Importance of Human Resources

Talent related challenges for Small and Medium businesses

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Sat, 05 Oct 2024 09:47:00 +0000

Indian small companies often face several talent-related challenges that can hinder their growth and competitiveness. These problems arise from structural issues in the labor market, the business environment, and organizational practices. Here are some of the key talent problems they encounter:

1. Attracting Talent

Competition with Larger Firms: Larger corporations, multinational companies, and startups with better funding often attract top talent with better compensation, brand recognition, and growth opportunities.
Location Disadvantages: Many small companies are located in non-metropolitan areas where the talent pool may be smaller, making it harder to find the right candidates.
Limited Resources: Small companies often don’t have the resources for sophisticated recruitment strategies or the ability to offer competitive salaries and benefits.

2. Skill Gaps

Mismatch between Education and Industry Needs: Many Indian graduates may not have the necessary skills or practical experience for the job market, particularly in industries like IT, engineering, and manufacturing.
Emerging Technology Shortage: With rapid technological advancements, smaller companies may find it hard to source professionals with cutting-edge skills (AI, machine learning, blockchain, etc.).

3. High Employee Turnover

Retention Struggles: Employees, especially young professionals, often see small companies as stepping stones, moving on to larger companies or those with better prospects after gaining some experience.
Limited Career Growth: Small companies might offer fewer opportunities for career advancement, which makes retaining high-potential employees difficult.

4. Training and Development

Lack of Training Programs: Many small businesses don't have the infrastructure to develop talent through formal training and upskilling programs, which limits employees' potential for growth within the company.
Cost of Training: Investing in training and development can be financially burdensome for small companies. When employees leave soon after being trained, it compounds the problem.

5. Employer Branding

Weak Brand Image: Small companies often struggle with employer branding, making them less appealing to potential candidates who may be unaware of their existence or their unique value propositions.
Limited Recruitment Networks: They may not have access to the same recruitment platforms, industry networks, or placement cells that larger companies utilize.

6. Cultural Fit and Management Style

Mismatch of Expectations: Many small businesses have more informal structures and decision-making processes, which may not appeal to all candidates, especially those with experience in larger, more structured organizations.
Workplace Culture: The smaller workforce and lack of professional HR departments in many small companies can lead to issues with workplace culture, including unclear role definitions, inconsistent performance management, and communication breakdowns.

7. Compliance and HR Expertise

Limited HR Support: Small companies often lack a dedicated HR team or proper policies in place for performance management, employee engagement, and legal compliance.
Legal and Regulatory Challenges: Keeping up with labor laws, tax regulations, and employee benefits can be overwhelming for small businesses without the proper HR expertise, leading to potential compliance issues.

8. Limited Access to Specialists

Challenges in Hiring Specialized Roles: Positions requiring specialized knowledge or high-demand skills (such as marketing strategists, data scientists, or supply chain experts) may be difficult to fill due to the limited budget and lack of visibility.

9. Work-Life Balance and Benefits

Inadequate Benefits: Small companies might struggle to offer attractive non-salary benefits like flexible working hours, health insurance, or retirement plans, which many talented employees seek.
High Workload: Employees in small firms often have to juggle multiple roles and responsibilities, leading to burnout or dissatisfaction over time.

Potential Solutions

While the talent problems are significant, there are ways Indian small businesses can overcome them:

Leverage Internships and Apprenticeships: Offering internships and apprenticeships can help build a pipeline of talent, while also allowing the company to train potential future employees.
Outsource Non-Core Activities: Outsourcing certain roles (HR, accounting, IT services) can allow small businesses to focus on their core operations while accessing expertise without having to hire full-time.
Emphasize Culture and Flexibility: Small companies can offer personalized work cultures, greater autonomy, and flexibility, which can be a strong draw for certain candidates.
Partner with Educational Institutions: Collaborating with universities, training institutes, or technical schools can create a sustainable talent pipeline.
Invest in Employee Development: Even with limited resources, offering mentorship, on-the-job learning, or partnerships with external training providers can improve employee satisfaction and retention.

By addressing these issues creatively, small businesses in India can better compete in the talent marketplace and secure the skilled employees they need to grow.

Cheatsheet to Accelerate your Path to Success

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Sun, 18 Aug 2024 11:13:00 +0000

Success is best achieved through hard work, integrity, and genuine effort. However, there are some strategies and techniques that might seem like “shortcuts” or “cheats” in the sense that they can provide significant advantages or make the path to success more efficient. It’s important to note that these approaches should be used ethically and responsibly. Here are some examples:

1. Leverage Existing Knowledge:

Example: Use frameworks and methodologies that have been proven effective in your field. For instance, if you're starting a business, applying established business models like the Lean Startup methodology can help you avoid common pitfalls and accelerate your progress.

2. Learn from Mentors:

Example: Seek out mentors or industry experts who have already navigated the path you're on. For instance, if you're aiming for a leadership position, learning from someone who has successfully led teams can provide you with invaluable insights and strategies.

3. Utilize Technology and Tools:

Example: Use productivity tools and software to streamline your work. For instance, project management tools like Asana or Trello can help you organize tasks more efficiently, saving time and increasing productivity.

4. Apply Proven Strategies:

Example: Use marketing strategies that have been effective for others in your industry. For example, if you're running an online business, employing SEO techniques that are known to improve search engine rankings can help you attract more customers.

5. Network Strategically:

Example: Build and leverage a strong professional network. Attend industry events, join relevant online communities, and connect with key influencers who can provide opportunities, advice, or referrals that can advance your career.

6. Outsource and Delegate:

Example: Delegate tasks to others who are more skilled or have more experience in specific areas. For instance, if you're not skilled in graphic design, hiring a professional designer to create marketing materials can improve your business’s image and effectiveness.

7. Stay Informed and Adapt:

Example: Keep up with industry trends and adapt your strategies accordingly. If you’re in tech, for example, staying updated with the latest advancements and adopting new technologies can give you a competitive edge.

8. Optimize Your Environment:

Example: Create an environment that enhances your productivity. If you find that a clutter-free workspace boosts your focus, invest in organizing your workspace or using ergonomic tools to improve efficiency.

9. Read and Implement Best Practices:

Example: Read books and articles by successful people in your field and apply their best practices. For example, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey provides actionable strategies that many people find useful for personal and professional growth.

10. Focus on High-Impact Activities:

Example: Identify and focus on activities that have the highest impact on your goals. For example, if you’re a sales professional, prioritize high-value leads and key accounts that are more likely to convert rather than spreading yourself thin.

Using these strategies can help you work smarter, not harder, and may accelerate your path to success. Just ensure that you approach each "shortcut" with integrity and a focus on ethical practices.

Benefits of Leadership First

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 18:59:00 +0000

Click here to read about the Principles of Leadership First

Benefits of Leadership First

1. Enhanced Organizational Performance

Improved Decision-Making: Strong leaders make more informed and effective decisions, positively impacting overall organizational performance.
Increased Productivity: Effective leadership drives higher levels of productivity by motivating and guiding teams to achieve their best.

2. Better Employee Engagement and Retention

Motivated Teams: Engaged and inspired leaders contribute to higher levels of employee motivation and satisfaction.
Reduced Turnover: When leaders are supportive and effective, employee turnover rates tend to decrease, resulting in a more stable workforce.

3. Stronger Organizational Culture

Positive Work Environment: Leaders who prioritize and model positive behaviors contribute to a healthier, more inclusive organizational culture.
Alignment with Values: Leadership that aligns with organizational values fosters a stronger sense of purpose and commitment among employees.

4. Increased Innovation and Adaptability

Encouraging Innovation: Leaders who support and encourage creativity and innovation can drive the organization’s ability to adapt and thrive in changing markets.
Resilience: Strong leadership enhances the organization’s resilience and ability to navigate challenges and disruptions effectively.

5. Improved Strategic Execution

Goal Achievement: Leaders aligned with the organization’s strategy are better equipped to execute strategic initiatives and achieve business objectives.
Clear Vision and Direction: Effective leadership provides clear direction and vision, ensuring all team members understand and work towards common goals.

6. Enhanced Customer Satisfaction

Customer-Focused Leadership: Leaders who prioritize customer needs and expectations contribute to better customer service and satisfaction.
Alignment with Customer Expectations: Leadership that understands and addresses customer requirements can drive improved customer experiences and loyalty.

7. Leadership Development Pipeline

Succession Planning: Investing in leadership development creates a pipeline of capable leaders ready to step into key roles as needed.
Future Growth: A focus on leadership ensures that the organization is well-prepared for future growth and challenges.

Checklist for Implementing Leadership First

1. Assess Current Leadership

Conduct evaluations to identify strengths and areas for improvement in current leadership practices and capabilities.

2. Develop a Leadership Strategy

Create a comprehensive strategy for leadership development that aligns with organizational goals and includes training, mentoring, and support initiatives.

3. Provide Continuous Feedback and Support

Offer regular feedback and support to leaders to help them improve and adapt to changing circumstances.

4. Celebrate Leadership Successes

Recognize and celebrate the achievements and successes of leaders to reinforce positive behaviors and practices.

By prioritizing leadership through the "Leadership First" approach, organizations can build a strong foundation for success, driving better performance, employee engagement, and overall organizational effectiveness.

Leadership First - Key Principles

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 18:23:00 +0000

Leadership First is a concept that emphasizes prioritizing leadership development and support as a cornerstone for organizational success. The idea is that strong, effective leadership is fundamental to achieving high performance and long-term success within an organization. Here’s a closer look at what “Leadership First” entails:

Key Principles of Leadership First

1. Leadership Development as a Priority

Investment in Training: Provide leaders with ongoing training and development opportunities to enhance their skills and effectiveness.
Mentorship and Coaching: Implement mentorship and coaching programs to support leaders in their growth and address specific challenges.

2. Creating a Leadership Culture

Role Modeling: Leaders should exemplify the values and behaviors expected within the organization, setting a standard for others to follow.
Encouraging Leadership at All Levels: Foster a culture where leadership qualities are recognized and promoted throughout the organization, not just at the top levels.

3. Supporting Leaders with Resources

Providing Tools and Support: Equip leaders with the necessary tools, resources, and support systems to effectively manage their teams and drive performance.
Removing Barriers: Identify and address obstacles that may hinder leaders’ ability to perform their roles effectively.

4. Aligning Leadership with Organizational Goals

Strategic Alignment: Ensure that leadership development and practices are aligned with the organization’s strategic objectives and vision.
Performance Metrics: Use performance metrics to evaluate and support leadership effectiveness in achieving organizational goals.

5. Emphasizing Communication and Collaboration

Open Communication Channels: Promote open and transparent communication between leaders and their teams to build trust and collaboration.
Encouraging Teamwork: Leaders should foster a collaborative environment where team members feel valued and motivated.

By prioritizing leadership through the "Leadership First" approach, organizations can build a strong foundation for success, driving better performance, employee engagement, and overall organizational effectiveness.

