One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage, started his bus, and drove off along the route. No problems for the first few stops - a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well.
At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a guy got on. Six feet eight,built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground. He glared at the driver and said, "Big John doesn't pay!" and sat down at the back.
The driver was five feet three, thin, and basically meek. Naturally, he didn't argue with Big John, but he wasn't happy about it.
The next day the same thing happened - Big John got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down. And the next day, and the next.
This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of him. Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff.
By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; what's more, he felt really good about himself.
So on the next Monday, when Big John once again got on the bus and said, "Big John doesn't pay!"
The driver stood up, glared back at the passenger, and screamed, "And why not?
"With a surprised look on his face, Big John replied, "Big John has a bus pass ."
(Management Lesson: "Be sure there is a problem in the first place, before working hard to solve one.")
Sunday, December 27, 2009
The "KFC" Story
There was an old man whose age was 65. He just had $100 from the social security fund and an old car. But he had a dream. He had a dream of selling his mother's recipe of chicken.
With this dream in his eye, $100 in his pocket, he set out in his old car to sell this recipe to people who would care to buy. He knocked on doors every day but to no avail.
Everyday would end in a BIG disappointment. But he would never give up.
Next day, again he would start afresh. He would have knocked on at least thousand doors before he got his first order.
Then the orders started trickling in and then orders started flooding in.
Slowly the recipe became the talk of the town, then the country and then the whole world.
Today the same recipe is being used all over the world in a chain of restaurants known as "KFC" and the man was none other than Colonel Sanders.
(Cue: We should not lose heart when we attempt and fail; instead we should start afresh.)
With this dream in his eye, $100 in his pocket, he set out in his old car to sell this recipe to people who would care to buy. He knocked on doors every day but to no avail.
Everyday would end in a BIG disappointment. But he would never give up.
Next day, again he would start afresh. He would have knocked on at least thousand doors before he got his first order.
Then the orders started trickling in and then orders started flooding in.
Slowly the recipe became the talk of the town, then the country and then the whole world.
Today the same recipe is being used all over the world in a chain of restaurants known as "KFC" and the man was none other than Colonel Sanders.
(Cue: We should not lose heart when we attempt and fail; instead we should start afresh.)
Memorial That Harward University Lost
A woman in a faded dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston, and walked timidly, without an appointment, into the Harvard University President's outer office.
The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country people had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge.
"We want to see The President," the man said softly.
"He'll be busy all day," the secretary snapped.
"We'll wait," the woman replied.
For hours, the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away. They didn't and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the President, even though it was a chore she always regretted.
"Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll leave," she said to him. He sighed in exasperation and nodded. Someone of his importance obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, but he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office.
The president, stern faced and with dignity, strutted toward the couple.
The woman explained, "We had a son who attended Harvard for one year.He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial, somewhere on campus, for him."
The president wasn't touched; he was surprised. "Madam," he said, gruffly, "we can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery."
"Oh, no," the woman explained quickly. "We don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard".
The President rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, then exclaimed, "A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical buildings alone here at Harvard."
For a moment, the woman was silent. The President was pleased. Maybe he could get rid of them now. The woman turned to her husband and said quietly, "Is that all it costs to start a university? Why don't we just start our own?" Her husband nodded.
The president's face wilted in bewilderment.Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California, where they established the university that bears their name, STANFORD UNIVERSITY, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.
(Introspection: Do we also get influenced by the way somebody dresses or looks when they come to meet you ? Do we treat our customers also the same way ? Then, we need to correct ourselves.)
The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country people had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge.
"We want to see The President," the man said softly.
"He'll be busy all day," the secretary snapped.
"We'll wait," the woman replied.
For hours, the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away. They didn't and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the President, even though it was a chore she always regretted.
"Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll leave," she said to him. He sighed in exasperation and nodded. Someone of his importance obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, but he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office.
The president, stern faced and with dignity, strutted toward the couple.
The woman explained, "We had a son who attended Harvard for one year.He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial, somewhere on campus, for him."
The president wasn't touched; he was surprised. "Madam," he said, gruffly, "we can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery."
"Oh, no," the woman explained quickly. "We don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard".
The President rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, then exclaimed, "A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical buildings alone here at Harvard."
