Self Motivated Candidate

You might have seen in the job requirement that company requires self-motivated people. Do you think the condition work? Do you feel that people with other matching condition do not come up as they feel they are not self motivated? Do you feel the addition of the condition makes any difference? No, candidates just overlook the criteria. They think it as a formal statement. So why do the company put the condition in the job requirement?

Let us first look at what is self motivation. By self motivation we expect a person to do his or her work in motivated way independent of external agent and condition. They will boost up themselves and adjust to the changed scenario. They will be self running machine with respect to motivation. But is it possible as per motivation theories? The most renowned and popular motivational theory is Herzberg Motivational Theory (1959). It says there are two types of factors for motivation Hygiene factor and Motivator factor. Hygiene factors are needed to ensure an employee does not become dissatisfied. They do not lead to higher levels of motivation, but without them there is dissatisfaction. Examples of Hygiene factors are working condition, pay and benefit, relationship with co-worker and supervisor, job security, company policies and administration etc. Motivation factors are needed in order to motivate an employee into higher performance. Examples of Motivation factors are recognition of work, awarding responsibility of work, chance to excel and education, opportunity of growth etc.

Now think, can a person control the Hygiene or Motivational factors for himself or herself on its own? It needs thoughtful management system to design and control. An employee needs some desired interaction with rest of the members of the organization to get and remain motivated. So a self motivated employee is not a normal occurrence, if he is not a super human or abnormal.

Come to the question again why do the companies put the requirement of self motivated candidate? The companies who do not have the proper motivational environment and the confidence to motivate its employees, they feel if they can get some motivated people by default. It is the spontaneous expression of their weakness.

Sprit of Rule

I had one colleague who used to commute by train. That time in our area ticket checking was not enforced very strictly especially during the very rush office hours. But time to time it used to take place and whoever was used to get caught had to give fine. My colleague was daily passenger for 10 years in the same route. One day he told that first two years he traveled paying fare and after that he never bought a ticket. He observed total number of days in a year he has been asked to show ticket. He found that if he pays fine for that many days it turns out to be much less that the cost of ticket of the whole year. After doing the cost benefit analysis he found it is profitable for him to pay fine whenever he get caught than to than to be a regular ticket buyer. I found that he had no guilty feeling for his action. He told that “the day I shall find that cost of paying fine is more than the cost of buying daily ticket, I shall buy ticket regularly.” Some of our other colleague supported him and some did not. People, who supported him told that, let the law implementer make a situation to force him to follow the rule. If the rule is not implemented there is no wrong in breaking it. People who did not support him told that from ethical and social point of view this is not right, whether you get caught or not. Who is correct?

Do you tell lie? Definitely, in real life everyone tells lie, especially if the lie is told for someone’s good. But do you tell your kids or your younger brothers and sisters not to tell lie? Yes, that is also true. So how do you justify yourself? Don’t you feel to say that telling lie is guilt but not always? How do you make the demarcation of when to tell lie and when not?

I feel we all in our real life suffer from dilemma whether to follow rule always or not and when can we loose ourselves to strictly follow the rule. As kids, we are always taught to strictly follow the rules and laws. For a little deviation we are given big punishments. So from childhood we learn how to find the gap in the rule. On the other hand we find our elders to break rules. So we learn that rules can be broken and to take shelter we need to find the weak area of the rule.

We are never taught to follow the spirit of the rule. Had it been taught properly, we could understand that we can not violate a rule even there is a gap, if it is against the sprit of the rule and we can break the rule, if it is not violating the sprit of the rule.

Management Style – past and future

Simple and raw definition of management is “get work done by others”. So definitely managerial activity would have been taken place from time when men become social animal. The way we are familiar with the term “management” it is though to think some ape is doing managerial work. Forget that prehistoric age; come to something that we are familiar. Say building the pyramids. Without a management it is not possible to guide the effort of a large number of people to a definite brilliant structure. But how was the style of management. It was slavery or a very close kind of it. There manager was interested on the outcome what he wants. Worker did not have any value. Human was almost equivalent to an animal. With time, due to revolution or some other reasons slavery went off. Worker got better human value. Manager told “do my work and get some money”. But he can use the worker as he wishes. There was no limit, there was no liability. It was as good as running an electric apparatus and paying for electric bill. Again due to revolution and some other pressure manager had to agree that worker are different than mechanical apparatuses. So workers got better shape like human.

