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EDITOR’S
 NOTE




                         m
                         MAKING THE DIFFERENCE

                         Managing the day to day responsibilities and re-
                         quirements is the primary objective of all of us at
                         present. To use one’s intellect, to harness the emo-
                         tions and to streamline duties with the help of both
                         these directed capacities is a challenge.
                         The third issue of Manager Today is here to help you
                         all in developing that management skill to meet this
                         challenge and shine in your personal and professional
      Ijaz Nisar
       Editor-in-Chief   lives.
    & CEO Leading Edge
                         Comprising the cover story on how you can capitalize
                         on emotional intelligence and a look on emotional &
                         spiritual mix in business would serve as a provoca-
                         tive beginning of your reading.
                         I hope the exclusive interviews including entrepre-
                         neur Ramzan Sheikh, the CEO of Royal Palm Golf &
                         Country Club, Uzma Bashir Ghous, the woman of
                         substance and the real success story of Arshad B.
                         Anjum, the vice president of operations Pearl Conti-
                         nental Hotels would inspire you a great deal.
                         The recipe of a successful academic career is very
                         well brought in the interview academia from the
                         dean of Suleman School of Business LUMS, Dr
                         Shaukat Brah.
                         Dealing with the hazards stress brings in our lives,
                         we have a very practical strategy of stress manage-
                         ment in the magazine.
                         More for the betterment of this publication I would
                         like to inculcate the suggestions and participation of
                         my readers. Till the upcoming Oct-Nov issue of the
                         magazine I wish you all a very happy and peaceful
                         time ahead.
Mail
                                                                                                                                                                                      Box
I feel pleasure to congratulate the Man-                                 My dear Ijaz,                                                                       I request for the annual subscription of
ager Today’s team to roll out such a won-                                Please accept my congratulations on a                                               Manager Today for my company, consid-
derful & much awaited magazine                                           job very well done with Manager Today.                                              ering it the best guide for all of working
catering to corporate sector’s needs.                                    May it grow in influence and content.                                                personnel on their desks.
This is actually the first personal & pro-                                Kind regards                                                                                                                      Rahat Anjum
fessional magazine in Pakistan which is                                                                                        Philip S. Lall                                                                             Manager HR
second to none in its content collection                                                                                  Consultant & CEO                                      Faisal Spinning, Sheikhupura.
and layout. We, at Bank Alfalah wish the                                                                                 Pro-cel Consulting                             -------------------------------------------------------------
management of Manager Today a roar-                                                  -------------------------------------------------------------
ing success!                                                                                                                                                 Manager Today is highly appreciated by
                                       Hamid M Mirza                     I am very happy over receiving the                                                  us all at the PEL. The magazine seems
                                            Head of Marketing            second issue of Manager Today, the very                                             getting comprehensive in its contents
                                                 Bank Alfalah Ltd.       first magazine of its kind in Pakistan. I                                            and the presentation. Accept congratu-
         -------------------------------------------------------------   congratulate the whole team on this                                                 lations!
                                                                         unique and a valued venture.                                                                                                     Major Waqar
AS I read through the content of Man-                                                Prof. Dr. Khawaja Amjad Saeed                                                 General Manager HR, PEL, Lahore.
ager Today’s second issue I could not re-                                                                                                    Principal,              -------------------------------------------------------------
sist appreciating the effort. The gradual                                    Hailey College of Banking & Finance,
ascend in its’ quality is remarkable. I wish                                                           University of the Punjab                              ‘The reading habit of our nation is on a
you success at every step ahead.                                                 -------------------------------------------------------------               sharp decline’ it is a general comment we
                                            Waqas Lodhi                                                                                                      often hear. But I am rather of a different
                                                           Manager HR    It was really a greeting to get through the                                         opinion, I do not think reading can loose
                                                         Mughal Steel.   magazine addressing the core issues of                                              its charm and influence on learned peo-
         -------------------------------------------------------------   human resource and management in                                                    ple no matter how busy they get in their
                                                                         companies operational in Pakistan. I must                                           lives though the only condition for it is
I want to congratulate you for publishing                                appreciate the content being highly rele-                                           quality stuff. Manager Today is an in-
Manager Today which is indeed very in-                                   vant to the present problems of our work                                            stance having a great potential of reviv-
formative guide for our managers.                                        environment.                                                                        ing reading habit of the nation. I count the
                                                  Jazib Faizi                                                             Naseem Zafar                       publication of this magazine a social serv-
                            Special Assistant to CEO                                                                                Director CMD             ice indeed. I wish this venture a very good
                                   Packages Ltd, Lahore.                                                                                           Lahore.   luck in future.
         -------------------------------------------------------------               -------------------------------------------------------------                                         Fasihul Karim Siddiqi
                                                                                                                                                                         Director & Board Advisor HR
                                                                                                                                                                     Hinopak Motors Limited, Karachi.




              INSPIRED? MOTIVATED? DID YOU LIKE WHAT YOU READ?
               If you find ManagerToday inspirational for the personal and professional development, do inform us. You can also contribute with
               your articles, suggestions and recommendations at: Email: editor@themanagertoday.com, managertoday@hotmail.com
               Website: www.themanagertoday.com
               Ph: 042 5792066, 042 5817048, 0344 6700812
               Don’t forget to mention your full name, postal address and phone number.
PCPB # 303-M



                        MANAGER
                        TODAY

Editor-in-Chief
Ijaz Nisar
                                                          COVER STOERY 10
Managing Editor
Shakil A. Chaudhary
                                        CAPITALIZING OF EMOTIONAL IN-
Editorial Advisor                                         TELLIGENCE
                                        Remembering that we are always
Shakeel Ahmed
                                        in transition, it is critical not to get
Editor
Nabeela Malik
Sub Editor
Mariam Lodhi
                                             lulled into the “this is forever”
                                                                     syndrome

                                        EMOTIONAL & SPIRITUAL MIX IN 14
                                                                                        32
Associate Editor
Saba Kiani                                                 BUSINESS
                                       Information, it is rightly said, is not
Art Director
                                            knowledge; knowledge is not
Heesan Bilal                                  wisdom. And wisdom is not
Marketing Manager                        attained if we do not nurture the
Munir Hussain                               capacity to love and serve our
Sales Manager                                                 fellow beings.
Haseeb Nisar
Photographer                                                       INTERVIEW       16
Mansoor Ahmed                            IF THE GOVERNMENT SUCCEDDS
Contributors                           IN ALLOCATING SOME INCENTIVES
Dr. SM Naqi
Maqbool Ahmed Babri (Max)
                                       FOR THE HOSPITALITY INVESTORS,
Masood Ali Khan                           THE INDUSTRY WOULD ENJOY A
Danish Shehryar                          GREAT BOOM – RAMZAN SHEIKH
Bakhtiar Khawaja
Idrees Qamar                                               MANAGEMENT 20
Irfan Ahmed Mir
Sonia Urooj
                                          FIVE GREAT MYTHS OF LEADER-
Wali Muhammad                                        SHIP IN PRACTICE
Ghazanfar Azzam                          Undoubtedly, leadership is much
                                       talked and written about subject in
Shahid Nafees                               the management literature. In
Muhammad Zaheer                         behavioral training too, leadership
Bilal Ilahi                                            has the top priority.
Legal Advisor
Muhammad Zulfiqar Ali Buttar                                 Communication 22
Publisher                                                  HEAR TO LISTEN!
Leading Edge                                  Listening more sophiticated
Printer                                mental process than hearing and it
Javed Printers                          calls upon energey and discipline
Head Office ManagerToday                 that one needs to train himself for
PL-20 Siddique Trade Centre
Main Boulevard, Gulberg III                                   MARKETING 24
Lahore                                 GOOD MARKETING DECISIONS BUT
Tel: 042-5792066, 5817048               EXECUTION EXECUTION FOUL-UPS
email: info@themanagertoday.com
www.themanagertoday.com
www.leadingedge.com.pk
32   SALES
               HOW TO BE A GOOD
               SALES PERSON
               “7% of the impact come from the
               words you say, 38% relates to your
               body language and 55% of the
               impact is related to the way you
               say your words & your voice tone.

          34   STRESS MANAGEMENT
               THRIVING ON STRESS
               There is a needs to initiate new
               infrastructure projects and inject
               fresh industry to absorb the ever-

16             grwoing pool of young men



26   38   36   ISLAMIC BANKING
               HOW TO AVERT IMPENDING ECO-
               NOMIC DISASTER
               TMCL-based interest-free banking
               model can replace conventional
               banking immediately without any
               disruption in the financial system

          42   HUMAN RESOURCE
               WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?

     48   44   SELF DEVELOPMENT
               THE POWER OF PERSONAL DEVEL-
               OPMENT
               When I say Think and Grow Rich,
               what comes to your mind?

          46   TRAINING
               CORPORATE PATANGBAZ
          48   INTERVIEW
     22        SHAUKAT BRAH

     14   52   HEALTH & WELLNESS
               OLD PROVENS WITH NEW
               MEALINGS...
WISDOM CORNER




              quotable
               quotes                CORRUPTION
                                     To fix even a single unlawfully acquired stone in a house is to guarantee to its
                                     destruction.
                                     n HAZRAT ALI (A.S)
                                     Livelihooh acquired by foul means is the worst form of livelihood.
                                     n HAZRAT ALI (A.S)

                                     ATTITUDE
                                     The greatest discovery of our generation is that human beings can alter their
                                     lives by altering their attitudes of mind. As you think, so shall you be.
                                     n WILLIAM JAMES


                                     COMMUNICATION
                                     Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are
                                     appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible --
                                     the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family.
                                     n VIRGINIA SATIR


                                     CONFIDENCE
                                     You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you
                                     really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you
                                     cannot do.
                                     n ELEANOR ROOSEVELT


                                     COURAGE
                                     One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without
                                     courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be
                                     kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.
                                     n MAYA ANGELOU
                                     Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.
                                     n WINSTON CHURCHILL


                                     DISCIPLINE
                                     The strongest man is whoever can make his reason conquer his passions.
                                     n HAZRAT ALI (A.S)
                                     Develop the winning edge; small differences in your performance can lead to
                                     large differences in your results.
                                     n BRIAN TRACY


                                     FOCUS
                                     If you chase two rabbits both will escape.
                                     n ANONYMOUS



8 MANAGER TODAY | June - July 2009                                                                  www.themanagertoday.com
COVER STORY




                                              TAQUEER SALEEM KHAN
                                             The writer is a practicing psychologist




10 MANAGER TODAY | August - September 2009                                             www.themanagertoday.com
‘It’s not your IQ. It’s not even a number. But
                                             emotional intelligence may be the best
                                             predictor of success in life, redefining
                                             what it means to be smart.’




 E         very single day we are faced
           with some challenge and often
           several. The life of today’s
           man has become quite hectic.
           From smaller troubles like
  heavy workload, long working hours,
  family issues, increasing inflation
  ratio, long power cut offs and bad
                                            The idea of Emotional Intelligence
                                               Emotional Intelligence - EQ - is a relatively re-
                                            cent behavioral model, rising to prominence
                                            with Daniel Goleman's 1995 international
                                            best-seller called 'Emotional Intelligence'. The
                                            theory of Emotional Intelligence proved an im-
                                            portant consideration in human resource
                                            planning, job profiling, recruitment interview-
                                                                                                   those feelings, name them and begin to un-
                                                                                                   derstand their causes and effects. It also
                                                                                                   helps us understand how emotions function
                                                                                                   in our brains and bodies, and the interaction
                                                                                                   of thought, feeling, and action.
                                                                                                   RECOGNIZE PATTERNS
                                                                                                       Human brain follows patterns, or neural
                                                                                                   pathways. Stimulus leads to response, and
  weather to greater issues of injus-       ing and selection, management development,             over time, the response becomes nearly au-
  tice, insurgency, insecurity and polit-   customer relations and customer service,               tomatic.
  ical instability – all have put people    and more.                                                  On a behavioral level, the neural patterns
  into great depression, a state of help-      Emotional Intelligence links strongly with          lead to behavior patterns. At a young age, we
  lessness where they behave in a very      concepts of love and spirituality: bringing com-       learn lessons of how to cope, how to get our
  nasty way to their fellow beings. This    passion and humanity to work, and also to              needs met, how to protect ourselves. These
  state of restlessness not only dis-       'Multiple Intelligence' theory which illustrates       strategies reinforce one another, and we de-
  turbs interpersonal relationships but     and measures the range of capabilities peo-            velop a complex structure of beliefs to sup-
  the whole mechanism of a society in       ple possess, and the fact that everybody has           port the validity of the behaviors. As we
  larger perspective. We, Pakistanis        a value.                                               become more conscious of the patterns we
  have become a victim of this dis-            The EQ concept argues that IQ, or conven-           exhibit, it becomes possible to analyze the be-
  tressing state which is affecting us      tional intelligence, is too narrow; that there         liefs and replace them if appropriate, and in-
  individually and socially thus appear-    are wider areas of Emotional Intelligence that         terrupt the pattern and replace it with
  ing symptomatically through obses-        dictate and enable how successful we are.              conscious behaviour that moves us closer to
  sions, addictions, violence and loss of   Success requires more than IQ (Intelligence            our real goals. This is an enormously difficult
  meaning. Apparently, no visible solu-     Quotient), which has tended to be the tradi-           task that requires commitment and vigilance
  tion seems to be fitting to this malady    tional measure of intelligence, ignoring es-           --- but it is not difficult to begin.
  of the twentieth century, but only one    sential behavioral and character elements.             APPLY CONSEQUENTIAL
  and that is introducing us to the emo-    We've all met people who are academically              THINKING
  tional intelligence.                      brilliant and yet are socially and inter-person-          People are often told to control their emo-
    By developing our Emotional Intelli-    ally inept. And we know that despite possess-          tions to suppress feelings like anger, joy or fear
  gence we can become more produc-          ing a high IQ rating, success does not                 and cut them off from the decision-making
  tive and successful at what we do,        automatically follow.                                  process. This old paradigm suggests that
  and help others to be more produc-           Goleman based his performance-related re-           emotions make us less effective; nothing could
  tive and successful too. The process      search on hundreds of top executives from              be farther from reality. Feelings provide in-
  and outcomes of Emotional Intelli-        some of the world’s largest corporations and           sight, energy, and are the real basis for almost
  gence development also contain many       concluded that close to 90% of leadership              every decision. Instead of disconnecting our
  elements known to reduce stress for       success is attributable to EQ.                         emotions, we need to control our actions so
  individuals and organizations, by de-        There are eight key fundamentals of emo-            that we have time to make the most creative,
  creasing conflict, improving relation-     tional intelligence.                                   insightful, and powerful decisions. Particularly
  ships and understanding, and              BUILD EMOTIONAL LITERACY                               when dealing with conflict or crisis, we need to
  increasing stability, continuity and        Feelings are a complex aspect of every per-          slow down the process and apply carefully
  harmony.                                  son. While research has identified eight                practiced strategies that lead to decisions in-
                                            "core" feelings (fear, joy, acceptance, anger,         formed by the fused powers of heart and
                                            sorrow, disgust, surprise, expectation), we            mind. This "habit of mind" stems from a clear
                                            each experience dozens, even hundreds, of              understanding of the consequences of our
                                            variations each single day. These emotions             choices and the ability to imagine the cause
                                            blend and merge and frequently they conflict.           and effect relationships. This process allows
                                              This EQ fundamental helps us sort out all of         us to be as impulsive as we truly want to be,

