A “good company tag” is critical to a company’s ability to attract, motivate and retain the best and the brightest, thus gaining competitive advantage in the marketplace. Internationally, those companies that are voted as Best Companies to Work For also yield higher returns for shareholders. In fact, employee attitudes are directly linked with company performance, according to Watson Wyatt’s Human Capital Index. Additionally companies that are considered good employers have a strong identity and image in the marketplace. . Employer branding is the
process of creating an identity and managing the company’s image in its role as an employer.
As organizations are complex, open systems, single interventions are not enough. The employer brand has to be aligned and congruent with what the company delivers to the employee, customer, public and shareholder. The factors that impact the employer brand are:
1.Reputation/ integrity
2.Culture
3.Recruitment / orientation
4.Pay and benefits
5.Work /Life balance
6.Leadership and management
7.Performance management, growth and development
Of these seven factors in the employer branding model, four have proven to be crucial for a large majority of high performing employees. These are:
• Culture
• Pay and benefits
• Leadership and management
• Performance management, growth and development.
Only two of these four factors form a crucial part of the employer brands of majority companies:
• A highly developed culture and outstanding leadership
• Management qualities.
Brand Misalignments
Most employer brands fail to recognize the importance of “performance management, growth and development” and “pay and benefits,” respectively. Delving more deeply into these factors shows where highest misalignments occur. High performers expect:
• Multiple career paths to be open to them
• Supervisors to ask them for feedback
• Regular feedback on their own performance
• A transparent system for determining variable pay.
Most of the employers do not regard these as crucial elements of their employer brand. However, high performers show considerable expectation for their compensation. High performers consider base pay to be the most important part of their compensation package. Interestingly, employees who have high expectations of growth and development opportunities consider variable components of compensation almost as important as base pay, whereas other employees have far greater interest in base pay. High performers believe that their efforts and contributions to the company should be remunerated far above average compensation levels.
Is There a Pattern in Employee Expectations?
As “quality of leadership and management,” “culture,” “pay and benefits” and “growth and development opportunities” are considered to be the most important factors within the employment deal for a vast majority of high-performing employees, is there any pattern in these? Research shows that “Culture” and “leadership and management” are factors that prove to be significantly correlated to each other. Employees who have great interest in culture tend to have high expectations in the quality of leadership and management. A culture that is neither well developed nor aligned with the company’s leadership and management practices is unlikely to appeal to a high performer.
Priorities of Employers of Choice
Employers of choice have built much of their standing on their reputation as “exciting places to work.” They regard their reputation as an essential part of their employer brand and tout
this image among graduating classes and in the job market. Biut there is more to their success than mere smart publicity campaign. The brands of the employers of choice have much higher
congruence with the employment deal expectations of their high performers. This holds especially true for the high quality of their “culture” and the good quality of their “leadership and management.” Most companies only partially meet the expectations of their most valuable employees. Answers to the following questions can avoid such a mismatch. They build a basis on which an employer brand can be built successfully:
• What types of employees are fundamental to the success of the business?
• What do the high-performing employees expect from the company?
Answering the above questions enables the employer to build a brand that reflects its business and culture and is attractive to targeted employees. Besides the company needs to share and live the brand. The employer brand may not remain a secret for HR professionals, but should be widely disseminated and shared within and outside the company. The employers of choice have proven that well-developed employer brands help attract and retain talent. A strong employer brand shows what a powerful means of differentiation an employer branding can be. It can be thus be concluded that a remarkable reputation, perception and image in the job market builds on both the attractiveness in factors that are of fundamental importance to high performers as well as elaborate efforts, which make this attractiveness visible in the job market.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Building better ‘First Impressions’
Controlling our “blink” responses
Experts believe that our awareness of the fact that we make snap (often unconscious) judgments about people and situations can provide the opportunity for controlling our “blink” response. The key is constant awareness of your ability to thin-slice and think without thinking. Then there is the necessity for each of us to be aware of and control our thin-slicing. Experts are now more convinced than ever that we make snap decisions about situations and people, unconsciously, that bring into play all of our biases. For example all candidates interviewed for a position deserve the same treatment and the same attention to factors other than race, religion, appearance and size.
Any decisions that we make based on our thin-slicing must be accompanied by the recognition that we do make important decisions using this process - unconsciously. Take the time to gather a larger pool of data before going with your initial gut reaction. While you may be right, you can be wrong. And, there is the constant opportunity to unconsciously discriminate, make poor hiring and networking choices and to trust or distrust employee stories for all of the wrong reasons. We are challenged to work with people who are not just like us. After we notice the differences (blink), we need to constantly demonstrate that we honour and appreciate the differences.
Knowing Your Body Communications
It's time to get to know your body. If you don't know where you hold your tension, and most people don't, take a tour of your body, so you can know what needs the most loosening - -and exercise. Are you shouldering the world's responsibilities, or perpetually drooping? Or, in your determined drive toward success, do you plant your feet solidly on the ground in a life gesture of hostility, defiance or taking ground? Perhaps you have a forward leaning posture, with the head tilted slightly forward, as if you are ready to spring into action, expressing a lifelong pattern of flight away from psychologically threatening situations, when you thought it was part of your make-up to leap forward to new opportunities. To be depressed is, in fact, to press against yourself. To be closed off is to hold your muscles rigid against the world. Being open is being soft. No instinctive muscle clenching, such as in the jaws. Hardness is being uptight, cold, separate, giving yourself and others a hard time. Softness is synonymous with pleasure, warmth, flowing, being alive, drawing other people toward you rather than forcing them away.
Expressions & Muscles
When you are misaligned and tense, you expend outrageous sums of energy doing the everyday gestures of life. Since the body is a high viscosity substance, that is 60 percent to 80 percent water, the bonds are floating in a relatively fluid environment. Yet, over time, despite that apparent fluidity, you have tightened the muscles around every major experience of pain, fear or anger, and continue to tighten them each time you think you are experiencing similar situations, thus guaranteeing that you make your own pattern of uptightness familiar and increasingly habitual, until it becomes a permanent condition you no longer recognize as not normal. We all hold great muscle tension around certain bones in blind remembrance of fearful events, long after the actual events are often long forgotten. You may never recall what initially made you afraid, but you can note where you body reacted to protect itself and spend more time in your exercise and massage or other body work to relax and loosen those muscle groups. In Western society, people usually hold the tension somewhere in our upper body whereas in many Eastern cultures the tension tends to be held in the lower body. If you don't begin a regular practice of exercise and stretching, you are guaranteed to lose mobility sooner as you age and rob yourself of the most positive and alive personal presence you could offer the world every day.
We go through life making decisions, closing down and limiting ourselves unconsciously. Stay open literally by getting in motion more frequently. Stand and stretch at least every twenty minutes when you are sitting and working. Try to walk, hopefully in sync with someone else, in fresh air and sunlight, at least thirty minutes a day. One of the safest and most natural ways to move closer to others is to walk with them. Walk and talk on the way to the meeting. Walk with your friends/colleagues, rather than sitting with them. Motion is emotional and makes every event more vivid and memorable. Literally move towards the one that matters in your life and loosen up together. Your life may depend on it. In fact, why not get up right now and take a stretch, look around, call someone and suggest a walk.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Experts believe that our awareness of the fact that we make snap (often unconscious) judgments about people and situations can provide the opportunity for controlling our “blink” response. The key is constant awareness of your ability to thin-slice and think without thinking. Then there is the necessity for each of us to be aware of and control our thin-slicing. Experts are now more convinced than ever that we make snap decisions about situations and people, unconsciously, that bring into play all of our biases. For example all candidates interviewed for a position deserve the same treatment and the same attention to factors other than race, religion, appearance and size.
Any decisions that we make based on our thin-slicing must be accompanied by the recognition that we do make important decisions using this process - unconsciously. Take the time to gather a larger pool of data before going with your initial gut reaction. While you may be right, you can be wrong. And, there is the constant opportunity to unconsciously discriminate, make poor hiring and networking choices and to trust or distrust employee stories for all of the wrong reasons. We are challenged to work with people who are not just like us. After we notice the differences (blink), we need to constantly demonstrate that we honour and appreciate the differences.
Knowing Your Body Communications
It's time to get to know your body. If you don't know where you hold your tension, and most people don't, take a tour of your body, so you can know what needs the most loosening - -and exercise. Are you shouldering the world's responsibilities, or perpetually drooping? Or, in your determined drive toward success, do you plant your feet solidly on the ground in a life gesture of hostility, defiance or taking ground? Perhaps you have a forward leaning posture, with the head tilted slightly forward, as if you are ready to spring into action, expressing a lifelong pattern of flight away from psychologically threatening situations, when you thought it was part of your make-up to leap forward to new opportunities. To be depressed is, in fact, to press against yourself. To be closed off is to hold your muscles rigid against the world. Being open is being soft. No instinctive muscle clenching, such as in the jaws. Hardness is being uptight, cold, separate, giving yourself and others a hard time. Softness is synonymous with pleasure, warmth, flowing, being alive, drawing other people toward you rather than forcing them away.
Expressions & Muscles
When you are misaligned and tense, you expend outrageous sums of energy doing the everyday gestures of life. Since the body is a high viscosity substance, that is 60 percent to 80 percent water, the bonds are floating in a relatively fluid environment. Yet, over time, despite that apparent fluidity, you have tightened the muscles around every major experience of pain, fear or anger, and continue to tighten them each time you think you are experiencing similar situations, thus guaranteeing that you make your own pattern of uptightness familiar and increasingly habitual, until it becomes a permanent condition you no longer recognize as not normal. We all hold great muscle tension around certain bones in blind remembrance of fearful events, long after the actual events are often long forgotten. You may never recall what initially made you afraid, but you can note where you body reacted to protect itself and spend more time in your exercise and massage or other body work to relax and loosen those muscle groups. In Western society, people usually hold the tension somewhere in our upper body whereas in many Eastern cultures the tension tends to be held in the lower body. If you don't begin a regular practice of exercise and stretching, you are guaranteed to lose mobility sooner as you age and rob yourself of the most positive and alive personal presence you could offer the world every day.
We go through life making decisions, closing down and limiting ourselves unconsciously. Stay open literally by getting in motion more frequently. Stand and stretch at least every twenty minutes when you are sitting and working. Try to walk, hopefully in sync with someone else, in fresh air and sunlight, at least thirty minutes a day. One of the safest and most natural ways to move closer to others is to walk with them. Walk and talk on the way to the meeting. Walk with your friends/colleagues, rather than sitting with them. Motion is emotional and makes every event more vivid and memorable. Literally move towards the one that matters in your life and loosen up together. Your life may depend on it. In fact, why not get up right now and take a stretch, look around, call someone and suggest a walk.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Why ‘Blink’ Matters : The Power Of First Impressions
Your Body’s A Movie!
Your body is a hologram of your being; a three-dimensional movie that is constantly on, showing others how you feel about yourself and the world. People are consciously reading your body language and they subconsciously react to your bodily signals. As you walk through life, it’s important that your body is saying exactly the same that your spoken words are conveying. The secret is all in understanding a code. It is a most elaborate code that is written nowhere, known by none and yet understood by all." How do others perceive you? How soon do you realize that you are getting tense? How well do you anticipate their unspoken feelings? You ability to understand these signals has an enormous impact on how well you get along with others. Successful people believe their success is attributable to a pattern of mutually beneficial interpersonal relationships, as much as it is due to technical skills or business knowledge. Your communication and the image you present create the first impression - often the lasting impression - on the people you meet.
Blink: First Impression in Seconds
Professional speakers and trainers have long asserted that people make up their minds about people they meet for the first time within two minutes. Others assert that these first impressions about people take only thirty seconds to make. As it turns out, both may be underestimates. According to international research, the ‘first impressions’ decisions may occur much faster - think instantaneously or in two seconds. These findings have serious implications for organizations.
According to this research, we think without thinking, we thin-slice whenever we “meet a new person or have to make sense of something quickly or encounter a novel situation.” This is true as snap judgments are, first of all, enormously quick: they rely on the thinnest slices of experience … they are also unconscious. People thin-slice because they have to, and they come to rely on that ability because there are lots of situations where careful attention to the details of a very thin slice, even for no more than a second or two, can tell us an awful lot. Whenever we have to make sense of complicated situations or deal with lots of information quickly, we bring to bear all of our beliefs, attitudes, values, experiences, education and more on the situation. Then, we thin-slice the situation to comprehend it as quickly as possible. The implications of this concept have astonishing significance for our personal reactions to most situations.
It’s this ability to think without thinking, to make snap decisions about situations and people in a “blink”, has significant implications for how we interview and hire staff. It plays havoc with how we view ourselves and our ability to interact with people who are different than ourselves. It impacts how we develop friendships with people at work. It affects our networking and business relationship building. It affects who we believe in a work disagreement or confrontation. At the same time, this ability we have as humans, to quickly make judgment calls, saves lives, provides interpersonal insight, recognizes fake artifacts, allows us to assess situations and take action quickly and can even predict the future of a relationship. So, it’s not an ability you want to discard, even if your first snap decisions or judgment calls can also be terribly wrong.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Your body is a hologram of your being; a three-dimensional movie that is constantly on, showing others how you feel about yourself and the world. People are consciously reading your body language and they subconsciously react to your bodily signals. As you walk through life, it’s important that your body is saying exactly the same that your spoken words are conveying. The secret is all in understanding a code. It is a most elaborate code that is written nowhere, known by none and yet understood by all." How do others perceive you? How soon do you realize that you are getting tense? How well do you anticipate their unspoken feelings? You ability to understand these signals has an enormous impact on how well you get along with others. Successful people believe their success is attributable to a pattern of mutually beneficial interpersonal relationships, as much as it is due to technical skills or business knowledge. Your communication and the image you present create the first impression - often the lasting impression - on the people you meet.
Blink: First Impression in Seconds
Professional speakers and trainers have long asserted that people make up their minds about people they meet for the first time within two minutes. Others assert that these first impressions about people take only thirty seconds to make. As it turns out, both may be underestimates. According to international research, the ‘first impressions’ decisions may occur much faster - think instantaneously or in two seconds. These findings have serious implications for organizations.
According to this research, we think without thinking, we thin-slice whenever we “meet a new person or have to make sense of something quickly or encounter a novel situation.” This is true as snap judgments are, first of all, enormously quick: they rely on the thinnest slices of experience … they are also unconscious. People thin-slice because they have to, and they come to rely on that ability because there are lots of situations where careful attention to the details of a very thin slice, even for no more than a second or two, can tell us an awful lot. Whenever we have to make sense of complicated situations or deal with lots of information quickly, we bring to bear all of our beliefs, attitudes, values, experiences, education and more on the situation. Then, we thin-slice the situation to comprehend it as quickly as possible. The implications of this concept have astonishing significance for our personal reactions to most situations.
It’s this ability to think without thinking, to make snap decisions about situations and people in a “blink”, has significant implications for how we interview and hire staff. It plays havoc with how we view ourselves and our ability to interact with people who are different than ourselves. It impacts how we develop friendships with people at work. It affects our networking and business relationship building. It affects who we believe in a work disagreement or confrontation. At the same time, this ability we have as humans, to quickly make judgment calls, saves lives, provides interpersonal insight, recognizes fake artifacts, allows us to assess situations and take action quickly and can even predict the future of a relationship. So, it’s not an ability you want to discard, even if your first snap decisions or judgment calls can also be terribly wrong.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Customer Service Lessons in Web-enabled world
Customers are increasingly getting more spoilt for choice thanks to the forever growing range of purchase options and changing lifestyle necessities. All this makes it very difficult for monitoring all the changes and predicting the impact of scores of new trends. Often these force new service compulsions that may put a sudden burden on your stretched staff and finances. For example in these recession hit days, travelers are demanding low cost travel options where discounted travel fare is insufficient. Hence the tour operator has to discover new vacation destinations, cheaper travel option and even cheaper stay destinations without compromising on the quality of experience and travel safety. For this you need to strike low cost deals with your regular hospitality service partners (hotels, restaurants, transporters) without reducing the overall quality of the travel experience. Every vendor in the customer value chain may need to be convinced by you to reduce his profit margins to sustain the traffic volume of tourists. Like low cost hotels could offer shared bus service for guided tours instead of exclusive cabs, while they continue to provide free meals (buffet) and airport pickup and drop facility (again shared bus-trip). Customer intimacy through innovative ‘more-value-for-less’ service packages is key to sustaining better customer loyalty. You can easily collaborate to outsmart bigger competitors, thereby ensuring customer loyalty dividends continue to accrue to you. Additionally you could use growing number of customer referrals to get more business by using real customer testimonials on your website and e-mailers/direct mailers to mailing lists created with active help from delighted customers. This way you will not only spread the good word (customers helping their friends to get the best travel deals) for enhancing their reputation but also significantly reduce your marketing and sales costs (while increasing its effectiveness). These sales effort cost savings can be passed on to further reduce the price of your offerings to make you even more price competitive in difficult times ( a friend in need is a friend indeed!).
