Introduction Successful people have not done different things; they just did things differently - Anonymous This single liner is a vital key, in order to survive and succeed in the current highly competitive environment. People who are quick to adapt, creative at problem solving and good at relation building are at high demand. Re-looking at the above quote, what it says precisely is, while it is important that ‘what you do' but what matters most is ‘how you do'. This is the thin line between success & failure. In the past decade or more, the work environment has significantly changed; team work replaced lone workers; organizational focus shifted from product centricity to customer centricity. Hospitality, IT & Telecom sectors and their much faster pace in grown & business brought in ‘globalization'. Along with globalization came increased complexities and uncertainties in business.
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Introduction
Successful people have not done different things; they just did things
differently - Anonymous
This single liner is a vital key, in order to survive and succeed in the
current highly competitive environment. People who are quick to adapt,
creative at problem solving and good at relation building are at high demand.
Re-looking at the above quote, what it says precisely is, while it is
important that ‘what you do' but what matters most is ‘how you do'. This is
the thin line between success & failure.
In the past decade or more, the work environment has significantly changed; team
work replaced lone workers; organizational focus shifted from product centricity to
customer centricity.
Hospitality, IT & Telecom sectors and their much faster pace in grown &
business brought in ‘globalization'. Along with globalization came increased
complexities and uncertainties in business.
This resulted in an obvious impact on the skills of people. Do a lot of people
have that certain ‘I know not what' that inspires and motivates the people around
them? Do a lot of people have the ability to communicate clearly and effectively? Are
a lot of people good at managing their emotions? Do a lot of people have the ability
to control a panic situation? Do a lot of people appear to pronounce ‘we' instead of
‘I'?
And the Ancient Egyptians wrote "Be skilled in speech so that you will succeed.
The tongue of a man is his sword and effective speech is stronger than all
fighting".
In different articles, Dale Carnegie quoted about soft skills; "Tell the audience
what you're going to say, say it; then tell them what you've said", "There are four
ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated
and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and
how we say it".
Soft skills are sometimes classified into personal attributes & interpersonal
abilities.
Personal attributes, such as:
¤ optimism
¤ responsibility
¤ a sense of humor
¤ integrity
¤ time-management
¤ motivation
Interpersonal abilities, such as:
¤ empathy
¤ leadership
¤ communication
¤ good manners
¤ sociability
¤ the ability to teach
It's often said that hard skills will get you an interview but you need soft skills to
get (and keep) the job.
Soft skills that complement core competencies are in great demand. Having said
this, to move ahead in career the functional expertise alone is not sufficient. You
have to build an equally strong competence in soft skills to become a prospective
choice for an employer. Soft skills refer to all those personal qualities and attitudes
that make you a compatible and resourceful employee. If you are not sure what skills
matter most, here is a list of soft skills most preferred by employers across the globe:
1. Being Positive:
Employees who can generate lots of positive energy and spread goodwill within
the teams and in the organization as a whole are preferred by most employers.
2. Communication (Verbal & Written):
Absolutely essential skills to build necessary & good rapport with colleagues,
superiors and clients. Good articulation, clear expression of thoughts, ideas and
needs. The key to mastering communication skills lies in developing good listening
skills.
3. Crisis Management / Problem solving:
No doubt, technical knowledge gives you an edge in problem solving. But
increased and ever increasing complexities in the business environment open doors
to issues which are not so familiar and most of the times not visualized at all. So,
here the creative ways of problem solving helps in. The survival of the fittest applies
very well here and in the favor of your creative abilities.
4. Time management:
The current lean and mean trend demands (atleast expect) each one of us to
consistently produce more in less time. Prioritizing tasks in a multi-tasking
environment is the most desired way of working. The more wisely you use your time
the more successful you will be.
5. Working in Teams:
It does not matter whether you're a team member, team lead, manager or even
CEO of an organization, your success is defined by your team's success. To be a good
team player you must be willing to cooperate, collaborate, share and most
importantly you should be willing to put team / organization goals at a higher priority
as compared to your own personal goals.
6. Being confident:
This is a two-fold skill. While it is very important to be confident in delivering
what you're there for, it is equally, rather more important to show that you're that.
You can perform well only when you have a strong belief in your abilities. Ask the
right questions boldly and at the right time, express your views candidly. Your
learning curve should not stop or even pause; constantly update your knowledge
base.
7. Handling criticism:
This is the right word; but it's been called ‘feedback' in organizations. Feedback
sounds more professional but ‘criticism' is that bitter pill which cures several
problems. One must be open to criticism; learn to take criticism well. Gain as much
as you can from other's inputs. This will help you meet the expectations of people
who matter in a better way.
8. Adapt to Change:
Chang is the only constant; this is the principle which pivoted the world from
where it was yesterday to where it is today and where it will be tomorrow. In my
opinion, Flexibility is the parent skill of all skills; if this is learned and adapted
strictly, every other skill follows. Flexibility is definitely an asset in this uncertain
world and ever changing business scenarios demand that you adapt quickly to new
situations.
9. Withstand pressure:
Or crisis management or situation management; in a fast paced work set up,
unexpected crises or scary deadlines pose tremendous stress. If you're caught by the
stress, you lose the battle.
10. Good Ethics:
Being meticulous and honest will help you gain the trust of your employer. Build
a good reputation to grow in your career and protect it in the long run. Good work
ethics are highly valued by employers especially in this age of falling morals
Please note that these are the soft skills from 100,000 feet high. Each of these
skills were further explored to a set of skills (eg.: Communication Skills - listening,
oral communication, writing & eMail etiquette and so on); each one of them are as
critical and essential as any other soft skill.
If you are already confident about possessing one ore more of these skills in
some amount, polish them to perfection; nurture them to become an expert. In case
you lack some of them, make every effort to fill the skill gap at the earliest because
soft skills are just as important as hard skills for professional excellence.