www.themanagertoday.com                                                                              August - September 2009 | MANAGER TODAY 11
COVER STORY

but also forces us to limit impulsivity when        these mechanisms and opportunities.                    she were honest -- even when she was not.
consequences are undesirable. One key               MOTIVATE YOURSELF                                      She internalized that value and struggled to
mechanism to develop and monitor conse-               Motivation comes from Latin “to move;” it            improve her actions because it felt good to
quential thinking is "self-talk." Self-talk is a    is a goal-oriented behavior. In essence, we            have her real behavior meet that high stan-
mechanism to mentally explore multiple op-          take action because it feels good to do so.            dard.
tions and viewpoints; it provides a system to       It feels right to take a break when we are on            3. Give time. Motivation is a complex
balance the various aspects of ourself. Just        overload, then it feels right to go back to work.      process and a vital one. Like so many intra-
as in conversations outside ourselves, some-        The challenge is to make it feel right to take         personal skills, it often takes years or
times the louder voice gets more attention;         action that does not have an immediate re-             decades for the seeds to bloom.
the issue in both cases is to develop a             ward. To do so, we have got to tap into the            CHOOSE OPTIMISM
process where listening is valued and all the       part of ourselves that has a longer-view --               Likewise, children are born optimistic and
voices -- loud or soft -- are heard.                which also feels right. We each make count-            tend to stay optimistic until they are six or
EVALUATE AND RE-CHOOSE                              less decisions each hour. For example:                 seven. At that time, life's difficulties impinge
  In our daily lives, we have countless oppor-         • What should I eat for lunch?                      enough that the door is opened for hopeless-
tunities to get feedback about our thoughts,           •What clothes should I wear today?                  ness. Research suggests that to avoid getting
feelings and actions, and to change them if            •Which book should I read? Ask?                     trapped in the negativity, people need at least
the feedback so warrants. Unfortunately, we            In part, we make those decisions uncon-             one refuge. The refuge can be a person or a
also have a great capacity to ignore this feed-     sciously based on our patterns and habits. In          practice (such as reading) that provides posi-
back and continue with a scarcity of useful in-     part, we make those decisions based on our             tive input. It is remarkable to think that one
formation. In this unconscious state it is easy     personal priorities. So, if we want to redirect        source of kindness, one source of comfort,
to become selfish, to sever connections with         our decision to take a longer-term view, we            one source of hope is enough to combat the
our humanity and to subjugate ourselves to          need to both shape unconscious habits and              terrible perils that some children experience.
addictions or other compensations.                  examine priorities to make sure they match.            CREATE EMPATHY
  The alternative is to listen -- listen to our-       In addition to motivating ourselves, it is im-        Empathy is the ability to recognize and re-
selves and listen to others. When we become         portant to learn how to motivate others.               spond to other people's emotions. It is con-

Emotional intelligence is an important consideration in human resources
planning, job profiling, recruitment interviewing and selection, management
development, customer relations and customer service and more
skilled at sensing our own emotions, we are         There are many ways to do so; the most ob-             nected to optimism because it is through a
able to tap into the energy that they provide       vious are “extrinsic” motivations. For example,        sense of our connection to others that we
and take action. Emotions are energy and one        “If you carry my bag, I'll give you a candy bar,”      see our own efficacy and importance. To-
place where that energy most frequently             is a simple example of extrinsic motivation -- it      gether they govern a significant portion of our
erupts is in conflict.                               is a bribe or a type of commercial interaction.        behavior; they are the gatekeepers of our
  To socialize effectively you must recognize       Quite useful at times -- but it doesn't last. Build-   emotional selves. When we are empathic, it
and gauge other peoples' thoughts, feelings         ing lasting motivation requires a more com-            hurts us to hurt others or to see them hurt.
and actions just as you monitor your own.           plex strategy; one that employs both intrinsic         We actually experience for ourselves the
These skills are heavily dependent on inter-        and extrinsic motivation (ideally 60-80% of            emotions of others.
preting paralanguage (body-language, tone,          the focus is on intrinsic motivation). Building        COMMIT TO NOBLE GOALS
utterances, facial expression, and other            motivation in others begins with three ele-               Noble goals activate all of the other ele-
forms of nonverbal communication). An ef-           ments:                                                 ments of EQ. Through our missions and our
fective socializer is able to turn conflict into a      1. They need to feel the benefit of the pri-         acts of human kindness, the commitment to
positive force. She/he creates compromise           ority you are suggesting. If you want a child to       emotional intelligence gains relevance and
and makes sure needs are met. She/he can            use a more polite vocabulary, she/he needs             power. Just as our personal priorities shape
mobilize people, persuade and inspire others.       to experience how such a decision would feel           our daily choices, our noble goals shape our
  The most critical step to teaching effective      good. She/he will develop that experience by           long-term choices. They give us a sense of di-
socialization is to provide positive role models    being spoken to with polite words -- at the            rection; they give us a spar to hold in the
and opportunities for people to practice what       same time, it might feel good to avoid the con-        storm, they are the compass for our soul. All
they have observed. In today’s demanding            sequences of using impolite words -- and that          the “inside” aspects of emotional intelligence
corporate culture, employees often do not           will feel good.                                        change your attitudes. They shape your own
find time to interact much socially. Thus, it is        2. Always treat them as you want them to            life; they help you become the person you want
even more important that they are provided          be. Sarah’s mother always treated her as if            to be. Your noble goals touch the future. n

12 MANAGER TODAY | August - September 2009                                                                                        www.themanagertoday.com
ARE YOU
                                              EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT MANAGER?
                                              TEST YOUR E.Q




           www.themanagertoday.com
                                              Rate yourself on the following items on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the low and 5 high). This exercise aims at fact-finding and not fault-finding, and is intended to help
                                              you focus on areas for self-improvement.

                                              1.    I stay relaxed and composed under pressure.                                      1                  2                 3                  4                   5

                                              2.    I can identify negative feelings without becoming distressed.                    1                  2                 3                  4                   5

                                              3.    I stay focused ( not lost in unimportant details) in getting a job done.         1                  2                 3                  4                   5

                                              4.    I freely admit to making mistakes.                                               1                  2                 3                  4                   5

                                              5.    I am sensitive to other people’s emotions and moods.                             1                  2                 3                  4                   5

                                              6.    I can conceive feedback or criticism without becoming defensive.                 1                  2                 3                  4                   5

                                              7.    I calm myself quickly when I get angry or upset.                                 1                  2                 3                  4                   5

                                              8.    I communicate my needs and feelings honestly.                                    1                  2                 3                  4                   5

                                              9.    I can pull myself together quickly after a setback                               1                  2                 3                  4                   5

                                              10.   I am aware of how my behavior impacts others.                                    1                  2                 3                  4                   5

                                              11.   I pay attention and listen without jumping to conclusions.                       1                  2                 3                  4                   5

                                              12.   I take regular time out ( once a month or a quarter)
                                                     to reflect on my core purpose and vision for how I want to live my life.         1                  2                 3                  4                   5


                                             If you have solved the quiz and found the grand total, see your score at page # 58 and get to know the level of your EQ.




August - September 2009 | MANAGER TODAY 13
COVER STORY


                                                                   IJAZ NISAR



              Emotional & spiritual mix in business
         Information, it is rightly said, is not knowledge; knowledge is not wisdom. And wisdom is not attained if we do not
                                        nurture the capacity to love and serve our fellow beings.




G           <None>reat thinker and poet-
            philosopher, Dr. Allama Muham-
            mad Iqbal, once said that
            education is the manifestation of
            the perfection already inherent in
us. It is about cultivating a way of viewing
the world by developing the inner space
with the help of which we are empowered
to engage the outer space. It is a lamp to
be lit, not a bucket to be filled.
   Management education, in Pakistan and
abroad, betrays a marked disposition to-
wards the later instead of the former. Our
education system is excessively geared to
filling young minds with megabytes of mind-
less information.
   It is heavily weighted in favor of analytical
intelligence and ignores the fostering of
emotional and spiritual intelligence. Infor-
mation, it is rightly said, is not knowledge;      velopment of emotional and spiritual intelli-   ing such courses. I remember the state-
knowledge is not wisdom. And wisdom is             gence in management education.                  ments that you made in class: ‘I have never
not attained if we do not nurture the ca-             Five years ago, I introduced a course in     worked for money,’ ‘I see all of you as disci-
pacity to love and serve our fellow beings.        collaboration with a local business school      ples, trying to balance the various de-
   Management education imparts tools              on Anger Management and Emotional In-           mands that you face in your life,’ and
and techniques designed to secure pro-             telligence for new managers. Such was the       ‘management is a creative pursuit;’ each
fessional skills that help the learner make a      response from students that I not only con-     day at work gives me examples of the ve-
living. Spiritual education embeds in the          tinued the offering, but floated a new elec-     racity of these statements.”
learner both character and attitude. If pro-       tive course on spirituality, Ethics and self       “In the last two years I have found that to
fessional education provides the scaffold-         development for young managers.                 do a role that challenges me is more im-
ing, spiritual education lays the foundation.         Last November, I received a letter from a    portant than the money that a particular
Our higher education must, therefore, aim          student who had taken both these course.        role pays,” he wrote. “Inevitably, a challeng-
at combining instruction in tools and tech-        He said: “I was your student in 2006 –          ing role makes me perform and stretch
niques with embedding character and atti-          2008 when you taught two electives—             and the rewards are not far away. Manag-
tude. The tragic events of September 11            Anger Management and Emotional Intelli-         ing the demands of team, the process, and
and the unceremonious collapse of corpo-           gence, Spirituality and Self development for    the emotions of the people affected takes
rate entities Enron, World Tel, Arthur An-         managers. While reading a recent article        as much time as the job itself. And to top it
derson and recent global economic                  in Businessweek on the new courses being        all, every day I have to think creatively, think
downturn have led American management              taught at foreign business school with the      differently to get my job done.”
schools to question their role as educa-           same theme as your courses, I thought I            I receive emails, and letters along these
tors. Globally, there is a pronounced shift        should write to you and thank you for the       lines. They are an eloquent testimony of the
in emphasis and this is reflected in the in-        impact the courses have had on my life and      need to embed emotional and spiritual in-
creasing importance accorded to the de-            for being ahead of these schools in offer-      telligence in management curricula.n

14 MANAGER TODAY | June - July 2009                                                                                        www.themanagertoday.com
ENTREPRENEUR




                                                  NABEELA MALIK




                                             W             ould you like to give an in-
                                                           troduction to your aca-
                                                           demic background?
                                                             My schooling was done at
                                             Sacred Heart, a missionary school.
                                                Providing a very high quality education
                                             the school educated me in real terms.
                                                Later, I joined Government College La-
                                             hore; completing my graduation there I
                                             opted for some courses locally and
                                             some abroad.
                                                But personally I feel the process of get-
                                             ting educated never stops throughout
                                             the life.
                                                It is also because one has to keep
                                             abreast the modern day needs along
                                             with personal and professional en-
                                             hancement of one’s caliber. Thus, I like
                                             studying the quality stuff from all around
                                             the world.
                                             Tell us something about the family
                                             business and the establishment of
                                             Royal Palm Golf & Country Club?
                                                Our family business was basically con-
                                             struction related. My father started with
                                             construction projects in 1967. We
                                             turned to hospitality industry after a long
                                             time and established Royal Palm Golf &
                                             Country Club in 2001. Initially, it was a
                                             sports oriented facility, which eventually
                                             transformed into a world class Golf
                                             course and country club as you can see
                                             it for yourself.
                                             The well established construction
                                             business might have helped in it.
                                                Yes, the core knowledge of construc-
                                             tion did obviously help a lot in setting up
                                             Royal Palm in the short time span of two
                                             years which wouldn’t have been possible