Assessment Tools for Leadership Hiring

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 15:59:00 +0000

Assessment tools for leadership hiring are designed to evaluate candidates' suitability for executive roles by examining their skills, competencies, and potential. Here are some widely used and effective assessment tools:

1. Psychometric Tests

Personality Assessments: Tools like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or the Big Five Personality Traits assess personality traits and how they align with leadership roles.

Cognitive Ability Tests: Assess cognitive skills, such as problem-solving and critical thinking. Examples include the Wonderlic Personnel Test and the Raven’s Progressive Matrices.

2. 360-Degree Feedback

This tool gathers feedback from a range of stakeholders, including peers, subordinates, and superiors, to provide a comprehensive view of a candidate’s leadership effectiveness and interpersonal skills.

3. Leadership Competency Models

Competency-Based Assessments: Evaluate specific competencies required for leadership roles, such as strategic thinking, decision-making, and emotional intelligence. Models might include The Leadership Circle Profile or The Korn Ferry Leadership Architect.

4. Behavioral Interviews

Structured interviews that focus on past behavior in specific situations to predict future performance. Techniques like the STAR Method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) are used to assess how candidates handle challenges and lead teams.

5. Simulation Exercises

In-Basket Exercises: Candidates respond to a series of simulated work tasks to demonstrate their decision-making and prioritization skills.

Role-Playing Scenarios: Assess how candidates handle realistic leadership situations, such as conflict resolution or negotiation.

6. Case Studies

Candidates analyze and solve business problems presented in case studies. This helps evaluate their problem-solving abilities, strategic thinking, and ability to handle complex scenarios.

7. Leadership Styles Assessments

Tools like the Transformational Leadership Questionnaire or the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) assess different leadership styles and their impact on team performance and motivation.

8. Executive Coaching Assessments

Sometimes used in conjunction with other tools, executive coaching assessments provide insights into a candidate’s readiness for leadership roles through personalized feedback and development plans.

9. Emotional Intelligence (EI) Assessments

Tools like the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) or the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) measure a candidate’s emotional intelligence, which is crucial for effective leadership.

10. Simulated Work Environments

Virtual or physical simulations where candidates navigate real-world business scenarios. These tools assess their problem-solving, leadership, and team dynamics skills in a controlled setting.

11. Strengths-Based Assessments

Tools like the Clifton Strengths Assessment (formerly StrengthsFinder) identify and evaluate a candidate’s natural strengths and how these can be leveraged in a leadership role.

12. Cultural Fit Assessments

Evaluate how well a candidate’s values, beliefs, and behaviors align with the organizational culture. This ensures that leaders are capable and fit well within the company's culture.

13. Work Samples and Task Simulations

Provide candidates with specific tasks or projects to complete, which are relevant to the role they are applying for. This helps in assessing their practical skills and approach to real job responsibilities.

14. Online Assessment Platforms

Platforms like Hogan Assessments, SHL, and Talent Q offer a range of assessment tools and platforms for evaluating leadership potential and fit.

These tools, often used in combination, help create a comprehensive profile of a candidate’s leadership abilities, ensuring a well-rounded evaluation of their suitability for executive roles.

Leadership Hiring - Industry Facts & Trends

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 18:58:00 +0000

Leadership hiring is a critical and nuanced aspect of talent acquisition, focusing on identifying and attracting individuals who can drive organizational success. Here are some industry facts and trends related to leadership hiring:

1. **Executive Search Firms**: Around 60% of leadership positions are filled through executive search firms. These firms specialize in finding high-level candidates and often have extensive networks and expertise in evaluating senior leaders.

2. **Diversity in Leadership**: Companies with diverse leadership teams are 21% more likely to experience above-average profitability. Diversity in leadership is increasingly seen as a key driver of innovation and business success.

3. **Time to Hire**: The average time to fill a senior executive position can range from 6 to 9 months. This is significantly longer than the average hiring timeline for other positions due to the complexity and strategic nature of these roles.

4. **Assessment Tools**: Approximately 70% of organizations use formal assessment tools for leadership hiring. These tools can include psychometric tests, 360-degree feedback, and simulation exercises to evaluate candidates' leadership qualities and fit.

5. **Internal vs. External Hiring**: About 30% of executive positions are filled internally, while the remaining 70% are sourced externally. Companies often balance internal promotions with external hires to bring in fresh perspectives and new skills.

6. **Candidate Experience**: In leadership hiring, candidate experience is crucial. Nearly 50% of senior candidates who have a poor experience during the hiring process will share their negative experience publicly, which can impact a company’s reputation.

7. **Cultural Fit**: For leadership roles, cultural fit is as important as technical skills. Around 60% of executives are hired based on their alignment with company values and culture, rather than just their professional qualifications.

8. **Leadership Succession Planning**: Companies with strong succession planning are 1.5 times more likely to be effective in their leadership hiring. Effective succession planning helps ensure that there is a pipeline of potential leaders ready to step into key roles.

9. **Compensation and Benefits**: Leadership roles often come with significantly higher compensation packages. In 2023, the average compensation for a CEO in the U.S. was around $350,000 base salary, with bonuses and stock options potentially doubling the total compensation.

10. **Global Talent Pool**: In today’s interconnected world, leadership hiring is increasingly global. Companies are more frequently looking beyond national borders to find the best leaders, which can introduce additional challenges related to cultural differences and relocation.

11. **Technology Integration**: Over 50% of organizations now use artificial intelligence and data analytics to assist in leadership hiring. These technologies can help in sourcing candidates, assessing fit, and even predicting leadership effectiveness.

12. **Onboarding for Leaders**: Effective onboarding is critical for leadership roles. Research shows that leaders who receive structured onboarding are 50% more likely to stay with the company for at least three years compared to those who do not.

Leadership hiring is a complex and strategic process, involving careful consideration of a candidate’s fit with both the role and the organization’s long-term goals.

Talent Acquisition - Fun Facts

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 15:39:00 +0000

Talent acquisition is a fascinating field with many interesting aspects. Here are some fun facts that might surprise you:

1. **Hiring Trends and Technology**: Over 90% of recruiters use social media platforms like LinkedIn to find and vet candidates. It's not just about networking anymore—social media can significantly enhance the talent acquisition process.

2. **The Power of Referrals**: Referred candidates are often more likely to be hired. In fact, according to studies, employee referrals have a 30% higher retention rate compared to candidates from other sources.

3. **Candidate Experience Matters**: A positive candidate experience can significantly impact a company’s reputation. Nearly 80% of job seekers say the experience a candidate has during the hiring process reflects how the company values its employees.

4. **The Impact of AI**: Artificial Intelligence is making waves in recruitment. AI tools can screen resumes, schedule interviews, and even assess candidate fit through natural language processing. Some AI systems can analyze facial expressions and body language during video interviews to gauge candidate reactions.

5. **Diverse Hiring**: Companies with diverse teams are 33% more likely to outperform their peers on profitability. Talent acquisition is increasingly focusing on diversity and inclusion to drive innovation and better business outcomes.

6. **Speed of Hiring**: The average time to fill a position is around 42 days. However, companies that streamline their hiring processes and use technology effectively can reduce this time significantly.

7. **The Rise of Remote Work**: Remote work opportunities have broadened the talent pool for companies. As of 2024, around 30% of job listings are for remote positions, reflecting a significant shift in how companies approach talent acquisition.

8. **Recruitment Marketing**: The concept of “recruitment marketing” is gaining traction. This involves promoting the company’s employer brand to attract top talent, much like traditional marketing promotes products and services.

9. **Gamification**: Some companies are using gamification to engage candidates. For example, they might incorporate games or challenges into the hiring process to assess skills and fit in a fun and interactive way.

10. **The Gig Economy**: The rise of the gig economy means that talent acquisition isn't just about full-time hires. Companies are increasingly looking to freelancers and contract workers to meet their needs.

Talent acquisition is constantly evolving, and these fun facts highlight just a few of the ways the field is changing and adapting to new trends and technologies.

Power of Big Data & HR Analytics and it’s key benefits to the organization.

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Sat, 25 Jul 2020 19:11:00 +0000

Power of HR Analytics & Big Data and it's benefits

HR analytics is a methodology of deciphering data for creating insights on how investments in human capital assets contribute to the success of four principal outcomes:

(a) generating revenue

(b) minimizing expenses

(d) executing strategic plans

This is done by applying statistical methods to integrated HR, talent management, financial, and operational data.

The two most recent and major fields of study and implementation for Human Resources have been, The Big Data, and HR Analytics. The power of HR Analytics and Big Data has made companies make more informed decisions. Companies so far had largely been dependent on “intuitions” based decision making as a trend. With the advent of HR analytics, the official decisions have become more promising and accurate across the board, worldwide.

This is the most important reason for companies which are investing millions and billions into talent management software and hiring subject matter experts including data scientists, key statisticians, and data analysts.

Now let's spend some time to understand what HR analytics and Big Data really mean. When an organization maintains a record of all its prospective candidates and present & past employees, it means that the HR function has any time excess of that data, making it easier to manage people and processes and get a better return on investment on employees. Employee Hiring these days is also based on the inputs through HR Analytics.

As organizations are realizing that employees are the central bodies of their business, it is the HR department that takes care of every aspect of these bodies. In that way, the HR function becomes the central point for collecting and processing the data regarding employee information, hiring requirements, salaries, promotions, attrition, etc. But HR analytics does not just deal with gathering data on employee efficiency. Instead, it aims to provide insight into each process by analyzing data and then implementing it to take relevant steps to improve these processes.

There are various aspects of the workplace where HR analytics and Big Data can be useful:

Talent Acquisition
Training and Induction
Performance Review
Compensation
Rewards and Benefits
Retention
Employer Branding

This useful data could be all over the place and be worthless in the absence of a proper HR analytics tool. This is why a desirable HR analytics tool could use HR and big data analytics to interpret this useful data and transform it into useful statistics. Once observable patterns are depicted, HR can decide what to do with it based on the observations. Analytics are used to examine the effects of HR metrics on organizational performance. In general terms, analytics look for patterns in the metrics.

For example, using the HR Analytics, organizations can find out if the high potential employees are leaving more often and can use this data to ponder over ways of retaining and engaging these Hi-pots.

By using analytics, organizations and their management can become predictive over time. In other words, you can use the data you may already have to discover answers to questions like which of my top performers are at risk for leaving the organization in a few quarters, or distinguish which HR initiatives like job enrichment, onshore project or long term incentives will defer the decision of employees leaving your organization.

Here are 8 benefits of HR analytics:

1. Data-driven recruitment decisions

HR analytics helps HR and Line managers to make better choices based on historical data. A great HR analytics tool can make a difference by enabling HR to easily derive the best candidates to hire from the historical data.

For example, if you hired 10 candidates and 4 out of them belonging to a particular background couldn't qualify beyond a level, perhaps you will not hire someone from a similar background again. HR analytics prevents you from making such mistakes. Moreover, it also allows the recruiter to learn more about candidates through online databases, applications, social media profiles, job portals, records, etc.

