Technically qualified people often miss out on an essential skill: Communication. This turns out to be the single most crucial deciding factor later which gains them a competitive advantage. Here is how to prepare them for some of the situations in our day-to-day work life.
An Overlooked and Understated Skill
Any job worth having comes with pressure, and no where is that more true now, more than ever, than for technical personnel. Professional savvy with people-sense -–this is what every employer and subordinate looks for in technical personnel. Technical expertise, to an extent, they have acquired in the course of their regular curricula. The importance of communication and the essentials of effective communication are also dealt with, at least the tip of the ice berg is shown, during their academic career. What no institute ever teaches them or ever prepares them for is the pressure that comes in many shapes and sizes from a variety of communication situations - an upcoming presentation, presenting a new product to a small group, motivating a large audience, selling your proposals, explaining policies, handling conflicts, dealing with different employees, giving warning to an erring employee, confronting your boss and offering explanation for lapse, handling appraisal interviews, dealing with references requests, listening to consumer complaints, preparing employees for change, or for that matter, even termination. Some situations have to be dealt with on a one-to-one basis, where as some require that you tackle groups.
Face to Face Communication Situations
In a Progressive Discipline Program
Face-to-face communication situations at times appear complicated. For example, disciplinary problems have to be nipped in the bud. Otherwise, they become chronic. Oral warning is the first of the steps in a progressive discipline program. Oral warnings aim at discussing the problem objectively and rationally. Give the employee a chance to respond. You may hear any thing from a legitimate excuse to a defiant reply. Whatever it may be, the trick of the communication lies in letting the employee know that the talk is a warning, that you mean business, that your action has been warranted by the company’s disciplinary procedure, and that the next disciplinary measure will be forthcoming if the objectionable behaviour continues.
In Initiating Damage Control
When a small mistake you made at work creates not-so-small problems, a tricky communication situation arises. You have to comfort your boss and break the news yourself rather than let it open up through a third person. To initiate damage control you should be candid, have willingness to correct the problem and the desire to re-establish the probably temporarily lost creditability. Be straightforward. Indicate what you want to discuss and why. Give background information that led to the present situation. Tell honestly about the failure and the events you think led to failure. Be direct. Remain calm. Get the reaction of your boss. Be willing to face a showdown, or an unexpected indifferent shrug. Explain what remedial steps you have taken to fix things. Share with him further steps you intend to take. Get suggestions from your boss. Sum up the decisions taken regarding the course of action to avoid any potential goof-ups due to any communication gaps. Own up responsibility but do not grovel. You should state your perception of what you did right and where you went wrong. If there has been any positive fallout, indicate that, but make it clear that you are not using this as an excuse to justify your failure. Review the planned remedial action and finally thank the boss for discussing the problem and for his supportive space.
In Handling Appraisal Interviews
Appraisal interview is a challenge for you. Whether you are giving praise or criticism, be specific. Have tangible evidence of the four ‘P’s – problems, praise, performance and pitfalls – at your fingertips. Be prepared to allow enough time to discuss any unexpected issue that may come up. Acknowledge difference in performances even if some may be displeased. Suggest specific ways of improvement and point out precisely areas that need improvement. Give positive reinforcement. Allow for two-way communication. Let the appraisee explain, if there is an explanation, the gap between performance and expectation.
Group Communication Situations
In any group situation, your rule of the thumb should be: always keep the listeners’ needs in mind. The audience may fall in anyone of the following three categories. They may be there to gather information – they have precisely come for that, anything else there would be sheer waste of time. Another group does want to be entertained; people who fall in this category think they know everything they ought to know and they have not come there to learn. Another group does not know what they know, and people who belong to this group don’t care what they ought to know. They need motivation. So any presentation should be designed to teach, entertain and motivate at the same time.
To be able to teach, acquaint yourself with at least general details of the background of the audience – their education and experience. Use appropriate vocabulary, technical jargon, etc. Anticipate at least a few of the questions they must be grappling with. Make it a point to address these. Provide solid examples of how your ideas work. Use concrete rather than abstract expressions. Be specific. Use visuals. Never tell something that you can show them. Give relevant data. Make use of charts, graphs, etc. to support your proposals. Give complete information. Never leave any room for queries regarding the peripheral details about any proposal or project. Clarity should not be lost sight of. Focus your presentation. Offer bite-size morsels – only those details that are relevant to the context and can be covered within the available time should be offered.
To entertain the listener, go prepared with a story. It might be a joke, a first person humour, an analogy or an anecdote. Avoid jokes that are repeated ad-nausea, or a far- fetched story that does not connect with the objective of the presentation.
