HR policy implementation

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(Published in the Job Market-Working People section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 1, 2008, Sunday)

By Roel Andag

Contributor

The challenge of converting intention to action

IN ALL MY SEVERAL employments, there were only a couple occasions when I received human resource policy manuals. The first was when I worked as Communications Manager in a multinational pharmaceutical company. Marvelling at the 26-page company manual containing three main sections, I quickly turned to the subsection titled ‘Disciplinary Action’. My interest was in knowing behaviors that can get me in trouble. The second was when I worked as HR consultant to a multinational petroleum company. I contemplated a 137-page of what amounted to rough drafts. I was hired exactly to make sense of the yellowing pages and turn the voluminous material chockfull of margin notes and doodles to a coherent HR policy book. This second occasion did not allow me to be choosy about what policies to look at. I was obliged to examine each of the over 60 policies. It was this particular consulting project that spurred my real understanding of HR policies. What I learned in graduate school sure came in handy.

A company has its constitution and bylaws. The vision and mission are its preambles and its human resource policy form part of the implementing rules and regulations. HR policies can be categorized into: procedural (task definition and assignment of roles; example, complaint and grievance), distributive (allocation of benefits to particular segments; ex. bonus for high performers), redistributive (allocation of benefits among broad segments; ex. salaries and leaves), regulatory (establishment of restrictions; ex. dress code), material (provision of tangible resources or substantive power; ex. promotion), symbolic (appeals to cherished values; ex. loyalty award), collective (provision of indivisible goods; ex. instituting security measures), and private (provision of goods to those who are able to pay; ex. discounts on company products).

HR policies, and any policy for that matter, are useful for four purposes: information (to make employees aware), inducement (to facilitate the adoption of desired behavior), enforcement (to require employees to adopt desired behavior to avoid penalty), and benefaction (to offer benefits or incentives to people employees who modify their behavior in the desired direction). In real terms, an HR policy manual is useful to both employer and employee because it is the company’s basic bible on how to treat employees and it is the set of rules that govern the employee from the day he applies up to his last day in the company, and sometimes even beyond.

In broad strokes, the basic contents of an HR policy are company vision and mission, code of conduct, and personnel administration. HR policies usually originate from labor laws, documented best practices, management decisions, collective bargaining agreements, and industry benchmarks.

Companies can have the most beautifully worded and graphically presented HR policies, all within the bounds of law. The real challenge, however, is in their implementation – the process of converting intention into action. When this process fails, an implementation gap
– deviations between policy and actual practice – occurs. There are two types of implementation gaps: non-implementation, where policy is simply not put into practice, and unsuccessful implementation, where, despite best efforts, applying the policy does not produce desired results. The second type is attributable to bad execution, bad policy or bad luck. Implementation gaps can lead to crises such as lawsuits and unrestrained turnover. A policy that is brilliant in words but lacklustre in implementation is similar to not having a policy at all.

Multinational companies have their own challenges in HR policy implementation. They have to marry global standards with the laws of the country where the company is headquartered with the laws of the country where they operate. Whatever the case, HR policy implementation will be greatly improved when these 11 success factors are present:

1. Soundness – a sound policy is based on valid theory. For example, motivation strategies are based on established motivation theories. A sound policy has well defined objectives and implementation guidelines. In addition, HR policies have to be aligned with the company’s vision, mission and business priorities so that policies do not only pursue outputs but impacts as well.
2. Simplicity – a policy is easy to propagate when it is easy to understand, implement and communicate.
3. Leadership – implementation depends largely on solid leadership at all levels of the organization. Top level management as policy sponsors, mid-level managers and first level supervisors as implementers, and rank and file employees as converts. Everyone in the company has to be a policy champion, not a passive complier. In the overall scheme, it is the HR department that shepherds HR policies and it is crucial that those in the HR department possess astute implementation ability, people skills and legal knowledge.
4. Ample resources – what good is a policy on bonuses and incentives when it is habitually violated because no resources are allocated?
5. Organizational flexibility – rigidities in structures, processes and attitudes can capture HR policies in limbo. Organizational adaptability is necessary so as to absorb beneficial changes while deflecting harmful ones. This is especially advantageous when HR policies need to be updated due to changes in laws, competition, corporate culture, and agreements with labor union, among others.
6. Objective – it balances the interests of the company and its employees.
7. Degree of change required is manageable – radical change is met with high resistance while marginal change is welcomed with high acceptance. Some policies take longer to implement because of ingrained attitudes and the corresponding unlearning required as is true in the case of equal opportunity employment.
8. Healthy communication – HR policies have to be clearly communicated so as to leave no room for ambiguity. They have to be cascaded to all employees to make them feel a sense of ownership of the policies. The HR department has to be responsive in clarifying points when necessary.
9. Adequate participation of employees – without the commitment of employees, policies are nothing but empty declarations. Participation can be obtained either through coercion or encouragement. It is a good sign when employees raise questions about HR policies. It means they are paying attention.
10. Clear consequences – rewards and penalties are accurately applied. Double standards are not tolerated.
11. No insurmountable external constraint – even the best policies go awry when force majeure such as economic busts affect the business.

Wouldn’t life be easier if these preconditions are present? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the HR department can create a laboratory version prior to full-blown implementation? This will enable the fine-tuning of policies until they become ideal. But ideals are oftentimes elusive because conflicts can occur between what is desirable and what is actually achievable.

Flawless implementation of HR policies will result in individual and collective effectiveness and efficiency. What holds true, however, is that there is no such thing as perfect implementation. But this is not a license to bastardize HR policies. At least try to achieve the highest score possible in your metrics.

