Encounters with brighter minds invariably leave an author invigorated. When managers, whether the practising kind or the aspiring kind, ask searching questions based on what one has proposed in one’s books or blogs, the writer’s thought process also gets enriched. The more pungent the query, the more fulfilled one feels.
Over the past few years, yours truly has had several opportunities of interacting with youth who aspire to be future managers and entrepreneurs. The topics have been wide ranging, like Work Life Balance, Management Lessons from Movies, Management Lessons from India, Ethics and Values in Business, Managing Interpersonal Relationships, Four Pillars of Integral Management and Surviving in the Corporate Jungle.
Here are some of the outfits which have been kind enough to grant such opportunities:
- Catolica Porto Business School, Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Management Studies, Universidade Europeia, Lisbon, Portugal.
- Madras Management Association, Pondicherry Chapter, India.
- Sri Aurobindo Center for Advanced Research, Pondicherry, India.
- C K College of Engineering and Technology, Cuddalore, India.
- Sri Manakula Vinayagar Engineering College, Pondicherry, India.
- Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow: NOIDA Campus, India.
- International Minds in Finland, Finland.
- Madras Management Association, Chennai, India.
- Department of Management Studies, Pondicherry University, India.
- Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India.
- Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon, India.
And mentioned below are some of the frequently asked questions yours truly has encountered in the recent past. Against each query, you will find a short summary of the response.
What precisely is Spiritual Quotient (SQ)? How does one develop it?
Those who have a high SQ have this uncanny ability to be creative and insightful in their approach to problem solving. They build up their level of self-awareness and there intuitive faculties. They realize that there is a realm of intelligence which is beyond the five senses that our physical bodies are endowed with.
SQ has several components: gratitude, self-esteem, self-awareness, consciousness, compassion, surrender, service and ego.
Meditation can help develop our Spiritual Quotient. So can heartfulness and mindfulness.
When you speak of the ‘Draupadi Syndrome’ in management parlance, you are speaking of managing multiple bosses. How does one handle such a situation?
Organizations are becoming flatter. Functional silos are breaking down. This means working in multi-disciplinary teams and reporting to multiple bosses at times.
Tact, patience and a better understanding of the psychology of each boss can help a manager to handle many bosses at the same time. Bad-mouthing one in front of the other would not help. Playing one against the other could also land one in a soup.
Due to parental pressure and financial insecurity, can one take up a job which is with a company which is marketing a dubious product?
It is not advisable to go in for a job where your value system does not match with that of the organization. You will not be able to put your heart into it. This may result into your being caught in a low-result and lower-rewards vicious cycle, undermining your self confidence.
If you are absolutely with your back to the wall, you may do so for a very short stint; be ready to change to the next one at the first possible opportunity.
You advise us to avoid being a Yes-man. How does one convey one’s difference of opinion to a senior? How does one say ‘no’ to one’s boss?
Politely. By marshalling your thoughts and sharing those with the senior at an appropriate time. Be open and respectful to his views. Registering dissent is a responsibility we all carry on our shoulders.
Please give examples of Eustress, the positive kind of stress you speak of.
When you are rushing for a meeting with your girl friend, or going to a movie, you feel a kind of stress which is positive in nature. When the end result is likely to be a pleasurable experience, you feel Eustress.
It follows that when we handle an assignment which connects us to a cause we happen to be passionate about, we experience positive stress. We enjoy doing it.
According to you, interpersonal relationships have a half-life of their own, much like that of a radioactive substance. How can one increase the life span of a relationship?
I believe this can be done by avoiding anger, greed and a tendency to bad-mouth the party of the other part, especially when he/she is not present. Anticipating the needs of a person and assisting him/her in achieving a goal helps.
Ethics and Values in business: For an entity which is geared for generating a surplus for its equity holders and boasts of a great market valuation, just how practical is this concept?
Most businesses run on a quarter to quarter basis, with a focus on guideline values. But those which care about developing their brand equity operate based on a compass which is configured on a basic set of ethics and values.
In the Indian context, why do we respect Tatas? Because the group has a 150-year old tradition of good thoughts, good work and a basic sense of decency and honesty. They continue to do so much for the society, mostly in fields which have no direct connection to their diverse businesses.
Any general career advice you would give to us?
Five years down the road, do you not see businesses becoming more dependent on technology? So, the writing on the wall is pretty clear. Be ready to embrace change. Learn digital skills and be ready to play a relevant role in the business, whether your own or that of someone else.
Do not be scared of bargaining for a better work-life balance. Remain connected to your inner self. Introspect, do a SWOT analysis, and create a USP for yourself. Invest in a good image on social media.
Build credibility. Observe company culture. Volunteer willingly. Build healthy relationships. Keep improving your skill-set.
Each interaction proves to be a good learning opportunity!
(Wish to look up my profile? You can find it here.
Related post: https://ashokbhatia.wordpress.com/2016/04/01/about-me)
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