Bada Gajar

The 25 most difficult questions you'll be asked on a job interview

2007-12-07T04:22:00.000+05:30

The 25 most difficult questions you'll be asked on a job interview
Being prepared is half the battle.

If you are one of those executive types unhappy at your present post and embarking on a New Year's resolution to find a new one, here's a helping hand. The job interview is considered to be the most critical aspect of every expedition that brings you face-to- face with the future boss. One must prepare for it with the same tenacity and quickness as one does for a fencing tournament or a chess match.

Tell me about yourself.

Since this is often the opening question in an interview, be extracareful that you don't run off at the mouth. Keep your answer to a minute or two at most. Cover four topics: early years, education, work history, and recent career experience. Emphasize this last subject. Remember that this is likely to be a warm-up question. Don't waste your best points on it.

What do you know about our organization?

You should be able to discuss products or services, revenues, reputation, image, goals, problems, management style, people, history and philosophy. But don't act as if you know everything about the place. Let your answer show that you have taken the time to do some research, but don't overwhelm the interviewer, and make it clear that you wish to learn more.

You might start your answer in this manner: "In my job search, I've investigated a number of companies.

Yours is one of the few that interests me, for these reasons..."

Give your answer a positive tone. Don't say, "Well, everyone tells me that you're in all sorts of trouble, and that's why I'm here", even if that is why you're there.

Why do you want to work for us?

The deadliest answer you can give is "Because I like people." What else would you like-animals?

Here, and throughout the interview, a good answer comes from having done your homework so that you can speak in terms of the company's needs. You might say that your research has shown that the company is doing things you would like to be involved with, and that it's doing them in ways that greatly interest you. For example, if the organization is known for strong management, your answer should mention that fact and show that you would like to be a part of that team. If the company places a great deal of emphasis on research and development, emphasize the fact that you want to create new things and that you know this is a place in which such activity is encouraged. If the organization stresses financial controls, your answer should mention a reverence for numbers.

If you feel that you have to concoct an answer to this question - if, for example, the company stresses research, and you feel that you should mention it even though it really doesn't interest you- then you probably should not be taking that interview, because you probably shouldn't be considering a job with that organization.

Your homework should include learning enough about the company to avoid approaching places where you wouldn't be able -or wouldn't want- to function. Since most of us are poor liars, it's difficult to con anyone in an interview. But even if you should succeed at it, your prize is a job you don't really want.

What can you do for us that someone else can't?

Here you have every right, and perhaps an obligation, to toot your own horn and be a bit egotistical. Talk about your record of getting things done, and mention specifics from your resume or list of career accomplishments. Say that your skills and interests, combined with this history of getting results, make you valuable. Mention your ability to set priorities, identify problems, and use your experience and energy to solve them.

What do you find most attractive about this position? What seems least attractive about it?

List three or four attractive factors of the job, and mention a single, minor, unattractive item.

Why should we hire you?

Create your answer by thinking in terms of your ability, your experience, and your energy. (See question 4.)

What do you look for in a job?

Keep your answer oriented to opportunities at this organization. Talk about your desire to perform and be recognized for your contributions. Make your answer oriented toward opportunity rather than personal security.

Please give me your defintion of [the position for which you are being interviewed].

Keep your answer brief and taskoriented. Think in in terms of responsibilities and accountability. Make sure that you really do understand what the position involves before you attempt an answer. If you are not certain. ask the interviewer; he or she may answer the question for you.

How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our firm?

Be realistic. Say that, while you would expect to meet pressing demands and pull your own weight from the first day, it might take six months to a year before you could expect to know the organization and its needs well enough to make a major contribution.

How long would you stay with us?

Say that you are interested in a career with the organization, but admit that you would have to continue to feel challenged to remain with any organization. Think in terms of, "As long as we both feel achievement-oriented."

Your resume suggests that you may be over-qualified or too experienced for this position. What's Your opinion?

Emphasize your interest in establishing a long-term association with the organization, and say that you assume that if you perform well in his job, new opportunities will open up for you. Mention that a strong company needs a strong staff. Observe that experienced executives are always at a premium. Suggest that since you are so wellqualified, the employer will get a fast return on his investment. Say that a growing, energetic company can never have too much talent.

What is your management style?

You should know enough about the company's style to know that your management style will complement it. Possible styles include: task oriented (I'll enjoy problem-solving identifying what's wrong, choosing a solution and implementing it"), results-oriented ("Every management decision I make is determined by how it will affect the bottom line"), or even paternalistic ("I'm committed to taking care of my subordinates and pointing them in the right direction").

A participative style is currently quite popular: an open-door method of managing in which you get things done by motivating people and delegating responsibility.

As you consider this question, think about whether your style will let you work hatppily and effectively within the organization.

Are you a good manager? Can you give me some examples? Do you feel that you have top managerial potential?

Keep your answer achievementand ask-oriented. Rely on examples from your career to buttress your argument. Stress your experience and your energy.

What do you look for when You hire people?

Think in terms of skills. initiative, and the adaptability to be able to work comfortably and effectively with others. Mention that you like to hire people who appear capable of moving up in the organization.

Have you ever had to fire people? What were the reasons, and how did you handle the situation?

Admit that the situation was not easy, but say that it worked out well, both for the company and, you think, for the individual. Show that, like anyone else, you don't enjoy unpleasant tasks but that you can resolve them efficiently and -in the case of firing someone- humanely.

What do you think is the most difficult thing about being a manager or executive?

Mention planning, execution, and cost-control. The most difficult task is to motivate and manage employess to get something planned and completed on time and within the budget.

What important trends do you see in our industry?

Be prepared with two or three trends that illustrate how well you understand your industry. You might consider technological challenges or opportunities, economic conditions, or even regulatory demands as you collect your thoughts about the direction in which your business is heading.

Why are you leaving (did you leave) your present (last) job?

Be brief, to the point, and as honest as you can without hurting yourself. Refer back to the planning phase of your job search. where you considered this topic as you set your reference statements. If you were laid off in an across-the-board cutback, say so; otherwise, indicate that the move was your decision, the result of your action. Do not mention personality conflicts.

The interviewer may spend some time probing you on this issue, particularly if it is clear that you were terminated. The "We agreed to disagree" approach may be useful. Remember hat your references are likely to be checked, so don't concoct a story for an interview.

How do you feel about leaving all your benefits to find a new job?

Mention that you are concerned, naturally, but not panicked. You are willing to accept some risk to find the right job for yourself. Don't suggest that security might interest you more than getting the job done successfully.

In your current (last) position, what features do (did) you like the most? The least?

Be careful and be positive. Describe more features that you liked than disliked. Don't cite personality problems. If you make your last job sound terrible, an interviewer may wonder why you remained there until now.

What do you think of your boss?

Be as positive as you can. A potential boss is likely to wonder if you might talk about him in similar terms at some point in the future.

Why aren't you earning more at your age?

Say that this is one reason that you are conducting this job search. Don't be defensive.

What do you feel this position should pay?

Salary is a delicate topic. We suggest that you defer tying yourself to a precise figure for as long as you can do so politely. You might say, "I understand that the range for this job is between $______ and $______. That seems appropriate for the job as I understand it." You might answer the question with a question: "Perhaps you can help me on this one. Can you tell me if there is a range for similar jobs in the organization?"

If you are asked the question during an initial screening interview, you might say that you feel you need to know more about the position's responsibilities before you could give a meaningful answer to that question. Here, too, either by asking the interviewer or search executive (if one is involved), or in research done as part of your homework, you can try to find out whether there is a salary grade attached to the job. If there is, and if you can live with it, say that the range seems right to you.

If the interviewer continues to probe, you might say, "You know that I'm making $______ now. Like everyone else, I'd like to improve on that figure, but my major interest is with the job itself." Remember that the act of taking a new job does not, in and of itself, make you worth more money.

If a search firm is involved, your contact there may be able to help with the salary question. He or she may even be able to run interference for you. If, for instance, he tells you what the position pays, and you tell him that you are earning that amount now and would Like to do a bit better, he might go back to the employer and propose that you be offered an additional 10%.

If no price range is attached to the job, and the interviewer continues to press the subject, then you will have to restpond with a number. You cannot leave the impression that it does not really matter, that you'll accept whatever is offered. If you've been making $80,000 a year, you can't say that a $35,000 figure would be fine without sounding as if you've given up on yourself. (If you are making a radical career change, however, this kind of disparity may be more reasonable and understandable.)

Don't sell yourself short, but continue to stress the fact that the job itself is the most important thing in your mind. The interviewer may be trying to determine just how much you want the job. Don't leave the impression that money is the only thing that is important to you. Link questions of salary to the work itself.

But whenever possible, say as little as you can about salary until you reach the "final" stage of the interview process. At that point, you know that the company is genuinely interested in you and that it is likely to be flexible in salary negotiations.

What are your long-range goals?

Refer back to the planning phase of your job search. Don't answer, "I want the job you've advertised." Relate your goals to the company you are interviewing: 'in a firm like yours, I would like to..."

How successful do you you've been so far?

Say that, all-in-all, you're happy with the way your career has progressed so far. Given the normal ups and downs of life, you feel that you've done quite well and have no complaints.

Present a positive and confident picture of yourself, but don't overstate your case. An answer like, "Everything's wonderful! I can't think of a time when things were going better! I'm overjoyed!" is likely to make an interviewer wonder whether you're trying to fool him . . . or yourself. The most convincing confidence is usually quiet confidence.

52 PROVEN STRESS REDUCERS

2007-10-24T00:55:00.001+05:30

52 PROVEN STRESS REDUCERS

1. Get up fifteen minutes earlier in the
morning. The inevitable morning mishaps will be less stressful.

2. Prepare for the morning the evening before. Set the breakfast
table. Make lunches. Put out the clothes you plan to wear, etc.

3. Don't rely on your memory. Write down appointment times, when
to pick up the laundry, when library books are due, etc. ("The palest
ink is better than the most retentive memory."- Old Chinese Proverb)

4. Do nothing you have to lie about later.

5. Make copies of all keys. Bury a house key in a secret spot in
the garden. Carry a duplicate car key in your wallet, apart from your key
ring.

6. Practice preventive maintenance. Your car, appliances, home and
relationships will be less likely to break down "at the worst possible
moment."

7. Be prepared to wait. A paperback book can make a wait in a post
office line almost pleasant.

8. Procrastination is stressful. Whatever you want to do tomorrow,
do today; whatever you want to do today, do it now.

9. Plan ahead. Don't let the gas tank get below onequarter full,
keep a well- stocked "emergency shelf'' of home staples, don't wait
until you're down to your last bus token or postage stamp to buy more, etc.

10. Don't put up with something that doesn't work right. If your
alarm clock wallet, shoe laces, windshield wipers-whatever-are a constant
aggravation, get them fixed or get new ones.

11. Allow 15 minutes of extra time to get to appointments. Plan to
arrive at an airport one hour before domestic departures.

12. Eliminate (or restrict) the amount of caffeine in your diet.

13. Always set up contingency plans, "just in case." ("If
for some reason either of us is delayed, here's what we'll do..." Or,
"If we get split up in the shopping center, here's where we'll meet.")

14. Relax your standards. The world will not end if the grass doesn't
get mowed this weekend.

15. Pollyanna-Power! For every one thing that goes wrong, there are
probably 10 or 50 or 100 blessings. Count 'em!

16. Ask questions. Taking a few moments to repeat back the directions
that someone expects of you, etc., can save hours. (The old "the hurrieder
I go, the behinder I get" idea.)

17. Say "No!" Saying no to extra projects, social activities
and invitations you know you don't have the time or energy for takes practice,
self-respect and a belief that everyone, everyday, needs quiet time to relax
and to be alone.

18. Unplug your phone. Want to take a long bath, meditate, sleep
or read without interruption? Drum up the courage to temporarily disconnect.

(The possibility of there being a terrible emergency in the next hour or
so is almost nil.)

19. Turn "needs" into preferences. Our basic physical needs
translate into food, water, and keeping warm. Everything else is a preference.
Don't get attached to preferences.

20. Simplify, simplify, simplify.

21. Make friends with nonworriers. Chronic worrywarts are contagious.

22. Take many stretch breaks when you sit a lot.

23. If you can't find quiet at home, wear
earplugs.

24. Get enough sleep. Set your alarm for bedtime.

25. Organize! A place for everything and everything in its place.
Losing things is stressful.

26. Monitor your body for stress signs. If your stomach muscles are
knotted and your breathing is shallow, relax your muscles and take some
deep, slow breaths.

27. Write your thoughts and feelings down on paper. It can help you
clarify and give you a renewed perspective.

28. Do this yoga exercise when you need to relax: Inhale through
your nose to the count of eight. Pucker your lips and exhale slowly to the
count of 16. Concentrate on the long sighing sound and feel the tension
dissolve. Repeat 10 times.

29. Visualize success before any experience you fear. Take time to
go over every part of the event in your mind. Imagine how great you will
look, and how well you will present yourself.

30. If the stress of deadlines gets in the way of doing a job, use
diversion. Take your mind off the task and you will focus better when you're
on task.

31. Talk out your problems with a friend. It helps to relieve confusion.

32. Avoid people and places that don't fit your personal needs and
desires. If you hate politics, don't spend time with politically excited
people.

33. Learn to live one day at a time.

34. Everyday, do something you really enjoy.

35. Add an ounce of love to everything you do.

36. Take a bath or shower to relieve tension.

37. Do a favor for someone every day.

38. Focus on understanding rather than on being under stood, on loving
rather than on being loved.

39. Looking good makes you feel better.

40. Take more time between tasks to relax. Schedule a realistic day.

41. Be flexible. Some things are not worth perfection.

42. Stop negative self-talk: "I'm too fat, too old, etc..."

43. Change pace on weekends. If your week was slow, be active. If
you felt nothing was accomplished during the week, do a weekend project.

44. "Worry about the pennies, and the dollars will take care
of themselves." Pay attention to the details in front of you.

45. Do one thing at a time. When you are working on one thing, don't
think about everything else you have to do.

46. Allow time every day for privacy, quiet and thinking.

47. Do unpleasant tasks early and enjoy the rest of the day.

48. Delegate responsibility to capable people.

49. Take lunch breaks. Get away from your work in body and in mind.

50. Count to 1,000, not 10, before you say something that could make
matters worse.

51. Forgive people and events. Accept that we live in an imperfect
world.

52. Have an optimistic view of the world. Most people do the best
they can.

How to Prevent your Team member from Leaving Team

2007-10-11T03:06:00.000+05:30

Different people have different views on this and the most common one is better salary and company. But it is a fact that people leave Managers and not company.

Friends, I have tried this and it works believe me. If you want to retain your team have all local team members in your tem. Means if your office is in Pune have team members who are from Pune and not members who have migrated from other states or cities. The reason of not having local team members is the real reason why most people leave the company.

Believe me friends people leave not because they are not happy with job, profile or salary but because the Managers make comments about the in time and out time of member, taking holiday or half day for birthday, marriage/death of relative even neighbors etc. Local people have to do because he has a social life. Migrated people are mostly without family and are staying alone or with friends. They do not have any social life; since they are miles away from their hometown they have excuses of distance for every social obligation. Also since they do not have any thing to do at home they sit till later nights and also come to office on weekdays and holidays as being at home they will get bored and at office they get free phone/ internet to chat with their families back in their hometown, free tea coffee , Air condition etc. This helps them save their money. Also when they go on leave it is for months and local employee have to do overtime to do his part of work.

The problem starts when Manager gives examples of the migrated members to others local members like he sits late, doesn’t take holidays/ half days frequently, come even on holidays and weekends etc. Which hurts the local member has even if he wants to he cannot give excuse to escape from his social obligation as he is present in the city. This spoils his relation with friends, wife, parents, family etc. So an employee tries to move to a company were he will considered human and not machine. An excuse is given of better pay, company etc. Everyone knows that how much pathetic and might be the Manager the company will never listen against the manger. So the members leaves the company without ant comments about the manager.

Friend the other side is migrated members should be put in one team. This team should be only of migrated team members only, no local members.

Let them prove to company and management that they are loyal and dedicated which in reality is not true. As 90 % late sitting members are not local and they are doining their personal work more than companies work.Let the locals have a peaceful environment to work for.

This way the point you wish to raised is the reason why people migrate to cities will be solved and also we can have a stable and dedicated team, with less members leaving the team.

At the end of Day having a team to support the company and save our job is more important than having feelings and sympathy towards the people who are migrating to cities.

What If It All Came Crashing Down

2007-10-11T02:47:00.000+05:30

The real measure of our wealth is how much we'd be worth if we lost all our money.
- John Henry Jowett, preacher (1864-1923)

Imagine it!

Donald Trump, poor. He’d just be an annoying boor. No, no, he’s that already. I meant a poor, annoying…..No, everyone would just ignore him.

Bill Gates, poor. Once the world’s richest man, Bill has been giving away billions of dollars to charities over the past few years, not the least huge sums for AIDS research and literacy projects (through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation). He’s an entrepreneur, someone who scooped great ideas from other people and turned them into a worldwide empire. Bill would make out alright because he knows how to manage people, to make them feel good about being successful working for projects he operates.

In 1929, with the crash of the stock markets and the beginning of the Great Depression, so many paper-wealthy men went broke overnight that many of them jumped out of windows in their top floor offices on Wall Street. That’s a statement not about their not wanting to be poor, but about the value they placed on their own lives without a great deal of money to throw around.

I see hordes of people in North American cities (my home continent, so those are the people I see in person and on television) creating lives for themselves based on the values preached to them by industries. The descriptive word I can’t escape from to attach to their lives is pretension. They are the people they believe they are. They live the lives that industry wants them to live, holding the values and beliefs that industry teaches them by various means. They have none of their own.

They have no idea of their basic human worth, other than as they compare themselves to others according to their financial net worth and their ostentatious possessions.

Poor people, on the other hand, seem to have a clear grasp of who they are in real terms. They know they are at the bottom of the heap socially as well as financially. Many of them use their position to their advantage, accepting social assistance from governments who collect tax money from the rich. Others, especially those on whom poverty has come to stay due to misfortune, health problems or physical/intellectual limitations, see their lives as one continual climb out of the pit that life has thrown them into.

Perhaps the people who have the clearest idea of who they are and the value they have to the world are the homeless, especially those who have been homeless for several years. They form friendships, bonds and working relationships based on what they can offer to others and what they can get from others.

The homeless are valued as people, among themselves, more than any other social group because all they have to offer anyone else is themselves. They value each other and who they are in relation to the others in their lives. To the homeless, a smile has a value beyond anything a rich person could imagine.

True, some can’t survive in that atmosphere. They turn to drugs and alcohol, paid for by robbing others and from begging. That’s a form of self destruction, a long, slow death wish fulfilled by their own choice. They can’t make it, even among the community of the homeless, because they don’t believe they have anything of value to offer to others. The best some can do is to offer drugs or drink to others like them, giving themselves the same sense of self worth as the rich.

Imagining ourselves as suddenly without any source of income and sustenance is an exercise that each of us should indulge ourselves in once in a while. It can help us to be humble about who we are and appreciative of what we have. Most importantly, it can help us to calculate who in our lives loves us for ourselves and not for what we have or can give to them.

It could happen, that kind of life altering tragedy. A power outage that lasts for several weeks could cause us to turn to our baser instincts in our drive to survive. A pandemic disease of the type that medical science keeps warning us about, one that kills millions of people in a short period of time, could change everything we know about our civilization.

Staying in touch with reality, not the kind that industry wants us to believe but the kind we could use in case of some dire emergency, should be on the agenda of each one of us once in a while.

It tells us who we really are, what we stand for and who would stand with us if the world we know shattered.

Life IS Overcoming Problems

2007-10-11T02:44:00.000+05:30

"The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem."
- Theodore Rubin

So, here's the problem (so to speak). Most of us tend to believe that having problems causes us to remain removed from a better life, one without problems. The problem is not our problems, but what we believe is a better life.

A life without problems is either death or the slippery slope on the way to it. Our bodies and our brains are both built to tackle problems, to face down challenges, to overcome difficulties on the road of life. We are built to struggle.

If we do not struggle with problems or some form of challenges, both physical and mental, on a regular basis, our abilities and our faculties atrophy and degrade until there isn't enough left of us to maintain our health.

Those who do not work all parts of their bodies regularly become achy, lame and weak in their old age or before. Those who do not exericse their brain regularly fall into senility. These are proven facts. For most of us, these failures of our physical and mental abilities in middle and old ages are preventable.

Our immune systems need a good workout, especially when we are young, to develop immunities against various diseases. Our immune systems are built t0 withstand many kinds of illness in childhood and early adulthood so that they will be strong as we get older. In other words, we are designed to get sick as children and adolescents. And to recover, building our immune system's defences as we do so.

Our emotional development is likewise designed for hurt as well as for joy. Those who do not experience much in the way of emotional hurt during their lives do not develop an equal scope for joy and happiness when it presents itself. Emotions are like a pendulum, they swing as far one way as the other. If development of emotions is hampered in one direction, it fails to develop much in the other. People who experience great tragedy and hurt also have the ability to experience joy far greater than those who have "sailed through life."

