity “A lot of people do not know what they are looking for—whether it is money or the thrills of a job. But once they get clarity about that, they should go for it,” says a Bangalorebased senior coach and consultant. Candidates should take a skill-gap analysis test to find out what drives them and the kind of roles that will further their ambitions. 

2 Meet the Manager The risk of losing credibility runs high, but if the job description explained is different from the work one ends up doing, a meeting with the manager to sort out the differences in perception should help. 

3 Give Job Some Time A quick move is acceptable if the resume shows that the person has stayed on for four or more years in his previous companies. However, if there is a shift every two years, then chances of getting another job get jeopardized. “Companies are willing to accept bad choices but there should be stability in past records, says Kamal Karanth, MD, Kelly Services. He suggests giving the new job at least a year if possible as it could simply be a transition phase. 

4 Prepare for Next Job It will be a colossal mistake to jump into another job in haste just to get out of the current one. The candidate should take skill tests, and should map out all organizations to see if the role he wants is available and should do reference checks with peers. Karanth says there have been cases where the placed candidates could not adjust to the workplace and were on the lookout again, in which case the companies agreed to place them somewhere else. 

5 Do Not Complain There will always be companies that are willing to give a chance to professionals looking to move. But, a company invests time and money in sourcing and training employees, and no matter what the problems are in the current job, speaking ill of the firm and badmouthing them will rule out emerging opportunities.

(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 22-06-2012)

Five Ways To Get Honest Feedback as a Boss

It is hard to get honest feedback from your colleagues, especially when you happen to be the boss. The following steps could help in breaking the ice, says Anumeha Chaturvedi

1 Build a Culture of Trust Leaders need to build a culture of trust through innovative policies and measures that value employees. For instance, Manmohan Agarwal, CEO of Bigshoebazar.com and brand owner of Yebhi.com tries to ensure all his senior professionals work as entrepreneurs and not as managers. “All our managers take independent operating and strategic decisions and the company stands behind them. We allows all employees to share their grievances,” he says. 

2 Be a Good Listener 
“It is important to be a good listener to be able to draw out honest feedback from employees,” says VD Wadhwa, MD and CEO of Timex. “Leader should be impartial and should refrain from passing judgements. They cannot demand loyalty and honest feedback. It has to come through their behaviour,” he adds. 

3Encourage Ideation 
Yebhi.com has a programme called Idea Gine to encourage innovation among employees. “Employees are encouraged to share even the most random ideas with the management,” says Agarwal. 

4 Do What You Hear 
Taking feedback and not implementing it is futile. “It is important to take both formal and informal inputs from employees and to use them in any of the corrective measures,” says Wadhwa. 

5 Meet Them Individually 
As all employees do not open up in meetings, one-to-one sessions are critical to get to know them better. “Most managers only talk to direct reports, so I make it a point to meet two employees every week in the absence of their immediate supervisors,” says Wadhwa.

(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 19-06-2012)

Five Ways To Avoid Being the 'Bad Boss'

Being the boss isn’t easy, more so if you fall prey to tendencies that alienate you from the very people you manage. Knowing what these propensities are can help you create a better work environment. Sreeradha D Basu lists out the boss’ most common failings and the remedies.

1 Look Within A lot of bosses don’t even realise where they are going wrong. It could be wasting time, using company property for personal purposes or even having an exaggerated idea of one’s capabilities. “It’s important to realise where the gaps are. You need to get proper feedback and work on that. Unfortunately, a lot of times, realisation only comes when it hurts you,” says Sangeeta Lala, senior V-P, TeamLease Services.  

2 Keep Learning When bosses give up on continuously educating themselves, even subordinates become aware of this. “Bosses need to stay current and updated. Otherwise, they become inadequate. You can learn by reading, doing projects, even getting mentored,” says Yashwant Mahadik, VP HR, Indian subcontinent at Philips. 

3 Set Subordinates Free One of the major derailing factors is when managers become too possessive and don’t let go of their talent. Says Mahadik: “When you don’t get support from a manager, it usually ends up disengaging a very good employee. Instead, every manager should set himself a target for growing and exporting talent out of the team and measuring personal success on the basis of that. If an organisation starts measuring managers on successes like that, it leads to a lot of positive behavioural changes.” 

