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| An interesting perspective..... | Views: 488 |
| Mar 26, 2009 7:30 am | | An interesting perspective..... | # |
Basab Ghosh | | * Employee "A" in a company walked up to his manager and asked what my job is for the day?
* The manager took "A" to the bank of a river and asked him to cross the river and reach the other side of the bank.
* "A" completed this task successfully and reported back to the manager about the completion of the task assigned. The manager smiled and said " GOOD JOB "
Next day Employee "B" reported to the same manager and asked him the job for the day. The manager assigned the same task as above to this person also.
* The Employee "B' before starting the task saw Employee "C" struggling in the river to reach the other side of the bank. He realized "C" has the same task.
* Now "B" not only crossed the river but also helped "C" to cross the river.
* "B" reported back to the manager and the manager smiled and said " VERY GOOD JOB "
The following day Employee "Q" reported to the same manager and asked him the job for the day. The manager assigned the same task again.
* Employee "Q" before starting the work did some home work and realized "A", "B" & "C" all has done this task before. He met them and understood how they performed.
* He realized that there is a need for a guide and training for doing this task.
* He sat first and wrote down the procedure for crossing the river, he documented the common mistakes people made, and tricks to do the task efficiently and effortlessly.
* Using the methodology he had written down he crossed the river and reported back to the manager along with documented procedure and training material.
* The manger said "Q" you have done an " EXCELLENT JOB " .
The following day Employee "O' reported to the manager and asked him the job for the day. The manager assigned the same task again.
"O" studied the procedure written down by "Q" and sat and thought about the whole task.
He realized company is spending lot of money in getting this task completed. He decided not to cross the river, but sat and designed and implemented a bridge across the river and went back to his manager and said, "You no longer need to assign this task to any one".
The manager smiled and said " Outstanding job 'O'. I am very proud of you ."
What is the difference between A, B, Q & O????????
Many a times in life we get tasks to be done at home, at office, at play.,
Most of us end up doing what is expected out of us. Do we feel happy? Most probably yes. We would be often disappointed when the recognition is not meeting our expectation.
Let us compare ourselves with "B". Helping some one else the problem often improves our own skills. There is an old proverb (I do not know the author) "learn to teach and teach to learn". From a company point of view "B" has demonstrated much better skills than "A" since one more task for the company is completed.
"Q" created knowledge base for the team. More often than not, we do the task assigned to us without checking history. Learning from other's mistake is the best way to improve efficiency. This knowledge creation for the team is of immense help. Re-usability reduces cost there by increases productivity of the team. "Q" demonstrated good "team-player" skills,
Now to the outstanding person, "O" made the task irrelevant; he created a Permanent Asset to the team.
If you notice B, Q and O all have demonstrated "team performance" over an above individual performance; also they have demonstrated a very invaluable characteristic known as "INITIATIVE".
Initiative pays of every where whether at work or at personal life. If you put initiative you will succeed. Initiative is a continual process and it never ends. This is because this year's achievement is next year's task . You cannot use the same success story every year.
The story provides an instance of performance, where as measurement needs to be spread across at least 6-12 months. Consequently performance should be consistent and evenly spread.
Out-of-Box thinkers are always premium and that is what every one constantly looks out for. Initiative, Out-of-Box thinking and commitment are the stepping stone to success.
Private Reply to Basab Ghosh |
| Mar 26, 2009 9:20 am | | re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Lavanya Karalkar | | Good one BG.. You have done an excellent job. Private Reply to Lavanya Karalkar |
| Mar 26, 2009 9:28 am | | re: re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Senthil Nathan | | This time since Mr.SF(sr.) is busy filing his IT papers and campaigning around with CPs Pomegranate, I take up the pleasure of mentioning the link here.
http://www.indiabroadband.net/news-discussions/12294-think-out-box.htmlPrivate Reply to Senthil Nathan |
| Mar 26, 2009 9:46 am | | An interesting perspective..... | # |
s venkatesan | | that was real nice way of talking of the word "INITIATIVE"
this is definitely getting circulated internally in my Co, with the assumption of your approval. Thanks!
