Posted by Managementguru in Leadership, Quotes and Quotes Only
on Jul 31st, 2015 | 0 comments
All-time Quotes by Abdul Kalam The crux of his life in his very own words: “My story—the story of the son of Jainulabdeen, who lived for over a hundred years on Mosque Street in Rameswaram island and died there; the story of a lad who sold newspapers to help his brother; The story of a pupil reared by Sivasubramania Iyer and Iyadurai Solomon; the story of a student taught by teachers like Pandalai; the story of an engineer spotted by MGK Menon and groomed by the legendary Prof. Sarabhai; The story of a scientist tested by failures and setbacks; the story of a leader supported by a large team of brilliant and dedicated professionals. This story will end with me, for I have no belongings in the worldly sense. I have acquired nothing, built nothing, possess nothing—no family, sons, daughters.” Some very unique and inspiring quotes by the great man: 1. “All birds find shelter during a rain . But Eagles avoid rain by flying above the clouds. Problems are common ,but attitude make the difference . 2. “Let me define a leader. He must have vision and passion and not be afraid of any problem. Instead, he should know how to defeat it. Most importantly, he must work with integrity. 3. “Anyone who converts a challenge into an opportunity through innovation creates wealth. He or she indeed is a leader, are you? 4. “Yesterday leaders commanded the control (yesterday they were commanders, the leaders). Today, leaders empower and coach, that means potential leaders will be empowered to the exposure of needs of sustainable development, what we need today. 5. “For success in all missions, it is essential to have creative leaders in our country or anywhere else. Creative leadership means exercising the vision to change the traditional role from the commander to the coach. 6. “What is Success? When your signature changes to ‘Autograph’. 7. “Take risks in your life. If you win, you can lead! If you lose, you can guide! 8. “Man needs difficulties because they are necessary to enjoy success. 9. “Don’t read success stories you will get only messages, read failure stories you will get some ideas to get success. 10. “Dreams are not what you see in your sleep, dreams are what which doesn’t let you sleep. 11. “You have to dream before your dreams can come true. 12. “To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal. Also “If you get No as an answer, remember N.O. means “Next Opportunity”. So Let’s be positive. 13. “If you salute your duty, you have no need to salute anybody, But- If you pollute your duty, you have to salute everybody. 14. “I am not a handsome guy, But ‘ I can give my hand-to-some one who needs help. Beauty is in the heart Not in the face. 15. “Never rest after your first victory, because many lips are waiting to say that your first victory was just luck. 16. “If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher. 17. “It is very easy to defeat someone, but it is very hard to win someone. 18. “Suffering is the essence of success. 19. “Dream, Dream Dream Dreams transform into thoughts And thoughts result in action. 20. “My message, especially to young people is to have courage to think differently, courage to invent, to travel the unexplored path, courage to discover the impossible and to conquer the problems and succeed. These are great qualities that they must work...
Posted by Managementguru in Change management, Decision Making, Entrepreneurship, How To, Human Resource
on Jul 23rd, 2015 | 0 comments
I was going through this quote by Vince Lombardi the other day and couldn’t control my amusement and laughter for some time. “If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm.” But the truth behind this statement looms large in front of all HR professionals when they start working for an organization in whatever capacity. Results, Targets, Closing the sale, Clinching the deal are the inevitable management mantras that drive the executives crazy. Isn’t it funny that it is very important to keep the morale high of the survivors during a layoff strategy! How on earth one can expect such a thing to happen when you know the sword is dangling above your head too! Please remember, “Resources are hired to give results, not reasons.” You need to be a star performer the first time and every time. Why Downsizing Happens? When the management of an organization finds out that their organization is not operating at peak efficiency, they naturally look for ways to make the organization more productive. This is seldom accomplished via organizational downsizing, which is a reduction in organizational size and operating costs implemented by management in order to improve organizational efficiency, productivity and/or the competitiveness of the organization. Courtesy: Cartoonstock.com Organizational downsizing affects the work processes of an organization since the end result of the downsizing is typically fewer people performing the same workload that existed before the downsizing took place. Download this Team Meeting Planner and Let us Know if You Found it Useful Team-Meeting-Agenda-PlannerDownload The act of downsizing results in two categories of people: victims, the people who involuntarily lose their jobs due to organizational downsizing, and survivors, the employees who remain after organizational downsizing takes place. When is Downsizing the Answer and How to Do it Right? “When downsizing is a knee-jerk reaction, it has long-term costs.” In order for an organizational downsizing to be most effective, management must connect openly and honestly with their employees concerning the reason for the downsizing and the downsizing plan. Managers also need to listen to employees and provide comfort when necessary in order to keep the morale high among the survivors of the downsizing. It is also important that management take steps to prepare the workforce in advance of the downsizing. Proper planning includes outplacement strategies, which is the process of supporting former employees in finding new employment and training and re-skilling the remaining workers into their new jobs. By treating the victims of downsizing fairly and compassionately, the survivors of the downsizing are more likely to remain loyal to their organization. Best Practices for Managing the Downsizing Process Be transparent about the current conditions that the organization faces and the potential impact on the workforce.Treat laid-off employees with respect and sensitivity.On the day of discharge, give employees options on how they want their exit handled.Ensure that procedures used to make decisions are seen as just and fair.Carefully examine the impact of employment downsizing on all HR systems.Give survivors a reason to stay and new hires a reason to join. Kim Cameron’s 3 Types of Downsizing Strategies 1. Workforce Reductions – short-term strategy to cut the number of employees through attrition, early retirement or voluntary severance packages, and layoffs or termination. 2. Work Redesign – medium-term strategy in which organizations focus on work processes and assess whether specific functions, products and/or services should be eliminated. 3. Systematic Change – long-term strategy that changes the organization’s culture and attitudes, and employees’ values, with the goals of reducing costs and enhancing quality. Why Do Organizations Downsize? Declining profitBusiness downturn or increased pressure from competitorsMerging with another organization, resulting in duplication of effortsIntroduction of new technologyThe need to reduce operating costsThe desire to...
