Recruiters help you get the right person for any position

Published on Wednesday, Sep 16, 2009

The labour market is highly competitive and finding good employees is real tough despite the ongoing recession. Hiring managers rack their brains on how to find qualified professionals especially for the hard-to-fill positions.

Companies can no longer rely on ‘help wanted’ classifieds and wait for the applicants to pour in. It is not only a daunting challenge to wade through the hordes of resumes, but there may not be any good ones to begin with.

What’s more, the right candidate for your job may be happily employed elsewhere and for all you know, he may not even be looking for a change. This is where a recruiter/head-hunter/search agent enters the scene.

It is prudent to use the services of these skilled specialists as they are trained to source the best who go on to become valued employees of the organisation. The benefits are wide-ranging, such as:

You can get search firms specialised to your industry, sector or even type of job opening. This will enable them to help you hire the best candidate for your specific needs - be it qualifications, experience or skills.

Recruiters not only maintain an extensive database of candidates and network of contacts much beyond your individual range, but also can further tap multiple avenues to seek out qualified candidates for the job opening. The extensive experience also helps them identify where exactly to look and how, improving your chances of getting the right employee for the job.

The search professionals will be better equipped to clearly understand the job requirements and can respond quickly leading to faster and better results. According to Linda Wagner, President of Technical Professional Staffing, “Recruiters can be a valued resource for the company, because they can respond quickly to the company’s needs, saving both time and money.”

They have the knack for picking the right candidates from the hordes of applicants, thus saving you valuable time. Recruiters can easily identify hidden prospects that are neither on the job market nor read in classifieds or circulate resumes. They will know how to approach them, make them aware of the ‘golden’ opportunity and gradually wean them away from their current jobs.

Confidentiality becomes an added advantage as you can quietly conduct a search without advertising publicly, especially for key openings or simply keep employees from knowing that you are replacing someone. In fact, “Confidentiality can keep competitors from being tipped off to management shake-ups, new product and market initiatives, and can protect against employee and supplier apprehension. Recruiters value the sensitive information they become aware of during the search process and respect their client’s vulnerability.”

Recruiters are also closely aware of industry trends and can offer objective opinions for any job opening and salary information.

Apart from this, recruiters also play an active role in the entire recruitment process right from providing an objective analysis of the candidates’ vis-À-vis the job requirements and conducting background checks of employment history, education and references to guiding you through the interview, final selection and salary negotiations.

Apart from this, they also play a strategic role in personnel planning.

Therefore, it makes sense to reap the expertise, resources and efficiency of third-party recruiters. Not only will this ensure a good fit for the job, but also save your valuable time and efforts leaving you free to concentrate on other important tasks.

While detractors can argue that using search firms is very expensive, fact is that it yields good value for money by both reducing costly hiring mistakes and improving the quality of your staff. As one manager outlines it, “The benefit of using a recruiter can be weighed against the cost of preparing and executing an advertisement campaign, screening and qualifying candidates, and operating without a needed employee for an extended length of time, compared to the relative insurance of getting the right person for the job.”

Moreover, you can always hire the services on a contingency basis where you do not have to pay until the position is successfully filled.

Then again, recruiters can be used solely for crucial positions like technical jobs and middle/upper management openings, skipping them for regular, dead-end ones. So sit back and let a recruiter do the work for you.

PAYAL CHANANIA

Perfectionism is a good trait, but overdoing it may cause slowdown

Published on Wednesday, Sep 16, 2009

We have a tendency to decry perfectionists. There is much hue and cry that such sticklers are obsessed workaholics who can never relax, always need to be in control and are excessively sensitive to criticism. Fearing failure, they continuously reproach themselves over the slightest error. Add to this the stubborn and confrontational traits, and little wonder that many perfectionists try to keep their innate nature under wraps.

Like every coin there are two sides to this supposed ‘neurosis’ as well. Yes, startling but true, it is this ‘unhealthy’ perfectionism itself that drives an individual towards great achievement and extraordinary results. In fact, scratch the surface of any high achiever and in all probability you will find a perfectionist. And it is mostly perfectionism that makes them great!