Global competition, Local Problems-Thanks to the web, global businesses are now accessible to their customers on a 24X7 basis. It is no longer sufficient for you to be the best business in the local area, as you now have to compete with the world’s best in terms of products as well as customer service innovations e.g. online ordering e-commerce facility for your local clothes boutique. Free trade capitalism is tearing down trade barriers and technology is making even distant global businesses available locally. Thus customers around the world are now flooded by a growing array of competing products and servicing options: all at bargain pricing. Internet savvy customers of today are more spoilt for choice and usually choose the best price and product options. You now need to constantly enhance you web-presence to ensure that its content is regularly updated and local USPs are properly leveraged. For example customers love local availability of urgent service providers like chemist stores. Not mentioning your local address (with area code), telephone numbers and extended business hours could easily kill your many local availability advantages as your website may not show up in local searches in popular search engines. Local SEO of your website is thus a necessity that you need to implement on your business website to sustain higher customer loyalty. For if you’re not there when a customer needs to reach you, how can he be loyal to you? When any of your local contact details change (telephone number, cell phone, additional phone numbers, e-mail IDs, and URLs), you should promptly inform your regular customer base and also update these facts on your website. Keeping your customers in the dark about new changes can harm your business.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Global competition, Local Problems-Thanks to the web, global businesses are now accessible to their customers on a 24X7 basis. It is no longer sufficient for you to be the best business in the local area, as you now have to compete with the world’s best in terms of products as well as customer service innovations e.g. online ordering e-commerce facility for your local clothes boutique. Free trade capitalism is tearing down trade barriers and technology is making even distant global businesses available locally. Thus customers around the world are now flooded by a growing array of competing products and servicing options: all at bargain pricing. Internet savvy customers of today are more spoilt for choice and usually choose the best price and product options. You now need to constantly enhance you web-presence to ensure that its content is regularly updated and local USPs are properly leveraged. For example customers love local availability of urgent service providers like chemist stores. Not mentioning your local address (with area code), telephone numbers and extended business hours could easily kill your many local availability advantages as your website may not show up in local searches in popular search engines. Local SEO of your website is thus a necessity that you need to implement on your business website to sustain higher customer loyalty. For if you’re not there when a customer needs to reach you, how can he be loyal to you? When any of your local contact details change (telephone number, cell phone, additional phone numbers, e-mail IDs, and URLs), you should promptly inform your regular customer base and also update these facts on your website. Keeping your customers in the dark about new changes can harm your business.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Friday, May 14, 2010
Observations about self-organizing leadership roles
Anne Stadler: South African, North American, European and now an India loving yoga instructor + leadership thought leader transforming student lives @ SOIL shares her inspiring leadership evolution realities in today's modern world
My culture’s habits of leadership are drawn from an experience of organizations that value hierarchy and heroic cultural myths. Most of the organizations in our public life have a pyramidal structure that came into being as the organization’s entrepreneurial period gave way to the need for stability. In such a structure, roles are defined and rigidly codified; new possibilities struggle to emerge; power is centralized rather than distributed. Change is experienced as threatening, a struggle, and destructive—to be avoided. Order and control are maintained at all costs.
Is this way of leadership sustainable? What can we learn from natural self-organizing systems that sustain themselves?
In the forest on the way to Second Beach near La Push:
I follow a path that winds among ancient trees and giant stumps. Roots upended in grotesque shapes shelter shallow caves. A cedar looms beside the trail with some of its great branches upraised to embrace both the heavens and the earth. Its roots stand tall as I am, embracing a ghostly nurse log that provided sustenance for its seed a hundred years ago.
Everything grows. Everything finds a niche. The rocks communicate an impression of permanence. The trees give impression of solidity and strength. But uncertainty is the condition of life. The tipped up root bases twenty feet across show how vulnerable these giants are to torrential storms. Mushroom spores remind us of unseen forces at work. Life and death is everywhere. Death gives rise to more life. Only my belief in the permanence of the present moment gives me the illusion of certainty.
As I observe the disorderly order of the forest, I reflect that contrary to my experience with corporate life and such organizations, there are many roles in self-organizing leadership. The one you express freely and congruently is the one that matches in any given moment, your evolutionary need and the evolutionary need of the group. Arnold Mindell calls this being a “time-spirit” in the group. The informal structure--the way things get done-- of any lively group reflects this. Someone shows up as the healer, someone as the teacher, someone as the joker, the mother, etc. and whoever is appropriate for that moment helps that individual and the group thrive and evolve.
Several experiences of living in an open space organization have shown me that when stewardship is vested a circle of leaders, the appropriate leaders emerge at the right time to help the group discover and do the practical work for which it came together. We saw this in Spirited Work, a seven year open space learning community of practice, 1998—2005, (see www.Sunyatagroup.ws, Archived Articles) and in the recent emergence of the Journalism That Matters Pacific Northwest Collaboratory (www.jtmpnw.org)
It is important to know and observe the place we live in, even as we are trying to sort out the human relationships to get work done. The place itself is a vital mirror and guide for how we live well and sustainably.
In organizations that are not aligned with the underlying flow of self-organizing, emergence is characterized by struggle, chaos, conflict, and imposed order. An organization that uses the co-creative practices I’ve identified earlier experiences ease and creative flow.
Disturbance is a navigational signal that the group or individual is out of synch with the underlying processes of Self-organizing. Thus disturbance becomes an invitation for remembering the calling and correcting the course.
My working hypothesis:
In a self-organizing world, sustainable organizations are impermanent, provisional opportunities for creation and practical activity: “collaboratories”, places of experimentation, co-creation and community. We can sustain our joyful participation in the complexity of our living Universe by experimenting with simple practices of co-creation in order to live well, wherever we live, with whomever we attract.
- Anne Stadler - www.soilindia.net
My culture’s habits of leadership are drawn from an experience of organizations that value hierarchy and heroic cultural myths. Most of the organizations in our public life have a pyramidal structure that came into being as the organization’s entrepreneurial period gave way to the need for stability. In such a structure, roles are defined and rigidly codified; new possibilities struggle to emerge; power is centralized rather than distributed. Change is experienced as threatening, a struggle, and destructive—to be avoided. Order and control are maintained at all costs.
Is this way of leadership sustainable? What can we learn from natural self-organizing systems that sustain themselves?
In the forest on the way to Second Beach near La Push:
I follow a path that winds among ancient trees and giant stumps. Roots upended in grotesque shapes shelter shallow caves. A cedar looms beside the trail with some of its great branches upraised to embrace both the heavens and the earth. Its roots stand tall as I am, embracing a ghostly nurse log that provided sustenance for its seed a hundred years ago.
Everything grows. Everything finds a niche. The rocks communicate an impression of permanence. The trees give impression of solidity and strength. But uncertainty is the condition of life. The tipped up root bases twenty feet across show how vulnerable these giants are to torrential storms. Mushroom spores remind us of unseen forces at work. Life and death is everywhere. Death gives rise to more life. Only my belief in the permanence of the present moment gives me the illusion of certainty.
As I observe the disorderly order of the forest, I reflect that contrary to my experience with corporate life and such organizations, there are many roles in self-organizing leadership. The one you express freely and congruently is the one that matches in any given moment, your evolutionary need and the evolutionary need of the group. Arnold Mindell calls this being a “time-spirit” in the group. The informal structure--the way things get done-- of any lively group reflects this. Someone shows up as the healer, someone as the teacher, someone as the joker, the mother, etc. and whoever is appropriate for that moment helps that individual and the group thrive and evolve.
Several experiences of living in an open space organization have shown me that when stewardship is vested a circle of leaders, the appropriate leaders emerge at the right time to help the group discover and do the practical work for which it came together. We saw this in Spirited Work, a seven year open space learning community of practice, 1998—2005, (see www.Sunyatagroup.ws, Archived Articles) and in the recent emergence of the Journalism That Matters Pacific Northwest Collaboratory (www.jtmpnw.org)
It is important to know and observe the place we live in, even as we are trying to sort out the human relationships to get work done. The place itself is a vital mirror and guide for how we live well and sustainably.
In organizations that are not aligned with the underlying flow of self-organizing, emergence is characterized by struggle, chaos, conflict, and imposed order. An organization that uses the co-creative practices I’ve identified earlier experiences ease and creative flow.
Disturbance is a navigational signal that the group or individual is out of synch with the underlying processes of Self-organizing. Thus disturbance becomes an invitation for remembering the calling and correcting the course.
My working hypothesis:
In a self-organizing world, sustainable organizations are impermanent, provisional opportunities for creation and practical activity: “collaboratories”, places of experimentation, co-creation and community. We can sustain our joyful participation in the complexity of our living Universe by experimenting with simple practices of co-creation in order to live well, wherever we live, with whomever we attract.
- Anne Stadler - www.soilindia.net
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Experience True Freedom: Here's How!
Anne Stadler: South African, North American, European and now an India loving yoga instructor + leadership thought leader transforming student lives @ SOIL Here she discuses how leaders can leverage the power of meditation to improve themselves and the lives of people around them
Freedom exists when my Self connects to the Self of universal consciousness. Synapse happens when that connection is present. I feel/sense “I am that!” I experience delight, deep peace & flow. Whatever I manifest practically resonates with the Self-organizing at the heart of the living Universe.
Hypothesis: My aim/intention is crucial. It lands me in exactly the consciousness I aim for. My aim: Self to Self; my fire to THE fire at the core of life.So, I begin by dedicating each endeavor, relationship, and activity to serving life.I open my awareness to the unknown, the unnameable, so that my actions may be informed by the larger field of universal consciousness that is life…through meditation.In meditation, I try to divest myself of all stories, preconceptions, assumptions & expectations about the situation, person, or place that I’m attached to.
I follow delight, my sense of “Yes!”
I embrace what/who I attract.
I listen.
I pay attention (observe). I notice whether I am attached to something or irritated by it, and practice releasing that in the moment.
I do/make as love/attraction/guidance calls me.
I learn.
I reflect.
I complete what I am called to do.
I give thanks and celebrate.
I’m doing this practice daily as well as in the midst of collective activities I am called to do, with the same habitual regularity as brushing my teeth.
A Collective Practice:
“A mass of fire reaching upward from earth into the heavens is the robust, united, burning, radiant soul.”Emerson
What are essential co-creative patterns that foster a mass of fire—the united burning, radiant soul-- leading to evolution and wholeness?
Here are the minimal patterns and practices I, with others, have been noticing and experimenting with.
Treat everything as a learning opportunity.
Start by asking a question:
What are we called to do here together that we cannot do separately?
This opens me/us to the field of learning/action appropriate at this moment. It surfaces the manifestation possibility emerging from the universal intelligent field. Then invite a small group of people essential to the undertaking. In self-organizing system, a larger group or community forms from a small group, a fractal of itself.
We focus on these questions:
1. What is the calling we’re answering?
2. Who are we? What experience does each bring? What gifts?
3. Where are we?
4. What can we do together?
5. Who else needs to be here with us? Then WE invite and welcome a wider circle of others: extending and attracting a larger circle that reflects the “whole”.
Welcome: (the circle of the whole)
Hosting is essential. ALL work in co-creative relationship IS a gift exchange: I/We/Now! The purpose of welcome and hosting is assuring people that just as they are, they belong in that circle of relationship and are essential to the well-being of all.
At the beginning of any gathering, people need to know:
1. What is the purpose of the gathering, and the question we are addressing?
2. Who am I, and am I welcome just as I am?
3. Where are we? Walk around, look, and listen to the place we are in.
4. What is the abundance that has come together?
5. What are the gifts each one is bringing?
Exchange gifts: What are we here to do together?
Invite each person to take responsibility for what they love & care about in relation to the purpose and calling question; either through opening a marketplace as in Open Space Technology, or via another method of self-organizing, so that people can initiate a gift exchange of inquiry and potential action.
This affords the opportunity for my evolving Self to engage with others’ evolving Selves in service of the collective’s evolution. It is the gift exchange that IS the root of the word “community” (From the Latin: “com”, meaning “together”; “munus”, meaning “gift”.)
After a period of action/exchange, reassemble the whole circle:
1. Converge: What is the synthesis that this particular circle has to offer? Using all intelligences, working in small self-chosen groups, bring forth the synthesis of new knowledge that each group can offer in answering the question for which the whole circle assembled.
2. Reflect: What is the “aha”, the transformational learning gift we each want to offer so the group can learn as a whole? What wants to happen next?
3. Celebrate/Close: What is the appreciating and celebrating we want to do as we close this particular chapter in the life of this particular circle?
- Anne Stadler - www.soilindia.net
Freedom exists when my Self connects to the Self of universal consciousness. Synapse happens when that connection is present. I feel/sense “I am that!” I experience delight, deep peace & flow. Whatever I manifest practically resonates with the Self-organizing at the heart of the living Universe.
Hypothesis: My aim/intention is crucial. It lands me in exactly the consciousness I aim for. My aim: Self to Self; my fire to THE fire at the core of life.So, I begin by dedicating each endeavor, relationship, and activity to serving life.I open my awareness to the unknown, the unnameable, so that my actions may be informed by the larger field of universal consciousness that is life…through meditation.In meditation, I try to divest myself of all stories, preconceptions, assumptions & expectations about the situation, person, or place that I’m attached to.
I follow delight, my sense of “Yes!”
I embrace what/who I attract.
I listen.
I pay attention (observe). I notice whether I am attached to something or irritated by it, and practice releasing that in the moment.
I do/make as love/attraction/guidance calls me.
I learn.
I reflect.
I complete what I am called to do.
I give thanks and celebrate.
I’m doing this practice daily as well as in the midst of collective activities I am called to do, with the same habitual regularity as brushing my teeth.
A Collective Practice:
“A mass of fire reaching upward from earth into the heavens is the robust, united, burning, radiant soul.”Emerson
What are essential co-creative patterns that foster a mass of fire—the united burning, radiant soul-- leading to evolution and wholeness?
Here are the minimal patterns and practices I, with others, have been noticing and experimenting with.
Treat everything as a learning opportunity.
Start by asking a question:
What are we called to do here together that we cannot do separately?
This opens me/us to the field of learning/action appropriate at this moment. It surfaces the manifestation possibility emerging from the universal intelligent field. Then invite a small group of people essential to the undertaking. In self-organizing system, a larger group or community forms from a small group, a fractal of itself.
We focus on these questions:
1. What is the calling we’re answering?
2. Who are we? What experience does each bring? What gifts?
3. Where are we?
4. What can we do together?
5. Who else needs to be here with us? Then WE invite and welcome a wider circle of others: extending and attracting a larger circle that reflects the “whole”.
Welcome: (the circle of the whole)
Hosting is essential. ALL work in co-creative relationship IS a gift exchange: I/We/Now! The purpose of welcome and hosting is assuring people that just as they are, they belong in that circle of relationship and are essential to the well-being of all.
At the beginning of any gathering, people need to know:
1. What is the purpose of the gathering, and the question we are addressing?
2. Who am I, and am I welcome just as I am?
3. Where are we? Walk around, look, and listen to the place we are in.
4. What is the abundance that has come together?
5. What are the gifts each one is bringing?
Exchange gifts: What are we here to do together?
Invite each person to take responsibility for what they love & care about in relation to the purpose and calling question; either through opening a marketplace as in Open Space Technology, or via another method of self-organizing, so that people can initiate a gift exchange of inquiry and potential action.
This affords the opportunity for my evolving Self to engage with others’ evolving Selves in service of the collective’s evolution. It is the gift exchange that IS the root of the word “community” (From the Latin: “com”, meaning “together”; “munus”, meaning “gift”.)
After a period of action/exchange, reassemble the whole circle:
1. Converge: What is the synthesis that this particular circle has to offer? Using all intelligences, working in small self-chosen groups, bring forth the synthesis of new knowledge that each group can offer in answering the question for which the whole circle assembled.
