Workshop attended couple of weeks ago “How to Lead”

 

However the workshop was great with admirable points one should always remember in his life. Speaker focused on few habits that lead one to be groomed in his life. He emphasizes that one may make many attempts to change behavior but such a change may not last long till we actually attempt at changing our value system & habits. I don’t remember the name of book he referred but I had noted down the points.

 

 

“Be proactive”

Know your responsibilities, work towards them without being called for.

 

“Begin with the end in mind”

Before starting our work, we need to look at the goal/s we wish to achieve.

 

“Put first things first”

Do more of important things rather than doing only urgent things in life.

 

“Think win-win”

Think & act in a way so that every transaction ensures gain for all the involved persons.

 

“Seek first to understand, then to be understood”

Before expecting that others would understand us, let’s take an initiate to first learn what other’s expecting from us.

 

“Synergize”

It’s an interdependent world therefore let’s contribute by utilizing each other’s strengths so as to become a winning team.

 

“Sharpen the saw”

The more we practice in peace, less we bleed in war.

 

Acquiring knowledge is good but the key to success is acquiring the accurate knowledge. One should always try their best to acquire the accurate knowledge.

In seminar the speaker accentuate  @ who you think you are and who others think you are is often very different. If you could understand your own behavior, attitude & personal skills then there is a better ur chance for success – in anything.

Cover Your Ass

 

Cover Your Ass(often abbreviated CYA or less commonly CYOA meaning “cover your own ass (or arse)”) describes procedures or practices that are purely defensive against legal penalties, criticism, or other potentially punitive measures 

 

As I started working with a new project, I was advised by many of ma colleagues to keep the senior manager informed before taking any action. I was told that the project that I was assigned on was very important. However project I was assigned on was not new to me but the way it was executed was completely poles apart.

 

I don’t wanna explain what happened behind the scene.  All I tell is that I was another victim of “circumstances”. I always trust people; I trust their words and I believe in team sprit. In my earlier project most of my decision were done on the information received verbally; I never insisted any one to have in written but my manager always use to take action on the basis of written communication. As he faced a huge problem for having a decision on the instruction received verbally.

 

 Maybe that’s why my ex-bosses always tell me to keep the e-mails. Put all instructions or assignments or requests from clients into e-mail to show that they are the people who requested them! This is to “cover your ass” when something bad comes up and when people start blaming each other. At least, at that time, you have the proper “proof” to show that you are innocent….

 

 Once should practice this kind of policy. Because there’s not much trust anymore among the people working in the company and I believe there will always be someone who is trying to mess up the things. Not really about covering your ass, but more about putting things on record, so things are traceable next time.

 

 But one should never forget that even if it is documented on email!  Boss is always right…..

 

Rule no 1 : Boss is Always Right

  

 

Rule no 2. If Boss is wrong, refer to Rule no 1.

 

 

 

Everyone complaints to others, only the format differs

The Balloonist and the engineer!!!

Realizing he was lost, a balloonist dropped down to ask directions. “Excuse me, but I’m a little off course” he shouted. “I promised to meet a friend an hour ago, I don’t know where I am.”

A woman hollered back: “You’re in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You’re at exactly 40 degrees, 22 minutes, and 21 seconds North latitude and 70 degrees, 30 minutes, and 33 seconds West longitude.”“Amazing,” the balloonist replied. “You must be an engineer!”

“I am,” she replied, “How did you know?”

“Well,” answered the balloonist, “everything you told me is technically correct, but I can’t use your information. I’m still lost and you haven’t been much help at all. If anything, you’ve delayed my trip.”

The woman thought for a moment, then replied: “You must be in management.” “I am,” replied the balloonist, “but how did you know?”

“Well,” said the woman, “you don’t know where you are or where you’re going. You’ve risen to your position due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise that you have no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems.”

“In fact,” she said, “you’re in exactly the same position you were before we met, but somehow it’s now my fault.”

Moral:      Everyone complaints to others, only the format differs!!!

If your team is good, it doesn’t matter whether you know anything or not, as long as you know how to boss around…..

The Lion Repairman

It’s a fine sunny day in the forest, and a lion is sitting outside his cave, lying lazily in the sun. Along comes a fox, out on a walk.

Fox: “Do you know the time, because my watch is broken.”
Lion: “Oh, I can easily fix the watch for you.”
Fox: “Hmm… But it’s a very complicated mechanism, and your great claws will only destroy it even more.”
Lion: “Oh no, give it to me, and it will be fixed.”
Fox: “That’s ridiculous! Any fool knows that lazy lions with great claws cannot fix complicated watches.”
Lion: “Sure they do, give it to me and it will be fixed.”

The lion disappears into his cave, and after a while he comes back with the watch, which is running perfectly. The fox is impressed, and the Lion continues to lie lazily in the sun, looking very pleased with him.

Soon a wolf comes along and stops to watch the lazy lion in the sun.

Wolf: “Can I come and watch TV tonight with you, because mine is broken.”
Lion: “Oh, I can easily fix your TV for you.”
Wolf: “You don’t expect me to believe such rubbish, do you? There is no way that a lazy lion with big claws can fix a complicated TV.”
Lion: “No problem. Do you want to try it?”

The lion goes into his cave, and after a while comes back with a perfectly fixed TV. The wolf goes away happily and amazed.

Inside the lion’s cave. In one corner are half a dozen small and intelligent looking rabbits that are busily doing very complicated work with very detailed instruments. In the other corner lies a huge lion looking very pleased with him.

Moral: If we want to know why a supervisor is famous, look at the work of his subordinates.

In the context of the working world: If we want to know why someone undeserved is promoted, look at the work of his subordinates.

To survive in the corporate world successfully, our boss is going to be the key player…..

The Rabbit’s Thesis

It’s a fine sunny day in the forest, and a rabbit is sitting outside his burrow, tippy-tapping on his typewriter. Along comes a fox, out for a walk.

Fox: “What are you working on?”
Rabbit: “My thesis.”
Fox: “Hmm… What is it about?”
Rabbit: “Oh, I’m writing about how rabbits eat foxes.”
Fox: “That’s ridiculous! Any fool knows that rabbits don’t eat foxes!”
Rabbit: “Come with me and I’ll show you!”

They both disappear into the rabbit’s burrow. After few minutes, gnawing on a fox bone, the rabbit returns to his typewriter and resumes typing. Soon a wolf comes along and stops to watch the hardworking rabbit.

Wolf: “What’s that you are writing?”
Rabbit: “I’m doing a thesis on how rabbits eat wolves.”
Wolf: “you don’t expect to get such rubbish published, do you?”
Rabbit: “No problem. Do you want to see why?”

The rabbit and the wolf go into the burrow and again the rabbit returns by himself, after a few minutes, and goes back to typing.

Finally a bear comes along and asks, “What are you doing?
Rabbit: “I’m doing a thesis on how rabbits eat bears.”
Bear: “Well that’s absurd!
Rabbit: “Come into my home and I’ll show you.”

As they enter the burrow, the rabbit introduces the bear to the lion.

Moral: It doesn’t matter how silly our thesis topic is. What matters is whom we have for a supervisor.

In the context of the working world: It doesn’t matter how bad our performance is; what matters is whether our boss likes us.