The tendency to strive for excellence turns out as not only healthy, but even desirable! If you are still unconvinced, let’s take a look at what makes perfectionists so sought-after: Perfectionists always set high goals and then work immensely hard to achieve them. They will persevere in the face of the toughest obstacles without even thinking of giving up the pursuit. They are driven to constantly excel and outperform others. The motivation to be the best forms the life force driving them to persist towards brilliance.

They have a critical eye and pay diligent attention to detail and quality. Never failing to miss the slightest thing, they often even anticipate unforeseen issues. Needless to say, nothing less than perfect is acceptable and perfectionists will never settle for mediocre work, try to cut corners or resort to an ‘it will do’ attitude. In fact, the constant pursuit of excellence itself will never let them rest on their laurels. Perfectionists are not only passionate about their work, but also gain both pleasure and pride from the results of their efforts.

Perfectionists not only set high standards for themselves, but will not let others get away with shoddy work either. They are not afraid to confront low-performers and always push them to do better, thus teaching others to raise their standards and pursue best practices.

To sum up in the words of Gary Ryan Blair, a visionary and strategic thinker, “Perfectionists search for ways to make the complex simple, visualise the perfect outcome, and work with an obsessive sense of conviction to make their vision a reality.”

It is high time that organisations start realising that perfectionism is a sign of commitment and devotion to work. This ‘damaging’ trait indeed is what empowers them to achieve more, so much more. So, think, can you afford to lose these achievers who are mainly responsible for your business success or have them slowly turn into sloppy workers?

So start recognising and protecting employees at all levels who have perfectionist instincts. Understand that it is never easy to be a perfectionist; it takes enormous courage and the least it deserves is appropriate appreciation. Management should celebrate the important role of these ‘special people’. Try to always look after them by offering requisite support and public praise/rewards. Hand in hand, also foster a culture of perfectionism across the board that motivates everyone towards higher achievements.

On the flip side, perfectionists also need to be dealt with a firm hand, as they are often liable to establish unrealistic goals and then needlessly beat themselves up over the supposed ‘failure’. Teach them to set achievable standards and take sensible risks while building the resilience to face disappointments, learn from the mistakes and move on. Try to rationalise that getting excessively lost in the minor details wastes not only time and energy but also leads to missed opportunities.

What is needed is an objective and positive mindset that is not tunnel-visioned and can accept constructive criticism without getting defensive. Therefore, high achievers should balance their perfectionism with pragmatism by subtracting the negative obsessive traits!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Team spirit is not about competition but cooperation

Published on Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009

We have all seen geese flying in the V formation, but ever wondered why that is so? Well, as each bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a V formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 per cent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own! That’s how teamwork pays.

On the same lines, teams are the predominant way we work now. In fact, most organisations are reorganising their workplaces into flatter team structures that may even be scattered across the country or the globe for that matter. Evidently, gone are the days when we could be our own leader and do our own work independently without ever seeking assistance!With the world embracing teams at large, employees have no choice but to work together and contribute their skills, knowledge, talent and abilities in the quest to achieve common goals. This importance of teamwork has grown all the more in today’s turbulent times as joint efforts and collaboration dictates our every survival. Yet, many of us still prefer to go it alone rather than work in teams.

At this juncture, it pays to understand the importance of the new culture of teamwork and how it really makes a difference. Teamwork benefits both the team members and the organisation. It not only makes things easier and reduces your individual workload, but you can also do so much more. As the saying goes, ‘many hands make light work’.The joint efforts will also help you to achieve goals quicker and produce incredible results. In fact, it is team action that can literally move mountains!

Then there is the unbeatable feeling of empowerment that comes from achieving things together that you could never have otherwise been able to manage alone. As one team worker rightly remarked, “It makes me feel part of something larger than what my job position describes as my role!” This will also build your self-esteem and confidence, not to mention a budding sense of community with the team.