Don't curse your problems. They give you the opportunity to live life to the fullest, to experience happiness and fulfillment. Without them, your life would be relatively dull.

No one says you should enjoy your problems. That would be a psychological problem in itself. But you can face them with some degree of equanimity knowing that they will pass and happiness will be available to you in the future.

Art Of Correspondence

2007-10-02T21:24:00.000+05:30

Art Of Correspondence

Letter writing is one of the oldest arts of communication. And even though it is used most often in business or official dealings, many of us fail to get even basic letter writing right. Here re a few tips.

With rare exceptions and regardless of the subject, the goal in all letter writing should be to keep it short, factual, and to the point. Don’t write more than one page in length, unless necessary.

Detailed information can be relegated to attachment that can be referred to by name in the body of the letter. Stick to the absolute essential facts in the main letter.

Prepare a rough draft before the final. Then carefully review and revise it. Put yourself in the place of addressee. Imagine yourself receiving the letter. How would you react to it? Would it answer all of your questions?

Does it deal with all of the key issues? Are the language and tone appropriate? Read it aloud to check whether the words used sound right.

Check for spelling and grammar mistakes. A letter is a direct reflection of the person sending it, and the organization that person works for. Once you have decided on the final content, run it through a spelling and grammar check. A letter with obvious spelling and grammar mistakes looks unprofessional.

In such cases, the recipient can’t really be blamed for seeing this as an indication as to how you and your organization probably do most other things. Follow these rules to make sure that your letter doesn’t end up in the "read later" pile or a waste paper basket.

Use simple and appropriate language.
Use simple straightforward language for clarity and precision.
Use short sentences.
Each paragraph should contain not more than three or four sentences.
Use language and terminology familiar to the intended recipient.

Do not use technical terms and acronyms without explaining them, unless you are certain that the addressee is familiar with them. Now-a-days most business communication is through internet and the same rules can apply. The draft stage can be checked before the final 'send' click.

Body language at work

2007-10-02T20:53:00.000+05:30

Body language at work

A person need not always has to speak to convey your feelings. Most of the time person’s body gestures are doing the talking which is even mentioned by cricket commentators while the game is going. While verbal communication has its own impact, it’s the gestures and involuntary movements of body parts or non-verbal communication that convey the strongest messages. The person or persons receiving the communication remember the body gestures (language) more than words. It is true as concluded by many experts in the field.

This is the reason why it is very important to have the right body language when you plan to make an impression or do not wish to be interpreted wrongly in an office environment.

It gives them an insight into the confidence or discomfort of the person communicating. It tells them about how much the person believes in what he is saying and whether he wants to be offensive, defensive or a partner.

What is conveyed through gestures is important because people who don’t know the communicator very well are likely to misinterpret the silent messages the body sends out. That’s why it helps to be aware of and control one’s hand and eye movements and facial expressions.

Facial expressions reflect emotional side – a smile on the face with some relevant content is an effective weapon.

Here are some tips to train your body to- give the right message:

What you say and how you say is important. Conviction and depth in voice assures one’s determination and interest in the subject.

Be confident and relaxed in an office meeting. However, don’t appear to be too relaxed as it gives the impression that you are not interested in what’s going on.

If you are in an interview and want to talk about your achievements, look your interviewer in the eye while talking otherwise the interviewer may doubt your claims.

In prolonged meetings, make sure that your body language doesn’t convey your is like of boredom with the proceedings.

Greet your interviewer or a prospective client with a firm handshake. Limp and clammy hands convey your nervousness.

If you are in a meeting and the other person gets a call, try and look away or appear busy as it gives her a sense of privacy. But do not ask if you should go out of the room.

Beware of using too many hand gestures as they lead people to believe that you are angry or are getting aggressive.

An assertive behavior, go-getter tactics and pleasant appearance is always preferred over a blunt looking, difficult to figure out behavior.

Body Language

2007-10-02T20:48:00.000+05:30

Interestingly, while words or verbal communication have their own impact, it’s the gestures and involuntarily movements of body parts i.e. non-verbal communication that conveys the strongest of messages.

Hence, social scientists have given great impetus on understanding body language of people to know exactly their state of mind. In a corporate set up too, HR managers are being trained in grasping the subtle messages that prospective recruits as well as existing employees convey through their hand and body movements.

Even a simple observation as to how a person sits in a chair can convey a lot about his or her personality. Understanding this can help HR managers identify whether the person is right for a particular job or not.

According to studies done by psychologists, over 90% of the communication is done through body language only.

Almost all interviews give importance to body language in evaluating candidature. Some interpretations of body language are ads follows:

An erect walk conveys confidence.
Raising eyebrows means probing/interest.
Tilted head signifies doubt.
Touching nose with a finger conveys doubt.
Biting nails is a sign of nervousness.
Folded hands are a sign of defensiveness.
Hands in the pockets mean dejection.
Hands on hips while standing shows aggression.
Legs crossed while sitting signifies boredom.
Legs apart while sitting shows you are open.

Psychologists state that when it comes to expressing feeling: 55% of the communication-n consists of body language; 38 % is expressed through tone of voice and only; 7% is communicated through words.

That means we express 93% of our feelings in a non-verbal way. A solid reason to mind the way we gesticulate.

Honesty Goes A Long Way

2007-10-02T20:41:00.000+05:30

The Seed

A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to chose a successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children, he decided to do something different.

He called all the young executives in his company together.

"It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO," he said. "I have decided to choose one of you."

The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today - a very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO."

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed.

He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed.

Every day, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by - still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - he so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened.

Jim felt sick at his stomach. It was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right.

He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed. A few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.

Jim just tried to hide in the back.

"My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the CEO.

"Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front.

Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed. Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Here is your next Chief Executive! His name is Jim!"

Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new CEO the others said?

Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed.

I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.

All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers.

"When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive!"

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.

Branding Decisions

2007-10-02T03:00:00.000+05:30

Branding Decisions

Branding is an important strategy to differentiate the product from its competitors. Its a name ,logo ,trade mark, even patent number or package design, intended to identify the firm’s products or services from others. It represents to the customer the source of the product which leads him to associate with the brand. In taking brand decisions, the firm has to consider the target market, cultural influences on the market and the role the brand will play in its business strategy. Foe example, a brand name which is culturally alien will find difficulty in getting accepted in the market, like in the case of Kiss and Tell brand of cosmetics that failed in the Indian market. Besides, a firm has to ensure that a brand name is not banned because it represents either a national leader or the country.

The brand decisions a firm has to take are:

1.Manufacturer’s name ,i.e whether to have its own name on all products ,or
2.Marketing organization/Distributions brand name ;or
3.Adopt a combination of the two.

Manufacturer’s Brand Policy or National Brand Policy

This policy is based on the assumption that the manufacturer had built a reputation in the market, has strength in distribution and the firm had adequate financial resources to establish a new product in the market. Customer confidence in the firm is the prime factor in the manufacturer deciding to brand the production his own name. When the firm markets this product in its own name ,nationally, this may also be called the national brand policy Common examples are all leading national brands of all well known firms in India.

The options available to a firm here are :

1.Family brand name ;or
2.Independent brand name.

The strategy of family brand name works when its name brings positive associations in the mind of the consumer. To the customer ,it represents quality, reliability and assurance of meeting specific standards.

The strategy of an independent brand name is therefore advisable. This can also help to penetrate different markets segments which may buy the firm’s product for different reasons. This strategy can also ensure that the firm doesn’t lose its original position. For example ,if Hindustan Lever would have introduce different detergent powders under the name of Surf for different market segments and differentiated them only on the basis of price it could have run the risk of losing even the original positioning of an economical detergent powder to an economy conscious middle-class housewife

Even in the same market segment ,a firm may offer different brands of the same product but with different benefits and appeal. Consider for example ,Hindustan Levers’ Liril and Lux brand of toilet soaps in the premium market .Lux has traditionally been positioned as a beauty soap while Liril offers benefits of lemon. Thus, an independent brand offers extensive benefits without endangering the corporate image.

Mixed Brand Policy

The two options is for the firm to enter into a strategic alliance with a well-known marketing firm and let it market the product under its brand name in a defined geographical area .The manufacturer also continues to market the product under his own name nationally. This is done to fight regional competition .Consider Kelvinator’s strategy of marketing refrigerators in its own name and also that of others like Blue Star, Leonard and Spencer ,Whirlpool also lets Mirc Electronics market its washing machines under the name ONIDA.

This strategy allows the firm to take benefits of both the options spelt out earlier.
Brand decisions are central to new product launches and have to be carefully taken. These represent investments in future and also the degree of control the manufacturing firm wants over its marketing operation.

Positioning

Another decision in commercialization of a new product is how to differentiate it in the midst of an already over-communicated society of ours, where an average consumer screens out most of the messages .The strategy to differentiate the brand or product is to place it in an appropriate cell of the human mind so that whenever the customer recalls the product, the firm’s brand id the first to be recalled. This strategy is called Positioning .Positioning is the act of communicating company’s offer so that it occupies a distinct and valued place in the customers mind.

The concept of positioning was first advocated by Al Ries and Jack Trout ,two advertising executives in their articles titled The Positioning Era: A View Ten Years Later in Advertising Age in 1972 and later in their book Positioning :The Battle For Your Mind in 1982. According to them :

Positioning is not what you do to a product. But what you do to the mind of the prospect .That is, you position the product in the mind of the prospect.

Ries and Trout believe that marketing is like a war which is fought in the mind of consumers. They advocate that the marketer should perceive each consumer to mentally have a product ladder. The customer often knows brands in the form of this ladder. There is a brand on the top of the ladder (brand leader) and there are others that occupy the second and the third step in this ladder .Sometimes the top slot may be vacant and at other times there may be two or three brands vying for this pr4estigious slot in the customer’s mind .The rush for the top slot is understandable as people remember number one.

Advertising Decisions

2007-10-02T02:59:00.000+05:30

Advertising Decisions

Advertising objectives

The starting point in any planning exercise is one of setting the goals or objectives .In evolving an advertising plan, objectives have to be set as they help in measuring the performance of an advertising campaign .It is important for the strategist, to know how the strategy fared and the only way to know is how far did it go to achieve the objectives. Objectives or goals are also necessary to justify financial resources that are required for an advertisement campaign. The only way to counter skeptics s to state what it would cost to achieve a specific objective ,say a 20% increase in awareness in the target audience.

Objectives are also required for coordination purposes .As we have mentioned earlier ,advertising is just one of the communication tools and to achieve desired marketing objective of sale or market share all elements of communication mix must be coordinated .Each element should have both, a short term and a long term goal.

So ,to be meaningful, advertising objectives have to be measurable and communicated .Measurability is important or else performance cannot be evaluated.

Let us consider a few objectives for advertising.

Sales objectives

Marketing’s prime objective is to increase the firm or brand’s sales, market share and profits .Hence marketing activities have to be directed this goal. By the same logic, the advertising goal should also be to increase sales. This goal gives credibility to advertising expenditures and may even subdue the complaints that 50% of advertising expenditure is a waste of money .But this goal for advertising has a problem. As we mentioned, sales is a function of a firm’s marketing mix, competition activity and consumer behavior Hence ,to attribute increase or decrease in sales to advertising alone is like attributing success or failure in a game of football to just one single player, when it is really a team game. Besides, the effect of advertising on sales is lagged one ,in the sense that an advertisement may continue to have a demand pull even after it has been withdrawn. It is never that sales start and end immediately after the campaign has got off the ground or comes to an end. In other words, the impact of an advertising campaign may not be known for certain until considerable time has passed. According to one of the researches for frequently purchased consumer non-durable products like soft dinks, tea ,coffee toiletries, etc, the effect of an advertising exposure can take upto nine months to get dissipated.

Typically, an advertising campaign mat attract new customers to the brand, or it might help develop more positive attitudes in the target market towards the brand or may even generate trial purchases. All these together will lead to an increase in the brands; sales. Isolating these effects and conclusively show that the advertising campaign has led to an increase in sales is a difficult proposition.

In case of financial instruments advertising or the direct marketing campaign or even individual classified advertisements—the kind one often sees in the print media ,the results are more tangible.
Thus ,but for the above situations ,it is perhaps incorrect to define advertising goals in terms of sales.

Sardar and Cancer

2007-10-02T02:57:00.000+05:30

Sardar and Cancer

Santa Singh went to his doctor after a long illness. The doctor, after a lengthy examination, sighed and looked Santa Singh in the eye and said, "I've some bad news for you... you have cancer and it can't be cured. I'd give you two weeks to a month."

Santa Singh, shocked and saddened by the news, but of solid character, managed to compose himself and walk from the doctor's office into the waiting room. There he saw his son who had been waiting. Santa Singh said, "Puttar, we Surds celebrate when things are good and celebrate when things don't go so well. In this case, things aren't so well. I have cancer and I've been given a short time to live. Let's head for the pub and have a few pints." After three or four pints, the two were feeling a little less somber.

There were some laughs and more beers. They were eventually approached by some of Santa Singh's old friends who asked what the two were celebrating. Santa Singh told them that the Surds celebrate the good and the bad. He went on to tell them that they were drinking to his impending end. He told his friends "I've only got few weeks to live as I have been diagnosed with AIDS."

The friends gave Santa Singh their condolences and they had a couple more beers. After his friends left, Santa Singh's son leaned over and whispered his confusion, "Dad, I thought you said that you were dying from cancer? You just told your friends that you were dying from AIDS!"

Santa Singh said, " I am dying from cancer, puttar. I just don't want any of them around your mother after I'm gone."

Developed vs Developing Markets

2007-10-01T23:03:00.000+05:30

Developed vs Developing Markets

The needs of the emerging or developing world represent huge potential markets for food, clothing, shelter, consumer electronics, appliances and other goods. Many market leaders are rushing into Eastern Europe, China, and India. Colgate now draws more personal and household products business from Latin America than North America

The developed nations and the prosperous parts of developing parts of developing nations account for less than 15% of the world’s population. Is there a way for marketers to serve the other 85%, which has much less purchasing power? Successfully entering developing markets requires a special set of skills and plans. Consider how the following companies are pioneering ways to serve these invisible consumers:

Grameen Phone markets cell phones to 35,000 villages in Bangladesh by hiring village women as agents who lease phone time to other villagers, one call at a time.

Colgate Palmolive rolls into Indian villages with video vans that show the benefits of tooth-brushing; it expects to earn over half of its Indian revenue from rural areas.

An Indian-Australian car manufacturer created an affordable rural transport vehicle to compete with bullock carts rather than cars. The vehicle functions well at low speeds and carries up to two tons.

Fiat developed a "third-world car," the Palio, that far outsells the Ford Fiesta in Brazil and that will be launched in other developing nations.

Corporacion GEO builds low income housing in Mexico. The two-bedroom homes are modular and can be expanded. The company is now moving into Chile and southern U.S. communities.

A Latin American building supply retailer offers bags of cement in smaller sizes to customers building their own homes.

These marketers are able to capitalize on the potential of developing markets by changing their conventional marketing practices to sell their products and services more effectively. It cannot be business as usual when selling in developing markets. Economic and cultural differences abound; a marketing infrastructure may barely exist; and local competition can be surprisingly stiff. In China, PC maker Legend and mobile phone provider TCL have thrived despite strong foreign competition. Besides their close grasp on Chinese tastes, they also have their vast distribution networks especially in rural areas.

Smaller packaging and lower sales prices are often critical in markets where incomes are limited. Hindustan Unilever’s 4-cent sachets of detergent and shampoo have been a big hit in rural India, where 70% of the country’s population still lives. When Coke moved to a smaller 200ml bottle in India, selling for 10 to 12 cents in small shops, bus-stop stalls, and roadside eateries sales jumped. A western image can also be helpful as Coke discovered in China. Part of its success against local cola brand Jianlibao was due to its symbolic values of modernity and affluence.

Recognizing that its cost structure made it difficult to compete effectively in developing markets, Procter & gamble devised cheaper, clever ways to make the right kinds of products to suit consumer demand. It now uses contract manufacturers in certain markets and gained eight points in Russia for Always feminine protection pads by responding to consumer wishes for a thicker pad. Due to a boom in consumer spending, Russia has been the fastest growing market for many major multinationals including Nestle, L’Oreal, and IKEA.

The challenge is to think creatively about how marketing can fulfill the dreams of most of the world’s population for a better standard of living. Many companies are betting that they can do that.

After launching Buick in China in 1999, GM poured more than $2 billion into the region over the next five years, expanding the lineup to 14 models, ranging from the $8,000 Chevrolet Spark mini car to high-end Cadillacs. Although competition in the third largest car market is fierce, GM was able to secure 11% market share in 2004 and reap sizable profits. But initial gains in the Chinese market do not necessarily spell long term success. After investing to establish the markets, foreign pioneers in television sets and motorcycles saw domestic Chinese firms emerge as rivals. In 1995, virtually all mobile phones in China were made by global giants Nokia, Motorola, and Ericsson. Within 10 years, their market share had dropped to 60%. To secure and build on its gains, General Motors pledged to invest another $3 billion in the region to boost capacity and build its reputation.

Credit Cards

2007-09-27T01:53:00.001+05:30

Credit Cards

When applying for a credit card it is always a good idea to know your personal credit score, since this will affect your ability to negotiate beneficial terms for your credit. If your credit score is poor – e.g. due to unpaid bills, a habit of paying your bills to late or an earlier filing for bankruptcy – you will most likely end up with a high interest credit card, if your application is accepted at all. If your credit card score is poor, it is therefore advisable to try to rebuild you credit score.

You might already have received a lot of different credit card offers through the mail, on the Internet or from credit card promoters in malls or on campuses. Simply choosing the credit card company that has the flashiest online commercial or the one that is handing out balloons at your local mall every Saturday may however not be the wisest decision. Always compare several credit card offers before you make up your mind. The credit card that is ideal for you friend might be highly unsuitable for you, your financial situation and your lifestyle. Do not only choose among the credit card companies that shower you in commercials and promotional gift. Instead, you should always contact your bank and ask about their credit card offers for long time customers. By applying for a credit card from a bank that knows your financial history and current economical situation you might be able to negotiate a better deal. This is however not a strict rule, and you should always compare the offer from your bank with offers from other credit card companies.

The credit card application will usually be sent to you by ordinary mail, since you need to sign it. Today, there is also the possibility to apply online or over the phone. Be very careful when you fill in a credit card application, regardless of if it is to be mailed, transmitted online or over the phone. You will share highly personal information in your application and you do not want this information to end up in the wrong hands. There are many examples of dishonest websites gathering personal information from unsuspecting individuals. This information is then used for fraudulent undertakings and can seriously harm your financial situation. In cases of severe identity theft, you could even face charges and it can take a long time to establish that you are in fact innocent and that someone else have been using your name, address, social security number etcetera.

Only fill out credit card applications for credit cards that you actually need. Filling out applications as a “test” or to get some promotional gizmo is unadvisable since each application will be noted on your personal credit record. Having a large amount of different credits can make creditors perceive you as a high risk person. Having a lot of different credit cards is also generally a bad idea, unless you know from experience that you are a very neat and organized person that will keep track of all your different debts regardless of how many credit cards you use. Only use several credit cards if you actually gain something from it.

Resume for a job

2007-09-27T01:52:00.001+05:30

Resume for a job

While one page resumes are surely nice to see, they are not always a rule. Once you’ve had one or two jobs, coupled with your credentials, education, professional affiliations, and so on, you’re easily on two pages. This is perfectly acceptable and very much the norm.

While you succeed in cramming more content in less space, you’re compromising on the readability of your resume and overloading the reader with too much information. If you have trouble reading your own resume, recruiters too will. A 12 – point type size and a one-inch margin all around is the norm. For extra space, you can slightly reduce the top and bottom margins or reduce the volume of information but never reduce type size or font.

Just about any resume even one used with success before can benefit from careful scrutiny and periodic revision. Your resume mirrors your career graph and should evolve as you do. In addition to acquiring new skills, experiences, and accomplishments, you may have shifted in your professional focus or interests. Perhaps you have gained insights into what employers are really looking for in your line of work.

Above all, your resume should be revised so that it is tailored to the employer who will receive it. Even if you have little to add in the way of content, you can always improve your resume by refocusing it on the specifics of the position you are seeking, and by strengthening its wording and overall appearance.

Objectives are fast becoming a thing of the past. Why? Because everyone’s objective says almost the same thing: "Looking for a position where I can use all my skills and experience in a challenging environment with opportunities for advancement where I can deliver high quality work"?. The sentence is vague and meaningless. And even if you provide specifics, you will need to modify your resume every time you look for another type of job. Mention your particular interests in your cover letter instead.

This is another interesting item that many of us seem to be attached to. In truth, if prospective employers want references, they will ask. Usually, it is understood that you will have references, which you will provide if asked. Eliminate it as a way to un-clutter your resume.

Don’t let misconceptions come in between your resume and your next important job opportunity. Much of resume writing style is based on hearsay rather than expert advice.