16 MANAGER TODAY | August - September 2009                                       www.themanagertoday.com
www.themanagertoday.com   August - September 2009 | MANAGER TODAY 17
INTERVIEW


                                                otherwise.
                                             What are the main features of a
                                             country club? What facilities are pro-
                                             vided at Royal Palm?
                                               The 18 hole golf course at our club
                                             meets all the standards of Pakistan Golf
                                             Association (PGA). It has been visited by
                                             the Asian Golf Federation and Star Net-
                                             work and they have rated it as the best
                                             golf course in the South Asia.
                                               Apart from golf, we have three squash
                                             courses, three tennis courts, two swim-
                                             ming pools, fitness facilities, restaurants
                                             and banquet facilities at Royal Palm. So,
                                             actually it is the combination of a sports
                                             club and a country club.
                                               Is there any plan to provide lodging
                                             facilities in times to come that are
                                             yet unavailable here?
                                               Well, the project is in pipeline but due
                                             to recent insurgent attacks I believe it
                                             will be more appropriate if lodging and
                                             day to day activities aren’t mixed to-
                                             gether. For security reasons, I think
                                             there should be a separate compound
                                             for all the routine club activities.
                                               Then there is a heavy traffic of visitors
                                             and members in the banquet or sports
                                             area of a hotel or a country club and ide-
                                             ally speaking, the residential compound
                                             should be separated from these areas.
                                             And we are in a process of developing
                                             lodging area far from the day to day
                                             heavy traffic activities areas.
                                             How far the insurgency has affected
                                             hospitality industry and tourism in
                                             Pakistan?
                                               Pakistan has much of internal or do-
                                             mestic tourism, people travel from one
                                             place to another frequently, it has de-
                                             creased, apart from it the international
                                             tourism has also been highly affected
                                             due to the law & order and security is-
                                             sues.
                                             How to portray the soft image of Pak-
                                             istan to the outer world?
                                               Primarily, it is the soft face of Pakistan
                                             we are representing and also few of the
                                             foreign companies operating in Pakistan
                                             are contributing toward making Lahore
                                             the favorite spot for foreigners.
                                             What are the Royal Palm membership
                                             pre-requisites?

18 MANAGER TODAY | August - September 2009                        www.themanagertoday.com
We look at an applicant’s profile, as-                                                 alogue with my employees to discuss all
   sessing his education, family back-                                                       the pros & cons of any new strategy.
   ground and present standing etc. We                                                          And more importantly, I always look
   also find out that the person should be                                                   forward to a healthy and impartial feed-
   clubbable. So, the applicant himself and                                                  back from my clients and employees.
   existing members should be feeling                                                        Are there any HR issues at the club
   comfortable with one another.                                                             that needs to be solved?
   Has the present day global economic                                                          Luckily, we don’t have much of HR is-
   meltdown affected hospitality indus-                                                      sues; we could find devoted and talented
   try?                                                                                      professionals performing their duties
      Yes, it has definitely affected as four                                                very well. But hospitality industry needs
   years ago there were 10 hotels an-                                                        a continuous improvement. It is essen-
   nounced to be established in Lahore but                                                   tial because the serviceability can not be
   unfortunately not even one or two of                                                      put on the second preference. So, we
   them could come to completion. I find                                                     are in a constant effort of regulating
   one or the two reasons of it including                                                    training and development programs to
   that certain roadmaps are needed to be                                                    ensure a constant improvement in HR
   provided by the government.                                                               practices at the club.
      Our government has to realize that ho-                                                    How Royal Palm meets its Corpo-
   tels pay a very high ratio of taxes as 16%                                                rate Social Responsibilities (CSR)?
   tax is levied on services and many other                                                     Our main focus is primarily on envi-
   taxes making 20 to 30% bulk of over all                                                   ronment. We have a very sustainable
   tax generation, it also produces a great                                                  and environment friendly model for the
   employment opportunity. So it should
                                                 Our government has to                       preservation of trees and luckily we have
   encourage hospitality industry.               realize that hotels pay                     been able to preserve 95% of trees im-
      I hope if the government succeeds in                                                   planted here. Secondly the water re-cy-
   allocating some incentives for the hospi-
                                                    a very high ratio of                     cling system is also very efficient
   tality investors, the industry would enjoy      taxes as 16% tax is                       because there is a lot of water con-
   a great boom.                                 levied on services and                      sumption at the golf course. So, by the
      Do you have any role models that                                                       re-cycling system we make sure that
   you might have cherished in your life?           many other taxes                         minimum water is being wasted.
      Yes, I certainly cherish the personality     making 20 to 30%                             We have a forthright assistance to
   of LEONG, the prime minister of Singa-                                                    meet any catastrophe as having nearly
   pore. He brought Singapore to the highly
                                                    bulk of over all tax                     2000 members whom we can call in
   developed countries of the world though          generation, it also                      case of any emergency in the country
   it is a small island.                            produces a great                         like earthquake or insurgency etc and
      Besides him I really admire some of                                                    our network quickly responds toward
   the leadership stories by Jim Collins, a            employment                            meeting any such hazard on national
   management and leadership guru.                  opportunity. So it                       level.
   These people are a great inspiration for                                                     Serving as the CEO of a big club, how
   me.
                                                    should encourage                         do you manage work life balance?
      What makes one successful in one’s           hospitality industry.                        The most important for you in the
   life and profession?                                                                      world is your own health and the self. So
      Keeping a sharp focus on things                                                        if you are consuming time on maintain-
   around you is the basic component of                                                      ing your health and routine life activities,
   success. And next to it is the vision, one                                                then it is a great ability indeed.
   must be able to see life in a bigger con-     day to day dog fight for short term            In my case, at times it feels that per-
   text. Being a professional it is very much    needs, one should try to bring some im-     haps I am not maintaining an ideal bal-
   essential to be competent, adaptable          provement in the existing environment.      ance between work and the family. And
   and strong enough to meet new chal-             What is your execution strategy           this realization is very much important
   lenges.                                       being a CEO?                                because it motivates me to do more ef-
      As a member of the society, think be-        I focus on planning broadly for the up-   forts in this regard. So, if there is a will
   yond personal interests, apart from the       coming projects. I believe in an open di-   to find this balance, one finds it.n

www.themanagertoday.com                                                                       August - September 2009 | MANAGER TODAY 19
MANAGEMENT



                    SYED ALI RAZA
           The writer is the head of HR in a multina-
                        tional company




20 MANAGER TODAY | August - September 2009              www.themanagertoday.com
U         ndoubtedly, leadership is much
           talked and written about subject
           in the management literature. In
           behavioral training too, leader-
  ship has the top priority. There are many
  models and theories that have come into
                                                  which leadership can be developed. This
                                                  involves a rigorous process and many
                                                  times a lifetime effort is required.




                                                  MYTH-III
                                                                                                   Managerial
                                                                                                   implication

                                                                                                      T
  existence highlighting the different facets                                                                  he practical utility of five
  of leadership. But leadership remained          Leaders are charismatic.                                     great myths will be enor-
  an enigma for many. This is due to cre-                                                                      mous to all managers,
  ation of leadership that is not in reality.       There is a tendency to think that one                      particularly for top Man-
  There are many managers who still be-           needs to be stylish, smart, and charming                     agers. Organizations pay
  lieve that leadership is a born talent, lead-   in appearance to become a leader. This is                    heavily, when we believe in
  ership is only for top management and           only half true. In reality, successful lead-                 something that is not
  one should have an inbuilt charismatic          ership practices and behaviors contribute                    real. For example, our
  personality to be a leader. This belief has     for a leadership rather than charisma self                   leadership efforts may
  negative ramification to leadership de-          leading a person to effective leadership                     lack conviction if we be-
  velopment efforts in organizations. Two         behavior.                                                    lieve that leadership is
  of the most insight leadership gurus,                                                                        merely a born talent.
  namely Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus                                                                          Therefore, leadership de-
  in their book titled Leaders: The Strate-                                                                    velopment program in
  gies for Taking Charge identified five            MYTH-IV                                                      any organization must
  great leadership myths:                         Leadership exists only at the                                commence with dispelling
                                                                                                               these myths. The other
                                                  top of an organization.
                                                                                                               valuable insight that man-
                                                    Organizations have played into this myth                   agers must put into ac-
  MYTH-I                                          by focusing leadership efforts only on top                   tion is that leadership
  Leadership is a rare skill.                     management. In reality, leadership is re-                    must be business of
                                                  quired at every level of operation in an or-                 every body in the organi-
    There is a wide spread belief that lead-      ganization. On has to be a good leader                       zation and not be con-
  ership is rare because leadership skills        even in a single person operation to excel                   fined to top echelons of
  are rare with people in organization. But       in that. Therefore, there must be multipli-                  handful of managers.n
  the fact remain is that many people pos-        cation of leadership roles.
  sess leadership competency within them,
  we realize this when opportunities are ex-
  tended to tem to demonstrate their lead-
  ership      prowess.       The      formal      MYTH-V
  organizational structures discourage peo-       The leader controls, directs
  ple to exhibit leadership behavior.
                                                  and manipulates.
                                                    Leadership is a role of empowering the
                                                  followers as opposed to popular mis-
  MYTH-II                                         nomer leadership as a power seeking
  Leaders are born not made.                      role. Leadership is epitome of equity, fair
                                                  play and sacrifice and not the act of ma-
    Biographies of great leaders and sto-         nipulation. Effective leaders ensure re-
  ries surrounding them create a picture          wards to others and the cost of
  that leadership is a born talent. But the       self-comfort. Further, facilitation is what
  fact is that many leadership skill and com-     leaders engage in and to controlling and
  petencies can be learned. However, there        directing. n
  is no simple formula or model through

www.themanagertoday.com                                                                          August - September 2009 | MANAGER TODAY 21
COMMUNICATION




                                             M
                                                            any a times you are in a nice     function alone. Now if we extrapolate this in-
        SONIA UROOJ
          The writer is a                                   café with a friend, may be CTC,   dividual calculation, amazingly seventy per-
       commuication traniner                                Masoom’s, or Malee` (Don’t        cent of our working hours is spent in verbal
                                                            think that we are running a       communication which equates reading and
                                                            FOC publicity campaign!) grab-    writing both put together as most of infor-
                                             bing a bite; she’s saying something but all      mation that we receive till COB is verbal
                                             you can think of is your next meeting and        making it the most frequently used channel
                                             your head is cramped with the upcoming           of learning. However, it’s quite ironic that it




Hear
                                             audit report. You hear a distant voice that      is the least understood function of all. Lis-
                                             has been magically dragged; you try but you      tening is assumed to be basically the same
                                             fail to identify with it and you find yourself    as hearing; this is a dodgy misconception
                                             saying, “Hone, you were saying something?”       because it leads to the belief that effective
                                             There comes a flying menu and she leaves          listening is instinctive. Whereas, listening in-
                                             you wondering where you went wrong. May          volves a more sophisticated mental
                                             be that was a little exaggerated version but     process than hearing and it calls upon en-

            to                               in our daily lives we often don’t hear to lis-   ergy and discipline that one needs to train




Listen!
                                             ten. In today’s frenetic world empathetic lis-   himself for.
                                             tening is pivotal to effective communication.       Having settled so that listening is a
                                             It promotes communication, reduces ten-          learned skill, one can train himself for being
                                             sion and facilitates cooperation in personal     an effective listener. To be an effective lis-
                                             and professional lives. In a world where         tener, it is best to listen with all the empathy,
                                             communication means getting the job done,        starting with listening level one and ulti-
                                             listening certainly means more than just         mately taking it to the third level. The first
                                             hearing. It means an edge.                       level involves putting yourself in someone
                                                A manager who was curious about how           else’s boots even if they pinch for a while
                                             much time he spent listening asked his sec-      and the last thing that you would want to do
                                             retary to keep track of the time he spent on     is being judgemental or tagging others. At
                                             the telephone, listening. To his utter sur-      the second level, you hear words but do not
                                             prise, he discovered his company was pay-        really listen and level three is listening in
                                             ing him 35-40 percent of his salary for this     spurts. Many have found the empathetic ap-