2. Reflect: What is the “aha”, the transformational learning gift we each want to offer so the group can learn as a whole? What wants to happen next?
3. Celebrate/Close: What is the appreciating and celebrating we want to do as we close this particular chapter in the life of this particular circle?
- Anne Stadler - www.soilindia.net
Fusion Brand Marketing Mantras
According to latest global marketing research reports, online-offline coordinated brand marketing consistently boosts brand impact at 60% less cost than piling on more offline advertisements in the right conditions. Marketers need not abandon traditional, offline efforts entirely; but should add better researched online promotions to current campaigns. Media combinations grab greater attention as multiple media together has greater impact than an individual medium on its own. Fusion brand marketing approach is here to stay. Here's how it helps and should be sustained:
Momentum boosts conversion- Consumers today prefer to gather comparative information about products / services from online and offline sources to make a better informed decision. Each media exposure builds on the other by helping the consumer in its unique way, at different stages in the buying cycle. If the brand messaging is consistent across various online and offline media, the repetition captures and retains consumer's attention better. This increases chances of a higher conversion rate.
Sustained relationship-building increases repeat business - Integrating offline and online mediums increases customer touch-points leading to a stronger relationship. Email fulfillment / event invitations to offline customers are cost effective and user friendly their readership can be tracked (click-throughs). Similar an offline event can build an online learning community of loyal customers.
Interactivity increases marketing efficiency - Internet Marketing offers the unique opportunity to engage customers in a convenient manner that can supplement offline initiatives. Offline business can register participants online for a special promotional scheme and then interact with consumers to even gauge their preferences. Intelligent tracking of the overall campaign performance with coordinated online and offline campaigns effectively eliminate waste.
Intelligently executed online-offline commercials build brand impact with target audience much better than expensive commercials with beautiful celebrities. Real people love authenticity conveyed to them in a convenient manner.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Momentum boosts conversion- Consumers today prefer to gather comparative information about products / services from online and offline sources to make a better informed decision. Each media exposure builds on the other by helping the consumer in its unique way, at different stages in the buying cycle. If the brand messaging is consistent across various online and offline media, the repetition captures and retains consumer's attention better. This increases chances of a higher conversion rate.
Sustained relationship-building increases repeat business - Integrating offline and online mediums increases customer touch-points leading to a stronger relationship. Email fulfillment / event invitations to offline customers are cost effective and user friendly their readership can be tracked (click-throughs). Similar an offline event can build an online learning community of loyal customers.
Interactivity increases marketing efficiency - Internet Marketing offers the unique opportunity to engage customers in a convenient manner that can supplement offline initiatives. Offline business can register participants online for a special promotional scheme and then interact with consumers to even gauge their preferences. Intelligent tracking of the overall campaign performance with coordinated online and offline campaigns effectively eliminate waste.
Intelligently executed online-offline commercials build brand impact with target audience much better than expensive commercials with beautiful celebrities. Real people love authenticity conveyed to them in a convenient manner.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Smart Brand Building
Businesses can save time and money by proactively evaluating important customer needs from their online presence/offerings. Their web-presence and the overall marketing plan should be cohesively integrated to compliment each other for meet organizational goals cost effectively. Every brand marketing initiative needs to support and enhance the other – seamlessly. Small & Medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that lack the marketing budgets of their larger competitors are amongst the greatest gainers from internet marketing and online customer services.
Internet marketing is highly adaptive; thanks to its ability to monitor ongoing results accurately and quickly change ongoing campaigns in real time for best possible results and Return on Investment. Online branding can greatly benefit from proven traditional/offline marketing initiatives like yellow pages advertisements, direct mail and display advertisements.
Similarly brick-and-mortar businesses need to effectively leverage Internet to promote themselves and get more business. Leveraging the synergies of online and offline brand innovations together can help you maximize impact of even a shoestring marketing budget.
Branding Success Mantra-Follow the customer
‘Customer is the king’ and brand- marketing' primary motive is to serve the information needs of the targeted customers. As it is expensive and risky to change consumer habits, integrated marketing strategies need to follow customer preferences rather than creating them where traditional marketing methods are firmly entrenched. For example, in case of popular sports events, television is the primary means of viewing them.
Web based brand-marketing needs to compliment the offline viewing by intelligently made contests and co-branded (with the sports event brand) informative advertisements / memorabilia. At the same time smart TV advertisement placements can drive traffic to the web based advertisement for special promotional sales related to the sporting event. A well planned media plan creates the required customer attention.
Significantly it also generates useful leads with word of mouth /viral advertising as interested fans spread the word around of compelling campaigns. The brand promotional synergies these online-offline commercials generate build a sustainable brand salience, provided it makes a tangible difference to consumers’ life. Hence while TV advertisements en-cash the mass appeal of sporting events; the online promotions leverage the convenience and interactivity of the web medium.
The increased time consumers spend engaging with the online and offline advertisements of these brands in positive ways allows smart marketers to build higher awareness and brand preference
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Internet marketing is highly adaptive; thanks to its ability to monitor ongoing results accurately and quickly change ongoing campaigns in real time for best possible results and Return on Investment. Online branding can greatly benefit from proven traditional/offline marketing initiatives like yellow pages advertisements, direct mail and display advertisements.
Similarly brick-and-mortar businesses need to effectively leverage Internet to promote themselves and get more business. Leveraging the synergies of online and offline brand innovations together can help you maximize impact of even a shoestring marketing budget.
Branding Success Mantra-Follow the customer
‘Customer is the king’ and brand- marketing' primary motive is to serve the information needs of the targeted customers. As it is expensive and risky to change consumer habits, integrated marketing strategies need to follow customer preferences rather than creating them where traditional marketing methods are firmly entrenched. For example, in case of popular sports events, television is the primary means of viewing them.
Web based brand-marketing needs to compliment the offline viewing by intelligently made contests and co-branded (with the sports event brand) informative advertisements / memorabilia. At the same time smart TV advertisement placements can drive traffic to the web based advertisement for special promotional sales related to the sporting event. A well planned media plan creates the required customer attention.
Significantly it also generates useful leads with word of mouth /viral advertising as interested fans spread the word around of compelling campaigns. The brand promotional synergies these online-offline commercials generate build a sustainable brand salience, provided it makes a tangible difference to consumers’ life. Hence while TV advertisements en-cash the mass appeal of sporting events; the online promotions leverage the convenience and interactivity of the web medium.
The increased time consumers spend engaging with the online and offline advertisements of these brands in positive ways allows smart marketers to build higher awareness and brand preference
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Online Branding Benefits
Transforming marketing-Online medium has changed many rules of branding, customer services and even product packaging. Growing global competition with the customer spoilt for choice at the click of a mouse makes online branding more challenging than ever. While offline branding can have the luxury of time, e-branding needs to evolve and be relevant to changing needs and tastes instantly.
Localized Focus-Online businesses have the advantage of instantly contacting global customers at a fraction of offline business costs. However this has its own localization challenges. People do not change their preferred choices for the sake of limited offerings of a business; they simply go to the competitor. Online branding thus needs to be adaptive to localized needs instantly. For example for an online apparel store, customers in different geographic regions have varied choices as per their local conditions. Depending on the local IP of the e-visitor the online store front presents locally relevant branding (culture, tone) and product offerings.
Friendly adaptive branding-Majority of customers are averse to dramatic changes and appreciate brands that are friendly and adaptive to their changing needs i.e. speak their language and are simple. Online branding needs to narrow its focus viz. target regions rather than be generalist. Brand campaigns need to be highly interactive too to succeed in today’s customer focused online business environment.
Technologically Superior -The web gives a technological edge over offline branding mediums. For example an online advertisement not only informs but also facilitates purchase fulfillment through secure e-commerce transaction. Different types of online promotions can even allow online customers to engage in e-conversation with others users for a better informed choice, without having to move. Online branding thus leverages technology to add new paradigms to customer convenience.
- Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Localized Focus-Online businesses have the advantage of instantly contacting global customers at a fraction of offline business costs. However this has its own localization challenges. People do not change their preferred choices for the sake of limited offerings of a business; they simply go to the competitor. Online branding thus needs to be adaptive to localized needs instantly. For example for an online apparel store, customers in different geographic regions have varied choices as per their local conditions. Depending on the local IP of the e-visitor the online store front presents locally relevant branding (culture, tone) and product offerings.
Friendly adaptive branding-Majority of customers are averse to dramatic changes and appreciate brands that are friendly and adaptive to their changing needs i.e. speak their language and are simple. Online branding needs to narrow its focus viz. target regions rather than be generalist. Brand campaigns need to be highly interactive too to succeed in today’s customer focused online business environment.
Technologically Superior -The web gives a technological edge over offline branding mediums. For example an online advertisement not only informs but also facilitates purchase fulfillment through secure e-commerce transaction. Different types of online promotions can even allow online customers to engage in e-conversation with others users for a better informed choice, without having to move. Online branding thus leverages technology to add new paradigms to customer convenience.
- Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Transforming Failures into Success
The Truth behind Failure
The HR is always hard working, talented, and committed as a team, yet people can easily fall prey to circumstances beyond their control and find themselves in the midst of a failure. In reality, the real tragedy of today’s business environment is not the opportunity lost because of the failure; rather, it is our response to those feelings of failure. Underneath the surface, there are three hidden emotions tied into our feelings of failure that we don’t typically talk about. They are fear, guilt, and discouragement. These emotions sabotage our long-term success because they rob us of our God-given talents, passion, and purpose. For example, fear immobilizes us in the present, guilt makes us look back at things we should have done or done differently in the past, and discouragement saps us of hope for the future. When fear, guilt, and discouragement gang up, they not only rob us of our strength to overcome adversity, but they also rob us of our destiny.
Transforming Failure into Success
Over the years, our culture has done us a great injustice. We’ve been taught that winning is everything and losing is to be avoided at all costs. As a result, we live a life desperate to avoid feelings of failure. The truth is that failure is a necessary component for our long-term success. These five principles will help you transform feelings of failure into motivations for success.
1 Failure knocks our ego down a notch
Often; our egos give us a false sense of power, which ultimately can cause our demise. When our ego gets too big, it’s easy to lose focus on what’s really important because we try to control those things we have no control over. Ken Blanchard, a well-known author, defines ego as “Edging God Out.” Failure has a tendency to knock our ego down. While this can be painful, it teaches us to let go of things beyond our control. We learn that the world doesn’t revolve around us. This is an important lesson because we come to understand that our work is about serving a purpose beyond ourselves. It’s at this point where we begin to relax. Because we’re no longer in control, purpose takes over where fear once resided, forgiveness overtakes our guilt, and hope replaces discouragement. How often does your ego prevent you from turning failure into success?
2 Short-term failure is a stepping-stone for long-term success
A common thread of all great leaders is their use of failure as a springboard to success. Rather than an obstacle, failures become stepping-stones for their personal growth. When we take the time to look, we find that every setback has a blessing in disguise. Just as success leaves clues, so does failure. The key is to look beyond the immediate feelings of failure and discover all the possibilities that await. How can you use failure to your advantage?
3 Failure gives us freedom
Too many people stay in situations they dislike simply because they’re afraid of failure. They prefer to stay inundated with urgent daily pressure because their fear of failure makes them work harder and harder. Often these people try to keep their grasp on the façade of being successful. What these people don’t realize is that failure actually gives them freedom. They now have the freedom to pursue other interests, to open a new business, to find a more fulfilling line of work, to secure a job with better hours or better pay, and even to design a life that offers a better balance between work and family. Before you dwell in the depths of failure, ask yourself, “How can my failure give me freedom?”
For Failure makes us grow stronger…
Whether we like it or not, failure is a part of life. The question is whether it makes us weaker or stronger. An insightful person once said, “Life is a grindstone; whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends on what you’re made of.” We can become victims of circumstance and let failure break us or we can grow in character and allow failure to shape us. Many times, it’s not the big failure that harms us; rather, it’s a series of small failures that wear us down and discourage us, which is the worst ill of all. Discouragement causes us to die a slow emotional death. It happens over time without our ever realizing it. It’s during times of failure that our character is developed. We need to have the courage to move forward with perseverance when we have no energy and want to give up. Instead of letting feelings of failure rob you of hope, ask yourself, “How can I persevere today?”
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
The HR is always hard working, talented, and committed as a team, yet people can easily fall prey to circumstances beyond their control and find themselves in the midst of a failure. In reality, the real tragedy of today’s business environment is not the opportunity lost because of the failure; rather, it is our response to those feelings of failure. Underneath the surface, there are three hidden emotions tied into our feelings of failure that we don’t typically talk about. They are fear, guilt, and discouragement. These emotions sabotage our long-term success because they rob us of our God-given talents, passion, and purpose. For example, fear immobilizes us in the present, guilt makes us look back at things we should have done or done differently in the past, and discouragement saps us of hope for the future. When fear, guilt, and discouragement gang up, they not only rob us of our strength to overcome adversity, but they also rob us of our destiny.
Transforming Failure into Success
Over the years, our culture has done us a great injustice. We’ve been taught that winning is everything and losing is to be avoided at all costs. As a result, we live a life desperate to avoid feelings of failure. The truth is that failure is a necessary component for our long-term success. These five principles will help you transform feelings of failure into motivations for success.
1 Failure knocks our ego down a notch
Often; our egos give us a false sense of power, which ultimately can cause our demise. When our ego gets too big, it’s easy to lose focus on what’s really important because we try to control those things we have no control over. Ken Blanchard, a well-known author, defines ego as “Edging God Out.” Failure has a tendency to knock our ego down. While this can be painful, it teaches us to let go of things beyond our control. We learn that the world doesn’t revolve around us. This is an important lesson because we come to understand that our work is about serving a purpose beyond ourselves. It’s at this point where we begin to relax. Because we’re no longer in control, purpose takes over where fear once resided, forgiveness overtakes our guilt, and hope replaces discouragement. How often does your ego prevent you from turning failure into success?
2 Short-term failure is a stepping-stone for long-term success
A common thread of all great leaders is their use of failure as a springboard to success. Rather than an obstacle, failures become stepping-stones for their personal growth. When we take the time to look, we find that every setback has a blessing in disguise. Just as success leaves clues, so does failure. The key is to look beyond the immediate feelings of failure and discover all the possibilities that await. How can you use failure to your advantage?
3 Failure gives us freedom
Too many people stay in situations they dislike simply because they’re afraid of failure. They prefer to stay inundated with urgent daily pressure because their fear of failure makes them work harder and harder. Often these people try to keep their grasp on the façade of being successful. What these people don’t realize is that failure actually gives them freedom. They now have the freedom to pursue other interests, to open a new business, to find a more fulfilling line of work, to secure a job with better hours or better pay, and even to design a life that offers a better balance between work and family. Before you dwell in the depths of failure, ask yourself, “How can my failure give me freedom?”
For Failure makes us grow stronger…
Whether we like it or not, failure is a part of life. The question is whether it makes us weaker or stronger. An insightful person once said, “Life is a grindstone; whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends on what you’re made of.” We can become victims of circumstance and let failure break us or we can grow in character and allow failure to shape us. Many times, it’s not the big failure that harms us; rather, it’s a series of small failures that wear us down and discourage us, which is the worst ill of all. Discouragement causes us to die a slow emotional death. It happens over time without our ever realizing it. It’s during times of failure that our character is developed. We need to have the courage to move forward with perseverance when we have no energy and want to give up. Instead of letting feelings of failure rob you of hope, ask yourself, “How can I persevere today?”
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Friday, May 7, 2010
Pointers to HR- Supporting Mentoring As a Culture
If HR wants to establish a mentoring culture within the organization, here are some proven mentoring best practices.
•Set organizational goals. Don’t establish a mentoring program just because it is a good business practice. Develop a mentoring program based on solid business goals such as increasing diversity or making your organization a better place to work.
•Find out why the talented employees you wanted to keep left you. Talented employees want exciting challenges and great development opportunities. They leave because they are bored. Mentoring is a key to attracting and retaining talented employees.
•Develop people to their fullest potential. In order to develop your people, provide training opportunities, challenging projects and assignments, feedback, coaching and mentoring. In one study with people who had experienced real mentors, half of them said the mentoring experience “changed my life.” Those are powerful words.
•Foster mentoring for women and minorities. Ten years ago, when I began a new job, I sat with female colleagues during company presentations, and wondered, “Why are the guys up there and we’re not?” One of my first job assignments was to develop and manage a mentoring program. We included a special group mentoring program for women. Today, many of the young women I knew ten years ago at that company, have, in fact, climbed onto the stage themselves. Mentoring helped move women into the ranks of vice president, senior vice president and division president.
