"THE FALLING SICKNESS"

In ‘Julius Caesar’ William Shakespeare has depicted thus, The incident of Caesar’s Seizure,

CASCA : ‘He fell down in the market place, and foam’d at
Mouth, and was speechless.’

The noble Brutus : ‘Tis very like. He hath THE FALLING SICKNESS.’

RISE OF THE FALL

Epilepsy is caused by a temporary dysfunction of the nervous system; triggered by a normal focal activity in the brain. The activity could be localized or may spread over the entire cerebral cortex, resulting in a seizure; i.e. a fit or convulsions. The symptomatic manifestation of the abnormal focal activity could have a variegated from of presentation, a seizure or it could be an altered cognition, of the locally affected sensory field. One may hear noises or witness hallucinatory sights etc. It could be a kinetic, i.e. without any movements too!

In fact there is a wide spectrum of the affliction; depending on the site of origin of the disease, the severity, frequency, pattern and sometimes the presence of premonitory symptoms in epileptic attacks(termed AURA), etc.

ARRESTING IT

There are a number of causes for this malady. Functional causes and organic ones. Functional ones refer to a response to varied stimuli in the form of seizures. There is nothing wrong structurally or organically.

Treatment of petit-mal by anticonvulsant drugs is reasonably effective. The therapy has to be properly monitored and is fairly a prolonged one. The dose has to be enough to suppress fits, but regulated one to fall short of the toxic-dose.

The organic causes such as a tumor in the brain could be excised but it requires a prolonged medication post surgery. Surgery is also effectively employed to stereo tactically ablate (numb) the area which causes the abnormal focal discharge in brain.



RIGHT PERSPECTIVE

There are a number of misconceptions prevalent about the affliction of epilepsy; the MYTHS:

That, Persons with Epilepsy, PWEs for short; are not capable of any intelligent activity.

That, it is some occult phenomenon, some mystic experience or a condition which will cure by itself; e.g. after marriage a PWE spinster will get cured; etc.

That, it permanently and irretrievably impairs the cerebral function.

The fact is that except for the brief interlude of the epileptic fit, the PWE’s central nervous system functions normally. PWEs are definitely capable of intelligent economic activity; as “knowledge workers”.

LIVING THE DIGNITY

Take the case of Gopal who was a bright student and started getting fits, while in the final year of school. With proper medication his condition was effectively controlled. He studied his Law and later chose to specialize in Office Administration. He was being treated regularly for his epilepsy by an eminent specialist, who was monitoring his progress and condition. He desired to secure a good job without hiding the fat that he was a PWE. Innately a truthful person, he allowed his tact to prevail on his instinctive honesty.

He cleared the job tests and interviews with e reputed private sector Company and was selected as an Administrative Officer on his own merits. On receipt of an appointment letter he was rightfully jubilant but sought an additional interview with the employer. He explained at length the fact that although a PWE, has had in seizures lately. HE requested the employer to crosscheck on his condition with the specialist who was treating him.

Being an enlightened employer, Mr. Seth the Managing Director of M/s Seth & Wilson arranged a meeting of the specialist with the Company’s medical advisor. It is so transpired that Mr. Gopal hadn’t had a seizure for nearly an year. The seizures had a pattern of occurrence, i.e. only at late nights so far. The job was essentially in an Office, where late night working was not even a remote possibility. Employer concluded that the job be offered to Gopal.

Today, he is accepted by the colleagues, and is progressing famously well in his career. Most times confrontation halves the severity of a problem and running away from it doubles it.

PWEs BATTLING WITH IT SINGLY

There have been several cases of individuals who are employed in organized sector, as normal healthy ones initially, but develop epilepsy while in the employ. A peculiar situation crops up for the patient;

to start the curative process, immediately and discreetly

to hide the fact of his condition from employer and colleagues who may tend to treat PWEs differently

Continuously nurture the feeling of insecurity and anxiety about the chance occurrence of a seizure during office hours. Facing the STIGMA thereafter.

Worry about the wellbeing and economic dependence of the family members,

A feeling of inadequacy as a bread-winner to meet the demands of dependents.

How can one come unscathed out of all this? How can one face the employer and the colleagues? In our social pattern, a number of PWE, are still being treated by quacks and witch-doctors who subject them to inhuman treatment.

The hapless family members and perhaps the patients too suffer the agony in the hope that a cure may materialize. In spite of the scientific and technological advance, in the medical field, these pre-historic methods still continue to be espoused by even prey to denied education and are less fortunate. They are an easy prey to such torturous ‘treatments’.

GRACEFUL COEXISTENCE

On account of the foregoing, if the social stigma which is attached to such patients is eliminated by conscious, continuous and enlightened efforts, PWEs can lead their painful life with dignity without withholding from the world the fact of the affliction. It is possible to control the condition and rehabilitate the PWEs, by offering them gainful employment. This will reassure them that Society is treating them as equals and they are not discriminated against.

A proper counseling by trained medical social counselors helps the patients get reassured about their usefulness to the society and restores their self confidence.

It is essential that the colleagues and the employers with the active help from the medical personnel understand the scientific/medical reasons for such seizures and explain to the co-workers that there is nothing wrong with the epileptics. It is a phase of a periodic disturbance in the nervous system. For a brief while the normal functioning is absent. For all the rest of the period, the individual is as normal as you and me. His creativity is in tact; his brain will function normally except for the moment of seizure. The peer group should ensure that such a confidence is given to the in suffering from epilepsy. Please don’t ostracize PWEs; as sub-normal.

SOME TIPS

A simple sympathy smothers the self respect of PWEs. Psychological problems are more difficult to digest. It is a common sight to note people addressing the afflicted, with a pseudo concern and in hushed voices. The occurrence of a seizure makes all friends avoid a PWE. A responsible participation in an economic activity gives an enormous joy to PWEs. They can convert their creativity, knowledge and productivity, into wealth. Giving them just some preoccupation to keep them gainfully employed is but the first step emanating from empathy. Treating them as equals calls for nobility.

