Saturday, October 30, 2010
تجربة رائدة : معهد علوم الإدارة وتنمية الموارد البشرية
حلم ظل يراودنى سنين طويلة : أن أنشئ كيانا تكون رسالته تبسيط علم الإدارة بحيث يفهمه عامة الناس ويطبقون مبادئه على حياتهم وفى تعاملاتهم مهما كان بسيطة ، إلى أن تقابلت مع شخصية آمنت بالفكرة وتحمست لها ووعدت بوضع كافة الإمكانات اللآزمة لتحقيقها وتم اعتماد المشروع الذى تقدمت به فى جلسة عمل واحدة .. ومن هنا كان مولد معهد علوم الإدارة وتنمية الموارد البشرية والذى يهدف إلى تبسيط علم الإدارة بيحث يفهمه العامة ويجعلونه أسلوبا لحياتهم يساعدهم على وضع أهداف محددة ويمدهم بالوسائل المتاحة والممكنة لكى يسعون لتحقيقها ومعها الوسائل التى تمكنهم من الإستثمار فى أنفسهم ومعرفة مواطن قوتهم وضعفهم والمصادر التى تساعدهم على زيادة مهاراتهم وقدراتهم . إنشاء هذا المعهد إذن ترجمة واقعية للمسئولية الإجتماعية وماينبغى ان يكون عليه المثقفون والعلماء من التزام بتنمية المجتمعات وتطويرها من خلال الإستغلال فى رفع مهارات وقدرات الناس . هو مشروع للتنمية الذاتية القائمة على اساس علمى يحدد الإحتياجات ويحسن اختيار قادة التغيير ويستثمر فى إعدادهم فى حضانة يخرجون منها قادة للتغيير . أتمنى أن تنجح الفكرة وأن تصبح نموذجا للإدارة بالواقع تقتبسه المجتمعات العربية وتعتبره حجر زاوية فى معالجة الفجوة المعرفية التى نتجت عن النظم التعليمية الفاسدة وبالذات فى مصر
Surviving Our Worst Mistakes
Yes, work is high-pressure, especially these days. At all levels and all departments, companies need execution (though not necessarily via verbal guillotine). Sometimes people come up short and sometimes others respond badly to that. The question is: What can you do now that your words and bold acoustics are now not just a matter of public record but etched in the annals of water-cooler lore, as well as in the minds of your superiors? Your course of action depends on certain variables:
Variable #1: You’re normally a nice person. If you have heretofore been a swell person to work with, your meltdown will stand out. “You could have been the most charming colleague for 20 years, but blow up on just one day and that’s all people will remember,” says Mark Jeffries, international management consultant and author of The Art of Business Seduction. “You can’t put lava back in the volcano.”
Your move: A public tantrum deserves a public apology, and you need to make it quickly so the gunpowder smell from your explosion doesn’t hang in the air for days. And people will respect that because the public apology is the hardest to deliver. “Blame yourself openly,” says Jeffries. “But also give them something that recalls the nice you, a shot of humor like ‘I’ve been watching way too much Hell’s Kitchen.’” After that, have an immediate sit-down with your boss and offer the same mea culpa.
“If it’s an isolated incident, most organizations won’t go to termination on first offense,” says Dick Grote, human resources consultant and author of the forthcoming Harvard Business School book Performance Appraisals. If your boss does decide to discipline you via a suspension or probation, take your sentence and behave with class from then on. Don’t mention your wig-out again and people will move on from it. After all, everyone is entitled to one bad moment.
Variable #2: You’re normally an intense person. Some very positive traits can lead to anger — intensity, a competitive nature, a strong drive for excellence. Rage can simply be a symptom of passion. If you’ve cultivated that reputation, you may get some latitude here.
“I get very loud, very passionate, and I have a very high standard for excellence,” says
Larry Winget, career/management guru and bestselling author of It’s Called Work for a Reason. “I’ve chewed out a lot of people in my time and I’ve done it the right way and the wrong way. What I’ve learned is you can be loud and passionate and have a standard of excellence and people will expect that from you because it’s part of your style. But that’s never an excuse for bad manners.”
