Let the axe fall where it may fall

What would you do if your friend who happens to be your subordinate is caught by your security guard doing something illegal in your office? For example stealing of office supplies, should you exert effort to protect your friend by whitewashing the offense?   

Or you will not exert any effort to conceal the offense and let the investigation take its natural course until the truth is ferret out? Many organizational leaders and managers will do the right action by letting the natural course of events unfold.

Yet many would also try to protect the friendship or brotherhood by concealing the offense until it’s forgotten. So the offender will escape from any punishment however this is not the right course of action to take. For the reason that the moment the manager/leader does this he is actually telling his friend to do it again and again and again and he/she becomes party to the offense as well.

Yet we all know that crime does not pay sooner or later it will be payback time so the offender will be caught. And the manager/leader/friend will be unmasked as the protector. Why? For the simple reason that this is the natural flow of karma.

Therefore, to avoid any future complication and problem never protect an offender in your workplace. Let the natural flow of justice takes its course even if the subordinate offender is your best friend, fraternity brother or sister and the like.

In other words: Let the axe fall where it may fall for it will enhance your value as an effective, competent and impartial leader/manager.  -  Marino J. Dasmarinas       

How to solve infighting in your organization

Billy is the Chief Executive Officer in an organization that has a population of two hundred workers. Every now and then behavioral issues would crop up amongst his department managers, supervisors and workers. Foremost of these behavioral issues are infighting which eventually results to disharmony, friction and divisiveness.

How should the CEO solve this infighting in his organization? He must solve it without partiality to anyone or without fear or favor. For this is the best way to extinguish organizational conflict. If he would favor a certain group or personality for the reason that he is close to them, he would certainly not be able to solve it.

When a manager/leader smells infighting in his organization he must take action to solve it at the soonest possible time. For the simple reason that every second of inaction would disrupt the smooth operation of his organization.  For example if he was told that there’s a blossoming conflict amongst his supervisors he must therefore immediately look into the veracity of this information.

If he finds out that this information is true, he must immediately intervene so as to disrupt and immediately heal the conflict. He can best do this by privately calling the attention of the parties involve. Why privately and not publicly? For the simple reason that organizational conflicts such as infighting can immediately be solved privately and not publicly.

In the privacy of your office you meet and talk to the parties involve without any partiality. And if possible arrive at a solution of the infighting during the same meeting. This is for the reason that organizational problems and issues should be solved at the soonest possible time. Otherwise it would hurt your organization and your leadership. 

In talking with the parties involve blame game should be out of the picture immediately. Resolution to the infighting should be arrived at based on the issues and not on the involved personalities.

Lest I forget, the tenor of the meeting/talk should always be diplomatic never strong or hateful. As the Bible says: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1).” – Marino J. Dasmarinas     

Should you immediately accept a leadership position being dangled before you?

Nereo is a manager who has an insatiable desire to always be visible in their organization. One morning during a meeting of all department managers the Chief Executive Officer of his organization floated this question: “Anybody of you who wants to lead a task force in this organization”?    

Without careful thinking Nereo immediately raised his hand and said, “I want to lead that task force!” Therefore Nereo was told by his CEO to visit his office so that he could be properly briefed about his duties and responsibilities.

After meeting his CEO Nereo was already feeling drained for the simple reason that he was overwhelmed by the enormity of his responsibilities. The next day he went again to his CEO to tell him that he was giving up his newly acquired leadership position because he cannot measure up to its responsibilities.

A cerebral and humble leader/manager should not immediately present himself when there is a leadership opportunity inside his organization. Even if he is being egg on to immediately accept it he should politely refuse to do so.

He should instead ask for a day or two for him to carefully think it over. In doing so he will have enough time to weigh first the pros and cons and the many hidden responsibilities attach to that leadership opportunity.     

Otherwise if he would immediately accept it because he simply wants to fill his bloated ego. it’s like he’s a sailor jumping into the deep sea without wearing his life jacket and other life saving gears. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Why is there failure of delegation?

Naomi is a manager in a semiconductor company she is always loaded with work thus she always report for work early and goes home late. Due to this her children were already complaining about the time that she gives them.  

Having observed this kind of situation her husband who is a management professor asked her: “Do you harness the function of delegation in your job?” The wife replied, “I used to but I stopped it already because I am not successful with delegation. The husband advised her, “You simply have to delegate properly so that you would be able to be successful with delegation.

There is failure in delegation for the simple reason that the function of delegation is not being properly used. For example, there are careless managers/leaders who delegate without properly informing the person to be delegated about the nitty-gritty of the job. Or they simply delegate after which they are nowhere to be found they would only appear when they need the delegated job already.

