Competitive edge

Living in the era of extreme competitiveness, the need for possessing the highest standards of technical proficiency cannot be underscored strongly enough. With the intrusion of technology in our every day chores, it is practically impossible not to be tech-oriented, if not -savvy.

The two year toddlers today touch, on their parent’s smartphones, the icons of which particular cartoon series, they wish to watch, while having meal.

There is no escape from technology or for its need. In this deep-seated alliance with technology, the aspect which must reign in the minds of individuals and business managers is that no attitude of slavery to technology must be allowed. Technology, despite its rapid improvements, will inevitably remain, and it must so, at all times, subservient to humans.

The human mind is also a high-tech factory that processes all kinds of information and generates a high speed response. The major distinction being that the output of the human mind has that important quotient of “emotions”- which technology does not take into consideration, in its analysis, response and results. The data thrown out of the technology-based funnel must be then churned inside the “human brain” to make it, palatable for acceptance and implementation.

Being a CEO or a divisional head, supervising a collection of “human beings”, it is imperative to know that it is all about attitude that propels productivity and technology with its best of platform, cannot guarantee that. There is a Harvard study which concludes that success is dependent 85 percent upon human resource competencies and only 15 percent on technical expertise.

Attitude means achieving the finest balance between emotional factors and non-emotional facets. The budget-making and the associated tasks are always a non-emotional aspect; but the well-being of a colleague, is an emotional quotient. The emotional equation makes or breaks performance. As manager, take care of the emotional side of your colleagues and you are assured of best performance and highest quality productivity.

No work force can be pulled out of its inertia through any tech process. It is only through creating the right level of enthusiasm and excitement that colleagues undertake to do assignments that may either have not been done at all in the past or even some tasks that may have hitherto failed to blip on the managers’ radar.

Corporate history is riddled with stories of managers who possessed this great trait to negotiate with the team on an emotional level and consequently were able to build great business empires. It is the belief that nothing can supersede the potential of the human mind.

Technical excellence can give a competitive edge but with bad interpersonal skills this advantage can slide into an abyss of no use or consequence.

If the dealer in products lacks abilities to deal with differing human attitudes and behaviour, he is unlikely to make any or good sale. There is no suggestion here that competence should be relegated to a non-significant position.

In fact, as managers and leaders, it is critical to be surrounded with people who have technological knowledge and expertise. Most colleagues respond with motivation to those supervisors who demonstrate great subject knowledge and especially those who back it up with human touch.

The ability to deal with people in general and the human resource factor in the organisation, is critical for business growth and profitability.

In creating the right balance between human touch and technical ability, is it a good practice to do hand-holding on a continual basis, with colleagues -that is giving instructions at the drop of the hat, giving advices, commands, and suggestions, either for corrective action or performance enhancement? No. A humane leader knows the importance of autonomy of decision-making, and hence the enlightened ones indulge very little or less in giving direct instructions but they do score very high on extending all-out support.

A good leader is one who assembles good technocrats and then blends them into a team, who are inspired with common goals and objectives. The important thing is never to be blinded by the fact that if a person has qualities to do better in one section of the organisation, he will also do well in all other areas of the operation. Never put square pegs in round holes to suit expediency.

With preference to technology and disdain towards human resources, managers indulge into expression and sometimes are impelled towards implied fingerpointing. It must be nipped in the bud right there. Such interaction can lead to the creation of unbridgeable disharmony in ranks. Aggressive human behavior must remain under perpetual arrest.

Managers, relying on technology, believe that their follow-up mechanism is the best guarantee for delivery of results, are most likely to be surprised that breathing down the neck of their colleagues is the most despicable human behavior. It evokes negative response.

I learnt in the banking that there was this amazing go-getter, a dream manager, who could hold meetings at the oddest of times; and with surprise it could be held at 7:00 am! In one such meeting that ended up close to midnight, while the reincarnations of Solomon’s attendees set some human targets for achievement. Later, in order to portray himself as an embodiment of one who respects value of time, he telephoned one of the senior managers to check, how much of the assigned target had been achieved? The manager although aghast but very sheepishly said, “Sir, I am still at home, trying to open my eyes and get dressed…. I don’t know if during my sleeping hours, my spirit or my ghost would have done any marketing, to change yesterday’s closing numbers, either positively or even negatively? ". For this corporate blasphemy of expressing truth, he was promptly consigned to the back office.

Such are weak leaders of people. They lack apathy. I wouldn't ever classify them as “technocrats” but more appropriately call them “corporate maniacs”.

A good and competent leader provides for a vision to achieve, usually leaving the brass tacks to equally competent managers, who combine in their persona’s relevant technical competencies and posses the right traits of personality to keep the team charged, inspired, and directed towards achievements.

Calling a manager and telling him “my vision is to triple the business, during year 2019 ... tell me how you would do it? This is a classic case of fanaticism of the corporate world.

In an earlier organisation I worked for, the corporate slogan was “the caring …” because caring requires commitment towards all and demands investment of time, it was promptly dropped.

Always keep sizing your team to ensure a fair equation between the human qualities that are on display coupled with sound technical Knowledge. The battles between skills and abilities are mostly won by feelings. The inherent core capabilities must reign supreme in the discharge of duty.

As leaders or managers, recognise that the brain that houses technical competences, usually must reside close or next to the heart, which has in itself, the necessary emotions to handle and exploit.

All leaders/managers must each single day dedicate at least ten minutes for meditation because it allows attaining spirituality, which is key to handling day-to-day challenges.

All the knowledge (technical skills), I possess everyone can acquire but my heart is all mine (Goethe). Sell passion to your technocrats and you will find them motivated.

The writer is a freelance columnist