Walter Okpala: Organizations and Fear 2

Walter Okpala: Organizations and Fear 2: It is understandable that fear is inherent in every human being. Yet, there is always fear as to what to how to meet our daily needs and th...

Organizations and Fear 2

It is understandable that fear is inherent in every human being. Yet, there is always fear as to what to how to meet our daily needs and the needs of our beloved ones. In the same way, management of organizations also have fear. The fear that they might lose some of their talents or lose market share to competitors. So, the question is: how can organizations deal with fear?

     One way to reduce fear or anxiety is by thinking outside the box. For example, the leaders should think about what the competitor might bring to the market. In other words, leaders should anticipate what might happen so they can get ahead of the competition. In this case, fear becomes a positive attribute. Another benefit of fear is that it makes organizations look outside instead of stuck in their internal politics. 

     Regarding losing employees, organizations should have a good compensation plan so employees will feel comfortable. Another solution will be to have a good succession plan in place in all levels of hierarchy. In this way, no one will think he or she is indispensable. Breeding talents and having succession plan are two factors that can keep an organization become more stable. 

     The management of organizations should consider the above advice!

   

Walter Okpala: Organizations and fear

Walter Okpala: Organizations and fear: Frequently, oganizations find themselves in fear. The fear of competition, or losing the best and brightest employees. In today's post,...

Organizations and fear

Frequently, oganizations find themselves in fear. The fear of competition, or losing the best and brightest employees. In today's post, I would like to know your opinion on how organizations should deal with fears. 

     I am waiting for your input!

    

Walter Okpala: Motivating your staff in a difficult economic peri...

Walter Okpala: Motivating your staff in a difficult economic peri...: In my last post, I asked the question on how to motivate your staff in difficult economic times. This is a topic that comes up again and ag...

Motivating your staff in a difficult economic period

In my last post, I asked the question on how to motivate your staff in difficult economic times. This is a topic that comes up again and again whenever there is recession or downturn in the economy. The question arises because recession brings fear to the workers. The insecurity that comes from the possibility of losing their jobs paralyzes them. There can be no reasonable discussion with the boss when layoffs loom them. So, how should the leaders deal with this situation?
     The best thing to do in the given situation is to be open to all your staff. Tell them how the situation is and what you are doing to change it. Tell them the plans you have in changing the game. Also tell them what you intend to do if the situation gets worst. There is nothing better for any human being than showing them that you care. Even if some are laid off in the worst scenario, they will understand that, at least, their boss was humane with them. 
     The clarity of your plans and actions makes them prepare for the worst. It also gives them the motivation to go extra mile to change the course of events. There is no way you can lead someone with fear. In order to conquer the fear, there must be a vision. The vision is the driving force. In other words, vision is the force behind the motivation. If you are a leader, you need to understand this and apply it to your subordinates. Think about this!       

Walter Okpala: How do you motivate your staff in a downturn econo...

Walter Okpala: How do you motivate your staff in a downturn econo...: There is always a question people ask regarding motivation. The question arises because of the economic cycles people go through. The cycle...

How do you motivate your staff in a downturn economy?

There is always a question people ask regarding motivation. The question arises because of the economic cycles people go through. The cycles are becoming common in recent times. So, how can a boss keep his subordinates motivated during a recession?

     Give your opinion!

   

Walter Okpala: How long can an employee stay in the same company ...

Walter Okpala: How long can an employee stay in the same company ...: In my last post, I mentioned the issue regarding the lenght of time an employee can stay in a company. Some specialists consulted on this t...

How long can an employee stay in the same company 2?

In my last post, I mentioned the issue regarding the lenght of time an employee can stay in a company. Some specialists consulted on this topic said that the era of a life time job is over. This means that an employee who stays for a long time in the same job can be considered outdated with respect to new technologies and flexibility required in a competitive business environment. Other specialists argue that they cannot recruit someone whose resume shows constant changing of jobs every 3 years. They think that something is wrong with this candidate.

     The question which then arises is: how long should be considered acceptable period of time to stay in the same job? Specialists responded that the reasonable period of time is company-specific. Since some companies adopt the practice of rotation of employees as their culture, staying for a long time in the same company can be tolerable while in the same function, not. However, a candidate who has worked for a long time in the same company and in the same function has a problem. Specialists argue that this is not only bad for the worker, but to the organization too. 

     People do not grow professionally if they are not challenged. They are also not innovative. People can only think out of the box when they are removed from the comfort zone. This is a good conclusion for the employee as well as an organization. The lesson we can learn from this is that even if you have been in the same company for a long time, try to change functions in order to permit your professional growth. Think about this!

            

Walter Okpala: How long can an employee stay at the same company?...

Walter Okpala: How long can an employee stay at the same company?...: There is a question that always props up again and again. How long can an employee stay at the same company? Provide your comments on thi...

How long can an employee stay at the same company?

There is a question that always props up again and again. How long can an employee stay at the same company?

Provide your comments on this question. I will like to hear from you!

Walter Okpala: Asking for a pay raise 3

Walter Okpala: Asking for a pay raise 3: In my last post, I asked a question regarding good performance which is not compensated with an increase in salary. What should an employee...

Asking for a pay raise 3

In my last post, I asked a question regarding good performance which is not compensated with an increase in salary. What should an employee do in such a situation? I consulted 3 specialists about this theme and each gave me a different response.

     The first told me that the employee should first check the financial situation of the organization. If the condition is good, he or she can then ask for an increase in pay. On the contrary, the employee should not ask for a raise. The second specialist told me that the employee has the right to a raise if the performance is good. Therefore, the employee should ask for a raise if the organization did not offer that.

     The third specialist informed me that the employee should not ask for a pay raise, but should look for another place to fulfill his desire. The specialist emphasised that if the employee thinks he worths more, he should look for this compensation outside the present organization.

     Which of the three advice do you accept? Give your comments!    

Walter Okpala: Asking for a pay raise 2

Walter Okpala: Asking for a pay raise 2: Do you think you are receiving less than what you worth? Are you demotivated because of your pay? Do you think people in other companies pe...

Asking for a pay raise 2

Do you think you are receiving less than what you worth? Are you demotivated because of your pay? Do you think people in other companies performing the same functions are earning more than you do? How would you then proceed to ask for a pay raise? 