To motivate the listener, become like your listener. When you suggest that you have a similar background, ideology or aspiration as the listener, this sets the stage for the acceptance of ideas. Appear at your best. We may like to think that people are influenced by what a person says or does, not by a person’s appearance – but studies prove otherwise. Attractive people have the winning edge in influencing people. Make a believable case. Don’t be hesitant, vague, or self contradictory. Avoid exaggerations. Enhance your creditability by using straight talk.
Never assume that your audience is responsive. Come prepared to answer the most difficult questions you can think of. Speak in a pleasant but authoritative tone. Don’t sound weak. Ask for a microphone if you need one. Keep good eye contact with the audience. See that no one feels left out. Watch for clues that tell you if the audience is getting bored or becoming hostile. If some one attacks with an abrasive question, leave no moments of silence. Thank the audience and end your presentation.
Written Communication
With the advent of electronic mail, now technical personnel have to send and receive messages on their own. There is no secretary to fix your sloppy writing .Whether it is a letter, a report or a memo, plan an outline of the main points. Choose the key points and the supporting facts, ideas and examples. Imagine that the reader is listening to you. Start talking to that person in paper. Use simple language used in normal conversion. Let the ideas flow naturally. Let them incubate for a day or two. In the mean time, reflect on how you might improve them.
Edit the draft. Read aloud. Test for clarity. Check whether your write-up fulfils the objectives. Look out for vague or confusing expressions. Avoid insupportable claims or broad generations. Provide data or statistics when it becomes necessary to lend authenticity. Cut extra word. Give extra helpful examples. Examples can be life rafts. When you give your readers some examples that they can understand or relate to, you can help them reconstruct your ideas or concepts. Convert dull, pompous passive voice phrases to active ones. Personally do the proof-reading. Computers only check for misspelt words, not the sense. Mix long and short sentences for variety. Review the second draft. The first sentence or the first paragraph at least should give the objective of your write up. Maintain a ‘you –attitude’. Show that what you say will help the reader. Use positive approach. Say what you can do, not what you can’t. Include an action line at the end. Assign responsibility, request action, ask for response, or provide a timetable for follow-up. Ask yourself what should happen next and answer it, that is, the line of action your reader will possibly take up.
Remember, communication is the key to success.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Leaders Bond, Not Bind
Whether among friends or family, at work, or between nations, team spirit is an essential part of cooperation. What are the ways in which to achieve it in an office setting?
Build a cohesive team:
Sounds simple? The difficulty is precisely in that apparent simplicity. We often select efficient workers with similar experiences, put them together and expect smooth sailing. Conveniently enough we ride roughshod over their attitude towards work. Ultimately this very fact that we tend to ignore begins to call the shots. More than knowledge and skill, attitudes play a vital role in determining group dynamics.
Leena worked as an associate editor. When Edward, her colleague quit the job, she approached the Chief Editor. “”I’ve got the perfect person to fill the job,” she said. “My friend Eunice and I used to work together before I came here. She is good and is looking for a change of scene.” The Chief Editor, Ram, agreed to interview Eunice along with other candidates. After several interviews Ram was convinced that Eunice was the right candidate. Leena was thrilled. We’ll be a great team, she told Eunice.
But while Leena and Eunice had worked together some years back, much water had passed under the bridge since then. Later, they had worked for different publications. Their work styles were less than compatible. Leena tended to be cautious while Eunice was more of a risk-taker. This created problems. Instead of learning from each other, Leena and Eunice let friction develop to the point that after a month they weren’t on speaking terms. Work flow was beginning to slip. Phone messages got lost or garbled. Ram began to receive angry calls from advertisers. Checking ads was the responsibility of associate editors. Now Ram had to review his recruitment policies and team building techniques.
Does this situation sound familiar to you? Remember, the trick is not just in selecting talented people but in creating the required work culture. To make this possible, you must:
• Mould a cohesive work group.
• Inspire enthusiasm among subordinates
• Budget time to allow for sufficient direct contact with subordinates.
• Hold regular briefing sessions.
• Understand the work attitudes of different employees.
• Use a scientific approach to solve interpersonal problems (observe, analyze, evaluate decide, implement, follow up).
If Making Decisions is Tough, Changing them is Even Tougher
When confronted with a problem you should be able to act on your own even when others are hesitant to do so. Using good judgment in difficult situations along with the ability to take risks are the hallmarks of decision-making capabilities. The irony is that no one wants to risk changing an already made decision even if there is a risk in not changing it. However, it is perfectly fine to change your mind and decision under certain circumstances. Ask yourself, “Did I have all the facts before the decision was made, or has new information been given to me?” If the answers are No and Yes, in that order, you are definitely justified in changing your mind.
