Fish for good dividends
The intertwining of business and community interests has opened new avenues for those who want to serve the community besides ensuring their own career growth
Usha Albuquerque

In today's fast expanding, internet connected media savvy world companies are no longer expected to just provide good quality products at reasonable prices, but should also strive to make their operations environmentally sound, adhere to high labour standards, reduce human rights abuses and mitigate poverty.

According to the World Business Council, the definition of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is that companies are expected to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large.

Strategic force

Till very recently CSR was viewed as philanthropic activity but today it is an integral part of business strategy, a company is responsible for providing more benefits than just profits for shareholders. It has a role to play in treating its employees well, preserving the environment, developing sound corporate governance, supporting philanthropy, fostering human rights, respecting cultural differences and helping to promote fair trade, among others.

All of these are meant to have a positive impact on the communities, cultures, societies and environments in which companies operate, and also impact on the company’s bottom line — shareholders, customers and clients are more favourably disposed towards companies that demonstrate social responsibility.

There are many companies and organisations that have been involved in CSR for decades. The Tata group of companies, the Birlas and some PSUs have set up schools, hospitals and other developmental activities to improve the quality of life of the employees and the communities around them. There are many examples of the ways in which Indian businesses have been finding viable solutions to social problems, and creating economic value and competitive advantage in the process. But it is only in the past few years that CSR has been recognised as a viable business activity.

Growing importance

Corporate social responsibility has gained ground with greater consumer awareness and involvement in social issues. Consumers are increasingly demanding that companies act responsibly and have even started to base their purchasing decisions on this criteria. Many refuse to buy products made through child labour, or boycott products made by companies that have caused environmental damage.

Activists draw attention to issues such as child labour, environmental pollution and product safety.

Another key driver is the ever-growing importance of corporate reputation in the valuation of a company — which is slow and difficult to build but easy to destroy.

Most of the multinational companies have their CSR wing exclusively dedicated for doing community development and CSR activities directly or indirectly in the vicinity of their operations.

In other companies, CSR supports the activities of selected NGOs or social organisations.

In certain companies, CSR is handled by the HR department. They recruit professionals from social work, rural development and other developmental fields to undertake and manage the CSR activities of a company.

Companies based in rural areas where operations directly impact the environment around them, such as mining, manufacturing, power generations etc. have a CSR wing involved in rural development projects, rehabilitation of displaced communities, environment issues and so on.

The work

Given the broad definition of CSR and the many areas of business operations that are affected by it, CSR work could include:

Governance: Sound governance, ethical conduct of staff, transparency of operations, and compliance with corporate law

Social work: Human rights, community engagement, philanthropic activities, social benefits, social investment

Employees: Morale, internal culture (transparency), labour practices, job security, remuneration, diversity, equal opportunity, training

Environment: Environment protection, waste and pollution avoidance, product recycling, sustainability

Training

There is no such thing as a typical career path in CSR due to the diverse disciplines involved and also the complexity of the roles and responsibilities of a CSR practitioner. The process of establishing and responding to the CSR agenda within an organisation will require specialists with specific CSR competencies.

To make a career in this field, therefore, you can come in with a background in various disciplines. But there are an increasing number of qualifications becoming available at master's Level and as part of MBA courses.

Courses like Master of Social Work (MSW), MBA and PG Diploma in Rural Development/Management, or a PG degree in health or literacy, public administration combined with sound knowledge of developmental issues is a must.

Traits and skills

While passion, dedication and commitment are essential traits, companies also look for leadership qualities, creativity and vision. Good communication skills, decision making, innovation, handling complexity, problem solving, adaptability and empathy, integrity, team work, technical expertise, and an understanding of human rights and sustainability are other important traits for someone working in this field.

Today as an area of work CSR is gaining ground — more and more corporate houses realise that what is good for workers — their community, health, and environment is also good for the business. This dynamic environment provides good opportunities for those wanting to serve the community while also ensuring their own career growth.

Tremendous scope

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Companies are going an extra mile to build a positive image among their clients. Sponsoring school education programmes is a field that has seen contributions from major groups from different sectors

In spite of life size successful examples in India, CSR in India is still in a very nascent stage. A lack of understanding, inadequately trained personnel, and a dearth of good people in this field has stymied the growth of CSR. But the situation is changing Companies like Infosys, Wipro, Tata Steel, Reliance are leading the fray in a host of activities to improve the quality of life of the employees and the communities in which they live. n Infosys has set up Development Centres (DCs) dedicated to healthcare and education, and for skills development and community welfare.

• Coca Cola, despite the criticism and to possibly offset its negative publicity, has taken up various initiatives such as rainwater harvesting, restoring groundwater resources, and going in for sustainable packaging and recycling, in the communities where it is operating.
• TVS, Reliance, Mafatlal and Satyam had teams helping in relief work during the tsunami, and Gujarat earthquake.

Career Hotline
Pervin Malhotra

Call of the wild

Q. We went for a summer holiday to Sri Lanka last year and there I decided to become a professional wildlife photographer. Please tell me how I can make my dream come true. I would love to return to South Africa to capture the wildlife there as well as in our own country. — Rushad Shenoy

A. Wildlife photography is ideally suited for someone who thrives on adventure, has an impeccable sense of composition, colour and can capture images that speak a thousand words.