Apart from this, you are free to focus on what you are good at, leaving the rest to others with distinct skills. On the other hand, you can also easily learn new skills from each other thus enhancing your individual proficiencies.

Needless to say, teamwork is not only important but also essential – it is the only way to be successful!

How to stand by each other

It’s a challenge to be a contributing member of a team – joining hands will not happen on its own, you have to work towards it by moulding yourself accordingly and be willing to work together.

This begins with first understanding why the team really exists, what are the common goals, vision and purpose besides what is your own unique role and responsibilities. You have to be willing to go the distance, i.e. be prepared to help others as well as open to accepting help when needed. Teamwork calls for constant personal interaction and open communication as you readily share ideas, information and know-how. Also, put aside your personal opinions, issues and aspirations to focus on the greater good of the team.

There is hard work and compromise involved as you share leadership (if there is no team leader) and take turns doing the difficult jobs.

Again, team spirit is not about competition (me vs. others) but cooperation (me with others) as you willingly join hands and combine efforts. This is not to say that you as an individual are no longer important. But you do have to go beyond individual accomplishments to be a true team player. You also have to stand by each other as you do your best to support, encourage and inspire everyone. Such selflessness requires a positive attitude, harmony and wholehearted dedication to the team. To sum up, it’s actually a great privilege to be a part of a team once you master the fundamentals and start working together!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Job success means not being overwhelmed by emergencies

Published on Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009

Nothing ever goes as planned! Most things have a tendency not to happen the way we plan or want them to. There will always be something that can throw a spanner sending the best laid plans for a mighty toss. And the only thing predictable about them is that they are unpredictable!

For instance, the computer chooses to crash just when you are in the middle of preparing a critical document and were just about to save your work! Coffee spills all over a memo that you oh-so-painstakingly prepared! A projector that was working just fine suddenly conks off amidst an important presentation! The list is endless…

Needless to say, such unexpected events wreak havoc will get you stressed and press the panic button in the face of the sudden crisis.

Nevertheless, unforeseen situations are a part of work and life – they crop up every now and then but when we least expect them to. Yet, they also present a golden opportunity to prove yourself. After all, it is how you react to the difficulties and deal with the challenges that can set you apart from the crowd.

Therefore, your job success can depend on not being overwhelmed by last-minute emergencies and adeptly taking care of the most difficult situation. Calmly dealing with the unexpected will not only earn you kudos from the boss/manager but also paint you in a resourceful and brilliant light – a definite stepping-stone to career success.

Taking the unexpected in your stride: Expectedly, when something strikes out of the blue, things will go haywire around you, as everyone gets flustered and anxious. The trick is to stay calm and not let the unexpected ruffle your feathers.

Decide that you will never let unanticipated difficulties stop you from achieving your goals and that you will do your best to work around the obstacles. This will help you to maintain a positive perspective and act sensibly even in the face of the unforeseen.

Instead of panicking over the dire consequences, you should continue to think rationally and try your best to pull things together.

Yet, you cannot afford to randomly attack the problem, hoping that the correct solution will materialise. The focus should be on proactively finding a possible solution by getting to the core of the issue.

Think over various options – what can be done and what cannot, what steps are needed to solve the problem – and then prioritise your actions accordingly. This calls for some creativity and fine judgment as you constantly try to improvise and look for suitable alternatives.

Once you have a feasible solution in hand, go ahead and deal with the situation quickly and effectively. If needed, do not hesitate to seek assistance or join hands with others in your quest to restoring normalcy. And once done, try to learn from the situation as to what was done right as well as what can be done differently.

Another wise suggestion from the experts is to try to expect the unexpected! This calls for anticipating all possibilities that something can probably go wrong. Then create contingency plans in advance like, ‘If this will happen, I will do this’ to cover every possibility.

For instance, your emergency toolkit can consist of backup lists of repairmen, temporary employment agencies and the like. And voila, you can instantly find solutions in the face of the direst crisis! All it will take is a couple of phone calls at best.

