Feedback

Giving feedback is one of the key activity that manager has to carry out.
It is not easy to give feedback specifically we Indians need to learn about giving feedback. Culturally we tend to avoid giving feedback.

Next time when you have to give feedback I suggest that you use the incident, impact and expected behavior method.

I would illustrate with some examples

Example 1

Incident 
When you don't turn up for the meeting on time then...

Impact
It really upsets my entire schedule...

Expected behavior
Going forward can we agree that we start the meeting on time?

Example 2

Incident 
When you don't look at me while I am discussing something then...

Impact
It makes me think that you are not present in the conversation and you are not listening...

Expected behavior
Can we agree that you will look at me and pay attention when I am talking to you...

Example 3

Incident
When you interrupt someone during the meeting when he has not finished...

Impact
Often people feel that you are not valuing his contribution...

Expected behavior
Going forward could you please let anyone finish without interrupting any one ?
 

These are just some of the situations to illustrate the idea. 

Can you see how you can use this in your situations?

Setting Objectives

At the time of setting objectives, we are always told that the objectives must be set. They must be what we call  SMART.

SMART means

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Timebound

For quite some time now I have set objectives and SMART objectives. But recently realized that each SMART objective must also specify 

1. What the person must do, 
2. The place where the action is carried out and all the logistics required 
3. The deadlines, the speed, the accuracy, the 'correctness' of the action

Unless these three things are mentioned, the objective remains difficult to rate against. Also with these things outlined the ambiguity reduces considerably. This also helps a objective evaluation against the objective. If we start following this it would reduce the pain points of measuring performance against each objective.

Moaning.....

We all like to do what I call moan and bitch about many things like organization we are working in, about the boss, about team members. It has become a common past time.

Whether is a good old moan about your boss, your pay,why "he" gets paid more than you or the hours you are

working sometimes we can just get caught up in it  whether we usually do it or not.

But I firmly believe that the leadership style has a huge impact on whether you create a team of moaners or a team of proactive doers.

Think about what you can do to reduce the level of moaning in your office and demonstrate the

leadership behaviours that will help rather than hinder team and company performance.

Having worked with many people around the world I tend to find that the attitude and outlook of the leader normally rubs off on the team and if the leader tends to moan themselves then so does the team.

Where Did My Day Went Today?

Sometimes it so happens that you have list of things to get accomplished. You start of your day with vitality and vigor. You are all charged up to complete the tasks. But end of the day you realize that much of the work did not get accomplished. So here is a question that  is very helpful. The question is What is it that you want to get done today?

Each morning ask yourself this question. This simple question can help you to focus your energy on something important. At times the answer could be something like “nothing.”  If so, at least it’s a conscious choice.   It’s a simple enough question, but there’s more to it.

The real question is, “What do you want to Get Done Today? … given your available time, your available energy, your MUSTs/needs and/or wants?”

It forces you to think about available time that you have and number of things that are waiting to be completed.  You can only throw those hours at so many things. 

It also helps you to think about the energy that you would spend to complete it.

It pushes you to consider your MUSTs and needs and wants for the day.  What are the things you MUST or need to get done today, if anything?   Using MUST can help you quickly identify the critical from the non critical.  

If you’re in the habit of  pushing yourself too far, or wondering where your day went, this simple question, along with elaboration, can get you back on track.  

I routinely use this question to decide priorities. Also use this to do a mid day check if I am really on track. It helps me to focus my energy and get things done.

Listening Skills

Have you ever had a experience that person you are talking to is not listening? I many times observe that people are in hurry and they don't pay attention to what is being said.  Other day I was talking to someone and he was not listening at all. I asked the person if it is right time to talk. He responded positively and then continued his earlier ways of not listening. I felt frustrated as I felt the person was miles away from conversation. 

Do you suppose other people have ever had that reaction when speaking to you?

For some reason, most of us are good at hearing, but really listening — that’s another thing altogether. Yet in working in software field, with customers  listening, not just going through the motions, is critical to success. 

Listening and hearing are not the same.  Hearing is the first stage of listening.  Hearing occurs when your ears pick up sound waves which are then transported to your brain.  This stage is your sense of hearing.

Listening is a communication process and, to be successful, is an active process.  In other words, you must be an active participant in this communication process.  In active listening, meaning and evaluation of a message must take place before a listener can respond to a speaker.   Therefore, the listener is actively working while the speaker is talking.

How can this happen? It is simple.   Our thought speed is much faster than our speech speed.  But be careful!   Don't allow the thought speed to race into daydreaming.  This habit will defeat your attempt to become an active listener.

Barriers to Listening

Listening takes time or, more accurately, you have to take time to listen. A life programmed with back-to-back commitments offers little leeway for listening. Similarly, a mind constantly buzzing with plans, dreams, schemes and anxieties is difficult to clear. Good listening requires the temporary suspension of all unrelated thoughts -- a blank canvas. In order to become an effective listener, you have to learn to manage what goes on in your own brain. Technology, for all its glorious gifts, has erected new barriers to listening. Face-to-face meetings and telephone conversations (priceless listening opportunities) are being replaced by email and the sterile anonymity of electronic meeting rooms. Meanwhile television continues to capture countless hours that might otherwise be available for conversation, dialogue, and listening.

Ten Steps to Effective Listening

1. Face the speaker and maintain eye contact.
2. Be attentive yet relaxed.
3. Keep an open mind.
4. Listen to the words and try to picture what the speaker is saying.
5. Don't interrupt and don't impose your "solutions."
6. Wait for the speaker to pause to ask clarifying questions.
7. Ask questions only to ensure understanding of something that has been said (avoiding questions that disrupt the speaker's train of thought).
8. Try to feel what the speaker is feeling.
9. Give the speaker regular feedback, e.g., summarize, reflect feelings.
10. Pay attention to what isn't said -- to feelings, facial expressions, gestures, posture, and other nonverbal cues.

Listening is a precious gift -- the gift of time. It helps build relationships, solve problems, ensure understanding, resolve conflicts, and improve accuracy. At work, effective listening means fewer errors and less wasted time. At home, it helps develop resourceful, self-reliant kids who can solve their own problems. Listening builds friendships and careers. 

So let us all work towards being better listeners. As it is said  "We were given two ears but only one mouth. This is because God knew that listening was twice as hard as talking".