2. Reduced Talent Scarcity

Data-driven recruiting strategies provide insight to build a larger pipeline. With the help of HR Analytics, it is easier to target potential candidates for a particular position arising in the company. It is easier to understand the type of talent required, the knowledge required along with other important aspects that might be missed in a regular talent acquisition process. When the required talent is scarce for a specific industry or a job role, HR Analytics helps in identifying a Plan B for the next best talent which can be groomed into the role.

3. Process Improvement

Once the company has enough data to provide to the experts to come up with accurate statistics and patterns, the company can then use it to make the hiring process fast and efficient. Hiring managers will know which positions in the company require what type of talent, people, background & experience, along with the type of people that will not be suitable. Then it becomes much more streamlined to target a specific talent pool and get the much faster conversion for the pipeline of candidates. Organizations are realizing they need to embrace a data-driven culture to compete with others and attract top talent.

4. Improved Process Training

Training is a necessary requirement for any organization. Gaps in the training process can increase the job errors leading to unwanted issues. In the present time, most enterprises have started investing in good HR analytics and utilizing the collected data and patterns to design their training programs. This method also helps the organization identify if employees are making full use of the opportunities and knowledge imparted to them during training programs.

5. Better Insights about performance

HR analytics also help the company look at the employee's professional life by tracking, sharing, and analyzing performance-related data. This is the reason why companies track and record the behavior of their employees with customers and co-workers regularly. This employee's performance data is also used by the hiring manager to identify great talents during Internal Job postings as well as for promotions. This data not only provides more insights about the employees but also shapes the strategies to boost employee morale, retention, and engagement.

6. Controlling Attrition

When it comes to retention, HR analytics is an important tool to identify the retention rate of employees. It tells the company about the major reasons why employees leave and why they stay. There could be a variety of reasons ranging from under-performance, compensation, lack of skills to anything else. HR analytics could also be helpful in finding the gap areas where employees are finding difficulty in meeting goals and targets. HR can use various methods like employee surveys, team assessments, exit as well as on-stay interviews to find out the reason for attrition and map out strategies to retain them.

7. Improved Employee Experience

Once your recruitment process becomes swift, it automatically gives a good impression to candidates you want to attract to your organization. HR Analytics methodology in turn helps in employer branding too. It makes the recruitment process faster and the candidates don't have to wait endlessly to know whether they are rejected or shortlisted. This gives them a better candidate experience and improves the brand image simultaneously which gives your enterprise an edge over your competitors.

8. More Productive Workforce

Since enterprises have a grip on the kind of people to hire for a job, it becomes easier to expect better performance and productivity from employees. With analytics, you get an understanding of the workforce and hence know what kind of environment, policies, and teams will make them work hard and give you results that you expect from them.

The Future of HR Analytics & Big Data

Many renowned as well as few lesser-known organizations have actively started using Big Data and HR analytics and have been reaping the benefits of the same. Cognizant, HCL, Deloitte, Google, to name a few have been consistently making use of HR Analytics as a daily practice.

We’re experiencing huge changes in the HR landscape. Data analysis has taken over as a necessary tool to move beyond intuitions and gut feeling, but it comes with its own challenges. Once consensus is gained by removing peoples' apprehensions to move beyond traditional ways, then human resource management solutions will need to be chosen wisely to ensure goals are met.

Prior to Machine Learning, organizations used to manage data in manual and semi-automated ways. It would gather, store, analyze and process data to produce statistics before the data became irrelevant and needed updating at regular intervals. Moreover, there was a huge wastage of useful data that could help enhance the organization’s performance if stored and assessed properly. No data was being used and reused for multiple reasons and solutions, until now.

With machine learning, we can understand patterns in Big Data and accelerate business through automation. Resume parsing, for example, fast-tracks the screening process by identifying the candidates with the apt skills and education with existing data. Artificial intelligence also helps eliminate human error while performing repetitive tasks. Other concepts allow matching skills and qualifications of job seekers to provide a list of recommended jobs and creating relevant personalized learning opportunities based on individual learning history, goals, and preferences.

While HR analytics and Big Data has been a game-changer for many years, these new possibilities promise a plethora of potential from data insights.

HR analytics offers some undoubted benefits. It allows HR teams to significantly streamline processes that reduce costs, reduce attrition, and consequently improve the bottom line.

With task automation, you are freed up to innovate and explore the human aspect of human resources without spending time on tracking mountains of data from multiple sources.

Overall, the use of HR analytics has been established as an HR technology trend, as it is posed to improve the employee experience that directly translates into improved business outcomes.

Challenges and opportunities for Organizational Behaviour

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 19:48:00 +0000

How to use Organizational Behavior concepts effectively?

Understanding organizational behavior has never been more important for managers. A quick look at a few of the dramatic changes now taking place in organizations.

For instance, the typical employee is getting older; more and more women and people of color are in the workplace; corporate downsizing and the heavy use of temporary workers are severing the bonds of loyalty that historically toed many employees to their employers; and global competition is requiring employees to become more flexible and to learn to cope with rapid changes. The war on terror has brought to the forefront the challenges of working with and managing people during uncertain times.

In short, there are a lot of challenges and opportunities today for managers to use OB concepts. In this article, we review some of the more critical issues confronting managers for which OB offers solutions or at least some meaningful insights toward solutions.

Responding to Globalization: Organizations are no longer constrained by national borders. Burger King is owned by a British, and McDonald’s sells hamburgers in Moscow. Exxon Mobil, a so called American company receives almost 75 percent of its revenues from sales outside the United States. New employees at Finland based Nokia are increasingly being recruited from India, China, and other developing countries with non-Finns now out numbering Finns at Nokia’s renowned research center in Helsinki. And all major automobile manufacturers now build cars outside their borders; for instance, Honda builds cars in Ohio; Ford in Brazil; Volkswagen in Mexico; and both Mercedes and BMW in South Africa. These examples illustrate that the world has become a global village. In the process, the manager’s job is changing.

Increased Foreign Assignments: If you’re a manager, you are increasingly likely to find yourself in a foreign assignment transferred to your employer’s operating division or subsidiary in another country. Once there, you’ll have to manage a workforce that is likely to be very different in needs, aspiration, and attitudes from those you were used to back home.

Working with people from Different Cultures: Even in your own country, you’re going to find yourself working with bosses, peers, and other employees who were born and raised in different cultures. What motivates you, may not motivate them. Or your style of communication may be straightforward and open, but they may find this approach uncomfortable and threatening. To work effectively with people from different cultures, you need to understand how their culture geography, and religion have shaped them, and how to adapt your management style to their differences.

Coping with Anti-capitalism Backlash: Capitalism’s focus on efficiency, growth, and profits may be generally accepted in the United States, Australia and Hong Kong, but these capitalistic values aren’t nearly as popular in places like France, the Middle East, and the Scandinavian countries. For instance, because Finland’s egalitarian values have created a “soak the rich” mentality among politicians, traffic fines are based on the offender’s income rather than the severity of the offence. So, when one of Finland’s richest men (he is heir to a sausage fortune), who was making close to $9 million a year, was ticketed for doing 80 kilometers per hour through a 40-kilometer zone in central Helsinki, the Finnish court hit him with a fine of $217,000.

Managers at global companies like McDonald’s Disney, and Coca-Cola have come to realize that economic values are not universally transferable. Management practices need to be modified to reflect the values of the different countries in which an organization operates.

Organizational Behaviour Concept, read here

Mitigate the effects of COVID-19 – Key actions for business

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 18:12:00 +0000

In the face of a global pandemics, only the well-prepared businesses will be able to protect their workers and their bottom lines.

Worried about your business during Covid-19?

No crisis is an isolated, neatly contained incident, and the COVID-19 outbreak is exceptional by any standards. It comes with extreme scope and levels of uncertainty. It’s a situation that is well beyond the experience of most business leaders.The last epidemic that approached anything near this scale was the SARS outbreak in 2003. SARS infected more than 8,000 people and lasted nine months. In much less time than that, COVID-19 has already infected more than ten times as many people, and is spreading really fast.

Estimating the virus’s effect on the global economy is hard. The SARS outbreak is believed to have cost about US$40 billion; the economist who made that calculation says COVID-19 could cost three or four times as much. The International Monetary Fund had downgraded its global growth estimates, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has suggested global growth could be cut in half as a result of the virus. We’ve already seen massive disruption to supply chains, and if the virus continues to spread, we could soon again see widespread closures of schools and workplaces, whether voluntary or enforced.

Business leaders see managing a crisis as an inevitable part of their role. According to PwC’s most recent Global Crisis Survey, nearly seven in 10 leaders (69 percent) have experienced at least one corporate crisis in the last five years in their companies, and the average number of crises experienced in these firms is greater than three. COVID-19 will test many business leaders to the limit.

The key to managing any crisis is preparation. Here are seven actions that you as a leader can take to ensure your organization is in the best shape possible to withstand what’s ahead.

Review workforce locations and travel. The first priority is to establish exactly where staff are and how many workers are in affected or vulnerable territories. Do any need to be repatriated? Or have they asked to work from home? Upcoming travel plans will need to be reviewed, rescheduled, or canceled.

Clear policies should be in place to address absence due to sickness or caring for relatives, the protocol for visitors to company sites, the procedure for reporting illness, and travel restrictions. You also should plan for policies in the event of lengthy school closures — what will the policy be for working parents? There’s also the issue of tax: If workers are forced to stay in foreign countries longer than expected and then become subject to taxation, what policies do you have in place to address this? Lastly, be prepared to continuously refresh and update these policies as circumstances evolve.

Business Continuity Plan. Every well-run business has a crisis or continuity plan, and many will have a specific pandemic plan. But nothing tests theory quite like reality. One Asia-based organization’s pandemic plan, for example, designated a European city as the evacuation site for employees and their families — but flights from China to the city were suspended soon after the outbreak.

Generic plans need to be adapted and tailored to cope with the specific challenges of an epidemic. If large numbers of your employees have to work remotely for a time, for example, is there enough technology bandwidth to cope? Will your operations be impacted if outsourced, offshore workforces are unable to come to work? What is the procedure for updating travel advice and policy? How will communication with employees be managed? During any crisis, the biggest worry for CEOs is gathering accurate information quickly. How will data flow during this crisis?

Effectiveness of your supply chain. A clear understanding of your supply chain will help to expose any potential vulnerabilities. This means beginning with the most critical products and looking well beyond first- and second-tier suppliers, right down to the raw materials, if possible. For example, if your products contain a component from a country that becomes isolated, is there a secondary supply? Contingency plans can run into difficulty quickly if the virus spreads; we’ve already seen suppliers in China that turned to South Korea as a Plan B, only to see that country quickly become infected.

Identify potential points of failure. Who are the teams and individuals on whom critical processes or services depend? Are there workers with the right skills who could step into critical roles if needed? Call centers and shared service centers are potentially vulnerable if the virus continues to spread — can steps be taken to reduce the level of human interaction, such as staggered shifts or remote working?

