Things that can destroy your career

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When it comes to career, we love to grow. However, in this voyage of growth and success, sometimes we forget what is right and what is wrong. Sometimes deliberately and sometimes inadvertently, we end up doing certain things which will end up damaging our career. So, what are those? 

1) Politics: There are two categories of people in an organization. The first category comprises of those who value work relationship and would try and strengthen them. The second category comprises of those who enjoy creating rivalry, clash and contention. This category of people love to bring in confusion and thereby encourage conflicts between team members. For them, the whole idea is to ensure some team members come in the bad books of other team members. Well, although, the second category of people presume that whatever they are doing is cool, they are wrong. Sooner than later, their filthy temperament will come in light and their doors of success and growth will be permanently closed. 

2) Aversion to change: Nothing is permanent but change. Still there are people who dread change. If a new technology comes up, they are scared of learning that because they assume, they may be asked to move to a different team to work on a new project. The question here is, what is there to fear? You are getting an opportunity to learn something new. You try and learn. If you learn, you can add one more skill in you resume. If you are unable to learn despite trying, at least your conscience and your supervisor will be happy that you tried. It’s your positive attitude that will be appreciated. Saying no to learn something new just because you are scared is utterly wrong. 

3) Clock Watching: Deliberately working slow to avoid more work, or not attending calls and meetings or not jumping in to solve a critical problem just because your works hours are over, will end in ruining your career. Your employer, your supervisor, your team members will get the message regarding how sloppy worker you are. 

4) Not taking action: You are aware of a problem and you won’t disclose it to the concerned authorities because you feel too lazy to do that or because you are worried that it might lead to more work or because you feel that is not your duty, is a trait which will roll you downhill in your career. You will stand nowhere, and your skill sets will go down the drain. 

5) Bad-mouthing employers: Posting negative comments about employers on social media, be it with names or anonymously, is immensely hazardous for your career. It is easy for employers and prospective employers to track who posted detrimental comments. 

6) Too much of comfort: Sometimes you are so comfortable in your profile that you don’t want to budge from there and learn something new. This can prove to be poison for your career. Being comfortable is one thing and not wishing to learn new stuff just because you don’t want to bring in some discomfort to your comfort zone is another thing. 

7) Giving away confidential information: The moment you disclose confidential information of an organization, you are doing something unethical and illegal. Also, you are tarnishing your credibility and your scruples. Also, there are chances that your prospective employers may presume that if you can disclose confidential information about one organization, you can disclose confidential information about any organization. Employers will doubt your integrity and where there is doubt, there is no growth. 

8) Not delivering as promised: You promise stuff and you don’t deliver. You miss deadlines, you have no answer for the problems in client meetings and you end up cutting a sorry figure. Be true to yourself and your clients. Give your best but don’t make promises which you cannot fulfill.

Solving Problems at Workplace

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 Problems come in varied forms. While the best way to handle a problem is to stay calm and then work on it, many of us either try to escape, put the blame on someone else or get panic attacks. And why do we want to escape from problems and why do we get panic attacks? Because we are worried that, if we don’t provide the perfect solution, there will be conflicts. And it is human nature to be averse to conflicts. 

Whenever a problem comes up, instead of blame game or panicking, it is always wise to consider this as an opportunity of bettering the system and work relationships. Here are some tips on solving problems the right way: 

1) Accept and understand the fact that you can never come up with a solution immediately then and there. It is neither easy nor feasible. It takes time. 

2) Understand the problem. Listen to people about their views of the problem and then list them. 

3) Interests matter. Every individual will have a different view of the problem based on his/her interest. Hence understand the interests and do not mix those with possible solutions. 

4) Brainstorm and list the options. 

5) Document every aspect of discussions, suggestions and possible solutions. 

6) Involve the right people. If you think someone can else can handle the problem better than you, involve that person. All the same, do not forget that you are the lead here and you must extend support and lend helping hand to that person throughout. 