The Services of a competent human services professional will help identity and sort the problems of rehabilitation; effectively.

INSTITUTIONALISED EFFORTS

The Indian Epilepsy Association is doing a splendid working the field of generating a public awareness and removal of misconceptions. A fund of information and guidance is available through the International Bureau of Epilepsy; IBE for short. IBE was established as an Organization for laymen and professionals concerned with the non-medical aspects of epilepsy, such as the social problems and public education. IBE provides assistance by offering international support by creating ways and means for a worldwide exchange of factual information and where possible by setting standards which provide an international policy focus and identity, for all persons with epilepsy.

Given the different cultural and educational backgrounds of the people at large, the responses to the PWEs vary largely.

A workshop was held in 1989 in New Delhi as a part of the International Epilepsy Congress under the auspices of IBE.

A CONFRONTATION IS THE HALF WAY TO SOLUTION

Hiding the condition can be dangerous to the individual and detrimental to the cause. Take the case of Sudhakar. He is a driver and used to have fits. He and his family members conveniently brushed it aside as the wrath of some village-deity & no medication was resorted to. He sought a job as a driver, and was given one by a private bus company; based on his experience and a driving license.

Unfortunately he had a seizure while in the driver’s seat. Luckily though, no damage occurred, since the seizure was, while waiting at the traffic signals. It caused quite a commotion though, in the busy streets and a lot of inconvenience; to all concerned. It costed Sudhakar his job which was a natural sequel to his keeping the problem under wraps. A proper and timely medication could have saved the situation. By shrouding in secrecy the problems don’t get solved.

BASIC SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

The precautions to be taken while employing a PWE are broadly as follows:

They should be offered work preferably in the General shifts, where, medical aid can be had, easily; if and when required.

They should not be made to work in hazardous situations, near unguarded machinery or near moving parts; and at heights.

Preferably engaged with a group of people so as they are not left alone; unnoticed.
driving of vehicles should be avoided

Cassius the wise Roman conspirator, the one with “a lean and hungry look” says,

CASSIUS: “No Caesar hath it not; but you and I, And honest Casca, we have ‘the falling sickness’ ”.


Be slightly changing the context, I would conclude, that the eminent ones in Society have to shoulder the responsibility to rehabilitate PWEs. If we shirk to willingly offer this help, we will be the ones who would display our “FALLING SICKNESS”.




Published in The Economic Times,20th May 1993, Thursday




M S RANADE

Chairman & CEOPlacewell Consultants,

Pune 411007

mranade@vsnl.com


*********

"SELECTION OF MR. RIGHT"

Heraclatus, the historian has very aptly said that the only permanent thing in life is ‘CHANGE’. There could not have been a better description of the present scenario on the Economic-front. What with the host of liberalizations, pulling down of the barriers such as the various approvals under MRTP, IDRA; FERA-dilution, easier imports, partial convertibility of rupee, etc.
Translated, these moves spell a shift towards globalization. Import of superior technology. Inflow of foreign equity. More competition and more JOBS.

PAUCITY OF RIGHT SKILLS

The paradoxical situation in India is that we have a surfeit of unskilled labor, but, scarcity of skilled talent. This has brought in a change in the recruitment-pattern from the past era. Then, one used to hire hands. Today we are engaging competencies; both technical and managerial. Employment of the right persons is more in focus, since the mistakes by a wrong entrant could have a cascading and more damaging effect in a technologically advanced environment. In most cases a wrong entrant sticks around, making the situation irretrievable; too!
Imagine a perfect plant with a state of the art technology, excellent product, captive market, high-quality inputs, but, producing only 50% of its rated capacity. It is speeding rapidly on its way to a sure sickness. The situation indicates that the other resources of production are not properly mobilized by the team manning the Unit.
The unit can be rejuvenated by a motivated team headed by an inspired leader. The function of Human Resource Management, that is to acquire, train and re-train talent is given its pride of place in today’s organized sector on account of the factors mentioned above.

INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUE

In spite of a few shortcomings, interviewing is the universally accepted mode of selection and recruitment of personnel at all levels. One can either select trained, experienced skilled personnel; or recruit ones, who could be imparted training to assume higher responsibilities.
Selection is a process, involving a lot of hunch and some scientific methodology. A good selection is one, which reduces the hunch portion, to the minimum. Although the final decision of selection is a subjective one, it can be supplemented by a variety of tests, which will help evaluate the worth of a candidate. Selectors have to guard against snap judgments, arrived at perfunctorily on a cursory glance at the inputs.

OBJECTIVITY THROUGH TESTS

There is no limit to knowledge. A plethora of tests are designed, validated and their relevance established in an attempt to assess the quality, span and depth of the candidate’s knowledge.

Tests can be divided into two broad categories. Ones which measure the analytical ability of the intellect and the ones which measure levels of skills attained or the application part of the intellect. One checks the endowments; the other the acquisitions of a candidate.

In addition, there are certain personality traits in an individual which are also adjudged in interviews. There are certain job-specific attributes, presence of which is examined before considering a candidate for the post; e.g. a Maintenance Chief should possess a capacity to work methodically, continuously and coolly under time pressures. A Marketing Executive, should have, communication and inter-personal skills, tact, diplomacy and a lot of patience. These are known as Key Result Areas. KRAs for the short, which differ depending on the job requirements.

Candidate’s behavioral traits should match ones which are demanded of the job. Compatibility is essential. This could be termed as a behavioral SYNCRONICITY.

CHANGE –AGENTS

When we are talking of excellence in Management; unless persons subscribing to a certain value-system are inducted and groomed into the organizational culture, practice and perpetuation of excellence will be only a parrotry. It will be difficult to pursue concepts such as Total Quality Management, Continuous Improvement, Value- packed products, Zero;-defect approach, etc., unless a large number of dedicated employees subscribe to them, whole-heartedly. Such Change-agents have to be hand-picked from the available lot on a scientific basis. Especially, when breakthrough progress is contemplated, one has to be choosier about the personnel selected. If your future is just an extension of the present, then do recruit ones who have one year’s experience fifteen times; and be complacent about it.

