show a pesky colleague his place

8/6/2019 Show a Pesky Colleague His Place

1/13

Show a pesky colleague his place

These days, Anahita Bose, who works in a bank in Mumbai, is dealing with issues more

complex than client disputes. The 26-year-old, who works in a cross-functional team and has

to co-ordinate with several people, is struggling with a peer who only remembers her

deadlines and forgets to deliver his own. Several excuses follow, and worse, he cites

Anahita's deliverables as the reason for the team's non-performance and how it will impact

their appraisals. An irritated Anahita is on the verge of calling it quits. That's a drastic step,

believe her HR managers. But then, what is the ideal way to deal with this, she wonders.

Here's what she could have done, says Shreya Biswas.

1. Try ignoring, if it helps

In a highly competitive world, often people play such tricks to run others down. So be wary,

and don't get carried away by such things. Just make them feel insignificant, ignore their

remarks and slowly, they will retreat into their cocoons. "Only when people think that they

are taken seriously or are able to get attention, will they continue with it. Give them a stare

like you don't care and they will surrender," says Angel Chowdhury, a Delhi based BPO

employee who has faced such colleagues.

2. Preserve your records

Several problems arise due to miscommunication in organisations or facts being under-

represented. So preserve your records. If you are meeting your deadlines, keep a log sheet of

when and how. Even if there are occasional slip-ups, the long-term scorecard will make your

case stronger. "It's important to keep a record of the facts and provide it as evidence

whenever people try to act smart," says Uday Chawla, managing partner, Transearch

International, India

3. Gently remind them of their role

Remind him of the chain that needs to be maintained for such projects. Of how hiscontribution counts and how that impacts your deadlines, politely. Like they talk about the

team performance, pay back in the same coin but in a more diplomatic yet firm way. The

message will reach home.


2/13

4. Keep the team leader posted

Your colleague's motive doesn't stop at irritating you but to prove himself better than you oryour teammates. While he tries to prove your inefficiency in front of others, he might mislead

your boss into believing that except for him, no one else is following delivery timings. Toavoid that, keep a tab on what your team leader is fed with. Keep him in the loop, with

evidencemailers, chats, messages, if need be, who stands where. In the long run, he will

know what his subordinates are up to.

5. Take a stand

If diplomatic ways don't work, face the individual. Tell him to concentrate on his KRAs more

than yours or anybody else's. It's not his business to check whether you are meeting them but

the boss's. If he has issues other than deadlines, he should come straight to the point or bequiet. "People bully those who don't raise their voice. Give them a piece of your mind and

they will know it is not easy to get away by talking nonsense," says K Sudarshan, managing

partner, EMA Partners International.

Not Sell Yourself Short

She isn't that different from her male colleagues. She can hold her own, whether in awarring boardroom or at a post-work celebration at the nearest bar. But there are

whispers she got passed over for that big promotion. They say she lost out because shesold herself short. Maybe she wouldn't have if she'd had a chat with Devina Sengupta.

Here's why.

Don't give up the race

Women are great relay runners but sometimes begin to falter near the finish line, says Nina

Chatrath, principal - leadership and talent consulting at Kornferry International. At the

negotiating table, women often give up the fight for that salary they had initially demanded.

The 'let-it-be' and 'I will work my way up' attitudes show a waver in confidence levels that isless seen with male peers. Chatrath feels it is important that women know their strengths, do

their homework to know what their male peers are getting, and demand exactly that. "Menare more competitive in such cases, and I learnt my lesson," she says.


3/13


4/13

own hype and have grown soft and arrogant as a result. Think they're wrong? Ask yourself ifyou do any of the following misguided things, says Jeff Schmitt.

Dismiss questions

You believe that reputation and power bring immunity. "I don't need to justify myself," you

reason. "Take my word for it, questions and cautions will just slow me down." So you do ityour way, barreling into the unknown with complete certainty. And you take everyone with

you. Only time will tell if your path leads to paradise or perdition.

No need for change?

"You want me to re-examine? Seriously? The status quo is exactly what I envisioned. And it'sworking so well. Customer tastes, markets, competition, technology, delivery, regulations... I

have it all figured out. What could possibly happen to disrupt all this?" Nothing of value lastsunless it evolves. The brass has quit examining you, confident you'll continue spinning your

magic. Insulated, you've quit re-thinking and testing your assumptions. "Why reinvent thewheel?" you askforgetting that the wheel was the starting point for the roads, commerce,

and cultural exchanges that followed.

