Monday, August 15, 2011

Issues faced by a mid-level corporate professional

Minutes of an interview with a mid-level corporate professional in the management ladder:
The objective of this discussion was to peer into the life of a typical senior manager in the modern corporate world, his/her attitude and its effect on quality of life. Subsequently, the intent was to identify ways to help him/her achieve a higher level of all-round fulfilment and accomplishment.

Why are people so attached to corporate careers?
power, ability to influence people

Corporate life is the only opportunity to influence people and be successful nowadays.
create & drive decisions, contribute to their bosses' goals.
360' goals. Impact at all levels.

What's making people spend so many hours at office?
There's a place where somebody listens to me, which is not possible at home.
Corporations are full of patients. Companies are spending millions of dollars to get alignment.
India has so much youth to become professionals in coming years, has so much need for counseling.

I want to make choices. I want to stay wherever I am and spend good amount of time on personal needs

How to have a balanced life while accomplishing more than what is being done today?
Create a lunch forum (toastmasters) for senior managers - a forum for them to come and vent out.what's in their minds without fear of repercussions.

Small Indian companies - spend big bucks for top management, but hire lots of less expensive, not so efficient workers - Pyramid with a large base.
Deliver with an inefficient team - has a boss who runs multiple things. Lots of money involved.

Counselling for such managers should involve a prescription with three components
- do a, b, c for your own self
- do this to people who report to you.
- do this to your upper management.

How to get recharged and how to manage this world
Senior leadership seminars and courses do a wonderful job. With just 15 survey questions - can read you in and out.

Need a survey sheet for starters.

Mid professional in India - is the target
Typical Roles played - parent, husband, loans, educator, tension in office, commutes long-distance, frustrated by traffic, babysit many juniors for small things, expectations from extended family is more on him.

too much focus on intellectual parity as a basis of social connections.
who are the people with whom you're passionately connected? Feel pained when they are in trouble?
Where you want to spend your time when you have no other tensions.
When do you feel contented?

Example profile:
Simha raasi: I need to tell people that they should "do". Only then I feel contented.
The day I am organized and set ground rules for how things are done, I feel good.
The day I feel cheated, I go to the other extreme.
The day people irritate me - does lot of posturing, I feel depressed and pissed off.
How often do you feel exalted or irritated. I connect with people - remote teams.
You should feel free to express your opinions freely in front of me.
When I address people,  I build trust with whomever I work.
How do you manage to come out of frustration? Philosophy, vent-it-out, take your "self" out of this crap.
intellectual honesty saves from BP etc. Being truthful - no hidden agenda.
No "stampede on somebody to go up".
Create empathy in others towards oneself. Unselfish attitude towards people.
Build emotional relationships at work. Delegation - empower people?
Give insightful feedback to juniors/others. Only then will they take it. Otherwise >/dev/null.

I follow 7-habits of highly effective people. Excellent course!
The four combinations of important vs. urgent
what do you want the world to talk about you on the last day? Use that to prioritize your actions today.

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