Think vs Do! Ideate vs Execute! The thinker-doer dilemma.

Think vs Do!

Ideate VS execute!!

New ideas receive a fair dose of skepticism especially if they need a change in our way of work. Likewise, one gets trapped in the ‘now’, if he is not willing to look into the future and make changes to face it or create it. So, what is the right balance? How much innovation is okay and at what point should we look at the practicality of execution too? Should we think more ‘now’ so that we optimize on the effort in the future or excel at what we are doing now and not worry about the change bridge, until such time we have to cross it? Is the reluctance to accept change only an issue of moving away from comfort zone?

Some standard phrases thrown at the change agents are – “We must improve our execution first, then think about innovating” or “It’s easy to dream, difficult to implement” etc. Let us look at some of the elements around thinking for the future and executing well in the current.

A pit fall in the process hurrying to execute is the pursuit of incorrect idea. A wrong idea will always take you to a wrong destination. A wrong idea, executed well, will take you to your destination faster. Nevertheless, the destination will not be the one where you wanted to reach in the first place. If the solutioning is based on any constraints or is a knee jerk reaction to any pressure, the whole process and outcome are bound to fail. No one deliberately pursues the wrong ideas. The problem comes when one loses sight of the bigger picture and is caught up in an activity trap.

Stephen Covey in in his famous book, ‘Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,’ shares an example of a person climbing efficiently on a ladder, only to discover that the ladder has been leaning against the wrong wall.

Another element to consider is the timing and impact of the idea we pursue. Ideas could be aplenty, but we must pursue only the ones, which have longer impact and are thought-through from inception to ease and consistency of execution. Repeat-ability and replicatability of the execution is as important as any other feature of a new idea. Mediocre ideas, no matter how well executed, will still give mediocre results. So the natural thing is to think that we should pursue ideas that are right at that time and situation. However, there is a catch again. If the aim is to create a differentiated experience/ offer / service / product, the input can’t be just a right idea. It has to be a great idea. The key lies in transiting from a stage, which nurtures innovation and move towards break-through ideas. An external intervention might not always provide an impetus to the transformation process. Building internal capability and incubating innovation with careful nurturing will help create the ecosystem where people would be free to express and iterate on new ideas. In addition, great ideas do not come easy. At the core of any great idea is a deep thought, appreciation of all the impacting elements and ability to nourish execution. Good is indeed the enemy of Great.

What about execution?

Execution makes innovation prosper. Without execution, ideas will remain in the discussion stage. Some teams and individuals build execution excellence as their most precious asset. No doubt, it is a great asset, but it should not be wasted merely on the mediocre, wrong or even good ideas. Instead, they should leverage it to the fullest by applying it on breakthrough ideas. Steve Jobs is regarded as one of the best innovative minds. But, he is also notorious for his ruthless executing skills. He drove execution at Apple in every imaginable way. But he didn’t run after every idea. After his return to Apple, he pruned the number of products from 350 to 10. Perhaps Steve Jobs was an exception. Not everyone can be a master of both ideation as well as execution. Most of the times, leaders are strong in one of the areas. Does that mean you have to make a trade-off between ideas and innovation? Not necessary.

Take the example of the intuitive, creative software designer Pierre Omdiyar, who started a new venture called AuctionWeb. Omdiyar knew that execution was not his greatest strength. He came across Jeff Skoll, whose skills in analysis and in the practical side of running a business made him a perfect match to Omidiyar’s skills . On Omdiyar’s invite, Skoll joined him as his first employee. Later, they changed the name of the company from AuctionWeb to eBay, which is now a multi-billion dollar business that operates in over 30 countries.

So, if execution is your top strength, stop undermining the importance of ideas, instead tag along with minds that are full of great ideas. When the best of ideas are driven through great execution, the magic of innovation happens.

