Our workplace is a home away from home where individuals start, build, nurture and also smoothly or drastically end relationships. It isn’t surprising to know that most important deals that are to remain within confide doors are mocked upon over a cup of coffee in the cafeteria because of the strong grapevine that floats in companies.

Majority of the times the employees become so comfortable with what is happening around them that they start looking at change negatively. Our workplace must be a place that talks about professionalism in all fronts. It must be a place where every employee feels safe, respected, accountable as well as responsible for his acts.

An organization is made of different kinds of people with different behavior patterns. At times what one would like the other would detest. A topic might not be offending for one but might be the biggest embarrassing factor for the other. Since it is always difficult to identify and draw a line, its best to avoid certain topics altogether.

Hence, our professional code of conduct must be designed in such a manner that it help employees avoid behavior that might be looked down upon by the others.

Professional code of conduct:

• The basic professional behavior expected from employees is to respect all who work in the company, irrespective of their hierarchy.
• Respect the difference: Since no two people are the same in nature. Hence, the employees must keep their egos out of the office premise and respect the other one’s point of view.
• Comply to Company policies and procedures: To depict professional behavior employees must spend full eight to nine hours in the office.
• Only take scheduled breaks.
• Contribute qualitatively as well as quantitatively on productivity.
• Must never cross legal boundaries on a personal as well as professional level.
• Avoid taking sides on all sensitive topics, especially when you have a team of heterogeneous mix.
• Must not voice his opinion in public about what he does not like about the organization. Get things settled by talking to the grievance department.
• Avoid all types of sexual harassment conducts.
• Must come well dressed to the office &  must comply to all kinds of personal as well as professional etiquette.
• Must not over commit and then under deliver both in terms of quality and against time.
• Must stay away from eve/Adam teasing and overhearing of conversations.
• Must not share passwords and comply to all security norms.
• Must never share or sell company information to outsiders.
• Refrain from doing fraudulent related to past experience, past salary package and generation of fake bills.
• Every employee must be trained on corrective and preventive actions that can have an alarming effect not only on him but also on the organization he/she works for.

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“To effectively communicate with the world, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.”

When people think about “diversity,” they often think about race, gender, and ethnicity. That puts people who are unique into large groups with others who may be unlike them. At the same time, they may have much in common with people who appear to be very different from them.

It’s no secret that today’s workplace is rapidly becoming vast, as the business environment expands to include various geographic locations and span numerous cultures. What can be difficult, however, is understanding how to communicate effectively with individuals who speak another language or who rely on different means to reach a common goal.

All this can be achieved if you get sensitized to Cross Culture Boundaries.

I) Define your Objectives:

• Your aim should be to recognize the benefits of developing a working knowledge of the basic traits of other cultures.
• To develop an understanding of cultural Differences and similarities.
• To discuss different communications styles amongst different cultures.

II)  The scope that the orientation will offer for your survival globally:

• A quick session on Cross Culture will help you facilitate in dealing with people across the globe.
• Suggest ways to overcome cultural barriers, both Verbal & non-Verbal.
• Identify communication styles with different cultures.

Culture: “Is perceived as a set of learned beliefs, values and behaviors the way of life shared by the members of a society.”

Culture Shock on the other hand: “Is a term used to describe different levels of anxiety and feelings of surprise, disorientation, confusion, etc.”

A small orientation session on Cross Culture Sensitization will immensely help you in over coming Cultural shock embarrassments from time to time, while dealing with counterparts globally and with a extensive workshop you will be able to get  better understanding of every culture.

Going back to my Job days, I clearly remember conducting a few sessions on Work -Life Balance as a Corporate Trainer and I also remember getting engrossed in the subject totally. Even after my sessions…thinking how precise could someone be in creating such a module. To be honest, the content was OUTSTANDING. It was only later, I discovered that the content  was inspired by the famous book ‘Life Matters’ written by Stephan R Covey. The impact was such that today I would like to share this as a knowledge Nugget with all my readers.

According to Stephen a perfect Work-Life balance can be attained only by creating a dynamic balance between Work, Family, Time and Money, which is totally true.

Just as change begins with an ending, change ends with a new beginning. Set your sights on a place where your head is in alignment with your heart. A place built upon the solid foundation of your values, special skills and unique gifts. You may want to sit quietly, close your eyes and visualize how would you want your ideal world to be. The more vivid you can make your images, the clearer you will become about what you actually want to have in your life.

