Nurturing the good in us...in People/Team management – Do good be good.

There is inherent good in everyone...very true there definitely is good in each one of us. Similarly, there is some bad in each one of us too. That is nature and that is the way we are. The difference however, is how frequently we choose to engage with these powerful emotions. In most situations, we are in control of the positive and negative traits. However, on few occasions we tend to get influenced more by our natural traits; usually the bad in us. There are many reasons why we readily and easily get lured by this negative trait. Some common reasons that we can relate to are anger, ego, selfishness, rage etc the list is endless. We also observe that whenever we engage in these emotions, it is certainly not an enjoyable experience. We all are aware of the rippling effect of such experiences too. Having said all that, some of these situations occur spontaneously and some build up over time. The way we react to situations like these further determines the outcome. The outcome it is not pleasant at all for all those who are involved. Here we will understand in depth about the situations that build up over time.

These natural negative emotions are not that terrible as long as they come out as uncontrollable outbursts in isolated incidents. However, what is more dangerous is that when we start rationalizing and justifying our reactions; much after the actual incident has occurred. This is the first step in feeding the evil in us.

From here on each time we think about the incident and seek further justification and favor our decision, we actually have begun to construct a wall between us and resolution of the problem; with the other person or a group. The process is expedited should the other person in question also thinks and behaves similarly. Now there are two strong and high walls standing between you and the other person in question. At this point these walls are really strong fueled by ego and we are too blinded to realize it.

These simple misunderstandings at the beginning multiply, snowball and spell a far greater catastrophe. This by far is the actual thing that goes on when we are in a strained relationship; be it professional or personal. It spells a disaster and destroys relationships sooner than foreseen.

Accidents like these can be easily avoided by following simple steps from the beginning, such as:

·         Identifying a potential problem that can escalate early and address it then and there.

·         Open and positive communication.

·         Mutual respect and trust.

·         Acknowledging and appreciating the efforts and discussing it in person.

·         Discussing each others’ expectations clearly.

This is the inherent good in us that all of us are capable of. We just need to be sensitive while addressing the situation. These steps when practiced again and again develop as a second nature and will help avoid relationships go the disastrous path. The beautiful relationships which otherwise were meant to last long lasting sometimes lifelong.

Thanks a lot! I really appreciate your time reading this post. I hope you enjoy reading the posts and find it helpful. I request you to share the learning as much as possible so that many more benefit from it. I would be glad to know your inputs both For or Against. Please feel free to post, share or like if you find it useful.
Happy Learning! and Happy Sharing!

The art of counselling...in People/Team management – Doing the right thing.

Counselling is a very common term that we come across at different stages of our lives. It is not uncommon that we have been on either sides of the table on numerous occasions; providing it or receiving one. Counselling is generally required when one’s ability to see through a situation or “way forward” is unclear or confusing. The process may also include instilling confidence in many occasions. Hence it can be better understood as lending or borrowing ‘a clear state of mind’ for a specific purpose. Then again lending or borrowing of a commodity can be done only when one possesses it; ‘a clear state of mind’ to offer in this case. An advice with a clear state of mind stands a better chance of arriving at a desired outcome.

We approach a person for a good counsel only when we trust that person to possess a better understanding of the current situation than us, we believe that person is our well wisher and the person is a subject matter expert in that topic. These factors remain the same when we set out to provide counsel too. Counselling should never be offered unsolicited, unless it is one of our job responsibilities or to our near and dear ones, kids (as they are yet to understand that they need an expert advice in certain situations). Unsolicited counselling will not be effective and in some cases might create even more complications than the present situation.

Counselling at work or in our personal life have the same methodologies, but for some minor differences. At work, most of the times there are set procedures learnt by experience in place, when followed meticulously always return to the desired outcome. However, counselling in our personal life is slightly different. It is usually an ideal blend of our experience and wisdom.

The process of counselling could get complicated involving many factors such as financial, emotional, attitude etc. The list is endless, but here we will focus only on the framework involved. A few pointers below will help us understand the process in detail and serve as a guide to counsel effectively:

·         Listening and understanding the problem - identifying the route cause is an essential exercise that needs to be done.

·          Assessing the gravity of the situation, explaining the impact that it will have on the person who is being counselled is another important component – Remember the suggestion may not be the perfect solution for the problem in question. However, it needs to be a good fit for the person in question. (therefore the solution offered should be derived by assessing the capabilities of the person in question; in other words a practical one)

·         Suggest a way forward explaining the benefits of implementing the suggestion – ‘In my opinion the best solution for you in the current situation’ is a good way to offer the solution.

Preparing the person before offering the solution, emphasizing the capabilities and limitations would send the message clearly and effectively. A good solution provided with a clear understanding of the situation, will benefit the person in many ways which otherwise would be difficult with their current state of mind. The benefits of the outcome will be remembered for a real long time.

