On undesirable behavior

Once upon a time there was a professor who had a group of favorite students. Whenever there was a recitation he would always call upon this select group of students. He was confident with them for the reason that whenever they were called they would always give a satisfactory answer. 

But as the days of his class were progressing he noticed also a sudden change on the behaviors of his favored students. They started to behave abrasively they would react to questions even if the questions are not meant for them to answer. So the professor thought of a strategy on how to stop their undesirable behavior. 

During their succeeding classes he did not anymore call on them during recitations. He also distanced himself from them unlike before where he would easily open conversation with them. By doing this the professor sent a strong message to his former favored students that he means business and he doesn't want any misbehavior in his class. Soon enough their undesirable behavior stopped. 

In an organizational setting a manager/leader deals with a lot of behavioral idiosyncrasies. There would be direct reports or subordinates who would always try to get your attention as if to tell you that they know more than their co-employees. Or they know more than what you know and they would somehow try to dominate you. The moment you fail to properly handle this kind of employees they would become a behavioral nightmare for you.  

So what must you do as a manager/leader? Start by keeping your distance from them. If before there was no space that divides you; start by creating an invisible demarcation line so that they would know their limits and the proper respect that they must observe over you.  

This doesn't mean that you will not be accessible to your direct reports and subordinates anymore. This simply means that they must learn to respect you because of the position that you hold in your office. And you must act respectably as well because respect is always two way traffic as the saying goes, “Respect begets respect.” - Marino J. Dasmarinas

On dealing with your problem employee/s

Do you have a problem employee in your organization?

Every organization has its own share of problem employee/s; name any organization and there is somebody who creates headache for the manager/leader.

 

How would you deal with this problem employee? Would you immediately impose punishment or you talk to him/her first? It’s no brainer that the best course of action to take is to talk to this problem employee/s first, for all you know he/she only needs attention.

 

Punishment must always be the last option for an erring employee. Because the moment you impose punishment. You are actually planting the seeds of resentment in the heart of your employee and this is best illustrated by this short story.

 

Mr. X is an HR manager in a private organization, like other HR managers he also has his own share of problem employees. But what makes him unique is this: He has never resorted to punishment to straighten out a problem subordinate. He always resorts to diplomacy and so far this method always bears fruit for him.

 

When asked why does he refuse to use punishment as a tool in disciplining erring employee/s? This was his short but insightful answer.

 

When he was a child he was always been subjected to corporal punishment by his retired military man father. Whenever he commits a wrongdoing there was always a corporal punishment immediately imposed upon him. 

But unknown to his father there was always resentment in his heart whenever he was punished. The trend of imposing punishment as a means to correct his breach of discipline continued for  a long period of time. until it reached a boiling point that he argued with his father.

 

Punishment as a measure of discipline always has its limitations; it may work initially but the moment you impose punishment you are actually igniting the smoke of resentment in the hearts of your erring employees. Until such time that this smoke becomes a full blown fire that can destroy not only you but also the entire organization.

 

Always use diplomacy first in dealing with your erring employee/s for this is the best path to take. Then if all else fails you can now resort to the appropriate punishment. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

The power of positive mindset #mjdasma

The story is told about Jacinda, a Chief Executive Officer who noticed the weary behavior amongst her subordinates since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.  The usual happy, alive and bubbly behaviors amongst her subordinates were not there anymore. So, she thought of a way to bring back their motivation otherwise if she would not it would surely be the end of their organizational life.

Hence, she called for a meeting of the entire human resource in their organization’s gymnasium. And she told them, “We have to have a positive mindset notwithstanding our present predicament if we want our organization to survive otherwise we would be all out of job sooner or later.”

But what is positive mindset? Positive mindset is a mental attitude that expects nothing but the best despite of all the negativity, gloom and adversity that surrounds us. Positive mindset is also the beginning of having a positive life for without positive mindset there would be no bright future ahead of us.

Positive mindset opens new avenues, new doors and new windows for life’s opportunities and success. It ushers us to uncharted lands that give us nothing but the best. Helen A. Keller the famous blind and deaf author has this to say about positive mindset: “No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.”   

Positive mindset is also the secret of athletes in winning and achieving success in their chosen sport. Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player of all time has this to say about positive mindset: "If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it."

Positive mindset is the best mental attitude that we need to have during this trying times. Because it programs us to have a laser like focus on the brighter side of life. It blinds our eyes to all the negativity of life. And when we are focused on the brighter side of life we naturally invite it to come eventually into our life. 

Going back to the story of Jacinda. She was able to bring back the sagging morale of her subordinates and their organization is still vibrantly existing right now. Simply because she encouraged them to live with a positive mindset.

This too we can apply in any arena of our life: Family life, organizational/work life, married life, personal life, retired but not tired life or whatever area of life that we are in right now. We will be able to survive and eventually win this battle against pessimism, gloom and negativity brought about by Covid-19. Because we will use to the hilt the power of positive mindset. Aye! – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

When we are overly conscious of our titles

Do we love to be called by our titles in the workplace for example, sir or ma'am?

The story is told about Mr. X, a newly promoted employee who is very particular with his new found status. He would tell his former colleagues who are now his subordinates to call him sir. because according to him to be called sir is like music to his ear and besides it tells a lot of his status in their office.

Therefore, his subordinates started to call him sir and he would mischievously smile when he is called sir. His newly found status created an air of arrogance in his attitude also.

What he did not know was his demeanor started to create a negative impression to his subordinates. They would silently say that their former colleague has changed for the worst since he got promoted. Thus, it resulted to their distancing themselves from him it also created a big dip on their office performance.

Mr. X is a typical example of a person who became swellheaded by his new found office status. Being swellheaded is a big no-no in human behavior in organization and in human behavior in general because this only creates animosity and friction with our subordinates.

