Please visit www.pramalinindia.blogspot.com where I am sharing my recent experiences in India as an Indicorps Fellow. Content on this blog is out of date (although still interesting!).
The Indicorps fellowship is a profound personal experience and an opportunity to understand participatory development through intense voluntary service. The structured program encourages participants to leave their comfort zones, place others' interests before their own, test their own potential to affect change, explore their relationship with India, and understand what it means to lead by committing themselves to innovative grassroots projects. Indicorps believes that giving one's time and energy, without any attachment to the outcome, regardless of the circumstances, is an unparalleled personal experience in service. At the same time, the fellowship is a chance for fellows to address their own identity, recognize their personal boundaries, and understand how to produce change in their environment(s). The fellowship is deeply rewarding, a transformational and challenging personal journey, and part of Indicorps’ collective experiment for change.
Approach to development:
Indicorps’ approach to development involves a total investment of body, mind and soul into the process of “being the change.” Fellows take individual personal responsibility to execute and complete projects, defined in partnership with local development organizations, that address particular community challenges. Recognizing the project as a foundational cornerstone or platform for change, Indicorps pushes fellows to actively test their and creatively explore the possibilities of community-oriented leadership.
More about the Fellowship program:
The first month of the fellowship involves an -intense, physically and mentally rigorous, month-long orientation to India, the Indicorps philosophy, and practical living. In conjunction with grassroots fieldwork, Indicorps also requires fellows to attend periodic workshops that encourage participants to deepen their understanding of Indian development, to reflect, to share progress, to collectively solve problems, and to re-energize. Some fellows opt for a second year to broaden their understanding of development and take leadership in managing projects or Indicorps programs.
The fellowship has stringent documentation requirements and promotes self-accountability. The program is carefully crafted to consider long-term impact and to defy common critiques of both international volunteers and the organizations with which they work.
Indicorps provides a nominal stipend to enable fellows to live simply and work in India for the duration of their fellowship. Basic room, board, and fellowship-related travel are covered by Indicorps or the local project partner organization. Indicorps is a total immersion program and encourages fellows to be a part of their communities to the greatest extent possible - including attempting to live within the means of their location.So, it’s been two weeks since I arrived here in Ahmedabad and it has been HOT. Currently around 38 degrees and rising…!
I have had sufficient time to settle in and I’m now getting stuck into various projects here at Manav Sadhna. My accommodation, although basic, is full of life. Waking up to the sound of peacocks, I would walk down stairs from my second floor room (with a fan to keep me cool) around the front where the regular peacocks would be roaming, to the backyard, past the Gaushala (Cow home) to the reach the outdoor bathrooms / sinks where I freshen up, shower etc.
Letting go of many of the luxuries I’ve become accustomed to has been an integral part to making
Manav Sadhna family is very warm, led by Jayeshbhai and Virenbhai. Every morning, there is a Prathna at 10.45am – and that’s about it for organisational planning. In fact, Jayeshbhai calls Manav Sadhna an Unorganised Organisation. It’s more of a ‘flow’ where volunteers and people come, serve, leave, come back… etc. No particular structure or project definitions, targets or deadlines. I.e. the opposite to what I’m used to back in the
Food here has been great – as you’d expect. I’m eating well and drinking lots of water, so health has been fine. The odd few mosquito bites but other than that, I’m good. It is hard to get good sleep sometimes, especially when it’s hot in the room and you’re sleeping on the floor. The ceiling fan feels like a fan heater on full heat!
Projects that I’m working on include building a walkway at a recently renovated
Although I’ve only been here for a short time, I’m learning a lot about life in
Photo of me and Sunil bhai after Holi Festival!
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I have set up another page to update on my time in India. I fly on 28 February 2009 and hope to volunteer for 3-4 months before looking for longer term projects.
Keep up to date here: www.pramalinindia.blogspot.com
The World Economic Forum is currently happening in Davos, Switzerland. An annual gathering, this has become a meeting point for international leaders, politicians and change-makers.
One of my favourite authors, Benjamin Zander (author of Art of Possibility) speaks on "Managing Complexity: A Different Approach".
Please visit the webcast of his very amusing and insightful session here: WEBCAST. Ben talks about living with possibility and uses similar ideas from the Landmark Forum. One of the quotes I like from his father - "There's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing".
