Lesson's learned from other's mistake

 Lesson Learnt Live (L3) - 13

Learning from mistakes is always a good practise for improvements. Learning from others mistakes benefits us that we did not commit that mistake, we did not lose any resources but the learning can be reused.

My suggested steps involved in learning from others mistakes are as follows :-

1. For anyone to share their mistakes and learnings, we need to build trust in them to open up their mistakes. (Irrespective of whether the candidate is a friend/relative/colleague)
2. Once the candidate opens up, have good intentions, converse the discussion with active listening (Another topic). 
3. Traverse the same incident/mistake (path). Note down the corrections which could have been done/implemented.
4. Do not ask too many questions as introspections, that candidate loose the interest of sharing the incident. (use open ended questions and lesser suggestions)
5. Capture the learnings if any doubts try to validate the learning with the candidate.
6. In learnings, these points needs to be covered resource usage (time, energy) & opportunity lost. 
7. Mark the cue that led to the mistake so that the mistake is not repeated.
8. Create a log and share the log/points/steps. (like this one)
9. Repeat the above steps for learning from own mistakes (Steps 3 to 8) and others mistakes

Note :- The above steps are with respect to author's assumptions/limited knowledge. Any suggestions/improvements do comment.

Matrix Organisation

 The matrix organizational structure is a combination of two or more types of organizational structures. Organisations can have geographical, functional/domain, customer based or independency based mix of matrix organisation. The organisational chart clearly depicts the roles & responsibilities against the roles. The matrix organization is the structure of uniting two or more organizational structures to give them balance, stability in a wider market.

Advantages of Matrix Org

• Collaboration between different departments
• Combines project and functional management structures
• Allows interdepartmental communication
• Employees can develop new skills
• Team members and managers keep their functional roles

Dis - Advantages of Matrix Org

• Managerial/Team roles may not be clearly defined.
• The decision-making process can be slowed down.
• Too much work can cause overload.
• Measuring employee performance might become difficult.

How can we convert disadvantages into advantages in such a structure

• Define clear roles and career roadmaps, if ambiguous brainstorm to correct/clarify the roles.
• Define the decision making process and the various advantages of the decision process followed.
• Tracking of decisions online with set reminders, can reduce the delay in decision making.
• Time your work. Clearly demarcating the amount of work spend in each domain/functions/projects.
• Train team to have better inter personal skills, Use the best tactics/strategy horizontally & vertically. (Full collaborative workforce)
• Individually/Collectively as a team mark down the achievements, clearly define the accountability card against which performance can be measured.

If you feel there are still many advantages/disadvantages missed out, kindly add them as comments.

AEIOU Model - Conflict resolution

 A-E-I-O-U Model

A-E-I-O-U stands for Acknowledge, Express, Identify, Outcome, and Understanding. The method can be used to resolve a variety of standoffs: personal and professional. 

ACKNOWLEDGE: (Positive intentions) No Assumptions, look at the other person intentions. Try to understand and accommodate if possible his or her rationale and state it out loud directly to them. 

EXPRESS: (Observations) Affirm the positive intention and talk about the observations you’ve identified and express your own specific concern.

IDENTIFY: (Propose a solution) Clearly define your objectives and recommendations. Identify the action plan with ownership and date of completion.

OUTCOME: (Outline the benefits) What’s in it for you (both personally and professionally). Outline the steps to be accommodate. People respond much more positively when they can see/buy/acknowledge into the reasons for changing their actions/behaviors. 

UNDERSTANDING: (Feedback) Either nail down agreement, or what next action plans or steps, or work together to develop an alternatives. Ensure to understand before being moved to understood stage.

Throughout the A-E-I-O-U models, it’s critical that communication shall be bi-directional and a conducive environment for conflict resolution is maintained.

The other thumb rule is that finding a solution to the problem at hand needs to be kept as the highest goal. To do that, you must separate the person from the problem, meant problem shall be discussed in details with no personals attachment. (Even for personal problems)

Note- 1 :- The above model is a learned/googled model, with a thought about applying it to a wider range of usages. Note that the above model may not work in a particular personal/professional conflict resolution. "Vowel words model" is a better model when compared to a "Consonant words model".

Note- 2 :- What shall be the root cause of the problem/conflict is a different topic. The causal analysis can be done by using 5W2H or 8D models.

ABCDE strategy - Turning Negatives to Positive

 Let's look how we can turn a negative attitude using ABCDE strategy

The ABCDE strategy, developed by psychologist Albert Ellis in the year 1950s.