Thomas had recommended a raise for Karan on the basis of performance appraisals given by his predecessor, Salim. Later, on interacting more closely with Karan’s immediate supervisor, he noted certain skill deficiencies and rated his performance as substandard.
• Create the right work culture.
• Mould a cohesive work group.
• Inspire enthusiasm among subordinates.
• Make time to allow for sufficient direct contact with subordinates.
• Have regular briefing sessions.
• Understand the work attitudes of different employees.
• Develop a scientific approach to solve interpersonal problems (observe, analyze, evaluate, decide, implement, follow-up).
Don’t forget the fact that the more competent the people you hire, the more individualistic they will be. • To draw the line between individualism and pluralism is not a pleasant job, but remember it is in your lot.
Salim confessed that he had never taken time to discuss Karan’s performance with his immediate supervisors. Thomas decided that he would withdraw the recommendations made for Karan and that he would talk to him and establish a formal plan to help him succeed at this job. Thomas, to his credit, did not let the “what-will-others-say” syndrome” interfere with his action.
To be fair to ourselves, to our organization and the general work climate, is it not it necessary to do so?
Remember that you must:
• Not rush into decisions but set a time frame for taking each decision.
• List and collect all the information needed systematically.
• Follow up on work assignments given to others to be able to take correct decisions.
• Take action when you observe errors –whether it is your decision or that of others.
• Be enthusiastic in carrying out the changes in your decision, the moment you are convinced of their need.
• Never forget the fact that you have to draw the line between consistency and rigidity; between being flexible and being wishy-washy.
Strike at the Root of Penury in Thy Heart: Empowerment vs. Assignment
Empower your subordinates. Don’t feel threatened of losing control over the scheme of things. Only if you empower others, can you stretch your sights to distant dreams. Empowering the employees is not the same as assigning responsibilities.
When Gupta asked Paul to arrange a staff picnic to Esselworld for a day, and allotted budgetary provisions, he gave him little scope for creativity, innovation or satisfaction. When Mishra, on the other hand, requested Paul to explore the employee morale of the firm and give his recommendations, he empowered him.
Wouldn’t you rather have your employees ‘grow’to meet your needs’ rather than ‘size them down to your requirements’?
For proper empowering you have to:
• •Select and employ qualified employees in key posts.
• •Involve them in the decision making process.
• •Define short-term goals and establish priorities clearly and candidly.
Never forget the fact that empowerment is giving someone the opportunity to express himself, the opportunity for job enlargement and job enrichment. Empowerment lets the employee suggest, experiment, explore, decide. He learns to rise to the need of the hour. When you assign a job to an employee you limit, control, dictate and define his contribution. He shrinks to fit into your expectations. Draw the line between empowering and assigning an employee very clearly on the basis of your judgment regarding whom and when.
Build a cohesive team:
Sounds simple? The difficulty is precisely in that apparent simplicity. We often select efficient workers with similar experiences, put them together and expect smooth sailing. Conveniently enough we ride roughshod over their attitude towards work. Ultimately this very fact that we tend to ignore begins to call the shots. More than knowledge and skill, attitudes play a vital role in determining group dynamics.
Leena worked as an associate editor. When Edward, her colleague quit the job, she approached the Chief Editor. “”I’ve got the perfect person to fill the job,” she said. “My friend Eunice and I used to work together before I came here. She is good and is looking for a change of scene.” The Chief Editor, Ram, agreed to interview Eunice along with other candidates. After several interviews Ram was convinced that Eunice was the right candidate. Leena was thrilled. We’ll be a great team, she told Eunice.
But while Leena and Eunice had worked together some years back, much water had passed under the bridge since then. Later, they had worked for different publications. Their work styles were less than compatible. Leena tended to be cautious while Eunice was more of a risk-taker. This created problems. Instead of learning from each other, Leena and Eunice let friction develop to the point that after a month they weren’t on speaking terms. Work flow was beginning to slip. Phone messages got lost or garbled. Ram began to receive angry calls from advertisers. Checking ads was the responsibility of associate editors. Now Ram had to review his recruitment policies and team building techniques.
Does this situation sound familiar to you? Remember, the trick is not just in selecting talented people but in creating the required work culture. To make this possible, you must:
• Mould a cohesive work group.
• Inspire enthusiasm among subordinates
• Budget time to allow for sufficient direct contact with subordinates.
• Hold regular briefing sessions.
• Understand the work attitudes of different employees.
