Filling the shoes of a popular manager

Published on Wednesday, Dec 26, 2007

Mr. Wonderful: There is this beloved manager – the golden boy of all his subordinates. He is warm, affable, smart and immensely popular. The boundless charisma alone leaves behind a lasting legacy.
Mr. Scapegoat: You are the one charged with the daunting task of taking over the reins from this iconic personality. A tall order indeed. After all, filling the shoes of a well-liked manager comes with more than its fair share of hiccups.
It’s almost a losing battle from the word go. A wall of resistance surfaces as the replacement rankles one and all. No matter what you do, it can never measure up to the predecessor’s lofty reverence. Any and every move is met with constant digs and rolling eyes. Even the oodles of vision and enthusiasm fizzle out when brutal comparisons litter your path at every turn.
So much so that at times, it makes you sorely regret taking up the job itself. As a long-suffering ‘replacement’ puts it, “It’s a bit of a poisoned chalice taking over from someone like Thomas as there’s only one way to go – down”.
Well, its time to quit feeling sorry for yourself and stop rueing the ‘impossible’ situation. There may be a host of challenges on your plate, but you have to step up to the task and face them head on. After all, taking over from a ‘God’ never was easy.
Winning over the brigade
Stepping in for a highly popular leader after he bows out can be a confidence-shaking and nerve-wrecking experience indeed. Here’s how to start off on the right foot:
Give them time – Irrespective of whether the much-acclaimed predecessor has resigned, been promoted or quit, employees will be in a state of shock and mourning. They need time to grieve and get over the loss, before they can even contemplate accepting, let alone transferring their loyalties to the successor. Be sensitive to their feelings and let them come to terms with the emotional situation.
Embrace the old order – Try not to resist or feel insecure of the old manager’s style and approach. Getting his imprimatur will give you an invincible seal of approval and credibility, thus easing the thorny path to a great extent. So, request your predecessor to introduce you around, give pertinent information and be accessible for clarifying doubts. Referring to his projects, techniques and successes will send across the right vibes too.
No need to ruffle feathers – Do not rush in with your own agenda and make changes left, right and centre. No matter how correct the methodology, it is a sure shot invitation for conflict. For instance, people may be used to a laid-back, supportive, spontaneous or personal approach. As such, even a slightly formal or planned line will rub them the wrong way.
Toe the line – Instead of asserting yourself early on, take the gradual approach and try to be more responsive and accommodating. Though it may cramp your abilities, adhere to the established rituals and techniques for a while. Concentrate on gathering sufficient information, learning the basics and rallying support around you. Instead of asserting yourself straight away, take the gradual approach. Admit that it is difficult taking over from such a popular figure and that things will change slowly. Confessing up the differences will help you win their respect as well as assistance.
Leave your own mark – Once you learn the ropes and settle in, it is not obligatory to mimic the predecessor’s methods. Evolve your own leadership style in due course. Introduce small changes and refinements in goals. Taking one step at a time with finesse, creativity and clear communication will slowly overcome the resistance paving the way for a successful relationship. Patiently working your way with self-confidence will help you to gradually carve a niche for yourself as a successful leader in your right.
Quintessentially, it has been rightly said, ‘It is easier to work in a god’s shadow than to follow in his footsteps’. The latter is truly a trial by fire on all counts.
Again, people are bound to have trouble in breaking the ties and transferring their loyalties to you. Your attitude and behaviour alone will spell the difference between a perpetually bumpy ride and a seamless leadership transition! And, it will be poetic justice indeed when down the line, your employees refuse to let go of your legacy.

PAYAL CHANANIA

Answer this – Why do you work?

Published on Wednesday, Dec 26, 2007

Why do we work? A redundant question indeed! Everyone has to work to put food on the table and a roof over their heads.