Private Reply to s venkatesan |
| Mar 26, 2009 10:04 am | | re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Ganesh Ram | | One of the biggest problems I have faced in the IT industry is to propagation of knowledge to fellow workers/colleagues. I have found that many of my kind find it difficult communicate our ideas or accepts others ideas.
To support the thread,
Yesterday I had to work on a application that was really a simple file update of an RSS feed.
To cut the story short, the RSS feed had ads sneaked into it the application did not handle. Rewriting the application to solve the problem ended in a form of argumentative discussion. 3 people with 3 different approaches. In the end we decided to take a compromise and go with a mashed up approach.
Just to show that some of these educational posts sometimes really do happen.Private Reply to Ganesh Ram |
| Mar 26, 2009 10:13 am | | re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Kanchana Ravichandran | | If there were no A, B, C etc - no Q, O could have happened! So think abt that ;)
If A, B or C had done what Q and O had - they would have immediately been asked to leave for not doing what they were supposed to be doing!
CheersPrivate Reply to Kanchana Ravichandran |
| Mar 26, 2009 10:23 am | | re: re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Ganesh Ram | | There is always room for process improvement. It is those who take up the job of process improvement and sell the idea well sustain in a job is my point of view. Private Reply to Ganesh Ram |
| Mar 26, 2009 2:35 pm | | re: re: re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Charles Pradeep | | Automation does eliminate errors and improves efficiency! However the flip side is 'The number of humans' that need to work on the processes will get reduced.
Most things that are done today by humans can be done using machines (A wide array of them) with higher accuracy - unfortunately there is a social cost attached to it!
Take the case of the famed Japanese efficiency / lean processes / six sigma process improvements etc. has reduced the need and dependency of the floor level worker - leading to unemployment (with fewer workforce and many unemployed - there were not many to buy superlatively finished goods!)
With cricket take the case of two on field umpires - their jobs have become redundant (and errors blatantly exposed). One can use technology and immediately we would have a few hundred jobless umpires... can we make them commentators!?
The coin has three sides - we take the third for granted!!
Cheers!
CPPrivate Reply to Charles Pradeep |
| Mar 26, 2009 3:38 pm | | re: re: re: re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Ganesh Ram | | Automation of any kind without a manual process as a fallback plan will fail is my POV. Private Reply to Ganesh Ram |
| Mar 26, 2009 4:58 pm | | re: re: re: re: re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Ravi Padmanabhan (padmania@gmail.com) | | The Chennai Heat may dry the river so we can walk across it without any bridges !!!
-Paddy
Private Reply to Ravi Padmanabhan (padmania@gmail.com) |
| Mar 26, 2009 5:09 pm | | re: re: re: re: re: re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Senthil Nathan | | Wow!!! Paddy,
You too can be humorous. Private Reply to Senthil Nathan |
| Mar 27, 2009 3:26 am | | re: re: re: re: re: re: re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
padmanabhan ramasubban | | Oh!
Lot of water has flowed under the bridge and you will cross the bridge when required!!
Well across the bridge ther is no more sorrow!
Yes we need to use a combination automation and manual skills to run any business.
But in a country like India where there is a super abundance of labour it is necessary to use the same if it is cost effective and easier to manage.Private Reply to padmanabhan ramasubban |
| Mar 27, 2009 9:54 am | | re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Ganesh Ram | | And that is why it should be process improvement rather than process automation, Private Reply to Ganesh Ram |
| Mar 27, 2009 11:08 am | | re: re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Basab Ghosh | | KR, do you think Q & O got some unfair advantage due to their portly round figures?
Jokes apart, I would definitely like to see some out of the box thinking in my department instead of the desperate rush to return to the well trodden path and reject any new ideas with hazaar excuses.
This, received as a forward, was therefore promptly circulated internally and then I thought may be some of CNK will benefit from this. Hence this thread and SV has actually made use of it, while it made SF(jr) furiously google the net to get a link to prove the obvious and feel smug!Private Reply to Basab Ghosh |
| Mar 27, 2009 12:11 pm | | An interesting perspective..... | # |
sujatha suresh | | I felt KR was right in the observation of ...if there were no A, B, C etc - no Q, O could have happened! So think abt that...
