Tag: success

The Happiness-Success Dilemma

Does happiness follow success, or being a happy person generally is automatically likely to help you succeed? This is a classic question that we must have asked ourselves at some point.

There are countless stories which tell how being successful doesn’t always lead to happiness, and how lonely it can get at the top.

On the other hand, there are countless jokes telling us how one would much rather be crying in an expensive car than on a bicycle. Such jokes though lead to another conversation about whether success can only be measured materialistically, but we shall take a look at it later.

In terms of being a professional- how do we think about these questions? Research cited by an article by Fast Company gives us a sense of where we can begin answering this from. Conducted in the defence sector of the US, the researchers followed the employees from various job functions for five years. The employees were measured for their relative happiness and optimism from time to time using various psychological tools and questionnaires. The results were compared with the number of employee awards they got. What were the findings, and how are they relevant to the workplace in general? Let us have a look.

The Findings:

The research concluded that ‘those with the highest positive well-being affects had almost four times the number of award recognitions as those in the group with the lowest well-being scores.’ Moreover, they also found that ‘people who could be considered unhappy compared to their peers still earned awards for performance, but they earned them at a lower rate than people who were happy overall.’

Perhaps, it is not about being happy but more about being optimistic?

In a nutshell, the research indicated that generally optimistic people performed their jobs well. The article goes on to say how the employers thus should try to assess the levels of optimism and happiness of their employees from time to time, and try to keep the environment in the workplace as conducive to optimism as possible. Of course, as we have talked about in one of our earlier articles, optimism doesn’t mean ‘toxic positivity’ but rather a never-give-up attitude.

Research and jargon aside, a common-sense understanding tells us– as is mentioned in an article on Medium— that whether it is a client, a senior or a colleague, anyone would prefer to interact with someone who is optimistic, and thus solution-oriented. Skills, qualifications, competence might be at a similar level, but one would much rather have an interaction with someone who is a pleasant person. And hence perhaps that is why success might follow happiness automatically?

Another Perspective:

 This is a topic that can never be researched enough and we have one more nuance added to this. Earlier in the article we mentioned if success can only be measured in materialistic terms. Another perspective is that success and happiness can be better connected for us when we change the definition of success according to our values.

Many a times, we measure our ‘success’ by definitions given by other people, other people whose lives and careers are very different than ours and end up feeling bad about ourselves.

So, perhaps, before we think if happiness follows success or if being happy automatically makes us successful, we should first define what success means to us. As the above cited research puts it:

  • Barbara Bush defined success as how you treat others, from family to strangers.
  • Albert Schweitzer defined success as loving what you do.
  • Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh says success is all about living in accordance with your values.
  • Author Maya Angelou believed success is about enjoying your work.
  • Billionaire Richard Branson believes success is about engagement.

And then perhaps, we shall be better able to align our happiness and success in a better way?

Conversations and research about success and happiness go on. One has to anyway work towards being successful, whatever their definition and context of success might be, and perhaps one might as well do it happily and optimistically. What are your thoughts about this dilemma, and what is your definition of success and happiness? Do let us know in the comments!

Lives Of Happy Candidates: Mr. Nagaraja K R

A good environment is a prerequisite to personal and professional growth. Be it the workplace, the city/town one lives in, or the kind of work one does, it is necessary that they all contribute to the well-being and success of the individual. We make sure that our candidates get such an experience that helps them look beyond the preconceived prejudices and biases about places and people.

 

We, at United HR Solutions make sure that our candidates get the best opportunities possible, which help them realise their potentials, and which help them strike a perfect balance of personal and professional life. Success, after all, should be wholesome.

 

Unfortunately, Africa as a continent has a very peculiar image in the minds of many. The things mentioned above like well-being, safety, growth are not the things generally associated with the place because of half-baked information one might have come across, hearsay, reliance on limited sources or simply because of an unwillingness to look beyond certain stereotypes. Success on a corporate level is an even more unthinkable possibility for many.

