14 Tuesday Apr 2009
Management guru, Gary Hamel calls today’s generation- the Facebook Generation or Generation F. Writing in the Wall Street Journal in his column called Gary Hamel’s Management 2.0, he speaks of a generation that has grown up online. In Facebook Generation vs Fortune 500 he asks how organisations can adapt to ways that resonate with today’s generation – who spend huge amounts of time online.
21 Sunday Dec 2008
Posted in Books and Authors, Communication
Many subjects have created waves in our quest to learn who we are and why we behave the way we do. One such subject which continues to fascinate people is that of Body Language– the science of studying non-verbal communication. It is one of the most important aspects of communication and fashions interpersonal relationships.
02 Tuesday Dec 2008
Posted in A Step A Day
India over the last few decades has thrown up a good number of self-made successes who have become globally famous. Many of them belong to an industry, I have watched closely for several decades, the Information Technology industry. One among them is Nandan Mohan Nilekani, one of the co-founders of Infosys and currently it’s Co-Chairman. He was listed as one of the 100 Most Influential Persons in the World by Time magazine in 2006.
28 Friday Nov 2008
Posted in A Step A Day
In this day and age as families drift apart due to better career opportunities in distant cities, keeping in touch has in itself become a challenge. Recently, a young lady living by herself in Bengaluru told me that her mother, who lives in Chandigarh, ( over 2200 kilometers away) was very annoyed with her. The reason: she hadn’t spoken to her in weeks. Her mother, she said somewhat contritely, had threatened to take her back by the next plane if she didn’t call within the next 12 hours. Obviously, the girl was occupied with her work and many other things in a big city. With so much to do, that call assumed lower priority for her. Yet at my age, I can empathize with her anxious mother.
10 Monday Nov 2008
Posted in A Step A Day
Truly, simplicity is the key to effective communication. It is admirable that some people have the skill to convey complex concepts in simple, yet effective terms. One such example is a slim volume ( just 185 pages) by Donald R. Keough. Mr. Keough, in his time, was rated as one of America’s most effective executives and served the Coca-Cola Company for many decades, retiring as the President in 1993. He is now the Chairman of the Board of Allen & Company, a New York based investment bank.
09 Sunday Nov 2008
Posted in A Step A Day
It’s a well recognised fact that we are able to communicate more effectively with others when we have a good command over the language. In this, our vocabulary plays an important part. Can this be developed or is it too late, is something that I am often asked. The answer, fortunately, is that a better vocabulary can most certainly be developed. I have been a subscriber to A.Word.A.Day for many years now.
18 Wednesday Jun 2008
Posted in A Step A Day
Here’s one more article that confirms that “fractured attention” – getting distracted at work due to email or IM, amongst other causes- is not only on the increase but is causing organisations quite a bomb.
Basex estimates that in the United States more than $ 650 billion in productivity is lost annually because of unnecessary interruptions- most of them mundane. The firm says a big chunk of that cost comes from the time people take to recover from an interruption and get back to work.
23 Friday May 2008
Posted in A Step A Day
Very amusing to read the mistakes people have made while sending emails. I must add that it is amusing for everyone except the sender.
“What’s the Worst E-Mail Mistake You Ever Made?” is an article in the New York Times by Stephen J. Dubner.
05 Saturday Apr 2008
Posted in A Step A Day
Is there a gender distinction in the way we communicate? Apparently, yes. My wife and I were talking as we re-arranged things in the wardrobe. The conversation went something like this :-
Wife: “He has gone to London today”
Me: “Who?”
Wife: ” Not that one, the one on the right. Mr. Rajaram. Above that, a bit to the left. May be his company is paying for all his expenses. ”
Me: “Which one? Right of what ? What expenses? What are you talking about?”
Wife: “That’s the old one. I told you that has got spoilt. Our new neighbour. They are quite nice people. When will you buy a new one? She told me he is returning on the 14th”
Me: “What? What? What?”
28 Friday Mar 2008
Posted in A Step A Day
We keep speaking of the importance of the customer but do people who deliver service really care? Is the communication of your staff customer oriented? Do they radiate willingness to be of service? Unfortunately, fairly often I find this is not the case.
At a public sector bank recently I went through the hassle of paying my quarterly Service Tax. The unfriendliness of the staff has to be seen to be believed. They act as if we the customers are actually disturbing them at their work. Yes, I realize he has to tally his accounts but can’t he do it after answering my queries and finishing my work. He counted a wad of notes, then put them in the couting machine. In three tries he got three different answers which did not make his surly mood any better. He then did one more manual count before giving it up as a bad joke and pushing all the notes into a large drawer.
People at Work & Play 