KURSUS PENEGUHAN ORGANISASI

Pada 7 - 9 Jun yang lalu aku telah mengendalikan training utk 40 orang kakitangan IKBN Kemasek Terengganu dalam tajuk peneguhan organisasi. Antara modu yg disampaikan termasuklah Pengenalan Organisasi, Komunikasi, Pembinaan Pasukan, Kepemimpinan dan Kepengikutan.

6 Tips to Improve Your Time Management

6 Tips to Improve Your Time Management

For many managers, the clock is their biggest adversary. Finding enough time in the day to complete every necessary project can be difficult. But the old adage of “work smarter, not harder” is based on the concept of managing the minutes in your day more efficiently.

Control the Chaos: Become a Hero on the Job While Actually Working Fewer Hours!

Here are six tips to help you work toward that goal:
1. Create quiet times. Essentially, this is time when you block out all interruptions. Inform your staff that a certain time, say 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., is off-limits except for emergency questions. Or you can set aside quiet times on a case-by-case basis by posting something on your door. Chances are, if you create quiet times, your staffers will solve problems on their own more efficiently.

If quiet times aren’t an option, you can break away from interruptions by finding an empty office.

2. Handle paper only once. Productivity experts agree that the number one way to save time is to handle each piece of paper only once. If you pick up a piece of mail, deal with it right there. Act on it! Either toss it in the trash, file it for future reference in the appropriate place or hand it off.

If you read a memo, report or article and then hold it to deal with it later, you’re wasting time. The exception: when you put it in a reading file for those times when you’re waiting at an airport and have time to kill. If you’re not saving it for an otherwise wasted time, act on it immediately.

The same is true with e-mail and voice mail. When you read or listen to it, decide right then and there what to do with it. Don’t save it for a later date; that creates more work in the long run.

3. Limit the length of interruptions. Be honest with employees or co-workers who stop to chat or run on too long at a meeting. Don’t expect them to pick up on your subtle cues—like a door half shut or your frazzled look—that you’re on a tight deadline. State clearly that “I have to finish this project by noon; can we discuss this problem right after?”

Today’s corporate realities mean people are already stretched to the limit … and you certainly can’t work any harder. You need to be able to handle today’s increasing pressures without losing the things that are important to you. Regain control of your job and rekindle your love for your work...

4. Create a time log. Jot down what you do all day, in increments of 15 minutes, for a week or two. You’re looking for patterns of waste, interruptions that can be halted and tasks that can be delegated. This will help identify inefficiencies in your day.

Those informal conversations with co-workers can be valuable, but if they’re taking five hours out of your workweek, that’s more than 12 percent of your time! For time-management masters, a time log will help you further identify areas to curb.


5. Do what’s most important. Time management isn’t just doing more; it’s doing what’s important. Jotting down what you have to do isn’t enough, especially if it’s scattered on sticky notes.

You also need more than a list of what needs to be done. The most important part of time management is identifying what’s important: to you, your boss, your staff and the organization. Use that to decide what to tackle, and do it when you have your best boost of energy, such as first thing in the morning.

6. Stop working in crisis mode. If it seems like you’re always putting out fires, here are some tips to stop that cycle:

Set realistic deadlines. Many crises occur because people rush through their work to make tight deadlines. So, when you’re involved in setting time frames for big projects, add a cushion to allow for emergencies that will inevitably arise.

Prevent recurring ‘emergencies.’ If you encounter the same emergencies over and over, find a way to fix them for good. If an employee keeps making the same mistake, hold him or her accountable with a progressive-discipline deadline. If a vendor keeps getting your order wrong, start searching for a new vendor.

Let employees solve the problem. Your job as manager isn’t to dive in and automatically take over the moment a crisis occurs. It’s usually best to guide employees to their own solutions. If you give them the opportunity to fix a problem, they’ll learn how to stave off problems in the future.