If A, B or C had done what Q and O had - they would have immediately been asked to leave for not doing what they were supposed to be doing!...Also, this stands true for any visionary / Different thinker speaking 'before time'...Even Magellen,had to face the brutal end for trying to prove earth is round... ANywayz, thats' past similar things have happened in the recent past for Steve Jobs as well...
Only thing might add is that, now a days mostly A,B and C works are already done judging by the amount of Data Overflow availablein similar areas of work. There Q and O should start theirs part of Change management planning....
Good Topic indeed BG....
SSPrivate Reply to sujatha suresh |
| Mar 28, 2009 4:20 am | | re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Kanchana Ravichandran | | BG - "out-of-the-box" thinking will be accepted only when the higher-ups and the management want it like in ur case. Anywhere else it is frowned upon. I have had many instances in my workplace.
Will give you one examaple.
I was working for a Delhi-based Company. Any time I wanted to contact anyone in my Delhi office would do so through the Chat Messenger and not use the telephone or email. I found this much easier and got immediate results. When my colleagues saw what I was doing they immediately informed the management and everyone was quite unhappy with me (labelling me for not working but just chatting). They did a little more investigating and came to know that I was doing this with all the schools for which I was hand holding. They set up a committee and were ready to give me a last chance to explain my actions.
Of course at the end of my explanation they were very happy and in fact all of us got a circular to communicate through Messenger and not make STD calls to Delhi after this incident.
I only said that when we r supposed to be talking of Digital Divide and if we ourselves don't follow it - how can we bring about a change!
Am sure each one of us have such similar incidents - most feel that its better to be with the rut rather than think differently. Those who do are very few and they are the ones who are ready to face the music!Private Reply to Kanchana Ravichandran |
| Mar 28, 2009 5:33 am | | re: re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Basab Ghosh | | Yes, revolutionary ideas before it's time seldom get the fillip they deserve. Thankfully, the type 'O's will continue to be what they are and civilisation will progress. Private Reply to Basab Ghosh |
| Mar 28, 2009 6:45 am | | re: re: re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
SOEB FATEHI | | http://www.ryze.com/postdisplay.php?confid=660&messageid=3342620
http://www.indiabroadband.net/news-discussions/12294-think-out-box.html
all much later smilerg . . . .
much before it appeared at http://www.citehr.com/133208-how-become-outstanding-employee.html
and even before that at http://www.citehr.com/138855-think-out-box.htmlPrivate Reply to SOEB FATEHI |
| Mar 28, 2009 10:52 am | | re: re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Ganesh Ram | | out of box thinking is not doing something that others are not ready to accept in an organization. That too if you are not the decision maker.
Out of box thinking is proposing and making your immediate superior accept your way of thinking. It also had added weight if one brings in more people to accept a POV.
It does not happen in a day. Today I am still struggling to make people accept, say, how to do a company wide format to securely access remote resources. Not that people do not like the idea, it is when it comes to responsibility they do not want to accept. And it is slowly inching towards a formal approach.
The point is out-of-box thinking does not mean it should be accepted widely. It means it is revolutionary, unorthodox and gets more resistance. One has to sell the idea.Private Reply to Ganesh Ram |
| Mar 30, 2009 8:44 am | | re: re: re: re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Basab Ghosh | | Thanks Soeb for the links and the history of it's appearance on the net. But what was your point? Private Reply to Basab Ghosh |
| Mar 30, 2009 9:07 am | | re: re: re: re: re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
stranger | | one of the interesting threads.. well done Basabji. Private Reply to stranger |
| Mar 30, 2009 9:25 am | | re: re: re: re: re: re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
SOEB FATEHI | | the point basab was to give an interesting perspective to your interesting perspective in case you missed the point . . . . Private Reply to SOEB FATEHI |
| Mar 30, 2009 11:29 am | | An interesting perspective..... | # |
Basab Ghosh | | As I never claimed it was 'MY' perspective, I think your perspective is pointless Soeb. Private Reply to Basab Ghosh |
| Mar 30, 2009 12:15 pm | | re: An interesting perspective..... | # |
Kanchana Ravichandran | | The heat is now on the My and Yours ... this itself is an interesting perspective :) Private Reply to Kanchana Ravichandran |
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