...
+91-80-42023484 contact@sincera.in
5 Quotes that Sum up the Essence of Team Work

5 Quotes that Sum up the Essence of Team Work

by | May 16, 2017 | Leadership, Management, Motivation, Performance, World of Work

Great teams are not built in a day. It takes perseverance, patience, unmatched leadership, hard work and the many other ingredients that make up the magic sauce of Team work. To create magic as a team, it takes individual and collaborative synchronization.

Today we send some inspiration your way in the form of some very effective insights / quotes that will inspire you to be a great team player, and illustrate what real team work looks like.

1. Alone we are a drop in the ocean, but together we are the ocean itself.

“Team work is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” – Andrew Carnegie

2. Like the age-old saying goes, united we stand.

“None of us is as smart as all of us.” –Ken Blanchard

3. To begin, to forge ahead, and to succeed.

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” –Henry Ford

4. Because no great team is built without a great leader. It takes a good leader to take responsibility, to share success and to never forget the pat on the back!

“If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, we did it. If anything goes really good, then you did it. That’s all it takes to get people to win football games for you.” ― Paul W. Bryant

5. Mistakes happen. What is more important is sticking together unconditionally because after all you are a team. You must finish well, what you started together.

“We’re a team. It’s part of our job to help each other out, and to forgive each other quickly. Otherwise, we’d never get anything done.” ― Jeramey Kraatz

But what is most important is to realize the transience of bad things, and good things. To realize that winning is great, but losing gracefully defines who you are better than a win does. No one says it better than Lance Armstrong in these very powerful, and beautiful words.

“When you win, you don’t examine it very much, except to congratulate yourself. You easily, and wrongly, assume it has something to do with your rare qualities as a person. But winning only measures how hard you’ve worked and how physically talented you are; it doesn’t particularly define you beyond those characteristics.
Losing on the other hand, really does say something about who you are. Among other things it measures are: do you blame others, or do you own the loss? Do you analyze your failure, or just complain about bad luck?
If you’re willing to examine failure, and to look not just at your outward physical performance, but your internal workings, too, losing can be valuable. How you behave in those moments can perhaps be more self-defining than winning could ever be. Sometimes losing shows you for who you really are.” ― Lance Armstrong

Love working as a part of a team? Prefer working alone? What do you think is a better way to be most productive? Share your thoughts on team dynamics and we’ll be happy to share them further!

How to Make Your Way Through Office Politics as an Introvert

How to Make Your Way Through Office Politics as an Introvert

by | Jan 14, 2017 | Managing Yourself, Office Etiquette, World of Work

The one occupational hazard you will have to deal with, no matter what your occupation is, is – office politics. Some look forward to it, consciously or subconsciously, as a form of entertainment, while some prefer to stay miles away from it. This post comes as help for those who belong to the second category – the introvert. Being an introvert a lot of times is misconstrued as being someone who is unsocial. Whereas, an introvert is simply a personality type who is more self-reflective, and prefers to mind his/her business thoroughly – while expecting others to not interfere in their lives.

Getting embroiled in office politics, is probably the worst situation an introvert could find himself/herself in. While you take all the caution not to land yourself in these situations, once you find yourself in one, what do you do? You need to understand and know how to deal with office politics, even though you choose not to play the game yourself. Here are three possible ways you could make your way through office politics:

1. Office Politics – Shut it Out

If you don’t mind it doesn’t matter, and at times, ignorance can be bliss. If you believe you have better things to do, and the situation is unnecessarily complicated for you and one that can be sidestepped, move on without feeling overwhelmed. It might affect your peace of mind to some extent since it wasn’t something you had anything to do with, and even so the repercussions seem to be hitting you. That however, is something you can choose to not let affect you. Shut it all out, and focus on channeling all your energies into being your awesome, productive self.

2. Office Politics – Clarify

Then there are the kind of situations, which even if you may ideally want to ignore, you can’t, and shouldn’t. These might be the kind of situations where are a lack of response from you may not exactly work in your favor. The second possible way for you to deal with a sticky situation at your workplace is to clarify your role (or the lack of your role) in the matter which seems to be the cause. Of course, as an introvert, you’d love to withdraw into your shell, (and in this case, your cubicle), but it matters to clarify at times. Just so that things don’t get worse.

3. Office Politics – Take Action

There is no doubt about the fact that there will always be a troublemaker or two, around you. And many a times, people mistake introverts for being a pushover. As an introvert, you might have given off this impression if, for the sake of avoiding trouble, you have relented in the past. However, at no point should anyone be allowed to bully you. Recognize that your rights and your dignity should be firmly secure at your workplace – which means, if you feel like you are being dragged into trouble you don’t belong in – you can and should take a stand. If the situation has turned drastic, you need to rise to the occasion either by acting against it yourself, or, if the situation calls for it – by taking the issue to the management.
Work place politics can be quite stressful, and in the end, nobody has anything to gain from it – apart from unpleasantness and anxiety. As an introvert, it might be quite a nightmare for you to deal with it – but like we said, no matter what occupation you choose, this will be a hazard you might have to deal with sooner or later. In which case, you need to decide which of the above three action plans suit your situation most.

