Hyderabad rocked..! rocked with blood
leaving around many injured and many dead
shocked people running here and there
gory scenes of blood stewn every where
for what purpose is this bloodshed
cant we all be bonded by a common thread
let us spare a thought for those families
who just moments before were living happily,
innocent lives men,women,students, little chileren
resulting in sadistic joy for few people with evil intention
what are they trying to prove, by this act of cowardice
for they are mistaken,cos,people in hyderabad are very wise
no matter what ever these terrorist do, how hard they try
we are hyderabaadis and spirit of hyderabad will never die .
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Happiness..!
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.Days and weeks passed.One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.
She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.
"Epilogue: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy
Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.Days and weeks passed.One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.
She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.
"Epilogue: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy
Monday, August 20, 2007
Life is a do-it-yourself project
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer, a building contractor, of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.
His employer was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but it was easy to see that his heart was no longer in his work. He had lost his enthusiasm and had resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.
When the carpenter finished his work and his boss came to inspect the new house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."
What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.
So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built for ourselves.
If we had realized, we would have done it differently.
Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.
The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Who could say it more clearly?
Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Journey to hell .. A good story
One day while walking down the street a highly successful Human Resources Manager was tragically hit by a bus and she died. Her soul arrived up in heaven where she was met at the Pearly Gates by St. Peter himself. "Welcome to Heaven," said St. Peter.
"Before you get settled in though, it seems we have a problem. You see,strangely enough, we've never once had a Human Resources Manager make it this far and we're not really sure what to do with you." "No problem, just let me in," said the woman.
"Well, I'd like to, but I have higher orders. What we're going to do is let you have a day in Hell and a day in Heaven and then you can choose whichever one you want to spend an eternity in." "Actually, I think I've made up my mind, I prefer to stay in Heaven", said the woman "Sorry, we have rules..." And with that St. Peter put the executive in an elevator and it went down-down-down to hell.
The doors opened and she found herself stepping out onto the putting green of a beautiful golf course. In the distance was a country club and standing in front of her were all her friends - fellow executives that she had worked with and they were well dressed in evening gowns and cheering for her. They ran up and kissed her on both cheeks and they talked about old times. They played an excellent round of golf and at night went to the country club where she enjoyed an excellent steak and lobster dinner. She met the Devil who was actually a really nice guy (kind of cute) and she had a great time telling jokes and dancing. She was having such a good time that before she knew it, it was time to leave. Everybody shook her hand and waved goodbye as she got on the elevator.
The elevator went up-up-up and opened back up at the Pearly Gates and found St. Peter waiting for her. "Now it's time to spend a day in heaven," he said. So she spent the next 24 hours lounging around on clouds and playing the harp and singing. She had great time and before she knew it her 24 hours were up and St. Peter came and got her. "So, you've spent a day in hell and you've spent a day in heaven. Now you must choose your eternity," The woman paused for a second and then replied, "Well, I never thought I'd say this, I mean, Heaven has been really great and all, but I think I had a better time in Hell.
" So St. Peter escorted her to the elevator and again she went down-down-down back to Hell. When the doors of the elevator opened she found herself standing in a desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. She saw her friends were dressed in rags and were picking up the garbage and putting it in sacks.
The Devil came up to her and put his arm around her "I don't understand," stammered the woman, "yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a country club and we ate lobster and we danced and had a great time. Now all there is a wasteland of garbage and all my friends look miserable."
The Devil looked at her smiled and told..."Yesterday we were recruiting you,today you're an Employee"
"Before you get settled in though, it seems we have a problem. You see,strangely enough, we've never once had a Human Resources Manager make it this far and we're not really sure what to do with you." "No problem, just let me in," said the woman.
"Well, I'd like to, but I have higher orders. What we're going to do is let you have a day in Hell and a day in Heaven and then you can choose whichever one you want to spend an eternity in." "Actually, I think I've made up my mind, I prefer to stay in Heaven", said the woman "Sorry, we have rules..." And with that St. Peter put the executive in an elevator and it went down-down-down to hell.