But, are things so cut and dried? Is work just a complex, dead-end drudgery that we just have to do to earn bread and butter?
Well, it definitely is about the money, but not only about the money! Else, why would, say a Bill Gates or Mukesh Ambani still be working? This again begs the question – why do we work so hard even after becoming wealthy?
Besides, why do bankers abandon their lucrative professions to turn into violinists, lawyers reincarnate themselves as chefs and CAs as cinema producers! And, if work did not go beyond the earnings aspect, how would the concept of ‘voluntary’ work even come into being?
Think again, what would we do 24 hours a day if we did not work. How long can you watch TV, read, sleep or even play golf for that matter? In fact, pleasure activities acquire meaning only when punctuated by work. Even leisure is defined as time spent recovering from work!
Therefore, earning a pay cheque may be the prime motivator, but that is not the one and only incentive for doing work. Apart from meeting the material aspects and paying the bills, work compensates in many non-monetary ways too (and, I am definitely not talking about the ‘in kind’ perquisites that come with most jobs!)
Apart from the social conditioning that we ‘have to’ do ‘some work’, ask yourself why you really work. While most of us do view a job as a means to a pecuniary end, everyone has their own set of reasons for doing what they do. These can range from:
• Work gives meaning, purpose, direction to my life
• It’s about doing something I am good at – a celebration of my natural strengths, talents, knowledge
• I love what I do, it is a source of joy for me
• Work provides satisfaction, support, hope, a sense of personal fulfilment that is unparalleled
• My work gives me an identity – ‘I am a business consultant’ or even ‘I am a musician.’
• It is a source of pride, recognition, it stimulates my self-esteem, leading to a fuller life
• I like the challenge of – accomplishing goals, solving problems, making decisions or adapting to change
• Work lets me be creative, experience new things, learn more
• My work is part of a constant strive for excellence in whatever I do
• I like to be part of a team, I enjoy the camaraderie with colleagues or interaction with customers
• A sense of idealism may come into the picture where work is a personal mission to make a difference, create a better future, give back to humanity or simply to serve people.
• On a more basic plane, work provides physical activity that keeps me busy; it helps me fill my time with something to do everyday!
Little wonder then that it is always said, ‘You are what you do!’ To encapsulate, a job not only provides an income, but also fulfils a variety of other needs - mental and physical exercise, social contact, a feeling of self-worth and competence.
So much so that many people stay put in low paid jobs because they derive a lot of personal satisfaction from other aspects of that job. It may be that they feel a sense of pleasure when they see the results of their efforts or feel that they are doing something useful.
Yet, people do get trapped in bad jobs or so completely caught up in making ends meet that they fail to realise the pleasures of work.
But, the next time you catch yourself cribbing, ‘Oh! I got to work’ recall the famous insight of eminent psychologist Theodor Reik, “Work and love - these are the basics. Without them there is neurosis”.
Remember, we don’t ‘have to’ work as much as ‘need to’ work – and that makes all the difference!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Have you got your role right?

Published on Wednesday, Dec 12, 2007

What is your job all about? This is quite an obvious and basic tenet of any job – one that actually needs no mentioning. Yet, in the hullabaloo of getting a new job, joining formalities and settling into a high-pressure role, this crucial epicentre often goes overlooked.
In fact, ask someone the rationale behind his or her job, and most of them will be at a total loss. Don’t we enter the workplace with a personal perception of performing the job, and continue to take it from there? But success hinges on the actual content and not our assumptions of the same. And what if our interpretation of what we should do and what actually needs to be done is totally inconsistent?
In such a case, all the hard work and sincere attempts go down the drain as we may be doing things that add little value to the job, that too at the cost of more important tasks. Ultimately, we just end up meandering around in a vicious cycle - without any career progression and wondering over the ever-eluding success.
Therefore, hastily moving into a job without understanding the ground realities will only set you up to fail. It is essential to comprehend exactly what a job entails, what is expected of you and then perform accordingly, in order to maximise your career growth even while contributing to company productivity.
Then and only then, can you limit your focus to the necessary activities that constitute success, away from those things that you don’t have to or even, shouldn’t be doing.
The limelight is on Job Analysis as a powerful tool to get to the heart of your job priorities, i.e. the multiple duties needed to perform the job that you have been hired to do. Only by understanding why your job really exists, can you get a firm grip on the essential components, tasks and functions that constitute job success.
This will help you to cut through the clutter and distractions of superficial tasks that keep your work schedule overloaded forever, yet never provide value to the job or the organisation.
Here’s how to take control of your output with job analysis:
Analyse job description: This is not the synopsis posted in classifieds or on job boards, but the formal documentation that lists out in detail the key job objectives and priorities. Also, carefully peruse all business documents and procedure manuals related to your job to determine particular job duties and their relative importance.
Study performance reviews: Reviewing the assessment criteria will shed light on the precise behaviours that are expected and rewarded, thus helping you to figure out where you can prove your abilities and worth. Talk to your colleagues or past employees to identify what you are expected to achieve and what constitutes good performance.
Inspect strategy: Most people are not even sure of how their job function fits into the overall structure of the organisation. Delve into the organisational vision and goals set out in the mission statement to align your priorities in coherence with company strategy. This will enable you to ascertain and concentrate on those tasks that directly contribute to business success.
Authenticate: Discuss the job purpose, requirements and key actions with your supervisor. Once you develop a comprehensive profile of do’s and don’ts, run them by him for further corroboration. Also, substantiate the support, training or improvement needed to carry out the job effectively.
In an unstructured company, jobs may be haphazardly designed with managers themselves unsure of what exactly employees are supposed to do.
This chaos can further undermine your position and performance. The onus is on you to cut through the inaccuracies and work at establishing a clear understanding of the job content, role, objectives and responsibilities. Work on them with your manager to precisely define the expected outcomes.
Therefore, a thorough job analysis will help you to bridge the yawning gap between what you do and what your boss thinks is important. This will provide the basis for what tasks to concentrate on, which ones to de-prioritise/delegate and also those that do not even form a part of your job.
Once you work out the discrepancies, not only will you be able to manage the workload and excel at the job, but also derive a sense of unparalleled accomplishment.

