How to tell a bossy peer to mind his business?

Ajay was seriously working on a project when his colleague Sandeep began reminding him about the deadline for it and even asked him to give a report on the status of the project. Ajay was surprised and even angry because he could not understand his colleague’s behaviour who was suddenly acting bossy with others in the team. The result was this behaviour was making everyone feel incompetent and controlled and was affecting the team relations.

Ajay’s is not an isolated case, there are people in the workplace who boss over their co-workers and feel it is necessary to tell them what to do and how. They effectively spoil the camaraderie in the workplace.

A boss can comment on your work and tell you what to do, but when a co-worker assumes the role of a boss and nitpicks on your work and orders you around, the situation is sticky.

Though you may be tempted to tell the person off or launch a counter attack, this will only spoil your relations with him and affect the work atmosphere and team productivity.

The wise thing would be to deal with your bossy co-worker in a professional and diplomatic way, so that the relationship is maintained and at the same time you can make him realise his mistake and also let your boss know about the colleague’s self-assumed importance.

Instead of answering back your colleague, you can make it difficult for him to play his role as self-appointed boss by enquiring if the boss asked him to give the instructions and if he says no then appreciate him for his managerial skills but at the same time remind him that your boss has to kept in the loop. Follow this up with a casual query or mail to your boss on whether the bossy co-worker was given supervisory responsibilities.

When the co-worker gets to know that his behaviour has been a subject of discussion with the boss, and then he will check himself. This will also give him enough hints that the team takes directions from the boss and are not willing to listen to him. This can effectively curtail his bossy behaviour.

However if your boss replies in the affirmative, you have no choice but to listen to your co-worker, but if it is a ‘no’ from your boss, then you can make a complaint to your boss.

This will also bring the co-worker’s behaviour to the notice of your boss who will probably take effective steps to stop it because of its negative effects on team relations.

In case your colleague has nothing to do with your work and each member in the team has his own independent set of roles and responsibilities, then you can tell him to mind his own work in front of other team members. This public display of your reaction can check his high-handedness with you and others in the team.

Some co-workers may have a genuine interest in the team and their behaviour may be motivated by the need to be helpful, proactive or supportive to other team members. They may not realise that this can alienate others. In such an instance, it is better that they are told the truth while appreciating the intent of their behaviour. A gentle reminder to the person that he is a peer and not your manager can end his bossy ways.

Perhaps the best way to deal with a bossy co-worker is to tell him that you are happy he has been promoted as the boss and you, your co-workers or even the boss does not seem to know about it. He is sure to get the message and will start minding his own business.

Layoffs not real answer to effective cost control

As businesses brace for a possible economic slowdown, they are expected to further slash unnecessary expenditure and bring down overheads to improve the bottom line. Trimmed down budgets and well-planned cost cutting initiatives can help create savings and optimise operating margins for companies that don’t have too many sources of revenue to look forward to, thanks to the global financial crunch.

Here are areas where businesses, big and small, can cut spending and create valuable cash reserves to tide over any impending crisis.

Realign goals: For example, the annual budget may need to be altered to cope with new circumstances, and expansion plans may be put on hold. Look for ways to release cash from capital. Unused/ high maintenance assets are usually the first to go in a bid to reduce operating costs and retain liquidity.

Cash requirements might also have to be carefully projected and closely monitored. Tighten conditions relating to cash and accounts receivables and negotiate for better deals with vendors and contractors.

Focus on work that counts. Fall back on your best, most dependable products and services, and aim to get more value for every penny you invest. Outsource non-essential processes if it will bring down costs and improve production and people practices to increase productivity levels and lower operating costs.

Go slow on hiring and layoffs. Going slow on hiring makes obvious sense, but layoffs are another matter altogether.

Although at first glance layoffs seem to offer a quick fix answer to cost control, the mid-term and long-term consequences of layoffs are disastrous. Look at your employees as assets, not overheads.

Train employees to improve their skills and utility ratio and acknowledge and reward deserving employees even if resources are scarce. This is the time for you to let your employees know that they make a difference.

Cut down on unnecessary costs and discretionary spending in areas like travel, entertainment, telephone calls and meetings. Tighten regulations and minimise cash advances. Institute stringent receipt requirements for all reimbursements. Offset expensive incidental benefits such as performance bonuses, high premium health benefits, stock options and legal assistance with other benefits that are easy on the pocket.

Conduct an energy audit. Even simple things like introducing energy efficient lighting, heating and cooling can make a big difference to running costs.

Ask employees for suggestions. Employees usually have a wealth of ideas, and tapping this powerful source can give the organisation some innovative and inspiring leads to keep costs under control.

Revaluate your strategy and decide on the how you are going tackle the situation. Revisit priorities and ensure that your team has a complete understanding of the contributions they are expected to deliver.

During a period of boom, companies often neglect to keep track of spiralling costs and wasteful expenditure. It may not have mattered then, but with economic challenges looming ahead, a little prudence will ensure that the organisation is able to sustain its effectiveness and profitability in the long run.

Master these skills to get the winning edge

Wonder what makes some people highly successful than others in any given field? More often you attribute their unique way of connecting to others, better known as charisma, as responsible for the success they enjoy. You are right to an extent but charisma is not all, it is their ability to focus on the meaningful that gives them the winning edge.

Not many of us are lucky enough to possess such natural charm but we can still be as effective if we choose to hone certain skills that make a difference. Highly successful leaders understand that good communication is the key to success. They have an extraordinary talent of using the spoken word as well as body language to register the maximum impact on their audience.

Closely observe eminent people whom you consider success icons. Discover how skilfully they communicate. Their gift of the gab is awe inspiring but don’t simply stop at admiring them but try to learn a few techniques yourself. It is never too late to pick a few success tips. Great leaders connect instantly with their audience. They adjust their tone and approach to suit their audience’s emotional state. So it goes without saying that to be a good communicator you must first listen carefully to other’s concerns and empathise with them.