So what to choose? Great ideas or excellent execution? If we have this question in mind, we have lost half the battle. Because the very mindset of ‘ideas vs execution’ is a flawed one. Anyone who believes that ideas and execution are set to be replaced with others who operate with the mindset of ‘idea AND execution’

The bottom line:

If your team / function is planning to pursue execution excellence, do it. However, never be under the illusion that it will compensate for the lack of creative ideas. Encourage people to think creatively. Train them in creative thinking. Everyone can learn to think creatively. Raise your bar. Demand for those creative ideas that will offer your team a clear edge. In addition, execute them with fervor.   This is how great teams disrupt the market with their innovative ideas and create delightful experiences that distinguish their organizations in the market.

Work is no longer somewhere people go; It has to be something they feel.

Work is no longer somewhere people go; It has to be something they feel.

While the work from home trend is catching up across most sectors, there seems to be a positive news for the office as well.

Across the world the real estate costs for residential communities have been steadily growing high and people are moving to the outskirts along with the increase of urbanization. Simultaneously, the need for office as a physical location for employees to gather is continuously being questioned. What was a ‘far-off’ location isn’t really that far, and companies are pressurized to extending their transport operations net to wider areas. In an interesting study¹ conducted on job satisfaction of employees in different commute times, “Twenty extra minutes each day has the equivalent impact on satisfaction as a 19 per cent reduction in income.” There is a consistent increase (by over 115%, YoY)² in the number of people adopting to work from home at least once or twice a week. Like the analogy of shrinking world, the workplaces are shrinking too, the change is happening in the physical workplaces as well as in the minds of employees about their perception of workplace.

However, one can’t undermine the importance of engagement, networking and insights that the quintessential watercoolers and cafeteria provide. Having an intrinsic need for social association people still drive to a place they would call as work at least occasionally for various engagements and the primary of them is validation. A workplace which can foster collaboration, bring together different sub-groups (communities of work / practices), will thrive as against a typical cubicle –cabin office space. Another important concept that is catching up is that of work places as social glue of the company culture.

Besides, the working-from-home trend might not be one-pill for all office space problems. Yahoo Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Marissa Mayer famously banned the practice, writing: “Some of the best decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussions and impromptu team meetings.”

IBM followed suit, a remarkable move in a company where 40 per cent of staff worked remotely. The information technology giant upgraded its offices accordingly, installing an ‘immersion room’ (complete with 360-degree screens), in its Manhattan building, while its Software Executive Briefing Center in Rome has been renovated to foster more collaboration amongst users.

Research suggests that organizations are turning to inspirational work environments as retention tools for their top talent. Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of US employees say the way an office is designed affects their retention, according to a recent report from Continental Office, with 85 per cent wanting a more collaborative work environment.

Finally, as facilities managers we realize each day through our interactions that work is such a big proportion of people’s lives that the environment they do it in has to be enjoyable, work can no longer be somewhere people just ‘go’ to. It has to be something they feel.”

Citation

1.     Dr Kiron Chatterjee, associate professor in travel behavior in the University of West England.

2.     https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/30/70-percent-of-people-globally-work-remotely-at-least-once-a-week-iwg-study.html  

Shared Value Partnerships

As service delivery professionals we desire to do the right thing with our partners. However, in a partnership model where the entities have different core objectives to meet, it takes a little more than just the desire, to make it truly win-win. Here are some quick thought-triggers to enable a successful service delivery and a shared-value partnership.  

I like my partner to do well too, but I don’t want to come across as someone who’s too easy. How do I achieve that?

I want to trust my partner; how do I ensure I get the same from my partner?

Is collaboration possible in partnerships and which magic wands do I need to make my partnership truly collaborative?

Be Authentic-

It is extremely necessary for all the involved parties to be fully aware of the partnership’s objectives for each of them. Visibility of the desired objective (Explicit or other wise) and motivation, will bring transparency in the relation. When the goal is shared, the efforts are more aligned

Be Open-

Being open with ideas and willing to trust the partner is the key element of getting started on the right track. If you wish to say, “I don’t think your plan is going to work because …..…”, hit the pause and review if the desire to help or to push the partner to the corner.

Be Bold, yet Realistic -

Set aspirational targets but strike a balance by ensuring that they are not too away from realistic achievement based on data gathered in advance of any formal announcements or commitments. Setting unrealistic goals that are impossible to meet can lead to disillusionment and cynicism.