Ben talks about three ways to react to the future and expands further as he speaks:
I hopefully will add more notes once I get a chance! From understanding assumptions holding us back to thinking outside the box, this is a very inspiring session.
How to move from a downward spiral to realm of possibility.
Steve Jobs, CEO and Founder of Apple and Pixar, delivering a speech to 2005 graduates at Stanford University.
This speech is only 15 minutes long - if you do anything today, please watch this - makes your think. For me, Steve articulated how I'm feeling right now.
In particular, he talks about connecting the dots...
Also, he speaks about finding what you love to do. To ask yourself everyday, "if this was the last day of my life, would I do what I'm about to do?" - knowing that if you answer 'no' too many days in a row, you need to change what you're doing. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition and everything else will become secondary.
You've got to find what you love. Your work fills a large part of your life, so you've got to love what you do. You've got to keep looking for what you love doing.
Keep looking. Don't settle.
Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.
Why Should Anyone Be Led By You?
Co-Authors Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones
PwC Asian Business Forum was host to Vijay Patel of Waymade Healthcare plc and Professor Gareth Jones, visiting professor at INSEAD and Fellow of the Centre of Management Development at
I found Prof Gareth Jones talk particularly interesting and thought it would be useful to share my learning's. I first came across Gareth's work when I was studying at Economics at the London School of Economics and a friend of mine had a copy of an article from the Harvard Business Review entitled "Why should anyone be led by you?" (pdf). I took a photocopy of this and managed to learn the key points, using it to my advantage in many interviews. Hence, it was an absolute pleasure to meet the man who came up with this thinking. What follows is a collection of notes I jotted down during the talk.
Visit the website for useful articles and more background.
Other links:
If you wish to refer to one of the greatest Indian business thinkers, C.K. Prahalad should be on the top of your list. He needs no introduction; every management student in India and internationally knows the name C.K. Prahalad. He is known not only for his prolific works also for his management perceptions and strategies.
CK Prahalad is a professor, researcher, speaker, author and prominent consultant. Business Week has called him "a brilliant teacher at the University of Michigan and also described him as "maybe the most influential thinker on business strategy today.
In addition to serving as the Harvey C. Freuhauf Professor of Business Administration at the University Of Michigan Business School, Prahalad specializes in corporate strategy and the role of top management in large, diversified, multinational corporations.
In 1994 he co-authored the bestseller, Competing for the Future, with Gary Hamel. Translated into 14 languages, it was named the Best Selling Business Book of the Year in 1994. Prahalad is particularly well known for the work he has conducted with fellow strategy expert Gary Hamel. This includes the articles The Core Competence of the Corporation (Harvard Business Review, May-June, 1990), Competing in the New Economy: Managing Out of Bounds (Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 17, No. 3, March, 1996) as well as the bestselling book Competing for the Future: Breakthrough Strategies for Seizing Control of Your Industry and Creating the Markets of Tomorrow (1994).
He has won numerous awards. The most recent include the McKinsey Prize three times, the SMR-PWC award, and the ANBAR Electronic Citation of Excellence.
A prominent world-class guru, Professor Prahalad has consulted with the world's foremost companies, such as Ahlstrom, AT&T, Cargill, Citicorp, Eastman Chemical, Kodak, Oracle, Philips, Quantum, Revlon, Steelcase, and Unilever. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors of NCR Corporation, Hindustan Lever Limited and the World Resources Institute and services on the Board of Directors of NCR Corporation, Hindustan Lever Limited and the World Resources Institute.
His latest book, 'The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits', proves that the future will develop from serving the poor, because the innovations that are developed are superior– top quality, low price, high volume and world-scale. Only the best innovations will work for both sides of the equation, those in poverty and those in the "developed" countries.
Books by C.K. Prahalad
C.K. Prahalad is also the author of numerous award-winning articles. Harvard Business Review awarded the McKinsey Prize to him three times for the following articles:-
Source: www.ckprahalad.com/
Links:
http://www.12manage.com/methods_prahalad_bottom_of_the_pyramid.html
Fortune at the bottom of the pyramid book:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fortune-Bottom-Pyramid-Eradicating-Poverty/dp/0131467506
Top thinker!: http://www.thinkers50.com/?page=biography&ranking=1
PwC Hindu Network in conjuction with the India Interest Group put on a colourful Diwali event on Monday. Tasty food followed by bollywood dance by two employees went down a treat. This was followed by a meaningful speech by Graham Ward CBE, one of PwC senior partners and also someone who spends 5-6 weeks in India each year as part of his role with the UK India Business Council.