     There are two schools of thought regarding this topic. One school of thought says an employee should make his or her desire known to the boss while the other says an employee should not request for that. The first opinion argues that an employee should express his desire if he works in a small company. The reason is that small organizations generally forget about the issue and reminding them will be beneficial to the employee. 

     The second school of thought justifies its opinion of not requesting for a pay raise because your pay is tied to your performance. If your performance is good, your salary will automatically be good. This school of thought emphasizes that big companies generally use performance evaluation to compensate its functionaries. 

     But, what happens if your performance is good but there is no change in your income? Watch out for what specialists say about this!    

  

Walter Okpala: Asking for a pay rise

Walter Okpala: Asking for a pay rise: The issue of salary is always a hot, but subtle topic to discuss about in any organization. Everybody wants to receive big salary. However,...

Walter Okpala: Asking for a pay rise

Walter Okpala: Asking for a pay rise: The issue of salary is always a hot, but subtle topic to discuss about in any organization. Everybody wants to receive big salary. However,...

Asking for a pay rise

The issue of salary is always a hot, but subtle topic to discuss about in any organization. Everybody wants to receive big salary. However, no one wants to talk about openly. To worsen the situation, some employees think they are not receiving enough and this keeps them demotivated. The question asked by many is: how should an employee ask for a pay raise?

     Write your comment on how you think employees should ask for a pay raise!

     

Walter Okpala: High level of conflict in an organization 2

Walter Okpala: High level of conflict in an organization 2: In my last post, I asked the question regarding the level of conflict an organization can support. Although some specialists admit that som...

High level of conflict in an organization 2

In my last post, I asked the question regarding the level of conflict an organization can support. Although some specialists admit that some kind of conflict is good for an organization, they also affirm that excessive conflict can be destructive. The question to answer now should be: what is the tolerable limit?

     One thing is to identify some individuals who cannot work in teams. These are called individual contributors. The second thing to be done is to find out why these individuals do not like working in teams. Is it because of conflict among the members of the team? The real thermometer is measured by the number of people who desist in working in a team. If many people resist working in a team, that means a high level of conflict. In this case, specialists recommend that organization take drastic measure.

     The drastic measure is to fire the leaders of the conflict. Specialists argue that these individuals must be fired in order to prevent the destablization of the organization. Therefore, organizations should watch closely to know when the situation is getting out of hand in order to take the necessary action.

   

  

Walter Okpala: High level of conflict in an organization

Walter Okpala: High level of conflict in an organization: What happens when there is a high level of conflict in an organization? Who is to blame? Please, give your input into this discussion by a...

High level of conflict in an organization

What happens when there is a high level of conflict in an organization? Who is to blame?

Please, give your input into this discussion by answering the questions above.

Walter Okpala: What level of conflict can organizations tolerate ...

Walter Okpala: What level of conflict can organizations tolerate ...: In my last post, I asked a question about the level of conflict tolerable in an organization. Specialists have different opinion about the ...

What level of conflict can organizations tolerate 2?

In my last post, I asked a question about the level of conflict tolerable in an organization. Specialists have different opinion about the issue. Some say that having different opinions should be tolerated because it is beneficial to organizations. Others argue that everybody should be given opportunity to give their opinion during meeting. However, some specialists think that conflict should not be permitted because it can bring hostility in the team. Those who accept some sort of conflict says that the stated conflict is nothing but argument. The conflict is not physical because this type of conflict can never be tolerated. Whatever has to be discussed has to be done in the meeting room. As soon as the meeting is over, the decision of the majority should be followed.

     The take home from the discussion is that leaders should transform what is usually considered conflict into an argument in the meeting room. In this way, the person is given the chance to explain himself instead of being isolated. Think about this!    

Walter Okpala: What level of conflict may be tolerable in an orga...

Walter Okpala: What level of conflict may be tolerable in an orga...: It is understandable that wherever there are people there must be a kind of conflict. It is also understandable that organizations cannot f...

What level of conflict may be tolerable in an organization?

It is understandable that wherever there are people there must be a kind of conflict. It is also understandable that organizations cannot function adequately if there is always conflict in them. Since conflict is inherent within group of people and at the same time, prejudicial, how then should organizations deal with conflict? What level of conflict should organizations tolerate?

     In the next posts, we should look at what specialists say about this issue. So, check out!

  

Walter Okpala: Stop procrastinating, take action!

Walter Okpala: Stop procrastinating, take action!: We are getting towards the end of the year, a period in which many people generally leave everything they wanted to do until the following ...

Stop procrastinating, take action!

We are getting towards the end of the year, a period in which many people generally leave everything they wanted to do until the following year. People who want to lose weight will say "I will start my diet only after Christmas and New Year Day celebrations". People who want to change their jobs will say "I will do so next year". The same goes to people who want to start new businesses. The list goes on and on and on. Putting up what you can do today to a future date is called procrastination. Procrastination is a killer to whatever your plans may be.

     When we procrastinate, we postpone actions which could have turned us into success. Success does not come to people who know what to do, rather, it comes to those who execute. No matter how intelligent or articulated or strategic you are, there is no success unless there is execution. Secondly, there is no formula you can apply that can lead you success. Success requires a lot of trial and error until you get there. Therefore, you cannot assume you know what to do and any time you start doing it, you will reach success. 

     Some people procrastinate because of fear of facing the reality. Others do it as a result of the natural equilibrium process which hold a lot of people back. Others still do it because of lack of a strong vision. In order to overcome procrastination, think about being at a place where you want to be. What would it be like if you are there? How would your life change? How would the people around you see you? After asking yourself these questions, you should stop procrastinating and take action immediately!

         

Walter Okpala: What happens if you discover that some workers do ...

Walter Okpala: What happens if you discover that some workers do ...: In the last post, I asked a question regarding your reaction if you discover that some of your subordinates do not like working in teams. T...

What happens if you discover that some workers do not like working in teams 2?

In the last post, I asked a question regarding your reaction if you discover that some of your subordinates do not like working in teams. This is a problem many companies face. In many cases, the leaders of the teams take the wrong action. Examples of the decisions taken are demition, punishment of the disobedient, or picking them for revenge. But, what are the right proceedures to follow in this case?  