22 MANAGER TODAY | August - September 2009                                                                            www.themanagertoday.com
                                                                                                                      www.themanagertoday.com
proach to be a powerful tool for improving        sions of interest. Show interest by the use        speed. The core of effective listening is to
  their people skills. Some payoffs have been       of noncommittal acknowledgements. Step             develop the utmost concentration on the
  increased sales, improved ability to sell         3 is working at listening. Efficient listening      immediate listening situation. Concentrate
  ideas to management, improved ability to          takes energy and practice makes it easier. If      on what the talker says and then summa-
  handle emotional people, more effective in-       the subject is announced in advance, pre-          rize it in your head. Step 10 is about prac-
  terview and improved working relationships        pare for it by reading, by discussing it, or by    ticing regularly. Get experience and practice
  and who won’t want all that.                      thinking it over briefly, establishing your own     in listening and note-taking by listening to
     The research indicates that there are          point of view. Then listen actively and ener-      difficult or unfamiliar material that chal-
  twelve easy steps that can help us to im-         getically. Step 4 is all about focusing your at-   lenges your mental capacities. Every club
  prove our listening skills so that we listen at   tention on ideas. Listen for the speaker’s         meeting could present many opportunities
  level one more often.                             central ideas. Pick out the ideas as they are      for practice. Regular practice will work won-
     The step 1 involves looking for something      presented; sort the facts from principles,         ders for you. Step 11 involves analyzing
  you can anchor on. If you adopt a positive at-    the ideas from examples and the evidence           what is being said, nonverbally. Be patient
  titude toward a subject, you will usually find     from opinion. At Step 5 you are suggested          and sensitive to the talker’s feelings. Ask
  something to broaden your knowledge. Dry          to make meaningful notes. You can improve          yourself why the talker said what he or she
  though a talk may be, oozing out with dull        your ability to learn and remember by mak-         did. Listen between the lines for hidden
  numbers and figures; it will generally con-        ing a brief record of the speaker’s main           meanings what is the person saying non-
  tain an idea that is worthwhile to you, now       points, review your notes later on to deter-       verbally? And finally Step 12 is to evaluate
  or in times to come. Ask yourself: What is        mine what you can put to use, and whether          and be critical of content, not the speaker’s
  being said that I can use? What’s in it for       you agree or disagree with the speaker’s           delivery. It’s important to discriminate if the
  me? How does this relate to what I already        notion. Efficient note-taking requires prac-        talker is stating facts or assumptions. Get-
  know? What action could I take? At step 2,        tice in selecting the right method of notes        ting the talker’s message is more important
  you take the initiative. Find out what the        that are easy to interpret and review. De-         than his or her appearance. Don’t let the
  talker knows. Look at the talker and con-         pending on the nature of the talk, practice        talker’s poor voice, mannerisms, personality
  centrate on what has been said. Go all the        making an outline, mental or written, or pick-     or appearance get in the way of the mes-
  way in making the communication two-way.          ing out the key words, phrases or ideas.           sage. Recognize that most people are not
  Ignore the person’s delivery and personal-        Step 6 involves resisting external distrac-        very skilled at getting their message across.
  ity if you find them distracting. Reach for the    tions. Sit where you can see and hear with-           No mater how much your memory re-
  idea that is being conveyed. Stimulate the        out being distracted. When you do so, you          sembles to a sieve, better listening pro-
  talker with your attentiveness and expres-        make it possible to be aware of noises with-       motes better memory. By systematically
                                                    out being distracted by them. Step 7 is            slotting in these twelve tools into our listen-
                                                    about holding your rebuttal. Don’t let emo-        ing behaviour, one can overcome poor lis-
                                                    tion-laden words throw you. Learn to sieve         tening habits, thus spending more time at
                                                    them. Identify the certain words that affect       level 1 that results in much improved ability
                                                    you to the point where you stop listening          to concentrate and retain information as it
                                                    and start performing a rebuttal. One way to        is easier to remember the information lis-
                                                    deal with this is to quickly analyze the rea-      tened to at level 1.
                                                    sons those words stir you, then resume lis-            In a gist, efficient listening takes effort, but
                                                    tening, withholding any judgement until you        it is one of the easiest ways known to ac-
                                                    fully comprehend what point the speaker is         quire ideas and information you can use and
                                                    making. Another method is to jot down              always remember the empathetic listening
                                                    major rebuttal points as questions; do this        approach eases understanding of what the
                                                    briefly, not at length. Both methods can help       other person really means. To listen effec-
                                                    clear your mind so that you can return to          tively, check your understanding regularly by
                                                    listening with an open mind. Step 8 is keep-       rephrasing what the other has said. Give ver-
                                                    ing your mind open. Quick and heated dis-          bal feedback of what was said or done as
                                                    agreement with the speaker’s main points           this communicates approval. Since this ap-
                                                    or arguments can cause a psychological             proval bears no criticism and judgement, the
                                                    deaf spot. Give the talker more rather than        talker feels heard and understood which ul-
                                                    less attention. Search for the full nub of the     timately leads to trust. So listening doesn’t
                                                    theme. Stay out of the judgemental frame-          mean hearing alone and perhaps next time
                                                    work by not judging what the person says           when you are out with a friend, they won’t
                                                    as “wrong.” At Step 9 capitalize on thought        complain about losing you! n

www.themanagertoday.com                                                                                        August - September | MANAGER TODAY 23
MARKETING




                                                       PHILIP S. LALL
                                             Writer is the management consultant &
                                              chief executive of Pro-cel consulting.
                                                     procel@lhr.comsats.net.pk




                           GOOD MARKETING DECISIONS BUT

                          EXECUTIONFOUL-UPS
                          CEOs and directors in many Pakistani companies face a two-fold delegation dilemma




                         F
                                  oreign books and magazines          into admiring the Sonys,              The CEO of a large Pakistani
                                  so often trumpet the alleged        Gillettes, P&Gs, Black & Deck-     FMCG company decided to
                                  quality of marketing decision-      ers they can’t see the ‘quality’   change the pack designs of all
                                  making in US, European & In-        of their own marketing deci-       his product lines and bring it
                                  dian companies. It seems to         sions?                             under a common ‘umbrella’
                                  me Pakistani companies, too,          Agreed, some Pakistani           design (reflecting his corpo-
                                  can lay claim to the ‘quality’ of   companies make awful mar-          rate vision). Fully aware it was
                                  their marketing decision-mak-       keting decisions. Might we         a strategic decision, he as-
                                  ing. If there’s Heinz, we have      also agree that many Pak-          sessed his marketing staff’s
                                  National Foods doing it here. If    istani companies produce re-       abilities for high-quality execu-
                                  there are McDonald’s arches         markable marketing ideas?          tion of this decision. He saw
                                  abroad, we have Gourmet             And many take sound market-        the risk, and took personal re-
                                  and Salt’n’Pepper icons. If         ing decisions?                     sponsibility for executing it
                                  there’s MetLife marketing, we         Then where’s the problem?        himself. It was possibly one of
                                  have EFU.                           Very often: execution foul-ups.    the best-executed marketing
                                    Maybe its because we don’t        My experience with nearly two      decisions in this company.
                                  yet have a global Pakistani         dozen companies suggests              In another very large Pak-
                                  brand we find it difficult to ap-     avoidable foul-ups come from       istani FMCG company, the
                                  preciate the ‘quality’ of mar-      four main sources.                 family’s board chairman dele-
                                  keting decision-making in                                              gated almost complete au-
                                  Pakistan. Or is it because          Foul-Ups with                      thority and responsibility to
                                  many Pakistani marketing            Inappropriate Delegation           the so-called ‘professional’
                                  professionals are so stuck




24 MANAGER TODAY | August - September 2009                                                                         www.themanagertoday.com
CEO for all marketing decisions, including    completely into daily sales target pres-          You will see two kinds of foul-ups here:
  the company’s very successful brands.         sures.Fortunately, the above company’s          a common one is misinterpreting time
  Though a few of his brand marketing de-       ‘strategic turnaround’ was not a com-           deadlines. It seems to happen in almost
  cisions were sound, this CEO, in turn, del-   plete failure; one product actually suc-        all companies.
  egated responsibility for execution to        ceeded – only because the marketing               For instance, after a major pricing
  some rather mediocre managers. It just        director himself ‘sold’ the product’s           change, the marketing director and his
  took a few years for this large company       strategic importance to the sales force.        group product manager wrote a memo
  to be brought to its knees.                                                                   to their regional managers requiring
    CEOs and directors in many Pakistani        Foul-ups in Internal Coordination               them to ensure “prompt and regular
  companies face a two-fold delegation            When a family-managed firm was look-           feedback” on how the pricing decision
  dilemma. Firstly, how much authority          ing around for diversification ideas, one        was being executed. Regional managers
  should be delegated to subordinates for       of the younger directors saw a growth           interpreted this to mean they should
  executing a good marketing decision?          opportunity in an agricultural crop imple-      send their weekly reports promptly
  Secondly, should authority for execution      ment. His father agreed with the idea,          every Monday. The marketing director
  be delegated on the basis of loyalty – or     and the young director started planning         actually meant verbal feedback every
  competence?                                   to market the implement before the              day.
                                                ‘rabi’ crop season. Other family board            Another kind of foul-up is misinterpret-
  Foul-Ups by Fragmented Thinking               members said they would start work on           ing time as a product feature (e.g, gen-
    A medium-size Pakistani pharma com-         engineering aspects, sourcing local and         erator start-up time or courier next-day
  pany had several new products in its          off-shore materials and arranging fi-            delivery). A medium-sized Pakistani
  R&D armoury, based on ‘me-too’ mole-          nances. A few weeks later, assuming that        chemicals company was faced with
  cules. While product managers tested          trial production would begin as promised        near-saturation demand and stiff price
  product literature and area sales man-        by other directors’ subordinate man-            competition from Chinese products. It
  agers made sales estimates, the mar-          agers, this director toured the field, ap-       used R&D to formulate chemical agents
  keting director analysed industry data.
  He waited for the right time and decided
  to launch two low-priced new products
                                                If there’s Heinz, we have National Foods doing it
  he had planned as part of his ‘strategic      here. If there are McDonald’s arches abroad, we
  turnaround’.                                  have Gourmet and Salt’n’Pepper icons. If there’s
    Strangely, thinking among product
  managers and regional managers was
                                                MetLife marketing, we have EFU.
  quite different. Product managers saw
  this as a good short-term tactic to in-
  crease volume, while regional managers        pointed dealers & hired a sales executive.      for a different market sector. An impor-
  saw this strategic turnaround in terms        On his return, he was stunned to learn of       tant parameter of cost effectiveness
  of getting additional incentives. Even the    almost zero progress on trial production.       was process absorption time. Applica-
  supply chain director saw no advantage        The product was eventually introduced           tions trials showed highly competitive
  in the new products. Here was frag-           late into the ‘rabi’ crop season; its sales     cost effectiveness: 15.6 mins for com-
  mented thinking about the execution of a      were not even one-fifth of what he had ex-       peting Chinese products and 13.8 mins
  sound marketing decision.                     pected. The young director had made a           for the company’s product with lesser
    Top managers visualize growth oppor-        critical mistake – he assumed other di-         input.
  tunities, map out strategy and convert it     rectors and their subordinate managers            The sales force, however, felt the dif-
  into sound marketing decisions, but           would automatically coordinate with him.        ference of 1.8 mins could be communi-
  lower-level managers see things differ-       He forgot this principle: directors and         cated as 2 mins – it was easier to
  ently. Some will invariably think of growth   managers will coordinate following their        explain to customers. Two months after
  strategy decisions as ‘rocking the boat’      priorities – not your priorities. A brilliant   introduction, the Chinese products’ local
  unnecessarily. Some will set their own im-    marketing decision might be a director’s        distributor said to an ISO-certified major
  plementation agenda. Some finance              or manager’s priority, its good execution       customer that a lie had been told. The
  managers reduced strategy thinking to         requires it to become an equally impor-         customer made a big issue out of this
  quarterly budget priorities. By the time,     tant priority for other directors and their     time misinterpretation, saying now
  regional managers execute growth deci-        managers.                                       there was a trust deficit. n
  sions, strategy thinking is transformed       Foul-Ups in Interpreting Time

www.themanagertoday.com                                                                          August - September 2009 | MANAGER TODAY 25
WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE




PROFILE
A
      fter 20 years of varied experience, ranging from private to public sec-
      tor, she has developed her skills in Leadership and Change Manage-
      ment. While at PIA and National Bank of Pakistan, she was heading the
Human Resources management & development of 15000-18000 people. She
was also involved in the Financial Sector Reforms in Pakistan driven by the
World Bank & GOP. Uzma has also been a trainer and has developed & imple-
mented many projects effectively. She has now launched Management Con-
sultancy firm as a partnership concern broadly focusing on Management
Consultancy, Technical Advising, Talent Management, Resourcing and Training.

26 MANAGER TODAY | J August - September 2009                                    www.themanagertoday.com
                                                                                www.themanagertoday.com
Learning to live with people, learning to
                                                                            understand and respond to their aspira-
                                                                            tions, coping with the expectations of the
                                                                            stakeholders around you is the greatest
                                                                            lesson one needs to learn.
                                                                              Dealing with different situations re-
                                                                            quires much of efforts.
                                                                              And it is much more sensitive in one's
                                                                            professional life where there are many
                                                                            choices and choices come with conse-
                                                                            quences. So you have to be very careful.
                                                                            Thus, I am of the opinion, learning is a life
                                                                            long process.