There’s no single magic bullet that will erase your work-related stress. Instead, a series of little steps—like the ones listed in Control the Chaos—can work even better. Dozens of easy-to-use strategies will help you:

o Speed through today’s – and every day’s – to-do list
o Organize your day to carve out more personal time
o Boost teamwork without spending money
o Learn secrets for NEVER missing deadlines or details
o Use mental training techniques to stay in top form
o Handle this morning’s e-mail and voice messages in less than 10 minutes
o Learn how to say “no” and still delight your boss
o Delegate more effectively to improve your own job performance
o Use creative thinking to put out fires faster and easier
o Keep difficult colleagues from sabotaging your priorities
o Recruit allies throughout your company to help control the chaos

10 Principles for Peace of Mind

10 Principles for Peace of Mind


1. Do Not Interfere In Others’ Business Unless Asked:

Most of us create our own problems by interfering too often in others’ affairs. We do so because somehow we have convinced ourselves that our way is the best way, our logic is the perfect logic and those who do not conform to our thinking must be criticized and steered to the right direction, our direction. This thinking denies the existence of individuality and consequently the existence of God.. God has created each one of us in a unique way. No two human beings can think or act in exactly the same way. All men or women act the way they do because God within them prompts them that way. Mind your own business and you will keep your peace.


2. Forgive And Forget:

This is the most powerful aid to peace of mind. We often develop ill feelings inside our heart for the person who insults us or harms us. We nurture grievances. This in turn results in loss of sleep, development of stomach ulcers, and high blood pressure. This insult or injury was done once, but nourishing of grievance goes on forever by constantly remembering it. Get over this bad habit. Life is too short to waste in such trifles. Forgive &Forget, and march on. Love flourishes in giving and forgiving.


3. Do Not Crave For Recognition:

This world is full of selfish people. They seldom praise anybody without selfish motives. They may praise you today because you are in power, but no sooner than you are powerless; they will forget your achievement and will start finding faults in you. Why do you wish to kill yours if in striving for their recognition? Their recognition is not worth the aggravation. Do your duties ethically and sincerely.


4. Do Not Be Jealous:

We all have experienced how jealousy can disturb our peace of mind. You know that you work harder than your colleagues in the office, but sometimes they get promotions; you do not. You started a business several years ago, but you are not as successful as your neighbor whose business is only one year old. There are several examples like these in everyday life. Should you be jealous? No. Remember everybody’s life is shaped by his /her destiny, which has now become his/her, reality. If you are destined to be rich, nothing in the world can stop you. If you are not so destined, no one can help you either. Nothing will be gained by blaming others for your misfortune. Jealousy will not get you anywhere; it will only take away your peace of mind.


5. Change Yourself According To The Environment:

If you try to change the environment single-handedly, the chances are you will fail. Instead, change yourself to suit your environment. As you do this, even the environment, which has been unfriendly to you, will mysteriously change and seem congenial and harmonious.


6. Endure What Cannot Be Cured:

This is the best way to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Every day we face numerous inconveniences, ailments, irritations, and accidents that are beyond our control. If we cannot control them or change them, we must learn to put up with these things. We must learn to endure them cheerfully. Believe in yourself and you will gain in terms of patience, inner strength and will power.


7. Do Not Bite Off More Than You Can Chew:

This maxim needs to be remembered constantly. We often tend to take more responsibilities than we are capable of carrying out. This is done to satisfy our ego. Know your limitations. . Why take on additional loads that may create more worries? You cannot gain peace of mind by expanding your external activities. Reduce your material engagements and spend time in prayer, introspection and meditation. This will reduce those thoughts in your mind that make you restless. Uncluttered mind will produce greater peace of mind.


8. Meditate Regularly:

Meditation calms the mind and gets rid of disturbing thoughts. This is the highest state of peace of mind. Try and experience it yourself. If you meditate earnestly for half an hour everyday, your mind will tend to become peaceful during the remaining twenty-three and half-hours. Your mind will not be easily disturbed as it was before. You would benefit by gradually increasing the period of daily meditation. You may think that this will interfere with your daily work. On the contrary, this will increase your efficiency and you will be able to produce better results in less time.


9. Never Leave The Mind Vacant:

An empty mind is the devil’s workshop. All evil actions start in the vacant mind. Keep your mind occupied in something positive, something worthwhile. Actively follow a hobby. Do something that holds your interest. You must decide what you value more: money or peace of mind. Your hobby, like social work or religious work, may not always earn you more money, but you will have a sense of fulfillment and achievement. Even when you are resting physically, occupy yourself in healthy reading or mental chanting of God’s name.


