Beware of the Strategy man...

He's fully aware of his own personality, and also the the impact he has on those around him. He's a man driven with ambition to achieve his dreams. It matters not to him, whether you win or he wins. All that matters is whether he's winning it or not. All that he speaks, the harshest word, the humility in his deepest voice; every gesture, every act, whether humble, kind, inspiring or even threatening is not an accident or by chance. They've been fashioned to make and leave impressions, to meet an end..., a detail of a very calculative step.

It's a fragment of a larger well-thought of plan. The strategy man...

Condoms and Corporate!

Crazy idea, eh? Well, it came to me through corporate folklore about a person whom I've never known. Here's the exact statement made by the victim in the narrative: "These bastards have used me like a condom."

A little thought o'er the statement makes me recollect the famous Madhur Bhandarkar's Bollywood movie 'Corporate', where the so very beautiful Bipasha Basu transformed into a similar use-and-throw thing... For that... well, condom makes an excellent metaphor.

I've seen decades of 'valuable' experience being debased with one letter (obviously, here I am not talking of non-performing employees). Oh yes, e-mail these days do a better job and also can help avoid a personal confrontation. And if it's to be done sooner, an SMS comes in handy; Even the chat messages on MS Communicator, or other clients do a good job by leaving an offline message if one doesn't want to take the pain of writing an e-mail.

What to say? I can only recall these wise words of another businessman turned Chief Mentor of "Love your job not your company, because you never know when it stops loving you." What I admire most about it is, the essence verbalized out of, God knows how many years of corporate experience.

If you want to follow the Leader speak, here's it in Narayan Murthy's words "Love your job not your company", at least if you don't want to be treated like a Corporate Condom!

The Castration theory....

Ahem, before you start thinking what not... let me get it right. It's only about performance and rewards. That's all!

It was not two years back that one of my student-friend K.Ramanathan had shared this theory with me, and it was just a few weeks back that we met and refreshed our memories and got discussing about this theory again. I've personally shared this with many friends of mine, but here it goes online... to everyone who reads this blog...

Well, it's no rocket science. It's all basics, and perhaps, this simplicity is what is so interesting about it...

We came across an organization which paid its employees more than they actually deserved (personal opinions), according to our analysis of a few of the employees' skill-sets. These employees had got used to higher pay packages over a period of time and such lifestyles, that when they wished to quit for better opportunities, they actually found themselves in a fix. On one hand, they weren't actually skillful enough for progressive responsibilities, and on the other, if they found a job, the pay packages offered were either similar to what they were receiving, or lesser.

In a way the peoples' lives got accustomed to such a way of living that they could not survive on lesser salaries, and even if they wanted to leave their current organizations, they had no choice but to continue... That is The Castration Theory. A person is slowly castrated that they become unproductive for others...

Hmmm... a good strategy for companies to retain people, though. People beware!

Secret of a Real Hero?

What differentiates a Reel Hero and a Real Hero?

It was just out of the screen the answer popped out. Literally, when I was at a theater, and the gorgeous Vidya Balan (Bollywood actress) flashed on-screen for a Toshiba advertisement.

Perhaps, she only verbalized the thoughts of many
about Reel Heroes and Real Heroes. This is what she utters:

Q: Secret of a great performer?
A: 'Consistency' throughout the film.

Hmmmm... So, their consistency lasts till the film does for Reel Heroes. And for Real Heroes, the consistency lasts a lifetime, or a cause that's beyond themselves... Real heroes' stories last generations. Reel heroes' last a movie review...

Nonetheless, what amuses me is "What made Toshiba chose such a bad Copy for their Advertisement?" Well, just hope Vidya Balan's charm lasts for Toshiba as long...

What's the ROI of your Non-Billable time...

How are you spending your Non-Billable Hours?

I'm inspired by my boss as to how keenly he monitors his employees' activities so he's sure that every minute of his employees' billable hours are accounted for. That, for sure justifies his existence. But, the sad part, however, is that the employees aren't that evolved or mature to account for their non-billable time.

I'm sure many of us have read stories of how employees at a breaking-point write testimonials of this sort... "I've been working so hard, day and night all the time for my family, but, I now realized that I've earned so much, but I've lost all the precious time with my family"

It's a very subjective matter, though. "What's the trade-off?" questions Nadeem, a Gung-ho sales professional. Sounds like a session with Dr. Phil McGraw on Oprah, but yes, that's true. For the ones which think the least about planning career and life, they have some set priorities. Rest just spend (or waste) their lives blown with the wind.

Get some ROI on your non-billable time! My friend Vikram , Manager with a leading event management company utilizes his non-billable time to be energized, revived and de-stressed which are also very important. Ashish Pandey, another Sales Manager with India's leading bank says, “the moment you feel you're being asked to stay in office for the sake of it, just shake it off ’cos you’re being taken for granted! Get a life, live it out!”

But for those 'business', 'cost-focussed' people, invest your non-billable time into something else that can get you achieve something. Anything! Just don't let go it waste.

It all boils down to having an objective for your life. Having a Dream to drive your purpose of existence. Find that first, then the usage of Billable and Non-Billable hours is semi-Sorted!

