The Hindu Business Line : Getting things done

Doing things oneself, by depending on one’s own skills and initiative, is easy. But getting things done by organised group effort to carry out assigned tasks in tune with the ultimate goals is difficult. A whole gamut of abstract terminology — leadership, motivation, vision, innovation and the like — is brought into play by academics to explain how it is done. What follows is a jargon-free practical guide for executives based on a life time of experience and observation:

First impression counts. The most important day for you as an executive is the first day of joining an office. That is when you make your first contacts with your colleagues and associates. They are unobtrusively keeping your every word and your every move under intense scrutiny. If you manage to come through in their eyes as a positive, energetic, enthusiastic, responsive, warm, cheerful, friendly and approachable personality, winning their trust and confidence becomes easy, and it will be smooth sailing for you thereafter.

Be the change you want to see. If you want others to be punctual, hard-working, thorough, result-oriented, and meticulous about keeping their word and completing the work within the given time-frame, you must set an example yourself in all these respects. In fact, you must strive to be better than the rest.

Keep your faculties sharp and shining, and your mental antennae up and active. Be on guard against becoming a back number. You will, thereby, command the respect of those coming into contact with you for your yearning for learning, thirst for knowledge and quest for new ideas. That way they will be more willing to follow your lead and abide by your wishes.

Listen, before you express your opinion. Listening is the product of self-discipline, common human courtesy and civilised upbringing on the part of the listener. Welcome frank views and offbeat ideas. Any opinion expressed or direction given has a much better chance of being accepted and carried out if is based on a two-way, receptive and dynamic interaction among all concerned.

Make the language of your messages simple and direct. Preferably, it should be in the native language. The number of those who are capable of making out the correct sense of spoken and written English is fast shrinking. Implementation suffers if the purport of what one is told to do is unclear.

Take stock without being intrusive. If performance is to match expectations, the progress in the execution of assigned tasks has to be ascertained from time to time. The structured way of doing this is in regular review meetings on particular days at a specified time. Much the better course is to ascertain by seemingly casual queries whenever you have an opportunity of meeting the team members in the natural course. Your interest in what is happening will impel your associates to keep to schedule.

Take the blame, pass the credit. Something is always bound to go wrong despite the best efforts put in by all concerned. It is wise on such occasions for the leader to take the blame. Likewise, praise for notable successes should be passed on to the members of the team. Any chiding done should be in private, and compliments handed in public.

Develop a human approach. All worldly endeavours are of human beings, by human beings and for the welfare of human beings. Their aspirations, ambitions, expectations, frustrations, disappointments and grievances have an intimate bearing on the quality of output and performance. Hence, the approach towards colleagues and workers should be one of good will, consideration and compassion. A ready smile is the best guarantee of human bonding.

B. S. RAGHAVAN