Bad manners in this case would be making a public example out of a person while distracting from the legitimate story: We, as a team, need to perform better and get the job done.
Your move: Remember that intensity is okay, but crossing the line into abuse or personal attacks destroys your credibility as a person who wants the best performance from yourself, your colleagues, and the entire organization. “Anyone who loses control like that demonstrates to everyone around them that there is an element of their personality that they do not master,” says Jeffries. Again, the public apology is in order and make it fast.
After that, march to your boss’s office and explain yourself. By now everyone who works with you knows your intensity level, but after an outburst like this your boss needs reassurance that crossing the line won’t become a habit. Re-emphasize that your motivations come from a need and expectation of excellence — bosses surely understand that.
And here’s a test: If she decides to discipline you, how does that make you feel? If you know you have it coming and take it, you’re probably on solid psychological ground. But if you think it’s unfair and/or unwarranted? If it makes you angrier? Time to take a closer look at yourself. Is this a pattern — and a problem? If you notice a pattern of rage, don’t simply try to control it by counting to ten every time you get mad; instead, consider getting some counseling. Further outbursts like this will transform you from someone people want to please into someone people want to see fail.
Variable #3: They deserved it. While most would argue that Meg Whitman crossed a line when she went roller derby on her underling, what no one knows is whether or not her gripe with the employee was legitimate. And therein lies an area as gray as battleship paint when it comes to losing your temper at work. “Let’s be honest,” says Winget. “Sometimes people deserve to be ripped new orifices.”
Your move: You need to see this person in private, says Winget. “Get humble quick. Admit you were wrong — not about the chewing out, but about the public nature of it. Go to the person and say “I shouldn’t have said what I said to you out there. But privately, you need to know I’m not happy.”
From there, “move forward from getting mad about it to actually doing something productive and changing that person’s ability to do their job,” says Alison Doyle, a job search expert for About.com and author of Internet Your Way to a New Job. Did they have the resources they needed? What was lacking? Ask the person: What can I do to help you do your job better? The fact is he or she simply may not be up to the task. But that shouldn’t be your decision based on one bad day.
Variable #4: The company culture. The overall tone of your workplace may well be high-tension, high-pressure, and governed by screamers. Jeffries, a former stock broker, has seen Type A management first-hand. But he points to the aforementioned TV show Hell’s Kitchen — where top chef Gordon Ramsay abuses chef wannabes — as a prime example of how this kind of corporate culture functions.
“I guarantee that it’s in Ramsay’s contract to call people donkeys, throw food, and toss people out of the kitchen,” Jeffries says. “But if you watch, an interesting thing happens. The contestants all start off meek and mild. By the end of it they’ve all started shouting at each other because Ramsay sets the tone.”
Your move: Measure the viciousness of your attack versus the usual employee flesh-tearing. “If everyone shouts, what have you got to apologize for? It’s expected,” says Jeffries. “However, if you break the norm, if you shock and surprise people, you must ask yourself, ‘Have I gone too far? Have I set a standard for myself that I’m not happy with?’”
At that point it may not just be about an apology. Then it becomes about who you’re becoming. “The hotheads may be the most successful there because that’s the culture the leadership fosters,” says Doyle. “But for you, decide: Am I okay with a culture of fear or tension? Can I keep my sanity and stay in this work environment?”
One Last Thing to Think About We become locked into the present moment very easily, especially when dealing with the immediacy of failed projects and bad tempers. Consequently, as Winget notes, we start to think, “I’m working with this a—hole; I can be an a—hole back and it won’t really matter.” But it always matters — which is why you need to think about the future. “In 10, 12, 15 years, that a—hole’s your boss,” says Winget. “I’ve watched this happen too many times and it’s happened to me. I lost a deal because of it. So watch your tongue and be forward-thinking.”
Variable #1: You’re normally a nice person. If you have heretofore been a swell person to work with, your meltdown will stand out. “You could have been the most charming colleague for 20 years, but blow up on just one day and that’s all people will remember,” says Mark Jeffries, international management consultant and author of The Art of Business Seduction. “You can’t put lava back in the volcano.”