Yet, bear in mind that it is never possible to predict or even plan for every contingency. Else, it would no longer remain ‘unexpected’. All you can do is persist in the face of the unforeseen problem and try to roll with the punches.

PAYAL CHANANIA

Good recruiters understand hiring priorities of client

Published on Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009

Recruiters are a dime a dozen. They are out there everywhere – wooing candidates as well as persuading client companies to let them fill the open positions.

So what is it that sets you apart from the crowd? Why should either a jobseeker or an organisation choose your staffing services over the rest?

Needless to say, you have to be exceptionally good at your job- help companies hire the right people as well as help candidates find the right job.

Only when you can perfectly match right jobs with right employees in a constant manner will you become a true partner to your client companies plus a true career consultant to your job-seeking candidates. And that alone is what will get people from both sides of the hiring table flocking to you.

How to go about it: Becoming an expert recruiter calls for a new approach where you do not simply drop 60 to70 ‘long shot’ resumes on your client’s desk in a bid to fill an open assignment.

Instead, shift your concentration from ‘the more the merrier’ to finding a couple of impressive candidates that are a dead-ringer for the job profile. This calls for carefully pre-qualifying the candidates in such a way that you are sure that each one is eligible to get a job offer!

Towards this end, you have to clearly understand the hiring priorities of the client organisation, what the managers are looking for as well as what really is needed to be successful in the open position.

This careful identification will further enable you to craft even the routine job descriptions as compelling career opportunities that attract top candidates.

Another key domain is to aggressively source candidates from all possible avenues.

Design a stimulating advertising strategy that taps varied sources from job boards, classifieds and internet postings to cold calls, referrals and an effective applicant tracking system so as to maximise your effectiveness in netting the best applicants for the open job.

Relentless networking in the right circles will also pay off in the form of access to talented people who can help you find more candidates like themselves.

The candidate interview is an integral step where you have to carefully assess competencies by asking the right questions that draw out the applicant.

You also have to be a good listener to clearly understand what the candidate is saying as well as establish a rapport with him.

This also opens a chance to sell him on the ‘fabulous’ opportunity and make him hanker after the job as a stepping-stone to his career advancement. On the other hand, the onus is also on you to convince the hiring organisation of the candidate’s competencies as a perfect match to the job in question.

As a top consultant and columnist observes, “Good recruiters can make job pressures look like exciting challenges to a candidate and infuse enthusiasm for the candidate’s abilities in the hiring managers.”

For this, you have to work towards developing an effective relationship with the hiring managers to show that you support them and are a part of the team.

Candidate care is another vital aspect of being a good recruiter.

You have to function as a mentor and guide, knowing exactly when to hold the candidate’s hand and when to push him to make an acceptance decision. Willingly share your expertise to prepare him for the interview with the hiring manager.

Also, try your best to understand the candidate’s actual needs that will boost his career as against simply trying to sell him the job just to further your own ends.

Simultaneously, try to subtly sway the client manager in favour of good candidates so as to make better hiring decisions. Also, know how to effectively handle objections, concerns and rebuttals from both sides.

Apart from this, you have to present a professional, honest, ethical and reliable demeanour to show that you are a responsible recruiter who will never misrepresent jobs/candidates.

To sum up, you have to work hard to become an efficient recruiter who has a keen eye for matching ‘great fit’ jobs and candidates.

This will reduce your send-outs per hire and increase your placement ratios and candidates will start liking you and hiring companies will respect you immensely.

PAYAL CHANANIA

Adjust to the present day by letting go of the past

Published on Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009

Some people perennially live in the past. You might be one of them if you find yourself wistfully hankering after the good old days, constantly griping to the tune of, ‘in our times…’, ‘those were the days…’ or ‘way back then…’

You may constantly think about an old job, boss, way of doing things or even your college/childhood days and want it back very badly. Obstinately living in the past, you insist on working/behaving in the same way as before even to the extent of applying old solutions to new problems.