However, establishing yourself as a professional wildlife photographer is no cakewalk, which is why many talented photographers remain amateurs. The climb can be hard and long, and the financial returns not very satisfactory in the beginning. Only those with tenacity and a never-say-die attitude coupled with a real passion stick on and go on to become celebrity shutterbugs like Mike Pandey or the Bedi brothers (both recipients of the Wildscreen Panda Award, better known as the Green Oscar).

To become a wildlife photographer you need to build a good relationship with authorities of different wildlife parks in order to be able to visit the (restricted) areas, get permits to work off-road and maybe even after hours. It's very difficult to get these privileges.

If the South African jungle trails excite you, do try the Kalahari which is a wildlife photographer's delight. It's always a good idea to draw out thumbnail sketches so that your pictures have the narrative quality.

Be prepared to lug heavy equipment, which incidentally does not come cheap. Depending on your assignment - a travel photo-feature - it may take three or four days or even a year or more. You need oodles of patience for that perfect moment and quicksilver reflexes not to miss it as unlike models in a fashion shoot, animals and nature wait for no man.

Since just a few full-fledged courses are available in this field, it would be a good idea to work with an established photographer as an understudy before starting out on your own. You'll gain invaluable learning experience and master some very useful 'insider' tips and tricks of the trade.

Although most of the known names in photography are self-taught, change is in the air. A number of photography schools have mushroomed all over the country.

While there are many things a course won't teach you, you'll learn how to handle a camera along with some essential tricks of the trade to get you started.

Is their any course for lyricists?

Q. There have been so many competitions for singing, acting and dancing on the television. I am writing songs for the past few years. Is there any course for lyricists? How can I show my mettle as a lyricist? — Tushar Govil

A. As Indian audiences simply lap up the Bollywood mix of song and dance, the musical score and lyrics form the backbone of a film. If the music of a film is a hit, then it's half the work done.

So if you always admired the prolific writing ability of veteran lyricists like Javed Akhtar or Gulzar or Prasoon Joshi, then this may be the right profession for you. Writing lyrics for film, television, and theatre is a time-consuming task. There are many elements (i.e. meter and rhyme, intensity of emotions, composition style etc) that must be kept in mind. A skilled lyricist seamlessly marries the lyrics to the script and music - so that the songs form an integral and inextricable part of the film.

But lyricists don't work in isolation. They need to team up with music directors who breathe life into the words with their music. Remember it's virtually impossible to make waves with a lyric minus the melody.

A successful lyricist is a writer, lyricist and poet all rolled into one. S/he not only understands the intricacies of filmmaking but also has the ability to gauge what will/ won't work. Powerful lyrics can move the audience to tears, send them rolling down the aisle or simply give them goose bumps.

Creating jingles for ad films is also big business. And a paying one at that. Besides, it has become the launch pad for new talent. Even established lyricists and composers like A R Rahman, Gulzar, Shankar, Ehsan, Loy and Prasoon have created ad jingles.

To carve out a niche in the glitzy, showbiz firmament you need to find your own 'voice'. You need to market yourself and make sure that your lyrics receive proper attention from agents, TV and film producers, music directors and at contests. Make them listen to some of your poems.

Since songs and lyrics are often contextual to a scene, they may ask you to pen something that fulfils the requirement.

Whatever, you do, don't end up being a 'hack'. Plagiarism is also often disguised as a homage or tribute to the original. Here I must add a word of caution. Beware of the song sharks that poach on your talent and deny you the credit.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no specific course for writing lyrics. However, you can check out the some script writing courses to hone your writing skills.

Gear up for a second start

Q. After having been a full-time mom of two kids, I feel terribly useless whiling away my time at home, now that both are in college. I was working in a bank before I got married. Can I put my career back on the rails? — Yamini Gaur

A. Sure it’s extremely difficult to manage a family and full-time career. But as the kids grow up and move on to college, it can be a pretty confusing time for stay-at-home moms. And believe me, this vacuum cuts across all social strata.

The journey from a caring mother to an independent woman can be eased with a little timely planning. Otherwise most women find it very difficult to go back to a working life, even when they want to later in life. Family pressure and inflexible work hours can delay the decision further.

I suggest you keep working – even briefly – albeit as a volunteer or flexi-timer, to sustain your confidence and sense of identity and motivation. What begins as a part-time activity can blossom into a full-time passion.

Sure, entering the workforce after a long break isn’t easy. Your age and lack of exposure can work against you. So, if you plan to return to your previous career, take up some relevant short-term courses so that you’re armed with up-to-date skills for making a re-entry. More so, if you’d like to embark on a new career.

But whatever you do, keep believing in yourself. Fortunately, there are plenty of options out there to choose from for someone with your previous background in banking – ranging from insurance to mutual funds to financial planning etc. Also, at this stage in life, you know what you enjoy doing and conversely, what you don’t. So weigh the new options with that clarity.

Options in medical stream

Q. I am a student of Class XII (PCB). I could not clear the PMT exams this year. So kindly inform me about other career prospects. Also give brief description about them, good colleges and job prospects. — Arpita Juneja

A. Just because you couldn’t clear your medical entrances in the first attempt is no reason to give up on your dream of pursuing medicine! Compared to the surfeit of engineering colleges in our country, the number of medical colleges is extremely limited. As a result of the acute competition, many aspirants manage to land a medical seat only in the second (and even third) attempt.

There’s an acute shortage of health professionals in India. Presently, we have only 1 doctor for every 1,700 persons (the global ratio: 1.5 : 1000).