Our promotion must not go to our heads because instead of building bridges we create walls that will isolate us eventually. As we ascend higher in the organizational hierarchy it would be better if we bring ourselves closer to our subordinates.

The more that we go up in the organizational hierarchy the more that we go down to reach-out with our former colleagues. We bridge the gap that separates us with them. Thus, we build teamwork, respect and we amplify office/workplace solidarity. The bad thing about being overly concerned with office/workplace title is it creates disunity and hidden disrespect.

Leaders/managers should not be very particular with their office title whatever it may be. They should rather focus on their performance and on building teamwork. For this will further result in the growth and enhanced performance of their office.

Office titles if allowed to go to the head by a swellheaded/ego infested person would only create isolation, animosity and disunity. This is the reason why there are managers/leaders or even company Presidents and Chief Executive Officers who avoid the trappings of their titles. They instead silently work and let their achievements speak for them. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

The three primary leadership skills

There are three primary leadership skills: Technical, Human and Conceptual. Each of these skills can effectively help leaders/managers in exercising their function provided they know how to use it appropriately.

The third leadership skill is Technical skill: This is the knowledge of the leader/manager about the nitty- gritty or the specific details of the job of his direct reports and subordinates. For example, in a food business such as Mc Donalds the leader/manager must know every small details of the job that his crews are doing. Such as the preparation of hamburger, spaghetti, fried chicken and so forth. The proper mixture of fruit juices, dispensing of coffee and other drinks. Inventory and set up of supplies and every little detail that makes a food business work.

The second is Human/People skill this refers to the ability of the leader/manager to work effectively with his people; this is human relations in action. We all know that humans are the most precious resource of an organization. We also know that no human is an island, thus, it is a must for the leader/manager to know how to build teamwork. He must learn how to effectively communicate towards his people, he must be sensitive to their needs. He must know how to empathize and he must always start the communication process.

The leader/manager must also know how to mediate and ease tension brought about by the behavioral idiosyncrasies of his people. He should also know how to be vulnerable when there’s a need to be vulnerable this he can best do by asking questions. And by asking his people to teach him of the things that he needs to know.   

The number one leadership skill is Conceptual skill, this is the ability of the leader/manager to think on how he can best run his organization: In terms of expansion, profitability achievement of organizational goals, mission and vision. He must also know how to conceptualize strategic plans and solutions for his organization when it encounters problematic situations. 

Simply put, Conceptual skill is the ability of the leader/manager to think on how he can successfully Lead, Manage and Grow his organization. That will not only benefit his organization but also benefit his employees and the environment at large.  

Most especially during this era of Covid-19 pandemic wherein many business organization are finding it very hard to survive. Therefore, a good and effective leader/manager must harness whatever conceptual skill that he has and put it to good use. So that he can safely navigate his organization in the midst of the business disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.        

For leaders/managers to be successful, they must know how to properly utilize their Technical skills, Human/People skills and Conceptual skills. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

On jokes and leadership

The story is told about a leader who made light of the crisis that his organization was going through. So, he would make jokes about shutting down the organization which he leads and the lives of his people after they become jobless. To one male subordinate he said, “You will become a villain in a movie because you have a face that only your mother can love.” To another female subordinate he said, “You will become a nightclub bouncer because you are built like a male even if you’re a female.” His subordinates did not buy his jokes they simply smirked and left him.    

It’s not right for a leader to joke with his subordinates while exercising his leadership function. And it’s not right also to make jokes while the organization is in crisis mode. However, there are leaders and managers who cannot help but make jokes at the expense of their direct reports and subordinates even if the situation doesn’t warrant it. They sadistically love it when their people laugh at their jokes.

This is quite fun in the short run but as the leader does this every so often this becomes ineffective and insulting already. Until it reaches a point that the leader/manager is not being respected anymore and he himself becomes a joke to his direct reports and subordinates.

Does this mean that a leader should not joke with his direct reports and subordinates? Not really, because it’s OK for a leader/manager to banter with his people but he must see to it that this is done in the proper environment. For example, during activities not confined to official working hours wherein the leader/manager becomes just one of the guys.

 In this instance he can freely exchange jokes for so long as he wants. It makes him more human and more approachable when he does that. It breaks the unseen barrier that separates his position from his direct reports and subordinates. And this also solidifies their team spirit.

It’s not actually bad to tell a joke for the sake of hilarity provided that this is done in the most appropriate situation.  And provided that the jokes will not infringe on our honor, office and integrity and the honor and integrity of our direct reports and subordinates as well. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

The best Leadership Trait

What is the most important Leadership trait?

There are so many important traits that a leader must have. Such as Charisma, Positive behavior, Confidence, Courage, Knowledge, Integrity and the like.

But there’s one that’s in front, this is the ability of the leader to inspire his people. Leaders that know how to inspire have an incredible enthusiasm for their job. They always have a positive mindset and as a result, this positive mindset cascades down to each and every member of his organization.

Leaders that inspire must also be an exceptional communicator: Every word that he utters must be motivational and inspiring. They must also embody their utterance.   However, there are leaders who are only good with communication but they don’t walk what they preach, this is the principal reason why they fail to inspire their people.

An inspirational leader should also know how to sacrifice his personal comfort for the sake of his people. Not sacrifice his people for his personal comfort. For instance, if the budget is tight thus there is no money for important miscellaneous expenses. The leader must not think twice to shoulder the expenses.

A Leader/Manager gains tons of respect from his people when he is always there to help them. When he dives with his people in the sea of problems that they are in. By doing so, he earns their respect and commitment. Thus, he further inspires them to be his committed team members in the achievement of his goals.

Are we the kind of leader/manager who knows how to inspire our people? - Marino J. Dasmarinas