Communication. Although we’ve seen employers work hard to keep their workforce informed, disinformation and confusion have spread along with the virus. Your employees (and wider stakeholders) will be looking for reassurance from you that they are being protected and that the business is prepared. Leadership should be seen as a source of truth — and according to the 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer, business is more trusted than both government and the media. Consistency and accuracy of messaging is the key, as is reassurance from the top of the organization; your workforce will need to know that their welfare is paramount.

Scenario analysis. With uncertainty rife, and COVID-19 holding the potential to impact every part of a business for months, scenario planning is a critical tool to test preparedness. What are the best- and worst-case scenarios, and is the business equipped to cope? What could be the impact in the longer term, for example, on working capital or bank covenants, or even rents for shops and restaurants if public places are closed? Ask searching questions of your finance team to highlight critical sensitivities. Organizations in some sectors could see a significant rise in demand if more of the population is spending more time at home rather than at work — are they prepared for this? Supermarkets are reducing the variety of products, stocking up on staples, and developing contingency plans.

Complimentary risks. COVID-19 isn’t the only threat on the horizon — and often organizations are at their most vulnerable when dealing with a crisis that dominates their attention. The many other risks that your business faces aren’t diminished by an epidemic. Cybersecurity, for example, should always be top of mind.

The response window for a crisis is measured in months, while recovery is measured in years. Those companies that are well-prepared will always recover more quickly.

Also read: Business Strategies from Turnaround specialists for Covid -19

Data Courtesy: PWC, Bloomberg

#dealwithcorona #businesscontinuityplan #businessstrategies

Business advice from turnaround specialists on Covid -19

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 10:30:00 +0000

Globally, businesses are down, demands have slumped, collections are pending, labour issues are prevalent, social distancing and sanitation is a new normal. We are learning to live with Corona slowly.

For businesses severely hit by the economic effects of COVID-19 globally, the steps they take today may result as the difference between survival and liquidation.

Below is the action plan as suggested by turnaround specialists using remote working techniques as appropriate.*

1. Prepare a conservative yet detailed weekly cash plan for the coming quarters. If possible, break it into daily plan for the next few weeks.

Be realistic so that you can use this to help ensure that your company does not run out of cash. Going forward, compare budget to actual each week.

2. Decrease cost and increase collections if not revenue - If the plan shows that you will run out of cash, then create an action plan to reduce costs and/or increase revenues and collections.

Important: Have a meeting with your most capable managers, review with them the cash plan and every line item on your financial statements and solicit their input and ideas about how to increase cash, increase revenues and decrease costs.

Prepare a written action plan based on the results and specify who is responsible for completing which actions by what date. Nailing down plans and responsibilities is critical.

3. Induce purchasing controls in the system, so that only expenditures specified in the cash plan are made. Define who has authority to approve the nature of expenditure and its outer limit, in what circumstances.

4. Eliminate non-vital expenses. Needless to explain, these are expenses which can be delayed.

5. Slow inventory? Try to get rid of idle lying inventory through discounted sales or bulk sales to stressed inventory buyers.

6. Stop producing money-losing products and providing money-losing services. If you are unsure which are money-losing products or services in your business, engage a professional who can quickly analyze the numbers.

7. Implement collection plans. If your business is not totally cash or credit-card-based, consider offering a discount for early payment. Offer to receive your outstanding in part payments.

8. Avoid selling to customers that do not pay. Do you have customers who are unable to pay the amounts they owe you? Are you unsure about their credit status?

Prepare a list of customers who have either defaulted or delayed payments in the past. Try not to sell your products or services to them on credit.

Insist them to pay cash in advance and design a fail-proof internal system to ensure that your company receives payment before providing its products or services. This benefits your customers, too, by ensuring that they can obtain needed materials and services.

9. Think of opportunities for additional revenue do you have in the current environment? Make use of the situation to offer a new product or service relevant for the society and businesses.

10. Take professional help available for your business and confer with your professional advisors (tax, law’s) to ensure you comply with current requirements.

#turnaroundbusiness, #postpandemic, #postcorona

Job Interview Tips - Make a Great Impression(3)

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 08:56:00 +0000

An interview is considered finished when you have the followup and the feedback.

What to do - before the interview - Click here!

What to do - during the interview - Click here!

What to do - after the interview

When the interview is over, give yourself the best chances of moving forward by doing the following:

1. Ask about next steps.

After your interview, it is appropriate to ask either your interviewer, hiring manager or recruiter about what you should expect as next steps. This will likely be a follow-up email with results from your interview, additional requirements like an assignment, a Psychometric test or reference list or another

interview.

2. Send a personalized thank you letter after the interview.

Ask for the business card of each person you speak with during the interview process so that you can follow up individually with a separate thank you email. If you interviewed in the morning, send your follow-up emails the same day. If you interviewed in the afternoon, the next morning is fine. Make certain that each email is distinct from the others, using the notes you took during the conversations.

Do practice the above steps to make it a habit. Read "Things not to do during the Interview"

Now read about what to do - before the interview - Job interview Tips

Now read about what to do - during the interview - Job interview Tips

Job Interview Tips - Make a Great Impression(2)

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 08:39:00 +0000

Job Interview Tips - Make a Great Impression

What to do - before the interview Click here!

What to do - after the interview - Click here!

What to do - during the interview

Once you’ve spent time preparing, you can be successful on interview day by practicing these tips:

1. Plan your interview attire the night before.

If you’re speaking to a recruiter before the interview, you can check with them about the dress code in the workplace and choose your outfit accordingly. If you don’t have someone to ask, research about the company and look at employees on LinkedIn to learn what’s appropriate. Read "Easy ways to not ruin your interview".

2. Carry copies of your resume, a notepad and pen.

Take at least 2 copies of your printed resume on clean paper in case of multiple interviewers. Highlight specific accomplishments on your resume that you can easily refer to and discuss. Prepare to take notes, but not on your smartphone or another electronic device. Write information down so that you can refer to these details in your follow-up thank-you notes. Maintain eye contact as much as possible.

3. Reach 10–15 minutes early.

Map out your route to the interview location so you can be sure to arrive on time. If you’re taking public transportation, identify a backup plan if there are delays or closures. When you arrive early, use the extra minutes to observe workplace dynamics. This will help you get acclimatize.

4. Make a great first impression.

Don’t forget the little hygiene things—shine your shoes, combed hair, make sure your nails are clean and tidy, and check your clothes for holes, stains, pet hair and loose threads. Display confident body language and a smile throughout.

5. Treat everyone you encounter with respect.

This includes people on the road and in the parking lot, security personnel and front desk staff. Treat everyone you don’t know as though they’re the hiring manager. Even if they aren’t, your potential employer might ask for their feedback.

6. Practice good manners and body language.

Practice confident, accessible body language from the moment you enter the building. Sit or stand tall with your shoulders back. Before the interview, take a deep breath and exhale slowly to manage feelings of anxiety and encourage self-confidence. The interviewer should extend their hand first to initiate a handshake. Stand, look the person in the eye and smile. A good handshake should be firm but not crush the other person’s fingers.

7. Win people with your authenticity and positivity.

Be genuine during the interview conversations. It will help employers easily relate to you. Showing positivity with a smile and upbeat body language can help keep the interview light and constructive.

8. Respond truthfully throughout the discussion.

While it can seem tempting to embellish on your skills and accomplishments, interviewers find honesty refreshing and respectable. Focus on your key strengths and why your background makes you uniquely qualified for the position. Read "How to give a killer presentation"

9. Relate your reply with your skills and accomplishments.

With any question you answer, it is important that you relate it with examples of solutions and results you’ve achieved in your past jobs. Use every opportunity to address the requirements listed in the job description.

10. KISS - keep it Short and Simple.

Your time with each interviewer is limited so be mindful of rambling. Practicing your answers beforehand can help keep you focused.

11. No Negative comments about your previous employers.

Companies want to hire problem solvers who overcome tough situations. If you’re feeling discouraged about your current job, focus on talking about what you’ve gained from that experience and what you want to do next.

Do practice the above steps to make it a habit. Read "Things not to do during an interview"

Now read about what to do - before the interview - Interview Tips

Now read about what to do - after the interview - Interview Tips

Job Interview Tips - Make a Great Impression(1)

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 08:18:00 +0000

Congratulations!! You have your job interview scheduled— All the Best.

This is a 3 posts series to help you ace in your interviews. The posts are as under:

What to do - before the interview - Click here!

What to do - during the interview - Click here!

What to do – after the interview - Click here!

Let us help you prepare for your interview. Below is an overview of how to succeed in an interview.

What to do - before the interview

In the days before your job interview, set aside some time to do the following:

1. Research about the company and your interviewers.

Understanding key information about the company you’re interviewing with will give you the much required confidence to go into your interview. Using the company’s website, social media posts and recent press releases will provide a solid understanding of the company’s goals and how your background makes you a great fit.

2. Read about common Interview questions and practice your answers.

Prepare your answer to the common question like “Tell me about yourself, and what interests you in this role with our company?” Your preparation will help you quickly communicate who you are and what value you will bring to the company and the role—this is your personal elevator pitch. Read 9 deadly Interview Questions

3. Decipher the requirements from the job description.

You may want to print the job description and begin underlining specific skills the employer is looking for. Recall few examples from your past and current work that align with these requirements.

4. STAR methodology in answering questions.

Prepare to be asked about times in the past when you used a specific skill and use the STAR method to tell stories with a clear Situation, Task, Action and Result.

5. Call a friend to practice answering questions.

Generally, practicing your answers out loud with a friend or someone is an effective way to prepare for your interviews. You will observe that you gain confidence as you get used to saying the words.

6. Prepare a list of references.

Your interviewers might require you to submit a list of references before or after your interview. Having a list of referees ahead of time can help you quickly complete this step to move forward in the hiring process.

7. Prepare examples of your work.

During your interview, you may likely be asked about specific projects you’ve completed in relation to the position. After reviewing the job description, think of work you’ve done in past jobs, that show you have experience and success doing the work they require.

8. Prepare smart questions for your interviewers.

Interviews are a two-way discussion. Employers expect you to ask questions: they want to know that you’re thinking seriously about their company and the position. Here are some questions you may want to consider asking your interviewers:

Is this a new or a replacement role?
Can you explain some of the day-to-day responsibilities this job entails?
What are the required characteristics of someone who would succeed in this role?
How would the performance of the individual in this role be measured? How often?
Who are the internal stakeholders that this position works with?
How do these departments typically collaborate?
What does that process look like?
What are the challenges you’re currently facing in this role?

Do practice the above steps to make it a habit. Read Things not to do during your interview

Now read about what to do - during the interview - Job Interview Tips

Now read about what to do – after the interview - Job Interview Tips

About your weaknesses - 9 Things to Say in an Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 08:18:00 +0000

About your weaknesses - 9 Things to Say in an Interview

It is seemingly difficult to answer when asked by an interviewer, “What is your greatest weakness?” – more difficult when you are anticipating questions around your past performances, on job learnings, leadership and team management skills that make you a strong contender for the job. Framing your weaknesses confidently can be rather tricky, however when you consciously frame an action plan, you can have an edge over the other job applicants.

