How to be a Super Employee?

How many of these traits do you possess? The more you have it, the nearer you are to being a Super Employee. So work on it.

Do all the followings and you will be a Super Employee.

1. Know who is your Boss. Understand his culture, his like and dislike. (his values , his interest, his behaviors and etc). Make his priorities your priorities. Suit your style to what he expected. Making conversation with him will be much easier if you can click to his likings. Also know who is his second man. It will make your life much easier.
2. Have good rapport. Have good rapport with the Boss. Rapport enhanced communication and communication enhance trust. Life will be difficult if communication and trust is at it’s low. Most of your energy will be zapped on matters to overcome communication barriers instead of pleasing him.
3. Know how you are evaluated. If you do not know how your performance is being measured, how can you improve your performance? Know precisely which skills, behaviors and accomplishments you will be evaluated on and rewarded. Focus on them like a hawk. Find the answer on “How good can I make it?”.
4. Do not be sloppy in your work. It undermines trust. Do not make assumption that the Boss will correct your facts, memos, spelling, supporting documents, etc. You can be sure some things will get changed and mistakes corrected.  Soon you will be asked to show more facts/figures, and you will see more changes, and more amendments. Soon all your work will be given to someone else. If he endorsed your memo, his image is at stake.
5. You must be dependable. Do not just come with problems. Come also with solutions and some options. Problems usually have several aspects; key tasks, dates, people and resources needed. Which one do you want your boss's input? Plan the appropriate question to ask. Write it down so that you might not forget and have to bother him again. Your boss is busy. His best bet, if pressed for a decision, will be to say Wait or No.  If you want his decision, help him decide. Quickly remind him what you have discussed the last time you met him and the objective rather than rushing to the 'what' and 'how‘.  Quickly summarize the propose options and criteria for the work. Focus: where you need his help (informing, decision. etc.). Be prepared with facts, provide graphics/ visuals. After the meeting, summarize the decision. Once a decision is made follow through. If there is any new development which could render the decision wrong, let him know immediately.  Do what you have promised.
6. Manage his time.  You may represent only one percent of his problems, don't make it as if it is 100 percent. You have worries, problems and issues to tackle. While your time is entirely devoted to them, do not expect your boss's time to be the same. The simpler the problem, the less time you should have him spend on it. Get all the things ready.  Choose the right moment.
7. Always look energetic. Show that you are taking immediate actions whenever there is complaint or instruction in front of the Boss.  Be a motivator: the person everyone wants to be around. Who would you prefer, the one with zest or always looking tired and grumpy? Show Commitment. As if you are going to work with the organization for a very long time and working to finish up things as if the dead line is yesterday. Do not be the one to whine or criticize the Boss or company’s direction.
8. Make your boss look good. Finish your work on time and with a high level of professionalism. All he need to do is to put his signature. Bring your boss ideas that will help him and the department. Do not assume he knows as much as you do (You spend all of your time on the issue), but assume he can understand. Do not flood him with technical stuff he does not understand, hoping that it will knock him down and force him to agree with you. It will become a barrier in communication leading to lack of trust. Use simple language, with examples, best practices, summaries that help him see a perspective. By creating understanding, you relieve tensions; create trust that can lead to better decision-making. Keep his secret if you have any. If you do not have anything good to say about him, better not to say anything. Enhance his image. Be properly dress and presentable when you are around him. People will associate him with his subordinate. Show respect. If you play the “bad cop and the good cop” role, you will have to play the bad cop role. He want to look good.
9. Show that you can take some responsibility. Take some responsibility for work outside your job scope. If you make mistake, admit it and move on by focusing on what you have learned rather than what you have done wrong. If you always make mistake and the only things you have to offer is just say sorry, your Boss will certainly get tired of it. You will be a burden instead of helping. Mistakes are made all the time despite our best effort. However, the more important question is what can you do to make it right or better still, how to avoid it?
10. Be systematic. Plan your activities and resources. Your filing system must be good to retrieve what you have done. Have schedules to follow so that you might not be mislead. You could also measure what you have done. Rank your work by importance (importance means, you will be punished for not doing it) not by urgency (urgency can also mean that you can get away with or without excuses). Be on time. Arriving for work early or meetings on time shows you are dependable and able to manage your time effectively. However if you are too early for a meeting, people might think that you have too much time to spare. You must be deem to be seen busy. In a Japanese Company, if you are seen walking around, it means you are wasting time.
11. Be useful. Provide your Boss with accurate information. Remember, information is not just data or statistic. If he can not use the data, in his work, it is considered garbage. Turn stone into cut diamond: analyze the results before reporting and not be the mailman. Data overload creates stress/ rejection. Keep him informed all the time. Be his ears and eyes. If possible be his “brain” (I have a Japanese Boss who at his Farewell Dinner had mentioned to me that : “ You are my brain”.  This is because I wrote his key note address in the Company’s monthly magazine and speeches. All he needs to do is endorse it).

