Looking To Increase Employee Performance? Motivation Is Critical.
By: Dick Grote
Dick Grote is one of America's most well-known speakers, authors, and consultants on employee performance reviews. He is the Chairman and CEO of Grote Consulting and the developer of the Grote Approach online employee performance review system.
What's an organization to do when all of its honest and genuine efforts to motivate Sally and Sam to come to work on time, work safely, deliver efficient services, and act as if they were happy to be a part of the team, fail? There is no shortage of pop-psych books and motivational speakers who'll tell you a thousand-and-one ways to light a fire in Sam's belly. But what do you do when the fire goes out and none of those thousand-and-one ways seem to work any more? What do we really know about motivation?
Does anything work?
Given the constant barrage of pep talks and posters, slogans and free advice on the topic of motivation, there should certainly be at least a couple of core principles that predictably work every time. Aren't there? Or are we stuck with the notion that everybody's an individual, and what's a turn-on for Sally is likely to be a turn-off for Sam?
Rather than speculate, let's gather some data. Think back through all the jobs you've ever had, and bring to mind the job you had that produced the greatest amount of motivation in you. It doesn't matter what the job was — it might be the job you have right now; it might be a part-time job you had in high school. Doesn't matter.
It also doesn't matter what the word, "motivation," means to you. However you choose to define the term is fine. Simply bring to mind the job that you had when you had the greatest degree of job satisfaction, excitement, enthusiasm, turned-on-ness.
Now that you've got the job clearly in mind, quickly jot down the factors that caused you to feel so motivated, so satisfied, and so turned on. If you're like most people, the factors you listed are highly predictable — and so are the ones that didn't make your list.
On your list appear such items as recognition, opportunities for achievement, freedom and autonomy, challenge, the chance to learn and grow, and the work itself. What was missing? You probably didn't write down such important items as job security, benefits, working conditions, and the organization's policies and procedures.
It turns out that the missing link in understanding motivation is understanding that there are two very different factors at work. On one hand there are the things that motivate us, that turn us on, that cause us to feel satisfied with the job. On the other are those things that dissatisfy us, that turn us off, that demotivate us. There are two separate variables at work, and you have to attack both of them. Psychologist Fred Herzberg stated it best, "Job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction are not flip sides of the same coin. They are entirely different coins, and the wise manager uses both those coins to buy better performance."
What is motivation?
A good working definition of motivation is this: motivation represents a measurable increase in both job satisfaction and productivity. The motivated worker does his job better and likes it more than those folks who are not so motivated. What generates real motivation is the first set of factors mentioned: opportunities for achievement and accomplishment, recognition, learning and growth, having some say in how the job is done, and worthwhile work. Those are the items that generate strong feelings of loyalty, satisfaction, enthusiasm, and all those other important attributes we want to see in those whose paychecks we sign.
But you can't get away with working exclusively on the satisfiers scale. You have to make sure that you clean up the job to reduce or eliminate those things that cause people to be unhappy and quit.
Wait a minute, some of you are saying — where does money fit into this scheme? Pay is the ringer in the equation; the one factor that shows up as both a source of satisfaction and a source of dissatisfaction. People are dissatisfied with their pay when they feel it isn't commensurate with their efforts, or is distributed inequitably, or doesn't reflect the responsibilities of the job, or is out of touch with market realities. If you don't pay competitive wages, people will be unhappy and they will quit. But no matter how much you raise salaries, you won't generate motivation and job satisfaction, because job satisfaction is a function of the content of the job.
Look at it this way: Hire me to wash dirty dishes and pay me chickenfeed and I'll be unhappy and demotivated. But raise my wages to a princely sum and guess what — I'll still hate washing dirty dishes. But I won't complain any more about my crummy compensation; I probably won't quit; and I may even improve my attendance record (if you pay me my munificent wages on an hourly basis). What you have bought with the generous pay increase you provided me was not real job satisfaction. All you have bought is the absence of dissatisfaction. They are not the same thing. If you really want me to be a happy camper, you'd better change the nature of my work.
And changing the nature of the work is the true key to motivation. The message is clear: do everything you can to get rid of the things that generate employee unhappiness, recognizing that no matter how big an investment you make you'll get precious little in return. All your money will buy is the absence of dissatisfaction. Listen up — you have no choice! You must pay people competitive wages, you must provide a healthy, safe and attractive work environment, you must give at least as good insurance policies and vacations and retirements plans as people could get working for the bagel joint down the street. If you don't, people will quit and you won't be able to hire replacements. But all you'll get for the fortune you spend in this effort is a bunch of people who have to search hard for something to complain about.
If you want genuine motivation, though, you've got to look at the job itself. Does the work provide me with the chance to really accomplish something? Does my job allow me to do something that makes an actual difference? Do I have a lot of say in how I do my job or am I totally constricted by standard operating procedures? Can I learn and grow and develop on this job, or will I be tightening the same nut on the same bolt for the next thirty years? Do I get any recognition when I do something particularly well?
Providing recognition of good performance is the best place to start. Recognizing good performance any time it's encountered — with just a "Thanks" or a literal pat on the back — can be enough to get the motivational engine working. Sally and Sam will need more than just an attaboy, but acknowledging excellent work every time it appears is a wonderful place to start the engine of motivation running.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
keeping emplyees happy
Keeping Employees Happy By Mike Lee
Dealing with employees can be one of the toughest challenges for a shop owner. By learning some basic strategies of employee management, an owner can reduce his or her stress level, minimize personnel problems and better ensure the success of the shop.
Let's start by going over some basic concepts. Employees are people you employ (hire) to work with you and assist you in achieving your business goals. An owner needs to have well-defined goals and must be able to communicate them to employees to get their support. Good employees want to know what you are trying to accomplish, how they fit into the picture and how they can benefit by helping you succeed.
To find and hire good people, you need to know what good people are looking for - what motivates them to get up in the morning and go to work. Of course, people want money; they want to get compensated well for the work they do. But it's not the only thing they want. Good people are also looking for a group to be part of, and they want to know that their work is contributing to something of importance. Many people also want stability; a well-organized, high-morale working environment and growth potential. Some look for an employer who can communicate clearly and who stays relatively calm even during times of high stress.
Take the time to sit down with each member, or potential member, of your crew and find out what each one wants in life. Ask about their goals and ambitions. Make sure they each understand what you expect from them, the level of production you demand, what one's compensation will be if he or she achieves this level, and how this will help them get the things they want out of life.