Be that as it may, if you are in a real hurry, and can’t wait for another year for whatever reason, there are plenty of other interesting career options beyond the traditional which you could consider.

Besides looking at some of the branches of alternative or traditional systems of medicine such as ayurveda, homoeopathy, Unani, siddha, naturopathy and yoga, you could also look at related fields like pharmacy, biochemistry, biotechnology, biomedical sciences, bioinformatics, microbiology, molecular biology, genetics, physiology, veterinary science and animal husbandry, zoology, agriculture, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and audiology, optometry.

You could also look at the field of medical technology which includes ophthalmic technology, lab and X-ray technology, perfusion technology, biomedical engineering, dental mechanics, hospital administration, health management, nutrition, dietetics, food processing, medical transcription, medico-legal work, rehabilitation counselling, etc. The range of options available in this sector is indeed wide and varied.

Email your queries to careers@tribunemail.com ...

fresh approach
Bringing live training edge for students

Suresh Kumar, Trustee, Kanse College of Digital Arts, Noida

With increasing stress on the employability quotient of graduates in different fields, practical skills have become an important component of curriculum. This has led to new benchmarks being set for the practical training in different courses. In the fast growing and ever-evolving field of digital arts and animation working on live projects is the latest addition as is being offered by the Kanse College of Digital Arts, Noida. The recently launched under graduate three-year degree course in animation, VFX and gaming by the college will provide the students a chance to get training on live Indian and International (including Hollywood) animation and VFX feature film projects. Talking about the new training concept Suresh Kumar, Trustee of the college, said, "Animation and multimedia have become popular career choices for those who want to do something different than going in for the established professional courses. There are a vast number of institutes offering courses in this field. But the training methodology is very poor in our country and students have to pay a heavy price for it as in spite of doing a course in the field they can't find jobs because they are not fully equipped to take on responsibilities in real-life work situation".

"Becoming a part of live projects will enhance their creativity. This practice gives an opportunity to the student in building their portfolio for better career ahead," adds Kumar.

According to him the practical component of the course will be 90 per cent. In the first year the students will get training on the pre-production techniques and would working on the live projects from second year onwards. During the course, as a part of the curriculum, the college will organise programmes with visiting faculty where the students will get a chance to directly interact with renowned Academy Award, Global Awards winners and other nominated film personalities. The college will also select short films made by the students and will send them for competing into various award categories at the International Film Festivals which will help the students in getting global recognition, informed Kumar.

According to Kumar as the period after the completion of studies is crucial for any professional the college will insure guaranteed placements to 50 per cent of the pass-outs who have performed exceptionally well academically. As the parent company that is running the college is already working on a large number of national and international projects, the top 100 students of the course will also get immediate placement in the parent company on the completion of the programme with a salary package of Rs 9 lakh. — TNS

career compass: yoga instructor
Mind body balance
Gauri Chhabra

The past few years have witnessed a complete renaissance of yoga so much so that it has become the latest fad. With celebrities endorsing it and the glut of multimedia in the market, yoga is the new fitness mantra and career as a yoga instructor the new buzz word.

Yoga instructor or teacher, as the name suggests, is a person who imparts training in yoga; is bestowed with the responsibility of imparting the knowledge of yoga to people of different age groups, following different lifestyle patterns. Hence, the job of a yoga instructor has become a challenging task. The singular skill set needed for becoming a yoga instructor is the ability to encourage and inspire others, to lead a healthy life. And that in itself demands passion and perseverance. Today, with patience shrinking and stress levels inflating, the demand for efficient yoga instructors is rising, as yoga is considered as a balm for mental stress and physical distress.

Yoga is the natural way of improving health which can result into betterment of life. However, it can only be beneficial if performed under right instructions given by an instructor. Many young enthusiasts are taking up yoga instructor as a career option.

One has to learn different techniques of yoga and its benefits to become an instructor. One should carry a high level of confidence and ability to motivate the clients to perform yoga and its different techniques.

Course cursor

One can undertake a professional qualification in the field of yoga at both under graduate and post graduate levels. Diploma and certificate level courses are also being offered by some universities and colleges. At times, specific qualification is not required. Instead, experience is counted in this field.

To become a yoga instructor, you have to have a PG diploma in yoga or at least a diploma. The course duration and eligibility is

Career prospects

You can choose a career in the field of research and training or can work as a yoga therapist to treat minor ailments and disorders by imparting coaching in yoga in resorts, gym, schools, housing societies and large organisations. Even TV channels hire proficient yoga trainers.

When it comes to holding classes, plan effectively and find out ways of cutting the clutter. With myriad yoga institutes churning out yoga trainers, learning the basics of yoga is not enough for you. True that it forms the edifice of training but, in order to compel people mark you with distinction, you need to sift through the hundreds of yoga exercises and decide on the poses that will particularly go on to prove more effective in the run.

It should be clear to you as to which poses are going to prove more beneficial at which time, and how to utilise them. You should be able to rate the poses selected by you according to the level of difficulty to master them. Thus you can decide yourself as to which particular poses need to be provided with tips to make them easier for beginners. Grading the poses in an appropriate way in the yoga class is of extreme importance.