Make your Boss aware of the happenings in your organization or current issues. Do not just give only bad news: give good news too. Make sure the Boss does not get the information from others too often, as this shows that you are too slow in informing him. Simplified the report. Contribute to his informal network (help him shape his vision of the world and how to act) so that you do not always have to be defensive about information fed by people you think are not reliable. Wrong information lead to wrong decision. Have the file ready at any time. If the Boss want the information. You can extract it instantly. Instead of saying  you are still looking for it or are still typing it out.

12. Enhance your knowledge and skill. Take advantage of company’s training programs and get involve with projects outside your expertise. Invest in self development. Read a lot. Stay up to date with new technological and new changes in your field. Have that “Hungry Spirit” to always be better. Keep yourself well informed. Keep up with the industry and company activities. You can produce information on your job without delay. So ensure that your statistic or information can be excess at all time.
13. Always be courteous. Always give the greeting first. Show respect and loyalty to your boss and speak well of him to others. (At the very least do not bad mouth him to anyone.)
14. Always be flexible. Sometime the demand for your time and effort can be insane. It goes beyond your job descriptions. Bosses need people who can adapt and go with the unplanned needs. Even getting his personal chores done.
15. Take care of your health. How can you contribute to your work if you are on sick? Be productive means being at the work place and contribute. You are as good as you can perform. How can one perform well if he is sick?  Worst, if he is not around when required. As they say “Water in America cannot dose off fire in Malaysia”.
16. Work first, before personal life. You have to plan your personal life in advance. If you are the one who took leave because your spouse has to work. So where do you stand? Your spouse seems to be more important than you are. For a super employee, balance life is a myth.

You are expected to work long hours and do any type of assignment.  According to Charles Darwin, “It's not the strongest or the smartest of the species that survives, but the ones who can best adapt to change" If you are good but not available when required, others will take over your place.

17. Do more than expected. Do the extra mile. If you can, expand your job scope, do it. Take on added tasks, do extra hours, and do not say, "That's not my job."
18. Show that you are a team player. Show your boss and colleagues that you care for them and offer to help out when they need it. In an organization no man is an island. Even if you are very good in your field, if you cannot work in a team, you will be sideline. Ever heard the phrase “majority rules”.
19. Show positive attitude.  Always portray a positive side. Do not let others think you work because you have to. Make it as if you are the model employee. This will enhance your credibility.
20. Make yourself available at any time. Work comes before personal matters. The higher you go, the less time belongs to yours. It is as if you have sold your time to the Company. As they say “The higher it is the less time you have for the family” . As the Boss you will certainly want your staff to be around when you need them. After all, the Boss has Bosses too. Wait until he goes back. He might want your service when his boss, want the information there and then. Make sure your phone is always on. Make sure you return his call.
21. Have Strong Communication skill. He likes it if you can speak on his behalf and settle the problems. This will save the Boss time for other important things. He like things done without the hassle to do it himself. He does not have to contact the parties concerned unless he likes to. It is best that you practice HORENSO (Japanese corporate ways of efficient communication) in your daily work to enhance your work efficiency and relationship with your bosses and colleagues. HORENSO will help enhance your communication and social skill.
22. Be transparent. Do not promise what you can not deliver, and avoid surprises. Be transparent and predictable. Surprises can backfire.  In doing your work regularly involve your boss and colleagues in the process, agreeing on key indicators, so that neither you nor him will be surprised by the end results.
23. Keep his secret. Be a trusted person. Bosses sometimes like to spill out some confidential things up to get ideas and views from people he knows can keep secrets. Keep his secret if you have any (personal or work related). If you do not have anything good to say about him, better not to say anything. No one likes babbling staff for a subordinate. Do you?
24. Never give-up. Accept the Boss complaint with open mind. Do not criticize him. Most Bosses will guide their staffs who show genuine commitment and willingness to improve. Develop thick skin, so that you do not get hurt easily whenever hostility comes your way. Always believe time will heal. If there are glitches along the way, the Boss and colleagues are angry with you, let time heal the anger. Persevere, continue with your effort. Have a strong support system. At least have someone you trust to share your happiness and sorrow throughout your mission of being a Super Employee. It could be your friends, parents or siblings. It will make it much palatable.
25. Do it NOW. Whatever you do, do not delay. Do the most important work first.      