•Point to the money. Losing talented employees and wasting talent costs companies money.
Two points that are often missed by most HR departments when it comes to spreading the mentoring culture, but are really important from an employee perspective are:
•Allowing mentoring to continue past retirement. The trait most attributed to older employees is the willingness to give maximum effort. These employees are also rated as highly results-driven, very likely to retain what they learn; and low on their need for supervision. Many of the older employees plan to work at least part-time past the traditional retirement age. These characteristics demonstrate eager workers who may be well suited to be brought back as consultants and mentors after their retirement.
•Ensuring that the mentoring is compatible with people’s values and work style. Mentoring involves being collegial, talking, sharing (not telling), and developing solutions together. It is also optimistic, which is typical of most employees. We’ve found that when generations work together in strategic, business-related activities such as mentoring, everyone benefits. The mentee builds new business knowledge, and the mentor often gets reenergized and reengaged in business opportunities. We find unique satisfaction in nurturing these synergistic relationships.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
•Set organizational goals. Don’t establish a mentoring program just because it is a good business practice. Develop a mentoring program based on solid business goals such as increasing diversity or making your organization a better place to work.
•Find out why the talented employees you wanted to keep left you. Talented employees want exciting challenges and great development opportunities. They leave because they are bored. Mentoring is a key to attracting and retaining talented employees.
•Develop people to their fullest potential. In order to develop your people, provide training opportunities, challenging projects and assignments, feedback, coaching and mentoring. In one study with people who had experienced real mentors, half of them said the mentoring experience “changed my life.” Those are powerful words.
•Foster mentoring for women and minorities. Ten years ago, when I began a new job, I sat with female colleagues during company presentations, and wondered, “Why are the guys up there and we’re not?” One of my first job assignments was to develop and manage a mentoring program. We included a special group mentoring program for women. Today, many of the young women I knew ten years ago at that company, have, in fact, climbed onto the stage themselves. Mentoring helped move women into the ranks of vice president, senior vice president and division president.
•Point to the money. Losing talented employees and wasting talent costs companies money.
Two points that are often missed by most HR departments when it comes to spreading the mentoring culture, but are really important from an employee perspective are:
•Allowing mentoring to continue past retirement. The trait most attributed to older employees is the willingness to give maximum effort. These employees are also rated as highly results-driven, very likely to retain what they learn; and low on their need for supervision. Many of the older employees plan to work at least part-time past the traditional retirement age. These characteristics demonstrate eager workers who may be well suited to be brought back as consultants and mentors after their retirement.
•Ensuring that the mentoring is compatible with people’s values and work style. Mentoring involves being collegial, talking, sharing (not telling), and developing solutions together. It is also optimistic, which is typical of most employees. We’ve found that when generations work together in strategic, business-related activities such as mentoring, everyone benefits. The mentee builds new business knowledge, and the mentor often gets reenergized and reengaged in business opportunities. We find unique satisfaction in nurturing these synergistic relationships.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Making Enterprise-wide Mentoring Successful
Don’t establish a mentoring program just because it is a good business practice. Develop a mentoring program based on solid business goals such as increasing diversity or making your organization a better place to work. Here are ways to ensure mentoring is successful enterprise-wide:
Provide new perspectives. Encourage older workers to stop defining themselves in terms of their job titles and start reflecting on skills they have built, and knowledge that they have amassed. Today, jobs are about more than just upward mobility. Mentors can share their vision and career histories so that younger employees understand what they can learn through lateral career moves and on the job experience.
Share information. Mentoring can help employees quickly learn about other levels within the organization. Says one mentor at a Fortune 1000 company, “As a leader, it has helped me to see the obstacles we inadvertently put in people’s development.” Mentoring can also help mature employees learn from and understand other generations. For instance, younger employees can help baby boomers with technical skills or provide marketing insights about a new generation of buyers.
Build skills. Mature workers benefit from being mentors by having the chance to learn more about and practice listening and coaching – skills which require maturity, confidence and experience to fully employ.
Reduce generational conflict. Most frequently reported generational conflicts are differing expectations regarding work hours, certain behaviors at work (e.g., use of cell phones), and acceptable dress. Another common issue is feeling that co-workers from other generations do not respect one another. Organizations can reduce generational friction with effective communication, team building, mentoring and recognizing the efforts of all workers.
Enable knowledge transfer. As older employees retire, they take with them volumes of experience and information. Good working relationships between older and younger generations are critical in ensuring that this institutional knowledge is not lost as mature workers retire. The greater the mix of generations in an organization’s workforce, the more important knowledge transfer becomes and the more powerful intergenerational synergy can be. Mentors can often manage, explain and process this information differently and at times more effectively than managers.
In our experience, we have seen older employees are reluctant to mentor younger employees because they are afraid that once they share their knowledge, they will become extraneous and lose their jobs. In fact, in today’s fast-paced business environment, it is the SMEs (subject matter experts) who can capably and articulately share what they know who are the most valuable to their organizations.
Reward, mature employees for mentoring. To entice experienced employees to become mentors, organizations should reward and recognize them for their contributions.
Talk up mentoring in meetings, in speeches, in newsletters, in performance appraisal discussions and include mentoring in corporate awards programs. And, most important, don’t replace mature mentors with their mentees before they retire or mentors will quickly conclude that being a mentor is a very bad idea.
Ask mature employees about someone who enabled them to succeed. In one study of people who had experienced effective mentoring, half of them said the mentoring experience “changed my life.” Those are powerful words. It is equally powerful to know that you were the person who changed someone else’s life.
Share mentoring results. Study after study in which mentors and mentees are asked how satisfied they are with the relationship report that the mentors are more satisfied. It just feels good to help someone else. Says one mentor; “It has been rewarding to be able to help people at critical stages of their career by helping them analyze where they are in their careers. Mentoring gets people in the right groove for long term career success.”
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Provide new perspectives. Encourage older workers to stop defining themselves in terms of their job titles and start reflecting on skills they have built, and knowledge that they have amassed. Today, jobs are about more than just upward mobility. Mentors can share their vision and career histories so that younger employees understand what they can learn through lateral career moves and on the job experience.
Share information. Mentoring can help employees quickly learn about other levels within the organization. Says one mentor at a Fortune 1000 company, “As a leader, it has helped me to see the obstacles we inadvertently put in people’s development.” Mentoring can also help mature employees learn from and understand other generations. For instance, younger employees can help baby boomers with technical skills or provide marketing insights about a new generation of buyers.
Build skills. Mature workers benefit from being mentors by having the chance to learn more about and practice listening and coaching – skills which require maturity, confidence and experience to fully employ.
Reduce generational conflict. Most frequently reported generational conflicts are differing expectations regarding work hours, certain behaviors at work (e.g., use of cell phones), and acceptable dress. Another common issue is feeling that co-workers from other generations do not respect one another. Organizations can reduce generational friction with effective communication, team building, mentoring and recognizing the efforts of all workers.
Enable knowledge transfer. As older employees retire, they take with them volumes of experience and information. Good working relationships between older and younger generations are critical in ensuring that this institutional knowledge is not lost as mature workers retire. The greater the mix of generations in an organization’s workforce, the more important knowledge transfer becomes and the more powerful intergenerational synergy can be. Mentors can often manage, explain and process this information differently and at times more effectively than managers.
In our experience, we have seen older employees are reluctant to mentor younger employees because they are afraid that once they share their knowledge, they will become extraneous and lose their jobs. In fact, in today’s fast-paced business environment, it is the SMEs (subject matter experts) who can capably and articulately share what they know who are the most valuable to their organizations.
Reward, mature employees for mentoring. To entice experienced employees to become mentors, organizations should reward and recognize them for their contributions.
Talk up mentoring in meetings, in speeches, in newsletters, in performance appraisal discussions and include mentoring in corporate awards programs. And, most important, don’t replace mature mentors with their mentees before they retire or mentors will quickly conclude that being a mentor is a very bad idea.
Ask mature employees about someone who enabled them to succeed. In one study of people who had experienced effective mentoring, half of them said the mentoring experience “changed my life.” Those are powerful words. It is equally powerful to know that you were the person who changed someone else’s life.
Share mentoring results. Study after study in which mentors and mentees are asked how satisfied they are with the relationship report that the mentors are more satisfied. It just feels good to help someone else. Says one mentor; “It has been rewarding to be able to help people at critical stages of their career by helping them analyze where they are in their careers. Mentoring gets people in the right groove for long term career success.”
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Handling negativity complexities in organization
When You Are Not in Control of the Negativity
Negativity often occurs when people are impacted by decisions and issues that are out of their control. Examples of these include: corporation downsizing; understaffing that requires people to work mandatory overtime; budget reductions; and upper-management decisions that adversely impact members of your staff. Under these circumstances, as a Human Resources professional, try some of the following ideas.
•Identify any aspects of the situation that you can impact including providing feedback in your organization about the negative impact that is occurring. (Sometimes decisions are made and no one understands or predicts their outcome. Sometimes you can influence an issue or a decision if you practice personal, professional courage and speak your mind.
•Listen, listen, and listen. Often people just need a sounding board. Be visible and available to staff. Proactively schedule group discussion sessions, town meetings, "lunches with the manager," or one-on-one blocks of time.
•Challenge pessimistic thinking and negative beliefs about people, the company, and the work area. Don't let negative, false statements go unchallenged. If the statements are true, provide the rationale, the corporate thinking, and the events that are responsible for the negative circumstances. Share everything you know about a situation to build trust with the workforce.
•Ask open-ended questions to determine the cause, and the scope of the negative feelings or reaction. Maybe it's not as bad as people think; maybe their interpretation of events is faulty. Helping people identify exactly what they feel negatively about is the first step in solving the problem. You can't solve a fog of unhappiness. Help people create options, feel included, and feel part of the communication and problem solving.
•Recognize that, sometimes, a negative outlook may be appropriate.
Working with Others Who Are Negative
If the negativity emanates from an individual, we can:
•Inform the employee about the negative impact her negativity is having on co-workers and the department. Use specific examples that describe behaviours the employee can do something about.
•Avoid becoming defensive. Don’t take the employee’s negative words or attitude personally.
•Focus on creating solutions. Don’t focus on everything that is wrong and negative; focus instead on creating options for positive morale. If the person is unwilling to hold this discussion, and you feel you have fairly heard her out, end the discussion.
•Focus on the positive aspects and contributions the individual brings to the work setting, not the negativity. Help the employee build their self-image and capacity to contribute.
•Compliment the individual any time you hear a positive statement or contribution rather than negativity from them
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Negativity often occurs when people are impacted by decisions and issues that are out of their control. Examples of these include: corporation downsizing; understaffing that requires people to work mandatory overtime; budget reductions; and upper-management decisions that adversely impact members of your staff. Under these circumstances, as a Human Resources professional, try some of the following ideas.
•Identify any aspects of the situation that you can impact including providing feedback in your organization about the negative impact that is occurring. (Sometimes decisions are made and no one understands or predicts their outcome. Sometimes you can influence an issue or a decision if you practice personal, professional courage and speak your mind.
•Listen, listen, and listen. Often people just need a sounding board. Be visible and available to staff. Proactively schedule group discussion sessions, town meetings, "lunches with the manager," or one-on-one blocks of time.
•Challenge pessimistic thinking and negative beliefs about people, the company, and the work area. Don't let negative, false statements go unchallenged. If the statements are true, provide the rationale, the corporate thinking, and the events that are responsible for the negative circumstances. Share everything you know about a situation to build trust with the workforce.
•Ask open-ended questions to determine the cause, and the scope of the negative feelings or reaction. Maybe it's not as bad as people think; maybe their interpretation of events is faulty. Helping people identify exactly what they feel negatively about is the first step in solving the problem. You can't solve a fog of unhappiness. Help people create options, feel included, and feel part of the communication and problem solving.
•Recognize that, sometimes, a negative outlook may be appropriate.
Working with Others Who Are Negative
If the negativity emanates from an individual, we can:
•Inform the employee about the negative impact her negativity is having on co-workers and the department. Use specific examples that describe behaviours the employee can do something about.
•Avoid becoming defensive. Don’t take the employee’s negative words or attitude personally.
•Focus on creating solutions. Don’t focus on everything that is wrong and negative; focus instead on creating options for positive morale. If the person is unwilling to hold this discussion, and you feel you have fairly heard her out, end the discussion.
•Focus on the positive aspects and contributions the individual brings to the work setting, not the negativity. Help the employee build their self-image and capacity to contribute.
•Compliment the individual any time you hear a positive statement or contribution rather than negativity from them
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Monday, May 3, 2010
Managing and Solving Workplace Energies
Workplace Energies
Our workplaces are at times seething with hostility and negativity. No matter where the bad vibes came from, it’s up to us to help make the atmosphere more positive, productive and supportive. As a Human Resources staff member, you usually do not control the situation that is causing the negativity. Perhaps no one in your workplace does. How you address negativity depends on whether you control it and how it started in the first place. The timeliness of your intervention also has an impact. Addressing negativity prevents workplace violence, promotes workplace safety, and creates positive employee morale.
Controlling Organizational Negativity
This is a best case scenario. You have received feedback about negative rumors and you know that the underlying cause of the negativity is based on faulty information, incorrect assumptions, or deliberate misinformation. You may receive feedback that a new policy or procedure is not understood correctly. In each of these circumstances, we have some control over the information, the situation, and the communication. We can solve the problem and communicate well to overcome the negativity.
To influence this situation positively, use a systematic problem-solving process with affected employees to quickly improve identified areas of negativity. Many Human Resources offices launch a complete investigation, and by the time the facts are gathered, the negativity is out of control. Don’t fall for this trap! Include employees who are closest to the negative situation in the problem-solving process. A good cause analysis should be done so that all possible causes of negativity are effectively identified. It is not enough to say, “We have low morale.” You need to identify exactly what is causing low morale to have any chance of improving it. Solicit widespread input to each step of the action plan you develop so that solutions are “owned” across your organization. Involve as many people as you can in its development and in its implementation. Implement your chosen solutions quickly. Then, periodically assess if your work plan is progressing as per agreed milestones. At each step of the problem-solving process, communicate as much information as you have about prevailing negativity and its solutions. When focused solutions selected in your action plan are rolled out, people in the organization are not surprised as they have effectively participated in its information exchange at each step.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Our workplaces are at times seething with hostility and negativity. No matter where the bad vibes came from, it’s up to us to help make the atmosphere more positive, productive and supportive. As a Human Resources staff member, you usually do not control the situation that is causing the negativity. Perhaps no one in your workplace does. How you address negativity depends on whether you control it and how it started in the first place. The timeliness of your intervention also has an impact. Addressing negativity prevents workplace violence, promotes workplace safety, and creates positive employee morale.
Controlling Organizational Negativity
This is a best case scenario. You have received feedback about negative rumors and you know that the underlying cause of the negativity is based on faulty information, incorrect assumptions, or deliberate misinformation. You may receive feedback that a new policy or procedure is not understood correctly. In each of these circumstances, we have some control over the information, the situation, and the communication. We can solve the problem and communicate well to overcome the negativity.
To influence this situation positively, use a systematic problem-solving process with affected employees to quickly improve identified areas of negativity. Many Human Resources offices launch a complete investigation, and by the time the facts are gathered, the negativity is out of control. Don’t fall for this trap! Include employees who are closest to the negative situation in the problem-solving process. A good cause analysis should be done so that all possible causes of negativity are effectively identified. It is not enough to say, “We have low morale.” You need to identify exactly what is causing low morale to have any chance of improving it. Solicit widespread input to each step of the action plan you develop so that solutions are “owned” across your organization. Involve as many people as you can in its development and in its implementation. Implement your chosen solutions quickly. Then, periodically assess if your work plan is progressing as per agreed milestones. At each step of the problem-solving process, communicate as much information as you have about prevailing negativity and its solutions. When focused solutions selected in your action plan are rolled out, people in the organization are not surprised as they have effectively participated in its information exchange at each step.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Humour & Employee Morale
In today’s uncertain work environment, humor isn’t an option; it’s a necessary way to boost morale. When employees clown around, they’re not wasting valuable time, they’re making use of one of the few tools available to increase and maintain their esprit de corps. Laughter may not change the external reality, but it can certainly help people survive it. This has been proven in some pretty dire situations. Psychologist cite examples of how a group of Auschwitz inmates put on shows to provide laughter for the camp population so as to make jokes to save ourselves from deep depression. Somehow these people, on the brink of death, realized that their morale and survival depended on keeping their ability to laugh alive. As a group, they took the time and energy to make it happen.
