Home ›› 26 Oct 2021 ›› Editorial
We often complain or crib about the work pressure and how it is affecting our health and personal lives. “ The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities”. Stephen Covey, the author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People once said this. In fact, life is all about setting up our own priorities and set a timeline to complete those activities. It’s true that the external factors are not always favourable to self in getting the works done. That is why we need to prioritise our activities considering all these external factors and match with our internal capabilities for successful completion of the task. This is equally applicable for professional or business and personal life of the self as well. In 1926, Henry Ford, the man at the helm of the Ford Motor Company, shut down his seven-day automotive factories for two days a week — giving rise to the foundation of the five-day workweek in North America. “Just as the eight-hour day opened our way to prosperity, so the five-day week will open our way to a still greater prosperity,” Ford famously mused. He said his strategy was to give workers an extra day of recreation, which would create the need to purchase more goods, including vehicles. In 1940, the 40-hour workweek was mandated nationally across the United States along with the two-day weekend. Canada and other countries followed suit. As the Covid pandemic forced offices and all kinds of workplaces across the country to re-examine how and when we work, momentum for the four-day workweek movement is building. Some employers are calling into question whether it still makes sense that the modern-day 9-to-5 grind is modelled on a structure designed for the needs of factory workers from the early 1900s. There are proponents for making a 4 days work week across the globe specially emphasising the work flow during the pandemic situation when the idea of ‘Work from Home’ got popular. While the employees could enjoy much free time and the employers can cut down the operating expenses. However, this concept may be meaningful for employees working in government or back-office employees in the developed world but certainly not suitable for developing or under developed economies where the human interaction is key.
Peter Drucker (1909-2005) was one of the most widely-known and influential thinkers on management, whose work continues to be used by managers worldwide. He was a prolific author, and among the first (after Taylor and Fayol) to depict management as a distinct function and being a manager as a distinct responsibility. His writing showed real understanding of and sympathy for the difficulties and demands faced by managers.Throughout his long career he has had interests as diverse as journalism, art appreciation, mountaineering, reading - drawing inspiration from the works of Jane Austen - and, of course, management teaching, writing and consultancy. Peter Georg Ferdinand Drucker was born in Vienna in 1909 to a high-achieving, intellectual family and was surrounded, in his early years, by the cultural elite which characterised pre-war Vienna. He commenced studies at the University of Hamburg but transferred to the University of Frankfurt where he obtained a Doctorate in Public and International Law in 1931. The period 1950-1972 was a time of prolific writing, teaching and consulting activity while he was Professor of Management at New York University Graduate School of Business. From 1971 to 2002 he was the Marie Rankin Clarke Professor of Social Science and Management at the Graduate School in Claremont. In 1994 he was named Godkin Lecturer at Harvard University. Drucker held decorations from the governments of Austria and Japan as well as 22 honorary doctorates from universities in Belgium, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the USA. With 39 books published over seven decades (and translated into at least 30 languages) and many books written about him since his death, Drucker was, by common consent, the founding father of modern management studies. Drucker's management writings were phenomenal in their coverage and impressive in their clarity. With more than 33 books to his credit, we can only provide a snapshot of his thinking here. His earlier works made a significant contribution to establishing what constitutes management practice; his later works tackle the complexities - and the management implications - of the post-industrial 1980s and beyond. It is that range and development that we have tried to represent in our comments on the books covered here. The theme through which Drucker suggested for effective management include
While it's important that employees respect you as their manager, they shouldn't feel that they're below you. Every worker should have the opportunity to speak up and share ideas with their team, whether it's during staff meetings or one-on-one conferences.
When workers are treated as equals, they're more confident and motivated in their work, which benefits the company as much as it benefits them. Talk to each employee as though their role is as necessary as yours (because it is), and remind them that they have a say in the organization.
Encourage collaboration : Collaboration is a crucial part of every organization. Rather than pitting employees against each other, or fostering an environment where employees keep to themselves, urge them to work together by sharing ideas, tips and guidance.
This doesn't mean your employees shouldn't work individually, but they shouldn't feel like they can't ask for help or inspiration from others. Your staff should feel like a team, and you should serve as their coach.
To ensure you're continuing to prioritize productivity, utilize the concept of MBO, a process that calls for workers of all levels to work together to reach a common goal.
Boost innovation. : You want your workers to be confident and willing to take risks. Create an innovative atmosphere and lead by example, showing your employees that mistakes are not shortcomings.If your team sees that you're human, that effort does not always lead to success, they'll feel more comfortable risking failure. Be transparent with them, support their ideas and never punish creativity. These goals should be SMART, or specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-oriented. Call your team together and discuss your SMART goals to ensure everyone is on the same page and understands their part in the overall objectives of the organization.
Setting the priorities and time bound delivery of the tasks is important. Keeping this mind we also need to take time off to ensure our physical and mental well being. This will ensure our vigour to complete the future assignments be it a business, professional, family or matter of self interest.
Declutter To Balance : Decluttering is the most crucial task to get started with. A clutter free life is a stressed free life. One of the most important strategies to improve work life balance. Your office desk, your email list, pending files, the pile of clothes at home, your mind–everything needs to be neatly sorted. If you fail to declutter your house, you will inevitably clutter up your life.
Lose Your Perfection Parameters : Constant perfection is overrated. Don’t pressurize yourself to be the best at everything you do. However, letting go of perfection parameters is not the same as doing your tasks half-heartedly. The message is to not overburden and over-stretch yourself. Give it your best shot but if you fail to make it happen exactly the way you wanted, don’t feel guilty.
Share For Self-Care : You need to make your colleagues and superiors understand your point of view. Make them realize that a small-time would not only create a positive difference to the outcome of your task but also create a healthy work environment. At home, you can delegate tasks to your family members and hire domestic help as well.
Also, there are times when you will have to prioritize your responsibilities at home. For such times you can ask your employer to let you work from home or allow you to have flexible shifts at work. Contemplate upon the options available to you.
Be attentive towards such changes and be ready with your best plan to settle the differences in such timelines. Know when you are needed where the most, and customize your schedule accordingly
Every once in a while, take some time out just for yourself. Practice self-affirmations. Write down all your professional and personal achievements, however small. It will give you confidence and help you get ready for upcoming challenges.
Use Technological Tools To Make Work Easier : There are many apps and software that can help you track your goals, improve focus, help you boost your productivity, or assist you in many ways to get things done quicker. A plethora of such aids is available.
From now onwards let’s take things easy and enjoy the journey called life
The writer is MD and CEO of Community Bank