• Use a scientific approach to solve interpersonal problems (observe, analyze, evaluate decide, implement, follow up).
If Making Decisions is Tough, Changing them is Even Tougher
When confronted with a problem you should be able to act on your own even when others are hesitant to do so. Using good judgment in difficult situations along with the ability to take risks are the hallmarks of decision-making capabilities. The irony is that no one wants to risk changing an already made decision even if there is a risk in not changing it. However, it is perfectly fine to change your mind and decision under certain circumstances. Ask yourself, “Did I have all the facts before the decision was made, or has new information been given to me?” If the answers are No and Yes, in that order, you are definitely justified in changing your mind.
Thomas had recommended a raise for Karan on the basis of performance appraisals given by his predecessor, Salim. Later, on interacting more closely with Karan’s immediate supervisor, he noted certain skill deficiencies and rated his performance as substandard.
• Create the right work culture.
• Mould a cohesive work group.
• Inspire enthusiasm among subordinates.
• Make time to allow for sufficient direct contact with subordinates.
• Have regular briefing sessions.
• Understand the work attitudes of different employees.
• Develop a scientific approach to solve interpersonal problems (observe, analyze, evaluate, decide, implement, follow-up).
Don’t forget the fact that the more competent the people you hire, the more individualistic they will be. • To draw the line between individualism and pluralism is not a pleasant job, but remember it is in your lot.
Salim confessed that he had never taken time to discuss Karan’s performance with his immediate supervisors. Thomas decided that he would withdraw the recommendations made for Karan and that he would talk to him and establish a formal plan to help him succeed at this job. Thomas, to his credit, did not let the “what-will-others-say” syndrome” interfere with his action.
To be fair to ourselves, to our organization and the general work climate, is it not it necessary to do so?
Remember that you must:
• Not rush into decisions but set a time frame for taking each decision.
• List and collect all the information needed systematically.
• Follow up on work assignments given to others to be able to take correct decisions.
• Take action when you observe errors –whether it is your decision or that of others.
• Be enthusiastic in carrying out the changes in your decision, the moment you are convinced of their need.
• Never forget the fact that you have to draw the line between consistency and rigidity; between being flexible and being wishy-washy.
Strike at the Root of Penury in Thy Heart: Empowerment vs. Assignment
Empower your subordinates. Don’t feel threatened of losing control over the scheme of things. Only if you empower others, can you stretch your sights to distant dreams. Empowering the employees is not the same as assigning responsibilities.
When Gupta asked Paul to arrange a staff picnic to Esselworld for a day, and allotted budgetary provisions, he gave him little scope for creativity, innovation or satisfaction. When Mishra, on the other hand, requested Paul to explore the employee morale of the firm and give his recommendations, he empowered him.
Wouldn’t you rather have your employees ‘grow’to meet your needs’ rather than ‘size them down to your requirements’?
For proper empowering you have to:
• •Select and employ qualified employees in key posts.
• •Involve them in the decision making process.
• •Define short-term goals and establish priorities clearly and candidly.
Never forget the fact that empowerment is giving someone the opportunity to express himself, the opportunity for job enlargement and job enrichment. Empowerment lets the employee suggest, experiment, explore, decide. He learns to rise to the need of the hour. When you assign a job to an employee you limit, control, dictate and define his contribution. He shrinks to fit into your expectations. Draw the line between empowering and assigning an employee very clearly on the basis of your judgment regarding whom and when.
People Skills for a Leader
Leaders need people skills, and building a team is a complex process. Many assume that it is a natural talent, but it is actually a science.
Talking of pilots, J. R. D. Tata said: “There are two types of pilots, the engineering type, probably the best, who knows all about flying; and the natural pilot, who flies by the seat of his pants. This probably holds good for managers too. Some have assiduously acquired skills and religiously practice them too; there are others who let themselves be guided by instinct - an instinct for people, their attitudes and motivations.
Whatever be it, every effective manager believes in the dictum: ‘None of us is as good as all of us. This unswerving faith in the difference people make to an organization redefines the role and importance of managers. A manager with appropriate people-sense is not just a manager, he is a developer - developer of a vision that gives meaning and inspiration to work, developer of a shared responsibility within a team and a developer of people; he is a leader with whom people grow.
If you aspire to be one, pay more attention to ensure people-management as part of your job. You may be expected to bring in profits or maintain a certain level of productivity, but you will not be able to do any of these if you do not have good working relationship with your colleagues. Look to the human element of the business as a long-term investment. In short, human resources management has become a crucial ‘corporate trend’.