We have a different story to tell.

Our successful and happy candidate, Mr. Nagaraja  K R has a different story to tell (and  show).

He tells us about his experience in Tanga, a port-city in Tanzania where he works at Neelkanth Lime Ltd. :

“Under guidance of our Managing Director, All department HOD with all teams we are able to contribute for business success and bringing investor’s vision into final business results successfully. There is 100% focus on KRA, feasibility, cost benefits, optimum resource utility, converting time to money, trying to bring positive results every day, reduce wastages, converting unutilized resource to money. The management is very supportive, and their drive for result-oriented activities, culture and values  has helped in achievement of KRA/KPI/goals. Here I got more duties & responsibility, new assignments, challenging tasks, more business insights,all of which has helped me to grow from all professional angles. This working environment helps individual capability improvement & gives opportunity to bring skillset into real time practice. ”

As can be seen, the roles and responsibilities offered in Africa as a continent in general are far less rigid, and provide an opportunity for a truly professionally wholesome development. Mr. Nagaraja  started as an Executive Assistant with the company. He is now a General Manager.

 

He further tells us about the place:

“Tanga is good place to work. Small town, peaceful. People are good in general, the city is clean. Security is good. Irrespective of time you can go outside. There is a good theatre here and all new Hindi films release along with their Indian releases. Some good hotels are available here. Indian food is also available here,be it North Indian or South Indian.

“Fruits like Cassava, Mangoes, Pineapple, Ramphal and are very cheap. Cost of living is less compared to other towns in Africa / Tanzanian city. Weather is good most of the year, and pollution is very less. The vegetation is good. There is connectivity to Dar es Salam via roadway, airway and seaway. The traffic is minimal and it takes maximum 30 minutes to commute anywhere in Tanga. ”

 

He shared these wonderful photographs of the place.

 

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The  quaint  Tanga  airport. Look  at  the  clear  blue  sky!

 

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Tanga  roundabout.

 

 

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The  picturesque  Tanga Bay [Bandari Port]

 

P.S : We thank Mr. Nagaraja K R for sharing his experiences with us. We also thank the city of Tanga for welcoming him with open arms.

 

 

 

 

Success And Productivity Are Closely Related

An organization’s culture is determined by its beliefs and comprises of everything it does. It not only affects the way in which the organization is managed but also the manner in which it processes the products and provides services to the customers. Work culture is continuously subject to change and is very fragile. When the culture of an organization is spoken of, the behaviour patterns of the employees and their standards that bind it together are usually referred. Actions speak louder than words and the behaviour patterns of employees are most strongly influenced by the leaders of the organization.

success-productivity

Productivity is closely related to the culture of an organization and the habits of the employees. There are more than 7 billion people on Earth, so there is no chance that a single model can suit everyone but there are methods that work for the majority of people. In the past, women would spend a lot of time in the kitchen trying to make dinner. They had to do everything manually while today a number of tools are used such as mixer, blender and dishwasher. These electrical appliances have decreased the time for cooking while the productivity has increased. This is a life hack which implies that it is better to benefit from the progress made and utilize the right tools to master the performance.

Productivity is the technique of getting the company’s products and services to the customer with the best quality and at the lowest possible cost. It involves customer needs and labour relations. Good management plays an important role in productivity which leads to the success of a company. If the management is to transform the work climate into an ever-lasting culture for success, it should focus on the various areas of improvement such as decision-making structure, organizational clarity, Human Resource development and relationship of the Management to culture.

The goals and plans of the organization should be perceived by the members in order to achieve success. The main purpose of the structure is to initiate decision making and facilitate the ideas into reality. Corporate culture emerges from the top and hence the top management’s responsibility is to recruit, train and teach managers well so that they, in turn, provide role models for the employees who are in their charge. The manner, in which these managers behave, the way they lead and think, sets a climate and eventually a culture for success.