You need to know when to open the yoga classes, how to make the necessary transitions in a smooth way, deciding on the high point or the 'apex point', and how and when to end the yoga class. You should be comfortable with the effective use of the yoga props. Pay heed in creating a fitting theme for your class. Preparation of a sample lesson plan can help you in a lot of ways. It can assist you in sorting things out, besides saving you from unnecessary confusions. Learn well the art of providing the students with verbal instructions well complimented by perfect demonstrations. Once you succeed in making them understand what the particular pose is all about and the functions that it perform, more than half your job is done. Adopt innovative techniques for rectifying mistakes made by the students. Spice your session with humour.

Where to study

Over the years, yoga has emerged as a popular career option in India. Promoting health consciousness among the young ones, numerous institutions all over India are now offering courses in yoga training. Some of the institutions include Yoga Vidya Gurukul, (Maharashtra), Mangalore University (Karnataka), Antahpragnya (New Delhi), Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth (Maharashtra), Dr. Harsingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (Madhya Pradesh), Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), MJP Rohilkhand University (Uttar Pradesh) Gujarat Ayurveda University, Jamnagar (Gujarat), Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University, (Uttar Pradesh) and Alagappa University, (Tamil Nadu).

So gear up to be a part of the glorious renaissance of yoga that brings about both longevity and serenity in your life besides scripting a great career … for you.

career compass: pr executive
Prosper with people skills

Public relations (PR) is a field that is concerned with maintaining public image for businesses, non-profit organisations or high-profile people, such as health professionals, celebrities and politicians etc.

A public relations officer (PRO) is the spokesperson of a company or any organisation. His role is to convey the policies and interests of the organisation to the public through various forms of media. The need for PRO can be found in almost all sectors, including advertising companies, health sector, government agencies, election commissions, etc. It is a very fine and sophisticated branch. If you are passionate about providing the best possible method to the highest raised standards to your clients and are excited by the idea of collaborating with like-minded peers and leaders in mind boggling job, then you can look at this career.

The main job of a public relation officer is to develop and maintain the reputation of the company or organisation. It is the responsibility of the PR officer to promote the products or services of the establishment he works in. He does this by organising press conferences, exhibitions, publishing articles in the newspaper or on the official website of the government department/company. When a company has to launch a new product, it is the job of the PR official to make arrangements to promote it. He has to plan promotional strategies, keeping the target audience in mind.

Workscape

A day of a PRO starts with:

• Reading newspapers and tracking client and industry coverage
• Meeting with team mates for the monthly plan and target completion
• Making branding strategies and story ideas for the clients
• Content writing - press releases, articles, press statements and then getting approval from client
• Client meeting
• Media follow ups

Remuneration

The remuneration varies widely from a Rs 15,000 to 20,000 to start with and might go up to any value with experence.

Skills required

The PR officer should be an outgoing person as he has to interact with lots of people, like, potential clients and also media persons.

It is necessary for a PR officer to have good writing and communication skills. She/he must have a good command over English, as one has to prepare publicity brochures, press releases, and newsletters for employees, handouts, company magazines, etc. They are also expected to keep the official website of the organisation up-to-date.

Getting in

To become a PR professional, one has to go through at least five years of rigorous training, a candidate must:

• Complete graduation (writing skills are very necessary)
• Complete post graduation or PG diploma in PR, which includes a thesis submission followed by clearing PG exam
• Practice during internship in any good PR firm

field in focus: BANKING
Managing money
Vishal Srivastava

The Indian banking industry has witnessed significant growth over the past few years. Today, banks have diversified their activities and are getting into new products and services that include opportunities in credit cards, consumer finance, wealth management, life and general insurance, investment banking, mutual funds, pension-fund regulation, stock-broking services, custodian services, private equity, etc. Along with this most of the leading Indian banks are going global and are setting up offices in foreign countries of their own or through their subsidiaries. So this sector is seeing tremendous growth which means increased employment opportunities. Though the sector has grown in India, still a large proportion of the population in India concentrated in rural areas is believed to be financially excluded from formalised credit markets. The banking sector's penetration in India is only 10%, and still 80-85% of the people don't use banking facilities.

Big cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore etc. have all the facilities but there is lot of untapped potential in rural market. Nowadays people have the disposable income and good purchasing power in the rural areas. International banks like ICICI, HDFC are setting up their branches in these areas to tap the market as there are a lot of opportunities in this segment. With the advent of core banking facility, the banking scenario in India has got a facelift. Service is the main differentiator in the banking sector. A lot of people are moving to banks that provide online service as it is more convenient. Interface has changed from physical to a virtual environment.

Training

There are various institutes that provide specialised courses in insurance and banking for one or two years. Students are generally taught the basics of banking and advanced form of banking.

Banking is a highly lucrative career because there is a lot happening in this sector. There are various branches like corporate banking, wholesale banking, retail banking, etc which one can get into.

Skill set

The banking sector in India has always been one of the most preferred avenues of employment. The first and foremost skill that is required in a candidate is that he should be comfortable with numbers and secondly he should be very receptive. Banking is a process-oriented industry and one needs to follow instructions and work according to the policies and procedures. Integrity and the power to acquire new customers are the other desirable skills that pay dividends in this sector. One advantage that this sector has is that candidates from any stream can enter this field. One just has to be comfortable with numbers. Banking has got space for everyone.

Entry level jobs

Entry level jobs in banking are about two things - one is handling operations, and the other is sales. In operations you have to be very receptive and process oriented as it is a very structured industry and everything has to be done keeping in mind the policies and procedures.

In sales a person needs a pleasant personality and should know how to interact with customers. The person also needs to have a good product knowledge base as he is the face of the bank.

