Don't wait for THINGS to happen, Make them Happen!

"I will give my life to play like you" said somebody from the audience while listening to a great musician."I have already given", said the musician.

Clarity of thought, sense of direction and ability to execute is the key necessary to achieve our aspiration. Lot of us aspire, however, when it come to perspiration, we fail to make the cut. If you want to be part of cream de la cream you need to have inspiration (10%) followed by perspiration (90%).

When we look at organization pyramid, 85-90% people are at staff level, 5-7% at middle management and 3-5% at top leadership. All of us know very few professionals become Leaders and rest follow them. Choice is nobody else, but our own - whether we want to be part of successful leaders group or want to be bracketed in the follower’s category. It take some EXTRA efforts to shift from Ordinary to EXTRA ORDINARY. It takes a while to be there. Trust me if you are honest to yourself and priorities are clear, you will certainly make it there. I have seen people start pretty well initially, however, they tend to loose the momentum afterward. Continuous rigor has to be there. As a professional, one should definitely have perspicacity and indefatigable approach towards the targeted goal. We must be able to visualize our successes in long term and create a documented plan with defined milestones to be successful.

Relentless Focus is inevitable. Never allow complacency to crop in, once it’s there you will certainly be deviated from your core objective. Everyone gets 24 hrs in a day; it’s up to us how we make a judicious use of our precious time. Time is very important; believe me every second counts in the long run. Life is like a 100 meters race and think of a sprinter’s pain if he looses the race by few micro seconds. Never loose the momentum, continuous effort has to be put in always. Look at Australian cricket team; they always maintain the top ranking in shorter and longer version of game. Their core strength is consistency and never say die attitude. They never allow opposition team to dominate them. They have their plans for individual players of the opposition team & they play mind game before the first ball is bowled.Create new work - In case you have spare time with you, do create a new work for you. Always engross yourself in some work or the other. Utilize time to work on self developmental needs. Don’t wait for your manager/supervisor to assign you with a new work. Be the first one to ask for the new work. You’ll certainly be acknowledged for your humility and honesty. Always leverage your execution ability and make it a hygiene.Sachin Tendulkar symbolizes high performance ; this is about performing in all kinds of testing environment, physically and mentally. He reinvents himself as per the need, while consistently being recognized as someone at the top of his craft. He epitomizes distinctive capability, and it is easy for us to aspire to be like him. High performance and adaptability is the key. I would recommend aspiring professionals to be sincere in approach in their professional career. It’s for their betterment only. “Too many people go through life waiting for things to happen instead of making them happen“.

Source: Raj @ HRsucessmantra.com

When ever we come across such Kicking article, we also read one common question from different readers i.e " How do we ensure our daily routine schedule doesn't take us away from our Goal?".


I think we need to follow these steps to overcome this:


A. Draw SWOT for your career to create SMART Goals.
B. Involve a competent Mentor.
C. Review your progress regularly with your mentor.

Addition by Roshan Kumar Rawat

Twelve Attributes of a Truly Great Place to Work

More than 100 studies have now found that the most engaged employees — those who report they're fully invested in their jobs and committed to their employers — are significantly more productive, drive higher customer satisfaction and outperform those who are less engaged.

But only 20 per cent of employees around the world report that they're fully engaged at work.

It's a disconnect that serves no one well. So what's the solution? Where is the win-win for employers and employees?

The answer is that great employers must shift the focus from trying to get more out of people, to investing more in them by addressing their four core needs — physical, emotional, mental and spiritual — so they're freed, fueled and inspired to bring the best of themselves to work every day.

It's common sense. Fuel people on a diet that lacks essential nutrients and it's no surprise that they'll end up undernourished, disengaged and unable to perform at their best.

Our first need is enough money to live decently, but even at that, we cannot live by bread alone.