     According to specialists, a leader should firstly identify those individuals who do not like working in teams. Jack Welch, the famous former CEO of GE, recommends verifying the ability of those who do not like working in teams. He says that these individual contributors with exceptional skills should not be wasted. Instead, he recommends keeping them outside the teams in as much as they bring the required results. Other specialists even recommend having meeting with them to find out why they do not like working in teams. However, these recommend giving the group supervised autonomy so they do not become disaggregator in the organization. They can be trained through coaching in order to reduce resistance to teamwork.

      

  

Walter Okpala: What happens if you discover that some workers do ...

Walter Okpala: What happens if you discover that some workers do ...: It is known that every organization spends a lot of money on training its staff about teamwork. However, some people do not like working in...

What happens if you discover that some workers do not like working in teams?

It is known that every organization spends a lot of money on training its staff about teamwork. However, some people do not like working in groups or teams. The question is therefore: what should a leader do if he or she discovers that some of the subordinates do not like working in teams? How should he or she proceed about this? Should a leader fire those who cannot work in teams or should he tolerate them? What happens to those who obey working in teams? 

     If you are a leader, think about this question and make a comment on how you should deal with the problem.  

Walter Okpala: The challenges involved with working in teams

Walter Okpala: The challenges involved with working in teams: What are the challenges involved with working in teams? Make a list of the ones you remember.

The challenges involved with working in teams

What are the challenges involved with working in teams? Make a list of the ones you remember.

Walter Okpala: How can you lead your team to success 3?

Walter Okpala: How can you lead your team to success 3?: In my last post, I mentioned motivation or excitiment as the most important quality of a leader towards making his or her team reach the su...

How can you lead your team to success 3?

In my last post, I mentioned motivation or excitiment as the most important quality of a leader towards making his or her team reach the success desired. Towards the end of the post, I threw the question on how a leader can make this happen. 

     In order to excite or motivate your team, you need to find out what motivates each individual in the team. That leads you to understand the psychology of each individual. A leader can do this by using a powerful observation mechanism, especially if the leader has been with this team for quite some time. Working with the same people for a long time can give you an idea what motivates each one in the group. If you are a new leader, you need to have training in work/labor psychology. You need to have this knowledge because you are dealing with human beings. Human beings have needs and emtions and it is the responsibility of a leader to understand them.

     However, different individuals have different needs and emotions. Excitement of some people can be turned on by recognizing their achievement. Others can be excited by giving them financial incentives, while others can come through promotion or by allowing them to travel in order to meet their loved ones. There are still other group of workers who are excited if they are given the scholarship to study. Whatever it is, a leader needs to have this information, either by interviewing them one-on-one or by engaging in changing positions-type of reality show.

     It is understandable that not everyone who demands promotion should receive that, however, a leader must show interest in the subordinate´s concern. You can do that by telling them the possibility of that happening or that you have submitted their names to your superior who is responsible for that. What is wrong with some leaders is they do not show concern about their subordinates´concern or respond them in a nonchalant form. If a leader does not show interest, he or she can lose talents in the team to the competitor. Think about it!               

   

Walter Okpala: How can you lead your team to success 2?

Walter Okpala: How can you lead your team to success 2?: In my last post, I provoked you by asking the question on how one can lead his team to success. In order to answer the above question, we s...

How can you lead your team to success 2?

In my last post, I provoked you by asking the question on how one can lead his team to success. In order to answer the above question, we should first understand the function of a team leader. A team leader can be a coordinator, manager, director, or a vice president. Irrespective of the position in the hierarchy, the fucntion is the same. The main role of a team leader is to motivate his subordinates. In other words, a leader should have the ability to excite his subordinates so they can bring the best out of them. If you are occupying this position, you should understand that successful result can only be achieved if your team is excited and not when they are happy. Ordinary happiness cannot make one go extra mile. 

     Since motivating or exciting your team is the key to success, a leader should therefore look for a way to do that. So, the second question should be: how can I motivate or excite my team in order to reach the level of success I desire?      

     Exciting your team needs knowledge of psychology. How does this play out? We shall examine ways in which a leader can motivate his team in the next posts. So, watch out! 

   

Walter Okpala: How can you lead your team to success?

Walter Okpala: How can you lead your team to success?: What are the conditions necessary for a leader to lead his team to success? Add your input to the discussion.  

How can you lead your team to success?

What are the conditions necessary for a leader to lead his team to success? Add your input to the discussion.
  

Walter Okpala: Walter Okpala: What really excites you at work?

Walter Okpala: Walter Okpala: What really excites you at work?: Walter Okpala: What really excites you at work? : In order to have satisfaction with your work, you need to identify what in it that really ...

Having knowledge today is easier only if you do not want to ---

We are living in the knowledge era. That means that our businesses and means of production all depend on knowledge. At the same time, the qualitative needs of consumer are increasing. What all this means is that you must have knowledge in order to compete in your sector and also have the ability to attend the consumer needs. 

     On the other hand, obtaining knowledge today is easier today than in the past. For an able mind, there are many opportunities available today for study. These are made possible by the internet. There are many universities that give free classes online or provide free study materials online. There are also free ebooks that one can download and study the material. These can be done while working a full time job. So, there is more excuse today why someone should not have a well paying job.

     What restricts people's potential is not the lack of computer or equipment for studies, but the wrong use of them. Many people have these gadgets, but do not use them for the most important thing. They use them for hobby. There is nothing with hobby. However, what will change your life for better should come before hobby. Prioritizing hobby in front of work keeps in poverty level. Think about this!          

Walter Okpala: What really excites you at work?

Walter Okpala: What really excites you at work?: In order to have satisfaction with your work, you need to identify what in it that really excites you. Identifying this will help you lever...

What really excites you at work?

In order to have satisfaction with your work, you need to identify what in it that really excites you. Identifying this will help you leverage it so you can have an excellent performance. Without having a real satisfaction, you will just feel like a cog in the wheel. Your performance at work is directly related to your level of satisfaction. This is the reason why corporations measure the level of satisfaction of their employees. The reason behind this survey is that workers can go extra mile when they are excited and not when they are happy. This means that the concept of being happy is a limited one. The first question is therefore: how can I identify what excites me at work? The second question is: what can organizations do to excite their employees? We will answer the first question in this post while deffering the second to another post.