The doors opened and she found herself stepping out onto the putting green of a beautiful golf course. In the distance was a country club and standing in front of her were all her friends - fellow executives that she had worked with and they were well dressed in evening gowns and cheering for her. They ran up and kissed her on both cheeks and they talked about old times. They played an excellent round of golf and at night went to the country club where she enjoyed an excellent steak and lobster dinner. She met the Devil who was actually a really nice guy (kind of cute) and she had a great time telling jokes and dancing. She was having such a good time that before she knew it, it was time to leave. Everybody shook her hand and waved goodbye as she got on the elevator.
The elevator went up-up-up and opened back up at the Pearly Gates and found St. Peter waiting for her. "Now it's time to spend a day in heaven," he said. So she spent the next 24 hours lounging around on clouds and playing the harp and singing. She had great time and before she knew it her 24 hours were up and St. Peter came and got her. "So, you've spent a day in hell and you've spent a day in heaven. Now you must choose your eternity," The woman paused for a second and then replied, "Well, I never thought I'd say this, I mean, Heaven has been really great and all, but I think I had a better time in Hell.
" So St. Peter escorted her to the elevator and again she went down-down-down back to Hell. When the doors of the elevator opened she found herself standing in a desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. She saw her friends were dressed in rags and were picking up the garbage and putting it in sacks.
The Devil came up to her and put his arm around her "I don't understand," stammered the woman, "yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a country club and we ate lobster and we danced and had a great time. Now all there is a wasteland of garbage and all my friends look miserable."
The Devil looked at her smiled and told..."Yesterday we were recruiting you,today you're an Employee"
A good story
One day while walking down the street a highly successful Human Resources Manager was tragically hit by a bus and she died. Her soul arrived up in heaven where she was met at the Pearly Gates by St. Peter himself.
"Welcome to Heaven," said St. Peter. "Before you get settled in though, it seems we have a problem. You see,strangely enough, we've never once had a Human Resources Manager make it this far and we're not really sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in," said the woman.
"Well, I'd like to, but I have higher orders.
What we're going to do is let you have a day in Hell and a day in Heaven and then you can choose whichever one you want to spend an eternity in." "Actually, I think I've made up my mind, I prefer to stay in Heaven", said the woman "Sorry, we have rules..."
And with that St. Peter put the executive in an elevator and it went down-down-down to hell. The doors opened and she found herself stepping out onto the putting green of a beautiful golf course.
In the distance was a country club and standing in front of her were all her friends - fellow executives that she had worked with and they were well dressed in evening gowns and cheering for her. They ran up and kissed her on both cheeks and they talked about old times.
They played an excellent round of golf and at night went to the country club where she enjoyed an excellent steak and lobster dinner. She met the Devil who was actually a really nice guy (kind of cute) and she had a great time telling jokes and dancing. She was having such a good time that before she knew it, it was time to leave. Everybody shook her hand and waved goodbye as she got on the elevator.
The elevator went up-up-up and opened back up at the Pearly Gates and found St. Peter waiting for her. "Now it's time to spend a day in heaven," he said. So she spent the next 24 hours lounging around on clouds and playing the harp and singing. She had great time and before she knew it her 24 hours were up and St. Peter came and got her.
"So, you've spent a day in hell and you've spent a day in heaven. Now you must choose your eternity," The woman paused for a second and then replied, "Well, I never thought I'd say this, I mean, Heaven has been really great and all, but I think I had a better time in Hell."
So St. Peter escorted her to the elevator and again she went down-down-down back to Hell. When the doors of the elevator opened she found herself standing in a desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. She saw her friends were dressed in rags and were picking up the garbage and putting it in sacks.
The Devil came up to her and put his arm around her "I don't understand," stammered the woman, "yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a country club and we ate lobster and we danced and had a great time. Now all there is a wasteland of garbage and all my friends look miserable." The Devil looked at her smiled and told...
"Yesterday we were recruiting you,today you're an Employee"
"Welcome to Heaven," said St. Peter. "Before you get settled in though, it seems we have a problem. You see,strangely enough, we've never once had a Human Resources Manager make it this far and we're not really sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in," said the woman.