4 Be Sensitive Bosses who have crossed a certain stage of life often tend to become insensitive to the needs of those currently in that stage. Often, a boss doesn’t take it well when a younger person in the team has issues at home or has to leave at short notice for some reason like an unwell child. “Never forget there are life-cycle needs of people. Be sensitive, empathetic and don’t compare them to yours,” says Mahadik.

5 Do a Reality Check No one ever wants to give bad news to the boss, which is how he or she ends up insulated from reality; unaware of what is going on. It’s important to create an open culture where employees can share even unpleasant information without fear.

(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 15-06-2012)

Thanks Again...5005 Hits and counting

That's all what I would like to say to all the readers,

visitors and followers of this blog. Today we cross the 5000 mark and still counting. 

It would not have been possible without your support.

And last but not the least my special thanks to

The Economic Times, Mumbai from where I got 

the idea to create this blog. As I have said before

I say it again, without all of you the milestone

would not have been possible and I never

thought I would have reached this far

But here am I indebted to all of

you. And I say it again

Thank You!!

Five Ways To Go Beyond a ‘Disaster’ at Work

To err is human...’ The famous words are easier said than applied in the corporate world, where a glaring error in a project or an assignment could bring all your plans to naught. Anumeha Chaturvedi explains what can put you back on track. 

1 Boost your Self-Image “Failure of any kind hurts us, creates defensiveness and often lowers our self-worth. We all have a self-identity, which if simple, gets threatened,” says Anil Sharma, founder, Leadedge. This could reflect in assumptions that one is competent or incompetent, or trustworthy or untrustworthy. “We need to understand our identity issue and build a stronger self-image,” says Sharma.

 2 Accept the Mistake While accepting an error is embarrassing, it is critical for gaining lost ground, says Mohinish Sinha, leadership & talent practice leader, Hay Group South & South East Asia, Pacific & Africa. “Some of the finest leaders I know admit to making stupid mistakes,” he says. 

3 Draw Lessons Bright minds turn a mistake into an opportunity. Sinha recalls an IT professional who miscalculated a significant projection that cost the company Rs 30 crore. But instead of continuing to feel guilty, he made a 30-minute presentation to his supervisors on what he learnt from it. 

4 Take Feedback “Communicating with your stakeholders who were impacted by your failure and taking feedback from them will help portray your sense of ownership, learning agenda and willingness to change,” says Sharma. 

5 Seek Inspiration Sinha suggests that seeking a mentor — a trustworthy superior — and engaging with him or her on a daily basis could prove to be useful for sharing honest feedback and thoughts. Finding a mentor who gives objective feedback will help in developing with day-to-day matters and prevent a flub.

(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 07-06-2012)

Five Ways To Work with Someone you Dislike

Disliking one or more of your co-workers is as human as it gets, but unfortunately, none of us has the luxury of working only with the people we like. So instead of harping on the negative and wasting precious time and energy, focus on having a productive working relationship with someone you dislike. Sreeradha D Basu shows you how.

 1 Understand Them Closely examine the person you don’t like and find ways of working with that person. “The key is to understand the styles of others as well as being aware of your own style. Such understanding lays a solid foundation to develop mutual understanding and improves working effectiveness,” says Makarand Khatavkar, MD & HR head for Deutsche Bank Group in India. 

2 Build Trust Try and be patient and tolerant. “While dealing with people you do not like, always start with trust. It should not be blind trust, but one that fosters a productive working relationship. Small demonstrations of trust established over a period of time eventually lead to business success and development of strong relations that build dependability,” says Khatavkar. 

3 Don’t Let Dislikes Rule In life, you keep facing such situations, so handle them with maturity. “You need to decide upfront whether it’s a personal or professional association. If it’s the latter, then you must be comfortable on the work front. So unlike in a personal relationship, a like or dislike shouldn’t be an important part of the equation," says Sunil Goel, director of executive search firm GlobalHunt. 

