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| Home > Women Entrepreneurs > Women At Work |
A FULL BLOWN CHAPTER OUT
OF MY CORPORATE DIARY
Dear Reader, though every page of my corporate diary is very interesting and worth sharing with you, I would restrain myself, at present, to discussing the penultimate one as this is most engrossing and eventful time of my entire career. I would also love to call it thrilling and at times amusing, too. I really enjoyed every moment of it at the cost of somebody's foolishness. This chapter is important on account of the presence of a Khalnayak on the scene. The villainy had added punch as it flowed from the boss on so he thought himself to be. We were same ranking officers - senior managers- may be he had a couple of years of service more in the grade than I had. But that had neither made him wiser nor more skillful and in no way it gave him the privilege to indulge in incivilities with senior officials of the organization. It definitely does not allow him to behave as if he is the Sultan and me, his slaves. He ran the branch as his fiefdom, following and violating the rules of the organization as it suited him. I was bound not to take it kindly, I did not and returned the voiles with greater punch as they came. I thoroughly enjoyed playing with his idiocy. To the discerning his immaturity and insecurity reflected in every word and dead. His acts (not known to him) were an uninterruptible supply of amusement to everybody at the workplace. Yours must be thinking by new who this character is? Well this abominable son of sultan has a diminutive frame and a dirty betel-stared smile. Corporate Diary Sushma Anand THE RISE & RISE OF VAMPIRE No other person/situation has propelled me to pen these lines as the desire to pierce the veil off this stinking, reeking bully. Endowed with an awfully negative personality, he started emitting his evil aroma right from the first day he reported at our branch as in -charge. Suffering from an incurable personality disorder this unfortunate man with ugly ego made everybody squirm. The nasty air of arrogance that enveloped his being vitiated the entire work atmosphere, which till date had been full of bonhomie and comraderi. You must be thinking as to why I called him unfortunate - the one who is adapt at causing misery to all. Actually, there is no punishment greater than self-conceit and this man possesses that in abundance which is ensuring the blockage of his further progress and that is why I call him unfortunate. The concept of aura is receiving a lot of attention of well meaning people as a means of assessing an individual and his/her state of health, and anything that this sick man exuded, it was the stink of his putrefying ego. We have a number of villainous characters is our organization (perhaps like any other) and all these vie with each other over the numero uno position. I have no doubts that this wolf in sheep's garb most certainly belongs to that pack. His betel smeared smile, no grin (for he is incapable of smiling genuinely) spraying saliva sometimes even betel nut splinters whenever he opened his mouth, besides adding value to his wickedness, taught us to keep a safe distance of 3-4 feet from him. What a great corporate image he depicted of our esteemed organization by sitting at the branch manager's chair. Corporate Diary Sushma Anand I found him to be uncomfortable with the fact that others were more knowledgeable and informed them him. Somewhere at the back of his mind he was aware of this and tried to convince people by blowing his own trumpet "Oh I am so sincere", I worked hard in the year so and so". Poor man did not realize that people had stopped believing in unverifiable history and would have appreciated a recent sample of his mastery of work. Bullies, they say, are emotional vampires. They don't need to suck your blood to survive, they need your fears to thrive. This son of satan is an ace among workplace bullies. I was determined to block the nourishment, the moment I could discover the face behind the veil. Corporate Diary Sushma Anand If anything such callousness and rudeness on the part of the man at the helm of affairs did to the organization, it was erosion of productivity. He inflicted achieve the desired objective All said and done, we live in a corporate world full of protean characters. Those who say one thing at one place and quite contrary at another. Everybody almost everybody who ribbed about the atrocious attitude of The Khalnayak, nodded his/her head affirmatively in his presences/ on his askance. His offending manner was a great strain for all those working with him but nobody had the get to reply back and ask him to be respectful to the human dignity. Two ward that most aptly describe him are insensitive and callous. Corporate Diary Sushma Anand The concerned staff is a knowledgeable, hard working and sincere employee who had completed three years service in this branch and was likely to be transferred elsewhere. Sensing her impending transfer she made a representation to the higher authorities requesting placement in a nearby branch so that the time saved in traveling be devoted to the special needs of her child. This devil incarnate on a query from the controlling office, conveniently told a white and white lie that she has not made any request. The son of satan did not wish to let her go from his clutches as she was good worker. He wanted all the plum and cream. How wicked men flourish in our organization at the cost of sincere workers. You are punished for being honest and sincere worker. Corporate Diary Sushma Anand This was the person who invariably on earlier meetings used to insist that I visit his home as we were living nearby. At the time I was in charge of the general Manager's secretariat and he wanted to be in my good books as I had direct access to the person who was in charge of the zone. Who knew then that this person one day would squirm at my presence in the same office. In a short while of his stay at the branch as its head he started showing