One comes across Officers, who would ask the stock question, ‘Is there precedent for this action?’

‘Please check what has been done in the past and we shall chart out our future plan “(as an extension of the same? )”

This is a typical relic of the ‘British Raj’; bureaucracy where every single action had to be tradition-oriented. It may have some merits, but if we are envisioning a quantum-jump then the convention-stepping will have to be replaced.

GROUP BEHAVIOUR

There is an increasing use of psychological tests in the selection process. Group discussions and team activities are employed as tools which bring out the latent traits in individuals. Many traits are not apparent in personal interviews. These surfaces in a group activity and candidates having built-in negativity and a lackluster approach, can be deleted and rejected.
In a way, group assignment is a simulation of the work atmosphere. A personal interview establishes the worth of an individual but his reactions in a group are of greater significance in the organized sector.

STRATEGY CHANGE

In the not so distant past, the most essential, important and valued work qualities were,

Capacity to put in clerical input round the clock.

Tenacity to operate ungrudgingly under difficult conditions; say as in the case of a furnace attendant.

Head down work on a repetitive job e.g. a machinist on a lathe.

In the present context, due to the technologically advanced environment, the above jobs are efficiently carried thus;

A computer terminal does the voluminous job, faster more accurately and hour after hour.

A robot works near the furnace unflinchingly.

A numerically controlled automat pours out precision products untiringly.


Hence, in the changed scenario one looks for innovative individuals who can plan and implement a superior technology to ensure quality outputs.

It is essential to employ persons who have the inter-personal skills, initiative, drive and motivation to be effective team-mates. The creativity and innovativeness of individuals is a pre-requisite to face the challenges they will encounter in the real life situations. Another most important attribute is that of effective communication. To be able to convey one’s thoughts effectively is an art few excel in.

LATERAL VISION

Most people tend to have a tunnel vision i.e. they do not change their decisions In spite of a sea-change in the inputs. I might cite an example here of how monkeys are caught by the tribes in Africa without traps.

They hang a large pumpkin on a tree. The pumpkin is bored with a small hole on one side, which is just enough for a monkey to slide its hand in. From the top of the pumpkin they introduce and tie a raw banana on a string which is visible to the monkey, through the hole.

The monkey looks at the banana, slides its hand in, grabs the banana and tries to take the hand out with the banana. The monkey does not realize that it has to let go of the banana to free itself ,till such time as the tribes-man arrives to capture; it alive.

APING THE PAST

The same story is replicated unwittingly in the corporate world. A loss-making company merrily continues its production in full swing and contributes copiously to the mounting losses. The ancestral traits are difficult to shrug off. The role the monkeys have played in the anecdote is a tunnel vision and what we look for in an intelligent employee is a lateral vision; which enables one to effect quick changes in response to alterations in inputs. One selects individuals whose skills of judgment could be relied on; and which match with the requirements of the modern context.

MAN TO SUPERMAN

The highly developed olfactory sense (smell) in the brain of canines is very powerful compared to those of the human brain. There was a time a few thousand years ago when human brain too possessed a similar powerful sensory capability. It could then; interpret the inputs which are available even today; but perceived a lot more; than what it can; today.

By a process of anatomical regression, we have lost the capacity of the brain to interpret effectively such inputs. It has been lying fallow for some time. On account of redundancy over a period, and a long non-use of the faculty, it has become rudimentary (not available now).

Just as human faculties of smell-sense have gradually become rudimentary due to the above process, there are a few new faculties which are imbibed by the brain e.g. the sweep of perception and the accelerated mode of thinking.

We have to review the time honored job recruitment methods, based on earlier attributes of “your obedient servant” the working hands; and replace them with ones which are more relevant and contemporary. The changed requirement is of independent creative analytical team-mates.

ENGAGING TOP OF THE GROUP

It just appeals to reason that an employer will engage the services of a person who is having a higher amount of grey-cells. The selection process adopted by most in organized sector incorporates measuring of cognitive ability of individuals engaged. This checks various aspects of intellect such as arithmetical ability, mechanical aptitude, the spatial faculty of brain, its retention capacity, imagination, creativity etc.

We have in the organized sector yester generation’s colleagues describing with awe, the wonderful ability of some individuals who could lay a claim to a total recall memory. Legendary stories are circulated and ballads are sung of individuals who could rattle out the part numbers page after page of total part – lists. Individuals who could reproduce from memory the telephone numbers of the entire names of his telephone directory, etc. With the increased automation and the electronic gadgetry, such capacities will be rendered increasingly irrelevant.

Recruiting officer of today selects persons who have a genuine and natural respect for colleagues from various functions such as product design, planning , materials, production, industrial relations, company law, finance, taxation etc. and would be able to co-ordinate the strands from all these functions to weave the available expertise into a total fabric. One now looks for individuals with a capacity to visualize; these creative faculties which are honed to perfection, ones with excellent communication –skills and individuals who are the inspirational team builders.

VANISHING ACT OF IVORY TOWERS

Gone are the days of those eccentric geniuses who could work in isolation and command respect from dwarfs for their intellectual superiority. Their supremacy was then accepted tacitly. While the modern era has a slot for such an eccentric geniuses in the high- profile R&D labs, in majority of the other work areas, what’s needed is brilliant individuals, who can work in a team.

Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest, propounds that it is the environment which conditions the organisms, and through a process of selection the fittest are brought forth as survivors. Education is preparing individuals for social existence and progress. Naturally, the superior candidates are selected for the higher and complex responsibilities.

SUPER-MINDS

They say “eye does not see what the mind does not know” when the mind is obsessed with creativity, it puts the faculties in an accelerated mode. Such individuals can and will do wonders, on the path of progress.

Which are the inspirational drives, which propel individuals to acquire an excellence? Those who are fired with an ambition to advance to the distant horizons; begin beyond the erstwhile known driving factors, such as craving for recognition, ego-trips and social esteem needs, etc.