Quit asking questions

You're no longer an upstart working from a garage. Now you're the establishment and you're

determined to act like it. That means you're doing all the talking. Unfortunately, the only

counsel getting back to you is an echo of your own voice. You've moved away fromimagining, investigating, and experimenting, convinced you've absorbed everything you'll

need to know. But the expectations, choices, and questions change as you race through your

life cycle. Can you adapt, knowing that today's answers are tomorrow's confines?

Don't reach out

From a distance, you survey the action. High above, you discern the patterns and plot out the

future like an all-knowing seer. "I'm the brains of this operation," you muse in unguarded

moments. "These people are a means to my ends. They could never do what I do." Of course,

no one will dare speak up. Would you care anyway? If they're unhappy, that's their issue, not

yours. Naturally, this mindset is your biggest failing. Talent may be the province of

individuals, but greatness is borne on the shoulders of committed followers. Treat them well.

Stop pushing yourself

You're untouchable. It'll take years for the competition to catch up, you predict. Complacencynot

competitionis your biggest threat. In reality, you're stumbling upon life's harshest lesson: It's

harder to stay on top than it is to get there. It's always the small things that add up.


5/13

Land the perfect job, post appraisals

Before you switch, think again

This may sound strange, but is the most essential step. When you join a new job, you bring

your "credibility balance" to zero. "So be clear of your gains in that "dream job" in terms of

new learning and growth potential apart from money if you are spending all your credibility

balance, says A Sudhakar, executive director, HR, Dabur.

Spend time on carefully crafting your resume

Resume is more about content and less about style. Someone who reads your resume perhaps

also reads 100 other resumes. Can you precisely put down what you bring to the table, such

as past results or other relevant facts, for that "dream job"? Your potential employer is not

interested in your assessment of your potential in your resume. Spend enough time on this

step for your own clarity.

Arm yourself well for the interview

Prepare the 'elevator sales pitch' about yourself. It helps to rehearse that first golden question:

"Tell me about yourself". This is your opportunity to set the direction of your interview. "Beabsolutely clear about your facts - vague answers on academic results, sales figures,

productivity numbers, is a strict no-no, says Yogesh Patgaonkar, vice president - group HR,

RPG Group.

Wear your best self on D-Day

Be yourself - be it in terms of what you choose to wear or even how you answer. If you

pretend to fool someone by being "smart" in an interview, you will not be able to sustain the

pretensions when you get that job. This is the simplest yet most effective method of

evaluating the "suitability" of the job for you.

Ask questions and do your reference checksPlease clarify genuine doubts rather than trying to ask "intelligent questions" - you will be amazed at

how intelligent your stupid questions turn out to be if they are your genuine queries! It is important

that you get your doubts sorted out - the way your questions are answered will also indicate how

open the environment will be when you join. Also, make sure you run your reference checks on the

job. If you are not comfortable on both these counts, don't take up the job.


6/13

Keep the boss at bay

IF YOU'RE A BOSS, YOU'RE LIKELY TOWORRY about whether your team is

performing. And before you know it, you may start obsessing about your team members and

their work habits. Monika Tejpal, a 22 year old media planner, knows what this is like. Her

boss wanted to know where she was all the time. He would call her early in the morning, and

through the day to find out what she was working on. Soon, it was getting on her nerves and

she had no option but to look for another job. "It felt like I was being stalked. He would shout

on the phone if I was unable to take his call during a meeting. Nobody can work under such

conditions," she says. At some point, every boss has the tendency to become obsessed,although the degree may vary. Here's how you can deal with the obsessive boss, says MahimaPuri.

Create distance

If such a situation does arise at the workplace, the first things one should do is make the boss

and subordinate sit far from each other, says LG Electronics COO Y.V. Verma. This will

give the subordinate a little space, and may work over a period of time.

Increase the boss's responsibilities

Another way to handle the situation is to increase the span of responsibilities of the senior

manager. "Sometimes, bosses are too obsessed to delegate work properly. Either they do it

themselves or prefer chasing the subordinate to make sure it's done right. This is likely to

create problems between the two," says Verma. It is best to allot more work to the senior and

keep him busy so that he doesn't nag.