The best way to prepare for this question is to identify weaknesses that still communicate your inner strengths. This will reflect that you’re introspective enough to know your areas of opportunity.

A few examples – Worth considering

Here is a list of examples of the best weaknesses to mention in an interview:

1. I am highly detail oriented

Being “detail-oriented” is generally a good thing, however if you’re amongst those who spend too much time on the finer details of a project then it could also be considered as a weakness. By mentioning that you focus too much on details, you’re informing your interviewer that you’re capable of enabling the organization to avoid even minor mistakes.

Do ensure that you explain how you’re making improvements in this area by your ability to look at the big picture. While companies may not like to employ someone who is preoccupied with fine points, a candidate who assures them of the quality and strives for balance can be a great asset for the company.

2. I am a self- critic

When you have spent time and have put your efforts on a project, it’s normal to feel apprehensive about calling it complete or passing it on to another team. Expectedly, there’s always a room for slight improvement, and some people tend to over-criticize their work or attempt last-minute changes, which can threaten the timelines.

If your weakness also belongs to this category, then share how you’re striving to improve by giving yourself a deadline for all revisions and being proactive about changes so that you’re not waiting until the last minute.

3. I can’t say “no.”

Helping colleagues on projects and properly managing your workload is an artful balance. From an employer’s perspective, an employee who accepts all requests seems dedicated and eager—but can also be someone who doesn’t know their limits and ends up needing help or deadline extensions to finish their own work.

If you’re also someone who is eager to take on new projects that you can’t say “no” to then share how you’re working to better self-manage by organizing your tasks and setting more realistic expectations with yourself as well as those around you.

4. I get impatient when my work run past deadlines

In a way, expressing stress and frustration over missed deadlines can be considered a weakness, employers value employees that place importance on deadlines and strive to keep projects within the planned timeline.

If you’re expressing this as a weakness for your job interview, then frame your answer that reflect on how you appreciate work completed on time and how you’re helping to improve processes to get work done more efficiently.

5. I could use more experience in…

Every candidate has areas to improve their expertise. It may be very specific to things like building pivot tables, or using V-look up in Excel, or perhaps it’s a skill like Powerpoint presentation or public speaking. Whatever the case may be, sharing something you want to improve upon shows that you’re self-aware and like to challenge yourself. Be sure, however, that you don’t answer with a weakness that is essential to the role.

A few common areas people need improvements in include the following:

Verbal communication
Written communication
Team leadership
Data Analysis
Art of delegation
Providing constructive feedback
Any other Specific programs

6. I generally lack confidence

Lack of confidence is a general weakness, especially observed among entry-level employees. Experiencing a lack of confidence can sometimes cause inefficiencies in your work. The common example being, you might feel under-qualified to speak up at an important meeting when your ideas could help the team to achieve a goal.

If you’re expressing this as a weakness for your job interview, the emphasize why you value confidence, your understanding of the value you offer, and ways you have practiced displaying confidence in the workplace.

7. I can barely ask for help

Asking for help is an essential skill both when you are lacking expertise in a certain area and when you cannot handle your workload. Knowing when and how to ask for help shows strong self-awareness and helps the organization by getting ahead of a possible inefficiency. While having a strong work ethic and being independent are positive qualities, it is better for the business to know when to ask for help/collaboration. Individual contributors in every organization can also ask for help and learn few things from others.

If you know it has been difficult to ask for help in the past, explain why you know it is beneficial and the ways you have tried to improve this skill.

8. I can’t work with certain personalities

Even the most adaptable people can have trouble working with others that have certain characteristics or personality traits. Having good teamwork skills also means having a strong awareness of how you work with others and ways you can adjust your approach to better serve the organization.

If this has been a weakness of yours in the past, explain the personality types you have had trouble working with and quickly identify the reasons why. Then discuss the ways you have adjusted your communication or work style to better work towards a common goal together.

9. It has been difficult for me to strike the right work-life balance

Striking the right work/life balance is important to maintain motivation in your job. While it is certainly considered honorable and reflects a strong work ethic to spend your time and energy on work, it is also important to prioritize spending quality time with your family, hobbies, on vacation or simply resting. Doing so can not only help you feel refreshed but this can also increase your job motivation, creativity and support a positive outlook.

If this is the weakness you choose to present during your interview, explain the ways you have made it a point to find a balance between life and work and how you have seen your work improve as a result.

Before providing this as an example, you should do extensive research about the company culture. If you are being interviewed for a job role in which it is necessary to have your phone on and available at all times, you might not want to say you turn your phone off at night to achieve work/life balance.

I hope that this list weaknesses will help you identify your areas for improvement. Always remember to explain how you’re working to overcome your shortcomings.

By presenting both the problem and the solution, you can transform your weakness into a strength.

Coaching, Mentoring and Counselling - The Art & Science

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 13:57:00 +0000

Often coaching, mentoring, counselling is used interchangeably in bringing about change in the state of being. Do they have the same meaning and purpose, are they similar or have a different connotation?

Based on the analogy, each has its uniqueness to blend with the situation we are in and accordingly produce desired results.

Mentoring brings in desired results by sharing skills, knowledge and experience with the mentee. it is more related to advising mentee as an expert on the subject. ex. a University Professor as a mentor guiding the new student to be able to commence the new University program. The programs are graded with high importance and have been included in the course pedagogy. Similarly, counselling and therapy are related to resolving personal or psychological problems.

In contrast, the concept of coaching is based on asking questions, facilitating the process of exploring the alternatives and way forward action plan. A coach may not necessarily be a subject matter expert, however, can be an effective coach by focusing on the “here” and “now”.

The fundamental principle of coaching is that human being is a self-sufficient and creative force, have solutions to their issues and challenges. As a coach, we need to facilitate and channelize the Coachee’s energy and thoughts by asking relevant questions to be able to navigate the discussion leading to change and desired outcome.

Coaching is an art and science and can be explained by using an example of a mirror. Just like we use a mirror to see our clear image of the outer body, so is the role of a coach to facilitate the Coachee to see the clear image of oneself. Coaching is the process of cleaning and removing dirt from that mirror so that it is clean enough in which the person can see his/her face clearly and can examine the details. A coach must have the mental purity and stillness of a mirror to enable Coachee to view his/her accurate reflections without any obstructions.

The coach is like a hallow tunnel where a coachee speaks and hear the echo of his/her thoughts. Coaching is the process of enabling Coachee to listen to a deeper reverberation of his or her mind to bring clarity and action plan. Coaching has no barrier of language, age or experience. Coaching can be done through sign language as well. Mainly, a coach needs to follow the coaching processes and deep listening.

A coach has to control the urge of the following 04 :

1. Impress: In order to be an effective coach, one needs to act like a child, a mirror, or a tunnel. Where only coachee presence and thoughts matter. One’s experience and knowledge may be an advantage. However, it is not necessary to practice coaching. It is advisable not to try and bring their own experience and expertise during the coaching process, and else it will be a futile exercise.

2. Influence. As a coach, you need to control the urge of influencing. Coach’s responsibility is to clear all influences from the Coachee's mind.

3. Instruct: In coach and coachee relationship, the coach is not a person who is having control on Coachee, but together they have to find options and solutions to an issue without any instructions from the coach.

4. Inform & Suggest: A Coach is not supposed to instruct or offer suggestions to a Coachee.

It is the Coachee who sets the tone and direction of the coaching. Coach is there to support the process without guiding the discussion.

#careerdevelopment, #coaching, #mentoring, #Counselling, #threapy,

#talentmanagement

Do this to be Happy always!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 08:57:00 +0000

Want to be Happier?....Try this

People are generally engrossed in fault finding all the time. They want to be happy about most of the things, however they miss the trick to do so. This is well said by some one that Happiness is the only true measure of personal success. Making other people happy is the highest expression of success, but it's almost impossible to make others happy if you're not happy yourself.

With that in mind, here are few small changes that you can make to your daily routine that, if you're like most people, will immediately increase the amount of happiness in your life:

1. Set one expectation at the start of each day.

If there's any big truth about life, it's that it usually lives up to (or down to) your expectations. Therefore, when you rise from bed, make your first thought: "something wonderful is going to happen today." Guess what? You're probably right.

2. Plan and Prioritize.

The most common source of stress is the perception that you've got too much work to do. Rather than getting depressed about it, pick one thing that if accomplished today, will take you closer to your purpose in life. Then do that first.

3. Give a give to everyone you meet.

It's not about a formal, wrapped-up present. Your gift can be your smile, a word of thanks or encouragement, a gesture of politeness, even a friendly nod. And never pass beggars without leaving them something. Peace of mind is worth the spare change. Believe me it's quite satisfactory.

4. Try to deflect partisan conversations.

Arguments about politics and religion never have a "right" answer but they definitely get people all riled up over things they can't control. When such topics surface, bow out by saying something like: "Thinking about that stuff makes my head hurt."

5. Assume people have good intentions.

Since you can't read minds, you don't really know the "why" behind the "what" that people do. Imputing evil motives to other people's weird behaviors adds extra misery to life, while assuming good intentions leaves you open to reconciliation.

6. Eat high quality food slowly and relish it.

Sometimes we can't avoid scarfing something quick to keep us up and running. Even so, at least once a day try to eat something really delicious, like a small chunk of fine cheese or an imported chocolate. Focus on it; taste it; savor it.

7. Don't worry about your results.

People who have never failed are the one's who never tried anything new. The big enemy of happiness is worry, which comes from focusing on events that are outside your control. Once you've taken action, there's usually nothing more you can do. Focus on the job at hand rather than some weird fantasy of what might happen.

8. End each day with gratitude.

Just before you go to bed, try to write down at least one wonderful thing that happened. It might be something as small as a making a child laugh or something as huge as a million dollar deal. Whatever it is, be grateful for that day because it will never come again.

http://managehrnetwork.blogspot.in/2017/03/do-this-to-be-happy-always.html

9 Daily Habits That Will Make You Happier

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:58:00 +0000

9 Daily Habits That Will Make You Happier

These minor changes in your daily routine will make a major difference in your life and career.

Happiness is the only true measure of personal success. Making other people happy is the highest expression of success, but it's almost impossible to make others happy if you're not happy yourself.

With that in mind, here are nine small changes that you can make to your daily routine that, if you're like most people, will immediately increase the amount of happiness in your life:

1. Start each day with expectation.

If there's any big truth about life, it's that it usually lives up to (or down to) your expectations. Therefore, when you rise from bed, make your first thought: "something wonderful is going to happen today." Guess what? You're probably right.
2. Take time to plan and prioritize.

The most common source of stress is the perception that you've got too much work to do. Rather than obsess about it, pick one thing that, if you get it done today, will move you closer to your highest goal and purpose in life. Then do that first.