7) Evaluate and see. You can always see how the solution works for couple of months and then you can take a call. 

Always remember, it takes time and in-depth attention to details to solve a problem. Sometimes you find a solution and go ahead, but you may need to turn around and come back to the starting point as well. Solving a problem may seem uncomfortable initially, but eventually you will be able to handle it well. 

Sources: 

https://hbr.org/podcast/2016/12/the-secret-to-better-problem-solving 

https://www.mediate.com/articles/thicks.cfm 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/07/16/14-critical-first-steps-to-solving-a-problem/?sh=72aa4f5e1cc4

Laughter at work place

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 Well, there are many of us who are against laughter at workplace. Why? Well, because some of us want to continue depicting the image of an overtly serious employee, who is strictly focused only on work and nothing else. While some of us are worried that we will be taken for granted as a ‘manager’, while some of us are apprehensive of offending someone presuming our jokes may be lame. But, did you know, that humor in good taste is one of the keys to success? Well, not just that. There are some pivotal reasons for which you must add good humor in your work life. No, you do not have to be a stand-up comedian. But, if you can make people laugh with funny jokes which do not hurt anyone’s sentiments, then why not spread laughter? So, why is humor important in workplace: 

1. Creativity: People tend to think better when they are de-stressed. Laughter is one wonderful way to de-stress and calm the mind. 
2. Approachable: People who laugh and can make others laugh are more approachable than people who are exceedingly serious. Although people with serious mindset tend to believe that humor can make people taken for granted, that is not true. As a matter of fact, outstandingly serious people are sometimes not taken seriously because of their demeanor. Rather, people with good sense of humor are taken more seriously because such people tend to create a beautiful bond. 
3. People enjoy working: Humor, used positively, is a wonderful way to win friends and make people like you. When people like you, they enjoy working with you as well. 
4. Humanizing: In this world full of stress, people find solace in humor. The relationship between colleagues become better. People look forward to coming to work, because they know that despite work stress, there will be moments of laughter at work, which will rejuvenate them. 
5. Trust: Yes, humor helps in building trust. People with positive sense of humor are often viewed as authentic people underneath the professional cloak. 

Sources: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/05/03/10-reasons-why-humor-is-a-key-to-success-at-work/?sh=2832cc8b5c90 https://hbr.org/2018/11/the-benefits-of-laughing-in-the-office

Speaking the right way in conference calls / telephone meetings

 

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Many of us are more comfortable sending an email or a text message rather than explaining stuff over the telephone, why so? 

Because in emails and text messages, we can proofread, re-read, change the words, sentences and then finally send the message. Whereas, when it comes to speaking on the phone, there are times when we are jittery, we need to grope for words, we are not sure how to explain every little thing with clarity, sometimes doubt engulfs us and sometimes fear. With all the above concerns troubling us we tend to become immensely conscious while speaking with someone over the phone. 

All the same, with the pandemic wreaking havoc in this world and people working from home, telephone meetings, conference calls have become a norm. Hence, the better we are equipped with telephone etiquette, the easier it becomes for us to grow in the realm of our jobs. Here are some tips to better our speaking skills over the telephone: 