If the combination of capital, values, beliefs, creativity, and human resource management of an organization is not success oriented, then the outcome will be a failure. The quality of products and quality service influence a company’s cultural values. The production practices and products reflect the creativeness and innovation. A successful company always treats its people with dignity and respect. Successful companies follow the basic values and beliefs. Providing top quality products or services virtually affects every function of these companies and they hold this belief that it is essential to achieve excellence. They are responsive to the customer needs and guidelines are established that provide regular feedback and coaching by the supervisors. These companies have frequent open communications and a feeling of informality. They emphasize on a go-with-the-flow attitude.

“Stay Connected” – Sure Way To Success

What do we mean by networking? Well, it has nothing to do with the array of computer systems connected to each other using some network protocol. It is all about connecting with other people within and beyond the organization.

In the professional world, networking is critically important if you want to reach new heights in the career.

When you want to get promoted in the same company, you have to establish a fantastic relationship with your boss, colleagues, and your team members.

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If you are looking for another opportunity, then you should be in touch with your friends working in other companies or few good recruitment firms.

Statistics says that those who build an excellent network in the professional world grab good jobs than others. They climb the organizational ladder quickly and capture the key positions. Nobody denies the importance of caliber here, but networking gives a boost to the career for sure.

When you build a network, make sure it has a good reach. It means, there has to be the right proportion of depth and spread.

What makes a network effective?

When your aim is to grab exciting career opportunities through networking, it is very much important that you build it well. Here are top ten tips to achieve success.

  • Don’t join groups for the sake of joining if you want to use networking to search the job opportunity. Many people commit the mistake of joining groups that do not add any value in their mission. Thus, they don’t get expected results.
  • Spend adequate time in research and homework. Look for the groups that are relevant. If there are people who know you personally, then it is good to join such group. You can expect some help in future.
  • When you start networking, begin with a small group. Try to be in touch by posting regularly. Comment and likes are important to show that you read the posts of others. It is relatively easy to be active in a closed group than a large, open group.
  • Create a profile that describes you the best. If your aim is to use it for professional benefit, then make sure it displays your competency and caliber. People jumble up with personal and professional networking and end up with making pathetic profiles.
  • Classify the groups and tag them formal and informal. For job seeking purpose, you should focus on formal groups. Make sure your posts are neutral, balanced and do not show any political inclination. People should perceive you a thoroughly professional person. Show positive attitude and openness in views.
  • Try to be focused on your field of profession only. Tag yourself to the groups of like-minded people. For example, if you are banking professional, then the groups you are part with should contain people from the banking industry. Comment on the latest happenings in the banking structure and forward posts that are valuable and important. Remain focused to the subject.
  • Since the people in your network are people of high stature, e.g. business leaders, marketing executives, CXO’s, and directors; you should position yourself well. Seek the help of professionals if you can’t handle social media. Nowadays, it is possible to get experts for managing it.
  • Do not build social networking from a short-term perspective. Consider it as a tool that is going to work perpetually. You should start it early and work on it continuously so that when you are in need, you reap the benefits. When you help others when they are in crisis, you will get help when you are in a troublesome situation. It is a ‘Give and Take’ relationship always.
  • Stay connected by pinging others frequently. When you ping someone, others feel that you remember them. Believe it; the feeling is just awesome. Experts say that those who keep in touch with others get the best benefit of networking. They get the response when they seek it desperately.
  • Keep the number of contacts as many as you wish, but manage them well. When you want to leverage networking, quality always matters. Each one in the contact list should be able to extend help if required.

Even if you are not an Internet crazy person, it is very much possible to get the best benefit of keeping a large group of contacts. Don’t think just from the job perspective, but it is a good thing from the professional perspective.

It is like popularizing your profile across the world. When others across with any requirement where you can be fit in; they will contact you. Consistent and regular interaction makes you visible in the virtual world, and visibility is the key to success today.

Share your thoughts and ideas with others and get benefited from their viewpoint.  It is a process of mutual development.