5 Tips For The Leaders To Manage Change

“Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future” – John F. Kennedy

Quoted correctly here, this theory holds good for organisations as well. You can never see your company at a better position than yesterday till the time you are not adaptive enough towards the change that is happening around. One of the most challenging time to lead a team is when there is a transitional phase going on in the company. It is rightly said that change is the only constant thing in the world but sadly the resistance to change would always be there. People do not like to come out of their comfort zone and do something differently.

The other aspect of introducing change is that an environment of uncertainty is created amongst the employees which in turn creates an atmosphere of fear, low morale, and brings out the worst in people in terms of efficiency and productivity.  After completing your MBA from one of the top 10 MBA Colleges in Hyderabad, you can be faced with a similar situation. As a thoughtful leader if you can successfully address organizational change tactfully and immediately, not only will it minimize its negative effects on the organisation but would also create an environment of high productivity.

A guide by one of the MBA Colleges in Hyderabad, here is a list of 5 Tips that can help you manage the change in a better way:

1.Be Transparent

Keep your employees informed of each step and phase of the change in advance. This would eliminate the element of surprise thus giving you a buffer to mitigate the effects of change to a greater level. Keeping your team informed would make them feel a part of change and thus would increase the acceptability towards the change as well.

2. Be Excited

Change is good for both employees and companies and that is why it is introduced at the first place. Give your employees an assurance of security and also explain it to them how they fit into the picture. This would make them feel involved in the whole process and therefore would provide encouragement and positive vibes to them about the whole change. Asking them for their inputs in advance and collecting and inculcating regular feedback from your employees would make them feel a part of the entire process and hence would make them adapt to the change in the initial stage only.

3. Handle The Negative Aspects Smartly

Change can be harsh for some people and you need to be cautious while making them aware of it. Deliver all the hard news diplomatically and tactfully. Pick you timing and approach them smartly. Focus on the entire communication process and keep them informed of every update regarding the change.

4.  Set Expectations Beforehand

Defining expected results would create a level of expectation amongst the employees regarding what would be the end result of the change. Although this could not be definitive but would at least give time to your employees to adjust to whatever would be the outcome of the change.

5. Make Your Employees Feel Valued

Change is hard and those who were involved in any way in this change management, they need to applauded and recognised. This would make them feel valued during a tough transition and would keep them contented and satisfied.

What Is Stepladder Technique And How It Can Affect The Group Decision Making In The Company?

Decision making is a difficult process and is even more challenging when made in a group. The probability of conflict in a group decision making is very high as the everyone’s approach to a problem can be different. Some people may fight for recognition thereby overshadowing others in the process whereas a few might become over-critical or disruptive. Yet another category could be the ones who go into complete silence thereby leading to a loss in terms of idea generation.

You will find yourself in similar situations many a times once you have completed a degree from one of the top PGDM Colleges in Hyderabad. Dealing with such a situation can be a good learning experience. In your PG Diploma in Business Management, there would be a lot of projects that you would be doing in a group and hence you might come face to face with such a situation. Dealing with it in the right way can actually work wonders for you.  The Stepladder Technique is a useful method for ensuring a seamless group decision making.

What Is The Stepladder Technique?

It is a simple tool that was Developed by Steven Rogelberg, Janet Barnes-Farrell and Charles Lowe in 1992. It manages how various members enter the decision-making group and encourages all members to contribute to the decision making process on an individual level before they get influenced by anyone else. This technique helps in creating a wider variety of ideas and prevents people from "hiding" within the group. It also protects people from being "stepped on" by other louder members of the group.

The Stepladder Technique has five basic steps.

Step 1 : Before starting the group decision making activity, present the problem to each member individually. Give them sufficient amount of time to think of the possible solutions to the problem in hand.

Step 2 : Form a small or core group of two or three members and have them discuss the problem.

Step 3 : Add an additional group member to this core group and let him present the ideas to the former group. Let them discuss all the options before coming to a common solution.

Step 4 : Add on another member and let them come to a common solution. Repeat this process till the time you have covered all the members in the group.

Step 5 : Come to a final decision only when all the members have gotten a chance to present  their ideas.

The Stepladder Technique is a step-by-step approach that ensures equal participation where even the most shy and quiet members of the group also get a chance to present their ideas. It helps you ensure that all the members of a group are heard and no potential idea got left out. In this approach all the possible solution are put on the table and discussed and weighed without any bias.

4 Tips For Effectively Using Linkedin

Finding a job once you have completed your MBA from one of the Top MBA Colleges in Hyderabad is easier and faster when you exploit the full potential of LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a social network that has revolutionised the way people used to find jobs as well as the way companies used to find the right candidates.

LinkedIn is the most ideal social media platform for all professionals, but it is especially relevant and suitable for students doing MBA from one of the Best MBA Colleges in Hyderabad. Many big companies are frequently using the search tools provided by LinkedIn in order to identify the list of potential candidates having an MBA degree. Studies have shown that if you are found through LinkedIn, you are more likely to land an interview as compared to any other platform present online.

LinkedIn offers a lot of features that can help MBA students to find the companies who are seeking for the candidates matching their profile. So what exactly is the best way to use the features offered by LinkedIn in order to land your dream job. Here is a list of 4 tips that can help you maximise the appeal of your LinkedIn profile:

1. A Complete Profile

A complete profile ensures attention to detail thereby offering companies an opportunity to run a global assessment of all the potential candidates. In order to have a catchy profile, you need to develop an all-star profile. Look for examples and see which is the most sought-after profile by companies. The first and foremost thing to do in your profile is to upload a business-oriented profile photo, with all the relevant details of your skills. Clearly mention your educational background, as well as work experience in terms of roles and achievements. Summarise each role in clear job titles.

