The critical role of an Effective Manager/Leader in an Organization’s Behavior

It is an accepted fact that Organizations Behavior is always contingent on how a Manager effectively practices his leadership and his management functions. For example, if a Manager/Leader is lackadaisical on his function as head of an organization we must also expect an easy-going Organization Behavior. An easy-going OB is an organization that doesn’t achieve its goals and an organization that is undisciplined.

Let us take for example ineffective and corrupt leaders of nations. What is the Organizations Behavior of a government bureaucracy if their leader is corrupt and ineffective? It follows that majority of those who are working for that government bureaucracy will also become corrupt and unproductive. If the leaders of these nations are not careful they may find themselves being overthrown by their people.

In a micro level for example, in a company setting if the manager is ineffective (Doesn’t know how to exercise his Leadership/Managerial functions) we should subsequently expect a chaotic company Organizations Behavior. So what must we do to address this problematic situation?

Of course the obvious action to do is to change our mindset and attitude towards our work. Otherwise if we will not change the organization will not think twice to separate us from the organization. For the simple reason that the very survival of the organization is at stake here.

Therefore the role of a manager is very critical in an organization. For the reason that in his hands lies the survival of his organization and his survival also in that organization. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

The importance of Spiritual Recollection for Organization

Do you sometimes feel that your job is already a drudgery? And you’re simply going through the motions of your work for the reason that you need to feed your family? Why not recharge your flagging motivation by submitting your organization to a procedure that is still alien to many organizations. The method that I’m talking about is called Recollection: Spiritual Recollection.

Spiritual Recollection is for every organization, for as long as there are organizations be it for profit or non-profit. It is a must for organizations to undergo this process of spiritual recollection. For the simple reason that this will surely invigorate the spirit and motivation of an organization’s human resource.  

Organizations from time to time goes through the process of organizational seminars, talks  team buildings and so forth. The obvious reason behind is they want to upgrade the capability, operability  and ability of their human resource. But organizations very seldom undergo Spiritual Recollections; I think this is a need yet unexplored by Organizations.

In the Bible: after the working so hard in advancing the teaching of Jesus. The disciples gathered around Him and told Him about their accomplishments. Jesus told them: "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. (Mark 6:30-32).

Relating this event with an Organization’s Human Resource who works very hard for the organization to earn profit. I think they also deserve to rest for a while and recharge their parched spirits who badly hungers for the word of God.

 If you would submit your HR to this procedure you would be amazed by the unquantifiable good that it will create on your HR and your entire Organization as a whole. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

The importance of Organizational Mission statement

Does your organization have a mission statement?

Mission statement is a very important component to an organization’s existence because it clearly defines the fundamental purpose of the organization. This purpose of existence will be the uniting factor for the organization towards the achievement of their organizational goals. For example,  The Mission Statement of a car manufacturing company is: To manufacture affordable and durable cars for the common people.   

Every organization must have a mission statement for its existence for the reason that this statement serves as its guiding light. Every organization must see to it that it creates its own unique Mission Statement that will serve as its organizational identity. 

Without Mission there’s no defining reason for the employees to rally behind except to earn their salaries. And this kind of situation is a threat to the fundamental existence of an organization.

However, if every organization would create a Mission statement it will ensure direction and relevant existence for the organization. It clearly defines also the identity of the organization and it creates an awareness upon the minds of its workforce that they should also help their organization achieve its mission. - Marino J. Dasmarinas 

How to effectively address Organizational Problems

Company executives are once in a while confronted with problems that will challenge their decision making abilities. What must they do to ensure that they will properly address/ solve the problem?

There’s no assurance that the action that will be made by them would solve whatever organizational problems that they have. But there are steps that they must follow to at least assure them that whatever decision that they will be making will not be made in haste. We all know that decisions made in haste in any field of endeavor are usually wasted decisions because of the haste factor. As they say: "Haste makes waste."

To avoid this tragedy the ff: actions must be undertaken.

1. Find out then pinpoint the problem.

2. Create measures or plan of actions that will help solve the problems.

3. Create a process of elimination among alternatives then pick the best alternative.

4. Apply the best alternative and carefully monitor its implementation until such time that the problem has been solved.

Marino J. Dasmarinas

Does it pay to become a Socially Responsible Organization?

The law of Karma states that the effect of a one’s actions is looked upon as an influential factor in one’s destiny. Having said this, what if your organization stands alone by itself. Without any concern for its immediate surrounding environment, will it soon be doomed? Or will it continue to grow and prosper?

There is no substantive studies that say that those socially responsible organizations are more successful than those who are not. But if we play it by observation we will discover that those organization that gives back to their communities or donate to various charitable organization are the ones that are more financially successful than the others who don’t give.

Let us take for example some big corporations who endow sizeable amount to their favored charitable organizations.  Their endowment is linked to their success; the more that they are successful the more that they give back.