                              e would be pleased to have an intro-
                                                                            Q          How do you see the status of




                          W
        IJAZ NISAR
                              duction to your early life and experi-                   women working in our organ-
                              ences.                                        izations?
                                I have been very fortunate in getting         As a lady I find myself lucky enough to
                              multiple opportunities to see life in a       serve in Pakistani society.
                              wider scenario.                                 No matter, how people portray a dismal
                                I have met so many challenges and ex-       picture of our society, I say it is lucky to
                              perienced the wins and failures in my life    be among the men of this society who
                              that actually made me a very normal           know to respect women and there are a
                              human being.                                  lot of privileges.
                                I graduated from the IBA Karachi. The         Though, males here need to realize the
                              time I completed my education at IBA, I       importance of women at senior positions.
                              was a very light hearted girl, highly moti-   Especially senior officers should recog-
                              vated and compassionate about life and        nize and acknowledge the services of
                              goals. I think i am a very simple person.     their female colleagues.
                                                                              I have been working in two large or-

                              Q
                              life?
                                       What are the key lessons you
                                       learnt from your professional
                                                                            ganizations. I have seen the treatment of
                                                                            men with the women being very much
                                                                            manipulating, and it really hurts me.

www.themanagertoday.com
www.themanagertoday.com                                                      August - September 2009 | MANAGER TODAY 27
WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE



                                            Q
                                            Pakistan?
                                                        What are the management
                                                        consultancy opportunities in        Q        You have served as the head
                                                                                                     of organization development
                                                                                            and training at National Bank of Pak-
                                              There are a lot of family businesses in       istan. Would you like to share with us
                                            our country that preserve a culture             the experience at NBP?
                                            where owners do not open doors for the
                                            consultants to get advised. And that is           I think national bank is a great bank.
                                            the place where there is a strong need of         We have seen it growing from 50 crore
                                            consultancy and advising.                       to a billion within six months and from one
                                              Back in 90s only corporate sector was         billion it jumped onto four billion, reaching
                                            hiring management consultants and busi-         eight to 12 and 18 billions. And we saw it
                                            ness owners, the ‘saiths’ were depending        all happening in front of us.
                                            on their own wisdom focusing on prof-             Why such a rapid growth? It is because
                                            itability alone.                                NBP got very strong muscles and very
                                              But now the situation is improved, many       deep pockets. It has a lot of influence,
                                            family businessmen have started realiz-         being the mover and shaker in the mar-
                                            ing the need of consolidation, so now they      ket in terms of financial strength and pol-
                                            look at management consultancy very re-         icy formulation as well.
                                            spectfully and its scope is rising.               My experience with national bank has
                                                                                            been very pleasant. I enjoyed working

                                            Q           What are the challenges of
                                                        management consultancy?
                                               Well, I would say, the quality of research
                                                                                            there especially the project drafting of
                                                                                            more than 12 billion was so thrilling that
                                                                                            made us excited at our work.
                                            and the experience these briefcase con-           Trans nationalization opened many new
                                            sultants bring with them is too shallow,        horizons for us.
                                            thus the results they are producing are           National bank has many unique fea-

Q            How did you end up in the
          management as your career?
  Having an MBA degree I had a passion
                                            literally superficial. Our corporate sector
                                            is very rich in experience and a consult-
                                            ant has to acknowledge the complexity of
                                                                                            tures owing to its position in the market,
                                                                                            policies and a strong structure. There is
                                                                                            also a huge lot of talent employees asso-
to work on the management side. I was       the mechanism of an established organi-         ciated with the NBP but I do wish that
asked by my father to join the family       zation. Here consultants adopt it as a pro-     there could have done more for a cultural
business but that was heavy civil con-      fession having studied in theory but they       change in the bank. Though Mr Ali Raza
tracting construction works, building       do not understand the complexity of an          has brought a big difference yet his team
bridges and construction.                   organization.                                   should also focus on cultural change be-
  I joined the family business, worked         The present day fresh MBA and con-           cause still the image of the bank in peo-
and learnt a lot from the construction      sultancy graduates lack practical experi-       ple's minds is that of a government
industry, enjoying that experience. But     ence thus they are deficient in accurate         owned bank, so there is a need of people
naturally I was more interested into cor-   analysis and solutions.                         development in the bank.
porate organizations. A mentor also fa-        I also observe that fault lies with or-
cilitated me to come into this field and
explore my talents and abilities in the
area of management. In mid 90s I was
                                            ganization management who do not pre-
                                            pare their teams to bring in change.
                                            Thus, it becomes a difficult task for hired
                                                                                            Q
                                                                                            ence?
                                                                                                       As you shifted from NBP to
                                                                                                       PIA, how was that experi-

offered by the National bank to join        consultants to access organizations,              PIA is a mixture of industries and it is so
them considering me a right match           build an environment and softening the          huge that amazes to work with. There we
owing to my academic and work experi-       grounds; reason being that readiness to         had engineers, a glamorous crew, an es-
ence.                                       change is not present at many of our or-        tablished customer service culture, pas-
  They were of the opinion that due to      ganizations’ culture. The primary client        senger handling and at the same time the
my understanding of developing proj-        of a consultant maybe ready for the             kitchen and food catering services. PIA of-
ects I could be able to ad value to the     change but other stakeholders inside            fers so much diversity in work that it used
bank in bringing a change in manage-        the organization press him a lot for            to give a pleasure of moving into different
ment that they were seeking. So I joined    which strategic solutions of a consultant       cultures within a single entity.
National bank.                              fail.                                             It is an extremely expensive organiza-
                                                                                            tion ranging from all very active air sta-

28 MANAGER TODAY | June - July 2009                                                                               www.themanagertoday.com
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3rd Issue by Manager Today Magazine