For a moment, the woman was silent. The President was pleased. Maybe he could get rid of them now. The woman turned to her husband and said quietly, "Is that all it costs to start a university? Why don't we just start our own?" Her husband nodded.
The president's face wilted in bewilderment.Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California, where they established the university that bears their name, STANFORD UNIVERSITY, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.
(Introspection: Do we also get influenced by the way somebody dresses or looks when they come to meet you ? Do we treat our customers also the same way ? Then, we need to correct ourselves.)
The Carpenter
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer (a building contractor) of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes.
But in time, it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.
When the carpenter finished his work the employer came to inspect the house. He handed the front-door key to the carpenter. 'This is your house', he said, 'my gift to you'.
The carpenter was shocked! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.
So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then with a shock we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we'd do it much differently. But we cannot go back.
We are the carpenter. Each day we hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Life is a do-it-yourself project, someone has said. Our attitudes and the choices we make today, build the house we live in tomorrow. Let's build it wisely!
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes.
But in time, it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.
When the carpenter finished his work the employer came to inspect the house. He handed the front-door key to the carpenter. 'This is your house', he said, 'my gift to you'.
The carpenter was shocked! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.
So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then with a shock we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we'd do it much differently. But we cannot go back.
We are the carpenter. Each day we hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Life is a do-it-yourself project, someone has said. Our attitudes and the choices we make today, build the house we live in tomorrow. Let's build it wisely!
Book Review: DHIRUBHAISM by A.G.Krishnamurthy
(Source: Excerpts from the Leadership Essential Series brought out by McGraw-Hill Education titled “Dhirubhaism” and authored by A. G. Krishnamurthy of Mudra). Please buy the book. It is very inspiring & motivating.
Dhirubhai Ambani was born on 28th Dec 1932. Son of a school teacher in a remote village Chorwad in Gujarat.
After completing matriculation, leaves for Aden at the age of 17 to work at A. Besse & Co.
Nine years later, returns to India and sets up Reliance Commercial Corporation, a trading venture. Trades in spices, and then into yarn.In 1966, begins textile manufacturing. From textile manufacturing, he takes up yarn, polyester, petrochemicals, oil & gas, oil exploration, … over a period of time.
Bhagwad Gita states, ‘The actions of a great man are an inspiration for others. Whatever he does becomes a standard for others to follow’. Dhirubhai’s life exemplified this.
His corporate philosophy was: Think big. Think differently. Think fast. Think ahead. Aim for the best. Ideas are no one’s monopoly. He believed that limitations were only in the mind.He used to tell his team always, ‘it is difficult but not impossible’.He used to tell his team, ‘dream with your eyes open’.
A vision has to be within reach, not in the air. It has to be achievable.
He was an arm-around-the-shoulder leader.He was always inviting people into sharing their thoughts and ideas, rather than shutting them out. If he learnt that there was value in their point of view, he would instantly embrace it, discarding his own, without any feelings of remorse.
This was one of his great qualities which most people find difficult to practice.‘We must learn to trust. For several centuries, Indians have been brainwashed to distrust other Indians. This saps national energy. Distrust kills initiative. Distrust compels people to maneuver and manipulate.
Trust and transparency stimulates entrepreneurship.’He had a tremendous capacity to learn. He has very sharp instincts too, which were no doubt backed by years of reading, studying market trends, careful listening and his own honed capacity to forecast, ….
At any given time, he was more familiar with the ins and outs of a project than most of his team. Even though he ventured into areas he had no prior experience in, he was pretty confident of his ability to learn.Once he was confident about his homework, he would venture out boldly, into completely unknown terrain with nothing short of, than the daring of an explorer.
He believed in the unusual theory of providing supply to create demand.He believed in speed and efficiency. He was constantly and swiftly upgrading technology, coming up with innovative schemes to raise money from the markets, ploughing it back into his plants and increasing capacities, … all at the same time.
Believed that a bad product will not only scare away all his clients and customers, it will actually drive them to his competitors. And, if it happens, one is signing one’s death warrant, businesswise. But on the other hand, a good product is like one’s personal ambassador who will forge long-lasting relationships with one’s clients and customers.
‘If you work with determination and with perfection, success will follow’.
‘Money, is the value of your product. It is not and can never be a product on its own’ (except for RBI, may be).
‘Give your team a proper environment. Motivate them. Extend them the support they need. Each one of them has infinite source of energy. They will deliver. Bet on your people.’
