HR Practices that make a difference

Engaging a Global Workforce through Social Media and Networking:

• Bringing together a global workforce through virtual forums - Sr. Leader Blogs, Podcasts, Online live chat sessions with Sr. Staff Members, Web Jam Sessions, Facebook etc.

Enabling Career Growth which is personalized & customized to an individual’s need:

• Development Programs that go beyond formal classroom training and enable Action Learning.

Creating and sustaining a Great Place to Work:

• Identifying the vectors that drive greatest value for the organization – depending on the composition of the workforce.
• Flexibility that enables Work-Life Balance (Tele-commute, Flexible work spaces); Benefits that support employees’ life needs; A sense of fun and community at the workplace – largely employee driven.

Tapping into the energy and the need for volunteerism!...Enabling CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and ISR (Individual Efforts).

Driving sensitivity to differences while enabling a unified Organizational / Corporate Culture:

• Enable Articulation and Internalization of a corporate value system.
• Awareness through training, tone at the top & middle, Intolerance towards discrimination, strict action for violations.

Enabling an environment that appreciates diversity:

• Diversity in gender, in unique requirements.

Creating an Open and Direct Culture through:

• Multiple two-way communication channels.
• Holding leaders and Managers accountable through programs, process.
• HR as a neutral player that acts as custodian of the organization’s long term interests.

Contributed By:
Ranjan Sarkar
(Vice President - HR & Corporate Communication)
Acclaris Limited

Encash on training opportunities

Take advantage of every training opportunity you get. And when you're about to attend a training program, make sure you get the most out of it by doing some of the following:

• Prepare yourself ahead of time: List at least five specific questions you want answered at the program.
• Use break time to network: Talk to your peers. Find out what have been the most important things they've learned in the seminar. And make lunch and dinner plans with as many different people as you can.
• Exchange business cards: When you receive a card, put a note on the card that says something distinctive about the person who gave it to you.
• Collect handouts from all the speakers: That even includes the sessions you couldn't attend. You're bound to pick up a nugget or two that you would have never learned otherwise.
• Read your notes: Review them on your way home, and prepare a summary of what you experienced and what you learned.
• Back at work, conduct a mini-seminar: Tell your coworkers what you learned.
• Keep in touch with the speakers: Write to them ... asking any additional questions you might have. And ask where you can get more information if you need it.

Contributed By:
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Organizational Justice

Organizational Justice ensures motivation to employees.

There are three forms of organizational justice as under:

• Distributive Justice: This ensures equity in providing recognition to deserving employees.
• Procedural Justice: This ensures providing rationale in connexion with the recognition provided.
• Interactional Justice: This ensures meting out mutual charm and dignity to managees by a manager.

Obviously then, the three forms of justice above will improve the employer-employee relationship and the workplace will be a better environment for one and all.

Contributed By:
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

9 Secrets of Self Confident People

1. Take an honest inventory of your insecurities: Sit down and really listen to that inner voice. What does it say about you? From regrets, weight, poor relationships and feeling unworthy, take an inventory by writing these thoughts down. Recognize that they are just insecurities.
2. Do not allow yourself to feel inferior: Fight against the urge to believe that the others around you are simply better than you. They are not. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses.
3. Nobody is perfect: No matter how confident a person seems, nobody is perfect. In fact, it is our imperfections that make us unique. Stop focusing on perfection and instead learn to love yourself for your flaws.
4. Celebrate your successes: No matter who you are, there is something that you are good at. Take the time to find the things that you enjoy and are good at doing and then do them. If you have a green thumb, grow a garden and allow yourself to enjoy it. If you have a way with words, write poems or cards for the people you love and don't be afraid to give them out. This is a great opportunity to explore new interests and activities.
5. Always be grateful: Never forget to be thankful for what you have. Taking a moment during the day to consciously think of the things in your life you are thankful for is important.
6. Don't be negative: Self pity just makes things worse. When you are feeling negative, make an effort to think positively. Hating yourself or your life is self defeating. If you find yourself thinking negative thoughts about your job, take a few minutes to think of three positive things about it. Do this every time you have a negative thought. You may be surprised at how quickly you become a positive person and thinker.
7. Be gracious when you're complimented: Recognize that when people give you a compliment, they mean it, so be gracious and accept the compliment. Don't just shrug compliments off.
8. Smile: The physical act of smiling can actually make you feel better, so smile, a lot. Smile at yourself, smile at others and smile at nothing in particular. It is a great way to feel better.
9. Until you feel it, fake it: Just like the act of smiling can make you feel better, acting confident and happy will help you be happy and confident. Make an effort to be the happy and confident person you have always wanted to be. In no time at all, you will notice there is less pretending to be confident and more just being confident.

Contributed By:
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Source: Trans4mind:an e-magazine

Demographic Shifts in the Workforce - So what has changed?

1. A different generation at work

This generation is aggressive, energetic and ambitious – they have high expectations of themselves and their organizations.

• Open and Direct Culture.
• Sense of community and a fun workplace -Need to engage not just professionally but also socially with people at work .
• Work-Life Balance – but not the traditional concept.
• Career Growth – not bound by notions of ‘loyalty to organization’.
• Commitment to CSR.
• A culture of high performance and high degree of professionalism.

2. More Women in the workforce

• An Environment that is
• Equitable – with respect to growth opportunities, rewards, remuneration, meritocratic
• Intolerant of discrimination/harassment
• Sensitive to women’s needs and safety
• Work Life Balance through
  o Flexible work options
  o Benefits like child care, extended time off, etc

3. Globalized workforce: culture, nationality, norms. Large multinationals with workforce spanning across geos and cultures need to create

• Cultural Sensitivity – Understanding of cultural differences and nuances.
• A Unifying Corporate Culture – That enables different people to work together based on common values.
• Fine Balance of Global and Regional Programs/Processes – to address local needs while keeping intact the organization’s core.

4. Fatigue & monotony setting in faster; people looking to move on to new roles faster.

5. Ability to take risks - with careers; opportunities have increased...so has willingness.

6. Demographics impacting the dynamics at work- age issues; gender issues.

Contributed By:
Ranjan Sarkar
(Vice President - HR & Corporate Communication)
Acclaris Limited

The DNA of Right Mental Attitude

• Decide to be positive, no matter whatever is the adverse situation.
• Surround yourself with GOOD people and material.
• Avoid the negative triggers.
• Use realistic and positive affirmations.
• Take care of your health.
• Rejoice and celebrate every day for good things that happen.
• Stay focused and concentrate on your goals.

Once you start complying with the above, you will discover, your attitude has improved and you become acceptable by others.

Contributed By:
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

The Hemisphere Model of our Brain

Contributed By:
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Things to avoid in the workplace

Here Are 9 Symptoms of a Dysfunctional Workplace:

1. People say one thing and mean another.
2. People give lip service to new ideas, only to undercut them in private.
3. Defensiveness.
4. Saying you'll do something and then not doing it.
5. Chaos.
6. Deflection of feedback and blame.
7. People pretending they "missed the memo on that one".
8. Refusal to deal with conflict.
9. Gossip and backstabbing.