High impact leaders often use stories and anecdotes to make their viewpoint clear and emphatic. Communication doesn’t mean relaying lots of factual data. Punctuate it with emotion and symbols and you make it easy for your audience to interpret the information.

To sound effective and authentic always have forceful evidence on your fingertips to support your views. To convey confidence and command vary the pace and pitch of your talk. Be neither too slow nor too fast while you converse. A timely pause is essential to retain the attention of listeners. It helps them to understand and absorb what you said. It also helps you to stay focussed on the crux of the matter.

When in crisis great leaders seldom resort to the blame game; they honestly look for what went wrong and how to rectify things. Through their positive communication they bring forth favourable outcomes. While facing performance issues make it a point to go to the root of the problem. You may be tempted to chide your subordinates for the poor show but that will not help in improving things. Instead offer your support and encouragement to your team and better results will automatically follow.

Effective leaders communicate with a passion to get the best out of every opportunity that comes their way. They attract people with their crisp messages. You too can grab the attention of listeners if you are ready with your speech to suit the occasion. Be sure of your goals and practise conveying them in a nutshell. Highlight the promise of mutual benefit when you negotiate with others. People will listen to you when they see a benefit for themselves. Successful leaders acknowledge the importance of give and take in any relationship. So be ready to give the first concession to your opponents in order to secure much more in return.

Good leaders do not let anxiety overwhelm them; instead they adapt quickly to changes to move out of crisis. They owe their success mostly to asking the right questions.

Asking questions isn’t as simple as you believe it to be. First you must create a situation where people can speak without fear of reprisal. Challenging assumptions once in a while prevents you and your team from slipping into complacency. Encouragement to think on alternatives can lead to crucial breakthroughs.

Body language is equally important in garnering success. The way you conduct yourself signals to the world how energetic and confident you are. Stand straight, tuck your tummy in, hold your head high and smile radiantly at people around you. You already look like a winner and people are only too willing to rally behind a winner.

Don’t just communicate for communication’s sake. Verbal and non-verbal communication skills are powerful tools in your arsenal to create a positive impact on others. Make a conscious effort to master these skills that make a world of difference to your confidence and success levels.

Recession casts shadow on economy, says study

Notes that Kerala is more vulnerable to external shock

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Recession may hit job opportunities

Further cut in oil prices may have negative impact

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Reduction in oil price and sustained low-level reduced investments in Gulf countries can have a negative impact on the job opportunities as well as the income of Non-Resident Keralites (NoRKs).

According to a study conducted by the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) on the impact of the economic recession in the State, Kerala is more vulnerable to any external shock, including the slowdown since it is integrated with the rest of the world.

In spite of the liquidity concerns about the banking sector of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, the economies of the seven Gulf countries, where majority of the NoRKs are located, continue to remain unaffected owing to the steps taken for improving the liquidity position.

But further reduction in oil price and investments can have a negative impact on the job opportunities and their income., the study says.

About 32,000 people employed in the coir industry are likely to lose jobs owing to 20 per cent decline in coir exports. The job loss in the cashew sector has been estimated at around 18,000 due to 15 per cent fall in exports and imports becoming costlier. Marine exports may go down by 25 to 30 per cent to all major destinations except South East Asia. In the short run, a one-third fall in exports can lead to a loss of 20,000 jobs in the sector.

Handloom units have reported 20 per cent dip in sales. A short-term reduction in export by 15 to 20 per cent is expected in handloom goods and that may further increase if the recession prolongs. The value and quantity of pepper export have come down by 50 per cent between September 2008 and the same month last year. The price of rubber has registered a 40 per decline due to the fall in demand from the tyre industry.

The major software export companies are yet to feel the pinch of the crisis but IT and ITES companies at the national level expect 50 per cent reduction in growth rate. The companies in the State have not yet got a full exposure to the crisis due to their relatively lesser engagement with financial services.

Being a consumer State, Kerala can benefit from the reduction in prices of oil, steel, cement and such others as it will also reflect in the cost of manufactured goods too. The growth rate of the State’s economy may decrease by 2 to 3 per cent and it can also lead to an increase in revenue deficit, the study says.

IT job losses in India can top 50,000 in Jan-June 2009

Over 50,000 IT professionals in the country may lose their jobs over the next six months as the situation in the sector is expected to worsen due to the impact of global economic meltdown on the export-driven industry, a forecast by a union of IT Enabled Services warned. ".

There would be 50,000 job losses (IT and BPO put together) over the next six months," Karthik Shekhar, general secretary of UNITES India, a politically neutral union of ITES professionals told PTI. The job loss in the IT and BPO sector in the country topped 10,000 in the September-December period, Shekar said. While employees of medium-sized companies bore the brunt of job losses in the September-December period, it's going to be their counterparts in the big and small firms who would increasingly face the axe in the coming six months, he said.

UNITES India, affiliated to the global union United Network International, suggested that the companies in trouble could resort to salary and incentive cuts without trying to "squeeze" the staff, rather than adopting the "layoff path". Employees are willing to take such cuts for 12-16 months till the demand picks up again, when such benefits should be restored to them.

Shekhar said senior officials of the industry had concurred with the figure of 10,000 job loses in September-December, stating that it accounted for "bottom five per cent of the performers". Consultations with the union's counterparts in the US and UK suggested that slowdown would continue to hit the offshore sourcing space, he said.

He said factors like continued slowdown, likely "tax application" to companies outsourcing jobs under the new US regime and tightening in regard to H1B visas were among the key reasons cited for the acceleration in issue of pink slips. PTI.