They start off with a need to CHANGE i.e. the META needs. The compelling drive to transform oneself, from a caterpillar to a butterfly.

These Mr. Rights are the architects of tomorrow who will build the FUTURE. They have to be visionaries who have an ability to translate the dreams into reality.

Today the in -thing is innovation, improvement. Heraclatus may rewrite his axiom “the only permanent thing in life is innovation”

M. S. RANADE,
mranade@vsnl.com
PUBLISHED IN ECONOMIC TIMES MUMBAI ON THURSDAY, 21ST JANUARY 1993.

"ON EMPOWERING"

A very stern mother- in –law of the yester-generation was heading the joint family in a distant village. Her daughter- in – law was being inducted gradually, in the family-traditions. The young girl observed the austere and stingy nature of her mother- in –law with a lot of awe and some reservations.

In villages, beggars visit households on specific days of a week, to beg for alms. The young daughter –in-law had observed umpteen times, the mother-in –law routinely shoo away the beggars without obliging them, even on festive days.

When once the mother-in –law was not minding the front door, the daughter-in-law happened to be around. A beggar visited the household just then. True to the household’s traditions which ;she had internalized all along; she gently asked the beggar to go away.

At this point of time, the mother-in-law, suddenly appeared on the scene,
“Why did you drive away the beggar?”

Surprised at the change of heart in the mother-in-law, the young girl offered to call back the beggar. The beggar expectantly scurried back to the front door.

Then the mother-in-law very imperiously thundered;

“Scram, you bandicoot of the first order. Of course you are not getting any alms from this household. Scoot away!”

Thereafter, the mother-in-law brought the young girl, up-to-date on the theoretical aspects of her peculiar behavior.

The daughter-in –law had not been “authorized” yet; even for the DENIAL BID; leave alone giving away alms. She promptly offered her a piece of advice in the correct administrative behavior;

“PLEASE DON’T DARE USE POWER NOT HANDED DOWN TO YOU”.

IN ORGANISED SECTOR

In fact, in most organized work-teams the same story obtains in same fashion. Well, the difference may be of degree and not of kind.

Even when, certain routine decisions are taken by the team-mates, the group leader construes the same as abridgement of the sovereign authority vested in him. The bosses will make a song and dance about the use of any authority by the assistants. Assistants are accused by the boss; of abuse of power the exclusive prerogative of the boss. This is usurping the sovereign of his supreme power; and adversely affects his supreme image!

It will be promptly labeled as an incompetent and indiscriminate use of authority. The underlying principle is; that the Boss feels that if the authority is delegated he may lose something of his SELF and the assistant may become more powerful.

CUSTODIANS

Many a time I have noticed that even certain factual information of routine details; which is not of any significance or great consequence is also held back from the assistants.

Why can’t the basic information be shared with those who are concerned with it? More often than not, the person in authority relishes the INFORMATION POWER when he haughtily concludes the meeting.

“I have the relevant information. It will be revealed at the appropriate time”.

TASK IS THE BOSS

Authorities generally tend to make power “concentric” and let it rest, with the higher-ups only. The assistants have to flock around the Boss for every single decision consequently.


Empowering is a new concept espoused by enlightened managements. It implies delegating authority to the assistants for an effective use in carrying out given assignments. The intention is to get them involved in the team-tasks. It is an express attempt to introduce a participative culture. The Theory Y approach.

An inspired team, which is given appropriate and adequate authority, will exercise the same, judiciously. The purpose will be to successfully achieve the assignments at hand. The job is finished faster when the team-mates are enthused. They don’t perceive the job as “the daily grind”. The team is inspired and the efforts are unidirectional. In such a scenario, the job at hand assumes prime importance; all others are subjugated in hierarchical authority; including the boss.

EMPOWERING PER SE


Just attempt to establish a Verb-Noun relationship. We empower team-mates to do what? Empower one to take decisions which are appropriate for the achievement of determined goals, without administrative delays. Ability to take decisions without fear of being questioned by the higher-ups later, should something sour up.

At times; out of a moral courage coupled with professional competence, one feels empowered although there may not be an expression of the intrinsic worth of an employee; as perceived by him.

BALANCING CONTROL AND INDEPENDENCE

When a team has to work together, some kind of an organizational structure has to be formed. A good organization strikes a balance between individuality and organizational controls needed for the team’s success.

A “celebrated” robber in a town was planning for long, to attempt a grand robbery at the residence of a rich jeweler. The stumbling block was a high compound wall which was difficult to scale. The robber, on a daily bazaar round, noticed a roadside acrobat perform one superb climbing feat very effectively.

He was demonstrating this without any paraphernalia on the ramparts of the town. He decided to enroll the services of the acrobat for the evening. The deal was struck with a handsome fee to the performing artiste. Come midnight, the robber escorted his scout to the residence of the jeweler. He tiptoed stealthily to the high compound wall and commanded the acrobat to scale it.
The performing artiste was all set; got in his uniform; huffed and puffed a bit quietly, and demanded:
“Now, beat the drums; this is a pre-requisite. Without the accompaniment of loud drum-beats I can’t perform “.

The acrobat could not give his competent performance till he had the organizational environment.

NO INVESTITURE CEREMONY

It is very rarely that the RULE BOOK is handed to you on the first day of your employment, detailing the bye-laws of divesting of authority and its usage. A few general rules for administrative convenience are certainly formulated. These are not the real deterrents for use of authority. However there are some built-in individual inhibitions acquired over the years which work in place of rules. A new mind set has to be developed.


We do talk of several approaches such as enriching the jobs, enlarging the scope of the assistant’s responsibilities. Quality circles, suggestion schemes, Zero defect, Kaizen, Value/engg/Analysis, Management by Objectives, TQM and a host of others. They are all embodiments of new ideas to better the science and art of management, which ensures a Participative spirit; by bringing in an ATTITUDINAL CHANGE.