TRAINING AIDS AND ADVANTAGES – EMPLOYEE TRAINING

2007-09-27T01:51:00.001+05:30

TRAINING AIDS AND ADVANTAGES – EMPLOYEE TRAINING

Films, Slides, Projectors, Movies, Stills
Charts, Graphs, Flash Cards, Flannel Boards, Pictograms
Pamphlets, Brochures, Handbooks, Manuals
Libraries and Reading Rooms
Teaching Machines, Closed Circuit TV.
Exhibits ,Posters and Displays.
Notice Boards, Bulletin Boards, Enlarged Drawings.
Cartoons, Comic Books, Books.

Follow –up

The final step in most training procedures is that of follow-up .When people are involved in any problem or procedure,it is unwise to assume that things are always constant.Follow-up can be adopted to a variable reinforcement schedule in the discussion of learning principles .The follow-up system should provide feed-back on training effectiveness and on total value of training system shown below

Advantages of Training

The contribution of imparting training to a company should be readily apparent .The major values are:

1.Increased Productivity: An increase in skill usually results in an increment in both quality and quantity of output. However, the increasingly technical nature of modern jobs demands systematic training to make possible even minimum levels of accomplishment.

2.Heightened Morale: Possession of needed skills help to meet such basic human needs as security and ego satisfaction .Collaborate personnel and human relations programs can make a contribution toward morale ,but they are hollow shells if there is no solid core of meaningful work down with knowledge , skill and pride

3.Reduced Supervision The trained employee is one who can perform with limited supervision. Both employee and supervisor want less supervision but greater independence is not possible unless the employee is adequately trained.

4.Reduced Accidents: More accidents are caused by deficiencies in people than by deficiencies in equipment and working conditions. Proper training in both job skills and safety attitudes should contribute toward a reduction in the accident rate.

5.Increased Organizational Stability: The ability of an organization to sustain its effectiveness despite the loss of key personnel , can be developed only through creation of a reservoir of employees. Flexibility , the ability to adjust to short-run variations in the volume of work requires personnel with multiple skills to permit their transfer to jobs where the demand is highest.

Indian stock market

2007-09-27T01:40:00.001+05:30

Indian stock market

The working of stock exchanges in India started in 1875. BSE is the oldest stock market in India. The history of Indian stock trading starts with 318 persons taking membership in Native Share and Stock Brokers Association, which we now know by the name Bombay Stock Exchange or BSE in short. In 1965, BSE got permanent recognition from the Government of India. National Stock Exchange comes second to BSE in terms of popularity. BSE and NSE represent themselves as synonyms of Indian stock market. The history of Indian stock market is almost the same as the history of BSE.

The 30 stock sensitive index or Sensex was first compiled in 1986. The Sensex is compiled based on the performance of the stocks of 30 financially sound benchmark companies. In 1990 the BSE crossed the 1000 mark for the first time. It crossed 2000, 3000 and 4000 figures in 1992. The reason for such huge surge in the stock market was the liberal financial policies announced by the then financial minister Dr. Man Mohan Singh.

The up-beat mood of the market was suddenly lost with Harshad Mehta scam. It came to public knowledge that Mr. Mehta, also known as the big-bull of Indian stock market diverted huge funds from banks through fraudulent means. He played with 270 million shares of about 90 companies. Millions of small-scale investors became victims to the fraud as the Sensex fell flat shedding 570 points.

To prevent such frauds, the Government formed The Securities and Exchange Board of India, through an Act in 1992. SEBI is the statutory body that controls and regulates the functioning of stock exchanges, brokers, sub-brokers, portfolio managers investment advisors etc. SEBI oblige several rigid measures to protect the interest of investors. Now with the inception of online trading and daily settlements the chances for a fraud is nil, says top officials of SEBI.

Sensex crossed the 5000 mark in 1999 and the 6000 mark in 2000. The 7000 mark was crossed in June and the 8000 mark on September 8 in 2005. Many foreign institutional investors (FII) are investing in Indian stock markets on a very large scale. The liberal economic policies pursued by successive Governments attracted foreign institutional investors to a large scale. Experts now believe the sensex can soar past 14000 mark before 2010.

The unpredictable behavior of the market gave it a tag – ‘a volatile market.’ The factors that affected the market in the past were good monsoon, Bharatiya Janatha Party’s rise to power etc. The result of a cricket match between India and Pakistan also affected the movements in Indian stock market. The National Democratic Alliance led by BJP, during 2004 public elections unsuccessfully tried to ride on the market sentiments to power. NDA was voted out of power and the sensex recorded the biggest fall in a day amidst fears that the Congress-Communist coalition would stall economic reforms. Later prime minister Man Mohan Singh’s assurance of ‘reforms with a human face’ cast off the fears and market reacted sharply to touch the highest ever mark of 8500.

India, after United States hosts the largest number of listed companies. Global investors now ardently seek India as their preferred location for investment. Once viewed with skepticism, stock market now appeals to middle class Indians also. Many Indians working in foreign countries now divert their savings to stocks. This recent phenomenon is the result of opening up of online trading and diminished interest rates from banks. The stockbrokers based in India are opening offices in different countries mainly to cater the needs of Non Resident Indians. The time factor also works for the NRIs. They can buy or sell stock online after returning from their work places.

The recent incidents that led to growing interest among Indian middle class are the initial public offers announced by Tata Consultancy Services, Maruti Udyog Limited, ONGC and big names like that. Good monsoons always raise the market sentiments. A good monsoon means improved agricultural produce and more spending capacity among rural folk. The bullish run of the stock market can be associated with a steady growth of around 6% in GDP, the growth of Indian companies to MNCs, large potential of growth in the fields of telecommunication, mass media, education, tourism and IT sectors backed by economic reforms ensure that Indian stock market continues its bull run.

Organizations must be family friendly

2007-09-27T00:10:00.000+05:30

Organizations must be family friendly

Employees today are asking for a workplace that helps them balance the demands of their work and family lives, rather than forcing them to choose one over the other. Organizations have also accepted that among the many other aspirations of employees, the most important is one that seeks to be able to ‘provide well’ for their families Amongst the many schemes that organizations have introduced for their employees, having special schemes for their children is the latest addition. While some are offering various schemes like scholarships, medical benefits, and training some young kids to accompany their mothers to work. Many organizations boast of instances where they have gone out of their way to extend special help to the child of a particular employee.

At NIIT, one would witness various examples of how these commitments have been actually put into practice. Little NIITian is a special name given to the kids of NIITians (read: employees), who are a special part of NIIT. The company’s ‘calendar’ is dotted with many fun activities which encourage active participation from these little ones. No matter what the occasion, if it touches and concerns a NIITians or his / her family, the company tries to be a part of it. Amongst the many schemes which the company offers towards employee welfare, the one which was found most special was the one wherein on the birth of a little NIITian, the company contributes a sum as investment in the name of the new born. NIIT also has schemes like ‘Little NIITian Care Leave (LNCL)’ under which, the NIITians can avail half time working hours on half pay, to take care of a child at home. The leave can be utilized for a maximum of six months period for half days till the child is one year old.

High expectation levels, increasing attrition rates and increasing demand for work life balance has forced organizations to look beyond run of the mill HR interventions. Objective is to create ‘Home away from Home’, an atmosphere where the basic needs of employees are met and they don’t have to be bothered about the daily routine tasks. Under the ‘Child Care Support’ scheme that the company offers, crèches, workplace nurseries, out-of-school care, holiday play schemes and after school clubs are included Similarly, Cellebrum proposes to have scholarship programs, wherein the child of a meritorious and tenured employee with good academic records will be given scholarship fees based on the company’s policy. “Cellebrum has already initiated tie ups with various schools / institutes to take care of the child’s admission at the time of relocation. There is also a ‘Career Counseling Cell’ which provides in-house career counseling options for children of employees.

Amongst the various schemes that 24/7 Customer has initiated for the families of its employees, some of the most prominent ones include ‘Family insurance Scheme’, ‘Employee Welfare Fund’,’ Family Oriented Reward Program’, ‘Reward & Recognition,’ ‘Parents Day’ and ‘Daycare Centre’. 24/7 Customer is the only BPO in India to provide extended insurance to the employee and their families (employee plus four dependents). Under the ‘Employee Welfare Fund’, employees in any kind of medical emergency or need can avail it as a loan. There are instances when one of the family members of an employee had to undergo a major surgery and the amount from this scheme proved to be very helpful. Every month, on Parents Day, the family members of employees are invited to spend a day with their children/spouse/sibling.

Multinational Corporations

2007-09-27T00:09:00.001+05:30

Multinational Corporations

Multinational corporations (MNCs) have their headquarters in one country but their operations are in many countries. Of the ten largest multinational industrial corporations, ranked by 1985 sales, eight are American. The ten are (1) General Motors, (2) Exxon, (3) Royal Dutch / Shell Group (Dutch-English), (4) Mobil, (5) British Petroleum (English), (6) Ford Motor Company, (7) International Business Machines (IBM), (8) Texaco (9) Chevron, and (10) American Telephone and Telegraph.

In its early stages, international business was conducted with an ethnocentric outlook; that is, the orientation and type of operation was based on that of the parent company. The polycentric attitude, on the other hand, is based on the notion that it is best to give foreign subsidiaries, staffed by local nationals, a great deal of managerial freedom. It is assumed that nationals have the best understanding of the local environment. Region-centric orientation favors the staffing of foreign operations on a regional basis. Thus, a European view may be composed of British, French, German, and Italian influences. The modern multinational corporation has a geocentric orientation. This means that the total organization is viewed as an interdependent system operating in many countries. The relationships between headquarters and subsidiaries are collaborative, with communication flowing in both directions. Further more key positions are filled by managers of different nationalities. In short, the orientation of the multi-national corporation is truly and goes beyond a narrow nationalistic view point.

Multinational corporations have several advantages over firms that have a domestic orientation. Obviously, the MNC can take advantage of business opportunities in many different countries. It can also raise money for its operations throughout the world. Moreover, multinational firms benefit by being able to establish production facilities in countries where their products can be produced most effectively and efficiently. Companies with worldwide sometimes have access to natural resources and material that may not be available to domestic firms. Finally, the large MNCs can recruit management and personnel from a world wide labor pool.

Despite the increasing competition and the cost advantages of some foreign corporations, a number of US companies have done very well in the international environment.

Fortune studied a number of large companies that earn more than 20% of their revenues from overseas operations. The reasons for the success of these firms differ greatly. IBM’s size makes it possible to dominate the market. Coca-Cola is very adept at opening up new markets rather rapidly. McDonald’s on the other hand, does not rush into the market but carefully assesses the potential for success. Hewlett Packard and Boeing bring foreign managers to the United States to expose them to their organizational culture.

The MNCs that were studied structure their organization very carefully to suit the needs of each individual country. In addition, these firms are flexible in their product design and marketing. It should also be noted that the operations abroad were largely managed by foreign nationals.

Managerial Functions in International Business:

Evidence shows that management fundamentals may be applicable in different countries. However, the practice of carrying out the managerial functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling differs considerably in domestic and international enterprises.

Planning requires setting objectives and then selecting strategies, policies, programs, and procedures for achieving them. A critically important activity for the MNC is the assessment of opportunities and threats in the external environment. This is a complex task even for a domestic enterprise, but it becomes much intricate when many different, ever changing world markets must be scanned.

External threats and opportunities must be matched with the internal strengths and weakness of the firm. For example, a poor educational system makes it difficult to find qualified personnel. Similarly, cultural orientation towards time will affect planning. Specifically, cultural attitudes that emphasize a short time perspective will not be conducive to long range planning. Finally, political and economic instability in a country makes it difficult to forecast and will discourage long term commitment of resources.

Overcoming Office irritations

2007-09-27T00:06:00.000+05:30

Overcoming Office irritations

Employees of some companies have to face unfortunate situations to be working in a company where on the pretence of providing a better work life, all the employer does is serve a birthday cake or allows a 15 minute break in the recreation room daily.

Well, practices may not be bad, but they will definitely not turn ones workplace a place where one wants to be for a long time. If one loves what he is doing and want to continue in the same place for a long time, then here are few things one can try to make to be happy at work.

An employee must get himself assigned to a project. He can go to his boss and suggest a project of his interest and which will further enhance company’s progress as well. If one loves talking to people, a research project can be suggested.

An employee can tell the employer that to keep ahead of competitors he wants to do research and find out the need of customers and solution to solve their problems. This will give a chance to step out and speak to people and the employee can interact with people on line or simply get busy on the telephone or go and meet them.

Sometimes it is just not the day when one feels like going to work. If that’s the case and if ones work permits then all one has to do is work from home. Do the work in the same fashion as watching TV or play with ones child and send in reports twice in a day. If ones boss resists, explain that this style of working is helping him get the work done efficiently and could not attend work because of minor health problem.

Jump into multi tasking: If one does not like some aspects of his job, then he can try to find out if one can exchange his assignments with a colleague with mutual consent and employer’s permission. Weakness of an individual can be someone else’s strength and vice-a-versa. By exchanging job assignments the work is done efficiently while both the colleague and the employer can be happy with the results.

An individual’s colleagues at work must know that he enjoys listening to others and likes to help them. One will find that there are many at his workplace who will appreciate an ear where they can unburden their worries and take a breather. This will enable him to get a whole hearted cooperation from all his colleagues at the work place and he can discharge his duties not only successfully but much faster.

One never knows but he may end up making a close friend in the deal and find himself enjoying at work. Take the newfound friend to lunch or catch up for a drink after work. This will help one unwind and relax.

Change work environment makes an employee feel more like home and he will enjoy working at his desk or cubicle for eight hours. Adding colors, pictures or favorite items to work-desk energize him and give positive vibes, helping to do the job to the best of ones ability.

And, if after doing all this one is still unhappy at work maybe it’s time to look for a new job.

Changing a job is possible up to certain age and beyond that companies may not be in a position to absorb experienced people until and unless they are being considered for a top management positions. If a senior person is having professional reputation he can soung a few consultants indicating his desire to change that too it becomes essential. Otherwise a senior management person must have the art of getting along under all circumstances in the work environment. Otherwise he would not have reached that position at all. The organization under normal circumstances would not like to lose any top level person say a General Manager or Executive director. But for the junior and middle management cadres we have suggested tackiling the problems in the above paragraphs.

Interviews can reveal candidates’ market value

2007-09-27T00:03:00.000+05:30

Interviews can reveal candidates’ market value

Interviewing for a new job can reveal the true market value of an individual’s skills and experience—if he is well prepared to negotiate his salary

Everybody loves a good pay hike. Since he is highly unlikely to get as many increments in a year as he may like, he might consider switching jobs. He may figure that a new employer would value him more, and send off a resume. How well prepared will he be when it’s time to talk about money?

The interview is going the individual’s way, and he is able to impress everyone. Then the human resource (HR) manager shoots the big question: how much remuneration he is expecting? Usually, money is discussed only when the interview reaches the negotiation stage.

The candidate’s answer to that question can make or break the deal. HR managers believe it’s a loaded question. During the negotiation stage, managers rate him for individual personal qualities on the basis of the remuneration he demands. While the individual is justifying his demand, the managers are assessing his mindset towards money, as well as rating his knowledge, self-assurance and understanding of the current demand-supply scenario for jobs in the industry.

How much to ask for? In most people-oriented industries where retaining employees is tough, a hike of 25-30% above an individual previous salary is acceptable. Yet HR managers are not necessarily put off by interviewees who ask for more than the industry norm.

It is expected the interviewee to have given good thought about how much his paycheck should be. People should be asking for remuneration according to their abilities, liabilities and future goals. Their salaries should help them move forward in life.

Their demand will not always be in tandem with industry standards, but that should not deter them from asking what they think they deserve. Lying about an individual’s previous salary is not at all recommended in fact prohibited. Many people resort to this, since the higher salary at the new job would be based on the previous salary. Not only is lying legally and morally unacceptable, but it is also unlikely to work if he is seeking to switch to a reputed company. For most companies, it is now the norm to ask for an individual previous salary slip, Form 16, and reference letters from people in the individual’s field of work.

Some multinationals in fields like real estate, where salaries are sky-high, even hiring a third party investigator to check on the credentials of new recruits. In such a scenario, an individual’s best option and one that is legally unimpeachable is to switch jobs after getting an increment at his old job. Salary structure today is decided on a “cost to company” basis. This means companies look at the total expenses they would incur on an employee which include medical expenses, leave travel allowance, and sometimes even office space.

Trying to decipher exactly how much cash will actually flow into an individual hands may seem confusing at first glance, as he run down the list of sub-heads like car fuel, entertainment, attire, and other allowances. It is, of course, a good idea to make the effort to understand the salary structure. But if he really wants to save all the fretting, let the new employer know the “take home” that he would like each month.

Leave the fine tuning to the accounts department. Tax benefits Interaction with the accounts department, however, is inevitable, because a candidate needs to know the tax implications of his salary. Employees are often so engrossed in their jobs that they forget to inform the accounts department about their investments, home loans, and so on. Then they get a surprise when they see the tax deductions in their first paycheck.

When a individual joins a new company, he needs to declare the tax benefits he is eligible for. Proof of those investments can come later, so long as it is before the end of the financial year. Cash in hand depends on ones ever growing needs— a house, a car, a better lifestyle. Having more cash in hand is becoming an imperative, leading to a new trend among employees to prefer cash in hand, rather than gratuity and provident fund (PF) contributions by the employer.
Employee stock ownership plans have lost some of their allure, because of the fringe benefit tax on the profit, starting from this year. This is paving the way for higher take-home salaries.
There is more good than bad in going for interviews. Interviews that reach the monetary negotiations stage enable one to know his market value. Some interviewees may go ahead and accept the offer for a new job. And others will use their new-found market value to get that elusive pay hike from their existing company.

BPO policies- what works

2007-09-27T00:00:00.000+05:30

BPO policies- what works

The biggest challenge that HR managers working for BPO companies face is that of attrition. How to tackle attrition? Which HR policies work best? To start with, there are no easy answers. Nor should we expect any standard policy package to work for all companies. Each company needs to work out the HR policy package that would work best given the company’s specific character. A few general guidelines can, however, be suggested.

It is first necessary to point out that in the Indian BPO industry, attrition is more of a problem in voice operations and not so much in non-voice operations. Second, most Indian BPO companies operate in the low-end of the information food chain or the low end of the knowledge spectrum and rates of attrition are highest in these firms and, therefore, they pose a problem for HR managers. Attrition is not really a problem in high-end BPOs. Thus, the problem of attrition is most acute in call centres and, therefore, what we really need is a policy package to tackle attrition in these firms.

Many HR managers in such firms believe that high rates of attrition in Indian call centres are a phenomenon peculiar to India. It is not so. Various studies have shown that if the average rate of attrition in Indian call centres is in the region of 30-35 per cent, it is around 25-30 per cent in the US or UK. Moreover, in call centres in other countries competing with India (for example Philippines) the attrition rate is again at least as high as it is in India. Thus, high rates of attrition is a kind of given in the call centre industry around the world.

Studies show that Indian BPO firms which have been able to tackle the problem of attrition successfully adopt policies which can be grouped into two basic categories:
(a) policies that are based on the basic strategy of “learning to live with it”, and
(b) policies that are based on the basic strategy of “learning to tackle it”.
The emphasis in the first group of policies is on constant recruitment and training and not on retention while in the second group of policies the emphasis is on retention rather than on constant recruitment and training.

Studies also show that in call centres, the basic strategy of “Learning to live with it” works best while the basic strategy of “Learning to tackle it” works best for non-voice operations and in firms engaged in high end processes. In call centres, adopting a basic strategy that emphasizes retention can be suicidal because however much HR managers may try, call centres will have high attrition rates. Hence, spending too much on retention will only result in hiking costs and thereby eroding the very cost arbitrage that is the basis of the call centre business while it will not help in reducing the attrition rate appreciably. On the other hand, if the emphasis is on constant recruitment and training, costs can be kept down without affecting operations even if the attrition rate is in the region of 30-35 per cent.

Studies also show that one third of all attrition in call centres are because of high stress levels and the desire to pursue higher education or alternative occupations while two thirds can be attributed to better job opportunities in the industry. In short, a large majority of people quitting go to another call centre. This is the reason why many call centre HR managers fall into the trap of putting emphasis on retention thinking that if they can implement good retention policies then the two thirds of the people going to other call centres for better job prospects would not do so. These HR managers fail to realize that irrespective of the retention policies, two thirds of the people will still leave for better job prospects and that beyond a point spending more on retention would only eat into margins and erode the basic profitability of the business.

In this context some facts are worth noting:

(a) most Indian call centres need no more than graduates and there is no dearth of graduates in India so that there is no basic shortage of manpower as long as the call centre company does not make the mistake of recruiting over qualified people for their operations. Such over qualified people will leave anyway after a few days or weeks once they realize that their expectations do not match with the reality.

(b) Most Indian call centres need to train people for no more than three months to get them to become fully productive as long as the raw recruit had basic English language skills, especially verbal communication skills. Moreover, in many low-end processes where the script is given by the client and agents have almost no discretion, even basic skills of communication in English is not required since almost anybody can be trained to read a prepared script with a certain specific accent and diction. Hence constant recruitment and training is cost-effective even with attrition rates of around 30-35 per cent.

