H R Era,     Issue # 23,       Sep 8th, 2002

1. Moderator's Space: Praise for our Contributors

2. The Basics for a Successful Training Program - by Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

3. Quotation Corner: My Favorite Quotes - by M V Vasudevan

4. New Members

S Ramachandran, Rahul U Bharat

5. Readers' Forum

Need info on "HR Score Card" - Ramkrishnarao
Help on Employee Satisfaction Surveys - Nikhil Taneja
Help on Best Part-time or Correspondence MBA - Svetlana

6. Tomato Soup for the Soul - - From Amelia

7. Office Politics: To Play or Not To Play - by Susan Dunn

8. More from our Members & HR Era Website

9. HR Training Programs (India)

10. Best HR Jobs (India)

11. Accountancy and Indian Philosophy - by Ranjith Menon

12. Aims of HR Era, How to Contribute Articles, Legal Stuff.

We do keep receiving praise for members who contribute article and contents in HR Era. Here are two such emails:

Dear Mr. Pankaj Gurumukhi,

i liked your article summary of "beware the busy manager" in recent issue of hr-era and found it thought-provoking

with regards, debanjan roy, hr team, hindalco, deb_roy@adityabirla.com

Dear Ramakrishnarao

WOW!
7 WONDERS OF WORLD IS REALLY SUPERB

THANKS, RAJAN, rr.trg@fie.co.in

Prophet Muhamad adviced each of his followers to give one-fifth of their earnings in charity. He added, that when we do charity, it is not to help others but to help ourselves - because doing charity makes us feel worthy & happy. (Syed & Taj - both our members - will verify !)

Similarly, when we share, we learn & grow the most. I invite all members to write & share like Pankaj, Ram, and literally hundreds others in HR Era.

Regards.

Rajeev B Bhatnagar

2.THE BASICS FOR A SUCCESSFUL IN-HOUSE TRAINING PROGRAM
- by Dr Donald E. Wetmore

As a Professional Speaker, I have conducted hundreds of in-house training programs during the last eighteen years and I have observed several practices that make in-house training work better than not. This is not a comprehensive list, or all inclusive, for that matter. It does represent what I would consider the more important "basics" for a successful in-house program.

1. Giving information v changing behavior.

Presumably, one of the outcomes of the program is that people will change what they do and how they do. It's not what happens in the training room that counts as much as what happens after it is over. The hardest thing to get anyone to do (myself included) is to change their behavior. We all value our "comfort zones". Therefore, attention ought to be given to not only "what to do" and "how to do it", but, more importantly, "why" they ought to do it. Without an understanding of "why" it ought to be done, it is difficult for adult learners to consider changing what they do.

2. What do I do next? End the program with the answer to that question.

Give them a list of specific practices to follow, what additional information or resources they will need to secure and how to get them, or whatever it is that they need to do to now get the value from the program into their lives. Just like when a doctor releases a patient, give them the follow-up plan of action to put into practice what was discussed in the program.

3. Offer the program as a reward, not as a punishment.

Sounds silly, but some companies use in-house programs to correct deficiencies and failures, almost as a punishment for their failings. Attendees are forced to go to get corrected. Position your programs as an enhancement of whatever they are and wherever they may be. In my Time Management Seminars, people are never invited because "they are broken and I'm
going to fix them". I am not going to make them productive. Everyone is productive. The question is, and the emphasis of my programs is, "how much more productive can we help you to become?"

4. Allow only a qualified instructor in the front of the room.

Anyone can spend a little time researching to give a "book report" on a topic. Audiences are perceptive. They know when an instructor has "walked the talk". They know when an instructor is only one chapter ahead of them. Giving a weak program does two things. First, it probably does not accomplish what it was intended to do. Second, and more important, while it is generally a struggle to get people to commit to training in the first place, you are only as good as your last program. If the last program they attended failed to not only meet, but exceed, their expectations, if their lives were really no different after taking the last program, then there will be even more resistance to attending what you offer next.

5. Don't hold the in-house program in-house.

I know about training budgets and issues of convenience. Half of the in-house programs I conduct are on company premises. Having an in-house training room is an asset. The problem may be, however, that it might not be the proper venue for what you need to accomplish. If the training room is on premises, the participants' temptation is to go back to work during the breaks, to get caught up on email and voicemail, and be interrupted in the session since they are in the building. Often they are coming back late and not having a focus on what the program is intended to accomplish. Holding the session off-site, at a hotel, for example, has an additional cost but alleviates the problems and makes the event somewhat more special. I ask my audiences to be with me not only physically, but also emotionally, just for the duration of the program because they will get a lot more out of it. I ask them to ignore their problems until our program is over, assuring them that their problems will still be there when they return.