his fangs, The lady's case was one and others were to follow especially with respect to me as I just did not fit into his schemes of things and I had no intention to full in his line either. There started a full fledged cold was which amused me no end. I will aite a few examples of activities that used to take place during the course of the day and will leave the decision with you. 11/4/2k At 10.50 the devil incarnate called up the boss, Mr. Lungiwala, the Regional Manager, and conveyed a while lie that madam does not work at all. He didn't flinch for a moment telling this out 'n out lie (facts can still be verified from office records). And Lungiwala the great, too engrossed in inefficiency didn't even give a thought to cross-check the antecedents of this deceptive statement. Lungiwala didn't mind anything so far as he does not have to exert his brain (if any existed) to make any decision others were ready to provide fodder for whatever detrimental decisions he took for the / organization. How facts were mired in lies, twisted, distorted and destroyed by son of Satan', the compulsive liar, to suit his whims and fancies. I do not want such 'n such person because she/he has the cheeks to call me a spade. He was cocksure that he will get me removed for askance but fate willed otherwise and gods' blessings were on my side. He had to face defeat, not that I wanted to work with him but I wanted to chose my timing. Corporate Diary Sushma Anand 15th April ' 2k It was 9.50 in the morning when I reached office and got busy with the top priority work of the day - taking out the cash from the chest. It was around 9.55 only when I chanced to observe the son of Satan saddled in his throne (so he thought) surveying the surroundings with a hawkish gaze to zero in on his beast or is it beasts of prey for the day. Such was his great appetite for humiliating people/ causing harm to people that he was not satiated with only one prey at a time. He tried to grab as many as possible. In our childhood we had heard stories of a demon who used to eat a man a day but this demon in front of us appeared to be a voracious eater. He is a master in demolishing or should I say bulldozing the self-respect of employees/ staff working with him. All this despite his less than mediocre abilities - come to think of he was not able to speak in plain, decent Hindi, he used the dialect for his comunication. Enlgish language he was frightered -off because he was unable to comprehed anything beyond pleasantaries. If you wish to send an offical letter with a different view than his, you could chose a heavy, loaded phrasing beyond his comprehension. For fear of being exposed of his lack of knowledge, he used to sign what he could not understand. I exploited it fully and always used words which he had never heard of let alone read them. His victims are eagerly waiting for the day when they will be able to settle the score with him. Some are so exasperated with his evil ways that they are secretly contemplating thrashing him with shoes and sandals (if only he knew) ! His despotic manners deserve more than that. Let us see how fate deals with it. All the best to well meaning people. Corporate Diary Sushma Anand Another Day another way I was sat branch at 9.50 and as usual got busy with the handing over the cash to the Head cashier for the day as again I was holding the chest keys. Free from this hassle and after assigning the work to staff, at 10.05 A.M., I apprised the dud with a villainous countenance about the situation. Unfortunately, my assistant was on leave. I say unfortunately because her presence relieves me of at least half the tension associated with my work. My misfortune had not come alone and the assistant given to me by devil himself was none other than the one I detested most. I don't mind working without any assistant but I loathe a poor and slow worker. At the end of the day while checking and verifying his work I turned a firm believer of his negligent and idiotic attitude towards his work. His assistance hardly caused any relief to my burden. The amount of time I spent in checking his work, was almost three times the amount it would have taken me to do the work myself. The Dracula was ensconced in his saddle, keeping an eagle---- no vulture eye on the movement of stuff members. As he was not good at anything else he diligently noted the timings of all staff members visits to toilet for answering the call of nature or otherwise. In his surveillance he was oblivious to the civic sense. A shameless incident will elaborate on total absence of propreity on his part. Around mid-noon when the work at the branch was at its peak, one lady member felt the need of visiting the toilet. She got up from her seat and after taking a few steps she drew back as she had noticed this son of satan standing at the door of the ease zone, single entrance led to the men's room and women's room. She saw him and dropped the idea for a while. It was well known in the branch that once he entered the toilet, he will not emerge back before twenty minutes. She got occupied with her work and after about forty minutes, a peon conveyed to her that boss wishes to see her. Corporate Diary Sushma Anand Can you strain your brain to imagine what he told her there. Before disclosing I may mention here that she happens to be that most humble and decent staff member. This devil incarnate unabashedly said, "you wanted to use the toilet. It is vacant now, you can go". (Aap toilet Jana Chah Rahe the, ab Khali Hai, Ab Aap Ja Sakte ho). That moment she felt like sinking in the ground. She felt so ashamed and shocked that she didn't said a word of protest at this ill-mannered behavior. She went and sat in the record-room, away from everybody, for quite a while before she could resume the composure to face herself in the presence of others. For days together she could not get over this condescending matter. Had I been at her place I would have given it back there and then. I would have told him that you scum of the earth, how dare you do it? You have