DISCIPLINEplus

Within three weeks Bassey the project manager of the Seplat contract, received three public commendations from the Chief Operating Officer (COO).

This was unusual, the COO rarely commended, how much so - thrice publicly.

The operations manager - Bayo, reached out to Bassey a day after the third commendation. He wanted to know how Bassey was able to make such good impression on the COO.

”It is my team. They do most of the operational daily lifting, so I owe it all to them.” Bassey replied.

Bayo wasn’t satisfied, so he asked, “One on one, the individuals in your team aren’t smarter compared to those in mine.

"In fact, I remember you had to take on two individuals from other team, who were a pain in the neck of their team leads. And for the transformation of these two persons, after just five months working with you, the COO commended you.

"In the COO's own words, ‘Two employees penned down by HR to exit five months ago, have made significant contributions within four months. Bassey, I don’t know how you did it but whatever it is, continue bringing out the best from your team.’

"So what’s it that you do, I want to know, I need some help in bringing out the best from my own team"

Bassey printed out a one-page document, and placed it before Bayo. “ These are nine key competencies I rate myself with at the end of a work day, to enable me become a better manager the next day. You can see that three of these directly deal with how I manage team members.

"One of which is: Developing others - Ability to acknowledge and reward people’s achievements. Offer constructive feedback, mentor, coach, and offer tasks that improve key skillsets.

"I will suggest you go through these nine competencies, after which we can have a conversation on how you can comeup with competencies that you need most at this stage of your managerial role. Also, how to measure yourself on each of them each work day, till these competencies become automatic, like the air you breathe."

Do have a Productive Week.

Victor Nwaoseh

ROI ON TRAININGS

The new MD requested for all the training carried out in the company within three years.

The total training costs during the last three years amounted to =N= 172,000,000.

Next he requested to see the monetary return on investment for these trainings.

The Human Resource Director replied, “No one had ever requested for such in this industry. We don’t even know how to go about it.”

The MD replied, “Find a way. I need the monetary return on investment from these trainings.”

And they did find a way.

By hiring a consulting firm. Within three months the report was ready.

The company realized that most training did not justify its investment, especially training that were on soft skills.

There was a training retreat on the company’s line managers. It gulped =N= 35,000,000. And the estimated return on investment was =N= 7,000,000.

Before the training the line manager’s contribution was estimated at =N= 7,200,000. If anything the training had a negative impact on their output.

Whereas an in-house training that cost just =N= 520,000 had a returns on investment of =N= 1,530,000. Before the training it was =N=850,000/annum.

On getting these findings, the HR department digged further. As most training that had negative returns were those on soft skills.

They discovered that training for soft skills is different from training for technical or cognitive skills.

It may involve a class room or workshop. And for best results it doesn’t end there.

Other steps have to be taken after the classroom/workshop session.

Do have a Productive Week

Victor Nwaoseh

$1, 440 investment fund to a five years old means nothing. Left alone he won't invest.

$1,440 investment fund to a thirty years old means something, he will invest it. How well he invests, depends on his investment expertise.

Same way with 1,440 minutes to a five years old. He needs a guardian to dictate nearly every minute.

As an adult, how well are you investing your 1,440 minutes 'unrollable', time cheque, offered to you 12:00am every day?

Like a child?

Like an average adult?

Or like a Productivity Expert?

Do have a Productive Week.

Victor Nwaoseh

She approached the ladies in the front desk. They were deep in conversation. They did not notice that someone stepped into the room.

She cleared her throat, and got their attention. Their faces registered their displeasure. Vexed at her for interrupting their gist.

They managed a greeting, then said, "What do you want?"

The customer was shocked. Yet, she retainted her cool, and brought out her shoes which needed some repairs. She showed them where needed amendment.

She asked, "Can I have it back today?"

One of the receptionist replied, "Ah! Today?. No o. All the cobblers are very very busy."

She said, "This is a new business, less than one year old. You have not even gone to check. Is that how you retain customers?"

They replied, "We can't do anything. You can either go with it or come back two days time for it."

And that was the last straw that broke the Camel's back. She picked up the shoes, stepped out and drove off.

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Service. A competence under the Social awareness radar of Emotional Intelligence.