Think for a moment about what would make you feel most excited to get to work in the morning, and most loyal to your employer. The sort of company I have in mind would:

1. Commit to paying every employee a living wage.  Many companies do not meet that standard for many of their jobs. It's nothing short of obscene to pay a CEO millions of dollars a year while paying any employee a sum for full time work that falls below the poverty line.
2. Give all employees a stake in the company's success, in the form of profit sharing, or stock options, or bonuses tied to performance. If the company does well, all employees should share in the success, in meaningful ways.
3. Design working environments that are safe, comfortable and appealing to work in. In offices, include a range of physical spaces that allow for privacy, collaboration, and simply hanging out.
4. Provide healthy, high quality food, at the lowest possible prices, including in vending machines.
5. Create places for employees to rest and renew during the course of the working day and encourage them to take intermittent breaks. Ideally, leaders would permit afternoon naps, which fuel higher productivity in the several hours that follow.
6. Offer a well equipped gym and other facilities that encourage employees to move physically and stay fit. Provide incentives for employees to use the facilities, including during the work day as a source of renewal.
7. Define clear and specific expectations for what success looks like in any given job. Then, treat employees as adults by giving them as much autonomy as possible to choose when they work, where they do their work, and how best to get it accomplished.
8. Institute two-way performance reviews, so that employees not only receive regular feedback about how they're doing, in ways that support their growth, but are also given the opportunity to provide feedback to their supervisors, anonymously if they so choose, to avoid recrimination.
9. Hold leaders and managers accountable for treating all employees with respect and care, all of the time, and encourage them to regularly recognize those they supervise for the positive contributions they make.
10. Create policies that encourage employees to set aside time to focus without interruption on their most important priorities, including long-term projects and more strategic and creative thinking. Ideally, give them a designated amount of time to pursue projects they're especially passionate about and which have the potential to add value to the company.
11. Provide employees with ongoing opportunities and incentives to learn, develop and grow, both in establishing new job-specific hard skills, as well as softer skills that serve them well as individuals, and as managers and leaders.
12. Stand for something beyond simply increasing profits. Create products or provide services or serve causes that clearly add value in the world, making it possible for employees to derive a sense of meaning from their work, and to feel good about the companies for which they work.

In more than a decade of working with Fortune 500 companies, I've yet to come across a company that meets the full range of their people's needs in all the ways I've described above. The one that comes closest is Google. I'm convinced it's a key to their success.

How does your company measure up? What's the impact on your performance? Which needs would your company have to meet for you to be more fully engaged?

Source: Tony Schwartz @ HBR

Happy employees brings a Happy customers,add above cost while finalizing your product pricing and slowly it will increase your assets. Many organisations let HR create Processes to Bring speed & transparency but very less let HR create a environment which motivate employee to do more. In case you like this article then You should also read a book  by Vineet Nayar - CEO, HCL Technologies" Employee First Customer Second"

Addition by Roshan Kumar Rawat

What is the Right Way to Fight?

 Differences of opinion at work are inevitable and often integral to innovation, problem-solving, and performance improvement. But knowing that most clashes have benefits does not make them any easier to manage. Disagreements with coworkers can be uncomfortable, and if handled poorly, result in unproductive and even harmful conflict. The good news is that, with a little planning, you can avoid a fight and find an answer that everyone agrees on.

Below are some guidelines to help you turn a negative situation into a positive one.

What the Experts Say

Because most people are uncomfortable discussing differences, it's rare that disagreements go smoothly. "Most conflicts are resolved through brute force or splitting the difference," says Jeff Weiss, a Founding Partner of Vantage Partners, LLC. Unfortunately, this approach often means both sides are unhappy with the outcome. Having a productive disagreement starts with your mindset. "Assume you have something to learn, assume there is a more creative solution than you've thought of," says Weiss. By entering the discussion with an open mind, regardless of your coworker's stance, you are likely to find common ground. Of course, doing this right takes time and attention. 

Prepare
Being prepared for a dispute requires knowing your own position and trying to better understand your coworker's. Before approaching your colleague, White advises you "know what your underlying intentions are." Weiss identifies three types of differences between coworkers:

1. Substantive, in which you disagree over the content or task at hand
2. Relational, when the dissent is really about your relationship with your coworker
3. Perceptual, when you and your coworker are seeing the problem differently

Understanding this can help you approach the conversation with clarity. First, acknowledge the type of disagreement you are having and check with your coworker that he sees it the same way.

Regardless of the nature of the quarrel, try to leave your emotions at the door. "Disagreements are best solved through objectivity rather than emotions," says Weiss.

Preparation also includes careful consideration of logistics. Schedule your meeting so you will have enough time to reach a conclusion. Be sure the conversation can happen face to face in a private setting. Don't try to solve differences using email, which does not do a good job of conveying tone or nuance.