Owing to their immense significance, both employer and employee should treat HR policies as dynamic instruments, not inert matter that gathers dust in desk drawers, revisited only in times of turmoil.

My consulting experience made me realize that HR policies do not merely spell out rewards and punishments. Their implementation dictates the rhythm of corporate life.

Leader lead thyself

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(Published in the Job Market-Working People section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 25, 2008, Sunday)

By Roel Andag

Contributor

LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT POWER AND INFLUENCE. Given, you are perched highly in the company, hit business targets while keeping costs down, worshipped by staff like a deity, pulverize the competition and cause others around you to gasp in awe but do you really have power and influence over yourself?

True leaders are successful in three aspects: managing tasks, leading people, and leading oneself. Success in the first two aspects makes a person an excellent manager. One can only truly be called a leader if he excels in all three.

Leadership includes what the leader does away from public view. Without the scrutiny, he relies on his own faculties in behaving towards himself. Such behavior is largely stimulated by the subconscious. Luckily, there are areas of the subconscious that one can consciously influence to achieve worthwhile goals. Self management – the process of maximizing one’s own resources to realize objectives – starts with managing self image, thoughts and emotions.

Self image
Self image is the product of a lifetime of internal (how you see yourself) and external (how others see you) scripts. Self image or self concept is rooted in conscious or subconscious perceptions and feeling about your capability (what you believe you can do), worth (what you believe you deserve) and significance (what you believe is your impact). If you are constantly told that you are a leader and your self-generated script agrees, chances are great that you will embody the script.

Conditioning is so potent that your self-image becomes your comfort zone, which is why it is important to deflect scripts that are not beneficial. Gifted with wisdom, it is up to you to receive or reject what others tell you and what you tell yourself. If you disagree with the script but act it out anyway, you become a fabrication who lives an illusion manufactured for projection purposes. You will find it difficult reconciling your multiple personalities.

I believe there is a self image continuum that ranges from extreme insecurity at one end and narcissism at the other. Extreme insecurity or inferiority complex makes one overly receptive thus becoming susceptible to manipulations. Former US first lady and human rights champion Eleanor Roosevelt once quipped: “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.” On the other hand, narcissism or superiority complex leads the narcissist to believe that he doesn’t need the opinion and help of other people. Either way, a deflated or inflated ego is destructive. Lead yourself by cultivating a healthy self image that results in esteem and trust in self.

Self talk
You don’t mumble words to yourself in public lest you become suspected of losing sanity. But you talk to yourself all the time. It is routine. Scientists believe that one talks to himself at an average speed of 50 words per minute or 3,000 words an hour. Imagine the thought torrent! A speeding train of thought, so to speak. This is the most important conversation you have.

If you listen close enough to your inner dialogue you will hear judgments, fears, hopes, worries, prejudices and useless gobbledygook. You discuss with yourself a myriad of subjects including family, career, sex, money, what to wear, what to eat, what to say. It’s an endless list. Your inner dialogue contributes largely to your self image.

The danger is when you dwell on limiting thoughts such as “I can’t do it,” “I don’t deserve to be successful,” or “I’m not good enough.” Lead yourself by applying the self-talk interrupt technique: eliminate an unhelpful thought as soon as it crops up and replace it with enabling and uplifting self dialogue.

Leadership gurus from in different eras testify that thoughts are things. Thoughts translate into reality. No wonder “think positive” is an undying reminder.

Emotions

Leaders are stone cold, devoid of emotions. Excuse me. This notion of leadership is obsolete. The popularization of emotional intelligence concepts is an obituary-in-progress for the macho corporate culture that considers admitting emotions is queasy and un-businesslike. No longer is emotion considered a mushy topic associated with tearjerkers. After all, beneath its icy exoskeleton of chrome and metal, the workplace is an emotionally charged environment, what with buyouts, layoffs, low pay, hyper targets and other close-to-the-gut issues.

Basic and complex human emotions run the range from pleasure to despair, love to hate, empathy to jadedness, comfort to fear, calm to anger, and conviction to doubt. Do you have to hit your staff with a telephone when you are angry? Do you gratuitously act out your sexual urges? Do you withhold appreciation? Do you decide on bonuses when you are euphoric? Mismanaged negative emotions result in harassment, office rage and, at times, suicide. There is no joy in working with someone who is emotionally unstable.

Lead yourself by exercising your three choices in handling emotions: display, delay or deny. Situations and consequences guide the appropriateness of handling emotions. There are times for transparency, deliberateness and concealment. Process and express your emotions to move toward a positive direction.

Self mastery

How you handle your thoughts, emotions and self image manifests in your appearance, decisions, words and actions. How you treat your inner self shows in how you treat other people. Castigate yourself and you criticize those around you. Celebrate yourself and you become appreciative of others. When you are positive towards yourself you radiate a positive energy towards others.

A powerful force resides inside you. The self is one’s most powerful cheerleader and most dangerous enemy – everything starts from within. Take ownership of your life, lead yourself.

Why you should ask for your job description

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(Published in the Job Market-Working People section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 10, 2008, Sunday)

By Roel Andag

Contributor

In various points of my early career, I worked as proofreader in a giant printing company, as project officer in a startup NGO, as teacher to non-English speaking Asians, as writer in a publishing company promoting international diplomacy, and as researcher for a television program for children. I recall not receiving a job description in any of these jobs. Being the naïve fresh graduate that I was, I didn’t bother asking for any. Truth is I didn’t have the faintest idea that there was such a thing as job description. Being employed was more important than anything else. At this point in the race, I was scampering around dark minefields. Confusion always ended in voluntary resignations. My employments ranged from one week to six months.

