The Smart Manager - January - February 2019
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January - February 2019 issue Digital Access. 
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In this issue
The cover theme of the Jan-Feb issue is ‘Listening, a much-overlooked skill’. Experts— Ike Lasater, a mediator, trainer, and speaker; Jon Wortmann, author of Mastering Communication at Work; Stephen Kozicki, Gordian Business; Stefano Pelle, Ferrero India; Dr Mark Goulston, author of Just Listen; Muniinder K Anand, Center for Creative Leadership; Dr Bob Nelson, Nelson Motivation, Inc.—share their views on various aspects of this subject. Dr Ranjan Banerjee, SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, talks about the distinctive qualities of Indian-origin managers and a confluence of factors that make them efficient to cope with management challenges. Lalit Makhijani, Godrej Properties Limited, explores poor relationships of employees and managers, and suggests a practical solution. Raymond Houser, author of The Winning Advantage, talks about reaching goals and overcoming rejections. Being our 17th-anniversary issue, we featured a one-time section titled ‘What’s in store?’ that included five trends—project management, ecommerce, leadership, data management, artificial intelligence, and augmented humanity. In our regular sections, we have Leo Bottary, author of What Anyone Can Do, who debunks myths that come in the way of achieving our goals. In gurumantra, Morgen Witzel, University of Exeter Business School, tells us how listening and empathy go hand-in-hand. In our newest section, health and wellness, Dr A B Govindaraj, orthopedic and joint replacement surgeon, implores the need to take a break from work to rejuvenate.
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Equal Players
A 2018 Harvard Business Review article laments the lack of gender parity in the field of medicine in the US. It says, “for over 25 years, women have made up at least 40% of US medical students. This past year, more women than men were enrolled in US medical schools. Yet overall women make up only 34% of physicians in the US, and gender parity is still not reflected in medical leadership. Women account for only 18% of hospital CEOs and 16% of all deans and department chairs in the US—positions that typically direct the mission and control the resources at medical centers.”* This is a reality reflected in many professions across the globe. Even the most vocal advocates of gender parity inadvertently identify certain roles with certain genders. Sales is one such area, traditionally considered a male bastion.
Building Compassion
In their book, Awakening Compassion at Work: The Quiet Power That Elevates People and Organizations, Monica C Worline and Jane E Dutton say that “compassion at work is neither a luxury nor an ideal. Organizations cannot afford the hidden costs to human capability that come from perpetuating suffering. In desperate need of new sources of adaptability, collaboration, innovation, quality, and engagement, workplaces must turn toward making compassion at work a reality.”* However, it should be kept in mind that there is no shortcut to building a compassionate culture and that the onus is on the leadership.
Soaked Knowledge
If approached as an exercise in listening and learning, powerful conversations with clients and customers can offer long-term lessons. A challenging client may seem like an obstacle but can also turn out to be someone who will motivate you to do quality work, by giving eye-opening ideas and concepts. A radical new way of engaging with clients and customers, the SPONGE process focuses on listening as a means to gain diverse, insightful perspectives.
The Biology Of Change
A hundred small ripples make a big wave. Likewise, several motivated employees can create a cumulative effect, and drive change and growth. However, even when fully aware of the benefits of employee engagement, many fail to fathom its biological depths. It is high time organizations catered to the demands of their ‘seeking’ systems and kept them more ‘alive’.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”