1. Be aware of your tone: Remember, the person/people at the other end of the call cannot see you. They will comprehend your personality and attitude based on your tone. Refrain from speaking in a monotone. Do not sound distracted and impolite. Talk in a pleasant tone. 
2. Do not Multitask: Since people can’t see us in telephone meetings, there are times when we are tempted to do other tasks while still being on the call. This results in missing important points. Also, when we are distracted, we tend to make awkward pauses while talking. Listeners do feel that tone of distraction. Pay attention when others are talking. Ensure you focus thoroughly on your speech when it is your turn to talk. 
3. Take care of your pace of talking: Some of us tend to talk very fast and some of us use a lot of fillers like ‘um, uh, like, you know’. This affects the credibility of our speech. Hence use your words carefully and speak in a pace wherein there is clarity. Avoid usage of slangs, jargons. 
4. Identify yourself: Do not assume that listeners will recognize your voice. Hence, identify your voice for the first couple of times till the listeners recognize your voice. 
5. Use names when it comes to asking questions or soliciting opinions: Instead of asking, ‘What do you think?’, you can direct the question to someone, who you know, has knowledge and experience in that subject. For example, ‘Arpita and Rohan, you guys have a lot of experience in this sphere. Could you share your views?’ 
6. Body Language: Although the listeners cannot see you, your posture can depict your confidence in your voice. Sit up straight and don’t forget to smile. The listeners can feel the smile in your voice. 
7. Use a good quality headset: Talking on the speaker phone tends to muffle the voices. A good headset is always a better option. At the start of the call, do check with the listeners if they can hear you. 
8. Listen actively: Please listen without interruption. Use verbal nods like, ‘Okay, uh-huh, that’s interesting, so on and so forth.’ That will let the other person know that you are listening. Take notes. Once they are done talking, you can put forth your questions. 
9. Seek permission before placing anyone on hold: Putting someone on hold without informing them is rude. Never leave anyone on hold for 15 to 20 seconds or more. If you think you may need to put them on hold for some more time, you might as well offer calling them back at a time suitable for them. 

Sources: 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/06/28/speak-with-impact-12-tips-for-better-telephone-meetings/?sh=4e3d66807678

Writing an analysis report

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Writing a analysis report seems like an arduous task. However, if we know the significant things to focus on, things become breeze. So, how do we go about it? Here are some tips:

1) Keep in mind your final presentation. Tell yourself what exactly you want to talk about in your report. Remember, you will have to present the report to busy stakeholders and ensure you meet their expectation and the deadline. Hence, when you can visualize what your final presentation should look like, you will be immensely productive. Don’t forget to review SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) pertaining to the area of discussion.

2) Stakeholders play the pivotal role here. You must know for whom you are writing this report. Keep in mind the following things:

a) A thing of utmost importance is identifying the decision makers and convincing them. Well, since they are at the highest level of management, they might not be interested in minute details of the problems. They would be more interested in the recommendations and resolutions. Hence, focus on those.  

b) SMEs are immensely important when it comes to analyzing the issue and making report analysis. Spend time with them. They are the ones who are detail oriented. Pay undivided attention to the points they talk about and, always discuss the problems transparently.

3) Know how you are going to deliver the report, whether it will be in the form of a document or a presentation, or both. If you are planning to deliver the report in the form of presentation:

a) Tell your audience what you are going to say.

b) Tell them all.

c) And finally, reiterate. Tell them what you said. 

4) Structuring your report is the most significant sphere when it comes to delivering your report as a document.  

a) Write a perfect introduction. Explain the reason for writing this business analysis report and ensure you mention what is the final focus on. For example, if you are looking at funding, justify the reasons as to how it will help in achieving company’s goals, strengths and mission statements.

b) Your approach should be informative but not boring. Provide information but understand you do not need to go to the depth of details, especially if you are presenting this to highly powerful stakeholders. Mention the tools and explain why they are helpful.

c) Mention the techniques used and their outcome. You don’t have to go through the process maps in in-depth details, however, ensure you pick up the important facets of process maps. The idea is to make people aware that you can spot problems. You don’t have to talk about who gave the ideas. The reason, there could be conflict between people, and you never know who has conflict with whom. Hence, talk about why an idea should be implemented rather than who gave the idea.

d) Summarize: Always use figures. Figures tell better stories. Leaders usually like reports depicting figures. Figures display the impact of space, time and money.

5) Summarizing Recommendations: Finally, summarize your recommendations. Don’t forget to categorize them. You can try to categorize recommendations for example by buckets like People, Process and System or by Time frames like short-term, mid-term and long-term.

