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Category Archives: Work Place

Is Your Manager Fit to do JOB?


Each minute of our life is a lesson but most of us fail to read it. I thought I would just add my daily lessons & the lessons that I learned by seeing the people around here. So it may be useful for you and as memories for me.

I am a Software Engineer working for a Multi national company. I worked for many Organizations in the last 9 years at different roles with many Managers. In my recent project i have a bad experience of working with a very immature manager who complains and img_4022blame employees when something goes wrong. There are few instances where couple of my colleagues were released from Project. Who’s fault is it? Is it their fault for not doing their job well or is it management and the process that failed the employee?

Bad Managers! I’m almost tempted to challenge anyone to find someone that hasn’t had that experience! The truth of the matter is that we all had at least one, perhaps many, if you are not new to the workplace like me. Many managers lack fundamental training in managing people. But, even more importantly, managers lack the values, sensitivity, and awareness needed to interact effectively all day long with people. Skills and techniques are easier to teach, but values, beliefs, and attitudes are much harder to teach – and harder for managers to learn.

If you are a manager and fail to provide the right goals, information, resources, or assistance — don’t complain when employees fail. It’s clearly your fault.

Traits of my Manager: The below listed are the few unacceptable traits that i observed in my Manager. There were many more than the listed one’s.

Screamer Who the ***k you might be, it’s not accepted to YELL at workplace. But, my manager Yells at everyone on the floor without any sort of commonsense. He speak loudly, rudely, one-sidedly to staff. He provide the air time for staff to respond to accusations and comments. They intimidate people and bully staff. He allow few(incapable) employees to bully employees who actually working hard for project.

infographic-horrible-boss.jpgNever Recognizes Talent of Employee One of the most common mistakes my manger make is to neither recognize nor capitalize on the unique differences of each employee. He consciously paint everyone with the same wide brush and all but eliminate any chance for personalities to set themselves apart and bring their individual talents to the team. Most employees who are all treated the same way eventually start feeling unappreciated, misunderstood and overlooked.

Team Politics All time my Manager is surrounded with bunch of Fools, who are professionals in Team Politics.  For some unknown reason he loves their company and listens to their words blindly. He considers they as valuable team assets, but unfortunately everyone knows they were fit for nothing 😉

Poor Communicator. Not giving clear instructions is a prominent trait among bad bosses. My manager can’t speak proper English and can’t even communicate properly in mother tongue. He dares to comment on team members communication and points at the way they were communicating.

Neither Technical nor People Manager  He’s a person who have no technical exposure and he don’t even know to manage the team. He’s purely unfit in both the areas which are more important traits of a manger.

Does Not Have Courage He does not have the courage to deal with a difficult situation despite knowing that it is the right thing to do. My manager is never in a position to take any challenge or stand by the people who’s doing that.

No Positive Feedback It absolutely sucks to go at your daily grind without knowing how your manager feels about your progress. You don’t want to wait until an annual review to know that your manager is unhappy  with you

Tyrant It’s easy to become the tyrant. Write people up, threaten their jobs, and crack the whip! That’s easy. That isn’t accountability. This kind of leadership through fear inspires dd4f4a9b27b7127164383d583ca6237epeople to work hard enough to not get fired. They disengage, and they don’t share their struggles for fear that exposing their mistakes will cost them their jobs.

Terrible Listener. Bad bosses/asses don’t listen, which goes hand in hand with being bad communicators. Worse, he do not even care to listen. Whatever you say, my manager hear what they want to hear and understands what he wants to. In addition, he interrupt constantly, and he’s never fully present during interactions with employees.

Focuses on Weaknesses He dwell on what a resource can’t do instead of what he or she can do. The problem is he never bother to uncover what it is that really motivates an individual, and miss out on opportunities to benefit from innate talent and specific strengths. One of the primary responsibilities of managers is to motivate and develop staff, offer them extensive training on how to better understand human behaviors.

Never Praise or Encourage. He’s there, Quick to criticize and slow to praise: Too many employees of bad bosses report that their managers have not thanked them in years. Given that recognition is the most effective driver of engagement, this is one of the most egregious traits of a bad boss.

Micromanages Most employees are happiest if allowed to have at least some say in determining their own path when it comes to accomplishing objectives. They’ll want a varying amount of oversight from the boss, depending on their specific level of self-confidence and individual desire to take some calculated risks.

 

bad-manager-characteristics.jpgFails to Fit the Right Person to the Right Job Good managers know the personalities of their team members and place each one in a role designed to play into their innate talents and interests. They set them up for success, instead of for failure. But my manager is unable to do that.

Mangers, please note that Not everyone can function in high-stress situations and work as you expect. Not everyone can lead. And not everyone can withstand others’ critiques or nasty remarks.  

When employees resign, the top reason for their resignation is their relationship with their manager. People leave managers, not jobs or employers.

When any organization has quality problems or safety problems, this is clearly  the responsibility of managers. When you’re the boss, you are (like it or not) responsible for everything that happens in your project, whether it’s a small or a big team. Sadly, many mangers think they can get away with blaming their employees when things go wrong. A ‘blame culture’ is common in all different kinds of offices, and can lead to a lack of productivity, wasted time, and hard feelings being created. There are many different reasons that can lead to the development of a blame culture, but all of them are reversible with the use of proper management techniques and some logical thinking.

Is your Manager in your team fit to do the job?

Please feel free to share your story and any lessons you learned, you experienced, you came across in your life in the comments below.

 
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Posted by on October 23, 2016 in Experiences of Life., Work Place

 

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Born to Stand Out


Each minute of our life is a lesson but most of us fail to read it. I thought I would just add my daily lessons & the lessons that I learned by seeing the people around here. So it may be useful for you and as memories for me.

From my Childhood, I’ve been following inspiring leaders, writers and others on the cutting edge of thought leadership, and I’m still awed and amazed at how much there is out in the world to be inspired by.