I then moved to a national NGO where I worked first as researcher-writer. I was issued a two-page job description that pretty much spelled out my accountabilities. Its novelty to me felt like they were two tablets hewn in Mt. Sinai. Within my six years of employment, I moved up the organization ultimately becoming a program director. A multinational company then recruited me to become its communications manager. This time, I was handed a five-page role profile. What a fancy name for job description, I thought. After a year and a half in the company, I transitioned into consulting. Today, I design my own job descriptions based on the clients’ requirements. By experience, I have learned that an effective job description is a stabilizing force.

Aside from the stability that it builds in the employee, a job description is a tool of empowerment. In black and white, the company communicates its expectations. Aware of these expectations, the employee has the choice to become proactive in the fulfillment of his duties. A job description provides both the company and employee informed decisions on whether employment should commence in view of the ability of the employee to satisfy the demands of the job. If he accepts the job offer, the job description is the basis of the employee’s subsequent performance appraisals.

Just like in my case, in his excitement to get employed, a new hire usually neglects to ask for a copy of his job description, relying merely on the published job advertisement and on the verbal explanations of whoever handled his job interview. An opportunity of empowerment is missed. It is the responsibility of the company to provide a job description on the first day of employment or within the first week of the probationary period.

As career-oriented people, we obsess over the substance of our resumes. In the same manner, companies will always insist on the precision of our qualifications in relation to their human resource requirements. Isn’t it time we become similarly meticulous with our job descriptions? Here are the 10 essential components of an effective job description:

1. Position and job class – states the employee’s official job title and classification (example: Communications Manager-Middle Manager).

2. Job summary – in one to three sentences, it explains the purpose of the job.

3. Job responsibilities – details the key accountabilities of the position, their prescribed prioritization, activities to be undertaken to realize the accountabilities, and key result areas.

4. Organizational location – a visual representation using an organizational chart that marks the placement of the job in the company structure.

5. Reporting arrangements – identifies the names and designations of the persons to whom the employee is directly and ultimately accountable.

6. Decisionmaking authority – specifies the employee’s role in making decisions – whether he can make and enforce decisions on his own, in concurrence with others, approve those made by subordinates, or make decisions and secure approval of higher officers.

7. Supervisory and financial authority – indicates the quantifiable scope and dimensions of the job. Expressed in numbers, this shows the number of individuals supervised and the financial accountability involved.

8. Workflow and work relationships – communicates in a flowchart the processes that the employee will handle. It plots procedures, participants, lead times and outputs, and describes his work relationships with coworkers and external business partners.

9. Qualifications – enumerates the minimum and ideal educational, skills, behavioral, health and other qualifications for the job.

10. Working conditions – describes the work environment explaining work hours, time spent inside the office, extent of job-related travel, and exposure to identified occupational hazards if any.

Concerning flexibility, the two trickiest cases are when the job description states “Other responsibilities the company may assign” and when the employee reasons that “It’s not in my job description.” In the first, the employee is exposed to potential exploitation. In the second, the employee is either being change-resistant or is simply protecting his rights. A job description is not written in stone. It is a dynamic instrument that evolves with company priorities and innovations that impact on the job.

Winning companies invest time and money to produce effective job descriptions. An employee is wise to examine his job description as he joins a company and revisit this vital document time and again. The importance of a job description is emphasized by the fact that it can be used by either party in labor-related legal disputes. Because it fosters understanding between the worker and the company, an effective job description contributes to better employer-employee relationship thereby resulting in company stability.

My experience taught me that not having a job description is inexcusable, having one is not good enough, having an effective one is ideal.

Working with a motive

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(Published in the Job Market-Working People section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 20, 2008, Sunday)

By Roel Andag

Contributor

Know your fuel

WHAT MAKES YOU GO to work everyday? Your honest answer to this question describes your motivation to work. No one reports to the office without a motive. Compensation, bonuses, paid vacations, car plan, awe-inspiring job title, overseas travel, power over resources, power outfits, free Internet, free coffee, cool friends, cool office – whatever it is, your motivation is the force that draws you to the office day after day. That force lies within you regardless if you are unconscious about it.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs suggests that a person is spurred to address the different levels of needs – ranging from basic to the complex. It is a useful tool in identifying motivations.

Working to survive

You are driven by the urge to survive. You go to work because you need to put food on the table. No matter how numbing or revolting your work situation, you force yourself to report day after precarious day. You barely live to see the next payday. And the pay is just enough to cover food, rent, utilities and the children’s education.

Because inflation and increasing consumption are gnawing at your stagnant income, occasional bonuses and incentives are blissful lifeline extensions. You tend to explore alternative sources of income to tide you over. Work becomes a source of discontentment when pay is low or perennially delayed.

Working to feel safe

You value stability and predictability. That is why you are saving money for a comfortable future. You will use the money to buy a house in a decent neighborhood. You go to the office because your work provides a measure of financial assurance that helps you fulfill such goals. You are comforted by the fact that your company has health insurance and pension plans in place. The company car is a welcome convenience.

You ignore work-related dissatisfactions. You have job security after all. Your work is a safety net in an unpredictable world. Besides, it’s your future that’s at stake here.

This type of motivation is challenged when threats such as mergers and other such change-intensive developments occur.