(c) In most Indian call centres, the majority of the agents are in the age group 18-26 and their focus is on the here and now. Such employees prefer to get their entire compensation in cash and not through such rubrics as provident fund, medical cover, superannuation benefits etc. Hence, call centres need to structure their compensation package in a way that most of the benefits go to the employee in the form of cash or through such things as company credit cards, easy car/housing/consumer durable loans, club membership etc. For this reason, proprietory firms have an edge over corporates as it is easier for proprietory firms to structure a pay package with a larger “here and now” cash component.

(d) Since most employees are young they are emotionally less stable than older employees and are prone to switch jobs for the most trivial reasons. Instead of spending a lot through higher pay packages in a bid to retain talent, call centres would do well to concentrate on constant counseling at the workplace to help young employees realize the virtues of patience and the fact that even a call centre job can lead to a long term career.

(e) Again instead of continually increasing the pay package, call centres would do well to try and create opportunities for upward mobility not just through scaling up of operations but also through moving up the value chain in terms of processes handled (this should anyway be a strategic goal for any BPO unit irrespective of whether it is facing a problem of attrition or not).

(f) The usual stress busting mechanisms should be in place – work should be fun – partying, get togethers, sporting events, facilities for yoga and aerobics exercises, good food and cafeteria facilities, etc help in a big way to retain younger people.

Space limitations do not permit a fuller discussion, but some of the basic issues have been covered above. From what has been said so far it should be obvious that what kind of policies a firm must choose to tackle attrition depends a great deal on the kind of processes it is handling. The problem of attrition is highest in the firms engaged in low end processes while those engaged in high end processes do not have so much of a problem. Also, while firms engaged in low-end processes would do well to adopt the basic strategy of “learning to live with it”, firms engaged in high-end processes would do better by adopting the basic strategy of “Learning to tackle it”. For those adopting the second strategy, talent retention policies would tend to be similar to standard policies adopted by most companies such as a fast track promotion policy, frequent hikes in the compensation package etc. For firms engaged in low end processes, the key to success is to realize that emphasis on retention will not work and, therefore, it is better to concentrate on constant recruitment and training.

Interview questionnaires

2007-09-26T23:58:00.000+05:30

Interview questionnaires

When a wide geographical coverage is required and a large number of people have to be contacted, the most efficient and convenient method is to collect data through mail/web questionnaires. The Researcher or Surveyor (RS) can send thousands of questionnaires at a comparatively low cost. Since RS cannot seek further clarification as in the case of interviews, RS should take utmost pains in preparing the questionnaire.

The following hints will be of help:

Each question should be clearly framed and should seek to elicit the information related to the topic of RS report.
It should be precise and not vague. For example, if RS askS, “Do you see films regularly,” RS’s respondent will not understand what RS means by ‘regularly’. And suppose he says ‘yes’ how will this answer help RS? But if RS says, “How often in a month do you see a movie?” he will understand what RS wants to know and his answer will be precise and useful.
Avoid leading questions – questions which suggest or anticipate answers and thus conditions or prejudice the respondent’s mind. For example. “Do you read The Hindustan Times?” is an attempt to lead the respondent. A better question to ask would be, “Which daily newspaper do you read?
As in the case of interviews, do not ask any questions which may embarrass the respondent. Questions about sex habits, religious beliefs, personal income etc are better avoided. When RS have to write a report touching on such matters, obtain the consent of the respondent beforehand if possible and keep the information secure and confidential. In all situations avoid asking questions which may hurt the respondent’s self respect pride or ego.
Since RS are making a demand on the time of strangers, ensure that questions are easy to answer and the questionnaire is brief and convenient to handle. Leave plenty of space in it for answers. It would be irritating for the respondent to find that he cannot write what he wants. Often questionnaires remain unanswered because of this defect.
Arrange RS’s questions in a logical order and get them cyclostyled or printed neatly. Mail the questionnaire in an attractive envelope along with a covering letter, courteously seeking the respondent’s cooperation and help. In many respects this letter should be similar to a sales letter. It should be able to attract the respondent’s attention, make him feel important and induce him to fill in the questionnaire and return it to RS promptly. Courtesy demands that RS should enclose a postage paid envelope for reply.

BPO Policies: 5 Emerging Trends

2007-09-26T23:46:00.000+05:30

BPO Policies: 5 Emerging Trends

Watch out for the next three years! A turbulent phase of global consolidation and aggregation should see Indian BPOs and KPOs emerge bigger and stronger. Some may even become MNCs and global industry leaders. Human resources will, however, be the key challenge at the industry level as well as for the individual HR professional. Successful HR managers will have to be prepared for five emerging trends.

Deepak Wadhwan, consulting advisor, KPMG, points out in an article in The Economic Times a few key trends which he claims may get overlooked. The top five are:

The next three years will see a lot of mergers and acquisitions in BPO space worldwide.
Most new voice/data BPOs will be at least 1000 seaters while KPOs serving any specific domain, 100 seaters.
Attrition will rise in the middle and top levels leading to a talent war.
Most top Indian BPO/KPO companies would have multicultural/multinational operations/workforce.
Bottomline: Those who focus on brand building will perform, others will perish.

HR managers who are better prepared to handle these trends are more likely to perform rather than perish. That means, they must be prepared for:

M&As
Scalability
Talent War
Multicultural Ops
Brand Building

Not that all factors will be applicable to all organisations in BPO/KPO space. Each business will have its own strengths and opportunities and weaknesses and threats. The individual HR manager too has to asses what his/her organization specifically needs. A proactive manager will try to outguess the board and keep some plans ready even before they are actually asked for.
An M&A human resource impact study keeping in mind any one/several possible victims/predators in mind is a good example. M&As are complex and traumatic affairs from a HR point of view. In case one’s organization has any chance of becoming a participant in any M&A event in the near future, a little early planning can prove to be a big help.

Similarly, being all ready to ramp up overnight, as it were, due to some early preparation on your part, can only earn you kudos from the guys who matter. The same can be said about each of the other big trends such as the possibility of talent war or multicultural and multinational operations. The key issue is to correctly asses which way your own organization is headed and then to be specifically prepared for it.

Some companies will not bother much about brand building – either because they don’t need it or care for it, for some reason or the other – but most others would do so. That would mean an additional set of headaches for HR professionals. Apart from the many intangible values that add up to create robust brand equities, some very necessary and tangible aspects are getting certifications of various kinds, following industry best practices and maintaining/improving delivery standards. Achieving these goals will require constant development of HR systems and processes. In plain English that simply means more work for the HR professionals.

Managing human resources in an HR and knowledge intensive BPO/KPO industry was never easy, but with a period of turbulence about to set in, its just going to get tougher! But then being forewarned is being forearmed – just ride out the storm.

Geeta Saar

2007-09-26T20:29:00.000+05:30

This is what Bhagwan Shri Krishna wants to tell you:

Hey Parth (Employee),

Incentive nahi mila, Bura Hua

Salary cut rahi hai, Bura Hua

Extra shift hogi, woh bhi buri hogi.

Tum pichhla incentive na milne ka paschatap na karo,

Tum agle incentive ki chinta na karo,

Bus apni salary main santusht raho....

Tumhari pocket se kya gaya , jo rote ho?

Jo aaya tha sab yahee se aaya.

Tum jab nahi the, tab bhi company chal rahi thee

Tum jab nahi hoge, tab bhi chalegee.

Tum koi experience leker nahi aaye the..

Jo experience mila yahi mila...

Jo support diya company ke liye...

Degree leker aaye the, experience leker chalo.

Jo system aaj tumhara hai...

Woh kal kisi aur ka tha....

Kal kisi aur ka or parso kisi aur ka hoga..

Tum ise apna samajh kar kyo magan ho rahe ho..

Yahi khushi tumhari tension kaa kaaran hai.

Kyo vyarth chinta karte ho, kisse vyarth darte ho, Kaun tumhe nikaal sakta hai.

Policy change company ka rule hai

Jise tum policy change kahte ho, wahi to trick hai.

Ek pal main tum Best performer or Hero no.1 ya Super Star ban jaate ho,

Dusre pal main tum worst performer or target nahin achieve kar paatey ho.

Appraisal, incentive etc. etc. mann se hata do, vichaar se mita do,

Phir company tumhari hai or tum company ke.

Na yeh increment wageyrah tumhare liye hai, na tum iske kabhi ho,

Parantu job secure hai

Phir tum tension kyon lete ho........?

Tum apne aap ko company ko arpit kar do,

Yahi sabse bada golden rule hai,

Jo is golden rule ko jaanta hai,

woh review, incentive,recession ,retirement aadi se sada Ke liye muqt ho jaata hai.

HR managers need to be better performers

2007-09-25T19:27:00.000+05:30

HR managers need to be better performers

It may sound a bit ironic. Indian managers may be high performers in their area of expertise but the performances of the people who manage them leave much to be desired for. That in short is the synopsis of a recent survey conducted by global management consultancy firm.

In the firm’s High Performance Work Force study 2007, conducted by interviewing 40 Indian CEO and Human Relation (HR) department heads, the majority of the executives cited that HR is their most critical workforce (Globally, HR is ranked No. 7 in the pecking order of importance).

However, there was deep dissatisfaction with HR’s performance. In an adequacy vs expectations survey across different workforce like sales, manufacturing, R&D, HR, etc HR performed the worst. The study pointed out that CEOs believed that there is a huge gap between the potential and actual achievement by their HR function.

The survey sought executive insights in three broad areas – most important factors in achieving high performances and how their companies are addressing these factors, the importance of various workforces to company’s success and their performances and the extent to which the HR function is supporting the company’s key workforces and positioning them for success.

The executives in the study came from diverse industries like steel, construction, engineering to finance and entertainment.

In India, both old and new economy companies are trying to fish in the same pond, creating severe talent crunch.

As new economy companies continue to attract talented people in droves, old economy companies such as those in steel, power generation and manufacturing appeared to be better prepared to deal with talent issues. These companies are more willing to use “appropriate metrics” to track HR and over workforce performance.

In what could be particularly worrisome, the middle management level was found to be unhappy with how organizations treat them. The amount of effort in retention and leadership development at this level is just not good enough.

As companies often get their next generation of leaders from this level, the study found that the HR department needed to do much more as executives in this level are at a critical point of their career. The study found that it is a situation that should be troubling not only for HR leaders themselves, but for the executives as a whole.

Advertising as entertainment

2007-09-25T19:04:00.001+05:30

Advertising as entertainment

The advertiser’s role is to determine the communication objectives. These have to be in line with the overall organizational goals and strategy.

The advertiser’s goals and strategy are influenced by the government policy. It may even sponsor news or films made by the corporate sector on television. Hence government rules and regulations and electronic media (T.V., Video, Cable T.V. Radio etc.) policies play a dominant role in advertiser’s decision-making.

The advertiser is facilitated by advertising agencies and media in translating its goals into action. Marketing research in turn assists all these institution, i.e. the advertiser agencies and the media. Within the advertiser’s organization, it’s the product managers, or the brand managers (as in soft drinks and personal products) whose task is to coordinate between the advertising agencies and the organization. In fact, in many of the multinational and large Indian firms, a product manager or brand manager is a strategist and it’s his or her responsibility to develop communication goals for the product or brand and evolve a marketing plan and strategy for it. The advertising campaign, which is a part of this overall marketing strategy, is often decided by the product managers.

While all large advertisers depend on advertising agencies to develop the campaign, smaller advertisers, has to depend on its own internal resources or take the services of freelance advertising personnel.

For generations, advertising interrupted the entertainment that one wanted to read, hear or watch. Now, in a turnabout, advertising is in increasingly being presented as entertainment and surprisingly the idea of all ads all the time is gaining some favor.

One reason is proliferation of broadband internet connections, which make it easier for computer users to watch or downloads clips. That is enabling media companies, agencies and advertisers to create sites devoted to commercials and other forms of advertising for amusements, rather than hard core huckstering.

Oddly, the trend runs counter to another powerful impulse among consumers: the growing desire to avoid advertising. TV viewers, for instance are spending billions of dollars a year for TiVo and other digital video recorders that help them zip through or zap commercials, and click through rates for banner web ads are declining.

The difference between ‘watching a commercial’ on a website and in ones living room is that online is “an opt-in audience” and he/she is choosing to be there. It’s the nature of the web to offer a destination one can go to and know what he is going to see.

There’s certainly an audience for entertainment as part of the offering. The numbers seem to support it. For example, veryfunnyads.com, a broadband website operated by the TBS cable network has delivered over 63 million video since its introduction a few months ago.

It’s a very straightforward premise: The viewer is going to have a funny experience, and going to have it every 30 seconds. The funny-ad website is part of a re-branding campaign for the TBS network, which carries the theme “Very funny”. The goal is to cultivate an identity for TBS as a home for sitcoms and humorous movies.

A lot of people talk about zipping through commercials because the average break doesn’t hold the promise of being entertaining.

Putting choice on the table, changes the whole game. Everything is about control. If an ad is interesting the viewer will have the conversation with the brand. If it’s not, it’s a waste of time.

The concept as MTV meets QVC, offering consumers in the intended audience of ages 18-30 product information in the form of entertaining video clips rather than traditional commercials. The clips are to run 2-3 minutes apiece and be presented by hosts considered authorities like cars, clothing or computers.

The only reason of any chance of being successful is transparency. If people know they’re being sold to, you can celebrate the sell. The USA Network unit of NBC Universal, part of General Electric also intends to climb aboard the pitch wagon celebrating advertising as entertainment with an online effort centered on brand centric content. Plans calls for a website next year that will include commercials and movie trailers as well as features like social networking and tools to let visitors make ads of their own. Consumers want to be entertained on their own time, on their own terms.

Value to the customer

2007-09-25T19:03:00.001+05:30

Value to the customer

There is the most difficult question: “what does the customer consider value / what does he look for when he buys the product?”

Traditional economic theory has answered this question with the one word: price. But this is misleading to be sure there are few products in which prices are not one of the major considerations. But first ‘price’ is not a simple concept.

For a fuse box and switch box manufacturer; his customers, the contractors, are extremely price conscious. Since all the boxes they buy carry a quality guarantee accepted by the trade as well as by building inspectors and consumers, they make few quality distinctions between brands, but shop around for the cheapest product. But to read “cheap” as meaning lowest manufacturer’s price would be a serious mistake. On the contrary, “cheap” for the contractor means a product that has a fairly high manufacturer’s price: a product that (a) cost the least money finally installed in the home(b) achieves this low ultimate cost by requiring a minimum of time and skill for installation, and© has a high manufacturer’s cost to give the contractor a good profit. Wages for skilled electrical labor being very high, low installation costs go a very long way to offset high manufacturer’s price. Furthermore under the billing tradition of the trade, the contractor makes a little money out of the labor required for installation. If he is not his own skilled worker, he bills his customer for little more than his actual wage costs. He makes his profit traditionally by charging double the manufacturers price for the product he installs. That product that will give him the lowest cost to the home owner with the lowest installation cost and the highest mark-up on the product that is, the highest manufacturer’s price is therefore the cheapest to him. And if price is value, then high manufacturer’s price is better value for the electrical contractor.

This may appear to be a complicated price structure. In the American automobile industry, where most new cars are sold in trade against a used car, the “price” is actually a constantly shifting configuration of differentials between the manufacturer’s price for a new car, a second hand and third hand used car, a third hand and fourth hand used car, and so on. And the whole is complicated on the one hand by constantly changing differentials between the amount a dealer will allow on a used car and the price he will ask for it, and on the other hand by the differences in running costs between various makes and sizes. Only advanced mathematics can actually calculate the real automobile “price.”

And, secondly, price is only a part of value. There is the whole range of quality considerations: durability, freedom from break down, the maker’s standing, purity, and etc. high price may actually be value- as in expensive perfumes, expensive furs or exclusive gowns. Finally, what about such concepts of value on the part of the customer as the service he receives? There is little doubt, for instance, that the American housewife today buys appliances largely on the basis of the service experience she or her friends and neighbors have had with other appliances sold under the same brand name. The speed with which she can obtain service, if something goes wrong, the quality of the service and its cost have become major determinations in the buyer decision.

Indeed, what the customer considers value is so complicated that it can only be answered by the customer himself. Management should not even try to guess at it. It should always go to the customer in a systematic quest for the answer.

Who is the customer?

2007-09-25T18:54:00.000+05:30

Who is the customer?

The first step towards finding out what our business is to raise the question “who is the customer?” – The actual customer and the potential customer? Where is he? How does he buy? How can he be reached?

One of the companies that had come into existence during the World War- ll decided after the war to go into the production of fuse boxes and switch boxes for residential use. Immediately it had to decide whether its customer should be the electric contractor and builder or the homeowner making his own electric installations and repairs. To reach the first would be a major effort at building a distributive organization; the homeowner could be reached through mail-order catalogues and retail stores of such existing distributive organizations as Sears, Roebuck and Montgomery Ward.

Having decided in favor of the electrical contractor as the larger as well as more stable (though the more difficult and much more competitive) market, the company had to decide where the customer was. This innocent sounding question required major analysis of population and market trends. In fact, to go by past experience would have meant disaster to the company. It would have led them to look for their customer in the big cities and the postwar housing boom was primarily sub-urban. That the company foresaw this and built a marketing organization centering in the suburbs unprecedented in the industry was the first major reason for its success.

The question “how does the customer buy?” was fairly easy to answer in this case: the electrical contractor buys through specialty wholesalers. But the question of how best to reach him was hard indeed. Even after almost ten years of operations the company is still undecided and is still trying out various methods such as salesmen or manufacturer’s agents. It has tried to sell direct to the contractors by mail or out of central sales warehouses of its own. It has tried something never attempted before in the industry: to advertise its product directly to the public so as to build up ultimate consumer demand. These experiments have been successful enough to warrant the suspicion that the first supplier who finds a way around the traditional wholesaling organization of the industry with its high distributive expenses will sweep the market.

The next question is: “what does the customer buy? The Cadillac people say that they make an automobile and their business is the Cadillac Motor Division of General Motors. But the question is whether a man spends five or six thousand dollars on a new Cadillac for his transportation or he is buying primarily prestige. The Cadillac in other words cannot compete with the Chevrolet and the Ford on cost; it may also not compete to take an extreme example with diamonds and mink coats.

Marketers must know their customers. And in order to know the customer the company must collect information and store it in a database and do database marketing. Database marketing is the process of building maintaining and using customer database and other databases (products, suppliers, resellers) for the purpose of contacting, transacting, and building customer relationships.

Ideally, a business database would contain business customers’ past purchases; past volumes, prices, and profits; buyer team member names (and ages, birthdays, hobbies, and favorite foods); status of current contracts; an estimate of the supplier’s share of the customer’s business: competitive suppliers: assessment of competitive strengths and weaknesses in selling and servicing the account; and relevant buying practices, patterns, and policies. For example, a Latin American unit of the Swiss pharmaceutical firm Novartis keeps data on 100,000 of Argentina’s farmers, knows their crop protection chemical purchases, groups them by value, and treats each group differently. A customer database is an organized collection of comprehensive information about individual customers or prospects that is current, accessible, and actionable for such marketing purposes as lead generation qualification; sale of a product or service, or maintenance of the customer relationships

Flow of communications in an organization

2007-09-25T18:51:00.000+05:30

Flow of communications in an organization

Three types of communications in an organization can be classified by their flow: vertical, horizontal and informal. In directing activities of subordinates, the manager issues orders to others further down in the hierarchy. Organization charts show the flow of authority and the channels through which this downward, vertical communication flows. Authority lines are important channels of communication but they comprise only one type of channel. Control reports and memoranda flow back up through the levels of the hierarchy as subordinates are made accountable for their actions. This upward vertical flow of communications is the heart of a control system.

Horizontal channels provide means by which managers on the same level of an organization coordinate their activities without referring all matters to their superior. Such communication is sarcastically named as a “gang plank”. Because many matters can be handled at the same level of an organization by direct mutual interaction instead of a formal communication thereby speeding action while at the same time relieving superiors of unnecessary problems. Multiple copies of memoranda that flow to all positions needing the information increase coordination of effort.

Formal communications are planned to meet the specific needs of the organization; however, many communication are informal. The grapevine may be helpful for the attainment of organizational goals, but it also serves the social needs of the individuals in the organization. A manager can utilize the grapevine as a positive aid, but may also face problems of rumors, gossip, and other negative outlets of expressions by people in the organization. The grapevine cannot be destroyed; therefore, it should receive conscious attention. Informal channels may be superior for some organizational purposes. A “word” can be dropped at the proper time and may remedy a disciplinary problem without resort to a formal reprimand. Because the speed at which information flows through a grapevine is often astounding, management must seriously consider this third type of communication.

Communication may be viewed as a pattern of interconnecting lines, referred to as networks. Researchers have experimented with various structural patterns of communications in small groups.

Overloading of communication channels can cause the network to be jammed with irrelevant messages. Newer methods of processing and transmitting data have increased the number of communications which flow to executives. Managers can literally be buried in memoranda and reports with no hope of digging themselves out. The answer to this problem lies in monitoring the channels to clear messages in order of priority and importance. More messages do not necessarily mean more information. The communication system should provide for editing devices, or persons, to regulate the quality and quantity of communication with regard to sufficiency of information for decision centers.