3. Give a gift to everyone you meet.

I'm not talking about a formal, wrapped-up present. Your gift can be your smile, a word of thanks or encouragement, a gesture of politeness, even a friendly nod. And never pass beggars without leaving them something. Peace of mind is worth the spare change.

4. Deflect partisan conversations.

Arguments about politics and religion never have a "right" answer but they definitely get people all riled up over things they can't control. When such topics surface, bow out by saying something like: "Thinking about that stuff makes my head hurt."

5. Assume people have good intentions.

Since you can't read minds, you don't really know the "why" behind the "what" that people do. Imputing evil motives to other people's weird behaviors adds extra misery to life, while assuming good intentions leaves you open to reconciliation.

6. Eat high quality food slowly.

Sometimes we can't avoid scarfing something quick to keep us up and running. Even so, at least once a day try to eat something really delicious, like a small chunk of fine cheese or an imported chocolate. Focus on it; taste it; savor it.

7. Let go of your results.

The big enemy of happiness is worry, which comes from focusing on events that are outside your control. Once you've taken action, there's usually nothing more you can do. Focus on the job at hand rather than some weird fantasy of what might happen.

8. Turn off "background" TV.

Many households leave their TVs on as "background noise" while they're doing other things. The entire point of broadcast TV is to make you dissatisfied with your life so that you'll buy more stuff. Why subliminally program yourself to be a mindless consumer?

9. End each day with gratitude.

Just before you go to bed, write down at least one wonderful thing that happened. It might be something as small as a making a child laugh or something as huge as a million dollar deal. Whatever it is, be grateful for that day because it will never come again.

Source: http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/9-daily-habits-that-will-make-you-happier.html By: Geoffrey James

Your Brain Is Hooked on Being Right

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:38:00 +0000

Your Brain Is Hooked on Being Right

I'm sure it's happened to you: You're in a tense team meeting trying to defend your position on a big project and start to feel yourself losing ground. Your voice gets louder. You talk over one of your colleagues and correct his point of view. He pushes back, so you go into overdrive to convince everyone you're right. It feels like an out of body experience — and in many ways it is. In terms of its neurochemistry, your brain has been hijacked.

In situations of high stress, fear or distrust, the hormone and neurotransmitter cortisol floods the brain. Executive functions that help us with advanced thought processes like strategy, trust building, and compassion shut down. And the amygdala, our instinctive brain, takes over. The body makes a chemical choice about how best to protect itself — in this case from the shame and loss of power associated with being wrong — and as a result is unable to regulate its emotions or handle the gaps between expectations and reality. So we default to one of four responses: fight (keep arguing the point), flight (revert to, and hide behind, group consensus), freeze (disengage from the argument by shutting up) or appease (make nice with your adversary by simply agreeing with him).

All are harmful because they prevent the honest and productive sharing of information and opinion. But, as a consultant who has spent decades working with executives on their communication skills, I can tell you that the fight response is by far the most damaging to work relationships. It is also, unfortunately, the most common.

That's partly due to another neurochemical process. When you argue and win, your brain floods with different hormones: adrenaline and dopamine, which makes you feel good, dominant, even invincible. It's a the feeling any of us would want to replicate. So the next time we're in a tense situation, we fight again. We get addicted to being right.

I've coached dozens of incredibly successful leaders who suffer from this addiction. They are extremely good at fighting for their point of view (which is indeed often right) yet they are completely unaware of the dampening impact that behavior has on the people around them. If one person is getting high off his or her dominance, others are being drummed into submission, experiencing the fight, flight, freeze or appease response I described before, which diminishes their collaborative impulses.

Luckily, there's another hormone that can feel just as good as adrenaline: oxytocin. It's activated by human connection and it opens up the networks in our executive brain, or prefrontal cortex, further increasing our ability to trust and open ourselves to sharing. Your goal as a leader should be to spur the production of oxytocin in yourself and others, while avoiding (at least in the context of communication) those spikes of cortisol and adrenaline.

Here are a few exercises for you to do at work to help your (and others') addiction to being right:

Set rules of engagement. If you're heading into a meeting that could get testy, start by outlining rules of engagement. Have everyone suggest ways to make it a productive, inclusive conversation and write the ideas down for everyone to see. For example, you might agree to give people extra time to explain their ideas and to listen without judgment. These practices will counteract the tendency to fall into harmful conversational patterns. Afterwards, consider see how you and the group did and seek to do even better next time.

Listen with empathy. In one-on-one conversations, make a conscious effort to speak less and listen more. The more you learn about other peoples' perspectives, the more likely you are to feel empathy for them. And when you do that for others, they'll want to do it for you, creating a virtuous circle.

Plan who speaks. In situations when you know one person is likely to dominate a group, create an opportunity for everyone to speak. Ask all parties to identify who in the room has important information, perspectives, or ideas to share. List them and the areas they should speak about on a flip chart and use that as your agenda, opening the floor to different speakers, asking open-ended questions and taking notes.

Connecting and bonding with others trumps conflict. I've found that even the best fighters — the proverbial smartest guys in the room — can break their addiction to being right by getting hooked on oxytocin-inducing behavior instead.

Post by Judith E. Glaser

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/02/break_your_addiction_to_being.html

What You Really Need To Succeed ?

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Thu, 03 May 2012 09:42:00 +0000

What are the elements of success?

Albert Einstein’s was estimated at 160, Madonna’s is 140, and John F. Kennedy’s was only 119, but as it turns out, your IQ score pales in comparison with your EQ, MQ, and BQ scores when it comes to predicting your success and professional achievement.

IQ tests are used as an indicator of logical reasoning ability and technical intelligence. A high IQ is often a prerequisite for rising to the top ranks of business today. It is necessary, but it is not adequate to predict executive competence and corporate success. By itself, a high IQ does not guarantee that you will stand out and rise above everyone else.

Carnegie Institute of Technology carried out a research which shows that 85 percent of your financial success is due to skills in “human engineering,” your personality and ability to communicate, negotiate, and lead. Shockingly, only 15 percent is due to technical knowledge. Additionally, Nobel Prize winning Israeli-American psychologist, Daniel Kahneman, found that people would rather do business with a person they like and trust rather than someone they don’t, even if the likeable person is offering a lower quality product or service at a higher price.

With this in mind, instead of exclusively focusing on your conventional intelligence quotient, you should make an investment in strengthening your EQ (Emotional Intelligence), MQ (Moral Intelligence), and BQ (Body Intelligence). These concepts may be elusive and difficult to measure, but their significance is far greater than IQ.

Emotional Intelligence

EQ is the most well known of the three, and in brief it is about: being aware of your own feelings and those of others, regulating these feelings in yourself and others, using emotions that are appropriate to the situation, self-motivation, and building relationships.

Top Tip for Improvement: First, become aware of your inner dialogue. It helps to keep a journal of what thoughts fill your mind during the day. Stress can be a huge killer of emotional intelligence, so you also need to develop healthy coping techniques that can effectively and quickly reduce stress in a volatile situation.

Moral Intelligence

MQ directly follows EQ as it deals with your integrity, responsibility, sympathy, and forgiveness. The way you treat yourself is the way other people will treat you. Keeping commitments, maintaining your integrity, and being honest are crucial to moral intelligence.

Top Tip for Improvement: Make fewer excuses and take responsibility for your actions. Avoid little white lies. Show sympathy and communicate respect to others. Practice acceptance and show tolerance of other people’s shortcomings. Forgiveness is not just about how we relate to others; it’s also how you relate to and feel about yourself.

Body Intelligence

Lastly, there is your BQ, or body intelligence, which reflects what you know about your body, how you feel about it, and take care of it. Your body is constantly telling you things; are you listening to the signals or ignoring them? Are you eating energy-giving or energy-draining foods on a daily basis? Are you getting enough rest? Do you exercise and take care of your body? It may seem like these matters are unrelated to business performance, but your body intelligence absolutely affects your work because it largely determines your feelings, thoughts, self-confidence, state of mind, and energy level.

Top Tip for Improvement: At least once a day, listen to the messages your body is sending you about your health. Actively monitor these signals instead of going on autopilot. Good nutrition, regular exercise, and adequate rest are all key aspects of having a high BQ. Monitoring your weight, practicing moderation with alcohol, and making sure you have down time can dramatically benefit the functioning of your brain and the way you perform at work.

What You Really Need To Succeed ?

It doesn’t matter if you did not receive the best academic training from a top university. A person with less education who has fully developed their EQ, MQ, and BQ can be far more successful than a person with an impressive education who falls short in these other categories.

Yes, it is certainly good to be an intelligent, rational thinker and have a high IQ; this is an important asset. But you must realize that it is not enough. Your IQ will help you personally, but EQ, MQ, and BQ will benefit everyone around you as well. If you can master the complexities of these unique and often under-rated forms of intelligence, research tells us you will achieve greater success and be regarded as more professionally competent and capable.

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Best Practices of Top-performing Recruiters

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 06:27:00 +0000

Best Practices of Top-performing Recruiters

With over 15 years in the Executive Search industry as a Consultant, I have interviewed, coached, and trained many recruitment consultants. Though local differences must be taken into consideration, the characteristics that make you a top performer works everywhere. Based on what I saw, heard, and learned, here is my quintessential list of the 5+1 habits that make a top-performer in any economic cycle or market:

1. Work close to the money: We work in a very dynamic environment where priorities can change many times during the day. One call from a Client saying the job is filled or one email giving us a new job order can change how we spend our time from one second to the other. “Close to the money” is probably the best indicator that will tell you if you are currently working on a) the right things and b) in the right order. Ask yourself constantly “What am I doing right now and will this action get me a bonus?” Think in a binary way: when the answer is “yes,” this means “yes”; “no” is “no”; and “maybe/ not sure” — is “no.”

2. Stick to the knitting: Focus on your core jobs and core markets. It is here that you can make a difference, have the domain expertise you need to succeed, and the most credibility with your client and candidate. Don’t lose focus as it will most probably not work out.

3. Look for a) similarities and b) inconsistencies: Some candidates are lying to us. The “safety net” I use is what I call the “Lieutnant Columbo technique”: in one episode, Columbo says “I always ask the same questions — but I often get different answers.” Make this technique yours by asking the same question again throughout the process. If the answers are different (often on the last salary or the reasons for leaving), this can mean that the candidate is not telling the truth.

4. Create a sense of urgency: time kills all deals. It will always work against us. I see too many recruiters who are reluctant to set deadlines to their clients. Yet: we are paid to deliver a result. Always go for a close. Explain why (“Mary, my candidate is very committed, but there are other jobs around. We do not want to lose her, do we?”). Whatever date your client suggests, shorten the process. When your client says “I can see your candidate Friday PM,” answer “Great, and what about Thursday AM?” If your client suggests “I will have a look at the resumes and call you back,”respond “Good, thanks. When will we talk again? If you don’t call me by the end of this week, I will call you.”