Even though nothing could be as horrible as Auschwitz, people in almost all workplaces can learn from this example. Take the time and energy to share humor. Those brave concentration camp inmates proved that humor is a choice, and no matter how much adversity people face, whether at work or in their personal lives, they can still choose laughter. In fact, the worse a situation gets, the more important it becomes to make that choice.
Making It Happen In Your Organization
So what can organizations do to encourage the use of humor as a coping mechanism? We can usually turn boring announcements into a stand-up comedy routine. CEOs/top management should empower people to believe that work should be fun too. They can easily set precedents through their own behavior, and by encouraging employees to enjoy their jobs, they make it safe for the people they employ to use humor by leading the way.
And the payoff? Employees will be more enthusiastic about their work as they will love working for the company because it was so much fun. And their enjoyment will be reflected in higher productivity and better client interactions. In order to help employees use humor, organizations need to provide them with the tools and to set an example. Like in a client organization I started every training group with an exercise called “the rubber chicken toss.” i.e. providing crisis counselors with baskets of toys to use as stress-busters, and made it clear that humor was encouraged as part of our organizational culture. These relatively inexpensive interventions did nothing to change the adversity the group faced, but they did create an atmosphere in which going to work was still fun. I often had crisis line workers tell me that one of the reasons they kept coming back was because of how much fun they had. And if a crisis line, where workers regularly deal with suicide can be made fun, so can any workplace!
Laughter as A Tonic!
As more and more organizations reengineer, merge, restructure, downsize, right size, and even capsize, employees confront uncertainty on an almost daily basis. The rules keep changing in terms of what they’re supposed to do, how they’re supposed to do it, which they do it for, and whether they get to do it at all. And since most have little or no control over the making of these rules, the result is often a sense of powerlessness that translates into increased stress, decreased wellness, demoralization, absenteeism, and lower productivity, all of which affect rates of employee retention. And we all know that people are an organization’s number one asset, and losing them costs money. So the big question for both individuals and organizations is: how do you keep up spirits, continue to work effectively, and maintain health and sanity in a crazy-making situation? I often use my team of welfare workers to spread cheer through events of laughter. This effectively repels despair, cynicism, bitterness, or negativity. As one worker stated, “We could either cry, or we could laugh, but you can only cry for so long. We’d had enough of crying, and it was time to do something else – so we laughed.”
Organizations need to encourage employees to take control over the one aspect of the situation they do control - how they choose to respond to it. And on those days where workers feel overwhelmed, overworked, and have no idea what’s going to happen next, the only rational, life-affirming response is to go find some colleagues, and break out the clown noses, and leverage the energy of life giving humour. And it costs no money and also enhances intelligence as the basis of humour is knowledge combined with empathy.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Even though nothing could be as horrible as Auschwitz, people in almost all workplaces can learn from this example. Take the time and energy to share humor. Those brave concentration camp inmates proved that humor is a choice, and no matter how much adversity people face, whether at work or in their personal lives, they can still choose laughter. In fact, the worse a situation gets, the more important it becomes to make that choice.
Making It Happen In Your Organization
So what can organizations do to encourage the use of humor as a coping mechanism? We can usually turn boring announcements into a stand-up comedy routine. CEOs/top management should empower people to believe that work should be fun too. They can easily set precedents through their own behavior, and by encouraging employees to enjoy their jobs, they make it safe for the people they employ to use humor by leading the way.
And the payoff? Employees will be more enthusiastic about their work as they will love working for the company because it was so much fun. And their enjoyment will be reflected in higher productivity and better client interactions. In order to help employees use humor, organizations need to provide them with the tools and to set an example. Like in a client organization I started every training group with an exercise called “the rubber chicken toss.” i.e. providing crisis counselors with baskets of toys to use as stress-busters, and made it clear that humor was encouraged as part of our organizational culture. These relatively inexpensive interventions did nothing to change the adversity the group faced, but they did create an atmosphere in which going to work was still fun. I often had crisis line workers tell me that one of the reasons they kept coming back was because of how much fun they had. And if a crisis line, where workers regularly deal with suicide can be made fun, so can any workplace!
Laughter as A Tonic!
As more and more organizations reengineer, merge, restructure, downsize, right size, and even capsize, employees confront uncertainty on an almost daily basis. The rules keep changing in terms of what they’re supposed to do, how they’re supposed to do it, which they do it for, and whether they get to do it at all. And since most have little or no control over the making of these rules, the result is often a sense of powerlessness that translates into increased stress, decreased wellness, demoralization, absenteeism, and lower productivity, all of which affect rates of employee retention. And we all know that people are an organization’s number one asset, and losing them costs money. So the big question for both individuals and organizations is: how do you keep up spirits, continue to work effectively, and maintain health and sanity in a crazy-making situation? I often use my team of welfare workers to spread cheer through events of laughter. This effectively repels despair, cynicism, bitterness, or negativity. As one worker stated, “We could either cry, or we could laugh, but you can only cry for so long. We’d had enough of crying, and it was time to do something else – so we laughed.”
Organizations need to encourage employees to take control over the one aspect of the situation they do control - how they choose to respond to it. And on those days where workers feel overwhelmed, overworked, and have no idea what’s going to happen next, the only rational, life-affirming response is to go find some colleagues, and break out the clown noses, and leverage the energy of life giving humour. And it costs no money and also enhances intelligence as the basis of humour is knowledge combined with empathy.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Friday, April 30, 2010
Laughing Your Way to Organisational Health
Workplace Wellness
Workplace wellness is a serious issue. With terms like "stress-related-illness" and "burnout" becoming household words, organizations are increasingly looking for ways to keep their workforce happy, healthy and productive. Up to now, most organizations tended to devalue the idea of laughter at work, seeing it as a distraction from getting the "real" job done. This attitude is also reinforced by the work ethic many of us were raised with: "No pain, no gain," "Work isn't supposed to be fun – it’s a serious business”.
However, we're starting to realize that all of this suffering is hurting us more. Not only that, but we're finding that it's actually counter-productive to the bottom-line results. And amazingly enough, this is confirmed by scientific research. A recent study conducted at financial institutions found that managers who facilitated the highest level of employee performance used humor the most often. Scientific data is also proving that laughter is an integral part of physical wellness. It has been found that laughing 200 times burns off the same amount of calories as 10 minutes on a rowing machine. Another study found that after a bout of laughter, blood pressure drops to a lower, healthier level than before the laughter began. Laughter also oxygenates your blood, thereby increasing energy level, relaxes your muscles and works out all your major internal systems like the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Furthermore, researchers are discovering that laughter also affects the immune system. Hence laughing makes people grow stronger, with the body's T-cells, natural killer cells and antibodies all showing signs of increased activity.
When You Need Humour ...
So what are the specific indicators that tell us we need to incorporate humor into our workplace? According to psychologists there are two major factors.The first is being placed in no-win situations. These include being expected to do a job but not having the necessary resources in terms of time, money, policies or people power. This can also include having to serve a difficult or overly demanding client base or boss, or having to enforce unpopular rules or regulations.
The second is the presence of unpredictable or uncontrollable stressors. These can take the form of regularly arising, but unpredictable, situations which adversely affect stress, workloads or scheduling. They can also include decisions made at other levels of the organization or government that affect your job but into which you have little or no input.
In situations where we have little or no control over our external circumstances, our only control lies in how we react to them. We can either choose to laugh or despair. In some ways, laughter is the only rational response to all of this since, in order to survive, we need to find a life-affirming way to cope. Being able to laugh about ourselves and our situation helps us release tension, regain our perspective, and accept that which we cannot change. Not only that, it also gives us the physical energy and resilience needed to survive.
As more and more groups realize the benefits of laughter, they are incorporating it into their wellness programs. What I have found from working with numerous organizations is that they are often full of very funny and resourceful people who just need to be given permission and encouragement to use their sense of humor on the job. Our "inner clown" is now our lifeline in these times of change and uncertainty. Giving him or her free rein not only results in healthier workplaces, but also increases bonding with the rest of the team. Remember, the group that plays together, stays together!
_Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Workplace wellness is a serious issue. With terms like "stress-related-illness" and "burnout" becoming household words, organizations are increasingly looking for ways to keep their workforce happy, healthy and productive. Up to now, most organizations tended to devalue the idea of laughter at work, seeing it as a distraction from getting the "real" job done. This attitude is also reinforced by the work ethic many of us were raised with: "No pain, no gain," "Work isn't supposed to be fun – it’s a serious business”.
However, we're starting to realize that all of this suffering is hurting us more. Not only that, but we're finding that it's actually counter-productive to the bottom-line results. And amazingly enough, this is confirmed by scientific research. A recent study conducted at financial institutions found that managers who facilitated the highest level of employee performance used humor the most often. Scientific data is also proving that laughter is an integral part of physical wellness. It has been found that laughing 200 times burns off the same amount of calories as 10 minutes on a rowing machine. Another study found that after a bout of laughter, blood pressure drops to a lower, healthier level than before the laughter began. Laughter also oxygenates your blood, thereby increasing energy level, relaxes your muscles and works out all your major internal systems like the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Furthermore, researchers are discovering that laughter also affects the immune system. Hence laughing makes people grow stronger, with the body's T-cells, natural killer cells and antibodies all showing signs of increased activity.
When You Need Humour ...
So what are the specific indicators that tell us we need to incorporate humor into our workplace? According to psychologists there are two major factors.The first is being placed in no-win situations. These include being expected to do a job but not having the necessary resources in terms of time, money, policies or people power. This can also include having to serve a difficult or overly demanding client base or boss, or having to enforce unpopular rules or regulations.
The second is the presence of unpredictable or uncontrollable stressors. These can take the form of regularly arising, but unpredictable, situations which adversely affect stress, workloads or scheduling. They can also include decisions made at other levels of the organization or government that affect your job but into which you have little or no input.
In situations where we have little or no control over our external circumstances, our only control lies in how we react to them. We can either choose to laugh or despair. In some ways, laughter is the only rational response to all of this since, in order to survive, we need to find a life-affirming way to cope. Being able to laugh about ourselves and our situation helps us release tension, regain our perspective, and accept that which we cannot change. Not only that, it also gives us the physical energy and resilience needed to survive.
As more and more groups realize the benefits of laughter, they are incorporating it into their wellness programs. What I have found from working with numerous organizations is that they are often full of very funny and resourceful people who just need to be given permission and encouragement to use their sense of humor on the job. Our "inner clown" is now our lifeline in these times of change and uncertainty. Giving him or her free rein not only results in healthier workplaces, but also increases bonding with the rest of the team. Remember, the group that plays together, stays together!
_Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Thursday, April 29, 2010
WHO ARE HR’s CUSTOMERS
What Customer?
For HR to become more effective as a function and as individual players, the most critical question to be resolved is often: Who is HR's customer? It's a question which rarely is asked because everyone assumes the answer is obvious. But when you ask different people in HR, you get different answers. It's no surprise that many of the actions that HR units initiate are confusing (or downright infuriating) to the organization. The question of who the real customer is, often the most difficult and the most impactful decision an HR professional can make. It's a classical double-blind problem. Most "don't know what they don't know." Most don't even realize they should be dealing with the question. What makes the question even more troublesome is that there's no right answer. There are competing right answers. It's a classical dilemma. You're damned if you pick one and damned if you pick the other. Picking either has opposite advantages and disadvantages. But you also can't avoid making the choice. To not choose consciously and to not communicate a choice clearly guarantees that an HR unit will get caught in paradoxical situations as illustrated throughout this story.
Stakeholders Vs customers:
The distinction between different types of stakeholders is also one which is often fuzzy and problematic for HR and other internal staff units, and contributes to the problems in the classification of HR’s customers. Globally stakeholders are divided into four categories. Customers, influencers, end-users and partners.
•Customers: A customer makes a buying decision (to use you or someone else) and negotiates a formal or informal "contract" with you, the service provider.
•End-users: An end-user (sometimes called a consumer) receives the service.
•Influencers: An influencer sets the parameters within which you can or must operate, but doesn't buy the service.
•Partners: A partner works with you to provide a service. With partners you have mutual need, common objectives and shared risk related to that service.
What makes it difficult is that sometimes different stakeholders in your marketplace switch roles for different projects or demands they're making. So HR has to be careful to know not only what the HR business strategy is, but what role they're in at the time and what your commitments to the stakeholders are in that role. Remember, all of them make demands, but only a trained HR leader in place at the time can sort out these issues, plan an appropriate response and know what the appropriate limits, possibilities and flexibilities need to be
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
For HR to become more effective as a function and as individual players, the most critical question to be resolved is often: Who is HR's customer? It's a question which rarely is asked because everyone assumes the answer is obvious. But when you ask different people in HR, you get different answers. It's no surprise that many of the actions that HR units initiate are confusing (or downright infuriating) to the organization. The question of who the real customer is, often the most difficult and the most impactful decision an HR professional can make. It's a classical double-blind problem. Most "don't know what they don't know." Most don't even realize they should be dealing with the question. What makes the question even more troublesome is that there's no right answer. There are competing right answers. It's a classical dilemma. You're damned if you pick one and damned if you pick the other. Picking either has opposite advantages and disadvantages. But you also can't avoid making the choice. To not choose consciously and to not communicate a choice clearly guarantees that an HR unit will get caught in paradoxical situations as illustrated throughout this story.
Stakeholders Vs customers:
The distinction between different types of stakeholders is also one which is often fuzzy and problematic for HR and other internal staff units, and contributes to the problems in the classification of HR’s customers. Globally stakeholders are divided into four categories. Customers, influencers, end-users and partners.
•Customers: A customer makes a buying decision (to use you or someone else) and negotiates a formal or informal "contract" with you, the service provider.
•End-users: An end-user (sometimes called a consumer) receives the service.
•Influencers: An influencer sets the parameters within which you can or must operate, but doesn't buy the service.
•Partners: A partner works with you to provide a service. With partners you have mutual need, common objectives and shared risk related to that service.
What makes it difficult is that sometimes different stakeholders in your marketplace switch roles for different projects or demands they're making. So HR has to be careful to know not only what the HR business strategy is, but what role they're in at the time and what your commitments to the stakeholders are in that role. Remember, all of them make demands, but only a trained HR leader in place at the time can sort out these issues, plan an appropriate response and know what the appropriate limits, possibilities and flexibilities need to be
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Making HR transformations deliver better value
Getting processes right
Process management is a key element of HR transformation. The HR function is process-intense, but basic inefficiencies in many of those processes, which range from payroll administration to employment law compliance, prevent HR from delivering full value. Companies who are successful at managing overhead costs have a significant advantage over their competitors. In general, organizations can simplify almost half of their HR activities into common processes. Redesigning and streamlining processes can be the most difficult job facing the function. One of the most effective approaches to process redesign is through activity-based costing that assesses each activity’s time and cost, as well as headcount and full time equivalent involvement. Such an approach pinpoints the likely causes of operational problems, quantifies what they cost and reveals how best to solve them. Understanding the details of process cost, process overlap and process effectiveness is at the heart of identifying the opportunities and areas where significant improvements can be made. HR processes are generally where the function connects with its internal customer, yet process re-engineering often gets little focus or direct investment. Only a third of respondents from an international survey indicated HR process change as a current tool for HR transformation.
Making governance explicit
Most HR leaders have not been challenged to think formally about governance issues, so they operate with they operate with an implicit (and, usually, imperfect) model. In those rare cases where HR governance is explicit, it’s usually synonymous with compliance. Unfortunately, this view of governance is limited and does not reflect the fact that managing human capital makes the HR function responsible for investments that, on average, account for 36 percent of operating revenues. HR governance is not a strategic objective, but a systematic approach to management that enables the function to achieve strategic and operational objectives. It, therefore, plays a very important role in the successful transformation of the HR function.
Delivering successful HR transformation
The initial task is to define the current state of HR delivery within the organization, and determine the existing business strategy and priorities. It’s then important to gain an insight into what the customers of the HR function, the line managers and employees, think of the services they receive and examine the state of HR processes, assessing whether they are efficient and standard across the organization or if they vary by business unit or country.
