Think the thought through

A friend of mine had a very interesting message displayed on her messenger client. Made a lot of sense to me . I took her permission to pen it in my blog as well. Hope it helps some of you out there too.

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind!!"

For friends only

My last blog seems to have made quite a splash in office. While most have had good things to say, some had reservations and some quite frankly did not understand what I said.

While I am not in the habit of explaining myself, those who misinterpreted me are actually my friends. I am always willing to make exceptions for friends. So here goes...

1. Every human being ultimately is a product of his/her own experiences in life. Thoughts, perceptions, needs, desires and motivation are also a product of the same.

2. Most theories of management were postulated by men without management degrees. It was a science of observation and learning that helped them to learn, grow and excel at managing people. Most of them worked in a bottom-up manner and for prolonged periods in the same company.

Companies must encourage growth from within its talent pool. If you think a degree from a management school makes a huge difference, send deserving candidates to such institutes and get them back to run the show. Adjust remuneration packages of such candidates so that they aren't inclined to jump ship (remember you need to pay similar/higher remuneration had you hired a fresh graduate from the same institute).

Will this tactic act as a motivator?
Will it create a loyalty among employees towards the company?
Try it and you won't need my affirmation.

3. Not all people are born managers. Born managers do not need to be trained in man management. They are usually people who have a deeper understanding and respect of human pschycology. They are normal human beings who really care and believe in the goodness of others. They are usually people who naturally try to look for the best in others. They are highly conscious and tolerant of human failings.

4. While training can help those who are not born managers, it can only do little good.

5. Academic intelligence alone is not a benchmark nor a hallmark of a good manager.

6. I agree that a cashier cannot be a chef. Which is why he does not command a chef nor guide him in his work. Only an exceptional chef can lead a team of good chefs. Any skill based/specialized work needs to be supervised only by an expert who is equally good (if not better) than his team.

Why? Because you only understand the challenges involved when you face them yourself.

7. Management institutes in the country are just facilitation/training institutes.

Case studies are examples of past events/challenges that others faced. They are a learning exercise that can be obtained for free on GOOGLE SEARCH.

Do you live the challenge in a case study? No.
Do you get to see the actual people who were involved? No.
Do you know the challenges the people involved faced? To an extent.
How can you make a decision based on generalized assumptions?
Who is to judge whether your decision would be right?
What guarantee do u have of the actual reactions of the people involved?
What do you know of the caliber/needs of the real people involved?

Of a classroom session of survival tactics in war and a game of paint ball, which do you think offers better understanding of the challenges?

8. My personal experiences have definitely played an integral role in shaping my thoughts. I have worked with seven different managers so far in various organizations.

Apart from working in some major MNC's, I did some short projects when I had some time on my hands.

I worked for free for a month as a consultant(a honorary title), in a small flat that was barely converted into a recruitment office. The previous people had left due to lowly wages. The so-called proprietor/owner never showed up. The guy who set up the office computer network was a relative of the owner who kept his own timings. The office manager, either stayed shut in his room or went for long smoking breaks. I was required to hire a new team for the office as well as interview suitable candidates for certain MNC clients. For a job that needed at least a college degree, had a six day work week and paid only 5000 rupees and no other perks, what motivation can u provide?

Have I played people management roles? Yes.
Do I understand the challenges of a people manager? Yes.
Do I have/had a problem with any of my managers? No.
Do I hate managers? I dislike anyone who does not respect, appreciate and deserve their positions in life. Be it a politician, clerk, housewife, businessman or manager.

Why do I believe some people are undeserving of what they have? Because I believe in FATE.

9. I speak the truth without reservations and mincing words. The previous post was about "Things a manager should not do to in order to be a good manager" (not effective or efficient).

I have always had a very good rapport with all my managers till date. All of them had varied backgrounds and qualifications. Never have I played office politics nor plotted against a manager. If I had a concern/reservation/suggestion, I went right up and spoke my mind. I still do. I never play a part or try to be someone I am not.

The previous post was a collation of facts from my experiences so far.

10. As for what yardstick should be used to measure performance at work - my answer, as earlier is QUALITY.

I challenge any company in the world to disclose their figures during periods of increased productivity per person/machine versus customer push back/grievances. It will always be a directly proportional value.

