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Courtesy in the Virtual World – Small Things Matter!

Courtesy in the Virtual World – Small Things Matter!

Consider the following situation:

Peter is a freelance writer writes to an organization with a well known blog, requesting them to carry his blog on their website. The organization responds with enthusiasm, and wants to take the collaboration ahead. There is no response from Peter for a month. A month later, Peter writes back with an apology and requests the organization to carry his article on their blog. The organization says they will do so, and would let him know when the article is up. However, since posts are usually scheduled in advance, it might take a while. There is no response from Peter for ten days. After ten days, he writes back asking if the article has been published. The organization responds with the link to the published article. About two weeks pass by, and there is still no email of acknowledgment from Peter.

Why is the case in point a lesson in professionalism?

The situation illustrated above is only one of the several ways that simple courtesies, politeness and a basic humanitarian approach in the world of work is undermined. What is worse is that, Peter probably doesn’t even realize that he is not only being unprofessional, but also rude – may be unwittingly so.

One of the key principles of maintaining professionalism is being courteous and polite at all times. This aspect applies not only to the real time day-to-do situations in the ‘real’ world of work, but also in the virtual world. Today, so much of our business is transacted across virtual boundaries. While we may not be able to see or touch the person behind the emails and the black letters on our screen that inform our understanding of the person concerned and the situation at hand, we still know that there is a human being at the other end. What indeed makes our communication governed by machines less mechanical, and transactional is how we choose to communicate – courtesy in the virtual world matters more than you may think.

How might have Peter been a better communicator in the above scenario?

  • By making his communication appear less like a transaction, and more like a dialogue – i.e., by responding not just to get his work done and to follow up, but by being timely and more courteous in his responses. And most of all, by expressing gratitude once the work was done. The organization could have refused to publish the article by citing delay as a reason, and Peter/ or anyone else in his stead would have had no grounds to contest that.

It is especially important for young professionals to understand how these seemingly ‘small’ things make a big difference to one’s professional trajectory. While these aspects of professionalism may seem trivial to some, they by no means would fit under that adjective. Small things matter. Who you are as a person, comes across through how you communicate. Communication through virtual platforms has plenty of scope for misunderstandings. However, virtual platforms have become the base for much of what we do in the world of work today. Therefore, if one needs to be extra cautious while communicating in the virtual world – the effort is worth it.

Because, whatever the business is, whatever the transaction is, while machines enable, there are humans behind those machines. And if we cannot bring the human touch to our communication with each other, where does that leave us?

Dealing with an Insecure Coworker at Work

Dealing with an Insecure Coworker at Work

At some point of time in all our careers, we will have to do deal with this issue, or a similar one – if most of us haven’t already. A work place is after all made up of humans, who are made up of complex emotions which can often be hard to understand. However, dealing with an insecure or jealous coworker is no piece of cake. It is worse when you know for a fact you haven’t done anything to invite the spite and jealousy you have been receiving. But is this a situation that is worth any grief? Absolutely not. Because it can be handled. And here’s how.

  1. Don’t antagonize the situation

    At times, when we feel we’ve done our best at helping the situation and still haven’t succeeded, we turn to the other side. We think that paying them back with the same coin might help, unfortunately that is hardly ever the case. Instead, hold your ground, keep calm and carry on. Never antagonize an already insecure person. When the time comes, you should be able to show that you’ve always taken the higher road.

  2. Try to introspect

    Could you be giving them a reason to behave the way they’re behaving? Your first reaction might be “no”, but spend some time thinking about this. Especially if you feel the situation is starting to really bother you. After all they say there’s never any smoke without a fire. It might even be something really small and insignificant. However, if you identify it and fix it, your problem is solved without any further damage

  3. Communicate

    Try speaking to your coworker directly and ask how you can help them. Tell them how of late you’ve been getting a sense of discord between the both of you, and it’s going to be difficult to work together if this uncomfortable atmosphere persists. The minute you start feeling as if whatever is happening is taking a toll on your work, speak up. Try to communicate with the person concerned directly to solve the issue. And if that doesn’t work, you might have to escalate it.

  4. Know when to escalate

    If you’ve done everything you can to understand and help the situation, and it still persists, escalate it to your HR manager. At first it may seem petty because if there is no “real” problem and simply a case of insecurity from the concerned  colleague. However, beware that these seemingly insignificant and petty issues can be blown out of proportion. Before you know it, you’ll be on the line of fire for something you’re not responsible for. In order to prevent it from getting there, know when to escalate the issue.

  5. Over everything else, be professional 

    Ways that your coworker will display his/her insecurity is by being rude to you, creating unnecessary hindrances in your work, not cooperating as a team mate, and even by spreading rumours and making false accusations. All of this might get a little tough to handle and accept, especially when you are not at fault. However, remember what will set you apart from the concerned colleague is how professionally you deal with the issue.

