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Studies
In the corporate
sector where human resource is becoming like oxygen to companies
it is important to take care of them in every way you can. This
section will treat you with articles about time tested companies
and what they do to keep their employees happy. May be you can
benchmark with them...?
Manager-Redefined
The
Six rules from the high profile rider of CNBC
The
millennium has opened doors to unprecedented economic opportunity
but it co-exists with continuing impediments to advancement.
There’s no question that there are barriers, people who
will try to tell you its difficult to get where you want. However,
Pamela Thomas-Graham, CEO of CNBC.com and executive vice president
of NBC, world’s largest business news and information gathering
networks is of the opinion that “if we stay optimistic,
stay realistic and stay focused, I think we can change the world."
Thomas
Graham has presided over fast-paced growth and expansion that
tripled the organisation’s workforce during the first five
months of her tenure. However, the impact of the stock market
turndown that began last March was felt at all levels of NBC,
including its emerging on-line initiatives, which forced a change
in strategy.
Thomas-Grahams
team had to shift focus from growth of their market share to
trying to get the business to break even. Infact she had to
lay off 5% of her workforce. So all her managers had to be incredibly
nimble, flexible and rapidly adapt to all that was going on.
She still remains a advocate of "calculated" risk
and bold actions, a strategy she credits for the career successes
that led her to become the highest-ranking female line manager
at NBC.
During
her address at the conference, Thomas-Graham shared "six
rules of the road" for business success.
Take
chances
Despite
uncertainties in the economy, Thomas-Graham believes in taking
on new challenges. She says, “even though the economy is
more challenging, it’s still going to reward people who
are creative, innovative and have vision."
Do
your homework
"Wherever
you are in your career, you have to become an expert at something
pretty quickly. Being a generalist and a smart person is not
going to get you where you need to go," she said.
According to Thomas-Graham, investing time to learn can be a
sacrifice, since it usually requires using free time to go to
conferences and make new contacts. But the effort invariably
pays off.
Be
nimble and flexible
All
managers and especially Internet leaders need to be ready to
respond to changing market conditions and organisational mandates
rapidly. "Six months at an Internet company is an extremely
long time," she noted. Shifting demands that required creative
and fast management responses has marked her 18 months at CNBC.
Staying focused and keeping staff motivated during times of
change is an especially hard task for today’s managers.
Get
yourself the right people
Building
the right team begins with an examination of a company’s
values. "Ask yourself: Does the company that you are getting
ready to work with really share your values?" Thomas-Graham
urged job seekers to pose tough questions to potential employers
such as "Are there any black people in senior management?"
and "What is the company’s policy toward women?"
Thomas-Graham
urged attendees to have a mentor who can help you understand
the unwritten rules of the company.
Managers
should hire people who challenge them to achieve. "Think
about hiring people who push you. It’s important that you
create an environment among people that says we’re all
trying to be better, we can all learn from each other, we can
all inspire each other."
Strike
a balance
"Burn-out
is a real concern for people today. A recent Wall Street Journal
article claimed that people in their late 20s feel the need
to "go into semi-retirement for a couple of years because
they were so burned out that they couldn’t contemplate
going to work any more." It’s important to spend time
with family.
Community
involvement is another important way to avoid burnout. Get involved
with non-profit boards.
Don’t
take NO as an answer
Her
final words "Don’t let other people’s diminished
expectations for you be the truth about your life," she
said.
To
be the redefined manager, incorporate these six rules in your
life.
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