Though there was a gross change in management style with time, but each work used to be controlled and directed by the wisdom and intuition of individual manager. Scientific thoughts and studies on management started at the end of nineteen century. Systematic approach to work, organization and hierarchy was put in place. It is mainly after world wars; value of participation of worker in an organization was felt deeply. Different theories came in forefront how to motivate and involve workers in organization processes. So management style accepted that human is different and more important resource than a machine.

Different people brought changing thoughts to management process. They tried their ideas experimentally and came to some conclusion. People learned from each other and changed their habits and processes. So management style kept on changing for betterment. There were no such definite dates for those changes. But things that came in mind to the leaders were experimented and then implemented and then become a habit. After some time when the habit becomes more pervasive then it turned to be a law or rule.

With time human value of worker has been increased in management style. Now a day employees are being given health insurance, travel allowance, kid’s education allowance. These are the evidence of giving higher importance to human resource on other aspect of life. If you consider the motivational theories they all based on the social, family, psychological needs of human.

I feel due to scientific approach management process has reached its height. When people apply Six Sigma, which is 99.999% accuracy, it is definitely quite high and we never dream to reach that level in other activities in our life. I can remember in our Physics lab in college we could not reach the 99% accuracy on same old experiment even with senior’s workbook in hand.

So where will we be moving in future? What will be the changes in management style? To understand the possible change let us find what are the things we are missing now-a-days? As I observed, we are different identity in our work and in our personal life. We are not supposed to mix those up. Can you say to your supervisor that “ today I had a fight with my spouse and after that I had to spent 3 hours to make the things normal and I got late in office” ? But we all know that it is a common and natural event, which happens to everyone of us. Can you take a few days off when your girlfriend/ boyfriend leave you? We can understand the emotional situation but we do not respect the fact in workplace. Can your manager ever ask you “are you happy in life? Do you need any help?” It is not the etiquette, but you always feel if there was a good friend to share. This dual role creates contradiction in a human and this builds up tension and dissatisfaction. You can not give your best under this environment. Your emotional values are not considered. Extrapolating the change of management style that happened in past days, this is the area where our future management will definitely consider. Emotional part of human worker need to be considered more in our future management style to give worker comfort feeling along with his rest of the part of his life. As far as the management process is concerned the strict process and methodologies gives worker a mechanical feeling. As a basic nature, human do not like that. If a little flexibility and scope of creativity is allowed work becomes more interesting. Agile management technique is becoming more successful and popular than the traditional methodologies, though it is not so perfectionist. This trend is supposed to get enhancement and importance in future, as it emphasizes the human quality which is superior to machine. You can definitely make lots of argue. I do not know how and when things will take place, but have a strong feeling that it will happen. It is the natural trend. May be if we accept the natural fact and refine our thoughts it will happen earlier and earlier will be better for mankind.

I dream and management style where workers will be attached to the organization like supporter of a soccer team.

Reasoning and Judgment

All through the world Science subjects are considered most important subjects in school. Out of these Math is the most. Because we like reasoning and we love to learn reasoning. For a mathematical problem there is a strong reasoning and we reach same result all the time whenever we do it. Reasoning is required in life, but the way we are brought up, we learn that there is a single answer to every question. With the changing examination type towards objective type the impression is getting farm to the student’s mind. But is life like that? In our life for most of the cases we need to do balance. We need to find an optimum solution, be it personal life or in office. It need quality of judging, which is not taught in childhood. I feel, that is the dark part of our education system which is causing lots of trouble in our social life.