It should be borne in the mind that no investiture ceremony is necessary or is organized to empower with authority a new incumbent in the team. Authority is acquired over a period, retained by your efforts; and should be judiciously exercised. In the process of acquisition of power, retention and exercise of it, there are various shades of management styles. Some could be despotic, coercive, autocratic in their approach; others democratic. Individuals with a tendency to exercise ‘power’ too frequently and for show-off purposes are working against the goal.
The trend is now to have a transformational approach where individuals accept their team-mates as they are and make consistent efforts to change them over a period. It is in effect the negation of both; the ‘systems approach’ which is based on checks and controls; so also, the transactional approach of rewarding performance and punishing non-compliance.

What is essentially required is a general direction and willing acceptance of the shared vision by the team-mates. A confidence has to be generated in the minds of the team-mates, that support for their actions taken in course of work; will be forthcoming and minor mistakes will be corrected and condoned.

ENCOURAGEMENT

There are instances galore of enlightened C.E.O.s who encourage their Managers to explore intruded paths. The failures in “prospecting” are pardoned and underwritten. In a FORTUNE 500 company, a Marketing Executive was not only pardoned but actually rewarded, although the campaign he had launched had totally failed. The distraught Executive was expecting a reprimand and had offered to leave. The C.E.O explained,

“You have learnt some valuable insights and subtleties of the game. I won’t allow you to leave. I reward you for the innovative spirit which I noticed in your campaign. I plan to encourage and nurture this in all my executives”.

RULES OF THE GAME

A flexible approach is recommended when a change is desired. You can’t dream of a change and cling to the rigid rules, a privilege of the bureaucracy.
Patience and easy accessibility is required too. Give the credit wherever due, publicly.
A real, meaningful delegation of responsible work.
Periodic meetings to report, monitor, progress, acknowledge good work, review the assignments at hand ; and reallocate work are essential.
Whenever the perceived weaknesses of an individual member of the team are likely to adversely affect the work at hand , please offer help to carry the responsibility through, and DON”T TAKE CREDIT for this little push at the elbow.
They have to be trained, retrained in new skills and their progress is to be closely supervised in the process of acquisition of skills.
Please do encourage a healthy criticism from the team-mates and ensure openness. Convince those who are willing to understand and win them over, by a positive attitude.
With complex and the unforgiving technologies being imbibed by
us progressively, it is very necessary that we build vibrating teams of empowered persons who share the ownership concept. This is the sure way to avoid disastrous debacles such as Three Mile Islands, or Chernobyl.

Timely encouragements for satisfactory performance , is a key to maintaining the interest of individuals on the path to progress and empowerment.

It is necessary that the goals need not be permanent immutable set of jobs, but they have to be reviewed and changed periodically.

Acquisition of professional competence, maturity and self-respect are to be kindled in the team mates.

The team should be of complementary individuals to ensure a synergy; this is the singular factor that distinguishes an inspired team from a disparate group.

An effective involvement, complementary and contributory roles of the team-mates, sense of ownership and a keen desire to participate in the team assignment are the key factors in the process of empowering.

PUNCTUALITY, SENSE of purpose, objectivity are virtues to be practiced by the ROLE MODELS. No preaching will be required then.

PERIODIC MEETINGS

Periodic meetings of the team members to ensure a two-way communication and encouraging creativity are essential. Delegation of Responsibilities for implementation of accepted ideas improves team performance. The negativities, one-up-manship should be avoided in such meetings. The idea is to register that, it is the team whose success matters, and not any individual’s performance. Hence, the proceedings of such team meetings should be contributory to the team’s success, and all efforts constructive.

DOUBTING THOMASES

Some dissenters will always be there in a team, whose job is to stone you at every turn. They can’t be won by arguments. Leave them alone. Others will eventually see the emptiness of the arguments neglected by you, and your success would smell sweet.

This is a recipe for development of the HUMAN WARE and to have EMPOWERED PERSONNEL.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Oral communication is very potent tool in the hands of the team leader, that if it is used properly it can yield spectacular results.
Very often consultants use this tool to their advantage. It is noticed that the persons working in a particular job, know in depth, defects inherent in the system. Most times they are in the know (perhaps vaguely); of the solutions too. An outside consultant breaks the ice very subtly and when once the employees are ‘articulate’, a fund of expertise is unleashed. The data so gathered is processed properly, and is neatly produced as a REPORT.

CHANGE AGENTS

Today people look for the right attitudes in their employees. These are either already present as endowments and one selects the right team-mates, or attitudes are developed through constant efforts and training. Development of individuals requires a constant reminder of what you expect of the employees. Measurement of their performance, appropriate feedback and periodic course-corrections if and when required, are the intermediary steps.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Management sciences come up with several proved ideas. It could be delegation of responsibility, product groups, profit centers, motivated teams, and division of labor, whatever.

During the time of Alexander the Great, he had engaged a concept similar to empowering. He had employed SATRAPS who felt adequately empowered to take required decisions, necessary for conduct of administration, including judicial powers over conquered lands. This was way back; around 331 B.C.

Other historical instance of a relatively recent origin i.e. 1600’s could be of the British East India Company which had a charter from the Govt. to further trade. They were successful in enhancing English trade and bringing India to British Empire. Imagine a Company managing trade, raising armies, waging wars, concluding treaties. The company had the longest life, 260 years; and a great influence. They governed our country till 1858 when the British crown took over.

Managing today’s burgeoning organizations; calls for a similar type of near total delegation. Otherwise the person heading the organization will end either as a failure or a neurotic wreck.

KNOWLEDGE WORKERS

Human resource is the most important resource of the hi-tech industries. Speed is the essence of their success and to ensure it, the knowledge workers have to be adequately empowered. A single individual employee’s wrong can be potentially more damaging in today’s context than the earlier set-ups, where a lot of dead-wood could be tolerated by the system.

I remember an instance in my career with a limited company. While negotiating business deal of a sizable amount, the buyer was dithering. On a further probing I noticed that he was unsure about the extent of my authority.