Identify common ground
To start a difficult conversation the right way, it's important for you and your coworker to identify something you agree on. This may be a common goal or a set of operating rules that you consent to. Try saying something like: "We both want to develop a plan that will take our company to the next level," or "We said we would be thorough about this decision." Be sure that the common ground is something your colleague genuinely cares about, and not something you think he should. Before moving on, check for your coworker's agreement. You may also want to reassure him that you value your relationship. This will reassure him that your point of contention is not a personal one.

Hear your coworker out
Even if you think you already understand your coworker's perspective, you should hear what she has to say. Ask questions that help you fully understand her point of view and determine whether your disagreement is a function of differing interests or differing perceptions. According to Weiss, this requires that you "stop figuring out your next line" and actively listen. Don't just hearing her story but take it in as well. Remain open to persuasion since your coworker's explanation of her side may uncover an important piece of information that leads to a resolution. For example, if she says she is just trying to keep her boss happy, you can help her articulate how a resolution is aligned with her boss's concerns.

Once you've heard your coworker out, share your own story. This should not be done in a "point, counter-point" way, but should focus on helping your coworker see where you're coming from. If she challenges your interpretation, let her vent and express her frustration.

Propose a resolution 
When all of the data is on the table, offer a resolution. Don't propose what you walked in the door with, but use the information you gathered during your conversation to come up with a better solution. Say to your coworker, "You've said A, and I've said B, perhaps we can consider solution C." "Don't assume a combative stance," says White. If he isn't happy with the solution you've put out there, engage him in a problem-solving process to come up with a result you can both live with.

When it goes badly...
Even with a well thought-out approach, some disagreements turn ugly. "Most often these conversations turn into battles when it gets personal," says White. If your exchange becomes heated, bring the conversation back to your shared interests or goals. Re-focus the dialogue on the future. "You can't resolve a battle over a problem that has already happened, but you can set a course going forward," says White.

If your coworker is antagonistic or aggressive, it may be best to take a break from the conservation. You can either literally step out of the room or pause mentally pause to observe the course of the conversation. This "outsider" observation can help you gain perspective on what's really going on. You may also try changing the process: step up to the white board, take out a piece of paper to brainstorm, or even offer to continue the discussion over drinks or dinner. This can help to alter the dynamic that's developed between you. If all else fails, withdraw and find a third person to mediate.

Principles to Remember

Do:

• Focus on shared goals and interests
• Understand the nature of your disagreement before meeting with your coworker
• Remain open to persuasion

Don't:

• Assume you fully understand your colleague's perspective
• Try to solve a disagreement over email
• Stop your coworker from venting his frustrations

Case Study: Reframing the disagreement as an agreement
Andrew Lund is a professor of film and media at Hunter College in New York. His department, like all departments at Hunter, is assessed by an external reviewer every eight years to help the university allocate resources. Last year, the department received a glowing evaluation. However, the reviewers said in their report that film and media's graduate program was taking valuable resources away from its undergraduate program.

Andrew and his colleagues knew that this would upset graduate program professors. Before long, they began to hear rumors that these colleagues were planning to repeal the report. Simon (not his real name), one of Andrew's coworkers, a leader in the film and media department, felt that the group should remain silent on the issue, neither endorsing nor distancing themselves from the report. According to Simon, they weren't responsible for what went into it especially since no one in film and media had expressed that opinion during the review process.

Andrew believed that remaining silent would only infuriate the graduate program professors. "The only thing it would do is create suspicion and competition between colleagues," he said. With a faculty meeting looming, he knew he had to resolve the conflict between him and Simon and align the department. After listening to Simon's view, he told him that they both wanted the same thing: funding for the department and a good working relationship with all their colleagues. He said he believed that their disagreement was procedural more than anything. Andrew explained that speaking up would show support for graduate program faculty and put film and media in a position to dictate further funding terms.

He proposed that they make a motion at the beginning of the faculty meeting to rescind the section of the report without taking accountability for it. After hearing Andrew out, Simon agreed to go on record that the review didn't reflect the department's views. "Not only did we solve the conflict, we won goodwill," Andrew said. "It was a triumphant moment for our faculty."


Source: Amy Gallo @ HBR

Creating a Positive Professional Image.

As HBS professor Laura Morgan Roberts sees it, if you aren't managing your own professional image, others are.

"People are constantly observing your behavior and forming theories about your competence, character, and commitment, which are rapidly disseminated throughout your workplace," she says. "It is only wise to add your voice in framing others' theories about who you are and what you can accomplish." 