1) Work Matters

In order to live your life ‘WORK MATTERS’. The way you see work will also influence how you see yourself as a worker. In order to take care of the work :

• Be Proactive.
• Focus on Job One
• Think Teams
• Create Partnership Agreements
• Build on Your Strengths
• Continually Improve
• Just … Work! Develop good work habits. Make sure you are perceived as an asset for your dependability and ability to produce results.

Balancing Work and Family

• Share the vision of what you do and why with children.
• Teach children to work hard in school and at home.
• Teach children to love work by loving your work.
• Take your children to work, to see how it helps the family.
• Participate in career days at school.
• Share positive work experiences with the family.
• Bring stories of work heroes home.
• Be aware of what family members are doing and keep in touch with notes or e-mails.
• Involve your family in work project

2) Family Matters

Your success as a family, our success as a society, depends not on what happens in the White House, but on what happens inside your house. —Barbara Bush
In relationships, the little things are the big things. Showing caring and commitment through small acts like listening, respecting others’ space, and saying “thank you” consistently over time makes a huge difference in the quality of family life. Many people consider family one of the most important things in their lives, but they are not satisfied with the quantity or quality of time they invest in their families. As with work, the way you see your family determines what you do with your family and what results you get.

3)Time Matters

Time becomes an important factor in life when it is necessary to coordinate all of the details and decisions that contribute to life balance, satisfaction and joy. Traditionally these challenges fall under the tricks and techniques of time management, but really they are a function of personal leadership. More than doing things right, it’s doing the right things.

Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift—that’s why it’s called “the present.”

Okay, this is where the rubber meets the road. This is where we face the ongoing challenge of translating what’s most important into the decisions we make every day.
Some of these decisions are made in advance, as we organize and schedule the way we plan to spend our time. Other decisions are made in the heat of the moment, when unanticipated problems, opportunities, or enticements to be spontaneous (or even a little lazy) challenge the earlier decisions we made. The objective is to make all of these decisions in a way that contributes to life balance, satisfaction, and joy.

4) Money Matters

“There are two kinds of people in this world: those who understand interest and those who don’t.
Those who understand it receive it; those who don’t pay it.”

Conclusion:

In the end he says Wisdom matters the most. We’ve taken an in-depth look now at work, family, time, and money. In each of these areas, we’ve looked at ways to validate expectations, optimize efforts, and navigate effectively. We’ve also opened some doors to create synergy between the four—to make work and home complementary instead of competitive, and to see time and money in ways that empower us to invest both in what truly matters most.

What is a Goal?

A goal or objective is a desired result a person or a system envisions, plans and commits to achieve—a personal or organizational desired end-point in some sort of assumed development. Many people endeavor to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines. It is roughly similar to purpose or aim, the anticipated result which guides reaction, or an end, which is an object, either a physical object or an abstract object, that has intrinsic value. -Wikipedia.

What makes an effective Goal?

Specific: Example of a “ not- so smart” goal,Complete third quarter report.

Measurable: Example of a smart goal….Begin working on third quarter report this Friday. Complete first half before the end of the day.

Actionable: When you are thinking about how to achieve goals, ask yourself the following questions to help you focus on main and sub goals…

Realistic: What skills do I need to achieve my goals?,What information and knowledge do I need?,What resources do u need?, Who can help me?,What possible roadblocks will I encounter?, Am I making any assumptions?, Is there a better way of doing things?

Timed: Perfect Timing.

Go back to the roles you have in your life. You have already identified immediate action you can take for each. Now it is time to dig deeper. Select one role, and think about your long-range, medium range, and immediate goals.

• Long range Goals (Several Months – several years)
• Medium Range goals (Several weeks- several months)
• Immediate goals (less than an Hour – A week)

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Learning to ‘Master your Emotions’ is one personal goal every human should aim for!

Emotions have always played an imperative role in my personal as well as professional life. The thought of imagining  my life & my relationships without emotions is rather fearful for me, because then it would be a life without purpose, detached from all, concealing under a fake identity.

The human philosophy towards Emotions:

A common myth that prevails about Emotion is that:
- Emotions often pull a person down.
- Emotional people are looked down upon.
- Emotion is considered as a weakness rather than a strength.
- Nobody likes being with Emotional fools.

However, I feel that if we are humans we must have an element of ‘Emotion’ in us, because Emotionally well controlled people are always loved, respected, adored & approached more. It is rather difficult to be with & appreciate someone who is robotic, expressionless or emotionless towards things & situations. It is as good as being with the dead!.