Working to belong

You are affirmed by associations. By virtue of being employed, you belong to various groups – your company, your clique within the company, and industry associations. The more prestigious the company, the prouder you are. You relish the reaction of friends, relatives and strangers when you tell them where you work. You pack in the wow factor. And the more perks attached to your position, the more ‘in’ you feel.

You exert your best effort so as to gain access to exclusive brotherhoods, the millionaire’s club for example. A condo unit will simply not do for you. It has to be a house in an exclusive village. The acceptance of peers is important to you. Your work is your source of upward mobility and identity. It lets you purchase the trappings that make you feel you belong.

It becomes frustrating to work when the resources it provides can no longer cope with your peer-pressured lifestyle.

Working for esteem

You thirst for recognition. Your efforts are acknowledged, valued and rewarded at work. The office is one of the places or the only place where you feel you get the respect you deserve. You thrive on accolades from coworkers and are nourished by industry recognitions. Your work is your ticket to glory. Every day spent in the office is a day invested in boosting esteem.

It is in the office where you feel most confident and self-assured. Consumed with the desire to merit attention by management or the people whose opinion you value, you either raise the bar of performance or resort to dirty tricks, to the consternation of colleagues. You equate achievement with nonstop praise.

Work stops fueling your drive when you feel overlooked or when you commit an ego-busting failure.

Working for fulfillment

You desire to fulfill your potential. You look forward each workday because your work allows you to do what you know you can do. It allows you to express yourself fully and helps you achieve your peak. It provides opportunities for your continued growth and development.

Your personal vision and principles match those of the company. Your work brings out your ideal state. It gives you space to be honest with yourself, to shed off your pretensions and resistance. Functioning optimally while deriving authentic enjoyment from it, your work ceases to be work. It becomes a vehicle that lets you implement through ethical means what you believe is your mission in life. Your empowerment lets you empower others.

Personal struggles and company upheavals will impair this kind of motivation.
Motivation and career success

In career parlance, motivation can be defined as what the worker perceives work can do for him so that he reciprocates with a corresponding level of performance. Motivation is life-defining because it is the prism through which we view work. Motivation influences decision-making. Consciously or not, there is always an interest to protect, an agenda to push. Your definition of success hinges on your motivation.

Debates continue to plumb the wisdom of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, particularly on the assertion that, in the real world, it is not rigid in its progression. There are other theories that are available in analyzing motivation.

Just the same, regardless of framework of analysis, one thing can be said about motivation: it is your fuel. When you feel burned out, it means your motivation is no longer serving its purpose. Don’t wait until you run on empty.

Hard workers are passé

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(Published on page J4 of the Job Market-Working People section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 30, 2008, Sunday)

By Roel Andag

Contributor

Welcome the smart workers

HARD WORKERS ARE OBSOLETE. Proof: job advertisements are gradually deleting ‘hardworking’ as candidate qualification.

It used to be that a worker slaved away in the office to get things done, get noticed and eventually promoted. The ideal worker then was one who dedicated his entire life to the company, rose through the ranks, retired and enjoyed his pension. Never mind if he missed living his life in the process, reasoning that enjoyment will commence only at retirement. It was a worklife pattern entrenched by the Industrial Age. The hard worker is a now relic, a reminder of a predictable past. The modern economy has rendered hard workers irrelevant. The knowledge economy, characterized by breakneck competition and ever shifting fortunes, has spawned smart workers. Don’t dwell in the past, be a smart worker. Here’s how.

Stand out. Expertise will no longer get you ahead. There are just too many experts in too many fields it is already confusing. What will make you lead is being first. You will remember only a few vice presidents in your lifetime. The presidents are the ones who stick in your mind. And you don’t need to become a president either, at least no yet. How can you be first? Be the first in a lucrative field, say, trainer-on-call – one who runs superb corporate trainings on very short notice. Do not conform to established work patterns. Create your own shtick. Reinvent yourself from time to time.

Tune in. While having a master’s degree, learning from trainings and receiving guidance from coaches and mentors are already significant steps, you can go even further. Cultivate ‘spotters’ across industries and countries. They are the ones who will feed you information that is critical in finding fresh opportunities. Of course, don’t gather intelligence just to stay updated. Analyze them for possible business implications. You never know, you already impressed your next employer through a conversation where you casually ‘brainshare’ vital information.

Manage expectations. Smart workers perform and oftentimes exceed the responsibilities detailed in their job profiles. But they do not say yes to every demand. Do not over-commit because it will only result in stress and underperformance. Be judicious in agreeing to requests. Further, agree to expected outputs (results) only when inputs (resources) are specified and adequate.

Remove the blocks. Don’t just hurdle the blocks, root them out completely. These blocks are mostly negative thoughts and actions that climax in career self destruction. These are unfounded fears that present themselves in statements such as “I can’t do that,” “That’s impossible” and “They might think I’m stupid.” It is the box being alluded to in the dictum “Get out of the box.” Shattering the box is the start of spawning bold ideas that will propel your career and the business.

Be super efficient. Efficiency means exerting minimum effort and producing maximum impact. How? Be wise about time, optimize technology and delegate. Propose alternative work arrangements such as telecommuting if it will make you more productive. Efficiency is about getting things done while avoiding wastage.

Get connected. Smart workers are not chained to their desks. They go out and meet people. Don’t be a parasitic networker. Proactively offer help. Join industry e-groups and professional associations. Do not merely lurk in the shadows. Offer something useful – volunteer to organize events, be a resource person, share opportunities. The smart worker is not isolated, he is strategically connected with people here and abroad.