MN HORENSO

How to make your job easy.

1. Give Priority. Do the most important work first, your core work. There are important work and just work. Important work is when you will be punished if you did not do it. Other work is when you will not be punished if you do not do it (it takes up your precious time).

If you have too much to do, make sure you have a list to prove it (talk only vs. written proof). With written proof you can simply show your priority to your Boss. No serious argument needed.

 If your Boss chooses to decide for you which job to do first, then you have yourself covered if things goes wrong.

2. Consult your friends / colleagues. Do not keep it to yourself if you need help.  Constantly consult your friends / colleagues. If he has no expertise, he could show you who you can call on. You save more time by consulting the expert rather than to start from zero. If possible acquire a mentor, who is good in the field.

3. Consult your Boss. Keeping constant contact with your boss is important. It not only ensures that you are on the right track and meeting his expectations, you also get more information and resources you need to complete your work. You get to learn from him (on job training).

4. Delegate. If you can, delegate the work to the person who is capable to do it. Have schedule and dead line. Have a regular check and follow up. Practice progress reports to ensure the job get done.

5. Have a check list. Check list can help you focus and do things systematically, quickly and easily, thereby increasing your efficiency and productivity at work. It must be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time bound). Check your achievement daily, to enable you to see what you have achieved.

Exercise to develop a COMMUNICATIVE MINDED MINDSET

Warm-Up Exercise
Name the person you like most. Why? 
Some of your answer might be, you trust him / her, she understand you, you can talk to her, she cares, ........ listen to you, etc, etc, etc.
Do this exercise, to develop a Communicative Minded Mindset.
Follow his/her traits such as the followings, on others:

1)     Smile

2)     Be full of zest

3)     Don’t forget to greet

4)     Act cool and respectful

5)     Try to strike a conversation with people

6)     Give respect eg. Acknowledgement, praises, and listen attentively

7)     Make people feel important, ask question on his expertise or interest
8)     Be sincere.

* Remember, your smile, appearance, smell and non verbal action are forms of communication too.

Try it out to everyone you meet, everyday. In 90 days, it will be part of you. Create an attitude.  A good attitude. Do you think they will like you if you do the above to them?

On the other hand, name the person you like least: Why? Avoid his/her traits.
How can you overcome the person you like least?
Do just like the person you like MOST do to you on this guy  ;-)

HORENSO : Budaya Positif Horenso

HORENSO ialah sistem komunikasi  cara Jepun yang berkesan untuk individu dan organisasi.

(Tujuan penulisan ini ialah untuk berkongsi pengalaman  dan pandangan dengan anda. Ia menjurus kepada bagaimana untuk mempermudahkan kerja kita dan memastikan Bos kita mendapat maklumat terkini untuk kebaikan bersama  – kita, syarikat kita dan juga Bos kita. Sememangnya ia terbukti berkesan disepanjang kerjaya saya).