The A stands for adversity or an activating event; C is its consequences. B stands for “beliefs,” because your beliefs shape your responses; D and E stand for disputing old beliefs and adding energizing new ones. 

The ABCDE Model is a simple mnemonic developed in the field of rational-emotive (cognitive) behavior therapy, that helps people mentally work through a reflection process to consider if they want or need to change their thinking and therefore their behavior around such negative emotions.

If you feel strong negative emotions, calm yourself and work through the ABCDE steps: identify the event and consequences, check your beliefs, disagree with old ideas that aren’t working and add new ideas that are more effective. This is a learning process, so stand ready to forgive yourself and the environment which provides the negatives vibes. 

For ABCDE to work, you must first need to change.

Let's change for good!

Addressing my Almamater

 Happy to address the present year batch of students from my engineering college.

"Alma Mater" - UCE - Mahathma Gandhi University, Kerala.

MindMap - VUCA World - My Ideologies and upcoming technologies

My Ideologies for Noting down

1) Change is permanent. 

2) Be digitalised -use technology conciously. 

3) Fail Fast, learn first. Learn from others mistake. 

4) SWOT Analysis on your position.

5) Focus on what you need to achieve. 

6) Read, Read, Read - Blogs, Books. 

7) Listen, Listen, Listen - Patiently listen. 

8) Be competitive with yourself. 

9) Manage time, more than that manage energy.

10) What got you here, won't get you there. 

Upcoming Technologies to watch

1) IOT - Connected world

2) AI, Machine learning

3) Cyber Security/Networking Technology

4) Water, Air - Resource management Technology

5) Bio, Health science Technology

6) Space travel/tourism Technology

7) Behavioral Science (Human & Animal)

8) Waste Management Technology

9) Changes in Technology & standards

10) Data Analytics

Kindly note that this ideologies along with the goal needs to be seen through a prism of "Attitude to gratitude" in order to reach our life time goals is my humble opinion.

Key Take away

1. BE STRONG

2. BE RESILIENT 

3. BE CONSISTENT

World of Chaos or Calmness Edit article View stats

 A world of chaos or calmness depends on us. In a chaotic outside world, we can bring in "Calmness" or "Inner Peace" within.

Putting down a list of topics which I have learnt personally & professionally which can be enablers or which can be pivot points in achieving calmness in any situation .

Journey, System, Process

Life is a journey between two destinations, B & D. (Birth and Death). In between B & D there is a letter missing 'C' - It is our "Choice" that we make, (choices made earlier or on someone's words/wisdom we made choices) in this journey. Further choices from that point, leads to the next choices (Sometime we may loose the power to choose, due to the previous decision, but we can start again) towards the final destination.

In that life progression, we meet, eat, great, learn, earn & yearn. Inputs can be time, energy, focus, attitude & environment for that choices. There are outcomes like happy, mad, glad, sad, feel, think and act. (leading to another as an input/action with/without choice). In between these various inputs & outputs, we need to define a "System" along with a "Process" which can be defined on high morality value, integrity, trust and sustainability/inclusiveness.

So focus on the "System, Process" and enjoy the "journey"

Passion, Content, Vocation

"if you love your job you'll never work a day" (both personal & professional). if you are passionate about things, every challenge shall be looked as a hidden opportunity. Moving beyond the passionate task, will be a path laid down to attain or being "Content" in what is done. "Vocation" is even a step further finding the inner voice or connecting the dots to a larger cause or thinking universally - inside out.

Journaling helps in this flow of life/visioning. Writing down allows us to sink, anchor's us to where we stand (Like a ship anchored even in the mid of cyclone), what we want to achieve, which is our "North Pole" direction, which steps shall allow/lead our internal compass in that direction. Having a vision, mission & strategy, (In personal and professional world) aligning and re-aligning every quarter, leads us to this goal.

Forgive and Forget

Ego is put to an end by these two siblings - "Forgive & Forget". We live only 29K days in a life span, why carry grudges. "Ego" - Let it go. Be the first to forgive & forget (F&F). Do F&F only to any deserving Soul/Atman. How can we categories a deserving one - a simple logic, the one who accepts the forgiveness extended and forgets his wound specially for the other soul.

Its very easy to advice than to act. I am still learning (baby steps) in all the above specified topics. I am able to see, feel and bring "Calmness over chaos" within me.

"Let us have Inner Peace and spread external peace".

"Just Breathe - Be calm"