Introduce a 360-degree appraisal

HR experts believe a 360-degree performance appraisal helps in identifying problems like

these at the early stages and thus, it becomes easier to handle them. Early identification of

problems can alert the management regarding the boss-subordinate relationship, and steps can

be taken accordingly. This, in turn, helps in arresting attrition and avoiding conflicts in teams.

Make sure he doesn't get personal

It is important for the seniors to not get into their subordinates' personal lives after a point.

Consider this: 24 year old Krithika, who works in a BPO in Delhi started getting

uncomfortable around her team leader when he started asking her about places where she

hangs around with friends or parties. "If he would get to know that I went to a certain party,

he would mention it to me the next day. If that was not enough, he would have all the details


7/13

of what I wore and who was with me. I thoughtthat was cunning. He had the rightto askabout my work, but not my whereabouts outside the office."

Pr

id

c

u

li

Many

e

e

n't realize that their obsession has gone beyond control, till the management starts

getting hints on account of higher attrition or low productivity

If thesituation hasspun out of

control, it is better to providecounseling. Companiessuch as LG India, has a team of 10 counselors

for its 4,500-strong workforce. "This is the last correctivestep onecan take and it helps in many

ways," saysVerma. Counselorscan hear thesenior employee's problems and offer guidance.

Par icipate now

The Economic Times Young Leaders is India Incs first everinitiative to recogni e and

acknowledge the leadershi potential among young executives.

y New user? Register herey Already registered? Sign in herey Forgot password? click here

Nominate a friend

Know a young corporate executive who displays leadership qualities?Tell us

The leader hipdebate

Leadership is never an easy task. Greatleadership can inspire and achieve astounding results

while poorleadership can disrupt otherwise smoothly functioning organi ations. So what

makes for greatleadership? The Leadership Debate is an opportunity for youto think as aleader and make a decision...

To add your views click here

Home Stay inspired Quicktips on leadership Handle The Grapevine In Office

Handl T apevine In Offi e


8/13

Grapevine or gossip is unavoidable in the corporate environment. As employees jostle to

reach the prized top spot, jealousy, now coupled with social networking, sparks off gossip.

Grapevine arises from social communications, so it can be as fickle, mischievous, dynamic

and varied as people. "Left to itself, a grapevine can inflict as much damage as a raging fire,"

says Omkar Sapre.

Silence Not Always Golden

Companies should not ignore the grapevine, be indifferent to it or try to kill it. Leaders should

proactively communicate and inject as much authentic information into the system as theycan. "Keep a check on communication and get updates on what kind of communication istravelling across the company," says Sarat Binani, managing director, Himalaya Optical.

Regular interactions with employees are the best way to understand gossip and politics, and

one must be prepared for this, he says.

Keep an Open Culture

The grapevine is always about people, and travels faster than any other mode of

communication. People at the receiving end of gossip may even take the drastic step of

quitting. An open culture with the freedom to approach the management is important to

tackle the grapevine, says Meghana Kulkarni, manager, HR, at the Pune-based Designtech

Systems.

Communicate ASAP

Employees hate it if they get to know developments about their company from the market,

instead of from within. Company heads should directly communicate these to employees, as

soon as possible. A beverage industry professional cited an example of how his CEO lost his

job because of the grapevine, as he did not communicate an update in time. His company had

sold a bottling plant to another company and workers went on strike thinking they would lose

their jobs, which was not the case.

Keep Them Busy

The grapevine generally gets active early in the morning, in car pools, over meetings by the

coffee machine or during lunch and smoking breaks, when people have a lot of time on hand.

The best way to use the employees time is to delegate responsibility and power. "This can be

the most effective way to keep employees getting involved in gossip," says Binani.

Eliminate Uncertainty


9/13

Nervousness and uncertainty is potent fuel for the grapevine. Even if times are rough for the

company, it should be made known to the employees and they should be involved at every

step. Companies should not hesitate to ask employees ideas for cost cutting or going after

new businesses. They often have great ideas that are many a time not obvious to the company

management.