In short, such people live on the fringes of today as the past seems more real to them than the present. Therefore, they hang on to the memories with all their might and simply refuse to let go.Such an obsessive nostalgia is actually imprisoning and it leaves you incapable of handling the slightest change, be it even a shift in your cubicle location! You may reason that the bittersweet memories are quite comforting, but fact is that the fixated yearning can overcome your life leaving you both frustrated and unproductive. You alone stand to suffer as the undue negativity towards the present slowly robs you of all satisfaction and happiness. You also become lax; procrastinate everything and can even end up in depression. Prudence dictates that you should wake up and adjust to the present day by letting go of the past. After all, yesterday is history and no one can return to it or get it back. Especially during a rough patch like today, it makes sense to leave the past behind and get on with the future. To quote Alan Watts, “I have realised that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is!” The past is in fact good; it has moulded you into what you are today. Moreover occasionally going down memory lane can actually raise your spirits when the present is pulling you down. It is only when you reminisce too long and cling on to what has happened that can spoil the present.

So, remember that an all-pervasive nostalgia will only stagnate your life. Being stuck in the past is what is making you feel lost in the present. And you cannot and should not let the past steal your present. This is possible only when you consciously try to put the past behind you. Realise that the past is gone for good and it is pointless trying to get it back; this will just hinder your present even to the extent of affecting your work. Moreover, your longing is in fact a veiled attempt to escape from reality.

Then again, everything in the past always seems perfect because we subconsciously tend to obliterate the difficulties and remember only the good parts. This paints the past in an extraordinarily favourable light, which the present can never match up, no matter how wonderful it may be! Therefore to move forward, try to become free of the enslaving past, as it is the only way to go. Moving on to better things calls for a conscious decision to leave the past where it should be and rejoice in the present.

To change your perspective, start paying attention and become aware of what is happening around you. Do not be afraid of change but accept it as a constant and natural part of life. Be open and let new things enter your life. This will shift your mind out of the rut and enable you to experience new things. Optimistically looking for the positives in today and learning from them will also make you more empowered.

You will still have to control your thoughts from wandering to what or how you did things before and instead concentrate on what you want to do, where you want to go and what you want to accomplish. Even thinking long-term and planning for the future will fill you with motivation, gusto and zeal.

Besides, never ever make the mistake of judging what is happening today by the barometer of yesterday. It may seem difficult, but take heart in the wise words, “As lousy as things are now, tomorrow they will be your good old days!” So cherish the past but do not let it keep you from building new and beautiful memories for tomorrow. After all, the future is, in a sense, only memories that are waiting to happen!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Recruiters must essentially prepare candidates before interview

Published on Wednesday, Sep 02, 2009

As a recruiter, you have found some real good candidates for the client’s job. But, when you place them in front of the hiring employer, none of them, not even the trophy candidate, makes it to the final selection.

You have to keep searching over and over again with no end in sight. Many a times the interviewing process itself happens to interfere with what can otherwise be good hiring decisions!

Because the fact is that a seemingly strong candidate who clearly meets the job criteria may still fail to make it just because he does not interview well or possesses a slightly radical mix of qualifications. Else, the hiring manager may himself have poor interviewing skills or his emotions/bias may keep him from properly assessing the applicant’s competency. Such superficial reasons often cause a promising deal to fall through.

Well, taking the time to prepare the candidates before they meet with the hiring manager can eliminate a lot of these interview hiccups. This will help them to become confident and come across as savvy, high-class candidates instead of remaining a nervous and worried lot.

Obviously, this will boost your productivity enabling you to make many more placements in lesser time spans. In fact, “candidate prepping” can improve your hiring batting average (sendouts per hire) by 25- 30 per cent. Apart from closing more deals, it will also allow you to build more credibility on both sides of the hiring table. Promoting candidates in this way shows that you care about them and they will certainly spread the good word. And, sending well-prepared, capable candidates is bound to impress the clients with your calibre and standing.