Orbit Theory of Dhirubhai. ‘Growth has not limit in Reliance. I keep revising my vision. Only when you dream it, you can do it’.
‘Hope is the most powerful weapon. Pursue your goals even in the face of difficulties and convert adversities into opportunities. Don’t give up; courage is my conviction’.
His advice to young entrepreneurs was not to accept defeat in the face of odds. To challenge negative forces with hope, self-confidence and conviction. He believed that ambition and initiative will ultimately triumph. The success of the young entrepreneurs will be the key to India’s transformation in the new millennium.
PS: The ‘foreword’ and the ‘preface’ are also worth reading.Dhirubhaism --- by A. G. Krishnamurthy – Apr07
Dhirubhai Ambani was born on 28th Dec 1932. Son of a school teacher in a remote village Chorwad in Gujarat.
After completing matriculation, leaves for Aden at the age of 17 to work at A. Besse & Co.
Nine years later, returns to India and sets up Reliance Commercial Corporation, a trading venture. Trades in spices, and then into yarn.In 1966, begins textile manufacturing. From textile manufacturing, he takes up yarn, polyester, petrochemicals, oil & gas, oil exploration, … over a period of time.
Bhagwad Gita states, ‘The actions of a great man are an inspiration for others. Whatever he does becomes a standard for others to follow’. Dhirubhai’s life exemplified this.
His corporate philosophy was: Think big. Think differently. Think fast. Think ahead. Aim for the best. Ideas are no one’s monopoly. He believed that limitations were only in the mind.He used to tell his team always, ‘it is difficult but not impossible’.He used to tell his team, ‘dream with your eyes open’.
A vision has to be within reach, not in the air. It has to be achievable.
He was an arm-around-the-shoulder leader.He was always inviting people into sharing their thoughts and ideas, rather than shutting them out. If he learnt that there was value in their point of view, he would instantly embrace it, discarding his own, without any feelings of remorse.
This was one of his great qualities which most people find difficult to practice.‘We must learn to trust. For several centuries, Indians have been brainwashed to distrust other Indians. This saps national energy. Distrust kills initiative. Distrust compels people to maneuver and manipulate.
Trust and transparency stimulates entrepreneurship.’He had a tremendous capacity to learn. He has very sharp instincts too, which were no doubt backed by years of reading, studying market trends, careful listening and his own honed capacity to forecast, ….
At any given time, he was more familiar with the ins and outs of a project than most of his team. Even though he ventured into areas he had no prior experience in, he was pretty confident of his ability to learn.Once he was confident about his homework, he would venture out boldly, into completely unknown terrain with nothing short of, than the daring of an explorer.
He believed in the unusual theory of providing supply to create demand.He believed in speed and efficiency. He was constantly and swiftly upgrading technology, coming up with innovative schemes to raise money from the markets, ploughing it back into his plants and increasing capacities, … all at the same time.
Believed that a bad product will not only scare away all his clients and customers, it will actually drive them to his competitors. And, if it happens, one is signing one’s death warrant, businesswise. But on the other hand, a good product is like one’s personal ambassador who will forge long-lasting relationships with one’s clients and customers.
‘If you work with determination and with perfection, success will follow’.
‘Money, is the value of your product. It is not and can never be a product on its own’ (except for RBI, may be).
‘Give your team a proper environment. Motivate them. Extend them the support they need. Each one of them has infinite source of energy. They will deliver. Bet on your people.’
Orbit Theory of Dhirubhai. ‘Growth has not limit in Reliance. I keep revising my vision. Only when you dream it, you can do it’.
‘Hope is the most powerful weapon. Pursue your goals even in the face of difficulties and convert adversities into opportunities. Don’t give up; courage is my conviction’.
His advice to young entrepreneurs was not to accept defeat in the face of odds. To challenge negative forces with hope, self-confidence and conviction. He believed that ambition and initiative will ultimately triumph. The success of the young entrepreneurs will be the key to India’s transformation in the new millennium.
PS: The ‘foreword’ and the ‘preface’ are also worth reading.Dhirubhaism --- by A. G. Krishnamurthy – Apr07
Monday, November 23, 2009
HRD-MFI: EMPLOYEE-BONDING --- “Respect”
The other day, my friends and I were discussing on how to generate the feeling of ‘belongingness’ towards the company among the employees. One of every HR department’s KRA.