Here are important points to consider when we delegate: 1. Inform the person/s to be delegated about the essentials of the job. 2. Inform the person/s about the time frame of the job. 3. Inform the person/s the result that you want from the job. 4. Be informed about the status of the delegated job by checking on it regularly until it’s done.

After considering all of these four points and you still are not satisfied with the result of the delegated job. It’s about time to revisit your organization’s recruitment standards for the simple reason that your organization is not currently recruiting the best and the brightest human resource. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

A true and effective leader is a humble leader

Honorio is the president of a small country, he won based on his promise of humble leadership the people of his country was so taken by his that they elected him by a landslide.  

During his first day in office he went to the losing candidate’s house and those who opposed him and offered them the olive branch of peace and reconciliation. He was always very respectful and gentle to his constituents thus he gained their respect and admiration.

After his term was over, he was able to transform his country; the formerly sleepy country was now bustling and full of business activities. His country enjoyed the best peace and order situation during his term for the simple reason that he reached out to those who were marked as trouble makers and was able to convince them to abide and respect the laws of their motherland.

Humility is a virtue that is lacking in many organizational managers and leaders because they see humility as weakness. Many managers and leaders prefer the swaggering type of a manager/leader for the reason that it creates a strong initial impression.

For the reason of the personality that they project, swaggering leaders and managers will have their own share of followers. But generally these kind of leaders/managers are actually abhorred by the silent majority.

Why? For the simple reason that subordinates and people in general do not like managers/leaders who projects an image of swagger and arrogance. They prefer someone who is humble and approachable for the simple reason that to gravitate towards the humble is human nature.           

For example, would you prefer a boss who would raise his voice when he gives orders? Of course not! You would prefer a boss who would give orders with a tone of humility and this we would know if the boss would give orders by gently saying, Could you pls. do this or that?

It pays to be humble in exercising your managerial and leadership functions because you will accomplish more and you will gain the respect, admiration and remembrance of your subordinates. – Marino J. Dasmarinas     

The many fruits of positive work attitude

Janice is a newly graduate young woman in her early twenties; thus she was very determined to land a job. Due to her persistence she was able to find a job opportunity in an information technology related organization.

When she was being interviewed by the human resource manager, she was asked: tell me why should I hire you? Janice replied: I always work hard, I have a positive mindset towards my work and for as long as I can do it I would never refuse a work assigned to me. She was eventually hired for the reason of her very satisfactory answer.

She was employed as an accounting clerk and true to her promise she indeed was very hard worker. She did the assigned task to her with utmost competence and she never refused work given to her even if she was loaded already.

Her positive work attitude was eventually noticed by her Manager, thus when there was an opportunity for promotion she was immediately considered and promoted. Two more years had passed by and Janice was already the section head of their department. After five more years she went to become the accounting manager. 

It always pays to have a positive mental attitude towards work no matter what kind of work we are doing in an organization. This is for the reason that when we have a positive work attitude we already make work easier even if it’s hard.  We always create and radiate an environment of positivity in our workplace.

We also attract positive fortune towards us, such as promotion and recognition. Sooner or later a hard worker or a worker with positive attitude will be promoted and be recognized by the organization. The worker who works hard also earns the respect of his subordinates, peers and managers.

Do you have a positive work attitude? – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

The Stubborn and Ineffective subordinate

Melanie is a thirty-five year old clerk in a government office with a permanent status. She is stubborn and she does her job with minimum efficiency and her reasons for having these irrational work behavior are the following:

1. She occupies a low position with a low salary, so why work hard?
2. She is satisfied with her job title
3. She usually doesn't want anybody to tell her what to do
4. For the reason of her permanent status nobody can remove/dismiss/separate her from her job unless she does something foolish

Do you have a subordinate like Melanie? Someone who doesn't immediately follow what is told her and someone who does her job with minimum effectiveness? Truth be told Melanie is a living character in many organizations most especially in government organizations. They are lurking in the organization simply going through the motions of their job.

They have no ambition to move up in the organizational hierarchy, they are already satisfied with their job title and they can even hold on to it until they reach the age of  retirement.

However, why does a character like Melanie exist in an organization? The reason behind is there are many leaders/managers who do not know how to exercise to the fullest their authority and responsibility. 

An effective leader/manager must know how to solve a problem like Melanie for the simple reason that to do so is his/her job. Therefore, how does a leader solve a character like Melanie? 

The following are the steps that he/she must do: 

1. Schedule as soon as possible a one on one meeting with her
2. In that same meeting hammer into her mind her duties and responsibilities
3. Let her know about your authority over her
4. Let her know about the disciplinary actions that would come upon her if she continues with her stubbornness and inefficiency
5. Motivate
6. Lead by example 

If after doing these steps you still have not solved the irrational work behavior of Melanie. It's time to consult your Human Resource Manager for the implementation of appropriate disciplinary action. - Marino J. Dasmarinas