"Well, I'd like to, but I have higher orders.
What we're going to do is let you have a day in Hell and a day in Heaven and then you can choose whichever one you want to spend an eternity in." "Actually, I think I've made up my mind, I prefer to stay in Heaven", said the woman "Sorry, we have rules..."
And with that St. Peter put the executive in an elevator and it went down-down-down to hell. The doors opened and she found herself stepping out onto the putting green of a beautiful golf course.
In the distance was a country club and standing in front of her were all her friends - fellow executives that she had worked with and they were well dressed in evening gowns and cheering for her. They ran up and kissed her on both cheeks and they talked about old times.
They played an excellent round of golf and at night went to the country club where she enjoyed an excellent steak and lobster dinner. She met the Devil who was actually a really nice guy (kind of cute) and she had a great time telling jokes and dancing. She was having such a good time that before she knew it, it was time to leave. Everybody shook her hand and waved goodbye as she got on the elevator.
The elevator went up-up-up and opened back up at the Pearly Gates and found St. Peter waiting for her. "Now it's time to spend a day in heaven," he said. So she spent the next 24 hours lounging around on clouds and playing the harp and singing. She had great time and before she knew it her 24 hours were up and St. Peter came and got her.
"So, you've spent a day in hell and you've spent a day in heaven. Now you must choose your eternity," The woman paused for a second and then replied, "Well, I never thought I'd say this, I mean, Heaven has been really great and all, but I think I had a better time in Hell."
So St. Peter escorted her to the elevator and again she went down-down-down back to Hell. When the doors of the elevator opened she found herself standing in a desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. She saw her friends were dressed in rags and were picking up the garbage and putting it in sacks.
The Devil came up to her and put his arm around her "I don't understand," stammered the woman, "yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a country club and we ate lobster and we danced and had a great time. Now all there is a wasteland of garbage and all my friends look miserable." The Devil looked at her smiled and told...
"Yesterday we were recruiting you,today you're an Employee"
Monday, August 13, 2007
Twenty Dollars
A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked. "Who would like this $20 bill?"
Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you - but first, let me do this."
He proceeded to crumple the 20 dollar note up. He then asked. "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air."Well," he replied, "what if I do this?" He dropped it on theground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?"
Still the hands went into the air."
My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. Nomatter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.
Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless; but no matter what happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.
Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are stillpriceless to those who love you.
The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do or who we know, but by ...WHO WE ARE.
"You are special - don't ever forget it."
Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you - but first, let me do this."
He proceeded to crumple the 20 dollar note up. He then asked. "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air."Well," he replied, "what if I do this?" He dropped it on theground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?"
Still the hands went into the air."
My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. Nomatter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.
Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless; but no matter what happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.
Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are stillpriceless to those who love you.
The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do or who we know, but by ...WHO WE ARE.
"You are special - don't ever forget it."
Friday, August 10, 2007
There are never better pastures - only other pastures!
There are never better pastures - only other pastures!
Move from one job to another, but only for the right reasons
It's yet another day at office. As I logged on to the marketing and advertising sites for the latest updates, as usual, I found the headlines dominated by 'who's moving from one company to another after a short stint', and I wondered, why are so many people leaving one job for another? Is it past now to work with just one company for a sufficiently long period?
Whenever I ask this question to people who leave a company, the answers I get are: "Oh, I am getting a 200% hike in salary"; "Well, I am jumping three levels in my designation"; "Well, they are going to send me abroad in six months".
Then, I look around at all the people who are considered successful today and who have reached the top - be it a media agency, an advertising agency or a company. I find that most of these people are the ones who have stuck to the company, ground their heels and worked their way to the top.
And, as I look around for people who changed their jobs constantly, I find they have stagnated at some level, in obscurity!
In this absolutely ruthless, dynamic and competitive environment, there are still no short cuts to success or to making money. The only thing that continues to pay, as earlier, is loyalty and hard work. Yes, it pays! Sometimes, immediately, sometimes after a lot of time. But, it does pay.
