Speaking Up Takes Confidence, Candor, and Courage- Ron Ashkenas

Have you ever wondered whether your work efforts were really creating value? From what I have seen in organizations, many people have that experience. The problem is that many times they do not do anything about it.

Not long ago I spoke at a company meeting about the challenges of complexity in organizations. At one point, I asked the audience members to identify and discuss simplification opportunities in their areas. During the report-outs, one woman described how she and her co-workers spent hours each week on the cosmetics of a particular report to make sure that it looked good when it went to senior management. She went on to say that this focus on style rather than substance was a waste of time. When I asked why she continued to do this, she quickly said that her boss expected it. Her boss was also in the room, and when asked about the report said, "I don't care what it looks like, as long as it has the right information."

This kind of disconnect is not unusual. One of the main reasons that employees knowingly continue valueless activities is the lack of candid dialogue between people at different organizational levels. For example, many times I have heard people say that their manager is "unapproachable" or "too busy" to talk about changing the way things are done. Moreover, while that observation is certainly true in many cases, it is often code for: "I'm afraid of my manager's reaction." On the other hand, many senior leaders wonder why their people do not raise issues more proactively. As one senior person said to me, out of frustration, "I don't know how many more times I can tell them that they are empowered!"

So what does it take to break this logjam so that dialogue flows more freely and spontaneously? Let me suggest two steps:

Take responsibility for the truncated dialogue. In addition, that means everyone — managers and subordinates alike. While it is easy to blame others, the reality is that it takes two parties to short-circuit a relationship. For the most part, this happens unintentionally. We usually make assumptions about what we can talk to our manager about or not, or what the boss expects — and then we act on these assumptions without testing them. We also may fear that the manager will think poorly about us if we bring up something that she does not agree with, so it is easier to say nothing. Managers, however, do the same thing — they assume that their people feel comfortable enough to initiate conversations, or send subtle signals to subordinates that they really do not want to approach with new ideas.

Do something about it. Jack Welch used to say that self-confident people are one of the key characteristics of a high-performing organization — because they will not be afraid to speak up. However, nobody becomes self-confident just because Jack Welch (or some blogger) says that it is the right thing to do. Instead, you have to gain that confidence by pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone a little at a time. For example, if you realize that you are wasting resources on an activity that does not add value, but are hesitant to approach your boss, start by talking with other colleagues about it. See if others feel the same way. If they agree, develop a joint proposal for not only stop the unproductive work, but also for reallocating time to higher payoff areas. Then go to the boss as a team, not only to talk about this idea but also to test his openness to these kinds of initiatives in general.

If you are a manager, you can foster self-confidence by creating "safe space" forums where anyone can raise issues without consequences. You can also encourage your people to get together, identify non-value added work, and present it as a team. Alternatively, you can initiate a more formal process, like Workout or process mapping to surface the ideas.

Whether you are a subordinate or a manager, the key is to take some sort of action to increase the candor and flow of dialogue in your organization. If you do nothing you are just reinforcing unproductive patterns. However, if you do something, you can trigger a cycle of increasing self-confidence and higher performance — and create a much more pleasant place to work.

What is your experience with opening up a dialogue about unproductive work?

The Art of Asking Questions - Ron Ashkenas

How well do you ask questions? Most managers do not think about this issue. After all, you do not usually find "the ability to ask questions" on any list of managerial competencies; nor is it an explicit part of the curriculum of business schools or executive education programs. However, asking questions effectively is a major underlying part of a manager's job —, which suggests that it might be worth giving this skill a little more focus.

We have all experienced times when we've failed at being good questioners, perhaps without realizing it. For example, not long ago I sat in on a meeting where a project team was reviewing its progress with a senior executive sponsor. During the presentation, it was clear from his body language that the executive was uncomfortable with the direction that the team was taking. As a result, without any real questioning of the team, he deferred approval of the next steps until he could have a further discussion with the team leader. When he met with the team leader later, he ripped into him for allowing the team to go off-course. Eventually the team leader was able to explain the thinking behind the plan, convinced the executive that they would indeed achieve their objectives, and was given the go-ahead to proceed. In the meantime the team had lost its momentum (and a week of productivity), and began to focus more on pleasing the sponsor rather than doing the project in the best way.

This is not an isolated incident. Many managers do not know how to probe the thought process of their subordinates, colleagues, and bosses — and instead make assumptions about the basis of their actions. Moreover, when those assumptions are wrong, all sorts of dysfunctional patterns can be created. In a financial services firm, for example, a major product upgrade was delayed by months because the product and IT managers had different assumptions about what was to be delivered by when, and kept blaming each other for delays. When a third party finally helped them to ask the right questions, they were able to come up with a plan that satisfied both, and quickly produced incremental revenue for the product.

There are three areas where improved "questioning" can strengthen managerial effectiveness; and it might be worth considering how you can improve your skills in each one.

First is the ability to ask questions about yourself. All of us fall into unproductive habits, sometimes unconsciously. Good managers therefore are always asking themselves and others about what they could do better or differently. Finding the right time and approach for asking these questions in a way that invites constructive and candid responses is critical.