We brainstormed on the subject and prepared a list of factors that will ensure employee-bonding-towards-his-organisation. Right salary, timely salary, right position, right job, clear job description, career growth prospects, working environment, respect, … are a few to name them.
RESPECT:
A friend stressed on the importance of ‘respect’ in employee-bonding by narrating his personal experience. He was working in a reputed and growing organisation, had a good position, was getting a good pay package, had a good team in his section, had good prospect to grow further in the company, had put-in over 5 years in the company, was a performing member, the top management had appreciated his performance, … but still he changed the job, one day.
Reason was the ‘respect’ factor. His new boss, though smart, knowledgeable, experienced, … had failed consistently in respecting him and his team.
Performing people do not work purely for salary. They primarily work for job-satisfaction. Right salary will naturally follow.
That reminded us the saying that people change jobs not because of the organization but because of their managers. I could understand my colleague because I too had experienced such a situation in my career earlier.
DISRESPECT &/or DISCONTENTMENT:
Then, we discussed how to avoid ‘disrespect’ and ‘discontentment’ in an organization. Both these aspects adversely affect job-satisfaction, even if a company pays good salary. Some tips on how to pre-empt ‘disrespect’ and/or ‘discontentment’ (and therefore the avoidable ‘attrition’) are:
· Avoid using abusive language while dealing with our team.
· Guide and correct instead of scolding a team member.
· Avoid scolding our team-member for minor issues.
· Encourage team members to perform.
· Praise a team-member in public but correct him in private.
· Discuss certain aspects in person (instead of in other’s presence).
· Be sincere with our team. Walk-the-talk. Testify through consistent actions/behaviour. Staff always take a cue from the top.
· Avoid loose talk. Use the right choice of words and the tone.
· Quote right and relevant examples, whenever we do so.
· Avoid sarcastic comments. Especially when others are present.
· Avoid comments that could have egoistic connotation though inadvertent. Ego attempts to be-little others. Thus, in spite of having all good qualities, a person with ego is (invariably) not liked by his superiors/peers/subordinates. Ego comes with success; therefore, we should introspect at regular intervals.
· Avoid giving an opinion on every aspect because nobody will know everything-about-anything.
· Be a good listener even when the other person talks nonsense. We might get a cue on some usable information.
We summarized that if every person (especially a leader) deals with his colleagues like he deals with his close associates, then he can easily avoid the disrespect and discontentment among others. That was an apt summation.
Bonding towards a ‘Person’ and ‘Company’:
Another aspect surfaced in the discussion and the brainstorming. My friend still respects his earlier organization but not the person (the new-boss because of whom, he and few others had left the organization). Employee-bonding “towards the company” and “towards individuals” are therefore two different aspects. The bonding the employees will have towards another person (say, a leader) depends upon the leader’s personal qualities, sincere behaviour, walk-the-talk nature, … that gets established over a period of time through consistent actions.
A good aspect for introspection, say once a year; because ego, pride, I-know-everything attitude, and the various factors that cause ‘disrespect’ mentioned herein above, … are negative qualities that creep into one’s behavior inadvertently along with success. (For example, my friend's ex-boss (new) would not have realized then that his behaviour was adversely affecting his team.)
We believe that the lowest line-manager to the top-most person in any organization could take a cue from this note through introspection (say, once a year, on a new year, birthday, ….)
The opinion expressed herein is purely that of my friends and I; not of the organizations that we work for.
Jaikishan
23rd Nov 2009
We brainstormed on the subject and prepared a list of factors that will ensure employee-bonding-towards-his-organisation. Right salary, timely salary, right position, right job, clear job description, career growth prospects, working environment, respect, … are a few to name them.
RESPECT:
A friend stressed on the importance of ‘respect’ in employee-bonding by narrating his personal experience. He was working in a reputed and growing organisation, had a good position, was getting a good pay package, had a good team in his section, had good prospect to grow further in the company, had put-in over 5 years in the company, was a performing member, the top management had appreciated his performance, … but still he changed the job, one day.
Reason was the ‘respect’ factor. His new boss, though smart, knowledgeable, experienced, … had failed consistently in respecting him and his team.
Performing people do not work purely for salary. They primarily work for job-satisfaction. Right salary will naturally follow.
That reminded us the saying that people change jobs not because of the organization but because of their managers. I could understand my colleague because I too had experienced such a situation in my career earlier.