In my line of work as a Life coach, Soft-Skill trainer, Tech Lead and blogger, I’m fortunate to connect with some awesome and amazing Men and Woman who invest deeply in ideas, thoughts and help their dreams become reality.  Success is an iceberg. When we learn about extremely successful leaders, we tend to see the tip of the iceberg. What we may fail to see is the hard work behind their success. IMG_3999.JPG

I remember being rendered speechless when someone asked me, “Who’s your role model?  Who inspires you?” The sad truth is that, at that time, the answer was “No one.” Today, I would like to speak about a young lady i.e. my friend “Nandita Narayan” who is so Inspiring and Motivating with her Ideas, moves and Personality. Her presence brings the change in environment and inspires many people around. There is something intriguing and compelling about a girl who lights up every room she walks in. Is it her style? No. Is it her long flowing hair? No. Is it her flawless complexion? No. She is quietly confident and has a way of listening and engaging with people. When a group of radiant young women come together, they can inspire hearts, and do remarkable and lovely things. Here are few points i would like to bring that make her stand out.

Fearless
She welcomes the future in all of it’s unknown mystery. Even if she does feel afraid, she does what she has been called to do anyways. Being bold and courageous in the middle of fear has produced great victories throughout history. She always lets her faith be bigger than her fear.

Honest
She knows the liberating and healing power in revealing her struggles and shame. She is honest with those who mistreat her, letting them know that she only tolerates respect, just as she respects them.

Mentorship
She is humble hearted and wise in knowing that she will never know everything there is to know. She has a thirst for learning and growing, so she invites advice and sound counsel from solid mentors.

Self-Discipline
Consistent good habits in her life like getting enough rest, proper nutrition, exercise, spending time in prayer and journaling reflects the commitment to take care of her over-all health. This enables her to care for the people and other priorities in her life more effectively.

Goodness
She is a vessel of joy and kindness, like a healing medicine to the flesh and soul. People are excited when they see her coming and hate to see her go because she always brings life through her words and actions.

Work Ethic
She is not known for laziness; she works diligently. Even when the job seems less than ideal, she always works with a cheerful heart and a constant gratitude for the ability to work and provide. This way, her happiness is not contingent on circumstances alone.

Stands for Justice
She speaks up for those who can not speak for themselves. She defends those who are defenseless and she has a heart for restoring justice.

Wisdom
The words she speaks comes with great responsibility and impact, even to those she does not know are listening. Therefore she is mindful in habitually only speaking words of wisdom and guidance. Therefore, all who encounter her will be blessed because of her. Gossip, slander, idle talk and negativity are strangers to her lips.

Leads by Example
She counsels younger women with a good listening ear, a compassionate heart and a voice of truth. She inspires others to follow her vision through servant leadership and creativity.

Self-Worth
She knows that her value is not defined by the opinions of people, but rather by who she is in the One who made her. When she looks into the mirror, she sees a reflection of God’s own image. There is no rare or glittering jewel or metal that could compare with her worth.

I agree that no Woman or Man who is complete and perfect. What would our character and lives look like if we purposefully applied these attributes? Start with one per day, you could even write yourself reminders in your phone or post-its on your mirror to remind you of the woman/man you can be if you want to be. You were born to stand out.

There are so many people in the world who can serve as your role models and help you make the huge impact in the world that you want to, that I’d say this — if you can’t find someone to inspire you, it’s time for an internal shift to heal the disconnection and isolation you feel, and get yourself back in the game of life.

Please feel free to share your story and any lessons you learned, you experienced, you came across in your life in the comments below.

 

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My Team is My Family


Each minute of our life is a lesson but most of us fail to read it. I thought I would just add my daily lessons & the lessons that I learned by seeing the people around here. So it may be useful for you and as memories for me.

Article by a Sweet Team Member.. img_1152

There are lot of reasons why i love my work. One of the important one’s is my TEAM and I
just have an nondetachable bond with them. I am so immensely blessed to have them in my life, and they have made my life better in more ways than they know.We work together, fight together, understand each other, cheer each other up, talk together, help each other, guide each other and we LIVE together. I’ll remember them till my last breath that’s for sure.

I already knew some of the folks, I’d already grown close with them, so they mean a lot to me, yet new friends who came into my life and I got to know them, and they turned out awesome. This has been one great experience and I’ve NEVER wanted any other team and couldn’t wish for a better one because I feel like we stick together, and we have team spirit to stand by each other which is important.

My team is my family, and while there are countless reasons why they will always hold such a special place in my heart. Every’s life is colorful when they enjoy and love the company of others.

We’re a family

photo-0180The amazing bond that we have will never be lost. We are together, in our successes and in our failures. Family is family, no matter what. A great team is so much more than merely people that you play your sport with. A successful team knows each other on a deeper
level. They know each other’s likes, dislikes, fears, strengths and weaknesses; they are also able to accommodate around all of these things. A true team will never be broken. Once a team, always a team

We guide each other

As a team, We walk with each other, through the darkest night and brightest day by holding the hand and and guiding the way. Stones often bar our path, and there are times we fall, but we are always there to help each other. We have a shoulder when someone needs it and have place for everyone in our heart.

We’re always laughing when we’re together

When me and my friends are together, we act like the most mentally retarded people on the planet. Everything’s funnier with my team. You can always count on us to be “that group” of people that’s laughing to the point of tears. There’s always a smile on the face which lightens the workplace. A smile never cost anybody anything and a day seems to go better when you are surrounded by colleagues that smile and are willingly to help you anytime or just to hug you when you are not feeling ok.

We trust each other img_1356

As a team, we love each other and trust everyone in the team. We don’t judge, and our secrets are safe within our team. We can tell each other anything. From our deepest,
darkest secrets . Whatever it is, we’ll listen. My Friends know every embarrassing thing that’s happened to me, and we know every weird thing about others. We never hesitate share  something, because all of us knew that we will take it to our grave.