There are plenty of books telling you how to "dress for success" and control your body language. But keeping on top of your personal traits is only part of the story of managing your professional image, says Roberts.  You can put on a suit and cut your hair to improve your appearance, but how do you manage something like skin color?
She discusses her research in this interview.
Q: What is a professional image?
A: Your professional image is the set of qualities and characteristics that represent perceptions of your competence and character as judged by your key constituents (i.e., clients, superiors, subordinates, colleagues).
Q: What is the difference between "desired professional image" and "perceived professional image?"
A: It is important to distinguish between the image you want others to have of you and the image that you think people currently have of you.
Most people want to be described as technically competent, socially skilled, of strong character and integrity, and committed to your work, your team, and your company. Research shows that the most favorably regarded traits are trustworthiness, caring, humility, and capability.
Ask yourself the question: What do I want my key constituents to say about me when I'm not in the room? This description is your desired professional image. Likewise, you might ask yourself the question: What am I concerned that my key constituents might say about me when I'm not in the room? The answer to this question represents your undesired professional image.
You can never know exactly what all of your key constituents think about you, or how they would describe you when you aren't in the room. You can, however, draw inferences about your current professional image based on your interactions with key constituents. People often give you direct feedback about your persona that tells you what they think about your level of competence, character, and commitment. Other times, you may receive indirect signals about your image, through job assignments or referrals and recommendations. Taken together, these direct and indirect signals shape your perceived professional image, your best guess of how you think your key constituents perceive you.
Q: How do stereotypes affect perceived professional image?
A: In the increasingly diverse, twenty-first century workplace, people face a number of complex challenges to creating a positive professional image. They often experience a significant incongruence between their desired professional image and their perceived professional image. In short, they are not perceived in the manner they desire; instead, their undesired professional image may be more closely aligned with how their key constituents actually perceive them.
What lies at the source of this incongruence? Three types of identity threats—predicaments, devaluation, and illegitimacy—compromise key constituents' perceptions of technical competence, social competence, character, and commitment. All professionals will experience a "predicament" or event that reflects poorly on their competence, character, or commitment at some point in time, due to mistakes they have made in the past that have become public knowledge, or competency gaps (e.g., shortcomings or limitations in skill set or style).
Members of negatively stereotyped identity groups may experience an additional form of identity threat known as "devaluation." Identity devaluation occurs when negative attributions about your social identity group(s) undermine key constituents' perceptions of your competence, character, or commitment. For example, African American men are stereotyped as being less intelligent and more likely to engage in criminal behavior than Caucasian men. Asian Americans are stereotyped as technically competent, but lacking in the social skills required to lead effectively. Working mothers are stereotyped as being less committed to their profession and less loyal to their employing organizations. All of these stereotypes pose obstacles for creating a positive professional image.
Even positive stereotypes can pose a challenge for creating a positive professional image if someone is perceived as being unable to live up to favorable expectations of their social identity group(s). For example, clients may question the qualifications of a freshly minted MBA who is representing a prominent strategic consulting firm. Similarly, female medical students and residents are often mistaken for nurses or orderlies and challenged by patients who do not believe they are legitimate physicians.
Q: What is impression management and what are its potential benefits?
A: Despite the added complexity of managing stereotypes while also demonstrating competence, character, and commitment, there is promising news for creating your professional image! Impression management strategies enable you to explain predicaments, counter devaluation, and demonstrate legitimacy. People manage impressions through their non-verbal behavior (appearance, demeanor), verbal cues (vocal pitch, tone, and rate of speech, grammar and diction, disclosures), and demonstrative acts (citizenship, job performance).
My research suggests that, in addition to using these traditional impression management strategies, people also use social identity-based impression management (SIM) to create a positive professional image. SIM refers to the process of strategically presenting yourself in a manner that communicates the meaning and significance you associate with your social identities. There are two overarching SIM strategies: positive distinctiveness and social recategorization.
Positive distinctiveness means using verbal and non-verbal cues to claim aspects of your identity that are personally and/or socially valued, in an attempt to create a new, more positive meaning for that identity. Positive distinctiveness usually involves attempts to educate others about the positive qualities of your identity group, advocate on behalf of members of your identity group, and incorporate your background and identity-related experiences into your workplace interactions and innovation.
Social recategorization means using verbal and non-verbal cues to suppress other aspects of your identity that are personally and/or socially devalued, in an attempt to distance yourself from negative stereotypes associated with that group. Social recategorization involves minimization and avoidance strategies, such as physically and mentally conforming to the dominant workplace culture while being careful not to draw attention to identity group differences and one's unique cultural background.

