Got any business problems?

[copdot]

Since this is a business forum and not as busy as it should be, I thought of posting this.



Having solved many business related problems my friends colleagues had, I thought if the guys here can benefit, even little from my miniscule experience, Ill be glad. There are many things I really think people should be doing right which they are not doing so I could talk about that also.



So share out your office problems if you have any, that includes interpersonal relationships, working with colleagues and bosses etc. Or if you have problems in making a sale or finding it difficult to get your work done, facing hassles when dealing with clients/customers, or managing your time properly, not able to schedule your work load and all that.



I cannot promise to solve your problems but can give you tips that might help YOU solve your work related problems. You don't have to disclose any identity or work secrets. Lets keep it generic.



I will be very glad if I can be able to help.

[copdot]

<b>Work etiquettes </b>


Since I started this post, I thought of breaking the ice with some tips.

This is a very important part of corporate culture. If you would like to have an image of yourself and demand respect from colleagues and clients, its imperative that you follow some kind of etiquettes at work.

<b>START WITH YOUR DRESS SENSE</b>

Many people dont realize that being dressed smartly increases your chances of a good natured interaction with people. Do you want people to think of you as nincompoop? Or do want people to think of a smart personality? Make sure you follow an appropriate dress code to work.

For Omani guys, wear a crisp (preferably white) dishdasha well ironed and WITHOUT crumples. And for Gods sake STOP wearing those very starchy and stiff dishdashas that make a swish noise every time you move.
Try to wear a turban rather than the kumma. It looks more official. And please alternate between the turbans. Dont wear the same one for a week even I you have only 2. Change them everyday. <b>DO NOT </b> adjust your turbans in front of people. Go to the toilet and be discreet.

For expats, wear light colored cotton shirts and dark trousers. Wear a necktie if possible and <b>change EVERYDAY</b> . NO flowery shirts. If your work place allows casual wear then make it a smart casual wear. Remember casual doesnt mean being careless.


For Omani ladies - Have you noted that people here respect your dress code and choice to wear decent clothing with the abaya? So take advantage of that. Just make sure you dont wear flowery tunics. It looks odd. You are going to the office not a party. Dont wear too much jewelry or tight dresses either or else you will be attracting unwanted attention to wrong parts of your body. And that doesnt help in your image to be taken seriousely.

Expat ladies -Either business suits or skirts or smart shalwar kameez. Try not to wear cotton clothes as they crumple and dont give a formal look.

Trim your nails and <b>POLISH </b> your shoes and comb your hair. Inspect your clothes well before you wear them lest they should have some stains or loose buttons. <b>You dont know that it takes 3 seconds for someone to completely scan you top to bottom. </b> Take a shower everyday before going to office and use a deodorant. You will never know that you smell of fish because youre the one smelly!! DONT use a strong or too much perfume. I know people LOVE to spray perfume lavishly but you dont wanna advertise yourself a walking perfume shop do YOU?


<b>PUNCUALITY</b>

Those who dont respect time, time doesnt respect them. Sleep early to get up early. Try to pray before you leave home. Never underestimate the confidence that prayers give you. Specially morning prayers. <b>AND REACH OFFICE ATLEAST 5 MINUTES BEFORE TIME</b> . You will realize the value of this only after a year you start doing this.

Being early also helps you to know that no one has read your faxes before you, or gossiped about you.

Be at least 10 minutes early before any appointment. It helps you relax and settle down and prepare yourself for the meeting. CALL the client even if you may be late by 5 mins. Starting a meeting by apologizing doesnt sound too good does it?

<b>SWITCH OFF </b> your phone when in a meeting or put it on silent mode. YOU lose by not getting attention from your client and YOU lose YOUR precious time. As for the client using his phone, sorry you have to tolerate it as the market here is such. You cant scold a client can you? But he can scold you for using your mobile.

Being on time helps you, your clients and your company.



<b>MAKE A TO DO LIST</b>

Remember the faintest ink is better than the sharpest memory. So WRITE down you chores and appointments and refer to them. This will relive you mind to think of other things.


I guess this should be enough for now as its getting too long. Ill continue after I see appropriate responses. I cant blabber on without your interest. Right?

[fazli]

One of the biggest and most serious problems I face with almost every one of my superiors and subordinates is absolutely poor time management.