DISRESPECT &/or DISCONTENTMENT:
Then, we discussed how to avoid ‘disrespect’ and ‘discontentment’ in an organization. Both these aspects adversely affect job-satisfaction, even if a company pays good salary. Some tips on how to pre-empt ‘disrespect’ and/or ‘discontentment’ (and therefore the avoidable ‘attrition’) are:
· Avoid using abusive language while dealing with our team.
· Guide and correct instead of scolding a team member.
· Avoid scolding our team-member for minor issues.
· Encourage team members to perform.
· Praise a team-member in public but correct him in private.
· Discuss certain aspects in person (instead of in other’s presence).
· Be sincere with our team. Walk-the-talk. Testify through consistent actions/behaviour. Staff always take a cue from the top.
· Avoid loose talk. Use the right choice of words and the tone.
· Quote right and relevant examples, whenever we do so.
· Avoid sarcastic comments. Especially when others are present.
· Avoid comments that could have egoistic connotation though inadvertent. Ego attempts to be-little others. Thus, in spite of having all good qualities, a person with ego is (invariably) not liked by his superiors/peers/subordinates. Ego comes with success; therefore, we should introspect at regular intervals.
· Avoid giving an opinion on every aspect because nobody will know everything-about-anything.
· Be a good listener even when the other person talks nonsense. We might get a cue on some usable information.
We summarized that if every person (especially a leader) deals with his colleagues like he deals with his close associates, then he can easily avoid the disrespect and discontentment among others. That was an apt summation.
Bonding towards a ‘Person’ and ‘Company’:
Another aspect surfaced in the discussion and the brainstorming. My friend still respects his earlier organization but not the person (the new-boss because of whom, he and few others had left the organization). Employee-bonding “towards the company” and “towards individuals” are therefore two different aspects. The bonding the employees will have towards another person (say, a leader) depends upon the leader’s personal qualities, sincere behaviour, walk-the-talk nature, … that gets established over a period of time through consistent actions.
A good aspect for introspection, say once a year; because ego, pride, I-know-everything attitude, and the various factors that cause ‘disrespect’ mentioned herein above, … are negative qualities that creep into one’s behavior inadvertently along with success. (For example, my friend's ex-boss (new) would not have realized then that his behaviour was adversely affecting his team.)
We believe that the lowest line-manager to the top-most person in any organization could take a cue from this note through introspection (say, once a year, on a new year, birthday, ….)
The opinion expressed herein is purely that of my friends and I; not of the organizations that we work for.
Jaikishan
23rd Nov 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
EMPLOYEE-COMPANY BONDING
Every management will want that their employees must have the feeling of belongingness towards the company.
What will generate that belongingness in an employee towards his organisation?
Employee must enjoy his assignment in the organization where he works. Factors that will make and keep an employee happy are:
Gets salary in time each month. Gets yearly increments.
Clear policy on Employee benefits (PF, Insurance, Medical Claims, ….)
Growth opportunities in the company. Proper appraisal system.
Respected in the company by all.
Job Responsibilities and Deliverables are defined. Helps is proper annual appraisal.
Adequate time to perform the job without undue pressure.
Adequate workload. Not to be overloaded.
No duplication or rework(s) in sending reports, statements, preparing letters,…. (This will arise when the requirement is not communicated properly in time or when the employee fails to understand the communication.)
Planned working instead of fire-fighting.
Reports to one person/boss.
In case of multiple reporting, the management must define them properly in writing with a copy to all reporting heads. (This is to pre-empt the conflicting priorities of the bosses that would adversely affect their direct reports.)
To provide a right and adequate team such that a Manager can deliver what is expected of him and his team.
To work with a good boss. It is the Company’s responsibility to appoint right persons to responsible positions such that the employees under him will enjoy their work.
Proper support and communication between the Head Office and branches.
A management that walks-the-talk.
Good and simple HR Policy covering all aspects.
Employee to be able to voice his concern/grievance(s) to superiors. To have a feeling that the management/superior will accord a patient hearing.
Management’s responsibility in generating in its Employees the belongingness towards the organization:
Consider all the points mentioned above (that every employee expects to enjoy his assignment in the company).
To be a better employer than others in the industry.
Walk-the-talk. Management must be sincere in what they say and must honour what they commit. Otherwise, employees will also ‘pretend’ the belongingness.