Compensation makes you feel unconfident?

A picture is worth thousand words... so, I won't write anything!

Don't let them steal your dream...

Look after your dream, or a thief will!

There's a lot of 'Dream Stealers' out there! After a week long training session, I'm high on its theme: Change, Success & Leadership... and most of all... I'm tipsy and Crazy so that I DON'T LET THEM STEAL MY DREAM!

There come times in our lives when we feel that we're loosing control of the direction of our lives, when someone's influencing our jobs, relationships or any other key aspects of our lives. I've written about it earlier also in --

• So, who’s managing you now-a-days?

• When someone else controls your life...

• Longing to break free!

Well, only a few could know what that feeling's like, and definitely, any person who's
on a job led by a 'Boss', one who's limited by resources, control-freak parents or dominating partners among other categories...

But, you see, it's not just that they control, but even those negative energies they release over our determination to achieve by displaying disturbing attitudes, negative words and strong actions as well. However, to overcome all this, one needs to actually KNOW what their DREAM is! Do you know what your Dream is?

Where Dreams Fail...
Many peoples dreams fail! Not knowing what ones dream is will only make them so accommodating that every other influence or a negative word will be accepted whining, or sometimes even without the slightest whimper. A few have such feeble dreams which can easily be replaced by another one. For a few more, the dream fades away with the passing of time, and for few others dreams not achieved will not matter at all.

Folks, get serious, cos we get a life only once. Wake up, realize your dream, and Go get it!

Get a little Tipsy and a lot Crazy!
Realizing your dream is just the beginning. You may want to get over with any hangover, but never get over the hangover of your dream. Get Tipsy (rather drunk) with your dream... and a Lot Crazy, so that no one would even dare to approach to steal your dream away! Even if someone does, you'll be so well guarding it, that you'll not allow it.

Realized your Dream? Look after your dream, or a thief will rob you off it!

Coward Strategists

Since more than half-a-year, I've been thinking about 'Strategy, Strategists and Manipulation, for which I'm finally getting a few words from other works to further put them up here...

Re-Viewing 'Cold Mountain' last night, one of my very favourite movies, I came across a good example of Coward Strategists...

The movie is set in a time of war. Talking of the country's rulers, here's a dialogue that talks of coward strategists: "They call this war a cloud over the land. But they made the weather and then they stand in the rain and say 'Shit, it's raining!'

Corporate Mafia & Human Resource Management

HR (and Administration) Departments are being pursued by owners and top management to operate as a Mafia. Well, this mafia is to specialize in a very niche area--

• To spy around the office so as to keep a watch on undercurrents
• Threaten and/or Create problems to retain employees who quit
• Tamper / Tarnish the careers of quitters by bad-mouthing
• To network with companies to find which quitter is joining where

It is very typical in a business segment where attrition is soaring that people run pillar to post trying to retain employees. Gone are the days when contracts/agreements/bonds used to create that block in employees' minds before they separated from their employers. The employees is literate (not quite enough) of their rights and responsibilities to tackle the agreement issues.

I would not generalize these practices to all companies, but I certainly opine that this may be a common practice in small organizations, organizations with closely-knit cultures and companies operating in niche markets. It's a real sorry state is how companies are trying to retain people. Instead of resorting to best practices and retaining people by offering a 'package of interest' (including a good combo of hygiene and motivators) to them, they're trying to retain by fear.

The impact of the whole exercise nevertheless does not result in retention, but it results in--

• Tension in the organization
• A hostile organizational climate & culture
• Tragic Impressions left on existing employees
• A chain reaction over existing employees to follow a cautious and hostile exit
• Poor (read pathetic) branding of the organization

Yet, many follow these practices knowing the results. It's somewhere a drive of the top management to 'TEACH A LESSON' to the people who quit and implant FEAR even in the minds of existing employees so they may think twice before they think of quitting.

Well, though the HR is empathetic towards the employees and can argue a case, HR management has limitations set by the CEO/Director, which then, fall out of the domain. In fact, if HR doesn't cooperate, then people definitely have their ways to pursue their causes...

A few companies I believe do not relieve such employees, and wait to know the name of company the candidate is joining and then call them up to threaten that they may be sued for dual employment of candidate. Even more pathetic is when companies use their influence with local authorities (police) and file and FIR against the employee possessing company assets, and Bingo! who's gonna look for physical evidence of intellectual assets... Phew!!!

These practices are quite disheartening, and all the more stressful to employees as 'COMPANIES ARE FOLLOWING THEM'.

The topic is open for your criticism / additions / suggestions...

History remembers Kings, not soldiers!

One strong belief among others I've learned through life experiences is that 'Each of us has a need to feel important'. This need to feel important drives us to find as many opportunities, small and big do many acts, activities, and sometimes even defy people and principles to reinforce to oneself the feeling of  importance.

Examples are when you see individuals defying their bosses, people taking a stand for a cause, daring feats and take risks to achieve some greatness among others. Times when we get involved in someone else's lives to guide (influence), go out of the way to help them... all of these are our little and big opportunities to make ourselves feel important.