Get back to work after a hiatus

IT'S TOUGH TRYING TO RETURN TO A FULL-TIME career after a long gap, whether

the break was to take care of a baby, a family commitment, ill-health or even a voluntary

sabbatical. What makes it difficult is the fact that while you were away, many of your

colleagues have probably moved up in their careers, while you may find yourself in the

unenviable position of having to start from scratch. Here are some things to ease the blow,

should you find yourself in an unfortunate predicament. Or simply some tips to keep your

hand in for when you get back to work, says Sreeradha Basu.

1. Update your skills

When Mumbai-based banking professional K. Menon decided to go on a sabbatical, he knew

only too well that returning to the industry would be no cakewalk. So, even as he travelled

and spent loads of time with family and friends, he made sure he enrolled in a part-time

management programme at a leading institute. "Your experience counts, but just that is not

enough," says Menon, who had obviously thought things through. "You need to update your

knowledge and soft skills as well," even when you are on a break.

2. Preparation is key

When you're planning to rejoin work after a hiatus, be very clear about what it is that you can

offer your employer. If you are looking for a new job, make sure your references are in placeand your CV lists any additional skills you may have acquired during your break, be it in

multi-tasking, organising or time and people management. If you are returning to your old

job, do as Sonali Vaidya, group head (HR) at Alchemy Capital Management, advises: "Start

getting into work mode at least two weeks before your date of joining back. This includes

reading up on market changes, trends in the industry or catching up with trusted colleagues

from work to be up-to-speed with new developments and changed dynamics in the office."

3. Re-position yourself with an open mind

Be prepared for re-induction into the organisation - and possibly the role you were already

working at before the sabbatical. This will help you understand the shifts in business strategy,and the expectations from your role when you are back. "Do not rest on your laurels," says

Shaily Gupta, head (HR) at Edelweiss Capital. "Be prepared to invest time and hard work to

establish your performance track record once again."


10/13

4. Prepare to adjust

You've probably missed out on some valuable experience during the time you were away, sobe prepared to compensate for it. Anubhuti Bhattacharya, founder of Anubhuti HR

Consultants, cautions: "If you are going to a different organisation, you might have to take asalary cut. If you're returning to the same organisation, don't expect (or demand) a salary hike

or promotion. Keep in mind that your colleagues or peer group may have moved ahead, and

you may well find yourself reporting to someone who used to be at your level. Mentally

prepare yourself for this, and if you think you can't handle it, look for options elsewhere."

5. Keep up the networking

Landing a job is just the first step. You need to put in that extra bit of effort to be part of a

team once again. Spend some time getting to know your colleagues, make sure you attend the

office dos and network as much as possible. Take your colleagues' help to gain as much on-

the-job knowledge as possible. "Seek support from your network to keep yourself abreast of

developments in the market, and try to rebuild your competitive advantage in this way," adds

Gupta.

Participate now

The Economic Times Young Leaders is India Incs first ever initiative to recognize andacknowledge the leadership potential among young executives.

y New user? Register herey Already registered? Sign in herey Forgot password? click here

Nominate a friend

Know a young corporate executive who displays leadership qualities? Tell us

The leadership debate

Leadership is never an easy task. Great leadership can inspire and achieve astounding results

while poor leadership can disrupt otherwise smoothly functioning organizations. So what

makes for great leadership? The Leadership Debate is an opportunity for you to think as aleader and make a decision...


11/13

To add your views click here

Home Stay inspired Quicktips on leadership Deal with a hyper-critical supervisor

Deal wi a hyper-cri ical supervisor

YOU LOVE YOUR JOB YOUR COLLEAGUES ARE fun, and the pay's nothing to

cri about either. But perfect as that sounds, it comes with a major fly in the ointment:

an overly-critical boss. He's the one who always manages to find something negative

about that project you slaved over, keeps hounding you with instructions and advice,

and micro-manages at every step. It can make work a pain, but not if you know how to

handle it, says Sreeradha DBasu.

Take a goodlook at your elf

That s the starting point when you have an overly critical boss. "Look atit from a learning

point of view," says RahulKulkarni, head (HR, Kale Consultants. "Examine your ownperformance. Try and gauge ifthere's something lacking at your end and whetherthere is

somejustification to your boss' criticism. Being receptive is a part oflearning and growth."

