On designating an Officer-in-charge

Nancy is the division chief/manager/leader of a government office every now and then she attends live-in seminars that last for three to five days. In lieu of her absence she would designate an officer-in-charge to temporarily lead, manage and run the daily activities of her division. 

Should there be rules or guidelines to follow when designating an officer-in-charge? Of course, there should be so that the office would function properly otherwise there would be disorder or disorganization.

Here are four guidelines to follow when designating an officer-in-charge.

1.      Designate someone who is competent

2.      Someone who you can trust

3.      Someone who is humble

4.      Someone who is not abusive and arrogant

After selecting that someone based on the guidelines, clearly define the scope and limits of his/her authority. This is done to avoid abuse of authority and a problematic situation in the office.

Why is there a need to follow these guidelines? For the simple reason that following these guidelines would assure the smooth flow of the operation of the division/organization. Thus, when the division chief/manager/leader returns he/she will have less issues and problems to take care of.

How do you designate an officer-in-charge in your office? – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Do you want to become an inspiring leader?

Who is an inspiring leader? He is a leader that is loved and not feared by his followers. Many leaders lead by fear foremost of these are autocratic or dictatorial leaders. These kinds of leaders lead and govern thru fear they do this by projecting themselves as strong leaders.

They create an extraordinarily strong personality and identity which plant fear in the hearts of his subordinates. These kinds of leaders don’t know how to inspire their  followers for the simple reason that their authority emanates from the feeling of fear.

How do you become an inspiring leader? The first requirement to become an inspiring leader is to eliminate fear in your menu of leadership qualities. Why? This is for the reason that when a leader is not feared he becomes more approachable and available to his subordinates. He is always there to lend a hand whenever his subordinates need him. 

When a leader/manager is approachable and always available he creates a climate of confidence and calm among his subordinates. This simply means that there’s no dividing wall that separates the leader from his subordinates.

Thus, his subordinates will always be inspired to work because their leader is always there to support them. In whatever way possible subject to the limits of the organization's rules and regulation. 

Another important quality of an inspiring leader is he always model his leadership to the hilt. This simply means that he walks his talk and he leads by example, he does this with utmost humility and sincerity. And last but certainly not the least, an inspiring leader is someone who knows his job well.  

Are you an inspiring leader? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

I teach Human Behavior in Organization topics via Skype for 30 mins. for free!

I teach Human Behavior in Organization topics via Skype for thirty (30) minutes free!

My emails: mjdasma@gmail.com   mjdasma@yahoo.com

A good Leader/Manager is also a good follower

There is a story about Mario a newly hired clerk in advertising company. One of the many qualities that were very evident about Mario was his competence, obedience and follower mindset. With these positive attributes Mario rose from the ranks and eventually became a manager and a leading voice in their organization.

Many organizational managers/leaders rose from the ranks as such they are used at following orders. They don’t only follow they also do with competence whatever task that they are assigned to do.

It may seem unthinkable for many but the reality is managers/leaders are also followers not only in the sense that they rose from the ranks. The truth of the matter is every leader has also that somebody who leads him/her. Who would tell him/her what to do and who would demand output as well.

Let us take for example a first level manager or supervisor who leads his operating employees. He/she is also accountable to his middle manager. As such he follows directives from his middle manager.

The middle manager takes order from the top management and he sees to it that he implements with competence the task assigned by the top management. The top management is accountable to whom? He’s accountable to the board of directors and he implements also the collegial decisions of the board.

We see that every leader in an organization takes direct or indirect orders from persons who occupy a higher position than her/him. What is the relevance of a leader follower relationship?

A good follower sooner or later will eventually become a manager/leader. It may take time but it will surely come. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

On disciplining your subordinates

Margaret is a newly hired manager in a call center company. Being younger than his subordinates he was in a quandary on how he would discipline them whenever they violate the established norms of their organization.

