Stories and conversations off the street: Experiential learning on people - Series 3

There are compelling anecdotes (and stories) that I have learnt and experienced in my professional life so far that has captivated my mind and also effectively captured a business situation. 

These anecdotes have provided a strong and sustainable foundation for an on the job experiential learning and its application for  high performance,  critical decision-making, problem solving, to communicate and mentor and build sustainable business and teams.

People: 

• We are in people business! All business is all about people; people are the multiplier or de-railers. Match people’s passions to company goals! 

• Your ego, my money! You don't necessarily get both so make the choice. 

• Nothing is personal; it is business as usual and it's all in the game. 

• There is first time and a 2nd chance for everything. Even babies listen, trip, and blabber for over a year before they speak and walk. You need a good mentor and need to be shameless to make and accept mistakes; no one will hang you for a mistake unless it becomes a crime.

• In order to leap forward, one has to take a few steps backwards. You get many chances, always be prepared! 

• Three steps forward and two backward is progress!!

• When in doubt, defer the decision for a few days. 

• Aptitude opens the doors, attitude make you successful

• The elephant (problem) is always in the room but is seldom recognized.

• Perceptions are not reality; perceptions can be created and changed. People change, situations and circumstances change. 

• Compensate for passion, results and good behaviour, goals will be achieved and sustained. Connections and collaboration will be automatic. 

• The best traders start as clerks and operators; don't be afraid to hire and train operators and clerks to be traders.

• Compensation is the root cause of all good and bad behaviours; a good culture, respect and positive attitude toward people weighs down the impact of compensation. Compensation and rewards matters less when people are recognized, respected, passionately enjoy their work and work environment.

• On salary - employer assumes performance risk of the employee. On incentives and bonus - employee assumes credit risk on the employer and trusts the employer. 

• Invest your salary and bonus wisely to build wealth; stock options do not diversify your risks. Wealth and a good education or skill will last longer.  Investing in education and wisdom is the best lifelong sustainable option!

• There are no super heroes, even gods die! Both Gods and devils are created by humans. 

• Leaders emerge in a context and leadership is transient; leadership pervades all level. Leadership is at its best when it is situational and circumstantial. In a dynamic world expect a leader to follow and his subordinate to be his leader.

• Care for the community and environment will ensure human and corporate sustainability. Keep aside 5% of income for charity!

• Losers and runner ups can be humble, hungry and competitive than the winners. 

• The end is not nigh, people and markets adapt to even the worst circumstances. 

• If you need valuable employee, colleague or a friend, get a dog.

• Discipline, perseverance and patience beats emotion. Many things work when timing is the best!

• Loosing or winning is not always about competency or skills. What matters is the circumstances, environment, market, systems, culture, people and process. 

• You are as good as your last deal! We are all useless and unproductive unless proven otherwise in every deal.

• Your agreed KRA and/or KPI, feedback from your customers and your colleagues and your performance is your employment insurance.  

• Though winners take all, crumbs are also important! Droplets create rivers and oceans. Scrape the barrel

• Profit from cheap labour and capital however accept that it won't sustain long. Low and high wage business always remains insecure; in both cases skills, experience and competition catches up. 

• Credibility of management substantially improves financial credit rating.

• When people make mistakes, company pays a risk premium. So you don't let people leave the company just to allow a replacement to repeat the mistake.  You keep the guy so that mistakes are not repeated and others learn from example.

to be continued and expanded