Does this mean that one should stick to an organization and wait for that golden moment? Of course not. After a long stint, there always comes a time for moving in most organizations, but it is important to move for the right reasons, rather than superficial ones, like money, designation or an overseas trip. Remember, no company recruits for charity.
More often than not, when you are offered an unseemly hike in salary or designation that is disproportionate to what that company offers it current employees, there is always unseen bait attached.
The result? You will, in the long-term, have reached exactly the same levels or maybe lower levels than what you would have in your current company.
A lot of people leave an organization because they are "unhappy". What is this so-called-unhappiness? I have been working for donkey's years and there has never been a day when I am not unhappy about something in my work environment-boss, rude colleague, fussy clients etc.
Unhappiness in a workplace, to a large extent, is transient. If you look hard enough, there is always something to be unhappy about. But, more importantly, do I come to work to be "happy" in the truest sense? If I think hard, the answer is "No". Happiness is something you find with family, friends, may be a close circle of colleagues who have become friends.
What you come to work for is to earn, build a reputation, satisfy your ambitions, be appreciated for your work ethics, face challenges and get the job done.
So, the next time you are tempted to move, ask yourself why are you moving and what are you moving into?
Some questions are:
Am I ready and capable of handling the new responsibility? If yes, what could be the possible reasons my current company has not offered me the same responsibility?
Who are the people who currently handle this responsibility in the current and new company? Am I as good as the best among them?
As the new job offer has a different profile, why have I not given the current company the option to offer me this profile?
Why is the new company offering me the job? Do they want me for my skills, or is there an ulterior motive?
An honest answer to these will eventually decide where you go in your career- to the top of the pile in the long term(at the cost of short-term blips) or to become another average employee who gets lost with time in the wilderness?
"DESERVE BEFORE YOU DESIRE" -
Move from one job to another, but only for the right reasons
It's yet another day at office. As I logged on to the marketing and advertising sites for the latest updates, as usual, I found the headlines dominated by 'who's moving from one company to another after a short stint', and I wondered, why are so many people leaving one job for another? Is it past now to work with just one company for a sufficiently long period?
Whenever I ask this question to people who leave a company, the answers I get are: "Oh, I am getting a 200% hike in salary"; "Well, I am jumping three levels in my designation"; "Well, they are going to send me abroad in six months".
Then, I look around at all the people who are considered successful today and who have reached the top - be it a media agency, an advertising agency or a company. I find that most of these people are the ones who have stuck to the company, ground their heels and worked their way to the top.
And, as I look around for people who changed their jobs constantly, I find they have stagnated at some level, in obscurity!
In this absolutely ruthless, dynamic and competitive environment, there are still no short cuts to success or to making money. The only thing that continues to pay, as earlier, is loyalty and hard work. Yes, it pays! Sometimes, immediately, sometimes after a lot of time. But, it does pay.
Does this mean that one should stick to an organization and wait for that golden moment? Of course not. After a long stint, there always comes a time for moving in most organizations, but it is important to move for the right reasons, rather than superficial ones, like money, designation or an overseas trip. Remember, no company recruits for charity.
More often than not, when you are offered an unseemly hike in salary or designation that is disproportionate to what that company offers it current employees, there is always unseen bait attached.
The result? You will, in the long-term, have reached exactly the same levels or maybe lower levels than what you would have in your current company.
A lot of people leave an organization because they are "unhappy". What is this so-called-unhappiness? I have been working for donkey's years and there has never been a day when I am not unhappy about something in my work environment-boss, rude colleague, fussy clients etc.
Unhappiness in a workplace, to a large extent, is transient. If you look hard enough, there is always something to be unhappy about. But, more importantly, do I come to work to be "happy" in the truest sense? If I think hard, the answer is "No". Happiness is something you find with family, friends, may be a close circle of colleagues who have become friends.
What you come to work for is to earn, build a reputation, satisfy your ambitions, be appreciated for your work ethics, face challenges and get the job done.