For reasoning we need some logical blocks. If we know how to put the logical blocks properly, we can reach single and the only possible solution. But judgment depends on value system and application of the values for the problem. When we do reasoning we are pretty sure about the single solution and we need not be open to hear others. But if we consciously do judgment we know that there may be alternative solutions and we become open to listen to others. While judging, we know that your decision may not be the ultimate perfect one and there is always a risk of error associated with the decision, which we need to bear. If we put wrong logic we reach a wrong solution, but we become confident about the solution. When you prefer wrong value in judgment, you know different people may have different preference in judgment. Normally logics are specific to a domain and so have less influence in other domain. But influences of value system in judgments are wider. So once we learn from mistake, if it is a judgment it changes value system and influences wider future activities. This is called experience. That’s for experience is always given higher preference in life even not in the same domain.

Due to our over emphasis on reasoning in our childhood we tend to believe that whatever decision we take are based on reasoning, but lots actually are judgments. We do not know how to take a judgmental decision systematically and our value system is not strong and clear to us. So on illusion of decision based on reasoning we become overconfident on our decision as we think it to be the only solution. We close our ear to hear others as we think this is based on strong reasoning. We always feel fear about the incorrectness of our decision as we feel that this proves lack of our knowledge and logical incompetence.  If our decision is really proven to be wrong, we get a great shock as we were not open about the risk of the decision.

It is tougher to build value system and to teach to make judgment. But it has a better utility in life. Waiting for a time, when our education system will teach us to be a better human than a mere scientist.

Belief in God

Did you ever been in a magic show? After each event your jaw drops and you keep on thinking how it was possible. Thought continues even after the show. You assume there must be some hidden rope or hidden magnet or a secret hole on stage etc etc. If thought does not go in that direction, especially for kids, it is assumed that there must be something special in the magic stick or in the hocus pocus chant. Whatever it is, you settle down with some possible reason according to your level. If the magic is shown on street or at your home by some of your magician friend, you feel more uncomfortable, as there is very less scope to fit the logical gap. This is quite natural. As per human psychology people do not feel comfortable with unknown, uncertain or illogical things. So you try to hold something or other to meet up the logical gap in our mind.

With advancement of science we have learnt lots about the nature and universe. But lots are yet unexplored, unexplained. We get surprised when we think of these. It may be how brain work or how big is the universe or how natural balance is maintained, how live came on earth etc. We can not explain all. On the other hand for our daily life, we do not know what will happen tomorrow. Even with our best effort for most of the cases, we do not have full control of final result. So some of us think yet some unknown scientific laws and information are there, some of us think some supernatural power is there, some of us say everything done by God. I feel all are the same. All of them want fill the gap between known and unknown. All of them catch a belief according to their suitability to feel comfortable.

So if someone can keep himself comfortable by believing in God than being patient of hypertension, I feel, that is better. If someone can keep himself healthy without believing in God that is also fine. It depends on his inner psychological system. Both are perfect on their ground. Not only about the facts of supernatural power, even if for daily life if someone can keep it enjoyable by trusting on God, I feel that is useful. Even someone do some ritual to keep himself happy which does not affect others, is fine. But one thing I can not support, when either believer or non-believer forces others to follow their path or think others to be of sub-quality. Believe resides inside the mind, it can not be superimposed. External forced ritual and faith do not give the feel of comfort and therefore is of no use. So I believe that both believer and non-believer of God can be equally strong and proud of their believe system as long as they get benefit out of it and do not disturb others.

Inspiration

Abbas is seven years old. Like others he loves his father very much. He copies his father’s gesture, posture, style. That is quite obvious. He sees his father going for job for which her mother is also very proud. His father brings foods and toys. His father takes most of the decision for their family. His father is his hero. Children learn from parents by copying. He talks like his father over phone, relax on sofa like his father. His mother told him that his father studied well and that for doing such a good job. Though he does not understand the relation, but he makes a mapping that if he recites tables well, if he remembers poems, somehow he will be like his father. So he is inspired to do study. Moreover his mother tells him to be better than his father. He knows one person to be better than his father. He is his father’s boss. One day they went to boss’s house. Seeing the house, getting the reception and observing his father’s behavior with boss, Abbas felt boss to be better person and so it is not bad to be like the boss.

