Self-evaluation
HR normally hires people on the basis of their educational background, their aptitude, their past experience and the skill-set they possess. After people are taken on board, their role play is aligned as per company's needs and as they best fit in the ecosystem of the company.
In the course of performing their assigned roles, they are further judged on their level of commitment and devotion, sense of punctuality, subject matter awareness, their ability to get along well with colleagues, their ability to present their point of view precisely and convincingly, and finally their sense of responsibility in successfully managing the deliverables entrusted to them.
That sets in the process of their elevation in the hierarchy of the organization. In fact, matured Corporate lay down route maps for such individuals for their future exposure and grooming, and eventually they are entrusted with higher responsibilities.
I had worked with two Private sector Banks for around 4 decades, across the length and breadth of country, and from my experience, I observed that there is always a gap between expectation levels of management and the staff expected to deliver. In this context, I feel I have something tangible to share on people management. Here it is....
I was once asked to address Officers and Managers of all the Bank's branches of one Bank in a particular city. A typical Bank branch has a Branch Manager, one Deputy Manager and a couple of Officers, and Deputy Manager is the crucial cog in the wheel.
I first took a session for Deputy Managers who are always keen to become Branch Managers. I posed them with a thought provoking question, "If they were to become Branch Managers, what kind of Deputy Managers they would like to have in their branches ?" Few sample answers were:-
- They should be proactive
- They should be self-starter
- They should be responsive
- They should be knowledgeable and up-to-date with latest Bank's Circulars
- They should be pleasant
- They should get along well with other staff members
- They should be able to handle all kind of customers
- They should be someone who doesn't loose his cool under any circumstances
- They should be one who keeps all staff members motivated.
- They should always remain positive
- They should be someone who takes responsibility for managing Branch's affairs with the existing staff available on any given day
- They should lead by example
- They should be someone who takes their decision
- They should be someone who can be trusted
I put all these answers on a White Board, and asked those Deputy Managers present there to self evaluate themselves on those parameters, and introspect how good they themselves are on that scale, and where do they themselves need to work on to meet the Branch Manager's expectations. They were all caught with surprise and sheepishly looked at each other, for now they have no where they to go except equip themselves with those traits.
The same training session was later on held for other officers too, who were trying to get promoted to Deputy Managers, and their responses to the given question was also on similar lines.
This self-evaluation exercise was observed to be quite handy and it exemplified the traits Deputy Managers/Officers need to cultivate and nurture in themselves to be entrusted with higher responsibilities.
Wonder, isn't that applicable to all who work in any structured organization?
Show them the way, from their point of view, and they shall heartily walk the talk.