The Guest of Honour was Alpesh Patel, of Praefinium International Asset Management Company. Alpesh is a very funny guy having heard him speak before (he hosted the charity auction for UnLtd India event earlier this year at Mishcon De Reya). He spoke about G20 Economics in a manner that President Bush would understand... (you had to be there!).
Alpesh is well known in the financial world, he has been a regular columnist in the FT and Asian Voice. He is a "Deal Maker" for sourcing high value investments in India on behalf of the UK Government. He has a passion for India that was inspiring!
Also in attendence was Arvind Chopra, Head of the India Interest Group and also Partner responsible for bringing Abdul Kalam, ex-President of India over to PwC. (You can guess what clients he works on... Tata's, Reliance etc!) Interesting to get his insights on the future of Indian economy in the face of this global crisis.. and it wasn't optimistic.
On Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 November 2008, a combined total of over 700 people came together in one massive tent (and a few tent rooms) to invoke a conversation on social change, combined with opportunity for constructive collaboration and action.
Chain Reaction is a first in the sense that such an event brought together the Third Sector (Volunteers, NGOs, Social Entrepreneurs), Government, Corpororations, Private Sector and young people. (See the website for a lot more information about speakers/attendees).
Community Links was the organisation who created this event with a whole host of other partnerships. The main reason I was actually excited about this event was the chance to engage with two of the speakers... Sir Richard Branson and Sri Nipun Mehta. And guess what - both of them couldnt make it!! Nipun had visa issues and Branson.. well, probably got caught up on some global deal!
The line-up was actually impressive even without the above two. Who else was there?
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, MP Peter Mandelson, Dragons Peter Jones and James Caan, Mark Thompson (Director General of BBC) in addition to the following:
Jeremy Gilley, Founder of Peace One Day
Its about the small things that make a difference... this message is what Jeremy decided to apply to global suffering from violence. His anger in the situation spurred this actor to take on a journey around the world to film "Peace One Day" to articulate the message of having one day of peace. Hearing the stories about the impact was powerful... for example, Afganistan military agreeing not to harm UN aid delivering much needed medical injections to millions of children.
(Watch the trailer - VERY good!)
Some of his comments:
"Music was a great driver for change"
"you can see images of people being displaced, living in poverty but to experience first hand it totally different"
Chris Grant (14a Conversations) who was comparing during the day with humour and energy, described the process of social change/entrepreneurism as being not like a ladder, but rather a climbing frame - its not linear or rigid. Its messy.
Quote: "There is not power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about" Margaret Wheatly
Steve Howard, MD of Business in the Community (BitC)
Adam Criozer, CEO of Royal Mail
Jane Tewson CBE, Co-founder of Comic Relief
Tim Smit, CEO and founder of Eden Project
Prof David Grayson, Prof of Social Responsibility Cranfield University
Sophi Tranchell, MD Divine Chocolate (thanks for the delicious free samples all day!)
Sally Begbie, International President of Globalhand
John Bird, Founder of the Big Issue
Jess Search, CEO Channel4 BritDoc
Jelani Erskine, LIVE magazine
Brendon Riley, CEO IBM UK
Ian Tuckett, CEO and Founder of Coin Street Community
David Robinson OBE, Community Links, PM Council on Social Action Leader
Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, Founder and Director, Global Oneness Project
Eugenie Harvey, Co-Founder, We Are What We Do
Fiona Rawes, Director, Heart of the City
Mike Foster, MP Third Sector
Richard Hardie, Vice-Chair of UBS
Madhu and Meghna from MAM
On 13 September 2008, 11 participants embarked on a transformational voyage to experience a different side of India. An experience to open their eyes, ears, hands and hearts to what it means to be a human being. To understand the challenges facing developing India and see how certain individuals had decided to stop talking and actually do something about it.
Laxmi Chhaya and I, had stepped up 8 months before to take on the opportunity to create this experience for willing participants. I was a participant the previous year, when Learning Journey was piloted - sitting here writing this today is testament to its long term impact. Laxmi, whom I consider the more experienced half of this partnership, had previously spent 4 months volunteering at Manav Sadhna (MS), one of the host NGO's for Learning Journey based in Ahmedabad.