It is little bit more complex for people managing people. In general, people
think that the manager(s) don't do anything, which mostly correct, as the manager's
job is not to do but to get it done. But, at the same time, the amount of
responsibility, pressure and ownership the managers have is tremendous. He / she is
generally sand-witched between the boss & sub-ordinates. The manager need to
demonstrate a lot based on soft-skills, but in a different dimension.
¤ Managing People
¤ Managing Costs
¤ Project Management
¤ Leadership
¤ Management Skills
¤ Management Careers
¤ Business Ethics
¤ Women in Management
¤ Work / Life Balance
¤ Strategy Plans Organization
¤ Policies and Procedures
¤ Management Theory
Soft skills are the underlying principles that trademark a company for
professionalism and excellent customer service. They provide differentiation between
all the cookie-cutter look-alikes and play a vital role in customer loyalty. In today's
working environment, where customers and employees are demanding more,
instilling the use of soft skills in your team members is something you simply can't
survive without.
When it's time to focus on soft-skills training as a tool to improve performance,
leadership potential, and bottom line organizational success, consider the following:
1. Start Slowly - Instead of getting a large number of people in a room and
preaching to them about their soft skills - move slowly. Introduce the concept with an
informative and fun workshop. The program should also be designed to enhance
their skills.
2. Involve People - Involve as many employees as you can on the decision to
create a program, what to include within the program, and how to maintain the
program. People support what they help create. Engage them, give them the
possibility to make changes with your training curriculum, do a pilot program with
key people, and use the pilot program as an introduction to the group.
3. Seek Help from Experts - Coaches and Organizational Consultants are
experts in building rapport and establishing the right culture for these initiatives.
With the right culture and the appropriate training, managers can continue the task
of training and cultivating good relationships.
4. Recognize Individuals - There is so much talk about teamwork today that we
forget to emphasize how important it is to praise individual achievement as well.
From time to time praise your stars. Recognizing personal contributions to the team
is an excellent morale booster.
5. Know your People - All people are not the same, so their soft skills and
strengths are not the same either. Know them all, leverage their strengths and
differences, and illustrate how they can leverage each other's strengths inside the
team to develop a new group "identity."
The essence of your business is your people. Making soft-skills development a
priority will bring your team to a new level because it focuses directly on them. By
allowing the human aspect of your employees to shine through, you are encouraging
them to do what comes naturally to them. Don't overlook these all-important skills
when evaluating areas of improvement for your team. Find a way to incorporate soft
skills into your leadership development programs and see results immediately
By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest;
Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest
-Confucius
Effective Communication
Communication - the human connection - is the key to personal and career
success. - Paul MeyerCommunication is about being effective, not always
about being proper. - Bo Bennett
Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about
what you know. - Jim Rohn
Effective communication is all about conveying your messages to other
people clearly and with no ambiguity. Doing this involves effort from both the
sender of the message and the receiver. Failing which can cause tremendous
confusion, wasted effort and missed opportunity. In fact, communication is
only successful when both the sender and the receiver understand the same
information as a result of the communication.
By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughts
and ideas effectively. When not successful, the thoughts and ideas that you
actually send do not necessarily reflect what you think, causing a
communications breakdown and creating roadblocks that stand in the way of
your goals - both personally and professionally.
Dennis Rivers, in his popular book, The Seven Challenges
Workbook (A guide to cooperative communication skills for success at Home
and at Work), elaborates on seven challenges for effective communication.
1. Listening more carefully and more responsively -
Actively acknowledging another person's experience does not have to
mean that you agree or approve. Compassionately allow people to feel
whatever they feel. People are much more likely to listen if they have been
listened to with actively expressed acknowledgments.
2. Explaining my conversational intent and inviting consent -
The more involvement a conversation is going to require of the other
person, the more you will benefit by sharing your conversational goal and
inviting the conscious cooperation of your conversation partner.
3. Expressing myself more clearly and more completely -
Giving your listeners the information they need to understand (mentally
reconstruct) your experiences more fully. One good way is to use ”the five I-
messages”: What/how I (1)observe, (2)am feeling, (3) because I
interpret/evaluate/need, and now I (4)want to request, and (5)envision/hope
for from request. Equally good for self-understanding, too.
4. Translating my criticisms and complaints into requests -
Do this for both your own complaints and the complaints that others
bring to you. Focusing on the positive outcome shows respect to the recipient
of a request as having a positive contribution to make, and shifts focus from
past mistakes to present and future successes.
5. Asking questions more "open-endedly" and more creatively -
"How did you like that movie?" is an open-ended question that invites a
wide range of answers. "Did you like it?" suggests only "yes" or "no" as
answers and does not encourage discussion. Sincerely asked open-ended
questions can open up our conversation partners.
6. Thanking. Expressing more gratitude and appreciation -
In a world full of problems, look for opportunities to give praise. Both at
home & at work, it is the bond of appreciation that makes relationships strong
enough to allow for problem-solving and differing needs.
7. Focusing on learning -
Make the practices described in challenges 1 through 6 important parts
of your everyday living. Pay attention to each conversation as an opportunity
to grow in skill, awareness and compassion.
In a recent survey of recruiters from companies with more than 50,000
employees, communication skills were cited as the single more important
decisive factor in choosing managers. The survey, conducted by the University
of Pittsburgh's Katz Business School, points out that communication skills,
including written and oral presentations, as well as an ability to work with
others, are the main factor contributing to job success.
Being able to communicate effectively is therefore essential if you want
to build a successful career. To do this, you must understand what your
message is, what audience you are sending it to, and how it will be perceived.
You must also weigh-in the circumstances surrounding your communications,
such as situational and cultural context.
To deliver your messages effectively, you must commit to breaking down
the barriers that exist within each of these stages of the communication
process.