Emotions must be  perceived well:

Flow of emotions according to the scientists, is considered healthy for the body, mind & soul. Especially when one knows how to master them. Emotions are said to be a reflection of our own beliefs & can be best described as our response to situations. So if we can master our beliefs, we will be able to master our Emotions.

Synopsis of the ‘Master Your Emotions’:

This presentation can be extremely meaningful for every individual who is ready to take the next step of improvement, in order to  come closer to mastering his/her Emotions. At the same time it can also be used as a base presentation for workshops related to Stress Management, Handling Emotions & How to be Emotionally Intelligent.

• Understand the concept of ‘Emotional Mastery.’
• Where do emotions erupt from & what are the various kinds of Emotions?
• the 4 step approach to be happy.
• Know your reaction towards stress.
• To be Emotionally Intelligent.

Life will always have more and better to offer those who invest cautiously in mastering their Emotions!

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The best way to imbibe ‘Business Etiquette’ is to believe in its power & the change it will bring in your life!

As far as my memory takes me back, I remember growing up in a culture full of ‘Etiquette’. By the time I was in my high school it had become my  second nature. As an Army Officer’s kid, I was not only told but was also asked to speak well, eat well and behave well in public as well as in private. So when I joined the business World, learning Business Etiquette was a runaway victory. As a trainer it was all the more easy for me to correlate with the subject & share it with my trainees.

The knowledge snippet on ‘Business Etiquette’ will give you a glimpse of Etiquette needed to survive in the business world. Etiquette can be simply defined as the ticket to acceptance amongst your peers, Seniors and Juniors. When you treat others with dignity and respect, they will treat you in the same fashion & this is good business sense.

This presentation has been created keeping in mind various aspects of Etiquette, like understanding the basics of Professional Etiquette, Correspondence Etiquette, Work Space Etiquette & I had a good time preparing this presentation.

Organizations Benefit from this Presentation:

Trainers can present this presentation to both new as well as old employees & it can work wonders with small, medium & big batches of audience size ranging from 20, 70 to 150 in number. Use the presentation:

• During Induction programs.
• To set the correct tone for Campus Joiners.
• To re-enforce good behavior among all employees.
• A quick knowledge nugget to bite into before a client visit to your Organization.
• An ending summary to a 2 day workshop on ‘Business Etiquette’.

Synopsis of the ‘Business Etiquette Presentation’:

• Etiquette is defined as the practices and norms prescribed by social convention or by authority.
• You only have ONE opportunity to make a good first impression.
• Right Appearance, correct behavior & good communication can take you places.
• Speak with a purpose & consider all meetings important.
• Write assertively, to the point and only to the required.
• Respect work space privacy.
• Be more ‘Emotionally Intelligent’ when exchanging Business Cards.
• No matter your job or your title, always hold yourself to a higher standard.

In every situation we are responsible for our actions. Conflict situations offer each of us an opportunity to choose a style for responding to the conflict. The key to effective conflict prevention and management is to choose the conflict management style appropriate for the conflict. Most of us have a favorite style that we use in conflict situations, but we are all capable of choosing a different style when it is appropriate.

Five main types of conflict management styles are:

1) Collaborative/Cooperative  Problem Solving: The cooperative problem-solving style enables people to work together so everyone can win. Using this style, people try to find a solution that will help everyone meet their interests and help everyone maintain a good relationship.

2) Competing: The competitive style means that a person is putting his/her interest before others. So in this case it will always be “I”, “me”, “myself” over the others.

3) Compromising: The compromising style when it is important for them to satisfy some of their interests, but not all of them. People who compromise are likely to say “let’s split the difference” or “something is better than nothing.”

4) Avoiding: The avoiding style do not get involved in a conflict. A person choosing the avoiding style might say “you decide and leave me out of it.”

5) Accommodating: The  accommodating style allows people to put their interests last and let others have what they want. Many times these people believe that keeping a good friendship is more important than anything else.

Britons are insular in nature, part of Europe but separate from it at the same time. The British are hard-working, driven by deadlines and the need for material gain, and divided by an ancient class system, the boundaries of which are blurring but nonetheless still in existence. The British like their privacy but are also obsessed with celebrity culture and gossip.

• Most British people are relatively well-traveled, with a strong awareness of world events.
• They are individualistic and nationalistic and can be pioneering and entrepreneurial.
• At the same time, Britons are still considered very polite and formal by the rest of the world, and are driven by a strong sense of fair play.
• They are skeptical, with a strong sense of irony. The spoken word is a minefield of nuance and understatement for anybody not familiar with British English.