Evereyone seems to be overloaded with work all of the time and eternally complaining about it which I find hard to believe and accept.

I have been working a 9 to 5 working week day for the past ten years on a continuous basis, except for a few occasions when we did have some very urgent projects to be delivered in a short span of time when we were forced to work a few weekends (absolute exception only), and I have still delivered all of my projects effectively and on time without any major glitches during this period. I even find time to browse the net, visit many MB's, post messages, and interecat with family and friends in a very easy and comfortable manner during this time.

Either I am sleeping at work or the rest of the guys are simply screwed up in managing their time effectively.

Help!

[copdot]

A very common problem Fazli. Especially in the Gulf. Since you are in a higher management position and I assume you have more subordinates than superiors, Ill list out things for your subordinates which you can either persuade or force them to do. Time management skills are essential for leading people- to do it themselves and HAVE it done by others. You have to be good at both in order to be successful.

Let me start with this story: A professor brought a jar in the class and filled it with big pebbles. He asked the class if there was space to add anything more to the jar. They replied in negative. He then filled it with sand and again asked if it could accommodate more. They replied no. He then filled water in it and asked if it could be filled more. This time the class replies yes. He then put in small pieces of foam. This is how we should prirotize things in office time.

Had he put the water or foam first, it wouldnt have accommodated the other big things. Similarly, if we fit in the small things first, we wont have time to fit in the big things.

Explain this concept to your juniors in a meeting and tell them that they have to prioritize the things and do only the big things first.


<i>Concentrate on results, not on being busy. </i> Most people act busy and some do their work coolly. You have to see the work generated was enough from that working day or lacking in content. If its lacking in content, then they are not prioritizing.

<b>How to get them prioritize and manage time?</b>

First of all, make sure everyone reports on time. Then eliminate non essential and time wasting stuff such as newspapers. Ban it if need be. If they are busy they shouldnt have time to read newspapers right? I have seen people on the newspapers from a minimum of 15 mins to 45 mins!

Make a daily activity report list, which every employee HAS to fill in stating what s/he did during which time of that day. This list should be on your desk before the day ends. You see what they did and how much they did. Ask them to give you a daily as well as weekly progress report of preceding as well as the FOLLOWING week. In giving you a forecast of the following week, they are subtly adhering to time management. They will not note anything they are not able to do. And they cant cheat you on what they are going to do. It may sound difficult and impractical but it works. If its difficult to forecast what work will come up next week, they can atleast jot down what CAN be done.

Like this you will know what they do and achieve in the available time. You are measuring their time against the quantity and quality of work done.

Make a time costing of each employee. This includes his salary, office rent of the space he occupies, car, fuel etc. Divide the monthly expense by hourly rates and judge the number of hours used to do each work. Like this you will know if that employee is cost effective to you or not. <i>You will be surprised how expensive some employee might turn out to be!</i>

Lastly, after your review, sit with them and point out where you think they have wasted time. They cannot dispute that because it is in paper, written by themselves. Speak to them gently but firmly about how serious you are in getting everyone in line. And use statement like "your goal is to ensure that the x report is done in x time" rather than "you should finish x report by x time". It helps them to get the message clear when both of you are relaxed.


I have written the above from my own experiences and not from self help books which are practically not applicable to our part to the world.

I understand you are in HR. Hr basically means to ensure that the right people are working in the right department in the right time. If you think they are not, you should be prepares to take strong steps.

Let me know if you find them practical, if not we can discsuss more.

[fazli]

Interesting!

However, the way I manage myself and my subordinates is purely by deliverables and not by time. In this way I have managed, so far, to get the guys to deliver effectively and on time. All my performance appraisals and evaluations are based on delivery and not on punctuality. It has worked very well for me so far and I hope it will in the future. All my projects are monitored on a weekly basis throuigh a status meeting accompanied by status reports which are plugged in to an MS Project Template. We also use daily time sheets that need to be updated every evening before the employee leaves. I dont question the time sheets unless and otherwise there is a lag in delivery. However, I agree with you when you say that this phenomenon is quite common within this region and it has an infectious effect on the populous.

I have always been in IT, since I started my working career in 1969, and only moved to HR in 2003 from Feb to december when I undertook four massive IT projects for HR that we managed to deliver effectively and on time. One of them was a gigantic new Pay/Grade System for 4,500 employees which was extremely complex but very exciting and satisfying. It was implemented on a SAP ERP HR Module.