Contributed by Dr. Donald E. Wetmore
Professional Speaker, Professional Member-National Speakers Association
Productivity Institute, Time Management Seminars, 60 Huntington St., P.O. Box 2126, Shelton, CT 06484.,
(800) 969-3773, (203) 929-9902, Fax: (203) 929-8151, mailto:ctsem@msn.com
Visit his Supersite: http://www.balancetime.com

Would you like to receive free Timely Time Management Tips on a regular basis to increase your personal productivity and get more out of every day? Sign up now for your free "TIMELY TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS". Just go to: http://www.topica.com/lists/timemanagement and select "subscribe". We welcome you aboard!

  

Vasu's Note: Some quotable quotes, which touches me very closely.

Don't count the things you do, but do the things that count.

Every new idea is met with ridicule, opposition and finally acceptance.

Believe in yourself and act on your convictions.

Sent by MV Vasudevan
SR Manager -HR, EID Parry, Chennai,
Phone No. (044) 5340251 Extn 360
We had carried Mr. Vasudevan's Introduction in Issue # 21. His correct email id is VasudevanMV@murugappa.co.in

S Ramachandran,Human Resources Manager (Asia Pacific operations), Ramco Systems Ltd, Chennai

Message: I am happy to associate with HR Era (as a reader of course!). The articles are good and I enjoy reading them. Very soon I will also contribute.

Ram has B.E (Hons.) from Regional Engg College, Tiruchy and MS in Manufacturing Systems Engineering, University of Warwick, UK.

Overall 15 years of professional experience in the areas of manufacturing, planning, project management, consulting and HR.

Earlier worked with Fenner (India) Ltd., NTTF Electronics Centre, TVS Electronics Ltd and Maxworth Information Technology Ltd before joining Ramco Systems Ltd.

Ram has switched over to HR function from the role of the Project Manager in Ramco Systems because of his interest in HR . Holding the position of HR Head for Asia Pacific operations for the past 3 years.

Other interests include listening to music (both classical and light), singing, reading light subjects.

He likes to be called "Ram."

Contact: s_rams@hotmail.com or sram@rsi.ramco.com , Chennai

Rahul U Bharat, Dy. Manager - HR, Ace Glass Containers Ltd., Rishikesh

Rahul has done MBA from Pune University. He has total experience of 7 years. Ace Glass Containers Limited is a market leader in manufacturing and marketing of glass containers.

Contact: rahulbharat@rediffmail.com , Phone : 98970 28066, 0135 - 432963 (R), 451030 (O), Rishikesh.

Please email your replies to the person asking, with a copy to us at HREra@rediffmail.com for publication. Email new questions to us.

Need info on "HR Score Card" - Ramkrishnarao

Dear Friends,

Where can I get insight about "HR Score Card". I would like to know about the concept and how it should be implemented in the Organisation. The most important thing I want to know is "Deliverables" of "HR Score Card".

Regards,

Ramakrishnarao,
Tata Telecom Ltd, Gandhinagar, Tele : 079 - 3221773 / 3246467
E-mail : rthallam@tatatelecom.com

Help on Employee Satisfaction Surveys - Nikhil Taneja

Hi,

I would like to seek help about Employee Satisfaction Survey.

We are one of the automotive component manufacturing company employing around 600 employees and based at Delhi & Gurgaon.

We want to know the names of the companies in and around Delhi, which have got the Employee Satisfaction Survey conducted through some outside Agency and what is their experience, effectiveness, benefits, etc. about the same.

Request please help us in this regard.

Regards,

Nikhil Taneja
Dept. Leader - HRD, Minda Industries Limited, Delhi.
nikhil@mindaweb.com

Help on Best Part-time or Correspondence MBA - Svetlana

Dear Friends,

I am on a look out for best Management institute or University who provides Part-Time or correspondence MBA in HR. I am residing in Mumbai. From where can I get the required information?