Your employee pay plan should reward high levels of production. It can even be tailored for each individual. One technician might work extra hard for a cash bonus while another might prefer paid vacation days for a reward. Just make sure you don't pay high wages or bonuses without also demanding high production. Many pay systems are based on hours on the job. These systems pay people who don't produce much the same wages as those who produce a lot. In companies with these systems, employees learn that if they just show up and look like they are working, they'll get paid. It is up to the owner to demand high production and to reward it. Don't reward the underachiever.
Make sure you have a system for tracking and monitoring production, and graph and post these statistics weekly. Your best employees will feel acknowledged and, hopefully, the worst will feel the need to improve. Each employee should be responsible for at least one statistic that measures the main thing he is producing on his job. For example, each technician's billable hours should be calculated weekly and depicted on a sheet of graph paper. Post these graphs so each employee knows where he stands. Employees need to know that their employment and pay is based on their level of production and its value to the company, and not on who they know or their personality or other arbitrary factors. An employer who does not enforce this kind of accountability from his employees is likely to make personnel decisions based on guesswork rather than facts.
An interesting question to ask any employee is, "Where does your paycheck come from?" Many will respond, "My boss." Some are closer to the mark when they say, "the customer." But the truth of the matter is that an employee's pay comes from his own hard work - his ability to produce quality products and services the business can then sell to customers for income and support.
The executive of a business must be able to organize the activities of the business and train employees so they will be able to produce valuable products. Most people want to achieve results they can be proud of and, to a great extent, it is up to the owner to make sure they can be proud of their products. It is an owner's responsibility to make sure each person who comes on board is given a clearly delineated job and is adequately trained so he understands how to do this job. He also needs to be shown what his job means to the rest of the crew and he needs to know about the overall product the company produces. Unless every employee is aware of how his job relates to the final product of the company, you will never really have an efficient team working together to achieve your goals.
Mandatory weekly meetings with your crew will strengthen the concept of a team - that you are not just a bunch of individuals running around frantically trying to get something done - and will give you a chance, as a team, to review how the shop did during the previous week. It is vital to stay positive in these meetings, to accentuate and focus on the production and improvements that were made in the previous week and to set targets for the upcoming week. Stay upbeat and don't let the meeting drag on. If a particular employee did something above and beyond the norm, acknowledge him or her in front of the group. If there are any corrections or improvements you want to see, go over those, too. However, never single someone out for correction in front of the group. If you're unhappy with someone, always address this with him privately.
Help each of your employees to see the priorities of the business correctly: first, to make sure the customer wins because without customers there is no purpose for the shop; and second, to make sure the shop is winning (viable) because without the shop, there is no purpose (or paycheck) for the employees. Finally, the employees have to win because if they can't win, they won't stay. Review these priorities at your team meetings and make sure everyone understands them.
Managing employees is a primary responsibility of an owner. Your success at it will be a reflection of your attitude toward the business. You set the tempo and the pace for your crew. If your standards are high, and you demonstrate your commitment to meeting these standards, they will follow. If you show genuine care for your people, they will respond.
Dealing with employees can be one of the toughest challenges for a shop owner. By learning some basic strategies of employee management, an owner can reduce his or her stress level, minimize personnel problems and better ensure the success of the shop.
Let's start by going over some basic concepts. Employees are people you employ (hire) to work with you and assist you in achieving your business goals. An owner needs to have well-defined goals and must be able to communicate them to employees to get their support. Good employees want to know what you are trying to accomplish, how they fit into the picture and how they can benefit by helping you succeed.
To find and hire good people, you need to know what good people are looking for - what motivates them to get up in the morning and go to work. Of course, people want money; they want to get compensated well for the work they do. But it's not the only thing they want. Good people are also looking for a group to be part of, and they want to know that their work is contributing to something of importance. Many people also want stability; a well-organized, high-morale working environment and growth potential. Some look for an employer who can communicate clearly and who stays relatively calm even during times of high stress.
Take the time to sit down with each member, or potential member, of your crew and find out what each one wants in life. Ask about their goals and ambitions. Make sure they each understand what you expect from them, the level of production you demand, what one's compensation will be if he or she achieves this level, and how this will help them get the things they want out of life.
Your employee pay plan should reward high levels of production. It can even be tailored for each individual. One technician might work extra hard for a cash bonus while another might prefer paid vacation days for a reward. Just make sure you don't pay high wages or bonuses without also demanding high production. Many pay systems are based on hours on the job. These systems pay people who don't produce much the same wages as those who produce a lot. In companies with these systems, employees learn that if they just show up and look like they are working, they'll get paid. It is up to the owner to demand high production and to reward it. Don't reward the underachiever.
Make sure you have a system for tracking and monitoring production, and graph and post these statistics weekly. Your best employees will feel acknowledged and, hopefully, the worst will feel the need to improve. Each employee should be responsible for at least one statistic that measures the main thing he is producing on his job. For example, each technician's billable hours should be calculated weekly and depicted on a sheet of graph paper. Post these graphs so each employee knows where he stands. Employees need to know that their employment and pay is based on their level of production and its value to the company, and not on who they know or their personality or other arbitrary factors. An employer who does not enforce this kind of accountability from his employees is likely to make personnel decisions based on guesswork rather than facts.
An interesting question to ask any employee is, "Where does your paycheck come from?" Many will respond, "My boss." Some are closer to the mark when they say, "the customer." But the truth of the matter is that an employee's pay comes from his own hard work - his ability to produce quality products and services the business can then sell to customers for income and support.
The executive of a business must be able to organize the activities of the business and train employees so they will be able to produce valuable products. Most people want to achieve results they can be proud of and, to a great extent, it is up to the owner to make sure they can be proud of their products. It is an owner's responsibility to make sure each person who comes on board is given a clearly delineated job and is adequately trained so he understands how to do this job. He also needs to be shown what his job means to the rest of the crew and he needs to know about the overall product the company produces. Unless every employee is aware of how his job relates to the final product of the company, you will never really have an efficient team working together to achieve your goals.
Mandatory weekly meetings with your crew will strengthen the concept of a team - that you are not just a bunch of individuals running around frantically trying to get something done - and will give you a chance, as a team, to review how the shop did during the previous week. It is vital to stay positive in these meetings, to accentuate and focus on the production and improvements that were made in the previous week and to set targets for the upcoming week. Stay upbeat and don't let the meeting drag on. If a particular employee did something above and beyond the norm, acknowledge him or her in front of the group. If there are any corrections or improvements you want to see, go over those, too. However, never single someone out for correction in front of the group. If you're unhappy with someone, always address this with him privately.
Help each of your employees to see the priorities of the business correctly: first, to make sure the customer wins because without customers there is no purpose for the shop; and second, to make sure the shop is winning (viable) because without the shop, there is no purpose (or paycheck) for the employees. Finally, the employees have to win because if they can't win, they won't stay. Review these priorities at your team meetings and make sure everyone understands them.