10. Do Not Procrastinate And Never Regret:

Do not waste time in protracted wondering ” Should I or shouldn’t I?” Days, weeks, months, and years may be wasted in that futile mental debating. You can never plan enough because you can never anticipate all future happenings. Value your time and do the things that need to be done. It does not matter if you fail the first time. You can learn from your mistakes and succeed the next time. Sitting back and worrying will lead to nothing. Learn from your mistakes, but do not brood over the past. DO NOT REGRET. Whatever happened was destined to happen only that way. Why cry over split milk?

Merahbian Communication Model

Professor Albert Mehrabian's communications model

Professor Albert Mehrabian has pioneered the understanding of communications since the 1960s. He received his PhD from Clark University and in l964 commenced an extended career of teaching and research at the University of California, Los Angeles. He currently devotes his time to research, writing, and consulting as Professor Emeritus of Psychology, UCLA. Mehrabian's work featured strongly (mid-late 1900s) in establishing early understanding of body language and non-verbal communications.

Aside from his many and various other fascinating works, Mehrabian's research provided the basis for the widely quoted and often much over-simplified statistic for the effectiveness of spoken communications.
Here is a more precise (and necessarily detailed) representation of Mehrabian's findings than is typically cited or applied:

• 7% of message pertaining to feelings and attitudes is in the words that are spoken.
• 38% of message pertaining to feelings and attitudes is paralinguistic (the way that the words are said).
• 55% of message pertaining to feelings and attitudes is in facial expression.

The following is a more common and over-simplified interpretation of Mehrabian's findings, which is quoted and applied by many people to cover all communications - often without reference to Mehrabian, although Mehrabian's work is the derivation.
It is understandable that many people prefer short concise statements, however if you must use the simplified form of the Mehrabian formula you must explain the context of Mehrabian's findings. As a minimum you must state that the formula applies to communications of feelings and attitudes.
Here's the overly-simplistic interpretation. Where you see or use it, qualify it, in proper context.

• 7% of meaning in the words that are spoken.
• 38% of meaning is paralinguistic (the way that the words are said).
• 55% of meaning is in facial expression.

Other important contextual and qualifying details are:
Mehrabian did not intend the statistic to be used or applied freely to all communications and meaning.

Mehrabian provides this useful explanatory note (from his own website www.kaaj.com/psych, retrieved 29 May 2009):

"...Inconsistent communications - the relative importance of verbal and nonverbal messages: My findings on this topic have received considerable attention in the literature and in the popular media. 'Silent Messages' [Mehrabian's key book] contains a detailed discussion of my findings on inconsistent messages of feelings and attitudes (and the relative importance of words vs. nonverbal cues) on pages 75 to 80.

Total Liking = 7% Verbal Liking + 38% Vocal Liking + 55% Facial Liking
Please note that this and other equations regarding relative importance of verbal and nonverbal messages were derived from experiments dealing with communications of feelings and attitudes (i.e., like-dislike). Unless a communicator is talking about their feelings or attitudes, these equations are not applicable. Also see references 286 and 305 in Silent Messages - these are the original sources of my findings..."
(Albert Mehrabian, source www.kaaj.com/psych, retrieved 29 May 2009)

The 'Mehrabian formula' (7%/38%/55%) was established in situations where there was incongruence between words and expression.

That is, where the words did not match the facial expression: specifically in Mehrabian's research people tended to believe the expression they saw, not the words spoken.

Regards,
Global ISO Team

Team Building Definition

Dear Readers,

What is the "Team Building"?
Two or more individuals who share agreed goals and processes and voluntarily contribute their professional and personal skill, knowledge and abilities to achieve team results and align their self-interests with the team.

What is TEAM BUILDING from other point of view?
A process of planned/deliberate enhancements.
Involves the team assessing and taking action.
Focuses on building strengths and diminishing weakness.


Teams need to master 3 types of communication:-
•The teams members need to communicate well with each other. They rely on each other’s work they are each other’s internal customers.
•The team needs to communicate well with other team at work. These are also internal customers.
•The team has to communicate directly with their external customers.
The first skill of team communication is to communicate well with each other. However, many people are good at talking but poor at listening. Active listening requires the following.
•Taking in information from speakers, other people, or ourselves, while being non-judgmental and empathic.
•Acknowledging the talker in a way that invites the communication to continue.
•Providing limited, but encouraging, input to the talker’s response, carrying the person’s idea one step further.
•An active rather than a passive role.
•A skill that requires discipline and practice.