  • 1.
  • 2.
  • 3.
  • 4. EDITOR’S NOTE m MAKING THE DIFFERENCE Managing the day to day responsibilities and re- quirements is the primary objective of all of us at present. To use one’s intellect, to harness the emo- tions and to streamline duties with the help of both these directed capacities is a challenge. The third issue of Manager Today is here to help you all in developing that management skill to meet this challenge and shine in your personal and professional Ijaz Nisar Editor-in-Chief lives. & CEO Leading Edge Comprising the cover story on how you can capitalize on emotional intelligence and a look on emotional & spiritual mix in business would serve as a provoca- tive beginning of your reading. I hope the exclusive interviews including entrepre- neur Ramzan Sheikh, the CEO of Royal Palm Golf & Country Club, Uzma Bashir Ghous, the woman of substance and the real success story of Arshad B. Anjum, the vice president of operations Pearl Conti- nental Hotels would inspire you a great deal. The recipe of a successful academic career is very well brought in the interview academia from the dean of Suleman School of Business LUMS, Dr Shaukat Brah. Dealing with the hazards stress brings in our lives, we have a very practical strategy of stress manage- ment in the magazine. More for the betterment of this publication I would like to inculcate the suggestions and participation of my readers. Till the upcoming Oct-Nov issue of the magazine I wish you all a very happy and peaceful time ahead.
  • 5. Mail Box I feel pleasure to congratulate the Man- My dear Ijaz, I request for the annual subscription of ager Today’s team to roll out such a won- Please accept my congratulations on a Manager Today for my company, consid- derful & much awaited magazine job very well done with Manager Today. ering it the best guide for all of working catering to corporate sector’s needs. May it grow in influence and content. personnel on their desks. This is actually the first personal & pro- Kind regards Rahat Anjum fessional magazine in Pakistan which is Philip S. Lall Manager HR second to none in its content collection Consultant & CEO Faisal Spinning, Sheikhupura. and layout. We, at Bank Alfalah wish the Pro-cel Consulting ------------------------------------------------------------- management of Manager Today a roar- ------------------------------------------------------------- ing success! Manager Today is highly appreciated by Hamid M Mirza I am very happy over receiving the us all at the PEL. The magazine seems Head of Marketing second issue of Manager Today, the very getting comprehensive in its contents Bank Alfalah Ltd. first magazine of its kind in Pakistan. I and the presentation. Accept congratu- ------------------------------------------------------------- congratulate the whole team on this lations! unique and a valued venture. Major Waqar AS I read through the content of Man- Prof. Dr. Khawaja Amjad Saeed General Manager HR, PEL, Lahore. ager Today’s second issue I could not re- Principal, ------------------------------------------------------------- sist appreciating the effort. The gradual Hailey College of Banking & Finance, ascend in its’ quality is remarkable. I wish University of the Punjab ‘The reading habit of our nation is on a you success at every step ahead. ------------------------------------------------------------- sharp decline’ it is a general comment we Waqas Lodhi often hear. But I am rather of a different Manager HR It was really a greeting to get through the opinion, I do not think reading can loose Mughal Steel. magazine addressing the core issues of its charm and influence on learned peo- ------------------------------------------------------------- human resource and management in ple no matter how busy they get in their companies operational in Pakistan. I must lives though the only condition for it is I want to congratulate you for publishing appreciate the content being highly rele- quality stuff. Manager Today is an in- Manager Today which is indeed very in- vant to the present problems of our work stance having a great potential of reviv- formative guide for our managers. environment. ing reading habit of the nation. I count the Jazib Faizi Naseem Zafar publication of this magazine a social serv- Special Assistant to CEO Director CMD ice indeed. I wish this venture a very good Packages Ltd, Lahore. Lahore. luck in future. ------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------- Fasihul Karim Siddiqi Director & Board Advisor HR Hinopak Motors Limited, Karachi. INSPIRED? MOTIVATED? DID YOU LIKE WHAT YOU READ? If you find ManagerToday inspirational for the personal and professional development, do inform us. You can also contribute with your articles, suggestions and recommendations at: Email: editor@themanagertoday.com, managertoday@hotmail.com Website: www.themanagertoday.com Ph: 042 5792066, 042 5817048, 0344 6700812 Don’t forget to mention your full name, postal address and phone number.
  • 6. PCPB # 303-M MANAGER TODAY Editor-in-Chief Ijaz Nisar COVER STOERY 10 Managing Editor Shakil A. Chaudhary CAPITALIZING OF EMOTIONAL IN- Editorial Advisor TELLIGENCE Remembering that we are always Shakeel Ahmed in transition, it is critical not to get Editor Nabeela Malik Sub Editor Mariam Lodhi lulled into the “this is forever” syndrome EMOTIONAL & SPIRITUAL MIX IN 14 32 Associate Editor Saba Kiani BUSINESS Information, it is rightly said, is not Art Director knowledge; knowledge is not Heesan Bilal wisdom. And wisdom is not Marketing Manager attained if we do not nurture the Munir Hussain capacity to love and serve our Sales Manager fellow beings. Haseeb Nisar Photographer INTERVIEW 16 Mansoor Ahmed IF THE GOVERNMENT SUCCEDDS Contributors IN ALLOCATING SOME INCENTIVES Dr. SM Naqi Maqbool Ahmed Babri (Max) FOR THE HOSPITALITY INVESTORS, Masood Ali Khan THE INDUSTRY WOULD ENJOY A Danish Shehryar GREAT BOOM – RAMZAN SHEIKH Bakhtiar Khawaja Idrees Qamar MANAGEMENT 20 Irfan Ahmed Mir Sonia Urooj FIVE GREAT MYTHS OF LEADER- Wali Muhammad SHIP IN PRACTICE Ghazanfar Azzam Undoubtedly, leadership is much talked and written about subject in Shahid Nafees the management literature. In Muhammad Zaheer behavioral training too, leadership Bilal Ilahi has the top priority. Legal Advisor Muhammad Zulfiqar Ali Buttar Communication 22 Publisher HEAR TO LISTEN! Leading Edge Listening more sophiticated Printer mental process than hearing and it Javed Printers calls upon energey and discipline Head Office ManagerToday that one needs to train himself for PL-20 Siddique Trade Centre Main Boulevard, Gulberg III MARKETING 24 Lahore GOOD MARKETING DECISIONS BUT Tel: 042-5792066, 5817048 EXECUTION EXECUTION FOUL-UPS email: info@themanagertoday.com www.themanagertoday.com www.leadingedge.com.pk
  • 7. 32 SALES HOW TO BE A GOOD SALES PERSON “7% of the impact come from the words you say, 38% relates to your body language and 55% of the impact is related to the way you say your words & your voice tone. 34 STRESS MANAGEMENT THRIVING ON STRESS There is a needs to initiate new infrastructure projects and inject fresh industry to absorb the ever- 16 grwoing pool of young men 26 38 36 ISLAMIC BANKING HOW TO AVERT IMPENDING ECO- NOMIC DISASTER TMCL-based interest-free banking model can replace conventional banking immediately without any disruption in the financial system 42 HUMAN RESOURCE WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON? 48 44 SELF DEVELOPMENT THE POWER OF PERSONAL DEVEL- OPMENT When I say Think and Grow Rich, what comes to your mind? 46 TRAINING CORPORATE PATANGBAZ 48 INTERVIEW 22 SHAUKAT BRAH 14 52 HEALTH & WELLNESS OLD PROVENS WITH NEW MEALINGS...
  • 8. WISDOM CORNER quotable quotes CORRUPTION To fix even a single unlawfully acquired stone in a house is to guarantee to its destruction. n HAZRAT ALI (A.S) Livelihooh acquired by foul means is the worst form of livelihood. n HAZRAT ALI (A.S) ATTITUDE The greatest discovery of our generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind. As you think, so shall you be. n WILLIAM JAMES COMMUNICATION Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible -- the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family. n VIRGINIA SATIR CONFIDENCE You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do. n ELEANOR ROOSEVELT COURAGE One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest. n MAYA ANGELOU Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm. n WINSTON CHURCHILL DISCIPLINE The strongest man is whoever can make his reason conquer his passions. n HAZRAT ALI (A.S) Develop the winning edge; small differences in your performance can lead to large differences in your results. n BRIAN TRACY FOCUS If you chase two rabbits both will escape. n ANONYMOUS 8 MANAGER TODAY | June - July 2009 www.themanagertoday.com
  • 9.
  • 10. COVER STORY TAQUEER SALEEM KHAN The writer is a practicing psychologist 10 MANAGER TODAY | August - September 2009 www.themanagertoday.com
  • 11. ‘It’s not your IQ. It’s not even a number. But emotional intelligence may be the best predictor of success in life, redefining what it means to be smart.’ E very single day we are faced with some challenge and often several. The life of today’s man has become quite hectic. From smaller troubles like heavy workload, long working hours, family issues, increasing inflation ratio, long power cut offs and bad The idea of Emotional Intelligence Emotional Intelligence - EQ - is a relatively re- cent behavioral model, rising to prominence with Daniel Goleman's 1995 international best-seller called 'Emotional Intelligence'. The theory of Emotional Intelligence proved an im- portant consideration in human resource planning, job profiling, recruitment interview- those feelings, name them and begin to un- derstand their causes and effects. It also helps us understand how emotions function in our brains and bodies, and the interaction of thought, feeling, and action. RECOGNIZE PATTERNS Human brain follows patterns, or neural pathways. Stimulus leads to response, and weather to greater issues of injus- ing and selection, management development, over time, the response becomes nearly au- tice, insurgency, insecurity and polit- customer relations and customer service, tomatic. ical instability – all have put people and more. On a behavioral level, the neural patterns into great depression, a state of help- Emotional Intelligence links strongly with lead to behavior patterns. At a young age, we lessness where they behave in a very concepts of love and spirituality: bringing com- learn lessons of how to cope, how to get our nasty way to their fellow beings. This passion and humanity to work, and also to needs met, how to protect ourselves. These state of restlessness not only dis- 'Multiple Intelligence' theory which illustrates strategies reinforce one another, and we de- turbs interpersonal relationships but and measures the range of capabilities peo- velop a complex structure of beliefs to sup- the whole mechanism of a society in ple possess, and the fact that everybody has port the validity of the behaviors. As we larger perspective. We, Pakistanis a value. become more conscious of the patterns we have become a victim of this dis- The EQ concept argues that IQ, or conven- exhibit, it becomes possible to analyze the be- tressing state which is affecting us tional intelligence, is too narrow; that there liefs and replace them if appropriate, and in- individually and socially thus appear- are wider areas of Emotional Intelligence that terrupt the pattern and replace it with ing symptomatically through obses- dictate and enable how successful we are. conscious behaviour that moves us closer to sions, addictions, violence and loss of Success requires more than IQ (Intelligence our real goals. This is an enormously difficult meaning. Apparently, no visible solu- Quotient), which has tended to be the tradi- task that requires commitment and vigilance tion seems to be fitting to this malady tional measure of intelligence, ignoring es- --- but it is not difficult to begin. of the twentieth century, but only one sential behavioral and character elements. APPLY CONSEQUENTIAL and that is introducing us to the emo- We've all met people who are academically THINKING tional intelligence. brilliant and yet are socially and inter-person- People are often told to control their emo- By developing our Emotional Intelli- ally inept. And we know that despite possess- tions to suppress feelings like anger, joy or fear gence we can become more produc- ing a high IQ rating, success does not and cut them off from the decision-making tive and successful at what we do, automatically follow. process. This old paradigm suggests that and help others to be more produc- Goleman based his performance-related re- emotions make us less effective; nothing could tive and successful too. The process search on hundreds of top executives from be farther from reality. Feelings provide in- and outcomes of Emotional Intelli- some of the world’s largest corporations and sight, energy, and are the real basis for almost gence development also contain many concluded that close to 90% of leadership every decision. Instead of disconnecting our elements known to reduce stress for success is attributable to EQ. emotions, we need to control our actions so individuals and organizations, by de- There are eight key fundamentals of emo- that we have time to make the most creative, creasing conflict, improving relation- tional intelligence. insightful, and powerful decisions. Particularly ships and understanding, and BUILD EMOTIONAL LITERACY when dealing with conflict or crisis, we need to increasing stability, continuity and Feelings are a complex aspect of every per- slow down the process and apply carefully harmony. son. While research has identified eight practiced strategies that lead to decisions in- "core" feelings (fear, joy, acceptance, anger, formed by the fused powers of heart and sorrow, disgust, surprise, expectation), we mind. This "habit of mind" stems from a clear each experience dozens, even hundreds, of understanding of the consequences of our variations each single day. These emotions choices and the ability to imagine the cause blend and merge and frequently they conflict. and effect relationships. This process allows This EQ fundamental helps us sort out all of us to be as impulsive as we truly want to be, www.themanagertoday.com August - September 2009 | MANAGER TODAY 11
  • 12. COVER STORY but also forces us to limit impulsivity when these mechanisms and opportunities. she were honest -- even when she was not. consequences are undesirable. One key MOTIVATE YOURSELF She internalized that value and struggled to mechanism to develop and monitor conse- Motivation comes from Latin “to move;” it improve her actions because it felt good to quential thinking is "self-talk." Self-talk is a is a goal-oriented behavior. In essence, we have her real behavior meet that high stan- mechanism to mentally explore multiple op- take action because it feels good to do so. dard. tions and viewpoints; it provides a system to It feels right to take a break when we are on 3. Give time. Motivation is a complex balance the various aspects of ourself. Just overload, then it feels right to go back to work. process and a vital one. Like so many intra- as in conversations outside ourselves, some- The challenge is to make it feel right to take personal skills, it often takes years or times the louder voice gets more attention; action that does not have an immediate re- decades for the seeds to bloom. the issue in both cases is to develop a ward. To do so, we have got to tap into the CHOOSE OPTIMISM process where listening is valued and all the part of ourselves that has a longer-view -- Likewise, children are born optimistic and voices -- loud or soft -- are heard. which also feels right. We each make count- tend to stay optimistic until they are six or EVALUATE AND RE-CHOOSE less decisions each hour. For example: seven. At that time, life's difficulties impinge In our daily lives, we have countless oppor- • What should I eat for lunch? enough that the door is opened for hopeless- tunities to get feedback about our thoughts, •What clothes should I wear today? ness. Research suggests that to avoid getting feelings and actions, and to change them if •Which book should I read? Ask? trapped in the negativity, people need at least the feedback so warrants. Unfortunately, we In part, we make those decisions uncon- one refuge. The refuge can be a person or a also have a great capacity to ignore this feed- sciously based on our patterns and habits. In practice (such as reading) that provides posi- back and continue with a scarcity of useful in- part, we make those decisions based on our tive input. It is remarkable to think that one formation. In this unconscious state it is easy personal priorities. So, if we want to redirect source of kindness, one source of comfort, to become selfish, to sever connections with our decision to take a longer-term view, we one source of hope is enough to combat the our humanity and to subjugate ourselves to need to both shape unconscious habits and terrible perils that some children experience. addictions or other compensations. examine priorities to make sure they match. CREATE EMPATHY The alternative is to listen -- listen to our- In addition to motivating ourselves, it is im- Empathy is the ability to recognize and re- selves and listen to others. When we become portant to learn how to motivate others. spond to other people's emotions. It is con- Emotional intelligence is an important consideration in human resources planning, job profiling, recruitment interviewing and selection, management development, customer relations and customer service and more skilled at sensing our own emotions, we are There are many ways to do so; the most ob- nected to optimism because it is through a able to tap into the energy that they provide vious are “extrinsic” motivations. For example, sense of our connection to others that we and take action. Emotions are energy and one “If you carry my bag, I'll give you a candy bar,” see our own efficacy and importance. To- place where that energy most frequently is a simple example of extrinsic motivation -- it gether they govern a significant portion of our erupts is in conflict. is a bribe or a type of commercial interaction. behavior; they are the gatekeepers of our To socialize effectively you must recognize Quite useful at times -- but it doesn't last. Build- emotional selves. When we are empathic, it and gauge other peoples' thoughts, feelings ing lasting motivation requires a more com- hurts us to hurt others or to see them hurt. and actions just as you monitor your own. plex strategy; one that employs both intrinsic We actually experience for ourselves the These skills are heavily dependent on inter- and extrinsic motivation (ideally 60-80% of emotions of others. preting paralanguage (body-language, tone, the focus is on intrinsic motivation). Building COMMIT TO NOBLE GOALS utterances, facial expression, and other motivation in others begins with three ele- Noble goals activate all of the other ele- forms of nonverbal communication). An ef- ments: ments of EQ. Through our missions and our fective socializer is able to turn conflict into a 1. They need to feel the benefit of the pri- acts of human kindness, the commitment to positive force. She/he creates compromise ority you are suggesting. If you want a child to emotional intelligence gains relevance and and makes sure needs are met. She/he can use a more polite vocabulary, she/he needs power. Just as our personal priorities shape mobilize people, persuade and inspire others. to experience how such a decision would feel our daily choices, our noble goals shape our The most critical step to teaching effective good. She/he will develop that experience by long-term choices. They give us a sense of di- socialization is to provide positive role models being spoken to with polite words -- at the rection; they give us a spar to hold in the and opportunities for people to practice what same time, it might feel good to avoid the con- storm, they are the compass for our soul. All they have observed. In today’s demanding sequences of using impolite words -- and that the “inside” aspects of emotional intelligence corporate culture, employees often do not will feel good. change your attitudes. They shape your own find time to interact much socially. Thus, it is 2. Always treat them as you want them to life; they help you become the person you want even more important that they are provided be. Sarah’s mother always treated her as if to be. Your noble goals touch the future. n 12 MANAGER TODAY | August - September 2009 www.themanagertoday.com