Source: Trans4mind,an e-magazine

Contributed By:
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Being Effective

• Reduce stress and increase your energy.
• Improve your health and immune response.
• Release negative emotion and increase core heart feelings.
• Improve your concentration and mental clarity.
• Develop a greater sense of inner guidance.
• Experience yourself as a part of the One Life that we all share.
• Relax your Body-Mind through Conscious Breathing.
• Daily, Visualize Receiving The Prosperity You Desire.

Remember the following three quotes:

"Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure." - Oprah Winfrey

"The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives." - William James

"When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears." - Anthony Robbins

Source: Trans4mind, an e-magazine

Contributed By:
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Human Values, Ethics, Spirituality & Corporate Governance

• Human Values consist of all those values that are universally applicable to all people. These values relate to truth, righteousness, peace, love, compassion, harmony, non-violence and appropriate ethical humane behavior.
• Ethics is concerned with the discipline of the right and wrong conduct of individuals.
• Spirituality is the ability of an individual to understand the innate divine nature of the human self that can realize its potential to reach the “Higher Self”. This is also known as the spiritual quest.
• Corporate governance is concerned with a set of relationships amongst the various sections of a company’s management, which include board of directors, shareholders and stakeholders. It lays down the structure and incentives for the board and management to pursue certain objectives, in the best interests of the company and its shareholders and thereby facilitates effective monitoring of the company’s operations.

Evidently, therefore, integration of human values, ethics, and spirituality would align the interests of investors and managers and ensure that business activities are conducted properly for the ultimate benefit of all classes of investors. This is what good Corporate Governance is all about. Good Corporate Governance means the extent to which companies are effectively functioning in an environment of integrity, honesty and transparency. Such governance always creates overall market confidence, ensures and enhances efficiency of national and international capital allocation and thereby productively and efficiently contributes to the nation’s progress welfare and wealth.

Examples are galore of companies which were at one point of time at the zenith of success but have ceased to exist now. Likewise, there are companies which have stood the test of time and stand above the rest through effective amalgamation of the three virtues in question. Perhaps the subject of human values, ethics and spirituality explains why certain companies gloriously perpetuate or unfortunately petrify. This may therefore be a research question for answers to ponder upon.

Contributed By:
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

SPIRITUAL ANALYSIS OF 'NAMASKAR'

The word 'Namaskar' is derived from the root 'namaha', which means paying obeisance (Namaskar) or salutation.

By doing Namaskar to a deity or a Saint, unknowingly their virtues and capabilities are impressed upon our minds. Consequently we start emulating them, thus changing ourselves for the better.

By doing Namaskar the Deity's Chaitanya is absorbed to a greater extent by the body, as compared to other methods of doing Namaskar. This gives maximum distress to negative energies. The negative energies that have manifested in a person are unable to touch their thumbs at the mid-brow region in Namaskar.

Click here to read more about Namaskar

Ethnographic & Cultural Shifts in the current workforce

It is important to understand some of the major cultural shifts happening amongst the current workforce primarily comprising of Generation Y. There are differences in opinions but in general the findings indicate that PaPR researchers highlighted three socio-cultural trends –

1. The new WE
2. The new ME
3. Plastic Time

The new WE

• Blogs, wikis, and other Web 2.0 applications are revolutionizing the social order.
  - The Internet is not just personal information-finding, but a place of action.
  - People are coming together on and off-line to get something done: grassroots activism is among the winners in a Web 2.0 world.
• In our collective experience is that we’ve found new ways to come together, more efficient and powerful, enabled by our current technologies.
• We are not just passive web surfers, but social doers on- and off-line. The powerful actors are the collective, not the individual.

The new ME

• Media has become MEdia – both on-line and off, we are the creation of our own creations and consumptions.
• MEdia emphasizes media “expertise” as a cultural value to be performed.
  - Facebook applications, YouTube videos, playlists…are all about who you are.
• The expertise in media manipulation, practice & adoption that you demonstrate is more important than the content created.
• There is a shift - In particular, youth do not see technology as a special category that enables something, but one of many material possibilities to create their own selves.

Plastic Time

• Research first revealed that the issue of managing one’s own personal time zones was increasingly complex and fragmented - though this occurs differently in different parts of the world.
• Your time is shrinking, yet somehow, you happen to know the latest post on your favorite website; A jet setting life style – but you still keep up with your blog postings & email;
• Research showed that you are experiencing “plastic time.”
• The experience of "plastic time" frames modern life—it is an experience that is highly interruptible; shrinking and expanding around immediate concerns; and interleaving through multiple activities.

Contributed By:
Ranjan Sarkar
(Vice President - HR & Corporate Communication)
Acclaris Limited

Excellence

A Gentlemen once visited a temple under construction where he saw a sculptor making an idol of God. Suddenly he noticed a similar idol lying nearby. Surprised, he asked the sculptor, "Do you need two statues of the same idol?" "No," said the sculptor without looking up, "We need only one, but the first one got damaged at the last stage." The gentleman examined the idol and found no apparent damage. "Where is the damage?" he asked. "There is a scratch on the nose of the idol." said the sculptor, still busy with his work. "Where are you going to install the idol?"

The sculptor replied that it would be installed on a pillar twenty feet high. "If the idol is that far, who is going to know that there is a scratch on the nose?" the gentleman asked. The sculptor stopped his work, looked up at the gentleman, smiled and said, "I will know it."

The desire to excel is exclusive of the fact whether someone else appreciates it or not. "Excellence" is a drive from inside, not outside. Excellence is not for someone else to notice but for your own satisfaction and efficiency...

Contributed By:
Debasree Chattopadhyay
(HR Executive - Kotak Securities Ltd.)

Core Virtues

The handbook of Character Strengths and Virtues identifies six classes of virtue,-made up of twenty-four measurable character strengths, as shown below:

• Wisdom and Knowledge: creativity, curiosity, open-mindedness, love of learning, perspective.
• Courage: bravery, persistence, integrity, vitality.
• Humanity: love, kindness, social intelligence.
• Justice: citizenship, fairness, leadership.
• Temperance: forgiveness and mercy, humility and modesty, prudence, self-regulation.
• Transcendence: appreciation of beauty and excellence, gratitude, hope, humour, spirituality.

Foregoing will create a positive psychological capital which will rest on: resilence,optimism, self-efficacy, and hope People will thus be healthier and happier, both physically and mentally.

Contributed By:
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Appreciation of employee sensitivities by HR professionals

It goes without saying that the executives of HR departments in any organization will have to be sensitive to the needs and feelings of people working in the organization. This need arises from the various departments when there are performance, attitude and disciplinary issues.