Second is the ability to ask questions about plans and projects. The examples mentioned above both fall into this category. The challenge with questioning projects is to do so in a way that not only advances the work, but that also builds relationships and helps the people involved to learn and develop. This does not mean that your questions can't be tough and direct, but the probing needs to be in the spirit of accelerating progress, illuminating unconscious assumptions and solving problems. This is in contrast to some managers who (perhaps out of their own insecurity) ask review questions either to prove that they are the smartest one in the room, or to make someone squirm. On the other hand, many of the best managers I've seen have an uncanny ability to engage in Socratic dialogue that helps people reach their own conclusions about what can be done to improve a plan or project, which of course leads to much more ownership and learning.

Finally, practice asking questions about the organization. Although usually unspoken, managers have an obligation to always look for ways that the organization as a whole can function more effectively. To do this, they need to ask questions about practices, processes, and structures: Why do we do things this way? Is there a better approach? Asking these questions in a way that does not trigger defensiveness and that is seen as constructive is an important skill for managers.

Most of us never think about how to frame our questions. Giving this process some explicit thought however might not only make you a better manager; it might also help others improve their inquiry skills as well.

Last but not the least-- Have you seen good and bad examples of how to ask questions? What is your own self-assessment? Are you asking yourself the right questions?

The Unknown Rules of Business

Rules are basic instructions that are followed in any field. Be it office, be it sports or be it business. Everything is defined by set rules. Violating or breaking those rules would end up in a strict punishment. However, how many of us know that there are some unwritten rules of business that needs to be follow

Here are some of the unknown rules of business: 

     

    1.    Always follow a two-way Mentorship: Mentoring is very important in the field of business. A mentor supports you with motivation, source of ideas, counsels you and guides you through the toughest situations. They pass on valuable information. But you cannot be a bandit who takes it all and gives nothing. You can pass on that knowledge to someone below you who in turn gets mentored by you. You need to always remember that, as you aspire for someone's position, there is another individual who is looking up to your position. The chain of mentoring should go on. It is simple, if you want a great mentor; you need to be one first.

     2. Never leave out or ignore the negatives: Everything has a positive and negative aspect of it. It is not wise to concentrate on the positive points and ignore the negative points. There should be always a balance that needs to be maintained. The good news can be interesting, but the bad news could be critical. Positives are easy to deal with; negatives can make or break a business if the right people are not aware.

     3. Never talk when you have nothing to say: Some people have the habit of making every conversation as their last say. Just to show that you involved with the rest of the group in the meeting, it is not necessary that you have to say something which makes no sense to the rest of them and does not make any relevance with what was discussed. 

     4.  Never borrow someone's idea:  Ideas are the result of creative thinking of an individual. Even if you borrow a junior's idea, make sure that you give all the due credits. Steal an idea and the victim never forgets. And don't fall back on the old, "Well, they work for me, and we're a team" so I was just raising the idea on behalf of the team." No one goes for that excuse but you.

Three Kinds of Talent

There are three basic types of talent striving, thinking
and relating talents:

A) Striving talents explain the why of a person. Does he or she want to stand out, or is good enough good enough?

B) Thinking talents explain the how of a person. Does he think linearly or does he or she strategize with “what if” games? Is he or she structured or does the person love surprises?

C) Relating talents explain the who of a person. Whom does he or she trust, whom does he or she build relationships with? Does he love confrontation or avoid it?

Myths of Talents

Myth # 1 Talents are rare and special: The truth is there is nothing particularly special about talent. Remember, a talent is simply a recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behavior. The key is for managers to help each employee cultivate his talents by finding him a role that plays to those talents. Nurses who can empathize are valuable as floor nurses, not administrators. Similarly, surgeons and anesthesiologists may love the thrill of life and death decisions that others might feel as pressure. They are well suited for their jobs.

Myth # 2: Some roles are so easy, they don’t require talent: All roles require talent. And managers who assume anyone could do a particular job or that everyone doing that job wants out of it as soon as possible are seeing the position through their own filters.

Five Resume Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Career

In today's competitive world, silly mistakes in your resume can lead to a major downfall in your career. Regardless of the advantage of good potentials, one can never prosper in his/her career development and is likely to lose a good career opportunity if he ignores such mistakes in resume. Following are the avoidable mistakes one should keep in mind while framing a resume.

        1.  Vague contact details: The most essential for a resume is to have clear contact details mentioning a phone number where potential employers can talk to you directly. There should be a formal and an uncomplicated address - mostly a combination of first and last name. Unclear or vague contact details can mislead an employer and one may loose the opportunity of grabbing the right job.

       2. Grammatical errors and spelling mistakes: Spellings and grammatical errors in a resume can reflect a negative impression on the employer. As the employer or the HR head goes through t he profile, these errors can give them a feeling that the candidate is not serious about the position and is lazy. In all likelihood, they would think the candidate is not a responsible person.