Frankly, in most organizations there is an explicit authorization limit spelled out by a charter. By trial and error one knows the limits; and most times plays safe by ensuring that the TOP is ‘kept-in-the-picture’ at least!

In the particular instance that I am narrating; it was necessary that the deal was struck speedily in the company’s overall interests. I very confidently conveyed to the party,

“You are talking to THE COMPANY. I am clothed with the necessary authority to finalize the deal. If you have to consult someone else that’s a different matter”.

You will be surprised to note that the party concluded the deal then and there. It was in effect greatly beneficial to my employer.


SELF-LUMINOUS

However, in many cases the empowerment emanates from your own moral conviction. An implicit faith in the correctness of your actions is a great force which enhances the feeling of empowerment. There is no necessity of an ACT OF EMPOWERING, by someone else, externally.

In Samsung, 25 of their Group Company Presidents are authorized to make investments of up to $ 30 million without checking with Headquarters. This type of delegation promotes growth (since 1987, company assets increased by 250% to its present $49 Billion), ensures creative thinking about future and enables them to grab opportunities without waiting for clearances from ‘someone-up-there’, i.e. Chairman Lee Kun Hee.

Lee Dae Won, President of Samsung Aerospace’ sums up the style of their group functioning:

‘Chairman Lee Kun Hee; is the boss of everybody; but, here I am the Boss’

He feels he is empowered to take decisions which concern the operations of SAMSUNG AEROSPACE.

AN EROSION OF VALUES

A number of thinkers, who are the beacons for the society, have become apprehensive that the good values for which they have lived all their lives are eroding fast. Expediency seems to be the name of the game and values can be trampled upon merrily. Those who you considered to be epitomes of values seem to be baring their clay-feet

In such a scenario, to reestablish good values, a number of courageous youngsters are required who feel, that they are empowered to transform the people and their quality of life. They have the impulse to excel.

POST EMPOWERMENT SCENE

The irascible mother-in –law would be heard saying thus, to her empowered daughter-in-law.
“Please do call the beggar back. If you feel proper, do give away alms to him too! After all this is all YOURS”.


M. S. RANADE
mranade@vsnl.com
Published in Economic Times Mumbai on …….

"LEARNING MANAGER"

AGE CANNOT WITHER HIM NOR CUSTOM STALE

There are a no of attributes which are the basic prerequisites of a good manager. Essentially, he should be an effective team worker and a good team leader. He should be able to motivate his people, have excellent communication skills, job-knowledge and be able to deliver the goods. He would be branded and effective manager, only when he has all these attributes. A tall order; isn’t it? But that’s not all….

One important dimension to all those managerial capabilities, which distinguishes the spectacularly successful rising star from the common lot is however often ignored. That dimension is: he should be a learning manager of the future, because only he ,will be able to keep pace with the changing time

TECHNOLOGY UPGRADATION

There has been an explosion in technology in recent times. This has permeated to almost every aspect of management. Be it planning, production, design, and tooling, Marketing, Informatics, Budgeting, Finance or the Behavioral Sciences. These call a revolutionary approach to study of one’s own chosen field or specialization.

However, most graduates leave their books behind alongside the gowns they wore at the convocation. Very few bother, to open a book later on any subject; leave alone on the subject of the specialization.

The condition can be well exemplified by some of the general practitioners. An old LCPS physician would still be prescribing sulphur drugs pursuant to the text he had mastered in his forty’s in his college.

He is oblivious to the advances on the bacterial battle-front; of antibiotics, its various combinations and then pharmacological developments. He refuses to acknowledge study and imbibe the advent of technology, such ones will soon become extinct like the Dinosaurs who refuse to adapt to the change environment.

The acquired knowledge has to be updating, enlarged and enriched constantly. In today’s world market by an accelerated pace of development on the technological front, this is a basic pre-requisite for any professional.

INSTITUTIONALIZED LEARNING

Human resource is considered the prime and the most valuable of all the resources, the worth of which increases with the passage of time. The increase in its worth is directly proportional to the expertise of the personnel, which improves with experience, imbibing of contemporary skills; absorption of advanced knowledge in relevant fields, training, etc.

In all progressive companies the management is very conscious about its personnel- retention ratios alongside acquisition of talent, development of employees in service, forms and essential part of their retention efforts. A combination of several efforts ; search as jobs- enrichment, rotation, enlargement; exposure to innovative techniques , and off course periodic reviews of compensation packages result in a reasonable retention of acquired and trained talent.

Most enlightened employer’s have a structured Human Resource development department who take care of the basic need of updating the knowledge of employees on various fronts. This is supplemented by part-time training courses offered by a few educational institutes, subscriptions to meaningful correspondence courses, open universities registration (IGNOU), etc. Recognized professional courses offered by prestigious institutes in various functional disciplines such as costing, finance, materials, engineering, etc. are some more avenues for advancement in the chosen career.

LEARNING MANAGER

Beyond all this , there is that single-man-crusader who wishes to enrich his knowledge by religiously going through the latest technical journals, digesting modern thoughts, pouring over the old text to derive significant references and co-relating science and its applicability. HE makes conscious efforts to generally progress in his chosen field.

This learning manager is not only updating the knowledge in his chosen field but imbibing some new skills such as informatics, Computer programming, computer- aided design, graphics, etc.

He strives to add some more dimensions to this expertise by acquiring specializes knowledge in finance , cost – accounting , mercantile law, industrial regulations , licensing labor legislations , etc.

ROLE MODEL

In other words, our ‘LM’ is restless individual who wishes to progress from here to new pastures of “knowledge”. In addition to his advancement on the career path and economic well-being, “LM” directly or indirectly contributes to the organization he is serving. He is a great role model to the youngsters, too!

In our country, on account of these peculiarities of the education system, a number of deserving youngsters are denied their “right” to pursue further studies.

This could be on account of some economic, geographic or social constraints. Such brilliant youngsters accept and pursue education in whichever stream they can afford to have; followed by efforts to seek gainful employment.