    Remember to put sensitive conversations on record so you can use it as evidence later, if required. Do give the other person the benefit of doubt that he/she might be dealing with something you aren’t aware of, and perhaps this misplaced sense of insecurity is stemming from there. However, remember that there’s only so much margin for error that can be granted. If you feel like a line is being towed, or you’re unable to give a 100% to your work because of this issue, flag it to the management.

    Want to know more about conflict resolution methods? Read our post on it, here.

Performance Review Meeting Coming Up? Here’s your Prep Checklist

Performance Review Meeting Coming Up? Here’s your Prep Checklist

Almost all organizations – regardless of their size, have their annual/ bi-annual employee review processes. While the nature of these processes might vary, the ends they seek to achieve remain the same; which is, an analysis of your performance and contribution to the organization. However, that isn’t the only reason for a review / appraisal meeting. We often forget that it is also the space for you to be vocal about what’s working, and more importantly, what’s not working for you. It is a great chance for a dialogue to address any issues related to your work, that you or your employer may be facing and seek effective resolution strategies for them. And of course, a good opportunity to be acknowledged about the great job you’re doing!

So, what should your preparation checklist look like?

  1. Take stock of your tasks

    Making a list of all the projects and tasks you have been involved in, and accomplished will put you in a better place for the conversation. A few days prior to the meeting, go over all the tasks that you have accomplished and make notes of what skills they have added on for you, and also how they have helped you add value to the organizational goals. One way of organizing this would be to go over all your past emails so you remember what your deliverables have been. For the future, try journaling your work! What is this and how does it work? Read here.

  2. Prepare your talking points

    Be coherent in your head about everything you want to bring up in the meeting. Bear in mind that your supervisor will have limited time and you have to make the most of the time you have been allotted. For this, you need to have a good idea about everything you’re going to discuss in the meeting. Prior to the meeting, spend some time thinking about the issues you would like to raise. Jot them down on a notebook and keep the notebook handy for reference.

  3. Exercise your foresight

    While you cannot wholly predict how the meeting will go, you can still be at a fairly good advantage of being prepared by using your foresight. Think back on the past few months of your work life and try to assimilate what your experience has been like. Have there been any situations of conflict, or instances where your performance has slacked? Think back very objectively. This way, you can predict to a great extent what could be some of the concerns your supervisor could request you to address. This will help you in preparing for facing any eventuality during the meeting.

  4. Your pitch for a raise

    A review meeting is a great opportunity for you to show your supervisor the work you’ve been doing, and compare your pay against it. While a raise is almost expected, you can use your preparation as leverage to negotiate for a bigger raise than they have in mind to offer to you. Knowing how much you’re worth, how much your job is worth, and with a bit of research, you can make a good case for yourself. If not a raise you can also negotiate for additional bonuses/ work perks. Read about the five strategies you can employ while asking for a raise.

  5. Ace up your confidence

    Nothing spells success like confidence. And being confident is possible only when you are well prepared. A few hours spent preparing for this will make you confident and ready to take on the meeting. Regardless of what’s coming up, remember to have a good breakfast, listen to some good music, meditate, switch on your zen mode, and walk into the meeting with a smile. Half your work is done!

A review meeting / appraisal meeting is a great opportunity to assimilate your learnings so far, and plan your future in the organization. It is also an opportunity to figure out what’s working and what’s not so you can fix things, or decide if it’s time for you to move on.

What have your appraisal experiences been like? If you would like to share, we’re more than happy to share our space with you! Write back to us!

5 Ways your Activity on Facebook May be Affecting your Career

5 Ways your Activity on Facebook May be Affecting your Career

Social media today has become intertwined with our very existence in ways more than one. It is really no longer a joke that everything we are doing – what food we’re eating, what music we’re listening to, what our coordinates are, it is all on social media. So how does leading our lives on social media impact our career? Could it have an adverse impact? Yes it could, and if you can’t do without Facebook, here are five ways you are potentially killing your career because of it!

  1. Telling the world how much you hate your boss

    Surprise, surprise (but really are you surprised?), making your opinions vocal about your superiors or colleagues at work on Facebook will not remain a secret from them. And how this could damage your reputation and career at your work place is anybody’s guess. Controlling these urges is a good idea because while it wouldn’t help you in any way, it would surely come with adverse consequences you would have to face. Besides making you look immature and petty, it might actually cost you your job!

  2. Not making use of your privacy settings

    Facebook has privacy controls you can set to make your posts visible to select audiences. Not all your posts need to be visible to everyone on your friend list – especially if you have professional contacts on your friend list. While the general principle of thinking before you post needs to apply to every person using social media, for professionals, you need to go one step ahead and decide whether what you are posting will have a detrimental impact on your professional image and if you should perhaps control the extent of its visibility.