Managing employees is a primary responsibility of an owner. Your success at it will be a reflection of your attitude toward the business. You set the tempo and the pace for your crew. If your standards are high, and you demonstrate your commitment to meeting these standards, they will follow. If you show genuine care for your people, they will respond.
10 Tips to Fast-Track Your Promotion
Getting a promotion involves more than just hard work.
Yes, you need to work hard, be dedicated and competent in your job to
get that big fat promotion. But in these competitive times, a lot more
goes into getting a good appraisal. So, we put together 10 tips that
can help improve your chances of a promotion.
1. Set a goal and a path to get there
First, figure out what’s the next role or job you want. Then, do what
it takes to get there, over and above your current job duties.
For instance, if you are a marketing executive and the next level is
to become a brand manager, there might be certain types of projects or
training that can enhance your skills and make you better suited for
your next job.
“The more initiative the employee takes based on his aspiration, the
faster he will learn,” says Sumit Mitra, executive vice-president of
human resources at Godrej Industries Ltd. Managers will eventually see
that you understand the new role and consider you for it.
2. Don’t wait to be spoon-fed
In this dynamic world, organizations and jobs are evolving all the
time and jobs are not simply a certain set of duties. Be on the
lookout for what’s changing around you and step up to take on extra
tasks when possible. It shows your drive, and perhaps helps the boss
out a little bit. Don’t wait for your manager to come and tell you
what else you should be doing. The promotion won’t come to you, you
need to reach out to get it.
“I would always be impressed by a person who takes a proactive
approach in taking on additional responsibilities,” says Nirmit
Parekh, managing director and chief executive officer of international
executive research firm 3P Consultants Pvt. Ltd. in Mumbai.
3. Be flexible and let it be known
Are you open to moving on to a new job function or to a different
location for work? If yes, let your superiors know. Sometimes managers
may perceive, for instance, that you might not want to move to another
location because your children are in school or your husband can’t
move, and thus pass you up for a promotion. Make sure you don’t get
tagged with this label.
Some companies, like Godrej, have systems by which you can let your
company know of your openness to moving. But if your company doesn’t,
“you should informally inform the human resources team; they will have
more visibility” of jobs across the company, says Mr. Mitra.
4. Mid-way feedback
The surest way to know if you are on the right track to where you want
to go is to ask. While most companies have a formal performance
appraisal process once a year, experts suggest that it might make
sense to check in with your boss informally, mid-way through the year.
This lets your boss know: “I’m here to learn, I’m here to contribute,
please let me know where I’m falling short,” says Mr. Parekh. “It also
makes the person who you’re asking (feel) respected.”
5. Turn challenges into opportunities
It sounds like self-help babble. But sometimes a promotion or
opportunity may really come your way in the form of a challenge, such
as a project in a remote part of the country.
If you sign up for it and do a good job, it shows management your
ability to handle pressure and your grit. “Going through these
challenges not only gives you a sense of newfound confidence, but also
gives you recognition that you are just not a peace-time general but a
successful war-time general,” says P. Dwarakanath, director of group
human capital at Max India Ltd., a financial and healthcare services
firm.
6. Be a problem-solver, not a complainer
If you’re working on a project and there is a roadblock, don’t go
running to your boss listing all the problems. “If you are expecting
your manager to find a solution then I think you are expecting a lot,”
says Rajalakshmi S., director of human resources at Pegasystems
Worldwide (India) Pvt. Ltd, a business process management firm in
Hyderabad.
Instead, be positive and try to figure out ways to solve the problem.
This can be a signal to your higher-ups that you have the ability to
handle more than just your current job, and might be ready for a
leadership role.
7. Find a mentor
If possible, find someone in your organization to help guide you on
what you need to do to move up and to improve your visibility in the
organization. This is especially helpful in very large companies where
younger employees may find it tough to know about various
opportunities.
Finding the right mentor might not be easy. Mr. Mitra of Godrej
advises looking for someone whose guidance and judgment you respect
and with whom you share some emotional connection.
8. Are your goals aligned with the company’s?
As organizations evolve rapidly, they are looking for leaders who
understand the company’s vision and whose goals are aligned with those
of the company. When possible, find ways to make it clear to your
superiors that, at the very least, you are interested in a long-term
career at the company that will involve advancement from your current
position.
9. Getting the boss equation right
Depending on the structure of your organization, your immediate
supervisor may have a little or a lot to do with your promotion. So,
keep him or her happy.
That doesn’t necessarily mean inviting the boss over to dinner at your
place every other week. Rather, you need to build trust and bonding at
a professional level. Following many of the tips above will help. Be a
team player and be the person who can be counted on when something
unexpected happens or there’s a crisis. Ultimately, you want “your
manager (to have) the confidence that you are reliable,” says Mr.
Dwarkanath.
If your boss is holding you back, make sure that you’re visible to
your boss’s boss, who likely will have a greater say in your
advancement. Don’t be thwarted just because you think your immediate
supervisor feels threatened by your promotion prospects.
10. Be patient.
It’s like job-hunting in a way. It requires a degree of karma. If you
are overlooked for a promotion, don’t sweat too much. Complaining and
whining could reduce your chance of being considered for the next one.
Obviously, if you keep being overlooked you need to figure out why
from your superiors.
But don’t read too much into the first or second time you get passed
over. The key is to keep your managers in the loop about your
accomplishments. “If there are gaps in communication, then even the
worthy many times do not get promoted,” says Ms. Rajalakshmi.
By Shefali Anand and Prerna Sodhi
from India Career Journal
Yes, you need to work hard, be dedicated and competent in your job to
get that big fat promotion. But in these competitive times, a lot more
goes into getting a good appraisal. So, we put together 10 tips that
can help improve your chances of a promotion.
1. Set a goal and a path to get there
First, figure out what’s the next role or job you want. Then, do what
it takes to get there, over and above your current job duties.
For instance, if you are a marketing executive and the next level is
to become a brand manager, there might be certain types of projects or
training that can enhance your skills and make you better suited for
your next job.
“The more initiative the employee takes based on his aspiration, the
faster he will learn,” says Sumit Mitra, executive vice-president of
human resources at Godrej Industries Ltd. Managers will eventually see
that you understand the new role and consider you for it.
2. Don’t wait to be spoon-fed
In this dynamic world, organizations and jobs are evolving all the
time and jobs are not simply a certain set of duties. Be on the
lookout for what’s changing around you and step up to take on extra
tasks when possible. It shows your drive, and perhaps helps the boss
out a little bit. Don’t wait for your manager to come and tell you
what else you should be doing. The promotion won’t come to you, you
need to reach out to get it.