  • 13. ARE YOU EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT MANAGER? TEST YOUR E.Q www.themanagertoday.com Rate yourself on the following items on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the low and 5 high). This exercise aims at fact-finding and not fault-finding, and is intended to help you focus on areas for self-improvement. 1. I stay relaxed and composed under pressure. 1 2 3 4 5 2. I can identify negative feelings without becoming distressed. 1 2 3 4 5 3. I stay focused ( not lost in unimportant details) in getting a job done. 1 2 3 4 5 4. I freely admit to making mistakes. 1 2 3 4 5 5. I am sensitive to other people’s emotions and moods. 1 2 3 4 5 6. I can conceive feedback or criticism without becoming defensive. 1 2 3 4 5 7. I calm myself quickly when I get angry or upset. 1 2 3 4 5 8. I communicate my needs and feelings honestly. 1 2 3 4 5 9. I can pull myself together quickly after a setback 1 2 3 4 5 10. I am aware of how my behavior impacts others. 1 2 3 4 5 11. I pay attention and listen without jumping to conclusions. 1 2 3 4 5 12. I take regular time out ( once a month or a quarter) to reflect on my core purpose and vision for how I want to live my life. 1 2 3 4 5 If you have solved the quiz and found the grand total, see your score at page # 58 and get to know the level of your EQ. August - September 2009 | MANAGER TODAY 13
  • 14. COVER STORY IJAZ NISAR Emotional & spiritual mix in business Information, it is rightly said, is not knowledge; knowledge is not wisdom. And wisdom is not attained if we do not nurture the capacity to love and serve our fellow beings. G <None>reat thinker and poet- philosopher, Dr. Allama Muham- mad Iqbal, once said that education is the manifestation of the perfection already inherent in us. It is about cultivating a way of viewing the world by developing the inner space with the help of which we are empowered to engage the outer space. It is a lamp to be lit, not a bucket to be filled. Management education, in Pakistan and abroad, betrays a marked disposition to- wards the later instead of the former. Our education system is excessively geared to filling young minds with megabytes of mind- less information. It is heavily weighted in favor of analytical intelligence and ignores the fostering of emotional and spiritual intelligence. Infor- mation, it is rightly said, is not knowledge; velopment of emotional and spiritual intelli- ing such courses. I remember the state- knowledge is not wisdom. And wisdom is gence in management education. ments that you made in class: ‘I have never not attained if we do not nurture the ca- Five years ago, I introduced a course in worked for money,’ ‘I see all of you as disci- pacity to love and serve our fellow beings. collaboration with a local business school ples, trying to balance the various de- Management education imparts tools on Anger Management and Emotional In- mands that you face in your life,’ and and techniques designed to secure pro- telligence for new managers. Such was the ‘management is a creative pursuit;’ each fessional skills that help the learner make a response from students that I not only con- day at work gives me examples of the ve- living. Spiritual education embeds in the tinued the offering, but floated a new elec- racity of these statements.” learner both character and attitude. If pro- tive course on spirituality, Ethics and self “In the last two years I have found that to fessional education provides the scaffold- development for young managers. do a role that challenges me is more im- ing, spiritual education lays the foundation. Last November, I received a letter from a portant than the money that a particular Our higher education must, therefore, aim student who had taken both these course. role pays,” he wrote. “Inevitably, a challeng- at combining instruction in tools and tech- He said: “I was your student in 2006 – ing role makes me perform and stretch niques with embedding character and atti- 2008 when you taught two electives— and the rewards are not far away. Manag- tude. The tragic events of September 11 Anger Management and Emotional Intelli- ing the demands of team, the process, and and the unceremonious collapse of corpo- gence, Spirituality and Self development for the emotions of the people affected takes rate entities Enron, World Tel, Arthur An- managers. While reading a recent article as much time as the job itself. And to top it derson and recent global economic in Businessweek on the new courses being all, every day I have to think creatively, think downturn have led American management taught at foreign business school with the differently to get my job done.” schools to question their role as educa- same theme as your courses, I thought I I receive emails, and letters along these tors. Globally, there is a pronounced shift should write to you and thank you for the lines. They are an eloquent testimony of the in emphasis and this is reflected in the in- impact the courses have had on my life and need to embed emotional and spiritual in- creasing importance accorded to the de- for being ahead of these schools in offer- telligence in management curricula.n 14 MANAGER TODAY | June - July 2009 www.themanagertoday.com
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  • 16. ENTREPRENEUR NABEELA MALIK W ould you like to give an in- troduction to your aca- demic background? My schooling was done at Sacred Heart, a missionary school. Providing a very high quality education the school educated me in real terms. Later, I joined Government College La- hore; completing my graduation there I opted for some courses locally and some abroad. But personally I feel the process of get- ting educated never stops throughout the life. It is also because one has to keep abreast the modern day needs along with personal and professional en- hancement of one’s caliber. Thus, I like studying the quality stuff from all around the world. Tell us something about the family business and the establishment of Royal Palm Golf & Country Club? Our family business was basically con- struction related. My father started with construction projects in 1967. We turned to hospitality industry after a long time and established Royal Palm Golf & Country Club in 2001. Initially, it was a sports oriented facility, which eventually transformed into a world class Golf course and country club as you can see it for yourself. The well established construction business might have helped in it. Yes, the core knowledge of construc- tion did obviously help a lot in setting up Royal Palm in the short time span of two years which wouldn’t have been possible 16 MANAGER TODAY | August - September 2009 www.themanagertoday.com
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  • 18. INTERVIEW otherwise. What are the main features of a country club? What facilities are pro- vided at Royal Palm? The 18 hole golf course at our club meets all the standards of Pakistan Golf Association (PGA). It has been visited by the Asian Golf Federation and Star Net- work and they have rated it as the best golf course in the South Asia. Apart from golf, we have three squash courses, three tennis courts, two swim- ming pools, fitness facilities, restaurants and banquet facilities at Royal Palm. So, actually it is the combination of a sports club and a country club. Is there any plan to provide lodging facilities in times to come that are yet unavailable here? Well, the project is in pipeline but due to recent insurgent attacks I believe it will be more appropriate if lodging and day to day activities aren’t mixed to- gether. For security reasons, I think there should be a separate compound for all the routine club activities. Then there is a heavy traffic of visitors and members in the banquet or sports area of a hotel or a country club and ide- ally speaking, the residential compound should be separated from these areas. And we are in a process of developing lodging area far from the day to day heavy traffic activities areas. How far the insurgency has affected hospitality industry and tourism in Pakistan? Pakistan has much of internal or do- mestic tourism, people travel from one place to another frequently, it has de- creased, apart from it the international tourism has also been highly affected due to the law & order and security is- sues. How to portray the soft image of Pak- istan to the outer world? Primarily, it is the soft face of Pakistan we are representing and also few of the foreign companies operating in Pakistan are contributing toward making Lahore the favorite spot for foreigners. What are the Royal Palm membership pre-requisites? 18 MANAGER TODAY | August - September 2009 www.themanagertoday.com
  • 19. We look at an applicant’s profile, as- alogue with my employees to discuss all sessing his education, family back- the pros & cons of any new strategy. ground and present standing etc. We And more importantly, I always look also find out that the person should be forward to a healthy and impartial feed- clubbable. So, the applicant himself and back from my clients and employees. existing members should be feeling Are there any HR issues at the club comfortable with one another. that needs to be solved? Has the present day global economic Luckily, we don’t have much of HR is- meltdown affected hospitality indus- sues; we could find devoted and talented try? professionals performing their duties Yes, it has definitely affected as four very well. But hospitality industry needs years ago there were 10 hotels an- a continuous improvement. It is essen- nounced to be established in Lahore but tial because the serviceability can not be unfortunately not even one or two of put on the second preference. So, we them could come to completion. I find are in a constant effort of regulating one or the two reasons of it including training and development programs to that certain roadmaps are needed to be ensure a constant improvement in HR provided by the government. practices at the club. Our government has to realize that ho- How Royal Palm meets its Corpo- tels pay a very high ratio of taxes as 16% rate Social Responsibilities (CSR)? tax is levied on services and many other Our main focus is primarily on envi- taxes making 20 to 30% bulk of over all ronment. We have a very sustainable tax generation, it also produces a great and environment friendly model for the employment opportunity. So it should Our government has to preservation of trees and luckily we have encourage hospitality industry. realize that hotels pay been able to preserve 95% of trees im- I hope if the government succeeds in planted here. Secondly the water re-cy- allocating some incentives for the hospi- a very high ratio of cling system is also very efficient tality investors, the industry would enjoy taxes as 16% tax is because there is a lot of water con- a great boom. levied on services and sumption at the golf course. So, by the Do you have any role models that re-cycling system we make sure that you might have cherished in your life? many other taxes minimum water is being wasted. Yes, I certainly cherish the personality making 20 to 30% We have a forthright assistance to of LEONG, the prime minister of Singa- meet any catastrophe as having nearly pore. He brought Singapore to the highly bulk of over all tax 2000 members whom we can call in developed countries of the world though generation, it also case of any emergency in the country it is a small island. produces a great like earthquake or insurgency etc and Besides him I really admire some of our network quickly responds toward the leadership stories by Jim Collins, a employment meeting any such hazard on national management and leadership guru. opportunity. So it level. These people are a great inspiration for Serving as the CEO of a big club, how me. should encourage do you manage work life balance? What makes one successful in one’s hospitality industry. The most important for you in the life and profession? world is your own health and the self. So Keeping a sharp focus on things if you are consuming time on maintain- around you is the basic component of ing your health and routine life activities, success. And next to it is the vision, one then it is a great ability indeed. must be able to see life in a bigger con- day to day dog fight for short term In my case, at times it feels that per- text. Being a professional it is very much needs, one should try to bring some im- haps I am not maintaining an ideal bal- essential to be competent, adaptable provement in the existing environment. ance between work and the family. And and strong enough to meet new chal- What is your execution strategy this realization is very much important lenges. being a CEO? because it motivates me to do more ef- As a member of the society, think be- I focus on planning broadly for the up- forts in this regard. So, if there is a will yond personal interests, apart from the coming projects. I believe in an open di- to find this balance, one finds it.n www.themanagertoday.com August - September 2009 | MANAGER TODAY 19
  • 20. MANAGEMENT SYED ALI RAZA The writer is the head of HR in a multina- tional company 20 MANAGER TODAY | August - September 2009 www.themanagertoday.com
  • 21. U ndoubtedly, leadership is much talked and written about subject in the management literature. In behavioral training too, leader- ship has the top priority. There are many models and theories that have come into which leadership can be developed. This involves a rigorous process and many times a lifetime effort is required. MYTH-III Managerial implication T existence highlighting the different facets he practical utility of five of leadership. But leadership remained Leaders are charismatic. great myths will be enor- an enigma for many. This is due to cre- mous to all managers, ation of leadership that is not in reality. There is a tendency to think that one particularly for top Man- There are many managers who still be- needs to be stylish, smart, and charming agers. Organizations pay lieve that leadership is a born talent, lead- in appearance to become a leader. This is heavily, when we believe in ership is only for top management and only half true. In reality, successful lead- something that is not one should have an inbuilt charismatic ership practices and behaviors contribute real. For example, our personality to be a leader. This belief has for a leadership rather than charisma self leadership efforts may negative ramification to leadership de- leading a person to effective leadership lack conviction if we be- velopment efforts in organizations. Two behavior. lieve that leadership is of the most insight leadership gurus, merely a born talent. namely Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus Therefore, leadership de- in their book titled Leaders: The Strate- velopment program in gies for Taking Charge identified five MYTH-IV any organization must great leadership myths: Leadership exists only at the commence with dispelling these myths. The other top of an organization. valuable insight that man- Organizations have played into this myth agers must put into ac- MYTH-I by focusing leadership efforts only on top tion is that leadership Leadership is a rare skill. management. In reality, leadership is re- must be business of quired at every level of operation in an or- every body in the organi- There is a wide spread belief that lead- ganization. On has to be a good leader zation and not be con- ership is rare because leadership skills even in a single person operation to excel fined to top echelons of are rare with people in organization. But in that. Therefore, there must be multipli- handful of managers.n the fact remain is that many people pos- cation of leadership roles. sess leadership competency within them, we realize this when opportunities are ex- tended to tem to demonstrate their lead- ership prowess. The formal MYTH-V organizational structures discourage peo- The leader controls, directs ple to exhibit leadership behavior. and manipulates. Leadership is a role of empowering the followers as opposed to popular mis- MYTH-II nomer leadership as a power seeking Leaders are born not made. role. Leadership is epitome of equity, fair play and sacrifice and not the act of ma- Biographies of great leaders and sto- nipulation. Effective leaders ensure re- ries surrounding them create a picture wards to others and the cost of that leadership is a born talent. But the self-comfort. Further, facilitation is what fact is that many leadership skill and com- leaders engage in and to controlling and petencies can be learned. However, there directing. n is no simple formula or model through www.themanagertoday.com August - September 2009 | MANAGER TODAY 21
  • 22. COMMUNICATION M any a times you are in a nice function alone. Now if we extrapolate this in- SONIA UROOJ The writer is a café with a friend, may be CTC, dividual calculation, amazingly seventy per- commuication traniner Masoom’s, or Malee` (Don’t cent of our working hours is spent in verbal think that we are running a communication which equates reading and FOC publicity campaign!) grab- writing both put together as most of infor- bing a bite; she’s saying something but all mation that we receive till COB is verbal you can think of is your next meeting and making it the most frequently used channel your head is cramped with the upcoming of learning. However, it’s quite ironic that it Hear audit report. You hear a distant voice that is the least understood function of all. Lis- has been magically dragged; you try but you tening is assumed to be basically the same fail to identify with it and you find yourself as hearing; this is a dodgy misconception saying, “Hone, you were saying something?” because it leads to the belief that effective There comes a flying menu and she leaves listening is instinctive. Whereas, listening in- you wondering where you went wrong. May volves a more sophisticated mental be that was a little exaggerated version but process than hearing and it calls upon en- to in our daily lives we often don’t hear to lis- ergy and discipline that one needs to train Listen! ten. In today’s frenetic world empathetic lis- himself for. tening is pivotal to effective communication. Having settled so that listening is a It promotes communication, reduces ten- learned skill, one can train himself for being sion and facilitates cooperation in personal an effective listener. To be an effective lis- and professional lives. In a world where tener, it is best to listen with all the empathy, communication means getting the job done, starting with listening level one and ulti- listening certainly means more than just mately taking it to the third level. The first hearing. It means an edge. level involves putting yourself in someone A manager who was curious about how else’s boots even if they pinch for a while much time he spent listening asked his sec- and the last thing that you would want to do retary to keep track of the time he spent on is being judgemental or tagging others. At the telephone, listening. To his utter sur- the second level, you hear words but do not prise, he discovered his company was pay- really listen and level three is listening in ing him 35-40 percent of his salary for this spurts. Many have found the empathetic ap- 22 MANAGER TODAY | August - September 2009 www.themanagertoday.com www.themanagertoday.com