So, the next time you are tempted to move, ask yourself why are you moving and what are you moving into?
Some questions are:
Am I ready and capable of handling the new responsibility? If yes, what could be the possible reasons my current company has not offered me the same responsibility?
Who are the people who currently handle this responsibility in the current and new company? Am I as good as the best among them?
As the new job offer has a different profile, why have I not given the current company the option to offer me this profile?
Why is the new company offering me the job? Do they want me for my skills, or is there an ulterior motive?
An honest answer to these will eventually decide where you go in your career- to the top of the pile in the long term(at the cost of short-term blips) or to become another average employee who gets lost with time in the wilderness?
"DESERVE BEFORE YOU DESIRE" -
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Lessons on Life
Lessons on Life . Enjoy.....
There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.
The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.
The second son said no, it was covered with green buds and full of promise.
The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.
The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.
Moral lessons:
Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
Don't judge life by one difficult season.
Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time later . ..
have a great day ahead..!
There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.
The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.
The second son said no, it was covered with green buds and full of promise.
The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.
The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.
Moral lessons:
Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
Don't judge life by one difficult season.
Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time later . ..
have a great day ahead..!
Team Building
Team Building: Some Assembly Required
Have you ever had a team that just didn’t gel? That spent more time fighting and finger pointing than getting the job done? That showed confusion as to who was doing what? If so, you’re not alone. Many managers spend precious time refereeing team members when they should be focusing on more productive and profitable endeavors.
Why do some teams simply not get along? One reason could be that managers are seeking a certain “type” of team member, or team members just like themselves, when they should be aiming for a mix of types. For example, a toolbox with only one size or type of screwdriver would be of limited use around the house. Rather, you’d need different types of screwdrivers to tackle the various tasks. The same concept applies to the workplace. Rather than comprise your team of similar people types, you need a mix to get all the jobs done.
To illustrate the different types of personalities that make up a well-balanced team, let’s use the following Screw Squad characters. Each of these cartoon characters has something positive to offer the team, and by ensuring diversity in your team, or toolkit, the positive qualities of the other team members will balance out any negative traits. At the end of each character description you will see suggestions for the best way to use each type on your team. And while you don’t have to tell your team which Screw Squad character matches each member, you definitely should make each person accountable for a certain role, based on their inherent strength. By doing so, your team will finally gel.
D. R. Iver
The first team member is D. R. Iver. You’ve probably seen this person try to take control of a meeting or project team. Some of this person’s characteristics include the ability to focus on the mission, to drive work to completion, and to hold team members accountable for deliverables. D. R. Iver is great in situations where the mission is clear and the work is well defined, when the team is in “delivery mode,” or where delivery is dependent on multiple team members completing individual tasks. On the other hand, D. R. Iver can hurt in situations where the team needs time to gel or to brainstorm ideas, or where team members are still going through learning curve.
Use D. R. Iver when:
· You have to get a team mobilized to get something done.
· You need structure and discipline in your execution.
· You have to meet a tight deadline.
Gloom N. Doom
Gloom N. Doom is the person who always sees the glass as half-empty. These people tend to focus on why something won’t work, which can lead to them spending time worrying versus doing. Gloom N. Doom is great at providing reality checks when analyzing a solution to a problem, at testing a proposed solution prior to implementation, and when the team is unrealistic about work that can be accomplished in a given timeframe. Realize, though, that Gloom N. Doom can slow the team down when the group already has problems working together and getting motivated to perform, or when tight execution is needed without distractions. However, if you can convince Gloom N. Doom of your project’s worth, then you’re onto a winner!
Use Gloom N. Doom when:
· You need a “devil’s advocate” to test assumptions, designs, or solutions.
· You want to ensure that a schedule is doable.
· You want to ensure that key issues and risks are identified.
Op T. Mystic
Op T. Mystic is Gloom N. Doom’s polar opposite, always seeing the glass as half-full and taking the viewpoint of why something can work. These people can be overly optimistic in estimating task durations, which can lead to schedule slips, but Op T. Mystic is good at energizing the team and the customers, and at thinking outside the box. Be careful of Op T. Mystic’s enthusiasm where accurate assessments of risks and issues are needed or where work scope needs to be tightly managed.