Let's begin with the message itself. If your message is too lengthy,
disorganized, or contains errors, you can expect the message to be
misunderstood and misinterpreted. Use of poor verbal and body language can
also confuse the message.
Barriers in context tend to stem from senders offering too much
information too fast. When in doubt here, less is oftentimes more. It is best to
be mindful of the demands on other people's time, especially in today's ultra-
busy society.
Once you understand this, you need to work to understand your
audience's culture, making sure you can converse and deliver your message to
people of different backgrounds and cultures within your own organization, in
your country and even abroad.
Improve your Communication Skills : Here are 6 great tips you can
use:
1. Awareness of your own interaction with other people is the first step
in improving your communication skills.
2. You must accept responsibility for your own behavior and do not fear
apologizing for errors in judgment or insensitive actions. Asking others for
honest feedback about the way you interact with others can be very helpful.
Accept the negative feedback along with the positive and make changes
accordingly.
3. Your non-verbal communication is equally as important as the things
that you say. Positive body language is extremely important in your
interactions with other people. If your words and your actions do not match,
you will have a difficult time succeeding in social situations.
4. In order to learn how to improve your communication skills, you must
become a great listener. You must fight the urge to respond immediately and
really listen to what the other person is trying to communicate. Offering
suggestions or criticism before you are certain of the other person's intent can
only lead to frustration for both parties.
5. Improving your communication skills is a process and cannot be
accomplished overnight. Trying to improve or change too many things at once
will be counter-productive. You will become discouraged and overwhelmed if
you attempt to change your entire personality all at once. Choose one or two
traits at a time and work on those over a period of time. Learn to take
advantage of your personal strengths and make a positive impact on others.
6. Maximize your positive personality traits and use them in your
interactions with others. Good communication and great listening skills are
the most important tools you can use in improving your communication skills.
You can learn how to improve your communication skills by developing
excellent listening skills, learning to resolve problems and conflicts,
understanding body language, and accepting responsibility for your own
negative behavior.
Books:
Communication Skills: Stepladders to success for the professional by
Richard Ellis
The handbook of Communication Skills by Owen Hargie
101 ways to improve your communication skills instantly by Jo Condrill &
Bennie Bough
Communications Skills - continued ….
Based on the feedback & comments from readers of write-up on (comm.
Skills came in last week' eenadu news paper), here is an attempt to explain
ways to develop communication skills.
Effective Communication is A Real Skill
Communication skills have to be developed, nurtured and updated on an
on-going basis. They are at the heart of interpersonal skills and more you
know how it all works, the more effective your communication will be.
How to Develop Good Communication Skills
1. Communication (in this context) is the process of exchanging signals /
messages between a set of sender(s) and receiver(s); and this can be in
different modes, written, vocal or signs. It is also a mechanism to establish /
modify relationship.
2. How do you present yourself & interact with others is greatly
influenced by your attitude. It is strongly recommended to choose to be
sincere, positive, be honest, sensitive to other's feelings, show patience and
most importantly accepting others & believe in other's capabilities.
3. One most important & effective way to make a conversation or
interaction successful is to make eye contact. It not only demonstrate your
confidence but also conveys interest and encourages your partner (the
speaker or listener). When in front of more people, making eye contact with
different people at different times creates a comfort feeling and personalizes
the interaction.
4. Body language, which is your physical posture, communicates much
more than a bunch of words. Quite often, a conversation can be initiated or
ended by the body language of people. Appropriate physical posture (and an
‘approachable' stance) can make lot of difference in the result or
consequences of a conversation.
5. You should know what you think so that you can convey them timely to
others. You should take adequate time on each day (or in few days) to know
your own opinions, feelings and thought process. In situations / conversations
you should be able to express them boldly. What is important, useful to one
person may not be of same to an other person or may be of more to someone
else. The courage to say express your opinions / feelings may fetch you an
opportunity to learn more than you knew before. Please note, you opinions /
feelings may be wrong, which can ONLY be corrected if you express them
boldly.
6. When you express, express LOUD & CLEAR. A suitable level of tone &
volume demonstrates that you mean what you say, you know what you say and
you already thought of what to say; which means demonstrating confidence in
your views and expressions. This would also reduce possible mis-
understanding.
7. It is always small at the beginning; so as communication skills.
Developing advanced commutation skills begins with simple & smaller
interactions. Practice smaller conversations every day, with your own self, in
the back your mind and/or with your mirror image. Any new learning takes
time to excel, but each time you use your skills towards an effective
communication, you open up to more opportunities, relationships and
successful partnerships.
8. Any learning with respect to communication skills can not complete,
infact can not start even without ‘effective listening skills'. Yes, if you're not a
good listener, you can never be a good speaker or articulator; because
communication is not one way. Avoid the tendency to listen only to for the
end of other persons words so that you can jump on to it with ideas, views,
opinions or suggestions which comes in to your mind while the other person
was speaking.
TIPS
¤ Speak fluently; does not mean fast but avoid unwanted pauses &
repetitions
¤ Use proper grammar
¤ Speak firmly; no murmuring
Time management
Until you value yourself, you won't value your time. Until you value your time,
you will not do anything productive with it. - M. Scott Peck
This is a topic familiar to almost every individual irrespective of social,
economical, educational, regional ..so on …backgrounds. ‘No Time' is something
we hear in atleast 2 out of 3 conversations; let the conversation be at the school,
in a friendly chat, at the market yard or at office. And, each one of us, at one
point in time or other, have tried (or have been trying) to do ‘something' about
better utilizing time. . Most importantly, each one of us already have a method,
a technique, an approach and/or a perception about ‘time'. Having said this, I did
not want to spend too much of time (or words) on this topic but yes, would like to
share with you e few guidelines or techniques on “Time Management”.