By applying various tools it’s possible to look at the existing technology, the current organizational structure and the company culture, and identify areas of improvement for HR. The next step is to design a new operating model – which may include outsourcing, service centers and new technology – which is configured to provide the best delivery model for the organization. Getting it right is worth the effort. Successful HR thought leaders, describe effective HR execution as “the difference between plans that become reality and those that go nowhere.” These HR leaders regularly connect HR strategy and execution as they firmly believe that, “value add of any HR initiative is the end-result of the quality of that effort, the acceptance of stakeholders and its execution.”
Business executives first, HR specialists second
In organizations globally the most respected HR leaders are business executives first and HR specialists second. They partner with and are confidants of their CEOs and leadership teams and often find themselves at the epicentre of corporate change, being given credit for bringing about the toughest of business transformations. These HR leaders are also being recruited by progressive domestic and global boards. Responding to the intense focus on complying with new corporate governance legislation and increasing investor scrutiny, boards are retooling to ensure they have the right mix of highly qualified specialists, including HR experts. The price of failing to make the connection between overall business strategy and HR strategy is high. There will always be an option for the organization to hand over the HR services to an outsourcing organization who can effectively transform the function and make it work at considerably less cost. But HR functions which grab the nettle – those that convince the business of the value of transformation, can recognize that skills and capabilities in HR can change if needed and can harness technology – will become effective strategic partners and make a positive contribution to the continuing success of the organization.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Process management is a key element of HR transformation. The HR function is process-intense, but basic inefficiencies in many of those processes, which range from payroll administration to employment law compliance, prevent HR from delivering full value. Companies who are successful at managing overhead costs have a significant advantage over their competitors. In general, organizations can simplify almost half of their HR activities into common processes. Redesigning and streamlining processes can be the most difficult job facing the function. One of the most effective approaches to process redesign is through activity-based costing that assesses each activity’s time and cost, as well as headcount and full time equivalent involvement. Such an approach pinpoints the likely causes of operational problems, quantifies what they cost and reveals how best to solve them. Understanding the details of process cost, process overlap and process effectiveness is at the heart of identifying the opportunities and areas where significant improvements can be made. HR processes are generally where the function connects with its internal customer, yet process re-engineering often gets little focus or direct investment. Only a third of respondents from an international survey indicated HR process change as a current tool for HR transformation.
Making governance explicit
Most HR leaders have not been challenged to think formally about governance issues, so they operate with they operate with an implicit (and, usually, imperfect) model. In those rare cases where HR governance is explicit, it’s usually synonymous with compliance. Unfortunately, this view of governance is limited and does not reflect the fact that managing human capital makes the HR function responsible for investments that, on average, account for 36 percent of operating revenues. HR governance is not a strategic objective, but a systematic approach to management that enables the function to achieve strategic and operational objectives. It, therefore, plays a very important role in the successful transformation of the HR function.
Delivering successful HR transformation
The initial task is to define the current state of HR delivery within the organization, and determine the existing business strategy and priorities. It’s then important to gain an insight into what the customers of the HR function, the line managers and employees, think of the services they receive and examine the state of HR processes, assessing whether they are efficient and standard across the organization or if they vary by business unit or country.
By applying various tools it’s possible to look at the existing technology, the current organizational structure and the company culture, and identify areas of improvement for HR. The next step is to design a new operating model – which may include outsourcing, service centers and new technology – which is configured to provide the best delivery model for the organization. Getting it right is worth the effort. Successful HR thought leaders, describe effective HR execution as “the difference between plans that become reality and those that go nowhere.” These HR leaders regularly connect HR strategy and execution as they firmly believe that, “value add of any HR initiative is the end-result of the quality of that effort, the acceptance of stakeholders and its execution.”
Business executives first, HR specialists second
In organizations globally the most respected HR leaders are business executives first and HR specialists second. They partner with and are confidants of their CEOs and leadership teams and often find themselves at the epicentre of corporate change, being given credit for bringing about the toughest of business transformations. These HR leaders are also being recruited by progressive domestic and global boards. Responding to the intense focus on complying with new corporate governance legislation and increasing investor scrutiny, boards are retooling to ensure they have the right mix of highly qualified specialists, including HR experts. The price of failing to make the connection between overall business strategy and HR strategy is high. There will always be an option for the organization to hand over the HR services to an outsourcing organization who can effectively transform the function and make it work at considerably less cost. But HR functions which grab the nettle – those that convince the business of the value of transformation, can recognize that skills and capabilities in HR can change if needed and can harness technology – will become effective strategic partners and make a positive contribution to the continuing success of the organization.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
HR Transformation- An operating model
In terms of driving effective transformation, the studied success-experience shows that the key to success or failure lies within the HR operating model. This is where HR strategy is put into action and the area which was universally identified by organizations as inhibiting progress. The key areas of the HR operating model are sourcing, infrastructure and governance.
Sourcing Strategy
The sourcing strategy provides the greatest opportunity to reposition the function entirely and get the most out of limited resources. The main options are:
insourcing – when all operational, technological and human capital functions are developed and maintained internally;
co-sourcing – involves a partnership with vendors to share responsibility for operational, technological and human capital functions and resources; and
outsourcing – where there is a contract with suppliers to provide all operational, technological and human capital functions and resources.
Global studies show that outsourcing HR activity happens almost everywhere, but current outsourcing decisions are rarely taken as a strategic view of sourcing. In recent years, maturing vendor capabilities and advancing technologies have expanded the breadth and depth of sourcing alternatives available in the marketplace. Determining the optimal sourcing mix for the organization requires HR to apply rigorous business analysis and decision protocols. An effective sourcing strategy will maximize the return on internal resources by concentrating investments on the areas of core competence and of highest strategic relevance to the organization. It will also enable organizations to take advantage of external suppliers' investments and specialized capabilities that are often prohibitively expensive to duplicate internally. Thirdly, it will provide a variable cost structure leading to the ability to scale service capacity to meet organizational needs – an essential requirement given the dynamic nature of today’s marketplace.
Technology and Transformation
Over the last few years, the HR function has invested a great deal of money into technology without realizing a return on the investment. Frequently, HR technology projects don’t deliver the expected results, and a key factor in this is a failure to define functional requirements clearly. By not rooting these requirements in a solid HR strategy, organizations spend too much money on ad hoc software purchases or, even worse, under-use expensive HR software suites by not implementing modules that could be of significant value. Within many organizations a large portion of purchased functionality in Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) goes unused, ending up as shelfware – in other words, software modules are bought but not implemented. The modules most likely to be left on the shelf are those considered key to operational human capital management, including competency and career development, recruitment, performance management and succession planning.
Along with the right software, clean data and tight integration are critical success factors which are often overlooked. Key stakeholders must have access to accurate, consistent, integrated data which cannot happen unless HR and IT objectives are fully aligned. This successful alignment requires an understanding that changing technology alone will achieve little. Change starts to deliver its value only when supported by and integrated with other elements of the infrastructure – and when part of an explicit HR strategy.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Sourcing Strategy
The sourcing strategy provides the greatest opportunity to reposition the function entirely and get the most out of limited resources. The main options are:
insourcing – when all operational, technological and human capital functions are developed and maintained internally;
co-sourcing – involves a partnership with vendors to share responsibility for operational, technological and human capital functions and resources; and
outsourcing – where there is a contract with suppliers to provide all operational, technological and human capital functions and resources.
Global studies show that outsourcing HR activity happens almost everywhere, but current outsourcing decisions are rarely taken as a strategic view of sourcing. In recent years, maturing vendor capabilities and advancing technologies have expanded the breadth and depth of sourcing alternatives available in the marketplace. Determining the optimal sourcing mix for the organization requires HR to apply rigorous business analysis and decision protocols. An effective sourcing strategy will maximize the return on internal resources by concentrating investments on the areas of core competence and of highest strategic relevance to the organization. It will also enable organizations to take advantage of external suppliers' investments and specialized capabilities that are often prohibitively expensive to duplicate internally. Thirdly, it will provide a variable cost structure leading to the ability to scale service capacity to meet organizational needs – an essential requirement given the dynamic nature of today’s marketplace.
Technology and Transformation
Over the last few years, the HR function has invested a great deal of money into technology without realizing a return on the investment. Frequently, HR technology projects don’t deliver the expected results, and a key factor in this is a failure to define functional requirements clearly. By not rooting these requirements in a solid HR strategy, organizations spend too much money on ad hoc software purchases or, even worse, under-use expensive HR software suites by not implementing modules that could be of significant value. Within many organizations a large portion of purchased functionality in Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) goes unused, ending up as shelfware – in other words, software modules are bought but not implemented. The modules most likely to be left on the shelf are those considered key to operational human capital management, including competency and career development, recruitment, performance management and succession planning.
Along with the right software, clean data and tight integration are critical success factors which are often overlooked. Key stakeholders must have access to accurate, consistent, integrated data which cannot happen unless HR and IT objectives are fully aligned. This successful alignment requires an understanding that changing technology alone will achieve little. Change starts to deliver its value only when supported by and integrated with other elements of the infrastructure – and when part of an explicit HR strategy.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Saturday, April 24, 2010
NEEDED HR TRANSFORMATION- FOR BETTER BOTTOMLINE
HR Transformation
The definition of HR transformation has evolved out of a number of perceived and real pressures on the HR function. The function is expected to support the business, provide the right direction for the people management strategy, and then execute the strategy. It also has to demonstrate an improvement in value, yet at the same time carry out cost-heavy administration. In response to these challenges, the transformation process that many companies have embarked on involves examining the HR strategy and how it supports the business strategy, and then changing the HR operating model to achieve optimum delivery. An international study across diverse industry verticals has revealed a remarkable consistency in the key drivers to HR transformation across the globe. The main driver was the need to align HR delivery with the organization’s business strategy. Second was the desire to transform both the perception and reality of HR as a high-cost, low-value function to a low-cost, high-value business partner. Through the transformation process, HR begins to move away from administration and towards a more value-added strategic role. The objective is to align the function with the organization’s goals, making it a strategic contributor that’s responsive to today’s dynamic business climate. Despite these good intentions, a recent CFO Research Services report suggests that while some progress has been made, nearly 60 percent of finance executives still view HR as more of a cost center than a strategic partner. HR is still primarily an administrative and compliance based function with almost 50 percent of its time being spent in these areas. Less than 15 percent of its time is spent on strategic, value-based interventions.
Aligning HR competencies with Strategic Necessities
Although four out of five HR functions globally have embarked on some form of transformation, they are yet to be credited with driving business outcomes. Global research shows that although HR function has strong competence in professional knowledge, team, interpersonal and leadership skills, it lacks competence in financial management, data management and technology. In short, it lacks the skills that are required to deliver the business credibility that HR transformation is seeking to address. Indeed, the skills of the HR function are seen as one of the major barriers to effective HR transformation. Together with inappropriate skills, the inability of the function to use technology effectively has often meant that significant business investments have been under-utilized. The function has also observed a general lack of business commitment for HR transformation both in terms of the need for HR to play a more strategic role and the confidence in its capacity to do so. In short, the function has neither the skills nor the infrastructure to deliver effective transformation and the business leadership is not always convinced of the need. To achieve stellar success HR function must attend to its business model needs and ensure that it is integrated with the business strategy more ‘tightly’. When properly aligned, each dimension of its roles flow predictably from one to another. More importantly, each dimension plays a critical role in formulating a comprehensive strategy – and, by extension, in maximizing business performance and bottom-line benefits.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
The definition of HR transformation has evolved out of a number of perceived and real pressures on the HR function. The function is expected to support the business, provide the right direction for the people management strategy, and then execute the strategy. It also has to demonstrate an improvement in value, yet at the same time carry out cost-heavy administration. In response to these challenges, the transformation process that many companies have embarked on involves examining the HR strategy and how it supports the business strategy, and then changing the HR operating model to achieve optimum delivery. An international study across diverse industry verticals has revealed a remarkable consistency in the key drivers to HR transformation across the globe. The main driver was the need to align HR delivery with the organization’s business strategy. Second was the desire to transform both the perception and reality of HR as a high-cost, low-value function to a low-cost, high-value business partner. Through the transformation process, HR begins to move away from administration and towards a more value-added strategic role. The objective is to align the function with the organization’s goals, making it a strategic contributor that’s responsive to today’s dynamic business climate. Despite these good intentions, a recent CFO Research Services report suggests that while some progress has been made, nearly 60 percent of finance executives still view HR as more of a cost center than a strategic partner. HR is still primarily an administrative and compliance based function with almost 50 percent of its time being spent in these areas. Less than 15 percent of its time is spent on strategic, value-based interventions.
Aligning HR competencies with Strategic Necessities
Although four out of five HR functions globally have embarked on some form of transformation, they are yet to be credited with driving business outcomes. Global research shows that although HR function has strong competence in professional knowledge, team, interpersonal and leadership skills, it lacks competence in financial management, data management and technology. In short, it lacks the skills that are required to deliver the business credibility that HR transformation is seeking to address. Indeed, the skills of the HR function are seen as one of the major barriers to effective HR transformation. Together with inappropriate skills, the inability of the function to use technology effectively has often meant that significant business investments have been under-utilized. The function has also observed a general lack of business commitment for HR transformation both in terms of the need for HR to play a more strategic role and the confidence in its capacity to do so. In short, the function has neither the skills nor the infrastructure to deliver effective transformation and the business leadership is not always convinced of the need. To achieve stellar success HR function must attend to its business model needs and ensure that it is integrated with the business strategy more ‘tightly’. When properly aligned, each dimension of its roles flow predictably from one to another. More importantly, each dimension plays a critical role in formulating a comprehensive strategy – and, by extension, in maximizing business performance and bottom-line benefits.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Smarter Employee Recognition
Useful Tips –Tried & Tested
You don't want to design a process in which managers "select" the people to receive recognition. This type of process will be viewed forever as "favoritism" or talked about as "it's your turn to get recognized this month." This is why processes that single out an individual, such as "Employee of the Month," are rarely effective. Here are tips that have been tried out successfully :
•If you attach recognition to "real" accomplishments and goal achievement as negotiated in a performance development meeting, you need to make sure the recognition meets the above stated requirements. Supervisors must also apply the criteria consistently, so some organizational oversight may be necessary. The challenge of individually negotiated goals is to make certain their accomplishment is viewed as similarly difficult by the organization for the process to be a success.
•People also like recognition that is random and that provides an element of surprise. If you thank a manufacturing group every time they make customer deliveries on time with a lunch, gradually the lunch becomes a "given" and no longer rewards. In an organization, the CEO traditionally bought lunch for all employees every Friday. Soon, he had employees coming to him asking to be reimbursed if they ate lunch outside the building on a Friday. His goal of team building turned into a "given" and he was disappointed.
•There is always room for employee reward and recognition activities that generally build positive morale in the work environment. In one company, there is a "smile team" that meets to schedule random, fun employee recognition events. They have decorated shop windows, with a prize to the best, for a holiday. They sponsor ice cream socials, picnics, the "boss" cooks day, and so on, to create a rewarding environment at work. Another company holds an annual costume wearing and judging along with a lunch potluck every major national festival.
Recognition Reality!
Prioritize recognition for people and you can ensure a positive, productive, innovative organizational climate. Recognize people to say “thank you” and to encourage more of the actions and thinking you believe will make your organization successful. People who feel appreciated are more positive about themselves and their ability to contribute. People with positive self-esteem are potentially your best employees. These beliefs about recognition are common among employers even if not commonly carried out. Why then is recognition so closely guarded in many organizations? Time is an often-stated reason and admittedly, recognition does take time. Employers also start out with all of the best intentions when they seek to recognize employee performance. They often find their efforts turn into an opportunity for employee complaining, jealousy, and dissatisfaction. With these experiences, many employers are hesitant to recognize people. HR needs to plan a recognition process that will "wow" the staff and "wow" management with its positive outcomes. A proactive ‘people aligned’ recognition philosophy that is periodically reviewed is essential.
- Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
You don't want to design a process in which managers "select" the people to receive recognition. This type of process will be viewed forever as "favoritism" or talked about as "it's your turn to get recognized this month." This is why processes that single out an individual, such as "Employee of the Month," are rarely effective. Here are tips that have been tried out successfully :
•If you attach recognition to "real" accomplishments and goal achievement as negotiated in a performance development meeting, you need to make sure the recognition meets the above stated requirements. Supervisors must also apply the criteria consistently, so some organizational oversight may be necessary. The challenge of individually negotiated goals is to make certain their accomplishment is viewed as similarly difficult by the organization for the process to be a success.