I am presently, since Jan 1, 2004, with a new Business Unit called SHARED SERVICES which now encompasses Group IT and Group HR and will rope in Group Internal Audit and Group Finance sometime this year, where we will provide IT, HR, Audit Financial services to the 18 varied Business Units of AFG within the region. My job now involves the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of Service Contracts and Service Level Agreements with all the Business Units and also External Service Providers. The first part of the job is a piece of cake. However what follows in monitoring and ensuring that the named services are alld elivered as per the SLA's is going to be a tough one. We have a close-knit team that will try and deliver, InshaAllah!

[NIRVANA]

i have a small business i am doing..i am not gonna say what it is so noone will steal my idea <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
anywayz i am working for the government and can only go to my private business like two hours everyday in the evening..the business is starting to do well and one of my employees who is doing the main part of the business said she wants to leave at the end of the month..y3ni she is resigning...i can do the job myself but someone has to be in the office cuz it needs lots of computer work and somoene to take the calls..she thought i was going to tell her no stay but i told her its up to u i am not gonna force u to say ..i treat her so well and she will never find a boss like me..this morning she called and said she doesnt wanna leave anymore cuz she had very strong reason that was gonna make her leave and now she solved it..
how am i suppose to work with a person that i dont know for sure will really stay with me or not..i was thinking of getting someone part-time but still..even though i showed her i dont care deep down i am saying to myself dont leave i need u we just started doing good business and people know us now...

What do u think Copdot r??

[copdot]

Nirvana,

One of the first signs of a successful entrepreneur is that s/he does not reveal her business idea or its details. If you must, then do it only with your family or relatives or a very close friend. So you have crossed the first hurdle to be successful. Mabrook!

First of all think very objectively about this employee and see that the reason for her resigning was genuine or was she trying to up her leverage with you. Mistrust often creates a load of problems which later blow up to a big proportion. You have to be absolutely sure that she really had a problem with which she wanted to leave or else you will either lose a trusted worker or keep suspecting her and feeling miserable yourself till she is with you. Is there a way to find that out? Analyze her behavior; is she the kind who will do that? If you feel sure that she was trying to play smart then keep her for the time being and start you search for another person right away (but without letting her know). Once you get someone as good as her, politely give her the sack.

Now look at this scenario- every one in this world wants the best jobs they can find and they will keep searching till they are satisfied. No matter what kind of bosses they get. Its the job that matters to employees. So she is also trying to use your job as a launch pad and jump to any best job that she can get. If she doesnt realize that the trust you place in her and all the goodies you are trying to give her, then she truly deserves to leave, for she doesnt deserve you.

To cut a long story short, be very very objective and judge with your mind not your heart.

Hope I have managed to solve your issue. Should you want to discuss more, feel free to write. Wish you all the best. May you succeed InshaAllah.

[NIRVANA]

thanx Copdot..really appreciate ur advice wallah..
the problems is sometimes i think i understand her and sometimes i dont...one time she complains about the way customers are treating her..i told her everyone faces this in their workplace and if everyone thought the same way ur thinking noone would have a job..y3ni who ever gets upset with their boss or colleague leaves..noway ofcourse...she cant expect to be happy the whole time..another time she says its family problems and than she says she doesnt even have time for her personal life...when she said that i told her ur the one that chose to live this way..u dont have to work from 8-8 i keep telling her to go home from 1-4 to relax than come back..she is like no i have lots to do and i wanna finish stuff...what do i do with this girl...Copdot i already started looking for someone part-time since she started this attitude thing of hers...she feels i am getting someone else and now she is even working harder than b4 and said that she doesnt wanna leave the business cuz it just started...Can i plz kill her or can u kill her for me.. <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> u know that feeling when u dont want a person there but u still have to have him/her there <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

[copdot]

My apologies for the late reply as I was out of town.

From what I gather this girl is in a confused state of mind. She wants the job yet she feels she is not getting enough from it. I feel she is with you for the money not for the job as her satisfaction. Thats harmful to you in the long run. Sit with her and have a chat, preferably away from the office and ask her to sort out her problems. Tell her she has to keep her family and other job away from your business. When she works for you she has to be 100% devoted to you only. What if, coz of your office/home problems you behave rudley with her or dont pay her on time? How will she feel? Tell her you feel the same.