“I would always be impressed by a person who takes a proactive
approach in taking on additional responsibilities,” says Nirmit
Parekh, managing director and chief executive officer of international
executive research firm 3P Consultants Pvt. Ltd. in Mumbai.
3. Be flexible and let it be known
Are you open to moving on to a new job function or to a different
location for work? If yes, let your superiors know. Sometimes managers
may perceive, for instance, that you might not want to move to another
location because your children are in school or your husband can’t
move, and thus pass you up for a promotion. Make sure you don’t get
tagged with this label.
Some companies, like Godrej, have systems by which you can let your
company know of your openness to moving. But if your company doesn’t,
“you should informally inform the human resources team; they will have
more visibility” of jobs across the company, says Mr. Mitra.
4. Mid-way feedback
The surest way to know if you are on the right track to where you want
to go is to ask. While most companies have a formal performance
appraisal process once a year, experts suggest that it might make
sense to check in with your boss informally, mid-way through the year.
This lets your boss know: “I’m here to learn, I’m here to contribute,
please let me know where I’m falling short,” says Mr. Parekh. “It also
makes the person who you’re asking (feel) respected.”
5. Turn challenges into opportunities
It sounds like self-help babble. But sometimes a promotion or
opportunity may really come your way in the form of a challenge, such
as a project in a remote part of the country.
If you sign up for it and do a good job, it shows management your
ability to handle pressure and your grit. “Going through these
challenges not only gives you a sense of newfound confidence, but also
gives you recognition that you are just not a peace-time general but a
successful war-time general,” says P. Dwarakanath, director of group
human capital at Max India Ltd., a financial and healthcare services
firm.
6. Be a problem-solver, not a complainer
If you’re working on a project and there is a roadblock, don’t go
running to your boss listing all the problems. “If you are expecting
your manager to find a solution then I think you are expecting a lot,”
says Rajalakshmi S., director of human resources at Pegasystems
Worldwide (India) Pvt. Ltd, a business process management firm in
Hyderabad.
Instead, be positive and try to figure out ways to solve the problem.
This can be a signal to your higher-ups that you have the ability to
handle more than just your current job, and might be ready for a
leadership role.
7. Find a mentor
If possible, find someone in your organization to help guide you on
what you need to do to move up and to improve your visibility in the
organization. This is especially helpful in very large companies where
younger employees may find it tough to know about various
opportunities.
Finding the right mentor might not be easy. Mr. Mitra of Godrej
advises looking for someone whose guidance and judgment you respect
and with whom you share some emotional connection.
8. Are your goals aligned with the company’s?
As organizations evolve rapidly, they are looking for leaders who
understand the company’s vision and whose goals are aligned with those
of the company. When possible, find ways to make it clear to your
superiors that, at the very least, you are interested in a long-term
career at the company that will involve advancement from your current
position.
9. Getting the boss equation right
Depending on the structure of your organization, your immediate
supervisor may have a little or a lot to do with your promotion. So,
keep him or her happy.
That doesn’t necessarily mean inviting the boss over to dinner at your
place every other week. Rather, you need to build trust and bonding at
a professional level. Following many of the tips above will help. Be a
team player and be the person who can be counted on when something
unexpected happens or there’s a crisis. Ultimately, you want “your
manager (to have) the confidence that you are reliable,” says Mr.
Dwarkanath.
If your boss is holding you back, make sure that you’re visible to
your boss’s boss, who likely will have a greater say in your
advancement. Don’t be thwarted just because you think your immediate
supervisor feels threatened by your promotion prospects.
10. Be patient.
It’s like job-hunting in a way. It requires a degree of karma. If you
are overlooked for a promotion, don’t sweat too much. Complaining and
whining could reduce your chance of being considered for the next one.
Obviously, if you keep being overlooked you need to figure out why
from your superiors.
But don’t read too much into the first or second time you get passed
over. The key is to keep your managers in the loop about your
accomplishments. “If there are gaps in communication, then even the
worthy many times do not get promoted,” says Ms. Rajalakshmi.
By Shefali Anand and Prerna Sodhi
from India Career Journal
Do Multinationals Really Understand Globalization?
Do Multinationals Really Understand Globalization?
The ability of global companies to leverage global opportunities is surprisingly shallow
By Navi Radjou and Prasad Kaipa
IBM (IBM) recently released two important reports on the rapidly changing global business environment: the 2010 CEO Study, which is based on interviews conducted with more than 1,500 chief executive officers worldwide; and the Global Student Study 2010, which is based on a survey of more than 3,600 graduate and undergraduate students worldwide.
Taken together, the studies compare side by side the value system, mindset, and management style of current-generation CEOs with those of the Millennials (aka Generation Y) who are poised to become future leaders. As we studied them carefully, we found a big discrepancy between the Millennials' view of globalization and its impact on organizations and that of present CEOs.
Most CEOs surveyed by IBM expect their business environment to get increasingly complex in coming years, driven by tectonic shifts in the macroeconomic environment: 76 percent of CEOs foresee a swift shift of economic power from the West to developing markets. We can't agree more: The Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) forecasts that the global share of gross domestic product (GDP) for developed economies will drop from 60 percent in 2000 to 43 percent in 2030. As a result, businesses will soon be operating in what we call a polycentric world—where Western centers of economic and geopolitical power will be interconnected with new centers of growth and influence in Asia, Africa, and South America.
The Task at Hand
A polycentric world is inherently complex due to its extreme diversity. Consider this: The already 250 million-strong Chinese middle class is expected to double in size in the coming decade and one global worker in four will be an Indian by 2020. The result? A massive increase in the diversity of the customer base and workforce of multinationals on a scale they have never experienced before. To effectively serve such a highly heterogeneous customer base and manage a highly multicultural employee base, CEOs of many multinationals will need to fundamentally redesign their monocultural (read: Western) and ethnocentric organizations. They will need to learn to juggle multiple business models, organizational practices, management structures, and even leadership styles in order to harness the growing diversity in the unpredictable global business environment.
Unfortunately, CEOs seem to underestimate the task at hand. Only 23 percent of CEOs surveyed believe that globalization will have a big impact on their organization in the next five years. Worse: While many Western CEOs claim that 50 percent to 60 percent of their future growth will come from emerging economies like India and China, another study shows that only 2 percent of their senior leadership currently hails from those fast-growing regions. This means that 98 out of 100 senior execs in Fortune 500 firms are defending obsolete business models in the old monocentric world (read: the U.S.), whereas only two of them are trying to restructure their organization for growth and success in the new polycentric world!