  • 23. proach to be a powerful tool for improving sions of interest. Show interest by the use speed. The core of effective listening is to their people skills. Some payoffs have been of noncommittal acknowledgements. Step develop the utmost concentration on the increased sales, improved ability to sell 3 is working at listening. Efficient listening immediate listening situation. Concentrate ideas to management, improved ability to takes energy and practice makes it easier. If on what the talker says and then summa- handle emotional people, more effective in- the subject is announced in advance, pre- rize it in your head. Step 10 is about prac- terview and improved working relationships pare for it by reading, by discussing it, or by ticing regularly. Get experience and practice and who won’t want all that. thinking it over briefly, establishing your own in listening and note-taking by listening to The research indicates that there are point of view. Then listen actively and ener- difficult or unfamiliar material that chal- twelve easy steps that can help us to im- getically. Step 4 is all about focusing your at- lenges your mental capacities. Every club prove our listening skills so that we listen at tention on ideas. Listen for the speaker’s meeting could present many opportunities level one more often. central ideas. Pick out the ideas as they are for practice. Regular practice will work won- The step 1 involves looking for something presented; sort the facts from principles, ders for you. Step 11 involves analyzing you can anchor on. If you adopt a positive at- the ideas from examples and the evidence what is being said, nonverbally. Be patient titude toward a subject, you will usually find from opinion. At Step 5 you are suggested and sensitive to the talker’s feelings. Ask something to broaden your knowledge. Dry to make meaningful notes. You can improve yourself why the talker said what he or she though a talk may be, oozing out with dull your ability to learn and remember by mak- did. Listen between the lines for hidden numbers and figures; it will generally con- ing a brief record of the speaker’s main meanings what is the person saying non- tain an idea that is worthwhile to you, now points, review your notes later on to deter- verbally? And finally Step 12 is to evaluate or in times to come. Ask yourself: What is mine what you can put to use, and whether and be critical of content, not the speaker’s being said that I can use? What’s in it for you agree or disagree with the speaker’s delivery. It’s important to discriminate if the me? How does this relate to what I already notion. Efficient note-taking requires prac- talker is stating facts or assumptions. Get- know? What action could I take? At step 2, tice in selecting the right method of notes ting the talker’s message is more important you take the initiative. Find out what the that are easy to interpret and review. De- than his or her appearance. Don’t let the talker knows. Look at the talker and con- pending on the nature of the talk, practice talker’s poor voice, mannerisms, personality centrate on what has been said. Go all the making an outline, mental or written, or pick- or appearance get in the way of the mes- way in making the communication two-way. ing out the key words, phrases or ideas. sage. Recognize that most people are not Ignore the person’s delivery and personal- Step 6 involves resisting external distrac- very skilled at getting their message across. ity if you find them distracting. Reach for the tions. Sit where you can see and hear with- No mater how much your memory re- idea that is being conveyed. Stimulate the out being distracted. When you do so, you sembles to a sieve, better listening pro- talker with your attentiveness and expres- make it possible to be aware of noises with- motes better memory. By systematically out being distracted by them. Step 7 is slotting in these twelve tools into our listen- about holding your rebuttal. Don’t let emo- ing behaviour, one can overcome poor lis- tion-laden words throw you. Learn to sieve tening habits, thus spending more time at them. Identify the certain words that affect level 1 that results in much improved ability you to the point where you stop listening to concentrate and retain information as it and start performing a rebuttal. One way to is easier to remember the information lis- deal with this is to quickly analyze the rea- tened to at level 1. sons those words stir you, then resume lis- In a gist, efficient listening takes effort, but tening, withholding any judgement until you it is one of the easiest ways known to ac- fully comprehend what point the speaker is quire ideas and information you can use and making. Another method is to jot down always remember the empathetic listening major rebuttal points as questions; do this approach eases understanding of what the briefly, not at length. Both methods can help other person really means. To listen effec- clear your mind so that you can return to tively, check your understanding regularly by listening with an open mind. Step 8 is keep- rephrasing what the other has said. Give ver- ing your mind open. Quick and heated dis- bal feedback of what was said or done as agreement with the speaker’s main points this communicates approval. Since this ap- or arguments can cause a psychological proval bears no criticism and judgement, the deaf spot. Give the talker more rather than talker feels heard and understood which ul- less attention. Search for the full nub of the timately leads to trust. So listening doesn’t theme. Stay out of the judgemental frame- mean hearing alone and perhaps next time work by not judging what the person says when you are out with a friend, they won’t as “wrong.” At Step 9 capitalize on thought complain about losing you! n www.themanagertoday.com August - September | MANAGER TODAY 23
  • 24. MARKETING PHILIP S. LALL Writer is the management consultant & chief executive of Pro-cel consulting. procel@lhr.comsats.net.pk GOOD MARKETING DECISIONS BUT EXECUTIONFOUL-UPS CEOs and directors in many Pakistani companies face a two-fold delegation dilemma F oreign books and magazines into admiring the Sonys, The CEO of a large Pakistani so often trumpet the alleged Gillettes, P&Gs, Black & Deck- FMCG company decided to quality of marketing decision- ers they can’t see the ‘quality’ change the pack designs of all making in US, European & In- of their own marketing deci- his product lines and bring it dian companies. It seems to sions? under a common ‘umbrella’ me Pakistani companies, too, Agreed, some Pakistani design (reflecting his corpo- can lay claim to the ‘quality’ of companies make awful mar- rate vision). Fully aware it was their marketing decision-mak- keting decisions. Might we a strategic decision, he as- ing. If there’s Heinz, we have also agree that many Pak- sessed his marketing staff’s National Foods doing it here. If istani companies produce re- abilities for high-quality execu- there are McDonald’s arches markable marketing ideas? tion of this decision. He saw abroad, we have Gourmet And many take sound market- the risk, and took personal re- and Salt’n’Pepper icons. If ing decisions? sponsibility for executing it there’s MetLife marketing, we Then where’s the problem? himself. It was possibly one of have EFU. Very often: execution foul-ups. the best-executed marketing Maybe its because we don’t My experience with nearly two decisions in this company. yet have a global Pakistani dozen companies suggests In another very large Pak- brand we find it difficult to ap- avoidable foul-ups come from istani FMCG company, the preciate the ‘quality’ of mar- four main sources. family’s board chairman dele- keting decision-making in gated almost complete au- Pakistan. Or is it because Foul-Ups with thority and responsibility to many Pakistani marketing Inappropriate Delegation the so-called ‘professional’ professionals are so stuck 24 MANAGER TODAY | August - September 2009 www.themanagertoday.com
  • 25. CEO for all marketing decisions, including completely into daily sales target pres- You will see two kinds of foul-ups here: the company’s very successful brands. sures.Fortunately, the above company’s a common one is misinterpreting time Though a few of his brand marketing de- ‘strategic turnaround’ was not a com- deadlines. It seems to happen in almost cisions were sound, this CEO, in turn, del- plete failure; one product actually suc- all companies. egated responsibility for execution to ceeded – only because the marketing For instance, after a major pricing some rather mediocre managers. It just director himself ‘sold’ the product’s change, the marketing director and his took a few years for this large company strategic importance to the sales force. group product manager wrote a memo to be brought to its knees. to their regional managers requiring CEOs and directors in many Pakistani Foul-ups in Internal Coordination them to ensure “prompt and regular companies face a two-fold delegation When a family-managed firm was look- feedback” on how the pricing decision dilemma. Firstly, how much authority ing around for diversification ideas, one was being executed. Regional managers should be delegated to subordinates for of the younger directors saw a growth interpreted this to mean they should executing a good marketing decision? opportunity in an agricultural crop imple- send their weekly reports promptly Secondly, should authority for execution ment. His father agreed with the idea, every Monday. The marketing director be delegated on the basis of loyalty – or and the young director started planning actually meant verbal feedback every competence? to market the implement before the day. ‘rabi’ crop season. Other family board Another kind of foul-up is misinterpret- Foul-Ups by Fragmented Thinking members said they would start work on ing time as a product feature (e.g, gen- A medium-size Pakistani pharma com- engineering aspects, sourcing local and erator start-up time or courier next-day pany had several new products in its off-shore materials and arranging fi- delivery). A medium-sized Pakistani R&D armoury, based on ‘me-too’ mole- nances. A few weeks later, assuming that chemicals company was faced with cules. While product managers tested trial production would begin as promised near-saturation demand and stiff price product literature and area sales man- by other directors’ subordinate man- competition from Chinese products. It agers made sales estimates, the mar- agers, this director toured the field, ap- used R&D to formulate chemical agents keting director analysed industry data. He waited for the right time and decided to launch two low-priced new products If there’s Heinz, we have National Foods doing it he had planned as part of his ‘strategic here. If there are McDonald’s arches abroad, we turnaround’. have Gourmet and Salt’n’Pepper icons. If there’s Strangely, thinking among product managers and regional managers was MetLife marketing, we have EFU. quite different. Product managers saw this as a good short-term tactic to in- crease volume, while regional managers pointed dealers & hired a sales executive. for a different market sector. An impor- saw this strategic turnaround in terms On his return, he was stunned to learn of tant parameter of cost effectiveness of getting additional incentives. Even the almost zero progress on trial production. was process absorption time. Applica- supply chain director saw no advantage The product was eventually introduced tions trials showed highly competitive in the new products. Here was frag- late into the ‘rabi’ crop season; its sales cost effectiveness: 15.6 mins for com- mented thinking about the execution of a were not even one-fifth of what he had ex- peting Chinese products and 13.8 mins sound marketing decision. pected. The young director had made a for the company’s product with lesser Top managers visualize growth oppor- critical mistake – he assumed other di- input. tunities, map out strategy and convert it rectors and their subordinate managers The sales force, however, felt the dif- into sound marketing decisions, but would automatically coordinate with him. ference of 1.8 mins could be communi- lower-level managers see things differ- He forgot this principle: directors and cated as 2 mins – it was easier to ently. Some will invariably think of growth managers will coordinate following their explain to customers. Two months after strategy decisions as ‘rocking the boat’ priorities – not your priorities. A brilliant introduction, the Chinese products’ local unnecessarily. Some will set their own im- marketing decision might be a director’s distributor said to an ISO-certified major plementation agenda. Some finance or manager’s priority, its good execution customer that a lie had been told. The managers reduced strategy thinking to requires it to become an equally impor- customer made a big issue out of this quarterly budget priorities. By the time, tant priority for other directors and their time misinterpretation, saying now regional managers execute growth deci- managers. there was a trust deficit. n sions, strategy thinking is transformed Foul-Ups in Interpreting Time www.themanagertoday.com August - September 2009 | MANAGER TODAY 25
  • 26. WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE PROFILE A fter 20 years of varied experience, ranging from private to public sec- tor, she has developed her skills in Leadership and Change Manage- ment. While at PIA and National Bank of Pakistan, she was heading the Human Resources management & development of 15000-18000 people. She was also involved in the Financial Sector Reforms in Pakistan driven by the World Bank & GOP. Uzma has also been a trainer and has developed & imple- mented many projects effectively. She has now launched Management Con- sultancy firm as a partnership concern broadly focusing on Management Consultancy, Technical Advising, Talent Management, Resourcing and Training. 26 MANAGER TODAY | J August - September 2009 www.themanagertoday.com www.themanagertoday.com
  • 27. Learning to live with people, learning to understand and respond to their aspira- tions, coping with the expectations of the stakeholders around you is the greatest lesson one needs to learn. Dealing with different situations re- quires much of efforts. And it is much more sensitive in one's professional life where there are many choices and choices come with conse- quences. So you have to be very careful. Thus, I am of the opinion, learning is a life long process. e would be pleased to have an intro- Q How do you see the status of W IJAZ NISAR duction to your early life and experi- women working in our organ- ences. izations? I have been very fortunate in getting As a lady I find myself lucky enough to multiple opportunities to see life in a serve in Pakistani society. wider scenario. No matter, how people portray a dismal I have met so many challenges and ex- picture of our society, I say it is lucky to perienced the wins and failures in my life be among the men of this society who that actually made me a very normal know to respect women and there are a human being. lot of privileges. I graduated from the IBA Karachi. The Though, males here need to realize the time I completed my education at IBA, I importance of women at senior positions. was a very light hearted girl, highly moti- Especially senior officers should recog- vated and compassionate about life and nize and acknowledge the services of goals. I think i am a very simple person. their female colleagues. I have been working in two large or- Q life? What are the key lessons you learnt from your professional ganizations. I have seen the treatment of men with the women being very much manipulating, and it really hurts me. www.themanagertoday.com www.themanagertoday.com August - September 2009 | MANAGER TODAY 27
  • 28. WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE Q Pakistan? What are the management consultancy opportunities in Q You have served as the head of organization development and training at National Bank of Pak- There are a lot of family businesses in istan. Would you like to share with us our country that preserve a culture the experience at NBP? where owners do not open doors for the consultants to get advised. And that is I think national bank is a great bank. the place where there is a strong need of We have seen it growing from 50 crore consultancy and advising. to a billion within six months and from one Back in 90s only corporate sector was billion it jumped onto four billion, reaching hiring management consultants and busi- eight to 12 and 18 billions. And we saw it ness owners, the ‘saiths’ were depending all happening in front of us. on their own wisdom focusing on prof- Why such a rapid growth? It is because itability alone. NBP got very strong muscles and very But now the situation is improved, many deep pockets. It has a lot of influence, family businessmen have started realiz- being the mover and shaker in the mar- ing the need of consolidation, so now they ket in terms of financial strength and pol- look at management consultancy very re- icy formulation as well. spectfully and its scope is rising. My experience with national bank has been very pleasant. I enjoyed working Q What are the challenges of management consultancy? Well, I would say, the quality of research there especially the project drafting of more than 12 billion was so thrilling that made us excited at our work. and the experience these briefcase con- Trans nationalization opened many new sultants bring with them is too shallow, horizons for us. thus the results they are producing are National bank has many unique fea- Q How did you end up in the management as your career? Having an MBA degree I had a passion literally superficial. Our corporate sector is very rich in experience and a consult- ant has to acknowledge the complexity of tures owing to its position in the market, policies and a strong structure. There is also a huge lot of talent employees asso- to work on the management side. I was the mechanism of an established organi- ciated with the NBP but I do wish that asked by my father to join the family zation. Here consultants adopt it as a pro- there could have done more for a cultural business but that was heavy civil con- fession having studied in theory but they change in the bank. Though Mr Ali Raza tracting construction works, building do not understand the complexity of an has brought a big difference yet his team bridges and construction. organization. should also focus on cultural change be- I joined the family business, worked The present day fresh MBA and con- cause still the image of the bank in peo- and learnt a lot from the construction sultancy graduates lack practical experi- ple's minds is that of a government industry, enjoying that experience. But ence thus they are deficient in accurate owned bank, so there is a need of people naturally I was more interested into cor- analysis and solutions. development in the bank. porate organizations. A mentor also fa- I also observe that fault lies with or- cilitated me to come into this field and explore my talents and abilities in the area of management. In mid 90s I was ganization management who do not pre- pare their teams to bring in change. Thus, it becomes a difficult task for hired Q ence? As you shifted from NBP to PIA, how was that experi- offered by the National bank to join consultants to access organizations, PIA is a mixture of industries and it is so them considering me a right match build an environment and softening the huge that amazes to work with. There we owing to my academic and work experi- grounds; reason being that readiness to had engineers, a glamorous crew, an es- ence. change is not present at many of our or- tablished customer service culture, pas- They were of the opinion that due to ganizations’ culture. The primary client senger handling and at the same time the my understanding of developing proj- of a consultant maybe ready for the kitchen and food catering services. PIA of- ects I could be able to ad value to the change but other stakeholders inside fers so much diversity in work that it used bank in bringing a change in manage- the organization press him a lot for to give a pleasure of moving into different ment that they were seeking. So I joined which strategic solutions of a consultant cultures within a single entity. National bank. fail. It is an extremely expensive organiza- tion ranging from all very active air sta- 28 MANAGER TODAY | June - July 2009 www.themanagertoday.com