Candour at Work

Candour at work is considered to be a desirable trait by Jack Welch,and as per him it is responsible for much of the success achieved by GE, while he was at the helm of affairs.He recognises the social factors that make us reluctant to make harsh judgement, or to deliver honest truth in day-to-day life: the human tendency to sugar the pill and to put a gloss on unpalatable issues. This, says Welch, happens in business too. But how much more exciting would it be, he says, if we were to throw all of that away; to address issues head-on and to ask some tough but interesting questions on every possible occasion. 

Being candid and forthright in expressing opinions is easier said than done.Firstly,most of the superiors, or the victims of your candour don't really appreciate it. It tends to spoil relationships,and is at times considered unsophisticated behaviour.A smooth talker is generally prefered over such a person. My own opinion is that a person who is a glib and smooth talker does damage to the organisation as he hides the truth, and does not mean what he says, and says what he does not mean,thus creating confusion and inconsistency. Since his focus is on relationships and not results, he sugarcoats everything,leading to dealayed action. Eventually what is not good for the organisation will show up, but with more candour, the process takes lesser time,and the organisation loses less money and resources. 

Therefore, cultivate a culture of candour in the organisation by rewarding those who are candid, and by setting a personal example. You will need to overcome the SOCIAL DOs that have been taught to you since childhood in the interest of your organisation.In a nutshell,not being candid at work is not being true to the organisation,to yourself,and to those who need to know the truth .

Work

Autonomy, complexity,and a relationship between effort and reward are the three qualities that work has to have if it is to be rewarding.All of us need to be independent, and be responsible for making our own decisions, and living with their consequences.This is what gives us power to determine our own destiny.The work that we do should be complex, in the sense that it should engage our mind and imagination sufficiently.A routine job , even at a high salary is boring. Lastly, the individual must see his efforts being rewarded. That is  the nature of humanity.No one wants to work without a reward, although the definition of reward varies as per the life stage of an individual, and the environment that he lives in. For a person who is lower on the Maslow's hierarchy, a hike in salary would be an appropriate reward, while for someone who is close to self-actualization, or in simpler terms close to achieving his potential, it could be something absolutely intangible that may constitute a reward.  

Brainstorming

Idea generation is essential  for any good organisation to survive in the knowledge economy.More often than not,you will find that not enough freedom is given to employees to express their ideas, without the fear of being ridiculed or scoffed at.Even when these concerns are not there, the process of idea generation is not conducive to the environment in which an independent mind prospers. People come to meetings with preconceived notions and then utilize all the time of the meeting in pushing their own idea to the fore.We must remember that ideas belong to no one once expressed, and all the members should brainstorm on the pros and cons of the idea.The Six hats thinking methodology propounded by Dr Edward De Bono may prove to be an ideal tool for this.If you want your brainstorming sessions to succeed , you must follow/remember the following rules:

• Let there be no hierarchy, at least for the duration of the session.There are some people like yours truly, who lack the skill of being able to think on their feet.To overcome this limitation. the agenda should be circulated well in time, and some post session time should be a part of the process.
• There are no bad ideas
• There are no bad questions
• Be prepared to kill your own babies.It means that you should be ready to see your ideas get shot down, or be ready to pull the trigger yourself.This is the most difficult part,and only those with a highly flexible mind will be able to overcome this barrier 
• Wisdom may or may not be related to the age/experience of the participants. Remember that most of the great minds till now achieved excellence very early in life.
• Do not let the brainstorming drag beyond the point of diminishing returns.
• Lastly, do not forget to take notes.

Job Description

A Job Description (JD) is a lucid and detailed explanation communicating to a new recruit about his/her responsibilities, functions and where and how the candidate fits in the larger scheme of things.  Detailed Job descriptions are important as they act as pointers and can be the point of reference while identifying the competencies for a particular position as well as for selecting the right candidate. It minimizes the chances of expectation mismatch.
Clarity and transparency should be primary features of a JD to minimize fitment problems. An unclear JD can affect productivity adversely. Different organizations have different kinds of JD as per their needs, but irrespective of industry or position a JD has to be clear so that it can get the most out of a candidate..
A well charted JD also aids the goal setting and appraisal process. It helps both the organization and the candidate to assess whether the latter has delivered what s/he had been hired for.
Go through the JD in great detail to ensure that you know what is expected of you and so that you  are not caught unaware. Freshers especially need to make sure that they know all the fine points before taking up an offer.
Freshers often come armed with jargon and don’t know what they are getting into. Candidates should not feel apprehensive about asking questions. Everyone has a career plan and it is best to find out whether the offer is in keeping with their plans.
So, it is best you clarity your doubts before signing on the dotted line, else it can leave you wondering about your responsibilities and your boss about why the promising new recruit is not performing.
There is no ideal JD, it is subjective to the industry and organization. However, here are a few items which should feature in your JD.
1) About the organization: An overview of the organization.
2) Job title: Designation and grade: do not mistake the job profile / role with the designation. These are not inter-changeable terms. Designations do not mean the same in all organizations.
3) Statement of purpose: A general idea about the objective of the position and how it contributes to the overall objective of the organization.
4) Functions: A detailed list of duties and responsibilities depending on their importance, pending on their importance your accountability and the time needed.
5) Eligibility criteria: Details of the required skills, technical or academic qualifications as well as other requirements like soft skills, leadership skills, etc.
6) Experience: should be as specific as possible.
7) Reporting structure: A comprehensive account of any and all your roles. This should include who you will be reporting to (directly and in directly) as well as your own supervisory roles (if applicable) as well as the team strength).
 Work location and schedule: The physical location of the job and whether it entails traveling and /or relocation. Also, of there are any exceptions like working in shifts then the timing has to be mentioned as well.
You need not be familiar with or have dabbled in everything that is mentioned in the JD. A new job or position should be such that it not only utilizes your current skills but also enhances your knowledge and field of expertise. So as long as you have your basics right and are willing to learn you can take it as a challenge and leave certain things to be learnt on the job.

Who Moved my Cheese

I had read this book by Dr Spencer Johnson long ago. Since the lessons are timeless, I would like to recommend it to all my friends.The book deals with managing change.Often things happen to us,and we continue to fret and fume about it,rather than just moving on with our lives. Cheese is a metaphor for all that we desire, and could be related to your organisation, your job or the relationship you are in.Change happens all around us.In fact it is the only permanent thing in life. Everyone is forced to deal with it sooner or later.About 40 pages of wisdom packed in this book will prepare you for the inevitable change that is bound to affect you. Given below are some of the principles given in the book that you need to remember.

• Change happens-Someone keeps moving the Cheese
• Anticipate Change-Get ready for the Cheese to move.
• Monitor Change-Smell the Cheese often so that you know when it is getting old.
• Adapt to Change quickly-The quicker you let go of the old cheese,the sooner you can enjoy the new Cheese.
• Change-Move with the Cheese
• Enjoy Change-Savour the taste and aroma of the new Cheese
• Be ready to change quickly and enjoy it again and again-They always keep moving the Cheese