Employees must feel that they are working in a professional organization where they have scope for career growth.
Professionalism, Benefits, Respect, … must flow from the top-to-the-next- level. Employees take cue from their bosses and top management.
To have regular training schedules and relevant training contents for all employee levels. Inhouse as well as outsource training.
Top management and HoDs must regularly update/upgrade themselves to live up to the challenges ahead so as to guide &/or to motivate their direct reports.
Jaikishan (8th Nov 09)
HRD-MFI: 'STATIC' vs 'DYNAMIC' ORGANISATION
HRD-MFI: STATIC VS DYNAMIC
(MFI = Material For Introspection)
We come across statements from many eminent and successful personalities conveying that ‘CHANGE’ IS THE ONLY ‘CONSTANT’.
Understand that the ICICI Chairman, Mr V. Kamath, quite often conveys to his team that NO CHANGE CAN BE BROUGHT ABOUT IN STATUS QUO. [Application: We all set some goals or targets to achieve like ‘we shall increase our turnover to 5000 crore by 2015”. Having consciously set the targeted turnover, we must prepare ourselves to the demands of a 5000 crore organization vis-à-vis our current status. We must do a SWOT analysis, brainstorm and eventually plan the strategy to reach the targeted position by 2015. Every department and every staff must be tuned towards the target set. Necessary resources, training, changes, … will have to be planned and provided. In short, there has to a conscious and planned effort to reach the target. All these will not happen in status quo. We have to bring-in and accept the desired change(s) continually.]
If an organization does not adapt to the changing business scenario, it would become a static organization.
A dynamic organization on the other hand adapts itself to the changing business scenarios, prepares every department within the organization to sync comfortably with the changes, harnesses the suitable technology to keep itself ahead of others in the industry, … and the like. All these are continual exercises and efforts in a dynamic organisation.
A non-dynamic organization would be static one. A static organization would initially imply ‘no further growth’ , followed by ‘gradual downfall’ and eventually to ‘extinction’ (if no action is taken to revive/correct).
Every organization must consciously imbibe and maintain dynamism in its attitude, culture and everyday activities. Organisation represents its manpower among other assets. Thus, every person working in an organization must understand dynamism and practice it. Only then, will the employees co-operate, collaborate and corroborate among themselves.
Moreover, the dynamism must percolate from the top level to the lowest level in an organisation’s hierarchy. Many a time, changes in attitude towards work and life are desired. A concerted effort is required in bringing-in such changes.
Human body is indeed a great source of inspiration. An analogy can be drawn on invariably any aspect of perfection, even in this ‘static’ vs ‘dynamic’ concept. For instance, let us take the case of a lunatic that we find on the roads; he does not take bath, lives is very unhygienic conditions, …. He will stink (at close distance) but his body does not decay in a week or month. But, when a person dies, no matter how hygienic and clean he was (throughout his life), his body will begin to decompose (immediately after his death), and within a day (if left unattended), the foul smell (due to the decomposition) will become unbearable. When the person was alive, his entire system was dynamic but, when he died, his system became static. Static thus entails decay and extinction.
If this analogy is applied to an organization, a static organization will eventually become bankrupt and redundant, if no corrective actions are taken.
Some such thing happened in General Motors, USA. It was a great organization earlier. All marketing books in 1970s and 80s quoted examples of General Motors, like we find reference to Infosys or Wipro in contemporary books. But, due to some ‘static’ aspects somewhere, General Motors (USA) recently approached the US Government for financial aid to revive and sustain. That’s the reason, dynamism in an organization has to be ‘continual’; not a one-time exercise. A (once) dynamic organization/individual can become static, if the ‘continual’ aspect is missed out.
A good example of dynamism is the ITC Group. Earlier, about 80 per cent of their turnover was from tobacco-related businesses. Few years ago, ITC management decided to reduce its dependency on tobacco-related business (foreseeing the anti-tobacco advertisements and campaigns). Today, tobacco division contributes less than 50 per cent to its turnover. This change did not happen in status quo; there was a conscious and concerted effort in ITC working --- right from the Directors, to the HoDs, to the managers, to the assistant managers, … to the last level in their hierarchy.
Problem with success is (that) it has high probability of complacency setting-in (unknowlingly) --- in an organization as well as in individuals. General Motors, USA is one such corporate example. Individuals who bask in their past glory (of excellent performance) could fall prey to the ‘static’ state (unknowingly).