On the other hand, 55 percent of the Millennials that IBM surveyed expect globalization to massively change organizations in the future—and seem eager to contribute to those changes. After all, Millennials already live in a polycentric world and are fully aware of its extreme diversity—with their friends on Facebook and online gaming sites spanning multiple continents. As such, these culturally malleable Millennials welcome and celebrate the growing diversity in the globally interconnected business environment and are confident they can navigate through its complexity by leveraging their social networking skills and by focusing on continual learning.
Polycentric Organizations
The onus is on existing CEOs to redesign their organizations to leverage global diversity and the creative potential of Millennials (who will soon swell their employee base) in order to find innovative solutions for dealing with complexity in the postrecession global economy. To effectively compete and win in the emerging polycentric world, we believe, monolithic and ethnocentric multinationals must evolve into what we call polycentric organizations that reflect internally the growing external diversity and are able to learn and adapt continuously. Polycentric organizations not only tame but even capitalize on global complexity because of three noteworthy attributes:
1. They operate as a network. Polycentric organizations eschew hierarchical structures and silos —the death knell for developing empathy and harnessing diversity. Rather, they operate in a networked configuration, integrating creative talent and ideas from employees, suppliers, and customers across regions to meet the global demand for innovative products and services.
2. They are highly adaptive. Flexibility is key to learning dynamically and succeeding in extreme diversity. Polycentric organizations aren't wedded to a single European or U.S.-centric business model or organizational practice, but employ a diverse portfolio of strategies and approaches that allow them to quickly learn and adapt to new opportunities and threats in different regional markets.
3. They boast a global mindset. Polycentric organizations don't believe in a single "corporate culture," and allow multiple perspectives and value systems to co-exist within the same enterprise. They are also open to external ideas and actively collaborate with a rich network of partners. This diversity in thinking and action is reflected in the heterogeneity of their leadership team and how they make and execute their decisions.
Our research shows that a few visionary multinationals—some Western, some Eastern—have begun to embody and manifest the three key attributes of polycentric organizations.
For instance, both General Electric (GE) and Cisco Systems (CSCO) are de-Westernizing their firms and creating networked organizations by giving leaders in emerging markets global R&D remit and global profit-and-loss (P&L) responsibilities. John Chambers, Cisco's CEO, dispatched his top lieutenant, Wim Elfrink, to Bangalore to launch and run Cisco's Globalization Center East, which now works closely with the U.S.-based research and development teams to co-create affordable and sustainable solutions for both emerging and developed markets. Likewise, GE's CEO Jeffrey Immelt has made John Flannery, till recently the president and CEO for GE Capital in Asia, the head of GE's India operations, reporting directly to GE Vice-Chairman John Krenicki. For the first time in its history, GE now has a senior vice-president heading India, which from now on will be treated as one single, integrated business with its own P&L on par with any other global business unit of GE.
Globalization Strategies
Best Buy (BBY) has made adaptability the cornerstone of its globalization strategy. For example, Best Buy's astounding growth in China is due to the fact that it designed its local stores to be less transactional (as in the U.S.) and more experiential, giving Chinese customers plenty of space to browse and try out products before actually buying them.
Not to be undone by their Western rivals, next-gen multinationals from emerging markets like Tata Motors (TTM) and Lenovo (LNVGY) are diligently cultivating a global mindset by increasing the diversity of their leadership teams. For instance, Lenovo's chief marketing officer, chief operating officer, and many senior vice-presidents are all non-Chinese. Similarly, Ravi Kant, vice-chairman of Tata Motors, told us that the leadership team of recently acquired Jaguar Land Rover continues to make decisions and operate pretty much as before, and together with other Tata Motors units they are learning to operate with a global mindset. Finally, Suzlon Energy (SUEL:IN), India's wind energy pioneer, is tapping into globally distributed creativity thanks to its global innovation network with R&D hubs in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands.
The monocentric global economic order is rapidly being eclipsed by a polycentric world. Rather than keeping their enterprise locked into 20th century organizational structures and processes, CEOs of multinationals must leverage the Millennials to accelerate their firms' evolution into polycentric organizations that harness the diversity and capitalize on the complexity of the 21st century.
Navi Radjou is executive director of the Center for India & Global Business at Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge. Dr. Prasad Kaipa is a CEO coach and adviser; he has worked with more than 100 top executives and 30 Fortune 500 companies in the areas of leadership development and innovation.
Feeding the mind
Feeding the Mind
Lewis Carrol
Breakfast, dinner, tea; in extreme cases, breakfast, luncheon, dinner, tea, supper, a glass of something hot at bedtime. What care we take about feeding the lucky body! Which of us does as much for his mind? And what causes the difference? Is the body so much the more important of the two?
By no means; but life depends on the body being fed, where as we can continue to exist as animals (scarcely as men) though the mind be utterly starved and neglected. There fore, nature provides that in case of serious neglect of body, such terrible consequences of discomfort and pain shall ensue, as will soon bring us back to a sense of our duty; and some of the functions necessary to life she does for us altogether leaving us no chance in the matter. It would fare but ill with many of us if we were to superintend our own digestions and circulation. “Bless me!” one would cry, “I forgot to wind up my heart this morning! To think that it has been standing still for the last three hours!” “I can’t walk with you this afternoon,” a friend would say, “as I have no less than eleven dinner to digest. I had to let them stand over from last week, being so busy, and my doctor says he will not answer for the consequences if I wait any longer!”
Well, it is, I say, for us that consequences of neglecting the body can be clearly seen and felt; and it might be well for some if the mind were equally visible and tangible – if we could take it, say, to the doctor, and have its pulse felt. “Why, what have you been doing with this mind lately? How have you fed it? It looks pale, and the pulse is very slow.” “Well, doctor, it has not had much regular food lately. I gave it a lot of sugar plums yesterday.” “Sugar plums! What kind?”
“Well, they were a parcel of conundrums, Sir.”
“Ah, I thought so. Now just mind this: if you go on playing tricks like that, you will spoil its teeth and get laid up with mental indigestion. You must have nothing but the plainest reading for the next few days. Take care now! No novels on any account!”
Considering the amount of painful experience many of us have had in feeding and dosing the body, it would, I think, be quite worth our while to try and translate some of the rules into corresponding ones for the mind.
First we should set ourselves to provide for our mind its proper kind of food. We very soon learn what will, and what will not, agree with the body, and find little difficulty in refusing a piece of the tempting pudding or pie which is associated in our memory with that terrible attack of indigestion and whose very name irresistibly recalls rhubarb and magnesia.Top Five Regrets of the Dying
Top Five Regrets of the Dying
By Bronnie WareFor many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives.
People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learned never to underestimate someone’s capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them.
When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:
1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me
This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.It is very important to try and honor at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realize, until they no longer have it.
2. I wish I didn’t work so hard
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends
Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.
Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Caste as social capital
Caste as social capital
http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/column_caste-as-social-capital_1387350
May 24, 2010, By R Vaidyanathan | Place: Mumbai
Caste is back. It is likely to be part of the 2011 census. It was part of the decennial censuses between 1881 and 1931.
Of the 1929 castes aggregated in the 1881 census, 1126 [58%] had population of less than 1000; 275 less than ten. A large number of them were single member castes. The British had created a social "hierarchy" on the basis of caste in that Census.
The alienated metropolitan rootless wonders (AMROWs) and other assorted experts are upset since they have concluded that caste is bad. They want to be counted in the censusas "Indian".
Every Indian is expected to feel guilty, whenever caste is mentioned and talked about. In international fora, caste is used as a stick to beat anything connected to Indian religions, customs, and culture. In other words, caste for Indians has been turned into what "holocaust" is for Germans and Austrians.
We have an uncanny ability for self-flagellation. But more tragic is our enthusiasm to convert all our strengths into weaknesses since some white men and missionaries started denigrating Indians on the issue of caste.
We fail to recognise that it is a valuable social capital, which provides cushion for individuals and families in dealing with society at large, and more particularly the State. The Anglo-Saxon model of atomised individuals in a contract-based system and forcing him to have a direct link with the State has had disastrous effects in the west where families have been destroyed and communities have been forgotten.
Every person is standing alone, stark naked with only rights as his imaginary clothes to deal directly with the State.
The State also does not have the benefit of concentric circles of cushions to deal with individuals. Caste has been made a curse by our intellectuals based on the half-baked knowledge and acceptance of the Euro-centric individual-based model, which is based on rights and contracts rather than relationships and duty.
At a basic level, caste promotes heterogeneity. Heterogeneous and distributive systems are more stable and long-lasting than homogeneous and centralised systems. Caste is a major bulwark against homogenisation tendencies of systems like Marxism, Maoism or Savarkarism or the Semitic faiths. We should realise that "our strength is our diversity" and acceptance of the "other". It is much more than "multicultural tolerance".
It is also assumed that caste is a rigid hierarchical system which is oppressive. But as observed by the renowned sociologist Dipankar Gupta that "In fact, it is more realistic to say that there are probably as many hierarchies as there are castes in India. To believe that there is a single caste order to which every caste, from Brahman to untouchable, acquiesce ideologically, is a gross misreading of facts on the ground" The truth is that no caste, howsoever lowly placed it may be, accepts the reason for its degradation"(Dipankar Gupta in Interrogating Caste; pp1; Penguin Books 2000)
History does not support the thesis of caste discrimination. If it were as oppressive as it is portrayed then there should have been massive and regular caste wars in the last thousand years. There have not been any. If it has survived thousands of years then there is some inherent strength in it. The renowned Gandhian, Dharampal has demonstrated that data for Madras, Punjab and Bengal Presidency for 1800 to 1830 shows that the majority enrolled in the schools were from OBC and SC categories.
Caste has played an important role in the consolidation of business and entrepreneurship particularly in the last fifty or so years. The World Bank suggests that the remarkable growth of Tirupur is due to the coordinated efforts of Gounders, many of whom not even matriculates. "(World Development report, 2002 pp175; The World Bank). In a financial sense caste provides the edge in being a risk taker since failure is recognised and condoned and sometimes even encouraged by the group.
We have the exhaustive Economic Census of 2005, conducted by the Central Statistical Organization (CSO) which covers 41.83 million enterprises engaged in different economic activities.The survey finds that more than 50 per cent of the enterprises are owned by SC/ST/OBC categories.
As MN Srinivas, doyen of sociologists, pointed out that "An important feature of social mobility in modern India is the manner in which the successful members of the backward castes work consistently for improving the economic and social condition of their caste-fellows. This is due to the sense of identification with one's own caste, and also a realisation that caste mobility is essential for individual or familial mobility"(Collected Essays; pp196-197, OUP2005).
Caste should be counted in 2011 census for all religions since every religion has caste even though we pretend it does not exist. It is required for policy planners and experts to work on a road map to calibrate changes based upon the census. We may have to enumerate a new caste called "Indian" consisting of the AMROWS mentioned above.
http://www.dnaindia.com/
May 24, 2010, By R Vaidyanathan | Place: Mumbai
Caste is back. It is likely to be part of the 2011 census. It was part of the decennial censuses between 1881 and 1931.
Of the 1929 castes aggregated in the 1881 census, 1126 [58%] had population of less than 1000; 275 less than ten. A large number of them were single member castes. The British had created a social "hierarchy" on the basis of caste in that Census.
The alienated metropolitan rootless wonders (AMROWs) and other assorted experts are upset since they have concluded that caste is bad. They want to be counted in the censusas "Indian".
Every Indian is expected to feel guilty, whenever caste is mentioned and talked about. In international fora, caste is used as a stick to beat anything connected to Indian religions, customs, and culture. In other words, caste for Indians has been turned into what "holocaust" is for Germans and Austrians.
We have an uncanny ability for self-flagellation. But more tragic is our enthusiasm to convert all our strengths into weaknesses since some white men and missionaries started denigrating Indians on the issue of caste.
We fail to recognise that it is a valuable social capital, which provides cushion for individuals and families in dealing with society at large, and more particularly the State. The Anglo-Saxon model of atomised individuals in a contract-based system and forcing him to have a direct link with the State has had disastrous effects in the west where families have been destroyed and communities have been forgotten.
Every person is standing alone, stark naked with only rights as his imaginary clothes to deal directly with the State.
The State also does not have the benefit of concentric circles of cushions to deal with individuals. Caste has been made a curse by our intellectuals based on the half-baked knowledge and acceptance of the Euro-centric individual-based model, which is based on rights and contracts rather than relationships and duty.
At a basic level, caste promotes heterogeneity. Heterogeneous and distributive systems are more stable and long-lasting than homogeneous and centralised systems. Caste is a major bulwark against homogenisation tendencies of systems like Marxism, Maoism or Savarkarism or the Semitic faiths. We should realise that "our strength is our diversity" and acceptance of the "other". It is much more than "multicultural tolerance".
It is also assumed that caste is a rigid hierarchical system which is oppressive. But as observed by the renowned sociologist Dipankar Gupta that "In fact, it is more realistic to say that there are probably as many hierarchies as there are castes in India. To believe that there is a single caste order to which every caste, from Brahman to untouchable, acquiesce ideologically, is a gross misreading of facts on the ground" The truth is that no caste, howsoever lowly placed it may be, accepts the reason for its degradation"(Dipankar Gupta in Interrogating Caste; pp1; Penguin Books 2000)
History does not support the thesis of caste discrimination. If it were as oppressive as it is portrayed then there should have been massive and regular caste wars in the last thousand years. There have not been any. If it has survived thousands of years then there is some inherent strength in it. The renowned Gandhian, Dharampal has demonstrated that data for Madras, Punjab and Bengal Presidency for 1800 to 1830 shows that the majority enrolled in the schools were from OBC and SC categories.