We know how to listen each other

It sounds like a simple task, but very few people are as attentive my team. They sit with me while I speak, and they follow all my words, and waits until I finish before responding. Sometimes they don’t even need to reply — their concentration is all I need.

We can be ourselves with each other

Like I just said, our team doesn’t judge. In my team all can be what they were. Whether we are dancing around while not fully dressed, sending each other humiliating snapchats or making fun of each other, we are always pushing the boundaries of how close is too close. We wouldn’t have it any other way, though. A team is a group of people who sees the many different versions of you: the weird and hysterical version of you, the crazy version of you, the serious version of you, the lovable version of you—and they still love you to pieces.

20140824131906We pick each other up when we’re down.

If someone is talking shit, everyone will be there on my defense like white on rice. We’re always there to cheer someone up, to get another’s head back in the life’s race, to comfort everyone and we never give up on each other.

We know how to get out of a seriously bad mood

They’ll play that one song, or suggest we watch that one movie, or take me to that one amazing café. They’ll comfort me if I want, or give me space if I want to be alone. Somehow they always know what to do, and I am forever grateful. I don’t know how they do it, but they’re always radiating happy energy, and it never fails to make me feel better.

We celebrate every occasion

Throughout the year, we’ve had lot of celebrations in the office & out of office. Either on birthdays, marriage days every team member has been spoilt with splendid flowers img_20150104_074347-001
followed by either a birthday breakfast, or a lunch. What makes those moments special is not necessarily the presents or the things received but simply the genuine mark of affection and consideration toward everyone.

” Dont Count the Days Make the Days Count ”

You know those little things that make your day shine and are not really connected to you in anyway? Either your colleague’s attitude, the way your work space is organised or random surprises that your colleagues treat you with can make every day at work more and more enjoyable.

T Together

E Everyone

A Achieves

M More

Little things that make people feel happy at work

 2-4You can have a happy workplace if you take the time to make it a happy workplace. Hire happy people. Don’t get caught up in focusing on the negative and make sure to do the little things that make a difference in people’s lives.

It won’t be a major cultural change at first but I can promise you that slowly but surely, your workplace will become a better place and people will do better work.

Sociable Colleagues

Isn’t everything better when you have nice sociable colleagues to work with? You can have a happy workplace if you take the time to make it a happy workplace. Hire happy people. Don’t get caught up in focusing on the negative and make sure to do the little things that make a difference in people’s lives. It won’t be a major cultural change at first but I can promise you that slowly but surely, your workplace will become a better place and people will do better work.

Doing tasks that have meaning for me

Let’s say you choose a job just for paying your rent and you’re waiting for a dream job opportunity. But, whatever you’re doing you want to be appreciated for your work. And how can we judge a fish by its climbing skills? We can’t.

Constructive feedback2011-06-25-15-19-44

The most important part of your work is feedback. No matter if it’s positive or negative (and then you will know what you have to change) feedback represents a very important instrument for measuring the quality of your work. And a complete feedback that has only the best intentions can transform your day in a very productive and cheerful one.

Smiling co-workers

A smile never cost anybody anything and a day seems to go better when you are surrounded by colleagues that smile and are willingly to help you anytime or just to hug you when you are not feeling ok.

Having a mentor

Not anybody can brag about having a mentor at their job. A mentor is not only a teacher, it is the person that inspires you, the person from whom you want “steal” the knowledge’s of the job or you want to enjoy his “success secrets”.

A good training program

We all feel very motivated do our job the best way we can when we have a very good
training program. Thereby you can receive better feedback  you can work more focused and you can improve your skills when you know you’ll be rewarded.

Brainstorming sessions

The sessions where we put our brains to work to come up with a mountain of ideas in which there is hidden, like a treasure, a brilliant idea for a project are relaxing and exhausting. Even though it seems a paradox a brainstorming session can bring up to the surface all the creativity that we are capable.

Open-minded people around

If all the people around us would be open minded we would all have something to gain.

A unique benefits package

IMG_20150103_131635-001We bet you love free coffee or lunch included or candies on bosses desk or stuff like that included in your unique benefits package. Or maybe you prefer free gym or free parking

The pursuit of happiness is so crucial that we try a lot of motivational strategies to make our employees productive. Happy employees tend to work efficiently and effectively since they emit positive energy, it is for this reason why they have to have proper compensation in order for them to enjoy and love their respective job. If the employee is in the state of being happy, he/she is thrice innovative.

These little things can really make them feel important and they’ll be dedicated to their respective work.

Please feel free to share your story and any lessons you learned, you experienced, you came across in your life in the comments below.

 
 

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My Boss is True Leader


Each minute of our life is a lesson but most of us fail to read it. I thought I would just add my daily lessons & the lessons that I learned by seeing the people around here. So it may be useful for you and as memories for me.

Hi All,

Every time I hear someone complaining about his/her boss. I wonder what that feels like. I have always had great bosses who significantly contributed to my growth.They are all the True Leaders from whom I learned lot.IMG-20151215-WA0002

Most People Criticize Their Boss. But Doesn’t Your Boss Has Any Thing Good In Him? Tomorrow You May Also Become A Boss. What Would You Like Your Juniors To Find About You? A Good Thing Or A Bad Thing! Lets Dig Something Good In Our Boss.

I believe in the following lines….“A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader, a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves”

  • Great bosses inspire their employees to achieve their dreams: by words, by actions, and most important, by example.
  • Memorable bosses expect more–from themselves and from others. Then they show us how to get there. And they bring us along for what turns out to be an unbelievable ride.
  • Good bosses are professional and also openly human. They show sincere excitement when things go well. They show sincere appreciation for hard work and extra effort.

In short, great bosses are people, and they treat their employees like people, too. 