Always address the issue

It never pays to sufferin silence. The issue needs to be worked out. "Don't be accusatory,"warns UB Group senior VP (marketing) Samar S. Sheikhawat. " pproach your boss politely,

directly and diplomatically and try and find out why he is being so critical. In nine out of 10cases, your boss will come around and give you feedback. Ifthere is someone who doesn't

and has a personal problem with you, then maybe it's time to move on," he says.

Keep the communication going

Keep your boss in the loop about whatever project you may be working on with frequentupdates. Get feedback and ask directly so you know whatthe boss wants. "In the beginning,

he used to drive me mad," recalls retailindustry professional ViratKapoor about his ex-boss."Butlater when I started getting his approval for every decision, he started trusting me that

much more. Ittooktime and patience but he came around." In time, you can ask for a littlemore autonomy and make a start by taking complete responsibility forthe smallertasks.


12/13

Once you've done those well, and established your capability, keep asking for more

independence.

Do not lose your composure

"One of the best ways to deal with such bosses is to be patient and professional as far as

possible. If the boss is being overly critical, do not let yourself cry or lose your temper. Listento what your boss says, speak calmly in return, and try not to take any harsh words

personally," advises Manuel D'Souza, chief HR officer at Intelenet.

Maintain a good relationship

Doing this will hold you in good stead. Says Intelenet's D'Souza: "It is very important to have

a robust working relationship with your colleagues. They are more likely to be there for youif you are a team player and offer support in return. In fact, your ability to promote,

communicate your value with colleagues and superiors is equally important."

Build your case during appraisals

It's that time of the year when employee performance appraisals take centre stage, andexecutives look forward to the long overdue rewards for the hours they have put in

through the year. At a time when several studies and surveys have shown that the

average salary hikes this year will touch 13%, morale is high and you can't really blame

employees, across the board, for dreaming of that big pay hike or generous bonus. But

appraisals are chancy things; what if your boss doesn't think you deserve a reward? It

isn't always easy to convince him or her otherwise. But Writankar Mukherjee outlines a

few ways in which you could try to make a case for getting that pay hike or promotion.

Project your achievements

During the appraisals process, make sure you speak - out loud - about all the work you have

put in for the company and the milestones you have achieved. Even better if you can quantify

it; managers love numbers. Bosses and seniors are unlikely to remember everything you did,

but you must. And it pays to refresh their memory. "At the appraisals stage, if you can

convince your boss about your performance and the results, as per your key results areas,

consider the battle almost won," says Subhas Sarkar, a mid-level human resources executive

at a private bank.


13/13

Go beyond KRAs

HR circles say executives who are top performers tend to do much more work than what has

been laid down in their KRAs. They feel appraisals are the time to highlight such

achievements. "It always pays to work in inter-related fields. Consolidate all your

achievements, even those in related fields, and match them up against the KRAs and key

performance indicators laid down for you, to build your case," says headhunting firm GlobalHunt India director Sunil Goel.

Set goals a year ahead

Don't just look at one or two appraisal meetings to build your case. Ideally, executives should

work on this a year in advance. "Executives should check what the next level of roles and

responsibilities in the organisation entail and equip themselves accordingly. In fact, they can

sit with their bosses once every quarter to review it. This also ensures the executive's agenda

and career goals are fresh in the boss's mind," says Hinduja Global Solutions executive vice

president (global HR) Anthony Joseph.

Contribute to critical areas

Headhunting firm MaFoi Randstad's director and president E. Balaji advises employees tocontribute and add value to the areas of concern in the company. "If an employee can help the

employer cut costs, maximise revenues and attract talent, he or she becomes a valuable assetfor the company in the current scenario," says Balaji.

Understand your boss

Just as all people are not the same, all bosses are not the same either. Understand your boss's

working and negotiating style. Some prefer aggressive arguments; some may be more open to

feedback or discussions, while some may just be plain dictatorial. When you build and pitch your

case, do so keeping this in mind. In case your line manager has no direct power to grant you a

promotion or a pay hike, you could talk directly to the person concerned. Most importantly, avoid

being directly confrontational with your boss and rather politely - and calmly - explain your case to

show that you deserve the reward.

show a pesky colleague his place

Documents