PAYAL CHANANIA

Fine-tune the job you hate, think again

Published on Wednesday, Nov 28, 2007

Do you snooze the alarm clock eight times every morning and still pull up the covers hoping that the day would just melt away? Does even the mere thought of work inspire dismay and misery galore?
On a rational note, no job is utterly blissful that it makes you bound out of bed all the time (lucky are those that do!). In fact, a recent survey reveals that 87 per cent people don’t like their jobs. Although every job does come with its shar e of ups and downs, it should not inspire total horror or abhorrence either.
While it may definitely seem so sometimes, work is not a synonym for ‘serving time’! It can be annoying or intolerable intermittently, but is also immensely gratifying at times.
If someone is stuck in a lousy job, the loathing not only leads to stress, absenteeism and lower productivity, but also drastically impacts the rest of the employee’s life. Therefore, if you catch yourself getting the blues every time you head for office, it is time to take matters into your own hands. After all, everyone deserves to be happy at work!

From sour to sweet
The job may be terrible and horrid. It may make you feel hopeless, disgruntled, angry, frustrated or downright miserable. But switching jobs is not always the best solution. In fact, most of us cannot even afford to quit (or change our jobs too often). Face it, the next job may just prove worse than the current one. Instead of bailing out too fast, go through a checklist before making a radical shift.

What’s wrong?
Try to put a finger on what exactly turns you off and the underlying reasons for the same. Is it the repetitive work, job hours or low pay? Do you abhor the lack of recognition or need promotion opportunities? Or, do you want to escape bad boss/dreadful colleagues?
Identifying the root cause of your dissatisfaction is half the battle won. So, take an inventory of your work and categorise which factors you hate or are indifferent to. Differentiate these from those aspects that you actually like, that will help you to identify specific concerns and complaints that sap your energy. Also, highlight what exactly you seek from work – is it money, satisfaction, independence or power?

What to do
While you cannot control the organisation or the nature of your work, what you can do is change how you work or how you feel. Here’s how:
• If you are overwhelmed with work, instead of merely grumbling about the unending pressure and workload, try to figure out the real cause. It could be that you have poor time management skills, need to delegate more work or just learn to say ‘no’.
• In case of an ‘abilities and interests’ difficulty, bridge the gap by learning a new skill that will ease your work. Taking short, interesting courses can be invigorating.
• If interpersonal issues are hampering your ability to enjoy the job, try your best to befriend your colleagues and improve team relationships. If need be, communicate your concerns to the manager and solicit suggestions on the same.
• A poor relationship with the boss can also impede you from being effective at work. Either sort out the differences without needless griping or angle for a lateral transfer into another department.
• Swapping assignments or volunteering for new projects can ease the tedious monotony.
• Inject some fun into your daily routine with a jovial sense of humour. Just cracking a few amusing quips can inject vitality into the job at hand.
• If you still do not obtain any delight from your job, seek contentment in other aspects of your life. A good work/life balance with pleasing hobbies and other pursuits makes doing the work worthwhile. Else, a short holiday can also give a refreshing break.