I have been lucky to have great leaders as my superiors. Not very many IMG-20150405-WA0020could inspire me to dream and achieve beyond my own imagination of capability. Thanks for converting my mistakes into lessons, pressure into productivity and skills into strengths. You really know how to bring out the best in an individual.

My Boss is my  true leader. He inspires me to dream more, Learn more, think more, Do more and become more.

He is like flowing water. Which lies low and yields. He can shape my hardness and water my thirsty fields.

He leads me by example. But he never shows he exists. Though I tend to give upBut he always persists.

My leader always dares me, to own and achieve a vision . Not with unprofessional actions, but with passion and not position.

You make me feel like a million bucks every time you ask me for my opinion on something important or not, although I know that sometimes you do it only to make me feel nice. Thanks for being such a wonderful boss.Thanks for putting pressure on me, being tough on me for my  mistakes that were silly. Sometimes tough love is necessary, which is what I have learnt in my car er’s journey.

IMG-20150919-WA0021Your word’s .. “Treat me like a number and I’ll stay until a better number comes along. Treat me like a person and I’ll stay because, ultimately, that’s what we all really want.” will be with me till my last breath.

It’s honor working with you. Nothing I can say will ever convey the amount of gratitude, I owe to you for showing me how to have the right attitude. Thanks.

Yours Truly! MunnaPrawin

Please feel free to share your story and any lessons you learned, you experienced, you came across in your life in the comments below.

 
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Posted by on October 2, 2015 in Experiences of Life., Work Place

 

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You Can’t FIRE Me! I QUIT!!!


Each minute of our life is a lesson but most of us fail to read it. I thought I would just add my daily lessons & the lessons that I learned by seeing the people around here. So it may be useful for you and as memories for me.

Every time I resign to an organization, a little part of me died. I love to work, but I was made to do that. But I grew wiser as the years rolled by. People around me think “What possible reason would he have to do that?” or, “What’s wrong with him?” or even, “He must be leaving for money. The Fool!” or “He is not the best fit, so he was kicked out” etc. But the reason is simple I want to be myself. I know well, it’s not fair to loose myself for something else which is not important as me.

Although talented employees may join a company, evidence suggests that if they depart prematurely it is often their immediate managers they leave, not the organization itself. Mostly, people don’t change jobs solely for money. They almost never resign on a whim or in a fit of anger. They joined your company because they believed it right for them, and they actually want it to be right. Something, at some point, makes it wrong. And if you really take the time to dig into their real reasons for leaving — and you should — you will find that it’s not “the company” they blame. It’s not the location, or the team, or the database or the air-conditioning. It’s the leadership!  IMG_20150411_172500

Few Great employers start making people feel important on day one. They train their managers to understand the power of paying attention to even the smallest of employee contributions — and, yes, simply saying “thanks” often goes a long way.

Having worked in several organizations under different natured Manager’s, I understood supervisors or manager or leaders, are the main reason for employee to quit his job. We can see many managers with good & bad characteristics. Check your Boss falls under which category

Characteristics of a good manager:

  1. Communicates performance expectations clearly to everybody involved
  2. Gives employees access to the resources they require to do their job right
  3. Stands a role model and guides to learn from mistakes
  4. Frees people up to make a difference by focusing on what they do best
  5. Gives freedom to speak and act
  6. Recognizes team members for their contributions and efforts
  7. Makes everybody feel cared about as an individual
  8. Helps people feel like they have a meaningful participation at work
  9. Encourages employees to grow and develop
  10. Gives employees responsibility and trusts them to get on with the task

Characteristics of bad managers:

  1. Has clear favourite’s and doesn’t maintain neutrality
  2. Is slow to make decisions and often makes a U-turn on them
  3. Lacks the emotional intelligence to deal with difficult situations sensitively
  4. Is a bad listener and lacks general people skills
  5. Lack of provision and technical stuff
  6. Greedy towards positions in organization
  7. Insulting/criticizing in front of others
  8. Doles out assignments but personally doesn’t take any on
  9. Is quick to criticize but slow to praise good efforts
  10. Undermines team morale by focusing on personal objectives instead of the team’s
  11. Is reluctant to transfer skills for fear of training a replacement

imagesB83G1I6YThe common reason why Manager behave like this is they feel insecure of themselves. They are afraid of their team members surpassing them or feel threat of their team members.

Problem starts with the job or workplace that was not as expected. Managers hire in such a big hurry that they don’t take the time to give a realistic preview of the job. Many workers have an unrealistic expectation about the job or workplace or in some cases are deliberately misled during the interviewing process. The employee realizes she has to report to a different boss or won’t be advancing to the next position as soon as expected. Of course, most new hires will quit when they discover the undiscussed realities, resulting in costly turnover.

JOB vs PERSON:  There is a mismatch between job and person. Every Manager should know by now that getting the right people on the bus and into the right seats is a prerequisite for business success. Managers wrongly think that training will transform the wrong people into the right people — that they can put in what was left out. Instead of asking a turkey to climb a tree, we need to learn that it’s better to hire a squirrel.

Lots of companies talk about making their managers better coaches, but more than 60 percent of employees — especially younger ones — say they don’t get enough feedback. We know that many managers just give feedback once a year. That too not genuine feedback. Too many managers have never been well coached themselves. Lacking a good role model, they either give no feedback and coaching at all. Most managers fear giving honest feedback, mainly because they haven’t been trained to do it well.

Workers feel devalued and unrecognized. There are many different reasons why workers may feel devalued: inequality of pay for similar work, not being acknowledged for a job well done, being treated with disrespect, having their differences regarded as negative rather than prized, not receiving the right resources, and having to work in an unacceptable physical work environment are a few. The desire to be recognized, praised, and considered important is our deepest craving, yet 80 percent of employees say they feel ignored or taken for granted.