  3. Your profile picture

    Companies today are increasingly making use of a candidate’s information on his/her social media to aid the decision-making process leading up to recruitment. In this scenario, everything you do on social media could have an impact on the hiring decision the company makes. However, the one thing that makes an immediate impression on your social media profile is your profile picture. Using a bad quality photograph, or an inappropriate one wouldn’t help you come off as professional.
    Want to know what makes for a good profile picture? Read our post about it here.

  4. The content of your posts

    While you do have every right of sharing your opinion on current issues, it is important to be sensitive and responsible in what you say if the issue at hand is a controversial one. Remember that this also has an effect on what your colleagues might think of you – in case you come off as too radical. In an ideal world, you are allowed to have your opinions without it impacting your work life, sadly, in the real world subconscious bias is a real thing. Besides, being sensitive about what you say on social media is always a good thing – regardless of whether you are a professional. Hasn’t “fake news” brewed enough trouble already?

  5. Using the same email address with Facebook and job applications

    Did you know that companies today use email plug-ins like “Rapportive”, which automatically collects all social media data linked with the email id you furnish, to get a more thorough idea regarding the potential candidate? This means, your social media footprints will be visible to your potential employer. Social media today is an immensely powerful tool in helping recruiters find the “right fit”. It is almost like a pre-interview. It is therefore wiser to use a separate email ID that cannot be traced back to your social media activity. However, it is always good to do a social media cleanse every now and then, and here is what you need to know about it.

Social media can help you make or break your career. Being strategic and responsible in your usage of social media can reap you more benefits than you imagined. One of the greatest professional advantages of social media is the scope it gives you to create a personal brand for yourself – regardless of who you are and what you do. Want to learn how personal branding works, and how it could benefit you? Read about the power of “brand you” here.

Deep Work to the Rescue

Deep Work to the Rescue

Focus and concentration are probably the two most scarce resources in the world of work. Well, the good news is, while they might be scarce resources, they are not in short supply. Because how we harness them depends entirely on us. If you are someone who works in a very distracting environment, or someone who is prone to distractions fairly often, or just someone who wants to achieve the most from every working day – the ‘deep work’ technique is something you must give a shot.

Simply put, and like the name suggests, deep work is when you delve into your work with utmost focus and concentration, and get things done. Fast. Sounds like a dream? Even I thought as much until I tried it out myself. Here are some easy action steps for you to start incorporating bits of deep work into your daily work routine, until it becomes a habit you can’t do without!

  1. Planning

    To get more done, the most done, the first step is to know what you have to do. That is, to plan your work well, and plan it well in advance. A lot of people believe that this is a waste of time, however, it is the very opposite of that. When you plan your work well, you know exactly what your deliverables and deadlines are. There is no way you are going to waste time thinking about what you have to do next, or feel intimidated about how much you have to do. Having a plan on paper, even if it is just a few bullets, will do the magic. Planning the week in advance is a great idea since it gives a good overview of what your week looks like and you can prepare and take stock accordingly.

  2. Doing one thing at a time

    Once you have a plan, you need to get to the next step, that is – to do. And whoever said multi-tasking is the way to go, couldn’t have been more mistaken. When you multi-task, you are doing the very opposite of deep work. Your focus is fragmented because you are doing too many things at the same time, in the bargain you don’t really get much done. Before you begin work, spend a few minutes reviewing your plan for the day, and tackle your tasks – one at a time.

  3. Schedule “deep work” slots

    We live in a world where connectivity is a must. A lot of people advocate turning off all devices and switching off the internet to get into the deep work mode. However, for some of us, this may not be a practical option since our work might be dependent on being connected. There is a work around for this. Use the first two or three hours of your day as “deep work” slots, during which you turn off your notifications and your phone. And also – like anyone who is good at what they do will tell you, don’t get to the emails first thing in the morning. The first few hours in the morning after you wake up is when your mind is at its peak. So make sure you make the most of it!

  4. A strict “no social media” rule

    Whether or not you are working in a deep work slot, for consistent deep work, make it a point to not use social media during your work hours. You can start with going a week without using any social media at all, and then use it only for a few minutes during lunch, or breaks. The social media and screen addiction has an extremely detrimental impact on our productivity. Stepping away from our phones and apps, and turning all our focus to the task in front of us is the simplest mantra to being super productive!

  5. Remembering to shut down appropriately

    How you sign off from work does have an impact on your over all work life. When you shut down at work, make sure you leave everything that belongs to your work place at your desk. Don’t carry work home. Or for that matter, even feelings from work home. Treat your time after work as sacred and do whatever makes you happy so you feel recharged for the next day. Remember that tomorrow is a brand new day and you’ve got to be in your most mindful state of being to make the most of the day!

    Have your stories of productivity, deep work, or just about anything related to the world of work to share with us? Do write to us and we’d be happy to feature them!