Professional behavior

THIS behavior is dynamic – eager to learn, grow, change, develop and improve; responsible – think, feel and act accountable for work, make good use of time, systematize, organize, seek feed-back, follow-up; and ethical – moral uprightness, practice the virtues of charity, humility, industriousness, justice, cheerfulness. Sound impossible? It is possible!

We undertake and can sustain our professional efforts when we acquire and continually recommit ourselves to positive work attitudes (I’ve always been writing on positive work attitudes; the latest was “Conducting Effective Meetings” last February 8, 2012); exercise leadership to serve and guide others, acquire and implement effective communication skills which transmit truth in an atmosphere of sincerity and trust and understand the authentic use of authority.

Professionals set the example. But be aware that it’s impossible to motivate everyone. You just can’t motivate some people. Employees should be evaluated on whether they reached planned objectives. Each objective would include standards of performance. This method takes the uncertainty out of performance appraisals. Both the employee and the supervisor know exactly how the employee is doing because the evaluation is based on facts rather than on the supervisor’s personal impressions.

Another important thing, it is advisable we avoid unproductive behavior or deal with them like the following intractable inefficiency:

Buck-passing behavior. In today’s complex managerial environment, it’s becoming increasingly important to avoid even minor errors. Buck-passing can be a symptom of a supervisor’s failure to delegate responsibility correctly or to define responsibilities clearly. Formal policy and procedures manuals that define responsibility would eliminate some of this buck-passing. Service failures can be expensive. The lowered image of the company results in decreases in sales volume plus the cost of the immediate replacement of the service.

Bottleneck behavior. A bottleneck is someone or something that stops the flow of work. It often results in employees’ inactivity while they wait for the bottleneck to clear. The causes could be attributable to either the design of the workflow or the employee’s personal work habits. If you suspect poor design of the workflow, try this simple test. Have another employee assume the duties of the employee in the problem area. If there’s still a bottleneck after a period of training, make changes in the work-flow arrangement.

Bottleneck employees typically have the following characteristics: tendency to be derailed by relatively minor problems, not enough training, low decision-making capability, ignorance of productivity requirements, lack of team-member identity, job insecurity, unusual fear of making mistakes and incompatibility with co-workers leading to lack of collaboration. Some coaching, coupled with reduction of tension, may free the employee to move faster.

Error-prone behavior. No matter how well the system is designed, the human factor must be considered. The following conditions may be at fault: inadequate job training, limited written instructions, too many subordinates reporting to one supervisor, too few intermediate levels of supervision, dull work environment, employees bored with their jobs, no studies done to determine error causes and high employee turnover rate.

To reinforce dignity of workmanship, don’t let employees describe their positions as “just a janitor” or just a receptionist.” Be ready to explain their importance to the smooth running of your company.

Daydreamer behavior. We all daydream but some people do it in excess to a point where it results in low productivity, errors and accidents. Robotic-like duties invite daydreaming. Where varied types of work proceed through a section, it’s advisable to use job rotation to alleviate monotony. Adding flexibility in the method of performing the job will allow the employees to decide how to handle individual steps. Make every effort to remove monotony in the work environment to increase alertness.

Time-waster behavior. Excessive personal telephone calls, coffee-lunch break and absenteeism interrupt the flow of work. Only a conscientious effort on the part of supervisory personnel will segregate those who occasionally abuse privileges from those who consistently do so. Despite supervisory efforts, some employees will continue to abuse privileges. This warrants formal disciplinary action. In turn, the supervisor should recognize the sacrifices made by good employees. Such employees are assets of the company.

Poor housekeeping behavior. Excessive untidiness can result in missing records or files, lost or misplaced tools or equipment, high supply costs, improper mix of parts and inventory, contamination of the product, high scrap and reworking costs, a poor balance of finished products in inventory, high machine downtime, a poor safety record, low employee morale and reluctance to work overtime and discipline problems and labor turnover. Motivate your employees to maintain a tidy work area by your example.

Dishonest behavior. Usually, employees who are constantly dishonest are unsatisfactory employees and for other reasons as well. However, if management removes some of the temptations, they’ll have fewer loses. Having only one or two people in charge of the company office supplies is one way of cutting down on pilfering. Having employees sign for stationery and equipment is another.

We now have the tools that will improve our relationships with staff, superiors, co-workers and clients. We pray this lead us to better assignments, promotions, more managerial responsibility, overall improvement in employee’s morals and to handle our clients more effectively. The more confident we are, the more we can bring more energy and enthusiasm to all aspects of our life. We will prepare for more success because more success will inevitably follow!

(Send comments to dr.nirmla_motoomull@yahoo.com)