Regards,
Svetlana Fernandes
svetlana@kores-india.com

Wife: What would you do if I died? Would you get married again?
Husband: Definitely not!
Wife: Why not - don't you like being married?
Husband: Of course I do.
Wife: Then why wouldn't you remarry?
Husband: Okay, I'd get married again.
Wife: You would? (with a hurtful look on her face)
Husband: (makes audible groan)
Wife: Would you sleep with her in our bed?
Husband: Where else would we sleep?
Wife: Would you replace my pictures with hers?
Husband: That would seem like the proper thing to do.
Wife: Would she use my golf clubs?
Husband: No, she's left-handed.
Wife: - - - silence - - -
Husband: Shit.

From Amelia

Playing too hard is just as bad as refusing to play at all, according to management professors Bob Kreitner and Angelo Kinicki. Office politics is here to stay, and how you play can influence your success, satisfaction and performance at work.

According to their research studies, two of the most common tactics used in office politics are attacking or blaming others, and withholding (information, resources, supplies). The next most popular tactic is “impression management.” Impression management means dressing or grooming for success, and also drawing attention to your own success and influence, and taking credit for others' accomplishments. Over half the managers asked to name political tactics mention these three.

How people play the political game, they say, depends upon “need, style, personal values, ethics, and temperament,” but there’s one thing to keep in mind: people like people who aren't too different from everyone else, i.e., people they can understand. It’s the people at either end of the spectrum-too extreme one way or the other-who have trouble in offices.

Use your emotional intelligence at work! People who are either strictly non-political or highly political generally find there’s a price to pay for “aberrant” behavior; that is, being different.

Contributed by Susan Dunn
The Perfect Coach for You, www.susandunn.cc . Susan Dunn is a personal and professional development coach, writer and speaker with an international clientele. Go to www.susandunn.cc for FREE Distance Learning course. mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for FREE Ezine.

Your 168 Hours , Rhoberta Shaler, PhD.

Dr Rhoberta suggests an exercise for clear understanding of how we use our time. The logical consequence is to aligning the usage to what is really important to us in life - our priorities.

Salty Coffee, sent by Neeraj Narang

Neeraj sent this story about "love" several months back. I am not sure whether it fits in our forum. But Neeraj was sure & had written "I hope everybody must like it." He wanted it titled "Funda of Life."

Let me not be a wall between you & Neeraj. Hope he finds and drinks his Salty Coffee!

Dr. Abdul Kalam's Address in Hyderabad , Dr Abdul Kalam

HR Era carried Dr. Abdul Kalam's Hyderabad speech before he became the President. Around that time [May 2002] he had come to Larsen & Toubro Limited in Chennai and addressed all the executives. I was fortunate to listen to him!

Here it is once again.

Free Service: Training Institutions & Trainers can email their Programs to HREra@rediffmail.com . We reach them to 1100+ HR professionals for free.

For detailed calendar of major Institutes visit http://hrera.tripod.com/trainings.htm

Bombay Management Association

Bombay Management Association (BMA) is India’s most premier management Association, established in 1954, with a mission to promote mutual exchange of sound Management Principles and Practices. BMA has 48 years of illustrious history in creating ‘Thought Leadership in Management Practices’. Programmes for the month September:

“Promotion Of Positive Discipline and Management Of Indiscipline”
Date: Saturday, September 25, 2002 Timing: 9.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Venue: The Emerald Hotel, Juhu Tara Road, Near Juhu Beach, Mumbai
Faculty: Mr. J. B. Kabra
Members: 1700/- Non Member: 1900/-

“Cost Reduction Strategies”
Date: Friday & Saturday, September 27 & 28, 2002 Timing: 9.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Venue: The Emerald Hotel, Juhu Tara Road, Near Juhu Beach, Mumbai
Faculty: Mr. Ajoy Kumar Guha
Members: 2800/- Non Member: 3000/-

Contact:

Deepali Mulay
Bombay Management Association
3rd Floor, 9 Poddar House, ‘A’Road, Churchgate Tel: 2047650, 2049698 Fax: 2024743
Email: bma@bom5.vsnl.net.in

Free Service: Employers can email their job vacancies to HREra@rediffmail.com . We reach them to 1100+ HR professionals for free

[68] Executive Administration, Condor Building Contracting Company LLC, Dubai

Graduate / BBA / MBA with 5 years' experience. Expertise in compouter operatyion is a must. Age limit is 30 years.