Your move: A public tantrum deserves a public apology, and you need to make it quickly so the gunpowder smell from your explosion doesn’t hang in the air for days. And people will respect that because the public apology is the hardest to deliver. “Blame yourself openly,” says Jeffries. “But also give them something that recalls the nice you, a shot of humor like ‘I’ve been watching way too much Hell’s Kitchen.’” After that, have an immediate sit-down with your boss and offer the same mea culpa.
“If it’s an isolated incident, most organizations won’t go to termination on first offense,” says Dick Grote, human resources consultant and author of the forthcoming Harvard Business School book Performance Appraisals. If your boss does decide to discipline you via a suspension or probation, take your sentence and behave with class from then on. Don’t mention your wig-out again and people will move on from it. After all, everyone is entitled to one bad moment.
Variable #2: You’re normally an intense person. Some very positive traits can lead to anger — intensity, a competitive nature, a strong drive for excellence. Rage can simply be a symptom of passion. If you’ve cultivated that reputation, you may get some latitude here.
“I get very loud, very passionate, and I have a very high standard for excellence,” says
Larry Winget, career/management guru and bestselling author of It’s Called Work for a Reason. “I’ve chewed out a lot of people in my time and I’ve done it the right way and the wrong way. What I’ve learned is you can be loud and passionate and have a standard of excellence and people will expect that from you because it’s part of your style. But that’s never an excuse for bad manners.”
Bad manners in this case would be making a public example out of a person while distracting from the legitimate story: We, as a team, need to perform better and get the job done.
Your move: Remember that intensity is okay, but crossing the line into abuse or personal attacks destroys your credibility as a person who wants the best performance from yourself, your colleagues, and the entire organization. “Anyone who loses control like that demonstrates to everyone around them that there is an element of their personality that they do not master,” says Jeffries. Again, the public apology is in order and make it fast.
After that, march to your boss’s office and explain yourself. By now everyone who works with you knows your intensity level, but after an outburst like this your boss needs reassurance that crossing the line won’t become a habit. Re-emphasize that your motivations come from a need and expectation of excellence — bosses surely understand that.
And here’s a test: If she decides to discipline you, how does that make you feel? If you know you have it coming and take it, you’re probably on solid psychological ground. But if you think it’s unfair and/or unwarranted? If it makes you angrier? Time to take a closer look at yourself. Is this a pattern — and a problem? If you notice a pattern of rage, don’t simply try to control it by counting to ten every time you get mad; instead, consider getting some counseling. Further outbursts like this will transform you from someone people want to please into someone people want to see fail.
Variable #3: They deserved it. While most would argue that Meg Whitman crossed a line when she went roller derby on her underling, what no one knows is whether or not her gripe with the employee was legitimate. And therein lies an area as gray as battleship paint when it comes to losing your temper at work. “Let’s be honest,” says Winget. “Sometimes people deserve to be ripped new orifices.”
Your move: You need to see this person in private, says Winget. “Get humble quick. Admit you were wrong — not about the chewing out, but about the public nature of it. Go to the person and say “I shouldn’t have said what I said to you out there. But privately, you need to know I’m not happy.”
From there, “move forward from getting mad about it to actually doing something productive and changing that person’s ability to do their job,” says Alison Doyle, a job search expert for About.com and author of Internet Your Way to a New Job. Did they have the resources they needed? What was lacking? Ask the person: What can I do to help you do your job better? The fact is he or she simply may not be up to the task. But that shouldn’t be your decision based on one bad day.
Variable #4: The company culture. The overall tone of your workplace may well be high-tension, high-pressure, and governed by screamers. Jeffries, a former stock broker, has seen Type A management first-hand. But he points to the aforementioned TV show Hell’s Kitchen — where top chef Gordon Ramsay abuses chef wannabes — as a prime example of how this kind of corporate culture functions.
“I guarantee that it’s in Ramsay’s contract to call people donkeys, throw food, and toss people out of the kitchen,” Jeffries says. “But if you watch, an interesting thing happens. The contestants all start off meek and mild. By the end of it they’ve all started shouting at each other because Ramsay sets the tone.”