no business to submit your advice on such a private matter and that, too concerning a woman. I felt enraged. Can there be a sexual harassment worse than this? Much against my heart's desire I wish " may his daughter get a boss like him". It was mid-day when I went inside to apprise him of the priority work at my department, his approach, not unusually, was abhorrent. He has the great knack of taking everything negatively and in his vanity it as a blow to his ego. Be it so, I thought. Feeling highly offended and obviously uncomfortable at being told to plan and decide in accordance with work priorities, he put forward the most stupid, irrelevant and impractical suggestions. A I left his cabin, he proceeded to bad-month to Lungiwala Madam (that is, Me) does not behave appropriately, she is arrogant and snobbish and does not bow her head before me. She does not work and comes on time and goes on time (that was a crime in the satan's eyes) managing to complete her work on time. She laughs the whole day with a pack of like-minded people around her. The devil was tested by our enjoyment, we treated the work as fun in a true stress- free style. But the bad man was irked by our positive attitude to work and workers. Our attempts to rid ourselves of work stress were causing great stress to him. I know in his heart of hearts he was fearing we are laughing at him, we are ridiculing him making fun of him. (quite a bit was true as well) this sense of self-incompetence and low self-esteem made our laughter and happiness intolerable for him. He was frustrated beyond redemption and this got reflected in his endeavors to call people separately and drill his sincerity to the job in their mind. Some of it got manifested in his efforts to brainwash the Lungiwala about me. Somehow, he felt I was the one who is encouraging rebellion. Lungiwala listened to him but dared not take any decision with respect to me for he, too, was aware of my good relations with people at the helm of affairs and my ability to take the bull by horns. Besides, it suited his (Lungiwala's ) nature as well. Lungiwala basked in the glory of not taking decisions. He bowed to all sorts of pressures from unions and associations. Much later, I come to know that Lungiwala had an unblemished track-record of 36 years of not-taking any decisions. Surprisingly, he still managed to get a sensitive assignment of heading an important region controlling between 35-40 branches. God save the institution! Corporate Diary Sushma Anand Our great Lungiwala these days (ever since he became aware of his impending move from this place) had started indulging unabashedly in appeasing pressure mongers. In a manner most unbecoming of an executive he took to union's / association's advice for conducting the affair of his office. Much to the detriment of organization he moved people right, left and center, defying all corporate norms, reason, logic and needs. "Trust but verify" said Ronald Reagan ( the VS President) about Russians but Lungiwala appeared not to learn anything out of this dictum. He took all kind of misinformation in his stride, verification or even giving as much as an ear to the other side was blash phemous to Lungiwala. Unfortunately for the Son of Satan and fortunately for me, every time he misinformed Lungiwala about me, I immediately came to know. Over one phone he will indulge in this and on the other phone I will receive all the information about devil's tactics (not that I was tapping or even as much as desired to do so). Thanks to well meaning people and my friends around the reporting authority's place, I was armed with all the information I needed. I just let the things go as I was not willing to work with the Khalnayak, I told myself- let him try. I needed time and blissfully, the God gave me that time. Despite his hard and incessant efforts, I was not moved. Time and again people came and informed me that dracula is trying very hard to push me from there but was unable to do so. For the love of my friends wa on my side, for God smiled at me and showered his blessings at me. Thank God. Corporate Diary Sushma Anand Today on 13th April everybody in the branch is busy writing his/her leave application for the forthcoming summer holidays. Ms. S. appllied for 20 days leave in June, Mr. G. wanted 10 days off during last two weeks of May, Mr. B. perforce had to take 30 days off to save lapsing of his leave in Mid April, above alll big brother's portege, the man in the cabin was compelled by the same reason to avail leave. At this juncture what amused me most was the query advanced by the devil incarnate as to whether I also needed time off during next two months. Smilingly I nodded my head in the negative as I had no plans to proceed on a holiday. This exercise appeared futile to me as I was sure that I will be moving from here by then because he was trying very hard to get rid of me. This wily character tried to show himself as my well-wisher and posed to be a generous hearted good human being. We know him to be otherwise and stuck to our opinion despite his endeavors. Instead of paying attention to more meaningful jobs, such as the ambience of branch, he indulged blatantly in scheming for harassment of people working with him. The ambience at the branch was unbearable as it could get. Many a time we felt we are living in the middle of the industrial age. Mr. Nahar came to operate his locker at 12.30 P.M and complained of the suffocating and smothering atmosphere prevailing in the strong room. He was absolutely right and I had to corroborate his views and expressed my helplessness at working in those obnoxious conditions. We are about 30 people working in that 1500 square feet areas with almost no ventilation and abysmal cooling. The air-conditions placed in the main hall surprisingly have a range of six inches and you have to put your hand before the main unit to find whether it is working or not. Corporate Diary Sushma Anand The pressure on the air available for breathing was further intensified by the presence of hundred odd