Entry level people are important because banks have to extend their reach to get closer to customers.

Interview preparation

A job interview is your chance to show an employer what kind of employee he or she will get if he hires you. Preparing means knowing about the industry, the employer, and most importantly about yourself. Knowledge is always your best weapon and so you should arm yourself with plenty of it. There are a set of requisites like dedication and commitment etc which an employer looks for in a candidate. As the company invests a lot in providing training to the new recruits, it is obvious that it expects a lot in return from them through their performance. It is, thus, critical to assess one’s skills in various fields of education and knowledge before making a career choice. So analyse your strengths and weaknesses and work on them.

Role of a Finance Manager

Finance manager plays a very important role in any organisation. The main role of a finance manager is to allocate and manage funds. In layman's language it is like blood in our body without which one can't survive. A finance manager, thus, not only acts as a person who maintains accounts but also plays a major role in the management of portfolio, risk, cash and capital.

— The writer is Branch Head, Retail Banking with ICICI Bank. Courtesy: IIJT

smart strategy: making ideas work
Road to power decisions
Sound decision making is an art and a science that requires deliberation and years of practice
Swati Rai

Decision making is a skill that comes into play at all levels of policy and administrative management in a corporate. Be it hiring or firing employees, leading, managing clients, negotiating, or even the day-to-day operations of an organisation, taking decisions is the life blood of any goal-oriented business.

Core content

Making a decision implies making an informed choice from the many available to maximise the business outcome or productivity. Decision making is an integral part of any organisation and managerial function. It is by taking decisions that a manager recruits, leads, arranges and keeps control over the team. At all levels in the organisation senior as well as junior executives need to make decisions over matters under their jurisdiction.

It, thus, becomes imperative that the decisions taken by managers and executives at all levels are fool-proof and effective. A bad decision can cost an organisation heavily, therefore, one must be aware of the dynamics of the process of decision taking.

Use the following quick tips to make power decisions at work.

Professional ethos

A lot of money and time gets wasted when managers take decisions based on their “sixth sense” leading to a hasty and faulty decision.

Base your decisions on cold logic, facts and not on hearsay and worse still, rumours. People need data, whether it’s research, budgets, timelines, goals and profits. Always be ready with the data required so that you don’t cut a sorry figure in the crunch time. Be cautious of the cause-and-effect theory as appearances can be deceptive.

One by one

Decision making is a continuous process, don’t stop to and accumulate a backlog of decisions or worse still, sit on the fence. To narrow the focus of any disagreement on a decision taken by you, make sure that you divide your decision into parts. This will keep the post-decision discussions away from digressions. Think on different lines and analyse the problem at hand from all angles.

Negotiating decisions

Get an overall picture of the advantages and the disadvantages of a future decision by seeking advice from the team members and involving them in the process.

Include a few dissenters in your discussion team. This will ensure active and a more balanced discussion.

Brainstorm options and sometimes let a colleague, whose views you respect, develop an opposing argument to assess the validity of the same. Think strategically by considering what would be the short-term gain by giving up a long-term profit.

Change is a constant

Avoid choosing a status quo only because a change brings about a drastic overhaul. While discussing a previous decision that didn’t quite work out, you should not feel threatened. For a win-win outcome, take the opinion of colleagues, seniors, new recruit and also of your family to assist you in assessing and evaluating a prior decision. Take a mistake as a learning opportunity and not as a mark of failure.

Be precise

Clarity in thought and having an open discussions (barring on the sensitive issues) is the hallmark of a successful and sure manager.

Brainstorming on options available can be carried out either face-to-face or even virtually. Closed-door discussions invite trouble and greater opposition. Don’t be verbose or unintelligible in spoken word lest the real decision-making process gets muddled in a web of words. To avoid disenchantment of the team and to convey all facets of the issue requiring a decision, use as few words as possible.

Conveying well

Language used to convey the final proposal should be crisp and direct. Do not say “So what are your thoughts on the final proposal?” Instead say “Do you agree with the final decision or not?”

Don’t leave any gaps in communicating the answer required to avoid any confusions later.

Reviewing and recording To take an objective second look at your decision do so when you are calm and collected to avoid being wrong the second time.

Virtually or personally, it is important to keep a record of the decision arrived at. Having the decision in black and white will ensure a written code that cannot be questioned. It will create accountability and acceptability of the decision and also set a precedent to be compared and contrasted for future reference and improvements.

Have a Plan B

In a fluid business setting, it is important that a great manager or leader takes into account any last minute changes or also a complete overhaul and going to Plan B in a contingency.

Sound decision making is an art and a science that requires years of practice and deliberation. Apart from that, one needs to have a set of personality traits of co-operation, co-ordination, analytical ability, trustworthiness and a composed disposition, too. By following these steps one would notice recognisable and marked difference in the productivity levels at the organisation and also at a personal level. Good decision-making process and its outcome can increase the faith and trust between the employees and also acts as an incentive for them to take part in the process proactively.

Complete analysis

Review how, what and when of the issue at hand. Analyse the facts, figures, evidence and research that is shaping your final decision process. Keep your goals or objectives in mind, weigh the alternatives that you have and also assess the risks involved. Focus on how the decision is to be implemented.

— The writer is an English language and life skills trainer

The Virtual vortex

Technological advances have changed the canvas of workplaces tremendously. Having a virtual workforce is a relatively new phenomenon that many tech-savvy companies are embracing fast. Ravi Shankar, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, HCL Technologies ,talks about the mechanics of this new work culture and how the managers as well as employees can benefit from it:

What are the benefits and drawbacks of having virtual teams?

