Soft Skill/Competency: Self Development

(Refer previous three posts to read the detailed explanations on competencies "Result Orientation", "Problem Solving" and “Self Confidence”).

Explanation of the Competency “Self Development”

(For more benefits to you, It will be prudent to refer (Self Development) http://managing-self.blogspot.com/ and (Self Motivation or Internal Motivation) http://internal-motivation.blogspot.com/)

• On a day to day basis, tries to introspect or examine his own strengths and weaknesses.
• Seeks and welcomes others’ feedback on his strengths and weaknesses and examines them positively or constructively. Others can include anyone who can provide the feedback; even an enemy, neighbor or spouse :) apart from the usually known people like, bosses, colleagues, direct reports, internal and external customers etc.
• Accepts criticism (as part of feedback) from others in his own stride.
• Looks around for information on appropriate way and means or strategies for self development.
• Continually works to improve upon his strengths and to remove the weaknesses, particularly those weaknesses which have become or can become critical in achieving successes in professional, personal, family and social life.
• Then looks around for opportunities and utilizes them by taking up appropriate assignments or projects to enhance his strengths and eliminate his critical weaknesses.
• Reads, observes, refers and participates through the authentic literature and courses/workshops/seminars for enhancing knowledge and skills/competencies.
• Continually develops his will power, value structure, knowledge and paradigms to enhance his effectiveness in professional spheres and all the walks of life. (Refer Shyam Bhatawdekar’s Model “HSoftware” for effectiveness at http://humansoftware.blogspot.com/ and/or http://knol.google.com/k/shyam-bhatawdekar/management-in-life-profession-family/6txz9nck6g3/3# )
• Actively learns from his own and others’ successes and failures on an ongoing basis.
• Sets an example for others to learn, improve, develop and grow.
• Assists others in facilitating their self development.

Pitfall to be Avoided

• Too much self centered.
• Obsessed with self help development gurus, books, literature or any other gadgets.
• Lopsided distribution of time and efforts on self improvement particularly at the cost of achieving results on important tasks on hand (which can be done with existing levels of knowledge and skills/competencies).
• Wasting time and other resources in improving the knowledge and skills/competencies where one is already very good at currently.
• Lopsided allotment of resources on self development rather than their appropriate utilization on the development of one’s team members.

(You can download eBook "Competencies and Competency Matrix" from http://nbuu.co/cm)

Read the "Management Case Studies" from Shyam Bhatawdekar's book "Sensitive Stories of Corporate World" at: http://management-anecdotes.blogspot.com/ or http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com/


For "Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers", read at: http://management-games-icebreakers.blogspot.com/ or http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com/


For free tutorials on "Train the Trainers" program, refer: http://train-trainers.blogspot.com/

Soft Skill/Competency: Self Confidence

Explanation of the Competency “Self Confidence”

• Displays a confident disposition. Instills confidence in others.
• Has confidence in his own abilities.
• Has no doubts and hesitation in his abilities.
• Uses his abilities confidently to tackle the day-to-day and also difficult situations and problems.
• Likely to lead in solving the issues.
• Will take responsibility and accountability with no fuss.
• Speaks out his mind. Therefore, makes his thinking and opinions heard and understood by other related persons.
• Does not feel threatened in sharing his knowledge and skills with others.
• Does not get cowed down by aggressive behavior of others.
• Can take criticism in his own stride.
• Does not become defensive; cannot be pushed to corner.
• Does not easily complain or grumble or blame about others or about situations.
• Does not hesitate in sharing his success and limelight with others.

Pitfall to be Avoided

• Arrogance.
• Know-all type behavior.
• Poor listener.
• Therefore, devaluing others’ feedback, opinions and suggestions.
• May instill inferiority complex in others.

(You can download eBook "Competencies and Competency Matrix" from http://nbuu.co/cm)

Read the "Management Case Studies" from Shyam Bhatawdekar's book "Sensitive Stories of Corporate World" at: http://management-anecdotes.blogspot.com/ or http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com/

For "Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers", read at: http://management-games-icebreakers.blogspot.com/ or http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com

For free tutorials on "Train the Trainers" program, refer:  http://train-trainers.blogspot.com/

Soft Skill/Competency: Problem Solving

For soft skill/competency "Result orientation", refer: http://shyam-bhatawdekar.blogspot.com/2010/08/soft-skillcompetency-result-orientation.html

Explanation of Competency "Problem Solving"

• Defines the problem correctly. Makes a good problem statement.
• Decides on what data and information to collect to find out the causes of the problem.
• Sets up the cause and effect relationship accurately.
• Observes the underlying patterns in the problem.
• Defines the type and extent of information that must be collected to work out alternative solutions.
• Looks beyond obvious solutions. Uses creativity to find out better solutions.
• Decides on the most appropriate solution. Applies trade off analysis properly.
• Anticipates the hindrances to problem solving and takes care of them proactively, well in advance.
• Contributes his best when a group is working on solving the problem.
• Infuses critical thinking in solving a problem.
• Knows and further keeps learning where to look out for or whom to contact in the process of problem solving. Tries to become more and more resourceful.
• Escalates the problem to an appropriate person or level when it appears beyond his scope of cracking due to several reasons.
• Makes sure that the problem is tackled at the root level so that it does not surface again.

Pitfalls to be Avoided

• Slowing down on taking (calculated) risk.
• Too much of unnecessary analysis what is generally known as analysis paralysis.
• Stealing the show from the other members of the group when the problem is being solved by a group.
• Taking up too much in case of escalation of the problem.
• Losing sight of time lines in order to find the best solution.