Without sounding too 'cheesy' (which most sayings in India seem to be!), I have to proclaim that my 'Learning Journey' started back in January when I first spoke to the team (Meenal Sachdev, Dharmesh Mistry & Laxmi Chhaya). Laxmi and I went away and spent many hours simply pondering the purpose, vision and outcomes of what and how we wanted to shape the Learning Journey.
And so we did. Marketing kicked off quite quickly - getting a poster made up, creating a YouTube Promo Video and pulling together a list of contacts/events to attend. I certainly enjoy speaking to anyone about something I feel passionate about and so this was very enjoyable... on the phone, in person, on stage, on live radio, in the press... I was keen to make a very loud noise to make awareness about such a refreshingly new exciting concept.
As I was making my way round universities and corporate events, Laxmi was working hard setting up our days and nights in India - liaising with organisations and contacts in Ahmedabad and Kutch to ensure we would be as organised as possible (which will never be 100% in India - we learn the hard way!).
It just so happened that, as we sat our room at the Bharitya Vidya Bhavan for a Learning Journey 'Orientation', the clock had struck midnight in India on 15 August as she entered her 61st year of Independence. The room was buzzing as people walked out after 3 hours in which the scene had been set, expectations considered and new faces met.
I felt a deep sense spiritual welcome as my feet landed on the soil of Sardar Vallabhbhai Airport, Ahmedabad. It made sense to me to touch the floor to head and heart, as I mentally bowed down to Bharat Mata in a manner which felt like I was respecting a second mother. Looking back, she clearly picked me up and in loving embrace, said 'welcome, son, fear not for I am always here'. Now, as a reader, you may find this a little strange - but this to me is the most clear part of Learning Journey - the underlying spirit found everywhere, from Jayeshbhai (one of the key people who hosted us at Manav Sadhna) to the energy and enthusiasm generated by the participants - there was always a motherly feeling surrounding us that removed (most!) anxieties.
We had arrived a few days before the start of the Learning Journey to prepare final plans and meet organisations. A benefit we realised after is that this also helped us settle in to India (which you need a few days for) before hitting the ground running with the Group.
Bonding time - I get to speak to leaders and locals alike - hearing their story and being coached on how to make Learning Journey reach its full potential. Laxmi and I re-work several times, our detailed schedule with the benefit of several people at MS. Jayeshbhai was like a father to us and ensured we both felt comfortable and fully supported! It was a daunting prospect coming to India to lead a group having not had much experience myself and therefore this was very reassuring. I also see a new side of Laxmi - this quite retro (her trade mark Converse trainers!) young lady became a local in a matter of seconds... to which I followed suit! As we traded t-shirts for Kurtas, Trainers for Champals, we got ourselves mentally prepared for the coming week.
Before Learning Journey started, a few of the participants who came early, me, Laxmi and local friends went for a true indian bollywood experience - we went to watch the film "Rock On" - about a hindi rock band who go their separate ways and decide 10 years later to get back together and rock on. Actually very good movie.. catchy tunes! I stayed the night at Sunilbhai's house which is their family home (2 rooms inc Kitchen) on the outskits of the slum (referred to as 'Tekra'). It was quite an experience sleeping on the floor with a whole family and their dog! the dog happened to be sneezing next to my head which was a startling way to wake up!
Saturday 13th September
Learning Journey begins with an introduction to India by Jayeshbhai at the Environmental Sanitation Institute (ESI) in Sughad, located on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.
[to be finished...]
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate..Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented,
fabulous?Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel
insecure around you.We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the
glory of God that is within us.It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates
others
I was fortunate enough to attend a talk by Ashok Bhatt, speaker of the Gujarat Assembly, at a restaurant in Birmingham. The event was organised by Overseas Friends of BJP (Chairman - Dr Surendra Sharma).
Seeing a window of opportunity to speak to him about Learning Journey, I sat next to him as he was eating. Pushing my Gujarati to its limits, I managed to get the message across.
To my amazement, he opened his speech referring to me and ConnectIndia (remembering my name!) and continued to speak with great passion about Indian challenges and his vision for the future. He did speak in Hindi, so it was difficult at times to keep up - but the jist of his message was mostly understood.