In addition to ambiguity and an undermining mentality, bad managers also unnecessarily waste time on coordinating and correcting the team, instead of concentrating on helping team members grow. “Managers often make the mistake of focusing on controlling employees, micromanaging them and criticising their efforts,”.  ea33c10116e40052e6d203a6a8f85cf6

People who are well managed are likely to overlook their employer’s shortcomings. Those who work under an ineffective manager, however, are less productive, less content and more likely to leave the company. Sadly, if your career is limited by a poisonous and limiting manager-employee relationship and your pleas fall on deaf ears, moving on might well be the only way to deal with that. If you don’t, it could cost you your career.

“Remember the Golden Rule? “Treat people as you would like to be treated.” The best managers break the Golden Rule every day. They would say don’t treat people as you would like to be treated. This presupposes that everyone breathes the same psychological oxygen as you. For example, if you are competitive, everyone must be similarly competitive. If you like to be praised in public, everyone else must, too. Everyone must share your hatred of micromanagement.”

“There should be leader in every manager, not  manager in every leader.”

Please feel free to share your story and any lessons you learned, you experienced, you came across in your life in the comments below.

 
 

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The Art of saying “NO”


Each minute of our life is a lesson but most of us fail to read it. I thought I would just add my daily lessons & the lessons that I learned by seeing the people around here. So it may be useful for you and as memories for me…….

The article was written by Susheel & MunnaPrawin….  

“No” is a simple, two letter word that can save you time, energy and precious resources when you know when and how to use it purposefully at correct time, in a correct way with the right people.

Inability to say “No” can bring a lot of harm. Being assertive is one of the toughest things for many people.  Saying no is indeed a major challenge for most people. I am telling this with my personal experience.

From last 15 years, I said yes to 95% of invites and pleas for help, regardless of how much I already had on my plate. I used to say … I’ll do it. I can help no problem. I am there for you.  Don’t worry..Sure, why not? I used to schedule things back to back to back and I used to drive myself crazy fitting it all in.

I began to feel anxious and tired instead of feeling joy as I approached the weekend. That simply would not do. Re-evaluation was in order.

That is why I am sure everyone mustn’t hesitate to say “No” in appropriate situation.

 We say ‘Yes’ when we really want to say ‘No’. We all do it very often.

Here are few situations:

A corporate person says” It was a party meeting, I couldn’t say no when the delegates forced me to take alcohol and puff the cigar.”

A college going student says “I used bear the physical harassment by my faculty, because I have fear of losing marks.”

A bride says” I was proposed to the one whom I am not interested but I don’t want to trouble my parents.”

A lover says “my girlfriend is need of money but I have no single pie to help her. If I say it may hurt our relationship so somehow I need to sort out this problem.”

A lady says “I get upset over certain topics to discuss but when I am subjected with the people I couldn’t say to excuse me from the discussion.”

An UN-matured girl says “I got into physical relationship with my boyfriend, because I have fear of losing his care, love.”

A person says “I know in long run my ‘yes’ results a failure but I don’t want to hurt then now so I couldn’t say ‘no’.”

An employee says “my boss expects me provide every time the resources which is my hard earned effort and dwindling time. It cause me inconvenience but I fear to say that I can’t provide”

A friend says “I am already full with my important schedules but my friend want to me to join his party .I don’t want to disappoint him. So, I couldn’t say that I cannot attend his party.”
“No” is a word that can save you time, energy and precious resources when you know when and how to use it purposefully. But many people like me have a difficult time saying “no” because they sincerely want to help and don’t want to disappoint others. So they take on more than they can handle, compromising the quality of performance, neglecting their own priorities, and burying themselves under mountains of responsibilities, tasks and activities that will never lead to their ultimate vision. That’s why it’s important to know when to say “no” – so rather than react to other’s demands, you respond based on your values and priorities.

I pride myself on being productive and extremely efficient all these years, maximizing my time. But even I know it’s impossible to do all of those things and say yes to all invites too. I can’t say yes to everything anymore I don’t want to.  I can’t do anything as I done in past. I’d rather just say I’m sorry, I can’t. It’s just that simple.

One of the biggest reasons people have a difficult time saying “no” is because they haven’t clarified their own intention; other people’s goals become more important than their own in the absence of a specific vision.

Learning to say “no” to non-essential tasks creates a path to freedom and success. It will clear your schedule of mental clutter so you can harness your life force and focus your attention on the realization of your goals. Having a clear vision and a strong sense of purpose gives you the discernment to know which actions yield the greatest return on investment for your time, energy and resources.

But requests for your time are coming in all the time — it can be through phone, email, IM or in person. To stay productive, and minimize stress, you have to learn the Gentle Art of Saying No — an art that many people have problems with.

For most of us, having to say ‘no’ somehow feels like a rejection, so we hate to do it. Instead, too many people just say ‘yes,’ and regret it afterward. So here are some tips that I have accumulated over the years that can help you say the right thing the right way:

It’s a simple fact that you can never be productive if you take on too many commitments — you simply spread yourself too thin and will not be able to get anything done, at least not well or on time.

Maybe you’re like me and you need to cut down on some of the activities you do. Well, here are a few tips on how you can do that:

 

Give yourself time to think. Before responding with an enthusiastic ‘yes’ that you never meant, or a cryptic ‘no’ that will ruin a relationship, ask for time to mull it over. It’s acceptable business practice to say that you need to check your calendar first, or pass the request by other principles before deciding. Commit a date for the final decision.

Make the ‘no’ a function of your constraints. Emphasize that the rejection has more to do with your priorities, budget limitations, and workload, rather than any inherent flaw in their request. In this context, encourage a return discussion as some specific point in the future, or with some specific variation.

Be logical, calm, and concise. Choose your words wisely to avoid conflict and a defensive or emotional reaction, but make sure the answer is clear and understood.

Be firm — not defensive or overly apologetic — and polite. This gives the signal that you       are sympathetic, but will not easily change your mind if pressured.

Explicitly evaluate the pros and cons. First, make sure you understand the full implications of a simple yes or no response. Every ‘no’ answer reduces the likelihood of another opportunity along the same lines, while every ‘yes’ answer increases your workload and the probability of burnout on your long list of critical items.