 Horenso boleh di katakan sebagai sistem komunikasi 360 darjah. Ia melibatkan semua orang yang terbabit dalam mencapai sesuatu matlamat atau pekerjaan (samaada orang dalam atau luar syarikat).   Ia memastikan mereka yang terlibat sentiasa mendapat maklumat dan dimaklumkan tentang status kerja / projek  yang sedang diusahakan. Mereka berpeluang untuk menyumbang pendapat dan idea mereka pada bila-bila masa.

Jika di amalkan oleh individu, ia  akan banyak memberi kebaikan dan kerjaya yang baik. Jika diamalkan budaya komunikasi Horenso pada sesuatu organisasi , sudah tentu ia memudahkan semua pekerja nya dan seterusnya mempertingkatkan produktiviti organisasi itu.

Saya katakan, inilah cara terbaik macam mana hendak “bodek” Bos secara terpuji. Bos selalunya  sukakan orang yang mengamalkan Horenso di tempat kerja. Ia merupakan mata dan telinga kepada Bosnya yang sentiasa mendapatkan maklumat terkini berkenaan kerja yang penting. Bos juga boleh masuk campur bila-bila masa dia rasa perlu untuk memperbaiki keadaan.

Kita mesti ingat bahawa Bos kita juga ada BOS untuk  dilayani. Kalau dia tak dapat jawab apa yang BOS dia nak tahu, dia kena marah. Kalau dia kena marah, dia akan marah siapa pula? Kita fikirkan kita saja kena marah, orang lain pun kena marah juga (lagi teruk) tapi tak lah sampai dia memberitahu semua orang.

Untuk mengelak atau mengurangkan perkara begini berlaku, dan untuk Bos suka kita, pekerja baru dan lama mesti  mengamalkan  sistem  Horenso untuk kerja selesa dan untuk kemajuan diri sendiri.

Secara langsung ia juga dapat mempertingkatkan produktiviti kita semua.

Sistem Horenso adalah idaman semua Bos, jika kita tidak terlalu menganggu mereka.   

Apa itu Horenso:

HO-REN-SO adalah kata singkatan bahasa  Jepun untuk perkataan, Hokoku, Renraku dan Sodan yang bermaksud, Melapur, Berhubung dan Berunding  (Report, Contact, Consult) . Ia adalah sistem komunikasi yang diamalkan oleh syarikat-syarikat Jepun  yang maju dan berdaya saing, seperti Panasonic , Toyota dan sebagainya.

Erti Kata: HOKOKU-MELAPUR, RENRAKU-BERHUBUNG, SODAN-BERUNDING.

Hokoku – Melapur.  Melapur kepada ketua adalah tugasan yang penting. Kita adalah di wajibkan untuk melapurkan  status kerja kita, perubahan perancangan, dan hasil  kerja dalam waktu  yang ditentukan. Ini boleh dilakukan secara bersemuka  atau bertulis,  bergantung kepada keadaan dan cara yang disukai oleh ketua kita  (jenis media penyampaian lapuran yang sesuai, akan dibincangkan kemudian).

Renraku – Berhubung, merupakan perkongsian maklumat. Menerangkan kepada orang-orang berkenaan dan mendapatkan mereka untuk memahami maklumat yang kita telah perolehi. Kita memastikan semua maklumat yang penting untuk membuat sesuatu keputusan itu ada dan diketahui semua yang terlibat.  Asas kosepnya adalah kerja berpasukan.

Sodan – Berunding,  memberikan  efek sinergi –tambah nilai. Dimana kita menerangkan situasi dan pemikiran kita kepada Bos atau rakan kerja  kita apabila menghadapi situasi yang kita tidak pasti atau bermasalah dan mendapatkan nasihat untuk menyelesaikan masalah itu.

 Proses Horenso.

1.       ARAHAN:  Proses Horenso bermula apabila  ketua  memberi arahan.  Seperti  lazimnya, arahan ini tidak semestinya jelas atau lengkap, tetapi cukup untuk kita mula menjalankannya.