Your move: Measure the viciousness of your attack versus the usual employee flesh-tearing. “If everyone shouts, what have you got to apologize for? It’s expected,” says Jeffries. “However, if you break the norm, if you shock and surprise people, you must ask yourself, ‘Have I gone too far? Have I set a standard for myself that I’m not happy with?’”
At that point it may not just be about an apology. Then it becomes about who you’re becoming. “The hotheads may be the most successful there because that’s the culture the leadership fosters,” says Doyle. “But for you, decide: Am I okay with a culture of fear or tension? Can I keep my sanity and stay in this work environment?”
One Last Thing to Think About We become locked into the present moment very easily, especially when dealing with the immediacy of failed projects and bad tempers. Consequently, as Winget notes, we start to think, “I’m working with this a—hole; I can be an a—hole back and it won’t really matter.” But it always matters — which is why you need to think about the future. “In 10, 12, 15 years, that a—hole’s your boss,” says Winget. “I’ve watched this happen too many times and it’s happened to me. I lost a deal because of it. So watch your tongue and be forward-thinking.”
The Most Common Bosses Types
A lot of studies have tackled the personality of bosses trying to provide subordinates with keys to deal successfuly with those bosses; Meanwhile, a number of psychological tests also tried to categorize personality types based on temperament that predicts behavior in different situations. The following proposition of the 5 commonest bosses types, is a simplification of a complicated issue that would remain subject of further studies based on boht science and observation:
1-The Authoritative Boss (Don Draper, Mad Men) — The authoritative boss is the ultimate risk-taker and has a flair for drama. On the downside, he can be a poor communicator. He’s creative and perceptive, but he’s also suspicious of others. Sylvia Lafair, the author of Don’t Bring It to Work, says, of this boss type, “Most important is to acknowledge how clever they are, how they seek justice, and how they find really good shortcuts to get the work done.” Lynn Taylor, the author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant, suggests you should “get specific” and allow little room for misinterpretation. She also suggests putting communication in an e-mail–this can help prevent miscommunication.
2- The Narcissistic Boss (Miranda Priestly, The Devil Wears Prada) — The narcissistic boss is hugely self-entitled–often justifiably so. She puts herself on a pedestal far above subordinates, of whom she is ruthlessly critical. She does not welcome feedback and has little empathy. Taylor recommends using something she calls the “C.A.L.M.” method with these bosses: “Communicate frequently, honestly, and regularly, so you understand what’s behind all the blustering. Anticipate problems before they occur or become more stressful (don’t encourage a tantrum with bad timing, either). Laugh: A little levity goes a long way when tensions are running high. Manage up by being a role model of good behavior.”
3- The Everyman Boss (Michael Scott, The Office) — This boss is likable enough, but he’s sometimes inappropriate. He manages “from the gut,” and he’s just too wish-washy to lead effectively. Vicky Oliver, the author of 301 Smart Answers to Tough Business Etiquette Questions, says, “try to view his lack of leadership as an opportunity for yourself. … Take the lead in the discussion, but stay detached from any particular outcome. Use logic, rather than unbridled passion.”
4-The Autocratic Boss (Vito Corleone, The Godfather) — Regardless of his physicality, this boss is large and in charge. He is cruel (even a bit of a bully) and sometimes very frightening. Lafair advises, “The best way to handle these bosses is to let them know you appreciate how they have situations under control. [Demonstrate that] you’re willing to be another pair of eyes, so that when chaos and anxiety are stirring, you can be available to help find ways to calm situations down.”
5- The Pace-Setting Boss (Donald Trump, The Apprentice) [OK, he's not fictional, but he is larger than life] — This is the boss who creates a competitive environment at work. He sets very high goals and standards–and is very demanding of employees. Kanefield advises that, with a boss who sets very hard-to-achieve goals, you ask for as many details as possible: “Ask for details about what it means, what the steps look like, who they’ve seen that have done it well–try to get a picture of what success looks like.”
1-The Authoritative Boss (Don Draper, Mad Men) — The authoritative boss is the ultimate risk-taker and has a flair for drama. On the downside, he can be a poor communicator. He’s creative and perceptive, but he’s also suspicious of others. Sylvia Lafair, the author of Don’t Bring It to Work, says, of this boss type, “Most important is to acknowledge how clever they are, how they seek justice, and how they find really good shortcuts to get the work done.” Lynn Taylor, the author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant, suggests you should “get specific” and allow little room for misinterpretation. She also suggests putting communication in an e-mail–this can help prevent miscommunication.