Be Sure-

Role of each partner in the pursuit and more importantly each partner’s core competencies, should be very clear. Complementary diverse skills and competencies, to be identified and deployed properly, to enable success.

Be a Nitpicker-

The devil is in the details-Details are essential, particularly those dealing with scope, definitions and metrics, which, if not identified up-front, can lead to challenges down the line. Internal and external proof points will be needed for each partnership but drilling down to the detail about what can be said about outcomes will help frame the metrics. Work to define the nuts and bolts of the desired outcomes and not just the activities of the partnerships.

Be Consistent with the Language-

This may be old advice, but it arises from one of the most oft-repeated challenges. The same words can have different meanings to different organizations, one way of making the case can work better for one group than another — and it is essential to work out a common language. Managers who have worked on both sides of the partnership can often serve as “translators” as they help to bridge the gaps in understanding

Begin with the Beginning-

Start with a goal or a problem and explore different strategies. If you start with a goal or a problem that needs solving, all partners feel included in the development of the solution and unexpected ideas or ways to tackle an issue may arise.

Be prepared to Pivot-

Things have a way of not going according to plan. It is important that partners work closely with one another, talk openly about challenges and find the right approach.

Be Friendly-

Find ways for people who do not usually talk to one another to come together and be in the same room. Getting multiple parts of partner organizations involved will help create buy-in and get everyone on the same page about the goals of a partnership.

Be Patient-

Partnerships — and the workflow changes they may entail — don’t always come easy and they tend to take a lot of work and time. Patience is key. Building relationships that provide the foundation for these partnerships also take a considerable amount of time.

Be Innovative-

Creating a space for innovation and growth is critical and challenging. Create space for innovation and the type of transformative off-the-wall thinking that can lead to greater impact, sustainability and scale.

Individual Performance Is Not Enough; We Need a Way to Measure Teams

Individual Performance Is Not Enough; We Need a Way to Measure Teams

Employee engagement, aligning talent and business strategies; these are perennial problems for HR professionals. How do we solve these problems?  Increasingly it has been thought that one of the best ways is to refocus on teams within our organisations. But to do that we need to make sure we’re collecting standardized data and pushing it to the right people.

* Individual Performance Is Just One Lens

One of the key ways we have all been trying to overcome our biggest challenges is by monitoring the effectiveness of individuals. Technology has given us the power to collect data on individual employees in real time. This kind of instant, fine-grained view of our organisations was not possible before. While CHROs recognise this has improved their organisations in many ways, some of the biggest problems still remain. “It has become ever-more difficult for HR professionals to identify, attract and retain the most talented team players. Those who are able to do this are worth their weight in gold,” says Doug Monro, co-founder of Adzuna, a UK job search engine. The problem is that individual performance is just one lens. It is an important one, yes, but there’s a risk that by focusing only on individuals we miss the bigger picture. While a company is made up of individuals, it’s also composed of teams: small teams, big teams, departments, and whole offices / units / manufacturing plants.

The turning point for an HR manager would be recognising that improving individual performance does not necessarily improve the performance of whole teams. Individual performance is vital, of course. Everyone must be engaged or the team will usually fail in any case. But better individuals do not necessarily lead to better teams.

This is because team performance also depends on members contributing different skills, approaches, and creating an environment where creativity can flourish. You may have 10 stellar individuals in a team, but if they’re all stars in the exactly same way, think the same way, and combative to boot, they’re unlikely to outperform a more cognitively diverse team.

This is compounded by the fact that dysfunctional teams are a problem many of us face. According to a study conducted by the University of Phoenix, 70% of respondents cite being part of a dysfunctional team. And yet well-managed work groups are on average 50% more productive and 44% more profitable than less well managed groups, according to Gallup.

*We Need Standardised Measures

As HR leaders, we have to add the “team lens” to our management repertoire. As well as monitoring individuals, we need to make sure that these individuals are coming together to create strong, well-performing teams. The problem though is that many organisations do not collect data and feedback at the team level. Companies have individual performance data, including annual reviews, going back decades; usually including feedback from subordinates, peers and managers. But this same level of data won’t exist for the new 50-person India Quality team or 10-person UK BD unit created three years ago.