7 ways to find Work life balance

• One life – One day:It’s very important to live life not in years or decades but moment by moment.
• Can’t spare a week; take an hour- You don’t need an extended vacation to unwind.  Instead, set aside an hour each day to enjoy something completely unrelated to work – a short walk, a workout or a chapter or two in a book
• Quality – Always count quality time over quantity.
• Audit  your weekly schedule- Keep a lot of everything you do during the week, from meeting to commuting to watching TV.  With a sense of how to scale tip to one side or the other, you’ll be better able to re-balance them.
• Plan and protect downtime- Don’t take leisure time for granted.  A day in front of the TV is no substitute for a round of golf, a trip to the beach, or a barbeque with friends.  Also, get routine household chores done on workdays, which will free up your days off for bigger and better things
• Know your options- More than ever, new technology is offering employers and employees alike greater flexibility with work schedules.  This includes everything from a compressed work week to flexi hours, job sharing and tele commuting.
• Get your priorities straight- Take the time to decide what’s important for you.  Then, try devoting your full attention to one thing at a time – concentrate on work at work and family at home.
• Stop being the Boss- Entrepreneurs tend to be control freaks.  That can be good for the business, but bad for downtime.  Whether, it’s paying bills or organizing a trip, why not let the family and friends run the business of your life every now and then?

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The law of the nature says “Change!” and the first human instinct says “What Change? I am fine.”

The human philosophy towards work:

As humans we all work very hard to reach specific mile-stones in our lives & without realizing much, we soon enter into our ‘comfort zones.’ A zone which is like the ‘best hide out’ we had when we were children.

Theories suggest that as individuals we love to follow routines as it does not require much of hard work. Once we have learnt the task, like machines we just repeat it over and over again. Hence, life becomes comfortable and we are at our best level of performance. At any point in time, if we are asked to leave our comfort zones, because things are changing, it is natural for us to dislike change & feel how unfair the whole situation is.

Change is perceived as an Evil:

Change is always seen as disorientation and increases anxiety levels in individuals. At times it is also perceived as a threat because we see our ‘perfectly created life’ slipping out of our hands. It has been scientifically proven that more than our heart, it is our mind that refuses to budge when we encounter Change. Where the heart ‘sinks’ in an unanticipated Changed situations the mind goes totally ‘numb or shuts down’ for some time.

Reasons for Change:

Someone once very correctly said that, the only 2 reasons when we will welcome Change, is either:
-    We are “too much in pain” & want to get rid of it.
-    Or we are “too much in pleasure” that we won’t mind it.

My reasons for designing this presentation:

5 years ago when I read the book ‘Who moved my cheese ?” the first time, I was thrilled to read how beautifully, simply & easily Spencer Johnson M.D. had understood the concept of Change and had made all his readers look at Change from raised a platform, like some one’s  story, yet so similar to correlate with.

It was then, when I decided that I must present this beautiful concept of “Coping with Unanticipated Change” to trainees who  undergo tremendous Change in their personal as well as professional lives. I highly recommend every individual to add this book in his personal collection & read it as often as possible, so that it ‘keeps your life within checks & balances.’

Organizations Benefit from this presentation:

Organizations must introduce the ‘Concept of Unanticipated Change’ to all their employees either as a

1. Preventive measure to restrict/promote certain behaviors patterns.
2. Or as a corrective measure to make them understand the rules of the game.

Run your employees through this presentation in all the below mentioned situations:

• Before appraisal time: This short presentation or a detailed ‘Change Management’ training must be given to the employees before the
  appraisal season,only to set the environment right.
• During Transition periods: When young college pass-outs’ enter into the Corporate jungle.
• During Induction programs: To set the right tone & atmosphere for new employees.
• While preparing employees for higher roles: Making employees look at things from higher or raised platforms.
• In cases the company is undergoing a major ‘Merger’ or ‘Acquisition’: This is a very sensitive situation as a lot changes in such circumstances.In order to team-up better with the new employees, all employees must understand the effect of Change they will undergo.

Synopsis of the ‘Coping with The Change Cycle’:

• Anticipate Change, as it will happen. If not today then tomorrow.
• Detach yourself from the situation & determine what impact (good/bad) it can have on your life.
• Don’t Flight or Fight, Look at Change positively as it can be a means to achieve your goals.
• Start working hard towards a new journey.
• Keep the ‘End’ in mind & then work towards it; this will motivate you to come closer to your dreams.
• Enjoy the Changed situations.
• But be better prepared for the upcoming ‘Unanticipated Change’.