(to be continued)
How to deal with corrosive relationships at work , By Jane Dutton
You've sweated to prepare a grant report, working hard to make the case that your largest foundation backer should continue providing support. Your nonprofit desperately needs the grant renewal, but this time around, the competition is unusually stiff. You've put in late nights. Lots of coffee. You can't help but feel nervous as you enter a meeting with the foundation program officer.
The officer acknowledges you with a distracted nod. Seemingly preoccupied, he asks you to start your presentation. While you're talking, he barely makes eye contact. When you finish, he offers a perfunctory "Nice job" -- though you're not even sure he's heard you.
If these scene sounds familiar, you are not alone. For many organizations, disrespectful engagement such as this is the norm. The extent of incivility in the workplace is disturbing: 90 percent of respondents in one recent poll believed workplace incivility was a serious problem, and 75 percent of respondents in another survey said it was getting worse. According to another study, one-third of 600 nurses had been verbally abused during their previous five days at work.1
Often, the telltale signs that an organization is not a good place to work appear the moment a new employee takes a job. Consider the experience of an executive sales consultant, reported recently in the Wall Street Journal: "The day he hired on, his assigned mentor showed him his office and walked away without a word -- no tour of the office, no introductions to co-workers, 'in short, no information,' the consultant says. Later, in a meeting, a partner treated him like a piece of furniture. Pointing him out as a new hire, the partner said, 'I don't know if he's any good. Somebody try him out and let me know.'"2
Experiences like this are more than just unpleasant. Disrespectful engagement or nonengagement depletes energy, eating away at employee reserves of motivation and commitment, increasing burnout.
The key to transforming the workplace experience is to build and nurture what I call "high-quality connections" -- marked by mutual positive regard, trust, and active engagement on both sides. In a high-quality connection, people feel more open, competent, and alive.3
One of the best ways to foster these connections is by encouraging respectful engagement between coworkers. When co-workers engage each other respectfully, they create a sense of social dignity that confirms self-worth and reaffirms competence.4 Respectful engagement empowers and energizes, giving individuals a heightened sense of their abilities.5
There are five major strategies nonprofit leaders can employ to foster respect, and thus encourage quality connections, in the workplace: conveying presence, being genuine, communicating affirmation, effective listening, and supportive communication. Used in tandem, these tools can help eliminate the corrosive relationships that sap nonprofits of their creative zest.
Conveying Presence
Being present with another person means being psychologically available, turning one's attention to another. Attention is a precious commodity -- it is easily consumed, deflected, or distracted.
When individuals direct attention toward each other and away from distractions, they activate an energizing sense of mutual connection. "A five-minute conversation can make all the difference in the world if the parties participate actively," writes Edward Hallowell, psychiatrist and author of the book Connect: 12 Vital Ties That Open Your Heart, Lengthen Your Life, and Deepen Your Soul. "To make it work, you have to set aside what you're doing, put down the memo you were reading, disengage from your laptop, abandon your daydream, and bring your attention to bear upon the person you are with."6
When people converse at work, the positive emotion doesn't come from the talking. "The delight in conversation comes not from making sense," says social psychologist Joost Meerloo, "but from making contact."7
One organization that understands the value of conveying presence is the Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research. The Ann Arbor, Mich.- based institute, founded in 1998 with a National Institutes of Health grant, investigates alternative therapies for cardiovascular disease. When my daughter Cara arrived for her summer internship in 2002, she was greeted by an assigned "advocate," a personal organizational tutor of sorts, who was available to help her decipher the institutional culture. The advocate ensured that Cara would have access to interesting work, in part by introducing her to the "right" people. With the advocate at her side, each person Cara met encouraged her to provide input, and expressed interest in her as an individual, providing her with dozens of personal contact points.
Being Genuine
To engage respectfully, bosses and subordinates must remove "fronts" by speaking and reacting honestly -- in part because people are generally good "authenticity detectors."8
When people act nice by edict, it does not foster quality connection, no matter how well intentioned. At one Michigan hospital, for example, administrators implemented what they called the "five feet, ten feet rule": Employees were required to say "hello" to those within five feet, and to smile at all those who passed within 10 feet. Rather than foster mutual respect, the regulation bred disrespect and cynicism.9
Contrast this with the experience of employees at the Foote Hospital in Jackson, Mich. Several years ago, when a hospital employee lost three close relatives, her colleagues spontaneously banded together and lobbied to change personnel rules so that they could donate vacation and personal time. Administrators agreed, and eventually formalized a time donation program, allowing employees to give their vacation days to one another in times of need.
