Making sense of the world.
Posts tagged Work Smarts
How Not to Become a Web Bakra!
Sep 1st
© Timur Anikin | Dreamstime.com
Homes and offices across the subcontinent are increasingly populated by people afflicted by the S1N1 virus, also called the social networking virus. As usual, there are multiple strains, including resistant ones. Some are harmless and even quite useful, while others can expose you to a choice range of destructive possibilities.
The infected victims can be found sitting wide-eyed and naive in front of computer screens, hyperventilating over their favorite sites, some of which have critical security issues. The excitement could be over who is having coffee and where, to who is going out with whom and when. Pretty innocent stuff really. Except for the presence of another group of netizens, who get even more wide-eyed and hyperventilated, licking their chops and rubbing their palms in gleeful anticipation of catching another bakra.
No? Don’t want to become a bakra? Then check out the following two links to become safer on the net.
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/perlow/personal-computer-security-using-uncommon-sense/13878?tag=nl.e550
http://www.zdnet.com/news/spam-scheme-spreading-via-facebook-chat/461066?tag=nl.e550
Difficult Conversations
Jan 5th
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Have you ever noticed how many of our conversations are “for the most part dialogues of the deaf.” Some conversations drag, like walking on molten tar. A precious few like a walk in the park, leave us understood, delighted and refreshed.
Dr Paul Tournier[i] points out that our tendency is to set forth our own ideas, to justify ourselves, to enhance ourselves and to accuse others. Mostly, we are so busy with our own internal conversation, our self-talk, that we hardly hear, leave alone understand, those talking with us. It seems to be as common in homes and offices, as between friends and nations.
We have been given two ears and one mouth, so I guess we need to listen twice as much as we talk. As one proverb puts it: A wise man has large ears. It would seem that evolution has mostly produced people with tiny ears and inflated egos. Some cosmetic surgery might do good. Here are two interesting links on the subject. Check them out, to help get those ears.
Difficult Conversations article
[i] Marriage Difficulties by Paul Tournier
Ten Mantras for Great Teams
Oct 17th
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“No man is an island, entire of itself” said John Donne a long time ago. Still true today. Even leaders like Barrack Obama, Steve Jobs or Bill Gates need a supportive and enabling team. Similarly, we all have a latent capacity to excel if we function effectively together, but it doesn’t happen automatically. We have to work at it.
Many teams with the potential to excel get mired in mediocrity, hamstrung by internal strife, and barely hold together, leave alone achieving anything. Some teams are even busy doing nothing. As management guru Peter Drucker commented, “There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.”
Here are ten time-tested mantras to keep that from happening to you and your team.
Be the Change You Want to See
The transformation of a disjointed group of individuals into a well-knit, high performing team is an individual as well as a team effort. In the great Mahatma’s words, each team member must “be the change you want to see.” Then a lot can happen. Think about these mantras, discuss them, practice them. They will launch your team out of its limitations to achieve what you can never achieve alone.
Great team performance is more than the sum of individual effort. It is the result of synergy flowing from a deep sense of togetherness and purpose; twin qualities that have to be developed and continually maintained.
The Elements of Cohesiveness
What makes a team cohesive? What can you do to produce a deep sense of togetherness within the team? Consider the following five.
Develop Personal Integrity
Enron collapsed like a house of cards because of zero integrity. What happens when integrity is absent? Regular disturbances, blame games, negative criticisms, destructive politics, manipulations, inter-personal conflicts, stress, reactions instead of responses, loss of trust, unmet deadlines. Decision making becomes an uphill task.
Integrity is a composite quality. It means you can trust each other, instead of second guessing. It is the absence of hidden agendas and the presence of transparency, with nothing questionable. It is the assurance that each will deliver the best, on time, and be accountable to fellow team members. Integrity reduces problems, creates peace and well being, enhances togetherness, and leads to better decisions and choices.
Five Questions for Team Managers
Oct 17th
Wonder why your team is dysfunctional? Here is a diagnostic checklist to make sure that you are not contributing to your team’s ill health.
Are you neglecting communication with your team? Communication is an ongoing process, not a single past event. So, you’ll want to keep at it. Let your team know why they’re doing what they are doing, so they own the process, and improve performance.
Are you operating in the negative mode? Negative thinking can come from working in a reactive environment, such as in IT, where much time is spent reacting to problems and situations such as decreasing network downtime or putting out fires. To be a good leader you need to recognize the positive, such as recognizing and highlighting increased uptime. Recognize your people for the progress they make.
Are you treating everyone the same way? Team does not mean one size fits all. It may be true in some cases. However, if someone has a performance issue, don’t impose corrective measures on everyone. Do not be afraid to confront that one failing team member in private. Making everyone feel guilty is counterproductive.
Are you aware of the needs and concerns of your team? Some team leaders fail to talk on behalf of their team and represent their own interests. They do not take into consideration the thinking of the team. They want to be seen as the one who “gets things done.” So they refuse to tell their bosses that something can’t be done. Never over-promise on your team’s behalf.
Are you in the habit of never admitting you’re wrong or never taking responsibility? Being a manager of a team involves risk. If your team fails, you should and will be the one held accountable. Even if one individual team member messed it up, your job was to manage the overall performance, and you didn’t do it. So draw a deep breath and take responsibility for it. And if your own actions caused a kink in a project, admit it. Not owning up damages your credibility far more than simply saying, “I was wrong.”
Good team managers are made, not born. Be proactive in making yourself the best manager around. Seek the welfare of your team, for in its welfare is your welfare.
Are You Connected?
Oct 17th
Some studies have shown that between 65 to 80% of all new jobs are found through networking. Tom made hundreds of contacts, which helped him get a job at the helm of a start-up. He then sent almost a thousand thank you notes, with a card announcing his new assignment. His networking had paid off, and he was grateful for all those who had taken the time to advise and provide referrals.
How connected are you? If you were to suddenly lose your job, what might be the ensuing scenario?
Networking is essentially about connecting with people who are relevant to your profession and career. It is not a single event, but an ongoing process. From a marketing standpoint, it is about selling yourself to others. That takes time. You cannot just wake up one day and out of the blue dial someone and expect that person to stand up for you. If someone did that to you, how would you feel? Used and thrown, like tissue. Not nice.
They say that the scientific formula for networking is as predictable as mathematics. What you reap is in direct proportion to what you have sown. So, if you have been neglecting this activity, it’s time to change.
Here are some pointers for successful networking.