The key is in not spending time, but in investing it. - Stephen R. Covey
Time management is not exactly about managing time but mostly about
managing task(s). Probably, it's been referred to as Time Management as there
is a definite limit to the time available as compared to the number of tasks or
amount of work one need to handle. Time Management in fact is an outcome of
several activities; for example, how well the task is understood, how well it is
planned to handle the task, how well the plan is executed and how well the
outcome is assessed as compared to a desired, anticipated or expected outcome.
Many people are discouraged from trying to learn new knowledge or skills,
spend time with family and friends, go to visit a place or roam around and so on
so forth because of time issues. They already feel that their lives are too busy
and they don't see how it is possible to fit more commitments into their already
jammed schedules. Other people take an overly easy-going approach towards
similar things.
Both types of people described above might benefit from improving their
time management and organization skills.
The first type of people (who believes that they are "too busy" and cannot
afford to take-up any thing new) might actually be able to make the necessary
time available if they try to tag a value to the things they are doing and the
things they want to do. This will help figuring out whether new things might be
more important than other current commitments, and then, if found that the new
things have more value , a conscious and careful rearrangement of current
commitments and responsibilities so as to move aside things that are less
important and make room for learning. Normally scheduled events (like
preparing dinner, or paying bills, or child care) might be able to be put off for a
while, or given over to someone else in the family so as to make room for sparing
time for ‘the new things' being planned.
The second type of people (who has an overly easy-going approach) might
do much better in their already chosen programs/skill/activity/job if they actually
set a priority & importance to them. We need to realize that many things can be
accomplished in life when their value is known, the importance (rather need) is
identified & are accordingly prioritized and then take them seriously enough to
see that they get done in a timely manner.
Time management skills boil down to awareness, organization and
commitment. You need to become aware of and record everything you're doing
so that important things get done on time and nothing bothers you at a crucial
time. You also need to commit to keeping your schedule, and not wandering off
when something more momentarily interesting occurs. Time management and
organization skills are applicable to a wide range of life tasks you might decide
to take on. They will benefit you broadly in whatever you might do.
The awareness part of time management corresponds to self-monitoring
methods. In this case, what you need to self-monitor are your commitments and
how much time you spend on them. Commitments are appointments, or things
you have to do like every-day-jobs, or attending a class. They are also the things
you choose to do when you are avoiding your actual commitments (such as
spending time hanging out with your friends). Some commitments are
predictable and follow a formal schedule, while others are informal and occur
more spontaneously. You have explicit commitments (like classes, assignments
and interviews) and also implicit commitments (like the time you'll need to put in
studying for tests, or researching and preparing presentations). Make sure you
schedule time for both commitment types!
There never seems to be enough time to do everything. Time is
something we all have in common. It does not matter how hard we try, we really
can't “save” time or “buy” time. However, it is possible to learn to “spend” our
time wisely to avoid “losing” on time. The goal of time management should not
be to find more time, but use the available time more effectively. The goal is to
set a reasonable amount of time to do things and then use that time wisely.
¤ A ‘To Do' list helps listing tasks / activities. It will not only help as a good
reminder on various things to be accomplished but also can be used to prioritize
them, if spent little bit more time. What you need to do is to just write down all
the tasks / activities for the given day, week and so on. Then, mark them based
on time bound, routine, and one-time so on. Once you have it ready, then
prioritize them in each of the categories separately. This is one way of doing,
but, take my word, once you have the raw list ready, you will find yourself
several ways to handle them all more efficiently
¤ Good time management goes in line with good organization of things. Put
your daily routines into detail. While you don't need to schedule every step of
them, listing routine tasks helps you to remember each step you need to take to
meet your goal, whether it's getting to work or college on time or doing things
beyond your regular Monday to Friday schedules.
¤ You might have realized quite often that some of tasks are relatively large.
Try to break a large task in to smaller ones. There are more than few
advantages with this approach; you can realize clear milestones in accomplishing
a large task; easy to cater time and plan to complete this smaller task(s); these
smaller achievements boosts up the morale & confidence; most importantly, if
you're interrupted in the middle of a task (the smaller one) it's easy to cope-up
again.
¤ Don't under or over estimate time. Over estimating time may find problems
in fitment of such task in to the bigger plan or even may attain a lower priority
(due to lack of fitment). Whereas, under estimating may disrupt your day's
schedule and makes it impossible to meet-up with your schedule. However, be
generous with your time allocation. It's much easier to fit a small task into
“extra” time than it is to try to make up for “lost” time.
(This comes with little experience; so don't be so bothered about allocating
time in the beginning, but make sure you have surplus time if a task spills over
originally estimated time).
¤ This one sounds little too much, but very useful. Though you plan your day
very well, you may often find small portions of time being spent on waiting or not
doing anything. You can even plan to utilize few of these small portions. For
example, if you're waiting in the queue to pay electricity bill, you may like to pick
up your ‘to do' list and review or pick up your note pad and complete part of the
assignment (atleast the outline, if not in paragraphs)
¤ Big messes start with little piles — completing a task is an art; make sure
you completely finish all circles. Put things away at pre-designated places as you
finish using them. This ‘completeness' not only helps keeping you out of clutter
but also helps you with a big cleaned up space (may not be necessarily in
physical dimensions); you'll know where things are the next time you need to use
them. Added advantage here is, you won't ‘waste time' searching for things;
they are just there for you whenever you need them. I know & have seen people
(both at work and outside) who spend a significant amount of time just searching
for things; they don't remember or pay attention on where they kept them after
last use.
¤ Plan your day in such a way that your tomorrow actually starts tonight. Get
in the habit of preparing for the next day at the end of your day. Write out a “to
do” list for tomorrow's tasks. Leave keys, wallet (or purse), and your To Do List
all in the same place. For optimum time management, you can even lay out
tomorrow's clothing before you go to bed.