     Well, the answer to the first question is not so simple. It is a two-edge sword. What excites you is exactly what ignites passion in you when you do it. However, you may not recognize the passion if you are not engaged in something for some time. So, there should be engagement and dedication first in order to verify if you have passion in it or not. Many doors of innovation open when you are engaged in something or trying to find solution to an existing problem. 

     So, check yourself and see if you are really fired while doing your work!

   

 

Your retirement

What preparations are you making about your retirement?

Preparation for retirement

How are you preparing for your retirement? This question seems out of order, but it is good to remind workers that they should think about it. The standard of living you want to have after retirement has to be planned before retirement. Since your financial needs will increase as a result of aging, how are you going to meet these needs? How much will be enough for you? Start thinking about this issue now. Don't leave it for the future!        

How to protect yourself against the problem with public previdency 3

In the last post, I mentioned some of the questions one should ask himself regarding his income after retirement. I also suggested that a worker should first learn about investment. One of the long term investment options a worker should consider is a mutual fund. There are different types of mutual funds. Before investing in any type of mutual fund, you should find out the their track record and the return on investment over a long period of time. It is understandable that any type of investment carries some risks with it, however, the most important indicator is the long term performance. In this respect, you should find out which mutual fund gives you the maximum return over 10 years of period. Remember that you are investing this money for retirement. Therefore, it should be left to accumulate. The effect of compounding interest on a long term investing is enormous. 

     For example, one calculation done by Ramsey Radio broadcast shows that $30,000 in a mutual fund can yield about $1 m tax free after 30 years of invesment. That means that you can easily retire as a millionaire. The other information you should get is the tax issue. You must verify the investments and their respective tax codes. Long term investments generally have low tax when compared with short term investments. There is no reason why you should not retire rich. It only depends on you!

          

How to protect yourself against the problem with public previdency 2

The reason for writing about problems regarding the public previdency is not to threaten anyone, but to bring to light one of the problems facing workers worldwide and this will be worse in the future. The objective of this post is to let workers be aware of this problem and consequently, help them prepare for their future. The future involves a period of about 30 years during a person works before retirement. One way to prepare for future is to learn about saving and investing money. It is important that every worker learns about the principles of investing. 

     The next questions you should ask yourself are:

(1) How can I learn about investment?

(2) what types of long term investments are good for me?

(3) In which companies should I invest?

(4) What should be the return on investment appropriate for me?

(5) How much do I need at retirement?

(6) How much should I have at retirement?

(7) Which investor advisors or brokers should I trust?

Have you thought about these questions? Which investment options do you consider the best? In the next posts, we will look at some of the investments options and their rate of return. So, watch out! 

  

   

How to protect yourself against the problem with public previdency 1

How can workers protect themselves against the problems with public previdency? Imagine yourself realizing that your pension is below what contributed for. The topic may seem unrealistic, but bear in mind that the fiscal problems of many countries today arise from debt in previdency. Workers entering into the workforce now should be aware of this problem because it is going to become critical in the future, whether the country is a developed country or a developing one. So, what should workers do to protect themselves against this imminent problem?

     In the next posts, I will give some tips about what to do. So, check this out!  

What happens if there are no vacancies for promotion in an organization 2?

In my last post, I wrote about a common problem that occurs in many organizations. That is: what happens when there are no vacancies for promotion of employees? In that post, I gave some tips on how employees should go about it. In this post, we will look at how organizations should react to that. Although some organizations do not recognize it, the problem is real. Some people in the senior management level positions do not know that those below them also want to go up in the hierarchy. When there is no chance for this to occur, those at the bottom feel frustrated and some tend to leave the organization. 

     It is very important for those at the top to know that what is good for one is also good for another. Based on this principle, they should create a mechanism whereby talented employees can be rewarded. Although there are some forms of rewards, the most fulfilling one is acquired by promotion. People want title as a form of recognition. It is understandable that in small organizations, hierarchical levels are limited. However, there can be a way out.

     The solution to this problem is to have subdivisions in each hierarchy. For example, an employee can go from consultant 1 to consultant 2, 3, and 4 instead of going directly from consultant to coordinator. The same thing happens between coordinator to manager. These little moves has a lot of psychological impact on the ego of the employees. It gives them satisfaction and motivation to do more. Many organizations loose good employees because of lack of propects of promotion. These employees do not tell the organization the main reason for leaving. Using subdivisions can keep many employees from leaving their present organization and, consequently, will reduce high turnover.

       

  

What happens if there are no vacancies for promotion in an organization?

In my last posts, I have written about the some issues relating to promotion in organizations. Today, I am going to talk about the problem arising from lack of vacancies for promotion in organizations. How do employees react when they notice that there are no chances of moving up in the hierarchy? Secondly, how should an organization address this problem? These problems are real and many companies are affected by them. This is the case of small and medium sized businesses. Suddenly, these companies discover there are no more vacancies for promotion.

     Small and medium-sized companies generally have limited business operations, offices, and only a small percentage of them are multinationals. As a result of this limitation in size and operation, the number of openings for promotion is generally limited. The openings refered to here implies moving up vertically or horizontally. There is no vertical or horizontal promotion unless the people occupying those positions leave the organization or are fired. 

     The first consequence of this situation is the demotivation of employees who see themselves as not making any career progress. This is because promotion is considered the most important factor that affect career progress and fulfilment. Some employees with more marketable skills immediately leave the organization to go to a place where their career can grow. Consequently, there will be high turnover of employees in those type of organizations.

     Now, what happens to organizations facing this problem? We will try to answer this question in the next post. So, watch out!  

           

Establishing criteria for promotion in organizations 2

In the last post, I gave some insights on how organizations should establish criteria for promotion of their employees. At the end of the article, there were some questions as how organizations should deal with promoting candidates who do not have the ability to work in groups. In my earlier posts, I wrote about the two main factors that determine the promotion of an employee as technical skill and behavior. I also stated that for senior management level positions, behavior is the most important factor. However, behavior covers a wide range of a person's endeavor. Establishing criteria for promotion should highlight all these factors and even give them weight. 

     In order to antcipate the problem that may occur, organizations should provide training so that all employees can acquire the required skills. In the worst case, an organization should give training to the potential candidates just before the promotion. They should also give them support through coaching. 