The writing on the wall is clear: “Cultivate listening skills.” Of the four types of listening - discriminative, evaluative, appreciative and empathic, the only one we engage in solely to accommodate another person is, empathic listening. We listen empathetically when someone needs to talk, to get something out in the open, wants to be given advice or reassurance.
Objective or Indifferent?
Daniel was a happy person as well as a good worker. Lately, however, he was acting out of character. His grooming had deteriorated. He was listless and withdrawn and showed little interest in work. Damodar, his manager, was concerned. As Daniel always liked tackling new work, he assigned him to a new project, expecting it to perk him up. But a week later, when Damodar asked him about the job, Daniel sat glum and quietly admitted that he had not even started the work. Damodar began to wonder: ‘Should I talk to Daniel? After all, a manager is not a counselor or a therapist’.
He ultimately decided to steer clear of what he perceived as ‘role-switching’. But Daniel came to him in good faith. He poured out everything. He was on the verge of divorce. He shared his pain and sense of rejection. Damodar listened. Quietly. Passively. Twiddling his thumbs. Looking up at the ceiling. Making a few phone calls in-between. In the end, he told Daniel to go and meet a counselor. Daniel came out bitter and disappointed.
When you want to build a team, you must realize that every member has various facets to his/her personality. You cannot choose to see your team members in parts and expect total commitment. You must give each of them, as you give for your project, time to unfold.
• Listen to the employee
• Be patient and sincere, and non-judgmental.
• Be convinced that this relief-seeking conversation is as important to the team as any ‘purposeful talk’.
• Being neutral and being passive are entirely different.
Develop the sensitivity to draw the line between objectivity and indifference and recognize where one unobtrusively blends into the other. Exercise authority only when all alternatives fail. You undoubtedly ‘can’ pull rank to get things done. If you usually take this approach, you may be demonstrating a lack of personal assertiveness. It is better to keep your authority as a ‘backup position’. Instead, come across as positive and confident in communicating your ideas, opinions and directions. That, most likely, will get you the results.
Aggressive or Assertive?
When Henry took over the reins of the Production Unit, he envisaged several procedural changes. At the first meeting with the employees, he spelled out his decisions. The senior-most supervisors Gopal and Charan, tried in vain to make him consider alternatives. Henry refused to have any discussion whatsoever. Subsequently absenteeism, irregularities and internal wrangles raised their heads.
When Robert took over, he found Henry’s plans perfectly sound. He held a meeting. He spelled out the objectives and discussed the existing procedures. He pointed out that they had no alternative but to think of changes whatever the inconvenience. Suggestions came up. An action plan was drawn up. Later, everyone realized that the plans they had so eagerly made by consensus were very similar to the once resented dictates of Henry!
Winning the cooperation of others is leadership. To achieve this, emphasize on the following:
• When you are ‘assertive, you are standing up for what is in principle, correct.
• When you are aggressive, you are violating the rights of the others.
• It is not necessary to have a dominating and forceful manner in order to be assertive unless you have always been that and that has worked for you.
• Quiet, soft-spoken people do/can have their way, sell ideas and get the co-operation they need. • Do not be assertive all the time.
• What goals do you want to achieve by being assertive? Ask this question to yourself. The answer will guide you when to be assertive and how far to be
• Recognize the fine line between assertiveness and aggressiveness. This line often becomes blurred.
Indecisive or Thoughtful?
Thoughtfulness is a virtue, but if taken too far it can be seen as a weakness. If you respond ineffectively to what people say, it could tell them that you are not listening, or that you do not grasp the situation. You are setting up a barrier to both task and process dynamics. It is very important that your team members perceive you as a person open to suggestion. They should know that you will consider every recommendation that will work. When anyone comes out with a proposal, and if you dillydally the discussion because you are weighing within yourself the pros-and-cons, you sound inadequate and indecisive. Share. Question. Probe. Think aloud. Be willing to find a solution. The interaction itself will satisfy the employee as much as the implementation probably would.
Whenever Smith took some urgent work to the general typing pool, they turned him down with their first-come-first-served policy. They refused to compromise even when emergencies cropped up. He had some suggestions to get work done on a priority basis. Smith went to his boss Pritam with a plan of action. With a cryptic assurance to look into the matter, Pritam dismissed him. Later Pritam began deliberating. He realized that the typing section would need to sort out the jobs as per the scheduled dates of mailing and they would resent this additional burden. When Smith did not get any feedback, he once again broached the topic. Pritam only said, “There will be resistance from the typing department”. Smith had even thought of a viable solution. But Pritam’s attitude was not encouraging. Smith was frustrated.
• To create an open environment in your team, remember the following:
• Every suggestion need not be implemented, but should definitely be considered.