Guidelines for Improving Listening Skills:

Decide to listen
-Make a conscious effort to limit your talking to one minute or less; then ask a question of the other person. During a discussion, think about how well you’re listening. After a discussion, evaluate how well you listened.

Give your undivided attention
-Discipline yourself to practice focusing full attention on what the other person is saying. Remember that people disliked being ignored.


Control your emotions
-Don’t let your emotions close your mind. Anger, excitement, and anxiety all get in the way of good listening. Acknowledge your emotion; ask for a break and calm down.


Listen for meaning
-Listen beyond the facts for meaning. Ask yourself, “ What is this person really trying to say?”. Probe for clarification or to draw out the real message


Regards,
Global ISO Team

Outdoor Team Building: Bruce Tuckman - 4 Stages Teamwork Model

Outdoor Team Building: Bruce Tuckman - 4 Stages Teamwork Model

Bruce Tuckman - 4 Stages Teamwork Model

Tuckman's – Forming, Storming, Norming & Performing Four-stage model

The progression is:
-Forming
-Storming
-Norming
-Performing

Here are the features of each phase:

Forming - stage 1
High dependence on leader for guidance and direction. Little agreement on team aims other than received from leader. Individual roles and responsibilities are unclear. Leader must be prepared to answer lots of questions about the team's purpose, objectives and external relationships. Processes are often ignored. Members test tolerance of system and leader. Leader directs (similar to Situational Leadership® 'Telling' mode).

Storming - stage 2
Decisions don't come easily within group. Team members vie for position as they attempt to establish themselves in relation to other team members and the leader, who might receive challenges from team members. Clarity of purpose increases but plenty of uncertainties persist. Cliques and factions form and there may be power struggles. The team needs to be focused on its goals to avoid becoming distracted by relationships and emotional issues. Compromises may be required to enable progress. Leader coaches (similar to Situational Leadership® 'Selling' mode).

Norming - stage 3
Agreement and consensus is largely forms among team, who respond well to facilitation by leader. Roles and responsibilities are clear and accepted. Big decisions are made by group agreement. Smaller decisions may be delegated to individuals or small teams within group. Commitment and unity is strong. The team may engage in fun and social activities. The team discusses and develops its processes and working style. There is general respect for the leader and some of leadership is more shared by the team. Leader facilitates and enables (similar to the Situational Leadership® 'Participating' mode).

Performing - stage 4
The team is more strategically aware; the team knows clearly why it is doing what it is doing. The team has a shared vision and is able to stand on its own feet with no interference or participation from the leader. There is a focus on over-achieving goals, and the team makes most of the decisions against criteria agreed with the leader. The team has a high degree of autonomy. Disagreements occur but now they are resolved within the team positively and necessary changes to processes and structure are made by the team. The team is able to work towards achieving the goal, and also to attend to relationship, style and process issues along the way. team members look after each other. The team requires delegated tasks and projects from the leader. The team does not need to be instructed or assisted. Team members might ask for assistance from the leader with personal and interpersonal development. Leader delegates and oversees (similar to the Situational Leadership® 'Delegating' mode).

Tuckman's fifth stage - Adjourning
Bruce Tuckman refined his theory around 1975 and added a fifth stage to the Forming Storming Norming Performing model - he called it adjourning, which is also referred to as Deforming and Mourning. Adjourning is arguably more of an adjunct to the original four stage model rather than an extension - it views the group from a perspective beyond the purpose of the first four stages. The Adjourning phase is certainly very relevant to the people in the group and their well-being, but not to the main task of managing and developing a team, which is clearly central to the original four stages.

Adjourning - stage 5
Tuckman's fifth stage, adjourning, is the break-up of the group, hopefully when the task is completed successfully, its purpose fulfilled; everyone can move on to new things, feeling good about what's been achieved. From an organizational perspective, recognition of and sensitivity to people's vulnerabilities in Tuckman's fifth stage is helpful, particularly if members of the group have been closely bonded and feel a sense of insecurity or threat from this change. Feelings of insecurity would be natural for people with high 'steadiness' attributes (as regards the 'four temperaments' or DISC model) and with strong routine and empathy style (as regards the Benziger thinking styles model, right and left basal brain dominance).

Regards,
Global ISO Team