When your mother or wife cooks five different dishes for you, what matters most is the taste. Tasteless food will not satisfy your appetite/hunger, even if you are served a large spread.

A tree/plant cannot be forced to produce more than its natural capacity of tasty fruit/vegetable/cereal. Creating hybrids for higher productivity alters the very nature of the product. The focus should be on facilitating a healthy crop year after year by combining advanced scientific methods and natural processes.

I am not against productivity. If my hen lays two golden eggs instead of one, I am definitely not going to complain. But if the same hen starts giving me two normal eggs instead of a golden one, well, then I have a BIG problem.

11. It is not easy to fine balance productivity and quality. Again, between a highly productive and a person with high quality, there is no guarantee of who would eventually make a better manager. Companies should make their reward structures flexible. They should be designed to serve individual needs.

12. When a manager and his subordinate sit together and discuss the subordinates performance, it is not a 360 degree appraisal. It is a 180 degree appraisal.

A 360 degree feedback is only complete when a manager is evaluated based not only on his team's performance but also on the feedback from his team.

Team feedback should be collected by the boss of a respective manager preferably by anonymous questionnaires/feedback forms. Anonymous feedback guarantees candid and truthful answers as subordinates do not have to fear retribution.
Questionnaires should consist of open-ended questions. Specific instances could be asked for as well. Answers should be carefully reviewed and evaluated for merit/context.

It is not humanly possible for a person/manager to satisfy everyone in his team. Anonymous feedback could also result in unfair accusations. Therefore, an average should be calculated from the feedback received. If a majority of the team is happy, very good. If not, the situation warrants immediate attention.

Subordinate and manager feedback should have the same periodicity. The idea behind such a feedback mechanism is to ensure that there aren't any violent disconnects/unrest at any level. The idea is to create and encourage an environment of free, honest and spontaneous, speech and expression.

MBA - Making Bigger/Bolder Asses

Approaching the end of my MBA semesters, I have only one thing to say, "WHAT A WASTE OF TIME, EFFORT & MONEY." The only thing that comes across from all the books that I have read so far is that - they are useless, have no practical value & are full of theories and assumptions.

The so called 'GURUS' of subjects prefer using phrases like "being creative", "thinking out of the box", "putting one or the other in someone else's shoes" and many more of such meaningless collection of words.

If one is a 'GURU' or even a suitably knowledgeable person in some area, they should be able to give 'bang on' answers to problems and not hypothesize or advice!!!

All management books talk about qualities that a manager should have and never about what he should do to achieve them.

All management books talk of motivating employees to work more without specifying the LIMIT of more. It is fine for a manager to be human but not an employee. An employee's only purpose is to imitate a machine, work like a machine and gradually become brain-dead like a machine. Human resource development and training is just a lot of hogwash.

Managers are supposed to address employee concerns with 'careful consideration and sympathy' as if they were some contagious disease!!!

Here are some hard facts that should be taught at any management institute that is worth its salt (read MONEY).

Fact 1 - The easiest way for a manager to alienate himself from his team/subordinates/employees is to create a niche group of trusted members from among the team.

The biggest necessity for a person to be a good manager is to be able to judge people and take independent decisions without the help and support of aides.

Fact 2 - A manager cannot & should never be vindictive (no matter what the stimulus).

It is natural for any human being to have a bias. It is natural for any human to have mood swings.
If a manager allows such natural tendendies to impair his judgement of people and situations, there is only one solution "QUIT WHILE YOU ARE STILL AHEAD"

Fact 3 - DO NOT use/throw management terminology/jargon at your team members.

For all you know, your team members might know much more than you or in most cases care a fig for it.

Fact 4 - Understand the terms really well 'HYPOCRISY', 'DIPLOMACY' & 'KNIFE IN THE BACK ATTITUDE'.

Use any of these with your team members and you will not know what hit you.

Fact 5 - DO NOT DARE to think of your office as a playground/ sea/ field to test your pervertedness

If you are a pervert, well and good. Use your money (u r paid well enough) to indulge your tastes or get married to someone of your choice or get a LIFE!!!