customers in the service area. There is always a mad rush of retail banking due to the locational advantage (or was it disadvantage). The gushing flow of people at the branch on a day which is preceded as well as succeeded by a holiday has only to be seen to be believed. We were invariably inundated with people running in as if the bank is going to be wrapped up the next day. Or such days there are bound to be some dashes with the customers as they had to wait for their turn in long queues and the staff is worked with over-load. Like any other such day an alteration ensued between one of the cashiers (at receipt counter) and a savings account holder. Gradually it took a very ugly turn and there were loud and violent verbal exchanges between the other staff member including two senior managers intervened to calm down the situation but this son of Satan (as is his wont) kept sitting inside his cabin oblivious to his duty and responsibility. It has always happened like this, he never bothered to come out in the hall to help either the staff or attend the customers. Even when there is any argument/ fight is taking place between two staff members on some official matter, this devil never mediate. Whatever he is supposed to do he will never do and whatever he should not do he is busy doing. The wily character with his trademark betel smeared idiotic grin was as usual occupied with playing his dirty, evil tricks. At 5.30 p. m. as I was about to call it a day, the joint manager requested me to verify the cash and get the cash bin locked for the day as he had to rush for a routine inspection. I would have appreciated this information coming in at 4:45 p.m. so that I could plan my activities accordingly. Anyway what has to be done, has to be done. Quietly, I took the keys and proceeded to execute the formalities. My work was over at 5:50 and I left for home. Health was continuously deteriorating and the least that could help at the work front was the hostile attitude of the man in the box. My spondilitis and sciatica problems got accentuated on account of the nature of work and the stress unleashed by the devil. Finally in the first week of May I had to proceed on leave on medical grounds due to unbearable law back pain and plunging blood pressure. Corporate Diary Sushma Anand First week of May I had to proceed on leave on account of illness. I applied for ten days' leave thinking it will stabilize me enough to resume duty. Ten days were over but the excruciating low back and sciatica pain kept troubling me. I was compelled to extend my rest period for another ten days on my doctor's advice. Accordingly I sent an application addressed to branch manager requesting an extension of my leave in view of my continued ill health. Days passed but the normalcy or even stability of health still eluded me. Around last week of the month my condition deteriorated further and I was taken to my home town by my family members on 23/5/2000. I sent a request to the branch manager for further extension of leave by two weeks as also intimated my travel plans. This infuriated the Devil incarnate and from his office he shot a letter asking for "valid reasons"( illness in his opinion was not a valid reason) for extension of leave and conveyed his inability to sanction leave. He further instructed me to resume duty immediately as leave could not be sanctioned. The communication was totally uncalled for and deserved a hard-hitting reply. Thus far he had dealt with weak people who even though got offended by his callous, insensitive and humiliating attitude, could not withstood the pressure of his domineering tactics. Good for him but his time around he touched a wrong chord which not only was to burn his finger with which he meddled but also cause grave damage to his public image. Corporate Diary Sushma Anand I sent the following strongly worded letter as my reply and to block the misinformation deluge to higher authorities I ensured endorsing a copy to all concerned authorities. In one go not only did I hurt him where it pinched most but also pre-empted his usual move of launching an ill-conceived misinformation campaign against me. Dear Sir, I invite reference to your letter dated 23/5/2k sent to me at my Dehra-Dun address which has been redirected and received by me today. I am very much surprised and pained to read the contents of the letter due to following reasons: 1) When I had informed the bank vide my letter dater 22/5/2k that my health condition is not conducive to report for duty, what other "VALID REASON" is required by the competent authority for sanctioning me the leave. It is a fact that I am not keeping well and the same is supported by requisite medical opinion from time to time. In such an eventuality I fail to comprehend as to what more valid reason is supposed to be given by me. In case the Bank requires fitness of the state my health, I may be advised in writing to go to Bank's medical doctor for necessary authentication of my illness as also for the opinion of doctor but certainly the valid reason for illness can not be presumed by the competent authority himself without issuing me an instruction to undergo medical examination. The competent authority is professionally incompetent to make a judgement / even form an opinion on my health condition without subjecting me to medical examination by the bank's doctor. All this certainly indicates that the issue is being prejudged and decided by the competent authority in his own wisdom to harass me in particular and cause embarrassment amongst officer's community in general. 