An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week, but he wanted to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go & asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but over 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, his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, "This is your house... 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 would do it much differently.
But, you cannot go back. You are the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Someone once said, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Your attitude and the choices you make today, help build the "house" you will live in tomorrow. Therefore, build wisely!
Friday 29 February 2008
Friday 22 February 2008
Its just a paradigm shift
One evening a scholar was addressing the participants on the concept of work culture. One of the participants asked the following question:
"I am a senior manager of Materials Department and I joined an organization 25 years ago as an Engineer Trainee and over the last 25 years I have gone through every experience in the organization. During the initial part of my career, the job was very challenging and interesting. However, all those exciting days are gone since I do not find my joy any more interesting because there is nothing new in my job. I am now feeling bored because I am doing a routine job.
However, Sir, I am living in the same house for over forty years, I am the son for the same parents for over forty five years, I am the father for the same children for the past ten years and the husband for the same lady for the past twenty years !( the toughest job!) … In these personal roles I do not feel bored Please tell me why I am bored of the routine in the office and not in the house?"
The response from Scholar was very interesting and convincing. He asked the executive the question:
"Please tell me for whom does your Mother cook?"
The executive replied that obviously the mother cooks for others.
Then the Scholar said that the Mother "Serves" others and because of this service mindedness, she is not feeling tired or bored. But in an office, we "Work" and not "Serve". Anything we consider, as service will not make us feel bored. That is the difference between Serving and Working.
He asked the executive to consider his work as service and not merely a work!! This was a very interesting analysis!! Whenever you put a larger context around your work and see a broader meaning for your work, you will take interest in your work and it will make a very big difference in your internal energy.
Attitude Matters!!!
If you think you are working for the organization you will get frustrated. If you feel you are
doing a service and getting some service charges you will feel happy.
It is just a paradigm shift that is required.
Tuesday 19 February 2008
Say No To Child Labour !!
The latest ILO Global report on Child Labour found that the number of working children under the age of 15 years in Asia and the Pacific declined by 5 million to 122.3 million from 2000 to 2004. Despite this positive development, the region still 
faces major challenges. The number of working children in Asia Pacific is by far the largest in the world and represents 18.8 per cent of the 650 million 5-14 year-olds in the region. Furthermore, progress in eliminating child labour is still modest compared to progress in Latin America and the Caribbean.Many worst forms of child labour are still important concerns, including child trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation, bonded child labour, child domestic work, hazardous child labour and the recruitment and use of children for armed conflict or drug trafficking. A high tolerance for child labour in many countries and political volatility and conflict in certain others exacerbate the problem and has hindered the implementation of action against it. In addition, a large number of children in areas affected by natural disasters are vulnerable to entering child labour.
Strategies such as capacity building for social partners and IPEC implementing agencies, advocacy for adherence and implementation of ILO Conventions, awareness raising of the public and target groups and focused direct assistance are slowly but surely making inroads into the child labour problem. Awareness and support for the eradication of child labour in a comprehensive manner is on the rise. Seven countries in the region have set time-bound targets to end selected worst form of child labour and national time-bound programm
e projects are now being implemented to help reach these. IPEC works to mainstream child labour into government policies, strategies, plans and budgets. Child labour issues have been included in the national Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers in Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal and Pakistan, and mainstreaming is being pursued in other countries, such as the Philippines and Viet Nam. There are efforts to integrate child labour and trafficking concerns into Education for All initiatives in Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam.
Friends forward this article and hold the hands of child who is acting as a child labour .
Monday 4 February 2008
Seven Steps to Motivating People at Work
Ask
Ask people questions. There are two goals of asking questions. To find out what people are passionate about and to make sure that they know you care about what they think.
If you are at a loss as to what motivates people, their passions are a great start. Do not fall into the error of asking, "What are you passionate about" and taking what they say at face value. Look for body language signs that reinforce their stated passion. In an era of self help by means of television, radio and new age music, almost everyone is convinced they need to be passionate about something and quite often make it up, even to themselves.
It is better to have a conversation, asking how things could be done better around here. Respond with further questions to explore. The phrase, "Tell me more" works well to open up the conversation further. Have several conversations like this and as trust develops you will find out what motivates people without having to ask.
Having a conversation with people where you are genuinely interested in their responses builds self esteem for the person to whom the questions are directed.