Having got into the grind as a bread-winner; they do reflect on their career path. When the realization dawns on them, that their full potential was denied the opportunity to blown; they do sit up!

The next step is either total frustration or a build-up of negativity resulting in membership, in the “always disgruntled” (ADC for short). This club is thriving in today’s industrial world. The other and a more positive alternative is there emolumentation of our L.M.

MENTORING

Very often one notices a welcome phenomenon of a learning manager excepting a few protégés and offering himself to be a good mentor to them. Generally those around the learning manager are only appreciating of his untiring efforts at amazing knowledge, a few accept him as role model and a favor still are the fortunate ones who will be a direct mentoring from him. Mentoring involves advising in the right direction, monitoring the progress and ensuring post correction wherever necessary. The mentor accepts the full responsibility for the progress of his protégé.

COMPLACENCY

Normally an employee, when he starts earning his wages gets bogged down his office routine, house chores and such mundane pursuits. A certain kind of complacency so very prevalent in the rat race crepes in . To be able to overcome this”steady state” ia a great break through.

The quest for knowledge is a very basic quality in a learning manager. It is for adding to his knowledge that he strives and struggles. The motivating factor is not the monetary benefits that one may derive on account of the superior knowledge acquired. This may be an incidental side effect; and welcome too!

Another variety of an LM is a person who delves deep into subjects which are different from the area of his immediate specialization. He goes on and on, in the pursuit of knowledge in various fields. I can cite an example of a no of scholars, who were engineer’s administrators, civil servants or businessman in their vacations. But their dedicated and consistent efforts to consolidate their knowledge of Sanskrit where exemplary, to say the least.

I am resorting to this example to highlight the point that their increased proficiency in the language could have only produced an inner joy themselves and perhaps respect in their perspective erudite circles but would not have improved their earning on the economic front .

Similarly, a few engineers have pursued their study beyond the university level in specialized technologies for enriching their knowledge. Indirect benefits did accrue to them whenever some specific use was engineered by some entrepreneurs. However, this was incidental, or even accidental. There were several who did devote considerable time regularly in enjoying pure mathematics in spite of very remote chances of economic betterment through such pursuits.

EGOLESS STATE

One very common feature which is noticeable in LMs is their modesty. They are so much engrossed in their pursuits of knowledge that there is no time left for them to have ego-trips. They are at the self-actualization stage of Abraham Maslow. The only driving force is a thirst for knowledge, which increases with every attempt at satiation. Age is also not a binding factor for such individuals.

An LM can thus be described as a one-man HRD entity as a source of enlightenment for collogues and an asset to their organization.

M S RANADE
Chairman & CEO
Placewell Consultants, Pune 411007
mranade@vsnl.com

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"COMING OF AGE OF INTERVIEWS"

“I shall not leave a single stone UNTURNED.”!!!

Today when you hear such a tall-claim, it sounds a far fetched one as though it were to be from the Stone Age. Not really. This used to be the stock sentence in all the job applications in the early fifties. Perhaps a relic of the bygone Raj. The court-language in the applications; was a legacy of an omni-present professional of that period, i.e. the BOND-WRITER.

UNDERTONE

“I beg to apply, for an opportunity to serve under your kind and esteemed honor”

“If given a chance I shall diligently and honestly serve your reputed Company to the very best of my abilities”

“Being given to understand that there are a few vacancies under your able, competent and generous control; I most humbly submit the following for your perusal, Sir; I shall work to the utmost satisfaction of my superiors”, etc.

The overall tone of a job applicant used to be abjectly servile, to say the least, and very verbose. He was over-polite, awe-struck, tensed up and scared; of the reception to his communication.

TEA-GUZZLER

The prospective candidate could be noticed scribbling draft applications on the best available paper from some musty corner of an Irani Hotel. Drafts would follow drafts till the dust-bin would overflow. Over a shared cup of tea, he would scan ‘situations vacant’ ads with the expectancy and a hungry look, a famished person would give to food. The newspaper, light, fan, and iced water used to be, on the house.

GROWLING MONSTER

The reason for this approach also lay in the interviewing techniques used those days. The mental make up of the interviewer was domineering, condescending and making the job-aspirant generally uncomfortable.

Those were the days when a job aspirant entering a cabin for an interview, felt as if he were about to face a firing squad. He used to invariably dress in his best Sunday suit & still shiver in his shoes. The room used to be occupied by men with solemn and long faces; atmosphere; sombre.

They were more interested in finding out the candidate’s ignorance-zones so as to eliminate him from the process of selection.

“What is the difference between a High Commissioner and an Ambassador when both are diplomats from one sovereign country to another”?

!! None could answer!!

Later I learnt that the exact answer i.e. the Ambassadors within Commonwealth countries are called High Commissioners, was not known to the interviewer too!

The entire process of interviewing sounded as if they desired to create a respect for themselves by striking fear in the interviewee’s heart than by winning him over, through a confident and friendly attitude. This is akin to the present-day stress interviews, which a few uppity panels resort to.

Each interviewer on the panel would try to impress the others by displaying one’s erudition and GK vis-à-vis the abominable ignorance of the candidate. It was quite common to notice the questioner trying to assess, the impact of his question on the other panel members, than the interviewee.

THE CHANGE

Contrast this with the goings-on in a modern-day interview room. The atmosphere is more congenial, candidate-friendly and professional. The interviewer’s behavior today is focused more, to put the prospective candidate to ease. Today’s interview brings out the strengths of the candidate to the fore. Such an approach has given a distinctly human face to the personnel selection process which essentially is prediction of the potential of the candidate.


One of the reasons for this change can be found in the realization that, just as a job seeker needs a job; it is the company, which too needs to recruit the right professional by providing him a congenial working atmosphere.

That an interview is a two-way traffic, and not a dead-end; is dawning upon the minds of the employers as a class.

INTRODUCTION OF OBJECTIVITY

Tests are used to assess various facets of a personality of the interviewee. There are about 4000 registered tests which are administered by practicing behavioral scientists. These professionals have to be certified practitioners, since the tests, in addition to their utility for personnel selection, can be used for clinical purposes also.