With the operations of most companies today becoming global, the key factor that differentiates an organisation from its competition and holds the key to success across such markets is their ability to foster an environment of innovation and creativity. The rationale behind the implementation of virtual teams is to negate the barrier of physical boundaries and allow teams situated in different parts of the world to come together and collaborate thereby leveraging new ideas and catering to different markets and customers at the same time. This technological boon has enabled organisations to identify and tap a bigger universe of talent pool within their organisation.

What goes into managing such teams and how is the process different?

Teams that are separated from each other by boundaries do tend to focus on cultivating and sustaining trust and transparency via diverse channels of communication at all times. First time social science (working in group) and Network word world merge in social network allowing teams to operate virtually in real time. It is essential for an organization to keep employees that are part of such teams motivated at all times by offering different kinds of performance incentives, regular acknowledgement of inputs as well as the scope for growth and development via internal guidance and training. The prime imperative of an organization to manage such teams must be to prevent the occurrence of any kind of misunderstandings within team members and have strong work ethics, clarity on goals along with a code of conduct on performance. Teams such as these regularly communicate through e-mails, video conferencing, webinars etc.

What does HR look for in employees while hiring for such work?

The modus operandi in virtual teams can pose a variety of challenges to employees associated with these teams solely due to the fact that it demands a lot of self determination and an optimistic frame of mind. It also requires an individual to possess the ability to work with liberty and not rely on any kind of assistance within the organisation.

What should employees working in such teams keep in mind?

Some of the most eminent features employees need to have while working in such teams are a perfect set of communication channels to be able to reach out and convey their messages to their colleagues with appropriate clarity and rationale since these members are situated across boundaries and the smallest of gaps can create the biggest of misunderstandings amongst their fellow team members

—As told to Geetu Vaid

Freedom of flexi timelines

Traditional 9-to-5 office hours are becoming a thing of the past, thanks to the changing and more relaxed attitude towards time-keeping by bosses and the widespread use of mobile technology, a new study has shown.

But while this may seem like good news for restless desk jockeys, it doesn't mean they are working fewer hours overall, according to the study by Washington-based data security and backup provider Mozy.

The research involving more than 1,000 employees from US, Britain, Germany, France and Ireland revealed that flexibility in office hours often results in employees working for more than 12 hours instead of the traditional eight hours.

It also found that 73 per cent of bosses have a relaxed attitude toward office hours, since they trust their staff is working long before they reached office, LiveScience reported. The average boss, it found, is willing to turn a blind eye to employees being up to 32 minutes late and let them spend a quarter of the week working from home. US employers take the most relaxed view, tolerating their staff turning up 37 minutes late in the day.

While the majority of employers don't mind when workers start their days later, they in turn expect flexibility from their employees to work outside of normal business hours, even as they wind down for the night.

The fluid approach to working hours means many employers are now comfortable with calling employees after-hours, with 80 per cent saying they think it's acceptable to call staff in the evening, it said.

The global results showed that the average person starts checking their work email at 7:42 am, gets into the office at 8:18 am, leaves the office at 5:48 pm, and stops working fully at 7:19 pm, meaning employees are "in work mode" for nearly 12 hours a day.

And the death knell for traditional office hours has been sounded by the mobile technology, with 75 percent of employers giving their employees the tools they need to get their jobs done wherever they are, the study found. "Workers everywhere are making the most of the technology available to them to build more flexibility for work and family," said Russ Stockdale, general manager of Mozy.

"Hard work isn't going unnoticed and mobile working and technology is having more of an impact on employer attitudes than people think. We can see from the research findings that we've come a long way towards work being 'a thing that you do,' rather than 'a place that you go.'" - Agencies

Happiness @ work
Gems of ancient wisdom
Oversmartness can ruin a good deal

In your greed for a little extra or due to your oversmartness, don’t end up losing a good bargain.

King Lalitaditya of Kashmir was on a winning spree when his army met the forces of King Yashovarman of Kanauj in 8th century AD. When Lalitaditya sent a message of peace, Yashovarman slighted his counterpart. Enraged, the ruler of Kashmir defeated Kanauj’s army and took its King captive.

The fame of Chinese scholar Hiuen Tsang had spread far and wide with a result that many Kings wanted to meet him. King Harsha of Kanauj and the King of Kamarupa desired an audience with the scholar at the same time. As the ruler of Kamarupa threatened to attack Nalanda — where Hiuen Tsang was stationed — if his wish was not fulfilled, the Chinese scholar went and stayed at Kamarupa for a month.

When Harsha’s turn came, the King of Kamarupa said, “Tell Harsha that he may take my head, but he cannot take the master from me.” In a few days, Harsha replied, “Send your head” making the King of Kamarupa chew his own words.

In 1874, Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata decided to start another cotton mill. He found a good site in Nagpur. As the land was in a low-lying area, he first needed money to raise its level. But sceptical private bankers offered no help saying, “He is putting money in the mud.” Finally, the Empress Mill opened on January 1, 1877, and made handsome profits.

During the freedom struggle, Indian students had started boycotting educational institutions run by the British. So Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das decided to start a college for them. But no trust was willing to fund his project. Das stuck to his guns and started the Gauriya Sarva Vidyayatan. Gandhiji inaugurated the college and Subhas Chandra Bose was its first Principal.