But quite often the managers of various departments like production, projects, operations, mainteanace, marketing, sales, Finance etc., who are also to act as HR managers (as every manager is an HR manager) as they are the people who directly engage the employees as action happens at their end, stay away from employee sensitivities. For example, it is easy to brand an employee to be an under performer and condemn him or her easily rather than to get into the root cause of his poor performance. It is so because it is too tedious and difficult to get into whole issue relating to its background and to do root cause analysis. It beats the logic when we accuse an employee to be a low or poor performer especially when HR people along with the concerned functional professionals quite often boast of high quality recruitment and selection. A very few HR professionals facilitate the process of making the leaders/managers of line departments to appreciate the behavioral aspects of the employees, what do they expect in turn to deliver, what is causing them to slow down or fail etc. Mostly the problem is two-dimensional, one, employee’s internal aspects (his/her assertion, interpersonal skill, personality traits like introversion, sociability etc.,) and the other the external aspect i.e. interface with his manager based on qualities of manager (like his personality traits, aggressive, no-nonsense approach, expecting employee to be totally self managed with high self discipline and self reliance, viewing employee as a ready made resource to perform at peak always and thinking that employee is paid for such position, being very logical and always expecting employee to be highly dependable etc , without even caring to ensure developing the employee’s ability).

Unfortunately neither the manager will be a person of high understanding about the employee nor the employee will be an assertive and an extravert person. Employees mostly expect their bosses to understand their feelings well and treat them accordingly. Before we look into as to which boss has that kind of time to spare we should look into whether managers have that kind of competencies to appreciate the feelings and mentor the employee. The bosses are either ill equipped to handle this or they donot have time for these issues.

Quite often the technical managers or leaders are only designated as so because of their excellence in their technical work or performance. But they really lack managerial, leadership and human relational competencies. This can be even checked by looking into as to how many soft skills and behavioral skill training programmes they attended, forget about their acquiring the competencies in those areas.The fault is not theirs entirely and it depends upon several other factors like top management’s commitment to develop leadership, the promotee’s ambition to lead etc.

Another aspect is even if the employee is a high performer his performance can be affected adversely for the reasons like,

1. Any personal crisis
2. Lack of clarity in the career growth
3. Lack of higher aspirations
4. Mismatch of personal values and organizational values
5. Mismatch between organizational objectives and personal objectives
6. Family problems
7. Health problems
8. Behavioral/psychiatric problems
9. Addiction to alcohol, drugs, and sex
10. Perceived difficulty in taking up stressful assignments though capable
11. Imaginative difficulties when the job demands relocation due to transfer etc.

There can be varied reasons because of which the employee may not be comfortable in the organizational environment and his/her performance may go down.

Being specialists in HR the HR professionals are equipped to go deeper into the behaviors of employees and this specialized skill should be applied without fail.

To develop these skills a high aptitude on the part of HR professional should be developed.

Hence the following approach is suggested,

1. HR professional’s individual aspirations should be mapped.
2. A strong value system has to be developed to focus on treating people with dignity, sympathy and empathy.
3. Effective communication skills have to be in place, with focus on the ability to listen actively and with empathy.
4. Strong counseling skills have to be developed.
5. Should also take the role of a coach and mentor.
6. Should be able to use Johari window to guide the employees.
7. To appreciate and care for the feelings of fellow humans, sensitivity training is suggested though organizations like ISABS,ISISD etc.
8. Out bound training to HR professionals and line managers are suggested through organizations like Pegasus, near Bangalore.
9. The HR professionals should use their creativity to design out bound and semi out bound exercises and games.
10. HR professionals within the organization should be able to conduct the learning programs and
11. Should take the help of eminent HR senior professionals to conduct the specialized programs.

HR professionals should be prepared to appreciate the sensitive areas of organizational working. Hence there is a dire need to make the HR professionals in the organization to be trained on the practical aspects relating to the following ares. The list is not exhaustive but indicative.

1. Mapping the aspirations of all the employees in each department with regard to their career and suggesting goal setting process.
2. Basic motivational process and goal achievement process in the organization.
3. Knowing blocks to the goal, appreciation of failure, frustration and defense mechanisms.
4. Vision exercise for each department.
5. Values exercise.
6. Principles of coaching and counseling.
7. Helping employees in their personal crises.
8. Cases for discussion.
9. Communication and presentation skills.
10. Negotiation skills.
11. Stress management and conflict resolution skills.
12. Using emotional intelligence.

In light of the current day pressures on employees due to challenging environment, appreciating the employee sensitivity and dealing with it effectively is a matter of paramount importance. Hence the HR professionals should rise up to the occasion to facilitate higher employee performance through addressing the key issues of diagnosing the pain areas of employees in behavioral aspects and help the managers and leaders of all other departments in an organization.

Contributed By:
Dr. A. M. Rao
Head – HR
Satyam Ventures Engineering Services

How Honest Are You With Yourself?

By Ron Balagot

"Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise." - Sigmund Freud

Have you ever asked yourself this question: "How Honest Are You With Yourself?"

Why is it so important to ask yourself this question? Because it could mean the difference between reaching your dreams and simply going around in circles (or always being confused why you're not getting anywhere). It could also mean the difference between getting what you "really" want and getting what "you only think" you want (meaning, you only think you want it, because deep down inside, others want it for you, and you want to please them).

If you think about it, if you're not completely honest with yourself in certain areas of life, you will not have the power (or will not be in the position) to change what's holding you back from success in those areas. Basically, if you don't admit to yourself that you're living a lie, you'll continue to live a lie. If you continue to deny the fact that you're being dishonest with yourself, you will not have the power to change the things that need to be changed.

On the other hand, the moment you become more honest with yourself, things will start to change. Positive things will start to happen. And it's because you will all of a sudden have the power to change things. Besides, not being your "true self," as well as pretending that you like doing certain things even when you don't, are tiring. Living a lie simply drains a lot of energy from you.

Could you please do me a favor and try a little exercise? Take a moment to answer the following questions and see how honest you are with your answers. In fact, after every question, ask yourself: "Am I being completely honest with myself about this?"

1. Is the career you pursued what you really wanted to pursue? (Or, did you only go in that direction because certain people in your life expected/wanted you to go in that direction and you didn't want to disappoint them?)
2. Can you honestly say that what you're doing in your life right now is what you know will bring you a great sense of fulfillment? (Or, were your decisions the ones that led to your present condition... influenced by what certain people will say? By how certain people - whose approval you seek - will react?)
3. Are you honestly taking the types of actions that will bring you closer to your goals? (Or, are you just keeping busy with non-productive activities so you can say to yourself and others that you're actually doing something?)
4. Are you saying YES to requests from certain people because that's what you really want to say? (Or, are you saying yes because you're too afraid to say NO for fear of losing the approval of those people? Or, are you also saying yes because it will allow you to procrastinate... to delay what you know you should be working on?)

Now, those are only a few questions but I'm sure you can come up with a lot more questions of your own. So, how did you "feel" about your answers? Did it feel like you were truly being honest with yourself? Like every fiber of your being was saying YES (without any opposing thoughts)? Or did you have that feeling in your gut telling you that you weren't being completely honest (where you could hear a tiny voice inside shouting out "LIAR!")?