One day his father returned home with frustration. That time Abbas was trying to memorize a table. Furiously his father threw his tie at one corner, sitting on sofa he was kicking on floor. He was saying so many things to his mother about his boss. Abbas could not understand these all. One thing he could understand as his father told “I would have killed boss if I had a gun with me”. Hearing that Abbas got confused, why to by heart the table, to be a killer like his father or to be killed by his father.

Right to influence not to force

Things do not go as we hope. Our kids do not listen to us, our spouses quarrel with us, our colleagues do not follow our instructions.  It seems the world is having full of opposite opinion with us. To make everything proper we need to slap our kids, raise the tone against spouse, threaten our colleague. What it results is our tension, dissatisfaction. We really do not want to be so harsh, but what else can we do? The rough attitude becomes part of our life and seems to be a disease.

 There is a suggestive medicine for this. Definitely this is not the only one and it does not equally effective on everyone. As it works for some people, you can try to check whether it suits you or not.

 You need to align others with your wishes, your dreams, your thoughts. There is no ambiguity that you will be happy only if it happens. You have to try for that. But develop a belief that to align others you have the right to influence but not to force. It may be little bit tough at initial days but cautious reminding at back of your mind during all interaction it becomes easier. So what are the things to do to influence? You are absolutely free. Do whatever you feel to be effective. Play with your kids, flatter your spouse, build personal relations with your colleagues. But keep one thing in mind. If you see that one of your methods of influence is not working, do not blame and charge them, why they are not getting influenced. This is again forcing. Rather think a bit and change your influencing technique. It needs little creativity and thinking. As you are playing deliberately and consciously the tactics with definite goal in mind, you anger will be much controlled and you will enjoy your life better with better success of other’s alignment with you.

Unnatural we

There are always some differences between two similar animals or plants. Two kittens of same mother are little different. Walking styles of two tigers are different. Two branches of same kind of trees are different. However similar it may seem, if seen minutely even twin brothers also have some differences. Creating this difference is the basic feature of nature. May be that’s for our nature is so beautiful so interesting. Otherwise it would have been monotonous. Darwin shown that, this difference in creation leaded to so many species in nature.

 But most of us in most of the time forget to respect this basic rule of nature. If someone does not agree with us on some issue we become angry. If our son or daughter listen some modern song that we do not like, we shout on them. If our mother or grandmother is talking about spirituality, we think it to be disgusting. We do not keep good impression about our colleague, who supports the other political party. See the other side – we chose your education stream same as our cousin brother who is successful in his carrier. We expected our spouse to be of similar nature of our brother or sister. We expected our kid to be similar like his/her class topper.

 If we try to give one orange shape of another orange with a knife, only thing that will result is the juice of the orange will be drained out. If we put little more attention to understand, variation to be the basic rule of nature, we can stop drainage of juice. If we accept this basic rule; disagreement, mismatches will not look so much painful and we can have more peaceful life.

Different manager

One chief operation manager was supposed to join a software development company at its development centre. Its head office was at some different location. It was a Monday when he was supposed to join. Before joining he planned his first day with his would be PA (personal assistant). He kept his first days work very short. Beside the joining formalities he kept a meeting with the sweepers and cleaners, that’s all. For rest of the days of the week he told that he will be busy in head office. He told his PA that he will start his full activity at development centre from the next Monday.

 In the meeting with the sweepers along with the maintenance head, he announced that the sweepers have to be off from work for a week or so, till he does not say to join again. He told that it will be a paid off. He told maintenance head not to make any alternative arrangement for the work. With his hard face he specifically mentioned that it is his first instruction and it should be followed without any question. He left the meeting and left for the day. People started to guess lots of things and rumors started to spread.