My earlier post will provide an in depth analysis of our reactions to different situations. It will help us distinguish as to how we would react to a particular situation and how best we could possibly accomplish otherwise.

http://www.peoplemanagement.in/2015/12/do-we-understand-enough-in-peopleteam.html

Thanks a lot! I really appreciate your time reading this post. I hope you enjoy reading the posts and find it helpful. I request you to share the learning as much as possible so that many more benefit from it. I would be glad to know your inputs both For or Against. Please feel free to post, share or like if you find it useful.

Happy Learning! and Happy Sharing!

Preserve the ‘Good’ in you...in People/Team management - Aim Perfection.

That’s right each and every person in this world including you has inherent good in them. Few people are aware and use it to its fullest potential and others are yet to realize it. This good is experienced when you do something good for someone and experience satisfaction. That’s when you realize that you are capable of influencing or touching other person’s life in a good way. Those deeds may be very small to you but could leave a long lasting impression to the people it matters most. Similarly, we too remember well the ‘good’ that we came across from other people that has helped us out or taken us out of difficult situations. This we are bound to remember for a real long time; some instances probably for the rest of our lives.

As you are reading this post, you may remember such instances and people from the past and relate to what we are discussing. I am sure your thoughts will get refreshed and you will feel a lot better when you just recall those moments. You must realize that it is these powers of the ‘good’ present in you over a period of time form a charisma. When you practice this strength with others in day to day relationships, both personal and professional; it becomes your second nature; quicker than you could ever imagine. Remember it’s not rocket science – it’s just as simple as never losing an opportunity to do good.

The ability of being a source of happiness to others is such a wonderful feeling. For me, thanks to my Mother, this thought process was taught to me right from childhood. A few pointers that she suggested to follow, whenever and wherever possible are:

·         Small good acts are enough (sometimes like acknowledging, appreciating where we tend to take things and people for granted)

·         Always doing the right thing.

·         If we sometimes aren’t able to do good in certain situation then no problem; but never ever even think bad for the other person.

I have always seen this particular thought process, help me enormously improve my relationships both personal and professional. Practicing this, I realized that people were more open with me than before and formed great bonds, long lasting ones. It’s also proved to be phenomenal with making some really nice new relationships; which otherwise was difficult to establish. Once we master this capability and pass on the technique, we not only reap the benefits of healthy relationships; but also make gradual yet powerful contribution to the society that we live in. 

My earlier post will provide an in depth analysis of our reactions to different situations. It will help us distinguish as to how we would react to a particular situation and how best we could possibly accomplish otherwise.

http://www.peoplemanagement.in/2016/01/the-good-bad-and-ugly-in-us-in.html 

Thanks a lot! I really appreciate your time reading this post. I hope you enjoy reading the posts and find it helpful. I request you to share the learning as much as possible so that many more benefit from it. I would be glad to know your inputs both For or Against. Please feel free to post, share or like if you find it useful.

Happy Learning! and Happy Sharing!

Leaders, ‘Thinkers vs Doers’...in People/Team management – Create a great balance.

Thinkers vs doers

We are all aware that sometimes unexpected challenges become a part of our life; both personally and professionally. These challenges often come when we least expect them. They are usually time bound and need to be acted upon immediately. Eventually we take some action after due thought with the help of our insight and our experiences of similar events. Our actions have results too and they in turn impact and influence our future life. Well that is the cycle of life. 
 

However, they may be many instances where we review our decisions of the past. Also, it is not uncommon that we wish we had done it differently, should there be another chance at it. The reason we took a particular decision then and regret it now. This could be due to many factors such as fear, pressure, uncertainty or lack of sense of direction etc.

Unfortunately, we cannot go back in the past and undo things as there is no ‘Reset’ button in life. However, what we can do is understand the thought process behind our decision making, the drivers that influence the process and thus our life.

Our decision making process is mostly influenced by the way we are and the way we react. These reactions can broadly classify us as ‘Thinkers’ or ‘Doers’. These qualities do not outweigh each other; however come with its pros and cons. A clear understanding of these traits will help us better understand the process of decision making. Following are the aspects explained in detail:

Thinkers: People who tend to analyse with a lot of attention to detail, read between the lines in a situation. 

Pros

·         Has an open mind.

·         Can come up with unique ideas and come up with ‘out of box’ solutions.

Cons

·         Fear is a big problem holding them down.

·         Owing to their attention to detail they are unable to focus on the bigger picture.

·         Don’t get to live up to their potential.

Doers: People who tend to take risks and attempts at challenging tasks, taking chances against all odds.

Pros

·         Is brave, tough and hard to intimidate.

·         Will pursue things and move forward no matter what.

Cons

·         Usually makes a decision using gut feel with little or no analysis to back up.

·         Will press until they face a permanent deadlock.

·         Tend to lose focus and sense of direction and thereby face difficulty in attaining their goal.

Now that we have a fair understanding of these traits, it is essential that we evaluate ourselves as to what we are ‘Thinkers’ or ‘Doers’? We need to identify our strengths and focus on our areas of development.

It is a no brainer that we need to have a good balance of both these qualities in order to succeed in the challenges that life throws at us from time to time. We need to have the mind of the thinker backed by the courage of a doer. Being a winner means to have great ideas and also a strong strategy to back it up.