2) I now seek your fresh instructions in the matter and also advise for the course of action in writing at my local address in Delhi & / Or Dehra-Dun address. (Since I have to be looked after by my family members in case of need at Dehra-Dun) 3) I may also clarify that despite my being so unwell I perforce had to undertake Journey to be looked after by my family after being examined by the doctor in the morning on 23rd May, 2000, I do not see any valid reason as to why the competent authority should raise doubts/ objections w.r.t. the date of medical certificate dated 23/5/2k issued at Delhi Sincerely Yours, Corporate Diary Sushma Anand Resumed duty after precisely 34 days of illness. Not only after a long interval but also after much water flowed down. The feel in the office air was eerie. It subtly conveyed a heady mixture of apprehension, astonishment and applause. The mysterious expressions of my colleagues and co-workers appeared to silently echo "Oye Oye" around me. Everyone's eyes rolling and dragon's writhing. Viola! What a scene. I exchanged pleasantries with everyone barring of course, you know who. The son of satan, squirmed, twisted and turned in his chair on beholding the face of his defeat. This perhaps was the most abominable moment of his life - his office life. The person he wished to humiliate was not only standing tall before him but also had inflicted a crushing defeat on him. I could only imagine how this man with big blown ego must be feeling on a pin being thrown in it. His "satanic verses" were silenced by befitting other verses. His immaturity and discomfiture was conspicuously visible in every act and gesture. The self-conceited moron was not aware that he was face-to-face with a keen student of psychology who could read much beyond his apparent façade. He just could not reconcile himself with the indispensable reality of his betonies (i.e., me) being his co-worker. The megalomaniac with a blinkered outlook found it rather impossible to admit his defeat. Snapping every chord of sanity he decided not to communicate with me not that I was looking upto it. I was pertly comfortable without having to listen to his "idiotic verses" anymore or at least for sometime. I had to heartily reciprocate the sentiment and fortunately it gave me a lot of peace and space, too. He is in habit of calling staff-managerial staff included - in side his cabin on trivial pretext. I was spared of these unnecessary attendance here after. Day1: After Resuming duty, people were cautious, apprehensive and ensured not to make a mention of discomforting the episode. Whatever transpired as a reaction to or as fall out of my communication in my absence was not disclosed to me. It was like walking on fire or stepping on a landmine, they better avoided it. Every time the nervous wreck looked through the glass of his cabin the face of his defeat (me) glared at him. Oblivious to all this I carried on the business as usual. The seating arrangement and lay-out of the branch was such that he had perforce cross my sight. Corporate Diary Sushma Anand Second day, too, went without communicating. He was uncomfortable talking to me and I was least interested in any interaction whatsoever with him. We managed to pull the day. During the course of this second fateful day two officer colleagues over come the hesitation and informed me of the turn of events in response to my communication. "Hurriedly satan ran to Regional Office to contain the damage caused by my reply" one of them told me. " The devil was disturbed, shaken and at a loss to explain the things to higher authorities" added another. They congratulated me at shooting the most appropriately volley. All of them secretly wished it to happen as nobody was or should I say could even be happy working with such a callous character. His behavior was totally abominable. Everybody wanted him to be disgraced but nobody dared to do it himself. Much desired has happened and they felt happy about it. Third day on duty, still we avoided entering into each others' Around afternoon there was an urgent call from Regional Office that they needed a certain statement from my department immediately. It was a comprehensive data sheet that the higher office required. I was not provided with any assistant on that day and alone just could not have made it. In favor of discretion, I picked up the intercom and informed the disturbed soul that Regional Office needs the specific information urgently and without manpower, its not possible for our department to accomplish to task? This is how the ice, no the glacier was broken. Thereafter he culled the courage to talk to me and at least the official communication started flowing. It appeared he had mellowed but all that was put on or forced by the circumstances not by choice. It doesn't matter to me so long as it saved the ugly scenes between us. Perhaps at this juncture, compelled by the circumstances, just let the things go by. I know what lied beneath - he made up his mind of getting rid of me. " You are most welcome to do so", I thought who wants to work with an in civil character like you. How
to save your skin in current recession period Deepika Jain It's a new year with new hopes and new goals. Many of us have set professional goals, which we plan to materialize this year. Here we have a few handy tips which can help you evolve and rectify some small but very important work strategies that can work wonders for you: Be cheerful and creative: Whether you sing or share some light moments with a colleague, it always helps to raise the team spirit and work environment. Sporting a positive presence can be a job saver especially when times are tough and company morale is low. Everybody loves to hang around with someone who generates happy vibes. But beware! getting too close could be a blunder. A cheerful face and pleasant greetings are difficult to forget. Give a facelift to your desk: Are you late for the meetings all the time, is it because you have difficulty digging out the file from the pile of papers stocked on your desk? If that is so, its time to clear all that mess and organize your desk for efficiency and neat presentation. Adding a vase, fresh or artificial flowers, decorative candles, paper windmill or even a small crystal Ganesha paperweight will enliven the atmosphere at your desk. Develop strong communication skills: While communication is a backbone for jobs such as public relations, marketing and sales, effective communication can help to woo big-spending clients. Also, you