Team up. Vanish your insecurities. A smart worker is confident enough to share what he knows and to solicit other people’s insight. His dynamism to work independently and in a group helps him accomplish his goals. His drive and people skills fuel his chemistry with others. For a smart worker, asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a badge of maturity.

Wield influence. Find your way into the boardroom. You are not a smart worker until you are able to make significant decisions. Not yet a board or management committee member? Earn the trust of one and offer solutions that will help him make decisions. Smart workers never manipulate, they influence. If being employed won’t give you this leeway, become a consultant or establish your own company.

Loosen up. Smart workers live full lives. Unleash your humor and practice de-stressing techniques. They will help you manage the demands of work. Smart workers do not believe in the dichotomy of work and life but in the harmonious melding of the two. After all, how can something on which one spends an average of 40 hours a week be separate from life?

Smart workers are globally competitive – they are at par with the best in their fields. Best of all, they enjoy their lives as much as they love their work. They attract and create opportunities. They release success pheromones that signal “I have arrived” or “I’m on my way.” Don’t become obsolete. Be a smart worker. In time, job advertisements will learn to catch up.

Build a high impact e-persona

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(Published in the Job Market-Working People section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 30, 2008, Sunday)

By Roel Andag

Contributor

Log into your virtual best

THE ACCESSIBILITY OF INTERNET technology is boon to jobseekers and employed professionals alike. Its many benefits include the opportunity to create high-impact cyber personas that can enhance one’s career prospects.

Two sets of actions shape one’s e-persona: creating consumer generated content and engaging in other online activities. The first is proactive – you decide what to present to your audience. The second is reactive – you act on what is being presented to you. The internet is constructive to those who know how to leverage its benefits. Learn from these tips in creating a power-packed cyber persona:

Personal site as infotainment. The career-enhancing character of personal websites and blogs is indisputable. They allow you to market yourself to practically the whole world while you express your feelings freely. This freedom comes with a responsibility. Never upload contents that can jeopardize your career potential. Career-busting contents include online boss-bashing, lewd photos, profane language, scandalous videos and links to porn sites. Sanitize your site but don’t be dull. Provide value-adding content such as tips and how-to’s, publish an e-zine, upload your “in action” photos and videos, update regularly, feature your accomplishments, and include a feedback mechanism and other forms of interaction. You can even incorporate humor, as long as it’s inoffensive. Complete the package with a simple and tasteful layout and a catchy site name. Find the correct balance between information and entertainment and your site will enjoy loyal following that will result in favorable buzz.

Strategic networking. Social networking sites abound. You can choose from Friendster, Multiply, Facebook, LinkedIn and a host of others. Professional networking is not about quantity but quality. The saying “Tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are” is a good reminder to those who delight in expanding their online network wantonly. Screen your connections well. Choose only those who you think can broaden your professional prospects. But as I always say, don’t be a parasitic networker. Professional networking is a reciprocal relationship. Reminder: beware of ‘notworking,’ meaning wasting time and money on social networking sites. There is a more effective form of online networking: joining egroups. Become member of active egroups that cater to your industry or interests. Egroups are ideal sources of useful information, leads and contacts. Once a member, be active – participate in discussions, post helpful messages and attend virtual and physical fellowship activities.

Practice workplace ‘netiquette’. Your office intranet was established to facilitate workplace communication. You defeat the purpose if you choke your officemates' inboxes with unprofessional material such as YouTube clips, repulsive jokes, weird photos and quizzes. There is a great chance that you are spreading viruses so do not hit the send button gratuitously. Establish personal online time by checking your inbox only three times maximum within the day, and only for one hour each time. Regulating your online time will discipline you to avoid aimless web surfing. Set a turnaround time for answering emails, say, within 24 hours from receipt at the latest.

When sending emails, always make sure that

(a) you're sending the right document to the right person,

(b) attachments are in order,

(c) the subject is indicated in the subject line,

(d) the message is free of spelling and grammar errors, and

(e) that all intended receivers are included in the address lines.

If you commit a blunder, admit it and institute remedies quickly. Never apply for a job using the office internet account. Last but not least, never peruse cyberporn. The people in IT department – they know what you do everyday – can be summoned to present evidence of questionable internet use.

Beware of split personality. With its magical properties, the internet helps us transform ourselves into more beautiful versions – slimmer, more engaging, more desirable. Or it could be the other way around: some choose to rebel against their poised and politically correct selves at work by becoming reckless online creatures. The anonymity the internet provides allows us to breathe life into our fantasy alter egos. The internet is public domain, it is globally accessible. Human resource professionals playing detectives trawl the internet to discover clues about your personality, especially when you are up for job interview or promotion and your resume is intriguing. If you cannot reconcile your physical and virtual personalities or if you insist on maintaining a potentially compromising online account, at least be discreet. Lock it with passwords, hide behind an alias and set other restrictions to protect your privacy and your reputation. Be careful of leaving virtual footprints that can lead to career suicide. In the interest of furthering your career, spew venom only when you’re sure you’re protected.

The image you project online leaves enduring imprints on the minds of your audience. This image precedes any actual physical impression. It becomes the basis of how people perceive you. In impressions management, it is boom or bust. Your e-persona can either strengthen or sabotage your professional life. Be it in the physical or virtual realm, always present yourself in the best light. Think well next time you log in.

New Year’s resolution for working people: Career happiness in 2008

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(Published in the Job Market-Working People section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, December 30, 2007, Sunday)

By Roel Andag

Contributor

TRY HAPPINESS AT WORK as New Year’s resolution.