The program signaled that the hospital and its employees were genuinely caring. In organizations that have such programs, respectful engagement often thrives.
Communicating Affirmation
Organizations that affirm employee value are breeding grounds for high-quality connections. This means going beyond simply being present to searching for the "divine spark in another"10 -- that is, their positive core -- and recognizing it publicly.
For most leaders, the notion of recognizing worthy employees is hardly groundbreaking. Yet, according to one study, more than half of North American workers say they are never recognized for a job well done. A similar percentage report they don't get any recognition -- even for outstanding performance.11
Organizations offer endless opportunities for genuine, transformative affirmation. One of the most creative I have seen took place recently at an Internet startup in Ann Arbor. Marty Johns, head of product development, took the occasion of a team's first meeting to have "introductions."12 But rather than having colleagues introduce themselves, he introduced each team member personally, offering his take on their unique talents, perspectives, and human qualities. He spoke about what he appreciated in each person, saying about one team member, "I brought Devon onto this team because of his deep insightfulness about our customers, as well as his quick wit and humor -- critical resources for us when we are on deadline." About another, he explained: "We are privileged to have Jocelyn on our team. Her standards are impeccable, her integrity a beacon to us all." The introductions took 20 minutes, and left several people visibly embarrassed, but it turned an ordinary routine into a foundation for respectful engagement.
Effective Listening
Listening is a form of respectful engagement, but effective listening requires effort -- especially at high-energy nonprofits, where distractions are the norm.
While people can comprehend an average of 600 spoken words per minute, speech usually flows at 100 to 150 words per minute. The gap is one of the reasons people at work have a hard time listening: Their minds search for other things to keep them busy.13 In addition, listeners too often focus on their own goals for a given conversation, instead of hearing what another person is saying. Many people listen as if waiting for an opportunity to make their own point.
Listening that engages respectfully has two features: It is empathetic and active. Empathetic listening is centered on the speaker, with the aim of learning about his or her point of view. Active listeners, meanwhile, are responsive listeners.
There are several ways to listen responsively. First, paraphrase -- expressing in your own words what you just heard someone say ("Are you saying that we are not going to meet our fundraising objectives this quarter?"). Second, summarize, or try to pull together the complicated flow of a conversation in a few "bulleted" points ("So you need more resources, more time, and more direction to finish the strategic plan?"). Third, clarify, asking questions and inquiring to ensure you understand the full picture ("What do you mean when you say you want to be more engaged in our programming?"). Finally, solicit feedback ("Do you get the sense I'm hearing you?").
Supportive Communication
Respectful engagement also depends on how we communicate -- what we say, how we say it, and how well we are understood. Supportive communicators express views and opinions while minimizing defensiveness and maximizing clarity.
Contrast that with unsupportive speech: sarcasm, negative comparisons, threats, dragging up the past, or framing debates as "win-lose" interactions. These forms of communication hinder a person's ability to tune in and understand a message.
One way to ensure that communication is supportive is to make requests, not demands. This can be tricky, because in the workplace, the goal of communication is often for one person to prompt another to complete a certain task. But when people make demands, they send the signal that blame or punishment will follow if the demand is not fulfilled. "Once you hear demands, your options are submission or rebellion," 14 writes Marshall Rosenberg, founder and director of educational services for the nonprofit Center for Nonviolent Communication.
Requests only work if you genuinely believe the other person can freely choose a response. Furthermore, requesters should employ positive language: Say what you want ("I'd like you to check with me once a week"), not what you don't want ("I don't need you to check with me so often"). Make requests specific, avoiding the hazards of misinterpretation ("I need updates from you on a weekly basis regarding our progress on fundraising goals" is more effective than "Keep me posted").
Another thing to look out for is evaluative judgment, which seeps easily into communications and undermines the possibility of respectful engagement, inviting defensiveness. The tendency to use judgmental language is a particular hazard for managers.