Ever been in a bad situation with regards to office politics at your workplace? Let us know how you dealt with it!

Being a boss your team wouldn’t want to let down – Leadership Matters

Being a boss your team wouldn’t want to let down – Leadership Matters

by | Jan 5, 2017 | Career, Leadership, Management, Managing Yourself, Motivation

Now that’s a tough one, right? Not just how to be a “good” boss, but how to be a boss your team would never want to let down! Let’s state at the outset that very few bosses are able to find a place in that hall of fame. What makes it tough to be that kind of boss is maintaining very firmly, the delicate balance between being an amazing human being and a strict task master. The good news though is that it really isn’t all that tough to be that person. Thinking about it through these five key elements would probably set you off on a path to practice being that boss!

1. Lead

In one of our previous posts, we spoke about how to be a leader and not a boss. While all bosses can boss, only few bosses can lead. While a boss directs you, a leader empowers you and leads you by example. Your team sticks with you not just because they don’t have any other option, but because they like being in “your” team and they like learning with you. To be a leader to your team, is to exude a personality and a confidence which inspires and motivates your team to always go that extra mile.

2. Trust

Reposing trust in your team is a pre-requisite for your team to repose their trust in you. Trust is one of the most fundamental enablers. When you trust your team, there is an understanding that you have enough confidence in their ability to deliver. One of the most powerful methods of ensuring accountability, is in fact by investing trust in your team. This succeeds in acting as motivation for your team to take total ownership and meet your expectations.

3. Care

Why should being a boss, and in charge, pose as a conflict to your ability to be a good human being, who understands the larger dimensions of being in charge? When you are in charge of a team, you are not only in charge of ensuring the deliverables are met, but also in making sure that you help your team through the odds they may face in achieving those deliverables – which at times may even extend beyond the professional realm. At times, you may have to exercise discretion to figure how far you can really go. To care for your team is to make them feel valued, and secure – a quality that can change all that is wrong in the world of work.

4. Encourage

Not just for the sake of increasing productivity, or during appraisals – but make it a part of who you are as a person. Encouragement can be in many forms – it could be a few words, it could be a smile, it could be just an approving nod or a gesture. While it wouldn’t cost you anything, you never know how it may infuse someone with the energy he/she really needs.

5. Laugh

Be the boss who makes the work environment seem lighter. Wear a smile as often as you can, and laugh with your team as often as you can. Invest at least thirty minutes connecting with your team, sharing and laughing with them. The effect would be almost therapeutic – for you and for your team, resulting in a sense of cohesiveness which ultimately motivates your team to deliver the best.
To be a boss your team can’t let down, you’ve got to start by practicing all the qualities that you would like to see in a person you think you won’t ever be able to disappoint – and then, become that person! Let go of your need to invoke fear and hence get the work done (a tactic most commonly used by employers), and become someone who invokes the best in your team, simply by being all that you want to see in your team mates!

Sexual Harassment at Work – Your Role as an Employer

Sexual Harassment at Work – Your Role as an Employer

by | Feb 15, 2016 | Leadership, Management, Office Etiquette, World of Work

Discrimination at the work place based on gender, or any form of harassment that makes women employees feel unsafe at their work environment, qualifies as sexual harassment. We have written about the subtle signs of sexual harassment at work earlier. We have been doing some research on this topic and this post focuses on the role and responsibility of an employer in preventing sexual harassment at work. As an employer, it is your foremost duty to ensure a safe and equitable environment for all your employees, regardless of their gender. As an employer, it is also your duty to ensure that there is an efficient mechanism, consistent with the national laws for prevention of sexual harassment at work place. In India, The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, (hereby referred to as ‘The Act’) is your reference to setting up the expected grievance and redressal mechanism.

‘Freedom from sexual harassment is a condition of work that an employee is entitled to expect. Women’s rights at the workplace are human rights.’

As an employer, what is expected of you to prevent and address sexual harassment at work place?

Prevention:

  • Sexual harassment should be affirmatively discussed at workers’ meetings, employer-employee meetings, etc.
  • Guidelines should be prominently displayed to create awareness about the rights of female employees.
  • The employer should assist persons affected in cases of sexual harassment by outsiders.
  • Central and state governments must adopt measures, including legislation, to ensure that private employers also observe the guidelines.
  • Names and contact numbers of members of the complaints committee must be prominently displayed.

 Your Responsibilities, according to the Act:

  • Recognize sexual harassment as a serious offence.
  • Recognize the responsibility of the company/ factory/workplace to prevent and deal with sexual harassment at the workplace.
  • Recognize the liability of the company, etc, for sexual harassment by the employees or management. Employers are not necessarily insulated from that liability because they were not aware of sexual harassment by staff.
  • Formulate an anti-sexual harassment policy. This should include:
  • A clear statement of the employer’s commitment to a workplace free of unlawful discrimination and harassment.
  • Clear definition of sexual harassment (using examples), and prohibition of such behaviour as an offence.
  • Constitution of a complaints committee to investigate, mediate, counsel and resolve cases of sexual harassment. The Supreme Court guidelines envisage a proactive role for the complaints committee, and prevention of sexual harassment at work is a crucial role. It is thus imperative that the committee consist of persons who are sensitive and open to the issues faced by women.
  • A statement that anyone found guilty of harassment after investigation will be subject to disciplinary action.