Employed properly, without bias and swiftly a disciplinary action could straighten an errant behavior. Employed with the intention to simply shame a subordinate a disciplinary action  could immediately backfire to the one who is imposing it. 

So how would you go about in disciplining an errant subordinate? The first that you should do is you have to discipline in private with you present and the errant subordinate only. Your action should focus on the offense alone and not the person involve. For example, if the offense is his/her being noisy in the workplace which disturbs the concentration of his/her co-workers.

By all means focus your disciplinary action on his/her being noisy never try to delve into his/her personal character.  For the simple reason that a disciplinary action must always point to the offense and not the person involve in that offense. 

After all has been said, ask the person involve on what solution he/she could suggest to heal the offense. After listening to the suggestion and if you are satisfied treat it as a closed issue and move forward.

If you are not satisfied with the suggestion it is incumbent upon you as a manager/leader to craft or create a useful solution that would solely focus on the offense and not the person. -  Marino J. Dasmarinas    

A basic motivation tool called Human Relation

Do you know how to exercise basic Human Relation?

In an organizational setting, there are managers/leaders who do not know how to exercise proper human relations towards their subordinates. They think that by virtue of the position that they occupy in the organizational hierarchy they would already be able to motivate their people. However, it doesn’t work that way.

Managers/leaders should know basic human relations for the simple reason that this is one of the most effective yet untapped motivational tools that they could employ in the exercise of their function/s.

For example, instead of waiting for your subordinates to start a conversation to enhance your professional bond; why not start it yourself? It will not hurt your position as a boss if you’ll initiate little conversation with your people. It would even enhance your reputation as an approachable manager/leader.

Instead of waiting for your people to smile at you when you cross paths in the office why not smile at them first? When you see your people in the hallways or in the canteen why not say: “Hi” or “Hello” for them to know that you recognize them.

These pointers are simple and very basic motivational tools that use simple human relations. That would enhance your reputation as a people oriented and approachable leader/manager.

Therefore, without you knowing it you already have a very motivated workforce. Simply because you used one of the simplest yet very effective motivational tool for your employees which is basic human relation. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Why are humble leaders successful and revered?

A young priest asked Saint Teresa of Calcutta: “To whom do you attribute your success as a leader?  Saint Teresa said to the young priest, “My success in this endeavor has nothing to do  about me, I am a non-entity here this is all from God and all about the love of God.”

Humble leaders like Saint Teresa of Calcutta is always revered, always remembered and not forgotten. Why? This is for the reason that they don’t own to themselves their success. They always point to someone who greatly influenced them and someone whom they greatly respect and follow. They also always point to circumstances and situation that made it easier for them to become a successful leader.

Humble Leaders don’t think of themselves as somebody who dispenses power, authority and influence. They think of themselves as servants, they are always present and ready to serve. Present not to publicize themselves but to minimize themselves through their acts of service and humility. In the process of minimizing/humbling themselves they are greatly albeit silently revered and respected.  

It’s hard for many of us to understand why a humble leader is a servant. But Servanthood is the truest essence and meaning of successful leadership. There can be no successful leadership without Servanthood and Humility.

Many organizational leaders/managers are not successful in their function of leadership. For the simple reason that they lack humility and the mentality of a servant. However, what does it mean to be humble? Or how could we become humble leaders and how are we going to live the life of a servant in an organization where we are supposed to be the leader?

Basically, we could become humble leaders if we are not conscious with our position in an organization. For example, being the boss, leaders/managers are usually used to being served and being the first in everything amongst many.

A humble leader with a servant mentality will never allow himself/herself to be served and to be the first in everything. Instead of being served he/she would be willing to serve. And instead of being first in everything he/she would happily allow himself/herself to become the least amongst many. 

Humble leaders are never arrogant, they don’t speak based on impulse and they don’t use vulgar words. They instead carefully process first what they are going to say and do. 

They think through it and if they find out that what they will say would never hurt the feelings and sensibilities of their subordinates they then say it. -  Marino J. Dasmarinas