When Shamskhan, the Sultan of Nagaur, was deposed by his brother Mujahid, Shamskhan sought Rana Kumbha’s help. The Rana promised to help on the condition that part of the battlements of the Nagaur fort would be demolished. The Rana kept his word, but the Sultan didn’t. Instead, he strengthened the battlements. Rana Kumbha attacked Nagaur again and drove Shamskhan out.

When Sangram Shah, the Gond ruler of Garha, sent a proposal seeking the hand of princess Durgavati of Mahoba for his brave son Dalpat, the chief of Mahoba rejected it as Gonds were rulers of low origin. As Durgavati too admired Dalpat for his bravery, she sent him an SOS. On seeing the huge Gond army on the outskirts of Mahoba, Durgavati’s father gave his assent to the marriage.

In pursuit of everything, don’t end up with nothing.

— Sai R. Vaidyanathan

The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com

News board

Online test for finance course

The National Stock Exchange (NSE), in association with the National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM), will conduct online tests to enroll students for its post graduate programme in finance management (PGP-FM), a full-time residential programme, on June 30 and July 1, 2012, in New Delhi.

NSE has tied up with NIFM (Faridabad) to launch post graduate courses on financial markets. PGP-FM is a full time, residential programme for graduates and will be jointly certified by NSE and NIFM. For the full-time programme, the selection criteria will include - Academic Profile (20%), NIFM-NSE Online Test or CAT, MAT, XAT Score (50%) and Personal Interview (30%). Those candidates who do not have valid CAT/MAT/XAT score are required to appear for the online test conducted by NIFM-NSE. Interested candidates are required to register on the NSE website, www.nseindia.com.

The last date to apply for PGP-FM is June 25.

NIFM-NSE online test will be conducted in 12 cities including Delhi. Students can book the seat online in 4 time slots from 9am to 5pm.

Check out: www.nseindia.com and www.nfim.ac.in

IIT Mumbai tie up with SEC

IIT Mumbai has set up its first nodal centre in Punjab at Sachdeva Engineering College for Girls (SECG), Gharuan in Mohali district, to introduce and make available open source technology in computer science to engineering students in the state under the Ministry of Human Resource Development Project.

SECG has also taken the lead in collaborating with leading companies to provide its students hands-on training as well as opportunity to work by setting up an industrial park within the campus itself.

Sachdeva College already has three companies on board including India’s leading animation and visual effects institute, Frameboxx, and its production house ‘Tea Stall’ that has already engaged tem students for training who would be working on live-projects and later earning salary while still at the learning stage.

Another IT company, Drona Edutronics, has set up shop in the campus and would not only be paying stipend to the students working for them but also share 20 per cent of its net profit, too.

Scholarship roundup

Business thrust

Cardiff Business School offers international post-graduate scholarship for Indian students at UK. Five scholarships are available to Indian students enrolling on any of the school’s PG degree programmes. They will be awarded on merit, taking into account prior academic performance as well as the potential benefit of post graduate study and the scholarship award for both the scholar and his/her community.

Study subject(s): Business

Eligibility: India students enrolling on any of the school’s PG degree programmes. Students wishing to apply for this scholarship must submit a written application (300 words maximum) stating why they believe they are deserving of a scholarship.

Amount: Five scholarships of £4000 each

How to apply: E mail to Dr Fiona Davies, Director of Student Recruitment, Cardiff Business School at daviesfm@cardiff.ac.uk

Deadline: July 22, 2012.

Research path

For those with research enzymes active in their academic systems can take a shot at Government of India funded 3 PhD position under J C Bose Fellowship Project of DST at PSG Institute of Advanced Studies, Coimbatore, India.

Study subject(s): Ultra low friction and hydrophobic materials; Ultra high strength and ductile intermetallic based nanocomposites; Biodegradable magnesium alloys; Additive manufacturing

Course Level: PhD

Eligibility: M.Tech in metallurgy/mechanical/production engineering/nanotechnology or MSc. in material science/physics with a minimum of 60% having good academic record. Candidates having GATE/NET will be preferred.

How to apply: By post and email

Deadline: Contact employer

Campus placement

Galgotia's student gets Rs 50 lakh package

At Rs 50 lakh per annum, Naveen Kumar Goswami, B.Tech Computer Science final year student of Galgotias College of Engineering and Technology (GCET), Noida, has bagged the highest pay package in the college during this year's placements. The package offered to the 23-year-old Kumar is among the highest salary packages offered to students of private colleges in the region. According to Kumar the tech companies focus on how quickly one can solve a problem. The recruitment process began with a mail in May which was followed by four rounds of e-mail interviews before he was finally selected for the job which would require the student, who hails from Agra {UP}, to move to USA after finishing his engineering course at the college. Company will be providing him $ 7500 per month, food and lodging and various other benefits. Recently, he had represented the Southeast Asia region in the International Science Conference 2012 held in Russia. He had developed a Polynomial Time Algorithm on Minimum Vertex Cover Problem. His achievement has been considered of the highest honor in the field of mathematics and computer science. The Institute has published his research in the International Research Journal.

Companies like Infosys, Accenture, Daksh Technology, L&T Ltd. NIIT Technology, Tech. Mahindra, Huawei Telecom were part of the campus placement drive at the college this year.

152 GNIT students get offers

As many as 152 students of the Greater Noida Institute of Technology have been placed in the ongoing placement season for the class of 2011-12 in which 25 new companies took part.