¤ Reminders - all of us carry cell phones and other gadgets these days and
almost every cell phone have the features of calendars, to do and reminders (so
as our computers). Use them efficiently. You can also highlight on things which
‘you should not forget' and give them space on the top of your To Do list
¤ Round to-its — This goes with breaking up larger tasks to smaller ones. For
example, if your personal room to be cleaned; it can be broken in to smaller
tasks, clear the clothes, clear the books, clear the computer table, through
unwanted stuff, get the room dusted and mopped. The easiest way to get “a
round to-it” is to schedule a task or tasks. Each one of the above tasks can be
done independently and separately.
¤ First things first - Prioritize your tasks and then schedule each one at the
appropriate time. For instance, you may have to wait until after work or college
to clean your room. Although it may be your “top priority” for the day, it needn't
be at the top of your list!
¤ Learn to say no! — Frequently, we consider that saying “no” is discourteous,
but you can be frank without being rude. “I can't do it now, but I could (insert
when) “or “I'm sorry, but I just can't manage that today” is just good time
management.
¤ The pause that refreshes - Do make breaks a scheduled part of your day. A
small break at the end of a large task or series of small tasks refreshes you and
helps you to settle down and focus on “what's next?”
¤ Be flexible — Effective time management will take some time to get used to.
No matter what you did or didn't get done today, there is always tomorrow.
¤ To gain perfection and enjoy the benefits of ‘Time Management' one need to
be healthy, energetic and enthusiastic; one cannot be so, if there is not adequate
time scheduled and religiously followed for food and sleep. Have a very strict
schedule for your breakfast, lunch, dinner, when to go to bed and when to
wakeup. It will be much more beneficial if you plan physical activities (sports,
gym and other workouts) also so strictly.
Remember, Time Management is not about creating ‘extra time' but
about using the ‘available time' more efficiently and effectively.
Main reasons for unsuccessful time management are: failure to arrange
the tasks in preferential order, starting them without being attracted to more
powerful unbeneficial deeds later and thirdly completing them with dedication
and discipline - Yandamoori Veerendranath
Books:
There are several books on Time Management, but this is a skill should be
developed using one's own style.
SECRETS OF SUCCESS (What parents don't know, Teachers never tell)
either in English or Telugu (Vijaya rahasyalu) and THE ART OF STUDYING
either in English or Telugu (chaduvu Ekaagratha) by Yandamoori Time
Management: Increase Your Personal Productivity and Effectiveness (Harvard
Business Essentials) by Harvard Business School Press
You may delay, but time will not. So, act now.
Benjamin Franklin
Working in Teams
It does not matter whether you're a team member, team lead, manager or even CEO
of an organization, your success is defined by your team's success. To be a good team
player you must be willing to cooperate, collaborate, share and most importantly you
should be willing to put team / organization goals at a higher priority as compared to
your own personal goals.
The difference between a team and a group is that a team is interdependent for
overall performance. The members of a group work in isolation. In both the cases,
the members work towards completion of an assigned task, but the major difference
is, a team member's success is aligned with organizations success and a group
member's success is more individualistic. A group qualifies as a team only if its
members focus on helping one another to accomplish organizational objectives.
'Teamwork is the capability to comprehend and recognize the diverse strengths and abilities in a group setting and then applying them to one final solution. - WikipediaWhy Teams?
¤ Better in solving problems ¤ Quicker in solving problems ¤ Different packs of knowledge & expertise ¤ Learn from each other
¤ Healthy competition ¤ Innovative ¤ Improved processes and procedures The above are not only the very reasons for encouraging Teams but also the characteristics of Successful Teams.Tips to an Individual to work successfully in a Team
Know other members: Their background, skill, experience, likes and dislikes etc.
Meet other members regularly: Exchange thoughts, fun and knowledge; what is a
good time to interact etc.
What is common: This will develop bonding, trust and most importantly ‘an interest'
to interact.
Let others also talk: Give room for others also so speak and express (whether you like
it or not). Cutting someone off is rude, and not worth whatever small time gain you
might make. Don't finish someone's sentences for him or her; they can do it for
themselves. And remember: talking louder or faster doesn't make your idea any
better.
Check your egos: Ego & good relation never go together.
Appreciate each other. Find something nice to say, even if it's a stretch. Even the
worst of ideas has brighter side of it. Focus on the good, praise it, and then raise any
objections or concerns you have about the rest of it.
Who does what: When it comes to work, make sure the work allocated is clearly
documented. Do not assume anything.
Be open and honest. Any sugar-coating or hidden agenda may lead to long term
problems. Understand the fact, you are with a family away from your family and you
spend a significant amount of time with this family.
Avoid conflict at all costs. When stress occurs and tempers go up, take a short break.
Clear your heads, apologize, and take another stab at it.
Phrase alternatives as questions. Instead of "I think we should do A, not B," try "What
if we did A, instead of B?" That allows people to offer comments, rather than defend
one choice.
Talk in person: If you did not like anything in a person or wanted to give a
suggestion, do it in person; never do it in front of other members.
No personal remarks: Always talk about the topic, task, goal, objective; never ever
talk about the person performing. This would mostly strain the relationships.
Give n Take: Share with others and you will get more back; also remember, you get
what you give.
Empathy: Empathy is an ability to deal with emotions & feelings of others. Resonate
with the emotions & feelings of your co-team members. This would help the
relationships go stronger & mutually beneficial.
12 C's
Susan Heathfield is a Human Resources expert. She is a management and
organization development. Susan is also a professional facilitator, speaker, trainer,
and writer.
¤ Clear Expectations
¤ Context
¤ Commitment
¤ Competence
¤ Charter
¤ Control
¤ Collaboration
¤ Communication
¤ Creative Innovation
¤ Consequences
¤ Coordination
¤ Cultural Change
Students, don't think that this is only for people working; not exactly, but of
great help to you also, when you work on your assignments, project works, study
together and even in a general class scenario.