Unhappiness at work is damaging to both the worker and the business. At the individual level, such unhappiness can result in absenteeism and other forms of inefficiency. At the group level, it can lead to crises that can warrant drastic measures and attract government intervention.

There are various causes of unhappiness at work: job mismatch, obnoxious boss, irritating officemates, lousy work conditions, misunderstandings due to miscommunication, low salaries, delayed salaries, chronic fatigue and so on.

We spend a huge amount of time at work that, inevitably, it has spillover effects on other aspects of our life. Left unchecked, unhappiness at work can adversely affect our relationships with our family and friends. It can also damage our health. It can paralyze us to a point where we are no longer able to function properly, let alone optimally.

Martin Seligman, one of the founders of positive psychology (psychology that focuses on wellness rather than on illness), explains that happiness has three components: positive emotions, complete engagement, and purpose in life. Based on results of global happiness surveys, this school of thought believes that happiness is not dependent on material trappings. Let us apply Seligman’s framework to experience happiness at work starting in 2008.

Positive emotions
What are negative emotions? The major ones are complaining, criticizing, competing and comparing. One is inviting unhappiness if he is engaged in these destructive emotions. In fact, in the case of comparisons, what makes people feel miserable is the Grass is Greener syndrome – the unbearable thought that others are better off than them.

What are positive emotions then? Oppositely, they are commending, affirming, cooperating and supporting. A person of courage and maturity accentuates the positive, demonstrates appreciation, works with competitors and expresses gratitude.

The mind is infinitely powerful. Napoleon Hill’s book “Think and Grow Rich” is an authoritative reference on positive thinking. As Hill says ‘thoughts are things.’ Happiness is first a creation of the mind that the body consequently articulates. Stop a negative thought as soon as it occurs. Do not allow negativism to dominate your work life.

Creating and maintaining positive disposition is vital to productivity. A cheerful worker radiates an energy that uplifts others. Tasks become lighter as well.

Complete engagement

Have you tried focusing on your job such that you got completely absorbed in it? This state of being is otherwise called peak performance. It demands presence or ‘being there,’ meaning that your mind, body and heart are synchronically attuned to the activity.

Take for example the mundane act of eating. Our taste buds become more receptive when we focus on the food. We are able to authentically appreciate the meal and stay fuller longer. Those who read, talk, watch television or surf the internet while eating diminish the health benefits of the food.

It would be to our advantage if we are able to rally all our senses to the demands of the occasion. Barring distractions, work becomes easier and enjoyable.

What we focus on is equally important. Lest we expend our energies on insignificant concerns, let us revisit Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” where the author distinguishes ‘urgent’ from ‘important’. According to Covey, something that is urgent demands immediate attention and is oftentimes irrelevant to the achievement of real goals. On the other hand, something that is important requires discernment and contributes to the achievement of vision, mission and goals. In other words, urgent matters force as to be reactive while important things require us to be proactive.

To sustain peak performance, and therefore happiness at work, stay committed to the things that are important and veer away from those that are merely urgent.

Purpose in life

What is your mission in life? Do you have a personal mission statement? A mission statement is your compass as you march along your career path. Covey calls it a Personal Constitution. A mission statement is life-defining.

Having a personal mission statement illustrates self leadership. With it you are able to discern the relevance of your work to your life. It is not enough though to have a personal mission statement. It is likewise important is to spell out how the mission is to be fulfilled.

Is your mission aligned with that of the company? Many would dismiss this as human resource hokum. One’s skills set may be what the company is looking for but dissonance in missions will ultimately result in job dissatisfaction. A proactive professional examines his personal mission and the corporate mission to determine their complementation. Of course, while changing a corporate mission is a major effort, a personal mission should be easy to modify anytime to fit emerging developments. Flexibility is a mark of a happy person.

What does a personal mission have to do with happiness? A personal mission serves as the anchor that will keep you steady in a sea of uncertainties. It becomes a source of stability. It gives you meaning.

Starting in 2008

The advent of a new year provides us with opportunities of renewal and fills us with optimism. Resolving to be happy at work is part of career stewardship. A happy person is a productive person. Here are supplementary reminders:

1. Don’t be unfair to yourself by insisting that you’ll be happy only when you’re done toiling. Be happy right at the moment, right where you are. Be grateful for even the littlest graces, unleash your sense of humor and laugh heartily.

2. Recognize when you are happy. Avoid the tendency of magnifying and verbalizing only unhappiness. Identify the causes of your unhappiness and work on ways how to overcome them. Prioritize unhappiness factors that are within your control. Seek the support of family, friends and colleagues.

3. Acknowledge that you cannot be happy all the time. But with determination, you can be happy most of the time. To avoid disappointment, do not romanticize reality or set impossible standards.

4. Initiate lifestyle changes that will support happiness at work and in life in general. Strive for work-life balance.

5. Have a spring in your step as you wake up to start each workday. It said that as a race Filipinos are predisposed to be happy. Use that to your advantage.

HAPPY New Year!

Numbers to help you succeed in the workplace

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(Published in the Job Market-Working People section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, December 2, 2007, Sunday)

By Roel Andag

Contributor

NUMBERS HELP PEOPLE understand what is happening around them. Numbers help express and execute ideas better. Numbers can help measure experiences. Here are numbers from different disciplines that can help you excel in the world of work.