 

Sources:

https://www.ba-guru.com/business-analyst-report/

https://bizfluent.com/how-7535399-write-business-analysis-report.html

 

 

Changing your behavior at Workplace

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Changing your behavior at Workplace

Well, we all have some positive traits and some negative traits. And that is human nature. All the same, there are times when our behavior troubles others at workplace. Sometimes we are aware of it, sometimes we are not. If we are aware of it, wouldn’t it be nice to change it? So, how do we go about it? All we need to remember is the acronym AMESH:

1. Awareness: A problem can be solved only if we are aware of it. It is absolutely okay to seek feedback from our co workers to know that.

2. Motivation: There are times when we know we have a problem in our behavior, yet we do not want to acknowledge it. If someone comes and tells us about it, we may have a tendency to reject it. That way we are never motivated to change our behavior. All the same, if we understand the fact that our behavior is affecting others in a negative way, we can inspire ourselves to change our behavior. Motivating ourselves to change is a significant step.

3. Education: Once we understand and we are willing to change our demeanor, we can educate ourselves about the specific problems we have in our approach. For example, some of us may have attitude issues, some of us may have communication issues, some of us may not like to take ownership of certain tasks, etc. Once we know where our problems lie, we can find solutions to all those problems in us.

4. Substitution: Once we stop a specific behavior, a replacement naturally comes up. For example, if we have the habit of complaining about every little thing, if we stop that habit, eventually we start appreciating things. Similarly, if we have the habit of talking loudly, if we try to curb that, eventually we start speaking softly. So, we need to know which inappropriate behavior we should delete and which positive behavior should we bring in.

5. Habits: Yes, habits die hard. It will take time to cultivate new habits. However, once they form, they will be there. Hence, never give up. People will eventually notice the change in you. Yes, they may not applaud you but nonetheless you will find that they are happy to work with you.

 

Sources:

https://hbr.org/2015/10/a-simple-formula-for-changing-our-behavior?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=hbr&fbclid=IwAR29f18GjDLFUXpBx-sapgiuqyKhMD_kYmJqbPholHEvkyzsE1Dewel_3BI

 

https://www.yourofficecoach.com/coaching-resources/career-success/self-help-strategies/how-to-change-your-behavior#:~:text=To%20become%20more%20effective%20at,%2C%20Substitution%2C%20and%20Habit%20Replacement.

Communicating with the 'Mask' on

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With the Covid19 virus scare, the entire world has adapted to the mandatory need of wearing masks and maintaining social distance. While this is certainly ‘the way’ to control the spread of virus, communicating with masks can be challenging sometimes. The reason being, people can’t see our expressions.  Here are some tips to avoid miscommunication while conversing with the mask on:

Practice talking with the mask on. Although it sounds insignificant, it helps. Well, perhaps for couple of minutes, you can stand in front of the mirror at home and practice.

Remember the acronym PAVE:

1. Pause:  Intentionally pause in between so that the person/people you are talking to can respond or join the conversation if they wish to. That way the conversation becomes interactive.      

2. Accentuate:  Stress on the important phrases and words. Use distinctive intonations. This helps in avoiding monotony and conveying the right vibes. 

3. Volume: Watch out for the volume of your voice. Although masks can lead to muffled voice, it is important to ensure that we do not end up shouting.  

4. Emotion: It is always nice to be expressive while talking with the mask on. That way, the person/people you are communicating with, can gauge your emotions behind the conversation. All the same, be careful not to overdo it.

Body language and gestures help in transmitting the exact message to the audience. At this point of time with the corona virus spreading like wildfire, shaking hands will not be the right thing to do. However, we can always wave at our audience. A friendly wave is a wonderful gesture.

True, with the mask on, your smile will be hidden. However, whenever we smile, our eyes smile too. This natural smile of our eyes will make the conversation all the more pleasant.

Sources:

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200609-how-face-masks-affect-our-communication

https://hbr.org/2020/09/how-to-build-rapport-while-wearing-a-mask

https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2020/09/29/rapport-mask