• Discuss the possible fallouts with the employee
• Verbalizing helps people to put issues into perspective
• Develop a game plan to respond to any need to change
• Learn what feelings to express and when to express them
• Not expressing feelings make you seem cold and aloof
You have to make sure that your thoughtfulness is not misconstrued as indecision. If you want to enhance your leadership, you should send the right signals.
Resist or Resolve?
Conflict management is very vital to team building. Conflict is inevitable. Whenever someone makes a proposal, very often resentment raises its lead. When a proposal is made, irrespective of whoever conceived it, it may be you yourself, consider its effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability. Look for any weaknesses and how important or negligible they are in the scheme of things. Make a list of everyone who might feel threatened by your proposal and why each one would feel so.
Think how you could not only counter the threat but, identify ways for the proposal to be beneficial to others.Then at a meeting, systematically elucidate the advantages of acting on the proposal. Never avoid arguments by not responding to disagreements. Disagreement does not necessarily mean hostility. It may just mean requests for more information or more clarifications. Encourage your team members to express these. The answers may eliminate further disagreements.
Kamlesh Mehta has a bright young staff of nine reporting to him. His current headache is Purnima Sharma. She is a very good worker. She is intelligent, hardworking and committed. There was no complaint with her output. It was her effect on the team that bothered him. She cut down everyone at meetings. No one could make a suggestion without her jumping in with some blistering remark as to why it won’род work, why it was not worth trying, or that it had been tried earlier. As a result, no one spoke up at the meetings. The team morale was badly hurt. Kamlesh Mehta decided to act. He talked to her about her interests and goals and linked his feedback to her goals. He showed her that her present behavior stood between her and her goal and she would rise in the organization only if she listened more and found the strong points in other’s proposals.
Remember there are four basic approaches to conflict resolution:
•Win-lose approach: You achieve your goals at the expense of others. This approach is to be adopted when long-term interests will be protected or when you feel strongly about the proposal.
•Lose-win approach: You can go in for this when you need the support of others and when harmony is more important than winning
•Lose-lose approach: This involves concessions, arbitration and tradeoffs. There is no gain for anyone in this approach
•Win-win approach: All the sides feel they have won because they are able to treat the proposal as their own. This involves consensus negotiation and achieves commitment from all parties. Win-win approach is the most effective, but the other approaches may be useful at times. Resolve conflicts. Never resist them.
Live With Change or Adopting Change?
Developing a team culture is as important as setting up a task force, choosing the members, outlining goals, setting guidelines and arranging meetings. The team’s values may be and ought to be, the same as the company’s. That still does not mean that corporate culture is enough. For the long-term goals, yes. But for day-to-day operations, a sense of cohesion is required. This will come from your managerial style.
Reena, an Operations Manager, allowed some of her senior employees to sign certain documents related to their work. This she did, to train her officers to accept responsibilities for their work. One day when Reena was out, John, a senior billing processor refused to OK a shipment ordered by a client whose account was in arrears. When Reena returned, she realized that they cannot afford to lose this client. She wondered about her earlier decision. When Allan, a new employee .joined, all his colleagues told him that Reena believed in an open culture. But Allan’s experience was different. Several times a day, Reena interrupted him to give him instructions or to see how he was progressing in matters which were quite mundane. Everyone in the team smelled a rat and people became extra-cautious. The team lost its sense of identity.
The key-point is that the team needs a culture to define itself and provide a sense of direction. If the team-culture is open, there will be free flow of ideas. This can also mean disharmony, confusion and competition. The group can become deadlocked or sidetracked.
Remember that there is no universal and eternal approach that can fit all team dynamics:
An authoritarian approach creates rigidity. The team may move towards its stated goals and stick to business but it may have no bonding. Members may feel stifled. A happy medium has to be struck. While fine tuning according to the need of the hour is desirable, shifting back from one culture to another should be avoided at all costs.
The work scenario today is in a flux. Embracing change gracefully is an art as well as science. It is not enough if you learn to live with it, but you have to advocate it and adopt it in your organization.
Talking of pilots, J. R. D. Tata said: “There are two types of pilots, the engineering type, probably the best, who knows all about flying; and the natural pilot, who flies by the seat of his pants. This probably holds good for managers too. Some have assiduously acquired skills and religiously practice them too; there are others who let themselves be guided by instinct - an instinct for people, their attitudes and motivations.
Whatever be it, every effective manager believes in the dictum: ‘None of us is as good as all of us. This unswerving faith in the difference people make to an organization redefines the role and importance of managers. A manager with appropriate people-sense is not just a manager, he is a developer - developer of a vision that gives meaning and inspiration to work, developer of a shared responsibility within a team and a developer of people; he is a leader with whom people grow.