Those who have internalized this competence will regularly seek for ways to increase customer's satisfaction and loyalty.

They will gladly offer appropriate assistance.

Annually, businesses, especially service businesses, spend millions on courses related to customer service.

And rightly so. Because customers perceive a business from those they interact with. Those who represent the business.

Yet, how effective are such courses?

It takes more than a few hours/days seminar to unlearn unhealthy habits, and relearn healthy ones.

A good place to start with, is during recruitment process: test for service competencies, through behavioural tests. At least, employ those who are naturally courteous.

People don't give what they don't have.

Do have a Productive Week.

Victor Nwaoseh

"Please, leave me alone... that's how we are in our family, my father, mother, siblings, even my grandfather, grandmother, uncles, aunties, we are all like that." Segun replied his colleague.

Perhaps you have heard something along the lines of the above from others, or you may have used it yourself.

In essence such persons, have given up that they can change that behaviour. Even when the behaviour isn't to their general benefit or those around them, they will go on stating: "That's how I am." Even saying it with pride.

Examples of those who have changed from a behavior that wasn't beneficial to one that's beneficial are all around us.

These ones are the ultimate proof that how he is, isn't equal to how he will remain.

Let's look at any behaviour, and we will see that it isn't as automatic as we think. It's made up of smaller units adding unto each other, till that behaviour is formed.

Repetition of same smaller parts regularly must produce the same behaviour.

Nature may instill in us what she wants, yet it was through habits, doing same thing over, and over again, that what nature instilled, became part of us.

On the other hand, if we consciously practice repeatedly what we desire, same will be part of us.

The behaviour we display today is a manifestation of what we habitually practiced yesterday.

Segun's behaviour isn't helping him?

Segun can select a set of habits that will add up to his desired behaviour.

Then, Segun's behaviour tomorrow will become a manifestation of what Segun practiced today.

Nature instills in us what she wants. Habits instill in us what we desire.

Do have a Productive Week!
Victor Nwaoseh.

The Employee Engagement (E.E.) lead attentively listened to Ifeanyi’s grievance.

Next, the Employee Engagement (E.E.) lead replied, “From my understanding of all you said, your line manager first used the words, ‘I don’t trust you,’ when he spotted some errors on the PPE request you submitted to him for review and approval?”

Ifeanyi nodded, with the words: “And that was just two weeks of joining the organization, I was yet to find my feet.”

The E.E. lead continued, “The recent occasion, was when you submitted an updated procurement procedure?”

Ifeanyi nodded again, with the words: “I was so embarrassed, because other colleagues reporting to him received feedback within 24 hours. Mine, I was told, ‘I don’t trust you, so I have to take my time and go through this line by line.’ Been more than 72 hours, yet to receive any feedback. It’s becoming unbearably here. I am honest, I have integrity, I have never stolen anything from anyone.”

The E.E. lead looked at Ifeanyi empathically, and explained, “Honesty is just one aspect of trust. Another aspect of trust is capacity. From the scenarios you shared, your line manager has issues with your capacity to efficiently deliver tasks, with little or no corrections from him.”

The E.E. lead paused, then continued, “How many times do you check your work, before submitting it to your line manager? Ifeanyi replied, “Review? Everything is needed now, everything is top priority, where would I have time to check?

The E.E. lead adviced, “You have two choices: First, continue not to pay attention to details and don’t review your work. The result - errors will mar your work, and your line manager will have more reasons not to trust you.

"Second, pay attention to details and review your work. The result - preventable errors will drastically reduce, and overtime you will regain the trust of your line manager.”

Do have a Productive Week.

Victor Nwaoseh

Intuitive Selection.

Three candidates remained. From these three, the HR Director will pick the next employee to join Hilcom Limited.

On the day of the final interview with the HR Director, each of the three candidates had a one on one session with him and three members of the company.

Each session was between thirty to sixty minutes. Finally all three candidates had lunch with the HR Director. The following day, he made his pick.

Stella, the HR manager, approached him the next day to explain the rationale behind his selection.

Sometimes he selects the candidate with the highest paper qualifications or relevant Corporate experience Other times the second. This time around he selected the candidate with the least paper qualification and experience.