Apply to: condxb@emirates.net.ae

[67] Senior Manager HR, A Corporate Finance Company,

Hi Folks,

We are a Professionally Managed Executive Search Firm into Personnel Search Services at Senior and Middle Management Levels in various management functions.

We have been retained by One of the Top 5 Corporate Finance Companies in India to advise on the selection of Senior Manager HR who shall be responsible for the entire HR activities (Recruitment, Training, Counselling, Performance Appraisal etc.). Shall be groomed to take over as Head of HR within 5 Years.

The right candidate would be an MBA in HRD from a Premier/reputed institute only (IIM/ XLRI/ TISS/ JBIMS/ NMIMS).

The company offers excellent package at par with the best in industry. Interested professional may forward their resume quoting reference No. Sr-Mgr-HR to sgk@gipsmanagement.com

WITH WARM REGARDS


S G KEWALRAMANI
GIPS MANAGEMENT & PERSONNEL CONSULTANTS
16 VEENA BEENA
OPP BANDRA STN. (W)
MUMBAI 400 050- INDIA
TEL: 6412081/2/3/4
FAX : 641 1482
E MAIL: sgk@gipsmanagement.com
WEBSITE: www.gipsmanagement.com

According to Indian philosophy, there are many lives for an individual before he attains Moksha... The karma of the previous life will be transferred to the present life so as to be worked out and nullified. One can find striking similarities between the teachings of Indian philosophy and modern accounting practices. Here are some of them that can induce an earnest reader to think in comparative terms between Indian philosophy and accountancy.

Credit, Debit and Carry Forward

In accounting terms, the balance of last year will be carried forward to this year's account and brought down. Here, credit side represents all the bad karmas and unfulfilled desires that propel man to take birth again. The debit side represents the good karmas and his fulfilled desires. Obviously, for every one the credit side exceeds the debit side, (with few exceptions!).So the balancing figure of each year, ie.. Each life will be always in the debit side. And, each year's balancing figure will be carried forward and brought down into next year's (or life's!) account.

One conclusion that an individual can draw from this (which is fully true according to Indian philosophy) is that he/she has the full power to make the account tally this year (life) itself, Attain liberation from the cycle of re births.... Moksha!

Abnormal Gain or Abnormal Loss

In Indian philosophy, lot of emphasis has been laid, in the recent times, from the medieval period on fate and luck. What is Fate?, and Luck? When we get more than we expect, we call it luck. When we have to be satisfied with what we get, or, in other words, when we get lesser than what we expect, we call it fate.

We can observe the same phenomenon in Accountancy also, especially in "Process" accounts. In process accounts, abnormal gain and abnormal loss aptly exemplifies this process. When the actual output is more than the expected output, we call it abnormal gain or luck! When the actual output is less than the expected output, we call it abnormal loss or fate!

Fixed Assets

Much more could be said along these lines, but I leave it to the reader to think upon this and to find out more.... Say, for instance, the term "Fixed Assets" in accountancy can be, to some extent associated with "Monadic Essence" in Indian philosophical terms, and the term "Prarabdha Karma" can be associated with "Deferred Revenue expenditure".

A Big Multi-Year Account

So one can undoubtedly say that life (the whole of it, till Moksha), is nothing but a big personal account spread over many years (or individual lives) wherein, the individual, or the accountant, who has poor knowledge in the accountancy of life, struggles to tally the account or the balance sheet, and fails many times, till he finally succeeds.......

Contributed by Ranjith Menon,
Human Resources Department, Global Edge Software Ltd, Bangalore - INDIA. Ph: 91-80-3467944 Extn:478.

Email: ranjithmenon77@yahoo.com Website: http://www.ranjithmenon.com

Aims of HR Era:
It aims to enhance CAREER GROWTH of its readers by bringing to them practices & ideas they can apply in their work, opportunities to network with other Professionals, training opportunities, jobs available, and techniques for self-management.

Contribute Articles & Other Contents:
Contributions from readers are wholeheartedly solicited. Contributions are the things that enable sharing of learnings. Lead Article should be about 800 words, others 400 words. Please send details about yourself also as we would like to post them along with the article. Kindly note, no honorarium is paid now! Please email contributions to HREra@rediffmail.com

Legal Stuff!
All information in HR Era is presented in good faith. However, before using, please consult relevant experts. We do not accept any financial responsibility for accuracy.

Visit our Website at http://hrera.tripod.com 

Copyright (C) 2002 by Rajeev B. Bhatnagar