The relevance of tests is pronounced in today’s interviews. Tests bring out the latent capacities, potential for growth, and not-so-manifest aptitudes and traits in an individual. Tests also ensure a certain kind of objectivity in the process of selection.

PANEL VS. INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS

A panel is constituted to select the right candidate. They are preferred to an individual one on one interview. Basically the candidate is assessed during a very short period and the full potential may not be apparent due to the time constraints. Hence, persons from diverse disciplines interview the candidate and opine on their findings which are consolidated; to reach the final decision of selection.

A few companies prefer separate meetings by the panel members with the candidate and their individual opinions are pooled for a decision. Especially for selecting personnel for marketing assignments, a group discussion on a specific topic by all the candidates is resorted to. This brings to the fore the communication expertise, leadership qualities and interpersonal skills in an individual. Of course the GD method has its limitations as it cannot be employed for senior positions; and in a few cases GDs are orchestrated by participants.

HEAD-HUNTERS

Your man may be serving in some company and you would not like to disclose your identity till the final round of interviews. Until you are certain about the willingness of the individual concerned for a change of horses it is under wraps. In such cases one uses Head-Hunters, who may contact your man discreetly & keep the corporate identity of the employer fuzzed.

COMPENSATION PACKAGE

In some cases the compensation offered may sound obscene, however, getting an individual for a specific need may compel an employer to agree to this. The fancy package may upset the apple cart of an organization. Hence engagements on assignments basis of individuals is also the in-thing. The earlier pay , or ‘salary & perks’ are fast being replaced by a broader term ‘Compensation Package’, which is ‘protected’, not negotiated, in the modern interviews. That is one of the last items discussed, as if it were too mundane a subject to be surfaced in an affluent society.

COMPLACENT MR. RIGHTS

Today there is a desperate dearth of people who have the requisite competence in specific job-profiles and a proven track record. The Mr. Rights are grooved in and contented with their current placements. So far there used to be protracted negotiations of the salaries of people as they were more treated as commodities being horse-traded. This has given way to a touchy-feely Manager, who reassures the candidate about the salary structure; job-profile; career advancement; pays him air fare to the venue of the interview and the like.

GLASNOST

The old cloak and dagger operation of applying in ‘strict confidence’ to a Post Box No. where the candidate used to be reluctant to disclose his employer’s name, terms, job-content, etc. is soon being replaced by a walk-in-interview or a friendly ad which goads you to telephone the prospective Mr. Employer; by his name; or better still calls you up with your Career Vitae, at a specific address. No appointments, no show-off, no inaccessibility; which would be associated with the Boss image.

Today’s interviews are becoming more friendly and informal. This starts right from the way the recruitment ads are worded e.g. just ring up 8496580 and speak to me about your aspirations. There are also the campus-interviews, where the interviewers go out (physically), in search of talent to various Institutes, to catch them young, as it were.

WALK-IN-INTERVIEWS

In some quarters or some trades there is a colossal contentment prevalent. Mr. Right may not take the trouble of applying in a structured format mailing the same and waiting for the response. One has to shake him out of the complacency. He has to be made to sit up. Hence, some walk-in-interviews. They serve as a good means of recruitment and are effective if held on Sundays. This facilitates candidates who need not have to seek leave of absence from their present employer. Its superiority lies in the speed & informality.

PEEP IN THE FUTURE

Applications need not now be received through a postman to a Post Box No., but, they can be FAXED or sent on the email and instantaneously reached to the places desired.

With the advent of electronics, advancement of informatics, the entire process of interviewing is likely to undergo a metamorphosis.

TELECOMMUNICATION

Visits to various metropolitan towns for interviewing candidates will soon be an old hat. A combination of techniques such as FAX, E-MAIL, AUDIO /VIDEO conferencing will be the features of 21st century interviews. The technology will bring about a sea-change when “CENTURY COMES OF AGE AT 21”. We may able to interview a candidate by using an extension of the technology and a number of persons can put questions to the candidate who may be hundreds of Kilometers away from the panel and his response could be seen and heard by them.

PSYCHOGRAPHALOGY

This new science/art portrays the personality of a candidate (both apparent and latent) by interpreting an individual’s hand-writing. The revelations by the expert practitioners are simply amazing and have to be seen, to be believed. It is not so rampant to use this expertise yet in the selection process.

HOLOGRAMS

Instead of the passport size photograph on the application, soon one may be able to project a holographic 3 D image, with the help of LASERS. Later, projections can be of a moving image too.

RECRUITMENT ADS

Today when one has to attract talent, one engages oneself in using all the PR skills that one can muster. That is the reason why creation of recruitment ads is becoming an art by itself. Either, have a novelty introduced such as giving an excellent visual of one’s factory. Use some poetry, giving some topical theme, such as cricket , tennis, or using a striking theme which may send shock waves such as, ”We do not want you”, or “Put your salary details down, we shall sign the cheque”. The entire purpose seems to be to attract attention and consequently the right people.

SYNERGY

There is a special kind of symbiotic relationship emerging between Advertising & Personnel as the limelight and expenses are shared to secure a corporate publicity in the process of selection.

Visuals in recruitment ads would have been as imponderable, only a decade back. Today it has become almost an integral part of it.

TODAY’S ADS

As we can see, a synergy is perceived by the Personnel & Advertising departments in this crusade to attract attention of the right segment. The job ads should really speaking serve the purpose of reaching the target audience, whose response is aimed at.

But the ads are too costly, a half page ad in a reputable National Daily will cost upwards of Rs.50000/-, so why not get some mileage out of the expense and say a lot about the company. The recruitment ads serve as good PR material for the project and company and secure the desired response; too. Here we are attempting to catch two birds in one STONE, perhaps the one, all applicants were attempting to turn up in the early fifties.


M.S. RANADE,
mranade@vsnl.com
PUBLISHED IN ECONOMIC TIMES MUMBAI, ON THURSDAY 13TH AUGUST 1992.