Try looking for someone who wants to do the job to make a career not just money.

Remember Nirvana, business is a gamble and you have to take calculated risks to grow. If you dont/cant do that, its difficult to be successful. An office job should suffice then. Be bold and learn to take risks and dont be afraid or shy by your mistakes. Bill Gates also makes mistakes, but he learns and corrects them.

Good luck.

[NIRVANA]

Thanks copdot...ur so good at giving business advice rnt u <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[copdot]

Your welcome. Thanks for your words.

[copdot]

Fazli,

I forgot to ask you. What are you doing with the time problem that you had? Did my suggestions make any sense?



Any other problems issues that other members would like to share? Please add your comments also to any thing mentioned here.

[fazli]

copdot,

I think you missed reading my response. please scroll up and take another look. i guess you got caught up with Nirvana's issues. I was actually waiting for your comments.

no probs at all and thanks anyway! its never too late...

[copdot]

Fazli,

I am sorry I did miss out due to an oversight. I read your article though and had thought of a reply but didnt get time to pen the words so I thought I would do it later and I forgot about it when I started writing about Nirvanas problem and another member who sent me a PM.

I will get back to you on this inshaAllah.

[copdot]

This is an excerpt from an article I read somewhere a long time ago and my own comments included.

The employees you hire can make or break your business. While you may be tempted to hire the first person who walks in the door--"just to get it over with"--doing so can be a fatal error. A small company cannot afford to carry deadwood on staff; so start smart by taking time to figure out your staffing needs before you even begin looking for job candidates.

<b>Job Analysis</b>
Begin by understanding the requirements of the job being filled. What kind of personality, experience and education are needed? To determine these attributes, sit down and do a job analysis covering the following areas:


The mental/physical tasks involved (ranging from judging, planning and managing to cleaning, lifting and welding)
How the job will be done (the methods and equipment to be used)
The reason the job exists (including an explanation of job goals and how they relate to other positions in the company)
The qualifications needed (training, knowledge, skills and personality traits)
If you're having trouble, one good way to get information for a job analysis is to talk to employees and supervisors at other companies that have similar positions.

<b>Job Description Specification</b>
Use the job analysis to write a job description and a job specification. Drawing from these concepts, you can then create your recruitment materials, such as a classified ad.

The job description is basically an outline of how the job fits in to the company. It should point out in broad terms the job's goals, responsibilities and duties. First, write down the job title and whom that person will report to. next, develop a job statement or summary describing the position's major and minor duties. Finally, define how the job relates to other positions in the company. Which are subordinate and which are of equal responsibility and authority?

For a one-person business hiring its first employee, these steps may seem unnecessary, but remember, you are laying the foundations for your personnel policy, which will be essential as your company grows. Keeping detailed records from the time you hire your first employee will make things a lot easier when you hire your 50th.

The job specification describes the personal requirements you expect from the employee. Like the job description, it includes the job title, whom the person reports to, and a summary of the position. However, it also lists any educational requirements, desired experience and specialized skills or knowledge required. Include salary range and benefits. Finish by listing any physical or other special requirements associated with the job, as well as any occupational hazards.

Writing the job description and job specifications will also help you determine whether you need a part- or full-time employee, whether the person should be permanent or temporary, and whether you could use an independent contractor to fill the position.

[fazli]

I have great confidence in aptitude tests and I think they can help immensely in weeding out the men from the boys (or even the women from the girls, smile!).

We used it very effectively in 1989/90 at Citibank in Colombo, where I spent 2 years as Head of IT and also took over the responsibility of HR Manager as we did not have the budget to hire a real HR guy.

We hired lots of young school leavers (around 18/19 years of age) who were either awaiting entry into Universities or simply floating around undecided after their A Levels as Trainee Bank Executives. The outcome was extremely satisfactory as we managed to actually bring in some xceptional talent, most of whom were equally qualified academically, but showed totally disproportionate results at the Aptitude Tests. Management was very pleased with the outcome.

I prepared the tests myself using material that I had collected along the way during my career. Actually, most of the questions were based on basic Aptitudes Tests that were given to budding computer programmers in the early seventies. It was incredible that these tests proved successful in selecting good quality people for non IT jobs too. In my view the tests gave us a means to weed out the ones who were not truly logical in their thinking.