“Sir, I don’t get it? We were certain you will pick candidate A. We just included the other two for righteousness sake.

Even at that, candidate B would have been understandable, yet you went for candidate C.”

Smiling the HR Director replied, “Did Candidate C meet the minimum certification and experience?”

“Yes he did”

"So when they come to me, I don’t bother looking at their CVs. I look at salient features. During the one on one and group interaction with them, I engage their personalities. I determine how they fit into the group, our organizational culture. I seek for what drives them in life, in work."

Sandra replied, “How do you know all these? People can put up a front.”

“Very true. During my early years using this approach, picking the ideal candidate had a 40% probability. Now as the company can attest, it has risen to 85%.”

Sandra nodded in agreement.

“That’s where intuition comes in. And one’s intuitive ability in a field becomes better with distilled experience.”

Do have a Productive Week

Victor Nwaoseh

Intuitive Selection.

Three candidates remained. From these three, the HR Director will pick the next employee to join Hilcom Limited.

On the day of the final interview with the HR Director, each of the three candidates had a one on one session with him and three members of the company.

Each session was between thirty to sixty minutes. Finally all three candidates had lunch with the HR Director. The following day, he made his pick.

Stella, the HR manager, approached him the next day to explain the rationale behind his selection.

Sometimes he selects the candidate with the highest paper qualifications or relevant Corporate experience Other times the second. This time around he selected the candidate with the least paper qualification and experience.

“Sir, I don’t get it? We were certain you will pick candidate A. We just included the other two for righteousness sake.

Even at that, candidate B would have been understandable, yet you went for candidate C.”

Smiling the HR Director replied, “Did Candidate C meet the minimum certification and experience?”

“Yes he did”

"So when they come to me, I don’t bother looking at their CVs. I look at salient features. During the one on one and group interaction with them, I engage their personalities. I determine how they fit into the group, our organizational culture. I seek for what drives them in life, in work."

Sandra replied, “How do you know all these? People can put up a front.”

“Very true. During my early years using this approach, picking the ideal candidate had a 40% probability. Now as the company can attest, it has risen to 85%.”

Sandra nodded in agreement.

“That’s where intuition comes in. And one’s intuitive ability in a field becomes better with distilled experience.”

Do have a Productive Day.

Victor Nwaoseh

At the end of the HR induction, the new Finance Executive, asked the HR Manager:

"Why was I selected as the right fit for the job?"

The HR Manager replied. "Three things made you outstanding during the interview:

1) Your calm, during the interview. As you listened and did your best to answer the questions, you regularly did that with calm-confidence and a smile. Some were as intellectually sound as you, but you responded from a place of calm, more than others. You cut across as someone who will maintain her poise even in the heat of a task.

2) From our assessment of your deliverables, and output with your previous employer, we asked ourselves: 'If this lady can do so much with x compensation, how much more will she do, with 3x compensation?'

3) Your were highly motivated to join the team. Aside from your enthusiasm, you asked for the three most important tasks which needs to be closed out by the selected candidate for the role. - This for us was a pointer to someone who was eager to deliver."

One year down the line, the Finance Executive keeps living up to expectation.

Do have a Productive Week
Victor Nwaoseh

Bature was nicknamed the Transformer, due to his antecedents. He joined the Company as a Junior field engineer, became a Senior field engineer in 3 years.

Transfered to the sales department, as the Sales Manager. In his eight year with the Company he was made the General Manager Sales and Marketing. A position he has consistently excelled.

Before he was made head of sales, the department's retention rate was 40%. After he took over, the average retention rate increased to 92%. Now, the Sales and Marketing department has the least staff turnover rate, in the company - unusual.

Bature is trusted by the Company's Directors and Clients.

Respected by his Peers.

An inspiration to his Subordinates, and other Junior staff.

The Company has other other Managers with a First Class degree, yet none in their own field has accomplished half of Bature's accomplishments.

Bimbo the HR Manager took out time to anaylze Bature's competencies. She discovered that aside from his high congnitive intelligence, Bature also has a high dose Socio-Emotional Intelligence.

Bimbo has included socio-emotional intelligence among the competency matrix a manager in the company must possess.

She also has a proposal seeking to train current managers in socio-emotional skill set.

Victor Nwaoseh