There are many more organizations that are socially responsible. They always see to it that a certain percentage of their profit goes back to charitable organizations or non governmental organizations.

For the reason that they believe that it really pays to become a socially responsible organization. Being socially responsible also help create a positive self image for an organization this eventually translates to more customers and profits.

Does it pay to be a Socially Responsible Organization? Yes of course! _ Marino J. Dasmarinas

Commentary on Motivation: The Motivational Process and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Do you know how to motivate?

Motivation is an integral part of human behavior in organization. Without motivation workers in organization would not be able to function properly. So what motivates them to work hard and to achieve their goals? Early motivational studies points to money as their prime motivational instrument, then their need to belong and their need for responsibility.

The motivational process contains three interacting and interdependent elements namely: Need, Drive and Incentive. A need is a psychological imbalance that needs to be satisfied; a drive pushes an individual towards achievement of a goal or task. An incentive is something that can lighten a need and decrease the intensity of the drive. For example, a worker needs to earn so that he can pay for the basic necessities of living, so the need to earn is the imbalance that must be satisfied. 

The psychological drive will push this  worker to achieve the goal of earning money for his basic necessities. Due to his hard work he will now receive money, this in now the incentive that will alleviate his needs and somewhat decrease the intensity of his drive to earn. This motivational process is a cycle that stops for a while and is reignited again the moment an individual or group of individuals finds a vacuum that needs to be satisfied.

Another Motivational tool is Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, this is a five step ladder hierarchy which says that a lower level need must be satisfied first before it proceeds to the next higher level.

This is illustrated by a triangle, the lowest or the first level need that occupies the triangle is the Physiological needs or Basic needs. These are needs to sustain life such as: air, water, food, sleep etc… according to Maslow if such needs are not satisfied then one’s motivation will arise with the aim to satisfy them. Higher needs are not felt yet until he is fully satisfied with his basic needs.

Assuming that physiological needs has been satisfied we will now come to the second higher order need that occupies the triangle it is called Safety and Security needs, this is the need to be free from the threat of physical and emotional harm. These needs would be meet by working or living in a safe place and by having job security.

The third need in the hierarchy is the Need to belong or Social needs, this is the need of individuals to interact. As they say no “man is an island” we cannot exist by ourselves we need to interact because we are social beings. We need friends to whom we can trust our emotions, we need to be in a group wherein we will feel comfortable.

The fourth need is Esteem needs, this is the need to be respected by your peers, subordinates and Managers it is human nature for us to want respect and recognition. Esteem needs fulfills this wants.

The last and the highest need in the triangle is Self-Actualization needs, this addresses our need for purpose in life. The need to be honest and truthful in all of our dealings with our co workers. The need to have a job that fully satisfies an employee’s purpose in his organization.

Closely looking at Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs we will find out that these stepladder needs somewhat goes hand in hand with the progression of an employees life in an organization. A young and newly employed individual will first try to satisfy his Physiological needs or Basic needs then as he matures in the organization his needs goes up one at a time until such time that he reaches the Self-Actualization level.

Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs tells us that if we want a well Motivated Human Resource we need to provide them with their basic needs such as reasonable salary scheme to help them defray for their physiological needs. There’s a need also to create a safe and secure working environment.

A need to create an environment of community amongst workers to address their need to socialize. A need to respect the individual rights of workers regardless of their standing in the organization so that their Esteem needs are addressed. The last need is to ensure that workers will eventually reach their full potential in the organization so as to have the feeling of fulfilment. (Self-Actualization) - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Corruption in Philippine Government: A hopeless case?

Is a corruption free Philippine government possible? 

If we would conduct a survey why middle class Filipino families are migrating to other parts of the world. We will be surprised that one of the many reasons that they would cite is the shameless graft and corruption in the Philippine government bureaucracy.

Corruption scandals are dark shadows that have constantly tailed the Philippines since the Marcos regime up to the present government. Let us take for example the present  government. For almost a month now many elected government officials has been plagued by accusation of corruption labeled as the pork barrel scam.

The question that begs to be answered now is this: can we still slay the deeply ingrained culture of corruption in the Philippine bureaucracy? Yes we can still slay this evil in Philippine governance however it will be a pipe dream if we would say that we can exterminate this within the time span of five to ten years.

But all is not lost because there’s still hope and it rest on the shoulders of the present political leaders of this country. If only they will think of crafting a law that will make the evils of corruption and its corresponding punishments a permanent subject matter in our entire educational system. It will start during elementary up to the last year of college. So that strong value formation is inculcated against corruption in the minds of the future leaders this country.

Defeating this evil called corruption is not a hopeless case. This is actually a doable objective lets just give it a time frame perhaps twenty up to twenty five years. By then we will hopefully have a new crop of leaders with strong values formation against corruption. - Marino J. Dasmarinas