'Being tolerant of failures will help reduce job costs'
“A peacock feather is meant for decoration one day and is used as a duster the following day,” says Peter Handal, president & CEO, Dale Carnegie & Associates about change, which he feels is the key to a sustainable competitive edge.
By Ambika Naithani, TNN |
MUMBAI: ���A peacock feather is meant for decoration one day and is used as a duster the following day,��� says Peter Handal, president & CEO, Dale Carnegie & Associates about change, which he feels is the key to a sustainable competitive edge.
Mr Handal loves to run, especially in Mumbai, as the city���s buzz and traffic snarls remind him of New York. He brings with him substantial experience in dealing with workforce across cultures and spoke to ET on a range of issues concerning the workforce.
How significant is the Dale Carnegie motto of ���Win friends and influence people��� today?
Of course, it is significant. The techniques we teach deliver the essence of leadership. They help companies in making the workforce more effective. We do make a difference in companies and continue to do so.
What according to you are the most critical human resources issues in India?
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People-related issues vary across the globe and are country-specific. For example, while in India attrition is a concern in the IT sector, it���s the manufacturing sector in Germany that faces this problem. India has a huge advantage, as 70% of its population comprises young people. Further, there are English-speaking educated youth who are very much in demand. We must, however, realise that as India is growing rapidly and the age of leaders is becoming lesser, skills need to be imparted to these young leaders to manage today and tomorrow effectively.You spoke about being ���tolerant of failure���. How much of it can be used in today���s context?
By saying being ���tolerant of failure���, I don���t mean accepting everything. I say this because one can���t be absolutely intolerant and lose people. One point that I reiterate time and again is that companies undermine the cost of attrition, which includes conducting a search for the right person, recruiting him and then training that person. So if companies don���t give a chance to their employees there will be problems of attrition where huge costs are involved. A company can���t spend enormous money on resources without having them to deliver.
One of the 12 ways to win people to your way of thinking is to ���avoid arguments���. Wouldn���t that tantamount to avoiding discussions and reaching the best solution?
I tell my wife to avoid arguments! It���s very normal for a creative team to disagree. Saying and doing things differently does not mean that one has to pick on another person. One needs to communicate effectively and put across his point as well. That���s what we teach here ���disagree without being disagreeable���.
Doesn���t focusing too much on soft skills mean becoming complacent?
One needs to strike a balance between aggression and complacency. There has to be a solution somewhere midway that goes to say that one is neither too laid back ��� in which case the business can���t function ��� nor should one create an hostile environment to get work done. Although if you ask me, I would strike off complacency.
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