You see, when you're not being true to yourself, something inside you doesn't feel right. And this affects many areas of your life in a negative way. You feel confused a lot of the times. You tend to procrastinate a lot (and tend to find ways to justify your behavior). You lack that sense of fulfillment you so desperately want. And more.

However, when you're honest with yourself, you tend to be more decisive. You feel more motivated to take action. You think more clearly. And you feel fulfilled in general (since you are more at peace with yourself... and are doing what you are supposed to be doing).

As you can see, your progress - and ultimately, your success - will be highly dependent on your ability to remain honest with yourself. I challenge you to take a closer look at your life and see which areas you are truly being honest in... and which areas you need to work on. Then act accordingly.

Contributed By:
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Source: Trans4mind

Two People Who Love Each Other

By Gary Bate

They are two people who choose to come together to share minds and thus realities: to enrich their experiences of life.

They are mindful in their relationship and find reasons to come together rather than excuses to be apart.

They are clean, meaning they are not dragging any 'old partners' around with them. They realise that everyone else in their lives are only there because they want them to be there; otherwise they would be a distant memory.

They take responsibility for themselves, individually, and care for each other: leaving behind any compromises for financial advantage.

They live for their own truth and thus are not concerned by the opinions of others.

They have a sharing attitude - 'what's mine is yours'.

They never use or abuse each other but only give to one another.

They constantly move forward in their lives, individually and together.

They trust each other because they are brutally honest with each other.

They help each other grow and encourage each other, delighting in each other's achievements.

They work at letting go of controlling one another in favour of loving one another.

They view lovemaking as the natural extension of the ecstasy they experience from sharing on all levels rather than the reason for the relationship itself.

They value their intimacy and keep it sacred, excluding all others.

They know that when one can genuinely forgive then one can always find love whether for the other or for self.

They are flexible and tolerant because they understand that becoming absolutely truthful is a journey that doesn't 'just happen' overnight.

They are two people who love each other.

Contributed By:
Prof. Debaprasad Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

(Excerpts from an e-magazine: trans4mind)

The Law of the Garbage Truck

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport.

We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy; and I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.' He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so...... 'Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.'

Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it.

Contributed By:
Debasree Chattopadhyay
(HR Executive, Kotak Securities Limited)

Strategy and SME Growth

Often it is asserted that the field of strategic management lacks coherence and it is highly fragmented. However, there is research evidence to show how companies have achieved excellent performance and sustainable competitive advantage by implementing strategic plans.

Strategy primarily deals with issues of longterm implications. In recent years, business organisations have gained the power to predict the future with reasonable accuracy using various performance management systems and harnessing the tremendous increase in computingpower and communication technology. With this power, they can exploit the potential of the emerging scenarios.

Unfortunately, most Indian SMEs are either unaware of the power of these strategic frameworks or do not show any inclination to use them for strategic planning. As the tumultuous political and economic events of the present decade have made long-term planning a much more risky business, there is a real possibility of more small and medium firms staying away from strategic planning, notwithstanding the fact that except a relatively small number of firms in the knowledge sector, a majority of the Indian SMEs are still operating in environments where robability distributions of outcomes are knowable.

Click here to read the full article

Contributed By:
Prof. Abhijit Bhattacharya
(Dean - Globsyn Business School, Ahmedabad)

Training for SME Workers

By smartly exploiting the opportunities created by the process of globalisation, a large number of Indian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have been able to sharply increase their businesses, either as original equipment manufacturers or component suppliers or business and knowledge processes outsourcing (KPO) partners for multinational corporations (MNCs) as well as large Indian companies. In a world where technology and business models are changing very fast,sustainability and growth of the Indian SME segment in the coming days will primarily dependupon SMEs’ access to education and skill upgradation. The government has a major responsibility in providing such access as the private sector cannot be relied upon for this — hi-tech knowledge and skill generation is a timeconsuming process and the return on private investment may be less than the optimum level thanks to knowledge spill-over, high rate of technology obsolescence and some other factors.

Click here to read more...

Contributed By:
Prof. Abhijit Bhattacharya
(Dean - Globsyn Business School, Ahmedabad)

Office Etiquettes

Successful people display a style that oozes charisma and dressing that speaks of power, authority, dependability, and attitude.

• Clothes help to get close. So, always choose the right attire that is best suited for the occasion.
• Trim nails and hair as this would add to your dressing style.
• Look simple, yet elegant,-this would give a classy look.
• Don't use vessels and utensils which make too much sound during eating.
• Do not eat while working.
• Prefer getting dry food as a lunch or dinner pack, as foods with gravy tend to be messy.
• While using microwaves, be conscious that you don't keep others waiting for long.
• Keep the space-table or desk clean.
• Avoid filling water bottles from water dispensers at times when too many people need water,say, during lunch or dinner.
• Above all, be courteous at all times whenever you deal with others, remember arrogance and being haughty are attributes of a 'weak' person.

Contributed By:
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Innovation in corporate governance

By Prof. Abhijit Bhattacharya

It would be a mistake to see the current crisis of corporate governance triggered by the multi-billion swindles involving some iconic companies primarily through the prism of transparency and compliance. The failure of Sarbanes-Oxley and other stringent disclosure norms to control unbridled growth of corporate greed is a pointer to this.

The problem of ensuring good corporate governance has become knottier with increasing frequency of radical or disruptive innovations, especially in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector during the last couple of decades.

In the pre-ICT era radical innovations were comparatively less frequent. Often these innovations produced a series of incremental innovations leading to smooth growth of productivity for prolonged periods.

Click here to read the full article

Prof. Bhattacharya is the Dean of Globsyn Business School, Ahmedabad

Source: The Economic Times

Top Ten Ways to Show Appreciation to Employees

By Susan M

You can tell your colleagues, coworkers and employees how much you value them and their contribution any day of the year. Trust me. No occasion is necessary. In fact, small surprises and tokens of your appreciation spread throughout the year help the people in your work life feel valued all year long.

Looking for ideas about how to praise and thank coworkers and employees? Here are ten ways to show your appreciation to employees and coworkers.

• Praise something your coworker has done well. Identify the specific actions that you found admirable.
• Say "thank you." Show your appreciation for their hard work and contributions. And, don't forget to say "please" often as well. Social niceties do belong at work. A more gracious, polite workplace is appreciated by all.
• Ask your coworkers about their family, their hobby, their weekend or a special event they attended. Your genuine interest - as opposed to being nosey – causes people to feel valued and cared about.
• Offer staff members flexible scheduling for the holidays, if feasible. If work coverage is critical, post a calendar so people can balance their time off with that of their coworkers.
• Know your coworker’s interests well enough to present a small gift occasionally. An appreciated gift, and the gesture of providing it, will light up your coworker’s day.
• If you can afford to, give staff money. End of the year bonuses, attendance bonuses, quarterly bonuses and gift certificates say "thank you" quite nicely. TechSmith staff receive a percentage of their annual salary for their end of year bonus.
• Almost everyone appreciates food. Take coworkers or staff to lunch for a birthday, a special occasion or for no reason at all. Let your guest pick the restaurant.
• Create a fun tradition for a seasonal holiday. ReCellular employees draw names for their Secret Santa gift exchange.
• Bring in bagels, doughnuts or another treat for staff and coworkers. Offerings such as cookies or cupcakes, that you've baked personally, are a huge hit. (Have you tried baking cupcakes in ice cream cones? People love them.) Another hit? Bring chocolate - chocolate anything.
• Last, but not least, provide opportunity. People want chances for training and cross-training. They want to participate on a special committee where their talents are noticed. They like to attend professional association meetings and represent your organization at civic and philanthropic events.