4 Embrace Diversity Working with people with different preferences, age groups, ethnic groups, personalities, working and communication styles is about embracing diversity. “Working successfully with a diverse set of people is an important factor in modern workplaces. You must be comfortable with that if you wish to succeed," says Khatavkar. 

5 Focus on Core Tasks Likes and dislikes are usually temporary and change depending on the action taken. “The focus should be on the core tasks and completing them within the timeline,” says GlobalHunt’s Goel.

(The Economics, Mumbai, 05-06-2012)

Five Ways To Juggle Studies and a Job

CONTINUING TO study while working is fairly acceptable these days, and is often a ticket to professional progress . Shreya Biswas suggests how you can balance studies with your professional commitments.

1 Pick the Right Course Make sure your course adds to your current profile, and watch out for the travel time involved. Online courses are the best option if you just can’t afford to travel to study centres. “It is possible to get a high-quality learning experience though online learning, which costs much less than classroom learning,” says Shailesh Mehta, CEO, GurukulOnline Learning Solutions. 

2 Start Early Start the day a few hours before you generally would. This will give you the cushion to utilise your evenings
for studies. 

3 Take a Colleague Along It always helps if you have some one to prod you on, and enrolling with a colleague might help. “Studying together gives you the pace to study as it did in college, as one tends to be lethargic after a hard day’s work,” says Manish Sabharwal, CEO, TeamLease. 

4 Let the Boss Know Prepare a calendar for your studies, and mark the important dates. You will know when you require leave for your course preparations or exams. Keep your boss and team informed. This will also allow for a back-up. 

5 Be Sensitive A sensitive management will accommodate employee needs. You too can show some sensitivity by attending to emergency calls . “My recruitment head has taken up a course and he needs to leave early. He compensates by keeping himself free during late evenings as he has to take care of international appointments,” says Divakar Kaza, president, HR, Lupin.

(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 28-05-2012)

Five Ways To Deal With Employees' Mistakes

If there is one problem managers would love to avoid, it is dealing with employee mistakes. In an ideal world, everybody would do their work flawlessly and everything would proceed without a hitch. 

But sine it isn't a perfect world, managers may as well gear up for the challenge. 

The idea is not to demoralize the employee, but to help the person use the situation as a learning opportunity. Here are some tips on how to get it right.

Don't Make it Public 

"The adage, 'Praise in public, reprimand in private' holds true," says Meenakshi Roy, senior vice-president, HR, Reliance Broadcast Network. Never criticize in front of others. 

If you want employees to be open to criticism, don't alienate them by embarrassing them. "You would do well to respond with this in mind," she says. 

Keep an Open Mind 

There are always different sides to every story. Keep that in mind and get a 360-degree perspective of the situation. It may happen that extenuating circumstances have a role to play in the mistake. 

"Once while confronting a junior about a mistake, it came to light that there were certain issues beyond his control. And others were affected as well. We fixed the loopholes, and that mistake was never repeated," says Salil Seth, senior sales manager in an FMCG firm. 

Don't Lose your Cool 

There may be times when the employee's mistake is big or serious enough to make you want to blow your top. 

Wait till you've calmed down enough to tackle the situation in a professional way, without losing your cool. Yelling and screaming is definitely not the way to go. 

Look for the Solution 

Get to the root of the problem, and do whatever is necessary to fix it. Sometimes, an employee who is otherwise efficient and enthusiastic may lack knowledge or skills. 

Provide the person with training. "Respond with an attitude of eliciting learning from the situation and course correction, rather than who, what, why etc," says Roy. 

Drive Home the Lesson 

If you come down too hard on a person for the first mistake, it puts others in risk-averse mode, says Ma Foi Randstad MD & CEO E Balaji. 

That way, people become very cautious and are loath to try something new. "A good organisation allows a mistake once. 

But no manager should allow the same mistake the second time," adds Balaji. "The manager needs to sit down with the individual and discuss the problems and its learnings. 

It's important that the lessons are learnt and communicated down the line, so the same mistake is not repeated."




(The Economic Times) / http://mailer.timesjobs.com/tech01/Mailers/HRDialogue/may12/landing/in_focus.html