are most likely to get your powerful ideas and schemes approved by the management if you are able to word them effectively. Smooth communication with fellow employees helps to improve relations between departments smoothly. Take a performance review: Gone are the days when the cliché " first hired, last fired" was applicable. In toady's competitive scenario, skills and efficiency counts. To hold on to your job, you need to prove how you are indispensable to the company. Set up a meeting with your boss and ask for a performance appraisal. Pull out every bit of information on what you've achieved for the company and the ideas that are streamlining. Showing your enthusiasm for improvement and productivity will surely win you points. Maintain your organizer: Jotting down every small event, the outcome of your meeting or schedules and appointments in your personal diary will not only help you to be on time but will be a great help for future evaluation .You can even pen down extra tips, dressing style or effective phrases used by your mentor and use them later to your advantage. Apart from that, it will help you to keep a tab of your daily performance and remind you of any mistakes that you made. A weekly, fortnightly or monthly summarization is definitely a step towards a better you. Cultivate your PR skills: Remember people's birthdays and anniversary dates. Make a point to wish them personally, with a gift or flowers, with paper or an e-card or just a simple email depending on time and priority. But make sure they know that you care! Also, you can score a point above your peers by recalling names of people you meet. Bear in mind that you should be friendly and familiar but not candid and sneaky. Read and add to your knowledge: Today is the world of globalization and no matter at what level you are and the amount of knowledge and expertise you have in your area, its smart to be keep oneself abreast of the world around and feed your intellect with a variety of food. Reading paper, books and journals of related field and having some idea about other fields like sports, politics, stocks etc will help you to keep the ball rolling in any conversation. Connect with people: Keep in touch with old friends, your school and college pals and all those interesting people whom you meet on-job. Maintaining good network of people can be your strongest data bank to fall back upon in the time of crisis. Often, many jobs are not advertised but are filled up with existing acquaintances. Learn to relax: Cast aside the notion that putting in long hours at workstation means that you are the world's most dedicated worker. Slogging the whole day without motivation or just being glued to your seat does not mean hundred per cent productivity. Playing an office-martyr often makes a person drone and sets up monotony, leaving little room for all-rounded development. Admit that once in a while you need to rejuvenate your mood, mind and senses and get back to the track, more energized and recharged. Don't forget " All work and no play made Jill a dull girl"! Procrastination
Overruled Deepika Jain Among other crucial issues of life is the issue of professional excellence - achievement of desired goals, climbing up the ladder of success and reaching the zenith. However, no matter how much you work hard, you realize in the end that your boss is not pleased with you or your colleagues are not responding well. Though you may be well qualified and better informed than others but the way you project yourself can make or mar your image forever. Ishita was a bubbling girl who joined a leading daily immediately after completing her journalism from Delhi University. A die-hard fashion addict, she still had the take-it-cool attitude of her college. Seeing her excellent grades and confidence, she was entrusted with a major write-up along with her usual work. Little did she realize that it can be a major issue if not completed in time. Despite consistent reminders from her boss, she couldn't complete it in time. The repercussion of the whole episode dawned on her when her colleague who also joined as a trainee with her, was promoted before her. Definitely she learnt the lesson a hard way. Procrastination, lack of initiative or a shoddy job can spoil your image and label you as a 'slacker'. You may have your own reasons to give but once you are hired, you are expected to deliver efficiently and effectively. Postponing what you know has to be done only adds to the pressure in your daily work life. Imagine all the unpleasant tasks, which you don't want to do now being piled up daily and a day of horror will come soon when you realize that a big chunk of work is left unattended and which needs to be submitted in a very short duration. Thus, unpleasantries banking up will have a negative effect on your productivity, which will further affect your self-esteem and performance. While procrastination builds tension, action brings calmness. Deal each problem as it arises to heave a sigh of relief in the end. Most time-management experts advise you to set up deadlines by breaking big tasks into smaller tasks. Indu, a marketing executive in confectionaries says, " We have a sales target to achieve every month and are required to submit the sales report in the end of the month based on sales, order and feedback from the dealers we have visited during the month." While she works hard to sell her product, she would delay her report writing to weekends or sometimes to the end of the month. As a consequence, she would sometimes forget key customers or submit report late enough to invite her boss's censure. Thus, all her diligence went down the drain. Commenting on her case, a career counselor advised to isolate smaller or similar tasks from the bigger ones. Procrastination arises from the fallacy that we will have more time in the future than we have right now to perform these tasks. And don't we all know that tomorrow never comes! What seems appropriate in her case is to keep a planner or monthly plan with her since the very beginning of the month. Writing down each task in a place you can continually refer to leads to more efficient treatment of the details. To make things even better, allocate the time allowed and give yourself points/rewards on completion of work in time. Procrastination is caused for two reasons one is the lack of time and the other is dislike for a particular task. Deal the first one as discussed above. The best way to deal with the second, i.e., the exacting task, is to do it first and all else later. Yes, when you start your work with a fresh mind, in full concentration and energy, you can handle the tough task easily. Therefore, finish off the work which you dislike in the begining without postponing it for the end of the day. The assignments which you prefer doing anyway, would refresh your mind and keep your interest alive even if you do them after surmounting 'those annoying chores.' Be