These are the top ten ways to show appreciation to employees and coworkers. Stretch your imagination. There are hundreds of other employee and coworker appreciation ideas just waiting to be found. They'll bring you success in employee motivation, employee recognition and in building a positive, productive workplace.

Contributed By:
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Source: An e-magazine: Trans4mind

General Competence Development

In HR it is important to have a policy for developing competencies. Dreyfus and Dreyfus have introduced a language of the levels of competence development. The levels are:

• Novice: Rule based behaviour, strongly limited and inflexible.
• Experienced Beginner: Incorporates aspects of the situation.
• Practitioner: Acting consciously from long term goals and plans.
• Knowledgeable Practitioner: Seeks the situation as a whole and acts from personal conviction.
• Expert: Has an intuitive understanding of the situation and zooms in on the central aspects.
• Virtuoso: Has a higher degree of competence, advances the standards and has an easy and creative way of doing things.
• Maestro: Changes the history in a field by inventing and introducing radical innovations.

The process of competence development is a lifelong series of doing and reflecting. And it requires a special environment, where the rules are necessary in order to introduce novices, but people at a more advanced level of competence will systematically break the rules if the situation requires it. This environment is synonymously described using terms such as learning organisation, knowledge creation, self organising and empowerment.

Contributed By:
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Two important thoughts to remember everyday

1. Refuse to fill your time, your life or your brain with garbage. Read the best stuff. Talk with the healthiest, wisest, smartest, most challenging people you can. Attend the seminars and learn from the experts! Listen to great music and to the whisperings of your heart. Laugh a lot. Worship often, and be grateful.
   
   
2. Do what you love. You will make your biggest contribution when you passionately pursue your talents and use your strengths. Martin Luther King, Jr. did many great things, but perhaps his greatest moment came in Washington when he proclaimed, "I have a dream!" We all remember that, and millions have been inspired by it. What's your dream?

"There's no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love. There is only a scarcity of resolve to make it happen." - Wayne Dyer

Contributed By:
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Understanding the imperative linkage between Business Strategies and HRM Practices

Understanding Strategic Human Resource Management practices in emerging economies is fast emerging as an area of special importance among academicians, researchers, HR professionals and others. Current research in this area tries to examine the nature of linkage between business strategies and human resource management. Existing literature also highlights the need for the formulation of an integrated and a mutually consistent set of HR practices in consonance with the business strategy of an organization, all aimed towards achievement of organizational objectives.

Central to this area of research study is an analysis of the issue of “fit” or integration between business strategy and HRM practices of an organization. This concept of “fit” has been analyzed from different perspectives. However, studies carried out in this area in emerging economies like India are almost negligible and inadequate.

Hence it is important to investigate the nature of linkage between business strategies and human resource management practices of organizations in various Industries in an emerging economy like India with a special thrust to IT/ITeS sector. The vast contribution made by this sector in development of the Indian economy by providing employment to a large number of unemployed youth, developing infrastructural facilities, improving competitiveness etc. has made it an interesting subject for academicians, researchers and others. NASSCOM has predicted that India is going to experience a talent shortage of 500,000 by 2010 (Business Today, 2007). With the unprecedented rate of growth of the IT/ITeS sector and the turbulent business environment, the HR professionals in this sector have to grapple with several challenges of the industry and the business. As the firms in the IT/ITeS sector are confronting lots of challenges, it is high time for the HR professionals to make a paradigm shift from the conventional HR practices to contemporary HR practices to cope up with the ever changing demands of the vivacious industry. This calls for more emphasis on strategically aligned HR issues and need for a proactive role on the part of the HR professionals in the IT/ITeS Industry.

This understanding gets further validated in the recent IMA India’s Annual Human Resource (HR) Survey 2008-09 (IMA India is an Asia-focused business intelligence firm that provides enterprises with strategic research, business intelligence and market insights together with sound independent advice on various aspects of the operating environment) which came up with some startling strategic HR issues which indicates significant change in HR Paradigm -


“The role of the human resource function is defined by the environment in which businesses operate. As the global environment changes, the foremost concerns in HR in India have done a dramatic turnaround. Attrition is no longer as much of a concern as the management of talent. Managing compensation is now less of an issue than employee motivation and productivity, necessitating that corporations increase their focus on the human resource issue as one of extreme strategic importance.

Over the course of the past decade, HR and the management of talent has been identified as the greatest challenge facing businesses in the country. Going forward, the texture of this debate – as indeed, the challenges in HR – are set to change as the paradigm of operation shifts from rapid growth to sustenance mode where productivity and high motivation will be key to success. Retention strategies, the creation of leadership skills, and compensation structures linked to performance remain amongst the most important issues of focus.”

Contributed By:
Ranjan Sarkar
(Vice President - HR & Corporate Communication)
Acclaris Limited

Vedanta pill for US crisis

By K. P. Nayar

Houston, Feb. 4: The second fastest growing county in America, Harris County of Texas, is offering downturn-affected US corporations a model that combines Indian spiritualism and business.

A trade delegation from the Greater Houston area that visited India recently began its mission with an unusual weekend at the Vedanta Academy in the picturesque hills of Malavali, 108km from Mumbai.

Stress among CEOs and other business leaders has been identified in recent months as a fallout of the financial crisis that is threatening US businesses even as doctors and counsellors across America have reported a steep rise in their corporate clientele. More...

Contributed By:
Prof. R. C. Bhattacharya
(Director - Globsyn Business School)

Source: The Telegraph

Strategic Leadership in the Turbulent Environment: The People Management Perspective

Dear Students,

NIPM (National Institute of Personnel Management) recently deliberated on the above subject in a CEO's Conclave and the following points emerged therein:

• Improvement of communication to promote leadership courage and conviction by weaving a story of success.
• Removing the sense of panic/fear/scare.
• Keeping the morale of the employee high.
• Ensuring leadership is felt/focused in all operations-HR preparedness.
• Cutting down hiring/wage costs as a symbolic measure.
• Restricting international mobility-resorting to video/teleconferencing.
• Aligning right people for the right work.
• Promoting creativity/innovation-people dimension.
• Keeping the long-term strategic HR planning/vision intact.
• Organizing/Training/Retraining so as to make it more useful for production.
• Efficiently deploying manpower/assets.
• Introducing productivity/performance linked incentive scheme-giving rewards, recognition and benefits.
• Increasing per capita productivity of the employee-(Output per hour worked).
• Organizing training/workshop for non-performing blue-collar workers.
• Trying to decline "absenteeism" to a zero level.
• Engaging People through cross-functional teams.
• Injecting Talent & Succession Planning.
• Hiring talent otherwise unavailable based on reality and optimism.
• Becoming a True Human Being.