Caste has played an important role in the consolidation of business and entrepreneurship particularly in the last fifty or so years. The World Bank suggests that the remarkable growth of Tirupur is due to the coordinated efforts of Gounders, many of whom not even matriculates. "(World Development report, 2002 pp175; The World Bank). In a financial sense caste provides the edge in being a risk taker since failure is recognised and condoned and sometimes even encouraged by the group.
We have the exhaustive Economic Census of 2005, conducted by the Central Statistical Organization (CSO) which covers 41.83 million enterprises engaged in different economic activities.The survey finds that more than 50 per cent of the enterprises are owned by SC/ST/OBC categories.
As MN Srinivas, doyen of sociologists, pointed out that "An important feature of social mobility in modern India is the manner in which the successful members of the backward castes work consistently for improving the economic and social condition of their caste-fellows. This is due to the sense of identification with one's own caste, and also a realisation that caste mobility is essential for individual or familial mobility"(Collected Essays; pp196-197, OUP2005).
Caste should be counted in 2011 census for all religions since every religion has caste even though we pretend it does not exist. It is required for policy planners and experts to work on a road map to calibrate changes based upon the census. We may have to enumerate a new caste called "Indian" consisting of the AMROWS mentioned above.
Happiness-Khushwant Singh's prescription
Happiness-Khushwant Singh's prescription
One on the most convincing pieces on happiness
Khushwant Singh at his best. The rationale applied to each preference is
absolutely top class.
EIGHT CLUES TO HAPPINESS
By- KHUSHWANT SINGH
Having lived a reasonably contented life, I was musing over what a person should
strive for to achieve happiness. I drew up a list of a few essentials which I
put forward for the readers' appraisal.
1. First and foremost is GOOD HEALTH. If you do not enjoy good health you can
never be happy. Any ailment, however trivial, will deduct from your happiness.
2. Second, A HEALTHY BANK BALANCE. It need not run into crores but should be
enough to provide for creature comforts and something to spare for recreation,
like eating out, going to the pictures, travelling or going on holidays on the
hills or by the sea. Shortage of money can be only demoralizing. Living on
credit or borrowing is demeaning and lowers one in one's own eyes.
3. Third, A HOME OF YOUR OWN. Rented premises can never give you the snug
feeling of a nest which is yours for keeps that a home provides: if it has a
garden space, all the better. Plant your own trees and flowers, see them grow
and blossom, cultivate a sense of kinship with them.
4. Fourth, AN UNDERSTANDING COMPANION, be it your spouse or a friend. If there
are too many misunderstandings, they will rob you of your peace of mind. It is
better to be divorced than to bicker all the time.
5. Fifth, ENVY towards those who have done better than you in life; risen
higher, made more money, or earned more fame. Envy can be very corroding; avoid
comparing yourself with others.
6. Sixth, DO NOT ALLOW OTHER PEOPLE to descend on you for gup-shup. By the time
you get rid of them, you will feel exhausted and poisoned by their
gossip-mongering.
7. Seventh, CULTIVATE SOME HOBBIES which can bring you a sense of fulfilment,
such as gardening, reading, writing, painting, playing or listening to music.
Going to clubs or parties to get free drinks or to meet celebrities is criminal
waste of time.
8. Eighth, every morning and evening, devote 15 minutes toINTROSPECTION. In the
morning, 10 minutes should be spent on stilling the mind and then five in
listing things you have to do that day. In the evening, five minutes to still
the mind again, and ten to go over what you had undertaken to do.
RICHNESS is not Earning More, Spending More Or Saving More, but ...
"RICHNESS IS WHEN YOU NEED NO MORE"
Khushwant Singh at his best. The rationale applied to each preference is
absolutely top class.
EIGHT CLUES TO HAPPINESS
By- KHUSHWANT SINGH
Having lived a reasonably contented life, I was musing over what a person should
strive for to achieve happiness. I drew up a list of a few essentials which I
put forward for the readers' appraisal.
1. First and foremost is GOOD HEALTH. If you do not enjoy good health you can
never be happy. Any ailment, however trivial, will deduct from your happiness.
2. Second, A HEALTHY BANK BALANCE. It need not run into crores but should be
enough to provide for creature comforts and something to spare for recreation,
like eating out, going to the pictures, travelling or going on holidays on the
hills or by the sea. Shortage of money can be only demoralizing. Living on
credit or borrowing is demeaning and lowers one in one's own eyes.
3. Third, A HOME OF YOUR OWN. Rented premises can never give you the snug
feeling of a nest which is yours for keeps that a home provides: if it has a
garden space, all the better. Plant your own trees and flowers, see them grow
and blossom, cultivate a sense of kinship with them.
4. Fourth, AN UNDERSTANDING COMPANION, be it your spouse or a friend. If there
are too many misunderstandings, they will rob you of your peace of mind. It is
better to be divorced than to bicker all the time.
5. Fifth, ENVY towards those who have done better than you in life; risen
higher, made more money, or earned more fame. Envy can be very corroding; avoid
comparing yourself with others.
6. Sixth, DO NOT ALLOW OTHER PEOPLE to descend on you for gup-shup. By the time
you get rid of them, you will feel exhausted and poisoned by their
gossip-mongering.
7. Seventh, CULTIVATE SOME HOBBIES which can bring you a sense of fulfilment,
such as gardening, reading, writing, painting, playing or listening to music.
Going to clubs or parties to get free drinks or to meet celebrities is criminal
waste of time.
8. Eighth, every morning and evening, devote 15 minutes toINTROSPECTION. In the
morning, 10 minutes should be spent on stilling the mind and then five in
listing things you have to do that day. In the evening, five minutes to still
the mind again, and ten to go over what you had undertaken to do.
RICHNESS is not Earning More, Spending More Or Saving More, but ...
"RICHNESS IS WHEN YOU NEED NO MORE"
Competency Mapping
Competency Mapping
Shashank Ahluwalia
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"This is to certify that this article "Competency Mapping" is written by Shashank Ahluwalia and is her original work. This article has not been published elsewhere and has not been given to any other publisher for publication. I also agree to have this declaration published with the article if it needs to be".
------------------------------
Access to competencies, rather than access to cash, is the most critical driver growth.
