Showing posts with label Office Mantra. Show all posts

How To Conduct An Exit Interview

Posted on Tuesday, 8 May 2012 by Punjabi Articles


When an organization grows, the recruitment of new employees becomes necessary.
This leads to the hassle of conducting interviews and giving appointments to candidates who have been filtered for the job. 

1. Be through
Make sure you have a thorough understanding of the position for which you are going to interview the candidate. This will help you decide whether the candidate has a profile matching the job description or not. Also go through the candidate’s resume and highlight points on which you may want toquestion the applicant.

2. Well begun is half done
Start off on a positive note. There is no harm in making the interviewee feel welcome. It is not an interviewer’s prerogative to scare the life out of a candidate and make him as uneasy as you can. 

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How to Deal with rude people at work

Posted on Friday, 27 April 2012 by Punjabi Articles

We encounter rude people everywhere, especially at our work places.
They are simply…rude. There’s possibly no reason for them to be like that towards you, but they just are. It’s appalling at times: cutting you in the coffee line, or getting aggressive for no reason, or not responding when you greet them in the morning.
1.Turn around and face the perpetrator
Rude people are as worse as the bullies you faced in high school. You thought you’d never have to face them again in your adult life. But here they are again. Rude people think that they can get away with murder, a cocky confidence of being the alpha male or female of the pack. It could be a case ofmood swings, but there’s only so much you can take. Turn around and look them in the eye.
2 Gandhigiri
Remember Munnabhai and his wise words? This approach works sometimes. Say someone is knowingly or unknowingly being rude and arrogant towards you. For example, your office peon tells you in an acerbic tone to come and get your tea from the pantry, you don’t need to stoop to his level and raise your voice.
3 Don’t pay them much attention
Unfortunately, some people have never had the social training on how to be polite and well behaved in a civil society. There is no point in trying to change them. Avoiding them is the best option here. If you have to interact with them, keep your interaction to a minimum. Be the “hi, hello” kinds, as they say. Talk business and nothing else: “Please courier this packet to the mentioned address. Thanks.” The important thing to remember is to not lose your own temper, or else what’s the difference between that person and yourself?



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BE WELL MANNERED FIRST TO BE HEALTHY!

Posted on Saturday, 16 July 2011 by Punjabi Articles


A new research has found that people with good manners at work and at home are more than twice as likely to be in good health.

It found that those people tend to have more hygiene routines in place and take better care of their health and well-being. As a result, they suffer less from colds and cases of diarrhoea and are two-and-a-half times more likely to be in good health than those with poor manners.

The study, conducted by Dettol and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, also found older people look after their health more than young people and also have better manners. Homemakers have the highest levels of personal and household hygiene, while office workers and students have the worst. Women also tend to be more hygienic than men. Everyone can change their behaviour and help to break the chain of infection.

Good manners are also at the heart of it – being aware and thinking how our behaviour affects us and those around us," the Daily Express quoted John Oxford, chairman of the Hygiene Council and professor of virology at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, as saying.  "We're not powerless against infectious disease – everyone can contribute through simple hygiene measures such as washing our hands," he added.

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Are you a good boss or bad boss ???

Posted on Thursday, 23 June 2011 by Punjabi Articles


You're the boss. But it's no fun (and very difficult) being a boss who is not respected, is ineffective at managing staff, or is even actively disliked. How do you get your staff to be the best thing that ever happened to you? By being the best boss that ever happened to them. But if you're someone who is pretty much the ultimate authority in his or her company or store (a small business owner or a general manager of a renowned company, for example) here's how to be a good boss:

Realise that management succeeds via the efforts of the workers. Just because you're in charge doesn't mean you deserve all the credit for the work being done. Your staff is responsible for the bulk of the work. You are leading them as they get it done to be sure all regulations are complied with, etc.

Delegate responsibility and then trust your people. Once you've trained someone to handle a task, allow him or her to handle it without interference. Different people have different approaches, and someone else's way of doing something may be just as efficient as your way. Before you step in and force your way on anyone, give an honest evaluation to the method, and if you find it works just as well, even if it's different from yours, let it be. Constantly correcting your people undercuts their confidence and does not allow them to exercise their own style.

Know your employees to know your strength. Watch your staff; get to know them as individuals. Understand their motives. This will allow you to enhance, adjust and align their motives with your goals. The cream always rises to the top, and it's your job to figure out which employees do what is required in their jobs, and which employees do all they can in their jobs. There is a huge distinction.