So, check on the above while you are at work.

Best wishes,

Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

CSR – Today’s Perspective

In contemporary management literature, the issue of alignment of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative with the core business to ensure that the same is meaningful and sustainable on a long term basis has been highlighted. Presently, many organizations believe that CSR is the extension of their business and vice versa and that good CSR has to be sustainable and should create long term impact even in small dimensions.

It is important for Organizations to ensure that their respective CSR model are in line with the strategic initiative and should align the core business needs of the organization with a relevant ISR (Individual Social Responsibility) angle. The model should address some of the key differentiators for the Company such as Sourcing, Readiness, Cost, Retention, Redundancy etc which are the core ingredients of any business as this is the key to make it sustainable and value driven for the Organization.

To me a model is long term and sustainable only when it teaches to fish instead of giving fish as this is one of the biggest challenges with most of the CSR initiative around us. In addition a model should also help us to reach out to a larger mass providing direction in life which maybe negligible as of now but certainly rewarding in the days to come considering the impact it will have on several families directly and indirectly.

The scale of a model at the beginning can be small but it should be scalable and replicable for a large section of the society. However one should start with an idea however small it maybe as referring to what Mr. Robin Sharma said in his book “Who will cry when you die?” “The smallest of action is always better than the noblest of intention.”

Contributed By:
Ranjan Sarkar
(Vice President - HR & Corporate Communication)
Acclaris Limited

5 Ways to Deal with the Negative People in your Life

By Lori Radun

"It is easier to avoid the effects of others' negativity when we question if an action or attitude is appropriately directed at us. If it isn't, we can choose to sidestep it and let it pass." - Sue Patton Theole.

Dear Students,

Have you ever been faced with trying to stay positive when others around you are negative? Negative people can be a challenge to be around. They will bring you down and drain your energy. A negative person can throw your best laid plans to be positive right out the window. Whether your child or spouse has an occasional negative day or you deal with a family member, friend or co-worker that is chronically negative, there are things you can do to remain positive in the face of negativity.

Let the Negativity Pass

Whatever you do, do not argue with a negative person. Arguing only adds fuel to the fire. A negative person will feed off any negativity that will strengthen his mood or attitude. I have noticed when my children are in a crabby mood, it is best to avoid trying to convince them to analyze and adjust their attitude. As soon as I take the approach of being in opposition with them, they seize the opportunity to prove to me that life stinks. Their negativity intensifies and the situation gets worse before it gets better. Sometimes the best approach is to remain silent and let the negativity pass.

Negative People Need Love

You know how difficult it can be to give love and positive attention to negative people. Unfortunately, that is often exactly what they need. Deep inside that mean and critical person is a person that is usually afraid he or she is unlovable. It is our challenge to rise above the negative attitude and love the injured person inside. How do you show love when someone is negative? You must listen to what she is trying to tell you. Acknowledge the feelings she has by saying something like, "You sound very angry right now". Even if you don't quite understand the person's feelings, know that your reality is different than someone else's. Ask how you might help the negative person. This shows legitimate interest in her happiness. Offer a hug even if you get rejected. Remember not to take a rejection of your love personally. A negative person often has difficulty receiving love from others.

If you've ever lived with a teenager, you know it can be an emotional roller coaster. My teenager is no different. One day he is a loving and happy young man; the next day he acts mean and grumpy. On these days, his self esteem and confidence is waning. As he searches to feel good about himself, he takes his struggles out on his family. In these moments, my son needs to know he is lovable. When I acknowledge his pain, he is more apt to open up to me and share what's truly on his heart. The negative feelings inside him are released because I am able to listen and love.

Set a Time Limit with Negative People

You have two minutes to complain and then time is up. Negative people need boundaries and giving them a time limit lets them know you will only tolerate a small amount of negativity. Check your watch and allow them to vent for two minutes. At the end of two minutes, tell the person it is time to focus on solutions or stop complaining. Play a game with your negative friend. Take turns coming up with solutions to her problem. Brainstorm together until you have at least 10 solutions. If your friend doesn't like this idea, simply excuse yourself from the conversation.

Stay Away from Negative People

If you have negative people in your life that are critically affecting your mental and physical health, you need to evaluate whether or not you want these people in your life. Some people are so chronically negative that you have no other choice but to remove them from your life. It's possible to do that with friends. You can find another job if your boss or other co-workers are bringing you down. Other people, such as children and spouses, are more difficult to remove from your life. In this instance, professional counseling may be the answer. To protect your well being, you need to enforce very strong boundaries with negative people.

Keep Your Own Negative Thoughts and Behaviors in Check

If you do nothing else but focus on managing your own negative thoughts and behavior, you will come a long way towards remaining positive. A negative attitude is contagious, but a positive attitude is infectious as well. Hang out with positive people that encourage you to be your best self. Use positive affirmations to overcome negative self-talk. Express your gratitude for all the positive things in your life. Take the time everyday to watch all the beautiful things going on around you. Read inspirational material and listen to joyful music. Take care of yourself spiritually. Do whatever you have to do to remain positive and happy despite the negativity you face. The world will be a better place because of you and your attitude. And you never know; you just might help a negative person make a change to a better way of living.

Best wishes,
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Source: An e-magazine: Trans4mind

Thinking 'out of box'

Dear Students,

Are you keen to stimulate your 'out of box' thinking skills?

Try out the following:

• Solve crosswords and puzzles within a stipulated time.
• Cultivate ambidexterity. Switch hands for knife and fork.
• Close your eyes, during dinner, and try to identify food on your plate only by smell, taste and touch.
• Learn to mind-map.
• Write down your ideas, thoughts and observations.
• Play computer brain games.
• Create a joke.
• Keep an idea bank.
• Learn a foreign language.
• Spell long words backwards.
• Change your physical-setting.
• Start a blog.
• Learn a musical instrument.
• Get in touch with nature.
• Relax.
• Surround yourself with unlike-minded people too.
• Develop your reading skills.
• Find metaphors to illustrate a concept.
• Manage stress.
• Explore different routes to reach your destination.

Best wishes,
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Essentials of an Ideal Boss

Dear Students,

I am sure all of you would like to be termed as a good boss in an organisation.

This raises the question, "What are the essentials of an ideal boss?"

Here is a checklist in terms of "Do's" and "Don’ts".

Don'ts:

• Never belittle an employee in public.
• Never take credit for something an employee did.
• Never cause fear to employees.
• Never be a " no excuse allowed type".
• Never shout or yell at employees.
• Never try to humiliate an employee as punishment.
• Never play favorites.
• Never try to meddle into everyone's work for quality.