your own boss Deepika Jain If after years of sabbatical, one fine day, you realize that now you need to work to rejuvenate your professional life, but wonder if it's too late and you might be out of the race! Don't lose hope! There is still a completely new world of options and opportunities waiting for you to explore. You just need to get your acts together and plunge back into the scene of action with new get-up-and-go approach. Even the companies are more eager to hire someone with a flexible background and experience, as it is easier to train a mature person for a job. There are often times when you take a break from your routine work-life, especially immediately after the marriage or child-birth. However, flexible job options available these days offer more to you once you are ready to swing back into action and take the challenges once again. With a generous dose of ingenuity and an energetic approach to self-marketing, you can be back in a great position in a matter of couple of months. Though you need to be computer-literate yet you need not to have high-tech skills to join a company. People with otherwise strong skills, willing to learn and work hard are quite in demand with the companies. Many want advertisements these days carry some standard lines like 'send in your resume` with a covering letter via e-mail or 'computer literacy desirable'. Your basic computer skills may determine your quick re-entry on the work- scene and the level of entry ,too. Setting aside a month or two for taking a basic course in computers fundamentals may help you go a long way. With computer centers mushrooming in every corner of the city, you can easily find a computer tutorial which suits your needs and pocket. They are a good place to sharpen your skills, even if you think they have become outdated. For a novice, it is always a good idea to ask someone familiar with Internet, to recommend your favourite sites, browse a little and ask questions to familiarize yourself with the jargon. Design your resume` in a new style highlighting the skills and qualifications to suit the position you are seeking. After you have a void in your full-time work experience, you will probably do more justice in a concise letter highlighting your educational background, relevant skills and work experience in a crispy, articulate way. You need to have a convincing reason and tell it in a way that it reflects positively on you. Shalini was a schoolteacher for three years, before she was married and happily settled to raise a family. When both of her daughters started going to school, she started feeling lonely and stranded. However, she was hesitant to apply because of the time gap that had emerged. She made a switch from teaching to school textbooks editing using her English Literature background and her years of experience in school teaching. Not only the new job has helped her to break the monotony of a predictable life but has also added more interesting dimensions to her creative talent. Freelancing is another viable option and one of the best ways to remain in demand and build your credibility. Among your best resources are contacts from previous jobs. If you made a good impression on your colleagues and supervisors in your last job, chances are, they'll help you out. Staying active in university's alumni association and occasionally meeting with former co-workers facilitates useful connections. Over a period of time, you can build up a larger and stronger client list and establish a proper network for yourself. A collection of information, research and opinions on various work-related issues provides good dose of knowledge to gear up. With ongoing electronic access to the information resources, magazines, journals and talking to people in the related field, you would succeed in balancing and integrating work life with personal life. The
Official Dress Code Deepika Jain A woman is constantly interacting around with the males in her office and in her social structure. Hence, she needs to be careful to not to send the wrong message across by her clothing, manner, approach or style. Dressing up for comfort as well as impact is the key issue. A woman should dress up in such a way which is not divulging or provoking. Nevertheless it does not mean that she should be covered from head to toe in a crude, rough beanbag. There are plenty of ways in which she can dress up smartly and yet look elegant and charming. When it comes to office wear, salwar suit remains as one of the most preferred option for most of us. With the new trendy cuts and multitude of options available in the market, wearing a salwar suit is no more a monotonous dress of the 'behanjis'. A number of pastels, earthy tones, and citreous assortment of lemons, oranges, greens and many others are available these days to harmonize your wardrobe with style and variety. In today's highly mechanised world, even cloth has computerised embroideries and printing, to experiment and innovate with the new patterns. So, there is whole new world of colours and styles made to suit every occasion, which are waiting to be explored! What is in vogue might not be a good option always. You