Communication

Effective communication is a key leadership skill. You may be gifted with verbal precision – using the right words at the right time – but this gift is squandered when your speech and body language are not in harmony with each other. While voice tonality accounts for 38 percent of your communication, body language represents an astounding 55 percent. Your choice of words adds in a mere seven percent. Communicate with impact by synchronizing your speech with tone and body language.

Presentations and conversations become dull after 20 minutes – that is the maximum length of time a person can stay focused. Rapid talking is not advisable though. We comfortably hear from 150 to 160 words per minute. Pace yourself well. After two days, your audience will retain only 20 percent of what they heard. Aid memory retention by making your every utterance count: use keywords, visual aids and exercises.

Time management

Only 20 percent of your activities account for 80 percent of your productivity. Inversely, 80 percent of your activities contribute only 20 percent to your productivity. The unproductive bulk is spent on time wasters such as gossip, YouTube, Friendster and other distractions. Stop wasting time by setting goals and planning ahead. If you resolve to always come early to the office remember that it takes all of 21 days of daily practice to form a new habit pattern.

First impressions

Thirty seconds is all it takes to establish your first impression. Within those precious seconds, 13 judgments about you are made. Poor image can kill your career. Impressions management is indeed important.

An impressed supervisor will probably tell his superiors and colleagues about your outstanding performance. A disappointed boss will certainly relay his frustration to as many persons he can reach. In customer care, it is estimated that bad service reports outnumber good service reports by as many as 5:1. Translated to impressions, these could be termed ‘criticisms versus praises.’ With the help of technology, bad news travels at the speed of light.

In consumer behavior, personal recommendations remain the most trusted information.
Good or bad, others are bound to know about you. Through word of mouth, it will take only three personality types to spread your reputation. They are, as described in Malcolm Gladwell's book "The Tipping Point" -- the connector who is respected in broad networks, the maven who analyzes information and shares his knowledge with other people for better decisionmaking, and the salesman who has excellent people skills. Reaching enough number of people, these three movers will be able to build a tipping point that will decide the fate of your career.

Lifelong employability

Good reviews are not an assurance of your staying power. For more than a hundred reasons including outsourcing, redundancy and obsolescence of competency, 100 percent of jobs are mortal. What is important is lifelong employability not lifetime employment. A lifetime of professional desirability will be attained with continuous retooling. Of course, attitude – towards yourself, towards others and towards your work – makes 100.

Career power with the 4 P’s of marketing

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(Published on page J4 of the Job Market-Working People section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, October 28, 2007, Sunday)

By Roel Andag

Contributor

MARKETING INTRODUCES a brand to the consciousness of the target market. Astute marketing makes people buy the brand. Genius marketing makes the brand leap from commonplace to iconic – needed and coveted. Marketing follows the Four P’s: product, place, price and promotion. Apply the Four P’s of marketing to your career life to stay competitive and desired. Make Brand You a winning brand with the Four P’s.

Product. It all begins with an excellent product – Brand You. The demands of a globalized workplace continually elevate basic requirements. What is basic today is passé tomorrow. It was in the dreamy past when a college education was enough to land a cushy job. Today, graduate studies seem mandatory. Exceed the basic standards of your career category. Keep yourself informed and updated.

Focus is an important product ingredient. Which one, 10, 100 or 1,000 companies or individuals will derive value from your services? Have an intimate understanding of that market – its needs, preferences and mindset. Attempting to impress everyone will result in pleasing no one, not even yourself.

Perception is another key element. Brand You should captivate the imagination of the target market. How do you perceive yourself? How would you want your target market to perceive you? Appeal to the taste of your market. Refine and innovate accordingly if necessary. A successful brand communicates and establishes an emotional connection with its consumers. What one word best describes you? Try leader, decisive, sharp, witty, inspiring, principled, or other powerful words to determine your brand attribute.

But is the product useful? Identify or develop your unique selling proposition or USP. Are you a super salesperson? An expert in a yet untapped field? A dazzling communicator? An incomparable leader? Fantastically creative? A publicity genius? Your USP is the differentiator that will enable you to stand apart. Avoid being a me-too product that merely duplicates others. Do not be a Swiss knife either – multitasking but lacking focus. Make sure that Brand You performs and delivers on its promise.

Packaging is equally important. Thirteen judgments are made within the first 30 seconds of your appearance. See to it that you are decent and presentable at all times. Influence perception by presenting substance with style. That includes communicating with impact.

Place. Are you well-positioned in the mind of your target market? The challenge is to plant the Brand You flag in consciousness prime spot. You need to be in a position of leadership to do this. In this context, it is your ability to lead yourself.

Do you envision a pride of place? Do you honestly believe that you will belong to the top 10 percent of people in your career category in due time? Benchmark yourself according to the standards of individuals and companies you admire. Study their strategies before they became successful and how they now sustain that success.

Are you at the right place at the right time? Be an opportunity spotter and creator, and leverage every break. Be where the action is. Showing up does half of the job.

Price. This can be your desired compensation – your market value – given your qualifications and potential. Obsessing on the money, however, will be futile if the product is not buyable, let alone sellable. Brand You must be truly unique and indispensable. Price is more of how you value yourself. Multiply your self-worth by investing in authentic self-improvement – continuously enhance your knowledge, skills, attitude and behavior. Price includes the risks or bargains you are willing to offer and take in furthering your career.

Ultimately, the market will not mind lavishing on a prime brand.

Promotion. Sizzle or fizzle. An excellent product, Brand You should be easy to promote. Be visible to your target market. Network strategically: approach industry stalwarts with the intention of building mutually beneficial relationships. How? You can volunteer for a project, provide intelligent information such as analysis of industry trends, broker business links, present opportunities, or submit a proposal.