Competency is a result of ability and willingness. It is a cluster of knowledge, skill, abilities, underlying personal characteristics that drive resultant behavior leading to success or superior performance on the job. Competency is a set of observable behavioral statements. It could be related to organization mission, vision, strategy, internal and external customer satisfaction and expectation, departmental focus areas. Thus it is the ability and positive attitude or also can be defined as combination of 2 components – Knowledge and Skill.
In today's world it is becoming increasingly very important to build on the competitive activities of the business, particularly regarding what competencies a business needs to have in order to compete in a specific environment. Top management is identifying corporate core competencies and working to establish them throughout the organization. HR development builds competency based models that drive business results. Competency modeling addresses the development of people from process design through succession. But most of the organizations of all sizes are still struggling with defining, designing and implementing competency model projects.
The process is completely customizable. The decisions of competency design are driven by number of organizational factors, including management philosophy, customer requirements, business needs and in place processes. These factors vary from one organization to another, requiring a customized approach to competencies in the workplace. Customization is essential to the overall success of competency efforts, since every organization must integrate competency concepts into its own job design, recruitment, hiring orientation, development and succession planning processes. Competency Mapping is a process of identifying key competencies for a company or institution and the jobs and functions within it. Competency Mapping is important and is essential exercise. Every well managed firm should be well defined roles and list of competencies required to perform each role effectively. Such list should be used for recruitment, performance management, promotions, placements and training needs identification.
The competency framework serves as the bedrock for all HR applications. As a result of competency mapping, all the HR processes like talent induction, management development, appraisals and training yield much better results. The competency mapping process does not fit the ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL formula. It has to be specific to the user organization. It is important to focus on one or two key areas of implementation rather than the whole HRD agenda in one scoop. So if recruitment and selection or performance management is the key strategic need of the business and where the pain is being felt, start there. It is advisable to begin with a "Horizontal Slice" of management or the senior most team as the benefits will percolate down to the whole organization. It's about identifying preferred behaviors and personal skills which distinguish excellent and outstanding performance from the average. The use of competencies can include assessment during recruitment, assessment during further development, as a profile during assessment to guide future development needs, succession planning and promotion, organization development analysis.
Competency Mapping is a process through which one assesses and determines one's strengths as an individual worker in some cases, as a part of the organization. It generally examines 2 areas emotional intelligence and emotional quotient and strengths of an individual in areas like team structure, leadership and decision making. Large organizations frequently employ some form of competency mapping to understand how to most effectively employ the competencies of strengths of workers. They may also use competency mapping to analyze the combination of strengths in different workers to produce the most effective teams and higher quality work.
How is Competency mapped for an individual?
Competency Mapping is essential and vital as they provide clear picture of what is expected from the employees to achieve excellent performance. Improving employee competency is important because organization in this competitive era need to have a competitive edge. This is must for employee's optimum performance. An individual has to be profiled in terms of levels of knowledge application and attitudes on the measurement of scale of each competencies that we identify. This process and profiling becomes inconvenient if we divide our area of working or the job family into 3 constituents – Vital, Essential and Desirable and then an expected calibration is done on the measurement of scale of each competency. In such cases there can be ranging ramplifications or the so called gaps between the position profile and the person profile which in turn gives birth to what is called as training needs.
Competency Mapping can also be done for contract or free lance workers, or for those seeking employment to emphasize the specific skills which would make them valuable to a potential employer. These kinds of skills can be determined when one is ready to do work. Competency Mapping also requires some thought time, analysis and some people simply may not want to do work involved to sufficiently map competencies.
The value of competency mapping and identifying emotional strengths is that many employers now purposefully screen employees to hire people with specific competencies. They may need to hire someone who can be an effective time leader or who has demonstrated great active listening skills. A problem with competency mapping especially when conducting by an organization is that there may be no room for an individual to work in a field that would best make use of his or her competencies. If the company does not respond to competency mapping by reorganizing its employees, then it can be of little short term benefit and may actually result in greater unhappiness on the part of individual employees. A person identified as needing to learn new things in order to remain happy might find himself or herself in a position where no new training is ever required. If the employer cannot provide a position for an employer that fits him or her better, competency mapping may be of little use.
However competency mapping can ultimately serve the individual who decides to seek employment in an environment where he or she perhaps can learn new things and be more intellectually challenged. Being able to list competencies on resumes and address this area with potential employers may help secure more satisfying work. This may not resolve issues for the company that initially employed competency mapping without making suggested changes. It may find competency mapping has produced dissatisfied workers or led to a high work turnover rate.
Over the past 10 years, human resource and organization development professionals have generated a lot of interest in the notion of competencies as a key element and measure of human performance. Competencies are becoming a frequently used and written about vehicle for organization applications like assessing the current performance and future development needs of persons holding job and roles, mapping succession possibilities for employees within the organization, assigning compensation grades and levels to particular jobs and roles.
A competency map is a list of an individual's competencies that represent the factors most critical to success in the given jobs, department, organizations or industries that are a part of individuals current career plan. Competency mapping is a process an individual uses to identify and describe competencies that are most critical to success in a work situation or work role. The main need for identifying and mapping competencies is for individuals who may be pursuing full time employment within the organization. However the need for mapping of competencies also extends to independent contractors seeking project work with those organizations that broker their services.
For example:-
· Determining what competencies is the employer looking for?
ü Use the job description: - The companies that employ behavioral interviewing have predetermined the skill sets they require for a particular position.
ü If you don't have job description – research the company
ü Look at other similar job postings
· Assessing the Leadership Competency Profiles for executives:-
The leadership competency profile for executives contains 6 competencies. These are broadly defined as multiple concepts are found within their definitions. For instance in case of competency "Coaching and Team Development", the definition integrates 2 important elements. The first element focuses on acting as a coach; the second element which is congruent with the first one has to do with being a change agent and championing change.
The approach is somewhat different than other interview techniques as the interviews must truly understand the situation that the candidate faced, what the candidate did, said or felt and why they did so and the consequence of action. Because of this requirement interviews will often take the form of a conversation where the candidate does 80% of talking.
Being ignorant is not so much a shame as being unwilling to learn to do things the right way.
--Benjamin Franklin
--Socrates
"In a nutshell, educated persons are those who can choose wisely and courageously under any circumstances. If they have the ability to choose between wisdom and foolishness, between good and bad, between virtuousness and vulgarities, regardless of the academic degrees they have, then they are educated."
Shashank Ahluwalia has done her Bachelor's in Computer Applications from Punjab University, Chandigarh and is currently pursuing her Master's in Business Administration from Amity University. Very determined and passionate, aspires to make an excellent career in HR ahead. She is presently undergoing learning and strategy sessions and can be reached at shashank.ahluwalia86@gmail.com
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