Scoop up the positives
Be realistic, as hardly anybody can love his or her job all the time. Operating with such high expectations only sets you up for dejection.
What is important is to like the work at least most of the time.
Focus on the benefits that made you choose the job in the first place. It may be the proximity to home, flexible hours, level of responsibility, autonomy, training facilities, responsive boss or supportive team members or even the free lunch coupons. Stop and realise the reality, as the job may actually be better than you think. This may make you do an about-face and even fall back in love with the job!
Beware, job dissatisfaction may actually stem not from the work but from your own insecurities or unhappiness. If your personal problems are making your work life miserable, there is no point in changing jobs. It’s advisable to explore the private issues. Then seek family or professional help to resolve them.
If you still feel the same after exhausting all other possibilities, as a last resort consider a job or career change.
A fresh start can ignite your passion, but make sure you know exactly what improvements you seek before moving.
Even mental health professionals uphold that, ‘People can change their occupational situations, either by switching attitudes, employers or vocations!’

PAYAL CHANANIA

Managers must check negative clique behaviour

Published on Wednesday, Dec 05, 2007

People always have and always will align themselves into groups and the workplace is no exception. The management may have a clique of their own and so do the technical associates, clerical staff, customer service representatives and front-desk workers.
The groups may be within a department or between departments, be based on tenure and at times, include or even revolve around managers. Clans that are for the boss and against him are a case in point. Top workplace writer, Paula Gamonal notes in her acclaimed article, Tribal Warfare: Dealing with Cliques in the Workplace “I’ve even seen workplaces with cliques of smokers versus non-smokers, cliques of coffee-drinkers versus non-coffee drinkers, and Friends watchers (a popular TV show) versus non-Friends watchers!”
Everything is hunky-dory as long as these groups simply chat at their desks, take coffee breaks together, celebrate each other’s birthdays or even socialise after work. Though other people may feel a bit left out from the gossip, socialising or festivities, it is not detrimental to the organisational camaraderie and success.
But, what happens when the cliques turn rigid and get polarised from ‘others’. They will put their own interests over the job and company with petty behaviour like concealing information and refusing to help outsiders. Needless to say, the destructive effects directly tell on company morale, turnover, productivity and growth.
Yes, such unhealthy grouping is a harsh reality of the workplace. But this does not mean that the organisation cannot control the dysfunctional fallout at all. It will be a long battle, but concerted efforts to address the problem can contain the negative consequences to a great extent. Here’s how:

Figure out the problem
Managers should be on the lookout for signs of harmful clique behaviour like business decisions taking place without uniform input from everyone, complaints of groupism or partiality to a particular group, divisions in information sharing or even hurt feelings of ‘outsiders’. Instead of passively tolerating the undermining behaviour, they should quickly intervene with strategic conflict resolution. Else, the hostilities may rapidly escalate into irreparable dissension. Active measures like openly talking out the differences or seeking to incorporate benefits of warring groups go a long way in curtailing cliquey behaviour.
At times, it may even become necessary to analyse the nature of exclusiveness and address it directly. For instance, if a set of old hands try to isolate newer recruits and work to undercut their new ideas, efforts or processes, the clannishness may actually be a defensive reaction to what they perceive as a threat to their value and control. Therefore management should alleviate their probable anxiety over organisational change or restructuring, by constantly seeking their opinions and involving them in new events.

Finger of blame
The management is responsible for fostering a cooperative attitude among employees and for creating and maintaining diversity in the workplace. But, what if the supervisors themselves are unwittingly fostering competing cliques by ignoring conflicts or by showing preference for one group over another?
Therefore, managers should take extra care not to discriminate between groups and implement everything from rules, policies and disciplinary action to incentives and perks on an equitable footing. They should include everyone in on the act – be it seeking ideas, inputs or participation in meetings and events. Also, try and explain reasons for any differences, whenever possible.

Enforced ‘mixing’
While management cannot actually force employee groups to include others, they should give people of opposing factions a chance to interact with each other by assimilating them in project teams and other assignments. Advocate team playing by undertaking team-building activities that bring everyone together. Also, try to collaborate the efforts of various groups in problem-solving or other constructive discussions. Developing a common mission will inspire synergy and cooperation, thus focussing competitive energy into work challenges and achieving results rather than inter-group rivalry.
Also, create regular opportunities for all employees to socialise together as a large group.
For instance, forming a picnic committee, sports team or sponsoring a party will enable them to get to know each other in an open and informal environment.

Welcome on board
Cliquey divisions may subtly or blatantly ostracise new employees who end up feeling disenfranchised and alienated from the older ‘tribes’. Management should focus on helping new employees start out on the right foot with proper orientation or maybe a ‘work buddies’ programme wherein every new hire is paired with a long timer for welcoming, mentoring, or simply getting to know each other.
Also make integration an element of your performance review process. Then, raises, bonuses and promotions can be linked to how well all employees try to welcome, train and work with new hires. As management consultant, Arlyene Diamond says, “You have to model it, mandate it and reinforce it. It’s got to be top down. You will be less likely to lose good ideas and good people this way!”