  Make sure you’re actually saying “no”. Make no mistake about it, no is a powerful word that you should not be afraid to wield. When it’s time to say no, you need to avoid phrases like “I don’t think I can” or “I’m not certain.” Using limp phrases instead of saying no will often be considered a yes. When it’s time to say no, just say no!

Listen to your gut. Sometimes we say ‘yes’ because we love the excitement of a new idea, when our instinct is telling us that it implies many complex issues that we are not prepared to deal with right now. It’s a fact that our brain often stores relevant information that we might not be able to vocalize right now. Trust your judgment.

Negotiate a return consideration. Often people asking for favors don’t realize or consider the cost, so you shouldn’t hesitate to ask for a reciprocal favor. It may make that person re-think their need for your help, or you may actually get more than you give.

Sandwich the no between two yeses. Sandwiching a no between two yeses ensures that your no will be more palatable. It’s also a great way to explain that to which you are already committed. For example, if your boss asks you to work on the weekend, but you have family commitments you cannot break, explain these commitments to your boss (the first yes), how that prevents you from coming in on the weekend (the no), and finish by confirming your commitment to the company and your work (the final yes) by asking if there are other ways you can contribute that don’t require you to come in that weekend. 

Be prepared to repeat yourself. If you say no and the other party pushes back, the best thing you can do is repeat yourself. This is much easier to do when you recognize beforehand that it is often necessary. In some cases, you may have to repeat yourself more than once. If you offered any explanation with your original response, you can repeat this explanation or just say no again. Don’t back yourself into a corner by trying to explain yourself further.

Lead with positives when saying no. Mute the sting of rejection by rewarding the person for being aggressive and creative, while not directly accepting the contract or proposal. It may even be appropriate to give some reward, such as access to an alternative opportunity, or recognition in front of peers, to encourage the source.

Pick the right time and place. Pick the least stressful time of the day, or a private place where you can talk sincerely, and give full attention to any questions or discussion. Watch your body language and tone to eliminate the guilt and fear that often make the ‘no’ response harder on the sender than the receiver.

Remember that there are only few hours in the day. This means that whatever you choose to take on limits your ability to do other things. So even if you somehow can fit a new commitment into your schedule, if it’s not more important than what you would have to give up doing it, you really don’t have the time in your schedule.

“The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes, to the things where you want to say “NO”. It is very easy to say yes.”

People have learned the art of asking, so you need to learn the art of saying ‘no.’ Rid yourself of the fallacy that you must say ‘yes’ to be viewed as a leader. If the request presents a moral dilemma to you, your code of ethics should allow you to refuse, rather than lie to the other party, or agree to something you can’t deliver. Just say ‘no,’ and smile as you say it.

No is not always negative. It is not a bad or incorrect response. Saying no does not make you a difficult or uncooperative person.  Read that again, out loud. Saying no is more honest than a false yes.

Learn the Art to say “NO”…. 

 

Please feel free to share your story and any lessons you learned, you experienced, you came across in your life in the comments below. If you enjoyed this, or any other other posts, I’d be honoured  if you’d share it with your family, friends and followers!

If you wish to follow my journey outside of my writing, you can find me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MunnaPrawin) Instagram(MunnaPrawin) and Twitter(@munnaprawin).

 

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My Work Experience with my Project Manager.


Each minute of our life is a lesson but most of us fail to read it. I thought I would just add my daily lessons & the lessons that I learned by seeing the people around here. So it may be useful for you and as memories for me…….

I would like to share working experience with my Project Manager. It’s for the first time in my Life working in a team under a Project Manager. Few months back I was assigned to a project called AIRecruiter which was lead by RajniKumar. He have got handful of experience working on different projects. On the first day i.e. on 04-Apr-2012 when I met him for the first time, I was bit scared to talk to him, because he was very experienced & senior. From my child hood i have habit to call everyone by their name, so i felt bit scared that he may think bad of me.

As the days progressed we started working as a team. Now he is the one with whom I share almost everything. Within the short span of our relationship, I noticed, learned a lot from him. Some of the qualities that inspired me are:

Very Communicative:

I was mainly impressed by the way Rajni communicates & coordinates with the Team members. He has the ability to communicate comfortably with people at all levels of the team & organization about the project. He conveys the message that he want to convey in clear & polite way. Basing on the requirement, he used to engage with different people in different ways in order to convey the message. One may need details while another prefers a brief overview.

Great Team Player:

Working in team is always a fun. Rajni is not only a good team player, he is also a great team coordinator. Whenever any team mate requires help, he used to stretch his hand to help them.

Assertive Nature Person:

         Rajni is very straight forward. If he was not satisfied with our performance, he used to tell openly in a polite way. Always he used to give constructive feedback. If any of our team mates stuck with any issue, he used to guide them. When it comes to work, he never get compromised.

Selection of Resources:

Resources are important in order to complete any task. Rajni first identifies what to be done, later gathers the resources in order to accomplish the task. He interacts with individuals, to know their knowledge and experience, so that to use them in the correct areas for better results. He used to connect and converse with team members on a daily basis. He believe that once we have proper  rapport and trust that is the foundation of any relationship, people will want to collaborate with you to get the project done on time and within budget.

Clear Vision:

    It is one of the assets of Rajni, having a clear Vision. He clearly knows what to do. It is very important that, every Project Manger & the members in the team should have a clear vision.

Cool Under Pressure:

In the present competitive world, projects should be delivered on time, under budget and with no major problems or obstacles to overcome. As everyone knows projects have problems. A leader with a hardy attitude will take these problems in stride. When leaders encounter a stressful event, they consider it interesting, they feel they can influence the outcome and they see it as an opportunity.