     It is important that organizations understand the consequences of unprepared leader. A leader must transmit trust to his subordinates. The power of a leader is eroded when subordinates discover his weakness and undermine it. There should not be room for questioning a leader's ability to lead. Therefore, establishing proper criteria and preparation of leaders for promotion is the key for the effective fucntioning of an organization.                 

  

The effect of culture on negotiation 3

In some of my posts about negotiation, I wrote how the culture of people from Asian region and from Latin America affect their business negotiation. Today, I am going to write about the the effect of African culture on negotiation. This is important because it provides a guide to those who will like to do business in that Continent. For the purpose of disclosure, I am from the African Continent.

     Africa, my continent of origin, is the least developed Continent in the world. The lack of economic development leaves the continent with very high level of unemployment rate. It is known that natality rate of Africa is high. However, many adults are unemployed with only a few able to sustain the whole family members. As a result of tradition, Africans generally live together and consider helping others as a norm. This means that those who have better condition should help those in bad shape. Another factor that complicates the situation is that there is no organized society, no social security, and governments are generally dysfunctional. In this condition, each African has to protect and meet all the needs of his family members. This condition puts any African under a lot of stress.    

     The high level of desperation in which an African is found makes him or her think only for the short term or immediate satisfaction of his needs. Therefore, when negotiating with an African, you must first prepare a long-term plan or project. The plan has to be explained to an African in a way he or she should understand so you can get the best out of him. You should work him through how this plan will play out. You should let him see how he should be transformed and his problems solved in a long-term.

     I hope this post will help clarify some myths relating to doing business with Africans or in Africa.

                 

Establishing criteria for promotion in organizations 1

Every employee who secures job in an organization will like to make progression in his or her career. This progression is taken as a recognition of the employee's contribution to the organization. This progression in career is done through promotion. Although promotion seems to be more important to the employee, it is also importanto to an organization as a way of compensating employees for the loyalty demosntrated. However, the decision to choose those to promote from all employees should not be an easy one. In order to overcome this dilemma, organizations should establish some criteria for promoting their staff.      The criteria for promotion should be clear and communicated to all employees. The question then arises: what should be the criteria to be used? Some think the main factor for promotion should be technical skill, others consider a combination of technical and behavior, while others consider affinity with the superiors as the most important factor. However, there are some things that should be thought about. Firstly, any type of promotion involves going to a new position where the individual will lead a team, whether a small one or a big one. Therefore, the criteria to be set must recognize this fact.

     Leading teams implies the person should have good interpersornal relationship skills. This also means being able to work in groups. There is no way a person can lead a team without having this ability. An organization can verify this ability by looking at the performance assessement of the employee. The track record of this employee will show if he or she has this quality or not. The question is: what happens if the employee has other qualities, but lacks in team work ability? How should organizations deal with this?

     In the next posts, we will try to answer these and other questions. So, watch out!                    

Promotion and conflict 3

In my last post, I presented two ways in which organizations can reduce the intensity of conflict resulting from promotion. These were by stating clearly the criteria for promotion and by providing training to the new managers.If these measures do not work, organizations should consider a more drastic one.

     Insubordination is dangerous for teamwork, and consequently, to the organization. The insubordinates should be given some time to change their behavior, resign from their job or face demition before they contaminate the whole company. This measure should be taken so the situation does not get out of control. However, this punishment should also be communicated together with the criteria for promotion. 

     It is important that organizations take such a drastic measure because the effect of rotten apples in any environment should not be neglected. The dissatisfied employees generally try to gather many people to their side. In this way, they form small groups or silos through which the flow of information is controlled. Information of sympathisers are left to pass through while those of the enemies, not. One of the killers of organizations is lack of internal communication. Therefore, organizations should take the case of insubordination serious. 

        

Promotion and conflict 2

In my last post, I introduced the topic of promotion and conflict. That is the conflict resulting from promotion of one of the colleagues at work. At the end of that post, I left a question about how companies should address this problem. In order to reduce the intensity of the conflict, companies should adopt the following measures.

     Firstly, organizations should state clearly their criteria for promotion and make them available to all their employees. This simple act will show the employees that promotion policy is purely based on merit and not on favoritism. It is understandable that organizations reach a limit where they cannot carry out promotion unless aged employees retire. Even in this situation, they should make it clear to all their employees that promotion is frozen so nobody will be expecting to be promoted. This opens door for those who want to leave the organization. Transparency and open communication always reduces tension among people in any situation.

     The second measure organizations should take to minimize the problem is to give proper training and coaching to the newly promoted managers. This will help them understand their roles appropriately and give them tools to be used in dealing with their subordinates. This is very important because young employees are sometimes promoted to higher positions in innovative organizations like the hightech ones. These younger managers generally come from technical background without any management or administration training. Their roles had always been related to solving technical problems and no experience in interpersonal relationship. Therefore, these must be trained to acquire this ability if their organizations want them to perform well.

     In the next posts, we will look at other measures that can taken. So, watch out! 

                   

Promotion and conflict at workplace

One of the problems workers have in organizations is lack of good relationship with their superiors. There are various reasons for this to occur. However, we will look at one of its causes - promotion. Whenever promotion occurs in organization, there are always the happy and the unhappy ones. Those who are promoted are happy while those who are not, are unhappy. There are those who think they are more qualified for promotion than those promoted. There is also the problem of promoting someone to lead his peers.

     In the first case, those who feel more qualified, but not promoted do not accept their new leaders and conflict is created. There was an Organization where this problem was evident. In this, one of the two middle-level managers was promoted to a senior level position while the more experienced one was not. The more experienced one could not support the situation that he had to leave for another organization where he took an even lower position than his original position. However, there was conflict with the new boss before he left for another company. Others who did not leave stayed, but continued complaining and showing dissatisfaction.

     Conflict arises because a new leader does not feel very comfortable to command his former peers. The second is that the subordinates apply a lot of resistance in taking orders from the new leader. In some situations, the president of the organization spend time mediating the conflict. Many companies do not consider it as a conflict because it seems to be subtle or may die away after sometime. As a result of the conflict resulting from promotion, the following questions are posed. How should organizations promote their staff? How should organizations address the promotion problem when it occurs? Watch out for the answers to these questions in the next posts.          

Consider being a linchpin in your Organization!

In my earlier posts, I have written many things about how one can have an extraordinary career. However, these issues are not limited to career, but to all areas of endeavour. It is true in whatever we do. There is no way you can desire to have an excellent result from something without an excellent performance input. It is one of those logics of life. It seems so easy, but many do not apply the concept to their daily activities. 