PAYAL CHANANIA

Get over 'I am in control’ syndrome

Published on Wednesday, Dec 05, 2007

Mr. Amit is widely acclaimed as a brilliant employee who always turns in spectacular work and tremendous results. His attention to detail and iron determination is equally lauded. Little surprise that he rapidly ascends the career ladder and scales great heights. But are his colleagues and subordinates similarly in awe of his incredible performance?
To the contrary, a simmering antagonism is brewing, and the finger of blame swings to his obnoxious penchant for control! Mr. Amit is another product of the ‘I am in control’ stable!
Such people have a subliminal compulsion to organise and dominate everyone and everything around them. This dysfunctional ‘I know best’ affinity manifests itself time and again as constant nit picking, meddling and criticism. They adamantly call all the shots and insist that everything be done their way. Moreover, not only do such people offer unsolicited advice all the time and insist that it is adhered to, but also instantly suppress any opposing opinions or attitudes of others. Needless to say, everyone else’s work life becomes a total misery, as any disagreement is explosively met with a hostile rage.
Similarly, the workplace also abounds with micro-managing supervisors who simply have to have a ‘hands on’ everything. They are constantly looking over subordinates’ shoulders, rechecking their work and finding faults. Running a tight ship, they are not even beyond launching an aggressive personal attack at the slightest hint of dissent. This is accompanied by an obdurate refusal to delegate work and value, praise or even acknowledge others’ contributions.
However, employees cannot function under such restraining conditions and soon, even their ample competence slowly transforms into incompetence. The result is a suffocating atmosphere that completely stifles vision, morale and growth.
Is there an inherent superciliousness shadowing the propensity to seek control and be bossy, or is there something else at work here?
Well, experts believe that a megalomaniac need to always be in charge of things actually stems from a person’s inherent insecurities. They have to run the show and are paranoid about losing control. Bossing others by imposing their opinions and ways hints at a genuine need to validate oneself. As leading executive coach, Jon Stokes elaborates, “Underneath the behaviour is fear and anxiety. The ’control’ person thinks he is holding everything together and if he lets his side down, all will come crashing down.”

Operation: Reformation
Always being on top of everything with high personal standards does have its advantages, as you can achieve remarkable results initially but at what cost? An incessant quest for control pays the price with damaged work relationships and ultimately restrains your own success.
Therefore, unless you want to alienate everyone and end in a catastrophic failure, take a personal inventory to identify your reactive style. Reflect on why you are so frightened of being out of control. Why do you feel uncomfortable acknowledging that someone else’s opinion is better than your own? What makes you feel you know what’s best for others?
To tame such dictatorial tendencies, you have to overcome your jealousy and hidden insecurities. As a confident person, you will never feel threatened or get upset in the face of disagreement. An inability to trust combined with perceived threats may also be fuelling your anxiety. There is no reason to feel unsafe as no one is going to usurp your authority. Also, the world will not fall apart without you at the helm! Furthermore, you cannot actually control how other people think and behave howsoever much you may want to. The resultant stress will only prove destructive.
Therefore, it is prudent to relinquish your close-minded control and become an effective team player. Be on the healthy side of control by having not a tenacious and invasive grip, but a soft, feathery hold on things. Exercising some flexibility by say, altering your routine will help you to loosen up and relax. Once you have what it takes to deal with whatever comes your way, watch your work and relationships bloom.
As professional coach, Terri Levine puts it, “Let the proof that controlling others and every situation is not necessary for your success and happiness be the validation you need that everything is fine and so are you!”
Even as a manager, try to let go of the reins and trust employees to do their bit. Be tolerant of mistakes and open to discussing alternate ideas for work. Concentrate on the big picture and give people a chance to contribute. Empowering employees with professional autonomy, accountability and providing valuable feedback will ensure better performance.
All said and done, exerting control over one’s environment is a fundamental human need. In fact, you have to be a little controlling to do an excellent job or complete a project in time. However, there is a very fine line between taking charge and having an unhealthy obsession with control. When you find that people cannot work with you and tend to avoid you because of your over-controlling tendencies, its high time you wake up and mend your ways. After all it has been rightly said that,
‘Those who can, do. Those who can’t, control!’

PAYAL CHANANIA