Do it right: “Candidate prepping” is much more than just telling a candidate where to go and whom to meet with. It consists of sagacious advice that will enable them to do their best during the interview.

Pre-interview counselling begins with helping the candidate understand the real job needs and what is expected of him. For this, as the recruiter you yourself have to first realise exactly what the employer is looking for.

Cover the basics about the hiring organisation like goals, philosophy, culture, work environment, interviewers and other dos and don’ts. This information can be shrewdly incorporated by the candidate in the interview answers, thus showing that he is both well-informed and prepared. You can also provide links to the company website and recent articles for further valuable insight.

Then, train them for the actual interview like - how to open the interview, what are the common/expected questions and how to sell their strong points. For this, indulge in a detailed discussion about the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses and how he can present them. Also, help him to recognise his accomplishments and prepare proper examples accordingly.

Explain that the key is to not speak in generalities but provide specific details as they are more convincing. For instance, instead of merely saying that ‘I like to work with figures’, ‘am good at sales’ or ‘have strong team skills’, illustrate with ‘In July 2009, I was part of…… and achieved…..’

But it is again important to consciously limit yourself to helping the candidate plan his responses and tailor them to the interviewer. Never go overboard by telling him precisely how to answer questions or provide scripts as he will only end up sounding hackneyed.

Moreover, coach the candidate to take the lead if the interview does not seem to be going anywhere by subtly guiding the interviewer towards his skills set, achievements or what he has to offer.

Apart from providing meaningful and impressive answers, the candidate should also be trained to ask insightful questions about the job content, position requirements, new challenges and resources available.

He should know how to clarify whether his responses are adequate and also whether he meets the job requirements with a timely, ‘Is that what you are looking for’ or ‘Should I give you more examples of work that I have done that’s comparable’. Also, coach him on how to show enthusiasm for the job, how to ask for the job outright and finally how to close the interview.

Apart from this, providing information on how to dress, speak and present oneself is crucial. Such an overall prepping will help the candidate to overcome his apprehensions and portray confidence.

What’s more, as top trainer and consultant, Lou Adler elucidates, “If you handle the candidate prep well enough, you can also prep your clients without them even knowing it!”

To sum up, remember that the candidate represents you and your company to the client employer. You obviously owe it to him to do everything possible to prepare him for the big day. While not every candidate will get the job, they will definitely thank you profusely for the assistance as well as help you to scale new heights of success.

PAYAL CHANANIA

Attitude surveys can reveal true facts about HR climate

Published on Wednesday, Sep 02, 2009

Which organisation would not like to assess the opinions, morale, performance level and other concerns of its employees? And which management would not care to measure the satisfaction of its staff as well as track the changes in satisfaction over time?

But the question is : how? Well, all that you have to do is solicit employee opinion to understand how they actually think and feel. Actually, employee attitude surveys form an inexpensive diagnostic tool for ‘taking the pulse’ of the workforce.

Collecting feedback from employees reveals a true picture of the internal health of the organisation and its needs, the impact of its policies and procedures. It also helps explore the root cause of various problems like low morale, declining productivity or high turnover.

The management stands to gain valuable insight into how the employees actually perceive the organisation in addition to which areas need their attention.

Not only can they identify possible barriers but also become equipped to revise policies and focus development programmes so as to better meet employee needs.

The overall benefit is that the organisation can successfully assess employee attitude as a way to enhance management-employee relations, motivate employees and also maximise their job satisfaction.

In fact, management consultant Louis E. Tagliaferri likens an employee attitude survey to “A financial balance sheet providing a picture of the human resource climate at a particular time!”

Going about it: Organising an employee satisfaction survey begins with a definite identification of the end goals of the survey. Such surveys can be used to measure different dimensions of the organisation ranging from communication, corporate culture, working conditions, compensation, benefits, recognition and rewards, teamwork and interpersonal relations to creativity, innovation, functional expertise, leadership, mentoring, staff development, training and safety concerns.