•People also like recognition that is random and that provides an element of surprise. If you thank a manufacturing group every time they make customer deliveries on time with a lunch, gradually the lunch becomes a "given" and no longer rewards. In an organization, the CEO traditionally bought lunch for all employees every Friday. Soon, he had employees coming to him asking to be reimbursed if they ate lunch outside the building on a Friday. His goal of team building turned into a "given" and he was disappointed.
•There is always room for employee reward and recognition activities that generally build positive morale in the work environment. In one company, there is a "smile team" that meets to schedule random, fun employee recognition events. They have decorated shop windows, with a prize to the best, for a holiday. They sponsor ice cream socials, picnics, the "boss" cooks day, and so on, to create a rewarding environment at work. Another company holds an annual costume wearing and judging along with a lunch potluck every major national festival.
Recognition Reality!
Prioritize recognition for people and you can ensure a positive, productive, innovative organizational climate. Recognize people to say “thank you” and to encourage more of the actions and thinking you believe will make your organization successful. People who feel appreciated are more positive about themselves and their ability to contribute. People with positive self-esteem are potentially your best employees. These beliefs about recognition are common among employers even if not commonly carried out. Why then is recognition so closely guarded in many organizations? Time is an often-stated reason and admittedly, recognition does take time. Employers also start out with all of the best intentions when they seek to recognize employee performance. They often find their efforts turn into an opportunity for employee complaining, jealousy, and dissatisfaction. With these experiences, many employers are hesitant to recognize people. HR needs to plan a recognition process that will "wow" the staff and "wow" management with its positive outcomes. A proactive ‘people aligned’ recognition philosophy that is periodically reviewed is essential.
- Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
BUSINESS CASE for EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION
Recognizing Recognition Needs
In today's turbulent, often chaotic, environment, commercial success depends on employees using their full talents. Employees willing harness their expertise and talents when they are motivated and receive consistent recognition. Yet in spite of the myriad of available theories and practices, managers often view recognition as something of a mystery. In part this is because individuals need recognition by different people and in different ways. In addition, these are times when de-layering and the flattening of hierarchies can create its won set of recognition challenges. The heart of recognition initiatives is to give people what they really want most from work. The more you are able to provide what they want, the more we can expect what the organization really wants, namely: productivity, quality, and service….and the returns are also enormous, namely allowing employees to:
• achieve goals;
• gain a positive perspective;
• create the power to change;
• build self-esteem and capability
• manage their own development and help others with theirs
Recognition Necessities
Employee recognition is not just a nice thing to do for people. Employee recognition is a communication tool that reinforces and rewards the most important outcomes people create for the organization. When you recognize people effectively, you reinforce, with your chosen means of recognition, the actions and behaviors you most want to see people repeat. An effective employee recognition system is simple, immediate, and powerfully reinforcing. When you consider employee recognition processes, you need to develop recognition that is equally powerful for both the organization and the employee. You must address five important issues if you want the recognition you offer to be viewed as motivating and rewarding by your employees and important for the success of your organization. These are:
•You need to establish criteria for what performance or contribution constitutes rewardable behavior or actions.
•All employees must be eligible for the recognition.
•The recognition must supply the employer and employee with specific information about what behaviors or actions are being rewarded and recognized.
•Anyone who then performs at the level or standard stated in the criteria receives the reward.
•The recognition should occur as close to the performance of the actions as possible, so the recognition reinforces behavior the employer wants to encourage.
Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
In today's turbulent, often chaotic, environment, commercial success depends on employees using their full talents. Employees willing harness their expertise and talents when they are motivated and receive consistent recognition. Yet in spite of the myriad of available theories and practices, managers often view recognition as something of a mystery. In part this is because individuals need recognition by different people and in different ways. In addition, these are times when de-layering and the flattening of hierarchies can create its won set of recognition challenges. The heart of recognition initiatives is to give people what they really want most from work. The more you are able to provide what they want, the more we can expect what the organization really wants, namely: productivity, quality, and service….and the returns are also enormous, namely allowing employees to:
• achieve goals;
• gain a positive perspective;
• create the power to change;
• build self-esteem and capability
• manage their own development and help others with theirs
Recognition Necessities
Employee recognition is not just a nice thing to do for people. Employee recognition is a communication tool that reinforces and rewards the most important outcomes people create for the organization. When you recognize people effectively, you reinforce, with your chosen means of recognition, the actions and behaviors you most want to see people repeat. An effective employee recognition system is simple, immediate, and powerfully reinforcing. When you consider employee recognition processes, you need to develop recognition that is equally powerful for both the organization and the employee. You must address five important issues if you want the recognition you offer to be viewed as motivating and rewarding by your employees and important for the success of your organization. These are:
•You need to establish criteria for what performance or contribution constitutes rewardable behavior or actions.
•All employees must be eligible for the recognition.
•The recognition must supply the employer and employee with specific information about what behaviors or actions are being rewarded and recognized.
•Anyone who then performs at the level or standard stated in the criteria receives the reward.
•The recognition should occur as close to the performance of the actions as possible, so the recognition reinforces behavior the employer wants to encourage.
Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Future Scenario Planning Do’s and Donts
Succeeding In Scenario Planning
Although it is important not to view scenarios as any kind of forecasting of the future, organizations that practice it do get better at spotting the driving forces that can change the industry, putting them a few steps ahead of those who don't see it coming. This is especially true of discontinuities. In many situations, the gaining of even a few months of extra lead-time to meet eventualities represents serious competitive advantage. Finally, it offers a significant contribution to transforming an organization into an alert, objective, focused distributor.
Scenario planning is based on the assumption that the end game vision and the strategic plan are flexible. Consequently, a robust flexible strategy that would perform well over different scenarios is essential. This is why it is important to identify specific action items for each scenario. These bullet pointed action items become the challenging factors to test the flexibility of the strategic plan.
a. Avoid Plots Which Follow the "Most Likely" Progression.
The idea behind scenario planning is to get beyond the standard forecasting done for typical strategic planning sessions. Therefore, it is imperative that participants "think outside the box." Wild scenarios can always be reined in after the original ideas are extracted from them, but mundane scenarios will always be mundane, and will not contribute to growth. Thinking outside the box in the simplest terms means that we should not start with today and work forward for our scenario. We need to look to the future and write the scenario as if we are already there.
b. Don't Allow "Probabilities" to be Assigned to Scenarios.
As soon as participants see probabilities assigned to their scenarios they will begin to think inside the box again. They will try to "win" by getting the highest score, which undoubtedly will be for the scenario closest to the "normal" progression. Defeat this by valuing all scenarios equally by not assigning values at all.
c. Be Creative with Scenario Names to Stimulate Imagination.
This entire concept is oriented to "outside the box" thinking. Therefore, every effort must be made to stimulate original and creative thought, both in the scenario creation process as well as the strategic planning process that follows it. Use of dramatic and creative names for scenarios will reinforce the creative thought process and add to the excitement.
d. Demand Ownership of the Scenarios.
Managers at every level MUST accept ownership of the scenario process and the scenarios that are generated by it. The final direction taken by the company may be far from the plots in the scenarios, but the final result will be crafted from the imagination and the findings in the scenarios.
e. Be Creative in Communicating Scenarios.
The scenarios created are the basis for the planning process. If they are dull and communicated poorly, the enthusiasm with which they were created will be lost to the strategic planning process. Relate the strategies in a creative fashion - as a TV news broadcast, a skit, or some other creative outlet.
Conclusion
Restructuring, cost cutting and operational efficiencies, the focus of the 80's and early 90's, have proven not to give lasting competitive differentiation. Companies today are turning back to strategic scenario planning to find their direction. Once again, it is imperative that they succeed at scenario planning. Scenario planning can be fun. Scenario planning encourages creativity and it will challenge managers to get beyond old paradigms. Use it as a platform to begin your strategic planning process. You may find it much easier to determine your "end game" once you've completed a day of scenario planning. Try it, you might like it. Besides, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Although it is important not to view scenarios as any kind of forecasting of the future, organizations that practice it do get better at spotting the driving forces that can change the industry, putting them a few steps ahead of those who don't see it coming. This is especially true of discontinuities. In many situations, the gaining of even a few months of extra lead-time to meet eventualities represents serious competitive advantage. Finally, it offers a significant contribution to transforming an organization into an alert, objective, focused distributor.
Scenario planning is based on the assumption that the end game vision and the strategic plan are flexible. Consequently, a robust flexible strategy that would perform well over different scenarios is essential. This is why it is important to identify specific action items for each scenario. These bullet pointed action items become the challenging factors to test the flexibility of the strategic plan.
a. Avoid Plots Which Follow the "Most Likely" Progression.
The idea behind scenario planning is to get beyond the standard forecasting done for typical strategic planning sessions. Therefore, it is imperative that participants "think outside the box." Wild scenarios can always be reined in after the original ideas are extracted from them, but mundane scenarios will always be mundane, and will not contribute to growth. Thinking outside the box in the simplest terms means that we should not start with today and work forward for our scenario. We need to look to the future and write the scenario as if we are already there.
b. Don't Allow "Probabilities" to be Assigned to Scenarios.
As soon as participants see probabilities assigned to their scenarios they will begin to think inside the box again. They will try to "win" by getting the highest score, which undoubtedly will be for the scenario closest to the "normal" progression. Defeat this by valuing all scenarios equally by not assigning values at all.
c. Be Creative with Scenario Names to Stimulate Imagination.
This entire concept is oriented to "outside the box" thinking. Therefore, every effort must be made to stimulate original and creative thought, both in the scenario creation process as well as the strategic planning process that follows it. Use of dramatic and creative names for scenarios will reinforce the creative thought process and add to the excitement.
d. Demand Ownership of the Scenarios.
Managers at every level MUST accept ownership of the scenario process and the scenarios that are generated by it. The final direction taken by the company may be far from the plots in the scenarios, but the final result will be crafted from the imagination and the findings in the scenarios.
e. Be Creative in Communicating Scenarios.
The scenarios created are the basis for the planning process. If they are dull and communicated poorly, the enthusiasm with which they were created will be lost to the strategic planning process. Relate the strategies in a creative fashion - as a TV news broadcast, a skit, or some other creative outlet.
Conclusion
Restructuring, cost cutting and operational efficiencies, the focus of the 80's and early 90's, have proven not to give lasting competitive differentiation. Companies today are turning back to strategic scenario planning to find their direction. Once again, it is imperative that they succeed at scenario planning. Scenario planning can be fun. Scenario planning encourages creativity and it will challenge managers to get beyond old paradigms. Use it as a platform to begin your strategic planning process. You may find it much easier to determine your "end game" once you've completed a day of scenario planning. Try it, you might like it. Besides, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Monday, April 19, 2010
Future Scenario Planning Success Steps Unveiled
Get Set Go!
Step1: Uncovering the decision
Management has to understand its choices. For this it has to know, what will be “on the agenda”. So in the first step these strategic decisions that might have to be made in the future have to be uncovered. This is done by asking the right questions related to the mission and business purpose of a company such as: where is our industry going? What is the path of development of our industry ? What events might influence it and will force us to change ? Under which circumstances might we become incredible successful, under which circumstances will the company be at risk ? It takes persistent work to penetrate the internal mental defences of human beings. Therefore this task includes examination of existing mind-sets of managers, so that prejudices and assumptions become obvious, and careful thinking whether those mind-sets would keep these managers from seeing the right future. The best way is to begin with important decisions that have to be made anyway and then built out to the environment. This step also should include an identification of the key factors of the business system influencing the success or failure of the decision.
Step2: Information-hunting and –gathering
To create scenarios, stories, that resonate in some ways with what people already know and leads them from that to question their assumption of how they see the world, observations from the real world must be built into the story. The scenario process thus involves research – skilled hunting and gathering of information. This is practiced both narrowly – to pursue facts needed for a specific scenario – and broadly – to educate the scenario planner, so that he is able to pose more significant questions. Flexibility of perspective is critical in doing it. The scenario planner has to simultaneously focus on what matters in a given decision situation, but keep awareness open for the unexpected. Because some research subjects emerge again and again in the work of a scenario planner, some planners recommend to move along these typical topics during research before looking for others. Such typical topics are: science and technology developments; perception-shaping events, that shape or change the perception of the public; new ideas that emerge in the “fringes” (that means not in the mainstream) and are spreading further.
Step3: Identifying the driving forces of a scenario
The first task in building the scenario itself is to look for driving forces of the macro-environment that influence the key factors identified earlier. For example government regulations might influence them. But beside government regulations, there are many less obvious external factors as well. Identifying and assessing these fundamental factors is both the starting point and one of the objectives of the scenario method. Driving forces are the elements that move the plot of a scenario, that determines the story’s outcome. Driving forces often seem obvious to one person and hidden to another. Therefore the identification of driving forces should be done in a team, by brainstorming together. By looking on such driving forces, it is helpful to run through this common list of categories of driving forces: social forces/demographic developments, technological developments, economic developments and events, political developments and events, environmental developments. Normally, companies have little control over driving forces. Their leverage for dealing with them comes from recognizing them, and understanding their effect.
Step4: Uncover the predetermined elements
Predetermined elements are developments and logics that work in scenarios without being dependent on any particular chain of events. That means, a predetermined elements is something, that seems certain, no matter which scenario come to pass. For example the most commonly recognized predetermined element is demographics, because it is changing so slowly. Identifying such elements is a tremendous confidence builder in strategic decision making. Managers can commit to some policies and feel sure about them. There are several useful strategies for looking for predetermined elements. For example you could look for slow-changing phenomena like the growth of populations or the building of physical infrastructure. You could look for constrained situation, where companies, nations or even individuals have, at least for a certain time, no choices.
Step5: Identify critical uncertainties
In every plan critical uncertainties exist. Scenario planners seek them to prepare for them. Critical uncertainties are often related to predetermined elements. You find them by questioning your assumptions about predetermines elements and chains of predetermined elements. So critical uncertainties are the variables in scenario planning and are the basis to create different scenarios in parallel. One method to identify the most important critical uncertainties is, to rank key factors and driving forces on the basis of two criteria: first, the degree of importance for the success of the focal issue or decision identified in step one; second, the degree of uncertainty surrounding those factors and trends. The point is to identify the two or three factors that are most important and most uncertain. These factors are forming then the basis for the different scenarios, because the goal is to end up with just a few scenarios whose difference makes a difference to decision-makers.
Step6: Composing scenarios
To explain the future, scenarios describe how the driving forces might plausibly behave, based on assumption of predetermined elements and critical uncertainties. To describe the different scenarios, their plots, you use the uncertainties that have seemed so important. So driving forces, predetermined elements, and critical uncertainties give structure to the exploration of the future. To create the scenario stories, the plot lines, the recommendation is, to bring a team together that is aware of the decision that is considered. Each member of the scenario planning team has done his or her research. Then they sit together talking and developing ideas in response to the questions: What are the driving forces? What we feel is uncertain? What is inevitable? How about this or that scenario? The goal is to select plot lines that lead to different choices for the original decision. The challenge is to identify the plots that best captures the dynamics of the situation and communicates the point effectively. The scenario planner’s task is then; to define the forces inside and outside the company, and analyze which plots they fit. Having gathered the variations that are possible, the scenario planner would select five or six variations that fit the case. Eventually he or she narrow and combine those into two or three fully detailed descriptions of what might happen – the scenarios.
Step7: Analysis of implications of the decisions according to scenarios
Once the scenarios have been developed in some detail, then it is time to return to the decision identified in step one. How does the decision look in each scenario? What vulnerabilities have been revealed? Is the decision or strategy robust across all scenarios, or does it look good in only one or two of the scenarios? If a decision looks good in only one of several scenarios, then it qualifies as a high-risk gamble, especially if the company has little control over the likelihood of the required scenario coming to pass. The question what should be discussed then by management is how the strategy should be adapted to make it more robust if the desired scenario shows signs of not happening.