Let's look at the constant power-play and influences at workplaces, where everyone struggles to clear the clutter to rise above the rest to feel their importance in the workplace... there's another cry out there... Nobody wants to be a pawn in someone else's game. They too, want to lead...

My point here... I's just an observation! History remembers Kings, not Soldiers. So, we all try to find small and big opportunities to win those little battles, and reassure ourselves of us, being important in the web of life connecting all of us... Are you a soldier... or a King?

Friends at Workplace? Not Done!

I always thought working with a good friend would be quite ideal, only till I actually landed on such a job! Then, I thought making friends at work is a very good way to strengthen professional relations at work till I actually tried it, and failed to do some work with a friend!

What remains at the end of it, is a hurt relationship, and a bad job! It could be a Lose-Lose or Win-Lose situation... or anything but Win-Win. I know that's debatable, but leaving all the exceptions aside, here I'm talking about being on two jobs in the same company and not partners in business like Larry Page & Sergey Brin, though I know even that equation has many screw-ups.

The building blocks for friendship and a professional relationship are almost the same, like good attitude, mutual trust and understanding and blah blah blah. In friendship there are times when one friend may even risk personal loss to help another, but in a professional relationship it may turn otherwise. What's the reason?

"Survival of the fittest" operates strongly in the corporate jungle. Well, when it comes to survival, any friend comes after 'ME'. It is not the fault of friendship which fails to work in the cut-throat corporate war. One may surely try to make it happen, but given the many other variables affecting individual performance like the bosses, peers, rumor mill, individual work-orientation, roles among others, it's a complex equation to manage. And yes, the moment you try to 'manage' a friend, YOU HAD IT! Moreover, the patterns of behavior displayed are so very new, different and perhaps even 'unexpected'. And change always gets us, right?

Of course, when you're at work, you can't afford to, and better not keep your focus on friendship, but keep it fixed on work delivery. So, get it clear - if you're engaged in a Talent War in the corporate arena, there's only win or lose, and there are performing teams. No Friendship. No Friends. That's actually not done!

Impressions we leave...

Who was your first love? Who was your first best friend? Who was your favorite school teacher? Which senior first ragged you at your college? Who was your first boss?

Do I hear you say: “Wait, I remember that!?”

We all do remember most of the answers to the above questions. It’s primarily because of the ‘fine’ lasting impressions they’ve left on our minds.

That’s how important the ‘first’ impressions are. Biology has it that all our body cells wear out regularly, including skins cells, muscle and even bone cells. They regenerate almost every 16 years (max time), but there are the Mind Cells, which live the longest. About a hundred years. They contain all our memories; and you’ll know when your mind cells wear out when you start losing your memories ;-)

Impressions have become so important these days, that ‘Impression Management has become a part of curricula at few important B-schools. For a few, it’s a course to attend for giving successful interviews.

Impression management gains more importance when we talk of its impact in the corporate circles and professionalism. Each individual has an important role to play in creating the right impression for an organization. As an employee, employer, corporate ambassador, organizational citizen, vendor, or even as a customer each individual leaves impression.

So, to make sure you’re giving the right strokes for the best impression:

• Educate yourself of the business etiquettes. Being ignorant about the same may even cost you dearly.
• Make this impression management an inherent part of your way of living. It’s quite important, cos you can’t make lasting impressions if you don’t believe and live it.

Presenteeism: Clear and Present Danger!

‘Body-present, mind-absent?’ – remember that school-day reprimand from that strict class teacher? Well, even if you don’t, you could probably look around your workplace to understand what exactly that means. In most offices, you will invariably find someone or the other who is “feeling down” with either a headache, a stomach disorder, grogginess or just feeling out of sync with the rest of the world. Outwardly, everything seems fine, but give them a chance to speak to them, and you’ll hear it all. Welcome to the world of a growing breed of professionals – the sort of who are present in office, but not at work! Of course, there is the other type, who’d rather not see the workplace (that could worsen their present condition!), and take a day off at the drop of a hat ;-). The trend of presenteeism is sweeping over India Inc.

Well, nothing to be surprised a great deal about, ‘cos it’s a global phenomenon, and it’s plaguing countries all over Europe and other western countries. But, what’s concerning is that while absenteeism can be easily identified from attendance records, “presenteeism” is not easily discernible. Keeping the differences aside awhile, the point to be driven home is that: In both cases, productivity at the work-places gets drained – visibly in case of absenteeism, invisibly otherwise. Traditionally, absenteeism and such related behaviours are seen as indicators for reduced employee morale and low motivation.

While absenteeism may be dealt with by placing an attendance policy in place, the solution for presenteeism ain’t that simple a formula. A greater problem on that front yet unaddressed is that managers are not ready to probe into the details, and just dismiss them. One of my friends from HR fraternity, Sanjeev Sharma, Zonal Manager, i-Process Services (India) Limited, feels that the reasons for presenteeism can be “stress at work, relationship with the boss, relationship with colleagues, noisy workplace, family problems... and sometimes there are genuine reasons like accidents, sickness etc.”

However, organizations need to become sensitive to employees’ work-life balance and deal with stress and health issues at the workplace.