Rather than adopting one strategy wholesale, most people use a variety of strategies for managing impressions of their social identities. In some situations, they choose to draw attention to a social identity, if they think it will benefit them personally or professionally. Even members of devalued social identity groups, such as African American professionals, will draw attention to their race if it creates mutual understanding with colleagues, generates high-quality connections with clients, or enhances their experience of authenticity and fulfillment in their work. In other situations, these same individuals may choose to minimize their race in order to draw attention to an alternate identity, such as gender, profession, or religion, if they feel their race inhibits their ability to connect with colleagues or clients.


Successful impression management can generate a number of important personal and organizational benefits, including career advancement, client satisfaction, better work relationships (trust, intimacy, avoiding offense), group cohesiveness, a more pleasant organizational climate, and a more fulfilling work experience. However, when unsuccessfully employed, impression management attempts can lead to feelings of deception, delusion, preoccupation, distraction, futility, and manipulation.
Q: How do authenticity and credibility influence the positive outcomes of impression management attempts?
A: In order to create a positive professional image, impression management must effectively accomplish two tasks: build credibility and maintain authenticity. When you present yourself in a manner that is both true to self and valued and believed by others, impression management can yield a host of favorable outcomes for you, your team, and your organization. On the other hand, when you present yourself in an inauthentic and non-credible manner, you are likely to undermine your health, relationships, and performance.
Most often, people attempt to build credibility and maintain authenticity simultaneously, but they must negotiate the tension that can arise between the two. Your "true self," or authentic self-portrayal, will not always be consistent with your key constituents' expectations for professional competence and character. Building credibility can involve being who others want you to be, gaining social approval and professional benefits, and leveraging your strengths. If you suppress or contradict your personal values or identity characteristics for the sake of meeting societal expectations for professionalism, you might receive certain professional benefits, but you might compromise other psychological, relational, and organizational outcomes.
Q: What are the steps individuals should take to manage their professional image?
A: First, you must realize that if you aren't managing your own professional image, someone else is. People are constantly observing your behavior and forming theories about your competence, character, and commitment, which are rapidly disseminated throughout your workplace. It is only wise to add your voice in framing others' theories about who you are and what you can accomplish.
Be the author of your own identity. Take a strategic, proactive approach to managing your image:
Identify your ideal state.

•     What are the core competencies and character traits you want people to associate with you?
•     Which of your social identities do you want to emphasize and incorporate into your workplace interactions, and which would you rather minimize?

Assess your current image, culture, and audience.

•     What are the expectations for professionalism?
•     How do others currently perceive you?

Conduct a cost-benefit analysis for image change.

•     Do you care about others' perceptions of you?
•     Are you capable of changing your image?
•     Are the benefits worth the costs? (Cognitive, psychological, emotional, physical effort)

Use strategic self-presentation to manage impressions and change your image.

•     Employ appropriate traditional and social identity-based impression management strategies.
•     Pay attention to the balancing act—build credibility while maintaining authenticity.

Manage the effort you invest in the process.

•     Monitoring others' perceptions of you
•     Monitoring your own behavior
•     Strategic self-disclosure
•     Preoccupation with proving worth and legitimacy

Source: Mallory Stark  @ HBR

Check your Organisation Design Before Starting Recruitment.

The concept of organizational design is as old as the organization itself, but surprisingly most of the people working in the organization and for the organization are not aware of the organizational design.

In simple words OD defines the philosophy of an organization. It not only deals with policy making, but includes all aspects of the organization. It is an organizational design that fosters or inhibits creativity and innovation in an organization.

A company with a good organizational design can easily achieve its target. All the processes and procedures of the company will be synchronized with the goal and objective of the company. The entire system from the top to bottom level will work towards the goal and will explore the available resources to achieve its goal.

A successful organizational design is a far cry without proper planning and management. Everyone involved in the company whether its the top management class or lowest working class all should be well-aware of the purpose of a company and anyone who is unaware of the organization’s goal will not play his or her part in the company’s progress with full enthusiasm and it could be detrimental in the long run.

In a good organization each and every person knows his duty and is responsible to play the part with full commitment. This is possible only when each individual is delegated the right job suiting his attitude and aptitude.  They are not given less or more than what they can do-optimal work distribution is the norm.

