In this issue

The cover theme of the Sep-Oct issue is ‘millennials in the workplace’. Experts— Dr Marcus Ranney, Thrive Global; Chris Westfall, author of Leadership Language; H V MacArthur, author, Low Man on the Totem Pole; Dr Debashish Sengupta, author, Life of The Life of Y —share their views on various aspects of this subject.

Jennifer Turnage and Megan Sumrell, authors of Honey, You Got This! Elaborated on the concept of network marketing and the role technology plays in its smooth functioning. Rajeev Shroff, Cupela, analyzed toxic relations at the workplace and detailed how harbouring negative feelings can be detrimental. Richard Rothman, Open Mind Opportunity Consultancy Private Limited, explained how leaders can use a systematic opportunity process while Saumya Sindhwani, Indian School of Business, broke down the fundamentality of creative management.

Doug Skonord, Transition Management Inc, dealt with why and how effective decisions should be made and its significance in an organization. Jonathan MacDonald, author of Powered by Change, implores the need for change and innovation in organizations. Dr Smita Dabholkar Singh, Institute of Management Technology, Nagpur highlights the importance of being gender neutral and tells us what measures can be employed to deal with problems women face in the workplace. George Kohlrieser, IMD, gives an insight on dealing with conflicts efficiently.

In our regular sections, we have Pratima Rao Gluckman, author of Nevertheless, she persisted, who demystifies our views on women in the male-dominated world of technology. In gurumantra, Morgen Witzel, University of Exeter Business School, talks about millennials as change-makers and their evolving perception of leaders.

Gender Neutral

Pratima Rao Gluckman, author of Nevertheless, She Persisted, talks about the challenges women face in their career in the technology field and busts the myth that ability is linked to gender.

5 mins

Embrace The Highs And Lows

Gary Vaynerchuk, a bestselling author, quotes, “The skill sets it takes to be a successful entrepreneur, a successful marketer, or a relevant celebrity is a different skill set than you needed ten years ago, even though that was the skill set that mattered for decades.” In this age of rapid digitization, network marketers are required to keep up with technology, more so, social media. Building the right relationships or networking is critical as the connections created largely determine the opportunities available. Jennifer Turnage and Megan Sumrell, authors of Honey, You Got This! Technology Made Easy for Network Marketers make known the trending concept of network marketing and how working smarter and not harder is made possible with technology.

7 mins

How To Keep Toxicity At Bay?

In their book, Toxic Workplace!, Mitchell Kusy and Elizabeth Holloway define toxic personality as “anyone who demonstrates a pattern of counter productive, work behaviour that debilitate individuals, teams, and even organizations over the long term.” Harboring negative feelings could prove detrimental to not just others. It could linger within and ruin you, even without your knowledge.

4 mins

Bright Leaders, Right Opportunities

In an earlier interview with The Smart Manager, Rita McGrath, author of The End of Competitive Advantage, said, “In organizations, we always think the sins of commission are the ones that might be punished. In smart companies in the future, we are also going to think about sins of omission—not taking the appropriate chances or pursuing the appropriate opportunities for the future.” Consciously looking for opportunities and leveraging the best among them defines the path to survival in the long term.

5 mins

Creative Core

A company’s most important asset isn’t raw materials, transportation systems, or political influence. It’s creative capital—simply put, an arsenal of creative thinkers whose ideas can be turned into valuable products and services. Creative employees pioneer new technologies, birth new industries, and power economic growth… If you want your company to succeed, these are the people you entrust it to. That much is certain. What’s less certain is how to manage for maximum creativity.* Creative management is a complex process, but mastering it is imperative for those who want to deliver true value.

5 mins

How Can an Organisation Make Quick And Effective Decisions On Regular Basis

"The days of the ‘Great Man’ theory of Leadership—where one sole leader rules over the masses from their ivory tower, are long gone…But while co-leadership can be energizing and rewarding, if the relationship isn’t strong, the arrangement can easily become draining and frustrating.”* For co-leadership to be fruitful, it has to be a strong emotional partnership that rests on the foundation of commitment.

4 mins

Blow With The Wind

A company’s response to change determines its chances of survival—as Jonathan MacDonald writes in his recent book, “When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills.”

5 mins

‘Leaders' Of A Different Kind

At an organizational level, in a sense, millennials are change-makers. While not taking the expected course, they demand a relook at many aspects, hitherto considered beyond the scope of change. For instance, they bring home the fact that impactful leadership, in no context, can operate within a command and control paradigm; it has to be democratic, and involve guiding, coaching, supporting, and facilitating.

7 mins

One Small Step, One Big Change

The image of women being caught in a stifled existence does not come as a surprise to most of us. In many cultures, they continue to be the less privileged, their basic needs unaddressed, and their ambitions and goals put on the back burner. What can effect a transformation? Where does one start? Perhaps, with an individual or a small group, and then replicate the success on a larger canvas.

6 mins

How To Manage Conflicts?

Kenneth Kaye, American psychologist, said, “Conflict is neither good nor bad. Properly managed, it is absolutely vital.” Organizations should identify, understand, and develop effective resolutions to workplace conflicts lest it creates a stressed working atmosphere and hinders productivity.

7 mins

Read all stories from The Smart Manager

The Smart Manager Magazine Description:

The Smart Manager, India's first world-class management magazine, was founded in 2002 by eminent business historian Dr Gita Piramal with Harvard Business School Dean, Prof. Nitin Nohria with the mission of updating managers and business practitioners in India with the latest thought-provoking strategic ideas from experienced, world-class managers, academics and consultants from across the globe. Over the years, the magazine has carried articles authored by illustrious management gurus such as the late CK Prahalad and Sumantra Ghoshal, Jack Trout, Ram Charan, Gary Hamel, Gay Haskins, Jagdish Seth and Lynda Gratton. We believe that "managers are the best teachers of managers" and most of our articles are written in the first person by top-tier CEOs such as Kumaramangalam Birla, Sunil Mittal, Aditya Birla, KV Kamath, Santrupt Mitra, Rajeev Dubey and S Ramadorai. We also have relationships with a number of B-schools around the world, apart from most top-level schools in India.

The Smart Manager hosts the Tata Consultancy Services Smart Manager Case Contest, the most prestigious competition of its kind in the Indian print media. The contest, with a cash prize of INR50,000 per issue, sees wide participation from national and international business managers and students. 
The 'Smart" in The Smart Manager is an acronym for Strategy, Marketing, Analysis, Resources and Technology. Truly useful knowledge when you need it 24 x 365, year after year.