Timing of communications can result in problems for management. Some types of messages need to be released so that everyone will receive them simultaneously. Other types of messages being transmitted should be timed sequentially so that receivers will not be confused by issues that are not important to them at the moment.

Routing of communications should provide sufficient information for a decision to be made by the proper persons. The route may determine the content of the message and the language in which it is stated. If official information is first received by the grapevine, or from persons outside the organization, the employee may be placed in an insecure position. If a supervisor receives information from subordinates, it signifies a short circuit in the line of communication from top management, and thus threatens the supervisor’s status and authority. The answers to the problem are in the proper planning of a communication system and in the recognition of its human elements.

Determination of the flow of communication and recognition of the many barriers to good communication is basic to the communicating function. Communication networks, communication channels, and barriers to communication must continually receive attention.

Right Business or change required

2007-09-21T22:16:00.000+05:30

Right Business or change required

The analysis of “the business” is not yet complete and Management still has to ask: “Are we in the right business or should we change our business?

Of course, many companies get into a new business by accident; they stumble into it rather than steer into it. But the decision to shift major energies and resources to new products and away from old ones, the decisions, in other words, to make a business out of an accident always based on the analysis: What is our business and what should it be?

A successful Midwestern insurance company analyzing the needs of their customers came up with the conclusion that traditional life insurance leaves unsatisfied a major want of the customer: a guarantee of the purchasing power of his dollars. Life insurance and annuities, in other words, need to be supplemented by equity investment by means of a “package” containing both standard life insurance, or pension in dollars, and an equity investment. To fulfill this want the life insurance company bought a small but well managed investment trust and now offers its certificates to the holders of its insurance policies and pension contracts as well as to new customers. The company has not only gone into the business of managing equity investments; it has gone into the business of merchandising investment trust certificates.

Another example is the shift from sales focus to service focus recently made by a business publisher. This company, which publishes reports for businessmen on economic conditions, taxes, labor relations and government regulation, underwent tremendous expansion during World War II; and the expansion continued at first in the postwar period. But while new sales continued to rise year after, total business volume began to stagnate around 1949; and profits began actually to go down. Analysis showed that low renewal rate was to blame. Not only did the sales force have to sell ever harder to keep total volume from slipping; the high cost of selling renewals threatened to eat up the profits from new sales. What was needed was actually a complete shift in management’s concept of the nature of the business from one of selling new customers to one of keeping old customers. This required a change in objectives; where new sales quotas had formerly been dramatized, emphasis is now on renewal quotas. It required a shift in major from selling the customer to servicing him. It required a change in organization structure; the regional sales managers were converted into managers primarily charged with renewal responsibility and with both a sales and a service manager reporting to them. It required a complete change in salesman compensation, in the criteria of selection and in the methods of training salesman. It required changes in the editorial content of the publications with more space given to long range economic trends and long range business planning.

Changes in the nature of the business arising out of innovation are too well known to require much documentation. All major enterprises in the engineering and chemical fields have largely grown by projecting innovation into new businesses. The same is true of insurance companies; the growth of the successful ones is largely traceable to their ability to develop new business on the basis of innovations in insurance coverage. The recent almost explosive growth of health, hospitalization and medical expense insurance is an example. Productivity considerations, too, may demand a change in the nature of the business.

A small wholesaler of Christmas toys added an entirely different business, the wholesaling of beachwear, to employ all year round his major economic resource: his trained sales force. Here utilization of time demanded adding a new business.

To improve the productive utilization of his resources another small manufacturer decided to give up making machine tool parts entirely and instead confined himself to being a consultant on welding problems and techniques. His manufacturing, while profitable, was no more so than that of hundreds of other small companies.

Criteria of performance for the operations management System

2007-09-21T21:50:00.000+05:30

Criteria of performance for the operations management System

Three objectives or criteria of performance of the production and operations management system are:

Customer satisfaction
Effectiveness
Efficiency

The case for ‘efficiency’ or ‘productive’ utilization of resources is clear. Whether, the organization is in the private sector or in the public sector, is a ‘manufacturing’ or a ‘service’ organization, or a ‘profit making’ or a ‘non-profit’ organization, the productive or optimal utilization of resource inputs is always a desired objective. However, effectiveness has more dimensions to it. It involves optimality in the fulfillment of multiple objectives, with a possible prioritization within the objectives. This is not difficult to imagine because modern production and operations management has to serve the so-called target customers, the people working within, as also the region, country or society at large. In order to survive the production/operations management system, has not only to be ‘profitable’ and/or ‘efficient’, but, must necessarily satisfy many more ‘customers’. This effectiveness has to be again viewed in terms of the short and long time horizons (depending upon the operations system’s need to remain active for short or long time horizons) – because , what may seem now like an ‘effective’ solution may not be ‘all that effective in the future. In fact, the effectiveness of the operations systems may depend not only upon a multi-objectives satisfaction but also on its flexibility or adaptability to change situations in the future so that it continues to fulfill the desirable objectives set while maintaining optimal efficiency.

Typically, what are the different decisions taken in production and operations management? As a discipline of ‘management’ which involves basically planning, implementation, monitoring, and control, some of the jobs/decisions are involved in the production and operations management.

The production and operations management function can be broadly divided into the following four areas:

Technology selection and management
Capacity management
Scheduling /Timing,Time allocation
System maintenance

This is primarily an aspect pertaining to the long term decision with some spillover into the intermediate region. Although it is not immediately connected with the day-to-day short term decisions handled in the plant, it is an important problem to be addressed in an age of spectacular technological advances, so that an appropriate choice is made by a particular organization to suit its objectives, organizational preparedness and its micro economic perspectives. It is a decision that will have a significant bearing on the management of manpower, machinery, and materials capacity of the operations system and also on the type of disturbances it can create within and outside the system by generating (i) undesirable effects of deterioration, (ii) potentially harmful waste by-products, and (iii) potential risk, to the users and non-users alike, due to a variety of reasons. A technology decision is closely linked with the capacity and system maintenance areas.

The capacity management aspect once framed in a long term perspective revolves around matching of available capacity to demand or making certain capacity available to meet the demand variation. This is done on both the intermediate and short time horizons. Capacity management is very important for achieving the organizational objectives of efficiency, customer service and overall effectiveness. While lower than needed capacity results in non-fulfillment of some of the customer services and other objectives of the production/operations system, a higher than necessary capacity results in lowered utilization of the resources or, in other words, lower efficiency of the conversion operations. There could be a ‘flexibility’ built into the capacity availability, but this depends upon the ‘technology’ decision to some extent and also on the nature of the production/operations system. While some operations systems can ‘flex’ significantly, some have to use inventories as the flexible joint between the rigidities of a system. The degree of flexibility required depends upon the customers demand fluctuations and thus the demand characteristics of the operations system.

As the product variety increases, the systems of production/operations change. In a system characterized by large volume low variety, one have capacities of machinery and men which are inflexible while taking advantage of the repetitive nature of activities involved in the system; whereas in a high variety (and low volume) demand situation, the need is for a flexible manufacturing system even at some cost to the efficiency. It may be noted that the relationship between the flexibility, capacity and the desired system-type holds good even for the ‘service’ industry.

Scheduling is another decision area of operations management which deals with the timing of various activities – time phasing of the filling of the demands or rather, the time phasing of the capacities to meet the demand as it keeps fluctuating.

System Maintenance: The fourth area of operation management is regarding safeguards – that only desired outputs will be produced in the ‘normal’ condition of the physical resources, and that the condition will be maintained normal. This is an important area whereby ‘vigilance’ is maintained so that all the good work of capacity creation, scheduling, etc is not negated.

Employees or customers

2007-09-21T21:47:00.000+05:30

Employees or customers

Paucity of talent coupled with high rate of attrition has forced corporate companies in India to give higher priority to employees than the customers sometimes to ensure their top and bottom lines continue to improve.

Cutting across sectors, employees both in new age and brick and mortar companies are today in the enviable position of choosing their employers, contrary to the dictum of chasing a job. With this reversal in trend companies are thriving to become “employer of choice”.

Finding the right talent has become much harder in today’s world and the employers need to create brand value for themselves among the job seekers. Employers are now working in a small field with very few quality candidates and finding right person is three times harder than it was ten years ago. Employer branding comes as a rescuer in such a scenario.

Waking up to the need, a number of companies, from IT firm HCL to tires to pharmaceutical group Apollo International, are projecting themselves as employer of choice, while valuing their workers more than customers.

At HCL a strong message is conveyed to employees that customers come second to the employees. This imbibes a feeling in the mindsets of employees that they are the priority for their organization. This creates a sense of belongingness and employees on their part feel a sense of responsibility for the organization.

Apollo wants to be known as the most preferred employer of choice mentions a top HR director of the company. The branding is the need for the day, be it for a product, a person or a company. An “inside-out method” is followed, as per which internal branding compels value proposition for external people as well as current employees.

The industry players believe the new focus is helping the companies not just for hiring new as well as right talent, but for also retaining their existing employees. With the companies having a better brand value than others, the existing employees stay on for longer recognizing the brand promise and new candidates are also attracted. In addition, the exercise also saves on hiring and related costs.

The tool has helped up in significantly cutting cost per hire. High reputation in marketplace helps in attracting specialist talent in the present difficult market. This tool fosters employee productivity and helps to retain and attract employees.
However, the rule is not the same for each and every company. To create a brand value, the company first needs to be good at its original business.

Firstly a company has to be successful at its business. Also, they should walk their talk by running an organization which has a sense of purpose and which treats employees fairly based on the current market value.

The dividends reaped, however, are significant for the companies that have successfully implemented this model.

A fastest growing IT corporate company in India is projecting itself as a young dynamic company with a workforce that could pay a leading role in the information technology sector, and this projection has helped with the company becoming the fastest growing IT company in India, managing to be in the top five slots for the last few years.

Here we would like to clarify that customers are not neglected for the sake of employees. It is while customers are given certain privileges the same benefits are also passed on to the employees subject to feasibility and practical possibility. For example in case of 5 star hotels the facilities given to their guests is even extended to the employee and his family members subject to the rules even guests may have to follow. In case of a IT company a club facility meant for top management and their high value customers is noe being extended to employees beyond a certain grade. Another IT company provided a chauffeur driven car to an employee of Assistant manager and above category on his or her marriage anniversary day at company’s expense.

Examples of Items You Can Use for Employee Recognition

2007-09-21T21:12:00.000+05:30

Examples of Items You Can Use for Employee Recognition

Employee recognition is best approached creatively. While money is an important form of employee recognition, ideas for employee recognition are limited only by your imagination. Use the following ideas as you approach the provision of employee recognition.

Money

Base salary
Bonuses
Gift certificates
Cash awards

Written Words

Handwritten thank you notes
A letter of appreciation in the employee file
Handwritten cards to mark celebratory occasions
Recognition posted on the employee bulletin board
Contribution noted in the company newsletter

Positive Attention From Supervisory Staff

Stop by an individual’s workstation or office to talk informally
Provide frequent positive performance feedback – at least weekly
Provide public praise at a staff meeting
Take the employee out to lunch.

Encourage Employee Development

Send people to conferences and seminars
Ask people to present a summary of what they learned at a conference or seminar at a department meeting
Work out a written employee development plan
Make career development commitments and a schedule

The Work Itself

Provide cross training opportunities
Provide more of the kinds of work the employee likes and less of the work they do not like
Provide opportunities for empowerment and self-management
Ask the employee to represent the department at an important, external meeting
Have the employee represent the department on an inter-departmental committee
Provide opportunities for the employee to determine their own goals and direction
Participation in idea-generation and decision making

Gifts

Company logo merchandise such as shirts, hats, mugs, and jackets
Gift certificates to local stores
The opportunity to select items from a catalog
The ability to exchange "positive points" for merchandise or entry into a drawing for merchandise

Symbols and Honors

Framed or unframed certificates to hang on the wall or file
Engraved plaques
Larger work area or office
More and better equipment
Provide status symbols, whatever they are in your organization

Shortage of talent - higher compensation

2007-09-21T21:03:00.000+05:30

Shortage of talent - higher compensation

Many IT companies in India have offered higher salary increases during the increment season of this year, compared to what they did the year before. The increases appear to be particularly high at mid levels, where talent scarcity is becoming pronounced. More so in smaller companies, for whom retaining talent has become extremely challenging.

"i-Gate" has announced an average increment of 16% this year against 13% last year. TCS has increased it by 15% this year, 4 % points higher than a year ago; HCL has hiked it by 15% as against 12% last year. Mid-sized companies like Subex Systems have been giving 20% hikes across the board for the last two years, while its top performers have got a 30-35% increment.

But despite the high pay packet structure in MNC companies, India still offers a low cost arbitrage which in turn has forced Indian biggies to push up their salary levels.

Infosys’ average hike this year is said to be roughly the same as last year, at 12-15%, but the hikes for the top performers is whopping 30%, against about 8% at lower levels.

HR head of Infosys explains this difference on the grounds that ‘supply to the entry level remains god, but the supply of mid-level people is challenging. Wipro, which will announce its increments only later this year (it had given an average hike of 12% during Q3 of last fiscal),is expected to follow a similar strategy . HR head at Wipro, says when there are constraints on the budget, it’s important to differentiate top performers from the average.

While most employees are likely to rejoice at such salary increases, companies are far from enthusiastic. The issue now is how long they will be able to maintain these levels of increases. The general cost factor is becoming a concern said a COO of another company. In the salary game, everybody is a loser considering particularly that billing rates have not gone up dramatically.

HR managers in the biotech field appear to have realized that they would not be able to attract and keep top talent if companies do not open their purse strings long and wide. Some surprisingly pleasant facts expressed by the concerned top management personnel are,

A Rs. 2.5-3 lac package is now not foreign to the sector even for a fresher and in a year he is able to scale up to a Rs. 4-6 lac bracket. And the scene is getting all the same, especially for those who add to their qualifications on a regular basis, given the rapidly evolving technologies.

At the team leader stage the salary often crosses the Rs. 10Lakh mark, and the project head can look forward to pocketing a Rs. 25-lakh annual sum.

At the senior levels there has never been a cap . Senior biotechnologists whose skills are difficult to replace with get paid handsomely. In a company of India called Biocon alone there are at least four people who earn more than Rs. 1 cr ($ 250,000) per annum.

The biotech sector has money It’s only a matter of companies wanting to part with it. That can only happen if they find an exceptional talent. Companies seem to have realized the need to take care of the fresh candidates. In case of IT its becoming difficult between retaining employees and clients as the billing rates have not gone up to meet recurring increases in compensation to employees.

Living to Work or Working to Live?

2007-09-21T01:39:00.000+05:30

Living to Work or Working to Live?

This is a question that most professional managers end up asking themselves somewhere along their careers. Of course, there are no easy answers but it may be illuminative to take a look at some of the responses to this question that thinkers have come up with in recent times as also in the past.

Modern economists try to seek answers to the question through a framework of a theory of market forces and Game Theory and while this ends up including the issue of mate selection and marriage as well, the primary focus is on the market factors that regulate the trade-off between work and leisure. The basic model is known as the backward bending supply curve of labor.

This approach leads to the conclusion that as a particular society or economy develops, more and more people spend more time on leisure, or, in other words they can be said to be working to live than living to work in such societies.
Statistical studies seem to bear this out, or at any rate, the researchers who did the studies claim that they do so. For example, a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, January, 2006, found that over the period 1965 to 2003 leisure for men increased 6-8 hours a week while for women the increase was 4-8 hours a week which translates into 5 to 10 weeks of additional vacation per year assuming a 40 hour week.

Similarly, a separate study (the results are not exactly comparable but captures the trend) in 2006 by the Leisure Economics Research Center of the People’s University, Beijing found that over the past 20 years, leisure had increased by about 5 hours a week for men while for women the increase was more at 6-7 hours a week.

In India, the reverse seems to be happening. More and more people seem to be spending more time at the office, less time with their families, less time for vacations and less time for themselves. While this may be true for certain sectors of the economy, which may be intrinsically more stressful, any overall study of work and leisure across the entire Indian population may show that the Indian economy too confirms to this direct correlation between development and leisure. Other indirect measures captured by the human development index would suggest that this is so.
Be that as it may, modern companies recognize the issue as a management problem that should be addressed. And what better way to address it but try and blur the distinction between leisure and work? Concepts such as “work as fun” cover many types of activities that managements, leaders and HR managers can adopt to help reduce the existential angst that day to day stress generates in most employees.

The so-called “casualization” of the workplace, in terms of dress code – more formal wear giving way to less formal wear, behavioral norms – superiors trying to be more accessible than in the past, etiquette – more informal ways of interacting with colleagues, has been a direct result of conscious attempts to blur the distinction between work and leisure.

Many new age organizations relying heavily on information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been able to introduce flexi-timings and grant employees the freedom to work from anywhere including from home. This again tends to blur the distinction between work and leisure.

To most employees, however, it always seems as if the owner of the business can have all the leisure while employees do all the work. The ownership issue is certainly important. Many companies, therefore, have an employee stock ownership plan which seeks to address this as well, to the extent possible!

Whichever way we may look at it, in modern day meritocracy there is no escaping from this existential angst.

Ultimately, it is a matter of individual circumstances and choice: how much leisure can you afford now in the trade-off between work and leisure? It may always be more prudent to get back to work now and think of leisure later, especially now that you have finished reading this article at leisure!

Types of communication problems

2007-09-21T00:43:00.000+05:30

Types of communication problems

Many writers do not identify the communicating functions as a separate managerial process; all emphasize controlling a distinguishable function. In this article we are discussing the communicating functions because they are, in fact, closely related. Both distinguishable function and communicating function are also closely related to the emerging importance of managing information and computers.

Communicating:

Managers spend major percentage of their time transmitting ideas to others, orally and in writing. They most often use the symbols of their language but also employ mathematical symbols, code, sign their ideas. Other managerial functions, especially controlling and organizing, involve communication problems. Communication serves as a link process by which parts of a system are tied together. The subject has received the attention of many specialists, including the technical communications engineer, the linguist, the psychologist, the sociologist, and the organization theorists.

Communicating as used in this article is a managerial function because it represents a basic human characteristic required by all managers in performing their jobs. In fact all managerial functions involve human element. Today managing information is centered on computers and non-human devices and thus is distinguished from communicating and other managerial functions. The interface between human beings and computers is an intriguing issue for the present, we assume that managers will continue to manage computers rather than be managed by computers.

Types of Communication Problems:

All communication problems can be treated in three basic groups:

The technical problem of how accurately the symbols can be transmitted.

The semantic problem of how the symbols convey the desired meaning.

The effectiveness problem of how meaning affects the desired results.

Cybernetics has contributed new insights into answers to the first group of problems. The terms in this new discipline have precise meaning to the communication engineer but may be confusing to the manager. Several important distinctions made by the communications engineer will provide an introduction to this interesting subject and will hint at some fundamental ideas of use to manager in transmitting messages.

In cybernetics information has nothing to do with the meaning (the subject of the second group of problems). It is quantitative measure of the amount of order in a system and is related not to what you do say but what you can say about a matter. If the system is highly disorganized, a message can say a great deal. Information is a measure of one’s freedom of choice when one selects a message. If there is no freedom of choice there is no information. If “Q” is always followed by a “U” in a language, “U” is perfectly predictable and, therefore, no information is added. The more probable is the message, the less information it gives. If a subordinate always sends his superior a message “Things are fine”, the superior can predict the message before he receives it and thus receives no information. The more disordered the situation is, the more information is required to describe it completely.

The idea of noise in information includes the undesirable uncertainties in the transmission process. “Snow” on television, “static” on the radio, or any interference in the receipt of a message increases uncertainty. Redundancy is used to help combat noise and insure against mistakes. Redundancy is anything that makes the transmission more predictable. Redundancy provides some structure (the opposite of randomness) that will increase the probability that the message will be received. Because all transmission of message is subject to the “loss of information” through noise the sender of the message should be conscious of the need for redundancy and the minimization of the number of times that the message is to be retransmitted.

BPO Policies: 5 Emerging Trends

2007-09-20T23:32:00.000+05:30

BPO Policies: 5 Emerging Trends

Watch out for the next three years! A turbulent phase of global consolidation and aggregation should see Indian BPOs and KPOs emerge bigger and stronger. Some may even become MNCs and global industry leaders. Human resources will, however, be the key challenge at the industry level as well as for the individual HR professional. Successful HR managers will have to be prepared for five emerging trends.

Here are a few key trends which he claims may get overlooked. The top five are:

The next three years will see a lot of mergers and acquisitions in BPO space worldwide.

Most new voice/data BPOs will be at least 1000 seaters while KPOs serving any specific domain, 100 seaters.

Attrition will rise in the middle and top levels leading to a talent war.

Most top Indian BPO/KPO companies would have multicultural/multinational operations/workforce.

Bottomline: Those who focus on brand building will perform, others will perish.