       3. Overwritten long paragraph's and sentences: Flashy advertisements don't sell products. Rather, effective ads give people the information they need quickly and clearly. Full sentences are quite time consuming in today's hiring world. Therefore, one should make his/her resume short and punchy without much elaboration of sentences.

       4.Past failures and health problems: Curriculum vitae is not the place to mention your past failures and health problems. Although not many commit this mistake, some tend to reveal them in their resume. Therefore, it is advisable not to mention these in the resume.

       5.A paragraph summarizing your skills: Summarizing your skills is not at all necessary in the resume as it may appear to the employer that you are being superfluous and the resume turns out to be a poorly framed one. It's always good to list them in three to five bullet points. These points should pertain to the type of job you are trying to obtain. You should be able to combine multiple items in one thorough bullet point. Be wise to project those skills that meet your career objectives.

10 Principles for Peace of Mind

1. Do Not Interfere In Others' Business Unless Asked: Most of us create our own problems by interfering too often in others' affairs. We do so because somehow we have convinced ourselves that our way is the best way, our logic is the perfect logic and those who do not conform to our thinking must be criticized and steered to the right direction, our direction. This thinking denies the existence of individuality and consequently the existence of God.. God has created each one of us in a unique way. No two human beings can think or act in exactly the same way. All men or women act the way they do because God within them prompts them that way. Mind your own business and you will keep your peace.

2. Forgive And Forget: This is the most powerful aid to peace of mind. We often develop ill feelings inside our heart for the person who insults us or harms us. We nurture grievances. This in turn results in loss of sleep, development of stomach ulcers, and high blood pressure. This insult or injury was done once, but nourishing of grievance goes on forever by constantly remembering it. Get over this bad habit. Life is too short to waste in such trifles. Forgive,20Forget, and march on. Love flourishes in giving and forgiving.

3. Do Not Crave For Recognition: This world is full of selfish people. They seldom praise anybody without selfish motives. They may praise you today because you are in power, but no sooner than you are powerless, they will forget your achievement and will start finding faults in you. Why do you wish to kill yours if in striving for their recognition? Their recognition is not worth the aggravation. Do your duties ethically and sincerely.

4. Do Not Be Jealous: We all have experienced how jealousy can disturb our peace of mind. You know that you work harder than your colleagues in the office, but sometimes they get promotions; you do not. You started a business several years ago, but you are not as successful as your neighbor whose business is only one year old. There are several examples like these in everyday life. Should you be jealous? No. Remember everybody's life is shaped by his/her destiny, which has now become his/her reality. If you are destined to be rich, nothing in the world can stop you. If you are not so destined, no one can help you either. Nothing will be gained by blaming others for your misfortune. Jealousy will not get you anywhere; it will only take away your peace of mind.

5. Change Yourself According To The Environment: If you try to change the environment single-handedly, the chances are you will fail. Instead, change yourself to suit your environment. As you do this, even the environment, which has been unfriendly to you, will mysteriously change and seem congenial and harmonious.

6. Endure What Cannot Be Cured: This is the best way to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Every day we face numerous inconveniences, ailments, irritations, and accidents that are beyond our control. If we cannot control them or change them, we must learn to put up with these things. We must learn to endure them cheerfully. Believe in yourself and you will gain in terms of patience, inner strength and will power.

7. Do Not Bite Off More Than You Can Chew: This maxim needs to be remembered constantly. We often tend to take more responsibilities than we are capable of carrying out. This is done to satisfy our ego. Know your limitations. . Why take on additional loads that may create more worries? You cannot gain peace of mind by expanding your external activities. Reduce your material engagements and spend time in prayer, introspection and meditation. This will reduce those thoughts in your mind that make you restless. Uncluttered mind will produce greater peace of mind.

8. Meditate Regularly: Meditation calms the mind and gets rid of disturbing thoughts. This is the highest state of peace of mind. Try and experience it yourself. If you meditate earnestly for half an hour everyday, your mind will tend to become peaceful during the remaining twenty-three and half-hours. Your mind will not be easily disturbed as it was before. You would benefit by gradually increasing the period of daily meditation. You may think that this will interfere with your daily work. On the contrary, this will increase your efficiency and you will be able to produce better results in less time.

9. Never Leave The Mind Vacant: An empty mind is the devil's workshop. All evil actions start in the vacant mind. Keep your mind occupied in something positive, something worthwhile. Actively follow a hobby. Do something that holds your interest. You must decide what you value more: money or peace of mind. Your hobby, like social work or religious work, may not always earn you more money, but you will have a sense of fulfillment and achievement. Even when you are resting physically, occupy yourself in healthy reading or mental chanting of God's name.

10. Do Not Procrastinate And Never Regret: Do not waste time in protracted wondering Should I or shouldn't I? Days, weeks, months, and years may be wasted in that futile mental debating. You can never plan enough because you can never anticipate all future happenings. Value your time and do the things that need to be done. It does not matter if you fail the first time. You can learn from your mistakes and succeed the next time. Sitting back and worrying will lead to nothing. Learn from your mistakes, but do not brood over the past. DO NOT REGRET. Whatever happened was destined to happen only that way. Why cry over split milk?