According to the Act, the range of penalties that the complaints committee can levy against the offender should include:

  • Explicit protection of the confidentiality of the victim of harassment and of witnesses.
  • A guarantee that neither complainant nor witnesses will be subjected to retaliation.
  • Publishing the policy and making copies available at the workplace. Discussing the policy with all new recruits and existing employees. Third-party suppliers and clients should also be aware of the policy.
  • Conducting periodic training for all employees, with active involvement of the complaints committee.

There are four perspectives on Sexual Harassment in Workplace (SHW) – Feminist, Legal, and two Organizational aspects. InfochangeIndia.org, explains the four perspectives through this useful table.

Sexual Harassment at Work is Punishable by Law

An employer can be subjected to a penalty of up to INR 50,000 for:

  • Failure to constitute Internal Complaints Committee
  • Failure to act upon recommendations of the Complaints Committee; or
  • Failure to file an annual report to the District Officer where required; or
  • Contravening or attempting to contravene or abetting contravention of the Act or Rules.

Where an employer repeats a breach under the Act, they shall be subject to:

  • Twice the punishment or higher punishment if prescribed under any other law for the same offence.
  • Cancellation/Withdrawal/Non-renewal of registration/license required for carrying on business or activities

Act now! Ensure a Safe Working Environment for your Employees

By ensuring safe and sustainable work environment for your employees, you ensure that their entire focus is on being productive. If your employee does not feel valued, or safe, no matter how talented (s)he is, you will have to let him/her go. One of the biggest drawbacks of the above Act is that it is not gender neutral. Regardless, it is a fact that sexual harassment of women at workplace in India is rampant. As an employer, it all boils down to you – to how serious you are about tackling this grave issue, and how swiftly and efficiently you act against issues of sexual harassment at your workplace. It should be your utmost priority to make your employees feel safe, protected and cared for. That is the biggest investment you can make in your company, and we can assure you, the Return On Investment will be far greater than you ever imagined. Do your bit to guarantee human rights, make your workplace a zero tolerance zone for sexual harassment.

Recruitment Diary – How to Sift Through Rumours While Hiring

Recruitment Diary – How to Sift Through Rumours While Hiring

by | Nov 24, 2015 | Job Offers, Management, Office Etiquette, Recruitment, World of Work

Rumours have always been as much a part of the professional spaces, as they are of the idle personal spaces. Be it random, unnecessary rumours resulting from personal vendetta against a colleague that end up in reference checks, or unsubstantiated rumours about a new employee you are just about to recruit, rumours while hiring do pop up inconveniently. Even though you would really like to have the person on your team, based on your meetings and interviews with the potential candidate, the authenticity of the rumour would have the last word. While most of us, as experienced professionals would say that we would go ahead and recruit the candidate irrespective of what rumour we hear, because, well, it is just a rumour, actual studies have been conducted which prove quite the contrary. The odds of not employing a potential candidate based on a rumour against him/her are higher.

As professionals, we are all well aware of the importance of background checks before recruiting a candidate. With this one thing gone wrong, it could make all the difference, and for the worse. In the World of Work, it is a thumb rule to steer away from rumours and giving it flesh, at any cost. However, humans we are, and mistakes we shall make. Here are three basic principles, that will hopefully help you sift through the rumours while hiring when you are about to make a job offer to a potential candidate.

Focus on the positive

Don’t be penny wise pound foolish. If by believing the unsubstantiated rumour, which doesn’t even mean anything grave, you let go of a true asset to your organization, you should think twice. Weigh the potential of the candidate against the authenticity of the rumour and then take a call.

Remember the source

Always, always remember the source. The reason for the rumour could be purely out of petty personal vendetta and in such a case you do not want it affecting your professionalism. Verify the source and do the required research to determine whether or not the rumour could be true. Half your work is done if you know how reliable or unreliable the source you heard the rumour from, is.

Be thorough in doing your own background check

Do not be dependent purely on your team for doing all the background check. When you encounter roadblocks like these, spend some time on doing your own background check, especially if you are looking forward to hiring the potential candidate. Don’t just depend on internet searches for the background checks, they are seldom reliable, and are often noisy information platforms. Tap into your own sources and seek out dependable data.

Also remember that it could have been you in the other person’s place, and losing a job for no valid reason doesn’t make any one feel good. Besides, it is as much your organization’s loss, as it is the candidate’s. Probably a greater loss for you if the candidate was truly worth hiring, because he/she will anyway get a job elsewhere. Factor in all the consequences and a take a decision accordingly, never on a whim. In the World of Work, it is always professionalism over rumours.