The survey is generally designed as a self-completion questionnaire consisting of a series of multiple choice questions with appropriate rating scales. You can also include a few open-ended questions soliciting detailed, free-style comments. What is important is that the questions should be clear, relevant and comprehensive with consistent phrasing. They should also be regularly reviewed for changes and improvements.

Some sample questions are:

* I know my job requirements, what is expected of me on a daily basis.

* Management has created an open, comfortable work environment.

* My company values its employees.

* I agree with the mission statement put forth by my company.

* Management recognises, makes use of my abilities and skills.

* I am treated with respect by management and the people I work with.

* I have received the training I need to do my job efficiently.

* I am encouraged to develop new, more efficient ways to do my work.

* Management does a good job communicating information about changes that may affect employees.

* Employees work well together to solve problems.

* I believe my company is committed to creating a diverse environment.

* Management has a strong focus on customer service.

* I receive fair compensation.

* I am recognised for my accomplishments.

* I am involved in decision making that affects my job.

* Management is flexible, understands the importance of balancing my work and personal life.

* What changes, if any, do you feel need to be made in the company to improve working conditions?

The survey can be administered on paper, by electronic means or even use an online system. It is essential to provide clear instructions and set aside a specific time for completing the survey instead of casually handing it over.

Now comes the process of compilation, collation and analysis.

The employee ratings should be averaged and answers carefully summarised so as to identify themes, recommendations and relevant conclusions. The results can be analysed by items, factors or departments to discover both hidden strengths and weaknesses.

The process can be carried out in-house or handed over to a third party to utilize the skills and experience of outside consultants in both designing and interpreting the survey.

One major drawback is that employees may be unwilling to honestly attempt the survey as they fear negative repercussions. Management has to ensure confidentiality in the feedback process to enhance valid and genuine answers. The anonymity will encourage employees to be frank and open; else results will be quite ineffective.

Share results: It is equally important to share the survey results with the workforce in the form of an objective summary of both the positive and negative findings.

Then again, employees are quite cynical that nothing ever happens after the surveys. Instead of sitting on the results, management should ensure that they take action on the findings and implement changes accordingly.

This will show that the organisation listens to its staff and values their views and opinions.

This will in turn pay huge dividends in the form of dramatic improvements in employee commitment, cooperation and satisfaction.

PAYAL CHANANIA

Outgrown your mentor? Say goodbye gracefully

Published on Wednesday, Aug 26, 2009

You are deeply indebted to your mentor. It is his wise counsel, perception and support that have made you what you are today.

Without the steady hand on your shoulder, you may not really have been able to move up the corporate ladder so quickly.

And, yet you have now come to a point where you don’t really need your mentor any longer. While you will remain eternally grateful for all the help and support, you find yourself itching to move out of his shadow and into your own.

Well, all good things have to come to an end. It is inevitable, as you cannot actually work with the same mentor all your life.

Not if you really want to grow and move into the front line. For instance, in Shakespeare’s Henry V, Prince Hal has to ultimately repudiate his amusing companion – the devil-may-care giant, Falstaff – when Hal becomes King!

It obviously is time to ‘retire’ the mentor, but the problem is that you two may have become quite close and care about each other. The deep friendship makes you want to protect him from feeling hurt or angry over the apparent ‘rejection’. Not to mention that the parting will be equally distressing for you too.

Protégées outgrow their mentors all the time. There is no choice but to move on, yet the dilemma is that there is a lot at stake with numerous repercussions in store. Distancing yourself will be hard, so here’s how to do it right:

Introspect: Begin by indulging in a deep introspection to objectively assess whether the mentor-mentee relationship has really changed. The warning signs can be varied like you need your mentor’s advice less often or he no longer has anything new to offer or you have actually risen higher than him. It may so happen that the mentor develops a conflict of interest or starts showing increasingly poor judgment that makes you feel both stifled.