If you aspire to be one, pay more attention to ensure people-management as part of your job. You may be expected to bring in profits or maintain a certain level of productivity, but you will not be able to do any of these if you do not have good working relationship with your colleagues. Look to the human element of the business as a long-term investment. In short, human resources management has become a crucial ‘corporate trend’.
The writing on the wall is clear: “Cultivate listening skills.” Of the four types of listening - discriminative, evaluative, appreciative and empathic, the only one we engage in solely to accommodate another person is, empathic listening. We listen empathetically when someone needs to talk, to get something out in the open, wants to be given advice or reassurance.
Objective or Indifferent?
Daniel was a happy person as well as a good worker. Lately, however, he was acting out of character. His grooming had deteriorated. He was listless and withdrawn and showed little interest in work. Damodar, his manager, was concerned. As Daniel always liked tackling new work, he assigned him to a new project, expecting it to perk him up. But a week later, when Damodar asked him about the job, Daniel sat glum and quietly admitted that he had not even started the work. Damodar began to wonder: ‘Should I talk to Daniel? After all, a manager is not a counselor or a therapist’.
He ultimately decided to steer clear of what he perceived as ‘role-switching’. But Daniel came to him in good faith. He poured out everything. He was on the verge of divorce. He shared his pain and sense of rejection. Damodar listened. Quietly. Passively. Twiddling his thumbs. Looking up at the ceiling. Making a few phone calls in-between. In the end, he told Daniel to go and meet a counselor. Daniel came out bitter and disappointed.
When you want to build a team, you must realize that every member has various facets to his/her personality. You cannot choose to see your team members in parts and expect total commitment. You must give each of them, as you give for your project, time to unfold.
• Listen to the employee
• Be patient and sincere, and non-judgmental.
• Be convinced that this relief-seeking conversation is as important to the team as any ‘purposeful talk’.
• Being neutral and being passive are entirely different.
Develop the sensitivity to draw the line between objectivity and indifference and recognize where one unobtrusively blends into the other. Exercise authority only when all alternatives fail. You undoubtedly ‘can’ pull rank to get things done. If you usually take this approach, you may be demonstrating a lack of personal assertiveness. It is better to keep your authority as a ‘backup position’. Instead, come across as positive and confident in communicating your ideas, opinions and directions. That, most likely, will get you the results.
Aggressive or Assertive?
When Henry took over the reins of the Production Unit, he envisaged several procedural changes. At the first meeting with the employees, he spelled out his decisions. The senior-most supervisors Gopal and Charan, tried in vain to make him consider alternatives. Henry refused to have any discussion whatsoever. Subsequently absenteeism, irregularities and internal wrangles raised their heads.
When Robert took over, he found Henry’s plans perfectly sound. He held a meeting. He spelled out the objectives and discussed the existing procedures. He pointed out that they had no alternative but to think of changes whatever the inconvenience. Suggestions came up. An action plan was drawn up. Later, everyone realized that the plans they had so eagerly made by consensus were very similar to the once resented dictates of Henry!
Winning the cooperation of others is leadership. To achieve this, emphasize on the following:
• When you are ‘assertive, you are standing up for what is in principle, correct.
• When you are aggressive, you are violating the rights of the others.
• It is not necessary to have a dominating and forceful manner in order to be assertive unless you have always been that and that has worked for you.
• Quiet, soft-spoken people do/can have their way, sell ideas and get the co-operation they need. • Do not be assertive all the time.
• What goals do you want to achieve by being assertive? Ask this question to yourself. The answer will guide you when to be assertive and how far to be
• Recognize the fine line between assertiveness and aggressiveness. This line often becomes blurred.
Indecisive or Thoughtful?
Thoughtfulness is a virtue, but if taken too far it can be seen as a weakness. If you respond ineffectively to what people say, it could tell them that you are not listening, or that you do not grasp the situation. You are setting up a barrier to both task and process dynamics. It is very important that your team members perceive you as a person open to suggestion. They should know that you will consider every recommendation that will work. When anyone comes out with a proposal, and if you dillydally the discussion because you are weighing within yourself the pros-and-cons, you sound inadequate and indecisive. Share. Question. Probe. Think aloud. Be willing to find a solution. The interaction itself will satisfy the employee as much as the implementation probably would.