HR managers who are better prepared to handle these trends are more likely to perform rather than perish. That means, they must be prepared for:
M&As
Scalability
Talent War
Multicultural Ops
Brand Building

Not that all factors will be applicable to all organisations in BPO/KPO space. Each business will have its own strengths and opportunities and weaknesses and threats. The individual HR manager too has to asses what his/her organization specifically needs. A proactive manager will try to outguess the board and keep some plans ready even before they are actually asked for.
An M&A human resource impact study keeping in mind any one/several possible victims/predators in mind is a good example. M&As are complex and traumatic affairs from a HR point of view. In case one’s organization has any chance of becoming a participant in any M&A event in the near future, a little early planning can prove to be a big help.

Similarly, being all ready to ramp up overnight, as it were, due to some early preparation on your part, can only earn you kudos from the guys who matter. The same can be said about each of the other big trends such as the possibility of talent war or multicultural and multinational operations. The key issue is to correctly asses which way your own organization is headed and then to be specifically prepared for it.

Some companies will not bother much about brand building – either because they don’t need it or care for it, for some reason or the other – but most others would do so. That would mean an additional set of headaches for HR professionals. Apart from the many intangible values that add up to create robust brand equities, some very necessary and tangible aspects are getting certifications of various kinds, following industry best practices and maintaining/improving delivery standards. Achieving these goals will require constant development of HR systems and processes. In plain English that simply means more work for the HR professionals.

Managing human resources in an HR and knowledge intensive BPO/KPO industry was never easy, but with a period of turbulence about to set in, its just going to get tougher! But then being forewarned is being forearmed – just ride out the storm.

Resume writing tips - types of resume

2007-09-20T23:30:00.000+05:30

Resume Writing Tips:

There is more to a C.V. than meets the eye. Your C.V. is your first communication with your prospective employer. It serves as a personal advertisement for you and it must be organized in a manner to make it interesting, informative, yet brief, and good enough to take you to the next stage i.e. ‘INTERVIEW’.

There are Two Types of C.V.’s :

• Chronological Format:
Here the experience is given in the reverse chronological order & with specific dates.

• Functional Format:
Experienced group by functions / dept – e.g.- Sales – Mktg, Purchase, Personnel, etc. no specific dates.

We recommend the chronological format as Employers & Personnel Manager are used to it. Based on your experience, make a choice. It can also be a combination of both.
Don’t miss on any essential information that should be there in every C.V. Be factually accurate in your CV. Most critical , do not misrepresent yourself.

Tips

• Always accompany your resume with a cover letter.

• Do not fake your resume.

• Simplicity is the key, Use a clear, simple. Legible font.

• Use good paper; it does not have to be the most expensive kind.

• Check your grammar and spelling.

• Do not write, "Resume" on your resume.

• Do give your full name, address and telephone number, so the employer can contact you.

• Write a strong statement of your goals taking care not to exaggerate.

• Keep your resume concise but informative as far as stating your education goes. List out special skills and highlight any extraordinary job skills you might have. Use bullets if necessary.

• If you are looking for an entry level position, put your educational qualification right after your goal.

• If you have experience, list your jobs first, starting with the most recent one. Indicate how long you were at each job. Mention all projects (however small) you worked on at each job, your role in the project, how you accomplished the assigned tasks.

• Mention awards and honours you may have received, papers you may presented.

• If you are just out of college, and do not have any experience, elaborate on projects you may have worked on. This will give the employer an idea of how you may fare in job atmosphere.

• Mention that references will be available upon request.

The Seven Levels of Delegation

2007-09-20T23:25:00.000+05:30

The Seven Levels of Delegation

Delegation isn't just a matter of telling someone else what to do. There is a wide range of varying freedom that you can confer on the other person. The more experienced and reliable they are then the more freedom you can give them.

The more critical the task then the more cautious you need to be about extending a lot of freedom, especially if your job or reputation depends on getting a good result. Take care to choose the most appropriate style for each situation.

"Wait to be told." or "Do exactly what I say." No delegation at all.

"Look into this and tell me what you come up with. I'll decide." This is asking for investigation and analysis, but no recommendation.

"Give me your recommendation, and the other options with the pros and cons of each. I'll let you know whether you can go ahead." Asks for analysis and recommendation, but you will check the thinking before deciding.

"Decide and let me know your decision, but wait for my go ahead." The other person needs approval, but is trusted to judge the relative options.

"Decide and let me know your decision, then go ahead unless I say not to." Now the other person begins to control the action. The subtle increase in responsibility saves time.

"Decide and take action, but let me know what you did." Saves more time. Allows a quicker reaction to wrong decisions, not present in final level.

"Decide and take action. You need not check back with me." The is is most freedom that we can give to the other person. A high level of confidence is necessary, and needs good controls to ensure mistakes are flagged.

Salary And Wage Management

2007-09-20T23:18:00.000+05:30

SALARY AND WAGE MANAGEMENT

Here are some ways and means of fixing the compensations levels, taking into consideration various factors like experience, identical industry knowledge, qualifications and proven skills. This in short we have comprehended as ‘Salary and Wage Management’.

Acquire Qualified Personnel:

Compensation needs to be high enough to attract applicants. Pay levels must respond to supply and demand of workers in the labor market since employers complete for workers. Premium wages are sometimes needed to attract applicants who are already working for others.

Retain Present Employees:

Employees may quit when compensation levels are not competitive resulting in higher turnover of manpower.

Ensure Equity:

Compensation management strives for internal and external equity. Internal equity requires that pay be related to the relative worth of jobs, so that similar jobs get similar pay. External equity means paying workers what comparable workers at other firms in the labor market pay.

Reward Desired Behavior:

Pay should reinforce desired behaviors and act as an incentive for those behaviors to occur in the future. Effective compensation plans reward performance, loyalty experience, responsibilities, and other behaviors.

Control Costs:

A rational compensation system helps the organization obtain and retain workers at a reasonable cost. Without effective compensation management, workers could be over or under paid.

Comply with Legal Regulations:

A sound wage and salary system considers the legal challengers imposed by government and ensures the employer’s compliance.

Facilitate Understanding:

System should be easily understood by human resource specialists, operating managers, and employees.
Wage and salary programs should be designed to be managed efficiently, making optimal use of the human resources information system, although this objective should be a secondary consideration compared with other objectives

Systems to Achieve the Objectives

The above mentioned objectives are achieved by the use of the following systems.

Job Evaluation:
All jobs will be analyzed and graded to establish the pattern of internal relationships. It is the process of determining relative worth of jobs. It includes selecting suitable job evaluation techniques, classifying jobs into various categories and determining relative value of jobs in various categories.

Wage and Salary Ranges:
Overall salary range for all the jobs in an organization is arranged. Each job grade will be assigned a salary range. These individual salary ranges will be fitted into an overall range.

Wage and Salary Adjustments:
Overall salary grades of the organization may be adjusted based on the data and information collected about the salary levels of similar organizations. Individual salary level may also be adjusted based on the performance of the individual employees.

Principles of Wage and Salary Administration

There are several principles of wage and salary plans, policies and practices. The important among them are:

Wage and salary plans and policies should be sufficiently flexible.

Job evaluation must be done scientifically.

Wage and salary administration plans must always be consistent with overall organizational plans and programs.

Wage and salary administration plans and programs should be in conformity with the social and economic objectives of the country like attainment of equality in income distribution and controlling inflationary trends.

Wage and salary administration plans and programs should be responsive to the changing local and national conditions.

These plans should simplify and expedite other administrative processes.

The Elements of Wage and Salary System

Wage and salary system should have relationship with the performance, satisfaction and attainment of goals of an individual. The following elements of wage and salary system are identified by experts in HR,

Identifying the available salary opportunities, their costs, estimating the worth of its members of these salary opportunities and communicating them to employees.

Relating salary to needs and goals.

Developing quality, quantity and time standards relating to work and goals.

Determining the effort necessary to achieve standards.

Measuring the actual performance.

Comparing the performance with the salary received.

Measuring the job satisfaction gained by the employees.

Evaluating the unsatisfied wants and unreached goals of the employees.

Finding out the dissatisfaction arising from unfulfilled needs and unattained goals.

Adjusting the salary levels accordingly with a view to enabling the employees to reach goals not attained and fulfills the unfulfilled needs.

CEO Repsonsibilities

2007-09-20T23:08:00.000+05:30

CEO Repsonsibilities

This is a great list for both taking on a new CEO position and getting up to speed, as well as to develop a proactive development and learning program for any CEO or senior executive wishing to improve their executive management skills. It lays out well all the thing you need to juggle when you have both the privilege and responsibilities of the top spot in any organization.

General Operations

1. Establish primary goals of the Board -- maintenance of status quo, evaluation and recommendations or take charge through implementation of new game plan.
2. Meet all first-reports, introduce game plan and initiate implementation of action items on this list.
3. Have all first-reports complete the Agenda for the Future.
4. Discuss the dozen biggest problems and opportunities from perspective of all first-reports.
5. If survival mode is required, cut costs immediately where necessary and prudent and in accordance with the Board's short and intermediate term goals.
6. Identify and implement top six action items that could measurably increase short term revenues.
7. In addition to this action list, formulate short-term game plan for company, get board approval and communicate plan to key personnel, suppliers, lenders, etc.
8. Prioritize top ten action items for the whole company and begin implementation.
9. Identify top goals for the company for the current month, quarter and year.

Financial Issues

10. Within the first week, get current detailed financial statements, itemized payroll, payables and receivables list.
11. Review budgets of all departments or divisions for reasonableness of assumptions, quality of projections and relevancy in light of recent corporate changes and goals.
12. Evaluate obvious, and not so obvious, problems and strengths revealed by the financial statements.
13. Do realistic cash forecast for the next 90 and 180 day periods.
14. Evaluate asset utilization and re-deploy if appropriate and prudent in the short term.

Liabilities / Risks / Time Bombs

15. Deal with the six largest crises within the first three weeks.
16. Review banking and debt obligations for next 90, 180 and 365 day periods and ensure no technical or major defaults, if possible. If in default, develop game plan and/or negotiate workout.
17. Determine which critical suppliers have suspended support due to lack of payment, or other problems.
18. Identify and take steps to immediately defuse all visible, or suspected, ticking time bombs.

Regulatory / Legal / Litigation

19. Ensure all payroll taxes are paid and properly reported.
20. Determine what, if any, problems exist with the IRS and state agencies.
21. Ensure the company is in compliance with all required regulatory and licensing agencies, etc. and if not, take action to resolve these issues.
22. Identity all outstanding legal issues and litigation risks along with probable, and possible, associated costs.
23. Ensure no securities law violations have occurred -- and if they have, take immediate steps to remedy them, or mitigate their impact.
24. Ensure any patents, trade secrets, trademarks and copyrights are properly filed and appropriate protections are in place.

Product lines / Marketing / Sales / Distribution

25. Analyze product delivery schedules and takes steps to improve meeting commitment dates.
26. Evaluate product development timetables, budget forecasts and quality of project management systems, procedures and controls.
27. Evaluate sales, marketing, distribution, forecasts and trend lines for improvement opportunities in all areas, so as to generate more cash in the short-term.
28. Identify both the best customers and the most unhappy customers, as well as the company's image in the marketplace.
29. Complete competitive analysis for each product line.
30. Evaluate pricing models for each product line and adjust accordingly.
31. Identify product line strengths and weaknesses and develop short-term action plan to solve the most glaring problems.
32. Identify potential products -- 6, 12 and 24 months into the future -- and their possible impact on revenue and expenses.
33. Establish / update / expand web presence.
34. Evaluate expenditures and effectiveness of marketing and advertising for media, trade shows, market research, focus groups and public relations and adjust accordingly.
35. Evaluate sales force, sales-related incentives, sales targets, sales personnel training, special offers, dealerships, telemarketing and sales support.
36. Evaluate and optimize short-term inventory.
37. Evaluate customer / technical support, warranties, guarantees and after-sales service.

Personnel Issues

38. Upon arrival, candidly communicate with all company personnel for introduction and conveyance of immediate game plan.
39. Set up suggestion boxes, and invite anonymous email, to gain insight into less obvious underlying problems.
40. Review major Human Resource department aspects of company for legal compliance, competitiveness of benefits package, diversity, clarity of policies and potential costs savings.
41. Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of all first reports.
42. Develop 30/60/90 day performance plans for all first reports.
43. Evaluate organizational structure and effectiveness -- and reorganize if appropriate, adjusting total payroll if necessary.
44. Identify best and worst five percent of employees in the company -- probably replacing worst five percent and ensuring the best five percent are motivated enough to stay.
45. Analyze employee turnover rates to identify fundamental problem areas.
46. Identify key personnel and unfilled job functions, define criteria and initiate search, within budget constraints.
47. Identify personality issues / company policies that may be creating negative impact on company morale and productivity.
48. Review / modify written delegation of authority for all first reports.
49. Review all employment contracts or agreements, oral or written, including any severance or termination compensation agreements with salaried, hourly, or collective bargaining employees.
50. Review all bonus, deferred compensation, stock option, profit sharing, retirement programs or plans covering salaried, hourly, or collective bargaining employees.

IPO / Merger / Acquisition / Disposition / Dissolution

51. Identify which mergers, acquisitions, dispositions and investments make the most sense for the company.
52. Identify the growth issues regarding acquisitions, spin offs, expansion, downsizing, establishing new, and/or closing existing branches and stores.
53. If decision is to sell the company, establish price and terms, subject to Board approval, prepare sales summary and develop game plan and methodology for sale.
54. Complete three year pro forma, based on realistic assumptions, to determine future valuation potential of company and likelihood of IPO or merger/acquisition potential.
55. If Board decision is to dissolve company, develop game plan for liquidation of assets and/or follow up on bankruptcy filing.

General / Administrative

56. Evaluate and control travel, entertainment and all discretionary expenditures and implement new written policies for these issues.
57. Review facilities and real estate issues, including a review of current lease requirements.
58. Review all equipment leases for cost cutting / improved technology opportunities.
59. Create / update business plan for current internal clarity and banking or capital formation needs.
60. "Manage by roaming around" -- gaining insights into attitudes and problem areas from within all levels of the organization.
61. Evaluate in-place systems and procedures and streamline where appropriate.
62. Evaluate technology implementation and optimize within budget constraints.
63. Visit all branch offices and evaluate their needs, performance, personnel and cost-effectiveness.

Stockholder Status / Investor Relations

64. Evaluate investor and stockholder relations and communication status and initiate appropriate action.
65. Generate updated lists of all current shareholders and percentage ownership of each.
66. Review stock options or purchase plans and agreements, as well as lists of outstanding warrants and options, including date of grant, exercise price, number of shares subject to option, and date of exercise.

The Next Steps

67. Report to the Board: the objective status, evaluation, recommended modifications to the short-term game plan and any cash needs.
68. Pick up sword again, and implement updated and approved game plan.

Cultivating The Habit Of Good Listening

2007-09-20T23:04:00.000+05:30

CULTIVATING THE HABIT OF GOOD LISTENING

One must listen rightly, cautiously, effectively, intelligently, unpretentiously and calmly. If you want to be a good listener you have to cultivate the habit of effective listening. Those who are good at communication know the importance of listening, which is perhaps more significant than even speaking.

It is not an exaggeration to say that relationships thrive more on listening skills than on speaking. A good speaker may sometimes find himself out of place in a group, but a good listener seldom finds himself in such a situation.

Efforts can be made to improve the listening habits by following practices

To make listening, a regular habit you ought to start from somewhere. Start from today and from now on dedicate at least an hour to listening only.
During this one-hour do nothing but listen with all your attention and application. Listen to the sounds and the words as they come to you in their unmodified state.
Listen without the intervention of any thoughts, without any agitation in your mind. Enjoy the pristine beauty and the syllables of the sounds.
Concentrate on one sound or many sounds or on all sounds that comes to you at a time. Listen to them in the milieu of the background in which they arise.
Listen to the distant sounds that are almost inaudible but can be heard only by dint of effort. Listen to the faintest of the sounds such ticking of a watch, movement of wind, the rustling of the grass or for that matter your own breathing. At the end of this exercise, listening should have become an integral part of your system.
Try to replay in your mind the various sounds that you hear every day. Try to replay a particular piece of music or song that interests you. Try to recreate mentally the sounds of nature.

Can you recollect the sounds exactly the way they are? Can you recollect various sounds at one swoop? Can you play an entire orchestra mentally in our mind? Keep practicing till you can say confidently "yes"? to these questions confidently.

A mind that is fully vigilant, alert and liberated from all cares and worries is most conducive to effective listening. If you want to allow the words of others to enter your mind freely, you must cultivate a free and undistributed mind and an unassuming personality.

Pay more attention to others, their thoughts and words than to yourself and to your own thoughts and words as you listen. Rid that egotistic attitude.

We conclude it is in our eagerness to make an impression and communicate our thoughts to others that we tend to forget the true act of listening. To become a good listener we must learn to keep ourselves in the background. It is only through humility that we can reach out to others. Empathy and rapport are the two wires through which you can connect yourself with the rest of the humanity.

PERSONAL ETIQUETTE: Speaking With a Neutral Accent

2007-09-20T19:55:00.000+05:30

The way you speak i.e. your voice modulation and accent affect the way
people respond to you, what they think of you and also your job prospects.
Here are ten tips to help you reduce a regional accent:

Study the mouth movements of native speakers and try to mimic them.
While watching television, observe the mouth movements of the speakers. Repeat what they are saying, imitating the intonation and rhythm of their speech.
Slow down your speech, until you learn the correct intonation and rhythm of English.
Native speakers will have a hard time understanding you if you speak too fast with the wrong modulation and rhythm. Don't worry about your listener getting impatient with your slow dialogue – it is more important that everything you say is understood.
Listen to the "music" of English.
Don't use the music of your native tongue when you are speaking English. Each language has its own way of "singing".
Use your dictionary.
Familiarize yourself with the phonetic symbols used for different words in the dictionary and look up the correct pronunciation of words that are hard for you to say. This method helps in neutralizing an accent tremendously.
Make a list of commonly used words that are difficult to pronounce.
Ask a native speaker to pronounce them for you, record these words, listen to them and practice saying them.
Buy books on tape.
Listen and read at the same time. Record clips of your own voice reading some sections of the book. Compare the sound of your English with that of the speaker from the book on tape.
Pronounce the ending of each word.
Pay special attention to "s" and "ed" endings.
Read aloud in English for fifteen to twenty minutes everyday.
This will help you strengthen the mouth muscles that you use when you speak English. Research has shown that it takes about three months of daily practice to develop strong mouth muscles for speaking a new language.
Record your own voice and listen for pronunciation mistakes.
Many people hate to hear the sound of their voice and avoid having to listen to themselves speaking. However, this is a very important exercise because doing it will help you become conscious of the mistakes that you are making.
Be patient.
You can change the way you speak but it won't happen overnight. People often expect instant results and give up too soon. You can change the way you sound if you are willing to put some effort into it.

How to beat dirty negotiating tactics

2007-09-20T19:43:00.000+05:30

HOW TO BEAT DIRTY NEGOTIATING TACTICS

Much has been written about negotiation styles. There have been many courses about negotiation, which dedicates entire course work on collaborating and reaching a win-win scenario. In today's 'flat world' business environment, positional bargaining method or fact and reference based negotiation model are standard prescriptions for commercial negotiation.

But what do you do, when you sit across the table from somebody whose goal is not to come to a win-win conclusion, but to really beat you down and manipulate you. Well, although it is always a drain to combat dirty negotiation tactics, I have learned that being prepared can help overcome some of that headache.

The ten tips described below are designed to help you identify and respond appropriately to common dirty negotiation tactics used by unscrupulous business people.

Shock effect

As much of value selling and convincing you have done, at the end of the deal when the time comes to discuss price, many customers show some shock effect. What! That much for enterprise licenses, are you kidding me?

It is very easy to fall in the trap of desperately wanting to close the deal and offer unnecessary concessions like free services, installation etc. This will be a good time to remind your customer how they will truly benefit using your offerings.

Also, it is not rude to tell them that quality products have a fair price; after all you get what you pay for.

Ongoing discount

Have you ever heard something on these lines, "We are so close to signing this contract, if only we can solve this last issue?" You oblige, then comes out another issue followed by one more and then another. Very soon, you are giving away much more than what you originally intended.

It is a good practice to list all customer issues early in the sales cycle based on priority. If new issues are added, put it in the list and re prioritize. When your customer asks for resolving this last issue, get a firm commitment on closing the deal right then after that issue is resolved. In this way, you only maybe give in to the last demand and not the ones following it.

Boss knows best

I have spent countless hours discussing value props with customers convincing them to buy from me, only to find out that they are not the true decision makers. They can only negotiate to receive discounts but really do not have any rights to actually buy from me.

Basically I have negotiated with the wrong person. One way to avoid this is to ask early in the sales cycle how the decision to buy is being made on the customer side. Who makes the decision? Who influences the decision? Especially for higher end technical sales, many a times although the CIO has the final say on the procurement; he is completely dependent on the class architect to make the call on the vendor.

It is important to identify the players involved in the decision making process and talk to them individually or collectively to resolve their issues.

Fake deadline

"If we cannot sign the agreement today, the deal is off". Be very wary when your customer puts a time pressure on the day of the meeting trying to get you committed on an unfair deal. Time is a valuable pressure tactic. Tell your customer that you are trying to create a true solution for them.