These may not be ‘as is' applicable to you but, there are several things which
you can apply in your student life and preserve the others to become a ‘great' team
member in future.
Decide where you want to be …..
Problem Solving
The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problem. - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
When every physical and mental resources is focused, one's power to solve a problem multiplies tremendously. - Norman Vincent Peale
No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it. - Albert Einstein
Crisis Management & Problem Solving are indeed two different issues to deal with. Crisis Management is typically the term used in case of a disaster; we generally hear it in Organizations / Corporates. Problem Solving is more a general term or something we use on a day-to-day basis. But, here for the benefit of our readers who are either students or those in the beginning stage of their careers, we tried to present them as one aspect.
Problem Solving need demands for certain abilities:
¤ to be flexible. ¤ to apply different working styles on different occasions, e.g.
‘Task', ‘Individual' or ‘Team' oriented ¤ to possess communicative skills and the confidence to negotiate and compromise. ¤ to be capable of handling and sifting large quantities of, sometimes inaccurate and sketchy information to draw up as accurate as possible a picture of the situation. ¤ to be capable of recognizing and filtering the right information and need to know when to become pro-active in gathering data.
There are many approaches to problem solving, depending on the nature of the problem and the people involved in the problem. The more traditional, rational approach is typically used and involves, eg, clarifying description of the problem, analyzing causes, identifying alternatives, assessing each alternative, choosing one, implementing it, and evaluating whether the problem was solved or not.
Another, more state-of-the-art approach is appreciative inquiry. That approach asserts that "problems" are often the result of our own perspectives on a phenomena, eg, if we look at it as a "problem," then it will become one and we'll probably get very stuck on the "problem." Appreciative inquiry includes identification of our best times about the situation in the past, wishing and thinking about what worked best then, visioning what we want in the future, and building from our strengths to work toward our vision.
The activities of problem solving and decision making are closely intertwined, so the reader will often find mention of the two topics together.
Key Elements of Problem Solving
¤ the problem you are trying to solve has already been solved by someone else in the past, by all means learn that solution first, even if you intend to improve on it ¤ begin by solving the simplest version of the problem ¤ build your solution incrementally ¤ avoid focusing on a single solution ¤ avoid hidden assumptions (which often means, no
assumptions; consider the problem in totality) ¤ be patient and persevere ¤ don't expect to find permanent answers
Problems come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. There is no single or simple step-by-step process which guarantees a solution. We need to configure or adapt our problem solving processes to fit the problem at hand, based on our capabilities, skills, priorities etc. Toward that end, here are ten tips—ideas to strengthen problem solving tool box.
1. Focus on the solved state
Pay at least as much attention to the solved state as is paid to the problem state. “If you're not sure where you're going, you're liable to end up someplace else - and not even know it - Robert F Mager.
[Dr. Robert F. Mager is an accomplished author and world-renowned expert on training and human performance improvement issues. One of Dr. Mager's most significant contributions to the performance improvement field is his work on the Criterion-Referenced Instruction (CRI) training methodology. CRI is used to develop training guaranteed to work and has become the standard for excellence in training and performance improvement.]
When solving a problem, more often than not we are trying also to achieve some other, more desirable state of affairs. Theoretically speaking, we're trying to move from the problem state to the solved state.
But, if we're not in an emergency situation, and if we still have nothing more in mind than doing something to rid ourselves of the problem state, we can create situations where all we do is move from problem to problem, the result of the solution to one problem creating one or more new problems. These are referred to as “inefficient” solutions. An “efficient” solution, of course, creates no new problems.
There are several ways of focusing on the solved state. One is
to define it the same way we would define the problem state (more about that under Tip #3). Another is to list possible measures or indicators of its attainment. Ask yourself questions like these: “How will I know the problem has been solved? What will I accept as evidence? What does the solved state look like?” Yet a third is to be clear about all the goals and objectives of the problem solving effort. (This last point is so important that it constitutes a tip all its own—the next one.)
2. Be clear about all your goals and objectives
Ultimately, the aim of problem solving is action. To engage in problem solving is to search for a solution. To actually solve a problem is to implement the solution that has been found and demonstrate that it works. Solving problems requires intervention as well as investigation.
One way of examining the multi-dimensionality of our goals and objectives is to compare and identify any disparities between our perceptions (what we have) and our preferences (what we want). Four categories of goals and objectives can be derived from the interplay of our perceptions and preferences: Achieve, Preserve, Avoid, and Eliminate (Arnold, 1978; Nickols, 1992).For any problem situation, it is useful to ask the following questions as a way of clarifying all your goals and objectives: 1. What are we trying to achieve? 2. What are we trying to preserve? 3. What are we trying to avoid? 4. What are we trying to eliminate?
3. Expand your definition of “Define the Problem”
Perhaps the best-known step in the problem solving process is the one most people think of as the first step: “Define the Problem.” This is probably the most misunderstood and poorly executed step in the process. For many people, “Define the Problem” means simply to provide a written definition or statement of the problem. There is much more to it than that.
To define means to establish boundaries, to encompass, to enclose, to locate, to isolate, to distinguish, to differentiate, to set apart. To define the problem state (or the
solved state) means, to do the following: 1. To establish boundaries; to delineate (Locate). 2. To give distinguishing characteristics; to differentiate (Isolate). 3. To state the nature of; to describe precisely (Articulate). 4. To state the meaning of; to provide a definition (Explicate).
Rarely are definitions of the problem state or the solved state crystal-clear up front. Clarity typically develops over time. In many cases, the definition of a problem may be considered complete only after the problem has been solved. Until then, it is a shifting, evolving, changing part of the process. Thus, although “Defining the Problem” is a good step with which to begin the problem solving process, it is only a starting point and it must be revisited on a regular basis. This also is true of any definition of the solved state.