*What Data Do We Collect?

But if team performance is something different, what data should we be collecting? Ideally, just like real-time feedback platforms enable employees to rate and give feedback to other employees, companies should introduce similar tools for employees to do the same for other teams within their organisations. It would make sense to collect this data from clients and other external audiences too.

To work, this needs to be an industry task because whatever we collect should be standardised. Only then will we have the tools not only to measure and rank the performance of teams within our organisations, but benchmark our company’s teams against industry averages. This will help us understand if we have a problem – or not.

*Feedback Must Get to the Team

It’s just as important to make sure this data is being pushed to the right places: the teams themselves. It’s useless if it’s only held on a server somewhere or restricted to management. Pushing this data down to employees is also one of the best ways to engage employees.

According to a survey by Clutch, millennials, now the largest demographic of Indian workforces, especially crave this kind of feedback. “Of the millennials whose managers do provide accurate and consistent feedback, 72% find their job fulfilling,” Clutch says.

This is even more important now that our organisations are becoming more dispersed. According to the latest statistics, more than half of the workforce will do at least some freelance work by 2027. Many of these people will work outside conventional workplaces. This will add strain and may make it more difficult to create cohesive, strong and supportive teams. In the face of this trend, giving teams real-time performance data may well help them feel like a single unit, and engage them to improve their performance.

There is also an argument to be made for exploring the idea of tying the performance data to pay and incentive schemes. We already do this with individual performance via annual reviews and performance bonuses, so it would make sense to trial this with team data too. Some companies already offer team-based incentive pay as a way to encourage team members to work together effectively. But by using new real-time team feedback tools, we could develop bespoke incentives to target different aspects of performance, even cultural traits such as creativity, drive or competitiveness.

For many of our companies, the business environment has never been more difficult. The average lifespan of a NASDAQ-listed company is now shorter than ever before. At the same time we have technological forces stretching our companies in new and challenging ways. We need all the tools that we can to make our companies nimble, agile, top performers. Improving the performance of our teams is surely part of that mix.

" Compiled with views from multiple social media"

What can one do after an unsuccessful interview

Found this in a group of HR Professionals. 

Getting rejected at a job interview does not always mean that you lack major skills or that the company in consideration was reluctant to hire you. There can be many more reasons like there were better candidates than you or the company has limited openings and could consider you later. 

Hence it is imperative that you leave a bad impression on the interviewers or company's HR team. Here are few things which can help you tide this phase well - 

1) Send a thank you note 

Send a thank you note to the recruiter stating that even through you have not been selected for the job, but the experience has been enriching for you. Someone has already received your job and you have nothing to lose. But maybe the company has openings later and they keep you in mind for that hour. 

2) Asking for feedback 

Ask the company for feedback, such as: "If there's anything I can do to improve my candidacy for similar positions, I would value your thoughts." It is difficult to get a reply for this question, but if you get one it can improve your professional aspects. 

3) Never burn bridges 

In some industries, like advertising & media, people move around a lot and key players tend to know each other. Stay in touch with the interviewers who considered you because they can refer you to another similar positions in other companies. 

4) Write reviews about the company 

There are many company websites like JobBuzz who allow employees and job seekers to write company reviews. You can write about the company's selection process and the interviewers attitude. Be truthful there as it reflects that you are a credible source or not. Company surely reads what is written about them and tries to improve on that. 

5) Improve on your skills 

You might be rejected due to lack of experience or some skill. Assess what went wrong and don't shy from accepting your challenges and start working on them. This may mean taking on some courses, additional degrees. Figure out what makes you more worth hiring and work on honing those so that you are ready when a new opportunity presents itself.