Good management is the most important aspect of organizational design. The success and efficiency of the management are largely decided by the team leader. It is the efficiency of the team leaders that lead the subordinates to give their best and play their part sincerely in achieving the target. A good TL always works in collaboration with other team member and brings unity among the team players. A good TL always motivates its subordinate to such an extent that they start putting the company’s interest over self- interest.

The success of a company is largely determined by its OD, OD decides whether the company will be able to chase its goal within limited time and resources or not. A company with good OD will design and plan a strategy that will help it achieve its goals without many difficulties. There are enough number of companies that are not exactly aware of the term OD, but their activities and procedures clearly indicate that they strive to become more productive and successful.

There are many ways in which companies can improve their organizational design, though none of the methods promise you overnight results but following a few points could help companies in achieving their organizational design. Consistent and sincere approach will surely bring significant changes in an organization.

The management functionalities should be managed by efficient people.  A person with team spirit and ability to unite people in the form of a team should be organizing people to meet the organization’s needs. Hire a person for the managerial post who has all the qualities of a good leader. A good team leader is well aware of its team member’s strength and weakness, and distributes the task depending on individual’s capabilities and helps them in playing their part successfully in the growth of an organization.

In an organization everyone should know his role and duty; this means everyone working in your establishment should know what they are working towards. It helps people in deciding their role and contribution in the company’s growth and success and motivates them to provide the best.

Communication is the key to success and so it’s true regarding OD as well. A good OD facilitates smooth communication among various departments. The flow of communication should be smooth and clear among seniors and subordinates.

Change is the nature of law and the same is true regarding organizations as well. To grow and learn an organization should develop a positive attitude towards change and should incorporate changes easily. Companies that are risk takers are considered to be the ones with the best organizational stability nowadays.

OD is not a Herculean task; just proper planning and management could make the task easier.

Source: VSR Rao @ citehr

 

Check Emotional Intelligence while recruiting!

Making a hire can be a hit-or-miss affair. A promising candidate can turn out to be a disaster, leaving frustrated colleagues and tattered client relationships in his wake. Sooner than anyone planned, the new hire and the organization part ways, with recrimination and regret on both sides.

To increase their chances of making good hiring decisions, many companies subject candidates to an extended battery of interviews. But according to Adele B. Lynn, author of The EQ Interview: Finding Employees with High Emotional Intelligence (Amacom, 2008), conducting more interviews is not really the answer. What's needed are better interviews--interviews that take a measure of candidates' emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence--EQ, for short--"accounts for anywhere from 24% to 69% of performance success," says Lynn. Some positions require more emotional intelligence than others, but there are very few jobs in which a solid level of EQ does not confer advantage. For managers it is crucial, as it is for anyone who needs to be adept at the give-and-take of working as part of a creative, dynamic team.

"After all, what does it matter if a software engineer is ferociously hardworking if he alienates his peers?" says Lynn, also founder of the Adele Lynn Leadership Group (Belle Vernon, Pa.). "What's the benefit of deep marketing expertise if a manager can't recognize how her behavior demoralizes her direct reports and drives half of them to look for other jobs?"

There are multiple aspects to emotional intelligence, but homing in on these three in the interview process will go a long way toward identifying candidates with high EQ--and eliminating those likely to destroy more value than they create:

1.     Self-awareness and self-regulation. The candidate understands the needs and wishes that drive him and how they affect his behavior. He regulates his emotions so that any fear, anger, or anxiety he experiences doesn't spread to his colleagues or make him lose control.

2.     Reading others and recognizing the impact of his behavior on them. The candidate has well-developed emotional and social "radar" and can sense how his words and actions influence his colleagues.

3.     The ability to learn from mistakes. He can acknowledge his mistakes, reflect critically upon them, and learn from them.

What follows are guidelines for questions to ask and answers to listen for in interviews. The advice here is also pertinent to managers who need to interview colleagues outside their units to decide whether to appoint them to cross-functional teams.

1. Self-awareness and self-regulation
Anyone working in an organization needs to recognize his moods, his emotions, and the deeper emotional needs that drive him--and how they shape his behavior. Generally people are competent at labeling their moods ("I'm in a good/bad/restless/mellow mood") and emotions ("I'm happy/sad/angry/anxious"), but fewer can articulate the strong emotional desires that shape much of their behavior and identity, such as a longing for validation, a hunger for power and status, a strong need to be liked.