Posted by Managementguru in Business Management, How To, International Business
on Jul 9th, 2015 | 0 comments
International Business Travel Tips “Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” – Miriam Beard Whether this is your first time to travel or you’ve traveled for more times than you can count, relax. Business trips can be fun. Of course, you have meetings to attend, business to take care of and employees to follow up with. Work does not mean you cannot see new places and meet new people. If you’re visiting a new city, you should take time to walk around and have fun. Here are the things you need to do to make your trip relaxing. International travel for business can be a very exciting opportunity. You not only get to see new and interesting parts of the world, but you even get paid while doing it. In order to have the best experience possible, there are things you can do in advance to prepare. Here are some invaluable tips to help execute the perfect international business trip. Explore Airbnb One experience that might be frustrating to many foreign travellers is a procedure called Immigration Check. It is always better to be at the airport atleast three hours ahead of time to complete this gruelling procedure so that you can relax in the lounge. Otherwise you will be made to stand in the long queues testing your patience. Create an Organized itinerary: Plan Your Trip Make sure that your days are packed with opportunities to help your company. Scheduling time for appointments, meetings, and personal time is very important to executing a beneficial international business trip. An itinerary should be a good guide for your trip’s goals and achievements. Because you do not want to waste any time on this trip, it’s better to plan in advance to take full advantage of the opportunity. “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” –Martin Buber The words sound like a no brainer but seriously plan your trip. If you want to have fun, check events, restaurants, and places you are interested to see online and how close they are to where you intend to stay. You don’t want to spend your trip worrying about missing a meeting and definitely not exploring the city’s transportation system. Take some time before you actually travel and plan exactly where you want go. For directions, you can download Tripomatic: Trip Planner. This application comes with maps needed, so download it to your phone and you’re good to good to go. Tripomatic works offline. Learn about the Culture and Customs: Before landing in said country, it’s important to understand the environment, culture and practices of this region. Knowing up-to-date news and information about your international travel destinations will help you avoid inappropriate comments or disrespectful behavior. Not only is it important to understand the culture, but it is also beneficial to know protocols, customs and etiquette as well. This includes things like: common greetings, religious practices, business manners, dietary practices, and acceptable humor. “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.” – James Michener Learn the Native Tongue: While not every business trip requires learning a whole new language, it’s always advisable to seek out some basic vocabulary for the region you are visiting. The use of a translator might be beneficial as well. Communication is a huge part of business and breaking down those barriers will only help you with your business endeavors. “Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have...
Posted by Managementguru in B-Schools, How To
on Jul 2nd, 2015 | 0 comments
Overall MBA Application #strategy: Average scores are creeping higher every year at the top MBA programs, making it hard to offset a bad GMAT score. Timing and planning are key to reducing the stress of the application process. Since both GMAT and GRE scores are valid for five years, getting the exams out of the way years in advance would free you to focus on all of the other elements of the application. If, like most applicants, you didn’t have the foresight to take the exam right after college, the next best step is to plan your application strategy so that the GMAT is finished before you finalize your list of schools. Your score isn’t everything, but it is an important part of the admissions equation. For whatever MBA admissions round you’re targeting, your target date for taking the GMAT should be at least two months before your first application is due. The deadline for taking the GMAT will vary dramatically depending on the admission procedures of each school to which you apply, and the term in which you are planning to enroll. Keep in mind that you can take the GMAT up to 5 times, but never more than once per calendar month (including a month in which you cancel your score), even if you have cancelled your score. Most applicants devote at least 100 hours to test preparation, and depending on where you are in the process, you may have to take a prep class and perhaps take the test more than once. If this is the case, the first round may not be a realistic option unless you’re able and prepared to completely immerse yourself in the process. A1 Applications usually open in the summer, but start thinking before then. It’s never too early to start planning! How to avoid mistakes in MBA applications? From disorganized resumes to poorly written personal statements, there are a number of mistakes an applicant can make when applying to business school. With some guidance, though, they can avoid these pitfalls and stand out from other prospective students. Many applicants turn to admissions experts for help and advice on which admissions round to enter, how to get strong letters of recommendation and what to say during an admissions interview. “Whether you’re a star candidate or an average one, you can play up your best qualities.” You just need to understand what it is about your background that will make you the best possible candidate – and then prove it clearly in your application and interview. Your resume needs to tell the story of the ‘real’ you – the person behind those #GMAT scores and that work experience. So don’t pretend to be the perfect MBA candidate. For one thing, that person doesn’t even exist. An MBA admissions officer at a leading US business school says the most common error she sees is applicants who are “trying to be someone they are not, and trying to impress the admissions committee.” GMAT scores: Stanford University had the highest average GMAT score for incoming full-time students in fall 2014, according to data submitted to U.S. News. Below are the 10 business schools with the highest average GMAT scores for incoming full-time students in fall 2014. Business school Enrollment (fall 2014) Average GMAT score B-School rank Stanford University (CA) 410 732 1 University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) 859 728 3 Harvard University (MA) 935 726 2 University of Chicago (Booth) 583 724 4 New York University (Stern) 344 721 11 (tie) Yale University (CT) 323 719 13 (tie) University of California—Berkeley (Haas) 241 717 7 Columbia University (NY) 743 716 8 Dartmouth College (Tuck) (NH) 281 716 9 University of...