     For someone seeking to have successful career, he or she should first consider being a linchpin in his Organization. Before we move on to explain the importance of this concept, let us first understand the meaning of a linchpin. A linchpin simply means a part that connects a whole structure or body. The importance of linchpin lies in the fact that if removed, the whole body disintegrates or collapses. It is important you become a linchpin in your organization. This can be done in the whole organization if it is a small company or in specific areas or departments in the case of large organizations.  

     The next question you should ask is: how can I become a linchpin in my Organization? In the next posts, we shall look at how one can do this. So, look out for this!

  

How does your dressing fit your job?

Have you ever wanted to know something about your dressing? About how your dressing matches with your job? Do you go by the dressing code? in the case of the absence of dressing code, how do you go about it? Dressing is not restricted to clothes, but to other things you put on your body. For example, tattoos and piercings. 

     What you might not understand is that how you dress affects people's perception about you. This is true, especially, in positions of higher responsibility, such as managerial and executive functions. This is because people occupying these positions generally represent their organizations outside their companies. They are considered as the image of their organizations which they represent. However, it is impossible for you to change your behavior overnight when you reach these positions.

     The objective of this post is to show that you should start dressing appropriately in junior position so you can transmit confidence to the administration earler in your career. In this way, they can consider you a possible candidate for senior position when the opportunity arises. As I said before in my earlier post, behavior is the most important factor of consideration for occupying executive position. How you dress is taken as a part of your behavior.

     If your Organization has a dress code, you should abide by that. If your Organization does not have it, you should understand your organizational culture, your business segment, and the niche your Organization attends. Always ask yourself how your dressing matches with the culture of your Organization and the people you attend. Compare your dressing with people working in an organization to yours. Observing others ahead of you is a powerful way to learn! Do not think that because your Organization does not have a dressing cade implies that you can dress anyhow you like. Think about this!                  

  

What is holding your career back from progress 5?

In my earlier posts, I gave some reasons why some people are not making progress in their career. These reasons are flexibility, inability to work in teams, and lack of identification with the organization. In this post, we are going to look at another factor that limits career progress. That is lack of appropriate skills. 
     I know many workers may think because they have college degree automatically gives them the necessary skills. In the world of today, a worker should engage in a life-long learning process. You should update your knowledge in order to fit with the dynamics of the market. The global market is highly competitive and in some segments, disruptive. That implies that what you learned today may no longer be applicable tomorrow. One's level of adaptability to changes depends on his ability to learn new things. 
     This means that your college degree is an entry point to a constantly-changing world. Take for example a chemical engineer working in automobile company. The tendency since 25 years ago has been on renewable energy or alternative energy to gasoline. This means that the engineer's knowledge of battery has shifted from traditional one to how batteries can power vehicles. This can be in the form of hybrid cars or purely electric cars. If the engineer does not have knowledge about this new technology, the Auto company will fire hime and hire another chemical engineer with this knowledge. 
     As a teacher and a coach, I realized that many electrical engineer managers have been fired from a utility company where they used to work. This occured, in part, as a result of automation of systems and their inability to adapt to new technologies resulting from that. Therefore, it is not enough that you have a degree in something. Your knowledge and skill must be applicable to your organization in solving problems. However, the problems depend on the dynamics of the market. The unpredictable nature of the problems makes it difficult to anticipate the solution. But, you can always upgrade and update your skills in such a way that it will help you find solution whatever the problem may be.
     That is the essence of life-long learning. Many workers forget this fact by living lifstyles that do not permit them study anymore. Only public functionaries have guaranteed job. The rest has to make it. Today, there are many ways one can update his skill. There are online classes, free online materials, company-sponsored courses, etc. Even if it involves paying for it, you have to do it because it is an investment. You cannot have a successful career unless you invest in it. Think about this!                
     

  

What is holding your career back from progress 4?

In my last posts, I have given some factors which restricts career progress of some workers. Today, we are going to look at another factor, inability to work in groups. This factor is really a limiting one.

     Companies are made up of people and never an individual. Companies are also divided into different departments. Therefore, it is impossible for a worker to carry out his or her function solely. Since a company has a defined target, all jobs must be coordinated and directed towards the target. If all workers execute their functions individually, then, the company becomes a tower of Babel. But, why do some workers have this defect? 

     There are many reasons to that. One of them is that some people feel they know more than others. As a result, they should be left alone to solve all the problems. During my doctoral degree program at the University of São Paulo, we were informed of the result of a survey conducted by the Trade Association of São Paulo which represents industrialists of the named state - FIESP. The survey indicated that the alumni of the University have a big defect: inability of working in groups. This fact results from the fact that the University is considered the best in Latin America. As a result, the alumni consider themselves to be above others and do not like to work in groups. The effect of this defect is that the market has restrictions in recruiting the alumni from the cited University.

     No matter how intelligent you may be, there is always something you can learn from others. Companies cannot promote someone to managerial position if he cannot work in groups. The logic is very simple. How can someone who cannot work in group lead a group? This is because being any type of manager implies leading teams. 

     Another reason for this problem comes from the fear of losing the priveledge tied to holding knowledge. Although many companies campaign for dissemination of knowledge, some of their workers hestitate to do that because they fear they will lose their power and the priviledge that goes with it. Companies stimulate collaboration by creating Knowledge Management Departments. You should negotiate with your Organization to see how it will recognize you for it. After that, put your knowledge at the service of your Organization. You should remember that it is your Organization that gave you the platform through which you were able to invent or create something.

     Remember that your career depends on the value you bring to the organization. Your knowledge or skill constitutes a major part of that. The other part is your behavior. In my last post, I commented that you can get what you want only after giving what you have! Therefore, you should give or share the knowledge you have so the organization can compensate you with an excellent career. Work in groups and bring your knowledge to life and you will never regret it. Think about this!

              

          

  

What is holding your career back from progress 3?

In my last post, I mentioned the lack of flexibility or adaptability to changes in a company as one of the reasons why many people get stuck with their careers. Today, we are going to look at another factor that also causes the same problem. That is lack of identification with your company. 