4. Think of problem solving as a cover-the-bases activity
Information does not make itself available to suit the requirements of anyone's problem solving process. Solving a problem in a complex organization has much in common with detective work. We are forced to follow leads and unearth clues.
A systematic approach is necessary but the point of having one is to make sure you tend to all the things that need tending to, that you “cover the bases,” not run around them in a 1-2-3 fashion. Here is a list of twelve “bases” to be covered or tasks that typically need tending to in the course of solving a problem:
1. Defining the problem state. 2. Specifying the solved state. 3. Modeling the structure of the problem. 4. Finding and fixing the “cause” of the problem. 5. Engineering a solution. 6. Settling on a course of action. 7. Reconciling restraints and constraints. 8. Obtaining support and consensus. 9. Preparing plans and schedules. 10. Taking action. 11. Assessing its effects and consequences. 12. Adjusting future actions as required.
Steps 4 and 5 are typically mutually exclusive; you do one or the other but not both. Step 3 is very important and is elaborated upon in the next tip.
5. Draw pictures of the structure of the problem
A picture or model of the elements and relationships in a problem situation will help you to more quickly and more completely grasp the situation and figure out what to do about it.
The elements of this system include inputs, a processor, outputs, a controller, and control loops. On the front end of this system is a task initiation loop and on the back end is an evaluation and termination loop. The relationships among these elements are such that inputs to the work system interact with the processor. The interactions between inputs and processor, which typically consist of prefigured routines, are referred to as “processes.” These processes produce the work system's outputs. All this occurs under the watchful eye of the controller.
The use of diagrams or schematics as an aid to problem solving is not new. Technicians have been using schematics as troubleshooting aids for years. Computer programmers and systems analysts are familiar with, if not dependent on, flowcharts and data structure models. Industrial engineers have relied on process flow diagrams.
6.Take the concept of cause with a grain of salt
If ever there was a time-waster in problem solving, it has to be the search for the cause of the problem. Don't misunderstand—the concept of cause is frequently relevant, but its usefulness depends on the kind of problem being solved. It's not relevant all the time and, for some problems, it's never relevant.
Not all problems can be said to be caused. And not all causes can be corrected.
At a more mundane level, consider the employee who doesn't know how to perform a certain task. Suppose this person was never trained to perform the task. Suppose the task itself was only recently made a part of the person's job. What's the “cause” in this case? Is it the employee's lack
of knowledge? Is it the fact that she was not trained? Is it the newness of the task? Is it the reduction in force? Or is it the economic conditions that led to the reduction in force?
The point of this tip is a simple one: The concept of cause is relevant in some cases but not in others. Take the time early in your problem-solving efforts to decide if the concept of cause is or isn't relevant before you spend time and energy looking for something that doesn't exist or that can't be corrected.
7. Watch out for disconnects
The term “disconnect” refers to the uncoupling of solutions from the problems they are intended to solve. This typically happens when one person or group of persons defines the problem, a second person or group of persons is assigned to figure out what to do about it, and yet a third person or group of persons is tasked with actually implementing the solution.
Beware of disconnects!
8. Be aware of your own blinders (beliefs, we are so used to)
We all wear a custom-tailored set of “blinders,” that is, perceptual and value-based filters that lead us to see or not see certain things, or to interpret them in certain ways. These blinders are sometimes useful, but many a times not. In all cases, it pays to know what they are.
When it comes to problems and problem solving, there are several ways we can get a peek at how we're placing our own personal “spin” on things. One is the way we label the problem.
Labels invoke what Allen Newell and Herbert Simon (1972) termed the ‘problem space': - “problem labels influence the way I frame a problem, they lead me look in different places for different things. It is useful to pause during the course of working on a problem and ask yourself how you've got it labeled. Deliberately changing the label can also be useful”.
9. Develop your own system for solving problems
This amounts to recommending that you reinvent the wheel. Be that as it may, the point is that you simply cannot pick up someone else's conceptual tools and make immediate use of them. A certain amount of adaptation is unavoidable & inevitable.
As a problem solver, you must develop your own system for solving
problems. You have to develop a scheme whereby you can tell if a given problem solving tool is useful or not and put it to use accordingly.
An earlier example of a problem solving tool that might or might not be useful in a given situation was the concept of cause. Below are three more. These are techniques.
1. Brainstorming. Coming up with ideas is important, and brainstorming is a good way to do that. But, brainstorming won't take the place of detailed financial analysis. And brainstorming won't tell you who's going to oppose your definition of the problem. And brainstorming won't tell you how to persuade that person to support your definition—or lead you to acknowledge that there may be merit in her position. Brainstorming is a useful technique, but not for all occasions. The definitive book on this subject is Applied Imagination, by Alex Osborn.
2. Force-Field Analysis. This, too, is a useful technique—in certain situations. Force-field analysis isn't likely to be of much use in determining which component burned out (and neither is brainstorming). In general, force-field analysis is a useful technique for examining psychological and sociological factors or forces, but there are better tools available for diagnosing problems in physical systems. A good summary of this technique can be found in the second edition of The Planning of Change.
3. Root Cause Analysis. This technique has its roots in quality control. It is a structured method for identifying the factors that contribute to the effects observed in a given situation but it is not a means for identifying the structure of the problem. Those interested in the technique of root cause analysis can find adequate explanations in Kaizen, by Masaaki Imai, The Customer Driven Company, by Richard C. Whiteley, and in Section 22, of Juran's Quality Control Handbook.
10. Research the subject matter
Many books have been written about problem solving and solving problems. It would take a great deal of time to read them all—if you were so inclined. The good stuff is scattered about in several books. A tidbit here, a morsel there, a snack now and then, but hardly ever a full meal, let alone a feast.