2- The Narcissistic Boss (Miranda Priestly, The Devil Wears Prada) — The narcissistic boss is hugely self-entitled–often justifiably so. She puts herself on a pedestal far above subordinates, of whom she is ruthlessly critical. She does not welcome feedback and has little empathy. Taylor recommends using something she calls the “C.A.L.M.” method with these bosses: “Communicate frequently, honestly, and regularly, so you understand what’s behind all the blustering. Anticipate problems before they occur or become more stressful (don’t encourage a tantrum with bad timing, either). Laugh: A little levity goes a long way when tensions are running high. Manage up by being a role model of good behavior.”
3- The Everyman Boss (Michael Scott, The Office) — This boss is likable enough, but he’s sometimes inappropriate. He manages “from the gut,” and he’s just too wish-washy to lead effectively. Vicky Oliver, the author of 301 Smart Answers to Tough Business Etiquette Questions, says, “try to view his lack of leadership as an opportunity for yourself. … Take the lead in the discussion, but stay detached from any particular outcome. Use logic, rather than unbridled passion.”
4-The Autocratic Boss (Vito Corleone, The Godfather) — Regardless of his physicality, this boss is large and in charge. He is cruel (even a bit of a bully) and sometimes very frightening. Lafair advises, “The best way to handle these bosses is to let them know you appreciate how they have situations under control. [Demonstrate that] you’re willing to be another pair of eyes, so that when chaos and anxiety are stirring, you can be available to help find ways to calm situations down.”
5- The Pace-Setting Boss (Donald Trump, The Apprentice) [OK, he's not fictional, but he is larger than life] — This is the boss who creates a competitive environment at work. He sets very high goals and standards–and is very demanding of employees. Kanefield advises that, with a boss who sets very hard-to-achieve goals, you ask for as many details as possible: “Ask for details about what it means, what the steps look like, who they’ve seen that have done it well–try to get a picture of what success looks like.”
Building Followers
I guess it’s obvious that in order to be a leader, you need followers. But much of what I read in terms of popular management advice seems to treat leadership as something akin to filling up a toolbox. If you can create a vision, give killer PowerPoint, radiate more energy than the sun, fill out a SWOT matrix, develop strategy and motivate like Gen. George S. Patton, you, too, can be a leader.
But these attributes don’t really get to the heart of the issue, do they? There are plenty of managers in possession of these capabilities, but they aren’t leaders. They may have people reporting to them, but no one is following out of a sense of inspiration or commitment.
So how do you get people to follow you with their hearts and minds? A recent newsletter from Harvard Business Review listed these four qualities as essential. The tips come from HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Leadership:
1.Humanness. Nobody wants to work with a perfect leader. Build collaboration and solidarity by revealing your weaknesses.
2.Intuition. To be most effective, you need to know what’s going on without others spelling it out for you. Collect unspoken data from body language and looks given across rooms to help you intuit the underlying messages.
3.Tough empathy. Care deeply about your employees, but accept nothing less than their very best.
4.Uniqueness. Demonstrate that you are a singular leader by showing your unique qualities to those around you.
But these attributes don’t really get to the heart of the issue, do they? There are plenty of managers in possession of these capabilities, but they aren’t leaders. They may have people reporting to them, but no one is following out of a sense of inspiration or commitment.
So how do you get people to follow you with their hearts and minds? A recent newsletter from Harvard Business Review listed these four qualities as essential. The tips come from HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Leadership:
1.Humanness. Nobody wants to work with a perfect leader. Build collaboration and solidarity by revealing your weaknesses.
2.Intuition. To be most effective, you need to know what’s going on without others spelling it out for you. Collect unspoken data from body language and looks given across rooms to help you intuit the underlying messages.
3.Tough empathy. Care deeply about your employees, but accept nothing less than their very best.
4.Uniqueness. Demonstrate that you are a singular leader by showing your unique qualities to those around you.
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