(You can download eBook "Competencies and Competency Matrix" from http://nbuu.co/cm)

Read the "Management Case Studies" from Shyam Bhatawdekar's book "Sensitive Stories of Corporate World" at: http://management-anecdotes.blogspot.com/ or http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com/

For free tutorials on "Train the Trainers" program, refer:  http://train-trainers.blogspot.com/

Soft Skill/Competency: Result Orientation

From this post onwards, for quite some time to come, you will see here a detailed treatment of some of the major soft skills/competencies. This will help you to understand these soft skills/competencies in quite clear ways so that you can actually implement these competencies for your overall success.

Explanation of Competency "Result Orientation"

• Always keeps the focus on achieving results as per the goals set.
• Therefore, keeps the focus on the tasks and activities that are related to achieving the results.
• Defines all the related tasks and activities in terms of the results to be achieved.
• Then puts the required efforts and time needed to accomplish those tasks and activities.
• While focusing on the results, also maintains the required process orientation for quality results. Even contributes in improving the processes.
• Improves effectiveness and efficiency of working in order to achieve better productivity of all the resources including time.
• Accepts the accountability for achieving the results.
• Overcomes the resistance and obstacles, if any, in meeting the desired goals.
• Makes sure to maintain team work and team building particularly on the work involving interdependencies.
• Does frequent reviews and keeps a track of the actual achievements against the plans. Initiates the corrective actions necessary to bring the tasks and activities on track to remove the backlogs.
• If necessary, works with interest even on uninteresting tasks for project completion.
• Rewards self and others for putting in efforts towards result achievement.
• Tries to achieve better benchmarks in result achievements continually so that stretch targets can be set in subsequent projects.

Pitfalls to be Avoided

• Compromising on quality.
• Disrupting team work and team building particularly in the work involving interdependencies.
• Short circuiting the processes and compromising on quality and other standards.
• Overshooting the budgeted costs.
• Eyeing short term results at the cost of long term implications.
• Not sharing success with others who also contributed in achieving the results.

(You can download eBook "Competencies and Competency Matrix" from http://nbuu.co/cm)

Read the "Management Case Studies" from Shyam Bhatawdekar's book "Sensitive Stories of Corporate World" at: http://management-anecdotes.blogspot.com/ or http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com

For free tutorials on "Train the Trainers" program, refer:  http://train-trainers.blogspot.com/

Qualities and Competencies to Become Successful CEO

• Start thinking and behaving like a CEO at whatever level you are at present. Everyone is really a CEO of his own job. If he starts handling his job the way a CEO handles the corporation, he shows a definite potential of a future CEO of a company. Refer: (Ownership on Job) http://job-ownership.blogspot.com/, (Genuine Professional) http://knol.google.com/k/shyam-bhatawdekar/the-genuine-professional/6txz9nck6g3/10#
• CEO should have the competency of looking at the “whole”: outside of the company and inside of the company. He should be able to assimilate and link together the entire factors of business: people, economy, governments, markets, customers, employees, technology, business associates and the lot. CEO’s assumptions or paradigms about each of these factors should be correct; otherwise there would surely be problem(s) for the company in the future.
• CEO should have a great vision. He should be able to foresee what is good for the organization and what is not and organize the necessary decisions and actions. He should be able to ask questions like what the company’s business should be and what it should not be and then, should be able to find the right answers.
• CEO has to be very courageous. Having envisioned the changes needed, he should have sufficient guts to lead those changes.
• CEO should have the competencies to uphold high standards of ethics even under trying times.
• CEO should have competency of keeping his organization clean legally, always on the right side of the law. Refer: (Corporate Governance) http://corporate-governance-policy.blogspot.com/
• CEO cannot just have only result orientation. Equally important is his process orientation. The two together set tone for long term as well as short term successes.
• CEO should be great in strategic planning and goal setting. Setting up of the strategies and goals for the organization gives the road maps, mile stones and destinations as an effective guide to its people. Also refer: (Strategic Management) http://strategic-managing.blogspot.com/ and (Goal/Target Setting) http://goal-target-setting.blogspot.com/
• CEO should be able to communicate with all sorts of people everywhere, effectively. It includes his convincing and influencing abilities. It includes his keen listening abilities and interpersonal relations. It includes his consensus and team building skills.
• CEO should be good in his analysis, judgments, decision making and firmness.
• CEO should have great eyes for the talents.
• On the whole, CEO should possess excellent leadership qualities. Refer: (Leadership) http://lead-max.blogspot.com/

(You can download eBook "Competencies and Competency Matrix" from http://nbuu.co/cm)

How Much Value My Competency Can Add?

For everything you wanted to know on building leadership and management, refer Shyam Bhatawdekar’s website: http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com/

(Refer our High Quality Management Encyclopedia “Management Universe” at: http://management-universe.blogspot.com/)


The More the Value Addition Due to Your Competencies, the More You Can Earn

The money you can earn as a professional by using your competency depends squarely on the value it can add. Extent of value derived by the usage of your competency is decided by the user or the customer. If the perception of the customer allows your competency to be seen as a high value adding competency, you can claim more money for providing that competency to your customer and more often than not, the customer will pay you that much. On the other hand even if you reach the highest level of expertise in a particular competency, it is not necessary that you will end up earning more particularly when the customers does not see it delivering high value to him.

It is also a matter of supply and demand. The much needed rare competencies may get paid more since at that point of time they are seen to be delivering high value to its customers in their perception.

An example will illustrate the point brought out in this paragraph. You will generally see that a specialist doctor say, a surgeon will end up earning lots more that the best or most proficient waiter in a restaurant. Yet a chief chef in the same restaurant, if he is worth his salt (as far as proficiency or expertise in cooking is concerned) may also end up earning as much as the doctor or an engineer.

So, it seems that high value adding competencies alone can earn more money for you.

(You can download eBook "Competencies and Competency Matrix" from http://nbuu.co/cm)