Step8: Selection of leading indicators and signposts
It is important to know as soon as possible which of several scenarios is closest to the course of history as it actually unfolds. For that, as soon as the different scenarios have been finished and their implication for the decision determined, then a few indicators should be selected, to monitor the strategy or decision in an ongoing way. Monitoring these indicators will allow a company to know what the future holds for a given industry and how that future is likely to affect strategies and decisions in the industry. If the scenarios have been carefully developed, then the scenarios will be able to translate movements of few key indicators into an orderly set of industry-specific implications. The logical coherence that was built into the scenario will allow logical implications of leading indicators to be drawn out of the scenarios.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Step1: Uncovering the decision
Management has to understand its choices. For this it has to know, what will be “on the agenda”. So in the first step these strategic decisions that might have to be made in the future have to be uncovered. This is done by asking the right questions related to the mission and business purpose of a company such as: where is our industry going? What is the path of development of our industry ? What events might influence it and will force us to change ? Under which circumstances might we become incredible successful, under which circumstances will the company be at risk ? It takes persistent work to penetrate the internal mental defences of human beings. Therefore this task includes examination of existing mind-sets of managers, so that prejudices and assumptions become obvious, and careful thinking whether those mind-sets would keep these managers from seeing the right future. The best way is to begin with important decisions that have to be made anyway and then built out to the environment. This step also should include an identification of the key factors of the business system influencing the success or failure of the decision.
Step2: Information-hunting and –gathering
To create scenarios, stories, that resonate in some ways with what people already know and leads them from that to question their assumption of how they see the world, observations from the real world must be built into the story. The scenario process thus involves research – skilled hunting and gathering of information. This is practiced both narrowly – to pursue facts needed for a specific scenario – and broadly – to educate the scenario planner, so that he is able to pose more significant questions. Flexibility of perspective is critical in doing it. The scenario planner has to simultaneously focus on what matters in a given decision situation, but keep awareness open for the unexpected. Because some research subjects emerge again and again in the work of a scenario planner, some planners recommend to move along these typical topics during research before looking for others. Such typical topics are: science and technology developments; perception-shaping events, that shape or change the perception of the public; new ideas that emerge in the “fringes” (that means not in the mainstream) and are spreading further.
Step3: Identifying the driving forces of a scenario
The first task in building the scenario itself is to look for driving forces of the macro-environment that influence the key factors identified earlier. For example government regulations might influence them. But beside government regulations, there are many less obvious external factors as well. Identifying and assessing these fundamental factors is both the starting point and one of the objectives of the scenario method. Driving forces are the elements that move the plot of a scenario, that determines the story’s outcome. Driving forces often seem obvious to one person and hidden to another. Therefore the identification of driving forces should be done in a team, by brainstorming together. By looking on such driving forces, it is helpful to run through this common list of categories of driving forces: social forces/demographic developments, technological developments, economic developments and events, political developments and events, environmental developments. Normally, companies have little control over driving forces. Their leverage for dealing with them comes from recognizing them, and understanding their effect.
Step4: Uncover the predetermined elements
Predetermined elements are developments and logics that work in scenarios without being dependent on any particular chain of events. That means, a predetermined elements is something, that seems certain, no matter which scenario come to pass. For example the most commonly recognized predetermined element is demographics, because it is changing so slowly. Identifying such elements is a tremendous confidence builder in strategic decision making. Managers can commit to some policies and feel sure about them. There are several useful strategies for looking for predetermined elements. For example you could look for slow-changing phenomena like the growth of populations or the building of physical infrastructure. You could look for constrained situation, where companies, nations or even individuals have, at least for a certain time, no choices.
Step5: Identify critical uncertainties
In every plan critical uncertainties exist. Scenario planners seek them to prepare for them. Critical uncertainties are often related to predetermined elements. You find them by questioning your assumptions about predetermines elements and chains of predetermined elements. So critical uncertainties are the variables in scenario planning and are the basis to create different scenarios in parallel. One method to identify the most important critical uncertainties is, to rank key factors and driving forces on the basis of two criteria: first, the degree of importance for the success of the focal issue or decision identified in step one; second, the degree of uncertainty surrounding those factors and trends. The point is to identify the two or three factors that are most important and most uncertain. These factors are forming then the basis for the different scenarios, because the goal is to end up with just a few scenarios whose difference makes a difference to decision-makers.
Step6: Composing scenarios
To explain the future, scenarios describe how the driving forces might plausibly behave, based on assumption of predetermined elements and critical uncertainties. To describe the different scenarios, their plots, you use the uncertainties that have seemed so important. So driving forces, predetermined elements, and critical uncertainties give structure to the exploration of the future. To create the scenario stories, the plot lines, the recommendation is, to bring a team together that is aware of the decision that is considered. Each member of the scenario planning team has done his or her research. Then they sit together talking and developing ideas in response to the questions: What are the driving forces? What we feel is uncertain? What is inevitable? How about this or that scenario? The goal is to select plot lines that lead to different choices for the original decision. The challenge is to identify the plots that best captures the dynamics of the situation and communicates the point effectively. The scenario planner’s task is then; to define the forces inside and outside the company, and analyze which plots they fit. Having gathered the variations that are possible, the scenario planner would select five or six variations that fit the case. Eventually he or she narrow and combine those into two or three fully detailed descriptions of what might happen – the scenarios.
Step7: Analysis of implications of the decisions according to scenarios
Once the scenarios have been developed in some detail, then it is time to return to the decision identified in step one. How does the decision look in each scenario? What vulnerabilities have been revealed? Is the decision or strategy robust across all scenarios, or does it look good in only one or two of the scenarios? If a decision looks good in only one of several scenarios, then it qualifies as a high-risk gamble, especially if the company has little control over the likelihood of the required scenario coming to pass. The question what should be discussed then by management is how the strategy should be adapted to make it more robust if the desired scenario shows signs of not happening.
Step8: Selection of leading indicators and signposts
It is important to know as soon as possible which of several scenarios is closest to the course of history as it actually unfolds. For that, as soon as the different scenarios have been finished and their implication for the decision determined, then a few indicators should be selected, to monitor the strategy or decision in an ongoing way. Monitoring these indicators will allow a company to know what the future holds for a given industry and how that future is likely to affect strategies and decisions in the industry. If the scenarios have been carefully developed, then the scenarios will be able to translate movements of few key indicators into an orderly set of industry-specific implications. The logical coherence that was built into the scenario will allow logical implications of leading indicators to be drawn out of the scenarios.
-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Saturday, April 17, 2010
FUTURE SCENARIO PLANNING : A POWERFUL MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR STRATEGIZING
Fast Forward to Future
As technological change accelerates, as business volatility grows, and as markets go global, it has become more important than ever for executives to have some grasp of the future. Attempts to forecast accurately have become increasingly futile due to accelerating technological progress, faster cultural change, and unexpected competition emerging outside an industry’s traditional borders. Instead of reacting to this uncertainty by ignoring the future, strategists are using different methods for anticipating and proactively preparing for events yet to unfold. These methods for modeling, simulating, forecasting, and planning for possible futures both protect your business from major changes and allow you to exploit opportunities. Those that prosper under changed conditions are either lucky or planned for the future by applying scenario planning to prepare strategically for the future. Scenarios and other systematic ways of thinking about the future play a vital role in strategic thinking for gaining insight into business futures. These futures tools need to build on and inform your strategic thinking. Scenario planning yields far more value when performed at the appropriate level of detail, when conducted iteratively, and when it feeds into and is fed by an organization’s strategy and innovation processes.
Scenario Planning To The Rescue
Scenario planning is a creative method of examining possible futures and building the one that is desired while taking into account what could happen and how it would affect the overall business plan. A major advantage of using scenarios to set up strategic planning is to gain ideas and insights that would be missed by using the traditional projection process. It is also a method of forcing the planning team to look at more than the "desired" outcome and, therefore, be prepared for or even aggressively plan for, events out of the ordinary.
The purpose of scenario planning is not to imminently decide which scenario is correct. It looks at each plausible future scenario and examine how prepared your company is for the potential change and consequences. Ideally you should try to establish markers or milestones that may occur in each scenario that would alert you to which scenario is actually unfolding. By knowing in advance due to these pre-determined benchmarks, you put yourself ahead of your competition in not only reacting to the events but actually having an outline of a plan in place to take advantage of the situation
Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
As technological change accelerates, as business volatility grows, and as markets go global, it has become more important than ever for executives to have some grasp of the future. Attempts to forecast accurately have become increasingly futile due to accelerating technological progress, faster cultural change, and unexpected competition emerging outside an industry’s traditional borders. Instead of reacting to this uncertainty by ignoring the future, strategists are using different methods for anticipating and proactively preparing for events yet to unfold. These methods for modeling, simulating, forecasting, and planning for possible futures both protect your business from major changes and allow you to exploit opportunities. Those that prosper under changed conditions are either lucky or planned for the future by applying scenario planning to prepare strategically for the future. Scenarios and other systematic ways of thinking about the future play a vital role in strategic thinking for gaining insight into business futures. These futures tools need to build on and inform your strategic thinking. Scenario planning yields far more value when performed at the appropriate level of detail, when conducted iteratively, and when it feeds into and is fed by an organization’s strategy and innovation processes.
Scenario Planning To The Rescue
Scenario planning is a creative method of examining possible futures and building the one that is desired while taking into account what could happen and how it would affect the overall business plan. A major advantage of using scenarios to set up strategic planning is to gain ideas and insights that would be missed by using the traditional projection process. It is also a method of forcing the planning team to look at more than the "desired" outcome and, therefore, be prepared for or even aggressively plan for, events out of the ordinary.
The purpose of scenario planning is not to imminently decide which scenario is correct. It looks at each plausible future scenario and examine how prepared your company is for the potential change and consequences. Ideally you should try to establish markers or milestones that may occur in each scenario that would alert you to which scenario is actually unfolding. By knowing in advance due to these pre-determined benchmarks, you put yourself ahead of your competition in not only reacting to the events but actually having an outline of a plan in place to take advantage of the situation
Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
Friday, April 16, 2010
Sustaining Higher Happiness Quotient by spreading cheer
Each and every living being has within them the seed or potential to become a fully enlightened being and to realize its full potential. What we need to do now is to be able to achieve it … this is something that only human beings can do. Animals can gather resources, defeat their enemies, and protect their families, but they can neither understand nor engage in the enlightened path. It would be a great shame if we were to use our human life only to achieve what animals can also achieve, and thereby waste this unique opportunity to become a source of benefit for all living beings.
After having indulged our self-cherishing for so many lives, now is the time to realize that it simply does not work. Now is the time to switch the object of our cherishing from yourself to all living beings. Countless enlightened beings have discovered that by abandoning self-cherishing and cherishing others they came to experience true peace and happiness. If we practice the methods they taught, there is no reason why we should not be able to do the same. We cannot expect to change our mind overnight, but through patiently and consistently practicing the instructions on cherishing others, while at the same time accumulating merit, purifying negativity, and receiving blessings, we can gradually replace our ordinary self-cherishing attitude with the sublime attitude of cherishing all living beings. Here are some simple steps to achieving all this and more:
1: Gradually develop the capacity to be "centered."
The "center" or the "centered self" has to be built through conscious effort. We have to learn to go there and "center" or calm ourselves. How can we do this? Through efforts to relax and detach yourself from a constantly active mind and from demanding emotions, you can find some peace. With practice, you can get better at withdrawing from the stress (while becoming an even keener observer). Several other steps will help you do this.
2: Use determinism to increase your acceptance of what is happening
By understanding that there are causes for everything that happens, we can start to focus more on observing the true causes and less on some emotional reaction, such as "ain't it awful," "that should never have happened," etc. We can relax because we know the outcome was lawful (unless we witnessed a miracle). This accepting attitude gives us a certain freedom--a toleration of whatever happens. We may, of course, have a preference about what happens, and if the desired behavior occurs, we are happy, but if something else happens, we can be equally happy; because we accept reality (laws) and we learned some important information about the laws of behavior. The freedom from being right or winning and just focusing on observing and learning is a great relief.
3: Give up trying to control everything, loosen up.
Whether you understand it or not, the world is unfolding as it should. Woldwide philosophies advocate acceptance or "going with the flow of the river." Going upstream is very hard and probably isn't the right direction anyway. Focus on learning to control your own life within a little bubble, don't worry much about changing the course of great rivers.
4: With practice you can learn to have a detached, calm, accepting attitude. That is peace of mind.
Peace of mind includes more than inner calm, it is accepting oneself, others, and the world. It is being sensitive to being off center, i.e. things beginning to go wrong, and doing something about the problems right away. It is a wonderful mental state, but no one can achieve it all the time.
Spread Happiness All-around!
We can sometimes help others by providing them with money or better material conditions, but we should remember that the greatest benefit we can give is to help them overcome their delusions and find true, lasting happiness within. Through technological progress and by organizing society in fairer, more humane ways, we can certainly help to improve people's lives in some respects; but whatever we do will inevitably have some unwanted side effects. The best we can hope for is to provide people with conditions that bring some temporary respite from problems and difficulties, but we cannot give them true, lasting happiness. This is because the real cause of happiness is inner peace, which can be found only within the mind, not in external conditions.
Our real purpose in attaining the permanent inner peace of enlightenment is to help others do the same. Just as the only way to solve our own problems is to find inner peace, so the only way to help others to solve theirs is to encourage them to engage in spiritual practice and discover their own inner peace. This way of benefiting others is by far the best; yet we can do this effectively only if we first work on our own mind. There is little benefit in telling people how important it is to overcome their delusions if we are unable to control our own. However, if through training our mind we succeed in pacifying - or even completely eliminating - our own anger, for example, we can certainly help others to control theirs. Then our advice will not be mere words, but will have behind it the power of personal experience.
- Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
After having indulged our self-cherishing for so many lives, now is the time to realize that it simply does not work. Now is the time to switch the object of our cherishing from yourself to all living beings. Countless enlightened beings have discovered that by abandoning self-cherishing and cherishing others they came to experience true peace and happiness. If we practice the methods they taught, there is no reason why we should not be able to do the same. We cannot expect to change our mind overnight, but through patiently and consistently practicing the instructions on cherishing others, while at the same time accumulating merit, purifying negativity, and receiving blessings, we can gradually replace our ordinary self-cherishing attitude with the sublime attitude of cherishing all living beings. Here are some simple steps to achieving all this and more:
1: Gradually develop the capacity to be "centered."
The "center" or the "centered self" has to be built through conscious effort. We have to learn to go there and "center" or calm ourselves. How can we do this? Through efforts to relax and detach yourself from a constantly active mind and from demanding emotions, you can find some peace. With practice, you can get better at withdrawing from the stress (while becoming an even keener observer). Several other steps will help you do this.
2: Use determinism to increase your acceptance of what is happening
By understanding that there are causes for everything that happens, we can start to focus more on observing the true causes and less on some emotional reaction, such as "ain't it awful," "that should never have happened," etc. We can relax because we know the outcome was lawful (unless we witnessed a miracle). This accepting attitude gives us a certain freedom--a toleration of whatever happens. We may, of course, have a preference about what happens, and if the desired behavior occurs, we are happy, but if something else happens, we can be equally happy; because we accept reality (laws) and we learned some important information about the laws of behavior. The freedom from being right or winning and just focusing on observing and learning is a great relief.
3: Give up trying to control everything, loosen up.
Whether you understand it or not, the world is unfolding as it should. Woldwide philosophies advocate acceptance or "going with the flow of the river." Going upstream is very hard and probably isn't the right direction anyway. Focus on learning to control your own life within a little bubble, don't worry much about changing the course of great rivers.
4: With practice you can learn to have a detached, calm, accepting attitude. That is peace of mind.
Peace of mind includes more than inner calm, it is accepting oneself, others, and the world. It is being sensitive to being off center, i.e. things beginning to go wrong, and doing something about the problems right away. It is a wonderful mental state, but no one can achieve it all the time.
Spread Happiness All-around!
We can sometimes help others by providing them with money or better material conditions, but we should remember that the greatest benefit we can give is to help them overcome their delusions and find true, lasting happiness within. Through technological progress and by organizing society in fairer, more humane ways, we can certainly help to improve people's lives in some respects; but whatever we do will inevitably have some unwanted side effects. The best we can hope for is to provide people with conditions that bring some temporary respite from problems and difficulties, but we cannot give them true, lasting happiness. This is because the real cause of happiness is inner peace, which can be found only within the mind, not in external conditions.
Our real purpose in attaining the permanent inner peace of enlightenment is to help others do the same. Just as the only way to solve our own problems is to find inner peace, so the only way to help others to solve theirs is to encourage them to engage in spiritual practice and discover their own inner peace. This way of benefiting others is by far the best; yet we can do this effectively only if we first work on our own mind. There is little benefit in telling people how important it is to overcome their delusions if we are unable to control our own. However, if through training our mind we succeed in pacifying - or even completely eliminating - our own anger, for example, we can certainly help others to control theirs. Then our advice will not be mere words, but will have behind it the power of personal experience.
- Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net
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