Involve
For major and minor changes, go further than asking for advice and opinions; involve people in analysis and design of solutions. It is not necessary to set up quality circles as part of a complete quality management system. Involve people in the definition of the problem and they will own it. Involve them in the analysis to create solutions and they will own the solution alternatives. Involve them in the design of the implementation and they will own the outcome.
Communicate
When you are anticipating change, let people know what your intentions are. Tell them the goal. Tell them the rationale. Tell them the consequences and timing of what you intend to do. Tell them the consequences and timing of doing nothing. Tell them the process by which things will happen. Tell them how to find out more information. Tell them how to make sure their comments and thoughts are to be included.
Listen to what they think. Listen to what they would rather do. Listen to their aspirations. Listen to how changing things impacts them.
Do this for good news and bad news. Do this as early as possible, often and by several different mediums. Do this for big events and do it on a small scale for small events, such as responding to a conversation you started by asking, "How can we do things better around here."
In day-to-day business life communicate the standards to which you expect people to perform. Make them explicit standards, not implicit. Do not ask for a public toilet to be clean. Develop a standard on what clean is. The standard will include as a minimum, what is to be done, the measure by which it is evaluated and time elements.
People are not de-motivated by certainty. They are, however, de-motivated by the uncertainty created by the whirlpool of rumour and denial resulting from a vacuum of information when change is anticipated. They are de-motivated by the duplicity of informal standards when none is formally set.
Appreciate
Appreciate people's achievements in public. Even those who shun the limelight will appreciate being commended in a low key way in public. Be specific. Do not say, "I just want to commend Jim for the great job he is doing". The assembled group, including Jim, is likely to have two or more views on what behaviours "Doing a great job" reflects.
Say instead, "I want to commend Jim for going out of his way to help our customer stay in business. Jim not only came in on Saturday morning when the customer called in a panic, but he personally delivered the part. Jim did not have to do that. In choosing to do so, he has helped us all get a reputation for superior service". Nobody is left in doubt as to what behaviour, with what consequences, is being commended. It is this precise behaviour which will be reinforced.
Reprimand
Reprimand in private. People will talk and the fact a reprimand has been given will be known. Embarrassing people in public will de-motivate. Reprimanding in a constructive manner will motivate.
Reprimand as soon as possible after the event and be as specific about the behaviour which is unacceptable and the rationale as to why it is unacceptable as for appreciating behaviour. Be specific about the consequences of repeating the behaviour. Ask for advice on what can be done to help the person stop the behaviour. Work together to eliminate the unacceptable behaviour.
If the reprimand does not work, counsel to improve or find employment where the behaviour is acceptable. Do not shirk your responsibility to all the other people exhibiting acceptable behaviours, so that a distinction between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour is made.
Build
Build people's strengths and help them eliminate their weaknesses. Make it unacceptable to continue in a position where a weakness is a liability for the team. However, make it acceptable to have a weakness on which people are willing to work. Help them help themselves. Allow more skilled team members to help them. Monitor progress and appreciate progress.
Identify, appreciate and build people's strengths, especially those who have weaknesses they are working on.
Use all resources at your disposal you can afford. Not only use coaching and training but ask people to train and coach others. Nothing makes people realise their true strengths and weaknesses more than when they are asked to teach. Nothing builds self esteem like being successful at teaching someone else well and watching their behaviour change.
Delegate
Delegate your responsibilities to people who have the competence to execute some of your tasks. State clearly what is expected, setting a standard which is mutually understood. Delegate the authority. Do not double check them as routine. At the beginning of delegation monitor their output as part of an greed standard of handing over delegation. At an agreed level of execution quality, stop monitoring except for normal quality audit purposes. Make sure the data required to execute the tasks is easily accessible.
At work, being responsible, having the competency, authority and tools to be responsible and having the trust of your colleagues, superiors and subordinates is the most powerful motivator of all. Find something, even the smallest thing that an individual can actually be responsible for and you will be on the road to a motivated workforce.
Ask people questions. There are two goals of asking questions. To find out what people are passionate about and to make sure that they know you care about what they think.
If you are at a loss as to what motivates people, their passions are a great start. Do not fall into the error of asking, "What are you passionate about" and taking what they say at face value. Look for body language signs that reinforce their stated passion. In an era of self help by means of television, radio and new age music, almost everyone is convinced they need to be passionate about something and quite often make it up, even to themselves.