Infosys Technologies Ltd. picked up students on the first day of the placement exercise offering package of Rs 3.25 lakh per annum, the highest domestic package Rs 6.1 lakh per annum has been offered by Samsung exceeding the average package of Rs 3.2 lakh

More than 28 companies have given opportunity to GNIT, with the first timers like Infosys, Syntel, Lurgi India, Kazstroy core engineering companies for mechanical, instrumentation, electrical, given package of Rs 3.6 lakh, HCL Comnet picked 18 students from Greater Noida, Sears IT & Management Services visited for pool campus. — TNS

Course cruising

The science of research

The University of Southampton's School of Ocean and Earth Science is inviting applications for its new MRes programme in Vertebrate Palaeontology. The programme is designed for graduates of biology, geology, environmental science and other relevant numerate disciplines, and offers students the chance to build on the background of their undergraduate degree while allowing advanced specialization in vertebrate palaeontology.

Duration: The Master of Research is a minimum of one and maximum of five year programme comprising mainly of research, but also containing taught modules exclusively delivered at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS).

Eligibility: Applicants with a minimum of an upper-second-class (2:1) Honours degree in biology, geology, environmental science or a similar subject are eligible.

IELTS 6.5 or equivalent is also required.

How to apply: Candidates can apply through the University of Southampton's online postgraduate application system.

Deadline: July 31, 2012.

Fee: £15,800

Check out: www.southampton.ac.uk/oes/postgraduate/taught_courses/ mres_in_vertebrate_palaeontology.page

Nuances of urban development

The Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS), a national education institution committed to the equitable, sustainable and efficient transformation of Indian settlements has launched of India's first inter-disciplinary, full-time, practice-based Programme for Working Professionals in Urban Development (PWP-UD).

The 21st century is a global urban century. India's own urban transition will add 300 million more urban residents by 2050, a critical challenge as well as an opportunity. This challenge can only be met by a new generation of urban practitioners with the right tools, perspectives and knowledge. IIHS programme will train these practitioners to address India's complex urban challenges.

The course: The PWP-UD is a full-time certificate programme intended for early and mid-career working professionals who want to augment their competencies and professional worth; add significant value to or change their career tracks. The PWP-UD 2012-13 will run from October, 2012 to June, 2013. This programme will provide an opportunity for urban practitioners to develop multiple skills and competencies; 'learn how to learn' and innovate in complex urban environments. This will be facilitated by a faculty of thought and practice leaders from the IIHS and its national and global networks and immersion in multiple urban contexts in India and abroad.

Duration: Eight months

Eligibility: All applicants must at least have a bachelor's degree (in any discipline) with at least three years of work experience; OR a master's degree (in any discipline) with at least two years of work experience; OR a PhD or be a Doctoral candidate with research and teaching experience directly relevant or applicable to urban issues.

Deadline: Applications open on July 2, 2012 and final acceptance will be announced on August 16, 2012.

Check out: www.iihs.co.in.

Employability Programmes

Centum U, an initiative of Centum Learning, has initiated the process of inviting applications for its employability programmes for the academic session 2012-13. On offer are two employability centric programmes namely, MBA Contemporary Management Practices and KPMG Course for Accounting Professionals.

The courses: The MBA - CMP programme will provide students with an advantage of going through a six months long industry internship. Upon successful completion of the internship, the students are awarded with CCIETM (Centum Certificate for Industry Employability). The additional industry exposure coupled with a certification substantially increases placement opportunities for the students due to their 'job ready' status.

The KPMG course for accounting professionals will offer best exposure opportunities into the field of accounting, through the hands of the professionals. The course has been designed to provide students with practical knowledge from various sub verticals within the field of accounting with an industry relevant guidance to prepare them for a career in accountancy. It further aims to equip the participants with basic concepts of International Accounting, Direct & Indirect taxes and Companies Act along with accounting in computerized environment.

Duration: Two years for MBA - CMP iand six months for the KPMG course.

Eligibility: Graduation with at least 50 per cent marks for the MBA course, and students pusuing their graduation and working professionals can apply for the KPMG Course for Accounting Professionals

How to apply: Application to the MBA - CMP programme requires purchase of a programme prospectus from the Centum U campus (or couriered upon request); while application to the KPMG in India's course requires filling of an application form at the campus as a preliminary step.

Check out: http://www.centumu.edu.in or www.centumlearning.com

Tech start

DPGITM, Engineering College, Gurgaon invites applications for its four-year full-time degree course in civil/mechanical/electrical/computer/ electronics & communication branches.

Eligibility: Class XII (science)/diploma holder can take admission directly in Second year (lateral entry). Candidates should have a valid AIEEE score.

How to apply: The admission brochure may be obtained from the institute against payment of Rs 500 or by sending a demand draft of Rs 500 drawn in favour of DPGITM payable at GURGAON.

Deadline: June 30, 2012

Check out: info@dpgitm.com and http://www.dpgitm.com/

Professional make-up training

Professional make up brand, Kryolan, is conducting special hands-on product orientation sessions and professional training modules like Airbrush Make-up, High Definition Make Up, Camouflage Make Up and Media Make Up.

Eligibility: The aspirant should preferably possess basic understanding and knowledge of make up to derive maximum benefit from the program.

Duration: The duration and cost of various training modules is different for every module.

How to apply: mail at kryolancitydelhi@gmail.com for further inquiries