This is the case for Ian, a manager in a midsize specialty consumer products company. Ian places a high premium on always being right but is unaware of this need and how it makes him arrogant, defensive, and cautious in turn. When a project falters or a client is unhappy, Ian is unable to work with his direct reports, his boss, and his coworkers to reach a common understanding of the problem. Instead, he focuses on demonstrating his blamelessness for it--not very helpful when what's needed is a solution.

In addition to understanding her emotions, an emotionally intelligent person is able to regulate them and control her behavior. When anxious or fearful, she is self-aware enough to recognize that she tends to broadcast these emotions nonverbally, allowing her to put extra effort into projecting calm optimism. When angry, she has the self-control not to rage at her colleagues or direct reports.

To assess a candidate's self-awareness and ability to self-regulate, ask these questions, which, like the other questions in this article, are adapted from Lynn's book The EQ Interview:

·         Can you tell me about a time when your mood affected your performance, either negatively or positively?

·         Tell me about a conflict you had with a peer, direct report, or boss--how did it start and how did it get resolved?

·         A manager has to maintain a productive, positive tone even when she's anxious about a business threat. How have you been able to do this in previous positions?

2. Reading others and recognizing the impact of his behavior on them

Because so much of a manager's work is accomplished with and through others, the ability to read other people--to pick up their emotions and discern their opinions--can spell the difference between success and failure. Managers also need to recognize how their behavior influences that of others. High-EQ individuals are deft persuaders and motivators because they can read others' cues and adjust their own words and behaviors accordingly.

To assess a candidate's skill level in this aspect of emotional intelligence, ask questions such as:

·         Tell me about a time when you did or said something that had a negative impact on a customer, peer, or direct report. How did you know the impact was negative?

·         Have you ever been in a business situation where you thought you needed to adjust your behavior? How did you know and what did you do?

In one interview Lynn participated in, "the candidate gave a few examples of when he had a negative impact on someone, but in each case, he said someone called him aside and told him where he fell short--he didn't seem able to recognize these things on his own." In contrast, says Lynn, "another candidate for the same position pointed to very specific examples of when he was able to read another's body language and behavior that indicated that something was wrong." The second candidate landed the job. "No doubt that built-in radar system will help him read other people and situations, too," says Lynn.

Misreading a customer can be fatal to the relationship, Lynn points out. A financial services account manager directed a customer he took to be of modest means to a less expensive product than the one the man had been considering. Feeling insulted and humiliated, the client took his business elsewhere.

3. The ability to learn from mistakes
Missteps and outright failure offer opportunities for growth, and high-EQ individuals are able to learn from them. Here again, look for positive patterns in candidates' past experiences:

·         Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you needed to modify or change your behavior? How did you know? How have you been able to take lessons learned from that situation and apply them to another?

·         Tell me about a situation when you discovered that you were on the wrong course. How did you know? What did you do? What, if anything, did you learn from the experience?

Lynn was part of an interview team for an IT position. When the candidate was asked to describe her work on a project that faltered, she spoke of a systems overhaul that missed key deadlines and required several course corrections. Asked to analyze how she could have made it run more smoothly, the candidate answered that she should have documented expectations at the outset of the project and communicated more precisely and consistently with users. She also cited her tendency to be reserved and acknowledged that in the past she sometimes held back from asking necessary questions. This candidate concluded by saying that she had thought a lot about what went right and wrong in the project and how she could be more effective the next time she was called on to contribute to such a project.

Contrast the self-awareness and openness to learning in her answer with the defensiveness and rigidity in another candidate's response. When asked about conflicts she had experienced, she ticked off several diverse examples: a schedule delay, a customer dispute, a delayed product launch. Asked to reflect on how they started and what part she played in them, she portrayed herself as a victim of incompetent colleagues, unreasonable customers, and unlucky circumstances. Several times in her narration she said, "I knew I was right--the others just refused to see it."

Her ability to learn and progress was about zero--an ominous sign for her future performance.

Source: Christina Bielaszka-DuVernay @  harvardbusiness.org. 

“Highly competitive or hyper-competitive industries often face low turnout in interview resulting Pressure based hiring. In situations where Brand/Product are very aggressive "working experience of the product/Brand" supersede the individual experience, and individual with lower EQ level  are hired by considering individual's experience as deemed experience. Sooner or Later such individual falls incompetent category”                      

               Addition by Roshan Kumar Rawat