Use Op T. Mystic when:
· You need to energize the team with a “can-do” attitude.
· You want to generate excitement with customers or business partners.
· You need to instill creative thinking and execution in the team.
Sir Prised
Charging in on his trusty steed comes Sir Prised, with his battle cry of
“Was I supposed to do that today?” Sir Prised can be very creative, excelling in unstructured environments where “out of the box” thinking is required. However Sir Prised is likely to fall down when structure in execution is necessary or when the work scope needs to be tightly managed.
Use Sir Prised when:
· You want to instill creativity in the team.
· The work is unstructured, e.g. responding to customer support requests.
· You need someone to perform “possibility thinking.”
N. Gree
Like Gloom N. Doom, N. Gree takes the viewpoint of why something can’t possibly work, but does so in an aggressively negative manner. Teamwork and civil communication are not this person’s forte, which may be why N. Gree is great at getting management’s attention. After all, most managers take notice of aggressive behavior. While this may seem like a person you would want to avoid having on your team, even N Gree can perform a valuable function when the team needs a kick-in-the-rear to get going or when the team is being unrealistic about work that can be accomplished in a given timeframe.
Use N. Gree when:
· You need to get the team or management’s attention to a problem.
· You don’t care what the china shop looks like after the bull has been in it.
· You need a reality check.
Filling Your Toolbox
So, does this mean that for a team to be well balanced, it needs to contain at least one of each Toolbox Tribe member? Of course not! The skills that each member brings to the team are more important than their personality type. Remember, you couldn’t build a rocket ship if you had one of each character on the project team, but none of them was a rocket scientist!
If possible, though, you should at least seek out one each of the first three types: D. R. Iver, Gloom N. Doom, and Op T. Mystic. However, if your team consists of all D. R. Ivers or all Op T. Mystics, that character’s negative qualities can end up dragging the whole team down. The same can happen if one person manages to dominate the team, even if it is well balanced. In these cases, the best tactic is for the team leader to take that person to one side and ask him or her to back down.
Fixing It All Together
In a well-structured team, each member knows what he or she needs to contribute, when each person has to perform, what the other team members are doing, and what it takes to be successful. Just as important, each team member helps the others to ensure the team’s overall success. After all, a team that works well together is more likely to pull together during the rough patches. In addition, having your team members in appropriate positions makes it easier for them to shift roles where needed and work outside their comfort zones. Whatever your team’s aims are, success comes more easily with a well-stocked toolkit.
Have you ever had a team that just didn’t gel? That spent more time fighting and finger pointing than getting the job done? That showed confusion as to who was doing what? If so, you’re not alone. Many managers spend precious time refereeing team members when they should be focusing on more productive and profitable endeavors.
Why do some teams simply not get along? One reason could be that managers are seeking a certain “type” of team member, or team members just like themselves, when they should be aiming for a mix of types. For example, a toolbox with only one size or type of screwdriver would be of limited use around the house. Rather, you’d need different types of screwdrivers to tackle the various tasks. The same concept applies to the workplace. Rather than comprise your team of similar people types, you need a mix to get all the jobs done.
To illustrate the different types of personalities that make up a well-balanced team, let’s use the following Screw Squad characters. Each of these cartoon characters has something positive to offer the team, and by ensuring diversity in your team, or toolkit, the positive qualities of the other team members will balance out any negative traits. At the end of each character description you will see suggestions for the best way to use each type on your team. And while you don’t have to tell your team which Screw Squad character matches each member, you definitely should make each person accountable for a certain role, based on their inherent strength. By doing so, your team will finally gel.
D. R. Iver
The first team member is D. R. Iver. You’ve probably seen this person try to take control of a meeting or project team. Some of this person’s characteristics include the ability to focus on the mission, to drive work to completion, and to hold team members accountable for deliverables. D. R. Iver is great in situations where the mission is clear and the work is well defined, when the team is in “delivery mode,” or where delivery is dependent on multiple team members completing individual tasks. On the other hand, D. R. Iver can hurt in situations where the team needs time to gel or to brainstorm ideas, or where team members are still going through learning curve.