Whenever Smith took some urgent work to the general typing pool, they turned him down with their first-come-first-served policy. They refused to compromise even when emergencies cropped up. He had some suggestions to get work done on a priority basis. Smith went to his boss Pritam with a plan of action. With a cryptic assurance to look into the matter, Pritam dismissed him. Later Pritam began deliberating. He realized that the typing section would need to sort out the jobs as per the scheduled dates of mailing and they would resent this additional burden. When Smith did not get any feedback, he once again broached the topic. Pritam only said, “There will be resistance from the typing department”. Smith had even thought of a viable solution. But Pritam’s attitude was not encouraging. Smith was frustrated.
• To create an open environment in your team, remember the following:
• Every suggestion need not be implemented, but should definitely be considered.
• Discuss the possible fallouts with the employee
• Verbalizing helps people to put issues into perspective
• Develop a game plan to respond to any need to change
• Learn what feelings to express and when to express them
• Not expressing feelings make you seem cold and aloof
You have to make sure that your thoughtfulness is not misconstrued as indecision. If you want to enhance your leadership, you should send the right signals.
Resist or Resolve?
Conflict management is very vital to team building. Conflict is inevitable. Whenever someone makes a proposal, very often resentment raises its lead. When a proposal is made, irrespective of whoever conceived it, it may be you yourself, consider its effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability. Look for any weaknesses and how important or negligible they are in the scheme of things. Make a list of everyone who might feel threatened by your proposal and why each one would feel so.
Think how you could not only counter the threat but, identify ways for the proposal to be beneficial to others.Then at a meeting, systematically elucidate the advantages of acting on the proposal. Never avoid arguments by not responding to disagreements. Disagreement does not necessarily mean hostility. It may just mean requests for more information or more clarifications. Encourage your team members to express these. The answers may eliminate further disagreements.
Kamlesh Mehta has a bright young staff of nine reporting to him. His current headache is Purnima Sharma. She is a very good worker. She is intelligent, hardworking and committed. There was no complaint with her output. It was her effect on the team that bothered him. She cut down everyone at meetings. No one could make a suggestion without her jumping in with some blistering remark as to why it won’род work, why it was not worth trying, or that it had been tried earlier. As a result, no one spoke up at the meetings. The team morale was badly hurt. Kamlesh Mehta decided to act. He talked to her about her interests and goals and linked his feedback to her goals. He showed her that her present behavior stood between her and her goal and she would rise in the organization only if she listened more and found the strong points in other’s proposals.
Remember there are four basic approaches to conflict resolution:
•Win-lose approach: You achieve your goals at the expense of others. This approach is to be adopted when long-term interests will be protected or when you feel strongly about the proposal.
•Lose-win approach: You can go in for this when you need the support of others and when harmony is more important than winning
•Lose-lose approach: This involves concessions, arbitration and tradeoffs. There is no gain for anyone in this approach
•Win-win approach: All the sides feel they have won because they are able to treat the proposal as their own. This involves consensus negotiation and achieves commitment from all parties. Win-win approach is the most effective, but the other approaches may be useful at times. Resolve conflicts. Never resist them.
Live With Change or Adopting Change?
Developing a team culture is as important as setting up a task force, choosing the members, outlining goals, setting guidelines and arranging meetings. The team’s values may be and ought to be, the same as the company’s. That still does not mean that corporate culture is enough. For the long-term goals, yes. But for day-to-day operations, a sense of cohesion is required. This will come from your managerial style.
Reena, an Operations Manager, allowed some of her senior employees to sign certain documents related to their work. This she did, to train her officers to accept responsibilities for their work. One day when Reena was out, John, a senior billing processor refused to OK a shipment ordered by a client whose account was in arrears. When Reena returned, she realized that they cannot afford to lose this client. She wondered about her earlier decision. When Allan, a new employee .joined, all his colleagues told him that Reena believed in an open culture. But Allan’s experience was different. Several times a day, Reena interrupted him to give him instructions or to see how he was progressing in matters which were quite mundane. Everyone in the team smelled a rat and people became extra-cautious. The team lost its sense of identity.
The key-point is that the team needs a culture to define itself and provide a sense of direction. If the team-culture is open, there will be free flow of ideas. This can also mean disharmony, confusion and competition. The group can become deadlocked or sidetracked.
Remember that there is no universal and eternal approach that can fit all team dynamics:
An authoritarian approach creates rigidity. The team may move towards its stated goals and stick to business but it may have no bonding. Members may feel stifled. A happy medium has to be struck. While fine tuning according to the need of the hour is desirable, shifting back from one culture to another should be avoided at all costs.
The work scenario today is in a flux. Embracing change gracefully is an art as well as science. It is not enough if you learn to live with it, but you have to advocate it and adopt it in your organization.
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