So Many Tasks- So Little Time

Given the hectic schedules we al follow and the ever increasing demands for efficiency it seems that we are running against time all the time. While some of us are effective time managers, few of us - me included - still need to master this fine art. I have put together what I have seen and read over a period of time which seems to be helping better time management

First, you must admit and acknowledge the three truths…

1. You will never get it all done – While many feel there is not enough time in the day to get everything done, it’s not actually a “supply” problem. We have the same amount of hours that everyone else has and has always had. It’s a “demand” problem. Even if you work 24/7, there will still be unfinished business; things to do, people to see, reports to prepare, and e-mails and reports to read etc
2. Your day will not always go the way it was planned – But, that’s OK. Your success at the end of the day should not be based upon whether the schedule you set was followed, but on how productive you were leading to your end goals. Just as your mobile phone gps recalculates as you go off course, you will have to continually reprioritize to adjust to changing situations.
3. Everything takes longer than you think it will – But, that’s OK, too. The high-quality output that we demand of ourselves in our team takes a little longer to produce. If it’s on your schedule, it’s important that you do the absolute best job you can, even if it means you can’t get to everything else on your plate.

At the end of a long day, do you look at everything you accomplished or do you focus on the incomplete to-do list? If you focus on the former, you have a feeling of completeness and self-gratification for a day well spent. If you focus on the latter, you focus on your shortcomings, never feeling like you do a good job. So, when you leave office for the day, please look at the things you have done irrespective whether you had started planning to do them or not.

Effectively managing your multi-tasking day involves effectively managing the following...

1. Effectively manage your goals – Before deciding on what to work on … you need to know what you’re working for. If you have not established your goals, you can’t celebrate when you achieve one. The first step is to take a baseline snapshot of where you spend your hours in a typical day and typical week and whether it is leading you to reach your goals
2. Effectively manage your priorities – The most important decisions you make during the day are what actions to take and not to take. This prioritization will determine where your time, energy and focus will be spent. Ask yourself “for every action taken or not taken, what is the intended result?” we both know that our life is about choices we took. In choosing what to work on, you need to distinguish between the “urgent” and the “important.” Start early working on the “urgent” before the deadline approaches
3. Effectively manage your focus – Your first goal is to filter the noise, which is anything distracting to your task. Everyone wants a piece of your time and attention, but not everyone is entitled to a piece of your time and attention. Schedule time for interruption and manage the time for the interruption. “Do you have a minute?” rarely turns out to be “a minute.” You could respond, “Yes, I have a minute … but it will be after 2 p.m.” Turn up your personal and business spam filters that block anything that steals our time and our attention. If the task is not going to immediately make you more knowledgeable, make you more money, save you time or provide a worthwhile benefit, ignore it
4. Effectively manage conversation – While the three most important axioms in real estate are said to be location, location, location, in business its communication, communication, communication. When it comes to communication and managing conversation, it’s not just what you say … it’s what people hear. Say yes slowly. While no one task you agree to do takes that long, it’s when we agree to multiple projects over and over again that the overwhelming feeling begins
5. Effectively manage expectations – Much stress in the workplace can be reduced by effectively managing expectations. If you are overwhelmed by having too much to do than you can possibly get done within the time committed, determine the most important priorities to complete and reset the deadlines with others. It is OKAY to rest the expectations as well as deadlines
6. Effectively manage technology – With all the new technologies designed to save you time and to make you more efficient, many feel more stressed than ever before because we are accessible 24/7. Also, we are now living in “drive-thru society,” and everybody wants what they want, when they want it. Expectations in communication response time have been raised, and due to e-mails, whatsapps and texting, people not only expect replies, but quick replies. The responses do not have to be long – “got it,” “no problem,” “will call this afternoon to discuss” – but responding lets the sender know you received the message. Manage the technology and don’t let your technology manage you!
7. Effectively manage organization – Being unorganized can lead to feeling stressed and busier than you actually are. Organization is a process, not an event, and it should be scheduled in as a part of your day. Some people are naturally organized and others have to work hard to stay ahead of the clutter. While some people are filers and others pilers, your goal should be not to touch each piece of paper more than one time. I am a piler and I am working to get out of this habit
8. Effectively manage your mind and emotions – Most people do not mind working hard, but they resent worrying hard. Feeling overwhelmed and overworked can lead to stress, however, stress is not an absolute cause and effect. When you find your mind and your emotions wandering to the dark side, think … “why worry?” Instead of worrying, go back to the source causing the worry (diagnosis) and write it down. Reset your priorities, make a plan and take action to fix the conflict in your mind; manage conversation and the expectations of others to give you time to get back on track.