5. Control your business or your business will control you: Surprises are a good thing for a kid’s birthday party — and they are nasty in our business. You must be the one who drives the process, the client, and the candidate. You should be the one calling up the candidate to fix interviews, ask feedback — and make the job offer. Do not ask your client “This is what I suggest. Is that OK for you?” You decide the process and not the client. Asking your client to confirm the process is as if you ordered a rib-eye steak for Rs: 3500/- and the chef came to your table to ask how to prepare it.

1. Bonus best practice: Don’t over-complicate the business: Peter Drucker says: “Successful leaders (and successful recruiters too) don’t ask “What do I want to do?” They ask, “what needs to be done?’” Make this philosophy yours. Don’t ask too many questions but do what has to be done to get the money in: call and meet people in your core business and core market, talk to them, and ask what you can do for them and what they can do for you. Understand what makes them tick and how you can add value. Do it once. Do it again and again and again.

Why Morning Routines are Creativity Killers ?

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:15:00 +0000

Morning Routines - Good or Bad for Creativity?

Everything about the way we start our day runs counter to the best conditions for thinking creatively.

Brrriiinnng. The alarm clock buzzes in another hectic weekday morning. You leap out of bed, rush into the shower, into your clothes and out the door with barely a moment to think. A stressful commute gets your blood pressure climbing. Once at the office, you glance through the newspaper, its array of stories ranging from discouraging to depressing to tragic. With a sigh, you pour yourself a cup of coffee and get down to work, ready to do some creative, original problem-solving.

Good luck with that.

As several recent studies highlight, the way most of us spend our mornings is exactly counter to the conditions that neuroscientists and cognitive psychologists tell us promote flexible, open-minded thinking. Take that hurried wake-up, for example. In a study published in the journal Thinking and Reasoning last year, researchers Mareike Wieth and Rose Zacks reported that imaginative insights are most likely to come to us when we’re groggy and unfocused. The mental processes that inhibit distracting or irrelevant thoughts are at their weakest in these moments, allowing unexpected and sometimes inspired connections to be made. Sleepy people’s “more diffuse attentional focus,” they write, leads them to “widen their search though their knowledge network. This widening leads to an increase in creative problem solving.” By not giving yourself time to tune into your meandering mind, you’re missing out on the surprising solutions it may offer. (If you happen to be one of those perky morning people, your most inventive time comes when you’re winding down in the early evening.)

Your commute filled with honking cars or sharp-elbowed fellow passengers doesn’t help, either. The stress hormone cortisol can harm myelin, the fatty substance that coats our brain cells. Damage to these myelin sheaths slows down the speed with which signals are transmitted between neurons, making lightning-quick “Eureka!” moments less likely. And while we all should read up on what’s going on in the world, it may be better to put that news website or newspaper aside until after the day’s work is done. A recent study published in the journal Psychological Science found that subjects who watched brief video clips that made them feel sad were less able to solve problems creatively than people who watched an upbeat video. A positive mood, wrote researcher Ruby Nadler and her coauthors, increases “cognitive flexibility,” while a negative mood narrows our mental horizons. The segment that made participants feel worst of all? A news report about an earthquake.

The only thing most of us do right in the morning, in fact, is drink coffee. Caffeine not only makes us more alert, as we all know — it also increases the brain’s level of dopamine, the neurotransmitter that influences feelings of motivation and reward when we hit on a great idea. (Nicotine does this, too, but I can’t in good conscience recommend an a.m. cigarette.)

So what would our mornings look like if we re-engineered them in the interest of maximizing our creative problem-solving capacities? We’d set the alarm a few minutes early and lie awake in bed, following our thoughts where they lead (with a pen and paper nearby to jot down any evanescent inspirations.) We’d stand a little longer under the warm water of the shower, dismissing task-oriented thoughts (“What will I say at that 9 a.m. meeting?”) in favor of a few more minutes of mental dilation. We’d take some deep breaths during our commute, instead of succumbing to road rage. And once in the office — after we get that cup of coffee — we’d direct our computer browser not to the news of the day but to the funniest videos the web has to offer.

For decades, psychologists have manipulated the emotions of subjects in the lab by showing them short film clips. But now there’s YouTube — and, in fact, the clip that made the participants in Ruby Nadler’s study happiest of all was a YouTube video of a laughing baby. Laughing babies and a double latte: now that’s a way to start the day.

Ref: http://ideas.time.com/contributor/annie-murphy-paul/

Agency Recruiters Can Learn a Thing or Two From Corporate Recruiters

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:33:00 +0000

Agency Recruiters Can Learn a Thing or Two From Corporate Recruiters

It’s round two in the battle of who can learn what from whom. The battle continues between corporate talent acquisition and agency and executive recruiters. It’s easy to sit back and say that corporate recruiters have it easy and that agency and executive recruiters have the only legitimate experience when it comes to “hard-core recruiting”. Well, there is another point of view. If you manage an agency you may want to take note and use some of this information in your next staff training.

It is true that agency recruiters and executive headhunters are hungry and thus motivated to be better sales people when it comes to finding new clients and sourcing candidates. Their paycheck depends on their ability to sell to both candidate and employer. If they aren’t excellent at their job they just simply won’t make enough money to continue working as an agency recruiter or headhunter. Natural selection weeds out the weak, so the only ones left are necessarily pretty good at sales and negotiation. So, from the sales aspect agency recruiters will “win” for having generally higher motivation, sales techniques, and negotiation tactics.

However, there are many business skills that excellent corporate recruiters have that a lot of agency recruiters don’t.

“Easy recruiting”- Agency recruiters are often called in to fill highly complex and difficult roles, whether specialized software engineering roles or sophisticated executive positions. Corporations will rarely pay 20% of salary to find an account executive, customer service agent, administrative assistant, or accounting clerk. Agency recruiters can easily dismiss this type of recruiting as easy. However, far from being easy, hiring these types of roles (especially in volume) requires finesse, careful planning, and thoughtful technical execution.

Do agency recruiters know how to handle 50 job applicants when most of the 50 are actually qualified? Do they know how to hire 100 positions or fill 10 different jobs in 4 different locations? How about hiring jobs with zero job qualifications except for having a good work ethic? These types of jobs without a significant level of talent scarcity pose their own unique challenges. Corporate recruiters must develop workflows and hiring techniques to deal with these issues. It’s a world that most agency recruiters don’t have to worry about.

Creating Brand Identity- Corporate talent acquisition must work to create a world class recruiting brand that will ensure they receive a steady flow of candidates. They put to use their brand and marketing skills by having presence on college campuses and other outlets, succinctly creating messaging around their “employer of choice” brand, and they have to fight any sort of negative publicity that may impact a candidate wanting to accept a job with them.

Think about how difficult a recruiter’s job is if the CEO was just fired for embezzling millions of dollars? What could a recruiter say to “save” a candidate if a major lay-off had just occurred, or earnings were missed by a substantial amount, or an IP lawsuit had just been filed? Perhaps most challenging: what if the company is just kind of boring or is in a lackluster industry? A recruiter must block and tackle any negative publicity while building upon a positive brand identity and make sometimes boring positions sound exciting. They have to create sizzle, whereas agency recruiters are often recruiting on hard-to-fill and often already “sexy” positions – and corporate recruiters have to do this day-in, day-out for the same company.

Jack of All Trades- A Corporate recruiter has to learn a little about everything in their company. They must be flexible and quick to learn to a degree in order to be able to source the right candidates for those niche positions. They also need to sell positions in departments they may know nothing about and have little to no interest in. It’s only at the largest company’s where recruiters get the “luxury” of specializing in a specific type of recruiting. Any company with less than 1,000 employees a recruiter is almost certainly recruiting for anything from an hourly admin, to a software developer to another HR person. That’s not easy! It’s involves expertise in the actual process of hiring and selection and not just specific trade or industry experience.

Mavens of Cost Containment- Let’s face facts. The corporate recruiting department isn’t generating any revenue. If a company has to look to cut costs and potentially outsource, the HR staff have targets on their backs larger than most other departments. They need to prove their worth and continuously improve their processes in order to justify their costs. This may mean putting up with an archaic recruiting database, being understaffed, and not having access to today’s best recruiting tools. If a company can’t justify additional costs to assist the recruiting team, they have to overcome those challenges and make do with what they do have. In parallel, the corporate recruiter has to constantly justify their existence and fight off hiring managers whims to hire outside consultants or agencies which could drive up the costs the recruiting department is try to curtail.

Operational Expertise- Corporate recruiters need to understand not only what positions and departments do, but how this fits into budgets and overall company operations. Agency recruiters will often master what particular professions do during the day and what makes a great candidate for that position, but they won’t develop knowledge of talent mapping and forecasting, budgeting, and turnover challenges. Knowledge of these internal processes by which hiring happens is an incredible asset – it is often what distinguishes senior professionals. Corporate recruiters know everything that has to happen in order for a job to open and what happens after it is filled; agency recruiters are often knowledgeable only about what happens in between. In this way, corporate recruiters can often be said to have a better understanding of business, unless agency recruiters are involved with their own internal operations.

Compliance- Lastly, corporate recruiters are HR professionals. They must have a detailed understanding of employment law, and are furthermore often involved in employee issues outside of recruitment. In theory, agency recruiters should be experts at all things recruiting (which includes legal and compliance matters.) However, in practice, the focus on sales often takes precedence over HR issues, and many times, over ongoing education in general. If agency recruiters develop expertise in this area, they can not only impress corporate recruiters, but get more involved with positions “higher up the food chain” that involve a sophisticated level of legal and compensation understanding.

The bottom line is that both corporate and agency recruiting jobs have their challenges and nuances which others can learn from. Agency recruiters can look at some of these areas and incorporate them into their ongoing education. When agency recruiters develop some of this knowledge and competence while keeping their “killer edge,” they can go really far in the recruiting industry and experience a lasting high level of success and career progression.

Source: http://www.recruiter.com/articles/agency-recruiters-can-learn-a-thing-or-two-from-corporate-recruiters/

People Are the Puck

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:02:00 +0000

People Are the Puck

"I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been" - Wayne Gretzky

The Great One's well-known words are often repeated in corporate corridors during discussions about understanding market trends. That is typically where the conversation comes to an abrupt end, because few can elaborate on how to anticipate these trends with any reliability and predictability.

The reality these discussions generally miss is that people are the puck. If you want to know how to be best positioned for business success, you have to understand where they are going. Everything else is secondary, dynamic, and highly arbitrary. Think about it. Technologies will change, distribution channels for content will change, usage environments will change. People stay more or less the same. They stay the same but are never simple. People (consumers) are both logical and irrational, motivated by opportunity and emotion, full of contradiction, impacted by economic conditions, and often difficult to define.