 As planned he went to head office from the next day and started his activities. Tuesday people somehow managed, Wednesday they became angry, Thursday it was intolerable, Friday they become furious. People tried to contact him to know why he has given such order. He kept on avoiding answering and only said it should be followed. People planned to report against him, they planned protest. People lost concentration in work and kept on discussing the issue. Most of the people thought that may be during weekend some higher authority will solve the problem.

 When on next Monday people found that the situation is unchanged and it is too bad, they stopped working and broke into protest. Chief Officer came little late and while entering he could feel the situation. As soon he entered his office, his PA told that lots of high ranked people want to meet him immediately. Then he called for an immediate all hands meeting.

 He took all the updates of events for the last one week from his PA. He told to the gathering that “ I didn’t know that sweepers have such a big contribution in software product….. I think sweepers get less than one tenth salary of junior most engineers. But I could not think they are so valuable in the company…. Tell me what is the problem if I do not want to keep a few so called lowest category, lowest qualified people in such a big software company?” Now the crowd understood his intention and kept spell bound. He continued”Sorry for the weeklong inconvenience to you. But I could not otherwise make you convinced, how important the sweepers are in a software company….. If sweepers are so important, my dear engineers, you can feel how important you are in this organization….. Never think that you are doing a less important or more important work than other. I am also no way more important than you. Every person is equally important for the organization. We only play different roles……  Some of you may ask if we all are equally important why we don’t get same salary. Here you have to understand the difference between the importance and the value creation. Your salary depends on how much value you create to the business of the organization. If you are a good artist, your quality may not pay you much to draw flow diagram, but it may pay you high in film industry….. Let me tell you one incident of my life to understand the difference between importance and value. In one of my previous company there was an office boy who was little dull but was very sincere, obedient and always having smiling face. He used to do exactly what was told to do, nothing more, nothing less. I used to keep work for him in a tray with notes. He used to do one after another. One day I put a paper to be sent by fax. I put a note on a paper “to be faxed by 11:30” and put the number also. I left for a meeting. Actually that day he was absent and so another new boy on his substitution took the work. Somehow the number was not working. The new fellow turned the piece of paper and found another number. He assumed that to be the alternative number. He sent the fax in that number and that was a big blunder. I knew the new fellow tried to be proactive at his level best without disturbing me in meeting. His intension was not wrong. But it was not expected from his level to take the intelligent step. If it was my old fellow he would have asked me. Lack of confidence of my old boy made him important for me. But I can not pay him the salary of a manager, because he is not doing the work of that value. He is indispensable and I can not replace the boy by any other, but his salary can not be excessively high….. So I wish you improve you capability, capacity to produce more value to the organization and grow in your career path, but do your current work with high importance….. Non-cooperation of any of you will create bigger impact to the organization than what happened last week…. As you are equal important with me to the organization you have all rights to point out even my faults if you think so.  ……..”

Are you educated?

“The only purpose of education is to teach a student how to live his life-by developing his mind and equipping him to deal with reality. ..” – Ayn Rand. Reading the quotation all of us will nod our head and will say “correct, absolutely correct”.

 When we get a master or doctorate degree in any of our chosen stream after spending around 20 years in education system we feel we have received best of our education. Yes, it enables us to appear for an interview for a well salaried post. What else did the education system taught us to deal with the reality? Did you learn how to make good friend? Did you learn how to cooperate others and how to get cooperation of others? Did you learn how to talk to others? Did you learn how to impress other? Did you learn how to present yourself? Did you learn how to select your life partner? Did you learn how to approach and propose your liked partner? Did you learn how to plan your career? Did you learn how to manage people in workplace? Did you learn how to enjoy your married life? Did you learn how to keep peace in family life? Did you learn how to make saving? Did you learn how to use the saved money? Did you learn how to take care of your kid? Did you learn how to guide your kid to grow? Did you learn how to do work and life balance? Did you learn how to control your tension? Did you learn how to plan for your old age life? Did you learn how to be happy? …….

 The way we deal the problems are based on our own perception, instant reaction and some spurious input in our life. No methodical and guided approaches are followed. Now go through the initial quotation again and think whether you are educated or not.