Time management is critical

Whenever there is some deliverable, Rajni used to stay in the office work with team. Even when no one is there he used to work till early mornings to complete the task.  As per my knowledge the project which I am working is a ONE man show.

As project managers, time management probably comes naturally. But, what do you do when your resources have been cut, and you’ve got twice as much to do? To really “do more with less,” you’ve got to become more productive. This nature I have seen in my Project Manager.

Strong Decision Maker:

In every project there are few crucial decisions which have to be taken on correct time.

If any decision has to be taken Rajni used to take the team mates opinion, if it’s fine used to implement it. He hasn’t got nature to take his own decisions as he like. Whatever decision he takes he used to present to team if they feel its fine used to implement it.

Decision-making is an integral part of project management. Yes, it is important to get the right people involved and get their opinions; however, you should always make the decision that is best for the project and the organization overall-even if it is not the most popular one. It is totally unrealistic for any project manager to expect one-hundred percent consensus.

Enjoy work:

The main quality that I like in Rajni is the way he see the problem or any task that has to be done. He never show disinterest towards work. This is one of the common qualities in both of us. I like Work N joyinG.

Friendly in Nature:

This single quality is enough to say, why do I admire Rajni? He never behaved like Project Manager with commanding nature. He used to treat everyone equally with friendly nature. What else can any member in a team can expect from their Project Manager.

Motivating Element:

I remember the day when we were given left & right by the client for not giving the Application Demo effectively. Unfortunately that day Rajni was not there. After he returned back, he told “In work environment all these are common; don’t feel bad, if we work together we can generate a Good Application”. What else we require to get charged up. We have Rajni motivating element for all of us, at any point of time.

If I start writing about him, it takes many pages. Simply I can say that In the early days of my professional career I fell into the hands of a Great Project Manager. It’s Honor to work with him.

 

Please feel free to share your story and any lessons you learned, you experienced, you came across in your life,  in the comments below.

 
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Posted by on May 28, 2012 in Work Place

 

Life is a lesson


Each minute of our life is a lesson but most of us fail to read it. I thought I would just add my daily lessons & the lessons that i learned by seeing the  people around here. So it may be useful for you and as memories for me…….

The lesson for today is…”When you realize that you did a mistake or some one else has done a mistake and it directly or indirectly effects you, correct it or take neccasary actions then and there…Its too late than never…”

If you fail to correct it immediately, when its just a seed, it grows in front of your eyes as a big tree. Its almost like there is no way you can rectify it later rather than bear the pain and humiliation caused by the mistake.

Some mistakes are small…some of them are fatal, they make marks in your life in such a way you can never forget it forever.

Be wise..!!

Please feel free to share your story and any lessons you learned, you experienced, you came across in your life,  in the comments below.

 
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Posted by on May 25, 2012 in Work Place

 

How to Avoid Being a Workaholic


Working too much is likely to decrease your productivity, leave you creatively drained, and negatively affect relationships with friends and family. Don’t get me wrong, pursuing your passion is a beautiful gift and there is nothing wrong with working hard on projects you love. However, it’s essential to take breaks. Whether you’re working from home or in an office environment it’s essential to nourish your creative spirit.

Workholism is not strength, but it’s a weakness which ruins our life. We hear stories of people who “burn the mid-night oil” at the office, or about individuals who never take vacations. Working a lot doesn’t mean you deserve a gold star.

Below are a few creative ways to avoid becoming a workaholic.

Know what you want to do & what you are doing.  It’s very much important to know what you want to do & what you are doing. Many people do lot of work by taking lot of pain & struggle, but at the end they will end up somewhere away from their goal.

Every individual need Self Introspection. You are the best person to judge yourself. If you don’t know where you are going, you will end up somewhere.

At the end of each day spend few minutes, to recall the things that you done on that particular day. Every day we have to learn new thing which is useful.

Set clear boundaries.

Make sure your working hours are consistent. For instance, if you work from 9 am to 6 pm make sure you leave the office by 6. Don’t stay late.

Constantly question your goals and life purpose.

It’s important to continually reevaluate your goals, life purpose and behaviors. For example if you constantly stay late at the office, sacrifice personal relationships because of work, or check your email obsessively, ask yourself:

  • Why am I doing this?
  • What is the end goal?
  • Are my behaviors healthy?

Get enough sleep! Staying up late to work on a project and then getting up at 5 am to go into the office is not a good strategy. Lack of creativity, diminished morale and irritability are a few traits of people who go without sleep. Work smarter, not harder.

Spend time in nature. Spending time in nature is a great way reduce stress, disconnect from everyday worries and incoming work messages. Set aside time in your daily life to go outside. For instance, take a half hour walk everyday and be mindful of your surroundings. There is no need to rush. Take your time, try to understand your instinctual feelings and observe the natural beauty in your neighborhood.

Find a hobby. Cultivate a hobby; preferably something that doesn’t relate to your day job. Start by brainstorming your interests. For example, you can start running, walking, knitting, reading novels, or writing. A hobby should be something that brings you joy; something you can lose yourself in and find your flow.

Listen to your body. If you are working too much you will start feeling tired, cranky and apathetic. All of these symptoms are a sign that you need to slow down. It’s essential to listen to your body. When you listen to your body, you’ll know when you’re sick or just need some extra rest.

Unplug from the internet. Getting work done doesn’t require an internet connection. It’s amazing what can happen when you step out from behind the computer screen or your mobile device. Most of my killer ideas come to me when I’m taking a shower, on a walk, cooking a meal, and “not working.”Everyone is creative and ideas can come to you at odd moments. Just because you have an idea doesn’t mean you have to implement it right away. Keep a journal with you at all times so that you can capture your idea and enjoy your down time.

Make time for friends, family and your partner.If you’re working too much, you’re probably sacrificing time with friends, family and your life partner. Doing work you love is extremely important, but so are the people who love you. Consider how you spend your time and what is truly important in life. When you are with your family, friends and life partner, really be there. Make an effort to be present. For instance, if you’re having a conversation with a friend listens to what they are saying. Be engaged and ask questions.