A time may even come when his behaviour may actually be setting you back, making him more of a liability!

Clean break: Engage in a forthright but graceful discussion on the lines of, “I have learned a lot from you and thanks to your help I am now ready to take it on my own.” Chances are that the mentor may also harbour the same thoughts leading to a polite, mutual agreement to end the mentorship.

Never ever accuse your mentor of being wrong or outdated. He has helped you a great deal and deserves your respect and appreciation right till the end.

Be honest and communicate that while you are grateful for the support, you do want to expand your horizons and become more successful.

Save friendship: Try to distance yourself purely on a professional level so that you can save the promising friendship. You cannot risk alienating him, especially if he still forms a part of your professional circle. What’s more, many mentors and protégées have successfully moved on to maintain a social relationship.

A prudent step would be to commemorate the moment with, “You have seen me through so much. I would like to celebrate our fruitful achievements now.” The finishing touch would be to honour him with an appropriate gift.

While you may outgrow a mentor, you never actually outgrow the need for mentoring. What you need is to find someone else who is more appropriate for the new challenges and learning curve ahead of you.

Remember that if you have taken care not to break your bridges, you can always go back to the erstwhile mentor if you need a sounding board or even just a sympathetic ear!

To sum up in the words on an expert, “Casting aside a mentor raises very personal questions about character, loyalty and commitment. Everyone faces a time when this must be done. How it is done will leave a lasting mark. To do it well requires grace, inner clarity, the willingness to act decisively and a strong sense of compassion.”

PAYAL CHANANIA

Self control best weapon to deal with dominating boss

Published on Wednesday, Aug 26, 2009

Do you happen to work with a dominating colleague who always wants to run the show and get his way by taking over all situations?

Or, do you have a manipulative boss who wants to control every aspect of your work from what and when you do to how you do it, even to the extent of bulldozing you?

Yes. You are then saddled with an obnoxious control freak who is overwhelmingly dominating and interfering. He leaves you with no choice as he always insists on calling all the shots and if you are not looking, may just take over your whole life!

Needless to say, it is difficult to work with a control freak on a daily basis. Not only does he make your life exhausting and stressful but can also affect the quality of your work.

While you cannot let such a person run your life, you do have to find ways to work with him.

Here are a few tips on the same:

The oldest and simplest rule is to not give him control over you in the first place. Read the warning signs of arrogance and superiority and try to maintain a distance from the start. While this may appear quite difficult, what you should do is step around his controlling actions and carry on with your work.

The control freak will try every trick in the book to dominate your work and use you as a puppet. If you lash out in return or get agitated like him, it will only give him more power over you. What you should do is stay calm and focussed in spite of the tension. Even if you feel intimidated or threatened, do not reveal that the actions are affecting you – he will be stupefied and have no choice but to give up soon. Arguing with a control freak is a complete waste of time, as he will continue to bicker to no end until you give in and he has his way. Challenging him comes with its own set of risks, as he will never be open to any sort of negotiation. Instead, a simple trick is to just pretend to agree with him on especially the small things (particularly if he is the boss).

Realise that all he wants is to be heard. You have to be kind and patient as you hear out everything that he has to say and it’s half the battle won!

Do not forget to show that you are considering what he has said and value his opinion so that he feels acknowledged.While you may have to give in a bit just to keep the peace, always stand your ground. You should know when to say ‘no’.

While the control freak will always try to control the agenda, you can attempt to subtly direct him to decisions and conclusions, but without ever letting him realise what you are upto.

Step back and let him hog the limelight while you shrewdly lead him around to your way of thinking.

In spite of everything, it is easy to start feeling humiliated and incapable around a control freak. The constant domination can hit your self-esteem making you feel degraded and worthless.

You have to protect yourself by remembering that the controlling actions actually stem from his hidden fears, anger and insecurities.

He is actually terrified of failure and is trying to control others just to protect himself.

All you need is lots of self-control and you can soon restore your control over both your life and work!

PAYAL CHANANIA