Use D. R. Iver when:
· You have to get a team mobilized to get something done.
· You need structure and discipline in your execution.
· You have to meet a tight deadline.
Gloom N. Doom
Gloom N. Doom is the person who always sees the glass as half-empty. These people tend to focus on why something won’t work, which can lead to them spending time worrying versus doing. Gloom N. Doom is great at providing reality checks when analyzing a solution to a problem, at testing a proposed solution prior to implementation, and when the team is unrealistic about work that can be accomplished in a given timeframe. Realize, though, that Gloom N. Doom can slow the team down when the group already has problems working together and getting motivated to perform, or when tight execution is needed without distractions. However, if you can convince Gloom N. Doom of your project’s worth, then you’re onto a winner!
Use Gloom N. Doom when:
· You need a “devil’s advocate” to test assumptions, designs, or solutions.
· You want to ensure that a schedule is doable.
· You want to ensure that key issues and risks are identified.
Op T. Mystic
Op T. Mystic is Gloom N. Doom’s polar opposite, always seeing the glass as half-full and taking the viewpoint of why something can work. These people can be overly optimistic in estimating task durations, which can lead to schedule slips, but Op T. Mystic is good at energizing the team and the customers, and at thinking outside the box. Be careful of Op T. Mystic’s enthusiasm where accurate assessments of risks and issues are needed or where work scope needs to be tightly managed.
Use Op T. Mystic when:
· You need to energize the team with a “can-do” attitude.
· You want to generate excitement with customers or business partners.
· You need to instill creative thinking and execution in the team.
Sir Prised
Charging in on his trusty steed comes Sir Prised, with his battle cry of
“Was I supposed to do that today?” Sir Prised can be very creative, excelling in unstructured environments where “out of the box” thinking is required. However Sir Prised is likely to fall down when structure in execution is necessary or when the work scope needs to be tightly managed.
Use Sir Prised when:
· You want to instill creativity in the team.
· The work is unstructured, e.g. responding to customer support requests.
· You need someone to perform “possibility thinking.”
N. Gree
Like Gloom N. Doom, N. Gree takes the viewpoint of why something can’t possibly work, but does so in an aggressively negative manner. Teamwork and civil communication are not this person’s forte, which may be why N. Gree is great at getting management’s attention. After all, most managers take notice of aggressive behavior. While this may seem like a person you would want to avoid having on your team, even N Gree can perform a valuable function when the team needs a kick-in-the-rear to get going or when the team is being unrealistic about work that can be accomplished in a given timeframe.
Use N. Gree when:
· You need to get the team or management’s attention to a problem.
· You don’t care what the china shop looks like after the bull has been in it.
· You need a reality check.
Filling Your Toolbox
So, does this mean that for a team to be well balanced, it needs to contain at least one of each Toolbox Tribe member? Of course not! The skills that each member brings to the team are more important than their personality type. Remember, you couldn’t build a rocket ship if you had one of each character on the project team, but none of them was a rocket scientist!
If possible, though, you should at least seek out one each of the first three types: D. R. Iver, Gloom N. Doom, and Op T. Mystic. However, if your team consists of all D. R. Ivers or all Op T. Mystics, that character’s negative qualities can end up dragging the whole team down. The same can happen if one person manages to dominate the team, even if it is well balanced. In these cases, the best tactic is for the team leader to take that person to one side and ask him or her to back down.
Fixing It All Together
In a well-structured team, each member knows what he or she needs to contribute, when each person has to perform, what the other team members are doing, and what it takes to be successful. Just as important, each team member helps the others to ensure the team’s overall success. After all, a team that works well together is more likely to pull together during the rough patches. In addition, having your team members in appropriate positions makes it easier for them to shift roles where needed and work outside their comfort zones. Whatever your team’s aims are, success comes more easily with a well-stocked toolkit.
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