Articles/notes of this nature (,I hope,) assist us (discreetly) to introspect (whether we and our organization are ‘dynamic’ or ‘static’) & take corrective action (wherever required).
Jaikishan (7th Nov, 2009)
(MFI = Material For Introspection)
We come across statements from many eminent and successful personalities conveying that ‘CHANGE’ IS THE ONLY ‘CONSTANT’.
Understand that the ICICI Chairman, Mr V. Kamath, quite often conveys to his team that NO CHANGE CAN BE BROUGHT ABOUT IN STATUS QUO. [Application: We all set some goals or targets to achieve like ‘we shall increase our turnover to 5000 crore by 2015”. Having consciously set the targeted turnover, we must prepare ourselves to the demands of a 5000 crore organization vis-à-vis our current status. We must do a SWOT analysis, brainstorm and eventually plan the strategy to reach the targeted position by 2015. Every department and every staff must be tuned towards the target set. Necessary resources, training, changes, … will have to be planned and provided. In short, there has to a conscious and planned effort to reach the target. All these will not happen in status quo. We have to bring-in and accept the desired change(s) continually.]
If an organization does not adapt to the changing business scenario, it would become a static organization.
A dynamic organization on the other hand adapts itself to the changing business scenarios, prepares every department within the organization to sync comfortably with the changes, harnesses the suitable technology to keep itself ahead of others in the industry, … and the like. All these are continual exercises and efforts in a dynamic organisation.
A non-dynamic organization would be static one. A static organization would initially imply ‘no further growth’ , followed by ‘gradual downfall’ and eventually to ‘extinction’ (if no action is taken to revive/correct).
Every organization must consciously imbibe and maintain dynamism in its attitude, culture and everyday activities. Organisation represents its manpower among other assets. Thus, every person working in an organization must understand dynamism and practice it. Only then, will the employees co-operate, collaborate and corroborate among themselves.
Moreover, the dynamism must percolate from the top level to the lowest level in an organisation’s hierarchy. Many a time, changes in attitude towards work and life are desired. A concerted effort is required in bringing-in such changes.
Human body is indeed a great source of inspiration. An analogy can be drawn on invariably any aspect of perfection, even in this ‘static’ vs ‘dynamic’ concept. For instance, let us take the case of a lunatic that we find on the roads; he does not take bath, lives is very unhygienic conditions, …. He will stink (at close distance) but his body does not decay in a week or month. But, when a person dies, no matter how hygienic and clean he was (throughout his life), his body will begin to decompose (immediately after his death), and within a day (if left unattended), the foul smell (due to the decomposition) will become unbearable. When the person was alive, his entire system was dynamic but, when he died, his system became static. Static thus entails decay and extinction.
If this analogy is applied to an organization, a static organization will eventually become bankrupt and redundant, if no corrective actions are taken.
Some such thing happened in General Motors, USA. It was a great organization earlier. All marketing books in 1970s and 80s quoted examples of General Motors, like we find reference to Infosys or Wipro in contemporary books. But, due to some ‘static’ aspects somewhere, General Motors (USA) recently approached the US Government for financial aid to revive and sustain. That’s the reason, dynamism in an organization has to be ‘continual’; not a one-time exercise. A (once) dynamic organization/individual can become static, if the ‘continual’ aspect is missed out.
A good example of dynamism is the ITC Group. Earlier, about 80 per cent of their turnover was from tobacco-related businesses. Few years ago, ITC management decided to reduce its dependency on tobacco-related business (foreseeing the anti-tobacco advertisements and campaigns). Today, tobacco division contributes less than 50 per cent to its turnover. This change did not happen in status quo; there was a conscious and concerted effort in ITC working --- right from the Directors, to the HoDs, to the managers, to the assistant managers, … to the last level in their hierarchy.
Problem with success is (that) it has high probability of complacency setting-in (unknowlingly) --- in an organization as well as in individuals. General Motors, USA is one such corporate example. Individuals who bask in their past glory (of excellent performance) could fall prey to the ‘static’ state (unknowingly).
Articles/notes of this nature (,I hope,) assist us (discreetly) to introspect (whether we and our organization are ‘dynamic’ or ‘static’) & take corrective action (wherever required).
Jaikishan (7th Nov, 2009)
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