It is important that you truly understand their issues first and do due diligence. It is unfair to you and him if you commit on something you do not feel comfortable about.

If they do not want to listen and force the time issue, it is your call whether you want to walk or budge in to their unilateral demands.

Delays

March, June, September and December are hot months for sales folks trying to sprint to quarter end. Although progress has been made, your customer is deliberately delaying making a decision.

Many manipulative customers feel that they can count on the fact that you have spent time and money on the sales process for a long time and will not want to go back without selling. This will be a great way to snag in a few concessions.

It is wise to stay as emotionally detached as possible not caving in and making unnecessary concessions to close these deals. Remember, that your customer also spent valuable time with you in the sales cycle. You both have skin in the game. Don't rush to closing; you have mutual benefits tied to the deal.

Unfair trading request

A friend of mine in Dallas built a nice little dashboard for a manufacturing shop that can track orders online in near real time. When time came to close the deal, the manufacturing unit wanted sole rights to the product. They wanted to use it for themselves and then resell it to other similar outfits in the manufacturing space.

However, they did not want to offer my buddy any cuts from the profit for it. This is an example of unfair trading request. Ask something in return of value always. You may lose some deals in the short run, but probably will come ahead of the curve in the end when forcing fair trade.

Suddenly cold

Many employers like to play this mind game while trying to hire somebody. They seem very interested in the early stages of the interview process, and then all of a sudden they seem to have lost all interest in you.

When you pursue your interest for the position again, they say they will hire you. But they really cannot pay what you think they were going to pay you. You agree to their terms thinking that they seem to like you moderately and are not really jazzed up about you.

This is a good time to resell yourself again on why they should pay you what you think they should pay you. Craft your message on "what's in it for them" to hire you.

Wrongful summary

The other party summarizes the agreement but misrepresents certain sections on his favor. If you listen especially carefully to the wrapping up part of the negotiation, you will not fall in this trap.

You should take notes and refer back to them if necessary to make sure that the summary accurately describes what you agreed upon.

False importance to an item

A great deal of importance is placed on a agenda item that your customer knows that you simply cannot budge in. They make you feel guilty, put pressure etc. hoping that you would give them other concessions to make up for the one you could not give in. One way to avoid this is to treat each issue independently and make separate decisions.

New player

You feel that you are moving along well and suddenly you see a new person negotiating with you. He wants to start discussing every item from scratch and do not want to acknowledge previous agreements. If you cannot pursue him to honor prior understanding, start fresh again.

It may be good to get another negotiator from your side to start dealing all over again since you may get frustrated dealing over the same issues again.

As hard as it may sound, negotiators are better off remembering that dirty tactics used by manipulative negotiators are never really personal and it is all part of the game. If you are fair in your dealings and stay emotionally detached, you will possibly negotiate your way to a win/win result most of the time. I wish you all the best in your negotiations.

The Cactus

2007-09-20T19:41:00.000+05:30

The Cactus

A cactus stood all alone in the desert, wondering why it was stuck in the middle of nowhere.

"I do nothing but stand here all day," it sighed. "What use am I? I'm the ugliest plant in the desert. My spines are thick and prickly, my leaves are rubbery and tough, my skin is thick and bumpy. I can't offer shade or juicy fruit to any passing traveler. I don't see that I'm any use at all."

All it did was stand in the sun day after day, growing taller and fatter. Its spines grew longer and its leaves tougher, and it swelled here and there until it was lumpy and lopsided all over. It truly was strange- looking.
"I wish I could do something useful," it sighed.

By day hawks circled high overhead. "What can I do with my life?" the cactus called. Whether they heard or not, the hawks sailed away.

At night the moon floated into the sky and cast its pale glow on the desert floor. "What good can I do with my life?" the cactus called. The moon only stared coldly as it mounted its course.

A lizard crawled by, leaving a little trail in the sand with its tail.
"What worthy deed can I do?" the cactus called. "You?" the lizard laughed, pausing a moment. "Worthy deed? Why, you can't do anything! The hawks circle way overhead, tracing delicate patterns for us all to admire. The moon hangs high like a lantern at night, so we can see our ways home to our loved ones. Even I, the lowly lizard, have something to do. I decorate the sands with these beautiful brushstrokes as I pull my tail along. Buy you? You do nothing but get uglier every day."

And so it went on, year after year. At last the cactus grew old, and it knew its time was short. "Oh, Lord," it cried out, "I've wondered so long, and I've tried so hard. Forgive me if I've failed to find something worthy to do. I fear that now it's too late." But just then the cactus felt a strange stirring and unfolding, and it knew a surge of joy that erased all despair. At its very tip, like a sudden crown, a glorious flower suddenly opened in bloom.

Never had the desert known such a blossom. Its fragrance perfumed the air far and wide and brought happiness to all passing by. The butterflies paused to admire its beauty, and that night even the moon smiled when it rose to find such a treasure.

The cactus heard a voice.

"You have waited long," the Lord said. "The heart that seeks to do good reflects My glory, and will always bring something worthwhile to the world, something in which all can rejoice - even if for only a moment."

Top 10 Ways To Raise Your Consciousness

2007-09-20T19:37:00.000+05:30

Top 10 Ways To Raise Your Consciousness

Forgive yourself and others: Life is too short to hold on to regrets, grudges, miscommunications, or disappointments. Free yourself by forgiving and letting go of any negative energy you’re holding on to about yourself or others. The process of forgiving yourself and others will result in your feeling light and free; it will raise your vibration.
Practise gratitude and appreciation: Whatever you focus on grows. So, when you focus on every thing in your life you feel grateful for all and the wonderful people you appreciate, the universe hands you more to feel grateful about.
Live each day as though it were your last: Then you will be living in a state of light, love and unconditional contribution. What would you say to the people you care about?
Meditate or pray: You open up a direct link between yourself and the spiritual realm when you meditate or pray. You will come closer to your creator energy, raise your vibration experience, peace, clarity, joy and connection, as well as a perfectly balanced state between your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual realms.
Suspend judgment: One judges another to feel less guilty about one’s own misgivings. Judgment energy is dense, dark and heavy. On the other hand, unconditional acceptance is light, free and accepting. Let go of judging and criticising yourself and others. Everyone is on a different path and some appear to be farther ahead on their path than others. Neither path is better nor worse than another. Raise your consciousness to one of acceptance.
View every experience as a gift: If you look back at occurrences in your life, you can easily see how even the worst situations you experienced in your life ended up teaching you invaluable lessons and therefore resulted in putting you in perfect place for your continuing development. When you view every experience — the good, the bad, and the ugly — as a gift, life flows more like a gentle, inspiring breeze.
Stay consciously aware of all your thoughts and feelings: It is easy to fall into negative patterns of complaining and feeling like a victim of society and your life. When you catch yourself in the negative zone, don’t feel badly about it and beat yourself up. Simply choose to switch your consciousness to one of gratitude and positive thinking.
Treat your physical body as your temple: Your body is the only vehicle you’ve been given for this ride called life. The better you care for your body by eating a healthy, balanced diet, and by implementing a regular exercise routine, and by giving your body the rest it requires, the more you will experience increased energy, vitality, joy and freedom.
View the world through the eyes of a child: Children are enthralled by the process of observing and experiencing the wonder and beauty in every single thing. They can’t get enough. Look at every tree, sunset, cloud and human being as a child would and you’ll be in a constant state of wonder, joy, surprise, acceptance and enlightenment.
Give love, love, love from your heart: It’s all about love. Love is the highest vibration. Allow yourself to receive love unconditionally from others. Give love from your heart unconditionally to yourself and others and you will experience the highest state of consciousness possible.

TRUST AND LEADERSHIP

2007-09-19T02:17:00.000+05:30

TRUST AND LEADERSHIP

Trust, or lack of trust, is an increasingly important leadership issue in today’s organizations. In this article, we define trust and provide some guide lines for helping build credibility and trust.

Trust is a positive expectation that another person will not through words, actions, or decisions act opportunistically. The two most important elements of our definition are that it implies familiarity and risk.

The phrase positive expectation in our definition assumes knowledge and familiarity about the other party. Trust is a history dependent process or relevant but limited samples of experience. It takes time to form, building incrementally and accumulating. Most of us find it hard, if not, impossible, to trust someone immediately if we don’t know anything about them. At the extreme, in the case of total ignorance, we can gamble but we can’t trust. But as we get to know someone, and the relationship matures, we gain confidence in our ability to have positive expectations.

The term opportunistically refers to the inherent risk and vulnerability in any trusting relationship. Trust involves making oneself vulnerable, as when, we disclose intimate information or rely on another’s promises. By its very nature, trust provides the opportunity for disappointment or to be taken advantage of. But trust is not taking risk per se; rather it is a willingness to take risk. So when I trust someone, I expect that they will not take advantage of me. This willingness to take risks is common to all trust situations.

Evidence has identified five:

Integrity
Competence
Consistency
Loyalty, and
Openness.

Integrity:

Integrity refers to honesty and truthfulness. Of all five dimensions this one seems to be most critical when someone assesses another’s trustworthiness. For instance, when 570 white-collar employees were recently given a list of 28 attributes related to leadership, ‘honesty’ was considered as the most important..

Competence:

It encompasses an individual’s technical and interpersonal knowledge and skills. One is unlikely to listen to or depend on someone whose abilities are doubtful. A follower needs to believe that the leader has the skills and abilities to carry out what he or she says they will do.

Consistency:

It relates to an individual’s reliability, predictability, and good judgment in handling situations. Inconsistency between words and actions decrease trust. Nothing is noticed more quickly than a discrepancy between what executives preach and what they expect others to practice.

Loyalty:

Loyalty is the willingness to protect and save face for another person. Trust requires that you can depend upon someone not to act opportunistically. The final dimension of trust is openness.

Trust and leadership:

Trust is primary attribute associated with leadership and when this trust is broken it can have a serious adverse affect on the group’s performance. Honesty and integrity are two of the essential traits to be consistently associated with leadership. Leaders’ task is working with people to find and solve problems provided they access for adequate knowledge and creativity. When followers trust a leader they are willing to be vulnerable to the leader’s action. The followers will also get confidence that their rights and interests are not abused.

If a leader is found not trustworthy by the followers are unlikely to look up to him as they consider the leader as dishonest and unreliable.

Honesty for instance consistently ranks at the top of the most people’s list of characteristics they admire in their leaders. Honesty is absolutely essential to leadership. If people are willing to follow a leader into a battle or board room they first want to assure themselves that the person is worthy of their trust.

The Tree

2007-09-18T04:33:00.000+05:30

The Tree

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."

Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."

Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

At the second tree the woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree, so I'll take this one", and he cut it down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.

The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end.

The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

Understanding Boss Psychology

2007-09-18T04:31:00.000+05:30

Understanding Boss Psychology

It is a fact that people lose jobs most often because they have not been successful in satisfying the demands of their boss. They lose out because of faulty boss relations; because they lack an understanding of " boss psychology." Of course I do not mean here to suggest that the reader needs to turn into a psychologist in order to be able to deal with his/her boss, but to understand both the motives and personal traits that drive bosses behaviors and attitudes.

By working "with" your boss you can become free to move ahead and not become lost in the the great unknown depths of the business world. Work becomes more pleasant and you become more productive. You gain more satisfaction because you are able to record more achievements. It all becomes possible by using one of your greatest assets - your boss.

Here are few tips to help you plan ahead how to make yourself indispensable to your boss as part of his team; how to eliminate unnecessary daily conflicts that consumes your energy in unproductive activities:

First - you need to change your concept of being a "boss" as well as being "bossed." These are different roles that can be enjoyed "if" well played. It requires understanding on the part of both the boss and the subordinate that one role cannot be effectively played without the other role being deli gently played to comp element the other. That are demands for each role, and these demands can only be completed if integration of the other role is accomplished. It is then, a give and take relationship that need to be sustained if we want to create an attractive, motivating work environment.

Second - Avoid hostility, harshness, and friction with your boss. Difference in personalities will sure cause some frictions, but these should not be taken personally. They need to be interpreted against the situation that created them. If we believe that there are more than one way to create a mutual understanding and "empathy". Uncontrolled "perception" would always result into misinterpretation of behavior, resulting in turn into more friction and conflict, which makes the workplace "a fighting arena" of winners and losers.

Third - Help your boss become a better manager. This mean "accepting" the other with a belief that regardless of our being different, we still can work together. Personal defects are more felt among Friends, but in the workplace these can be accepted as long as they do not influence our performance. Do not try make your boss look bad before others, especially his superiors. He/she has got more "power" to settle accounts making your life miserable. Learn how to "invest" in your boss by educating him/her without even hinting you do.

Fourth - Develop a daily "game plan" to make it possible to stress positive thoughts, good emotional balance, and be in charge of yourself. You need to "sell" you ideas without being "pushy" or aggressive. Your tool would be "persuasion" not "power". Remember, you cannot impose on your boss. He can.

Fifth - Put your entire group - in addition to your boss - to work for you. Make them feel that your are a valuable asset to the team. This relies mainly on your ability to exert effort to be helpful and cooperating whenever you can. Enhancing your interpersonal skills of communication and negotiation would help become most effective in this area.

Sixth - Have an eye on becoming a boss yourself. Invest in yourself. Do not leave a chance to learn from your mistakes as from your successes. Always ask yourself:"What are the things that I do not like in my boss, and that I am going to avoid when I become one?"

Your biggest challenge though would be dealing with an insensitive boss. A boss who is too much results oriented. Bosses of that kind are usually inconsiderate to their people's needs. You need here to work winning ways to gain their attention and recognition. Allow enough time and work systematically to develop an interactive relationship with a boss of that kind until you win his/her respect.

How to get your boss to notice you

2007-09-18T04:28:00.000+05:30

How to get your boss to notice you?

Sometimes you wonder as to how to get your boss attention in the work place. It is an area where several of us congregate in various departments to discharge varied functions. You not only need to be noticed & recognized but your absence even for a single day in the office should create a fur ore. These are certain invaluable tips to all the employees on how to make themselves prove their worth and simultaneously get the stamp of positive approval from the boss.

Increase your value. You do not get compensated by how hard you work but how much value you add to the world around you. And the best way to begin adding value to the world is to start becoming a more valuable person. Acquire skills no one else has. Read the books no one else is reading. Think thoughts no one else is thinking. In other words, you need to be more in life in order to get more from life.

Take decisions. Your life is a sum total of all the decisions you have taken in your life. Decision making skills is one of the most important skills which you should develop in order to sustain in the new economy. By making a decision, you will come to know whether you have taken a right decision or not & if you have not taken the right decision you will correct the wrong decision taken. In other words, you will help your boss in taking right decisions.

Communicate well. Communication does not primarily mean talking with one or more person but it also means writing well, listening well. You need to communicate to boss / subordinates in such a way that the receiver or the person who is listening to you understands the way it has to be understood by the sender. You also need to do a lot of listening act & by listening you get a lot of information which otherwise you would not have got if you would have indulged in the act of communicating.

Solution oriented. You need to be solution oriented & not problem oriented. When faced with a crisis & difficult situations you have to think in terms of solutions & not get perturbed with impediments which come in your way. You should not just identify a problem, but design the best solution to solve the problem. For this purpose, you need to be intelligent, experienced & up to date with latest developments. In other words, it refers to problem solving skills.

Administrative abilities. You need to be a great planner, thinker & help your boss to frame plans & policies. This is not an easy task & it requires a tremendous acumen in oneself to sharpen the administrative skills. Further, you also need to work within the limits set by the organization. The policies, plans drawn need to be necessarily implemented so that the organization gains in terms of productivity in a consistent manner.

Accept responsibility. Responsibility begins with your taking full & complete control over the content of your conscious mind. The interesting thing about responsibility is that the more you start taking responsibility the more responsible you feel. The more responsible you feel the more rapidly you move toward the accomplishment of more of the things that are important to you. Thus, you see yourself moving on the fast track which would make your boss definitely take a note of you.

Be excellent. Today, the market pays excellent returns & rewards for excellent performance, excellent product products & excellent services. Commit to excellence in your work, especially in your key areas & core competencies. Resolve to commit to top performance. This will not only make the others notice you whom might include your boss but also move you into the fast lane in your career than any other decisions you can make.

Take care of your customers. What we are today & where you are today determine how your internal & external customers treat you. You need to take care of your customers very well & once you start touching their emotions you surge ahead. Your customers in your work place are your subordinates, colleagues, bosses with whom you have not only to vibe but touch their emotions. Human beings move when their emotions are moved.

Today, it is all about selling & how good are you in selling. You may be qualified, experienced like others but in order to move ahead in your career you need to distinctly display your attributes which not only inspire your clients who are buying our goods & services but also move the hearts of internal customers (boss, subordinates, and colleagues at work place) with whom you work with. If you start connecting yourself emotionally with your boss & subordinates in your work place & your devoted customers in the market you will carve a unique place for yourself. Human beings are bundle of emotions & your boss is no exception. You can move both these internal & external customers or get their hearts only when you follow the strategies as discussed.

Murphy’s Law

2007-09-18T04:15:00.000+05:30

Murphy’s Law

Murphy’s Law is attributed to an air force captain who apparently created the now-famous phrase when a series of errors and problems kept occurring in a Californian air force base missile site. These are some of follow-up items to which most people can relate.

Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse.
Whenever you set out to do something, something else must be done first.
Nothing is as easy as it looks.
Everything takes longer than you think.
If there is the possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one.
Nature always sides with the hidden flaw.
It always costs more than first estimated.
It is easier to get involved in something than it is to get out of it.
Every solution breeds new problems.
If you try to please everybody, somebody will be disappointed.
It is impossible to make anything foolproof, because fools are so clever.
If you tinker with anything long enough, it will break.
By making things absolutely clear, people will become confused.
If there is a 50 per cent chance of success, that means there is a 75 per cent chance of failure.
Interchangeable parts won’t.
In any computation, the figure that is obviously correct will be the source of error.
Blame will never be placed if enough people are involved.
Nothing is lost until you begin looking for it.
If in the course of several months only three worthwhile social events take place, they will all fall on the same evening.
Murphy was an optimist!

Dealing with Nerves

Be at ease and relax. They want to listen to you.
Breathe deeply as you walk towards the venue.
Mentally rehearse the sequence of your presentation.
Use the self-fulfilling prophecy.
Arrive early so that you can settle in.
Dress the part and look professional.
Try to anticipate questions.
Check all of your support equipment beforehand.
Create a physical setting you feel comfortable with.
Use your prepared session notes.
Establish credibility at the beginning of your presentation.
Give your audience an outline of the events and topics.
Motivate the group to want to listen to you.
Use brainteasers as an opening.
Practise your session beforehand.
Use your tension to enhance your performance.
Move around.
Warm your voice up before starting.
Keep eye contact with all your audience.
Be comfortable with the arrangement of your resources.
Practise with your training aids.
Research and know your topic.
Use unobtrusive isometric exercises.
Attend appropriate presentation or public speaking courses.
Remember your audience’s attention span.
Use all of the principles of adult learning.
Find out in advance who your participants are.
Admit your mistakes, but only if you make them.
Always appear to be enthusiastic.
Use a video or tape recorder to evaluate your performance.
Develop your own style of presentation.
Get feedback from your audience.
Don’t read from the text.
Don’t have a heavy night before a day of presentations.

Handle Conflict Expertly

2007-09-18T04:08:00.000+05:30

Handle Conflict Expertly

In any job there are times when you need to learn how to manage conflict. Specifically in restaurant and hotel entry level positions where tensions can run high due to the need to meet customer satisfaction, knowing how to diffuse a heavy situation comes in handy almost every day. Ever had a demanding customer approach you aggressively? What about a colleague who just won't get off you back? Instead of getting hot and heavy with your opponent, learn how to evaluate the situation and come out of it looking better then your opponent, learn how to evaluate the situation and come out of it looking better then you did going in. Julienne Robins - an employee at a Pickle Barrel location in downtown Toronto - advises to "skip conflict when you can, but when it is unavoidable, you need to know how to do battle...and how not to." Ever been in a sticky situation? Well then, read on.

Managing a tough situation

To manage a conflict effectively, you must know how to please people. Better yet, "skip the conflict altogether, if you can," says Julienne. To avoid conflict, it is essential in the hotel and restaurant industry to always know that the customer is right, and that you as an employee should always aim to please the client, no matter how outlandish of a request they make. If you integrate this into your everyday interactions, you will probably run into very little problems. However, if at some point you need to resolve a situation smoothly, you need to evaluate your options.

"Take a step back, think about the situation, and try to find a compromise," says Michael Terebij, a downtown Toronto Delta Hotel employee. You need to know what angle is best to approach the situation from; as a general rule, do everything you can to meet the requests of the customer. If a person is angry, it is best to speak as calmly as possible, and agree with everything they say. Apologize and remediate the situation ASAP.

Conflicts between coworkers should not arise, as you are trying to minimize such occurrences in your day-to-day work. If it does happen that you have a disagreement with someone you work with, apply the same tactics - be respectful of the individual, but do not let yourself be pushed over. Basically, to resolve a problem, "respect, listen and compromise," says Julienne.