2.        Hokoku – Melapur. Kita meneliti akan arahan yang diberi dan membentuk plan tindakan asas untuk dilapurkan kepada ketua kita.  Usaha asas nya boleh di bentang dalam bentuk  plan asas, draf cadangan dan pilihan/cara-cara yang ada untuk menjayakan hasil yang dikehendaki,  garis panduan untuk  mencapai  matlamat, atau gambaran kasar.    

3.       Renraku – Berhubung.  Tindakan seterusnya, kita akan berhubung dengan ketua kita dan orang-orang yang terlibat dengan projek berikut, memberi  dan  mengumpul maklumat  dari mereka.  

4.        Sodan – Berunding.  Seterusnya kita berunding  untuk mencari  cara dan jalan terbaik untuk projek kita  dengan mereka yang berpengalaman.  Dimana kita menerangkan situasi dan pemikiran kita kepada Bos atau rakan kerja  apabila menghadapi masalah atau situasi yang kita tidak pasti. Kita mendapatkan nasihat mereka untuk menyelesaikan masalah itu. Kita  memberbaiki plan dan cadangan dengan  maklumat dan cadangan yang dapat dikumpulkan. 

5.       Sekali lagi kita melakukan Hokoku – Melapur  dengan kemajuan baru ini, kita membuat lapuran lagi kepada ketua kita.  

6.        Sekali lagi kita melakukan Renraku – Berhubung.  Kita akan berhubung dengan ketua kita dan orang-orang yang terlibat dengan projek, memberi  dan  mengumpul maklumat dari mereka.   

7.       Kita juga melakukan Sodan – Berunding.  Dengan maklumat dan arahan terbaru (jika ada) dari ketua kita dan rakan-rakan, kita berunding lagi  untuk mencari  cara dan jalan terbaik untuk projek kita. Kita menerangkan situasi dan idea kita kepada ketua  dan rakan kerja  berkenaan masalah yang kita hadapi dan mendapatkan nasihat  dari mereka untuk penyelesaian.

8.       PROSES  HOKAKU, RENKAKU DAN SODAN, DIULANG-ULANG  SEHINGGALAH  PROJEK TAMAT.

Proses Horenso digunakan diperingkat perancangan, perlaksanaan,dan  pembetulan, sehinggalah kerja / projek selesai.  Dengan mengunakan proses ini, berulang kali, kerja yang dijalan terpaksa diadakan secara usahasama diantara ketua, pekerja dan mereka yang terlibat.  Ketua tidak akan terkejut dengan  hasil kerja tersebut.       

Tips utama di sini ialah faktor masa dan usaha berterusan dengan mengunakan pendekatan assertif vs agresif.  (Cara pendekatan Asertif orang tak marah. Cara pendekatan  Agresif, orang marah)

Horenso boleh disamakan dengan “on –job- training” , “coaching” atau ‘mentoring”. Di mana pekerja merancang kerja dan diberi panduan dan tunjuk ajar oleh ketuanya. Proses ini diulang lagi dan lagi sehingga pekerja memahami bagaimana untuk melakukannya sendiri.

Pada seseorang pekerja ini mungkin  dikatakan pengurusan secara mikro.  Terutama pada mereka yang terdedah kepada cara pengurusan orang barat. Mereka menganggap mereka lebih berdikari dan berkebolehan tinggi.

Malangnya , kebanyakkan  pekerja yang merasakan mereka bagus, tidak dapat menghasilkan kerja seperti hasil yang di kehendaki oleh ketuanya. Ini akan menimbulkan banyak perselisihan faham. Adalah lebih baik jika hasil yang dicapai bersamaan dengan keinginan ketua kita. Alangkah baik jika kesilapan dapat di baiki diperingkat awal lagi dan jangan sampai di saat- saat genting di penghujung waktu yang ditetapkan. Masing-masing akan menyalahkan orang lain. Buat kata orang bijak, “Jangan sampai nasi dah menjadi bubur”.