     Lack of identification with your organization is a big career killer. This is especially true for someone eyeing to occupy executive position. Remember that the most important information in a resume for executive hiring is a well-documented result achieved in your former organization, or what is called is called the value added to it, and consequently, what you can bring to the new oganization. Your education and experience are considered basic requirement for entry level positions. Organizations want to know what you can bring to the their institutions that will make justify them paying you such a high salary. Your achievement is determined by your ability to identify yourself with the organization and can motivate others too. 

     This is a concept that many people do not understand. Identifying yourself with an organization means considering it as your own. That means you should do everything you can to make it succeed as you would do if it were your own company. However, the element that will make you do it effectively is your understanding of the company's vision. Your Company's vision must be aligned with your vision in order to be fully engaged. The irony is that some workers do not know their companies' mission statement, not to talk about their vision. 

     In order to get what you want from a company, you must first understand what the company wants from you! It then follows that if you give the company what it wants, you will receive what you want. As simple as that. This is the guiding principle from making any business profitable. In other words, this is the principle on which wealth creation is based. No company can give you an excellent career opportunity unless you are highly productive to it. 

     Therefore, if you want to have an excellent career opportunity in an organization, you must understand its vision and ask yourself what you can do to reach that vision. Think about this!

          

What is holding your career back from progress 2?

What is holding your career back from progress? Many people find themselves trapped without any chances of moving forward or sideways. One of the reasons for this situation is lack of flexibility or adaptation to new ideas, technology, concepts, or processes. 

     Companies compete on a global basis in varieties of areas. This is because we have new countries entering into the traditional markets dominated by developed countries. This puts pressure on traditional companies which try to defend their market share. In order to defend their market share, companies computerize their processes in order to be more efficient and reduce costs. They also do this by introducing new business ideas with different business models. Whatever they do for survival alters workers' ways of executing their functions. It is impossible to make changes in organizations without making changes in the workers.

     Although companies offer change management training as a way to prepare workers, some do not adapt to the proposed changes. This occurs mostly to older workers. As a result of their time with company, the management generally keep the workers. Secondly, companies may lose a lot of money by firing them. Instead, younger workers are promoted because they are more flexible or adaptable to anything new. 

     So, if you are not making any progress, you should verify your position with respect to the changes occuring in your Company. How do you embrace these changes? This is one of the reasons for being stuck with your career.

     In the next posts, we will look at other reasons why some people do not make progress in their careers!

                 

What is holding your career back from progress 1?

Many people are found trapped in their careers. They do not move forward nor do they move sideways. They are stagnant. They are found trapped in a hole. But, what are the factors which hold people's career back from success? Before we look at the causes, let us first define what is meant by a stagnant career.

     The career of a person is considered stagnant when compared with his or her peers. When someone does not receive promotion while almost all his peers have been promoted. Some peers may have even reached the position of vice presidency or presidency. In some cases, promotions are not done vertically, but horizontally. For example, the function can be the same, but importance may be different. A person may hold the same function, but with many subordinates or with many subsidiaries or even more important department such as the Finance.

     How do you feel when you see your peers going into higher positions? If you feel bad about it, what do you do? The first thing to do if your career does not move vertical or horizontal is to ask yourself what is wrong with you. For you to do a thorough analysis, you need to consider some factors. These factors will be explained in the next post!             

   

The effect of culture on negotiation 2

In my last post, I wrote about the effect of Oriental Culture on negotiation with the western culture and what westerners should be aware of. Today, let us look at how Latin American culture influences its negotiation process. 

     Latin America is composed of countries located in the Southern and Central America. Someone doing business or going into negotiation with a Latino person should be aware that he or she needs a reference or referee who is known by the Latino. The door opens to you through this referee. Generally, they do not trust people they do not know. So, having a good referee is more important than a written contract. 

     Another observation is with respect to pricing. Prices are not generally given freely through the phone. Prices are given to you only when they see you in person and are sure you are going to buy the product or service.

     So, do not ignore these cultural differences while negotiating with someone from Latin America.         

The effect of culture on Negotiation

In my earlier post, I wrote about the art of negotiation. In that post, the art of negotiation did not consider the effect of culture. The post considered people of the same culture. Now, how does one go about negotiating with people from other cultures? The cultures generally considered are East and Western cultures. However, we have sub-cultures within these. 

    The Eastern or Oriental culture is known for not being too verbal or too persuasive like the Western culture. In the same way, the Orientals do not like a lot of persuasion. This means when you are negotiating with people from Asia (China, Japan, etc.), you need to give them all the information you have without making a lot of maneuvering tactics or going from point to another. Present your minimum price because there is no room for a lot of bargaining. You should understand that you should not get immediate reply or order for your products or services. Do not consider that to mean the deal will not be closed.

     Another difference lies on the fact that they maintain their words, with or without written contract. In the next posts, we will look at the effect of other cultures on negotiation. So, check out!       

  

How does your behavior affect your career 3?

In my earlier posts, I gave some tips about the effect of your behavior on your career. In the present post, I will give some advice on what to do after discovering that your behavior may be affecting your career. Immediately you notice any of the tips given in the second post, you need to take the following steps:

 - think about the last time you met with your superiors and remember how
    they felt about your comments and your suggestions;   

 - did you notice anything from their body movement when you made the
   comment?
 - imagine yourself to be the boss and someone made the comment to you. How
   would you react?
 - if you cannot find solution by yourself, look for outside help immediately;
 - do not look for help from your organization because your colleagues might be
   afraid to tell you the truth; 
 - the appropriate outside help will be psychological one. They have various 
   tests about human comportment. This is what you need;
 - you need to invest some time and money in this process. It is not a problem
   someone solves in very short period of time;
 - bear in mind that changing behavior is very difficult, but you can do it
   because you are the one who desires for the change; 
 - do not enter into the trap of thinking that investment in personal development
    is a waste of money. It is an investment with a huge return; 

After the training, you will see how people will like to be associated with you. Good luck!
      

    

Negotiation is an art!

Negotiation is an art. It is an art of discovering who needs the deal the most. Who needs the deal the most has to accept the conditions imposed by the other side. It is as a simple as that, although nobody will give you this information. The jargon generally used is a win-win negotiation. There is nothing like a win-win negotiation. If one wants something he does not know how to produce or know the components or from where to get them, the person will be very happy to have the product at the price given to him. If the buyer has some information or some knowledge about the product or where he can get competitors, his negotiation capacity increases. In this case, he cannot any price given to him.