Books:
How We Think (1910). John Dewey The psychology of problem solving by Janet E. Davidson, Robert J. Sternberg.
Being Positive.
We learned the importance of Soft-skills in current competitive job world. We learned that Soft-skills are
sometimes classified into personal attributes & interpersonal abilities. We also briefly touched up on few
key Soft-skills which can be considered, with adequate priority, to be included in learning program to
succeed in our career.
Here is an attempt to provide some more information on these soft-
skills and few helpful books, where available.
Being Positive:
There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a
big difference. That little difference is attitude. The big difference is
whether it is positive or negative. - Robert Collier.
The attitude one carry reflects on one's appearance, unless, that one is
a great actor. And, they are the thoughts which are very powerful and
affect one's general attitude. That's not the end of it, one's attitude not
only reflects and effects one's appearance but also affect people around.
It completely depends on the individual what type of attitude he/she
carry; it can be either positive or negative.
Attitude can also be defined as the way of looking at the world. If you
choose to focus on the negative things in the world, more or less you have
a negative attitude brewing up. However, if you choose to focus on the
positive things, you are more likely carry a positive attitude.
Positive Attitude:
¤ Have a filling effect; admittedly invigorating. Plus, the people
around the person carrying positive thoughts are usually energized by
this type of attitude.
¤ Attracts people.
¤ promotes better health. Those with this kind of attitude also have
more friends. projecting a positive attitude also helps one to handle stress
and problems better than those who have a negative attitude.
¤ A positive attitude begins with a healthy self-image. If you will
love the way you are and are satisfied, confident, and self-assured, you
also make others are around feel the same way.
Negative Attitude:
¤ Negative thoughts have a sapping effect on other people. Aside
from making you look gloomy and sad, negative thoughts can turn a
festive gathering into a funeral wake
¤ Repels people. People tend to shy away from those who carry a
negative attitude
¤ A negative attitude, on the other hand, has, of course, an opposite
effect on healthy self-image. So, carrying a negative attitude has a
twofold drawback. You feel bad about yourself, and you make others feel
the same way.
If you want to have a positive attitude, you have to feature healthy
thoughts. This is probably very hard to do nowadays since, all around us,
the media feeds us nothing but negative thoughts. A study shows that for
every 14 things a parent says to his or her child, only one is positive. This
is truly a saddening thought.
If you want a healthier outlook in life, you need to think happy
thoughts, and you have to hear positive things as well. So, what can you
do? Well, for starters, you could see a funny movie, you could play with
children, spend some time telling jokes with friends. All these activities
fill you with positive stimuli, which in turn promotes positive attitude.
Although it is impossible to keep ourselves from the negative things
around us, you can still carry a positive attitude by focusing on the good
things, the positive things in life.
And this positive attitude you now carry can be of benefit to other
people. Sometimes when other people feel down, the thing people mostly
do is try to give them advice. But sometimes, all they need is somebody to
sit by them, and listen to them. If you have a positive attitude you may be
able to cheer them up without even having to say anything.
If positive attitude is really great, why do people choose to adopt a
negative attitude instead? One who carries a negative attitude may be
actually sending a signal for attention. Before you get me wrong, feeling
sad, angry, or gloomy is not wrong itself. But dwelling on these thoughts
for far too long is not healthy either. There is a time to mourn.
As always, if you are beset by troubles, even in your darkest hour,
focus on the good things in life, you will always have hope. Problems
become something you can overcome.
You do not have much to lose by adopting a healthy, positive attitude.
Studies show that such an attitude actually retards aging, makes you
healthier, helps you develop a better stress coping mechanism, and has a
very positive effect on all the people you meet every day. So, what's not to
like about a positive attitude? Adopt one today.
Jon Gordon
Jon Gordon is a speaker, consultant and author of the international
best sellers
¤ The Energy Bus:10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work and Team
with Positive Energy,
¤ The No Complaining Rule: Positive Ways to Deal with
Negativity at Work,
¤ Training Camp: What the Best do Better than Everyone Else
and
¤ The Shark and The Goldfish: Positive Ways to Thrive During
Waves of Change, Over the years Jon did a lot of research on the positive
effects of being positive and the negative affects of being negative. The
research is clear. It really does pay to be positive and the benefits include
enhanced health and longevity, happiness, career advancement, athletic
performance, team building and financial success. Being positive is not
just a nice way to live. It's the way to live. In this spirit here are 11
benefits of being positive.
1. Positive People Live Longer - In a study of nuns, those that regularly
expressed positive emotions lived on average 10 years longer.
2. Positive work environments outperform negative work
environments.
3. Positive, optimistic sales people sell more than pessimistic sales
people.
4. Positive leaders are able to make better decisions under pressure.
5. Marriages are much more likely to succeed when the couple
experiences a 5 to 1 ratio of positive to negative interactions whereas
when the ratio approaches 1 to 1, marriages are more likely to end in
divorce.
6. Positive people who regularly express positive emotions are more
resilient when facing stress, challenges and adversity.
7. Positive people are able to maintain a broader perspective and see
the big picture which helps them identify solutions where as negative
people maintain a narrower perspective and tend to focus on problems.
8. Positive thoughts and emotions counter the negative effects of
stress. For example, you can't be thankful and stressed at the same time.
9. Positive emotions such as gratitude and appreciation help athletes
perform at a higher level.
10. Positive people have more friends which is a key factor of
happiness and longevity.
11. Positive and popular leaders are more likely to garner the support
of others and receive pay raises and promotions and achieve greater
success in the workplace.
Books:
The power of positive thinking - Norman Vincent Pele
Positive Thinking Every Day - Norman Vincent Pele
You can if you think you can - Normal Vincent Pele
How to stop worrying and start Living - Dale Carnegie
The magic of Thinking Big - David J Schwartz
Success Through a positive mental attitude - Napoleon Hill
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