Fact 6 - NEVER offer preferential treatment to a close few.

Every human being is different and so are their needs. Use differential treatment such that it is best liked by the individual.

Give some a benefit and deny others the same, and you are in for a lot of grief!!!

Fact 7 - Every job is different. Understand the need of the job and not pre-suppose it.

'Best Performance is NOT a factor of Productivity.'

Any 'GURU' who disagrees can take a flying jump from the highest point in the universe!

Fact 8 - It is the employees who add to the bottom line of a company not a manager.

A manager only gets to enjoy the benefits (read salary, bonus & perks) of employee's hard work. If you do not respect them, DO NOT expect any respect in return.

FACT 9 - Before you set targets or up them, Work at least 2 weeks in the same position as the employee, hit those targets and achieve all the benchmarks first.

If you can't - BACK OFF.

Case in point - Maid/House help. The lady (manager) of the house cannot afford to do all duties of a maid and yet look like the lady of the house. Her only option therefore, is to hire, train and supervise a maid. If the lady turns snappy, nagging, abusive or unfair and tries to micro-manage, the maid will leave in no time.

There is never any dearth of oppurtunities for an employee. But a manager always has limited choice.

Fact 10 - Emphasize on the quality of work.

Productivity is important but not at the cost of quality. Productivity is a quick fix solution for short term profits.
Any manager who weighs productivity over quality should be shown the door.

Imagine companies like Johnson & Johnson or Dabur focusing on quantity more than quality. Will u continue using their products on your child or for your well being?

Every time a company comes out with a new product, it is usually a success if it is of good quality. Reducing the quality (reducing, increasing or keeping constant any other variable like quantity, price etc.) will invariably have an adverse effect on the market share.

Ex: Hindustan lever FMCG products.

Whether in manufacturing or banking or research & development or IT/ITES, quality is the only thing that DIFFERENTIATES a business.
Quality of your product creates your BRAND.
Quality alone will fetch consumer LOYALTY.

Apart from medicines, there is no life threatening commodity in the world for which a consumer would not wait some extra time, to receive a guaranteed quality product.

Set higher time frames for product delivery, so people order in advance. If you can deliver well in advance, good. If not, DO NOT push employees/machines to over-achieve.

Fact 11 - If you cannot stand up for your team and take a stance in front of your superiors - GO TAKE A HIKE.

You do not deserve to be a manager if you do not believe and protect your team from unneccessary pressure.

You do not deserve to be a manager if you cower down to lighter skin color.


Fact 12 - If you DO NOT HAVE GUTS - GET LOST.

DO NOT make your trusted minions do your dirty job for you.


Fact 13 - Be who you are. DO NOT PRETEND TO BE SOMEONE YOU ARE NOT.

Year after year several unworthy candidates are selected into prestigious institutes and end up bagging the best paying jobs. Being unworthy is not a sin. Not accepting it is a sin. Accept your flaws. It only makes you more human. Share in the combined intelligence of your team. Let majority decisions prevail. Help the team to help you GROW.


Fact 14 - Always be honest when dealing with team mates/subordinates (irrespective of their level of education)

Call a spade a spade. Mincing words or running around the bush won't get you very far. While giving other's their dues, DO NOT seem as if you are doing them a favor. Remember it is always vice-versa.

Educated subordinates are as well informed if not more. Always speak the truth. DO NOT believe in "if you cannot explain, confuse" theory.

If you do not know something you only have two options 1. Admit it, 2. Keep your mouth shut.

Fact 15 - Neither the boss, employee nor the consumer are always right.

Every decision is a risk you take. The only way to make sure you incur the least damage is to make sure, that the decision comes from your HEART.

Clear your mind and heart of prejudice, anger, bias and fear before taking a decision. Only then can you make the right choice.

Fact 16 - FAILING AS A MANAGER IS BETTER THAN FAILING AS A HUMAN BEING.

It is natural to fear failure. It natural to fear loss. Your worst fear should be to turn into an animal from a human.


There will always be someone who knows more about a subject than you do. Accept & appreciate the fact. That someone can also be your subordinate.

Always remember that.