Do's:

• Correct employees in private.
• Try to give employees full credit for what they do.
• Start building a caring image.
• Clearly define job duties and deadlines.
• Speak to employees with respect.
• Provide feedback and training fror problems on the job.
• Treat all employees fairly and equally.

Best wishes,
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Tips on Stress Management

Dear Students,

• Take a time out. Walk slowly and without purpose. Don't worry about walking "to get somewhere and fast." It doesn't have to take long - but get away from the environment for a few minutes every hour or two if possible.
• As always, watch your diet. Try to eat sensibly and stay away from the over processed foods that do nothing to help the body.
• Use good posture. Slouching catches up with the back and the rest of the body in painful ways.
• Practice deep breathing. The body needs this oxygen. This can be done anywhere and can become a great habit after awhile.
• Give your fingers a break too. Stop typing - and stretch your fingers for a few seconds. Breathe in deeply, and imagine the stress leaving your body through your finger tips as you exhale.
• Feeling better already? Finally, leave work at work. Trust me, it'll be there tomorrow and nothing productive will come from reliving the entire work day on your drive home. Meditate to some peaceful music instead.

Best wishes,
Prof.D.P.Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Parkinson's Law of Prof. Cyril Northcote Parkinson

Dear Students,

Have you heard of Parkinson's law?

'WORK EXPANDS SO AS TO FILL THE TIME AVAILABLE FOR ITS COMPLETION'

This is, in brief, Parkinson's law.

In time, however, the first-referenced meaning of the phrase has dominated, and sprouted several corollaries for example, the derivative relating to computers:

Data expands to fill the space available for storage.

A second aphorism, attributed to Parkinson and sometimes called "Parkinson's second law", is "expenditures rise to meet income".

"Parkinson's Law" could be generalized further still as :

The demand upon a resource tends to expand to match the supply of the resource.

An extension is often added to this, stating that the reverse is not true.

This generalization has become very similar to the economic law of demand that the lower the price of a service or commodity, the greater the quantity demanded.

Interesting, isn't it ?

Best wishes,

Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Avoiding Procrastination of Work

Dear Students

I recently read a book on how to avoid procrastination of work and I thought it would be good to share some ideas with you.

Plan on paper – Whatever you have to do should be listed out on a piece of paper. The activity may be big or small but should be taken down in writing.

Identify the most important task – This task should be something that is very important for your career/job. Unfortunately, this is the job, which we generally procrastinate on. For students, this may be an activity like reading newspapers, being regular with studies, attending seminars etc.

Begin straight away – Without having a second thought, start working on this activity straight away. At the start, it appears very daunting. Just begin one step at a time. As you get along the flow, you will find the going much easier and smoother. The better the progress, the more energy you will have to finish it even faster.

Do this consistently every day – The more you practice this, the more you will become better at this and soon you will realize that you can get a lot of important things done fast and efficiently.

Just try this out sincerely and check out the results for yourself.

Best Wishes
Dr. Meenakshi Khemka
(Globsyn Business School)

Murphy's Law

Dear Students,

In its simplest form, Murphy's Law states: If anything can go wrong, it will. However, as with many successful business theories, the original law has been extended over time to cover specialist areas, several of which are given below:

• Project Planning: If anything can go wrong, it will. Usually at the most inopportune time.
• Performance Management: If someone can get it wrong, they will.
• Risk Assessment: If several things can go wrong, the one you would LEAST like to happen will occur.
• Practical creativity: If you can think of four ways that something can go wrong, it will go wrong in a fifth way.

By applying Murphy's Law, and expecting the unexpected, you can remain in control throughout a week that would otherwise have proved to be very stressful. Try it yourself today!

Best wishes,

Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

The Path of Authenticity

By Melody Larson

What does it mean to live authentically? Authenticity holds a power that is almost mystical in nature. It's magnetic and we long for it now more than ever. Why? My view is that authenticity opens the doorway to a life of spirit. What does the path of authenticity look like? Let's explore the seven stepping stones that lead to a life of freedom and joy.

FIRST STONE: Be happy for no reason. There's nothing you need to become, nothing that needs to happen, in order for you to be happy. Happiness is simply a choice. Let go of the 'when/then' game: When I lose 10 pounds, then I'll be happy. When I'm in that perfect relationship, then I'll be happy. Here's the deal: Happiness doesn't come when you've achieved your goals--it's what allows you to achieve them. The happiness that you seek is not the reward waiting for you at the end of your journey. It's what makes the journey possible in the first place.

SECOND STONE: End the blame game. Do you blame others for the way your life has unfolded or is unfolding? Is it the fault of your childhood, your spouse, your boss, or the current state of world affairs that you are not happy? Are you giving away your power by seeing yourself as a victim? To become empowered you have to take responsibility for yourself and for the way your life is going. No person or event can determine the shape of your life unless you allow it. You allow it when you choose the safety of powerlessness over the risk of self-determination. The only failure in life is not choosing for yourself how you're going to live it. When you choose responsibility, a glorious thing happens: You stop living life in half measures and your life blooms in all its richness.

THIRD STONE: Simplify. Authenticity has a very hard time flourishing in the weed-strewn soil of complexity. You must pull out the weeds and make space for your soul desires to flourish. Simplifying involves ridding yourself of materials, activities, and people that drain or scatter your energy. Clutter is the most visible sign of an overgrown life. Go through your stuff and clear out everything that you don't use or that doesn't please you emotionally. After you've cleared some physical space, see if you can free up some time. Without time to slow down and connect to your heart, you won't be able to hear its whisperings. Finally, you've got to rid yourself of people who are toxic to you, who weigh you down instead of uplifting you. When you've cleared a clean, fertile space in your life you can plant the seeds of your authenticity and cultivate your passion.

FOURTH STONE: Relish being selfish. Oh no, I used the 'S' word! We've been told for so long that being selfish is bad. If you stop to think about it, anyone who says so is probably saying it out of a selfish desire for you to follow their rules! If you want to live freely you have to become selfish. There is nothing wrong with serving the Self. You have to put your own needs and desires above everyone and everything precisely in order to serve everyone and everything. It's exhausting to try to be all things to all people. You were never meant to apply your energy in this scattering way, but to concentrate your energy into the singular expansion of your own genius and uniqueness. Selfishness in the highest sense of the word is about being yourself so fully that you can share yourself fully with others.

FIFTH STONE: Do your healing work. Healing work is about confronting the habits, hurts, and fears that keep you living small. When you allow the fullness of who you are to step into the light, healing happens. The need for escapism, cures, and self-destructive habits diminishes. When you let go of any guilt, pain, anger, or unworthiness that you're experiencing you open up the channel of effortless being. Universal Energy can flow through and you become the instruments of spirit you were meant to be. There are many practices for doing healing work, from therapy to EFT to prayer. Find what works for you and commit to shifting any beliefs or feelings that are holding you back.