Ciri-ciri penting Horenso:

1.       Menyampaikan maklumat dengan cepat

2.       Menyampaikan maklumat dengan tepat

3.       Menyampaikan keputusan  dengan cepat.

4.       Menyampaikan data yang telah disahkan benar.

Horenso membentuk komunikasi berkualiti:

1.       Ianya terbukti Sistem yang berkualiti

2.       Perlaksanaannya membentuk Minda berkualiti

3.       Semua orang boleh melakukannya setiap hari

4.       Ia boleh dinilai.

5.       Bila kita berkomunikasi selalu–kita juga boleh menukar orang yang layak untuk kerja berkenaan jika perlu.

6.       Ia mempertingkatkan kebolehan seseorang dan kita boleh menolong memperbaikinya untuk mencapai matlamat.

Horenso mempertingkatkan komunikasi dan ketelusan operasi dimana mereka yang berkenaan sentiasa dimaklumkan berkenaan dengan keadaan kerja.

Kepakaran mengunakan Horenso ada beberapa peringkat, asas, pertengahan dan tinggi. Lebih tinggi kebolehan seseorang lebih baik dia dapat mempraktikan sistem ini.

Apa yang Kita dapat dengan mengunakan sistem  Horenso?

1)      Kerja kita akan menjadi lebih mudah kerana ramai yang berkebolehan yang  boleh membantu.

2)      Dapat melaksanakan kerja dengan berkesan  dengan pertolongan  rakan sekerja dari jabatan sama atau yang lain – selalunya kerja yang diarahkan oleh orang atasan jarang yang membangkang , takut Boss akan “mark” dia orang.  Markah hujung tahun untuk bonus dan kenaikan nak kena jaga.  

3)      Kita dapat mengunakan  dan mempelajari kepakaran orang lain. Kalau kita tak pandai dalam sesuatu bidang, cari rakan kerja yang pandai dalam bidang itu.

4)      KPI  kita senang dicapai dan dicatit. “Performance Management  done continuously”. Siap ada catatan kerja.

5)       Kita tidak boleh dipersalahkan seorang diri kalau hasil kerja tidak menjadi, kerana ramai yang terlibat.  Bos pun sama sekali terbabit.

6)      Bos  akan lebih suka dan mempercayai kita dan bergantung pada kita oleh kerana selalu juga berjumpa.  Boleh “negotiate” markah akhir tahun ;-)

7)      Kita akan lebih memahami apa yang dikehendaki Bos dan rakan sekerja .

8)      Persahabatan kita akan menjadi lebih rapat dengan rakan sekerja dan ketua.

Keperluan Horenso:

1)     Mempertingkatkan keberkesanan bekerja. Setiap hari di tempat kerja, banyak maklumat disampaikan. Horenso  memastikan maklumat yang perlu diterima dan kecekapan bekerja di pertingkatkan.

2)     Menyelesaikan masalah dengan cepat. Masalah berlaku setiap hari. Jika dikesan dengan cepat, ia boleh diselesaikan dengan mudah. Horenso memungkinkan untuk mengesan masalah dengan cepat.

3)    Mendapatkan kepercayaan ketua, rakan sekerja dan pekerja anda. Melalui Horenso yang kerap, kita boleh memperbaiki komunikasi  dengan ketua, rakan kerja dan pekerja kita. Apabila komunikasi  bertambah baik, begitu juga kepercayaan dan perhubungan manusia.

Perlaksanaaan system Horenso secara sukarela atau paksaan, adalah baik bagi semua yang berkenaan,  Kita, Bos-bos, Rakan-rakan dan Syarikat kita.  

Semoga  artikel ini dapat membantu anda mempertingkatkan produktiviti dan kerjayaan anda.  Pendapat dan teguran anda adalah dialukan, agar artikel ini dapat diperbaiki.  Salam.

Perbincangan akan datang:

1)      Bagaimana melaksanakan  Hokoku, Renraku dan Sodan.

2)      Horenso membentuk komunikasi berkualiti.

3)      Apa yang perlu untuk Horenso lebih berkesan.

4)      Cara Asertif vs Agresif.

5)      Membentuk Horenso sebagai budaya kerja sesuatu syarikat.

6)      Horenso  secara  sukarela  atau secara paksaan.

7)      Contoh-contoh Horenso.

8)      Cara-cara perlaksanaan komunikasi  berkesan di tempat kerja.