A good balance between these two qualities is hence very essential to improve the quality of our decision making. 

Initially practicing mock decision making for sample situations or revisiting situations from past would help. Also, there is no harm in taking advise from someone who believe is strong at the required quality. It is always advisable to make an informed decision than take a hasty one.

Eventually once we practice and get good at this balance, it would be a good idea to teach this to our team members, family members, kids and encourage them to improve their quality of decision making. As it is easy for people to learn while relating to smaller things, rather than attempting complex issues without learning and regretting later.

Thanks a lot! I really appreciate your time reading this post. I hope you enjoy reading the posts and find it helpful. I request you to share the learning as much as possible so that many more benefit from it. I would be glad to know your inputs both For or Against. Please feel free to post, share or like if you find it useful.

 

Happy Learning! and Happy Sharing!

Wonderful quotes from Richard Branson - being an inspirational Leader.

Courtesy "Google pics"

Courtesy "Google pics"

Courtesy "Google pics"

Courtesy "Google pics"

Courtesy "Google pics"

As we all know there are so many great people, leaders out there urging us to go that extra mile and always inspiring us to make a difference. One such great leader, Richard Branson whose quotes have constantly inspired me to keep going, and giving my best on every occasion irrespective of success or failures. His words and thoughts provide great insights to the attitude of leader working with his team. It is very engaging, one that leaves us with a thought wondering  

- How would working with such a great leader be?

Please feel free to read more about Richard Branson, rightly described as "The world's most social CEO" at  https://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/biography

Thanks a lot! I really appreciate your time reading this post. I hope you enjoy reading the posts and find it helpful. I request you to share the learning as much as possible so that many more benefit from it. I would be glad to know your inputs both For or Against. Please feel free to post, share or like if you find it useful.

Happy Learning! and Happy Sharing!

  

Great Learning Opportunity!!

Happy to share with you that my friend Srikanth has officially launched his Life Skills Coaching institute called ‘SKILS’ (I consider myself fortunate to have stumbled upon). Life skills are all those soft skills that will help an individual pursue their goals and realize their dreams. The list is exhaustive, A few such are 

·         Public speaking

·         Interpersonal skills

·         Leadership and motivational skills

·         Time Management Skills

These are critical drivers in any challenging work environment today and eventually contribute to overall personality development. Skills and abilities like these are distinguishing factors in identifying leaders. Hence the need for a professional coach is now more than ever. A Coach who is also a friend to you, who can provide unbiased evaluation of your present skill set, chalk out a customized plan to suit your requirement; and finally contribute meaningfully to help you achieve your goal.

Coaching is a process where a professional coach will work with an individual, clarify the goal, create an action plan and will follow up till the goal is reached. This is different to traditional training methodology and has better proven success rate. Please review the website www.skils.net (Skils with a single L) to know more.  There are specific coaching programs for school kids, teenagers, graduates, professionals, employees stuck in their careers, people with motivation or relationship issues etc. Please review the website and book an appointment should you wish to discuss.

In terms of credentials, Srikanth holds an International Certification as a Motivation coach from CCA (Certified coaches’ alliance) and is a Project Management Professional (PMP). His 20+ years of rich experience in varied roles, great interpersonal skills, in mentoring people have put him ahead in the league. His successful track backed with wonderful abilities at people management has carved a niche for himself. This not only earned him a reputation of a trusted person able to build winning teams always; but also has worked wonders to careers of people associated with him.

Please feel free to connect with Srikanth on his fb page to view updates and posts: www.facebook.com/skinstituteforlifeskills/.

Thanks a lot! I really appreciate your time reading this post. I hope you enjoy reading the posts and find it helpful. I request you to share the learning as much as possible so that many more benefit from it. I would be glad to know your inputs both For or Against. Please feel free to post, share or like if you find it useful.

Happy Learning! and Happy Sharing!

A salute to ‘The Good Samaritan’ - Paalam Kalyanasundaram

IMAGE: The man who became a bridge -- Paalam Kalyanasundaram. Photograph: Sreeram Selvaraj

As I was browsing the internet for articles and news, I stumbled on a great post on rediff.com. A post by Shobha Warrier narrating the story of an ordinary person who went to lead an extraordinary life - The Good Samaritan named Kalyanasundaram. My heartfelt thanks to the author, Shobha Warrier and refiff.com for the contribution. I really enjoyed reading it. This wonderful post left me thinking a lot. I am sure it is engaging and thought provoking. It is bound to influence our thinking and actions in many ways.

I felt that the story of this great person should reach a greater audience. It should become an example to any and everyone who reads it. I never ever felt the need to share the post greater. This reminds me of the quote..

The noblest of the deed begins with the passion of thinking and caring about another person.

Please find the link below to the original post:

http://www.rediff.com/news/special/he-donated-every-rupee-he-earned-to-the-poor/20160323.htm

What began as a challenge ended up a way of life for 'Paalam' Kalyanasundaram, whom the UN adjudged one of the most outstanding people of the 20th century. This is the story of his inspiring journey, as told to Shobha Warrier/Rediff.com