Life is not a race to the finish line. Winners are not the ones who get it all done. Winners are those who get the most out of everything they do and make the biggest difference. While few people will go to their grave saying, “I wish I would have worked more hours,” they may say, “I wish I got more out of the hours I worked.” It’s not all about making a good living … it’s about having a good life! Wherever you put your time, your focus and your energy is where you will get the greatest results.

New Year Resolution for 2014- My communique to my team

Dear Team

I wished my last mail to all of you this year be something positive and that which speaks about things not necessarily around Admin, Customers, Cost-Cutting etc. J

This week I want to talk about New Year Resolutions and here is what I have gathered to share with you all,

I remember reading that if we can create a little bit of something positive that brings us joy and success, then we create more of it – we can further learn to scale it and build on it. I believe in the power of this idea, and have used it as a guiding principle to reasonable success in my professional and personal life.

So let’s apply this and see what could be our New Year’s Resolution – one that won’t just die as a fad after initial few weeks and leave us feeling demoralized and depressed, but will:

·         Stay longer and may be very long

·         Usher happiness, positivity and more importantly fulfillment

·         Bring in growth (We all should grow and there is no serendipity in it! We should remember that we are capable, accountable and RESPONSIBLE for our growth)

·         Build confidence and self-esteem (Very important in our roles where every other user gets reminded of a doormat whenever we are done with serving them)

Think about what you’ve already created in your life today, but want more of. Let’s start with the below 4 key categories:

1.     Love and Kindness

Look around you. Are your relationships supportive, loving, gentle, kind? Do you have at least one friend and loved one who believes in you without reservation, who sees the future vision of you before it’s visible to all, and would do anything for you? Then you can build more relationships that will offer this type of unconditional support. Think about the glue that holds this mutually-loving and respectful relationship together. You are part of this glue; you’ve helped make it possible. Where can you apply that “glue” to form new bonds that will help you be more of what you wish to in the world, and help others do the same?

New Year’s Resolution: This year I will build at least one new relationship in my life that is mutually loving, caring, supportive and nourishing.

2.     Professional Success

I’ve seen first-hand in my own career that if you have built the skills and traits that serve your clients well, and bring great success and fulfillment to them, you can build more such skills. Examine what you offer in your work. What skills, talents and passions are you drawing on that generate great outcomes for your employer or for your own clients and customers? How can you leverage these skills to bring more success to those around you? What innovation or efficiency enhancer can you develop that will help others in a deeper way than you are today?

New Year’s Resolution: I will use my skills in a brand new way this year that will bring more success, growth and well-being to those around me, and thus, to me.

3.     A sense of meaning and purpose

Do you feel that you were meant for something bigger than what you are experiencing today? If you’ve ever felt that, I can you tell — you ARE meant for something bigger. I know because I have witnessed winners who had that feeling for years, and finally, it led them to a complete, successful reinvention. People who dream of doing something big, something important, making a difference, leaving a legacy, have the seed of greatness inside of them and are longing to do something about it. Make 2014 the year you do.

New Year’s Resolution – I will honor the longing I have to play bigger, to go for something important in my life that will bring a sense of meaning and purpose to my life. I will define concretely how I want to play bigger, and walk towards that in 2014.

4.     Belief in what’s possible for you

Some people like to create a theme for their new year – using one word to describe what they want more of. A theme is a great way to focus on something important, and to help bring it into being. Here is a list of some powerful themes or concepts you could choose from, or build your own:

Love
Forgiveness
Creativity
Courage
Openness
Mentorship
Wealth
Peace
Compassion
Tolerance
Prosperity

Choose a word or theme that represents what you want more of. Print it out, and post it on your computer, your desk, make it your mobile screen home page – wherever the reminder will have the most impact on you. Then, make a pact with yourself that you will act, perceive and think in ways that are in close alignment with this positive experience you want to bring forth.

New Year’s Resolution – I will honor my new theme for 2014. I will keep a keen focus on what I want to expand, and gratitude each time I see this theme expanding in my life.

* * * * *

What new kind of resolution can you make that will guarantee to bring you more joy, peace and fulfillment in 2014? Make that resolution today.