Beware of shameless promotion, hard sell and parasitic networking. Ubiquity does not necessarily translate to desirability. With its substance, Brand You will not require big bang promotion or deceptive spin. The key is for Brand You to be valuable. Favorable word of mouth will follow thereafter.

Use the Four P’s in building Brand You. Devise a marketing plan that will propel your career. With patient, determined and sustained work, Brand You will reach a tipping point that will trigger success. Properly managed, Brand You will have no expiration date.

Feedback and surge forward

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(Published in the Job Market-Working People section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 27, 2007, Sunday)

By Roel Andag

Contributor

A guide to productive feedback process

Every company practices or wants to have it. Depending on the giver’s mastery in handling the process and the receiver’s sincerity in pursuing self-improvement, it can induce either excitement or discomfort. It is feedback in the workplace.

For the company, an effective feedback process produces better leaders and performers. On the other hand, the employee benefits from the affirmation he receives and from becoming more aware of behavior adjustments he needs to make.

As much as it can be nerve wracking for the one who will receive the feedback, it can also be challenging for the one giving it. It’s a two-way process and the parties have individual and shared responsibilities to make the process work. Because it is delicate and should be a productive exercise, it is important to follow these guidelines:

Specific behavior not general performance

Do not confuse or misuse the feedback process as performance evaluation. Performance is the execution of an action while behavior is the manner of conducting oneself. Feedback focuses on specific behavior. The desired behaviors are ideally those that are aligned with the values and culture of the company. These are behaviors that support the employee in the performance of his job. The result of the feedback process is not a performance evaluation but can be used as one of the bases in such evaluation.

What are these behaviors? It depends on the company but the generally desired ones are aligned with competencies such as leadership, achievement orientation, decisiveness, communication, adaptability, collaboration, strategic thinking, innovativeness, and focus and drive.

Isolate behaviors from one another so as not to pollute your judgment. For example, if you are the feedback receiver, don’t claim that your consistent attendance should make the feedback giver overlook your arrogance with customers.

Descriptive not evaluative
“Your resistance to work in a team is blocking your potential” is an evaluative statement because it determines the worth or significance of a behavior. Its descriptive equivalent is “You resist working in a team.” Why is it advisable to be descriptive? First, to allow the receiver to come up with his own judgment about his behavior and second, to maintain the objectivity of the process.

Effective feedback requires candor and sincerity. Filipinos who are exceedingly modest and diplomatic are in for a surprise when they work in multinational companies where feedback is a no holds barred affair. In this case, the Filipino saying ‘walang personalan, trabaho lang’ best applies.

Self description required

An effective feedback process is not one-sided. It takes into consideration the perspectives of both the giver and receiver so as to obtain an objective view.

If you are the receiver, you are best suited for a feedback session when you come prepared with a self description. You will gain this knowledge through introspection. Ask yourself hard questions. Make sure that your self description is unadulterated by false pride, excuses and exaggeration. You can use the feedback session as a tool of promotion by accentuating the positive, enumerating lessons learned and identifying proposed way forward. The best preparation though is demonstrating commendable traits way before feedback time and making helpful behaviors a way of life.

If you are the one giving the feedback, stick to the set of behavioral competencies defined by the company. Do not interrupt the receiver while he is giving his self description. Keep an open mind, listen empathetically and wait for your turn to talk. Ask insightful questions.

A person is his best personal judge. A self description will demonstrate how the employee perceives himself and how healthy his self image is.

Commend and recommend

Even the favorite employee is not beyond reproach. As far as work is concerned, no one is a perfect creation. A person has his pluses and minuses. If you are the favorite employee, do not delude yourself with the thought that the one giving you feedback will not have anything negative to say. On the contrary, your political standing in the office may even invite criticism. Be careful.

Both giver and receiver have to enumerate the employee’s behavioral strengths. The affirmation will reinforce desirable behaviors and encourage their continuance. Likewise, areas for improvement have to be pointed out. The merits and demerits will produce a balanced picture.

Plan, implement, monitor

Don’t leave the process hanging by ending it with the talkfest. Aside from documenting the process and the result, there has to be a solid sustaining action so that the feedback process does not become unfinished business.

If you are the receiver, it is your responsibility to design and follow an action plan that details actions on how to institute behavioral changes. The plan is based on the feedback result. Share your action plan with the boss and ask for support that can come in the form of training, mentoring and coaching. Stick to your plan and monitor your progress.

Who and when?

Who gives and receives feedback? If it is serious about developing leaders and improving its competitive advantage, a company should subject everyone, regardless of position, to feedback. Teams also benefit from feedback. The 360 degree feedback is a dynamic leadership mechanism that allows a person to learn from the observation of people around him.

As to timeliness, a semestral or annual formal feedback session is recommended. The intervals give the receiver ample time to make meaningful behavioral changes. Informal feedback can be slipped during conversations as long as privacy and confidentiality are ensured.

Although it can be accomplished through email communication or by accomplishing a prescribed form (never resort to using a suggestion box!), a person to person feedback session is the best approach. The dynamics of personal interchange generates a wealth of insight. Besides, a lot of emotion is invested in the feedback process. Regardless of method, professional etiquette has to be maintained throughout.

Feedback is not an occasion for power tripping or bullying. It should be based only on actual observations not on assumptions clouded by animosity between giver and receiver.

Properly managed, feedback will enhance effectiveness at the individual, team and organizational levels.