2. First Impressions Are Important!

Your LinkedIn profile is more or less like a formal introduction of yourself to the outside world.  In other words, it is the first impression that any company is going to have of you. Your profile  should open with a snapshot of your professional skills and personality. The summary/introduction section should clearly highlight your candidate’s strengths, using  clear and compelling communication style. This would not only help  capture the curiosity of recruiters but would also persuade them to continue reading and act on it.

3. Be Visible!

That is probably the first and the most basic rule of social media. Be visible. After all what is the point of having a good profile if it not being seen by people around.LinkedIn is a great way to establish yourself as a subject matter expert by writing on current topics in your industry and also contributing to other people’s posts in the form of comments. Companies often use Google to check out the list of potential candidates, so a search on your name should yield professional results. One perfect strategy in order to be found on Google search is to personalise your LinkedIn page URL with your name and surname.

4. Create A Network With MBA Alumni

Alumni is one of the best strategy to explore opportunities in the industry. LinkedIn is a great tool to find people from your college and connect with them. It would help you in two ways. Firstly it would help you connect with the oldest of the members of your college. Secondly it would open the doors of endless opportunities for you as you can approach various companies through referrals.

The 5 Whys Of Root Cause Analysis

Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is an often-used technique that is done in order to know why the particular problem happened at the first place. This technique is quite popular amongst analysts who try to identify the origin of a problem using a specific set of steps. There are a lot of tools associated with root cause analysis. Students doing PGDM in Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune etc get to learn this technique by various problem solving assignments and projects.

A basic assumption behind the RCA is that all systems and events are interrelated that is in order for an event to happen, there must be something in the current system that needs to be improved in order to make sure that it doesn’t happen again. In other words, any effect is the result of a chain of actions that has happened back to back that is an action in one area triggers an action in other area, which in turn triggered the action in other area and so on. RCA looks at all the causes and investigate the patterns of negative effects by discovering the specific actions and finding hidden flaws that lead to the problem.

PGDM Colleges in Hyderabad lay special stress on RCA and it’s 5 whys. Asking “why” to a problem is not an easy task. The technique of 5 whys  is used in identifying the root cause of the problem. The fundamental of this technique is very simple. You simply ask “why” five times. This helps in systematically peeling off the layers one by one and once all the layers of symptoms are stripped away, the root cause of the problem becomes crystal clear.

How to Conduct The 5 Whys?

A stepwise guide to following this technique is as follows:

Step 1 - Write down the problem on a clean sheet of paper. Even though you know the problem but writing it down adds that ensurance to the fact that everyone involved in the RCA are on the same page and there is no difference in opinion.

Step 2 - The next step is to ask why the problem happened in the first place. Write down all the possible answers  to this in the sheet of paper.

Step 3 - The next step is to dig deeper. Go through the answers you wrote down in step 2 and ask the why to these answers in order to understand the cause better.

Step 4 - Repeat the process till the time you are satisfied that you have uncovered the truth. Studies have shown that it usually takes 5 whys or  less to uncover the truth but if you are still not satisfied, you can always dig in deeper.

The technique of 5 whys are one of the most effective and simplest forms of troubleshooting a problem. Not only it helps you find the root cause to a problem but also helps in identifying the process to a much deeper level. You can use this technique in improving the quality of your organization’s process as well as in solving simple problems.

5 Simple Tips To Help Improve Your Decision Making

Decision making is the part and parcel of our lives. Everyday, we make a lot of decisions right from small everyday decisions to big business decisions. PGDM Diploma Courses are designed in order to train students in the art of decision making. PGDM Colleges focus on a long-term objective of improving the overall decision-making process of their students by laying down a well thought of training program. While your institute is working towards improving your decision making, you can follow these 5 simple tips at personal level:

1. Don't Delay

Simple decisions are easy to make. You can simply tick them off and have the feeling of accomplishment. The problem arises when the level of difficulty increases. Delaying such decisions can bring more harm than good. Difficult decisions need to be tackled on priority. Dedicate a focused block of time to it each day. Work through all the pros, cons, risks and realistic outcomes of your decision. Be prudent and realistic about tackling the problem in hand. The problem is not going to solve itself so it is better to take it up in priority and get it done with.

2. Shelve Ego And Emotion

Decision making process can be overwhelming at times as you become too personally invested in the whole process. It bothers you to think about the overall outcome of your decision and what impact, positive or negative, it will have on the future of the company. You need to shelve your emotions and ego while making the decision. Be practical about your decision and think rationally while going through the entire process.

3. Ask An Expert

A famous quote by Warren Buffet, “It’s good to learn from your mistakes. It’s better to learn from other people’s mistakes.” The decision which you are about to make has likely been made in the past. It is always good to ask an expert. While the problems in hand may be unique to you but it is highly probable that someone else must have gone through the same problem. The advice here is not to copy the entire solution but to improvise according to your problem. Seeking expert advice can be a good way to deal with the problem in hand.

4. Question Every Step Of The Process

The technique of “why” can be a great way in decision making as well. Question every step in your decision making process, the answers to which can help you become sure of your decision in the long run. Use research reports, industry trends, and seek experts in your field while building your strategy. Collect all the relevant data and try to make an informed decision. Take constant feedback from the stakeholders as well as experts in the field.

5. Plan For Doomsday

The final step to decision making is to note down the underlying risks of the decisions you make. In other words, plan for the doomsday. Give this process a bit of time to consider the absolute worst case scenarios. Ask yourself what exactly can go wrong in the decision you are making. Always have a backup plan to tackle such situations. No decision or solution to any problem could be 100 percent full proof. There would always be risks involved and taking these risks into consideration can be a good way of handling your decision making process.