Most bad bosses are under the (mistaken) impression that there is something threatening about this, because the bad boss thinks that s/he is the only one who can perform a given function.

Empower your staff to make decisions, and don't second-guess them. If you've done a good job of training your people to be your proxies, then you must believe they are doing their best to act in your (and your company's) best interests. Even if they make a wrong decision, or handle a situation in a way you would not have, don't second guess or berate them. Instead, use it as yet another training opportunity. Hear out their reasons for their action— most of the time, when taken in context, there is a logical basis for what they decided to do.

Help them learn to work out issues without your intervention. Sometimes one or more of your staff may experience friction with others. If they come tattling on one another to you, listen to them carefully. If someone is not fulfilling his own responsibilities or is mistreating another employee, you'll need to step in and resolve a conflict at work. But if you're satisfied it's only an issue of competition or a simple personality clash; urge them to settle it between themselves.

Show appreciation. Never hesitate to pat your employees on the back, Compliment staff and thank them for their excellent service — if customers are there, letting them know how you value your people can go a long way towards the customers actually having more faith in the services your business provides.

When your staff feel valued and appreciated, their job means more to them than simply a paycheque. When your customers know that you, as the manager, think highly of your staff, they feel confident that they're in good hands, and it gives you more freedom to leave your customers in the very capable hands of your staff. See how this becomes a "win-win-win". Show your appreciation by doing things for your staff. They will go the extra mile for you if you do something nice for them.

Learn to be an effective listener. Your employees deserve to be heard when they have concerns. Allow them to finish talking before you speak; do not assume that you know what they are going to tell you before they finish talking; do not form objections in your mind while they are talking.

 Instead try to be fully engaged while they are talking without making it about your rebuttal. Acknowledge their points, which doesn't mean that you agree, but do mean that you understand their concerns. Repeat their points in your own words to confirm, if necessary. You may not need to take any action, but hearing them out is important to their sense of empowerment and significance. Often, simply saying, "I appreciate your telling me this" is all that's needed to make them feel they were heard.

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Tips for Handling Hostility at Workplace

Posted on Monday, 16 May 2011 by Punjabi Articles


Each workplace comprisesindividuals from different upbringing, background and personalities. Since each one of us is different in so many ways,working together is bound to result in conflict and misunderstanding.Although minor disagreements are common, there is always a possibility of work place environment becoming hostile.

Hostility may arise due to various reasons, including jealousy over position and pay, stressful profile, personal insecurities etc. A hostile work environment can be hard to deal with for an employee. Most individuals are unable to last in such an environment, much less thrive there. Working in a hostile environment has a negative impact on the physical, mental and emotional well-being of employees, too. It not only generates feelings of frustration and anger but also restricts a person from giving his best to the organisation.
Accept
The first step towards handling workplace hostility is to acknowledge and accept its presence. Being in a denial mode about the negative treatment in office will further aggravate the stress associated with it.
Be vocal
Speak up instead of suffering the hostility in silence. While many people prefer to keep quiet, it only makes them an easy target for everyone. Be prepared to deal with hostility by defending your actions, expressing displeasure or bringing it to the notice of the HR. Letting your voice heard will make people realise that you are not willing to be a scapegoat.
Keep your cool
Learn to remain calm and composed even in extremely irritating situations. Practice meditation or indulge in deep breathing exercises to avoid reacting to insensitive comments. Give yourself time to cool off before responding to an annoying e-mail or escalating a matter. Don't get drawn into an argument, instead say only a few words and get back to work.
Focus on the positive
Focus energies on the task at hand rather than mulling over the negativity and hostility around. It will not only divert attention from the unpleasantness but also highlight your skills and capabilities. Most importantly keep reminding yourself the reasons for taking up the job in the first place. It will give strength to survive each day and put up with the negativity.
Professional approach
Be professional and courteous despite being subjected to hostility at workplace. Avoid stooping to the offender's level by showing aggression either through words or body language. Keep your tone low and refrain from using profanity or insults since it would only worsen the situation.
Make an effort
Make an effort to resolve the misunderstandings or problems immediately rather than let them blow up. Approach the person concerned and listen to his point of view with an open mind.Exchange ideas about the various ways to solve the problem and finally work out a mutually decided solution.