Eat real food. A side effect of working too much is eating out more and not eating real food. Real food includes fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Before you head out to the office, take time the night before or early in the morning to prepare a healthy breakfast and lunch.

Most importantly, don’t eat while you’re working. Savor your food and enjoy every bite. Studies have shown that if you eat food quickly, you’re more likely to over eat and gain weight.

Reach out to others with a good work-life balance. If you think you’re a workaholic, reach out to others. Connect with friends, family, and consider therapy as an option. If you think this is negatively impacting your life, do something about the problem. We only get one life. So live it well and take care of yourself.

 
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Posted by on April 9, 2012 in Work Place

 

Managing Stress


 

 

In our Day- to-day life we,  many times hear about the word called “Stress”. What is Stress?

Stress is a feeling that’s created when we react to particular events. It’s the body’s way of rising to a challenge and preparing to meet a tough situation with focus, strength, stamina, and heightened alertness. We all have stress sometimes.

The events that provoke stress are called stressors, and they cover a whole range of situations — everything from outright physical danger to making a class presentation or taking a semester’s worth of your toughest subject. For some people, it happens before having to speak in public. For other people, it might be before a first date. What causes stress for you may not be stressful for someone else. Sometimes stress is helpful – it can encourage you to meet a deadline or get things done. But long-term stress can increase the risk of diseases like depression, heart disease and a variety of other problems.

I don’t believe that a stress-free life is possible. Stress is a response to challenges in life, and a life without challenges is too boring to contemplate. However, I do believe that most of the stress in our lives is unnecessary, and that it can be eliminated by taking some simple (and some not-so-simple) steps. It can’t be accomplished overnight — I’ve been eliminating stressors in my life for awhile now, and I’m still not done. But I think it’s a worthwhile goal.

But these sources of stress can be eliminated with a little thought. Here’s how:

Self Introspection is needed. It is nothing but the self-examination of one’s thoughts, feelings, approach etc. You can identify your strengths & weaknesses. Try to overcome your weakness or avoid such situations, because they are the main cause for stress.

 

Simplify life. Simplify your life i.e. Simplify your tasks, your routines, your commitments, your life-style, your information intake, your relationships, the mass of stuff going on in your life … and have less stress as a result. 

 

Identify stressors. It is the most important step of all. Take 10 minutes to think about what stress you out during the day. What weekly occurrences stress you out? What people, activities, things cause stress in your life? Make a Top 10 list, and see which of them can be eliminated, and start to weed them out.

 

Slow down. Life is not a race, to compete with others. Instead of rushing through life, learn to take things slow . Enjoy each & every part of your life. Enjoy your work, your food, enjoy the people around you, and enjoy nature. This step alone can save tons of stress.

 

Be grateful. Life is a Valuable gift. Learn to be grateful for what you have, for the people in your life. With this sort of outlook on life, stress will go down and happiness will go up. Develop an attitude of gratitude is a way of thinking positive, eliminating negative thinking from your life, and thereby reducing stress. That’s a winning formula.

Procrastination. We have lot of time to work on our tasks. Don’t postpone the things & doesn’t allow stuff to pile up will stress us out. Find ways to take care of stuff now and keep your inbox and desk clear.

Multitasking. Multitasking is a good idea, it might seem productive, but in actuality it slows us down from actually focusing on a task and completing it — and it stresses us out in the meantime. Learn to do single task.

Avoid doing Unnecessary Tasks. It’s good to avoid unnecessary tasks from doing. They will definitely stress you out. Learn to simplify the tasks to few essential things, and you will enjoy the process much more.

Eliminate energy drains. Certain things in our life just cause us to be more exhausted than others, with less value. Identify them, and cut them out. You’ll have much more energy and much less stress. Happiness ensues.

Avoid difficult people. Difficult people are from nowhere, they are among us. You know who they are? If you take a minute to think about it, you can identify all the people in your life — bosses, coworkers, customers, friends, family, etc. — who make your life more difficult. Just cut them out of your life.

 

Avoid being Late. Being late always stresses us out. Learn the habit of being early, and this stress disappears. Make a conscious effort to start getting ready earlier, and to leave earlier. This also makes driving less stressful. Time yourself to see how long it actually takes to get ready, or to do any task and from next time plan accordingly.

 

Don’t be Workaholic. Workholism is not strength, but it’s a weakness which ruins our life.Once you leave your office, leave everything there itself. Spend some time with your loved ones. One should know how to balance the Professional & Personal life.

Learn to let go. Learn to let go, and accept the way that other people do things, and accept what happens in different situations. The only things you can control is yourself — work on that before you consider trying to control the world. Also learn to separate yourself from tasks and to delegate them. Learning to let go of our need to control others and the situations around us is a major step towards eliminating stress.

Eat healthy. This goes hand-in-hand with exercise as a stress prevention method, of course. Become healthier and a major source of stress will disappear.

 

Take mini-breaks during work. It’s important to take mini-breaks during your work day. Stop what you’re doing, massage your shoulders and neck and head and hands and arms, get up and stretch, walk around, drink some water. Go outside and appreciate the fresh air and the beautiful sky. Talk to someone you like. Life doesn’t have to be all about productivity. You should also avoid using online activity too much as your de-stressing activity — get away from the computer to relax.

 

Exercise. This is common advice for stress relief, and that’s because it works … but it’s also a stress prevention method. Exercising helps relieve the stress buildup, it gives you some quiet time to contemplate and relax, and just as importantly, it makes you more fit. A fitter person is better equipped to handle stress. Another important factor: being unhealthy can be a major stressor (especially once you have to go to the hospital), and exercise can help prevent that.

By careful editing of your life, and changing certain habits, you may eliminate which are important, necessary & good to you.

 

 

 

 
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Posted by on December 15, 2011 in Work Place

 
 
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