Time is very subjective. For instance, a working professional is constantly chasing a deadline – that’s time for him. A house wife is waiting for the next episode of a serial – the wait is time for her. For a kid – time is always revolving around games. Everyone wants time. But for what? Everyone wants time to do what they want and be satisfied. ‘Oh! I have absolutely no time’ is a common expression, isn’t it? What are they actually complaining of? Did ‘time’ decide to give them a slip? Or, was it a mismanagement of activities? We all know time waits for no one - yet time is always the villain.
My son is supposed to watch television in the morning only when he finish his breakfast. However, by the time he manages to gulp everything down, it is time for school. You can imagine the cacophony one has to undergo, when a four year old misses his favourite ‘Looney tunes’ show. Well, there is no point discussing ‘time management’ with him but just urge him to focus on what he’s doing and finish it faster. Chew the food faster and refrain from pestering his kid sister, for instance. The point here is no one can manage time but everyone can manage the activities, tasks they undertake. Does it mean one has to multi-task and be efficient in doing it? Not really. One will be giving too little attention to too many things while multi tasking and more importantly - fail to do anything well. Like how my son missed his favourite show.
Time is subjective and is measured mostly in terms of satisfaction. A working professional will be satisfied only when his tasks for the day is complete – and to his satisfaction. What one should hence do to ‘manage time’ and to generate satisfaction is to identify the tasks that will create the most value and focus on those. By prioritizing value over the number of tasks; focusing on the things that really matter, one will increase the quality of work and obviously the value one extend. Am worried my son will find more value in watching television than the breakfast he is served.
Remember, time = satisfaction. No wonder then it’s said that a busy person is one who finds time for everything.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
'Uncertain' lessons
I’ve been a victim of uncertain times. And, as a person notorious for snap decisions – my social medium is filled with posts reflecting uncertainty. It’s after all an established phenomenon that when the future is uncertain, functioning in the present becomes challenging. Obviously, I need to vent my frustration somehow. The good thing is that my network has friends who understand my situation and instill confidence. Then there is this quest towards optimism that enables me to assimilate positive thoughts. The last couple of days have been continuous learning despite the overwhelming negativity.
So, here’s the learning. According to ‘Human Motivation,’ a book by David McClelland, a Harvard psychology professor, Everyone is driven by three things – a) achievement (the desire to compete against increasingly challenging goals), b) affiliation (the desire to be liked/loved) and c) Power - the desire for influence and respect for yourself and the desire to empower others; to offer them influence and respect. The author states that people will remain motivated and engaged if they have the opportunity to do the above.
So, what am I doing? Am trying my best to engage myself with whatever work I have, get connected and try and influence those who need to be…From an organization perspective, employers should realize that people become political when uncertainty spreads, which could be unfavourable especially during challenging times.
So, here’s the learning. According to ‘Human Motivation,’ a book by David McClelland, a Harvard psychology professor, Everyone is driven by three things – a) achievement (the desire to compete against increasingly challenging goals), b) affiliation (the desire to be liked/loved) and c) Power - the desire for influence and respect for yourself and the desire to empower others; to offer them influence and respect. The author states that people will remain motivated and engaged if they have the opportunity to do the above.
So, what am I doing? Am trying my best to engage myself with whatever work I have, get connected and try and influence those who need to be…From an organization perspective, employers should realize that people become political when uncertainty spreads, which could be unfavourable especially during challenging times.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Office is my home, err...is it?
It was one of those usual conversations between colleagues in the office but it raised questions about triggering assumptions based on earlier conversations and then ultimately leading to distrust amongst employees. While the parties sat together to try and resolve the matter, I made a gentle exit with the thought that it was just a case of social interactions getting complex. A little later, an ex-colleague called to say that he is throwing in the towel at his present job. He feels insecurity is ruling over everyday tasks. There is no word of appreciation, absolutely no care from his employer. Undoubtedly, he despises the very thought of heading for work, I could surmise. Yet another casualty of the downturn – how could I help him? Thought, I should spend some time to get more clarity on the situation, I reached out to him.
My doubts were proven right. While my friend was expecting the organization to cheer him up even when the going was extremely tough, he seemed to have been left to fend on his own. With the employee spending close to 12 hours in office, it is but natural to expect ‘care’ from his employer. A quick look at news reports generated in the recent past indicate that organizations are increasingly focusing on growth at the expense of employees instrumental in driving this growth. As someone said, human brain is a social organ. Its physiological and neurological reactions are directly and profoundly shaped by social interactions. A challenge at a professional level might evoke the same response as a challenge at the personal level as the distinction is blurring today.
According to a research done at University of California at Los Angeles, it was found that although a job is often regarded as a purely economic transaction, in which people exchange their labor for financial compensation, the brain experiences the workplace first and foremost as a social system. When people feel betrayed or unrecognized at work — for example, when they are reprimanded, given an assignment that seems unworthy, or told to take a pay cut — they experience it as a neural impulse, as powerful and painful as a blow to the head. Most people who work in companies learn to rationalize or temper their reactions; they “suck it up,” as the common parlance puts it. But they also limit their commitment and engagement. They become purely transactional employees, reluctant to give more of themselves to the company, because the social context stands in their way.
On the other hand when leaders take initiatives to understand their people, make them feel good, clearly communicate what’s expected from employees, give latitude to make decisions, support people’s efforts to build good relationships, and treat the whole organization fairly, it prompts a reward response. Others in the organization become more effective, more open to ideas, and more creative. They notice the kind of information that passes them by when fear or resentment makes it difficult to focus their attention. They are less susceptible to burnout because they are able to manage their stress. They feel intrinsically rewarded.
An organization is today more like an employee’s home where he fosters certainty, each and everyone is treated fairly, caring is a given, and where freedom is not a choice. Every leader or employer should keep in mind that ‘home is where the heart is.’ Where is your employees heart?
My doubts were proven right. While my friend was expecting the organization to cheer him up even when the going was extremely tough, he seemed to have been left to fend on his own. With the employee spending close to 12 hours in office, it is but natural to expect ‘care’ from his employer. A quick look at news reports generated in the recent past indicate that organizations are increasingly focusing on growth at the expense of employees instrumental in driving this growth. As someone said, human brain is a social organ. Its physiological and neurological reactions are directly and profoundly shaped by social interactions. A challenge at a professional level might evoke the same response as a challenge at the personal level as the distinction is blurring today.
According to a research done at University of California at Los Angeles, it was found that although a job is often regarded as a purely economic transaction, in which people exchange their labor for financial compensation, the brain experiences the workplace first and foremost as a social system. When people feel betrayed or unrecognized at work — for example, when they are reprimanded, given an assignment that seems unworthy, or told to take a pay cut — they experience it as a neural impulse, as powerful and painful as a blow to the head. Most people who work in companies learn to rationalize or temper their reactions; they “suck it up,” as the common parlance puts it. But they also limit their commitment and engagement. They become purely transactional employees, reluctant to give more of themselves to the company, because the social context stands in their way.
On the other hand when leaders take initiatives to understand their people, make them feel good, clearly communicate what’s expected from employees, give latitude to make decisions, support people’s efforts to build good relationships, and treat the whole organization fairly, it prompts a reward response. Others in the organization become more effective, more open to ideas, and more creative. They notice the kind of information that passes them by when fear or resentment makes it difficult to focus their attention. They are less susceptible to burnout because they are able to manage their stress. They feel intrinsically rewarded.
An organization is today more like an employee’s home where he fosters certainty, each and everyone is treated fairly, caring is a given, and where freedom is not a choice. Every leader or employer should keep in mind that ‘home is where the heart is.’ Where is your employees heart?
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