As a general rule for all conflicts, listen to the problem in full, agree with the customer completely, and resolve the problem immediately.

To speak or not to speak?

It is best not to get involved in anyone else's problems, although sometimes this may be necessary. If you see a coworker trying to deal with a dissatisfied customer, and they are a new inexperienced employee or are obviously becoming frustrated (angry or otherwise upset), you might need to step in. Use the above mentioned tactics, and let your coworker off the hook. Don't get involved unless it is absolutely necessary for both party's happiness and the quick resolution of the conflict. Don't let either side get too angry or otherwise distressed - an angry customer is not good for business, and a crying employee is never a pretty sight for people coming into the hotel or restaurant. If you often step in and demonstrate proficiency at resolving disagreements, you might become the workplace guru!

To really put it in perspective, let's break it down. Here are the steps to resolving a conflict effectively, and with as little casualties as possible:

When a problem specifically pertains to you:

Listen to the person presenting the problem
Agree with their point of view
Speak in a respective tone, and be courteous
Immediately remediate the problem
Let the customer (or whoever else) know that the problem has been resolved, and thank them for notifying you of it - establish trust by letting them know they can rely on you in a situation, and that the problem will not happen again

When someone else is having a disagreement:

Listen to the problem from a distance to learn what it is about
If any of the people involved are becoming angry or distressed, step in and ask politely if you can help
Apply the steps above (when a problem specifically pertains to you), and liberate the employee previously involved with the customer
Check in on the other employee at a later time, letting them know how you handled the situation and what the outcome was - this will ease their mind about their own involvement and teach them future tactics of conflict resolution.

Conflict in the workplace is a tricky situation, but with practice and a knack for human psychology you will be able to walk away smiling. It may be difficult at first to agree with taking the blame for something you believe is not your fault, but eventually you will see rewards in terms of a smoother day with less - and more effectively handled - confrontations.

Three Things to Motivate & Retain Employees

2007-09-18T04:05:00.000+05:30

HR Managers today must provide an attractive and motivating environment to their employees than just a handsome salary in order to retain them. Employees these days hop jobs for a mere10-15 per cent pay hike!

Organisations that succeed to attract, retain and motivate employees, emerge as winners. It doesn’t take much to have a motivated workforce; all you need to do is create an exciting environment. Three things to motivate & retain employees are…

Positive work environment.
Rewards for proper conduct.
Employee involvement.
How to create a positive work environment?

Explain to them ‘The Big Picture’ to give them the sense of pride and purpose for working with the company. Give your employees a chance to put forward their views in decision making (whenever required and possible).

Their suggestions are important. Give them resources to support them and to ensure they perform better. Cater to their growth needs and give them a mentor for improving and developing new skills.

Rewards for proper conduct - Praise & Recognition

No money in the world can replace a compliment. Sure, it does attract talent through the front door, but it never prevents them from leaving through the back door. Two most important elements for employee retention are praise and recognition. Monetary rewards are fast forgotten, try something that will stay forever. For instance;

A retail store came out with “My Shinning Star” peer recognition programme. Every month employees were rewarded for their outstanding conduct & qualities like taking beyond duty calls, perfect attendance, hard work, team work, friendly & caring nature etc.

Employees had the power to reward their peers for doing a good job. An employee who received the highest number of votes in a month received a special gift from the store manager along with his name being put up on the bulletin board.

This is what is called a FAST-FUN formula…

Focus on the behaviour to be rewarded.
Avoid bureaucratic committees.
Simplicity
Team ownership.
FUN, entertaining and spontaneous..
Involve your Employees

Employee involvement plays at all levels from self-esteem, motivation to retention. A feeling of belongingness and worth will attach the employee with the organisation and its affect will be higher than that of a hefty salary. Find a way to tell your employees that they are special to the organisation. Whichever way you take it, keep in mind these key factors. Your employees will enjoy their work, feel that they have a purpose and therefore will be able to reach their potential.

HR Processes

2007-09-18T01:40:00.001+05:30

HR Processes

One day while walking down the street a highly successful Human Resources Manager was tragically hit by a bus and she died. Her soul arrived up in heaven where she was met at the Pearly Gates by St. Peter himself.

"Welcome to Heaven ," said St. Peter. "Before you get settled in though, it seems we have a problem. You see, strangely enough, we've never once had a Human Resources Manager make it this far and we're not really sure what to do with you."

"No problem, just let me in," said the woman.

"Well, I'd like to, but I have higher orders. What we're going to do is let you have a day in Hell and a day in Heaven and then you can choose whichever one you want to spend an eternity in."

"Actually, I think I've made up my mind, I prefer to stay in Heaven", said the woman

"Sorry, we have rules..."

And with that St. Peter put the executive in an elevator and it went down-down-down to hell.

The doors opened and she found herself stepping out onto the putting green of a beautiful golf course. In the distance was a country club and standing in front of her were all her friends - fellow executives that she had worked with and they were well dressed in evening owns and cheering for her. They ran up and kissed her on both cheeks and they talked about old times. They played an excellent round of golf and at night went to the country club where she enjoyed an excellent steak and lobster dinner.

She met the Devil who was actually a really nice guy (kind of cute) and she had a great time telling jokes and dancing. She was having such a good time that before she knew it, it was time to leave. Everybody shook her hand and waved goodbye as she got on the elevator.

The elevator went up-up-up and opened back up at the Pearly Gates and found St. Peter waiting for her.

"Now it's time to spend a day in heaven," he said. So she spent the next 24 hours lounging around on clouds and playing the harp and singing. She had great time and before she knew it her 24 hours were up and St. Peter came and got her.

"So, you've spent a day in hell and you've spent a day in heaven. Now you must choose your eternity,"

The woman paused for a second and then replied, "Well, I never thought I'd say this, I mean, Heaven has been really great and all, but I think I had a better time in Hell."

So St. Peter escorted her to the elevator and again she went down-down-down back to Hell.

When the doors of the elevator opened she found herself standing in a desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. She saw her friends were dressed in rags and were picking up the garbage and putting it in sacks.

The Devil came up to her and put his arm around her.

"I don't understand," stammered the woman, "yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a country club and we ate lobster and we danced and had a great time. Now all there is a wasteland of garbage and all my friends look miserable."

The Devil looked at her smiled and told...

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Yesterday we were recruiting you, Today you are an employee

50 Interview Questions

2007-09-17T21:25:00.000+05:30

50 Interview Questions

Review these typical interview questions and think about how you would answer them. Read the questions listed; you will also find some strategy suggestions with it.

Tell me about yourself:
The most often asked question in interviews. You need to have a short statement prepared in your mind. Be careful that it does not sound rehearsed. Limit it to work-related items unless instructed otherwise. Talk about things you have done and jobs you have held that relate to the position you are interviewing for. Start with the item farthest back and work up to the present.
Why did you leave your last job?
Stay positive regardless of the circumstances. Never refer to a major problem with management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workers or the organization. If you do, you will be the one looking bad. Keep smiling and talk about leaving for a positive reason such as an opportunity, a chance to do something special or other forward-looking reasons.
What experience do you have in this field?
Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for. If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can.
Do you consider yourself successful?
You should always answer yes and briefly explain why. A good explanation is that you have set goals, and you have met some and are on track to achieve the others.
What do co-workers say about you?
Be prepared with a quote or two from co-workers. Either a specific statement or a paraphrase will work. Jill Clark, a co-worker at Smith Company, always said I was the hardest workers she had ever known. It is as powerful as Jill having said it at the interview herself.
What do you know about this organization?
This question is one reason to do some research on the organization before the interview. Find out where they have been and where they are going. What are the current issues and who are the major players?
What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?
Try to include improvement activities that relate to the job. A wide variety of activities can be mentioned as positive self-improvement. Have some good ones handy to mention.
Are you applying for other jobs?
Be honest but do not spend a lot of time in this area. Keep the focus on this job and what you can do for this organization. Anything else is a distraction.
Why do you want to work for this organization?
This may take some thought and certainly, should be based on the research you have done on the organization. Sincerity is extremely important here and will easily be sensed. Relate it to your long-term career goals.
Do you know anyone who works for us?
Be aware of the policy on relatives working for the organization. This can affect your answer even though they asked about friends not relatives. Be careful to mention a friend only if they are well thought of.
What kind of salary do you need?
A loaded question. A nasty little game that you will probably lose if you answer first. So, do not answer it. Instead, say something like, That's a tough question. Can you tell me the range for this position? In most cases, the interviewer, taken off guard, will tell you. If not, say that it can depend on the details of the job. Then give a wide range.
Are you a team player?
You are, of course, a team player. Be sure to have examples ready. Specifics that show you often perform for the good of the team rather than for yourself are good evidence of your team attitude. Do not brag, just say it in a matter-of-fact tone. This is a key point.
How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
Specifics here are not good. Something like this should work: I'd like it to be a long time. Or As long as we both feel I'm doing a good job.
Have you ever had to fire anyone? How did you feel about that?
This is serious. Do not make light of it or in any way seem like you like to fire people. At the same time, you will do it when it is the right thing to do. When it comes to the organization versus the individual who has created a harmful situation, you will protect the organization. Remember firing is not the same as layoff or reduction in force.
What is your philosophy towards work?
The interviewer is not looking for a long or flowery dissertation here. Do you have strong feelings that the job gets done? Yes. That's the type of answer that works best here. Short and positive, showing a benefit to the organization.
If you had enough money to retire right now, would you?
Answer yes if you would. But since you need to work, this is the type of work you prefer. Do not say yes if you do not mean it.
Have you ever been asked to leave a position?
If you have not, say no. If you have, be honest, brief and avoid saying negative things about the people or organization involved.
Explain how you would be an asset to this organization
You should be anxious for this question. It gives you a chance to highlight your best points as they relate to the position being discussed. Give a little advance thought to this relationship.
Why should we hire you?
Point out how your assets meet what the organization needs. Do not mention any other candidates to make a comparison.
Tell me about a suggestion you have made
Have a good one ready. Be sure and use a suggestion that was accepted and was then considered successful. One related to the type of work applied for is a real plus.
What irritates you about co-workers?
This is a trap question. Think real hard but fail to come up with anything that irritates you. A short statement that you seem to get along with folks is great.
What is your greatest strength?
Numerous answers are good, just stay positive. A few good examples:
Your ability to prioritize, Your problem-solving skills, Your ability to work under pressure, Your ability to focus on projects, Your professional expertise, Your leadership skills, Your positive attitude.
Tell me about your dream job.
Stay away from a specific job. You cannot win. If you say the job you are contending for is it, you strain credibility. If you say another job is it, you plant the suspicion that you will be dissatisfied with this position if hired. The best is to stay genetic and say something like:
A job where I love the work, like the people, can contribute and can't wait to get to work.
Why do you think you would do well at this job?
Give several reasons and include skills, experience and interest.
What are you looking for in a job?
See answer # 23
What kind of person would you refuse to work with?
Do not be trivial. It would take disloyalty to the organization, violence or lawbreaking to get you to object. Minor objections will label you as a whiner.
What is more important to you: the money or the work?
Money is always important, but the work is the most important. There is no better answer.
What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point is?
There are numerous good possibilities:
Loyalty, Energy, Positive attitude, Leadership, Team player, Expertise, Initiative, Patience, Hard work, Creativity, Problem solver.
Tell me about a problem you had with a supervisor
Biggest trap of all. This is a test to see if you will speak ill of your boss. If you fall for it and tell about a problem with a former boss, you may well below the interview right there. Stay positive and develop a poor memory about any trouble with a supervisor.
What has disappointed you about a job?
Don't get trivial or negative. Safe areas are few but can include:
Not enough of a challenge. You were laid off in a reduction Company did not win a contract, which would have given you more responsibility.
Tell me about your ability to work under pressure.
You may say that you thrive under certain types of pressure. Give an example that relates to the type of position applied for.
Do your skills match this job or another job more closely?
Probably this one. Do not give fuel to the suspicion that you may want another job more than this one.
What motivates you to do your best on the job?
This is a personal trait that only you can say, but good examples are:
Challenge, Achievement, Recognition
Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends?
This is up to you. Be totally honest.
How would you know you were successful on this job?
Several ways are good measures:
You set high standards for yourself and meet them. Your outcomes are a success.Your boss tell you that you are successful
Would you be willing to relocate if required?
You should be clear on this with your family prior to the interview if you think there is a chance it may come up. Do not say yes just to get the job if the real answer is no. This can create a lot of problems later on in your career. Be honest at this point and save yourself future grief.
Are you willing to put the interests of the organization ahead of your own?
This is a straight loyalty and dedication question. Do not worry about the deep ethical and philosophical implications. Just say yes.
Describe your management style.
Try to avoid labels. Some of the more common labels, like progressive, salesman or consensus, can have several meanings or descriptions depending on which management expert you listen to. The situational style is safe, because it says you will manage according to the situation, instead of one size fits all.
What have you learned from mistakes on the job?
Here you have to come up with something or you strain credibility. Make it small, well intentioned mistake with a positive lesson learned. An example would be working too far ahead of colleagues on a project and thus throwing coordination off.
Do you have any blind spots?
Trick question. If you know about blind spots, they are no longer blind spots. Do not reveal any personal areas of concern here. Let them do their own discovery on your bad points. Do not hand it to them.
If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for?
Be careful to mention traits that are needed and that you have.
Do you think you are overqualified for this position?
Regardless of your qualifications, state that you are very well qualified for the position.
How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience?
First, if you have experience that the interviewer does not know about, bring that up: Then, point out (if true) that you are a hard working quick learner.
What qualities do you look for in a boss?
Be generic and positive. Safe qualities are knowledgeable, a sense of humor, fair, loyal to subordinates and holder of high standards. All bosses think they have these traits.
Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute between others.
Pick a specific incident. Concentrate on your problem solving technique and not the dispute you settled.
What position do you prefer on a team working on a project?
Be honest. If you are comfortable in different roles, point that out.
Describe your work ethic.
Emphasize benefits to the organization. Things like, determination to get the job done and work hard but enjoy your work are good.
What has been your biggest professional disappointment?
Be sure that you refer to something that was beyond your control. Show acceptance and no negative feelings.
Tell me about the most fun you have had on the job.
Talk about having fun by accomplishing something for the organization.
Do you have any questions for me?
Always have some questions prepared. Questions prepared where you will be an asset to the organization are good. How soon will I be able to be productive? and What type of projects will I be able to assist on? are examples.

Psyche of a winner

2007-09-17T21:18:00.000+05:30

Psyche of a winner

The difference between losers and winners is that of perception. Those who look at the bright side, always have a bright future.

Succeeding in life requires having a well thought out strategy. Positive thinking and having the belief that you can succeed is a powerful strategy on its own. That’s why it is vital to recognize the psyche of a winner, as well as know the things one can do to become a positive thinker.

Attitude is more important than your aptitude in determining success in Life. It is very critical to an achievement. Well, take the example of one of the greatest inventors – Thomas Edison. Edison tried 10,000 times to get his light bulb invention to work, but failed each time. However, he had this to say about his lack of success. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work�?.

We all have negative thoughts from time to time, but it’s possible to turn our negative thoughts into positive ones says psychologist. Follow these simple guidelines to become a positive person.

Identify your negative thoughts. Consider your excuses for the last idea you rejected. Maybe you thought about asking for a new assignment at work but didn’t ask for it because you’ve never done anything like it before or didn’t know if you could handle the extra workload.
Determine whether the excuses are valid. Check whether these obstacles really block you from achieving your goals, or just excuses based on fear or procrastination.
Examine your fears. Maybe your fears are trying to tell to tell you that you are going on the wrong path. Instead of ignoring our fears, analyze them.
Engage in positive “self-talk"?. “Self-talk refers to the endless stream of thoughts that run through your head every day.
If you weed out misconceptions and irrational thinking and challenge them with rational, positive thoughts, your self-talk will slowly become realistic and self-affirming and you will start becoming an optimist.
Focus on what you are good at and don’t kill yourself on the rest. For example, if you are not good at computers, focus instead on what you do have to offer to your team, such as excellent speaking skills and a great client record.
Surround yourself with positives: positive friends, upbeat music, happy thoughts, and your favorite memories. Call your friends every once in a while and get together to have fun.
Nobody’s perfect. Remember that failing is okay too, as long as you can pick yourself back up and learn from the experience.
Think of ways to overcome obstacles. Supposing you don’t have the experience to take on a project. Maybe you could share the project with someone who does, so that you could ‘learn the ropes’.

Life is what you make it out to be. If you are plagued with persistent negative thoughts towards life, try to replace this mindset with a new positive one.

Having positive thoughts will improve your quality of life and work, so it is essential that you start thinking in a positive manner right away.

The Monk's Vision

2007-09-17T21:06:00.001+05:30

The Monk's Vision

An old monk prayed many years for a vision from God to strengthen his faith, but it never came. He had almost given up hope when, one day, a vision appeared. The old monk was overjoyed.

But then, right in the middle of the vision, the monastery bell rang. The ringing of the bell meant it was time to feed the poor who gathered daily at the monastery gate. And it was the old monk's turn to feed them. If he failed to show up with food, the poor people would leave quietly, thinking the monastery had nothing to give them that day.

The old monk was torn between his earthly duty and his heavenly vision. However, before the bell stopped tolling, the monk had made his decision. With a heavy heart, he turned his back on the vision and went off to feed the poor.

Nearly an hour later, the old monk returned to his room. When he opened the door, he could hardly believe his eyes. There in the room was the vision, waiting for him. As the monk dropped to is kness in thanksgiving, the vision said to him, "My son, had you not gone off to feed the poor, I would not have stayed."

The best way to serve God is to reach out in service to our brothers and sisters, especially those less gifted than ourselves.

GIFTS FROM THE HEART

2007-09-17T21:04:00.000+05:30

GIFTS FROM THE HEART

According to legend, a young man while roaming the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet he filled his leather canteen so he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher. After a four-day journey he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart.

Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container. The student challenged his teacher: "Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?"

The teacher replied, "You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter."

I think we understand this lesson best when we receive innocent gifts of love from young children. Whether it's a ceramic tray or a macaroni bracelet, the natural and proper response is appreciation and expressed thankfulness because we love the idea within the gift.

Gratitude doesn't always come naturally. Unfortunately, most children and many adults value only the thing given rather than the feeling embodied in it. We should remind ourselves and teach our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude. After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart

Why do employees leave organizations?

2007-09-17T20:59:00.000+05:30

Every year, every month or should I say every day,many employees leave their jobs to join some other organization...Some feel pay as the first priority irrespective of the job profile and for some it is vice versa.But as most of us know,employees don't leave companies but they leave bad managers and this is the hottest reason why "Employees leave their (well paying) jobs.Below is what Azim Premji,CEO of Wipro has to tell on the same topic taking an example of one of the instances which happened in Wipro.Interesting one(which I received in an email today) , keep on reading:

Every company faces the problem of people leaving the company for better pay or profile.

Early this year, Mark, a senior software designer, got an offer from a prestigious international firm to work in its India operations developing specialized software. He was thrilled by the offer.

He had heard a lot about the CEO. The salary was great. The company had all the right systems in place employee-friendly human resources (HR) policies, a spanking new office,and the very best technology,even a canteen that served superb food.

Twice Mark was sent abroad for training. "My learning curve is the sharpest it's ever been," he said soon after he joined.

Last week, less than eight months after he joined, Mark walked out of the job.

Why did this talented employee leave ?

Arun quit for the same reason that drives many good people away.

The answer lies in one of the largest studies undertaken by the Gallup Organization. The study surveyed over a million employees and 80,000 managers and was published in a book called "First Break All The Rules". It came up with this surprising finding:

If you're losing good people, look to their immediate boss ..Immediate boss is the reason people stay and thrive in an organization. And he 's the reason why people leave. When people leave they take knowledge,experience and contacts with them, straight to the competition.

" People leave managers not companies ," write the authors Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman.

Mostly manager drives people away?

HR experts say that of all the abuses, employees find humiliation the most intolerable. The first time, an employee may not leave,but a thought has been planted. The second time, that thought gets strengthened. The third time, he looks for another job.

When people cannot retort openly in anger, they do so by passive aggression. By digging their heels in and slowing down. By doing only what they are told to do and no more. By omitting to give the boss crucial information. Dev says: "If you work for a jerk, you basically want to get him into trouble. You don 't have your heart and soul in the job."

Different managers can stress out employees in different ways - by being too controlling, too suspicious,too pushy, too critical, but they forget that workers are not fixed assets, they are free agents. When this goes on too long, an employee will quit - often over a trivial issue.

Talented men leave. Dead wood doesn't.

Carrot and Stick

2007-09-14T19:17:00.000+05:30

In the 1970s, the government's long-outstanding promise of bringing a paved road to the northern Vancouver Island had been compared by the north islanders to a dangling carrot.

Carrot and stick (also spelled "carrot-and-stick") s an idiom used to refer to the act of rewarding good behavior and punishing bad behavior. The carrot represents the edible reward, while the stick refers to a punishing switch. The earliest citation of this expression recorded by the Supplement to the Oxford English Dictionary is to The Economist magazine in the December 11, 1948, issue. The Supplement also depicts a person trying to entice a donkey to move by dangling a carrot in front of it.