In spite of these realities, clarity can be achieved and cultural, socio-economic, and political differences mitigated by analyzing needs and aspirations of both individuals and groups. Needs and aspirations are a beacon to understanding what will attract and reward attraction. Whether developing a new venture, managing an internal corporate innovation initiative, or working to develop globally successful product and service designs (my profession), nothing is more important than understanding what people need and desire in context of what the competition is providing. Sounds simple, but the realities of sociology, psychology and politics ensure that what people think they want, say they want, and actually want can (and typically does) differ.

This is often the reason why thoughtful quantitative analysis that incorporates macro-economic trends, market share, competitive strategies, retail analysis and technological assessments so often misses the mark. Remember also that most macroeconomic and corporate financial data provide only a snapshot on where things have been. MBA finance majors learn early that trying to anticipate equity and commodity markets with such data is like trying to drive a car while only looking in the rear view mirror. Much the same can be said of the quantitative data most business managers are forced to use while trying to make important investment decisions, or while analyzing and benchmarking in a 'gated' product/service development process. In short, when you're relying on suspect data and looking backwards, your 'hit rate' is always going to be significantly diminished. So what do you do?

In hockey if you know generally where the puck will be heading and how fast it will travel you're well on your way to victory through tactics. The same is true for your business initiatives. General heading and speed are sufficient to enter the market with offerings that will be embraced by consumers, and advocated in the age of social media and our experience economy.

Get your headings by understanding consumer needs and aspirations, establishing emotional engagement, and ensuring consumers feel represented and understood with your offerings. Better predict speed of consumer adoption by understanding the behavior changes required, and by focusing on motivations — not demographic history in dissimilar categories. React to inevitable competition by understanding cultural values, then convey a clear value proposition understood on both intellectual and emotional levels. Finally, in much the same way that players can focus intently on the goal during the heights of competition while tuning everything else out, reliable market success requires that you step back and put people at the center while ignoring all other 'distractions.' Only then can you truly evaluate the offering, brand, and competitive dynamics in proper context.

I'll part with five quick tips for better understanding where the puck is headed (understanding people):

Ask the right questions, in-person wherever possible: Knowing what you need to ask, in the manner that provides the most insight, is a function of experience, but anyone can see from divergent and inaccurate political polling that 'garbage in is garbage out.' Cultural understanding is about personal familiarity or immersion. Ensure you have the requisite cultural understanding at the outset, or find a trusted partner who does.
Benchmark the emotional engagement and dynamic interactivity of products and services as a lens to understand how well they are meeting the needs and desires of consumers. A simple method I've developed utilizes an X/Y mapping grid that measures emotional engagement on the vertical axis and interactivity on the horizontal. This methodology is utilized quickly by professional teams, and lends significant insight to more traditional competitive analysis techniques. It is a process I use frequently and call Psycho-Aesthetics mapping.
Understand that consumer needs and aspirations are both hierarchical and grow in complexity over time. My firm has modified Maslow's hierarchy of needs to analyze and categorize these varying levels of basic, enriching, and fulfilling consumer needs. A general rule of thumb is that people want more. They want more, but in this incredible age of technology they don't necessarily want greater 'speeds and feeds' (think printers). Sometimes they seek greater value in terms of simplicity, time, fulfillment, emotional reward, ease of purchase, etc. So, 'more' must be properly interpreted or you'll surely be misaligned.
Empathy is the key to being able to change all the variables - industries, objectives, offerings - and still work the process from the eyes of the target audience. Empathy is a function of understanding, and understanding a function of experience. Find people with the right framework and experience for a given initiative. Also realize the value of rigorous debate while analyzing the inherently subjective topic of consumer needs/aspirations within a group setting. The more perspectives speaking intelligently to and for the given audience, the better.
Universal needs like self-affirmation and social acceptance can provide value to global initiatives while unifying branding, marketing and related messaging. The common emotional needs we all share, like wanting to be accepted, respected, and loved, change very little with culture and time. While attempting to incorporate emotional engagement into product and service offerings, remember that universal emotional needs can add simplicity while building consumer loyalty. I've learned over time as a design CEO that with emotional engagement, it's not how you feel about the design or experience, but rather how they make you feel about yourself.

Increase your Passion for Work without Becoming Obsessed

noreply@blogger.com (Ankur Chadha) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 10:01:00 +0000

Increase your Passion for Work without Becoming Obsessed

Work brings some people intrinsic joy. These people feel in control of their work, feel good about themselves while working, find their work to be in harmony with their other activities. Pscyhologists describe these folks as having harmonious passion. But there's another kind of passion: obsessive passion. Those who are obsessively passionate feel an uncontrollable urge to engage in their work, feel more conflict between their passion and other areas in their life, and their work forms a large part of their often unstable and negative self-concept.

In my last post, I summarized Robert J. Vallerand's distinction between obsessive passion and harmonious passion. In the comment thread that followed, I noticed a couple of questions emerge: Is obsessive passion ever helpful? What should you do if you recognize that your passion for work is not harmonious, but obsessive? I'll address both of those in this post.

Some commentators argued that obsessive passion could be useful in the beginning stages of a new endeavor, such as when starting a new company. I disagree. Obsessive passion is rarely beneficial. It's not just that those with high levels of obsessive passion are committed, focused, and dedicated. Those who are obsessively passionate about their work are inflexibly, excessively and compulsively committed, finding it difficult to disengage. As such, they are setting up bad habits from the start, and risking burnout in the longer run. Note that harmonious passion is correlated withflow — the mental state of being completely present and fully immersed in a task. Research shows that it's flow that is conducive to creativity, not obsessive passion. The positive emotions and intrinsic joy that is associated with harmonious passion is what propels one to greatness, not the negative emotions, compulsions, and unstable ego that is associated with obsessive passion.

All of us have at least a little bit of obsessive and harmonious passion for our work. The key for work productivity and for buffering against work burnout is to increase your harmonious passion while reducing your obsessive passion.

How can we turn down the dial on obsessive passion and turn up the dial on harmonious passion? Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of scientific research on the practical side of passion (a state of affairs I seriously lament). I can think of a few things, however, that might help. I think it's a two-part process: first it's important to recognize that you are demonstrating obsessive passion, and then it's a matter of boosting your harmonious passion.

There are clear warning signs that you are obsessively passionate about your work. Here are some tests:

1. Do you have enough energy? Do you engage in your work with positive enthusiasm? Do you feel enjoyment doing what you do?

2. Do you define yourself by criteria other than work? If your self is a pie, how big of a bite does your work take out of it?

3. Do you have a positive self-image? Obsessive passion is correlated with a negative image of the self, including automatic subconscious associations between the self and the concept "unpleasant."

4. When you work, is your interior monologue positive — filled with words like "want to," "get to," and "can't wait to"? Or are words like "must," "need," and "have to" rummaging around?

5. Are you able to stop working when you want to? Recent research found that online gamers who were very harmoniously passionate about gaming felt positive emotions while playing, while gamers with obsessive passion felt more negative emotions both when playing and when prevented from playing. Do you feel a compulsion to work all the time, even when you really don't want to?

6. Do you get into a state of flow? Do you feel as though time has receded into the background, or do you feel the weight of pressure on your back? Flow is an enjoyable experience, whereas obsessive engagement feels more urgent.

If you're reading down that list and thinking, "no, no, no," these are signs that you may have obsessive, not harmonious, passion. If you do think your level of obsessive passion might be too high, there are some things you can do about it:

• Schedule real breaks. If you recognize you are obsessively passionate about your work, force yourself to get out of that headspace by scheduling other activities during the course of the day (like lunch with a friend, or a break to hit the gym). Block out time after work or on weekends for family, friends, and activities you enjoy. Having a schedule will keep you honest.

• Don't bring work home. If you can afford to, make it completely impossible to access your work once you leave work. Don't bring home your laptop. Leave those files on your desk. Keep separate email accounts for home and work, and don't check work email when you're at home (put up an out-of-office message if you have to). Obsessive passion is really just a bad habit, and habits can be broken gently.

• Change your thought patterns when you work. Fake the mindset of the harmoniously passionate person until you make it. For instance, convert thoughts of "must" and "need" to "want" and "desire." At first, this may feel awkward, but eventually the obsessively passionate mindset will dissipate, and so will the behaviours associated with it. A recent study suggests that changing your explicit thought patterns may increase self-esteem and harmonious passion.

• Commit to a new hobby. Often, investing too much self in one project is indications of a negative core self. The more additional things outside of work contribute to a positive sense of self, the less space your work performance will take up in your ego, and the smaller your chances of burnout.

If all of this sounds incompatible with success, consider a case study: A young, very talented musician is trying to decide whether to launch his promising solo career, or to put it off a little while to learn more about the world around him. On the one hand, timing is very important in the music industry. There are many talented artists, and they could get a head start if he decided to postpone his career. On the other hand, talent isn't everything in music. Audiences not only respond to talent, but also to many subtle influences like sensitivity, expression, and wisdom, fed by experiences outside the musical realm.

The musician's name? Yo-Yo Ma. In the end, he chose to defer his career to expand his sense of self. Ma compares those years to an "emotional bank account in which you must draw the rest of your life." To be sure, that path wasn't all clear sailing for Ma; he earned a D+ in his music history course at Harvard. But if those years of undisciplined learning were detrimental to his career, I am hard-pressed to detect it. Yo-Yo Ma is one of the greatest cellists of all time, noted not just for his incredible talent and dedication, but also the breadth of his accomplishments, his compassion, thoughtfulness, knowledge, and positive enthusiasm. In other words, his harmonious passion.

Passion is one of our most important vehicles for performance, creativity, imagination, and ingenuity. By no means do I want to discourage passion. But we rarely realize how other important areas of life feed into our main passion. When one's life isn't in balance, passion can become obsessive and counterproductive. When a person feels good about their self and the work they are doing, and is capable of disengaging, passion becomes a wellspring of long-term success.

By: ScottBarry Kaufman

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What to do - before the interview Click here!

What to do - after the interview - Click here!

What to do - during the interview

1. Plan your interview attire the night before.

2. Carry copies of your resume, a notepad and pen.

3. Reach 10–15 minutes early.

4. Make a great first impression.

5. Treat everyone you encounter with respect.

6. Practice good manners and body language.

7. Win people with your authenticity and positivity.

8. Respond truthfully throughout the discussion.

9. Relate your reply with your skills and accomplishments.

10. KISS - keep it Short and Simple.

11. No Negative comments about your previous employers.

Do practice the above steps to make it a habit. Read "Things not to do during an interview"

Job Interview Tips - Make a Great Impression(1)

What to do - before the interview

1. Research about the company and your interviewers.

4. STAR methodology in answering questions.

5. Call a friend to practice answering questions.

6. Prepare a list of references.

7. Prepare examples of your work.

8. Prepare smart questions for your interviewers.

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A few examples – Worth considering

1. I am highly detail oriented

2. I am a self- critic

3. I can’t say “no.”

4. I get impatient when my work run past deadlines

5. I could use more experience in…

6. I generally lack confidence

7. I can barely ask for help

8. I can’t work with certain personalities

9. It has been difficult for me to strike the right work-life balance

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3. Process Improvement

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