     When going into negotiation, try as much as possible to have information about what you are negotiating. On the contrary, you are going into submission and not into negotiation. So, think of that!    

How does your behavior affect your career 2?

In  my last post, I wrote about the effect of one's behavior on his or her career. I wrote about how bad behavior may be a barrier to his promotion to an executive position. But, what are the red flags that may tell you that your behavior is not all that good? You should watch out for the following signs:

- your invitation to participate in some meetings with your peers and not invited

  in other meetings;

- not sending you to represent your Company in important events;

- your boss asking you if you would like to work another subsidiary of the

  Holding, but to accupy the same position;

- your boss asking you to head a smaller company of the Holding instead of 

  being promoted to an executive position at the head office; 

- your director, vice president or CEO wanting to have only brief meetings with

  you;

- your superiors always in a hurry whenever you are approaching them or

  always trying to dodge you;

- your superiors wanting you to send them reports by writing instead of face-to

  face meeting;

The above tips may give you indication that your situation with your compny is not very good. After observing these signs, you should immediately check yourself. The next thing is to ask yourself: what should I do?

     In the next posts, we will give you some guides on what to do. So, watch out for the tips!

       

  

How does your behavior affect you?

In my last posts, I wrote something about the two qualities that affect our work. These are your skill and your comportment (behavior). You may be an expert on something, but nobody likes working with you neither your company's clients wanting to negotiate anything with you. On the other hand, you may be the most sympathetic person on earth in attending people and working with people, but you do not have the necessary skills required for your job. People will like to have fun with you and hang out with you socially, but cannot consult you in order to solve technical problems. In other words, you need the two attributes. You need to have good skills and good behavior. 

     I know you have good skill before your Company hired you. This is because job interviews are generally centred on skills and less on behaviors. The question now is: how does your behavior affect you? Have you ever asked yourself this question before? The fact is that nobody will tell you about this, even your closest friends. This is because many people are afraid of hurting others. The situation is worse for people in high positions. Everybody likes to be a friend of the boss in order to be favoured by the boss. As a result, they cannot say anything negative about you in order to continue with their priviledges. Stop for a while and ask yourself the question above. 

     One director of Human Resources once told me that they do not verify the behavior aspect during the interview. They only worry about it during promotion to managerial positions. As a result, they provide trainings about leadership and people management for senior positions. If the trainings do not solve the problem, they tend to hire executives from the market. That is the reason for writing this post. You may not why your Organization did not promote you to the executive position. It may be because of your behavior! In the next posts, we will verify some of the points you should consider in order to assess yourself. Have a good week!

         

 

The power of the subconscious mind

Our subconscious mind is the most powerful force we have through which we can solve practically all our problems. The problem is that many do not know how to use it. As a result, they are always thinking that the solution to their problems must come from the outside. The famous motivational speaker, Late Jim Rohn, once said that when he realised that the change had to come from him, his results started changing. He used to use the famous phrase "the government was the same, politics was the same, economy was the same, etc." In other words, all the external factors remained the same. The only change was the internal change. What was the internal change he was talking about? Of course it was the activation of the subconscious mind in such a way that the original contents were replaced with new ones. That is what the speaker meant by saying that your result will only change when you change".

     Everything we do is controlled by what is inside our subconscious mind. You can accomplish whatever you desire only if your subconscious mind says you can. Sometimes, people make comments that others thought they could not succeed or achieve certain levels in life or even that they were being discriminated against. As a matter of fact, what actually happens is that these limitations are fed into their subconscious minds. No one can say or establish your level of success. You are the only one who has the power to control it. That does not mean there are no obstacles in the way. 

     It is true that subconscious mind remains a very powerful tool, the question remains on how to activate it so it can work to your benefit. Working to your benefit implies unleashing your maximum potential. In my next posts, we will look at how the subconscious mind can be activated. So, check this out!       

          

Getting out of debt is easier said than done!

It is very common to hear people say that they want to get out of debt. This may occur as a result of them seeing others do it or from the experience of what they see others passing through. However it may be, getting out of debt is not an easier task. It requires a lot of sacrifice - a change in lifestyle or behavior. Lifestyle, as you may know, is like culture. It is deep-rooted in a person that its removal demands a big opposing force. It is difficult to change the behavior of an adult. This can only be accomplished by internal force. This force has to be bigger than the fear of losing status, being afraid of what people will say, and the shame that goes losing status. 

     For example, many cannot sell their cars and settle their debts while going on foot. Others cannot accept living in a smaller house in order to save money and pay their debts. Instead of scaling down, many prefer to borrow money from one source to pay debt from another source. Others prefer bring all debts together and refinance them in what it called debt consolidation. Call it what you like, debt is debt. Debt is eliminated when it is paid off. As a result of refinancing, many continue spending more than they make. 

     Getting out of debt requires a change in behavior and nothing more. It does not depend on how much one makes. Change in behavior, like anyother problem of comportment, deals with emotion. Anything that delas with emotion can be solved by using the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind gives you the vision or the picture of where and how you will be. In order words, it gives you the "big why" behing doing something. The reason why many say getting out of debt without accomplishing this goal is that they lack the capacity to activate the subconscious mind. The alternative is to go for counseling where they should be worked through the process. 

     Therefore, look for outside help in case you are not able to activate your subconscious mind!

  

             

"How can you think big in a bad scenario like this?"

The question many folks ask is: how can one think big when the current scenario is too bad and there is no sign of recovery? It may seem that everything is bad now because of real time communication means we have today. Has there been any time in history when people enjoyed heaven on earth? I asked this question because the information we have today were taken from books of history or sometimes, from imaginary simulation of the past. In any form one may put it, the world scenario has always been ups and downs. If you wait until everything is perfect, you cannot do anything and as a result, will achieve nothing.

     This is where the phrases of motivational speakers take shape. It goes like this: "you have to change how you see things since you cannot the scenarios" Another thing one has to learn is that many thrive in the so-called difficult scenarios. The question you should ask yourself is: how did they do that? This also leads us to another quotation from motivational speakers - "associate yourself with successful people if you want to be successful"

     We are the ones who determine what we want in life and to the extent to which we can go. There is no limit for those who believe they can make it. So, you can think big in any scenario!