need to keep in mind the kind of job profile and environment you move into. Those in hospitality industry, hotels or airlines offices, get their uniforms from the company, sometimes even designed by the famous designers like Ritu Beri or Payal Jain. However, majority of the workingwomen group has to choose their own dressing style and the way they want to project them in their professional circle. While some may prefer to be in Indian ethnic mould, some other would be happy to flaunt western attires. For those of us who prefer western wear, the range available is also large. Be it trouser suit, denims with shirts, pencil skirts, culottes or a casual t-shirt, the range is exhaustive. Most of the times, the basic colours and fundamental clothes can be teamed up with some changes now and then. A good-labelled jeans and a smart pair of one black and one white/beige/brown trousers can be easily worn with a number of shirts and tops to create a wide variety and break monotony. Accessories are an integral part of the concept of power dressing. A good handbag, nice watch and simple earrings are the things where you can make an investment. There is a common saying that "shoes describe a person". So, never ignore your shoes and invest in a good pair that will go a long way. Dress appropriately, too much make-up and jewellery look out of place and give the impression that a woman is a bimbette. A research found that many women have "beauty over brains syndrome" i.e. some women like to look pretty, docile and vulnerable at their workplace. However, such a projection can give men the impression that they needn't be taken seriously. A man's psyche is such that he sees a woman as an assistant and not in command of the situation. A woman should be careful about the way she dresses. In order to gain attention or to stand out, some women wear too much make-up or jewellery, or outrageous and revealing clothes, sending such signals like, 'they are accessible'. Even for office parties or a meeting you should be neatly dressed in a subtle tone or the evergreen black outfit which should be nicely stitched to fit you not accentuating your figure but giving a decent look. Which is why many top managers prefer to wear professional suits to work and present a very professional image. The attire for the workplace should be functional and different from what you'd wear for a social gathering. First
Impressions Deepika Jain Usually when you join a new office, you are eager to make an impression or to be a part of that seemingly close-knit group. You can do that in a gradual way by performing well, displaying good etiquette and being generally nice to everybody who is interacting with you. However, sometimes in a hurry to be chums with people or to portray oneself as very sociable and friendly can cost a lot to one's image or even may cause irreparable damage! Says Malini, an executive with a credit card company; "It was my first job after college. When I joined I was a bit nervous and intimidated by the environment and my seniors and had a desire to please all and to be accepted by all. In the similar vein, I started talking extensively to those who showed some interest and started brown-nosing them. One day, one of my colleagues was bad-mouthing another colleague in front of me. I also agreed with her adding a point or two. Little did I realize that hell would break lose the next day! When I entered the following day, I could feel some stiffness in air and frigidity in her attitude. Later during lunch, she came straight to me and confronted me for my backbiting. Not only I had to apologise for my behaviour but also lost my chances of gaining anybody else's confidence. However, I learnt my lessons for ever." Women must express their reactions carefully and appropriately. Don't over-react. Never compromise with work just to catch up with the gossip which might backfire at you. The same applies to you too. A woman also needs to be a little more guarded in her workplace about how much to disclose to colleagues. Nobody likes recital of one's woes in a professional world, neither a person knows you enough to relate much. Out in a new place, where you are meeting new people, who all have been there before you might make you feel somewhat left out; but you should not be eager enough to spill all your beans at the first instance a person smiles at you and go singing about your calibre, efficiency or talents to win points. Let your work speak for you. Build your credibility with hard work and warmth to make a lasting, positive impression. Feedback at the workplace is very important, but we have to learn to change our perception. A woman tends to look at a work situation vis-à-vis how it would affect her, whereas what she should do is figure out how it would help the office. If you need to take an important decision for your company which might include non-agreement with some colleagues, you should always take it if once sure of your decision. In the long run, if it is beneficial for your company, your worth will be recognised and opponents may turn into friends. Also, while feedback is important when you join a new company, but you should ensure that you look for it in the right place and from the right people. Don't look around for feedback from those who cannot affect your standing. Usually appraisal forms are duly filled by the bosses from time to time, which gives you a fair chance for growth and improvement. Also, one should have a healthy attitude to positive criticism which can lay the foundations for betterment and advancement. However, if you realise that a co-worker is giving you negative criticism just to demotivate you from performing well, just ignore it. The next time you join a new place, things would seem easier to manage and understand, as your previous work experience will hone you with time. On the other hand, taking care of your general countenance and amiable disposition will definitely help you to carve your own niche in the new world. |
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