Support network
Develop a support network at office to shareexperiences and gain perspective on issues. Having a strong professional relationship with a fellow worker gives a sense of encouragement and support. Like minded co-workers can help ward off feelings of isolation and loneliness in addition tosharing work load. Moreover, knowing that there are individuals in the organisation one can depend on gives the confidence to face detractors.
No gossip
Avoid engaging in workplace gossip since it only worsens the hostile environment. Draw a clear line between professional and personal life to make things easier at work. More than usual unnecessary socialisation in office leads to information being misinterpreted and misconstrued.

Plan B
Finally stay on the look out for alternate options outside the organisation. Despite all efforts there is always a possibility of the situation not improving and getting unbearable. Update your resume, develop skills and obtain additional qualifications to improve your chances of getting a better job. Network through professional associations and revive old contacts to find to a new job as soon as possible.

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A polished personality -"What really matters is how you feel about your looks.

Posted on Saturday, 14 May 2011 by Punjabi Articles


A polished personality is, at core, a magnetic one - passport to success in social life, and an excellent career-push.
Many youngsters nurse the illusion that it is an inborn quality. Hence one is lucky if one has it and those who don't can do nothing about it. If you have nurtured this concept, then you are a fatalist who follows the lines on his palm but makes no effort to re-cast them.

True, good physical appearance is a gift of God. But there are millions in the world who have been deprived of good looks and yet they have attractive personalities. Attractive appearance and a polished personality are two different things that are often confused and equated with each other.

The former denotes physical features, the latter mental, intellectual and other invisible attributes. For example, a girl may have a fair, lovely complexion, raven crop of hair and a stunning figure. She has an attractive appearance. But this does not mean that she has a mentally and intellectually impressive personality. She may be a dove outside but a dodo inside!
A polished personality is burnished, lustrous and refined.

What can you do about your personality?

You can transform it. You can re-cycle it by changing the perception of your appearance - a solution which is practical and attainable.

"What really matters is how you feel about your looks. It is more important than how you actually look". Men and women who perceive themselves as physically unattractive tend to have poor self-esteem, difficulty in social situations and career problems. A poor body image is one of the main elements in self-rejection. To live without self-acceptance is tormenting.
Looks do count in work and career. But everyone is not born a Katrina or Ranbir. People are drawn to those with impressive appearance. However, the effort you put into accepting your appearance is of more enduring benefit. Positive thinking and appropriate actions are the keys to accept your appearance. You can learn to like far-from-ideal looks.

A polished personality is not necessarily just a stunningly beautiful or handsome appearance. It has attractive attributes which exert an irresistible power over others.

Such a person makes friends easily, has little difficulty in exercising leadership. He carries others along effortlessly. In short, he draws people to himself. This is an invaluable asset in climbing the slippery stairs of success.
Personality is a fabric of many interwoven tricots, as a rug woven of many strands of difficult colours. Your personality is unique. Develop it. Make it grow, naturally like the branches of a tree. First of all carry out a self-assessment exercise and then set about changing your personality accordingly. There is no reason why you should not have what you want. It is a matter of developing certain habits and attitudes.
Be friendly and give evidence that you are. Don't wait for others to take initiative. Do it yourself. Open conversation without waiting for others to break the ice.
Offer help or information or do something that will help others to be more comfortable or competent.
Be more outgoing and trusting. Do like people. See their good points.
Make the other person talk about himself and his interests. A good talker talks about others, a bore about himself! Les Giblin in How to have confidence and Power in dealing with People, describes this as giving your conversation a "You-turn". An attentive ear and you have bagged the man!
You can give refreshing novelty and robustness to your personality by challenging and questioning stereotypes. "What is the justification for it?" can provide you new vistas of thinking.
The more persistently you press such questions, the more deeply you pursue knowledge, steering clear of superficialities. Such an approach makes you more self-reliant and an objective thinker.
One way to win someone's esteem is to boost his ego by praising and appreciating. Be generous in praise. To refuse praise amounts to censure!
Look at things from the other person's viewpoint. It develops understanding. When it is found that you have this quality, you are bound to be known as an attractive and a pleasant person.
This good quality nurtures harmony in social, business and professional spheres as it reduces the areas of conflict and friction. The great advantage is that others give favourable assessment of your personality.

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