SIXTH STONE: Cultivate compassion. Compassion is a profound human emotion. It pulls us out of egocentrism, enabling us to experience oneness with another and with all things. This is another facet of authenticity because compassion removes the ego's false gods of competition, morality and judgment from their thrones. It allows us an expanded view of the world--as spirit sees it. There is nothing more freeing than allowing others their choices, than supporting them instead of trying to change them, or than honoring their own ability to guide themselves.

SEVENTH STONE: Hand over your keys. We've all heard the adage of surrendering to a higher power, of "letting go and letting God." The key here is to realize that this higher power is not something outside of you, it's within you. Surrender, then, is not powerlessness. Surrender is about turning over the driver's seat of your life to your soul--to the full, intelligent, powerful, creative being that is the true you. It's about freeing yourself from the reckless driving of your personality that keeps crashing you into one dissatisfying conundrum after another or that keeps speeding you right past all those lovely, magical roadside attractions. When you let your soul guide you, you surrender to the need to reach any destination, knowing that wherever you are in the moment is perfect.

The path to an authentic life is a journey inward to our inner being instead of outward into the world. It's about claiming the power within us instead of seeking our power externally. Authenticity means honoring the self, not the self-image. It means listening to soul rather than to ego. It allows our hearts, so long shushed by our intellects, to finally speak.

Contributed By:
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

Source: Trans4mind

Change in Business – Implications of HR Globally

The business has possibly undergone the most varied change in the recent times due to several factors which are unique and dynamic in nature. The five most important factors as identified by Prof Dave Ulrich are – Globalization, Technology, Demographics (Customer: inside and outside), Organization response and Implications of HR.

In case of Globalization some of the key indicators has been – Emerging Markets (India & China), More worry about security post (9/11), Concern about trade barriers, tariffs, exchanged rates and global information, last but not the least Global R&D, manufacturing, distribution, customers, marketing brands etc.

In terms of Technology the areas has been connectivity, accessibility, collaboration 24/7, direct channels for distribution, uncertain future. As for Demographics (inside) it is all about mobility, diversity, personalization, and aging population in west, increasing affluence in east.

For Demographics (outside) the literacy, attitude and values of customers, disposable income increasing, attitudes and expectation, value perception, “Feature Lead” upgrading and the biggest of all having greater choice.

The Organizational change has been through various factors like talent, accountability, change, service, innovation, Leadership brand, culture/shared mindset, strategy execution, integration, collaboration and speed.

With all the above changes in our business there has been a major implications on HR which are – HR is part of value equation, 80% of CEO’s role, collaborating Competence, Commitment and Contribution, transactional to transformational and thus being the only business differentiator.

The above changes have redefined the role and responsibility of HR in the over all business perspective. To be more precise the implications on HR are with the Practices, Department and Professional.

In terms of practices the key focus areas is to align HR with strategy in terms of customers and investors apart from helping in Integration and Innovation.

For HR department there are increased financial demands by investors for Organizational performance. Transaction work and Transactional work to the proportion required. To manage the above scope for practices and department the HR professionals require new competencies on a regular basis to be successful in various roles as – Credible Activist, Culture & Change Steward, Talent Manager, Strategy Architect, Operational Executor and Business Ally.

Contributed By:
Mr. Ranjan Sarkar
(Vice President-HR & Corporate Communication, Acclaris)

Effective HR Due Diligence

Dear Students,

It is essential that a HR Manager identifies the right issues so as to carry out effective HR due diligence in organization.

Given below are the areas which she/he can address:

• Compare terms & conditions of employment and salary scales.
• Understand the skills of present HR team-are they adequate to coordinate proposed changes to the business?
• Understand the organizational structure.
• Identify what is required in terms of manpower plan to achieve the business strategy
  Identify key personnel-to what extent is the necessary knowledge & skill vested in staff critical to running the business?
• Identify which job descriptions need to be changed.
• Compare ways of working and identify differences which need to be addressed.
• Is the organization unionized or does the employee representation group have negotiations rights, and if so, what do these rights include?

Best wishes,

Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay

(Globsyn Business School)

The Peter Principle in Management

Dear Students,

The Peter Principle formulated by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull is the principle that "In a Hierarchy Every Employee Tends to Rise to His Level of Incompetence."

It holds that in a hierarchy, members are promoted so long as they work competently. Sooner or later they are promoted to a position at which they are no longer competent (their "level of incompetence"), and there they remain. Peter's Corollary states that "in time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out his duties" and adds that "work is accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence".

One way that organizations attempt to avoid this effect is to refrain from promoting a worker until he or she shows the skills and work habits needed to succeed at the next higher job. Thus, a worker is not promoted to managing others if he or she does not already display management abilities. The corollary is that employees who are dedicated to their current jobs will not be promoted for their efforts but might, instead, receive a pay increase.

Peter pointed out that a class, or caste (social stratification) system is more efficient at avoiding incompetence. Lower-level competent workers will not be promoted above their level of competence as the higher jobs are reserved for members of a higher class. "The prospect of starting near the top of the pyramid will attract to the hierarchy a group of brilliant (higher class) employees who would never have come there at all if they had been forced to start at the bottom". Thus the hierarchies "are more efficient than those of a classless or equalitarian society".

In a similar vein, some real-life organizations recognize that technical people may be very valuable for their skills, but poor managers, and so provide parallel career paths allowing a good technical person to acquire pay and status reserved for management in most organizations.
Interesting, isn't it ?

Best wishes,

Prof.D.P.Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)

How to Secure your Job during Economic Slowdown

Economic Slowdown or should I say ‘Recession’, a more popular term, is the time when companies become stringent & particular about low performance or no-performance. To avoid getting axed during such rough times here are some ways one may consider:

1. Contribute more than what is expected. Usually, what you are doing may be an input into someone else's job. Hence, try to understand what is done by them. Add some of that to your job, so that helps the other person save some time and thereby making the team more productive. One may as well try and do a part of your boss' work that would be even better.
2. However if you are trying to do your boss’ job, that your boss gets the credit - and don't undermine his authority or make him feel insecure not to mention hurt his ego.
3. In doing so the entire concentration of an individual should be to do something that helps the organization to build business.
4. It is quite possible that you may not be able to do 3 in that case you need to know people who can do that for your firm.
5. What if you don't know such a large diverse group of people? Build your network.
6. What if you can't do the above? There is a way out if you are good in written communication and your company does not have a comprehensive presence online, given that scenario you can talk to the Marketing and Corporate Communications team to start a social media initiative for the Company. Of course, don't expect an additional payment for it. However, if you do get paid look at it as a bonus!!
7. If none of the above can be done then there is still a way out, try and be as creative as you can in discharging your current role - be an innovator and getting more out of less, this is the best skill in an employee whether it is in recession or during boom times.
8. Keep learning, sharpening and developing your skills. If your organization trains you nothing like that. However, if it doesn’t than take the self study route.

Hope these suggested ways would help you ride the recessionary wave rather than it drowning you!!

Contributed By:
Param Shah
(Asst. Registrar - Globsyn Business School, Ahmedabad)