Understanding Human Psychology

  In continuation to the story of the manager who understands how bogged down Seema is with her work and personal commitments, yet fails to put some empathy to action. The manager had decided to actually get another person who would do all the tasks which Seema was supposed to do. This new person, as per the manger would do a better job than Seema.  So was the manager planning to replace Seema? Not really.. But the other side to the coin was perish.. Seema would see the other person doing much better and getting all the praises and eventually leave the job as she would be looking at her own inefficiency. This was the subtle idea the manager had. Although overtly, the manager would never ask her to go.  They say the grass is always greener on the other side. Seema had been long thinking that she deserved a better boss, and so did the manager think of Seema as an employee. But they never thought of actually resolving thier mutual differences, understanding each other and lo...

  What's with this Work-Life Balance.. The expansion of business brought its own challenges. Seema asked her manager, this is all too much to do. There is lots on our plate. But somehow, it felt as if, she was not being understood. Seema kept thinking how should she convince that she is doing all of the tasks which overwhelm her. Maybe her manager even knew the reality, and maybe the manager was also overworked. But it was all about the commitments the manager had made to the senior management. Because of the expectations of the senior management, he could not then go back on his words. It so became that Seema had to adhere. And she was feeling very pressurised with what she was going through at home also. She seemed to break down in her work and personal life balance. Managers today need to behave as coaches too, who need to deep dive in the employee's life to understand the various facets which hold importance for him or her. Like here Seema was not having the bandwidth of wh...

  As promised in my early or blog, I would be glad to continue discussing about the importance of the precise communication you engage in with your colleagues as work instructions.  So finally did the manager listen or did the people take charge of the task jointly as a team? What are those tasks people are not clear about? What task they are supposed to be communicated well, even if you describe who has to and do not have to engage in it? Who should be having clarity and who is supposed to do that timely discussion? Who owns the task is not clear and the social loafing concept spoken in the earlier blog talks of just this. Every one thought that someone else is supposed to do the task.  Some thought that the manager is just expressing his thoughts to us, maybe he will do it himself.    Listening for managers is beyond the listening of words, it is understanding of the psyche and listening to the mental dialogue, thoughts of the individuals. Was our manager in t...

  He asked his Manager, 'who will be responsible for this work?', and his Manager told him, 'Oh you all are responsible, do it together, you have to all own this.' When this happened, what do you think was the outcome...we will see... Social Loafing, what about this concept. Let me clarify, what it really means. When a task is given on common forum and it is told that you all have to own it, it is something common between you all, and you have to do it. It could be like making a calendar, like documenting and reporting or sending an email or anything for that matter. If you don't tell anybody specifically what is supposed to be done, then definitely there will be no particular person responsible for it. Then social loafing effect will take place. I have to do the task or another person? And everybody thinks, somebody else will do it. It is like when an accident happens on the road, and that is a classic example of social loafing. Everybody looks at each other's...

  This is the last part to the series of blog which I was writing related to competence. Here I will talk about unconscious incompetence. Well, as the name suggest, you are completely unaware about what are the knowledge, skills and abilities which are lacking in your portfolio to do a particular job well. This is a blind area for the individual because the individual has never set, and thought about the same in his very busy schedule.  The very basic requirement which he will need to know to fulfill a particular task and even conduct a job search for self. I've met coachees who are very difficult because they are at the basic level of understanding of their KSAs and completely in their own world. They may not even realise that I am not knowing this skill to go to the next level. Never explored the unknown and never planned to walk that path. To them, one day, when somebody points out to them about a particular competency they lack in, or about a particular competency which th...