It is better to have a conversation, asking how things could be done better around here. Respond with further questions to explore. The phrase, "Tell me more" works well to open up the conversation further. Have several conversations like this and as trust develops you will find out what motivates people without having to ask.
Having a conversation with people where you are genuinely interested in their responses builds self esteem for the person to whom the questions are directed.
Involve
For major and minor changes, go further than asking for advice and opinions; involve people in analysis and design of solutions. It is not necessary to set up quality circles as part of a complete quality management system. Involve people in the definition of the problem and they will own it. Involve them in the analysis to create solutions and they will own the solution alternatives. Involve them in the design of the implementation and they will own the outcome.
Communicate
When you are anticipating change, let people know what your intentions are. Tell them the goal. Tell them the rationale. Tell them the consequences and timing of what you intend to do. Tell them the consequences and timing of doing nothing. Tell them the process by which things will happen. Tell them how to find out more information. Tell them how to make sure their comments and thoughts are to be included.
Listen to what they think. Listen to what they would rather do. Listen to their aspirations. Listen to how changing things impacts them.
Do this for good news and bad news. Do this as early as possible, often and by several different mediums. Do this for big events and do it on a small scale for small events, such as responding to a conversation you started by asking, "How can we do things better around here."
In day-to-day business life communicate the standards to which you expect people to perform. Make them explicit standards, not implicit. Do not ask for a public toilet to be clean. Develop a standard on what clean is. The standard will include as a minimum, what is to be done, the measure by which it is evaluated and time elements.
People are not de-motivated by certainty. They are, however, de-motivated by the uncertainty created by the whirlpool of rumour and denial resulting from a vacuum of information when change is anticipated. They are de-motivated by the duplicity of informal standards when none is formally set.
Appreciate
Appreciate people's achievements in public. Even those who shun the limelight will appreciate being commended in a low key way in public. Be specific. Do not say, "I just want to commend Jim for the great job he is doing". The assembled group, including Jim, is likely to have two or more views on what behaviours "Doing a great job" reflects.
Say instead, "I want to commend Jim for going out of his way to help our customer stay in business. Jim not only came in on Saturday morning when the customer called in a panic, but he personally delivered the part. Jim did not have to do that. In choosing to do so, he has helped us all get a reputation for superior service". Nobody is left in doubt as to what behaviour, with what consequences, is being commended. It is this precise behaviour which will be reinforced.
Reprimand
Reprimand in private. People will talk and the fact a reprimand has been given will be known. Embarrassing people in public will de-motivate. Reprimanding in a constructive manner will motivate.
Reprimand as soon as possible after the event and be as specific about the behaviour which is unacceptable and the rationale as to why it is unacceptable as for appreciating behaviour. Be specific about the consequences of repeating the behaviour. Ask for advice on what can be done to help the person stop the behaviour. Work together to eliminate the unacceptable behaviour.
If the reprimand does not work, counsel to improve or find employment where the behaviour is acceptable. Do not shirk your responsibility to all the other people exhibiting acceptable behaviours, so that a distinction between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour is made.
Build
Build people's strengths and help them eliminate their weaknesses. Make it unacceptable to continue in a position where a weakness is a liability for the team. However, make it acceptable to have a weakness on which people are willing to work. Help them help themselves. Allow more skilled team members to help them. Monitor progress and appreciate progress.
Identify, appreciate and build people's strengths, especially those who have weaknesses they are working on.
Use all resources at your disposal you can afford. Not only use coaching and training but ask people to train and coach others. Nothing makes people realise their true strengths and weaknesses more than when they are asked to teach. Nothing builds self esteem like being successful at teaching someone else well and watching their behaviour change.
Delegate
Delegate your responsibilities to people who have the competence to execute some of your tasks. State clearly what is expected, setting a standard which is mutually understood. Delegate the authority. Do not double check them as routine. At the beginning of delegation monitor their output as part of an greed standard of handing over delegation. At an agreed level of execution quality, stop monitoring except for normal quality audit purposes. Make sure the data required to execute the tasks is easily accessible.
At work, being responsible, having the competency, authority and tools to be responsible and having the trust of your colleagues, superiors and subordinates is the most powerful motivator of all. Find something, even the smallest thing that an individual can actually be responsible for and you will be on the road to a motivated workforce.
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