Supportive communication is descriptive, rather than evaluative. Consider these two statements: "You need to shape up in responding to client requests" versus "Three clients have complained to me this month that you have not responded to their requests."15 The first is a prejudgment; the second is a description of facts. Taking it a step further, supportive communication focuses on the impact of behavior, and is solution oriented ("It's not acceptable to have three complaints a month, because these clients are sure to go elsewhere. We need to win back their confidence. Let's do this by offering more than our contract calls for)."
Roger Nierenberg, conductor of the Stamford (Conn.) Symphony Orchestra, sees supportive communication as a vital part of his job. He uses direction, as opposed to criticism, to build trust and enable musicians to perform at their best. For example, instead of saying, "The percussion section is playing too loudly," which is a judgment, he issues descriptive direction: "The audience needs to hear the woodwinds."16
It's a subtle difference, but one that helps Nierenberg connect to his orchestra, and empowers the orchestra to connect as well -- to the audience.
1 Pearson, C.M.; Andersson, L.M.; and Porath, C.L. Assessing and Attacking Workplace Incivility, Organizational Dynamics (2000): 123-137.
2 Shellenbarger, S. From Our Readers: The Bosses That Drove Me to Quit My Job, The Wall Street Journal (Feb. 9, 2000): B1.
3 Dutton, J.E. and Heaphy, E.D. The Power of High-Quality Connections, in Positive Organizational Scholarship, ed. Kim Cameron, Jane Dutton, and Robert Quinn (San Francisco, CA: Berrett- Koehler, 2003).
4 Margolis, J.D. Responsibility in Organizational Context, Business Ethics Quarterly 11, no. 4 (October 2001): 431-454.
5 Miller, J.B. and Stiver, I.P. The Healing Connection: How Women Form Relationships in Therapy and in Life (Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 1997).
6 Hallowell, E.M. Connect: 12 Vital Ties That Open Your Heart, Lengthen Your Life, and Deepen Your Soul (New York, NY: Pantheon Books, 1999).
7 Meerloo, J. Conversation and Communication, in The Human Dialogue: Perspectives on Communication, ed. Floyd W. Matson and Ashley Montagu (New York, NY: Free Press, 1967).
8 Harter, S. Authenticity, in Handbook of Positive Psychology, ed. C.R. Snyder and Shane J. Lopez (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2002).
9 Employees agreed to talk to me about their experiences on condition that the hospital not be named.
10 Remen, R.N. My Grandfather's Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging (New York, NY: Riverhead Books, 2000).
11 Kepner-Tregoe, People and Their Jobs: What s Real, What s Rhetoric? cited in Encouraging the Heart: A Leader's Guide to Rewarding and Recognizing Others, ed. James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1999).
12 Names used in this anecdote are pseudonyms.
13 Messmer, M. Improving Your Listening Skills, Management Accounting 79, no. 9 (1998).
14 Rosenberg, M. Keynote address to the 1999 National Conference of Montessori Educators, as cited in Rosenberg, M. Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Compassion (Santa Cruz, CA: PuddleDancer Press, 1999).
15 Whetten, D.A. and Cameron, K.S. Developing Management Skills, 4th ed. (Reading, MA: Addison- Wesley, 1998).
16 Rosenfeld, J. Lead Softly, but Carry a Big Baton Fast Company (July 2001).
SOURCE: http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/fostering_high_quality_connections/
On 10th June, PwC India Business Centre hosted a dinner with Dr. Abdul Kalam, a highly respected politician and visionary in India and around the world.
Introduced by PwC’s Chairman Kieran Poynter, Dr. Kalam was happy to acknowledge the growing realisation in the UK of the immense business opportunities in India. His speech, entitled 'Dynamics of Indian Economy' addressed the India Vision 2020 and India's journey to becoming a developed nation. He also recounted his experience in setting up a Pan African e-Network that connects 53 African states to address communication, healthcare and education needs which has evolved into his vision of a World Knowledge Platform.
He finished by defining key attributes of a creative leader, based on his experience, saying among other things that a leader must work with integrity and succeeds with integrity.
Please click on the pdf above to read the full transcript of Dr. Kalam's speech.
The evening continued with a presentation from Rachel Dwyer, Professor of India Cultures and Cinema at SOAS, on the influence of Bollywood in Indian culture.
Read in full Dr Kalam's speech. PwC Website.
I found the most useful part in the conclusion:
"My study indicates that the creative leadership is the most important component for attaining success in all missions. I would like to define based on my experiences:
Good place to work... PwC!!
